Grants to USA Agencies to Purchase Safety Equipment for Law Enforcement Officers

Patrick Leahy Bulletproof Vest Partnership (BVP)

Agency

Federal

GrantWatch ID#

155584

Funding Source

U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs (OJP), Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA)

CFDA Number: 16.607

Geographic Focus

All USA
USA Territories: American Samoa (USA); Guam (USA); Puerto Rico (USA); Virgin Islands (USA); Northern Mariana Islands (USA);

Important Dates

Deadline: 06/30/23 6:00 PM ET

Grant Description

Grants to USA and territories government agencies and Tribes for safety equipment to enhance the protection of law enforcement officers. Applicants must complete required registrations prior to submitting an application. Equipment purchased under this program must conform to all current standards. Priority will be given to jurisdictions with fewer than 100,000 residents.

The Patrick Leahy Bulletproof Vest Partnership (BVP) reimburses states, units of local government, and federally recognized Indian tribes, for up to 50 percent of the cost of body armor vests purchased for law enforcement officers.

Recipient

Additional Eligibility Criteria

Eligible Applicants: States, units of local government, and federally recognized Indian tribes—that is, jurisdictions—that employ eligible law enforcement officers are eligible to apply for BVP funds.

For the purposes of the BVP Program, “state” means each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands; “unit of local government” means a county, municipality, town, township, village, parish, borough, or other unit of general government below the state level.

“Law Enforcement Officer” is defined as any officer, agent, or employee of a state, unit of local government, or an Indian tribe authorized by law or by a government agency to engage in or supervise the prevention, detection, or investigation of any violation of criminal law, or authorized by law to supervise sentenced criminal offenders. This includes full-, part-time, and auxiliary personnel, whether paid or volunteer.

Below is a list of general job categories determined to be eligible for this program. This is not an all-inclusive list. Job categories not listed below may be eligible. Please contact the BVP Help Desk for assistance with eligibility determinations.
Police officers
• Sheriff deputies
• Adult and juvenile jail, detention center, and correctional institution officers
• Judicial officers
• Prosecutorial officers
• Transit authority police officers
• Harbor/port authority police officers
• Fire marshals
• Arson investigators
• State police officers
• County college, city college, and university police
• Park and conservation police officers
• Traffic and code enforcement officers
• Liquor control/authority investigators
• Adult and juvenile probation officers
• Parole officers
• Police chaplains

Ineligible

The following categories are generally considered outside the scope of the BVP statute and are ineligible.
• Federal employees
• K-9 dogs
• Private college/university police officers
• Emergency medical personnel
• Fire and rescue personnel
• Private correctional officers or private police officers under contract with a local, state, or tribal government to provide related services*.
*If officers, agents, or employees engaged in private police or correctional work are being paid by an eligible jurisdiction and rely on that jurisdiction to provide for their personal equipment needs, they may be eligible to receive funds. However, the police/correctional officers or their corporate employers may not apply directly.

Pre-Application Information

The annual BVP application period typically begins in April and closes six weeks from the opening date.

The fiscal year 2023 BVP Program application period is now open, beginning Thursday, April 27, 2023. All applications must be submitted online through the BVP application system by 6:00 p.m. ET on Friday, June 30, 2023.

Funds will be available approximately three to four months after the application deadline.

All currently registered BVP system users should ensure that all contact information, recorded in the BVP system, including names and e-mail addresses, reflects the most current information. All BVP correspondence, such as application period and award announcements and payment confirmations are sent electronically, via e-mail. Failure to maintain updated contact information in the BVP system could result in your jurisdiction or agency not receiving important BVP messages. For more information, see Critical Program Information: https://www.ojp.gov/critical-program-information

Jurisdictions not registered with SAM are strongly encouraged to access the SAM website at https://www.sam.gov/SAM/ as soon as possible in order to obtain information on and complete the online SAM registration process. Applicants should ensure that current bank routing and bank account information is included in the SAM.gov profile, as the banking information in the SAM at the time of application will be used to transfer reimbursement funds to your jurisdiction. 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/help.

Match Requirement: The federal portion of the costs for body armor vests purchased under the BVP Program may not exceed 50 percent.

Links:
Mandatory Wear FAQs: https://www.ojp.gov/bvp/mandatory-wear-faqs
Ballistic Resistance of Body Armor NIJ Standard-0101.06: https://nij.ojp.gov/library/publications/ballistic-resistance-body-armor-nij-standard-010106
NIJ Compliance Testing Program: https://nij.ojp.gov/body-armor-compliance-testing
NIJ Compliant Products List: https://nij.ojp.gov/topics/equipment-and-technology/body-armor/ballistic-resistant-armor
Ballistic Resistant Body Armor and the NIJ Mark: https://nij.ojp.gov/body-armor-compliance-testing/nij-mark
NIJ Selection and Application Guide to Ballistic-Resistant Body Armor: https://nij.ojp.gov/library/publications/selection-and-application-guide-ballistic-resistant-body-armor-law-enforcement

Estimated Size of Grant

BJA cannot provide information about anticipated funding levels. Given the dynamic nature of available funding and program participation, jurisdictions should complete applications based upon their current body armor vest needs for all eligible law enforcement officers.

Term of Contract

Recipients have approximately two years from the time the awards are released in the BVP system to request reimbursement. BVP awards are typically released by September 30 of the applicable fiscal year, and the expiration date for the funds is provided in the award notification.

Contact Information

BVP application system: https://vests.bja.ojp.gov/bvp/login/externalAccess.jsp

The BVP Helpdesk can be contacted at 1-877-758-3787 or vests@usdoj.gov.

Media and Congressional inquiries should be directed to the OJP Office of Communications at 202-307-0703 or ojp.ocom@usdoj.gov.

The SAM Helpdesk can be reached at (866) 606-8220.

Grants to USA Agencies to Purchase Safety Equipment for Law Enforcement Officers

Patrick Leahy Bulletproof Vest Partnership (BVP)

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