This guide is the checklist behind a Ukrainian bid: each document and step in the order a tender needs it, and who may lawfully handle it. For how procurement in Ukraine works overall (the wartime rules and the new law, thresholds, who may bid, evaluation, localisation and complaints), see How to bid for public tenders in Ukraine.
Before you bid
1. Your record in the Unified State Register (ЄДР), beneficial owners included. A Ukrainian company’s registration data sits in the register kept by the Ministry of Justice’s state registrars, and it must be current on the bid date. Missing beneficial-ownership information that the registration law requires is itself an exclusion ground. Buyers don’t ask for documents that are already in open registers, so the open entry can be checked for you before you bid. Any correction is filed with a state registrar by the company’s head or by a person holding a power of attorney.
2. The screening checks. Three checks come before any bid, and each is quick:
- Aggressor-state ownership and origin. Russian, Belarusian and Iranian persons and companies, Ukrainian companies at least 10% owned by them or with them as beneficial owners, and sellers of Russian- or Belarusian-origin goods are excluded. Ownership chains and product origin can be screened for you; you disclose your ownership and supply chain truthfully.
- The corruption register. Companies listed in the Unified State Register of persons who committed corruption offences, kept by the National Agency on Corruption Prevention (НАЗК), or whose representative was liable for a procurement corruption offence, are excluded. The register is open and free, and the check takes minutes.
- The funding source. EU-funded Ukraine Facility tenders admit only bidders and goods from eligible countries; from 23 July 2026, for one year, the US, Canada, Japan and the UK are added to the EU-defined list. Tenders funded by development banks follow their own lists.
3. An account on an authorised e-platform (майданчик). You can’t bid on prozorro.gov.ua itself. You register on one of the authorised commercial e-platforms connected to it, such as DZO, SmartTender or E-tender; all of them show the same tenders. Registration itself isn’t charged and the account stays open. The platform signs a contract with your company, bilingual where needed, and your company identifies itself with a UAH 20 payment from its account, an electronic signature or a signed paper contract.
- Who does it: a platform can be chosen and the form completed for you; your company signs the platform contract and makes the identification payment or signature.
4. A platform balance for participation fees. Every competitive bid costs a participation fee, set by the expected value of the purchase, identical on all platforms and debited from your platform balance. You top it up from your own account. Money sent from abroad can take up to 5 business days to arrive.
5. A qualified (KEP) or advanced (UEP) e-signature, for Ukrainian participants. Ukrainian participants must sign their bid with one; participants registered as non-residents may submit without. Keys come from qualified trust service providers listed by the Central Certification Authority (czo.gov.ua) and last as long as the certificate, commonly 1–2 years.
- Whose key: the key belongs to a natural person, the director or an authorised employee or representative. A representative you authorise by power of attorney (довіреність) signs with their own KEP, never with yours.
6. An anti-corruption programme, for purchases of UAH 20 million or more. For these, a company bidding must have an anti-corruption programme and an authorised anti-corruption officer. A lawyer can draft the programme; your company adopts it by decision and appoints the officer.
With your bid
7. The free-form statement of no exclusion grounds. In the bid you confirm, in free form, that none of the exclusion grounds of Art. 17 applies. It costs nothing, and only the winner later proves it with documents. The statement can be drafted for you from the tender’s template; your authorised signatory confirms it is true and signs it with the bid.
8. Proof of signatory authority. Tender documents usually ask for proof that the person who signs the bid may act for the company: an appointment order or protocol, or, for a representative, a power of attorney, notarised where the buyer asks. It can be done the same day. A lawyer can draft the power of attorney; your company’s head signs it.
9. Qualification evidence. Buyers may ask for experience of a similar contract, technical capacity and qualified staff (Art. 16), and in larger tenders for financial statements for the last reporting period. A tender specialist assembles copies of similar contracts, reference letters and staff and equipment tables; an accountant prepares the statements in the required form. You provide the underlying contracts and confirm they are accurate.
10. Localisation and proof of origin, for listed goods. Listed machinery, vehicles and equipment worth UAH 1 million or more in a purchase, including goods inside works or services contracts, must meet the localisation minimum: 30% in 2026, 35% in 2027 and 40% from 2028. Since 29 September 2026 a contract that breaches it is void, and supply-chain disclosure is required.
- How it’s shown: the item is checked against the official list of localised goods, and the manufacturer or supplier provides the reference.
- The exemption: goods originating in WTO GPA parties or treaty partners, the EU included, are exempt within coverage if you prove origin, usually with a certificate of origin from a chamber of commerce or another competent authority, obtained by a trade agent or the manufacturer.
11. Ukrainian translations. Documents are in Ukrainian by default, and the Ukrainian version is binding. A translator translates foreign registration, financial and experience documents; a notary certifies the translator’s signature where required. The buyer may also ask for notarisation or an apostille; Ukraine is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention.
12. Bid security (тендерне забезпечення), where required. Up to 3% of the expected value for goods and services and 0.5% for works, usually a bank guarantee, valid as the tender documents say. You apply to your bank and pay its fees; the wording can be checked against the tender’s form for you.
13. Submitting the bid on the e-platform. You upload the bid documents as scanned PDFs, with your price, before the deadline; the bid period is at least 15 days. Ukrainian participants sign with KEP or UEP. A specialist can upload; the signature is applied by your authorised signatory, or by a representative under a power of attorney with their own KEP.
14. The e-auction, if there are at least two bids. Auction bids are placed from your account, and you decide the price moves.
15. Corrections within 24 hours. If the buyer lists nonconformities in your documents, you usually have 24 hours to correct them. A specialist prepares the corrected documents the same day, so your signatory needs to be reachable to sign.
If you win
Under the martial-law rules, the winner uploads documents proving the absence of exclusion grounds within 4 days of the notice. Information already in open state registers isn’t requested. Certificates should be issued close to the date, as the tender documents say.
| Document | Issued by | Who handles it | What only you do |
|---|---|---|---|
| No-criminal-record certificate of the official who signed the bid (no unexpunged conviction for a mercenary crime) | The Ministry of Internal Affairs information system, online (for example via Diia) or in person | A tender specialist prepares the rest of the pack | The signatory requests their own certificate with their own login or ID |
| No tax arrears, where the tender includes this discretionary ground | State Tax Service (ДПС) | An accountant checks the taxpayer cabinet, settles arrears and obtains the certificate if one is required | Pay any arrears; the taxpayer-cabinet login stays with you, or your accountant under your own delegation |
| Register data and beneficial owners | Unified State Register | Checked in the open register | — |
| Corruption-register status | НАЗК’s open register | Checked in the open register | — |
Before the contract
Performance security, where required. Up to 5% of the contract price, from a bank, provided by the signing date. It lasts until performance and is returned within 5 banking days. Under the new law, from 24 March 2027, the cap for works is reported to rise to 10%. You apply to your bank and pay its fees.
The contract. The buyer signs no later than 15 days after the decision, extendable to 60 for justified reasons, once the complaint window has passed; under the wartime rules one bid is enough to sign. Your authorised signatory signs, with a KEP for an electronic contract.
Who does what
| Step | Who can do it | What only you do |
|---|---|---|
| Register record and beneficial owners | Checked for you in the open register | File any correction as the company |
| Screening (aggressor states, corruption register, funding source) | Screened for you; a lawyer reviews edge cases | Disclose ownership and supply chain truthfully |
| E-platform registration | Platform chosen and form completed for you | Sign the platform contract; make the identification payment or signature |
| Platform balance | — | Top it up from your own account |
| KEP or UEP | — | Obtain it for your signatory and keep it under your control, or authorise a representative who uses their own |
| Anti-corruption programme | A lawyer drafts it | Adopt it; appoint the officer |
| Exclusion statement | Drafted for you | Confirm and sign it |
| Signatory authority | A lawyer drafts the power of attorney | Your head signs it |
| Qualification evidence | A tender specialist and an accountant | Provide the contracts; confirm accuracy |
| Localisation and origin | Checked against the official list; origin certificate from a trade agent or manufacturer | Provide supply-chain and origin data |
| Translations | A translator, with a notary where required | Request any apostilles at home |
| Bid security and performance security | Your bank | Apply for the guarantee |
| Submission, auction and corrections | A specialist uploads and prepares corrections | Sign, or authorise a representative; decide price moves |
| Winner’s documents | A tender specialist assembles the pack | Request personal certificates; sign the upload |
| Contract | — | Your authorised signatory signs |
| Complaint to the Antimonopoly Committee (AMCU) | A lawyer drafts and files it through your platform account under a power of attorney, with their own KEP | Grant the power of attorney; pay the fee |
The professionals involved
| Professional | Licensed or regulated by | What they do for a bidder |
|---|---|---|
| Advokat (адвокат), or another lawyer (юрист) | National Bar Association of Ukraine (НААУ) for advocates; no licence for other lawyers | Review tender documents for discriminatory terms and draft AMCU complaints filed through Prozorro; represent you before the AMCU Complaints Commission and, for advocates, in court within 30 days; draft the power of attorney for your signatory and consortium agreements; screen sanctions and aggressor-state ownership (the 10% test) |
| Tender specialist | Unregulated | Monitor Prozorro, analyse the tender documents, prepare the bid file, the exclusion statement and the qualification evidence; prepare the 24-hour corrections; prepare the winner’s pack in time |
| Accountant (бухгалтер) or auditor (аудитор) | No licence for accountants; auditors are registered with and overseen by the Audit Public Oversight Body of Ukraine | Prepare financial statements and turnover evidence; keep tax filings current so there are no tax arrears, and obtain the tax-status certificate where asked |
| Translator (перекладач) | No licence; a notary certifies the translator’s signature | Translate foreign registration, financial and experience documents into Ukrainian |
| Notary (нотаріус), state or private | Ministry of Justice of Ukraine | Certify copies, translators’ signatures and powers of attorney when the buyer requires notarised documents |
| Bank | National Bank of Ukraine | Issue bid security (up to 3% for goods and services, 0.5% for works) and performance guarantees (up to 5%) |
If your company is from abroad
No Ukrainian company or tax code (EDRPOU) is needed: you register on an authorised e-platform as a non-resident with your home-country registration documents, though tax, banking and customs steps at contract stage may need local action; who may bid is covered in How to bid for public tenders in Ukraine. For the paperwork:
- Company record: a home-country registry extract or certificate of good standing, translated, and apostilled if the buyer asks.
- E-platform: register as a non-resident with your home registration data; top up in EUR or USD, converted at the National Bank of Ukraine rate.
- E-signature: not required when you are registered as a non-resident. The Central Certification Authority keeps a list of Ukrainian providers whose services are recognised in the EU.
- Exclusion statement: the same statement; equivalent foreign documents are accepted, or an official explanation where your country doesn’t issue a document.
- Power of attorney: your home-country document, translated, and apostilled if the buyer requires.
- Winner’s documents: home-country good-standing, tax-clearance and no-criminal-record certificates, translated, with an apostille if asked.
- Financial statements and contracts: your home documents, translated.
- Localisation: proof that your goods originate in a GPA party or treaty partner is the main route for foreign manufacturers.
- Bid security: whether a foreign bank’s guarantee is accepted depends on the tender documents.
- Complaints: you may act through Ukrainian legal representatives.
Pitfalls
- Your key stays yours. Never hand over your KEP key file, token, password or Diia login; a representative signs only with their own KEP under a power of attorney.
- Check ownership before anything else. Russian, Belarusian or Iranian ownership of 10% or more, or as beneficial owner, or Russian- or Belarusian-origin goods, rule a bid out.
- Sort out localisation before you bid. For listed goods worth UAH 1 million or more, have the localisation reference or proof of GPA or treaty origin ready: a contract that breaches the rules is void.
- Read the funding source. Ukraine Facility and development-bank tenders have their own eligibility lists.
- Watch for related participants. Common ownership, or links with the buyer’s tender committee, is an exclusion ground.
- Stay reachable. You get 24 hours for corrections and 4 days for the winner’s documents.
- Top up early. A transfer from abroad can take up to 5 business days to reach your platform balance.
- Complain on time and at the right fee. About tender terms, no later than 4 days before the deadline, with a fee of 0.3% of the expected value (UAH 2,000–85,000); about an award or rejection, within 5 days, with 0.6% (UAH 3,000–170,000). The fee is refunded if the complaint is upheld, and the AMCU accepts or rejects it within 3 working days.
Doing it with askTender
In Ukraine, your askTender Partner is added as a named user on your company’s account on Prozorro and works under their own login (we confirm this with the portal before your first bid). You keep your own login, and sign what only you can sign. Everything else is prepared for you: the askTender Desk runs the screening checks, completes the platform registration, drafts the exclusion statement, assembles the qualification and winner’s evidence and tracks the 24-hour and 4-day windows; askTender Partners, such as an advokat, an accountant, a translator or a notary, do the steps their licence covers. You sign only what the law reserves to you: the platform contract, the power of attorney, the bid with your own KEP where you sign it yourself, the guarantees and the contract.
Questions
Which documents go in with a bid in Ukraine?
A free-form statement that none of the Art. 17 exclusion grounds applies, proof that the person signing may act for you (an appointment document or a power of attorney), the qualification evidence the tender asks for, such as similar contracts, reference letters and staff and equipment tables, any localisation reference or proof of origin for listed goods, Ukrainian translations of foreign documents, bid security where required, and your price. Documents go in as scanned PDFs through your e-platform.
Do I need a KEP to bid in Ukraine?
Ukrainian participants must sign their bid with a qualified (KEP) or advanced (UEP) electronic signature from a qualified trust service provider. Participants registered as non-residents may submit without one. The key belongs to a person, the director or an authorised employee or representative; a representative signing under a power of attorney uses their own key.
What does the winner provide, and how fast?
Under the martial-law rules, the winner uploads documents proving the absence of exclusion grounds within 4 days of the notice, such as the signatory’s no-criminal-record certificate and, where the tender includes that ground, proof of no tax arrears. Information already in open state registers isn’t requested. A foreign winner gives home-country good-standing, tax-clearance and no-criminal-record certificates, translated.
What does it cost to bid on Prozorro?
Registering on an e-platform isn’t charged, but each bid draws a participation fee, set by the expected value of the purchase and the same on every platform, from your platform balance. A Ukrainian company identifies itself to the platform with a UAH 20 payment, an e-signature or a signed paper contract. Bid security, where required, costs your bank’s fees.
Can a tender specialist submit my bid in Ukraine?
A tender specialist can monitor Prozorro, prepare the bid file, the exclusion statement and the evidence, and handle 24-hour corrections. The bid is signed by your authorised signatory, or by a representative you authorise by power of attorney using their own KEP. You never hand over your key file, token, password or Diia login.
Sources
- Ministry of Economy: participation of foreign bidders in Prozorro
- Ministry of Economy: electronic signatures for bids, including non-residents
- Ministry of Economy: the ban on procurement from the aggressor states
- Ministry of Economy: AMCU complaint fees
- Prozorro Infobox: Ukraine Facility eligible countries
This guide explains the rules in plain English; it isn’t legal advice. Procurement rules change, and each tender document sets its own conditions — it always prevails.