Procurement Opportunities

The Retirement Board ("Board") has a responsibility to Cook County Pension Fund (CCPF) participants and beneficiaries to make investments with the objective of obtaining superior total long-term rates of return while using acceptable levels of risk and reasonable control of costs through the use of a diversified investment portfolio. 

The Board engages various Investment Managers to achieve these results and seeks to promote inclusivity through a competitive proposal and selection process.  The Board will evaluate all qualified Investment Manager candidates with emphasis on: demonstrated professional performance; organizational depth; institutional investment management capability; soundness of the Investment Manager's investment philosophy and process; commitment to diversity in its hiring and business practices; and reasonableness of fee structure.

The availability of qualified minority and female owned business enterprises and businesses owned by a person with a disability is recognized by the Board.  It is the policy of the Board to include qualified minority, female owned business enterprises and businesses owned by a person with a disability in CCPF's Investment Manager selection process and to objectively evaluate all qualified Investment Manager candidates regardless of race, gender or handicap.

Procurement Policy

CCPF's Procurement Policy is intended to promote an open and competitive process established by the Board for selecting and appointing consultants and investment advisers to provide Investment Services.

This Policy is consistent with the Board’s long-standing commitment to transparency and making procurement decisions characterized by competitive selection, objective evaluation and proper documentation -- all in accordance with the Board’s overriding fiduciary obligations and considerations. Further, this Policy is intended to comply with applicable law, including the Illinois Pension Code. In the event of any conflict, the applicable law will control.

Current and Recent Searches

International Equity Search

The County Employees’ and Officers’ Annuity & Benefit Fund of Cook County invite the submission of proposals from qualified investment managers with International Equity strategies. The RFP is available beginning December 5, 2024 and the submission deadline is 4:30 P.M. Central Time, January 3, 2025

To access the RFP documents, please click [here].

Private Credit Search

The County Employees’ and Officers’ Annuity & Benefit Fund of Cook County invited the submission of proposals from qualified investment managers with private credit strategies. The RFP was available beginning October 1, 2024 and the submission deadline was 4:30 P.M. Central Time, November 1, 2024.

Private Open-End or Closed-End Real Estate Equity or Debt (Emerging Manager) Search

The County Employees’ and Officers’ Annuity & Benefit Fund of Cook County invite the submission of proposals from qualified emerging investment managers with private open-end or closed-end real estate equity or debt strategies.  The RFP was available beginning May 31, 2024 and the submission deadline was 3:00 P.M. Central Time, July 1, 2024.

Private Infrastructure Search

The County Employees’ and Officers’ Annuity & Benefit Fund of Cook County invite the submission of proposals from qualified private infrastructure investment managers currently offering open-end private infrastructure equity investment funds or infrastructure secondary funds.  The RFP was available beginning September 20, 2023 and the submission deadline was 3:00 P.M. Central Time, October 11, 2023.

Private Open-End or Closed-End Real Estate Equity or Debt (Emerging Manager) Search

The County Employees’ and Officers’ Annuity & Benefit Fund of Cook County invite the submission of proposals from qualified emerging investment managers with private open-end or closed-end real estate equity or debt strategies.  The RFP was available beginning May 31, 2024 and the submission deadline was 3:00 P.M. Central Time, July 1, 2024.

Global Custodian Search

The County Employees’ and Officers’ and Forest Preserve District Employees' Annuity & Benefit Fund of Cook County invite the submission of proposals from qualified organizations to provide global custody and ancillary services.  The RFP was available beginning October 9, 2020 and the submission deadline was 3:00 P.M. Central Time, November 16, 2020.

International Developed Markets Equity (Emerging Manager) Search

The County Employees’ and Officers’ Annuity & Benefit Fund of Cook County invite the submission of proposals from qualified emerging investment managers to manage an international developed markets equity portfolio.  The RFP was available beginning August 10, 2020 and the submission deadline was 3:00 P.M. Central Time, August 28, 2020.

 

DISCLAIMER

For the purpose of any future search, CCPF is the only authorized source of proposal forms.  Reproduction of these documents without the express permission of CCPF is prohibited.  Proposal forms obtained from any other source may be an incomplete set of documents and may disqualify the Responder.

All proposals submitted will be evaluated by members of the CCPF Staff.  CCPF reserves the right to reject any or all proposals submitted.  CCPF reserves the right to request clarification of information submitted and to request additional information from one or more Responders.  Proposals when received shall become the property of CCPF and shall not be returned to Responder.  CCPF reserves the right to modify the scope of the engagement and/or terminate the proposed engagement entirely.  In submitting a proposal, Responders recognize that CCPF is subject to the Illinois Freedom of Information Act and, as such, the proposals may be subject to public disclosure after selection.  There is no expressed or implied obligation for CCPF to reimburse responding firms for any expenses incurred in preparing proposals in response to this request.

QUIET PERIOD POLICY

The following guidelines will be instituted during a search process for an Investment Manager or Investment Consultant:

a) A quiet period will commence upon action by the Investment Committee, Emerging Manager Investment Committee or the Board to authorize a search and end once a selection has been made by the Board and accepted by the particular candidate selected.

b) Initiation, continuation and conclusion of the quiet period shall be publicly communicated to prevent inadvertent violations.

c) All members of the Board and Investment Staff not directly involved in the search process, shall refrain from communicating with candidates regarding any product or service related to the search offered by the candidate throughout the quiet period and shall refrain from accepting meals, travel, hotel, or other value from the candidates.

d) Throughout the quiet period, if any Board member is contacted by a candidate, the Board member shall refer the candidate to Fund's Investment Consultant or Investment Staff directly involved in the search process.

e) All authority related to the search process shall be exercised solely by the relevant Investment Committee, Emerging Manager Investment Committee or Board as a whole, and not by individual Trustees.

f) All information related to the search process shall be communicated by CCPF's Investment Consultant or Investment Staff to the relevant Investment Committee, Emerging Manager Investment Committee or Board as a whole, and not to individual Board members.

g) The quiet period does not prevent Board approved due diligence, client conference attendance or communications with an existing service provider that happens to be a candidate in the ordinary course of service provided by such candidate; however, discussions related to the pending selection shall be avoided during those activities.

h) The provisions of this quiet period policy will apply to candidates throughout the quiet period and shall be communicated to candidates in conjunction with any RFP or RFI.

i) A candidate may be disqualified from a search process for a knowing violation of this quiet period policy.