Program Administration Services for TOC Economic Development Program Pilot Fund

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) is requesting proposals for program administration services for the Transit Oriented Communities Economic Development Program Pilot Investment Fund on a firm fixed-price basis, with proposals due October 12, 2026, at 2:00 p.m.

Step 1 minimum qualifications are pass/fail: proposers must hold a valid Commercial Finance Lender License from the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation and be in good standing with California Secretary of State and certified as a CDFI, or alternatively be regulated by the Federal Reserve, OCC, FDIC, or NCUA. Step 2 weighted evaluation applies only to proposals passing minimum qualifications.

The Fund provides fixed-asset loans ($250,000–$5 million for real estate; $25,000–$250,000 for facade/tenant improvements), short-term and long-term working capital loans ($500–$500,000), and grant programs structured as forgivable loans to small businesses and eligible nonprofits within a half-mile radius of the K Line and Little Tokyo segment of the Regional Connector. LACMTA has committed $5 million in seed funding plus $15 million in State Small Business Credit Initiative funds requiring a 1:1 match of private funding; total available funding is $20 million for lending and program administration. Program administration and indirect costs must not exceed $2 million. The contractor must originate loans with underwriting standards complying with United States Treasury guidelines, including interest rate caps at NCUA ceiling and upfront fees capped at 3% for loans over $25,000 or $750 for loans of $25,000 and under. The originating lender must retain at least 20% of the risk of loss for each loan.

The contract runs three years with two optional one-year renewal extensions. All deliverables are due within 60 business days of execution; monthly, quarterly, and annual reporting follows. Evaluation weighs Qualifications and Experience (20 points), Personnel Qualifications and Management Plan (15 points), Workplan Approach and Methodology (30 points), Matching Funds (10 points), and Cost Proposal (25 points). Matching funds commitments of $15 million or above earn 10 points; cost is evaluated lowest-cost methodology.

A virtual and in-person pre-proposal conference is scheduled September 30, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. Written questions are due October 2, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. Proposals must comply with page limits of 75 pages (excluding certification forms and resumes) across four volumes and include certification forms, price proposals, and DEOD forms. Pre-qualification is required for prime contractors and first-tier subcontractors whose proposals exceed $500,000 for non-construction contracts. No SBE/DVBE subcontracting goal has been established; contractors are expected to afford maximum opportunities to SBE and DVBE firms if subcontracting opportunities arise. The contract is subject to fiscal year funding availability.