The ideal TAP member candidate possesses the following characteristics:

The recruitment initiative is completed in four phases:

The administrative phase is the start of the recruitment process. No later than the second quarter of the fiscal year, the TAP Recruitment Analyst will develop an action plan for all items that need to be completed for the entire upcoming recruitment period to ensure no details are overlooked. The Recruitment Analyst will share the recruitment action plan with TAP management and upload it to TAP’s internal SharePoint webpage.

The Recruitment Analyst will update the TAP Member Database on SharePoint with each candidate’s application information secured from the HCO CareerConnector system. This will include creating and making periodic updates to the various related profiles on all recruitment-related systems. The cumulative applications and resumes for those identified for interview will also be posted to an internal secure website location and redacted if needed.

The application phase includes the opening of the online application on USAJobs.gov, and the ranking of applicants. The ranking should be done in a consistent manner, where the HCO staff will initially rank the applicants.

The interview phase is used to gather information to assist with the final selection of applicants on predetermined competencies. Interviews will usually be conducted virtually by telephone. The standardized questions are designed to assess competencies required of applicants to be selected as TAP members. Interview panels may consist of a TAP member, LTA or their designee, and a member of the TAP staff, usually the TAP Program Manager or Analyst. TAS National Headquarter (HQ) Analysts may also be invited to participate on interview panels.

When choosing candidates during the selection and approval phase, the candidate recommendations should be based on ranked interviews, demographic information and number of vacancies. The TAP Managers should share their recommendations with the TAP Director, who will discuss the final selections with the Executive Director of EDSA.

The Recruitment Analyst must ensure there is consensus on the final selections and upload individual interview assessment sheets for each candidate interviewed are uploaded to the TAP designated site in SharePoint.

For instructions on updating the recruitment database and which letters to send out, see Recruitment Procedures located on TAP SharePoint site.

The following checks will be initially done on all prospective TAP members who must be in good standing during their tenure on TAP:

Applicants selected for interviews will be contacted by the TAP staff or the HCO CareerConnector system prior to start of interviews. Candidates will receive:

Upon being selected, new members will be asked to sign and return the Volunteer Agreement/Standards of Ethical Conduct and the TAP Member Position Description forms, both located at: https://www.improveirs.org. Refusal to sign the agreement will result in revocation of membership.

The Recruitment Analyst will then make updates to the candidate’s profile in the TAP Member Database, and HCO CareerConnecter programs per all actions taken during the finalization of recruitment cycle.

Prior to the Annual Meeting, the TAP Director will send out an email to all returning members. The email will provide a short description of the project committees for the upcoming year and will ask the returning members to pick their top three choices of project committees according to preference with "1" being the preferred selection.

If time in the approval process permits, a similar email will also be sent to all new members. New members must rank their top three selections of project committees.

The TAP Director will make a reasonable attempt to accommodate all of the members first selection; however, members may not always be able to get their first ranked selection.

The TAP Annual Training is an opportunity to provide guidance on how the various committees operate, and may be given either in person or virtually. This is also a time where TAP members will meet their respective Committee colleagues while participating in their face-to-face or virtual Committee meetings.

Prior to the Annual Training, new TAP members will be invited to participate in a teleconference where they will be given an orientation and briefed on what to expect at the Annual Training.

New TAP members will also be paired with experienced TAP members usually from their assigned project committees to be their mentors. The new members can meet with their mentors during the beginning of the TAP year. The role of the mentor is to guide, coach and engage the new TAP members to ensure they clearly understand their role and responsibilities. Each mentor will be assigned one to two new members, depending on the number of experienced members who volunteer to be a mentor. A TAP Analyst will be assigned to provide oversight to TAP mentoring process.

Prior to the Annual Training, members can expect to receive the following:

Members will elect their assigned committee Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson during their first meeting. First year members can run for Vice-Chairperson but as a general guideline, first year members should not be the Chairperson of any committee, since they need to learn how the TAP operates before taking on the added responsibility of a chairperson.

During the first meeting, members will select the time of their monthly teleconferences. These meeting times must be within TAP business hours (Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Eastern). The TAP Manager may want to survey their project committees in advance of the meeting to share recommended dates and times.

Business cards will be provided to all TAP members and staff as soon as possible. The card will include the member’s name and his or her corresponding State, Title, TAP’s toll-free number, a newly designated email address, and TAP national headquarters mailing address.

The back of the card will contain TAP's mission statement. Similar information will be shown on staff members' business cards.

To order business cards, the assigned TAP staff Analyst will complete a Form 1767, Publishing Services Requisition, and forward to the TAP Director for approval. Once approved, the business card information is attached to the Form 1767 and forwarded to the appropriate office who handles functional products for TAP. For more information see IRM 13.7.1.3.6, Marketing Products.

For more information about the IRS's publishing services and procedures, refer to their website located at: http://publish.no.irs.gov/publish/puborg.html

To obtain a copy of Form 1767, Publishing Service Requisition, go to: Catalog Information (irs.gov)

The TAP Field Office Secretary will order magnetic name tags for the members to use at meetings and outreach events. Name tags will be provided to all new staff and members, as well as returning members with the need for a new name tag.

The TAP Field Office Secretary or assigned Committee Analyst of each project committee is responsible for updating member information on the project committee rosters. Any change to a TAP member’s name, address, email address, phone number, or status will be reported to the secretary, Committee Analyst or TAP Group Manager of the member’s project committee who will revise the information in the TAP member database located on SharePoint. These revisions should be made within 7 business days of receiving the information. Copies of the new committee rosters will be posted to the TAP’s internal and external websites, and distributed to all other committee members.

The President’s Volunteer Service Award is given to all members in appreciation for their contribution of time to the TAP usually upon completion of a 3-year commitment. The award may be Gold, Silver or Bronze, which correspond to the number of hours contributed.

Special recognition may also be given by the TAP Director to the outgoing TAP Chair and Vice-Chair for their service.

Upon receiving notification a member has resigned, the TAP Manager and TAP Director will discuss whether the alternate will be called up to serve as a full member depending upon what point during the year the member resigned along with considering the needs of the committee. The TAP assigned Recruitment Analyst should contact the available alternates from the outgoing member’s geographic state to determine whether or not he or she is still interested in becoming a TAP member. If the alternate accepts membership, the Recruitment Analyst will then notify the TAP Director, TAP Manager, and other TAP management officials regarding filling the vacancy. The TAP manager will alert TAP staff that a new member has been added to the panel.

The alternate should be given a choice of starting immediately or waiting for orientation when the new TAP year begins December 1st.

Once the alternate is accepted as a new TAP member, if he or she chooses to start immediately, the recruitment Analyst will:

To gain the input of members who leave midterm, the TAP annual survey should be sent to those members who resign, as TAP management is interested in gaining insight as to their satisfaction or dissatisfaction with TAP and learning from their experiences.

The TAP Recruitment Analyst will generally update the TAP Member Database in SharePoint regarding resignation, elevation of alternate to Panel, and related profile updates.

No advisory committee covered by the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), Public Law 92-463, may meet or take any action until a charter has been filed or renewed by the Committee Management Officer (CMO) designated in accordance with Section 8(b) of FACA or by another agency official designated by the agency head. The TAP Director is responsible for ensuring the charter is updated and renewed on a timely basis, which is every 2 years. The latest renewal charter is filed with the appropriate committees of Congress (Senate Committee on Finance and House Ways and Means), and the Library of Congress.

Bylaws governing the operations of TAP will be adopted by an affirmative majority of votes cast by the TAP members after approval of the draft by the TAP Joint Committee, TAP Director, the IRS Office of Chief Counsel, and the Executive Director of EDSA. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Bylaws, the TAP will operate in accordance with FACA and its implementing regulations, and with the TAP charter, as the same may be amended from time to time.

The TAP Director is responsible for working closely with the Joint Committee, the Executive Director of EDSA, and the W&I and SB/SE Operating Divisions liaisons/Program owners on securing good, specific projects for the core project committees to work. When deciding on the makeup of the various projects, the TAP Director should consider the following:

TAP coordinates contact with national media through TAS CSO and IRS Media Relations. TAS CSO’s role is to provide a vehicle for getting TAP messages out to the public. The TAP assigned Communication Analyst is responsible for developing TAP messages with the assistance of TAP staff and members. The TAP Internal Communications Committee can be used as a resource to create promotional messages or products for TAP. Refer to the TAP Outreach Toolkit for current written products and messages available to promote TAP at: https://www.improveirs.org

When a new message, news release or article is developed for distribution to the national media, or within the IRS, the TAP assigned Communications Analyst will prepare and submit a Communications Assistance Request (CAR) to TAS CSO. After approval by the TAP Director, the CAR should be submitted electronically, with the message document attached, to the CSO email address created for this purpose. The request will be assigned to a TAS CSO Analyst to coordinate distribution of the message through IRS Media Relations and within TAS and the IRS if appropriate.

TAP members and staff can sometimes work directly with local IRS Field Media Relations Specialists and members of the local media to promote TAP. The staff should not speak on behalf of TAP but can assist TAP members in finding media opportunities. If a reporter is interested in interviewing a TAP member or contacts a TAP office for an interview, the staff should:

All requests from the media should be reported to the TAP Manager. If this is a national media request, the TAP Manager will report this request to the TAP Communications Analyst, the TAP Director, TAS CSO Analyst, and the local Field Media Specialist.

The TAP Manager, in coordination with the TAS CSO Analyst will contact a local TAP member regarding the interview request and provide any assistance necessary to facilitate a successful interview. If a TAP member receives a media request, he or she should refer to the Media Guidance document included in the TAP Outreach Toolkit for additional information on working with the media. TAP staff should also be familiar with this document.

Contacts with the media are treated as an outreach and entered into the Outreach Database. For further information about the Outreach Database, see IRM 13.7.1.3.2

News releases or public service announcements in various sources of print or electronic media are a free source of marketing for the panel. Good opportunities to use these tools include:

The commercial media has the discretion to run a news release. Therefore, to increase the chance that a news release is used, the TAP staff will work with the local Field Media Specialist in developing and disseminating news releases. The local Field Media Specialist will provide not only their expertise in reviewing and editing the news release, but are key to contacting the media outlets in the location of the event being promoted. A contact number for specialists can be found at the following web site: www.irs.gov/newsroom

TAP members are the best source to identify potential outreach events because they are most familiar with their community. Often the TAP members are also members of other groups where they can talk about TAP's mission. The TAP staff should encourage TAP members to look for opportunities within their communities. The TAP staff can also help TAP members find and organize outreach events by developing relationships within the IRS, as well as with interested parties outside of the IRS. TAP can participate in IRS-sponsored events within the TAP members’ commuting area (within 40 miles of their home) with little cost to TAP. Any costs for a TAP outreach event must be approved by the TAP Manager prior to incurring the expense.

Outreach resources within the IRS include:

Members are encouraged to contact their Local Taxpayer Advocates directly for assistance with outreach opportunities and to maintain that dialogue throughout the year. For all other resources, the members should contact their assigned TAP Committee Analyst, who will arrange the outreach with the IRS staff.

Resources outside of the IRS might include:

If the outreach event will require payment of any expenses, such as booth rental or reimbursement of travel costs, TAP members must obtain the TAP Manager’s approval before any expenses are incurred. TAP members can use the Outreach Request and Report form to request advance approval of outreach expenses. An email request to the TAP Manager describing all the details of the event and expenses to be incurred is also acceptable.

Each TAP office will be given an allocation of travel funds to pay expenses for outreach activities of their respective TAP members and staff. If outreach travel is local for a TAP member or staff, approval is still required. Managers will obtain a status of funds from the EDSA Budget Analyst and submit a request for approval to the TAP Director if overnight travel is needed for outreach activities. The outreach travel expenses will be reported to the EDSA Budget Analyst each month on the Monthly Travel Report.

The most important aspect of conducting outreach is the opportunity to listen to what taxpayers have to say about the IRS. During or after an outreach presentation, members of the public may approach TAP members with a recommendation to improve IRS service or customer satisfaction. TAP members should not try to resolve individual tax issues with the public, nor should they discuss legislative issues.

After the event, TAP members should contact their Analyst and inform him/her of any issues or recommendations they received during the event. Members have the option of adding the issue on ImproveIRS.org or alerting their assigned committee Analyst to enter the issue(s) or recommendation(s) into the Systemic Advocacy Management Systems (SAMS) as stated in IRM 13.7.1.5.3.

Monthly Activity reports have many purposes. The reports help TAP staff track TAP member outreach and issues obtained during outreach events, and to track member hours. The Activity report is a spreadsheet format sent to the committee members monthly for them to complete and return to the staff Analyst office. See the Activity Reporting Spreadsheet located at: https://www.improveirs.org/Home/

TAP uses a consolidated Activity report to maintain information on outreach activity per members of each committee. Reports can be generated from the consolidated report to provide information on TAP outreach activities by individual, geographic area, or TAP as a whole for any given period of time and to track outreach events. Activity reports help the TAP staff quantify marketing efforts conducted by TAP members. Since outreach reporting is included in the TAP Annual Report, complete and accurate input of outreach data is critical to the accuracy of the reports.

Regardless of how the TAP Analyst receives the information it must be maintained SharePoint, and any issues resulting from the event must be entered into the SAMS Database as stated in IRM 13.7.1.5.3. The information provided by the committee member should include:

The Nationwide Tax Forums are IRS-sponsored training for tax practitioners, usually held in key major cities throughout the country over the summer months. Before the event, the assigned TAP staff Analyst will contact TAP members to solicit interest in staffing the TAP exhibitors table and assign interested members to individual forum locations on specific dates. Local members should be solicited first before asking out-of-area members who will incur travel expenses.

TAP members typically host an exhibitors table to promote TAP, discuss TAP's mission and obtain recommendations and issues for improving IRS customer service. Any recommendations or issues received at Tax Forums by TAP members will be input into the SAMS database by the TAP staff.

Each Project Committee is required to identify an Outreach Coordinator to motivate, guide and track outreach efforts of the committee members. Usually the Vice-Chair of the committee will be the Outreach Coordinator but the committee can identify another individual to fill this role.

The Outreach Coordinator needs to be proficient at outreach, must be familiar with the Outreach Toolkit and must be good at motivating people. Because the TAP National Vice-Chair will work with the Outreach Coordinators to manage TAP outreach, the TAP National Vice-Chair should have the same skill set.

TAS and TAP have established guidelines for LTAs to follow when assisting TAP in identifying outreach opportunities and generating publicity about TAP with various stakeholder groups.

TAS will provide TAP with access to the TAS Outreach Database, listing the outreach activities scheduled by LTAs. The regular outreach LTAs conduct provides a valuable opportunity for partnership with TAP by sharing resources, contacts, and expertise. LTAs should help TAP raise its visibility among stakeholders, the media and the public.

The local TAP office will:

Marketing products have been developed to promote TAP. These products are used for a variety of outreach events such as public town hall meetings, tax forums, and other individual outreach events.

The TAP National Office is responsible for the management and inventory of all TAP printed items. Each year TAP receives a funding allocation to purchase printed products. This allocation is used to pay for printing requests submitted to IRS Publishing Services. These printed products include:

The TAP staff is responsible for ensuring marketing products are available during public meetings, tax forums and other outreach activities. The TAP staff will maintain an inventory of marketing products available in each office where a secretary is located. Each TAP Secretary will report their inventory to the assigned TAP Analyst or EDSA Budget Analyst quarterly. The assigned Analyst will coordinate delivery of marketing products for major events like the Nationwide Tax Forums. The local TAP staff will distribute marketing products to individual TAP members upon request for use in outreach activities. Refer to the Marketing Materials section of the TAP Outreach Toolkit for information on available marketing materials. The TAP Outreach Toolkit can be found at http://improveirs.org.

The TAP staff will order printed products from IRS Publishing Services utilizing the automated Publishing Services Request (PSR) system. The Budget Analyst will prepare the PSR, obtain TAP Director and TAS Financial Operations Analyst approval and work with the IRS printing specialist to facilitate the production of accurate and timely received printed products. Printed products will be delivered to the TAP National Office and the two field offices (usually where TAP group secretaries are located), or the National Distribution Center depending on the quantity ordered, timing and location of use. The TAP staff will also monitor and manage TAP’s printing allocation to ensure the funds are efficiently used to meet TAP’s printing needs. For more information about the National Distribution Center see http://publish.no.irs.gov/distrib/dis-ndc.html

The TAP secretary may need to replenish their supply of marketing materials by requesting materials in stock at the IRS National Distribution Center (NDC). To determine if additional items are stored at the NDC, the TAP secretary will use the Publishing website http://publish.no.irs.gov/catlg.html to enter the particular catalog or publication number. Under the Distribution section, if NDC appears under re-supply location and no restrictions are present the item can be ordered. However, if the originator's office appears, the item is no longer stocked and a print order must be placed. The Budget Analyst will request a reprint order and should allow at least four weeks for the item to be reprinted.

To order from the NDC use the following link Media & Publications - Order & Subscription Management System (irs.gov) to obtain and complete the necessary forms.

TAP staff and TAP members will develop Internal and external products for TAP outreach and media publicity through the Internal Communications Committee. The Internal Communications Committee is a standing committee with the Chair serving as a member of the Joint Committee. Serving on the Internal Communications Committee should be considered an additional responsibility to serving on a project committee.

The media and outreach products are provided to panel members to assist them with their outreach activities and with working issues in their assigned project committees. These products can change as the TAP program grows and reaches out to new avenues. Both panel members and TAP staff should consider new approaches to deal with taxpayer needs and generate grassroots issues.

Any TAP marketing products that mention TAS, NTA, annual reports, etc. must be approved by the TAS CSO office.

Although not all comments and suggestions received from the public are TAP issues, a record of most contacts are archived in SAMS. The following is a list of the most common sources of contacts:

TAP staff should notify the contact (verbally or in writing) that TAP has received the suggestion by informing him/her the input will be presented to the members for their review and consideration .

Contacts whose suggestion or issue does not fit TAP issue criteria should also be acknowledged. This is also an opportunity to communicate TAP’s mission and educate members on acceptance criteria.

When a TAP member or TAP staff participates in an outreach event the TAP staff will:

Whenever a comment is received that is not a TAP issue, TAP staff should provide feedback to the contact to educate them about TAP’s mission. This is another way to promote the purpose of TAP: Acknowledge the contact and direct them to the appropriate place within the IRS to resolve their problem.

If TAP staff receives a contact from a taxpayer whose situation fits the TAS criteria, they should complete a Form 911 and route it to the local TAS office, or provide the caller with the TAS toll- free phone number 1-877-777-4778. Refer to Form 911 for TAS criteria.

A toll-free telephone line was established to enable taxpayers to contact TAP. The nationwide toll-free number (1-888-912-1227) is listed in local telephone directories under the Department of Treasury.

TAP staff answers all calls on the toll-free telephone line and the TAP Program Managers ensure there is adequate staffing to respond to callers. Staff members are also responsible for handling messages left on the system. Follow the directions, per the designated software, to pick up telephone messages left on the system.

TAP staff may experience instances when talking to taxpayers either in person or on the telephone when they indicate suicidal intentions, either directly or indirectly. These communications are both sensitive and stressful. For instructions on what to say, and what should be done, see IRM 13.1.10.4, Handling Suicide Threats .

If staff receives a bomb threat see IRM 21.1.3.10.7, Bomb Threats.

Although the opening script on the toll-free line explains the mission of TAP and directs callers to the appropriate resources, the TAP staff receives a wide range of calls from individuals seeking advice, information or providing suggestions for improvements to customer service at the IRS. All TAP related calls are tracked in Aspect. Refer the caller to appropriate telephone number, per online research or the SERP internal webpage.

The TAP staff will enter the caller’s issue into SAMS; see IRM 13.7.1.6 for the actual criteria, and direct caller to appropriate area when applicable.

The following issues should also be added to SAMS for action, but see IRM 13.7.1.6 for information on how to handle these specific issues:

The following types of issues should be addressed during call, and negate the need for inputting into SAMS:

Staff should inform the caller that their issue is being referred to TAP members and verbally acknowledge the suggestion.

Any requests for repairs or additional toll-free telephone lines must be made through the Business Systems Planning office of TAS.

When new employees are assigned to TAP, the TAP Manager must request a new extension from the Joint Operations Center (JOC). The TAP Program Manager can send an email to the Outlook address of *CTR JOC.

The TAP public website, http://www.improveirs.org/, includes a comment submission page that allows taxpayers to submit comments and suggestions to TAP. These comments and suggestions are delivered into the Public Comment area of TAP’s internal website, http://improveirs.org, and listed according to the state of residence of the taxpayer making the comment.

The assigned TAP Analyst will review the Public Comment area daily and acknowledge receipt of the comment or suggestion within 3 business days of receipt.

Based on the type of comment and how it will be handled, the assigned TAP Analyst will complete the acknowledgement using one of the following responses:

Occasionally, a comment may not fit one of the above criteria. If the Analyst receives a comment for which one of the standard language responses is not appropriate, he or she will acknowledge receipt of the comment and add an appropriate response to address the submitter’s concern. If the Analyst is not sure how to respond to a comment, the Analyst should ask his or her manager for assistance.

The Committee Analyst will find new issue(s) using one of the Business Objects Enterprise (BOE) reports. Should TAP members need more information on the comment or suggestions or wish to speak to the taxpayer, the chair or a committee member may contact the taxpayer by email, phone or in writing according to the taxpayer’s information included in the original message.

When an issue comes from a TAP member, fax, correspondence, or public meeting, the TAP Analyst will enter all the known information into SAMS and assign the issue to the Analyst and committee following the procedures found in IRM 13.7.1.6.3Assignment of Issues. The assigned Analyst will acknowledge receipt of the suggestion, if contact information is available.

If the information from the contact does not fit TAP issue criteria found in IRM 13.7.1.6Managing Issues, inform the TAP member of TAP's acceptance criteria.

If an issue is given to a project committee by an IRS Program Owner, this issue will be shown in SAMS assigned to that project committee.

Generally, project committee proposals can begin with the committee reviewing issues submitted or identified by each Project Committee Chair.

Throughout the year, the project committee will review "Parking Lot" issues to group similar issues and determine if those issues are still valid. "Parking Lot" issues are those issues that cannot be worked currently by the committees.

During their review of the "Parking Lot" issues, the project committee will remove any issues that do not fit any of the core project committees. These issues may be "Referred to SAMS" status for Systemic Advocacy to work as future projects, or may be "Closed" . In addition, the project committee will review the primary categories, especially the "Other" category to determine if there is a pattern that would warrant the creation of an additional primary category.

The project committee will use the following criteria for prioritizing issues into a project committee:

The Joint Committee is responsible for determining the focus of the core project committees and for approving the project committee proposals for the next year. The proposals will contain the following elements:

Once the project committees develop their project proposals, they are shared with the Joint Committee for awareness. The Committee Analyst will upload the proposal in the committee’s TAPSpace current folder with any other associated pre-reads in preparation for the next meeting.

The committee members should review the submitted project proposals before the meeting. The Project Committee Chair or designated member will review the project proposal at the meeting. Once the committee proposals are approved by the Committee Chair, the TAP Director may share these proposals with the IRS Operating Divisions.

The IRS Operating Division liaisons and program owners work with the TAP leadership regarding all project proposals with the expectation that this is a working partnership. The goal is to have specific, mutually agreeable projects for the core project committees, in addition to shorter term ad hoc projects.

The IRS Operating Divisions will also provide start-up projects for TAP to consider each year, which should be finalized and shared with TAP leadership by the end of October.

While the following issues should be added to SAMS, they require special handling:

The TAP staff, who serves as the first Point of Contact (POC), determines the best project committee to assign the issue to based on each committee mission, which you will find in IRM 13.7.1.6. The POC inputs the issue into the TAP Database, completing all necessary fields.

Any issues related to a current project committee should be assigned to that committee, and assigned to the Project Committee Analyst. For example, any issues or complaints regarding Taxpayer Assistance Centers (TACs) will be assigned to the TAC Project Committee and assigned to that Committee Analyst.

Once a month, the Committee Analyst will review all new issues assigned to their specific Committee and make a determination to schedule a Screening Committee call with members. The Committee Analyst will give a list of new issues to the committee and set up conference call as appropriate.

If Parking Lot issues are eventually selected as a project after going through the screening and prioritization process, their assignment will be changed to the appropriate project committee and to the TAP Analyst assigned to that project committee. The receiving Project Committee Analyst is responsible for this change.

Each project committee will have a screening team comprised of at least three members of the project committee. The screening team members will be identified prior to or at the initial meeting for the year, and may consist of the Chair and Vice-Chair, along with other members of the Committee. The screening team will generally conduct a monthly review of the issues assigned to them in the database to determine if the issue is something TAP can work (legislative issues, personal complaints, etc. will be dropped). Screening training will be provided at the TAP Annual meeting.

Each Project Committee Analyst is responsible for performing the initial research or data building on all new issues for their screening teams. All submissions will receive a first read by a Project Committee Analyst who will review the submission, clarify and summarize the issue, ensure all data fields are complete, and contact the issue submitter if needed for clarification and additional information which may include examples.

The initial review will include a preliminary issue building process to gather data on the underlying issue. The attached checklist Exhibit 13.7.1-3, Project Committee Initial Review Checklist, outlines the resources that should be consulted during the issue building process, including reaching out to Subject Matter Experts (SME) and the IRS Operating Divisions and functions where appropriate. Contact with a TAS SME may be warranted (e.g., where the SME is assigned a project, leading a Most Serious Problem team, or involved with a task force on a related issue).

Contact with a TAS SME may also be warranted when seeking clarification on an issue and the potential systemic problem. TAS SMEs include (but are not limited to) Systemic Advocacy and Case Advocacy Analysts, technical advisors, attorney advisors, and advocacy issue team leads.

The Project Committee Analyst will look at and/or update accordingly:

The Project Committee Analyst will check SAMS, or pull a Elevated Issue report from BOE to check for repeat or duplicate issues. They will also check all other IRS sources, such as the web, IRMs, tax law, internal guidance, etc. to conduct their research. They will document their research by:

Project committee Analysts must complete the data building process on all submissions. In instances where the full data build is not warranted, the Project Committee Analyst must note in SAMS why the data build is not warranted.

The final step is for the Project Committee Analyst to verify that all actions are complete, and analyze and summarize the relevant findings. Using the information gathered, the Project Committee Analyst must make a recommendation for next steps for the screening team. If, at any point during the review process, the Project Committee Analyst believes a submission may require immediate action to prevent further harm or hardship, the issue may also be marked "Referred to SAMS" as an Immediate Intervention.

When all data building research has been done, a new issue report showing all of the research should be given to the project committee screening team at least one week prior to their scheduled call to discuss the new issues. The screening team should engage in meaningful discussion about each issue to reach a consensus decision on what should be done with the issue.

The report presented to the Committee should contain the following:

The screening team will use the following criteria to determine the status of all new issues:

The screening team will request additional research on the subject or will determine if enough information is available to make a decision as follows:

If it is determined the issue is appropriate for TAP, the primary and secondary category code will be confirmed or modified as needed.

After the meeting, the Analyst will record the screening team’s decisions and reasoning behind the decision in the Notes section in SAMS for the issue in question and code the issue to the appropriate status. This will help ensure that a record exist of why the screening team made the decision they did.

The TAP will have 6 core project committees:

Project committees have a twofold purpose:

When developing a project, the committee should obtain a sufficient amount of information about the issue. The Program Owner or their assigned primary contact provides background on the issue and on what aspect of the issue the committee should place their focus, provides feedback about recommendations, and may ask the project committee to perform a task such as software testing, etc. TAP members will analyze the issue, working with the Program Owner, SMEs, and TAP staff to ensure they focus on the issue and develop the best recommendations as possible. Committee members should inform TAP staff what additional information is needed before they can determine the merit of the issue and make recommendations.

The project committees will address the underlying topic as a whole rather than simply addressing the collection of individual issues. As such, this means that a project is designed to address several similar issues but may not address each individual issue by itself. Once done, the project committee makes the recommendation to the IRS with a project referral via the Joint Committee. See IRM 13.7.1.7 for procedures on elevating project referrals to the Joint Committee and consequently the IRS.

The IRS Program Owners will assign a primary contact person for all project committees. The primary contact person will:

If the TAP assigned committee Analyst does not have expertise on certain topics, then after doing extensive research, either they or the IRS Operating Division Liaison will find SMEs from within or outside of the IRS to support the committee. The SME, along with the TAP assigned committee Analyst and/or Operating Division liaison, should be included in all discussions with the committee members at their next subcommittee call, full committee call or a special call set up for this purpose.

TAP staff will provide the necessary research to their committees by:

The actual work of developing the project involves;

During the development of the project referral, the Project Committee Analyst may prepare a research report for each active issue prior to subcommittee and committee meetings. The research report details the results of the Committee's research and analysis of the issues. The committee Analyst will add these reports or notes to SAMS under the files or note tab.

After the project committee approves the referral for elevation to Joint Committee, the committee designates one or two members to prepare and author the recommendation, also know as the Quality Review process. The Project Committee Analyst completes the staff portions of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Project Referral Form, see Form 15214, Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Project Referral. The following fields are input into SAMS Charter section by the Project Committee Analyst:

The Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Project Referral Form is then presented to the entire Joint Committee to decide if the proposal should be reworked or reworded, or is ready for elevation to IRS. Please refer to IRM 13.7.1.7.1 for details on the elevation process.

TAP recognizes there may be short deadline projects assigned to a project committee. In order to meet the quick turnaround for the Program Owner, the project committee can:

If there are any corrections to the referral, as approved by the Joint Committee, the Joint Committee Analyst will update the referral, share updated referral with project committee, post to TAPSpace and elevate to the Program Owner.

The Joint Committee Analyst will control the final referral and share IRS Response with Project Committee Analyst.

To the extent that a project committee finishes all assigned projects, there should be shorter term ad hoc projects or parking lot issues available.

TAP will use a fact-based, data driven approach in all improvement processes. This five step process follows the DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) approach to process improvement. This approach is comprehensive and engages IRS staff and other critical stakeholders in improving processes and other improvement initiatives. A critical component of these efforts is to effectively and timely communicate activity, findings, and status to all committee members and other stakeholders.

The first step of the process for the Project Committee Analyst involves assisting the project committee with Defining the issue(s) or problem(s). The panel will then identify opportunities for improvement.

Initial research is defined as enough data building to provide the information the committee needs to decide what the real issue is and how it should be approached. Much of the initial research will be done by the TAP staff for the screening teams of each project committee. Initial research is needed on both "grassroots" issues, and tasks or projects assigned to the project committees by the Program Owner.

Potential initial research sources include a search for duplicate issues in SAMS, as well as a search in the Systemic Advocacy Measurement System (SAMS) for related projects and IRS Task Forces. Other resources for preliminary research include the Internal Revenue Code (IRC), the Internal Revenue Manual (IRM), The Servicewide Electronic Research Program (SERP), and IRS Internet site www.irs.gov . The Project Committee Analyst should:

Develop a preliminary issue statement. A preliminary issue statement should be succinct and include just the key facts and data. A preliminary issue statement usually outlines the facts of the matter as the TAP Analyst currently knows them to be, before they really begin their analysis of data. The TAP Analyst must consider the key issues behind or the background of the issue, the opportunities and benefits a change can bring to the IRS, and the constraints or barriers to the IRS implementing a change. The issue statement should be developed using the "TAP Project Proposal Form" and will be a fluid document that can change as you obtain and analyze data. Use the following guidelines to develop a Project Proposal:

In order to refine the focus of the Project Proposal, the TAP Analyst needs to work with their committee to guide their committee members to the next step in the process, which is Measurement. During this step, they should develop an understanding of the problem using an appropriate method such as a Data Collection Instrument. They should also use subject matter experts who understand how a process works from beginning to end whenever possible. Sometimes, especially in regard to lengthy processes, some subject matter experts may only have expertise regarding an aspect or portion of the project. If the committee is assessing multiple processes, the TAP Analyst may identify an expert for each.

Baseline and trend data are a critical focus. The TAP Analyst and members need to understand how a service or process currently works before they can pinpoint the issues or areas for improvement, and offer solutions or make recommendations. The Analyst must also understand the trend. Base lining is the process by which the quality and cost effectiveness of a service (or as is sometimes the case – a process) is assessed, usually in advance of a change to the service (or process). Base lining usually includes a comparison of the service (or process) before and after the change or analysis of trend information.

The purpose of the Measurement process is to provide the committee with the information needed to evaluate the issue and to build a recommendation that will garner the attention and support of IRS Program Owners. TAP members should consider the following criteria for each TAP recommendation:

Many, if not all, of these questions should be answered in the third step of the process, which is Analyze. During this step, the committee should determine the causes and effects of the issue, using an appropriate method such as a Fishbone, Frequency, or Pareto diagram. The Committee Analyst should work with the panel members to draft a research plan to identify the best solutions. First determine why a process or procedure is as it is, and what impact the change may bring. A cost benefit analysis may also be necessary. Only then can the members determine the best course of action. See Exhibit 13.7.1-1.Potential Sources of Research, Data Collection Instruments, and Analysis Methodology for more information on research sources.

A common challenge in TAP is convincing the IRS that the issue should be addressed. This does not mean an issue needs to impact tens of thousands of taxpayers to be important, but the TAP Analyst and members need to keep a big picture perspective. Issues that affect multiple taxpayers or could be repeated may produce a negative impact on the taxpaying public

Before releasing any results to the committee, the TAP Analyst must look at the data to verify and validate it. The Analyst needs to verify the data captured is accurate and can be attributed to a reliable source. Then the Analyst needs to validate the data captured is the right data in the right categories. Solicit help in this effort by:

The purpose of this section is to describe the process for presenting research on committee issues and the associated follow up work within the frame of the process.

In order for the committee members to have time to review the issue and any associated research, it is important the members receive the pre-read materials in advance of the meeting, generally one week before. The pre-read materials may consist of a list of active, new or parking lot issues from SAMS and the Research Report showing follow up research for active issues. Some committees assign sub-committees to be responsible for issues. If so, the TAP Analyst will work with the sub-committee member(s) to educate and inform them about the issue.

The preliminary research conducted forms the basis of the fourth phase of the DMAIC process, which is Improve. The research will help support the action plan and any project recommendations going forward to IRS. During subcommittee and committee meetings, the TAP Analyst should be prepared to:

The second component to the Improve phase is the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Project Referral Form. To elevate recommendations in writing to the IRS, the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Project Referral Form is prepared. This form is required for all TAP recommendations. Even if a project committee chooses to work an issue orally with the IRS program owner, the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Project Referral Form is used to enter the information into SAMS. This section describes how a written report is prepared, approved by the committee, and referred to the IRS.

The research becomes the basis of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Project Referral Form. The committee member(s) author the "Proposed Solution" and the "Background, Research and Analysis" sections. The assigned Analyst works with the committee member(s) to ensure the "Background, Research and Analysis" encompasses the following criteria:

Prior to presenting the Research to the Committee for the final decision, the TAP Committee Analyst reviews the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Project Referral Form to confirm all criteria are met. The Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Project Referral Form is then presented to a quorum of the committee for the final decision on disposition of the issue.

The project committee develops an issue to the point where all members achieve consensus that the recommendations are the best possible ones for the IRS and agree to elevate the issue to the Joint Committee. Once approved by the Joint Committee, the issue is then sent to the appropriate IRS Program Owner who reviews the recommendations and provides feedback to the panel on the status of the recommendation.

The fifth and final phase of the process is Control and Monitor. During this phase, the TAP Joint Committee Analyst will communicate with stakeholders and obtain feedback, which should be shared with the committee. If necessary, the Analyst will help the committee draft a written response back to the IRS. The Analyst and committee may also have to draft additional recommendations or revise the previous recommendation by:

The Committee Analyst will email a copy of the project referral to the Joint Committee Analyst notifying her/him to place it on the Joint Committee agenda for approval. The Joint Committee Analyst will upload the project in the Joint Committee Reading Room with other pre-reads for the next meeting. The agenda should be noted Project Committee Proposals.

The Joint Committee Analyst should ensure the project committee proposal is printed using the appropriate recommendations template form for each separate recommendation along with any detailed report or other deliverable produced by the project committee. The Joint Committee Analyst will change the status as needed to "Pending for Joint Committee Approval" and note in the issue history that it was sent for the Joint Committee agenda.

The Joint Committee members should review the submitted projects before the meeting. The project committee Chair or designated member will review the project at the meeting and should keep the Committee informed of the issue’s progress at the Joint Committee level, either verbally or in writing. During the meeting, the Joint Committee reviews the projects by asking the following questions:

The TAP Chair will initiate a discussion about elevating each project to IRS. Ultimately, the Joint Committee must reach a consensus decision of whether or not to forward the project to the IRS.

The project package will consist of the following:

The Joint Committee Analyst is responsible for updating the notes in the SAMS Database accordingly, to reflect the Joint Committee’s decision and reasoning behind their decision. The progress of the issue can be checked using the status reports from the database, which is generally distributed to all Joint Committee members and TAP staff.

The Joint Committee Analyst is responsible for elevating the project and for tracking the project in accordance with the agreement between TAP and the Operating Divisions. The time frame will usually be 60 calendar days from the date the elevated issue package is sent to the IRS Operating Division Liaison. Both W&I and SB/SE provide liaisons to:

If an acknowledgment or response is not received, the Joint Committee Analyst must follow up with the IRS Operating Division Liaison. If the Operating Division needs additional time to respond, they must provide a date that the Joint Committee Analyst can follow-up on their decision. The Joint Committee Analyst will share this follow up information with Committee Analyst

The IRS reviews and analyzes the individual project recommendations from TAP, and provides a response. The IRS Operating Division Liaison sends a response back electronically to the Joint Committee Analyst, who will input the responses into SAMS database under the Recommendation tab, along with the name and title of the IRS employee providing the feedback, and will share that information with the Project Committee Analyst.

The IRS’ response not only must be detailed but must indicate whether the recommendation was adopted, partially adopted or rejected. If adopted or partially adopted, the IRS must indicate the estimated date of implementation. In most situations, the Joint Committee Analyst will attempt to secure responses to all recommendations within the project prior to sharing response with project committee.

The Chair of the project committee or the Project Committee Analyst reports the IRS response to the entire committee during their next monthly meeting. The chair leads a discussion of the response with the committee. If the committee accepts the response, the project should be closed and coded appropriately. If the committee no longer exists, the response should be discussed with the newly formed committee.

The project committee may disagree with the IRS’ response and consequently may formulate a counter-response/rebuttal. When this is the case, the IRS will have an additional 30 calendar days after the date of receipt of the Committee’s counter-response to examine the reason for the rebuttal, and provide a final answer. The final answer should not just be a repeat of the original response but should address the points raised by the committee.

The project committee can further develop and explain their position to any adopted or rejected recommendation in the TAP Annual Report

Coding a project as it moves through the process is extremely important. Improper coding can lead to incorrect status reports, improper information to TAP leadership, and projects not receiving timely follow up. Each status code uniquely describes where an issue or project is in the TAP workflow process.

The status codes are as follows:

The following statuses "Monitoring IRS Action" , and "Closed" need closing codes. Closing codes give TAP staff a quick way to gauge why an issue or project was closed.

The closing codes are as follows:

If an issue has several recommendations TAP can list each of those recommendations in SAMS and can track each one separately. Each recommendation will have its own codes to show how the IRS responded to that recommendation. TAP will report on the status of each individual recommendation in the Annual Report. The recommendation status codes are:

Besides the status field, there are three additional fields in the SAMS Recommendation tab that will allow TAP staff to track the implementation:

When the IRS returns the issue and states that it fully or partially adopts the recommendations or will consider them, the TAP Joint Committee Analyst will code each recommendation with the appropriate closing code.

The Project Committee Analyst will share the IRS response with the Committee members for a concurrence assessment. If a concurrence is reached by the committee members the Project will closed and the status changed to "Monitoring for IRS Action" , if appropriate.

The Project Committee Analyst will then assign the issue to the Joint Committee Analyst for follow up with the IRS. The Joint Committee Analyst will follow up at prescribed times via Email with the IRS Operating Division Liaison until the issue is implemented. Once the issue is implemented the Joint Committee Analyst will alert the TAP Project Committee Analyst, input the actual implementation dates, check the box to show the recommendation was implemented, and change the status to Closed.

Face-to-face meetings require more planning because of the logistics of meeting space, guests and member travel. However, the TAP Manager must carefully analyze the need for face-to-face meetings due to limited budget constraints. This section provides guidance specific for in-person meetings, as well as for virtual meetings.

For a checklist on the required pre and post meeting activities for a meeting, see the Face to Face Check List located on TAPSpace.:

This section provides guidance on the roles of staff and the DFO during TAP meetings. The TAP Member Handbook contains additional information on the roles of the DFO and the members during meetings.

This section covers activities to be completed after a meeting.

The TAP Annual Training sessions are generally held during the first quarter of the fiscal year, but virtual workshops or webinars may be given throughout the year. The purpose of the training is to provide an orientation for newly selected TAP members, and communicate important program information through educational and informational virtual workshops. A Senior TAP Analyst is assigned to lead the Annual Training planning efforts. An action plan has been developed to ensure all necessary tasks are completed for successful training. See TAP Annual Meeting Action Plan Template https://improveirs.org.

In addition to helping plan the Project Committee meetings as noted earlier in IRM 13.7.1.2, the TAP staff may also be assigned tasks in support of the Annual Training. Regular, on-going conference calls with the staff are held to ensure all tasks are completed in support of the training.

The TAS Employee Support & Development and CSO staffs also will provide support to assist with the event planning for our Annual Training as priorities and resources permit. This would include advance planning, selection of training methods and on-site support.

A Federal Record is recorded information regardless of media. These include: minutes, directives, forms, correspondence, memorandum, publications, audiovisual records, including posters, and cartographic, architectural, and engineering records.

The Federal Records Act provides the framework for federal records management, including the creation, maintenance, and disposition of federal records. NARA General Records Schedule 6.2 for Federal Advisory Committee Records provides descriptions and disposition authorities for records that all federal advisory committees, including agency DFOs, CMOs, and committee members create and/or receive.

These records are maintained primarily for government accountability. Subject to exceptions in the Freedom of Information Act, the Federal Advisory Committee Act requires agencies to make the records, reports, transcripts, minutes, appendixes, working papers, drafts, studies, agenda, or other documents which were made available to or prepared for or by each advisory committee available for public inspection and copying at a single location in the offices of the advisory committee or the agency to which the advisory committee reports until the advisory committee ceases to exist.

Upon termination of the Committee, transfer all records to the National Archives.

Members are required to copy the TAP centralized mailbox on any substantive electronic correspondence between one or more committee members and any other party, whether internal or external, pertaining to TAP committee and subcommittee work. Correspondence is substantive when it documents decisions, discussions, or actions a committee or subcommittee takes. The TAP designated staff will maintain the mailbox and archive records accordingly.

Since TAP members are volunteers and not employees, manual authorizations and travel vouchers must be prepared for them.

All travel vouchers, along with the original documentation required to support travel reimbursements, must be retained at a level in the organization that prevents the individual traveler from having access to his/her own records. This is normally the immediate manager, but another location can be designated which meets this criterion.

Travel records, and the accompanying documentation, must be kept for at least six years. The travel authorizations can be destroyed after the funds have been obligated. At a minimum, travel records should be retained at the organizational level designated to maintain custody and control over the records for the current and one prior fiscal year. Older travel records and supporting documentation may be withdrawn from active files at regular intervals and systemically retired to a Federal Record Center.

At the beginning of each fiscal year the assigned TAP Analyst will complete a projection of travel expenses necessary for TAP. Based on this projection, TAS Finance will issue TAP a travel allocation for all program travel including travel for meetings, special projects, outreach activities, Tax Forums, and support travel for the TAP Director, managers, and staff. See also IRM 1.32.1, IRS Local Travel Guide

The assigned Analyst will work with the TAP Director on identifying fiscal year travel projection to cover the travel needs of the staff and members they support. The assigned Analyst will provide budget reports to assist the TAP Director with approving and finalizing annual travel projections. If additional travel needs become necessary or projections change during the year, TAP managers should submit travel projections to the assigned Analyst in addition to alerting the TAP Director.

At the beginning of each fiscal year, the TAP Director will issue a National Office Directed Travel (NODT) memorandum to authorize TAP members to travel for official TAP business at the government’s expense. The EDSA assigned Budget Analyst will prepare the NODT memorandum for approval by the TAP Director.

A NODT memorandum also will be prepared as described above for any other IRS employee, other than TAP staff, authorized to charge travel expenses to the TAP travel codes. These memos should be issued prior to the start of travel or before any expenses have been incurred. The memo will be issued to the traveler to attach to a completed travel voucher. The memorandum should contain the following information:

When TAP members are required to travel as part of their official duties, the TAP Secretary for the office authorizing the travel will make the necessary airline and hotel arrangements for the members traveling. Members are not to make any travel arrangements for themselves even if they can find cheaper fares for official TAP travel.

Travelers should use the method of transportation that will result in the greatest advantage to the Government. Common carrier transportation generally results in the most efficient, least costly and quickest method of travel. When common carrier transportation is authorized for official travel, the appropriate TAP Secretary will make the member’s reservations using the IRS travel agency. The IRS uses only electronic tickets, which are usually released three days before the actual travel date. The IRS travel agency charges a travel transaction fee to process ticket purchases. Changes can be made to travel reservations made through the travel agency without incurring another transaction fee if done before the tickets are purchased. An additional fee will be charged if changes are made after the ticket was purchased.

The TAP secretary should obtain the following information from the traveler to aid in making airline reservations:

After obtaining the information necessary to make airline or train travel arrangements, such as departure times and locations, the TAP secretary will make the required travel arrangements following the guidelines in the IRM 1.32.11 Servicewide Travel Policies and Procedures, IRS City-to-City Travel Guide.

TAP secretaries are not allowed to make personal travel arrangements for panel members, including travel or accommodations for a member's spouse, family or companions.

A travel authorization is required to reserve, commit, and obligate funds before a traveler’s trip starts and to authorize IRS personnel or invitational travelers to perform official travel. Since TAP members do not have access to Concur, their travel authorizations must be completed using Form 13635, Manual Travel Authorization. Employees should refer to the IRS Employee Resource Center (ERC) for guidance on completing Form 13635.

Because TAP members do not have individually billed government issued Travel Cards, their common carrier tickets must be purchased via DTI and charged to the Centrally Billed Account (CBA). When the TAP secretary contacts DTI to make the reservation, he/she should inform them the CBA account will be used.

The travel agency will send the TAP secretary an itinerary with a copy to Credit Card Services (CCS). The itinerary is only a written confirmation of a transportation reservation. A ticket has not been issued. Once the itinerary is received, the TAP secretary completes Form 13635. The information needed to complete the form can be found in the itinerary. The completed Form 13635 must be approved by the TAP Manager.

The TAP secretary will forward the completed and approved Manual Travel Authorization forms to the Beckley Finance Center (BFC) by either faxing to 304-254-3544, or by emailing to *CFO BFC Travel Authorizations and Accounting Codes. The TAP Manager's electronic signature is required if using email.

Beckley Finance Center will email the travel authorization number within 24 hours to the individual listed in Block 9C on Form 13635 with a copy to Credit Card Services. Credit Card Services will review the travel authorization and notify the travel agency to issue the transportation ticket. The travel agency will issue the ticket three to four days prior to the scheduled departure date and email or fax an invoice (confirming the ticket has been purchased) to the TAP Secretary. If the itinerary is for a non-refundable ticket, the traveler must sign the itinerary and fax it to the travel agency acknowledging he/she understands the ticket is non-refundable.

After a meeting location is determined, the TAP secretary should obtain the following information from the members:

Lodging Per Diem rate must be sought when booking hotel reservations

Many state and local governments offer some form of tax exemption for travelers on official federal government business. TAP Secretaries should determine if the location of the meeting offers a tax exemption to federal travelers. For more information on tax exemptions offered by various states, see the GSA website.

If a tax exemption is offered to federal travelers, include the appropriate tax exemption form with the travel package sent to TAP members. Also provide this form to any employees attending the event. Remind all travelers to complete the form and provide it to the hotel at check-in to receive the tax exemption credit.

Some hotels require a federal photo ID to qualify for the tax exemption. Ensure this issue is settled with the hotel prior to travel, because TAP members will not have a federal ID.

Per the Official IRS Travel Guide, IRM 1.32.11, rental cars should be authorized only if the use of a rental vehicle is advantageous to the Government. Supervisors shall not authorize rental of a vehicle solely to provide transportation between place of lodging and transportation terminal or to get meals, when other means of transportation are reasonably available. If a rental car is necessary, the TAP Manager should request approval from the TAP Director in writing. An email request for approval is sufficient. The TAP Director must authorize the use of a rental vehicle prior to any staff or member reserving a vehicle.

For more information about members taking taxis, shuttles and other modes of ground transportation, see the IRM 1.32.11.

Although traveling by vehicle may seem economical versus traveling by air or train, the TAP Secretary should do a cost comparison before the travel and notify the TAP member they will be reimbursed for the lesser amount. To determine the comparative cost, see IRM 1.32.11. You must calculate the estimated cost that would be incurred for travel by common carrier and compare that to the estimated cost that would be incurred for travel by privately owned vehicle.

The federal government established standard rates that are reimbursable for lodging, meals, and incidental expenses. Meals and Incidental Expenses is the flat rate entitlement portion of per diem which is calculated based on the location and travel segment of the trip. Please check the IRM 1.32.11 for specific information about the rates for Meals and Incidental Expenses.

Once the TAP secretary completes the travel arrangements, he/she will prepare and send an email with all necessary documents to all travelers. The email may contain:

As invitational travelers TAP members are subject to the same travel regulations as federal employees. They will be reimbursed for all allowable travel expenses. After completion of travel, the TAP member prepares a Travel Expense Report and submits it to the TAP office secretary along with original receipts for lodging, airline tickets, car rental, and any expenses of $75 or more.

Because TAP members travel for official TAP business more than once a year they must submit a Form SF 1199A, Direct Deposit Sign-Up, to designate an account for electronic funds transfer of their travel reimbursement payment. TAP members should receive their reimbursement through an electronic funds transfer within two to three weeks. It is a good idea to track each step in this process. A good tool to use is the Travel Tracking Form located on: https://www.improveirs.org.

For more information on completing the travel voucher for TAP members see IRM 1.32.11

The General Services Administration manages the FACA Database. The Database provides public access to information regarding federal advisory committees, including costs and activities.

The Database is located at http://facadatabase.gov/ and can be accessed by the general public. However, you must have a login and password to enter or edit information on the database. The TAP Program Managers are responsible for ensuring the Database is regularly updated. By the 15th of each month, the following information should be entered or updated:

By October 31st of each year, a senior TAP Analyst enters the following information on the Database:

After all the information is entered on the database for the fiscal year, but no later than October 31, the TAP Director must select "Mark Verified" from the Committee Menu to indicate the information is complete and all final actions have been taken. In late November or early December, all information from the prior fiscal year is archived.

The TAP collaborative workspace, called TAPSpace, also known as ImproveIRS.org, is a web-based application that allows registered users to post documents, review documents, perform threaded discussions, and post events to a calendar within a secure web environment. TAPSpace facilitates communication between TAP staff and members because all documents and information are accessible in one central location. To get to TAPSpace, you must log on through Improveirs.org: http://Improveirs.org.

Users of TAPSpace have varying levels of permission. All TAP staff, all IRS Program Owners, the IRS Operating Division Liaisons and their staff, the NTA, NTA staff, and all TAP members currently have access to TAPSpace. All users can view documents on the Home Page, the Discussion Room, the Reading Room, and the Calendar. In addition, all users can add items to the Discussion room.

Only TAP staff can view and make changes to the website comment folder and only staff can add or update items in the Reading Room, the Action Items, and the Calendar Page. The TAPSpace Administrator will send email invitations to new users to register. Once the new users are registered, their permission levels are set by the administrator based on user levels. Retiring TAP members will no longer have access to the site and should be removed.

Because TAPSpace utilizes the user’s email address to verify status and permission level, it is of paramount importance for the contractor to have the user’s correct email address. A TAPSpace user should use the Edit Profile feature in the Member Directory on TAPSpace to update their email address or any other personal information. If the user runs into any difficulties changing their email address, the administrator should be notified.

Use of TAPSpace is mandated for all program Analysts and TAP members. TAP staff has the following responsibilities in maintaining TAPSpace:

Agendas and any pre-read materials must be posted to TAPSpace. Analysts can also send out a separate email to members with the agenda and/or pre-read materials. All folders in the document library should follow specific format guidelines. See TAPSpace Standards located on: https://improveirs.org.

TAP members' responsibilities include:

The Committees plan their meetings for the full year during the beginning of the TAP year as stated in IRM 13.7.1.8.

The TAP Master Calendar is used to plan meetings. The TAP Director's Management Assistant updates the Master Calendar in TAPSpace. The calendar lists all committees meetings, both teleconferences and face-to-face meetings. The calendar should also list staff training events and major outreaches such as the Tax Forums.

The Project Committee Analyst is responsible for updating the calendar feature on TAPSpace https://improveirs.org and for keeping the Committee informed of changes as they occur.

The program Analysts should inform the National Office Analyst, responsible for posting items and events on the TAP website, of important events to input into TAPSpace.

TAP maintains an external website www.improveirs.org for the public to view detailed information about the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel (TAP). Information consists of the following:

In addition, individuals have the opportunity to view minutes from all of the project committees. The minutes are tracked monthly and are maintained on the website for one year. After the completion of the year, the minutes are archived and are located on the same page as the current minutes.

The National Office staff will be responsible for maintaining www.improveirs.org. This includes sending all project meeting minutes to the vendor maintaining the site, and troubleshooting any issues relating to the site.

The field offices are responsible for submitting the final versions of the minutes as soon as possible, but within 90 days following the completion of a meeting. Upon receipt of the minutes, the National Office staff will send the final version of minutes to the vendor for posting. The normal time frame for the vendor to place information on the website is 48 hours. If for some reason this time frame is delayed, a representative from the vendor will email the point-of-contact within the National Office.

TAP staff regularly use five different types of notes to track TAP issues:

In order to ensure information in SAMS remains valid, TAP staff should periodically review projects assigned to them for the following: