Contracts for computer and data processing services; confidentiality of data

The department may contract for computer and other electronic data processing services as it considers necessary. A person, firm, or governmental entity and their employees, under contract with the South Carolina Department of Revenue, having access to information contained in or produced from a tax return, document, or magnetically or electronically stored data may not publish or disclose any part or parts of the data or information resulting from the data except to the department, or as authorized by the department, or as otherwise provided by law or by an order of a court of competent jurisdiction. This provision does not exempt the department from the provisions of the South Carolina Consolidated Procurement Code.