In Kherson, more than 26 million were awarded in education tenders without competition

The Kherson City Council’s Department of Education has published 38 procurement notices totaling 37.9 million hryvnias. Of the 36 completed tenders, 30 had only one bidder. These procurements accounted for 26.7 million hryvnias.

These figures were provided by the Center for Public Investigations, which analyzed procurement by the relevant departments and education administrations in Odesa, Mykolaiv, and Kherson for the year 2026.

In Kherson, 36 of 38 lots totaling 37.6 million hryvnias had already been completed; one tender was deemed unsuccessful, and another remained active at the time of the analysis.

Thus, 83.3% of the completed procurements had only one bidder. In monetary terms, such procurements accounted for 71%—26.7 million hryvnias of the total value of completed tenders.

Three contracts were the largest in terms of value. The Kherson municipal enterprise “Khersonteploenergo” received 13.9 million hryvnias for the supply of thermal energy. Another 9.4 million hryvnias for two lots for the supply of electricity was awarded to Zaporizhzhiaelektropostachannya LLC. Another contract for heat supply, worth 3.3 million hryvnias, was concluded with PJSC “Kherson Thermal Power Plant.” Together, these three largest contracts accounted for 70.6% of the total value of completed procurements.

The Center for Policy Analysis noted that electricity for Kherson’s schools and kindergartens was supplied by a company from the Zaporizhzhia region. It won two separate procurement contracts.

Separately, researchers analyzed procurements related to boiler room maintenance. Six lots for the repair and maintenance of boiler rooms in lyceums and schools were divided between two companies. Inzhtekhnoservis LLC received three lots worth over 830,000 hryvnias, while PSMNP “Gazkotlospezmontazhnaladka” received two lots worth over 265,000 hryvnias.

In Kherson, investigators also focused on the procurement of services to support the “BRYZ-PRO” program. The first tender announcement, dated January 13, 2026, was deemed unsuccessful because the sole participant failed to pass the selection process. A repeat tender was announced on April 24 for a similar amount, but this time the winner was individual entrepreneur Dmytro Polyakov.

The sample for Kherson also recorded four disqualifications of participants, but no complaints or procurement monitoring.

At the same time, the mere fact that only one bidder participates does not automatically constitute a violation. A portion of large-scale procurements involves heat supply and electricity, where the number of potential suppliers may be limited.

Андрій Колісніченко