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ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES AGREEMENT
AGREEMENT made the 20th day of March, 1995, by and between IDS Tax-
Exempt Bond Fund, Inc. (the "Fund"), a Minnesota corporation, and
American Express Financial Corporation, a Delaware corporation.
Part One: SERVICES
(1) The Fund hereby retains American Express Financial Corporation,
and American Express Financial Corporation hereby agrees, for the
period of this Agreement and under the terms and conditions
hereinafter set forth, to furnish the Fund continuously with all
administrative, accounting, clerical, statistical, correspondence,
corporate and all other services of whatever nature required in
connection with the administration of the Fund as provided under
this Agreement; and to pay such expenses as may be provided for in
Part Three hereof; subject always to the direction and control of
the Board of Directors, the Executive Committee and the authorized
officers of the Fund. American Express Financial Corporation
agrees to maintain an adequate organization of competent persons to
provide the services and to perform the functions herein mentioned.
American Express Financial Corporation agrees to meet with any
persons at such times as the Board of Directors deems appropriate
for the purpose of reviewing American Express Financial
Corporation's performance under this Agreement.
(2) The Fund agrees that it will furnish to American Express
Financial Corporation any information that the latter may
reasonably request with respect to the services performed or to be
performed by American Express Financial Corporation under this
Agreement.
(3) It is understood and agreed that in furnishing the Fund with
the services as herein provided, neither American Express Financial
Corporation, nor any officer, director or agent thereof shall be
held liable to the Fund or its creditors or shareholders for errors
of judgment or for anything except willful misfeasance, bad faith,
or gross negligence in the performance of its duties, or reckless
disregard of its obligations and duties under the terms of this
Agreement. It is further understood and agreed that American
Express Financial Corporation may rely upon information furnished
to it reasonably believed to be accurate and reliable.
Part Two: COMPENSATION FOR SERVICES
(1) The Fund agrees to pay to American Express Financial
Corporation, and American Express Financial Corporation covenants
and agrees to accept from the Fund in full payment for the services
furnished, based on the net assets of the Fund as set forth in the
following table:
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Assets Annual Rate At
(Billions) Each Asset Level
First $1 0.040%
Next 1 0.035
Next 1 0.030
Next 3 0.025
Over 6 0.020
The administrative fee for each calendar day of each year shall be
equal to 1/365th (1/366th in each leap year) of the total amount
computed. The computation shall be made for each such day on the
basis of net assets as of the close of business of the full
business day two (2) business days prior to the day for which the
computation is being made. In the case of the suspension of the
computation of net asset value, the administrative fee for each day
during such suspension shall be computed as of the close of
business on the last full business day on which the net assets were
computed. As used herein, "net assets" as of the close of a full
business day shall include all transactions in shares of the Fund
recorded on the books of the Fund for that day.
(2) The administrative fee shall be paid on a monthly basis and, in
the event of the termination of this Agreement, the administrative
fee accrued shall be prorated on the basis of the number of days
that this Agreement is in effect during the month with respect to
which such payment is made.
(3) The administrative fee provided for hereunder shall be paid in
cash by the Fund to American Express Financial Corporation within
five (5) business days after the last day of each month.
Part Three: ALLOCATION OF EXPENSES
(1) The Fund agrees to pay:
(a) Administrative fees payable to American Express Financial
Corporation for its services under the terms of this Agreement.
(b) Taxes.
(c) Fees and charges of its independent certified public
accountants for services the Fund requests.
(d) Fees and expenses of attorneys (i) it employs in matters not
involving the assertion of a claim by a third party against the
Fund, its directors and officers, (ii) it employs in conjunction
with a claim asserted by the Board of Directors against American
Express Financial Corporation, except that American Express
Financial Corporation shall reimburse the Fund for such fees and
expenses if it is ultimately determined by a court of competent
jurisdiction, or American Express Financial Corporation agrees,
that it is liable in whole or in part to the Fund, and (iii) it
employs to assert a claim against a third party.
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(e) Fees paid for the qualification and registration for public
sale of the securities of the Fund under the laws of the United
States and of the several states in which such securities shall be
offered for sale.
(f) Office expenses which shall include a charge for occupancy,
insurance on the premises, furniture and equipment, telephone,
telegraph, electronic information services, books, periodicals,
published services, and office supplies used by the Fund, equal to
the cost of such incurred by American Express Financial
Corporation.
(g) Fees of consultants employed by the Fund.
(h) Directors, officers and employees expenses which shall include
fees, salaries, memberships, dues, travel, seminars, pension,
profit sharing, and all other benefits paid to or provided for
directors, officers and employees, directors and officers liability
insurance, errors and omissions liability insurance, worker's
compensation insurance and other expenses applicable to the
directors, officers and employees, except the Fund will not pay any
fees or expenses of any person who is an officer or employee of
American Express Financial Corporation or its affiliates.
(i) Filing fees and charges incurred by the Fund in connection with
filing any amendment to its articles of incorporation, or incurred
in filing any other document with the State of Minnesota or its
political subdivisions.
(j) Organizational expenses of the Fund.
(k) One-half of the Investment Company Institute membership dues
charged jointly to the IDS MUTUAL FUND GROUP and American Express
Financial Corporation.
(l) Expenses properly payable by the Fund, approved by the Board of
Directors.
(2) American Express Financial Corporation agrees to pay all
expenses associated with the services it provides under the terms
of this Agreement. Further, American Express Financial Corporation
agrees that if, at the end of any month, the expenses of the Fund
under this Agreement and any other agreement between the Fund and
American Express Financial Corporation, but excluding those
expenses set forth in (1)(b) of this Part Three, exceed the most
restrictive applicable state expenses limitation, the Fund shall
not pay those expenses set forth in (1)(a) and (c) through (m) of
this Part Three to the extent necessary to keep the Fund's expenses
from exceeding the limitation, it being understood that American
Express Financial Corporation will assume all unpaid expenses and
xxxx the Fund for them in subsequent months but in no event can the
accumulation of unpaid expenses or billing be carried past the end
of the Fund's fiscal year.
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Part Four: MISCELLANEOUS
(1) American Express Financial Corporation shall be deemed to be an
independent contractor and, except as expressly provided or
authorized in this Agreement, shall have no authority to act for or
represent the Fund.
(2) A "full business day" shall be as defined in the By-laws.
(3) The Fund recognizes that American Express Financial Corporation
now renders and may continue to render investment advice and other
services to other investment companies and persons which may or may
not have investment policies and investments similar to those of
the Fund and that American Express Financial Corporation manages
its own investments and/or those of its subsidiaries. American
Express Financial Corporation shall be free to render such
investment advice and other services and the Fund hereby consents
thereto.
(4) Neither this Agreement nor any transaction had pursuant hereto
shall be invalidated or in anyway affected by the fact that
directors, officers, agents and/or shareholders of the Fund are or
may be interested in American Express Financial Corporation or any
successor or assignee thereof, as directors, officers, stockholders
or otherwise; that directors, officers, stockholders or agents of
American Express Financial Corporation are or may be interested in
the Fund as directors, officers, shareholders, or otherwise; or
that American Express Financial Corporation or any successor or
assignee, is or may be interested in the Fund as shareholder or
otherwise, provided, however, that neither American Express
Financial Corporation, nor any officer, director or employee
thereof or of the Fund, shall sell to or buy from the Fund any
property or security other than shares issued by the Fund, except
in accordance with applicable regulations or orders of the United
States Securities and Exchange Commission.
(5) Any notice under this Agreement shall be given in writing,
addressed, and delivered, or mailed postpaid, to the party to this
Agreement entitled to receive such, at such party's principal place
of business in Minneapolis, Minnesota, or to such other address as
either party may designate in writing mailed to the other.
(6) American Express Financial Corporation agrees that no officer,
director or employee of American Express Financial Corporation will
deal for or on behalf of the Fund with himself as principal or
agent, or with any corporation or partnership in which he may have
a financial interest, except that this shall not prohibit officers,
directors or employees of American Express Financial Corporation
from having a financial interest in the Fund or in American Express
Financial Corporation.
(7) The Fund agrees that American Express Financial Corporation may
subcontract for certain of the services described under this
Agreement with the understanding that there shall be no diminution
in the quality or level of the services and that American Express
Financial Corporation remains fully responsible for the services.
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(8) This Agreement shall extend to and shall be binding upon the
parties hereto, and their respective successors and assigns;
provided, however, that this Agreement shall not be assignable
without the written consent of the other party. This Agreement
shall be governed by the laws of the State of Minnesota.
Part Five: RENEWAL AND TERMINATION
(1) This Agreement shall become effective on the date first set
forth above (the "Effective Date") and shall continue in effect
from year to year thereafter as the parties may mutually agree;
provided that either party may terminate this Agreement by giving
the other party notice in writing specifying the date of such
termination, which shall be not less than 60 days after the date of
receipt of such notice.
(2) This Agreement may not be amended or modified in any manner
except by a written agreement executed by both parties.
IN WITNESS THEREOF, the parties hereto have executed the foregoing
Agreement as of the day and year first above written.
IDS TAX-EXEMPT BOND FUND, INC.
By: /s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxx
Xxxxxx X. Xxx
Vice President
AMERICAN EXPRESS FINANCIAL CORPORATION
By: /s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Vice President
