Exhibit 99.B(d)(2)(Y)
PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT
AGREEMENT dated March 1, 2004, among ING Investors Trust (the "Trust"), a
Massachusetts business trust, Directed Services, Inc. (the "Manager"), a New
York corporation, and ING Investment Management Advisors B.V., an indirect
wholly owned subsidiary of ING Groep N.V., domiciled in the Hague, The
Netherlands (the "Portfolio Manager").
WHEREAS, the Trust is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940,
as amended (the "1940 Act"), as an open-end management investment company;
WHEREAS, the Trust is authorized to issue separate series, each of which
will offer a separate class of shares of beneficial interest, each series having
its own investment objective or objectives, policies, and limitations;
WHEREAS, the Trust currently offers shares in multiple series, may offer
shares of additional series in the future, and intends to offer shares of
additional series in the future;
WHEREAS, pursuant to the Management Agreement, as amended May 24, 2002, a
copy of which has been provided to the Portfolio Manager, the Trust has retained
the Manager to render advisory, management, and administrative services with
respect to the Trust's series; and
WHEREAS, the Trust and the Manager wish to retain the Portfolio Manager to
furnish investment advisory services to one or more of the series of the Trust,
and the Portfolio Manager is willing to furnish such services to the Trust and
the Manager.
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the promises and mutual
covenants herein contained, it is agreed between the Trust, the Manager, and the
Portfolio Manager as follows:
1. APPOINTMENT. The Trust and the Manager hereby appoint Portfolio Manager
to act as the portfolio manager to the series of the Trust designated on
SCHEDULE A of this Agreement (each a "Series") for the periods and on the terms
set forth in this Agreement. The Portfolio Manager accepts such appointment and
agrees to furnish the services herein set forth for the compensation herein
provided.
In the event the Trust designates one or more series other than the Series
with respect to which the Trust and the Manager wish to retain the Portfolio
Manager to render investment advisory services hereunder, they shall promptly
notify the Portfolio Manager in writing. If the Portfolio Manager is willing to
render such services, it shall so notify the Trust and Manager in writing,
whereupon such series shall become a Series hereunder, and be subject to this
Agreement.
2. PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT DUTIES AND AUTHORITY.
Subject to the supervision of the Trust's Board of Trustees (the "Board")
and the Manager, the Portfolio Manager will provide a continuous investment
program for each Series'
portfolio and determine the composition of the assets of each Series' portfolio,
including determination of the purchase, retention, or sale of the securities,
cash, and other investments contained in the portfolio. The Portfolio Manager
will provide investment research and conduct a continuous program of evaluation,
investment, sales, and reinvestment of each Series' assets by determining the
securities and other investments that shall be purchased, entered into, sold,
closed, or exchanged for the Series, when these transactions should be executed,
and what portion of the assets of each Series should be held in the various
securities and other investments in which it may invest, and the Portfolio
Manager is hereby authorized to execute and perform such services on behalf of
each Series. To the extent permitted by the investment policies of the Series,
the Portfolio Manager shall make decisions for the Series as to foreign currency
matters. The Portfolio Manager will provide the services under this Agreement in
accordance with the Series' investment objective or objectives, policies, and
restrictions as stated in the Trust's Registration Statement filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), as from time to time amended
(the "Registration Statement"), copies of which shall be sent to the Portfolio
Manager by the Manager upon filing with the SEC. The Portfolio Manager is
authorized to exercise tender offers and exchange offers on behalf of the
Series, each as the Portfolio Manager determines is in the best interest of the
Series. The Portfolio Manager and Manager further agree as follows:
(a) The Portfolio Manager will (1) manage each Series so that no action or
omission on the part of the Portfolio Manager will cause a Series to fail to
meet the requirements to qualify as a regulated investment company specified in
Section 851 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code") (other
than the requirements for the Trust to register under the 1940 Act and to file
with its tax return an election to be a regulated investment company and to file
with its tax return an election to be a regulated investment company and satisfy
the distribution requirements under Section 852 (a) of the Internal Revenue
Code, all of which shall not be the responsibility of the Portfolio Manager),
(2) manage each Series so that no action or omission on the part of the
Portfolio Manager shall cause a Series to fail to comply with the
diversification requirements of Section 817(h) of the Code, and the regulations
issued thereunder, and (3) use reasonable efforts to manage the Series so that
no action or omission on the part of the Portfolio Manager shall cause a Series
to fail to comply with any other rules and regulations pertaining to investment
vehicles underlying variable annuity or variable life insurance policies. The
Manager will notify the Portfolio Manager promptly if the Manager believes that
a Series is in violation of any requirement specified in the first sentence of
this paragraph. The Manager or the Trust will notify the Portfolio Manager of
any pertinent changes, modifications to, or interpretations of Section 817(h) of
the Code and regulations issued thereunder and of rules or regulations
pertaining to investment vehicles underlying variable annuity or variable life
insurance policies.
(b) The Portfolio Manager will perform its duties hereunder pursuant to
the 1940 Act and all rules and regulations thereunder, all other applicable
federal and state laws and regulations, with any applicable procedures adopted
by the Trust's Board of Trustees (the "Board") of which the Portfolio Manager
has been notified in writing, and the provisions of the Registration Statement
of the Trust under the Securities Act of 1933 (the "1933 Act") and the 1940 Act,
as supplemented or amended (provided that the Manager on behalf of the Board has
delivered copies of any such supplement or amendments to the Portfolio Manager.)
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(c) On occasions when the Portfolio Manager deems the purchase or sale of
a security to be in the best interest of a Series as well as of other investment
advisory clients of the Portfolio Manager or any of its affiliates, the
Portfolio Manager may, to the extent permitted by applicable laws and
regulations, but shall not be obligated to, aggregate the securities to be so
sold or purchased with those of its other clients where such aggregation is not
inconsistent with the policies set forth in the Registration Statement. In such
event, allocation of the securities so purchased or sold, as well as the
expenses incurred in the transaction, will be made by the Portfolio Manager in a
manner that is fair and equitable in the judgment of the Portfolio Manager in
the exercise of its fiduciary obligations to the Trust and to such other
clients, provided, however that the Manager and the Board shall have the right
to review and request changes to the Portfolio Manager's manner of allocation,
provided further that any requested changes to such manner of allocation shall
be implemented on a prospective basis only, and provided that the Portfolio
Manager has agreed to such change.
(d) In connection with the purchase and sale of securities for each
Series, the Portfolio Manager will arrange for the transmission to the custodian
and portfolio accounting agent for the Series on a daily basis, such
confirmation, trade tickets, and other documents and information, including, but
not limited to, Cusip, Sedol, or other numbers that identify securities to be
purchased or sold on behalf of the Series, as may be reasonably necessary to
enable the custodian and portfolio accounting agent to perform their
administrative and recordkeeping responsibilities with respect to the Series.
With respect to portfolio securities to be purchased or sold through the
Depository Trust Company, the Portfolio Manager will arrange for the automatic
transmission of the confirmation of such trades to the Trust's custodian and
portfolio accounting agent.
(e) The Portfolio Manager will assist the portfolio accounting agent for
the Trust in determining or confirming, consistent with the procedures and
policies stated in the Registration Statement, the value of any portfolio
securities or other assets of the Series for which the portfolio accounting
agent seeks assistance from or identifies for review by the Portfolio Manager.
(f) The Portfolio Manager will make available to the Trust and the
Manager, promptly upon reasonable request, all of the Series' investment records
and ledgers maintained by the Portfolio Manager (which shall not include the
records and ledgers maintained by the custodian and portfolio accounting agent
for the Trust) as are necessary to assist the Trust and the Manager to comply
with requirements of the 1940 Act and the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as
amended (the "Advisers Act"), as well as other applicable laws. The Portfolio
Manager will furnish to regulatory authorities having the requisite authority
any information or reports in connection with such services which may be
requested in order to ascertain whether the operations of the Trust are being
conducted in a manner consistent with applicable laws and regulations.
(g) The Portfolio Manager will provide reports to the Trust's Board for
consideration at meetings of the Board on the investment program for the Series
and the issuers and securities represented in the Series' portfolio, and will
furnish the Trust's Board with respect to the Series such periodic and special
reports as the Trustees and the Manager may reasonably request.
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(h) In rendering the services required under this Agreement, the Portfolio
Manager may, from time to time, employ or associate with itself such affiliated
or unaffiliated person or persons as it believes necessary to assist it in
carrying out its obligations under this Agreement. The Portfolio Manager may not
retain, employ or associate itself with any company that would be an "investment
adviser," as that term is defined in the 1940 Act, to the Series unless the
contract with such company is approved by a majority of the Trust's Board and a
majority of Trustees who are not parties to any agreement or contract with such
company and who are not "interested persons," as defined in the 1940 Act, of the
Trust, the Manager, or the Portfolio Manager, or any such company, and is
approved by the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the
applicable Series of the Trust to the extent required by the 1940 Act. The
Portfolio Manager shall be responsible for making reasonable inquiries and for
reasonably ensuring that no associated person of the Portfolio Manager, or of
any company that the Portfolio Manager has retained, employed, or with which it
has associated with respect to the investment management of the Series, to the
best of the Portfolio Manager's knowledge, had in any material connection with
the handling of assets:
(i) been convicted, in the last ten (10) years, of any felony or
misdemeanor arising out of conduct involving embezzlement, fraudulent
conversion, or misappropriation of funds or securities, involving
violations of Sections 1341, 1342, or 1343 of Xxxxx 00, Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
Code, or involving the purchase or sale of any security; or
(ii) been found by any state regulatory authority, within the last ten
(10) years, to have violated or to have acknowledged violation of any
provision of any state insurance law involving fraud, deceit, or
knowing misrepresentation; or
(iii) been found by any federal or state regulatory authorities,
within the last ten (10) years, to have violated or to have
acknowledged violation of any provision of federal or state securities
laws involving fraud, deceit, or knowing misrepresentation.
(i) In using spot and forward foreign exchange contracts for the Series as
an investment the parties represent:
(i) that the Manager is properly and lawfully established with full
power and authority to enter into spot and forward foreign exchange
contracts, to perform its obligations under such foreign exchange
contracts and to procure the Portfolio Manager to enter into such
foreign exchange contracts on its behalf.
(ii) that the Manager may not, except for purposes of redemptions,
expenses, and other costs of doing business, encumber funds which the
Portfolio Manager has under the Portfolio Manager's management or
which benefit from the Portfolio Manager's investment advice. If the
Manager requires funds for any redemptions, expenses, and other costs
of doing business, the Portfolio Manager will make funds available in
a reasonably timely manner for the Manager to meet such obligations.
The Manager reserves the right to segregate assets upon notice to the
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Portfolio Manager and provide different arrangements for investment
management with respect to those assets.
(iii) that the Portfolio Manager has been granted full power and
authority to enter into foreign exchange contracts as agent on the
Manager's behalf and to give instructions for settlement for the same.
(iv) that the Portfolio Manager has full authority to instruct
Manager's and Trust's custodian in conformity with its mandate.
(v) that in the event of the termination of this Agreement, the
Portfolio Manager, if legally and operationally possible, may offer
the Series' counterparty the option to leave open any existing foreign
exchange contracts or to close them out at prevailing market rates.
(j) The Portfolio Manager will have no duty to vote any proxy solicited by
or with respect to the issuers of securities in which assets of the Series are
invested unless the Manager gives the Portfolio Manager written instructions to
the contrary. The Portfolio Manager will immediately forward any proxy solicited
by or with respect to the issuers of securities in which assets of the Series
are invested to the Manager or to any agent of the Manager designated by the
Manager in writing.
The Portfolio Manager will make appropriate personnel available for
consultation for the purpose of reviewing with representatives of the Manager
and/or the Board any proxy solicited by or with respect to the issuers of
securities in which assets of the Series are invested. Upon request, the
Portfolio Manager will submit a written voting recommendation to the Manager for
such proxies. In making such recommendations, the Portfolio Manager shall use
its good faith judgment to act in the best interests of the Series. The
Portfolio Manager shall disclose to the best of its knowledge any conflict of
interest with the issuers of securities that are the subject of such
recommendation including whether such issuers are clients or are being solicited
as clients of the Portfolio Manager or of its affiliates.
3. BROKER-DEALER SELECTION. The Portfolio Manager is hereby authorized to
place orders for the purchase and sale of securities and other investments for
each Series' portfolio, with or through such persons, brokers or dealers and to
negotiate commissions to be paid on such transactions and to supervise the
execution thereof. The Portfolio Manager's primary consideration in effecting
any such transaction will be to obtain the best execution for the Series, taking
into account the factors specified in the Registration Statement, which include
price (including the applicable brokerage commission or dollar spread), the size
of the order, the nature of the market for the security, the timing of the
transaction, the reputation, the experience and financial stability of the
broker-dealer involved, the quality of the service, the difficulty of execution,
and the execution capabilities and operational facilities of the firms involved,
and the firm's risk in positioning a block of securities. Accordingly, the price
to a Series in any transaction may be less favorable than that available from
another broker-dealer if the difference is reasonably justified, in the judgment
of the Portfolio Manager in the exercise of its fiduciary obligations to the
Trust, by other aspects of the portfolio execution services offered.
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Subject to such policies as the Board may determine and consistent with
Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the Portfolio
Manager may effect a transaction on behalf of the Series with a broker-dealer
who provides brokerage and research services to the Portfolio Manager
notwithstanding the fact that the commissions payable with respect to any such
transaction may be greater than the amount of any commission another
broker-dealer might have charged for effecting that transaction, if the
Portfolio Manager determines in good faith that such amount of commission was
reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services
provided by such broker-dealer, viewed in terms of either that particular
transaction or the Portfolio Manager's or its affiliate's overall
responsibilities with respect to the Series and to their other clients as to
which they exercise investment discretion.
The Portfolio Manager will consult with the Manager to the end that
portfolio transactions on behalf of a Series are directed to broker-dealers on
the basis of criteria reasonably considered appropriate by the Manager. To the
extent consistent with this Agreement, the Portfolio Manager is further
authorized to allocate orders placed by it on behalf of the Series to the
Portfolio Manager as agent if it is registered as a broker-dealer with the SEC,
to any of its affiliated broker-dealers as agents, or to such brokers and
dealers who also provide research or statistical material, or other services to
the Series, the Portfolio Manager, or an affiliate of the Portfolio Manager.
Such allocation shall be in such amounts and proportions as the Portfolio
Manager shall determine consistent with the above standards, and the Portfolio
Manager will report on said allocation regularly to the Board indicating the
broker-dealers to which such allocations have been made and the basis therefore.
4. DISCLOSURE ABOUT PORTFOLIO MANAGER. The Portfolio Manager has reviewed
the post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement for the Trust filed
with the SEC that contains disclosure about the Portfolio Manager, and
represents and warrants that, with respect to the disclosure about or
information relating, directly or indirectly, to the Portfolio Manager, to the
Portfolio Manager's knowledge, such Registration Statement contains, as of the
date hereof, no untrue statement of any material fact and does not omit any
statement of a material fact which was required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements contained therein not misleading. The Portfolio
Manager further represents and warrants that it is a duly registered investment
adviser under the Advisers Act, or alternatively that it is not required to be a
registered investment adviser under the Advisers Act to perform the duties
described in this Agreement, and that it is a duly registered investment adviser
in all states in which the Portfolio Manager is required to be registered and
will maintain such registration so long as this Agreement remains in effect. The
Portfolio Manager will provide the Manager with a copy of the Portfolio
Manager's Form ADV, Part II at the time the Form ADV and any amendment is filed
with the SEC, and a copy of its written code of ethics complying with the
requirements of Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act, together with evidence of its
adoption.
5. EXPENSES. During the term of this Agreement, the Portfolio Manager will
pay all expenses incurred by it and its staff and for their activities in
connection with the portfolio management duties specified in this Agreement. The
Manager or the Trust shall be responsible for all the expenses of the Trust's
operations including, but not limited to:
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(a) Expenses of all audits by the Trust's independent public accountants;
(b) Expenses of the Series' transfer agent, registrar, dividend disbursing
agent, and shareholder recordkeeping services;
(c) Expenses of the Series' custodial services including recordkeeping
services provided by the custodian;
(d) Expenses of obtaining quotations for calculating the value of each
Series' net assets;
(e) Expenses of obtaining Portfolio Activity Reports and Analyses of
International Management Reports (as appropriate) for each Series;
(f) Expenses of maintaining the Trust's tax records;
(g) Salaries and other compensation of any of the Trust's executive
officers and employees, if any, who are not officers, directors, stockholders,
or employees of the Portfolio Manager or an affiliate of the Portfolio Manager;
(h) Taxes levied against the Trust;
(i) Brokerage fees and commissions, transfer fees, registration fees,
taxes and similar liabilities and costs properly payable or incurred in
connection with the purchase and sale of portfolio securities for the Series;
(j) Costs, including the interest expense, of borrowing money;
(k) Costs and/or fees incident to meetings of the Trust's shareholders,
the preparation and mailings of prospectuses and reports of the Trust to its
shareholders, the filing of reports with regulatory bodies, the maintenance of
the Trust's existence, and the regulation of shares with federal and state
securities or insurance authorities;
(l) The Trust's legal fees, including the legal fees related to the
registration and continued qualification of the Trust's shares for sale;
(m) Trustees' fees and expenses to trustees who are not officers,
employees, or stockholders of the Portfolio Manager or any affiliate thereof;
(n) The Trust's pro rata portion of the fidelity bond required by Section
17(g) of the 1940 Act, or other insurance premiums;
(o) Association membership dues;
(p) Extraordinary expenses of the Trust as may arise including expenses
incurred in connection with litigation, proceedings, and other claims (unless
the Portfolio Manager is responsible for such expenses under Section 13 of this
Agreement), and the legal obligations of
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the Trust to indemnify its Trustees, officers, employees, shareholders,
distributors, and agents with respect thereto; and
(q) Organizational and offering expenses.
6. COMPENSATION. For the services provided to each Series, the Manager will
pay the Portfolio Manager a fee, payable as described in SCHEDULE B attached
hereto.
The fee will be prorated to reflect any portion of a calendar month that
this Agreement is not in effect among the parties. In accordance with the
provisions of the Management Agreement, the Manager is solely responsible for
the payment of fees to the Portfolio Manager, and the Portfolio Manager agrees
to seek payment of its fees solely from the Manager.
7. SEED MONEY. The Manager agrees that the Portfolio Manager shall not be
responsible for providing money for the initial capitalization of the Series.
8. COMPLIANCE.
(a) The Trust and the Manager acknowledge that the Portfolio Manager is
not the compliance agent for any Series or for the Trust or the Manager, and
does not have access to all of each Series' books and records necessary to
perform certain compliance testing. To the extent that the Portfolio Manager has
agreed to perform the services specified in Section 2 in accordance with the
Trust's registration statement, the Trust's Amended and Restated Agreement and
Declaration of Trust and By-Laws, the Trust's Prospectus and any policies
adopted by the Trust's Board applicable to the Series (collectively, the
"Charter Requirements"), and in accordance with applicable law (including
Subchapters M and L of the Code, the 1940 Act and the Advisers Act ("Applicable
Law")), the Portfolio Manager shall perform such services based upon its books
and records with respect to each Series, which comprise a portion of each
Series' books and records, and upon information and written instructions
received from the Trust, the Manager or the Trust's administrator, and shall not
be held responsible under this Agreement so long as it performs such services in
accordance with this Agreement, the Charter Requirements and Applicable Law
based upon such books and records and such information and instructions provided
by the Trust, the Manager, or the Trust's administrator. The Manager shall
promptly provide the Portfolio Manager with copies of the Trust's registration
statement, the Trust's Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust
and By-Laws, the Trust's currently effective Prospectus and any written policies
and procedures adopted by the Trust's Board applicable to the Series and any
amendments or revisions thereto. The Portfolio Manager agrees that it shall
promptly notify the Manager and the Trust (1) in the event that the SEC or other
governmental authority has censured the Portfolio Manager; placed limitations
upon its activities, functions or operations; suspended or revoked its
registration, if any, as an investment adviser; or has commenced proceedings or
an investigation that may result in any of these actions, (2) upon having a
reasonable basis for believing that the Series has ceased to qualify or might
not qualify as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Code, or
(3) upon having a reasonable basis for believing that the Series has ceased to
comply with the diversification provisions of Section 817(h) of the Code or the
regulations thereunder. The Portfolio Manager further agrees to notify the
Manager and the Trust promptly of any material fact known to the
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Portfolio Manager respecting or relating to the Portfolio Manager that is not
contained in the Registration Statement as then in effect, and is required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or of
any statement contained therein that becomes untrue in any material respect.
(b) The Manager agrees that it shall immediately notify the Portfolio
Manager (1) in the event that the SEC has censured the Manager or the Trust;
placed limitations upon either of their activities, functions, or operations;
suspended or revoked the Manager's registration as an investment adviser; or has
commenced proceedings or an investigation that may result in any of these
actions, (2) upon having a reasonable basis for believing that the Series has
ceased to qualify or might not qualify as a regulated investment company under
Subchapter M of the Code, or (3) upon having a reasonable basis for believing
that the Series has ceased to comply with the diversification provisions of
Section 817(h) of the Code or the regulations thereunder.
9. BOOKS AND RECORDS. The Trust and the Manager, or an investment adviser
designated by the Manager, shall have access at all reasonable times and on
reasonable notice to all records maintained by the Portfolio Manager. The
Portfolio Manager agrees that it will surrender copies of any such records to
the Trusts promptly upon such Trust's request provided that the Portfolio
Manager shall keep the originals of such records to the extent necessary for the
Portfolio Manager to comply with applicable laws, including Rule 31a-3 under the
1940 Act. The Portfolio Manager further agrees to preserve such records for such
time periods as may be prescribed by Rule 31a-2 under the 1940 Act, provided
that before disposing of any such records, Portfolio Manager will advise the
Adviser and deliver the same to Manager if so requested.
10. COOPERATION; CONFIDENTIALITY. Each party to this Agreement agrees to
cooperate with each other party and with all appropriate governmental
authorities having the requisite jurisdiction (including, but not limited to,
the SEC and state insurance regulators) in connection with any investigation or
inquiry relating to this Agreement or the Trust.
Subject to the foregoing, the Portfolio Manager shall treat as confidential
all information pertaining to the Trust and actions of the Trust, the Manager
and the Portfolio Manager, and the Manager shall treat as confidential and use
only in connection with the Series all information furnished to the Trust or the
Manager by the Portfolio Manager, in connection with its duties under the
Agreement except that the aforesaid information need not be treated as
confidential if required to be disclosed under applicable law, if generally
available to the public through means other than by disclosure by the Portfolio
Manager or the Manager, or if available from a source other than the Manager,
Portfolio Manager of the Trust.
11. REPRESENTATIONS RESPECTING PORTFOLIO MANAGER.
(a) During the term of this Agreement, the Trust and the Manager agree to
furnish to the Portfolio Manager at its principal offices prior to use thereof
copies of all Registration Statements and amendments thereto, prospectuses,
proxy statements, reports to shareholders, sales literature or other material
prepared for distribution to shareholders of the Trust or any Series or to the
public that refer or relate in any way to the Portfolio Manager or any of its
affiliates (other than the Manager), or that use any derivative of the name "
ING Investment
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Management Advisors B.V.," or any derivative thereof or logos associated
therewith. The Trust and the Manager agree that they will not use any such
material without the prior consent of the Portfolio Manager, which consent shall
not be unreasonably withheld. In the event of the termination of this Agreement,
the Trust and the Manager will furnish to the Portfolio Manager copies of any of
the above-mentioned materials that refer or relate in any way to the Portfolio
Manager.
(b) The Trust and the Manager will furnish to the Portfolio Manager such
information relating to either of them or the business affairs of the Trust as
the Portfolio Manager shall from time to time reasonably request in order to
discharge its obligations hereunder.
(c) The Manager and the Trust agree that neither the Trust, the Manager,
nor affiliated persons of the Trust or the Manager shall give any information or
make any representations or statements in connection with the sale of shares of
the Series concerning the Portfolio Manager or the Series other than the
information or representations contained in the Registration Statement,
prospectus, or statement of additional information for the Trust, as they may be
amended or supplemented from time to time, or in reports or proxy statements for
the Trust, or in sales literature or other promotional material approved in
advance by the Portfolio Manager, except with the prior permission of the
Portfolio Manager.
12. SERVICES NOT EXCLUSIVE.
(a) It is understood that the services of the Portfolio Manager are not
exclusive, and nothing in this Agreement shall prevent the Portfolio Manager (or
its affiliates) from providing similar services to other clients, including
investment companies (whether or not their investment objectives and policies
are similar to those of the Series) or from engaging in other activities.
(b) Additionally, the services of the Portfolio Manager to the Series and
the Trust are not to be deemed to be exclusive, and the Portfolio Manager shall
be free to render investment advisory or other services to others (including
other investment companies) and to engage in other activities, provided,
however, that the Portfolio Manager may not consult with any other portfolio
manager of the Trust concerning transactions in securities or other assets for
any investment portfolio of the Trust, including the Series, except that such
consultations are permitted between the current and successor portfolio managers
of the Series in order to effect an orderly transition of portfolio management
duties so long as such consultations are not concerning transactions prohibited
by Section 17(a) of the 1940 Act.
13. LIABILITY. Except as may otherwise be required by the 1940 Act or the
rules thereunder or other applicable law, the Trust and the Manager agree that
the Portfolio Manager, any affiliated person of the Portfolio Manager, and each
person, if any, who, within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act of
1933, as amended ("1933 Act"), controls the Portfolio Manager (1) shall bear no
responsibility and shall not be subject to any liability for any act or omission
respecting any series of the Trust that is not a Series hereunder; and (2) shall
not be liable for any error of judgment, mistake of law, any diminution in value
of the investment portfolio of the Series, or subject to any damages, expenses,
or losses in connection with, any act or omission connected with or arising out
of any services rendered under this Agreement, except
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by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in the
performance by the Portfolio Manager of its duties, or by reason of reckless
disregard by the Portfolio Manager of its obligations and duties under this
Agreement.
14. INDEMNIFICATION.
(a) Notwithstanding Section 13 of this Agreement, the Manager agrees to
indemnify and hold harmless the Portfolio Manager, any affiliated person of the
Portfolio Manager (other than the Manager), and each person, if any, who, within
the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act controls ("controlling person") the
Portfolio Manager (all of such persons being referred to as "Portfolio Manager
Indemnified Persons") against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities,
or litigation (including legal and other expenses) to which a Portfolio Manager
Indemnified Person may become subject under the 1933 Act, the 1940 Act, the
Advisers Act, the Code, under any other statute, at common law or otherwise,
arising out of the Manager's responsibilities to the Trust which (1) may be
based upon any violations of willful misconduct, malfeasance, bad faith or gross
negligence by the Manager, any of its employees or representatives, or any
affiliate of or any person acting on behalf of the Manager, or (2) may be based
upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact
supplied by, or which is the responsibility of, the Manager and contained in the
Registration Statement or prospectus covering shares of the Trust or any Series,
or any amendment thereof or any supplement thereto, or the omission or alleged
omission to state therein a material fact known or which should have been known
to the Manager and was required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading, unless such statement or omission was made in
reliance upon information furnished to the Manager or the Trust or to any
affiliated person of the Manager by a Portfolio Manager Indemnified Person;
provided however, that in no case shall the indemnity in favor of the Portfolio
Manager Indemnified Person be deemed to protect such person against any
liability to which any such person would otherwise be subject by reason of
willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in the performance of its
duties, or by reason of its reckless disregard of obligations and duties under
this Agreement.
(b) Notwithstanding Section 13 of this Agreement, the Portfolio Manager
agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Manager, any affiliated person of the
Manager (other than the Portfolio Manager), and each person, if any, who, is a
controlling person of the Manager (all of such persons being referred to as
"Manager Indemnified Persons") against any and all losses, claims, damages,
liabilities, or litigation (including legal and other expenses) to which a
Manager Indemnified Person may become subject under the 1933 Act, 1940 Act, the
Advisers Act, the Code, under any other statute, at common law or otherwise,
arising out of the Portfolio Manager's responsibilities as Portfolio Manager of
the Series which (1) may be based upon any violations of willful misconduct,
malfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence by the Portfolio Manager, any of its
employees or representatives, or any affiliate of or any person acting on behalf
of the Portfolio Manager, including but not limited to its responsibilities
under Section 2, Paragraph (a) of this Agreement, or (2) any breach of any
representations or warranties contained in Section 4; provided, however, that in
no case shall the indemnity in favor of a Manager Indemnified Person be deemed
to protect such person against any liability to which any such person would
otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross
negligence
11
in the performance of its duties, or by reason of its reckless disregard of its
obligations and duties under this Agreement.
(c) The Manager shall not be liable under Paragraph (a) of this Section 14
with respect to any claim made against a Portfolio Manager Indemnified Person
unless such Portfolio Manager Indemnified Person shall have notified the Manager
in writing within a reasonable time after the summons, notice, or other first
legal process or notice giving information of the nature of the claim shall have
been served upon such Portfolio Manager Indemnified Person (or after such
Portfolio Manager Indemnified Person shall have received notice of such service
on any designated agent), but failure to notify the Manager of any such claim
shall not relieve the Manager from any liability which it may have to the
Portfolio Manager Indemnified Person against whom such action is brought except
to the extent the Manager is prejudiced by the failure or delay in giving such
notice. In case any such action is brought against the Portfolio Manager
Indemnified Person, the Manager will be entitled to participate, at its own
expense, in the defense thereof or, after notice to the Portfolio Manager
Indemnified Person, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to
the Portfolio Manager Indemnified Person. If the Manager assumes the defense of
any such action and the selection of counsel by the Manager to represent both
the Manager and the Portfolio Manager Indemnified Person would result in a
conflict of interests and therefore, would not, in the reasonable judgment of
the Portfolio Manager Indemnified Person, adequately represent the interests of
the Portfolio Manager Indemnified Person, the Manager will, at its own expense,
assume the defense with counsel to the Manager and, also at its own expense,
with separate counsel to the Portfolio Manager Indemnified Person, which counsel
shall be satisfactory to the Manager and to the Portfolio Manager Indemnified
Person. The Portfolio Manager Indemnified Person shall bear the fees and
expenses of any additional counsel retained by it, and the Manager shall not be
liable to the Portfolio Manager Indemnified Person under this Agreement for any
legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by the Portfolio Manager
Indemnified Person independently in connection with the defense thereof other
than reasonable costs of investigation. The Manager shall not have the right to
compromise on or settle the litigation without the prior written consent of the
Portfolio Manager Indemnified Person if the compromise or settlement results, or
may result in a finding of wrongdoing on the part of the Portfolio Manager
Indemnified Person.
(d) The Portfolio Manager shall not be liable under Paragraph (b) of this
Section 14 with respect to any claim made against a Manager Indemnified Person
unless such Manager Indemnified Person shall have notified the Portfolio Manager
in writing within a reasonable time after the summons, notice, or other first
legal process or notice giving information of the nature of the claim shall have
been served upon such Manager Indemnified Person (or after such Manager
Indemnified Person shall have received notice of such service on any designated
agent), but failure to notify the Portfolio Manager of any such claim shall not
relieve the Portfolio Manager from any liability which it may have to the
Manager Indemnified Person against whom such action is brought except to the
extent the Portfolio Manager is prejudiced by the failure or delay in giving
such notice. In case any such action is brought against the Manager Indemnified
Person, the Portfolio Manager will be entitled to participate, at its own
expense, in the defense thereof or, after notice to the Manager Indemnified
Person, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to the Manager
Indemnified Person. If the Portfolio Manager assumes the defense of any such
action and the selection of counsel by the Portfolio Manager to represent
12
both the Portfolio Manager and the Manager Indemnified Person would result in a
conflict of interests and therefore, would not, in the reasonable judgment of
the Manager Indemnified Person, adequately represent the interests of the
Manager Indemnified Person, the Portfolio Manager will, at its own expense,
assume the defense with counsel to the Portfolio Manager and, also at its own
expense, with separate counsel to the Manager Indemnified Person, which counsel
shall be satisfactory to the Portfolio Manager and to the Manager Indemnified
Person. The Manager Indemnified Person shall bear the fees and expenses of any
additional counsel retained by it, and the Portfolio Manager shall not be liable
to the Manager Indemnified Person under this Agreement for any legal or other
expenses subsequently incurred by the Manager Indemnified Person independently
in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of
investigation. The Portfolio Manager shall not have the right to compromise on
or settle the litigation without the prior written consent of the Manager
Indemnified Person if the compromise or settlement results, or may result in a
finding of wrongdoing on the part of the Manager Indemnified Person.
(e) The Manager shall not be liable under this Section 14 to indemnify and
hold harmless the Portfolio Manager and the Portfolio Manager shall not be
liable under this Section 14 to indemnify and hold harmless the Manager with
respect to any losses, claims, damages, liabilities, or litigation that first
become known to the party seeking indemnification during any period that the
Portfolio Manager is, within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act, a
controlling person of the Manager.
15. DURATION AND TERMINATION. This Agreement shall become effective with
respect to each Series on the later of the date first indicated above or the
date of the commencement of operations of each Series. Unless terminated as
provided herein, the Agreement shall remain in full force and effect until
SEPTEMBER 1, 2005 and continue on an annual basis thereafter with respect to
each Series; provided that such annual continuance is specifically approved each
year by (a) the vote of a majority of the entire Board of the Trust, or by the
vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as defined in the 0000
Xxx) of each Series, and (b) the vote of a majority of those Trustees who are
not parties to this Agreement or interested persons (as such term is defined in
the 0000 Xxx) of any such party to this Agreement cast in person at a meeting
called for the purpose of voting on such approval. The Portfolio Manager shall
not provide any services for such Series or receive any fees on account of such
Series with respect to which this Agreement is not approved as described in the
preceding sentence. However, any approval of this Agreement by the holders of a
majority of the outstanding shares (as defined in the 0000 Xxx) of a Series
shall be effective to continue this Agreement with respect to such Series
notwithstanding (i) that this Agreement has not been approved by the holders of
a majority of the outstanding shares of any other Series or (ii) that this
agreement has not been approved by the vote of a majority of the outstanding
shares of the Trust, unless such approval shall be required by any other
applicable law or otherwise. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Agreement may
be terminated for each or any Series hereunder: (a) by the Manager at any time
without penalty, upon sixty (60) days' written notice to the Portfolio Manager
and the Trust, (b) at any time without payment of any penalty by the Trust, upon
the vote of a majority of the Trust's Board or a majority of the outstanding
voting securities of each Series, upon sixty (60) days' written notice to the
Manager and the Portfolio Manager, or (c) by the Portfolio Manager at any time
without penalty, upon three (3) months' written notice to the Manager and the
Trust, unless the Manager
13
or the Trust requests additional time to find a replacement for the Portfolio
Manager, in which case the Portfolio Manager shall allow the additional time
requested by the Trust or the Manager not to exceed three (3) months beyond the
initial three-month notice period; provided however, that the Portfolio Manager
may terminate this Agreement at any time without penalty effective upon written
notice to the Manager and the Trust, in the event either the Portfolio Manager
(acting in good faith) or the Manager ceases to be registered as an investment
adviser under the Advisers Act or otherwise becomes legally incapable of
providing investment management services pursuant to its respective contract
with the Trust, or in the event the Manager becomes bankrupt or otherwise
incapable of carrying out its obligations under this Agreement, or in the event
that the Portfolio Manager does not receive compensation for its services from
the Manager or the Trust as required by the terms of this Agreement. In
addition, this Agreement shall terminate with respect to a Series in the event
that it is not approved by the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting
securities of that Series at a meeting of shareholders at which approval of the
Agreement shall be considered by shareholders of the Series. Upon termination
for any reason, the Portfolio Manager shall forthwith deliver to the Trust all
original written records of the Trust where possible and copies of said records
if originals are not available. Portfolio Manager may, at its own expense, make
and retain a copy of such records. The Agreement shall automatically terminate
in the event of its assignment (as such term is described in the 1940 Act). In
the event this Agreement is terminated or is not approved in the manner
described above, the Sections or Paragraphs numbered 2(f), 9, 10, 11, 13, 14,
and 18 of this Agreement shall remain in effect, as well as any applicable
provision of this Paragraph numbered 15.
16. NOTICES. Except as otherwise provided, any notice given hereunder shall
be in writing and shall be given by facsimile or other means of electronic
communication or by delivery as hereafter provided. Any notice if sent by means
of electronic communication shall be deemed to have been received upon express
acknowledgement, and notice delivered by hand or sent by internationally
recognized overnight courier service shall be deemed to have been received at
the time of delivery to the applicable address set forth below or at such other
address as a party may from time to time specify in writing to the other party.
If to the Trust:
ING Investors Trust
0000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxx Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Chief Counsel
If to the Manager:
Directed Services, Inc.
0000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxx Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Chief Counsel
14
If to the Portfolio Manager:
ING Investment Management Advisors B.V.
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxx 00
Xxx Xxxxx, Xxx Xxxxxxxxxxx
Attention: Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxx
17. AMENDMENTS. No provision of this Agreement may be changed, waived,
discharged or terminated orally, but only by an instrument in writing signed by
the party against which enforcement of the change, waiver, discharge or
termination is sought, and no amendment of this Agreement shall be effective
until approved by an affirmative vote of (1) the Trustees of the Trust,
including a majority of the Trustees of the Trust who are not interested persons
of any party to this Agreement, cast in person at a meeting called for the
purpose of voting on such approval, if such approval is required by applicable
law; and (2) the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of
the Series.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Agreement may be amended without the
approval of a majority of the Series' outstanding voting securities if the
amendment relates solely to a change that is permitted or not prohibited under
federal law, rule, regulation, SEC Order or SEC staff interpretation thereof to
be made without shareholder approval.
18. USE OF NAMES. It is understood that the name "Directed Services, Inc."
or any derivative thereof or logo associated with that name is the valuable
property of the Manager and/or its affiliates, and that the Portfolio Manager
has the right to use such name (or derivative or logo) only with the approval of
the Manager and only so long as the Manager is Manager to the Trust and/or the
Series. Upon termination of the Management Agreement between the Trust and the
Manager, the Trust or the Manager shall notify the Portfolio Manager of the
termination of the Management Agreement and the Portfolio Manager shall as soon
as is reasonably possible cease to use such name (or derivative or logo).
19. AMENDED AND RESTATED AGREEMENT AND DECLARATION OF TRUST. A copy of the
Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust for the Trust is on file
with the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Amended and
Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust has been executed on behalf of the
Trust by Trustees of the Trust in their capacity as Trustees of the Trust and
not individually. The obligations of this Agreement shall be binding upon the
assets and property of the Trust and shall not be binding upon any Trustee,
officer, or shareholder of the Trust individually.
20. MISCELLANEOUS.
(a) This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Delaware,
without giving effect to the provisions, policies or principals thereof relating
to choice or conflict of laws, provided that nothing herein shall be construed
in a manner inconsistent with the 1940 Act, the Advisers Act or rules or orders
of the SEC thereunder. The term "affiliate" or "affiliated person" as used in
this Agreement shall mean "affiliated person" as defined in Section 2(a)(3) of
the 1940 Act.
15
(b) The captions of this Agreement are included for convenience only and
in no way define or limit any of the provisions hereof or otherwise affect their
construction or effect.
(c) To the extent permitted under Section 15 of this Agreement, this
Agreement may only be assigned by any party with the prior written consent of
the other parties.
(d) If any provision of this Agreement shall be held or made invalid by a
court decision, statute, rule or otherwise, the remainder of this Agreement
shall not be affected thereby, and to this extent, the provisions of this
Agreement shall be deemed to be severable.
(e) Nothing herein shall be construed as constituting the Portfolio
Manager as an agent of the Manager, or constituting the Manager as an agent of
the Portfolio Manager.
(f) The Manager and the Portfolio Manager each affirm that it has
procedures in place reasonably designed to protect the privacy of non-public
personal consumer/customer financial information.
(g) The Trust, the Manager and the Portfolio Manager acknowledge that each
may have obligations under the laws and regulations of the United States to
verify the source of funds and identity of investors in accordance with the USA
Patriot Act, and any rules or regulations adopted thereunder (collectively "the
Patriot Act"). Each party agrees to assist the other parties in monitoring
transactions in accordance with the Patriot Act. If required by applicable law
or regulation, each party shall provide the other parties with documentation
evidencing the identity of a beneficial owner or owners of shares of the Series
upon request when a party is required by a law, court order, of by
administrative or regulatory entity to disclose the identity of the beneficial
owner(s).
(h) This Agreement may be executed in counterparts.
16
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this instrument to be
executed as of the day and year first above written.
ING INVESTORS TRUST
Attest: By: /s/ Xxxxxx X. Naka
------------------------------ -----------------------------------
Name: Name: Xxxxxx X. Naka
-------------------------------- ---------------------------------
Title: Title: Senior Vice President
-------------------------------- ---------------------------------
DIRECTED SERVICES, INC.
Attest: By: /s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
------------------------------ -----------------------------------
Name: Name: Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
-------------------------------- ---------------------------------
Title: Title: SVP
-------------------------------- ---------------------------------
ING INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT
ADVISORS B.V.
Attest: By: /s/ [ILLEGIBLE]
------------------------------ -----------------------------------
Name: Name: [ILLEGIBLE]
-------------------------------- ---------------------------------
Title: Title:
-------------------------------- ---------------------------------
17
