APMP-Foundation Level Certification is the entry level for the APMP Certification Program. All candidates must begin at this level.
Why should I pursue Foundation Certification?
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- To demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of best practices for proposal and bid management
- To demonstrate your commitment to your own professional development in the industry
- To prepare yourself for additional responsibility and more complex assignments
- To advance to the sweet spot of APMP’s Certification Program ‒ Practitioner
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What are the requirements for Foundation Certification?
Candidates for Foundation should have at least 1 year of experience in a bid and proposals environment; this experience does not have to be continuous. Time spent working or supporting sales and marketing also counts.
Your one-year minimum experience working in a bid and proposals related environment may be verified with a reference you choose. This is done on a sample basis. Your reference may not be checked.
Pass a 1-hour open-book multiple-choice exam that demonstrates knowledge and understanding of best practices.
Candidates do not have to be a member of APMP to take the exam, but the cost for non-member candidates is more than the cost of membership.
APMP Foundation Level Exam
The Foundation exam tests your knowledge of proposal and bid management best practices in 22 entry and early career competencies. The exam is a 75 questions, multiple choice, pass-fail, and open-book exam. The exam lasts one hour (60 minutes). If you fail you may have to wait six months to register for and retake the exam. Appeals are handled on an individual case basis (see What Happens if I Fail ).
APMP has updated the APMP Foundation Certification program. The goals of this update were twofold:
Examine certification competencies and update them to reflect new trends. Three new competencies were added: Persuasive Writing, Graphics and Action Captions, and Virtual Team Management.
Create a more universal language that reflects the diversity of our profession. The new APMP Glossary defines key terms as well as industry- or region-specific variants. This new, standard terminology makes APMP more accessible to proposal professionals worldwide.
Members who have been previously certified are not affected. Qualification under either exam as the same standing.
This APMP Foundation Study Guide (APMP BOK Edition) replaces the earlier APMP Study Guide based on the Shipley Proposal Guide, 3rd Edition.
APMP Foundation Level Exam Options
You may take the exam by choosing one of these options:
Option 1: Online—You may study on your own and then take the exams online via the APM Group website. The APM Group is the organisation that administers the Certification exam and assessment processes for APMP. The registration website will give you the choice of choosing the new exam or the earlier exam.
Option 2: Face-to-Face—APMP’s Approved Training Organizations (ATOs) offer face-to-face Foundation Level training and exam sessions periodically throughout the world. Go to the APMP Community Calendar for a list of upcoming public sessions. Contact Information for ATO’s offering Face-to-Face training and testing is listed below.
View a list of APMP’s Approved Training Organisations
APMP Foundation Level Study Options
You may study for the APMP’s Foundation Level exam by following as many of these recommended study aids that you are comfortable with.
Book Study: Purchase APMP’s Foundation Study Guide which is the primary Certification study guide for Foundation Level Certification. The guide provides the answers to all the questions tested on the Foundation exam. The APMP Foundation Study Guide is available through the APMP Store.
Online: Participate in any of the following self-paced e-learning (available 24/7) or periodic webinars offered by APMP ATOs. View a list of APMP’s Approved Training Organisations
Study APMP’s Glossary of Terms which provides a glossary of terms used in Foundation level exam. It is available through the APMP Store. The new APMP Glossary provides a significant head start in preparing to take the new APMP Foundation Exam.
Take a Practice Exam: This sample exam shows you the format and context of the questions. The sample questions are based on new Foundation Exam.
Register for Foundation Certification
Click here to register and pay for the APMP-Foundation™ Level Examination.
If you have any other questions about the Foundation exam contact membership@apmp.org.
The BidWrite Foundation Level training programme helps candidates prepare for and then take the Foundation level examination – all in one day. It covers all the content as approved by the APMP. The programme is aimed at those who have worked in a bids or proposals environment for at least a year (this is an entry requirement for the exam) as well as experienced bid managers who wish to progress to the Practitioner and Professional levels. BidWrite is the only company authorised to run Foundation Level Training in Australia for the APMP through UK partner, Strategic Proposals.