I was reading the notice on FedBizOps.gov website. Does not seem unusual or alarming to me. Not like reading about the Social Security Administration soliciting bids for 174,000 rounds of .357 Sig hollow point ammo. The NIH notice is just asking for feedback about vendors that may be capable of filling such a contract, but is not an actual solicitation for bids to purchase the equipment.

The NIH supports a huge animal research infrastructure and lots of people who need to be properly equipped to do their jobs. Some of the protective equipment degrades, so it has to be purchased periodically on an ongoing basis. Events like the domestic Ebola scare can dry up supplies and the NIH is worried that they could run out while waiting for manufacturers to catch up. And the protective equipment specified sounds pretty run of the mill. Nothing like hazmat suits and respirators. To me, sounds like a prudent thing to line up a guaranteed flow of supplies for a year (if Ebola rages that long) with an option for additional years if it later seems like it will be necessary.