San Diego-area company awarded largest body armor contract in country

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) -- A San Diego-area small business has been awarded a multi-million dollar contract with the state of California to provide body armor to California law enforcement agencies for the next several years.

Black Box Safety, Inc. -- a provider of cutting-edge defense solutions based in San Diego -- has been granted a $35 million, sole-source, 5-year body armor contract with California, the largest body armor contract in the country.

With this new contract, the El Cajon-based small business will be the sole provider of Point Blank Enterprises' advanced ballistic protection gear for California law enforcement agencies up and down the coast, like California Highway Patrol, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, California State Parks and California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, just to name a few.

"We're honored to have been awarded this pivotal $35 million contract. This award reflects the State's trust in our ability to provide top-tier body armor to our Nations first-responders," said Jackson Dalton, President of Black Box Safety, Inc.

The company said Point Blank’s advanced ballistic protection-wear solutions are renowned for their innovative design, formidable protective capabilities and rigorous testing standards.

Recognized by Inc. Magazine as the 108th fastest growing company in the country in 2023, the 7-year-old company is the first Small Business or Disabled Veteran Owned Business to hold this contract.

“They’re (Point Blank Enterprises) a global leader in what our business is about. Protecting lives by producing an efficient product meant to keep hard working individuals safe in their work environment. We knew we had an opportunity we didn’t want to lose,” said Griffin Forsyth, Vice President of Black Box Safety, Inc.

The Company said it is prepared to support first responders by providing technical assistance with in-person custom-fitting of ballistic armor and in-person product training.

The vice president talked briefly about how securing the contract was no easy feat.

"It was a long shot. We were significantly outmanned and out-resourced by the competition, but we put all of our effort into it, a lot of late nights at the office, a lot of research, a lot of discussions," said Forsyth.

Under the contract, Black Box Safety will provide body armor to California law enforcement agencies for the next three to five years.