BVP FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Questions Regarding Application Guidelines Questions Regarding Awards and Award Length Questions Regarding Eligibility and Participation Questions Regarding General Information Questions Regarding Vest Purchase, Receipt Reporting, & Payment Requests Questions Regarding Vests (Eligibility, Types, Standard Care, Purchase) Just click on a question below to see the answer. Questions Regarding Application Guidelines 1. Does the law enforcement agency need
to fill out an application? Is this done entirely over the internet? Questions Regarding Awards and Award Length 9. Our jurisdiction received less than
50% funding for last year's application. Can we re-apply for additional
funds to increase this share? Questions Regarding Eligibility and Participation 13. Can I participate as a law enforcement
officer? Questions Regarding General Information 25. What responsibilities will the CEO
have regarding the control and disbursement of federally-provided matching
funds? Questions Regarding Vest Purchase, Receipt Reporting, & Payment Requests 30. Will our jurisdiction be subject
to audits or inspecions if we purchase vests through this program? Questions Regarding Vests (Eligibility, Types, Standard Care, Purchase) 34. Can we purchase vests that we did not include in our application? Answers Questions Regarding Application Guidelines 1. Does the Law Enforcement Agency need to fill out an application? Is this done entirely over the Internet? Participating Law Enforcement Agencies register and apply online. The agency contact establishes a unique password and user identification to protect the agency's transactions throughout this process. Agency applications become part of the total jurisdiction application, which is reviewed, approved and transmitted by the chief executive to the Bulletproof Vest Program for review and approval. Click here to go to the Law Enforcement Agency Information page. 2. How do we as a jurisdiction apply? In simple terms, the jurisdiction's chief executive or designee registers, applies for funding based upon the total vest needs of the participating law enforcement agencies, and requests up to 50% of the needed funds to pay for the vests. Click here to go to the Jurisdiction Information page. 3. What is the Funding Application Process? In our city, we have a city administrator. Is the administrator the one who files the application or is it my job as chief of police? The city administrator has the authority to determine the best means for completing the registration and application process. This may include delegating the responsibility to you or someone on the administrator's staff. Two application options are available for jurisdictions. Click here for details. 4. How will online purchasing through this program work in conjunction with our city's policy of going to the lowest bidder? The online vest application contains information about each agency's vest needs; but agencies do not order vests through this program. The actual purchase is handled through the agency's normal procurement process independent of the vest web site. Purchasing from the lowest bidder and other requirements which may comprise agency procurement policy must be followed, documented, and maintained on file for future audit purposes. 5. What is the "Total Cost" of the vest? The program is designed to pay up to 50% of the total cost of each vest in the application. Total cost includes the cost of the vest, vest carriers, attachments, inserts, and covers considered integral or essential for its proper care, use, and wearability, shipping, handling, fitting charges, and applicable taxes. Essentially, the total invoiced price, after all vendor and prompt payment discounts have been deducted, is what BJA uses to determine total cost. Information about the invoiced purchase price and related costs will be reported to BJA when payment is requested. 6. Will we have to certify that the vests purchased meet the program's guidelines? When a jurisdiction indicates that vests have been purchased, they are also certifying that the vests are in compliance with applicable standards and that the invoiced prices for vests do not include unrelated law enforcement equipment. All transactions related to vest procurements are subject to federal and jurisdiction-based audits. Purchase orders, receiving reports, and invoices need to be consistent with the provisions of the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Act. 7. What type of documentation or proof will you require in terms of the number of vests we want to purchase for our officers? Generally, each jurisdiction/agency is permitted to apply for funds to purchase one vest per eligible officer per federal fiscal year. It is up to the agency to determine for whom and under what circumstances vests are purchased and issued. The only limitation per year is that the total agency purchase cannot exceed the total personnel strength of the agency, as measured by the number of filled officer positions, not just authorized or budgeted positions. 8. How do we go about applying for additional funds to cover the less than 50% federal share we received from last year's application? For a jurisdiction that only purchased vests in last year's application using a 50-50 match, the new application should include vests from last year's application that were not purchased, plus any additional/new vests required this year. For a jurisdiction that purchased vests last year and used more than 50% local share, the following explanation may help. Examine last year's application and determine how many of the total vests purchased could have been paid for with a 50% federal share. The vests not covered by this share should then be included in the new application, along with any new vests required. Here's an example of the process: Let's assume a jurisdiction applied for 20 vests at $500 each and received 30% rather than 50% federal share: 1.Application contained 20 vests, at
$500 each for a total of $10,000 Please note that jurisdictions requesting additional funds to cover up to 50% of last year's application will not receive special consideration. Each application will be judged on the amount of funds requested, in relation to available resources, number of jurisdictions applying, and statutory program set-asides. Questions Regarding Awards and Award Length 9. Our jurisdiction received less than 50% funding for last year's application. Can we re-apply for additional funds to increase this share? Jurisdictions are responsible for determining the best means of meeting their vest needs, using available resources, and purchasing vests, while ensuring adherence to BVP program guidelines and statutory requirements. Jurisdictions may use funds from more than one approved BVP application to purchase vests in approved applications, as long as the total BVP share does not exceed 50% of the vest's total cost. 10. How much will the funding be for our jurisdiction? The yearly level of participation and requests for this program are unpredictable. Consequently, the BVP program cannot provide information about anticipated funding levels for specific jurisdictions. Given the dynamic nature of available funding and program participation, jurisdictions should complete applications based upon their current vest needs for all eligible law enforcement officers. With accurate and complete information, BVP will be better able to make informed funding decisions and continue to demonstrate the scope of vest needs for law enforcement officers nationwide. 11. When funding approval is made which accounts for less than 50% of the requested funds in a jurisdiction's application, who will determine how much each individual law enforcement agency within a jurisdiction receives? Funding amounts are based on the jurisdiction's population, amount of available funds, and statutory funding requirements. The chief executive of each jurisdiction (or designee) is responsible for determining the process by which the available funding is applied to individual law enforcement agency needs. The chief executive is also responsible for ensuring that law enforcement agencies adhere to imposed limits when completing their receiving reports and requests for payments. 12. How long will it take to get the registration approved and to receive funds once the application is approved? A minimum of fifteen working days may be required to complete the registration validation process, although jurisdictions and law enforcement agencies will have immediate access to certain application components during this period. A minimum of twenty working days may be required for the electronic transfer of funds from the U.S. Treasury to the jurisdiction's bank account, once BVP receives the online payment request. Questions Regarding Eligibility and Participation 13. Can I Participate As a Law Enforcement Officer? If you meet the definition as provided for in the Act and its interpretation. However, you must work through your employing agency; you will not be able to register as an individual. 14. What Does the Term "Law Enforcement Officer" Mean? According to the Act, the term "Law Enforcement Officer" means 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. Personnel not on this list may be eligible and should contact our Grant Coordinator for more information. * Police Officers The following categories are generally considered outside the scope of the Act and will not be included in the program. * Vests for K-9 dogs (* 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 for funds.) 15. Our department has hired ten new police officers and they are currently in the training academy. Can we include their vest needs in our application? The BVP program does not make a distinction between new hires and trained or certified law enforcement officers, as long as the officers in question meet the Act's definition (as stated above) when the BVP funded vests are purchased. The only relevant restriction applies to positions that are authorized or funded but unfilled; jurisdictions are not permitted to include anticipated vest needs for authorized but unfilled positions in their application. 16. Can We Participate As a Law Enforcement Agency? If your agency employs eligible law enforcement personnel. The agency director/designee acts as the program liaison with agency personnel and the jurisdiction's chief executive. Only the chief executive (or designee) can formally submit a completed application. 17. Can We Paricipate As a Jurisdiction? If you are a recognized unit of general government as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau and you employ law enforcement officers as defined by this Act. The jurisdiction's chief executive is required to complete the online registration and to provide general oversight and approval of key transactions between the Bulletproof Vest Program and the participating law enforcement agencies. 18. Can individual state law enforcement agencies register online if the state chief executive has not yet registered on behalf of the state jurisdiction? Our agency is small and we want to move forward with the program. Your agency will still be part of the larger state application, but you will be able to register and complete your portion of the application without delay. However, the state's complete application cannot be processed until the chief executive registers, and the other law enforcement agencies register and complete their portions of the application. 19. We are a state agency with eligible law enforcement personnel. Do we have to connect our application with that of other state agencies applying (like State Police), or can we apply on our own? Each participating state agency registers and completes their portion of the state's application through their own Law Enforcement Agency Handbook. All agency applications automatically "roll-up" into one master state application, which is approved and electronically transmitted by the state's contact person to the Bulletproof Vest Program. 20. We are a state agency with eligible law enforcement personnel. Do we have to connect our application with that of other state agencies applying (like State Police), or can we apply on our own? Each participating state agency registers and completes their portion of the state's application through their own Law Enforcement Agency Handbook. All agency applications automatically "roll-up" into one master state application, which is approved and electronically transmitted by the state's contact person to the Bulletproof Vest Program. 21. Does the law enforcement agency need to fill out an application? Is this done entirely over the Internet? Participating law enforcement agencies register and apply online. The agency contact establishes a unique password and user identification to protect the agency's transactions throughout this process. Agency applications become part of the total jurisdiction application, which is reviewed, approved and transmitted by the chief executive to the Bulletproof Vest Program for review and approval. The entire registration-application-request payment process is handled over the Internet. 22. I am a county executive with several smaller towns and villages. Do I coordinate the vest needs and the application process for all jurisdictions within my county's boundaries? The BVP program regards each jurisdiction as unique and discreet. Your county application will only include county-level agencies; the state-level application will only include state agencies; a town application will only include town-level agencies. Multiple jurisdictions are not permitted to combine their vest needs into one application. 23. How do we as a jurisdiction apply? In simple terms, the jurisdiction's chief executive or designee registers, applies for funding based upon the total vest needs of the participating law enforcement agencies, and requests up to 50% of the needed funds to pay for the vests. 24. What do you mean by "jurisdiction"? Who is my jurisdiction CEO? The program is administered through units of general government recognized by the U.S. Census Bureau. Jurisdictions include towns, cities, villages, boroughs, parishes, counties, states, and Indian tribes. The Chief Executive Officer is the highest ranking elected or appointed official of the jurisdiction (e.g. city mayor, city, town or village manager, state governor, county executive, chairman of the governing board, chairman of the county commissioners, Tribal chief or Tribal Governor). In some localities, the highest ranking law enforcement officer may also be considered the jurisdiction's CEO (e.g. the State of Louisiana). Questions Regarding General Information 25. What responsibilities will the CEO have regarding the control and disbursement of federally-provided matching funds? Only jurisdiction chief executives may request funds from the Department of Justice, on behalf of the participating law enforcement agencies. Payments may be requested only after vests have been delivered, received, and invoiced. Chief executives are responsible for ensuring that no law enforcement agency within their jurisdiction requests or receives payments in excess of 50% of the cost of vests purchased with program funds. 26. Our jurisdiction already applied this year but we have additional needs. Can we apply again? Jurisdictions are permitted to apply only once per program year. Jurisdictions may apply for additional vests during subsequent program years, even though prior year vest orders or payments are still pending. 27. We have a routine replacement schedule and budget for vest purchases. Are we still eligible for funding, or does this create a "supplanting" issue? Jurisdictions and agencies can fully participate in this program, without regard to supplanting. Supplanting issues do not apply to this program. 28. Is there an "Interim Final Rule" available? The Interim Final Rule was published in the Federal Register. You can link to a copy through the current website. 29. Is there a Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance reference for this program? The Vest program has a CFDA number of 16.607. To view the entire document, click here. Questions Regarding Vest Purchase, Receipt Reporting, & Payment Requests 30. Will our jurisdiction be subject to audits or inspections if we purchase vests through this program? BVP payments and transactions are subject to audits by the General Accounting Office, Department of Justice's Office of the Inspector General, and applicable state/local auditors. Jurisdictions must follow their local procurement policies and procedures including maintenance of reliable and accurate accounting systems, record keeping, and systems of internal control. Recipients of federal funds are expected to retain documentation supporting all BVP transactions for at least three years after the closure of audit reports related to such funding. If any litigation, claim, negotiation, audit, or other action involving records has been started before the expiration of the three year period, the records must be retained until completion of the action and resolution of all related issues, or until the end of the regular three year period, whichever is later. 31. Do we have to purchase the vests in our approved application by the end of this fiscal year? Jurisdictions with approved applications may purchase vests and request the federal match through September 30th of the second federal fiscal year following the end of the federal fiscal year in which their application was approved. In other words, the jurisdiction now has two years beyond the year of their application to purchase vests and request payment for those vests. Payments will be made whenever the jurisdiction indicates that at least part of the approved vest application was received and invoiced. 32. We have already purchased vests prior to the submission of our current application. Can we include these vests in our current application? Only if the NIJ-approved vests were purchased on or after April 1 of the current year. 33. How are funds generally distributed? The Act provides for BJA to award funds directly to States (includes the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, United States Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands), units of local government, and Indian tribes. At least half of the funds will be provided to units of local government with less than 100,000 residents. Funding levels are established using jurisdiction population, available funding, and statutory program set-asides based upon jurisdiction size. Questions Regarding Vests (Eligibility, Types, Standard Care, Purchase) 34. Can we purchase vests that we did not include in our application? The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) recognizes that law enforcement agency operational and equipment needs may change. Consequently, participating agencies are not required to purchase the exact number, type or model of vests contained in the approved application. Vests may be purchased at any threat level, make or model, from any distributor or manufacturer, as long as the vests have been tested and found to comply with applicable National Institute of Justice ballistic or stab standards. The original application cannot be changed; any changes in actual purchases are reflected in the online Receipt of Vests, as you prepare an online payment request. All payments are made after applicable vests have been ordered and received. 35. Why is only one vest per officer per year allowed when the useful life for vests is generally five years? This provision is part of the Act. However, only jurisdictions and law enforcement agencies can determine vest serviceability, replacement requirements and schedules. The Bulletproof Vest Program will accept applications covering a maximum of one vest per officer per federal fiscal year. Vests for officers with dual vest needs (e.g. both concealable and tactical) may not be part of the same year application. 36. Can we purchase other types of ballistic equipment through this program? This program only allows the purchase of body armor that has been tested and found to comply with NIJ's Standard 0101.03 Ballistic Resistance of Police Body Armor. Therefore, it does not cover ballistic helmets, gloves, or any other type of ballistic equipment. 37. Our K-9 are considered sworn officers. Can we purchase body armor for K-9 through this program? Vests provided through this program must be tested and found to comply with NIJ standard 0101.03. Vests modified for K-9 units have not been tested by NIJ and are therefore not eligible for matching funds. 38. Are the stab resistant vests available now? Yes. NIJ issued its stab resistant body armor standard 0115.00 in September, 2000. Several dozen vests are now listed in the acceptable list, accessible through the vest application. 39. Are threat level IV vests eligible for funding? Threat level I and above vests are eligible for funding. Specific makes and models of all NIJ-approved level IV vests are online and viewable, once you register; or you can link to http://www.nlectc.org for a current listing through the NIJ JustNet site. 40. Can a jurisdiction buy threat level IV vests for the SWAT team? As long as the jurisdiction can fund at least 50 percent of the cost, the purchase does not exceed the allowable limits for that jurisdiction, and the vests are in compliance with applicable NIJ standards. 41. What about the "life span" of vests. Does the material wear quickly due to body oils, etc? Are there any studies on the safety and viability of different kinds of vests? The National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center has a website with a variety of relevant information about vests and other public safety equipment. If you would rather call, their toll-free number is 1-800-248-2742.
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