An assessment of the barriers to the adoption of design-build delivery method for road projects in Uganda

Abstract

Timely delivery, budget devotion, construction quality, and stakeholder satisfaction remain the key indicators of successful road infrastructure worldwide. In Uganda, however, the road sector continues to experience recurring cost overruns and schedule slippages, most of which are attributed to the choice of project delivery approach. The Design-Build (DB) method offers an integrated alternative that could potentially mitigate these inefficiencies, yet its adoption in Uganda has remained minimal. This study assessed the level of DB adoption, identified barriers hindering its implementation, and formulated a practical toolkit to facilitate wider adoption in Uganda’s road construction industry to DB adoption in Ugandan road projects and developed a practical toolkit to address them. A mixed-methods design was applied, combining survey questionnaires, key informant interviews, and case study reviews of completed road projects. Data were obtained from 113 respondents, including contractors, consultants, design specialists, and Client Project Management Teams. SPSS version 25.0 was utilised to analyse quantitative data, whereas qualitative data were examined through content analysis. Findings revealed that DB adoption in Uganda’s road sector stands at only 10%. The main identified barriers include lengthy documentation processes, delayed payments to contractors, weak stakeholder communication, and limited participation of local firms. The developed toolkit emphasises enablers such as digitalised document management, transparent payment systems, and strengthened stakeholder engagement frameworks. Adoption of these measures has the potential to improve efficiency, can improve project efficiency, reduce financial and time overruns, and improve stakeholder confidence. Ultimately, the toolkit offers a pathway to increasing DB adoption in Uganda and provides lessons applicable to other developing economies.