City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: December 9, 2025
Agenda Item: 4.L
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To: Mayor and City Council
From: Darrick Jacob, Interim Police Chief, Police Department Subject: Approval of Modification to Purchase Order with U.S. Armor to Provide Bulletproof Vests for the Police Department
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Authorize the Procurement Manager to issue a change order to purchase order #22600670 in the amount of $250,000 with U.S. Armor for bulletproof vests for the Police Department. This would result in a revised purchase order total not to exceed $500,000, with future year funding contingent on Council budget approval; and
2. Adopt a finding of no possibility of significant effect pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) (Common Sense Exemption) of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines.
Summary
The Santa Monica Police Department (“SMPD”) equips all its field personnel with protective body armor as a standard issue safety equipment item for daily wear during duty hours. This body armor must meet the certification rating of 0101.06 set by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) and provides protection to officers, while remaining flexible and comfortable. Staff recommends a modification to the purchase order with the City’s current vendor, U.S. Armor, to increase the purchasing authority by $250,000, which will result in a new not to exceed amount of $500,000 over the life of the current five-year term.
Discussion
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On May 25, 2022, SMPD posted a Request for Quotes (“RFQ”) for concealable body armor. A total of four vendors downloaded the RFQ and two submitted quotes. A team comprised of SMPD personnel reviewed the quotes. The evaluation team evaluated each vendor’s quotes with consideration given to pricing, NIJ compliance, and the comparison of samples. SMPD’s evaluation team selected the company U.S. Armor as the best bidder in accordance with the criteria stated in the RFQ and the City’s municipal code. On August 17, 2022, U.S. Armor was awarded a five-year Purchase Order (“PO”) for concealable body armor with a total contract amount of $250,000.
Due to a backlog of expired bulletproof vests and the hiring of 57 new police officers since the original award, the current PO will exceed its spending authority before its five-year term expires. Staff requests that the City Council approve increasing the spending authority under the PO by an additional $250,000, which will allow sufficient funding for new vest issuance and replacement of expired vests for uniformed SMPD personnel. Furthermore, consistent with the City’s purchasing practices, staff will begin a new competitive bidding process for concealable body armor prior to the expiration of the PO’s five-year term.
Environmental Review
The purchase order with U.S. Armor is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) (Common Sense Exemption) of the CEQA Guidelines. The contract is covered by the commonsense exemption which states that CEQA does not apply, “where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment.” The purchase order will provide SMPD with bulletproof vests for uniformed members of the Santa Monica Police Department. Therefore, it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment.
Financial Impacts and Budget Actions
Staff seeks authority to approve available from funding from the General Fund and the 3 of 3
Citizens Option for Public Safety (COPS) Fund to increase the amount of purchase order #22600670 with U.S. Armor for concealable bulletproof vests.
Purchase Order Modification Request
Purchase
Order #
Funding
Sources
Current
Authorized
Amount
FY 2025-26
Request
Amount
Amount
for
Future
Years
Dept Account #
Total
Revised
Purchase
Order
Amount
22600670
General $250,000 $36,000 $180,00
0 01180005.52509
0 $466,000
COPS $0 $34,000 $0 22180001.52526
0 $34,000
Total $500,000
Future year funding is contingent on Council budget approval.
Prepared By: Cody Green, Police Lieutenant
Approved Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. U.S. Armor Oaks Initiative
B. Levine Act Disclosure - US Armor Signed