E-Procurement Implementation Practices On Effective Procurement Of Goods And Services In The National Youth Service, Nairobi County, Kenya

Abstract

Public procurement is susceptible to corruption due to huge spending. For this reason, electronic procurement has been widely used by governments to improve efficiency, accountability, and transparency. e-procurement was used by the Indian government in 2012 although it was first used by the Indonesian government in 2008; however, there was no much research done on the effectiveness of e-procurement on enhancing accountability, accuracy, efficiency and reduction of corruption in the public sectors. As a result, the main purpose of this study was to describe how the National Youth Service in Nairobi County will benefit from successful e-procurement implementation techniques. The study's specific goal is to ascertain how e-sourcing, e-tendering, e ordering, e-payment, and ERP affect the National Youth Service in Nairobi County's efficient acquisition of goods and services. E-procurement is more than just an online purchasing system, although some procurement institutions utilize it effectively while others do not. The study also sought to uncover information gap in e-procurement implementation techniques to improve cost reduction, simplifying service delivery that would result in a short lead-time, client satisfaction, and prompt payment for products and services delivered on time. In order to collect primary quantitative data for the study, a set of questions was used in a descriptive research approach. 500 employees from different departments of the National Youth Service in Nairobi County were the study's target group. In this scenario, a sample of 150 participants was taken into account as a stratified sample of 30% was deemed to be representative. The study was guided by four theories; The main theories are Resource-Based View Theory, Transaction Cost Theory, Agency Theory, and Network Perspective Theory. Sorting and entering the quantitative data into the most recent statistical software SPSS version 25 for analysis. For descriptive and inferential analysis, frequency means and standard deviation were utilized. Tables and bar graphs were used to illustrate the results for easy comprehension. The association between the research variables was established using logistic regression analysis. When the research instrument was put through a pilot test at Utalii College to determine its dependability, the supervisors and other specialists gave their approval. By speaking with the supervisor and other professionals, the researcher verified the validity of both the concept and the content. Cronbach alpha of 0.7 or above was thought to be a reliable indicator of an instrument. From the results, a positive correlation was established between e-sourcing to a reduction in costs resulting from improved process efficiency and associated with low transaction cost in the procurement process. Second, e-tendering was associated with reduced time for tender invitation exercise and increased transparency in the tendering process. Third, e-ordering reduced the time spent in the ordering process, and at the same time, it increased compliance during the ordering process. Fourth, e-payment reduced delays in payment of suppliers; with e-payment, the numbers of bidders have increased. The association between e procurement implementation techniques and the purchase of products, works, and services is also favorably moderated by enterprise resource planning. Based on the results, the research proposed that e-procurement implementation procedures be fully used in order to improve the National Youth Service, Nairobi County's procurement of products, works, and services.