Factors Affecting Implementation of Strategic E-procurement of Construction Materials for Maintenance Works A Study of Private Hospitals in Nairobi City County

Abstract

Building maintenance is usually a requirement due to the use of the structure. Hospitals are not an exception in this, as there is a requirement to ensure comfort and ambience for those in such premises. There is a strong feeling that at the moment, there is a researchable gap to address the situation on ground regarding the optimum management of procurement of materials for maintenance purposes in private hospitals in Nairobi City County. The old ways of procurement have been practiced for long, but the world is fast moving out of this form of procurement and embracing new trends such as E-Procurement. This is in a bid to achieve timeliness, Quality, and Cost effectiveness. Hospitals have not fully embraced E-procurement practices and this makes them fail to benefit from the advantages it offers, resulting into long turnaround times in correcting maintenance related problems and eventually having customers disgruntled, due to uncomfortable hospital conditions. The intention of this study was to find out the procurement methods that are in use in procurement of Materials for Maintenance Work in Private Hospitals located within Nairobi City County. It explored the most preferred method(s) of procurement of materials for Maintenance works and investigated the challenges facing the implementation of E-Procurement of materials for Maintenance works in private hospitals in Nairobi City County. Study research proposition was “E- Procurement is the most preferred system of procurement of materials for Maintenance works in Private Hospitals within Nairobi City County”. Use of questionnaires emailed, emailed to these hospitals, was the main method for data collection, out of which only 39 responded. It was clear that there are several methods of procurement for construction materials in the Nairobi City County, and most of them most procuring based on needs and not pre-planned. The study also found that there were several challenges that faced the strategic implementation of Eprocurement of construction materials for maintenance works such as lack of training, awareness about e-procurement especially within the hospital suppliers was also wanting. It also found out that most private hospitals do not implement E-Procurement especially for maintenance construction materials procurement. The study therefore recommends continuous review of procurement management policies, enhancement of internet connectivity, awareness of E-Procurement to be enhanced, training, and employment of the right professionals in procurement and maintenance departments. Levels of awareness of maintenance programming among facilities managers in these. It identifies several areas for further study such as research on available computer-based maintenance systems in use for maintenance in institutions, the Level of Maintenance Programming Training in Private Hospitals in Kenya in Kenya, the Level of internet connectivity among construction materials suppliers and its relationship with the type of methods adopted for procurement of materials from these suppliers in Nairobi