Exploring Pathways to Modernize and Optimize Procurement Systems in Pakistani Public Institutions

Abstract

This project investigates the structural inefficiencies, transparency deficits, and corruption vulnerabilities embedded in Pakistan’s public procurement system, which is governed federally and provincially by the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA). Drawing on a multi-phase quantitative research methodology, the study administered a standardised Likert-scale questionnaire to 80 valid respondents across procurement, finance, IT, regulatory, and supplier categories. SPSS v.26 descriptive analysis was applied across five study dimensions: procurement efficiency, digital usage, transparency and accountability, user satisfaction, and organisational readiness. Composite mean scores across all five dimensions fell significantly below the reform benchmark of 4.0, indicating critical systemic failure. Qualitative thematic analysis of open-ended responses identified six practitioner-level barriers: senior official resistance, inadequate ICT infrastructure, skills gaps, legal misalignment of PPRA rules, corruption-driven opacity, and SME exclusion. The proposed digital procurement model was benchmarked against the OECD Digital Procurement Lifecycle framework and three established Asian e-procurement platforms (Bangladesh e-GP, India GeM, and South Korea KONEPS), confirming technical feasibility and regulatory compatibility. A phased five-year action plan with governance, technology, and capacity-building components is proposed. The findings contribute an evidence-based, context-sensitive reform roadmap applicable to public sector procurement modernisation in South Asia and comparable developing economy contexts.