The Public Investment Unit (UIP) under the Ministry of National Planning and Economic Policy (MIDEPLAN) is the operational body of the National Public Investment System (SNIP) in Costa Rica. It is responsible for the development of methodologies and guidelines for the formulation, ex-ante evaluation and monitoring of the implementation of investment projects. To support project management, it administers the Public Investment Project Bank and Investment Map systems. It is responsible for analyzing investment projects, ensuring that they comply with current methodologies, and determines whether they are aligned with government priorities so that once the investment projects are approved by the UIP, they can be included in the national budget.
MIDEPLAN, as the governing body of the National Planning System and the National Public Investment System (PNDIP) in charge of coordinating the preparation of the National Development and Public Investment Plan, together with the Ministry of Finance, prepares the document "Technical and Methodological Guidelines for Planning, Budget Programming, Monitoring and Strategic Evaluation in the Public Sector". The Public Investment Unit participates in the preparation of the National Development and Public Investment Plan, manages the project management and information systems that allow for the annual evaluation of the results of national public investment; the results of this evaluation are included in the document "Balance of Results of the PNDIP".
According to Decree 24694 PLAN-H has among its main functions:
a) To support the offices in the preparation of the National Public Investment Plan (PNIP).
b) Submit to the offices the norms, procedures and methodologies for the formulation, evaluation and presentation of investment projects under the terms indicated in this Regulation.
c) Manage the operation of the SNIP, seeking to define and perfect the institutional coordination mechanisms in the investment process.
d) Prepare and periodically update the general or specific methodological guides related to the different stages of the life cycle of the public investment project.
e) Prepare and update the Project Bank Users' Manual.
f) Direct and coordinate the operation of the Public Investment Project Bank, to ensure the permanent availability of updated, timely and reliable information on all investment projects developed by public entities by stage of the life cycle.
g) Coordinate with the Information Technology Unit of MIDEPLAN the permanent operation of the Bank of Public Investment Projects with the computer systems of updated technologies and maintain the Bank's computer system up to date in terms of hardware and software.
h) Coordinate with the Evaluation and Follow-up Area of MIDEPLAN the follow-up of the strategic policies and projects of the National Public Investment Plan (PNIP) and the National Development Plan (PND).
i) Coordinate with the International Cooperation Area of MIDEPLAN so that the investment projects that have a Public Investment Project Bank code and are prioritized in the PMIP are included in the portfolio of projects that may be submitted to international cooperating institutions for consideration in order to obtain financing.
j) Coordinate with the Pre-investment Unit of MIDEPLAN the execution of pre-investment studies and coordinate with the administration of the Pre-investment Fund the financing of studies of projects contemplated in the PNIP and the National Development Plan that have a favorable technical opinion from the SNIP.
k) Propose the electronic procedures for the presentation and dissemination of documents to be gradually implemented by this body, taking into account the capacity of public institutions.
Stages of the Investment Project Cycle in which it participates:
Formulation, Ex Ante Evaluation, Execution, Ex Post Evaluation.
Stages of the Public Investment Policy Cycle in which it participates:
Planning, Budgeting, Ex Post Audit.