reduction in proposal turnaround through end-to-end process redesign
PRACTICAL SUPPORT · SPECIALIST UNDERSTANDING
Helping businesses
work better
Senior commercial support for life sciences and specialist businesses.
I’m Ebru O’Keefe. I help you bring clarity to bids, contracts, supplier decisions and the processes behind them.
Project-based · Fractional · Interim support
Ebru O’KeefeFounder & Principal Consultant
Meet Ebru Built on experience
where the detail matters
20+ yearsoverall career experience
100+ contractssupplier terms negotiated & coordinated
12 yearsin the life sciences industry
Selected impact
range of complex commercial opportunities and programmes supported
operational efficiency improvement through cross-functional processes and SOPs
reduction in contract review time through renewal alerts and risk-rated tracking
Reported outcomes from previous roles. Opportunity and programme values describe work supported, not revenue won. Results depend on the scope and circumstances of each assignment.
A FOCUSED PLACE TO START
Before you
commit
A commercial review of your supplier proposal.
Before approving a CRO quote, appointing a specialist supplier or renewing a service, get a clearer view of what you are buying, what it costs and what still needs to be agreed.
Discuss a proposal review See an example comparison WHAT YOU LEAVE WITH
- A scope and pricing review, including assumptions and exclusions
- A prioritised issues log and questions to resolve with the supplier
- A clear record of responsibilities, change approvals and next steps
One supplier proposal and its associated commercial terms. The documents, complexity and deliverables are agreed before work starts.
£350–£750
Indicative project fee. A fixed quote and scope are agreed in writing.
Commercial and operational review. Specialist legal, scientific and quality sign-off remains with your appointed advisers.
WHEN THE BUSINESS GROWS
Recognise any
of these?
The work has grown, but the way it is organised hasn’t kept pace. These are practical places to start.
Contracts sit in email folders, and nobody knows when they renew.
Quotes are inconsistent, and commercial information is scattered across spreadsheets.
Your CRM records, pipeline stages and follow-up routines need clearer structure.
Supplier selection is informal, with no clear comparison or decision record.
Every proposal starts from scratch, and the MD still writes every tender.
There are no SOPs, and nobody owns commercial operations.
FOUR CONNECTED AREAS OF SUPPORT
Get the commercial
side organised
Start with one problem or bring several pieces together. Support can cover a defined project or an agreed ongoing remit.
01 / COMMERCIAL SUPPORT
Win work
Clearer bids, consistent pricing and well-coordinated proposals.
How I can help
- End-to-end RFP, RFI and RFQ support
- Bid planning, compliance, SME coordination and submission management
- Proposal review, pricing, cost models and assumptions
- Reusable templates and proposal content libraries
Example outputs
A bid plan, compliance matrix, coordinated response, pricing review or reusable content library.
02 / COMMERCIAL SUPPORT
Buy better
Compare suppliers, clarify costs and make informed purchasing decisions.
How I can help
- Supplier evaluation, due diligence and commercial risk assessment
- RFQ/RFP development and like-for-like proposal comparison
- Vendor onboarding, responsibilities and performance reviews
- Scientific outsourcing, laboratory purchases, software and licensing
Example outputs
A supplier comparison, documented due diligence, an onboarding checklist or a clearer vendor review.
03 / COMMERCIAL SUPPORT
Control commercial risk
Understand commitments and stay on top of changes, obligations and renewals.
How I can help
- Commercial review of contracts and T&Cs
- IP, liability, indemnity and termination considerations
- Negotiation preparation and commercial support
- Risk-rated contract registers, renewal alerts and obligation tracking
Example outputs
A contract register, renewal tracker, commercial issues log or a clearer record of changes and approvals.
04 / COMMERCIAL SUPPORT
Build better processes
Practical workflows, usable tools and clearer responsibilities for your team.
How I can help
- SOPs, playbooks, workflows and clear responsibilities
- Pricing and cost models
- CRM, pipeline and reporting processes
- CRM process improvement and practical commercial tools
Example outputs
One defined process rebuilt with a workflow, SOP, templates, tracker and clear responsibilities.
Commercial contract review identifies business risks, obligations and questions to escalate to your qualified legal adviser.
ONE CONNECTED COMMERCIAL CYCLE
Support that follows
how your business works
- 01Win work
- 02Agree contracts
- 03Buy from suppliers
- 04Deliver the work
- 05Manage renewals
- 06Win more work
SCIENTIFIC PROCUREMENT & SUPPLIER SUPPORT
Scientific purchasing
Commercial clarity
Growing biotech teams need to make each purchasing decision count. I help bring scientific requirements, supplier proposals, commercial terms and budgets together, so you can see the commitments before you approve the spend.
My hands-on experience covers scientific outsourcing, laboratory equipment, specialist reagents and consumables, scientific software, research databases and licensing agreements.
- CROs & research services
- Laboratory equipment
- Reagents & consumables
- Software & research databases
- Licensing & renewals
Scope & pricing
- Does the proposal correspond to the scope?
- Is pricing transparent?
Responsibilities & approvals
- Are responsibilities defined?
- Who approves changes?
Change orders & traceability
- How will change orders work?
- Is there an audit trail?
Management & performance
- How is the supplier being managed?
- Are KPIs defined?
Contracts, risk & renewals
- What are the commercial risks?
- How are renewals controlled?
- Are contracts aligned with operations?
PRACTICAL STARTING POINTS
A clear scope
A useful result
Choose a focused review, hands-on project support or an ongoing commercial remit.
Commercial Health Check
Discuss this supportA review of bids, pricing, contracts, suppliers and CRM/processes, with a prioritised action plan.
£395–£595project fee
Bid & Tender Support
Discuss this supportRequirements matrix, response planning, coordination, review, compliance checks and submission support.
£450–£1,500+project fee
Before You Commit
Discuss this supportA focused review of one supplier proposal and associated commercial terms: scope, pricing, assumptions, responsibilities and questions to resolve.
£350–£750project fee
Commercial Process Fix
Discuss this supportOne defined process rebuilt with a workflow, SOP, templates, tracker and clear responsibilities.
£650–£1,500project fee
Fractional Commercial Support
Discuss this supportAn agreed ongoing remit across bids, pricing, contracts, suppliers and commercial processes.
£750–£1,500per month
Indicative fees for agreed scopes. The deliverables, timing and support allowance are agreed in writing before work begins. More complex work is quoted separately.
SELECTED CAREER EXPERIENCE
The detail behind
the difference
Experience in supplier contracts and renewals, proposal process improvement and complex clinical RFP responses.
Explore the case studies01 / SUPPLIER CONTRACTS & RENEWALSLife sciences operations
Coordinating supplier contracts and renewal tracking
Negotiating supplier terms, coordinating specialist approvals and introducing renewal and performance tracking in a life-science operations role.
100+ contractssupplier terms negotiated, with approvals and execution coordinated in an employed role
Read the case study
02 / PROCESS IMPROVEMENTProposal operations
Redesigning the proposal development process
Designing an end-to-end proposal process that improved coordination, visibility and consistency across the bid lifecycle.
Approx. 60%reduction in proposal turnaround times
Read the case study
03 / CLINICAL RFPS & PROPOSALSClinical research
Coordinating complex clinical RFP responses
Managing and supporting RFP responses, technical proposals and presentation materials for complex clinical programmes with proposal values up to approximately £50 million.
Up to £50mapproximate proposal values for complex clinical programmes supported
Read the case study
These examples describe work undertaken in employed roles. Confidential client and project details are omitted.
SEE WHAT THE WORK LOOKS LIKE
Useful tools
Clearer decisions
Explore a supplier comparison and renewal tracker, then try the budget model below. Every example uses fictional information.
01 / SUPPLIER DECISIONSInteractive example
Look beyond
the first quote
See how assumptions and extra work change the cost comparison between two suppliers.
Supplier A£5,520£4,800 + 6 hours at £120
Supplier B£5,300Includes 8 additional hours
02 / CONTRACT VISIBILITYInteractive example
Know the notice date
Own the next step
See contract owners, renewal dates and notice deadlines in one usable record.
CONTRACTNOTICE BYOWNERResearch software03 Nov 2026Operations lead
The date for giving notice can arrive well before the contract renews.
Explore the renewal trackerIllustrative demonstrations, not client records. The full examples include downloadable CSVs.
A SMALL EXAMPLE OF CLARITY
When the scope moves,
the budget should too
Small changes are easy to lose in emails. A useful model makes the impact visible, so everyone can see what needs to be agreed.
Try a change. See the difference.
Illustrative example with fictional figures.
This demonstrates the approach, not a client project.
PROJECT BUDGET EXPLORER
Interactive exampleRevised project budget
+ £2,100 16.7% increase on original scope
Original £12,600 Scope change
0 hours£100 / hour40 hours
THE APPROACH
Fewer loose ends
More breathing room
You bring the challenge.
I bring structure, attention to detail
and a practical way forward.
- 01
Start with the sticking point
We look at what is unclear, taking too long or creating repeated work. Then we choose one useful place to start.
- 02
Agree what good looks like
A defined scope, the information needed, a realistic timeframe and a written quote. Clear expectations from the beginning.
- 03
Leave with something usable
A working model, a practical tracker or a clear action plan, explained so your team can use it with confidence.
THE PERSON BEHIND O’KEEFE & CO
Meet
Ebru O’Keefe
Founder & Principal Consultant
Specialist understanding.
Practical business experience.
Ebru O’KeefeREMOTE-FIRST
UK & INTERNATIONAL
UK & INTERNATIONAL
Navigating complex commercial negotiations, multi-million-pound bids, and stringent regulatory frameworks requires more than just administrative support—it demands operational rigour, strategic foresight, and deep industry fluency.
With over a decade of specialist experience across life sciences, clinical research organisations (CROs), regulatory consulting, and defence, I act as an agile, senior-level extension of your internal team. Whether you are scaling commercial infrastructure, accelerating proposal turnarounds, or implementing robust supplier governance, my focus is always on mitigating risk, protecting margins, and building repeatable operational efficiency.
My procurement experience includes scientific outsourcing, laboratory equipment, specialist reagents and consumables, scientific software, research databases and licensing. I work across scientific teams, Legal, Finance and Procurement to clarify requirements, review commercial terms and coordinate approvals.
I have also run my own furniture retail and manufacturing business in North Cyprus. That experience gives me a practical understanding of suppliers, customers, costs and everyday business operations.
Understand the workClinical research, regulatory consultancy and drug discovery.
Connect the detailScope, budgets, supplier terms, approvals and obligations.
Leave something usablePractical tools, clear records and a handover your team can follow.
You work directly with me, from agreeing the brief to handing over usable tools and processes. Support is remote-first, with on-site support available for UK and international assignments.
SPECIALIST KNOWLEDGE · PRACTICAL TOOLS
The knowledge
behind the work
Commercial operations, bids, contracts and process improvement across specialist and regulated environments.
Credentials & training
- BA (Hons) Business Administration – Tourism & Hotel Management
- Good Clinical Practice (GCP) – Global Health Network
- Lean Practitioner and Project Management Foundations
- Shipley Proposal Writing and Regulatory Affairs Training
- Procurement & Vendor Management and Negotiation training
Recognition
- IQVIA Client Excellence Award
- IQVIA ACE Award
- IQVIA Impact Program – Silver Award
Systems & tools
Sector understanding
Experienced support, when you need it
Project-based consulting, fractional commercial support, interim assignments and bid or tender deadline support. I also help build commercial infrastructure and supplier-governance processes.
Remote-first, with on-site support available. UK and international assignments.
Discuss the support you needA FEW USEFUL DETAILS
Before we
get started
Who is this support for?
Support for biotech start-ups, growing life-science businesses, CROs, specialist consultancies and other regulated organisations. Work can be project-based, fractional or interim, including support for a bid or tender deadline. UK and international assignments are welcome.
Can we start with one small project?
Yes. Before You Commit is a focused review of one supplier proposal and associated commercial terms. A budget model, commercial health check or defined process improvement is another useful starting point. We agree the deliverables and fee before work starts.
How does remote support work?
We agree how to share relevant information securely, clarify questions by email or video call, and work to defined milestones. The final handover explains how to use and maintain what has been created.
What about contracts and confidential information?
I review commercial terms, flag business risks and organise contract information, obligations, renewals and changes. Legal opinions and specialist legal drafting sit with a qualified legal adviser. We agree confidentiality and appropriate access before sharing sensitive documents.
LET’S MAKE A START
What would you
like to make clearer?
Tell me where bids, supplier decisions,
contracts or everyday processes
are getting stuck.