Digital modernization

Ripcord Enters New Phase of IRS Tax Filing Modernization Program

The Internal Revenue Service has selected Ripcord, an intelligent digitization company, to modernize the government’s tax filing process.

As part of the Pilot IRS Solution Challenge, Ripcord will help the agency reduce its reliance on paper and manual processes through digitalization. The challenge is managed by the IRS’ Enterprise Digitalization and Case Management Office, Ripcord said Tuesday.

Ripcord added that it is already in the second phase of the challenge, which is focused on developing a way to securely digitize tax form 709. The document is used to report transfers of assets potentially covered by federal gift tax and certain generation-skipping transfer taxes.

Ripcord CEO Sam Fahmy said that the company created technology specifically designed to address the IRS’ needs, Nextgov reported Tuesday.

Fahmy told Nextgov that Ripcord’s solutions will help “bring companies, including the IRS, into a new paperless era.”

The company said it had previously helped organizations shorten processing times, accelerate customer service response, improve data accuracy and lower costs through the elimination of paper storage facilities.

Ripcord’s digitalization contract is only one of the agency’s ongoing modernization projects. The IRS recently awarded digital transformation company Brillient a potential $70 million blanket purchase agreement for robotic process automation and other technology services.

The scope of the BPA covers the implementation of intelligent automation, machine learning, artificial intelligence and data analytics, Brillient said in its press release.

According to Brillient, the combination of RPA and intelligent automation will drive efficiency at the IRS. The agreement includes a one-year base period of performance and four one-year option periods.