The Brief
A small Southern European CRO, headquartered in Spain, was invited to bid for a mid-sized Phase II oncology study sponsored by a US biotech company. The opportunity was significant: winning would elevate the CRO’s profile beyond regional projects and position them as a serious contender for international trials.
However, they were competing against a large global CRO with offices across United States and Germany, extensive therapeutic experience, and a long-standing relationship with the sponsor. Historically, the smaller CRO had struggled to compete in head-to-head bids of this scale due to limited geographic coverage, fewer internal resources for rapid feasibility, and less polished proposal development.
The sponsor was looking for speed, access to high-enrolling oncology sites across Southern Europe, and confidence in regulatory navigation. The small CRO had strong local relationships and therapeutic expertise but lacked the infrastructure to demonstrate pan-European reach and strategic depth in their bid. They engaged Upsilon Global to help level the playing field.
The Solution
Upsilon Global worked closely with the CRO to rapidly enhance both their operational offering and their bid presentation.
First, Upsilon expanded the CRO’s apparent footprint by securing additional investigator site relationships in Italy, Portugal France and Greece, complementing their established Spanish network. This allowed the CRO to present a multi-country enrolment strategy comparable to the global competitor, but with stronger site-level engagement.
Second, Upsilon supported a focused feasibility strategy. Rather than relying on generic database-driven projections, they facilitated direct outreach to key oncology investigators, securing pre-study engagement letters and realistic recruitment forecasts. This demonstrated commitment and credibility to the sponsor.
Finally, Upsilon helped reposition the proposal narrative. Instead of competing on size, the bid emphasised agility, senior-level oversight, faster decision-making, and proactive regulatory planning tailored to Southern European authorities. The proposal clearly articulated risk mitigation strategies and startup timelines that rivalled — and in some areas outperformed — those of the global CRO.
The Outcome
The sponsor ultimately awarded the study to the smaller Southern European CRO. Feedback indicated that while the global CRO offered scale, the winning bid demonstrated superior site engagement, more realistic enrolment projections, and a more collaborative delivery model.
With Upsilon Global’s support, the CRO not only secured the contract but also strengthened its international credibility. The project was delivered on time, enrolment exceeded projections, and the CRO established itself as a viable alternative to larger competitors for future regional and multi-country studies.
