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Spotlight on Sharon Evans

Sharon Evans
Austell, Georgia

 

APMP Question.
How long have you been a proposal manager/specialist/writer?

Sharon:  I have been a proposal writer since January 2006. This was my first position as a proposal writer.

APMP Question.
How did you become involved
 with proposals?

Sharon:  In the late 1990s, I was an Office Assistant during a contract renewal between two Atlanta corporations. I did not write then but was involved in the proposal production, which was an experience that was very helpful later on.

 

I was hired by my most recent employer in 2005 as a Technical Writer. Shortly afterward I was transferred to the Business Development department as a Proposal Writer.

APMP Question.
Do you work in a “corporate office” or “home office” environment? 

What do you like best about working in your current environment? 



 





 

 

 

What do you like least?

Sharon:  My proposal work experience has been in a corporate office setting.

 

 

I liked being able to use my writing and organizational skills in a new industry. I had worked in technical environments before but not marketing. Also I liked interacting with people from other departments and learning about their skills, responsibilities and how they contribute to the process.

 

I designed the marketing collateral that was distributed at customer meetings and trade shows. This was an opportunity to use my creativity and learn new software applications.

 

There was little opportunity to learn about the full proposal management process. I would like to have participated in project planning and cost meetings.

APMP Question.
What do you feel is the most challenging aspect of your job?

Sharon:  The RFPs the company responded to had very complex requirements with short turnaround times. It was necessary to carefully review the requirements and be very organized

APMP Question.
When did you join APMP?

Sharon:  I joined APMP in 2009 to learn more about the proposal process and opportunities to develop new skills.

APMP Question.
What is your method for successfully working with your proposal teams?

Sharon:  I was assigned specific tasks to complete as part of the proposal process. However, I was always aware of other activities going on throughout the process because they might relate to my writing content, i.e., equipment acquisitions, subcontractor decisions, staffing numbers, etc. that were in various stages of completion.

APMP Question.
Which type of proposals do you do most? Commercial or government?

Sharon:  The proposals were for state government automated processing products and services for items such as fee payments, document scanning, and call center management.