Why would the National Weather Service need to buy ammo?

[pbharvey]

.40 caliber hollow points and targets

 

The DOC NOAA National Weather Service - Western Acquisition Division Boulder requires the following items, Purchase Description Determined by Line Item, to the following:

LI 001, 16,000 rounds of ammunition for semiautomatic pistols to be factory-loaded .40 S&W caliber, 180-grain jacketed hollow point (JHP). No reloads may be used with these weapons. All service furnished ammunition for issued firearms will be U.S. factory production.

Inside Delivery to locations below:

NED:

8,000 rounds to: Ross Lane DOC, NOAA, NMFS, OLE, NED 130 Oak Street, Suite 5, Ellsworth, ME, 04605

8,000 rounds to: Troy Audyatis, DOC, NOAA, NMFS, OLE, NED 53 North 6th Street, Room 214 New Bedford, MA, 02740., 16, Cases;

LI 002, 24,000 rounds of ammunition for semiautomatic pistols to be factory-loaded .40 S&W caliber, 180-grain jacketed hollow point (JHP). No reloads may be used with these weapons. All service furnished ammunition for issued firearms will be U.S. factory production.

Inside Delivery to locations below:

24,000 rounds to: Jeff Radonski, A/DSAC DOC, NOAA, NMFS, OLE, SED 263 13th Avenue South, Suite 109, St. Petersburg, FL, 33701., 24, Cases;

LI 003, 6,000 rounds of frangible, 125-grain CFRHT .40 caliber. No reloads may be used with these weapons. All service furnished ammunition for issued firearms will be U.S. factory production.

Inside Delivery to locations below:

6,000 rounds to: James Cassin DOC, NOAA, NMFS, OLE, NED 3350 Highway 138, Suite 218, Wall, NJ, 07719, 6, Cases;

LI 004, 500 Transtar II blue 24" x 40" paper targets

Inside Delivery to locations below:

200 paper targets to: Ross Lane DOC, NOAA, NMFS, OLE, NED 130 Oak Street, Suite 5 Ellsworth, ME, 04605

200 paper targets to: Troy Audyatis DOC, NOAA, NMFS, OLE, NED 53 North 6th Street, Room 214 New Bedford, MA, 02740.

100 paper targets to: James Cassin DOC, NOAA, NMFS, OLE, NED 3350 Highway 138, Suite 218, Wall, NJ, 07719, 500, Items;

 

I'm sure there's a perfectly logical explanation but it seems odd.

[elkroeger]

Security guards? What's the source?

 

You can ask them yourself:

 

http://www.weather.gov/contact

[pbharvey]

The source is FBO.gov- Federal Business Opportunities.

[Albert]

If they're planning to shoot down Canadian cold fronts in January and February, I"m all for it.

[lkraus]

Apparently someone else questioned this. The solicitation was modified, then cancelled today.. The modication changed the requesting agency from the National Weather Service to the National Maritime Fisheries Service, before the cancellation. Both services are part of NOAA. I think the Fisheries service enforces fishing laws regarding catch limits, so I suppose their officers need to be armed.

[cali_beemer]

The source is FBO.gov- Federal Business Opportunities.

 

I used to be on fed biz opps for my last job....its pretty crazy at the stuff they put up for solicitations.

[pbharvey]

Apparently someone else questioned this. The solicitation was modified, then cancelled today.. The modication changed the requesting agency from the National Weather Service to the National Maritime Fisheries Service, before the cancellation. Both services are part of NOAA. I think the Fisheries service enforces fishing laws regarding catch limits, so I suppose their officers need to be armed.

 

See, I knew there was a reasonable explanation.

 

 

Formed in 1970, NOAA's Office of Law Enforcement has special agents and enforcement officers working out of six divisional offices and 53 field offices throughout the United States and U.S. territories. Headquarters are in Silver Spring, Md.

 

The primary geographic jurisdiction of NOAA's Office of Law Enforcement is the waters within the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone, which covers ocean waters between 3 and 200 miles off shore and adjacent to all U.S. states and territories. Jurisdiction extends to protected marine species and national marine sanctuaries, however, regardless of their location within the United States.

About OLE - Office of Law Enforcement

 

 

 

Seems like the National Marine Fisheries Service would be under the Department of Agriculture rather than NOAA though.

 

[Mike]

The individuals named in the solicitation seem to be officers of the NOAA Office of Law Enforcement (specifically agents-in-charge to whom supplies are delivered). They're buying ammunition and targets for federal law enforcement agents who must go through weapons qualification on a regular basis.

 

Ain't nothin' here folks. Keep movin' along.

[Mike]

If they're planning to shoot down Canadian cold fronts in January and February, I"m all for it.

 

So, why do you hate Canada?

[tallman]

The individuals named in the solicitation seem to be officers of the NOAA Office of Law Enforcement (specifically agents-in-charge to whom supplies are delivered). They're buying ammunition and targets for federal law enforcement agents who must go through weapons qualification on a regular basis.

 

Ain't nothin' here folks. Keep movin' along.

 

Methinks they know something and are preparing for a long , long, long cold epoch.

Or Zombibies...

 

[pbharvey]

Or Zombies...

 

Zombie loads are 165 grains

 

 

[Bill_Walker]

Seems like the National Marine Fisheries Service would be under the Department of Agriculture rather than NOAA though.

 

Well, it is the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

[David13]

That seems to be the logical explanation.

However, for national security reasons it is not appropriate for any of you to be asking any of these questions.

It seems easy to me. None of their guns will work for anything without the ammo.

Does anyone have a link with regard to entering the delivery address on any of those requisitions?

dc

[Downs]

However, for national security reasons it is not appropriate for any of you to be asking any of these questions.

 

It's perfectly legitimate to ask WTF your govt. is doing. To blindly follow or allow the .gov to do what ever they want to without civilian oversight is recipe for disaster. And I work for the .gov.

 

Nearly every federal bureau and office is armed in some way. EPA, DOE, IRS, DOI, DOA, ect, ect, ect. They all have officers that are armed in some way to perform some task.

[pbharvey]

In today's news, the Social Security Administration is soliciting for the purchase of 174,000 rounds of .357 sig JHPs

 

Of course they're for the SSA security personnel but the real question is " why does SSA get to shoot .357 sigs and the Fishery folks .40s?" Seriously, I'd love to know the thought process behind both agencies in selecting their sidearms.

[elkroeger]

Don't forget your Zombie edition laser grip.

 

http://www.crimsontrace-laser.com/lg-401z-front-activation-lasergrips-zombie-edition.html

[Joe Frickin' Friday]

Nearly every federal bureau and office is armed in some way. EPA, DOE, IRS, DOI, DOA, ect, ect, ect. They all have officers that are armed in some way to perform some task.

 

I don't know about other federal facilities, but at the one where I work, security (including armed guards) is handled by the Federal Protective Service. I don't know how funding is handled, but I would guess that if my agency is providing funding for FPS activities on our site, it seems likely that it would be via bulk transfer of funds, as opposed to my agency handling micropurchases for them (like buying boxes of ammo for the FPS personnel).

[Ohio48]

If they're planning to shoot down Canadian cold fronts in January and February, I"m all for it.

 

So, why do you hate Canada?

 

Cold air.

Weird thinking people.

Very Cold Air.

[Harry_Wilshusen]

In today's news, the Social Security Administration is soliciting for the purchase of 174,000 rounds of .357 sig JHPs

 

Of course they're for the SSA security personnel but the real question is " why does SSA get to shoot .357 sigs and the Fishery folks .40s?" Seriously, I'd love to know the thought process behind both agencies in selecting their sidearms.

 

SSA buying ammo makes sense. Old farts can get ornery.

[upflying]

Every federal agency is a possible terrorist target.

I reckon shutting down NOAA would put a crimp on national security.

Glad to see the feds are all armed, makes me feel safer.

[cali_beemer]

This seems to be getting national attention, very strange!!!

 

Link to article on Fed solicitation

[upflying]

This seems to be getting national attention, very strange!!!

 

Link to article on Fed solicitation

I recently went into my local Social Security office to replace a lost SS card. I was a bit shocked to see an armed guard watching over a forlorn bunch of people sitting in rows and rows of chairs. The universal frustration with bureaucracy seemed like a powder keg potential for violence. Glad to see Social Security armed agents are ready for the next active shooter.

[Mike]

This seems to be getting national attention, very strange!!!

 

Link to article on Fed solicitation

 

We should also be ordering lots of tinfoil for all the conspiracy theorists. I can't emphasize strongly enough that there is nothing extraordinary about federal law enforcement agencies purchasing bullets . . . for target practice, to carry, to replace expired stock, etc., etc., etc.

 

Whether or not it's efficient, there are about a bajillion law enforcement agencies within the executive branch. Most have fairly limited jurisdiction, focused on a narrow set of crimes within the scope of their agency's responsibility. This may be inefficient. It may sometimes result in duplication of effort. But there is no way on God's Green Earth that bullets destined for law enforcement types under the jurisdiction of NOAA or any other like agency are being stockpiled in anticipation of martial law, widespread civil unrest, the invasion of aliens from other planets, or any other reason than the routine enforcement of the laws within their jurisdiction.

 

Anyone who suggests otherwise is nuts. Nuts, I say!

 

 

[cali_beemer]

The article did raise a good question that if the bullets are for target practice, why the need for hollow tips? I also find it rather suspicious that the department the solicitation is for keeps changing.. although if the reason they ate making this purchase was in line with what the article suggests, I would think / hope that the government wouldn't be using feed biz opps to disclose this...but sometimes I give our government too much credit for intelligence...I found the article to raise some very good questions and I don't find this very hard to believe. The example in Europe has shown that the scenario isn't out of the question.

[Downs]

It could be to simplify the supply chain.

 

When ordering such large quantities of ammo they usually get pretty deep discounts. Think about the current cost of 5.56. The .gov gets it for WAY less than what you or me can buy it for.

 

But then again they can do that when they are buying 100s of thousands or millions of rounds.

 

It may be cheaper to simply train and supply the same ammo for carry than to try to stock and track 2 different types of ammo. The ammo I fire on the range every year for rifle qual is the same ammo I'd carry into combat if needed.

[pbharvey]

It could be to simplify the supply chain.

 

When ordering such large quantities of ammo they usually get pretty deep discounts. Think about the current cost of 5.56. The .gov gets it for WAY less than what you or me can buy it for.

 

 

The ammunition solicitation has a set aside for Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned businesses so the Government isn't interested in obtaining the best price. It is interested in obtaining the best price from a select group of vendors. Every time I get within 10 yards of a government RFP my hair starts to smolder. Maybe 100 years from now we'll recognize people as people and not people as part of a special group that needs help from the government.

 

Ask me sometime about my brother in law who sells software to Eskimos who re-sell it to the Army. He has a very nice Rolex.

 

 

 

[Quinn]

I generally use regular FMJ rounds for the majority of practice because it's cheaper, but do fire a few clips of the expensive stuff to make sure it will load properly and that I can handle the ballistic differences with accuracy. I don't have the budget you tax payers allow the governmnet.

 

 

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[pbharvey]

I don't have the budget you tax payers allow the government.

 

 

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ouch

[Pat Buzzard]

The article did raise a good question that if the bullets are for target practice, why the need for hollow tips?

 

All of my LEO friends receive the exact same ammunition for training\qualification as they would carry every other day in their service pistols. In addition to simplifying the supply chain, you also eliminate the possibility of a LEO having utilizing ball ammo in a shoot. Ball ammunition has a higher likelihood of over-penetrating a target and hitting an innocent.

[g_frey]

My brother once ordered (mistakingly?) a train car load of toothpicks for the military hospital he worked at. They were delivered!!! He wanted me to take a case of what looked like a billion toothpicks to try to help cover up the snafu before inventory but I refused. His military career did not last long.

[Downs]

It happens. The supply system also gets messed up sometimes. I can order a part for the airplane while copying the part number straight out of the manual and get a completley different part number in.

 

Or say I need 10 bolts. I'll order 10 bolts and they will send me 10 packages of 100 bolts. Then they gripe you ordered way more than you needed. So next time I'll order 1 "bolt" since they come in packages of 100 right? Whoever is at work that day will instead open a package and send me one freakin bolt in a ziplock baggie.

 

Yeah it's ineffecient and you never really know what you are going to get till it gets on the shelf to be issued to you.

[Joe Frickin' Friday]

Just in case this wasn't all solidly put to rest, here's some info that was prepared by someone other than a conspiracy theorist:

 

MSNBC.com article

 

The bullets are for Social Security's office of inspector general, which has about 295 agents who investigate Social Security fraud and other crimes, said Jonathan L. Lasher, the agency's assistant IG for external relations.

 

The agents carry guns and make arrests — 589 last year, Lasher said. They execute search warrants and respond to threats against Social Security offices, employees and customers.

...

A few weeks ago, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration had a similar dustup when it solicited bids for 46,000 rounds of ammunition and shooting targets, seemingly to arm workers at the National Weather Service. It turns out the notice had a clerical error and the bullets were for NOAA's Fisheries Office of Law Enforcement, the agency said.

[tallman]

Oh yeah, sure, believe what the government says...

Seems more fuel for conspiracy buffs to me.

 

Besides, 295 agants and only 589 arrests?

What's up with that?

Sounds like a good morning for 295 agents, not a whole year.

[Mike]

Oh yeah, sure, believe what the government says...

Seems more fuel for conspiracy buffs to me.

 

Besides, 295 agants and only 589 arrests?

What's up with that?

Sounds like a good morning for 295 agents, not a whole year.

 

Just a guess, but in many of these agencies, these investigations do not result in criminal charges--they may end up with debarment, termination of employment, or being referred for civil litigation. And, of course, not every investigation yields enough evidence to charge someone.

 

In instances where white collar crimes are involved, a fair percentage of defendants are charged by information (rather than by indictment) and, in either instance, surrender voluntarily for arraignment, rather than being arrested.

[elkroeger]

Besides, 295 agants and only 589 arrests?

What's up with that?

 

It would seem to me that it would take forever and a day to find a crook by mining data for suspicious activity, or however they do it. It's not like the guy just ran out of the 7-11 with a pistol and a bag....

[Chris K]

Oh yeah, sure, believe what the government says...

Seems more fuel for conspiracy buffs to me.

 

Besides, 295 agants and only 589 arrests?

What's up with that?

Sounds like a good morning for 295 agents, not a whole year.

 

Tim, it seems like that ride last weekend has improved your outlook! These guys take you way too seriously.