Government projects
Logistics for government, donor-funded and international technical assistance projects requires full documentary transparency: procurement terms, customs regime, proof of delivery and reporting are fixed in advance.
Get a quoteWhat government and donor project logistics means
Public bodies, municipal companies, international organisations and implementers of donor programmes buy and receive equipment, vehicles, materials for rebuilding infrastructure, medical devices, generators and modular buildings. Technically, moving such cargo differs little from commercial shipping, but the rules around it are different: every step must be provided for in the contract, backed by a document and ready for an auditor.
So logistics here is more than transport. It covers delivery terms from the tender documents, the customs regime under which goods are imported, marking required by the donor, proof of handover to the final recipient and the document set for reporting. A mistake at any point can cost more than the trip itself, from a contractual penalty to the loss of tax exemptions.
Public procurement and Prozorro
Purchases funded by the state and local budgets in Ukraine are governed by the Law of Ukraine «On Public Procurement» No 922-VIII of 25.12.2015 and, during martial law, by the Specifics of Public Procurement approved by Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No 1178 of 12.10.2022 (as amended). Procedures run in the Prozorro electronic system, where notices, tender documents, bids, contracts and amendments are published.
For logistics, what matters is how delivery is built into the purchase:
- the buyer purchases goods with delivery, and the supplier arranges transport within the price of the goods;
- the buyer procures transport or forwarding services separately;
- delivery is part of a larger works contract or a supply-and-install contract.
Either way, the delivery terms (place, date, Incoterms rule, who unloads, which documents are handed over) are written into the tender documents and contract. They can be changed after signing only in cases allowed by law, so realistic lead times and a full document list should be built in at the bid stage.
Donor and international organisation projects
When a project is funded by a foreign government, the European Union, UN agencies or international financial institutions, procurement usually follows the donor’s own rules, not only Ukrainian law. Those rules set how suppliers and carriers are chosen, which delivery terms are acceptable, how the transfer of property is documented and which records are kept.
- A donor may require its logo on cargo and packaging or, on the contrary, forbid visible marking for security reasons.
- Photo or video proof of delivery and handover is often required.
- The acceptance certificate is signed by a specific authorised person at the recipient.
- Equipment serial numbers are recorded in the documents to prove later that the right items reached the recipient.
Donor requirements do not override Ukrainian customs and tax law: goods are still declared, and exemptions apply only where there is a legal basis.
The international technical assistance regime
The rules for attracting, using and monitoring international technical assistance (ITA) are set by Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No 153 of 15.02.2002 «On establishing a single system for attracting, using and monitoring international technical assistance». ITA projects and programmes are subject to mandatory state registration, and it is registration that gives the right to the exemptions provided by international agreements and legislation.
Registration is confirmed by the project (programme) registration card. It is the key document for customs and tax authorities: on its basis, goods imported for the project may be exempt from import duty and VAT (for VAT, under the Tax Code of Ukraine). It is important to understand the limits of this regime:
- the exemption covers only goods provided for in the project and its procurement plan;
- the recipient and user must be the organisation named in the project documents;
- the goods are used for the purpose set by the project;
- documents proving import and use are kept for inspections.
If the project is not yet registered or the goods do not match the documents, the cargo may wait at customs or be cleared on general terms with taxes paid. So project status and the document set are checked before shipment from abroad.
Documents
The list depends on the source of funding and the customs regime. A typical set:
| Document | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Supply or procurement contract | Delivery terms, dates, liability of the parties |
| Invoice and packing list | Value, quantity, weight, serial numbers |
| Transport document (CMR, bill of lading, air waybill, rail consignment note) | Proof of carriage and handover to the carrier |
| ITA project registration card, procurement plan, donor letter | Basis for exemptions on import under ITA |
| Certificates of origin and conformity, permits | Tariff preferences and market access |
| Customs declaration | Clearance under the chosen customs regime |
| Acceptance certificate, delivery note, photos | Proof of handover to the final recipient |
Reporting and transparency
In public and donor projects a delivery is complete not when the truck is unloaded but when the full set of proofs is collected. An auditor must be able to trace each item from the supplier’s invoice through transport and customs documents to the certificate signed by the recipient.
- Numbers, dates and quantities must match across all documents.
- Discrepancies (shortage, damage, wrong items) are recorded in a report at the moment of receipt.
- Schedule changes and reasons for delays are confirmed in writing.
- Copies of documents are passed to the customer in the format its reporting requires.
This discipline protects both buyer and supplier: with incomplete documents, costs may be declared ineligible and exemptions found to be wrongly applied.
Order of work
- The buyer or supplier provides the procurement or contract terms, specification, recipient addresses and dates.
- ETIKO reviews the delivery terms, the donor’s document and marking requirements and the customs regime.
- The basis for exemptions is checked: ITA project registration and whether the goods match the procurement plan.
- The mode and route are chosen and realistic lead times are calculated, including customs clearance.
- Transport and customs documents are prepared and insurance is arranged if needed.
- Transport is organised with key milestones recorded.
- Customs clearance under the agreed regime.
- Delivery to final recipients, signing of certificates, photo and documentary proof.
- The full document set is handed to the customer for reporting.
What drives cost and timing
Cost depends on the nature of the cargo and the route, the number of recipient addresses, marking and proof requirements, any need for warehousing or kitting, and the customs regime. Delivering small lots to dozens of communities is priced differently from one equipment delivery to one site.
Timing is driven less by distance than by documents: project registration, donor letters, certificates and permits. Typical risks are goods shipped before the project is registered, an invoice description that does not match the procurement plan, a recipient not ready to sign the certificate, and a contract with no time allowed for customs clearance.
Frequently asked questions
What is an international technical assistance project registration card?
It is the document confirming state registration of an ITA project under Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No 153 of 15.02.2002. On its basis, goods for the project may be imported exempt from duty and VAT. The exemption applies only to goods provided for in the project.
Can ITA goods be imported before the project is registered?
Yes, but without grounds for exemptions: the goods are cleared on general terms or wait until the documents are ready. That is why shipment from abroad is planned after the project is registered and the goods are checked against the procurement plan.
How is delivery built into a public procurement in Prozorro?
Delivery may be included in the price of the goods, procured separately as a service or form part of a supply-and-install contract. Delivery terms, dates and documents are set in the tender documents and contract. They can be changed after signing only in cases allowed by law.
Which documents prove delivery in a donor-funded project?
Usually the transport document, an acceptance certificate signed by an authorised person at the recipient, a delivery note and photos. The donor may also require serial numbers and marking. All numbers and quantities must match across documents.
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