The IRS IT Enterprise Project Management Office / Emerging Initiatives (EI) organization required support to design and execute high priority communication program to provide a framework for creating a consistent, customer-centric message with their delivery partners. Specific support and services to support the Filing Season Readiness lifecycle was needed and the execution of the current EI communications plan. SD Solutions had a clear understanding of the IRS organization, filing season process, and the specific systems impacted by filing season. SD Solutions developed a governance framework, executive reporting dashboards, SOPs, a communications plan and strategy, and designed a meeting structure to establish governance. The SD Solutions team brought different parts of the organization together to help FSIS effectively communicate with IT leadership and kept other FSIS stakeholders informed of critical filing season activities and milestones.
The engagement was a success because SD Solutions had extensive knowledge of the IRS IT organization and experience working closely with the IRS IT Communications group to execute similar programs and events. SD Solutions has prior extensive experience leading the communications for major IT initiatives at the IRS. The SD Solutions team executed and is continually enhancing the Filing Season Communication Plan, collaborating with internal and external stakeholders to ensure the organization is informed, supportive, and ready for future change.
The support SD Solutions provided has shown to be a success so far because of their efforts to bring different parts of the organization together. For the first time ever, a highly successful virtual Supplier Forum occurred with over 100 attendees via Zoom due to SD Solutions efforts. The team introduced innovative concepts that helped FSIS achieve its goals. They have helped FSIS effectively communicate with IT leadership and keep other FSIS stakeholders informed of critical filing season activities and milestones. Due to the impact of the teams’ work, their contract option years are regularly renewed. In 2020, SD Solutions work they performed helped enable IRS IT ensure taxpayers received their Economic Impact Payments (EIP), nearly 160 million of them, in just two months, while at the same time extending the tax filing deadline for Filing Season 2020 as IRS transitioned to a telework environment. In late December 2020, IRS facilitated the second round of EIP for COVID-19 relief. The entire IT team was instrumental in this success story for IRS and for the country. During a short period of time in preparation for the 2019 season, the IRS changed over 150 different forms and 65 different systems with the support of SD Solutions. The SD Solutions team has introduced innovative concepts (i.e., Kanban Board, visual inspiration board, design thinking), receiving specific kudos from the CIO for comprehensive Filing Season Readiness meeting notes and actions. For the past couple years, SD Solutions has contributed to a dramatic reduction in the number of Priority 1 tickets in the filing system. Much of the success of FSIS as a collaborative, strategic partner in IT can be attributable to the tools, communications, consulting, and day-to-day project support that the SD team leads and maintains.