Chapter One — 1.1 Background to the Study

In recent years, Procurement Method Selection has emerged as a critical factor shaping accuracy of cost estimates across organizations operating in and around Kogi State. As institutions grapple with the pressures of globalization, regulatory reform, and shifting stakeholder expectations, understanding how procurement method selection relates to accuracy of cost estimates has become an important area of both scholarly and practical concern.

Kogi State 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

While procurement method selection is widely discussed in policy and industry circles, empirical evidence on its actual effect on accuracy of cost estimates within Kogi State remains sparse and, in places, contradictory. This lack of localized, rigorous evidence makes it difficult for decision-makers to know with confidence whether current approaches to procurement method selection are helping or hindering accuracy of cost estimates — a gap this study sets out to close.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

1. To examine the effect of Procurement Method Selection on accuracy of cost estimates in Kogi State.
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 Kogi State?
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

This study is significant to a range of stakeholders. For policymakers and regulators, the findings offer evidence to guide the design of frameworks that support healthier outcomes around accuracy of cost estimates. For managers and practitioners within Kogi State, the study provides practical insight into how procurement method selection can be better managed. Finally, it contributes to the academic literature on quantity surveying by extending existing knowledge into a specific empirical context, and offers a reference point for future researchers.

1.6 Scope of the Study

The study is limited to an examination of Procurement Method Selection and its relationship with accuracy of cost estimates within the context of Kogi State. It reflects a clearly defined scope of analysis and relies on data and perspectives available within that scope; generalizing the findings beyond this specific context should therefore be done with appropriate caution.