Effect of Monitoring and Evaluation Factors on Project Performance of Prequalified Contractors at Rift Valley Water and Services Board, Nakuru County, Kenya

ABSTRACT: Monitoring and Evaluation has in the recent past become a key determinant of projects success. This is evident with the ever increasing demands for monitoring and evaluation experts and request for expression of interest for monitoring and evaluation officers in the local dailies. In the developing countries, Kenya included, the water sectoris faced with several challenges likeinadequate resources as well as inadequate communication and information management systems within the sector and the rapidly growing demand for water for multi-sectoral uses and diminution of natural storage capacity and lack of development of artificial storage capacity to meet demand.This study examines theeffectof monitoring and evaluation on project performance of prequalified contractors at Rift Valley Water and Services Board, Nakuru County, Kenya.The general objective of the studywas to find out the effect of monitoring and evaluation on project performance of prequalified contractors atRift Valley Water and Services Board, Nakuru County, Kenya. Specifically, the study soughtto determine the effect of stakeholder involvement, monitoring and evaluation cost, timeliness of monitoring and utilization of monitoring and evaluation results on project performance of prequalified contractors at Rift Valley Water and Services Board, Nakuru County, Kenya.The study was guided by the Theory of Change, the Realistic Evaluation Theory and Utilitarian Theory.This studyadopteddescriptive research design. This designinvolvesgathering data that describe events and then organizes, tabulates, depicts, and describes the data. Descriptive studies portray the variables by answering who, what, and how questions.The target population of this study was123 employees whom included project managers and monitoring and evaluation officers who were the employees of thefive prequalified contractors by Rift Valley Water and Services Board.Pre-tested questionnaires wereused for data collection. Both descriptive and
inferential statistics wasused for analysis.The findings revealed thatwith regards toproject identification, the respondents largely agreed (mean = 3.82; Std. dev = 1.130) that there was a thorough need assessmentduring project initiation phase based on community priority when identifying the projects.The study indicated that, a significant majority of the respondents agreed (mean = 3.94; Std. dev = .992) that the tenders were awarded to the local community suppliers. Similarly, the locals community supplied labor needed for the projects.The study recommended that the prequalified contractors should ensure that there is fairness in selection of committee
members. Also, the committee should include local community members. The contractors should also have a thorough need assessmentduring project initiation phase based on community priority when identifying the projects. The study further recommends that, the tenders be awarded to the local community suppliers..Secondly, this study also recommends thatM&E staff wages should be paid promptly. Thestudy also recommends full payment to the suppliers of materials for the project. In the same breadth, it is recommended that, M&E budget should be about 5 to 10 percent of the entire budget.Thirdly, it is recommended that,the projects should be started immediately as per the schedule. Moreover, theprojects were completed within the stipulated time period.The prequalified contractors should not delayproject activities. Lastly, the study recommended that recommendations were made the local community should be able to freely access the projects. The contractors should also have in place baseline information to help in improving the performance of projects.