Development of web-based e-Tendering system for Nigerian public procuring entities

Abstract

E-Tendering is gradually gaining wide acceptance by public sector organisations. Many public procuring entities in both the developed and developing countries have been transitioning from manual-based to digital-based tendering processes, primarily to address the numerous problems associated with the manual-based system such as lack of efficiency, transparency and manipulation of the tendering processes. In Nigeria, the tendering process is largely manual-based and there are no existing e-Tendering systems that support the entire tendering lifecycle. This research addresses that by developing a web-based system that supports key steps in the tendering process, i.e. tender notification, submission, opening, evaluation, approval and awarding. The system has been validated and found to have the potential to significantly improve the proficiency of the current manual-based tendering system used by the Nigerian public procuring entities. The system was developed using object-oriented methodologies. Specifically, Ripple and Unified Process along with Unified Modelling Language were used to guide the system development.