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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.

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
I would advise new professionals to take advantage of the resources that APMP offers. Not only do you have access to conferences and seminars through your chapter, but the free webinars and the robust network of professionals are great benefits that can help advance one’s career.
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Valerie Kessie, CP 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
I love that my high scores in English and grammar from grade school finally paid off! I understand where I fit in professionally with a career that is rewarding on many levels. I owe all of this to APMP!
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Bette Sturino, CP APMP
APMP has provided an incredible platform for seasoned individuals from the Proposal and Bid Management profession and young professionals who want to start their careers in this field.
Mayura
Mayura Ravishankar, Proposal Associate
APMP's techniques on proposal writing are meticulously engineered with real-life examples, and the extensive information available in their Body of Knowledge is a goldmine for bid & proposal professionals.
AnantShukla
Anant Shukla, CF APMP
Certification has enhanced my worth as a bid professional. It has validated the skills and experience I have and is proof of my bid management qualities and capabilities. It has given me a springboard to develop my career and aim for Professional certification.
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Aynsley Davidson, CP APMP
Being a part of APMP, I get access to the knowledge and experience of great leaders and mentors from the community. I have learned a great deal from the webinars and conferences I attended on diverse topics from career progression in Proposal Management, trends (such as automation) in PreSales to achieving work-life balance, and handling burn-outs – all real-life experiences.
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Shubhada Kulkarni, CP APMP
APMP has been instrumental in my success and has given me a framework in which to coach and mentor the bid and proposal stars of the future.
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Ceri Mescall, CPP APMP
The Executive Summary is the key element of each proposal, literally the most important part of the response next to the price – this is why my focus was on this micro certification. Understanding the principles of Deal-Strategy, Win-Strategy, Competitor-Analysis, Ghosting, Persuasive Writing, Features/Benefits/Discriminators, and many more is essential and beneficial for so much more than just the Executive Summary.
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Florian Lamisch, CF ES-M APMP