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Exhibit 9(a)
ADMINISTRATION AGREEMENT
THIS AGREEMENT is made as of this 1st day of October, 1996, by and between
ESC STRATEGIC FUNDS, INC., a Maryland corporation (the "Company"), and BISYS
FUND SERVICES LIMITED PARTNERSHIP, d/b/a BISYS FUND SERVICES (the
"Administrator"), an Ohio limited partnership.
WHEREAS, the Company is an open-end management investment company
registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940
Act"), consisting of several series of shares of common stock ("Shares"); and
WHEREAS, the Company desires the Administrator to provide, and the
Administrator is willing to provide, management and administrative services to
such series of the Company as the Company and the Administrator may agree on
("Portfolios") and as listed on Schedule A attached hereto and made a part of
this Agreement, on the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the covenants
hereinafter contained, the Company and the Administrator hereby agree as
follows:
ARTICLE 1. Retention of the Administrator; Conversion to the Services. The
Company hereby engages the Administrator to act as the administrator of the
Portfolios and to furnish the Portfolios with the management and administrative
services as set forth in Article 2 below (collectively, the "Services"), and, in
connection therewith, the Company agrees to convert to the Administrator's data
processing systems and software (the "BISYS System") as necessary in order to
receive the Services. The Company shall cooperate with the Administrator to
provide the Administrator with all necessary information and assistance required
to successfully convert to the BISYS System. The Administrator shall provide the
Company with a schedule relating to such conversion and the parties agree that
the conversion may progress in stages. The date upon which all Services shall
have been converted to the BISYS System shall be referred to herein as the
"Conversion Date." The Administrator hereby accepts such engagement and agrees
to perform the Services commencing, with respect to each individual Service, on
the date that the conversion of such Service to the BISYS System has been
completed. The Administrator shall determine in accordance with its normal
acceptance procedures when the applicable Service has been successfully
converted.
The Administrator shall, for all purposes herein, be deemed to be an
independent contractor and, unless otherwise expressly provided or authorized,
shall have no authority to act for or represent the Company in any way and shall
not be deemed an agent of the Company.
ARTICLE 2. Administrative Services. The Administrator shall perform or
supervise the performance by others of other administrative services in
connection with the operations of the Portfolios, and, on behalf of the Company,
will investigate, assist in the selection of and conduct
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relations with custodians, depositories, accountants, legal counsel,
underwriters, brokers and dealers, corporate fiduciaries, insurers, banks and
persons in any other capacity deemed to be necessary or desirable for the
Portfolios' operations. The Administrator shall provide the Directors of the
Company with such reports regarding investment performance as they may
reasonably request but shall have no responsibility for supervising the
performance by any investment adviser or sub-adviser of its responsibilities.
The Administrator shall provide the Company with regulatory reporting, all
necessary office space, equipment, personnel, compensation and facilities
(including facilities for meetings of shareholders ("Shareholders") and
directors of the Company) for handling the affairs of the Portfolios and such
other services as the Administrator shall, from time to time, determine to be
necessary to perform its obligations under this Agreement. In addition, at the
request of the Board of Directors, the Administrator shall make reports to the
Company's Directors concerning the performance of its obligations hereunder.
Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Administrator shall:
(a) calculate contractual Company expenses and control all disbursements
for the Company, and as appropriate compute the Company's yields,
total return, expense ratios, portfolio turnover rate and, if
required, portfolio average dollar-weighted maturity;
(b) assist Company counsel with the preparation of prospectuses,
statements of additional information, registration statements and
proxy materials;
(c) prepare such reports, applications and documents (including reports
regarding the sale and redemption of Shares as may be required in
order to comply with Federal and state corporate and securities law)
as may be necessary or desirable to register the Company's Shares with
state and securities authorities, monitor the sale of Company Shares
for compliance with state corporate and securities laws, and file with
the appropriate state securities authorities the registration
statements and reports for the Company and the Company's Shares and
all amendments thereto, as may be necessary or convenient to register
and keep effective the Company and the Company's Shares with state
securities authorities to enable the Company to make a continuous
offering of its Shares;
(d) develop and prepare, with the assistance of the Company's investment
adviser, communications to Shareholders, including the annual report
to Shareholders, coordinate the mailing of prospectuses, notices,
proxy statements, proxies and other reports to Shareholders, and
supervise and facilitate the proxy solicitation process for all
shareholder meetings, including the tabulation of shareholder votes;
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(e) administer contracts on behalf of the Company with, among others, the
Company's investment adviser, distributor, custodian, transfer agent
and fund accountant;
(f) supervise the Company's transfer agent with respect to the payment of
dividends and other distributions to Shareholders;
(g) calculate performance data of the Portfolios for dissemination to
information services covering the investment company industry;
(h) coordinate and supervise the preparation and filing of the Company's
tax returns;
(i) examine and review the operations and performance of the various
organizations providing services to the Company or any Portfolio of
the Company, including, without limitation, the Company's investment
adviser, distributor, custodian, fund accountant, transfer agent,
outside legal counsel and independent public accountants, and at the
request of the Board of Directors, report to the Board on the
performance of organizations;
(j) assist with the layout and printing of publicly disseminated
prospectuses and assist with and coordinate layout and printing of the
Company's semi-annual and annual reports to Shareholders;
(k) assist with the design, development, and operation of the Portfolios,
including new classes, investment objectives, policies and structure;
(l) provide individuals reasonably acceptable to the Company's Board of
Directors to serve as officers of the Company, who will be responsible
for the management of certain of the Company's affairs as determined
by the Company's Board of Directors;
(m) advise the Company and its Board of Directors on matters concerning
the Company and its affairs;
(n) obtain and keep in effect fidelity bonds and directors and
officers/errors and omissions insurance policies for the Company in
accordance with the requirements of Rules 17g-1 and 17d-1(7) under the
1940 Act as such bonds and policies are approved by the Company's
Board of Directors;
(o) monitor and advise the Company and its Portfolios on their registered
investment company status under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended;
(p) perform all administrative services and functions of the Company and
each Portfolio to the extent administrative services and functions are
not provided to the Company or such Portfolio pursuant to the
Company's or such Portfolio's investment advisory
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agreement, distribution agreement, custodian agreement, transfer agent
agreement and fund accounting agreement;
(q) furnish advice and recommendations with respect to other aspects of
the business and affairs of the Portfolios as the Company and the
Administrator shall determine desirable; and
(r) prepare and file with the SEC the semi-annual report for the Company
on Form N-SAR and all required notices pursuant to Rule 24f-2.
The Administrator shall perform such other services for the Company that
are mutually agreed upon by the parties from time to time. Such services may
include performing internal audit examinations; mailing the annual reports of
the Portfolios; preparing an annual list of Shareholders; and mailing notices of
Shareholders' meetings, proxies and proxy statements, for all of which the
Company will pay the Administrator's out-of-pocket expenses.
ARTICLE 3. Allocation of Charges and Expenses.
(A) The Administrator. The Administrator shall furnish at its own expense
the executive, supervisory and clerical personnel necessary to perform its
obligations under this Agreement. The Administrator shall also provide the items
which it is obligated to provide under this Agreement, and shall pay all
compensation, if any, of officers of the Company as well as all Directors of the
Company who are affiliated persons of the Administrator or any affiliated
corporation of the Administrator; provided, however, that unless otherwise
specifically provided, the Administrator shall not be obligated to pay the
compensation of any employee of the Company retained by the Directors of the
Company to perform services on behalf of the Company.
(B) The Company. The Company assumes and shall pay or cause to be paid all
other expenses of the Company not otherwise allocated herein, including, without
limitation, organization costs, taxes, expenses for legal and auditing services,
the expenses of preparing (including typesetting), printing and mailing reports,
prospectuses, statements of additional information, proxy solicitation material
and notices to existing Shareholders, all expenses incurred in connection with
issuing and redeeming Shares, the costs of custodial services, the cost of
initial and ongoing registration of the Shares under Federal and state
securities laws, fees and out-of-pocket expenses of Directors who are not
affiliated persons of the Administrator or the Investment Adviser to the Company
or any affiliated corporation of the Administrator or the Investment Adviser,
insurance, interest, brokerage costs, litigation and other extraordinary or
nonrecurring expenses, and all fees and charges of investment advisers to the
Company.
ARTICLE 4. Compensation of the Administrator.
(A) Administration Fee. For the services to be rendered, the facilities
furnished and the expenses assumed by the Administrator pursuant to this
Agreement, the Company shall pay to the
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Administrator compensation at an annual rate specified in Schedule A attached
hereto. Such compensation shall be calculated and accrued daily, and paid to the
Administrator monthly.
If the Conversion Date occurs subsequent to the first day of a month or
termination of this Agreement occurs before the last day of a month, the
Administrator's compensation for that part of the month in which this Agreement
is in effect shall be prorated in a manner consistent with the calculation of
the fees as set forth above. Payment of the Administrator's compensation for the
preceding month shall be made promptly.
(B) Survival of Compensation Rights. All rights of compensation under this
Agreement for services performed as of the termination date shall survive the
termination of this Agreement.
ARTICLE 5. Limitation of Liability of the Administrator. The duties of the
Administrator shall be confined to those expressly set forth herein, and no
implied duties are assumed by or may be asserted against the Administrator
hereunder. The Administrator shall not be liable for any error of judgment or
mistake of law or for any loss arising out of any act or omission in carrying
out its duties hereunder, except a loss resulting from willful misfeasance, bad
faith or negligence in the performance of its duties, or by reason of reckless
disregard of its obligations and duties hereunder, except as may otherwise be
provided under provisions of applicable law which cannot be waived or modified
hereby. (As used in this Article 5, the term "Administrator" shall include
partners, officers, employees and other agents of the Administrator as well as
the Administrator itself.)
So long as the Administrator acts in good faith and with due diligence and
without negligence, the Company assumes full responsibility and shall indemnify
the Administrator and hold it harmless from and against any and all actions,
suits and claims, whether groundless or otherwise, and from and against any and
all losses, damages, costs, charges, reasonable counsel fees and disbursements,
payments, expenses and liabilities (including reasonable investigation expenses)
arising directly or indirectly out of the Administrator's actions taken or
nonactions with respect to the performance of services hereunder. The indemnity
and defense provisions set forth herein shall indefinitely survive the
termination of this Agreement.
The rights hereunder shall include the right to reasonable advances of
defense expenses in the event of any pending or threatened litigation with
respect to which indemnification hereunder may ultimately be merited. In order
that the indemnification provision contained herein shall apply, however, it is
understood that if in any case the Company may be asked to indemnify or hold the
Administrator harmless, the Company shall be fully and promptly advised of all
pertinent facts concerning the situation in question, and it is further
understood that the Administrator will use all reasonable care to identify and
notify the Company promptly concerning any situation which presents or appears
likely to present the probability of such a claim for indemnification against
the Company, but failure to do so in good faith shall not affect the rights
hereunder.
The Company shall be entitled to participate at its own expense or, if it
so elects, to assume the defense of any suit brought to enforce any claims
subject to this indemnity provision. If the
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Company elects to assume the defense of any such claim, the defense shall be
conducted by counsel chosen by the Company and satisfactory to the
Administrator, whose approval shall not be unreasonably withheld. In the event
that the Company elects to assume the defense of any suit and retain counsel,
the Administrator shall bear the fees and expenses of any additional counsel
retained by it. If the Company does not elect to assume the defense of a suit,
it will reimburse the Administrator for the reasonable fees and expenses of any
counsel retained by the Administrator.
The Administrator may apply to the Company at any time for instructions and
may consult counsel for the Company or its own counsel and with accountants and
other experts with respect to any matter arising in connection with the
Administrator's duties, and the Administrator shall not be liable or accountable
for any action taken or omitted by it in good faith in accordance with such
instruction or with the opinion of such counsel, accountants or other experts.
Also, the Administrator shall be protected in acting upon any document
which it reasonably believes to be genuine and to have been signed or presented
by the proper person or persons. The Administrator will not be held to have
notice of any change of authority of any officers, employees or agents of the
Company until receipt of written notice thereof from the Company.
ARTICLE 6. Activities of the Administrator. The services of the
Administrator rendered to the Company are not to be deemed to be exclusive. The
Administrator is free to render such services to others and to have other
businesses and interests. It is understood that directors, officers, employees
and Shareholders are or may be or become interested in the Administrator, as
officers, employees or otherwise and that partners, officers and employees of
the Administrator and its counsel are or may be or become similarly interested
in the Company, and that the Administrator may be or become interested in the
Company as a Shareholder or otherwise.
ARTICLE 7. Duration of this Agreement. The Term of this Agreement shall be
as specified in Schedule A hereto.
ARTICLE 8. Assignment. This Agreement shall not be assignable by either
party without the written consent of the other party; provided, however, that
the Administrator may, at its expense, subcontract with any entity or person
concerning the provision of the services contemplated hereunder. The
Administrator shall not, however, be relieved of any of its obligations under
this Agreement by the appointment of such subcontractor and provided further,
that the Administrator shall be responsible, to the extent provided in Article 5
hereof, for all acts of such subcontractor as if such acts were its own. This
Agreement shall be binding upon, and shall inure to the benefit of, the parties
hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns.
ARTICLE 9. Amendments. This Agreement may be amended by the parties hereto
only if such amendment is specifically approved (i) by the vote of a majority of
the Directors of the Company, and (ii) by the vote of a majority of the
Directors of the Company who are not parties to this Agreement or interested
persons of any such party, cast in person at a Board of Directors meeting called
for the purpose of voting on such approval.
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For special cases, the parties hereto may amend such procedures set forth
herein as may be appropriate or practical under the circumstances, and the
Administrator may conclusively assume that any special procedure which has been
approved by the Company does not conflict with or violate any requirements of
its Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws or then current prospectuses, or any rule,
regulation or requirement of any regulatory body.
ARTICLE 10. Certain Records. The Administrator shall maintain customary
records in connection with its duties as specified in this Agreement. Any
records required to be maintained and preserved pursuant to Rules 31a-1 and
31a-2 under the 1940 Act which are prepared or maintained by the Administrator
on behalf of the Company shall be prepared and maintained at the expense of the
Administrator, but shall be the property of the Company and will be made
available to or surrendered promptly to the Company on request.
In case of any request or demand for the inspection of such records by
another party, the Administrator shall notify the Company and follow the
Company's instructions as to permitting or refusing such inspection; provided
that the Administrator may exhibit such records to any person in any case where
it is advised by its counsel that it may be held liable for failure to do so,
unless (in cases involving potential exposure only to civil liability) the
Company has agreed to indemnify the Administrator against such liability.
ARTICLE 11. Definitions of Certain Terms. The terms "interested person" and
"affiliated person," when used in this Agreement, shall have the respective
meanings specified in the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder,
subject to such exemptions as may be granted by the Securities and Exchange
Commission.
ARTICLE 12. Notice. Any notice required or permitted to be given by either
party to the other shall be deemed sufficient if sent by registered or certified
mail, postage prepaid, addressed by the party giving notice to the other party
at the following address or such other address that may subsequently be
furnished: if to the Company, at 000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx
00000-0000, Attn: Xxxx XxXxxxxxxx, Equitable Securities Corporation; and if to
BISYS at 0000 Xxxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxxxxx, Xxxx 00000.
ARTICLE 13. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be construed in accordance
with the laws of the State of Ohio and the applicable provisions of the 1940
Act. To the extent that the applicable laws of the State of Ohio, or any of the
provisions herein, conflict with the applicable provisions of the 1940 Act, the
latter shall control.
ARTICLE 14. Multiple Originals. This Agreement may be executed in two or
more counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an
original, but such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same
instrument.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed and delivered this
Agreement as of the day and year first above written.
ESC STRATEGIC FUNDS, INC.
By:_____________________________
Attest:_________________________
BISYS FUND SERVICES LIMITED
PARTNERSHIP
BY: BISYS FUND SERVICES,
GENERAL PARTNER
By:_____________________________
Attest:_________________________
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SCHEDULE A
TO THE ADMINISTRATION AGREEMENT
DATED AS OF OCTOBER 1, 1996
BETWEEN ESC STRATEGIC FUNDS, INC.
AND
BISYS FUND SERVICES LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
Portfolios: This Agreement shall apply to all Portfolios of the
Company, either now or hereafter created (collectively, the
"Portfolios"). The current Portfolios of the Company are set
forth below:
ESC Strategic Appreciation Fund;
ESC Strategic Small Cap Fund;
ESC Strategic Asset Preservation Fund;
ESC Strategic Income Fund; and
ESC Strategic Global Equity Fund.
Fees: Pursuant to Article 4, in consideration of services rendered and
expenses assumed pursuant to this Agreement, the Company will pay
the Administrator on the first business day of each month, or at
such time(s) as the Administrator shall request and the parties
hereto shall agree, a fee computed daily at the annual rate of:
.15% of each Portfolio's average daily net assets
The fee for the period from the day of the month upon which
the Conversion Date occurs until the end of that month shall
be prorated according to the proportion which such period
bears to the full monthly period. Upon any termination of this
Agreement before the end of any month, the fee for such part
of a month shall be prorated according to the proportion which
such period bears to the full monthly period and shall be
payable upon the date of termination of this Agreement.
For purposes of determining the fees payable to the
Administrator, the value of the net assets of a particular
Portfolio shall be computed in the manner described in the
Company's Articles of Incorporation or in the Prospectus or
Statement of Additional Information respecting that Portfolio
as from time to time is in effect for the computation of the
value of such net assets in connection with the determination
of the liquidating value of the shares of such Portfolio.
The parties hereby confirm that the fees payable hereunder
shall be applied to each Portfolio as a whole, and not to
separate classes of shares within the Portfolios.
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Xxxx: The initial term of this Agreement (the "Initial Term") shall be
for a period commencing on the date this Agreement is executed by
both parties and ending on the date that is twelve (12) months
after the Conversion Date. This Agreement shall be renewed
automatically for successive periods of one year after the
Initial Term, unless written notice of nonrenewal is provided by
either party not less than 90 days prior to the end of the
then-current term. In the event of a material breach of this
Agreement by either party, the non-breaching party shall notify
the breaching party in writing of such breach and upon receipt of
such notice, the breaching party shall have 45 days to remedy the
breach. In the event the breach is not remedied within such time
period, the nonbreaching party may immediately terminate this
Agreement.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, after such termination for so long
as the Administrator, with the written consent of the Company, in
fact continues to perform any one or more of the services
contemplated by this Agreement or any schedule or exhibit hereto,
the provisions of this Agreement, including without limitation
the provisions dealing with indemnification, shall continue in
full force and effect. Compensation due the Administrator and
unpaid by the Company upon such termination shall be immediately
due and payable upon and notwithstanding such termination. The
Administrator shall be entitled to collect from the Company, in
addition to the compensation described in this Schedule A, the
amount of all of the Administrator's cash disbursements for
services in connection with the Administrator's activities in
effecting such termination, including without limitation, the
delivery to the Company and/or its designees of the Company's
property, records, instruments and documents, or any copies
thereof. Subsequent to such termination, for a reasonable fee,
the Administrator will provide the Company with reasonable access
to any Company documents or records remaining in its possession.
If, for any reason, other than a material breach of this
Agreement, the Administrator is replaced as fund manager and
administrator, or if a third party is added to perform all or
a part of the services provided by the Administrator under
this Agreement (excluding any sub-administrator appointed by
the Administrator as provided in Article 7 hereof), then the
Company shall make a one-time cash payment, as liquidated
damages, to the Administrator equal to the balance due the
Administrator for the remainder of the term of this Agreement,
assuming for purposes of calculation of the payment that the
asset level of the Company on the date the Administrator is
replaced, or a third party is added, will remain constant for
the balance of the contract term.
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