Govt to buy P46.6M worth of ammo

Dennis D. Estopace, Reporter

The Department of National Defense (DND) announced that it is bidding out P46.6-million worth of bullets and tracer cartridges.

“The DND, government arsenal, through the General Appropriations Act, intends to apply the sum of P46,651,200 being the approved budged for the contract to payments for the supply and delivery of 5.56mm M855 bullet and 7.62mm tracer cartridges.”

The DND said that it will bid out 5.8 million pieces of 5.56mm bullets worth at around P28.4 million while Lot 2 is for 350,000 7.62 mm tracer cartridges worth P18. 2 million.

The DND said it welcomes local or foreign bidders as long as they are eligibile as provided in the Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act 9184 also known as the "Government Procurement Reform Act."

According to a paper on NATO Infantry Weapons Standardization, the 5.56mm rifles are: Belgian-made FNC; G36, Germany; AR70/90, Italy;  L85A2, United Kingdom; and the American-made M16A2.

These were the nominated weapons of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in 2008, the paper by Per G. Arvidsson of the NATO Army Armaments GroupTel.

The M16A2, is the standard assault rifle issued to the infantry.

The 7.62×51mm, on the other hand, is a rifle cartridge developed in the 1950s as a standard for small arms among NATO countries.

In 1970, the NATO decided to try to standardize a common rifle and a second caliber to 7.62mm, Arvidsson said.

“During 1976-1979, they, therefore, performed mutual tests with rifles and ammunition in West Germany and Canada.”

 

The DND said that interested parties are required to have completed a similar project within the last five years.