2043FY23P00180-SOO.pdf

Outpost SOO

Statement of Objectives Modernization Strategy Support Services

Human Centered Design: HCD integrates a broad set of practices around a common understanding of user needs that can improve strategic decision-making as well as increase the effectiveness of individual programs.

Contents Statement of Objectives Modernization Strategy Support Services

1. Project Title

2. Introduction

3. Objectives

4. Scope

4.4. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

5. Performance Objectives

5.1 THINK TANK ROADSHOW

5.2 INNOVATION FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM

5.3 TRANSFORMATION SPRINTS

6. Operating Constraints

7. Place of Performance

8. Period of Performance

9. Activity Schedule

10. Security

11. Government Furnished Equipment (GFE)

12. Period of Performance

13. Inspection & Acceptance Criteria

Statement of Objectives Modernization Strategy Support Services

1. Project Title Enterprise Digitalization & Case Management Office (EDCMO) is looking to extend and amplify the IRS’ modernization objectives by bringing cutting-edge problem solvers and industry experts to the forefront, addressing IRS needs by curating IRS and mission partner needs/advocacy through think tank roadshows, develop content and deliver workshops/secure intrapreneurship, fellowship programming, and delivering transformation sprints for digitization technologies and architecture.

2. Introduction Contractor will be responsible for providing research and advisory support services for the continued development of IRS modernization strategy for inclusion in the ED&CMO/ IRS Modernization Business Plan; Specific areas of focus are expanding/transforming strategies for the future of; (1) crypto-currency, (2) fintech, (3) quantum finance, (4) cybersecurity, (5) artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML) and other emerging digital transformation initiatives for the IRS. The Contractor must provide an exclusive set of talent that has successfully scaled the types of consulting services it offers inside and outside the government. The foundation for existing work performed was based on creation of organizations such as the Air Force Work Project (AFWERX) and Space Force Work Project (SpaceWerx) which has transformed how numerous Federal agencies are engaging with small businesses. The contractor talent pool that began this movement has experience in building and executing these programs inside of government as well as a team that has experience with building and executing these programs in the non-profit and commercial space. These include Spark Tank and creative acquisition programs never previously envisioned within large bureaucracies.

The combined skillsets providing these consulting services is based on access to an exclusive set of talent that has built dual-use technology ecosystems across the United States. The network spans into local startup communities across 49 states, over 200 local representatives and access to thousands of companies. The framework in which these support services are provided is unique and exclusive to new and emerging technologies; government market research has determined that standard consulting approaches and theories used as frameworks for prevailing and non-digital technology platforms cannot be relied upon to promote successful outcomes. Market research also indicated that contractor access to the talent pools with experience in these five specific emerging technologies and associated innovation tools is limited because experience resides primarily with a cadre of government personnel which are just recently exiting the public sector workforce.

3. Objectives The Contractor will be responsible for providing support services in a manner consistent with the framework already established to extend and amplify IRS’ modernization strategies and objectives through recent government contract work. Specifically, bringing cutting-edge problem solvers and industry experts to the forefront of the conversation, addressing ED&CMO needs across three primary technical objectives:

3.1. Curate IRS and Mission Partner needs/advocacy through Think Tank Roadshow:

• Contractor would develop methods to curate IRS needs/advocacy through a “think tank roadshow.

• The “Roadshow” would bring together IRS policymakers, industry experts and cutting-edge problem solvers in an informal setting to examine issues as they relate to the themed topic.

• The roadshow would consist of a multi-city series of public-private partnership networking events during an initial 90-day period, with the option to conduct another series of network events during an additional 90-day period. These events would provide highly curated roundtables for intimate, off-the-record discussions about the IRS’s digitalization challenges with industry experts and Contractor facilitators/analysts.

• The goal is to create the environment for policymakers and technologists to learn from these experts and push the boundaries of IRS innovation. Contractor would facilitate meaningful conversations, interactive learning environments and networking opportunities for the participants. These individuals would be hand-picked founders, practitioners, leaders, investors, technologists, and operators.

3.2. Develop and deliver a fellowship program that cultivates IRS intrapreneurs:

• Contractor will create a fellowship program to cultivate fledgling intrapreneurs at the

IRS and help scale their efforts to improve the agency. This fellowship will facilitate the development of 5-7 civil servants into intrapreneurs and help them drive innovative projects to scale. It will help intrapreneurs incubate their ideas, accelerate ideas into products and policies and transition these to scale throughout the IRS.

• The Contractor will ensure attendees are exposed to the best practices of successful startups. They will work to build a network of innovators who can support each other and learn experientially as they scale ideas into projects that can help transform the

IRS.

• This fellowship will allow the IRS to invest in the career growth of its most innovative civil servants and help them to become the technologists and policymakers who will help build a more effective and efficient IRS.

• It will consist of a 120-day program that supports IRS intrapreneurs in a range of efforts like: digitization, Minimum Viable Products development, policy development, change management, contracting, budgeting, and scaling these solutions across the entire agency.

3.3. Perform transformation sprints for digitization technologies and architecture:

• The goal is moving IRS from identifying a problem to working on a solution to onboarding capabilities. Contractor will provide through mini-transformation sprints, using an “iterate to inform” as the anchoring philosophy, to promote outcomes with 3- 5 person teams for approximately 16 weeks. Each sprint would ensure that the IRS is asking the right questions, solving the right problems, and developing the right approaches. Analysis of budgetary estimates for organizational prioritization, level of effort, and return on investment would be performed to identify which agency objectives are “best fits” for transformation sprints.

• With an Approach Analysis, sprints will develop an action-oriented analysis of routes to pursue, places to narrow the project’s scope, technology stacks to infuse, solutions architectures to engage, and the best ways to deliver value to your users.

Each Approach Analysis shall be customized to the needs of the agency's objectives and may be formed from accelerating a current MVP and/or ongoing line of effort or re-thinking approaches because of the Thinktank Roadshow. This normally takes about 4-6 weeks and then leads to experimentation, bake-off, and/or interactions that accelerate user-centered solutions.

• Once the team has finished the Approach Analysis, the Transformation Sprints will begin iteration on solution(s) to the identified problem(s). The end of the Sprint can be a combination of building a working product, scaling an existing product, generating creative acquisition strategy and/or training an internal IRS team or Contractor to take over development, operations, and sustainment.

• The Contractor will assist the IRS team with exploring the challenges IRS users face and develop solutions to those problems using best-of-breed subject matter experts (SMEs), commercial technologies, and integration realities. The Contractor will provide support by facilitating this process with subject matter experts to include solution architects, specific technical resources, and agile management professionals. Technical resources will be identified based on information gathered during the Approach Analysis.

• The Contractor shall also provide the capability to support testing efforts with industry leading coaching and subject matter experts. This will allow the IRS to build confidence in solutions starting in the Approach Analysis phase and ensure large investments aren’t made in ineffective concepts.

4. Scope The scope of this effort is to build upon the established framework for developing and implementing transformation/modernization strategies focused on five specific technologies; (1) crypto-currency, (2) fintech, (3) quantum finance, (4) cybersecurity and (5) AI/ML for inclusion in the IRS Modernization Business Plan. Specific task to be performed are:

4.1. TASK 1: Curate IRS and Mission Partner Needs/Advocacy through Think Tank Roadshow

4.1.1 Think Tank Roadshow Strategy & Planning (Base Period)

4.1.2 Think Tank Roadshow – Cybersecurity (Base Period)

4,1.3 Think Tank Roadshow - Crypto Currency (Base Period)

4.1.4 Think Tank Roadshow – Fintech (Base Period)

4,1.5 Think Tank Roadshow - Quantum Finance (Option Period)

*Note: Topics and cities can be re-matched based upon IRS requests/requirements

Deliverables:

1 Strategy & Planning 4 Think Tank Sessions

4.2. TASK 2: Develop and Deliver a Fellowship Program that Cultivates IRS

Intrapreneurs

4.2.1 Outcome Assessment and Program Roadmap (Base Period)

4.2.2 Develop content and training modules (Base Period)

4.2.3 Deliver Cohort 1 / 5 - 7 participants (Base Period)

4,2.4 Deliver Cohort 2 / 5 - 7 participants (Option Period) Deliverables:

1 Outcome Assessment & Program Roadmap 1 Training content module 2 Cohorts

4.3. TASK 3: Transformation Sprints for Digitization Technologies and Architecture

4.3.1 Approach Analysis and Design Sprint Planning (Base Period)

4.3.2 Solution Experimentation - Mini Sprint #1 (Base Period)

4.3.3 Solution Experimentation - Mini Sprint #2 (Base Period)

4.3.4 Solution Experimentation - Mini Sprint #3 (Option Period)

4.3.5 Solution scale up planning (Base Period)

Deliverables:

1 Approach Analysis and Design Sprint Planning 3 Mini sprints 1 Scale up Planning

4.4. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

4.4.1 Weekly status reports (i.e., standard report detailing activities accomplished per week)

4.4.2 Monthly progress and financial report detailing contract progress and financial reports.

Reports shall be detailed at the project level as specified per each task and shall include costs incurred to date and planned costs to project completion. Additional, weekly reports on specific task areas, action items and projects shall be provided as requested by the government.

5. Performance Objectives Quality Assurance and Surveillance will be focused on three main areas of assessment. A Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan will be developed subject to the objectives stated in the SOO and will be finalized through discussion and coordination with the Contractor within 30 days after contract award. The areas of concentration and associated tasks for the assessment are based on four areas of performance as follows;

5.1 THINK TANK ROADSHOW

a) Confirm agenda and speaker lists for each Think Tank Roadshow

b) Send invitations for upcoming events.

c) Finalize dates and venues for CY ’23 Think Tank Roadshows.

d) Finalize list of attendees for each roadshow event and send invites.

e) Plan additional events to take place during the 6-month extension.

f) Continue recruiting executive sponsors to attend the Think Tank Roadshow events and identifying innovation use cases to match with relevant technology.

5.2 INNOVATION FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM

a) Finalize fellowship rollout and onboarding plan within intrapreneurship one-pager.

b) Adjust DIB charter to incorporate the innovation fellowship.

c) Assign fellowship members to each use case selected for Transformation Sprints.

d) Coordinate regular meetings with Innovation Fellowship Program members.

e) Begin innovation knowledge transfer approach with Innovation Fellowship Program

Members.

f) Identify Funding from Human Capital, IRA, or other budget areas to sustain the

Innovation Fellowship Program.

g) Coordinate meetings with RAAS on Data Cadre plan. Finalize fellowship rollout and onboarding plan within intrapreneurship one-pager.

h) Adjust DIB charter to incorporate the innovation fellowship.

i) Assign fellowship members to each use case selected for Transformation Sprints.

j) Coordinate regular meetings with Innovation Fellowship Program members.

k) Begin innovation knowledge transfer approach with Innovation Fellowship

Program Members.

l) Identify Funding from Human Capital, IRA, or other budget areas to sustain the

Innovation Fellowship Program.

m) Coordinate meetings with RAAS on Data Cadre plan.

5.3 TRANSFORMATION SPRINTS

a) Meet with stakeholders representing each use case to continue approach analysis.

b) Conduct Sprint Planning sessions with stakeholders and innovation fellowship program members.

c) Develop Solution Packages containing actionable innovation strategies for each use case during the Think Tank Roadshows.

d) Conduct contracting approaches workshop. Coordinate innovation procurement funding approach and matching funds strategy for efforts picked up as transformation sprints.

6. Operating Constraints The SOO will provide the Contractor with the maximum flexibility to propose innovative solutions to meet the objectives within the established framework. However, there may be constraints that the government must place on the solutions. All Contractors must be in Interim Staff Like Access or Final Staff Like Access to gain access to IRS systems and Personally Identifiable Information (PII), and entry without an escort at IRS facilities. Onboarding of new Contractors to gain Staff Like Access can take up to 120 days and possible longer if additional documents are requested. The IRS firewall prohibits applications and sites that have not been approved by IRS cybersecurity and Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA). A Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) and Contract Security Assessment (CSA) will be performed during the project to ensure the Contractor is in compliance. Team Digi work closely with the Contract Security Assessment team to create a Plan of Action/Milestone (POAM) for the contractor to meet and manage security compliances.

7. Place of Performance Travel to various locations is required in the execution of the effort for contractor and SMEs, not including government personnel. Contractor support will be conducted virtually and/or on-site, based on project locations.

8. Period of Performance

BASE Period: July 01, 2023- Jan 31, 2024 (7 months) OPTION Period: February 01, 2024 – April 30, 2024 (3 months)

9. Activity Schedule The Activity Schedule outlines the general nature of actions/activities focused on providing outcomes across 4 primary areas of emphasis designed to support the modernization strategy and goals of the IRS. Some of the key benefits of the schedule are; (1) that it conducts stakeholder mapping and engagement to identify use cases that will help the IRS meet its objectives and (2) it brings together dual-use technologies, problem solvers, and industry experts to address the specific needs of the IRS. The approach of developing outcomes along the 4 areas of emphasis; (1) industry collaboration, (2) innovation culture, (3) innovative technology, identification, iteration, implementation and (3) innovation procurement, is expected to lead to innovative solutions and increased efficiency to deliver value to the American taxpayers.

The schedule also promotes public-private partnership networking events to foster cross organization-collaboration and drive innovation. Another benefit is the cultivation of IRS intrapreneurs through an innovation fellowship program to build a culture of innovation within the organization and empower employees to generate new ideas and solutions.

During the base and option period similar activities are performed in the areas of emphasis.

Specifics activities within each area are as follows

Industry Collaboration:

o Facilitate Think Tank Roadshow Events o Curate use cases for additional transformation sprints and innovation efforts A monthly report will be provided on the last working day of each month detailing the use cases that have been curated.

o Facilitate meetings with innovative technology companies A monthly report will be provided on the last working day of each month detailing the innovative technology company meetings facilitated.

Innovation Culture:

o Provide Intrapreneurship Fellowship support for Cohort(s) o Digital Innovation Board strategy development and Charter creation

Innovative Technology Identification, Iteration, and Implementation:

o Transformation Sprint Management Support o Digital Transformation Toolbox Requirements Definition and Integration Support

Innovation Procurement:

o SBIR GSA GWAC Onboarding Support o OTA Authority Request Generation Support o SBIR Authority Strategy Generation Support

10. Security N/A Contractor will not be accessing government facilities or information (PII/SBU)

11. Government Furnished Equipment (GFE) N/A- contractor will not be making use of Government Furnished Equipment (GFE)

12. Period of Performance BASE Period : July 01, 2023- Jan 31, 2024 (7 months) OPTION Period: February 01, 2024 – April 30, 2024 (3 months)

13. Inspection & Acceptance Criteria

13.1 INSPECTION

The Contractor shall ensure that all deliverables are clearly marked with the contract number and award order number and visible on all shipping/service documents, containers, and invoices. Inspection will be at the same place as performance and delivery, unless otherwise specified.

13.2 GENERAL ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA

The general quality measures as set forth below will be applied to each work product received from the contractor under this contract and any resulting orders awarded.

• Accuracy – deliverables/work products shall be accurate in presentation, technical content, and adherence to accepted elements of style.

• Clarity - deliverables/work products shall be clear and concise; engineering terms shall be used, as appropriate. All diagrams shall be easy to understand and relevant to the supporting narrative.

• Specifications Validity - All deliverables/work products must satisfy the requirements of the Government as specified herein.

• Format - deliverables/work products shall be submitted in hard copy (where applicable) and in media defined in the PWS/SOW. The work product format may be different in each award order. Hard copy formats shall follow Department of the Treasury and IRS Directives and shall be consistent with other similar efforts. All text and diagrammatic files shall be editable by the Government.

• Timeliness - deliverables/work products shall be submitted on or before the due date specified in the award, or submitted in accordance with a later, scheduled date determined by the CO.

13.3 ACCEPTANCE OF DELIVERABLES

a) The Government will perform an initial review of deliverables, and if problems are encountered during the review, the contractor must correct them at no additional cost. If necessary, a meeting may be convened to resolve any differences. The contractor shall make all required changes to achieve an acceptable deliverable. The Government will perform its review within approximately 15 calendar days from receipt of the deliverable or as otherwise specified in each award.

b) When the review of a deliverable results in necessary modifications, the Government will, in accordance with the approved award schedule, provide the necessary documentation to correct the deliverable. It will then be the responsibility of the contractor to incorporate the comments properly and consistently in the final product.

c) These procedures shall not be construed to constitute a waiver on the part of the Government of its rights under FAR Subpart 49.4, entitled “Termination for Default”, nor of any other rights or remedies provided by law or under this contract.

13.4 ACCEPTANCE OF WORK PRODUCTS

After the Government's technical review of work products, the Government may identify technical issues needing correction so that they are accurate and complete. Incorrect technical information in work products could cause potential problems that would occur through the use of that information. In such situations, the PM will identify the technical issues that need correction, and upon the CO’s approval, the COR will communicate that information to the Contractor.

If the Government requests the Contractor to make technical corrections to a work product, the Contractor may charge the costs connected with making those corrections to the Line Item that the work products were delivered under - as long as sufficient funds remain in the contract.

Unless requested to do so, the Government does not want the Contractor to spend additional funds for correction of the information in the noted work product, but the Contractor shall ensure correction of that information if used in a future work product.