Dennis D. McDonald, Ph.D.

Professional Biography

Summary

I am an independent consultant based in Alexandria, Virginia, with extensive experience in information technology management, business development, research, and professional communication. My career has included senior consulting and management responsibilities, project and program management, business ownership, and research involving scientific and technical information.

My current consulting practice focuses on helping technology-oriented firms evaluate business opportunities, develop proposals, research markets and prospective partners, and communicate their capabilities effectively. I work through defined, contract-based engagements that combine hands-on research and writing with professional judgment developed through decades of management and consulting experience.

I make extensive use of ChatGPT and other AI tools to support research, analysis, and content development. These technologies increase my productivity and extend the scope of work I can undertake, while my experience helps me assess the relevance, accuracy, and practical value of their results.

Location: Alexandria, Virginia, USA
Website: www.ddmcd.com
Email: ddmcd@ddmcd.com
LinkedIn: Professional Profile
Résumé: Download Résumé
Writing Samples: Reports and Writing

Current Consulting Focus

My consulting work emphasizes three complementary activities:

Business Development and Proposal Support. Researching government procurement opportunities, analyzing RFPs and RFIs, assessing proposal requirements, identifying potential teaming partners, reviewing competitive positioning, and developing proposal narratives, management approaches, and capability statements.

Research, Analysis, and Communication. Conducting market and technical research; evaluating alternatives; organizing and interpreting information; and preparing reports, case studies, white papers, presentations, website content, and other business and technical communications.

Independent Assessment and Advice. Helping company leadership examine opportunities, question assumptions, recognize risks, and assess potential courses of action. My role is advisory and analytical; corporate strategy, resource commitments, and operational decisions remain the responsibility of client management.

Recent consulting assignments have supported technology contractors pursuing public-sector opportunities involving software development and modernization, permitting and licensing, data management, cybersecurity governance and compliance, financial controls, and related professional services.

I use AI-assisted research and writing tools throughout this work, combining their productivity advantages with source verification, editorial review, and professional judgment.

Professional Experience

Independent Consulting — McFunk Corporation, Alexandria, Virginia

August 2005–Present

Through McFunk Corporation, I have provided independent consulting services to commercial firms, government contractors, public agencies, nonprofits, and professional organizations. Assignments have ranged from short-term research and writing projects to extended support for business development, technology planning, project management, and organizational communication.

Business Development, Proposal Support, and Marketing

  • Research and analysis of RFPs, RFIs, procurement opportunities, competitors, markets, and prospective business partners.

  • Proposal development and support for government contractors providing software development, cybersecurity, program and project management, data governance, and technology consulting services.

  • Development and revision of capability statements, project descriptions, case studies, website content, and marketing collateral.

  • Requirements analysis, proposal planning, technical narratives, management approaches, and supporting documentation.

  • Business prospecting and email-based communications using Outlook, Microsoft Dynamics 365, ClickDimensions, Mailchimp, and related technologies.

  • Editorial and writing support for international development proposals.

Technology Management, Planning, and Assessment

  • Data governance strategy and roadmap development for a community college.

  • Assessment of data governance processes and systems associated with CMS Affordable Care Act system testing.

  • Project management office support for pharmaceutical insurance data center consolidation.

  • Development of web-based municipal open data portals.

  • Research and development program collaboration planning for a large federal agency.

  • Collaboration strategy and performance metrics for SharePoint adoption.

  • Enterprise collaboration software strategy development and assessment tools.

  • Project and program management support using SharePoint and Microsoft 365.

  • Management planning for disaster response information.

Research, Communication, and Content Development

  • Communication plans, performance measures, and social media support for the GI Bill.

  • Social media initiatives supporting engineering and STEM career promotion.

  • Communication planning and content development for professional and trade associations.

  • Market research, technology assessments, website development, and technical writing for commercial and nonprofit organizations.

Vice President and Co-Owner — Technology Consulting Associates, Atlanta, Georgia

July 1999–July 2005

Co-owned and managed a boutique technology consulting firm, with responsibility for business development, financial performance, consulting operations, and client relationships.

  • Managed systems integration, database consolidation, information technology strategy, and IT cost analysis projects.

  • Established and operated a program management office for an 18-month, 300-person, $30 million-plus customer information systems and database consolidation initiative for a New York-based energy utility.

  • Supported enterprise-wide IT service cost analysis, application portfolio assessment, retirement planning, and technology consolidation for a Midwestern energy conglomerate.

This experience included direct responsibility for consulting firm operations, project delivery, financial performance, staffing, and customer commitments.

Senior Principal — Technology Solutions Company (TSC), Chicago, Illinois

1997–1999

Provided consulting services involving knowledge management, information technology strategy, customer service, and enterprise systems planning.

  • Managed business development involving Lotus Notes-based IT strategy solutions.

  • Conducted customer relationship management system assessment and planning for an insurance firm serving Chinese and international markets.

  • Supported enterprise IT cost analysis and technology strategy development for insurance organizations.

  • Developed metrics-based approaches to project portfolio selection.

Earlier Research and Consulting Assignments

My earlier professional work included research on scientific and technical information systems, information access, technology adoption, and the management and use of information resources.

Selected assignments included:

  • Cost-benefit analysis of intellectual property registration systems in the United States, France, England, and Sweden for the U.S. Copyright Office.

  • Research on upgrading scientific and technical book and journal collections in Egyptian research and academic libraries for the National Science Foundation.

  • Research on international exchange of bibliographic information in machine-readable form for the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA).

  • Cost and usage study of the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) for the U.S. Department of Education.

  • Research on the adoption of a collaboratively developed hepatitis research database for the National Library of Medicine.

This research background continues to inform my approach to information gathering, evidence evaluation, analysis, and professional communication.

Professional Capabilities and Areas of Experience

Business Development and Proposal Support

Market research, business prospecting, government procurement analysis, proposal development and review, requirements assessment, technical sales support, competitive analysis, teaming research, work planning, staffing approaches, and case study development.

Technology and Project Management

Technology strategy and business alignment, project and program management, requirements analysis, project costing, implementation planning, data governance, process assessment and documentation, portfolio analysis, systems consolidation, collaboration technologies, and project management office development.

Research and Communication

Scientific and technical information research, information access, data literacy, knowledge sharing, technical and management writing, white papers, presentations, marketing materials, website development, blogging, and social media.

Areas of Continuing Interest

Artificial intelligence and its practical application, technology and media adoption, data governance, open data and information access, organizational communication, planning and assessment, collaboration, and the relationship between technology and management decision-making.

I have also participated in professional activities involving cybersecurity assessment and compliance, including training and prior registration as a CMMC Registered Practitioner.

Industries and Organizations

My experience includes assignments for organizations in a wide range of industries and institutional settings.

  • Government: Federal agencies including the Department of Veterans Affairs, Environmental Protection Agency, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and National Institutes of Health; state and local governments.

  • Nonprofit and Institutional: Community colleges, trade and professional associations, international development organizations including the World Bank, and scientific and engineering organizations including the National Academy of Engineering.

  • Commercial: Automotive and trucking industries, including Ford and PACCAR; insurance, including AIG; appliance manufacturing, including GE and Whirlpool; computer hardware and software; publishing; medical technology; and energy utilities.

My professional work has taken me throughout the United States and to England, France, Hong Kong, Germany, Sweden, Egypt, and Switzerland.

Education

University of Maryland

  • Master of Library Science (MLS) and Ph.D. in Library and Information Science.

  • Doctoral dissertation: Mathematical Modeling of Journal Selection Decisions by Cancer Researchers and Astrophysicists.

The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio

  • Bachelor of Arts in Psychology.

  • My graduate research focused on scientific and technical communication, information use, and the processes through which researchers identify and select information resources.

Selected Tools and Technologies

I use a variety of research, communication, project management, and content development tools, including:

  • AI and Research: ChatGPT, AI-assisted research and analysis tools, GovTribe, HigherGov, and government procurement databases.

  • Business Communication and Collaboration: Microsoft 365, Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, Microsoft Dynamics 365, Google Workspace, and Zoom.

  • Content Development and Marketing: Squarespace, Mailchimp, ClickDimensions, EmailOctopus, and related publishing and communication systems.

  • Project Management and Data: Microsoft Project, Access, Tableau, and other project planning, analytical, and visualization tools.

My earlier work also involved Artemis, Basecamp, Jive, Socrata, Visible Thread, and other enterprise and specialized software platforms.

Professional Memberships and Activities

  • American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).

  • Participant, NIST Generative AI Public Working Group (2023).

  • Former CMMC Registered Practitioner.

Community and Volunteer Activities

  • SaferCountry.org: Volunteer event photography.

  • City of Alexandria, Virginia: Member, Public Records Advisory Commission (2023–2025).

  • Alexandria Film Festival (2016–2023): Festival promotion, email and newsletter management, grant applications, film curation and reviewing, and event photography.

  • Alexandria Country Day School: Board member and secretary for six years.

Beyond consulting, I maintain an active interest in writing, technology, movies, books, scientific communication, photography, and the ways information technologies affect individuals and organizations.