The state records administrator shall establish and maintain a central microfilm unit and microfilm any record of any state office, agency, or department in either the executive, legislative, or judicial branch of state government, if the administrator determines the cost of the microfilming is reasonable in relation to the record’s historical significance or the frequency and type of use of the record. If the administrator and the office of management and budget determine that the services called for in this chapter can be provided more efficiently and economically through contracting with private contractors, the administrator may enter into such contracts or require an agency to use the services of a contractor as allowed by section 54-46.1-05. Release of records to a contractor for microfilming under this section or section 54-46.1-05 is not a violation of section 12.1-13-01, 54-46.1-07, or any other law that provides for any civil or criminal penalty for the release of certain records. A contractor hired by the administrator under this section or by an agency under section 54-46.1-05 may not disclose any information from any record, disclose any record the contractor receives for microfilming services, or make or retain a copy or other reproduction of a record not required by the contract to be made. Any contractor hired by the administrator under this section or by an agency under section 54-46.1-05 is subject to the penalties provided by law for unauthorized release of public records, and the contractor must agree to fully comply with all applicable state or federal laws or rules prohibiting release of public records. Each office, agency, and department shall reimburse the central microfilm unit for the actual costs incurred in microfilming its records. The administrator shall deposit moneys received under this section in the information technology operating account. The administrator shall employ professional, technical, and clerical personnel as the administrator determines to be necessary to carry out the duties prescribed in this chapter and, within the limits of the legislative appropriation, shall fix the salaries of all employees within the central microfilm unit. All personnel within the central microfilm unit must be allowed their actual and necessary travel expenses at the same rate as for other employees of the state. The administrator may perform microfilm services for any state institution and for any county, when the institution or county requests such services and the administrator agrees that the request is consistent with good records management practices.