Department of Labor
Abbreviation: DOL
Secretary of Labor (as of 2026): Lori Chavez-DeRemer
2026 Budget: $14B
CGAC Code: 1600
Website: dol.gov
The Department of Labor fosters, promotes, and develops the welfare of wage earners, job seekers, and retirees. It administers and enforces more than 180 federal laws covering wages, hours, workplace safety, unemployment insurance, pensions, and civil rights protections at work.
DOL produces the nation's premier labor economic statistics through the Bureau of Labor Statistics and runs public workforce programs under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.
Sub-Departments
Bureaus, services, and major components within DOL.
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Principal federal agency for labor economics statistics including CPI, the employment report, productivity, and compensation.
Employee Benefits Security Administration
Administers and enforces Title I of ERISA covering private-sector retirement and health benefit plans.
Employment and Training Administration
Funds job training, employment services, and unemployment insurance through state workforce systems.
Bureau of International Labor Affairs
Leads DOL engagement on international labor standards, child labor, and trade-related labor provisions.
Mine Safety and Health Administration
Enforces compliance with safety and health standards at the nation's coal, metal, and nonmetal mines.
Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs
Enforces equal employment opportunity and affirmative action requirements on federal contractors.
Office of Labor-Management Standards
Administers the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act, promoting union democracy and transparency.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Ensures safe and healthful working conditions by setting and enforcing standards under the OSH Act.
Office of Workers' Compensation Programs
Administers four federal workers' compensation programs including the FECA and Longshore programs.
Veterans' Employment and Training Service
Prepares America's veterans, service members, and their spouses for meaningful careers and enforces USERRA.
Women's Bureau
Develops policies and standards and conducts research to promote the welfare of wage-earning women.
Wage and Hour Division
Enforces the Fair Labor Standards Act, FMLA, migrant and seasonal worker protections, and related laws.
How to Win DOL Contracts
Winning work at the Department of Labormeans understanding a procurement culture that blends rigorous compliance, deep mission focus, and a preference for vendors who can speak the agency's language from day one. This guide walks through how DOL buys, the vehicles it uses, and the steps your company should take to go from registered vendor to awarded contractor.
Understanding DOL Procurement
The Department of Labor obligates roughly $2-2.5B in contracts annually across the Employment and Training Administration (ETA), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), Wage and Hour Division, BLS, OFCCP, EBSA, OWCP, and Job Corps.
Job Corps center operators represent a major share of DOL contract dollars. Outside Job Corps, DOL is a moderate buyer of IT modernization, data analytics (BLS), and technical assistance services supporting state workforce agencies.
How DOL Buys
Job Corps operates through center-by-center IDIQs managed by the ETA Office of Job Corps. IT and professional services run through GSA MAS, OASIS+, and agency BPAs.
DOL publishes an annual acquisition forecast and hosts industry days around Job Corps recompetes, BLS data modernization, and OSHA/MSHA technology buys.
Major Contract Vehicles
- Job Corps Center Operating Contracts— Multi-year operating contracts for approximately 120 Job Corps centers nationwide.
- DOL IT Support IDIQs— Agency-specific IDIQs for IT services, applications, and cybersecurity.
- GSA MAS— Primary vehicle for commercial IT, research, and administrative services.
- OASIS+— Professional services across DOL program offices.
- NITAAC CIO-SP4— Used for larger DOL IT modernization efforts.
Step 1: Get Registered and Compliant
Required Registrations
DOL-Specific Requirements
Certification Programs
Step 2: Identify Opportunities
Primary Sources
Key Offices
Top Contract Types
Step 3: Position Your Company
Build Relationships
Relevant NAICS Codes
- 624310–Vocational Rehabilitation Services
- 611519–Other Technical and Trade Schools
- 541512–Computer Systems Design
- 541720–Research in Social Sciences
- 541611–Management Consulting
- 611710–Educational Support Services
Step 4: Develop Winning Proposals
Technical Approach
Past Performance
Pricing Strategy
Winning Strategies
- For Job Corps aspirants: start as a subcontractor on an existing center, then pursue recompete primes.
- For IT vendors: focus on ETA systems modernization, BLS data platforms, and OSHA inspection technology.
- Track DOL’s annual forecast and map capabilities to BLS, OFCCP, and EBSA IT spend.
- Invest in workforce-domain subject-matter experts; DOL evaluators strongly discount generic management-consulting narratives.
- Use OASIS+ and CIO-SP4 as primary vehicles for proposal strategy.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Bidding Job Corps without youth-workforce experience. DOL evaluators heavily downgrade unsuited primes.
- Treating BLS work like generic federal IT. BLS is a statistical agency with very specific methodological expectations.
- Missing Service Contract Act wage determinations in pricing. SCA non-compliance is a fast path to contract adjustments.
Small Business Programs
DOL consistently exceeds small-business prime goals. Job Corps subcontracting creates large small-business volume. 8(a) and WOSB are active. HUBZone utilization is strong thanks to Job Corps centers in rural areas.
Key Contracting Offices
- OASAM Office of Procurement Services — Washington, DC
- ETA Office of Job Corps — Washington, DC
- OSHA Contracts Office — Washington, DC
- BLS Division of Procurement — Washington, DC
DOL by the Numbers
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