Kapote, M M and Pimplikar, S S (2025) Identification of challenges and shortcomings in the selection of bidders on road projects in India: a study. International Journal of Construction Management, 25(7), pp. 760-769. ISSN 1562-3599
Abstract
The selection of bidders for road projects in India poses significant challenges and shortcomings, impacting project efficiency and outcomes. Enhancing project efficacy and efficiency requires recognizing and resolving these problems. The paper aims to explore the issues of contractor selection and the significance of project specific pre-qualification criteria. A mixed research approach was used in this study, consisting of a literature review and a questionnaire survey with a purposive sampling method. Key findings show that the lowest bidder, determined by the quoted price, is used as the basis for contractor selection. In contrast, political meddling, difficulties with selecting the best bidder among numerous alternatives, and complex manual selection processes were prominent. Payment, quality adherence requirements and progress tracking were the significant areas where conflict occurred with contractors. The study proposes a ranking structure for a total of 46 macro-level pre-qualification criteria. A weighted final decision system that uses a simple additive linear quantitative model is also suggested; this provides a general solution irrespective of the varying demographic and socio-economic legal framework of construction contracts. The study's findings mandate that client organizations amend the current pre-qualification criteria and implement an appropriate decision support system for choosing the most reliable contractor.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | challenges; contractor selection; lowest bidder; pre-qualification criteria; weighted model; questionnaire |
| Index terms: | survey, client organization, literature review, decision support, mandate, questionnaire, contractor selection, efficiency, road project, progress tracking, India, purposive sampling, construction contract, bidder, pre-qualification |
| Subjects: | infrastructure engineering, Geography, tendering, research methods, bidding, client relations, contract type, political science, decision analysis, project controls, performance management, data analysis and analytics, data collection methods |
| Topics: | Time Control, Research Practice, Stakeholder Management, Governance, Quality Management, Geographical Context, Engineering Principles, Risk Management, Procurement |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCEA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here