Investment Management Services

Texas Southern University is requesting proposals for Investment Management services under RFP 717-26-766, with proposals due August 13, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. Central Time and written questions due August 6, 2026. The university seeks a registered investment advisor to provide comprehensive advisory and management services for its endowment and investment portfolio.

Respondents must be registered investment advisors with at least ten years in business, maintain fiduciary status, and carry Commercial General Liability insurance (minimum $500,000 per occurrence / $1,000,000 aggregate) and Workers Compensation coverage. The scope includes investment policy review, portfolio analysis and asset allocation studies, quarterly and monthly performance reporting, investment manager selection and due diligence, market analysis and research, annual Board and Committee training, transition planning, and compliance monitoring against the university's Investment Policy Statement.

The current portfolio is valued at $126.2 million as of January 31, 2026, allocated across cash equivalents (7.42%), domestic equity (49.01%), global equity (16.48%), U.S. government fixed income (22.21%), and alternative investments (4.88%). Respondents must assume an investment portfolio of $121 million in assets under advisement and provide a fixed annual fee for all listed services, with optional services identified separately. The endowment policy establishes a long-term real rate of return objective of 4.5% to 5% over ten years and requires portfolio performance to rank at minimum in the second quartile of the NACUBO Annual Comparative Performance Survey. Prohibited investments include cryptocurrency, margin trading, short selling, and speculative derivatives.

The contract term is three years from execution, with two optional one-year renewal periods available upon mutual written agreement. The Board of Regents approves investment managers and consultants; manager contracts cannot exceed two years without renewal approval. Evaluation criteria are Qualifications and Experience of Respondent (20%), Experience of Key Personnel (15%), Investment Philosophy and Technical Methodology (20%), Past Performance and References (20%), Transition and Continuity Plan (10%), Hypothetical Portfolio (5%), and Cost/Fees (10%). TSU reserves the right to request oral presentations, conduct a Best and Final Offer process, award to multiple vendors, or make no award. Proposals must not exceed 100 pages and include one original, five copies, and a flash drive version.