DUTIES OF THE CUSTODIAN WITH RESPECT TO PROPERTY OF THE FUND HELD BY THE CUSTODIAN IN THE UNITED STATES
POWERS AND DUTIES OF CUSTODIAN As custodian, the Custodian shall have and perform the powers and duties set forth in this Article II. Pursuant to and in accordance with Article IV hereof, the Custodian may appoint one or more Subcustodians (as hereinafter defined) to exercise the powers and perform the duties of the Custodian set forth in this Article II and references to the Custodian in this Article II shall include any Subcustodian so appointed.
Administrative Duties of the Custodian The Custodian shall perform the following administrative duties with respect to Investments of the Fund.
Rights and Duties of Members Subject to the provisions of Article 3, members will have all of the rights and powers of members as provided under the Act and as otherwise provided by law.
Powers and Duties of the Trustee (a) This Guarantee Agreement shall be held by the Trustee for the benefit of the Holders, and the Trustee shall not transfer this Guarantee Agreement to any Person except the Trustee shall assign rights hereunder to a Holder to the extent such assignment is necessary to exercise such Holder's rights pursuant to Section 5.04 or to a Successor Trustee upon acceptance by such Successor Trustee of its appointment to act as Successor Trustee. The right, title and interest of the Trustee shall automatically vest in any Successor Trustee, and such vesting and cessation of title shall be effective whether or not conveyancing documents have been executed and delivered pursuant to the appointment of such Successor Trustee.
(b) If an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Trustee shall enforce this Guarantee Agreement for the benefit of the Holders.
(c) The Trustee, before the occurrence of any Event of Default and after the curing or waiving of all Events of Default that may have occurred, shall undertake to perform only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Guarantee Agreement, and no implied covenants shall be read into this Guarantee Agreement against the Trustee. In case an Event of Default has occurred (that has not been cured or waived pursuant to Section 2.06), the Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Guarantee Agreement, and use the same degree of care and skill in its exercise thereof, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his or her own affairs.
(d) No provision of this Guarantee Agreement shall be construed to relieve the Trustee from liability for its own negligent action, its own negligent failure to act, or its own willful misconduct, except that:
(i) prior to the occurrence of any Event of Default and after the curing or waiving of all such Events of Default that may have occurred:
(A) the duties and obligations of the Trustee shall be determined solely by the express provisions of this Guarantee Agreement, and the Trustee shall not be liable except for the performance of such duties and obligations as are specifically set forth in this Guarantee Agreement; and
(B) in the absence of bad faith on the part of the Trustee, the Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon any certificates or opinions furnished to the Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Guarantee Agreement; but in the case of any such certificates or opinions that by any provision hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Trustee, the Trustee shall be under a duty to examine the same to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements of this Guarantee Agreement;
(ii) the Trustee shall not be liable for any error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer of the Trustee, unless it shall be proved that the Trustee was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts upon which such judgment was made;
(iii) the Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with the direction of the Holders of a Majority in liquidation amount of the Preferred Securities relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Trustee under this Guarantee Agreement; and
(iv) no provision of this Guarantee Agreement shall require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur personal financial liability in the performance of any of its duties or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if the Trustee shall have reasonable grounds for believing that the repayment of such funds or liability is not reasonably assured to it under the terms of this Guarantee Agreement or adequate indemnity against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it.
Powers and Duties of Trustees Section 3.1 General 6 Section 3.2 Investments 6 Section 3.3 Legal Title 7 Section 3.4 Issuance and Repurchase of Shares 7 Section 3.5 Borrow Money or Utilize Leverage 7 Section 3.6 Delegation; Committees 7 Section 3.7 Collection and Payment 8 Section 3.8 Expenses 8 Section 3.9 By-Laws 8 Section 3.10 Miscellaneous Powers 8 Section 3.11 Further Powers 8
Services and Duties of the Distributor A. The Distributor agrees to sell Shares on a best efforts basis as agent for the Trust upon the terms and at the current offering price (plus sales charge, if any) described in the Prospectus. As used in this Agreement, the term “Prospectus” shall mean the current prospectus, including the statement of additional information, as both may be amended or supplemented, relating to the Fund and included in the currently effective registration statement (the “Registration Statement”) of the Trust filed under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”) and the 1940 Act. The Trust shall in all cases receive the net asset value per Share on all sales. If a sales charge is in effect, the Distributor shall remit the sales charge (or portion thereof) to broker-dealers who have sold Shares, as described in Section 2(G), below. In no event shall the Distributor be entitled to all or any portion of such sales charge.
B. During the continuous public offering of Shares, the Distributor will hold itself available to receive orders, satisfactory to the Distributor, for the purchase of Shares and will accept such orders on behalf of the Trust. Such purchase orders shall be deemed effective at the time and in the manner set forth in the Prospectus.
C. The Distributor, with the operational assistance of the Trust’s transfer agent, shall make Shares available for sale and redemption through the National Securities Clearing Corporation’s Fund/SERV System.
D. The Distributor acknowledges and agrees that it is not authorized to provide any information or make any representations other than as contained in the Prospectus and any sales literature specifically approved by the Trust.
E. The Distributor agrees to cooperate with the Trust or its agent in the development of all proposed advertisements and sales literature relating to the Fund. The Distributor agrees to review all proposed advertisements and sales literature for compliance with applicable laws and regulations, and shall file with appropriate regulators those advertisements and sales literature it believes are in compliance with such laws and regulations. The Distributor agrees to furnish to the Trust any comments provided by regulators with respect to such materials and to use its best efforts to obtain the approval of the regulators to such materials.
F. The Distributor, at its sole discretion, may repurchase Shares offered for sale by shareholders of the Fund. Repurchase of Shares by the Distributor shall be at the price determined in accordance with, and in the manner set forth in, the Prospectus. At the end of each business day, the Distributor shall notify the Trust and its transfer agent, by any appropriate means, of the orders for repurchase of Shares received by the Distributor since the last report, the amount to be paid for such Shares and the identity of the shareholders offering Shares for repurchase. The Trust reserves the right to suspend such repurchase right upon written notice to the Distributor. The Distributor further agrees to act as agent for the Trust to receive and transmit promptly to the Trust’s transfer agent, shareholder requests for redemption of Shares.
G. The Distributor may, in its discretion, enter into agreements with such qualified broker-dealers as it may select, in order that such broker-dealers also may sell Shares of the Fund. The form of any dealer agreement shall be approved by the Trust. To the extent there is a sales charge in effect, the Distributor shall pay the applicable sales charge (or portion thereof), or allow a discount, to the selling broker-dealer, as described in the Prospectus.
H. The Distributor shall devote its best efforts to effect sales of Shares of the Fund but shall not be obligated to sell any certain number of Shares.
I. The Distributor shall prepare reports for the Board regarding its activities under this Agreement as from time to time shall be reasonably requested by the Board, including reports regarding the use of any 12b-1 payments received by the Distributor.
J. The Distributor agrees to advise the Trust promptly in writing of the initiation of any proceedings against it by the SEC or its staff, the NASD or any state regulatory authority.
K. The Distributor shall monitor amounts paid under Rule 12b-1 plans and pursuant to sales loads to ensure compliance with applicable NASD rules.
Rights and Duties of Rights Agent The Rights Agent undertakes the duties and obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the following terms and conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders of Right Certificates, by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:
(a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be legal counsel for the Company), and the opinion of such counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent as to any action taken or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with such opinion.
(b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this Agreement the Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter be proved or established by the Company prior to taking or suffering any action hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and established by a certificate signed by any one of the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, any Vice President, the General Counsel, the Treasurer or the Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Rights Agent; and such certificate shall be full authorization to the Rights Agent for any action taken or suffered in good faith by it under the provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such certificate.
(c) The Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur no liability for any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in good faith unless a court of competent jurisdiction determines that the Rights Agent's gross negligence or willful misconduct was the primary cause of any loss to the Company or any holder of a Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, any holder of a Right as holder of a Common Share). The Rights Agent makes no representation or warranty with respect to and is not responsible for the validity, value or availability of the Rights, the Right Certificates or the Preferred Shares.
(d) The Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur no liability for any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in connection with, its administration of this Agreement in reliance upon any Right Certificate or certificate for the Common Shares or for other securities of the Company, instrument of assignment or transfer, power of attorney, endorsement, affidavit, letter, notice, direction, consent, certificate, statement or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to be signed, executed and, where necessary, verified or acknowledged, by the proper Person or Persons, or otherwise upon the advice of counsel as set forth in this Section 20.
(e) The Rights Agent shall not be assumed to have knowledge of and shall not be required to take note of or act upon any fact or circumstance including, without limitation, the occurrence of facts or circumstances leading to the Shares Acquisition Date or the Distribution Date, facts or circumstances relating to whether any Person may be an Affiliate or an Associate of any other Person, facts or circumstances relevant to an adjustment to the Purchase Price, facts or circumstances relevant to events described in Section 13 (mergers, etc.), Section 23 (redemption) and Section 24 (exchange) which may be relevant to performance by the rights Agent under this Agreement unless the Company has provided written notice thereof to the Rights Agent; and the Company agrees that it will (i) promptly notify the Rights Agent in writing of the occurrence of the Shares Acquisition Date (including the identity of the Acquiring Person and the date on which the Shares Acquisition Date occurred), the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date, and of any events described in Section 13 (merger), and (ii) promptly provide the Rights Agent with such other information as the Rights Agent may reasonably request in connection with the performance of its duties under this Agreement.
(f) Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, in no event shall the Rights Agent be liable for special, indirect or consequential damage or loss of any kind whatsoever (including but not limited to lost profits), even if the Rights Agent has been advised of the likelihood of such loss or damage and regardless of the form of action, provided the Rights Agent has acted in good faith under this Agreement.
(g) The Company agrees that it will perform, execute, acknowledge and deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and delivered all such further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may reasonably be required by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by the Rights Agent of the provisions of this Agreement.
(h) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from any one of the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, any Vice President, the General Counsel, the Secretary or the Treasurer of the Company, and to apply to such officers for advice or instructions in connection with its duties, and it shall not be liable for any action taken or suffered by it in good faith in accordance with instructions of any such officer or for any delay in acting while waiting for those instructions. Any application by the Rights Agent for written instructions from the Company may, at the option of the Rights Agent, set forth in writing any action proposed to be taken or omitted by the Rights Agent with respect to its duties or obligations under this Rights Agreement and the date on and/or after which such action shall be taken or omitted and the Rights Agent shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted in accordance with a proposal included in any such application on or after the date specified therein (which date shall not be less than three Business Days after the date any such officer actually receives such application, unless any such officer shall have consented in writing to an earlier date) unless, prior to taking or omitting any such action, the Rights Agent has received written instructions in response to such application specifying the action to be taken or omitted.
(i) The Rights Agent and any stockholder, director, officer or employee of the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Rights or other securities of the Company or become pecuniarily interested in any transaction in which the Company may be interested, or contract with or lend money to the Company or otherwise act as fully and freely as though it were not Rights Agent under this Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights Agent from acting in any other capacity for the Company or for any other legal entity.
(j) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the rights or powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself or by or through its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not be answerable or accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of any such attorneys or agents or for any loss to the Company resulting from any such act, default, neglect or misconduct, provided reasonable care was exercised in the selection and continued employment thereof.
Services and Duties of USBFS USBFS shall provide the following transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent services to the Fund:
A. Receive and process all orders for the purchase, exchange, transfer, and/or redemption of Fund shares in accordance with Rule 22c-1 under the 1940 Act, other applicable regulations, and as specified in the Fund's prospectus (the "Prospectus”).
B. Process purchase and redemption orders with prompt delivery, where appropriate, of payment and supporting documentation to the shareholder based on the shareholder’s or the Trust’s custodian instructions, and record the appropriate number of shares being held in the appropriate shareholder account.
C. Process redemption requests received in good order and, where relevant, deliver appropriate documentation to the Trust's custodian.
D. Pay proceeds upon receipt from the Trust's custodian, where relevant, in accordance with the instructions of redeeming shareholders.
E. Process transfers of shares in accordance with the shareholder's instructions, after receipt of appropriate documentation from the shareholder as specified in the Prospectus.
F. Prepare and transmit payments, or apply reinvestments for income dividends and capital gains distributions declared by the Trust with respect to a Fund, after deducting any amount required to be withheld by any applicable laws, rules and regulations and in accordance with shareholder instructions.
G. Serve as the Fund’s agent in connection with systematic plans including, but not limited to, systematic investment plans, systematic withdrawal plans, and systematic exchange plans.
H. Make changes to shareholder records, including, but not limited to, address and plan changes (e.g., systematic investment and withdrawal, dividend reinvestment).
I. Handle load and multi-class processing, including rights of accumulation and purchases by letters of intent in accordance with the Prospectus.
J. Record the issuance of shares of each Fund and maintain, pursuant to Rule 17Ad-10(e) promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), a record of the total number of shares of each Fund which are authorized, issued and outstanding.
K. Prepare ad-hoc reports as necessary at prevailing rates.
L. Mail shareholder reports and Prospectuses to current shareholders.
M. Prepare and file U.S. Treasury Department Forms 1099 and other appropriate information returns required with respect to dividends and distributions for all shareholders.
N. Provide shareholder account information upon shareholder or Trust requests and prepare and mail confirmations and statements of account to shareholders for all purchases, redemptions and other confirmable transactions as agreed upon with the Trust.
O. Mail and/or obtain shareholders’ certifications under penalties of perjury and pay on a timely basis to the appropriate federal or state authorities any taxes to be withheld on dividends and distributions paid by the Trust, all as required by applicable federal and state tax laws and regulations.
P. Answer correspondence from shareholders, securities brokers and others relating to USBFS’ duties hereunder within required time periods established by applicable regulation.
Q. Reimburse the Fund for all material losses resulting from “as of” processing errors for which USBFS is responsible in accordance with the “as of” processing guidelines set forth on Exhibit B hereto.
R. Calculate average assets held in shareholder accounts for purposes of paying Rule 12b-1 and/or shareholder servicing fees as directed by a Fund
S. Provide service and support to financial intermediaries including but not limited to trade placements, settlements, and corrections.
Authority and Duties of the Owner Trustee ACTION BY CERTIFICATEHOLDERS
