People just happened to notice them now.
Government solicitations have been public on Fed Biz Opps for years.
So all it took is someone not-very-bright to stumble across the NHS ones, not understand what they were looking at, then make no effort TO find someone that could actually understand what an IDIQ solicitation is, and they simply ran with the wacky conspiracy theories.
Then once the DHS solitications were found, people were frantically searching Fed Biz Opps for every solicitation they could find, and found the SSA and the supposed "NWS" (actually NMFS) small ammo purchases.
It's yet another tale of people suddenly finding information on the internet that's always been out there, but not having the knowledge to understand what they are looking at, and then spreading it through a blog network of idiots.
I am not concerned about the NMFS or SSA purchases, these, as you point out, can easily be explained. The DHS purchases of over 1 billion rounds is of great concern to me. Are you saying that we are just now finding out about the fact that the DHS has been making billion plus ammo purchases in the years 2002-2011? Is this common knowledge that has always been out there yet we are just now finding out about it? I am no conspiracy theorist but I find it beyond unusual that the DHS has been making huge ammo purchases (and this knowledge has been out there all this time and we are now just stumbling across it).
Strategerist ~ People just happened to notice them now.
Government solicitations have been public on Fed Biz Opps for years.
Sooth us, find a similar set of purchases five years ago, or any time before.
IOW, put up, or...