Chapter 3

METHODOLOGY

Methods Used

The study made use of the applied type of research to determine what transpires

in a public procurement process in the City. In essence, applied research has something

to do with the application of theories in solving existing problems as derived after a

study had been undertaken. Relative hereof, these theories are being applied upon which

their usefulness in regards to the concerned problems is tested.

As far as this research is concerned, this method had been used considering that

the theories being drawn together by the researcher had been equated to the issues and

problems arising from the way the procurement system in the Island Garden City of

Samal had been handled and eventually evaluate how these can address the same.

Sources of Data

The data that were used in the study which are primary in nature were obtained

from the responses of the respondents, namely: the Local Government Department

Heads and their Designated Supply Officers, procurement processing personnel based in

the City General Services Office, representatives of the National Agencies operating in

the City and accredited suppliers who were transacted business with the City

Government at the time this study was conducted.

Data Gathering Instrument

In the conduct of the study, survey questionnaires and personal interviews with

the respondents were utilized. These questionnaires were composed of two (2) parts. Part
I consisted of the demographic profile of the respondents while the different sets of

questions attendant to the concerns of the study were reflected in Part II of the

instrument. Further, two (2) sets of questionnaire were designed for the respondents

from the various government Offices and accredited suppliers.

A Likert scale of 1 to 5 was used with the following description:

1.00 - 1.49 Not Responsive (NR). The system does not manifest a sense of urgency and

is characterized by delays.

Very Untimely (VU). The actions taken are very much delayed which constrained the

affected Offices or organizations to forego with lots of their priority tasks.

Highly Significant (HS). The timeliness in responding to a transaction gravely affects

the operations of the Agency or Organization.

Inadequate (Inad). The systems and mechanisms are not in place.

Ineffective(Inef). The systems and mechanisms need improvement since these does not

contribute to safeguarding the public procurement system from being abused.

1.50 - 2.49 Less Responsive (LR). The system is a little bit improved where delays are

minimized.

Untimely (U). The actions taken were delayed and which constrained the affected

Offices or organizations to forego with some of their priority tasks.

Significant(S). The timeliness in responding to a transaction hampers office operations

but to some extent can still be handled.

Less Adequate (LA). There is still a need to institute more systems and mechanisms.
Less effective (LE). The systems and mechanisms contribute to safeguarding the public

procurement system from being abused.

2.50 - 3.49 Moderately Responsive (MR). The system does not manifest sense of

urgency but delays are avoided.

Moderately Timely (MT). The actions taken were not on time but just the same the

needs were addressed without much negative effects to the operations of the affected

Offices or organizations

Moderately Significant (MS). The timeliness in responding to a transaction moderately

affect office operations.

Moderately Adequate (MA). The systems and mechanisms may be improved but on a

case-to-case basis or as the need arises.

Moderately Effective (ME). The systems and mechanisms moderately contribute to

safeguarding the public procurement system from being abused.

3.50 - 4.49 Responsive (R) . The system manifest sense of urgency.

Timely (T). The actions taken were just in time when the same were most expected by

the affected Offices or organizations.

Less Significant (LS). The timeliness in responding to a transaction affects office

operations but of lesser magnitude which may be considered negligible.

Adequate (A). The systems and mechanisms may not be improved but it depends on how

fast changing the procurement environment is.

Effective (E). The systems and mechanisms contribute to safeguarding the public

procurement system from being abused.

4.50 - 5.00 Very Responsive (VR). The system manifests a very high sense of urgency

in responding to the different tasks attendant to the procurement process.

Very Timely (VT). The responses were undertaken immediately and very much ahead of

the time these were needed by the affected Offices or organizations.

Insignificant (Ins). The timeliness in responding to a transaction does not in any way

affect office operations.

Very Adequate (VA). The systems and mechanisms are in place which has to be

transformed into a culture of responsible and accountable public spending.

Very Effective (VE). The systems and mechanisms highly contribute to safeguarding the

public procurement system from being abused.

 Table 1: List of Respondents and Sample Size

____________________________________________________________

Particulars Sample Size

____________________________________________________________

Local Government

Department Heads or Representative 18

Designated Supply Officers (DSOs)
Administrative Officers (AOs) or
Designated Administrative Officers (DAOs) 36
CGSO Procurement Processing
Personnel 10
__
Sub-total 64

National Government Agencies

Representatives

National High Schools 10

Philippine National Police 1
Department of the Interior and
Local Government 1
Bureau of Fire Protection 1
Department of Education 3
Commission on Audit 1
Bureau of Jail Management and Penology 1
City Prosecutor’s Office 1
City Parole and Probation Office 1
Commission on Elections 1
Municipal Trial Court in Cities 1
__
Sub-total 22
Accredited Suppliers (Active) 32

TOTAL 118

Sampling Techniques
 As reflected in Table 1, a universal enumeration of the respondents had been

undertaken that include the Heads and Designated Supply Officers of the different City

Government Offices, Procurement Processing Personnel in the City General Services

Office, representatives of the National Government Agencies and accredited suppliers.

Procedure of the Study

In undertaking the study, the researcher requested permission from the City

Mayor to gain his support while conducting data gathering and personal interviews with

the personnel and officials from the various offices in the City Government and other

government instrumentalities that include the National Government Agencies operating

in the locality who are either directly involved or affected by the procurement process.

After the permission had been granted, the researcher then proceeded with the

distribution of the questionnaire to the identified respondents. This had been personally

undertaken to give them an overview on why the study should be undertaken and how

their responses will contribute to its success. Retrieval of the materials will be done after

a week.

Finally, after the model for public procurement system had been designed, this

will be presented to the City Officials headed by the City Mayor and to the Department

Heads. This is in consideration of the fact that their views relative thereof are critical so

that a smooth sailing implementation of the model will be attained.

Statistical Treatment

The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics as frequency counts and the

determination of percentages and mean. T-test was also used to determine the significant
difference in the perceptions of local government personnel and representatives of the

National Government Agencies on the responsiveness of the City’s public procurement

system.