The Agency for Restoration held a two-day workshop in Lviv on “Public Procurement for Recovery: Present and Future”, bringing together representatives of the Agency and regional Restoration Offices. The event was supported by EU4Reconstruction Stream 2.
Discussions focused on the changes introduced by Ukraine’s new public procurement law (No. 4888-IX), the challenges these will present for contracting authorities involved in reconstruction, and the practical steps needed to prepare for implementation.
The workshop opened with remarks from Yurii Sverba, Deputy Head of the Agency for Restoration, and Iryna Kovalenko, Capacity Development Lead at EU4Reconstruction Stream 2. Experts from Ukraine’s Ministry of Economy and Environment, the National Institute for Infrastructure Development, Prozorro and the Kyiv School of Economics also shared their insights and experience.
Yurii Sverba noted that Ukraine’s regional Restoration Offices collectively account for the country’s largest volume of commissioned construction works. Their teams have extensive experience delivering major infrastructure projects, from water mains and roads to schools and other public facilities.
“Successful infrastructure projects start with sound planning, well-prepared documentation and skilled procurement professionals. The legislative framework is evolving rapidly, bringing new procedures and approaches, including greater opportunities to use non-price criteria when evaluating bids. Our role at the Agency is to provide guidance and practical support to the Restoration Offices, help them identify effective solutions and encourage the exchange of experience,” said Yurii Sverba.
Iryna Kovalenko stressed the importance of ensuring procurement professionals are ready to put the new rules into practice.
“The new public procurement law is about more than changing rules and procedures. It brings Ukraine’s procurement system closer to EU practices and standards. Procurement professionals need to understand what these changes will mean for their day-to-day work, the opportunities they create and the risks they need to consider. For EU4Reconstruction, this workshop is not a one-off event. We will continue working with the Agency for Restoration to prepare for implementation, develop internal guidance and standardise procedures, ensuring that the new legal framework delivers practical results.”
Aligned with EU directives, the new law gives contracting authorities greater flexibility in choosing procurement procedures and introduces additional procurement mechanisms. It also provides for the approval of standard contracts, a particularly important development for the Agency for Restoration and its regional offices, as these will help establish consistent terms and conditions for construction contracts and related services.
The reforms are expected to make procurement more predictable and efficient, encourage fair competition and strengthen transparency in the use of reconstruction funds. Transparent and ethical procurement practices are also essential to maintaining the confidence of Ukrainian businesses, international partners and donors supporting Ukraine’s recovery.
Over the two days, participants explored the law’s key provisions and the steps needed to implement them. Sessions covered digital procurement tools, market consultations, changes to pricing practices in infrastructure construction, and recommendations for preparing tender documentation.
The workshop also provided an opportunity for representatives of regional Restoration Offices to share practical experience, discuss common procurement challenges and explore ways to address them under the new legal framework.
The event was part of wider efforts to prepare the Agency for Restoration and its regional network for the transition to EU-aligned public procurement rules, with support from the EU4Reconstruction Stream 2 team and the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.