The 5 Dysfunctions Of Clinical Trial Vendor Selection — And How To Overcome Them

By Kalyan Obalampalli

Having facilitated more than $1 billion in vendor contracts across biotechnology and pharmaceutical sponsors, our team at Clin.AI has identified consistent patterns that separate successful partnerships from those that stall or unravel under pressure.

Just as Patrick Lencioni’s Five Dysfunctions of a Team illustrates how organizational dynamics can derail collaboration, vendor selection in clinical development suffers from its own set of recurring dysfunctions — subtle yet pervasive weaknesses that erode alignment, trust, accountability, and performance. These pitfalls don’t just delay study timelines; they compound over time, affecting data quality, stakeholder confidence, and overall trial success.

The good news? These dysfunctions are both predictable and preventable. By recognizing them early and implementing structured, transparent decision-making frameworks, sponsors can transform vendor selection from a reactive procurement activity into a strategic capability that drives operational excellence and scientific impact.

Below, we break down the five most common dysfunctions of vendor selection — and share actionable strategies to overcome them.