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Board approves three two‑year contracts for station wear and gear; local vendor included
Summary
The board approved three two‑year contracts (each not to exceed $150,000) for station wear and gear. Contracts were awarded to Next Hill Capital Partners (doing business as Star Uniform) for extrication gloves, class A uniforms and promotional badges; MES for shirts, duty pants and helmet shields; and Phoenix for duty shoes.
The Indianapolis Board of Public Health and Safety on Sept. 3 approved three separate two‑year contracts — each with a not‑to‑exceed value of $150,000 — to supply station wear and gear used by first‑responder personnel.
Chief Richard Cook, who oversees the department’s quartermaster operations, told the board the awards followed a competitive bid process. “This is for station wear uniforms and gear, specifically, gloves, our class A uniform items and promotional badges,” Cook said when introducing the contract sought from Next Hill Capital Partners (Star Uniform). He said three contracts were presented to provide competitive bidding and to prevent reliance on a single incumbent vendor.
Cook identified Next Hill Capital Partners as a local vendor — Star Uniform at 1038 North Shadeland Avenue — and said that vendor will supply extrication gloves, class A uniforms and promotional badges. He said MES won another contract for station wear items such as T‑shirts, polos, duty pants, sweatshirts and leather helmet shields that identify department affiliation. The third contract, Phoenix (based in Ohio), was awarded for duty shoes issued to new recruits.
Board members asked whether the quantities contracted would cover future recruit classes. Cook said the two‑year contract should encompass two typical recruit classes (the department expects classes to start in January 2026 and January 2027) but that a large consolidation of personnel from other entities would likely exceed the contracted quantities. “If consolidation were to happen, probably not,” Cook said when asked whether the contract would suffice for an influx of roughly 120 additional people.
One board member noted the benefit of separating awards to allow a local vendor to compete. Cook said the department sought multiple vendors to keep pricing competitive and to avoid diminished customer service that had occurred with a previous incumbent.
The board moved, seconded and adopted items 090325B, 090325C and 090325D by voice vote; the chair called for the question and declared the items adopted after members answered “Aye.”
