The Bulletproof Vest Partnership (BVP), created by the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Act of 1998 is a unique U.S. Department of Justice initiative designed to provide a critical resource to state and local law enforcement.

Since 1999, over 11,900 jurisdictions have participated in the BVP Program, with $173 million in federal funds committed to support the purchase of an estimated 450,000 vests. The Office of Justice Programs' Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) administers the BVP Program.

New: The Bureau of Justice Assistance is pleased to announce the Fiscal Year 2008 BVP funds are available for use. The FY 2008 award funds may be used for National Institute of Justice (NIJ) compliant armored vests which are ordered on or after April 1, 2008. The deadline to request payments from the FY 2008 award funds is September 30, 2010, or until all available 2008 awards funds have been requested.

The complete list of FY 2008 BVP awards can be viewed

Historical BVP award information for FY 1999 through the FY 2007 can be accessed

8/24/2005:

Body Armor Safety Initiative - An Initiative of U.S. Department of Justice. In response to concerns from the law enforcement community, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced an initiative to address the reliability of body armor used by law enforcement personnel and to examine the future of bullet-resistant technology and testing. As part of this initiative, the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) has examined Zylon®-based bullet-resistant vests (both new and used) and is reviewing the process by which bullet-resistant vests are certified.