The dark side of reconstruction: how the reconstruction of a 200 million lyceum in Mykolaiv region was delayed

A lyceum damaged by shelling is to be rebuilt in Mykolaiv Oblast. Almost UAH 200 million has been allocated from the state budget for this purpose.

This was reported by the Center for Public Investigations.

According to the Dream Digital Recovery Ecosystem, a new construction of the Bereznehuvata Lyceum at 18 Partizanska Street is planned. The project was initiated by the Department of Urban Development, Architecture, Capital Construction and Support of Development Projects of the Mykolaiv Regional State Administration.

Screenshot: Dream

The source of funding is public funds from the state budget in the amount of UAH 199 million 492 thousand 390. Funds for the reconstruction were received in 2023, but the contract for the production of design and estimate documentation for the facility was signed only on June 11, 2024. The Center for Public Investigations decided to find out why the reconstruction of the lyceum had not begun.

In 2022, the lyceum was damaged by enemy shelling. Thus, on March 29, two rockets damaged the main entrance and the geography classroom, on June 27, the children's building, and on August 6, two more hits occurred.

According to the NGO "Against Corruption",based on the decision of the Executive Committee of the Bereznehuvata Village Council of March 12, 2022, No. 123, the Bereznehuvata Lyceum was granted financial autonomy. This allowed the educational institution to independently control and use the budgetary process of recovery from the damage.

Screenshot: Dream

On December 12, 2022, the executive committee approved decision No. 125, according to which the Bereznehuvata Lyceum was included in the list of educational institutions in need of priority repair. In March 2023, based on the results of the autonomy granted, the lyceum received the status of a customer for new construction and was obliged to carry out the work.

In May 2023, the session allocated UAH 9 million 717 thousand 927 for the development of pre-project proposals and the creation of design and estimate documentation. In 2023, UAH 26,659 was spent on engineering and geodetic works, and UAH 110,000 on pre-project proposals.

According to Prozorro, in June 2023, the lyceum held an auction for the production of design and estimate documentation. It was planned to spend more than UAH 9 million on this.

There were 5 contractors competing for the tender, but the winner was Natalia Kovaleva , a private entrepreneur , with a bid of UAH 4 million 848 thousand. On June 22, 2023, a contract was signed with her, which stated that the contractor had to complete the work by August 8, 2023.

In December 2023, the contract with Kovaleva was terminated due to non-fulfillment of obligations. The contractor had to pay a fine of 10 percent of the contract amount, i.e. UAH 484,326. Based on the results of the procedures, UAH 4 million 843 thousand 267 was returned to the community budget.

Screenshot: Prozorro

On December 18, the Bereznehuvata lyceum again announced an auction, this time for almost five million hryvnias. However, the auction was canceled because there was no longer a need for the procurement due to the change of the customer.

The customer changed the same month due to the decision of the Bereznehuvata Village Council to transfer the customer's functions to the Department of Urban Development, Architecture, Capital Construction and Support of Development Projects of the Mykolaiv Regional State Administration.

On April 24, 2024, an agreement was signed to transfer budget funds from the community budget to the regional budget. In the same month, a subvention of UAH 4 million 600 thousand was transferred from the community budget to the regional budget for the development of design and estimate documentation.

On May 13, 2024, the Department finally announces the third auction for the production of design and estimate documentation for the "New Construction of the Berezneguvata Lyceum" facility.

Screenshot: Prozorro

This time, the auction was attended by two bidders, but the winner was Architectural Bureau - Wave 89 LLC with an offer of UAH 4 million 554 thousand.

The contract with the company was signed on June 11, 2024. The term of work is from June 10, 2024 to November 30, 2024. According to the tender documents, this time the payment for the work will be made after its completion. In addition, if the company fails to fulfill its obligations, it will have to pay a fine of 10 percent of the contract amount, i.e. UAH 455,400.

According to the YouControl online analytical system, Architectural Bureau - Wave 89 LLC was registered on May 23, 2023, with an authorized capital of UAH 50 thousand. The main KVED is activities in the field of architecture.

The owner of Architectural Bureau - Wave 89 LLC is Oleksiy Yevhenovych Zemlianoy . Despite its "youth", the company has already managed to earn UAH 18 million 002 thousand 280 in public tenders. Plus, of course, four and a half million hryvnias in the last tender.

The company has been repeatedly featured in journalists' investigations. Intent also wrote about it, as noted in the YouControl system. The company's connections will be the subject of a separate investigation.

Screenshot: YouControl

The same department signed 27 contracts with the company for the design of shelters. At the same time, Oleksii Zemlianyi was a member of the working group at the Mykolaiv Regional Military Administration to develop the draft "Comprehensive Recovery Program for Mykolaiv Oblast".

Problems with recovery in Mykolaiv region have arisen repeatedly. For example, recently, the construction of a shelter for the Rybakivskyi lyceum was ordered at inflated prices. The contract worth 90 million was awarded to a company that was accused of corruption and large-scale tax evasion. The auction, which took place on September 19, was attended by only one participant, Nimfan, which was also reported by the Center for Public Investigations.

In addition, Mykolaiv region determined who would carry out the reconstruction of a kindergarten in the village of Trykratne, Voznesensk district. The bidding process was worth UAH 75 million. Only one company took part in the bidding process and won. The prices in the estimate were overstated.

Earlier, we investigated how many shelters are already ready in the city and region, which companies receive contracts for the restoration and construction of shelters for children. During the study of tenders, a significant number of companies with corruption experience or criminal cases were found.

Анна Бальчінос