Cook County issues RFP for noncore real estate manager

The $8.7 billion County Employees’ and Officers’ Annuity & Benefit Fund of Cook County has issued an RFP for noncore real estate investment services with a deadline of Sept. 19, 2014.

The firm’s $710 million real estate portfolio is at its target allocation of 8 percent, though its 5.8 percent one-year return as of Dec. 31, 2013, was well below its 11.0 percent benchmark.

A number of other pension funds have been focusing on noncore real estate investments of late as well, including the $11.9 billion Orange County Employees Retirement System, whose focus on noncore real estate helped it to beat its real estate