Exhibit 6(j)
FORM OF
SELLING DEALER AGREEMENT
We at Fidelity Distributors Corporation invite you
(______________________________) to distribute shares of the mutual funds,
or the separate series or classes of the mutual funds, listed on Schedule A
attached to this Agreement (the "Portfolios"). We may periodically change
the list of Portfolios by giving you written notice of the change. We are
the Portfolios' principal underwriter and, as agent for the Portfolios, we
offer to sell Portfolio shares to you on the following terms:
1. Certain Defined Terms: As used in this Agreement, the term
"Prospectus" means the applicable Portfolio's prospectus and related
statement of additional information, whether in paper format or electronic
format, included in the Portfolio's then currently effective registration
statement (or post-effective amendment thereto), and any information that
we or the Portfolio may issue to you as a supplement to such prospectus or
statement of additional information (a "sticker"), all as filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") pursuant to the Securities
Act of 1933.
2. Purchases of Portfolio Shares for Sale to Customers: (a) In offering
and selling Portfolio shares to your customers, you agree to act as dealer
for your own account; you are not authorized to act as agent for us or for
any Portfolio.
(b) You agree to offer and sell Portfolio shares to your customers only
at the applicable public offering price in accordance with the Prospectus.
If your customer qualifies for a reduced sales charge pursuant to a special
purchase plan (for example, a quantity discount, letter of intent, or right
of accumulation) as described in the Prospectus, you agree to offer and
sell Portfolio shares to your customer at the applicable reduced sales
charge. You agree to deliver or cause to be delivered to each customer, at
or prior to the time of any purchase of shares, a copy of the then current
prospectus (including any stickers thereto), unless such prospectus has
already been delivered to the customer, and to each customer who so
requests, a copy of the then current statement of additional information
(including any stickers thereto).
(c) You agree to purchase Portfolio shares from us only to cover
purchase orders that you have already received from your customers, or for
your own investment. You also agree not to purchase any Portfolio shares
from your customers at a price lower than the applicable redemption price,
determined in the manner described in the Prospectus. You will not
withhold placing customers' orders so as to profit yourself as a result of
such withholding (for example, by a change in a Portfolio's net asset value
from that used in determining the offering price to your customers).
(d) We will accept your purchase orders only at the public offering
price applicable to each order, as determined in accordance with the
Prospectus. We will not accept from you a conditional order for Portfolio
shares. All orders are subject to acceptance or rejection by us in our
sole discretion. We may, without notice, suspend sales or withdraw the
offering of Portfolio shares, or make a limited offering of Portfolio
shares.
(e) The placing of orders with us will be governed by instructions that
we will periodically issue to you. You must pay for Portfolio shares in
New York or Boston clearing house funds or in federal funds in accordance
with such instructions, and we must receive your payment on or before the
settlement date established in accordance with Rule 15c6-1 under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "1934 Act"). If we do not receive
your payment on or before such settlement date, we may, without notice,
cancel the sale, or, at our option, sell the shares that you ordered back
to the issuing Portfolio, and we may hold you responsible for any loss
suffered by us or the issuing Portfolio as a result of your failure to make
payment as required.
(f) You agree to comply with all applicable state and federal laws and
with the rules and regulations of authorized regulatory agencies
thereunder. You agree to offer and sell Portfolio shares only in states
where you may legally offer and sell such Portfolio's shares. You will not
offer shares of any Portfolio for sale unless such shares are registered
for sale under the applicable state and federal laws and the rules and
regulations thereunder.
(g) Certificates evidencing Portfolio shares are not available; any
transaction in Portfolio shares will be effected and evidenced by
book-entry on the records maintained by Fidelity Investments Institutional
Operations Company ("FIIOC"). A confirmation statement evidencing
transactions in Portfolio shares will be transmitted to you.
(h) You may designate FIIOC to execute your customers' transactions in
Portfolio shares in accordance with the terms of any account, program,
plan, or service established or used by your customers, and to confirm each
transaction to your customers on your behalf. At the time of the
transaction, you guarantee the legal capacity of your customers and any
co-owners of such shares so transacting in such shares.
3. Your Compensation: (a) Your concession, if any, on your sales of
Portfolio shares will be as provided in the Prospectus or in the applicable
schedule of concessions issued by us and in effect at the time of our sale
to you. Upon written notice to you, we or any Portfolio may change or
discontinue any schedule of concessions, or issue a new schedule.
(b) If a Portfolio has adopted a plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the
Investment Company Act of 1940 (a "Plan"), we may make distribution
payments or service payments to you under the Plan. If a Portfolio does
not have a currently effective Plan, we or Fidelity Management & Research
Company may make distribution payments or service payments to you from our
own funds. Any distribution payments or service payments will be made in
the amount and manner set forth in the Prospectus or in the applicable
schedule of distribution payments or service payments issued by us and then
in effect. Upon written notice to you, we or any Portfolio may change or
discontinue any schedule of distribution payments or service payments, or
issue a new schedule. A schedule of distribution payments or service
payments will be in effect with respect to a Portfolio that has a Plan only
so long as that Portfolio's Plan remains in effect.
(c) After the effective date of any change in or discontinuance of any
schedule of concessions, distribution payments, or service payments, or the
termination of a Plan, any concessions, distribution payments, or service
payments will be allowable or payable to you only in accordance with such
change, discontinuance, or termination. You agree that you will have no
claim against us or any Portfolio by virtue of any such change,
discontinuance, or termination. In the event of any overpayment by us of
any concession, distribution payment, or service payment, you will remit
such overpayment.
(d) If any Portfolio shares sold to you by us under the terms of this
Agreement are redeemed by the issuing Portfolio or tendered for redemption
by the customer within seven (7) business days after the date of our
confirmation of your original purchase order for such shares, you agree (i)
to refund promptly to us the full amount of any concession, distribution
payment, or service payment allowed or paid to you on such shares, and (ii)
if not yet allowed or paid to you, to forfeit the right to receive any
concession, distribution payment, or service payment allowable or payable
to you on such shares. We will notify you of any such redemption within
ten (10) days after the date of the redemption.
4. Certain Types of Accounts: (a) You may instruct FIIOC to register
purchased shares in your name and account as nominee for your customers.
If you hold Portfolio shares as nominee for your customers, all
Prospectuses, proxy statements, periodic reports, and other printed
material will be sent to you, and all confirmations and other
communications to shareholders will be transmitted to you. You will be
responsible for forwarding such printed material, confirmations, and
communications, or the information contained therein, to all customers for
whose account you hold any Portfolio shares as nominee. However, we or
FIIOC on behalf of itself or the Portfolios will be responsible for the
costs associated with your forwarding such printed material, confirmations,
and communications. You will be responsible for complying with all
reporting and tax withholding requirements with respect to the customers
for whose account you hold any Portfolio shares as nominee.
(b) With respect to accounts other than those accounts referred to in
paragraph 4(a) above, you agree to provide us with all information
(including certification of taxpayer identification numbers and back-up
withholding instructions) necessary or appropriate for us to comply with
legal and regulatory reporting requirements.
(c) Accounts opened or maintained pursuant to the NETWORKING system of
the National Securities Clearing Corporation ("NSCC") will be governed by
applicable NSCC rules and procedures and any agreement or other arrangement
with us relating to NETWORKING.
(d) If you hold Portfolio shares in an omnibus account for two or more
customers, you will be responsible for determining, in accordance with the
Prospectus, whether, and the extent to which, a CDSC is applicable to a
purchase of Portfolio shares from such a customer, and you agree to
transmit immediately to us any CDSC to which such purchase was subject.
You hereby represent that if you hold Portfolio shares subject to a CDSC,
you have the capability to track and account for such charge, and we
reserve the right, at our discretion, to verify that capability by
inspecting your tracking and accounting system or otherwise.
5. Status as Registered Broker/Dealer: (a) Each party to this Agreement
represents to the other party that (i) it is registered as a broker/dealer
under the 1934 Act, (ii) it is qualified to act as a broker/dealer in the
states where it transacts business, and (iii) it is a member in good
standing of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. ("NASD").
Each party agrees to maintain its broker/dealer registration and
qualifications and its NASD membership in good standing throughout the term
of this Agreement. Each party agrees to abide by all of the NASD's rules
and regulations, including the NASD's Conduct Rules -- in particular,
Section 2830 of such Rules, which section is deemed a part of and is
incorporated by reference in this Agreement. This Agreement will terminate
automatically without notice in the event that either party's NASD
membership is terminated.
(b) Nothing in this Agreement shall cause you to be our partner,
employee, or agent, or give you any authority to act for us or for any
Portfolio. Neither we nor any Portfolio shall be liable for any of your
acts or obligations as a dealer under this Agreement.
6. Information Relating to the Portfolios: (a) No person is authorized
to make any representations concerning shares of a Portfolio other than
those contained in the Portfolio's Prospectus. In buying Portfolio shares
from us under this Agreement, you will rely only on the representations
contained in the Prospectus. Upon your request, we will furnish you with a
reasonable number of copies of the Portfolios' current prospectuses or
statements of additional information or both (including any stickers
thereto).
(b) Any printed or electronic information that we furnish you (other
than the Portfolios' Prospectuses and periodic reports) is our sole
responsibility and not the responsibility of the respective Portfolios.
You agree that the Portfolios will have no liability or responsibility to
you with respect to any such printed or electronic information. We or the
respective Portfolio will bear the expense of qualifying its shares under
the state securities laws.
(c) You may not use any sales literature or advertising material
(including material disseminated through radio, television, or other
electronic media) concerning Portfolio shares, other than the printed or
electronic information referred to in paragraph 6(b) above, in connection
with the offer or sale of Portfolio shares without obtaining our prior
written approval. You may not distribute or make available to investors
any information that we furnish you marked "FOR DEALER USE ONLY" or that
otherwise indicates that it is confidential or not intended to be
distributed to investors.
7. Indemnification: (a) We will indemnify and hold you harmless from any
claim, demand, loss, expense, or cause of action resulting from the
misconduct or negligence, as measured by industry standards, of us, our
agents and employees, in carrying out our obligations under this Agreement.
Such indemnification will survive the termination of this Agreement.
(b) You will indemnify and hold us harmless from any claim, demand,
loss, expense, or cause of action resulting from the misconduct or
negligence, as measured by industry standards, of you, your agents and
employees, in carrying out your obligations under this Agreement. Such
indemnification will survive the termination of this Agreement.
8. Customer Lists: We hereby agree that we shall not use any list of your
customers which may be obtained in connection with this Agreement for the
purpose of solicitation of any product or service without your express
written consent. However, nothing in this paragraph or otherwise shall be
deemed to prohibit or restrict us or our affiliates in any way from
solicitations of any product or service directed at, without limitation,
the general public, any segment thereof, or any specific individual,
provided such solicitation is not based upon such list.
9. Duration of Agreement: This Agreement, with respect to any Plan, will
continue in effect for one year from its effective date, and thereafter
will continue automatically for successive annual periods; provided,
however, that such continuance is subject to termination at any time
without penalty if a majority of a Portfolio's Trustees who are not
interested persons of the Portfolio (as defined in the Investment Company
Act of 1940 (the "1940 Act")), or a majority of the outstanding shares of
the Portfolio, vote to terminate or not to continue the Plan. This
Agreement, other than with respect to a Plan, will continue in effect from
year to year after its effective date, unless terminated as provided
herein.
10. Amendment and Termination of Agreement: (a) We may amend any
provision of this Agreement by giving you written notice of the amendment.
Either party to this Agreement may terminate the Agreement without cause by
giving the other party at least thirty (30) days' written notice of its
intention to terminate. This Agreement will terminate automatically in the
event of its assignment (as defined in the 1940 Act).
(b) In the event that (i) an application for a protective decree under
the provisions of the Securities Investor Protection Act of 1970 is filed
against you; (ii) you file a petition in bankruptcy or a petition seeking
similar relief under any bankruptcy, insolvency, or similar law, or a
proceeding is commenced against you seeking such relief; or (iii) you are
found by the SEC, the NASD, or any other federal or state regulatory agency
or authority to have violated any applicable federal or state law, rule or
regulation arising out of your activities as a broker/dealer or in
connection with this Agreement, this Agreement will terminate effective
immediately upon our giving notice of termination to you. You agree to
notify us promptly and to immediately suspend sales of Portfolio shares in
the event of any such filing or violation, or in the event that you cease
to be a member in good standing of the NASD.
(c) Your or our failure to terminate this Agreement for a particular
cause will not constitute a waiver of the right to terminate this Agreement
at a later date for the same or another cause. The termination of this
Agreement with respect to any one Portfolio will not cause its termination
with respect to any other Portfolio.
11. Arbitration: In the event of a dispute, such dispute will be settled
by arbitration before arbitrators sitting in Boston, Massachusetts in
accordance with the NASD's Code of Arbitration Procedure in effect at the
time of the dispute. The arbitrators will act by majority decision and
their award may allocate attorneys' fees and arbitration costs between us.
Their award will be final and binding between us, and such award may be
entered as a judgment in any court of competent jurisdiction.
12. Notices: All notices required or permitted to be given under this
Agreement shall be given in writing and delivered by personal delivery, by
postage prepaid mail, or by facsimile machine or a similar means of same
day delivery (with a confirming copy by mail). All notices to us shall be
given or sent to us at our offices located at 00 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Mail
Zone X00X, Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxxx 00000, Attn: Broker Dealer Services Group.
All notices to you shall be given or sent to you at the address specified
by you below. Each of us may change the address to which notices shall be
sent by giving notice to the other party in accordance with this paragraph
12.
13. Miscellaneous: This Agreement, as it may be amended from time to time,
shall become effective as of the date when it is accepted and dated below
by us. This Agreement is to be construed in accordance with the laws of
the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. This Agreement supersedes and cancels
any prior agreement between us, whether oral or written, relating to the
sale of shares of the Portfolios or any other subject covered by this
Agreement. The captions in this Agreement are included for convenience of
reference only and in no way define or limit any of the provisions of this
Agreement or otherwise affect their construction or effect.
Very truly yours,
FIDELITY DISTRIBUTORS
CORPORATION
Please return two signed copies of this Agreement to Fidelity Distributors
Corporation. Upon acceptance, one countersigned copy will be returned to
you for your files.
_____________________________________
Name of Firm
Address: _____________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
By __________________________________
Authorized Representative
_____________________________________
Name and Title (please print or type)
CRD # _______________________________
ACCEPTED AND AGREED:
FIDELITY DISTRIBUTORS CORPORATION
By __________________________________
Dated: _________________
[ATTACH REVISED SCHEDULE A]
