Exhibit 77Q-1(e)
Exhibits
1. Sub-Advisory Agreement dated August 19, 2003 between ING Investments, LLC and
Aeltus Investment Management, Inc.
2. First Amendment dated September 1, 2003 to Sub-Advisory Agreement dated
August 19, 2003.
SUB-ADVISORY AGREEMENT
ING PRIME RATE TRUST
AGREEMENT made this 19th day of August 2003 between ING
Investments, LLC, an Arizona limited liability company (the "Manager"), and
Aeltus Investment Management, Inc., a Connecticut corporation (the
"Sub-Adviser").
WHEREAS, ING Prime Rate Trust (the "Fund") is registered under
the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"), as an
closed-end, management investment company; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to an Investment Management Agreement, dated
September 1, 2000 (the "Management Agreement"), a copy of which has been
provided to the Sub-Adviser, the Fund has retained the Manager to render
advisory and management services to the Fund; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to authority granted to the Manager in the
Management Agreement, the Manager wishes to retain the Sub-Adviser to furnish
investment advisory services to the Fund, and the Sub-Adviser is willing to
furnish such services to the Fund and the Manager.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the
promises and mutual covenants herein contained, it is agreed between the Manager
and the Sub-Adviser as follows:
1. Appointment. The Manager hereby appoints the Sub-Adviser to
act as the investment adviser and manager to the series of the Fund set forth on
Schedule A hereto (the "Series") for the periods and on the terms set forth in
this Agreement. The Sub-Adviser accepts such appointment and agrees to furnish
the services herein set forth for the compensation herein provided.
2. Sub-Adviser Duties. Subject to the supervision of the
Fund's Board of Trustees and the Manager, the Sub-Adviser will provide a
continuous investment program for the Fund's portfolio and determine in its
discretion the composition of the assets of the Fund's portfolio, including
determination of the purchase, retention, or sale of the securities, cash, and
other investments contained in the portfolio. The Sub-Adviser will provide
investment research and conduct a continuous program of evaluation, investment,
sales, and reinvestment of the Fund's assets by determining the securities and
other investments that shall be purchased, entered into, sold, closed, or
exchanged for the Fund, when these transactions should be executed, and what
portion of the assets of the Fund should be held in the various securities and
other investments in which it may invest. To the extent permitted by the
investment policies of the Fund, the Sub-Adviser shall make decisions for the
Fund as to foreign currency matters and make determinations as to and execute
and perform foreign currency exchange contracts on behalf of the Fund. The
Sub-Adviser will provide the services under this Agreement in accordance with
the Fund's investment objective or objectives, policies, and restrictions as
stated
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in the Fund's Registration Statement filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission ("SEC"), as amended, copies of which shall be sent to the Sub-Adviser
by the Manager prior to the commencement of this Agreement and promptly
following any such amendment. The Sub-Adviser further agrees as follows:
(a) The Sub-Adviser will conform with the 1940 Act and all
rules and regulations thereunder, all other applicable federal and state laws
and regulations, with any applicable procedures adopted by the Fund's Board of
Trustees of which the Sub-Adviser has been sent a copy, and the provisions of
the Registration Statement of the Fund filed under the Securities Act of 1933
(the "1933 Act") and the 1940 Act, as supplemented or amended, of which the
Sub-Adviser has received a copy, and with the Manager's portfolio manager
operating policies and procedures as in effect on the date hereof, as such
policies and procedures may be revised or amended by the Manager and agreed to
by the Sub-Adviser. In carrying out its duties under the Sub-Adviser Agreement,
the Sub-Adviser will comply with the following policies and procedures:
(i) The Sub-Adviser will manage the Fund so that it meets the
income and asset diversification requirements of Section 851 of the Internal
Revenue Code.
(ii) The Sub-Adviser will have no duty to vote any proxy
solicited by or with respect to the issuers of securities in which assets of the
Series are invested unless the Manager gives the Sub-Adviser written
instructions to the contrary. The Sub-Adviser will immediately forward any proxy
it receives on behalf of the Fund solicited by or with respect to the issuers of
securities in which assets of the Series are invested to the Manager or to any
agent of the Manager designated by the Manager in writing.
The Sub-Adviser will make appropriate personnel reasonably
available for consultation for the purpose of reviewing with representatives of
the Manager and/or the Board any proxy solicited by or with respect to the
issuers of securities in which assets of the Series are invested. Upon request,
the Sub-Adviser will submit a voting recommendation to the Manager for such
proxies. In making such recommendations, the Sub-Adviser shall use its good
faith judgment to act in the best interests of the Series. The Sub-Adviser shall
disclose to the best of its knowledge any conflict of interest with the issuers
of securities that are the subject of such recommendation including whether such
issuers are clients or are being solicited as clients of the Sub-Adviser or of
its affiliates.
(iii) In connection with the purchase and sale of securities
for the Fund, the Sub-Adviser will arrange for the transmission to the custodian
and portfolio accounting agent for the Fund on a daily basis, such confirmation,
trade tickets, and other documents and information, including, but not limited
to, Cusip, Cedel, or other numbers that identify securities to be purchased or
sold on behalf of the Fund, as may be reasonably necessary to enable the
custodian and portfolio accounting agent to perform its administrative and
record keeping responsibilities with respect to the Fund. With respect to
portfolio securities to be settled through the Depository Trust Company, the
Sub-Adviser will arrange for the prompt transmission of the confirmation of such
trades to the Fund's custodian and portfolio accounting agent.
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(iv) The Sub-Adviser will assist the custodian and portfolio
accounting agent for the Fund in determining or confirming, consistent with the
procedures and policies stated in the Registration Statement for the Fund or
adopted by the Board of Trustees, the value of any portfolio securities or other
assets of the Fund for which the custodian and portfolio accounting agent seeks
assistance from or identifies for review by the Sub-Adviser. The parties
acknowledge that the Sub-Adviser is not a custodian of the Fund's assets and
will not take possession or custody of such assets.
(v) The Sub-Adviser will provide the Manager, no later than
the 10th business day following the end of the Fund's semi-annual period and
fiscal year, a letter to shareholders (to be subject to review and editing by
the Manager) containing a discussion of those factors referred to in Item 5(a)
of 1940 Act Form N-1A in respect of both the prior quarter and the fiscal year
to date.
(vi) The Sub-Adviser will complete and deliver to the Manager
a written compliance checklist in a form provided by the Manager for each month
by the 10th business day of the following month.
(b) The Sub-Adviser will complete and deliver to the Manager
by the 10th business day of each month a written report regarding the Fund that
contains the following information as of the immediately previous month's end:
(i) A performance comparison to the Fund's benchmark listed in
the prospectus as well as a comparison to other mutual funds as listed in the
rankings prepared by Lipper Analytical Services, Inc., Morningstar, Inc., or
similar independent services that monitor the performance of mutual funds or
with other appropriate indexes of investment securities;
(ii) Composition of the assets of the Fund's portfolio and the
impact of key portfolio holdings and sector concentrations on the Fund; and
(iii) Confirmation of the Fund's current investment objective
and Sub-Adviser's projected plan to realize the Fund's investment objectives.
(c) The Sub-Adviser will contact Morningstar to clarify any
style box conflicts with the Fund's style and the anticipated timeframe in which
Morningstar will remedy such conflicts, if any.
(d) The Sub-Adviser will make available to the Fund and the
Manager, promptly upon request, any of the Fund's investment records and ledgers
maintained by the Sub-Adviser (which shall not include the records and ledgers
maintained by the custodian or portfolio accounting agent for the Fund) as are
necessary to assist the Fund and the Manager to comply with requirements of the
1940 Act and the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (the "Advisers Act"), as well
as other applicable laws. The Sub-Adviser will furnish to regulatory authorities
having the requisite authority any information or reports in connection with
such services in respect to the Fund which may be requested in order to
ascertain whether the operations of the Fund are being conducted in a manner
consistent with applicable laws and regulations.
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(e) The Sub-Adviser will provide reports to the Fund's Board
of Trustees for consideration at meetings of the Board of Trustees on the
investment program for the Fund and the issuers and securities represented in
the Fund's portfolio, and will furnish the Fund's Board of Trustees with respect
to the Fund such periodic and special reports as the Trustees and the Manager
may reasonably request.
3. Broker-Dealer Selection. The Sub-Adviser is authorized to
make decisions to buy and sell securities and other investments for the Fund's
portfolio, broker-dealer selection, and negotiation of brokerage commission
rates in effecting a security transaction. The Sub-Adviser's primary
consideration in effecting a security transaction will be to obtain the best
execution for the Fund, taking into account the factors specified in the
prospectus and/or statement of additional information for the Fund, and
determined in consultation with the Manager, which include price (including the
applicable brokerage commission or dollar spread), the size of the order, the
nature of the market for the security, the timing of the transaction, the
reputation, the experience and financial stability of the broker-dealer
involved, the quality of the service, the difficulty of execution, and the
execution capabilities and operational facilities of the firm involved, and the
firm's risk in positioning a block of securities. Accordingly, the price to the
Fund in any transaction may be less favorable than that available from another
broker-dealer if the difference is reasonably justified, in the judgment of the
Sub-Adviser in the exercise of its fiduciary obligations to the Fund, by other
aspects of the portfolio execution services offered. Subject to such policies as
the Fund's Board of Trustees or Manager may determine and consistent with
Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Sub-Adviser shall not
be deemed to have acted unlawfully or to have breached any duty created by this
Agreement or otherwise solely by reason of its having caused the Fund to pay a
broker-dealer for effecting a portfolio investment transaction in excess of the
amount of commission another broker-dealer would have charged for effecting that
transaction, if the Sub-Adviser determines in good faith that such amount of
commission was reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research
services provided by such broker-dealer, viewed in terms of either that
particular transaction or the Sub-Adviser's or the Manager's overall
responsibilities with respect to the Fund and to their respective other clients
as to which they exercise investment discretion. The Sub-Adviser will consult
with the Manager to the end that portfolio transactions on behalf of a Fund are
directed to broker-dealers on the basis of criteria reasonably considered
appropriate by the Manager. To the extent consistent with these standards, the
Sub-Adviser is further authorized to allocate the orders placed by it on behalf
of the Fund to the Sub-Adviser if it is registered as a broker-dealer with the
SEC, to an affiliated broker-dealer, or to such brokers and dealers who also
provide research or statistical material, or other services to the Fund, the
Sub-Adviser, or an affiliate of the Sub-Adviser. Such allocation shall be in
such amounts and proportions as the Sub-Adviser shall determine consistent with
the above standards, and the Sub-Adviser will report on said allocation
regularly to the Fund's Board of Trustees indicating the broker-dealers to which
such allocations have been made and the basis therefore.
4. Disclosure about Sub-Adviser. The Sub-Adviser has reviewed
the most recent Post-Effective Amendment to the Registration Statement for the
Fund filed with the SEC that contains disclosure about the Sub-Adviser, and
represents and warrants that, with respect to the disclosure about the
Sub-Adviser or information relating, directly or indirectly, to the Sub-Adviser,
such Registration Statement contains, as of the date hereof, no untrue statement
of any
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material fact and does not omit any statement of a material fact which was
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements contained
therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading. The Sub-Adviser further represents and warrants that it is a duly
registered investment adviser under the Advisers Act and will maintain such
registration so long as this Agreement remains in effect. The Sub-Adviser will
provide the Manager with a copy of the Sub-Adviser's Form ADV, Part II at the
time the Form ADV is filed with the SEC.
5. Expenses. During the term of this Agreement, the
Sub-Adviser will pay all expenses incurred by it and its staff and for their
activities in connection with its portfolio management duties under this
Agreement. The Manager or the Fund shall be responsible for all the expenses of
the Fund's operations.
6. Compensation. For the services provided to the Fund, the
Manager will pay the Sub-Adviser an annual fee equal to the amount specified for
the Fund in Schedule A hereto, payable monthly in arrears. The fee will be
appropriately prorated to reflect any portion of a calendar month that this
Agreement is not in effect among the parties. In accordance with the provisions
of the Management Agreement, the Manager is solely responsible for the payment
of fees to the Sub-Adviser, and the Sub-Adviser agrees to seek payment of its
fees solely from the Manager; provided, however, that if the Fund fails to pay
the Manager all or a portion of the management fee under said Management
Agreement when due, and the amount that was paid is insufficient to cover the
Sub-Adviser's fee under this Agreement for the period in question, then the
Sub-Adviser may enforce against the Fund any rights it may have as a third-party
beneficiary under the Management Agreement and the Manager will take all steps
appropriate under the circumstances to collect the amount due from the Fund.
7. Marketing Materials.
(a) During the term of this Agreement, the Sub-Adviser agrees
to furnish the Manager at its principal office for prior review and approval by
the Manager all written and/or printed materials, including but not limited to,
PowerPoint(R) or slide presentations, news releases, advertisements, brochures,
fact sheets and other promotional, informational or marketing materials (the
"Marketing Materials") for internal use or public dissemination, that are
produced or are for use or reference by the Sub-Adviser, its affiliates or other
designees, broker-dealers or the public in connection with the Fund, and
Sub-Adviser shall not use any such materials if the Manager reasonably objects
in writing within five business days (or such other period as may be mutually
agreed) after receipt thereof. Marketing Materials may be furnished to the
Manager by first class or overnight mail, facsimile transmission equipment,
electronic delivery or hand delivery.
(b) During the term of this Agreement, the Manager agrees to
furnish the Sub-Adviser at its principal office all prospectuses, proxy
statements, reports to shareholders, or Marketing Materials prepared for
distribution to shareholders of the Fund, or the public that refer to the
Sub-Adviser in any way, prior to the use thereof, and the Manager shall not use
any such materials if the Sub-Adviser reasonably objects in writing within five
business days (or such other period as may be mutually agreed) after receipt
thereof. The Sub-Adviser's right to object to such materials is limited to the
portions of such materials that expressly relate to the Sub-
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Adviser, its services and its clients. The Manager agrees to use its reasonable
best efforts to ensure that materials prepared by its employees or agents or its
affiliates that refer to the Sub-Adviser or its clients in any way are
consistent with those materials previously approved by the Sub-Adviser as
referenced in the first sentence of this paragraph. Marketing Materials may be
furnished to the Sub-Adviser by first class or overnight mail, facsimile
transmission equipment, electronic delivery or hand delivery.
8. Compliance.
(a) The Sub-Adviser agrees to use reasonable compliance
techniques as the Manager or the Board of Trustees may adopt, including any
written compliance procedures.
(b) The Sub-Adviser agrees that it shall promptly notify the
Manager and the Fund (1) in the event that the SEC has censured the Sub-Adviser;
placed limitations upon its activities, functions or operations; suspended or
revoked its registration as an investment adviser; or has commenced proceedings
or an investigation that may result in any of these actions, or (2) upon having
a reasonable basis for believing that the Fund has ceased to qualify or might
not qualify as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Internal
Revenue Code. The Sub-Adviser further agrees to notify the Manager and the Fund
promptly of any material fact known to the Sub-Adviser respecting or relating to
the Sub-Adviser that is not contained in the Registration Statement or
prospectus for the Fund, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or if any
statement contained therein that becomes untrue in any material respect.
(c) The Manager agrees that it shall promptly notify the
Sub-Adviser (1) in the event that the SEC has censured the Manager or the Fund;
placed limitations upon either of their activities, functions, or operations;
suspended or revoked the Manager's registration as an investment adviser; or has
commenced proceedings or an investigation that may result in any of these
actions, or (2) upon having a reasonable basis for believing that the Fund has
ceased to qualify or might not qualify as a regulated investment company under
Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code.
9. Books and Records. The Sub-Adviser hereby agrees that all
records which it maintains for the Fund may be the property of the Fund and
further agrees to promptly make available to the Fund any of such records upon
the Fund's or the Manager's request in compliance with the requirements of Rule
31a-3 under the 1940 Act. The Sub-Adviser further agrees to preserve for the
periods prescribed by Rule 31a-2 under the 1940 Act the records required to be
maintained by Rule 31a-l under the 1940 Act.
10. Cooperation; Confidentiality. Each party to this Agreement
agrees to cooperate with the other party and with all appropriate governmental
authorities having the requisite jurisdiction (including, but not limited to,
the SEC) in connection with any investigation or inquiry relating to this
Agreement or the Fund. Subject to the foregoing, the Sub-Adviser shall treat as
confidential all information pertaining to the Fund and actions of the Fund, the
Manager and the Sub-Adviser, and the Manager shall treat as confidential and use
only in connection with the Fund all information furnished to the Fund or the
Manager by the Sub-Adviser, in connection with its duties under the agreement
except that the aforesaid information
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need not be treated as confidential if required to be disclosed under applicable
law, if generally available to the public through means other than by disclosure
by the Sub-Adviser or the Manager, or if available from a source other than the
Manager, Sub-Adviser or this Fund.
11. Representations Respecting Sub-Adviser. The Manager agrees
that neither the Manager, nor affiliated persons of the Manager, shall give any
information or make any representations or statements in connection with the
sale of shares of the Fund concerning the Sub-Adviser or the Fund other than the
information or representations contained in the Registration Statement,
prospectus, or statement of additional information for the Fund's shares, as
they may be amended or supplemented from time to time, or in reports or proxy
statements for the Fund, or in sales literature or other promotional material
approved in advance by the Sub-Adviser, except with the prior permission of the
Sub-Adviser.
12. Control. Notwithstanding any other provision of the
Agreement, it is understood and agreed that the Fund shall at all times retain
the ultimate responsibility for and control of all functions performed pursuant
to this Agreement and has reserved the right to reasonably direct any action
hereunder taken on its behalf by the Sub-Adviser.
13. Liability. Except as may otherwise be required by the 1940
Act or the rules thereunder or other applicable law, the Manager agrees that the
Sub-Adviser, any affiliated person of the Sub-Adviser, and each person, if any,
who, within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act controls the Sub-Adviser
(1) shall bear no responsibility and shall not be subject to any liability for
any act or omission respecting the Fund , and (2) shall not be liable for, or
subject to any damages, expenses, or losses in connection with, any act or
omission connected with or arising out of any services rendered under this
Agreement, except by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross
negligence in the performance of the Sub-Adviser's duties, or by reason of
reckless disregard of the Sub-Adviser's obligations and duties under this
Agreement.
14. Indemnification.
(a) The Manager agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the
Sub-Adviser, any affiliated person of the Sub-Adviser, and each person, if any,
who, within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act controls ("controlling
person") the Sub-Adviser (all of such persons being referred to as "Sub-Adviser
Indemnified Persons") against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities,
or litigation (including legal and other expenses) to which a Sub-Adviser
Indemnified Person may become subject under the 1933 Act, the 1940 Act, the
Advisers Act, under any other statute, at common law or otherwise, arising out
of the Manager's responsibilities to the Fund which (1) may be based upon the
Manager's negligence, willful misfeasance, or bad faith in the performance of
its duties (which could include a negligent action or a negligent omission to
act), or by reason of the Manager's reckless disregard of its obligations and
duties under this Agreement, or (2) may be based upon any untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration
Statement or prospectus covering shares of the Fund, or any amendment thereof or
any 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, unless such statement or omission was made in reliance
upon information furnished to the Manager or the Fund or to any affiliated
person of the Manager by a Sub-
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Adviser Indemnified Person; provided however, that in no case shall the
indemnity in favor of the Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person be deemed to protect
such person against any liability to which any such person would otherwise be
subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in the
performance of its duties, or by reason of its reckless disregard of obligations
and duties under this Agreement.
(b) Notwithstanding Section 13 of this Agreement, the
Sub-Adviser agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Manager, any affiliated
person of the Manager, and any controlling person of the Manager (all of such
persons being referred to as "Manager Indemnified Persons") against any and all
losses, claims, damages, liabilities, or litigation (including legal and other
expenses) to which a Manager Indemnified Person may become subject under the
1933 Act, 1940 Act, the Advisers Act, under any other statute, at common law or
otherwise, arising out of the Sub-Adviser's responsibilities as Sub-Adviser of
the Fund which (1) may be based upon the Sub-Adviser's negligence, willful
misfeasance, or bad faith in the performance of its duties (which could include
a negligent action or a negligent omission to act), or by reason of the
Sub-Adviser's reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under this
Agreement, or (2) may be based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or
prospectus covering the shares of the Fund, or any amendment or supplement
thereto, or the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact
known or which should have been known to the Sub-Adviser and was 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 Manager, the Fund, or any affiliated person of the Manager or Fund by the
Sub-Adviser or any affiliated person of the Sub-Adviser; provided, however, that
in no case shall the indemnity in favor of a Manager Indemnified Person be
deemed to protect such person against any liability to which any such person
would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross
negligence in the performance of its duties, or by reason of its reckless
disregard of its obligations and duties under this Agreement.
(c) The Manager shall not be liable under Paragraph (a) of
this Section 14 with respect to any claim made against a Sub-Adviser Indemnified
Person unless such Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person shall have notified the
Manager 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 Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person (or after such Sub-Adviser
Indemnified Person shall have received notice of such service on any designated
agent), but failure to notify the Manager of any such claim shall not relieve
the Manager from any liability which it may have to the Sub-Adviser Indemnified
Person against whom such action is brought except to the extent the Manager is
prejudiced by the failure or delay in giving such notice. In case any such
action is brought against the Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person, the Manager will
be entitled to participate, at its own expense, in the defense thereof or, after
notice to the Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person, to assume the defense thereof,
with counsel satisfactory to the Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person. If the Manager
assumes the defense of any such action and the selection of counsel by the
Manager to represent the Manager and the Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person would
result in a conflict of interests and therefore, would not, in the reasonable
judgment of the Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person, adequately represent the
interests of the Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person, the Manager will, at its own
expense, assume the defense with counsel to
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the Manager and, also at its own expense, with separate counsel to the
Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person, which counsel shall be satisfactory to the
Manager and to the Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person. The Sub-Adviser Indemnified
Person shall bear the fees and expenses of any additional counsel retained by
it, and the Manager shall not be liable to the Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person
under this Agreement for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by
the Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person independently in connection with the defense
thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation. The Manager shall not have
the right to compromise on or settle the litigation without the prior written
consent of the Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person if the compromise or settlement
results, or may result in a finding of wrongdoing on the part of the Sub-Adviser
Indemnified Person.
(d) The Sub-Adviser shall not be liable under Paragraph (b) of
this Section 14 with respect to any claim made against a Manager Indemnified
Person unless such Manager Indemnified Person shall have notified the
Sub-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 Manager Indemnified Person (or after such Manager Indemnified
Person shall have received notice of such service on any designated agent), but
failure to notify the Sub-Adviser of any such claim shall not relieve the
Sub-Adviser from any liability which it may have to the Manager Indemnified
Person against whom such action is brought except to the extent the Sub-Adviser
is prejudiced by the failure or delay in giving such notice. In case any such
action is brought against the Manager Indemnified Person, the Sub-Adviser will
be entitled to participate, at its own expense, in the defense thereof or, after
notice to the Manager Indemnified Person, to assume the defense thereof, with
counsel satisfactory to the Manager Indemnified Person. If the Sub-Adviser
assumes the defense of any such action and the selection of counsel by the
Sub-Adviser to represent both the Sub-Adviser and the Manager Indemnified Person
would result in a conflict of interests and therefore, would not, in the
reasonable judgment of the Manager Indemnified Person, adequately represent the
interests of the Manager Indemnified Person, the Sub-Adviser will, at its own
expense, assume the defense with counsel to the Sub-Adviser and, also at its own
expense, with separate counsel to the Manager Indemnified Person, which counsel
shall be satisfactory to the Sub-Adviser and to the Manager Indemnified Person.
The Manager Indemnified Person shall bear the fees and expenses of any
additional counsel retained by it, and the Sub-Adviser shall not be liable to
the Manager Indemnified Person under this Agreement for any legal or other
expenses subsequently incurred by the Manager Indemnified Person independently
in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of
investigation. The Sub-Adviser shall not have the right to compromise on or
settle the litigation without the prior written consent of the Manager
Indemnified Person if the compromise or settlement results, or may result in a
finding of wrongdoing on the part of the Manager Indemnified Person.
15. Duration and Termination.
(a) This Agreement shall become effective on the date first
indicated above, subject to the condition that the Fund's Board of Trustees,
including a majority of those Trustees who are not interested persons (as such
term is defined in the 0000 Xxx) of the Manager or the Sub-Adviser, and the
shareholders of the Fund, shall have approved this Agreement. Unless terminated
as provided herein, this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect until
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September 1, 2004 and continue on an annual basis thereafter with respect to the
Fund covered by this Agreement; provided that such annual continuance is
specifically approved each year by (a) the Board of Trustees of the Fund, or by
the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as defined in the
0000 Xxx) of the Fund, and (b) the vote of a majority of those Trustees who are
not parties to this Agreement or interested persons (as such term is defined in
the 0000 Xxx) of any such party to this Agreement cast in person at a meeting
called for the purpose of voting on such approval. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, this Agreement may be terminated with respect to the Fund: (a) by the
Manager at any time, upon sixty (60) days' written notice to the Sub-Adviser and
the Fund, (b) at any time without payment of any penalty by the Fund, by the
Fund's Board of Trustees or a majority of the outstanding voting securities of
the Fund, upon sixty (60) days' written notice to the Manager and the
Sub-Adviser, or (c) by the Sub-Adviser upon three (3) months' written notice
unless the Fund or the Manager requests additional time to find a replacement
for the Sub-Adviser, in which case the Sub-Adviser shall allow the additional
time requested by the Fund or Manager not to exceed three (3) additional months
beyond the initial three-month notice period; provided, however, that the
Sub-Adviser may terminate this Agreement at any time without penalty, effective
upon written notice to the Manager and the Fund, in the event either the
Sub-Adviser (acting in good faith) or the Manager ceases to be registered as an
investment adviser under the Advisers Act or otherwise becomes legally incapable
of providing investment management services pursuant to its respective contract
with the Fund, or in the event the Manager becomes bankrupt or otherwise
incapable of carrying out its obligations under this Agreement, or in the event
that the Sub-Adviser does not receive compensation for its services from the
Manager or the Fund as required by the terms of this agreement.
In the event of termination for any reason, all records of the
Fund shall promptly be returned to the Manager or the Fund, free from any claim
or retention of rights in such record by the Sub-Adviser, although the
Sub-Adviser may, at its own expense, make and retain a copy of such records.
This Agreement shall automatically terminate in the event of its assignment (as
such term is described in the 1940 Act). In the event this Agreement is
terminated or is not approved in the manner described above, the Sections or
Paragraphs numbered 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 17 of this Agreement shall remain
in effect, as well as any applicable provision of this Section numbered 15 and,
to the extent that only amounts are owed to the Sub-Adviser as compensation for
services rendered while the agreement was in effect, Section 6.
(b) Notices. Any notice must be in writing and shall be
sufficiently given (1) when delivered in person, (2) when dispatched by telegram
or electronic facsimile transfer (confirmed in writing by postage prepaid first
class air mail simultaneously dispatched), (3) when sent by internationally
recognized overnight courier service (with receipt confirmed by such overnight
courier service), or (4) when sent by registered or certified mail, to the other
party at the address of such party set forth below or at such other address as
such party may from time to time specify in writing to the other party.
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If to the Fund:
ING Prime Rate Trust
0000 Xxxx Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxx
Xxxxxxxxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
If to the Sub-Adviser:
Aeltus Investment Management, Inc.
00 Xxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx, XX 00000-0000
Attention: Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx
16. Amendments. No provision of this Agreement may be changed,
waived, discharged or terminated orally, but only by an instrument in writing
signed by the party against which enforcement of the change, waiver, discharge
or termination is sought, and no amendment of this Agreement shall be effective
until approved as required by applicable law.
17. Miscellaneous.
(a) This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State
of Arizona, provided that nothing herein shall be construed in a manner
inconsistent with the 1940 Act, the Advisers Act or rules or orders of the SEC
thereunder, and without regard for the conflicts of laws principle thereof. The
term "affiliate" or "affiliated person" as used in this Agreement shall mean
"affiliated person" as defined in Section 2(a)(3) of the 0000 Xxx.
(b) The Manager and the Sub-Adviser acknowledge that the Fund
enjoys the rights of a third-party beneficiary under this Agreement, and the
Manager acknowledges that the Sub-Adviser enjoys the rights of a third party
beneficiary under the Management Agreement.
(c) The captions of this Agreement are included for
convenience only and in no way define or limit any of the provisions hereof or
otherwise affect their construction or effect.
(d) To the extent permitted under Section 15 of this Agreement,
this Agreement may only be assigned, as defined in the Investment Company Act of
1940, by any party with the prior written consent of the other parties.
(e) If any provision of this Agreement shall be held or made
invalid by a court decision, statute, rule or otherwise, the remainder of this
Agreement shall not be affected thereby, and to this extent, the provisions of
this Agreement shall be deemed to be severable.
(f) Nothing herein shall be construed as constituting the
Sub-Adviser as an agent or co-partner of the Manager, or constituting the
Manager as an agent or co-partner of the Sub-Adviser.
(g) This agreement may be executed in counterparts.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this
instrument to be executed as of the day and year first above written.
ING INVESTMENTS, LLC
By: ___________________________________
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Executive Vice President
AELTUS INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, INC.
By: ___________________________________
___________________________________
Title
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SCHEDULE A
with respect to the
SUB-ADVISORY AGREEMENT
between
ING INVESTMENTS, LLC
and
AELTUS INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, INC.
Annual
Sub-Adviser Fee
---------------
Series (as a percentage of average daily net assets*)
------
ING Prime Rate Trust .3600%
* Managed Assets means average daily gross assets, minus the sum of the Trust's
accrued and unpaid dividends on any outstanding preferred shares and accrued
liabilities (other than liabilities for the principal amount of any borrowings
incurred, commercial paper or notes issued by the Trust, and the liquidation
preference of any outstanding preferred shares).
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FIRST AMENDMENT TO SUB-ADVISORY AGREEMENT
ING PRIME RATE TRUST
This First Amendment, effective as of September 1, 2003, amends the
Sub-Advisory Agreement (the "Agreement") dated the 19th day of August, 2003
between ING Investments, LLC, an Arizona limited liability company (the
"Manager"), and Aeltus Investment Management, Inc., a Connecticut corporation
(the "Sub-Adviser") with regards to ING Prime Rate Trust, a Series of ING Prime
Rate Trust.
W I T N E S S E T H
WHEREAS, the parties desire to amend the Agreement and agree that the
amendment will be effective as of September 1, 2003.
NOW, THEREFORE, the parties agree as follows:
1. The following Section 11 is hereby inserted between existing
Section 10 and Section 11:
11. Non-Exclusivity. The services of the Sub-Adviser to the
Series and the Fund are not to be deemed to be exclusive, and the Sub-Adviser
shall be free to render investment advisory or other services to others
(including other investment companies) and to engage in other activities,
provided, however, that the Sub-Adviser may not consult with any other
sub-adviser of the Fund concerning transactions in securities or other assets
for any investment portfolio of the Fund, including the Series, except that such
consultations are permitted between the current and successor sub-advisers of
the Series in order to effect an orderly transition of sub-advisory duties so
long as such consultations are not concerning transactions prohibited by Section
17(a) of the 1940 Act.
2. Each Section number and applicable references to each Section following the
inserted Section 11 above, will increase numerically by one (i.e., Section 13
will be Section 14, etc.).
3. Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the
meanings ascribed to them in the Agreement.
4. In all other respects, the Agreement is hereby confirmed and remains in full
force and effect.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this instrument to
be executed as of the day and year first above written.
ING INVESTMENTS, LLC
By: ______________________________________________
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Executive Vice President
AELTUS INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, INC.
By: ______________________________________________
Name: _____________________________________
Title: _____________________________________
-2-
