Did Homeland Security Order 21,600,000 rounds?

[rbertalotto]

I just saw this on the internet and thought I'd share:


Rumor control: Did the Dept. of Homeland Security recently request to purchase 21,600,000 rounds of handgun ammo?
5:13 PM 02/26/2013inShare



   
On February 5, 2013 the Department of Homeland Security issued a "Solicitation/Contract/Order for Commercial Item" for ammunition to be purchased and delivered to the DHS Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Artesia, New Mexico. The ammunition being purchased is "Commercial Lead Training Ammo" — or CLTA, in government speak.


There are three components to the order:


1. .40 caliber, 165 grain jacketed hollow point rounds
2. 9mm, 115 grain jacketed hollow point rounds
3. 9mm, 124 grain ball ammunition


On February 7, three sources — the Examiner, The Blaze and  InfoWars – claimed that the DHS was adding 21,600,000 rounds of ammunition to its stockpile. The next day, Investors.com reported the 21,600,000 round purchase by DHS. The Daily Caller has reviewed the purchase solicitation and has determined that those reports are wildly inaccurate.


Section 20 of the solicitation outlines the "Schedule of Supplies/Services," which details the purchase for each of the three components. The first two components, .40 caliber and 9mm 115 grain jhp rounds, specify 100,000 rounds to be priced per 1,000 rounds. The third component, 9mm 124 grain ball ammo, specifies 40,000 rounds to be priced per 1,000 rounds.


The incorrect calculations that brought reporters to the 21.6 million number looks like this for each component:


1. .40 cal. 100,000 rounds x 100 quantities = 10,000,000 rounds
2. 9mm 115 grain, 100,000 rounds x 100 quantities = 10,000,000 rounds
3. 9mm 124 grain ball, 40,000 rounds x 40 quantities = 1,600,000 rounds


Total = 21,600,000 rounds


The problem with the equation is that the wrong numbers were used to calculate the delivery. The error in reporting occurred because the authors mistakenly failed to recognize that the delivery was to be priced per 1,000 rounds.


Here are the correct calculations:


1. .40 cal. 100 quantities of a 1,000 round unit = 100,000 rounds
2. 9mm 115 grain, 100 quantities of a 1,000 round unit = 100,000 rounds
3. 9mm 124 grain ball, 40 quantities of a 1,000 round unit = 40,000 rounds


Total = 240,000 rounds


To directly answer the rumors: Did the Department of Homeland Security just request to purchase 21,600,000 rounds of handgun ammo? No, not by a long shot. They purchased 240,000 rounds. That amount is equivalent to just one round per employee of the Department of Homeland Security.

[Mean Bob Mean]

NRA also commented saying they could not find where that had occurred and it had not impacted the scarcity of reloading components, demand by consumers had. 

[Delmonico]

If they did they didn't clear it with me.  Ask Snopes, although I don't trust them either.

[Shotgun Franklin]

Which brings up the question of why DHS needs 240,000 employees?

[TwoWalks Baldridge]

Which brings up the question of why DHS needs 240,000 employees?

Well that is only 4800 per state, then when you calculate in leave time, sick days, vacations, holidays and seminars, that only leaves 800 per state ... and they are waiting for someone to tell them which papers need staples. 

[joec]

Here is why they are so large http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Department_of_Homeland_Security

[litl rooster]

the total number of rounds differs from one website to another.

[Mean Bob Mean]

the total number of rounds differs from one website to another.

Yeah, that is the nature of rumors and myths as well as the fact that some of the numbers come from the RFPs of different agencies for different years.  It fueled some ridiculou hoarding and price gouging, that is a certainty. 

[Shotgun Franklin]

Yeah, since DHS now has 2,100 Amoured Vehicles I'm hoarding those. I mean the government always has our best interests at heart, right?

[MedicineMan]

I'm hoarding those.

Definitions ... FYI -

"Stockpiling" - is when I buy something at a great price and get a lot of it to last a while.

"Hoarding" - is when I buy a lot of something, then others want it and can't buy it, compounded by their IRE at my not being willing to give it to them.


(the previous post was a "funny"... in case of humor impaired)

[Mean Bob Mean]

Hello Mate:

This is an internet scare that refuses to die.  The NRA looked into this a couple different times and said it was not accurate.  It is however, used by unscrupulous persons to drive the cost of components and ammo up by fear mongering.  Such persons are cowards and curs and should be horse whipped promptly for preying on their brethren.

Mean Bob Mean