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Activity 1: Establish a cross-functional team consisting of TAS and the Appeals’ ADR Program Management Office to develop strategies to improve and promote ADR programs.
Activity 2: Participate in cross-functional team meetings to ensure eligible taxpayers have awareness of and the opportunity for ADR.
Activity 3: Propose collaborative meetings with Appeals’ ADR Program Management Office to develop and deploy a robust IRS-wide data collection and analysis framework. This framework should include taxpayer requests for ADR, denials, and outcomes for each ADR option (e.g., Fast Track Settlement, Fast Track Mediation, Post Appeals Mediation) across all stages of the administrative dispute resolution cycle, focusing on improving transparency, identifying trends, and addressing program shortfalls.
Activity 4: Advocate for the creation and implementation of a specialized unit within the IRS dedicated to ADR and focused exclusively on mediating tax disputes early in the process and participate in collaborative ADR cross-functional program meetings.
Activity 5: Propose collaborative meetings with Appeals’ ADR Program Management Office to establish guidance to lower ADR participation barriers.
Activity 6: Propose collaborative meetings to allow TAS to participate in the creation of ADR training for Appeals technical employees.
Activity Update:
Activity 1: TAS established a recurring quarterly discussion with Appeals’ Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Office to find opportunities to promote the ADR programs, lower ADR participation barriers, and increase taxpayers’ awareness of ADR opportunities. To support these efforts, Systemic Advocacy has developed a draft addition to the Get Help/TAS Roadmap and formulated ideas for incorporating relevant language to assist Case Advocates. The ADR office has agreed to develop new mediator training. Both TAS Systemic Advocacy and the ADR office are collaboratively exploring the potential for a research study aimed at investigating possible expansion of the ADR program. This activity is being closed as completed.
Activity 2: TAS Systemic Advocacy and Appeals ADR office held two meetings during 4th quarter to continue discussing ways TAS can assist IRS in expanding and tracking data in the ADR programs. Several BODs finalized guidance in 4th quarter explaining how the ADR programs will be tracked. This data collected regarding the requests, use and outcome of the programs will enable the IRS to identify possible areas of improvement in the ADR programs moving forward. This activity is being closed as completed.
Activity 3: N/A
Activity 4: N/A
Activity 5: TAS Systemic Advocacy and Appeals ADR office held two meetings during 4th quarter to continue discussing ways TAS can assist IRS in lowering ADR participation barriers to allow more taxpayers to take advantage of the benefits. Building on the success of the LBI Fast-Track Settlement Pilot introduced in FY25 2nd quarter, the IRS announced a Post Appeals Mediation Pilot in the 4th quarter. These pilot programs reduce participation barriers, allowing more taxpayers the ability to take advantage of the Appeals ADR programs. This activity is being closed as completed.
Activity 6: TAS Systemic Advocacy and Appeals ADR office held two meetings during 4th quarter in which TAS to help in the creation of ADR training. Appeals ADR office was able to revamp some prior training and update it regarding Post Appeals Mediation and a Mediator refresher course. This activity is being closed as completed.