PRINCIPAL UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
FOR CLASS Y SHARES OF
KEYSTONE OMEGA FUND
AGREEMENT made this 1st day of January, 1997 by and between Keystone
Omega Fund, a Massachusetts business trust ("Fund"), and Evergreen Keystone
Distributor, Inc., a Delaware corporation ("Principal Underwriter").
It is hereby mutually agreed as follows:
1. The Fund hereby appoints Principal Underwriter a principal
underwriter of the Class Y shares of beneficial interest of the Fund ("Shares")
as an independent contractor upon the terms and conditions hereinafter set
forth. Except as the Fund may from time to time agree, Principal Underwriter
will act as agent for the Fund and not as principal.
2. Principal Underwriter will use its best efforts to find purchasers
for the Shares, to promote distribution of the Shares and may obtain orders from
brokers, dealers or other persons for sales of Shares to them. No such brokers,
dealers or other persons shall have any authority to act as agent for the Fund;
such brokers, dealers or other persons shall act only as principal in the sale
of Shares.
3. Sales of Shares by Principal Underwriter shall be at the applicable
public offering price determined in the manner set forth in the prospectus
and/or statement of additional information of the Fund current at the time of
the Fund's acceptance of the order for Shares; provided that Principal
Underwriter also shall have the right to sell Shares at net asset value, if such
sale is permissible under and consistent with applicable statutes, rules,
regulations and orders. All orders shall be subject to acceptance by the Fund,
and the Fund reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to reject any order
received. The Fund shall not be liable to anyone for failure to accept any
order.
4. On all sales of Shares, the Fund shall receive the current net asset
value.
5. Payment to the Fund for Shares shall be in New York or Boston
Clearing House funds received by Principal Underwriter within three (3) business
days after notice of acceptance of the purchase order and the amount of the
applicable public offering price has been given to the purchaser. If such
payment is not received within such three-day period, the Fund reserves the
right, without further notice, forthwith to cancel its acceptance of any such
order. The Fund shall pay such issue taxes as may be required by law in
connection with the issuance of the Shares.
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6. Principal Underwriter shall not make in connection with any sale or
solicitation of a sale of the Shares any representations concerning the Shares
except those contained in the then current prospectus and/or statement of
additional information covering the Shares and in printed information approved
by the Fund as information supplemental to such prospectus and statement of
additional information. Copies of the then current prospectus and statement of
additional information and any such printed supplemental information will be
supplied by the Fund to Principal Underwriter in reasonable quantities upon
request.
7. Principal Underwriter agrees to comply with the Business Conduct
Rules of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.
8. The Fund appoints Principal Underwriter as its agent to accept
orders for redemptions and repurchases of Shares at values and in the manner
determined in accordance with the then current prospectus and/or statement of
additional information of the Fund.
9. The Fund agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Principal
Underwriter, its officers and Directors and each person, if any, who controls
the Principal Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act
of 1933 ("1933 Act"), against any losses, claims, damages, liabilities and
expenses (including the cost of any legal fees incurred in connection therewith)
which the Principal Underwriter, its officers, Directors or any such controlling
person may incur under the 1933 Act, under any other statute, at common law or
otherwise, arising out of or based upon
a) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a
material fact contained in the Fund's registration statement,
prospectus or statement of additional information (including amendments
and supplements thereto), or
b) any omission or alleged omission to state a material fact
required to be stated in the Fund's registration statement, prospectus
or statement of additional information necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading, provided, however, that insofar as losses,
claims, damages, liabilities or expenses arise out of or are based upon
any such untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or
omission made in reliance and in conformity with information furnished
to the Fund by the Principal Underwriter for use in the Fund's
registration statement, prospectus or statement of additional
information, such indemnification is not applicable. In no
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case shall the Fund indemnify the Principal Underwriter or its
controlling person as to any amounts incurred for any liability arising
out of or based upon any action for which the Principal Underwriter,
its officers and Directors or any controlling person would otherwise be
subject to liability by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith or
gross negligence in the performance of its duties or by reason of the
reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under this Agreement.
10. The Principal Underwriter agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the
Fund, its officers, Trustees and each person, if any, who controls the Fund
within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act against any loss, claims,
damages, liabilities and expenses (including the cost of any legal fees incurred
in connection therewith) which the Fund, its officers, Trustees or any such
controlling person may incur under the 1933 Act, under any other statute, at
common law or otherwise arising out of the acquisition of any Shares by any
person which
a) may be based upon any wrongful act by the Principal
Underwriter or any of its employees or representatives, or
b) may be based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained in the Fund's registration
statement, prospectus or statement of additional information (including
amendments and supplements thereto), or any omission or alleged
omission to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, if such
statement or omission was made in reliance upon information furnished
or confirmed in writing to the Fund by the Principal Underwriter.
11. The Fund agrees to execute such papers and to do such acts and
things as shall from time to time be reasonably requested by Principal
Underwriter for the purpose of qualifying the Shares for sale under the
so-called "blue sky" laws of any state or for registering Shares under the 1933
Act or the Fund under the Investment Company Act of 1940 ("1940 Act"). Principal
Underwriter shall bear the expense of preparing, printing and distributing
advertising, sales literature, prospectuses and statements of additional
information. The Fund shall bear the expense of registering Shares under the
1933 Act and the Fund under the 1940 Act, qualifying Shares for sale under the
so-called "blue sky" laws of any state, the preparation and printing of
prospectuses, statements of additional information and reports
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required to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and other
authorities, the preparation, printing and mailing of prospectuses and
statements of additional information to shareholders of the Fund, and the direct
expenses of the issuance of Shares.
12. The term of this Agreement shall begin on the date hereof and,
unless sooner terminated or continued as provided below, shall expire on June
30, 1998. This Agreement shall continue in effect after such term if its
continuance is specifically approved by a majority of the Trustees of the Fund
and a majority of any 12b-1 Trustees referred to in any 12b-1 Plan of the Fund
("Rule 12b-1 Trustees") at least annually in accordance with the 1940 Act and
the rules and regulations thereunder.
This Agreement may be terminated at any time, without payment of any
penalty, by vote of a majority of any Rule 12b-1 Trustees or by a vote of a
majority of the Fund's outstanding Shares on not more than sixty (60) days
written notice to any other party to the Agreement; and shall terminate
automatically in the event of its assignment (as defined in the 1940 Act).
13. This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the laws of
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts. All sales hereunder are to be made, and title
to the Shares shall pass, in Boston, Massachusetts.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
executed by their respective officers thereunto duly authorized at Boston,
Massachusetts, on the day and year first written above.
KEYSTONE OMEGA FUND
By:
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Chairman
EVERGREEN KEYSTONE DISTRIBUTOR,
INC.
By:
Name:
Title:
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