9-27 Sole Source City of Valdosta Tactical Vehicle

The City of Valdosta, Georgia is proceeding with a sole-source award to Lenco for an armored tactical vehicle for the Police Division, with a notice of intent posted June 24, 2026 and a deadline of July 8, 2026. This procurement bypasses competitive bidding; the City has determined that Lenco's exclusive manufacturing capabilities and proprietary design of the BearCat armored vehicle cannot be adequately substituted and that competitive bidding would be impractical.

The scope is a Lenco BearCat G3 Core tactical armored vehicle with proprietary options including a 4-wheel off-road upgrade package with run-flat tires, rear air-conditioning and heating high-capacity upgrade, hydraulic front-mounted receiver with ram post and plate, door-pivoting ram head, and police cupola with glass and barn doors. The vehicle is built on a commercial Ford chassis with a 126–135 inch wheelbase and features certified Mil-Spec steel armor with 0.50 inch vertical armor panels in single-piece solid construction and proprietary welding throughout. The BearCat is certified by the U.S. Army Aberdeen Test Center for ballistic protection and automotive performance against .50 caliber multi-hit threats, hand grenades, anti-personnel mines, and 20mm fragmentation threats, and meets EN 1063 BR7, NIJ IV, and STANAG 4569 Level 2 standards. The vehicle incorporates a patented zero-gravity rotating roof hatch system, height-adjustable gunner stand, automatic door lock-out mechanism, welded running boards rated for 3,000 pounds lateral loading, 390 square feet of interior space, and an integrated on-board SCBA system. Lenco provides a three-year warranty plus Ford OEM coverage, with a mean time between repair of 24,906 miles and 98% operational readiness. Estimated operational cost is $558 per 10,000 miles. Lenco asserts that no other products in the market offer identical functionality and that its specifications, manufacturing techniques, and designs are protected by copyrights, trademarks, patents, and nondisclosure agreements. No contract value, term length, or renewal options are stated in the available documentation.