DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT
This Agreement made this 1st day of July, 1999 by and between PUGET SOUND
ALTERNATIVE INVESTMENT SERIES TRUST, a Massachusetts business trust (the
"Trust"), and FIRST FUND DISTRIBUTORS, INC., a Delaware corporation (the
"Distributor").
W I T N E S S E T H:
WHEREAS, the Trust is registered as an open-end management investment
company under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the "1940 Act"); and it is in
the interest of the Trust to offer its shares for sale continuously; and
WHEREAS, the Distributor is registered as a broker-dealer under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "1934 Act") and is a member in good
standing of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (the "NASD");
and
WHEREAS, the Trust and the Distributor wish to enter into an agreement with
each other with respect to the continuous offering of the shares of beneficial
interest of each existing and future series (the "Shares") of the Trust;
NOW, THEREFORE, the parties agree as follows:
1. APPOINTMENT OF DISTRIBUTOR. The Trust hereby appoints the Distributor as
exclusive agent to sell and to arrange for the sale of the Shares, on the terms
and for the period set forth in this Agreement, and the Distributor hereby
accepts such appointment and agrees to act hereunder directly and/or through the
Trust's transfer agent in the manner set forth in the Prospectuses (as defined
below). It is understood and agreed that the services of the Distributor
hereunder are not exclusive, and the Distributor may act as principal
underwriter for the shares of any other registered investment company.
2. SERVICES AND DUTIES OF THE DISTRIBUTOR.
(a) The Distributor agrees to sell the Shares, as agent for the Trust, from
time to time during the term of this Agreement upon the terms described in a
Prospectus. As used in this Agreement, the term "Prospectus" shall mean a
prospectus and statement of additional information included as part of the
Trust's Registration Statement, as such prospectus and statement of additional
information may be amended or supplemented from time to time, and the term
"Registration Statement" shall mean the Registration Statement most recently
filed from time to time by the Trust with the Securities and Exchange Commission
("SEC") and effective under the Securities Act of 1933 (the "1933 Act") and the
1940 Act, as such Registration Statement is amended by any amendments thereto at
the time in effect. The Distributor shall not be obligated to sell any certain
number of Shares.
(b) Upon commencement of operations of each Trust series, the Distributor
will (i) use best efforts to solicit orders for the sale of the Shares of such
series, (ii) undertake such advertising and promotion as it believes reasonable
in connection with such solicitation, (iii) hold itself available to receive
orders for the purchase of the Shares of such series, (iv) accept such orders
and (v) transmit such orders and funds received by it in payment for such Shares
as are so accepted to the Trust's transfer agent and/or custodian, as
appropriate, as promptly as practicable. Purchase orders shall be deemed
accepted and shall be effective at the time and in the manner set forth in the
series' Prospectuses. The Distributor shall not make any short sales of Shares.
(c) The offering price of the Shares shall be the net asset value per share
of the Shares, plus the sales charge, if any (determined as set forth in the
Prospectuses). The Trust shall furnish the Distributor, with all possible
promptness, an advice of each computation of net asset value and offering price
of the Shares.
(d) The Distributor shall have the right acting on its own behalf and not
on behalf of the Trust to enter into selected dealer agreements with securities
dealers of its choice ("selected dealers") for the sale of Shares. Shares sold
to selected dealers shall be for resale by such dealers only at the offering
price of the Shares as set forth in the Prospectuses. The Distributor shall
offer and sell Shares only to such selected dealers as are members in good
standing of the NASD.
3. DUTIES OF THE TRUST.
(a) MAINTENANCE OF FEDERAL REGISTRATION. The Trust shall, at its expense,
take, from time to time, all necessary action and such steps, including payment
of the related filing fees, as may be necessary to register and maintain
registration of a sufficient number of Shares under the 1933 Act. The Trust
agrees to file from time to time such amendments, reports and other documents as
may be necessary in order that there may be no untrue statement of a material
fact in a Registration Statement or Prospectus, or necessary in order that there
may be no omission to state a material fact in the Registration Statement or
Prospectus which omission would make the statements therein misleading.
(b) MAINTENANCE OF "BLUE SKY" QUALIFICATIONS. The Trust shall, at its
expense, use its best efforts to qualify and maintain the qualification of an
appropriate number of Shares for sale under the securities laws of such states
as the Distributor and the Trust may approve, and, if necessary or appropriate
in connection therewith, to qualify and maintain the qualification of the Trust
or the Trust series in such states; provided that the Trust shall not be
required to amend its Agreement and Declaration of Trust or By-Laws to comply
with the laws of any state, to maintain an office in any state, to change the
terms of the offering of the Shares in any state, to change the terms of the
offering of the Shares in any state from the terms set forth in Prospectuses, to
qualify as a foreign corporation in any state or to consent to service of
process in any state other than with respect to claims arising out of the
offering and sale of the Shares. The Distributor shall furnish such information
and other material relating to its affairs and activities as may be required by
the Trust or the Trust's series in connection with such qualifications.
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(c) COPIES OF REPORTS AND PROSPECTUSES. The Trust shall, at its expense,
keep the Distributor fully informed with regard to its affairs and in connection
therewith shall furnish to the Distributor copies of all information, financial
statements and other papers which the Distributor may reasonably request for use
in connection with the distribution of Shares, including such reasonable number
of copies of Prospectuses and annual and interim reports as the Distributor may
request and shall cooperate fully in the efforts of the Distributor to sell and
arrange for the sale of the Shares and in the performance of the Distributor
under this Agreement.
4. CONFORMITY WITH APPLICABLE LAW AND RULES. The Distributor agrees that in
selling Shares hereunder it and each of its directors, officers, employees,
agents and representatives shall conform in all respects with the laws of the
United States and of any state in which Shares may be offered, and with
applicable rules and regulations of the NASD.
5. INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR. In performing its duties hereunder, the
Distributor shall be an independent contractor and neither the Distributor, nor
any of its officers, directors, employees, or representatives is or shall be an
employee of the Trust in the performance of the Distributor's duties hereunder.
The Distributor shall be responsible for its own conduct and the employment,
control, and conduct of its agents and employees and for injury to such agents
or employees or to others through its agents or employees. The Distributor
assumes full responsibility for its agents and employees under applicable
statutes and agrees to pay all employee taxes thereunder.
The Distributor agrees on behalf of itself and its directors, officers,
employees, agents and representatives to treat confidentially and as proprietary
information of the Trust all records and other information relative to the Trust
and its prior, present or potential shareholders, and not to use such records
and information for any purpose other than performance of its responsibilities
and duties hereunder, except, after prior notification to and approval in
writing by the Trust, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld and may
not be withheld where the Distributor may be exposed to civil or criminal
contempt proceedings for failure to comply, when requested to divulge such
information by duly constituted authorities, or when so requested by the Trust.
6. INDEMNIFICATION.
(a) INDEMNIFICATION OF TRUST. The Distributor agrees to indemnify and hold
harmless the Trust and each of its present or former Trustees, officers,
employees, representatives and each person, if any, who controls or previously
controlled the Trust within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act against
any and all losses, liabilities, damages, claims or expenses (including the
reasonable costs of investigating or defending any alleged loss, liability,
damage, claim or expense and reasonable legal counsel fees incurred in
connection therewith) to which the Trust or any such person may become subject
under the 1933 Act, under any other statute, at common law, or otherwise,
arising out of the acquisition of any Shares by any person which (i) may be
based upon any wrongful act by the Distributor or any of the Distributor's
directors, officers, employees or representatives, or (ii) may be based upon any
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untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in a
Registration Statement, Prospectus, shareholder report or other information
covering Shares filed or made public by the Trust or any amendment thereof or
supplement thereto, or the omission or alleged omission to state therein a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading if such statement or omission was made in reliance upon
and in conformity with information furnished to the Trust by the Distributor. In
no case (i) is the Distributor's indemnity in favor of the Trust, or any person
indemnified to be deemed to protect the Trust or such indemnified person against
any liability to which the Trust or such person would otherwise be subject by
reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in the performance
of the Trust's or such person's duties or by reason of reckless disregard of the
Trust's or such person's obligations and duties under this Agreement or (ii) is
the Distributor to be liable under its indemnity agreement contained in this
Paragraph with respect to any claim made against the Trust or any person
indemnified unless the Trust or such person, as the case may be, shall have
notified the Distributor in writing of the claim within a reasonable time after
the summons or other first written notification giving information of the nature
of the claim shall have been served upon the Trust or upon such person (or after
the Trust or such person shall have received notice of such service on any
designated agent). However, failure to notify the Distributor of any such claim
shall not relieve the Distributor from any liability which the Distributor may
have to the Trust or any person against whom such action is brought otherwise
than on account of the Distributor's indemnity agreement contained in this
Paragraph.
The Distributor shall be entitled to participate, at its own expense, in
the defense, or, if the Distributor so elects, to assume the defense of any suit
brought to enforce any such claim, but, if the Distributor elects to assume the
defense, such defense shall be conducted by legal counsel chosen by the
Distributor and satisfactory to the Trust, and to the persons indemnified as
defendant or defendants, in the suit. In the event that the Distributor elects
to assume the defense of any such suit and retain such legal counsel, the Trust,
and the persons indemnified as defendant or defendants in the suit, shall bear
the fees and expenses of any additional legal counsel retained by them. If the
Distributor does not elect to assume the defense of any such suit, or the Trust
does not approve counsel chosen by the Distributor, the Distributor will
reimburse the Trust and the persons indemnified as defendant or defendants in
such suit for the reasonable fees and expenses of any legal counsel retained by
them. The Distributor agrees to promptly notify the Trust of the commencement of
any litigation or proceedings against it or any of its directors, officers,
employees or representatives in connection with the issue or sale of any Shares.
(b) INDEMNIFICATION OF THE DISTRIBUTOR. The Trust agrees to indemnify and
hold harmless the Distributor and each of its present or former directors,
officers, employees, representatives and each person, if any, who controls or
previously controlled the Distributor within the meaning of Section 15 of the
1933 Act against any and all losses, liabilities, damages, claims or expenses
(including the reasonable costs of investigating or defending any alleged loss,
liability, damage, claim or expense and reasonable legal counsel fees incurred
in connection therewith) to which the Distributor or any such person may become
subject under the 1933 Act, under any other statute, at common law, or
otherwise, arising out of the acquisition of any Shares by any person which (i)
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may be based upon any wrongful act by the Trust or any of the Trust's Trustees,
officers, employees or representatives who are not directors, officers,
employees, agents or representatives of the Distributor, or (ii) may be based
upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact
contained in a Registration Statement, Prospectus, shareholder report or other
information covering Shares filed or made public by the Trust or any amendment
thereof or supplement thereto, or the omission or alleged omission to state
therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading unless such statement or omission was made in
reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished to the Trust by the
Distributor or negligently omitted to be furnished to the Trust by the
Distributor. In no case (i) is the Trust's indemnity in favor of the
Distributor, or any person indemnified to be deemed to protect the Distributor
or such indemnified person against any liability to which the Distributor or
such person would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad
faith, or negligence in the performance of the Distributor's or such person's
duties or by reason of reckless disregard of the Distributor's or such person's
obligations and duties under this Agreement or (ii) is the Trust to be liable
under its indemnity agreement contained in this Paragraph with respect to any
claim made against the Distributor, or any person indemnified unless the
Distributor, or such person, as the case may be, shall have notified the Trust
in writing of the claim within a reasonable time after the summons or other
first written notification giving information of the nature of the claim shall
have been served upon the Distributor or upon such person (or after the
Distributor or such person shall have received notice of such service on any
designated agent). However, failure to notify the Trust of any such claim shall
not relieve the Trust from any liability which the Trust may have to the
Distributor or any person against whom such action is brought otherwise than on
account of the Trust's indemnity agreement contained in this Paragraph.
The Trust shall be entitled to participate, at its own expense, in the
defense, or, if the Trust so elects, to assume the defense of any suit brought
to enforce any such claim, but if the Trust elects to assume the defense, such
defense shall be conducted by legal counsel chosen by the Trust and satisfactory
to the Distributor, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld, and to
the persons indemnified as defendant or defendants, in the suit. In the event
that the Trust elects to assume the defense of any such suit and retain such
legal counsel, the Distributor and the persons indemnified as defendant or
defendants in the suit, shall bear the fees and expenses of any additional legal
counsel retained by them. If the Trust does not elect to assume the defense of
any such suit, the Trust will reimburse the Distributor and the persons
indemnified as defendant or defendants in such suit for the reasonable fees and
expenses of any legal counsel retained by them. The Trust agrees to promptly
notify the Distributor of the commencement of any litigation or proceedings
against it or any of its Trustees, officers, employees or representatives in
connection with the issue or sale of any Shares.
7. AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIONS. The Distributor is not authorized by the
Trust to give on behalf of the Trust any information or to make any
representations in connection with the sale of Shares other than the information
and representations contained in a Registration Statement or Prospectus filed
with the SEC under the 1933 Act and/or the 1940 Act, covering Shares, as such
Registration Statement and Prospectus may be amended or supplemented from time
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to time, or contained in shareholder reports or other material that may be
prepared by or on behalf of the Trust for the Distributor's use. This Section 7,
however, shall not be construed to prevent the Distributor from preparing and
distributing tombstone ads and sales literature or other material as it may deem
appropriate. No person other than the Distributor is authorized to act as
principal underwriter (as such term is defined in the 0000 Xxx) for the Trust.
8. TERM OF AGREEMENT. The term of this Agreement shall begin on the date
first above written, and unless sooner terminated as hereinafter provided, this
Agreement shall remain in effect for a period of one year from the date first
above written. Thereafter, this Agreement shall continue in effect from year to
year, with respect to each series of the Trust subject to the termination
provisions and all other terms and conditions thereof, so long as such
continuation shall be specifically approved at least annually by (i) the Board
of Trustees of the Trust and, (ii) by the vote of a majority of the Trustees of
the Trust who are not interested persons of the Trust and have no direct or
indirect financial interest in the operation of the Trust's Distribution Plan,
this Agreement or any other agreement related to the Distribution Plan, cast in
person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. The
Distributor shall furnish to the Trust, promptly upon its request, such
information as may reasonably be necessary to evaluate the terms of this
Agreement or any extension, renewal or amendment hereof.
9. AMENDMENT OR ASSIGNMENT OF AGREEMENT. This Agreement may not be amended
except as permitted by the 1940 Act, and this Agreement shall automatically and
immediately terminate in the event of its assignment.
10. TERMINATION OF AGREEMENT. This Agreement may be terminated with respect
to any series of the Trust by either party hereto, without the payment of any
penalty, on not more than upon 60 days' nor less than 30 days' prior notice in
writing to the other party; provided, that in the case of termination by any
series of the Trust such action shall have been authorized (i) by resolution of
a majority of the Trustees of the Trust who are not interested persons of the
Trust and have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operations of the
Trust's Distribution Plan, this Agreement or any other agreement related to the
Trust's Distribution Plan, or (ii) by vote of a majority of the outstanding
voting securities of such series of the Trust.
11. MISCELLANEOUS. The captions in this Agreement are included for
convenience of reference only and in no way define or delineate any of the
provisions hereof or otherwise affect their construction or effect.
This Agreement may be executed simultaneously in two or more counterparts,
each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall
constitute one and the same instrument.
Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to require the Trust to take any
action contrary to its Agreement and Declaration of Trust or By-Laws, or any
applicable statutory or regulatory requirement to which it is subject or by
which it is bound, or to relieve or deprive the Board of Trustees of the Trust
of responsibility for and control of the conduct of the affairs of the Trust.
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12. DEFINITION OF TERMS. Any question of interpretation of any term or
provision of this Agreement having a counterpart in or otherwise derived from a
term or provision of the 1940 Act shall be resolved by reference to such term or
provision of the 1940 Act and to interpretation thereof, if any, by the United
States courts or, in the absence of any controlling decision of any such court,
by rules, regulations or orders of the SEC validly issued pursuant to the 1940
Act. Specifically, the terms "vote of a majority of the outstanding voting
securities", "interested persons," "assignment," and "affiliated person," as
used in Paragraphs 8, 9 and 10 hereof, shall have the meanings assigned to them
by Section 2(a) of the 1940 Act. In addition, where the effect of a requirement
of the 1940 Act reflected in any provision of this Agreement is relaxed by a
rule, regulation or order of the SEC, whether of special or of general
application, such provision shall be deemed to incorporate the effect of such
rule, regulation or order.
13. COMPLIANCE WITH SECURITIES LAWS. The Trust represents that it is
registered as an open-end management investment company under the 1940 Act, and
agrees that it will comply with all the provisions of the 1940 Act and of the
rules and regulations thereunder. The Trust and the Distributor each agree to
comply with all of the applicable terms and provisions of the 1940 Act, the 1933
Act and, subject to the provisions of Section 4(d) of this Agreement, all
applicable "Blue Sky" laws. The Distributor agrees to comply with all of the
applicable terms and provisions of the 1934 Act.
14. NOTICES. Any notice required to be given pursuant to this Agreement
shall be deemed duly given if delivered or mailed by registered mail, postage
prepaid, to the Distributor at 0000 X. Xxxxxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxx 000X, Xxxxxxx,
Xxxxxxx 00000 or to the Trust at Xxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxx 000, Xxxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxxxx 00000.
15. GOVERNING LAW. This Agreement shall be governed and construed in
accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware.
A copy of the Agreement and Declaration of Trust establishing the Trust is
on file with the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and notice is
hereby given that this Agreement is executed on behalf of the Trust by an
officer of the Trust as an officer and not individually and the obligations of
or arising out of this separate Agreement are not binding upon any of the
trustees, officers or shareholders of the Trust individually but are binding
only upon the assets and property belonging to the Trust.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
executed by their officers designated below on the date first written above.
PUGET SOUND ALTERNATIVE
INVESTMENT SERIES TRUST
By:
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Name:
Title:
FIRST FUND DISTRIBUTORS, INC.
By:
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Name:
Title:
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