Duties of the Distributor (a) The Distributor agrees to serve as the principal underwriter of the Funds in connection with the review and approval of all Purchase and Redemption Orders of Creation Units of each Fund by Authorized Participants that have executed an Authorized Participant Agreement with the Distributor and Transfer Agent/ Index Receipt Agent. Nothing herein shall affect or limit the right and ability of the Transfer Agent/ Index Receipt Agent to accept Fund Securities, Deposit Securities, and related Cash Components through or outside the Clearing Process, and as provided in and in accordance with the Registration Statement and Prospectus. The Trust acknowledges that the Distributor shall not be obligated to approve any certain number of orders for Creation Units.
(b) The Distributor agrees to use commercially reasonable efforts to provide the following services to the Trust with respect to the continuous distribution of Creation Units of each Fund: (i) at the request of the Trust, the Distributor shall enter into Authorized Participant Agreements between and among Authorized Participants, the Distributor and the Transfer Agent/Index Receipt Agent, for the purchase and redemption of Creation Units of the Funds, (ii) the Distributor shall approve and maintain copies of confirmations of Creation Unit purchase and redemption order acceptances; (iii) upon request, the Distributor will make available copies of the Prospectus to purchasers of such Creation Units and, upon request, the Statement of Additional Information; and (iv) the Distributor shall maintain telephonic, facsimile and/or access to direct computer communications links with the Transfer Agent.
(c) The Distributor shall ensure that all direct requests to Distributor for Prospectuses, Statements of Additional Information, product descriptions and periodic fund reports, as applicable, are fulfilled.
(d) The Distributor agrees to make available, at the Trust’s request, one or more members of its staff to attend, either via telephone or in person, Board meetings of the Trust in order to provide information with regard to the Distributor’s services hereunder and for such other purposes as may be requested by the Board of Trustees of the Trust.
(e) Distributor shall review and approve, prior to use, all Trust marketing materials (“Marketing Materials”) for compliance with SEC and FINRA advertising rules, and will file all Marketing Materials required to filed with FINRA. The Distributor agrees to furnish to the Trust’s investment adviser any comments provided by FINRA with respect to such materials.
(f) The Distributor shall not offer any Shares and shall not approve any creation or redemption order hereunder if and so long as the effectiveness of the Registration Statement then in effect or any necessary amendments thereto shall be suspended under any of the provisions of the 1933 Act or if and so long as a current prospectus as required by Section 10 of the 1933 Act is not on file with the SEC; provided, however, that nothing contained in this paragraph shall in any way restrict or have any application to or bearing upon the Trust’s obligation to redeem or repurchase any Shares from any shareholder in accordance with provisions of the Prospectus or Registration Statement.
(g) The Distributor shall work with the Index Receipt Agent to review and approve orders placed by Authorized Participants and transmitted to the Index Receipt Agent.
(h) The Distributor agrees to maintain, and preserve for the periods prescribed by Rule 31a-2 under the 1940 Act, such records as are required to be maintained by Rule 31a-1(d) under the 1940 Act. The Distributor agrees that all records which it maintains pursuant to the 1940 Act for the Trust shall at all times remain the property of the Trust, shall be readily accessible during normal business hours, and shall be promptly surrendered upon the termination of the Agreement or otherwise on written request; provided, however, that Distributor may retain all such records required to be maintained by Distributor pursuant to applicable FINRA or SEC rules and regulations.
(j) The Distributor agrees to maintain compliance policies and procedures (a “Compliance Program”) that are reasonably designed to prevent violations of the Federal Securities Laws (as defined in Rule 38a-1 of the 0000 Xxx) with respect to the Distributor’s services under this Agreement, and to provide any and all information with respect to the Compliance Program, including without limitation, information and certifications with respect to material violations of the Compliance Program and any material deficiencies or changes therein, as may be reasonably requested by the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer or Board of Trustees.
Appointment of the Distributor The Fund hereby appoints the Distributor as the principal underwriter and distributor of the Shares of the Fund to sell Shares to the public on behalf of the Fund and the Distributor hereby accepts such appointment and agrees to act hereunder. The Fund hereby agrees during the term of this Agreement to sell Shares of the Fund through the Distributor on the terms and conditions set forth below.
Organization of the Buyer The Buyer is a corporation duly organized, validly existing, and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation.
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.
Experience of Such Purchaser Such Purchaser, either alone or together with its representatives, has such knowledge, sophistication and experience in business and financial matters so as to be capable of evaluating the merits and risks of the prospective investment in the Securities, and has so evaluated the merits and risks of such investment. Such Purchaser is able to bear the economic risk of an investment in the Securities and, at the present time, is able to afford a complete loss of such investment.
Representations and Warranties of the Company and the Operating Partnership The Company and the Operating Partnership hereby jointly and severally represent, warrant and covenant to each Underwriter, as of the date of this Agreement, as of the First Closing Date (as hereinafter defined) and as of each Option Closing Date (as hereinafter defined), if any, as follows:
Independent Nature of Subscribers The Company acknowledges that the obligations of each Subscriber under the Transaction Documents are several and not joint with the obligations of any other Subscriber, and no Subscriber shall be responsible in any way for the performance of the obligations of any other Subscriber under the Transaction Documents. The Company acknowledges that each Subscriber has represented that the decision of each Subscriber to purchase Securities has been made by such Subscriber independently of any other Subscriber and independently of any information, materials, statements or opinions as to the business, affairs, operations, assets, properties, liabilities, results of operations, condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Company which may have been made or given by any other Subscriber or by any agent or employee of any other Subscriber, and no Subscriber or any of its agents or employees shall have any liability to any Subscriber (or any other person) relating to or arising from any such information, materials, statements or opinions. The Company acknowledges that nothing contained in any Transaction Document, and no action taken by any Subscriber pursuant hereto or thereto (including, but not limited to, the (i) inclusion of a Subscriber in the Registration Statement and (ii) review by, and consent to, such Registration Statement by a Subscriber) shall be deemed to constitute the Subscribers as a partnership, an association, a joint venture or any other kind of entity, or create a presumption that the Subscribers are in any way acting in concert or as a group with respect to such obligations or the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents. The Company acknowledges that each Subscriber shall be entitled to independently protect and enforce its rights, including without limitation, the rights arising out of the Transaction Documents, and it shall not be necessary for any other Subscriber to be joined as an additional party in any proceeding for such purpose. The Company acknowledges that it has elected to provide all Subscribers with the same terms and Transaction Documents for the convenience of the Company and not because Company was required or requested to do so by the Subscribers. The Company acknowledges that such procedure with respect to the Transaction Documents in no way creates a presumption that the Subscribers are in any way acting in concert or as a group with respect to the Transaction Documents or the transactions contemplated thereby.
Responsibilities of the District 12.1. The District shall examine the documents submitted by the Architect and shall render decisions so as to avoid unreasonable delay in the process of the Architect’s Services.
12.2. The District shall verbally or in writing advise Architect if the District becomes aware of any fault or defect in the Project, including any errors, omissions or inconsistencies in the Architect’s documents. Failure to provide such notice shall not relieve Architect of its responsibility therefore, if any.
12.3. Unless the District and Architect agree that a hazardous materials consultant shall be a Consultant of the Architect, the District shall furnish the services of a hazardous material consultant or other consultants when such services are requested in writing by Architect and deemed necessary by the District or are requested by the District. These services shall include: asbestos and lead paint survey; abatement documentation; and specifications related to said matters, which are to be incorporated into bid documents prepared by Architect. If the hazardous materials consultant is furnished by the District and is not a Consultant of the Architect, the specifications shall include a note to the effect that the hazardous materials consultant’s specifications are included in the Architect’s bid documents for the District’s convenience and have not been prepared or reviewed by the Architect. The note shall also direct questions about the hazardous materials consultant’s specifications related to asbestos and lead paint survey and/or abatement documentation to the preparer of the hazardous materials consultant’s specifications.
Representations and Warranties of the Dealer Manager The Dealer Manager represents and warrants to the Company during the term of this Agreement that:
The Buyer is not an employee benefit or other plan subject to the prohibited transaction provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended ("ERISA"), or Section 4975 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code") (a "Plan"), or any other person (including an investment manager, a named fiduciary or a trustee of any Plan) acting, directly or indirectly, on behalf of or purchasing any Certificate with "plan assets" of any Plan; or