Clinical R&D Procurement Intelligence

Smarter CRO Selection.
Fully Auditable Decisions.

HESKM is the CRO selection platform built for pharma and biotech. Structure your RFI/RFP process, compare proposals line-by-line, flag hidden risks with AI, and maintain a fully auditable procurement record from shortlist to award.

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63%
of clinical trials now started
by emerging biopharma
$118B
global CRO market
projected by 2034
57%
of protocols require
substantial amendments
£M+
a single wrong outsourcing
decision can cost millions
HESKM
The challenge
Outsourcing is complex.
The risks are real.

Small and mid-size pharma and biotech companies lead 63% of all clinical trial starts yet often lack the internal procurement expertise to navigate CRO selection without costly errors.

The problem

Without structure, CRO selection is a liability.

  • CRO proposals arrive as non-standardised Excel files, true comparison is near impossible
  • Hidden cost drivers and change-order risks buried in assumptions
  • Decisions rely on tacit knowledge, informal reasoning, and vendor familiarity bias
  • No audit trail, procurement cannot be demonstrated as compliant after the fact
  • Budget overruns, delays, and operational failure downstream
The HESKM solution

Structured intelligence at every decision point.

  • Line-by-line CRO proposal comparison across scope, cost, and assumptions
  • AI risk agent flags hidden risks and future change orders before contracts are signed
  • Shortlist up to 3 CROs for bid defence, calls scheduled and recorded within the platform
  • Every query raised and answered is fully traceable and auditable
  • Data-driven, credible decisions your QA and management teams can stand behind
How it works
From RFI to decision,
every step structured.

HESKM replaces fragmented spreadsheets and email chains with a single, intelligent procurement platform built for life sciences.

1
Standardised process

Issue your RFI / RFP through the platform

Structure your requirements in a standardised format from the outset. Every CRO responds to the same framework, so genuine comparison is possible before analysis even begins.

HESKM Dashboard showing active RFPs and procurement overview
HESKM line-by-line CRO proposal comparison with AI risk insights
2
Proposal intelligence

Line-by-line proposal comparison

HESKM ingests CRO responses and generates a structured, side-by-side comparison across scope, cost, timelines, assumptions, and capabilities. No more apples-to-oranges Excel reviews.

3
AI-powered risk analysis

AI risk agent highlights what is hidden

Our AI agent analyses risks, inconsistencies, and future change-order triggers buried within proposals — flagged clearly before you commit to a contract.

4
Integrated bid defence

Shortlist up to 3 CROs for bid defence

Select your shortlisted CROs and schedule bid defence video calls directly within the platform. Calls are hosted, recorded, and saved as part of your procurement record automatically.

5
Fully auditable

Full audit trail, every decision traceable

Every query raised, answered, and resolved is logged. Every decision timestamped and documented. A complete, defensible procurement record satisfying regulatory and QA requirements.

HESKM bid defence overview with scheduled CRO calls
HESKM bid defence call management and recording
HESKM Why it matters
$141k
median direct amendment cost
per Phase II protocol
90%
of trials experience significant
recruitment-driven delays
45%
of protocol amendments
are avoidable
24%
of amendment costs tied to
contract change orders

Sources: Medidata, Avoca, Avoca-ACRP site research

Ready to see HESKM in action? Book a short walkthrough with our team and discover how it fits your next CRO selection project.

Book a walkthrough
HESKM
Platform features
Everything you need to
outsource with confidence.

Line-by-line CRO proposal comparison

Standardised evaluation across scope, cost, assumptions, geography, and capacity. The only platform that makes genuine like-for-like comparison of CRO proposals possible without manual normalisation.

AI-powered risk analysis

Purpose-built AI agent surfaces potential risks, hidden cost assumptions, and change-order triggers buried within CRO proposals — so you can protect your clinical trial budget before contracts are signed.

Integrated bid defence management

Schedule, host, and record bid defence meetings with your shortlisted CROs directly within HESKM. All recordings and notes saved automatically as part of your procurement record.

Complete audit trail

Automatic version control, decision logs, and query traceability. Every procurement action is timestamped and documented for regulatory and QA readiness.

Cross-functional access

Centralised access for clinical, procurement, QA, and senior management, so everyone works from the same source of truth throughout the process.

Regulatory & QA readiness

Demonstrate compliant procurement processes without retrospective reconstruction. HESKM is built for life sciences regulatory environments from the ground up.

HESKM
Why HESKM
HESKM vs manual
CRO procurement.

Manual processes can work, but they carry hidden costs, inconsistencies, and risks that compound over time. See how HESKM compares across the dimensions that matter most.

Aspect HESKM Manual
Proposal comparability Excellent Risky
Audit trail & documentation ExcellentSatisfactory
Regulatory & QA readiness Excellent Risky
Vendor bias risk Excellent Risky
Speed of initial screening ExcellentSatisfactory
Data standardisation Excellent Risky
Transparency of decisions ExcellentSatisfactory
Long-term cost profile ExcellentSatisfactory
HESKM
Pricing
Flexible engagement.
Measurable impact.

Choose the level of support that fits your team and project. All tiers include access to the HESKM platform and a full, unbroken audit trail.

HESKM Platform
£5,000 / project
Self-directed procurement intelligence
  • Full HESKM platform access
  • Line-by-line CRO proposal comparison
  • AI risk intelligence agent
  • Bid defence scheduling & call recording
  • Complete audit trail & documentation
Get started
Most popular
HESKM + Advisory
£15,000 / project
Platform plus expert-led delivery
  • Everything in Platform tier
  • Dedicated HESKM consultant assigned
  • Consultants identify & approach best-fit CROs
  • Full project leadership on your behalf
  • Expert-led bid defence facilitation
  • Advisory support throughout procurement
Get started
Enterprise
£5,000+ / month
Min. 12-month term · scales with hours
  • Everything in Advisory tier
  • Ongoing consulting retainer
  • Unlimited projects within subscription
  • Dedicated expert team
  • Priority support & continuous oversight
  • Vendor governance beyond procurement
Discuss your needs
Built for life sciences

Procurement you can prove.

In a regulated industry, it's not enough to make the right decision, you need to demonstrate it. HESKM creates a fully auditable procurement record that satisfies regulatory, QA, and governance requirements without additional effort.

  • Every query raised and answered is directly traceable to its source
  • Version-controlled documents and automatic decision logs throughout
  • Bid defence meetings recorded and stored as part of the procurement file
  • Transparent shortlisting rationale, defensible to sponsors, auditors, and boards
RFP issued to 6 CROs

Logged · standardised · timestamped

Proposals compared line-by-line

15 risk flags identified by AI agent

3 CROs shortlisted for bid defence

Rationale documented · queries logged

Bid defence calls recorded

Saved to procurement record automatically

CRO selected, full audit trail complete

QA-ready · regulatory-compliant · defensible

Get in touch
Request a demo

Tell us a little about your project and a member of the HESKM team will be in touch within one business day to arrange a personalised walkthrough.

HESKM
Founded by
Meet the founder
Stefan Zoricic, Founder and CEO of HESKM
Stefan Zoricic
Founder & CEO, MedFriend Ltd.
Clinical Research Digital Health MSc Global Health, KCL

Stefan Zoricic is the Founder and CEO of MedFriend Ltd. and the creator of HESKM, a procurement intelligence platform focused on modernising CRO and clinical vendor selection for emerging biotech and life sciences organisations.

With a background spanning clinical research, digital health, healthcare strategy, and life sciences consulting, Stefan brings a highly operational perspective to clinical outsourcing and procurement governance. He holds a Master's degree in Global Health and Social Justice from King's College London and has worked across international healthcare and life sciences environments, including within high-growth digital health and clinical research organisations.

Through his consulting work, Stefan has advised life sciences companies on CRO selection, outsourcing strategy, operational governance, and quality systems, gaining first-hand exposure to the inefficiencies and risks that continue to affect clinical procurement processes across the industry.

This experience ultimately led to the development of HESKM, with the goal of helping sponsors bring greater structure, transparency, and strategic oversight to clinical outsourcing decisions.

Get in touch with Stefan

Ready to make smarter
outsourcing decisions?

Speak to the HESKM team about your next CRO selection project, whether you're running your first trial or scaling a growing pipeline.

Request a demo →