TRI-CITIES

PASADENA

Afghan Deployment: Tetra Tech Inc., a Pasadena engineering services company, has been awarded a five-year, $62 million contract by the U.S. Agency for International Development to support the provincial government system in Afghanistan. The program will address a range of systems that deliver services from the central government to local authorities.

SAN GABRIEL VALLEY

DUARTE

Cell Therapy: City of Hope, a Duarte research and treatment center for cancer and other life-threatening diseases, has opened its Alpha Clinic for Cell Therapy and Innovation, which will provide patients with stem cell-based therapy. The clinic is funded by an $8 million, five-year grant from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine that will be supplemented by matching funds from City of Hope.

WESTSIDE

BEVERLY HILLS

Driver’s Seat: BeMyDD, an online and phone service that lets customers request designated drivers to take them home, has moved its headquarters to Beverly Hills from Cleveland. The primary business of the company involves chauffeuring drivers in their own vehicle when they’ve had too much to drink, but drivers can be hired for other duties. A company spokesman said BeMyDD, which operates in 76 cities, decided to relocate due to its rapidly growing customer base in Southern California.

WEST LOS ANGELES

Vet Lab: VCA Inc., a West L.A. animal hospital and laboratory operator, has agreed to buy the assets of Abaxis Veterinary Reference Laboratory for $21 million in cash from Abaxis Inc., a Union City medical products company. VCA will acquire the assets through its Antech Diagnostics Inc. division.

SOUTH BAY

HAWTHORNE

Retail Pickup: Hawthorne X has acquired a Hawthorne retail center for $25 million from Danros Inc. and Cal Select Properties Inc. The 60,352-square-foot Hawthorne Exchange, at 2831-2909 W. 120th St., sits on seven acres and comprises four retail buildings constructed between 2004 and 2006.

MANHATTAN BEACH

Moving In: Partners Trust, a Beverly Hills-headquartered real estate brokerage, has opened a Manhattan Beach office to service the South Bay and beach cities submarkets. The new outpost, at 1219 Morningside Drive, will be led by Jan Rhees.

CENTRAL AREA

HOLLYWOOD

Linked Up: J2 Global Inc., a Hollywood Internet services company, has acquired the file-backup, synchronization and sharing assets of SugarSync Inc., a San Mateo online services company. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.