Game changer in defense procurement by the Ministry of Defence: how the DOT-Chain system transforms the supply to the Armed Forces of Ukraine

One of the key aspects of the Ministry of Defence's reform in public procurement by the State Operator for Non-Lethal Acquisition (DOT) was the digitalization of processes related to the supply of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the optimization of the internal operations. In its first year of operation, the DOT has already achieved significant milestones in implementing e-solutions.  

In particular, substantial efforts have been made to eliminate the so-called 'paper army'—excessive bureaucracy that diverts time and resources from the military. In pursuit of this objective, the DOT’s IT department designed and implemented the DOT-Chain system from the ground up. 

Currently, it is operational in the sector of foodstuff supply to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The DOT-Chain has notably expedited and streamlined processes for both suppliers and the military, particularly in the following areas:

• The foodstuff supply cycle was shortened by a factor of four;

• The volume of paperwork for the military was reduced by over 30,000 documents per week;

• Nearly 75,000 requests and approximately 450,000 expenditure invoices have been processed;

• 647 million kilograms of food products were delivered;

• Over 10 suppliers and 2,000 users have been registered.

• The document processing cycle was reduced from 45–60 days at the launch phase to 14 days in November.

• A transparent framework for collaboration between military units, suppliers, and the State Operator for Non-Lethal Acquisition (DOT) has been established;

• The functionality for the online submission of complaints regarding foodstuff quality by food supply officers has been launched.

The system is certified for security compliance at the IISS (Integrated Information Security System) level. Furthermore, the DOT is in the final stages of obtaining the ISO/IEC 27001 international certification for information security.

“Digitalization does not merely simplify processes; it fundamentally transforms the methods of supporting our military forces. Thanks to modern technologies, such as the DOT-Chain system, we are already witnessing tangible results in supporting our military, namely: reduced bureaucracy and enhanced support services for the military. This enables the Armed Forces to focus on its primary mission – the defense of our country. Every hryvnia allocated to the Armed Forces of Ukraine must contribute to our victory, and digital solutions are becoming our steadfast ally in this effort,” said Dmytro Klimenkov, Deputy Minister of Defence of Ukraine.

Among the crucial achievements of the IT team are the implementation of various accounting and document management systems, which form the foundation for the DOT's development of its own ERP system, as well as the expansion of infrastructure and information security systems. A key milestone was the implementation of the Ministry of Defence's SAP ICS, which, along with other achievements, significantly enhanced the internal processes of the DOT.