DELAWARE GROUP DECATUR FUND, INC.
DECATUR INCOME FUND SERIES
DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT
Distribution Agreement (the "Agreement") made as of this 3rd
day of April, 1995 by and between DELAWARE GROUP DECATUR FUND, INC., a Maryland
corporation (the "Fund"), for the DECATUR INCOME FUND series (the "Series") and
DELAWARE DISTRIBUTORS, L.P. (the "Distributor"), a Delaware limited partnership.
WITNESSETH
WHEREAS, the Fund is an investment company regulated by
Federal and State regulatory bodies, and WHEREAS, the Distributor is engaged in
the business of promoting the distribution of the securities of investment
companies and, in connection therewith and acting solely as agent for such
investment companies and not as principal, advertising, promoting, offering and
selling their securities to the public, and
WHEREAS, the Fund and the Distributor (or its predecessor)
were the parties to a contract under which the Distributor acted as the national
distributor of the Series, which contract was amended and restated as of the 6th
day of September, 1994 and subsequently readopted as of January 3, 1995 (the
"Prior Distribution Agreement"), and
WHEREAS, Delaware Management Holdings, Inc. ("Holdings"), the
indirect parent company of the Distributor, completed on the date of this
Agreement a merger transaction with a newly-formed subsidiary of Lincoln
National Corporation, pursuant to which Holdings became a wholly-owned
subsidiary of Lincoln National Corporation, and
WHEREAS, the merger transaction resulted in a change of
control of the Distributor and an automatic termination of the Prior
Distribution Agreement, and
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Fund has determined to
enter into a new agreement with the Distributor as of the date hereof, pursuant
to which the Distributor shall continue to be the national distributor of the
Series' Decatur Income Fund class (now doing business as Decatur Income Fund A
Class and hereinafter referred to as the "Class A Shares"), the Series' Decatur
Income Fund B Class (the "Class B Shares") and the Series' Decatur Income Fund
(Institutional) class (now doing business as Decatur Income Fund Institutional
Class and hereinafter referred to as the "Institutional Class Shares"), which
classes may do business under these or such other names as the Board of
Directors may designate from time to time, on the conditions set forth below,
NOW, THEREFORE, the parties hereto, intending to be legally
bound hereby, agree as follows:
1. The Fund hereby engages the Distributor to promote the distribution of the
Series' shares and, in connection therewith and as agent for the Fund and not
as principal, to advertise, promote, offer and sell the Series' shares to the
public.
2. (a) The Distributor agrees to serve as distributor of the Series' shares and,
as agent for the Fund and not as principal, to advertise, promote and use
its best efforts to sell the Series' shares wherever their sale is legal,
either through dealers or otherwise, in such places and in such manner,
not inconsistent with the law and the provisions of this Agreement and
the Fund's Registration Statement under the Securities Act of 1933,
including the Prospectus contained therein and the Statement of
Additional Information contained therein, as may be mutually determined
by the Fund and the Distributor from time to time.
(b) For the Institutional Class Shares, the Distributor will bear all costs
of financing any activity which is primarily intended to result in the
sale of that class of shares, including, but not necessarily limited to,
advertising, compensation of underwriters, dealers and sales personnel,
the printing and mailing of sales literature and distribution of that
class of shares.
(c) For its services as agent for the Class A Shares and Class B Shares, the
Distributor shall be entitled to compensation on each sale or redemption,
as appropriate, of shares of such classes equal to any front-end or
deferred sales charge described in the Prospectus from time to time and
may allow concessions to dealers in such amounts and on such terms as are
therein set forth.
(d) For the Class A Shares and Class B Shares, the Fund shall, in addition,
compensate the Distributor for its services as provided in the
Distribution Plan as adopted on behalf of the Class A Shares and Class B
Shares, respectively, pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company
Act of 1940 (the "Plans"), copies of which as presently in force are
attached hereto as, respectively, Exhibit "A" and "B".
3. (a) The Fund agrees to make available for sale by the Fund through the
Distributor all or such part of the authorized but unissued shares of the
Series as the Distributor shall require from time to time, and except as
provided in Paragraph 3(b) hereof, the Fund will not sell Series' shares
other than through the efforts of the Distributor.
(b) The Fund reserves the right from time to time (1) to sell and issue
shares other than for cash; (2) to issue shares in exchange for
substantially all of the assets of any corporation or trust, or in
exchange of shares of any corporation or trust; (3) to pay stock
dividends to its shareholders, or to pay dividends in cash or stock at
the option of its stockholders, or to sell stock to existing stockholders
to the extent of dividends payable from time to time in cash, or to split
up or combine its outstanding shares of common stock; (4) to offer shares
for cash to its stockholders as a whole, by the use of transferable
rights or otherwise, and to sell and issue shares pursuant to such
offers; and (5) to act as its own distributor in any jurisdiction in
which the Distributor is not registered as a broker-dealer.
4. The Fund warrants the following:
(a) The Fund is, or will be, a properly registered investment company, and
any and all Series' shares which it will sell through the Distributor
are, or will be, properly registered with the Securities and Exchange
Commission ("SEC").
(b) The provisions of this Agreement do not violate the terms of any
instrument by which the Fund is bound, nor do they violate any law or
regulation of any body having jurisdiction over the Fund or its property.
5. (a) The Fund will supply to the Distributor a conformed copy of the
Registration Statement, all amendments thereto, all exhibits, and each
Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information.
(b) The Fund will register or qualify the Series' shares for sale in such
states as is deemed desirable.
(c) The Fund, without expense to the Distributor,
(1) will give and continue to give such financial statements and other
information as may be required by the SEC or the proper public bodies
of the states in which the Series' shares may be qualified;
(2) from time to time, will furnish to the Distributor as soon as
reasonably practicable true copies of its periodic reports to
stockholders;
(3) will promptly advise the Distributor in person or by telephone or
telegraph, and promptly confirm such advice in writing, (a) when any
amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement becomes
effective, (b) of any request by the SEC for amendments or
supplements to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or for
additional information, and (c) of the issuance by the SEC of any
Stop Order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement, or the initiation of any proceedings for that purpose;
(4) if at any time the SEC shall issue any Stop Order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement, will make every
reasonable effort to obtain the lifting of such order at the earliest
possible moment;
(5) will from time to time, use its best effort to keep a sufficient
supply of Series' shares authorized, any increases being subject to
approval of the Fund's shareholders as may be required;
(6) before filing any further amendment to the Registration Statement or
to the Prospectus, will furnish to the Distributor copies of the
proposed amendment and will not, at any time, whether before or after
the effective date of the Registration Statement, file any amendment
to the Registration Statement or supplement to the Prospectus of
which the Distributor shall not previously have been advised or to
which the Distributor shall reasonably object (based upon the
accuracy or completeness thereof) in writing;
(7) will continue to make available to its stockholders (and forward
copies to the Distributor) of such periodic, interim and any other
reports as are now, or as hereafter may be, required by the
provisions of the Investment Company Act of 1940; and
(8) will, for the purpose of computing the offering price of the Series'
shares, advise the Distributor within one hour after the close of the
New York Stock Exchange (or as soon as practicable thereafter) on
each business day upon which the New York Stock Exchange may be open
of the net asset value per share of the Series' shares of common
stock outstanding, determined in accordance with any applicable
provisions of law and the provisions of the Articles of
Incorporation, as amended, of the Fund as of the close of business on
such business day. In the event that prices are to be calculated more
than once daily, the Fund will promptly advise the Distributor of the
time of each calculation and the price computed at each such time.
6. The Distributor agrees to submit to the Fund, prior to its use, the form of
all sales literature proposed to be generally disseminated by or for the
Distributor, all advertisements proposed to be used by the Distributor, all
sales literature or advertisements prepared by or for the Distributor for
such dissemination or for use by others in connection with the sale of the
Series' shares, and the form of dealers' sales contract the Distributor
intends to use in connection with sales of the Series' shares. The
Distributor also agrees that the Distributor will submit such sales
literature and advertisements to the NASD, SEC or other regulatory agency as
from time to time may be appropriate, considering practices then current in
the industry. The Distributor agrees not to use such form of dealers' sales
contract or to use or to permit others to use such sales literature or
advertisements without the written consent of the Fund if any regulatory
agency expresses objection thereto or if the Fund delivers to the Distributor
a written objection thereto.
7. The purchase price of each share sold hereunder shall be the offering price
per share mutually agreed upon by the parties hereto, and as described in the
Fund's Prospectus, as amended from time to time, determined in accordance
with any applicable provision of law, the provisions of its Articles of
Incorporation and the Rules of Fair Practice of the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc.
8. The responsibility of the Distributor hereunder shall be limited to the
promotion of sales of Series' shares. The Distributor shall undertake to
promote such sales solely as agent of the Fund, and shall not purchase or
sell such shares as principal. Orders for Series' shares and payment for such
orders shall be directed to the Fund's agent, Delaware Service Company, Inc.
for acceptance on behalf of the Fund. The Distributor is not empowered to
approve orders for sales of Series' shares or accept payment for such orders.
Sales of Series' shares shall be deemed to be made when and where accepted by
Delaware Service Company, Inc. on behalf of the Fund.
9. With respect to the apportionment of costs between the Fund and the
Distributor of activities with which both are concerned, the following will
apply:
(a) The Fund and the Distributor will cooperate in preparing the Registration
Statements, the Prospectus, the Statement of Additional Information, and
all amendments, supplements and replacements thereto. The Fund will pay
all costs incurred in the preparation of the Fund's Registration
Statement, including typesetting, the costs incurred in printing and
mailing Prospectuses and Annual, Semi-Annual and other financial reports
to its own shareholders and fees and expenses of counsel and accountants.
(b) The Distributor will pay the costs incurred in printing and mailing
copies of Prospectuses to prospective investors.
(c) The Distributor will pay advertising and promotional expenses, including
the costs of literature sent to prospective investors.
(d) The Fund will pay the costs and fees incurred in registering or
qualifying the Series' shares with the various states and with the SEC.
(e) The Distributor will pay the costs of any additional copies of Fund
financial and other reports and other Fund literature supplied to the
Distributor by the Fund for sales promotion purposes.
10. The Distributor may engage in other business, provided such other business
does not interfere with the performance by the Distributor of its
obligations under this Agreement.
11. The Fund agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless from the assets of
the Series the Distributor and each person, if any, who controls the
Distributor within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act of 1933,
from and against any and all losses, damages, or liabilities to which,
jointly or severally, the Distributor or such controlling person may become
subject, insofar as the losses, damages or liabilities arise out of the
performance of its duties hereunder except that the Fund shall not be liable
for indemnification of the Distributor or any controlling person thereof for
any liability to the Fund or its security holders to which they would
otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross
negligence in the performance of their duties under this Agreement.
12. Copies of financial reports, Registration Statements and Prospectuses, as
well as demands, notices, requests, consents, waivers, and other
communications in writing which it may be necessary or desirable for either
party to deliver or furnish to the other will be duly delivered or
furnished, if delivered to such party at its address shown below during
regular business hours, or if sent to that party by registered mail or by
prepaid telegram filed with an office or with an agent of Western Union or
another nationally recognized telegraph service, in all cases within the
time or times herein prescribed, addressed to the recipient at 0000 Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxx 00000, or at such other address as the
Fund or the Distributor may designate in writing and furnish to the other.
13. This Agreement shall not be assigned, as that term is defined in the
Investment Company Act of 1940, by the Distributor and shall terminate
automatically in the event of its attempted assignment by the Distributor.
This Agreement shall not be assigned by the Fund without the written consent
of the Distributor signed by its duly authorized officers and delivered to
the Fund. Except as specifically provided in the indemnification provision
contained in Paragraph 11 herein, this Agreement and all conditions and
provisions hereof are for the sole and exclusive benefit of the parties
hereto and their legal successors and no express or implied provision of
this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person other
than the parties hereto and their legal successors any legal or equitable
right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any
provisions herein contained.
14. (a) This Agreement shall remain in force for a period of two years from the
date hereof and from year to year thereafter, but only so long as such
continuance is specifically approved at least annually by the Board of
Directors or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities
of the Series and only if the terms and the renewal thereof have been
approved by the vote of a majority of the Directors of the Fund, who are
not parties hereto or interested persons of any such party, cast in
person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval.
(b) The Distributor may terminate this Agreement on written notice to the
Fund at any time in case the effectiveness of the Registration Statement
shall be suspended, or in case Stop Order proceedings are initiated by
the SEC in respect of the Registration Statement and such proceedings
are not withdrawn or terminated within thirty days. The Distributor may
also terminate this Agreement at any time by giving the Fund written
notice of its intention to terminate the Agreement at the expiration of
three months from the date of delivery of such written notice of
intention to the Fund.
(c) The Fund may terminate this Agreement at any time on at least thirty
days prior written notice to the Distributor (1) if proceedings are
commenced by the Distributor or any of its stockholders for the
Distributor's liquidation or dissolution or the winding up of the
Distributor's affairs; (2) if a receiver or trustee of the Distributor
or any of its property is appointed and such appointment is not vacated
within thirty days thereafter; (3) if, due to any action by or before
any court or any federal or state commission, regulatory body, or
administrative agency or other governmental body, the Distributor shall
be prevented from selling securities in the United States or because of
any action or conduct on the Distributor's part, sales of the shares are
not qualified for sale. The Fund may also terminate this Agreement at
any time upon prior written notice to the Distributor of its intention
to so terminate at the expiration of three months from the date of the
delivery of such written notice to the Distributor.
15. The validity, interpretation and construction of this Agreement, and of each
part hereof, will be governed by the laws of the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania.
16. In the event any provision of this Agreement is determined to be void or
unenforceable, such determination shall not affect the remainder of the
Agreement, which shall continue to be in force.
DELAWARE DISTRIBUTORS, L.P.
By: DELAWARE DISTRIBUTORS, INC.,
General Partner
Attest:
/s/ Xxxx X. Xxxxxx By: /s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx
----------------------------------- ------------------------------
Name: Xxxx X. Xxxxxx Name: Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Title: Vice President Title: Senior Vice President
Assistant Secretary Chief Financial Officer
DELAWARE GROUP DECATUR FUND, INC.
for the DECATUR INCOME FUND series
Attest:
/s/ Xxxxxxxx X. Maestro By: /s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxx
----------------------------------- ------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxxxx X. Maestro Name: Xxxxx X. Xxxxx
Title: Assistant Vice President Title: Chairman
Assistant Secretary
Exhibit A
12b-1 PLAN
----------
The following Distribution Plan (the "Plan") has been adopted pursuant
to Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the "Act") by Delaware
Group Decatur Fund, Inc. (the "Fund"), for the Decatur Total Return series (the
"Series") on behalf of the Decatur Total Return Fund class (now doing business
as the Decatur Total Return Fund A Class and hereinafter referred to as the
"Class"), which Fund, Series and Class may do business under these or such other
names as the Board of Directors may designate from time to time. The Plan has
been approved by a majority of the Board of Directors, including a majority of
the Directors who are not interested persons of the Fund and who have no direct
or indirect financial interest in the operation of the Plan or in any agreements
related thereto, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on
such Plan. Such approval by the Directors included a determination that in the
exercise of reasonable business judgment and in light of their fiduciary duties,
there is a reasonable likelihood that the Plan will benefit the Class and its
shareholders. If the Plan has not yet been approved by a majority of the
outstanding voting securities as required in the Act, the Plan will be presented
to the public shareholders at the next regular annual or special meeting.
The Fund is a corporation organized under the laws of the State of
Maryland, is authorized to issue different series and classes of securities and
is an open-end management investment company registered under the Act. Delaware
Management Company, Inc. ("DMC") serves as the Series' investment adviser and
manager pursuant to an Investment Management Agreement. Delaware Service
Company, Inc. serves as the Series' shareholder servicing, dividend disbursing
and transfer agent. Delaware Distributors, L.P. (the "Distributor") is the
principal underwriter and national distributor for the Series' shares including
shares of the Class pursuant to the Distribution Agreement between the
Distributor and the Fund for the Series ("Distribution Agreement").
The Distributor may enter into agreements with other registered
broker-dealers substantially in the form of the Dealer Agreement approved by the
Fund in the implementation of this Plan and of the Distribution Agreement
between it and the Series. The Series may, in addition, enter into arrangements
with persons other than broker-dealers which are not "affiliated persons" or
"interested persons" of the Fund, DMC or the Distributor to provide to the
Series services in the Series' marketing of the Series' shares, such
arrangements to be reflected by Service Agreements.
The Plan provides that:
1. The Fund shall pay to the Distributor a monthly fee not to
exceed 0.3% (3/10 of 1%) per annum of the Series' average daily net assets
represented by shares of the Class (the "Maximum Amount") as may be determined
by the Fund's Board of Directors from time to time. Such monthly fee shall be
reduced by the aggregate sums paid by the Fund on behalf of the Series to
persons other than broker-dealers (the "Service Providers") pursuant to Service
Agreements referred to above.
2. (a) The Distributor shall use the monies paid to it
pursuant to paragraph l above to furnish, or cause or encourage others to
furnish, services and incentives in connection with the promotion, offering and
sale of Class shares and, where suitable and appropriate, the retention of Class
shares by shareholders.
(b) The Service Providers shall use the monies paid
respectively to them to reimburse themselves for the actual costs they have
incurred in confirming that their customers have received the Prospectus and
Statement of Additional Information, if applicable, and as a fee for (l)
assisting such customers in maintaining proper records with the Fund (2)
answering questions relating to their respective accounts and (3) aiding in
maintaining the investment of their respective customers in the Class.
3. The Distributor shall report to the Fund at least monthly
on the amount and the use of the monies paid to it under the Plan. The Service
Providers shall inform the Fund monthly and in writing of the amounts each
claims under the Service Agreement and the Plan; both the Distributor and the
Service Providers shall furnish the Board of Directors of the Fund with such
other information as the Board may reasonably request in connection with the
payments made under the Plan and the use thereof by the Distributor and the
Service Providers, respectively, in order to enable the Board to make an
informed determination of the amount of the Fund's payments and whether the Plan
should be continued.
4. The officers of the Fund shall furnish to the Board of
Directors of the Fund, for their review, on a quarterly basis, a written report
of the amounts expended under the Plan and the purposes for which such
expenditures were made.
5. This Plan shall take effect at such time as the Distributor
shall notify the Fund in writing of the commencement of the Plan, which time
shall not be before the first annual or special meeting of the public
shareholders at which the Plan is or was approved by the vote of a majority of
the outstanding voting securities as required in the Act (the "Commencement
Date"); thereafter, the Plan shall continue in effect for a period of more than
one year from the Commencement Date only so long as such continuance is
specifically approved at least annually by a vote of the Board of Directors of
the Fund, and of the Directors who are not interested persons of the Fund and
have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the Plan or in
any agreements related to the Plan ("non-interested Directors"), cast in person
at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such Plan.
6. (a) The Plan may be terminated at any time by vote of a
majority of the non-interested Directors or by vote of a majority of the
outstanding voting securities of the Class.
(b) The Plan may not be amended to increase materially the
amount to be spent for distribution pursuant to paragraph l thereof without
approval by the shareholders of the Class.
7. The Distribution Agreement between the Fund on behalf of
the Series and the Distributor, and the Service Agreements between the Fund on
behalf of the Series and the Service Providers, shall specifically have a copy
of this Plan attached to, and its terms and provisions incorporated respectively
by reference in, such agreements.
8. All material amendments to this Plan shall be approved by
the non-interested Directors in the manner described in paragraph 5 above.
9. So long as the Plan is in effect, the selection and
nomination of the Fund's non-interested Directors shall be committed to the
discretion of such non-interested Directors.
10. The definitions contained in Sections 2(a)(3), 2(a)(4),
2(a)(l9) and 2(a)(42) of the Act shall govern the meaning of "affiliated
person," "assignment," "interested person(s)" and "vote of a majority of the
outstanding voting securities," respectively, for the purposes of this Plan.
This Plan shall take effect on the Commencement Date, as
previously defined.
Exhibit B
12b-1 Plan
----------
The following Distribution Plan (the "Plan") has been adopted pursuant
to Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the "Act") by Delaware
Group Decatur Fund, Inc. (the "Fund"), for the Decatur Income Fund series (the
"Series") on behalf of the Decatur Income Fund B Class (the "Class"), which
Fund, Series and Class may do business under these or such other names as the
Board of Directors of the Fund may designate from time to time. The Plan has
been approved by a majority of the Board of Directors, including a majority of
the Directors who are not interested persons of the Fund and who have no direct
or indirect financial interest in the operation of the Plan or in any agreements
related thereto, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on
such Plan. Such approval by the Directors included a determination that in the
exercise of reasonable business judgment and in light of their fiduciary duties,
there is a reasonable likelihood that the Plan will benefit the Class and its
shareholders. The Plan has been approved by a vote of the holders of a majority
of the outstanding voting securities of the Class, as defined in the Act.
The Fund is a corporation organized under the laws of the State of
Maryland, is authorized to issue different series and classes of securities and
is an open-end management investment company registered under the Act. Delaware
Management Company, Inc. serves as the Series' investment adviser and manager
pursuant to an Investment Management Agreement. Delaware Service Company, Inc.
serves as the Series' shareholder servicing, dividend disbursing and transfer
agent. Delaware Distributors, L.P. (the "Distributor") is the principal
underwriter and national distributor for the Series' shares, including shares of
the Class, pursuant to the Distribution Agreement between the Distributor and
the Fund for the Series ("Distribution Agreement").
The Plan provides that:
1. (a) The Fund shall pay to the Distributor a monthly fee not
to exceed 0.75% (3/4 of 1%) per annum of the Series' average daily net assets
represented by shares of the Class as may be determined by the Fund's Board of
Directors from time to time.
(b) In addition to the amounts described in (a) above, the
Fund shall pay (i) to the Distributor for payment to dealers or others, or (ii)
directly to others, an amount not to exceed 0.25% (1/4 of 1%) per annum of the
Series' average daily net assets represented by shares of the Class, as a
service fee pursuant to dealer or servicing agreements, the forms of which have
been approved from time to time by the Fund's Board of Directors.
2. (a) The Distributor shall use the monies paid to it
pursuant to paragraph 1(a) above to assist in the distribution and promotion of
shares of the Class. Payments made to the Distributor under the Plan may be used
for, among other things, preparation and distribution of advertisements, sales
literature and prospectuses and reports used for sales purposes, as well as
compensation related to sales and marketing personnel, and holding special
promotions. In addition, such fees may be used to pay for advancing the
commission costs to dealers with respect to the sale of Class shares.
(b) The monies to be paid pursuant to paragraph 1(b) above
shall be used to pay dealers or others for, among other things, furnishing
personal services and maintaining shareholder accounts, which services include
confirming that customers have received the Prospectus and Statement of
Additional Information, if applicable; assisting such customers in maintaining
proper records with the Fund; answering questions relating to their respective
accounts; and aiding in maintaining the investment of their respective customers
in the Class.
3. The Distributor shall report to the Fund at least monthly
on the amount and the use of the monies paid to it under paragraph 1(a) above.
In addition, the Distributor and others shall inform the Fund monthly and in
writing of the amounts paid under paragraph 1(b) above; both the Distributor and
any others receiving fees under the Plan shall furnish the Board of Directors of
the Fund with such other information as the Board may reasonably request in
connection with the payments made under the Plan and the use thereof by the
Distributor and others in order to enable the Board to make an informed
determination of the amount of the Fund's payments and whether the Plan should
be continued.
4. The officers of the Fund shall furnish to the Board of
Directors of the Fund, for their review, on a quarterly basis, a written report
of the amounts expended under the Plan and the purposes for which such
expenditures were made.
5. This Plan shall take effect at such time as the Distributor
shall notify the Fund of the commencement of the Plan (the "Commencement Date");
thereafter, the Plan shall continue in effect for a period of more than one year
from the Commencement Date only so long as such continuance is specifically
approved at least annually by a vote of the Board of Directors of the Fund, and
of the Directors who are not interested persons of the Fund and have no direct
or indirect financial interest in the operation of the Plan or in any agreements
related to the Plan ("non-interested Directors"), cast in person at a meeting
called for the purpose of voting on such Plan.
6. (a) The Plan may be terminated at any time by vote of a
majority of the non-interested Directors or by vote of a majority of the
outstanding voting securities of the Class.
(b) The Plan may not be amended to increase materially the
amount to be spent for distribution pursuant to paragraph 1 thereof without
approval by the shareholders of the Class.
7. The Distribution Agreement between the Fund on behalf of
the Series and the Distributor, and any dealers or servicing agreements between
the Distributor and brokers or others or between the Fund on behalf of the
Series and others receiving a servicing fee, shall specifically have a copy of
this Plan attached to, and its terms and provisions incorporated respectively by
reference in, such agreements.
8. All material amendments to this Plan shall be approved by
the non-interested Directors in the manner described in paragraph 5 above.
9. So long as the Plan is in effect, the selection and
nomination of the Fund's non-interested Directors shall be committed to the
discretion of such non-interested Directors.
10. The definitions contained in Sections 2(a)(3), 2(a)(4),
2(a)(19) and 2(a)(42) of the Act shall govern the meaning of "affiliated
person," "assignment," "interested person(s)" and "vote of a majority of the
outstanding voting securities," respectively, for the purposes of this Plan.
This Plan shall take effect on the Commencement Date, as previously defined.
