Margus Gering to Äripäev: “The family-style group homes project will guide Ukraine towards the social welfare reforms it needs.”
Speaking on Äripäev Radio’s morning programme, ESTDEV’s head of Cooperation and Development for Ukraine, Margus Gering, said that while Estonia is building “brick and mortar” homes, capacity-building programmes will support Ukraine’s social welfare system as it undergoes reforms before joining the European Union.
Last Thursday, ESTDEV launched a public tender to find a contractor to build three family-style small group homes to house foster families caring for children orphaned in the war in Zhytomyr. These homes are being built as a cooperative project between Estonia and Ukraine.
According to Gering, the procurement of family-style group homes allows Estonian companies to help ESTDEV achieve Estonia’s broader development cooperation goals. Foreign partners and donors will also see that Estonia is already active in Ukraine and that we are working to rebuild the country even before the war ends.
During the interview, Gering said ESTDEV has already opened the door to the Ukrainian market for a number of companies.”The biggest value for companies is the opportunity to enter the Ukrainian market and to build up this network of contacts,” said Gering, adding that ESTDEV, the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Estonian Embassy in Ukraine are set to provide support to Estonian companies.
The scope of the procurement includes the production, transport and installation of three modular homes, as well as installing communications, building foundations and a bomb shelter, and handling the design of the grounds outside of the homes. The construction works must be of high enough quality to ensure these homes fulfil their function for decades to come. Construction work must be completed no later than 245 days after the conclusion of the contract.
Gering also told Äripäev Radio that Estonian NGOs and the private sector can contribute to the reconstruction of Ukraine through ESTDEV’s open call for proposals, which closes on 15 February 2024.
Listen to the full interview on Äripäev radio.
More information about the procurement can be found in the State Procurement Register.
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