MASTER TRANSFER AGENCY AND SERVICE AGREEMENT
Exhibit (k)(2)
THIS AGREEMENT is made as of March 17, 2022, by and between STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY, a Massachusetts trust company
having its principal office and place of business at Xxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxxx 00000 (“State Street” or the “Transfer Agent”), and each BlackRock company listed on Schedule A hereto (each, the “Company”). All references in this
Agreement to “the Company” are to each of the entities listed on Schedule A, individually, as if this Agreement were between the relevant individual Company and the
Transfer Agent.
WHEREAS, the Company is a closed-end management investment company that has elected to be regulated as a business development
company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), or is a subsidiary of a business development company; and
WHEREAS, the Company may offer shares of beneficial interest or common stock in the Company (“Shares”) from time to time;
WHEREAS, the Company desires to appoint the Transfer Agent as its transfer agent, dividend disbursing agent, and agent in connection
with certain other activities, to the extent such activities are applicable to the Company, 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
1.1 |
Appointment. Subject to
the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, the Company hereby employs and appoints the Transfer Agent to act as, and the Transfer Agent agrees to act as, transfer agent for the Company’s authorized and issued Shares, dividend
disbursing agent, and agent in connection with any accumulation or similar plans provided to shareholders (“Shareholders”) of the Company and set out in the currently effective prospectus of the Company (the “Prospectus”), including without
limitation any periodic investment plan or periodic withdrawal program.
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1.2 |
Transfer Agency Services.
In accordance with procedures established from time to time by agreement between the Company and the Transfer Agent, the Transfer Agent shall for each class of Shares of the Company provide the following services (the “Services”):
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(i)
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establish each Shareholder’s account in the Company on the Transfer Agent’s recordkeeping system and maintain such account for the benefit of such
Shareholder;
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1
(ii)
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receive orders for the purchase and/or subscriptions of Shares from the Company and process all purchases and/or subscriptions that meet the Transfer
Agent’s processing guidelines, and promptly deliver payment and appropriate documentation thereof to the custodian of the Company as identified by the Company (the “Custodian”);
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(iii)
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pursuant to such purchase orders, issue the appropriate number of Shares and book such Share issuance to the appropriate Shareholder account;
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(iv)
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receive repurchase and/or redemption requests and directions from the Company and process all repurchases and/or redemptions, including applying pro rata
as applicable, that meet the Transfer Agent’s processing guidelines, and deliver the appropriate documentation thereof to the Custodian;
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(v)
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[Reserved]
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(vi)
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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;
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(vii)
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process Shareholder account maintenance instructions received directly from broker-dealers or other intermediaries authorized per procedures (including,
but not limited to, any enhanced Transfer Agent procedures to authenticate and validate instructions to change an account’s registration or wire transfer instructions) established by mutual agreement of the Transfer Agent and the Company;
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(viii)
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process transfer of Shares of registered owners upon receipt of proper instruction and approval by the Company;
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(ix)
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process and transmit payments for any dividends and distributions declared by the Company; and
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(x)
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record the issuance of Shares of the Company and maintain pursuant to SEC Rule 17Ad-10(e) a record of the total number of Shares of the Company which are
authorized, based upon data provided to it by the Company, and issued and outstanding; and provide the Company on a regular basis with the total number of Shares of the Company which are issued and outstanding but Transfer Agent shall have
no obligation, when recording the issuance of Shares, to monitor the issuance of such Shares to determine if there are authorized Shares available for issuance or to take cognizance of any laws relating to, or corporate actions required
for, the issue or sale of such Shares, which functions shall be the sole responsibility of the Company.
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2
1.3
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Additional Services. In addition to, and neither in lieu of nor in contravention of the services set forth in Section 1.2 above, the Transfer Agent shall perform the following services:
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(i)
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Other Customary Services. Perform certain customary services of a transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent, including, but not limited to: maintaining Shareholder accounts, preparing Shareholder meeting lists, arranging for the
distribution of Shareholder reports to current Shareholders and/or to the Company for posting to its investor portal, maintaining on behalf of the Company such bank accounts as the Transfer Agent shall deem necessary for the performance
of its duties under this Agreement, confirming timely receipt or disbursement of Shareholder monies, withholding taxes on U.S. resident and non-resident alien accounts, preparing and filing U.S. Treasury Department Forms 1099 and other
appropriate forms required with respect to dividends and distributions by federal authorities for all Shareholders, calculating and payment of 12b-1 distribution fees, arranging for the preparation and dissemination of confirmation forms
and statements of account to Shareholders for all purchases and redemptions of Shares and other confirmable transactions in Shareholder accounts, arranging for the preparation and dissemination of activity statements and notices for
Shareholders, and providing Shareholder account information.
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(ii)
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State Transaction (“Blue Sky”) Reporting. The Transfer Agent will assist the Company by providing periodic shareholder state registration/sales reporting to the Company (and/or its third-party designee), as mutually agreed between the parties, for
purposes of the Company monitoring and complying with ongoing registration requirements. Notwithstanding, the Company shall be solely responsible for its “blue sky” compliance and state registration requirements.
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(iii)
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Lost Shareholder Searches. The Transfer Agent shall conduct lost Shareholder searches as required by Rule 17Ad-17 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”). If a Shareholder remains lost after the completion
of the mandatory Rule 17Ad-17 search, the Company hereby authorizes and directs the Transfer Agent to escheat the assets in such lost Shareholder’s account to the U.S. state or territory in the shareholder’s account registration.
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(iv)
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Escheatment Laws.
Notwithstanding Section 1.3(iii), the Company shall be solely responsible for its compliance with the requirements of any applicable escheatment laws, including without limitation, the laws of any U. S. state or territory.
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(v)
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Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation
(“DTCC”)/Alternative Investment Produce Services (“AIP”). If applicable, the Transfer Agent shall: (a) accept and effectuate the registration and maintenance of accounts with DTCC/AIP, and the
purchase and redemption of Shares in such accounts, in accordance with instructions transmitted to and received by the Transfer Agent by transmission from DTCC or AIP (acting on behalf of its members); and (b) issue instructions to the
Company’s banks for the settlement of transactions between the Company and DTCC or AIP (acting on behalf of its members and bank participants).
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(vi)
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Performance of Certain Services by the Company or
Affiliates or Agents. New procedures as to who shall provide certain of these services described in this Section 1 may be established in writing from time to time by agreement between the
Company and the Transfer Agent. If agreed to in writing by the Company and the Transfer Agent, the Transfer Agent may at times perform only a portion of these services, and the Company or its agent may perform these services on the
Company’s behalf.
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3
1.4
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Authorized Persons. The Company hereby agrees and acknowledges that the Transfer Agent may rely on the current list of authorized persons, as provided or agreed to by the Company and as may be
amended from time to time, in receiving instructions to issue or redeem the Shares. The Company agrees and covenants for itself and each such authorized person that any order, sale or transfer of, or transaction in the Shares received by it
after the close of the market shall be effectuated at the net asset value determined on the next business day or as otherwise required pursuant to the Company’s then-effective Prospectus, and the Company or such authorized person shall so
instruct the Transfer Agent of the proper effective date of the transaction.
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1.5
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Anti-Money Laundering and Client Screening. With respect to the Company’s offering and sale of Shares at any time, and for all subsequent transfers of such interests, the Company or its
delegate shall, directly or indirectly and to the extent required by law: (i) conduct know your customer/client identity due diligence with respect to potential investors and transferees in the Shares and shall obtain and retain due
diligence records for each investor and transferee; (ii) use its best efforts to ensure that each investor’s and any transferee’s funds used to purchase Shares shall not be derived from, nor the product of, any criminal activity; (iii) if
requested, provide periodic written verifications that such investors/transferees have been checked against the United States Department of the Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control database for any non-compliance or exceptions; and
(iv) perform its obligations under this Section in accordance with all applicable anti-money laundering laws and regulations. In the event that the Transfer Agent has received advice from counsel that access to underlying due diligence
records pertaining to the investors/transferees is necessary to ensure compliance by the Transfer Agent with relevant anti-money laundering (or other applicable) laws or regulations, the Company shall, upon receipt of written request from
the Transfer Agent, provide the Transfer Agent copies of such due diligence records.
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1.6 |
Tax Law. The Transfer
Agent shall have no responsibility or liability for any obligations now or hereafter imposed on the Company, the Shares, a Shareholder or the Transfer Agent in connection with the services provided by the Transfer Agent hereunder by the tax
laws of any country or of any state or political subdivision thereof. It shall be the responsibility of the Company to notify the Transfer Agent of the obligations imposed on the Company, the Shares, a Shareholder or the Transfer Agent in
connection with the services provided by the Transfer Agent hereunder by the tax law of countries, states and political subdivisions thereof, including responsibility for withholding and other taxes, assessments or other governmental
charges, certifications and governmental reporting.
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1.7 |
REGULATION GG. The
Company represents and warrants that it does not engage in an “Internet gambling business,” as such term is defined in Section 233.2(r) of Federal Reserve Regulation GG (12 CFR 233) and covenants that it shall not engage in an Internet
gambling business. In accordance with Regulation GG, the Company is hereby notified that “restricted transactions,” as such term is defined in Section 233.2(y) of Regulation GG, are prohibited in any dealings with the Transfer Agent
pursuant to this Agreement or otherwise between or among any party hereto.
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2. FEES AND
EXPENSES
2.1 |
Fee Schedule. For the
performance by the Transfer Agent of services provided pursuant to this Agreement, the Company agrees to pay, or to cause to be paid to, the Transfer Agent the fees and expenses set forth in a written fee schedule agreed to between the
parties.
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3.
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REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE TRANSFER AGENT The Transfer Agent represents and warrants to the Company that:
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3.1
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It is a trust company duly organized and existing under
the laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
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3.2
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It is duly registered as a transfer agent under Section
17A(c)(2) of the 1934 Act, it will remain so registered for the duration of this Agreement, and it will promptly notify the Company in the event of any material change in its status as a registered transfer agent.
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3.3
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It is duly qualified to carry on its business in The
Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
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3.4
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It is empowered under applicable laws and by its
organizational documents to enter into and perform the services contemplated in this Agreement.
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3.5
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All requisite organizational proceedings have been taken
to authorize it to enter into and perform this Agreement.
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3.6
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It has adopted written policies and procedures that are
reasonably designed to prevent violations of the “Federal Securities Laws” as such term is defined in Rule 38a-1 under the 1940 Act with respect to the services to be provided under this Agreement.
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4.
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REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY The Company represents and warrants to the Transfer Agent that:
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4.1
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The Company is organized, existing and in good standing
under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization.
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4.2
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The Company is empowered under applicable laws and by its
organizational documents to enter into and perform this Agreement.
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4.3
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All requisite proceedings have been taken to authorize the
Company to enter into, perform and receive services pursuant to this Agreement.
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4.4
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The Company is a closed-end management investment
company that will elect to be regulated as a business development company under the 1940 Act and it has elected to be treated for federal income tax purposes, and intends to qualify annually thereafter, as a regulated
investment company under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”).
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4.5
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Where information provided by the Company or the
Company’s investors includes information about an identifiable individual (“Personal Information”), the Company represents and warrants that it has obtained all consents and approvals, as required by all applicable laws,
regulations, by-laws and ordinances that regulate the collection, processing, use or disclosure of Personal Information, necessary to disclose such Personal Information to the Transfer Agent, and as required for the Transfer Agent to use
and disclose such Personal Information in connection with the performance of the services hereunder. The Company acknowledges that the Transfer Agent may perform any of the services, and may use and disclose Personal Information outside of
the jurisdiction in which it was initially collected by the Company, including the United States and that information relating to the Company, including Personal Information of investors may be accessed by national security authorities, law
enforcement and courts. The Transfer Agent shall be kept indemnified by and be without liability to the Company for any action taken or omitted by it in reliance upon this representation and warranty, including without limitation, any
liability or costs in connection with claims or complaints for failure to comply with any applicable law that regulates the collection, processing, use or disclosure of Personal Information.
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5. DATA ACCESS
SERVICES
5.1 |
The Company acknowledges that the databases, computer programs, screen formats, report formats, interactive design techniques, and documentation manuals furnished to the Company
by the Transfer Agent as part of the Company’s ability to access certain Company -related data maintained by the Transfer Agent or another third party on databases under the control and ownership of the Transfer Agent (“Data Access Services”)
constitute copyrighted, trade secret, or other proprietary information (collectively, “Proprietary Information”) of substantial value to the Transfer Agent or another third party. In no event shall Proprietary Information be deemed to be
Shareholder information or the confidential information of the Company. The Company 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 Company agrees for itself and its officers, directors and agents, to:
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(i)
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use such programs and databases solely on the Company’s, or such agents’ computers, or solely from equipment at the location(s) agreed to between the
Company and the Transfer Agent, and solely in accordance with the Transfer Agent’s applicable user documentation;
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(ii)
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refrain from copying or duplicating in any way the Proprietary Information;
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(iii)
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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;
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(iv)
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refrain from causing or allowing Proprietary Information transmitted from the Transfer Agent’s computers to the Company’s, or such agents’ computer to be
retransmitted to any other computer facility or other location, except with the prior written consent of the Transfer Agent;
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(v)
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allow the Company or such agents to have access only to those authorized transactions agreed upon by the Company and the Transfer Agent;
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(vi)
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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.
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5.2
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Proprietary Information shall not include all or any
portion of any of the foregoing items that are or become publicly available without breach of this Agreement; that are released for general disclosure by a written release by the Transfer Agent; or that are already in the
possession of the receiving party at the time of receipt without obligation of confidentiality or breach of this Agreement.
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5.3
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If the Company 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 Company 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. DATA ACCESS SERVICES AND ALL COMPUTER PROGRAMS AND SOFTWARE SPECIFICATIONS USED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH ARE PROVIDED ON AN “AS IS, AS AVAILABLE” BASIS. THE
TRANSFER AGENT EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES EXCEPT THOSE EXPRESSLY STATED HEREIN INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
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5.4
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If the transactions available to the Company include the
ability to originate electronic instructions to the Transfer Agent in order to effect the transfer or movement of cash or Shares, 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 undertaken in conformity with security procedures established by the Transfer Agent from time to
time.
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5.5
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Each party shall take reasonable efforts to advise its
employees of their obligations pursuant to this Section. The obligations of this Section shall survive any earlier termination of this Agreement.
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6. STANDARD OF CARE / LIMITATION OF LIABILITY
6.1
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In carrying out the provisions of this Agreement, the
Transfer Agent shall act (i) with reasonable care and diligence and in good faith, (ii) without negligence, fraud, willful misconduct, willful omission or bad faith, and at least at the same standard of care as the
Transfer Agent provides for itself and its affiliates (“Affiliates”) with respect to similar services, and (iii) with the level of skill
and care which would be expected from a reasonably skilled and experienced professional provider of services similar to the services provided under this Agreement. The Transfer Agent assumes no responsibility and shall not be liable for
loss or damage due to errors, including encoding and payment processing errors, unless and to the extent said errors are caused as a result of the Transfer Agent failing to exercise such standard of care. 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 this Section.
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6.2
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Except as may otherwise be agreed to by the parties, the
Transfer Agent’s cumulative liability for each calendar year (a “Liability Period”) with respect to the Company under this Agreement regardless of the form of action or legal theory shall be limited to its total annual
compensation earned and fees payable hereunder during the preceding Compensation Period, as defined herein, for any liability or loss suffered by the Company including, but not limited to, any liability relating to qualification of the
Company as a business development company or any liability relating to the Company’s compliance with any federal or state tax or securities statute, regulation or ruling during such Liability Period. “Compensation Period” shall mean the
calendar year ending immediately prior to each Liability Period in which the event(s) giving rise to the Transfer Agent’s liability for that period have occurred. In no event shall either party be liable for special, incidental, indirect,
punitive or consequential damages whatsoever (including, without limitation, lost profits) with respect to the services provided pursuant to this Agreement, regardless of whether a party has been advised of the possibility of such damages,
except to the extent any such damages cannot be excluded or limited as a matter of law applicable to either party.
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7. INDEMNIFICATION
7.1 |
The Transfer Agent shall not be responsible for, and the Company shall indemnify and hold the Transfer Agent 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:
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(i)
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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
accordance with the standard of care in Section 6.1;
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(ii)
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the Company’s material breach of any representation, warranty or covenant of the Company hereunder;
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(iii)
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the Company’s lack of good faith, gross negligence or willful misconduct;
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(iv)
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reasonable reliance upon, and any subsequent use of or action taken or omitted, by the Transfer Agent, or its agents or subcontractors on: (a) 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 Company, and which have been prepared, maintained or performed by the Company or any other person or firm on behalf of the Company, including but not limited to any broker-dealer, third party administrator or
previous transfer agent; (b) any instructions or requests of the Company or its officers, or the Company’s agents or subcontractors or their officers or employees; (c) any reasonable instructions or opinions of legal counsel to the Company
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 after consultation with such legal counsel; or (d) any paper or document,
reasonably believed to be genuine, authentic, or signed by the proper person or persons;
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(v)
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the offer or sale of Shares in violation of any requirement under the federal or state securities laws or regulations requiring that such Shares be
registered, or in violation of any stop order or other determination or ruling by any federal or state agency with respect to the offer or sale of such Shares;
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(vi)
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the negotiation and processing of any checks, wires and ACH transmissions, including without limitation, for deposit into, or credit to, the Company’s
demand deposit accounts maintained by the Transfer Agent;
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(vii)
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all actions relating to the transmission of Company or Shareholder data through the AIP clearing systems, if applicable; and
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(viii)
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any tax obligations under the tax laws of any country or of any state or political subdivision thereof, including taxes, withholding and reporting
requirements, claims for exemption and refund, additions for late payment, interest, penalties and other expenses (including legal expenses) that may be assessed, imposed or charged against the Transfer Agent as transfer agent hereunder.
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7.2 |
At any time the Transfer Agent may apply to any officer of the Company for instructions, and may consult with legal counsel (which may be Company counsel) with respect to any
matter arising in connection with the services to be performed by the Transfer Agent under this Agreement, and the Transfer Agent and its agents or subcontractors shall not be liable and shall be indemnified by the Company for any action
taken or omitted by it in reasonable reliance upon such instructions or upon the opinion of such counsel. The Transfer Agent, its agents and subcontractors shall be protected and indemnified in acting upon any paper or document furnished by
or on behalf of the Company, reasonably believed to be genuine and to have been signed by the proper person or persons, or upon any instruction, information, data, records or documents provided the Transfer Agent or its agents or
subcontractors by machine readable input, electronic data entry or other similar means authorized by the Company, and shall not be held to have notice of any change of authority of any person, until receipt of written notice thereof from the
Company. The Transfer Agent, its agents and subcontractors shall also be protected and indemnified in recognizing stock certificates which are reasonably believed to bear the proper manual or facsimile signatures of the officers of the
Company, and the proper countersignature of any former transfer agent or former registrar, or of a co-transfer agent or co-registrar.
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8. ADDITIONAL COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY AND THE TRANSFER AGENT
8.1 |
Delivery of Documents.
The Company shall promptly furnish, or cause to be furnished, to the Transfer Agent the following:
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(i) |
A certificate of the Secretary of the Company certifying the resolution of the Board of Directors of the Company authorizing the appointment of the Transfer Agent and the
execution and delivery of this Agreement.
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(ii) |
A copy of the Certificate of Incorporation and By-Laws of the Company and all amendments thereto.
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8.2
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Certificates, Checks, Facsimile Signature Devices. If applicable, the Transfer Agent hereby agrees to establish and maintain facilities and procedures for safekeeping of any stock
certificates, check forms and facsimile signature imprinting devices; and for the preparation or use, and for keeping account of, such certificates, forms and devices.
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8.3
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Records. In compliance with the requirements of Rule 31a-3 under the 1940 Act, the Transfer Agent agrees that all records which it maintains for the Company shall at all times remain the
property of the Company, shall be readily accessible during normal business hours, and shall be promptly surrendered upon the termination of the Agreement or otherwise on written request except as otherwise provided in Section 10.3. The
Transfer Agent further agrees that all records that it maintains for the Company pursuant to Rule 31a-1 under the 1940 Act will be preserved for the periods prescribed by Rule 31a-2 under the 1940 Act unless any such records are earlier
surrendered as provided above. Records may be surrendered in either written or machine-readable form, at the option of the Transfer Agent. In the event that the Transfer Agent is requested or authorized by the Company, or required by
subpoena, administrative order, court order or other legal process, applicable law or regulation, or required in connection with any investigation, examination or inspection of the Company by state or federal regulatory agencies, to produce
the records of the Company or the Transfer Agent’s personnel as witnesses or deponents, the Company agrees to pay the Transfer Agent for the Transfer Agent’s time and expenses, as well as the fees and expenses of the Transfer Agent’s
counsel, incurred in such production.
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9. CONFIDENTIALITY AND USE OF DATA
9.1
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All information provided under this Agreement by a party
(the “Disclosing Party”) to the other party (the “Receiving Party”) regarding the Disclosing Party’s business and operations shall be treated as confidential. Subject to Section 9.2 below, all confidential information
provided under this Agreement by Disclosing Party shall be used, including disclosure to third parties, by the Receiving Party, or its agents, delegates or service providers, solely for the purpose of performing or receiving the services
and discharging the Receiving Party’s other obligations under the Agreement or managing the business of the Receiving Party and its Affiliates, including financial and operational management and reporting, risk management, legal and
regulatory compliance and client service management. The foregoing shall not be applicable to any information (a) that is publicly available when provided or thereafter becomes publicly available, other than through a breach of this
Agreement, (b) that is independently derived by the Receiving Party without the use of any information provided by the Disclosing Party in connection with this Agreement, or (c) where the party seeking to disclose has received the prior
written consent of the party providing the information, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Receiving
Party shall be permitted to disclose any confidential information provided under this Agreement by Disclosing Party (i) to comply with any legal or regulatory proceeding, investigation, audit, examination, subpoena, civil investigative
demand or other similar process or (ii) as required by operation of law or regulation or as required to comply with the requirements of any market infrastructure that the Disclosing Party or its agents direct the Transfer Agent or its
Affiliates to employ (or which is required in connection with the holding or settlement of instruments included in the assets subject to this Agreement), provided that the Receiving Party take reasonable steps to otherwise maintain the
confidential nature of such information.
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9.2
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(i) In
connection with the provision of the services and the discharge of its other obligations under this Agreement, the Transfer Agent (which term for purposes of this Section 9.2 includes each of its Affiliates) may collect
and store information regarding the Company (“Company Information”) and share the Company Information with its Affiliates, agents, delegates and service providers in order and to the extent reasonably necessary (i) to carry out the
provision of services contemplated under this Agreement and other agreements between the Company and the Transfer Agent or any of its Affiliates and (ii) to carry out the internal management of its businesses, including, but not limited to,
financial and operational management and reporting, risk management, legal and regulatory compliance.
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(ii) Except as expressly
contemplated by this Agreement, nothing in this Section 9.2 shall limit the confidentiality and data-protection obligations of the Transfer Agent and its Affiliates under this Agreement and applicable law. The Transfer Agent shall cause
any Affiliate, agent or service provider to which it has disclosed Data pursuant to this Section 9.2 to comply at all times with confidentiality and data-protection obligations as if it were a party to this Agreement.
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9.3 |
The Transfer Agent affirms that it has, and will continue to have throughout the term of this Agreement, procedures in place that are reasonably designed to protect the privacy
of non-public personal consumer/customer financial information to the extent required by applicable laws, rules and regulations.
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10
10. EFFECTIVE
PERIOD AND TERMINATION
10.1
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Term. This Agreement shall remain in full force and effect
for an initial term ending one (1) year from the effective date (the “Initial Term”). After the expiration of the Initial Term, this Agreement shall automatically renew for successive one (1) year terms. Following the Initial Term, this
Agreement may be terminated by the Company upon no less than ninety (90) days’ prior written notice to the Transfer Agent, or by the Transfer Agent upon no less than 180 days’ prior written notice to the Company.
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10.2
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Termination. During the Initial Term and thereafter, either
party may terminate this Agreement as to the Company: (i) in the event of the other party’s material breach of a material provision of this Agreement that the other party has either failed to cure or failed to establish a remedial plan to
cure that is reasonably acceptable to the non-breaching party, within, as applicable: (i) 180 days’ written notice being given by the Transfer Agent, as the non-breaching party, of the breach, or (i) 60 days’ written notice being given by
the Company, as the non-breaching party, of the breach, or (ii) in the event of the appointment of a conservator or receiver for the other party, the commencement by or against the other party of a bankruptcy or insolvency case or
proceeding, or upon the happening of a like event to the other party at the direction of an appropriate agency or court of competent jurisdiction.
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10.3
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Payments Owing to the Transfer Agent. Upon termination of
this Agreement pursuant to Sections 10.1 and 10.2 with respect to the Company, the Company shall pay Transfer Agent its compensation due as of the date of such termination and shall reimburse the Transfer Agent for its costs, expenses and
disbursements. In the event of: (i) the Company’s termination of this Agreement for any reason other than as set forth in 10.1 or 10.2 or (ii) a transaction not in the ordinary course of business pursuant to which the Transfer Agent is not
retained to continue providing services hereunder to the Company (or its respective successor), the Company shall pay the Transfer Agent its compensation due through the end of the then-current term (based upon the average monthly
compensation previously earned by the Transfer Agent with respect to the Company) and shall reimburse the Transfer Agent for its costs, expenses and disbursements. Upon receipt of such payment and reimbursement, the Transfer Agent will
deliver the Company’s records as set forth herein.
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10.4
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Exclusions. For the avoidance of doubt, no full term
payment will be required pursuant to clause (ii) of Section 10.3 in the event of any transaction such as (a) the liquidation or dissolution of the Company and distribution of the Company’s assets as a result of the Board’s determination in
its reasonable business judgment that the Company is no longer viable or that the liquidation is in the best interest of the Company, (b) a merger of the Company into, or the consolidation of the Company with, another entity, or (c) the
sale by the Company of all, or substantially all, of its assets to another entity, in each of (b) and (c) where the Company provides ninety (90) days’ prior written notice in advance of the closing date of any such transactions.
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10.5
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Disengagement Assistance. On termination of this Agreement
by either party for any reason, while the Company will undertake reasonable efforts appoint a new administrative service provider as soon as possible after receiving a notice of termination, if the Company has not transitioned to a new
service provider as of the date of termination, the Transfer Agent will continue to provide the Services with respect to all periods until such time as the Services have been transitioned to a new transfer agent at the then current fee
rates at the time of such termination or expiration. Such services shall include the completion of any investor reporting and other Transfer Agent deliverables for the accounting period ending with the date of termination. The Transfer
Agent agrees to promptly upon request from the Company transfer an electronic copy (in a format as reasonably agreed by the parties) of any records and related supporting documentation held by it under this Agreement to the Company or to
any replacement provider of the Services or to such other person as the Company may direct. The Transfer Agent will cooperate with the Customer and the Company in good faith in transitioning the Services to any successor transfer agent and
will also provide reasonable assistance to its successor in connection with such transition.
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11
11. [RESERVED]
12. ASSIGNMENT
12.1
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Except as provided in Section 13 below, neither this Agreement nor any rights or obligations hereunder may be assigned by (a) the Company without
the written consent of the Transfer Agent or (b) the Transfer Agent without the written consent of the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Transfer Agent may assign this Agreement to a successor of all or a substantial portion of
its business or to an Affiliate of the Transfer Agent upon ninety (90) days’ written notice to the Company.
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12.2
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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 Company, and the duties and responsibilities undertaken pursuant to this Agreement shall be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Transfer Agent and the Company. This Agreement
shall inure to the benefit of, and be binding upon, the parties and their respective permitted successors and assigns.
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12.3
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This Agreement does not constitute an agreement for a partnership or joint venture between the Transfer Agent and the Company. Other than as
provided in Section 13, neither party shall make any commitments with third parties that are binding on the other party without the other party’s prior written consent.
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13. MISCELLANEOUS
13.1
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Amendment. This Agreement may be amended or modified by a
written agreement executed by both parties.
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13.2
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13.3
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Force Majeure. In the event either party is unable to
perform its obligations under the terms of this Agreement because of acts of God, 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.
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13.4
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Data Protection. State Street will implement and maintain a
comprehensive written information security program that contains appropriate security measures to safeguard the personal information of the Company’s shareholders, employees, directors and/or officers that the Transfer Agent receives,
stores, maintains, processes or otherwise accesses in connection with the provision of services hereunder. For these purposes, “personal information” shall mean (i) an individual’s name (first initial and last name or first name and last
name), address or telephone number plus (a) social security number, (b) driver’s license number, (c) state identification card number, (d) debit or credit card number,
(e) financial account number or (f) personal identification number or password that would permit access to a person’s account or (ii) any combination of the foregoing that would allow a person to log onto or access an individual’s account.
Notwithstanding the foregoing “personal information” shall not include information that is lawfully obtained from publicly available information, or from federal, state or local government records lawfully made available to the general
public.
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12
13.5
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Survival. All provisions regarding indemnification,
warranty, liability, and limits thereon, and confidentiality and/or protections of proprietary rights and trade secrets shall survive the termination of this Agreement.
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13.6
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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.
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13.7
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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.
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13.8
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Waiver. The failure of a party to insist upon strict
adherence to any term of this Agreement on any occasion shall not be considered a waiver nor shall it deprive such party of the right thereafter to insist upon strict adherence to that term or any term of this Agreement or the failure of a
party hereto to exercise or any delay in exercising any right or remedy under this Agreement shall not constitute a waiver of any such term, right or remedy or a waiver of any other rights or remedies, and no single or partial exercise of
any right or remedy under this Agreement shall prevent any further exercise of the right or remedy or the exercise of any other right or remedy. Any waiver must be in writing signed by the waiving party.
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13.9
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Entire Agreement. This Agreement and any schedules, exhibits, attachments or amendments hereto constitute the entire agreement between the parties hereto and supersedes any prior agreement with respect to the subject matter
hereof whether oral or written.
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13.10
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Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in several
counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts taken together shall constitute one and the same Agreement. Counterparts
may be executed in either original or electronically transmitted form (e.g., faxes or emailed portable document format (PDF) form), and the parties hereby adopt as original any signatures received via electronically transmitted form.
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13.11
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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 all/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 of such reproduction shall likewise be admissible in evidence.
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13
13.12
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Notices. Any notice instruction or other instrument required
to be given hereunder will be in writing and may be sent by hand, or by facsimile transmission, or overnight delivery by any recognized delivery service, to the parties at the following address or such other address as may be notified by
any party from time to time:
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(a) If to Transfer Agent, to:
State Street Bank and Trust Company
Transfer Agency
Attention: Compliance
Xxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx
0 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx
Mail Stop OHD0100
North Xxxxxx XX 00000
With a copy to.
State Street Bank and Trust Company
Legal Division – Institutional Services Americas
Xxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Senior Vice President and Senior Managing
Counsel
(b) If to the Company, to:
c/o BLACKROCK CAPITAL INVESTMENT ADVISORS, LLC
0000 00xx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx
Attention: Xxxx Xxxxxxx
Telephone No.: 000.000.0000
With a copy to.
c/o BLACKROCK CAPITAL INVESTMENT ADVISORS, LLC
00 Xxxx 00xx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx, General Counsel
Telephone No.: 000.000.0000
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13.13
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Interpretive and Other Provisions. In connection with the
operation of this Agreement, the Transfer Agent and the Company, may from time to time agree on such provisions interpretive of or in addition to the provisions of this Agreement as may in their joint opinion be consistent with the general
tenor of this Agreement. Any such interpretive or additional provisions shall be in a writing signed by all parties, provided that no such interpretive or additional provisions shall contravene any applicable laws or regulations or any
provision of the Company’s governing documents. No interpretive or additional provisions made as provided in the preceding sentence shall be deemed to be an amendment of this Agreement.
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13.14
|
Delegation. The Transfer Agent shall retain the right to
employ its Affiliates as well as agents, subcontractors, consultants and other third parties (each a “Delegate”) to provide or assist it in the provision of any part of the Services or the discharge of any other obligations or duties under
this Agreement without the consent or approval of the Company. The Transfer Agent shall be responsible for the Services delivered by and the acts and omissions of any such Delegate so employed as if the Transfer Agent had provided such
Services and committed such acts and omissions itself. The Transfer Agent shall be responsible for the compensation of its Delegates. The Transfer Agent will provide the Company with information regarding its global operating model for the
delivery of the Services on a quarterly or other periodic basis, which information shall include the identities of Delegates affiliated with the Transfer Agent that perform or may perform parts of the Services and the locations from which
such Delegates perform Services, as well as such other information about Delegates as the Company may reasonably request from time to time. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall the term Delegate include consultants, authorized
data sources, suppliers of Transfer Agent’s third party technology, providers of market infrastructure, and other non-affiliated entities that provide similar assistance to the Transfer Agent in the performance of its duties under this
Agreement, and the Transfer Agent shall have no liability for their acts or omissions except as otherwise expressly provided elsewhere in this Agreement.
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13.15
|
Limitation on Liability. Notice is hereby given that this
Agreement is not executed on behalf of any directors of the Company as individuals, and the obligations of this Agreement are not binding on any of the directors, officers, shareholders or partners of the Company individually, but are
binding only upon the property of the Company. The Transfer Agent agrees that no shareholder, director, officer or partner of the Company may be held personally liable or responsible for any obligations of the Company arising out of this
Agreement.
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[Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank]
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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.
STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY
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By:
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/s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxxx
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||
Name:
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Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxxx
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||
Title:
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Vice President
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EACH BLACKROCK COMPANY LISTED ON SCHEDULE A
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By:
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/s/ Xxxx X. Xxxxxxx
|
||
Name:
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Xxxx X. Xxxxxxx
|
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Title:
|
Chief Financial Officer
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