IRS Taps Rajiv Uppal as New CIO
The tax agency is in the middle of a large-scale digitization effort.

The IRS will have a permanent CIO for the first time since March with the appointment of Rajiv Uppal, who previously served as acting CIO at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Kaschit Pandy had been serving as IRS CIO in an acting capacity since June after prior CIO Nancy Sieger took a new role at the Treasury Department.
Uppal has served in various roles at CMS since 2017. Before CMS, Uppal was on a U.S. Digital Service team at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). He had previously worked in the private sector, according to his LinkedIn profile.
During Uppal’s CMS tenure, he helped stand up an upskilling summit for the agency’s IT workforce in 2020.
“What we focus on is how do we enable our office and centers to be able to deliver on the mission?” Uppal told GovCIO Media and Research in 2021. “There’s a lot of investment going into systems and infrastructure, but the other investment that we’re making is into our workforce — how do we help our workforce reskill and upskill?”
The IRS is facing a large-scale modernization journey in its Office of Information Technology. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) brought nearly $80 billion dollars to the agency in supplemental funding. In August, IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel said the agency is looking to “achieve paperless processing, which means digitizing all paper-filed returns as soon as they are received” and that the IRA funding will enable the IRS to “envision and realize the future of tax administration.”
According to an IRS Inspector General Office report, IRA funding has added to IRS partnerships with industry and contractors. The report noted that the agency spent nearly $625 million on modernization efforts in contracting, with “Operations Support and Business Systems modernization budget activities totaling approximately $299 million and $337 million, respectively.”
Treasury Department Secretary Janet Yellen said last week that IRS is “ahead of schedule” on its digitization efforts spurred by IRS funding. The modernization efforts toward paperless taxpayer processes “will reduce errors and storage costs” for IRS, Yellen said.
This is a carousel with manually rotating slides. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate or jump to a slide with the slide dots
-
White House Science Chief: US-Driven AI Sets Global Standards
Michael Kratsios outlined how American AI technology on the global stage will help standardize the tech and counter China’s influence.
5m read -
Doing More with Less is Muscle Memory for IRS, Former Deputy CIO Says
Darnita Trower discusses her experience, the legacy she’s left behind and how she pushed the IRS to modernize itself,
20m watch -
Opinion: Original Intelligence Is the Missing Piece for AI Transformation
Limitations of AI agents and development drive growing needs for workforce development and "original intelligence."
3m read -
VA CIO Targets Modern IT and Smarter Workforce Alignment
Agency leaders told lawmakers they are focused on trimming legacy systems and restructuring its workforce to streamline operations.
3m read -
Pentagon's $200M AI Contracts Signal Broader Effort to Transform Talent
The Army is leveraging Silicon Valley, reservist programs and new hiring strategies to integrate critical digital skills in its ranks.
5m read -
Inside DOD’s Push to Grow the Cyber Workforce Through Academia
Diba Hadi gives her first interview since becoming principal director of the DOD’s Cyber Academic Engagement Office.
15m listen -
Generative AI Demands Federal Workforce Readiness, Officials Say
NASA and DOI outline new generative AI use cases and stress that successful AI adoption depends on strong change management.
6m read -
The Next AI Wave Requires Stronger Cyber Defenses, Data Management
IT officials warn of new vulnerabilities posed by AI as agencies continue to leverage the tech to boost operational efficiency.
5m read -
Data Transparency Essential to Government Reform, Rep. Sessions Says
Co-Chair of the Congressional DOGE Caucus Rep. Pete Sessions calls for data sharing and partnerships to reduce waste and improve efficiency.
5m read -
DOD Turns to Skills-Based Hiring to Build Next-Gen Cyber Workforce
Mark Gorak discusses DOD’s efforts to build a diverse cyber workforce, including skills-based hiring and partnerships with over 480 schools.
20m listen -
Trump Executive Order Boosts HBCUs Role in Building Federal Tech Workforce
The executive order empowers HBCUs to develop tech talent pipelines and expand access to federal workforce opportunities.
3m read -
Tracking CIOs in Trump's Second Term
Stay informed on the latest shifts in federal technology leadership as new CIOs are appointed and President Trump's second term takes shape.
6m read