How can communities procure services and equipment for the construction and modernisation of school canteens in a way that is transparent and effective? This was the key question addressed by the EUACI experts across a series of four webinars held in March. Over 1,000 local government representatives from across Ukraine participated in the training sessions.
In 2026, the government allocated UAH 1 billion to fund modernisation and construction of school canteens. The project selection competition was launched on 16 February. Representatives of regional military administrations, hromadas, and heads of departments of education joined the sessions. Speakers covered the most pressing issues:
- new regulatory requirements under CMU Resolution No. 1512 on construction cost determination under martial law;
- Ukraine Facility procurement requirements for canteen modernisation projects;
- confirmation of the degree of localisation of goods production;
- practice of the Antimonopoly Committee (AMCU) and the State Audit Service of Ukraine;
- real procurement cases — what went wrong and how to avoid it.
Drawing on the State Audit Service’s monitoring findings across specific procurements, experts walked participants through the most common violations: use of materials from ineligible countries, inadequate EU sanctions checks, inflated contract prices, and procedural errors in documentation. The group also examined AMCU decisions on discriminatory tender documentation requirements — including cases where contracting authorities set excessive or unjustified qualification criteria that restricted competition.
To support contracting authorities, EUACI experts prepared two practical guidance documents:
- General Recommendations on Integrity Procurement for Reconstruction and Major Repairs of School Canteens
- Recommendations on Technical Supervision during Reconstruction and Major Repairs of School Canteens
The EU Anti-Corruption Initiative continues its collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine and the School Nutrition Reform Team to support the effective and integrity-driven implementation of the 2026 subvention — building on established mechanisms, refining them, and minimising potential risks.
