Internal Revenue Service identification media (ID media) includes any pass, shield, credential, ID card or similar items which contain the Internal Revenue name, seal or symbol, is used to identify the bearer and is normally carried or worn by the bearer. Identification media may also contain one or more of the following: the bearer’s photo, a serial number, an authorizing or validating signature and information to indicate the purpose of the badge or to indicate the bearer has been officially authorized to perform certain acts or duties.

Internal Revenue Service identification media are issued solely for use by authorized employees in the performance of official duties and, in the case of the ID card, for personal identification. ID media may not be used for retirement mementos, honorary presentations, or similar purposes, except as prescribed in this Manual.

The following are authorized forms of identification to be used by employees in the performance of official duties. Employees may be issued only one of each of the following items as authorized by this Manual. No employee may have in his/her possession more than one ID card, pocket commission or shield.

The Chief, Agency Wide Shared Services (AWSS), is authorized to prescribe identification media for use within the Internal Revenue Service.

The Director, Real Estate and Facilities Management is responsible for planning, developing, implementing, evaluating and controlling the Servicewide Identification Media program.

The Area Directors are responsible for implementing, evaluating and otherwise managing the identification media program for their offices.

The Facilities Management Officers are responsible for implementing, evaluating, and otherwise managing the identification program for their offices. The Security staff will implement and control the identification media program in offices for which they are responsible.

Each manager is responsible for insuring that personnel under his/her supervision possess only authorized identification media and that such media is used and displayed properly. Each manager is responsible for reporting unauthorized use of identification media to the office of Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration and the local Security office.

Internal Revenue Service employees may not display any form of identification associating them with the Service which has not been officially authorized by the Real Estate and Facilities Management Office. Development of new identification media or methods of use, assembly or display, or modifications of existing media or methods of use or display must be submitted through the Operating Business Commissioner, Chief Officer or Chief Counsel of the requesting organization to the Director, Real Estate and Facilities Management Office for coordination and approval.

The Director, Real Estate and Facilities Management is the approving authority for the printing or reproduction of any type of Internal Revenue Service ID media. Requests to print or reproduce must be submitted in writing to the above official for approval.

Section 499, Title 18 of the U.S. Code, prescribes a penalty of $2,000 or five years imprisonment, or both, for " Whoever falsely makes, forges, counterfeits, alters, or tampers with any naval, military, or official pass or permit, issued by or under the authority of the United States, or with intent to defraud uses or possesses any such pass or permit, or personates or falsely represents himself to be or not to be a person to whom such pass or permit has been duly issued or willfully allows any other person to have or use any such pass or permit issued for his use alone."

Section 701, Title 18 of the U.S. Code prescribes a penalty of $250 or six months imprisonment, or both, for " Whoever manufactures, sells or possesses any badge, identification card or other insignia of the design prescribed by the head of any department or agency of the United States for use by any officer or employee thereof, or any colorable imitation thereof, or photographs, prints, or in any other manner makes or executes any engraving, photograph, print or impression in the likeness of any such badge, identification card, or other insignia, or any colorable imitation thereof, except as authorized under the regulations made pursuant to law. "

Employees must take precautions to prevent loss or theft of pocket commissions, ID cards, enforcement shields, and other types of identification media. In the hands of an unauthorized person, these items have the potential of bringing serious discredit and adverse publicity to the Service. Identification media should either be in the possession of the authorized employee or when not in use should be stored in a locked container or left with the supervisor. Identification media should never be left unattended in briefcases, unlocked desk drawers, automobiles, etc.

Managers must counsel employees concerning safeguards when there is a repeated loss of ID cards, pocket commissions, enforcement shields or other ID media.

If an employee’s ID card or pocket commission is lost stolen or destroyed, the employee will report this immediately, in writing, through supervisory channels to the local Security office explaining the circumstances and recovery attempts. If an employee’s enforcement shield is lost, stolen, or destroyed, the employee will report this immediately, in writing, through supervisory channels to the issuing official.

Reports of lost or stolen pocket commissions or shields must be annotated by the employee’s supervisor with a statement concerning what disciplinary action, if any, was taken. A copy of field employee reports will be forwarded to the local TIGTA office as soon as possible. The local Security office, as appropriate, will ensure that original reports on lost or stolen commissions and enforcement shields are kept in a separate file in order to make them readily available.

The recovery of any type of identification media must be reported to the issuing office and TIGTA (if the items were reported to TIGTA as lost or stolen), so that local accountability records may be adjusted to reflect the recovery. The recovered media should be destroyed (except shields which may be placed back in stock and reissued).

In the case of a lost or stolen ID card with a restricted area designator, the employee’s manager will notify the manager of the restricted area. If an ID card is lost or stolen from an employee on an Authorized Access List, the employee’s manager will notify the restricted area manager.

Facilities Management Offices will submit an estimate of pocket commission inserts needed for the upcoming fiscal year by May 31 of each year. The Facilities Offices will be responsible for consolidating the needs of their client sites before submitting the estimate. Pocket commission inserts will be ordered once each year and distributed directly to the Facilities Management Offices.

Facilities Management Offices will also submit an estimate for the Forms 6054, 6055, 6056, 5519, 5520, 6028, 13022, 13023 and 13024 needed for the upcoming fiscal year by May 31 of each year. This stock will be printed and sent directly to the distribution center. Offices will order these supplies directly from the distribution center. Only designated employees will be able to order these forms from the distribution center. Centers will be limited to a quantity of 3000 per order and post of duty to 2000 per order unless approved by Real Estate Security Office for additional stock.

Other supplies such as film, chains, clips, etc. will be obtained locally.

Annually, the accuracy of the ID card, pocket commission and enforcement shield records will be audited and reconciled against the numerical and alphabetical files on a sample basis. Form 6665, ID Media Review Memorandum, can be used for this purpose (this form is not to be mailed to the employee’s home address).

Since every employee will be issued an ID card, these records will be the primary records checked. The back of Form 6665, also asks the ID card holder if they have a pocket commission in their possession. This will also satisfy requirements for accountability of the pocket commissions.

Form 1930, Custody Receipt for Government Property (or any local form that contains the same information) will be used when issuing ID media. In the issuance of the ID card, if the data cards are still used by the Office in the issuance of the ID card, a Form 1930 is not necessary since the employee signature on the data card and is acknowledgment of receipt.

The blank contact form, Form 4811, is available for use by Service personnel to leave their name, address and telephone number with business and professional people, police department personnel, representatives of foreign governments, members of the press corps and individuals being actively recruited. Service personnel who would have a use for Form 4811 but would prefer to use a personalized calling card may use such personalized cards provided they are procured in accordance with established procedures. Only those employees who follow prescribed procedures for obtaining calling cards may use such personalized cards associating them with the Service.

While the calling card will be permitted for use on a voluntary basis, it shall conform to a standard design for uniformity and quality control. All personalized calling cards obtained must conform to the weight of paper, size of card, color, layout and production point specified by Multi-Media (see IRM 11.17).

Calling cards may generally be used by all Service officials and personnel who have a continuing need to leave with non-Service individuals or companies a ready reference for contact by telephone or at an office address. Calling cards conforming to prescribed standards will be used only for official purposes and will not be used to identify the bearer in lieu of other identification media provided for this purpose.