Finish Your Taxes

• The IRS will have the Consortium web page ready by December 31, 2002. Consortium participants will have submitted their test returns produced by their software to the IRS sufficiently in advance of that date for testing. The IRS will not list on the Consortium web page a Consortium participant whose test returns have not been certified prior to the beginning of the filing season until that participant's test returns have been tested and certified.


• The Consortium will use its best efforts to assure that Free Services by individual Consortium Participants are performed in accordance with the terms of the Agreement and in accordance with the offer made by the Consortium Participant. If the IRS determines a particular offering of Free Services is deficient or that Free Services are not being properly performed, it will notify the Consortium in writing of that fact, and provide information regarding corrective actions it believes are needed.


• The undertaking by the Consortium under IV. A to offer Free Services at or above the 60% level shall apply only to January through April of each year (the primary tax filing season). Outside of the primary tax filing season, the Consortium shall encourage Consortium members to offer Free Services to the same extent that such services are offered by Consortium members for compensation.


• The Consortium will be responsible for establishing its governance standards. These standards shall be in accord with applicable law and regulations. The standards shall be consistent with the Consortium performing its obligations under this Agreement and be designed to maximize participation of industry members while meeting the requirements of the Agreement.


• IRS, in consultation with the Consortium, will develop an assessment process including usability performance measures to measure the extent to which the Agreement is accomplishing the objectives described in I., above. They will include at least:
• Uptime and reliability through the tax season.
• Delivery of the taxpayer to the Free Services in the minimum number of clicks consistent with usability design principles and the need to fully inform taxpayers about the free online services. From the site the taxpayer arrives at by clicking on the Consortium page's link to the Consortium Participant, until the taxpayer arrives at the Free Services, there will be no more clicks than required of such Consortium Participant's paying customers, if applicable, consistent with usability design principles.

Labels: Online electronic tax filing agreement