When the need arises to issue debt, many public entities find themselves undertaking an unfamiliar task that clearly requires assistance from outside professionals. At the same time, local governments are under increasing scrutiny to ensure that contracting practices are open and fair, produce effective results, yet also keep costs to a minimum. These are the circumstances that call for the use of a skilled municipal advisor. Both frequent and infrequent issuers of debt can make effective use of a municipal advisor. Frequent issuers enjoy the consistency of having the same advisor on board from sale to sale, even though the underwriting group may change. Entities that issue debt less often engage municipal advisors to provide the expertise needed to organize and execute the issue, yet maintain independence from influencing the actual pricing of the debt.
An effective municipal advisor can:
- Provide independent, objective advice on all debt related topics
- Promote fair and effective engagement practices of outside professionals
- Provide a supplemental work resource for the issuer’s financial staff
- Provide unbiased market assessments and pricing analyses
- Ultimately help lower financing costs