Modernization is key to carry out the core missions of the IRS

The mission of IRS, a component agency within the Department of the Treasury, is to (1) provide America’s taxpayers top quality service by helping them understand and meet their tax responsibilities, and (2) enforce the law with integrity and fairness to all. While it relies extensively on IT to carry out this mission, IRS has reported that modernization is needed to improve its core tax administration systems, operations, and cybersecurity. IRS has also reported that modernization is critical to improving customer experience and providing the kind of service taxpayers have come to expect. For example, IRS has previously reported that modernization will help address business and technical challenges due to constraints with the Individual Master File (IMF) program it has been using since 1970.10 These challenges include the inability to get a real-time view of the taxpayer account, quickly respond to tax code changes, provide enhanced analytical capabilities, and provide additional taxpayer account information to more effectively combat fraud and identity theft.