Assessing the Effect of the Procurement Process on the Efficiency of Uganda's Road Sector

Abstract

This study sought to investigate the relationship the effect of the procurement process on the efficiency of Uganda’s road sector. The study specifically focused on the national roads constructed under the supervision of Uganda National Roads Authority. Procurement has been a serious issue of late and if not well managed will be costly to the government Procurement is a function that costs government colossal sums of money and this has to be performed correctly in order to maximize efficiency and minimize costs. Most organizations’ executive management has realized that managing the procurement must emerge as a critical core competency if organizations are to increase revenue. Procurement plays a vital role in economic growth and development of any country if well managed. The study aimed at achieving the following specific objectives in Uganda, road sector, to establish the effect of the duration of the procurement process on the time efficiency of the road sector, establish the effect of the duration of the procurement process on the cost efficiency of the road sector, establish the effect of ICT usage in the procurement process on cost efficiency in Uganda’s roads sector and establish the effect of ICT usage in the procurement process on time efficiency in Uganda’s roads sector. The study was confined to national roads constructed under the supervision of Uganda National Road’s Authority since the author widely assumed that the respondents in UNRA were willing to co-operate, be honest, freely participate, provide accurate responses to the items in the data collection instruments and have an adequate sample size to draw a valid conclusion. The researcher adopted descriptive survey design using both qualitative and quantitative research paradigms. The data collection instrument was an interview followed by a pre-qualified questionnaire. The collected data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics namely Spearman’s rank correlation. The study findings indicate that there was a lot of inefficiency both in the cost and time in the road sector. The delays in the procurement process have led to increased cost and delay in the timely completion of roads in the sector, creating inefficiencies and high costs in the procurement process in the sector. ICT has led to increased efficiency in the road sector adding both a cost and time value in the sector though recommendations like pre-qualification of bids and making payments online have been made by the respondents. Other recommendations include minimizing the time spent by the Solicitor General in evaluating whether standard practices have been adhered to while choosing the firm to take on the procurement process. This will improve time efficiency in the procurement process. The researcher suggests that further research be done namely, investigating the impact of ethical practices in the procurement process and how it affects the road sector ,assessing the impact of the procurement process on the efficiency of other sectors in the country and other factors that affect efficiency in Uganda’s road sector .