Nut-job Conspiracy Theory Ping!
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Posted on 08/15/2012 7:53:45 AM PDT by Strategerist
The congressman has received some letters and emails regarding the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) recent purchase of a large amount of ammunition and other equipment. Obviously the thought of one branch of our federal government potentially stock piling weapons and/or ammunition is of great concern. For that reason, the congressman wanted me to let you know the full story on this issue.
DHS contracted with a manufacturer for 40 caliber ammunition not to exceed 450 million rounds. Like with most of their contracts, prior to negotiating DHS headquarters in Washington reaches out to all the agencies under their umbrella, including state and local police forces, Customs and Border Patrol (CBP), etc, and asks them all how much of a certain item they need. Once they have an account of the full amount of an item needed and have reviewed those requests, they put out a request for an “Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity” (IDIQ) contract. This contract allows them to purchase up to a certain number of needed items without requiring them to purchase a specific item and allows them to purchase this item over a certain number of years. This is a common form of contract used by DHS for many of their needed supplies, including working dogs, computer equipment, vehicles, etc.
In this case, DHS entered into a contract that allows them to purchase up to 450 million rounds of 40 caliber ammunition over the next five years. They cannot exceed 450 million rounds and are not required to purchase 450 million rounds. Basically, they have a tab with a manufacturer to order more rounds as they are needed over the next five years – not a onetime ammunition order.
Setting up contracts in this manner allows for a cheaper purchase price, saving money over the long-term. In fact, contracts like this one saved taxpayers $336 million in FY2011 alone. Additionally, purchasing in bulk like this helps DHS headquarter conduct better oversight over its agencies and ensures consistency among all the agencies under DHS. So, in this case CPB, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the U.S. Secret Service, and other DHS agencies will all use the same 40 caliber round so these rounds can move between agencies if need be – another way to potentially save money down the road.
To put this more concisely, just like you and your family take that monthly trip to Sam’s Club or Costco to get your bulk needs cheaply, DHS also buys in bulk because it saves the American taxpayers money.
If you take the number of agencies that will be using this ammunition – CBP, Citizenship and Immigration Services, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), ICE, the U.S. Secret Service, Transportation Security Administration, the DHS police force, and all the guards that protect the various buildings these agencies are housed in, and spread that out over 5 years, you start to see that 450 million rounds really isn’t that large of an order. Especially considering it is used for training purposes like firing range and live fire exercises, on-the-job use (though that is very limited), and to shore up their supplies. In fact, there are 65,000 – 70,000 law enforcement personnel at DHS who would be covered under this IDIQ ammunition contract. If DHS were to purchase all 450 million rounds over 5 years, then that would equate to only about 1,384 rounds of ammo per year per law enforcement personnel (or about 155 rounds per month (about 10 magazines worth of ammo per month) or 3-4 rounds per day) assuming the lower estimate of only 65,000 law enforcement personnel at DHS. Considering those agents go through training exercises several times per year, that is not a lot of ammunition.
In this post-9/11 world we need to make sure those who are tasked with protecting our homeland both from threats abroad and at home have the training and equipment needed to carry out their duties to help ensure our way of life. Firearm proficiency is an important part of any federal officer’s training and for that reason the purchase of sufficient amounts of ammunition is critical to maintaining an effective protective force. However, with all government spending Congress needs to keep an eye out for any mismanagement or misappropriation of funds in federal agencies, and the congressman will continue to be vigilant on this front to ensure our nation’s tax dollars are being spent wisely. He wants to thank all of his constituents for bringing this issue to his attention and encourages everyone to continue to reach out to him with any questions or concerns they may have.
Kevin Doran is Congressman Westmoreland’s deputy chief of staff and handles Second Amendment and national defense issues.
You do realize that you area talking about the government procurement process...right? There is NOTHING sane about it; bad intentions, or not.
Like Hell!
Sane people practice with what they use.
You are mistaking "sane" for "cheap."
450,000,000 rounds is yesterday’s news. That number has now been upped dramatically and includes much more than 40 S&W. But, the original order (450,000,000) was for JHP’s, those are not for range. If they are, someone at DHS needs to have their neck rung as they’re throwing money out the window. FMJ’s or lead (outdoor ranges) would be much cheaper.
So much for the saving taxpayer’s money argument.
Nut-job Conspiracy Theory Ping!
To get onto The Nut-job Conspiracy Theory Ping List you need to threaten to report me to the Admin if I don’t add you to the list...
Because there are NOAA Law Enforcement agents.
Bingo.
It was so kind of Mr. Westmoreland to confirm in writing certain suspicions that both state and local police forces had in fact become de facto organs of the Federal government despite previous claims to the contrary having been given to the public.
I don't believe all of these fall under "law enforcement" excluding all in office and clerical personnel.
“In June the Secret Service was shopping for “40,000 rounds with two options for 20,000 rounds” of Winchester .300 Magnums. Awarded to an outfit in Rapid City June 30, if we’re reading it and all to be delivered before year end.)”
.300 WinMag ammo is used by government for sniper operations. It is primarily used by AgencyPerson snipers such as the infamous Lon Horiuchi, who shot Weaver in the back when Weaver was seeking cover and who shot and killed Weavers wife and child.
This ammo is for sniper use inside the USA by government snipers like Lon Horiuchi, and WILL BE USED AGAINST US.
Social Security Administration To Purchase 174 Thousand Rounds Of Hollow Point Bullets
This probably deserves it's own thread but pass it far and wide.
And oh, just keep it between us conspiracy theorists, k?
Well, then... I feel better already. /s
Forgot to ping on above.
Looks to me like its a coordinated inter-agency effort to disrupt the national ammo market rather than to over-arm itself against the population. Who in the federal government needs this many bullets, even if they wanted to shoot down Americans in the tens of thousands. And where are they going to store it all?
You are trying to use rational thought for an irrational act.
We are dealing with leftist Marxist. They do not have tactical thoughts. As far as disrupting the amo market, forget it. We have bought more than enough amo to take out the Chinese and Indian armies combined.
Remember a few years ago at the height of the war in Iraq when none of us could buy ammo in certain popular calibers because the military was buying it all up for use by the troops?
It must be nice to have unlimited resources.
I don’t. Fedzilla doesn’t either, and they need to quit pretending otherwise.
it is getting weirder and weirder
OK, now I’m getting concerned.
DHS, a billion rounds? startling, but explanation is tepidly satisfying.
NOAA, any amount? odd, but explanation is tepidly satisfying.
Secret Service? well yeah. It’s their job.
Capital Police? likewise. It’s their job.
EPA? um, that’s a lot of nifty detail for what sounds like one purchase.
Social Security? ok, but...
...wait a minute. That’s a lot of gov’t agencies buying a lot of ammo all at the same time. Either we’re just all waking up to a common unreported occurrence, or...well...
Interesting theory, until we note that it’s for little more than .40 HP and .300 Win Mag, and those of very precise descriptions.
If they’re trying to clear the shelves they’re not buying enough quantity of enough range of calibers. To clear the shelves to deny public access, they’d have to submit an order for “everything you’ve got - 9mm, .45, .38, .308, .223, HP, FMJ, boattail, ... EVERYTHING.” It’s also too late: we’ve already stocked up.
I guess you missed this thread then...DHS Orders 750 Million More Rounds Of Ammo...my reply #71.
Watch the video. .223, shotgun, .45, .38, 30-06...a huge list.
You have to watch the video to see it all laid out.
Or view the pdf...HSFLGL-12-B-00003-000001.pdf
I would enjoy hearing what you've got to say afterwards.
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