PROSPECT AND CHALLENGES OF PROCUREMENT SOFTWARE USAGE IN UNIVERSITY FOR DEVELOPMENT STUDIES

Abstract

Procurement is the acquisition of goods, services or works from an outside external source and performance of services by any contractual means. The system of procurement in UDS has been evolved, modified and developed over time. Procurement software makes contracting more accessible, more secure and more efficient. Through the web interface, procurement system information becomes accessible and transparency - making collusive bidding difficult. The University for Development Studies since its inception used paper-based procurement making the processes lag in the face of competition. However, in recent times, it deem it necessary to embrace paperless procurement system to enhance and facilitate efficiency. An institutional based descriptive cross sectional study design using a survey to generate data was employed by the study with simple random samping technique use to sample 16 respondents at the study institutions. The objectives of this report were; (1) to identify the problems associated with the usage of the manual procurement system at the University for Development Studies 0) to explore the prospect of procurement software systems usage in UDS; and (3) to identify problems and challenges of procurement software systems usage at University for Development Studies (UDS). The result of the main objective, the majority of interviewees affirmed that, the electronic system of procurement promotes efficient and boost real-time business. Despite the benefits of the digital system, the identified challenges included; lack of system integration and standardization, among others.