Strategic Programming · Public Investments

National Single Project Pipeline

Albania’s consolidated portfolio of strategic public investment projects, ranked and approved by Decision of the Council of Ministers.

Acronym

NSPP

Mandatory precondition for budget financing

New public investment projects above the established value threshold may be included in the Medium-Term Budget Programme or the annual budget only after they have been incorporated into the NSPP, ranked and approved by Decision of the Council of Ministers.

What is the NSPP?

The National Single Project Pipeline (NSPP) contains public investment projects of strategic importance for the country’s economic and social development, regardless of their source of financing. This list serves as an instrument for supporting the policies and priorities of the Albanian Government, in line with the National Strategy for Development and Integration (NSDI) as well as sectoral and cross-sectoral strategies.

The NSPP also serves as a reference for the ministry responsible for finance and central government units, in the context of incorporating public investment projects into the Medium-Term Budget Programme (MTBP) or the annual budget.

New public investment projects above the value threshold set by instruction of the minister responsible for finance are classified as strategic investment projects and are subject to an evaluation process for inclusion in the NSPP. Exempt from this rule are public investment projects related to the reconstruction of public buildings, the purchase of electronic equipment or office equipment, as well as projects in the military field.

The NSPP is approved by Decision of the Council of Ministers no later than 31 January each year, and is revised every 3 months when deemed necessary. The authority responsible for administering, updating and following up the approval procedures of the list is the institution responsible for strategic programming, which evaluates and consults each proposal through the Strategic Planning Committee (SPC), on a case-by-case basis.

31 January

Approval deadline

The annual cut-off date for the adoption of the NSPP by Decision of the Council of Ministers.

3 Months

Revision cycle

The list is reviewed every three months when necessary, to reflect changes in the portfolio.

5 Lists

Approved to date

Since 2023, five Single Lists have been approved, consolidating the national portfolio.

Required documentation

For every project proposal with an indicative value above the established financial threshold, three core documents must be prepared and submitted.

F-3

Investment Project Concept Form

A technical and financial summary of the project proposal, prepared in a standardised format.

SRAF

Strategic Relevance Assessment Form

Completed according to the relevant sector. See the section below for a detailed explanation.

OPTIONAL

Feasibility Study

If available, it qualifies the project for “Mature” status following approval by the SPC.

Procedure for inclusion in the NSPP

A project’s journey from initial submission to final approval by Council of Ministers Decision passes through six structured phases of evaluation and consultation.

Submission of the project proposal

The proposing institution, through the Line Ministry, forwards the F-3 form and the SRAF simultaneously to both the ministry responsible for finance and the institution responsible for strategic programming.

Review by the Ministry of Finance

The Ministry reviews the F-3 form and forwards its comments to the institution responsible for strategic programming within 2 weeks from the date of receipt of the request.

Strategic assessment and decision

The institution responsible for strategic programming assesses procedural compliance, completeness of documentation, strategic relevance and other elements of the proposal. On this basis, it decides to:

a) Return the proposal for revision with recommendations, or reject it with supporting arguments.

b) Forward the proposal for consultation at the SPC.

Consultation at the Strategic Planning Committee

Qualifying project proposals are consulted at the next SPC meeting, which takes the final decision on whether or not to include them in the NSPP.

De jure inclusion in the List

Proposals approved by the SPC are automatically included in the list upon its next adoption by Council of Ministers Decision.

Update and adoption by CoM Decision

The institution responsible for strategic programming periodically updates the NSPP, follows the approval procedures and integrates it as an integral part of the Priority Policy Document.

Update cycle of the List

The update process consists in reflecting four main types of changes to the portfolio.

Inclusion — new project proposals that have completed the evaluation phases and been approved by the SPC.

Removal from priorities — projects that are no longer part of the Government’s priorities.

Transition to implementation — projects that have moved into the implementation phase are removed from the list.

Indicator updates — changes to indicative value, maturity status and institutional priority.

With the exception of projects whose maturity status changes to “Mature”, indicator updates are carried out through periodic reporting forms completed by the institutions managing the progress of the respective projects.

To be classified as “Mature”, a project must have previously completed a feasibility study in accordance with CoM Decision No. 887/2022, as amended, which is assessed by the Ministry of Finance and the institution responsible for strategic programming and then approved by the SPC at the next adoption of the NSPP.

What is the Strategic Relevance Assessment Form (SRAF)?

One of the key application documents — here we explain why it exists, who completes it and how it is used.

The SRAF is an assessment instrument that measures how closely a proposed project aligns with the strategic priorities of the Albanian State. It answers the core question:

“Does this project contribute to achieving the objectives of the National Strategy for Development and Integration (NSDI) and of sectoral strategies?”

Without a positive strategic relevance assessment, a project cannot be included in the NSPP and, consequently, cannot be financed from the budget.

Who completes it

The proposing institution

Central government units (line ministries, agencies, public institutions) wishing to propose a new public investment project.

When it is completed

At the proposal stage

Together with the F-3 form, before the project is forwarded for consultation at the Strategic Planning Committee (SPC).

How it is completed

According to the relevant sector

The form corresponding to the project’s sector is selected. The completion methodology is set out in Annex II of the relevant order.

SRAF forms by sector

Each sector has its own form with specific assessment criteria. Click to download the form that applies to your project.