DISTRIBUTION AND SHAREHOLDER SERVICE AGREEMENT (For Institutional Class Shares)
Exhibit (m)(3)
DISTRIBUTION AND SHAREHOLDER SERVICE AGREEMENT
(For Institutional Class Shares)
THIS AGREEMENT made as of the 20th day of February, 2014, as amended and restated the 19th day of May, 2017 between The Oberweis Funds, a Massachusetts business trust (the “Trust”), and Oberweis Securities, Inc., an Illinois corporation (“OSI”);
ARTICLE
I
DISTRIBUTION
(a) Each Fund agrees to sell Shares through OSI, as agent, from time to time during the term of this Agreement upon the terms and at the current offering price described in the Fund’s prospectus. Such sales may, however, be suspended whenever in the judgment of the Fund it is in the best interests to do so.
(b) OSI will hold itself available to receive or will arrange for the receipt of orders for the purchase of Shares and will (and shall have the authority to) receive and accept or reject or arrange for the receipt and acceptance or rejection of such orders on behalf of each Fund in accordance with the provisions of the Fund’s prospectus.
(c) OSI shall not be obligated to sell any certain number of Shares.
(d) In performing its duties hereunder, OSI shall act in conformity with the Trust’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust, By-Laws, Registration Statement and prospectus, and with the instructions and directions of the officers and Trustees of the Trust, and shall comply with and conform to the requirements of the 1940 Act, the 1933 Act, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”), and all other applicable federal and state laws, regulations and rulings and rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”).
(e) OSI shall be free to render to others services different from or similar to those rendered to the Funds hereunder so long as the services hereunder are not impaired thereby. It further is understood and agreed that by separate agreement with the Trust, OSI may also serve the Funds in other capacities; that officers or employees of OSI may serve as officers or Trustees of the Trust to the extent permitted by law; and OSI or its officers or employees are not prohibited from engaging in any other business activity or from rendering services to any other entity, or from serving as officers, directors or trustees of any other organizations, including investment companies.
ARTICLE
II
SHAREHOLDER SERVICES
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ARTICLE
III
APPOINTMENT OF FIRMS
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ARTICLE
IV
FEES AND EXPENSES
1. No Fee. OSI shall provide all the services hereunder to each Fund for no compensation.
ARTICLE
V
GENERAL
(a) Subject to the conditions set forth below, the Trust, on behalf of each Fund, agrees to indemnify and hold harmless OSI, its officers and employees, and each person, if any, who controls OSI within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act and Section 20 of the 1934 Act against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, jointly and severally, or otherwise (including, but not limited to, any and all expenses whatsoever reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever), arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Trust’s Registration Statement, the prospectus, or statement of additional information or any amendment or supplement thereof, or any advertisement or sales literature authorized by the Trust, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, unless such statement or omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information with respect to OSI furnished to the Trust by or on behalf of OSI expressly for use in the Trust’s Registration Statement, prospectus, statement of additional information or any amendment or supplement thereof or any advertisement or sales literature. If any action is brought against OSI or any controlling person thereof in respect of which indemnity may be sought against the Trust or a Fund pursuant to the foregoing, OSI shall promptly notify the Trust in writing of the institution of such action and the Trust, on behalf of the Fund, shall assume the defense of such action, including the employment of counsel selected by the Trust and payment of expenses. OSI, or any such controlling person thereof, shall have the right to employ separate counsel in any such case, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of OSI or such controlling person unless the employment of such counsel shall have been authorized in writing by the Trust in connection with the defense of such action or the Trust shall not have employed counsel to have charge of the defense of such action, in which event such fees and expenses shall be borne by the applicable Fund. Anything in this subparagraph to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trust, on behalf of a Fund, shall not be liable for any settlement of any such claim or action effected without its written consent. The Trust agrees promptly to notify OSI of the commencement of any litigation or proceedings against the Trust, a Fund or any of its officers or directors or controlling persons in connection with the issue and sale of shares or in connection with the Trust’s Registration Statement, prospectus or statement of additional information, or any advertisement or sales literature.
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(b) OSI agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Trust, each Fund, each of the Trust’s Trustees, officers and each other person, if any, who controls the Trust within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act, with respect to statements or omissions, if any, made in the Trust’s Registration Statement, prospectus or statement of additional information or any amendment or supplement thereof or any advertisement or sales literature in reliance upon and in conformity with information with respect to OSI furnished in writing to the Trust by or on behalf of OSI expressly for use in the Trust’s Registration Statement, prospectus or statement of additional information or any amendment or supplement thereof or any advertisement or sales literature. In case any action shall be brought against the Trust or any other person so indemnified based on the Trust’s Registration Statement, prospectus or statement of additional information or any amendment or supplement thereof and in respect of which indemnity may be sought against OSI, OSI shall have the rights and duties given to the Trust and the Trust and each other person so indemnified shall have the rights and duties given to OSI by the provisions of subparagraph (a) above.
(c) Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to protect any person against liability to the Trust or its shareholders to which such person would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in the performance of the duties of such person or by reason of the reckless disregard by such person of the obligations and duties of such person under this Agreement.
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9. Miscellaneous. The captions in this Agreement are included for convenience of reference only and in no way define or delimit any of the provisions hereof or otherwise affect their construction or effect. 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. This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with applicable federal law and (except as to paragraph 10 of this Article below which shall be construed in accordance with the laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts) the laws of the State of Illinois, and shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors, subject to paragraph 3 of this Article.
10. Limitation of Shareholder and Trustee Liability. All parties hereto are expressly put on notice of The Oberweis Funds Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated February 23, 2017 and all amendments thereto, all of which are on file with the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and the limitation of shareholder and trustee liability contained therein. This Agreement has been executed by and on behalf of the Trust by its representative as such representative and not individually, and the obligations of a Fund hereunder are not binding upon any of the trustees, officers or shareholders of the Trust individually, but are binding upon only the assets and property of such Fund.
THE OBERWEIS FUNDS | ||||
By: | /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx | |||
Its: | Executive Vice President | |||
Attest: | ||||
/s/ Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx | ||||
Its: | Secretary | |||
OBERWEIS SECURITIES, INC. | ||||
By: | /s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx | |||
Its: | President | |||
Attest: | ||||
/s/ Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx | ||||
Its: | VP of Accounting |
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Schedule A
to Distribution And
Shareholder Service Agreement
Covered Funds
Oberweis International Opportunities Institutional
Fund
Oberweis Micro-Cap Fund
Oberweis Emerging Growth Fund, name change to
Oberweis Global Opportunities Fund (eff. May 1, 2018)
Oberweis Small-Cap Opportunities Fund
Oberweis China Opportunities Fund
Oberweis Small-Cap Value Fund
Oberweis Emerging Markets Fund (eff. May 1, 2018)
EXHIBIT A
TO DISTRIBUTION AND
SHAREHOLDER SERVICE AGREEMENT
SERVICE TO BE RENDERED
I. | SHAREHOLDER ACCOUNTS |
1. | Open accounts, as necessary, and assist in maintaining on the records of the Trust’s transfer agent current records for Fund shareholder accounts showing as to each shareholder (to the extent such information is available or obtainable): |
A. | Name(s) and address(es) with zip code(s) |
B. | Type of account and taxpayer identification or social security number |
C. | Number of Fund Shares currently owned |
D. | Account transaction history, including records of initial and additional purchases, redemptions, dividends and other distributions, and related tax information |
2. | Maintain files of account applications, requests and correspondence from or on behalf of shareholders in relation to Fund Shares as well as copies of all written responses thereto |
3. | Process with the Trust’s transfer agent account records to show all changes or corrections to shareholders’ registration and address records authorized in writing by or on behalf of the shareholder |
4. | Assist the Trust’s transfer agent in maintaining records of shareholders’ transactions in Fund Shares for federal and state tax and securities law purposes |
II. | PURCHASES AND REDEMPTIONS |
1. | Conversion of monies to Federal funds |
2. | Prepare and transmit by mail to each shareholder, confirmations as may be required by law of all purchases and redemptions of Fund Shares effected through OSI |
3. | Assist the Trust’s transfer agent to prepare and transmit by mail to each shareholder periodic statements reflecting all purchases, dividends and redemption of Fund Shares |
4. | Receive, ascertain the adequacy of, and transmit to the Trust’s transfer agent all purchase orders or redemption requests received by OSI in accordance with the requirements set forth in the current prospectus of the Fund |
Exhibit A – Page 1
5. | Requisition from the Trust’s custodian and remit the proceeds of redemption as directed by the individual shareholder in accordance with the current prospectus of the Fund |
III. | SHAREHOLDER COMMUNICATIONS & SERVICES |
1. | Provide, maintain and man telephone communication systems for shareholder inquiries concerning the administration of their Fund account |
2. | Receive and answer promptly all correspondence or similar inquiries from or on behalf of shareholders concerning the administration of their Fund accounts |
3. | Refer to the Fund’s investment adviser questions or matters related to its function |
4. | Prepare such reports and summaries of shareholder communications as may be requested by the Trust’s officers for the preparation of reports to the Trust’s trustees and appropriate regulatory authorities |
5. | Provide and maintain a terminal with on-line facilities to provide information regarding Fund shareholder accounts |
IV. | PROXY MATERIALS, ANNUAL AND OTHER REPORTS |
1. | Transmit (but not prepare) notices of meetings and proxy statements, prospectuses, annual, semi-annual and quarterly reports as shall be requested by the Trust and coordinate such mailings to appropriate categories of Fund shareholders |
2. | Assist the Trust’s transfer agent to furnish to the Trust, by series if applicable, a list of Fund shareholders eligible to vote at shareholder meetings showing addresses of record and Shares held together with an affidavit or other appropriate certificate of the mailing of proxy materials |
V. | TAX MATTERS |
1. | Assist the Trust’s transfer agent to prepare and transmit federal and state tax informational returns relating to Share transactions to shareholders and governmental agencies |
Exhibit A – Page 2