The UK’s public relations trade body has launched a new management framework to overhaul the "broken" PR pitch process, aiming to address widespread issues of budget uncertainty and resource waste.

The Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) has published a new management framework to improve procurement in the public relations industry. The framework was developed through collaboration and research with agencies and clients.

It addresses the findings of the Pitch Forward report published by the PRCA last year and includes both agency and in-house perspectives. The report concluded that the procurement process for public relations was ‘broken’ and called for an end to budget uncertainty, opaque processes, ghosting and intellectual property misuse.

Agencies describe being caught in a demanding pitching cycle, participating in an average 14.4 pitches per year. Half of agencies pitch monthly and some pitch weekly. The average investment in a pitch is more than £7,000 and up to £20,000. The average pitch process typically takes two to three months and the win rate is one in three.

The new framework sets out five steps for a pitch process based on the acronym FRESH, which stands for Fair, Realistic, Ethical, Structured and with a Healthy conclusion. It states four conditions for the basis of a pitch: clear objectives, an agreed budget, an understanding of the potential of public relations and an equitable process.

"Procurement is one of the sector's biggest pain points right now. These best practice principles have been developed to reflect our members' feedback and to address this issue,” said Sarah Waddington CBE, Interim CEO, PRCA.

The key principles of the FRESH management framework are set out below. A complete version can be accessed on the PRCA website.

Fair

Fair principles ensure a level playing field by pre-qualifying viable agencies, limiting final pitches to three participants, avoiding courtesy invitations and providing clear communication throughout the process.

• Agencies should be pre-qualified to ensure they all have genuine potential to win the business, avoiding wasted time and resources

• The final pitch stage should be limited to three agencies maximum to ensure focused evaluation and respect everyone's time and effort

• Organisations should refrain from including agencies in pitches merely out of courtesy or political considerations

• Agencies that don't meet requirements should be promptly informed with clear reasoning to maintain transparency and professionalism

Realistic

Realistic principles ensure an efficient and balanced pitch process by requiring upfront budget disclosure, proportionate workload expectations, adequate response time and equal information sharing among all participants.

• The available budget must be disclosed at the outset to allow agencies to propose appropriate solutions and allocate resources effectively

• The effort required from agencies during the pitch process should be proportionate to the potential value of the contract

• Agencies need at least three weeks to develop thoughtful, strategic responses that demonstrate their full capabilities

• All participating agencies must receive identical information and timeframes to ensure a level playing field

Ethical

Ethical principles protect agencies' intellectual property while promoting authentic relationships through team involvement, face-to-face meetings where possible and transparent communication about potential conflicts or policies.

• Intellectual property rights of participating agencies must be protected throughout the pitch process, including concepts and creative work

• The proposed account team should actively participate in presentations to demonstrate real working relationships beyond senior leadership

• Face-to-face meetings should be prioritised when possible to build stronger relationships and enable better evaluation of cultural fit

• The client organisation should be transparent about any potential conflicts of interest or relevant policies that could affect the outcome

Structured

Structured principles establish a clear framework for success by defining core parameters ahead of a pitch, securing stakeholder commitment, maintaining regular communication and providing transparent decision criteria throughout the pitch process.

• Core parameters, including objectives, budget and timeline should be clearly established and agreed upon before the pitch process begins

• All key stakeholders must commit to participating fully in the process to ensure efficient decision-making and valuable feedback

• Regular updates should be provided to all participants to maintain momentum and allow for timely adjustments

• Decision-making criteria should be transparent and communicated upfront to enable agencies to focus their efforts appropriately

Healthy conclusion

A healthy conclusion ensures respectful closure of the pitch process by providing constructive feedback to unsuccessful agencies, formal confirmation to the successful agency and timely contract negotiation.

• Unsuccessful agencies should receive detailed, constructive feedback to help them understand the decision and improve future pitches

• Winning agencies should receive formal written confirmation of their selection to provide certainty and enable proper planning

• Contracts should be finalised within two weeks of selection to maintain momentum and demonstrate mutual commitment

“These principles reflect what agencies and clients have told us is important. We hope the resulting work will cut some of the waste from the current process and lead to closer business relationships,” said Debbie Little, Head of PRCA Matchmaker, PRCA. 

This structured approach addresses the systemic issues identified in the research report by establishing clear standards for clients and agencies.

While the framework's adoption remains voluntary, the PRCA will actively advocate for its implementation within client procurement processes and integrate it into membership requirements. By embracing the FRESH framework, the PRCA argues that the public relations industry will take a significant step toward a more efficient, ethical and effective pitch process that benefits both agencies and clients.

Sarah Waddington is a director, Wadds Inc. and Interim CEO, PRCA.