Exhibit (d)(c)(6)
METROPOLITAN SERIES FUND, INC.
ADVISORY AGREEMENT
(MFS TOTAL RETURN PORTFOLIO)
AGREEMENT entered into on the 1st day of May, 2003 by and between
METROPOLITAN SERIES FUND, INC., a Maryland corporation (the "Fund"), with
respect to its MFS Total Return Portfolio (the "Portfolio"), and METLIFE
ADVISERS, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the "Manager").
WITNESSETH:
WHEREAS, the Fund and the Manager wish to enter into an agreement setting
forth the terms upon which the Manager (or certain other parties acting pursuant
to delegation from the Manager) will perform certain services for the Portfolio;
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and covenants hereinafter
contained, the parties agree as follows:
1.(a) The Fund hereby employs the Manager to furnish the Fund with
Portfolio Management Services (as defined in Section 2 hereof) and
Administrative Services (as defined in Section 3 hereof), subject to the
authority of the Manager to delegate any or all of its responsibilities
hereunder to other parties as provided in Sections 1(b) and (c) hereof. The
Manager hereby accepts such employment and agrees, at its own expense, to
furnish such services (either directly or pursuant to delegation to other
parties as permitted by Sections 1(b) and (c) hereof) and to assume the
obligations herein set forth, for the compensation herein provided. The Manager
shall, unless otherwise expressly provided or authorized, have no authority to
act for or represent the Fund in any way or otherwise be deemed an agent of the
Fund.
(b) The Manager may delegate any or all of its responsibilities hereunder
with respect to the provision of Portfolio Management Services (and assumption
of related expenses) to one or more other parties (each such party, a
"Sub-Adviser"), pursuant in each case to a written agreement with such
Sub-Adviser that meets the requirements of Section 15 of the Investment Company
Act of 1940 and the rules thereunder (the "1940 Act") applicable to contracts
for service as investment adviser of a registered investment company (including
without limitation the requirements for approval by the directors of the Fund
and the shareholders of the Portfolio), subject, however, to such exemptions as
may be granted by the Securities and Exchange Commission. Any Sub-Adviser may
(but need not) be affiliated with the Manager. If different Sub-Advisers are
engaged to provide Portfolio Management Services with respect to different
segments of the Portfolio, the Manager shall determine, in the manner described
in the prospectus of the Portfolio from time to time in effect, what portion of
the assets belonging to the Portfolio shall be managed by each Sub-Adviser.
c) The Manager may delegate any or all of its responsibilities hereunder
with respect to the provision of Administrative Services to one or more other
parties (each such party, an "Administrator") selected by the Manager. Any
Administrator may (but need not) be affiliated with the Manager.
2. As used in this Agreement, "Portfolio Management Services" means
management of the investment and reinvestment of the assets belonging to the
Portfolio, consisting specifically of the following:
(a) obtaining and evaluating such economic, statistical and financial
data and information and undertaking such additional investment research as
shall be necessary or advisable for the management of the investment and
reinvestment of the assets belonging to the Portfolio in accordance with
the Portfolio's investment objectives and policies;
(b) taking such steps as are necessary to implement the investment
policies of the Portfolio by purchasing and selling of securities,
including the placing of orders for such purchase and sale; and
(c) regularly reporting to the Board of Directors of the Fund with
respect to the implementation of the investment policies of the Portfolio.
3. As used in this Agreement, "Administrative Services" means the provision
to the Fund, by or at the expense of the Manager, of the following:
(a) office space in such place or places as may be agreed upon from
time to time by the Fund and the Manager, and all necessary office
supplies, facilities and equipment;
(b) necessary executive and other personnel for managing the affairs
of the Portfolio, including personnel to perform clerical, bookkeeping,
accounting, stenographic and other office functions (exclusive of those
related to and to be performed under contract for custodial, transfer,
dividend and plan agency services by the entity or entities selected to
perform such services);
(c) compensation, if any, of directors of the Fund who are directors,
officers or employees of the Manager, any Sub-Adviser or any Administrator
or of any affiliated person (other than a registered investment company) of
the Manager, any Sub-Adviser or any Administrator;
(d) all services, other than services of counsel, required in
connection with the preparation of registration statements and
prospectuses, including amendments and revisions thereto, all annual,
semiannual and periodic reports, and notices and proxy solicitation
material furnished to shareholders of the Fund or regulatory authorities,
to the extent that any such materials relate to the business of the
Portfolio, to the shareholders
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thereof or otherwise to the Portfolio, the Portfolio to be treated for
these purposes as a separate legal entity and fund; and
(e) supervision and oversight of the Portfolio Management Services
provided by each Sub-Adviser, and oversight of all matters relating to
compliance by the Fund with applicable laws and with the Fund's investment
policies, restrictions and guidelines, if the Manager has delegated to one
or more Sub-Advisers any or all of its responsibilities hereunder with
respect to the provision of Portfolio Management Services.
4. Nothing in section 3 hereof shall require the Manager to bear, or to
reimburse the Fund for:
(a) any of the costs of printing and mailing the items referred to in
sub-section (d) of this section 3;
(b) any of the costs of preparing, printing and distributing sales
literature;
(c) compensation of directors of the Fund who are not directors,
officers or employees of the Manager, any Sub-Adviser or any Administrator
or of any affiliated person (other than a registered investment company) of
the Manager, any Sub-Adviser or any Administrator;
(d) registration, filing and other fees in connection with
requirements of regulatory authorities;
(e) the charges and expenses of any entity appointed by the Fund for
custodial, paying agent, shareholder servicing and plan agent services;
(f) charges and expenses of independent accountants retained by the
Fund;
(g) charges and expenses of any transfer agents and registrars
appointed by the Fund;
(h) brokers' commissions and issue and transfer taxes chargeable to
the Fund in connection with securities transactions to which the Fund is a
party;
(i) taxes and fees payable by the Fund to federal, state or other
governmental agencies;
(j) any cost of certificates representing shares of the Fund;
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(k) legal fees and expenses in connection with the affairs of the Fund
including registering and qualifying its shares with Federal and State
regulatory authorities;
(l) expenses of meetings of shareholders and directors of the Fund;
and
(m) interest, including interest on borrowings by the Fund.
5. All activities undertaken by the Manager or any Sub-Adviser or
Administrator pursuant to this Agreement shall at all times be subject to the
supervision and control of the Board of Directors of the Fund, any duly
constituted committee thereof or any officer of the Fund acting pursuant to like
authority.
6. The services to be provided by the Manager and any Sub-Adviser or
Administrator hereunder are not to be deemed exclusive and the Manager and any
Sub-Adviser or Administrator shall be free to render similar services to others,
so long as its services hereunder are not impaired thereby.
7. As full compensation for all services rendered, facilities furnished and
expenses borne by the Manager hereunder, the Fund shall pay the Manager
compensation at the annual rate of .50% of average net assets. Such compensation
shall be payable monthly in arrears or at such other intervals, not less
frequently than quarterly, as the Board of Directors of the Fund may from time
to time determine and specify in writing to the Manager. The Manager hereby
acknowledges that the Fund's obligation to pay such compensation is binding only
on the assets and property belonging to the Portfolio.
8. If the total of all ordinary business expenses of the Fund as a whole
(including investment advisory fees but excluding taxes and portfolio brokerage
commissions) for any fiscal year exceeds the lowest applicable percentage of
average net assets or income limitations prescribed by any state in which shares
of the Portfolio are qualified for sale, the Manager shall pay such excess.
Solely for purposes of applying such limitations in accordance with the
foregoing sentence, the Portfolio and the Fund shall each be deemed to be a
separate fund subject to such limitations. Should the applicable state
limitation provisions fail to specify how the average net assets of the Fund or
belonging to the Portfolio are to be calculated, that figure shall be calculated
by reference to the average daily net assets of the Fund or the Portfolio, as
the case may be.
9. It is understood that any of the shareholders, directors, officers,
employees and agents of the Fund may be a shareholder, director, officer,
employee or agent of, or be otherwise interested in, the Manager, any affiliated
person of the Manager, any organization in which the Manager may have an
interest or any organization which may have an interest in the Manager; that the
Manager, any such affiliated person or any such organization may have an
interest in the Fund; and that the existence of any such dual interest shall not
affect the validity hereof or of any
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transactions hereunder except as otherwise provided in the articles of
incorporation of the Fund, the limited liability company agreement of the
Manager or specific provisions of applicable law.
10. This Agreement shall become effective as of the date of its execution,
and
(a) unless otherwise terminated, this Agreement shall continue in
effect for two years from the date of execution, and from year to year
thereafter so long as such continuance is specifically approved at least
annually (i) by the Board of Directors of the Fund or by vote of a majority
of the outstanding voting securities of the Portfolio, and (ii) by vote of
a majority of the directors of the Fund who are not interested persons of
the Fund or the Manager, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose
of voting on, such approval;
(b) this Agreement may at any time be terminated on sixty days'
written notice to the Manager either by vote of the Board of Directors of
the Fund or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of
the Portfolio;
(c) this Agreement shall automatically terminate in the event of its
assignment;
(d) this Agreement may be terminated by the Manager on ninety days'
written notice to the Fund;
Termination of this Agreement pursuant to this section 10 shall be without
the payment of any penalty.
11. This Agreement may be amended at any time by mutual consent of the
parties, provided that, if required by law (as may be modified by any exemptions
received by the Manager), such consent on the part of the Fund shall have been
approved by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the
Portfolio and by vote of a majority of the directors of the Fund who are not
interested persons of the Fund or the Manager, cast in person at a meeting
called for the purpose of voting on such approval.
12. For the purpose of this Agreement, the terms "vote of a majority of the
outstanding voting securities," "interested person," "affiliated person" and
"assignment" shall have their respective meanings defined in the 1940 Act,
subject, however, to such exemptions as may be granted by the Securities and
Exchange Commission under the 1940 Act. References in this Agreement to any
assets, property or liabilities "belonging to" the Portfolio shall have the
meaning defined in the Fund's articles of incorporation as amended from time to
time.
13. In the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on
the part of the Manager, or reckless disregard of its obligations and duties
hereunder, the Manager shall not be subject to any liability to the Fund, to any
shareholder of the Fund or to any other person, firm
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or organization, for any act or omission in the course of, or connected with,
rendering services hereunder.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement on the
day and year first above written.
METROPOLITAN SERIES FUND, INC., METLIFE ADVISERS, LLC
on behalf of its MFS Total Return
Portfolio
By: ________________________________ By: ________________________________
Xxxx X. Xxxxxxx, Xx. Xxxx X. Xxxxxxx, Xx.
Senior Vice President Senior Vice President
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