Contradiction

The other day I offered my services to a certain translation agency. Although the "Japanese conditions" that go along my offer, and that I need to survive in Japan, almost always preclude any chance of getting any work from outside of Japan, these people actually DID get back to me and want to include me in their database.
Fine.

HOWEVER ...

Although this agency deals mainly with patents, I got the following:

"Thank you for sending your resume and clarifying your background. I would still like to add you to our resource network. Could I trouble you to complete the attached translator profile and send me two patent translation samples once your schedule allows?
I will send you our NDA once I reviewed your submission."

So, THEY want me to sign an NDA. Yet, they ask me to provide samples of my work, with has been done for companies (I do not translate patents for fun or as a pastime) with which I - naturally! - also signed NDSs.
I presume(d) they are aware that they were are asking me to violate those contracts!
And this from people specializing in law ...

When I pointed this out to them:
"I don't want you to violate any existing NDA's with your current customers.
I would appreciate if you could send me any patent translations samples that do not fall under existing NDA with your clients."

Well, THEY expect me to keep everything secret - for "security reasons".
How come they can assume, that other companies don't care and/or assign work without requiring their translators to sign NDAs? After all, we are talking about "intellectual property" = information that belongs to somebody.
I fail to see the rational behind that kind of thinking ...

By the way, this is an American agency.
I am tempted to say: "how American!"