Standardizing Public Infrastructure Procurement: A Best Practice Trajectory for Nigerian Quantity Surveyors

Alolote I.  Amadi

Abstract

The current global drive in public procurement is aimed at improving efficiency, cost- effectiveness, and the overall value delivered by procurement processes This paper spotlights and raises discussions on the interesting opportunities for Nigerian Quantity Surveyors to harness the benefits of procurement best practices such as of Life Cycle Costing (LCC) and Sustainable Procurement, as is the case with most public procurement entities in other countries. Adopting best practices such as Sustainability and Life Cycle Costing in public procurement will ensure best value for money that deliver long-term benefits. This paper x-rays how Quantity surveyors can play front-line roles in the drive to standardize Nigeria’s public procurement, via the advocacy for the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) to exercise more stringent regulatory powers, mandating public procurement entities to effectively integrate relevant best practices that are changing the procurement paradigm globally. The study submits that irrespective of the BPPs effort to include sustainability in public procurement guidelines, no specific detailing on sustainable procurement is outlined in the guidelines, given the significant global dimensions of the issue. The directives on sustainable procurement are limited to the drafting of technical specifications, without explicitly highlighting the sustainable procurement functions at the execution phase, where the professional roles becomes even more hands-on. This clear shortcoming should be rectified in future updates of the BPP guidelines to ensure that all parties are held responsible and that the sustainability objectives of the project remain fully protected and uncompromised. Furthermore, Nigeria’s Public Procurement regulations should consistently promote LCC approach, and set out a robust methodological framework for taking life-cycle costs into account in the various stages of public procurement process. There is thus room for redefining the BPP guidelines, with respect to the application of LCC principles, necessary to support the building of long term collaborative relationships between procurement entities and the supply chain, in tandem with emerging global best practices.

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