TRANSFER AGENCY AND SERVICE AGREEMENT BETWEEN EACH OF THE RIDGE WORTH FUNDS, INDIVIDUALLY AND NOT JOINTLY, AS LISTED ON SCHEDULE A AND BOSTON FINANCIAL DATA SERVICES, INC.
Exhibit 28(h)(11)
BETWEEN
EACH OF THE RIDGE WORTH FUNDS, INDIVIDUALLY AND NOT JOINTLY,
AS LISTED ON SCHEDULE A
AND
EACH OF THE RIDGE WORTH FUNDS, INDIVIDUALLY AND NOT JOINTLY,
AS LISTED ON SCHEDULE A
AND
BOSTON FINANCIAL DATA SERVICES, INC.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page | ||||||
1. |
Terms of Appointment and Duties | 1 | ||||
2. |
Third Party Administrators for Defined Contribution Plans | 7 | ||||
3. |
Fees and Expenses | 8 | ||||
4. |
Representations and Warranties of the Transfer Agent | 10 | ||||
5. |
Representations and Warranties of the Funds | 10 | ||||
6. |
Wire Transfer Operating Guidelines | 10 | ||||
7. |
Data Access and Proprietary Information | 12 | ||||
8. |
Indemnification | 14 | ||||
9. |
Standard of Care | 16 | ||||
10. |
Confidentiality | 17 | ||||
11. |
Covenants of the Funds and the Transfer Agent | 18 | ||||
12. |
Termination of Agreement | 20 | ||||
13. |
Assignment and Third Party Beneficiaries | 22 | ||||
14. |
Subcontractors | 23 | ||||
15. |
Changes and Modifications | 23 | ||||
16. |
Miscellaneous | 24 | ||||
17. |
Additional Portfolios/Funds | 26 | ||||
18. |
Limitations of Liability of the Trustees and Shareholders | 26 |
Schedule A
|
Funds and Portfolios | |
Schedule 1.2(f)
|
AML and CIP Delegation | |
Schedule 1.2(i)
|
Omnibus Transparency Services | |
Schedule 2.1
|
Third Party Administrator(s) Procedures | |
Schedule 3.1
|
Fees and Expenses |
THIS AGREEMENT is made this 20th day of August, 2010, by and between EACH OF THE RIDGEWORTH FUNDS,
INDIVIDUALLY AND NOT JOINTLY, as listed on Schedule A, each a Massachusetts business trust,
(collectively, the “Funds” and individually, the “Fund”) and BOSTON FINANCIAL DATA SERVICES, INC.,
a Massachusetts corporation (the “Transfer Agent”) and shall be effective as of October 23, 2010
(the “Effective Date”).
WHEREAS, certain Funds may be authorized to issue shares in a separate series, such series shall be
named under the respective Fund in the attached Schedule A, which may be amended by the parties
from time to time, (each such series, together with all other series subsequently established by a
Fund and made subject to this Agreement in accordance with Section 17, being herein
referred to as a “Portfolio”, and collectively as the “Portfolios”);
WHEREAS, each Fund is either a statutory or business trust or a corporation organized under the
laws of a state (as set forth on the Schedule A) and registered with the Securities and Exchange
Commission as an investment company pursuant to the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the
“1940 Act”);
WHEREAS, it is contemplated that additional Funds and Portfolios may become parties to this
Agreement by written consent of the parties hereto and in accordance with Section 17; and
WHEREAS, each Fund, on behalf of itself and, where applicable, its Portfolios, desires to appoint
the Transfer Agent as its transfer agent, dividend disbursing agent and agent in connection with
certain other activities, and the Transfer Agent desires to accept such appointment.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants herein contained, the parties hereto agree
as follows:
1. | Terms of Appointment and Duties |
1.1 Transfer Agency Services. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this
Agreement, each Fund, on behalf of itself and, where applicable, its Portfolios, hereby
employs and appoints the Transfer Agent to act as, and the Transfer Agent agrees to act as,
its transfer agent for each Fund’s authorized and issued shares or beneficial interest, as
the case may be, (“Shares”), dividend disbursing agent and agent in connection with any
accumulation, open-account or similar plan provided to the shareholders of each Fund and of
any Portfolios of a Fund (“Shareholders”), including without limitation any periodic
investment plan or periodic withdrawal program. In accordance with procedures established
from time to time by agreement between the Transfer Agent and each of the Funds and their
respective Portfolios, (the “Procedures”) with such changes or deviations there from as have
been (or may from time to time be) agreed upon in writing by the parties, the Transfer Agent
agrees that it will perform the following services:
(a) Establish each Shareholder’s account in the Fund on the Transfer Agent’s recordkeeping system
and maintain such account for the benefit of such Shareholder in
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accordance with the Procedures;
(b) Receive for acceptance and process orders for the purchase of Shares, and promptly deliver
payment and appropriate documentation thereof to the Custodian of the Fund authorized pursuant to
the organizational documents of the Fund (the “Custodian”);
(c) Pursuant to purchase orders, issue the appropriate number of Shares and hold such Shares in the
appropriate Shareholder account;
(d) Receive for acceptance and process redemption requests and redemption directions and deliver
the appropriate documentation thereof to the Custodian;
(e) In respect to items (a) through (d) above, the Transfer Agent may execute transactions directly
with broker-dealers authorized by the Fund;
(f) At the appropriate time as and when it receives monies paid to it by the Custodian with respect
to any redemption, pay over or cause to be paid over in the appropriate manner such monies as
instructed by the redeeming Shareholders;
(g) Effect transfers of Shares by the registered owners thereof upon receipt of appropriate
instructions;
(h) Prepare and transmit payments for dividends and distributions declared by the Fund or any
Portfolio thereof, as the case may be;
(i) If applicable, issue replacement certificates for those certificates alleged to have been lost,
stolen or destroyed upon receipt by the Transfer Agent of indemnification satisfactory to the
Transfer Agent and protecting the Transfer Agent and the Fund, and the Transfer Agent at its
option, may issue replacement certificates in place of mutilated stock certificates upon
presentation thereof and without such indemnity;
(j) Issue replacement checks and place stop orders on original checks based on Shareholder’s
representation that a check was not received or was lost. Such stop orders and replacements will be
deemed to have been made at the request of the Fund, and, as between the Fund and the Transfer
Agent, the Fund shall be responsible for all losses or claims resulting from such replacement;
(k) Maintain records of account for and advise the Fund and its Shareholders as to the foregoing;
(1) Record the issuance of Shares of the Fund and maintain pursuant to SEC Rule 17Ad-10(e) a record
of the total number of Shares of the Fund which are authorized, based upon data provided to it by
the Fund, and issued and outstanding. The Transfer Agent shall also provide the Fund on a regular
basis with the total number of Shares which are authorized and issued and outstanding but shall
have no obligation, when recording the issuance of Shares, to monitor the issuance of such Shares
or to take
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cognizance of any laws relating to the issue or sale of such Shares, which functions shall be
the sole responsibility of the Fund;
(m) Accept any information, records, documents, data, certificates, transaction requests by
machine readable input, facsimile, CRT data entry and electronic instructions, including
e-mail communications, which have been prepared, maintained or provided by the Fund or any
other person or firm on behalf of the Fund or from broker-dealers of record or third-party
administrators (“TPAs”) on behalf of individual Shareholders. With respect to transaction
requests received in the foregoing manner, the Transfer Agent shall not be responsible for
determining that the original source documentation is in good order, which includes compliance
with Rule 22c-1 under the 1940 Act, and it will be the responsibility of the Fund to require
its broker-dealers or TPAs to retain such documentation. E-mail exchanges on routine matters
may be made directly with the Fund’s contact at the Transfer Agent. The Transfer Agent will
not act on any e-mail communications coming to it directly from Shareholders requesting
transactions, including, but not limited to, monetary transactions, change of ownership, or
beneficiary changes;
(n) Maintain and manage, as agent for the Fund, such bank accounts as the Transfer Agent shall
deem necessary for the performance of its duties under this Agreement, including but not
limited to, the processing of Share purchases and redemptions and the payment of Fund
dividends and distributions. The Transfer Agent may maintain such accounts at the bank or
banks deemed appropriate by the Transfer Agent. In connection with the recordkeeping and other
services provided to the Fund hereunder, the Transfer Agent may receive compensation for the
management of such accounts and such compensation may be calculated based upon the average
balances of such accounts;
(o) Receive correspondence pertaining to any former, existing or new Shareholder account,
process such correspondence for proper recordkeeping and respond to Shareholder
correspondence; and
(p) Process any request from a Shareholder to change account registration, beneficiary,
beneficiary information, transfer and rollovers in accordance with the Procedures.
1.2 Additional Services. In addition to, and neither in lieu nor in contravention of, the
services set forth in the above paragraphs, the Transfer Agent shall perform the following
services:
(a) Other Customary Services. Perform certain customary services of a transfer
agent, dividend disbursing agent and, as relevant, agent in connection with accumulation,
open-account or similar plan (including without limitation any periodic investment plan or
periodic withdrawal program), including but not limited to: maintaining all Shareholder
accounts; arranging for mailing of Shareholder reports and prospectuses to current
Shareholders; withholding taxes on U.S. resident and non-resident alien accounts; preparing
and filing U.S. Treasury Department Forms 1099, supplemental letters, and other appropriate
forms required with respect to dividends and distributions by federal authorities for all
Shareholders; preparing and mailing confirmation forms and statements
3
of account to Shareholders for all purchases and redemptions of Shares and other confirmable
transactions in Shareholder accounts; preparing and mailing activity statements for Shareholders;
and providing Shareholder account information;
(b) Control Book (also known as “Super Sheet’). Maintain a daily record and produce a daily report
for the Fund of all transactions and receipts and disbursements of money and securities and deliver
a copy of such report for the Fund for each business day to the Fund no later than 9:00 AM Eastern
Time, or such earlier time as the Fund may reasonably require, on the next business day;
(c) “Blue S4” Reporting. The Fund or its administrator shall identify to the Transfer Agent in
writing the states and countries where the Shares of the Fund are registered or exempt, and the
number of Shares registered for sale with respect to each state or country, as applicable. The
Transfer Agent shall establish the foregoing parameters on the system for the designated Blue Sky
vendor. The Fund or its administrator shall verify that such parameters have been correctly
established for each state or country on the system prior to activation and thereafter shall be
responsible for monitoring the daily activity for each state or country. The responsibility of the
Transfer Agent for the Fund’s blue sky registration status is solely limited to the initial
establishment of the parameters provided by the Fund or the administrator for the vendor’s system
and the daily transmission of a file to such vendor in order that the vendor may provide reports to
the Fund or the administrator for monitoring;
(d) National Securities Clearing Corporation (the “NSCC’). (i) Accept and effectuate the
registration and maintenance of accounts through Networking and the purchase, redemption, transfer
and exchange of shares in such accounts through Fund/SERV (Networking and Fund/SERV being programs
operated by the NSCC on behalf of NSCC’s participants, including the Fund), in accordance with,
instructions transmitted to and received by the Transfer Agent by transmission from NSCC on behalf
of authorized broker-dealers on the Fund dealer file maintained by the Transfer Agent; (ii) issue
instructions to the Fund’s banks for the settlement of transactions between the Fund and NSCC
(acting on behalf of its broker-dealer and bank participants); (iii) provide account and
transaction information from the affected Fund’s records on DST Systems, Inc.’s computer system
TA2000 (“TA2000 System”) in accordance with NSCC’s Networking and Fund/SERV rules for those
broker-dealers; and (iv) maintain Shareholder accounts on TA2000 System through Networking;
(e) Performance of Certain Services by the Fund or Affiliates or Agents. New procedures as to who
shall provide certain of these services may be established in writing from time to time by
agreement between the Fund and the Transfer Agent. The Transfer Agent may at times perform only a
portion of these services and the Fund or its agent may perform these services on the Fund’s
behalf.
(f)
Anti-Money Laundering (“AML ”) Delegation. In order to assist the Fund with the Fund’s AML
responsibilities under applicable AML laws, the Transfer Agent offers certain risk-based
shareholder activity monitoring tools and procedures that are reasonably designed to: (i) promote
the detection and reporting of potential money
4
laundering activities; and (ii) assist in the verification of persons opening accounts with the
Fund (the “AML Procedures”). If the Fund elects to have the Transfer Agent implement the AML
Procedures and delegate the day-to-day operation of such AML Procedures to the Transfer Agent, the
parties will agree to such terms as stated in the attached schedule (“Schedule 1.2(f)” entitled
“AML Delegation”) which may be changed from time to time subject to mutual written agreement
between the parties. In consideration of the performance of the AML Procedures by the Transfer
Agent pursuant to this Section 1.2(f), the Fund agrees to pay the Transfer Agent for the reasonable
administrative expense that may be associated with such AML Procedures.
(g) Call Center Services. Upon request of the Fund, answer telephone inquiries from 8:30 a.m. to
5:30 p.m., Eastern Time, each day on which the New York Stock Exchange is open for trading. The
Transfer Agent shall answer and respond to inquiries from existing Shareholders, prospective
Shareholders of the Fund and broker-dealers on behalf of such Shareholders in accordance with the
telephone scripts provided by the Fund to the Transfer Agent, such inquiries may include requests
for information on account set-up and maintenance, general questions regarding the operation of the
Fund, general account information including dates of purchases, redemptions, exchanges and account
balances, requests for account access instructions and literature requests. In consideration of the
performance of the duties by the Transfer Agent pursuant to this Section, the Fund agrees to pay
the Transfer Agent the fee set forth on Schedule 3.1 attached hereto and the reimbursable expenses
that may be associated with these additional duties. Upon request (and subject to the Fund’s
agreement as to the payment of any additional fees and expenses applicable thereto) the Transfer
Agent will also provide call center services on days on which the New York Stock Exchange is not
open for trading;
(h) Short Term Trader. Upon request of the Fund, the Transfer Agent will provide the Fund with
periodic reports on trading activity in the Fund based on parameters provided to the Transfer Agent
by the Fund, as amended from time to time. The services to be performed by the Transfer Agent for
the Fund hereunder will be ministerial only and the Transfer Agent shall have no responsibility for
monitoring or reviewing market-timing activities. In consideration of the performance of the duties
by the Transfer Agent pursuant to this Section, the Fund agrees to pay the Transfer Agent the fee
set forth on Schedule 3.1 attached hereto and the reasonable reimbursable expenses that may be
associated with these additional duties;
(i) Omnibus Transparency Services. Upon request of the Fund, the Transfer Agent shall carry out
certain information requests, analyses and reporting services in support of the Fund’s obligations
under Rule 22c-2(a)(2), (3). If the Fund elects to utilize the omnibus transparency services, the
parties will agree to such services and terms as stated in the attached schedule (“Schedule 1.2(i)”
entitled “Omnibus Transparency Services”) that may be changed from time to time subject to mutual
written agreement between the parties. If the Fund elects to utilize the omnibus transparency
services pursuant to this Section 1.2(i), the Fund shall pay the Transfer Agent for such fees and
expenses associated with such additional services as set forth on Schedule 3.1; and
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(j) Escheatment, Orders, Etc. If requested by the Fund (and as mutually agreed upon
by the parties as to any reasonable fees and expenses), the Transfer Agent shall handle
garnishment orders, notices of bankruptcy and divorce proceedings, Internal Revenue Service or
state tax authority tax levies and summonses, in each case as received by the Transfer Agent
with respect to specific shareholder accounts, and services with respect to the shareholder
searches and determination of shareholder accounts as abandoned property and escheatment of
such accounts to the applicable states;
1.3 Fiduciary Accounts. With respect to certain retirement plans or accounts (such as individual
retirement accounts (“IRAs”), SIMPLE IRAs, SEP IRAs, Xxxx IRAs, Xxxxxxxxx Education Savings
Accounts, and 403(b) arrangements (such accounts, “Fiduciary Accounts”)), the Transfer Agent,
at the request of the Fund, shall arrange for the provision of appropriate prototype plans as
well as provide or arrange for the provision of various services to such plans and/or
accounts, which services may include custodial services to be provided by State Street Bank
and Trust Company (“State Street”), account set-up maintenance, and disbursements as well as
such other services as the parties hereto shall mutually agree upon.
1.4 Site Visits and Inspections; Regulatory Examinations. During the term of this Agreement,
authorized representatives of the Fund may conduct periodic site visits of the Transfer
Agent’s facilities and inspect the Transfer Agent’s records and procedures solely as they
pertain to the Transfer Agent’s services for the Fund under or pursuant to this Agreement.
Such inspections shall be conducted at the Fund’s expense (which shall include costs related
to providing materials, copying, faxing, retrieving stored materials, and similar expenses)
and shall occur during the Transfer Agent’s regular business hours and, except as otherwise
agreed to by the parties, no more frequently than twice a year. In connection with such site
visit and/or inspection, the Fund shall not attempt to access, nor will it review, the records
of any other clients of the Transfer Agent and the Fund shall conduct the visit/inspection in
a manner that will not interfere with the Transfer Agent’s normal and customary conduct of its
business activities, including the provision of services to the Fund and to other clients. The
Transfer Agent shall have the right to immediately require the removal of any Fund
representatives from its premises in the event that their actions, in the reasonable opinion
of the Transfer Agent, jeopardize the information security of its systems and/or other client
data or otherwise are disruptive to the business of the Transfer Agent. The Transfer Agent may
require any persons seeking access to its facilities to provide reasonable evidence of their
authority. The Transfer Agent may also reasonably require any of the Fund’s representatives to
execute a confidentiality agreement before granting such individuals access to its facilities.
The Transfer Agent will also provide reasonable access to the Fund’s governmental regulators,
at the Fund’s expense, solely to (i) the Fund’s records held by the Transfer Agent and (ii)
the procedures of the Transfer Agent directly related to its provision of services to the Fund
under the Agreement.
1.5 Tax-related support. The parties agree that to the extent that the Transfer Agent provides
any services under this Agreement that relate to compliance by the Fund with the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (“Code”) or any other tax law, including without limitation,
withholding, as required by federal law, taxes on Shareholder accounts,
6
preparing, filing and mailing U.S. Treasury Department Forms 1099, 1042, and 1042S, and
performing and paying backup withholding as required for shareholders, the Transfer Agent
will not make any judgments or exercise any discretion of any kind and will provide only
ministerial, mechanical, printing, reproducing, and other similar assistance to the Fund. In
particular, the Transfer Agent will not make any judgments or exercise any discretion in
determining generally the actions that are required in connection with such compliance or
when such compliance has been achieved. Except to the extent of making mathematical
calculations or completing forms, in each case based on the Fund’s instructions, the Transfer
Agent will not make any judgments or exercise any discretion in (1) determining generally:
(a) the amounts of taxes that should be withheld on Shareholder accounts; and (b) the amounts
that should be reported in or on any specific box or line of any tax form; (2) classifying
the status of Shareholders and Shareholder accounts under applicable tax law; and (3) paying
withholding and other taxes. The Fund will provide comprehensive instructions to the Transfer
Agent in connection with all of the services that are to be provided by the Transfer Agent
under this Agreement that relate to compliance by the Fund with the Code or any other tax
law, including promptly responding to requests for direction that may be made from time to
time by the Transfer Agent.
2. | Third Party Administrators for Defined Contribution Plans |
2.1 The Fund may decide to make available to certain of its customers, a qualified plan program
(the “Program”) pursuant to which the customers (“Employers”) may adopt certain plans of
deferred compensation (“Plan or Plans”) for the benefit of the individual Plan participant
(the “Plan Participant”), such Plan(s) being qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code and
administered by TPAs which may be plan administrators as defined in the Employee Retirement
Income Security Act of 1974, as amended.
2.2 In accordance with the procedures established in Schedule 2.1 entitled “Third Party
Administrator Procedures,” as may be amended by the Transfer Agent and the Fund from time to
time (“Schedule 2.1”), the Transfer Agent shall:
(a) Treat Shareholder accounts established by the Plans in the name of the Trustees, Plans or
TPAs, as the case may be, as omnibus accounts;
(b) Maintain omnibus accounts on its records in the name of the TPA or its designee as the
Trustee for the benefit of the Plan; and
(c) Perform all services under Section 1 as transfer agent of the Funds and not as a
record-keeper for the Plans.
2.3 Transactions identified under Sections 1 and 2 of this Agreement shall be deemed
exception services (“Exception Services”) when such transactions:
(a) Require the Transfer Agent to use methods and procedures other than those usually
employed by the Transfer Agent to perform transfer agency and recordkeeping services;
7
(b) Involve the provision of information to the Transfer Agent after the commencement of the
nightly processing cycle of the TA2000 System; or
(c) Require more manual intervention by the Transfer Agent, either in the entry of data or in
the modification or amendment of reports generated by the TA2000 System, than is normally
required.
3. | Fees and Expenses |
3.1 Fee Schedule. For the performance by the Transfer Agent pursuant to this Agreement, the
Fund agrees to pay the Transfer Agent the fees and expenses as set forth in the attached fee
schedule (“Schedule 3.1”). Such fees and reimbursable expenses and advances identified under
Section 3.2 below may be changed from time to time subject to mutual written
agreement between the Fund and the Transfer Agent. The parties agree that the fees set forth
on Schedule 3.1 shall apply with respect to the Funds set forth on Schedule A hereto as of
the date hereof and to any newly created funds added to this Agreement under Section
17 that have requirements consistent with services then being provided by the Transfer
Agent under this Agreement. The fees set forth on Schedule 3.1, however, shall not
automatically apply to any funds resulting from acquisition or merger subsequent to the
execution of this Agreement. In the event that a fund is to become a party to this Agreement
as the result of an acquisition or merger then the parties shall confer diligently and in
good faith, and agree upon fees applicable to such fund.
3.2 Reimbursable Expenses. In addition to the fees paid under Section 3.1 above,
the Fund agrees to reimburse the Transfer Agent for reimbursable expenses, if applicable,
including but not limited to: AML/CIP annual fee, suspicious activity reporting for networked
accounts, audio response, checkwriting, CT-related database searches, commission fee
application, data communications equipment, computer hardware, DST disaster recovery charge,
escheatment, express mail and delivery services, federal wire charges, forms and production,
freight charges, household tape processing, lost shareholder searches, lost shareholder
tracking, magnetic tapes, reels or cartridges, magnetic tape handling charges, manual check
pulls, microfiche/COOL, microfilm, network products, new fund implementation, NSCC processing
and communications, postage (to be paid in advance if so requested), offsite records storage,
outside mailing services, P.O. box rental, print/mail services, programming hours, regulatory
compliance fee per CUSIP, reporting (on request and scheduled), returned checks, Short Term
Trader, special mailing, statements, supplies, tax reporting (federal and state),
telecommunications equipment, telephone (telephone and fax lines), training, transcripts,
travel, TIN certification (W-8 & W-9), vax payroll processing, year-end processing and other
expenses incurred at the specific direction of the Fund or with advance written notice to the
Fund.
3.3 Increases. The fees and charges set forth on Schedule 3.1 shall increase or may be
increased (i) in accordance with Section 3.6 below; (ii) upon at least ninety (90)
days prior written notice, if changes in laws applicable to its transfer agency business or
laws applicable to the Fund, which the Transfer Agent has agreed to abide by and implement
8
increases the Transfer Agent’s ongoing costs to provide the affected service or function by
five percent (5%) or more; or (iii) in connection with new or additional services, or new or
additional functions, features or modes of operation of the TA2000 system. If the Transfer
Agent notifies the Fund of an increase in fees or charges pursuant to subparagraph (ii) of
this Section 3.3, the parties shall confer, diligently and in good faith and agree
upon a new fee or charges to cover the amount necessary, but not more than such amount, to
reimburse the Transfer Agent for the increased costs of operation or new fund features. If the
Transfer Agent notified the Fund of an increase in fees under subparagraph (iii) of this
Section 3.3, the parties shall confer, diligently and in good faith, and agree upon a
new fee to cover such new fund feature.
3.4 Postage. Postage for mailing of dividends, Fund reports and other mailings to all
shareholder accounts shall be advanced to the Transfer Agent by the Fund at least seven (7)
days prior to the mailing date of such materials.
3.5 Invoices. The Fund agrees to pay all fees and reimbursable expenses within thirty (30) days
following the receipt of the respective invoice, except for any fees or expenses that are
subject to good faith dispute. In the event of such a dispute, the Fund may only withhold that
portion of the fee or expense subject to the good faith dispute. The Fund shall notify the
Transfer Agent in writing within twenty-one (21) calendar days following the receipt of each
invoice if the Fund is disputing any amounts in good faith. If the Fund does not provide such
notice of dispute within the required time, the invoice will be deemed accepted by the Fund.
The Fund shall settle such disputed amounts within five (5) days of the day on which the
parties agree on the amount to be paid by payment of the agreed amount. If no agreement is
reached, then such disputed amounts shall be settled as may be required by law or legal
process.
3.6 Cost of Living Adjustment. After the Initial Term, unless the parties shall have otherwise
agreed to a new fee schedule in writing, the total fee for all services for each succeeding
year shall equal the fee that would be charged for the same services based on a fee rate (as
reflected in a fee rate schedule) increased by the percentage increase for the twelve-month
period of such previous calendar year of the CPI-W (defined below), or, in the event that
publication of such Index is terminated, any successor or substitute index, appropriately
adjusted, acceptable to both parties. As used herein, “CPI-W” shall mean the Consumer Price
Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers for Boston-Brockton-Nashua, MA-NH-ME-CT,
(Base Period: 1982-84 = 100), as published by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of
Labor Statistics.
3.7 Late Payments. If any undisputed amount in an invoice of the Transfer Agent (for fees
or reimbursable expenses) is not paid when due, the Fund shall pay the Transfer Agent interest
thereon (from the due date to the date of payment) at a per annum rate equal to one percent
(1.0%) plus the Prime Rate (that is, the base rate on corporate loans posted by large domestic
banks) published by The Wall Street Journal (or, in the event such rate is not so published, a
reasonably equivalent published rate selected by the Transfer Agent) on the first day of
publication during the month when such amount was due.
9
Notwithstanding any other provision hereof, such interest rate shall be no greater than
permitted under applicable provisions of Massachusetts law.
4. | Representations and Warranties of the Transfer Agent |
The Transfer Agent represents and warrants to the Fund that:
4.1 It is a corporation duly organized and existing and in good standing under the laws of The
Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
4.2 It is duly registered as a transfer agent under Section 17A(c)(2) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”), and it will remain so registered for the
duration of this Agreement. It will promptly notify the Fund in the event of any material
change in its status as a registered transfer agent.
4.3 It is duly qualified to carry on its business in The Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
4.4 It is empowered under applicable laws and by its Articles of Organization and By-Laws to
enter into and perform the services contemplated in this Agreement.
4.5 All requisite corporate proceedings have been taken to authorize it to enter into and
perform this Agreement.
4.6 It has and will continue to have access to the necessary facilities, equipment and
personnel to perform its duties and obligations under this Agreement.
5. | Representations and Warranties of the Fund |
The Fund
represents and warrants to the Transfer Agent that:
5.1 It is a trust or corporation duly organized and existing and in good standing under the
laws of the state of its organization as set forth on Schedule A.
5.2 It is empowered under applicable laws and by its organizational documents to enter into and
perform this Agreement.
5.3 All requisite corporate proceedings have been taken to authorize it to enter into and
perform this Agreement.
5.4 The Fund is an open-end management investment company registered under the 0000 Xxx.
5.5 A registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, for each Fund is
currently effective and will remain effective, and appropriate state securities law filings
have been made and will continue to be made, with respect to all Shares being offered for
sale by the Fund.
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6.1 Obligation of Sender. The Transfer Agent is authorized to promptly debit the appropriate
Fund account(s) upon the receipt of a payment order in compliance with the selected security
procedure (the “Security Procedure”) chosen for funds transfer and in the amount of money that
the Transfer Agent has been instructed to transfer. The Transfer Agent shall execute payment
orders in compliance with the Security Procedure and with the Fund instructions on the
execution date provided that such payment order is received by the customary deadline for
processing such a request, unless the payment order specifies a later time. All payment orders
and communications received after the customary deadline will be deemed to have been received
the next business day.
6.2 Security Procedure. The Fund acknowledges that the Security Procedure it has designated on
the Selection Form was selected by the Fund from security procedures offered by the Transfer
Agent. The Fund shall restrict access to confidential information relating to the Security
Procedure to authorized persons as communicated to the Transfer Agent in writing. The Fund
must notify the Transfer Agent immediately if it has reason to believe unauthorized persons
may have obtained access to such information or of any change in the Fund’s authorized
personnel. The Transfer Agent shall verify the authenticity of all Fund instructions according
to the Security Procedure.
6.3 Account Numbers. The Transfer Agent shall process all payment orders on the basis of the
account number contained in the payment order. In the event of a discrepancy between any name
indicated on the payment order and the account number, the account number shall take
precedence and govern.
6.4 Rejection. The Transfer Agent reserves the right to decline to process or delay the
processing of a payment order which (a) is in excess of the collected balance in the account
to be charged at the time of the Transfer Agent’s receipt of such payment order; (b) if
initiating such payment order would cause the Transfer Agent, in the Transfer Agent’s sole
judgment, to exceed any volume, aggregate dollar, network, time, credit or similar limits
which are applicable to the Transfer Agent; or (c) if the Transfer Agent, in good faith, is
unable to satisfy itself that the transaction has been properly authorized.
6.5 Cancellation Amendment. The Transfer Agent shall use reasonable efforts to act on all
authorized requests to cancel or amend payment orders received in compliance with the Security
Procedure provided that such requests are received in a timely manner affording the Transfer
Agent reasonable opportunity to act. However, the Transfer Agent assumes no liability if the
request for amendment or cancellation cannot be satisfied.
6.6 Errors. The Transfer Agent shall assume no responsibility for failure to detect any erroneous
payment order provided that the Transfer Agent complies with the payment order instructions as
received and the Transfer Agent complies with the Security Procedure. The Security Procedure
is established for the purpose of authenticating payment orders only and not for the detection
of errors in payment orders.
11
6. | Wire Transfer Operating Guidelines/Articles 4A of the Uniform Commercial Code |
6.7 Interest. The Transfer Agent shall assume no responsibility for lost interest with
respect to the refundable amount of any unauthorized payment order, unless the Transfer
Agent is notified of the unauthorized payment order within thirty (30) days of notification
by the Transfer Agent of the acceptance of such payment order.
6.8 ACH Credit Entries/Provisional Payments. When the Fund initiates or receives Automated
Clearing House credit and debit entries pursuant to these guidelines and the rules of the
National Automated Clearing House Association and the New England Clearing House Association,
State Street will act as an Originating Depository Financial Institution and/or Receiving
Depository Financial Institution, as the case may be, with respect to such entries. Credits
given by the Transfer Agent with respect to an ACH credit entry are provisional until the
Transfer Agent receives final settlement for such entry from the Federal Reserve B. If the
Transfer Agent does not receive such final settlement, the Fund agrees that the Transfer
Agent shall receive a refund of the amount credited to the Fund in connection with such
entry, and the party making payment to the Fund via such entry shall not be deemed to have
paid the amount of the entry.
6.9 Confirmation. Confirmation of Transfer Agent’s execution of payment orders shall ordinarily
be provided within twenty four (24) hours notice of which may be delivered through the
Transfer Agent’s proprietary information systems, or by facsimile or call-back. Fund must
report any objections to the execution of an order within thirty (30) days.
7. | Data Access and Proprietary Information |
7.1 The Fund acknowledges that the databases, computer programs, screen formats, report
formats, interactive design techniques, and documentation manuals furnished to the Fund by
the Transfer Agent as part of the Fund ’s ability to access certain Fund -related data
maintained by the Transfer Agent on databases under the control and ownership of the Transfer
Agent or other third party (“Data Access Services”) constitute copyrighted, trade secret, or
other proprietary information (collectively, “Proprietary Information”) of substantial value
to the Transfer Agent or other third party. In no event shall Proprietary Information be
deemed Customer Information (as defined in Section 10.2 below) or the confidential
information of the Fund. The Fund agrees to treat all Proprietary Information as proprietary
to the Transfer Agent and further agrees that it shall not divulge any Proprietary
Information to any person or organization except as may be provided hereunder. Without
limiting the foregoing, the Fund agrees for itself and its employees and agents to:
(a) Use such programs and databases (i) solely on the Fund’s computers, (ii) solely from
equipment at the location agreed to between the Fund and the Transfer Agent and (iii) solely
in accordance with the Transfer Agent’s applicable user documentation;
(b) Refrain from copying or duplicating in any way (other than in the normal course of
performing processing on the Fund’s computer(s)), the Proprietary Information;
12
(c) Refrain from obtaining unauthorized access to any portion of the Proprietary Information,
and if such access is inadvertently obtained, to inform the Transfer Agent in a timely manner
of such fact and dispose of such information in accordance with the Transfer Agent’s
instructions;
(d) Refrain from causing or allowing information transmitted from the Transfer Agent’s
computer to the Fund’s computer to be retransmitted to any other computer or other device
except as expressly permitted by the Transfer Agent (such permission not to be unreasonably
withheld);
(e) Allow the Fund to have access only to those authorized transactions as agreed to between
the Fund and the Transfer Agent; and
(f) Honor all reasonable written requests made by the Transfer Agent to protect at the
Transfer Agent’s expense the rights of the Transfer Agent in Proprietary Information at common
law, under federal copyright law and under other federal or state law.
7.2 Proprietary Information shall not include all or any portion of any of the foregoing items
that: (i) are or become publicly available without breach of this Agreement; (ii) are released
for general disclosure by a written release by the Transfer Agent; or (iii) are already in the
possession of the receiving party at the time of receipt without obligation of confidentiality
or breach of this Agreement.
7.3 The Fund acknowledges that its obligation to protect the Transfer Agent’s Proprietary
Information is essential to the business interest of the Transfer Agent and that the
disclosure of such Proprietary Information in breach of this Agreement would cause the
Transfer Agent immediate, substantial and irreparable harm, the value of which
would be extremely difficult to determine. Accordingly, the parties agree that, in addition to
any other remedies that may be available in law, equity, or otherwise for the disclosure or
use of the Proprietary Information in breach of this Agreement, the Transfer Agent shall be
entitled to seek and obtain a temporary restraining order, injunctive relief, or other
equitable relief against the continuance of such breach.
7.4 If the Fund notifies the Transfer Agent that any of the Data Access Services do not operate
in material compliance with the most recently issued user documentation for such services, the
Transfer Agent shall endeavor in a timely manner to correct such failure. Organizations from
which the Transfer Agent may obtain certain data included in the Data Access Services are
solely responsible for the contents of such data and the Fund agrees to make no claim against
the Transfer Agent arising out of the contents of such third-party data, including, but not
limited to, the accuracy thereof.
7.5 If the transactions available to the Fund include the ability to originate electronic
instructions to the Transfer Agent in order to (i) effect the transfer or movement of cash or
Shares or (ii) transmit Shareholder information or other information, then in such event the
Transfer Agent shall be entitled to rely on the validity and authenticity of such instruction
without undertaking any further inquiry as long as such instruction is
13
undertaken in conformity with security procedures established by the Transfer Agent from
time to time.
7.6 Each party shall take reasonable efforts to advise its employees of their obligations
pursuant to this Section 7. The obligations of this Section shall survive any earlier
termination of this Agreement.
7.7 DATA ACCESS SERVICES AND ALL COMPUTER PROGRAMS AND SOFTWARE USED IN CONNECTION WITH THE
PERFORMANCE OF THE SERVICES UNDER THIS AGREEMENT ARE PROVIDED ON AN AS IS, AS AVAILABLE BASIS.
THE TRANSFER AGENT EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE
IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
8. | Indemnification |
8.1 The Transfer Agent shall not be responsible for, and the Fund shall indemnify and hold the
Transfer Agent, and with respect to Section 1.3 and Section 8.1(f) herein,
also State Street, harmless, from and against, any and all losses, damages, costs, charges,
counsel fees (including the defense of any lawsuit in which the Transfer Agent or affiliate
is a named party), payments, expenses and liability arising out of or attributable to:
(a) All actions of the Transfer Agent or its agents or subcontractors required to be taken
pursuant to this Agreement, provided that such actions are taken in good faith and without
negligence or willful misconduct;
(b) The
Fund ’s lack of good faith, negligence or willful misconduct;
(c) The reliance upon, and any subsequent use of or action taken or omitted, by the Transfer
Agent, or its agents or subcontractors on: (i) any information, records, documents, data,
stock certificates or services, which are received by the Transfer Agent or its agents or
subcontractors by machine readable input, facsimile, CRT data entry, electronic
instructions, or other similar means authorized by the Fund, and which have been prepared,
maintained or performed by the Fund or any other person or firm on behalf of the Fund
including but not limited to any broker-dealer, TPA or previous transfer agent; (ii) any
instructions or requests of the Fund or any of its officers; (iii) any instructions or
opinions of legal counsel with respect to any matter arising in connection with the services
to be performed by the Transfer Agent under this Agreement which are provided to the
Transfer Agent by counsel to the Fund after consultation with such legal counsel and upon
which instructions or opinion the Transfer Agent is expressly permitted to rely or opinions
of legal counsel that are obtained by the Transfer Agent; or (iv) any paper or document,
reasonably believed to be genuine, authentic, or signed by the proper person or persons;
(d) The offer or sale of Shares in violation of federal or state securities laws or
regulations requiring that such Shares be registered, or in violation of any stop order or
14
other determination or ruling by any federal or any state agency with respect to the offer or
sale of such Shares;
(e) The acceptance of facsimile transaction requests on behalf of individual Shareholders
received from broker-dealers, TPAs or the Fund, and the reliance by the Transfer Agent on the
broker-dealer, TPA or the Fund ensuring that the original source documentation is in good
order and properly retained;
(f) The negotiation and processing of any checks, wires and ACH transmissions including
without limitation for deposit into, or credit to, the Fund’s demand deposit accounts
maintained by the Transfer Agent; or
(g) Upon the Fund’s request entering into any agreements required by the NSCC for the
transmission of Fund or Shareholder data through the NSCC clearing systems.
8.2 To the extent that the Transfer Agent is not entitled to indemnification pursuant to
Section 8.1 above and only to the extent of such right, the Fund shall not be
responsible for, and the Transfer Agent shall indemnify and hold the Fund harmless from and
against any losses, damages, costs, charges, reasonable counsel fees, payments, expenses and
liability arising directly out of or attributable to any action or failure of the Transfer
Agent to act as a result of the Transfer Agent’s lack of good faith, negligence or willful
misconduct in the performance of its services hereunder. For those activities or actions
delineated in the Procedures, the Transfer Agent shall be presumed to have used reasonable
care, acted without negligence, and acted in good faith if it has acted in accordance with the
Procedures.
8.3 In order that the indemnification provisions contained in this Section 8 shall apply,
upon the assertion of a claim for which one party may be required to indemnify the other
party, the indemnified party shall promptly notify the indemnifying party of such assertion,
and shall keep the indemnifying party advised with respect to all developments concerning such
claim. The indemnifying party shall have the option to participate with the indemnified party
in the defense of such claim or to defend against said claim in its own name or in the name of
the indemnified party. The indemnified party shall in no case confess any claim or make any
compromise in any case in which the indemnifying party may be required to indemnify the
indemnified party except with the indemnifying party’s prior written consent.
8.4 As-of Adjustments.
(a) Notwithstanding
anything herein to the contrary, with respect to “as of’ adjustments,
the Transfer Agent will not assume one hundred percent (100%) responsibility for losses
resulting from “as ofs” due to clerical errors or misinterpretations of shareholder
instructions, but the Transfer Agent will discuss with the Fund the Transfer Agent’s accepting
liability for an “as of’ on a case-by-case basis and, subject to the limitation set forth in
Section 9, will accept financial responsibility for a particular situation resulting
in a financial loss to the Fund where such loss is “material,” as hereinafter defined, and,
under the particular facts at issue, the Transfer Agent’s conduct was culpable and the
Transfer Agent’s conduct is the sole cause of the loss. A loss is “material” for purposes of
15
this Section 8.4 when it results in a pricing error on a particular transaction which
equals or exceeds one full cent ($.01) per share times the number of shares outstanding or
such other amounts as may be adopted by applicable accounting or regulatory authorities from
time to time.
(b) If the net effect of the “as of’ transactions that are determined to be caused solely by
the Transfer Agent is negative and exceeds the above limit, then the Transfer Agent
shall promptly contact the Fund accountants. The Transfer Agent will work with the
Fund accountants to determine what, if any, impact the threshold break has on the Fund’s Net
Asset Value and what, if any, further action is required. These further actions may include
but are not limited to, the Fund re-pricing the affected day(s), the Transfer Agent
re-processing, at its expense, all affected transactions in the Fund that took place during
the period or a payment to the Fund. The Fund agrees to work in good faith with the Transfer
Agent and wherever possible, absent a regulatory prohibition or other mutually agreed upon
reason, the Fund agrees to re-price the affected day(s) and to allow the Transfer Agent to
re-process the affected transactions. When such re-pricing and re-processing is not possible,
and when the Transfer Agent must contribute to the settlement of a loss, the Transfer Agent’s
responsibility will commence with that portion of the loss over $0.01 per share calculated on
the basis of the total value of all Shares owned by the affected Portfolio (i.e., on the
basis of the value of the Shares of the total Portfolio, including all classes of that
Portfolio, not just those of the affected class) and the Transfer Agent will make such
account adjustments and take such other action as is necessary to compensate Shareholders for
Shareholder losses and reimburse the Fund for the amount of Fund losses in accordance with
the foregoing standards.
9. | Standard of Care |
The Transfer Agent shall at all times act in good faith and agrees to use its best efforts within
reasonable limits to ensure the accuracy of all services performed under this Agreement, but
assumes no responsibility and shall not be liable for loss or damage due to errors, including
encoding and payment processing errors, unless said errors are caused by its negligence, bad faith,
or willful misconduct or that of its employees or agents. The parties agree that any encoding or
payment processing errors shall be governed by this standard of care and that Section 4-209 of the
Uniform Commercial Code is superseded by Section 9 of this Agreement. This standard of care
also shall apply to Exception Services, as defined in Section 2.3 herein, but shall take
into consideration and make allowances for the manual processing and non-standard work involved in
Exception Services. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Transfer Agent’s aggregate liability during
any term of this Agreement with respect to, arising from or arising in connection with this
Agreement, or from all services provided or omitted to be provided by the Transfer Agent under this
Agreement for all of the Funds subject to this Agreement, whether in contract, or in tort, or
otherwise, is limited to, and shall not exceed the aggregate of the amounts actually received
hereunder by the Transfer Agent as fees and charges, but not including reimbursable expenses, for
all of the Funds covered by this Agreement during the twenty-four (24) calendar months immediately
preceding the first event for which recovery from the Transfer Agent is being sought. The foregoing
limitation on liability shall not apply to any loss or damage resulting from any intentional malicious
acts or omissions by the Transfer Agent’s employees. For purposes of this Section 9,
“intentional malicious acts or omissions” shall mean those acts undertaken or omitted
16
purposefully under the circumstances in which the person knows that such acts or omissions violate
this Agreement and are likely to cause damage or harm to the Fund. In the event that a claim giving
rise to liability by the Transfer Agent occurs prior to the completion of the first twenty-four
(24) months of the Agreement, the limitation on liability shall be calculated by adding: (1) the
amounts actually paid hereunder for such period by the Funds to the Transfer Agent as fees and
charges, but not including reimbursable expenses; and (2) an amount equal to (x) an average monthly
fee (determined based on the actual fees received and number of months that have passed as of the
calculation date) multiplied by (y) the number of months remaining to reach twenty-four (24)
months.
10. | Confidentiality |
10.1 The Transfer Agent and the Fund agree that they will not, at any time during the term of
this Agreement or after its termination, reveal, divulge, or make known to any person, firm,
corporation or other business organization, any Confidential Information (as defined below)
of the other party used or gained by the Transfer Agent or the Fund during performance under
this Agreement. The Fund and the Transfer Agent further covenant and agree to retain all
such Confidential Information in trust for the sole benefit of the Transfer Agent or the
Fund and their successors and assigns. In the event of breach of the foregoing by either
party, the remedies provided by Section 7.3 shall be available to the party whose
Confidential Information is disclosed. The above prohibition of disclosure shall not apply
to the extent that the Transfer Agent must disclose such Confidential Information to its
sub-contractor or Fund agent for purposes of providing services under this Agreement.
10.2 For purposes of this Agreement, Confidential Information shall mean: (a) with respect to
Confidential Information of the Fund: (i) shareholder lists, cost figures and projections,
profit figures and projections, all non-public information, including but not limited to
trade secrets, proprietary information, and information about products, business methods and
business plans relating to the business of the Fund, or any other secret or confidential
information whatsoever of the Fund; and (ii) all information that the Fund is obligated by
law to treat as confidential for the benefit of third parties, including but not limited to
Customer Information (defined below); and (b) with respect to the Transfer Agent’s
Confidential Information: all non-public information, including but not limited to trade
secrets, proprietary information, and information about products, business methods and
business plans, customer names and other information related to customers, fee schedules,
price lists, pricing policies, financial information, discoveries, ideas, concepts, software
in various stages of development, designs, drawings, specifications, techniques, models,
data, source code, object code, documentation, diagrams, flow charts, research, development,
processes, procedures, “know-how,” organizational structure, user guides, marketing
techniques and materials, marketing and development plans, and data processing software and
systems relating to the Transfer Agent’s business, operations or systems or to the
business, systems or operations of the Transfer Agent’s affiliates.
10.3 For purposes of this Agreement, “Customer Information” means all the customer identifying
data however collected or received, including without limitation, through “cookies” or
non-electronic means pertaining to or identifiable to the Fund’s
17
Shareholders, prospective shareholders and plan administrators (collectively, “Fund
Customers”), including without limitation, (i) name, address, email address, passwords,
account numbers, personal financial information, personal preferences, demographic data,
marketing data, data about securities transactions, credit data or any other identification
data; (ii) any information that reflects the use of or interactions with a Fund service,
including the Fund’s web site; or (iii) any data otherwise submitted in the process of
registering for a Fund service. For the avoidance of doubt, Customer Information shall
include all “nonpublic personal information,” as defined under the Xxxxx-Xxxxx-Xxxxxx Act of
1999 (Public Law 106-102, 113 Stat. 1138) (“GLB Act”) and the Massachusetts Standards for the
Protection of Personal Information, 201 CMR 17.00, et seq., (“Mass Privacy Act”).
This Agreement shall not be construed as granting any ownership rights in Transfer Agent to
Customer Information.
10.4 The Transfer Agent represents, covenants, and warrants that Transfer Agent will use
Confidential Information, including Customer Information, only in compliance with (i) the
provisions of this Agreement, (ii) its own Privacy and Information Sharing Policy, as amended
and updated from time to time and (iii) federal and state privacy laws, including the GLB Act
and the Mass Privacy Act, as such is applicable to its transfer agency business.
10.5 In the event that any requests or demands are made for the inspection of the Shareholder
records of the Fund, other than request for records of Shareholders pursuant to standard
subpoenas from state or federal government authorities (i.e., divorce and criminal actions),
the Transfer Agent will use reasonable efforts to notify the Fund (except where prohibited by
law) and to secure instructions from an authorized officer of the Fund as to such inspection.
The Transfer Agent expressly reserves the right, however, to exhibit the Shareholder records
to any person whenever it is advised by counsel that it may be held liable for the failure to
exhibit the Shareholder records to such person or if required by law or court order.
11. | Covenants of the Fund and the Transfer Agent |
11.1 The Fund shall promptly furnish to the Transfer Agent the following:
(a) A certified copy of the resolution of the Board of Trustees or the Board of Directors, as
the case may be, of the Fund authorizing the appointment of the Transfer Agent and the
execution and delivery of this Agreement; and
(b) A copy of the organizational documents of the Fund and all amendments thereto.
11.2 The Transfer Agent hereby agrees to establish and maintain facilities and procedures
reasonably acceptable to the Fund for safekeeping of stock certificates, check forms and
facsimile signature imprinting devices, if any; and for the preparation or use, and for
keeping account of, such certificates, forms and devices.
11.3 Records. The Transfer Agent shall keep records relating to the services to be
performed
18
hereunder, in the form, manner and for such periods, as it may deem advisable and as may be
required by the laws and regulations applicable to its business as a Transfer Agent, including
those set forth in 17 CFR 240.17Ad-6 and 17 CFR 240.17Ad-7, as such regulations may be amended
from time to time. The Transfer Agent shall also maintain customary records in connection with
its agency for the Fund; particularly those records required to be maintained pursuant to
subparagraph (2)(iv) of paragraph (b) of Rule 31a-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940.
Records maintained by the Transfer Agent on behalf of the Fund shall be made available for
reasonable examinations by the SEC upon reasonable request and shall be maintained by the
Transfer Agent for such period as required by applicable law or until such earlier time as the
Transfer Agent has delivered such records into the Fund’s possession or destroyed them at the
Fund’s request.
11.4 Compliance Program. The Transfer Agent maintains and will continue to maintain a
comprehensive compliance program reasonably designed to prevent violations of the federal
securities laws pursuant to Rule 38a-1 under the 1940 Act. Pursuant to its compliance program,
the Transfer Agent will provide periodic measurement reports to the Fund. Upon request of the
Fund, the Transfer Agent will provide to the Fund in connection with any periodic annual or
semi-annual shareholder report filed by the Fund or, in the absence of the filing of such
reports, on a quarterly basis, a sub-certification pursuant to the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002
with respect to the Transfer Agent’s performance of the services set forth in this Agreement
and its internal controls related thereto. In addition, on a quarterly basis, the Transfer
Agent will provide to the Fund a certification in connection with Rule 38a-1 under the 1940
Act. The Transfer Agent reserves the right to amend and update its compliance program and the
measurement tools and certifications provided thereunder from time to time in order to address
changing regulatory and industry developments.
11.5 SAS70 Reports. The Transfer Agent will furnish to the Fund, on a semi-annual basis, a report
in accordance with Statements on Auditing Standards No. 70 (the “SAS70 Report”) as well as
such other reports and information relating to the Transfer Agent’s policies and procedures
and its compliance with such policies and procedures and with the laws applicable to its
business and its services, as the Fund may reasonably request.
11.6 Information Security. The Transfer Agent maintains and will continue to maintain at each
service location physical and information security and data protection safeguards against the
destruction, loss, theft or alteration of the Fund’s Confidential Information, including
Customer Information, in the possession of the Transfer Agent that will be no less rigorous
than those in place at the effective date of this Agreement, and from time to time enhanced in
accordance with changes in regulatory requirements. The Transfer Agent will, at a minimum,
update its policies to remain compliant with regulatory requirements, including those under
the GLB Act and the Mass Privacy Act, to the extent applicable to its business. The Transfer
Agent will meet with the Fund, at its request, on an annual basis to discuss information
security safeguards. If the Transfer Agent or its agents discover or are notified that someone
has violated security relating to the Fund’s Confidential Information, including Customer
Information, the Transfer Agent will promptly (a) notify the Fund of such violation, and (b)
if the applicable Confidential
19
Information was in the possession or under the control of the Transfer Agent or its agents at
the time of such violation, the Transfer Agent will promptly (i) investigate, contain and
address the violation, and (ii) advise the Fund as to the steps being taken that are
reasonably designed to prevent future similar violations.
11.7 Business Continuity. The Transfer Agent will maintain a comprehensive business
continuity plan and will provide an executive summary of such plan upon reasonable request of
the Fund. The Transfer Agent will test the adequacy of its business continuity plan at least
annually and upon request, the Fund may participate in such test. Upon request by the Fund,
the Transfer Agent will provide the Fund with a letter assessing the most recent business
continuity test results. In the event of a business disruption that materially impacts the
Transfer Agent’s provision of services under this Agreement, the Transfer Agent will promptly
notify the Fund of the disruption and the steps being implemented under the business
continuity plan.
12. | Termination of Agreement |
12.1 Term. The initial term of this Agreement (the “Initial Term”) shall be three (3)
years from the Effective Date unless terminated pursuant to the provisions of this
Section 12. The term may be renewed by mutual agreement of the Transfer Agent and the
individual Fund for successive periods of one year each (“Renewal Term”). Either the Transfer
Agent or the Fund shall give written notice to the other party one hundred twenty (120) days
before the expiration of the Initial Term or of a Renewal Term if such party desires not to
renew the term for an additional one year period and in the absence of such notice the
Agreement shall renew automatically for such one year term. In the event a Fund wishes to
terminate this Agreement as to the Fund prior to the expiration of the Initial Term or a
Renewal Term, the Fund shall give one hundred twenty (120) days prior written notice to the
Transfer Agent and shall be subject to the terms of this Section, including the payments
applicable under Section 12.3. One hundred twenty (120) days before the expiration of
the Initial Term or a Renewal Term, the Transfer Agent and the Fund will agree upon a Fee
Schedule for the upcoming Renewal Term. In the event the parties fail to agree upon a new Fee
Schedule as of such date, the Fee Schedule set forth as Schedule 3.1 hereto shall remain in
effect subject to increase under Section 3.6. Notwithstanding the termination or
non-renewal of this Agreement, the terms and conditions of this Agreement shall continue to
apply until the completion of Deconversion (defined below).
12.2 Deconversion. In the event that this Agreement is terminated or not renewed for any
reason by the Fund, the Transfer Agent agrees that, in order to provide for uninterrupted
service to the Fund, the Transfer Agent, at Fund’s request, shall offer reasonable assistance
to the Fund in converting the Fund’s TA2000 account records from the Transfer Agent’s systems
(a “Deconversion”) using its standard file layouts (a “standard Deconversion”). The Fund may
elect, at its expense, to use a file layout of another service provider, or that is different
from the Transfer Agent’s standard, or may require other custom programming with respect to
the conversion of its TA2000 account records (a “nonstandard Deconversion”). If the Fund
makes such an election, the Fund shall provide the Transfer Agent with its conversion
requirements. The Transfer Agent shall provide
20
the Fund with a written estimate for approval of such non-standard Deconversion cost, based on
the Fund’s specifications and the Transfer Agent’s standard rates in effect at the time, prior
to the commencement of any Deconversion activity. If the Fund requests the movement or
destruction of original source documentation then held by the Transfer Agent or its storage
vendor or the conversion of proprietary AWD images, such costs shall be separate expenses paid
by the Fund and are not part of the standard Deconversion. As used herein “reasonable
assistance” shall not include requiring the Transfer Agent (i) to assist any new service or
system provider to modify, to alter, to enhance, or to improve such provider’s system, or to
provide any new functionality to such provider’s system, (ii) to disclose any protected
information of the Transfer Agent, including the Proprietary Information as defined in
Section 7.1, or (iii) to develop Deconversion software, to modify any of the Transfer
Agent’s software, or to otherwise alter the format of the data as maintained on any provider’s
systems.
12.3 Termination or Non Renewal.
(a) Outstanding Fees and Charges. In the event of termination or non-renewal of this
Agreement, the Fund will promptly pay the Transfer Agent all fees and charges for the services
provided under this Agreement (i) which have been accrued and remain unpaid as of the date of
such notice of termination or non-renewal and (ii) which thereafter accrue for the period
through and including the date of the Fund’s Deconversion.
(b) Deconversion Costs and Post Deconversion Support Fees. In the event of termination or
non-renewal of this Agreement, the Fund shall pay the Transfer Agent for the Deconversion
costs as noted in Section 12.2 and all reasonable fees and expenses for providing any
support services that the Fund requests the Transfer Agent to provide post Deconversion,
including but not limited to tax reporting and open issue resolution.
(c) Early Termination for Convenience. In addition to the foregoing, in the event that the
Fund terminates this Agreement prior to the end of the Initial Term or any Renewal Term other
than (i) upon the mutual written agreement of the parties; or (ii) due to the Transfer Agent’s
bankruptcy under Section 12.6; or (iii) for cause under Section 12.7; or (iv)
due to a final written adjudication by a court of competent jurisdiction or a final written
order of a regulatory agency with authority over the Transfer Agent, that the Transfer Agent
is guilty of criminal behavior in the conduct of its business, the Fund shall pay the Transfer
Agent an amount equal to the average monthly fee paid by the Fund to the Transfer Agent under
the Agreement multiplied by the number of months remaining in the Initial or Renewal Term and
calculated as set forth on the then current Fee Schedule, on the date notice of termination
was given to the Transfer Agent.
12.4 Confidential Information. Upon termination of this Agreement, each party shall return to the
other party all copies of confidential or proprietary materials or information received from
such other party hereunder, other than materials or information required to be retained by
such party under applicable laws or regulations.
12.5 Unpaid Invoices. The Transfer Agent may terminate this Agreement immediately upon an unpaid
invoice payable by the Fund to the Transfer Agent being outstanding for more
21
than ninety (90) days after receipt by the Fund, except with respect to any amount subject to
a good faith dispute within the meaning of Section 3.5 of this Agreement.
12.6 Bankruptcy. Either party hereto may terminate this Agreement by notice to the
other party, effective at any time specified therein, in the event that (a) the other party
ceases to carry on its business or (b) an action is commenced by or against the other party
under Title 11 of the United States Code or a receiver, conservator or similar officer is
appointed for the other party and such suit, conservatorship or receivership is not
discharged within thirty (30) days.
12.7 Cause. If either of the parties hereto becomes in default in the performance of its
duties or obligations hereunder and such default has a material adverse effect on the other
party, then the non-defaulting party may give notice to the defaulting party specifying the
nature of the default in sufficient detail to permit the defaulting party to identify and cure
such default. If the defaulting party fails to cure such default within thirty (30) days of
receipt of such notice, or within such other period of time as the parties may agree is
necessary for such cure, then the non-defaulting party may terminate this Agreement upon
notice of not less than five (5) days to the defaulting party.
12.8 In the event that the Fund terminates this Agreement prior to the end of the Initial Term or
any Renewal Term, other than by reason of the Transfer Agent’s bankruptcy under
Section 12.6 or for cause under Section 12.7, then effective as of the
first day of any month in which the Transfer Agent receives notice of such termination, all
discounts of fees and charges or fee concessions provided under this Agreement and any related
agreements shall cease and shall be recoverable retroactively to the date such discount or fee
concession was first granted and the Fund shall return the amount of any such discounts and
fee concessions and thereafter pay full, undiscounted fees and charges for the services.
12.9 The parties agree that the effective date of any Deconversion as a result of termination
hereof shall not occur during the period from December 15th through March 1st of any year to
avoid adversely impacting a year-end.
12.10 Within thirty (30) days after completion of a Deconversion, the Funds will give notice to
the Transfer Agent containing reasonable instructions regarding the disposition of tapes, data
files, records, original source documentation or other property belonging to the Fund and then
in the Transfer Agent’s possession and shall make payment for the Transfer Agent’s reasonable
costs to comply with such notice. If the Fund fails to give that notice within thirty (30)
days after termination of this Agreement, then the Transfer Agent may dispose of such property
as it sees fit. The reasonable costs of any such disposition or of the continued storage of
such tapes, data files, records, original source documentation or other properties shall be
billed to, and within thirty (30) days of receipt of such invoice paid by, the Fund. Failure
to pay such sums when due shall incur a late charge in accordance with Section 3.7 of
this Agreement. In no event shall the Transfer Agent be required to keep archived versions of
Fund records beyond the requirements of law applicable to its transfer agency business and the
terms of this Section 12.10. In the event the Fund terminates this Agreement and later
re-engages the Transfer Agent for performance of transfer agency services, the Fund agrees to
pay the reasonable administrative costs for recovery of any
22
records that are still in the Transfer Agent’s possession.
13. | Assignment and Third Party Beneficiaries |
13.1 Except as provided in Section 14.1 below, neither this Agreement nor any rights or
obligations hereunder may be assigned by either party without the written consent of the
other party. Any attempt to do so in violation of this Section shall be void. Unless
specifically stated to the contrary in any written consent to an assignment, no assignment
will release or discharge the assignor from any duty or responsibility under this Agreement.
13.2 Except as explicitly stated elsewhere in this Agreement, nothing under this Agreement
shall be construed to give any rights or benefits in this Agreement to anyone other than the
Transfer Agent and the Fund, and the duties and responsibilities undertaken pursuant to this
Agreement shall be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Transfer Agent and the Fund.
This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties and their
respective permitted successors and assigns.
13.3 This Agreement does not constitute an agreement for a partnership or joint venture between
the Transfer Agent and the Fund. Other than as provided in Section 14.1 and Schedule
1.2(f), neither party shall make any commitments with third parties that are binding on the
other party without the other party’s prior written consent.
14. | Subcontractors |
14.1 The Transfer Agent may, without further consent on the part of the Funds, subcontract for
the performance hereof with an affiliate of the Transfer Agent which is duly registered as a
transfer agent pursuant to Section 17A(c)(2) of the 1934 Act or, with regard to print/mail
services, to DST Output, Inc., an affiliate of the Transfer Agent; provided, however, that
the Transfer Agent shall be fully responsible to the Funds for the acts and omissions of its
affiliate as it is for its own acts and omissions. The foregoing shall not be deemed to
apply to any direct contracts between the Fund and any affiliate of the Transfer Agent as to
which the Transfer Agent is not a party. The Transfer Agent may provide the services
hereunder from service locations within or outside of the United States.
14.2 For purposes of this Agreement, unaffiliated third parties such as, by way of example and
not limitation, Airborne Services, Federal Express, United Parcel Service, the U.S. Mails,
the NSCC and telecommunication companies, shall not be deemed to be subcontractors of the
Transfer Agent.
15. | Changes and Modifications |
15.1 During the term of this Agreement the Transfer Agent will use on behalf of the Fund,
without additional cost, all modifications, enhancements, or changes which its affiliate DST
Systems, Inc. may make to the TA2000 System in the normal course of its business and which
are applicable to functions and features offered by the Fund, unless substantially
all clients of the Transfer Agent are charged separately for such modifications,
enhancements
23
or changes, including, without limitation, substantial system revisions or modifications
necessitated by changes in existing laws, rules or regulations. The Fund agrees to pay the
Transfer Agent promptly for modifications and improvements which are charged for separately
at the rate provided for in the Transfer Agent’s standard pricing schedule which shall be
identical for substantially all clients, if a standard pricing schedule shall exist. If there
is no standard pricing schedule, the parties shall mutually agree upon the rates to be
charged.
15.2 The Transfer Agent shall have the right, at any time and from time to time, to alter and
modify any systems, programs, procedures or facilities used or employed in performing its
duties and obligations hereunder; provided that the Fund will be notified as promptly as
possible prior to implementation of such alterations and modifications and that no such
alteration or modification or deletion shall materially adversely change or affect the
operations and procedures of the Fund in using or employing the TA2000 System or the Transfer
Agent’s facilities hereunder or the reports to be generated by such system and facilities
hereunder, unless the Fund is given thirty (30) days prior notice to allow the Fund to change
its procedures and unless the Transfer Agent provides the Fund with revised operating
procedures and controls.
15.3 All enhancements, improvements, changes, modifications or new features added to the TA2000
System however developed or paid for shall be, and shall remain, the confidential and
exclusive property of, and proprietary to, DST Systems, Inc., an affiliate of the Transfer
Agent.
16. | Miscellaneous |
16.1 Amendment. This Agreement may be amended or modified by a written agreement
executed by both parties and authorized or approved by a resolution of the Board of Trustees
or the Board of Directors, as the case may be, of the Fund.
16.2 Massachusetts Law to Apply. This Agreement shall be construed and the provisions thereof
interpreted under and in accordance with the laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
16.3 Force Majeure. In the event either party is unable to perform its obligations under the
terms of this Agreement because of acts of God, acts of war or terrorism, strikes, equipment
or transmission failure or damage reasonably beyond its control, or other causes reasonably
beyond its control, such party shall not be liable for damages to the other for any damages
resulting from such failure to perform or otherwise from such causes.
16.4 Consequential Damages. Neither party to this Agreement shall be liable to the other party
for special, indirect or consequential damages under any provision of this Agreement or for
any special, indirect or consequential damages arising out of any act or failure to act
hereunder.
16.5 Survival. All provisions regarding indemnification, warranty, liability, and limits
thereon, and confidentiality and/or protections of proprietary rights and trade secrets shall
survive
24
the termination of this Agreement.
16.6 Severability. If any provision or provisions of this Agreement shall be held invalid,
unlawful, or unenforceable, the validity, legality, and enforceability of the remaining
provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired.
16.7 Priorities Clause. In the event of any conflict, discrepancy or ambiguity between the terms
and conditions contained in this Agreement and any Schedules or attachments hereto, the terms
and conditions contained in this Agreement shall take precedence.
16.8 Waiver. No waiver by either party or any breach or default of any of the covenants or
conditions herein contained and performed by the other party shall be construed as a waiver of
any succeeding breach of the same or of any other covenant or condition.
16.9 Merger of Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties
hereto and supersedes any prior agreement with respect to the subject matter hereof whether
oral or written.
16.10 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed by the parties hereto on any number of
counterparts, and all of said counterparts taken together shall be deemed to constitute one
and the same instrument.
16.11. Reproduction of Documents. This Agreement and all schedules, exhibits, attachments and
amendments hereto may be reproduced by any photographic, photostatic, microfilm, micro-card,
miniature photographic or other similar process. The parties hereto each agree that any such
reproduction shall be admissible in evidence as the original itself in any judicial or
administrative proceeding, whether or not the original is in existence and whether or not such
reproduction was made by a party in the regular course of business, and that any enlargement,
facsimile or further reproduction shall likewise be admissible in evidence.
16.12 Notices. All notices and other communications as required or permitted hereunder shall be in
writing and sent by first class mail, postage prepaid, addressed as follows or to such other
address or addresses of which the respective party shall have notified the other.
(a) | If to the Transfer Agent, to: Boston Financial Data Services, Inc. 0000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxxx 00000 Attention: Legal Department Facsimile: (000) 000-0000 |
||
(b) | If to the Funds, to: Ridgeworth Funds 00 Xxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxx 0000 Xxxxxxx, XX 00000 Attention: Xxxxx X. Short, President Telephone: 000-000-0000 Facsimile: 000-000-0000 |
25
17. | Additional Portfolios/ Funds |
17.1 Additional Portfolios. In the event that a Fund establishes one or more series of Shares,
in addition to those listed on the attached Schedule A, with respect to which it desires to
have the Transfer Agent render services as transfer agent under the terms hereof, it shall so
notify the Transfer Agent in writing, and if the Transfer Agent agrees in writing to provide
such services, such series of Shares shall become a Portfolio hereunder by the parties
amending the Schedule A to include the additional series.
17.2 Additional Funds. In the event that an entity affiliated with the Funds, in addition to
those listed on the Schedule A, desires to have the Transfer Agent render services as
transfer agent under the terms hereof and the Transfer Agent agrees to provide such services,
upon completion of an amended Schedule A signed by all parties to the Agreement, such entity
shall become a Fund hereunder and any series thereof shall become a Portfolio hereunder.
17.3 Conditions re: Additional Funds/Portfolios. In the event that the Transfer Agent is to
become the transfer agent for new funds or portfolios, the Transfer Agent shall add them to
the TA2000 System upon at least thirty (30) days’ prior written notice to the Transfer Agent
provided that the requirements of such funds or portfolios are generally consistent with
services then being provided by the Transfer Agent under this Agreement, in which case the
fees and expenses for such additional funds or portfolios shall be determined in accordance
with Section 3.1.
18. | Limitations of Liability of the Trustees and Shareholders |
In the case where the Fund is a trust, a copy of the trust instrument (if applicable) is on
file with the Secretary of the State of the state of its organization, and notice is hereby
given that this instrument is executed on behalf of the trustees of the trust as trustees and
not individually and that the obligations of this instrument are not binding upon any of the
trustees or Shareholders individually but are binding only upon the assets and property of
the Fund.
26
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed in their names and
on their behalf by and through their duly authorized officers, as of the day and year first above
written.
EACH OF THE RIDGEWORTH FUNDS, INDIVIDUALLY AND NOT JOINTLY, AS LISTED ON SCHEDULE A |
||||||
By: | /S/ Xxxxx Xxxxx
|
|||||
Name: | Xxxxx Xxxxx | |||||
Title: | President | |||||
As an Authorized Officer on behalf of each of the Funds indicated on Schedule A |
||||||
ATTEST: |
||||||
/S/
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx
|
||||||
BOSTON FINANCIAL DATA SERVICES, INC. | ||||||
By: | /S/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx, Xx.
|
|||||
Name: | Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx, Xx. | |||||
Title: | Division Vice President | |||||
ATTEST: |
||||||
/S/
Xxxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx |
||||||
27
SCHEDULE A
Aggressive Growth Allocation Strategy
Aggressive Growth Stock Fund
Conservative Allocation Strategy
Corporate Bond Fund
Emerging Growth Stock Fund
Georgia Tax-Exempt Bond Fund
Growth Allocation Strategy
High Grade Municipal Bond Fund
High Income Fund
Intermediate Bond Fund
International Equity 130/30 Fund
International Equity Fund
International Equity Index Fund
Investment Grade Bond Fund
Investment Grade Tax-Exempt Bond Fund
Large Cap Core Equity Fund
Large Cap Growth Stock Fund
Large Cap Quantitative Equity Fund
Large Cap Value Equity Fund
Limited Duration Fund
Limited-Term Federal Mortgage Securities Fund
Maryland ‘Municipal Bond Fund
Mid-Cap Core Equity Fund
Mid-Cap Value Equity Fund
Moderate Allocation Strategy
North Carolina Tax Exempt Bond Fund
Real Estate 130/30 Fund
Seix Floating Rate High Income Fund
Seix Global Strategy Fund
Seix High Yield Fund
Aggressive Growth Stock Fund
Conservative Allocation Strategy
Corporate Bond Fund
Emerging Growth Stock Fund
Georgia Tax-Exempt Bond Fund
Growth Allocation Strategy
High Grade Municipal Bond Fund
High Income Fund
Intermediate Bond Fund
International Equity 130/30 Fund
International Equity Fund
International Equity Index Fund
Investment Grade Bond Fund
Investment Grade Tax-Exempt Bond Fund
Large Cap Core Equity Fund
Large Cap Growth Stock Fund
Large Cap Quantitative Equity Fund
Large Cap Value Equity Fund
Limited Duration Fund
Limited-Term Federal Mortgage Securities Fund
Maryland ‘Municipal Bond Fund
Mid-Cap Core Equity Fund
Mid-Cap Value Equity Fund
Moderate Allocation Strategy
North Carolina Tax Exempt Bond Fund
Real Estate 130/30 Fund
Seix Floating Rate High Income Fund
Seix Global Strategy Fund
Seix High Yield Fund
Schedule A-1
SCHEDULE A
(Continued)
Listing of Funds
(Continued)
Listing of Funds
Select Large Cap Growth Stock Fund
Short-Term Bond Fund
Short-Term U.S. Treasury Securities Fund
Small Cap Growth Stock Fund
Small Cap Value Equity Fund
Total Return Bond Fund
U.S. Equity 130/30 Fund
U.S. Government Securities Fund
U.S. Government Securities Ultra-Short Bond Fund
Ultra-Short Bond Fund
Virginia Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund
Short-Term Bond Fund
Short-Term U.S. Treasury Securities Fund
Small Cap Growth Stock Fund
Small Cap Value Equity Fund
Total Return Bond Fund
U.S. Equity 130/30 Fund
U.S. Government Securities Fund
U.S. Government Securities Ultra-Short Bond Fund
Ultra-Short Bond Fund
Virginia Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund
Schedule A-2
SCHEDULE 1.2(f)
AML DELEGATION
Dated: October 23, 2010
AML DELEGATION
Dated: October 23, 2010
1. | Delegation. |
1.1 In order to assist the Fund with the Fund’s AML responsibilities under applicable AML laws,
the Transfer Agent offers certain risk-based AML Procedures that are reasonably designed to:
(i) promote the detection and reporting of potential money laundering activities; and (ii)
assist in the verification of persons opening accounts with the Fund. The Fund has had an
opportunity to review the AML Procedures with the Transfer Agent and desires to implement the
AML Procedures as part of the Fund’s overall AML program (the “AML Program”).
1.2 Accordingly, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, the Fund
hereby instructs and directs the Transfer Agent to implement the AML Procedures as set forth
in Section 4 below on the Fund’s behalf and delegates to the Transfer Agent the day-to-day
operation of the AML Procedures. The AML Procedures set forth in Section 4 may be amended,
from time to time, by mutual agreement of the Fund and the Transfer Agent upon the execution
by such parties of a revised Schedule 1.2(f) bearing a later date than the date hereof.
1.3 The Transfer Agent agrees to perform such AML Procedures, with respect to the ownership of
Shares in the Fund for which the Transfer Agent maintains the applicable shareholder
information, subject to and in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement.
2. | Consent to Examination. In connection with the performance by the Transfer Agent of the AML Procedures, the Transfer Agent understands and acknowledges that the Fund remains responsible for assuring compliance with the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (“USA PATRIOT Act”) and that the records the Transfer Agent maintains for the Fund relating to the AML Program may be subject, from time to time, to examination and/or inspection by federal regulators in order that the regulators may evaluate such compliance. The Transfer Agent hereby consents to such examination and/or inspection and agrees to cooperate with such federal examiners in connection with their review. For purposes of such examination and/or inspection, the Transfer Agent will use its best efforts to make available, during normal business hours and on reasonable notice all required records and information for review by such examiners. | |
3. | Limitation on Delegation. The Fund acknowledges and agrees that in accepting the delegation hereunder, the Transfer Agent is agreeing to perform only the AML Procedures, as may be amended from time to time, and is not undertaking and shall not be responsible for any other aspect of the AML Program or for the overall compliance by the Fund with the USA PATRIOT Act or for any other matters that have not been delegated |
Schedule 1.2(f) - 1
hereunder. Additionally, the parties acknowledge and agree that the Transfer Agent shall only be responsible for performing the AML Procedures with respect to the ownership of, and transactions in, Shares in the Fund for which the Transfer Agent maintains the applicable Shareholder information. |
4. | AML Procedures |
4.1 Consistent with the services provided by the Transfer Agent and with respect to the
ownership of Shares in the Fund for which the Transfer Agent maintains the applicable
Shareholder information, the Transfer Agent shall:
(a) On a daily basis, submit all new customer account registrations and registration changes
against the Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) database and such other lists or
databases as may be required from time to time by applicable regulatory authorities;
(b) Submit all account registrations through OFAC databases and such other lists or
databases as may be required from time to time by applicable regulatory authorities;
(c) On a daily basis, submit special payee information from checks, outgoing wires and
systematic withdrawal files through the OFAC database;
(d) Review certain types of redemption transactions that occur within thirty (30) days of an
account establishment, registration change, or banking information change (e.g. redemption
by check after address change; redemption by wire after banking information change; or
redemptions over a certain % after establishment);
(e) Review wires sent pursuant to banking instructions other than those on file with the
Transfer Agent;
(f) Review accounts with small balances followed by large purchases;
(g) Review accounts with frequent activity within a specified date range followed by a large
redemption;
(h) Review purchase and redemption activity by check that meets or exceeds $100,000
threshold on any given day;
(i) Determine when a suspicious activity report (“SAR”) should be filed as required by
regulations applicable to mutual funds; prepare and file the SAR; provide the Fund with a
copy of the SAR within a reasonable time after filing; and notify the Fund if any further
communication is received from the U.S. Department of the Treasury or other law enforcement
agencies regarding such filing;
(j) Compare account information to any FinCEN request received by the Fund and provided to
the Transfer Agent pursuant to USA PATRIOT Act Sec. 314(a). Provide the Fund with the
necessary information for it to respond to such request within required time frame;
Schedule 1.2(f) - 2
(k) (i) Take reasonable steps to verify the identity of any person seeking to become a new
customer of the Fund and notify the Fund in the event such person cannot be verified, (ii)
Maintain records of the information used to verify the person’s identity, as required, and
(iii) Determine whether the person appears on any lists of known or suspected terrorists or
terrorist organizations provided to the Fund by any government agency;
(1) Conduct due diligence and if required, enhanced due diligence in accordance with 31 C.F.R.
103.176(b) for new and existing correspondent accounts for foreign financial institutions (as
defined in 31 C.F.R. 103.175). The Transfer Agent will perform an assessment of the money
laundering risk presented by the account based on a consideration of relevant factors in
accordance with applicable law and information provided by the foreign financial institution
in a financial institution questionnaire. If an account is determined to have a medium or
above risk-ranking, the Transfer Agent will monitor the account on a monthly basis for unusual
activity. In the situation where due diligence cannot be completed with respect to an account,
the Transfer Agent will contact the Fund’s AML Officer for further instruction.
(m) Upon the request by the Fund, conduct due diligence to determine if the Fund is involved
with any foreign jurisdiction, institution, class of transactions and a type of account
designated, from time to time, by the U.S. Department of Justice in order to identify and take
certain “special measures” against such entities as required under Section 311 of the USA
PATRIOT Act (31 C.F.R. 103.193).
4.2 In the event that the Transfer Agent detects activity as a result of the foregoing
procedures, which necessitates the filing by the Transfer Agent of a SAR or other similar
report or notice to OFAC, then the Transfer Agent shall also immediately notify the Fund,
unless prohibited by applicable law.
Schedule 1.2(f) - 3
SCHEDULE 1.2(i)
OMNIBUS TRANSPARENCY SERVICES
Dated: October 23, 2010
OMNIBUS TRANSPARENCY SERVICES
Dated: October 23, 2010
A. | The Funds shall provide the following information to the Transfer Agent: |
1. | The name and contact information for the Financial Intermediary, with which the Funds have a “shareholder information agreement” (under which the Financial Intermediary agrees to provide, at the Fund’s request, identity and transaction information about shareholders who hold their shares through an account with the Financial Intermediary (an “accountlet”)), that is to receive an information request; |
2. | The Funds to be included, along with each Fund’s frequency trading policy, under surveillance for the Financial Intermediary; | ||
3. | The frequency of supplemental data requests from the Transfer Agent; | ||
4. | The duration of supplemental data requests (e.g. 60 days, 90 days); and | ||
5. | The expected turnaround time for a response from the Financial Intermediary to an information request (including requests for supplemental data) |
B. | Upon receipt of the foregoing information, the Funds hereby authorize and instruct the Transfer Agent to perform the following Services: |
1. | Financial Intermediary Surveillance Schedules. |
(a) Create a system profile and infrastructure based upon parameters set by the Fund to
establish and maintain Financial Intermediary surveillance schedules and communication
protocoUlinks.
(b) Initiate information requests to the Financial Intermediaries.
2. | Data Management Monitoring |
(a) Monitor status of information requests until all supplemental data is received.
(b) If a Financial Intermediary does not respond to a second request from the Transfer
Agent, the Transfer Agent shall notify the Fund for the Fund to follow-up with the Financial
Intermediary.
3. | Customized Reporting for Market Timing Analysis |
(a) Run information received from the Financial Intermediaries through TA2000 System
functionalities.
(b) Generate exception reports using parameters provided by the Funds.
4. | Daily Exception Analysis of Market Timing Policies for Supplemental Data Provided |
(a) Review daily short-term trader exceptions, daily excessive trader exceptions, and daily
supplemental data reconciliation exceptions.
(b) Analyze Financial Intermediary supplemental data (items), which are identified as
“Potential Violations” based on parameters established by the Funds.
(c) — Confirm exception trades and if necessary, request additional information regarding
Potential Violations.
5. | Communication and Resolution of Market Timing Exceptions |
(a) Communicate results of analysis to the Funds or upon request of the Funds directly to
the Financial Intermediary.
Schedule 1.2(i) - 1
(b) Unless otherwise requested by the Funds and as applicable, instruct the Financial
Intermediary to (i) restrict trading on the accountlet, (ii) cancel a trade, or (iii) prohibit
future purchases or exchanges.
(c) Update AWD Work Object with comments detailing resolution.
(d) Keep a detailed record of all data exceptions and inquires with regards to potential
violations.
6. | Management Reporting |
(a) Provide periodic reports, in accordance with agreed upon frequency and content parameters,
to the Funds. As reasonably requested by the Funds, the Transfer Agent shall furnish ad hoc
reports to the Funds.
7. | Support Due Diligence Programs |
(a) Update system watch list with pertinent information on trade violators.
(b) Maintain a detailed audit trail of all accounts that are blocked and reason for doing so.
Schedule 1.2(i) - 2
SCHEDULE 2.1
THIRD PARTY ADMINISTRATORS PROCEDURES
Dated: October 23, 2010
THIRD PARTY ADMINISTRATORS PROCEDURES
Dated: October 23, 2010
1. | On each day on which both the New York Stock Exchange and the Fund are open for business (a “Business Day”), the TPA(s) shall receive, on behalf of and as agent of the Fund, Instructions (as hereinafter defined) from the Plan. Instructions shall mean as to each Fund (i) orders by the Plan for the purchases of Shares, and (ii) requests by the Plan for the redemption of Shares; in each case based on the Plan’s receipt of purchase orders and redemption requests by Participants in proper form by the time required by the term of the Plan, but not later than the time of day at which the net asset value of a Fund is calculated, as described from time to time in that Fund’s prospectus. Each Business Day on which the TPA receives Instructions shall be a “Trade Date.” | |
2. | The TPA(s) shall communicate the TPA(s)’s acceptance of such Instructions, to the applicable Plan. | |
3. | On the next succeeding Business Day following the Trade Date on which it accepted Instructions for the purchase and redemption of Shares, (TD+1), the TPA(s) shall notify the Transfer Agent of the net amount of such purchases or redemptions, as the case may be, for each of the Plans. In the case of net purchases by any Plan, the TPA(s) shall instruct the Trustees of such Plan to transmit the aggregate purchase price for Shares by wire transfer to the Transfer Agent on (TD+1). In the case of net redemptions by any Plan, the TPA(s) shall instruct the Fund’s custodian to transmit the aggregate redemption proceeds for Shares by wire transfer to the Trustees of such Plan on (TD+1). The times at which such notification and transmission shall occur on (TD+l) shall be as mutually agreed upon by each Fund, the TPA(s), and the Transfer Agent. | |
4. | The TPA(s) shall maintain separate records for each Plan, which record shall reflect Shares purchased and redeemed, including the date and price for all transactions, and Share balances. The TPA(s) shall maintain on behalf of each of the Plans a single master account with the Transfer Agent and such account shall be in the name of that Plan, the TPA(s), or the nominee of either thereof as the record owner of Shares owned by such Plan. | |
5. | The TPA(s) shall maintain records of all proceeds of redemptions of Shares and all other distributions not reinvested in Shares. | |
6. | The TPA(s) shall prepare, and transmit to each of the Plans, periodic account statements showing the total number of Shares owned by that Plan as of the statement closing date, purchases and redemptions of Shares by the Plan during the period covered by the statement, and the dividends and other distributions paid to the Plan on Shares during the statement period (whether paid in cash or reinvested in Shares). |
Schedule 2.1 - 1
7. | The TPA(s) shall, at the request and expense of each Fund, transmit to the Plans prospectuses, proxy materials, reports, and other information provided by each Fund for delivery to its Shareholders. | |
8. | The TPA(s) shall, at the request of each Fund, prepare and transmit to each Fund or any agent designated by it such periodic reports covering Shares of each Plan as each Fund shall reasonably conclude are necessary to enable the Fund to comply with state Blue Sky requirements. | |
9. | The TPA(s) shall transmit to the Plans confirmation of purchase orders and redemption requests placed by the Plans; and | |
10. | The TPA(s) shall, with respect to Shares, maintain account balance information for the Plan(s) and daily and monthly purchase summaries expressed in Shares and dollar amounts. | |
11. | Plan sponsors may request, or the law may require, that prospectuses, proxy materials, periodic reports and other materials relating to each Fund be furnished to Participants in which event the Transfer Agent or each Fund shall mail or cause to be mailed such materials to Participants. With respect to any such mailing, the TPA(s) shall, at the request of the Transfer Agent or each Fund, provide at the TPA(s)’s expense a complete and accurate set of mailing labels with the name and address of each Participant having an interest through the Plans in Shares. |
Schedule 2.1 - 2