Choose based on four things: the market you work in, whether you need a formal credential, how you like to learn, and your budget. I sell one of these courses, so weigh my view accordingly. I've linked each provider's own page so you can check for yourself.
Proposal management training compared
Details below come from each provider's public course page as of November 4, 2026. Prices and terms change, so confirm before you buy.
| Course | Listed price | Format | Stated focus or credential |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proposal Management Mastery | $99 once | Self-paced video, three-week program, lifetime access | Coordinating and managing proposals, with A/E/C roots. Certificate of completion |
| Shipley: Managing Strategic Proposals | $999 live online. On-demand version listed without a price | One-day live online course in three segments | Core course toward Shipley Certification |
| OST: Foundations of Proposal Management | $1,195 | Self-paced online | Federal proposal professionals |
| BidCraft Academy: APMP Foundation prep | $225 for APMP members, $395 for nonmembers | Self-paced eLearning, 12 months of access | Prepares you for the APMP Foundation exam |
When to choose Proposal Management Mastery
- You coordinate or manage proposals at an architecture, engineering, construction, or other professional services firm.
- Your problems are practical: slow Go/No Go decisions, late sections, weak subconsultant input, and last-minute editing.
- You want scripts, forms, checklists, and templates to use on your next proposal.
- You want lifetime access, or you're paying with your own money.
When to choose something else
- Your employer requires a credential. Look at APMP certification or Shipley Certification. My course awards a certificate of completion, which is not an industry credential.
- You work mainly on federal proposals. A federally focused course such as OST's may fit better, though my bonus vault does include SF330 materials.
- You learn best with a live instructor. My course is self-paced video.
- You need to learn proposal writing. This course doesn't teach it. See Win Writing.
Questions to ask about any course
- Was it built for proposals like the ones you work on?
- Does it give you tools you can use on your next proposal?
- How long do you keep access?
- Does it lead to a credential, and do you need one?
- What happens if it isn't what you expected?
Think my course fits? You have 60 days to try the whole thing.
See the curriculum
Matt Handal
I've submitted over 1,000 proposals and created Proposal Management Mastery. The American Institute of Architects included my relevancy formula for proposals in The Architect's Handbook of Professional Practice.