Dell Technologies Appliquer les Meilleures Pratiques d'Appel d'Offres et de Propositions avec APMP

Dell recognised the importance of supporting its teams through the APMP certification journey. They needed to create a sustainable, accessible learning experience that empowered staff to succeed. 

APMP certification is the global benchmark in bid and proposal management, designed to equip professionals with the knowledge and best practices needed to produce compelling, competitive proposals. The tiered certification structure supports professionals at various stages in their careers: 

• APMP Foundation – Covers fundamental proposal management principles.
• APMP Practitioner – Develops deeper expertise for experienced professionals.
• APMP Professional – Recognises advanced strategic leadership in bid management. 

In addition, there are Specialisms, including Graphics, Competitive Price to Win, Bid and Proposal Writing, and Executive Summaries. These targeted certifications reflect the broad range of skills, roles, and responsibilities within bid and proposal teams—ensuring learning is relevant, confidence grows, and collaboration thrives through shared understanding and improved processes. 

However, delivering this kind of learning globally was no small feat. Christophe’s team in France chose to begin locally, building a scalable foundation before rolling out broader initiatives. 

They recognised that the sheer scale of the Body of Knowledge (BoK) was a major hurdle, so they set out to change perceptions around workload. 

“We created a group for studying the Foundation program together,” Christophe tells us. “We set up bi-weekly calls, which helped the group focus on the program despite business constraints.” 

These scheduled calls struck the perfect balance—frequent enough to maintain momentum, but not overwhelming. They created a rhythm that fit naturally within the team’s busy routines and kept the group engaged and accountable. 

To further ease the workload, Christophe’s team took a collaborative approach.

“Participants were asked to prepare one chapter of the Body of Knowledge for the call and present it to others,” he shares. “We were sharing the workload, which created this mutual commitment—this idea of ‘you do this for me, and I do this for you’.” 

By focusing individually on just a few chapters rather than the entire BoK, participants found the learning far more manageable. The peer-to-peer teaching model not only enhanced knowledge retention but also boosted team camaraderie. 

“Having peer-to-peer study groups meant our team members weren’t in a silo alone studying,” Maria explains. “They have friends on other teams they can rely on and ask questions to. They learn together. I would recommend those study groups to other companies, to make sure their people have support while they’re studying.” 

This approach quickly spread beyond France, gaining traction across other regions at Dell—delivering consistently strong results. 

But even the most well-thought-out plans can stall without champions to keep the momentum going. Dell had planned for this. 

“APMP is embedded in our culture, and a big part of that is having someone who is a big believer in APMP promote it within the company,” Maria says. “Our APMP Champions have done a really great job of getting folks excited about APMP. It makes a dramatic difference to have leaders who are really focused on team members’ development, making sure they feel fulfilled and knowledgeable about the next steps in their career progression.” 

Among those APMP Champions is Norbert Thiemermann, CPP APMP, a former APMP DACH Chapter board member. 

“It’s been a hobby of mine to bring APMP and its advantages to the team at Dell,” Norbert says. 

Champions like Norbert are typically seasoned professionals with deep APMP expertise, committed to mentoring colleagues and guiding their development. 

“Experienced Bid Managers at Dell serve as mentors and coaches for colleagues preparing for APMP certifications,” Norbert adds. “They also assist with the challenges in day-to-day bidding activities, which promotes the exchange of knowledge and strengthens team spirit.” 

By championing continuous learning and development, Dell ensures APMP best practices are embedded in its culture and operations.