Communiqué Public Affairs And Policy Consultancy of the Year

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This category is open to any consultancy working in healthcare public affairs or policy, across areas such as health policy, political engagement, strategic counsel and stakeholder influence.

Entries should focus on achievements during the eligibility period and demonstrate how the consultancy’s policy or public affairs expertise has supported clients in navigating complexity, making informed decisions and delivering meaningful value.

If your consultancy is part of a larger network or group, you must disclose the nature, frequency and extent of any support provided (for example HR, finance, IT, specialist functions or technology tools). This ensures fairness when assessing consultancies of different sizes and structures.

Entrants must also reference at least one submission from the Healthcare Communications categories and include it in supporting materials.

2026 process

There are two stages for this award.

Stage 1 – Written entry

Completed using the criteria below.
No marks are awarded for an oral presentation at this stage.
Judges will review all written submissions and shortlist consultancies to progress to Stage 2.

Stage 2 – Live presentation

Shortlisted teams will be invited to present to the judging panel on 22nd May 2026.

  • Stage 1 scores will not carry forward.
  • The live presentation is judged independently.
  • Presentations should be no longer than 10 minutes, followed by Q&A.
  • Judges will look for evidence of adaptability, resilience, innovation and effective business performance.
  • It is advisable for up to four team members to hold this date.
  • Judges recommend including a member of your finance team to support discussion of financial statements.

Full details will be sent to shortlisted teams by Friday 8 May 2026.

JUDGING CRITERIA AND ENTRY FORMAT:

Consultancy Award Key Information Form

Must be fully completed and signed off by a Finance Director or qualified accountant.

Executive summary – 0 marks (max 200 words)

If you are nominated for an award, PMGroup may publish extracts from this summary, so ensure that it contains no confidential or sensitive information. No other part of your entry will be reproduced, and the main content of your entry will remain confidential at all times.

Photo

Upload a high-resolution team photograph or collage.

MAIN ENTRY

1. Situation analysis and benchmarking – 10 marks (400 words)

Set out your consultancy’s starting point at the beginning of 2025.

Include:

    • the policy and political context shaping client challenges
    • pressures, risks or opportunities affecting your clients
    • any developments emerging between Q4 2024–2025 that shaped your environment
    • benchmark or reference data that supports later evaluation
    • a brief overview of your consultancy’s culture and guiding values

Judges’ checklist

    • Is the policy environment clearly articulated?
    • Is the starting point specific and relevant?
    • Is all data later referenced meaningfully?

2. Proposition and marketplace need – 10 marks (400 words)

Describe what makes your consultancy distinctive and relevant within public affairs and policy.

Include:

    • your core proposition
    • the marketplace needs or client challenges you address
    • how your proposition evolved due to political shifts, insight or feedback
    • alignment with your long-term vision and values

Judges’ checklist

    • Is the proposition clear and specific?
    • Does it reflect real client or system needs?
    • Is it differentiated without generic claims?

3. Business strategy and evidence of delivery – 25 marks (500 words)

Outline your strategy for 2025, grounded in the situation analysis.

Include:

    • your strategic priorities and why they were chosen
    • how the strategy responded to policy volatility or uncertainty
    • how it positioned the consultancy for resilience, influence or growth
    • clear evidence of delivery across financial, client or operational outcomes

Judges’ checklist

    • Is the strategy directly linked to the analysis?
    • Are outcomes specific and measurable?
    • Have innovation and resilience been demonstrated?

4. Operational/internal expertise and success – 25 marks (500 words)

Demonstrate operational strength throughout 2025.

Include:

    • talent development, training and wellbeing
    • recruitment, retention and specialist policy expertise
    • operational improvements or innovations implemented in 2025
    • how AI and technology supported:
        • policy intelligence and horizon scanning
        • insight generation
        • scenario analysis
        • efficiency or quality improvement
    • disclosure of whether AI/tech solutions are proprietary, adapted or third-party
    • actions relating to:
        • diversity and inclusion
        • environmental sustainability and impact reduction
        • strengthening internal culture
    • how these improvements enhanced client outcomes or advisory quality

Judges’ checklist

    • Is all content specific to 2025?
    • Is AI/tech usage described transparently and appropriately?
    • Are DEI and sustainability actions credible?
    • Are operational improvements linked to stronger client outcomes?

5. Challenge, response and learning – 10 marks (150–200 words)

Provide a concise account of one challenge or setback experienced between the start of Q4 2024 and December 2025, explaining:

    • what happened
    • how the consultancy responded
    • what long-term learning or improvement resulted

Judges’ checklist

    • Is the challenge substantial and realistic?
    • Does the response demonstrate resilience and good judgement?
    • Is the learning meaningful and clearly embedded?

6. Client success and satisfaction in 2025 – 40 marks (750 words)

Showcase three examples of client work delivered during 2025.

Include:

    • the client’s objectives and policy context
    • clear evidence of outcomes achieved (not just activity)
    • relevant measurement or indicators
    • testimonial evidence that directly supports your claims
    • disclosure if work also appears in other Communiqué categories

Judges’ checklist

    • Are outcomes clearly articulated and evidenced?
    • Are metrics relevant to public affairs/policy?
    • Do testimonials add meaningful validation?
    • Does this section reflect its weighting as the most important part?

Supporting materials

Include the referenced entry from another category and any supporting evidence used in the submission.