The Ministry of Defence hosted meetings with the supervisory boards of the Defence Procurement Agency (DPA) and the State Operator for Non-Lethal Acquisition (DOT)

The leadership of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine held meetings with the supervisory boards of the State Operator for Non-Lethal Acquisition and the Defence Procurement Agency. 

In particular, Ukraine's Defence Minister, Rustem Umerov, welcomed Simon Woodward, a specialist from the United Kingdom, who has started working in the DOT office for the first time this week.

«During the meeting, we discussed in detail the key areas of work for this year. The primary goal is to ensure the Armed Forces are provided with everything they need—from fuel and food to equipment and other non-lethal supplies,» Rustem Umerov stated.

The parties discussed joint efforts to expand procurement categories. The discussion also focused on identifying additional types of non-lethal needs that could be procured through the DOT, aiming to broaden the range of procurements conducted by the Ministry of Defence via a professional agency.

Rustem Umerov took note of the supervisory board’s suggestions for improving the functioning of the DOT. The parties also agreed on subsequent steps, including the establishment of regular communication.

Additionally, Deputy Minister of Defence of Ukraine, Dmytro Klimenkov, and Director of the Ministry of Defence's Procurement Policy Department, Glib Kanevskyi, attended the meeting with the Supervisory Board of the Defence Procurement Agency (DPA).

The parties, in particular, discussed the provisions outlined in the DPA charter and exchanged ideas on improving the Agency's effectiveness.

“The establishment of supervisory boards for the Ministry of Defence’s procurement agencies marks a significant step towards aligning with international standards in defense procurement. We are developing a system that ensures accountability to the public and fosters cooperation with international partners,” noted Dmytro Klimenkov.

During the meeting, special attention was given to the role of the DPA in the Ministry of Defence’s corporate reform. In particular, the discussion addressed the delineation of roles and responsibilities between the Ministry and the Agency in the arms procurement process.

“During the martial law, the Ministry of Defence has established a corporate structure for procurement agencies in line with NATO best practices and recommendations. Involvement of professional Ukrainian and international expertise is the way to transparent and effective provisioning of the Armed Forces of Ukraine,” emphasized Glib Kanevskyi.