Govt decides not to disseminate data on procurement for defense needs, location of suppliers during martial law
The Cabinet of Ministers has increased the security of public procurement participants, reducing opportunities for customer abuses and expanding the list of grounds for non-open tender procurement, the press service of the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine reported.
The government made the relevant decision to amend the public procurement rules at a meeting on July 5, 2024.
According to the press service, the Cabinet expanded the list of grounds for procurement without using the electronic procurement system. From now on, procurements needed by the Armed Forces of Ukraine, military formations, higher military educational institutions, law enforcement agencies, the State Emergency Service, and Ukrzaliznytsia for repairs and restoration of equipment can occur without open tenders or an electronic catalog.
Additionally, to ensure the safety of customers, suppliers, and contractors, customers are allowed not to specify the city where the enterprise is located, only the district or region. This is intended to make it harder for the enemy to locate them.
According to Deputy Minister of Economy Nadia Bihun, whose words are cited in the statement, contracts for defense needs using local and other public budgets without open tenders or an electronic catalog will be published in the electronic procurement system 90 days after the end or cancellation of the martial law regime.
Moreover, the Cabinet required customers to form a list of documents submitted by the participant in the procurement procedure as two separate annexes to the tender documentation to make it easier to access. Previously, such requirements could be in any part of the tender documentation, making it difficult for participants to find them.
The changes are expected to prevent the abuse of documentation requirements by customers, promote fair competition among procurement procedure participants, and improve the efficiency of procurements.
Among other things, customers have the right to procure goods from partner countries with which Ukraine has signed free public procurement agreements without a lower limit.
