The Challenge
Police department purchases live under a microscope. Every acquisition—from patrol vehicles to duty gear to technology systems—can be questioned by council members, journalists, or the public. The procurement process must be defensible.
At the same time, police departments operate with minimal administrative staff. The person handling purchasing might also handle HR, payroll, and records. They don't have days to spend collecting quotes on a radio order.
And police equipment is specialized. Duty holsters must fit specific weapons. Body armor must meet NIJ standards. Radios must be compatible with regional systems. Getting the specs right matters as much as getting the price right.
Common Pain Points
| Public scrutiny | Purchases questioned by media, council, public |
| Minimal admin staff | One person handling procurement plus other duties |
| Specification complexity | Weapons, armor, radios must meet exact compatibility |
| Vehicle upfitting | Patrol cars require specialized equipment installation |
| Evidence/records compliance | Some purchases tied to evidence management requirements |
| Grant requirements | JAG, COPS grants require competitive documentation |
Common Purchases
How Buyer24 Helps
Defensible documentation
Complete audit trail for public records requests
Spec matching
AI extracts NIJ ratings, compatibility, model numbers from quotes
Vehicle upfit coordination
Manage quotes across chassis dealer + upfitter
Grant compliance
Documentation ready for JAG, COPS, LLEBG reporting
Council-ready summaries
Clear comparisons for public approval process
"Our city council questions every police purchase. I need to show we got competitive quotes—period. Buyer24 documents every RFQ I send and every response I get. When council asks 'why this vendor?', I pull up the comparison and show them the lowest bid that met our specs. Conversation over."
Office Manager
Police Department (58 sworn officers), Mountain West
Public Sector FAQ
Does Buyer24 work with state cooperative contracts?
Yes. You can use Buyer24 to get quotes from open-market vendors and compare them against state contract pricing. Many public organizations use both—Buyer24 helps you document either path.
How does this work with our existing purchasing system?
Buyer24 handles the quote collection and comparison phase. Once you've selected a vendor, you process the PO through your existing system (Munis, Tyler, PeopleSoft, etc.). No integration required to start.
Is the data secure enough for public sector use?
Yes. Data is encrypted at rest and in transit. We can provide security documentation for your IT review. No supplier data or pricing is shared between organizations.
What about purchases that require formal sealed bids?
Buyer24 is designed for informal quotes (typically under $25k-$50k threshold). For formal sealed bids, you'll continue using your existing bid management process. Most public organizations find that 80%+ of their purchases fall in the informal quote range.
Can multiple people in our office use it?
Yes. Team accounts let multiple staff members manage requests, with visibility into what others are working on. Great for backup coverage and workload balancing.
How long does implementation take?
Most public sector teams are live within 1-2 days. Connect your email, add your common suppliers, and start sending RFQs. No IT project required.