An analysis of contract management in procurement at the Ministry of Works and Transport in Uganda

Abstract

This study analyzed contract management in procurement at the Ministry of Works and Transport (MoWT) in Uganda. The specific objectives were to examine contract management practices in procurement, to assess the contract management challenges encountered during the execution of procurement, and to propose strategies for enhancing contract management in procurement at the Ministry. The study adopted a descriptive cross-sectional research design and a quantitative approach. The study population comprised 120 staff involved in procurement and contract management drawn from 11 departments of the Ministry and its affiliated agencies, from which a sample of 92 respondents was determined using the Krejcie and Morgan (1970) table and selected through stratified random sampling from 11 purposively selected departments. A total of 84 respondents completed and returned self-administered questionnaires, representing a response rate of 91.30 per cent. Data was analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 28 and presented using frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations. The findings revealed that contract management practices at the Ministry were rated moderately, with an overall average mean of 3.00. Contractor selection through competitive procedures and compliance with PPDA regulations were rated highest, while prompt payment of contractors, post-contract reviews, and maintenance of contract records were rated lowest. Contract management challenges were rated highly, with an overall average mean of 3.71, the most pronounced being frequent delays in contract execution, procurement procedures that cause delays, weak enforcement of contractual obligations, and inadequate contract monitoring. Respondents rated the proposed strategies very highly, with an overall average mean of 4.33, with the strongest support recorded for improved procurement planning, adequate allocation of financial and human resources, and strengthened monitoring and evaluation systems. The study concluded that although the Ministry has a functioning legal and procedural framework for contract management, weaknesses in monitoring, payment processing, and contract close-out continue to undermine timely and cost-effective delivery of works contracts. The study recommended that the Ministry formally appoints contract managers with approved contract management plans for every contract, introduces an automated register to track the validity of performance and advance payment securities, adopts an electronic contract management system integrated with the e-GP system, and invests in continuous professional training of contract management staff. Future research should examine the relationship between contract management practices and the performance of road infrastructure projects using inferential analysis.