The development of a bidding and award process map for road PPP projects in Ghana

Tchorly, JT

Abstract

Road infrastructure plays a direct role in poverty reduction and income generation, as it supports all other sectors of the economy. However, the financial constraints of the emerging economy restrict the construction, maintenance and rehabilitation of Ghana’s roads resulting in dire consequences. It has recently become necessary for private sector participation in the supply of this critical infrastructure to lessen the economic challenges of the country. However, very little has been accomplished in this regard due to scepticism, bankability issues, lack of standardised structures among others.

This thesis initially reviews the extent to which PPPs have contributed in the supply of road infrastructure globally to inform the nascent Ghanaian Road PPP (RPPP) industry. A critical analysis of global PPP implementation accentuated the need for the institutionalisation of a central PPP unit, a legal and political regulatory framework as well as the need for periodic reviews of the procurement method. This study however focused on the development of a Bidding and Award Process Map (BAPM) which standardises the bidding process and criteria of respective stages for the competitive procurement of these Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) in the road sector. A typical PPP bidding structure was developed as a result of an extensive literature review which was tested in the Ghanaian context to develop the BAPM. The research highlights that evaluation criteria and bidding processes are context specific as the socio-economic factors and cultural factors underpinning specific jurisdictions are not constant.

The stakeholder theory was the main theory that underpinned this research, identifying and engaging stakeholders in a Ghanaian context. The Socio-Technical Systems (STS) theory provided the context with which this inquiry was conducted. This research identified the inter-dependencies of both theories in the investigation of the PPP procurement process. A qualitative study involving eighty-one semi-structured interviews was engaged among the identified stakeholders. The developed BAPM constituted a standard process from the official notice of the road project to signing of contracts with respective qualification criteria for each stage. The major stages of the bidding process were however: the Expression of Interest (EOI) stage, the Request for Qualification (RFQ) stage and; the Request for Proposal (RFP) stage. It is recommended that the BAPM is fully utilised to streamline and enhance the procurement of road infrastructure PPP projects amidst the current procurement challenges. This will go a long way to enhance the realisation of the much-needed socio-economic benefits of this infrastructure.

Citation

Tchorly, J. The development of a bidding and award process map for road PPP projects in Ghana. (Thesis). University of Salford

• Thesis Type: Thesis
• Deposit Date: Oct 7, 2020
• Publicly Available Date: Oct 7, 2020
• Award Date: Sep 30, 2020