MASTER SERVICES AGREEMENT
Exhibit (h)(iii)
MASTER SERVICES AGREEMENT
This Master Services Agreement (this “Agreement”) dated March 1, 2022 is between The Xxxxx Funds (the “Trust”), a Delaware statutory trust, and Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC (“Ultimus”), a limited liability company organized under the laws of the state of Ohio.
Background
The Trust is an open-end management investment company registered or to be registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”), and it desires that Ultimus perform certain services for each of its series listed on Schedule A (as amended from time to time) (individually referred to herein as a “Fund” and collectively as the “Funds”). Xxxxxxx is willing to perform such services on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement.
Terms and Conditions
1. Retention of Ultimus
The Trust retains Ultimus to act as the service provider on behalf of each Fund for the services set forth in each Addendum selected below (collectively, the “Services”), which are incorporated by reference into this Agreement. Xxxxxxx accepts such employment to perform the selected Services.
☐ Fund Accounting Addendum
☐ Fund Administration Addendum
☒ Transfer Agent and Shareholder Servicing Addendum
Each selected Addendum is incorporated by reference into this Agreement.
1.1. | Promptly after the execution of this Agreement, the parties shall agree upon a written project plan (the “Conversion Plan”) that sets forth the respective roles and responsibilities of each of the parties in connection with the process and activities required to transfer the books and records of the Trust or its prior transfer agent, import the Trust’s data and files into Ultimus’ system and such other processes and activities identified as the responsibility of Ultimus in accordance with the Conversion Plan (collectively, the “Conversion”). The date of completion of the Conversion shall constitute the “Conversion Date”. |
2. | Allocation of Charges and Expenses |
2.1. | Ultimus shall furnish at its own expense the executive, supervisory, and clerical personnel necessary to perform its obligations under this Agreement. Xxxxxxx shall also pay all compensation of any officers of the Trust who are affiliated persons of Xxxxxxx, except when such person is serving as the Trust’s chief compliance officer. |
2.2. | The Trust, on behalf of each Fund, assumes and shall pay or cause to be paid all other expenses of the Trust or a Fund not otherwise allocated under this Section 2, including, without limitation: organization costs; taxes; expenses for legal and auditing services; the expenses of preparing (including typesetting), printing and mailing reports, prospectuses, statements of additional |
information, information statements, proxy statements and related materials; all expenses incurred in connection with issuing and redeeming shares; the costs of custodial services; the cost of initial and ongoing registration or qualification of the shares under federal and state securities laws; fees and reimbursable expenses of Trustees who are not affiliated persons of Ultimus or the investment adviser(s) to the Trust; insurance premiums; interest; brokerage costs; litigation and other extraordinary or nonrecurring expenses; and all fees and charges of investment advisers to the Trust.
3. | Compensation |
3.1. | Commencing on the Conversion Date, the Trust, on behalf of each Fund, shall pay for the Services to be provided by Ultimus under this Agreement in accordance with, and in the manner set forth in, the fee letter attached to each addendum (each a “Fee Letter”), which may be amended from time to time. Each Fee Letter is incorporated by reference into this Agreement. |
3.2. | If the Conversion Date occurs subsequent to the first day of a month, Xxxxxxx’ compensation for that part of the month in which the Agreement is in effect shall be prorated in a manner consistent with the calculation of the fees as set forth in the applicable Fee Letter. If this Agreement terminates before the last day of a month, Xxxxxxx’ compensation for that part of the month in which the Agreement is in effect shall be equal to a full calendar month’s worth of fees as calculated in a manner consistent with the calculation of the fees as set forth in the applicable Fee Letter. The Trust shall promptly pay Xxxxxxx’ compensation for the preceding month. |
3.3. | In the event that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”), or any other regulator or self-regulatory authority adopts regulations and requirements relating to the payment of fees to service providers or which would result in any material increases in costs to provide the Services under this Agreement, the parties agree to negotiate in good faith amendments to this Agreement in order to comply with such requirements and provide for additional compensation for Xxxxxxx as mutually agreed to by the parties. |
3.4. | In the event that any fees are disputed, the Trust shall, on or before the due date, pay all undisputed amounts due hereunder and notify Xxxxxxx in writing of any disputed fees which it is disputing in good faith. Payment for such disputed fees shall be due on or before the tenth (10th) business day after the day on which Xxxxxxx provides to the Trust documentation which reasonably supports the disputed charges, and upon final resolution of any such dispute the parties shall make payment or give credit as appropriate. |
4. | Reimbursement of Expenses |
In addition to paying Xxxxxxx the fees described in each Fee Letter, the Trust, on behalf of each Fund, agrees to reimburse Ultimus for its actual reimbursable expenses in providing services hereunder, if applicable, including, without limitation, the following:
4.1. | Reasonable travel and lodging expenses incurred by officers and employees of Xxxxxxx in connection with attendance at meetings of the Trust’s Board of Trustees (the “Board”) or any committee thereof and shareholders’ meetings; |
4.2. | All freight and other delivery charges incurred by Xxxxxxx in delivering materials on behalf of the Trust; |
4.3. | All direct telephone, telephone transmission and telecopy or other electronic transmission expenses incurred by Xxxxxxx in communication with the Trust, the Trust’s investment adviser(s) or custodian, counsel for the Trust or a Fund, counsel for the Trust’s independent Trustees, the Trust’s independent accountants, dealers or others as required for Ultimus to perform the Services; |
4.4. | The cost of obtaining secondary security market quotes and any securities data, including, but not limited to, the cost of fair valuation services and the cost of obtaining corporate action related data and securities master data; |
4.5. | The cost of electronic or other methods of storing records and materials; |
4.6. | All fees and expenses incurred in connection with any licensing of software, subscriptions to databases, custom programming or systems modifications required to provide any special reports or services requested by the Trust; |
4.7. | Any expenses Ultimus shall incur at the direction of an officer of the Trust thereunto duly authorized other than an employee or other affiliated person of Xxxxxxx who may otherwise be named as an authorized representative of the Trust for certain purposes; |
4.8. | A reasonable allocation of the costs associated with the preparation of Ultimus’ Service Organization Control 1 Reports (“SOC 1 Reports”); |
4.9. | A reasonable allocation of the cost of GainsKeeper® software, used by Ultimus to track wash loss deferrals for both fiscal (855) and excise tax provisioning; and |
4.10. | Any additional expenses reasonably incurred by Xxxxxxx in the performance of its duties and obligations under this Agreement. |
5. | Maintenance of Books and Records; Record Retention |
5.1. | Xxxxxxx shall maintain and keep current the accounts, books, records and other documents relating to the Services as may be required by applicable law, rules, and regulations, including Federal Securities Laws as defined under Rule 38a-1 under the Investment Company Act. |
5.2. | Ownership of Records |
X. | Xxxxxxx agrees that all such books, records, and other data (except computer programs and procedures) developed to perform the Services (collectively, “Client Records”) shall be the property of the Trust or Fund. |
X. | Xxxxxxx agrees to provide the Client Records to the Trust or a Fund, at the expense of the Trust or Fund, upon reasonable request, and to make such books and records available for inspection by the Trust, a Fund, or its regulators at reasonable times. |
X. | Xxxxxxx agrees to furnish to the Trust or a Fund, at the expense of the Trust or Fund, all Client Records in the electronic or other medium in which such material is then maintained by Xxxxxxx as soon as practicable after any termination of this Agreement. Unless otherwise required by applicable law, rules, or regulations, Xxxxxxx shall promptly turn over to the Trust or Fund or, upon the written request of the Trust or Fund, destroy the Client Records maintained by Ultimus pursuant to this Agreement. If Ultimus is required by applicable law, rule, or regulation to maintain any Client Records, it will provide the Trust or Fund with copies as soon as reasonably practical after the termination. For all records and copies, if the Trust reasonably requests information in a different format, and pays Ultimus’ reasonable, additional expenses for such format, then Ultimus shall provide such information in such format. |
5.3. | Xxxxxxx agrees to keep confidential all Client Records, except when requested to divulge such information by duly constituted authorities or court process. |
5.4. | If Xxxxxxx is requested or required to divulge such information by duly constituted authorities or court process, Ultimus shall, unless prohibited by law, promptly notify the Trust or Fund of such request(s) so that the Trust or Fund may seek, at the expense of the Trust or Fund, an appropriate protective order. |
6. | Subcontracting |
Ultimus may, at its expense, and with notice to the Trust, subcontract with any entity or person concerning the provision of the Services; provided, however, that Xxxxxxx shall not be relieved of any of its obligations under this Agreement by the appointment of such subcontractor, and that Xxxxxxx shall be responsible, to the extent provided in Section 10, for all acts of a subcontractor.
7. | Effective Date |
7.1. | This Agreement shall become effective as of the date first above written with respect to each Fund in existence on such date (or, if a particular Fund is not in existence on that date, on the date such Fund commences operation) (the “Agreement Effective Date”). |
7.2. | Each Addendum shall become effective as of the date first written in the Addendum with respect to each Fund in existence on such date (or, if a particular Fund is not in existence on that date, on the date such Fund commences operation). |
8. | Term |
8.1. | Initial Term. This Agreement shall continue in effect, unless earlier terminated by either party as provided under this Section 8, for a period of five (5) years from the date first above written (the “Initial Term”). |
8.2. | Renewal Terms. Immediately following the Initial Term this Agreement shall automatically renew for successive one-year periods (a “Renewal Term”). |
8.3. | Termination. A party may terminate this Agreement under the following circumstances. |
A. | Termination for Good Cause. During the Initial Term or a Renewal Term, a party (the “Terminating Party”) may only terminate the Agreement against the other party (the “Non-Terminating Party”) for good cause. For purposes of this Agreement, “good cause” shall mean: |
(1) | a material breach of this Agreement by the Non-Terminating Party that has not been cured or remedied within 30 days after the Non-Terminating Party receives written notice of such breach from the Terminating Party; |
The parties agree that material breach of this Agreement shall include, without limitation, any gross negligence with regard to, or failure to satisfy, any performance standard or standard of care set forth in this Agreement or in any appendices or addendums thereto, willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence in the performance of a party’s duties; or reckless disregard of a party’s obligations and duties hereunder;
(2) | the Non-Terminating Party takes a position regarding compliance with Federal Securities Laws that the Terminating Party reasonably disagrees with, the Terminating Party provides 30 days’ prior written notice of such disagreement, and the parties fail to come to agreement on the position within the 30 day notice period; |
(3) | a final and unappealable judicial, regulatory, or administrative ruling or order in which the Non-Terminating Party has been found guilty of criminal or unethical behavior in the conduct of its business; |
(4) | the authorization or commencement of, or involvement by way of pleading, answer, consent, or acquiescence in, a voluntary or involuntary case under the Bankruptcy Code of the United States Code, as then in effect; and |
(5) | with regard to either party, any business combination, merger or other transaction that results in the assignment to another entity of the party’s rights and interest in this Agreement. |
B. | Out-of-Scope Termination. If a Trust or Fund demands services that are beyond the scope of this Agreement and any incorporated Addendum, and the parties cannot agree on appropriate terms relating to such out-of-scope services, Ultimus may terminate this Agreement upon 60 days’ prior written notice. |
C. | End-of-Term Termination. A party can terminate this Agreement at the end of the Initial Term or a Renewal Term by providing written notice of termination to the other party at least 150 days prior to the end of the Initial Term or then-current Renewal Term. |
D. | Early Termination. Any termination by the Trust or Fund other than termination under Section 8.3.A-C is deemed an “Early Termination.” The Trust or Fund that provides a notice of early termination is subject to an “Early Termination Fee” equal to the pro rated fee amount due to Ultimus through the end of the then-current term as calculated in the applicable Fee Letter. |
E. | Final Payment. Any unpaid compensation, reimbursement of expenses, or Early Termination Fee is due to Ultimus within 15 calendar days of the termination date provided in the notice of termination. |
F. | Transition. Upon termination of this Agreement, Xxxxxxx will cooperate with any reasonable request of the Trust to effect a prompt transition to a new service provider selected by the Trust. Xxxxxxx shall be entitled to collect from the Trust, in addition to the compensation described in each applicable Fee Letter, (1) the amount of all of Ultimus’ cash disbursements reasonably made for services in connection with Ultimus’ activities in effecting such termination, including, without limitation, the delivery to the Trust or its designees of the Trust’s property, records, instruments, and documents, and (2) a reasonable de-conversion fee as mutually agreed to by the parties. |
G. | Liquidation. Upon termination of this Agreement due to the liquidation of the Trust or a Fund, Xxxxxxx shall be entitled to collect from the Trust, in addition to the compensation described in each applicable Fee Letter, (1) the amount of all of Ultimus’ cash disbursements reasonably made for services in connection with Xxxxxxx’ activities in effecting such termination, including, without limitation, the delivery to the Trust or its designees of the Trust’s property, records, instruments, and documents, and (2) a reasonable liquidation fee as mutually agreed to by the parties. |
8.4. | No Waiver. Failure by either party to terminate this Agreement for a particular cause shall not constitute a waiver of its right to subsequently terminate this Agreement for the same or any other cause. |
9. | Additional Funds or Classes of Shares |
In the event that the Trust establishes one or more series or classes of shares after the Agreement Effective Date, each such series or class of shares shall become, at the discretion of the Trust and Ultimus, which shall not be unreasonably withheld, a Fund or class of shares of a Fund (as applicable) under this Agreement and shall be added to Schedule A and the applicable Fee Letter(s) as appropriate.
10. | Standard of Care; Limits of Liability; Indemnification |
10.1. | Standard of Care. Each party's duties are limited to those expressly set forth in this Agreement and the parties do not assume any implied duties. Each party shall use its best efforts in the performance of its duties and act in good faith in performing the Services or its obligations under this Agreement. Each party shall be liable for any damages, losses or costs arising directly or indirectly out of such party’s failure to perform its duties under this Agreement to the extent such damages, losses or costs arise directly or indirectly out of its willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence in the performance of its duties, or reckless disregard of its obligations and duties hereunder; provided, however, that the Trust shall have no liability for failure to perform its duties hereunder to the extent such failure was the result of the actions or inactions of an employee or other affiliated person of Ultimus. |
10.2. | Limits of Liability |
X. | Xxxxxxx shall not be liable for any Losses (as defined below) arising from the following: |
(1) | performing Services or duties pursuant to any oral, written, or electric instruction, notice, request, record, order, document, report, resolution, certificate, consent, data, authorization, instrument, or item of any kind that Ultimus reasonably believes to be genuine and to have been signed, presented, or furnished by a duly authorized representative of the Trust or any Fund (other than an employee or other affiliated persons of Xxxxxxx who may otherwise be named as an authorized representative of the Trust for certain purposes); |
(2) | operating under its own initiative, in good faith and in accordance with the standard of care set forth herein, in performing its duties or the Services; |
(3) | using valuation information provided by the Trust’s approved third-party pricing service(s) or the investment adviser(s) to the Fund for the purpose of valuing a Fund’s portfolio holdings; |
(4) | any default, damages, costs, loss of data or documents, errors, delay, or other loss whatsoever caused by events beyond Ultimus’ reasonable control, including, without limitation, corrupt, faulty or inaccurate data provided to Ultimus by third- parties (other than for data provided by third parties selected by Xxxxxxx, which data Ultimus reasonably should have known was inaccurate); |
(5) | any error, action or omission by the Trust or other past or current service provider; and |
(6) | any failure to properly register any Fund’s shares in accordance with the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) or any state blue sky laws (except to the extent such failure results from Xxxxxxx’ failure to follow instructions from the Trust in a manner that violates the standard of care set forth in Section 10.1). |
B. | Ultimus may apply to the Trust at any time for instructions and may consult with counsel for the Trust or a Fund, counsel for the Trust’s independent Trustees, and with accountants and other experts with respect to any matter arising in connection with Xxxxxxx' duties or the Services. Ultimus shall not be liable or accountable for any action taken or omitted by it in good faith in accordance with such instruction or with the reasonable opinion of such counsel, accountants, or other experts qualified to render such opinion. |
C. | A copy of the Trust’s Declaration of Trust (the “Declaration of Trust”) is on file with the Secretary of State (or equivalent authority) of the state in which the Trust is organized, and notice is hereby given that this instrument is executed on behalf of the Trust and not the Trustees individually and that the obligations of this instrument are not binding upon any of the Trustees, officers or shareholders individually but are binding only upon the assets and property of the Trust (or if the matter relates only to a particular Fund, that Fund), and Ultimus shall look only to the assets of the Trust (or the particular Fund, as applicable), for the satisfaction of such obligations. |
X. | Xxxxxxx shall not be held to have notice of any change of authority of any officer, agent, representative or employee of the Trust or any Fund, the Trust’s or any Fund’s investment adviser or any of the Trust’s or Fund’s other service providers until receipt of written notice thereof from the Trust or Fund (as applicable). As used in this Agreement, the term “investment adviser” includes all sub-advisers or persons performing similar services. |
E. | The Board has and retains primary responsibility for oversight of all compliance matters relating to the Funds, including, but not limited to, compliance with the Investment Company Act, the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Internal Revenue Code”), the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001, the Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002 and the policies and limitations of each Fund relating to the portfolio investments as set forth in the prospectus and statement of additional information. Ultimus’ monitoring and other functions hereunder shall not relieve the Board of its primary day-to-day responsibility for overseeing such compliance. |
F. | To the maximum extent permitted by law, the Trust agrees to limit Ultimus’ liability for the Trust’s Losses (as defined below) to an amount that shall not exceed the total compensation received by Ultimus under this Agreement during the most recent rolling 12- month period or the actual time period this Agreement has been in effect if less than 12 months. This limitation shall apply regardless of the cause of action or legal theory asserted. |
G. | In no event shall Ultimus be liable for trading losses, lost revenues, special, incidental, punitive, indirect, consequential or exemplary damages or lost profits, whether or not such damages were foreseeable or Xxxxxxx was advised of the possibility thereof. Ultimus shall not be liable for any corrupt, faulty or inaccurate data provided to Ultimus by any third-parties for use in delivering Ultimus’ Services to the Trust or a Fund and Ultimus shall have no duty to independently verify and confirm the accuracy of third-party data (other than for data provided by third parties selected by Xxxxxxx, which data Ultimus reasonably should have known was inaccurate). The |
parties acknowledge that the other parts of this Agreement are premised upon the limitation stated in this section.
10.3. | Indemnification |
A. | Each party (the “Indemnifying Party”) agrees to indemnify, defend, and protect the other party, including its trustees, directors, managers, officers, employees, and other agents (collectively, the “Indemnitees” and each an “Indemnitee”), and shall hold the Indemnitees harmless from and against any actions, suits, claims, losses, damages, liabilities, and reasonable costs, charges, and expenses (including attorney fees and investigation expenses) (collectively, “Losses”) arising directly or indirectly out of (1) the Indemnifying Party’s failure to exercise the standard of care set forth above unless such Losses were caused in part by the Indemnitees’ own willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence; (2) any violation of Applicable Law (defined below) by the Indemnifying Party or its affiliated persons or agents relating to this Agreement and the activities thereunder; and (3) any material breach by the Indemnifying Party or its affiliated persons or agents of this Agreement. |
B. | Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions, the Trust or Fund shall indemnify Ultimus for Xxxxxxx’ Losses arising from circumstances under Section 10.2.A, other than under Section 10.2.A(2), provided, however, that the Trust shall not have any obligation to indemnify Ultimus hereunder for Losses caused in part by Xxxxxxx’ willing misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence. |
C. | Upon the assertion of a claim for which either party may be required to indemnify the other, the Indemnitee shall promptly notify the Indemnifying Party of such assertion and shall keep the Indemnifying Party advised with respect to all developments concerning such claim. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the failure of the Indemnitee to timely notify the Indemnifying Party shall not relieve the Indemnifying Party of its indemnification obligations hereunder except to the extent that the Indemnifying Party is materially prejudiced by such failure. |
D. | The Indemnifying Party shall have the option to participate with the Indemnitee in the defense of such claim or to defend against said claim in its own name or in the name of the Indemnitee. The Indemnitee shall in no case confess any claim or make any compromise in any case in which the Indemnifying Party may be required to indemnify the Indemnitee except with the Indemnifying Party’s prior written consent. |
10.4. The provisions of this Section 10 shall survive termination of this Agreement.
11. | Force Majeure. |
Neither party will be liable for Losses, loss of data, delay of Services, or any other issues caused by events beyond its reasonable control, including, without limitation, delays by third party vendors and/or communications carriers, acts of civil or military authority, national emergencies, labor difficulties, fire, flood, catastrophe, acts of God, insurrection, war, riots, pandemics, failure of the mails, transportation, communication, or power supply, provided,
with respect to Xxxxxxx, that Ultimus minimizes the amount of any Losses to the Trust by, without limitation, using, implementing, and acting consistently with DRBCP (as defined below).
12. | Representations and Warranties |
12.1. Joint Representations. Each party represents and warrants, which representations and warranties shall be deemed to be continuing throughout the term of this Agreement, that:
(A) | It is a corporation, partnership, trust, or other entity duly organized and validly existing in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction in which it is organized. |
(B) | To the extent required by Applicable Law (defined below), it is duly registered with all appropriate regulatory agencies or self-regulatory organizations and such registration will remain in full force and effect for the duration of this Agreement. |
(C) | For the duties and responsibilities under this Agreement, it is currently and will continue to abide by all applicable federal and state laws, including, without limitation, federal and state securities laws; regulations, rules, and interpretations of the SEC and its authorized regulatory agencies and organizations, including FINRA; and all other self-regulatory organizations governing the transactions contemplated under this Agreement (collectively, “Applicable Law”). |
(D) | It has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the performance of the transactions, duties, and responsibilities contemplated by this Agreement. |
(E) | This Agreement constitutes a legal obligation of the party, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, and other laws of general application affecting the rights and remedies of creditors and secured parties. |
(F) | Whenever, in the course of performing its duties under this Agreement, it determines that a violation of Applicable Law has occurred, or that, to its knowledge, a possible violation of Applicable Law may have occurred, or with the passage of time could occur, it shall promptly notify the other party of such violation. |
12.2. Representations of the Trust. The Trust represents and warrants, which representations and warranties shall be deemed to be continuing throughout the term of this Agreement, that:
(A) | (1) as of the close of business on the Agreement Effective Date, each Fund that is then in existence has authorized unlimited shares, and (2) no shares of any Fund will be offered to the public until the Trust’s registration statement under the Securities Act and the Investment Company Act, has been declared or becomes effective and all required state securities law filings have been made. |
(B) | It shall cause the investment adviser(s) and sub-advisers, prime broker, custodian, legal counsel, independent accountants, and other service providers and agents, past or present, for each Fund to cooperate with Xxxxxxx and to provide it with such information, |
documents, and advice relating to the Fund as appropriate or requested by Xxxxxxx, in order to enable Xxxxxxx to perform its duties and obligations under this Agreement.
(C) | The Trust’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust, Bylaws, registration statement and each Fund’s organizational documents, and prospectus are true and accurate and will remain true and accurate at all times during the term of this Agreement in conformance with applicable federal and state securities laws. |
(D) | Each of the employees of Xxxxxxx that serves or has served at any time as an officer of the Trust, including the CCO, President, Treasurer, Secretary and the AML Compliance Officer, shall be covered by the Trust’s Directors & Officers/Errors & Omissions insurance policy (the “Policy”) and shall be subject to the provisions of the Trust’s Declaration of Trust and Bylaws regarding indemnification of its officers. The Trust shall provide Ultimus with proof of current coverage, including a copy of the Policy, and shall notify Xxxxxxx immediately should the Policy be canceled or terminated. |
(E) | Any officer of the Trust shall be considered an individual who is authorized to provide Xxxxxxx with instructions and requests on behalf of the Trust (an “Authorized Person”) (unless such authority is limited in a writing from the Trust and received by Xxxxxxx) and who has the authority to appoint additional Authorized Persons, to limit or revoke the authority of any previously designated Authorized Person, and to certify to Ultimus the names of the Authorized Persons from time to time. |
12.3 Representations and Covenants of Ultimus. Ultimus represents, warrants and covenants, which representations, warranties and covenants shall be deemed to be continuing throughout the term of this Agreement, that: (A) It will 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 Investment Company Act) with respect to Ultimus’ services under this Agreement, and will provide the Trust with such materials with respect to its Compliance Program as the Trust may reasonably request. Xxxxxxx will also take such actions as the Trust may reasonably request in connection with the Trust’s compliance with Rule 38a-1, Rule 38a-2 or any other requirement of the Federal Securities Laws or such other laws referenced in Section 15 below.
(B) It shall develop and maintain a plan for recovery from force majeure events consistent with the plan then generally in effect across Ultimus’ client base (the “DRBCP”). During the term of this Agreement, the DRBCP shall not be modified in a manner that would be reasonably likely to impair the responsiveness of Ultimus or the implementation of such DRBCP, or to materially reduce Ultimus’ business continuity or preparation for a disaster recovery event (including as to testing and reporting). (C) It will promptly notify the Trust in writing if it: (i) is served with or otherwise receives a formal notice of investigation from a regulatory body with jurisdiction over Xxxxxxx; or
(ii) receives a judgment with respect to any regulatory matter before or by any court, public board or body (including, without limitation, federal or state regulators) (an “Oversight Body”); which in the case of (i) or (ii) relates in any manner to the Services provided to the Trust hereunder; or
(iii) receives a deficiency letter from an Oversight Body citing Xxxxxxx for violations of any applicable laws (each such notice of investigation, final judgment or deficiency letter, a “Regulatory Notice”). Ultimus will, no later than the next meeting of the Trust’s Board, provide the Trust with a written summary of material legal matters in such Regulatory Notice and, to the
extent applicable, Ultimus’ response(s) thereto. In responding to any requests from an Oversight Body, Xxxxxxx will take reasonable steps to maintain the confidentiality of any Confidential Information (defined below) of the Trust provided to the Oversight Body (e.g., requesting confidentiality pursuant to appropriate provisions under the Freedom of Information Act and similar acts or laws), and will maintain and provide to the Trust on request copies of any records provided to an Oversight Body pertaining to the Trust, unless such disclosure would constitute a violation of applicable laws.
13. | Insurance |
13.1. | Maintenance of Insurance Coverage. Each party agrees to maintain throughout the term of this Agreement professional liability insurance coverage of the type and amount reasonably customary in its industry. Upon request, a party shall furnish the other party with pertinent information concerning the professional liability insurance coverage that it maintains. Such information shall include the identity of the insurance carrier(s), coverage levels, and deductible amounts. |
13.2. | Notice of Termination. A party shall promptly notify the other party should any of the notifying party’s insurance coverage be canceled or reduced. Such notification shall include the date of change and the reasons therefore. |
14. | Information Provided by the Trust |
14.1. | Prior to the Agreement Effective Date. Prior to the Agreement Effective Date, the Trust will furnish to Ultimus the following: |
(A) | copies of the Declaration of Trust and of any amendments thereto, certified by the proper official of the state in which such document has been filed; |
(B) | the Trust’s Bylaws and any amendments thereto; |
(C) | certified copies of resolutions of the Board covering the approval of this Agreement, authorization of a specified officer of the Trust to execute and deliver this Agreement and authorization for specified officers of the Trust to instruct Ultimus thereunder; |
(D) | a list of all the officers of the Trust, together with specimen signatures of those officers who are authorized to instruct Xxxxxxx in all matters; |
(E) | the Trust’s registration statement and all amendments thereto filed with the SEC pursuant to the Securities Act and the Investment Company Act; |
(F) | the Trust’s notification of registration under the Investment Company Act on Form N-8A as filed with the SEC; |
(G) | the Trust’s current prospectus and statement of additional information for each Fund; |
(H) | an accurate, current list of shareholders of each existing series of the Trust, if applicable, showing each shareholder’s address of record, number of shares owned and whether such shares are represented by outstanding share certificates; |
(I) | copies of the current plan of distribution adopted by the Trust under Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act for each Fund, if applicable; |
(J) | copies of the current investment advisory agreement and current investment sub-advisory agreement(s), if applicable, for each Fund; |
(K) | copies of the current underwriting agreement for each Fund; |
(L) | contact information for each Fund’s service providers, including, but not limited to, the Fund’s administrator, custodian, transfer agent, independent accountants, legal counsel, underwriter and chief compliance officer; and |
(M) | a copy of procedures adopted by the Trust in accordance with Rule 38a-1 under the Investment Company Act. |
14.2. | After the Agreement Effective Date. After the Agreement Effective Date, the Trust will furnish to Ultimus any amendments to the items listed in Section 14.1. |
15. | Compliance with Law |
The Trust assumes full responsibility for the preparation, contents, and distribution of each prospectus of a Fund and further agrees to comply with all applicable requirements of the Federal Securities Laws and any other laws, rules and regulations of governmental authorities having jurisdiction over the Trust or a Fund, including, but not limited to, the Internal Revenue Code, the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001, and the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002, each as amended.
16. | Confidentiality |
16.1. | Definition of Confidential Information. The term “Confidential Information” shall mean all information that either party discloses (a “Disclosing Party”) to the other party (a “Receiving Party”), whether in writing, electronically, or orally and in any form (tangible or intangible), that is confidential, proprietary, or relates to clients or shareholders (each either existing or potential). Confidential Information includes, but is not limited to: |
(A) | any information concerning technology, such as systems, source code, databases, hardware, software, programs, applications, engaging protocols, routines, models, displays, and manuals; |
(B) | any unpublished information concerning research activities and plans, customers, clients, shareholders, strategies and plans, costs, operational techniques; and |
(C) | any unpublished financial information, including information concerning revenues, profits and profit margins, and costs or expenses. |
Confidential Information is deemed confidential and proprietary to the Disclosing Party regardless of whether such information was disclosed intentionally or unintentionally, or marked appropriately.
16.2. | Treatment of Confidential Information |
(A) | Each party agrees that at all times during and after the terms of this Agreement, it shall use, handle, collect, maintain, and safeguard Confidential Information in accordance with (1) the confidentiality and non-disclosure requirements of this Agreement and (2) such other Applicable Law, whether in effect now or in the future. |
(B) | Without limiting the foregoing, the Receiving Party shall apply to any Confidential Information at least the same degree of reasonable care used for its own confidential and proprietary information to avoid unauthorized disclosure or use of Confidential Information under this Agreement. |
(C) | Each party further agrees that: |
(1) | The Receiving Party will hold all Confidential Information it obtains in strictest confidence and will use and permit use of Confidential Information solely for the purposes of this Agreement or as otherwise provided for in this Agreement, and consistent therewith, may disclose or provide access to its responsible employees or agents who have a need to know and are under adequate confidentiality agreements or arrangements and make copies of Confidential Information to the extent reasonably necessary to carry out its obligations under this Agreement; |
(2) | Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Receiving Party may release Confidential Information as permitted or required by law or approved in writing by the Disclosing party, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld and may not be withheld where the Receiving Party may be exposed to civil or criminal liability or proceedings for failure to release such information; |
(3) | Additionally, Ultimus may provide Confidential Information typically supplied in the investment company industry to companies that track or report price, performance or other information regarding investment companies; and |
(4) | The Receiving Party will immediately notify the Disclosing Party of any unauthorized disclosure or use and will cooperate with the Disclosing Party to protect all proprietary rights in any Confidential Information. |
16.3. | Severability. This provision and the obligations under this Section 16 shall survive termination of this Agreement. |
17. | Privacy and Data Security |
17.1. | Definition of Customer Information. Any Customer Information will remain the sole and exclusive property of the Trust. “Customer Information” shall mean all non-public information as defined by Xxxxx-Xxxxx-Xxxxxx Act of 1999, as amended, and its implementing regulations (e.g., SEC Regulation S-P and Federal Reserve Board Regulation P) (collectively, the “GLB Act”). |
17.2 | Definition of Personal Information. Any Customer Information and all information identifying, or that alone or in combination with other information allows for the identification of an individual, that Ultimus processes on behalf of the Trust or any of the Funds for purposes of providing the Services under this Agreement. |
17.3 | Xxxxxxx agrees that: |
(1) | Ultimus and its employees and permitted contractors and service providers shall use Personal Information solely for the purpose of providing the Services under this Agreement; |
(2) | Xxxxxxx will adhere to the privacy policies adopted by the Funds pursuant to GLB Act, as may be modified from time to time. |
(3) | Ultimus shall have in place and maintain physical, electronic and procedural safeguards reasonably designed to protect the security, confidentiality and integrity of, and to prevent unauthorized access to or use of Personal Information. |
(4) | Xxxxxxx has implemented and will maintain an effective written information security program reasonably designed to protect Personal Information, which program includes sufficient administrative, technical and physical safeguards and written policies and procedures reasonably designed to (a) insure the security and confidentiality of such Personal Information; (b) protect against any anticipated threats or hazards to the security or integrity of such Personal Information, including identity theft; and (c) protect against unauthorized access to or use of such Personal Information (the “Information Security Program”). The Information Security Program complies and shall comply with reasonable information security practices within the industry. |
(5) | Ultimus shall promptly notify the Trust in writing of any breach of security, misuse or misappropriation of, or unauthorized access to or acquisition of any Personal Information (any or all of the foregoing referred to individually and collectively for purposes of this provision as a “Security Breach”). Ultimus shall, at its sole cost and expense, promptly investigate and remedy any Security Breach. |
(6) | In addition to, and without limiting the foregoing, Ultimus will promptly cooperate with the Trust, the Funds and any of their affiliates as well as each of |
their respective regulators to prevent, investigate, cease or mitigate any Security Breach.
(7) | Notwithstanding the foregoing, Xxxxxxx will not share any Customer Information with any third-parties unless expressly directed in writing by the Trust or the respective Fund or otherwise allowed under one of the exceptions noted under the GLB Act. In such case Ultimus shall ensure that any subcontract includes confidentiality, privacy and security obligations that are no less stringent than those applicable to Ultimus in this Agreement and which at all times require compliance with the GLB Act. |
17.4 | Severability. This provision and the obligations under this Section 17 shall survive termination of this Agreement. |
18. | Press Release |
Within the first 60 days following the Agreement Effective Date, the Trust agrees to review in good faith a press release (in any format or medium) announcing the Agreement with Xxxxxxx; provided that Xxxxxxx must obtain the Trust’s written consent prior to publication of such release, which consent shall not be unreasonably denied by the Trust.
19. | Non-Exclusivity |
The services of Ultimus rendered to the Trust are not deemed to be exclusive. Except to the extent necessary to perform Ultimus’ obligations under this Agreement, nothing herein shall be deemed to limit or restrict Ultimus’ right, or the right of any of Ultimus’ managers, officers or employees who also may be a trustee, officer or employee of the Trust, or persons who are otherwise affiliated persons of the Trust to engage in any other business or to devote time and attention to the management or other aspects of any other business, whether of a similar or dissimilar nature, or to render services of any kind to any other person.
20. | Arbitration |
Any controversy or claim arising out of or relating to this Agreement, or the breach thereof, shall be settled by arbitration in Omaha, Nebraska, according to the Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association, and judgment on the award rendered by the arbitrator(s) may be entered in any court having jurisdiction thereof.
This arbitration provision shall be enforced and interpreted exclusively in accordance with applicable federal law, including the Federal Arbitration Act. Any costs, fees, or taxes involved in enforcing the award shall be fully assessed against and paid by the party resisting enforcement of said award. The prevailing party shall also be entitled to an award of reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs incurred in connection with the enforcement of this Agreement.
21. | Notices |
Any notice provided under this Agreement shall be sufficiently given when either delivered personally by hand or received by electronic mail, overnight delivery, or certified mail at the following address.
21.1. | If to the Trust: |
The Xxxxx Funds
0000 Xxxxx 000xx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 000
Xxxxx, XX 00000-0000
Attn: General Counsel
Email: xxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx
21.2. | If to Ultimus: |
Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC
Attn: General Counsel
0000 Xxxxx 000xx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxxx, XX 00000
Email: xxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx
22. | General Provisions |
22.1. | Incorporation by Reference. This Agreement and its addendums, schedules, exhibits, and other documents incorporated by reference express the entire understanding of the parties and supersede any other agreement between them relating to the Services. |
22.2. | Conflicts. In the event of any conflict between this Agreement and any Appendices or Addendum thereto, this Agreement shall control. |
22.3. | Amendments. The parties may only amend or waive all or part of this Agreement by written amendment or waiver signed by both parties. |
22.4. | Assignments. |
(A) | Except as provided in this Section 22.4, this Agreement and the rights and duties hereunder shall not be assignable by either of the parties except by the specific written consent of the non-assigning party. |
(B) | The terms and provisions of this Agreement shall become automatically applicable to any investment company that is the successor to the Trust because of reorganization, recapitalization, or change of domicile. |
(C) | This Agreement shall be binding upon, and shall inure to the benefit of, the parties and their respective successors and permitted assigns. |
22.5. | Governing Law. This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the state of Ohio and the applicable provisions of the Investment Company Act. To the extent that the applicable laws of the state of Ohio, or any of the provisions herein, conflict with the applicable provisions of the Investment Company Act, the latter shall control. |
22.6. | Headings. Section and paragraph headings in this Agreement are included for convenience only and are not to be used to construe or interpret this Agreement. |
22.7. | Multiple Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which when executed shall be deemed to be an original, but such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument. A signed copy of this Agreement delivered by email or other means of electronic transmission will be deemed to have the same legal effect as delivery of an original, signed copy of this Agreement. |
22.8. | Severability. If any part, term or provision of this Agreement is held to be illegal, in conflict with any law or otherwise invalid, the remaining portion or portions shall be considered severable and not be affected by such determination, and the rights and obligations of the parties shall be construed and enforced as if the Agreement did not contain the particular part, term or provisions held to be illegal or invalid. |
Signatures are located on the next page.
The parties duly executed this Agreement as of March 1, 2022.
The Xxxxx Funds | Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC | ||
By: |
/s/Xxxxx X. Xxxxx |
By: |
/s/Xxxx Xxxxxxx |
Name: | Xxxxx X. Xxxxx | Name: | Xxxx Xxxxxxx |
Title: | Vice President | Title: | Chief Executive Officer |
SCHEDULE A
to the
Master Services Agreement between
The Xxxxx Funds and
Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC dated March 1, 2022
Fund Portfolio(s)
Balanced Fund
Core Plus Income Fund
Hickory Fund
Nebraska Tax-Free Income Fund
Partners III Opportunity Fund
Partners Value Fund
Short Duration Income Fund
Ultra Short Government Fund
Value Fund
Transfer Agent and Shareholder Services Addendum
for
The Xxxxx Funds
This Transfer Agent and Shareholder Services Addendum, dated March 1, 2022, is between The Xxxxx Funds (the “Trust”), on its own behalf and on behalf of the Funds listed on Schedule A to that certain Master Services Agreement, dated March 1, 2022, and Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC (“Ultimus”). Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Master Services Agreement.
Transfer Agent and Shareholder Services
1. | Shareholder Transactions |
Ultimus shall provide the Trust with shareholder transaction services, including:
1.1. | process shareholder purchase, redemption, exchange, and transfer orders in accordance with conditions set forth in the applicable Fund’s prospectus(es) applying all applicable redemption or other miscellaneous fees; |
1.2. | set up of account information, including address, account designations, dividend and capital gains options, taxpayer identification numbers, banking instructions, automatic investment plans, systematic withdrawal plans and cost basis disposition method, |
1.3. | assist shareholders making changes to their account information included in 1.2; |
1.4. | issue trade confirmations in compliance with Rule 10b-10 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”); |
1.5. | issue quarterly statements for shareholders, interested parties, broker firms, branch offices and registered representatives; |
1.6. | act as a service agent and process income dividend and capital gains distributions, including the purchase of new shares, through dividend reimbursement and appropriate application of backup withholding, non-resident alien withholding and Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (“FATCA”) withholding; |
1.7. | record the issuance of shares and maintain pursuant to Rule 17Ad-10(e) of the 1934 Act a record of the total number of shares of each Fund which are authorized, based upon data provided to it by the Trust, and issued and outstanding; |
1.8. | perform such services as are required to comply with Rules 17a-24 and 17Ad-17 of the 1934 Act (the “Lost Shareholder Rules”); |
1.9. | provide cost basis reporting to shareholders on covered shares (shares purchased after 1/1/2012), as required; |
1.10. | withholding taxes on non-resident alien accounts, pension accounts and in accordance with state requirements; |
1.11. | produce, print, mail and file U.S. Treasury Department Forms 1099 and other appropriate forms required by federal authorities with respect to distributions for shareholders; |
1.12. | administer and perform all other customary services of a transfer agent, including, but not limited to, answering routine customer inquiries regarding shares; and |
1.13. | process all standing instruction orders (Automatic Investment Plans (“AIPs”) and Systematic Withdrawal Plan (“SWPs”)) including the debit of shareholder bank information for automatic purchases. |
2. | Shareholder Information Services |
Ultimus shall provide the Trust with shareholder information services, including:
2.1. | make information available to shareholder servicing unit and other remote access units regarding trade date, share price, current holdings, yields, and dividend information; |
2.2. | produce detailed history of transactions through duplicate or special order statements upon request; |
2.3. | provide mailing labels for distribution of financial reports, prospectuses, proxy statements or marketing material to current shareholders; and |
2.4. | respond as appropriate to all inquiries and communications from shareholders relating to shareholder accounts. |
3. | Compliance Reporting |
3.1. | AML Reporting. Xxxxxxx agrees to provide anti-money laundering services to the Trust’s direct shareholders and to operate the Trust’s customer identification program for these shareholders, in each case in accordance with the written procedures developed by Xxxxxxx and adopted or approved by the Trust’s Board of Trustees (the “Board”) and with applicable law and regulations. |
3.2. | Regulatory Reporting. Xxxxxxx agrees to provide reports to the federal and applicable state authorities, including the SEC, and to the Funds’ auditors. Applicable state authorities are those governmental agencies located in states in which the Fund is registered to sell shares. |
3.3. | IRS Reporting. Xxxxxxx will prepare and distribute appropriate Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) forms for shareholder income and capital gains (including the calculation of qualified income), sale of fund shares, distributions from retirement accounts and education savings accounts, fair market value reporting on IRAs, contributions, rollovers and conversions to IRAs and education savings accounts and required minimum distribution notifications and issue tax withholding reports to the IRS. |
3.4. | Pay-to-Play Reports. Ultimus will provide quarterly reporting for Fund accounts subject to pay-to- play rules. |
4. | Dealer/Load Processing |
For each Fund with a share class that charges a sales load (either front-end or back-end), Ultimus will:
4.1. | provide reports for tracking rights of accumulation and purchases made under a letter of intent; |
4.2. | account for separation of shareholder investments from transaction sale charges for purchase of Fund shares; |
4.3. | calculate fees due under Rule 12b-1 plans for distribution and marketing expenses; |
4.4. | track sales and commission statistics by dealer and provide for payment of commissions on direct shareholder purchases; and |
4.5. | applying appropriate Front End Sales Load (“FESL”) breakpoint and Contingent Deferred Sales Charges (“CDSCs”) automatically during trade processing. |
5. | Shareholder Account Maintenance |
For each direct shareholder account, Xxxxxxx agrees to perform the following services:
5.1. | maintain all shareholder records for each account in each Fund; |
5.2. | as dividend disbursing agent, on or before the payment date of any dividend or distribution, notify the Fund’s custodian of the estimated amount of cash required to pay such dividend or distribution; prepare and distribute to shareholders any funds to which they are entitled by reason of any dividend or distribution and in the case of shareholders entitled to receive additional shares of the Fund by reason of any such dividend or distribution, make appropriate credit to their respective accounts and prepare and mail to such shareholders a confirmation statement with respect to such shares; |
5.3. | issue customer statements on a scheduled cycle, and provide duplicate second and third party copies if required; |
5.4. | record shareholder account information changes; and |
5.5. | maintain account documentation files for each shareholder. |
6. | uTRANSACT Web Services |
6.1. | Provide and maintain an internet portal for shareholders and registered investment advisers to access and perform various online capabilities on their investment accounts with the Funds. |
7. | Blue Sky Services |
7.1. | Ultimus shall provide the Trust with state registration (blue sky) services. |
8. | PLAID |
8.1. | Provide online bank account verification services using third-party PLAID technology. |
9. | Other Services |
9.1. | Xxxxxxx shall perform other services for the Trust that are mutually agreed upon in a writing signed by the parties for mutually agreed fees, if any, and all reimbursable expenses incurred by Xxxxxxx; provided, however that the Trust may retain third parties to perform such other services. These services may include performing internal audit examination; mailing the annual reports of the Funds; preparing an annual list of shareholders; and mailing notices of shareholders’ meetings, proxies, and proxy statements. |
10. | National Securities Clearing Corporation Processing |
Ultimus will:
10.1. | process accounts through Networking and the purchase, redemption, transfer and exchange of shares in such accounts through Fund/SERV (Networking and Fund/SERV being programs operated by the National Securities Clearing Corporation (the “NSCC”) on behalf of NSCC’s participants, including the Trust), in accordance with, instructions transmitted to and received by Ultimus by transmission from NSCC on behalf of broker-dealers and banks which have been established by, or in accordance with the instructions of authorized persons, as hereinafter defined on the dealer file maintained by Ultimus; |
10.2. | issue instructions to each Fund’s custodian for the settlement of transactions between the Fund and NSCC (acting on behalf of its broker-dealer and bank participants); |
10.3. | provide account and transaction information from the affected Trust’s records on an appropriate computer system in accordance with NSCC’s Networking and Fund/SERV rules for those broker- dealers; and |
10.4. | maintain shareholder accounts through Networking. |
11. | Tax Matters |
Xxxxxxx does not provide tax advice. Nothing in the Master Services Agreement or this Transfer Agent and Shareholder Services Addendum shall be construed or have the effect of rendering tax advice. It is important that the Trust or a Fund consult a professional tax advisor regarding its individual tax situation.
Signatures are located on the next page.
The parties duly executed this Transfer Agent and Shareholder Services Addendum as of March 1, 2022.
The Xxxxx Funds On behalf of all Funds listed on Schedule A to the Master Services Agreement |
Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC | ||
By: |
/s/Xxxxx X. Xxxxx |
By: |
/s/Xxxx Xxxxxxx |
Name: | Xxxxx X. Xxxxx | Name: | Xxxx Xxxxxxx |
Title: | Vice President | Title: | Chief Executive Officer |