Federal agencies are being asked to modernize fast. But they can’t just hire more people or spend more money. The problem is, there aren’t enough trained workers to keep up. Old systems stay in place not because they’re good, but because there’s no one ready to replace them. Big consulting firms don’t help much. They’re slow, expensive, and built for scale, not speed. 

Fedstack’s Hire-Train-Deploy (HTD) model works differently. We train people in the right skills within 10-12 weeks, then send them into federal projects ready to work. It’s not about cutting corners. It’s about cutting waste. 

Why the Usual Hiring Process Fails 

Hiring for federal roles takes too long. Between clearance, paperwork, and strict rules, it can take months to get someone in the door. Technology moves faster than that. If agencies wait for the perfect resume, they fall behind. But even then, most candidates satisfy only 50%-60% of technology skill requirements on day one through traditional recruiting methods. That means new recruits must still be trained formally or on the job, so they are not fully productive and there’s minimal time or funds available for training to obtain the missing 40%-50% of skills needed. Fedstack addresses these major problems by taking on the upfront investment to train them for 10 to 12-weeks so they are truly ready on day one. Additionally, our resources have signed a contract as part of our paid apprenticeship program to stay the course for 2 years with a Fedstack paid relocate wherever they are needed. All this value has allowed Fedstack to deploy over 700 technical resources on Federal programs with an industry leading 98% retention record. 

Worst case scenario of not finding resources with the right skills on day one – organizations must find multiple resources to satsify all skill requirements needed (e.g., split between frontend, backend, DevOps, and more). That’s an expensive proposition. 

HTD changes that. We find people with high potential, train them across the full stack, and place them where they’re needed. They’re cleared, skilled, and ready to go. With the advent of AI-assisted coding technologies, the developers of today must learn not to code from scratch but must leverage lowcode-nocode and AI-assisted code generation technologies. The next generation AI-assisted full stack developers are 5x to 10x more productive. Fedstack is at the forefront of future-proofing the technology workforce that will support modernization efforts of today and the future. 

A report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) shows that tech talent shortages are a major reason projects get delayed. It’s not a budget issue. It’s a people issue. And HTD solves that. 

How HTD Works 

HTD isn’t temp staffing. It’s a smarter way to build a team. 

Every Fedstack cohort is trained specifically for the agency they’re going to help. We don’t send general tech workers. We send people trained in your systems, tools, and goals through our Mirrored Environment Immersion (TM) that simulates the real world target environment. 

They aren’t stuck in one role either. Each technologist is trained to do frontend work, backend development, AI and automation, cloud deployment, and security. That means fewer handoffs, faster progress, and more ownership. 

Old consulting models split work to increase billable hours. One HTD engineer can replace four siloed roles—and get better results and faster outcomes when trained with AI-assisted technology. 

HTD in Action: The IRS Case 

One of the top systems integrators working with the IRS ran into a major roadblock. They were tasked with building the IRS Integrated Enterprise Portal—a secure, cloud-based system that supports critical web and database operations. But they couldn’t find the right people to get the job done. The work demanded specific technical skills, IRS familiarity, and cleared candidates who could deliver on day one. Hiring through the usual channels wasn’t working. Delays were stacking up. Deadlines were at risk. 

That’s when they turned to Fedstack. 

We got involved early—participating in the RFP process and working directly with their technical leads to understand what the IRS needed. Then we built a custom curriculum. Over 8 to 12 weeks, we trained a full cohort in Java, ServiceNow, AWS, SecOps, networking, and databases like MongoDB and Postgres. It was highly customized team that was built for the IRS mission. 

Once training was done, we deployed seven cleared teams across three locations: San Antonio, St. Louis, and Arlington. Every team member had their IRS Public Trust clearance. Every team member was productive from day one. 

The result? Deliverables were back on track. Security benchmarks were met. The integrator restored trust with the IRS and positioned themselves for future contract wins. 

You can read the full breakdown in our IRS case study. 

This is what it means to be stacked for scale. Fast. Focused. Mission-ready. 

Lowering Costs Isn’t the Same as Delivering Value 

The Wall Street Journal recently reported on big consulting firms offering deep cuts to federal contracts. But shaving dollars off a bloated model doesn’t fix the core problem. 

When firms charge 2.6 times an employee’s salary to cover layers of management and meetings, they’re not solving inefficiencies. They’re hiding them. 

Fedstack keeps things lean. We don’t have excess layers. Our prices reflect real work—not overhead. 

So if another firm charges $260,000 to do $100,000 worth of work, we ask: what would $260,000 of actual value look like? 

Built-in Cybersecurity, Not an Add-On 

As agencies move to the cloud, they face more cyber threats. And federal systems are a major target. CISA has made that clear. 

Some firms treat cybersecurity as a separate hire. We don’t. At Fedstack, security is part of the training. From day one. 

HTD engineers learn: 

Everyone we send knows how to build secure systems. That’s just part of the job. 

Training the Teams You Already Have 

Some firms now tell agencies to do more work in-house. That sounds smart, but ignores one thing: most federal teams don’t have the training to take on modern tech projects. 

Fedstack helps fix that. Our Tier 3 Upskilling program trains federal workers and contractors on the exact systems they’ll use. These aren’t generic lessons. We tailor everything to the tools and platforms your agency depends on. 

We’ve already done this for large federal partners. Their teams now deliver results usually expected from engineers with years more experience. 

One Person. Full Stack. Real Progress. 

Most consulting firms send long lists of roles. UX designer. Backend developer. DevOps engineer. QA tester. Project manager. The list grows—and so does the budget. 

Fedstack takes a different approach. Our engineers are full stack. They can build, test, secure, and deploy. They work in Agile and know how to ship products through continuous integration and continuous delivery. 

Less handoff. Less waiting. More doing. 

Why Now Matters 

Federal agencies are moving away from labor-hour contracts. They want outcome-based business results not just process outputs. And they want them fast. 

Our Tier-1 offering was built for this. Our project teams are trained to deliver software, migrate environments, and secure systems from day one and accountable for business results. We are prepared to support the Federal Agencies in their move from cost reimbursable and labor-based contracts like CPFF or T&M to Performance-based Firm Fixed Price, Value-based, and Shared-risk models. 

And because we keep things lean, we can move fast without losing quality. 

Smaller Isn’t the Answer. Smarter Is. 

Big firms are cutting prices. That doesn’t change how they work. It doesn’t get rid of the extra layers. And it doesn’t help agencies grow their own skills. 

HTD does. 

We train people with the skills agencies need. We deploy them fast. And through our Tier 3 Upskilling program, we help federal teams get stronger from the inside. 

That’s how you move forward: fewer handoffs, less management, better results. 

The government doesn’t just need cheaper contracts. It needs real solutions focused on business value and outcomes. 

Ready to see what Fedstack can do? Contact us to learn more, or read our latest case study on how skills-based delivery is changing federal contracting.