The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released an RFI on Thursday asking for help in finding solutions to collect taxes in the field, including mobile payments, online payments, and other systems. Vendors have until March 21 to respond.
The applications are aimed at field revenue officers, who collect unpaid taxes and must make initial contact with people in-person. This opens the door to in-person payment systems for folks who are willing to pay immediately, instead of delaying the payment or leaving paper forms.
The RFI notes it is “seeking sources interested in providing information for innovative and state-of-the-art, alternative, non-cash payment methods in which Field Revenue Officers can collect tax payments electronically while in the field throughout the United States.” Among the innovative technologies being considered are “mobile applications, online (internet), print receipt of confirmation, [and] automated payment collection medium.”
In its questions to vendors, the IRS asks about how technology could send deposits straight to the Treasury, verify payments, handle a lack of cellular connectivity, and support analytics. In addition, the RFI stresses that any solution “must also provide for security that would protect any Personally Identifiable Information and must comply with security protocols for electronic transmission of financial data.” Included in those protocols are FISMA compliance and Section 508 accessibility requirements.