EXHIBIT 99.9(b)
TRANSFER AGENCY, DIVIDEND DISBURSING AGENCY
AND SHAREHOLDER SERVICING AGENCY AGREEMENT
THIS AGREEMENT made as of the 5th day of October, 1987 by and between
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Retirement Benefit Investment Program, Inc. (the "Fund") and
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Financial Data Service, Inc. ("MLFDS"), a New Jersey corporation.
WITNESSETH:
WHEREAS, the Fund wishes to appoint MLFDS to be the Transfer Agent,
Dividend Disbursing Agent and Shareholder Servicing Agent upon, and subject to,
the terms and provisions of this Agreement, and MLFDS is desirous of accepting
such appointment upon, and subject to, such terms and provisions:
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of mutual covenants contained in this
Agreement, the Fund and MLPDS agree as follows:
1. Appointment of MLFDS as Transfer Agent, Dividend Disbursing Agent and
Sharebolder Servicing Agent.
(a) The Fund hereby appoints MLFDS to act as Transfer Agent, Dividend
Disbursing Agent and Shareholder Servicing Agent for the Fund upon, and subject
to, the terms and provisions of this Agreement.
(b) MLFDS hereby accepts the appointment as Transfer Agent, Dividend
Disbursing Agent and Shareholder Servicing Agent for the Fund, and agrees to
act as such upon, and subject to, tbe terms and provisions of the Agreement.
2. Definitions.
(a) In this Agreement:
(I) The term "Act" means the Investment Company Act of 1940 as amended
from time to time and any rule or regulation thereunder;
(II) The term "Account" means any account of a Shareholder, or, if the
shares are held in an account in the name of MLPF&S for benefit of an
identified customer, such account, including a Plan Account, any account under a
plan (by whatever name referred to in the Prospectus) pursuant to the
Self-Employed Individuals Retirement Act of 1962 ("Xxxxx Act Plan") and any
plan (by whatever name referred to in the Prospectus) in conjunction with
Section 401 of the Internal Revenue Code ("Corporation Master Plan");
(III) The term "application" means an application made by a Shareholder
or prospective Shareholder respecting the opening of an Account;
(IV) The term "MLFD" means Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Funds Distributor, Inc., a
Delaware corporation;
(V) The term "MLPF&S" means Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx
Incorporated, a Delaware corporation;
(VI) The term "Officer's Instruction" means an instruction in writing
given on behalf of the Fund to MLFDS, and signed on behalf of the Fund by the
President, any Vice President, the Secretary or the Treasurer of the Fund;
(VII) The term "Prospectus" means the Prospectus and the Statement of
Additional Information of the Fund as from time to time in effect:
(VIII) The term "Shares" means shares of stock or beneficial interest,
as the case may be, of tbe Fund, irrespective of class or series;
(IX) The term "Sharebolder" means the holder of record of Shares:
(X) The term "Plan Account" means an account opened by a Shareholder or
prospective Shareholder in respect to an open account, monthly payment or
withdrawal plan (in each case by whatever name referred to in the Prospectus),
and may also include an account relating to any other Plan if and when provision
is made for such plan in the Prospectus.
3. Duties of MLFDS as Transfer Agent, Dividend Disbursing Agent and
Shareholder Serivicing Agent.
(a) Subject to the succeeding provisions of the Agreement, MLFDS hereby
agrees to perform the following functions as Transfer Agent, Dividend Disbursing
Agent and Sharebolder Servicing Agent for the Fund;
(I) Issuing, transferring and redeeming Shares;
(II) Opening, maintaining, servicing and closing Accounts:
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(III) Acting as agent for the Fund Shareholders and/or customers of
MLPF&S in connection with Plan Accounts, upon the terms and subject to the
conditions contained in tbe Prospectus and application relating to the specific
Plan Account;
(IV) Acting as agent of the Fund and/or MLPF&S, maintaining such records
as may permit the imposition of such contingent deferred sales charges as may be
described in the Prospectus, including such reports as may be reasonably
requested by the Fund with respect to such Shares as may be subject to a
contingent deferred sales charge;
(V) Upon the redemption of Shares subject to such a contingent deferred
sales charge, calculating and deducting from the redemption proceeds thereof
the amount of such charge in the manner set forth in the Prospectus. MLFDS
shall pay, on behalf of MLFD, to MLPF&S such deducted contingent deferred sales
charges imposed upon all Shares maintained in the name of MLPF&S, or maintained
in the name of an account identified as a customer account of MLPF&S. Sales
charges impoved upon any other Shares shall be paid by MLFDS to MLFD.
(VI) Exchanging the investment of an investor into, or from the shares
of other open-end investment companies or other series portfolios of the Fund,
if any, if and to the extent permitted by the Prospectus at the direction of
such investor.
(VII) Processing redemptions;
(VIII) Examining and approving legal transfers;
(IX) Replacinq lost, stolen or destroyed certificates representing
Shares, in accordance with, and subject to, procedures and conditions adopted
by the Fund;
(X) Furnishing such confirmations of transactions relating to their
Shares as required by applicable law;
(XI) Acting as agent for the Fund and/or MLPF&S, furnishing such
appropriate periodic statements relating to Accounts, together with additional
enclosures, including appropriate income tax information and income tax forms
duly completed, as required by applicable law;
(XII) Acting as agent for the Fund and/or MLPF&S, mailing annual,
semi-annual and quarterly reports prepared by or on behalf of the Fund, and
mailing new Prospectuses upon their issue to Shareholders as required by
applicable law;
(XIII) Furnishing such periodic statements of transactions effected by
MLFDS, reconciliations, balances and summaries as the Fund may reasonably
request;
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(XIV) Maintaining such books and records relating to tranactions
effected by MLFDS as are required by the Act, or by any other applicable
provision of law, rule or regulation, to be maintained by the Fund or its
transfer agent with respect to such transactions, and preserving, or causing to
be preserved any such books and records for such periods as may be required by
any such law, rule or regulation and as may be agreed upon from time to time
between MLFDS and the Fund. In addition, MLFDS agrees to maintain and preserve
master files and historical computer tapes on a daily basis in multiple separate
locations a sufficient distance apart to ensure preservstion of at least one
copy of such information;
(XV) Withholding taxes on non-resident alien Accounts, preparing and
filing U.S. Treasury Department Form 1099 and other appropriate forms as
required by applicable law with respect to dividends and distributions; and
(XVI) Reinvesting dividends for full and fractional shares and
disbursing cash dividends, as applicable.
(b) MLFDS agrees to act as proxy agent in connection with the holding of
annual, if any, and special meetings of Shareholders, mailing such notices,
proxies and proxy statements in connection with the holding of such meetings as
may be required by applicable law, receiving and tabulating votes cast by proxy
and communicating to the Fund the results of such tabulation accompanied by
appropriate certifications, and preparing and furnishing to the Fund certified
lists of Shareholders as of such date, in such form and containing such
information as say be required by the Fund.
(c) MLPDS agrees to deal with, and answer in a timely manner, all
correspondence and inquiries relating to the functions of MLFDS under this
Agreement with respect to Accounts.
(d) MLPDS agrees to furnish to the Fund such information and at such
intervals as is necessary for the Fund to comply with the registration and/or
the reporting requirements (including applicable escheat laws) of the Securities
and Exchange Commission, Blue Sky authorities or other governmental authorities.
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(e) MLFDS agrees to provide to the Fund such information as may
reasonably be required to enable the Fund to reconcile the number of
outstanding Shares between MLFDS's records and the account books of the Fund.
(f) Notwithstanding anything in the foregoing provisions of this
paragraph, MLFDS agrees to perform its functions thereunder subject to such
modification (whether in respect of particular cases or in any particular class
of cases) as may from time to time be contained in an Officer's Instruction.
4. Compensation.
The charges for services described in this Agreement, including
"out-of-pocket" expenses, will be set forth in the Schedule of Fees attached
hereto.
5. Right of Inspection.
MLFDS agrees that it will in a timely manner make available to, and
permit, any officer, accountant, attorney or authorized agent of the Fund to
examine and make transcripts and copies (including photocopies and computer or
other electronical information storage media and print-outs) of any and all of
its books and records which relate to any transaction or function performed by
MLFDS under or pursuant to this Agreement.
6. Confidential Relationship.
MLFDS agrees that it will, on behalf of itself and its officers and
employees, treat all transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and all
information germane thereto, as confidential and not to be disclosed to any
person (other than the Shareholder concerned, or the Fund, or as may be
disclosed in the examination of any books or records by any person lawfully
entitled to examine the same) except as may be autborized by the Fund by way of
an Officer's Instruction.
7. Indemnification.
The Fund shall indemnify and hold MLFDS harmless from any loss, costs,
damage and reasonable expenses, including reasonable attorney's fees (provided
that such attorney is appointed with the Fund's consent, which consent shall
not be unreasonably withheld), incurred by it resulting from any claim, demand,
action, or suit in connection with the performance of its duties hereunder,
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provided that this indemnification shall not apply to actions or omissions
of MLFDS in cases of willful misconduct, failure to act in good faith or
negligence by MLFDS, it's officers, employees or agents, and further provided,
that prior to confessing any claim against it which may be subject to this
indemnification, MLFDS shall give the Fund reasonable opportunity to defend
against said claim in its own name or in the name of MLFDS. An action taken by
MLFDS upon any Officer's Instruction reasonably believed by it to have been
properly executed shall not constitute willful misconduct, failure to act in
good faith or negligence under this Agreement.
8. Regarding MLFDS.
(a) MLFDS hereby agrees to hire, purchase, develop and maintain such
dedicated personnel, facilities, equipment, software, resources and
capabilities as may be reasonably determined by the Fund to be necessary for
the satisfactory performance of the duties and responsibilities of MLFDS.
MLFDS wsrrants and represents that its officers and supervisory personnel
charged with carrying out its functions as Transfer Agent, Dividend Disbursing
Agent and Shareholder Servicing Agent for the Fund possess the special skill
and technical knowledge appropriate for that purpose. MLFDS shall at all times
exercise due care and diligence in the performance of its functions as Transfer
Agent, Dividend Disbursing Agent and Shareholder Servicing Agent for the Fund.
MLFDS agrees that, in determining whether it has exercised due care and
diligence, its conduct shall be measured by the standard applicable to persons
possessing such special skill and technical knowledge.
(b) MLFDS warrants and represents that is duly authorized and permitted
to act as Transfer Agent, Dividend Disbursing Agent, and Shareholder Servicing
Agent under all applicable laws and that it will immediately notify the Fund of
any revocation of such authority or permission or of the commencement of any
proceeding or other action which may lead to such revocation.
9. Termination.
(a) This Agreement shall become effective as of the date first above
written and shall thereafter continue from year to year. This Agreement may be
terminated by the Fund or MLFDS (without penalty to the Fund or MLFDS) provided
that the terminating party gives the other party written notice of such
termination at least sixty (60) days in advance, except that the Fund may
terminate this Agreement immediately upon written notice to MLFDS if the
authority or permission of MLFDS to act as Transfer Agent, Dividend Disbursing
Agent and Shareholder Servicing Agent has been revoked or if any proceeding or
other action which the Fund reasonably believes will lead to such revocation has
been commenced.
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(b) Upon termination of this Agreement, MLFDS shall deliver all unissued
and canceled stock certificates representing Shares remaining in its
possession, and all Shareholder records, books, stock ledgers, instruments and
other documents (including computerized or other electronically stored
information) made or accumulated in the performance of its duties as Transfer
Agent, Disbursing Agent and Shareholder Servicing Agent for the Fund along with
a certified locator document clearly indicating the complete contents therein,
to such successor as may be specified in a notice of termination or Officer's
Instruction; and the Fund assumes all responsibility for failure thereafter to
produce any paper, record or documents so delivered and identified in the
locator document, if and when required to be produced.
10. Amendment.
Except to the extent that the performance by MLFDS or its functions
under this Agreement may from time to time be modified by an Officer's
Instruction, this Agreement may be amended or modified only by further written
Agreement between the parties.
11. Governing Law.
This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of New Jersey.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
signed by their respective duly authorized officers and their respective
corporate seals hereunto duly affixed and attested, as of the day and year
above written.
XXXXXXX XXXXX RETIREMENT BENEFIT INVESTMENT PROGRAM, INC.
By: /s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxx
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Title: EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT
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XXXXXXX XXXXX FINANCIAL DATA SERVICE, INC.
By: /s/
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Title: PRESIDENT
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