WS26.2- From Vendor to Strategic Partner: Building High-Impact Clinical Supply Relationships

In a volatile clinical landscape, the traditional “transactional” model between sponsors and service providers is no longer a viable strategy for success. As trials become increasingly complex—incorporating cell and gene therapies, decentralized models, and hyper-local sourcing—the boundary between “client” and “vendor” must dissolve into a true strategic partnership. This interactive workshop moves beyond the standard RFP and SLA discussions to explore the psychology, data structures, and governance models required to build high-impact, resilient alliances. Participants will engage in a “Partnership Maturity” diagnostic to evaluate their current relationships and identify the “friction points” that lead to misalignment, such as opaque pricing, rigid change orders, and siloed communication. We will dissect the transition from KPI-driven oversight (Key Performance Indicators) to Vested Outsourcing and VPIs (Value Performance Indicators), where both parties share in the risks and rewards of clinical success. Through collaborative case studies, we will model how to integrate partner expertise into early-stage protocol planning, ensuring that the supply chain is an asset, not an afterthought.