Design and Implementation of an Online Contractor Assessment System: A Case Study of Plateau State University, Bokkos   

The process of contractor assessment plays a significant function in determining the success or failure of infrastructure and service delivery projects within institutions, particularly in the public sector. At Plateau State University, Bokkos, the existing manual method for selecting contractors has long been associated with various inefficiencies including lack of transparency, subjective evaluations, prolonged timelines, and administrative bottlenecks. These challenges often culminate in the selection of unqualified contractors, project delays, and overall poor quality of delivery. To address these issues, this research proposes the design and implementation of a web-based Contractor Assessment System tailored specifically for the university environment. The system was developed using widely adopted, open-source web technologies to ensure flexibility, usability, and ease of deployment. It provides a secure and scalable platform for contractor registration, contract bidding, automated evaluation, and result documentation. The system incorporates role-based access for administrators, project managers, and contractors, with built-in functionality for application scoring and historical bid tracking. A qualitative methodology was employed in the development process, including user interviews, requirement analysis, and iterative system testing. Key system features include authentication modules, dashboard interfaces, evaluation criteria setup, and automatic result computation. During the testing phase, user feedback indicated significant improvements in efficiency, decision consistency, and transparency. The study concludes that the Online Contractor Assessment System not only meets the operational needs of the Works Department but also establishes a replicable model for other academic and governmental institutions aiming to modernize their procurement systems.