Library
Manufacturer-neutral reference content for body armor procurement professionals. New briefs published automatically when regulatory monitoring agents detect a material change.
The authoritative guide to body armor law in every US state. Five compliance tiers, two restrictive states (NY, DC), one face-to-face state (CT), and 42 standard jurisdictions — with statute citations and shipping gating rules.
DOJ Bureau of Justice Assistance reimburses up to 50% of NIJ-certified body armor for state/local/tribal LE. Biennial cycle, strict product eligibility, and the difference between getting reimbursed and wasting your submission.
NIJ 0101.07 replaces 0101.06 as the body armor ballistic standard. New threat-level naming (HG1/HG2/RF1-RF3), expanded conditioning protocols, and a phased transition. Here's the purchase decision framework.
NY Executive Law § 144-a (enacted 2022 after the Buffalo supermarket shooting) restricts body armor purchase to eligible professions. Active LE, military, corrections, EMT, firefighters, and licensed armed security qualify. Residential online shipping to non-eligible civilians is prohibited.
CGS § 53-341b prohibits mail-order body armor sales to Connecticut residents. In-person transfer is required. Licensed armed security, LE, and military buyers are exempt. Here's the operational playbook for sellers.
NASPO ValuePoint body armor contracts serve 40+ states through Participating Addenda. Primary manufacturers on current MSAs: Armor Express, Point Blank, Safariland, Survival Armor, United Shield. Here's how state agencies use it and why it beats writing a custom RFP.
18 USC § 931 is the federal floor. Convicted violent felons cannot possess body armor. Post-Sessions v. Dimaya (2018), the definition of "crime of violence" narrowed to § 16(a). Here's what that means for sellers and buyers.
Five major cooperatives serve state/local/tribal LE armor procurement: NASPO ValuePoint, Sourcewell, OMNIA Partners, HGACBuy, TIPS-USA. Plus state-specific (CMAS, TX DIR, NY OGS). Here's how they compare.
NIJ threat levels define what ballistic threats body armor resists. Level IIIA stops most handgun rounds. Level III stops rifle rounds but not armor-piercing. Level IV adds AP protection. Here's how to pick the right level for the mission.
The Sentinel LGM-35A ICBM program replaces Minuteman III across F.E. Warren (WY/NE/CO), Minot (ND), and Malmstrom (MT) through the 2030s. Security Forces equipment refresh is massive and multi-year. A primer on what the program means for body armor procurement.