Electronic Tax Preparation and Transmission Software/Maintenance

Summary (Newest Update)

Background The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is seeking a contractor to provide electronic tax preparation software and support services for volunteer tax preparers. This initiative aims to facilitate accurate tax return completion and secure transmission of completed returns to the IRS and state agencies. The software must support various IRS tax assistance programs and be compliant with IRS electronic e-file requirements, ensuring it operates with minimal configuration to meet regulatory, security, and privacy standards. The Stakeholder Partnerships, Education and Communication (SPEC) organization within Customer Assistance, Relationships and Education (CARE) provides free electronic tax preparation for low-income, elderly, disabled taxpayers or those with limited English proficiency at approximately 12,000 volunteer sites nationwide. Work Details The contractor shall deliver commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) tax preparation software that includes: - A Professional Web-Based Version for assisted tax preparation. - A Professional Desktop Version with networking capabilities for assisted tax preparation. - A Self-Preparer Web-Based Version if separately licensed. The contractor is guaranteed an order of 8,500 software licenses during the base period and under each of the four option periods. The software must accurately prepare and file federal, state, and local income tax returns for all possible situations prescribed by the IRS. Specific functionalities include: - Electronic return preparation for forms like 1040, 1040SR, 1040NR, etc. - Capability for both web-based and desktop versions to function without internet access. - Real-time diagnostic checks on returns. - Secure upload of taxpayer documents. - A client portal for direct communication between sites and clients. Period of Performance Base Period: June 1, 2026 – May 31, 2027; Option Year 1: June 1, 2027 – May 31, 2028; Option Year 2: June 1, 2028 – May 31, 2029; Option Year 3: June 1, 2029 – May 31, 2030; Option Year 4: June 1, 2030 – May 31, 2031. Place of Performance Primarily at the Contractor’s site with potential task orders issued for performance at VITA sites, TCE sites, IRS facilities or Treasury facilities.