The recommendation is to Bootload the device (press store + learn while powering on the device)

Strictly speaking this recommendation (from whom?) is incorrect. If a B-Control's display says "noOS", the device is already in bootloader mode, so you don't have to press STORE + LEARN to enter bootloader mode.

From BC MIDI Implementation.pdf, section 22.1:

Note that the BC enters bootloader mode automatically (i.e. without the user pressing any keys during power-on) if the BC's current firmware is somehow invalid (e.g. because the previous firmware upgrade procedure was interrupted). The display then shows "noOS", which stands for "no Operating System". You can only remedy this situation by sending valid firmware to the BC's standard MIDI input.

And from the BC Manager manual, section 10:

Bootloader:
The B-Control has been started up in bootloader mode. BC Manager's functionality is limited.
The B-Control enters bootloader mode on startup if there is a problem with its firmware or if you are holding the STORE and LEARN buttons when you press the POWER button. In the former case the B-Control's display shows "noOS", in the latter "LOAd". Note that in bootloader mode the B-Control cannot communicate via USB-based MIDI connections, only via standard MIDI connections (and only via Output A at that).

Then to BC Manager's "Send firmware" operation:
First of all: have you read the instructions under MIDI -> Maintenance -> "Send firmware" in section 10 of the BC Manager manual?

BC Manager Global Setups: Mode: S4, RX: Off (tried 1), Foot Switch: Auto, Startup preset: Last (tried saving and using 1), Device(ignored) 1, etc.

The values in BC Manager's "Global setups" window are irrelevant to the "Send firmware" operation. These values only come into play during "normal" operation, i.e. when the BCF is running a fully functional operating system.

The personality on the BC Mgr is offline no matter which way I try and configure/detect the device.

You cannot perform BC Manager's "Send firmware" operation when the Personality column says "Offline". You should make it say "Bootloader":

1. Connect your BCF to your MIDI-to-USB device bidirectionally, via standard MIDI cables connected to the BCF's MIDI IN and MIDI OUT A sockets.
2. Power on your BCF. (Of course its display will show "noOS".)
3. Start BC Manager.
4. In BC Manager's "MIDI devices" dialog box (accessible from the Options pull-down menu of the main window), enable both the pertinent Input device and the pertinent Output device of your MIDI-to-USB device. (See section 6 of the BC Manager manual for further discussion.)
5. In BC Manager's "MIDI options" dialog box (accessible from the MIDI pull-down menu of the B-Controls window), select the pertinent "MIDI input port" and "MIDI output port". (Again, see section 6 of the manual for further discussion.) Note that the value for "Device" in this dialog box is irrelevant to the firmware upload procedure.
6. In the B-Controls window the "BCF2000" entry should now specify the correct MIDI input and output ports, Personality should be "Bootloader", and Firmware should be "BCF2000 BOOTLOADER 1.0".

Then you can perform the "Send firmware" operation from the MIDI -> Maintenance menu.

Hope this helps,
   Mark.