An official website of the United States government
Here’s how you know
Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock (
) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.
The Human Capital and Training Solutions (HCaTS) Program consists 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 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).
Helps develop effective metrics to assess progress in carrying out human capital strategies
Each HCaTS vehicle (Unrestricted, SB, and 8(a)) encompasses two pools that are solely defined by the NAICS codes each pool is comprised of. At the time of master contract award and option exercise, all NAICS codes in each pool shared the same small business size standard, which remains in effect for the duration of the HCaTS contracts' period of performance. Task orders should be solicited among and awarded to contract holders in the pool that contains the NAICS code corresponding to the scope of the task order.
HCaTS Pool
NAICS Code
Description
Pool 1
611430
Professional and Management Development Training
611699
All Other Miscellaneous Schools and Instruction
624310
Vocational Rehabilitation Services
Pool 2
541611
Administrative Management & General Management Consulting Services
541612
Human Resources Consulting Services
541613
Marketing Consulting Services
541618
Other Management Consulting Services
611710
Educational Support Services
The scope of both HCaTS pools is identical and is defined by three Key Service Areas (KSAs):
KSA 1 - Customized Training and Development Services
Training program management support
Technical and general skills development
Leadership, management, and supervisory training, development, and support
Knowledge and competency training
Career development, management, and coaching
KSA 2 - Customized Human Capital Strategy Services
Human resources strategy and development
Organizational and position management
Staff acquisition
Talent, performance, compensation, and separation management
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; labor categories may be added at the task order level.
See Attachment J.1, Standardized Labor Categories, below for a list of the individual labor categories, corresponding SOC Numbers, titles, functional descriptions, and definitions of levels for each.
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
N/A
6-Months Extension:
Sep 26, 2026 -
Mar 25, 2027
Nov 10, 2026 -
May 9, 2027
N/A
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 maximum dollar value for all task orders issued under the HCaTS contracts, including all options, if exercised, is $3.45 billion for Pool 1 and $2.3 billion for Pool 2 for each 1) the HCaTS Unrestricted and 2) the HCaTS SB and 8(a) vehicles, for a total program ceiling of $11.5 billion.
The HCaTS SB and HCaTS 8(a) vehicles 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 awarded 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-aside and direct awards can be made 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)
Traveler reimbursement is based on the location of the work activities and not the accommodations, unless lodging is not available at the work activity, then the agency may authorize the rate where lodging is obtained.
Unless otherwise specified, the per diem locality is defined as "all locations within, or entirely surrounded by, the corporate limits of the key city, including independent entities located within those boundaries."
Per diem localities with county definitions shall include"all locations within, or entirely surrounded by, the corporate limits of the key city as well as the boundaries of the listed counties, including independent entities located within the boundaries of the key city and the listed counties (unless otherwise listed separately)."
When a military installation or Government - related facility(whether or not specifically named) is located partially within more than one city or county boundary, the applicable per diem rate for the entire installation or facility is the higher of the rates which apply to the cities and / or counties, even though part(s) of such activities may be located outside the defined per diem locality.
U.S. General Services Administration
