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About APMP Fellows Jon Darby
JonDarby

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Jon Darby, CPP CAP APMP Fellow (Class of 2023)

Founder and Managing Director
BidCraft

Bio

Jon is the founder and managing director of BidCraft - a pioneering bidding services consultancy that helps companies win complex government, defence, and framework contracts in the UK and Australia. They do this by providing strategic bid support, business change programs, and bid training to companies ranging from SMEs to multinationals.

He has 28 years’ bidding experience under his belt, helping companies in a variety of sectors to secure contracts ranging from £thousands to £billions. Jon has led strategic capture teams and been the head of function, which helps me understand and solve the unique issues faced by organisations as they seek to improve bidding performance.

My passion is to use this hands-on experience to raise bidding standards and help others become better at bidding. This led me to initiate a collaboration with the British Standards Institution (BSI) and the Association of Proposal Management Professionals (APMP) to develop PAS 360:2023 - the international standard for bid and proposal management. I also instigated the first ever International Day for Bids and Proposals held annually on 29th September to recognise and celebrate the bidding profession worldwide.

I'm committed to professionalising the art of bidding and making it a valued career of choice. I voluntarily served on the board of APMP UK for seven years, including as Chapter CEO in 2018, when we won the International Chapter of the Year award. I'm an approved trainer for APMP and a regular speaker at conferences, live events, and webinars. I’m also the proud recipient of APMP UK’s Industry Innovation award for introducing Pre-Mortems as a new bidding technique and I'm honoured to be an APMP Fellow."

What does being an APMP Fellow mean to you?

Belonging to a professional community where professional development and knowledge sharing is a priority is an honor. I'm grateful for APMP's recognition of the contributions I've made to help the association pursue its mission and apply its values.

What's your best memory from attending an APMP event?

Participating in the Bid & Proposal Conference (BPC) Europe in Amsterdam in March of 2020 is extremely memorable. The world was on the front-end of a global pandemic - nobody felt completely safe. Yet, we pressed on. The conference will forever be memorable - everything from the amazing presentations to the care and concern attendees and leadership demonatrated for one another. The months that followed changed the world.

What advice do you have for a proposal professional entering our field?

Jump in. Don't tiptoe into the profession. Learn by doing. Find a mentor. Add value and be trustworthy.

The time was a good investment, and I expect to reap benefits now and in the future!
Kelly Erickson
Kelly Erickson, CF APMP
APMP Certification is an important milestone in the bid and proposal profession. It helped me upgrade my knowledge and be competitive in the industry. You can achieve your dream career with APMP certifications. Thanks to APMP India.
Swapnil Patange
Swapnil Patange, CF APMP
Without APMP, I would not have the tools or knowledge of the industry to have the career I have today and the success I have experienced.
Liz Megli
Liz Megli, CF APMP
Acquiring this micro-certification allows me to expand my aperture regarding the collaboration between capture and proposal management to develop more robust, customer-centric Executive Summaries for future pursuits. It allows me to advance my skill set, evolve my knowledge, and reflect my commitment to continuous learning.
Yuter
Stephen Yuter, ES-M APMP
With this micro-certification and digital badge, I signal to my bid team and stakeholders that I am familiar with this topic. They can use me as their contact and "sparring partner," independent of RFPs.
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Norbert Thiemermann, CPP ES-M APMP
APMP certification is the gold standard for the industry. For me, accreditation is formal recognition of my commitment to the profession, as well as an avenue for improving my performance and bid outcomes by training in APMP principles.
Tuck Ailsa Photo Cropped
Ailsa Tuck, CP APMP
I never want to be complacent in my career, so it has been beneficial to have this group of peers who are going through similar trials and tribulations in the proposal world on a day-to-day basis.
jill zander
Jill Zander, CF APMP
This was my first APMP event, and I was wholly impressed. The energy in the room reignited my passion for this industry, and I can't wait to get back to my team to implement what I have learned.
Brittany Guzman
Brittany Guzman, CF APMP
During my association with APMP, I have been fortunate to have met and gathered wisdom from several industry stalwarts.
KK 2
Karthik Koutharapu, CP APMP
The Executive Summaries Micro-Certification exam was easy to follow and clear in what was required. I found the learning materials to be very informative, and they will be a great tool to use while in the exam and for future executive summary tasks.
SarahChapman
Sarah Chapman, CP ES-M APMP