Purpose
This paper aims to examine the influence of records management on the performance of procurement management units (PMUs) in Tanzania.
Design/methodology/approach
To meet the objective of the study, cross-sectional survey design and quantitative approaches were used for data collection and analysis. Preliminary analysis of the data was carried out using descriptive statistics and structural equation modelling was then used to analyse the influence of records management standards on procurement performance. The data were collected from 164 government PMUs in Tanzania.
Findings
The findings revealed that records management attributes significantly affect procurement performance in Tanzania. Furthermore, government policy and integrity factors confound the association between records management and procurement performance.
Practical implications
The policymakers and practitioners of public procurement are required to be aware of records management principles and how each related factor influences the performance of PMUs. They should emphasise proper storage and housing, equipment, arrangement and access and implement electronic records management.
Originality/value
This study shows how the ISO 15489 model can be applied to public procurement processes. This study also provides the lesson that procurement records need to be protected to ensure their authenticity, reliability, integrity and useability.
