The IRS wants to play “The Sims” at work.
Well, it’s own version of the popular life-simulation video game, that is. According to a new request for information posted April 9 by the tax agency, it’s asking industry for its own, IRS mission-specific version of the game.
The IRS is looking for an “interactive prototype that simulates real-life events (similar to those that drive popular video games like ‘The Sims’) when its populated with statistical data about United States (US) household incomes and family sizes to create, track and generate output triggers for tax-related events,” the RFI read.
The tax agency is also requesting a report on artificial intelligence- and non-AI-based data modeling or prototyping tools for the government to simulate real-life events.
The project will allow the IRS to “generate, manage and control” synthetic tax data, or artificially generated data, to potentially be deployed at an enterprise level. The RFI is part of the Pilot IRS program, which looks to streamline the acquisition process for new technology solutions at the tax agency famous for using decades-old systems.
The synthetic data allows the IRS to test its systems, but it has trouble creating such data and keeping it current, the agency explained in an update on the Pilot IRS program, reported by NextGov in March.
“By generating a robust synthetic data creation capability based on a simulation of the nation, the IRS can test systems based on fictitious data about people and business entities," the agency wrote.
The deadline for responses is April 23.
Andrew Eversden covers all things defense technology for C4ISRNET. He previously reported on federal IT and cybersecurity for Federal Times and Fifth Domain, and worked as a congressional reporting fellow for the Texas Tribune. He was also a Washington intern for the Durango Herald. Andrew is a graduate of American University.
