Headline: Questions Raise Over UGX 9 Billion Contract Award, Citing Firm’s Experience and Procurement Process
A recent decision by the Ministry of Works and Transport (MoWT) Contracts Committee to award a multi-billion shilling contract is under scrutiny after an independent review of the winning firm’s credentials and the procurement method used.
On July 25, 2025, the committee approved the evaluation report recommending the award of a contract to Integrated Transport Solutions Ltd (ITSL). The contract, for the “Recruitment and Management of Contract Staff for operationalization of Motor Vehicle Inspection Centres and Opening of additional Motor Vehicle Registration Centres,” is valued at UGX 8,969,908,060 (inclusive of 18% VAT).
However, a basic due diligence review of ITSL’s public profile has raised significant questions. The company’s website lists a limited portfolio of past projects, primarily focused on digital archiving, records management, and telephone system installations. Notably absent is any demonstrated, verifiable experience in large-scale human resource management or staff recruitment—the core service for which the UGX 9 billion contract was awarded.
Further discrepancies were noted. While the company states it began as a partnership in 2010, official records from the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) indicate it was formally registered on April 13, 2018. Additionally, ITSL claims on its website to be an “implementing partner” of the Uganda Security Printing Corporation (USPC) for the Uganda Driver Licensing System (UDLS) project, introducing a potential third party into a project structure typically understood to be between the government and USPC.
The procurement process itself has also been called into question. According to the approved minutes, the Contracts Committee on June 21, 2025, approved a shortlist of bidders without publishing a notice inviting expressions of interest. The Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA) guidelines generally permit waiving this public notice only for consultancy services valued below UGX 300 million—a threshold far exceeded by this contract.
Alternative justifications for bypassing open competition, such as an emergency or an extremely limited market of service providers, appear difficult to apply in this case. The government’s agreement to take over the stations was reached in December 2023, negating an emergency claim, and HR management services are not considered a market with a limited number of providers.
This combination of factors—the award of a high-value, specialized contract to a firm with no apparent relevant experience, coupled with a procurement method that circumvented standard open bidding processes—has prompted calls for investigation. Analysts suggest the matter warrants immediate attention from parliamentary oversight committees, the Office of the Auditor General, and relevant economic crimes investigation units to ensure procedural compliance and safeguard public funds.
The Ministry of Works and Transport and the PPDA have yet to issue public statements addressing these specific concerns.
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