Department of the Treasury, Internal Revenue Service, 6009 Oxon Hill Road, Suite 700, ATTN: M:P, Oxon Hill, MD 20745

R -- EXECUTIVE SEARCH/RECRUITMENT SERVICE FOR IRS TAXPAYER ADVOCATE POSITION SOL TIRNO-98-Q-MPOS2 DUE 011698 POC Helen D. Carmona (202)283-1514 (FAX) THIS IS A COMBINED SYNOPSIS/SOLICITATION FOR COMMERCIAL ITEMS (EXECUTIVE RECRUITMENT) PREPARED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FORMAT IN SUBPART 12.6, AS SUPPLEMENTED WITH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION INCLUDED IN THIS NOTICE. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONSTITUTES THE ONLY SOLICITATION; PROPOSALS ARE BEING REQUESTED AND A WRITTEN SOLICITATION WILL NOT BE ISSUED. The solicitation number for this Request for Quotations (RFQ) is TIRNO-98-Q-MPOS2. This RFQ and the incorporated clauses and provisions are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 97-02. This is a 100% full and open competitive acquisition. The Standard Industrial Code is 7361 and the small business size standard is $5,000,000. The period of performance is for 120 days after contract award with 4 30-day option periods. Offers are due 3:00 PM, EST, on 01/20/98, in Rm 700 at the address shown above. Submit questions in writing, via fax, to the number and attention of the Purchasing Agent shown above. The following FAR provisions apply to this solicitation: 52.212-1, INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS-COMMERCIAL; 52.212-2, EVALUATION-COMMERCIAL ITEMS. FAR clauses 52.212-4 CONTRACT TERMS AND CONDITIONS -- COMMERCIAL ITEMS (05/97); 52.212-5 CONTRACT TERMS AND CONDITIONS REQUIRED TO IMPLEMENT STATUTES OR EXECUTIVE ORDERS -- COMMERCIAL ITEMS (08/96)are applicable to this effort. 52.212-3 OFFEROR REPRESENTATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS COMMERCIAL ITEMS (01/97) must be submitted with any offer. The following additional FAR clauses, which are cited in clause 52.212-5(a) are applicable and para. (b) as follows: 52.222-26, Equal Opportunity; 52.222-35, Affirmative Action for Special Disabled and Vietnam Era Veterans; 52.222-36, Affirmative Action for Handicapped Workers; 52.222-37, Employment Reports on Special Disabled Veterans and Veterans of the Vietnam Era; 52.217-8, Option to Extend Services. Requests for these can be made via the INTERNET to contract.specialist@ccmail.irs.gov or to the FAX number listed above. The clauses will be provided in the same manner the request was made (via FAX or INTERNET). Clauses transmitted via the INTERNET will be in WordPerfect 6.0. PRICE: CLIN 0001 is for 1 JOB to provide executive search/recruitment support services for 120 days. CLINS 0002 -- 0005 are to provide 1 JOB of executive search/recruitment support services for 30 days, each. STATEMENT OF WORK: The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) seeks a Taxpayer Advocate as part of its efforts to improve service to its customers. The Taxpayer Advocate will report directly to the Commissioner of the IRS and will be the "voice of the taxpayer". The Advocate will advise the Commissioner on methods to improve the focus of the IRS; provide assistance to taxpayers to aid in compliance with their legal responsibilities and remove the barriers that prevent compliance. The Taxpayer Advocate will assist taxpayers, individually and collectively, propose changes in the administrative practices of the IRS or identify legislative solutions to mitigate problems that taxpayers experience. The Advocate will also advance the taxpayers' points of view as the IRS designs or institutes new policies and procedures. The Taxpayer Advocate will prepare reports to the Congress on areas of the tax law that impose significant burdens on taxpayers or the IRS and make recommendations on potential legislative changes to lessen those burdens. The increased focus on customer service, taxpayer rights and improved relations with Congress calls for an independent-minded individual with significant customer service experience, requisite tax knowledge and a creative approach to problem-solving. This position is located in Washington, DC, with a salary range of $103,897 to $123,100. The Taxpayer Advocate will direct the activities of the equivalent of over 400 full-time employees, with a budget of roughly $24 million. 2.PURPOSE/SCOPE: The Contractor shall conduct a nationwide search to identify no fewer than 2 qualified candidates able to apply and compete for possible selection by the Commissioner as the IRS National Taxpayer Advocate. The Contractor shall conduct a search to identify prospective candidates and evaluate the candidates' qualifications, with evaluation assistance from the IRS. 3. TASKS/DELIVERABLES-Organizational Assessment: Task 1: Within 7 days of contract award: The Contractor shall interview no fewer than 4 senior IRS executives to assess the Service s needs and determine the type of individual desired for this position. The IRS will provide the Contractor various existing documents that describe the overall direction of the programs, the goals and objectives of the IRS and the current and future challenges facing the IRS in the areas of customer service and taxpayer advocacy, and the Taxpayer Advocate position description. Deliverable 1: Within 14 days of award: The Contractor shall will provide to the IRS a written profile of the characteristics and qualifications that a prospective candidate should possess, including private sector as well as public sector experience that would be considered qualifying experience; prior positions a qualified candidate might have held; experience in customer service and financial and/or tax services businesses. The IRS will validate that this profile of characteristics and qualifications is in line with those that a credible candidate for the position would possess, and suggest modifications to be incorporated into the profile. The intent of this eliverable is to ensure that the IRS and the Contractor share a common understanding of the types of qualifications, skills and experiences that a viable candidate would possess. Task 2-To be completed within 120 days of award: The Contractor shall conduct a focused search for candidates whose skills and experiences appear to align with the profile created for the position (Deliverable 1) who would apply for and could hold the position of Taxpayer Advocate. The Contractor shall assess the skills and experience of the interested individuals produced from their search and determine if the individual would be willing to apply for the position. The IRS will work closely and on-line with the Contractor to validate that the individuals the Contractor puts forward appear to possess the skills and experiences employed in a similar scope and environment as that in which the IRS operates. The Contractor shall put forth candidates as it determines they meet the qualifications. The IRS will screen each candidate and determine that he or she should be placed on the list of candidates that will fulfill the final deliverable of the contract. If the candidate is acceptable to the IRS, the Contractor and the IRS will meet with the candidate to explain, in greater detail, the scope of the position. Deliverable 2- Candidate Resume: With each candidate offered to the IRS for consideration, the Contractor shall provide a written assessment of the candidate's experience, qualifications and skills relative to the agreed profile developed for this position. This summary shall include evidence of reference checks; education level attained; positions held; and any other information gained from the reference checks. Deliverable 3-Within 120 days of award: The final deliverable for this contract shall be the identification of at least 2 candidates agreed by the IRS and the Contractor to be qualified and desirable, presented as the best qualified based on the Contractor's evaluation of the candidates' qualifications and skills against the profile, the IRS' assessment of the candidate and any other relevant factors. These candidates must have agreed to participate in the government's application process and whom the IRS will help to fulfill the requirements of the application process in any appropriate manner. If, at the end of the 120 day contract period, fewer than 2 potential candidates have been identified, the IRS reserves the right to terminate the contract, or to extend the contract for an additional period of time in 30 day increments, not to exceed an additional 120 days. 4. GOVERNMENT FURNISHED INFORMATION (GFI): Upon contract award, the Contractor shall attend a post-award orientation meeting with IRS personnel. During this meeting, at least 1 copy of the following documents will be provided: Vacancy Announcement; Position Description; Pamphlet entitled "Apply for a Federal Job"; and Guide to Senior Executive Service Qualifications. As determined by mutual agreement, the IRS will provide additional information that may be required in the performance of this contract. The following is provided as an ADDENDA to 52.212-2 EVALUATION -- COMMERCIAL ITEMS (OCT 1995) (a) The Government will award a contract resulting from this solicitation to the responsible offeror whose offer conforming to the solicitation will be most advantageous to the Government, price and other factors considered. The following factors shall be used to evaluate offers: CRITERIA 1/ 55 PTS: IRS will evaluate information provided to judge whether the offeror's staff, and other resources are reasonably sufficient to handle an executive recruitment effort of the type and scope described. The IRS will evaluate the provided information that details the offerors past performance record for executive recruitments of a similar nature (agency size and scope of responsibility) for comparison with this recruitment effort. The IRS will evaluate the information provided relative to the offeror s staff to determine whether the proposed staff has the depth of education, past experience, and other relevant background factors to enable it to carry out all aspects of this recruitment project. Criteria 2/ 45 PTS: Two -- IRS will evaluate the provided information to determine the extent/level of participation of the individual in the successful recruitment/placement of high-level executive recruitment efforts within the last three years. IRS will evaluate the information provided that describes the offeror's ability to provide a qualified replacement for the project manager in case of the unforeseen unavailability or loss to the project of that individual. IRS will evaluate whether this replacement will provide a 'seamless transfer', allowing the project to proceed with no apparent delays. IRS will evaluate the contingency plans provided by the Offeror. (0365)

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