Title
Law Enforcement Protective Equipment
Action
Action:
A. Approve unit price contracts for the purchase of law enforcement protective equipment for a term of three years with the following:
‒ Atlantic Tactical, Inc.,
‒ Galls, LLC, and
B. Authorize the City Manager to renew the contracts for up to two, one-year terms with possible price adjustments and to amend the contracts consistent with the purpose for which the contracts were approved.
Body
Staff Resource(s):
Chief Estella Patterson, Police
Cheryl Wright, Contracting and Procurement
John Long, Contracting and Procurement
Explanation
§ The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department purchases approximately 300 to 400 body armor vests each year to equip new recruits and replace units that have reached the end of their service life.
- For optimal officer safety and performance, each vest is replaced on a five-year cycle. The department also provides additional protective gear annually to ensure officers are fully outfitted with the necessary safety equipment.
§ On March 29, 2026, the city issued an Invitation to Bid on behalf of the City of Charlotte’s
Cooperative Purchasing Alliance (CCPA); three bids were received.
§ Atlantic Tactical, Inc. and Galls, LLC were selected as the lowest responsive, responsible bidders.
§ CCPA contracts are designed to benefit all entities required to comply with state purchasing laws, including cities, counties, public and private schools, colleges and universities, non-profits, and governmental entities by leveraging aggregate purchasing volume to secure better pricing.
§ At renewal, potential price adjustments may be considered based on legitimate and justified increases in the cost of doing business. The ability to consider price adjustments also allows the city to accept decreases, if warranted.
§ Annual aggregate expenditures are estimated to be 1,100,000.
Charlotte Business INClusion
Effective July 1, 2026, Session Law 2026-41 eliminated the authority of North Carolina local governments to use race-conscious and gender-conscious contracting requirements. In compliance with the new law, no MBE/WBE/MWBE/MSBE/WSBE/MWSBE goals or compliance requirements will be included in city contracts. SBE goals are not affected and shall continue to be used in compliance with the CBI program and applicable law.
Small Business Participation
Cooperative purchasing contracts are exempt from CBI Program goals, as these agreements leverage contracts established by other governmental agencies and do not involve a competitive bidding process within the city. Furthermore, subcontracting opportunities are typically not feasible under cooperative purchasing arrangements.
Fiscal Note
Funding: Police Operating Budget