BRAZOS MUTUAL FUNDS ADDENDUM TO CUSTODY AGREEMENT
ADDENDUM
TO CUSTODY AGREEMENT
THIS
ADDENDUM dated as of this 31st day
of July, 2006, to the Custody Agreement, dated as
of October 1, 2002, as amended as of February 10, 2006, (the
“Agreement”), is entered by and between BRAZOS MUTUAL FUNDS,
a Delaware business trust (the “Trust”) and U.S. BANK, NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION, a national banking association (the
“Custodian”).
WHEREAS,
the parties have entered into a Custody Agreement; and
WHEREAS,
the parties desire to modify said Agreement; and
WHEREAS,
Article XIV, Section 14.4 of the Agreement allows for its modification by
written agreement executed by the Custodian and the Trust; and
NOW
THEREFORE, the parties agree to add and/or amend the following
provisions:
A. The
following should be added to the preamble of the Agreement:
WHEREAS,
the Board of Trustees of the Trust has delegated to the Custodian the
responsibilities set forth in Rule 17f-5(c) under the 1940 Act and the Custodian
is willing to undertake the responsibilities and serve as the foreign custody
manager for the Trust.
B.
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Sections
14.15 and 14.16 shall be added to Article I,
Definitions, of the
Agreement.
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14.15
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“Eligible Foreign
Custodian” has the meaning set forth in Rule 17f-5(a)(1), including
a majority-owned or indirect subsidiary of a U.S. Bank (as defined in Rule
17f-5), a bank holding company meeting the requirements of an Eligible
Foreign Custodian (as set forth in Rule 17f-5 or by other appropriate
action of the SEC), or a foreign branch of a Bank (as defined in Section
2(a)(5) of the 0000 Xxx) meeting the requirements of a custodian under
Section 17(f) of the 1940 Act; the term does not include any Eligible
Securities Depository.
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14.16
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“Foreign
Securities” means any of the Trust’s investments (including foreign
currencies) for which the primary market is outside the United States and
such cash and cash equivalents as are reasonably necessary to effect the
Trust’s transactions in such
investments
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C. Sections
14.13 and 14.14 of Article I,
Definitions, shall be amended and restated as the following:
14.13
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“Sub-Custodian”
shall mean and include (i) any branch of a “U.S. bank,” as that term is
defined in Rule 17f-5 under the 1940 Act, and (ii) any “Eligible Foreign
Custodian” having a contract with the Custodian which the Custodian has
determined will provide reasonable care of assets of the Fund based on the
standards specified in Section 14.3 of Article III below. Such
contract shall be in writing and shall include provisions that provide:
(i) for indemnification or insurance arrangements (or any combination of
the foregoing) such that the Fund will be adequately protected against the
risk of loss of assets held in accordance with such contract; (ii) that
the Foreign Securities will not be subject to any right, charge, security
interest, lien or claim of any kind in favor of the Sub-Custodian or its
creditors except a claim of payment for their safe custody or
administration, in the case of cash deposits, liens or rights in favor of
creditors of the Sub-Custodian arising under bankruptcy, insolvency, or
similar laws; (iii) that beneficial ownership for the Foreign Securities
will be freely transferable without the payment of money or value other
than for safe custody or administration; (iv) that adequate records will
be maintained identifying the assets as belonging to the Fund or as being
held by a third party for the benefit of the Fund; (v) that the Fund’s
independent public accountants will be given access to those records or
confirmation of the contents of those records; and (vi) that the Fund will
receive periodic reports with respect to the safekeeping of the Fund’s
assets, including, but not limited to, notification of any transfer to or
from a Fund's account or a third party account containing assets held for
the benefit of the Fund. Such contract may contain, in lieu of
any or all of the provisions specified in (i) - (vi) above, such other
provisions that the Custodian determines will provide, in their entirety,
the same or a greater level of care and protection for Fund assets as the
specified provisions.
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14.14
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“Written
Instructions” shall mean (i) written communications actually
received by the Custodian and signed by any two Authorized Persons, (ii)
communications by telex or any other such system from one or more persons
reasonably believed by the Custodian to be Authorized Persons, or (iii)
communications between electro-mechanical or electronic devices provided
that the use of such devices and the procedures for the use thereof shall
have been approved by resolutions of the Board of Directors, a copy of
which, certified by an Officer, shall have been delivered to the
Custodian.
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2
D. Section
14.1 of Article II,
Appointment of Custodian, shall be amended and restated as the
following:
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14.1
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Appointment. The
Trust hereby appoints the Custodian as custodian of all Securities and
cash owned by or in the possession of the Funds at any time during the
period of this Agreement, on the terms and conditions set forth in this
Agreement, and the Custodian hereby accepts such appointment and agrees to
perform the services and duties set forth in this
Agreement. The Trust hereby delegates to the Custodian, subject
to Rule 17f-5(b), the responsibilities with respect to the Fund’s Foreign
Securities, and the Custodian hereby accepts such delegation as foreign
custody manager with respect to the Funds. The services and
duties of the Custodian shall be confined to those matters expressly set
forth herein, and no implied duties are assumed by or may be asserted
against the Custodian hereunder.
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E. Sections 14.1, 14.3 and 14.10 (a) of
Article
III, Custody of Cash and Securities, shall be amended and restated as
the following:
14.1
Segregation. All Securities and non-cash property held by the
Custodian for the account of the Fund (other than Securities maintained in a
Securities Depository, Eligible Securities Depository or Book-Entry System)
shall be physically segregated from other Securities and non-cash property in
the possession of the Custodian (including the Securities and non-cash property
of the other series of the Trust, if applicable) and shall be identified as
subject to this Agreement.
14.3 Appointment of
Agents.
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(a)
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In
its discretion, the Custodian may appoint one or more Sub-Custodians to
establish and maintain arrangements with (i) Eligible Securities
Depositories or (ii) Eligible Foreign Custodians who are members of the
Sub-Custodian’s network to hold Securities and cash of the Funds and to
carry out such other provisions of this Agreement as it may determine;
provided, however, that the appointment of any such agents and maintenance
of any Securities and cash of the Funds shall be at the Custodian's
expense and shall not relieve the Custodian of any of its obligations or
liabilities under this Agreement. The Custodian shall be liable
for the actions of any Sub-Custodians (regardless of whether assets are
maintained in the custody of a Sub-Custodian, a member of its network or
an Eligible Securities Depository) appointed by it as if such actions had
been done by the Custodian.
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(b)
|
If,
after the initial appointment of Sub-Custodians by the Board of Trustees
in connection with this Agreement, the Custodian wishes to appoint other
Sub-Custodians to hold property of the Funds, it will so notify the Trust
and make the necessary determinations as to determine any such
new Sub-Custodian's eligibility under Rule 17f-5 under the 1940
Act.
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3
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(c)
|
In
performing its delegated responsibilities as foreign custody manager to
place or maintain the Fund’s assets with a Sub-Custodian, the Custodian
will determine that the Fund’s assets will be subject to reasonable care,
based on the standards applicable to custodians in the country in which
the Fund’s assets will be held by that Sub-Custodian, after considering
all factors relevant to safekeeping of such assets, including, without
limitation the factors specified in Rule
17f-5(c)(1).
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(d)
|
The
agreement between the Custodian and each Sub-Custodian acting hereunder
shall contain the required provisions set forth in Rule 17f-5(c)(2) under
the 1940 Act.
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(e)
|
At
the end of each calendar quarter, the Custodian shall provide written
reports notifying the Board of Trustee of the withdrawal or placement of
the Securities and cash of the Fund with a Sub-Custodian and of any
material changes in the Fund’s arrangements. Such reports shall
include an analysis of the custody risks associated with maintaining
assets with any Eligible Securities Depositories. The Custodian
shall promptly take such steps as may be required to withdraw assets of
the Fund from any Sub-Custodian arrangement that has ceased to meet the
requirements of Rule 17f-5 or Rule 17f-7 under the 1940 Act, as
applicable.
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4
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(f)
|
With
respect to its responsibilities under this Section 14.3, the Custodian
hereby warrants to the Trust that it agrees to exercise reasonable care,
prudence and diligence such as a person having responsibility for the
safekeeping of property of the Fund. The Custodian further
warrants that the Fund's assets will be subject to reasonable care if
maintained with a Sub-Custodian, after considering all factors relevant to
the safekeeping of such assets, including, without
limitation: (i) the Sub-Custodian's practices, procedures, and
internal controls for certificated securities (if applicable), its method
of keeping custodial records, and its security and data protection
practices; (ii) whether the Sub-Custodian has the
requisite financial strength to provide reasonable care for Fund assets;
(iii) the Sub-Custodian's general reputation and standing and,
in the case of a Securities Depository, the Securities Depository's
operating history and number of participants; and (iv) whether
the Fund will have jurisdiction over and be able to enforce judgments
against the Sub-Custodian, such as by virtue of the existence of any
offices of the Sub-Custodian in the United States or the Sub-Custodian's
consent to service of process in the United
States.
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(g)
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The
Custodian shall establish a system or ensure that its Sub-Custodian has
established a system to monitor on a continuing basis (i) the
appropriateness of maintaining the Fund’s assets with a Sub-Custodian or
Eligible Foreign Custodians who are members of a Sub-Custodian’s network;
(ii) the performance of the contract governing the Fund’s arrangements
with such Sub-Custodian or Eligible Foreign Custodian’s members of a
Sub-Custodian’s network; and (iii) the custody risks of maintaining assets
with an Eligible Securities Depository. The Custodian must
promptly notify the Fund or its investment adviser of any material change
in these risks.
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(h)
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The
Custodian shall use reasonable commercial efforts to collect all income
and other payments with respect to Foreign Securities to which the Fund
shall be entitled and shall credit such income, as collected, to the
Trust. In the event that extraordinary measures are required to
collect such income, the Trust and the Custodian shall consult as to the
measurers and as to the compensation and expenses of the Custodian
relating to such measures.
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5
14.10 Records.
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(a)
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The
Custodian shall maintain complete and accurate records with respect to
Securities, cash or other property held for the Fund, including (i)
journals or other records of original entry containing an itemized daily
record in detail of all receipts and deliveries of Securities and all
receipts and disbursements of cash; (ii) ledgers (or other records)
reflecting (A) Securities in transfer, (B) Securities in physical
possession, (C) monies and Securities borrowed and monies and Securities
loaned (together with a record of the collateral therefore and
substitutions of such collateral), (D) dividends and interest received,
and (E) dividends receivable and interest receivable; and (iii) canceled
checks and bank records related thereto; and (iv) all records relating to
its activities and obligations under this Agreement. The
Custodian shall keep such other books and records of the Fund as the Trust
shall reasonably request, or as may be required by the 1940 Act,
including, but not limited to, Section 31 of the 1940 Act and Rule 31a-2
promulgated thereunder.
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F. The Global Sub-Custodial Fees,
attached hereto, shall be added to Exhibit
D, the Fee Schedule of
the Agreement.
Except to
the extent supplemented hereby, the Agreement shall remain in full force and
effect.
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Addendum to be executed by
a duly authorized officer on one or more counterparts as of the date and year
first written above.
BRAZOS MUTUAL FUNDS | U.S BANK, N.A. |
By: /s/ Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxx, Xx. | By: /s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx |
Name: Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxx, Xx. | Name: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx |
Title: CEO | Title: SVP |
6
Exhibit
D - Addendum to the Custody Agreement
GLOBAL
SUB-CUSTODIAL SERVICES
BANK
OF NEW YORK - ANNUAL FEE SCHEDULE
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||||||||
Country
|
Instrument
|
Safekeeping
(BPS)
|
Transaction
Fee
|
Country
|
Instrument
|
Safekeeping
(BPS)
|
Transaction
Fee
|
|
Argentina
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
Latvia
|
Gov't
Bonds
|
_____
|
$_____
|
|
Australia
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
Lebanon
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
|
Austria
|
Equities/Bonds
|
_____
|
$_____
|
Lithuania
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
|
Austria
|
Depo
Receipt
|
_____
|
$_____
|
Luxembourg
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
|
Austria
|
non
ATS ALL
|
_____
|
$_____
|
Malaysia
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
|
Bahrain
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
Mali
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
|
Bangladesh
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
Malta
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
|
Belgium
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
Mauritius
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
|
Benin
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
Mexico
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
|
Bermuda
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
Morocco
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
|
Bolivia
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
Namibia
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
|
Botswana
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
Netherlands
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
|
Brazil
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
New
Zealand
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
|
Bulgaria
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
Niger
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
|
Burkina
Faso
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
Nigeria
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
|
Canada
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
Norway
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
|
Chile
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
Oman
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
|
China-Shanghai
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
Pakistan
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
|
China-Shenzhen
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
Palestinian
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
|
Columbia
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
Panama
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
|
Costa
Rica
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
Peru
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
|
Croatia
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
Philippines
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
|
Cyprus
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
Poland
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
|
Czech Republic
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
Portugal
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
|
Denmark
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
Qatar
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
|
EASDAQ
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
Romania
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
|
Ecuador
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
Russia
|
Equities/Bonds
|
_____
|
$_____
|
|
Egypt
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
Russia
|
MINFIN
|
_____
|
$_____
|
|
Estonia
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
Senegal
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
|
Euromarkets
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
Singapore
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
|
Finland
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
Slovak Republic
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
|
France
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
Slovenia
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
|
Germany
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
South
Africa
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
|
Ghana
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
South
Korea
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
|
Greece
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
Spain
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
|
Guinea Bissau
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
Sri
Lanka
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
|
Hong
Kong
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
Swaziland
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
|
Hungary
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
Sweden
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
|
Iceland
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
Switzerland
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
|
India
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
Taiwan
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
|
Indonesia
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
Thailand
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
|
Ireland
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
Togo
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
|
Israel
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
Trinidad
& Tobago
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
|
Italy
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
Tunisia
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
|
Ivory
Coast
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
Turkey
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
|
Jamaica
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
United
Kingdom
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
|
Japan
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
Ukraine
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
|
Jordan
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
Uruguay
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
|
Kazakhstan
|
Equities
|
_____
|
$_____
|
Venezuela
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
|
Kazakhstan
|
Bonds
|
_____
|
$_____
|
Zambia
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
|
Kenya
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
Zimbabwe
|
All
|
_____
|
$_____
|
|
Latvia
|
Equities/Bonds
|
_____
|
$_____
|
7