(a) Upon request of an agency, the procurement officer shall notify each contractor if a contract with the state requires access to federal tax information for performance of the contract. Each contractor with the state whose duties require access to federal tax information shall submit to and pass a background investigation that includes a state and national criminal history record check. The contractor shall provide information for the background investigation, including fingerprints, in a format requested by the procurement officer or the contracting agency. The procurement officer or the contracting agency shall submit the fingerprints to the Department of Public Safety to obtain a report of criminal justice information under AS 12.62 and a national criminal history record check. The Department of Public Safety may submit the fingerprints to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for a national criminal history record check.
(b) A contractor shall pay to the procurement officer or contracting agency the fee established by AS 12.62.160 for the national criminal history record check.
(c) A background investigation under this section, including a state and national criminal history record check, is confidential.
(d) In this section, unless the context otherwise requires,
(1) “agency” has the meaning given in AS 39.90.290;
(2) “contractor” means a person who has applied for or been awarded a contract with an agency and includes a subcontractor;
(3) “federal tax information” has the meaning given in AS 39.90.290.