The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is preparing to rebid a contract for the digital platform that connects taxpayers, paid tax preparers, and IRS employees to agency systems.
The Integrated Enterprise Portal (IEP) contract was awarded to Accenture in 2017 with a ceiling value of $692 million. According to a request for information (RFI), the IRS anticipates making a new award in the second or third quarter of fiscal year 2023. In the current version of the IEP contract, the vendor is working on integration between IRS and the Treasury Department’s enterprise cloud – and that work will likely continue under the new contract.
The IEP contract provides the primary digital gateway and platform connecting taxpayers, third parties, tax practitioners, and employees with the IRS. According to the RFI, the IRS is preparing to draft a new version of the IEP contract, and it’s seeking feedback from industry on current draft materials.
“The IEP has evolved into a primary gateway for external users – including taxpayers, third-party tax preparers, and other business partners – and internal users – IRS employees and contractors with staff-like access – to access IRS business services,” reads the RFI.
Procurement objectives for IEP 2.0 include:
- Ensure continuity of IEP services and access to IRS business systems and services, key to supporting the IRS mission.
- Effectively utilize IRS workforce skills and availability to acquire, integrate, manage, and deliver IEP services.
- Provide IEP services that efficiently leverage technology over the project’s life cycle and accommodate service changes driven by IRS policies and business mandates.
- Transition and entirely operate all IEP services no later than the end of the IEP 1.5 contract performance period.
- Enhance IRS oversight and accountability for IEP services by using efficient IT management processes to improve taxpayer experience and enhance customer service continually.
According to the RFI, the IEP 2.0 procurement is potentially a piece of a larger IRS tech transformation. Last year, the agency released plans for Enterprise Development Operations Services, a $2.6 billion consolidated IT services procurement. That plan includes support for applications under the IEP umbrella.
IRS said the process is still in its early stages. The RFI asks that all interested vendors submit all comments by Jan. 19.
