Los Angeles County Deferred Compensation Plans issued an RFP for stable fund consultants, one each for its $5.5 billion 457 plan and $1.5 billion 401(k) plan, said William Yuen, finance analyst. The contract of Mercer, which had advised both plans, expires Dec. 31. The firm can rebid, Mr. Yuen said. The RFP is available at http://camisvr.co.la.ca.us/lacobids/BidLookUp/BidOpenStart. asp. Responses are due Dec. 22 by mail to County of Los Angeles DC Plans, c/o Treasurer and Tax Collector, 500 W. Temple St., Room 432, Los Angeles, CA 90012; Attn.: Teresa Gee. Further information can be obtained by contacting Mr. Yuen in the county treasurer and tax collector's office at [email protected] or 213-974-6801. As of Oct. 31, the deferred compensation plan had $2.6 billion in its Stable Income Fund; the savings plan had $654 million in its Stable Value Fund.
Ohio School Employees Retirement System, Columbus, issued an RFP for an investment consultant, confirmed spokesman Tim Barbour. The contract of the system's current investment consultant, Summit Strategies, expires on June 30, 2011. They are invited to rebid. The RFP is at http://www.ohsers.org/vendor-opportunities. Notices of intent to respond must be e-mailed to Robert Cowman, director of investments, at [email protected] or faxed to 614-222-5930 by 4:30 p.m. EST Dec. 13. The RFP response deadline is 4 p.m. EST Dec. 30.
New Mexico State Investment Council, Santa Fe, launched separate RFPs for a general investment consultant and a national private equity program consultant, said Charles Wollmann, director of communications for the $13.8 billion fund. NEPC is the incumbent for both positions, which had been separate previously; NEPC took over the private equity consulting after the council terminated Aldus Equity Partners in April 2009. At its meeting Nov. 23, the council extended NEPC's contracts to June 30 pending the searches. NEPC can rebid for both positions. Responses for both RFPs are due Jan. 3.
Iowa Public Employees' Retirement System, Des Moines, is searching for an active manager to run $150 million in a publicly traded domestic REIT strategy, according to Judy Akre, director of communications. The $21.1 billion system is seeking either a separate account or commingled fund manager. Funding would come from cash and other asset classes; RREEF's $230 million REIT portfolio would not be affected, Ms. Akre wrote in an e-mailed response to questions. The RFP is available at http://www.ipers.org. Proposals are due Jan. 6. Wilshire Associates, the system's general investment consultant, is assisting.
AP4, Stockholm, is searching for a global custodian, confirmed Annika Andersson, spokeswoman for the 196.2 billion Swedish kronor ($28.1 billion) fund. Settlement, record keeping, asset servicing and taxation support will also be included in the mandate, while portfolio valuation, performance measurement and securities lending may also be considered, according to the fund's website. Incumbent Northern Trust can rebid. The fund had “only minor losses” from the collateral assets in its securities lending program, Ms. Andersson said in an e-mailed response to questions. Proposals are due Jan. 7. Further information is available by sending an e-mail message to AP4 at [email protected] ap4.se.
London Borough of Ealing Pension Fund is searching for an actuary, said Bridget Uku, group manager, treasury and investments. Mercer, the £620 million ($964 million) fund's current actuary, can rebid. The search is being done to test the market, Ms. Uku said. Proposals are due Jan. 10. More information is available by sending an e-mail to [email protected]
Shropshire County Pension Fund, Shrewsbury, England, is searching for an infrastructure manager to handle £29 million ($45 million), said Graham Chidlow, head of finance for the £980 million plan. This is the fund's first infrastructure investment. Funding comes from cash. The move into infrastructure was decided as part of a 2009 asset allocation review done by its new consultant, Russell Investments, which replaced Aon Hewitt last month. Proposals are due Jan. 17. For more information, contact Mr. Chidlow at [email protected]
Avon Pension Fund, Keynsham, England, canceled a search for an active currency hedging overlay manager to run a nominal value of £500 million ($788 million), said Matt Betts, assistant investment manager at the £2.5 billion fund. The cancellation was caused by technical factors related to procedures for public contracts, Mr. Betts said. The fund plans to reissue the search within the next two to three weeks. The deadline for proposals will be pushed back as a result of the cancellation; a new deadline has not yet been set, he said.
