Tendering Process And Service Delivery In Local Government In Uganda. A Case Study Of Arua District Local Government Headquarters

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION ................................................................................................ i

APPROVAL ........••.••...............••..•••••.•.••.......................•.•.••.•••.......................... ii

DEDICATION ................................................................................................ iii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT .........•.••.•.•.•...........................••.••.•.............................. iv

TABLE Of CONTENTS •..•......................••.•••..•.••...................••.••..••................... v

LIST Of TABLES ............................................................................................ ix

liST OF FIGURES .......................................................................................... x

liST OF ACRONYMS ····················································································~xi

CHAPTER ONE .................••..............................•.•...........................•.............•• 1

1.0 Introduction ................................................................................................... 1

1.1 Background of the study ................................................................................. 1

1.2 Problem statement ......................................................................................... 4

1.3 Purpose of the Study ...................................................................................... 6

1.4 Objectives of the study ................................................................................... 6

1.5 Research questions ........................................................................................ 6

1.6 Scope of the study ......................................................................................... 6

1.6.1 Content scope ............................................................................................. 6

1.6.2 Geographical scope ..................................................................................... 6

1.6.3 Time scope ................................................................................................. 7

1.7 Conceptual Framework ................................................................................... 7

1.8 Significance of the study ................................................................................. 8

CHAPTER TWO .............................................................................................. 9

liTERATURE REVIEW ................................................................................... 9

2.0 Introduction ................................................................................................... 9

2.1 Tendering ...................................................................................................... 9

2.2 Scope of tendering process ........................................................................... 11

2.3 Generic stages in tendering process .............................................................. 12

2.3.1 Request for invitation of tenders ................................................................ 12

2.3.2 Calling for tenders ..................................................................................... 12

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2.4 Tending Process Objectives .......................................................................... 18

2.5 Factors affecting service delivery ................................................................... 19

2.6 Application of fair, competitive, transparent, non discriminatory and value for

money procurement and disposal standards and practices ................................... 21

2.7 Service delivery at local government levels .................................................... 23

2.8 Relationship between tendering process and service delivery .......................... 24

CHAPTER THREE .......•..........•...........•........••..........•..........•.......•.•........••...... 27

METHODOLOGY ...•.........•.....................•........•.•........•.•........•.......•...........••.• 27

3.0 Introduction ................................................................................................. 27

3.1 Research design ........................................................................................... 27

3.2 Study population .......................................................................................... 27

3.3 sample size .................................................................................................. 27

3.4 Sampling Procedure ..................................................................................... 28

3.4 Data collection methods ............................................................................... 29

3.4.1 Primary Source ......................................................................................... 29

3.4.2 Secondary Source ..................................................................................... 29

3.5 Research instrumentsjtools ........................................................................... 29

3.5.1 Questionnaire Method ............................................................................... 29

3.5.2 Interview method ...................................................................................... 30

3.6 Data collection procedure ............................................................................. 30

3.7 Data Analysis ............................................................................................... 30

3.8 Ethical considerations ................................................................................... 30

3.9 Limitations of the study ................................................................................ 31

CHAPTER fOUR ..........................................•............................................... 32

PRESENTATION, DISCUSSION AND ANAlYSIS OF FINDINGS .................. 32

4.0 Introduction ................................................................................................. 32

4.1 Response rate .............................................................................................. 32

4.2 Background information ............................................................................... 33

4.2.1 Gender of the respondents ........................................................................ 33

4.2.2 Age of respondents ................................................................................... 33

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4.2.3 Level of education attained ........................................................................ 34

4.2.4 Departments of the respondents ................................................................ 34

4.2.5 Duration that employees had worked for Arua district local government.. ..... 35

4.3 Tendering process used in Arua district local government.. ............................. 36

4.3.1 PDU designs tender documents .................................................................. 37

4.3.2 Approval of tender documents and tendering method .................................. 38

4.4.3 Advertising of tender opportunities ............................................................. 38

4.3.4 Issue of tender documents ........................................................................ 38

4.3.5 Nomination of evaluation committee (EC) ................................................... 39

4.3.6 Approval of evaluation committee (EC) ....................................................... 39

4.3.7 Receipt of bids .......................................................................................... 39

4.3.8 Bid opening .............................................................................................. 39

4.3.9 Bid evaluation ........................................................................................... 40

4.3.10 Review of evaluation report ..................................................................... 40

4.3.11 Contract award ....................................................................................... 40

4.3.12 Contract signing ...................................................................................... 40

4.4 Factors affecting services delivery in Arua district local government ................ 41

4.4.1 Organizational culture ................................................................................ 41

4.4.2 Inadequate resources ................................................................................ 42

4.4.3 Corruption ................................................................................................ 42

4.4.4 Level of transparency ................................................................................ 43

4.4.5 Degree of competition ............................................................................... 43

4.4.6 Public support ........................................................................................... 43

4.4.7 Supplier performance evaluation ................................................................ 44

4.10 Independence of the procurement department ............................................ 44

4.4.9 Proper contract management ..................................................................... 44

4.4.10 Other factors affecting services delivery in Arua district local government... 45

4.5 Application of public procurement principles .................................................. 45

4.5.1 Bids are opened in presence of suppliers and their representatives .............. 46

4.5.2 Bids are opened exactly on the day of opening ........................................... 46

4.5.3 Late bids are rejected ................................................................................ 47

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4.5.4 Providers compete for procurement opportunities regardless of their religion,

sex, country of origin (non discrimination) ........................................................... 47

4.5.5 Tender opportunities in Arua district local government are advertised in

nationally read news papers ............................................................................... 48

4.5.6 Contracts in Arua district local government are awarded on merit ................ 48

4.5.7 Presentation, discussion and analysis of findings from the interview ............. 48

CHAPTER FIVE •.•................................•.••..........••..........••.........••.............•.••. 50

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ...... 50

5.0 Introduction ................................................................................................. 50

5.1 Summary of the findings .............................................................................. 50

5.1.1 Tendering procedures and quality of service delivery ................................... 50

5.1.2 Factors affecting service delivery ................................................................ 51

5.1.3 Application of public procurement principles ............................................... 51

5.2 Conclusion ................................................................................................... 51

5.3 Recommendations ........................................................................................ 52

5.4 Suggested areas for further Research ............................................................ 53

REFERENCES ......................•..............................................................•......... 54

APPENDIX I: QUESTIONAIRE TO THE RESPONDENTS .............................. 58

APPENDIX II: INTERVIEW GUIDE ............................................................ 62