TRANSFER AGENCY SERVICES AGREEMENT
THIS
AGREEMENT is effective as of November 21, 2009 or such other date as mutually
agreed upon by the parties hereto ("Effective Date") by and between PNC Global
Investment Servicing (U.S.) Inc. (“PNC”), and Firsthand Funds (the “Investment
Company”). Capitalized terms, and certain noncapitalized terms, not
otherwise defined shall have the meanings set forth in Appendix A.
Background
A. The
Investment Company is registered as an open-end management investment company
under the 1940 Act.
B. The
Investment Company wishes to retain PNC to serve as its transfer agent,
registrar, dividend disbursing agent and shareholder servicing agent, or, if
applicable, to serve as the transfer agent, registrar, dividend disbursing agent
and shareholder servicing agent for each of its Portfolios listed on Exhibit A
attached hereto and made a part hereof, as such Exhibit A may be amended from
time to time, and PNC wishes to furnish such services. The term
"Fund" as used hereinafter in this Agreement means, as applicable, the
Investment Company, if no Portfolios are listed on Exhibit A, or each Portfolio
listed on Exhibit A considered in its individual and separate
capacity.
Terms
NOW,
THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and mutual covenants herein
contained, and intending to be legally bound hereby, the parties hereto agree to
the statements made in the preceding paragraphs and as follows:
1. Appointment. The Fund hereby
appoints PNC to serve as transfer agent, registrar, dividend disbursing agent
and shareholder servicing agent to the Fund in accordance with the terms set
forth in this Agreement. PNC accepts such appointment and agrees to
furnish such services. PNC shall be under no duty to take any action hereunder
on behalf of the Fund except as specifically set forth herein or as may be
specifically agreed to by PNC and the Fund in a written amendment hereto. PNC
shall not bear, or otherwise be responsible for, any fees, costs or expenses
charged by any third party service providers engaged by the Fund or by any other
third party service provider to the Fund not engaged by PNC.
2. Records;
Visits. The books and
records pertaining to the Fund, which are in the possession or under the control
of PNC, shall be the property of the Fund. The Fund and Authorized Persons shall
have access to such books and records at all times during PNC's normal business
hours. Upon the reasonable request of the Fund, copies of any such
books and records shall be provided by PNC to the Fund or to an Authorized
Person, at the Fund's expense.
3.
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Services.
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(a)
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Transfer
Agent, Registrar, Dividend Disbursing Agent and Shareholder
Servicing:
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(1)
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Services
provided on an ongoing basis, if
applicable:
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(i)
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Calculate
12b-1 payments;
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(ii)
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Maintain
shareholder registrations;
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(iii)
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Review
new applications and correspond with shareholders to complete or correct
information;
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(iv)
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Direct
payment processing of checks or
wires;
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(v)
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Prepare
and certify shareholder lists in conjunction with proxy
solicitations;
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(vi)
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Countersign
share certificates;
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(vii)
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Prepare
and mail to shareholders confirmation of
activity;
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(viii)
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Provide
toll-free lines for direct shareholder use, plus customer liaison staff
for on-line inquiry response;
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(ix)
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Mail
duplicate confirmations to broker-dealers of their clients' activity,
whether executed through the broker-dealer or directly with
PNC;
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(x)
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Provide
periodic shareholder lists and statistics to the
Fund;
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(xi)
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Provide
detailed data for underwriter/broker
confirmations;
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(xii)
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Prepare
periodic mailing of year-end tax and statement
information;
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(xiii)
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Notify
on a timely basis the investment adviser, accounting agent, and custodian
of Share activity;
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(xiv)
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Perform
other participating broker-dealer shareholder services as may be agreed
upon from time to time;
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(xv)
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Accept
and post daily Share purchases and
redemptions;
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(xvi)
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Accept,
post and perform shareholder transfers and
exchanges;
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(xvii)
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Issue
and cancel certificates (when requested in writing by the shareholder);
and
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(xviii)
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Perform
certain administrative and ministerial duties relating to opening,
maintaining and processing transactions for shareholders or financial
intermediaries that trade shares through the
NSCC.
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(2)
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Purchase of
Shares. PNC shall issue and credit an account of an
investor, in the manner described in the Fund's prospectus, once it
receives:
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(i)
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A
purchase order in completed proper
form;
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(ii)
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Proper
information to establish a shareholder account;
and
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(iii)
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Confirmation
of receipt or crediting of funds for such order to the Fund's
custodian.
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(3)
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Redemption of
Shares. PNC shall process requests to redeem Shares as
follows:
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(i)
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All
requests to transfer or redeem Shares and payment therefor shall be made
in accordance with the Fund's prospectus, when the shareholder tenders
Shares in proper
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form,
accompanied by such documents as PNC reasonably may deem
necessary.
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(ii)
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PNC
reserves the right to refuse to transfer or redeem Shares until it is
satisfied that the endorsement on the instructions is valid and genuine
and that the requested transfer or redemption is legally authorized, and
it shall incur no liability for the refusal, in good faith, to process
transfers or redemptions which PNC, in its good judgment, deems improper
or unauthorized, or until it is reasonably satisfied that there is no
basis to any claims adverse to such transfer or
redemption.
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(iii)
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When
Shares are redeemed, PNC shall deliver to the Fund’s custodian (the
“Custodian”) and the Fund or its designee a notification setting forth the
number of Shares redeemed. Such redeemed Shares shall be
reflected on appropriate accounts maintained by PNC reflecting outstanding
Shares of the Fund and Shares attributed to individual
accounts.
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(iv)
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PNC
shall, upon receipt of the monies provided to it by the Custodian for the
redemption of Shares, pay such monies as are received from the Custodian,
all in accordance with the procedures established from time to time
between PNC and the Fund.
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(v)
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When
a broker-dealer notifies PNC of a redemption desired by a customer, and
the Custodian provides PNC with funds, PNC shall prepare and send the
redemption check to the broker-dealer and made payable to the
broker-dealer on behalf of its customer, unless otherwise instructed in
writing by the broker-dealer.
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(vi)
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PNC
shall not process or effect any redemption requests with respect to Shares
of the Fund after receipt by PNC or its agent of notification of the
suspension of the determination of the net asset value of the
Fund.
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(4) Dividends and
Distributions. Upon receipt by PNC of Written Instructions
containing all requisite information that may be reasonably requested by PNC,
including payment directions and authorization, PNC shall issue Shares in
payment of the dividend or distribution, or, upon shareholder election, pay such
dividend or distribution in cash, if provided for in the Fund's
prospectus. If requested by PNC, the Fund shall furnish a certified
resolution of the Fund's Board of Directors declaring and authorizing the
payment of a dividend or other distribution but PNC shall have no duty to
request such. Issuance of Shares or payment of a dividend or
distribution as provided for in this Section 3(a)(4), as well as payments upon
redemption as described in sub-Section 3(a)(3), shall be made after deduction
and payment of any and all amounts required to be withheld in accordance with
any applicable tax laws or other laws, rules or regulations. PNC
shall (i) mail to the Fund's shareholders such tax forms and other information,
or permissible substitute notice, relating to dividends and distributions paid
by the Fund as are required to be filed and mailed by applicable law, rule or
regulation; and (ii) prepare, maintain and file with the IRS and other
appropriate taxing authorities reports relating to all dividends by the Fund
paid to its shareholders (above threshold amounts stipulated by applicable law)
as required by tax or other laws, rules or regulations; provided, however,
notwithstanding the foregoing and notwithstanding any other provision of this
Section 3(a)(4) or this Agreement: (A) PNC's exclusive obligations with respect
to any written statement that Section 19(a) of the 1940 Act may require to be
issued with respect to the Fund shall be, upon receipt of specific Written
Instructions to such effect, to receive from the Fund the information which is
to be printed on the statement, to print such information on appropriate paper
stock and to mail such statement to shareholders, and (B) PNC's sole obligation
with respect to any dividend or distribution that Section 19(a) of the 1940 Act
may require be accompanied by such a written statement shall be to act strictly
in accordance with the first three sentences of this Section
3(a)(4).
(5)
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Shareholder Account
Services. PNC may arrange, in accordance with the
prospectus:
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(i)
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for
issuance of Shares obtained
through:
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(A)
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Any
pre-authorized check plan; and
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(B)
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Direct
purchases through broker wire orders, checks and
applications.
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(ii)
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for
a shareholder's:
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(A)
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Exchange
of Shares for shares of another fund with which the Fund has exchange
privileges;
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(B)
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Automatic
redemption from an account where that shareholder participates in an
automatic redemption plan; and/or
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(C)
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Redemption
of Shares from an account with a checkwriting
privilege.
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(6) Communications to
Shareholders. Subject to receipt by PNC of timely Written
Instructions where appropriate, PNC shall mail all communications by the Fund to
its shareholders, including:
(i)
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Reports
to shareholders;
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(ii)
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Confirmations
of purchases and sales of Fund
shares;
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(iii)
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Monthly
or quarterly statements;
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(iv)
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Dividend
and distribution notices; and
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(v)
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Tax
form information.
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(7)
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Records. PNC
shall maintain records of the accounts for each shareholder showing the
following information:
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(i)
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Name,
address and United States Tax Identification or Social Security
number;
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(ii)
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Number
and class of Shares held and number and class of Shares for which
certificates, if any, have been issued, including certificate numbers and
denominations;
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(iii)
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Historical
information regarding the account of each shareholder, including dividends
and distributions paid and the date and price for all transactions on a
shareholder's account;
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(iv)
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Any
stop or restraining order placed against a shareholder’s
account;
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(v)
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Any
correspondence relating to the current maintenance of a shareholder's
account;
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(vi)
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Information
with respect to withholdings; and
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(vii)
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Any
information required in order for PNC to perform any calculations required
by this Agreement.
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(8) Lost or Stolen
Certificates. PNC shall place a stop notice against any
certificate reported to be lost or stolen and comply with all applicable federal
regulatory requirements for reporting such loss or alleged
misappropriation. A new certificate shall be registered and issued
only upon:
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(i)
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The
shareholder's pledge of a lost instrument bond or such other appropriate
indemnity bond issued by a surety company approved by PNC;
and
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(ii)
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Completion
of a release and indemnification agreement signed by the shareholder to
protect PNC and its affiliates.
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(9) Shareholder Inspection of
Stock Records. Upon a request from any Fund shareholder to
inspect stock records, PNC will notify the Fund and the Fund will issue
instructions granting or denying each such request. Unless PNC has
acted contrary to the Fund's instructions, the Fund agrees to and does hereby
release PNC from any liability for refusal of permission for a particular
shareholder to inspect the Fund's stock records.
(10) Withdrawal of Shares and
Cancellation of Certificates. Upon receipt of Written
Instructions, PNC shall cancel outstanding certificates surrendered by the Fund
to reduce the total amount of outstanding shares by the number of shares
surrendered by the Fund.
(11)
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Lost
Shareholders.
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(A)
PNC shall perform such services as are required in order to comply with
Rule 17Ad-17 of the 1934 Act (the “Lost Shareholder Rule”), including, but not
limited to, those set forth below. PNC may, in its sole discretion,
use the services of a third party to perform some of or all such
services.
(i)
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documentation
of search policies and procedures;
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(ii)
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execution
of required searches;
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(iii)
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tracking
results and maintaining data sufficient to comply with the Lost
Shareholder Rule; and
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(iv)
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preparation
and submission of data required under the Lost Shareholder
Rule.
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(B) For
purposes of clarification: (i) Section 3(a)(11)(A) does not obligate PNC to
perform the services described therein for broker-controlled accounts, omnibus
accounts and similar accounts with respect to which PNC does not receive or
maintain information which would permit it to determine whether the account
owner is a "lost securityholder", as that term is defined in the Lost
Shareholder Rule; and (ii) Section 3(a)(11)(A) does not obligate PNC to perform
any escheat services for any accounts - all escheat responsibilities will remain
with each Fund.
(12)
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Tax Favored
Accounts.
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(A)
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Certain
definitions:
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(i)
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"Eligible
Assets" means shares of the Fund and such other assets as the Fund and PNC
may mutually agree.
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(ii)
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"Participant"
means a natural person who establishes and is the beneficial owner of a
Tax Favored Account.
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(iii)
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"Tax
Favored Account" means (i) a Traditional, SEP, Xxxx, or SIMPLE individual
retirement account, (ii) an account in a money purchase or profit sharing
plan, (iii) a single participant “k” plan account, or (iv) a Xxxxxxxxx
educational savings accounts, all within the meaning of Sections 408, 401,
or 530 of the Code, which is facilitated or sponsored by the Fund or
affiliates of the Fund and with respect to which the contributions of
Participants are invested solely in Eligible
Assets.
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(B) To
the extent requested by the Fund, PNC shall provide the following administrative
services to Tax Favored Accounts, to the extent a particular administrative
service is appropriate to the Tax Favored Account under the Code:
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(i)
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Establish
a record of types and reasons for distributions (i.e., attainment of age
59-1/2, disability, death, return of excess contributions,
etc.);
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(ii)
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Record
method of distribution requested and/or
made;
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(iii)
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Receive
and process designation of beneficiary forms
requests;
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(iv)
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Examine
and process requests for direct transfers between custodians/trustees;
transfer and pay over to the successor assets in the account and records
pertaining thereto as requested;
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(v)
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Prepare
any annual reports or returns required to be prepared and/or filed by a
custodian of Tax Favored Accounts, including, but not limited to, an
annual fair market value report, Forms 1099R and 5498; and file same with
the Internal Revenue Service and provide same to the Participant or
Participant's beneficiary, as applicable;
and
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(vi)
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Perform
applicable federal withholding and send to the Participant or
Participant's beneficiary, as applicable, an annual TEFRA notice regarding
required federal tax withholding.
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(C) To
the extent requested by the Fund with respect to particular Tax Favored
Accounts: PNC shall provide disclosure documents, custodial agreements, account
agreements and forms appropriate for the establishment and administration of the
Tax Favored Accounts and PNC shall maintain such materials in compliance with
applicable provisions of the Code and the regulations promulgated
thereunder.
(D) PNC
shall, at the request of the Fund, arrange for PFPC Trust to serve as custodian
for the Tax Favored Accounts (a "Custodied Account"). In
consideration for such service, the Fund agrees:
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(i)
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it
will provide sixty (60) days advance written notice to PNC or PFPC Trust
and Participants in connection with a Fund liquidation or any other event
or circumstance or act or course of conduct involving the Fund that would
result in an involuntary liquidation of Fund Shares in a Custodied Account
or in any other modification to the rights or obligations of a Participant
or the terms or provisions of a Custodied Account and reimburse PNC and
PFPC for all reasonable costs, including costs of tax counsel, incurred in
determining appropriate responses under the Code and under agreements with
Participants;
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(ii)
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PFPC
Trust may provide materials and communications related to its role as
custodian of the Custodied Accounts to Participants and the Fund will
coordinate joint mailings of such materials and communications with Fund
materials as PNC or PFPC Trust may reasonably requested;
and
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(iii)
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it
will, at its cost and expense, at the request of PNC, (aa) appoint and
provide for a qualified successor custodian for all Custodied Accounts in
the event it terminates this Agreement or if any other event or
circumstance, other than those caused by a breach by PNC of this Agreement
or its Standard of Care, constitutes commercially reasonable cause for
PFPC Trust to resign as custodian of the Custodied Accounts or seek
appointment of a successor custodian, and (bb) provide for any interim
custodial or transfer arrangements made appropriate by any of the
circumstances governed by clause
(aa).
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(E) In
consideration for PNC or PFPC Trust furnishing any one or more of the services
provided for in this Section 3(a)(12), whether alone or in combination with
others, the Fund shall pay to PNC the related Fees and Reimbursable Expenses as
set forth in the Fee Agreement. The Fund may direct PNC to collect
such Fees and Reimbursable Expenses from the assets in relevant Tax Favored
Accounts upon appropriate disclosure to Participants, but shall remain
responsible for such Fees and Reimbursable Expenses to the extent it does not so
direct PNC or such amounts are not collectable from Participants.
(13) Print
Mail. The Fund hereby engages PNC as its non-exclusive
print/mail service provider with respect to those items and for such fees as may
be agreed to from time to time in writing by the Fund and PNC.
(14) Proxy
Advantage. The Fund hereby engages PNC as its non-exclusive
proxy solicitation service provider with respect to those items and for such
fees as may be agreed to from time to time in writing by the Fund and
PNC.
(b)
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Anti-Money
Laundering Program Services.
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(1)
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Anti-Money
Laundering.
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(A)
To the extent the other provisions of this Agreement require PNC to
establish, maintain and monitor accounts of investors in the Fund consistent
with the Securities Laws, PNC shall perform reasonable actions necessary to
assist the Fund in complying with Section 352 of the USA PATRIOT Act, as
follows: PNC shall: (a) establish and implement written internal
policies, procedures and controls reasonably designed to help prevent the Fund
from being used to launder money or finance terrorist activities; (b) provide
for independent testing, by an employee who is not responsible for the operation
of PNC's anti-money laundering (“AML”) program or by an outside party, for
compliance with PNC's written AML policies and procedures; (c) designate a
person or persons responsible for implementing and monitoring the operation and
internal controls of PNC's AML program; and (d) provide ongoing training of PNC
personnel relating to the prevention of money-laundering
activities.
(B) Upon
the reasonable request of the Fund, PNC shall provide to the Fund: (x) a copy of
PNC's written AML policies and procedures; (y) at the option of PNC, a copy of a
written assessment or report prepared by the party performing the independent
testing for compliance, or
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a summary
thereof, or a certification that the findings of the independent party are
satisfactory; and (z) a summary of the AML training provided for appropriate PNC
personnel.
(C) Without
limiting or expanding subsections (A) or (B) above, the parties agree this
Section 3(b)(1) relates solely to Fund compliance with Section 352 of the USA
PATRIOT Act and does not relate to any other obligation the Fund may have under
the USA PATRIOT Act, including without limitation Section 326
thereof.
(2)
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Foreign Account Due
Diligence.
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(A) To
assist the Fund in complying with requirements regarding a due diligence program
for “foreign financial institution” accounts in accordance with applicable
regulations promulgated by U.S. Department of Treasury under Section 312 of the
USA PATRIOT Act ("FFI Regulations"), PNC will do the following:
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(i)
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Implement
and operate a due diligence program that includes appropriate, specific,
risk-based policies, procedures and controls that are reasonably designed
to enable the Fund to detect and report, on an ongoing basis, any known or
suspected money laundering activity conducted through or involving any
correspondent account established, maintained, administered or managed by
the Fund for a “foreign financial institution” (as defined in 31 CFR
103.175(h))(“Foreign Financial
Institution”);
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(ii)
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Conduct
due diligence to identify and detect any Foreign Financial Institution
accounts in connection with new accounts and account
maintenance;
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(iii)
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Assess
the money laundering risk presented by each such Foreign Financial
Institution account, based on a consideration of all appropriate relevant
factors (as generally outlined in 31 CFR 103.176), and assign a risk
category to each such Foreign Financial Institution
account;
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(iv)
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Apply
risk-based procedures and controls to each such Foreign Financial
Institution account reasonably designed to detect and report known or
suspected money laundering activity, including a periodic review of the
Foreign Financial Institution account activity sufficient to determine
consistency with information obtained about the type, purpose and
anticipated activity of the
account;
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(v)
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Include
procedures to be followed in circumstances in which the appropriate due
diligence cannot be performed with respect to a Foreign Financial
Institution account;
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(vi)
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Adopt
and operate enhanced due diligence policies for certain Foreign Financial
Institution accounts in compliance with 31 CFR
103.176(b);
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(vii)
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Record
due diligence program and maintain due diligence records relating to
Foreign Financial Institution accounts;
and
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(viii)
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Report
to the Fund about measures taken under (i)-(vii)
above.
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(B) Nothing
in Section 3(b)(2) shall be construed to require PNC to perform any course of
conduct that is not required for Fund compliance with the FFI
Regulations.
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(C) Without
limiting or expanding subsections (A) or (B) above, the parties agree this
Section 3(b)(2) relates solely to Fund compliance with Section 312 of the USA
PATRIOT Act and does not relate to any other obligation the Fund may have under
the USA PATRIOT Act, including without limitation Section 326
thereof.
(3)
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Customer
Identification Program.
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(A) To
assist the Fund in complying with requirements regarding a customer
identification program in accordance with applicable regulations promulgated by
U.S. Department of Treasury under Section 326 of the USA PATRIOT Act, ("CIP
Regulations") PNC will do the following:
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(i)
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Implement
procedures which require that prior to establishing a new account in the
Fund PNC obtain the name, date of birth (for natural persons only),
address and government-issued identification number (collectively, the
“Data Elements”) for the "Customer” (defined as provided in 31 CFR
103.131) associated with the new
account.
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(ii)
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Use
collected Data Elements to attempt to reasonably verify the identity of
each new Customer promptly before or after each corresponding new account
is opened. Methods of verification may consist of
non-documentary methods (for which PNC may use unaffiliated information
vendors to assist with such verifications) and documentary methods (as
permitted by 31 CFR 103.131), and may include procedures under which PNC
personnel perform enhanced due diligence to verify the identities of
Customers the identities of whom were not successfully verified through
the first-level (which will typically be reliance on results obtained from
an information vendor) verification
process(es).
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(iii)
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Record
the Data Elements and maintain records relating to verification of new
Customers consistent with 31 CFR
103.131(b)(3).
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(iv)
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Regularly
report to the Fund about measures taken under (a)-(c)
above.
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(v)
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If
PNC provides services by which prospective Customers may subscribe for
shares in the Fund via the Internet or telephone, work with the Fund to
notify prospective Customers, consistent with 31 CFR 103.131(b)(5), about
the program conducted by the Fund in accordance with the CIP
Regulations.
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(B) Nothing
in Section 3(b)(3) shall be construed to require PNC to perform any course of
conduct that is not required for Fund compliance with the CIP Regulations,
including by way of illustration not limitation the collection of Data Elements
or verification of identity for individuals opening Fund accounts through
financial intermediaries which use the facilities of the National Securities
Clearing Corporation.
(4) FinCEN Requests Under USA
PATRIOT Act Section 314(a). The Fund hereby engages PNC to
provide certain services as set forth in this subsection (b) with respect to
FinCEN Section 314(a) information requests ("Information Requests") received by
the Fund. Upon receipt by PNC of an Information Request delivered by the Fund in
full compliance with all 314(a) Procedures (as defined below), PNC will compare
appropriate information contained in the Information Request against relevant
information contained in account records maintained for the Fund. Information
relating to potential matches resulting from these comparisons, after review by
PNC for quality assurance purposes ("Comparison Results"), will be made
available to the Fund in a timely manner. The Fund will
retain
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responsibility
for filing reports with FinCEN that may be appropriate based on the Comparison
Results. In addition, (i) a potential match involving a tax
identification number will be forwarded by PNC to PNC's SAR Service for analysis
in conjunction with other relevant activity contained in records for the
particular relevant account, and (ii) if, after such analysis, PNC's SAR Service
determines that the potential match could constitute a "suspicious activity", as
that term is used for purposes of the USA Patriot Act, then PNC's SAR Service
will deliver a suspicious activity referral to the Fund. "314(a)
Procedures" means the procedures adopted from time to time by PNC governing the
delivery and processing of Information Requests transmitted by PNC's clients to
PNC, including without limitation requirements governing the timeliness,
content, completeness, format and mode of transmissions to PNC.
(5)
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U.S. Government List
Matching Services.
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(A) PNC
will compare data contained in PNC databases which are maintained for the Fund
pursuant to this Agreement ("Fund Data") to "U.S. Government Lists", which is
hereby defined to mean the following:
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(i)
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data
promulgated in connection with the list of Specially Designated Nationals
published by the Office of Foreign Asset Control of the U.S. Department of
the Treasury ("OFAC") and any other sanctions lists or programs
administered by OFAC to the extent such lists or programs remain operative
and applicable to the Fund ("OFAC
Lists");
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(ii)
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data
promulgated in connection with the list of Non-Cooperative Countries and
Territories ("NCCT List") published by the Financial Action Task
Force;
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(iii)
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data
promulgated in connection with determinations by the Director (the
"Director") of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network of the U.S.
Department of the Treasury that a foreign jurisdiction, institution, class
of transactions or type of account is a primary money laundering concern
("PMLC Determination"); and
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(iv)
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data
promulgated in connection with any other lists, programs or determinations
(A) which PNC determines to be substantially similar in nature to any of
the foregoing lists, programs or determinations, or (B) which PNC and the
Fund agree to add to the service described in this subsection
(4).
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(B) In
the event that following a comparison described in subsection (a) PNC determines
that Fund Data constitutes a "match" with a U.S. Government List in accordance
with the criteria applicable to the particular U.S. Government List,
PNC:
|
(i)
|
will
notify the Fund of such match;
|
|
(i)
|
will
send any other notifications required by applicable law or regulation by
virtue of the match;
|
|
(iii)
|
if
a match to an OFAC List, will to the extent required by applicable law or
regulation assist the Fund in taking appropriate steps to block any
transactions or attempted transactions to the extent such action may be
required by applicable law or
regulation;
|
- 10
-
|
(iv)
|
if
a match to the NCCT List or a PMLC Determination, will to the extent
required by applicable law or regulation conduct a suspicious activity
review of accounts related to the match and if suspicious activity is
detected will deliver a suspicious activity referral to the
Fund;
|
|
(v)
|
if
a match to a PMLC Determination, will assist the Fund in taking the
appropriate special measures imposed by the Director;
and
|
|
(vi)
|
will
assist the Fund in taking any other appropriate actions required by
applicable law or regulation.
|
(6) PNC
agrees to permit governmental authorities with jurisdiction over the Fund to
conduct examinations of the operations and records relating to the services
performed by PNC under this Section 3(b) upon reasonable advance request and
during normal business hours and to furnish copies at the Fund's cost and
expense of information reasonably requested by the Fund or such authorities and
relevant to the services.
(7) For
purposes of clarification: All Written Procedures relating to the services
performed by PNC pursuant to this Section 3(b) and any information, written
matters or other recorded materials relating to such services and maintained by
PNC shall constitute Confidential Information of PNC, except to the extent, if
any, such materials constitute Fund records under the Securities
Laws.
(8) This
Section 3(b) shall not be construed to impose on PNC any obligation other than
to engage in the specific course of conduct specified by the provisions therein,
and in particular shall not be construed to impose any other obligation on PNC
to design, develop, implement, administer, or otherwise manage the compliance
activities of the Fund.
(c) Red Flags
Services. In the event the Fund elects to receive the Red
Flags Services, the provisions of Appendix B, which is hereby incorporated by
reference into this Agreement as if fully set forth herein, shall
apply.
4.
|
Confidentiality.
|
(a) Each
party shall keep the Confidential Information (as defined in subsection (b)
below) of the other party in confidence and will not use or disclose or allow
access to such Confidential Information except in connection with the activities
contemplated by this Agreement or as otherwise expressly agreed in writing. Each
party acknowledges that the Confidential Information of the disclosing party
will remain the sole property of such party. In complying with the
first sentence of this subsection (a), each party will use the same degree of
care it uses to protect its own confidential information, but in no event less
than a reasonable degree of care.
(b) Subject
to subsections (c) and (d) below, "Confidential Information" means this
Agreement and its contents, all compensation agreements, arrangements and
understandings (including waivers) respecting this Agreement, disputes
pertaining to the Agreement, and information and data exchanged between the
parties in connection with this Agreement, including but not limited to (A) any
data or information that is competitively sensitive material, and not generally
known to the public, including, but not limited to, studies, plans, reports,
surveys, summaries, documentation and analyses, regardless of form, information
about product plans, marketing strategies, finances, operations, customer
relationships, customer profiles, customer lists, sales estimates, business
plans, and internal performance results relating to the past, present or future
business activities of the Company or PNC, their respective subsidiaries and
Affiliates and the customers, clients and suppliers of any of them; (B) any
scientific or technical
- 11
-
information,
design, process, procedure, formula, or improvement that is commercially
valuable and secret in the sense that its confidentiality affords the Company or
PNC a competitive advantage over its competitors; (C) all confidential or
proprietary concepts, documentation, reports, data, specifications, computer
software, source code, object code, flow charts, databases, inventions, know
how, and trade secrets, whether or not patentable or copyrightable; and (D)
anything designated as confidential.
(c)
Information or data that would otherwise constitute Confidential Information
under subsection (b) above shall not constitute Confidential Information to the
extent it:
(i)
|
is
already known to the receiving party at the time it is
obtained;
|
(ii)
|
is
or becomes publicly known or available through no wrongful act of the
receiving party;
|
(iii)
|
is
rightfully received from a third party who, to the receiving party’s
knowledge, is not under a duty of
confidentiality;
|
(iv)
|
is
released by the protected party to a third party without restriction;
or
|
(v)
|
has
been or is independently developed or obtained by the receiving party
without reference to the Confidential Information provided by the
protected party.
|
(d) Confidential
Information of a disclosing party may be used or disclosed by the receiving
party in the circumstances set forth below but except for such permitted use or
disclosure shall remain Confidential Information subject to all applicable terms
of this Agreement:
(i)
|
as
appropriate in connection with activities contemplated by this
Agreement;
|
(ii)
|
as
required pursuant to a court order, subpoena, governmental or regulatory
or self-regulatory authority or agency, law, regulation, or binding
discovery request in pending litigation (provided the receiving party will
provide the other party written notice of such requirement, to the extent
such notice is permitted, and subject to proper jurisdiction, if
applicable);
|
(iii)
|
as
requested by a governmental, regulatory or self-regulatory authority or
agency or independent third party in connection with an inquiry,
examination, audit or other review;
or
|
(iv)
|
the
information or data is relevant and material to any claim or cause of
action between the parties or the defense of any claim or cause of action
asserted against the receiving
party.
|
(e) Each
party agrees not to publicly disseminate Confidential Information or information
about a either party's exercise of rights hereunder, performance of obligations
hereunder or other conduct of a party in connection with the
Agreement.
(f) The
provisions of this Section 4 shall survive termination of this Agreement for a
period of three (3) years after such termination.
5. Privacy. Each party hereto
acknowledges and agrees that, subject to the reuse and re-disclosure provisions
of Xxxxxxxxxx X-X, 00 XXX Part 248.11, it shall not disclose the non-public
personal information of investors in the Fund obtained under this Agreement,
except as necessary to carry out the services set forth in this Agreement or as
otherwise permitted by law or regulation.
6. Cooperation
with Accountants. PNC shall
cooperate with the Fund's independent public accountants and shall take all
reasonable actions in the performance of its obligations under this Agreement to
ensure that the necessary information is made available to such accountants for
the expression of their opinion, as required by the Fund.
- 12
-
7. PNC
System. PNC shall retain
title to and ownership of any and all data bases, computer programs, screen
formats, report formats, interactive design techniques, derivative works,
inventions, discoveries, patentable or copyrightable matters, concepts,
expertise, patents, copyrights, trade secrets, and other related legal rights
utilized by PNC in connection with the services provided by PNC to the
Fund. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the parties acknowledge the Fund
shall retain all ownership rights in Fund data which resides on the PNC
System.
8. Disaster
Recovery. PNC shall enter
into and shall maintain in effect with appropriate parties one or more
agreements making reasonable provisions for emergency use of electronic data
processing equipment to the extent appropriate equipment is
available. In the event of equipment failures, PNC shall, at no
additional expense to the Fund, take reasonable steps to minimize service
interruptions. PNC shall have no liability with respect to the loss
of data or service interruptions caused by equipment failure, provided such loss
or interruption is not caused by PNC's own intentional misconduct, bad faith or
gross negligence in the performance of its duties under this
Agreement.
9.
|
Compensation.
|
(a) As
compensation for services rendered by PNC during the term of this Agreement, the
Fund will pay to PNC such fees and charges (the "Fees") as may be agreed to from
time to time in writing by the Fund and PNC (the "Fee Agreement"). In
addition, the Fund agrees to pay, and will be billed separately in arrears for,
reasonable expenses incurred by PNC in the performance of its duties hereunder
("Reimbursable Expenses").
(b) In
connection with cash management accounts that PNC may establish in its own name
for the benefit of the Funds at third party institutions, including without
limitation institutions that may be an affiliate or client of PNC (a "Third
Party Institution") for the purpose of administering the funds received by PNC
in the course of performing its services hereunder (“Service Accounts”), the
Funds acknowledge that PNC may receive (i) investment earnings from sweeping
certain funds in such Service Accounts into investment accounts at Third Party
Institutions; and (ii) balance credits with respect to the funds in the Service
Accounts not swept as described in clause (i). On a monthly basis,
PNC will offset banking service fees imposed on the Service Accounts by the
Third Party Institutions (which are passed to the Fund) with balance credits
calculated on average balances held in the Service Accounts without reduction
for amounts swept as described in clause (i). PNC may retain for its
own account the investment earnings and balance credits received from Third
Party Institutions with respect to the Service Accounts. PNC may in
its discretion use the services of Third Party Institutions in connection with
the issuance of redemption and distribution checks and may retain any benefits
resulting from such arrangements, including any commission or return on float
paid to it for balances transferred from the Service Accounts to the Third Party
Institutions.
(c) The
undersigned hereby represents and warrants to PNC that (i) the terms of this
Agreement, (ii) the fees and expenses associated with this Agreement, and (iii)
any benefits accruing to PNC or to the adviser or sponsor to the Fund in
connection with this Agreement, including but not limited to any fee waivers,
conversion cost reimbursements, up front payments, signing payments or periodic
payments made or to be made by PNC to such adviser or sponsor or any affiliate
of the Fund relating to the Agreement have been fully disclosed to the Board of
Directors of the Fund and that, if required by applicable law, such Board of
Directors has approved or will approve the terms of this Agreement, any such
fees and expenses, and any such benefits.
(d) No
termination of this Agreement shall cause, and no provision of this Agreement
shall be interpreted in any manner that would cause, PNC's right to receive
payment of its fees and charges for services actually performed hereunder, and
Fund's obligation to pay such fees and charges, to be barred,
- 13
-
limited,
abridged, conditioned, reduced, abrogated, or subject to a cap or other
limitation or exclusion of any nature.
(e) In
the event the Fund or a third party provider acting on behalf of the Fund or
conveying Fund data or information commits an error, furnishes inaccurate,
incorrect or incomplete data or information to PNC or PFPC Trust or by an act or
omission requires corrective or remedial measures, adjustments, reprocessing,
repetitions of a previously performed procedure, reversals or other conduct in
addition to conduct initially taken on a matter by PNC or PFPC Trust in
performance of its obligations hereunder (a "Fund Error"), or causes PNC or PFPF
Trust to incur out-of-pocket costs or expenses it would not otherwise have
incurred, including consultation with attorneys in the relevant area of
practice, PNC reserves the right to invoice Fund (for itself and, when
appropriate, on behalf of PFPC Trust) a commercially reasonable fee or hourly
charge for such service and such out-of-pocket costs and expenses and the Fund
will pay all such amounts upon being invoiced for such, subject to receipt of
any verification documentation reasonably requested by the Fund.
(f) To
the extent any service PNC or PFPC Trust performs hereunder is dictated in whole
or in part by provisions in the Fund's prospectus, statement of additional
information or other disclosure materials provided to shareholders ("Shareholder
Materials") and this Agreement requires PNC or PFPC Trust to perform, or PNC or
PFPC Trust is requested to perform, any new or additional service that may be
appropriate in connection with changes to the Shareholder Materials, or the Fund
adopts policies which would materially affect the obligations or
responsibilities of PNC hereunder and this Agreement requires PNC or PFPC Trust
to perform, or PNC or PFPC Trust is requested to perform, any new or additional
service that may be appropriate in connection with such adoption, PNC reserves
the right to invoice the Fund (for itself and, when appropriate, on behalf of
PFPC Trust) a commercially reasonable fee or hourly charge for services
performed and out-of-pocket costs and expenses incurred in connection with such
changes and adoptions and Fund will pay such amounts upon being invoiced for
same, subject to receipt of any verification documentation reasonably requested
by Fund.
(g) While
the Fee Agreement sets forth the Fees and certain of the expenses constituting
Reimbursable Expenses, PNC's right to charge the Fund for, and the Fund's
obligation to pay, other fees and reimbursable expenses provided for in this
Agreement which arise due to the happening or non-happening of particular events
or circumstances shall not be abrogated or restricted in any manner due to the
fact such fees or expenses are not expressly set forth in the Fee
Agreement.
10.
|
Instructions.
|
(a) Unless
the terms of this Agreement or PNC's Written Procedures expressly provide, in
the reasonable discretion of PNC, all requisite details and directions for it to
take a specific course of conduct, PNC may, prior to engaging in a course of
conduct on a particular matter, require the Fund to provide it with Oral
Instructions or Written Instructions with respect to the matter.
(b) Whether
received from the Fund in response to a request described in Section 10(a) or
otherwise, PNC shall be obligated to act only on "Standard Instructions", which
is hereby defined to mean (i) Instructions it receives which direct a course of
conduct substantially similar in all material respects to a course of conduct
provided for in PNC's Written Procedures, or (ii) if PNC's Written Procedures
provide for a particular form of instructions to be used in connection with a
matter ("Form"), Instructions it receives on the Form or conforming in all
material respects to the Form in PNC's sole judgment.
(c) PNC
may in its sole discretion decline to follow any course of conduct contained in
an Instruction that is not a Standard Instruction (such course of conduct being
a "Non-Standard Instruction") for a bona fide legal, commercial or business
reason ("Bona Fide Reason"), including by way of example and not
- 14
-
limitation
the following: (i) the course of conduct is not consistent or compliant with, is
in conflict with, or requires a deviation from an Industry Standard, (ii) the
course of conduct is not reasonably necessary or appropriate to or consistent
with the services contemplated by this Agreement, (iii) the course of conduct
requires a deviation from PNC's Written Procedures, (iv) the course of conduct
is in conflict or inconsistent with or violates a law, rule, regulation, or
order or legal process of any nature, (v) the course of conduct is in
conflict or inconsistent with or will violate a provision of this Agreement, or
(vi) the course of conduct imposes on PNC a risk, liability or obligation not
contemplated by this Agreement, including without limitation sanction or
criticism of a governmental, regulatory or self-regulatory authority, civil or
criminal action, a loss or downgrading of membership, participation or access
rights or privileges in or to organizations providing common services to the
financial services industry, out-of-pocket costs and expenses the Fund does not
agree to reimburse, requires performance of a course of conduct customarily
performed pursuant to a separate service or fee agreement, requires a material
increase in required resources, or is reasonably likely to result in a diversion
of resources, disruption in established work flows, course of operations or
implementation of controls, or (vii) PNC lacks sufficient information, analysis
or legal advice to determine that the conditions in clauses (iv) and (vi) do not
exist.
(d)
|
Notwithstanding
the right reserved to PNC by subsection (c)
above:
|
(i)
|
PNC
may in good faith consider implementing a Non-Standard Instruction if the
Fund agrees in a prior written authorization to reimburse PNC for: the
costs and expenses incurred in consulting with and obtaining the opinions
of other work product of technical specialists, legal counsel or other
third party advisors, consultants or professionals reasonably considered
by PNC to be appropriate to fully research, develop and implement the
policies, procedures, operational structure and controls required to
perform the Non-Standard Instruction ("External Research"), the costs and
expenses associated with utilizing or expanding internal resources to
research, develop and implement the policies, procedures, operational
structure and controls required to perform the Non-Standard Instruction
("Internal Research"), and the fees and charges reasonably established by
PNC for performing the Non-Standard Instruction following its
implementation. The Fund may, in place of agreeing to reimburse
PNC for the costs of Research, agree in such written authorization to
provide PNC at the Fund's cost and expense with all Research reasonably
requested by PNC.
|
(ii)
|
Following
receipt of all requested Research, PNC may, in its sole discretion, as an
accommodation and not pursuant to any obligation, agree to follow a
Non-Standard Instruction if it subsequently receives a Written Instruction
containing terms satisfactory to it in its sole discretion, including
without limitation terms constituting additional agreements with respect
to fees, charges, and expenses, terms constituting appropriate warranties,
representations and covenants, and terms specifying with reasonable
particularity the course of conduct constituting the Non-Standard
Instruction.
|
(iii)
|
PNC
reserves the right following receipt of all External Research and Internal
Research and notwithstanding such receipt to continue to decline to
perform the Non-Standard Instruction for a Bona Fide
Reason.
|
(e) PNC
will also not be obligated to act on any Instruction with respect to which it
has reasonable uncertainty about the meaning of the Instruction. PNC will advise
the Fund if it has uncertainty about the meaning of an Instruction, but PNC will
have no liability for any delay between issuance of the initial Instruction and
its receipt of a clarifying Instruction.
(f) In
addition to any other provision of this Agreement that may be applicable to a
particular Instruction, PNC may include in a form of instruction constituting a
Standard Instruction, in addition to
- 15
-
appropriate
functional terms and provisions, indemnification terms that are substantially
similar in all material respects to indemnification terms of this Agreement and
representations and covenants that PNC reasonably believes to be appropriate due
to risks, liabilities or obligations incurred by on it by virtue of acting in an
agency capacity for the Fund or imposed on it by law, regulation, or
governmental, regulatory or self-regulatory authority by virtue of its agency
conduct. In addition, PNC may require third parties who purport to be
authorized, or who the Fund indicates has been authorized, to act on behalf of
or for the benefit of the Fund in connection with this Agreement to execute an
instrument containing indemnification terms, representations and covenants as
PNC may reasonably require prior to accepting the authority of the persons to so
act or prior to engaging in a course of conduct with them.
(g) PNC
shall not be under any duty or obligation to inquire into and shall not be
liable for the validity or invalidity, authority or lack thereof, truthfulness
or accuracy or lack thereof, or genuineness or lack thereof of any Instruction,
direction, notice, instrument or other information or communication from the
Fund which PNC reasonably believes to have been given by the Fund ("Fund
Communication"). PNC shall have no liability for engaging in a course
of conduct in accordance with any of the foregoing provided it otherwise acts in
compliance with the Agreement. PNC shall be entitled to rely upon any
Instruction it receives from an Authorized Person or from a person PNC
reasonably believes to be an Authorized Person relating to this Agreement. PNC
may assume that any Instruction received hereunder is not in any way
inconsistent with the provisions of organizational documents of the Fund or this
Agreement or of any vote, resolution or proceeding of the Fund's Board of
Directors or of the Fund's shareholders.
(h) PNC
may, in its discretion, decline to accept Oral Instructions with respect to a
particular matter under this Agreement and may require Written Instructions
before engaging in a course of conduct with respect to a particular matter under
this Agreement. In the event PNC accepts Oral Instructions, the Fund
agrees as a condition to PNC's acceptance of the Oral Instructions, to deliver
to PNC, for receipt by 5:00 PM (Eastern Time) on the same business day as the
day the Oral Instructions were given, Written Instructions which confirm the
Oral Instructions. In the event Written Instructions confirming Oral
Instructions are received late, are never received, or fail to contain terms
which confirm the Oral Instructions in all material respects: (i) the validity,
authorization and enforceability of the Oral Instructions, all actions,
transactions, and conduct occurring as a result of the Oral Instructions, and
PNC's ability to rely on the Oral Instructions shall not be abridged, abrogated,
nullified or adversely impacted in any manner; and (ii) PNC's memorialization of
the Oral Instructions shall be conclusively presumed to be the controlling
Written Instructions in the event confirming Written Instructions are never
received or are received but fail to confirm the Oral Instructions in all
material respects.
(i) In
the event facts, circumstances, or conditions exist or events occur, other than
due to a breach by PNC of its Standard of Care, including without limitation
situations contemplated by Section 2(e), and PNC reasonably determines that it
must take a course of conduct in response to such situation and must receive an
Instruction from the Fund to direct its conduct, and PNC so notifies the Fund,
and the Fund fails to furnish adequate Instructions or unreasonably delays
furnishing adequate Instructions ("Response Failure"):
(i)
|
PNC
will first endeavor to utilize internal resources to determine the
appropriate course of conduct in response to the situation but will be
entitled, at the Fund's sole cost and expense, to consult with legal
counsel or other third parties reasonably determined by PNC to be
appropriate to determine the appropriate course of conduct and the Fund
will reimburse PNC for out-of-pocket expenses so incurred upon being
invoiced for same; and
|
(ii)
|
PNC
may implement a course of conduct on behalf of the Fund and PNC will have
all rights hereunder with respect to such course of conduct as if such
course of conduct was taken pursuant to
|
- 16
-
|
and
contained in Written Instructions. The Fund will pay PNC all
fees reasonably charged by PNC, if any, for engaging in the particular
course of conduct and reimburse PNC for all reasonably related
out-of-pocket expenses incurred upon being invoiced for
same.
|
11.
|
Limitation of
Liability.
|
(a) PNC
shall be liable to the Fund (or any person or entity claiming through the Fund)
for Loss the recovery of which is not otherwise excluded by another provision of
this Section 11 only to the extent the Loss is caused by PNC’s intentional
misconduct or gross negligence in the performance of its duties under this
Agreement (“Standard of Care”) and only if the Fund provides PNC with written
notice of the Loss containing a reasonably detailed description of the amount of
Loss and the conduct alleged to constitute a breach of the Standard of
Care. In the absence of a finding to the contrary, the acceptance,
processing and/or negotiation of a fraudulent payment for the purchase of Shares
shall be presumed not to have been a failure of PNC to meet its Standard of
Care.
(b) The
aggregate cumulative liability of PNC and its affiliates to the Fund, its
affiliates, and any person or entity claiming through the Fund or its affiliates
for any loss, claim, suit, controversy, breach or damage of any nature
whatsoever (including but not limited to those arising out of or related to this
Agreement and any other agreement by and between PNC or any of its affiliates
and the Fund or any of its affiliates (this Agreement, collectively with the
Fund’s Sub-Administration and Accounting Services Agreement with PNC and the
Fund’s FIN 48 Tax Services Agreement with PNC, the “Service Agreements”))
and regardless of the form of action or legal theory shall not exceed the
greater of: (i) the fees actually paid to PNC and its affiliates
pursuant to the Service Agreements during the twelve (12) months immediately
preceding the date of the first such Loss; and (ii) five hundred thousand U.S.
dollars ($500,000). For the purposes of clarification, in the event a
Loss occurs prior to the end of twelve (12) months subsequent to the date of
this Agreement, the amount in part (i) above shall be calculated on a pro forma
basis based upon the fees actually paid to PNC and its affiliates pursuant to
the Service Agreements prior to the date of the Loss.
(c) Neither
PNC nor its affiliates shall not be liable for Loss (including without
limitation damages caused by delays, failures, errors, interruptions or loss of
data) occurring directly or indirectly by reason of circumstances beyond its
reasonable control, including without limitation: acts of God; natural
disasters, such as floods, hurricanes, tornados, earthquakes and wildfires;
epidemics; action or inaction of civil or military authority; war, terrorism,
riots or insurrection; criminal acts; action by organized labor; interruption,
loss or malfunction of utilities, transportation, computer or communications
capabilities; non-performance by third parties (other than subcontractors of PNC
for causes other than those described herein); or functions or malfunctions of
the internet, firewalls, encryption systems or security devices caused by any of
the foregoing.
(d) PNC
shall not be liable for any Loss arising out of any action, omission or conduct
of any prior service provider of the Fund or for any failure to discover any
action, omission or conduct of any prior service provider of the Fund that
caused or could cause Loss.
(e) Neither
PNC nor its affiliates shall be liable for any Loss that constitutes
consequential, incidental, exemplary, punitive, special or indirect damages,
whether or not the likelihood, reasonable or otherwise, of such damages was
known by PNC or its affiliates.
(f) No
party may assert a cause of action (or, if applicable, commence an arbitration
or other alternate dispute resolution proceeding) against PNC or any of its
affiliates more than the earlier of the applicable statute of limitations or 36
months after the first event or occurrence comprising the conduct or alleged
conduct upon which the cause of action is based.
- 17
-
(g)
|
Each
party shall have a duty to mitigate damages for which the other party may
become responsible.
|
(h)
|
This
Section 11 shall survive termination of this
Agreement.
|
12. Indemnification. The Fund agrees
to indemnify, defend and hold harmless PNC and its affiliates, including
specifically and without limitation PFPC Trust Company in connection with
services it provides pursuant to Section 3(a)(12), and the respective directors,
trustees, officers, agents and employees of each, from any and all Losses and
all attorneys’ fees, court costs, travel costs and other reasonable
out-of-pocket costs and expenses related to the investigation, discovery,
litigation, settlement, mediation or alternative dispute resolution of any Claim
arising directly or indirectly from: (a) conduct of the Fund in connection with
activities contemplated by this Agreement, or the conduct of a Fund contractor,
subcontractor or prior service provider in connection with providing services to
the Fund; (b) conduct of PNC as agent of the Fund not constituting a breach of
its Standard of Care; (c) conduct of PNC pursuant to a Fund Communication or in
reliance on written legal analysis or advice provided PNC's performance of the
conduct shall remain subject to the Standard of Care; (d) a course of conduct
taken by PNC pursuant to Section 10(i) due to a Response Failure; and (e) a Fund
Error. PNC shall have no liability to the Fund or any person claiming
through the Fund for any Loss caused by any conduct described in the preceding
sentence. This Section 12 shall survive termination of this
Agreement.
13.
|
Duration
and Termination.
|
(a) This
Agreement shall be effective on the Effective Date and continue, unless validly
terminated pursuant to this Section 13 prior thereto, until the date which is
the fourth (4th)
anniversary of the Effective Date (the “Initial Term”).
(b) This
Agreement shall automatically renew on the final day of the Initial Term and the
final day of each Renewal Term for an additional term which will continue until
the first (1st)
anniversary of such renewal date (each such additional term being a “Renewal
Term”), unless the Fund or PNC gives written notice to the other party of its
intent not to renew and such notice is received by the other party not less than
ninety (90) days prior to the expiration of the Initial Term or the then-current
Renewal Term (a "Non-Renewal Notice"). In the event a party provides
a Non-Renewal Notice, this Agreement shall terminate at 11:59 PM (Eastern Time)
on the last day of the Initial Term or Renewal Term, as applicable.
(c) If
a party materially breaches this Agreement (a “Defaulting Party”) the other
party (the “Non-Defaulting Party”) may give written notice thereof to the
Defaulting Party ("Breach Notice"), and if such material breach shall not have
been remedied within thirty (30) days after the Breach Notice is given, then the
Non Defaulting Party may terminate this Agreement by giving written notice of
termination to the Defaulting Party ("Breach Termination Notice"), in which case
this Agreement shall terminate as of 11:59 PM (Eastern Time) on the 30th day
following the date the Breach Termination Notice is given, or such later date as
may be specified in the Breach Termination Notice (but not later than the last
day of the Initial Term or then-current Renewal Term, as appropriate). In all
cases, termination by the Non-Defaulting Party shall not constitute a waiver by
the Non-Defaulting Party of any other rights it might have under this Agreement
or otherwise against the Defaulting Party.
(d) Notwithstanding
anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, if in connection with a
Change in Control the Fund gives notice to PNC terminating this Agreement or
terminating it as the provider of any of the services hereunder or if the Fund
otherwise terminates this Agreement or any of such services before the
expiration of the Initial Term (“Early Termination”) (in all cases, other than
in accordance with Sections 13(b) or (c) above) the following terms shall
apply:
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(i)
|
PNC
shall, if requested by the Fund, make a good faith effort to facilitate a
conversion to the Fund’s successor service provider; provided that PNC
does not guarantee that it will be able to effect a conversion on the
date(s) requested by the Fund.
|
(ii)
|
Before
the effective date of the Early Termination and before any conversion of
Fund records and accounts to a successor service provider, the Fund shall
pay to PNC an amount equal to all fees and other amounts (“Early
Termination Fee”) calculated as if PNC were to provide all services
hereunder until the expiration of the Initial Term subject to the
following schedule: (i) during the first year of this Agreement: 100% of
the Early Termination Fee; (ii) during the second year of this Agreement:
75% of the Early Termination Fee; (3) during the third year of this
Agreement, 50% of the Early Termination Fee; (4) during the fourth year of
this Agreement, 25% of the Early Termination Fee; (5) after the end of the
fourth year of this Agreement and during any subsequent Renewal Term: 0%
of the Early Termination Fee. The Early Termination Fee shall
be calculated using the average of the monthly fees and other amounts due
to PNC under this Agreement during the last three calendar months before
the date of the notice of Early Termination (or, if not given, the date
services are terminated hereunder).
|
(iii)
|
The
Fund expressly acknowledges and agrees that the Early Termination Fee is
not a penalty but reasonable compensation to PNC for the termination of
services before the expiration of the Initial
Term.
|
(iv)
|
For
purposes of this Section 13(d), “Change in Control” means a merger,
consolidation, adoption, acquisition, change in control, re-structuring,
or re-organization of or any other similar occurrence involving the Fund
or any affiliate of the Fund.
|
(v)
|
If
any of the Fund’s assets serviced by PNC under this Agreement are removed
from the coverage of this Agreement (“Removed Assets”) and are
subsequently serviced by another service provider (including the Fund or
an affiliate of the Fund): (i) the Fund will be deemed to have caused an
Early Termination with respect to such Removed Assets as of the day
immediately preceding the first such removal of assets and be obligated to
PNC for an Early Termination Fee calculated as if the Removed Assets
constituted a "Fund"; and, (ii) at, PNC’s option, either (a) the Fund will
also be deemed to have caused an Early Termination with respect to all
non-Removed Assets as of a date selected by PNC resulting in the Fund
owing PNC the Early Termination Fee, or (b) this Agreement will remain in
full force and effect with respect to all non-Removed
Assets.
|
(e) In
the event of termination, all expenses ("Conversion Expenses") associated with
movement of records and materials and conversion thereof to a successor transfer
agent ("Conversion Actions") will be borne by the Fund and paid to PNC prior to
any such conversion, including without limitation (i) reasonable expenses
incurred by PNC associated with de-conversion to a successor service provider,
(ii) reasonable expenses associated with the transfer or duplication of records
and materials, (iii) reasonable expenses associated with the conversion of
records or materials and (iv) reasonable expenses incurred but not billed until
after conversion, as applicable . In addition, in the event of
termination, if PNC continues to perform any Conversion Actions or provides any
other services hereunder, beyond any termination date or time specified in any
notice or in any other manner, the Fund shall be obligated to pay PNC
immediately upon being invoiced therefor, all Conversion Expenses and all other
Fees and Reimbursable Expenses associated with the services PNC continues to
provide hereunder during such period. PNC's performance of any
Conversion Actions is conditioned on the prior full performance by the Fund, to
PNC's reasonable satisfaction, of its obligations under Section
(a)(12)(C)(iii).
- 19
-
(f) Notwithstanding
any other provision of this Agreement, PNC may in its sole discretion terminate
this Agreement immediately by sending notice thereof to the Fund upon the
happening of any of the following: (i) the Fund commences as debtor any case or
proceeding under any bankruptcy, insolvency or similar law, or there is
commenced against the Fund any such case or proceeding; (ii) the Fund
commences as debtor any case or proceeding seeking the appointment of a
receiver, conservator, trustee, custodian or similar official for the Fund or
any substantial part of its property or there is commenced against the Fund any
such case or proceeding; (iii) the Fund makes a general assignment for the
benefit of creditors; or (iv) the Fund states in any medium, written, electronic
or otherwise, any communication or in any other manner its inability to pay
debts as they come due. PNC may exercise its termination right under
this Section 13(f) at any time after the occurrence of any of the foregoing
events notwithstanding that such event may cease to be continuing prior to such
exercise, and any delay in exercising this right shall not be construed as a
waiver or other extinguishment of that right. Any exercise by PNC of
its termination right under this Section 13(f) shall be without any prejudice to
any other remedies or rights available to PNC and shall not be subject to any
fee or penalty, whether monetary or equitable. Notwithstanding clause
(iii) of Section 19, notice of termination under this Section 13(f) shall be
considered given and effective when given, not when received.
14.
|
Policies
and Procedures.
|
(a) The
parties acknowledge that the services described in and to be provided under this
Agreement involve processes, actions, functions, instructions, consents,
choices, the exercise of rights or performance of obligations, communications
and other components, both internal to PNC and interactive between the parties,
necessitated or made appropriate by business or by legal or regulatory
considerations, or both, that in most cases are far too numerous and minutely
detailed to expressly include in this Agreement and that, accordingly, the
parties agree that PNC shall perform the services provided for in this Agreement
in accordance with the written policies, procedures, manuals, documentation and
other operational guidelines of PNC governing the performance of the services in
effect at the time the services are performed ("Written Procedures"), that PNC
may from time to time revise its Written Procedures, and that the Written
Procedures are expressly intended to supplement the description of services
provided for herein, but that the express terms of this Agreement will always
prevail in any conflict with the Written Procedures. PNC may embody in its
Written Procedures any course of conduct which it reasonably determines is
commercially reasonable or consistent with generally accepted industry
practices, principles or standards ("Industry Standard") and in making such
determination may rely on such information, data, research, analysis and advice,
including legal analysis and advice, as it reasonably determines appropriate
under the circumstances.
(b) Notwithstanding
any other provision of this Agreement, the following terms of this Section 14(b)
shall apply in the event facts, circumstances or conditions exist or events
occur, other than due to a breach by PNC of its Standard of Care, which would
require a service to be provided hereunder other than in accordance with PNC's
Written Procedures, or if PNC is requested by the Fund, or a third party
authorized to act for the Fund, to deviate from a Written Procedure in
connection with the performance of a service hereunder (collectively, "Exception
Services"):
(i)
|
PNC
shall not be obligated to perform any particular Exception
Service. However, PNC may in good faith consider developing and
implementing an Exception Service: if the Fund agrees in a prior written
authorization to reimburse PNC for all costs and expenses incurred in
consulting with and obtaining the opinions of specialists, legal counsel
or other third parties reasonably considered by PNC to be appropriate in
light of the Exception Service requested ("Exception Research") and the
costs associated with utilizing internal resources to develop and
implement the Exception Service, and to pay the fees and charges
established by PNC for performing the Exception Service. The
Fund may, in place of agreeing to reimburse PNC for the costs of
|
- 20
-
|
Exception
Research, agree in such written authorization to provide PNC with all
Exception Research reasonably requested by PNC at the Fund's cost and
expense.
|
(ii)
|
Following
receipt of all requested Exception Research, PNC may, in its sole
discretion, as an accommodation and not pursuant to any obligation, agree
to provide an Exception Service if it receives a Written Instruction
containing terms satisfactory to it in its sole discretion, including
without limitation terms constituting additional agreements with respect
to fees, charges, and expenses, terms constituting appropriate warranties,
representations and covenants, and terms specifying with particularity the
course of conduct constituting the Exception
Service.
|
(iii)
|
PNC
reserves the right following receipt of all Exception Research and not
withstanding such receipt to continue to decline to perform the Exception
Service for a bona fide legal, commercial or business
reason.
|
(c) In
the event that Fund requests documentation, analysis or verification in
whatsoever form regarding the commercial reasonableness or industry acceptance
of conduct provided for in a Written Procedure, PNC will cooperate to furnish
such materials as it may have in its possession at the time of the request
without cost to the Fund, but the Fund agrees to reimburse PNC for all out of
pockets costs and expenses incurred, including the costs of legal or expert
advice or analysis, in obtaining additional materials in connection with the
request.
15.
|
Notices. Notices
permitted or required by this Agreement shall be in writing
and:
|
(i)
|
addressed
as follows, unless a notice provided in accordance with this Section 15
shall specify a different address or
individual:
|
|
(A)
|
if
to PNC, to PNC Global Investment Servicing (U.S.) Inc., 000 Xxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000, Attention: President; with a copy to
PNC Global Investment Servicing (U.S.) Inc., 000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000, Attention: Senior Counsel – TA
& SubAccounting; and
|
|
(B)
|
if
to the Fund, 000
Xxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000, Xxx Xxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000,
Attention: President
|
(ii)
|
delivered:
by hand (personal delivery by an Authorized Person to addressee); private
messenger, with signature of recipient; U.S. Postal Service (with return
receipt or other delivery verification provided); overnight national
courier service, with signature of recipient, facsimile sending device
providing for automatic confirmation of receipt;
and
|
(iii)
|
deemed
given on the day received by the receiving
party.
|
16.
|
Amendments.
|
(a) This
Agreement, or any term thereof, including without limitation the Exhibits and
Appendices hereto, may be changed or waived only by a written amendment, signed
by the party against whom enforcement of such change or waiver is
sought.
(b) Notwithstanding
subsection (a) above, in the event an officer of the Investment Company or other
person acting with apparent authority on behalf of the Investment Company
requests that PNC perform some or all of the services provided for in this
Agreement for a Portfolio not listed on Exhibit A, as amended, and such
Portfolio accepts such services and pays amounts provided for in the Fee
Agreement
- 21
-
as Fees
and Reimbursable Expenses, then in the absence of an express written statement
to the contrary such services are provided in accordance with the terms of this
Agreement and the Portfolio shall be bound by the terms of this Agreement with
respect to all matters addressed herein, except that PNC may terminate such
agreement at any time if within 30 days of the first such acceptance of services
by the Portfolio the Investment Company and PNC do not execute an written
amendment to Exhibit A. PNC reserves the right, for valid business reasons, with
respect to additional Portfolios of the Investment Company, to decline to accept
some or all of the duties, responsibilities and liabilities hereunder or to
provide some or all of the services hereunder.
17. Delegation;
Assignment. PNC may assign
its rights and delegate its duties hereunder to any majority-owned direct or
indirect subsidiary of PNC or of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc.,
provided that PNC gives the Fund thirty (30) days' prior written notice of such
assignment or delegation and such assignment or delegation does not impair the
Fund's receipt of services under this Agreement in any material respect, and any
such delegation shall not relieve PNC of its liabilities
hereunder. To the extent required by the rules and regulations of the
NSCC and in order for PNC to perform the NSCC-related services, the Fund agrees
that PNC may delegate its duties to any affiliate of PNC that is a member of the
NSCC.
18. Facsimile
Signatures; Counterparts. This Agreement
may be executed in one more counterparts; such execution of counterparts may
occur by manual signature, facsimile signature, manual signature transmitted by
means of facsimile transmission or manual signature contained in an imaged
document attached to an email transmission; and each such counterpart executed
in accordance with the foregoing shall be deemed an original, with all such
counterparts together constituting one and the same instrument. The
exchange of executed copies of this Agreement or of executed signature pages to
this Agreement by facsimile transmission or as an imaged document attached to an
email transmission shall constitute effective execution and delivery hereof and
may be used for all purposes in lieu of a manually executed copy of this
Agreement.
19. Further
Actions. Each party agrees
to perform such further acts and execute such further documents as are necessary
to effectuate the purposes hereof.
20.
|
Miscellaneous.
|
(a) Entire
Agreement. This Agreement embodies the final, complete,
exclusive and fully integrated record of the agreement of the parties on the
subject matter herein and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings
relating to such subject matter, provided that the parties may embody in one or
more separate documents their agreement, if any, with respect to delegated
duties.
(b) Non-Solicitation. During
the term of this Agreement and for one year thereafter, the Fund shall not (with
the exceptions noted in the immediately succeeding sentence) knowingly solicit
or recruit for employment or hire any of PNC’s employees, and the Fund shall
cause the Fund’s sponsor and the Fund’s affiliates to not (with the exceptions
noted in the immediately succeeding sentence) knowingly solicit or recruit for
employment or hire any of PNC’s employees. To “knowingly” solicit,
recruit or hire within the meaning of this provision does not include, and
therefore does not prohibit, solicitation, recruitment or hiring of a PNC
employee by the Fund, the Fund’s sponsor or an affiliate of the Fund if the PNC
employee was identified by such entity solely as a result of the PNC employee’s
response to a general advertisement by such entity in a publication of trade or
industry interest or other similar general solicitation by such
entity.
(c) No Changes that Materially
Affect Obligations. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement
to the contrary, the Fund agrees not to make any modifications to its
registration statement or other
- 22
-
Shareholder
Materials or to adopt any policies which would affect materially the obligations
or responsibilities of PNC hereunder without the prior written approval of PNC,
which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed. The scope of
services to be provided by PNC under this Agreement shall not be increased as a
result of new or revised regulatory or other requirements that may become
applicable with respect to the Fund, unless the parties hereto expressly agree
in writing to any such increase.
(d) Captions. The
captions in this Agreement are included for convenience of reference only
and in no way define or delimit any of the provisions hereof or otherwise
affect their construction or effect.
(e) Information. The Fund
will provide such information and documentation as PNC may reasonably request in
connection with services provided by PNC to the Fund.
(f)
Governing
Law. This Agreement shall be deemed to be a contract made in
Delaware and governed by Delaware law, without regard to principles of conflicts
of law.
(g) Partial
Invalidity. 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.
(h) Parties in
Interest. This Agreement shall be binding upon and shall inure
to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and
permitted assigns. Except with respect to those certain provisions providing for
rights of PFPC Trust or obligations of the Fund to PFPC Trust, and those certain
provisions benefitting affiliates of the parties, this Agreement is not for the
benefit of any other person or entity and (ii) there shall be no third party
beneficiaries hereof.
(i) No Representations or
Warranties. Except as expressly provided in this Agreement,
PNC hereby disclaims all representations and warranties, express or implied,
made to the Fund or any other person, including, without limitation, any
warranties regarding quality, suitability, merchantability, fitness for a
particular purpose or otherwise (irrespective of any course of dealing, custom
or usage of trade), of any services or any goods provided incidental to services
provided under this Agreement. PNC disclaims any warranty of title or
non-infringement except as otherwise set forth in this Agreement.
(j) Customer Identification
Program Notice. To help the U.S. government fight the funding of
terrorism and money laundering activities, U.S. Federal law requires each
financial institution to obtain, verify, and record certain information that
identifies each person who initially opens an account with that financial
institution on or after October 1, 2003. Certain of PNC’s affiliates are
financial institutions, and PNC may, as a matter of policy, request (or may have
already requested) the Fund’s name, address and taxpayer identification number
or other government-issued identification number, and, if such party is a
natural person, that party’s date of birth. PNC may also ask (and may have
already asked) for additional identifying information, and PNC may take steps
(and may have already taken steps) to verify the authenticity and accuracy of
these data elements.
(k) Use of
"Fund". In the event "Fund" as used in this Agreement refers
to Portfolios listed on Exhibit A, notwithstanding such use, the Investment
Company bears to the extent permitted by law all responsibilities, obligations,
liabilities and duties of all such Portfolios to the extent not performed by
such Portfolios.
(l) Additional Fund
Adoption. In the event officers of the Fund or other
Authorized Persons with apparent authority to act on behalf of a legal entity
other than the Fund ("Additional Fund") request on behalf of the Additional Fund
that PNC or PFPC Trust provide some or all of the services provided for in this
Agreement for the benefit of the Additional Fund and the Additional Fund accepts
such services and
- 23
-
pays
amounts provided for in the Fee Agreement as Fees and Reimbursable Expenses,
then in the absence of an express written statement to the contrary such
services are provided in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and the
Additional Fund and PNC shall be bound by the terms of this Agreement with
respect to all matters addressed herein, except that PNC may terminate such
agreement at any time if within 30 days of the first such acceptance of services
by the Additional Fund the Additional Fund and PNC do not execute an written
document substantially similar in all material respects to this
Agreement.
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed as
of the day and year first above written.
PNC Global Investment Servicing (U.S.)
Inc.
|
|
By: /s/ M. Dehofrio
|
By: /s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxx
|
Name: M.
Dehofrio
|
Name: Xxxxx Xxxxxx
|
Title: Executive
Vice President
|
Title: Trustee
|
Senior
Managing Director
|
- 24
-
EXHIBIT
A
Dated:
November 21, 2009
THIS
EXHIBIT A is Exhibit A to that certain Transfer Agency Services Agreement dated
as of November 21, 2009, between PNC Global Investment Servicing (U.S.) Inc. and
Firsthand Funds.
Portfolios
Firsthand
Technology Value Fund
Firsthand
Technology Leaders Fund
Firsthand
Alternative Energy Fund
Firsthand
e-Commerce Fund
- 25
-
APPENDIX
A
Definitions
As used
in this Agreement:
(a)
|
“1933 Act” means
the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended.
|
(b)
|
“1934 Act” means
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.
|
(c)
|
"1940 Act" means
Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended.
|
(d)
|
“Authorized
Person” means any officer of the Fund and any other person duly
authorized by the Fund in a manner reasonably satisfactory to PNC to give
Instructions on behalf of the Fund. Any limitation on the
authority of an Authorized Person to give Instructions must be expressly
set forth in a written document signed by both
parties.
|
(e)
|
"Claim" means
any claim, demand, suit, action, obligation, liability, suit, controversy,
breach, proceeding or allegation of any nature (including but not limited
to those arising out of or related to this Agreement) and regardless of
the form of action or legal theory.
|
(f)
|
"Code" means the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended.
|
(g)
|
"conduct" or
"course of
conduct" means a single act, two or more acts, a single instance of
an action not being taken or of forbearance given, two or more instances
of an action not being taken or of forbearance given, or any combination
of the foregoing.
|
(h)
|
"Instructions"
means Oral Instructions and Written Instructions considered collectively
or individually.
|
(i)
|
"Loss" and
"Losses"
means any one, or any series of related, losses, costs, damages, expenses,
awards, judgments, assessments, fines, penalties, payments,
reimbursements, adverse consequences, liabilities or obligations arising
out of any Claim
|
(j)
|
"Loss Date"
means the date of occurrence of the event or circumstance causing a
particular Loss, or the date of occurrence of the first event or
circumstance in a series of events or circumstances causing a particular
Loss.
|
(k)
|
“Oral
Instructions” means oral instructions received by PNC from an
Authorized Person or from a person reasonably believed by PNC to be an
Authorized Person. PNC may, in its sole discretion in each separate
instance, consider and rely upon instructions it receives from an
Authorized Person via electronic mail as Oral
Instructions.
|
(l)
|
"PFPC Trust"
means PFPC Trust Company, the parent corporation of PNC, and its lawful
successors and assigns.
|
(m)
|
“SEC” means the
Securities and Exchange Commission.
|
(n)
|
“Securities
Laws” means the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act and the 0000
Xxx.
|
(o)
|
“Shares” or
"Fund
Shares" means the shares of beneficial interest of the Fund or any
portfolio of
|
- 26
-
|
the
Fund or any tier, series or class of the Fund or any portfolio of the
Fund.
|
(p)
|
"Written
Instructions" means (i) written instructions signed by an
Authorized Person (or a person reasonably believed by PNC to be an
Authorized Person), addressed to and received by PNC, and delivered by (A)
hand (personally delivery by the Authorized Person), (B) private
messenger, U.S. Postal Service or overnight national courier which
provides confirmation of receipt with respect to the particular delivery,
or (C) facsimile sending device which provides automatic confirmation of
the standard details of receipt, or (ii) trade instructions transmitted to
and received by PNC by means of an electronic transaction reporting system
which requires use of a password or other authorized identifier in order
to gain access.
|
GLOSSARY OF DEFINED
TERMS
Term
|
Location
|
1933
Act
|
Appendix
A, § (a)
|
1934
Act
|
Appendix
A, § (b)
|
1940
Act
|
Appendix
A, § (c)
|
Additional
Fund
|
§
20(l)
|
AML
|
§
3(b)(l)
|
Audit
Report
|
Appendix
B, § (b)(iv)
|
Authorized
Person
|
Appendix
A, § (d)
|
Bona
Fide Reason
|
§
10(c)
|
Breach
Notice
|
§
13(c)
|
Breach
Termination Notice
|
§
13(c)
|
Change
in Control
|
§
13(d)(iv)
|
CIP
Regulations
|
§
3(b)(3)(A)
|
Claim
|
Appendix
A, § (e)
|
Code
|
Appendix
A, § (f)
|
conduct
|
Appendix
A, § (g)
|
Confidential
Information
|
§
4(b)
|
Controls
|
Appendix
B, § (b)(i)
|
Conversion
Actions
|
§
13(e)
|
Conversion
Expenses
|
§
13(e)
|
course
of conduct
|
Appendix
A, § (g)
|
Covered
Account
|
Appendix
B, § (b)(i)(F)
|
Covered
Person
|
Appendix
B, § (b)(i)(D)
|
Custodian
|
§
3(a)(3)(iii)
|
Customer
|
§
3(b)(3)(A)(i)
|
Custodied
Account
|
§
3(a)(12)(D)
|
Data
Elements
|
§
3(b)(3)(A)(i)
|
Defaulting
Party
|
§
13(c)
|
Direct
Account
|
Appendix
B, § (b)(i)(E)
|
Early
Termination
|
§
13(d)
|
Early
Termination Fee
|
§
13(d)(ii)
|
Effective
Date
|
Preamble
|
Eligible
Assets
|
§
3(a)(12)(A)(i)
|
Exception
Research
|
§
14(b)(i)
|
Exception
Services
|
§
14(b)
|
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-
External
Research
|
§
10(d)(i)
|
Fee
Agreement
|
§
9(a)
|
Fees
|
§
9(a)
|
FFI
Regulations
|
§
3(b)(2)(A)
|
Foreign
Financial Institution
|
§
3(b)(2)(A)(i)
|
Form
|
§
10(b)
|
Fund
|
Preamble
|
Fund
Communication
|
§
10(g)
|
Fund
Error
|
§
9(e)
|
Fund
Registry
|
Appendix
B, § (b)(i)(C)
|
Fund
Shares
|
Appendix
A, § (n)
|
Identity
Theft
|
Appendix
B, § (b)(i)(B)
|
Industry
Standard
|
§
14(a)
|
Initial
Term
|
§
13(a)
|
Instructions
|
Appendix
A, § (h)
|
Internal
Research
|
§
10(d)(i)
|
Loss,
Losses
|
Appendix
A, § (i)
|
Loss
Date
|
Appendix
A, § (j)
|
Lost
Shareholder Rule
|
§
3(a)(11)(A)
|
Non-Defaulting
Party
|
§
13(c)
|
Non-Demand
Notice
|
§
13(b)
|
Non-Standard
Instruction
|
§
10(c)
|
Oral
Instructions
|
Appendix
A, § (k)
|
Participants
|
§
3(a)(12)(A)(ii)
|
PFPC
Trust
|
Appendix
A, § (l)
|
PNC
|
Preamble
|
Portfolio
|
Background
|
Possible
Identity Theft
|
Appendix
B, § (b)(iii)
|
Red
Flag
|
Appendix
B, § (b)(i)(A)
|
Red
Flag Requirements
|
Appendix
B, § (c)
|
Red
Flag Section
|
Appendix
B, § (a)
|
Red
Flag Services
|
Appendix
B, § (b)
|
Registered
Owner
|
Appendix
B, § (b)(i)(C)
|
Reimbursable
Expenses
|
§
9(a)
|
Removed
Assets
|
§
13(d)(vi)
|
Renewal
Term
|
§
13(b)
|
Response
Failure
|
§
10(i)
|
SEC
|
Appendix
A, § (m)
|
Securities
Laws
|
Appendix
A, § (n)
|
Service
Accounts
|
§
9(b)
|
Service
Agreements
|
§
11(b)
|
Shareholder
Materials
|
§
9(e)
|
Shares
|
Appendix
A, § (o)
|
Standard
Instructions
|
§
10(b)
|
Standard
of Care
|
§
11(a)
|
Tax
Favored Accounts
|
§
3(a)(12)(A)(iii)
|
Third
Party Institution
|
§
9(b)
|
Written
Instructions
|
Appendix
A, § (p)
|
Written
Procedures
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§
14(a)
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APPENDIX
B
Red Flags
Services
(a) The
provisions of this Appendix B shall apply in the event the Fund elects to
receive Red Flags Services. Section 3(e) of the Agreement together
with this Appendix B is referred to collectively as the "Red Flag
Section". The "Commencement Date" is the later of May 1, 2009
or the date as of which the Fund elects to receive Red Flags
Services.
(b) PNC
agrees to provide the Fund with the "Red Flag Services", which is hereby defined
to mean the following services:
(i)
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PNC
will maintain written controls reasonably designed to detect the
occurrence of Red Flags (as defined below) in connection with (i) account
opening and other account activities and transactions conducted directly
through PNC with respect to Direct Accounts (as defined below), and (ii)
transactions effected directly through PNC by Covered Persons (as defined
below) in Covered Accounts (as defined below). Such controls,
as they may be revised from time to time hereunder, are referred to herein
as the "Controls". Solely for purposes of the Red Flag Section,
the capitalized terms below will have the respective meaning ascribed to
each:
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(A)
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"Red
Flag" means a pattern, practice, or specific activity or a combination of
patterns, practices or specific activities which may indicate the possible
existence of Identity Theft (as defined below) affecting a Registered
Owner (as defined below) or a Covered
Person.
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(B)
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"Identity
Theft" means a fraud committed or attempted using the identifying
information of another person without
authority.
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(C)
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"Registered
Owner" means a natural person who is the owner of record of a Direct
Account on the books and records of the Fund maintained by PNC as
registrar of the Fund (the "Fund
Registry").
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(D)
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"Covered
Person" means a natural person who is the owner of record of a Covered
Account on the Fund Registry.
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(E)
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"Direct
Account" means an account holding Fund shares established directly with
and through PNC by a natural person as a registered account on the Fund
Registry and through which the owner of record has the ability to directly
conduct account and transactional activity with and through
PNC..
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(F)
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"Covered
Account" means an account holding Fund shares established by a financial
intermediary for a natural person as the owner of record on the Fund
Registry and through which such owner of record has the ability to conduct
transactions in Fund shares directly with and through
PNC.
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(ii)
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PNC
will provide the Fund with a printed copy of or Internet viewing access to
the Controls.
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(iii)
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PNC
will notify the Fund of Red Flags which it detects and reasonably
determines to indicate a significant risk of Identity Theft to a
Registered Owner or a Covered Person ("Possible Identity
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Theft")
and assist the Fund in determining the appropriate response of the Fund to
the Possible Identity Theft.
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(iv)
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PNC
will (A) engage an independent auditing firm or other similar firm of
independent examiners to conduct an annual testing of the Controls and
issue a report on the results of the testing (the "Audit Report"), and (B)
furnish a copy of the Audit Report to the Fund;
and
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(v)
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Upon
Fund request, issue a certification in a form determined to be appropriate
by PNC in its reasonable discretion, certifying to PNC's continuing
compliance with the Controls after the date of the most recent Audit
Report.
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(c) The
Fund agrees it is responsible for complying with and determining the
applicability to the Fund of Section 114 of the Fair and Accurate Credit
Transaction Act of 2003 and regulations promulgated thereunder by the Federal
Trade Commission (the "Red Flag Requirements"), the extent to which the Red Flag
Services assist the Fund in complying with the Red Flag Requirements, and for
furnishing any supplementation or augmentation to the Red Flag Services it
determines to be appropriate, and that PNC has given no advice and makes no
representations with respect to such matters. This Red Flag Section
shall not be interpreted in any manner which imposes a duty on PNC to act on
behalf of the Fund or otherwise, including any duty to take any action upon the
occurrence of a Red Flag, other than as expressly provided for in this Red Flag
Section. The Controls and the Red Flag Services may be changed at any
time and from time to time by PNC in its reasonable sole discretion to include
commercially reasonable provisions appropriate to the Red Flag Requirements, as
they may be constituted from time to time. In consideration for the
Red Flags Services, the Fund will pay to PNC fee for Red Flag Services as
established by PNC from time to time by written notice. Other than
the initial fee which shall be payable as of the Commencement Date, the Fund
shall be obligated to pay any revised fee commencing thirty (30) days after the
Fund's receipt of such written notice. The Fund's sole remedy in the
event it does not agree to a revised fee is to terminate the Red Flag
Services.
(d)
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Notwithstanding
any other provision of the
Agreement:
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(i)
Neither PNC nor its affiliates shall be liable for any Loss that
constitutes consequential, incidental, exemplary, punitive, special or indirect
damages, whether or not the likelihood, reasonable or otherwise, of such damages
was known by PNC or its affiliates. PNC's maximum cumulative aggregate liability
to the Fund and all persons or entities claiming through the Fund, considered as
a whole, for Loss related to the terms of this Red Flags Section, the recovery
of which is not otherwise excluded or barred by another provision of this
Agreement, shall not exceed the greater of (i) $25,000, or (ii) fees received by
PNC for the Red Flag Services during the six (6) months immediately prior to the
last Loss Date, up to a maximum of $50,000.
(ii) In
the event of a material breach of this Red Flag Section by PNC, the Fund's sole
and exclusive termination right shall be to terminate the Red Flag Services by
complying with the provisions of Section 13(c) with respect to the alleged
breach and the Red Flags Services. The Fund shall not be entitled to
terminate the Agreement but this Red Flags Section shall not be interpreted to
modify or nullify any other remedy under the Agreement.
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