Reframing Vendor Selection: Beyond Price And Past Relationships

By Kalyan Obalampalli

A Request for Proposal (RFP) is far more than a spreadsheet or a cost-comparison exercise — it’s a strategic framework for one of the most consequential decisions in clinical development. Too often, sponsors approach RFPs with a narrow focus on budget, treating them as a formality: templates are filled out, numbers are aligned, and bids are compared side by side in a mechanical “apples-to-apples” review.

But a truly effective RFP does much more than outline costs. It’s a communication vehicle that clearly conveys project expectations, success criteria, and performance goals, enabling vendors to understand exactly what they are being asked to deliver. A well-crafted RFP produces aligned, meaningful proposals that support informed, data-driven decisions.

A weak RFP, on the other hand, leads to mismatched bids, confusion, and misalignment, leaving price as the default decision factor — and often sacrificing quality, strategic fit, and long-term trial performance in the process.