Congratulations to the engineering community in Ukraine on the extraordinary event – the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine (MinInfrastructure) and the International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC).

The MoU was signed by Oleksandr Kubrakov, Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration of Ukraine – Minister for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine and Dr. Nelson Ogunshakin, OBE,  the CEO of FIDIC, the largest international organization in the field of construction consulting.

“It is worth noting that the signing of the MoU will allow the implementation of best practices in procurement, engineering, and contracting, leading to high-quality infrastructure projects under IFI’s  funding,” commented Oleksandr Kubrakov.

The International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC) is the largest international organization in the construction consulting field. It consists of millions of engineering specialists and more than forty thousand companies in over a hundred countries. Hence, the endorsement of collaboration with FIDIC by the relevant ministry will undoubtedly become the foundation for the successful implementation of projects aimed at rebuilding Ukraine.

As a member of The European Federation of Engineering Consultancy Associations (EFCA), which represents FIDIC in Europe, the Interstate Consultants Engineers Guild (ICEG) has been working persistently and consistently for many years on implementing the best international practices in organizing contractual relations in construction in Ukraine.

In introducing internationally recognized forms of construction contracts, the most well-known of which are FIDIC contracts, we are driven by our commitment to strengthening the role of the consulting engineer as a key participant in construction. This will undoubtedly contribute to transparency and efficiency in cooperation between Ukraine and the European Union in reconstruction projects.

We believe that the participation of consulting engineers in the implementation of construction projects, which is an established international practice, will also gain proper recognition and appreciation in the domestic construction market. Analysis of international experience shows that in modern conditions, the share of the cost of engineering services is within the range of 3-10%, and sometimes up to 15% of the construction cost, depending on their complexity and scale.

Furthermore, Ukraine has introduced a conformity assessment system for consulting engineers similar to FIDIC, which is conducted by personnel certification bodies accredited under the international standard EN ISO/IEC 17024.

It is worth mentioning again that ICEG has translated and published a Ukrainian translation of two key guides of the International Federation of Consulting Engineers: “FIDIC Procurement Procedures Guide” and “FIDIC Contracts Guide.” We have also launched a series of guidebooks for construction employers and consulting engineers, including Issue No. 3: “Some Aspects of Using Standard Forms of Construction Contracts. Comments from foreign experts.” The book features comments from experts from Ukraine, the Czech Republic, Poland, Romania, the United Kingdom, the UAE, Australia, and Canada regarding the experience of organizing and managing risks at various stages of the life cycle of construction projects using FIDIC construction contract forms.