Exhibit
25(2)(k)(i) under Form N-2
AGENCY AGREEMENT
THIS
AGREEMENT made the day
of , 201 , by and between FEDERATED
PROJECT AND TRADE FINANCE TENDER FUND, a statutory trust existing
under the laws of the State of Delaware, having its principal
place of business at 0000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx,
XX 00000-0000 and a closed-end management
investment company registered under the Investment
Company Act of 1940 (the “1940 Act”)(the “Fund”), and DST
SYSTEMS, INC., a corporation
existing under the laws of the State of Delaware,
having its principal place of
business at 000
Xxxx 00xx Xxxxxx, 0xx Xxxxx, Xxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000
("DST"):
WITNESSETH:
WHEREAS,
the Fund desires to appoint DST
as Transfer Agent and Dividend Disbursing
Agent, and DST desires to accept such
appointment upon the terms and conditions set
forth herein;
NOW,
THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants herein contained, the parties hereto agree as follows:
| 1. | Documents to
be Provided with Appointment. |
In connection
with the appointment of DST as Transfer Agent and Dividend Disbursing Agent for the Fund, there will be filed with DST the following
documents:
| A. | A certified
copy of the resolutions of the Board
of Directors/Trustees, as appropriate,
of the Fund appointing DST as Transfer
Agent and Dividend Disbursing Agent, approving
the form of this Agreement, and designating certain
persons to sign stock certificates, if any,
and give written instructions and requests on behalf
of the Fund; |
| B. | A certified
copy of the Articles of Incorporation/Declaration
of Trust, as appropriate, of the Fund
and all amendments thereto; |
| C. | A certified copy of the
Bylaws/Articles, as appropriate, of the
Fund; |
| D. | Copies of
Registration Statements and amendments thereto,
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. |
| E. | Specimens of
all forms of outstanding stock certificates,
if any, in the forms approved by
the Board of Directors/Trustees, as appropriate,
of the Fund, with a certificate of the Secretary/Clerk
of the Fund, evidencing such approval; |
| F. | Specimens of
the signatures of the officers of the Fund authorized
to sign stock certificates, if any, and
individuals authorized to sign written
instructions and requests; |
| G. | An opinion of counsel
for the Fund (who may be the Fund’s General Counsel) with respect
to: |
| (1) | The Fund's
organization and existence under the laws of its state of organization, |
| (2) | The status
of all shares of stock
of the Fund covered by the appointment
under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended
(the “ 1933 Act”), and any
other applicable federal or state statute, and |
| (3) | That all
issued shares are, and all
unissued shares will be, when issued,
validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable. |
| H. | For this
Section 1, a certificate from the Fund’s
Secretary or Chief Financial Officer is acceptable. |
| 2. | Certain Representations
and Warranties of DST.
DST represents and warrants to the Fund that: |
| A. | It is
a corporation duly organized and
existing and in good standing
under the laws of Delaware. |
| B. | It is
duly qualified to carry on its business
in the State of Missouri. |
| C. | It is
empowered under applicable laws and
by its Articles of Incorporation and
Bylaws to enter into and perform the services contemplated in this Agreement. |
| D. | It is
registered as a transfer agent to the
extent required under the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934
Act”). |
| E. | All requisite
corporate proceedings have been taken to authorize it to enter into and
perform this Agreement. |
| F. | It has and will
continue to have and maintain the necessary
facilities, equipment and personnel to perform
its duties and obligations under this Agreement. |
| 3. | Certain Representations
and Warranties of the Fund.
The Fund represents and warrants to DST
that: |
| A. | It is
a corporation/trust [cross out the
inapplicable term] duly organized and existing and
in good standing under the laws of the State/Commonwealth
[cross out the inapplicable term] of and
it is duly qualified, as |
required,
to carry on its business in the jurisdictions in which it is required to so qualify or in which DST provides the Services.
| B. | It is
an open-end diversified management investment
company registered under the Investment
Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940
Act”). |
| C. | A registration
statement under the Securities Act of 1933
has been filed and will be effective
with respect to all shares of the Fund
being offered for sale. |
| D. | All requisite steps have been
and will at all times material hereto
continue to be taken to register the
Fund's shares for sale in all applicable
states and such registration will
be effective at all times shares are offered
for sale in such state All Shares
issued and outstanding as of the date
of this Agreement were issued pursuant
to an effective registration statement under the 1933 Act
or were exempt or were issued in
a transaction or transactions exempt from the registration
requirements of the 1933 Act. Any Shares issued
after the date hereof will be issued pursuant to an effective
registration statement under the 1933 Act, unless
in each case such Shares or transaction
is exempt from the registration requirements
of the 1933 Act. |
| E. | Each offer to sell
or sale of shares of the Fund by the Fund or its agents,
representatives and dealers in each state in which a share
is offered for sale or sold will be made in material compliance with all applicable
Federal, State or local laws, rules and regulations. |
| F. | The Fund is empowered
under applicable laws and by its charter/declaration,
as appropriate, and Bylaws/Articles, as appropriate,
to enter into and perform this
Agreement. |
| A. | Subject to
the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement,
the Fund hereby appoints DST as Transfer Agent
and Dividend Disbursing Agent. |
| B. | DST hereby accepts
such appointment and agrees that
it will act as the Fund's Transfer Agent and Dividend
Disbursing Agent. DST agrees that
it will also act as agent in connection
with the Fund's periodic withdrawal payment accounts and other open accounts
or similar plans for securityholders, if any. |
| C. | The Fund
agrees to use its reasonable efforts to deliver
to DST in Kansas City, Missouri, as soon as they are available,
all of its securityholder account records. |
| D. | DST, utilizing TA2000TM,
DST's computerized data processing system for
securityholder accounting (the "TA2000 System") and
in accordance with the terms and conditions
of this Agreement, will perform
the following services as transfer and
dividend disbursing agent for the Fund, and as agent
of the Fund for securityholder accounts thereof, in a timely manner:
(i) issuing (including countersigning), transferring
and canceling share certificates; (ii) maintaining on the TA2000
System securityholder accounts; (iii) accepting
and effectuating the registration and
maintenance of accounts through Networking and the purchase,
redemption, transfer and exchange of shares in such accounts
through Fund/SERV (Networking and Fund/SERV
being programs operated by the National
Securities Clearing Corporation (“NSCC”) on behalf of NSCC’s
participants, including the Funds), in
accordance with instructions transmitted
to and received by DST by transmission from
NSCC on behalf of broker-dealers and
banks which have been established by, or
in accordance with the instructions of, an
Authorized Person, as hereinafter defined, on
the Dealer File maintained by DST; (iv) issuing instructions to the Funds’
banks for the settlement of transactions between the Funds and
NSCC (acting on behalf of its broker-dealer and bank participants);
(v) providing account and transaction information from each affected Fund’s
records on TA2000 in accordance with NSCC’s Networking and
Fund/SERV rules for those broker- dealers; (vi) maintaining securityholder
accounts on TA2000 through Networking; |
(vii)
providing transaction journals;
(viii) once annually preparing securityholder meeting lists for use in connection
with the annual meeting and certifying
a copy of such list; (ix) mailing securityholder
reports and prospectuses; (x) withholding, as required
by federal law, taxes on securityholder
accounts, preparing, filing and mailing U.S. Treasury Department
Forms 1099, 1042, and 1042S and performing
and paying backup withholding as required for
all securityholders; (xi) disbursing
income dividends and capital gains distributions to securityholders
and recording reinvestment of dividends and
distributions in shares of the Fund;
(xii) preparing and mailing confirmation
forms to securityholders and dealers, as instructed,
for all purchases and liquidations
of shares of the Fund and other
confirmable transactions in securityholders' accounts; (xiii) providing
or making available on-line daily and monthly reports
as provided by the TA2000 System and as requested
by the Fund
or
its management company; (xiv) maintaining those records
necessary to carry out DST's duties hereunder,
including all information reasonably required
by the Fund to account for all
transactions in the Fund shares; (xv)
calculating the appropriate sales charge with respect
to each purchase of the Fund shares
as instructed by an Authorized Person, as
hereinafter defined, determining the portion
of each sales charge payable to the dealer participating in a sale in accordance
with schedules and instructions delivered to DST by the Fund's
principal underwriter or distributor (hereinafter "principal underwriter")
or an Authorized Person from time to time, disbursing
dealer commissions collected to such dealers, determining the portion of each
sales charge payable to such principal
underwriter and disbursing such commissions to the principal
underwriter; (xvi) receiving correspondence pertaining to any former,
existing or new securityholder account,
processing such correspondence for proper recordkeeping,
and responding promptly to securityholder
correspondence; mailing to dealers confirmations of wire order
trades; mailing copies of securityholder statements
to securityholders and registered representatives
of dealers in accordance with the instructions
of an Authorized Person; (xvii) processing,
generally on the date of receipt, purchases or redemptions
or instructions to settle any mail or wire order purchases
or redemptions received in proper order
as set forth in the prospectus, rejecting promptly any requests not received
in proper order (as defined by an Authorized Person
or the Procedures as hereinafter defined),
and causing exchanges of shares to be executed
in accordance with the instructions of
Authorized Persons, the applicable prospectus
and the general exchange privilege applicable;
(xviii) providing to the person designated by an Authorized
Person the daily Blue Sky reports generated by the Blue Sky module
of TA2000 with respect to purchases
of shares of the Funds on TA2000; (xix) providing
to the Fund escheatment reports as requested
by an Authorized Person with respect
to the status of accounts and outstanding
checks on TA2000 and (xxi) providing a Cash
Utilization Arrangement consistent with the provisions
set forth in Exhibit A. For clarification, with respect to Blue Sky obligations,
the Fund is responsible any registration or filing with a federal or state government body or obtaining approval from such body
required for the sale of shares of the Fund in each jurisdiction in which it is sold. DST’s
sole obligation is to provide the Fund
access to the Blue Sky
module
of TA2000 with respect to purchases
of shares of the Fund on TA2000.
It is the Fund’s responsibility
to validate that the blue sky module
settings are accurate and complete and to validate
the output produced thereby and other
applicable reports provided by DST, to ensure
accuracy. DST is not responsible in any way for claims that the sale of shares of the Fund violated any such requirement
(unless such violation results
from a failure of the DST
Blue Sky module to notify
the Fund that such sales do not comply
with the parameters set by the
Fund for sales to residents of a
given state).
| E. | At the request
of an Authorized Person, DST shall use reasonable
efforts to provide the services set forth
in Section 4.D in connection with transactions
(i) the processing of which
transactions require DST to use methods and procedures
other than those usually employed by DST to perform securityholder
servicing agent services, (ii) involving the provision
of information to DST after the
commencement of the nightly processing cycle
of the TA2000 System or (iii) which require
more manual intervention by DST, either
in the entry of data or in the modification or amendment
of reports generated by the TA2000 System than
is usually required by normal transactions,
(the “Exception Services”). |
| F. | DST shall
use reasonable efforts to provide, reasonably promptly under the circumstances,
the same services with respect to
any new, additional functions or features or
any changes or improvements to existing
functions or features as provided
for in the Fund's instructions, prospectus or application
as amended from time to time, for the Fund provided
(i) DST is advised in advance by
the Fund of any changes therein and
(ii) the TA2000 System and the
mode of operations utilized by DST as then constituted
supports such additional functions and features.
If any addition to, improvement of
or change in the features and functions currently
provided by the TA2000 System or the
operations as requested by the Fund requires
an enhancement or modification to
the TA2000 System or to operations as presently conducted by DST, DST shall
not be liable therefore until such modification
or enhancement is installed on the TA2000
System or new mode of operation is instituted.
If any new, additional function or feature or change
or improvement to existing functions
or features or new service or mode of operation
measurably increases DST's cost of
performing the services required hereunder at the current
level of service, DST shall advise the Fund of the amount
of such increase and if the Fund elects
to utilize such function, feature or service, DST shall |
be
entitled to increase its fees by the amount of the increase in costs. In no event shall DST be responsible for or liable to provide
any additional function, feature, improvement or change in method of operation until it has consented thereto in writing.
| G. | The Fund shall add all
new series to the TA2000 System upon at least thirty (30) days’
prior written notice to DST provided that the requirements
of the new series are generally consistent
with services then being provided by DST under this Agreement.
Rates or charges for additional series
shall be as set forth in Exhibit A, as
hereinafter defined, for the remainder
of the contract term except as such series
use functions, features or characteristics
for which DST has imposed an additional charge
as part of its standard pricing schedule.
In the latter event, rates and charges shall be in accordance
with DST's then-standard pricing schedule. |
| H. | The provisions of this Section 4.H that follow
this sentence shall take precedence over and shall govern in the event of any inconsistency between such provisions and any other
provisions of this Agency Agreement or any provisions of any exhibit or other attachment to this Agency Agreement (or any provisions
of any attachment to any such exhibit or attachment). The parties agree that – to the extent that DST provides any services
under this Agency Agreement that relate to compliance by the Fund with the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 or any other tax law,
including without limitation the services described in Section 4.D(x) – it is the parties’ mutual intent that DST will
provide only printing, reproducing, and other mechanical assistance to the Fund and that DST will not make any judgments or exercise
any discretion of any kind, and particularly that DST will not make any judgments or exercise any discretion in: (1) determining
generally the actions that are required in connection with such compliance or determining generally when such compliance has been
achieved; (2) determining the amounts of taxes that should be withheld on securityholder accounts (except to the extent of making
mathematical calculations of such amounts based on express instructions provided by the Fund); (3) determining the amounts that
should be reported in or on any specific box or line of any tax form (except to the extent of making mathematical calculations
of such amounts based on express instructions provided by the Fund which among other things identify the specific boxes and |
lines
into which amounts calculated by DST are to be placed); (4) classifying the status of securityholders and securityholder accounts
under applicable tax law (except to the extent of following express instructions regarding such classification provided by the
Fund); and (5) paying withholding and other taxes, except pursuant to the express instructions of the Fund. The Fund agrees that
it will provide express and comprehensive instructions to DST in connection with all of the services that are to be provided by
DST under this Agency Agreement that relate to compliance by the Fund with the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 or any other tax law
(including without limitation the services described in Section 4.D(x)), including promptly providing responses to requests for
direction that may be made from time to time by DST of the Fund in this regard.
| I. | [Delete if not applicable.] Additionally, DST shall cause its indirectly
wholly owned subsidiary, DST Output, LLC, or its subsidiaries, to perform the services outlined in Exhibit E, attached hereto (the
“Print Services”) for the fees and charges specified therein, and the services outlined in Exhibit D, attached hereto
(the “Fulfillment Services”) for the fees and charges specified therein. |
Unless
otherwise expressly limited by the resolution of appointment or by subsequent
action by the Fund, the appointment of DST as Transfer
Agent will be construed to cover the
full amount of authorized stock
of the class or classes for which DST is appointed
as the same will, from time to time, be constituted, and any subsequent
increases in such authorized amount.
In case of such
increase the Fund will file with DST:
| A. | If the
appointment of DST was theretofore expressly
limited, a certified copy of a resolution
of the Board of Directors of the Fund increasing the authority
of DST; |
| B. | A certified
copy of the amendment to the Articles of Incorporation
of the Fund authorizing the increase of stock; |
| C. | A certified
copy of the order or consent of
each governmental or regulatory authority required
by law to consent to the issuance of the increased stock, and
an opinion of counsel that the
order or consent of no other
governmental or regulatory authority is required; |
| D. | Opinion of
counsel for the Fund stating: |
| (1) | The status of the additional shares
of stock of the Fund under the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended, and any other applicable
federal or state statute; and |
| (2) | That the
additional shares are,
or when issued will be, validly
issued, fully paid and nonassessable. |
| 6. | Compensation and
Expenses. |
| A. | In consideration for
its services hereunder as Transfer Agent and
Dividend Disbursing Agent, the Fund will pay to DST from time to time a reasonable
compensation for all services rendered
as Agent, and also, all
its reasonable billable expenses, charges, counsel fees,
and other disbursements ("Compensation and
Expenses") incurred in connection with the agency.
Such compensation is set forth in a separate schedule to be agreed
to by the Fund and DST, a copy of which is attached
hereto as Exhibit A. If the Fund has not paid
such Compensation and Expenses to DST within a reasonable
time, DST may charge against any monies
held under this Agreement, the amount of any Compensation
and/or Expenses for which it shall
be entitled to reimbursement under this Agreement.
The monthly fee for an open account
shall be charged in the month
during which an account is opened through
the month in which such account is
closed. The monthly fee for
a closed account shall
be charged in the month following the
month during which such account is closed
and shall cease to be charged in the
month following the Purge Date, as hereinafter
defined in Section 17. |
| B. | The Fund also
agrees promptly to reimburse DST for all
reasonable billable expenses or
disbursements incurred by DST in connection with the performance of services
under this Agreement including, but not limited to, expenses for postage, express
delivery services, freight charges, envelopes, checks, drafts, forms (continuous or
otherwise), specially requested reports and statements,
telephone calls, telegraphs, stationery supplies,
counsel fees, outside printing and mailing firms (including
DST Output, LLC), magnetic tapes, reels
or cartridges (if sent to the
Fund or to a third party at the Fund's
request) and magnetic tape handling charges, off-site record storage, media
for storage of records (e.g., microfilm, microfiche,
optical platters, computer tapes), computer
equipment installed at the Fund's request at the Fund's
or a third party's premises, telecommunications |
equipment,
telephone/telecommunication lines between the Fund
and its agents, on one hand, and DST on the other,
proxy soliciting, processing and/or tabulating costs,
second-site backup computer facility, transmission
of statement data for remote
printing or processing, and National Securities Clearing Corporation ("NSCC")
transaction fees to the extent any of the foregoing
are paid by DST. The Fund agrees
to pay postage expenses at least one day in advance if so requested. In
addition, any other expenses incurred by DST at the request
or with the consent of the Fund will
be promptly reimbursed by the Fund.
| C. | Amounts due
hereunder shall be due and paid on or before
the thirtieth (30th) |
business
day after receipt of the statement therefor by the Fund (the
"Due Date"). The Fund is
aware that its failure to pay all
amounts in a timely fashion so that they will be received by DST on or before
the Due Date will give rise to costs
to DST not contemplated by this Agreement,
including but not limited to carrying, processing
and accounting charges. Accordingly, subject to Section 6.D.
hereof, in the event that any amounts due hereunder
are not received by DST by the Due Date, the Fund
shall pay a late charge equal to the lesser of the maximum amount
permitted by applicable law or the product
of one and one-half percent (1.5%) per
month times the amount overdue times the number
of months from the Due Date up to and
including the day on which payment is received
by DST. The parties hereby agree that such
late charge represents a fair and reasonable
computation of the costs incurred by reason of late payment or payment of amounts
not properly due. Acceptance of such late charge
shall in no event constitute a waiver
of the Fund's or DST's default
or prevent the non-defaulting party from exercising
any other rights and remedies available to it.
| D. | In the
event that any charges are disputed,
the Fund shall, on or before the Due Date, pay all undisputed amounts
due hereunder and notify DST in writing of any disputed
charges for billable expenses which it is disputing in good
faith. Payment for such disputed
charges shall be due on or before the close of the fifth (5th) |
business
day after the day on which DST
provides to the Fund documentation which an
objective observer would agree reasonably supports
the disputed charges (the "Revised Due Date"). Late
charges shall not begin to accrue as
to charges disputed in good faith until
the first business day after the Revised Due
Date.
| E. | The fees
and charges set forth on Exhibit A shall
increase or may be increased as follows: |
| (1) | On the first day of each
new term, in accordance with the "Fee Increases"
provision in Exhibit A; |
| (2) | DST may increase the fees
and charges set forth on Exhibit A upon
at least ninety (90) days prior written notice,
if changes in existing laws, rules or
regulations: (i) require substantial system
modifications or (ii) materially increase cost of performance
hereunder; |
| (3) | DST may charge for additional
features of TA2000 used by the Fund which
features are not consistent with the Fund's
current processing requirements; and |
| (4) | In the
event DST, at the Fund’s request or
direction, performs Exception Services, DST
shall be entitled to increase the fees and charges
for such Exception Services from those set forth
on Exhibit A to the extent such Exception Services increase DST’s cost
of performance. |
If
DST notifies the Fund of an increase
in fees or charges pursuant to subparagraph
(2)
of this Section 6.E., the parties shall confer,
diligently and in good faith and agree
upon a new fee to cover the amount necessary,
but not more than such amount, to reimburse
DST for the Fund's allocable portion
of the cost of developing the new software
to comply with regulatory charges and for the increased
cost of operation.
If
DST notifies the Fund of an increase in fees or charges under subparagraphs (3) or (4) of this Section 6.E., the parties shall
confer, diligently and in good faith, and agree upon a new fee to cover such new fund feature.
| 7. | Operation of
DST System. |
In connection
with the performance of its services under this Agreement, DST is responsible for such items as:
| A. | That entries in
DST's records, and in the Fund's records on
the TA2000 System created by DST, reflect the orders,
instructions, and other information received by DST from the Fund,
the Fund's distributor, manager or principal
underwriter, the Fund's investment adviser, the Fund’s
sponsor, the Fund’s custodian, the Fund’s
administrator and any other person whom the Fund names on Exhibit B (each an
“Authorized Person”), broker-dealers or securityholders; |
| B. | That securityholder
lists, securityholder account verifications, confirmations
and other securityholder account information to be produced from its records or
data be available and accurately reflect
the data in the Fund's records on the TA2000
System; |
| C. | The accurate and timely issuance of dividend
and distribution checks in accordance with instructions
received from the Fund and the data in
the Fund's records on the TA2000 System; |
| D. | That redemption transactions
and payments be effected
timely, under normal circumstances on the day of receipt,
and accurately in accordance with redemption
instructions received by DST from Authorized Persons, broker-dealers
or securityholders and the data in the Fund's records
on the TA2000 System; |
| E. | The deposit
daily in the Fund's appropriate special bank
account of all checks and payments received
by DST from NSCC, broker-dealers or
securityholders for investment in shares; |
| F. | Notwithstanding anything
herein to the contrary, with respect
to "as of" adjustments, DST
will not assume one hundred percent (100%) responsibility
for losses resulting from "as ofs"
due to clerical errors or misinterpretations
of securityholder instructions, but DST will discuss
with the Fund DST's accepting liability for an "as
of" on a case-by-case basis and may accept
financial responsibility for a particular situation resulting in a financial
loss to the Fund where such loss is “material”,
as hereinafter defined, and, under the particular facts at issue,
DST in its discretion believes DST’s conduct
was culpable and DST’s conduct is
the sole cause of the loss. A loss is “material” for purposes
of this Section 7.F. when it results
in a pricing error on a given day
which is (i) greater than a negligible
amount per securityholder, (ii) equals or exceeds one ($.01) full
cent per share times the number of shares outstanding or (iii) equals
or exceeds the product of one-half
of one percent (½%) times Fund’s Net Asset Value per share times the
number of shares outstanding (or, in case of (ii) or (iii),
such other amounts as may be adopted by applicable
accounting or regulatory authorities from time to time). When DST concludes
that it should contribute to the settlement
of a loss, DST’s responsibility will commence with that portion
of the loss over $0.01 per share calculated on the basis of the total value
of all shares owned by the |
affected portfolio
(i.e., on the basis of the value of the shares of the total portfolio, including all classes of that portfolio, not just those
of the affected class);
| G. | The requiring
of proper forms of instructions, signatures and signature
guarantees and any necessary documents
supporting the opening of securityholder accounts, transfers, redemptions and other
securityholder account transactions, all in
conformance with DST's present procedures as
set forth in its Legal Manual, Third Party
Check Procedures, Checkwriting Draft Procedures, Compliance + and
Identity Theft Programs and Signature
Guarantee Procedures (collectively the
"Procedures") with such changes or
deviations therefrom as may be from time
to time required or approved by the Fund,
its investment adviser or principal underwriter, or its or DST's counsel
and the rejection of orders or
instructions not in good order in accordance with the applicable
prospectus or the Procedures; |
| H. | The maintenance of customary records
in connection with its agency, and
particularly those records required to be maintained
pursuant to subparagraph (2)(iv) of paragraph
(b) of Rule 31a-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940,
as amended, if any; and |
| I. | The maintenance of a current,
duplicate set of the Fund's essential records at a secure
separate location, in a form available and usable forthwith in the event
of any breakdown or disaster disrupting its main operation. |
| A. | DST shall
provide the services set forth in,
and fulfill its obligations under, this
Agreement in accordance with the terms
and conditions set forth in this Agreement,
Section 17A of the 1934 Act, and the rules
and regulations thereunder, any other federal or securities laws
applicable to DST’s acting as a transfer agent. For those activities or
actions delineated in the Procedures, DST
shall be presumed to have acted
in accordance with the terms and
conditions of this Agreement if DST has acted
in accordance with the Procedures in
effect when DST acted or omitted
to act. |
| B. | DST shall
not be responsible for, and the
Fund shall indemnify and hold DST harmless from
and against, any and all losses, damages,
costs, charges, counsel fees, payments, expenses and liability which may be asserted
against DST or for which DST may be held to be liable
(including without limitation any attorney’s |
fees or
court costs incurred by DST in enforcing this right to the Fund’s indemnification) (the “Adverse Consequences”),
arising out of or attributable to:
| (1) | All actions
or omissions of DST required to
be taken or omitted by DST pursuant to this Agreement, provided that DST has fulfilled
all obligations under this Agreement
with respect to the matter for which DST is seeking indemnification; |
| (2) | The Fund's
refusal or failure to comply with the terms of this Agreement or the material
breach of any representation or warranty
of the Fund hereunder; |
| (3) | The good
faith reliance on, or the carrying out of, any written or oral instructions
or requests of persons designated by
the Fund in writing (see Exhibit B) from time to time as authorized
to give instructions on its behalf or representatives
of an Authorized Person or DST's good
faith reliance on, or use of, information,
data, records, transmissions and documents received from,
or which have been prepared and/or maintained by the Fund, its investment
advisor, its sponsor, its principal underwriter
or any other person or entity from whom the Fund
instructs DST to accept and utilize information,
data, records, transmissions and documents; |
| (4) | Defaults by
dealers or shareowners with respect
to payment for share orders previously entered; |
| (5) | The offer or sale of the Fund's
shares in violation of any requirement under federal
securities laws or regulations or the securities laws or regulations
of any state or in violation of any stop order or other determination
or ruling by any federal agency or state with respect
to the offer or sale of such shares in such state (unless
such violation results from DST's failure
to comply with written instructions of the Fund
or of any officer of the Fund that no offers
or sales be permitted to remain in the Fund's
securityholder records in or to residents of such state); |
| (6) | The Fund's
errors and mistakes in the use of the TA2000 System, the data
center, computer and related equipment used to access the TA2000 System (the
"DST Facilities"), and control procedures relating thereto in the
verification of output and in the remote input
of data; |
| (7) | Errors, inaccuracies,
and omissions in, or errors, inaccuracies or
omissions of DST arising out of or resulting from such errors,
inaccuracies and omissions in, the Fund's records,
securityholder and other records, delivered to DST hereunder
by the Fund or its prior agent(s); |
| (8) | Actions or
omissions to act by the Fund or agents
designated by the Fund with respect to
duties assumed thereby as provided for in Section 21 hereof;
and |
(9)
DST’s performance of Exception
Services except where DST acted or omitted
to act in bad faith, with reckless
disregard of its obligations or with gross
negligence.
| C. | Except where
DST is entitled to indemnification under
Section 8.B. hereof and with respect to "as
ofs" set forth in Section 7.F., DST shall indemnify and hold the Fund harmless
from and against any and all
Adverse Consequences arising out of DST's
failure to comply with the terms of, or to fulfill its obligations under, this
Agreement or arising out of or attributable
to DST's material breach of any representation
or warranty of DST hereunder; provided, however,
that DST's cumulative
liability during any term of this Agreement
with respect to, arising
from or arising in connection
with this Agreement, or
from all services provided or omitted
to be provided under this Agreement,
whether in contract, or in tort,
or otherwise, is limited to, and shall
not exceed, the amounts paid hereunder
by the Fund to DST as fees
and charges, but not including reimbursable
expenses, during the six
(6) months immediately preceding the event
giving rise to DST’s liability. |
D.
IN NO EVENT AND UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES
SHALL EITHER PARTY UNDER THIS AGREEMENT BE LIABLE TO ANY PERSON,
INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION THE OTHER
PARTY, FOR PUNITIVE, CONSEQUENTIAL, INCIDENTAL, INDIRECT, OR OTHER SPECIAL DAMAGES
UNDER ANY PROVISION OF THIS AGREEMENT
OR FOR ANY ACT OR FAILURE TO ACT
HEREUNDER, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY
THEREOF.
E.
Promptly after receipt by an indemnified person
of notice of the commencement of
any action, such indemnified person will, if a claim
in respect thereto is to be made against
an indemnifying party hereunder, notify the indemnifying party in writing
of
the commencement thereof; but the failure so
to notify the indemnifying party will not relieve an indemnifying party from
any liability that it may have to any indemnified person for
contribution or otherwise under the indemnity agreement contained herein except
to the extent it is prejudiced as a proximate result
of such failure to timely notify. In case
any such action is brought against any indemnified
person and such indemnified person seeks or intends to seek indemnity from
an indemnifying party, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate
in, and, to the extent that it
may wish, assume the defense thereof
(in its own name or in the name and on
behalf of any indemnified party or both
with counsel reasonably satisfactory to
such indemnified person); provided, however, if the defendants
in any such action include both the indemnified
person and an indemnifying party and the indemnified
person shall have reasonably concluded that there may be a conflict
between the positions of the indemnified person and
an indemnifying party in conducting the defense of any such action
or that there may be legal defenses available to it and/or other indemnified
persons which are inconsistent with those
available to an indemnifying party, the indemnified person
or indemnified persons shall have the right
to select one separate counsel (in addition
to local counsel) to assume such
legal defense and to otherwise participate in
the defense of such action on behalf
of such indemnified person or indemnified
persons at such indemnified party's sole expense.
Upon receipt of notice from an indemnifying party to such
indemnified person of its election so to assume
the defense of such action and approval
by the indemnified person of counsel,
which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld (and any disapproval
shall be accompanied by a written statement
of the reasons therefor), the indemnifying party will not be liable to such
indemnified person hereunder for any
legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such indemnified
person in connection with the defense
thereof. An indemnifying party will not settle
or compromise or consent to the
entry of any judgment with respect to
any pending or threatened claim, action, suit
or proceeding in respect of which indemnification
or contribution may be sought hereunder
(whether or not the indemnified persons are
actual or potential parties to such claim,
action, suit or proceeding) unless such
settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional
release of each indemnified person from all
liability
arising out of such claim, action, suit
or proceeding. An indemnified party will not, without
the prior written consent of the indemnifying party settle or compromise or
consent to the entry of any judgment with respect
to any pending or threatened claim, action,
suit or proceeding in respect of
which indemnification or contribution may
be sought hereunder. If it does so, it
waives its right to indemnification
therefor.
| 9. | Certain Covenants of
DST and the Fund. |
| A. | All requisite steps will be taken by the Fund
from time to time when and as necessary to register the Fund's shares for
sale in all states in which the Fund's shares
shall at the time be offered for sale and
require registration. If at any time the Fund receives notice or becomes aware
of any stop order or other proceeding in any such state affecting such registration
or the sale of the Fund's shares, or of any stop order
or other proceeding under the federal
securities laws affecting the sale of the Fund's
shares, the Fund will give prompt notice thereof to DST. |
| B. | DST hereby agrees
to perform such transfer agency functions as are set
forth in Section 4.D. above and establish
and maintain facilities and procedures reasonably acceptable
to the Fund for safekeeping of stock
certificates, check forms, and facsimile signature
imprinting devices, if any; and
for the preparation or use,
and for keeping account of, such certificates,
forms and devices, and to carry such insurance as it considers
adequate and reasonably available. |
| C. | To the extent
required by Section 31 of the Investment
Company Act of 1940 as amended and
Rules thereunder, DST agrees that all
records maintained by DST relating to the services
to be performed by DST under this Agreement are the property of the Fund and will
be preserved and will be surrendered promptly
to the Fund on request. |
| D. | DST agrees
to furnish the Fund annual reports of
its financial condition, consisting of a balance sheet, earnings statement
and any other financial information reasonably
requested by the Fund. The annual
financial statements will be certified
by DST's certified public accountants. |
| E. | DST represents
and agrees that it will use its reasonable
efforts to keep current on the trends
of the investment company industry relating to securityholder services and
will use its reasonable efforts to continue
to modernize and improve. |
| F. | DST will permit the Fund and
its authorized representatives (subject to execution of DST’s
standard confidentiality and non-use agreement) to make periodic
inspections of its operations as such involves or is utilized by DST to provide
services to the Fund at reasonable times
during business hours. DST will permit the Internal Revenue Service and any other
tax authority to inspect its operations in connection with examinations by any such authority of DST’s or other taxpayer’s
compliance with the tax laws, and the costs of each such inspection and examination shall be paid by the Fund to the extent that
the examination relates to DST’s performance of services under this Agency Agreement. DST will permit
duly authorized federal examiners to make periodic inspections
of its operations as such would involve
the Fund to obtain, inter alia, information and records relating to DST’s
performance of its Compliance + Program or Identity Theft Program obligations and to inspect DST’s operations for purposes
of the Program.” Any costs imposed by such examiners in connection with such examination (other than fines or other penalties)
shall be paid by the Fund. |
| G. | The Fund shall not enter into one or more
omnibus, third-party sub-agency or sub accounting agreements with (i) unaffiliated third-party broker/dealers or other financial
intermediaries who have a distribution agreement with the affected Funds or (ii) third party administrators of group retirement
or annuity plans, unless the Fund either (A) provides DST with a minimum of twelve (12) months’ notice before the accounts
are deconverted from DST, or (B), if twelve (12) months’ notice is not possible, Fund shall compensate DST by paying a one-time
termination fee equal to $.10 per deconverted account per month for every month short of the twelve (12) months’ notice in
connection with each such deconversion. |
| H. | DST shall comply with Exhibit C (Information
Protection Program), which are made a part of this Agreement and apply to the Services. The policies and procedures specified in
Exhibit C (Information Protection Program) are subject to change at any time in accordance with DST’s internal change control
procedures, |
provided
that the protections afforded thereby will not be diminished in comparison with those currently provided by DST to the Fund under
this Agreement. Throughout the Term of this Agreement, as part of the Services, DST shall maintain reasonable backup and security
procedures in accordance with its then current internal policies and procedures. DST will be reasonably available to meet with
and provide assurances to the Fund concerning its backup procedures as well as its security procedures.
| 10. | Recapitalization or
Readjustment. |
In
case of any recapitalization, readjustment or other change
in the capital structure of the Fund
requiring a change in the form of stock certificates,
DST will issue or register certificates
in the new form in exchange for, or in transfer
of, the outstanding certificates in the old form,
upon receiving:
| A. | Written instructions from
an officer of the Fund; |
| B. | Certified copy
of the amendment to the Articles of Incorporation
or other document effecting the change; |
| C. | Certified copy
of the order or consent of each governmental
or regulatory authority, required by law to the issuance of the stock in the
new form, and an opinion of counsel that
the order or consent of no other government
or regulatory authority is required; |
| D. | Specimens of
the new certificates in the form approved by the Board
of Directors of the Fund, with a certificate of the Secretary of the Fund as to such
approval; |
| E. | Opinion of
counsel for the Fund stating: |
| (1) | The status
of the shares of stock of the Fund in the new
form under the 1933 Act, and any other applicable
federal or state statute; and |
| (2) | That the
issued shares in the new form are,
and all unissued shares
will be, when issued, validly issued, fully paid
and nonassessable. |
| 11. | Stock Certificates. [STRIKE IF THE FUND WILL NOT ISSUE STOCK
CERTIFICATES] |
| A. | The Fund will furnish
DST with a sufficient supply of blank
stock certificates and from time to time will renew
such supply upon the request of DST. Such
certificates will be signed manually or by facsimile
signatures of the officers of the |
Fund
authorized by law and by bylaws to sign stock certificates, and if required,
will bear the corporate seal or facsimile
thereof.
| B. | In the event that certificates for shares
of the Fund shall be represented to have been lost, stolen or destroyed, DST, upon being furnished with an indemnity bond in such
form and amount and with such surety as shall be reasonably satisfactory to it, is authorized to countersign a new certificate
or certificates for the number of shares of the Fund represented by the lost or stolen certificate. |
| C. | In the event that certificates of the Fund
shall be represented to have been lost, stolen, missing, counterfeited or recovered, DST shall file Form X-17F-1A with the Securities
and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), or its designee, as required by Rule 17f-1(c) under the 1934 Act. |
| 12. | Death, Resignation
or Removal of Signing Officer. |
The
Fund will file promptly with DST written notice of any change
in the officers authorized to sign stock certificates,
written instructions or requests, together
with two signature cards bearing the specimen signature
of each newly authorized officer.
In case any officer of the Fund who will
have signed manually or whose facsimile signature will have
been affixed to blank stock certificates will die,
resign, or be removed prior to the issuance of such
certificates, DST may issue or register such stock certificates
as the stock certificates of the Fund notwithstanding
such death, resignation, or removal,
until specifically directed to the contrary by the Fund in writing.
In the absence of such direction, the
Fund will file promptly with DST such approval,
adoption, or ratification as may be required by law.
| 13. | Future Amendments of
Charter/Declaration and Bylaws/Articles, as appropriate. |
The
Fund will promptly file with DST copies of
all material amendments to its Articles of Incorporation
or Bylaws made after the date of this Agreement.
| 14. | Instructions, Opinion of
Counsel and Signatures. |
At any
time DST may apply to any person authorized by the Fund to give instructions
to DST, and may with the approval of
a Fund officer consult with legal counsel for
the Fund, or DST’s own legal counsel at the expense
of the Fund, with respect to any
matter arising in connection with the agency and
it will not be liable for any action taken or omitted
by it in good faith in reliance upon
such instructions or upon the
opinion of such counsel. In connection with services
provided by DST under this Agency Agreement that
relate to
compliance
by the Fund with the Internal Revenue Code of 1986
or any other tax law, including without
limitation the services described in Section
4.D(x), DST shall have no obligation
to continue to provide such services
after it has asked the Fund to
give it instructions which it believes are
needed by it to so continue to provide
such services and before it receives
the needed instructions from the Fund, and
DST shall have no liability for any damages (including
without limitation penalties imposed
by any tax authority) caused by
or that result from its failure to provide services
as contemplated by this sentence. DST will be protected in acting upon
any paper or document reasonably believed by it to be genuine
and to have been signed by the proper person
or persons and will not be held to
have notice of any change of authority of any person, until receipt
of written notice thereof from the Fund. It
will also be protected in recognizing
stock certificates which it reasonably believes to bear the proper manual
or facsimile signatures of the officers
of the Fund, and the proper countersignature
of any former Transfer Agent or Registrar,
or of a co-Transfer Agent or co-Registrar.
| 15. | Force Majeure and Disaster
Recovery Plans. |
| A. | DST shall not be responsible or liable for
its failure or delay in performance of its obligations under this Agreement arising out of or caused, directly or indirectly, by
circumstances beyond its reasonable control, including, without limitation: any interruption, loss or malfunction of any utility,
transportation, computer (hardware or software) or communication service; inability to obtain labor, material, equipment or transportation,
or a delay in mails; governmental or exchange action, statute, ordinance, rulings, regulations or direction; war, strike, riot,
emergency, civil disturbance, terrorism, vandalism, explosions, labor disputes, freezes, floods, fires, tornados, acts of God or
public enemy, revolutions, or insurrection; or any other cause, contingency, circumstance or delay not subject to DST's reasonable
control which prevents or hinders DST's performance hereunder. |
| B. | Provided the Fund is paying its pro rata portion
of the charge therefor, DST shall provide back-up facilities to the data center or centers used by DST to provide the transfer
agency services hereunder (collectively, the “Back-Up Facilities”) capable of supplying the transfer agency services
specified herein to the Funds in case of damage to the primary facility providing those services. The back-up to |
the
data center operations facility will have no other function that could not be suspended immediately for an indefinite period of
time to the extent necessary to allow, or continue to be supported while allowing, the facility to function as a back-up facility
and support all functionality scheduled to be supported in DST’s Business Contingency Plan. Transfer to the Back-Up Facility
shall commence promptly after the DST’s declaration of a disaster and shall be conducted in accordance with DST’s Business
Contingency Plan, which Plan calls for the transfer of TA2000 to the Back-Up Facilities to be completed within 4 hours after DST’s
declaration of a disaster. The Fund shall not bear any costs (in addition to the Fees and charges set forth in Exhibit A attached
hereto) related to such transfer. At least once annually, DST shall complete a successful test of the Business Contingency Plan.
| C. | DST also currently maintains, separate from
the area in which the operations which provides
the services to the Fund hereunder are
located, a Crisis Management Center
consisting of phones, computers and the other equipment
necessary to operate a full service
transfer agency business in the event
one of its operations areas is rendered
inoperable. The transfer of operations
to other operating areas or to the Crisis Management Center
is also covered in DST's Business Contingency
Plan. |
| 16. | Certification of
Documents. |
The
required copy of the Articles of Incorporation
of the Fund and copies of all amendments
thereto will be certified by the Secretary of State (or other appropriate
official) of the State of Incorporation, and if such Articles
of Incorporation and amendments are required
by law to be also filed with a county, city or other officer of official
body, a certificate of such filing
will appear on the certified copy submitted to DST. A copy of the order
or consent of each governmental or
regulatory authority required by law to the issuance
of the stock will be certified by
the Secretary or Clerk of such governmental
or regulatory authority, under proper seal of such authority.
The copy of the Bylaws and copies of
all amendments thereto, and copies of
resolutions of the Board of Directors
of the Fund, will be certified by
the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Fund
under the Fund's seal.
DST
will maintain customary records in connection with its agency, and particularly will maintain those records required to be maintained
pursuant to subparagraph (2) (iv) of paragraph (b) of Rule 31a-1 under the 1940 Act, as amended, if any. Notwithstanding anything
in this Agreement to the contrary, the records to be maintained and preserved by DST on the TA2000 System under this Agreement
shall be maintained and preserved in accordance with the following:
| A. | Annual Purges by August 31: DST and the Fund
shall mutually agree upon a date for the annual purge of the appropriate history transactions from the Transaction History (A88)
file for accounts (both regular and tax advantaged accounts) that were open as of January 1 of the current year, such purge to
be complete no later than August 31. Purges completed after this date will subject Fund to the Aged History Retention fees set
forth in the Fee Schedule attached hereto as Exhibit A. |
| B. | Purge Criteria: In order to avoid the Aged
History Retention fees, history data for regular or ordinary accounts (that is, non-tax advantaged accounts) must be purged if
the confirmation date of the history transaction is prior to January 1 of the current year and history data for tax advantaged
accounts (retirement and educational savings accounts) must be purged if the confirmation date of the history transaction is prior
to January 1 of the prior year. All purged history information shall be retained on magnetic tape for seven (7) years. |
| C. | Purged History
Retention Options (entail an additional fee):
For the additional fees set forth on the Fee Schedule attached
hereto as Exhibit A, Fund may choose
(i) to place purged history information
on the Purged Transaction History
(A19) table or |
(ii)
to retain history information on the Transaction
History (A88) file beyond the timeframes defined above. Retaining
information on the A19 table allows for viewing of this data through online
facilities and E-Commerce applications. This database does not support those
histories being printed on statements and reports and is not available for
on request job executions.
| 18. | Disposition of
Books, Records and Canceled Certificates. |
DST
may send periodically to the Fund, or to where designated
by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Fund, all
books, documents, and all records
no longer deemed needed for current purposes
and stock certificates which have been canceled in transfer or
in
exchange, upon the understanding that such
books, documents, records, and stock certificates
will be maintained by the Fund under and
in accordance with the requirements of
Section 17Ad-7 adopted under the 1934 Act, including
by way of example and not limitation
Section 17Ad-7(g) thereof. Such materials will not be destroyed by the Fund without
the consent of DST (which consent will
not be unreasonably withheld), but will be safely stored
for possible future reference.
| 19. | Provisions Relating
to DST as Transfer Agent. |
| A. | DST will make original issues
of shares or, if shares are certificated,
stock certificates upon written request of an officer of the Fund
and upon being furnished with a certified
copy of a resolution of the Board of Directors authorizing such original
issue, an opinion of counsel as outlined in subparagraphs 1.D. and G. of this
Agreement, any documents required by
Sections 5. or 10. of this Agreement, and
necessary funds for the payment of any
original issue tax. |
| B. | Before making
any original issue of certificates the Fund
will furnish DST with sufficient funds
to pay all required taxes on the
original issue of the stock, if any.
The Fund will furnish DST such evidence
as may be required by DST to show the actual
value of the stock. If no taxes are payable DST will be furnished
with an opinion of outside counsel to that
effect. |
| C. | Shares of
stock will be transferred and, if shares are certificated,
new certificates issued in transfer,
or shares of stock accepted for
redemption and funds remitted therefor, or
book entry transfer be effected,
upon surrender of the old certificates in form
or receipt by DST of instructions deemed
by DST properly endorsed for transfer or redemption
accompanied by such documents as DST may deem necessary to evidence
the authority of the person making the
transfer or redemption. DST reserves the
right to refuse to transfer, exchange,
sell or redeem shares until it is satisfied
that the endorsement or signature on the certificate
or any other document is valid and genuine,
and for that purpose it may require a guaranty of signature in accordance
with the Signature Guarantee Procedures. DST also
reserves the right to refuse to transfer,
exchange, sell or redeem shares until it is satisfied
that the requested transfer or redemption
is legally authorized, and it will incur
no liability for the refusal in good
faith to make transfers or redemptions
which, in its judgment, are improper or unauthorized. DST may, in effecting such |
transfers,
exchanges, ssles or redemptions, rely upon the Procedures,
Simplification Acts, Uniform Commercial Code or other statutes that
protect DST and the Fund or both in not
requiring complete fiduciary documentation.
In cases in which DST is not directed or otherwise required
to maintain the consolidated records
of securityholder's accounts, DST will not be liable for any loss which may arise
by reason of not having such records.
| D. | When mail is used for
delivery of stock certificates, DST will forward stock
certificates in "nonnegotiable" form by first class or registered
mail and stock certificates in "negotiable"
form by registered mail, all such
mail deliveries to be covered while in
transit to the addressee by insurance arranged
for by DST. |
| E. | DST will issue and
mail subscription warrants, certificates representing stock dividends, exchanges or
split ups, or act as Conversion Agent upon
receiving written instructions from any officer of the Fund
and such other documents as DST deems
necessary. |
| F. | DST will issue,
transfer, and split up certificates
and will issue certificates of stock
representing full shares upon surrender of scrip certificates aggregating one
full share or more when presented to
DST for that purpose upon receiving written
instructions from an officer of the Fund and such other documents as DST may deem
necessary. |
| G. | If the
Fund issues shares in certificated
form, DST may issue new certificates in place of certificates
represented to have been lost, destroyed, stolen or otherwise wrongfully taken
upon receiving instructions from the Fund and
indemnity satisfactory to DST and the Fund, and may issue new certificates in exchange
for, and upon surrender of, mutilated
certificates. Such instructions from the Fund will be in such form
as will be approved by the Board of
Directors of the Fund and will be in accordance
with the provisions of law and the
bylaws of the Fund governing such matter. |
| H. | DST will supply a securityholders
list to the Fund for its annual meeting upon receiving
a request from an officer of the
Fund. It will also, at the expense of
the Fund, supply lists at such other
times as may be requested by an officer of the Fund. |
| I. | Upon receipt of
written instructions of an officer of the Fund, DST will, at the expense
of the Fund, address and mail notices
to securityholders. |
| J. | In case
of any request or demand for the inspection
of the stock books of the Fund or any other books
in the possession of DST, DST will endeavor
to notify the Fund and to secure instructions
as to permitting or refusing such inspection.
DST reserves the right, however,
to exhibit the stock books or other books to any person in case
it is advised by its counsel that
it may be held responsible for the failure to exhibit the stock books or other
books to such person. |
| K. | DST agrees
to furnish the Fund with (1) annual reports
of its financial condition, consisting of a balance sheet, earnings
statement and any other financial information as is made public
by DST in connection with the foregoing and
(2) semi-annually with a copy of a Statement on Standards for Attestation Engagements No. 16 (SSAE 16), report on controls
at a Service Organization or successor report issued by DST’s certified public
accountants pursuant to Rule 17Ad-13 under
the 1934 Act as filed with SEC. The annual
financial statements will be certified by DST's certified
public accountants and the posting of a current copy thereof on DST’s
website shall be deemed to be delivery to the Fund. |
| L. | (1) DST
shall assist the Fund to fulfill the Fund’s responsibilities under certain provisions of USA PATRIOT Act, Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx
Act, Title V of Gramm Xxxxx Xxxxxx Act, Securities Act of 1933, Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, and 1940 Act, including, inter
alia, Rule 38a-1, by complying with Compliance +™,
a compliance program that focuses on certain business processes that represent key activities of the transfer agent/service provider
function (the “Compliance + Program”), a copy of which has hitherto been made available to Fund. These business processes
are anti-money laundering, certificate processing, correspondence processing, fingerprinting, lost securityholder processing, reconciliation
and control, transaction processing, customer identification, transfer agent administration and safeguarding fund assets and securities.
DST reserves the right to make changes thereto as experience suggests alternative and better ways to perform the affected function.
DST shall provide the Fund with written notice of any such changes. |
| (2) | DST shall perform the procedures set forth in
the Compliance + Program, as amended by DST from time to time, which pertain to DST’s |
performance
of those transfer agency services in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, (ii) implement and maintain
internal controls and procedures reasonably necessary to insure that our employees act in accordance with the Compliance + Program,
and
(iii)
provide the Fund with written notice of any material changes made to the Program as attached
hereto.
| (3) | Notwithstanding the foregoing, DST’s
obligations shall be solely as are set forth in this Section and in the Compliance + Program, as amended, and any of obligations
under the enumerated Acts and Regulations that DST has not agreed to perform on the Fund’s behalf under the Compliance +
Program or under this Agreement shall remain the Fund’s sole obligation. |
| M. | In connection with the enactment of the Red Flags
Regulations (the “Regulations”) promulgated jointly by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Treasury (OCC);
Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Board); Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC); Office of Thrift Supervision,
Treasury (OTS); National Credit Union Administration (NCUA); and Federal Trade Commission (FTC or Commission) implementing section
114 of the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003 (FACT Act) and final rules implementing section 315 of the FACT Act: |
| (1) | DST shall assist the Fund to fulfill the Funds’
responsibilities under certain provisions of the Regulations that focus on certain business processes that represent key activities
of the transfer agent/service provider function, as set forth in the DST identity theft program (the “Identity Theft Program”),
a current copy of which has hitherto been made available to Fund. These business processes are set forth in the Identity Theft
Program. DST reserves the right to make changes thereto as experience suggests alternative and better ways to perform the affected
function. DST shall provide Fund with written notice of any such changes thereto. |
| (2) | DST shall: (i) perform the procedures set
forth in the Identity Theft Program, as amended by DST from time to time, which pertain to DST’s performance of those transfer
agency services in accordance with the |
terms
and conditions set forth in this Agreement, (ii) implement and maintain internal controls and procedures reasonably necessary to
insure that DST’s employees act in accordance with the Identity Theft Program, and (iii) provide Fund with written notice
of any material changes made to the Identity Theft Program.
| (3) | Notwithstanding the foregoing, DST’s
obligations shall be solely as are set forth in this Section 20.M. and in the Identity Theft Program and any obligations under
the Regulations that DST has not agreed to perform under such Identity Theft Program or under this Agreement shall remain the sole
obligation of the Fund(s) or the Fund, as applicable. |
| (4) | With respect to the Identity Theft Program,
DST will permit duly authorized governmental and self-regulatory examiners to make periodic
inspections of its operations as such would
involve Fund and the Funds to obtain, inter alia, information and records
relating to DST’s performance of its obligations under the Identity Theft Program and to inspect DST’s operations for
purposes of determining DST’s compliance with the Identity Theft Program. Any costs imposed by such examiners in connection
with such examination (other than fines or other penalties arising solely out of DST’s failure to fulfill its obligations
under the Identity Theft Program) shall be paid by Fund. |
| N. | DST shall establish on behalf of the Fund banking
relationships for the conduct of the business of the Fund in accordance with the terms set forth in Section 20.D. of this Agreement. |
| 20. | Provisions Relating
to Dividend Disbursing and Paying Agency (as well
as the receipt, deposit and payment of funds by the Transfer
Agent in connection with the purchase
and redemption of Funds shares). |
| A. | DST will, at the expense
of the Fund, provide a special form of check containing the imprint
of any device or other matter desired by the Fund.
Said checks must, however, be of a form
and size convenient for use by DST. |
| B. | If the
Fund desires to include additional printed matter,
financial statements, etc., with the
dividend checks, the same will be furnished
DST within a reasonable time prior
to the date of mailing of the dividend checks, at the expense of the Fund. |
| C. | If the
Fund desires its distributions mailed
in any special form of envelopes, sufficient
supply of the same will be furnished to DST but the size and form of said envelopes
will be subject to the approval of
DST. If stamped envelopes are used, they must be furnished
by the Fund; or if postage stamps are to be affixed
to the envelopes, the stamps or the cash necessary for such stamps must be
furnished by the Fund. |
| D. | DST, acting as agent
for the Fund, is hereby authorized (1) to establish
in the name of, and to maintain on behalf
of, the Fund, on the usual terms and conditions prevalent in the industry,
including limits or caps based on fees
paid over some period of time on the maximum liability of such Banks,
as hereinafter defined, one or more deposit
accounts at a nationally or regionally known banking institution (the
“Bank”) into which DST shall deposit the funds DST receives
for payment of dividends, distributions, purchases of Fund’s
shares, transfers of Fund shares, redemptions of Fund
shares, commissions, corporate re-organizations (including recapitalizations
or liquidations) or any other disbursements made by DST on behalf
of the Fund provided for in this
Agreement, (2) to draw checks upon such
accounts, to issue orders or instructions to
the Bank for the payment out of such accounts
as necessary or appropriate to accomplish
the purposes for which such funds were
provided to DST, and (3) to establish, to implement and to transact
Fund business through Automated Clearinghouse (“ACH”), Draft Processing,
Wire Transfer and any other banking relationships,
arrangements and agreements with such Bank as are necessary or appropriate
to fulfill DST’s obligations under this Agreement.
DST, acting as agent for the Fund, is also hereby authorized to execute on
behalf and in the name of the Fund, on
the usual terms and conditions prevalent in the industry,
including limits or caps based on fees paid over some period of time on the maximum
liability of such Banks, agreements with
banks for ACH, wire transfer, draft processing
services, as well as any other services which are necessary or appropriate
for DST to utilize to accomplish the purposes
of this Agreement. In each of the foregoing
situations the Fund shall be liable on such
agreements with the Bank as if it itself had executed
the agreement. DST shall not be liable for any Adverse
Consequences arising out of or resulting from errors or omissions of the |
Bank provided,
however, that DST shall have acted in good faith, with due diligence and without negligence.
| E. | DST is authorized
and directed to stop payment of checks theretofore issued hereunder, but not
presented for payment, when the payees
thereof allege either that they have not received the checks
or that such checks have been
mislaid, lost, stolen, destroyed or through
no fault of theirs, are otherwise
beyond their control, and cannot be produced
by them for presentation and collection,
and, to issue and deliver duplicate checks
in replacement thereof. |
| 21. | Assumption of
Duties By the Fund or Agents Designated By the Fund. |
| A. | The Fund
or its designated agents other than DST may assume
certain duties and responsibilities of DST or those services
of Transfer Agent and Dividend Disbursing
Agent as those terms are referred to in Section
4.D. of this Agreement including but
not limited to answering and responding to telephone
inquiries from securityholders and brokers, accepting securityholder and
broker instructions (either or both oral and
written) and transmitting orders based on such instructions
to DST, preparing and mailing confirmations,
obtaining certified TIN numbers, classifying
the status of securityholders and securityholder accounts under applicable
tax law, establishing securityholder accounts on the TA2000 System
and assigning social codes and Taxpayer Identification
Number codes thereof, and disbursing monies of the Fund,
said assumption to be embodied in writing to be signed
by both parties. |
| B. | To the extent
the Fund or its agent or affiliate assumes
such duties and responsibilities, DST shall be relieved
from all responsibility and liability
therefor and is hereby indemnified and held
harmless against any liability therefrom and in the same manner and
degree as provided for in Section 8 hereof. |
| C. | Initially the Fund
or its designees shall be responsible
for the following: [LIST RESPONSIBILITIES OR DELETE
AS APPROPRIATE.] (i) answer and
respond to phone calls from securityholders and broker-dealers, and
(ii) scan items into DST's AWDTM
System as such
calls or items are received by the Fund, and (iii) |
enter and confirm
wire order trades.
| 22. | Termination of
Agreement. |
| A. | This Agreement
shall be in effect for an initial period
of years (the “Initial Term”)
and thereafter may be terminated by either
party as of the last day of the |
then
current term by the giving to the other party of at least one (1) year's prior
written notice, provided, however, that the
effective date of any termination shall not occur during the period from December
15 through March 30 of any year to avoid adversely
impacting year end. If such notice is
not given by either party to the other
at least one (1) year prior to the end of
the then current term, this Agreement shall
automatically extend for a new term equivalent
to the same number of years as
the Initial Term unless a different period is contained in any new Fee Schedule as
the period during which such Fee Schedule shall be effective (in which latter event the period for which the Fee Schedule applies
shall be the length of the new term), each such successive term or period, as applicable, being a new “term” of this
Agreement, upon the expiration of any
term hereof unless terminated as hereinafter provided
in Section 22. B.
| B. | Each party,
in addition to any other rights and remedies, shall have the right
to terminate this Agreement forthwith
upon the occurrence at any time of any of the following events with respect
to the other party: |
| (1) | The bankruptcy of the other
party or its assigns or the appointment
of a receiver for the other party or its assigns;
or |
| (2) | a material
breach of this Agreement by the other party,
which breach continues for thirty (30) days
after receipt of written notice from the first party;
or |
| (3) | Failure by the Fund to pay Compensation and
Expenses as they become due, which failure continues for thirty (30) days after receipt of
written notice from DST. |
| (4) | [Delete if not applicable] Notwithstanding
the preceding sentence, (i) in the event of a failure by DST Output, LLC related to the Print Services or the Fulfillment Services,
which failure materially adversely affects the business
operations of the Fund and which failure continues
for thirty (30) days after receipt of written notice from the Fund, the Fund’s
right of termination shall be limited to termination of the Print Services or Fulfillment Services, as applicable, rather than
termination of this Agreement in its entirety. |
| C. | In the
event of termination, the Fund will promptly
pay DST all amounts due to DST hereunder and
DST will use its reasonable efforts to transfer
the records of the Fund to the designated
successor transfer agent, to provide reasonable assistance to the Fund
and its designated successor transfer agent, and to provide
other information relating to its services
provided hereunder (subject to the recompense
of DST for such assistance at
its standard rates and fees for personnel
then in effect at that time);
provided, however, as used herein "reasonable
assistance" and "other information" shall not include assisting
any new service or system provider to modify,
alter, enhance, or improve its system or to improve,
enhance, or alter its current system, or to provide any new, functionality
or to require DST to disclose any DST Confidential
Information, as hereinafter defined, or any information
which is otherwise confidential to DST. |
| A. | DST agrees
that, except as provided in the last sentence of Section 19.J. hereof, or as
otherwise required by law, DST will keep confidential
all records of and
information in its possession relating to the Fund
or its securityholders or securityholder
accounts and will not disclose the same to any person not an affiliate
of DST except as necessary to fulfill DST’s obligations under this Agreement
or at the request or with the consent of
the Fund. |
| B. | The Fund
agrees to keep confidential all financial
statements and other financial records received
from DST, the terms and provisions of
this Agreement, all accountant’s reports
relating to DST, and all manuals,
systems and other technical information and
data, not publicly disclosed, relating to DST's
operations and programs furnished to it by DST pursuant to this Agreement
and will not disclose the same to any person
except at the request or with the consent
of DST. |
| C. | Governmental Disclosures. If a party is required
to file this Agreement or any portion thereof with, or to provide any information pertaining to this Agreement to, any state or
federal agency or regulatory body, it shall notify the other party sufficiently in advance for the parties to work together to
redact such provisions and to keep confidential such information as the other party deems sensitive. The |
Fund
acknowledges that at a minimum DST considers all monetary provisions, service levels and damage limitation and formulas in this
Agreement as confidential. Each party shall use its best commercially reasonable efforts to advance the position of the other party
with the governmental agency or regulatory body that such provisions or information should not be provided or should not be made
publicly available, and each party shall keep the other party apprised of any decision by the agency or regulatory body in this
regard. Each party shall provide the other party with copies of all written communications with the agency or regulatory body pertaining
to the services to be provided hereunder or to this Agreement.
C.
(1) The Fund acknowledges that DST has
proprietary rights in and to the TA2000 System
used to perform services hereunder including,
but not limited to the maintenance of securityholder accounts and records, processing
of related information and generation
of output, including, without limitation
any changes or modifications of the TA2000 System and
any other DST programs, data bases, supporting documentation,
or procedures (collectively "DST Confidential
Information") which the Fund's access to the TA2000 System or computer
hardware or software may permit the Fund or its employees or agents to become
aware of or to access and that the
DST Confidential Information constitutes confidential material
and trade secrets of DST.
The Fund agrees to maintain the confidentiality
of the DST Confidential Information.
| (2) | The Fund acknowledges that DST intends to develop
and offer analytics- based products and services for its customers. In providing such
products and services, DST will be using consolidated data across all clients, including data of the Fund, and make such consolidated
data available to clients of the analytics products and services. The Fund hereby
consents to the use by DST of Fund Information (including shareholder information) for in the offering of such products and services,
and to disclose the results of such analytics services to its customers and other third parties, provided the Fund information
will be aggregated, anonymized and sometimes enriched with external data sources. DST will |
not disclose client investor names or other personal identifying
information, or information specific to or identifying the Fund.
| (3) | The Fund acknowledges
that any unauthorized use, misuse, disclosure or taking of DST Confidential
Information which is confidential as provided
by law, or which is a trade secret, residing or existing internal or external
to a computer, computer system, or computer network,
or the knowing and unauthorized accessing or causing to be accessed
of any computer, computer system, or computer network,
may be subject to civil liabilities and
criminal penalties under applicable state law. The Fund
will advise all of its employees and agents
who have access to any DST Confidential Information or to any computer
equipment capable of accessing DST or DST hardware or software of the foregoing. |
| (4) | The Fund acknowledges
that disclosure of the DST Confidential Information
may give rise to an irreparable injury to DST inadequately compensable
in damages. Accordingly, DST may seek
(without the posting of any bond or other security)
injunctive relief against the breach
of the foregoing undertaking of confidentiality and
nondisclosure, in addition to any other legal remedies
which may be available, and the Fund consents
to the obtaining of such injunctive relief. All of the undertakings and obligations
relating to confidentiality and nondisclosure, whether contained
in this Section or elsewhere in this Agreement
shall survive the termination or
expiration of this Agreement for a period
of ten (10) years; provided that, to
the extent Confidential Information includes
information that is also a Trade
Secret as defined by the Uniform Trade
Secrets Act, the obligation to protect
such Trade Secrets shall survive the termination of this
Agreement and shall remain for so
long as such Confidential
Information constitutes a Trade Secret, as defined
by the Uniform Trade Secrets
Act. |
| (5) | In the
event the Fund obtains information from
DST or the TA2000 System which
is not intended for the Fund, the Fund
agrees to (i) immediately,
and in no case more than twenty-four
(24) hours later, notify DST that unauthorized
information has been made available to
the Fund; (ii) after |
identifying
that such information is not intended
for the Fund, not review, disclose,
release, or in any way, use such
unauthorized information; (iii) provide
DST reasonable assistance in retrieving
such unauthorized information
and/or destroy such unauthorized information; and (iv) deliver to DST
a certificate executed by an authorized
officer of the Fund certifying
that all such unauthorized information
in the Fund’s possession or control
has been delivered to DST
or destroyed as required by this
provision.
| 24. | Changes and
Modifications. |
| A. | During the term of this Agreement
DST will use on behalf of the Fund without
additional cost all modifications, enhancements,
or changes which DST may make to the TA2000 System
in the normal course of its business
and which are applicable to functions and features
offered by the Fund, unless substantially all
DST clients are charged separately for
such modifications, enhancements or changes, including, without
limitation, substantial system revisions
or modifications necessitated by changes
in existing laws, rules or regulations. The Fund agrees
to pay DST promptly for modifications and improvements that are charged for separately
at the rate provided for in DST's standard pricing
schedule which shall be identical for
substantially all clients, if a standard
pricing schedule shall exist. If there
is no standard pricing schedule, the
parties shall mutually agree upon the rates to be charged. |
| B. | DST shall
have the right, at any time and from
time to time, to alter and modify any systems,
programs, procedures or facilities used or employed
in performing its duties and obligations hereunder; provided that the Fund
will be notified as promptly as possible
prior to implementation of such alterations
and modifications and that no such alteration or modification
or deletion shall materially adversely change
or affect the operations and procedures
of the Fund in using or employing the TA2000 System
or DST Facilities hereunder or the reports
to be generated by such system and
facilities hereunder, unless the Fund
is given thirty (30) days prior notice
to allow the Fund to change
its procedures and DST provides
the Fund with revised operating procedures and
controls. |
| C. | All enhancements,
improvements, changes, modifications or new
features added to the TA2000 System however developed
or paid for shall be, and shall
remain, the confidential and exclusive
property of, and proprietary to, DST. |
Nothing
herein shall impose any duty upon DST
in connection with or make DST liable for the actions
or omissions to act of the following
types of unaffiliated third parties:
(a) courier and mail services including
but not limited to Airborne
Services, Federal Express, UPS
and the U.S. Mails, (b) telecommunications companies
including but not limited to AT&T, Sprint, MCI and
other delivery, telecommunications and
other such companies not under the party’s reasonable
control, and (c) third parties not under the party’s reasonable
control or subcontract relationship providing
services to the financial industry
generally, such as, by way of example
and not limitation, the National Securities Clearing Corporation (processing and settlement
services), Fund custodian banks
(custody and fund accounting services)
and administrators (blue sky and
Fund administration services), and national
database providers such as Choice
Point, Acxiom, TransUnion or Lexis/Nexis
and any replacements thereof or similar
entities, provided, if DST selected such
company, DST shall have exercised due
care in selecting the same. Such third party vendors are not, nor shall they be deemed,
subcontractors for purposes of this Agreement.
| 26. | Limitations on
Liability. |
| A. | If the
Fund is comprised of more than one Portfolio, each Portfolio shall be regarded
for all purposes hereunder as a
separate party apart from each other Portfolio.
Unless the context otherwise requires, with respect
to every transaction covered by this Agreement,
every reference herein to the Fund shall be deemed to relate
solely to the particular Portfolio to which such transaction relates. Under
no circumstances shall the rights, obligations
or remedies with respect to a particular Portfolio
constitute a right, obligation or remedy applicable
to any other Portfolio. The use of this single document to memorialize the
separate agreement of each Portfolio is
understood to be for clerical convenience only
and shall not constitute any basis
for joining the Portfolios for any reason.
[DELETE IF NOT APPLICABLE] |
| B. | Notice is hereby given
that a copy of the Fund's Trust Agreement
and all amendments thereto is on
file with the Secretary of State of the state of its |
organization;
that this Agreement has been executed on behalf of the Fund by the undersigned
duly authorized representative of the Fund
in his/her capacity as such and not individually;
and that the obligations of this
Agreement shall only be binding upon the assets
and property of the Fund and shall not
be binding upon any trustee, officer or securityholder
of the Fund individually. [DELETE IF NOT APPLICABLE]
| A. | This Agreement
shall be construed according to, and the rights
and liabilities of the parties hereto shall be governed
by, the laws of the State of Missouri,
excluding that body of law applicable to choice
of law. |
| B. | All terms and
provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon, inure to the benefit
of and be enforceable by the parties
hereto and their respective successors and permitted
assigns. |
| C. | The representations
and warranties, and the indemnification extended hereunder, if any,
are intended to and shall continue after and survive
the expiration, termination or cancellation
of this Agreement. |
| D. | No provisions
of this Agreement may be amended or
modified in any manner except by a written agreement
properly authorized and executed by each party hereto. |
| E. | 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. |
| F. | This Agreement
may be executed in two or more counterparts,
each of which shall be deemed an original
but all of which together shall constitute
one and the same instrument. |
| G. | If any
part, term or provision of this Agreement
is by the courts held to be illegal, in conflict
with any law or otherwise invalid, the remaining portion or portions shall
be considered severable and not be affected,
and the rights and obligations of the parties
shall be construed and enforced as if the Agreement
did not contain the particular
part, term or provision held to be illegal or invalid. |
| H. | Except as
otherwise provided herein, this Agreement may not be assigned
by the Fund or DST without the
prior written consent of the other.
DST may assign this |
Agreement,
in whole or in part, or subcontract certain of its obligations hereunder, to any domestic or foreign affiliate of DST.
. I.
Neither the execution nor performance
of this Agreement shall be deemed to create
a partnership or joint venture by and
between the Fund and DST. It
is understood and agreed that all services
performed hereunder by DST shall be as
an independent contractor and not as an employee
of the Fund. This Agreement is between DST and
the Fund and neither this Agreement
nor the performance of services under
it shall create any rights in any third
parties. There are no third party beneficiaries hereto.
| J. | Except as
specifically provided herein, this Agreement does not in any way affect
any other agreements entered into among the parties
hereto and any actions taken or omitted
by any party hereunder shall not affect
any rights or obligations of any
other party hereunder. |
| K. | The failure of either party to insist
upon the performance of any terms or conditions
of this Agreement or to enforce any
rights resulting from any breach of any of the terms
or conditions of this Agreement, including
the payment of damages, shall
not be construed as a continuing or permanent
waiver of any such terms, conditions,
rights or privileges, but the same shall
continue and remain in full force and effect
as if no such forbearance or waiver had occurred. |
| L. | This Agreement
constitutes the entire agreement between
the parties hereto and supersedes any
prior agreement, draft or agreement or proposal
with respect to the subject matter
hereof, whether oral or written, and
this Agreement may not be modified except
by written instrument executed by both parties. |
| M. | All notices
to be given hereunder shall be deemed properly given
if delivered in person or if sent
by U.S. mail, first class, postage prepaid, or if sent by facsimile and
thereafter confirmed by mail as follows: |
If to DST:
DST Systems,
Inc.
0000
Xxxxxxxx, 0xx Xxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000
Attn: Group
Vice President-Full Service Facsimile No.: 000-000-0000
With a copy
of non-operational notices to:
DST Systems,
Inc.
000
Xxxx 00xx Xxxxxx, 0xx Xxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000
Attn: Legal Department Facsimile No.: 000-000-0000
If to the Fund:
Attn:
Facsimile
No.:
or to
such other address as shall have been specified in writing by the party to whom such notice is to be given.
| N. | DST and
the Fund (including all agents
of the Fund) agree that, during any term of this Agreement
and for twelve (12) months after its termination,
neither party will solicit for employment
or offer employment to any employees
of the other. |
| O. | The representations
and warranties contained herein shall survive the execution
of this Agreement. The representations
and warranties contained in this Section,
Section 27.O. and the provisions of Section 8 hereof shall survive the termination
of the Agreement and the performance of
services hereunder until any statute of limitations
applicable to the matter at issues shall have expired. |
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be executed by their respective duly authorized officers, to be
effective as of the day and year first above written.
DST SYSTEMS, INC.
By:
Title:
FEDERATED PROJECT AND TRADE FINANCE TENDER
FUND
By:
Title: