Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 162 / Tuesday, August 23, 2005 / Notices 49375 

Acceptance Testing System (ATS) in 

November 2004. For the 2005 filing 

season, many IRS e-file transmitters 

began successfully using the encrypted 

solutions, discontinuing use of nonencrypted transmissions whether by 

dedicated or dial-up links on the Public 

Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) 

for filers of Forms 940, 941, 1040, 1041, 

1065, electronic tax documents, state 

Acknowledgment Files, and 990 family 

and 1120 family who are using the 

Electronic Management System. 

Internet Transmission Filers 

Recognizing that the majority of ecommerce and e-government 

applications are migrating to the 

Internet and using standard 

technologies, the Internal Revenue 

Service has provided the ability for 

authorized e-file Trading Partners to 

electronically transmit return 

information via an IRS-provided and 

certified secure Internet transport. Use 

of this secure Internet transport will 

require the use of Secure Sockets Layer 

(SSL) Version 3.0 using 128-bit 

encryption keys in an operational mode 

using the current modem based file 

transmission commands within a client 

commonly termed ‘‘TELNET/S’’. Note 

that EMS is unable to support the FTP 

protocol over the TELNET/S 

connection, but will continue to support 

Zmodem, YModem Batch, and XModem 

1K protocols. 

Dedicated Line Filers 

Based on an analysis of various e-file 

trading partner capabilities, the Internal 

Revenue Service began permitting the 

use of a minimum 128-bit Federal 

Information Processing Standards (FIPS) 

approved but trading partner-chosen, 

procured, and installed method of 

encryption for use on trading partnerprovided dedicated line(s), effective for 

the 2005 Filing Season. These dedicated 

lines’ termination points may continue 

to be at the Martinsburg and Memphis 

EMS locations and may continue to use 

the existing TELNET and FTP protocol 

methods. Transmitters may install new 

encrypted lines, including ISDN, if they 

are approved by IRS. IRS sent to each 

trading partner with a dedicated line a 

revised annual Dedicated Leased Line 

Application on which the Trading 

Partner must identify the evaluation 

number referencing the chosen 

encryption method (e.g., Brand, Model 

Number, FIPS 140-x, Evaluation 

Number xxx, and Evaluation Date). 

Means of termination points for 

encrypted transmissions for dedicated 

line users could vary, determined by 

user configuration. IRS will contact each 

dedicated leased line Trading Partner 

after receiving a revised dedicated 

leased line application. IRS is 

discontinuing support of dedicated 

lines’ on IRS network equipment for 

filers of individual returns on November 

1, 2005 and for business returns on 

December 30, 2005. 

Cost Impacts and Taxpayer Burdens 

The cost impact of the Internet SSL 

method to IRS e-filers is expected to be 

minimal. Support for SSL is provided at 

no extra cost in most Operating Systems 

available for the last five years, and is 

supported by the majority of Internet 

Service Providers (ISPs). The 

transmitters will incur the cost of the 

ISP, however, many of them already 

have and use an ISP. Currently the 

transmitters must pay for the long 

distance telephone call to the IRS frontend sites, and must make multiple calls 

if their transmission volume is high. 

Historic technologies also incur 

‘‘dropped’’ calls. With use of the 

Internet, these occurrences should be 

reduced. Additionally, dial up access to 

ISPs are normally via local calls, 

including alternate phone numbers. 

Throughput transmission times to EMS 

have been very fast via the Internet. 

ADDRESSES: Authorized IRS e-file 

Software Developers and dedicated 

leased line transmitters who have not 

requested the encryption solution 

documentation, should immediately email requests with the ‘‘Doing-BusinessAs’’ Company name, ETIN, and EFIN to 

efile.transmission.encryption@irs.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Questions will also be taken over the 

telephone. Call Carolyn Davis—202–

283–0589 (not a toll-free number). You 

may write to Carolyn E. Davis, Senior 

Program Analyst, IRS, Electronic Tax 

Administration, OS:CIO:I:ET:S:TP, 5000 

Ellin Road, Room C4–187, Lanham, MD 

20706. 

Dated: August 17, 2005. 

Kim Cooper, 

Acting Director, Strategic Services Division, 

Electronic Tax Administration. 

[FR Doc. E5–4613 Filed 8–22–05; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4830–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY 

Internal Revenue Service 

Open Meeting of the Taxpayer 

Advocacy Panel Multilingual Initiative 

(MLI) Issue Committee Will be 

Conducted (Via Teleconference) 

AGENCY: Internal Revenue Service (IRS), 

Treasury. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: An open meeting of the 

Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Multilingual 

Initiative (MLI) Issue Committee will be 

conducted (via teleconference). The 

Taxpayer Advocacy Panel is soliciting 

public comments, ideas, and 

suggestions on improving customer 

service at the Internal Revenue Service. 

DATES: The meeting will be held 

Tuesday, September 13, 2005 from 2:30 

p.m. to 3:30 p.m. ET. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Inez 

E. De Jesus at 1–888–912–1227, or (954) 

423–7977. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is 

hereby given pursuant to section 

10(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory 

Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App. (1988) 

that an open meeting of the Taxpayer 

Advocacy Panel Multilingual Initiative 

Issue Committee will be held Tuesday, 

September 13, 2005 from 2:30 p.m. to 

3:30 p.m. ET via a telephone conference 

call. If you would like to have the TAP 

consider a written statement, please call 

1–888–912–1227 or (954) 423–7977, or 

write Inez E. De Jesus, TAP Office, 1000 

South Pine Island Rd., Suite 340, 

Plantation, FL 33324. Due to limited 

conference lines, notification of intent 

to participate in the telephone 

conference call meeting must be made 

with Inez E. De Jesus. Ms. De Jesus can 

be reached at 1–888–912–1227 or (954) 

423–7977, or post comments to the Web 

site: http://www.improveirs.org. 

The agenda will include the 

following: Various IRS issues. 

Dated: August 18, 2005. 

Martha Curry, 

Acting Director, Taxpayer Advocacy Panel. 

[FR Doc. 05–16717 Filed 8–22–05; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4830–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY 

Internal Revenue Service 

Open Meeting of the Area 2 Taxpayer 

Advocacy Panel (Including the States 

of Delaware, North Carolina, South 

Carolina, New Jersey, Maryland, 

Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia 

and the District of Columbia) 

AGENCY: Internal Revenue Service (IRS), 

Treasury. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: An open meeting of the Area 

2 Taxpayer Advocacy Panel will be 

conducted (via teleconference). The 

Taxpayer Advocacy Panel is soliciting 

public comments, ideas, and 

suggestions on improving customer 

service at the Internal Revenue Service.