Development of an effective outsourcing strategy for toxicological studies in the chemical industry

The chemical industry has been put under considerable time pressure by the European Community Regulation REACH (Registration, Evaluation, and Authorization of Chemicals). The work outlined here has been developed at the BASF SE’s Experimental Toxicology and Ecology Unit with the objective of promoting a faster reaction to the testing demand generated by the new legislation. A considerable increase in forecasted demand for tests has created the necessity to increase the Toxicology Unit’s outsourcing activities. The first goal was to optimize the selection and management process of Contract Research Organizations (CROs), so that toxicological studies can be performed with minimal risk while maximizing quality and cost advantage. A second objective was to develop performance measurement system in form of a balanced scorecard to evaluate contracting efficiency by monitoring major drivers in the outsourcing process to ensure the alignment between strategic objectives and actual performance.<br