In early 1970s, the widespread innovation movement required a specialized organization capable of assisting the leadership of the State Committee of Science and Technology in organizing and managing innovative activities nationwide. For this reason, in 1973, the Innovation Committee was renamed Innovation and Discovery Division. Despite the name "Innovation and Discovery Division", the activities of the Division were mainly focused on technical innovations, production rationalization, and improvement of the working manners in accordance to the provisions of Decree No 200-CP of the Government and Circular No 567/KHKT-PMSK of the State Committee of Science and Technology.

The Innovation and Discovery Division in close cooperation with relevant agencies of the Central Emulation Committee, Ministry of Labour, the Trade Union, Ministries and provinces implemented a number of measures for strengthening the management of innovative activities and promoting the innovative movement among the public, namely:

• Developing human resource consisting of full-time and part-time staff in charge of management of innovative activities at science and technology management Organizations and Innovation verification councils at various levels;
• Providing guidance and knowledge for the full-time specialized staff in charge of innovation activities;
• Taking control over the implementation of Decree No 20-CP and other circulars, instructions of relevant agencies.

In 1973, the State Committee of Science and Technology instructed relevant agencies, provinces to carry out innovative activities review. A national conference on review of innovation activities was organized in Hai Phong city, which was one of the most prominent provinces in respect of the innovative movement. At this Conference, Mr Tran Dai Nghia - the Chairman of the State Committee of Science and Technology read an important report reviewing and evaluating the success and results of innovative activities as from the promulgation of Decree 20-CP, summarizing experiences of management of innovative activities, identifying the shortcomings to be overcome and proposing measures to be taken in the following time in order to promote the innovative movement in the whole country. The innovative activities review Conference in 1973 reaffirmed the role of the State Committee of Science and Technology in promoting innovative activities in the country and since then all the main policies, strategies and measures for promoting innovative activities were proposed by the State Committee of Science and Technology.

The Innovation and Discovery Division promptly drafted and recommended the State Committee of Science and Technology to submit to the Government "Draft Decree on the protection of innovations and inventions" for approval.