Investment Banking Services (Personal Services)

Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) is requesting proposals for investment banking services to establish an underwriter pool under RFP Ref. # 0535-2026-09-RFP-232152, with proposals due October 9, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. PST and a question deadline of September 25, 2026 (now closed). LAWA anticipates recommending approximately 12 investment banks to compose the underwriter pool, structured to include up to three Emerging Banks (firms with net capital for underwriting less than $100 million) as co-managers only; other firms may serve as senior managers, co-senior managers, or co-managers depending on qualifications and application preferences. The pool will remain in effect for up to five years, with individual transaction assignments on an as-needed basis.

Mandatory minimum qualifications include net capital of at least $100,000 as of December 31, 2025; at least one full-time professional supervisory employee holding a FINRA Series 53 license; current federal, state, and California Department of Business Oversight licenses and registrations for underwriting and investment banking services; and compliance with the City's Responsible Banking Ordinance. Proposers must submit a Vendor ID Form, notarized Affidavit of Non-Collusion, CEC Form 56 (for principals and subcontractors with work valued at $100,000 or more), CEC Form 50 (Municipal Lobbying Ordinance compliance), and Iran Contracting Act compliance affidavit (for contracts valued $1,000,000 or more).

Evaluation criteria include firm information (25–45 percent depending on proposal type), corporate social responsibility (10 percent), experience and capabilities (30–45 percent), and plan of finance and credit ratings (35 percent for senior manager proposals only), followed by interviews weighted at 20 percent of final rankings. Senior manager proposals may not exceed 12 pages and co-manager-only proposals may not exceed 8 pages, excluding covers, transmittal letters, tables of contents, resumes, and required appendices. Proposals must be submitted electronically through the Bonfire platform. Interviews with shortlisted proposers are anticipated for October 2026. No compensation is specified for pool establishment; compensation will be determined for individual transactions assigned from the pool.