Nitrile Gloves

Waiver Rationale Summary

The current market for U.S. manufactured nitrile gloves is not able to meet the Department’s need. Specifically, 4 MIL and 5 MIL nitrile gloves meeting DHS specifications and testing requirements are not grown, reprocessed, reused, or produced in the United States in a sufficient quantity to satisfy the entirety of the Department’s nitrile glove requirements. The availability of domestically produced nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) remains a challenge. 15% of the TSA nitrile glove demand is manufactured domestically by American Nitrile using NBR sourced from Italy, a domestic trading partner of the United States. DHS has identified two other domestic manufacturers for 4 MIL and 5 MIL nitrile gloves (i.e., Nephron Nitrile and Safe Source). DHS is reviewing test results from Nephron Nitrile to determine remaining testing requirements. WRT Safe Source, the vendor has completed the final round of testing. DHS is reviewing the test results to determine acceptability. If the gloves are acceptable, a pre-production sample will be provided to DHS. Once the pre-production sample is approved, CABVI will move forward with an initial order. Given these activities, DHS anticipates the full demand for 4 MIL and 5 MIL nitrile gloves to be met by domestic manufacturers by December 2024. DHS has also identified two domestic manufacturers for 6 MIL gloves (i.e., Nephron Nitrile and American Nitrile). Nephron samples have been evaluated and reviewed, and the first delivery of 6 MIL nitrile gloves is anticipated August 2024. Product will go into circulation immediately after CABVI receipt and production of finished product. Assuming there are no issues with the gloves once deployed to the field, DHS will transition to domestic sourcing of 6 MIL nitrile gloves. CABVI is currently awaiting samples for review from American Nitrile. Once received, they will be evaluated and reviewed. Notwithstanding these efforts, DHS will continue to seek domestic manufacturers for nitrile gloves and will utilize those domestic sources that meet our specifications and satisfy our testing requirements as soon as they become available. In the interim, DHS is acquiring the most compliant glove possible that meets our specifications and testing requirements.