EX-99.B(9)
MASTER SERVICES AGREEMENT
THIS AGREEMENT is made as of the first day of January, 1994 by
and between FLAG INVESTORS INTERNATIONAL FUND, INC., a Maryland corporation
(the "Fund"), and INVESTMENT COMPANY CAPITAL CORP., a Maryland corporation
("ICC").
W I T N E S E T H:
WHEREAS, the Fund is registered as an open-end, diversified
management investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended (the "1940 Act"); and
WHEREAS, the Fund desires to retain ICC to provide certain
services on behalf of the Fund, as set forth in the Appendices to this
Agreement, and ICC is willing so to serve.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and mutual
covenants herein contained, it is agreed between the parties hereto as follows:
1. Appointment. The Fund hereby appoints ICC to perform such
services and to serve such functions on behalf of the Fund as set forth in the
Appendices to this Agreement, on the terms set forth in this Agreement and the
Appendices hereto. ICC accepts such appointment and agrees to furnish such
services and serve such functions. The Fund may have currently outstanding one
or more series or classes of its shares of common stock, par value $.001 per
share ("Shares") and may from time to time hereafter issue separate series or
classes of its Shares or classify and reclassify Shares of any series or class,
and the appointment effected hereby shall constitute appointment for the
provision of services with respect to all existing series and classes and any
additional series and classes unless the parties shall otherwise agree in
writing.
2. Delivery of Documents. The Fund has furnished ICC with
copies properly certified or authenticated of the following documents and will
furnish ICC from time to time with copies, properly certified or authenticated,
of all amendments of or supplements thereto, if any:
(a) Resolutions of the Fund's Board of Directors
authorizing the appointment of ICC to act in such capacities on behalf of the
Fund as set forth in the Appendices to this Agreement, and the entering into of
this Agreement by the Fund;
(b) The Fund's Articles of Incorporation and all
amendments thereto (the "Charter") and the Fund's By-Laws and all amendments
thereto (the "By-Laws");
(c) The Fund's most recent Registration Statement on
Form N-1A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act") and
under the 1940 Act as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"SEC") relating to the Shares; and
(d) Copies of the Fund's most recent prospectus or
prospectuses, including amendments and supplements thereto (collectively, the
"Prospectus").
3. Services to be Provided; Fees. During the term of this
Agreement, ICC shall perform the services and act in such capacities on behalf
of the Fund as set forth herein and in the Appendices to this Agreement. For the
services performed by ICC for the Fund, the Fund will compensate ICC in such
amounts as may be agreed to from time to time by the parties in writing.
4. Records. The books and records pertaining to the Fund which
are in the possession of ICC shall be the property of the Fund. Such books and
records shall be prepared and maintained as required by the 1940 Act and other
applicable securities laws and rules and regulations. The Fund, or the Fund's
authorized representatives, shall have access to such books and records at all
times during ICC's normal business hours. Upon the reasonable request of the
Fund, copies of any such books and records shall be provided by ICC to the Fund
or the Fund's authorized representative at the Fund's expense.
5. Cooperation With Accountants. In addition to any
obligations set forth in an Appendix hereto, ICC shall cooperate with the Fund's
independent 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 such accountants'
opinion of the Fund's financial statements or otherwise, as such may be required
by the Fund from time to time.
6. Compliance with Governmental Rules and Regulations. The
Fund assumes full responsibility for insuring that the Fund complies with all
applicable requirements of the 1933 Act, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(the "1934 Act"), the 1940 Act, and any laws, rules and regulations of
governmental authorities having jurisdiction. ICC undertakes to comply with all
applicable requirements of the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act, the 1940 Act, the
Commodities Exchange Act (if applicable), and all laws, rules and regulations of
governmental authorities having jurisdiction with respect to the performance by
ICC of its duties under this Agreement, including the Appendices hereto.
7. Expenses.
(a) ICC shall bear all expenses of its employees and
overhead incurred in connection with its duties under this Agreement and shall
pay all salaries and fees of the Fund's directors and officers who are employees
of ICC.
(b) The Fund assumes and shall pay or cause to be
paid all other expenses of the Fund, including, without limitation: the fees of
the Fund's investment advisor, administrator and distributor; the charges and
expenses of any registrar, any custodian or depositary appointed by the Fund for
the safekeeping of its cash, portfolio securities and other property, and any
stock transfer, dividend or accounting agent or agents appointed by the Fund;
brokers' commissions chargeable to the Fund in connection with portfolio
securities transactions to which the Fund is a party; all taxes, including
securities issuance and transfer taxes, and corporate fees payable by the Fund
to federal, state or other governmental agencies; the cost and expense of
engraving or printing of stock certificates representing Shares; all costs and
expenses in connection with maintenance of registration of the Fund and its
Shares with the SEC and various states and other jurisdictions (including filing
fees and legal fees and disbursements of counsel); the expenses of printing,
including typesetting, and distributing prospectuses of the Fund and supplements
thereto to the Fund's shareholders; all expenses of shareholders' and directors'
meetings and of preparing, printing and mailing of proxy statements and reports
to shareholders; fees and travel expenses of directors or members of any
advisory board or committee other than such directors or members who are
"interested persons" of the Fund (as defined in the 1940 Act); all expenses
incident to the payment of any dividend, distribution, withdrawal or redemption,
whether in Shares or in cash; charges and expenses of any outside service used
for pricing of the Shares; charges and expenses of legal counsel, including
counsel to the directors of the Fund who are not "interested persons" of the
Fund (as defined in the 1940 Act), and of independent accountants, in connection
with any matter relating to the Fund; a portion of membership dues of industry
associations; interest payable on Fund borrowings; postage; insurance premiums
on property or personnel (including officers and directors) of the Fund which
inure to its benefit; extraordinary expenses (including, but not limited to,
legal claims and liabilities and litigation costs and any indemnification
related thereto); and all other charges and costs of the Fund's operation unless
otherwise explicitly provided herein.
-2-
8. Liability; Indemnification. Neither ICC nor any of its
officers, directors or employees shall be liable for any error of judgment or
for any loss suffered by the Fund in connection with the matters to which this
Agreement, including the Appendices hereto, relates, except a loss resulting
from willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on its or their part in
the performance of, or from reckless disregard by it or them of, its or their
obligations and duties under this Agreement. The Fund agrees to indemnify and
hold harmless ICC and its nominees from all taxes, charges, expenses,
assessments, claims and liabilities (including, without limitation, liabilities
arising under the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act, the 1940 Act, and any state and
foreign securities and blue sky laws, all as currently in existence or as
amended from time to time) and expenses, including (without limitation)
attorneys' fees and disbursements, arising directly or indirectly from any
action or thing which ICC takes or does or omits to take or do at the request or
on the direction of or in reliance on the advice of the Fund; provided, that
neither ICC nor any of its nominees shall be indemnified against any liability
to the Fund or to its shareholders (or any expenses incident to such liability)
arising out of ICC's own willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or
reckless disregard of its duties and obligations under this Agreement.
Notwithstanding anything else in this Agreement or any Appendix hereto to the
contrary, ICC shall have no liability to the Fund for any consequential, special
or indirect losses or damages which the Fund may incur or suffer as a
consequence of ICC's performance of the services provided in this Agreement or
any Appendix hereto.
9. Responsibility of ICC. ICC shall be under no duty to take
any action on behalf of the Fund except as specifically set forth herein or as
may be specifically agreed to by ICC in writing. In the performance of its
duties hereunder, ICC shall be obligated to exercise care and diligence and to
act in good faith and to use its best efforts within reasonable limits in
performing services provided for under this Agreement, but ICC shall not be
liable for any act or omission which does not constitute willful misfeasance,
bad faith or gross negligence on the part of ICC or reckless disregard by ICC of
its duties under this Agreement. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to
the contrary, ICC shall have no liability to the Fund for any consequential,
special or indirect losses or damages which the Fund may incur or suffer by or
as a consequence of ICC's performance of the services provided hereunder.
10. Non-Exclusivity. The services of ICC to the Fund are not
to be deemed exclusive and ICC shall be free to render accounting or other
services to others (including other investment companies) and to engage in other
activities. It is understood and agreed that directors, officers or employees of
ICC may serve as directors or officers of the Fund, and that directors or
officers of the Fund may serve as directors, officers and employees of ICC to
the extent permitted by law; and that directors, officers and employees of I CC
are not prohibited from engaging in any other business activity or from
rendering services to any other person, or from serving as partners, directors
or officers of any other firm or corporation, including other investment
companies.
11. Notice. Any notice or other communication required to be
given pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed duly given if delivered or
mailed by registered mail, postage prepaid, to the Fund at
_______________________________________, Attention: ____________, or to ICC at
000 X. Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000, Attention: Xx. Xxxxxx X.
Xxxxxxxx.
00. Miscellaneous.
(a) This Agreement shall become effective as of the
date first above written and shall remain in force until terminated. This
Agreement, or any Appendix hereto, may be terminated at any time without the
payment of any penalty, by either party hereto on sixty (60) days' written
notice to the other party.
(b) This Agreement shall be construed in accordance
with the laws of the State of Maryland.
-3-
(c) If any provisions of this Agreement shall be held
or made invalid in whole or in part, the other provisions of this Agreement
shall remain in force. Invalid provisions shall, in accordance with the intent
and purpose of this Agreement, be replaced by mutual consent of the parties with
such valid provisions which in their economic effect come as close as legally
possible to such invalid provisions.
(d) Except as otherwise specified in the Appendices
hereto, ICC shall be entitled to rely on any notice or communication believed by
it to be genuine and correct and to have been sent to it by or on behalf of the
Fund.
(e) ICC agrees on behalf of itself and its employees
to treat confidentially all records and other information relative to the Fund
and its prior, present, or potential shareholders, except, after prior
notification to and approval in writing by the Fund, which approval shall not be
unreasonably withheld and may not be withheld where ICC may be exposed 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 Fund.
(f) Any part of this Agreement or any Appendix
attached hereto may be changed or waived only by an instrument in writing signed
by both parties hereto.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this
Agreement to be executed as of the day and year first above written.
FLAG INVESTORS INTERNATIONAL FUND, INC.
By: /s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx
____________________________________
Title: Vice President & Secretary
INVESTMENT COMPANY CAPITAL CORP.
By: /s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
____________________________________
Title: President
-4-
Appendix I
TRANSFER AGENCY SERVICES APPENDIX
to
MASTER SERVICES AGREEMENT
between
FLAG INVESTORS INTERNATIONAL FUND, INC.
and
INVESTMENT COMPANY CAPITAL CORP.
This Appendix is dated as of March 1, 1994 and is hereby incorporated
into and made a part of the Master Services Agreement (the "Master Services
Agreement") between FLAG INVESTORS INTERNATIONAL FUND, INC. and INVESTMENT
COMPANY CAPITAL CORP. Defined terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the
meaning set forth in the Master Services Agreement.
1. Definitions.
(a) "Authorized Person". The term "Authorized Person" shall
mean any officer of the Fund and any other person, who is fully authorized by
the Fund's Board of Directors, to give Oral and Written Instructions on behalf
of the Fund. Such persons are listed in the Certificate attached hereto.
(b) "Oral Instructions". The term "Oral Instructions" shall
mean oral instructions received by ICC from an Authorized Person or from a
person reasonably believed by ICC to be an Authorized Person.
(c) "Written Instructions". The term "Written Instructions"
shall mean written instructions signed by two Authorized Persons and received by
ICC. The instructions may be delivered by hand, mail, tested telegram, cable,
telex or facsimile sending device.
2. Instructions. Unless otherwise provided in this Appendix, ICC shall
act only upon Oral and Written Instructions. ICC shall be entitled to rely upon
any Oral and Written Instruction it receives from an Authorized Person (or from
a person reasonably believed by ICC to be an Authorized Person) pursuant to this
Agreement. ICC may assume that any Oral or Written Instruction received
hereunder is not in any way inconsistent with the provisions of the Fund's
Articles of Incorporation, the Master Services Agreement, or any Appendix
attached thereto, or of any vote, resolution or proceeding of the Fund's Board
of Directors or shareholders.
The Fund agrees to forward to ICC Written Instructions
confirming Oral Instructions so that ICC receives the Written Instructions by
the close of business on the same day that such Oral Instructions are received.
The fact that such confirming Written Instructions are not received by ICC shall
in no way invalidate the transactions or enforceability of the transactions
authorized by the Oral Instructions. The Fund further agrees that ICC shall
incur no liability to the Fund in acting upon Oral or Written Instructions
provided such instructions reasonably appear to have been received from an
Authorized Person.
If ICC is in doubt as to any action it should or should not
take, ICC may request directions or advice, including Oral or Written
Instructions, from the Fund. ICC shall be protected in any action it takes or
does not take in reliance upon directions, advice or Oral or Written
Instructions it receives from the Fund or from counsel and which ICC believes,
in good faith, to be consistent with those directions, advice or Oral of Written
Instructions. Notwithstanding the foregoing, ICC shall have no obligation (i) to
seek such directions, advice or Oral or Written Instructions, or (ii) to act in
accordance with such directions, advice or Oral or Written Instructions unless,
under the terms of other provisions of this Appendix, the same is a condition of
ICC's properly taking or not taking such action.
3. Description of Services.
(a) General Services To be Provided. ICC shall provide to the
Fund the following services on an ongoing basis:
(i) Calculate 12b-1 payments;
(ii) Maintain proper shareholder registrations;
(iii) Review new applications and correspond with
shareholders, if necessary, to complete or
correct information;
(iv) Direct payment processing of checks or wires;
(v) Prepare and certify stockholder lists in
conjunction with proxy solicitations; solicit
and tabulate proxies; receive and tabulate
proxy cards for meetings of the Fund's
shareholders;
(vi) Countersign securities;
(vii) Direct shareholder confirmation of activity;
(viii) Provide toll-free lines for direct shareholder
use, plus customer liaison staff for on-line
inquiry response;
(ix) Mail duplicate confirmation to broker-dealers
of their clients' activity, whether executed
through the broker-dealer or directly with ICC;
(x) Provide periodic shareholder lists and
statistics to the Fund;
(xi) Provide detail for underwriter/broker
confirmations;
(xii) Mail periodic year-end tax and statement
information;
(xiii) Provide timely notification to investment
advisor, accounting agent, and custodian of
Fund activity; and
(xiv) Perform other participating broker-dealer
shareholder services as may be agreed upon from
time to time.
(b) Purchase of Shares. ICC shall issue and credit an account
of an investor, in the manner described in the Prospectus, once it receives: (i)
a purchase order; (ii) proper information to establish a shareholder account;
and (iii) confirmation of receipt by, or crediting of funds for such order to,
the Fund's custodian.
(d) Redemption of Shares. ICC shall redeem the Fund's shares
only in accordance with the provisions of the Prospectus and each shareholder's
individual directions. Shares shall be redeemed at such time as the shareholder
tenders his or her shares and directs the method of redemption in accordance
with the terms set forth in the Prospectus. If securities are received in proper
form, Shares shall be redeemed before the funds are provided to ICC. When the
Fund provides ICC with funds, redemption proceeds will be wired (if requested)
or a redemption check issued. All redemption checks shall be drawn to
the recordholder unless third party payment authorizations have been signed by
the recordholder and delivered to ICC.
(e) Dividends and Distributions. Upon receipt of certified
resolutions of the Fund's Board of Directors authorizing the declaration and
payment of dividends and distributions, ICC shall issue the dividends and
distributions in shares, or, upon shareholder election, pay such dividends and
distributions in cash. Such issuance or payment shall be made after deduction
and payment of the required amount of funds to be withheld in accordance with
any applicable tax laws or other laws, rules or regulations. The Fund's
shareholders shall receive 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. ICC
shall maintain and file with the IRS and other appropriate taxing authorities
reports relating to all dividends and distributions paid by the Fund to its
shareholders as required by tax or other law, rule or regulation.
(f) Shareholder Account Services. If authorized in the
Prospectus, ICC shall arrange for the following services, in accordance with the
applicable terms set forth in the Prospectus: (i) the issuance of Shares
obtained through any pre-authorized check plan and direct purchases through
broker wire orders, checks and applications; (ii) exchanges of shares of any
fund for Shares of the Fund with which the Fund has exchange privileges; (iii)
automatic redemption from an account where that shareholder participates in an
automatic redemption plan; and (iv) redemption of Shares from an account with a
check writing privilege.
(g) Communications to Shareholders. Upon timely Written
Instructions, ICC shall mail all communications by the Fund to its shareholders,
including, reports to shareholders, confirmations of purchases and sales of
Shares, monthly or quarterly statements, dividend and distribution notices, and
proxy material.
(h) Records. ICC shall maintain records of the accounts for
each shareholder showing the following information: (i) name, address and U.S.
Tax Identification or Social Security number; (ii) 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; (iii) 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; (iv) any stop or restraining order placed against a
shareholder's account; (v) any correspondence relating to the current
maintenance of a shareholder's account; (vi) information with respect to
withholdings; and (vii) any information required in order for ICC to perform any
calculations contemplated or required by this Appendix or the Master Services
Agreement.
(i) Lost or Stolen Certificates. ICC 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 upon: (i) the
shareholder's pledge of a lost instrument bond or such other appropriate
indemnity bond issued by a surety company approved by ICC; and (ii) completion
of a release and indemnification agreement signed by the shareholder to protect
ICC.
(j) Shareholder Inspection of Stock Records. Upon requests
from Fund shareholders to inspect stock records, ICC will notify the Fund and
the Fund shall deliver Oral or Written Instructions granting or denying each
such request. Unless ICC has acted contrary to the Fund's Instructions, the Fund
agrees to release ICC from any liability for refusal or permission for a
particular shareholder to inspect the Fund's shareholder records.
(k) Withdrawal of Shares and Cancellation of Certificates.
Upon receipt of Written Instructions, ICC 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.
(l) Telephone Transactions. In accordance with the terms of
the Prospectus, ICC shall act upon shareholder requests made by telephone for
redemption or exchange of ISI shares; provided that (i) the shareholder has
authorized telephone transactions on the Fund's Account Application or otherwise
in writing, (ii) if the request is a redemption, the amount to be redeemed does
not exceed $50,000 and (iii) ICC has complied with the identification and other
security procedures required by the Fund in connection with telephone
transactions.
4. Fees. As compensation for the services performed by ICC for the Fund
pursuant to this Appendix, the Fund will pay to ICC such amounts as may be
agreed to from time to time by the parties in writing.
5. Delegation of Responsibilities. ICC may subcontract to any third
party all or any part of its obligations under this Appendix; provided that any
such subcontracting shall not relieve ICC of any of its obligations under this
Appendix. All subcontractors shall be paid by ICC.
Appendix II
ACCOUNTING SERVICES APPENDIX
to
MASTER SERVICES AGREEMENT
between
FLAG INVESTORS INTERNATIONAL FUND, INC.
and
INVESTMENT COMPANY CAPITAL CORP.
This Appendix is dated as of April 10, 1995 and is hereby incorporated
into and made a part of the Master Services Agreement (the "Master Services
Agreement") between FLAG INVESTORS INTERNATIONAL FUND, INC. and INVESTMENT
COMPANY CAPITAL CORP. Defined terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the
meaning set forth in the Master Services Agreement.
1. Accounting Services to be Provided. ICC will perform the following
accounting functions if required:
(a) Journalize investment, capital share and income and expense;
(b) Verify investment buy/sell trade tickets when received from the
Fund's investment advisor and transmit trades to the Fund's custodian for proper
settlement;
(c) Maintain individual ledgers for investment securities;
(d) Maintain tax lots for each security;
(e) Reconcile cash and investment balances with the custodian, and
provide the Fund's investment advisor with the beginning cash balance available
for investment purposes;
(f) Update the cash availability throughout the day as required by the
Fund's investment advisor;
(g) Post to and prepare the Fund's Statement of Net Assets and
Liabilities and the Statement of Operations;
(h) Calculate various contractual expenses (e.g., advisor and custody
fees);
(i) Monitor the expense accruals and notify Fund management of any
proposed adjustments;
(j) Control all disbursements from the Fund and authorize such
disbursements upon written instructions from the President or any other officer
of the Fund or the investment advisor;
(k) Calculate capital gains and losses;
(l) Determine the Fund's net income;
(m) Obtain security market quotes from independent pricing services
approved by the investment advisor, or if such quotes are unavailable, then
obtain such prices from the investment advisor, and in either case calculate the
market value of portfolio investments;
(n) Transmit or mail a copy of the daily portfolio valuation to the
Fund's investment advisor;
(o) Compute the Fund's net asset value;
(p) As appropriate, compute the yields, total return, expense ratios,
portfolio turnover rate;
(q) Prepare a monthly financial statement, which will include the
following items:
* Schedule of Investments;
* Statement of Net Assets and Liabilities;
* Statement of Operations;
* Statement of Changes in Net Assets;
* Cash Statement;
* Schedule of Capital Gains and Losses;
(r) Assist in the preparation of:
* Federal and State Tax Returns;
* Excise Tax Returns;
* Annual, Semi-Annual and Quarterly Shareholder Reports;
* Rules 24 (e)-2 and 24 (f)-2 Notices;
* Annual and Semi-Annual Reports on Form N-SAR;
* Monthly and Quarterly Statistical Data Information Reports Sent
to Performance Tracking Companies;
(s) Assist in the Blue Sky and Federal registration and compliance
process;
(t) Assist in the review of registration statements; and
(u) Assist in monitoring compliance with Sub-Chapter M of the Internal
Revenue Code.
2. Records. ICC shall keep the following records: (a) all books and records with
respect to the Fund's books of account; and (b) records of the Fund's
securities transactions.
3. Liaison With Accountants. In addition to ICC's obligations relating to the
Fund's independent accountants set forth in the Master Services Agreement,
ICC shall act as liaison with the Fund's independent accountants and shall
provide account analyses, fiscal year summaries, and other audit related
schedules.
4. Compensation. For services performed by ICC pursuant to this Appendix, the
Fund will pay to ICC compensation for such services as the parties may agree
to from time to time in writing.
