📋 Tender Overview
In the digital era, when data has become a new type of strategic resource, the way we exploit and distribute this resource directly determines the quality of national governance. And at the heart of that change is a concept that seems to belong only to programmers: API. API is like a door that helps one system check information from another system without the need for people to carry documents or ask for manual confirmation. API silently creates a profound transformation from paper-based management to data-based management; from manual processing to automation; from a ask-give mechanism to a transparent and serving administration. What is API and why does it need an easy-to-understand name? API stands for Application Programming Interface, the most accurate translation is Open Programming Interface. This is a technical standard that allows systems to exchange data according to a common, safe and controlled rule. To make it easier for the public to imagine, API can be called by a more familiar name, Data Connection Gateway. API is like a door that helps this system check information from other systems without needing people to carry documents or ask for manual confirmation. In other words, API is a condition to implement the basic principle of Digital Government: Open once - use many places. What has Vietnam done and where is the opportunity for a breakthrough? Recent practice shows that Vietnam has begun to form important foundations for connecting and exploiting data in state management. However, the overall picture still has gaps that need to be clearly identified in order to move from individual efforts to a unified national strategy. The current situation can be summarized through the following three main points: First, the legal framework on data connection and sharing has initially been formed. In recent times, the Government has issued a number of important documents, creating a foundation for interoperability and data exploitation to serve state management. Notably, Decree 278/2025/ND-CP regulates mandatory data connection and sharing between agencies in the entire political system; and Decree 194/2025/ND-CP, concretizing the Law on Electronic Transactions, laying the legal foundation for data sharing in public service provision. Along with that, the National Data Sharing and Integration Platform (NDXP/VDXP) has connected with more than 90 ministries, branches and localities and processes hundreds of millions of transactions each year, showing that the need and potential for data interoperability is growing. Second, some fields have proactively gone ahead, especially the banking industry. This is the first industry to issue regulations on Open API with Circular 64/2024/TT-NHNN, effective from March 1, 2025. The identification and standardization of APIs in a key economic sector shows that APIs are no longer a simple technical concept, but are becoming an important element of digital service infrastructure. Third, APIs are still not properly recognized as a national strategic pillar. Currently, there is no document at the Government level defining API as a core institution of the Digital State. Data connection between ministries, branches and localities is still mainly spontaneous, lacking common standards in format, structure, security, decentralization or logging mechanism (Logging is when the system automatically creates a log of system activities). National data is still fragmented, causing practical interoperability to face many limitations. It can be said that we have built important foundations, but still lack a master design for the national data connection infrastructure - a design in which API must play a central role. The population database has more than 200 million records, and according to the Ministry of Public Security, it can serve over 70% of administrative procedures if fully connected with other fields. API removes inherent bottlenecks in the relationship between the State - people - businesses. Over the years, many administrative procedures have been prolonged due to the lack of data connectivity between state agencies. API appears as a tool to help remove these bottlenecks, creating a real change in serving people and supporting businesses. The most obvious changes can be seen in the following five aspects: 1. Stop the situation of requesting your own information. With API, the application receiving agency can immediately retrieve information from the original data management agency, instead of asking people to ask for confirmation themselves. This approach shortens time, reduces trouble and overcomes the administrative mindset of forcing people to prove on behalf of management agencies.2. Minimize the requirement to submit hard copy documents. Many types of documents such as household registration, birth certificate, personal information, marital status... can be completely replaced with digital data. When API is fully deployed, carrying paper documents becomes unnecessary, helping both people and state agencies work more quickly and accurately.3. The document processing process becomes streamlined and seamless. APIs allow information verification, reconciliation, and checking steps to happen automatically behind the scenes. People only need to submit their application once, and the system will forward the data to the agenciesrelate to. This is an important step from door-to-door processing to interconnected processing.4. More transparency, less direct contact. When data is retrieved via the API, every action is recorded and can be audited. This reduces unofficial costs arising from the discretion of officials, while improving the level of integrity and accountability in public service activities.5. Businesses are served in a seamless environment. APIs help reduce wait times, reduce duplicate records requests, and increase access to online public services. Thereby, businesses compliance costs are significantly reduced, creating favorable conditions for inves
