Mayor Bass Hosts Latino Business Procurement Summit Connecting Entrepreneurs to Major Contracting Opportunities

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LOS ANGELES - Today, Mayor Karen Bass hosted the City's first Latino Business Procurement Summit, bringing together more than 350 Latino business owners and entrepreneurs for a free event focused on connecting Latino-owned businesses with resources, technical assistance, to get contract-ready ahead of major global events coming to Los Angeles. Small businesses are the backbone of Los Angeles and Latino-owned businesses play an important role in LA's economy, culture, and identity, driving innovation, creating jobs, and strengthening neighborhoods across the city. B-roll from the event is available here.

The Summit was hosted by the Mayor's Office, with participation from Square, Verizon, Los Angeles World Airports, the Port of Los Angeles, U.S. Bank, Meruelo Enterprises, PCL-Webicor JV, Swinerton and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, and provided local business with the support and resources needed to get contract-ready and access opportunities for upcoming major global events coming to Los Angeles. As Los Angeles prepares to host the upcoming major events, billions of dollars in contracts will become available. Mayor Bass is working to ensure Latino-owned businesses are positioned to compete and succeed.

"As our city prepares for some of the world's biggest events, we must ensure that LA's small businesses are the first to benefit from these opportunities," said Mayor Karen Bass. Los Angeles' Latino business community is essential to the strength of our economy and we are making sure that they have a seat at the table. Latino-owned businesses are vital to our growth, and when you succeed, our entire city thrives. Every contract secured is money going back into the community, supporting jobs, schools, housing, and neighborhoods.

"As Los Angeles prepares to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the 2027 Super Bowl, and the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games, our business community is entering a historic era of opportunity," said Darrell Sauceda, Chairman of the Los Angeles Latino Chamber of Commerce. " We are committed to ensuring Latino-owned businesses compete for and secure major contracts tied to these transformative events. We thank Mayor Karen Bass for her leadership and commitment to turning connections into real procurement opportunities that strengthen Los Angeles."

"As the number one business bank serving Los Angeles for over 110 years, Bank of America was proud to be part of this event as a panel moderator to help more local companies gain procurement opportunities," said Raul Anaya, Los Angeles president, Bank of America. "L.A. is no stranger to hosting large-scale, marque events with notable ones like the World Cup games fast approaching. It's why BofA has been working with the business community on what it takes to bid for, win and then scale to meet contract deliverables, as well as with small neighborhood businesses to leverage the halo effect of these events to grow their brand."

"LADWP is proud to participate in the Latino Business Procurement Summit and to connect with the diverse businesses that support Los Angeles," said David W. Hanson, Interim General Manager, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. "Supplier diversity is an important part of how we do business. By broadening awareness of contracting opportunities and improving access to information and outreach, we are strengthening partnerships with qualified local and diverse suppliers to deliver reliable service and value for our customers."

"As one of the nation's largest Latino-owned enterprises, Meruelo Enterprises is proud to support initiatives that expand economic opportunity and strengthen our communities," said Luis Armona, Principal Owner of Meruelo Enterprises. "We thank Mayor Bass for her leadership in creating opportunities that help Latino-owned and small businesses compete for projects tied to LA's upcoming global events. For decades, we have invested in California by creating good-paying union jobs, supporting small businesses, and strengthening Los Angeles communities. Inclusive procurement helps ensure businesses of all sizes have the opportunity to grow and contribute to the city's economic future."

Participants attended expert-led panels, received technical assistance, and networked with representatives from leading sports, entertainment, and government organizations. The summit marks another step in Mayor Bass' efforts to ensure Los Angeles' diverse business community benefits from these historic economic opportunities.

In addition to hosting the Latino Business Procurement Summit, Mayor Bass has taken several recent actions to support local businesses and prepare Angelenos for upcoming global events, including:

• Hosting the 2025 Annual Sports and Entertainment Procurement Summit: Last year 1,600 local businesses and entrepreneurs attended Mayor Bass' second annual Sports and Entertainment Procurement Summit, which provided local businesses with support and resources to tap into opportunities for upcoming major global events coming to Los Angeles.

• CreatingProcureLA, in partnership with the Pacific Asian Consortium in Employment (PACE), to provide one-on-one support, training, and assistance with certification and proposal development The Mayor recently announced the program has helped businesses secure $45 million in contracts to date.

• Launching the City's Contract Financing Program, backed by a $1 million donation from Banc of California, to help small businesses access capital and compete for City contracts.

• Finalizing the $2.6B expansion and modernization of the Los Angeles Convention Center to strengthen the city's ability to attract global events and tourism.

• Announcing the newBusiness Navigator, a centralized online hub for permits, resources, and procurement opportunities.