Statement_of_Work_revised.docx

Statement of Work Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Site Coordinator 18 December 2014

1. Background:

The primary purpose of this position is to provide a Tax Coordinator for the Los Angeles Air Force Base (AFB) Tax Center for the preparation and electronic filing of federal and state tax returns. This activity shall be performed under the auspices of the Internal Revenue Service’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program.

2. Scope:

The tax coordinator shall oversee the Los Angeles AFB Tax Center, offering federal and state tax assistance to Air Force active duty members and their dependents associated with Los Angeles AFB. The tax coordinator shall be responsible for the preparation and electronic filing of personal income tax returns by VITA volunteers. The Tax Center is located at Los Angeles AFB, California, and work conducted there will be monitored by the Los Angeles AFB legal office. All necessary equipment and supplies will be provided by the Air Force. Tax Wise Online, the Internal Revenue Service’s approved tax preparation and electronic filing software, shall be used.

3. Period of Performance:

The period of performance shall be for four months from the date of award, with two (2) additional option periods of four months each in subsequent fiscal years.

4. RESPONSIBLITIES:

The tax coordinator shall:

a. Provide leadership, training, and coordination of all VITA representatives’ activities. Installs Tax Wise software on all VITA representatives’ computers and provides training on the use of Tax Wise. Monitor all representatives’ tax returns, reviewing them for errors and uploading them to the system to be sent to the IRS. Monitor all transmitted returns for errors and final processing. Issue guidance to all VITA representatives on Tax Wise software as changes occur. Schedule VITAs to ensure the Tax Office is manned throughout the tax season. Ensure that VITAs receive and provide accurate advice to questions. Provide continuing assistance and oversight; ensures quality control of the VITA provided services. Coordinate all support necessary (Federal and State) so the VITAs may properly perform functions. Monitor incoming mail from state tax commissions, IRS, and Tax Wise Corporation. Maintain library of income tax publications and commonly used tax forms for distribution to customers and VITA representatives as needed.

b. Provides direct services to authorized clientele. Use basic functions of office automation word processing and IRS approved electronic filing software to input, monitor, and report prepared federal income tax returns for authorized personnel. Receive and electronically file federal income tax returns for authorized customers on a walk-in or appointment basis. Provide customers with needed assistance, state and federal tax forms, and publications. Provide accurate and appropriate tax advice, preparation, and filing assistance. Receive telephonic and walk-in inquires. Meet with clients to obtain required documentation in order to assist in the completion of their tax (federal and state) forms and returns. Review tax returns (State and Federal) for completeness prior to transmission. Ensure all required documentation is received by the IRS or State agencies. Personally assist customers having non-routine, complex, and/or multi scheduled returns. Conduct manual and electronic (e.g. internet) research to resolve federal and state tax questions and issues.

c. Prepare and submit monthly reports of provided tax service to the Internal Revenue Service, as well as USAF higher headquarters. Solicit and compile statistics from each VITA representative. Identify any suspenses that need to be provided to various organizations and ensure suspenses are met.

d. Maintain record files of all tax returns electronically filed. Ensure returns are properly copied and filed using established color-coded system and control logs. Make necessary updates, as needed, to Tax Continuity Binder, reflecting identified changes/updates to the program.

e. Ensure base personnel are aware of the available tax services by authoring informative articles for the base paper and the commander’s access channel. Use basic computer skills to write/prepare articles. Articles are coordinated through the Tax OIC and NCOIC and submitted to the Public Affairs Office for publication.

5. Minimum Qualifications:

The Coordinator must have the following minimum qualifications:

a. At least three years of tax preparation experience (three different tax seasons) during the past seven years. The tax coordinator must have prepared at least 50 federal tax returns in each of those three years as a VITA volunteer or in a paid position (H&R Block, Jackson Hewitt, etc.)

b. Experience using Tax Wise Online or other similar tax preparation software;

c. At least one year of experience managing three or more people, or at least one tax season of experience managing a similar tax program. Management experience must be commensurate to the responsibilities described in paragraph 3. Provide at least two references verifying your management experience as required by this paragraph;

d. Must be able to qualify for and be willing to complete the steps necessary for issuance of an Air Force Common Access Card in order to access the Los Angeles AFB network; and

e. By mid-January of each tax year, the Coordinator must complete the following trainings:

i. Complete Site Coordinator Training by viewing the Site Coordinator’s PowerPoint or Link and Learn Taxes on irs.gov;

ii. Complete Volunteer Standards of Conduct (Ethics) Training on irs.gov;

iii. Complete Intake/Interview & Quality Review Training on irs.gov; and

iv. Complete Basic, Advance, and Military Training on irs.gov or Publication 6744.

6. Work Hours The tax coordinator is required to assist in teaching a two-week IRS VITA training at Los Angeles AFB For 2015 (covering the 2014 tax year), the training is scheduled for 20-30 January 2015. The government anticipates that VITA training will occur on approximately the same dates in future years. The Coordinator will be paid the contracted rate while attending the training. Upon completion of the training, the Coordinator must pass all VITA qualification tests. The Coordinator will then be responsible for setting up the Tax Center and training VITA volunteers until the Tax Center officially opens on or about 1 February. From 16 to 30 April, the Coordinator will complete end of year reports and other administrative matters and organize an appreciation luncheon for volunteers.

The Contractor is not to exceed the quantities of hours as stated in the contract. Work hours while the Tax Center is open for business will normally be from 0800 to 1600, Tuesday through Thursday, with a one hour lunch (7 hours per work day).

Before the Tax Center opens for business, the tax coordinator will work reduced hours, not to exceed 4 hours per day. During this reduced work time, the tax coordinator should only use the number of hours necessary to ensure the Tax Center is ready for opening day. Duties may include setting up supplies for each workstation, ensuring the TaxWise software has all the volunteers entered into it and they are correctly coded, ensuring all volunteers have passed all required VITA testing, and any additional work required for the Tax Center to operate and process returns on opening day. The reduced work load prior to opening is necessary to ensure that the tax coordinator can accommodate the end-of-season rush, which usually requires more hours than the beginning of the season. Because the tax coordinator will not be permitted to work more hours than those stated in the contract, the tax coordinator is expected to organize his or her time worked accordingly.

Occasional adjustments to this schedule may be approved by the Space and Missiles Systems Center Staff Judge Advocate or Deputy Staff Judge Advocate. Valid reasons for schedule adjustments include, but are not limited to, federal holidays and the end-of-season rush.

7. Tax Center Hours of Business The Tax Center will be open for business approximately 0800 to 1600, Tuesday through Thursday, from on or about 1 February to on or about 15 April (exact dates are to be determined). Additional workdays before or after the Tax Center’s period of operation will be used for training and administrative matters.

7. Billing The contractor may invoice on a bi-monthly or monthly basis via Wide Area Workflow and the payment instruction as outlined in the contract. Payment shall be made using electronic funds transfer.

A bi-monthly (two times per month) progress report of returns completed and hours worked shall be submitted for verification by the Los Angeles legal office.

8. General Contractor Consent to Background Checks The contractor and, as applicable, subcontractor shall not employ persons for work on this contract if such employee is identified as a potential threat to the health, safety, security, general well-being or operational mission of the installation and its population, nor shall the contractor or subcontractor employ person under this contract who have an outstanding criminal warrant as identified by the National Crime Information Center (NCIC). NCIC checks will verify if a person is wanted by local, state, and federal agencies. All contractor and subcontractor personnel must consent to NCIC background checks. Contractor and subcontractor personnel who do not consent to a NCIC check will be denied access to the installation. Information required to conduct a NCIC check includes: your full name, address, social security number, date of birth, driver’s license number and state and completion of a background check questionnaire. The contractor shall provide this information using the Los Angeles Form 114, Contractor/Vendor Access List, and shall submit it in conjunction with the contractor’s request for either base or vehicle passes. Completion of a successful NCI check does not invalidate the requirement for an escort when contractor or subcontractor personnel are working within controlled or restricted areas.

The contractor shall not be entitled to any compensation for delay or expenses associated with complying with the provisions of this clause. Furthermore, nothing in this clause shall excuse the contractor from proceeding with the contract as required.

Identification and Appearance All contractor personnel shall have badges while on duty on the government site. Badges are required to identify the individual, company name, and be clearly and distinctly marked as contractor. Size, color, style, etc. are to be mutually agreed to by the contractor and the government. The contractor’s identification badge will not be used as an entry requirement for installation entry or into any government designated controlled or restricted area.

Contractor personnel shall present a neat and professional appearance and be easily identified as contractor employees.

Contractor Registration of Vehicle on Los Angeles AFB All contractor or subcontractor employees’ vehicles used for the performance of this contract shall comply with all local, state and federal regulations. Additionally, any pass shall be surrendered to Security Forces upon demand to positively identify a person’s need to be on Los Angeles AFB.

Property Protection Property protection for facility where the contractors’ primary work center is located will be the responsibility of the local facility manager and local Government Security Manager, or their duly authorized representative IAW AFI 31-101, The Air Force Installation Security Program and command/local directives. The Contractor shall safeguard all government-owned equipment and materials in his/her possession or use.

Safeguarding Unclassified/Sensitive Information All resources (e.g. maps, publication/instructions, photos) provided by the government to assist the contractor in the performance of their contract will be surrendered upon termination of a contract at the end of the contract performance period.

Non-Disclosure Agreements To safeguard information, the contractor shall enter into non-disclosure agreements with the responsible local security manager.

Privacy Act Work on this project requires that personnel have access to taxpayer information which is subject to the Privacy Act, 5 USC sec. 552a and applicable agency rules and regulations.