Exhibit (d)(15)
SUB-ADVISORY AGREEMENT
between
FIDELITY INVESTMENTS MONEY MANAGEMENT, INC.
and
FIDELITY MANAGEMENT & RESEARCH COMPANY
AGREEMENT made this 1st day of January, 1999, by and between Fidelity
Investments Money Management, Inc., a New Hampshire corporation with
principal offices at Xxxxxx Xxx, X.X. Xxx 0000, Xxxxxxxxx, Xxx
Xxxxxxxxx (hereinafter called the ``Sub-Adviser") and Fidelity
Management & Research Company, a Massachusetts corporation with
principal offices at 00 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxxx
(hereinafter called the ``Adviser").
WHEREAS the Adviser has entered into a Management Contract with
Variable Insurance Products Fund II, a Massachusetts business trust
which may issue one or more series of shares of beneficial interest
(hereinafter called the ``Fund"), on behalf of Investment Grade Bond
Portfolio (hereinafter called the ``Portfolio"), pursuant to which the
Adviser is to act as investment manager and adviser to the Portfolio,
and
WHEREAS the Sub-Adviser was formed for the purpose of providing
investment management of money market and fixed-income mutual funds,
both taxable and tax-exempt, advising generally with respect to money
market and fixed-income instruments, and managing or providing advice
with respect to cash management.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual
promises hereinafter set forth, the Adviser and the Sub-Adviser agree
as follows:
1. (a) The Sub-Adviser shall, subject to the supervision of the
Adviser, direct the investments of all or such portion of the
Portfolio's assets as the Adviser shall designate in accordance with
the investment objective, policies and limitations as provided in the
Portfolio's Prospectus or other governing instruments, as amended from
time to time, the Investment Company Act of l940 and rules thereunder,
as amended from time to time (the ``l940 Act"), and such other
limitations as the Portfolio may impose by notice in writing to the
Adviser or Sub-Adviser. The Sub-Adviser shall also furnish for the
use of the Portfolio office space and all necessary office facilities,
equipment and personnel for servicing the investments of the
Portfolio; and shall pay the salaries and fees of all personnel of the
Sub-Adviser performing services for the Portfolio relating to
research, statistical and investment activities. The Sub-Adviser is
authorized, in its discretion and without prior consultation with the
Portfolio or the Adviser, to buy, sell, lend and otherwise trade in
any stocks, bonds and other securities and investment instruments on
behalf of the Portfolio. The investment policies and all other
actions of the Portfolio are and shall at all times be subject to the
control and direction of the Fund's Board of Trustees.
(b) The Sub-Adviser shall also furnish such reports, evaluations,
information or analyses to the Fund and the Adviser as the Fund's
Board of Trustees or the Adviser may request from time to time or as
the Sub-Adviser may deem to be desirable. The Sub-Adviser shall make
recommendations to the Fund's Board of Trustees with respect to
Portfolio policies, and shall carry out such policies as are adopted
by the Trustees. The Sub-Adviser shall, subject to review by the
Board of Trustees, furnish such other services as the Sub-Adviser
shall from time to time determine to be necessary or useful to perform
its obligations under this Agreement and which are not otherwise
furnished by the Adviser.
(c) The Sub-Adviser shall place all orders for the purchase and sale
of portfolio securities for the Portfolio's account with brokers or
dealers selected by the Sub-Adviser, which may include brokers or
dealers affiliated with the Adviser or Sub-Adviser. The Sub-Adviser
shall use its best efforts to seek to execute portfolio transactions
at prices which are advantageous to the Portfolio and at commission
rates which are reasonable in relation to the benefits received. In
selecting brokers or dealers qualified to execute a particular
transaction, brokers or dealers may be selected who also provide
brokerage and research services (as those terms are defined in Section
28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of l934) to the Portfolio and/or
the other accounts over which the Sub-Adviser, Adviser or their
affiliates exercise investment discretion. The Sub-Adviser is
authorized to pay a broker or dealer who provides such brokerage and
research services a commission for executing a portfolio transaction
for the Portfolio which is in excess of the amount of commission
another broker or dealer would have charged for effecting that
transaction if the Sub-Adviser determines in good faith that such
amount of commission is reasonable in relation to the value of the
brokerage and research services provided by such broker or dealer.
This determination may be viewed in terms of either that particular
transaction or the overall responsibilities which the Sub-Adviser and
its affiliates have with respect to accounts over which they exercise
investment discretion. The Trustees of the Fund shall periodically
review the commissions paid by the Portfolio to determine if the
commissions paid over representative periods of time were reasonable
in relation to the benefits to the Portfolio.
2. As compensation for the services to be furnished by the
Sub-Adviser hereunder, the Adviser agrees to pay the Sub-Adviser a
monthly fee equal to 50% of the management fee which the Portfolio is
obligated to pay the Adviser under the Portfolio's Management Contract
with the Adviser in respect of that portion of the Portfolio's assets
managed by the Sub-Adviser during such month. Such fee shall not be
reduced to reflect expense reimbursements or fee waivers by the
Adviser, if any, in effect from time to time.
3. It is understood that Trustees, officers, and shareholders of the
Fund are or may be or become interested in the Adviser or the
Sub-Adviser as directors, officers or otherwise and that directors,
officers and stockholders of the Adviser or the Sub-Adviser are or may
be or become similarly interested in the Fund, and that the Adviser or
the Sub-Adviser may be or become interested in the Fund as a
shareholder or otherwise.
4. It is understood that the Portfolio will pay all its expenses
other than those expressly stated to be payable by the Sub-Adviser
hereunder or by the Adviser under the Management Contract with the
Portfolio, which expenses payable by the Portfolio shall include,
without limitation, (i) interest and taxes; (ii) brokerage commissions
and other costs in connection with the purchase or sale of securities
and other investment instruments; (iii) fees and expenses of the
Fund's Trustees other than those who are ``interested persons" of the
Fund, the Sub-Adviser or the Adviser; (iv) legal and audit expenses;
(v) custodian, registrar and transfer agent fees and expenses; (vi)
fees and expenses related to the registration and qualification of the
Fund and the Portfolio's shares for distribution under state and
federal securities laws; (vii) expenses of printing and mailing
reports and notices and proxy material to shareholders of the
Portfolio; (viii) all other expenses incidental to holding meetings of
the Portfolio's shareholders, including proxy solicitations therefor;
(ix) a pro rata share, based on relative net assets of the Portfolio
and other registered investment companies having Advisory and Service
or Management Contracts with the Adviser, of 50% of insurance premiums
for fidelity and other coverage; (x) its proportionate share of
association membership dues; (xi) expenses of typesetting for printing
Prospectuses and Statements of Additional Information and supplements
thereto; (xii) expenses of printing and mailing Prospectuses and
Statements of Additional Information and supplements thereto sent to
existing shareholders; and (xiii) such non-recurring or extraordinary
expenses as may arise, including those relating to actions, suits or
proceedings to which the Portfolio is a party and the legal obligation
which the Portfolio may have to indemnify the Fund's Trustees and
officers with respect thereto.
5. The Services of the Sub-Adviser to the Adviser are not to be
deemed to be exclusive, the Sub-Adviser being free to render services
to others and engage in other activities, provided, however, that such
other services and activities do not, during the term of this
Agreement, interfere, in a material manner, with the Sub-Adviser's
ability to meet all of its obligations with respect to rendering
investment advice hereunder. The Sub-Adviser shall for all purposes
be an independent contractor and not an agent or employee of the
Adviser or the Fund.
6. In the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence
or reckless disregard of obligations or duties hereunder on the part
of the Sub-Adviser, the Sub-Adviser shall not be subject to liability
to the Advisor, the Trust or to any shareholder of the Portfolio for
any act or omission in the course of, or connected with, rendering
services hereunder or for any losses that may be sustained in the
purchase, holding or sale of any security.
7. (a) Subject to prior termination as provided in sub-paragraph (d)
of this paragraph 7, this Agreement shall continue in force until June
30, 1999, and indefinitely thereafter, but only so long as the
continuance after such period shall be specifically approved at least
annually by vote of the Fund's Board of Trustees or by vote of a
majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Portfolio.
(b) This Agreement may be modified by mutual consent subject to the
provisions of Section 15 of the 1940 Act, as modified by or
interpreted by any applicable order or orders of the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the "Commission") or any rules or regulations
adopted by, or interpretive releases of, the Commission.
(c) In addition to the requirements of sub-paragraphs (a) and (b) of
this paragraph 7, the terms of any continuance or modification of the
Agreement must have been approved by the vote of a majority of those
Trustees of the Fund who are not parties to such Agreement or
interested persons of any such party, cast in person at a meeting
called for the purpose of voting on such approval.
(d) Either the Adviser, the Sub-Adviser or the Portfolio may, at any
time on sixty (60) days' prior written notice to the other parties,
terminate this Agreement, without payment of any penalty, by action of
its Board of Trustees or Directors, or by vote of a majority of its
outstanding voting securities. This Agreement shall terminate
automatically upon the termination of the Management Contract between
the Fund, on behalf of the Portfolio, and the Adviser. This Agreement
shall terminate automatically in the event of its assignment.
8. The Sub-Adviser is hereby expressly put on notice of the
limitation of shareholder liability as set forth in the Declaration of
Trust or other organizational document of the Fund and agrees that any
obligations of the Fund or the Portfolio arising in connection with
this Agreement shall be limited in all cases to the Portfolio and its
assets, and the Sub-Adviser shall not seek satisfaction of any such
obligation from the shareholders or any shareholder of the Portfolio.
Nor shall the Sub-Adviser seek satisfaction of any such obligation
from the Trustees or any individual Trustee.
9. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE
WITH, THE LAWS OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS, WITHOUT GIVING
EFFECT TO THE CHOICE OF LAWS PROVISIONS THEREOF.
The terms ``registered investment company," ``vote of a majority of
the outstanding voting securities," ``assignment," and ``interested
persons," when used herein, shall have the respective meanings
specified in the Investment Company Act of 1940 as now in effect or as
hereafter amended.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the parties hereto have caused this instrument to
be signed in their behalf by their respective officers thereunto duly
authorized, and their respective seals to be hereunto affixed, all as
of the date written above.
SIGNATURE LINES OMITTED
