diff --git a/DataFormats/Common/interface/MultiSpan.h b/DataFormats/Common/interface/MultiSpan.h
index 8448dc06fea3c..895a8e1252d93 100644
--- a/DataFormats/Common/interface/MultiSpan.h
+++ b/DataFormats/Common/interface/MultiSpan.h
@@ -4,10 +4,14 @@
 
 #include <algorithm>
 #include <cassert>
+#include <ranges>
 #include <span>
 #include <stdexcept>
 #include <vector>
 
+#include "DataFormats/Common/interface/RefProd.h"
+#include "DataFormats/Common/interface/RefProdVector.h"
+
 namespace edm {
 
   /**
@@ -29,6 +33,13 @@ namespace edm {
   public:
     MultiSpan() = default;
 
+    MultiSpan(const RefProdVector<std::vector<T>>& refProducts) {
+      std::ranges::for_each(refProducts, [&](auto const& rp) {
+        if (rp.isNonnull())
+          add(*rp);
+      });
+    }
+
     void add(std::span<const T> sp) {
       // Empty spans are not added to reduce the number of spans and speed up the binary search
       if (sp.empty()) {
diff --git a/DataFormats/Common/interface/RefProdVector.h b/DataFormats/Common/interface/RefProdVector.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..fdb404ceab119
--- /dev/null
+++ b/DataFormats/Common/interface/RefProdVector.h
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+#ifndef DataFormats_Common_interface_RefProdVector_h
+#define DataFormats_Common_interface_RefProdVector_h
+
+#include <vector>
+
+#include "DataFormats/Common/interface/RefProd.h"
+
+namespace edm {
+  template <typename T>
+  using RefProdVector = std::vector<edm::RefProd<T>>;
+}  // namespace edm
+
+#endif  // DataFormats_Common_interface_RefProdVector_h
diff --git a/DataFormats/Common/test/test_catch2_MultiSpan.cpp b/DataFormats/Common/test/test_catch2_MultiSpan.cpp
index ffcffa5dfd561..a218dfcfe4364 100644
--- a/DataFormats/Common/test/test_catch2_MultiSpan.cpp
+++ b/DataFormats/Common/test/test_catch2_MultiSpan.cpp
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@
 #include <catch2/catch_all.hpp>
 
 #include "DataFormats/Common/interface/MultiSpan.h"
+#include "DataFormats/Common/interface/RefProd.h"
+#include "DataFormats/Common/interface/RefProdVector.h"
 
 TEST_CASE("MultiSpan basic indexing", "[MultiSpan]") {
   edm::MultiSpan<int> emptyMultiSpan;
@@ -37,6 +39,18 @@ TEST_CASE("MultiSpan basic indexing", "[MultiSpan]") {
   ms3.add(a);
   ms3.add(c);
 
+  edm::RefProdVector<std::vector<int>> refProducts;
+  refProducts.push_back(edm::RefProd<std::vector<int>>(&b));
+  refProducts.push_back(edm::RefProd<std::vector<int>>(&c));
+  refProducts.push_back(edm::RefProd<std::vector<int>>(&c));
+  refProducts.push_back(edm::RefProd<std::vector<int>>(&c));
+  refProducts.push_back(edm::RefProd<std::vector<int>>(&b));
+  refProducts.push_back(edm::RefProd<std::vector<int>>(&a));
+  refProducts.push_back(edm::RefProd<std::vector<int>>(&c));
+  refProducts.push_back(
+      edm::RefProd<std::vector<int>>(nullptr));  // Adding a null RefProd. It should be ignored by MultiSpan
+  edm::MultiSpan<int> ms4(refProducts);          // MultiSpan from std::vector of RefProds<std::vector>
+
   using ElementType = decltype(ms[0]);
   // Check that the const-correctness of the MultiSpan
   static_assert(!std::is_assignable<ElementType, int>::value,
@@ -175,4 +189,26 @@ TEST_CASE("MultiSpan basic indexing", "[MultiSpan]") {
     }
     REQUIRE(collected == std::vector<int>{a[0], a[1], a[2]});
   }
+
+  SECTION("Check MultiSpan constructed from std::vector of RefProds<std::vector>") {
+    REQUIRE(ms4.size() == 7);
+
+    REQUIRE(ms4[0] == b[0]);
+    REQUIRE(ms4[1] == b[1]);
+    REQUIRE(ms4[2] == b[0]);
+    REQUIRE(ms4[3] == b[1]);
+    REQUIRE(ms4[4] == a[0]);
+    REQUIRE(ms4[5] == a[1]);
+    REQUIRE(ms4[6] == a[2]);
+
+    REQUIRE(ms4.globalIndex(0, 0) == 0);
+    REQUIRE(ms4.globalIndex(1, 1) == 3);
+    REQUIRE(ms4.globalIndex(2, 1) == 5);
+
+    std::vector<int> collected;
+    for (auto val : ms4) {
+      collected.push_back(val);
+    }
+    REQUIRE(collected == std::vector<int>{b[0], b[1], b[0], b[1], a[0], a[1], a[2]});
+  }
 }
diff --git a/DataFormats/HGCRecHit/src/classes_def.xml b/DataFormats/HGCRecHit/src/classes_def.xml
index 861d9eecfa190..683d9ce272310 100644
--- a/DataFormats/HGCRecHit/src/classes_def.xml
+++ b/DataFormats/HGCRecHit/src/classes_def.xml
@@ -21,9 +21,12 @@
   <class name="edm::Ref<edm::SortedCollection<HGCRecHit,edm::StrictWeakOrdering<HGCRecHit> >,HGCRecHit,edm::refhelper::FindUsingAdvance<edm::SortedCollection<HGCRecHit,edm::StrictWeakOrdering<HGCRecHit> >,HGCRecHit> >"/>
   <class name="edm::RefVector<edm::SortedCollection<HGCRecHit,edm::StrictWeakOrdering<HGCRecHit> >,HGCRecHit,edm::refhelper::FindUsingAdvance<edm::SortedCollection<HGCRecHit,edm::StrictWeakOrdering<HGCRecHit> >,HGCRecHit> >"/>
   <class name="edm::RefProd<edm::SortedCollection<HGCRecHit,edm::StrictWeakOrdering<HGCRecHit> > >"/>
-
+  <class name="edm::Wrapper<std::vector<edm::RefProd<std::vector<HGCRecHit> > > >"/>
   <class name="edm::Wrapper<std::vector<HGCRecHit>>"/>
  
+
+  <class name="edm::RefProd<std::vector<HGCRecHit> >"/>
+  <class name="vector<edm::RefProd<std::vector<HGCRecHit> > >"/>
   <class name="edm::DetSet<HGCRecHit>"/>
   <class name="edm::DetSetVector<HGCRecHit>"/>
   <class name="std::vector<edm::DetSet<HGCRecHit> >"/>
diff --git a/RecoLocalCalo/HGCalRecProducers/plugins/RecHitMapProducer.cc b/RecoLocalCalo/HGCalRecProducers/plugins/RecHitMapProducer.cc
index ac122c61ba1e2..006d649fbffb5 100644
--- a/RecoLocalCalo/HGCalRecProducers/plugins/RecHitMapProducer.cc
+++ b/RecoLocalCalo/HGCalRecProducers/plugins/RecHitMapProducer.cc
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 
 #include "DataFormats/HGCRecHit/interface/HGCRecHitCollections.h"
 #include "DataFormats/ParticleFlowReco/interface/PFRecHit.h"
+#include "DataFormats/Common/interface/RefProdVector.h"
 #include "DataFormats/Common/interface/MultiSpan.h"
 
 class RecHitMapProducer : public edm::global::EDProducer<> {
@@ -43,9 +44,13 @@ RecHitMapProducer::RecHitMapProducer(const edm::ParameterSet& ps) : hgcalOnly_(p
     }
   }
 
+  produces<edm::RefProdVector<HGCRecHitCollection>>("RefProdVectorHGCRecHitCollection");
   produces<DetIdRecHitMap>("hgcalRecHitMap");
-  if (!hgcalOnly_)
+
+  if (!hgcalOnly_) {
+    produces<edm::RefProdVector<reco::PFRecHitCollection>>("RefProdVectorPFRecHitCollection");
     produces<DetIdRecHitMap>("barrelRecHitMap");
+  }
 }
 
 void RecHitMapProducer::fillDescriptions(edm::ConfigurationDescriptions& descriptions) {
@@ -69,22 +74,24 @@ void RecHitMapProducer::produce(edm::StreamID, edm::Event& evt, const edm::Event
 
   // Check validity of all handles
   if (!ee_hits.isValid() || !fh_hits.isValid() || !bh_hits.isValid()) {
-    edm::LogWarning("HGCalRecHitMapProducer")
-        << "One or more HGCal hit collections are unavailable. Returning an empty map.";
+    edm::LogWarning("HGCalRecHitMapProducer") << "One or more HGCal hit collections are unavailable. Returning an "
+                                                 "empty map and an empty RefProdVectorHGCRecHitCollection";
+    evt.put(std::make_unique<edm::RefProdVector<HGCRecHitCollection>>(), "RefProdVectorHGCRecHitCollection");
     evt.put(std::move(hitMapHGCal), "hgcalRecHitMap");
   } else {
-    // TODO may be worth to avoid dependency on the order
-    // of the collections, maybe using a map
-    edm::MultiSpan<HGCRecHit> rechitSpan;
-    rechitSpan.add(*ee_hits);
-    rechitSpan.add(*fh_hits);
-    rechitSpan.add(*bh_hits);
+    // Fix order by storing a edm::RefProdVector<HGCRecHitCollection>
+    auto mcHGCRecHit = std::make_unique<edm::RefProdVector<HGCRecHitCollection>>();
+    mcHGCRecHit->push_back(edm::RefProd<HGCRecHitCollection>(ee_hits));
+    mcHGCRecHit->push_back(edm::RefProd<HGCRecHitCollection>(fh_hits));
+    mcHGCRecHit->push_back(edm::RefProd<HGCRecHitCollection>(bh_hits));
 
+    edm::MultiSpan<HGCRecHit> rechitSpan(*mcHGCRecHit);
     for (unsigned int i = 0; i < rechitSpan.size(); ++i) {
       const auto recHitDetId = rechitSpan[i].detid();
       hitMapHGCal->emplace(recHitDetId, i);
     }
 
+    evt.put(std::move(mcHGCRecHit), "RefProdVectorHGCRecHitCollection");
     evt.put(std::move(hitMapHGCal), "hgcalRecHitMap");
   }
 
@@ -99,18 +106,22 @@ void RecHitMapProducer::produce(edm::StreamID, edm::Event& evt, const edm::Event
   const auto& hbhe_hits = evt.getHandle(barrel_hits_token_[1]);
 
   if (!ecal_hits.isValid() || !hbhe_hits.isValid()) {
-    edm::LogWarning("HGCalRecHitMapProducer")
-        << "One or more barrel hit collections are unavailable. Returning an empty map.";
+    edm::LogWarning("HGCalRecHitMapProducer") << "One or more barrel hit collections are unavailable. Returning an "
+                                                 "empty map and an empty RefProdVectorPFRecHitCollection";
+    evt.put(std::make_unique<edm::RefProdVector<reco::PFRecHitCollection>>(), "RefProdVectorPFRecHitCollection");
     evt.put(std::move(hitMapBarrel), "barrelRecHitMap");
   } else {
-    edm::MultiSpan<reco::PFRecHit> barrelRechitSpan;
-    barrelRechitSpan.add(evt.get(barrel_hits_token_[0]));
-    barrelRechitSpan.add(evt.get(barrel_hits_token_[1]));
+    auto mcPFRecHit = std::make_unique<edm::RefProdVector<reco::PFRecHitCollection>>();
+    mcPFRecHit->push_back(edm::RefProd<reco::PFRecHitCollection>(ecal_hits));
+    mcPFRecHit->push_back(edm::RefProd<reco::PFRecHitCollection>(hbhe_hits));
+
+    edm::MultiSpan<reco::PFRecHit> barrelRechitSpan(*mcPFRecHit);
     for (unsigned int i = 0; i < barrelRechitSpan.size(); ++i) {
       const auto recHitDetId = barrelRechitSpan[i].detId();
       hitMapBarrel->emplace(recHitDetId, i);
     }
 
+    evt.put(std::move(mcPFRecHit), "RefProdVectorPFRecHitCollection");
     evt.put(std::move(hitMapBarrel), "barrelRecHitMap");
   }
 }
diff --git a/RecoLocalCalo/HGCalRecProducers/python/recHitMapProducer_cff.py b/RecoLocalCalo/HGCalRecProducers/python/recHitMapProducer_cff.py
index 8e1a4e4977921..dd594012d706f 100644
--- a/RecoLocalCalo/HGCalRecProducers/python/recHitMapProducer_cff.py
+++ b/RecoLocalCalo/HGCalRecProducers/python/recHitMapProducer_cff.py
@@ -11,4 +11,4 @@
         "particleFlowRecHitHBHE"]
 
 from Configuration.ProcessModifiers.ticl_barrel_cff import ticl_barrel
-ticl_barrel.toModify(recHitMapProducer, hits = hits, hgcalOnly = False) 
+ticl_barrel.toModify(recHitMapProducer, hits = hits, hgcalOnly = False)
diff --git a/SimCalorimetry/HGCalAssociatorProducers/plugins/AllHitToTracksterAssociatorsProducer.cc b/SimCalorimetry/HGCalAssociatorProducers/plugins/AllHitToTracksterAssociatorsProducer.cc
index 909d2579843a6..776d7ad7d30de 100644
--- a/SimCalorimetry/HGCalAssociatorProducers/plugins/AllHitToTracksterAssociatorsProducer.cc
+++ b/SimCalorimetry/HGCalAssociatorProducers/plugins/AllHitToTracksterAssociatorsProducer.cc
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 #include "DataFormats/CaloRecHit/interface/CaloCluster.h"
 #include "SimDataFormats/Associations/interface/TICLAssociationMap.h"
 #include "DataFormats/HGCRecHit/interface/HGCRecHitCollections.h"
+#include "DataFormats/Common/interface/RefProdVector.h"
 #include "DataFormats/Common/interface/MultiSpan.h"
 
 class AllHitToTracksterAssociatorsProducer : public edm::global::EDProducer<> {
@@ -25,22 +26,19 @@ class AllHitToTracksterAssociatorsProducer : public edm::global::EDProducer<> {
   std::vector<std::pair<std::string, edm::EDGetTokenT<std::vector<ticl::Trackster>>>> tracksterCollectionTokens_;
   edm::EDGetTokenT<std::vector<reco::CaloCluster>> layerClustersToken_;
   edm::EDGetTokenT<std::unordered_map<DetId, const unsigned int>> hitMapToken_;
-  std::vector<edm::EDGetTokenT<HGCRecHitCollection>> hitsTokens_;
+  edm::EDGetTokenT<edm::RefProdVector<HGCRecHitCollection>> hitsToken_;
 };
 
 AllHitToTracksterAssociatorsProducer::AllHitToTracksterAssociatorsProducer(const edm::ParameterSet& pset)
     : layerClustersToken_(consumes<std::vector<reco::CaloCluster>>(pset.getParameter<edm::InputTag>("layerClusters"))),
       hitMapToken_(
-          consumes<std::unordered_map<DetId, const unsigned int>>(pset.getParameter<edm::InputTag>("hitMapTag"))) {
+          consumes<std::unordered_map<DetId, const unsigned int>>(pset.getParameter<edm::InputTag>("hitMapTag"))),
+      hitsToken_(consumes<edm::RefProdVector<HGCRecHitCollection>>(pset.getParameter<edm::InputTag>("hits"))) {
   const auto& tracksterCollections = pset.getParameter<std::vector<edm::InputTag>>("tracksterCollections");
   for (const auto& tag : tracksterCollections) {
     tracksterCollectionTokens_.emplace_back(tag.label() + tag.instance(), consumes<std::vector<ticl::Trackster>>(tag));
   }
 
-  for (const auto& tag : pset.getParameter<std::vector<edm::InputTag>>("hits")) {
-    hitsTokens_.emplace_back(consumes<HGCRecHitCollection>(tag));
-  }
-
   for (const auto& tracksterToken : tracksterCollectionTokens_) {
     produces<ticl::AssociationMap<ticl::mapWithFraction>>("hitTo" + tracksterToken.first);
     produces<ticl::AssociationMap<ticl::mapWithFraction>>(tracksterToken.first + "ToHit");
@@ -65,20 +63,25 @@ void AllHitToTracksterAssociatorsProducer::produce(edm::StreamID, edm::Event& iE
   Handle<std::unordered_map<DetId, const unsigned int>> hitMap;
   iEvent.getByToken(hitMapToken_, hitMap);
 
-  edm::MultiSpan<HGCRecHit> rechitSpan;
-  for (const auto& token : hitsTokens_) {
-    Handle<HGCRecHitCollection> hitsHandle;
-    iEvent.getByToken(token, hitsHandle);
+  if (!iEvent.getHandle(hitsToken_)) {
+    edm::LogWarning("AllHitToTracksterAssociatorsProducer") << "Missing edm::RefProdVector<HGCRecHitCollection>.";
+    for (const auto& tracksterToken : tracksterCollectionTokens_) {
+      iEvent.put(std::make_unique<ticl::AssociationMap<ticl::mapWithFraction>>(), "hitTo" + tracksterToken.first);
+      iEvent.put(std::make_unique<ticl::AssociationMap<ticl::mapWithFraction>>(), tracksterToken.first + "ToHit");
+    }
+    return;
+  }
 
-    // Protection against missing HGCRecHitCollection
-    if (!hitsHandle.isValid()) {
-      edm::LogWarning("AllHitToTracksterAssociatorsProducer")
-          << "Missing HGCRecHitCollection for one of the hitsTokens.";
-      continue;
+  // Protection against missing HGCRecHitCollection
+  const auto hits = iEvent.get(hitsToken_);
+  for (std::size_t index = 0; const auto& hgcRecHitCollection : hits) {
+    if (hgcRecHitCollection->empty()) {
+      edm::LogWarning("AllHitToTracksterAssociatorsProducer") << "HGCRecHitCollections #" << index << " is not valid.";
     }
-    rechitSpan.add(*hitsHandle);
+    index++;
   }
 
+  edm::MultiSpan<HGCRecHit> rechitSpan(hits);
   // Check if rechitSpan is empty
   if (rechitSpan.size() == 0) {
     edm::LogWarning("HitToSimClusterCaloParticleAssociatorProducer")
@@ -135,10 +138,7 @@ void AllHitToTracksterAssociatorsProducer::fillDescriptions(edm::ConfigurationDe
                                         edm::InputTag("ticlCandidate")});
   desc.add<edm::InputTag>("layerClusters", edm::InputTag("hgcalMergeLayerClusters"));
   desc.add<edm::InputTag>("hitMapTag", edm::InputTag("recHitMapProducer", "hgcalRecHitMap"));
-  desc.add<std::vector<edm::InputTag>>("hits",
-                                       {edm::InputTag("HGCalRecHit", "HGCEERecHits"),
-                                        edm::InputTag("HGCalRecHit", "HGCHEFRecHits"),
-                                        edm::InputTag("HGCalRecHit", "HGCHEBRecHits")});
+  desc.add<edm::InputTag>("hits", edm::InputTag("recHitMapProducer", "RefProdVectorHGCRecHitCollection"));
   descriptions.add("AllHitToTracksterAssociatorsProducer", desc);
 }
 
diff --git a/SimCalorimetry/HGCalAssociatorProducers/plugins/AllTracksterToSimTracksterAssociatorsByHitsProducer.cc b/SimCalorimetry/HGCalAssociatorProducers/plugins/AllTracksterToSimTracksterAssociatorsByHitsProducer.cc
index 5656661fe70c0..2d43cf73f6784 100644
--- a/SimCalorimetry/HGCalAssociatorProducers/plugins/AllTracksterToSimTracksterAssociatorsByHitsProducer.cc
+++ b/SimCalorimetry/HGCalAssociatorProducers/plugins/AllTracksterToSimTracksterAssociatorsByHitsProducer.cc
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 #include "SimDataFormats/Associations/interface/TICLAssociationMap.h"
 #include "DataFormats/Provenance/interface/ProductID.h"
 #include "DataFormats/HGCRecHit/interface/HGCRecHitCollections.h"
+#include "DataFormats/Common/interface/RefProdVector.h"
 #include "DataFormats/Common/interface/MultiSpan.h"
 #include "DataFormats/CaloRecHit/interface/CaloCluster.h"
 #include "SimDataFormats/CaloAnalysis/interface/CaloParticle.h"
@@ -37,7 +38,7 @@ class AllTracksterToSimTracksterAssociatorsByHitsProducer : public edm::global::
   std::vector<std::pair<std::string, edm::EDGetTokenT<ticl::AssociationMap<ticl::mapWithFraction>>>>
       simTracksterToHitMapTokens_;
 
-  std::vector<edm::EDGetTokenT<HGCRecHitCollection>> hitsTokens_;
+  edm::EDGetTokenT<edm::RefProdVector<HGCRecHitCollection>> hitsToken_;
   edm::EDGetTokenT<std::vector<CaloParticle>> caloParticleToken_;
   edm::EDGetTokenT<ticl::AssociationMap<ticl::mapWithFraction>> hitToSimClusterMapToken_;
   edm::EDGetTokenT<ticl::AssociationMap<ticl::mapWithFraction>> hitToCaloParticleMapToken_;
@@ -45,7 +46,8 @@ class AllTracksterToSimTracksterAssociatorsByHitsProducer : public edm::global::
 
 AllTracksterToSimTracksterAssociatorsByHitsProducer::AllTracksterToSimTracksterAssociatorsByHitsProducer(
     const edm::ParameterSet& pset)
-    : caloParticleToken_(consumes<std::vector<CaloParticle>>(pset.getParameter<edm::InputTag>("caloParticles"))),
+    : hitsToken_(consumes<edm::RefProdVector<HGCRecHitCollection>>(pset.getParameter<edm::InputTag>("hits"))),
+      caloParticleToken_(consumes<std::vector<CaloParticle>>(pset.getParameter<edm::InputTag>("caloParticles"))),
       hitToSimClusterMapToken_(consumes<ticl::AssociationMap<ticl::mapWithFraction>>(
           pset.getParameter<edm::InputTag>("hitToSimClusterMap"))),
       hitToCaloParticleMapToken_(consumes<ticl::AssociationMap<ticl::mapWithFraction>>(
@@ -78,12 +80,6 @@ AllTracksterToSimTracksterAssociatorsByHitsProducer::AllTracksterToSimTracksterA
         label, consumes<ticl::AssociationMap<ticl::mapWithFraction>>(edm::InputTag(allHitToTSAccoc, label + "ToHit")));
   }
 
-  // Hits
-  auto hitsTags = pset.getParameter<std::vector<edm::InputTag>>("hits");
-  for (const auto& tag : hitsTags) {
-    hitsTokens_.push_back(consumes<HGCRecHitCollection>(tag));
-  }
-
   // Produce separate association maps for each trackster-simTrackster combination
   for (const auto& tracksterToken : tracksterCollectionTokens_) {
     for (const auto& simTracksterToken : simTracksterCollectionTokens_) {
@@ -104,19 +100,34 @@ void AllTracksterToSimTracksterAssociatorsByHitsProducer::produce(edm::StreamID,
                                                                   const edm::EventSetup&) const {
   using namespace edm;
 
-  edm::MultiSpan<HGCRecHit> rechitSpan;
-  for (const auto& token : hitsTokens_) {
-    Handle<HGCRecHitCollection> hitsHandle;
-    iEvent.getByToken(token, hitsHandle);
+  if (!iEvent.getHandle(hitsToken_).isValid()) {
+    edm::LogWarning("AllTracksterToSimTracksterAssociatorsByHitsProducer") << "Missing MultiHGCRecHitCollection.";
+    for (const auto& tracksterToken : tracksterCollectionTokens_) {
+      for (const auto& simTracksterToken : simTracksterCollectionTokens_) {
+        iEvent.put(std::make_unique<ticl::AssociationMap<ticl::mapWithSharedEnergyAndScore,
+                                                         std::vector<ticl::Trackster>,
+                                                         std::vector<ticl::Trackster>>>(),
+                   tracksterToken.first + "To" + simTracksterToken.first);
+        iEvent.put(std::make_unique<ticl::AssociationMap<ticl::mapWithSharedEnergyAndScore,
+                                                         std::vector<ticl::Trackster>,
+                                                         std::vector<ticl::Trackster>>>(),
+                   simTracksterToken.first + "To" + tracksterToken.first);
+      }
+    }
+    return;
+  }
 
-    if (!hitsHandle.isValid()) {
+  // Protection against missing HGCRecHitCollection
+  const auto hits = iEvent.get(hitsToken_);
+  for (std::size_t index = 0; const auto& hgcRecHitCollection : hits) {
+    if (hgcRecHitCollection->empty()) {
       edm::LogWarning("AllTracksterToSimTracksterAssociatorsByHitsProducer")
-          << "Missing HGCRecHitCollection for one of the hitsTokens.";
-      continue;
+          << "HGCRecHitCollections #" << index << " is not valid.";
     }
-    rechitSpan.add(*hitsHandle);
+    index++;
   }
 
+  edm::MultiSpan<HGCRecHit> rechitSpan(hits);
   // Check if rechitSpan is empty
   if (rechitSpan.size() == 0) {
     edm::LogWarning("AllTracksterToSimTracksterAssociatorsByHitsProducer")
@@ -465,10 +476,7 @@ void AllTracksterToSimTracksterAssociatorsByHitsProducer::fillDescriptions(
       "tracksterCollections", {edm::InputTag("ticlTrackstersCLUE3DHigh"), edm::InputTag("ticlTrackstersLinks")});
   desc.add<std::vector<edm::InputTag>>(
       "simTracksterCollections", {edm::InputTag("ticlSimTracksters"), edm::InputTag("ticlSimTracksters", "fromCPs")});
-  desc.add<std::vector<edm::InputTag>>("hits",
-                                       {edm::InputTag("HGCalRecHit", "HGCEERecHits"),
-                                        edm::InputTag("HGCalRecHit", "HGCHEFRecHits"),
-                                        edm::InputTag("HGCalRecHit", "HGCHEBRecHits")});
+  desc.add<edm::InputTag>("hits", edm::InputTag("recHitMapProducer", "RefProdVectorHGCRecHitCollection"));
   desc.add<edm::InputTag>("hitToSimClusterMap",
                           edm::InputTag("hitToSimClusterCaloParticleAssociator", "hitToSimClusterMap"));
   desc.add<edm::InputTag>("hitToCaloParticleMap",
diff --git a/SimCalorimetry/HGCalAssociatorProducers/plugins/HitToSimClusterCaloParticleAssociatorProducer.cc b/SimCalorimetry/HGCalAssociatorProducers/plugins/HitToSimClusterCaloParticleAssociatorProducer.cc
index 3b26c6b5c8ad1..1ea89645a1b2d 100644
--- a/SimCalorimetry/HGCalAssociatorProducers/plugins/HitToSimClusterCaloParticleAssociatorProducer.cc
+++ b/SimCalorimetry/HGCalAssociatorProducers/plugins/HitToSimClusterCaloParticleAssociatorProducer.cc
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 #include "SimDataFormats/Associations/interface/TICLAssociationMap.h"
 #include "DataFormats/Provenance/interface/ProductID.h"
 #include "DataFormats/HGCRecHit/interface/HGCRecHitCollections.h"
+#include "DataFormats/Common/interface/RefProdVector.h"
 #include "DataFormats/Common/interface/MultiSpan.h"
 #include "SimDataFormats/CaloAnalysis/interface/CaloParticle.h"
 #include "SimDataFormats/CaloAnalysis/interface/SimCluster.h"
@@ -20,10 +21,7 @@ HitToSimClusterCaloParticleAssociatorProducer::HitToSimClusterCaloParticleAssoci
     : simClusterToken_(consumes<std::vector<SimCluster>>(pset.getParameter<edm::InputTag>("simClusters"))),
       caloParticleToken_(consumes<std::vector<CaloParticle>>(pset.getParameter<edm::InputTag>("caloParticles"))),
       hitMapToken_(consumes<std::unordered_map<DetId, const unsigned int>>(pset.getParameter<edm::InputTag>("hitMap"))),
-      hitsTags_(pset.getParameter<std::vector<edm::InputTag>>("hits")) {
-  for (const auto &tag : hitsTags_) {
-    hitsTokens_.push_back(consumes<HGCRecHitCollection>(tag));
-  }
+      hitsToken_(consumes<edm::RefProdVector<HGCRecHitCollection>>(pset.getParameter<edm::InputTag>("hits"))) {
   produces<ticl::AssociationMap<ticl::mapWithFraction>>("hitToSimClusterMap");
   produces<ticl::AssociationMap<ticl::mapWithFraction>>("hitToCaloParticleMap");
 }
@@ -42,22 +40,26 @@ void HitToSimClusterCaloParticleAssociatorProducer::produce(edm::StreamID,
   Handle<std::unordered_map<DetId, const unsigned int>> hitMap;
   iEvent.getByToken(hitMapToken_, hitMap);
 
-  edm::MultiSpan<HGCRecHit> rechitSpan;
-  // Loop over tokens with index to access corresponding InputTag
-  for (size_t i = 0; i < hitsTokens_.size(); ++i) {
-    const auto &token = hitsTokens_[i];
-    Handle<HGCRecHitCollection> hitsHandle;
-    iEvent.getByToken(token, hitsHandle);
+  if (!iEvent.getHandle(hitsToken_).isValid()) {
+    edm::LogWarning("HitToSimClusterCaloParticleAssociatorProducer")
+        << "No valid HGCRecHitCollections found. Association maps will be empty.";
+    // Store empty maps in the event
+    iEvent.put(std::make_unique<ticl::AssociationMap<ticl::mapWithFraction>>(), "hitToSimClusterMap");
+    iEvent.put(std::make_unique<ticl::AssociationMap<ticl::mapWithFraction>>(), "hitToCaloParticleMap");
+    return;
+  }
 
-    // Error handling with tag name
-    if (!hitsHandle.isValid()) {
+  // Protection against missing HGCRecHitCollection
+  const auto hits = iEvent.get(hitsToken_);
+  for (std::size_t index = 0; const auto &hgcRecHitCollection : hits) {
+    if (hgcRecHitCollection->empty()) {
       edm::LogWarning("HitToSimClusterCaloParticleAssociatorProducer")
-          << "Missing HGCRecHitCollection for tag: " << hitsTags_[i].encode();
-      continue;
+          << "HGCRecHitCollection #" << index << " is empty or not valid.";
     }
-    rechitSpan.add(*hitsHandle);
+    index++;
   }
 
+  edm::MultiSpan<HGCRecHit> rechitSpan(hits);
   // Check if rechitSpan is empty after processing hitsTokens_
   if (rechitSpan.size() == 0) {
     edm::LogWarning("HitToSimClusterCaloParticleAssociatorProducer")
@@ -99,10 +101,7 @@ void HitToSimClusterCaloParticleAssociatorProducer::fillDescriptions(edm::Config
   desc.add<edm::InputTag>("simClusters", edm::InputTag("mix", "MergedCaloTruth"));
 
   desc.add<edm::InputTag>("hitMap", edm::InputTag("recHitMapProducer", "hgcalRecHitMap"));
-  desc.add<std::vector<edm::InputTag>>("hits",
-                                       {edm::InputTag("HGCalRecHit", "HGCEERecHits"),
-                                        edm::InputTag("HGCalRecHit", "HGCHEFRecHits"),
-                                        edm::InputTag("HGCalRecHit", "HGCHEBRecHits")});
+  desc.add<edm::InputTag>("hits", edm::InputTag("recHitMapProducer", "RefProdVectorHGCRecHitCollection"));
   descriptions.add("hitToSimClusterCaloParticleAssociator", desc);
 }
 
diff --git a/SimCalorimetry/HGCalAssociatorProducers/plugins/HitToSimClusterCaloParticleAssociatorProducer.h b/SimCalorimetry/HGCalAssociatorProducers/plugins/HitToSimClusterCaloParticleAssociatorProducer.h
index 213006f44aaf1..20c4ab0c789ba 100644
--- a/SimCalorimetry/HGCalAssociatorProducers/plugins/HitToSimClusterCaloParticleAssociatorProducer.h
+++ b/SimCalorimetry/HGCalAssociatorProducers/plugins/HitToSimClusterCaloParticleAssociatorProducer.h
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 #include "SimDataFormats/Associations/interface/TICLAssociationMap.h"
 #include "DataFormats/Provenance/interface/ProductID.h"
 #include "DataFormats/HGCRecHit/interface/HGCRecHitCollections.h"
+#include "DataFormats/Common/interface/RefProdVector.h"
 #include "DataFormats/Common/interface/MultiSpan.h"
 #include "SimDataFormats/CaloAnalysis/interface/CaloParticle.h"
 #include "SimDataFormats/CaloAnalysis/interface/SimCluster.h"
@@ -34,8 +35,7 @@ class HitToSimClusterCaloParticleAssociatorProducer : public edm::global::EDProd
   const edm::EDGetTokenT<std::vector<CaloParticle>> caloParticleToken_;
 
   const edm::EDGetTokenT<std::unordered_map<DetId, const unsigned int>> hitMapToken_;
-  const std::vector<edm::InputTag> hitsTags_;
-  std::vector<edm::EDGetTokenT<HGCRecHitCollection>> hitsTokens_;
+  edm::EDGetTokenT<edm::RefProdVector<HGCRecHitCollection>> hitsToken_;
 };
 
 #endif
diff --git a/SimCalorimetry/HGCalAssociatorProducers/plugins/LCToCPAssociatorByEnergyScoreImpl.cc b/SimCalorimetry/HGCalAssociatorProducers/plugins/LCToCPAssociatorByEnergyScoreImpl.cc
index c40d276ed35ec..0eb1df76d3ec8 100644
--- a/SimCalorimetry/HGCalAssociatorProducers/plugins/LCToCPAssociatorByEnergyScoreImpl.cc
+++ b/SimCalorimetry/HGCalAssociatorProducers/plugins/LCToCPAssociatorByEnergyScoreImpl.cc
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 #include "LCToCPAssociatorByEnergyScoreImpl.h"
 #include <iostream>
 
+#include "DataFormats/Common/interface/MultiSpan.h"
 #include "FWCore/MessageLogger/interface/MessageLogger.h"
 #include "SimDataFormats/CaloAnalysis/interface/CaloParticle.h"
 #include "SimDataFormats/CaloAnalysis/interface/SimCluster.h"
@@ -18,7 +19,7 @@ LCToCPAssociatorByEnergyScoreImplT<HIT, CLUSTER>::LCToCPAssociatorByEnergyScoreI
     bool hardScatterOnly,
     std::shared_ptr<hgcal::RecHitTools> recHitTools,
     const std::unordered_map<DetId, const unsigned int>* hitMap,
-    const std::vector<const HIT*>& hits)
+    const multiCollectionT& hits)
     : hardScatterOnly_(hardScatterOnly),
       recHitTools_(recHitTools),
       hitMap_(hitMap),
@@ -68,6 +69,8 @@ ticl::association LCToCPAssociatorByEnergyScoreImplT<HIT, CLUSTER>::makeConnecti
   // that all the different contributions of the same CaloParticle to a single hit (coming from their
   // internal SimClusters) are merged into a single entry with the fractions properly summed.
   std::unordered_map<DetId, std::vector<ticl::detIdInfoInCluster>> detIdToCaloParticleId_Map;
+  edm::MultiSpan<HIT> hitsMS(hits_);
+
   for (const auto& cpId : cPIndices) {
     const SimClusterRefVector& simClusterRefVector = caloParticles[cpId].simClusters();
     for (const auto& it_sc : simClusterRefVector) {
@@ -102,7 +105,7 @@ ticl::association LCToCPAssociatorByEnergyScoreImplT<HIT, CLUSTER>::makeConnecti
               detIdToCaloParticleId_Map[hitid].emplace_back(cpId, it_haf.second);
             }
           }
-          const HIT* hit = hits_[itcheck->second];
+          const HIT* hit = &hitsMS[itcheck->second];
           cPOnLayer[cpId][cpLayerId].energy += it_haf.second * hit->energy();
           // We need to compress the hits and fractions in order to have a
           // reasonable score between CP and LC. Imagine, for example, that a
@@ -136,7 +139,7 @@ ticl::association LCToCPAssociatorByEnergyScoreImplT<HIT, CLUSTER>::makeConnecti
       double tot_energy = 0.;
       for (auto const& haf : cPOnLayer[cp][cpp].hits_and_fractions) {
         //const HIT* hit = &(hits_[hitMap_->at(DetId(haf.first))]);
-        const HIT* hit = hits_[hitMap_->at(haf.first)];
+        const HIT* hit = &hitsMS[hitMap_->at(haf.first)];
         LogDebug("LCToCPAssociatorByEnergyScoreImplT") << "      Hits/fraction/energy: " << (uint32_t)haf.first << "/"
                                                        << haf.second << "/" << haf.second * hit->energy() << std::endl;
         tot_energy += haf.second * hit->energy();
@@ -154,7 +157,7 @@ ticl::association LCToCPAssociatorByEnergyScoreImplT<HIT, CLUSTER>::makeConnecti
     LogDebug("LCToCPAssociatorByEnergyScoreImplT")
         << "For detId: " << (uint32_t)cp.first
         << " we have found the following connections with CaloParticles:" << std::endl;
-    const HIT* hit = hits_[hitMap_->at(cp.first)];
+    const HIT* hit = &hitsMS[hitMap_->at(cp.first)];
     for (auto const& cpp : cp.second) {
       LogDebug("LCToCPAssociatorByEnergyScoreImplT")
           << "  CaloParticle Id: " << cpp.clusterId << " with fraction: " << cpp.fraction
@@ -193,7 +196,7 @@ ticl::association LCToCPAssociatorByEnergyScoreImplT<HIT, CLUSTER>::makeConnecti
 
       if (hit_find_in_CP != detIdToCaloParticleId_Map.end()) {
         const auto itcheck = hitMap_->find(rh_detid);
-        const HIT* hit = hits_[itcheck->second];
+        const HIT* hit = &hitsMS[itcheck->second];
         for (auto& h : hit_find_in_CP->second) {
           cPOnLayer[h.clusterId][lcLayerId].layerClusterIdToEnergyAndScore[lcId].first += h.fraction * hit->energy();
           cpsInLayerCluster[lcId].emplace_back(h.clusterId, 0.f);
@@ -252,7 +255,7 @@ ticl::association LCToCPAssociatorByEnergyScoreImplT<HIT, CLUSTER>::makeConnecti
       if (hit_find_in_CP == detIdToCaloParticleId_Map.end()) {
         hitsToCaloParticleId[hitId] -= 1;
       } else {
-        const HIT* hit = hits_[hitMap_->at(rh_detid)];
+        const HIT* hit = &hitsMS[hitMap_->at(rh_detid)];
         auto maxCPEnergyInLC = 0.f;
         auto maxCPId = -1;
         for (auto& h : hit_find_in_CP->second) {
@@ -325,7 +328,7 @@ ticl::association LCToCPAssociatorByEnergyScoreImplT<HIT, CLUSTER>::makeConnecti
           << "    Energy:          " << cPOnLayer[cp][cpp].energy << std::endl;
       double tot_energy = 0.;
       for (auto const& haf : cPOnLayer[cp][cpp].hits_and_fractions) {
-        const HIT* hit = hits_[hitMap_->at(haf.first)];
+        const HIT* hit = &hitsMS[hitMap_->at(haf.first)];
         LogDebug("LCToCPAssociatorByEnergyScoreImplT") << "      Hits/fraction/energy: " << (uint32_t)haf.first << "/"
                                                        << haf.second << "/" << haf.second * hit->energy() << std::endl;
         tot_energy += haf.second * hit->energy();
@@ -343,7 +346,7 @@ ticl::association LCToCPAssociatorByEnergyScoreImplT<HIT, CLUSTER>::makeConnecti
     LogDebug("LCToCPAssociatorByEnergyScoreImplT")
         << "For detId: " << (uint32_t)cp.first
         << " we have found the following connections with CaloParticles:" << std::endl;
-    const HIT* hit = hits_[hitMap_->at(cp.first)];
+    const HIT* hit = &hitsMS[hitMap_->at(cp.first)];
     for (auto const& cpp : cp.second) {
       LogDebug("LCToCPAssociatorByEnergyScoreImplT")
           << "  CaloParticle Id: " << cpp.clusterId << " with fraction: " << cpp.fraction
@@ -383,7 +386,7 @@ ticl::association LCToCPAssociatorByEnergyScoreImplT<HIT, CLUSTER>::makeConnecti
     // It is the inverse of the denominator of the LCToCP score formula. Observe that this is the sum of the squares.
     float invLayerClusterEnergyWeight = 0.f;
     for (auto const& haf : hits_and_fractions) {
-      const HIT* hit = hits_[hitMap_->at(haf.first)];
+      const HIT* hit = &hitsMS[hitMap_->at(haf.first)];
       invLayerClusterEnergyWeight += (haf.second * hit->energy()) * (haf.second * hit->energy());
     }
     invLayerClusterEnergyWeight = 1.f / invLayerClusterEnergyWeight;
@@ -396,7 +399,7 @@ ticl::association LCToCPAssociatorByEnergyScoreImplT<HIT, CLUSTER>::makeConnecti
       auto itcheck = hitMap_->find(rh_detid);
       if (itcheck == hitMap_->end())
         continue;
-      const HIT* hit = hits_[itcheck->second];
+      const HIT* hit = &hitsMS[itcheck->second];
       float hitEnergyWeight = hit->energy() * hit->energy();
 
       for (auto& cpPair : cpsInLayerCluster[lcId]) {
@@ -456,7 +459,7 @@ ticl::association LCToCPAssociatorByEnergyScoreImplT<HIT, CLUSTER>::makeConnecti
       // Compute the correct normalization. Observe that this is the sum of the squares.
       float invCPEnergyWeight = 0.f;
       for (auto const& haf : cPOnLayer[cpId][layerId].hits_and_fractions) {
-        const HIT* hit = hits_[hitMap_->at(haf.first)];
+        const HIT* hit = &hitsMS[hitMap_->at(haf.first)];
         invCPEnergyWeight += std::pow(haf.second * hit->energy(), 2);
       }
       invCPEnergyWeight = 1.f / invCPEnergyWeight;
@@ -471,7 +474,7 @@ ticl::association LCToCPAssociatorByEnergyScoreImplT<HIT, CLUSTER>::makeConnecti
         if (hit_find_in_LC == detIdToLayerClusterId_Map.end())
           hitWithNoLC = true;
         auto itcheck = hitMap_->find(cp_hitDetId);
-        const HIT* hit = hits_[itcheck->second];
+        const HIT* hit = &hitsMS[itcheck->second];
         float hitEnergyWeight = hit->energy() * hit->energy();
         for (auto& lcPair : cPOnLayer[cpId][layerId].layerClusterIdToEnergyAndScore) {
           unsigned int layerClusterId = lcPair.first;
diff --git a/SimCalorimetry/HGCalAssociatorProducers/plugins/LCToCPAssociatorByEnergyScoreImpl.h b/SimCalorimetry/HGCalAssociatorProducers/plugins/LCToCPAssociatorByEnergyScoreImpl.h
index 0fabcc4e80643..cf95996c8ce3a 100644
--- a/SimCalorimetry/HGCalAssociatorProducers/plugins/LCToCPAssociatorByEnergyScoreImpl.h
+++ b/SimCalorimetry/HGCalAssociatorProducers/plugins/LCToCPAssociatorByEnergyScoreImpl.h
@@ -68,11 +68,13 @@ namespace ticl {
 template <typename HIT, typename CLUSTER>
 class LCToCPAssociatorByEnergyScoreImplT : public ticl::LayerClusterToCaloParticleAssociatorBaseImplT<CLUSTER> {
 public:
+  using multiCollectionT = std::vector<edm::RefProd<std::vector<HIT>>>;
+
   explicit LCToCPAssociatorByEnergyScoreImplT(edm::EDProductGetter const &,
                                               bool,
                                               std::shared_ptr<hgcal::RecHitTools>,
                                               const std::unordered_map<DetId, const unsigned int> *,
-                                              const std::vector<const HIT *> &hits);
+                                              const multiCollectionT &hits);
 
   ticl::RecoToSimCollectionT<CLUSTER> associateRecoToSim(
       const edm::Handle<CLUSTER> &cCH, const edm::Handle<CaloParticleCollection> &cPCH) const override;
@@ -88,7 +90,7 @@ class LCToCPAssociatorByEnergyScoreImplT : public ticl::LayerClusterToCaloPartic
   edm::EDProductGetter const *productGetter_;
   ticl::association makeConnections(const edm::Handle<CLUSTER> &cCH,
                                     const edm::Handle<CaloParticleCollection> &cPCH) const;
-  std::vector<const HIT *> hits_;
+  multiCollectionT hits_;
 };
 
 extern template class LCToCPAssociatorByEnergyScoreImplT<HGCRecHit, reco::CaloClusterCollection>;
diff --git a/SimCalorimetry/HGCalAssociatorProducers/plugins/LCToCPAssociatorByEnergyScoreProducer.cc b/SimCalorimetry/HGCalAssociatorProducers/plugins/LCToCPAssociatorByEnergyScoreProducer.cc
index 288969190b7e8..7b14b1470943f 100644
--- a/SimCalorimetry/HGCalAssociatorProducers/plugins/LCToCPAssociatorByEnergyScoreProducer.cc
+++ b/SimCalorimetry/HGCalAssociatorProducers/plugins/LCToCPAssociatorByEnergyScoreProducer.cc
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #include "LCToCPAssociatorByEnergyScoreProducer.h"
 
+#include <algorithm>
 #include <memory>
 
 template <typename HIT, typename CLUSTER>
@@ -7,11 +8,7 @@ LCToCPAssociatorByEnergyScoreProducerT<HIT, CLUSTER>::LCToCPAssociatorByEnergySc
     : hitMap_(consumes<std::unordered_map<DetId, const unsigned int>>(ps.getParameter<edm::InputTag>("hitMapTag"))),
       caloGeometry_(esConsumes<CaloGeometry, CaloGeometryRecord>()),
       hardScatterOnly_(ps.getParameter<bool>("hardScatterOnly")),
-      hits_label_(ps.getParameter<std::vector<edm::InputTag>>("hits")) {
-  for (auto &label : hits_label_) {
-    hits_token_.push_back(consumes<std::vector<HIT>>(label));
-  }
-
+      hits_token_(consumes<multiCollectionT>(ps.getParameter<edm::InputTag>("hits"))) {
   rhtools_ = std::make_shared<hgcal::RecHitTools>();
 
   // Register the product
@@ -28,31 +25,17 @@ void LCToCPAssociatorByEnergyScoreProducerT<HIT, CLUSTER>::produce(edm::StreamID
   edm::ESHandle<CaloGeometry> geom = es.getHandle(caloGeometry_);
   rhtools_->setGeometry(*geom);
 
-  std::vector<const HIT *> hits;
-
-  for (unsigned i = 0; i < hits_token_.size(); ++i) {
-    auto hits_handle = iEvent.getHandle(hits_token_[i]);
-
-    // Check handle validity
-    if (!hits_handle.isValid()) {
-      edm::LogWarning("LCToCPAssociatorByEnergyScoreProducer")
-          << "Hit collection not available for token " << hits_label_[i] << ". Skipping this collection.";
-      continue;  // Skip invalid handle
+  if (!iEvent.getHandle(hitMap_) || !iEvent.getHandle(hits_token_)) {
+    if (!iEvent.getHandle(hitMap_)) {
+      edm::LogWarning("LCToCPAssociatorByEnergyScoreProducerT") << "Hit map not valid. Producing empty associator.";
     }
-
-    for (const auto &hit : *hits_handle) {
-      hits.push_back(&hit);
+    if (!iEvent.getHandle(hits_token_)) {
+      edm::LogWarning("LCToCPAssociatorByEnergyScoreProducerT")
+          << "Hit RefProdVector not available. Producing empty associator.";
     }
-  }
-
-  if (hits.empty()) {
-    edm::LogWarning("LCToCPAssociatorByEnergyScoreProducerT") << "No hits collected. Producing empty associator.";
-  }
-
-  if (!iEvent.getHandle(hitMap_)) {
-    edm::LogWarning("LCToCPAssociatorByEnergyScoreProducerT") << "Hit map not valid. Producing empty associator.";
 
     const std::unordered_map<DetId, const unsigned int> hitMap;  // empty map
+    const multiCollectionT hits;
     auto impl = std::make_unique<LCToCPAssociatorByEnergyScoreImplT<HIT, CLUSTER>>(
         iEvent.productGetter(), hardScatterOnly_, rhtools_, &hitMap, hits);
     auto emptyAssociator = std::make_unique<ticl::LayerClusterToCaloParticleAssociatorT<CLUSTER>>(std::move(impl));
@@ -60,6 +43,23 @@ void LCToCPAssociatorByEnergyScoreProducerT<HIT, CLUSTER>::produce(edm::StreamID
     return;
   }
 
+  // Protection against missing HGCRecHitCollection
+  const auto hits = iEvent.get(hits_token_);
+  for (std::size_t index = 0; const auto &hgcRecHitCollection : hits) {
+    if (hgcRecHitCollection->empty()) {
+      edm::LogWarning("LCToCPAssociatorByEnergyScoreProducerT")
+          << "HGCRecHitCollections #" << index << " is not valid.";
+    }
+    index++;
+  }
+
+  const bool no_hits =
+      std::none_of(hits.begin(), hits.end(), [](const auto &subCollection) { return !subCollection->empty(); });
+
+  if (no_hits) {
+    edm::LogWarning("LCToCPAssociatorByEnergyScoreProducerT") << "No hits collected. Producing empty associator.";
+  }
+
   const auto hitMap = &iEvent.get(hitMap_);
   auto impl = std::make_unique<LCToCPAssociatorByEnergyScoreImplT<HIT, CLUSTER>>(
       iEvent.productGetter(), hardScatterOnly_, rhtools_, hitMap, hits);
@@ -73,14 +73,10 @@ void LCToCPAssociatorByEnergyScoreProducerT<HIT, CLUSTER>::fillDescriptions(edm:
   desc.add<bool>("hardScatterOnly", true);
   if constexpr (std::is_same_v<HIT, HGCRecHit>) {
     desc.add<edm::InputTag>("hitMapTag", edm::InputTag("recHitMapProducer", "hgcalRecHitMap"));
-    desc.add<std::vector<edm::InputTag>>("hits",
-                                         {edm::InputTag("HGCalRecHit", "HGCEERecHits"),
-                                          edm::InputTag("HGCalRecHit", "HGCHEFRecHits"),
-                                          edm::InputTag("HGCalRecHit", "HGCHEBRecHits")});
+    desc.add<edm::InputTag>("hits", edm::InputTag("recHitMapProducer", "RefProdVectorHGCRecHitCollection"));
   } else {
     desc.add<edm::InputTag>("hitMapTag", edm::InputTag("recHitMapProducer", "barrelRecHitMap"));
-    desc.add<std::vector<edm::InputTag>>(
-        "hits", {edm::InputTag("particleFlowRecHitECAL", ""), edm::InputTag("particleFlowRecHitHBHE", "")});
+    desc.add<edm::InputTag>("hits", edm::InputTag("recHitMapProducer", "RefProdVectorPFRecHitCollection"));
   }
   cfg.addWithDefaultLabel(desc);
 }
diff --git a/SimCalorimetry/HGCalAssociatorProducers/plugins/LCToCPAssociatorByEnergyScoreProducer.h b/SimCalorimetry/HGCalAssociatorProducers/plugins/LCToCPAssociatorByEnergyScoreProducer.h
index 32c933cd0f058..a116217fcd6c5 100644
--- a/SimCalorimetry/HGCalAssociatorProducers/plugins/LCToCPAssociatorByEnergyScoreProducer.h
+++ b/SimCalorimetry/HGCalAssociatorProducers/plugins/LCToCPAssociatorByEnergyScoreProducer.h
@@ -18,11 +18,14 @@
 #include "SimDataFormats/Associations/interface/LayerClusterToCaloParticleAssociator.h"
 #include "LCToCPAssociatorByEnergyScoreImpl.h"
 
+#include "DataFormats/Common/interface/RefProdVector.h"
 #include "DataFormats/HGCRecHit/interface/HGCRecHitCollections.h"
 
 template <typename HIT, typename CLUSTER>
 class LCToCPAssociatorByEnergyScoreProducerT : public edm::global::EDProducer<> {
 public:
+  using multiCollectionT = edm::RefProdVector<std::vector<HIT>>;
+
   explicit LCToCPAssociatorByEnergyScoreProducerT(const edm::ParameterSet &);
   ~LCToCPAssociatorByEnergyScoreProducerT() override;
 
@@ -34,8 +37,7 @@ class LCToCPAssociatorByEnergyScoreProducerT : public edm::global::EDProducer<>
   edm::ESGetToken<CaloGeometry, CaloGeometryRecord> caloGeometry_;
   const bool hardScatterOnly_;
   std::shared_ptr<hgcal::RecHitTools> rhtools_;
-  std::vector<edm::InputTag> hits_label_;
-  std::vector<edm::EDGetTokenT<std::vector<HIT>>> hits_token_;
+  edm::EDGetTokenT<multiCollectionT> hits_token_;
 };
 
 template class LCToCPAssociatorByEnergyScoreProducerT<HGCRecHit, reco::CaloClusterCollection>;
diff --git a/SimCalorimetry/HGCalAssociatorProducers/plugins/LCToSCAssociatorByEnergyScoreImpl.cc b/SimCalorimetry/HGCalAssociatorProducers/plugins/LCToSCAssociatorByEnergyScoreImpl.cc
index 7947ba7ad2acc..5f4f97034059f 100644
--- a/SimCalorimetry/HGCalAssociatorProducers/plugins/LCToSCAssociatorByEnergyScoreImpl.cc
+++ b/SimCalorimetry/HGCalAssociatorProducers/plugins/LCToSCAssociatorByEnergyScoreImpl.cc
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #include "LCToSCAssociatorByEnergyScoreImpl.h"
 
+#include "DataFormats/Common/interface/MultiSpan.h"
 #include "FWCore/MessageLogger/interface/MessageLogger.h"
 #include "SimDataFormats/CaloAnalysis/interface/SimCluster.h"
 #include "DataFormats/CaloRecHit/interface/CaloCluster.h"
@@ -10,7 +11,7 @@ LCToSCAssociatorByEnergyScoreImplT<HIT, CLUSTER>::LCToSCAssociatorByEnergyScoreI
     bool hardScatterOnly,
     std::shared_ptr<hgcal::RecHitTools> recHitTools,
     const std::unordered_map<DetId, const unsigned int>* hitMap,
-    std::vector<const HIT*>& hits)
+    const multiCollectionT& hits)
     : hardScatterOnly_(hardScatterOnly),
       recHitTools_(recHitTools),
       hitMap_(hitMap),
@@ -70,6 +71,8 @@ ticl::association LCToSCAssociatorByEnergyScoreImplT<HIT, CLUSTER>::makeConnecti
   // that in contrast to the CaloParticle case there is no merging and summing of the fractions, which
   // in the CaloParticle's case was necessary due to the multiple SimClusters of a single CaloParticle.
   std::unordered_map<DetId, std::vector<ticl::detIdInfoInCluster>> detIdToSimClusterId_Map;
+  edm::MultiSpan<HIT> hitsMS(hits_);
+
   for (const auto& scId : sCIndices) {
     std::vector<std::pair<uint32_t, float>> hits_and_fractions = simClusters[scId].hits_and_fractions();
     if constexpr (std::is_same_v<HIT, HGCRecHit>)
@@ -90,7 +93,7 @@ ticl::association LCToSCAssociatorByEnergyScoreImplT<HIT, CLUSTER>::makeConnecti
           detIdToSimClusterId_Map[hitid] = std::vector<ticl::detIdInfoInCluster>();
         }
         detIdToSimClusterId_Map[hitid].emplace_back(scId, it_haf.second);
-        const HIT* hit = hits_[itcheck->second];
+        const HIT* hit = &hitsMS[itcheck->second];
         lcsInSimCluster[scId][scLayerId].energy += it_haf.second * hit->energy();
         lcsInSimCluster[scId][scLayerId].hits_and_fractions.emplace_back(hitid, it_haf.second);
       }
@@ -111,7 +114,7 @@ ticl::association LCToSCAssociatorByEnergyScoreImplT<HIT, CLUSTER>::makeConnecti
           << "    Energy:          " << lcsInSimCluster[sc][sclay].energy << std::endl;
       double tot_energy = 0.;
       for (auto const& haf : lcsInSimCluster[sc][sclay].hits_and_fractions) {
-        const HIT* hit = hits_[hitMap_->at(haf.first)];
+        const HIT* hit = &hitsMS[hitMap_->at(haf.first)];
         LogDebug("LCToSCAssociatorByEnergyScoreImplT") << "      Hits/fraction/energy: " << (uint32_t)haf.first << "/"
                                                        << haf.second << "/" << haf.second * hit->energy() << std::endl;
         tot_energy += haf.second * hit->energy();
@@ -133,7 +136,7 @@ ticl::association LCToSCAssociatorByEnergyScoreImplT<HIT, CLUSTER>::makeConnecti
     // specific detId there are more that one SimClusters contributing with fractions less than 1.
     // This is important since it effects the score computation, since the fraction is also in the
     // denominator of the score formula.
-    const HIT* hit = hits_[hitMap_->at(sc.first)];
+    const HIT* hit = &hitsMS[hitMap_->at(sc.first)];
     for (auto const& sclu : sc.second) {
       LogDebug("LCToSCAssociatorByEnergyScoreImplT")
           << "  SimCluster Id: " << sclu.clusterId << " with fraction: " << sclu.fraction
@@ -174,7 +177,7 @@ ticl::association LCToSCAssociatorByEnergyScoreImplT<HIT, CLUSTER>::makeConnecti
 
       if (hit_find_in_SC != detIdToSimClusterId_Map.end()) {
         const auto itcheck = hitMap_->find(rh_detid);
-        const HIT* hit = hits_[itcheck->second];
+        const HIT* hit = &hitsMS[itcheck->second];
         //Loops through all the simclusters that have the layer cluster rechit under study
         //Here is time to update the lcsInSimCluster and connect the SimCluster with all
         //the layer clusters that have the current rechit detid matched.
@@ -243,7 +246,7 @@ ticl::association LCToSCAssociatorByEnergyScoreImplT<HIT, CLUSTER>::makeConnecti
         hitsToSimClusterId[hitId] -= 1;
       } else {
         const auto itcheck = hitMap_->find(rh_detid);
-        const HIT* hit = hits_[itcheck->second];
+        const HIT* hit = &hitsMS[itcheck->second];
         auto maxSCEnergyInLC = 0.f;
         auto maxSCId = -1;
         //Loop through all the linked SimClusters
@@ -327,7 +330,7 @@ ticl::association LCToSCAssociatorByEnergyScoreImplT<HIT, CLUSTER>::makeConnecti
           << "    Energy:          " << lcsInSimCluster[sc][sclay].energy << std::endl;
       double tot_energy = 0.;
       for (auto const& haf : lcsInSimCluster[sc][sclay].hits_and_fractions) {
-        const HIT* hit = hits_[hitMap_->at(haf.first)];
+        const HIT* hit = &hitsMS[hitMap_->at(haf.first)];
         LogDebug("LCToSCAssociatorByEnergyScoreImplT") << "      Hits/fraction/energy: " << (uint32_t)haf.first << "/"
                                                        << haf.second << "/" << haf.second * hit->energy() << std::endl;
         tot_energy += haf.second * hit->energy();
@@ -342,7 +345,7 @@ ticl::association LCToSCAssociatorByEnergyScoreImplT<HIT, CLUSTER>::makeConnecti
 
   LogDebug("LCToSCAssociatorByEnergyScoreImplT") << "Improved detIdToSimClusterId_Map INFO" << std::endl;
   for (auto const& sc : detIdToSimClusterId_Map) {
-    const HIT* hit = hits_[hitMap_->at(sc.first)];
+    const HIT* hit = &hitsMS[hitMap_->at(sc.first)];
     LogDebug("LCToSCAssociatorByEnergyScoreImplT")
         << "For detId: " << (uint32_t)sc.first
         << " we have found the following connections with SimClusters:" << std::endl;
@@ -386,7 +389,7 @@ ticl::association LCToSCAssociatorByEnergyScoreImplT<HIT, CLUSTER>::makeConnecti
     // It is the inverse of the denominator of the LCToSC score formula. Observe that this is the sum of the squares.
     float invLayerClusterEnergyWeight = 0.f;
     for (auto const& haf : hits_and_fractions) {
-      const HIT* hit = hits_[hitMap_->at(haf.first)];
+      const HIT* hit = &hitsMS[hitMap_->at(haf.first)];
       invLayerClusterEnergyWeight += (haf.second * hit->energy()) * (haf.second * hit->energy());
     }
     invLayerClusterEnergyWeight = 1.f / invLayerClusterEnergyWeight;
@@ -397,7 +400,7 @@ ticl::association LCToSCAssociatorByEnergyScoreImplT<HIT, CLUSTER>::makeConnecti
       bool hitWithSC = (detIdToSimClusterId_Map.find(rh_detid) != detIdToSimClusterId_Map.end());
 
       auto itcheck = hitMap_->find(rh_detid);
-      const HIT* hit = hits_[itcheck->second];
+      const HIT* hit = &hitsMS[itcheck->second];
       float hitEnergyWeight = hit->energy() * hit->energy();
 
       for (auto& scPair : scsInLayerCluster[lcId]) {
@@ -469,7 +472,7 @@ ticl::association LCToSCAssociatorByEnergyScoreImplT<HIT, CLUSTER>::makeConnecti
       // Compute the correct normalization. Observe that this is the sum of the squares.
       float invSCEnergyWeight = 0.f;
       for (auto const& haf : lcsInSimCluster[scId][layerId].hits_and_fractions) {
-        const HIT* hit = hits_[hitMap_->at(haf.first)];
+        const HIT* hit = &hitsMS[hitMap_->at(haf.first)];
         invSCEnergyWeight += std::pow(haf.second * hit->energy(), 2);
       }
       invSCEnergyWeight = 1.f / invSCEnergyWeight;
@@ -484,7 +487,7 @@ ticl::association LCToSCAssociatorByEnergyScoreImplT<HIT, CLUSTER>::makeConnecti
         if (hit_find_in_LC != detIdToLayerClusterId_Map.end())
           hitWithLC = true;
         auto itcheck = hitMap_->find(sc_hitDetId);
-        const HIT* hit = hits_[itcheck->second];
+        const HIT* hit = &hitsMS[itcheck->second];
         float hitEnergyWeight = hit->energy() * hit->energy();
         for (auto& lcPair : lcsInSimCluster[scId][layerId].layerClusterIdToEnergyAndScore) {
           unsigned int layerClusterId = lcPair.first;
diff --git a/SimCalorimetry/HGCalAssociatorProducers/plugins/LCToSCAssociatorByEnergyScoreImpl.h b/SimCalorimetry/HGCalAssociatorProducers/plugins/LCToSCAssociatorByEnergyScoreImpl.h
index ac4b2dc7ad086..ed517e68599c8 100644
--- a/SimCalorimetry/HGCalAssociatorProducers/plugins/LCToSCAssociatorByEnergyScoreImpl.h
+++ b/SimCalorimetry/HGCalAssociatorProducers/plugins/LCToSCAssociatorByEnergyScoreImpl.h
@@ -65,11 +65,13 @@ namespace ticl {
 template <typename HIT, typename CLUSTER>
 class LCToSCAssociatorByEnergyScoreImplT : public ticl::LayerClusterToSimClusterAssociatorBaseImplT<CLUSTER> {
 public:
+  using multiCollectionT = std::vector<edm::RefProd<std::vector<HIT>>>;
+
   explicit LCToSCAssociatorByEnergyScoreImplT(edm::EDProductGetter const &,
                                               bool,
                                               std::shared_ptr<hgcal::RecHitTools>,
                                               const std::unordered_map<DetId, const unsigned int> *,
-                                              std::vector<const HIT *> &hits);
+                                              const multiCollectionT &hits);
 
   ticl::RecoToSimCollectionWithSimClustersT<CLUSTER> associateRecoToSim(
       const edm::Handle<CLUSTER> &cCH, const edm::Handle<SimClusterCollection> &sCCH) const override;
@@ -85,7 +87,7 @@ class LCToSCAssociatorByEnergyScoreImplT : public ticl::LayerClusterToSimCluster
   edm::EDProductGetter const *productGetter_;
   ticl::association makeConnections(const edm::Handle<CLUSTER> &cCH,
                                     const edm::Handle<SimClusterCollection> &sCCH) const;
-  std::vector<const HIT *> hits_;
+  multiCollectionT hits_;
 };
 
 extern template class LCToSCAssociatorByEnergyScoreImplT<HGCRecHit, reco::CaloClusterCollection>;
diff --git a/SimCalorimetry/HGCalAssociatorProducers/plugins/LCToSCAssociatorByEnergyScoreProducer.cc b/SimCalorimetry/HGCalAssociatorProducers/plugins/LCToSCAssociatorByEnergyScoreProducer.cc
index c3d90da83be95..a5387e794630d 100644
--- a/SimCalorimetry/HGCalAssociatorProducers/plugins/LCToSCAssociatorByEnergyScoreProducer.cc
+++ b/SimCalorimetry/HGCalAssociatorProducers/plugins/LCToSCAssociatorByEnergyScoreProducer.cc
@@ -7,11 +7,7 @@ LCToSCAssociatorByEnergyScoreProducerT<HIT, CLUSTER>::LCToSCAssociatorByEnergySc
     : hitMap_(consumes<std::unordered_map<DetId, const unsigned int>>(ps.getParameter<edm::InputTag>("hitMapTag"))),
       caloGeometry_(esConsumes<CaloGeometry, CaloGeometryRecord>()),
       hardScatterOnly_(ps.getParameter<bool>("hardScatterOnly")),
-      hits_label_(ps.getParameter<std::vector<edm::InputTag>>("hits")) {
-  for (auto &label : hits_label_) {
-    hits_token_.push_back(consumes<std::vector<HIT>>(label));
-  }
-
+      hits_token_(consumes<multiCollectionT>(ps.getParameter<edm::InputTag>("hits"))) {
   rhtools_ = std::make_shared<hgcal::RecHitTools>();
 
   // Register the product
@@ -28,31 +24,17 @@ void LCToSCAssociatorByEnergyScoreProducerT<HIT, CLUSTER>::produce(edm::StreamID
   edm::ESHandle<CaloGeometry> geom = es.getHandle(caloGeometry_);
   rhtools_->setGeometry(*geom);
 
-  std::vector<const HIT *> hits;
-
-  for (unsigned i = 0; i < hits_token_.size(); ++i) {
-    auto hits_handle = iEvent.getHandle(hits_token_[i]);
-
-    // Check handle validity
-    if (!hits_handle.isValid()) {
-      edm::LogWarning("LCToSCAssociatorByEnergyScoreProducer")
-          << "Hit collection not available for token " << hits_label_[i] << ". Skipping this collection.";
-      continue;  // Skip invalid handle
+  if (!iEvent.getHandle(hitMap_) || !iEvent.getHandle(hits_token_)) {
+    if (!iEvent.getHandle(hitMap_)) {
+      edm::LogWarning("LCToSCAssociatorByEnergyScoreProducer") << "Hit map not valid. Producing empty associator.";
     }
-
-    for (const auto &hit : *hits_handle) {
-      hits.push_back(&hit);
+    if (!iEvent.getHandle(hits_token_)) {
+      edm::LogWarning("LCToSCAssociatorByEnergyScoreProducer")
+          << "Hit RefProdVector not available. Producing empty associator.";
     }
-  }
-
-  if (hits.empty()) {
-    edm::LogWarning("LCToSCAssociatorByEnergyScoreProducerT") << "No hits collected. Producing empty associator.";
-  }
-
-  if (!iEvent.getHandle(hitMap_)) {
-    edm::LogWarning("LCToSCAssociatorByEnergyScoreProducerT") << "Hit map not valid. Producing empty associator.";
 
     const std::unordered_map<DetId, const unsigned int> hitMap;  // empty map
+    const multiCollectionT hits;
     auto impl = std::make_unique<LCToSCAssociatorByEnergyScoreImplT<HIT, CLUSTER>>(
         iEvent.productGetter(), hardScatterOnly_, rhtools_, &hitMap, hits);
     auto emptyAssociator = std::make_unique<ticl::LayerClusterToSimClusterAssociatorT<CLUSTER>>(std::move(impl));
@@ -60,6 +42,23 @@ void LCToSCAssociatorByEnergyScoreProducerT<HIT, CLUSTER>::produce(edm::StreamID
     return;
   }
 
+  // Protection against missing HGCRecHitCollection
+  const auto hits = iEvent.get(hits_token_);
+  for (std::size_t index = 0; const auto &hgcRecHitCollection : hits) {
+    if (hgcRecHitCollection->empty()) {
+      edm::LogWarning("LCToSCAssociatorByEnergyScoreProducerT")
+          << "HGCRecHitCollections #" << index << " is not valid.";
+    }
+    index++;
+  }
+
+  const bool no_hits =
+      std::none_of(hits.begin(), hits.end(), [](const auto &subCollection) { return !subCollection->empty(); });
+
+  if (no_hits) {
+    edm::LogWarning("LCToSCAssociatorByEnergyScoreProducerT") << "No hits collected. Producing empty associator.";
+  }
+
   const auto hitMap = &iEvent.get(hitMap_);
   auto impl = std::make_unique<LCToSCAssociatorByEnergyScoreImplT<HIT, CLUSTER>>(
       iEvent.productGetter(), hardScatterOnly_, rhtools_, hitMap, hits);
@@ -73,14 +72,10 @@ void LCToSCAssociatorByEnergyScoreProducerT<HIT, CLUSTER>::fillDescriptions(edm:
   desc.add<bool>("hardScatterOnly", true);
   if constexpr (std::is_same_v<HIT, HGCRecHit>) {
     desc.add<edm::InputTag>("hitMapTag", edm::InputTag("recHitMapProducer", "hgcalRecHitMap"));
-    desc.add<std::vector<edm::InputTag>>("hits",
-                                         {edm::InputTag("HGCalRecHit", "HGCEERecHits"),
-                                          edm::InputTag("HGCalRecHit", "HGCHEFRecHits"),
-                                          edm::InputTag("HGCalRecHit", "HGCHEBRecHits")});
+    desc.add<edm::InputTag>("hits", edm::InputTag("recHitMapProducer", "RefProdVectorHGCRecHitCollection"));
   } else {
     desc.add<edm::InputTag>("hitMapTag", edm::InputTag("recHitMapProducer", "barrelRecHitMap"));
-    desc.add<std::vector<edm::InputTag>>(
-        "hits", {edm::InputTag("particleFlowRecHitECAL", ""), edm::InputTag("particleFlowRecHitHBHE", "")});
+    desc.add<edm::InputTag>("hits", edm::InputTag("recHitMapProducer", "RefProdVectorPFRecHitCollection"));
   }
   cfg.addWithDefaultLabel(desc);
 }
diff --git a/SimCalorimetry/HGCalAssociatorProducers/plugins/LCToSCAssociatorByEnergyScoreProducer.h b/SimCalorimetry/HGCalAssociatorProducers/plugins/LCToSCAssociatorByEnergyScoreProducer.h
index b25da3653a586..7daca4f907681 100644
--- a/SimCalorimetry/HGCalAssociatorProducers/plugins/LCToSCAssociatorByEnergyScoreProducer.h
+++ b/SimCalorimetry/HGCalAssociatorProducers/plugins/LCToSCAssociatorByEnergyScoreProducer.h
@@ -18,11 +18,14 @@
 #include "SimDataFormats/Associations/interface/LayerClusterToSimClusterAssociator.h"
 #include "LCToSCAssociatorByEnergyScoreImpl.h"
 
+#include "DataFormats/Common/interface/RefProdVector.h"
 #include "DataFormats/HGCRecHit/interface/HGCRecHitCollections.h"
 
 template <typename HIT, typename CLUSTER>
 class LCToSCAssociatorByEnergyScoreProducerT : public edm::global::EDProducer<> {
 public:
+  using multiCollectionT = edm::RefProdVector<std::vector<HIT>>;
+
   explicit LCToSCAssociatorByEnergyScoreProducerT(const edm::ParameterSet &);
   ~LCToSCAssociatorByEnergyScoreProducerT() override;
 
@@ -34,8 +37,7 @@ class LCToSCAssociatorByEnergyScoreProducerT : public edm::global::EDProducer<>
   edm::ESGetToken<CaloGeometry, CaloGeometryRecord> caloGeometry_;
   const bool hardScatterOnly_;
   std::shared_ptr<hgcal::RecHitTools> rhtools_;
-  std::vector<edm::InputTag> hits_label_;
-  std::vector<edm::EDGetTokenT<std::vector<HIT>>> hits_token_;
+  edm::EDGetTokenT<multiCollectionT> hits_token_;
 };
 
 template class LCToSCAssociatorByEnergyScoreProducerT<HGCRecHit, reco::CaloClusterCollection>;
diff --git a/Validation/Configuration/python/hltHGCalSimValid_cff.py b/Validation/Configuration/python/hltHGCalSimValid_cff.py
index dd1d82ef5a810..677020c1dd390 100644
--- a/Validation/Configuration/python/hltHGCalSimValid_cff.py
+++ b/Validation/Configuration/python/hltHGCalSimValid_cff.py
@@ -20,12 +20,12 @@
 )
 
 hltLcAssocByEnergyScoreProducer = _lcAssocByEnergyScoreProducer.clone(
-    hits = cms.VInputTag("hltHGCalRecHit:HGCEERecHits", "hltHGCalRecHit:HGCHEFRecHits", "hltHGCalRecHit:HGCHEBRecHits"),
+    hits = cms.InputTag("hltRecHitMapProducer", "RefProdVectorHGCRecHitCollection"),
     hitMapTag = cms.InputTag("hltRecHitMapProducer","hgcalRecHitMap"),
 )
 
 hltScAssocByEnergyScoreProducer = _scAssocByEnergyScoreProducer.clone(
-    hits = cms.VInputTag("hltHGCalRecHit:HGCEERecHits", "hltHGCalRecHit:HGCHEFRecHits", "hltHGCalRecHit:HGCHEBRecHits"),
+    hits = cms.InputTag("hltRecHitMapProducer", "RefProdVectorHGCRecHitCollection"),
     hitMapTag = cms.InputTag("hltRecHitMapProducer","hgcalRecHitMap"),
 )
 
@@ -66,14 +66,14 @@
 
 hltHitToSimClusterCaloParticleAssociator = _hitToSimClusterCaloParticleAssociator.clone(
     hitMap = cms.InputTag("hltRecHitMapProducer","hgcalRecHitMap"),
-    hits = cms.VInputTag("hltHGCalRecHit:HGCEERecHits", "hltHGCalRecHit:HGCHEFRecHits", "hltHGCalRecHit:HGCHEBRecHits")
+    hits = cms.InputTag("hltRecHitMapProducer", "RefProdVectorHGCRecHitCollection"),
 )
 
 from SimCalorimetry.HGCalAssociatorProducers.AllHitToTracksterAssociatorsProducer_cfi import AllHitToTracksterAssociatorsProducer as _AllHitToTracksterAssociatorsProducer
 
 hltAllHitToTracksterAssociations =  _AllHitToTracksterAssociatorsProducer.clone(
     hitMapTag = cms.InputTag("hltRecHitMapProducer","hgcalRecHitMap"),
-    hits = cms.VInputTag("hltHGCalRecHit:HGCEERecHits", "hltHGCalRecHit:HGCHEFRecHits", "hltHGCalRecHit:HGCHEBRecHits"),
+    hits = cms.InputTag("hltRecHitMapProducer", "RefProdVectorHGCRecHitCollection"),
     layerClusters = cms.InputTag("hltMergeLayerClusters"),
     tracksterCollections = cms.VInputTag(
         *[cms.InputTag(label) for label in _hltTiclIterLabels],
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@
     allHitToTSAccoc = cms.string("hltAllHitToTracksterAssociations"),
     hitToCaloParticleMap = cms.InputTag("hltHitToSimClusterCaloParticleAssociator","hitToCaloParticleMap"),
     hitToSimClusterMap = cms.InputTag("hltHitToSimClusterCaloParticleAssociator","hitToSimClusterMap"),
-    hits = cms.VInputTag("hltHGCalRecHit:HGCEERecHits", "hltHGCalRecHit:HGCHEFRecHits", "hltHGCalRecHit:HGCHEBRecHits"),
+    hits = cms.InputTag("hltRecHitMapProducer", "RefProdVectorHGCRecHitCollection"),
     tracksterCollections = cms.VInputTag(
         *[cms.InputTag(label) for label in _hltTiclIterLabels]
     ),
diff --git a/Validation/HGCalValidation/interface/BarrelValidator.h b/Validation/HGCalValidation/interface/BarrelValidator.h
index c1db75980b72c..139d1659a1bc4 100644
--- a/Validation/HGCalValidation/interface/BarrelValidator.h
+++ b/Validation/HGCalValidation/interface/BarrelValidator.h
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 #include "SimDataFormats/Associations/interface/LayerClusterToSimClusterAssociator.h"
 #include "SimDataFormats/Associations/interface/TICLAssociationMap.h"
 
+#include "DataFormats/Common/interface/RefProdVector.h"
 #include "DataFormats/Common/interface/MultiSpan.h"
 
 class PileupSummaryInfo;
@@ -94,8 +95,7 @@ class BarrelValidator : public DQMGlobalEDAnalyzer<BarrelValidatorHistograms> {
   std::vector<edm::EDGetTokenT<ticl::RecoToSimCollectionWithSimClustersT<reco::CaloClusterCollection>>>
       associatorMapRtSim;
   std::unique_ptr<BarrelVHistoProducerAlgo> histoProducerAlgo_;
-  std::vector<edm::InputTag> hits_labels_;
-  std::vector<edm::EDGetTokenT<std::vector<reco::PFRecHit>>> hits_tokens_;
+  edm::EDGetTokenT<edm::RefProdVector<reco::PFRecHitCollection>> hitsToken_;
   edm::EDGetTokenT<SimClusterToCaloParticleMap> scToCpMapToken_;
 
 private:
diff --git a/Validation/HGCalValidation/interface/HGCalValidator.h b/Validation/HGCalValidation/interface/HGCalValidator.h
index 4728ec9dada4c..894d59ff2ebf6 100644
--- a/Validation/HGCalValidation/interface/HGCalValidator.h
+++ b/Validation/HGCalValidation/interface/HGCalValidator.h
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 #include "DataFormats/ParticleFlowReco/interface/PFCluster.h"
 #include "DataFormats/ParticleFlowCandidate/interface/PFCandidate.h"
 #include "DataFormats/HGCalReco/interface/Trackster.h"
+#include "DataFormats/HGCRecHit/interface/HGCRecHitCollections.h"
 #include "SimDataFormats/CaloAnalysis/interface/CaloParticle.h"
 #include "SimDataFormats/CaloAnalysis/interface/SimCluster.h"
 #include "SimDataFormats/Vertex/interface/SimVertex.h"
@@ -33,6 +34,7 @@
 #include "SimDataFormats/Associations/interface/TICLAssociationMap.h"
 
 #include "CommonTools/Utils/interface/StringCutObjectSelector.h"
+#include "DataFormats/Common/interface/RefProdVector.h"
 #include "DataFormats/Common/interface/MultiSpan.h"
 
 class PileupSummaryInfo;
@@ -113,8 +115,7 @@ class HGCalValidator : public DQMGlobalEDAnalyzer<HGCalValidatorHistograms> {
   edm::EDGetTokenT<ticl::SimToRecoCollectionWithSimClustersT<reco::CaloClusterCollection>> associatorMapSimtR;
   edm::EDGetTokenT<ticl::RecoToSimCollectionWithSimClustersT<reco::CaloClusterCollection>> associatorMapRtSim;
   std::unique_ptr<HGVHistoProducerAlgo> histoProducerAlgo_;
-  std::vector<edm::InputTag> hits_labels_;
-  std::vector<edm::EDGetTokenT<HGCRecHitCollection>> hits_tokens_;
+  edm::EDGetTokenT<edm::RefProdVector<HGCRecHitCollection>> hitsToken_;
   std::unique_ptr<TICLCandidateValidator> candidateVal_;
   std::vector<edm::EDGetTokenT<TracksterToTracksterMap>> tracksterToTracksterAssociatorsTokens_;
   std::vector<edm::EDGetTokenT<TracksterToTracksterMap>> tracksterToTracksterByHitsAssociatorsTokens_;
diff --git a/Validation/HGCalValidation/plugins/BarrelValidator.cc b/Validation/HGCalValidation/plugins/BarrelValidator.cc
index 3d73d7c435cc0..2bc263e84cc2e 100644
--- a/Validation/HGCalValidation/plugins/BarrelValidator.cc
+++ b/Validation/HGCalValidation/plugins/BarrelValidator.cc
@@ -76,17 +76,13 @@ BarrelValidator::BarrelValidator(const edm::ParameterSet& pset)
       doLayerClustersPlots_(pset.getUntrackedParameter<bool>("doLayerClustersPlots")),
       label_layerClustersPlots_(pset.getParameter<std::string>("label_layerClustersPlots")),
       label_LCToCPLinking_(pset.getParameter<std::string>("label_LCToCPLinking")),
-      hits_labels_(pset.getParameter<std::vector<edm::InputTag>>("hits")),
+      hitsToken_(consumes<edm::RefProdVector<reco::PFRecHitCollection>>(pset.getParameter<edm::InputTag>("hits"))),
       scToCpMapToken_(
           consumes<SimClusterToCaloParticleMap>(pset.getParameter<edm::InputTag>("simClustersToCaloParticlesMap"))) {
   //In this way we can easily generalize to associations between other objects also.
   const edm::InputTag& label_cp_effic_tag = pset.getParameter<edm::InputTag>("label_cp_effic");
   const edm::InputTag& label_cp_fake_tag = pset.getParameter<edm::InputTag>("label_cp_fake");
 
-  for (auto& label : hits_labels_) {
-    hits_tokens_.push_back(consumes<std::vector<reco::PFRecHit>>(label));
-  }
-
   label_cp_effic = consumes<std::vector<CaloParticle>>(label_cp_effic_tag);
   label_cp_fake = consumes<std::vector<CaloParticle>>(label_cp_fake_tag);
 
@@ -280,17 +276,23 @@ void BarrelValidator::dqmAnalyze(const edm::Event& event,
   event.getByToken(barrelHitMap_, barrelHitMapHandle);
   const std::unordered_map<DetId, const unsigned int>& barrelHitMap = *barrelHitMapHandle;
 
-  edm::MultiSpan<reco::PFRecHit> barrelRechitSpan;
-  for (unsigned int i = 0; i < hits_tokens_.size(); ++i) {
-    Handle<std::vector<reco::PFRecHit>> hitsHandle;
-    event.getByToken(hits_tokens_[i], hitsHandle);
+  if (!event.getHandle(hitsToken_).isValid()) {
+    edm::LogWarning("BarrelValidator") << "edm::RefProdVector<reco::PFRecHitCollection> token is not valid.";
+    return;
+  }
 
-    if (!hitsHandle.isValid()) {
-      edm::LogWarning("MissingInput") << "Missing " << hits_labels_[i] << " handle.";
-      continue;
+  // Protection against missing edm::RefProdVector<reco::PFRecHitCollection>
+  const auto& hits = event.get(hitsToken_);
+  for (std::size_t index = 0; const auto& pfRecHitCollection : hits) {
+    if (pfRecHitCollection->empty()) {
+      edm::LogWarning("BarrelValidator") << "PFRecHitCollections #" << index << " is not valid.";
     }
+    index++;
+  }
 
-    barrelRechitSpan.add(*hitsHandle);
+  edm::MultiSpan<reco::PFRecHit> barrelRechitSpan(hits);
+  if (barrelRechitSpan.size() == 0) {
+    edm::LogWarning("BarrelValidator") << "The PFRecHitCollection MultiSpan is empty.";
   }
 
   //Some general info on layers etc.
@@ -519,12 +521,7 @@ void BarrelValidator::fillDescriptions(edm::ConfigurationDescriptions& descripti
     psd1.add<int>("nintZ", 1100);
     desc.add<edm::ParameterSetDescription>("histoProducerAlgoBlock", psd1);
   }
-  desc.add<std::vector<edm::InputTag>>("hits",
-                                       {
-                                           edm::InputTag("particleFlowRecHitECAL"),
-                                           edm::InputTag("particleFlowRecHitHBHE"),
-                                       });
-
+  desc.add<edm::InputTag>("hits", edm::InputTag("recHitMapProducer", "RefProdVectorPFRecHitCollection"));
   desc.add<edm::InputTag>("label_lcl", edm::InputTag("hgcalMergeLayerClusters"));
   desc.add<std::vector<edm::InputTag>>("label_tst",
                                        {
diff --git a/Validation/HGCalValidation/plugins/HGCalValidator.cc b/Validation/HGCalValidation/plugins/HGCalValidator.cc
index 2ed59f9f7cf72..4493e34924727 100644
--- a/Validation/HGCalValidation/plugins/HGCalValidator.cc
+++ b/Validation/HGCalValidation/plugins/HGCalValidator.cc
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ HGCalValidator::HGCalValidator(const edm::ParameterSet& pset)
       label_candidates_(pset.getParameter<std::string>("ticlCandidates")),
       cummatbudinxo_(pset.getParameter<edm::FileInPath>("cummatbudinxo")),
       isTICLv5_(pset.getUntrackedParameter<bool>("isticlv5")),
-      hits_labels_(pset.getParameter<std::vector<edm::InputTag>>("hits")),
+      hitsToken_(consumes<edm::RefProdVector<HGCRecHitCollection>>(pset.getParameter<edm::InputTag>("hits"))),
       scToCpMapToken_(
           consumes<SimClusterToCaloParticleMap>(pset.getParameter<edm::InputTag>("simClustersToCaloParticlesMap"))),
       cutTk_(pset.getParameter<std::string>("cutTk")) {
@@ -105,9 +105,6 @@ HGCalValidator::HGCalValidator(const edm::ParameterSet& pset)
   const edm::InputTag& label_cp_effic_tag = pset.getParameter<edm::InputTag>("label_cp_effic");
   const edm::InputTag& label_cp_fake_tag = pset.getParameter<edm::InputTag>("label_cp_fake");
 
-  for (auto& label : hits_labels_) {
-    hits_tokens_.push_back(consumes<HGCRecHitCollection>(label));
-  }
   label_cp_effic = consumes<std::vector<CaloParticle>>(label_cp_effic_tag);
   label_cp_fake = consumes<std::vector<CaloParticle>>(label_cp_fake_tag);
 
@@ -417,16 +414,23 @@ void HGCalValidator::dqmAnalyze(const edm::Event& event,
   event.getByToken(hitMap_, hitMapHandle);
   const std::unordered_map<DetId, const unsigned int>& hitMap = *hitMapHandle;
 
-  edm::MultiSpan<HGCRecHit> rechitSpan;
-  for (unsigned int i = 0; i < hits_tokens_.size(); ++i) {
-    auto hitsHandle = event.getHandle(hits_tokens_[i]);
+  if (!event.getHandle(hitsToken_).isValid()) {
+    edm::LogWarning("HGCalValidator") << "edm::RefProdVector<HGCRecHitCollection> token is not valid.";
+    return;
+  }
 
-    if (!hitsHandle.isValid()) {
-      edm::LogWarning("MissingInput") << "Missing " << hits_labels_[i] << " handle.";
-      continue;
+  // Protection against missing HGCRecHitCollection
+  const auto& hits = event.get(hitsToken_);
+  for (std::size_t index = 0; const auto& hgcRecHitCollection : hits) {
+    if (hgcRecHitCollection->empty()) {
+      edm::LogWarning("HGCalValidator") << "HGCRecHitCollection #" << index << "is not valid.";
     }
+    index++;
+  }
 
-    rechitSpan.add(*hitsHandle);
+  edm::MultiSpan<HGCRecHit> rechitSpan(hits);
+  if (rechitSpan.size() == 0) {
+    edm::LogWarning("HGCalValidator") << "The HGCRecHitCollection MultiSpan is empty.";
   }
 
   //Some general info on layers etc.
@@ -783,12 +787,7 @@ void HGCalValidator::fillDescriptions(edm::ConfigurationDescriptions& descriptio
     psd1.add<int>("nintZ", 1100);
     desc.add<edm::ParameterSetDescription>("histoProducerAlgoBlock", psd1);
   }
-  desc.add<std::vector<edm::InputTag>>("hits",
-                                       {
-                                           edm::InputTag("HGCalRecHit", "HGCEERecHits"),
-                                           edm::InputTag("HGCalRecHit", "HGCHEFRecHits"),
-                                           edm::InputTag("HGCalRecHit", "HGCHEBRecHits"),
-                                       });
+  desc.add<edm::InputTag>("hits", edm::InputTag("recHitMapProducer", "RefProdVectorHGCRecHitCollection"));
   desc.add<edm::InputTag>("label_lcl", edm::InputTag("hgcalMergeLayerClusters"));
   desc.add<std::vector<edm::InputTag>>("label_tst",
                                        {
diff --git a/Validation/HGCalValidation/python/HLTHGCalValidator_cff.py b/Validation/HGCalValidation/python/HLTHGCalValidator_cff.py
index 3dc13b11e9729..7194a0e86374a 100644
--- a/Validation/HGCalValidation/python/HLTHGCalValidator_cff.py
+++ b/Validation/HGCalValidation/python/HLTHGCalValidator_cff.py
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
     associator = cms.untracked.InputTag("hltLayerClusterCaloParticleAssociationProducer"),
     associatorSim = cms.untracked.InputTag("hltLayerClusterSimClusterAssociationProducer"),
     dirName = cms.string('HLT/HGCAL/HGCalValidator/'),
-    hits = cms.VInputTag("hltHGCalRecHit:HGCEERecHits", "hltHGCalRecHit:HGCHEFRecHits", "hltHGCalRecHit:HGCHEBRecHits"),
+    hits = cms.InputTag("hltRecHitMapProducer", "RefProdVectorHGCRecHitCollection"),
     hitMap = cms.InputTag("hltRecHitMapProducer","hgcalRecHitMap"),
     simTrackstersMap = cms.InputTag("hltTiclSimTracksters"),
     label_layerClustersPlots = cms.string("hltHgcalMergeLayerClusters"),