METROPOLITAN SERIES FUND, INC. ADVISORY AGREEMENT (BlackRock Strategic Value Portfolio)
METROPOLITAN SERIES FUND, INC.
(BlackRock Strategic Value Portfolio)
AGREEMENT entered into on the 31st day of January, 2005 by and between METROPOLITAN SERIES FUND, INC., a Maryland corporation (the “Fund”), with respect to its BlackRock Strategic Value Portfolio (the “Portfolio”), and METLIFE ADVISERS, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Manager”).
WITNESSETH:
WHEREAS, the Fund and the Manager wish to enter into an agreement setting forth the terms upon which the Manager (or certain other parties acting pursuant to delegation from the Manager) will perform certain services for the Portfolio;
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and covenants hereinafter contained, the parties agree as follows:
1.(a) The Fund hereby employs the Manager to furnish the Fund with Portfolio Management Services (as defined in Section 2 hereof) and Administrative Services (as defined in Section 3 hereof), subject to the authority of the Manager to delegate any or all of its responsibilities hereunder to other parties as provided in Sections 1(b) and (c) hereof. The Manager hereby accepts such employment and agrees, at its own expense, to furnish such services (either directly or pursuant to delegation to other parties as permitted by Sections 1(b) and (c) hereof) and to assume the obligations herein set forth, for the compensation herein provided. The Manager shall, unless otherwise expressly provided or authorized, have no authority to act for or represent the Fund in any way or otherwise be deemed an agent of the Fund.
(b) The Manager may delegate any or all of its responsibilities hereunder with respect to the provision of Portfolio Management Services (and assumption of related expenses) to one or more other parties (each such party, a “Sub-Adviser”), pursuant in each case to a written agreement with such Sub-Adviser that meets the requirements of Section 15 of the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the rules thereunder (the “1940 Act”) applicable to contracts for service as investment adviser of a registered investment company (including without limitation the requirements for approval by the directors of the Fund and the shareholders of the Portfolio), subject, however, to such exemptions as may be granted by the Securities and Exchange Commission. Any Sub-Adviser may (but need not) be affiliated with the Manager. If different Sub-Advisers are engaged to provide Portfolio Management Services with respect to different segments of the Portfolio, the Manager shall determine, in the manner described in the prospectus of the Portfolio from time to time in effect, what portion of the assets belonging to the Portfolio shall be managed by each Sub-Adviser.
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(c) The Manager may delegate any or all of its responsibilities hereunder with respect to the provision of Administrative Services to one or more other parties (each such party, an “Administrator”) selected by the Manager. Any Administrator may (but need not) be affiliated with the Manager.
2. As used in this Agreement, “Portfolio Management Services” means management of the investment and reinvestment of the assets belonging to the Portfolio, consisting specifically of the following:
(a) obtaining and evaluating such economic, statistical and financial data and information and undertaking such additional investment research as shall be necessary or advisable for the management of the investment and reinvestment of the assets belonging to the Portfolio in accordance with the Portfolio’s investment objectives and policies;
(b) taking such steps as are necessary to implement the investment policies of the Portfolio by purchasing and selling of securities, including the placing of orders for such purchase and sale; and
(c) regularly reporting to the Board of Directors of the Fund with respect to the implementation of the investment policies of the Portfolio.
3. As used in this Agreement, “Administrative Services” means the provision to the Fund, by or at the expense of the Manager, of the following:
(a) office space in such place or places as may be agreed upon from time to time by the Fund and the Manager, and all necessary office supplies, facilities and equipment;
(b) necessary executive and other personnel for managing the affairs of the Portfolio, including personnel to perform clerical, bookkeeping, accounting, stenographic and other office functions (exclusive of those related to and to be performed under contract for custodial, transfer, dividend and plan agency services by the entity or entities selected to perform such services);
(c) compensation, if any, of directors of the Fund who are directors, officers or employees of the Manager, any Sub-Adviser or any Administrator or of any affiliated person (other than a registered investment company) of the Manager, any Sub-Adviser or any Administrator;
(d) all services, other than services of counsel, required in connection with the preparation of registration statements and prospectuses, including amendments and revisions thereto, all annual, semiannual and periodic reports, and notices and proxy solicitation material furnished to shareholders of the Fund or regulatory authorities, to the extent that any such materials relate to the business of the Portfolio, to the shareholders
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thereof or otherwise to the Portfolio, the Portfolio to be treated for these purposes as a separate legal entity and fund; and
(e) supervision and oversight of the Portfolio Management Services provided by each Sub-Adviser, and oversight of all matters relating to compliance by the Fund with applicable laws and with the Fund’s investment policies, restrictions and guidelines, if the Manager has delegated to one or more Sub-Advisers any or all of its responsibilities hereunder with respect to the provision of Portfolio Management Services.
4. Nothing in section 3 hereof shall require the Manager to bear, or to reimburse the Fund for:
(a) any of the costs of printing and mailing the items referred to in sub-section (d) of this section 3;
(b) any of the costs of preparing, printing and distributing sales literature;
(c) compensation of directors of the Fund who are not directors, officers or employees of the Manager, any Sub-Adviser or any Administrator or of any affiliated person (other than a registered investment company) of the Manager, any Sub-Adviser or any Administrator;
(d) registration, filing and other fees in connection with requirements of regulatory authorities;
(e) the charges and expenses of any entity appointed by the Fund for custodial, paying agent, shareholder servicing and plan agent services;
(f) charges and expenses of independent accountants retained by the Fund;
(g) charges and expenses of any transfer agents and registrars appointed by the Fund;
(h) brokers’ commissions and issue and transfer taxes chargeable to the Fund in connection with securities transactions to which the Fund is a party;
(i) taxes and fees payable by the Fund to federal, state or other governmental agencies;
(j) any cost of certificates representing shares of the Fund;
(k) legal fees and expenses in connection with the affairs of the Fund including registering and qualifying its shares with Federal and State regulatory authorities;
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(l) expenses of meetings of shareholders and directors of the Fund; and
(m) interest, including interest on borrowings by the Fund.
5. All activities undertaken by the Manager or any Sub-Adviser or Administrator pursuant to this Agreement shall at all times be subject to the supervision and control of the Board of Directors of the Fund, any duly constituted committee thereof or any officer of the Fund acting pursuant to like authority.
6. The services to be provided by the Manager and any Sub-Adviser or Administrator hereunder are not to be deemed exclusive and the Manager and any Sub-Adviser or Administrator shall be free to render similar services to others, so long as its services hereunder are not impaired thereby.
7. As full compensation for all services rendered, facilities furnished and expenses borne by the Manager hereunder, the Fund shall pay the Manager compensation at the annual rate of 0.85% of the first $500 million of average daily net assets of the Portfolio, 0.80% of the next $500 million of such assets and 0.75% of such assets in excess of $1 billion. Such compensation shall be payable monthly in arrears or at such other intervals, not less frequently than quarterly, as the Board of Directors of the Fund may from time to time determine and specify in writing to the Manager. The Manager hereby acknowledges that the Fund’s obligation to pay such compensation is binding only on the assets and property belonging to the Portfolio.
8. If the total of all ordinary business expenses of the Fund as a whole (including investment advisory fees but excluding taxes and portfolio brokerage commissions) for any fiscal year exceeds the lowest applicable percentage of average net assets or income limitations prescribed by any state in which shares of the Portfolio are qualified for sale, the Manager shall pay such excess. Solely for purposes of applying such limitations in accordance with the foregoing sentence, the Portfolio and the Fund shall each be deemed to be a separate fund subject to such limitations. Should the applicable state limitation provisions fail to specify how the average net assets of the Fund or belonging to the Portfolio are to be calculated, that figure shall be calculated by reference to the average daily net assets of the Fund or the Portfolio, as the case may be.
9. It is understood that any of the shareholders, directors, officers, employees and agents of the Fund may be a shareholder, director, officer, employee or agent of, or be otherwise interested in, the Manager, any affiliated person of the Manager, any organization in which the Manager may have an interest or any organization which may have an interest in the Manager; that the Manager, any such affiliated person or any such organization may have an interest in the Fund; and that the existence of any such dual interest shall not affect the validity hereof or of any transactions hereunder except as otherwise provided in the articles of incorporation of the Fund, the limited liability company agreement of the Manager or specific provisions of applicable law.
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10. This Agreement shall become effective as of the date of its execution, and
(a) unless otherwise terminated, this Agreement shall continue in effect for two years from the date of execution, and from year to year thereafter so long as such continuance is specifically approved at least annually (i) by the Board of Directors of the Fund or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Portfolio, and (ii) by vote of a majority of the directors of the Fund who are not interested persons of the Fund or the Manager, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on, such approval;
(b) this Agreement may at any time be terminated on sixty days’ written notice to the Manager either by vote of the Board of Directors of the Fund or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Portfolio;
(c) this Agreement shall automatically terminate in the event of its assignment;
(d) this Agreement may be terminated by the Manager on ninety days’ written notice to the Fund;
Termination of this Agreement pursuant to this section 10 shall be without the payment of any penalty.
11. This Agreement may be amended at any time by mutual consent of the parties, provided that, if required by law (as may be modified by any exemptions received by the Manager), such consent on the part of the Fund shall have been approved by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Portfolio and by vote of a majority of the directors of the Fund who are not interested persons of the Fund or the Manager, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval.
12. For the purpose of this Agreement, the terms “vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities,” “interested person,” “affiliated person” and “assignment” shall have their respective meanings defined in the 1940 Act, subject, however, to such exemptions as may be granted by the Securities and Exchange Commission under the 1940 Act. References in this Agreement to any assets, property or liabilities “belonging to” the Portfolio shall have the meaning defined in the Fund’s articles of incorporation as amended from time to time.
13. In the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on the part of the Manager, or reckless disregard of its obligations and duties hereunder, the Manager shall not be subject to any liability to the Fund, to any shareholder of the Fund or to any other person, firm or organization, for any act or omission in the course of, or connected with, rendering services hereunder.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement on the day and year first above written.
| METROPOLITAN SERIES FUND, INC., on behalf of its BlackRock Strategic Value Portfolio |
METLIFE ADVISERS, LLC | |||||||
| By: |
By: | |||||||
| Xxxx X. Xxxxxxx, Xx. |
Xxxx X. Xxxxxxx, Xx. | |||||||
| Senior Vice President |
Senior Vice President | |||||||
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