Development of public procurement audit: results of cooperation between the Accounting Chamber and EU4PFM in the second half of 2024

Improvement of the internal regulatory framework of the Accounting Chamber in terms of public procurement audit, the status of implementation of other planned activities of the “Public Procurement” Component of the European Union Technical Assistance Project “Continuation of the Public Finance Management Support Program in Ukraine (EU4PFM)”, the main priorities of the Project’s support to government bodies – these and other issues were discussed on February 6 during the third meeting of the Component’s Supervisory Board.

For information. The component provides support to the authorities of Ukraine that, within their powers, exercise control over the public procurement process: the Ministry of Economy, the Accounting Chamber, the State Audit Service and the Antimonopoly Committee.

The Accounting Chamber annually analyzes the report of the Ministry of Economy, which contains an analysis of the functioning of the public procurement system and summarized information on the results of control in the field of procurement, the annual report of the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine in the part that affects the implementation of the state budget, and also conducts audits of public procurement of state institutions.

The meeting was attended by the head of the Component «Public Procurement» EU4PFM Programmes Eriks Mesalis, Head of the Department for Public Finance, Business Support and Social Policy of the EU Delegation to Ukraine Henrik Witfeldt, Manager of the Public Finance Management Sector of the EU Delegation to Ukraine Ekaterina Yakovleva, Deputy Minister of Economy of Ukraine Nadiya Bihun, representatives of the Accounting Chamber, the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine, the State Audit Service of Ukraine and international experts.

At the beginning of the meeting, Henrik Witfeldt noted that in the context of Ukraine's accession to the EU, bringing Ukrainian legislation on public procurement and public-private partnership into line with the EU acquis is of particular relevance.

Member of the Accounting ChamberHennadiy Plis noted the effectiveness of technical support by EU partners to the institution's capacity in the field of procurement audit. He also informed about the latest achievements of cooperation.

«The Accounting Chamber has completed work on the «Methodological recommendations for auditors of the Accounting Chamber on the audit of public procurement» developed within the framework of the Project. The final version has been transferred to the Project and we would be grateful for the expressed position on it. In the future, this document will be implemented in the work of auditors», – he noted.

Hennadiy Plis also initiated a discussion on the issue of determining the criteria for «excessive price» in public procurement.

Following the meeting, the members of the Supervisory Board approved the report on the work for the past six months, and also detailed the further work plan of the Component in the first half of 2025. This plan, in particular, will provide for continued advisory support to the Ukrainian authorities in the process of Ukraine's accession to the EU, improvement of the regulatory framework regulating the public procurement process, further implementation of instruments in the field of public procurement, etc.