Effect of Procurement Planning on Service Delivery in Lamu County, Kenya

Abstract

Determining the impact of procurement planning on the provision of services in Lamu County, Kenya, was the primary goal of this study. The objectives of this research were to ascertain the impact of user needs identification; evaluate the impact of procurement methodology; investigate the impact of budget allocation; and, lastly, ascertain the impact of vendor selection on service delivery in Lamu County, Kenya. The study used a descriptive design. To choose a sample that is representative of the whole population, the researcher applied stratified random sampling approach. The 504 employees, who are middle- and senior-level personnel chosen from Lamu County's 11 State Corporations, were the target population. By applying the Yamane formula, the sample size of 223 respondents was established. Since all of the departments' operations, engineering, legal, finance, human resources, and procurement departments are centralized and able to supply data, questionnaires were utilized to gather primary data from each of them. Using SPSS version 24, a descriptive analysis of the data was conducted to determine the relationship between the independent and dependent variables. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to ascertain the link between the independent and dependent variables, and the Pearson correlation coefficient (r) was used to quantify the strength of that relationship. The findings indicate that all four procurement planning variables—budget allocation, procurement methodology, user needs identification, and vendor selection—significantly contribute to predicting service delivery performance in Lamu County. The coefficients reveal positive and statistically significant relationships between each procurement factor and service delivery outcomes. Specifically, for every one-unit increase in budget allocation, effective procurement methodology, user needs identification, and vendor selection, service delivery is predicted to increase by 0.350, 0.250, 0.280, and 0.300 units, respectively. In conclusion, the findings underscore the importance of adhering to budgetary allocations and effective fund utilization for enhancing service delivery outcomes in Lamu County, Kenya. The study recommends parastatals to develop clear guidelines and frameworks for budget allocation that prioritize alignment with community needs and service delivery objectives; implement structured and transparent procurement procedures to ensure fairness, competition, and efficiency in vendor selection and to provide training and capacity-building programs for procurement officers.