Philippines: Bureau of Internal Revenue ICT Modernization Strategy and Data Center Technical Assistance
March 9, 2021
- May 17, 2021
The Bureau of Internal Revenue (“BIR”) invites submission of qualifications and proposal data (collectively referred to as the “Proposal”) from interested U.S. firms that are qualified on the basis of experience and capability to execute a Technical Assistance (“TA”) for the proposed modernization of BIR core ICT systems and data center. The Proposal submission deadline is May 17, 2021 at 2:00 P.M. Manila Time. The U.S. firm selected will be paid in U.S. dollars from a US $809,450 grant to BIR from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency.
About the Grantee
The Bureau of Internal Revenue serves as the primary tax collecting agency within the Government of the Philippines. BIR authority and responsibilities include the assessment and collection of all national internal revenue taxes, fees, and charges, as well as the enforcement of all forfeitures, penalties, and fines.
Project Background
Tax reform is a critical component of the Philippine Government’s economic development initiative and a central policy priority for the Department of Finance (“DOF”). To support the implementation of tax reform legislation, the DOF, of which BIR is a line agency, introduced the Technology Harmonization and Modernization Program. This initiative aims to create common technology foundations and information exchange standards among DOF, BIR, and other agencies overseen by DOF. The Program seeks to standardize technology infrastructure, guarantee system availability and uptime, improve service levels, and assure business continuity and disaster recovery capabilities.
Taking cue, BIR is aligning the overall upgrade of its information and communication technology (ICT) capability with the BIR Strategic Digital Transformation Goals. These efforts will enhance BIR organizational capacity to manage an increasingly complex technology environment, thereby improving performance, increasing security, reducing costs, and rationalizing the many platforms and services employed by BIR. Ultimately, BIR aims to be a highly customer and data-centric organization, with a significantly improved tax collection efficiency and broadened tax base. With these improvements, BIR will be more effective in achieving its annual revenue collection goals, which is crucial in sustaining economic growth and providing social services.
The BIR is initiating a strategic digital transformation to sustain its efforts towards completely modernizing tax administration. The BIR Digital Transformation Roadmap 2020-2030 is anchored on three principles, 1) adopting a people first approach, 2) instituting a process perspective, and 3) embracing digital technology. Several programs are being implemented to help BIR carry out its mission to improve revenue collection to fund national government programs and achieve its long-term vision. These programs and initiatives include the following: 1) Innovating TP Experience and BIR Service Processes, 2) Enhancing Administration and Support Services of BIR, 3) Aligning Policies to a BIR Digital Workplace, and 4) Enabling the Digital Backbone of BIR.
About the Technical Assistance
The USTDA-funded TA will develop an Enterprise Architecture Roadmap, Computing Infrastructure Strategy, Information Systems Group Organizational Design, and Data Center Design, which will together help BIR to upgrade its existing ICT systems, enhance the capabilities of its IT workforce, and develop an in-house data center to uphold critical and confidential data storage requirements.
