For over forty years, SNW has helped the schools in our region finance infrastructure. Our unwavering dedication to the K-12 education sector has resulted in our position as the northwest's market leader in delivering financial advisory and municipal bond underwriting services to public school districts. Among the services we provide to our K-12 education clients are:

• Underwriting and Financial Advisory Services
• Bond Issue Planning, Structuring and Execution (sale)
• Developing and implementing credit enhancement strategies (school bond guaranty programs and/or insurance)
• Tax Credit Structuring and Placement
• American Recovery and Reinvestment Funds and other Bonding Tools
• On-going monitoring of capital plans, bond repayment, tax rates and refinancing opportunities
• Local offices, local expertise, in-person service

Because SNW combines an in-depth knowledge of the credit markets together with state-specific expertise on the revenue, tax and legal structure of the schools in our region, we can deliver superior service and results for our school clients. Our work with schools is based on the tools we have created and refined to help districts borrow funds for capital projects while easing and controlling the impacts on taxpayers. We help districts with long-range tax rate planning, bond ratings, applications for state bond guarantees, and annual reviews of levies for bond payments. We also have proven experience in developing legislation to improve financing mechanisms or create new financing tools for the school districts in our region. Perhaps most importantly, we have a four decade history of developing and implementing bond sales that meet the unique financing needs and goals of our clients.

SNW is the Northwest's market leader in delivering financial advisory and municipal bond underwriting services to state, county and city governments. Our public finance expertise is built on a foundation of experience developed over decades of service to the communities where we live and work.

SNW works with counties, cities, Urban Renewal Agencies and Local Improvement Districts throughout the Northwest and California to develop and execute financing plans designed to meet each client's unique circumstances and goals.

• Water and wastewater improvements
• Urban renewal/redevelopment projects
• Public facilities (city halls, museums, parks & recreation, stadiums, etc)
• Road and transit improvements
• Jails

• General Obligation Pledge (voted and non-voted)
• System Revenue Pledge
• Assessment backed (LID)
• Tax, Revenue and Bond Anticipation Notes
• Lease Revenue Bonds
• Sales Tax Revenue Bonds
• Tax Increment Revenue Bonds

SNW also works with state level issuers directly or through issuing authorities such as Building Authorities and Bond Banks to develop and execute financing plans for our clients.

Because SNW combines an in-depth knowledge of the credit markets together with expertise on the revenue, tax and legal structure of the communities in our region, we can solve complex issues and create innovative financing solutions for our general governmental clients. We are a recognized national leader in structuring financings to reduce costs or to respond to an issuer's changed circumstances. We also have proven experience in developing legislation to improve financing mechanisms or create new financing tools for our clients.

SNW advisory practice is focused on delivering comprehensive consulting services covering all aspects of financial management for governmental clients. We are most effective when used as an integral tool available to the finance department staff. A partial list of services that SNW can provide includes: development of financial policies, revenue and capital funding analysis, credit rating strategy, competitive and negotiated debt issuance, continuing disclosure assistance, derivative products strategy and risk assessment, investment and cash management strategies and on-going debt management services.

SNW has a broad range of advisory experience and while we always serve exclusively in a consulting role, independent from other firms who may provide underwriting services, our advice to clients is informed by our own direct experience underwriting and trading bonds. This combination of broad experience, complete services, deep staff and real-time market knowledge are what distinguish SNW from other advisory firms.

SNW's Energy Finance Group is a financial advisory, consulting and investment banking team that works with an array of West Coast public and private entities, helping them tackle the challenges associated with volatility in the power market, financing infrastructure operations and maintenance, renewable energy project development, and energy efficiency financing. Our experience includes:

• Bond underwriting
• Financial advisory services
• Energy consulting
• ARRA financing placement and strategies
• PPA structuring and negotiation
• Green and brownfield development (conventional and renewable generating resources)
• Pre-pay agreement structuring and underwriting
• Public-private partnership structuring
• Tax credit structuring and placement
• Hedging strategy development
• Capital planning
• Transmission reservations and negotiations
• Risk management
• Clean Renewable Energy Bonds (CREBs)
• Qualified Energy Conservation Bonds (QECBs)
• Business Energy Tax Credits (BETCs)
• Investment and Production Tax Credits (ITCs and PTCs)

SNW’s housing and real estate practice was launched in 2002. We specialize in crafting transactions that bring together a variety of resources for projects that would otherwise not be viable. We are experienced in combining bond financing with resources such as Low Income Housing Tax Credits, New Markets Tax Credits, other sources of equity, and a variety of sources of “soft” debt. We have expertise in structuring bond financings that rely on several tranches of debt, and we have been successful in placing less secure debt with qualified buyers.

Our financings have won successive Bond Buyer Deal of the Year awards in 2006 and 2007, an honor given for successful transactions that are creative and complex.

Our experience in real estate ensures that we can provide services well beyond the details of a bond transaction. Our prior experience as developers and in the public sector managing finance and housing departments give us the full range of skills needed to bring financings to a successful close.

SNW has substantial experience working with special districts to achieve their financing goals and includes work with fire districts, library districts, park & recreation districts and cultural districts. We offer comprehensive services to special purpose districts including levy rate analysis and credit rating strategies. Our team has years of experience and brings a combination of capital markets expertise and in-depth knowledge of state law as it relates to special purpose governments.

The SNW transportation team specializes in helping ports, airports, transit agencies, and state and local surface transportation departments achieve the most cost effective financing for their capital projects. Our team members have worked for years as transportation specialists combining national experience with in-depth knowledge of state and local transportation funding policies and objectives.

SNW offers either advisory or investment banking services to transportation issuers. With analytical and banking experience in project finance, toll systems, public-private partnerships, and credit strategy, our team provides comprehensive solutions for municipal governments and agencies focused on the efficient movement of products and people.

SNW offers comprehensive advisory and underwriting services to special purpose utility districts including revenue and capital modeling. We work collaboratively with utility districts to develop capital funding strategies that achieve policy objectives while keeping rates affordable for customers. Our team has years of experience with structuring bond transactions for utilities built around accessible responsive service to our clients.