GITA Allocates €1.8 Million to Armenian TUMO Center for Training Facility in Kutaisi

The Georgian Innovation and Technology Agency (GITA) has signed a €1.8 million simplified contract with the Armenian company TUMO (Creative Technologies Center) to establish a training center in the former parliament building in Kutaisi. The details of the five-year collaboration were published on the State Procurement Agency’s website.

The agreement, executed without a tender process, outlines the development of a creative training center aimed at advancing innovative education. TUMO, founded by Sam Simonyan, specializes in creative educational programs and has been identified as a sole provider for the project.

Contract Details

The procurement document justifies the simplified process, stating that it was impractical to include TUMO in a competitive tender due to its unique expertise and resources required for the center’s establishment. The contract includes the following expenditures:

• Consulting services for the center’s opening: €120,000
• Five-year license for TUMO’s educational programs: €1,375,000 (€275,000 per year)
• Taxes as per Georgian law: €269,100

The total procurement cost for 2024 will be €395,000, with an annual allocation of €275,000 in subsequent years.