RBC-Ukraine has published a column by Oleksandr Nepomnyashchyy, President of the Interstate Consultants Engineers Guild, titled “Ukraine changing reconstruction rules. Is it prepared for the infrastructure challenge worth $588 billion?”

The material goes about changes happening in the preparation and delivery framework for infrastructure projects in Ukraine and international approaches increasing influencing the reconstruction practice.

The analysis is based on professional discussions at the FIDIC Global Infrastructure Conference 2026 in New Delhi as well as changes in the Ukrainian system of public investment and project management.

Dr. Nepomnyashchyy focuses on several interconnected components of infrastructure project delivery, including quality of their preparation prior to procurement, opting for an implementation model, procurement strategy, risk allocation, contract frameworks, and professional capacity of the contracting authority.

The columnist draws particular attention to the changing approaches to procurement. International practice is increasingly considering quality, qualification of experts, implementation methodology, and life-cycle costs. To Ukraine, this theme is gaining practical meaning in connection with the public procurement system reform and new procurement legislation.

Another subject of the article is risk management. Risk related decisions should be made at the project inception and taken into account during the procurement strategy formation and contract development. Mistakes made at the preparation phase can be subsequently reflected in the bid price, delayed delivery, and contract disputes.

The author calls professional capacity of clients a key challenge of the following stage of recovery, meaning an ability to identify what competencies a specific project needs, mobilize the necessary engineering, economic, legal, and managerial expertise timely and organize its operation.

“Money allows building the infrastructure, and the professional capacity determines what exactly will be delivered for that money,” Dr. Nepomnyashchyy sums up.

Read the full column here