*5.1.3.3 Dossier appraisal*

In order to receive money from the PFES program, forest owners must prepare a forest owner dossier, including a self-declaration of the forest area providing environmental services; commitment to protect and manage forest area providing environmental services; self-declaration of results of protection of forest areas providing environmental services. The forest owner dossier was submitted to the Bac Kan Forest Protection and Development Fund at the end of January every year. The Bac Kan Forest Protection and Development Fund will be responsible for appraising the dossier and conducting the actual acceptance test to accurately determine the area and quality of the forest. Applications that meet the Fund's requirements will receive payments in November or December each year (**Figure 3**).

**Figure 3.** *The process of application assessment and payment in the PFES program.*
