TRANSFER AGENCY AND SERVICE AGREEMENT
between
THE ARBOR FUND
and
XXXXXXX BANK AND TRUST
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
1. TERMS OF APPOINTMENT; DUTIES OF THE BANK....................................1
2. FEES AND EXPENSES...........................................................3
3. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE BANK..................................4
4. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE FUND..................................4
5. DATA ACCESS AND PROPRIETARY INFORMATION.....................................5
6. INDEMNIFICATION.............................................................6
7. STANDARD OF CARE............................................................8
8. COVENANTS OF THE FUND AND THE BANK..........................................8
9. TERMINATION OF AGREEMENT....................................................9
10. ADDITIONAL FUNDS...........................................................9
11. ASSIGNMENT.................................................................9
12. AMENDMENT..................................................................9
13. MISSISSIPPI LAW TO APPLY...................................................9
14. FORCE MAJEURE.............................................................10
15. CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES.....................................................10
16. MERGER OF AGREEMENT.......................................................10
17. LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY OF THE TRUSTEES AND SHAREHOLDERS.................10
18. COUNTERPARTS..............................................................10
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TRANSFER AGENCY AND SERVICE AGREEMENT
AGREEMENT made as of the ___ day of ______, 2000, by and between The Arbor
Fund, a Massachusetts business trust, having its principal office and place
of business at [One Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, X.X. Xxx 0000, Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxx, 00000],
and XXXXXXX BANK, a state chartered bank having its principal office and place
of business at [One Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, X.X. Xxx 0000, Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxx, 00000],
(the "Bank").
WHEREAS, the Fund is authorized to issue shares in separate series, with each
such series representing interests in a separate portfolio of securities and
other assets; and
WHEREAS, the Fund intends to initially offer shares in four series, the Taxable
Money Market Fund, Tax Exempt Money Market Fund, Total Return Bond Fund, and
Equity Fund (each such series, together with all other series subsequently
established by the Fund and made subject to this Agreement in accordance with
Article 10, being herein referred to as a "Portfolio", and collectively as the
"Portfolios");
WHEREAS, the Fund on behalf of the Portfolios desires to appoint the Bank as its
transfer agent, dividend disbursing agent, and agent in connection with certain
other activities, and the Bank desires to accept such appointment;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants herein contained, the
parties hereto agree as follows:
1. TERMS OF APPOINTMENT; DUTIES OF THE BANK
1.1 Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, the
Fund, on behalf of the Portfolios, hereby employs and appoints the Bank
to act as, and the Bank agrees to act as its transfer agent for the
Fund's authorized and issued shares of its common stock, $[ ] par
value, ("Shares"), dividend disbursing agent, and agent in connection
with any accumulation, open-account or similar plans provided to the
shareholders of each of the respective Portfolios of the Fund
("Shareholders") and set out in the currently effective prospectus and
statement of additional information ("Prospectus") of the Fund on
behalf of the applicable Portfolio, including without limitation any
periodic investment plan or periodic withdrawal program.
1.2 The Bank agrees that it will perform the following services:
(a) In accordance with procedures established from time to time by
agreement between the Fund on behalf of each of the
Portfolios, as applicable and the Bank, the Bank shall:
(i) Receive for acceptance, orders for the purchase of
Shares, and promptly deliver payment and appropriate
documentation thereof to the Custodian
of the Fund authorized pursuant to the declaration of
trust of the Fund (the "Custodian");
(ii) Pursuant to purchase orders, issue the appropriate
number of Shares and hold such Shares in the
appropriate Shareholder account;
(iii) Receive for acceptance redemption requests and
redemption directions and deliver the appropriate
documentation thereof to the Custodian;
(iv) In respect to the transactions in items (i), (ii) and
(iii) above, the Bank shall execute transactions
directly with broker-dealers authorized by the Fund
who shall thereby be deemed to be acting on behalf of
the Fund;
(v) At the appropriate time as and when it receives
monies paid to it by the Custodian with respect to
any redemption, pay over or cause to be paid over in
the appropriate manner such monies as instructed by
the redeeming Shareholders;
(vi) Effect transfers of Shares by the registered owners
thereof upon receipt of appropriate instructions;
(vii) Prepare and transmit payments for dividends and
distributions declared by the Fund on behalf of the
applicable Portfolio;
(viii) Issue replacement certificates for those certificates
alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed upon
receipt by the Bank of indemnification satisfactory
to the Bank and protecting the Bank and the Fund, and
the Bank at its option, may issue replacement
certificates in place of mutilated stock certificates
upon presentation thereof and without such indemnity;
(ix) Maintain records of account for and advise the Fund
and its Shareholders as to the foregoing; and
(x) Record the issuance of shares of the Fund and
maintain pursuant to SEC Rule 17Ad-10(e) a record of
the total number of shares of the Fund which are
authorized, based upon data provided to it by the
Fund, and issued and outstanding. The Bank shall also
provide the Fund on a regular basis with the total
number of shares which are authorized and issued and
outstanding and shall have no obligation, when
recording the issuance of shares, to monitor the
issuance of such shares or to take cognizance of any
laws relating to the issue or sale of such Shares,
which functions shall be the sole responsibility of
the Fund.
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(b) In addition to and neither in lieu nor in contravention of the
services set forth in the above paragraph (a), the Bank shall:
(i) perform the customary services of a transfer agent,
dividend disbursing agent, and, as relevant, agent in
connection with accumulation, open-account or similar plans
(including without limitation any periodic investment plan or
periodic withdrawal program), including but not limited to:
maintaining all Shareholder accounts, preparing Shareholder
meeting lists, mailing proxies, mailing Shareholder reports
and Prospectuses to current Shareholders, withholding taxes on
U.S. resident and non-resident alien accounts, preparing and
filing U.S. Treasury Department Forms 1099 and other
appropriate forms required with respect to dividends and
distributions by federal authorities for all Shareholders,
preparing and mailing confirmation forms and statements of
account to Shareholders for all purchases and redemptions of
Shares and other confirmable transactions in Shareholder
accounts, preparing and mailing activity statements for
Shareholders, and providing Shareholder account information
and (ii) provide a system which will enable the Fund to
monitor the total number of Shares sold in each State.
(c) In addition, the Fund shall (i) identify to the Bank in
writing those transactions and assets to be treated as exempt
from blue sky reporting for each State and (ii) verify the
establishment of transactions for each State on the system
prior to activation and thereafter monitor the daily activity
for each State. The responsibility of the Bank for the Fund's
blue sky State registration status is solely limited to the
initial establishment of transactions subject to blue sky
compliance by the Fund and the reporting of such transactions
to the Fund as provided above.
(d) Procedures as to who shall provide certain of these services
in Section 1 may be established from time to time by agreement
between the Fund on behalf of each Portfolio and the Bank per
the attached service responsibility schedule. The Bank may at
times perform only a portion of these services and the Fund or
its agent may perform these services on the Fund's behalf.
(e) The Bank shall provide additional services on behalf of the
Fund (i.e., escheatment services) which may be agreed upon in
writing between the Fund and the Bank.
2. FEES AND EXPENSES
2.1 For the performance by the Bank pursuant to this Agreement, the Fund
agrees on behalf of each of the Portfolios to pay the Bank a
maintenance fee for each Shareholder account as set out in the initial
fee schedule attached hereto. Such fees and out-of-pocket expenses and
advances identified under Section 2.2 below may be changed from time to
time subject to mutual written agreement between the Fund and the Bank.
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2.2 In addition to the fee paid under Section 2.1 above, the Fund agrees on
behalf of each of the Portfolios to reimburse the Bank for
out-of-pocket expenses, including but not limited to confirmation
production, postage, forms, telephone, microfilm, microfiche,
tabulating proxies, records storage, or advances incurred by the Bank
for the items set out in the fee schedule attached hereto. In addition,
any other expenses incurred by the Bank at the request or with the
consent of the Fund, will be reimbursed by the Fund on behalf of the
applicable Portfolio.
2.3 The Fund agrees on behalf of each of the Portfolios to pay all fees and
reimbursable expenses on a monthly basis, within five days following
the receipt of the respective billing notice. Postage for mailing of
dividends, proxies, Fund reports and other mailings to all shareholder
accounts shall be advanced to the Bank by the Fund at least seven (7)
days prior to the mailing date of such materials.
3. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE BANK
The Bank represents and warrants to the Fund that:
3.1 It is a state chartered bank duly organized and existing and in good
standing under the laws of the state of Mississippi.
3.2 It is duly qualified to carry on its business in the state of
Mississippi.
3.3 It is empowered under applicable laws and by its charter and by-laws to
enter into and perform this Agreement.
3.4 All requisite corporate proceedings have been taken to authorize it to
enter into and perform this Agreement.
3.5 It has and will continue to have access to the necessary facilities,
equipment and personnel to perform its duties and obligations under
this Agreement.
4. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE FUND
The Fund represents and warrants to the Bank that:
4.1 It is a business trust duly organized and existing and in good standing
under the laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
4.2 It is empowered under applicable laws and by its declaration of trust
and by-laws to enter into and perform this Agreement.
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4.3 All corporate proceedings required by said declaration of trust and
by-laws have been taken to authorize it to enter into and perform this
Agreement.
4.4 It is an open-end and diversified management investment company
registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
4.5 A registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933 and the
Investment Company Act of 1940, each as amended, on behalf of each of
the Portfolios is currently effective and will remain effective, and
appropriate state securities law filings have been made and will
continue to be made, with respect to all Shares of the Fund being
offered for sale.
5. DATA ACCESS AND PROPRIETARY INFORMATION
5.1 The Fund acknowledges that the data bases, computer programs, screen
formats, report formats, interactive design techniques, and
documentation manuals furnished to the Fund by the Bank as part of the
Fund's ability to access certain Fund-related data ("Customer Data")
maintained by the Bank on data bases under the control and ownership of
the Bank or other third party ("Data Access Services") constitute
copyrighted, trade secret, or other proprietary information
(collectively, "Proprietary Information") of substantial value to the
Bank or other third party. In no event shall Proprietary Information be
deemed Customer Data. The Fund agrees to treat all Proprietary
Information as proprietary to the Bank and further agrees that it shall
not divulge any Proprietary Information to any person or organization
except as may be provided hereunder. Without limiting the foregoing,
the Fund agrees for itself and its employees and agents:
(a) to access Customer Data solely from locations as may be
designated in writing by the Bank and solely in accordance
with the Bank's applicable user documentation;
(b) to refrain from copying or duplicating in any way the
Proprietary Information;
(c) to refrain from obtaining unauthorized access to any portion
of the Proprietary Information, and if such access is
inadvertently obtained, to inform in a timely manner of such
fact and dispose of such information in accordance with the
Bank's instructions;
(d) to refrain from causing or allowing the data acquired
hereunder from being retransmitted to any other computer
facility or other location, except with the prior written
consent of the Bank;
(e) that the Fund shall have access only to those authorized
transactions agreed upon by the parties;
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(f) to honor all reasonable written requests made by the Bank to
protect at the Bank's expense the rights of the Bank in
Proprietary Information at common law, under federal copyright
law and under other federal or state law.
Each party shall take reasonable efforts to advise its employees of their
obligations pursuant to this Section 5. The obligations of this Section shall
survive any earlier termination of this Agreement.
5.2 If the Fund notifies the Bank that any of the Data Access Services do
not operate in material compliance with the most recently issued user
documentation for such services, the Bank shall endeavor in a timely
manner to correct such failure. Organizations from which the Bank may
obtain certain data included in the Data Access Services are solely
responsible for the contents of such data and the Fund agrees to make
no claim against the Bank arising out of the contents of such
third-party data, including, but not limited to, the accuracy thereof.
DATA ACCESS SERVICES AND ALL COMPUTER PROGRAMS AND SOFTWARE
SPECIFICATIONS USED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH ARE PROVIDED ON AN AS IS,
AS AVAILABLE BASIS. THE BANK EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES EXCEPT
THOSE EXPRESSLY STATED HEREIN INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE
IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
PURPOSE.
5.3 If the transactions available to the Fund include the ability to
originate electronic instructions to the Bank in order to (i) effect
the transfer or movement of cash or Shares or (ii) transmit Shareholder
information or other information, then in such event the Bank shall be
entitled to rely on the validity and authenticity of such instruction
without undertaking any further inquiry as long as such instruction is
undertaken in conformity with security procedures established by the
Bank from time to time.
6. INDEMNIFICATION
6.1 The Bank shall not be responsible for, and the Fund shall on behalf of
the applicable Portfolio indemnify and hold the Bank harmless from and
against, any and all losses, damages, costs, charges, counsel fees,
payments, expenses and liability arising out of or attributable to:
(a) All actions of the Bank or its agents or subcontractors
required to be taken pursuant to this Agreement, provided that
such actions are taken in good faith and without negligence or
willful misconduct.
(b) The Fund's lack of good faith, negligence or willful
misconduct which arise out of the breach of any representation
or warranty of the Fund hereunder.
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(c) The reliance on or use by the Bank or its agents or
subcontractors of information, records, documents or services
which (i) are received by the Bank or its agents or
subcontractors, and (ii) have been prepared, maintained or
performed by the Fund or any other person or firm on behalf of
the Fund including but not limited to any previous transfer
agent or registrar.
(d) The reliance on, or the carrying out by the Bank or its agents
or subcontractors of any instructions or requests of the Fund
on behalf of the applicable Portfolio.
(e) The offer or sale of Shares in violation of any requirement
under the federal securities laws or regulations or the
securities laws or regulations of any state that such Shares
be registered in such state or in violation of any stop order
or other determination or ruling by any federal agency or any
state with respect to the offer or sale of such Shares in such
state.
(f) The negotiation and processing by the Bank of checks not made
payable to the order of the Bank, the Fund, the Fund's
management company, transfer agent or distributor or the
retirement account custodian or trustee for a plan account
investing in Shares, which checks are tendered to the Bank for
the purchase of Shares (i.e., checks made payable to
prospective or existing Shareholders, such checks are commonly
known as "third party checks").
6.2 At any time the Bank may apply to any officer of the Fund for
instructions, and may consult with legal counsel with respect to any
matter arising in connection with the services to be performed by the
Bank under this Agreement, and the Bank and its agents or
subcontractors shall not be liable and shall be indemnified by the Fund
on behalf of the applicable Portfolio for any action taken or omitted
by it in reliance upon such instructions or upon the opinion of such
counsel. The Bank, its agents and subcontractors shall be protected and
indemnified in acting upon any paper or document furnished by or on
behalf of the Fund, reasonably believed to be genuine and to have been
signed by the proper person or persons, or upon any instruction,
information, data, records or documents provided the Bank or its agents
or subcontractors by machine readable input, telex, CRT data entry or
other similar means authorized by the Fund, and shall not be held to
have notice of any change of authority of any person, until receipt of
written notice thereof from the Fund. The Bank, its agents and
subcontractors shall also be protected and indemnified in recognizing
stock certificates which are reasonably believed to bear the proper
manual or facsimile signatures of the officers of the Fund, and the
proper countersignature of any former transfer agent or former
registrar, or of a co-transfer agent or co-registrar.
6.3 In order that the indemnification provisions contained in this Section
6 shall apply, upon the assertion of a claim for which the Fund may be
required to indemnify the Bank, the Bank shall promptly notify the Fund
of such assertion, and shall keep the Fund advised
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with respect to all developments concerning such claim. The Fund shall
have the option to participate with the Bank in the defense of such
claim or to defend against said claim in its own name or in the name of
the Bank. The Bank shall in no case confess any claim or make any
compromise in any case in which the Fund may be required to indemnify
the Bank except with the Fund's prior written consent.
7. STANDARD OF CARE
The Bank shall at all times act in good faith and agrees to use its
best efforts within reasonable limits to insure the accuracy of all
services performed under this Agreement, but assumes no responsibility
and shall not be liable for loss or damage due to errors unless said
errors are caused by its negligence, bad faith, or willful misconduct
or that of its employees.
8. COVENANTS OF THE FUND AND THE BANK
8.1 The Fund shall on behalf of each of the Portfolios promptly furnish to
the Bank the following:
(a) A certified copy of the resolution of the Board of Trustees of
the Fund authorizing the appointment of the Bank and the
execution and delivery of this Agreement.
(b) A copy of the declaration of trust and by-laws of the Fund and
all amendments thereto.
8.2 The Bank hereby agrees to establish and maintain facilities and
procedures reasonably acceptable to the Fund for safekeeping of stock
certificates, check forms and facsimile signature imprinting devices,
if any; and for the preparation or use, and for keeping account of,
such certificates, forms and devices.
8.3 The Bank shall keep records relating to the services to be performed
hereunder, in the form and manner as it may deem advisable. To the
extent required by Section 31 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended, and the Rules thereunder, the Bank agrees that all such
records prepared or maintained by the Bank relating to the services to
be performed by the Bank hereunder are the property of the Fund and
will be preserved, maintained and made available in accordance with
such Section and Rules, and will be surrendered promptly to the Fund on
and in accordance with its request.
8.4 The Bank and the Fund agree that all books, records, information and
data pertaining to the business of the other party which are exchanged
or received pursuant to the negotiation or the carrying out of this
Agreement shall remain confidential, and shall not be voluntarily
disclosed to any other person, except as may be required by law.
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8.5 In case of any requests or demands for the inspection of the
Shareholder records of the Fund, the Bank will endeavor to notify the
Fund and to secure instructions from an authorized officer of the Fund
as to such inspection. The Bank reserves the right, however, to exhibit
the Shareholder records to any person whenever it is advised by its
counsel that it may be held liable for the failure to exhibit the
Shareholder records to such person.
9. TERMINATION OF AGREEMENT
9.1 This Agreement may be terminated by either party upon one hundred
twenty (120) days written notice to the other.
9.2 Should the Fund exercise its right to terminate, all out-of-pocket
expenses associated with the movement of records and material will be
borne by the Fund on behalf of the applicable Portfolio(s).
Additionally, the Bank reserves the right to charge for any other
reasonable expenses associated with such termination and/or a charge
equivalent to the average of three (3) months' fees.
10. ADDITIONAL FUNDS
In the event that the Fund establishes one or more series of Shares in
addition to the Taxable Money Market Fund, Tax Exempt Money Market
Fund, Total Return Bond Fund, and Equity Fund with respect to which it
desires to have the Bank render services as transfer agent under the
terms hereof, it shall so notify the Bank in writing, and if the Bank
agrees in writing to provide such services, such series of Shares shall
become a Portfolio hereunder.
11. ASSIGNMENT
11.1 Neither this Agreement nor any rights or obligations hereunder may be
assigned by either party without the written consent of the other
party.
11.2 This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the
parties and their respective permitted successors and assigns.
12. AMENDMENT
This Agreement may be amended or modified by a written agreement
executed by both parties and authorized or approved by a resolution of
the Board of Trustees of the Fund.
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13. MISSISSIPPI LAW TO APPLY
This Agreement shall be construed and the provisions thereof
interpreted under and in accordance with the laws of the state of
Mississippi.
14. FORCE MAJEURE
In the event either party is unable to perform its obligations under
the terms of this Agreement because of acts of God, strikes, equipment
or transmission failure or damage reasonably beyond its control, or
other causes reasonably beyond its control, such party shall not be
liable for damages to the other for any damages resulting from such
failure to perform or otherwise from such causes.
15. CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES
Neither party to this Agreement shall be liable to the other party for
consequential damages under any provision of this Agreement or for any
consequential damages arising out of any act or failure to act
hereunder.
16. MERGER OF AGREEMENT
This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties
hereto and supersedes any prior agreement with respect to the subject
matter hereof whether oral or written.
17. LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY OF THE TRUSTEES AND SHAREHOLDERS
A copy of the declaration of trust of the Trust is on file with the
Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and notice is hereby
given that this instrument is executed on behalf of the Trustees of the
Trust as Trustees and not individually and that the obligations of this
instrument are not binding upon any of the Trustees or Shareholders
individually but are binding only upon the assets and property of the
Fund.
18. COUNTERPARTS
This Agreement may be executed by the parties hereto on any number of
counterparts, and all of said counterparts taken together shall be
deemed to constitute one and the same instrument.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed
in their names and on their behalf by and through their duly authorized
officers, as of the day and year first above written.
THE ARBOR FUND
BY:________________________________
President
ATTEST:
XXXXXXX BANK AND TRUST
BY: _______________________________
Vice President
ATTEST:
________________________________________
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XXXXXXX BANK AND TRUST
FUND SERVICE RESPONSIBILITIES*
RESPONSIBILITY
SERVICE PERFORMED BANK FUND
----------------- ---- ----
1. Receives orders for the purchase of Shares. *
2. Issue Shares and hold Shares in Shareholders accounts. *
3. Receive redemption requests. *
4. Effect transactions 1-3 above directly with broker-dealers. *
5. Pay over monies to redeeming Shareholders. *
6. Effect transfers of Shares. *
7. Prepare and transmit dividends and distributions. *
8. Issue Replacement Certificates. *
9. Reporting of abandoned property. *
10. Maintain records of account. *
11. Maintain and keep a current and accurate control book for each *
issue of securities.
12. Mail proxies. *
13. Mail Shareholder reports. *
14. Mail prospectuses to current Shareholders. *
15. Withhold taxes on U.S. resident and non-resident alien accounts. *
16. Prepare and file U.S. Treasury Department forms. * *
17. Prepare and mail account and confirmation statements for *
Shareholders.
18. Provide Shareholder account information. *
RESPONSIBILITY
SERVICE PERFORMED BANK FUND
----------------- ---- ----
19. Blue sky reporting. *
* Such services are more fully described in Section 1.2(a), (b) and (c) of the
Agreement.
THE ARBOR FUND
BY:________________________________
President
ATTEST:
______________________________
XXXXXXX BANK AND TRUST
BY: _______________________________
Executive Vice President
ATTEST:
______________________________
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Fee Information for Services as
Plan, Transfer and Dividend Disbursing Agent
THE ARBOR FUND
The Fund shall pay a fee of $5,000 per class of each Portfolio per year. Fees
are payable on a monthly basis.
OUT-OF-POCKET EXPENSES
Out-of-Pocket expenses will be billed to, and payable by, the Fund as incurred
and include but are not limited to: confirmation statements, investor
statements, postage, forms, audio response, telephone, records retention,
federal wire, transcripts, microfilm, microfiche, and expenses incurred at the
specific direction of the fund.
THE ARBOR FUND XXXXXXX BANK AND TRUST
By_______________________________ By_______________________________
Title____________________________ Title____________________________
Date_____________________________ Date_____________________________
