Effectiveness of the procurement process within vocational training centres in Botswana: case study of Gaborone Technical College (GTC)

Abstract

Botswana has invested considerable amounts of its revenue in the formulation of an effective procurement method with the aim of improving service delivery. Gaborone Technical College procures for technical trades and administration. It specifically procures IT equipment and equipment for construction, electrical, textile and beauty therapy. The idea is that with these investments, there should be positive results in service delivery and transparency in the use of the Government funds but this has not yielded the desired results. The study examined the efficiency of the procurement function at Gaborone Technical College (GTC). This was achieved by focusing on the procurement strategy and the impact it had on the efficiency of the procurement function. In exploring the propurement strategy of GTC, the phases in the procurement strategy were considered. To enable draw conclusions from the findings of the study, a null hypothesis stating that there was no significant relationship between efficiency of the procurement process and the strategy formulation and implementation was adopted. A quantitative research design approach was adopted where 131 members of staff at GTC were administered with a highly structured questionnaire designed by the researcher. However, only 108 questionnaires -were completed and utilised. The findings of the study revealed that the performance of the procurement function was not as it should be. In addition, the procurement strategy was found to have a significant influence on the performance of the procurement function. After further exploration of the phases followed in formulation of the procurement process, the phases were found to be poorly executed. It was recommended to GTC that in order to improve on the performance of the procurement function the institution should review its procurement formulation process. For further studies, it was recommended that a review of the efficiency of the institution's functional strategies besides procurement strategy- be examined. Through that, a procurement effectiveness tool would be created that fitted the needs of the institution. The tool would- focus on -evaluation the other effects of procurement and on creating a common alignment for determining the cost savir1gs produced.