The Process of Contract Compliance: A Public Procurement Perspective
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25159/1998-8125/11565Keywords:
contract compliance, contract compliance process, state departments, procurement, public procurement, UgandaAbstract
Purpose/Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine the ideal contract compliance process in Uganda from a state department perspective.
Design/Methodology/Approach: In conducting this study, the interpretivist approach using the qualitative methodology was employed. Telephonic interviews and focus group discussions via the Zoom online platform with semi-structured interviews were conducted among 29 procurement officers, heads of finance departments, heads of procurement departments, auditors and accounting officers. The interviews explored matters concerning what is regarded as the ideal contract compliance process.
Findings: The findings indicate that the ideal contract compliance involves the following nine stages: understanding the law; procurement planning; requisitioning; establishing funds availability for the items procured; sourcing providers; contract awarding; appointing contract managers; monitoring deliveries; and payment.
Practical Implications: Studies such as the current one widen the management scope and suggest that state departments should read the mind of society and continuously engage with them; make SMART plans and budgets; streamline processes; involve technical people; legally assess the contract; and follow the existing laws.
Originality/Value: The cost of contract non-compliance is high and could lead to missed deadlines; delays in executing contracts; litigation and even cancellation of contracts. This could result in a lack of transparency and accountability; poor performance; inefficiency; and poor resource usage. To prevent these negative impacts, state departments could add policy recommendations to implement an effective contract compliance process.
Metrics
References
Abutabenjeh, S., A. M. Dimand, E. Rodriguez-Plesa, and A. Ahmadu. 2022. “The Nexus between Gender Diversity and Research Performance: The Case of Public Procurement.” International Journal of Public Administration 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1080/01900692.2021.2013258 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/01900692.2021.2013258
Afolabi, A., E. Ibem, E. Aduwo, P. Tunji-Olayeni, and O. Oluwunmi. 2019. “Critical Success Factors (CSFs) for e-Procurement Adoption in the Nigerian Construction Industry.” Buildings 9 (2): 1–18. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings9020047 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings9020047
Babbie, E. 2011. The Basics of Social Research. Belmont: Wadsworth.
Basheka, B. C. 2021. “Public Procurement Governance: Toward an Anti-Corruption Framework for Public Procurement in Uganda.” In Public Procurement, Corruption and the Crisis of Governance in Africa, edited by N. Dorasamy and O. Fagbadebo, 113–141. Cham: Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-63857-3_7 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-63857-3_7
Benaya, R. P. 2020. “The Effects of Specifications of Goods on Public Procurement Performance in Tanzania: A Case of Tanesco Headquarter.” Business Education Journal 9 (1): 1–8. http://dspace.cbe.ac.tz:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/826
Broms, R., C. Dahlström, and M. Fazekas. 2019. “Political Competition and Public Procurement Outcomes.” Comparative Political Studies 52 (9): 1259–1292. https://doi.org/10.1177/0010414019830723 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0010414019830723
Bryman, B., and E. Bell. 2014. Business Research Methods. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Choi, S. J., S. W. Choi, J. H. Kim, and E. B. Lee. 2021. “AI and Text-Mining Applications for Analyzing Contractor’s Risk in Invitation to Bid (ITB) and Contracts for Engineering Procurement and Construction (EPC) Projects.” Energies 14 (15): 1–28. https://doi.org/10.3390/en14154632 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/en14154632
Clarke, V., and V. Braun. 2013. “Teaching Thematic Analysis: Overcoming Challenges and Developing Strategies for Effective Learning.” The Psychologist 26 (2): 120–123. Accessed November 28, 2022. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/269928387_Teaching_thematic_analysis_Overcoming_challenges_and_developing_strategies_for_effective_learning#:~:text=the%20theoretical%20frameworks.According%20to%20Clarke%20and%20Braun%20(2013)%20%2C%20thematic%20analysis%20involves,themes%2C%20and%20finalizing%20the%20analysis
Colonnelli, E., and N. Ntungire. 2018. Construction and Public Procurement in Uganda. Accessed May 3, 2019. https://doi.org/10.35188/UNU-WIDER/2018/622-7 DOI: https://doi.org/10.35188/UNU-WIDER/2018/622-7
Creswell, J. W. 2014. Educational Research: Planning, Conducting and Evaluating Quantitative and Qualitative Research. 4th ed. London: Pearson Education.
Creswell, J. W., and J. D. Creswell. 2018. Research Design. London: Sage.
Deshpande, J. J., M. Gowda, M. Dixit, M. S. Khubbar, B.S. Jayasri, and S. Lokesh. 2020. “Permissioned Blockchain Based Public Procurement System.” Journal of Physics: Conference Series 1706 (1): 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1706/1/012157 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1706/1/012157
Grandia, J., and D. M. Voncken. 2019. “Sustainable Public Procurement: The Impact of Ability, Motivation, and Opportunity on the Implementation of Different Types of Sustainable Public Procurement.” Sustainability 11 (5215): 1–17. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11195215 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su11195215
Guarnieri, P., and R. C. Gomes 2019. “Can Public Procurement Be Strategic? A Future Agenda Proposition.” Journal of Public Procurement 19 (4): 295–321. https://doi.org/10.1108/JOPP-09-2018-0032 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/JOPP-09-2018-0032
Hoekman, B., and M. Sanfilippo. 2018. “Firm Performance and Participation in Public Procurement: Evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa.” Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies Research Paper No. RSCAS, 16. Accessed November 14, 2022. https://cadmus.eui.eu/bitstream/handle/1814/52584/RSCAS_2018_16.pdf?sequence=1
Kalinzi, C., J. Ntayi, and L. Kabagambe. 2021. “Exploring Stakeholders’ Understanding of Procurement Performance Expectations Gap in Public Works Contracts in Uganda’s District Local Governments (DLG): A Qualitative Analysis of Results.” 20th Annual Thinking Qualitatively Virtual Conference. Accessed April 15, 2022. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Charles-Kalinzi/publication/353044592_Exploring_Stakeholder's_understanding_of_procurement_performance_expectations_gap_in_public_works_contracts_in_Uganda's_district_local_governments_DLG_A_qualitative_Analysis_of_results/links/60e5db4f1c28af345850c60b/Exploring-Stakeholders-understanding-of-procurement-performance-expectations-gap-in-public-works-contracts-in-Ugandas-district-local-governments-DLG-A-qualitative-Analysis-of-results.pdf
Kinuthia, E. K., P. A. Odundo, and G. Nyagah. 2019. “Components of Procurement Reforms That Influence Expenditure Management in Secondary Schools in Kenya: A Focus on Tender Advertising.” International Journal of Business and Management 14 (1): 1–16. https://doi.org/10.5539/ijbm.v13n6p129 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5539/ijbm.v14n1p1
Kogdenko, V. G. 2020. “Researching the Public Procurement System: An Analysis of Unscrupulous Suppliers.” Ekonomicheskii Analiz: Teoriya i Praktika/Economic Analysis: Theory and Practice 19 (3): 430–453. https://doi.org/10.24891/ea.19.3.430 DOI: https://doi.org/10.24891/ea.19.3.430
Larbi, B. O., B. K. Baiden, and K. Agyekum. 2019. “Compliance with Transparency Provisions in the Public Procurement Act, 2003 (Act 663).” International Journal of Procurement Management 12 (1): 112–133. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJPM.2019.096998 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1504/IJPM.2019.096998
Lessambo, F. I., ed. 2022. “Public Procurement: Laws and Regulations.” In International Project Finance, 43–56. Cham: Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-96390-3_5 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-96390-3_5
Makiva, M. 2021. “Public Procurement Oversight and the Scourge of Corruption in the Public Sector: A Comparative Analysis of South Africa and Kenya.” In Public Procurement, Corruption and the Crisis of Governance in Africa, edited by N. Dorasamy and O. Fagbadebo, 223–248. Cham: Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-63857-3_7 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-63857-3_12
Mason, M. 2010. “Sample Size and Saturation in PhD Studies Using Qualitative Interviews.” Qualitative Social Research 11 (3): 1–19.
Medzhybovska, N., and A. Lew. 2019. “Micro Businesses Participation in Public Procurement: Evidence from Ukraine.” Economics and Sociology 12 (3): 98–113. https://doi.org/10.14254/2071-789X.2019/12-3/7 DOI: https://doi.org/10.14254/2071-789X.2019/12-3/7
Modisakeng, C., M. Matlala, B. Godman, and J. C. Meyer. 2020. “Medicine Shortages and Challenges with the Procurement Process among Public Sector Hospitals in South Africa; Findings and Implications.” BMC Health Services Research 20 (1): 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-020-05080-1 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-020-05080-1
Mugambi, M. M., E. Anyika, and D. K. Muthoni. 2021. “Examination of Effects of Internal Procurement Processes on Performance of Dairy Producer Co-operative Societies in Kenya.” Journal of Social Sciences, Business and Technology 2 (1): 42–52.
Muhwezi, L., F. T. Musiime, and C. Onyutha. 2020. “Assessment of the Effects of Procurement Planning Processes on Performance of Construction Contracts in Local Governments in Uganda.” Journal of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering 5 (6): 151–160. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jccee.20200506.12 DOI: https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jccee.20200506.12
Mutangili, S. K. 2021. “Public Procurement for Sustainable Development in East Africa.” Journal of Procurement & Supply Chain 5 (1): 46–55.
Mwelu, N., P. Davis, Y. Ke, and S. Watundu. 2018. “Compliance within a Regulatory Framework in Implementing Public Road Construction Projects.” Construction Economics and Building 18 (4): 1–23. https://doi.org/10.5130/AJCEB.v18i4.6362 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5130/AJCEB.v18i4.6362
Nuwagaba, I., T. Molokwane, A. Nduhura, and L. M. Tshombe. 2021. “Procurement Planning and Procurement Performance for Operations and Projects in Public Sector Entities – a Case of Uganda Management Institute.” International Journal of Supply Chain Management 10 (6): 11–22.
OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development). 2017. “Government at a Glance 2017.” Accessed June 28, 2022. https://www.oecd.org/gov/government-at-a-glance-2017-highlights-en.pdf
OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development). 2018. “Fighting Bid Rigging in IMSS Procurement: Impact of OECD Recommendations.” Accessed November 14, 2022. http://www.oecd.org/daf/competition/IMSS-procurement-impact-OECD-recommendations2018-ENG.pdf
Rodríguez, M. J. G., V. Rodríguez-Montequín, P. Ballesteros-Pérez, P. E. Love, and R. Signor. 2022. “Collusion Detection in Public Procurement Auctions with Machine Learning Algorithms.” Automation in Construction 133: 104047. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.autcon.2021.104047 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.autcon.2021.104047
Rukuni, T. F., E. T. Maziriri, and H. Mulaudzi. 2020. “Assessing Electronic Procurement at a State-Owned Enterprise in South Africa.” Journal of Contemporary Management 17 (2): 393–415. https://doi.org/10.35683/jcm20019.81 DOI: https://doi.org/10.35683/jcm20019.81
Shija, L. 2019. “Challenges Facing Implementation of Public Procurement Contract Management in Tanzania – a Case Study of Temeke Municipal Council.” Master’s diss., College of Business Education, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Sönnichsen, S. D., and J. Clement. 2020. “Review of Green and Sustainable Public Procurement: Towards Circular Public Procurement.” Journal of Cleaner Production 245: 1–55. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.118901 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.118901
Tangri, R., and A. M. Mwenda. 2019. “Change and Continuity in the Politics of Government-Business Relations in Museveni’s Uganda.” Journal of Eastern African Studies 13 (4): 678–697. https://doi.org/10.1080/17531055.2019.1655879 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/17531055.2019.1655879
Wankmüller, C., and G. Reiner. 2021. “Identifying Challenges and Improvement Approaches for More Efficient Procurement Coordination in Relief Supply Chains. Sustainability 13 (4): 1–23. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13042204 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su13042204
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2023 Hamidah Babirye Nsereko, Madele Tait, Nadine Oosthuizen
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Accepted 2022-12-08
Published 2023-02-07
