Main image: Reconnaissance Drones of the 43rd Separate Artillery Brigade. May 2024. Ukraine. Photo from the Brigade's Facebook Page
On September 11, the State Logistics Operator introduced DOT-Chain, an innovative IT system designed to streamline military supply management for the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
"Creating an effective supply management system for the army has been a priority for our team from the first days after my appointment as minister. And today, we have achieved this," emphasized Defense Minister Rustem Umerov.
The main goal of DOT-Chain is to simplify and speed up the process of supplying the military. This will be achieved through streamlining processes, increasing awareness, and enhancing support for both military personnel and suppliers.
"Previously, the delivery time for products could take up to two months, but with the implementation of DOT-Chain, this timeframe is expected to be reduced by approximately four times," said Deputy Defense Minister Dmitry Klimenkov. "Digitizing procurement processes in defense is a strategic step toward improving the efficiency of supplying everything needed by the Armed Forces."
The creation of DOT-Chain represents the largest digital project in DOT's history. The system was developed by a team of IT specialists from the State Logistics Operator.
"Our task was to transform the old system to make non-lethal supply more effective for the Armed Forces. Currently, DOT-Chain covers food supplies. The IT team has digitized the entire supply process—from submitting product requests to generating shipping documents and acts. In the future, the system can rapidly scale to cover other categories of goods," said Alona Zuzha, IT Advisor at DOT.
Key Changes Introduced by DOT-Chain:
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Digitization of Paper Documents: The system has moved paper documents online to optimize military operations. Instead of processing 30,000 papers weekly, military personnel now need only a few clicks in the system, significantly reducing the workload for supply officers.
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Streamlined Payment Process: The payment process for goods has become four times faster, with shipping documents immediately uploaded to the system. DOT can quickly process payments once it has signatures from both the military unit and the supplier.
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Optimized Data Exchange: The system provides data to the Ministry of Defense, allowing adjustments to military needs based on aggregated information such as request numbers, supply details, and volumes accepted or not by military units.
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Enhanced Interaction: DOT-Chain facilitates better interaction among all parties involved in supplying the Armed Forces. The system shows all documents related to procurement and delivery for each request, making DOT a third party that can quickly respond to changes in military unit requests.
The State Logistics Operator (DOT) is a procurement agency under the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, responsible for supplying the Armed Forces with food, clothing, and fuel.