Ex-99.9
TRANSFER AGENCY, DIVIDEND DISBURSING AGENCY
AND SHAREHOLDER SERVICING AGENCY AGREEMENT
THIS AGREEMENT made as of the 1st day of August, 1987
by and between Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Federal Securities Trust (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, 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 MLFDS agree as follows:
1. Appointment of MLFDS as Transfer Agent, Dividend
Disbursing Agent and Shareholder 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, the terms
and provisions of this 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 the Fund,
irrespective of class or series;
(IX) The term "Shareholder" means the holder of
record of Shares;
(X) The term "Plan Account" means an account
opened by a Shareholder or prospective Shareholder with 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 and Transfer Agent, Dividend Disbursing
Agent and Shareholder Servicing 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 Shareholder
Servicing Agent for the Fund:
(I) Issuing, transferring and redeeming Shares;
(II) Opening, maintaining, servicing and closing
Accounts;
2
(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 the
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 imposed upon any other Shares
shall be paid by MLFS 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) Replacing 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;
(XIII) Acting as agent for the Fund and/or MLPP&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;
3
(XIII) Furnishing such periodic statements of
transactions effected by MLFDS, reconciliations, balances and
summaries as the Fund may reasonably request;
(XIV) Maintaining such books and records relating to
transactions 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 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 insure preservation 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 accompanies 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 may be required by the Fund.
(c) MLFDS 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) MLFDS agrees to furnish to the Fund such
information and at such intervals as is necessary for the Fund to
comply with registration and/or the reporting requirements
(including applicable escheat laws) of the Securities and
Exchange Commission, Blue Sky authorities or other governmental
authorities.
4
(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 MLFD'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 authorized by the
Fund by way of an Officer's Instruction.
7. Indemnification.
The Fund shall indemnify and hold MLFDS harmless from
any loss, cost, 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, provided that this indemnification shall not
apply to actions or commissions of MLFDS in cases of willful
misconduct, failure to act in good faith or negligence by MLFDS,
5
it's officers, employees or agents, and further provided, that
prior to confession 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, develope 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
warrants 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 of 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.
6
(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 of
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 corporation seals hereunto duly
affixed and attested, as of the day and year above written.
XXXXXXX XXXXX FEDERAL SECURITIES TRUST
By:/S/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
---------------------
Title: Treasurer
-----------------
XXXXXXX XXXXX FINANCIAL DATA SERVICE, INC.
By:/s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxx
-------------------
Title: President
----------
7
