FSP Resource Efficiencies: Resolving Challenges While Optimizing Outcomes

By Craig McIlloney SVP, Catalyst Flex

Functional service provider (FSP) models have offered an alternative to full-service outsourcing for more than 25 years, originally serving as a way to supplement a sponsor’s workforce in specific functional areas. Over time, these models have expanded into a range of CRO-managed, client-managed, and hybrid approaches supported by flexible financial structures — from unitized costs to FTE- and milestone-based models. Once used primarily by large sponsors and concentrated in areas like monitoring, biometrics, and safety, FSPs have evolved alongside the growing complexity and cost of clinical research.

Today, they provide far more than staff augmentation, with hybrid and tailored models designed to deliver efficiency, specialized expertise, and operational agility. Industry trends show a clear movement away from full-service outsourcing toward FSP partnerships across large, mid-sized, and increasingly biotech organizations, driven by the need for scalable, adaptable solutions.

Learn why now is the time for organizations to reassess their outsourcing strategy and unlock the advantages of modern FSP models.