Section 3. Tape Cartridge Specifications

Section 4. 8mm, 4mm, and Quarter Inch Cartridge Specifications Section 5. 3 ¹ ⁄2-Inch Diskette Specifications Section 6. Transmitter “T” Record - General Field Descriptions Section 7. Transmitter “T” Record - Record Layout Section 8. Payer “A” Record - General Field Descriptions Section 9. Payer “A” Record - Record Layout Section 10. Payee “B” Record - General Field Descriptions Section 11. Payee “B” Record - Record Layout Section 12. End of Payer “C” Record - General Field Descriptions and Record Layout Section 13. End of Transmission “F” Record - General Field Descriptions and Record Layout

PART A. GENERAL

Sec. 1. Purpose

.01 Section 6050M of the Internal Revenue Code, which was added by section 1522 of the Tax Reform Act of 1986 (Public Law 99-514) and amended by section 1015(f) of the Technical and Miscellaneous Revenue Act of 1988 (Public Law 100-647), requires Federal Executive Agencies to file an information return with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) reporting the name, address and Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) of each person and/or corporation with whom the agency enters into a contract, together with any other information required by Treasury regulations.

.02 The purpose of this revenue procedure is to provide the requirements and conditions for reporting information required on Form 8596, Information Return for Federal Contracts, and Form 8596-A, Quarterly Transmittal of Information Returns for Federal Contracts, on magnetic media, which includes ¹ ⁄2-inch magnetic tape; IBM 3480, 3490 or AS400 compatible tape cartridges (including 8mm, 4mm and Quarter Inch Cartridges [QIC]); and 3 ¹ ⁄2-inch diskettes.

.03 This revenue procedure applies to Federal Executive Agencies with respect to their contracts (including contract actions treated as new contracts) entered into (or treated as entered into) on or after September 30, 1998. With respect to a basic or initial contract entered into before 1989, it does not apply to an increase contract action treated as a new contract if the increase occurred before April 1, 1990, or if the increase is not in excess of $50,000. Please read this revenue procedure carefully.

.04 This revenue procedure supersedes Rev. Proc. 94–56, reprinted as Publication 1516 (Rev. 9-94), Specifications for Filing Forms 8596, Information Return for Federal Contracts, on Magnetic Tape, Tape Cartridge, and 3- ¹ ⁄2” Diskette.

Sec. 2. Nature of Changes

.01 Legislative changes for Tax Year 1998, as well as Year 2000 changes, necessitated major changes in the record format for information returns filed magnetically. Additional fields have been added to some existing records. IRS/MCC has re- designed the record layouts and expanded record lengths from 420 positions to 750 positions for the Payer “A” Record, the Payee “B” Record, the End of Payer “C” Record, and the End of Transmission “F” Record. In addition, a Transmitter “T” Record has been added as the first record on the file. The record changes make it imperative for filers to read this publica- tion in its entirety. Failure to comply with the new record format will result in the media being returned to the filer for cor- rection and replacement.

Sec. 3. Where to File and How to Contact the IRS, Martinsburg Computing Center

.01 All information returns filed magnetically are processed at IRS/MCC. Files containing information returns and requests for IRS magnetic media information are to be sent to the following addresses: