Patrick Leahy Bulletproof Vest Partnership

The Patrick Leahy Bulletproof Vest Partnership (BVP), created by the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Act of 1998 is a unique U.S. Department of Justice initiative designed to provide a critical resource to state and local law enforcement.

ONE MILLION VESTS: Since 1999, the BVP program has awarded more than 13,000 jurisdictions a total of $548 million in federal funds for the purchase of over one million vests (1,490,930).

Funding

Applications for FY 2022 BVP funds were accepted until July 1, 2022. See the complete list of FY 2022 BVP awards.

System for Award Management (SAM) Registration Requirement: Jurisdictions must be registered in SAM in order to apply for and receive BVP award funds. Jurisdictions not registered with SAM are strongly encouraged to access the SAM website as soon as possible to obtain information on and complete the online SAM registration process. For more information about renewing and updating your existing SAM registration, or registering in SAM as a new entity, please visit https://sam.gov/content/status-tracker. The SAM Helpdesk can be reached at 866-606-8220. The information in SAM must match the information in the BVP system.

Documentation Requirement: Grantees are required to keep documentation to support the BVP vest application and payment requests for at least a three year period.

Other Federal Funds: Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) funds or other federal funding sources may not be used to pay for that portion of the bullet proof vest (50%) that is not covered by BVP funds. JAG or other federal funds may be used to purchase vests for an agency, but they may not be used as the 50% match for BVP purposes.

Uniquely Fitted Armor Vest Requirement - Jurisdictions receiving funding for reimbursement of body armor purchases must have in place a uniquely fitted vest requirement when the BVP applications are submit.

In the BVP Program, "uniquely fitted vests" means protective (ballistic or stab-resistant) armor vests that conform to the individual wearer to provide the best possible fit and coverage, through a combination of: (1) correctly-sized panels and carrier, determined through appropriate measurement, and (2) properly adjusted straps, harnesses, fasteners, flaps, or other adjustable features. The requirement that body armor be "uniquely fitted" does not necessarily require body armor that is individually manufactured based on the measurements of an individual wearer. In support of the Office of Justice Programs' efforts to improve officer safety, the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) International has made available the Standard Practice for Body Armor Wearer Measurement and Fitting of Armor (Active Standard ASTM E3003) available at no cost. The Personal Armor Fit Assessment checklist, is excerpted from ASTM E3003.

In addition, a certification section has been added to the BVP application stating the jurisdictions and law enforcement agency are aware of and will comply with this requirement.

Mandatory Wear FAQs

BJA will continue the existing policy that requires a written mandatory wear policy for uniformed patrol officers in place when BVP applications are submitted. There are no requirements regarding the nature of the policy other than it specify when mandatory wear is required for uniformed officers on duty. The IACP has very generously provided both its Body Armor Model Policy and position paper to the BVP program. In order to obtain a copy of the Model Policy and position paper, jurisdictions must be registered with the BVP program. To obtain a copy of the Model Policy, contact the BVP Customer Support Center at 1-877-758-3787 or email [email protected].