This is baffling. FEMA should be ordering supplies through GSA using RFP and pre-approved contract prices to get the best prices. This is a fairly rapid process--at least as quick as giving it to private businesses for distribution. The idea that the federal government 1/ https://twitter.com/weijia/status/1247925757193658375

turns goods over to private companies to then sell is likely against the law, but more importantly stupid. It drives up prices and doesn't take into account need. For the federal government to purchase something and then sell it to a private entity immediately? Wow. That's..2/

bizarre and against every rule in federal purchasing I've ever seen. I'll not General Honore made exactly this point as well. It ignores good practice on distribution as well with the process being having an idea of what the burn rate is in places and then sending according to 3/

specific need not because something is a hot spot. Just sending things to a hot spot ignores specific burn rates and specific needs which is how you maximize supplies in a situation with scarcity of this type. The market isn't geared towards that kind of distribution--4/

geared towards distributing based on prices which are heavily distorted in any sort of emergency situation. Essentially, Jared better be going to prison after this is all over because he's leading a profiteering ring. 5/

And in the case where the GSA process might be circumvented (There are so few reason to do this even in an emergency) the product should not be going to private distributors other than as pass throughs.

We pay you to deliver this here because you already deliver stuff, but we pay a reasonable rate for delivery and that's it.