II_1 RFQ Solicitation_v1.pdf

WOMEN-OWNED SMALL

BUSINESS (WOSB)

SOLICITATION/CONTRACT/ORDER FOR COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS AND COMMERCIAL SERVICES

1. REQUISITION NUMBER PAGE 1 OF

2. CONTRACT NUMBER 3. AWARD/EFFECTIVE

DATE

4. ORDER NUMBER 5. SOLICITATION NUMBER 6. SOLICITATION ISSUE

DATE

7. FOR SOLICITATION

INFORMATION CALL:

a. NAME b. TELEPHONE NUMBER (No collect calls)

8. OFFER DUE DATE/

LOCAL TIME

9. ISSUED BY

13b. RATING

14. METHOD OF SOLICITATION

CODE

15. DELIVER TO 16. ADMINISTERED BY CODE

18a. PAYMENT WILL BE MADE BY CODE17a. CONTRACTOR/

OFFEROR

CODE

FACILITY

CODE

CODE

17b. CHECK IF REMITTANCE IS DIFFERENT AND PUT SUCH ADDRESS IN

OFFER

18b. SUBMIT INVOICES TO ADDRESS SHOWN IN BLOCK 18a UNLESS BLOCK

BELOW IS CHECKED

REQUEST

FOR QUOTE

(RFQ)

INVITATION

FOR BID

(IFB)

REQUEST

FOR

PROPOSAL

(RFP)

SEE ADDENDUM

19.

ITEM NUMBER

20.

SCHEDULE OF SUPPLIES/SERVICES

21.

QUANTITY

22.

UNIT

23.

UNIT PRICE

24.

AMOUNT

(Use Reverse and/or Attach Additional Sheets as Necessary)

25. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA 26. TOTAL AWARD AMOUNT (For Government Use Only)

28. CONTRACTOR IS REQUIRED TO SIGN THIS DOCUMENT AND RETURN

COPIES TO ISSUING OFFICE. CONTRACTOR AGREES TO FURNISH

AND DELIVER ALL ITEMS SET FORTH OR OTHERWISE IDENTIFIED ABOVE AND

ON ANY ADDITIONAL SHEETS SUBJECT TO THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS

SPECIFIED

29. AWARD OF CONTRACT: REFERENCE OFFER

DATED . . YOUR OFFER ON SOLICITATION

(BLOCK 5), INCLUDING ANY ADDITIONS OR CHANGES WHICH ARE

SET FORTH HEREIN, IS ACCEPTED AS TO ITEMS:

30a. SIGNATURE OF OFFEROR/CONTRACTOR

30b. NAME AND TITLE OF SIGNER (Type or print) 30c. DATE SIGNED

31a. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (SIGNATURE OF CONTRACTING OFFICER)

31b. NAME OF CONTRACTING OFFICER (Type or print) 31c. DATE SIGNED

AUTHORIZED FOR LOCAL REPRODUCTION

PREVIOUS EDITION IS NOT USABLE

STANDARD FORM 1449 (REV. 11/2021)

Prescribed by GSA - FAR (48 CFR) 53.212

10. THIS ACQUISITION IS UNRESTRICTED OR

NORTH AMERICAN

INDUSTRY CLASSIFICATION

STANDARD (NAICS):

SIZE STANDARD:

13a. THIS CONTRACT IS A

RATED ORDER UNDER

THE DEFENSE PRIORITIES

AND ALLOCATIONS

SYSTEM - DPAS (15 CFR 700)

SET ASIDE: % FOR:

11. DELIVERY FOR FREE ON

BOARD (FOB) DESTINATION

UNLESS BLOCK IS MARKED

SEE SCHEDULE

12. DISCOUNT TERMS

ARE ARE NOT ATTACHED

ARE ARE NOT ATTACHED

27a. SOLICITATION INCORPORATES BY REFERENCE (FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION) FAR 52.212-1, 52.212-4. FAR 52.212-3

AND 52.212-5 ARE ATTACHED. ADDENDA

27b. CONTRACT/PURCHASE ORDER INCORPORATES BY REFERENCE FAR 52.212-4. FAR 52.212-5 IS ATTACHED. ADDENDA

8(A)

ECONOMICALLY

DISADVANTAGED

WOMEN-OWNED SMALL

BUSINESS (EDWOSB)

SERVICE-DISABLED

VETERAN-OWNED

SMALL BUSINESS

(SDVOSB)

HUBZONE SMALL

BUSINESS

SMALL BUSINESS

NOTE: OFFEROR TO COMPLETE BLOCKS 12, 17, 23, 24, AND 30.

IRS Procurement - Taxpayer Focused Support Division Taxpayer Services Branch Attn: James Tryniak Email: james.m.tryniak@irs.gov

IRS Procurement - Taxpayer Focused Support Division Taxpayer Services Branch Attn: Louis Brown III Telephone: 240-613-4419 Email: louis.c.browniii@irs.gov

Invoices must be submitted via the Invoice Processing Platform at www.ipp.gov

See Attached Schedule(s)

GENERAL INFORMATION

This is a Request for Proposal (RFP) is being issued by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Office of the Chief Procurement Officer, Procurement Operations, Taxpayer Focused Support Division, Taxpayer, Taxpayers Services and Return Preparer Branch.

The purpose of this requirement is for synthetic business identification services.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) anticipates awarding a Firm Fixed Price contract to procure synthetic business identification services. The applicable North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this acquisition is 561450. Award will be for one (1) 12-month base period and four (4) 12-month option periods.

• Award will be made based as a small business set-aside in accordance with FAR 12. The government intends to evaluate quotes and make award without discussions with offerors.

However, the government reserves the right to conduct discussions if later determined by the contracting officer to be necessary. The Government anticipates awarding a Purchase Order (PO) to the offeror whose proposal is the most advantageous to the Government, price and other factors considered. This is a Firm Fixed Price Purchase Order (PO) conducted using the procedures outlined in the Federal Acquisition Regulations, Subpart

FAR 12.6.

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS

1. All required information shall be electronically submitted in the formats specified in this solicitation.

2. All supplies and/or services provided must be in compliance with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act and provisions and requirements for accessibility contained in this solicitation (and resulting award).

3. Offers must be authorized sellers/resellers of the required supplies and/or services.

4. Quote submittals must include:

a. Solicitation number

b. Entity UEI Number

c. Applicable discounts to the government

d. POC name, address, and telephone number

5. Completed Provisions/Clauses

6. Please note that items italicized may/may not require a response. It is up to the offeror to review and respond to the entire RFP for those areas needing information and response.

Failure to mark required provisions will result in a nonresponsive review and no rating will be given due to offerors failure to mark required responses.

7. Quotes responding to the RFP must be e-mailed to louis.c.browniii@irs.gov on or before 4PM ET August 31, 2026.

Questions about the RFP must be e-mailed to louis.c.browniii@irs.gov on or before 08/25/2026 4PM ET. Questions received may or may not be answered, and if answered will be answered through an amendment to the solicitation. The government reserves the right not to answer questions received past the specified date.

**If there are any End User Language Agreements (EULA) or manufacturer software agreements that require IRS reviewal and approval please submit at the time of your proposal.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. Schedule of Supplies and Services II. Statement of Work (SOW)

III. Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Clauses and Internal Revenue Service Requirements IV. Solicitation Provisions V. Attachments

SECTION I

Schedule of Supplies and Services

Base Period 9/30/2026 – 9/29/2027

CLIN Description Unit Price QTY U/I Cost 0001 Research Product

(500,000 Estimated Searches) $ EA $

Total: $ Option Period 1

9/30/2027 – 9/29/2028 CLIN Description Unit Price QTY U/I Cost 1001 Research Product

(500,000 Estimated Entity Searches) $ 1 EA $

Total: $ Option Period 2

9/30/2028 – 9/29/2029 CLIN Description Unit Price QTY U/I Cost 2001 Research Product

(500,000 Estimated Entity Searches) $ 1 EA $

Total: $ Option Period 3

9/30/2029 – 9/29/2030 CLIN Description Unit Price QTY U/I Cost 3001 Research Product

(500,000 Estimated Entity Searches) $ 1 EA $

Total: $ Option Period 4

9/30/2030 – 9/29/2031 CLIN Description Unit Price QTY U/I Cost 4001 Research Product

(500,000 Estimated Entity Searches) $ 1 EA $

Total: $ Grand Total $

SURGE

9/30/2026 – 9/29/2031

CLIN Description Unit Price QTY U/I Cost Surge

Research Product (500,000 Estimated Entity Searches) $ 1 EA $

Total: $

SECTION II

Statement of Work C.1 Introduction/Overview The Return Integrity Verification Program Management (RIVPM) Business Performance Lab (BPL) in the Return Integrity and Compliance Services (RICS) organization of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has been tasked since 2012 with identifying suspicious characteristics on tax returns as potential Identification Theft (ID). Since the pandemic era legislation there has been a dramatic increase in business related fraud. This includes identity theft, but a new form of fraud has arisen, fabricated entities also referred to as synthetic businesses. Perpetrators of this new form of fraud acquire an Employer Identification Number (EIN) or Reinstate an older EIN for multiple purposes which include tax refund fraud, filing false information returns (Forms W2, 1099, etc.), apply for other government benefits (i.e., FEMA or SBA loans), and poison information. In addition, the perpetrators of this type of fraud acquire data (disclosure risk) that they should not be entitled to create more fraud.

C.2 Background To aid BPL in fulfilling its mandate of identifying suspicious characteristics on tax returns as potential Identification Theft (ID), BPL is seeking a contract that both grants BPL access to third party data and a contractor that specializes in identifying synthetic businesses. BPL will leverage that third party data to enhance its own capacity while the application of the contractor’s expertise will provide further insights into the effectiveness of BPL’s validation process and opportunities for improvement. This contract will provide BPL and IRS with an additional way to identify the risk and even impact associated with these fabricated entities while making IRS quicker and more efficient at making their determinations. The enhanced capacity resulting from this contract will help BPL and IRS permanently mitigate the risk associated with this type of fraud and protect the Treasury from improper payments and/or quarantine any returns filed to generate other types of refund fraud. Additionally, the contract may enable BPL and IRS to identify actions previously taken by and in connection to a synthetic business that resulted in payments that may need to be reversed. Strategically, this contract will be primarily leveraged in the Return Integrity functions. However, there will be opportunities to use this data with Cyber Fraud Analytics & Monitoring (CFAM) to accelerate determinations of risk associated with synthetic businesses accessing IRS systems.

C.3 Scope The contractor shall support BPL in enhancing its capacity to identify entity fabrication to mitigate the fraud associated with these entities. This support shall consist of the provision of datasets and the performance of verification, fraud scoring, analysis of potential synthetic businesses and the identification of fraud associated with such businesses for up to 500,000 entities annually. Because the fraud landscape is continually evolving, BPL may require the provision datasets, verification, fraud scoring, analysis and the identification of fraud for entities in excess of 500,000 annually. This contract shall include a surge CLIN to account for up to an additional 500,000 entities.

C.4 Tasks

Sub-task 4.1. Provision of Datasets

The contractor shall provide BPL with the datasets to enhance BPL’s capacity to identify fabricated entities and distinguish those businesses from legitimate businesses even if the latter has functioned in paper only. BPL will provide the contract with information on potential entity fabrication. After analyzing this data, the contractor will then use it to identify and compile additional information associated with these entities, which it will then provide to BPL.

The data that BPL shall provide the contractor with may be of two types, business related data and/or personal data. Some examples of the data elements that BPL shall provide the contractor with are as follows:

Businesses Information:

• Employer Identification Number (EIN)

• Business Name

• Address

• Bank Account Information

Personal Info:

• SSN

• Address

• DOB

• Bank Account Information

Below is a list of the possible data sets the contractor shall provide:

• Historical data: When a business was formed. How long it has been in operation. Any gaps in operation history.

• Ownership data: Data on who owns or is associated with the business.

• Business Address data: Any changes to the business address throughout its history.

• Business Profile data: Name, address, phone number, email or IP address. Any changes to the previously mentioned profile characteristics.

• Secretary of State data: If they are registered with the Secretary of State. Which state.

Articles of incorporation or organization for the business and are they still active with them.

• State tax information: State tax filing and payment status. Workforce data to verify employees. State benefits claims.

• Bank History information: Bank account associated with the business. The name individual or individuals on that bank account. Determination of active bank account activity.

Identification of abnormalities.

• Any other business filing information that could be helpful, possibly the SEC or court documents.

• Federal Loan information: The existence and status of FEMA and/or SBA loans.

• Online Presence information: Business website and other forms of online presence.

• Recruitment information: Recruitment efforts information such as business post actions or intent to hire employees on any recruiting sites.

• Employment History and Documentation: W2 data or any information return related information such as 1099 series forms. This part would be Individual and Business data.

• Individual data: Relevant information on individuals associated with the business. Criminal history.

Deliverables:

• Datasets

Sub-task 4.2. Verification, Scoring and Analytics In addition to providing BPL with data sets to aid BPL in making its determination, the contractor shall perform its own verification of potential entity fabrication. This process shall run in parallel to the provision of data sets by the contractor as described in sub-task 4.2.1. It will be initiated by the provision of potential entity fabrication information by BPL to the contractor. After performing the analysis and identification described in sub-task 4.2.1, the contractor shall determine if the entity is fabricated or legitimate. The contractor’s verification shall also include a score that expresses the level of risk associated with each entity. Lastly, the contractor shall perform analytics such as trend analysis to inform the BPL of any significant findings not readily apparent in the verification data.

Deliverables:

• Entity fabrication verification report, including scoring and backup information

• Analytics (trend analysis, etc.)

C.5 Annual Security Assessment and Compliance The Contractor shall participate in the Government's annual security verification and assessment process throughout the period of performance. The purpose of this assessment is to evaluate the contractor’s adherence to the general guidance and specific privacy and security control requirements contained in Publication 4812, Contractor Security & Privacy Controls. The assessment may evaluate, at a minimum, the Contractor's implementation of applicable security controls related to system configuration, authentication, session management, access controls, data protection, logging, encryption, vulnerability management, and other security requirements necessary to protect Government information and systems.

If the assessment identifies security deficiencies, audit findings, or the need to implement revised Government security requirements, the Contractor shall submit and execute a Plan of Action and Milestones (POA&M) within a Government-approved timeframe to address identified deficiencies and achieve compliance. At a minimum, the POA&M shall identify: (1) each security finding or deficiency; (2) the Contractor's proposed corrective or remedial action; (3) the individual or responsible party assigned to the corrective action; (4) planned milestones and target completion dates; (5) the current status of each corrective action; and (6) supporting evidence or documentation demonstrating completion and remediation.

The Contractor shall maintain and update the POA&M until all identified findings and deficiencies are resolved. The Contractor shall provide POA&M status updates and supporting documentation to the Government upon request. Closure of a finding or deficiency shall be subject to Government review and acceptance of the Contractor's supporting evidence.

Section III Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Clauses and Internal Revenue Service Requirements

Clauses Incorporated by Reference:

52.203-3 Gratuities (Apr 1984) 52.203-17 Contractor Employee Whistleblower Rights (Nov 2023) 52.203-19 Prohibition on Requiring Certain Internal Confidentiality Agreements or Statements

(Jan 2017) 52.204-10 Reporting Executive Compensation and First-Tier Subcontract Awards (Oct 2025) 52.204-13 System for Award Management—Maintenance (Oct 2025) 52.204-14 Service Contract Reporting Requirements (Oct 2025) 52.204-19 Incorporation by Reference of Representations and Certifications (Dec 2014) 52.209-10 Prohibition on Contracting with Inverted Domestic Corporations (Oct 2025) 52.212-4 Terms and Conditions—Commercial Products and Commercial Services (Oct 2025) 52.212-5 Contract Terms and Conditions Required To Implement Statutes or Executive

Orders—Commercial Products and Commercial Services (Mar 2026) 52.219-14 Limitations on Subcontracting (Oct 2025) 52.222-3 Convict Labor (Oct 2025) 52.222-41 Service Contract Labor Standards (Oct 2025) 52.222-50 Combating Trafficking in Persons (Oct 2025) 52.222-54 Employment Eligibility Verification (Oct 2025) 52.222-90 Addressing DEI Discrimination by Federal Contractors (Oct 2025) 52.223-23 Sustainable Products (Oct 2025) 52.227-1 Authorization and Consent (Jun 2020) 52.227-2 Notice and Assistance Regarding Patent and Copyright Infringement (Jun 2020) 52.229-3 Federal, State, and Local Taxes (Oct 2025) 52.232-23 Assignment of Claims (May 2014) 52.232-39 Unenforceability of Unauthorized Obligations (Jun 2013) 52.232-40 Providing Accelerated Payments to Small Business Subcontractors (Mar 2023) 52.233-3 Protest after Award (Oct 2025) 52.233-4 Applicable Law for Breach of Contract Claim (Oct 2025) 52.243-1 Changes-Fixed Price (Oct 2025) Alternate I (Oct 2025) 1052.210-70 Contractor Publicity (Apr 2015)

Full Text Clauses:

52.217-8 Option to Extend Services (Nov 1999) The Government may require continued performance of any services within the limits and at the rates specified in the contract. These rates may be adjusted only as a result of revisions to prevailing labor rates provided by the Secretary of Labor. The option provision may be exercised more than once, but the total extension of performance hereunder shall not exceed 6 months. The Contracting Officer may exercise the option by written notice to the Contractor within 60 days.

(End of Clause)

52.217-9 Option to Extend the Term of the Contract (Mar 2000)

(a) The Government may extend the term of this contract by written notice to the Contractor within 60 days; provided that the Government gives the Contractor a preliminary written notice of its intent to extend at least 60 days before the contract expires. The preliminary notice does not commit the Government to an extension.

(b) If the Government exercises this option, the extended contract shall be considered to include this option clause.

(c) The total duration of this contract, including the exercise of any options under this clause, shall not exceed Five years.

1052.201-70 Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) Appointment and Authority (Apr 2015)

(a) The COR is TBD.

(b) Performance of work under this contract is subject to the technical direction of the COR identified above, or a representative designated in writing. The term “technical direction” includes, without limitation, direction to the contractor that directs or redirects the labor effort, shifts the work between work areas or locations, and/or fills in details and otherwise serves to ensure that tasks outlined in the work statement are accomplished satisfactorily.

(c) Technical direction must be within the scope of the contract specification(s)/work statement.

The COR does not have authority to issue technical direction that:

(1) Constitutes a change of assignment or additional work outside the contract specification(s)/work statement;

(2) Constitutes a change as defined in the clause entitled “Changes”;

(3) In any manner causes an increase or decrease in the contract price, or the time required for contract performance;

(4) Changes any of the terms, conditions, or specification(s)/work statement of the contract;

(5) Interferes with the contractor's right to perform under the terms and conditions of the contract; or

(6) Directs, supervises or otherwise controls the actions of the Contractor's employees.

(d) Technical direction may be oral or in writing. The COR must confirm oral direction in writing within five workdays, with a copy to the Contracting Officer.

(e) The Contractor shall proceed promptly with performance resulting from the technical direction issued by the COR. If, in the opinion of the Contractor, any direction of the COR or the designated representative falls within the limitations of (c) above, the Contractor shall immediately notify the Contracting Officer no later than the beginning of the next Government work day.

(f) Failure of the Contractor and the Contracting Officer to agree that technical direction is within the scope of the contract shall be subject to the terms of the clause entitled “Disputes.”

1052.224-70 Contract Publication (Oct 2018)

(a) The Department of the Treasury (Treasury) may, at its sole discretion, publish this contract or portions thereof, including orders issued under the contract when deemed in the best interest of the Government.

(b) To afford the Contractor an opportunity to review and propose redactions for any information contained in the Treasury contract that may be subject to a FOIA exemption, the Contractor may submit, within ten business (10) days from the date of award of this contract or any order issued under the contract—

(1) A pdf file of the fully executed contract or order that is suitable for publication and which includes all Contractor proposed redactions (e.g, trade secrets or any commercial or financial information that the Contractor believes to be privileged or confidential business information) and.

(2) A written statement identifying the portions of each proposed redactions, including the applicable exemption under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552, and, in the case of FOIA Exemption 4, 5 U.S.C. 552(b)(4), shall demonstrate why the information is considered to be a trade secret or commercial or financial information that is privileged or confidential.

(c) Treasury will consider the Contractor’s proposed redactions and associated grounds for nondisclosure prior to making a determination as to what information may be properly withheld for purposes of publishing this contract or portions thereof.

(d) The Contractor may submit a request to the CO for additional time to complete the action prescribed by paragraph (b) of this clause. The lack of action by the Contractor will be deemed by the Government as there being no information in the Treasury contract subject to a FOIA exemption.

(e) Information provided by the Contractor in response to this clause may itself be subject to disclosure under the FOIA.

Mandatory IRS Security Training for Information Systems, Information Protection and Facilities Physical Access (Apr 2024) The Federal Information Security Modernization Act of 2014 (FISMA) requires each federal agency to provide periodic information security and privacy awareness training to all contractors/subcontractors involved in the management, use, or operation of Federal information and information systems. In addition, contractor/subcontractor personnel are subject to the Taxpayer Browsing Protection Act of 1997, which prohibits willful unauthorized inspection of returns and return information and details that any violation of the Act could result in civil and criminal penalties. Contractor/subcontractor personnel are bound by the Records Management by Federal Agencies (44 U.S.C. Chapter 31) regarding the care and retention of federal records.

1. The contractor must ensure all new contractor/subcontractor personnel complete all assigned briefings which are based on the responses provided on the Risk Assessment Checklist Form 14606. These responses pertaining to access to any IRS system, including basic LAN, email, and internet; access to any Sensitive but Unclassified (SBU) data; and access to any IRS facility. Since new contractor/subcontractor personnel will not have access to the IRS training system, the COR shall provide softcopy versions of each briefing.

i. Exception: Contractor personnel (including subcontractors) performing under IRS contracts with Nonprofit Agencies Employing People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled (as described in FAR Subpart 8.7) are exempted from the aforementioned briefing requirements, unless the contractor requests access to the training, or there is a compelling justification for requiring the training that is approved by the Contracting Officer (CO). An example of this would be in an instance where visually impaired personnel is assigned to perform systems development and has potential staff-like access to IRS information.

ii. Contractor/subcontractor personnel working with IRS information at contractor-controlled facilities with no access to the IRS network will be subject to all mandatory briefing excepting the Facilities Management Physical Security briefing as outlined in Publication 4812.

iii. Service Personnel: Inadvertent Sensitive Information Access Training Contractor personnel performing: (i) janitorial and cleaning services (daylight operations), (ii) building maintenance, or (iii) other maintenance and repair and need staff-like access to IRS facilities are required to complete Inadvertent Access to Sensitive Information (SBU) Access training.

iv. Service Personnel Security Awareness Training: Contractor personnel providing services in the following categories are required to complete FMSS Physical Security Training:

• Medical;

• Cafeteria;

• Landscaping;

• Janitorial and cleaning (daylight operations);

• Building maintenance; or

• Other maintenance and repair

2. In combination these mandatory briefings are known as IRS Security Awareness Training (SAT).

The topics covered are: Cybersecurity Awareness, Privacy Information Protection and Disclosure, Unauthorized Access to Taxpayer Data, Records Management, Inadvertent Sensitive Information Access, and/or Facilities Physical Security. The completion of the assigned mandatory briefings constitutes the completion of the Security Orientation.

3. The SAT must be completed by contractor/subcontractor personnel within 10 business days of successful resolution of the suitability and eligibility for staff-like access as outlined in IR1052.204- 9000 Submission of Security Forms and Related Materials and before being granted access to SBU data. The date listed on the memo provided by IRS Personnel Security shall be used as the commencement date.

4. Training completion process:

The contractor must submit confirmation of completed SAT mandatory briefings for each contractor/subcontractor personnel by either:

i. Using Form 14616 signed and dated by the individual and authorized contractor management entity and returned to the COR. This option is used for new contractor/subcontractor personnel and any that do not have an IRS network account.

ii. Using the IRS training system which is available to all contractors with IRS network accounts

5. Annual Training. For contracts/orders/agreement exceeding one year in length, either on a multiyear or multiple year basis, the contractor must ensure that personnel complete assigned SAT mandatory briefings annually no later than October 31st of the current calendar year. The contractor must submit confirmation of completed annual SAT on all personnel unable to complete the briefings in the IRS training systems by submitting completed Form 14616 assigned to this contract/order/agreement, via email, to the COR, upon completion.

6. Contractor’s failure to comply with IRS security policy (to include completion and certification of SAT requirements within the timeframe specified) may be subject to suspension, revocation, or termination (temporarily or permanently) of staff-like access to IRS IT systems and facilities.

7. Flow down of clauses. The contractor shall include and flow down, in its subcontracts (or arrangements or outsourced service agreements) that entails staff-like access to SBU information by a subcontractor, at any tier, the substantially same Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and local security or safeguard clauses or provisions for protecting SBU information or information systems that apply to and are incorporated in its prime contract with IRS.

Electronic Invoicing and Payment Requirements for the Invoice Processing Platform (IPP) (Jul 2019)

(a) Definitions:

"Short payment" as used in this clause means the partial payment of an invoice for goods/services actually rendered at the time of payment when the invoice includes additional goods/services that have not yet been provided/rendered.

"Short payment" example: The contract requires the delivery of a set number of items, with the price, delivery location, and delivery due date also specified. The vendor delivers 50% of the items as specified but invoices for 100% of the items. Before implementation of the IPP, the IRS would have paid the vendor for the items delivered and instructed the vendor to re-invoice the IRS when the balances of the items were delivered. In other words, the IRS would "short pay" the invoice since the IRS did not remit payment for the full invoice amount. With implementation of the IPP, the IRS can no longer do this because the IRS cannot accept an electronic invoice that includes items not yet received. The IRS will reject the invoice. The vendor needs to submit an invoice for only the items received by the IRS (in this case, 50%), and, if these items meet all other contract terms and conditions, the IRS will pay the invoiced amount. The vendor submits subsequent invoice(s) for items as they are delivered and accepted.

(b) The Invoice Processing Platform (IPP) is a secure Web-based electronic invoicing and payment information service available to all Federal agencies and their suppliers. Effective October 1, 2012, invoicing for payment through the IPP will be mandatory for all new contract awards. Additional information regarding the IPP may be found at the IPP website address https://www.ipp.gov.

Contractors must complete the contractor point of contact information below and submit it with their proposal submissions. Contractors may contact the IPP Helpdesk for assistance via e-mail at ippgroup@stls.frb.org or via phone at (866) 973-3131. Once a contract award has been made, the contractor will be contacted by the IPP via e-mail to set-up an account. It will be necessary for contractors to login to their IPP accounts every 90 days to keep their IPP accounts active.

(c) Contractor Point of Contact Information Contractor Name: ______________________________________________________ Contractor IPP Point of Contact Name:

Contractor Phone Number: ______________________________________________________ Contractor E-mail Address: ______________________________________________________

(d) Electronic Invoicing and Payment Requirements Vendor invoices submitted electronically through the IPP should be in the proper format and contain the information required for payment processing. To be approved for payment, a "proper invoice" must list the items specified in FAR 52.232-25 (a)(3)(i) through (a)(3)(x), or in the case of a Commercial Item Contract, the items included in 52.212-4(g)(1)(i) through (g)(1)(x).

If the vendor is offering a discount via the IPP, the discount must be reflected on the invoice. The vendor will select 'Create Invoice'. The IPP system will default to 'Net 30 Prompt Pay' under the Payment Terms dropdown box. The vendor will select from 54 different discount options for the invoice that is being created. If the vendor chooses to offer a discount on the invoice screen, the information will interface to the payment system for processing. Discounts that are offered on attachments rather than the invoice itself cannot be accepted.

Under this contract, the following documents are required to be submitted as an attachment to the invoice (Contracting Officer fills in additional documentation that must be furnished by the contractor (e.g. timesheet)). Please do not submit into IPP any documentation/attachments that conflict with what is stated on the invoice:

Payment and Invoice Questions For payment and invoice questions, contact the Ancillary Systems at (304) 254-3372 or via e-mail at cfo.fm.ipp.customer.support@irs.gov.

(e) Waiver If the Contractor is unable to use the IPP for submitting payment requests starting on October 1, 2012, then a waiver form must be completed and submitted with the contractor's proposal submission for review and approval by the Contracting Officer based on one of the conditions listed in the waiver. The vendor will be notified prior to award as to whether their request for waiver has been approved or denied. If the waiver is granted, then a copy of the waiver must be submitted with each paper invoice that the vendor submits to the payment office or the invoice will be returned.

(f) Short Payment Short payment on vendor submitted invoices will no longer be processed or paid. If any portion of the invoice does not meet the requirements for a proper invoice, the entire invoice shall be rejected and returned to the vendor unpaid.

IRS Invoice Processing Platform (IPP) Waiver Form The IRS invoicing and payment requirements clause (IR1052.232-9000) requires that all invoices under awards made (or effective) on or after October 1, 2012, be submitted electronically via the IPP unless a waiver is requested and granted. If the Contractor is unable to submit its invoice through the IPP, the Contractor shall complete this waiver form indicating the reason for the waiver request by selecting the appropriate box below and providing a narrative summarizing in detail the circumstances requiring a waiver. For a solicitation, submit the waiver form with the proposal submission. For a modification that incorporates the IPP clause into an existing contract, submit the waiver form with the modification. The CO will notify the vendor via e-mail or another appropriate means of communication prior to award as to whether their waiver has been approved or denied. If the waiver is granted, then a copy of the approved waiver must be submitted with each invoice that the vendor submits to the payment office or the invoice will be returned.

Reason for requesting a waiver of the requirement to submit an electronic invoice via the IPP:

[ ] 1. Submission of invoices through IPP would impose a hardship on an individual (includes employees and sole proprietors) due to: either a physical or mental disability; a geographic, language, or literacy barrier; or an undue financial burden. The requirement to submit invoices through the IPP is automatically waived for all individuals who do not have payment capability using ACH with a U.S. financial institution.

[ ] 2. The political, financial or communications infrastructure where the place of business is located does not support access to the IPP for submitting invoices electronically.

[ ] 3. The contractor is located within an area designated by the President of the United States or an authorized agency administration as a disaster area. (Please identify area/location.)

[ ] 4. The submission of invoices electronically may pose a threat to national security, the life or physical safety of an individual may be endangered, or a law enforcement action may be compromised.

[ ] 5. The agency does not expect to receive more than one invoice from the same contractor within a one-year period. i.e., the invoice submission is non-recurring.

[ ] 6. The contractor customarily submits a high volume of invoices on a regular basis via file format, not currently supported by the IPP (i.e., uses a file format other than XML or CSV) and the high volume of invoices would cause a significant burden to the contractor if submitted through the IPP individually. If utilizing this exception, please identify the file formats supported by your invoicing system so that the IPP may consider implementing the requested file format at a later date. File format(s) used: ___________ [ ] 7. Other - Please explain: ______________________________________________________ Attach a separate sheet of paper with a summary narrative substantiating the circumstances for the waiver exception selected from above (1 through 7).

Waiver Submitted By:

Contractor Name

Name of Person Submitting Request for Waiver Title

Signature of Person Submitting Request for Waiver

E-mail Address Phone No.

Contract/Order No. Date Submitted

Waiver Approved By:

Contracting Officer's Name Printed

Contracting Officer's Signature Date

Section 508 Information, Documentation and Support (Dec 2019) In accordance with 36 CFR, Appendix C to Part 1194, the information and communication technology (ICT) products and product support services documentation furnished in performance of this contract shall be provided at no additional cost. The contractor shall provide information, documentation, and support relative to the supplies and services as described in the statement of work, performance work statement or statement of objectives (select one). The following technical standards and provisions have been determined to be applicable to this contract:

___ Chapter 6: Support Documentation and Services ___ 601 General ___ 601.1 _X__ 602 Support Documentation ___ 602.1 ___ 602.2 _X__ 602.3 ___ 602.4 _X__ 603 Support Services ___ 603.1 _X__ 603.2 _X__ 603.3

Section 508 Accessibility of Information and Communication Technology (100% Compliance) (Apr 2024) Each information and communication technology (ICT) product or service furnished under this contract shall comply with the Information and Communication Technology Accessibility Standards (36 CFR, Appendix C to Part 1194). If the Contracting Officer determines any furnished products or services are not in compliance with the contract, the Contracting Officer will apply the remedies described under FAR 52.246-2, Inspection of Supplies – Fixed Price or FAR 52.246-4, Inspection of Services – Fixed Price.

The following technical standards and provisions have been determined to be applicable to this contract:

___ Chapter 4: Hardware ___ 401 General ___ 401.1 ___ 402 Closed Functionality ___ 402.1 ___ 402.2(1-6) ___ 402.3 ___ 402.4 ___ 402.5 ___ 403 Biometrics ___ 403.1 ___ 404 Preservation of Information Provided for Accessibility ___ 404.1 ___ 405 Privacy ___ 405.1 ___ 406 Standard Connections ___ 406.1 ___ 407 Operable Parts ___ 407.1 ___ 407.2 ___ 407.3 ___ 407.4 ___ 407.5 ___ 407.6 ___ 407.7 ___ 407.8 ___ 408 Display Screens ___ 408.1 ___ 408.2 ___ 408.3 ___ 409 Status Indictors ___ 409.1 ___ 410 Color Coding https://www.section508.gov/manage/accessibility-faq/ https://www.section508.gov/manage/accessibility-faq/

___ 410.1 ___ 411 Audible Signals ___ 411.1 ___ 412 ICT with Two-Way Communication ___ 412.1 ___ 412.2 ___ 412.3 ___ 412.4 ___ 412.5 ___ 412.6 ___ 412.7 ___ 412.8 ___ 413 Closed Caption Processing Technologies ___ 413.1 ___ 414 Audio Description Processing Technologies ___ 414.1 ___ 415 User Controls for Captions and Audio Descriptions ___ 415.1 _X_ Chapter 5: Software _X_ 501 General ___ 501.1 _X_ 502 Interoperability with Assistive Technology __ 502.1 _X_ 502.2 _X_ 502.3 ___ 502.4(A-G) _X_ 503 Applications _X_ 503.1 _X__ 503.2 _X__ 503.3 _X__ 503.4 _X__ 504 Authoring Tools _X__ 504.1 _X__ 504.2 _X__ 504.3 _X__ 504.4 _X__ Chapter 7: Referenced Standards _X__ 701 General _X__ 701.1 _X__ 702 Incorporation by Reference _X__ 702.1 _X__ 702.2 _X__ 702.3 _X__ 702.4 _X__ 702.5 ___ 702.6 ___ 702.7 ___ 702.8 ___

702.9 ___ 702.10 The standards do not require the installation of specific accessibility-related software or the attachment of an assistive technology device, but merely require that the ICT be compatible with such software and devices so that it can be made accessible if so required by the agency in the future.

The following functional performance criteria (36 CFR Chapter 3) apply to this contract.

_X__ Chapter 3: Functional Performance Criteria ___ 301 General ___ 301.1 _X__ 302 Functional Performance Criteria _X_ 302.1 _X__ 302.2 _X__ 302.3 _X__ 302.4 _X__ 302.5 _X__ 302.6 _X__ 302.7 _X__ 302.8 _X_ 302.9

Post Award Evaluation of Contractor Performance (Aug 2025) Interim and final evaluations of contractor performance will be prepared on this contract in accordance with FAR 42.15. The Assessing Official (AO) will prepare a final performance evaluation at the time the work on the contract is completed. In addition to the final evaluation, interim evaluations will be prepared annually to coincide with the anniversary date of the contract.

[** If evaluations are conducted annually, modify the above sentence appropriately.] The past performance evaluation process is a paperless process using the Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS). CPARS is a web-based system that allows for electronic processing of the performance evaluation report.

Once the Contractor is registered in CPARS, they will automatically receive an email from the CPARS site with detailed login instructions. Further details, systems requirements, and training information for CPARS is available at the cpars.gov website and in the CPARS User Manual.

Online Training for Contractors, and a practice CPARS application are available at the cpars.gov site as well.

https://www.acquisition.gov/far/subpart-42.15 https://www.cpars.gov/cparsweb/lc https://www.cpars.gov/cparsweb/lc

Interim and final evaluations are sent to the Contractor for their review and comment as soon as the evaluation is rated. If the Contractor elects not to provide comments, they should acknowledge receipt of the evaluation by indicating "No comment" and then sign and date the form. If the Contractor does not sign and submit the form within 60 days, it will automatically be returned to the Government.

If the contractor disagrees with the ratings, they may indicate that they do not concur with the ratings and provide feedback supporting their disagreement prior to signing the report. When the AO receives this disputed report, they cannot complete the CPARS until they forward the report to a Reviewing Official (RO). The RO reviews the CPARS and determines if the ratings should be revised or not. If the RO decides no changes are necessary, the RO can sign and immediately complete the CPARS. However, if the RO determines that the ratings should be revised, they must send the report back to the AO through the CPARS system. Once the necessary changes are made to the Ratings, the AO sends the report back to RO for completion. The Reviewing Official must be a ‘level-above’ the AO, typically the AO’s supervisor.

The following guidelines apply concerning the Contractor's use of the past performance evaluation:

• Protect the evaluation as "source selection information." After review, transmit the evaluation by completing and submitting the form through CPARS. If for some reason the Contractor is unable to view and/or submit the form through CPARS, contact the Contracting Officer for further instructions.

• Strictly control access to the evaluation within the Contractor's organization. Ensure the evaluation is never released to persons or entities outside of the Contractor's control.

• Prohibit the use of or reference to evaluation data for advertising, promotional material, pre-award surveys, responsibility determinations, production readiness reviews, or other similar purposes.

• A copy of the completed past performance evaluation will be available in CPARS for the Contractor's review and for Government use supporting source selection actions after it has been completed.

Treasury Acquisition Bulletin 25-01 Notice System updates may lag policy updates. The System for Award Management (SAM) may continue to require entities to complete representations based on provisions that are not included in agency solicitations. Examples include 52.222-25, Affirmative Action Compliance, and paragraph (d) of 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications—Commercial Products and Commercial Services. Contracting officers will not consider these representations when making award decisions or enforce requirements. Entities are not required to, nor are they able to, update their entity registration to remove these representations in SAM.

(End of Language)

Section IV Solicitation Provisions

Provisions Incorporated by Reference:

52.204-7 System for Award Management—Registration (Oct 2025) 52.212-3 Offeror Representations and Certifications—Commercial Products and Commercial

Services (Oct 2025) 52.217-5 Evaluation of Options (Oct 2025) 52.219-4 Notice of Price Evaluation preference for HUBZone Small Business Concerns (Oct

2025)

Full Text Provisions:

52.216-1 Type of Contract (Oct 2025) The Government contemplates award of a Firm Fixed Price contract resulting from this solicitation.

(End of Provision)

Information System and Information Security Control Standards and Guidelines Applicability (Apr 2024) As part of its information security program, IRS identifies security controls for the organization’s information and information systems in the following two key standards and guiding documents:

• Internal Revenue Manual (IRM) 10.8.1 - Information Technology (IT) Security, Policy and Guidance, and

• Publication 4812 - Contractor Security & Privacy Controls.

While IRM 10.8.1 and Publication 4812 are both based on the latest version of NIST SP 800-53, they apply to different operating environments-internal and external to the organization, respectively.

The contractor, by signing its offer, hereby asserts to the best of its knowledge and belief that the security control guideline(s) most suitable and applicable to the immediate contracting action, with due consideration to its proposed approach (and work environment) for fulfilling the Government’s requirements and standards for applicability described herein, is as follows (check only one block):

☐IRM 10.8.1 ☐Publication 4812 ☐Both IRM 10.8.1 and Publication 4812 Unless IRS Cybersecurity, (Contractor Security Assessment - CSA) determines, through a notification to the Contractor by the CO, that a different (or a second) security control standard or guideline is warranted, the security level selected/applied for by the contractor under IR1052.239- 9010 shall stand. In the event IRS Cybersecurity (Contractor Security Assessment - CSA) determines a different (or second) security control standard or guideline is warranted, the CO shall advise the contractor, in writing, of the Government determination, and reflect the correct/appropriate security control standard or guideline in the ensuing contract.

a. If Publication 4812 is selected (alone or in combination with IRM 10.8.1) as the most suitable security control guideline, the contractor must identify, as part of its proposal submissions (or its submissions under any modification to an existing contract incorporating this clause), the most suitable security control level within the following hierarchy of security control levels (from lowest or highest):

• Software Application Development or Maintenance (SOFT)

• Networked Information Technology Infrastructure (NET)

(See Publication 4812, Appendix C for guidance in selecting the security control level most suitable and appropriate to the immediate contracting action. If additional guidance is needed in selecting the security control level, contact IRS Cybersecurity (Contractor Security Assessment - CSA).)

b. The contractor, by signing its offer, hereby asserts to the best of its knowledge and belief that the security control level under Publication 4812 most suitable and applicable to the immediate contracting action, with due consideration to its proposed approach (and work environment) and standards for applicability described herein, is as follows (check only one):

☐SOFT ☐NET

c. Unless IRS Cybersecurity (Contractor Security Assessment - CSA) determines that a different (higher or lower) security control level is warranted for contracts subject to the most recent version of Publication 4812, the security level selected/applied for by the contractor will govern throughout the life of the contract. In the event the IRS Cybersecurity (Contractor Security Assessment - CSA) determines a different (higher or lower) security level is warranted, the CO will advise the contractor, in writing, of the Government determination. At the end of the contract, for all security levels, the contractor must provide a plan and document the implementation of this plan to ensure that all hard copy and electronic data is returned to the IRS, sanitized, or destroyed.

d. Failure by the contractor to check any block will result in the use of both guidelines (for the Publication 4812 portion, use of the most stringent security control level (Software)) until and unless IRS Cybersecurity (Contractor Security Assessment - CSA), determines otherwise via notification to the Contractor by the CO.

e. If required by the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR), the contractor will be required to input data into a system, to be defined by the IRS, to describe the security controls being used to protect information.

f. Flow down of clauses. The contractor shall include and flow down, in its subcontracts (or arrangements or outsourced service agreements) that entails staff-like access to SBU information by a subcontractor, at any tier, the substantially same Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and local security or safeguard clauses or provisions for protecting SBU information or information systems that apply to and are incorporated in its prime contract with IRS.

(End of Provision)

Evaluation Method

Source selection will be made using best value trade-off (BVTO) based on non-price and price factors. Evaluation Factors A through E are listed in descending order of importance, with Factor A being the most important and Factor E (Price) being the least important. The Government will make award using a best value tradeoff process.