The San Bartolomé de Tirajana City Council has launched a key public tender for security equipment in southern Gran Canaria. This technical supply contract focuses on the active protection of its police force. The budget for this tender, jointly signed by the Councilor for Security and Emergency Services, José Carlos Álamo Ojeda, and the Chief Commissioner, allocates an estimated total of €294.468,42 for uniforms, footwear, and protective gear. However, the most critical and technically demanding part of the tender is Lot III, exclusively for the acquisition of state-of-the-art ballistic vests to meet the evolving security needs of the tourist region.
The budget allocated to this vital protection package amounts to a base tender price of €51.256,00 excluding taxes. To this initial amount is added a financial reserve of €10.251,20 for contract modifications as stipulated by law, a technical provision intended to cover the cost of supplying additional units in anticipation of new officers joining the Local Police force.
The tender specifications introduce a differentiated ergonomic criterion, requiring suppliers to present solutions adapted to the physical characteristics of the workforce. The tender requires the delivery of 34 ballistic vests designed for men and 10 units manufactured with anatomical specifications for women. Each of these protective systems has a maximum unit bid price of €805,00 before taxes. The tender penalizes generic solutions, requiring that the lightweight armor plates guarantee optimal coverage of vital organs without hindering the mobility of officers in the coastal and commercial areas of Maspalomas, where summer temperatures increase heat stress for patrol personnel.
The specifications for the body armor include the acquisition of external textile covers that allow for the accessible carrying of auxiliary equipment. The tender details the purchase of 44 vest covers with a modular MOLLE system in a two-tone finish, budgeted at a maximum price of €214,00 per unit, intended for routine public safety duties in the municipality. In addition, the supply includes 30 covers of the same modular MOLLE system but in black, priced at the same unit price, intended to standardize the appearance and equipment of the local police's Operational Group during operations in the nightlife areas of Playa del Inglés.
The financial structure of the contract breaks down the profit margins allocated to defense sector companies bidding for the supply contract. Specifically for ballistic vests, the direct costs of manufacturing, quality control, maritime transport, and the personnel required for the physical delivery of the equipment to the municipal facilities account for €43.072,27 of the budget. The net profit margin for the winning bidder has been strictly limited to 6%, equivalent to €2.584,34, while general administrative and business management expenses represent 13% of the budget, amounting to €5.599,39.
The tender establishes economic safeguards to maximize the return on public funds should the bidding process generate downward competition among tactical supply companies. The terms stipulate that, if bids are lower than expected, the resulting budget savings will not be deducted from municipal spending but can be used entirely to increase the number of vests or holsters supplied. Material control will be under the direct supervision of the contract manager, who will review delivery notes and verify invoices through the FACe electronic platform to ensure that the officers' torso armor meets market homologation standards before its final deployment on the streets of southern Gran Canaria.
