Fire Department Ballistic Helmets, Plate Carriers and Protective Plates

The City of Santa Monica Fire Department is issuing an Invitation to Bid for the procurement of ballistic helmets, plate carriers, and protective plates to equip approximately 130 Tactical Firefighter Paramedics, Firefighters, Ambulance Operators, and Overhead Staff members, plus an additional 20 percent supply of spare equipment for repairs and incident support. The specific deliverables include complete ballistic helmet and vest systems with plate carriers, rifle plates, and associated protective equipment, all of which must be new, latest model, and compliant with NIJ Level III or above ballistic certification standards and NFPA 3000 requirements. Vendors must possess a valid California contractor's license and demonstrate three years of recent experience providing ballistic helmets and tactical plate carriers to Southern California Professional Fire Departments within OES Region 1-Los Angeles County, with reference contacts provided for verification. The invitation was released on May 12, 2026, with a deadline for vendor questions on May 18, 2026, at 3:00 PM Pacific Time and a response deadline for bid submissions on June 1, 2026, at 3:00 PM Pacific Time via the City's electronic e-Procurement Portal (OpenGov). No site visit, bidders' conference, or pre-award meeting date is specified. Pricing must be submitted on an itemized basis through the e-Procurement Portal with all components, taxes, and shipping costs clearly identified, quoted F.O.B. destination in Santa Monica, California. The contract will be awarded based on the best bidder evaluation, with the City reserving the right to award to multiple vendors if necessary, and includes an option for four additional one-year renewal periods at the same price, terms, and conditions, or at a percentage increase if specified by the vendor.

No specific set-aside provisions for disadvantaged enterprises or restricted organizations are disclosed in the solicitation documents. Vendors must maintain active registration in SAM.gov at the time of proposal submission and provide proof of this registration, as grant funding may be utilized for this purchase. Successful bidders must obtain a City of Santa Monica Business License prior to contract execution and provide Certificates of Insurance naming the City as an additional insured, with Commercial General Liability coverage of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence. A Payment Bond in the amount of 100 percent of the proposal amount is required, executed pursuant to California Civil Code Section 9550, to guarantee fulfillment of all payment obligations to laborers, materialmen, subcontractors, and other parties involved in contract performance. The specific total contract value or budget range is not disclosed in the solicitation; however, the project proposal document references an equipment cost subtotal of $51,474.00 plus estimated sales tax of $5,533.46, with shipping costs to be determined, suggesting the contract value will exceed $57,007.46 for the initial phase. Payment for goods is made within thirty days of delivery and receipt of invoice.