Background
Like any organization with unique requirements and challenges, the IRS must develop its own software when commercially available solutions are unable to meet their needs. Since the 1960’s, the IRS has had great success in writing custom solutions that support the agency’s mission. Having great pride in building systems that can last for generations, the IRS takes every measure to make sure its coding is of the highest quality.
Challenge
The eAuthentication system, which provides registration and login capabilities that protects mission critical taxpayer functions, requires extensive custom applications and custom subsystems to meet federal requirements. Custom code is also needed to integrate over a dozen commercial off-the-shelf products. With the IRS ever increasing its online presence while the government continues to add more regulatory requirements, the eAuthentication system is constantly changing. The IRS needed a new development methodology to help overcome this challenge.