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Funding & ProcurementSolicited once, used by many

Cooperative contracts

A cooperative contract is competitively solicited once by a lead public entity and then made available to many eligible agencies. NASPO ValuePoint and Sourcewell both hold body armor contracts; OMNIA Partners, BuyBoard and HGACBuy serve public safety buyers. Whether your agency may use a given contract depends on your state and local law.

Sources read Sep 30, 2026 · 10 sources

If you buy armor

Cooperatives save a solicitation, not a decision. You still choose the model and check it on the NIJ CPL.

  1. Check eligibility and membershipSourcewell registration is free for government agencies, schools, tribal governments and nonprofits, with no obligation to buy. BuyBoard membership is free. NASPO ValuePoint depends on your state's participating addendum.
  2. Find the body armor contractNASPO ValuePoint's Body Armor and Ballistic Resistant Products portfolio (2025 to 2030) was awarded by the lead state of Colorado. Sourcewell awarded body armor contracts under solicitation 091924.
  3. Keep the solicitation fileDownload the solicitation and award documents from the cooperative. Your auditor, and any grant program, may ask how the contract was competed.
Watch out for
  • Cooperative fees are paid by the vendor: Sourcewell says vendors pay a fee each time their contract is used, and NASPO ValuePoint states its administrative fees run from 0 to 0.25 percent.
  • A cooperative's description of products as meeting NIJ standards is the cooperative's or vendor's statement. Check each model on the NIJ CPL yourself.
  • In Texas, BuyBoard states that buying through a cooperative satisfies the state's competitive procurement requirement for local governments. Other states set their own rules.

If you sell armor

You get onto a cooperative contract by answering its competitive solicitation when it opens.

  1. Watch the solicitation calendarsNASPO ValuePoint posts upcoming, open and in-progress solicitations run by a lead state. A lead state must first solicit for your product category.
  2. Respond and win an awardYou become a NASPO ValuePoint contractor only by responding to a competitive solicitation and being awarded a master agreement. The same principle applies at Sourcewell, BuyBoard and HGACBuy.
  3. Plan for the refreshContracts carry an expiration date. NASPO ValuePoint replaced its body armor portfolio with a 2025 to 2030 portfolio; Sourcewell's 091924 body armor contracts list a maturity date of 2028-12-23.
  4. Sign the addendaFor NASPO ValuePoint, each state that opts in signs a participating addendum with you.
Watch out for
  • Build the cooperative's administrative fee into pricing as the contract specifies.
  • Keep your listing current when a model's CPL status changes.

On this path

NASPO ValuePoint, Body Armor and Ballistic Resistant Products (2025 to 2030)
Master agreements awarded by the lead state of Colorado for ballistic and stab vests, helmets, shields and related products; used through state participating addenda.
Buyers and sellers
Sourcewell, Body Armor (solicitation 091924)
Contracts from a Minnesota service cooperative, open to registered government, education, tribal and nonprofit agencies.
Buyers and sellers
OMNIA Partners, Public Sector
Cooperative contracts for public agencies; supplier catalogs under its public safety contract include body armor.
Buyers and sellers
BuyBoard (Local Government Purchasing Cooperative)
A cooperative created under the Texas Interlocal Cooperation Act, with a national program as well; membership is free.
Buyers and sellers
HGACBuy
A government-to-government purchasing service of the Houston-Galveston Area Council, focused on public safety and emergency services among other categories.
Buyers and sellers

Look it up on ArmorList

Cooperative contract vehiclesNASPO ValuePoint and Sourcewell, and the companies on each.NASPO ValuePoint analyticsMarket-basket pricing and CPL coverage.Sourcewell analyticsWho sells what on #091924, at what discount, against NASPO.

Questions

Does using a cooperative contract cost our agency anything?

Sourcewell and BuyBoard state that membership is free, and Sourcewell says the vendor pays its fee. Your price is the contract price.

Do we still need to check the NIJ CPL?

Yes. The CPL is per model, and statuses change. A cooperative award is not an NIJ listing.

Can we pay for a cooperative purchase with grant money?

Often, but the grant's own rules decide. For federal awards, 2 CFR 200.318(e) encourages intergovernmental agreements, and BVP lets you buy eligible vests from any distributor.

Sources

This is a reference compiled from official sources, not legal, procurement or grant advice. Your procurement code, the contract and the program’s own guidance are the record.