Can a perfect system overcome poor character?
In procurement, we spend considerable time discussing compliance, processes, and controls. We spend far less time discussing the one factor no system can fully regulate: character.
In my previous article, I explored the tension between empowerment and selfish ambition in tendering. The question now is whether better systems alone can solve this problem.
Effective and transparent procurement processes lie at the heart of an organisation’s ability to achieve its socio-economic objectives. When implemented successfully, procurement ensures that business opportunities are awarded fairly and diligently, delivering value not only to the procuring entity but also to the ultimate beneficiaries of the goods and services being procured.
However, successful procurement does not occur in isolation. Government, suppliers, procurement practitioners, regulators, and society all play a role in creating an environment where procurement can be conducted efficiently, transparently, and accountably. Their collective actions ultimately determine whether procurement becomes a catalyst for economic development and social impact or merely another process vulnerable to exploitation.
Ensuring fairness
Beyond independent audits and e-procurement systems, governments can strengthen procurement integrity through practical interventions such as whistleblower protection, conflict-of-interest management, and holding individuals, not just institutions, accountable for unethical conduct.
Yet fair tendering is only part of the equation.
The real question is what happens after the award. Unfortunately, one of the biggest weaknesses in many procurement systems is that oversight often ends once a contract has been signed.
In my previous article, I reflected on the work of Wawira Njiru, founder of Food4Education, and her commitment to understanding her organisation’s real impact. Her engagement with beneficiaries reminds us that value is ultimately judged by those who experience the service, not merely by those who administer the contract.A more important question, therefore, is what happens after award:
Consider a road construction tender:
Was the project completed on time and within budget?
What are the consequences for non-performance or substandard performance?
Did businesses gain better market access across the supply chains, locally and globally?
Were local workers employed and given opportunities to develop new skills? (Not just digging trenches)
Did the road improve mobility and market access for businesses and communities?
Now consider a school feeding tender:
Were nutritious meals delivered consistently?
Did school attendance improve as a result?
Did local farmers and suppliers benefit from the programme?
These questions shift the focus from compliance to impact, but they are hardly considered, let alone measured.
The human factor
Systems matter, but integrity starts with people. Government can create the rules, regulators can monitor compliance, and procuring entities can enforce procedures. Yet the effectiveness of any procurement system ultimately depends on the choices made by everyone involved, from procurement officials and evaluation committees to suppliers and business owners.
A supplier may offer a bribe, but someone must be willing to accept it. A contract may be awarded unfairly, but someone must be willing to manipulate the process. Corruption and unethical conduct thrive when personal interests outweigh the public good. Procurement becomes transformational when stakeholders no longer see themselves merely as gatekeepers, beneficiaries, or contractors, but as stewards entrusted with resources that can create jobs, develop businesses, strengthen communities, and improve lives.
Looking ahead
Having examined the why (purpose) in my previous article and the who (character) in this one, the next article will focus on the what (tools). Specifically, I will explore how organisations can measure the value created through procurement using practical Project Management principles and approaches. After all, if procurement is meant to create impact, how do we know whether that impact has actually been achieved?
* Nangula Iithete is a Chartered Procurement Professional and MBA graduate in Project Management from Stellenbosch Business School and uses her experience and reflections to spark dialogue on issues shaping businesses, communities, and development through thought leadership and writing.
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