Unethical professional practices in tendering of public building procurement in Bauchi Metropolis, Nigeria

This study investigated unethical professional practices in tendering of public building procurement in Bauchi metropolis, Nigeria, with a view to improving on professional ethics that will ensure value for money. Literature review and interviews were used to design a structured questionnaire for the study. From a sample frame of 180 academic and non-academic staff that serve as in-house and out-source consultants in TETFund funded projects, 122 were administered questionnaires using stratified random sampling technique. Percentage, frequency, mean and independent sample t-test were used to analyse the data. Findings revealed that connivance, deceitful advertisement, deliberate disparity of tender documents, and divulging confidential information are some of the severe factors that constitute unethical professional practices in tendering. Perpetuation of unethical practices in tendering are influence by discontinuity in government projects, glorifying corrupt leaders, greed, immorality, poor understanding of ethical standards, poor workers remuneration, job insecurity, and weak judicial systems. While credible leadership, enforcing punitive measures, and parity in tendering, introducing ethics as a course in academic institutions, organizing seminars on ethics, adherence to professional ethics and procurement requirements, sufficient time for tender preparation, and understanding ethical and professional values were ranked as effective measures for curbing unethical professional practices in tendering. Independent sample t-test shows that there are no statistical significant differences in the mean ranking of academic and non-academic staff on causes, influences and measures for curbing unethical professional practices respectively. The study recommends: adherence to ethical requirements, improve workers remuneration, appointing credible leaders in procurement agencies, review of the Nigeria’s public procurement act, and synergy between key tendering stakeholders for effective implementation of measures for curbing unethical professional practices.