Purchase of Service Canines

The San Mateo County Sheriff's Department is seeking qualified vendors to provide service canines for the county's Bomb Squad and Narcotics units. This procurement encompasses the purchase of single or dual-purpose K-9s that meet specific breeding, health, and performance standards established by the Sheriff's Department. The canines must be bred for law enforcement work, demonstrate excellent physical health with documented evidence of good bill of health records free from genetic, hereditary, or skeletal abnormalities, and remain unaltered at the time of purchase. Vendors must present canines that successfully pass a rigorous pre-selection process, which may include hunt tests, drive tests, obstacle and agility evaluations, environmental evaluations, bite work evaluations where applicable, and sociability assessments conducted by a member of the K-9 unit. The County will evaluate potential K-9s based on specific criteria including health, temperament, compatibility, and other essential factors necessary for law enforcement work in high-stress environments. If vendors are providing certified K-9s, they must present evidence of testing and training records. The posting date for this opportunity is February 6, 2026, with a deadline for proposal submission on February 12, 2026.

The procurement notice does not specify set-aside designations, restrictions on responding organizations, disadvantaged enterprise requirements, incumbent vendors, or award value ranges. Vendors responding to this solicitation must be prepared to provide a replacement guarantee period at their sole expense, offering exchange of any returned K-9 for a replacement of comparable suitability if the original canine is returned due to health, genetic, training, or compatibility concerns identified after purchase. This guarantee obligation ensures the Sheriff's Department can address any post-purchase issues while allowing vendors flexibility in meeting the county's operational needs.