FEDERAL AGENCY:

AUTHORIZATION:

Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Act of 1998, Public Law 105-181, June 16, 1998.

To protect the lives of law enforcement officers by helping State, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies provide officers with armored vests.

TYPES OF ASSISTANCE:

Direct Payments for Specified Use. Place Cursor Here for Definition

Applicant Eligibility: Only chief executives of jurisdictions (or their designees) may apply for funds. Jurisdictions are defined as general purpose units of local government (e.g., cities, towns, townships, boroughs, counties, etc.), Federally-recognized Indian tribes, the 50 State governments, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands. The chief executive of the jurisdiction registers on-line, submits the jurisdiction application, and requests payment for completed vest orders.

Beneficiary Eligibility: Only law enforcement officers may receive vests through this program. According to the Act, "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. Eligible officers may be full-time, part-time, paid or volunteer.

Credentials/Documentation: Eligible jurisdictions must be general purpose units of local government, Federally-recognized Indian tribes, the 50 state governments, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands. The validity of the on-line registration process is verified through independent reviews which may include certification by the banking institutions serving the jurisdiction, the U.S. Census Bureau, and agencies within the U.S. Department of Justice.

Pre-application Coordination: This is an Internet-based program. The jurisdiction is required to complete and submit an on-line registration form, providing information about the jurisdiction's chief executive officer, program contact person, and electronic banking information. The registration process is handled through the program's web site http://vests.ojp.gov. For jurisdictions without Internet capability, other means of registration are available. Only those jurisdictions with approved registrations are permitted to make application. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.

Application Procedure: The jurisdiction submits the application to BJA via the Internet web site http://vests.ojp.gov. On-line instructions guide the jurisdiction through the application process. Law enforcement agencies or agencies with law enforcement functions which meet the Act's definition, will assist in completing the jurisdiction's on-line application by indicating the types, numbers, and costs of vests they intend to order. For jurisdictions and/or agencies without Internet capability, other means of application are available. Only those jurisdictions that complete and submit applications will be eligible for matching funds from BJA.

Award Procedure: Applications received by BJA are reviewed for completeness, accuracy, and compliance with all program requirements. Each application is then checked against the availability of funds to cover up to 50 percent of the application's total cost, in keeping with established criteria for program fund allocation. When all checks are complete and the application approved, the jurisdiction is notified through e-mail that the necessary funds have been obligated.

Deadlines: Jurisdictions are permitted to apply only once per Federal fiscal year. For the Federal fiscal year 2002, the submission of applications begins January 14, 2002 with a deadline of April 13, 2002.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time: A minimum of 15 working days may be required for complete registration validation, although jurisdictions and law enforcement agencies will have immediate access to certain program components during this validation process. A minimum of 20 working days may be required after the program closes for approval of the jurisdiction's application for funding. A minimum of 25 working days may be required for the electronic transfer of funds from the U.S. Treasury to the jurisdiction's bank account, once the request for funds has been received, reviewed, and approved by the Office of Justice Programs.

Appeals: Not applicable.

Renewals: Not applicable.

Formula and Matching Requirements: The program requires that each applicant jurisdiction be responsible for providing at least 50 percent of the cost of each vest purchased. Tribal governments may use Federal funds to provide this match; all other jurisdictions must use nonfederal match funds. Nonfederal fund sources include State and/or local jurisdiction revenues, private or personal funds, and contributions from insurance or workman's compensation consortiums. Asset forfeiture funds may also be used to meet the jurisdiction's matching requirement. Beginning in FY 2002, changes (Bulletproof Vest Partnership Act of 2000) (Public Law 106-517) gives preference to small jurisdictions (those populations below 100,000) guaranteeing them the full 50 percent match payment before payments are calculated and approved for larger jurisdictions. In addition, this law continues this grant program for an additional 3 years, FY 2002 through 2004.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance: Jurisdictions with approved applications must request the federal match no later than September 30th of the fourth federal fiscal year following the end of the federal fiscal year in which their application was approved. In other words, the jurisdiction has four years beyond the year of their application to request payments for vests contained in that application. Payments of the federal match will be made whenever the jurisdiction indicates that at least part of the approved vest order was received and invoiced.

Reports: None.

Audits: Payments and transactions are subject to audits by the General Accounting Office, Department of Justice's Office of the Inspector General, state or local government auditors, and auditors from independent public accounting firms. Jurisdictions must follow their local procurement policies and procedures, including maintenance of reliable and accurate accounting systems, record keeping, and systems of internal control.

Records: Recipients of federal funds are expected to retain documentation supporting all program 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.

Account Identification: 15-0404-0-1-754.

Obligations: FY 01 $25,093,491; FY 02 est $25,492,443; and FY 03 est $25,444,000.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance: Not applicable.

In fiscal year 2001, the program received over 5,405 jurisdiction registrations from states, territories, municipalities and tribal governments. The 4,447 applications approved are expected to result in the purchase of approximately 190,000 vests. BJA experiences over the 3 years of program operation show that system design, technology and hardware adequately supported the program. The technical support help desk successfully fielded thousands of calls and e-mail inquiries from participants.

Interim Final Rule, Federal Register, September 23, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 184), Internet web site http://vests.ojp.gov.

Regional or Local Office: None.

Headquarters Office: Benefits Office, Bureau of Justice Assistance, 4th floor, 810 7th Street, NW., Washington, DC, 20531. Telephone: (202) 307-0635, fax (202) 616-0314, Email askbja@ojp.usdoj.gov/bja. Justice Response Center, 1-800-421-6770. Vest Technical Support Help Desk at 1-877-758-3787.

Web Site Address:  www.usdoj.gov/bja.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.