Low-Income Tax Clinic SouthWest

The Pennsylvania Department of Revenue is seeking a Qualified Low-Income Tax Clinic to provide pro bono tax representation and educational services to low-income Pennsylvania taxpayers with state tax disputes, with proposals due July 31, 2026. The awardee must hold a pre-existing federal LITC grant for the same contract period and cannot have received prior Department funding covering the same timeframe—a restrictive eligibility gate.

The Qualified LITC shall assume responsibility for all services, materials, supervision, and tools necessary to resolve Pennsylvania state tax issues. Key deliverables are a mid-point status report due February 1, 2027, and a final status report due June 1, 2027, covering work through May 15, 2027. Reports must include detailed controversy data, operational descriptions, case narratives, referral information, and Financial Eligibility Cap calculations. The clinic must maintain a physical place of business, designate a Clinic Director as primary Department contact, and employ or retain staff licensed to practice before Pennsylvania Courts. Compensation is fifty percent of the awarded bid amount upon timely delivery of each deliverable; no payment is made for late submissions. The Department may provide at least one training session on Pennsylvania tax law and procedure during the contract period.

Client eligibility is determined by Financial Eligibility Cap thresholds: base income of $48,000 for single-adult households or $65,000 for two-adult households, plus $17,000 per dependent and $13,500 per child under age six in daycare. The clinic must maintain strict confidentiality and educate staff and interns on confidentiality obligations. The Department reserves the right to modify the statement of work with sixty days' notice.

Mandatory compliance certifications include Pennsylvania Act 57 of 2023 (Russia-Belarus sanctions verification), Domestic Workforce Utilization Certification, and Worker Protection and Investment Certification covering unemployment compensation, workers' compensation, labor law, prevailing wage, and workplace safety. Extension requests for report submissions are directed to Vincent Pease at vpease@pa.gov. The solicitation covers Dauphin County and Harveys Lake Borough.