Uganda National
Roads Authority

Problem Statement:
Infrastructure development projects are characterized by uncoordinated planning and sequencing of key activities, delayed project implementation and delivery, high project costs and sometimes sub-standard quality outputs. This translates into missed project objectives, a reduced value and return on the investment, poor cash flow and budget management, high financial loss arising from interest and penalty payments, delayed land acquisition that impedes project implementation and inadequate monitoring and supervision.

Mantra Technologies in JV with AMREC Project Solutions was awarded this contract by being evaluated as the best-evaluated bidder scoring the highest marks, and meeting both technical and commercial requirements through an Open Public Tender Bidding process.
Based on our experience of implementing similar solution requirements we proposed the Oracle Primavera Project Management solution, which is the best fit for UNRA’s requirements.

Challenges of Infrastructure Projects

1. Uncoordinated planning and project preparation, which results in costly delays. Planning which is not synchronized to project delivery is typified in:

   • a. Delayed Land acquisition and environmental clearance
   • b. Delayed engineering designs
   • c. Delayed preparation of environmental impact assessments and clearance for project activities

2. Lack of synergetic coordination between various Government agencies and lengthy bureaucratic processes, which do not support timelines for project delivery, a fundamental pillar for project success.

3. Inadequate or delayed release of funds by the Government for ongoing projects, which affect cash flow and progress.

4. Lack of adequate capacity of consultants and contractors to undertake assignments as scheduled.

5. Inadequate project supervision and management resulting in poor performance of consultants and contractors. This results in lengthened implementation periods characterized by price variations, interest rates, budget absorption, and missed deadlines.

6. Inadequate project/programme performance monitoring and evaluation to assess the cost-effectiveness of decisions and actions, and the impact of the investments, to inform future decisions.

7. Lack of a system to facilitate coherent program execution, effective project, and cash flow management.

8. Insufficient funding for the maintenance of infrastructure assets which results in costlier interventions.

Hence, Uganda National Roads Authority was seeking an integrated, interoperable web-enabled or cloud solution that would adequately support an effective programme and investment plan design, project management and execution. In addition, the system shall provide in-depth project visibility, sufficiently address programme and project monitoring, evaluation and reporting while providing organization-wide seamless communication on project-related information with flexibility and agility.

The system is required to address the following important areas:
1. Contractor/Consultant Management
2. Project Time and/or Schedule Management
3. Resource Management
4. Cost, Payment and Budget Management
5. Programme and Project monitoring, evaluation and reporting
6. Risk Management

The key features we have delivered to UNRA with our solutions:

Project Portfolio Management - Assisted UNRA in managing the current and proposed capital projects that are aligned with the strategic goals. It also assisted in prioritizing projects based on available budgets and funding.

Contractor Management – Helped UNRA capture and store vital information regarding its Contractors or Consultants.

Schedule Management – Helped UNRA to build on the Critical Path Method (CPM) to generate project schedules; containing work breakdown structures and activities; driving resource assignments, relationships/interdependencies, constraints, expenses and durations.

Resource Management – Has allowed UNRA in resource role definition, capacity planning and assignment to project activities of general or specialized labor, non-labour items such as equipment and material items such as bricks.

Cost Management - Adequately addressed UNRA in estimating cash flow curves showing the distribution of cost over time, cost Budgeting, cost control capturing change order and invoice and payment business processes.

Payments Management – Enabled UNRA to increase efficiency and control in construction payment management. It streamlined and automated processes and mitigated risks, helping reduce costs and improving cash flows.

Monitoring & Reporting – Provided UNRA with an in-depth and comprehensive method for analyzing and evaluating programmes and project performance, project history, resource assignments and utilization, business processes, cash flows, and cost sheets by means of detailed insight through interactive dashboard navigation and analysis or by means of static Business Intelligence Reports.

Risk Management - Provided UNRA with the documentation of Risks in Project Risk Registers and also the performing of qualitative and quantitative analysis of the data and the documentation and management of Contract Risks.

The provided solution was embedded with FIDIC Contracts Administration best practices and helped UNRA provide business processes to manage the relationship between the Employer, the Engineer/Consultant and the Contractor.

The solution also included a robust document management engine that provided UNRA with a common data environment, which maintained all the files and documents for a program or project, ensured that project members were always using the most current versions of documents, and made accessing and distributing documents efficient. Also provided UNRA with recording and managing of Site Management activities, progress, site visits, issues, resolutions, and other information related to the Construction site.

that has adequately supported effective programmes and investment plan design, project management and execution. In addition, the system provides in-depth project visibility, sufficiently addresses programme and project monitoring, evaluation and reporting while providing organization-wide seamless communication on project-related information with flexibility and agility.