Contract management and service delivery at Ministry of Works and Transport (MOWT).A Study on Selected Community Access Roads in Eastern Uganda

Abstract

This study sought to establish how contract management influences service delivery in terms of operational cost, quality and time with focus on selected community access roads in Eastern Uganda. Specifically, the study sought to: Establish how contract development influences service delivery on selected community access roads in Uganda; establish how contract administration influences service delivery on selected community access roads in Uganda and; establish how management of contract relationships influences service delivery on selected community access roads in Uganda. The study adopted a cross-sectional survey design and adopted both qualitative and quantitative approaches to data collection and analysis. The study population comprised of 317 staff of MoWT and 02 contractors, from which a sample of 218 was drawn. Out of a sample of 218, the actual respondents were 146, representing a response rate of 67 per cent. Data was collected by means of a standardised questionnaire and interview guide. Analysis was done with the aid of Statistical Package for Social Sciences – version 17, to derive the relevant descriptive and inferential statistics. Findings showed contract development, contract administration and managing contract relationship were all positively associated with service delivery in MoWT. The qualitative results supported the quantitative findings. The study therefore concluded that in order to guarantee effective service delivery in road construction projects, making careful selection of a contract manager, effective involvement of all the project stakeholders, timely payment to contractors, flexibility in the PPDA 2003 regulation on contract variation and having in place clear risk management strategies are of great importance. The study recommended that; MoWT should consider recruitment of contract managers (engineers) at the District, effectively engage stakeholders in the different activities throughout the contract lifecycle, appointment of an independent team to carry out due diligence, advocate for flexibility on PPDA regulations on contract variation, timely payment to contractors and have in place a well-articulated risk management plan.