Chapter One — 1.1 Background to the Study

Procurement Method Selection has increasingly attracted the attention of researchers, regulators, and practitioners concerned with accuracy of cost estimates. This growing interest reflects the recognition that procurement method selection does not operate in isolation, but interacts with a wider set of institutional and market conditions found within Selected States in North-Central Nigeria.

Selected States in North-Central Nigeria presents a useful setting for examining this relationship precisely because the conditions there — structural, regulatory, and behavioural — differ from those typically assumed in the broader literature, most of which draws on evidence from more developed economies.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Despite a growing body of literature on procurement method selection, there remains limited consensus on the precise nature of its relationship with accuracy of cost estimates, particularly within Selected States in North-Central Nigeria. Many organizations continue to make decisions about procurement method selection without a clear, evidence-based understanding of how those decisions ultimately affect accuracy of cost estimates. This gap between practice and empirical understanding is the central problem this study seeks to address.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

1. To examine the effect of Procurement Method Selection on accuracy of cost estimates in Selected States in North-Central Nigeria.
2. To assess the extent to which procurement method selection influences accuracy of cost estimates within the study area.
3. To identify the challenges associated with procurement method selection in relation to accuracy of cost estimates.
4. To recommend strategies for optimizing procurement method selection in order to improve accuracy of cost estimates.

1.4 Research Questions

1. What is the effect of procurement method selection on accuracy of cost estimates in Selected States in North-Central Nigeria?
2. To what extent does procurement method selection influence accuracy of cost estimates within the study area?
3. What challenges are associated with procurement method selection in relation to accuracy of cost estimates?
4. What strategies can be adopted to optimize procurement method selection in order to improve accuracy of cost estimates?

1.5 Significance of the Study

Beyond its academic contribution to the field of quantity surveying, this study has practical value for management teams within Selected States in North-Central Nigeria seeking to understand how procurement method selection translates into measurable outcomes around accuracy of cost estimates. It is equally useful to students and future researchers looking for a localized empirical reference on this relationship.

1.6 Scope of the Study

In terms of scope, this study confines itself to Selected States in North-Central Nigeria, focusing specifically on how procurement method selection relates to accuracy of cost estimates within that setting. Findings are interpreted within these boundaries rather than as universal claims applicable to every organization or market.