Exhibit 9(g)
ACCOUNTING SERVICES AGREEMENT
THIS AGREEMENT is made as of the 1st day of September, 1997 by and between
STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY, a trust company duly organized under the
laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (the "ACCOUNTING AGENT") and LANDMARK
FIXED INCOME FUNDS, a business trust organized under the laws of the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts (the "FUND").
W I T N E S S E T H:
WHEREAS, the Fund is authorized to issue beneficial interests in separate
series, with each such series representing interests in a separate portfolio of
securities and other assets; and
WHEREAS, the Fund currently offers beneficial interests in one or more
series, including, Landmark U.S. Government Income Fund (such series, together
with all other series subsequently established by the Fund and made subject to
this Agreement in accordance with Section 7.1 below, each a "PORTFOLIO" and
collectively, the "PORTFOLIOS");
WHEREAS, each Portfolio will invest all or substantially all of its assets
in a series of beneficial interests issued by a multi-series master fund (the
"MASTER FUND"), with each such series representing interests in a separate
portfolio of securities and other assets of the Master Fund (each a "MASTER
PORTFOLIO"); and
WHEREAS, the Fund desires to retain the Accounting Agent to perform
certain accounting and recordkeeping duties on behalf of each Portfolio and the
Accounting Agent is willing to perform such services upon the terms and
conditions hereinafter set forth.
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements
contained herein (the adequacy of which consideration with respect to each party
is hereby mutually admitted), the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:
Section 1. DUTIES OF THE ACCOUNTING AGENT.
Section 1.1 BOOKS OF ACCOUNT.
The Accounting Agent shall maintain the books of account of each Portfolio
and shall perform the following duties, using information provided to the
Accounting Agent by the Fund and others, in the manner prescribed by each
Portfolio's currently effective Registration Statement and the Declaration of
Trust of the Fund, certified copies of which have been supplied to the
Accounting Agent (with respect to each Portfolio, the "CONSTITUTIVE DOCUMENTS")
and in accordance with such written procedures as may be agreed upon by the Fund
and the Accounting Agent from time to time:
(a) Record general ledger entries;
(b) Record daily net income;
(c) Reconcile activity to the trial balance;
(d) Calculate and publish daily net asset value; and
(e) Prepare account balances.
The Fund shall provide timely prior notice to the Accounting Agent of any
modification in the manner in which such calculations are to be performed
pursuant to any revision to the Constitutive Documents of a Portfolio and shall
supply the Accounting Agent with certified copies of all amendments and/or
supplements to each Portfolio's Constitutive Documents in a timely manner. For
purposes of calculating the net asset value of each Portfolio, the Accounting
Agent shall value such Portfolio's capital ownership in its corresponding Master
Portfolio utilizing the allocation supplied by the Master Fund or its designated
agent and shall value other portfolio securities of such Portfolio, if any,
utilizing prices obtained from sources designated by the Fund on a Price Source
Authorization substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A, as the
same may be amended by the Fund and the Accounting Agent from time to time, or
otherwise designated by means of Proper Instructions (as such term is defined in
Section 2.2 below) (collectively, the "AUTHORIZED PRICE SOURCES"). The
Accounting Agent shall not be responsible for any revisions to the methods of
calculation prescribed by the Constitutive Documents of any Portfolio unless and
until such revisions are communicated in writing to the Accounting Agent. The
Accounting Agent represents and warrants to the Fund that it has all consents,
approvals, licenses, rights and authority necessary to perform the services to
be provided hereunder.
Section 1.2 RECORDS.
The Accounting Agent shall create and maintain all records relating to its
activities and obligations under this Agreement with respect to each Portfolio
in a manner which shall meet the obligations of such Portfolio under its
Constitutive Documents. All such records shall be the property of the relevant
Portfolio and shall at all times during the regular business hours of the
Accounting Agent be open for inspection by duly authorized officers, employees
or agents of the Fund and employees and agents of the regulatory agencies having
jurisdiction over the Portfolio. Subject to Section 3 below, the Accounting
Agent shall preserve the records required to be maintained thereunder for the
period required by law.
Section 1.3 APPOINTMENT OF AGENTS.
The Accounting Agent may at is own expense employ agents in the
performance of its duties and the exercise of its rights under this Agreement,
provided that the employment of such agents shall not reduce the Accounting
Agent's obligations or liabilities hereunder.
Section 2. DUTIES OF THE FUND.
Section 2.1 PROVISION OF INFORMATION.
The Fund shall provide to the Accounting Agent, or shall cause a third
party to so provide, certain data with respect to each Portfolio as a condition
to the Accounting Agent's obligations under Section 1 above. The data required
to be provided with respect to each Portfolio pursuant to this Section is set
forth on Schedule A hereto, which schedule may be separately amended or
supplemented by the Fund and the Accounting Agent from time to time.
The Accounting Agent is authorized and instructed to rely upon the
information it receives from the Fund or any third party authorized by the Fund
(a "THIRD PARTY AGENT") to provide such information to the Accounting Agent. The
Accounting Agent shall have no responsibility to review, confirm or otherwise
assume any duty with respect to the accuracy or completeness of any information
supplied to it by the Fund or any Third Party Agent.
Section 2.2 PROPER INSTRUCTIONS.
The term "PROPER INSTRUCTIONS" shall mean instructions received by the
Accounting Agent from the Fund, the investment advisor of the Portfolios
appointed by the Fund from time to time (the "INVESTMENT ADVISOR") or any person
duly authorized by them. Such instructions may be in writing signed by the
authorized person or may be in a tested communication or in a communication
utilizing access codes effected between electro-mechanical or electronic devices
or may be by such other means as may be agreed upon from time to time by the
Accounting Agent and the party giving such instructions (including, without
limitation, oral instructions). All oral instructions shall be promptly
confirmed in writing. The Fund and the Investment Advisor shall each cause its
duly authorized representative to certify to the Accounting Agent in writing the
names and specimen signatures of persons authorized to give Proper Instructions.
The Accounting Agent shall be entitled to rely upon the identity and authority
of such persons until it receives written notice from the Fund or the Investment
Advisor, as the case may be, to the contrary. The Accounting Agent may rely upon
any Proper Instruction reasonably believed by it to be genuine and to have been
properly issued by or on behalf of the Fund or the Investment Advisor, as the
case may be. The Fund shall give timely Proper Instructions to the Accounting
Agent in regard to matters affecting accounting practices and the Accounting
Agent's performance pursuant to this Agreement.
Section 3. SUCCESSOR AGENT.
If a successor accounting agent for the Portfolios shall be appointed by
the Fund, the Accounting Agent shall upon termination of this Agreement deliver
to such successor agent at the office of the Accounting Agent all books and
records of account of each Portfolio maintained by the Accounting Agent
hereunder. In the event this Agreement is terminated by either party without the
appointment of a successor agent, the Accounting Agent shall, upon receipt of
Proper Instructions, deliver such properties at its office in accordance with
such instructions.
In the event that no written order designating a successor agent or Proper
Instructions shall have been delivered to the Accounting Agent on or before the
effective date of such termination, then the Accounting Agent shall have the
right to deliver to a bank or trust company of its own selection, having
aggregate capital, surplus and undivided profits, as shown by its last published
report, of not less than $2,000,000, all property of the Portfolios held by the
Accounting Agent hereunder. Thereafter, such bank or trust company shall be the
successor of the Accounting Agent under this Agreement.
Section 4. STANDARD OF CARE; LIMITATION ON LIABILITY.
The Accounting Agent shall at all times exercise reasonable care and
diligence and act in good faith in the performance of its duties hereunder,
provided, however, that the Accounting Agent shall assume no responsibility and
shall be without liability for any loss, damage or expense suffered or incurred
by the Fund or any Portfolio unless caused by its own fraud, wilful default,
negligence or wrongful act or that of its agents or employees.
Without in any way limiting the generality of the foregoing, the
Accounting Agent shall in no event be liable for any loss or damage arising from
causes beyond its reasonable control, including, without limitation, delay or
cessation of services hereunder or any damages to the Fund or any Portfolio
resulting therefrom as a consequence of any work stoppage, power or other
mechanical failure, natural disaster, governmental action, communications
disruption or other impossibility of performance. The Accounting Agent shall not
be liable for any special, indirect, incidental, or consequential damages of any
kind whatsoever (including, without limitation, attorneys' fees) in any way due
to any Portfolio's use of the accounting services or the performance of or
failure to perform the Accounting Agent's obligations under this Agreement.
The Fund and any Third Party Agents or Authorized Price Sources from which
the Accounting Agent shall receive or obtain certain records, reports and other
data included in the accounting services provided hereunder are solely
responsible for the contents of such information, including, without limitation,
the accuracy thereof. The Accounting Agent shall have no responsibility to
review, confirm or otherwise assume any duty with respect to the accuracy or
completeness of any such information and shall be without liability for any loss
or damage suffered by the Fund or any Portfolio as a result of the Accounting
Agent's reasonable reliance on and utilization of such information, except as
otherwise required by the terms of the Price Source Authorization form attached
hereto as Exhibit A with respect to the use of data obtained from Authorized
Price Sources. The Accounting Agent shall have no responsibility and shall be
without liability for any loss or damage caused by the failure of the Fund or
any Third Party Agent to provide it with the information required by Section 2.1
hereof.
Section 5. INDEMNIFICATION.
The Fund hereby agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Accounting Agent
from and against any loss, liability, claim or expense (including reasonable
attorney's fees and disbursements) suffered or incurred by the Accounting Agent
in connection with the performance of its duties hereunder, including, without
limitation, any liability or expense suffered or incurred as a result of the
acts or omissions of the Fund or any Third Party Agent or Authorized Price
Source whose data or services, including records, reports and other information,
the Accounting Agent must rely upon in performing accounting services hereunder.
Notwithstanding the immediately preceding sentence, the Fund in no event shall
indemnify or hold harmless the Accounting Agent from any loss, liability, claim
or expense involving any breach or alleged breach or violation of U.S. Patent
No. 5,193,056, entitled Data Processing System for Hub and Spoke Financial
Services Configuration.
Section 6. DATA ACCESS AND PROPRIETARY INFORMATION.
The Fund acknowledges that the data bases, computer programs, screen
formats, report formats, interactive design techniques, and documentation
manuals which may be furnished to it by the Accounting Agent as part of the
Fund's ability to access certain Portfolios-related data ("CUSTOMER DATA")
maintained by the Accounting Agent on data bases under the control and ownership
of the Accounting Agent ("DATA ACCESS SERVICES") constitute copyrighted, trade
secret, or other proprietary information (collectively, "PROPRIETARY
INFORMATION") of substantial value to the Accounting Agent. The Fund agrees to
treat all Proprietary Information as proprietary to the Accounting Agent and
further agrees that it shall not divulge any Proprietary Information to any
person or organization except as may be provided hereunder. Without limiting the
foregoing, the Fund agrees for itself and its employees and agents:
(a) to access Customer Data solely from locations as may be designated
in writing by the Accounting Agent and solely in accordance with the
Accounting Agent's applicable user documentation;
(b) to refrain from copying or duplicating in any way the Proprietary
Information;
(c) to refrain from obtaining unauthorized access to any portion of the
Proprietary Information, and if such access is inadvertently
obtained, to inform the Accounting Agent in a timely manner of such
fact and dispose of such information in accordance with the
Accounting Agent's instructions;
(d) to refrain from causing or allowing third-party data acquired
hereunder from being retransmitted to any other computer facility or
other location, except with the prior written consent of the
Accounting Agent;
(e) that the Fund shall have access only to those authorized
transactions agreed upon by the parties; and
(f) to honor all reasonable written requests made by the Accounting
Agent to protect at the Accounting Agent's expense and risk the
rights of the Accounting Agent in Proprietary Information at common
law, under federal copyright law and under other federal or state
law.
Each party shall take reasonable efforts to advise its employees and agents of
their obligations pursuant to this Section 6. The obligations of this Section
shall survive for a period of five years any earlier termination of this
Agreement.
The Fund hereby acknowledges that the data and information it may access
from the Accounting Agent utilizing the Data Access Services will be unaudited
and may not be accurate due to inaccurate pricing of securities, delays of a day
in updating a Portfolio's account and other causes for which Accounting Agent
will not be liable to the Fund or any Portfolio.
If the Fund notifies the Accounting Agent that any of the Data Access
Services do not operate in material compliance with the most recently issued
user documentation for such services, the Accounting Agent shall use its best
efforts to correct such failure as promptly as possible. Data access services
and all computer programs and software specifications used in connection
therewith are provided on an as is, as available basis. The Accounting Agent
expressly disclaims all warranties except those expressly stated herein
including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and
fitness for a particular purpose.
If the transactions available to the Fund include the ability to originate
electronic instructions to the Accounting Agent in order to (i) effect the
transfer or movement of cash or beneficial interests or (ii) transmit interest
holder information or other information (such transactions constituting a
"COEFI"), then in such event the Accounting Agent shall be entitled to rely on
the validity and authenticity of such instruction without undertaking any
further inquiry as long as such instruction is undertaken in conformity with
mutually acceptable security procedures established by the Accounting Agent and
the Fund from time to time.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 6, the Fund and
its employees and agents may copy and duplicate Proprietary Information for its
own internal use in a manner consistent with this Agreement.
The Fund and its employees and agents may disclose any Proprietary
Information (i) if and to the extent the Fund and its employees and agents are
required to do so by applicable law or an order of a court of competent
jurisdiction or other government agency having appropriate authority, in which
case the Fund shall provide the Accounting Agent with timely notice prior to
such disclosure and (ii) to the extent any of such documents, materials and
information are made public by means other than a breach by the Fund or its
respective employees and agents of the obligations hereunder.
Notwithstanding anything in this Section 6 to the contrary, the Fund and
its employees and agents shall have the right to independently develop products,
provided they do so without any misappropriation of the Proprietary Information
or violation of the Accounting Agent's copyright or patent rights or interests.
Section 7. GENERAL.
Section 7.1 ADDITIONAL PORTFOLIOS
In the event that the Fund establishes one or more series of beneficial
interests in addition to the Landmark U.S. Government Income Fund, with respect
to which it desires to have the Accounting Agent render services under the terms
of this Agreement, it shall so notify the Accounting Agent in writing, and if
the Accounting Agent agrees in writing to provide such services, such series
shall become a Portfolio hereunder.
Section 7.2 TERM OF AGREEMENT.
This Agreement shall be effective from the date first stated above and
shall remain in full force and effect until terminated as hereinafter provided.
Either party may, in its discretion, terminate this Agreement with respect to
any Portfolio for any reason by giving the other party at least sixty (60) days
prior written notice of termination.
Section 7.3 FEES AND EXPENSES.
The Fund agrees to pay the Accounting Agent such reasonable compensation
for its services and expenses as may be agreed upon from time to time in a
written fee schedule approved by the Fund and the Accounting Agent.
Section 7.4 CONFIDENTIALITY.
The Accounting Agent agrees on behalf of itself and its employees to treat
confidentially all records and other information relating to the Fund and each
Portfolio, except where required to be disclosed by law or where the Accounting
Agent has determined that such disclosure is necessary for the protection of its
interests or has received the prior written consent of the Fund, which consent
shall not be unreasonably withheld.
Section 7.5 NOTICES.
All notices shall be in writing and shall be deemed given when delivered
in person, by facsimile, by overnight delivery through a commercial courier
service, or by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested. Notices
shall be addressed to each party at its address set forth below, or such other
address as the recipient may have specified by earlier notice to the sender.
If to the Accounting Agent: STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY
0000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxx Xxxxxx, XX 00000
Attention:
Telephone:
Telecopy:
With a copy to: STATE STREET FUND SERVICES TORONTO INC.
000 Xxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxx
Xxxxx 0000
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxx M5X 1A9
Attention: Xxxx Xxxxxx
Telephone: (000) 000-0000
Telecopy: (000) 000-0000
If to the Fund: LANDMARK FIXED INCOME FUNDS
0 Xx. Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
Telephone: 000-000-0000
Telecopy: 000-000-0000
With a copy to: CITIBANK GLOBAL ASSET MANAGEMENT
000 Xxxx 00xx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Xxxxxx Xxxxx
Telephone: 000-000-0000
Telecopy: 000-000-0000
Section 7.6 ASSIGNMENT; SUCCESSORS.
This Agreement shall not be assigned by either party without the prior
written consent of the other party, except that either party may assign its
rights and obligations hereunder to a party controlling, controlled by, or under
common control with such party.
Section 7.7 ENTIRE AGREEMENT.
This Agreement (including all schedules and attachments hereto)
constitutes the entire Agreement between the parties with respect to its subject
matter.
Section 7.8 AMENDMENTS.
No amendment to this Agreement shall be effective unless it is in writing
and signed by a duly authorized representative of each party. The term
"Agreement", as used herein, includes all schedules and attachments hereto and
any future written amendments, modifications, or supplements made in accordance
herewith.
Section 7.9 HEADINGS NOT CONTROLLING.
Headings used in this Agreement are for reference purposes only and shall
not be deemed a part of this Agreement.
Section 7.10 SURVIVAL.
All provisions regarding indemnification, warranty, liability and limits
thereon shall survive following the expiration or termination of this Agreement.
Section 7.11 SEVERABILITY.
In the event any provision of this Agreement is held illegal, void or
unenforceable, the balance shall remain in effect.
Section 7.12 COUNTERPARTS.
This Agreement may be simultaneously executed in several counterparts,
each of which shall be deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts shall
together constitute but one and the same Agreement.
Section 7.13 GOVERNING LAW.
This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the
laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
SIGNATURE PAGE
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have duly executed this Agreement
as of the day and year first written above.
STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY
By: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx
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Its: Executive Vice President
LANDMARK FIXED INCOME FUNDS
By: Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
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Its: President
SCHEDULE A
REQUIRED INFORMATION RESPONSIBLE PARTY
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Portfolio Trade Authorizations Investment Adviser
Currency Transactions Investment Adviser
Cash Transaction Report Custodian
Portfolio Prices Third Party Vendors/Investment Adviser
Exchange Rates Third Party Vendors/Investment Adviser
Capital Stock Activity Report Transfer Agent
Dividend/Distribution Schedule Fund
Dividend/Distribution Declaration Fund
Dividend Reconciliation/Confirmation Transfer Agent
Corporate Actions Third Party Vendors/Custodian
Service Provider Fee Schedules Fund
Expense Budget Fund
Expense Payments and other
Cash Disbursements Fund
Amortization Policy Fund
Accounting Policy/Complex Investments Fund
Audit Management Letter Auditor
Annual Interest holder Letter Fund
Annual/Semi-Annual Reports Fund
Allocation of Capital Ownership
in Master Portfolios Master Fund
EXHIBIT A
ACCOUNTING SERVICES AGREEMENT
dated
September 1, 1997
by and between
LANDMARK FIXED INCOME FUNDS
and
STATE STREET BANK TRUST COMPANY
(the "ACCOUNTING AGENT")
Pursuant to the terms of the Accounting Services Agreement, the Fund has
directed the Accounting Agent to calculate the net asset value of each Portfolio
and to perform certain other accounting services in accordance with the
Constitutive Documents (as such term is defined therein) of each Portfolio. The
Fund hereby authorizes and instructs the Accounting Agent to utilize the pricing
sources specified on the attached forms as sources for securities prices in
calculating the net asset value of each Portfolio and acknowledges and agrees
that the Accounting Agent shall have no liability for any incorrect data
provided by pricing sources selected by the Fund or otherwise authorized by
Proper Instructions (as such term is defined in the Accounting Services
Agreement), except as may arise from the Accounting Agent's lack of reasonable
care in performing the agreed-upon tolerance checks as to the data furnished and
calculating the net asset value of a Portfolio in accordance with the data
furnished and the Accounting Agent's performance of the agreed-upon tolerance
checks.
LANDMARK FIXED INCOME FUNDS
By: Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
--------------------------------
Title: President
Date: September 1, 1997
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