Service Quality Dimension of the Philippines’ Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Guidelines and Procedures on Construction Materials Price Data (CMPD)

Abstract

The government procurement systems must be reliable and flexible, particularly when it comes to infrastructure projects. The Construction Materials Price Data (CMPD) system is the primary tool used in the Philippines for the Detailed Unit Price Analysis (DUPA) project cost estimation. Since CMPD data is used by National Government Agencies (NGAs), it is crucial to update it frequently to ensure that material prices reflect the state of the local market. This study used the ServQual framework to assess the service quality of the CMPD system. Eleven key stakeholders, including engineers, technical experts, and employees of the Bureau of Construction (BOC) at the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) regional and district offices, were interviewed. The CMPD system is useful to its users because it is reliable and carefully verified. However, the system is updated only once every quarter, which sometimes makes it struggle to keep up with sudden market changes. This could lead to project costs being less up-to-date than users would like. The study adds to public service theory by highlighting important trade-offs in the ServQual model for public procurement. It also shows that in these systems, responsiveness depends on policy choices about reliability, rather than being a separate quality factor.