Posted on 08/16/2012 6:27:13 AM PDT by Why So Serious
The Department of Homeland Security purchased 450 million rounds of ammunition followed by the National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration buying 46,000 wounds. This is now being followed by the Social Security Administration buying 174,000 rounds to be delivered to 41 locations around the country. What is this all about?
It gets better. The solicitation now contains redacted sections apparently due to the intense controversy that has sprung up around these solicitations.
The solicitation explains how the contract put out by the DHS to purchase the ammunition was not subject to full and open competition, a process justified by what the DHS claims was an unusual and compelling urgency to acquire the bullets, noting that there is a shortage of bullets which is threatening a situation which could cause substantial safety issues for the government should law enforcement officials not be adequately armed.
Take from this what you will, but it sounds like the feds expect some imminent violence. I can’t imagine why...
maybe Senators and Congresscritters have stock in the ammo company....
It’s about end-of-fiscial-year use-up-the-budget buys. A lot more gov’t agencies need ammo than we realize (ex.: Social Security Administration fraud department may want some protection when knocking on a felon’s door, even if the Sheriff is knocking too). One dysfunction of gov’t budgets is “use it or lose it”: if they don’t spend what’s allocated for this year, they won’t get as much next year. Put the two together, and you get a lot of agencies ordering a lot of high-quality ammo to use up budgeted funds. Do the research & math, assuming 2K rounds per agent, and most of the numbers work out in a rational, sane manner.
Of course, freaking out over DHS ordering a billion rounds is more fun. And even divided out in a benefit-of-the-doubt manner, the quantity seems rather high...
What in the world does NOAA and SSA need with bullets? Understand the DHS need but don’t even think NOAA and SSA know what they are for...
Considering how easy it would be to hide the info, I’d say they’re advertizing it for a reason. I think its at least partly an attempt to intimidate.
90% of the people in these agencies are desk pilots who have never touched a gun in their lives.
It is very disconcerting. I actually had a hard time sleeping last night worried about what is coming. Something very evil is about to befall this country and still too many people refuse to see it.
I suspect that its at least partly a means of hiding something else. Possibly large amounts of ammo going to Syria.
Ah, missed that bit. Link?
“What in the world does NOAA and SSA need with bullets? “
NOAA has a fisheries enforcement division, basically cops on boats, and they board vessels that might be committing crimes. SSA has a cop section that investigates fraud, and they knock-knock on doors with indicted felons behind them (you have to give up SS benefits if you are being prosecuted for a felony). These guys serve warrants too, and they feel better packing.
So what is going on is cops buying ammo. Some transactions do look funny, but that’s the basics, cops buying ammo.
Can you post a link to that req? TIA
I have emailed my Congress-critter (Richard Nugent) and asked about this. Waiting to here his response.
BY LAW, the only agency that can receive transfers of anything, including funds, from other agencies of government is...the CIA.
Thanks! Wow, urgent and compelling. And who knew that ICE, FPS and CPB expended that much .223 on a regular basis!
Law means little to these clowns and hasn’t for decades.
As far as I’m concerned, advertizing the ammo buys is unfortunately effective propaganda.
I don't know. If true, it's very strange (and suspicious). If not true, well......
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