NEWS

How BPM and Kipsi Are Making R&D Tax Credits Faster, Smarter, and More Defensible 

May 6, 2026

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The R&D tax credit is one of the most valuable incentives in the U.S. tax code, but claiming it has traditionally meant accepting a process that’s slow, manual, and painfully disjointed. 

That’s changing. BPM has adopted Kipsi, a purpose-built technology platform that transforms the R&D tax credit study process from end to end, making it faster, more accurate, and significantly less disruptive to your team. 

Why the Traditional R&D Tax Credit Process Falls Short 

The R&D tax credit was designed to reward innovation. In practice, claiming it often feels like anything but. Most businesses hit the same friction points when pursuing R&D tax credit studies: 

• Fragmented data scattered across ERP platforms, payroll tools, and project management software that someone has to manually reconcile 
• Lengthy client surveys that pull engineers and project leads away from their actual work 
• Limited visibility into where the engagement stands at any given moment 
• Inconsistent documentation that creates defensibility risks during IRS scrutiny 
• Drawn-out timelines that delay when you can put the credit to use 

A process that should be creating value for your business often creates frustration instead. 

A Smarter Approach to R&D Tax Credit Studies 

BPM’s Specialized Tax Services team now uses Kipsi to manage R&D tax credit engagements from initial data collection through final deliverables on a single, centralized interface. Rather than passing documents back and forth over email and chasing down missing information, everything lives in one place. 

What This Means for Your Team 

The experience is markedly different from the traditional approach. Guided questionnaires make it easier to submit project details without requiring your technical staff to become tax documentation specialists. A built-in client portal with real-time messaging keeps communication clear and consolidated. And because the platform integrates data from multiple systems automatically, your team isn’t the one doing the manual reconciliation. 

Key capabilities of the Kipsi-powered platform include: 

• An intuitive client portal with built-in messaging and document-sharing tools 
• Real-time tracking of qualified R&D activities across your projects 
• AI-powered analysis of expenses and contracts to identify qualifying costs 
• Automated data integration from your existing financial and operational systems 
• Automated qualified research expense (QRE) computations that support year-over-year consistency 

The practical effect: faster turnaround times and an earlier realization of your tax savings. 

Built for Industries Where R&D Is Core to the Business 

BPM’s Specialized Tax Services practice works with companies across software and SaaS, life sciences, semiconductors, aerospace and defense, manufacturing, FinTech, medical devices, and consumer products, among others. Each sector presents its own documentation nuances and IRS scrutiny considerations. 

The R&D tax credit isn’t a one-size-fits-all calculation. Qualifying activities, eligible expenses, and documentation standards vary based on your industry, business structure, and the nature of your research. Kipsi gives BPM’s team more time to focus on that high-value, strategic guidance rather than the administrative infrastructure required to support it. 

“The R&D tax credit is valuable, but the process of claiming it shouldn’t be a burden on the very teams driving your innovation,” said Andre Shevchuck, BPM partner and Specialty Tax Services Leader. “Kipsi lets us take that weight off our clients’ shoulders while producing a more accurate, defensible result. This is the outcome we have always strived for.” 

Why Defensibility Should Be Part of Your R&D Tax Credit Strategy 

Claiming the R&D tax credit demands documentation that holds up. The IRS has specific requirements around the four-part test that determines whether a given activity qualifies, and inadequate recordkeeping is one of the most common reasons credits get challenged or reduced on audit. 

The Kipsi platform is designed with this in mind. By standardizing how qualifying activities are tracked and documented throughout the engagement, BPM builds a more defensible credit position from the start. That distinction matters when your credit claim runs into six or seven figures. 

Stop Leaving R&D Tax Credits on the Table 

The R&D tax credit remains one of the most underutilized provisions in the U.S. tax code, particularly among mid-market companies that qualify but lack the infrastructure to pursue it effectively. With the right process and technology behind it, there’s often more available than businesses realize. 

BPM’s Specialized Tax Services team is here to help you identify what your R&D activities may qualify for and to make the process of claiming those credits as efficient and accurate as possible. 

Contact BPM today to learn how our Kipsi-powered R&D tax credit studies can work for your business.