Sustainability Criteria for Economic, Social and Environmental Adopted in Kenya’s Procurement Legislation
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53819/81018102t2507Abstract
This paper assessed the extent to which sustainability criteria—economic, social, and environmental—are integrated and adopted within Kenya’s public procurement legislation. Guided by the Public Value Theory, the research evaluated how the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act (PPADA) 2015 and the Sustainable Procurement Guidelines (2018) translate into practical implementation among procuring entities. A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted targeting procurement managers and supply chain officers from 52 state corporations, with data collected through structured questionnaires. Findings revealed that economic sustainability provisions, such as SME participation and local content promotion, are the most clearly articulated and widely implemented. Social sustainability is partially achieved through programs like AGPO but suffers from limited long-term monitoring of beneficiary outcomes. Environmental sustainability remains the least operationalized dimension due to weak technical capacity, lack of standardized performance metrics, and minimal enforcement. The study concludes that while Kenya’s legislative framework provides a strong foundation for sustainable procurement, significant gaps remain in translating policy intent into balanced practice across all dimensions. It recommends strengthening implementation guidelines, enhancing technical training, and establishing robust compliance mechanisms to ensure public procurement fully supports Kenya’s sustainable development goals.
Keywords: Public Procurement, Sustainable Procurement, PPADA 2015, Economic Sustainability, Social Inclusion, Environmental Sustainability, AGPO, Kenya, Supply Chain, Procurement Legislation.
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