1. Background
The EU Anti-Corruption Initiative in Ukraine (EUACI) is the European Union’s technical support programme in the area of anti-corruption in Ukraine, financed by the European Union and the United Kingdom International Development, and co-financed and implemented by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark. Its overall objective is to achieve significant progress in preventing and combating corruption, ensure coherent and systemic anti-corruption action by state and local self-government bodies, and empower civil society and citizens to contribute to anti-corruption efforts and Ukraine’s recovery. The programme runs until April 2027.
One of the key beneficiaries of the EUACI is the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO). Established in 2015 and reconstituted as a separate legal entity in 2024, SAPO is a prosecutorial body responsible for procedural supervision of pre-trial investigations conducted by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine, maintaining public prosecution in relevant criminal proceedings, and representing the interests of the state in cases assigned by law. The Law of Ukraine On the Prosecutor’s Office determines SAPO’s status, mandate, powers and organisation, while the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine defines the applicable procedural framework and jurisdiction.
Under Article 29-1 of the Law of Ukraine On the Prosecutor’s Office, candidates for the positions of Head, First Deputy Head and Deputy Head of SAPO are selected through an open competition conducted by a six-member Selection Commission. Three members are appointed by the Prosecutor General on the proposal of the Council of Prosecutors of Ukraine, and three are appointed on the proposal of qualifying international and foreign organisations.
The Selection Commission for the Deputy Head of SAPO has launched the competition and approved its framework and principal assessment stages: a legal knowledge test, a cognitive abilities test, a written practical case, a leadership case and interviews.
The written practical legal exercise should test candidates’ ability to apply law to complex facts, exercise prosecutorial judgement, identify procedural and institutional risks, and formulate legally sound and workable decisions. The exercise must reflect SAPO’s mandate and operating environment without reproducing confidential information or any real pending case.
2. Objective of the assignment
The objective of the assignment is to support the Selection Commission in assessing the legal competence, analytical reasoning and professional judgement of candidates for the Head and Deputy Head of SAPO through four professionally designed practical legal cases and a common scoring and evaluation methodology.
All three cases shall be suitable for either selection process. They shall assess competencies relevant to both positions and shall not depend on powers, functions or circumstances exclusive to only one position. The cases shall be comparable in complexity, workload and scoring potential.
3. Scope of work
The Experts shall perform the following tasks:
1. Review the legal, institutional and procedural materials relevant to the assignment, including the Law of Ukraine On the Prosecutor’s Office, the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine, legislation governing NABU and the High Anti-Corruption Court, relevant anti-corruption legislation, competition documents, competency requirements and materials provided by the Selection Commission.
2. Participate in a meeting with the Selection Commission to understand its assessment objectives, the legal and professional competencies it wishes to test, and its expectations regarding the format, complexity, duration, permitted reference materials and scoring of the practical exercise.
3. Develop one initial practical legal case tailored to SAPO’s mandate and the Ukrainian context. The case shall present a realistic but fictional scenario requiring candidates to analyse facts, identify the applicable legal framework, assess procedural and institutional risks, and propose and justify a course of action.
4. Develop a scoring and evaluation methodology for all four cases. The methodology shall define the assessment criteria, weighting, scoring scale, minimum evidence expected for each criterion, guidance on partial credit and examples of strong, acceptable and weak responses. It shall support consistent assessment by different evaluators.
5. Prepare complete testing materials for the initial case, including candidate instructions, the scenario and questions, the allotted time, permitted materials, the competencies assessed, a model or indicative answer, a detailed marking guide and a standard scoring sheet.
6. Submit the initial case and the common scoring methodology to the Selection Commission for review and approval. Revise and finalise them on the basis of the Commission’s consolidated comments.
7. Develop three additional practical legal cases using the structure, quality standard and methodology approved through the initial case. The additional cases shall be equivalent in difficulty and shall remain confidential. They shall be disclosed to the Selection Commission only on the day of testing through a secure method agreed with the Commission.
8. Ensure that each case is suitable for candidates for either the Head or Deputy Head of SAPO. References to the candidate’s assumed role shall be neutral or capable of being adjusted administratively without changing the facts, legal analysis, difficulty or scoring methodology.
9. Ensure that the four cases collectively test a balanced range of issues relevant to SAPO’s work and senior prosecutorial responsibilities.
10. Advise the Selection Commission on the administration of the practical exercise, including timing, candidate instructions, use of legislation and other reference materials, anonymisation of written work, secure handling of materials.
11. If the Commission permits candidates to use legal acts during the exercise, prepare a comprehensive list of permitted legislation and propose a uniform method of access that ensures equal treatment of candidates.
12. Maintain strict confidentiality and secure handling of all case materials, model answers, scoring criteria and related information. No scenario may contain personal data, restricted information or facts that could reveal or prejudice a real investigation, prosecution or court proceeding.
13. Coordinate the substantive development of the cases only with the Selection Commission, its Secretariat and any experts specifically designated by the Commission for this assignment. Contractual and administrative reporting to EUACI shall not involve substantive review or approval of confidential case content.
The cases should collectively cover issues such as:
- application of criminal and criminal procedural law in complex top-level corruption proceedings;
- procedural supervision of pre-trial investigations and maintenance of public prosecution;
- jurisdiction, admissibility of evidence, procedural time limits and protection of participants’ rights;
- professional independence, lawful response to improper influence and management of conflicts of interest;
- prioritisation and allocation of prosecutorial resources in complex or sensitive proceedings;
- cooperation and legal coordination with NABU, the Office of the Prosecutor General, and other competent bodies;
- international cooperation, mutual legal assistance, asset tracing and recovery where relevant to SAPO’s mandate; and
- confidentiality, public communication and procedural decisions in matters of significant public interest.
4. Key outputs
1. Participation in the introductory coordination meeting and the meeting with the Selection Commission, with confirmation of the agreed approach, roles, timetable and assessment objectives.
2. One initial practical legal case and complete assessment package submitted to the Selection Commission for review and finalised on the basis of its consolidated comments.
3. A common scoring and evaluation methodology, including criteria, weighting, scoring scale, model or indicative answers, guidance on alternative lawful approaches and a standard scoring sheet.
4. Three additional practical legal cases and complete assessment packages developed on the basis of the approved initial case and methodology and disclosed to the Selection Commission only on the testing day.
5. A list of permitted legislation and reference materials, if the Commission decides that candidates may use legal acts during the exercise.
6. A short briefing for the Selection Commission or designated evaluators on the confidential cases and application of the scoring methodology, if requested.
5. Budget timeframe and level of effort
Maximum available budget: EUR 8,000.
The assignment shall commence on the date the contract is signed by both Parties. All three cases and accompanying assessment materials shall be finalised no later than 10 November 2026, unless the testing date approved by the Selection Commission requires later delivery.
The expected level of effort is up to 15 working days for each expert. If the Selection Commission requests material changes to the approved design, additional calibration support or other tasks that cannot reasonably be completed within this allocation, the additional level of effort shall be agreed in advance with the contracting authority.
The assignment will be performed online and, where required for secure delivery or testing support, in Kyiv, Ukraine.
6. Professional requirements
- University degree in law.
- Demonstrated expert knowledge of Ukrainian criminal and criminal procedural law and the legal framework governing SAPO, NABU, the Office of the Prosecutor General and the High Anti-Corruption Court.
- Demonstrated understanding of the legal and professional responsibilities of senior prosecutorial leadership, including prosecutorial independence, procedural decision-making, prioritisation, internal coordination, accountability and protection of confidential information.
- Experience in developing practical legal exercises, examination materials, model answers, assessment criteria or comparable professional selection tools would be a strong advantage.
- Excellent analytical and legal drafting skills, fluency in written and spoken Ukrainian, and sufficient command of English for coordination and contractual reporting.
- No actual or apparent conflict of interest involving the Selection Commission, SAPO, candidates or matters used as inspiration for the cases.
7. Reporting and management
The Expert will report contractually to EUACI and coordinate operationally with the Secretariat of the Selection Commission. The Expert shall attend online coordination meetings as reasonably required and promptly notify the Secretariat of any risk to the timetable, confidentiality, equal treatment of candidates or validity of the assessment.
Substantive instructions, review and approval of the practical cases and scoring methodology rest with the Selection Commission. EUACI will verify completion of the contracted tasks through administrative confirmation from the Secretariat and, where appropriate, materials that become available after their authorised use.
All case materials shall be delivered directly and securely to the Selection Commission or the Head of its Secretariat. The two confidential cases shall be handed over in sealed form or through another secure method approved by the Commission and shall not be disclosed before the testing day.
By signing the contract, the Expert agrees to hold in trust and confidence all information and documents disclosed, discovered or prepared in connection with the assignment; to use them only for contract implementation; not to disclose them to unauthorised persons; and not to retain copies beyond the authorised retention period.
8. How to apply
The deadline for submitting proposals is the end of the day on 23 September 2026. The experts are invited to apply as a team of two, or individually.
Interested applicants shall submit:
1. CV not exceeding four pages; and
2. daily rate and total budget for the assignment.
Proposals shall be submitted to [email protected] with a copy to [email protected], indicating the subject line Practical Legal Cases for SAPO Management. The bidding language is English.
Clarification questions shall be addressed to [email protected] no later than 21 September 2026 at 17:00 Kyiv time.
EUACI reserves the right to request clarifications, verify references, reject any or all proposals, cancel the procurement, or negotiate reasonable adjustments to the scope without increasing the maximum budget. Late or materially incomplete proposals may be rejected.
Bidding language is English.
9. Evaluation criteria
| No. | Criterion | Weight |
| 1 | Relevant professional experience and qualifications demonstrated by the CV | 70% |
| 2 | Budget and financial offer | 30% |