MODIFICATION
D -- Request for Information for TE/GE Form 1023 Cyber Assistant Test and Pilot Evaluation.
- Notice Date
- 10/6/2006
- Notice Type
- Modification
- NAICS
- 541511
— Custom Computer Programming Services
- Contracting Office
- Department of the Treasury, Internal Revenue Service (IRS), National Office Procurement (OS:A:P), 6009 Oxon Hill Road, Suite 500, Oxon Hill, MD, 20745
- ZIP Code
- 20745
- Solicitation Number
- Reference-Number-RFI-T6-T0-0F-5A-C07
- Response Due
- 10/16/2006
- Archive Date
- 10/30/2006
- Point of Contact
- Charisse Marshall, Contract Specialist, Phone 202-283-0395, Fax 202-283-7031,
- E-Mail Address
-
Charisse.Marshall@irs.gov
- Description
- The following are the Government's responses to the questions received from firms interested in this RFI: Q1. I was wondering if there is an incumbent who has ever performed the work expressed in this RFI. If so, would you please provide me with Contractor's name; Contract number; Award date; Expiration date; and Value. A1. Based on the requestor not responding to clarification of defining ?work?, the Government can not accurately respond to this question. Q2. Please provide a copy of the bidders list for the RFI. A2. A bidder?s list for this RFI is not applicable as this is not a solicitation. Therefore, there are no bidders. Q3. We are not software developers, nor a computer firm, we are a consulting firm, how could our services be used by IRS? A3. We are looking for any qualified or interested parties who can fund development and hosting of this product for themselves and if you have that capability or experience, please respond to the RFI. Q4. It appears that the strategic partners' roles may be some what similar to how IRS works with Turbo-tax to help income tax filers submit online, is this a correct assumption? A4. Yes, except the plan for this collaboration is that the output of the Cyber Assistant tool is a paper application that is filed by mail with the IRS. There is no ability to file the application on-line until the IRS is able to support this functionality. But otherwise, your assumption is correct. The partners would be responsible for keeping the application up to date, provide a secure hosting environment for users, or market the program as a CD or downloadable tool that provides a secure environment for users. Q5. If in fact, we market the IRS online service to clients, (we currently mail-out marketing materials to over 6,000 potential Form 1023 applicants annually, in addition to our website which get over 1,500 hits monthly) and they agree to use this service, it appears the client will get a reduced user fee as an incentive; what would my firm get as an incentive? A5. To clarify, the Cyber Assistant developer would provide a service to the applicants. The output of the application would be a Form 1023 that could be printed and mailed to the IRS. The IRS is considering reducing its user fee for processing applications created with the Cyber Assistant. The incentive for the developer would be to receive the approval of the IRS for its software after it is successfully tested and piloted. Q6a. Could my firm still charge the client a fee for using our service (as Turbo-tax does), even though they agree to submit the Form 1023 on line? Or would IRS award a portion of the reduced user fee as an incentive? A6a. The issue of charging the client a fee for using the Cyber Assistant is up to the developer/vendor of Cyber Assistant. Q6b. Would our consultants still be permitted to complete the online form for clients who feel incompetent to do it themselves, or for those who are not computer or internet savvy? A6b. Yes, the tool is designed to allow collaboration with clients and contains both the Form 2848, Power of Attorney and Declaration of Representative and the Form 8821, Tax Information Authorization, for this purpose so the applicant can grant authorization as they deem appropriate. Q6c. In this process, it appears that our firm could both gain (by increased volume) and lose (not as many clients would need our services) business and revenue. Any clarification on how this process may benefit both our firm and the applicant would be appreciated. A6c. The IRS has created the prototype and is seeking partners to make it their own and integrate it into their suite of products and services to assist applicants. Material to be provided by the IRS to interested developers includes educational content that has been created and approved by the IRS. Successful partners will receive the benefit of being able to market ?IRS approved? software. The IRS intends to move forward and develop the ability to support electronic submission of applications in a future effort. Q7a. As a consulting firm, we provide an array of Form 1023 related services that help clients qualify and comply with the IRS 501c3 - Tax Exempt requirements: incorporations, amendments, restatements, bylaws, EIN, etc. under the new online filing process, would Form 1023 applicants still be required to meet the same requirements and mail user fees? A7a. Again, to clarify, the on-line process is using the Cyber Assistant tool, not filing Form 1023. The tool would navigate the Form 1023 for an applicant and/or their authorized representatives. The tool would create a paper Form 1023 that is complete and the tool would ensure that all required attachments for the IRS have been addressed. Applicants would still be required to meet the same requirements, but the Cyber Assistant tool would assist them in understanding the filing requirements through imbedded links to IRS approved educational information. The tool enforces completeness in filling out the application. A user fee is still required to be submitted with the application, though the IRS is considering reducing it for Cyber Assistant users. Q7b. Does this explain why some documents and the user fee would still have to be mailed to IRS? A7b. Refer to A7a. Q7c. If some Form 1023 documents still have to be mailed to IRS, then what is the advantage of online filing of the Form 1023? A7c. The purpose of the tool is to assist with the completion of Form 1023; the tool will not provide online filing, which is a future enhancement. The advantage to users is the educational information embedded in the application along with the navigation and validation routines which ensure appropriate schedules are completed, and all required input is entered. When the IRS receives a Form 1023 prepared with the Cyber Assistant tool, it will be complete, and likely to be processed without the need for correspondence for additional information from the IRS. It may also be eligible for a reduced user fee. Q8. Is it correct that there is no compensation for this program, other than a potential reduction in the User Fee associated with Form 1023? A8. Yes. Q9. One of the requested items is financial information, which we will gladly include. We would like clarification as to what is desired in that regard. We can provide current financial statements, prior tax returns or a combination of both. We want to send only what is needed. A9 Current financial statements are satisfactory. Q10. Will interested vendors be required to develop their application solely at their cost? A10. Yes, and vendors will be able to offer to the marketplace the approval by IRS of the application. Q11. Will interested vendors be required to then test the application with users that they recruit to test the software? A11. Yes. Q12. What is the application fee ($) that interested vendors are required to submit? A12. There is no application fee to participate in the development and testing of the Cyber Assistant tool. The fee refers to the user fee that applicants for a determination letter are required to submit. Applicants that use the Cyber Assistant tool may be offered a reduced user fee as opposed to others who fill in their applications themselves. Q13. Will interested vendors be required to develop and market the final product without IRS assistance (financial or otherwise)? A13. Interested and qualified vendors will be provided with the documents that the IRS has created such as business rules, schema formats, data model formats and the IRS-approved educational content, free of charge to incorporate into their own application. Marketing efforts can be supported with publicity but not by funding by the IRS. Q14. What are the projected timelines, RFP deadline, and Award Date? A14. The IRS projects the development, test and pilot period will run for the next year, in FY 2007. The IRS does not intend to fund proposals or make a contract award. Rather, the IRS expects developers or partners will be interested for their own marketing purposes. Q15. Will this be the only application, mandatory for all users, or will there be other competing applications? A15. There could be more than one acceptable vendor of the application. Use of the developed tool will not be mandatory. The IRS would be working with any potential vendor to ensure that the IRS approved educational information is incorporated, that the application performs acceptably and that an adequate number of test users are available as supplied by the successful test vendor (s). Q16. Depending on your evaluation of our RFI response, can we request that this be deemed a set aside for HUBZone and SDVOSB? A16. We will be evaluating all responses received to determine capability. We will consider a set-aside of all types (8(a), HUBZone, SDVOSB, Small) depending on the capability of those firms to perform the required s Q rvices. If there are two or more of any type of firm with the capability, we will consider a set-aside for that particular type. Q17. The RFI states that responses should be sent as an MS Word attachment. Most contractors prefer to send a PDF file. This ensures that none of the information contained in the response gets lost. Is it an absolute requirement that the response be sent as an MS Word attachment or can we send a PDF file instead? A17. A PDF file is acceptable. Q18. The RFI states that we should briefly describe our company?s financial information. Would you please clarify what type of financial information you need us to supply. A18. The purpose of this requested item is to determine whether a responder has adequate financial history, sufficient stability and experience to undertake the development and marketing task. Recent financial statements that provide that type of information are sufficient. Q19. In section 1 part (3.) it is states that the applicants, completing the IRS Form 1023, would also be required to submit a user fee along with the application. Is it the expectation of the IRS that the strategic partner will collect the fee for the government? A19. No, the strategic partner would not collect the fee for the government. Applicants are required to submit a user fee to the IRS in order to receive the requested determination letter on exempt status. The user fee is part of the completed application package that is submitted by the applicant via the mail or other delivery service. The IRS is considering a reduction in user fees for users of the Cyber Assistant tool. Q20. One of the requested items is financial information, which we will gladly include. We would like clarification as to what is desired in that regard. We can provide current financial statements, prior tax returns or a combination of both. We want to send only what is needed. A20 Refer to A18. Q20a. Will the strategic partner be able to charge the applicant for performing the service? (not the IRS fee) A20a. Whether a strategic partner charges an applicant for using Cyber Assistant is up to the partner. Q21. If so, will the IRS, limit the charges or regulate the charges A21 No. Q22. If so, will there be a set price or will the strategic partners compete within themselves? A22. There will not be a set price; the market will determine the price. Q23. Will the IRS be paying the strategic partner for performing the service? A23. No. Q24. How often does IRS TEGE expects that form 1023 will be updated? A24 Any revision to the IRS Form 1023 is at the discretion of the Service or as may be required to incorporate legislative change(s) to the requirements for tax-exempt status. There is no schedule for revision at this time. Q25. Could the IRS please share the questions received from other vendors and the answers to them? A25. All questions and answers appear here. Please note: The due date for responses to this RFI shall be changed from October 11, 2006 to October 16, 2006. The Government will no longer accept any more questions regarding this RFI.
- Record
- SN01162838-W 20061008/061006220654 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
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