“It’s not in this year’s budget.” We’ve heard it before, especially with requests for tactical body armor and load bearing vests. To get the body armor and load bearing gear you need without breaking your department’s budget, a tactical team leader should take the following steps:Conduct a current equipment assessment. The team leader should conduct a comprehensive inventory and identify all available tactical equipment. Proper purchasing will eliminate excess equipment. Make a plan that clearly outlines what else is needed. Develop an equipment plan. The “Christmas wish list” attitude won’t get a tactical team what it really needs, but a reasonable equipment purchasing plan will. Develop an equipment goal and objective list for the next five years. While it is imperative that a department purchase the best equipment available, it may be easier to get the equipment a few pieces at a time. The relationships among department heads is like dating: the best way is to take your time, build the relationship, and develop it into a win-win relationship for both people. The same is true for presenting a well thought-out plan to the purchasing manager. The best way to build the plan is to collect all information necessary to make a purchase decision well in advance of a meeting with the purchasing manager.Do the homework about equipment. Keep in mind that just because a piece of equipment looks good in a catalog doesn’t mean it necessarily is good. Evaluate all pieces of equipment using these four tips:· Is the equipment functional? It should serve the purpose for which it was designed and it must do what you require. For instance, does it meet the ballistic threat level your team routinely encounters?· Is the equipment universal? Any piece of equipment should have lasting value. While team members come and go, tactical body armor and load bearing vests remain with the department and must be used by more than one person.· Is the equipment comfortable? If a vest inhibits movement, it inhibits safety. There are many designs on the market today, and finding one that fits—and performs—should not be a daunting task. Be sure the equipment is field-tested. Unfortunately, there are products that have not been designed or tested by law enforcement officers. · Will the manufacturer send a demo? If not, don’t deal with the company. This policy eliminates guesswork. In addition, the demo can be shown to the purchasing manager, department head, and the rest of the team so everyone can see the product prior to purchase.If the equipment meets these four criteria, chances are good the product will meet the team’s needs. The only thing left to compare is price.Comparing CostsMany orders are lost at the bargaining table because the team leader did not provide the purchasing manager a comparison of costs on specific pieces of equipment from three bidders. Unfortunately, there is no consistency in pricing in the tactical market because there are different levels of players: manufacturers, manufacturers’ representatives, independent representatives, and people selling out of their homes. Therefore, it is critical that vendors supply detailed price and delivery quotations to eliminate surprises. If a company is not willing to provide a written price and delivery quote, don’t deal with it. All your questions should be answered. When requesting literature or pricing information, do not deal with an “order taker” — someone who knows little about the product being sold. Let the buyer beware: If a manufacturer’s sales representative has little or no product knowledge, he may unintentionally steer you in the wrong direction, sell you what may not fulfill your equipment plan, or worse, put a team member at risk. Purchasing Manager ControlWhen the team leader has pricing information, equipment specs, price quote, a demo model, and a game plan, he or she is ready to work toward “purchasing manager control.” In other words, get team members, chief, sheriff and other department heads singing from the same sheet of music to greatly increases the chances of getting the equipment. Share the results of the research, supply the coffee and doughnuts, and pass around the demo. Focus your audience’s attention on the universality and functionality of the products, demonstrate their flexibility, and point out safety features and “lifetime guarantees” where available. Consider making a short demonstration video of the products to show to the chief or department head. Enlist team members as the actors. Their involvement builds confidence in the product and adds credibility to your purchasing plan. If your efforts are successful and the purchasing manager puts the call out for bids, stay on top of it! Here’s a horror story to illustrate the point: A purchasing manager who didn’t know the difference between concealable body armor and tactical body armor awarded a contract to a low-bid vendor of concealable vests. The tactical team was forced to keep them, understanding that “you get what you get, and that’s all there is to it.” If the team leader had stayed on top of the purchasing process, he would not have accepted the bid and could have educated the purchasing manager on the critical differences between the vests.Remember that the tactical team leader is pivotal in this planning process. If he is not on board, the team will not get the equipment. And while all steps require effort, the extra time spent prior to the request for equipment purchase will be rewarded with the proper equipment.Editor’s Note: This article was contributed by Tri-Tech Inc.’s Law Enforcement Products Division.