[FORM]
THE ADVISORS' INNER CIRCLE FUND
INVESTMENT SUB-ADVISORY AGREEMENT
AGREEMENT made this ____ day of _________, 1997, between SAGE Global Funds,
LLC, (the "Adviser") and Standard Asset Group, Inc. (the "Sub-Adviser").
WHEREAS, The Advisors' Inner Circle Fund, a Massachusetts business trust
(the "Trust"), is registered as an open-end management investment company under
the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"); and
WHEREAS, the Adviser has entered into an Investment Advisory Agreement
dated __________, 1997 (the "Advisory Agreement") with the Trust, pursuant to
which the Adviser will act as investment adviser to the SAGE Corporate Bond Fund
(the "Portfolio"), which is a series of the Trust; and
WHEREAS, the Adviser, with the approval of the Trust, desires to retain the
Sub-Adviser to provide investment advisory services to the Adviser in connection
with the management of the Portfolio, and the Sub-Adviser is willing to render
such investment advisory services.
NOW, THEREFORE, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1. DUTIES OF THE SUB-ADVISER. Subject to supervision by the Adviser and the
Trust's Board of Trustees, the Sub-Adviser shall manage all of the
securities and other assets of the Portfolio entrusted to it hereunder (the
"Assets"), including the purchase, retention and disposition of the Assets,
in accordance with the Portfolio's investment objective, policies and
restrictions as stated in the Portfolio's prospectus and statement of
additional information, as currently in effect and as amended or
supplemented from time to time (referred to collectively as the
"Prospectus"), and subject to the following:
(a) The Sub-Adviser shall, in consultation with and subject to the direction of
the Adviser, determine from time to time what Assets will be purchased,
retained or sold by the Portfolio, and what portion of the Assets will be
invested or held uninvested in cash.
(b) In the performance of its duties and obligations under this Agreement, the
Sub-Adviser shall act in conformity with the Trust's Declaration of Trust
(as defined herein) and the Prospectus and with the instructions and
directions of the Adviser and of the Board of Trustees of the Trust and
will conform to and comply with the requirements of the 1940 Act, the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, and all other applicable federal and state
laws and regulations, as each is amended from time to time.
(c) The Sub-Adviser shall determine the Assets to be purchased or sold by the
Portfolio as provided in subparagraph (a) and will place orders with or
through such persons, brokers or
dealers to carry out the policy with respect to brokerage set forth in the
Portfolio's Registration Statement (as defined herein) and Prospectus or as
the Board of Trustees or the Adviser may direct from time to time, in
conformity with federal securities laws. In executing Portfolio
transactions and selecting brokers or dealers, the Sub-Adviser will use its
best efforts to seek on behalf of the Portfolio the best overall terms
available. In assessing the best overall terms available for any
transaction, the Sub-Adviser shall consider all factors that it deems
relevant, including the breadth of the market in the security, the price of
the security, the financial condition and execution capability of the
broker or dealer, and the reasonableness of the commission, if any, both
for the specific transaction and on a continuing basis. In evaluating the
best overall terms available, and in selecting the broker-dealer to execute
a particular transaction, the Sub-Adviser may also consider the brokerage
and research services provided (as those terms are defined in Section 28(e)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934). Consistent with any guidelines
established by the Board of Trustees of the Trust, the Sub-Adviser is
authorized to pay to a broker or dealer who provides such brokerage and
research services a commission for executing a Portfolio transaction for
the Portfolio which is in excess of the amount of commission another broker
or dealer would have charged for effecting that transaction if, but only
if, the Sub-Adviser determines in good faith that such commission was
reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services
provided by such broker or dealer - - viewed in terms of that particular
transaction or terms of the overall responsibilities of the Sub-Adviser to
the Portfolio. In addition, the Sub-Adviser is authorized to allocate
purchase and sale orders for securities to brokers or dealers (including
brokers and dealers that are affiliated with the Adviser, Sub-Adviser or
the Trust's principal underwriter) to take into account the sale of shares
of the Trust if the Sub-Adviser believes that the quality of the
transaction and the commission are comparable to what they would be with
other qualified firms. In no instance, however, will the Portfolio's
Assets be purchased from or sold to the Adviser, Sub-Adviser, the Trust's
principal underwriter, or any affiliated person of either the Trust,
Adviser, the Sub-Adviser or the principal underwriter, acting as principal
in the transaction, except to the extent permitted by the Securities and
Exchange Commission ("SEC") and the 1940 Act.
(d) The Sub-Adviser shall maintain all books and records with respect to
transactions involving the Assets required by subparagraphs (b)(5), (6),
(7), (9), (10) and (11) and paragraph (f) of Rule 31a-1 under the 1940 Act.
The Sub-Adviser shall provide to the Adviser or the Board of Trustees such
periodic and special reports, balance sheets or financial information, and
such other information with regard to its affairs as the Adviser or Board
of Trustees may reasonably request.
The Sub-Adviser shall keep the books and records relating to the Assets
required to be maintained by the Sub-Adviser under this Agreement and shall
timely furnish to the Adviser all information relating to the Sub-Adviser's
services under this Agreement needed by the Adviser to keep the other books
and records of the Portfolio required by Rule 31a-1 under the 1940 Act.
The Sub-Adviser shall also furnish to the Adviser any other information
relating to the Assets that is required to be filed by the Adviser or the
Trust with the SEC or sent to shareholders under the 1940 Act (including
the rules adopted thereunder) or any
exemptive or other relief that the Adviser or the Trust obtains from the
SEC. The Sub-Adviser agrees that all records that it maintains on behalf
of the Portfolio are property of the Portfolio and the Sub-Adviser will
surrender promptly to the Portfolio any of such records upon the
Portfolio's request; provided, however, that the Sub-Adviser may retain a
copy of such records. In addition, for the duration of this Agreement, the
Sub-Adviser shall preserve for the periods prescribed by Rule 31a-2 under
the 1940 Act any such records as are required to be maintained by it
pursuant to this Agreement, and shall transfer said records to any
successor sub-adviser upon the termination of this Agreement (or, if there
is no successor sub-adviser, to the Adviser).
(e) The Sub-Adviser shall provide the Portfolio's custodian on each business
day with information relating to all transactions concerning the
Portfolio's Assets and shall provide the Adviser with such information upon
request of the Adviser.
(f) The investment management services provided by the Sub-Adviser under this
Agreement are not to be deemed exclusive and the Sub-Adviser shall be free
to render similar services to others, as long as such services do not
impair the services rendered to the Adviser or the Trust.
(g) The Sub-Adviser shall promptly notify the Adviser of any financial
condition that is likely to impair the Sub-Adviser's ability to fulfill its
commitment under this Agreement.
(h) The Sub-Adviser shall review all proxy solicitation materials and be
responsible for voting and handling all proxies in relation to the
securities held in the Portfolio. The Adviser shall instruct the custodian
and other parties providing services to the Portfolio to promptly forward
misdirected proxies to the Sub-Adviser.
Services to be furnished by the Sub-Adviser under this Agreement may be
furnished through the medium of any of the Sub-Adviser's partners, officers
or employees.
2. DUTIES OF THE ADVISER. The Adviser shall continue to have responsibility
for all services to be provided to the Portfolio pursuant to the Advisory
Agreement and shall oversee and review the Sub-Adviser's performance of its
duties under this Agreement; provided, however, that in connection with its
management of the Assets, nothing herein shall be construed to relieve the
Sub-Adviser of responsibility for compliance with the Trust's Declaration
of Trust (as defined herein), the Prospectus, the instructions and
directions of the Board of Trustees of the Trust, the requirements of the
1940 Act, the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, and all other applicable
federal and state laws and regulations, as each is amended from time to
time.
3. DELIVERY OF DOCUMENTS. The Adviser has furnished the Sub-Adviser with
copies properly certified or authenticated of each of the following
documents:
(a) The Trust's Agreement and Declaration of Trust, as filed with the
Secretary of State of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (such Agreement and
Declaration of Trust, as in
effect on the date of this Agreement and as amended from time to time,
herein called the "Declaration of Trust");
(b) By-Laws of the Trust (such By-Laws, as in effect on the date of this
Agreement and as amended from time to time, are herein called the
"By-Laws");
(c) Prospectus(es) of the Portfolio.
4. COMPENSATION TO THE SUB-ADVISER. For the services to be provided by the
Sub-Adviser pursuant to this Agreement, the Adviser will pay the
Sub-Adviser, and the Sub-Adviser agrees to accept as full compensation
therefor, a sub-advisory fee at the rate specified in the Schedule(s) which
is attached hereto and made part of this Agreement. The fee will be
calculated based on the average monthly market value of the Assets under
the Sub-Adviser's management and will be paid to the Sub-Adviser monthly.
Except as may otherwise be prohibited by law or regulation (including any
then current SEC staff interpretation), the Sub-Adviser may, in its
discretion and from time to time, waive a portion of its fee.
5. INDEMNIFICATION. The Sub-Adviser shall indemnify and hold harmless the
Adviser from and against any and all claims, losses, liabilities or damages
(including reasonable attorney's fees and other related expenses) howsoever
arising from or in connection with the performance of the Sub-Adviser's
obligations under this Agreement; provided, however, that the Sub-Adviser's
obligation under this Section 5 shall be reduced to the extent that the
claim against, or the loss, liability or damage experienced by the Adviser,
is caused by or is otherwise directly related to the Adviser's own willful
misfeasance, bad faith or negligence, or to the reckless disregard of its
duties under this Agreement.
6. DURATION AND TERMINATION. This Agreement shall become effective upon its
approval by the Trust's Board of Trustees and by the vote of a majority of
the outstanding voting securities of the Portfolio. This Agreement shall
continue in effect for a period of more than two years from the date hereof
only so long as continuance is specifically approved at least annually in
conformance with the 1940 Act; provided, however, that this Agreement may
be terminated with respect to the Portfolio (a) by the Portfolio at any
time, without the payment of any penalty, by the vote of a majority of
Trustees of the Trust or by the vote of a majority of the outstanding
voting securities of the Portfolio, (b) by the Adviser at any time, without
the payment of any penalty, on not more than 60 days' nor less than 30
days' written notice to the Sub-Adviser, or (c) by the Sub-Adviser at any
time, without the payment of any penalty, on 90 days' written notice to the
Adviser. This Agreement shall terminate automatically and immediately in
the event of its assignment, or in the event of a termination of the
Adviser's agreement with the Trust. As used in this Section 6, the terms
"assignment" and "vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities"
shall have the respective meanings set forth in the 1940 Act and the rules
and regulations thereunder, subject to such exceptions as may be granted by
the SEC under the 1940 Act.
7. GOVERNING LAW. This Agreement shall be governed by the internal laws of
the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts, without regard to conflict of law
principles; provided, however, that nothing herein shall be construed as
being inconsistent with the 1940 Act.
8. SEVERABILITY. Should any part of this Agreement be held invalid by a court
decision, statute, rule or otherwise, the remainder of this Agreement shall
not be affected thereby. This Agreement shall be binding upon and shall
inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors.
9. NOTICE: Any notice, advice or report to be given pursuant to this
Agreement shall be deemed sufficient if delivered or mailed by registered,
certified or overnight mail, postage prepaid addressed by the party giving
notice to the other party at the last address furnished by the other party:
To the Adviser at:
To the Sub-Adviser at:
10. ENTIRE AGREEMENT. This Agreement embodies the entire agreement and
understanding between the parties hereto, and supersedes all prior
agreements and understandings relating to this Agreement's subject matter.
This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which
shall be deemed to be an original, but such counterparts shall, together,
constitute only one instrument.
A copy of the Declaration of Trust is on file with the Secretary of State
of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and notice is hereby given that the
obligations of this instrument are not binding upon any of the Trustees,
officers or shareholders of the Portfolio or the Trust.
Where the effect of a requirement of the 1940 Act reflected in any
provision of this Agreement is altered by a rule, regulation or order of the
SEC, whether of special or general application, such provision shall be deemed
to incorporate the effect of such rule, regulation or order.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
executed by their officers designated below as of the day and year first written
above.
SAGE GLOBAL FUNDS, LLC STANDARD ASSET GROUP, INC.
By: By:
---------------------------- ---------------------------------
Name: Name:
---------------------------- ---------------------------------
Title: Title:
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SCHEDULE A
TO THE
SUB-ADVISORY AGREEMENT
BETWEEN
SAGE GLOBAL FUNDS, LLC
AND
STANDARD ASSET GROUP, INC.
Pursuant to Article 4, the Adviser shall pay the Sub-Adviser compensation at an
annual rate as follows:
Standard Asset Group, Inc. .20%
