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A large part of the Individual Master File processing engine is also written in mainframe assembly language. But the broader issue seems to be that the IRS is

A large part of the Individual Master File processing engine is also written in mainframe assembly language. But the broader issue seems to be that the IRS is really bad at planning, goal-setting, and managing its development lifecycle [1]. They've burned through $5.9B just on modernization projects since 1998, with very little to show for it. Many of those projects, including replacing IMF and CADE (which was supposed to be the modern system that would replace IMF, but which failed), have been paused indefinitely. Clearly replacing these legacy systems is time-consuming work, but any way you look at it, it should not take 30 years (that's how long it would have taken if they accomplish their current goal of retiring the IMF by 2028). It's not just that development is slow; this is holding back IRS from operating efficiently. IRS employees reportedly have more than a hundred internal applications they have to be trained in and switch between in order to accomplish basic tasks, and they have a huge backlog. [1] https://sgp.fas.org/crs/misc/IF12525.pdf https://sgp.fas.org/crs/misc/IF12525.pdf

whakim 3y ago
I don't think this issue is specific to the IRS; it has much more to do with how the government is funded - via a series of Continuing Resolutions which make it really difficult to achieve any sort of long-term planning or projects. In the case of BSM funding, your source cites fluctuations are truly wild and were likely enacted on very short timeframes (i.e. months or weeks), which makes it incredibly difficult to hire and retain the expertise or make capital investments you need for success. The debacle around the IRS funding in the Inflation Reduction Act (the subject of the now-deleted parent comment I replied to) highlights these issues - a bunch of funding was allocated, some of it was later clawed back through a budget deal between the White House and Congressional Republicans, and a likely deal this January may continue to reallocate funding. I don't want to lay all the blame for all the IRS' ills at the feet of the state of government funding, but I certainly think it makes it really, really hard to get significant multiyear projects completed.

whakim 3y ago

I don't think this issue is specific to the IRS; it has much more to do with how the government is funded - via a series of Continuing Resolutions which make it really difficult to achieve any sort of long-term planning or projects. In the case of BSM funding, your source cites fluctuations are truly wild and were likely enacted on very short timeframes (i.e. months or weeks), which makes it incredibly difficult to hire and retain the expertise or make capital investments you need for success. The debacle around the IRS funding in the Inflation Reduction Act (the subject of the now-deleted parent comment I replied to) highlights these issues - a bunch of funding was allocated, some of it was later clawed back through a budget deal between the White House and Congressional Republicans, and a likely deal this January may continue to reallocate funding. I don't want to lay all the blame for all the IRS' ills at the feet of the state of government funding, but I certainly think it makes it really, really hard to get significant multiyear projects completed.