Impact of Contractors’ Prequalification Criteria on Civil Engineering Project Quality Performance

Considering the high premium placed on quality by clients, this study was set to reveal the importance as well as the impact of contractors' prequalification criteria on quality performance of civil engineering project. Its purpose was to proffer solution to the quality problem associated with civil engineering project of the construction industry by enabling the client and consultants saddled with the responsibility of selecting contractors to identify the set of criteria that can produce project of expected quality standard. The data used was solicited from Quantity Surveyors and Civil/Structural Engineers expressing client's opinion. The data were analysed by employing regression method. Results showed that contractors' prequalification criteria reflect two different forms of relationship with quality performance of civil engineering project. Hence, contractor's prequalification criteria affect quality performance of civil engineering project in different ways. Ability of contractors' prequalification criteria to predict the quality performance of civil engineering project differs from one and another. Some of the contractors' prequalification criteria emerged as weak predictors while some proved to be strong predictors of quality performance of civil engineering project. Consequently, it recommended that less attention be accorded the weak predictors as a result of having insignificant impact on quality performance of civil engineering project. Emphasis should be on the strong predictors of quality performance because they have significant impact on quality performance of civil engineering project.