Notices Improvement Issue Committee
March 10, 2010
Teleconference
2:00 – 3:00 pm (EDT)

Program Owner

• Cesarano, Jim

Designated Federal Official

• Jenkins, Audrey, Acting, DFO

Committee Members Present

• Bernstein, Mark
• Boyle, Raymond
• Davis-Nozemack, Karie
• Holland, Richard
• Johnson, Frances
• McQuiston, Robert
• Miller, Ernest, Chair
• Murray, Alan
• Woodard, Norma, Vice Chair

Committee Members Absent

• Case, Ann
• Feng, Andrew
• Gambardella, Linda
• Head, Randee
• Kear, Lea
• Lee, Bradford

TAP Staff

• Babb, Rose
• Jenkins, Audrey
• Odom, Meredith

Welcome/Announcements
Miller welcomed everyone to the call.

Subcommittee Update
Subcommittee 1 – Raymond Boyle
No assignments at this time.

Subcommittee 2 – Alan Murray
The subcommittee completed the assignment of comparing the current Letter 4516 to the revised Letter 4516 using DAT Scoring. Letter 4516 is sent to a taxpayer who has a net operating loss carry back and received a tentative refund. The notice stated that upon further investigation, the taxpayer was not entitled to the refund and that the amount received would have to be paid back. The notice also stated that details were to be provided later. Neither the current or revised new notice specified the amount that will be paid back; it was provided in a subsequent mailing. The current notice started out with a citation of the code sections. The new notice omits those references of code sections and makes it easier to read. There was no big improvement over the current notice.

Subcommittee 3 – Norma Woodard
The subcommittee has not met but, they have an assignment. She will be making some adjustments to DAT Score for correspondex letters. In addition, she also mentioned that last week she had a conference call with Cesarano, Jenkins, Murray, Boyle and Miller. Cesarano requested some work to be done on the proposed instructions that she presented at the Annual Meeting in December 2009. Woodard stated that she did some rewriting and received some additional information that she had requested. She will review that information and subsequently set up a subcommittee call.

Office Report – Audrey Y. Jenkins
It was discussed that the DAT Score training will be done by each individual subcommittee for new members but that Cesarano is available to give the training. Jenkins asked the committee if they would prefer Cesarano to give training to the new members. Miller stated he thinks Cesarano would be best to give the training to new members so that every one will have the same level of training. Jenkins will work with Cesarano on a training schedule that will accommodate new members.

2010 Assignment – Jim Cesarano
Received the new notices for DAT scoring. He will review them before passing it on. It is a little different from the standard review. He also stated that the notice startup project is finished. Cesarano will go through the scanned copies of the improved notices to ensure that they are sanitized of taxpayer’s information. He will provide Jenkins with copies of the new notices for the committee to review. Boyle’s subcommittee has accepted the assignment to review the DAT Score letters new style to see if it requires any new cells added. Jenkins will provide some samples to the sub committees. Each subcommittee will be given copies of both the old DAT Score letters and the New Style to make comparisons.

Miller mentioned that he would prefer that Boyle’s subcommittee work this project. If it is too much work, then it can be shared with other subcommittee. Cesarano suggested that the material emailed to the committee for DAT Scoring be reviewed prior to training.

Public Participation
None