The IRS has created a new Enterprise Digitalization and Case Management Office, in order to enable taxpayers and IRS employees to "rapidly resolve issues in a simplified digital environment." The IRS said that this office will support the modernization of the IRS and the implementation of long-term changes stemming from the Taxpayer First Act of 2019. That wide-ranging legislation, enacted a year ago, aims to structurally reform and modernize the IRS.

The new office will have two co-directors: Hampden "Harrison" Smith, IV, currently the agency's deputy chief procurement officer, and Justin Lewis Abold-LaBreche,  the director of enterprise case management.

The IRS noted that it will need to overcome the challenges of having case work taking place on more than 60 aging systems, most of which can't talk with one another.

"Ultimately, you cannot improve case management without improving the digitalization of paper records," said Jeff Tribiano, deputy commissioner for operations support. "To reflect the importance of this area, we decided to establish this new office to help focus our efforts on moving forward."

The office will report to Tribiano, as well as Sunita Lough, the deputy commissioner for services and enforcement. The IRS said that staffing is still being determined, and employees currently working on case management issues will continue in their current roles.