Government of Costa Rica Selects FreeBalance Platform to Drive Digital Transformation

Ministry of Finance to implement innovative, customer-centric and digital-first government operations in multi-year transformation programme

Ottawa, Canada (November 30, 2023) – FreeBalance, the leading provider of digital technology and advisory services for national governments, today announced a new partnership which will support the delivery of a comprehensive program of digital transformation for the Ministry of Finance in Costa Rica. 

FreeBalance will provide its unified government technology platform and specialist government advisory and technical implementation services to help the Government of Costa Rica create a new, citizen-centric, digital-by-design approach to transform its planning, budgeting, public expenditure, accounting, human resource management, reporting and treasury functions. 

The project, funded by the World Bank, aims to improve the efficiency, effectiveness and client orientation of tax and customs administration and public expenditure management, through the digital transformation of the Ministry of Finance.

Manuel Schiappa Pietra, President and CEO of FreeBalance said: “This transformative project delivers critical reforms and establishes a foundation for improved fiscal and societal outcomes for the citizens of Costa Rica. Having worked with governments around the world to improve governance, accountability, transparency and citizen wellbeing, FreeBalance is in a unique position to support the Government of Costa Rica on its digital transformation journey, and we look forward to collaborating.” 

This project will transform government financial management in Costa Rica, prioritizing efficiency, transparency, and citizen engagement. By transforming government resource planning at the strategic and operational levels, Costa Rican citizens will gain visibility into how public funds are collected, invested, and impact their lives. The project fosters a citizen-centric culture within the government, placing citizens at the forefront of service delivery to enhance social outcomes and satisfaction.

The project will help public finance leaders in Costa Rica to:

• manage financial and people resources more efficiently and effectively
• increase clarity and predictability in the country’s financial and budgetary systems
• facilitate decision making with a centralized and integrated platform
• more effectively align resources with workload to increase productivity.

The project is also expected to have far-reaching benefits outside government operations. More revenue will be generated for public investments through more efficient operations and the strengthening of public expenditure controls. More efficient data generation and processing will ensure that information is shared in a more timely and accurate manner, improving the transparency of government finances. And customer service oriented attention will be embedded in all government units, reducing transaction costs and increasing citizen satisfaction.

FreeBalance has partnered with Computer Network Systems Limited (CNS) on this project. CNS brings a wealth of experience in implementing diverse software projects across multiple government organizations. Development experts from CNS will collaborate closely with the FreeBalance team to achieve the Ministry of Finance’s vision of becoming a digital leader.

As with all FreeBalance implementations, a local office has been established in San José to foster seamless collaboration with government stakeholders. Ongoing support and sustainability services will be provided by a local team, backed by FreeBalance’s global and regional experts.