Communiqué Medical Affairs Agency of the Year

JUDGING CRITERIA AND ENTRY FORMAT:

Consultancy award key information form

Must be fully completed and submitted. All financial information MUST be signed off by an accountant or Finance Director.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY (max 200 words) – 0 marks

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

Please upload a high resolution, print quality photograph or collage of the team.

MAIN ENTRY

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

Set out the scientific, regulatory and medical affairs context at the beginning of 2025.

Include:

• • scientific, clinical or therapy area trends affecting your clients

• • compliance, evidence or data considerations shaping your work

• • opportunities or challenges emerging between Q4 2024 and 2025

• • benchmark or reference information that you will draw on in effectiveness sections

• • a short overview of culture, values and scientific principles that shape your approach

Judges’ checklist

• • Have you described a clear scientific and medical affairs environment?

• • Is the starting point specific and relevant to strategy?

• • Is benchmark data referenced later?

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

Define what makes your medical affairs agency distinctive.

Include:

• • your core proposition and scientific specialisms

• • marketplace needs or client challenges you address

• • how your proposition evolved in response to evidence needs, client feedback or new clinical data

• • how the proposition aligns with your vision and long-term direction

Judges’ checklist

• • Is the proposition clearly defined?

• • Do you articulate how it addresses true medical affairs needs?

• • Is it differentiated without generic claims?

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

Explain your business strategy for 2025.

Include:

• • the strategic priorities you selected and why

• • how the strategy responded to scientific, regulatory or clinical shifts

• • how it positioned the agency for credibility, growth or resilience

• • evidence of delivery across scientific quality, operational outcomes, financial performance or client satisfaction

Judges’ checklist

• • Is strategy directly linked to the situation analysis?

• • Are outcomes specific, measurable or benchmarked?

• • Have you shown innovation and informed decision-making?

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

Demonstrate operational excellence in delivering robust, compliant and high-quality medical affairs work.

Include:

• • talent development, scientific training and competency building

• • recruitment, retention and development of specialist medical or scientific expertise

• • operational improvements or innovations introduced in 2025

• • how AI and technology supported:
    • • scientific content quality
    • • insight generation or synthesis
    • • evidence appraisal
    • • accuracy, compliance or efficiency

• • disclosure of whether AI/technology solutions are proprietary, adapted or third-party

• • actions relating to:
    • • diversity and inclusion
    • • environmental sustainability and reduced environmental impact
    • • strengthening internal culture

• • how operational improvements enhanced scientific rigour, efficiency or client outcomes

Judges’ checklist

• • Is the operational progress clearly evidenced and specific to 2025?

• • Is AI/technology use transparent and appropriate to scale?

• • Are DEI and sustainability actions credible?

• • Is there a clear link between internal improvements and stronger client/scientific 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 occurred

• • how the agency responded

• • what long-term learning or improvement resulted

Judges’ checklist

• • Is the challenge substantial and relevant (e.g. scientific alignment, data delays, compliance complexity)?

• • Does the response demonstrate resilience and sound judgement?

• • Is the learning meaningful and embedded?

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

Showcase three examples of client work delivered in 2025 that demonstrate medical affairs excellence.

Include:

• • clear client objectives and scientific context

• • evidence of meaningful outcomes (not just outputs)

• • impact on understanding, evidence dissemination, clinical decision-making, or scientific exchange

• • measurement and relevant KPIs (accuracy, comprehension, reach, behaviour, process improvement, quality indicators)

• • client or third-party testimonials that substantiate your claims

• • disclosure if any of the work is entered into other Communiqué categories

Judges’ checklist

• • Are outcomes clearly measured and meaningful?

• • Are you demonstrating depth of scientific insight and rigour?

• • Do testimonials provide strong, credible validation?

• • Does this section reflect its weighting as the most important part of the entry?

Supporting materials

Include referenced submissions from other categories and any relevant evidence supporting the entry.