SECTION 18. HOW ARE

CONFERENCES FOR TAMs SCHEDULED?

If requested, offered to the taxpayer when adverse TAM proposed

Normally held within 21 calendar days of contact with the taxpayer

21-day period will be extended if justified and approved

Denial of extension cannot be appealed

Entitled to one conference of right

.02 When a request for a TAM or a TEAM is withdrawn, the national office may send its views to the director or the area director, appeals when acknowledging the withdrawal request. This memorandum may constitute Chief Counsel Advice, as defined in § 6110(i), subject to public inspection under § 6110. In an appeals case, acknowledgment of the withdrawal request should be sent to the appropriate area office, through the Director, Appeals Field Technical Services, C:AP. In appropriate cases, the subject matter may be published as a revenue ruling or as a revenue procedure.

In general, the requirements in this section apply in scheduling a TEAM conference, except for the modifications set forth below in section 19 of this revenue procedure.

.01 If, after the TAM or TEAM request is analyzed, it appears that a TAM or TEAM adverse to the taxpayer will be given, and if a conference has been requested, the taxpayer will be informed, by telephone if possible, of the time and place of the conference.

.02 The conference for a TAM must be held within 21 calendar days after the taxpayer is contacted. See section 19.01 of this revenue procedure for the timing of a conference for a TEAM. If conferences are being arranged for more than one request for a TAM or a TEAM for the same taxpayer, they will be scheduled to cause the least inconvenience to the taxpayer. The national office will notify the examining officer or appeals officer of the scheduled conference and will offer the examining officer or appeals officer the opportunity to participate in the conference. The Industry Director, LMSB; the Director, Field Compliance, SB/SE; the Director, Compliance, W&I; the Director, International, LMSB; the Director, Federal, State & Local Governments; the Director, Tax Exempt Bonds; the Director, Indian Tribal Governments; the Director, Appeals Field Technical Services; or the area director, appeals may designate other Service representatives to participate in the conference in lieu of, or in addition to, the examining officer or appeals officer.

.03 An extension of the 21-day period in the case of a TAM will be granted only if the taxpayer justifies it in writing and the associate chief counsel of the office to which the case is assigned approves the request. No extension will be granted without the approval of the associate chief counsel. Except in rare and unusual circumstances, the national office will not agree to an extension of more than 10 working days beyond the end of the 21-day period.

The taxpayer’s request for extension must be submitted before the end of the 21-day period, and should be submitted sufficiently before the end of this period to allow the national office to consider, and either approve or deny, the request before the end of the 21day period. If unusual circumstances near the end of the 21-day period make a timely written request impractical, the national office should be told orally before the end of the period about the problem. The written request for extension must be submitted to the national office promptly after the oral request. The taxpayer will be told promptly by telephone (and later in writing) of the approval or denial of a requested extension.

.04 There is no right to appeal the denial of a request for extension. If the national office is not advised of problems with meeting the 21-day period or if the written request is not sent promptly after the national office is notified of problems with meeting the 21-day period, the case will be processed on the basis of the existing record.

.05 A taxpayer is entitled by right to only one conference with the national office unless one of the circumstances discussed in section 18.09 of this revenue procedure exists. This conference is normally held at the branch level and a person who has authority to sign the transmittal memorandum (discussed in section 21.14 of this revenue procedure) in his or her own name or on behalf of the branch chief will participate.

When more than one branch has taken an adverse position on an issue in the request or when the position ultimately adopted by one branch will affect another branch’s determina

Sec. 18.05 2003–1 I.R.B. 97 January 6, 2003

tion, a representative from each branch with authority to sign in his or her own name or for the branch chief will participate in the conference. If more than one subject is discussed at the conference, the discussion will constitute a conference for each subject.

To have a thorough and informed discussion of the issues, the conference usually will be held after the branch has had an opportunity to study the case. The taxpayer may request that the conference of right be held earlier in the consideration of the case than the Service would ordinarily designate.

The taxpayer has no right to appeal the action of a branch to an associate chief counsel, or to any other Service official. But see section 18.09 of this revenue procedure for situations in which the Service may offer additional conferences.

Conference may not be taped .06 Because conference procedures are informal, no tape, stenographic, or other verbatim recording of a conference may be made by any party.

If requested and approved, conference will be delayed to address a request for relief under § 7805(b)

Service makes tentative recommendations

Additional conferences may be offered

.07 In the event of a tentatively adverse determination, the taxpayer may request, in writing, a delay of the conference so that the taxpayer can prepare and submit a brief requesting relief under § 7805(b) (regarding limitation of retroactive effect, discussed in section 24 of this revenue procedure). The associate chief counsel of the office to which the case is assigned will determine whether to grant or deny the request for delaying the conference. If such request is granted, the Service will schedule a conference on the tentatively adverse decision and the § 7805(b) relief request within 10 calendar days of receiving the taxpayer’s § 7805(b) request. There is no right to appeal the denial of a request to delay the conference. See section 24.04 of this revenue procedure for the conference procedures if the § 7805(b) request is made after the conference on the substantive issues has been held.

.08 The senior Service representative at the conference ensures that the taxpayer has full opportunity to present views on all the issues in question. The Service representatives explain the tentative decision on the substantive issues.

If the taxpayer requests relief under § 7805(b), the Service representatives will discuss the tentative recommendation concerning the request for relief and the reason for the tentative recommendation.

No commitment will be made as to the conclusion that the Service will finally adopt regarding the outcome of the § 7805(b) issue or on any other issue discussed.

.09 In the case of a TAM, the Service will offer the taxpayer an additional conference if, after the conference of right, an adverse holding is proposed on a new issue or on the same issue but on grounds different from those discussed at the first conference. In the case of a TEAM, once the conference of right is held, no further conferences will be offered.

When a proposed holding is reversed at a higher level with a result less favorable to the taxpayer, the taxpayer has no right to another conference if the grounds or arguments on which the reversal is based were discussed at the conference of right.

The limitation on the number of conferences to which a taxpayer is entitled does not prevent the national office from inviting a taxpayer to participate in additional conferences, including conferences with an official higher than the branch level, if national office personnel think they are necessary. Such conferences are not offered as a matter of course simply because the branch has reached an adverse decision. In general, conferences with higher level officials are offered only if the Service determines that the case presents significant issues of tax policy or tax administration and that the consideration of these issues would be enhanced by additional conferences with the taxpayer.

In accordance with section 18.02 of this revenue procedure, exam or appeals personnel will be offered the opportunity to participate in any additional taxpayer conference, includ

Sec. 18.05 January 6, 2003 98 2003–1 I.R.B.

Additional information submitted after the conference

May schedule a conference to be held by telephone