PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT by and among DFA INVESTMENT DIMENSIONS GROUP INC., DIMENSIONAL FUND ADVISORS LP, DFA SECURITIES LLC and MEMBERS LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
Exhibit 99(8)(d)
by and among
DFA INVESTMENT DIMENSIONS GROUP INC.,
DIMENSIONAL FUND ADVISORS LP,
DFA SECURITIES LLC
and
MEMBERS LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
THIS AGREEMENT, made and entered into this 27th day of August 2015, by and among MEMBERS Life Insurance Company (the “Company”), on its own behalf and on behalf of segregated asset accounts of the Company that may be established from time to time (individually, an “Account” and collectively, the “Accounts”); DFA Investment Dimensions Group Inc. (the “Fund”); the Fund’s investment adviser, Dimensional Fund Advisors LP (the “Adviser”); and DFA Securities LLC (“DFAS”) (individually, a “Party” and collectively, the “Parties”).
The Company, the Fund, the Adviser and DFAS, intending to be legally bound, hereby agree as follows:
1. | Sales of Shares/Procedures | |||||||
1.1 |
Shares of the respective portfolios (individually, a “Portfolio” and collectively,
the “Portfolios”) of the Fund listed on Schedule 1.1 hereto, as amended from time
to time by the Parties, shall be sold by the Fund through its agent DFAS, and purchased
by the Company for the appropriate subaccount of each Account, at the net asset
value (“NAV”) next computed after receipt by the Fund or its designee of each order
of the Accounts, in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement, the then current
prospectus(es) and statement(s) of additional information of the Fund that describe
the Portfolios, and the variable annuity contracts (the “Contracts”) that use the
Portfolios as underlying investment media; provided, however, that
if any conflicts exist among any such documents, then the terms of the Fund’s
current prospectus(es) and statement(s) of additional information shall control. |
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1.1 (a) |
Transmission of Instructions For each Portfolio and for each account maintained
by the Company with such Portfolio, the Company shall transmit to National Securities
Clearing Corporation (“NSCC”) (which shall forward the information to the transfer
agent of the Fund), no more than ten (10) aggregate purchase orders as follows: |
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(i) | five (5) purchase
orders for the Accounts expressed in dollars (sent via NSCC’s DCC&S System);
and |
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(ii) | five (5) purchase orders for the Accounts expressed in shares (sent via NSCC’s DCC&S System); and | |||||||
no more than ten (10) aggregate redemption orders as follows: | ||||||||
(i) | five (5) redemption orders for the Accounts expressed in dollars (sent via NSCC’s DCC&S System); and | |||||||
(ii) | five (5) redemption orders for the Accounts expressed in shares (sent via NSCC’s DCC&S System); | |||||||
each of which reflects the aggregated effect of all purchases and all redemptions
of shares of the Portfolios in such categories, based upon instructions from each
Account (collectively, “Instructions”) received prior to the Close of Trading on
a given Business Day (the “Trade Date”). “Close of Trading” shall mean 4:00 p.m.
Eastern Time on a Business Day or at such other time as the NAV of a Portfolio is
calculated, as disclosed |
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in the then
current prospectus(es) of the Portfolios. “Business Day” shall mean, unless otherwise
noted in this Agreement, any day on which the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”)
is open for trading and on which a Portfolio calculates its NAV pursuant to the
rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). “Business Day,” for
the purposes of Subsections l.l(b)-(c) of this Agreement, shall also include any
day on which the NSCC’s DCC&S System is open to transmit and settle orders,
even if the NYSE is closed for trading on such day. |
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On any given
Business Day, the Company shall accept Instructions in proper form from an Account
up to the Close of Trading, but in no event shall the Company accept Instructions
that have been received by the Company or its designee after the Close of Trading
on such Business Day. Instructions received in proper form by the Company after
the Close of Trading on any Business Day shall be treated as if accepted on the
next following Business Day. The Fund hereby appoints the Company as a designee
of the Fund for the limited purpose of receipt of purchase and redemption orders
on behalf of the Accounts for shares of the Portfolios listed on Schedule 1.1 and
receipt by the Company as designee shall constitute receipt by the Fund; provided
that the Fund receives notice of such order by the transmission deadlines described
in Section l.l(b) below. Each transmission of Instructions by the Company will constitute
a representation that all purchase and redemption orders from the Accounts were
received by the Company prior to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time or the close of the NYSE,
whichever is earlier, on the Business Day on which the purchase or redemption orders
are transmitted, in accordance with Rule 22c-l under the Investment Company Act
of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”). |
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l.l(b) | Transmission
Deadlines for the Accounts The transmission of orders for the Accounts will be accepted
by the Fund or its transfer agent only if provided through NSCC’s DCC&S
System in the file delivered to the Fund or its transfer agent prior to 6:30 a.m.
Eastern Time (currently NSCC Cycle 8) on the next Business Day following the Trade
Date. Any information delivered to the Fund after such 6:30 a.m. Eastern Time file
is received will be rejected by the Fund or its transfer agent, subject to the Fund’s sole discretion to accept any trade. In the event that NSCC systems are not functioning on a given Business Day, the Company may transmit Instructions to the Fund, its transfer agent or as otherwise directed by the Fund or the Adviser via facsimile or other electronic transmission approved by the Fund by 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time on the next Business Day following the Trade Date; provided however, that the Company will notify the Fund and the Adviser prior to transmitting Instructions via facsimile or Fund approved electronic transmission. However, this paragraph will not be applicable to Instructions which have already been entered via NSCC but not received by the Fund or its transfer agent. The Company must notify the Fund of |
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the existence
of any such Instructions, and the Fund and its transfer agent will use commercially
reasonable efforts to process those Instructions in a mutually satisfactory manner.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, on a limited basis, the Company may transmit Instructions
until 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time via NSCC Cycles 9 through 12 on the next Business Day
following the Trade Date for corrections to Instructions already submitted for contingency
purposes. |
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1.1 (c) | Settlement Aggregated purchase and net redemption transactions shall be settled in accordance
with NSCC rules and procedures. In the event that NSCC systems are not functioning on a given Business Day, then (1) for net purchase Instructions, the Company shall wire payment, or arrange for payment to be wired by the Company’s designated bank, in immediately available funds, to the Portfolio’s custodial account at the Fund’s custodian; and (2) for net redemption Instructions, the Fund or its transfer agent shall wire payment, or arrange for payment to be wired, in immediately available funds, to an account designated by the Company in writing. Wires from the Company must be received no later than the close of the Federal Reserve Wire Transfer System on the next day on which the Federal Reserve Wire Transfer System is open. |
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In the event
that the total redemption order for any one Business Day shall exceed dollar limits
set for a Portfolio by the Fund, such Portfolio shall have the option of (i) settling
the redemption on the second Business Day following trade date through the NSCC’s money settlement process; (ii) settling the redemption outside of Fund/SERV,
if necessary, as determined in the sole discretion of the Adviser, at any time within
seven (7) days after receipt of the redemption order, in accordance with relevant
provisions of the 1940 Act; or (iii) making redemptions in any other manner provided
for in the Portfolio’s then current prospectus(es) or statement(s) of additional
information. |
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Nothing herein
shall prevent the Fund, on behalf of a Portfolio, from delaying or suspending the
right of purchase or redemption of shares of a Portfolio in accordance with the
provisions of the 1940 Act and the rules thereunder. The Fund will have no responsibility
for the proper disbursement or crediting of redemption proceeds, and the Company
will be solely responsible for such actions. |
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l.l(d) | Errors
The Company shall be solely responsible for the accuracy of any Instruction transmitted
to the Fund or its transfer agent via NSCC systems or otherwise, and the transmission
of such Instruction shall constitute the Company’s representation to the Fund
that the Instruction is accurate, complete and duly authorized by the Accounts whose
shares are the subject of the Instruction. The Company shall assume responsibility
for any loss to the Fund, the Portfolios or their transfer agent caused by a cancellation
or correction made subsequent to the date as of which an |
3
Instruction
has been placed, and the Company will immediately pay such loss to the Adviser,
the Fund or such Portfolios upon notification. |
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Each Party
shall notify the other Parties of any errors or omissions in any information and
interruptions in, or delay or unavailability of, the means of transmittal of any
such information as promptly as possible. The Company agrees to maintain reasonable
errors and omissions insurance coverage commensurate with the Company’s responsibilities
under this Agreement. |
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In the event
of an error in the computation of a Portfolio’s NAV per share, the Fund will
follow its then current policy adopted for the sale and distribution of shares of
the Portfolios regarding appropriate error correction standards. Any gain to the
Company or an Account attributable to the incorrect calculation or reporting of
a Portfolio’s daily NAV shall be immediately returned to the Portfolio. The
Company agrees to make commercially reasonable efforts to recover from the Accounts
any material losses incurred by the Adviser, the Fund, or the Portfolios as a result
of the foregoing. |
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The Company
shall maintain a record of the total number of shares of the Portfolios which are
so purchased, based on information provided by the Fund or its designee to the Company,
and shall reconcile with the Fund on a periodic basis the number of shares of each
Portfolio attributable to each Account. If an order to purchase shares of a Portfolio
must be canceled due to nonpayment, the Company will be responsible for any loss
incurred by the Fund or a Portfolio arising out of such cancellation. To recover
any such loss, the Fund and the Portfolios reserve the right to redeem shares of
the affected Portfolios held in the name of the Company or a corresponding subaccount
of the applicable Account. |
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1.2 | The Fund will redeem the shares of the Portfolios when requested on behalf of the
Company or the corresponding subaccount of the applicable Accounts at the NAV next
computed after receipt by the Fund or its designee of each request for redemption,
in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement, the then current prospectus(es)
and the current statement(s) of additional information of the Portfolios, and the
Contracts; provided, however, that if any conflicts exist among any
such documents, then the terms of the Fund’s current prospectus(es) and the
statement(s) of additional information describing the Portfolios shall control. |
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The Company shall apply any net redemption proceeds received by it in accordance
with the applicable Contracts. The Company shall not process or effect any redemptions
with respect to shares of any Portfolio after receipt by the Company of notification
of suspension of the determination of the NAV of such Portfolio. The Board of Directors
of the Fund (the “Directors” or the “Board”) may refuse to sell shares of any Portfolio
to any person, including the Company with respect to the Accounts, or suspend or
terminate the offering of shares of any particular Portfolio, if such action is
required by law or by regulatory authorities having jurisdiction, or is deemed by
the Directors, in their sole discretion, acting |
4
in good faith
and in light of the Directors’ duties under federal and any applicable state
laws, necessary in the best interests of the shareholders of the Portfolio. |
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1.3 | The Company
agrees to purchase and redeem the shares of each Portfolio in accordance with the
provisions of this Agreement, the then current prospectus(es), and statement(s)
of additional information of the Fund that describe the Portfolios. Except as necessary
to implement transactions initiated by Contract holders, or as otherwise may be
required by applicable U.S. federal laws or regulations with respect to maintaining
the Contracts’ status under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from
time to time, and any successor provisions thereto (the “Code”), the Company shall
not redeem shares of the Portfolios attributable to the Contracts. |
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1.4 | Issuance and
transfer of shares of each Portfolio will be by book-entry only. Stock certificates
will not be issued to the Company or to the applicable Accounts. Shares of a Portfolio
purchased from the Fund will be recorded in appropriate book-entry titles for the
Accounts by the Fund or its designee. |
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1.5 | The Company
will receive pricing and dividend rate and capital gain distribution rate information
and payments to via email at xxxxxxxxx@xx0.xxx. The Company hereby elects to receive
all such dividends and distributions as are payable on shares of a Portfolio in
additional shares of that Portfolio. The Fund shall notify the Company or its delegates
of the number of shares of a Portfolio so issued as payment of such dividends and
distributions. |
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1.6 | The Company
shall maintain a record of the number of shares of the Portfolios held by the Accounts
on behalf of each Contract holder, and the Company shall maintain appropriate records
of Contract holder information. |
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1.7 | The Company
shall investigate all inquiries from Contract holders relating to their interests
in the Accounts and any Portfolio, and shall respond to all communications from
Contract holders and other persons having an interest in the Contracts relating
to the Company’s duties hereunder, in such form of correspondence as the Company,
the Fund and the Adviser may mutually agree. |
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2. | Proxy Solicitations and Voting | ||||
2.1 | The Fund agrees
that the terms on which the shares of any Portfolio are offered to the Accounts
will not be materially altered without at least sixty (60) days’ prior written
notice to the Company during any period when an Account owns shares of a Portfolio. |
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2.2 | If and to
the extent required by applicable law or by the terms of the Contracts, the Company
shall: |
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(i) solicit voting instructions from the Contract holders; | |||||
(ii) vote the shares of the Portfolios held by the Accounts in accordance with instructions received from the Contract holders; and | |||||
(iii) vote the shares of the Portfolios held by the Accounts for which no timely instructions have been received from the Contract holders in the same |
5
proportion as shares of the Portfolios for which timely instructions have been received, |
if and to the extent that (i) the SEC continues to interpret the 1940 Act to require
pass-through voting privileges for various variable contract holders, and (ii) such
interpretation is deemed applicable to the Contracts. The Company reserves the right
to vote Portfolio shares held in any Account in the Company’s own right, to
the extent permitted by applicable law. The Company will calculate voting privileges
in a manner consistent with other separate accounts investing in the Portfolios
and in accordance with applicable law. The Company agrees to hold the Fund, the
Portfolios, the Adviser and DFAS harmless from and against any liability that may
arise as a result of the Company’s voting Portfolio shares held in any Account
in the Company’s own right. |
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2.3 |
The Fund, on behalf of the Portfolios, will comply with all provisions of the 1940
Act requiring voting by shareholders, and in particular, the Fund, at its option,
will either provide for annual or special meetings or comply with Section 16(c)
of the 1940 Act, as well as with Sections 16(a) of the 1940 Act and, if and when
applicable, Section 16(b) of the 1940 Act and the rules thereunder. Further, the
Fund will act in accordance with the SEC’s interpretation of the requirements
of Section 16(a) of the 1940 Act with respect to periodic elections of directors
and with whatever rules the SEC may promulgate with respect thereto. |
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3. | Representations and Warranties | |||||
3.1 |
The Company represents and warrants that it is a life insurance company within the
meaning of Section 816(a) of the Code, duly organized and in good standing under
applicable law, and that it has elected and qualified and will maintain (or, if
newly organized, intends to elect and qualify for the period commencing with its
inception and will maintain) its status as a domestic corporation under Section
953(d) of the Code. The Company will notify the Adviser and the Fund promptly upon
having a reasonable basis for believing that the Company has ceased to qualify and
be a life insurance company treated as a domestic corporation or that it might not
so qualify and be treated in the future. The Company has legally and validly established
each Account prior to any issuance or sale thereof as a segregated asset account
under applicable state insurance laws, and that it has and will maintain the capacity
to issue all Contracts that may be sold; and that it is properly licensed, qualified
and in good standing to sell the Contracts in all jurisdictions where the Company
does business. The Company represents and warrants that the Contracts will be issued
and sold in compliance, in all material respects, with all applicable federal and
state laws, and that the sale of the Contracts shall comply in all material respects
with state insurance suitability requirements. |
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3.2 |
The Company represents and warrants that the Contracts are duly registered under
applicable laws and regulations to the extent required or will be exempt from such
registration. |
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3.3 |
The Company represents and warrants that it has or will have registered each Account
as a unit investment trust, in accordance with the provisions of the 1940 |
6
Act, or each such Account is, and will continue to be, exempt from registration under
Section 3(c) of the 1940 Act, to serve as a segregated investment account for the
Contracts. |
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3.4 |
The Company represents and warrants that the Contracts are currently treated as variable
contracts under Section 817(d) of the Code, and that the Company will maintain such
treatment, and that the Company will notify the Adviser and the Fund promptly upon
having a reasonable basis for believing that the Contracts have ceased to be so
treated or that the Contracts might not be so treated in the future. |
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3.5 |
This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company, and
is a valid and legally binding contract enforceable in accordance with its terms.
No consent, approval, authorization or order of any court or governmental authority
is required for the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated
by this Agreement. The execution and delivery of this Agreement did not, and the
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement will not, violate
the Company’s organizational documents or By-laws, or any resolution, agreement
or arrangement to which the Company is a party or by which the Company is bound. |
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3.6 |
The Company and the Accounts are duly authorized to acquire shares of the Portfolios
as contemplated by the terms of this Agreement. The Company will cooperate with
the Fund in providing information as provided in Schedule 3.6 hereto and will assist
the Fund in preventing possible market timing and other trading activities in violation
of the Fund’s policies and procedures, including without limitation, restricting
or prohibiting further purchases or exchanges of the shares of the Portfolios as
provided in Schedule 3.6 hereto. |
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3.7 |
There are no material legal, administrative or other proceedings pending or, to the
Company’s knowledge, threatened against the Company or its property or assets
that could result in liability on the Company’s part. The Company knows of
no facts that might form the basis for the institution of such proceedings. Neither
the Company nor the Accounts are parties to or subject to the provisions of any
order, decree or judgment of any court or governmental body that materially and
adversely affects its or their business or its or their ability to consummate the
transactions herein contemplated. |
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3.8 |
Except as noted below, the disclosure contained in the applicable prospectus(es)
or offering documents for the Accounts does not contain any untrue statements of
a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein
or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and such disclosure
meets all legal requirements of applicable federal and state laws and regulations.
The Company represents and warrants that all current and future prospectus(es) or
offering documents with respect to the Accounts and other materials that mention
the Company, the Fund, the Portfolios, the Adviser, or DFAS shall meet the requirements
described in the first sentence of this subparagraph; provided, however, that the
Company shall not be responsible for any disclosure that is provided to the Company
in the Fund’s current prospectus(es) and statement(s) of |
7
additional information describing the Portfolios or the Fund’s registration
statement on Form N-1A (the “Fund Registration Statement”) as filed with the SEC. |
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3.9 |
The Fund represents and warrants that it is lawfully established and validly existing
under the laws of the State of Maryland. The Fund represents that its operations
are and shall at all times remain in material compliance with the laws of the State
of Maryland, to the extent required to perform this Agreement. |
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3.10 |
The Fund represents and warrants that the shares of the Portfolios sold pursuant
to this Agreement are registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
“1933 Act”), and duly authorized for issuance; that the Fund shall amend the Fund
Registration Statement for the Portfolios under the 1933 Act and the 1940 Act, from
time to time, as required in order to effect the continuous offering of the shares
of the Portfolios; that the Fund will sell such shares in compliance with all applicable
federal and state laws; and that the Fund is and will remain registered under, and
complies and will continue to comply, in all material respects, with the 1940 Act.
The Fund shall register and qualify the shares of the Portfolios for sale in accordance
with the laws of the various states only if, and to the extent, deemed advisable
by the Fund, the Adviser, or DFAS. |
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3.11 |
The Fund represents and warrants that the Portfolios will take reasonable steps to
satisfy (or as to Portfolios that have not yet commenced business, will invest the
money received from the sale of shares of a Portfolio so as to satisfy) the diversification
requirements of Section 817(h) of the Code and the Treasury Regulations promulgated
thereunder, and that the Fund will take all reasonable steps to ensure that the
Portfolios continue to satisfy such requirements. The Fund agrees to notify the
Company upon having a reasonable basis for believing that any Portfolio has ceased
to satisfy such diversification requirements. Absent any published guidance issued
or promulgated by the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) or the U.S. Treasury that
clarifies or supersedes the application of the “investor control” doctrine, for
the DFA VA Global Moderate Allocation Portfolio, the “investor control” doctrine
shall be deemed to be satisfied, if, and to the extent that, in all material respects,
those certain facts and taxpayer representations continue to be true and are satisfied,
all as set forth in that certain private letter ruling (PLR-102496-09), dated December
8, 2009, issued by the IRS to such Portfolio, a copy of which has been provided
to Company. |
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3.12 |
The Fund represents and warrants that the Portfolios qualify (or as to Portfolios
that have not yet commenced business, will qualify) as regulated investment companies
under Subchapter M of the Code (or any successor or similar provision), and that
the Fund will take all reasonable steps to maintain such qualification, subject
to the reservation of the right of the Directors to not maintain the qualification
of a Portfolio as a regulated investment company if the Directors determine this
course of action to be beneficial to shareholders. The Fund agrees to notify the
Company upon having a reasonable basis for believing that any Portfolio has ceased
to so qualify or upon the Directors taking any such action. |
8
3.13 |
The Company shall inform a Portfolio in writing if the Company determines that such
Portfolio is not in compliance with applicable insurance laws. |
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3.14 |
DFAS represents and warrants that it is and will remain a member in good standing
of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”), and is and will
be duly registered as a broker-dealer with the SEC under the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”). DFAS represents that its operations are,
and shall at all times remain, in material compliance with the laws of the State
of Delaware to the extent required to perform this Agreement. DFAS further represents
and warrants that it will sell and distribute the shares of the Portfolios in accordance
with any applicable state laws and federal securities laws, including, without limitation,
the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act and the 0000 Xxx. |
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3.15 |
The Parties represent and warrant to each other that all of their directors, officers,
employees, investment advisers, and other individuals/entities dealing with the
money and/or securities of the Portfolios are and shall continue to be at all times
covered by a blanket fidelity bond or similar coverage for the benefit of the Fund,
in an amount not less than the amount required by the applicable rules of FINRA
and the federal securities laws, including the 1940 Act, as applicable. The aforesaid
bond shall include coverage for larceny and embezzlement and shall be issued by
a reputable bonding company. The Parties agree to make all reasonable efforts to
assure that such bond or another bond containing these provisions is continuously
in effect, and each agrees to notify promptly the other Parties in the event that
such coverage no longer applies. |
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3.16 |
The Parties agree to limit, and not facilitate, a Contract holder’s participation
in each Portfolio’s investment process in contravention of the following, which
the Parties represent and warrant to each other to be true: (1) there is not, and
there will not be, any arrangement, plan, contract or agreement between the Adviser
(or a subadviser) and a Contract holder regarding the availability of a Portfolio
as an Account under the Contract, or the specific assets to be held by a Portfolio
or an investment company that a Portfolio may invest its assets; (2) other than
a Contract holder’s ability to allocate Contract premiums and transfer amounts
in the Company’s Account to and from the Company’s Account corresponding
to a Portfolio, all investment decisions concerning a Portfolio will be made by
the Adviser, any subadviser(s) and the Directors in their sole and absolute discretion;
(3) the percentage of a Portfolio’s assets invested in a particular investment
company will not be fixed in advance of any Contract holder’s investment and
will be subject to change by the Adviser or a subadviser at any time without notice;
(4) a Contract holder cannot, and will not be able to, direct a Portfolio’s
investment in any particular asset or recommend a particular investment or investment
strategy; (5) there is not, and will not be, any agreement or plan between the Adviser
or a subadviser and a Contract holder regarding a particular investment of a Portfolio;
(6) a Contract holder cannot, and will not be able to, communicate directly or indirectly
with the Adviser or a subadviser concerning the selection, quality or rate of return
on any specific investment or group of investments held by a Portfolio; (7) a Contract
holder does not have, and will not have, any current knowledge of a Portfolio’s
specific assets other than as may be |
9
required to be presented in periodic reports to a Portfolio’s shareholders;
(8) a Contract holder does not have, and will not have, any legal, equitable, direct
or indirect ownership interest in any of the assets of a Portfolio; and (9) a Contract
holder only has, and only will have, a contractual claim against the insurance company
offering the Contract to receive cash from the insurance company under the terms
of the Contract holder’s Contract. |
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4. | Sales Material and Information | |||||
4.1 |
The Company shall promptly inform DFAS as to the status of all sales literature filings
and shall promptly notify DFAS of all approvals or disapprovals of sales literature
filings with regulatory authorities. The Company shall promptly provide the Fund
with copies of any Contract holder complaints respecting the Contracts that relate
to the Fund or to the Portfolios. |
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4.2 |
Except with the written consent of the Adviser, the Fund or DFAS, as appropriate,
the Company shall not make any oral or written material representations concerning
the Adviser, DFAS, the Fund or the Portfolios, other than the information or representations
contained in: |
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(a) | the Fund Registration Statement or prospectus(es) for the Fund, as amended or supplemented from time to time; | |||||
(b) | published reports or statements of the Fund which are in the public domain or are approved by the Fund; or | |||||
(c) | sales literature or other promotional material of the Fund or the Portfolios. | |||||
4.3 |
Except with the written consent of the Company, the Adviser, DFAS, or the Fund shall
not make any oral or written material representations concerning the Company, other
than the information or representations contained in: |
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(a) | a registration statement, prospectus, or offering memoranda for the Contracts, as amended or supplemented from time to time; | |||||
(b) | published reports or statements of the Contracts or the Accounts which are in the public domain or are approved by the Company; or | |||||
(c) | sales literature or other promotional material of the Company. | |||||
Notwithstanding the foregoing, this provision shall not be interpreted to prevent the Adviser, DFAS and the Fund from providing information about the Company or this Agreement to their directors, regulators, accountants, legal counsel or otherwise in the ordinary course of their business. | ||||||
4.4 |
No Party shall use any other Party’s names, logos, trademarks or service marks,
whether registered or unregistered, without the prior written consent of such Party. |
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4.5 |
The Fund will provide to the Company at least one complete copy of all registration
statements, prospectuses, statements of additional information, reports, proxy statements,
solicitations for voting instructions, sales literature and other promotional materials,
applications for exemptions, requests for no-action letters, all amendments to any
of the above that relate to the Portfolios or their |
10
shares, and any other applicable documents or materials, in final form as filed with
the SEC. If requested by the Company, the Fund shall provide such documentation
(including a final copy of the amended prospectus(es) of the Portfolios as set in
type (including an 8 1/2” x 11” size camera-ready stat) at the Fund’s expense)
and other assistance as is reasonably necessary in order for the Company once each
year to have, at the Company’s expense, the current prospectus(es) for the
Portfolios printed together in with the document describing the Contracts. |
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4.6 |
The Company will provide to the Fund at least one complete copy of all offering materials
describing the Fund, the Portfolios and the Contracts, including application and
investment election forms, sample illustrations, reports, solicitations for voting
instructions, sales literature and any other promotional materials, applications
for exemptions, requests for no-action letters, all amendments to any of the above
and any other applicable documents or materials that relate to the Contracts and
each Account. In the event any such documents are required to be filed with any
regulatory authority or body, the Company shall provide such materials in final
form as filed with such regulatory authority or body. The Company represents and
warrants that the Contracts, registration statements, prospectuses, offering memoranda
and any other filing in connection therewith with respect to the Accounts will not
materially deviate from the form of such documents provided to the Fund. |
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4.7 |
For purposes of this Section 4, the phrase “sales literature or other promotional
material” shall be construed in accordance with all applicable securities laws and
regulations. |
|||||
4.8 |
To the extent required by applicable law, including the administrative requirements
of regulatory authorities, or as mutually agreed between the Company and DFAS, the
Company reserves the right to modify any of the Contracts in any respect whatsoever.
The Company reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to suspend the sale of any
Contract, in whole or in part, or to accept or reject any application for the sale
of a Contract. The Company agrees to notify the other Parties promptly upon the
occurrence of any event that the Company believes might necessitate a material modification
or suspension. |
|||||
4.9 |
The Parties agree to review the arrangements set forth herein from time to time for
possible changes and will make their personnel reasonably available for this purpose. |
|||||
5. | Fees and Expenses | |||||
5.1 |
The Fund shall bear the cost of registration and qualification of the shares of the
Portfolios; preparation and filing of the Portfolios’ prospectus(es) and the
Fund Registration Statement, proxy materials and reports relating to the Portfolios;
preparation of all other statements and notices relating to the Portfolios required
by any federal or state law; payment of all applicable fees, including, without
limitation, all fees due under Rule 24f-2 of the 1940 Act relating to the Portfolios;
and all taxes on the issuance or transfer of the Portfolios’ shares. |
11
5.2 |
The Company shall assure that the Contracts are registered under the 1933 Act, and
that each Account is registered as a unit investment trust in accordance with the
1940 Act. The Company shall bear the expenses for the costs of preparation and any
required filing of the Company’s prospectus, offering memoranda, registration
statement and other materials and information with respect to the Contracts, including
the Application and investment selection forms; preparation of all other statements
and notices relating to the Accounts or the Contracts required by any applicable
federal or state law; all expenses for the solicitation and sale of the Contracts,
including all costs of printing and distributing all copies of advertisements, prospectuses,
statements of additional information, proxy materials and reports to Contract holders
and prospective purchasers of the Contracts as required by applicable state and
federal law; payment of all applicable fees and taxes relating to the Contracts;
all costs of drafting, filing and obtaining approvals of the Contracts in the various
jurisdictions under applicable insurance laws; and all other costs associated with
ongoing compliance with all such laws and the Company’s obligations hereunder. |
|||||||
6. | Indemnification | |||||||
6.1 | Indemnification by the Company | |||||||
6.1(a) |
The Company agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Fund, the Portfolios,
DFAS and the Adviser, and each of their directors and officers (as applicable),
and each person, if any, who controls any of them within the meaning of Section
15 of the 1933 Act (collectively, the “Indemnified Parties” for purposes of this
Section 6.1) against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities (including
amounts paid in settlement with the written consent of the Company) or litigation
(including legal and other expenses) (except in all cases, excluding consequential
or special damages), to which the Indemnified Parties may become subject under any
statute, regulation, at common law or otherwise, and: |
|||||||
(i) | arise out
of or are based upon any untrue statements or alleged untrue statements of any material
fact contained in the registration statement, prospectus, offering memoranda or
sales literature for the Contracts (or any amendment or supplement to any of the
foregoing), or arise out of or are based upon the omission or the alleged omission
to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make
the statements therein not misleading, provided that this Section 6.1(a) shall not
apply as to any Indemnified Party if such statement or omission or such alleged
statement or omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with information
furnished to the Company by or on behalf of the Fund for use in the registration
statement, prospectus or offering memoranda for the Contracts (or any amendment
or supplement thereto) or otherwise for use in connection with the sale of the Contracts
or the shares of the Portfolios; or |
12
(ii) | arise out
of, or as a result of, statements or representations or wrongful conduct of the
Company or persons under its control, with respect to the sale or distribution of
the Contracts or the shares of the Portfolios; or |
|||||||
(iii) | arise out
of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained
in a registration statement, prospectus, or sales literature covering the Fund and
the Portfolios, or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or the omission
or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein,
or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, if such a statement
or omission was made in reliance upon information furnished to the Fund by or on
behalf of the Company; or |
|||||||
(iv) | arise out
of, or as a result of, any failure by the Company or persons under its control to
provide the services and furnish the materials contemplated under the terms of this
Agreement; or |
|||||||
(v) | arise out
of, or result from, any material breach of any representation and/or warranty made
by the Company or persons under its control in this Agreement or arise out of or
result from any other material breach of this Agreement by the Company or persons
under its control; |
|||||||
as limited by and in accordance with the provisions of Sections 6.1(b) and 6.1(c) hereof. | ||||||||
6.1(b) |
The Company shall not be liable under this indemnification provision with respect
to any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or litigation to which an Indemnified
Party would otherwise be subject by reason of such Indemnified Party’s willful
misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in the performance of such Indemnified
Party’s duties or by reason of such Indemnified Party’s reckless disregard
of its obligations or duties under this Agreement or to the Fund, whichever is applicable,
or to the extent of such Indemnified Party’s gross negligence. |
|||||||
6.1(c) |
The Company shall not be liable under this indemnification provision with respect
to any claim made against an Indemnified Party unless such Indemnified Party shall
have notified the Company in writing within a reasonable time after the summons
or other first legal process giving information of the nature of the claim shall
have been served upon such Indemnified Party (or after such Indemnified Party shall
have received notice of such service on any designated agent), but failure to notify
the Company of any such claim shall not relieve the Company from any liability which
it may have to the Indemnified Party otherwise than on account of this indemnification
provision. In case any such action is brought against the Indemnified Parties, the
Company shall be entitled to participate, at its own expense, in the defense of
such action, provided that the Company gives written notice of such intention to
the Indemnified |
13
Parties. The Company also shall be entitled to assume and to control the defense
thereof. After notice from the Company to such Party of the Company’s election
to assume the defense thereof, the Indemnified Party shall bear the fees and expenses
of any additional counsel retained by the Indemnified Party, and the Company will
not be liable to such Party under this Agreement for any legal or other expenses
subsequently incurred by such Party independently in connection with the defense
thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation. |
||||||||
6.1(d) |
The Indemnified Parties will promptly notify the Company of the commencement of any
litigation or proceedings against them in connection with the issuance or sale of
the shares of the Portfolios or the Contracts or the operation of the Portfolios. |
|||||||
6.2 | Indemnification by DFAS | |||||||
6.2(a) |
DFAS agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Company and each of its directors
and officers and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning
of Section 15 of the 1933 Act (collectively, the “Indemnified Parties” for purposes
of this Section 6.2) against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities (including
amounts paid in settlement with the written consent of the Fund or DFAS) or litigation
(including legal and other expenses) (except in all cases, excluding consequential
or special damages), to which the Indemnified Parties may become subject under any
statute, regulation, at common law or otherwise, and: |
|||||||
(i) | arise out
of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material
fact contained in the Fund Registration Statement or current prospectus(es) or sales
literature of the Fund and the Portfolios (or any amendment or supplement to any
of the foregoing), or arise out of or are based upon the omission or the alleged
omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary
to make the statements therein not misleading, provided that this Section 6.2(a)
shall not apply as to any Indemnified Party if such statement or omission or such
alleged statement or omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with information
furnished to the Fund by or on behalf of the Company for use in the Fund Registration
Statement or prospectus(es) for the Portfolios or in sales literature (or any amendment
or supplement thereto) or otherwise for use in connection with the sale of the shares
of the Portfolios; or |
|||||||
(ii) | arise out
of, or as a result of, statements or representations or wrongful conduct of DFAS
or the Fund or persons under their control, with respect to the sale or distribution
of the shares of the Portfolios (it is understood that the persons who are involved
in the sale or distribution of the Contracts are not under the control of DFAS,
the Adviser or the Fund); or |
14
(iii) | arise out
of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained
in a registration statement, prospectus, offering memoranda or sales literature
covering the Contracts, or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or the omission
or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein,
or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, if such statement or
omission was made in reliance upon information furnished to the Company by or on
behalf of the Fund; or |
|||||||
(iv) | arise out
of, or as a result of, any failure by DFAS, the Fund or persons under their control
to provide the services and furnish the materials contemplated under the terms of
this Agreement; or |
|||||||
(v) | arise out
of or result from any material breach of any representation and/or warranty made
by DFAS, the Fund or persons under their control in this Agreement or arise out
of or result from any other material breach of this Agreement by DFAS, the Fund
or persons under their control; |
|||||||
as limited by and in accordance with the provisions of Sections 6.2(b) and 6.2(c)
hereof. |
||||||||
6.2(b) |
DFAS shall not be liable under this indemnification provision with respect to any
losses, claims, damages, liabilities or litigation to which an Indemnified Party
would otherwise be subject by reason of such Indemnified Party’s willful misfeasance,
bad faith, or gross negligence in the performance of such Indemnified Party’s
duties or by reason of such Indemnified Party’s reckless disregard of its obligations
and duties under this Agreement or to the Company or the Accounts, whichever is
applicable, or to the extent of such Indemnified Party’s gross negligence. |
|||||||
6.2(c) |
DFAS shall not be liable under this indemnification provision with respect to any
claim made against an Indemnified Party unless such Indemnified Party shall have
notified DFAS in writing within a reasonable time after the summons or other first
legal process giving information of the nature of the claim shall have been served
upon such Indemnified Party (or after such Indemnified Party shall have received
notice of such service on any designated agent), but failure to notify DFAS of any
such claim shall not relieve DFAS from any liability which it may have to the Indemnified
Party otherwise than on account of this indemnification provision. In case any such
action is brought against the Indemnified Parties, DFAS will be entitled to participate,
at its own expense, in the defense thereof, provided that DFAS gives written notice
of such intention to the Indemnified Parties. DFAS also shall be entitled to assume
and to control the defense thereof. After notice from DFAS to such Party of DFAS’s election to assume the defense thereof, the Indemnified Party shall bear
the fees and expenses of any additional counsel retained by the Indemnified Party,
and DFAS will not be liable to such Party under this Agreement for any legal |
15
or other expenses
subsequently incurred by such Party independently in connection with the defense
thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation. |
||||||||
6.2(d) |
The Indemnified Parties will promptly notify DFAS of the commencement of any litigation
or proceedings against them in connection with the issuance or sale of the Contracts
or the operation of the Accounts. |
|||||||
6.3 | Indemnification by the Adviser | |||||||
6.3(a) |
The Adviser agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company and each of its directors
and officers and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning
of Section 15 of the 1933 Act (collectively, the “Indemnified Parties” for purposes
of this Section 6.3) against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities (including
amounts paid in settlement with the written consent of the Fund or the Adviser)
or litigation (including legal and other expenses) (except in all cases, excluding
consequential or special damages) to which the Indemnified Parties may become subject
under any statute, regulation, at common law or otherwise, and: |
|||||||
(i) | arise out
of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material
fact contained in the Fund Registration Statement or current prospectus(es) or sales
literature of the Fund and the Portfolios (or any amendment or supplement to any
of the foregoing), or arise out of or are based upon the omission or the alleged
omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary
to make the statements therein not misleading, provided that this Section 6.3(a)
shall not apply as to any Indemnified Party if such statement or omission or such
alleged statement or omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with information
furnished to the Fund or the Adviser by or on behalf of the Company for use in the
Fund Registration Statement or prospectus(es) for the Portfolios or in sales literature
(or any amendment or supplement thereto) or otherwise for use in connection with
the sale of the shares of the Portfolios; or |
|||||||
(ii) | arise out
of, or as a result of, statements or representations or wrongful conduct of DFAS,
the Fund or the Adviser or persons under their control, with respect to the sale
or distribution of the shares of the Portfolios (it is understood that the persons
who are involved in the sale or distribution of the Contracts are not under the
control of DFAS, the Adviser or the Fund); or |
|||||||
(iii) | arise out of any untrue statement
or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in a registration statement,
prospectus, offering memoranda or sales literature covering the Contracts, or any
amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or the omission or alleged omission to
state therein a material fact required to be stated therein, or necessary to make
the statements therein not |
16
misleading,
if such statement or omission was made in reliance upon information furnished to
the Company by or on behalf of the Fund or the Adviser; or |
||||||||
(iv) | arise out
of, or as a result of, any failure by DFAS, the Adviser, the Fund or persons under
their control to provide the services and furnish the materials contemplated under
the terms of this Agreement; or |
|||||||
(v) | arise out
of or result from any material breach of any representation and/or warranty made
by DFAS, the Fund, the Adviser or persons under their control in this Agreement
or arise out of or result from any other material breach of this Agreement by DFAS,
the Adviser, the Fund or persons under their control; |
|||||||
as limited by and in accordance with the provisions of Sections 6.3(b) and 6.3(c)
hereof. |
||||||||
6.3(b) |
The Adviser shall not be liable under this indemnification provision with respect
to any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or litigation to which an Indemnified
Party would otherwise be subject by reason of such Indemnified Party’s willful
misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in the performance of such Indemnified
Party’s duties or by reason of such Indemnified Party’s reckless disregard
of its obligations and duties under this Agreement or to the Company or the Accounts,
whichever is applicable, or to the extent of such Indemnified Party’s gross
negligence. |
|||||||
6.3(c) |
The Adviser shall not be liable under this indemnification provision with respect
to any claim made against an Indemnified Party unless such Indemnified Party shall
have notified the Fund or the Adviser in writing within a reasonable time after
the summons or other first legal process giving information of the nature of the
claim shall have been served upon such Indemnified Party (or after such Indemnified
Party shall have received notice of such service on any designated agent), but failure
to notify the Fund or the Adviser of any such claim shall not relieve the Adviser
from any liability which it may have to the Indemnified Party otherwise than on
account of this indemnification provision. In case any such action is brought against
the Indemnified Parties, the Adviser will be entitled to participate, at its own
expense, in the defense thereof, provided that the Adviser gives written notice
of such intention to the Indemnified Parties. The Adviser also shall be entitled
to assume and to control the defense thereof. After notice from the Adviser to such
Party of the Adviser’s election to assume the defense thereof, the Indemnified
Party shall bear the fees and expenses of any additional counsel retained by the
Indemnified Party, and the Adviser will not be liable to such Party under this Agreement
for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such Party independently
in connection with the defense thereof, other than reasonable costs of investigation. |
17
6.3(d) | The Indemnified
Parties will promptly notify the Fund and the Adviser of the commencement of any
litigation or proceedings against them in connection with the issuance or sale of
the Contracts or the operation of the Accounts. |
|||||
7. | Potential Conflicts | |||||
7.1 |
The Directors will monitor the Fund for the existence of any material irreconcilable
conflict between the interests of the contract owners of all separate accounts investing
in the Portfolios. A material irreconcilable conflict may arise for a variety of
reasons, including: (a) an action by any state insurance regulatory authority; (b)
a change in applicable insurance (including federal, state or other jurisdiction),
tax, or securities laws or regulations, or a public ruling, private letter ruling,
no-action or interpretive letter, or any similar action by insurance, tax or securities
regulatory authorities; (c) an administrative or judicial decision in any relevant
proceeding; (d) the manner in which the investments of any Portfolio is being managed;
(e) a difference in voting instructions given by variable annuity contract and variable
life insurance contract owners; or (f) a decision by an insurer to disregard the
voting instructions of contract owners. The Directors shall promptly inform the
Company if they determine that a material irreconcilable conflict exists and the
implications thereof. |
|||||
7.2 |
The Company will report any potential or existing conflicts of which it is aware
to the Directors and, on an annual basis, shall provide the Fund and the Adviser
with written notification that the Company is not aware of any conflict, if such
is the case. The Company will assist the Directors in carrying out their responsibilities
under any applicable provisions of the federal securities laws and/or any exemptive
orders granted by the SEC, including the order obtained by the Fund and the Adviser
from the SEC, dated Xxxxx 00, 0000 (Xxxx No. 812-12760) (“Exemptive Order”), by
providing the Directors with all information reasonably necessary for the Directors
to consider any issues raised. The Company, at least annually, will submit to the
Directors such reports, materials or data as the Directors reasonably may request
so that the Directors may fully carry out the obligations imposed upon the Board
by the conditions contained in the Exemptive Order. The Company shall submit such
reports, materials and data more frequently if deemed appropriate by the Directors.
This includes, but is not limited to, an obligation by the Company to inform the
Directors whenever Contract holder voting instructions are disregarded. |
|||||
The Company
acknowledges that: (i) the Company’s disregard of voting instructions may conflict
with the majority of Contract holders’ voting instructions; and (ii) the Company’s action could preclude a majority vote approving a proposed change or could
represent a minority view. If the Company’s judgment represents a minority
position or would preclude a majority vote, then the Company may be required, at
the Fund’s election, to withdraw the Accounts’ investment in the Portfolios.
Other than possible decline in the value of an Account due to fluctuations in the
NAVs of the Portfolios, no charge or penalty will be imposed as a result of such
withdrawal. |
18
7.3 | If it is determined
by a majority of the Directors, or a majority of the Fund’s disinterested Directors,
that a material irreconcilable conflict exists, the Company shall, at its expense
and to the extent reasonably practicable (as determined by a majority of the disinterested
Directors), take whatever steps are necessary to remedy or eliminate the material
irreconcilable conflict, up to and including: (1) withdrawing the assets allocable
to some or all of the Accounts from any Portfolio and reinvesting such assets in
a different investment medium, including (but not limited to) another Portfolio
of the Fund, or submitting the question whether such segregation should be implemented
to a vote of all affected Contract holders and, as appropriate, segregating the
assets of any appropriate group that votes in favor of such segregation, or offering
to the affected Contract holders the option of making such a change; and (2) establishing
a new registered management investment company or managed separate account. |
|||
7.4 | If a material
irreconcilable conflict arises because a particular state or other jurisdiction’s insurance regulator’s decision applicable to the Company conflicts with
the majority of other insurance regulators, then the Company will withdraw the affected
Account’s investment in the Portfolios and terminate this Agreement with respect
to such Account within six (6) months after the Directors inform the Company in
writing that the Directors have determined that such decision has created a material
irreconcilable conflict; provided, however, that such withdrawal and
termination shall be limited to the extent required by the foregoing material irreconcilable
conflict as determined by a majority of the disinterested Directors. Until the end
of the foregoing six (6) month period, DFAS and the Fund shall continue to accept
and implement orders by the Company for the purchase (and redemption) of the shares
of the Portfolios. |
|||
7.5 | For purposes
of Sections 7.3 through 7.5 of this Agreement, a majority of the disinterested Directors
shall determine whether any proposed action adequately remedies any material irreconcilable
conflict. The Company shall not be required by Section 7.3 of this Agreement to
establish a new funding medium for the Contracts if an offer to do so has been declined
by the vote of a majority of Contract holders materially adversely affected by the
material irreconcilable conflict. In the event that the Directors determine that
any proposed action does not adequately remedy any material irreconcilable conflict,
then the Company will withdraw an Account’s investment in the Portfolios and
terminate this Agreement within six (6) months after the Directors inform the Company
in writing of the foregoing determination; provided, however, that
such withdrawal and termination shall be limited to the extent required by any such
material irreconcilable conflict. |
|||
7.6 | If and to
the extent that Rule 6e-2 and Rule 6e-3(T) under the 1940 Act are amended, or Rule
6e-3 under the 1940 Act is adopted, to provide exemptive relief from any provision
of the 1940 Act or the rules promulgated thereunder with respect to mixed or shared
funding (as defined in any Exemptive Order) on terms and conditions materially different
from those contained in any Exemptive Order, then (a) the Fund and/or the Company,
as appropriate, shall take such steps as may be necessary to comply with Rules 6e-2
and 6e-3(T), as amended, and Rule |
19
6e-3, as adopted,
to the extent such rules are applicable; and (b) Sections 7.1, 7.2, 7.3 and 7.4
of this Agreement shall continue in effect only to the extent that terms and conditions
substantially identical to such Sections are contained in such Rule(s) as so amended
or adopted by the SEC. |
||||
8. | Term and Termination | |||
8.1 | This Agreement
may be terminated by any Party with or without cause on thirty (30) days’ advance
written notice. |
|||
8.2 | Notwithstanding
any other provision of this Agreement, DFAS, the Adviser or the Fund may terminate
this Agreement for cause on not less than thirty (30) days’ prior written notice
to the Company, unless the Company has cured such cause within thirty (30) days
of receiving such notice, for any material breach by the Company of any representation,
warranty, covenant or obligation hereunder. |
|||
8.3 | Notwithstanding
any other provision of this Agreement, the Company may terminate this Agreement
for cause on not less than thirty (30) days’ prior written notice to DFAS,
the Adviser and the Fund, unless DFAS, the Adviser or the Fund, as appropriate,
has cured such cause within thirty (30) days of receiving such notice, for any material
breach by DFAS, the Adviser or the Fund of any representation, warranty, covenant
or obligation hereunder. |
|||
8.4 | Notwithstanding
any other provision of this Agreement, the Company may terminate this Agreement
by written notice to the Fund and DFAS with respect to any Portfolio based upon
the Company’s determination that shares of such Portfolio are not reasonably
available to meet the requirements of the Contracts. |
|||
8.5 | Notwithstanding
any other provision of this Agreement, the Company may terminate this Agreement
by written notice to the Fund, the Adviser and DFAS with respect to any Portfolio
in the event any of the Portfolio’s shares are not registered, issued or sold
in accordance with applicable state and/or federal law, or such law precludes the
use of such shares as the underlying investment media of the Contracts that are
issued or to be issued by the Company. |
|||
8.6 | Notwithstanding
any other provision of this Agreement, the Company may terminate this Agreement
by written notice to the Fund, the Adviser and DFAS with respect to any Portfolio
in the event that such Portfolio ceases to qualify as a “regulated investment company”
under Subchapter M of the Code or under any successor or similar provision, or if
the Company reasonably believes that any such Portfolio may fail to so qualify. |
|||
8.7 | Notwithstanding
any other provision of this Agreement, the Company may terminate this Agreement
by written notice to the Fund, the Adviser and DFAS with respect to any Portfolio
in the event that such Portfolio fails to satisfy the diversification requirements
of Section 817 of the Code and the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder. |
|||
8.8 | Notwithstanding
any other provision of this Agreement, the Fund, the Adviser or DFAS may terminate
this Agreement by written notice to the Company, if any one or all shall determine,
in its or their, as applicable, sole judgment, exercised in |
20
good faith, that the Company has suffered a material adverse change in its business,
operations, financial condition or prospects since the date of this Agreement or
is the subject of material adverse publicity. |
||||||
8.9 |
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Company may terminate
this Agreement by written notice to the Fund, the Adviser and DFAS, if the Company
shall determine, in its sole judgment, exercised in good faith, that any of the
Fund, the Portfolios, the Adviser or DFAS has suffered a material adverse change
in its business, operations, financial condition or prospects since the date of
this Agreement or is the subject of material adverse publicity. |
|||||
8.10 |
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, any Party may terminate this
Agreement for cause on not less than thirty (30) days’ prior written notice
to the other Parties, unless any of the other Parties has cured such cause within
thirty (30) days of receiving such notice, for any one of the following reasons: |
|||||
(a) | a change in
control of any Party or such Party’s ultimate controlling person; however,
a change in the name of the Party will not constitute a change in control; |
|||||
(b) | a material
change in, or other material revision to, the Contracts or the prospectus(es) of
the Fund that describe the Portfolios, which material change or revision is not
acceptable to any of the other Parties; or |
|||||
(c) | any action
taken by federal, state or other regulatory authorities of competent jurisdiction
which, in the reasonable judgment of any of the Parties, either (i) materially and
adversely alters the terms, advantages and/or benefits of the Contracts to current
or prospective purchasers; or (ii) materially or adversely alters the terms or conditions
of such Party’s participation in the subject matter of this Agreement. |
|||||
8.11 |
Notwithstanding the termination of this Agreement, each Party shall continue for
so long as any Contracts remain outstanding to perform such of its duties hereunder
as are necessary to ensure the continued tax status thereof and the payment of benefits
thereunder, with respect to a Portfolio and the corresponding subaccount of each
Account. |
|||||
9. | Notices | |||||
Any notice shall be deemed sufficiently given when sent by registered or certified
mail, or via facsimile, to the other Parties at the address of such Parties set
forth below or at such other address as such Parties may from time to time specify
in writing to the other Parties. |
||||||
If to the Fund: | ||||||
Xxxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx, Esq. | ||||||
Vice President and Secretary | ||||||
DFA Investment Dimensions Group Inc. | ||||||
0000 Xxx Xxxx Xxxx, Xxxxxxxx Xxx | ||||||
Xxxxxx, XX 00000 |
21
If to the Adviser: | ||||
Xxxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx, Esq. | ||||
Vice President and Secretary | ||||
Dimensional Fund Advisors LP | ||||
0000 Xxx Xxxx Xxxx, Xxxxxxxx Xxx | ||||
Xxxxxx, XX 00000 | ||||
If to DFAS: | ||||
Xxxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx, Esq. | ||||
Vice President and Secretary | ||||
DFA Securities LLC | ||||
0000 Xxx Xxxx Xxxx, Xxxxxxxx Xxx | ||||
Xxxxxx, XX 00000 | ||||
If to the Company: | ||||
MEMBERS Life Insurance Company | ||||
Attn: General Counsel | ||||
0000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxx Xxxxxxx, XX 00000 |
||||
10. | Miscellaneous | |||
10.1 | The captions
in this Agreement are included for convenience of reference only and in no way affect
the construction or effect of any provisions hereof. |
|||
10.2 | If any portion
of this Agreement shall be held or made invalid by a court decision, statute, rule
or otherwise, the remainder of the Agreement shall not be affected thereby. |
|||
10.3 | This Agreement
may be executed simultaneously in two or more counterparts, each of which taken
together shall constitute one and the same instrument. |
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10.4 | Each Party
shall cooperate with the other Parties and all appropriate governmental authorities
(including, without limitation, the SEC, FINRA, and any applicable insurance, securities
or other regulator of competent jurisdiction), and shall permit such authorities
reasonable access to its books and records as required by applicable law in connection
with any investigation or inquiry relating to this Agreement. |
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10.5 | Each Party
hereto grants to the other Parties the right to audit the Party’s records relating
to the terms and conditions of this Agreement upon reasonable notice during reasonable
business hours in order to confirm compliance with this Agreement. |
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10.6 | The rights,
remedies and obligations contained in this Agreement are cumulative and are in addition
to any and all rights, remedies and obligations, at law or in equity, to which the
Parties hereto are entitled under state and federal laws. |
22
10.7 | Subject to
the requirements of legal process and regulatory authority, the Fund, the Adviser
and DFAS shall treat as confidential the names and addresses of the owners of the
Contracts and all information reasonably identified as confidential in writing by
the Company hereto and, except as permitted by this Agreement, shall not disclose,
disseminate or utilize such names and addresses and other confidential information
without the express written consent of the Company until such time as such information
may come into the public domain. |
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10.8 | This Agreement
or any of the rights and obligations hereunder may not be assigned by any Party
without the prior written consent of the other Parties hereto. |
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10.9 | In any dispute
arising hereunder, each Party waives its right to demand a trial by jury and hereby
consents to a bench trial of all such disputes. |
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10.10 | The terms
of this Agreement shall be construed and the provisions hereof interpreted under
and in accordance with the laws of the State of Texas, without regard to the conflicts
of law principles thereof; provided, however, that all performances rendered hereunder
shall be subject to compliance with all applicable state and federal laws and regulations. To the extent such laws are applicable, this Agreement shall be subject to the provisions of the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act and the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations and interpretations thereunder, including such exemptions from those statutes, rules and regulations as the SEC may grant, and any applicable FINRA regulations or interpretations, and the terms hereof shall be interpreted and construed in accordance therewith. |
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10.11 | In the event
of any action or proceeding arising out of this Agreement, the Party bringing the
action shall have the right to choose the applicable forum; provided,
however, that no Party shall be deemed to have waived any objection based on
forum non conveniens or any objection to venue in connection with the initially
selected forum. |
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10.12 | The Company
agrees that upon execution of this Agreement, and thereafter promptly upon the earlier
of (i) reasonable demand by the Adviser or Fund, or (ii) learning that documentation
(as defined below) is required, Company shall deliver to the Fund any certification,
form, document or information (collectively, “documentation”) that may be required
or reasonably requested in order to allow the Fund to make any payments or distributions,
whether in-kind or in cash or reinvested in additional Fund shares, to the Company
without any deduction or withholding for or on account of any tax including, without
limitation, an executed United States Internal Revenue Service Form W-9 (and successor
forms thereto) and any other documentation required to be delivered pursuant to
Section 1471(b) or section 1472(b)(l) of the Code. |
23
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the Parties hereto has caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first set forth above.
24
Schedule 1.1
VA U.S. Targeted Value Portfolio
VA U.S. Large Value Portfolio
VA International Value Portfolio
VA International Small Portfolio
VA Short-Term Fixed Portfolio
VA Global Bond Portfolio
DFA VA Global Moderate Allocation Portfolio
23120
SCHEDULE 3.6: Rule 22c-2 Provisions
1. |
Agreement to Provide Information. The Company (hereafter, an “Intermediary”)
agrees to provide the Fund or its designee, upon written request, the taxpayer identification
number (“TIN”), the Individual/International Taxpayer Identification Number (“ITIN”)1, or other government-issued identifier (“GII”), if known, of any or
all Contract holders or shareholder(s) of the account (together, “Shareholder(s)”)
and the amount, date, name or other identifier of any investment professional(s)
associated with the Shareholder(s) or account (if known), and transaction type (purchase,
redemption, transfer, or exchange) of every purchase, redemption, transfer, or exchange
of Fund shares (“Shares”) held through an account maintained by the Intermediary
during the period covered by the request. |
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1.1. |
Period Covered by Request. Unless otherwise directed by the Fund, Intermediary
agrees to provide the information specified in Section 1 for each trading day. |
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1.2. | Form and Timing of Response. | |||||
1.2.1. | Intermediary
agrees to provide, promptly upon request of the Fund or its designee, the requested
information specified in Section 1. If requested by the Fund or its designee, Intermediary
agrees to use its best efforts to determine promptly whether any specific person
about whom it has received the identification and transaction information specified
in Section 1 is itself a financial intermediary (“indirect intermediary”) and, upon
further request of the Fund or its designee, promptly either (i) provide (or arrange
to have provided) the information set forth in Section 1 for those shareholders
who hold an account with an indirect intermediary, or (ii) restrict or prohibit
the indirect intermediary from purchasing, in nominee name on behalf of other persons,
securities issued by the Fund. Intermediary additionally agrees to inform the Fund
whether it plans to perform (i) or (ii). |
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1.2.2. | Responses
required by this paragraph must be communicated in writing and in a format mutually
agreed upon by the Parties. |
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1.2.3. | To the extent
practicable, the format for any transaction information provided to the Fund should
be consistent with the NSCC Standardized Data Reporting Format. |
1 |
According to the IRS’ website, the ITIN refers to the Individual Taxpayer Identification
number, which is a nine-digit number that always begins with the number 9 and has
a 7 or 8 in the fourth digit, example 9XX-7X-XXXX.. The IRS issues ITINs to individuals
who are required to have a U.S. taxpayer identification number but who do not have,
and are not eligible to obtain a Social Security Number (SSN) from the Social Security
Administration (SSA). SEC Rule 22c-2 inadvertently refers to the ITIN as the International
Taxpayer Identification Number. |
23120
1.3. | Limitations
on Use of Information. The Fund agrees not to use the information received from
the Intermediary for the Fund’s use in external solicitation or marketing to
shareholders without the prior written consent of the Intermediary. The Fund is
permitted to use the information received from the Intermediary for the Fund’s
internal purposes, including monitoring compliance with the Fund’s internal
policies, procedures and practices. The Fund agrees to keep any non-public information
furnished by the Intermediary confidential consistent with the Fund’s then
current privacy policy, except as necessary to comply with federal, state, or local
laws, rules, or other applicable legal requirements. |
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2. | Agreement to Restrict Trading. Intermediary agrees to execute written instructions
from the Fund to restrict or prohibit further purchases or exchanges of Shares by
a Shareholder that has been identified by the Fund as having engaged in transactions
in the Fund’s Shares (directly or indirectly through the Intermediary’s
account) that violate policies established by the Fund for the purpose of eliminating
or reducing any dilution of the value of the outstanding Shares issued by the Fund. |
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2.1. | Form of
Instructions. Instructions to restrict or prohibit trading must include the
TIN, ITIN, or GII, if known, and the specific restriction(s) to be executed. If
the TIN, ITIN, or GII is not known, the instructions must include an equivalent
identifying number of the Shareholder(s) or Accounts or other agreed upon information
to which the instruction relates. |
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2.2. | Timing
of Response. Intermediary agrees to execute instructions from the Fund to restrict
or prohibit trading as soon as reasonably practicable, but not later than five (5)
business days after receipt of the instructions by the Intermediary. |
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2.3. | Confirmation
by Intermediary. Intermediary must provide written confirmation to the Fund
that instructions have been executed. Intermediary agrees to provide confirmation
as soon as reasonably practicable, but not later than ten (10) business days after
the instructions have been executed. |
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3. | Definitions. For purposes of this Schedule 3.6: | |||
3.1. | The term “Fund”
includes the Fund’s principal underwriter and transfer agent. The term not
does include any “excepted funds” as defined in SEC Rule 22c-2(b) under the 1940
Act.2 |
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3.2. | The term “Shares”
means the interests of Shareholders corresponding to the redeemable securities of
record issued by the Fund under the 1940 Act that are held by the Intermediary. |
2 | As defined in SEC Rule 22c-2(b), the term “excepted fund” means any: (1) money market
fund; (2) fund that issues securities that are listed on a national exchange; and
(3) fund that affirmatively permits short-term trading of its securities, if its
prospectus clearly and prominently discloses that the fund permits short-term trading
of its securities and that such trading may result in additional costs for the fund. |
3.3. | The term “Shareholder”
means the beneficial owner of Shares, whether the Shares are held directly or by
the Intermediary in nominee name; except: |
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3.3.1. | with respect
to retirement plan recordkeepers, the term “Shareholder” means the Plan participant
notwithstanding that the Plan may be deemed to be the beneficial owner of Shares;
and |
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3.3.2. | with respect
to insurance companies, the term “Shareholder” means the holder of interests in
a variable annuity or variable life insurance contract issued by the Intermediary. |
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3.4. |
The term “written” includes electronic writings and facsimile transmissions. |
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3.5. |
The term “Intermediary” shall mean a “financial intermediary” as defined in SEC Rule
22c-2.3 |
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3.6. |
The term “purchase” does not include the automatic reinvestment of dividends. |
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3.7. |
The term “promptly” as used in Section 1.2 shall mean as soon as practicable but
in no event later than 10 business days from the Intermediary’s receipt of
the request for information from the Fund or its designee. |
3 | “Financial
intermediary” is defined in SEC Rule 22c-2(c)(l) as: “(i) any broker, dealer,
bank, or other entity that holds securities of record issued by the fund, in nominee
name; (ii) a unit investment trust or fund that invests in the fund in reliance
on section 12(d)(l)(E) of the Act (15 U.S.C. 80a-12(d)(l)(E)); and (iii) in the
case of a participant-directed employee benefit plan that owns the securities issued
by the fund, a retirement plan’s administrator under section 3(16)(A) of the
Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (29 U.S.C. 1002(16)(A)) or any entity
that maintains the plan’s participant records.” |