Are you considering APMP certification? Perhaps you’re already certified at the Foundation level but are wondering if you should pursue Practitioner or even Professional accreditation. Capture and proposal professionals often ponder whether certification benefits them as well as those around them. Research shows that getting certified benefits you (selfish reasons) as well as your colleagues (selfless considerations). Here are the reasons why. Five selfish reasons First and foremost, take care of yourself. Certification benefits you as

A crappy win rate or lack of bidding success is usually a direct result of bidding on too many losers, aka inappropriate "opportunities". Too often, professional services firms are tempted by the potential boost in revenue and go all out pursuing speculative tender and proposal opportunities. Generally, these firms have no consistently applied or objective "bid-or-no-bid" qualifying process and/or well-defined firm BD strategy other than "hope". In closely competed market segments – and there are

Given the obligation of public sector organizations, and some corporate or private enterprises, to approach the market and run competitive selection processes (aka calls for tenders, bids and proposals), there are many potential proposal opportunities that may vie for your business development time and effort. Federal News Network reported in 2020 that “[U.S. government] agencies spent more on procurement in fiscal 2019 than in any of the previous 10 years.” According to the U.S. Government Accountability Office,

Today's blog is featuring our Diamond Partner, 24 Hour Company, which was founded as a traditional graphic design firm in 1992 by Dennis Fitzgerald. Realizing the opportunity to focus on an under-served niche market in the Washington, DC area, Dennis transitioned the company into one whose primary clients are business development professionals who bid on government and commercial contract work. To provide a growing client base with unique, new services, the company added Mike Parkinson

The Capture process is more than identifying a customer’s requirements and objectives in a Request for Proposal (RFP).  Here are seven steps to help you develop your capture process. 1. Know the Customer Ideally, your capture process starts prior to the release of the RFP. It should begin with understanding the customer’s needs, wants, likes/dislikes, and their procedures and business culture. Also, determine the key decision-makers and their backgrounds. Knowing these details, no matter how small,

When overwhelmed by a deadline, I can fall into unhealthy mental habits. I get stressed, frustrated, and exhausted. However, years ago, I started using three techniques to ensure a happier, healthier, and more successful me. I learned these strategies from successful business professionals and life coaches. The following strategies work well together to help me remain positive and less stressed. Use what works best for you. 1. The Platinum Rule. The Golden Rule recommends, “Treat

Storyboards have long been a part of our standard proposal best practices. We all know that the proposal giants include storyboarding as an integral part of the proposal development process, but where did this concept of storyboards originate? Interestingly, the storyboarding process, in the form we know it today, was actually developed at Walt Disney Productions during the early 1930s! Traditionally, a storyboard is a graphic organizer of illustrations or images displayed in sequence for

Color team reviews, you know them. Those dreaded meetings when you take a hard look at the draft of your proposal and realize that you have a ton of work to do before this thing is a winner. Is there any way to make these reviews less painful and more productive? How can I get what I need from my reviewers the first time?  In the next 1400 words I’ll do my best to share

Note from the editor: This is a reprint of an article originally from Spring 2011 Executive Summary Ezine, written by past NCA board member Alexander Brown (2005 - 2015). This article may be 10 years (!) old, but as the mother of a young child every word here still rings true in 2021: “My life revolves around my girls” is a mantra I adhere to. Each morning I wake up happy that I have another

If you're a student of proposal writing, check out APMP-NCA's Graduate Pathway Program. There are valuable opportunities to expand your education, network with peers and gain insight from proposal mentors along the way. For more information on this program, please email ProfessionalDevelopmentCoChair@APMPNCA.org. Originally published February 2020 As a student of proposal writing rather than an active member of the field, it does feel presumptuous to be writing about the topic with a mere two semesters