Human Capital and Training Solutions (HCaTS)

The Human Capital and Training Solutions (HCaTS) Program is the result of a partnership between the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the General Services Administration (GSA). HCaTS is comprised of three indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) governmentwide contract vehicles: HCaTS Unrestricted (HCaTS U), HCaTS Small Business (HCaTS SB), and HCaTS 8(a). These vehicles provide reliable, flexible, fast and efficient ways to obtain best-value, customized solutions for human capital management and training requirements.

HCaTS Graphic

HCaTS contracts provide solutions to all federal agencies through the effort of bona-fide executive, administrative, and professional employees as defined in Part 541 of Title 29, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR).

Program Features

  • Comprehensive, customized solution for human capital and training services
  • Best in Class! with Highly Technically Rated, Fair and Reasonable Pricing pools of contractors
  • Allows maximum flexibility for customers
  • Allows all contract types (including hybrid)
  • Allows commercial and/or non-commercial services for both CONUS and OCONUS
  • Allows ancillary services & other direct costs at the task order level
  • Maximizes small business utilization goals
  • Undertakes effective change management initiatives
  • Helps develop effective metrics to assess progress in carrying out human capital strategies

HCaTS Pools and NAICS Codes

Each HCaTS vehicle is composed of two pools that are solely defined by the NAICS codes each pool is comprised of. The NAICS codes under each pool share a common small business (SB) size standard. Task orders are issued to contractors holding awards in a pool with a NAICS code corresponding to the scope of the task order.

Pool 1 (Size Standard: $12M) Pool 2 (Size Standard: $16.5M)
HCaTS Pools and NAICS Codes
611430 Professional and Management Development Training 541611 Administrative Management & General Management Consulting Services
611699 All Other Miscellaneous Schools and Instruction 541612 Human Resources Consulting Services
624310 Vocational Rehabilitation Services 541613 Marketing Consulting Services
541618 Other Management Consulting Services
611710 Educational Support Services

The scope of the HCaTS pools are identical and defined by three Key Service Areas (KSAs):

  1. Customized Training and Development Services
  2. Customized Human Capital Strategy Services
  3. Customized Organizational Performance Improvement

HCaTS includes 84 standardized labor categories that correspond to Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) System for which the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) maintains compensation data. The use of these labor categories is optional and SOC occupations can be added at the task order level. See the HCaTS Contracts section below for a list of the labor categories.

The ordering period for HCaTS Unrestricted and HCaTS SB is a total of 10.5 years. The ordering period for HCaTS 8(a) is a total of five years. Task orders can be awarded under HCaTS any time prior to the expiration of the ordering period of the master contract; however, task order option periods may be exercised up to five years and six months after the ordering period expires.

Contract Period HCaTS Unrestricted HCaTS SB HCaTS 8(a)
Contract Base Period:

Sep 26, 2016 -

Sep 25, 2021

Nov 10, 2016 -

Nov 9, 2021

Dec 22, 2020-

Dec 21, 2025
5-Year Option Period:

Sep 26, 2021 -

Sep 25, 2026

Nov 10, 2021 -

Nov 9, 2026
6-Months Extension:

Sep 26, 2026 -

Mar 25, 2027

Nov 10, 2026 -

May 9, 2027

Contract Types

HCaTS allows maximum flexibility for contract types at the task order level, including:

  • Fixed-Price-all types,
  • Cost-reimbursement-all types,
  • Time-and-materials,
  • Labor-Hour, and
  • Hybrids of any contract types.

Contract Ceiling

The ceiling for Pool 1 is $3.45 Billion and for Pool 2 is $2.3 Billion.

HCaTS SB and HCaTS 8(a) are 100 percent small business set-aside. HCaTS Unrestricted has several small business contract holders as well. Competitive set-asides for the following socio-economic categories can be done under HCaTS SB with credit toward your small business goals:

  • HUBZone Small Business;
  • Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business;
  • Veteran-Owned Small Business;
  • Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Business; and
  • Women-Owned Small Business.

*8(a) competitive set-asides and direct awards can be done under HCaTS 8(a) with credit toward your 8(a) small business goals.

The CAF rate for HCaTS Unrestricted, HCaTS SB, and HCaTS 8(a) is only 0.75 percent applied to the total task order amount. Exceptions to this fee or agency-specific fee agreements will be listed here, if any.

HCaTS has been designated as a Best-in-Class (BIC) solution for Human Capital and Training Solutions since October 2016. BIC contracts are recognized as being “good-for-government” purchasing solutions and, per OMB Memo M-17-22 [PDF], agencies should consider leveraging providers on best-in-class contracts as part of the category management effort. Additionally, per OMB Memo M-19-13 [PDF] and the President’s Management Agenda, agencies are directed to leverage existing contracts for common goods and services. Generally speaking, using BIC solutions saves time and money. Government buyers can confidently use and recommend BIC solutions knowing that they have undergone thorough vetting processes. HCaTS satisfies the following key criteria to be considered a BIC solution:

  • Rigorous requirements definitions and planning processes
  • Appropriate pricing strategies
  • Data-driven strategies to change buying and consumption behavior (i.e., demand management)
  • Category and performance management strategies
  • Independently validated reviews

Download this HCaTS' BIC profile [PDF - 1 MB] to learn more

Last Reviewed: 2021-03-09