RFI 2032H8-24-N-00009.docx

Section: Sources Sought Notice Custom Computer Programming Services Office Address:

Department of the Treasury Internal Revenue Service (IRS) National Office Procurement (OS:A:P) 1111 Constitution Ave NW, C7-NCFB Washington, DC 20224-0002 Classification Code: Custom Computer Programming Services Solicitation Number: 2032H8-24-N-00009 NACIS Code: 541511 Contact:

· Kelvin Bogan, Contract Specialist, phone: 240-613-9353, email: Kelvin.Bogan@irs.gov.

INTRODUCTION:

THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY. This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes – it does not constitute a Request for Quotation (RFQ) or a promise to issue an RFQ in the future. This request for information does not commit the Government to contract for any supply or service whatsoever. Further, the IRS is not seeking proposals at this time and will not accept unsolicited proposals. Responders are advised that the U.S. Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this RFI; all costs associated with responding to this RFI will be solely at the interested party’s expense. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future RFQ, if any is issued.

The purpose of this RFI is to gather market research, confirm the Independent Government Cost Estimate (IGCE), implementation timeline, and available venders.

Description This is a Request for Information (RFI) and product demonstration only. This is not a Request for Proposal and is not a Government commitment to issue a solicitation or award a contract. Responses to this request do not serve as proposals, bids, or offers that the Government might accept as a binding contract. Responses will assist the Government in its market research to determine whether, according to applicable law, to set-aside, restrict competition, or solicit offers from all responsible sources. For the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to assess set-asides, interested parties should identify their company as one of the following: small business, 8(a), HUBZone small business, small disadvantaged business, woman-owned business, veteran-owned small business, service disabled veteran-owned small business, or large business.

The IRS Office of the Chief Procurement Officer appreciates the importance of productive relationships with our industry partners, relationships that help the Office accomplish its mission. The cornerstone of this alliance rests in transparency and opportunities for open communication.

This RFI is the first request for information or tools available in the marketplace. The IRS requests responses to this RFI be provided no later than 1:00 P.M. EST on June 10, 2024 by an e-mail (with the subject line “Cx Analytics Research Applied Analytics and Statistics (RAAS) Emerging Customer Service Analytics Techniques”) to the procurement email inbox Kelvin.Bogan@irs.gov . Although there are no specific restrictions for formatting, please keep all responses to fifteen pages or less, adhere to general formatting principles, and ensure that responses are legible. Responders should be aware that there is no guarantee the IRS will have funding or issue a solicitation generated from this RFI, nor will the IRS be responsible for reimbursing a vendor’s costs in responding to this RFI. Also list any contract number that your company have worked on or with the IRS in last 10 years on back page of your capability reporting.

Background on the IRS Mission, Definitions, and Tax Processes The IRS collects the revenue to fund the government and administers the nation’s tax laws. The IRS receives revenue from a variety of taxes, including individual and business income, estate and gift, employment, and excise taxes. The IRS also routinely interacts with small and large businesses, partnerships, domestic and foreign financial institutions, governmental organizations (including Federal, state, and foreign entities), Indian Tribal governments, and tax-exempt entities (such as charitable organizations, foundations, universities, and trusts), as well as a wide spectrum of intermediaries and professionals who support effective tax administration, including payment and payroll service providers, enrolled agents, Certified Public Accountants, and return preparers. The IRS employs over 75,000 employees in nearly 500 locations.

In recent years the IRS has made several changes to modernize and improve tax processing systems, to increase electronic filing and payment options, and to expand services on IRS.gov for taxpayers and tax professionals. As the needs of taxpayers, the tax community, and the nation continue to rapidly evolve, the IRS needs to consider modern technological tools to conduct business and complete the research necessary to administer effective tax compliance. The IRS seeks to modernize its online research tools for effective administration of tax laws. This modernization will benefit both the IRS and the public. The IRS recognizes it must resolve cases in the most expeditious way possible, so it can meet the needs of taxpayers, the tax community, and its employees in an efficient and effective manner.

Proposed Future Course

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT (PWS)

Internal Revenue Service, Cx Analytics Research Applied Analytics and Statistics (RAAS) Emerging Customer Service Analytics Techniques

1.0 Introduction/Overview

The IRS identified the importance of advancing data analytics, enforcing the tax code, securing operations and collaborating with external partners to improve tax administration and IRS operations. The IRS recognizes improving outcomes as strategic goals to enhance mission performance. The Office of Research, Applied Analytics & Statistics (RAAS) provides innovative approaches to address IRS challenges using public-private partnerships, collaboration with state tax agencies, the tax industry and other stakeholders that assists with combating identity theft.

To accomplish these strategic changes, RAAS supports IRS Strategic Goals laid out in the FY2022-2026 IRS Strategic Plan addressed below:

1. Dramatically improve services to help taxpayers meet their obligations and receive the tax incentives for which they are eligible.

2. Quickly resolve taxpayer issues when they arise.

3. Focus expanded enforcement on taxpayers with complex tax filings and high-dollar non-compliance to address the tax gap.

4. Deliver cutting-edge technology, data, and analytics to operate more effectively.

2.0 Background

The Data Management Division (DMD) of the IRS Research, Applied Analytics, and Statistics (RAAS) has identified a need for text analytics functionality to inform planning and response to filing season related trends, understand nuances about terminology, and inter-relate ways in which taxpayers engages with the IRS’ service channels.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) relies on data and analytics to improve decision making and business operations in such areas as U.S tax gap estimation, identification and prediction of refund fraud, modeling financial risk, measuring taxpayer burden, simulating the effects of policy changes on tax behavior, and optimizing workload in its enforcement functions.

To support these and other activities, the Data Management Division (DMD) of the IRS Research, Applied Analytics, and Statistics (RAAS) organization provides data, tools, and computing services.

DMD oversees the Compliance Data Warehouse (CDW), a large and diverse analytic computing environment in the IRS, providing data, tools, and computing services for research and analytic initiatives aimed at improving tax administration. Customers include virtually all IRS business units, the Department of Treasury, U.S. Congress, General Accountability Office, universities, and various stakeholder organizations.

To advance behavioral insights, DMD will be overseeing the creation of a new 360-degree customer service and contact history database for deeper analysis of inter-related pre-filing/filing behaviors. Data from telephone records, web transactions, walk-in services, write-in correspondence, account transactions, and voice recordings/filings will be combined with tax return information to analyze linkages, including those related to downstream compliance.

3.0 Scope of Work and Description of Tasks

The scope of this effort involves data exploration, pattern analysis, and model development.

The opportunity specifically involves using text analytics to help inform planning and response to filing season related trends, understand nuances about terminology, and inter-relate ways in which taxpayers engages with the IRS’ service channels. Information will not be targeted at specific engagements; rather this is looking at aspects in aggregated scenarios.

This effort will focus on the following objectives: Evaluate and provide recommendations about the quality, preparation needs, and utility of different text information contained in the customer channel information, and conduct a text analysis to identify trends and topics suitable for planning and analysis by customer service organizations.

Data sources containing unstructured data can include but not limited to the following:

· Accounts Management Services (AMS)

· Telephone Call (voice transcripts and metadata)

· IRS.gov web comments, questions, and traffic flow

· Taxpayer Assistance Center (TAC) appointments

Additional tax administration data can be used in combination to support the text analysis.

Subtasks are as follow:

3.1 Sub-Task 1: Phase-In Knowledge Management and Transition

Summary: The contractor shall work with IRS towards a near-seamless transition between contractors and/or government staff with minimal impact to RAAS’s ongoing initiatives at the beginning and end of the Task Order.

Performance Requirements:

The Contractor shall:

1. The Contractor shall develop and deliver a draft and final Start-up Plan and conduct a start-up meeting.

2. The Contractor personnel shall complete IRS Security and IT Awareness Training (100% compliance required).

3. The Contractor shall provide supporting documents, meetings, and communications as necessary to ensure successful knowledge transfer has been tracked and completed.

4. The Contractor shall participate in knowledge transfer session from either the incumbent contractor or IRS staff based on completed deliverables and work products. The IRS shall ensure the contractor receives:

a. Planning materials, documentation, previous briefings, data queries, data models, filters, templates, tools, and methodologies specific to IRS initiatives.

b. Operations and maintenance processes and procedures from IRS staff or incumbent contractor.

c. Documentation transfer for all delivered functionality.

d. Configurable data, including usernames and passwords and application settings.

e. Documentation on processes for reproducibility by the contractor’s staff.

5. Work under this Task Order may require a transition support period for the previous Contractor to transfer knowledge to the new contractor and/or government staff that takes an average of 3 months.

6. The transition phase shall start no later than sixty (60) days prior to the incumbent contract end date.

7. All new contractor personnel shall attend a system security orientation within the first 10 business days following initial assignment to any IRS contract/order, and additional IT security awareness training (commensurate with the individual’s duties and responsibilities) within 5 business days of being granted access to an IRS facility or system.

8. The IRS relies on multiple teams working together to deliver planned capabilities for one or more products and services. Teams involved in the transition could be primarily Contractor, IRS, or any combination (multiple contractor organizations).

9. All work and products become the property of the government, regardless of the ownership of the automation hardware or software used to create the products or services.

Desired Outcomes: A near-seamless transition between contractors and/or government staff with minimal impact to RAAS’s ongoing initiatives at the beginning and end of the Task Order.

Deliverables:

Deliverable 1.1: Start-up Plan Draft: The Contractor shall develop and deliver a Start-up Plan draft due within two weeks after contract award.

Deliverable 1.2: Start-up Meeting to be held within 3 weeks of award.

Deliverable 1.3: Start-up Plan Final is due within one (1) week after Start-up meeting.

a. The plan shall identify Contractor resources and roles involved in the start-up process, the status for Contractor personnel security and IT awareness training, provide a list of risks and mitigation strategies, and contain a detailed, resource balanced project schedule for project ramp-up and transition. The Contractor shall execute the Start-up Plan and complete the transition within no more than 3 months after award.

3.2 Sub-Task 2: Program Management

Summary: The contractor shall keep IRS informed and consulted on work progress and Contractor’s quality control and quality assurance processes ensure quality, integrity, and reliability of all Task Order deliverables.

Performance Requirements:

The Contractor shall:

1. Initiate, plan, execute, and monitor the work of the Contractor team to achieve the objectives, address the requirements, and provide the deliverables stated in the Task Order.

2. Conduct the Task Order Kick-off meeting with the Government team.

a. A post award conference will be held in accordance with 1052.242-70, Post Award Conference. Within thirty (30) days of award or other mutually agreed upon date, the contractor shall meet with Government representatives at a mutually agreed upon location or via teleconference. The intent of this meeting is to initiate the communication process between the IRS and the contractor by introducing key participants, explaining their roles, reviewing communication ground rules, and assuring a common understanding of the requirements and objectives.

b. The meeting shall include an introduction of those in attendance and discussion of the successful contractor’s approach and plan for scope of work. The contractor shall provide meeting notes (inclusive of any follow-up actions) to the Government within 1 week after the meeting.

c. The contractor and Government personnel who will perform work under this award will be introduced.

d. Any issues concerning the contractor clearances for contractor personnel will be discussed.

e. The contractor shall demonstrate confirmation of their understanding of the work to be accomplished under this PWS.

3. Participate in weekly and ad-hoc briefings about the work throughout the period of performance, including periodic quality reviews of in-process work. The contractor shall provide status update to RAAS management and other appropriate IRS staff, COR, and IRS Initiative Manager/Director, highlighting key accomplishments/work activities, risks, and any general concerns with the completion and/or budget of this work. Ongoing meetings shall be established to go over the progress and deliverables.

4. Produce monthly status reports for leadership updates and invoice verification throughout the period of performance.

5. Meeting notes - within 5 business days of any substantive project meeting between the contractor and the IRS, the contractor will provide meeting notes to the government task manager.

6. Create a final work summary report and conduct close-out meeting to wrap up any items related to the Contractor’s final deliverables and any other necessary matters 30 days prior to end of POP.

7. Employ IRS processes and adhere to guidelines for data privacy and security risk management throughout the period of performance following IRS security and data protection protocols.

8. Coordinate with the COR to facilitate staff onboarding and offboarding, annual IT security training, and processing of new contractor personnel background investigations.

9. Perform knowledge management activities to ensure interim work product and final deliverable information is current and all data, analyses, and materials are saved on SharePoint, shared drives, or on Compliance Data Warehouse (CDW) servers.

10. Transfer knowledge of technical skills and lessons learned to IRS staff upon completion of deliverables and work products.

Desired Outcomes: IRS informed and consulted on work progress and Contractor’s quality control and quality assurance processes ensure quality, integrity, and reliability of all Task Order deliverables. The direction, administration, quality assurance, and leadership in the execution of this contract is ensured and communication, collaboration, contract monitoring and cost control is vital to the success of this engagement.

Deliverables:

Deliverable 2.1: Kickoff Meeting (May be combined with the Start-up Plan Meeting.)

Deliverable 2.2: Monthly Status Reports.

Deliverable 2.3: Weekly and Ad Hoc Briefings.

Deliverable 2.4: Close-out Meeting and Activities (Final Work Summary Report (to include document inventory and identify any gaps).

3.3 Sub-Task 3: Evaluate Taxpayer Services, Operational and Enforcement Data Sources

Summary: The Contractor shall evaluate data sources related to taxpayer services, support and compliance operations to determine their quality and utility. This includes identifying sources of noise in text, options for preprocessing and reducing sources of noise, quality of target labels (if present), and the potential impact on results from quality and size of training sets.

Performance Requirements:

The Contractor shall:

1. Identify sources of noise in text.

2. Provide options for preprocessing text.

3. Provide options/techniques to reduce noise sources.

4. Provide options to remove or reduce sources of noise.

5. Provide monthly status reports.

6. Provide a draft report, final report and presentation of findings.

Desired Outcomes: The Contractor shall identify data gaps. The Contractor shall outline the necessary data elements required for CX Analytics when a new potential data source is identified where systemic issues of data quality are found, the Contractor shall provide recommendations on how to best address its consequences considering analysis objectives described below.

Deliverables:

Deliverable 3.1: Draft and Final Report and Presentation: The contractor shall provide the draft (60 days prior to end of POP) and final (30 days prior to end of POP) deliverable in MS Word document as well as a comparable MS PowerPoint presentation. Each document and presentation shall incorporate the necessary diagrams, visuals, and data needed to communicate to an audience at the Technical Senior Manager-level.

Length: The report shall contain at minimum the following:

· Executive Summary

· Current State

· Findings

· Recommendations

Deliverable 3.2: Monthly Progress Reports.

3.4 Sub-Task 4: Development of Metrics and Analytics for Evaluation of Enforcement, Taxpayer Services and Operational Opportunities Summary: The Contractor shall build upon existing capabilities and focus upon metric definition and extraction.

Performance Requirements:

The Contractor shall:

1. Enhance and integrate analytic capabilities to derive insight from developed enforcement and taxpayer services population segments, events and journeys. Enhance and integrate text mining capabilities to derive insight from available enforcement and taxpayer service narratives. For example, produce summary of narratives for taxpayer segments of interest.

2. Identify opportunities for, and propose computation of, new metrics relate to enforcement, taxpayer services and operational opportunities.

3. Where necessary, develop statistical sampling plan to ensure representative data within the CX Analytics Visualization.

4. Coordinate with stakeholders to define and present metrics within the CX Analytics Visualization that quantify taxpayers in the enforcement, taxpayer services and operational opportunities population segments, events, and journeys.

5. Collaborate with stakeholders to incorporate advanced analytic concepts into the CX Analytics Visualization (i.e., next event prediction).

6. Perform analysis to support chatbot development related to enforcement and taxpayer services.

7. Perform analysis to support implementation of the digitalization effort and the Document Upload Tool (DUT).

Desired Outcomes: The contractor shall develop new enforcement, taxpayer services and operational metrics within the CX Analytics Visualization. The contractor shall develop new service functionality within the CX Analytics Visualization based upon text mining capabilities and be able to extract and develop enforcement and taxpayer services metrics.

Deliverables:

Deliverable 4.1: Reporting Findings: The contractor shall report, document and identify methods for enforcement case selection and assignment. The contractor shall develop a project timeline within 14 days of contract award. Draft report will be due no later than 6 months after contract award, then yearly.

Deliverable 4.2: Statistical Sampling Plan (if necessary): The contractor shall develop and document statistical sampling plan (if necessary) for the CX Analytics Visualization. Due every 6 months.

Deliverable 4.3: Extract and develop metrics: The contractor shall extract and develop enforcement, taxpayer services and operational metrics (journey quantification) from the CX Analytics Visualization. Due: initial report no later than 60 days from award, with updates every 3 months, and yearly final due 30 days prior to end of PoP.

Deliverable 4.4: Perform Analysis: The contractor shall perform analysis in support of enforcement and taxpayer services’ development and implementation of new technology including but not limited to: chatbot, digitalization and Document Upload Tool (DUT). Due: initial report 6 months after award, then yearly.

3.5 Sub-Task 5: Solution Architecture and Functionality

Summary: Contractor shall accelerate the evolution of the CX Analytics Visualization (and the associated data pipeline) from proof-of-concept into a scalable, secure, and high performing platform that can be used across the IRS.

Performance Requirements:

The Contractor shall:

1. Scalability – Evaluation options including In-Memory analytics (SAP IQ+HANA), Hadoop+Spark, Graph Search (Trovares/ONGDB), finalize design and implement a viable solution to accommodate horizontal and vertical scaling to accommodate loading and utilizing 100% of data from existing sources as well as addition of new data sources as needed.

2. Security - Implementation of a security layer that integrates with existing IRS structures for access management, logging, and traceability.

3. Flexibility - Update of data model for added flexibility and ingestion of new data sources.

4. Usability - Expedite implementation of new/innovative UI features to drive business value including ability to define user preferences/profiles that enables focus on specific segments (by population characteristics or journey types).

5. Maintain Customer Experience Analytics Visualization help pages and tips.

6. Other functionality – For example reporting as defined and prioritized by stakeholders/users.

7. Support integration of Certara output into CX Analytics Visualization.

8. Explore integration of data from ERIS to support enforcement related use cases.

a) Journey of cases through collection process.

Desired Outcomes: Finalize design and implementation of the application on scalable, performant, and secure infrastructure, implementation of new/innovative UI features to drive business value and integration of new data sources.

Deliverables:

Deliverable 5.1 508 Compliance: The contractor shall develop a Customer Experience Analytics Visualization that is 508 Compliant NLT 3 months prior to end of POP and ensure future 508 Compliance is maintained.

Deliverable 5.2 Security: The contractor shall implement a security layer that integrates with existing IRS structures for access management, logging, and traceability for Cx Analytics Visualization NLT 6 months after award.

Deliverable 5.3 Product Backlog: The contractor shall implement a formal Agile process to collect and prioritize feedback into an initial product backlog NLT 90 days after award with updates every 90 days and a final backlog report NLT 14 days prior to end of POP.

3.6 Sub-Task 6: Stakeholder Engagement

Summary: Contractor shall continue interaction with stakeholders with an increased focus on operationalizing the CX Analysis Visualization.

Performance Requirements:

The Contractor shall:

1. Continued and increased stakeholder collaboration through regular monthly meetings and demonstrations to capture feedback and prioritize design.

2. Conduct formal feedback/requirements gathering sessions to prioritize to development.

3. Develop CX Analytics Visualization User base by training users, developing related documentation, and providing on-demand user support.

4. Work with SB/SE & ERIS on compliance/collection use cases.

5. Targeted user support and increased interaction with key organizations in support of their goals such as CX Customer Experience Cross Agency Priority Goal 4 CAPG 4, TSO and Taxpayer Experience Office (TXO).

6. Develop, update, and maintain all CX Analytics Visualization training and user documentation.

Desired Outcomes: The Contractor shall develop and support a CX Analytics Visualization user base and identify use cases for the CX Analytics Visualization.

Deliverables:

Deliverable 6.1 – Stakeholder Meetings: The contractor shall conduct regular monthly meetings and demos with interested stakeholder groups.

Deliverable 6.2 – Feedback/Requirement Sessions: The contractor shall conduct at a minimum 2 formal feedback/requirement capture sessions per POP (initial NLT 60 days after award, follow-up 90 days prior to end of POP and additional sessions prior to each build to help prioritize modifications.

Deliverable 6.3 – CX Analytics Visualization Documentation: The contactor shall develop and maintain documentation for the CX Analytics Visualization including but not limited to reference material for the user NLT 90 days after award with updates every 90 days and a final documentation report NLT 14 days prior to end of POP.

Deliverable 6.4 – CX Analytics Visualization User Training: The contractor shall develop and conduct 2 each CX Analytics Visualization User training sessions per POP. Initial session to be held NLT 6 months after award; Second session NLT 14 days prior to end of POP. The contractor will also maintain and update all training documentation as necessary.

3.7 Sub-Task 7: CX Analytics Visualization Maintenance and Functionality Summary: The Contractor shall continue to develop and improve the previously implemented CX Analytics Visualization.

Performance Requirements:

The Contractor shall:

1. Maintain existing analytic models and data products.

2. Maintain current functionality of CX Analytics Visualization

3. Identify opportunities for increased functionality, improved or new feature development, improved analytic models, reports or products.

4. Implement increased functionality, improved and/or new feature development, improved and/or new analytic models, reports and/or products into CX Analytics Visualization

5. Document all newly implemented code and processes

Desired Outcomes: The Contractor shall support the current CX Analytics Visualization and develop and implement additional functionality.

Deliverables:

Deliverable 7.1 – Improved or New Feature New Development: The contractor shall identify opportunities for improved or new feature development, increased functionality and/or analytical models and products and submit an initial concepts report NLT 90 days after award and 90 days prior to end of POP submit report of concepts implemented.

Deliverable 7.2 – Development Documentation: The contactor shall document all newly implemented code and processes and submit reports NLT 90 days after award with updates every 90 days and a final documentation report NLT 14 days prior to end of POP.

Sub-Task 8: Data Taxonomy and Framework Development and Maintenance (FFP).

Summary: The contractor will develop a data taxonomy and framework and perform routine maintenance of the taxonomy and framework after its successful development and delivery. The IRS will use this information from across the customer service ecosystem for business insight, process improvement, and solving problems.

Performance Requirements:

The Contractor Shall:

1. Develop a comprehensive data taxonomy and framework specifically tailored for organizing customer service data.

2. The taxonomy and framework shall encompass all relevant categories, subcategories, and hierarchical structures to effectively classify and manage diverse data types, including but not limited to customer inquiries, feedback, resolutions, call transcripts, web-based chat transcripts, voice bot transcripts and artifacts, live assistance, and all associated metadata.

3. The taxonomy and framework will include identification and quantification of customer service data gaps.

4. The contractor shall include a plan and roadmap for updating data taxonomies for future iterations.

Desired Outcomes: The ability to use all customer service data to inform tax administration; an understanding of the data gaps which currently exist in the data, and recommended activities needed to fill the data gaps.

Deliverables:

· Deliverable 8.1: Draft and Final Customer Service Data Taxonomy, including quantification of data gaps and a plan to address them, 7 months, and 10 months post award.

· Deliverable 8.2: How-to Guide on how to update the taxonomy, 12 months post award.

3.9 Sub-Task 9: Phase-Out (Optional) Knowledge Management and Transition

Summary: The contractor shall work with IRS towards a near-seamless transition between contractors and/or government staff with minimal impact to RAAS’s ongoing initiatives at the end of the Task Order.

Performance Requirements:

The Contractor shall:

1. Have personnel on-board during the phase-out period.

2. Remain responsible for the full performance of all efforts and cooperate fully with the staff and/or the new incumbent contractor.

3. Fully cooperate in providing all documentation and data identified by the government as government owned information; and

4. Return any Government publication provided to the contractor during associated contract performance.

5. Work under this Task Order may require a transition support period for the previous Contractor to transfer knowledge to the new contractor and/or government staff that takes an average of 3 months.

6. The transition phase shall start no later than sixty (60) days prior to the incumbent contract end date.

7. The IRS relies on multiple teams working together to deliver planned capabilities for one or more products. Teams involved in the transition could be primarily Contractor, IRS or any combination (multiple contractor organization).

8. All work and products become the property of the government, regardless of the ownership of the automation hardware or software used to create the products or services.

Desired Outcomes: A near-seamless transition between contractors and/or government staff with minimal impact to RAAS’s ongoing initiatives at the end of the Task Order.

Deliverables:

Deliverable 9.1 - Transition Communications and Materials: The Contractor shall produce key artifacts and transition lead activities including, but not limited to, the following:

· Transition Project Plan (tasks and timeline) and updates

· Transition Presentation and Transition meeting with the new contractor(s)

· Desk guides documenting processes and procedures for work performed by contractor.

Deliverable 9.2 - Close-out Meeting and Activities (Final Work Summary Report (to include document inventory and identify any gaps).

3.10 Skill Requirements:

The contractor shall provide a balanced team possessing resources with the experience, expertise, and skillsets to work on the systems, hardware and software across the sub-tasks described above, with particular attention to delivering the following skills/expertise:

· Extensive experience and familiarity with IRS data file structures and formats, IRS business processes, RAAS systems architecture, RAAS network topology, and different analytical tools.

· Developing text mining algorithms and predictive models.

· Extract insights using LLMs and incorporate insights into existing data models and visualizations.

· Designing flexible data models and building efficiebt ETL pipeline.

· Developing efficient back-end interfaces and front-end features.

· Extract insights and identify high impact or problematic taxpayer journeys as well as possible solutions.

· Stakeholder engagement for the capturing of requirements, defingin metric capture and calculation and provide end user training and support.

· Provide end user training and support.

3.11 Key Personnel

The government desires a balanced team of key and non-key personnel proposed by bidder. The Contractor team shall have the capability to perform all the types of activities and tasks outlined in the Task Order. The Contractor is responsible for staffing positions (such as Data Engineer, Data Scientist, Data Analyst, Business Analyst, Web Developer, etc.) with qualified personnel and shall identify in their proposal the positions and quantity to be supplied to satisfactorily perform the requirements of the Contract and PWS.

The offeror shall identify in their proposal certain positions or roles with associated labor categories considered to be Key Positions. The Contractor shall submit the names and resumes of proposed Key Employees (at minimum) per the table below:

Contractor employees identified as Key Personnel (typically 2-4 positions) shall be dedicated to this project and have authority to act on behalf of the Contractor. If any changes in proposed Key Personnel become necessary during actual performance, the contractor shall provide written notification 60 days in advance. In the event of a sudden change in Key Personnel (death, incapacitation, immediate termination, etc.), the Contractor shall provide written notice to the CO/COR within 3 calendar days of the event. For any substitution, the Contractor shall submit justification with the proposed substitutes resume whose qualifications are equal to or greater than the person being replaced, along with a 1-to-2-page introductory summary, in sufficient detail, to permit evaluation within 10 calendar days of notification of a substitution.

4.0 Performance Requirements, Standards and Surveillance

The Government believes there is value in incorporating Performance-Based Service Acquisition (PBSA) methodology with an outcomes-based focus for this work. Section 3.0 of this PWS defines the Government’s Required Services and Desired Outcomes for each sub-task included in this Task Order.

4.1 Performance Requirements and Standards:

The performance requirements, standards, desired outcomes, and acceptable quality levels (AQL’s) for required services, tasks and deliverables are defined by the Government in the Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP). This aligns the Contractor’s objectives with the Government objectives, which are to successfully complete the Sub-tasks and deliver value-added products and services to the end users.

4.2 Surveillance:

The surveillance process has two interrelated parts: The monitoring methods identified in the Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) and the Contractor established Quality Control Plan (QCP) in accordance with the QASP. This links the Government and Contractor’s quality assurance efforts into an integrated package with shared objectives.

4.3 Quality Control Plan (QCP)

The Contractor shall develop and maintain an effective Quality Control Plan (QCP) to ensure services are performed in accordance with this PWS. The contractor shall develop and implement procedures to identify, prevent, and ensure non-recurrence of defective services. The contractor’s QCP is how the Contractor assures that the work complies with contract/task order requirements. The QCP shall be submitted to the CO, COR and SME no later than two (2) weeks after contract/task order award. The QCP shall be a written plan and include, but not be limited to the following:

1. An Inspection Program covering all the services stated in the performance work statement. It must specify the areas to be inspected on either a scheduled or unscheduled basis and the names, titles and qualifications of the individual’s performing inspections and the extent of their authority. Their functional roles shall be depicted in an organizational chart.

1. Methods of identifying deficiencies in the quality of services performed before the level of performance becomes unacceptable and the corrective actions needed to be taken; procedures for notifying the Contracting Officer Representative (COR) when deficiencies are encountered; and descriptions of proposed sampling techniques.

1. Methods of documenting and enforcing quality control operations of both the Contractor's and Subcontractors' work, including inspection and testing.

1. Copy of format for Contractor's Quality Control Reports.

1. File of all Quality Control Inspections, inspection results and any corrective action required and/or performed during the life of this contract. This file shall become the property of the IRS and shall be made available to the Contracting Officer Representative (COR) and Contracting Officer upon request. The file shall be provided to both parties within ten (10) days after completion or termination of the contract.

The COR will accept/reject Contractor’s submitted QCP after review. Contractor may be required to make revisions.

5.0 Delivery

All deliveries shall be transmitted via IRS email to the Primary COR, Alternate COR and Technical Point of Contact/Subject Matter Expert (TPOC/SME) in the format (Microsoft Office, current version) agreed for each deliverable.

The COR designation will be identified by the CO’s written designation memo. The CO will identify the (COR/Alt. COR) via e-mail to the Contractor.

Deliverables shall be reviewed and approved by IRS personnel via IRS email only. The Contractor shall be responsible for tracking and managing deliverables and delivery within IRS and for saving files in the designated SharePoint location specified by the IRS COR (behind the IRS firewall).

The schedule shall be used to monitor timely progress on this Task Order. This schedule is required to meet mission objectives. Variances to this schedule shall be submitted to the COR and CO for approval. The Contractor shall submit all required deliverables in accordance with the following schedule:

Sub-Task #1: Phase-In Knowledge Management and Transition (FFP)

Sub-Task #2: Program Management (FFP)

Kickoff Meeting Minutes May be combined with Start-up meeting but NLT 30 days after award.

Meeting Minutes due 1 week after meeting.

Sub-Task #3: Evaluate Taxpayer Services, Operational and Enforcement Data Sources (FFP

Sub-Task #4: Development of Metrics and Analytics for Evaluation of Enforcement, Taxpayer Services and Operational Opportunities (FFP)

Draft report: no later than 6 months after award, then yearly.

Sub-Task #5: Solution Architecture and Functionality (FFP)

Sub-Task #6: Stakeholder Engagement (FFP)

Sub-Task #7: CX Analytics Visualization Maintenance and Functionality (FFP)

Sub-Task #8: Data Taxonomy and Framework Development and Maintenanc (FFP)

Final report due 10 months post award.

Sub-Task #9: Phase-Out (Optional) Knowledge Management and Transition (FFP)

Personnel Roster/Resumes

Contractors Quality Control Plan (QCP)

All deliverables and contract/task order communications shall be transmitted electronically to the COR, Alt COR for consideration.

6.0 Inspection and Acceptance of Deliverables

Due to the complexities of the technical work in this Contract/Task Order, the government has 20 workdays to review deliverables, Contractor has 10 workdays to perform revisions, government has 10 workdays to approve the final version. Deliverables shall be invoiced upon completion once agreed by IRS staff. Contractor shall invoice deliverables upon completion once agreed by IRS staff. After acknowledgement and acceptance of deliverable(s), the Contractor’s invoice shall be submitted to IPP; however, this can only be done after an email including the COR and any other key personnel have approved and cleared the invoice. This shall allow timely payment prior to the IPP invoice submission.

The Contractor shall ensure that all deliverables are clearly marked with the contract number and task 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.

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

· Accuracy - Work products shall be accurate in presentation, technical content, and adherence to accepted elements of style.

· Clarity - 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 work products must satisfy the requirements of the Government as specified herein.

· Format - Work products shall be submitted in the format referenced in Section 5.0 unless modified by the IRS.

· Timeliness - Work products shall be submitted on or before the due date specified in the task order, or submitted in accordance with a later, scheduled date determined by the CO.

7.0 Security

The Contracting Officer will ensure contractor personnel compliance with IRS HSPD-12 PIV Procedures Manual. Contractor employees will be required to undergo an appropriate background investigation and be approved for staff-like access (suitability) to access IRS facilities, systems and Sensitive but Unclassified (SBU) information, including personally identifiable information (PII) and tax information (FTI), in the performance of the contract. United States citizenship and full tax compliance are required to obtain staff-like access.

7.1 PERFORMANCE AT GOVERNMENT SITES

If any of this effort is performed at specified government facilities, the contractor shall abide by Department of the Treasury Directive (TD) 71-10 regarding provisions for authorized entrance and exit at these facilities.

7.2 IDENTIFICATION/ BADGES

The applicable contractor employees shall not begin working under this PWS until all security forms have been properly completed and submitted. All contractor employees shall be required to wear identification badges when working in government facilities.

7.3 PERSONNEL REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT

The applicable contractor employees are subject to investigation by the government. Applicable contractor employees who undergo contractor clearances that reveal, but are not limited to, the following, may be unacceptable under this contract: conviction of a felony, a crime of violence or a serious misdemeanor, a record of arrests for continuing offenses, or failure to file or pay federal income tax. The government reserves the right to determine if a contractor employee assigned to a task shall continue with the task.

The contractor shall agree to remove the person assigned within one day of official notification by the government and provide a replacement within five days. New hires or substitutions of personnel are subject to the contractor clearance requirement.

8.0 Contractor Onboarding/Security Requirements

8.1 Staff-Like Access Definition and Requirements.

Only those contractors/subcontractors who require staff-like access to IRS systems, data, or facilities will follow the outlined process below. Those whose access is infrequent, or will not require staff-like access will be 100% escorted while in IRS space. Escort access is only permitted for infrequent access to IRS facilities and is NOT permitted if subjects require sensitive but unclassified (SBU) data access or systems access. Contractors are not permitted to have “staff-like access” to IRS facilities, systems, or SBU data until they are determined to be both eligible and suitable to perform work as an IRS contractor by IRS Personnel Security. Each contractor assigned to work under an IRS contract shall undergo investigative processing commensurate with the risk level designation associated with the work to be performed, and comparable to that required for Federal Employees who occupy the same positions and who have the same position sensitivity designation.

“Staff-like Access” is authority granted to perform one or more of the following:

•Enter IRS facilities or space (owned or leased) unescorted when properly badged.

•Possess login credentials to information systems (IRS or Contractor-owned systems that store, collect, and /or process IRS information).

•Possess physical and/or logical access to (including the opportunity to see, read, transcribe, and/or interpret) Sensitive but Unclassified (SBU) data, wherever the location; (See IRM 10.5 for examples of SBU data).

•Possess physical access to (including the opportunity to see, read, transcribe, and/or interpret) security items and products (e.g., items that must be stored in a locked container, security container, or a secure room, wherever the location. These items include, but are not limited to security devices/records, computer equipment, Identification media. For details and further security requirements, see IRM 10.23 (Minimum Protection Standards).

•Enter physical areas, wherever the location, that store/process SBU information (unescorted).

Staff-Like Access is granted to an individual who is not an IRS employee (and includes, but is not limited to: contractors/subcontractors, whether procured by IRS or another federal agency, Contractors, delivery persons, experts, consultants, paid/unpaid interns, other federal employees, cleaning/maintenance employees, etc.), and is approved upon required completion of a favorable suitability/fitness determination conducted by IRS Personnel Security.

8.2 Eligibility requirements.

Contractors must be eligible for IRS contract employment prior to submitting investigative forms/documentation used to determine their suitability. The contractor must communicate the eligibility requirements to their employees up front and state that only employees who meet the eligibility requirements should apply for IRS contract employment.