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BobbieOBrien

Bobbie O'Brien, CF APMP Fellow (Class of 2010)

Proposal Management Consultant
RFP Mgmt / Proposal Solutions







Bio

Here are just two of many highlights during the past 30 years in the federal procurement world. First would be working with an amazing team that persevered through multiple submissions of thousands and thousands of pages (and three-inch 3-ring binders) and successfully winning an A-76 bid – even after a protest by the Navy; inherently governmental vs. outsourcing; fascinating experience.

Second would be participating with different teams and in different capacities on a major IDIQ multiple award contract that has spanned three iterations over the past 12 years and represents critical advanced cyber technologies: unimaginable advances and capabilities.

Prior to then, during my years in California, a long time ago, working with a firm that had a beautiful view of the San Francisco Bay in Sausalito, I worked with a company involved in a tax court lawsuit that upheld the characteristics of limited partnerships vs being taxed as corporations. This favorable determination has had ongoing impacts on all limited partnership investments since. Very interesting having a representative of the IRS sitting in your office for an extended period of time; great stories. (Phillip G. Larson v. Commissioner of IRS)

With what little free time I have, I am very involved locally with a number of community service organizations and non-profits. As a community advocate, I participate and collaborate with our city boards and council. Assisted in helping to codify a new zoning district to protect critically important lands impacting the original Erie Canal and an adjoining Revolutionary War battlefield.

What does being an APMP Fellow mean to you?

An honor to be recognized as someone who has contributed to the growth and professionalism of our industry.

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

The "ah ha" moment of realizing how many others share our experiences. Also, meeting the challenge posed to me to wear a tutu for my Ignite presentation -- I added a t-shirt and boa to complement the outfit!

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

Do not hesitate to reach out with any questions, ideas, etc. That's what APMP is all about. It helps our industry continue to grow and evolve. We all benefit from new ideas and perspectives.

 

This topic, Executive Summaries, is way underrated. The Executive Summary is the most eye-catching document, which almost everyone on the customer side reads. Yet, in most bid teams, we don’t dedicate the attention it deserves. I want to learn about something I can immediately put into practice at my workplace, which provides a “quick win” to the team and is a long-term benefit for the company.
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Dénes Máthé, CF ES-M APMP
Receiving Practitioner-level certification boosted my confidence and validated my experiences and professional growth in the bid and proposal industry. The badge is something that I see each day, and it motivates and encourages me to keep networking, learning, and elevating others in our combined professional development goals.
Kim Ruff
Kim Ruff, CP APMP
During my association with APMP, I have been fortunate to have met and gathered wisdom from several industry stalwarts.
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Karthik Koutharapu, CP APMP
Achieving certification sends a message to the world that I’m dedicated and accomplished as a proposal manager. I feel proud of earning this title and I encourage others to join our ranks.
Jessica Davis
Jessica Davis, CF APMP
Acquiring the executive summary micro certification has helped to build my confidence in producing best practice Executive Summaries. I also benefit from the social media badge for my LinkedIn profile and certification to add to my resume. Both of these allow me to verify my Executive Summary capabilities.
LauraRispin
Laura Rispin, CP ES-M 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
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
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
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
My experience, combined with the APMP Body of Knowledge, helped me obtain both the APMP Foundation exam and the Practitioners exam within a week.
Sonal
Sonal Bhatnagar, CP APMP, PMP