TRANSFER AGENCY AND SERVICE AGREEMENT
Between
MET INVESTORS SERIES TRUST
and
STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY
1C-Domestic Trust/Series
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
1. Terms of Appointment; Duties of the Bank....................1
2. Fees and Expenses...........................................3
3. Representations and Warranties of the Bank..................4
4. Representations and Warranties of the Fund..................4
5. Data Access and Proprietary Information.....................5
6. Indemnification.............................................6
7. Standard of Care............................................7
8. Covenants of the Fund and the Bank..........................8
9. Termination of Agreement....................................9
10. Additional Funds............................................9
11. Assignment..................................................9
12. Amendment...................................................9
13. Massachusetts Law to Apply.................................10
14. Force Majeure..............................................10
15. Consequential Damages......................................10
16. Merger of Agreement........................................10
17. Limitations of Liability of the Trustees
or Shareholders............................................10
18. Counterparts...............................................10
19. Reproduction of Documents..................................11
11
TRANSFER AGENCY AND SERVICE AGREEMENT
AGREEMENT made as of the 1st day of October, 2001, by and between Met Investors
Series Trust a Delaware business trust, having its principal office and place of
business at 00 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000 (the
"Fund"), and STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY, a Massachusetts trust company
having its principal office and place of business at 000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx,
Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxxx 00000 (the "Bank").
WHEREAS, the Fund is authorized to issue shares in separate series, with each
such series representing interests in a separate portfolio of securities and
other assets; and
WHEREAS, the Fund intends to initially offer shares in X.X. Xxxxxx Quality Bond
Portfolio X.X. Xxxxxx Enhanced Index Portfolio X.X. Xxxxxx Select Equity
Portfolio X.X. Xxxxxx International Equity Portfolio X.X. Xxxxxx Small Cap Stock
Portfolio Lord Xxxxxx Growth and Income Portfolio Lord Xxxxxx Bond Debenture
Portfolio Lord Xxxxxx Mid-Cap Value Portfolio Lord Xxxxxx Growth Opportunities
Portfolio Lord Xxxxxx Developing Growth Portfolio Janus Aggressive Growth
Portfolio Met/Xxxxxx Research Portfolio MFS Mid Cap Growth Portfolio MFS
Research International Portfolio Xxxxxxxxxxx Capital Appreciation Portfolio
PIMCO Money Market Portfolio PIMCO Total Return Portfolio PIMCO Innovation
Portfolio Firstar Balanced Portfolio Firstar Equity Income Portfolio Firstar
Growth & Income Equity Portfolio Blackrock Equity Portfolio Blackrock Government
Income Portfolio
(each such series, together with all other series subsequently established by
the Fund and made subject to this Agreement in accordance with Article 10, being
herein referred to as a "Portfolio", and collectively as the "Portfolios");
WHEREAS, the Fund on behalf of the Portfolios desires to appoint the Bank as its
transfer agent, dividend disbursing agent, and agent in connection with certain
other activities, and the Bank desires to accept such appointment;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants herein contained, the
parties hereto agree as follows:
l. Terms of Appointment; Duties of the Bank
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1.1 Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, the
Fund, on behalf of the Portfolios, hereby employs and appoints the
Bank to act as, and the Bank agrees to act as its transfer agent for
the Fund's authorized and issued shares of its beneficial interest,
$.001 par value, ("Shares"), dividend disbursing agent, agent in
connection with any accumulation, open-account or similar plans
provided to the shareholders of each of the respective Portfolios of
the Fund ("Shareholders") and set out in the currently effective
prospectus and statement of additional information ("prospectus") of
the Fund on behalf of the applicable Portfolio, including without
limitation any periodic investment plan or periodic withdrawal
program.
1.2 The Bank agrees that it will perform the following services:
(a) In accordance with procedures established from time to time
by agreement between the Fund on behalf of each of the
Portfolios, as applicable and the Bank, the Bank shall:
(i) Receive for acceptance, orders for the purchase of
Shares, and promptly deliver payment and appropriate
documentation thereof to the Custodian of the Fund
authorized pursuant to the Declaration of Trust of the
Fund (the "Custodian");
(ii) Pursuant to purchase orders, issue the appropriate
number of Shares and hold such Shares in the
appropriate Shareholder account;
(iii)Receive for acceptance redemption requests and
redemption directions and deliver the appropriate
documentation thereof to the Custodian;
(iv) 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;
(v) Effect transfers of Shares by the registered owners
thereof upon receipt of appropriate instructions;
(vi) Prepare and transmit payments for dividends and
distributions declared by the Fund on behalf of the
applicable Portfolio;
(viii) Maintain records of account for and advise the Fund
and its Shareholders as to the foregoing; and
(ix) Record the issuance of shares of the Fund and maintain
pursuant to SEC Rule 17Ad-10(e) a record of the total
number of shares of the Fund which are authorized,
based upon data provided to it by the Fund, and issued
and outstanding. The Bank shall also provide the Fund
on a regular basis with the total number of shares
which are authorized and issued and outstanding and
shall have no obligation, when recording the issuance
of shares, to monitor the issuance of such shares or to
take cognizance of any laws relating to the issue or
sale of such Shares, which functions shall be the sole
responsibility of the Fund.
(b) In addition to and neither in lieu nor in contravention of
the services set forth in the above paragraph (a), the Bank
shall: (i) perform the customary services of a transfer
agent, dividend disbursing agent, and, as relevant, agent in
connection with accumulation, open-account or similar plans
(including without limitation any periodic investment plan
or periodic withdrawal program), including but not limited
to: maintaining all Shareholder accounts, preparing
Shareholder meeting lists, mailing proxies, mailing
Shareholder reports and prospectuses to current
Shareholders, withholding taxes on U.S. resident and
non-resident alien accounts, preparing and filing U.S.
Treasury Department Forms 1099 and other appropriate forms
required with respect to dividends and distributions by
federal authorities for all Shareholders, preparing and
mailing confirmation forms and statements of account to
Shareholders for all purchases and redemptions of Shares and
other confirmable transactions in Shareholder accounts,
preparing and mailing activity statements for Shareholders,
and providing Shareholder account information and (ii)
provide a system which will enable the Fund to monitor the
total number of Shares sold in each State.
(c) In addition, the Fund shall (i) identify to the Bank in
writing those transactions and assets to be treated as
exempt from blue sky reporting for each State and (ii)
verify the establishment of transactions for each State on
the system prior to activation and thereafter monitor the
daily activity for each State. The responsibility of the
Bank for the Fund's blue sky State registration status is
solely limited to the initial establishment of transactions
subject to blue sky compliance by the Fund and the reporting
of such transactions to the Fund as provided above.
(d) Procedures as to who shall provide certain of these services
in Section 1 may be established from time to time by
agreement between the Fund on behalf of each Portfolio and
the Bank per the attached service responsibility schedule.
The Bank may at times perform only a portion of these
services and the Fund or its agent may perform these
services on the Fund's behalf.
(e) The Bank shall provide additional services on behalf of the
Fund (i.e., escheatment services) which may be agreed upon
in writing between the Fund and the Bank.
2. Fees and Expenses
2.1 For the performance by the Bank pursuant to this Agreement, the Fund
agrees on behalf of each of the Portfolios to pay the Bank an annual
maintenance fee for each Shareholder account as set out in the
initial fee schedule attached hereto. Such fees and out-of-pocket
expenses and advances identified under Section 2.2 below may be
changed from time to time subject to mutual written agreement between
the Fund and the Bank.
2.2 In addition to the fee paid under Section 2.1 above, the Fund agrees
on behalf of each of the Portfolios to reimburse the Bank for
out-of-pocket expenses, including but not limited to confirmation
production, postage, forms, telephone, microfilm, microfiche,
tabulating proxies, records storage, or advances incurred by the Bank
for the items set out in the fee schedule attached hereto. In
addition, any other customary expenses regularly incurred by the Bank
in the provision of its transfer agent services or at the request or
with the consent of the Fund, will be reimbursed by the Fund on
behalf of the applicable Portfolio.
2.3 The Fund agrees on behalf of each of the Portfolios to pay all fees
and reimbursable expenses within thirty days following the receipt of
the respective billing notice. Postage for mailing of dividends,
proxies, Fund reports and other mailings to all shareholder accounts
shall be advanced to the Bank by the Fund at least seven (7) days
prior to the mailing date of such materials.
3. Representations and Warranties of the Bank
The Bank represents and warrants to the Fund that:
3.1 It is a trust company duly organized and existing and in good standing
under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
3.2 It is duly qualified to carry on its business in the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts.
3.3 It is empowered under applicable laws and by its Charter and By-Laws to
enter into and perform this Agreement.
3.4 All requisite corporate proceedings have been taken to authorize it to
enter into and perform this Agreement.
3.5 It has and will continue to have access to the necessary facilities,
equipment and personnel to perform its duties and obligations under this
Agreement.
4. Representations and Warranties of the Fund
The Fund represents and warrants to the Bank that:
4.1 It is a business trust duly organized and existing and in good standing
under the laws of the State of Delaware.
4.2 It is empowered under applicable laws and by its Declaration of Trust and
By-Laws to enter into and perform this Agreement.
4.3 All proceedings required by said Declaration of Trust and By-Laws have been
taken to authorize it to enter into and perform this Agreement.
4.4 It is an open-end and diversified management investment company registered
under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
4.5 A registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended on
behalf of each of the Portfolios is currently effective and will remain
effective, and appropriate state securities law filings have been made and
will continue to be made, with respect to all Shares of the Fund being
offered for sale.
5. Data Access and Proprietary Information
5.1 The Fund acknowledges that the data bases, computer programs, screen
formats, report formats, interactive design techniques, and
documentation manuals furnished to the Fund by the Bank as part of
the Fund's ability to access certain Fund-related data ("Customer
Data") maintained by the Bank on data bases under the control and
ownership of the Bank or other third party ("Data Access Services")
constitute copyrighted, trade secret, or other proprietary
information (collectively, "Proprietary Information") of substantial
value to the Bank or other third party. In no event shall Proprietary
Information be deemed Customer Data. The Fund agrees to treat all
Proprietary Information as proprietary to the Bank and further agrees
that it shall not divulge any Proprietary Information to any person
or organization except as required by applicable law or as may be
provided hereunder. Without limiting the foregoing, the Fund agrees
for itself and its employees and agents:
(a) to access Customer Data solely from locations as may be
designated in writing by the Bank and solely in accordance with
the Bank's applicable user documentation;
(b) to refrain from copying or duplicating in any way the Proprietary
Information;
(c) to refrain from obtaining unauthorized access to any portion of
the Proprietary Information, and if such access is inadvertently
obtained, to inform in a timely manner of such fact and dispose
of such information in accordance with the Bank's instructions;
(d) to refrain from causing or allowing the data acquired hereunder
from being retransmitted to any other computer facility or other
location, except with the prior written consent of the Bank;
(e) that the Fund shall have access only to those authorized
transactions agreed upon by the parties;
(f) to honor all reasonable written requests made by the Bank to
protect at the Bank's expense the rights of the Bank in
Proprietary Information at common law, under federal copyright
law and under other federal or state law.
Each party shall take reasonable efforts to advise its employees of their
obligations pursuant to this Section 5. The obligations of this Section shall
survive any earlier termination of this Agreement.
5.2 If the Fund notifies the Bank that any of the Data Access Services do
not operate in material compliance with the most recently issued user
documentation for such services, the Bank shall endeavor in a timely
manner to correct such failure. Organizations from which the Bank may
obtain certain data included in the Data Access Services are solely
responsible for the contents of such data and the Fund agrees to make
no claim against the Bank 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 BANK 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.
5.3 If the transactions available to the Fund include the ability to
originate electronic instructions to the Bank in order to (i) effect
the transfer or movement of cash or Shares or (ii) transmit
Shareholder information or other information, then in such event the
Bank 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 Bank from time to time.
6. Indemnification
6.1 The Bank shall not be responsible for, and the Fund shall on behalf
of the applicable Portfolio indemnify and hold the Bank harmless from
and against, any and all losses, damages, costs, charges, reasonable
counsel fees, payments, expenses and liability arising out of or
attributable to:
(a) All actions of the Bank or its agents or subcontractors
required to be taken pursuant to this Agreement, provided
that such actions are taken in good faith and without
negligence or willful misconduct.
(b) The Fund's lack of good faith, negligence or willful
misconduct which arise out of the breach of any
representation or warranty of the Fund hereunder.
(c) The reliance on or use in good faith by the Bank or its
agents or subcontractors of information, records, documents
or in good faith services which (i) are received by the Bank
or its agents or subcontractors, and (ii) have been
prepared, maintained or performed by the Fund or any other
person or firm on behalf of the Fund including but not
limited to any previous transfer agent or registrar.
(d) The reliance on, or the carrying out in good faith by the
Bank or its agents or subcontractors of any instructions or
requests of the Fund on behalf of the applicable Portfolio.
(e) The offer or sale of Shares in violation of any requirement
under the federal securities laws or regulations or the
securities laws or regulations of any state that such Shares
be registered in such state or in violation of any stop
order or other determination or ruling by any federal agency
or any state with respect to the offer or sale of such
Shares in such state.
(f) The negotiation and processing by the Bank of checks not
made payable to the order of the Bank, the Fund, the Fund's
management company, transfer agent or distributor or the
retirement account custodian or trustee for a plan account
investing in Shares, which checks are tendered to the Bank
for the purchase of Shares (i.e., checks made payable to
prospective or existing Shareholders, such checks are
commonly known as "third party checks").
6.2 At any time the Bank may apply to any officer of the Fund for
instructions, and may at its expense consult with legal counsel with
respect to any matter arising in connection with the services to be
performed by the Bank under this Agreement, and the Bank and its
agents or subcontractors shall not be liable and shall be indemnified
by the Fund on behalf of the applicable Portfolio for any action
taken or omitted by it in good faith in reliance upon such
instructions or upon the opinion of such counsel. The Bank, its
agents and subcontractors shall be protected and indemnified in
acting in good faith upon any paper or document furnished by or on
behalf of the Fund, 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 Bank or its
agents or subcontractors by machine readable input, telex, CRT data
entry or other similar means authorized by the Fund, and shall not be
held to have notice of any change of authority of any person, until
receipt of written notice thereof from the Fund. The Bank, 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
Fund, and the proper countersignature of any former transfer agent or
former registrar, or of a co-transfer agent or co-registrar.
6.3 In order that the indemnification provisions contained in this
Section 6 shall apply, upon the assertion of a claim for which the
Fund may be required to indemnify the Bank, the Bank shall promptly
notify the Fund of such assertion, and shall keep the Fund advised
with respect to all developments concerning such claim. The Fund
shall have the option to participate with the Bank in the defense of
such claim or to defend against said claim in its own name or in the
name of the Bank. The Bank shall in no case confess any claim or make
any compromise in any case in which the Fund may be required to
indemnify the Bank except with the Fund's prior written consent.
7. Standard of Care
The Bank shall at all times act in good faith and agrees to use its
best efforts within reasonable limits to insure the accuracy of all
services performed under this Agreement, but assumes no
responsibility and shall not be liable for loss or damage due to
errors unless said errors are caused by its negligence, bad faith, or
willful misconduct or that of its employees, its agents and
subcontractors.
8. Covenants of the Fund and the Bank
----------------------------------
8.1 The Fund shall on behalf of each of the Portfolios promptly furnish to the
Bank the following:
(a) A certified copy of the resolution of the Board of Trustees of
the Fund authorizing the appointment of the Bank and the
execution and delivery of this Agreement.
(b) A copy of the Declaration of Trust and By-Laws of the Fund and
all amendments thereto.
8.2 The Bank hereby agrees to establish and maintain facilities and
procedures reasonably acceptable to the Fund for safekeeping of stock
certificates, check forms and facsimile signature imprinting devices,
if any; and for the preparation or use, and for keeping account of,
such certificates, forms and devices.
8.3 The Bank shall keep records relating to the services to be performed
hereunder, in the form and manner as it may deem advisable. To the
extent required by Section 31 of the Investment Company Act of 1940,
as amended, and the Rules thereunder, the Bank agrees that all such
records prepared or maintained by the Bank relating to the services
to be performed by the Bank hereunder are the property of the Fund
and will be preserved, maintained and made available in accordance
with such Section and Rules, and will be surrendered promptly to the
Fund on and in accordance with its request.
8.4 The Bank and the Fund agree that all books, records, information and
data pertaining to the business of the other party which are
exchanged or received pursuant to the negotiation or the carrying out
of this Agreement shall remain confidential, and shall not be
voluntarily disclosed to any other person, except as may be required
by law.
8.5 In case of any requests or demands for the inspection of the
Shareholder records of the Fund, the Bank will endeavor to notify the
Fund and to secure instructions from an authorized officer of the
Fund as to such inspection. The Bank reserves the right, however, to
exhibit the Shareholder records to any person whenever it is advised
by its counsel that it may be held liable for the failure to exhibit
the Shareholder records to such person.
9. Termination of Agreement
9.1 This Agreement may be terminated by either party upon one hundred twenty
(120) days written notice to the other.
9.2 Should the Fund exercise its right to terminate, all out-of-pocket
expenses associated with the movement of records and material will be
borne by the Fund on behalf of the applicable Portfolio(s).
Additionally, the Bank reserves the right to charge for any other
reasonable expenses associated with such termination.
10. Additional Funds
In the event that the Fund establishes one or more series of Shares
in addition to (LIST FUNDS) with respect to which it desires to have
the Bank render services as transfer agent under the terms hereof, it
shall so notify the Bank in writing, and if the Bank agrees in
writing to provide such services, such series of Shares shall become
a Portfolio hereunder.
11. Assignment
11.1 Except as provided in Section 11.3 below, neither this Agreement nor
any rights or obligations hereunder may be assigned by either party
without the written consent of the other party.
11.2 This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the
parties and their respective permitted successors and assigns.
11.3 The Bank may, without further consent on the part of the Fund,
subcontract for the performance hereof with (i) Boston Financial Data
Services, Inc., a Massachusetts corporation ("BFDS") which is duly
registered as a transfer agent pursuant to Section 17A(c)(2) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended ("Section 17A(c)(2)"),
(ii) a BFDS subsidiary duly registered as a transfer agent pursuant
to Section 17A(c)(2) or (iii) a BFDS affiliate; provided, however,
that the Bank shall be as fully responsible to the Fund for the acts
and omissions of any subcontractor as it is for its own acts and
omissions.
12. Amendment
This Agreement may be amended or modified by a written agreement
executed by both parties and authorized or approved by a resolution
of the Board of Trustees of the Fund.
13. Massachusetts Law to Apply
This Agreement shall be construed and the provisions thereof
interpreted under and in accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth
of Massachusetts.
14. 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.
15. Consequential Damages
Neither party to this Agreement shall be liable to the other party
for consequential damages under any provision of this Agreement or
for any consequential damages arising out of any act or failure to
act hereunder.
16. Merger of Agreement
This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties
hereto and supersedes any prior agreement with respect to the subject
matter hereof whether oral or written.
17. Limitations of Liability of the Trustees and Shareholders
---------------------------------------------------------
A copy of the Certificate of Trust is on file with the Secretary of
the State of Delaware, and notice is hereby given that this
instrument is executed on behalf of the Trustees of the Trust as
Trustees and not individually and that the obligations of this
instrument are not binding upon any of the Trustees or Shareholders
individually but are binding only upon the assets and property of the
Fund.
18. Counterparts
This Agreement may be executed by the parties hereto on any number of
counterparts, and all of said counterparts taken together shall be
deemed to constitute one and the same instrument.
19. 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.
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.
MET INVESTORS SERIES TRUST
BY: /s/ Xxxxxxxxx X. Forget
---------------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxxxxx X. Forget
Title: President
STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY
BY: /s/ Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
--------------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
Title: Executive Vice President
STATE STREET BANK & TRUST COMPANY
FUND SERVICE RESPONSIBILITIES*
Service Performed Responsibility
Bank Fund
1. Receives orders for the purchase
of Shares. X
2. Issue Shares and hold Shares in
Shareholders accounts. X
3. Receive redemption requests. X
4. Effect transactions 1-3 above N/A
directly with broker-dealers.
5. Pay over monies to redeeming
Shareholders. X
6. Effect transfers of Shares. X
7. Prepare and transmit dividends
and distributions. X
8. Issue Replacement Certificates. N/A
9. Reporting of abandoned property. X
10. Maintain records of account. X
11. Maintain and keep a current and
accurate control book for each
issue of securities. N/A
12. Mail proxies. X
13. Mail Shareholder reports. X
14. Mail prospectuses to current
Shareholders. X
15. Withhold taxes on U.S. resident
and non-resident alien accounts. X
Service Performed Responsibility
Bank Fund
16. Prepare and file U.S. Treasury
Department forms. X
17. Prepare and mail account and
confirmation statements for
Shareholders. X
18. Provide Shareholder account
information. X
19. Blue sky reporting. N/A
* Such services are more fully described in Section 1.2 (a), (b) and (c) of the
Agreement.
MET INVESTORS SERIES TRUST
BY: /s/ Xxxxxxxxx X. Forget
------------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxxxxx X. Forget
Title: President
STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY
BY: /s/ Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
------------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
Title: Executive Vice President
