Planning In Construction Procurement: An Explanatory Approach

Abstract-- This study investigated Nigerian indigenous contractors (NICs) involvement, performance, project planning challenges and application of project planning techniques in building project procurement systems in Nigeria. Explanatory method was used through a collective case study of building projects files. Fifteen contractors were evenly selected from a population of 69 NICs in the three geo-political zones of northern Nigeria through a Stratified random sampling technique. The documents for the case study satisfies the external and internal criticism techniques test for validity and reliability. Bloom’s hierarchy taxonomy and descriptive statistics was used to analyse data. Result reveals that NICs: are involved in both traditional and non-traditional procurement systems and their frequency of involvement is lower in the non-traditional procurement systems, underperformed in project cost and time, experience project planning challenges, and inappropriately apply project planning techniques in project procurement systems in Nigeria. This study recommends NICs to employ competent personnel, embark on continuous training, adopt project management methodology; projects clients and consultants should adhere to project management procedures; and the standard form of contract used in Nigeria should be reviewed to include a clause enforcing contractors to apply the appropriate planning techniques. Adherence to the recommendations will enhance the NICs project management performance to meet construction best practice