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Geneva Andreotti
(8) IRM 1.11.8.7.1.2 - Reordered paragraphs in subsection. Removed approval procedures located in IRM 1.11.10.9.2. Updated the term revalidate to reissue for consistency. Revised the sentence used in the Material Changes section for each reissued IPU. Removed Figure 1.11.8-1.
Overview: The Servicewide Electronic Research Program (SERP) is an electronic research source designed to provide employees with access to IRMs, updated with interim procedural guidance, as well as other reference materials. SERP provides employees with notification of IRM changes and current procedures.
Purpose: This IRM provides business units, their employees and management with information about SERP as an electronic research source and customers of SERP with requirements for hosting content on the SERP website. To access SERP:
Primary Stakeholders: SERP works closely with authors of technical information (such as IRMs), Media & Publications, Alternative Media Center, local site coordinators, and other areas throughout the IRS to ensure the most current information is available. SERP primarily works with program managers, officials and IMD coordinators across W&I and SBSE.
SERP is designed to provide employees from all IRS functions intranet access to IRMs and other reference materials, and to retrieve frequently referenced documents required to perform their jobs. SERP reports to the Program Manager, Technical Assistance & Stakeholder Communication (TASC).
An IPU revises or corrects existing IRM information on SERP only. All other IRM formats, including the published version available to the public, are not updated. However, if the interim guidance (i.e., SERP IPU) meets E-FOIA criteria, the IPU is forwarded for posting in the FOIA Library on www.irs.gov. See IRM 1.11.8.7.1, Updating IRMs through an IRM Procedural Update (IPU), for additional information.
SERP Communication Program (SCP), under the guidance of Technical Assistance & Stakeholder Communication (TASC), has responsibility for ensuring content hosted on the SERP site is current and accurate. All content is reviewed annually and certified by the program owner of the content. See IRM 1.11.8.11, Content Certification Process.
IRM authors and content owners submitting SERP Alerts or IPUs (via SERP submission forms) must contact SERP via email and provide their profile information, see IRM 1.11.8.3(4), Authorized Submitter. Their manager may also send an email stating they are approved to submit content for the area shown in their request.
Authorized submitters who are not the primary content owner (such as a back-up or other designated submitter) must have their manager send an email stating they are approved to submit content. See IRM 1.11.8.3, Authorized Submitter.
Hosting material on SERP is optional for various business units, however, the content owner must adhere to SERP requirements if placing material on SERP. See IRM 1.11.8.1.3.1, Requirements for Hosting Content on the SERP Website.
An authorized submitter is authorized to submit content changes or additions to SERP. IRM authors as well as their direct managers and senior analysts are automatically considered authorized submitters. See IRM 1.11.8.7, Updating Content on the SERP Website. An authorized submitter is not the same as the approving official. These individuals are not automatically the official authorized to approve content changes. Contact your organization to determine who is authorized to approve IPUs. See IRM 1.11.10.6, Approve Interim Guidance or other content changes posted on SERP.
Contact your Internal Management Document (IMD) coordinator for Arbortext software training. Visit the Knowledge Services Help Desk at xmlhelpdesk.web.irs.gov for answers to Frequently Asked Questions or email wi.mpm.xm...@irs.gov with questions/problems.
If an IPU is issued between the time when the IRM is sent to Publishing and when it becomes effective and posts to SERP, incorporate the IPU information into the SERP IRM after the published version becomes effective. See Exhibit 1.11.8-8, Scenarios for Start-Up IPUs, for more information.
Read the SERP Submission Form User Guide before using the SERP Submission Form application to submit IRM Procedural Updates (IPUs). See IRM 1.11.8.7.1, Updating IRMs through an IRM Procedural Update (IPU).
To ensure Section 508 compliance and optimal usability, SERP determines the final format of submitted content. If it is determined the content is better in an alternative format (i.e., html page), SERP takes the responsibility of programming the content not the submitter. SERP makes every effort to ensure the content is presented in its most usable form for the SERP platform.
508 compliant graphics (including images and/or screen captures) require a text alternative that serves the same purpose. Graphics should include an alternative text (line-by-line text). Line-by-line text may be used in lieu of graphics. See Exhibit 1.11.8-1 through Exhibit 1.11.8-6 for examples of compliant alternative text.
After a SERP approved IRM is published, the SERP staff downloads the IRM files directly from the Electronic Publishing website and converts the files to HTML for posting to SERP. This is transparent to IRM authors.
Secure necessary approvals for information provided in the alert, if required. Input the "Approving Official" name and "Title" as applicable. Contact your organization to determine who is authorized to approve alerts or other content changes posted on SERP.
You must be added to the SERP database before you can submit an alert request. Instructions on how to gain access are found in the SERP Submission Form User Guide as well as in IRM 1.11.8.3, Authorized Submitter.
Once the form is completed, click "Save" to activate the "Submit" button and the "Add File" button. The record is assigned a temporary tracking number, and the record is added to your list of ACTIVE records on the MY INPUTS page.
The body of the email includes a link to the alert record. If your organization requires review of the alert submission prior to sending it to SERP, your recipients can view the record and the attachments; however, they cannot make changes to this record or the attachments. If they need to make changes to the alert or the attachments take the following actions:
The recipient opens the uploaded files from the links in the record view and saves them to their desktop for editing. Once edited, the recipient attaches the changed items to the email and returns it to you to make the changes before submitting the alert for posting.
All SERP Alerts with disaster criteria must be coordinated with the Disaster Program Office to prevent duplication and assure consistency. Employees issuing SERP Alerts with disaster criteria must contact the Disaster Program Office analyst listed on the Disaster Assistance and Emergency Relief Staff website. Disaster criteria may include one or more of the following words:
SERP homepage items are posted for one day. Upon request, SERP may move a homepage item to Priority News where it can remain for 14 calendar days. If there is a need for a Priority News item to remain for more than 14 calendar days, include a justification with your request.
To submit a request to add content (other than an alert or IPU), an authorized submitter can send the request via email to *CTR ODN SERP SECT. A member of the SERP staff contacts you to discuss the details. For information on submitting job aids, see IRM 1.11.8.6.5, Adding Job Aids.
SERP is a web page platform (.htm, .html etc.) and will usually convert large format documents such as PowerPoint, Word, and PDF into user-friendly HTML pages. SERP will reformat documents into HTML pages only after accessibility concerns are met (i.e., 508 compliance). For best results, SERP should be included as soon as possible in the design process.
Job aids must follow disclosure requirements. Fictionalize taxpayer name, address, and tax information (e.g., identity, exemptions, money amounts). More information on fictionalizing content is found in IRM 1.11.2.5.6, Fictitious Identifying Information and IRM 6.410.1.3.10, Disclosure Requirements.
IRM Authors must use IRM Procedural Updates (IPUs) to issue interim guidance. If the program owner uses interim guidance memoranda, they must issue a corresponding IPU to ensure the revised procedures are accessible to SERP users.
Business units must incorporate IG into the next revision of the published IRM section(s) through Media and Publications (M&P) within two years from the issuance date or sooner, if required by the business unit. IRMs published annually must continue to incorporate interim guidance and publish each year.
Refer to the policy and procedures set by the Office of Servicewide Policy, Directives and Electronic Research (SPDER) in IRM 1.11.2, Internal Revenue Manual (IRM) Process and IRM 1.11.10.2, Interim Guidance Standards.
If you issue an IPU after the IRM was sent to Publishing but before the new revision posts, you may need to keep two versions of the XML file. The first XML file is what was sent to Publishing and the second XML is what is currently on SERP - sometimes called a "working copy" If updates are needed during this time, issue an IPU with edits made to the XML file currently on SERP.
If you made updates prior to the new revision posting on SERP, and/or need to make more updates after the IRM is published, submit an IPU and in the Notes section of the Submission Form, state the IPU should post after the new IRM revision posts.
If you issued updates in an IPU during publishing and you do not need to make any other updates, you may email your XML file to SERP stating it is an "overlay" for posting after the new IRM revision posts.
When issuing an IPU the author needs to obtain concurrence by reviewers, approval by management or responsible designated official, use the IRM Authoring software (Arbortext Editor) to revise the IRM file, and finally complete the SERP IRM Update Submission Form to submit the IRM update to SERP. See IRM 1.11.8.7.1.1, Issuing an IPU (Interim Guidance).
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