Public procurement management and national performance of National Forestry Authority-Uganda

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to establish the extent to which public procurement management influences the performance of National Forestry Authority, Uganda. The study intended to examine the extent to which procurement planning, supplier selection and contract administration influences the performance of National Forestry Authority. The study used a cross-sectionals study design adopting both qualitative and quantitative approaches. Data was collected from a population of 101 consisting of the Accounting Officer, User department (senior staff), contract committee, PDU and two PPDA Authority staff. Data was collected using a questionnaire and interview guide and was analyzed using mean and standard deviation, correlation and regression analyses. The study established that procurement planning, supplier selection and contract administration all had a significant influence on performance of NFA. Contract administration had the highest influence on performance of NFA followed by supplier selection. The study concluded that the performance PDEs depends on proper procurement planning, supplier selection and contract administration in accordance with PPDA Act and Regulation, 2003. To enhance the performance of NFA and related public entities, the study recommends that the accounting officers should task the procurement unit to conduct market research to establish market for strategic supplies that can guarantee constant supply as competitive prices; undertake to consider group purchasing in the procurement plans for common items to enjoy economies of scales from high volumes purchased, consider adoption of e-procurement for invitation and soliciting of suppliers, incorporate a due diligence checks/visits checklist in the evaluation checklist to validate information tendered by the supplier, train user departments in contract management short course, develop illustrations for a contract governance project/matrix organizational structures, task user departments to evaluate supplier performance on meeting the objectives of the procurement based on a developed supplier evaluation template/form.