CS-10-248 - External Customer Satisfaction Survey for M&P; CS-10-256 - ETA Risk Assessment Research; CS-10-257 - IRS National Research Program; CS-10-258 - W&I SPEC Partners; CS-10-259 - SB/SE ACS Cus

<Recipient Name>

<Recipient Firm>

<Recipient Address1>

<Recipient Address2>

<Recipient City>, <Recipient State> <Recipient Zip>

Dear <Recipient Name>:

Throughout our years in partnership together, we have drawn on your leadership in the tax preparation software community to advance the state of the art in serving taxpayer needs. In response to a GAO report, we are studying risks associated with the use of tax software. As an integral part of tax administration, your participation in this important study is critical because:

• your responses will help inform decisions affecting IRS policy;

• this is an opportunity to express your concerns and needs; and

• your views will provide unique insight about the tax industry.

I want to emphasize that all of your responses will be kept strictly anonymous I have asked MITRE, an independent advisor, to lead this effort, and Russell Research, an independent survey firm, to conduct the survey. Enclosed you will find additional information about this effort, including frequently asked questions and a preview of the questionnaire to help you prepare.

I appreciate your willingness to contribute to this important study and for making subject matter experts available to participate.

Thank you for your time and assistance.

Sincerely,

David R. William

Director, Electronic Tax Administration

and Refundable Credits

Why should I participate?

Y

OMB ATTACHMENT 2 –

SOFTWARE VENDOR SURVEY

PRE-ALERT PACKET FAQs

our participation in this anonymous study is critical because:

• your responses will help inform decisions affecting IRS policy.

• this is an opportunity to express your concerns and needs.

• your views will provide unique insight about the tax industry.

When the study is complete, key findings and results will be shared with participants.

Why is this study being conducted?

In its February 2009 report, Many Taxpayers Rely on Tax Software and IRS Needs to Assess Associated Risks (GAO-09-297), GAO recommended that the IRS examine how reliance on commercial tax preparation software used by taxpayers may introduce risks to tax administration in terms of accuracy of tax returns, security, privacy of taxpayer information, and reliability of electronic filing. The IRS has requested that the non-profit MITRE Corporation, its Federally-Funded Research and Development Center, conduct this risk study. Russell Research, an independent market research firm located in New Jersey, will collect the survey responses.

What is the scope of the survey?

Broadly, we seek to understand how your firm thinks about risks associated with electronic tax preparation and transmission. This survey focuses on Federal individual tax returns (1040 family). State, business, and information returns are not in scope. This survey focuses on providers of return preparation and e-filing technologies (i.e., tax preparation software vendors and electronic return transmitters). End users of these solutions (i.e., preparers, taxpayers) may be addressed in the future.

Will my responses be anonymous?

Yes. All responses will be completely anonymous. Responses will be presented in aggregated form in the final report, which is expected to be published in 2011.

When will this occur?

Russell Research will call you within a week of your firm receiving this to obtain your survey responses. The survey is expected to last about 20 minutes.

Who should participate?

We request that one individual serve as the participant for this survey. Please feel free to reach out to others in your firm as you feel appropriate, such as those with operational and/or technical knowledge of your firm’s practices in the following areas: accuracy, security, privacy, reliability, and burden (e.g., senior IT leadership, security/privacy/information officers). To help you prepare, please see the paper survey enclosed (you may also download an electronic copy from www.IRS.gov).

How do I participate?

Please review the enclosed paper survey and consider your firm’s responses. We suggest you use the paper survey to note your responses and keep it handy for when Russell calls. This will help make the phone survey go faster. You may expect a call from Russell Research within a week of your firm receiving this survey to collect your responses; or if you have your answers ready but have not yet heard from Russell Research, you may call them at your convenience during the survey period at 1-800-217-3098.

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