SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE - Tax Software Acquisition and Support

Statement of Work (SOW) / Performance Work Statement (PWS)

To ensure continuity of operations for LB&I and Appeals by maintaining compatibility between IRS systems and industry-standard tax software used by taxpayers, enabling efficient processing of complex tax computations and supporting IRS compliance and enforcement activities.

• Acquisition, integration, maintenance, and support of Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) tax software products (Corporate Tax Analyzer - CTA, Income Tax Planner - ITP) and associated middleware.

• Provision of software licenses, maintenance, technical support, integration services, and training.

• Defined Service Level Agreements (SLAs) for response and resolution times across four tiers of support (Critical, High, Medium, Low).

• Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) with specific performance standards and acceptable quality levels for various requirements including Help Desk Response, Incident Resolution, Software Updates, Middleware Integration, Training Delivery, Monthly Reporting, Security Compliance, and Risk Management.

• Period of Performance (PoP): April 1, 2027 – March 31, 2032 (Base Year + 4 Option Years).

• Place of Performance: Government facilities, Contractor facilities, remote, or hybrid environments as approved by the COR.

• Hours of Operation: Standard IRS business hours (Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM local time), excluding Federal holidays, with provisions for critical incident support outside normal hours.

• Software and Licensing: Up to 3,500 licenses and associated technical support packages.

• Technical Support: Multi-tier support (Tier 1-4) with specific response and resolution times, requiring IRS background investigations for Level 2/3 support personnel.

• Integration Support: Seamless interoperability between IRS systems and vendor software, including updates, XML data import/export, and testing.

• Training: Annual 40-hour sessions and quarterly virtual sessions for IRS personnel, with Section 508 compliant materials.

• Software Maintenance: Updates, upgrades, and patches at no additional cost, incorporating tax law changes and regulatory updates.

• Security: Compliance with all applicable IRS, Treasury, and Federal information security policies (including FISMA, NIST), requiring background investigations, staff-like access, and mandatory training for personnel.

• Deliverables: Includes RCA Reports, Integration Updates & Documentation, Technical Status Reports, Program Reviews, Risk Management Reports, and various compliance documentation (IPv6, Section 508).

• Government Furnished Property (GFP): Includes workstations and PIV cards.

Sources Sought Notice

This notice is issued by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Large Business & International (LB&I) Division, for market research purposes. The IRS is seeking information on qualified vendors capable of providing Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) tax software products, associated middleware, technical support, software maintenance, integration support, and training services. This notice does not constitute a solicitation, and no contract will be awarded based on responses. It aims to assist the Government in determining vendor availability, capability, and appropriate acquisition strategies.

• The IRS requires continued access to commercial tax software products and related technical services to support complex tax computations, tax planning, compliance activities, enforcement operations, and integration with IRS systems.
• Services include software licensing, maintenance, technical support, middleware integration support, training, cybersecurity compliance support, and operational continuity.
• Anticipated requirement is for up to 3,500 software licenses and associated technical support services.
• Anticipated period of performance: one-year base period and four one-year option periods, extending through March 31, 2032.

This Sources Sought specifically aims to identify small business contractors with the capabilities to provide the specified services. Organizations not considered small businesses under NAICS code 513210 - Software Publishers should not respond.

• Deadline: Friday, May 29, 2026, at 3:00 pm EST.

• Submission Method: Email to Courtney.K.Alston@irs.gov and James.M.Tryniak@irs.gov.

• Content: A statement of interest on company letterhead demonstrating qualifications, addressing specific Acquisition Strategy Questions and Capability Questions provided in the notice.

• Page Limit: Capability Responses are limited to ten double-sided pages (excluding attachments).

• Questions: Questions pertaining to the draft Performance Work Statement (PWS) should be submitted using Attachment 2 - Comments and Questions Matrix. The government may not respond to questions due to the acquisition timeline.

• Response is strictly voluntary.

• No reimbursement will be made for costs associated with providing information.

• Respondents will not be notified of the results of the evaluation.

• This notice is for informational and planning purposes only and does not commit the Government to any solicitation or contract.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document is an Excel spreadsheet containing a matrix for vendor comments on a solicitation. It appears to be a template or a record of questions and feedback submitted by vendors.

• The spreadsheet includes columns for 'Submission By', 'Section/Page #', 'Line Number', 'Document', 'Current Form', 'Recommend Change', 'Comment / Feedback', and 'Government Response'.
• The 'Sheet: Question and Answers' tab is the primary content.
• The majority of the sheet is blank, indicating it may be a template for submitting comments or a record where comments have not yet been fully populated or are being reviewed.

This document is relevant for bidders who need to understand the process for submitting feedback or questions regarding the solicitation. It can also provide insight into potential areas of concern or clarification that other vendors have raised or may raise. Bidders should use this format if they intend to submit formal comments or questions.