Contract management practices and procurement in the Uganda Police Force

Abstract

The study set out to examine the relationship between contract management practices on procurement performance in the UPF. The study examined the relationship between contract design, monitoring, closeout and procurement performance in UPF. A cross sectional design adopting quantitative and qualitative approaches was adopted. The study was conducted in UPF among a target population of 121 officers from contracts committee, User department/section Heads and PDU. The study found contract design has a high positive significant relationship (r = 0.500**, p = 0.000) with procurement performance in UPF. The study found contract monitoring has a high positive significant relationship (r = 0.515**, p = 0.000) with procurement performance in UPF. The study found contract closeout considerations has a high positive significant relationship (r = 0.482**, p = 0.000) with procurement performance in UPF. The study concluded that contract design, monitoring and closeout considerations significantly affect procurement performance in UPF. To enhance the attainment of procurement efficiency, effectiveness and economy indicators in UPF and related public entities, the study recommends that UPF in its contract design should Rotate framework contracts by prequalifying other suppliers after three years, Clearly state the penalties for failure to fulfill the terms in the contract; deploy modern ICT tools for share information between contract stakeholders; the contract managers should illiterate the communication avenues, channels and contact persons to facilitate communications between stakeholders. The force should also demand that the contract managers conducts a comprehensive vendor appraisal on fulfillment of the 5Rs of procurement thus time, right cost, place, time, quantity and quality expectations. Demand that the internal audits unit or User department conducts a comprehensive procurement contract audit in key areas of contractor payment, transferred assets and contract record keeping.