Odessa is looking for a caterer for schools in two districts for over 200 million

Odessa has begun the process of selecting contractors to provide meals for schoolchildren in two districts of the city. The total value of the two tenders is nearly 208.73 million hryvnias.

The relevant procurement notices have been published on the Prozorro system.

Specifically, 109.97 million hryvnias have been allocated for school meals in the Peresypsky District, and 98.76 million hryvnias in the Primorsky District.

The tenders specify that services must be provided from September 1 through December 31, 2026. Thus, this covers meals for children during the fall semester.

The city is prepared to pay the most—over 109.9 million hryvnias—for meals for students in the Peresypsky District. Under the terms of the procurement, the services are intended for 17,938 children. 

The winning bidder must provide schoolchildren with hot lunches appropriate for their age. Separate provisions are made for gluten-free and lactose-free meals for children who require them for medical reasons.

Nearly 98.76 million hryvnias have been allocated for school meals in the Primorsky District. This covers 15,639 students.

 Separately, three meals a day—breakfast, lunch, and an afternoon snack—must be provided for the students of Odesa Special School No. 75.

The daily cost of meals per child is determined based on four weekly menus and the directives of the head of the Odesa City Military Administration.

Thus, the total expected cost of the two procurements is approximately 208.73 million hryvnias. However, the final amount may be lower than expected if bidders offer lower prices during the auction.<span> </span>

Bids from contractors will be accepted until August 16, after which the auction will take place. 

It<span>is worth noting that starting September 1</span>, 2026, all students in public schools—whether attending in person or in a hybrid format—will receive free hot meals. The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has allocated 7.4 billion hryvnias<span>among the regions for this purpose</span>.

Odesa Oblast received the largest subsidy amount among Ukraine’s southern regions—459.6 million hryvnias out of a total of 649.5 million hryvnias allocated to the region.

Ірина Глухова