Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Act of 1998 - Authorizes the Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance to: (1) make grants to States, units of local government, and Indian tribes to purchase armor vests for use by law enforcement officers; and (2) give preferential consideration to applications from jurisdictions that have the greatest need, have a mandatory wear policy, and have a violent crime rate at or above the national average.

Sets forth provisions regarding matching funds and allocation of funds, State, tribal, and local applications, and grant application renewal.

Prohibits any State, unit of local government, or Indian tribe that receives financial assistance provided using funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act from purchasing equipment or products manufactured using prison inmate labor.

Authorizes appropriations.

Expresses the sense of the Congress that entities receiving assistance under this Act should, in expending such assistance, purchase only American-made equipment and products.