Sinn Féin has published its manifesto claiming it to be the most comprehensive yet produced by the party and called for systematic transfers to the SDLP and other pro-agreement candidates.
Chief negotiator Mr Martin McGuinness said the 92-page document set out the Sinn Féin stall in terms of the next assembly, the executive, and "action plans in terms of the peace process and Irish unity and independence".
Mr McGuinness said society had seen dramatic steps in the past decade with his party at the heart of the process of change.
"Our peace strategy is delivering," he said.
Calling for a strengthened mandate, he said other parties, notably the SDLP, had failed to deliver.
"When others gave up, Sinn Féin did not. We demanded and then secured commitments from the British government on policing, demilitarisation, Irish language, equality and human rights," he said.
"Sinn Féin also initiated an unprecedented dialogue with unionism. We want to build on that in the time ahead. It is the key to future progress." A vote for his party would put equality and change at the heart of government, he added.
Referring to the election slogan "Building an Ireland of equals", Mr McGuinness said equality underpinned the manifesto.
"Equality in terms of the peace process, investment in public services, tackling the crisis in rural communities, ending child poverty and in bringing an end to years of structural inequality in many urban and rural communities and west of the Bann." Looking to the election of a first or deputy first minister, he listed a series of priorities for the party in any future executive. He also restated a party aim of securing again the posts of education and health ministers.
Responding to questions, Mr McGuinness said he was confident of between three and six extra seats on top of the 18 already held by the party in Stormont.
"One thing is absolutely certain," he added. "Coming out of this election Sinn Féin will have more seats than previously, we are absolutely certain also that that will place us in a position to contest for either the position of first or deputy first minister. In order to do that we need to be ahead of the SDLP, will we be able to do that? I am absolutely certain that we will."
Asked about Sinn Féin's strategy on transfers, Mr McGuinness said he wanted voters "to go down the slate" and choose Sinn Féin candidates first. He called on the electorate to increase nationalist representation in Stormont and then to support "candidates who are clearly pro-agreement".
He challenged the SDLP to call on its voters to transfer to Sinn Féin.
The party chairman, Mr Mitchel McLaughlin, said Sinn Féin would prefer a formal voting pact with the SDLP regarding transfers.
"We are quite happy to move into that but we have been rebuffed," he said. Mr McLaughlin pointed out there were two transfers from Sinn Féin to the SDLP for every vote transferring in the other direction.
"That means we have been proactive," he said. "We are quite deliberate, quite focused in our approach. It is about developing nationalist consensus politics to the maximum."