MASTER ADMINISTRATION AGREEMENT
Execution Copy
MASTER ADMINISTRATION AGREEMENT
This Master Administration Agreement (“Agreement”) dated and effective as of March 23, 2015, is by and among State Street Bank and Trust Company, a Massachusetts trust company (the “Administrator”), and each management investment company identified on Schedule A hereto (each such investment company and each management investment company made subject to this Agreement in accordance with Section 21 below, shall hereinafter be referred to as a “Company” and collectively, the “Companies”).
WHEREAS, each Company is a closed-end management investment company, and is registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) by means of a registration statement (“Registration Statement”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (“1933 Act”), and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”); and
WHEREAS, each Company desires to retain the Administrator to furnish certain administrative services to the Companies, and the Administrator is willing to furnish such services, on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and mutual covenants herein contained, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1. APPOINTMENT OF ADMINISTRATOR
Each Company hereby appoints the Administrator to act as administrator to the Company for purposes of providing certain administrative services for the period and on the terms set forth in this Agreement. The Administrator accepts such appointment and agrees to render the services stated herein.
2. DELIVERY OF DOCUMENTS
Each Company will promptly deliver to the Administrator copies of each of the following documents and all future amendments and supplements, if any:
a. The Company’s Articles of Incorporation and By-laws (“Governing Documents”);
b. The Company’s currently effective Registration Statement on Form N-2 under the 1933 Act and the 1940 Act and each Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) and all amendments and supplements thereto as in effect from time to time;
c. Copies of the resolutions of the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) certified by the Company’s Secretary authorizing (1) the Company to enter into this Agreement and (2) certain individuals on behalf of the Company to (a) give
instructions to the Administrator pursuant to this Agreement and (b) sign checks and pay expenses;
d. A copy of the investment advisory agreement between the Company and its investment adviser; and
e. Such other certificates, documents or opinions which the Administrator may, in its reasonable discretion, deem necessary or appropriate in the proper performance of its duties.
3. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE ADMINISTRATOR
The Administrator represents and warrants to the Companies that:
a. It is a Massachusetts trust company, duly organized and existing under the laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts;
b. It has the requisite power and authority to carry on its business in The Commonwealth of Massachusetts;
c. All requisite corporate proceedings have been taken to authorize it to enter into and perform this Agreement;
d. No legal or administrative proceedings have been instituted or threatened which would materially impair the Administrator’s ability to perform its duties and obligations under this Agreement; and
e. Its entrance into this Agreement shall not cause a material breach or be in material conflict with any other agreement or obligation of the Administrator or any law or regulation applicable to it.
4. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANIES
Each Company represents and warrants to the Administrator that:
a. It is a corporation, duly organized, existing and in good standing under the laws of its state of formation;
b. It has the requisite power and authority under applicable laws and by its Governing Documents to enter into and perform this Agreement;
c. All requisite proceedings have been taken to authorize it to enter into and perform this Agreement;
d. It is an investment company properly registered with the SEC under the 1940 Act;
e. The Registration Statement has been filed and will be effective and remain effective during the term of this Agreement. The Company also warrants to the Administrator that as of the effective date of this Agreement, all necessary filings under the securities laws of the states in which the Company offers or sells its shares have been made;
f. No legal or administrative proceedings have been instituted or threatened which would impair the Company’s ability to perform its duties and obligations under this Agreement;
g. Its entrance into this Agreement will not cause a material breach or be in material conflict with any other agreement or obligation of the Company or any law or regulation applicable to it; and
h. As of the close of business on the date of this Agreement, the Company is authorized to issue 12,000,000 shares of common stock;
i. Where information provided by the Company includes information about an identifiable individual (excluding the Company’s investors) (“Personal Information”), the Company represents and warrants that it has obtained all consents and approvals, as required by all applicable laws, regulations, by-laws and ordinances that regulate the collection, processing, use or disclosure of Personal Information, necessary to disclose such Personal Information to the Administrator, and as required for the Administrator to use and disclose such Personal Information in connection with the performance of the services hereunder. The Company acknowledges that the Administrator may perform any of the services, and may use and disclose Personal Information outside of the jurisdiction in which it was initially collected by the Company, including the United States and that information relating to the Company, including Personal Information may be accessed by national security authorities, law enforcement and courts. The Administrator shall be kept indemnified by and be without liability to the Company for any action taken or omitted by it in reliance upon this representation and warranty, including without limitation, any liability or costs in connection with claims or complaints for failure to comply with any applicable law that regulates the collection, processing, use or disclosure of Personal Information.
5. ADMINISTRATION SERVICES
The Administrator shall provide the services as listed on Schedule B, subject to the authorization and direction of the Company and, in each case where appropriate, the review and comment by the Company’s independent accountants and legal counsel and in accordance with procedures which may be established from time to time between the Company and the Administrator.
The Administrator shall perform such other services for the Companies that are mutually agreed to by the parties from time to time, for which the Companies will pay such fees as may be mutually agreed upon, including the Administrator’s reasonable out-of-pocket expenses. The provision of such services shall be subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement.
The Administrator shall provide the office facilities and the personnel determined by it to perform the services contemplated herein.
6. COMPENSATION OF ADMINISTRATOR; EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT; COMPANY EXPENSES
The Administrator shall be entitled to reasonable compensation for its services and expenses, as agreed upon from time to time in writing between the Companies and the Administrator.
Each Company agrees promptly to reimburse the Administrator for any equipment and supplies specially ordered by or for the Company through the Administrator and for any other expenses not contemplated by this Agreement that the Administrator may incur on the Company’s behalf at the Company’s request or with the Company’s consent.
Each Company will bear all expenses that are incurred in its operation and not specifically assumed by the Administrator. For the avoidance of doubt, Company expenses not assumed by the Administrator include, but are not limited to: organizational expenses; cost of services of independent accountants and outside legal and tax counsel (including such counsel’s review of the Registration Statement, Form N-CSR, Form N-Q, Form N-PX, Form N-SAR, proxy materials, federal and state tax qualification as a regulated investment company and other notices, registrations, reports, filings and materials prepared by the Administrator under this Agreement); cost of any services contracted for by the Company directly from parties other than the Administrator; cost of trading operations and brokerage fees, commissions and transfer taxes in connection with the purchase and sale of securities for the Company; investment advisory fees; taxes, insurance premiums and other fees and expenses applicable to its operation; costs incidental to any meetings of shareholders including, but not limited to, legal and accounting fees, proxy filing fees and the costs of preparation (e.g., typesetting, XBRL-tagging, page changes and all other print vendor and XXXXX charges, collectively referred to herein as “Preparation”), printing, distribution and mailing of any proxy materials; costs incidental to Board meetings, including fees and expenses of Board members; the salary and expenses of any officer, director or employee of the Company; costs of Preparation, printing, distribution and mailing, as applicable, of the Company’s Registration Statements and any amendments and supplements thereto and shareholder reports; cost of Preparation and filing of the Company’s tax returns, Form N-2, Form N-Q, Form N-SAR, Form N-CSR, Form N-PX, and all notices, registrations and amendments associated with applicable federal and state tax and securities laws; all applicable registration fees and filing fees required under federal and state securities laws; the cost of fidelity bond and D&O/E&O liability insurance; and the cost of independent pricing services used in computing the Company’s net asset value.
7. INSTRUCTIONS AND ADVICE
At any time, the Administrator may apply to any officer of the Companies or his or her designee for instructions or the independent accountants for the Companies, with respect to any matter arising in connection with the services to be performed by the Administrator under this Agreement. The Administrator shall be entitled to rely on and may act upon reasonable advice of counsel (who may be counsel for such Company) on all matters, and shall be without liability for any action reasonably taken or omitted pursuant to such advice.
The Administrator shall not be liable, and shall be indemnified by the Companies, for any action taken or omitted by it in good faith in reliance upon any such instructions or advice or upon any paper or document reasonably believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed by the proper person or persons. The Administrator shall not be held to have notice of any change of authority of any person until receipt of written notice thereof from the Company. Nothing in this section shall be construed as imposing upon the Administrator any obligation to seek such instructions or advice, or to act in accordance with such advice when received.
8. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY AND INDEMNIFICATION
The Administrator shall act with reasonable care in carrying out the provisions of this Agreement. The Administrator shall be responsible for the performance only of such duties as are set forth in this Agreement and, except as otherwise provided under Section 14, shall have no responsibility for the actions or activities of any other party, including other service providers. The Administrator shall have no liability in respect of any loss, damage or expense suffered by the Companies insofar as such loss, damage or expense arises from the performance of the Administrator’s duties hereunder in reliance upon records that were maintained for the Companies by entities other than the Administrator prior to the Administrator’s appointment as administrator for the Companies. The Administrator shall have no liability for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss or damage resulting from the performance or nonperformance of its duties hereunder unless solely caused by or resulting from the negligence, bad faith, reckless disregard or willful misconduct of the Administrator, its officers or employees. The Administrator shall not be liable for any special, indirect, incidental, punitive or consequential damages, including lost profits, of any kind whatsoever (including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees) under any provision of this Agreement or for any such damages arising out of any act or failure to act hereunder, each of which is hereby excluded by agreement of the parties regardless of whether such damages were foreseeable or whether either party or any entity had been advised of the possibility of such damages. In any event, the Administrator’s cumulative liability for each calendar year (a “Liability Period”) with respect to the Companies under this Agreement regardless of the form of action or legal theory shall be limited to its total annual compensation earned and fees payable hereunder during the preceding Compensation Period, as defined herein, for any liability or loss suffered by the Companies including, but not limited to, any liability relating to qualification of a Company as a regulated investment company or any liability relating to a Company’s compliance with any federal or state tax or securities statute, regulation or ruling during such Liability Period. “Compensation Period” shall mean the calendar year ending immediately prior to each Liability Period in which the event(s) giving rise to the Administrator’s liability for that period have occurred. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Compensation Period for purposes of calculating the
annual cumulative liability of the Administrator for the Liability Period commencing on the date of this Agreement and terminating on December 31, 2015 shall be the date of this Agreement through December 31, 2015, calculated on an annualized basis, and the Compensation Period for the Liability Period commencing January 1, 2016 and terminating on December 31, 2016 shall be the date of this Agreement through December 31, 2015, calculated on an annualized basis.
The Administrator shall not be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in performance of its obligations under this Agreement arising out of or caused, directly or indirectly, by circumstances beyond its control, including without limitation, work stoppage by personnel not under the Administrator’s control, power or other mechanical failure, natural disaster, governmental action or communication disruption.
Each Company shall indemnify and hold the Administrator and its directors, officers, employees and agents harmless from all loss, cost, damage and expense, including reasonable fees and expenses for counsel, incurred by the Administrator resulting from any claim, demand, action or suit in connection with the Administrator’s acceptance of this Agreement, any action or omission by it in the performance of its duties hereunder, or as a result of acting upon any instructions reasonably believed by it to have been duly authorized by the Company or upon reasonable reliance on information or records given or made by the Company or its investment adviser, provided that this indemnification shall not apply to actions or omissions of the Administrator, its officers or employees in cases of its or their own negligence, bad faith, reckless disregard or willful misconduct.
The limitation of liability and indemnification contained herein shall survive the termination of this Agreement.
9. CONFIDENTIALITY
All information provided under this Agreement by a party (the “Disclosing Party”) to the other party (the “Receiving Party”) regarding the Disclosing Party’s business and operations shall be treated as confidential. Subject to Section 10 below, all confidential information provided under this Agreement by Disclosing Party shall be used, including disclosure to third parties, by the Receiving Party, or its agents or service providers, solely for the purpose of performing or receiving the services and discharging the Receiving Party’s other obligations under the Agreement or managing the business of the Receiving Party and its Affiliates (as defined in Section 10 below), including financial and operational management and reporting, risk management, legal and regulatory compliance and client service management. The foregoing shall not be applicable to any information (a) that is publicly available when provided or thereafter becomes publicly available, other than through a breach of this Agreement, (b) that is independently derived by the Receiving Party without the use of any information provided by the Disclosing Party in connection with this Agreement, (c) that is disclosed to comply with any legal or regulatory proceeding, investigation, audit, examination, subpoena, civil investigative demand or other similar process, (d) that is disclosed as required by operation of law or regulation or as required to comply with the requirements of any market infrastructure that the Disclosing Party or its agents direct the Administrator or its Affiliates to employ (or which is required in connection with the holding or settlement of instruments included in the assets
subject to this Agreement), or (e) where the party seeking to disclose has received the prior written consent of the party providing the information, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld.
10. USE OF DATA
(a) In connection with the provision of the services and the discharge of its other obligations under this Agreement, the Administrator (which term for purposes of this Section 10 includes each of its parent company, branches and affiliates (“Affiliates”)) may collect and store information regarding a Company and share such information with its Affiliates, agents and service providers in order and to the extent reasonably necessary (i) to carry out the provision of services contemplated under this Agreement and other agreements between the Company and the Administrator or any of its Affiliates and (ii) to carry out management of its businesses, including, but not limited to, financial and operational management and reporting, risk management, legal and regulatory compliance and client service management.
(b) Subject to paragraph (c) below, the Administrator and/or its Affiliates (except those Affiliates or business divisions principally engaged in the business of asset management) may use any data or other information (“Data”) obtained by such entities in the performance of their services under this Agreement or any other agreement between a Company and the Administrator or one of its Affiliates, including Data regarding transactions and portfolio holdings relating to a Company, and publish, sell, distribute or otherwise commercialize the Data; provided that, unless such Company otherwise consents, Data is combined or aggregated with information relating to (i) other customers of the Administrator and/or its Affiliates or (ii) information derived from other sources, in each case such that any published information will be displayed in a manner designed to prevent attribution to or identification of such Data with the Company. Each Company agrees that Administrator and/or its Affiliates may seek to profit and realize economic benefit from the commercialization and use of the Data, that such benefit will constitute part of the Administrator’s compensation for services under this Agreement or such other agreement, and the Administrator and/or its Affiliates shall be entitled to retain and not be required to disclose the amount of such economic benefit and profit to the Company.
(c) Except as expressly contemplated by this Agreement, nothing in this Section 10 shall limit the confidentiality and data-protection obligations of the Administrator and its Affiliates under this Agreement and applicable law. The Administrator shall cause any Affiliate, agent or service provider to which it has disclosed Data pursuant to this Section 10 to comply at all times with confidentiality and data-protection obligations as if it were a party to this Agreement.
11. COMPLIANCE WITH GOVERNMENTAL RULES AND REGULATIONS; RECORDS
Each Company assumes full responsibility for complying with all securities, tax, commodities and other laws, rules and regulations applicable to it.
The Administrator will maintain Trust records in compliance with the requirements of Rule 31a-3 under the 1940 Act, and the Administrator agrees that all records which it maintains for the Company shall at all times remain the property of the Companies, shall be readily accessible
during normal business hours, and shall be promptly surrendered upon the termination of the Agreement or otherwise on written request except as otherwise provided in Section 13. The Administrator further agrees that all records that it maintains for the Companies pursuant to Rule 31a-1 under the 1940 Act will be preserved for the periods prescribed by Rule 31a-2 under the 1940 Act unless any such records are earlier surrendered as provided above. Records may be surrendered in either written or machine-readable form, at the option of the Administrator. In the event that the Administrator is requested or authorized by a Company, or required by subpoena, administrative order, court order or other legal process, applicable law or regulation, or required in connection with any investigation, examination or inspection of such Company by state or federal regulatory agencies, to produce the records of such Company or the Administrator’s personnel as witnesses or deponents, the Company agrees to reimburse the Administrator for the Administrator’s extraordinary time and expenses, as well as the extraordinary fees and expenses of the Administrator’s counsel incurred in such production to the extent agreed upon in advance by the parties.
12. SERVICES NOT EXCLUSIVE
The services of the Administrator are not to be deemed exclusive, and the Administrator shall be free to render similar services to others. The Administrator shall be deemed to be an independent contractor and shall, unless otherwise expressly provided herein or authorized by the Company from time to time, have no authority to act or represent the Companies in any way or otherwise be deemed an agent of the Companies.
13. EFFECTIVE PERIOD AND TERMINATION
This Agreement shall remain in full force and effect for an initial term ending March 23, 2018 (the “Initial Term”). After the expiration of the Initial Term, this Agreement shall automatically renew for successive one-year terms (each, a “Renewal Term”) unless a written notice of non-renewal is delivered by the non-renewing party no later than ninety (90) days prior to the expiration of the Initial Term or any Renewal Term, as the case may be. In any event, except as otherwise agreed to in writing by the parties hereto, during the Initial Term and thereafter, either party may terminate this Agreement: (i) in the event of the other party’s material breach of a material provision of this Agreement that the other party has either (a) failed to cure or (b) failed to establish a remedial plan to cure that is reasonably acceptable, within 60 days’ written notice of such breach, or (ii) in the event of the appointment of a conservator or receiver for the other party or upon the happening of a like event to the other party at the direction of an appropriate agency or court of competent jurisdiction. Upon termination of this Agreement pursuant to this paragraph with respect to any Company, the applicable Company shall pay Administrator its compensation due and shall reimburse Administrator for its costs, expenses and disbursements.
In the event of: (i) a Company’s termination of this Agreement with respect to such Company for any reason other than as set forth in the immediately preceding paragraph or (ii) a transaction not in the ordinary course of business pursuant to which the Administrator is not retained to continue providing services hereunder to the Company (or its respective successor), the applicable Company shall pay the Administrator its compensation due through the end of the then-current term (based upon the average monthly compensation previously earned by
Administrator with respect to such Company) and shall reimburse the Administrator for its costs, expenses and disbursements. Upon receipt of such payment and reimbursement or if there is a reasonable dispute about the amount of such payment or reimbursement, the Administrator will deliver such Company’s records as set forth herein. For the avoidance of doubt, no payment will be required pursuant to clause (ii) of this paragraph in the event of any transaction such (a) the liquidation or dissolution of a Company and distribution of a Company’s assets as a result of the Board’s determination in its reasonable business judgment that such Company is no longer viable (b) a merger of a Company into, or the consolidation of a Company with, another entity, or (c) the sale by a Company of all, or substantially all, of the Company’s assets to another entity, in each of (b) and (c) where the Administrator is retained to continue providing services to such Company (or its respective successor) on substantially the same terms as this Agreement.
Termination of this Agreement with respect to any one particular Company shall in no way affect the rights and duties under this Agreement with respect to any other Company.
14. EMPLOYMENT OF OTHERS
The Administrator may employ, engage, associate or contract with such person or persons, including, without limitation, affiliates and subsidiaries of the Administrator, as the Administrator may deem desirable to assist it in performing its duties under this Agreement without the consent of the Companies; provided, however, that the compensation of such person or persons shall be paid by the Administrator and that the Administrator shall be as fully responsible to the Companies for the acts and omissions of any such person or persons as it is for its own acts and omissions under this Agreement.
15. INTERPRETIVE AND ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS
In connection with the operation of this Agreement, the Administrator and each Company may from time to time agree on such provisions interpretive of or in addition to the provisions of this Agreement as may in their joint opinion be consistent with the general tenor of this Agreement. Any such interpretive or additional provisions shall be in a writing signed by all parties, provided that no such interpretive or additional provisions shall contravene any applicable laws or regulations or any provision of the Company’s Governing Documents. No interpretive or additional provisions made as provided in the preceding sentence shall be deemed to be an amendment of the Agreement.
16. NOTICES
Any notice, instruction or other instrument required to be given hereunder will be in writing and may be sent by hand, or by facsimile transmission, or overnight delivery by any recognized delivery service, to the parties at the following address or such other address as may be notified by any party from time to time:
If to the Company:
c/o FIRST PACIFIC ADVISORS, LLC
00000 Xxxxxxx Xxxx., Xxxxx 0000
Xxx Xxxxxxx, XX 00000
Attention: J. Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Telephone: 000-000-0000
Facsimile: 000-000-0000
If to the Administrator:
STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY
000 Xxxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxx X, 0xx Xxxxx
Xxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Xxxxx X. X’Xxxxxxxx, Senior Vice President
Telephone: 000-000-0000
Facsimile: 000-000-0000
with a copy to:
STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY
Legal Division — Global Services Americas
Xxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Senior Vice President and Senior Managing Counsel
17. AMENDMENT
This Agreement may be amended at any time in writing by mutual agreement of the parties hereto.
18. ASSIGNMENT
This Agreement shall not be assigned by either party hereto without the prior consent in writing of the other party, except that the Administrator may assign this Agreement to a successor of all or a substantial portion of its business, or to a party controlling, controlled by or under common control with the Administrator.
19. SUCCESSORS
This Agreement shall be binding on and shall inure to the benefit of the Companies and the Administrator and their respective successors and permitted assigns.
20. DATA PROTECTION
The Administrator shall implement and maintain a comprehensive written information security program that contains appropriate security measures to safeguard the personal information of Companies’ shareholders, employees, directors and/or officers that the Administrator receives, stores, maintains, processes or otherwise accesses in connection with the provision of services
hereunder. For these purposes, “personal information” shall mean (i) an individual’s name (first initial and last name or first name and last name), address or telephone number plus (a) social security number, (b) driver’s license number, (c) state identification card number, (d) debit or credit card number, (e) financial account number or (f) personal identification number or password that would permit access to a person’s account or (ii) any combination of the foregoing that would allow a person to log onto or access an individual’s account. Notwithstanding the foregoing “personal information” shall not include information that is lawfully obtained from publicly available information, or from federal, state or local government records lawfully made available to the general public.
21. ADDITIONAL COMPANIES
If any management investment company in addition to those listed on Schedule A desires the Administrator to render services as administrator under the terms of this Agreement, the management investment company shall so notify the Administrator in writing. If the Administrator agrees in writing to provide the services, the management investment company shall become a Company hereunder and be bound by all terms and conditions and provisions hereof including, without limitation, the representations and warranties set forth in Section 4 above.
22. RESERVED
23. ENTIRE AGREEMENT
This Agreement contains the entire understanding between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all previous representations, warranties or commitments regarding the services to be performed hereunder whether oral or in writing.
24. WAIVER
The failure of a party to insist upon strict adherence to any term of this Agreement on any occasion shall not be considered a waiver nor shall it deprive such party of the right thereafter to insist upon strict adherence to that term or any term of this Agreement or the failure of a party hereto to exercise or any delay in exercising any right or remedy under this Agreement shall not constitute a waiver of any such term, right or remedy or a waiver of any other rights or remedies, and no single or partial exercise of any right or remedy under this Agreement shall prevent any further exercise of the right or remedy or the exercise or any other right or remedy. Any waiver must be in writing signed by the waiving party.
25. SEVERABILITY
If any provision or provisions of this Agreement shall be held to be invalid, unlawful or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired.
26. GOVERNING LAW
This Agreement shall be construed and the provisions thereof interpreted under and in accordance with the laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, without regard to its conflicts of laws rules.
27. REPRODUCTION OF DOCUMENTS
This Agreement and all schedules, exhibits, attachments and amendments hereto may be reproduced by any photographic, xerographic, photostatic, microfilm, micro-card, miniature photographic or other similar process. The parties hereto all/each agree that any such reproduction shall be admissible in evidence as the original itself in any judicial or administrative proceeding, whether or not the original is in existence and whether or not such reproduction was made by a party in the regular course of business, and that any enlargement, facsimile or further reproduction of such reproduction shall likewise be admissible in evidence.
28. COUNTERPARTS
This Agreement may be executed in several counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts taken together shall constitute one and the same Agreement. Counterparts may be executed in either original or electronically transmitted form (e.g., faxes or emailed portable document format (PDF) form), and the parties hereby adopt as original any signatures received via electronically transmitted form.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed by their officers designated below as of the date first written above.
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EACH OF THE ENTITIES SET FORTH ON |
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SCHEDULE A HERETO |
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/s/ J. Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx |
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J. Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx |
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President |
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STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY |
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/s/ Xxxxxx Xxxxx |
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Xxxxxx Xxxxx |
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Executive Vice President |
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MASTER ADMINISTRATION AGREEMENT
SCHEDULE B
LIST OF SERVICES
I. Fund Administration Treasury Services as described in Schedule B1 attached hereto;
II. Fund Administration Tax Services as described in Schedule B2 attached hereto;
III. Fund Administration Legal Services as described in Schedule B3 attached hereto;
IV. Reserved; and
V. Reserved.
Schedule B1
Fund Administration Treasury Services
a. Prepare for the review by designated officer(s) of the Company financial information regarding the Company that will be included in the Company’s quarterly, semi-annual and annual shareholder reports, registration statements on Form N-2 and other reports (as mutually agreed upon), including tax footnote disclosures where applicable;
b. Coordinate the audit of the Company’s financial statements by the Company’s independent accountants, including the preparation of supporting audit workpapers and other schedules;
c. Prepare for the review by designated officer(s) of the Company the Company’s periodic financial reports required to be filed with the SEC and financial information required by Form N-2, proxy statements and such other reports, forms or filings as may be mutually agreed upon;
d. Prepare for the review by designated officer(s) of the Company annual fund expense budgets, perform accrual analyses and roll-forward calculations and recommend changes to fund expense accruals on a periodic basis, arrange for payment of the Company’s expenses, review calculations of fees paid to the Company’s investment adviser, custodian, fund accountant, distributor and transfer agent, and obtain authorization of accrual changes and expense payments;
e. Provide periodic testing of the Company with respect to compliance with the Internal Revenue Code’s mandatory qualification requirements, the requirements of the 1940 Act and limitations for the Company contained in the Registration Statement for the Company as may be mutually agreed upon, including quarterly compliance reporting to the designated officer(s) of the Company as well as preparation of Board compliance materials;
f. Prepare and furnish total return performance information for the Company, including such information on an after-tax basis, calculated in accordance with applicable U.S. securities laws and regulations, as may be reasonably requested by Company management;
g. Prepare and disseminate vendor survey information;
h. Provide sub-certificates in connection with the certification requirements of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002 with respect to the services provided by the Administrator; and
i. Maintain certain books and records of the Company as required under Rule 31a-1(b) of the 1940 Act, as may be mutually agreed upon.
SCHEDULE B2
Fund Administration Tax Services
a. Prepare annual tax basis provisions for both excise and income tax purposes, including wash sales and all tax financial statement disclosure;
b. Prepare the Company’s annual federal, state, and local income tax returns and extension requests for review and for execution and filing by the Company’s independent accountants and execution and filing by the Company’s treasurer, including Form 1120-RIC, Form 8613 and Form 1099-MISC;
c. Prepare annual shareholder reporting information relating to Form 1099-DIV;
d. Preparation of financial information relating to Form 1099-DIV, including completion of the ICI Primary and Secondary forms, Qualified Dividend Income, Dividends Received Deduction, Alternative Minimum Tax, Foreign Tax Credit, United States Government obligations;
e. Review annual minimum distribution calculations (income and capital gain) for both federal and excise tax purposes prior to their declaration; and
f. Participate in discussions of potential tax issues with the Company and the Company’s audit firm.
Tax services, as described in this Schedule, do not include identification of passive foreign investment companies, qualified interest income securities or Internal Revenue Code Section 1272(a)(6) tax calculations for asset backed securities.
SCHEDULE B3
Fund Administration Legal Services
a. Prepare the agenda and resolutions for all requested Board of Directors (the “Board”) and committee meetings, organize and coordinate the Board materials, make presentations to the Board and committee meetings where appropriate or upon reasonable request, prepare minutes for such Board and committee meetings and attend the Company’s shareholder meetings and prepare minutes of such meetings;
b. Prepare for filing with the SEC (and to the extent applicable, the NYSE) the following documents: Form N-CSR, Form N-PX and all amendments to the Registration Statement, including updates and XBRL versions of the Prospectus and SAI for the Company and any supplements to the Prospectus and SAI for the Company and Forms 3, 4 and 5;
c. Prepare for filing with the SEC (and to the extent applicable, the NYSE) proxy statements and provide consultation on proxy solicitation matters;
d. Prepare for filing with or submission to the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) the following documents: all affirmations and certifications required under Rule 303A of the NYSE Listed Company Manual; press releases; dividend notifications and reporting; notifications of shareholder meetings and related record dates; and notifications and reporting of number of shareholders and of shares of stock outstanding;
e. Maintain general Board calendars and regulatory filings calendars;
f. Maintain copies of the Company’s Articles of Incorporation and By-laws;
g. Assist in developing guidelines and procedures to improve overall compliance by the Company;
h. Assist the Company in the handling of routine regulatory examinations of the Company and work closely with the Company’s legal counsel in response to any non-routine regulatory matters;
i. Maintain awareness of significant emerging regulatory and legislative developments that may affect the Company, update the Board and the investment adviser on those developments and provide related planning assistance where requested or appropriate; and
j. Coordinate with insurance providers, including soliciting bids for Directors & Officers/Errors & Omissions (“D&O/E&O”) insurance and fidelity bond coverage, file fidelity bonds with the SEC and make related Board presentations.
