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# Lithuania Moves to Accelerate Defense Procurement and Tighten Supply Chain Rules
- URL: https://www.adriadefense.com/lithuania-moves-to-accelerate-defense-procurement-and-tighten-supply-chain-rules/
- Published: 2026-10-21T11:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-21T11:00:01.000Z
- Description: Lithuania's parliament advances defense procurement reforms to shorten approval times, speed up military technology trials and prioritize supply chain reliability.
- Author: AdriaDefense Desk
- Tags: Lithuania, CEE, Defense procurement, Ukraine, Industry, Defense Industry

**VILNIUS, October 20, 2026.** Lithuania's parliament has advanced proposed legislation to accelerate military procurement, reduce administrative delays and give defense supply chain reliability a greater role in evaluating suppliers.

The Seimas approved the amendments at their initial presentation on October 20, with 66 lawmakers voting in favor, none against and seven abstaining. The proposals, introduced by Minister of National Defence Robertas Kaunas, must undergo further legislative consideration before becoming law.

The legislation would amend Lithuania's public procurement framework, including provisions specifically governing defense and security acquisitions.

## Procurement Approval Times Could Be Cut in Half

Under the proposed amendments, the Lithuanian Public Procurement Office would have five working days, instead of the current ten, to decide on requests to conduct certain procurements through negotiated procedures without prior publication.

For critical defense purchases, the decision period would be reduced to just two working days.

Additional documentation requirements would also be streamlined. Authorities estimate that the complete consent procedure, currently taking up to 33 working days, could be shortened to 17 working days for standard cases and 14 for critical acquisitions.

The changes are intended to reduce the time required to procure military equipment, services and infrastructure considered necessary for Lithuania's defense readiness.

## Supply Chain Reliability to Carry at Least 30% Weight

A central element of the reform is the introduction of additional evaluation requirements for critical defense procurement.

Under the proposal, **supply chain reliability would account for at least 30% of the total bid evaluation score** in procurements classified as critical.

Contracting authorities would therefore be required to assess suppliers' ability to deliver equipment on schedule, maintain operational capabilities and ensure continuity of supply, rather than relying primarily on the lowest price.

The provision would apply to defense goods, services and works whose uninterrupted supply is considered essential to Lithuania's military operations.

For defense manufacturers and equipment suppliers seeking Lithuanian contracts, the proposed criteria would make delivery reliability, maintenance arrangements and supply continuity important competitive considerations.

## Trial Procurement for New Military Technologies

The amendments would also establish a dedicated procurement category for limited trial batches of military equipment and technological solutions.

This would allow Lithuanian defense authorities to purchase smaller quantities of equipment together with the integration, testing and evaluation services required to assess their suitability before committing to larger acquisitions.

Successful testing would not automatically authorize additional purchases without a new procurement procedure, unless follow-on procurement had been provided for in advance.

The proposed mechanism could offer defense technology developers a more direct route to having equipment evaluated by the Lithuanian Armed Forces, while allowing the military to assess performance before placing larger orders.

## Emergency Purchases and Support for Ukraine

Another provision would establish a clearer legal basis for urgent operational procurement where delays could threaten military personnel, operational readiness, ammunition stocks or international defense commitments.

Under such circumstances, procurement authorities could use negotiated procedures without prior publication and bypass certain mandatory waiting periods.

Judicial oversight would remain available, including the possibility of courts imposing interim protective measures.

The proposals would also provide limited exceptions for acquiring equipment containing components from manufacturers in countries considered unreliable, when those products are intended as assistance to foreign states.

The change is intended to provide additional flexibility in delivering military assistance to Ukraine.

## Response to Military Procurement Audit

The proposed reforms follow a Lithuanian National Audit Office assessment of military procurement covering 2021–2025\. The audit found that Lithuania's acquisition system had not kept pace with the armed forces' requirements as defense expenditure increased.

In response, the Ministry of National Defence has initiated changes to procurement procedures, project management, oversight and risk controls. The latest amendments form part of that effort, with parliamentary consideration now underway.

If adopted, the changes would alter how Lithuania evaluates suppliers, purchases emerging military technologies and processes time-sensitive defense contracts.