Is a metallic conductor within an electrostatic field necessarily subject to discharge?
If the chips were enclosed in a conducting case or bag, even if it isn't entirely sealed, they should be quite well protected. If the static discharge you heard was transferring charge to the metal case, then this charge would stay on the case, and little or no electric field would get to the contents inside, because that conducting case stays at a uniform potential throughout (but the potential of the entire case can rise relative to earth ground).

If you have ever been to one of these Van de Graaff exhibits at a science museum, you will see that the operator sits inside something that looks like a large, grounded birdcage. A huge electrical discharge will strike the cage, and the person inside is well protected. If the cage were not grounded, the strike probably wouldn't happen, but if it did, the person inside would still be protected due to the shielding effect of the metallic enclosure. 

The same principle also explains why you are much safer in your car during a lightning storm, even though it isn't grounded. Very little electric field gets inside, as the metal of the car surrounding the passengers is all at the same potential.