Contract management and contractor’s performance in Uganda’s public sector: A case study of Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives

Abstract

The study is to examine the relationship between contract management and contractors’ performance in Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives in Uganda. It was guided by three objectives i)To examine the relationship between contract administration and contractors’ performance inMTIC, ii) examine the relationship between delivery management and contractors’ performance in MTIC, iii) To examine the relationship between relationship management and contractors’ performance in MTIC. The study adopted a descriptive research design; the data was categorised under both qualitative and quantitative approaches. The study population was 191 and a sample size of 129 respondents of which only 101 participated. Results revealed that the most effective contributor to contractor’s performance is delivery management (R Square of 71.5%), followed by relationship management (R Square of 71.3%) and the least contributor is contract administration (Adjusted R Square of 53.7%). The test also revealed that MTICcontract management has a statistically significant positive relationship with contractors’ performance since all p values were below the alpha of 0.05 and as such the null hypothesis was rejected. In conclusion the study notes that that improving elements in undercontract management can maintain and enhance improved contractors’ performance. This means that public organisations can sustain implementation process through contract management and can be used as tools to enhance service delivery. In recommendation, it is suggested that MTIC management should also formulate a strategy frame work to control and eliminate corruption within the course of framework contract management. It is also recommended that the management of MTIC should recruit more qualified personnel to take control and full management of contracts rather than solely leaving the control to one person (project manager)