Impact of Traditional Procurement System on Construction Project Delivery

Abstract

Poor project performance issues have been a problem in the construction industry. A large number of projects have failed to meet their goal as a result of the choice of procurement adopted. The traditional method is the commonly used procurement method in the construction industries of the world, and its sequential and linear nature has serious implications on project time, cost and quality baseline performance. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of the traditional procurement system on construction project delivery. The specific objectives of this study were; to assess the influence of the traditional procurement system on construction project parameters, and to determine the factors responsible for the poor bottom lines of traditionally procure construction projects. This study was achieved using a structured questionnaire administered to construction experts using a purposive sampling method. With a reliability index of over 0.800, the data gathered were analysed using appropriate descriptive tools. It was found that projects delivered through the traditional procurement system have the greatest impact on project time parameters, more on cost and quality parameters. Also, poor time, cost and quality performance are caused by major factors such as rework, poor original planning/unrealistic scheduling, poor communication among project participants, lack of competent staff and inadequate proper training of available staff, and design and documentation issues. Project clients and consultants should be careful in project procurement selection to ensure that maximum value and goals are met