What Odd Items Did DHS Try To Purchase (And Then Suddenly Cancel)?

Getty Images.

Well here’s a bit of a mystery.

The Department of Homeland Security on Wednesday posted an online combined synopsis/solicitation for the following items:

LI 001: Carbon Bagpipe Drone Reed Set, 5, EA;

LI 002: Bagpipe Chanter Reeds-Easy, 12, EA;

LI 003: Bagpipe Chanter Reeds-Medium, 12, EA;

LI 004: Deluxe Bagpipe Bag Covers w/ Non-slip Grap Patch and Zipper, 5, EA;

LI 005: Drone Cords, 5, EA;

LI 006: Highland Bagpipe Tuner and Metronome with cases, 2, EA;

LI 007: Combination Tuner and Metronome, 6, EA;

LI 008: Black Polypenco Bagpipes w/ cases, 10, EA;

LI 009: Polypenco Bagpipe Chanter, 10, EA;

LI 010: Bellows Blown Blackwood Smallpipes in "A" w/ cases, 4, EA;

LI 011: Black waxed bagpipe hemp, 4, EA;

LI 012: Real Beeswax, 4, EA;

LI 013: Long Polypenco Practice Chanters, 10, EA;

LI 014: Bagpipe Tutor Book - VOL 1 C.O.P., 10, EA;

LI 015: Practice Chanter Reed, 10, EA;

LI 016: Rol of Pipe Bag Tie-In cord, 2, EA;

LI 017: Tapered Reamer, 1, EA;

LI 018: PiobMaster 2.3 CD ROM-Bagpipe music writing software, 1, EA;

LI 019: Pipe Band Base Drum Carrier, 2, EA;

LI 020: Folding Bass Drum Stand, 1, EA;

LI 021: Inverness Rain Cape, 14, EA;

LI 022: Glengarry Plain, 15, EA;

LI 023: Snare Drum Stand, 4, EA;

LI 024: Pipe Band Snare Drums-Black, 4, EA;

LI 025: Snare Carrier-Silver, 4, EA;

LI 026: 16" x 12" Pipe Band Tenor Drum, 4, EA;

LI 027: 18" Bodhran Pack w/ Beater, 4, EA;

LI 028: Deluxe triple function drum sling, 2, EA;

LI 029: Heavy Duty Tenor Drum leg rest, 2, EA;

LI 030: Drum-Mount Snare Drum stick bag, 4, EA;

LI 031: Heavy Duty Drum Key, 2, EA;

LI 032: Short Black Classic Tenor Mallets, 3, EA;

LI 033: Black Bass Beaters, 2, EA;

LI 034: TyFry Tenor Tutor Tenor Instruction DVD/CDROM, 1, EA;

LI 035: Snare Stick Set, 10, EA;

LI 036: Square Tenor/Snare Drum Case, 5, EA;

LI 037: Spats Canvas-White, 20, EA;

LI 038: Hose-Blue, 14, EA;

LI 039: Flashes-Red, 14, EA;

LI 040: Leather Day Sporrans-Black, 14, EA;

LI 041: Horsehair Sporrans, 14, EA;

LI 042: Sgian Dubhs, 14, EA;

LI 043: Shipping/Handling/Delivery, 1, EA;

Not long after the Drudge Report linked to the DHS page, the listing was updated Thursday to show that it had been cancelled by the federal agency:

screen grab.

Still, two questions remain: What in the world does the DHS need with bagpipes and miscellaneous band equipment? Was it somehow for one of the military bands? If not, or even if so, how much would it have cost taxpayers?

We may not know for some time. A request for comment was not immediately returned by a DHS spokesperson.

Here’s the full posting:

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Front page photo courtesy Getty Images.