Abstract:
Selecting suitable suppliers of ICT products is always a challenging task for a procuring entity since it requires the consideration of multiple, competing, tangible and intangible criteria in determining optimal suppliers of a given product. This study investigated the evaluation criteria of suppliers of ICT products used by Moi University with a view to developing a multicriteria decision analysis model for evaluating the performance of suppliers of ICT products. Hence, the study was guided by a variation of Saaty’s Analytical Hierarchy Process theory of measurement and targeted a population of 55 respondents comprised of 33 ICT staff and 22 procurement staff. Seventeen companies who bid to supply ICT products were targeted. Purposive sampling was used to select 7 companies who supply ICT products as per their prequalification status and there were 16 respondents; 11 from the Procurement unit and 5 from the ICT directorate respectively. Data was collected using questionnaires and documentary reviews. The study findings demonstrated that quality and transport and communication logistics were the most preferred evaluation criteria and sub criteria respectively, and the respondents had different preferential treatment on suppliers of ICT products as per the evaluation sub criterions. It is recommended that the model be adopted to assist the procurement unit in evaluating suppliers of ICT products and be customized for use in evaluating suppliers of other products at the University and other public institutions in Kenya