IRS Earns Recognition for Modernization Processes

WASHINGTON - The management framework that the Internal Revenue Service uses to acquire modernized business solutions has earned special recognition by an independent research group.

The IRS Business Systems Modernization Office is the first civilian federal agency evaluated by the Software Engineering Institute (SEI) to reach Level 2 of the institute´s Software Acquisition Capability Maturity Model. SEI´s model is accepted worldwide as containing the best practices in software acquisition management.

The Level 2 designation indicates that the IRS has a set of repeatable, disciplined management processes that increase the probability of success for its modernization program.

“This evaluation shows that the acquisition management processes we´re using in our modernization program are sound,” said Fred Forman, Associate Commissioner, Business Systems Modernization. “This is an unprecedented achievement that we are rightly proud of, and we can properly celebrate it by continuing to develop and improve our efforts.”

The IRS uses the SEI model as a framework in its multi-year modernization program to help ensure that its systems are built right the first time, with less testing, increased quality and reduced costs. The team measured the IRS Business Systems Modernization Office in several key process areas, including project management, project planning, monitoring and transferring completed projects to the agency´s operating divisions.

Computer Sciences Corporation, the IRS´s prime contractor for its modernization program, recently became the first and only organization in the world to earn a Level 3 evaluation for its PRIME Alliance of sub-contractors working in partnership with the IRS.

SEI´s Software Acquisition Capability Maturity Model was first published in December 1996 to aid government agencies in managing information technology contractors more effectively. SEI is a federally funded research and development center sponsored by the Department of Defense at Carnegie Mellon University.

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