CATS CM®

What CATS CM® does

CATS CM® is a Netherlands-based contract management methodology company founded in 2005 and operated under CM Partners Holding BV, headquartered in Utrecht. The company offers a proprietary four-pillar framework — the distinction between Work To Be Done and All Other Contract Matter, the Contract Roles model, ten Contract Management Essentials, and a six-step Contract Management Process — supported by a CATS Control Model that aligns strategy, tactics, and operations across the contract lifecycle. The methodology is applied by organizations in both demand (buyer) and supply (vendor) roles to manage vendor portfolios, supplier contracts, and delivery performance against strategic KPIs.

The company monetizes this IP through a diversified, multi-stream revenue model that includes Foundation and Practitioner professional certifications (delivered via online exams), in-person training and the CATS CM® Core e-learning platform (catscmcore.com) distributed through a global network of certified trainers, book sales through Amazon and Managementboek.nl in English and Dutch, a software provider certification program (Sirion being the first CLM vendor to embed the methodology), and high-end coaching and consulting engagements. Distribution combines direct sales, certified trainer/channel partners, e-commerce, OEM/embedded CLM integration, and self-serve e-learning. Marketing is concentrated on LinkedIn community engagement, content/blog, whitepapers, and the annual Dutch National Contract Management Conference (12 consecutive years).

The leadership team is compact — three principals (Chief Wizard/CEO Linda Tonkes, Chief Strategy Wizard Arjen van Berkum, Technical Wizard Richard Steketee) — and the company operates without disclosed external venture or growth funding. Customer logos skew toward Dutch and EMEA enterprises across financial services (ING, ABN AMRO, Rabobank), insurance (Achmea, ASR, Nationale Nederlanden), energy (Enexis, Essent, Stedin), aviation/transport (KLM, Schiphol, Port of Rotterdam, Nederlandse Spoorwegen), and government/defense (Ministerie van Defensie, San Diego), with stated adoption by 500-1,500 organizations and 10,000+ trained professionals globally.

Name

CATS CM®

Legal name

CM Partners Holding BV

Website

https://cats-cm.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

CATS CM® is a Dutch contract management methodology provider founded in 2005, serving enterprises and professionals globally with a proprietary four-pillar framework, certifications, training, e-learning, and CLM software integrations used by over 1,500 organizations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Utrecht

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Professional Certifications: CATS CM® offers Foundation and Practitioner level certifications for contract management professionals, tested through online exams.
2. Training and E-Learning: Physical courses and e-learning (CATS CM® Core) delivered through certified trainers globally. Training includes train-the-trainer and train-the-coach masterclasses.
3. Book Sales: The book 'Contract Management with CATS CM® version 4' is sold via Amazon, Managementboek.nl, and Kindle. A preview/download is available on the website.
4. Software Provider Certification: CLM software providers can become certified for specific use of the CATS CM® methodology, enabling integration of the methodology into their platforms.
5. High-End Support and Coaching: Organizations can access certified coaches for high-end support to improve contract management results.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CATS CM® sells a proprietary, trademarked contract management methodology — a structured framework built on four pillars (WTBD vs AOCM, Contract Roles, 10 CM Essentials, and a 6-step process) and four contract scenarios — delivered through Foundation and Practitioner certifications, trainer and business-coach masterclasses, a monthly e-learning subscription (catscmcore.com), the version-4 reference book, software provider certification for CLM vendors, and high-end coaching engagements.

Product overview

CATS CM® is a contract management methodology provider offering a comprehensive suite of products and services centered around their proprietary methodology. The core offering is the CATS CM® Methodology (Contract Administration and Tracking Scenarios), a four-pillar framework for contract management. Supporting products include the CATS CM® Core E-learning platform for online learning, the CATS CM® Core Book (available in English and Dutch), and certification programs at Foundation, Practitioner, Trainer, and Business Coach levels. The company also provides High-End Support consulting services and a Software Certification program for CLM providers (notably Sirion). An annual Contract Management Conference serves as a community event. The methodology is used by over 1500 organizations worldwide since 2005.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CATS CM® Methodology Vendor-independent, trademarked contract management methodology built on four pillars (Work To Be Done vs All Other Contract Matter, Contract Roles, 10 Contract Management Essentials, and a 6-step contract management process) and four contract scenarios (Basic, Adjusted, Intensive, Highly Intensive), used by 1,500+ organizations across both demand and supply sides.
• CATS CM® Core E-learning Self-paced online subscription course providing foundational knowledge of the CATS CM® methodology, including videos, courseware, practice questions and additional resources, awarded with a Certificate of Participation and preparing learners for Foundation certification.
• CATS CM® Foundation Certification Entry-level professional certification validating knowledge of CATS CM® concepts and models through a 60-question online multiple-choice exam (60 minutes, 80% passing score); prerequisite for Practitioner certification.
• CATS CM® Practitioner Certification Advanced professional certification building on the Foundation level, covering deeper application of the CATS CM® methodology; currently available in specific countries only after completing the Foundation certification.
• CATS CM® Trainer Certification Train-the-trainer masterclass program enabling professionals to become certified CATS CM® trainers, qualifying them to deliver Foundation and Practitioner courses through the global certified trainer network.
• CATS CM® Business Coach Certification Train-the-coach masterclass program transforming experienced professionals into certified CATS CM® business coaches, qualifying them to provide high-end support and coaching to organizations.
• CATS CM® Core Book Reference book 'Contract Management with CATS CM® version 4, from working on contracts to contracts that work', available in English via Amazon/Kindle and in Dutch via Amazon Netherlands and Managementboek.nl.
• High-End Support Services Premium consulting and coaching engagements connecting organizations with certified CATS CM® business coaches to improve contract management outcomes and accelerate organizational results.
• CATS CM® Software Certification Certification program for CLM software providers that enables them to formally incorporate the CATS CM® methodology into their software products for specific scoped use cases; Sirion is the first certified CLM provider.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1500 organizations using the methodology globally
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers26 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• SirioncoreTechnology or IntegrationSirion, the AI-powered CLM platform, became the first software provider to incorporate the CATS CM® methodology in their CLM software. This partnership enables Sirion's customers to align contract management with the CATS CM® framework and focus on outcomes critical to organizational success. Sirion serves some of the world's largest organizations and Fortune 500 customers.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cats-cm

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CATS CM®