(a) In general. The Commissioner, district directors, and other authorized officers and employees of the Internal Revenue Service may contract with any Federal agency or any person to have such agency or person process films and other photoimpressions of any return, statement, document, or of any card, record, or other matter, and make reproductions from such films and photoimpressions.

(b) Safeguards—(1) By private contractor. Any person entering into a contract with the Internal Revenue Service for the performance of any of the services described in paragraph (a) of this section shall agree to comply, and to assume responsibility for compliance by his employees, with the following requirements:

(i) The films or photoimpressions, and reproductions made therefrom, shall be used only for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of the contract, and information contained in such material shall be treated as confidential and shall not be divulged or made known in any manner to any person except as may be necessary in the performance of the contract;

(ii) All the services shall be performed under the supervision of the person with whom the contract is made or his responsible employees;

(iii) All material received for processing and all processed and reproduced material shall be kept in a locked and fireproof compartment in a secure place when not being worked upon;

(iv) All spoilage of reproductions made from the film or photoimpressions supplied to the contractor shall be destroyed, and a statement under the penalties of perjury shall be submitted to the Internal Revenue Service that such destruction has been accomplished; and

(v) All film, photoimpressions, and reproductions made therefrom, shall be transmitted to the Internal Revenue Service by personal delivery, first-class mail, parcel post, or express.

(2) By Federal agency. Any Federal agency entering into a contract with the Internal Revenue Service for the performance of any services described in paragraph (a) of this section, shall treat as confidential all material processed or reproduced pursuant to such contract.

(3) Inspection. The Internal Revenue Service shall have the right to send its officers and employees into the offices and plants of Federal agencies and other contractors for inspection of the facilities and operations provided for the performance of any work contracted or to be contracted for under this section.

(4) Criminal sanctions. For penalty provisions relating to the unauthorized use and disclosure of information in violation of the provisions of this section, see section 7213(c).

(c) Legal status of reproductions. Section 7513 provides that any reproduction made in accordance with such section of any return, document, or other matter shall have the same legal status as the original and requires that any such reproduction shall, if properly authenticated, be admissible in evidence in any judicial or administrative proceeding, as if it were the original, whether or not the original is in existence.