Exhibit e(15)
FORM OF
BANK AGENCY AGREEMENT
We at Fidelity Distributors Corporation offer to make available to
your customers shares of the mutual funds, or the separate series or
classes of the mutual funds, listed on Schedules A and B attached to
this Agreement (the "Portfolios"). We may periodically change the
list of Portfolios by giving you written notice of the change. We are
the Portfolios' principal underwriter and act as agent for the
Portfolios. You (____________________________________) are a division
or affiliate of a bank (____________________________________) and
desire to make Portfolio shares available to your customers on the
following terms:
1. Certain Defined Terms: As used in this Agreement, the term
"Prospectus" means the applicable Portfolio's prospectus and related
statement of additional information, whether in paper format or
electronic format, included in the Portfolio's then currently
effective registration statement (or post-effective amendment
thereto), and any information that we or the Portfolio may issue to
you as a supplement to such prospectus or statement of additional
information (a "sticker"), all as filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the "SEC") pursuant to the Securities Act of
1933.
2. Making Portfolio Shares Available to Your Customers: (a) In all
transactions covered by this Agreement: (i) you will act as agent for
your customers; in no transaction are you authorized to act as agent
for us or for any Portfolio; (ii) you will initiate transactions only
upon your customers' orders; (iii) we will execute transactions only
upon receiving instructions from you acting as agent for your
customers; and (iv) each transaction will be for your customer's
account and not for your own account. Each transaction will be
without recourse to you, provided that you act in accordance with the
terms of this Agreement.
(b) You agree to make Portfolio shares available to your customers
only at the applicable public offering price in accordance with the
Prospectus. If your customer qualifies for a reduced sales charge
pursuant to a special purchase plan (for example, a quantity discount,
letter of intent, or right of accumulation) as described in the
Prospectus, you agree to make Portfolio shares available to your
customer at the applicable reduced sales charge. You agree to deliver
or cause to be delivered to each customer, at or prior to the time of
any purchase of shares, a copy of the then current prospectus
(including any stickers thereto), unless such prospectus has already
been delivered to the customer, and to each customer who so requests,
a copy of the then current statement of additional information
(including any stickers thereto).
(c) You agree to order Portfolio shares from us only to cover
purchase orders that you have already received from your customers, or
for your own investment. You will not withhold placing customers'
orders so as to profit yourself as a result of such withholding (for
example, by a change in a Portfolio's net asset value from that used
in determining the offering price to your customers).
(d) We will accept your purchase orders only at the public offering
price applicable to each order, as determined in accordance with the
Prospectus. We will not accept from you a conditional order for
Portfolio shares. All orders are subject to acceptance or rejection
by us in our sole discretion. We may, without notice, suspend sales
or withdraw the offering of Portfolio shares, or make a limited
offering of Portfolio shares.
(e) The placing of orders with us will be governed by instructions
that we will periodically issue to you. You must pay for Portfolio
shares in New York or Boston clearing house funds or in federal funds
in accordance with such instructions, and we must receive your payment
on or before the settlement date established in accordance with Rule
15c6-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "1934 Act").
(f) You agree to comply with all applicable state and federal laws
and with the rules and regulations of authorized regulatory agencies
thereunder. You agree to make Portfolio shares available to your
customers only in states where you may legally make such Portfolio's
shares available. You will not make available shares of any Portfolio
unless such shares are registered under the applicable state and
federal laws and the rules and regulations thereunder.
(g) Certificates evidencing Portfolio shares are not available; any
transaction in Portfolio shares will be effected and evidenced by
book-entry on the records maintained by Fidelity Investments
Institutional Operations Company, Inc. ("FIIOC"). A confirmation
statement evidencing transactions in Portfolio shares will be
transmitted to you.
(h) You may designate FIIOC to execute your customers' transactions
in Portfolio shares in accordance with the terms of any account,
program, plan, or service established or used by your customers, and
to confirm each transaction to your customers on your behalf on a
fully disclosed basis. At the time of the transaction, you guarantee
the legal capacity of your customers and any co-owners of such shares
so transacting in such shares.
3. Your Compensation: (a) Your fee, if any, for acting as agent
with respect to sales of Portfolio shares will be as provided in the
Prospectus or in the applicable schedule of agency fees issued by us
and in effect at the time of the sale. Upon written notice to you, we
or any Portfolio may change or discontinue any schedule of agency
fees, or issue a new schedule.
(b) If a Portfolio has adopted a plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under
the Investment Company Act of 1940 (a "Plan"), we may make
distribution payments or service payments to you under the Plan. If a
Portfolio does not have a currently effective Plan, we or Fidelity
Management & Research Company may make distribution payments or
service payments to you from our own funds. Any distribution payments
or service payments will be made in the amount and manner set forth in
the Prospectus or in the applicable schedule of distribution payments
or service payments issued by us and then in effect. Upon written
notice to you, we or any Portfolio may change or discontinue any
schedule of distribution payments or service payments, or issue a new
schedule. A schedule of distribution payments or service payments
will be in effect with respect to a Portfolio that has a Plan only so
long as that Portfolio's Plan remains in effect.
(c) After the effective date of any change in or discontinuance of
any schedule of agency fees, distribution payments, or service
payments, or the termination of a Plan, any agency fees, distribution
payments, or service payments will be allowable or payable to you only
in accordance with such change, discontinuance, or termination. You
agree that you will have no claim against us or any Portfolio by
virtue of any such change, discontinuance, or termination. In the
event of any overpayment by us of any agency fee, distribution
payment, or service payment, you will remit such overpayment.
(d) If, within seven (7) business days after our confirmation of
the original purchase order for shares of a Portfolio, such shares are
redeemed by the issuing Portfolio or tendered for redemption by the
customer, you agree (i) to refund promptly to us the full amount of
any agency fee, distribution payment, or service payment paid to you
on such shares, and (ii) if not yet paid to you, to forfeit the right
to receive any agency fee, distribution payment, or service payment
payable to you on such shares. We will notify you of any such
redemption within ten (10) days after the date of the redemption.
4. Certain Types of Accounts: (a) You may instruct FIIOC to
register purchased shares in your name and account as nominee for your
customers. If you hold Portfolio shares as nominee for your
customers, all Prospectuses, proxy statements, periodic reports, and
other printed material will be sent to you, and all confirmations and
other communications to shareholders will be transmitted to you. You
will be responsible for forwarding such printed material,
confirmations, and communications, or the information contained
therein, to all customers for whose account you hold any Portfolio
shares as nominee. However, we or FIIOC on behalf of itself or the
Portfolios will be responsible for the costs associated with your
forwarding such printed material, confirmations, and communications.
You will be responsible for complying with all reporting and tax
withholding requirements with respect to the customers for whose
account you hold any Portfolio shares as nominee.
(b) With respect to accounts other than those accounts referred to
in paragraph 4(a) above, you agree to provide us with all information
(including certification of taxpayer identification numbers and
back-up withholding instructions) necessary or appropriate for us to
comply with legal and regulatory reporting requirements.
(c) Accounts opened or maintained pursuant to the NETWORKING system
of the National Securities Clearing Corporation ("NSCC") will be
governed by applicable NSCC rules and procedures and any agreement or
other arrangement with us relating to NETWORKING.
(d) If you hold Portfolio shares in an omnibus account for two or
more customers, you will be responsible for determining, in accordance
with the Prospectus, whether, and the extent to which, a CDSC is
applicable to a purchase of Portfolio shares from such a customer, and
you agree to transmit immediately to us any CDSC to which such
purchase was subject. You hereby represent that if you hold Portfolio
shares subject to a CDSC, you have the capability to track and account
for such charge, and we reserve the right, at our discretion, to
verify that capability by inspecting your tracking and accounting
system or otherwise.
5. Status as Registered Broker/Dealer or "Bank": (a) Each party to
this Agreement represents to the other party that it is either (i) a
registered broker/dealer under the 1934 Act, or (ii) a "bank" as
defined in Section 3(a)(6) of the 0000 Xxx.
(b) If a party is a registered broker/dealer, such party represents
that it is qualified to act as a broker/dealer in the states where it
transacts business, and it is a member in good standing of the
National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. ("NASD"). It agrees
to maintain its broker/dealer registration and qualifications and its
NASD membership in good standing throughout the term of this
Agreement. It agrees to abide by all of the NASD's rules and
regulations, including the NASD's Conduct Rules -- in particular,
Section 2830 of such Rules, which section is deemed a part of and is
incorporated by reference in this Agreement. This Agreement will
terminate automatically without notice in the event that a party's
NASD membership is terminated.
(c) If you are a "bank", you represent that you are duly authorized
to engage in the transactions to be performed under this Agreement,
and you agree to comply with all applicable federal and state laws,
including the rules and regulations of all applicable federal and
state bank regulatory agencies and authorities. This Agreement will
terminate automatically without notice in the event that you cease to
be a "bank" as defined in Section 3(a)(6) of the 1934 Act.
(d) Nothing in this Agreement shall cause you to be our partner,
employee, or agent, or give you any authority to act for us or for any
Portfolio. Neither we nor any Portfolio shall be liable for any of
your acts or obligations as a dealer under this Agreement.
6. Information Relating to the Portfolios: (a) No person is
authorized to make any representations concerning shares of a
Portfolio other than those contained in the Portfolio's Prospectus.
In ordering Portfolio shares from us under this Agreement, you will
rely only on the representations contained in the Prospectus. Upon
your request, we will furnish you with a reasonable number of copies
of the Portfolios' current prospectuses or statements of additional
information or both (including any stickers thereto).
(b) Any printed or electronic information that we furnish you
(other than the Portfolios' Prospectuses and periodic reports) is our
sole responsibility and not the responsibility of the respective
Portfolios. You agree that the Portfolios will have no liability or
responsibility to you with respect to any such printed or electronic
information. We or the respective Portfolio will bear the expense of
qualifying its shares under the state securities laws.
(c) You may not use any sales literature or advertising material
(including material disseminated through radio, television, or other
electronic media) concerning Portfolio shares, other than the printed
or electronic information referred to in paragraph 6(b) above, in
connection with making Portfolio shares available to your customers
without obtaining our prior written approval. You may not distribute
or make available to investors any information that we furnish you
marked "FOR DEALER USE ONLY" or that otherwise indicates that it is
confidential or not intended to be distributed to investors.
7. Indemnification: (a) We will indemnify and hold you harmless
from any claim, demand, loss, expense, or cause of action resulting
from the misconduct or negligence, as measured by industry standards,
of us, our agents and employees, in carrying out our obligations under
this Agreement. Such indemnification will survive the termination of
this Agreement.
(b) You will indemnify and hold us harmless from any claim, demand,
loss, expense, or cause of action resulting from the misconduct or
negligence, as measured by industry standards, of you, your agents and
employees, in carrying out your obligations under this Agreement.
Such indemnification will survive the termination of this Agreement.
8. Customer Lists: We hereby agree that we shall not use any list of
your customers which may be obtained in connection with this Agreement
for the purpose of solicitation of any product or service without your
express written consent. However, nothing in this paragraph or
otherwise shall be deemed to prohibit or restrict us or our affiliates
in any way from solicitations of any product or service directed at,
without limitation, the general public, any segment thereof, or any
specific individual, provided such solicitation is not based upon such
list.
9. Duration of Agreement: This Agreement, with respect to any Plan,
will continue in effect for one year from its effective date, and
thereafter will continue automatically for successive annual periods;
provided, however, that such continuance is subject to termination at
any time without penalty if a majority of a Portfolio's Trustees who
are not interested persons of the Portfolio (as defined in the
Investment Company Act of 1940 (the "1940 Act")), or a majority of the
outstanding shares of the Portfolio, vote to terminate or not to
continue the Plan. This Agreement, other than with respect to a Plan,
will continue in effect from year to year after its effective date,
unless terminated as provided herein.
10. Amendment and Termination of Agreement: (a) We may amend any
provision of this Agreement by giving you written notice of the
amendment. Either party to this Agreement may terminate the Agreement
without cause by giving the other party at least thirty (30) days'
written notice of its intention to terminate. This Agreement will
terminate automatically in the event of its assignment (as defined in
the 1940 Act).
(b) In the event that (i) an application for a protective decree
under the provisions of the Securities Investor Protection Act of 1970
is file against you; (ii) you file a petition in bankruptcy or a
petition seeking similar relief under any bankruptcy, insolvency, or
similar law, or a proceeding is commenced against you seeking such
relief; or (iii) you are found by the SEC, the NASD, or any other
federal or state regulatory agency or authority to have violated any
applicable federal or state law, rule or regulation arising out of
your activities as a broker/dealer or in connection with this
Agreement, this Agreement will terminate effective immediately upon
our giving notice of termination to you. You agree to notify us
promptly and to immediately suspend making Portfolio shares available
to your customers in the event of any such filing or violation, or in
the event that you cease to be a member in good standing of the NASD
or you cease to be a "bank" as defined in Section 3(a)(6) of the 1934
Act.
(c) Your or our failure to terminate this Agreement for a
particular cause will not constitute a waiver of the right to
terminate this Agreement at a later date for the same or another
cause. The termination of this Agreement with respect to any one
Portfolio will not cause its termination with respect to any other
Portfolio.
11. Arbitration: In the event of a dispute, such dispute will be
settled by arbitration before arbitrators sitting in Boston,
Massachusetts in accordance with the NASD's Code of Arbitration
Procedure in effect at the time of the dispute. The arbitrators will
act by majority decision and their award may allocate attorneys' fees
and arbitration costs between us. Their award will be final and
binding between us, and such award may be entered as a judgment in any
court of competent jurisdiction.
12. Notices: All notices required or permitted to be given under this
Agreement shall be given in writing and delivered by personal
delivery, by postage prepaid mail, or by facsimile machine or a
similar means of same day delivery (with a confirming copy by mail).
All notices to us shall be given or sent to us at our offices located
at 00 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Mail Zone X00X, Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxxx 00000,
Attn: Bank Wholesale Market. All notices to you shall be given or
sent to you at the address specified by you below. Each of us may
change the address to which notices shall be sent by giving notice to
the other party in accordance with this paragraph 12.
13. Miscellaneous: This Agreement, as it may be amended from time to
time, shall become effective as of the date when it is accepted and
dated below by us. This Agreement is to be construed in accordance
with the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. This Agreement
supersedes and cancels any prior agreement between us, whether oral or
written, relating to the sale of shares of the Portfolios or any other
subject covered by this Agreement. The captions in this Agreement are
included for convenience of reference only and in no way define or
limit any of the provisions of this Agreement or otherwise affect
their construction or effect.
Very truly yours,
[SIGNATURE LINES OMITTED]
** DISCARD THIS PAGE AND ATTACH REVISED SCHEDULES A AND B **
