CHAPTER 1-1: Partner and Coordinator Responsibilities

Your role as a SPEC partner is important to the success of the VITA/TCE program. You serve your community by educating and helping taxpayers who need the benefit of financial stability. SPEC has the highest regard for the individuals and organizations who choose to partner with the IRS in providing this valuable and muchneeded service to underserved populations. Your responsibilities include:

• Maintaining program integrity and protecting personally identifiable information (PII)

• Ensuring the organization follows Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964Completing and supplying all required documentation on time

• Recruiting, training, and certifying all volunteers and volunteer coordinators

• Preparing a comprehensive marketing plan

• Finding and securing adequate site locations

• Requesting a site identification number (SIDN) and applying for an electronic filing identification number (EFIN)

• Obtaining equipment compatible with the electronic filing program (computers, printers, and printer cartridges)

• Ordering IRS training materials, site forms/publications, and software

• Overseeing site operations and ensuring adherence to all Quality Site Requirements at every site

• Maintaining effective lines of communication with coordinators, SPEC relationship managers and volunteers within your network

• Paying tribute to volunteers

Coordinators are expected to provide effective site management for their volunteers and are responsible for managing, organizing, and supervising all aspects of VITA site operations. The coordinator also gathers and maintains timely statistical reports as required by partners. Your leadership is vital to the success of the VITA/TCE program and is critical to quality tax return preparation services in your community.

Coordinators should possess:

• The willingness to devote the time and effort required to prepare accurate tax returns and answer questions in a courteous and helpful manner

• A strong volunteer spirit and organizational skills to assist in site coordination and allow volunteers to have a rewarding experience

• The ability to recruit and retain volunteers with special skills that would benefit the site; for example, volunteers who are bi-lingual or can assist hearing and visually impaired taxpayers

• A willingness to learn and use electronic tax return skills and techniques

Coordinators are responsible for program management and various administrative duties associated with managing a site.

These responsibilities may include:

• Recruiting and supervising volunteers

• Determining site’s days and hours of operation

• Ensuring Volunteer Standards of Conduct are followed by everyone that volunteers

• Ensuring all Quality Site Requirements are followed by all volunteers

• Discussing Volunteer Tax Alerts, Quality Site Requirement Alerts, and CyberTax Alerts

• Serving as the Responsible Official, applying for and/or maintaining an EFIN as required by the partner

Only the Responsible Officials on the e-file application can review the site’s online application for an active EFIN. It is important for each SPEC partner to have at least two Responsible Officials with access registered for e-Services. See detailed information on e-Services later in this handbook.

CHAPTER 1: VITA/TCE Program Guidelines 9