Blacksmith AI
Sign InGet Started→
← Back to Federal Agencies
Office of Personnel Management seal

Office of Personnel Management

Abbreviation: OPM

Director (as of 2026): Scott Kupor

2026 Budget: $420M

SAM.govCGAC Code: 2400

Website: opm.gov

The Office of Personnel Management is the human resources agency for the federal government. OPM manages the civil service, administers retirement and health benefits for federal employees and retirees, and oversees merit-system policies.

OPM also runs USAJOBS, the federal government's official job site, and administers the Federal Employees Health Benefits and Retirement programs.

How to Win OPM Contracts

Winning work at the Office of Personnel Managementmeans 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 OPM buys, the vehicles it uses, and the steps your company should take to go from registered vendor to awarded contractor.

Understanding OPM Procurement

The Office of Personnel Management obligates roughly $1.5-2B in contracts annually supporting federal HR services, retirement and insurance operations, USAJOBS, and background investigations (formerly NBIB, now DCSA at DoW).

OPM procurement covers retirement-services modernization, federal employee health benefits administration, HR analytics, and USAJOBS platform operations.

How OPM Buys

OPM uses GSA MAS, OASIS+, NITAAC CIO-SP4, and HR Management IDIQs. The Office of Procurement Operations runs procurement centrally.

Retirement Services modernization is a long-running program generating sustained IT and operations contract flow.

Major Contract Vehicles

  • OPM HR Line of Business (HR LOB)— Shared-services IDIQs for federal HR IT and outsourcing.
  • Retirement Services Modernization Contracts— Multi-year IT and operations support for federal retirement operations.
  • USAJOBS Platform Contracts— Platform operations, user experience, and applicant tracking.
  • OASIS+ and CIO-SP4— Professional services and IT modernization.

Step 1: Get Registered and Compliant

Required Registrations

SAM.gov registration with UEI and CAGE code, full FAR representations and certifications.

OPM-Specific Requirements

HR domain expertise. FedRAMP Moderate or High for cloud services. FISMA-Moderate ATOs for retirement and benefits systems.

Certification Programs

8(a), HUBZone, WOSB, SDVOSB. ISO 27001 and SOC 2 Type II for data-handling work.

Step 2: Identify Opportunities

Primary Sources

SAM.gov filtered by OPM. The agency publishes an annual forecast.

Key Offices

OPM Office of Procurement Operations — Washington, DC.

Top Contract Types

FFP for commodity. T&M/LH for IT and HR services. IDIQs for multi-year programs.

Step 3: Position Your Company

Build Relationships

Attend OPM industry days, SHRM, IPMA-HR, and FEHA events.

Relevant NAICS Codes

  • 541512–Computer Systems Design
  • 541611–Management Consulting
  • 541990–Professional Services NEC
  • 541214–Payroll Services

Step 4: Develop Winning Proposals

Technical Approach

Demonstrate federal HR, benefits, or retirement-services domain expertise.

Past Performance

Prior OPM, SSA, DFAS, or large private-sector HR outsourcing experience.

Pricing Strategy

Cost-realism is rigorous on retirement and benefits work. Data-privacy and scale risks must be visible in pricing.

Winning Strategies

  1. Specialize in federal HR IT or retirement-services operations.
  2. Build FedRAMP posture before chasing OPM cloud work.
  3. Use OASIS+ and CIO-SP4 as primary vehicles.
  4. Track Retirement Services Modernization and USAJOBS modernization roadmaps.
  5. Team with HR LOB shared-service providers for subcontract entry.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  1. Under-estimating scale risk on retirement-services contracts.
  2. Bidding without defensible FedRAMP and FISMA posture.
  3. Treating OPM like other HR buyers, since federal scale and regulatory overlay differ.

Small Business Programs

OPM consistently meets small-business goals with active 8(a), WOSB, and SDVOSB utilization.

Key Contracting Offices

  • OPM Office of Procurement Operations — Washington, DC

OPM by the Numbers

Annual Contract Spend
~$1.7B contract obligations (FY2025)
Contract Actions / Year
~2,200 prime awards/year
Top NAICS
541512
Computer Systems Design

Ready to Win OPM Contracts?

Stop guessing — let Blacksmith AI draft your next winning proposal.