The Office of the Investment Promotion and Management Committee, abbreviated in Lao as "ຫລທ" (IPO), written in English as: "Investment Promotion and Management Committee Office", and abbreviated in English as "IPMC Office", is an organization with a department-level status. It serves as the secretariat for the Investment Promotion and Management Committee in the work of promoting and managing investment. It has the role of being a One-Stop Service Office for investment, researching investment proposal applications for concession businesses and controlled businesses; coordinating, cooperating, and promoting improvements to the investment climate; attracting, promoting, protecting, and managing private sector investment, public-private partnership investment, including the development and management of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and Specific Economic Zones (SEZs), such as industrial zones and high-tech parks, in accordance with the Law on Investment Promotion and relevant regulations.

The Office of the Investment Promotion and Management Committee has the following duties:

1. Act as the secretariat for the Investment Promotion and Management Committee in the work of promoting and managing domestic and foreign private sector investment, public-private partnership investment, including the development and management of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and Specific Economic Zones (SEZs), such as industrial zones and high-tech parks in the Lao PDR, and authorization for outbound investment, by coordinating with relevant central and local sectors according to the One-Stop Service mechanism;

2. Research, analyze, and study data on private sector investment trends, and policies and measures for promoting investment to align with the country's development needs and trends, and the trend of integrating the Lao economy into the region and internationally;

3. Research, formulate, and improve strategies, policies, and plans related to the work of promoting and managing private sector investment, the development and management of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and Specific Economic Zones (SEZs) in the Lao PDR, and outbound investment, to propose to the Investment Promotion and Management Committee and the Government;

4. Draft laws, decrees, agreements, orders, instructions, notices, regulations, and various measures related to the work of promoting and managing private sector investment, public-private partnership investment, and the management of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and Specific Economic Zones (SEZs) in the Lao PDR;

5. Propagandize, disseminate, mobilize, and advise on the implementation of policies, strategies, laws, and various regulations related to the work of promoting and managing private sector investment, public-private partnership investment, and the management of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and Specific Economic Zones (SEZs);

6. Research private sector investment applications for concession businesses, the establishment of Special Economic Zones-Specific Economic Zones, public-private partnership investment, controlled businesses, representative offices, and outbound investment, ensuring alignment with the guidelines, policies, socio-economic development plans for each period, and the laws and regulations of the Lao PDR, by coordinating with relevant central and local sectors;

7. Summarize investors' difficulties, pending issues, and proposals, and act as a neutral coordinator with various sectors to research legal and regulatory solutions or report to the Investment Promotion and Management Committee and the Government;

8. Establish databases and manage statistics for private sector investment, Special Economic Zones, Specific Economic Zones, and public-private partnership investment, modernizing them;

9. Act as the central coordinator with relevant sectors in creating a national investment map system that links with various sector databases into a complete system;

10. Act as the secretariat in implementing the rights and obligations of the Lao PDR as a party to treaties, agreements on promotion and protection of bilateral investment, bilateral and multilateral cooperation frameworks in investment work;

11. Act as the coordinating center for exchanging lessons and negotiating agreements and treaties with foreign countries, regions, and international organizations according to regulations;

12. Act as the central coordinator with relevant sectors in researching, improving, and creating the Investment Projects List, the Controlled Business List, the Concession Business List, and the Special Concession List to align with the country's economic development situation in each period, for proposal to the Investment Promotion and Management Committee and the Government;

13. Research and lead relevant parties in negotiating investment agreements and cooperation agreements under the responsibility of the Investment Promotion and Management Committee;

14. Regularly report on the work of promoting and managing private sector investment, the development of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and Specific Economic Zones (SEZs), and public-private partnership investment to the Investment Promotion and Management Committee and the Government;

15. Research and provide comments on proposals and petitions related to domestic and foreign private investment work, including work on Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and Specific Economic Zones (SEZs), to propose to the Investment Promotion and Management Committee for consideration, approval, rejection, or requesting guidance on the proposal according to laws and regulations;

16. Research and lead negotiations on Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs), Development Agreements, Concession Agreements, and legal documents related to private investment, Special Economic Zones (SEZs), and Specific Economic Zones (SEZs) according to laws and regulations;

17. Draft investment licenses, licenses to establish representative offices, licenses for outbound investment, investment promotion certificates, annual import plan approval letters, suspension notices, warning letters, cancellation notices, withdrawal notices, licenses for outbound investment, investment promotion certificates, extension notices, and contract termination notices, to propose for approval according to regulations;

18. Promote, monitor, inspect, and evaluate the implementation of permitted private investment projects at both central and local levels, including the development of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and Specific Economic Zones (SEZs), and propose solutions to various problems to request guidance from superiors;

19. Facilitate, monitor, and manage investors along with their families, experts, specialists, and foreign laborers in the Lao PDR;

20. Mobilize, manage, and utilize foreign aid funds and technical assistance from international organizations for projects under its responsibility, ensuring correctness according to objectives and compliance with regulations;

21. Act as the center for organizing ceremonies for signing Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs), signing Development Agreements, signing Concession Agreements, signing Joint Cooperation Project Agreements, private sector investment project agreements, signing Concession Agreements for public-private partnership investment projects, and other official ceremonies related to the role and responsibilities of the Office;

22. Liaise, coordinate, promote, issue guidance notices, explain, and disseminate the content of agreements or various legal documents regarding investment promotion and management, Special Economic Zones (SEZs), and Specific Economic Zones (SEZs) to relevant sectors and localities;

23. Liaise and cooperate with domestic and international organizations regarding the work of promoting and managing investment, Special Economic Zones (SEZs), and Specific Economic Zones (SEZs);

24. Prepare monthly, quarterly, and annual budgets; manage the use of its budget and equipment; manage financial accounts, budget, projects, plans, activities, and budget plans to serve work within its scope of authority and duties;

25. Manage and use vehicles and equipment under its responsibility;

26. Monitor the implementation of the Party's policies, laws, regulations, plans, programs, roles, rights and duties, responsibilities of the organization, party members, officials-civil servants under its management;

27. Manage and develop officials-civil servants under its responsibility;

28. Monitor and promote environmental and land work in Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and Specific Economic Zones (SEZs) to ensure compliance with laws and regulations;

29. Promote, manage, monitor labor usage to align with the development plans of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and Specific Economic Zones (SEZs), and the labor demand plans of domestic and foreign investment projects;

30. Summarize and consolidate the weekly, monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, and annual activities of the Office of the Investment Promotion and Management Committee for reporting to superiors;

31. Perform other duties as assigned by superiors.

The Office of the Investment Promotion and Management Committee has the following scope of authority:

1. Research and propose the creation, improvement, and amendment of legislation related to investment promotion work, Special Economic Zones (SEZs), and Specific Economic Zones (SEZs) to align with actual requirements in each period;

2. Invite investors, developers, and relevant sectors to participate in consultation meetings or provide clarifications case by case;

3. Issue letters requesting comments from relevant central and local sectors according to the One-Stop Service mechanism;

4. Research and report to request approval from superiors regarding the establishment of Special Economic Zones (SEZs), Specific Economic Zones (SEZs), investment in concession businesses, investment in controlled businesses, investment promotion certificates, investors' and developers' import plans (Master List), proposals to establish representative offices, and outbound investment;

5. Issue permits for amending legal documents, approval letters for various legal amendments, supplementary import plans, pre-customs clearance guarantee permits for goods (IM8), permits to remove policy-benefitted vehicle plates, permits for re-exporting materials and vehicles, temporary import extension letters for materials and vehicles;

6. Facilitate the application for business visas, multiple entry-exit visas, and holiday cards for investors and developers in accordance with laws and regulations;

7. Coordinate with relevant sectors to propose the issuance of business registration certificates, tax registration certificates, taxpayer identification numbers, business operation licenses, environmental compliance certificates, land use certificates based on investor proposals in accordance with laws and regulations;

8. Consider permanently revoking licenses for representative offices; issue warnings to investors who have received licenses for outbound investment in cases of activities inconsistent with the permit or its role, or as directed by superiors;

9. Coordinate with relevant parties to conduct inspections, resolve issues, summarize, consolidate reports on inspection activities and results, and implement inspection findings according to its role;

10. Propose to superiors the suspension of implementation or reconsideration of inspection result resolutions deemed incorrect, complying with laws and regulations within its role; issue decisions, notices, regulations, and various guidelines for internal department work;

11. Research and propose to superiors improvements to its organizational structure in each period;

12. Propose appointments, transfers, relocations, promotions, demotions, dismissals, awards, or disciplinary actions against officials-civil servants under its responsibility;

13. Prepare plans, propose budgets, vehicles, equipment, and various assets to serve its work correctly and in accordance with regulations;

14. Liaise and cooperate both domestically and internationally regarding the work of promoting and managing investment, Special Economic Zones (SEZs), and Specific Economic Zones (SEZs);

15. Propose to request approval for technical assistance from international organizations for projects under its responsibility, ensuring correctness according to objectives and compliance with regulations;

16. Sign various documents within its scope of authority and duties or as assigned by superiors;

17. Sign to acknowledge draft minutes of meetings, Memoranda of Understanding (MOU), Development Agreements, and various agreements for private sector investment projects, Special Economic Zone (SEZ) development, Specific Economic Zone (SEZ) development, public-private partnership investment projects, and international cooperation projects as assigned;

18. Perform other rights as assigned by superiors.

1.   Division of Administration, Organization, and Inspection;

2.  Division of Investment Promotion Policy;

3.  Division of Project Research;

4.  Division of Legislation and Contract Management;

5.  Division of Monitoring, Inspection and Evaluation;

6.  Division of Investment Services;

7.  Division of Investment Cooperation;

8.  Division of Investment Facilitation;

9.  Division of Environment-Social Affairs;

10. Division of Labor.