Executive Decree 34694-PLAN-H of Costa Rica (Spanish)

Decree Nº 34694-PLAN-H “Regulations for the Constitution and Functioning of the SNIP of General Norms and Definitions” published on August 22nd, 2008, creates the National Public Investment System (SNIP) and establishes that it is part of the National Planning System and its implementation and operation will be carried out by the Ministry of Planning and Economic Policy (MIDEPLAN), with the objective of achieving optimum use of public resources for fulfilling the state objectives in line with principles of economy, efficiency, effectiveness, graduality and quality of the investment.

This Decree determines as the following main functions of the MIDEPLAN as the steering body of the SNIP:

• Orienting public investment of all organizations and entities subject to the SNIP.
• Organizing and developing permanent training programs for professional and technical staff of the public entities on the application of techniques and tools to formulate, asses and administrate investment projects, as well as the application of basic provisions, their regulations and other conceptual and operational aspects necessary to sustain the SNIP’s operations.
• Issuing Legal and Technical Standards as well as Public Investment Procedures.
• Proposing to the President of the Republic the National Public Investment Plan (PNIP).
• Gradually putting into operation each one of the SNIP’s components.

As the operational body the Public Investment Unit (UIP) is established, which depends on the MIDEPLAN and which is in charge of administration and execution of all relevant actions which facilitate the SNIP’s correct functioning.