A Dissertation Submitted in Partial/Fulfillment of the Requirements for Award of the Degree of Master of Science in Accounting and Finance (Msc. A & F) of Mzumbe University
Tanzania had been implementing Public Procurement Reforms with the aim of promoting value for money in procurement and contracts management. Donors, taxpayers and other stakeholders expect positive results from these reforms by increasing transparency, fairness, accountability and compliance of laws in Public Procurement. Though, procurement systems are strongly regulated, their implementations rarely assure attainment of value for money in construction projects. This study was aimed in assessing factors affecting achievement of value for money in construction projects implemented by Regional Secretariats and giving recommendations on how they can be resolved. Both qualitative and quantitative approaches were used in this research. Data were collected through questionnaires, interviews observation and documentary review. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and Microsoft Excel package were used in data analysis. The analyzed data are presented in the form of tables, bar charts, pie charts, percentage distribution and linear charts. Construction projects in Tabora Regional Secretariat were noted being facing challenges like unrealistic budget and cash flow, delaying, poor quality, cost overrunning, incompetent contractors and weak consultancy services. The community was not fully involved in development projects; this resulted in poor ownership of the projects when handled over to the community.
For attaining the "Big Results Now" the Government is urged to widen Tax base for the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) to collect more revenue from taxes, so as to enable the Government to finance development projects effectively without depending on donors; Prioritize few projects which can be financed fully, implemented effectively and produce intended output within a short time; and promote stakeholders‟ involvement in planning, monitoring and evaluation of projects for creating sense of ownership, transparency and accountability of the Government to taxpayers.