City’s ProcureLA Summit Connects Local Subcontractors with Billions in Contracting Opportunities With LA City Departments
LOS ANGELES – Mayor Karen Bass today announced the launch of the new Business Navigator, a centralized online hub that will help local small businesses access permits, resources and procurement opportunities more easily and efficiently. The Navigator is available at business.lacity.gov. The announcement was made at the 2025 ProcureLA Summit, which hosted more than 300 small business owners and entrepreneurs this morning in Koreatown. B-roll and photos from the event are available here.
Mayor Bass continues efforts to open City Hall for business – helping hundreds of businesses access millions in funding; ensuring that local, minority-owned small businesses are contracted to work on capital infrastructure projects ahead of the coming major events; and making it easier for studios and producers to shoot in Los Angeles.
“Los Angeles is building the future, and we’re making sure small businesses help lead the way,” said Mayor Karen Bass. “This summit breaks down barriers, creates access, and sends a clear message: we are investing in local talent to deliver real results for our communities.”
The free, public summit was held at the Audrey Irmas Pavilion in Koreatown in partnership with the Pacific Asian Consortium in Employment (PACE), among others. The summit introduced small and local businesses to contracting opportunities within the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, Los Angeles World Airports and Port of Los Angeles.
The program included a moderated chat with Mayor Bass and Billy Chun, Vice President & Chief Operating Officer of the Pacific Asian Consortium in Employment (PACE), as well as interactive sessions designed to help businesses succeed in the City’s procurement process.
Highlights of the 2025 ProcureLA Summit include:
- Participation of hundreds of small and diverse suppliers
- Engagement from over 30 government agencies and prime contractors
- Targeted matchmaking sessions connecting vendors to real procurement opportunities
- Live panel discussions with LA Department of Water and Power, LA World Airports, and Port Of LA on upcoming capital projects
- Hands-on training workshops focused on bid preparation, compliance, and contracting strategy
- On-site support from the ProcureLA team for vendor portal registration, certification assistance, and capability statement development
The Mayor’s Office of Business and Economic Development launched the ProcureLA Program in October 2024, during the Sports & Entertainment Procurement Summit, to build a pipeline of businesses equipped to compete for City contracts ahead of major regional events.
The program is operated in partnership with Pacific Asian Consortium in Employment (PACE), a nonprofit organization that provides procurement training and creates direct connections between vendor networks and major public and private contracting entities across Los Angeles.
“ProcureLA is about equity, access and action,” said Kerry Doi, President and CEO of PACE. “We’re proud to work alongside Mayor Bass to connect small and minority-owned businesses with real procurement opportunities that will help them grow, hire, and contribute meaningfully to the fabric of Los Angeles — especially as we prepare for the 2026 and 2028 global events.”
Mayor Bass is committed to ensuring that upcoming major sporting events, such as the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, benefit Angelenos and small businesses for generations to come. The city has helped hundreds of small businesses secure more than $18 million to support the opening and growth of their business since Mayor Bass enacted Executive Directive 4, focused on small businesses.
Last month, Mayor Bass celebrated major investments at LAX to prioritize local business and jobs, including 13 first-time prime contractors who are local small businesses. The investment, through the $5 billion on Multiple Award Task Order Contract (MATOC), ensures that small, local and minority-owned businesses will be contracted to work on projects in LAWA’s multi-billion dollar Capital Improvement Program. Mayor Bass highlighted this investment during her State of the City address, pointing to MATOC as an example of making government more efficient and faster, maximizing local benefits.