Aug. 25, 2025, 9:07 p.m.
(A garbage dump. PHOTO: shutterstock.com)
A tender for a set of engineering services to develop design and estimate documentation for a landfill in Kherson has been suspended. The contract may go to a company associated with offshore companies registered in the Seychelles.
This is evidenced by the data of the electronic procurement system Prozorro.
In early August, the Ecopolis utility company of the Kherson City Council announced a tender for the development of project documentation for the reclamation and reconstruction of the city's solid waste landfill. The auction was supposed to take place on August 12, but only one company was interested. The initial expected cost of the works was UAH 6 million, and the bidder agreed to perform them for more than UAH 8 thousand cheaper. The minimum price reduction step was set at 30 thousand.
The landfill is located on a plot of almost 40 hectares in Kherson, and the work is scheduled to be completed by the end of October 2026. During the tender, one of the bidders asked the contracting authority to explain why a number of documents were required that did not relate to project activities but to the actual performance of work.
The tenderer noted that the subject of the procurement is exclusively the development of design and estimate documentation, and therefore the requirement for such certificates is excessive. At the same time, the procuring entity replied that the terms of reference envisaged the performance of a whole range of works, and therefore, employees with the appropriate qualifications were required.
In addition, the procuring entity demanded that the tenderer eliminate inconsistencies in the documentation by August 24, 14:54. It was about the need to attach a copy of the value-added tax payer's certificate or an extract from the register of VAT payers, or a copy of the single tax payer's registration certificate or an extract from the relevant register. They also required a letter of agreement with the main terms of the contract, signed specifications of the procurement item, and a letter of agreement on the possible application of operational and economic sanctions in case of breach of the contract.
However, as of August 24, 15:20, the company apparently did not make the changes and was still waiting for the client's decision to conclude the agreement or cancel the tender.
An Intent journalist checked the history of the participating company, its presence in the public procurement market and possible "red flags". According to the YouControl analytical service, T.C.H. Project LLC was registered in 2022 in Kyiv with an authorized capital of UAH 35 thousand. The main activity is engineering, but the company has about 30 additional areas registered. The founder is Tetiana Cherkay from Kyiv.
She is associated with two other companies, Emcee Eco-Project LLC and Emcee Engineering LLC. They belong to the structure of Expresshold Corporation, a company registered in the Seychelles. The use of offshore status allows such companies to avoid paying taxes on income earned outside the Seychelles, ensures a high level of confidentiality and simplifies international activities.
The court cases in which the founder was involved were mainly related to economic and administrative issues. Participation in the tender for the development of documentation for the landfill in Kherson was the company's first attempt to work in the public procurement market.
The tender for a $300 million construction project in Pivdennoukrainsk may fail. In July 2025, Energoatom announced an open tender for the construction of the third stage of an industrial building. The contractors were given conditions to eliminate the identified deficiencies. The company had previously been involved in journalistic investigations with the same customer and was accused of overcharging.
Анна Бальчінос