Overview
A forward-thinking academic research company partnered with JJRH to improve how it identified and acted on public and private sector tender opportunities. The objective was to build a structured and strategic opportunity pipeline that aligned with the company’s research priorities, specialisms, and capacity — enabling more effective engagement with funders and commissioners across the research ecosystem.

---

The Challenge
Despite having strong in-house expertise and a robust research delivery model, the organisation faced difficulties in navigating the fragmented and fast-moving landscape of research funding opportunities. The core challenge was to identify tenders that were both relevant and realistically winnable — in a way that supported long-term planning, rather than reactive submission.

The company sought a partner to streamline this process, reduce opportunity fatigue, and surface the right tenders at the right time.

---

Our Approach
JJRH conducted a series of discovery workshops to understand the organisation’s academic strengths, thematic focus areas, delivery capabilities, and strategic growth plans. From this, we developed a bespoke opportunity search strategy using advanced filters and sector-specific criteria.

Key areas of support included:

• Customising search parameters across funding portals, frameworks, and commissions
• Categorising opportunities by research theme, delivery model, eligibility, and funder profile
• Providing curated tender alerts aligned with the company’s capabilities and aspirations
• Offering strategic guidance on bid-readiness, opportunity qualification, and longlisting

The approach prioritised relevance, allowing the organisation to focus its time and resource on the highest-value opportunities.

---

The Outcome
The company gained access to a steady pipeline of well-matched tender opportunities, several of which progressed to successful bids. The new system enabled a shift from ad hoc opportunity tracking to a structured, proactive business development model — enhancing both responsiveness and strategic alignment.

---

The Impact
JJRH’s bid discovery support helped the organisation build a more predictable, insight-driven approach to opportunity identification. With increased visibility into relevant tenders and more confidence in their relevance and fit, the research company was able to expand its funding base, strengthen partnerships, and grow its influence in the academic research sector.

This case illustrates how strategic bid discovery can serve as a critical enabler of growth — helping research-focused organisations engage more effectively with a complex funding landscape and unlock long-term potential.