TRANSFER AGENCY AGREEMENT
This Agreement made as of the 30th of August, 1994 between Bull & Bear Funds II,
Inc., a Maryland corporation ("Fund"), whose series include: Bull & Bear Dollar
Reserves; Bull & Bear Global Income Fund; and Bull & Bear U.S. Government
Securities Fund, having its principal office and place of business at 00 Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000 and Supervised Service Company Inc., ("SSC") a
Delaware corporation having its principal office and place of business at 000
Xxxxx XxXxxxx, Xxxxxxx XX 00000 (hereinafter referred to as the "Transfer
Agent").
W I T N E S S E T H:
That for and in consideration of the mutual promises hereinafter set forth, the
parties hereto covenant and agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
Whenever used in this Agreement, the following words and phrases shall have the
following meanings:
1. "APPROVED INSTITUTION" shall mean an entity so named in a
Certificate. From time to time the Fund may amend a previously delivered
Certificate by delivering to the Transfer Agent a Certificate naming an
additional entity or deleting any entity named in a previously delivered
Certificate.
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2. THE "BOARD OF DIRECTORS" shall mean the Board of Directors of
the Fund.
3. "CERTIFICATE" shall mean any notice, instruction, or other
instrument in writing, authorized or required by this Agreement to be given to
the Transfer Agent by the Fund which is signed by any Officer, as hereinafter
defined, and actually received by the Transfer Agent.
4. "CUSTODIAN" shall mean the financial institution appointes as
custodian under the terms and conditions of the Custody Agreement between the
financial institution and the Fund, or its successor(s).
5. "FUND BUSINESS DAY" shall be deemed to be each day on which the New
York Stock Exchange, Inc. is open for trading.
6. "OFFICER" shall be deemed to be the Fund's President, any Vice
President of the Fund, the Fund's Secretary, the Fund's Treasurer, the Fund's
Controller, any Assistant Controller of the Fund, any Assistant Treasurer of the
Fund and any Assistant Secretary of the Fund, and any other person duly
authorized by the Board of Directors of the Fund to execute any Certificate,
instruction, notice or other instrument on behalf of the Fund and named in the
Certificate annexed hereto as Appendix A, as such Certificate may be amended
from time to time, and any person
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reasonably believed by the Transfer Agent to be such a person.
7. "OUT-OF-POCKET EXPENSES" means amounts reasonably necessary and
actually incurred by Transfer Agent in the provision of Transfer Agent services
or pursuant to this Agreement for the following purposes: postage (and first
class mail insurance in connection with mailing share certificates), envelopes,
check forms, continuous forms, forms for reports and statements, stationery, and
other similar items, telephone and telegraph charges incurred in answering
inquiries from dealers or shareholders, microfilm used to record transactions in
shareholder accounts and computer tapes used for permanent storage of records
and cost of insertion of materials in mailing envelopes by outside firms.
Transfer Agent may, at its option, arrange to have various service providers
submit invoices directly to the Fund for payment of out-of-pocket expenses
reimbursable hereunder; and such other expenses paid or incurred by Transfer
Agent at the request of the Fund. Any charges associated with special or
exception processing shall also be considered Out-of-Pocket Expenses. 8.
"PROSPECTUS" shall mean the most recent Fund prospectus actually received by the
Transfer Agent from the Fund with respect to which the Fund has indicated a
registration statement under the Federal Securities Act of 1933 has becomes
effective, including the
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Statement of Additional Information, incorporated by reference therein.
9. "SHARES" shall mean all or any part of each class or series of the
shares of common stock of the Fund or Portfolio listed in the Certificate as to
which the Transfer Agent acts as transfer agent hereunder, as may be amended
from time to time, which are authorized and/or issued by the Fund.
10. "TRANSFER AGENT" shall mean Supervised Service Company, Inc.,
("SSC"), as transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent under the terms and
conditions of this Agreement, its successor(s) or assign(s).
ARTICLE II
APPOINTMENT OF TRANSFER AGENT
1. The Fund hereby constitutes and appoints the Transfer Agent as
transfer agent of all the Shares of the Fund and as dividend disbursing agent
during the period of this Agreement.
2. The Transfer Agent hereby accepts appointment as transfer agent and
dividend disbursing agent and agrees to perform duties thereof as hereinafter
set forth.
3. In connection with such appointment, the Fund upon the request of the
Transfer Agent, shall deliver the following documents to the Transfer Agent:
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(i) A copy of the Articles of Incorporation of the Fund
and all amendments thereto certified by the Secretary of the Fund;
(ii) A copy of the By-Laws of the Fund certified by the
Secretary of the Fund;
(iii) A copy of a resolution of the Board of Directors of the
Fund certified by the Secretary of the Fund appointing the Transfer Agent and
authorizing the execution of this Transfer Agency Agreement;
(iv) A Certificate signed by the Secretary of the Fund
specifying: the number of authorized Shares, the number of such authorized
Shares issued, the number of such authorized Shares issued and currently
outstanding; the names and specimen signatures of the Officers of the Fund; and
the name and address of the legal counsel for the Fund;
(v) Specimen Share certificate for each or series class of
Shares in the form approved by the Board of Directors of the Fund (and in a
format compatible with the Transfer Agent's system), together with a Certificate
signed by the Secretary of the Fund as to such approval;
(vi) Copies of the Fund's Registration Statement, as amended
to date, and the most recently filed Post-Effective Amendment thereto, filed by
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the Fund with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act of
1933, as amended, and under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended,
together with any applications filed in connection therewith; and
(vii) Opinion of counsel for the Fund with respect to the
validity of the authorized and outstanding Shares, whether such Shares are fully
paid and non-assessable and the status of such Shares under the Securities Act
of 1933, as amended, and any other applicable federal law or regulation (i.e.,
if subject to registration, that they have been registered and that the
Registration Statement has become effective or, if exempt, the specific grounds
therefor.)
ARTICLE III
AUTHORIZATION AND ISSUANCE OF SHARES
1. The Fund shall deliver to the Transfer Agent the following documents
on or before the effective date of any increase or decrease in the total number
of Shares authorized to be issued:
(a) A certified copy of the amendment to the Articles of
Incorporation giving effect to such increase or decrease;
(b) In the case of an increase, an opinion of counsel for the
Fund with respect to the validity of the Shares of the Fund and the status of
such Shares under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and any other
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applicable federal law or regulation (i.e., if subject to registration, that
they have been registered and that the Registration Statement has become
effective or, if exempt, the specific grounds therefor); and
(c) In the case of an increase, if the appointment of the
Transfer Agent was theretofore expressly limited, a certified copy of a
resolution of the Board of Directors of the Fund increasing the authority of the
Transfer Agent.
2. Prior to the issuance of any additional Shares of the Fund pursuant
to stock dividends or stock splits, etc., and prior to any reduction in the
number of shares outstanding, the Fund shall deliver the following documents to
the Transfer Agent:
(a) A certified copy of the resolution(s) adopted by the Board
of Directors and/or the shareholders of the Fund authorizing such issuance of
additional Shares of the Fund or such reduction, as the case may be, and
(b) An opinion of counsel for the Fund with respect to the
validity of the Shares of the Fund and the status of such Shares under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and any other applicable federal law or
regulation (i.e., if subject to registration, that they have been registered and
that the Registration Statement has become effective, or, if exempt, the
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specific grounds therefor).
ARTICLE IV
RECAPITALIZATION OR CAPITAL ADJUSTMENT
1. In the case of any negative stock split, recapitalization or other
capital adjustment requiring a change in the form of Share certificates, the
Transfer Agent will issue Share certificates in the new form in exchange for, or
upon transfer of, outstanding Share certificates in the old form, upon
receiving:
(a) A Certificate authorizing the issuance of the Share
certificates in the new form;
(b) A certified copy of any amendment to the Articles of
Incorporation with respect to the change;
(c) Specimen Share certificates for each class of Shares in
the new form approved by the Board of Directors of the Fund, with a Certificate
signed by the Secretary of the Fund as to such approval; and
(d) An opinion of counsel for the Fund with respect to
the validity of the Shares in the new form and the status of such Shares under
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and any other applicable federal law or
regulation (i.e., if subject to registration, that the Shares have been
registered and that the Registration Statement has become effective or, if
exempt, the
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specific grounds therefor.)
2. The Fund at its expense shall furnish the Transfer Agent with a
sufficient supply of blank Share certificates in the new form and from time to
time will replenish such supply upon the request of the Transfer Agent. Such
blank Share certificates shall be compatible with the Transfer Agent's system
and shall be properly signed by facsimile or otherwise by Officers of the Fund
authorized by law or by the By-Laws to sign Share certificates and, if required
shall bear the corporate Seal or facsimile thereof. The Fund agrees to indemnify
and exonerate, save and hold the Transfer Agent harmless, from and against any
and all claims or demands that may be asserted against the Transfer Agent with
respect to the genuineness of any Share certificate supplied to the Transfer
Agent by the Fund pursuant to this section 2.
ARTICLE V
ISSUANCE,
REDEMPTION AND TRANSFER OF SHARES
1. (a) The Transfer Agent acknowledges that it has received a copy of
the Fund's Prospectus, which Prospectus describes how sales and redemption of
shares of the Fund shall be made, and the Transfer Agent agrees to accept
purchase orders and redemption requests with respect to Fund shares on each Fund
Business Day in
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accordance with such Prospectus. The Fund agrees to provide the Transfer Agent
with sufficient advance notice to enable the Transfer Agent to effect any
changes in the procedures set forth in the Prospectus regarding such purchase
and redemption procedure; provided, however, that in no event will such advance
notice be less than 30 days.
(b) The Transfer Agent shall also accept with respect to each
Fund Business Day, at such times as are agreed upon from time to time by the
Transfer Agent and the Fund, a computer tape or electronic data transmission
consistent in all respects with the Transfer Agent's record format, as amended
from time to time, which is reasonably believed by the Transfer Agent to be
furnished by or on behalf of any Approved Institution. The Transfer Agent shall
not be liable for any losses or damages to the Fund or its shareholders in the
event that a computer tape or electronic data transmission from an Approved
Institution is unable to be processed for any reason beyond the control of the
Transfer Agent, or if any of the information on such tape or transmission is
found to be incorrect.
2. On each Fund Business Day the Transfer Agent shall, as of the
time at which the Fund computes the net asset value of the Fund, issue to and
redeem from the accounts specified in a purchase
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order, redemption request, or computer tape or electronic data transmission,
which in accordance with the Prospectus is effective on such Fund Business Day,
the appropriate number of full and fractional Shares based on the net asset
value per Share of such Fund specified in an advice received on such Fund
Business Day from the Fund. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a redemption
specified in a computer tape or electronic data transmission is for a dollar
value of Shares in excess of the dollar value of uncertificated Shares in the
specified account, the Transfer Agent shall not effect such redemption in whole
or in part and shall within twenty-four hours orally advise the Approved
Institution which supplied such tape of the discrepancy.
3. In connection with a reinvestment of a dividend or distribution of
Shares of the Fund, the Transfer Agent shall as of each Fund Business Day, as
specified in a Certificate or resolution described in paragraph 1 of succeeding
Article VI, issue Shares of the Fund based on the net asset value per Share of
such Fund specified in an advice received from the Fund on such Fund Business
Day.
4. On each Fund Business Day the Transfer Agent shall supply
the Fund with a statement specifying with respect to the immediately preceding
Fund Business Day: the total number of
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Shares of the Fund (including fractional Shares) issued and outstanding at the
opening of business on such day; the total number of Shares of the Fund sold on
such day, pursuant to preceding paragraph 2 of this Article; the total number of
Shares of the Fund redeemed from Shareholders by the Transfer Agent on such day;
the total number of Shares of the Fund, if any, sold on such day pursuant to
preceding paragraph 3 of this Article, and the total number of Shares of the
Fund issued and outstanding.
5. In connection with each purchase and each redemption of Shares, the
Transfer Agent shall send such statements as are prescribed by the Federal
Securities laws applicable to transfer agents or as described in the Prospectus.
If the Prospectus indicates that certificates for Shares are available and if
specifically requested in writing by any shareholder, or if otherwise required
hereunder, the Transfer Agent will countersign, issue and mail to such
shareholder at the address set forth in the records of the Transfer Agent a
Share certificate for any full Share requested.
6. As of each Fund Business Day the Transfer Agent shall furnish the
Fund with an advice setting forth the number and dollar amount of Shares to be
redeemed on such Fund Business Day in accordance with paragraph 2 of this
Article.
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7. Upon receipt of a proper redemption request and moneys paid to it by
the Custodian in connection with a redemption of Shares, the Transfer Agent
shall cancel the redeemed Shares and after making appropriate deduction for any
withholding of taxes required of it by applicable law (a) in the case of a
redemption of Shares pursuant to a redemption described in preceding paragraph
1(a) of this Article, make payment in accordance with the Fund's redemption and
payment procedures described in the Prospectus, and (b) in the case of a
redemption of Shares pursuant to a computer tape or electronic data transmission
described in preceding paragraph 1(b) of this Article, make payment by directing
a federal funds wire order to the account previously designated by the Approved
Institution specified in said computer tape or electronic data transmission.
8. The Transfer Agent shall not be required to issue any Shares after
it has received from an Officer of the Fund or from an appropriate federal or
state authority written notification that the sale of Shares has been suspended
or discontinued, and the Transfer Agent shall be entitled to rely upon such
written notification.
9. Upon the issuance of any Shares in accordance with this
Agreement the Transfer Agent shall not be responsible for the
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payment of any original issue or other taxes required to be paid by the Fund in
connection with such issuance of any Shares.
10. The Transfer Agent shall accept a computer tape or electronic data
transmission consistent with the Transfer Agent's record format, as amended from
time to time, which is reasonably believed by the Transfer Agent to be furnished
by or on behalf of any Approved Institution and is represented to be
instructions with respect to the transfer of Shares from one account of such
Approved Institution to another such account, and shall effect the transfers
specified in said computer tape or electronic data transmission. The Transfer
Agent shall not be liable for any losses to the Fund or its shareholders in the
event that a computer tape or electronic data transmission from an Approved
Institution is unable to be processed for any reason beyond the control of the
Transfer Agent, or if any of the information on such tape or transmission is
found to be incorrect.
11.(a) Except as otherwise provided in sub-paragraph (b) of this
paragraph and in paragraph 13 of this Article, Shares will be transferred or
redeemed upon presentation to the Transfer Agent of Share certificates or
instructions properly endorsed for transfer or redemption, accompanied by such
documents as the Transfer Agent deems necessary to evidence the authority of the
person making such
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transfer or redemption, and bearing satisfactory evidence of the payment of
stock transfer taxes. In the case of small estates where no administration is
contemplated, the Transfer Agent may, when furnished with an appropriate surety
bond, and without further approval of the Fund, transfer or redeem Shares
registered in the name of a decedent where the current market value of the
Shares being transferred does not exceed such amount as may from time to time be
prescribed by various states. The Transfer Agent reserves the right to refuse to
transfer or redeem Shares until it is satisfied that the endorsement on the
stock certificate or instructions is valid and genuine, and for that purpose it
will require, unless otherwise instructed by an authorized officer of the Fund,
a guarantee of signature by an "Eligible Guarantor Institution" as that term is
defined by SEC Rule 17Ad-15 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The
Transfer Agent also reserves the right to refuse to transfer or redeem Shares
until it is satisfied that the requested transfer or redemption is legally
authorized, and it shall incur no liability for the refusal, in good faith, to
make transfers or redemptions which the Transfer Agent, in its judgement, deems
improper or unauthorized, or until it is satisfied that there is no basis to any
claims adverse to such transfer or redemption. The Transfer Agent may, in
effecting
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transfers and redemptions of Shares, rely upon those provisions of the Uniform
Act for the Simplification of Fiduciary Security Transfers or the Uniform
Commercial Code, as the same may be amended from time to time, applicable to the
transfer of securities, and the Fund shall indemnify the Transfer Agent for any
act done or omitted by it in good faith in reliance upon such laws. In no event
will the Fund indemnify the Transfer Agent for any act done by it as a result of
willful misfeasance, bad faith, negligence or reckless disregard of its duties.
(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing or any other provision contained in
this Agreement to the contrary, the Transfer Agent shall be fully protected by
the Fund in not requiring any instruments, documents, assurances, endorsements
or guarantees, including, without limitation, any signature guarantees, in
connection with a redemption, or transfer, of Shares whenever the Transfer Agent
reasonably believes that requiring the same would be inconsistent with the
transfer and redemption procedures as described in the Prospectus.
12. Notwithstanding any provision contained in this agreement
to the contrary, the Transfer Agent shall not be required or expected to
require, as a condition to any transfer of any Shares pursuant to paragraph 13
of this Article or any redemption of any
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Shares pursuant to a computer tape or electronic data transmission described in
this Agreement, any documents, including, without limitation, any documents of
the kind described in sub-paragraph (a) of paragraph 13 of this Article, to
evidence the authority of the person requesting the transfer or redemption
and/or the payment of any stock transfer taxes, and shall be fully protected in
acting in accordance with the applicable provisions of this Article.
13. (a) As used in this Agreement, the terms "computer tape or
electronic data transmission" and "computer tape believed by the Transfer Agent
to be furnished by an Approved Institution", shall include any tapes generated
by the Transfer Agent to reflect information believed by the Transfer Agent to
have been input by an Approved Institution, via a remote terminal or other
similar link, into a data processing, storage, or collection system, or similar
system (the "System"), located on the Transfer Agent's premises. For purposes of
paragraph 1 of this Article, such a computer tape or electronic data
transmission shall be deemed to have been furnished at such times as are agreed
upon from time to time by the Transfer Agent and Fund only if the information
reflected thereon was input to the System at such times as are agreed upon in
writing from time to time by the Transfer Agent and the Fund.
(b) Nothing contained in this Agreement shall constitute any
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agreement or representation by the Transfer Agent to permit, or to agree to
permit, any Approved Institution to input information into a System.
(c) The Transfer Agent reserves the right to approve, in advance, any
Approved Institution, such approval not to be unreasonably withheld. The
Transfer Agent also reserves the right to terminate any and all automated data
communications, at its discretion, upon a reasonable attempt to notify the Fund
when in the reasonable opinion of the Transfer Agent continuation of such
communications would jeopardize the accuracy and/or integrity of the Fund's
records on the System.
ARTICLE VI
DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS
1. The Fund shall furnish to the Transfer Agent a copy of a resolution
of its Board of Directors, certified by the Secretary or any Assistant
Secretary, either (i) setting forth the date of the declaration of a dividend or
distribution, the date of accrual or payment, as the case may be, thereof, the
record date as of which Shareholders entitled to payment, or accrual, as the
case may be, shall be determined, the amount per Share of such dividend or
distribution, the payment date on which all previously accrued and unpaid
dividends are to be paid, and the total amount, if any,
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payable to the Transfer Agent on such payment date, or (ii) authorizing the
declaration of dividends and distributions on a daily or other periodic basis
and authorizing the Transfer Agent to rely on a Certificate setting forth the
information described in subsection (i) of this paragraph.
2. Upon the mail date specified in such Certificate or resolution, as
the case may be, the Fund shall, in the case of a cash dividend or distribution,
cause the Custodian to deposit in an account in the name of the Transfer Agent
on behalf of the Fund an amount of cash, if any, sufficient for the Transfer
Agent to make the payment, as of the mail date, specified in such Certificate or
resolution, as the case may be, to the Shareholders who were of record on the
record date. The Transfer Agent will, upon receipt of any such cash, make
payment of such cash dividends or distributions to the shareholders of record as
of the record date by: (i) mailing a check, payable to the registered
shareholder, to the address of record or dividend mailing address, or (ii)
wiring such amounts to the accounts previously designated by an Approved
Institution, as the case may be. The Transfer Agent shall not be liable for any
improper payments made in good faith and without negligence, in accordance with
a Certificate or resolution described in the preceding paragraph. If the
Transfer Agent shall
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not receive from the Custodian sufficient cash to make payments of any cash
dividend or distribution to all shareholders of the Fund as of the record date,
the Transfer Agent shall, upon notifying the Fund, withhold payment to all
shareholders of record as of the record date until sufficient cash is provided
to the Transfer Agent.
3. It is understood that the Transfer Agent shall in no way be
responsible for the determination of the rate or form of dividends or capital
gain distributions due to the shareholders. It is expressly agreed and
understood that the Transfer Agent is not liable for any loss as a result of
processing a distribution based on information provided in the Certificate that
is incorrect. The Fund agrees to pay the Transfer Agent for any and all costs,
both direct and out-of-pocket expenses, incurred in such corrective work as
necessary to remedy such error.
4. It is understood that the Transfer Agent shall file such appropriate
information returns concerning the payment of dividend and capital gain
distributions with the proper federal, state and local authorities as are
required by law to be filed by the Fund but shall in no way be responsible for
the collection or withholding of taxes due on such dividends or distributions
due to shareholders, except and only to the extent, required by
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applicable law.
ARTICLE VII
CONCERNING THE FUND
1. The Fund represents to the Transfer Agent that:
(a) It is a corporation duly organized and existing under the
laws of the State of Maryland.
(b) It is empowered under applicable laws and by its Articles of
Incorporation and By-Laws to enter into and perform this
Agreement.
(c) All requisite corporate proceedings have been taken to
authorize it to enter into and perform this Agreement.
(d) It is an investment company registered under the Investment
Company Act of 1940, as amended.
(e) A registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, with respect to the Shares is effective. The Fund shall
notify the Transfer Agent if such registration statement or any
state securities registrations have been terminated or a stop
order has been entered with respect to the Shares.
2. Each copy of the Articles of Incorporation of the Fund and copies of all
amendments thereto shall be certified by the Secretary of State (or other
appropriate official) of the state of organization, and if such Articles of
Incorporation and/or
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amendments are required by law also to be filed with a county or other officer
or official body, a certificate of such filing shall be filed with a certified
copy submitted to the Transfer Agent. Each copy of the By-Laws and copies of all
amendments thereto, and copies of resolutions of the Board of Directors of the
Fund, shall be certified by the Secretary of the Fund.
3. The Fund shall promptly deliver to the Transfer Agent written notice
of any change in the Officers authorized to sign Share Certificates,
notifications or requests, together with a specimen signature of each new
Officer. In the event any Officer who shall have signed manually or whose
facsimile signature shall have been affixed to blank Share certificates shall
die, resign or be removed prior to issuance of such Share certificates, the
Transfer Agent may issue such Share certificates of the Fund notwithstanding
such death, resignation or removal, and the Fund shall promptly deliver to the
Transfer Agent such approval, adoption or ratification as may be required by
law.
4. It shall be the sole responsibility of the Fund to deliver to the
Transfer Agent the Fund's currently effective Prospectus and, for purposes of
this Agreement, the Transfer Agent shall not be deemed to have notice of any
information contained in such Prospectus until a reasonable time, not to exceed
ten (10)
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business days, after it is actually received by the Transfer Agent.
ARTICLE VIII
CONCERNING THE TRANSFER AGENT
1. The Transfer Agent represents and warrants to the Fund that:
(a) It is a corporation duly organized and existing under the
laws of the State of Delaware.
(b) It is empowered under applicable law and by its Charter and
By-laws to enter into and perform this Agreement.
(c) All requisite corporate proceedings have been taken to
authorize it to enter into and perform this Agreement.
(d) It is duly registered as a transfer agent under Section 17A
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
2. The Transfer Agent shall not be liable and shall be indemnified in
acting upon any computer tape or electronic data transmission, writing or
document reasonably believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or made
by an Officer of the Fund or person designated by the Fund and shall not be held
to have any notice of any change of authority of any person until receipt of
written notice thereof from the Fund or such person. It shall also be protected
in processing Share certificates which bear the proper countersignature of the
Transfer Agent and which it reasonably
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believes to bear the proper manual or facsimile signature of the Officers of the
Fund.
3. The Transfer Agent upon reasonable notice to the Fund may establish
such additional procedures, rules and regulations governing the transfer or
registration of Share certificates as it may deem advisable and consistent with
such rules and regulations generally adopted by mutual fund transfer agents.
4. The Transfer Agent shall keep such records as are specified in
Schedule II hereto in the form and manner, and for such period, as it may deem
advisable and is agreeable to the Fund but not inconsistent with the rules and
regulations of appropriate government authorities, in particular Rules 31a-2 and
31a-3 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. The Transfer Agent
acknowledges that such records are the property of the Fund. The Transfer Agent
may deliver to the Fund from time to time at its discretion, for safekeeping or
disposition by the Fund in accordance with law, such records, papers, documents
accumulated in the execution of its duties as such Transfer Agent, as the
Transfer Agent may deem expedient, other than those which the Transfer Agent is
itself required to maintain pursuant to applicable laws and regulations. The
Fund shall assume all responsibility for any failure thereafter to produce any
record, paper, cancelled Share
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certificate, or other document so returned, if and when required. The records
specified in Schedule II hereto maintained by the Transfer Agent pursuant to
this paragraph 4, which have not been previously delivered to the Fund pursuant
to the foregoing provisions of this paragraph 4, shall be considered to be the
property of the Fund, shall be made available upon request for inspection by the
officers, employees, auditors of the Fund, or such staff of applicable
regulatory agencies as the Fund may designate, and records shall be delivered to
the Fund upon request and in any event upon the date of termination of this
Agreement, as specified in Article IX of this Agreement, in the form and manner
kept by the Transfer Agent on such date of termination or such earlier date as
may be requested by the Fund.
5. The Transfer Agent shall not be liable for any loss or damage,
including counsel fees, resulting from its actions or omissions to act or
otherwise, except for any loss or damage arising out of its bad faith,
negligence, willful misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard of its
duties under this agreement.
6 (a) The Fund shall indemnify and exonerate, save and hold harmless
the Transfer Agent from and against any and all claims (whether with or without
basis in fact or law), demands,
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expenses (including reasonable attorney's fees) and liabilities of any and every
nature which the Transfer Agent may sustain or incur or which may be asserted
against the Transfer Agent by any person by reason of or as a result of any
action taken or omitted to be taken by any prior transfer agent of the Fund or
as a result of any action taken or omitted to be taken by the Transfer Agent in
good faith and without negligence or willful misconduct or in reliance upon (i)
any provision of this Agreement; (ii) the Prospectus; (iii) any instruction or
order including, without limitation, any computer tape or electronic data
transmission reasonably believed by the Transfer Agent to have been received
from an Approved Institution; (iv) any instrument, order or Share certificate
reasonably believed by it to be genuine and to be signed, countersigned or
executed by any duly authorized Officer of the Fund; (v) any Certificate or
other instructions of an Officer; or (vi) any opinion of legal counsel for the
Fund or the Transfer Agent. The Fund shall indemnify and exonerate, save and
hold the Transfer Agent harmless from and against any and all claims (whether
with or without basis in fact or law), demands, expenses (including reasonable
attorney's fees) and liabilities of any and every nature which the Transfer
Agent may sustain or incur or which may be asserted against the Transfer Agent
by any person by reason
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of or as a result of any action taken or omitted to be taken by the Transfer
Agent in good faith and without negligence in connection with its appointment or
in reliance upon any law, act, regulation or any interpretation of the same even
though such law, act or regulation may thereafter have been altered, changed,
amended or repealed.
(b) The Transfer Agent shall not settle any claim, demand,
expense or liability to which it may seek indemnity pursuant to paragraph 6(a)
above (each, an "Indemnifiable Claim") without the express written consent of an
Officer of the Fund. The Transfer Agent shall notify the Fund within 15 days of
receipt of notification of an Indemnifiable Claim, provided that the failure by
the Transfer Agent to furnish such notification shall not impair its right to
seek indemnification from the Fund unless the Fund is unable to adequately
defend the Indemnifiable Claim as a result of such failure, or if as a result of
the Transfer Agent's failure to provide the Fund with timely notice of the
institution of litigation a judgment by default is entered. The Fund shall have
the right to defend any Indemnifiable Claim at its own expense, provided that
such defense shall be conducted by counsel selected by the Fund. The Transfer
Agent may join in such defense at its own expense, but to the extent that it
shall so desire the Fund
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shall direct such defense. The Fund shall not settle any Indemnifiable Claim
without the express written consent of the Transfer Agent if the Transfer Agent
determines that such settlement would have an adverse effect on the Transfer
Agent beyond the scope of this Agreement. In the event the Transfer Agent does
not provide its written consent, each of the Fund and the Transfer Agent shall
be responsible for their own defense at their own cost and expense, and such
claim shall not be deemed an Indemnifiable Claim hereunder. If the Fund shall
fail or refuse to defend an Indemnifiable Claim, the Transfer Agent may provide
its own defense at the cost and expense of the Fund. Anything in this Agreement
to the contrary notwithstanding, the Fund shall not indemnify the Transfer Agent
against any liability or expense arising out of the Transfer Agent's willful
misfeasance, bad faith, negligence or reckless disregard of its duties and
obligations under this Agreement.
The Transfer Agent shall indemnify and hold the Fund harmless from and
against any and all losses, damages, costs, charges, counsel fees, payments,
expenses and liability arising out of or attributable to any action or failure
or omission to act by the Transfer Agent as a result of the Transfer Agent's
lack of good faith, negligence or willful misconduct.
28
7. The Transfer Agent shall not be liable to the Fund with respect to
any redemption draft on which the signature of the drawer is forged and which
the Fund's Custodian or Cash Management Bank has advised the Transfer Agent to
honor the redemption. Provided that the Transfer Agent inspects redemption
drafts with reasonable care to verify the drawer's signature against signatures
on file, the Transfer Agent shall not be liable for any material alteration or
absence or forgery of any endorsement.
8. There shall be excluded from the consideration of whether the
Transfer Agent has been negligent or has breached this Agreement, any period of
time, and only such period of time, during which the Transfer Agent's
performance is materially affected, by reason of circumstances beyond its
control and not reasonably foreseeable in that the Transfer Agent could not
reasonable have made back-up or alternative arrangements (collectively,
"Causes"), including, without limitation (except as provided below), mechanical
breakdowns of equipment (including any alternative power supply and operating
systems software), flood or catastrophe, acts of God, failures of
transportation, communication or power supply, strikes, lockouts, work stoppages
or other similar circumstances.
9. At any time the Transfer Agent may apply to an Officer of the
Fund for written instructions with respect to any matter
29
arising in connection with the Transfer Agent's duties and obligations under
this Agreement, and the Transfer Agent shall not be liable for any action taken
or permitted by it in good faith in accordance with such written instructions.
Such application by the Transfer Agent for written instructions from an Officer
of the Fund may set forth in writing any action proposed to be taken or omitted
by the Transfer Agent with respect to its duties or obligations under this
Agreement and the date on and/or after which such action shall be taken. The
Transfer Agent shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted in accordance
with a proposal included in any such application on or after the date specified
therein unless, prior to taking or omitting any such action, the Transfer Agent
has received written instructions in response to such application specifying the
action to be taken or omitted. The Transfer Agent may consult counsel of the
Fund, or if acceptable to the Fund, its own counsel, at the expense of the Fund
and shall be fully protected with respect to anything done or omitted by it in
good faith in accordance with the advice or opinion of counsel to the Fund or
its own counsel.
10. The Transfer Agent may issue new Share certificates in place of
certificates represented to have been lost, stolen, or destroyed upon receiving
written instructions from the shareholder
30
accompanied by proof of an indemnity or surety bond issued by a recognized
insurance institution specified by the Fund or the Transfer Agent. If the
Transfer Agent receives written notification from the shareholder or broker
dealer that the certificate issued was never received, and such notification is
made within 30 days of the date of issuance, the Transfer Agent may reissue the
certificate without requiring a surety bond. The Transfer Agent may also reissue
certificates which are represented as lost, stolen, or destroyed without
requiring a surety bond provided that the notification is in writing and
accompanied by an indemnification signed on behalf of a member firm of the New
York Stock Exchange and signed by an officer of said firm with the signature
guaranteed. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Transfer Agent will reissue a
certificate upon written authorization from an Officer of the Fund.
11. In case of any requests or demands for the inspection of the
shareholder records of the Fund, the Transfer Agent will endeavor to notify the
Fund promptly and to secure instructions from an Officer as to such inspection.
The Transfer Agent reserves the right, however, to exhibit the shareholder
records to any person whenever it receives an opinion from its counsel that
there is a reasonable likelihood that the Transfer Agent will be held
31
liable for the failure to exhibit the shareholder records to such person;
provided, however, that in connection with any such disclosure the Transfer
Agent shall promptly notify the Fund that such disclosure has been made or is to
be made.
12. At the request of an Officer of the Fund the Transfer Agent
will address and mail such appropriate notices to shareholders as the Fund may
direct.
13. Notwithstanding any of the foregoing provisions of this
Agreement, the Transfer Agent shall be under no duty or obligation to inquire
into, and shall not be liable for:
(a) The legality of the issue or sale of any Shares, the
sufficiency of the amount to be received therefor, or the authority of the
Approved Institution or of the Fund, as the case may be, to request such sale or
issuance;
(b) The legality of a transfer of Shares, or of a redemption
of any Shares, the propriety of the amount to be paid therefor, or the authority
of the Approved Institution or of the Fund, as the case may be, to request such
transfer or redemption;
(c) The legality of the declaration of any dividend by
the Fund, or the legality of the issue of any Shares in payment of
any stock dividend; or
(d) The legality of any recapitalization or readjustment
32
of Shares.
14. The Transfer Agent shall be entitled to receive and the Fund hereby
agrees to pay to the Transfer Agent for its performance hereunder, including its
performance of the duties and functions set forth in Schedule I hereto, (i) its
reasonable out-of-pocket expenses (including reasonable legal expenses and
attorney's fees) incurred in connection with its performance hereunder and (ii)
such compensation as may be agreed upon in writing from time to time by the
Transfer Agent and the Fund.
15. The Transfer Agent shall have no duties or responsibilities
whatsoever except such duties and responsibilities as are specifically set forth
in this Agreement, and no covenant or obligation shall be implied in this
Agreement against the Transfer Agent.
16. Purchase and Prices of Services.
(a) The Fund will compensate the Transfer Agent for, and
Transfer Agent will provide, beginning on the execution date of this Agreement
and continuing until the termination of this Agreement as provided hereinafter,
the Services set forth in Schedule I.
(b) The current unit prices for the Services are set
forth in Schedule III (the "Schedule III Fee Schedule"). Once in
33
each calendar year, after the third anniversary of the date hereof, the Transfer
Agent may elect to raise the Schedule III Fees upon ninety (90) days prior
notice to the Fund. Notwithstanding the annual right to raise the Schedule III
Fees, the Transfer Agent may increase prices due to changes in legal or
regulatory requirements subject to the approval of the Fund, which approval
shall not be unreasonably withheld.
17. Billing and Payment.
(a) The Transfer Agent shall xxxx the Fund as follows: (i)
monthly in arrears for Accounts maintained and Out-of-Pocket Expenses; and (ii)
monthly in advance for estimated postage expenses to be incurred by the Transfer
Agent for the following month. Documentation to support reconciliation of actual
postage expense charges will be provided to the Fund monthly. The Transfer Agent
may from time to time request the Fund to make additional advances when
appropriate.
(b) The Fund shall pay the Transfer Agent in immediately
available funds at United Missouri Bank in Kansas City, Missouri within thirty
(30) days of the date of the xxxx and receipt of supporting documents. Any
amounts due under this Agreement which are not paid within said thirty (30) day
period shall bear interest at the rate of one and one-half percent (1 1/2%) per
month from
34
such date until paid in full.
ARTICLE IX
TERMINATION
Either of the parties hereto may terminate this Agreement by giving to
the other party a notice in writing specifying the date of such termination,
which shall be not less than ninety (90) days after the date of receipt of such
notice. In the event such notice is given by the Fund, it shall be accompanied
by a copy of a resolution of the Board of Directors of the Fund, certified by
the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary, electing to terminate this Agreement
and designating the successor transfer agent or transfer agents. In the event
such notice is given by the Transfer Agent, the Fund shall on or before the
termination date, deliver to the Transfer Agent a copy of a resolution of its
Board of Directors certified by the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary
designating a successor transfer agent or transfer agents. In the absence of
such designation by the Fund, the Fund shall upon the date specified in the
notice of termination of this Agreement and delivery of the records maintained
hereunder, be deemed to be its own transfer agent and the Transfer Agent shall
thereby be relieved of all duties and responsibilities pursuant to this
Agreement.
In the event this Agreement is terminated as provided herein,
35
the Transfer Agent, upon the written request of the Fund, shall deliver the
records of the Fund on electromagnetic media to the Fund or its successor
transfer agent. The Fund shall be responsible to the Transfer Agent for the
reasonable costs and expenses associated with the preparation and delivery of
such media.
ARTICLE X
MISCELLANEOUS
1. The Fund agrees that prior to effecting any change in the Prospectus
which would increase or alter the duties and obligations of the Transfer Agent
hereunder, it shall advise the Transfer Agent of such proposed change at least
30 days prior to the intended date of the same, and shall proceed with such
change only if it shall have received the written consent of the Transfer Agent
thereto, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld.
2. Any notice or other instrument in writing, authorized or required by
this Agreement to be given to the Fund shall be sufficiently given if addressed
to the Fund and mailed or delivered to it at its office at the address first
above written, or at such other place as the Fund may from time to time
designate in writing.
3. Any notice or other instrument in writing, authorized or required by
this Agreement to be given to the Transfer Agent shall
36
be sufficiently given if addressed to the Transfer Agent and mailed or delivered
to the Secretary at 000 Xxxxx XxXxxxx, Xxxxxxx, XX, with a copy to the President
at 000 Xxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxx Xxxx, XX, or at such other place as the Transfer
Agent may from time to time designate in writing.
4. This Agreement may not be amended or modified in any manner except
by a written agreement executed by both parties with the formality of this
Agreement.
5. This Agreement shall extend to and shall be binding upon the parties
hereto, and their respective successors and assigns. This Agreement shall not be
assignable by either party without the written consent of the other party,
except that the Transfer Agent may assign this Agreement to a corporate
affiliate with advance written notice to and consent by the Fund, which consent
shall not be unreasonably withheld.
6. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with
the laws of the State of Illinois.
7. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts each of
which shall be deemed to be an original; but such counterparts shall, together,
constitute only one instrument.
8. The provisions of this Agreement are intended to benefit only the
Transfer Agent and the Fund, and no rights shall be
37
granted to any other person by virtue of this Agreement.
9. (a) The Transfer Agent will endeavor to assist in
resolving shareholder inquiries and errors relating to the period during which
prior transfer agents acted as such for the Fund. Any such inquiries or errors
which cannot be expediently resolved by the Transfer Agent will be referred to
the Fund.
(b) The Transfer Agent shall only be responsible for the
safekeeping and maintenance of transfer agency records, cancelled certificates
and correspondence of the Fund created or produced prior to the time of
conversion which are under its control and acknowledged in a writing to the Fund
to be in its possession. Any expenses or liabilities incurred by the Transfer
Agent as a result of shareholder inquiries, regulatory compliance or audits
related to such records and not caused as a result of Transfer Agent's bad
faith, willful malfeasance or negligence shall be the responsibility of the Fund
as provided in Article VIII herein.
10. The Transfer Agent shall enter into and shall maintain in effect
with appropriate parties one or more agreements making reasonable provision for
periodic backup or computer files and data with respect to the Fund and
emergency use of electronic data processing equipment. In the event of equipment
failures the Transfer Agent shall at no additional expense to the Fund, take all
38
reasonable steps to minimize service interruptions, the Transfer Agent shall
have no liability with respect to the loss of data or service interruptions
caused by equipment failures, provided such loss or interruption is not caused
by the negligence of the Transfer Agent and provided further that the Transfer
Agent has complied with the provisions of this Paragraph.
11. The Transfer Agent agrees on its own behalf and that of its
employees to make reasonable efforts to keep confidential all records of the
Fund and information relating to the Fund and its shareholders (past, present
and future), its investment advisor and its principal underwriter, unless the
release of such records or information is otherwise consented to, in writing, by
the Fund prior to its release. The Fund agrees that such consent shall not be
unreasonably withheld, and may not be withheld where Transfer Agent may be
exposed to civil or criminal contempt proceedings or when required to divulge
such information or records to duly constituted authorities.
12. The Transfer Agent shall maintain insurance of the types and in the
amounts deemed by it to be appropriate. To the extent that policies of insurance
may provide for coverage of claims for liability or indemnity by the parties set
forth in this Agreement, the contracts of insurance shall take precedence, and
no provision
39
of this Agreement shall be construed to relieve an insurer of any obligation to
pay claims to the Fund, the Transfer Agent or other insured party which would
otherwise be a covered claim in the absence of any provision of this Agreement.
13. The Transfer Agent represents and warrants that, to the best of its
knowledge, the various procedures and systems which the Transfer Agent has
implemented with regard to the safeguarding from loss or damage attributable to
fire, theft or any other cause (including provision for twenty-four hours a day
restricted access) of the Fund's blank checks, certificates, records and other
data and the Transfer Agent's equipment, facilities and other property used in
the performance of its obligations hereunder are adequate, and that it will make
such changes therein from time to time as in its judgment are required for the
secure performance of its obligations hereunder. The Transfer Agent shall review
such systems and procedures on a periodic basis and the Fund shall have access
to review these systems and procedures.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this
40
Agreement to be executed by their respective corporate officer, thereunto duly
authorized and their respective corporate seals to be hereunto affixed, as the
day and year first above written.
SUPERVISED SERVICEBULL & BEAR FUNDS II, INC.
By: _________________________ By: _______________________
(Signature) (Signature)
-------------------------- -----------------------
(Name) (Name)
-------------------------- -----------------------
(Title) (Title)
41
SCHEDULE I
DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES
In consideration of the fees to be paid in such manner and at such
times as Fund and Transfer Agent may agree, Transfer Agent will provide the
services set forth below:
Examine and Process New Accounts, Subsequent Payments, Liquidations,
Exchanges, Telephone Transactions, Check Redemptions, Automatic Withdrawals,
Certificate Issuance, Wire Order Trades, Dividends, Dividend Statements, Dealer
Statements.
DAILY ACTIVITY
Maintain the following shareholder information in such a manner as the
Transfer Agent shall determine:
Name and Address, ncluding Zip Code
Balance of Uncertificated Shares
Balance of Certificated Shares
Certificate number, number of shares, issuance date of each certificate
outstanding and cancellation date for each certificate date for each
certificate no longer outstanding, if issued
Balance of dollars available for redemption
Dividend code (daily accrual, monthly reinvest, monthly cash
or quarterly cash)
Type of account code
Establishment date indicating the date an account was opened,
carrying forward pre-conversion data as available
Original establishment date for accounts opened by exchange
W-9 withholding status and periodic reporting
State of residence code
42
Social Security or taxpayer identification number, and
indication of certification
Historical transactions on the account for the most recent 18 months,
or other period as mutually agreed to from time-to-time
Indication as to whether phone transactions can be accepted
for this account. Beneficial owner code, i.e. male, female,
joint tenant, etc.
An alternate or "secondary" account number issued by a dealer
(or bank, etc.) to a customer for use, inquiry and transaction
input by "remote accessors"
FUNCTIONS
Answer investor and dealer telephone and/or written inquiries, except
those concerning Fund policy, or requests for investment advice which
will be referred to the Fund, or those which the Fund chooses to answer
Deposit Fund share certificates into accounts upon receipt of
instructions from the investor or other authorized person, if issued
Examine and process transfers of shares insuring that all transfer
requirements and legal documents have been supplied
Process and confirm address changes
Process standard account record changes as required, i.e.
Dividend Codes, etc.
Microfilm source documents for transactions, such as account
applications and correspondence
Perform backup withholding for those accounts which federal
government regulations indicate is necessary
Perform withholdings on liquidations, if applicable, for
43
employee benefit plans. Prepare and mail 5498s and 1099R's
Solicit missing taxpayer identification numbers
Provide remote access inquiry to Fund records via Fund supplied
hardware (Fund responsible for connection line and monthly fee)
REPORTS PROVIDED
Daily Journals Reflecting all shares and
dollar activity for the previous day
Blue Sky Report Supply information monthly for Fund's
preparation of Blue Sky Reporting
N-SAR Report Supply monthly correspondence,
redemption and liquidation
information for use in fund's
N-SAR Report
Additionally, monthly average daily balance reports will be provided at
the Fund's request to the Fund at no charge. Prepare and mail copies of
summary statements to dealers and investment advisers
Generate and mail confirmation statements for financial
transactions
DIVIDEND ACTIVITY
Reinvest or pay in cash including reinvesting in other funds within the
fund group serviced by the Transfer Agent as described in each Fund
Prospectus
Distribute capital gains simultaneously with income dividends
DEALER SERVICES
44
Prepare and mail confirmation statements to dealers daily
Prepare and mail copies of statements to dealers, same
frequency as investor statements
ANNUAL MEETINGS
Assist Fund in obtaining a qualified service to: address and mail
proxies and related material, tabulate returned proxies and supply
daily reports when sufficient proxies have been received
Prepare certified list of stockholders, hard copy or microform
PERIODIC ACTIVITIES
Mail transaction confirmation statements daily to investors
Address and mail four (4) periodic financial reports (material must be
adaptable to Transfer Agent's mechanical equipment as reasonably
specified by the Transfer Agent)
Mail periodic statement to investors
Compute, prepare and furnish all necessary reports to
Governmental authorities: Forms 1099R, 1099DIV, 1099B, 1042
and 1042S
Enclose various marketing material as designated by the Fund in
statement mailings, i.e. monthly and quarterly statements (material
must be adaptable to mechanical equipment as reasonably specified by
the Transfer Agent)
45
SCHEDULE II
RECORDS MAINTAINED BY TRANSFER AGENT
- Account applications
- Cancelled certificates plus stock powers and supporting
documents
- Checks including check registers, reconciliation records,
any adjustment records and tax withholding documentation
- Indemnity bonds for replacement of lost or missing stock
certificates and checks
- Liquidation, redemption, withdrawal and transfer requests
including stock powers, signature guarantees and any
supporting documentation
46
