Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Nevada officials negotiate option to buy up to 2.5 million rounds of ammunition

State employees allowed to use firearms

State of Nevada workers who are authorized to use firearms include:

• Transportation Authority inspectors

• Special investigators in the Attorney General’s Office

• Fire department investigators

• Agriculture department brand inspectors and field agents

• Forestry department investigators

• School district police officers

• Gaming Control Board agents

• Department of Motor Vehicles investigators and administrators

• Legislative police

• Taxicab Authority field investigators

• Child and Family Services counselors

• Juvenile probation officers

• City and county security officers

The state of Nevada negotiated an option to buy up to 2.5 million rounds of ammunition for state agencies over the next two years, according to documents and interviews with the Nevada Purchasing Division.

State officials made 55 separate requests for ammunition for 9mm pistols, 12-gauge shotguns, semi-automatic rifles and other firearms as part of a solicitation to vendors across the country, according to bidding documents received by sporting good wholesalers.

Officials described the deal as routine, a way to secure cheap rounds for highway patrol, parole and probation, emergency management, wildlife and other state departments. Several counties, including White Pine and Esmeralda, also took part in the bid, purchasing officials said.

But the purchase isn’t exclusive to agencies that are obvious users of firearms. Employees from the state agriculture department, Taxicab Authority, county school districts and Gaming Control Board also have access to firearms and could put in requests for bullets.

The negotiations are not for a bulk purchase of ammunition; rather, the deal will lock in prices for the state for two years. Officials will be able to obtain the ammunition from the vendors on an as-needed basis.

“This is a standard practice for when government does business,” said Greg Smith, purchasing division administrator.

State buying agents secure ammunition just as they do chairs, desks or carpet, Smith said. Vendors submit prices, and the state chooses based on cost and brand.

The state renews its ammunition contract every two years because of volatile pricing. Smith said the purchasing department does not track the amount or types of ammunition specific agencies use.

Agency officials contact the purchasing division only when an agency maxes out its supplies. No agency has exceeded its limit during the past two years, Smith said.

In 2013, the state made a similar request and received responses from five companies.

State officials negotiated deals with three vendors: Dooley Enterprises in California, Salt Lake Wholesale Sports in Utah and ProForce Law Enforcement in Arizona. Nevada officials bought an array of Remington, Winchester, Federal and Spree ammunition of varying calibers.

Some of the agencies prefer one brand over another, Smith said.

“We like to provide a menu,” he said.

The cost of the last two-year contract was $215,309; officials expect a similar price tag this year. Buying the same amount of ammunition at retail would cost nearly double in some instances.

It’s common for government agencies, both in Nevada and nationally, to buy weapons, ammunition and military gear — and in some cases, use it.

• The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation in June requested 52,000 rounds of ammunition for its Hoover Dam office.

• In 2013, the Department of Homeland Security put out a bid to buy more than 1 billion rounds of ammunition for its more than 100,000 law enforcement agents.

• Also in 2013, agents from the Environmental Protection Agency inspected the offices of a mining company in Alaska while wearing body armor and carrying M16 rifles and shotguns, leading to an investigation by House lawmakers.

— Julie Ann Formoso contributed to this story.

Clarification: A previous version of this story said the state of Nevada plans to buy 2.5 million rounds of ammunition for state agencies. In fact, state officials negotiated an option to buy up to 2.5 million rounds of ammunition for state agencies over the next two years.

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