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Exhibit 99(e)
DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT
This Agreement is made this March 23, 1999, between The Coventry Group,
a Massachusetts business trust (the "Trust"), 0000 Xxxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxxxxx, Xxxx
00000, and BISYS Fund Services Limited Partnership d/b/a BISYS Fund Services, an
Ohio limited partnership ("Distributor"), 0000 Xxxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxxxxx, Xxxx
00000.
WHEREAS, the Trust is an open-end management investment company,
organized as a Massachusetts business trust and registered with the Securities
and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") under the Investment Company Act of
1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"); and
WHEREAS, it is intended that Distributor act as the distributor of the
units of beneficial interest ("Shares") of each of the investment portfolios of
the Trust identified on Schedule A hereto as such Schedule may be amended from
time to time (such portfolios being referred to individually as a "Fund" and
collectively as the "Funds").
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual premises and covenants
herein set forth, the parties agree as follows:
1. SERVICES AS DISTRIBUTOR.
1.1 Distributor will act as agent for the distribution of the Shares
covered by the registration statement and prospectus of the Trust then in effect
under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended ("1933 Act"). As used in this
Agreement, the term "registration statement" shall mean Parts A (the prospectus)
, B (the Statement of Additional Information) and C of each registration
statement that is filed on Form N-1A, or any successor thereto, with the
commission, together with any amendments thereto. The term "prospectus" shall
mean each form of prospectus and Statement of Additional Information used by the
Funds for delivery to shareholders and prospective shareholders after the
effective dates of the above referenced registration statements, together with
any amendments and supplements thereto.
1.2 Distributor agrees to use appropriate efforts to solicit orders for
the sale of the Shares and will undertake such advertising and promotion as it
believes reasonable in connection with such solicitation. The Trust understands
that Distributor is now and, in the future, may be the distributor of the shares
of several investment companies or series (together, "Companies") including
Companies having investment objectives similar to those of the Trust. The Trust
further understands that investors and potential investors in the Trust may
invest in shares of such other companies. The Trust agrees that Distributor's
duties to such Companies shall not be deemed in conflict with its duties to the
Trust under this paragraph 1.2.
Except as provided in Section 2 herein, Distributor shall, at its own
expense, finance appropriate activities which it deems reasonable which are
primarily intended to result in the sale of the Shares, including, but not
limited to, advertising, compensation of underwriters, dealers and sales
personnel, the printing and mailing of prospectuses to other than current
Shareholders, and the printing and mailing of sales literature.
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1.3 In its capacity as distributor of the Shares, all activities of
Distributor and its partners, agents, and employees shall comply with all
applicable laws, rules and regulations, including, without limitation, the 1940
Act, all rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission thereunder and all
rules and regulations adopted by any securities association registered under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
1.4 Distributor will provide one or more persons, during normal
business hours, to respond to telephone questions with respect to the Trust.
1.5 Distributor will transmit any orders received by it for purchase
or redemption of the Shares to the transfer agent and custodian for the Funds.
1.6 Whenever in their judgment such action is warranted by unusual
market, economic or political conditions, or by abnormal circumstances of any
kind, the Trust's officers may decline to accept any orders for, or make any
sales of, the Shares until such time as those officers deem it advisable to
accept such orders and to make such sales.
1.7 Distributor will act only on its own behalf as principal if it
chooses to enter into selling agreements with selected dealers or others.
1.8 The Trust agrees at its own expense to execute any and all
documents and to furnish any and all information and otherwise to take all
actions that may be reasonably necessary in connection with the qualification of
the Shares for sale in such states as Distributor may designate.
1.9 The Trust shall furnish from time to time, for use in connection
with the sale of the Shares, such information with respect to the Funds and the
Shares as Distributor may reasonably request; and the Trust warrants that the
statements contained in any such information shall fairly show or represent what
they purport to show or represent. The Trust shall also furnish Distributor upon
request with: (a) unaudited semi-annual statements of the Funds' books and
accounts prepared by the Trust, (b) a monthly itemized list of the securities in
the Funds, (c) monthly balance sheets as soon as practicable after the end of
each month, and (d) from time to time such additional information regarding the
financial condition of the Funds as Distributor may reasonably request. The
Distributor shall furnish such records of its activities with respect to the
Funds to the Trust as the Trust may reasonably request.
1.10 The Trust represents to Distributor that, with respect to the
Shares, all registration statements and prospectuses filed by the Trust with the
commission under the 1933 Act have been carefully prepared in conformity with
the requirements of said Act and rules and regulations of the Commission
thereunder and all statements of fact contained in any such registration
statement and prospectus will be true and correct when such registration
statement becomes effective. Furthermore, neither any registration statement nor
any prospectus when such registration statement becomes effective includes an
untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein
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not misleading to a purchaser of the Shares. The Trust may, but shall not be
obligated to, propose from time to time such amendment or amendments to any
registration statement and such supplement or supplements to any prospectus as,
in the light of future developments, may, in the opinion of the Trust's counsel,
be necessary or advisable. If the Trust shall not propose such amendment or
amendments and/or supplement or supplements within fifteen days after receipt by
the Trust of a written request from Distributor to do so, Distributor may, at
its option, terminate this Agreement. The Trust shall not file any amendment to
any registration statement or supplement to any prospectus without giving
Distributor reasonable notice thereof in advance; provided, however, that
nothing contained in this Agreement shall in any way limit the Trust's right to
file at any time such amendments to any registration statement and/or
supplements to any prospectus, of whatever character, as the Trust may deem
advisable, such right being in all respects absolute and unconditional.
1.11 The Trust authorizes Distributor and dealers to use any
prospectus in the form furnished from time to time in connection with the sale
of the Shares. The Trust agrees to indemnify, defend and hold Distributor, its
several partners and employees, and any person who controls Distributor within
the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act free and harmless from and against any
and all claims, demands, liabilities and expenses (including the cost of
investigating or defending such claims, demands or liabilities and any counsel
fees incurred in connection therewith) which Distributor, its partners and
employees, or any such controlling person, may incur under the 1933 Act or under
common law or otherwise, arising out of ' or based upon any untrue statement, or
alleged untrue statement, of a material fact contained in any registration
statement or any prospectus or arising out of or based upon any omission, or
alleged omission, to state a material fact required to be stated in either any
registration statement or any prospectus or necessary to make the statements in
either thereof not misleading; provided, however, that the Trust's agreement to
indemnify Distributor, its partners or employees, and any such controlling
person shall not be deemed to cover any claims, demands, liabilities or expenses
arising out of any statements or representations as are contained in any
prospectus and in such financial and other statements as are furnished in
writing to the Trust by Distributor and used in the answers to the registration
statement or in the corresponding statements made in the prospectus, or arising
out of or based upon any omission or alleged omission to state a material fact
in connection with the giving of such information required to be stated in such
answers or necessary to make the answers not misleading; and further provided
that the Trust's agreement to indemnify Distributor and the Trust's
representations and warranties hereinbefore set forth in paragraph 1.10 shall
not be deemed to cover any liability to the Trust or its Shareholders to which
Distributor would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad
faith or negligence in the performance of its duties, or by reason of
Distributor's reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under this
Agreement. The Trust's agreement to indemnify Distributor., its partners and
employees, and any such controlling person, as aforesaid, is expressly
conditioned upon the Trust's being notified of any action brought against
Distributor, its partners or employees, or any such controlling person, such
notification to be given by letter or by telegram addressed to the Trust at its
principal office in Columbus, Ohio and sent to the Trust by the person against
whom such action is brought, within 10 days after the summons or other first
legal process shall have been served. The failure to so notify the Trust of any
such action shall not relieve the Trust from any liability which the Trust may
have to the person against whom
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such action is brought by reason of any such untrue, or allegedly untrue,
statement or omission, or alleged omission, otherwise than on account of the
Trust's indemnity agreement contained in this paragraph 1.11. The Trust will be
entitled to assume the defense of any suit brought to enforce any such claim,
demand or liability, but, in such case, such defense shall be conducted by
counsel of good standing chosen by the Trust and approved by Distributor, which
approval shall not be unreasonably withheld. In the event the Trust elects to
assume the defense of any such suit and retain counsel of good standing approved
by Distributor, the defendant or defendants in such suit shall bear the fees and
expenses of any additional counsel retained by any of them; but in case the
Trust does not elect to assume the defense of any such suit, or in case
Distributor reasonably does not approve of counsel chosen by the Trust, the
Trust will reimburse Distributor, its partners and employees, or the controlling
person or persons named as defendant or defendants in such suit, for the fees
and expenses of any counsel retained by Distributor or them. The Trust's
indemnification agreement contained in this paragraph 1.11 and the Trust's
representations and warranties in this Agreement shall remain operative and in
full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of
Distributor, its partners and employees, or any controlling person, and shall
survive the delivery of any Shares.
This agreement of indemnity will inure exclusively to Distributor's
benefit, to the benefit of its several partners and employees, and their
respective estates, and to the benefit of the controlling persons and their
successors. The Trust agrees promptly to notify Distributor of the commencement
of any litigation or proceedings against the Trust or any of its officers or
Trustees in connection with the issue and sale of any Shares.
1.12 Distributor agrees to indemnify, defend and hold the Trust, its
several officers and Trustees and any person who controls the Trust within the
meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act free and harmless from and against any and
all claims, demands, liabilities and expenses (including the costs of
investigating or defending such claims, demands or liabilities and any counsel
fees incurred in connection therewith) which the Trust, its officers or Trustees
or any such controlling person, may incur under the 1933 Act or under common law
or otherwise, but only to the extent that such liability or expense incurred by
the Trust, its officers or Trustees or such controlling person resulting from
such claims or demands, shall arise out of or be based upon any untrue, or
alleged untrue, statement of a material fact contained in information furnished
in writing by Distributor to the Trust and used in the answers to any of the
items of the registration statement or in the corresponding statements made in
the prospectus, or shall arise out of or be based upon any omission, or alleged
omission, to state a material fact in connection with such information furnished
in writing by Distributor to the Trust required to be stated in such answers or
necessary to make such information not misleading. Distributor's agreement to
indemnify the Trust, its officers and Trustees, and any such controlling person,
as aforesaid, is expressly conditioned upon Distributor's being notified of any
action brought against the Trust, its officers or Trustees, or any such
controlling person, such notification to be given by letter or telegram
addressed to Distributor at its principal office in Columbus, Ohio, and sent to
Distributor by the person against whom such action is brought, within 10 days
after the summons or other first legal process shall have been served.
Distributor shall have the right of first control of the defense of such action,
with counsel of its own choosing, satisfactory to the Trust, if such action is
based solely upon such alleged misstatement or omission on Distributor's part,
and in
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any other event the Trust, its officers or Trustees or such controlling person
shall each have the right to participate in the defense or preparation of the
defense of any such action. The failure to so notify Distributor of any such
action shall not relieve Distributor from any liability which Distributor may
have to the Trust, its officers or Trustees, or to such controlling person by
reason of any such untrue or alleged untrue statement, or omission or alleged
omission, otherwise than on account of Distributor's indemnity agreement
contained in this paragraph 1.12.
1.13 No Shares shall be offered by either Distributor or the Trust
under any of the provisions of this Agreement and no orders for the purchase or
sale of Shares hereunder shall be accepted by the Trust if and so long as the
effectiveness of the registration statement then in effect or any necessary
amendments thereto shall be suspended under any of the provisions of the 1933
Act or if and so long as a current prospectus as required by Section 10(a) of
said Act is not on file with the Commission; provided, however, that nothing
contained in this paragraph 1.13 shall in any way restrict or have an
application to or bearing upon the Trust's obligation to repurchase Shares from
any Shareholder in accordance with the provisions of the Trust's prospectus,
Declaration of Trust, or By-Laws.
1.14 The Trust agrees to advise Distributor as soon as reasonably
practical by a notice in writing delivered to Distributor or its counsel:
(a) of any request by the Commission for amendments to the
registration statement or prospectus then in effect or for additional
information;
(b) in the event of the issuance by the Commission of any
stop order suspending the effectiveness of the registration statement
or prospectus then in effect or the initiation by service of process on
the Trust of any proceeding for that purpose;
(c) of the happening of any event that makes untrue any
statement of a material fact made in the registration statement or
prospectus then in effect or which requires the making of a change in
such registration statement or prospectus in order to make the
statements therein not misleading; and
(d) of all action of the Commission with respect to any
amendment to any registration statement or prospectus which may from
time to time be filed with the Commission.
For purposes of this section, informal requests by or acts of the
Staff of the Commission shall not be deemed actions of or requests by the
Commission.
1.15 Distributor agrees on behalf of itself and its partners and
employees to treat confidentially and as proprietary information of the Trust
all records and other information relative to the Trust and its prior, present
or potential Shareholders, and not to use such records and information for any
purpose other than performance of its responsibilities and duties hereunder,
except after prior notification to and approval in writing by the Trust, which
approval shall not be unreasonably withheld and may not be withheld where
Distributor may be exposed
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to civil or criminal contempt proceedings for failure to comply, when requested
to divulge such information by duly constituted authorities, or when so
requested by the Trust.
1.16 This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of
Massachusetts .
2. FEE.
Distributor shall receive from the Funds identified on Schedule B
hereto (the "Distribution Plan Funds") a 12b-1 fee at the rate and upon the
terms and conditions set forth in the Distribution and Shareholder Service Plan
attached as Schedule C hereto, and as amended from time to time. The 12b-1 fee
shall be accrued daily and shall be paid on the first business day of each
month, or at such time(s) as Distributor shall reasonably request.
3. SALE AND PAYMENT.
Under this Agreement, the following provisions shall apply with
respect to the sale of and payment of Shares of a Fund sold at an offering price
which includes a sales load (collectively, the "Load Shares;" individually, a
"Load Share") as described in the prospectuses of any Funds identified on
Schedule D hereto (collectively, the "Load Funds"; individually, a "Load Fund"):
(a) Distributor shall have the right, as principal, to
purchase Load Shares at their net asset value and to sell such Load
Shares to the public against orders therefor at the applicable public
offering price, as defined in Section 4 hereof. Distributor shall also
have the right, as principal, to sell Load Shares to dealers against
orders therefor at the public offering price less a concession
determined by Distributor, which concession shall not exceed the
amount of the sales charge or underwriting discount, if any, referred
to in Section 4 below.
(b) Prior to the time of delivery of any Load Shares by a
Load Fund to, or on the order of, Distributor, Distributor shall pay
or cause to be paid to the Load Fund or to its order an amount in
Boston or New York clearing house funds equal to the applicable net
asset value of such Shares. Distributor may retain so much of any
sales charge or underwriting discount as is not allowed by Distributor
as a concession to dealers.
4. PUBLIC OFFERING PRICE.
The public offering price of a Load Share shall be the net asset value
of such Load Shares, plus any applicable sales charge, all as set forth in the
current prospectus of the Load Fund. The net asset value of Shares shall be
determined in accordance with the provisions of the Declaration of Trust and
By-Laws of the Trust and the then current prospectus of the Load Fund.
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5. ISSUANCE OF SHARES.
The Trust reserves the right to issue, transfer or sell Load Shares at
net asset value (a) in connection, with the merger or consolidation of the Trust
or the Load Fund(s) with any other investment company or the acquisition by the
Trust or the Load Fund(s) of all or substantially all of the assets or of the
outstanding Shares of any other investment company; (b) in connection with a pro
rata distribution directly to the holders of Shares in the nature of a stock
dividend or split; (c) upon the exercise of subscription rights granted to the
holders of Shares on a pro rata basis; (d) in connection with the issuance of
Load Shares pursuant to any exchange and reinvestment privileges described in
any then current prospectus of the Load Fund; and (e) otherwise in accordance
with any then current prospectus of the Load Fund.
6. TERM, DURATION AND MATTERS RELATING TO THE TRUST AS A MASSACHUSETTS
BUSINESS TRUST.
This Agreement shall become effective with respect to each Fund listed
on Schedule A hereof as of the date first set forth above (or, if a particular
Fund is not in existence on such date, on the date an amendment to Schedule A to
this Agreement relating to that Fund is executed), and, unless sooner terminated
as provided herein, shall continue in effect until June 1, 2001. Thereafter, if
not terminated as provided herein, this Agreement shall continue with respect to
a particular Fund in effect automatically for successive one-year periods ending
on June 1st of each year with respect to each of the Funds, provided such
continuance is specifically approved at least annually by (a) the Trust's Board
of Trustees or (b) by "vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities"
(as defined below) of the Trust, provided, however, that in either event the
continuance is also approved by a majority of the Trust's Trustees who are not
parties to the Agreement or interested persons (as defined in the 0000 Xxx) of
any such party, by vote cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of
voting on such approval. This Agreement is terminable without penalty, on not
less than sixty days" prior written notice, by the Trust's Board of Trustees, by
vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as defined in the 0000
Xxx) of the Trust or by Distributor. This Agreement will also terminate
automatically in the event of its assignment (as defined in the 1940 Act).
The Coventry Group is a business trust organized under the laws of the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts and under a Declaration of Trust, to which
reference is hereby made and a copy of which is on file at the office of the
Secretary of State of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and to any and all
amendments thereto so filed or hereafter filed. The obligations of "The Coventry
Group" entered into in the name or on behalf thereof by any of the Trustees,
officers, employees or agents are made not individually, but in such capacities,
and are not binding upon any of the Trustees, officers, employees, agents or
shareholders of the Trust personally, but bind only the assets of the Trust, and
all persons dealing with any of the Funds of the Trust must look solely to the
assets of the Trust belonging to such Fund for the enforcement of any claims
against the Trust.
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BISYS FUND SERVICES THE COVENTRY GROUP
LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
By: BISYS Fund Services, Inc., By:
General Partner ---------------------
Name:
-------------------
By: Title:
--------------------- ------------------
Name:
-------------------
Title:
------------------
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Dated: March 23, 1999
Schedule A
to the
Distribution Agreement
between The Coventry Group and
BISYS Fund Services Limited Partnership
March 23, 1999
NAME OF FUND DATE
Boston Trust Balanced Fund March 23, 1999
Boston Trust Equity Fund March 23, 1999
Xxxxxx Social Equity Fund March 23 1999
Xxxxxx International Social Index Fund March 23, 1999
Xxxxxx Social Balanced Fund March 23, 1999
Xxxxxx Domestic Social Index Fund March 23, 1999
BISYS FUND SERVICES LIMITED THE COVENTRY GROUP
PARTNERSHIP
By: BISYS Fund Services, Inc.,
General Partner
By: By:
-------------------- --------------------
Name: Name:
------------------ ----------------
Title: Title:
----------------- -----------------
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Dated: March 23 1999
Schedule B
to the
Distribution Agreement
between The Coventry Group and
BISYS Fund Services Limited Partnership
March 23, 1999
NAME OF DISTRIBUTION PLAN FUND DATE
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BISYS FUND SERVICES LIMITED THE COVENTRY GROUP
PARTNERSHIP
By: BISYS Fund Services, Inc.,
General Partner
By: By:
-------------------- --------------------
Name: Name:
----------------- ------------------
Title: Title:
----------------- -----------------
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