ElitExpert's journalistic investigation achieved significant success in the fight for transparency and fairness in the field of public procurement. After a series of investigations into a questionable tender for the purchase of food kits for the State Border Service of Ukraine (SPSU) for almost 32 million hryvnias, the tender was canceled by the customer on July 30.
On the information has appeared on the Prozorro website on cancellation of tender No. UA-2024-07-15-004363-a through "impossibility of eliminating detected violations of legislation and bringing the requirements for the subject of procurement into compliance with current standards". This is irrefutable evidence that investigative journalism can have a real impact and contribute to justice.
How it all began
ElitExpert discovered that the Main Center for Capital Construction, Reconstruction and Procurement of the State Border Service of Ukraine (the responsible person is Nataliya Mykolaivna Dovbyk) planned to purchase food kits worth 32 million hryvnias. whose expiration date has already expired by 50%. Moreover, such sets did not meet the requirements of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. Analyzing the purchases of DPNP for several previous years, it was found that potential participants in the conspiracy could be LLC "Olympius Consult", LLC "Fabryka Smaku" and LLC "Grant Consult". In previous years, these companies already had large direct procurement contracts without purchasing through the Prozorro system.
Violations and doubts
The investigation also showed that "Olympius Consult" LLC was previously unable to fulfill its obligations to the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, in connection with which the contract was terminated. However, the same company planned to take part in a new tender from the State Public Service of Ukraine. Suspicions arose that the company tried to cover up its involvement by acting on behalf of other companies with other names, but with the same low-quality products that soon expired!
DPSU answer
For official requests from journalists DPSU gave vague and unclear answers, trying to avoid specifics regarding technical requirements for products and principles of tendering. Therefore, these answers only strengthened suspicions about the department's probable interest in a specific winner and the lack of transparency of the procurement process.
The victory of the public
Now, thanks to a wide public outcry and the active work of journalists, the tender was cancelled. This shows that public control and publicity can have a real impact on government processes. However, ElitExpert continues to follow the development of events and will inform the public about important issues of public procurement and transparency in Ukraine, especially those organizations that allow themselves to be treated like this by our defenders.
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