Tax Software and Support

What they want

• Tax Analyzer Enterprise licenses, QTY 130 EA, and Tax Planner licenses, QTY 150 EA, each contract year
• Optional surge licenses: up to 20 more Tax Analyzer and 20 more Tax Planner, only when the Contracting Officer authorizes them (QTY 20 EA each)
• Help desk and technical support for all licensed users, 12 months (QTY 12 MO), with toll-free phone and a ticketing system
• Maintenance and support of the IRS-customized Issue Management System (IMS) Tax Engine Middleware, including e-file
• Software updates, upgrades and tax law changes, with an impact analysis within 2 business days and critical changes within 10 business days
• Integration support: IRS-approved, fully integrated tax software (initial due by March 31, 2027) with test results (initial due by March 26, 2027)
• Training for each product: one yearly in-person session for up to 25 people (40 hours) and four quarterly 1-hour virtual sessions, at no charge
• Plans and reports: monthly status, help desk and cybersecurity reports, plus quality control, configuration management and continuity of operations plans within 10 calendar days of award

What they'll judge offers on

• Technical Approach (most important): Tax Analyzer and Tax Planner licensing including surge licenses, functional software capabilities, technical support, middleware and integration, training, transition and continuity
• Licensing, Middleware Integration & Support Capability (second): (a) licensing authorization and capacity, (b) demonstrated software functionality, (c) technical support infrastructure, (d) middleware integration capability, (e) training resources, (f) transition resources
• Past Performance (third): recency, relevance and quality of up to three references, rated by confidence level; no relevant history earns Neutral Confidence
• Price (least important): total of the base period and all four option periods, including 20 surge licenses of each product per period

What to include when you submit

• Send four separate volumes: Volume I Technical Approach (PDF, 12-point Times New Roman, 1-inch margins), Volume II Licensing, Middleware Integration & Support Capability (same format), Volume III Past Performance (PDF), Volume IV Price (Excel plus PDF)
• Volume I: describe your approach to Tax Analyzer licensing (130 plus up to 20 surge), Tax Planner licensing (150 plus up to 20 surge), software functions, technical support, middleware and integration, training, and transition and continuity
• Volume I training: one annual 40-hour in-person Tax Analyzer session and one annual 40-hour in-person Tax Planner session, each for up to 25 people, plus four quarterly 1-hour virtual sessions per product, with curricula, instructor qualifications, schedule, materials and Section 508 accessibility
• Volume II: send verifiable evidence of original equipment manufacturer (OEM) status or authorized reseller arrangements, licensing capacity, product documentation, help desk infrastructure, middleware expertise, training resources and transition resources
• Volume III: up to three contract references for performance within the three years preceding the proposal due date, each with customer, contract number, performance dates, contract value, scope, comparable work, results and customer contact; if you have no relevant past performance, say so
• Volume IV: complete price schedule for the base period and all four option periods, with quantity, unit price and extended price for each contract line item number (CLIN): one priced line of the order
• Price the full 20 Tax Analyzer and 20 Tax Planner surge licenses in every period, price no-additional-charge training CLINs at $0.00, state your pricing assumptions, and do not add CLINs
• Show on the proposal the solicitation number, your unique entity identifier (UEI), applicable discounts to the Government, and a point of contact name, address and phone number
• Complete Standard Form 1449? (SF 1449): the form you sign and return as your offer, blocks 12, 17, 23, 24 and 30, and mark every required provision and clause
• Name a Contractor Security Representative and an alternate in the offer, and check the security guideline block (IRM 10.8.1, Publication 4812 or both) and, if Publication 4812 applies, the control level (SOFT or NET)
• Send any End User License Agreements (EULA) or manufacturer software agreements that need IRS review with the proposal
• Include the Invoice Processing Platform waiver form only if you cannot invoice through the Invoice Processing Platform

After award, you must have

• Every person who works on the contract needs IRS staff-like access (background check and approval) before starting From II_1 RFQ Solicitation Tax Software and Support_v6 CO Final 10.19.26.pdf: Contractor personnel shall NOT begin work under this contract until staff-like access has been granted specific to this contract number…
• Do not let staff access, process or store sensitive IRS data on systems outside the continental United States and its outlying territories From II_1 RFQ Solicitation Tax Software and Support_v6 CO Final 10.19.26.pdf: The contractor (including subcontractor) shall not allow contractor or subcontractor personnel to…

Current contractor

No incumbent is named. The notice calls this an ongoing requirement and describes maintenance of an IRS-customized middleware, but no current contractor or previous contract number is given.

Not in the notice text

• The Government's estimate or budget is not given.
• Section 4.4 says final data-rights and source-code delivery terms need Contracting Officer and Legal approval; confirm the final terms with the contracting officer.
• The contracting officer, COR and technical contact names in the performance work statement are listed as TBD.
• Whether work will be at Government sites, contractor sites or remote is left to COR approval.
• Some clause text in the middle of the solicitation (between the records management and invoicing clauses) wasn't read; check the full solicitation on SAM.gov.