Costed Implementation Plans for Family Planning: 10-Step Process for CIP Planning, Development, and Execution

The process is divided into three sequential phases: Plan, Develop, and Execute. The Plan phase is the first step in the CIP process, where government and stakeholder buy-in is cultivated and secured. Government and stakeholder buy-in is cultivated and secured through a series of activities, including obtaining government and key stakeholder buy-in, making a formal request for CIP support, forming a CIP Task Force, and securing commitment for resources for CIP development. The CIP Task Force is a temporary group of key stakeholders that provides oversight, guidance, resources, and expertise during the CIP development process. The CIP Task Force is chaired by the Ministry of Health (MOH) focal person and includes a Project Manager and other key stakeholders, usually selected from an existing Family Planning Technical Working Group (TWG) and/or development partners and influential FP experts in the country. The CIP Task Force steers the process forward to produce the CIP and facilitates the eventual transition into execution. The government works with development partners to secure adequate human and financial resources for the CIP's development from multiple sources, including from within the government. These resources should cover all costs associated with the plan's development, and additional resource mobilization may be required to support plan execution. The CIP Technical Support Team (TST) is formed to carry out and monitor the day-to-day activities of the CIP process. The team should have clear assigned roles, responsibilities, and reporting lines and includes staff from the ministry and national and/or international consultants, including individuals with skills in costing. The TST is led by the Project Manager who reports directly to the MOH focal person. The CIP process is a labor-, time-, and resource-intensive process that requires a combination of essential skills and expertise to successfully complete. The process should involve government planning departments within relevant ministries, and if government resources are constrained and/or expertise is inadequate, the government should request technical support for CIP development and/or funding from partners. The CIP process is tailored to the country's context through iterative conversations between ministry staff and technical support providers who can advise based on other country experience. However, stakeholder engagement and advocacy are cross-cutting components essential to successfully moving through each phase. Coordinated stakeholder action and communication should occur throughout all steps of the process. The CIP process is a recommended framework for policymakers to guide the development of a CIP, and it is essential to secure adequate financial and human resources and identify the composition of a technical support team. The CIP process is a labor-, time-, and resource-intensive process that requires a combination of essential skills and expertise to successfully complete.