Exhibit 4(c)
SUB-INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT
AGREEMENT dated September 29, 2006, between BlackRock Advisors, LLC, a
Delaware limited liability corporation (the "Advisor"), and BlackRock Investment
Management, LLC, a Delaware limited liability corporation (the "Sub-Advisor").
WHEREAS, the Advisor has agreed to furnish investment advisory services to
the BlackRock Municipal Insured Fund, BlackRock National Municipal Fund and
BlackRock Short-Term Municipal Fund (each a "Fund" and together the "Funds"),
series of BlackRock Municipal Bond Fund, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the
"Corporation"), an open-end management investment company registered under the
Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act");
WHEREAS, the Advisor wishes to retain the Sub-Advisor to provide it with
certain sub-advisory services as described below in connection with Advisor's
advisory activities on behalf of the Funds;
WHEREAS, the advisory agreement between the Advisor and the Corporation,
dated September 29, 2006 (such agreement or the most recent successor agreement
between such parties relating to advisory services to the Corporation is
referred to herein as the "Advisory Agreement") contemplates that the Advisor
may sub-contract investment advisory services with respect to the Funds to a
sub-advisor pursuant to a sub-advisory agreement agreeable to the Corporation
and approved in accordance with the provisions of the 1940 Act; and
WHEREAS, this Agreement has been approved in accordance with the
provisions of the 1940 Act, and the Sub-Advisor is willing to furnish such
services upon the terms and conditions herein set forth;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual premises and covenants
herein contained and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt of which
is hereby acknowledged, it is agreed by and between the parties hereto as
follows:
1. Appointment. The Advisor hereby appoints the Sub-Advisor to act as
sub-advisor with respect to the Funds and the Sub-Advisor accepts such
appointment and agrees to render the services herein set forth for the
compensation herein provided.
2. Services of the Sub-Advisor. Subject to the succeeding provisions of
this section, the oversight and supervision of the Advisor and the direction and
control of the Corporation's Board of Directors, the Sub-Advisor will perform
certain of the day-to-day operations of the Funds, which may include one or more
of the following services, at the request of the Advisor: (a) acting as
investment advisor for and managing the investment and reinvestment of those
assets of the Funds as the Advisor may from time to time
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request and in connection therewith have complete discretion in purchasing and
selling such securities and other assets for the Funds and in voting, exercising
consents and exercising all other rights appertaining to such securities and
other assets on behalf of the Funds; (b) arranging, subject to the provisions of
paragraph 3 hereof, for the purchase and sale of securities and other assets of
the Funds; (c) providing investment research and credit analysis concerning the
Funds' investments, (d) assist the Advisor in determining what portion of the
Funds' assets will be invested in cash, cash equivalents and money market
instruments, (e) placing orders for all purchases and sales of such investments
made for the Funds, and (f) maintaining the books and records as are required to
support Fund investment operations. At the request of the Advisor, the
Sub-Advisor will also, subject to the oversight and supervision of the Advisor
and the direction and control of the Corporation's Board of Directors, provide
to the Advisor or the Funds any of the facilities and equipment and perform any
of the services described in Section 3 of the Advisory Agreement. In addition,
the Sub-Advisor will keep the Funds and the Advisor informed of developments
materially affecting the Funds and shall, on its own initiative, furnish to the
Funds from time to time whatever information the Sub-Advisor believes
appropriate for this purpose. The Sub-Advisor will periodically communicate to
the Advisor, at such times as the Advisor may direct, information concerning the
purchase and sale of securities for the Funds, including: (a) the name of the
issuer, (b) the amount of the purchase or sale, (c) the name of the broker or
dealer, if any, through which the purchase or sale is effected, (d) the CUSIP
number of the instrument, if any, and (e) such other information as the Advisor
may reasonably require for purposes of fulfilling its obligations to the Funds
under the Advisory Agreement. The Sub-Advisor will provide the services rendered
by it under this Agreement in accordance with each Fund's investment objectives,
policies and restrictions (as currently in effect and as they may be amended or
supplemented from time to time) as stated in the Funds' Prospectus and Statement
of Additional Information and the resolutions of the Corporation's Board of
Directors.
3. Covenants. (a) In the performance of its duties under this Agreement,
the Sub-Advisor shall at all times conform to, and act in accordance with, any
requirements imposed by: (i) the provisions of the 1940 Act and the Investment
Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the "Advisers Act") and all applicable Rules
and Regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"); (ii) any
other applicable provision of law; (iii) the provisions of the Charter and
By-Laws of the Corporation, as such documents are amended from time to time;
(iv) the investment objectives and policies of the Funds as set forth in the
Corporation's Registration Statement on Form N-1A and/or the resolutions of the
Board of Directors; and (v) any policies and determinations of the Board of
Directors of the Corporation and
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(b) In addition, the Sub-Advisor will:
(i) place orders either directly with the issuer or with any
broker or dealer. Subject to the other provisions of this paragraph,
in placing orders with brokers and dealers, the Sub-Advisor will
attempt to obtain the best price and the most favorable execution of
its orders. In placing orders, the Sub-Advisor will consider the
experience and skill of the firm's securities traders as well as the
firm's financial responsibility and administrative efficiency.
Consistent with this obligation, the Sub-Advisor may select brokers
on the basis of the research, statistical and pricing services they
provide to the Funds and other clients of the Advisor or the
Sub-Advisor. Information and research received from such brokers
will be in addition to, and not in lieu of, the services required to
be performed by the Sub-Advisor hereunder. A commission paid to such
brokers may be higher than that which another qualified broker would
have charged for effecting the same transaction, provided that the
Sub-Advisor determines in good faith that such commission is
reasonable in terms either of the transaction or the overall
responsibility of the Advisor and the Sub-Advisor to the Funds and
their other clients and that the total commissions paid by each Fund
will be reasonable in relation to the benefits to the Fund over the
long-term. Subject to the foregoing and the provisions of the 1940
Act, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and other
applicable provisions of law, the Advisor may select brokers and
dealers with which it or the Corporation is affiliated;
(ii) maintain books and records with respect to the Funds'
securities transactions and will render to the Advisor and the
Corporation's Board of Directors such periodic and special reports
as they may request;
(iii) maintain a policy and practice of conducting its
investment advisory services hereunder independently of the
commercial banking operations of its affiliates. When the
Sub-Advisor makes investment recommendations for the Funds, its
investment advisory personnel will not inquire or take into
consideration whether the issuer of securities proposed for purchase
or sale for each Fund's account are customers of the commercial
department of its affiliates; and
(iv) treat confidentially and as proprietary information of
the Funds all records and other information relative to the Funds,
and the Funds' prior, current or potential shareholders, and will
not 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 each Fund,
which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld and may not be
withheld where the Sub-Advisor may be exposed to civil or criminal
contempt
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proceedings for failure to comply, when requested to divulge such
information by duly constituted authorities, or when so requested by
the Funds.
4. Services Not Exclusive. Nothing in this Agreement shall prevent the
Sub-Advisor or any officer, employee or other affiliate thereof from acting as
investment advisor for any other person, firm or corporation, or from engaging
in any other lawful activity, and shall not in any way limit or restrict the
Sub-Advisor or any of its officers, employees or agents from buying, selling or
trading any securities for its or their own accounts or for the accounts of
others for whom it or they may be acting; provided, however, that the
Sub-Advisor will undertake no activities which, in its judgment, will adversely
affect the performance of its obligations under this Agreement.
5. Books and Records. In compliance with the requirements of Rule 31a-3
under the 1940 Act, the Sub-Advisor hereby agrees that all records which it
maintains for the Corporation are the property of the Corporation and further
agrees to surrender promptly to the Corporation any such records upon the
Corporation's request. The Sub-Advisor further agrees to preserve for the
periods prescribed by Rule 31a-2 under the 1940 Act the records required to be
maintained by Rule 31a-1 under the 1940 Act (to the extent such books and
records are not maintained by the Advisor).
6. Expenses. During the term of this Agreement, the Sub-Advisor will bear
all costs and expenses of its employees and any overhead incurred by the
Sub-Advisor in connection with its duties hereunder; provided that the Board of
Directors of the Corporation may approve reimbursement to the Sub-Advisor of the
pro-rata portion of the salaries, bonuses, health insurance, retirement benefits
and all similar employment costs for the time spent on Fund operations
(including, without limitation, compliance matters) (other than the provision of
investment advice and administrative services required to be provided hereunder)
of all personnel employed by the Sub-Advisor who devote substantial time to Fund
operations or the operations of other investment companies advised or
sub-advised by the Sub-Advisor.
7. Compensation.
(a) The Advisor agrees to pay to the Sub-Advisor and the Sub-Advisor
agrees to accept as full compensation for all services rendered by the
Sub-Advisor as such, a monthly fee in arrears at an annual rate equal to
the amount set forth in Schedule A hereto. For any period less than a
month during which this Agreement is in effect, the fee shall be prorated
according to the proportion which such period bears to a full month of 28,
29, 30 or 31 days, as the case may be.
(b) For purposes of this Agreement, the net assets of the Funds
shall be calculated pursuant to the procedures adopted by resolutions of
the Directors of the
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Corporation for calculating the value of the Funds' assets or delegating
such calculations to third parties.
8. Indemnity.
(a) The Corporation may, in the discretion of the Board of Directors
of the Corporation, indemnify the Sub-Advisor, and each of the
Sub-Advisor's directors, officers, employees, agents, associates and
controlling persons and the directors, partners, members, officers,
employees and agents thereof (including any individual who serves at the
Sub-Advisor's request as director, officer, partner, member, trustee or
the like of another entity) (each such person being an "Indemnitee")
against any liabilities and expenses, including amounts paid in
satisfaction of judgments, in compromise or as fines and penalties, and
counsel fees (all as provided in accordance with applicable state law)
reasonably incurred by such Indemnitee in connection with the defense or
disposition of any action, suit or other proceeding, whether civil or
criminal, before any court or administrative or investigative body in
which such Indemnitee may be or may have been involved as a party or
otherwise or with which such Indemnitee may be or may have been
threatened, while acting in any capacity set forth herein or thereafter by
reason of such Indemnitee having acted in any such capacity, except with
respect to any matter as to which such Indemnitee shall have been
adjudicated not to have acted in good faith in the reasonable belief that
such Indemnitee's action was in the best interest of the Corporation and
furthermore, in the case of any criminal proceeding, so long as such
Indemnitee had no reasonable cause to believe that the conduct was
unlawful; provided, however, that (1) no Indemnitee shall be indemnified
hereunder against any liability to the Corporation or its shareholders or
any expense of such Indemnitee arising by reason of (i) willful
misfeasance, (ii) bad faith, (iii) gross negligence or (iv) reckless
disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of such Indemnitee's
position (the conduct referred to in such clauses (i) through (iv) being
sometimes referred to herein as "disabling conduct"), (2) as to any matter
disposed of by settlement or a compromise payment by such Indemnitee,
pursuant to a consent decree or otherwise, no indemnification either for
said payment or for any other expenses shall be provided unless there has
been a determination that such settlement or compromise is in the best
interests of the Corporation and that such Indemnitee appears to have
acted in good faith in the reasonable belief that such Indemnitee's action
was in the best interest of the Corporation and did not involve disabling
conduct by such Indemnitee and (3) with respect to any action, suit or
other proceeding voluntarily prosecuted by any Indemnitee as plaintiff,
indemnification shall be mandatory only if the prosecution of such action,
suit or other proceeding by such Indemnitee was authorized by a majority
of the full Board of Directors of the Corporation.
(b) The Corporation shall make advance payments in connection with
the expenses of defending any action with respect to which indemnification
might be sought hereunder if the Corporation receives a written
affirmation of the Indemnitee's
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good faith belief that the standard of conduct necessary for
indemnification has been met and a written undertaking to reimburse the
Corporation unless it is subsequently determined that such Indemnitee is
entitled to such indemnification and if the Directors of the Corporation
determine that the facts then known to them would not preclude
indemnification. In addition, at least one of the following conditions
must be met: (A) the Indemnitee shall provide a security for such
Indemnitee undertaking, (B) the Fund shall be insured against losses
arising by reason of any unlawful advance, or (C) a majority of a quorum
consisting of Directors of the Corporation who are neither "interested
persons" of the Corporation (as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the 0000
Xxx) nor parties to the proceeding ("Disinterested Non-Party Directors")
or an independent legal counsel in a written opinion, shall determine,
based on a review of readily available facts (as opposed to a full
trial-type inquiry), that there is reason to believe that the Indemnitee
ultimately will be found entitled to indemnification.
(c) All determinations with respect to the standards for
indemnification hereunder shall be made (1) by a final decision on the
merits by a court or other body before whom the proceeding was brought
that such Indemnitee is not liable by reason of disabling conduct, or (2)
in the absence of such a decision, by (i) a majority vote of a quorum of
the Disinterested Non-Party Directors of the Corporation, or (ii) if such
a quorum is not obtainable or even, if obtainable, if a majority vote of
such quorum so directs, independent legal counsel in a written opinion.
All determinations that advance payments in connection with the expense of
defending any proceeding shall be authorized shall be made in accordance
with the immediately preceding clause (2) above.
The rights accruing to any Indemnitee under these provisions shall not
exclude any other right to which such Indemnitee may be lawfully entitled.
9. Limitation on Liability. The Sub-Advisor will not be liable for any
error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by the Advisor or
by the Funds in connection with the performance of this Agreement, except a loss
resulting from a breach of fiduciary duty with respect to the receipt of
compensation for services or a loss resulting from willful misfeasance, bad
faith or gross negligence on its part in the performance of its duties or from
reckless disregard by it of its duties under this Agreement. As used in this
Section 9(a), the term "Sub-Advisor" shall include any affiliates of the
Sub-Advisor performing services for the Funds contemplated hereby and partners,
directors, officers and employees of the Sub-Advisor and such affiliates.
10. Duration and Termination. This Agreement shall become effective as of
the date hereof and, unless sooner terminated with respect to the Funds as
provided herein, shall continue in effect for a period of two years. Thereafter,
if not terminated, this Agreement shall continue in effect with respect to the
Funds for successive periods of 12 months, provided such continuance is
specifically approved at least annually by both (a) the vote of a majority of
the Corporation's Board of Directors or a vote of a majority
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of the outstanding voting securities of each Fund at the time outstanding and
entitled to vote and (b) by the vote of a majority of the Directors, who are not
parties to this Agreement or interested persons (as such term is defined in the
0000 Xxx) of any such party, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose
of voting on such approval. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Agreement may be
terminated by the Corporation or the Advisor at any time, without the payment of
any penalty, upon giving the Sub-Advisor 60 days' notice (which notice may be
waived by the Sub-Advisor), provided that such termination by the Corporation or
the Advisor shall be directed or approved by the vote of a majority of the
Directors of the Corporation in office at the time or by the vote of the holders
of a majority of the voting securities of each Fund at the time outstanding and
entitled to vote, or by the Sub-Advisor on 60 days' written notice (which notice
may be waived by the Corporation and the Advisor), and will terminate
automatically upon any termination of the Advisory Agreement between the
Corporation and the Advisor. This Agreement will also immediately terminate in
the event of its assignment. (As used in this Agreement, the terms "majority of
the outstanding voting securities," "interested person" and "assignment" shall
have the same meanings of such terms in the 1940 Act.)
11. Notices. Any notice under this Agreement shall be in writing to the
other party at such address as the other party may designate from time to time
for the receipt of such notice and shall be deemed to be received on the earlier
of the date actually received or on the fourth day after the postmark if such
notice is mailed first class postage prepaid.
12. Amendment of this Agreement. This Agreement may be amended by the
parties only if such amendment is specifically approved by the vote of the Board
of Directors of the Corporation, including a majority of those Directors who are
not parties to this Agreement or interested persons of any such party cast in
person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval and, where
required by the 1940 Act, by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting
securities of each Fund.
13. Miscellaneous. 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. 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. This Agreement shall be binding on, and shall inure to the
benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors.
14. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in
accordance with the laws of the State of New York for contracts to be performed
entirely therein without reference to choice of law principles thereof and in
accordance with the applicable provisions of the 1940 Act. To the extent that
the applicable laws of the State of New York, or any of the provisions, conflict
with the applicable provisions of the 1940 Act, the latter shall control.
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15. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts by the
parties hereto, each of which shall constitute an original counterpart, and all
of which, together, shall constitute one Agreement.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this instrument to be
executed by their duly authorized officers designated below as of the day and
year first above written.
BLACKROCK ADVISORS, LLC
By:
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Name:
Title:
BLACKROCK INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, LLC
By:
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Name:
Title:
AGREED AND ACCEPTED
as of the date first set forth above
BLACKROCK MUNICIPAL BOND FUND, INC.
By:
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Name:
Title:
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Schedule A
Sub-Investment Advisory Fee
59% of the monthly advisory fee received by the Advisor from each Fund.
