price quotes are due by 12/23/13. Based on other Government possibly jointly related to H7N9 pandemic preparations,(more on that in a follow-up post)Potassium Iodide (PI) is a thyroid blocker. It is used to prevent the thyroid from absorbing radioactive iodine. PI works by filling up the thyroid with iodine, thereby preventing any further absorption of iodine.The quantity being ordered is 700,000 packages of 20 tablets each. Each tablet contains 65mg of Potassium Iodide. 65mg is a child's dose, the adult dose is double that amount.. Last year the military had an order out for approximately 1 million doses of "iOSAT" (the adult dosage)The quantity and dosage being order is sufficient to offer US Pacific Island protectorates (but not Hawaii) roughly 20 days protection from radioactive iodine produced from a Fukushima fuel pool failure. In a nuclear war scenario 10 days protection is called for as the majority of radioIodines will have decayed within 10days after the blast. However, theat $6 for 14 adult doses of iOSAT and $13 for 20 children's doses of ThyroSafe. Both should last indefinitely if stored well, their printed shelf lives are 6 years. Amazon seems to have the best prices on both items, alternatively direct order from the manufacturer is advisable for the longest shelf life. But be aware that,