FUND PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT
This
AGREEMENT is made this _1_ day of April, 2006, by and among
Nationwide Financial Services, Inc. ("NFS") on behalf of its life insurance
subsidiaries and its separate accounts (collectively, "Nationwide" or the
"Insurer") listed on Exhibit A to this Agreement (the "Subsidiary Life Insurance
Companies" and "Separate Accounts," respectively); the portfolios of Federated
Insurance Series (the "Fund" or "Funds"), a Massachusetts business trust;
and
Federated Securities Corp. (the "Distributor"), a Pennsylvania
corporation.
W
I T
N E S S E T H
WHEREAS,
the Fund is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC")
as an
open-end management investment company under the Investment Company Act of
1940
("1940 Act") and the Fund is authorized to issue separate classes of shares
of
beneficial interest ("shares"), each representing an interest in a separate
portfolio of assets known as a "portfolio" and each portfolio has its own
investment objective, policies, and limitations; and
WHEREAS,
the Fund is available to offer shares of one or more of its portfolios to
separate accounts of insurance companies that fund variable life insurance
policies or variable annuity contracts ("Variable Contracts") and to serve
as an
investment medium for Variable Contracts offered by insurance companies that
have entered into participation agreements substantially similar to this
agreement ("Participating Insurance Companies"), subject to receipt of any
required relief pursuant to an exemptive order from the SEC, granting
Participating Insurance Companies and variable annuity and variable life
insurance separate accounts exemptions from the provisions of sections 9(a),
13(a), 15(a), and 15(b) of the 1940 Act and Rules 6e-2(b)(15) and 6e-3(T)(b)(15)
thereunder, to the extent necessary to permit shares of the Fund to be sold
to
and held by variable annuity and variable life insurance separate accounts
of
life insurance companies
that
may
or may not be affiliated with one another (hereinafter the "Mixed and Shared
Funding Exemptive Order"); and
WHEREAS,
the Fund is currently comprised of eleven separate portfolios, all of which
are
designed to fund Variable Contracts, and may establish other similar portfolios
in the future; and
WHEREAS,
the Distributor is registered as a broker-dealer with the SEC under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended ("1934 Act"), and is a member
in
good standing of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. ("NASD");
and
WHEREAS,
to the extent permitted by applicable insurance laws and regulations, the
Insurer wishes to purchase shares of one or more of the Fund's portfolios
on
behalf of its Separate Accounts to serve as an investment medium for Variable
Contracts funded by the Separate Accounts, and the Distributor is authorized
to
sell shares of the Fund's portfolios;
NOW,
THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the mutual promises and
covenants hereinafter set forth, the parties hereby agree as
follows:
ARTICLE
I. Sale
of Fund Shares
1.1 The
Distributor agrees to sell to the Insurer those shares of the portfolios
offered
and made available by the Fund and identified on Exhibit B ("Portfolios")
that
the Insurer orders on behalf of its Separate Accounts, and agrees to execute
such orders on each day on which the Fund calculates its net asset value
pursuant to rules of the SEC and as described in the Fund's registration
statement ("Business Day") at the net asset value next computed after receipt
and acceptance by the Fund or its agent of the order for the shares of the
Fund.
1.2 The
Fund agrees to make available on each Business Day shares of the Portfolios
for
purchase at the applicable net asset value per share by the Insurer on behalf
of
its Separate Accounts; provided, however, that the Board of Trustees of the
Fund, the Executive Committee thereof or any officer of the Fund may refuse
to
sell shares of any
Portfolio
to any person, or suspend or terminate the offering of shares of any Portfolio,
if such action is required by law or by regulatory authorities having
jurisdiction or is, in the sole discretion of such person(s), acting in good
faith and in light of their fiduciary duties under applicable law, necessary
in
the best interests of the shareholders of any Portfolio.
1.3 The
Fund and the Distributor agree that shares of the Portfolios of the Fund
will be
sold only to Participating Insurance Companies, their separate accounts,
and
other persons consistent with each Portfolio being adequately diversified
pursuant to Section 817(h) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended
(the
"Code"), and the regulations thereunder. No shares of any Portfolio will
be sold
directly to the general public to the extent not permitted by applicable
tax
law.
1.4 The
Fund and the Distributor will not sell shares of the Portfolios to any insurance
company or separate account unless an agreement containing provisions
substantially the same as the provisions in Article IV of this Agreement
is in
effect to govern such sales.
1.5 Upon
receipt of a request for redemption in proper form from the Insurer, the
Fund
agrees to redeem any full or fractional shares of the Portfolios held by
the
Insurer, ordinarily executing such requests on each Business Day at the net
asset value next computed after receipt and acceptance by the Fund or its
agent
of the request for redemption, except that the Fund reserves the right to
suspend the right of redemption, consistent with Section 22(e) of the 1940
Act
and any rules thereunder. Such redemption shall be paid consistent with
applicable rules of the SEC and procedures and policies of the Fund as described
in the current registration statement.
1.6 For
purposes of Sections 1.2 and 1.5, the Insurer shall be the agent of the Fund
for
the limited purpose of receiving and accepting purchase and redemption orders
from each Separate Account, and receipt of such orders by the close of regular
trading on the New York Stock Exchange (generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time)
by the
Insurer shall be deemed to be receipt by the Fund for purposes of Rule 22c-l
of
the 1940 Act; provided
that
the
Insurer will use its best efforts to provide notice of such orders to the
Fund
on the next following Business Day by 9:00 a.m. Eastern time on such day.
Insurer agrees to submit such orders electronically through secured trading
systems as described on Exhibit C to this Agreement or, if it is unable to
submit orders electronically, Insurer shall submit such orders through manual
transmissions using the procedures described in Exhibit C to this
Agreement.
1.7 The
Insurer agrees to purchase and redeem the shares of each Portfolio in accordance
with the provisions of the current prospectus for the Fund.
1.8 Unless
otherwise specified in Exhibit C, the Insurer shall pay for shares of the
Portfolio on the next Business Day after it receives an order to purchase
shares
of the Portfolio, and payment shall be in federal funds transmitted by
wire.
1.9 Issuance
and transfer of shares of the Portfolios will be by book entry only unless
otherwise agreed by the Fund. Stock certificates will not be issued to the
Insurer or the Separate Accounts unless otherwise agreed by the Fund. Shares
ordered from the Fund will be recorded in an appropriate title for the Separate
Accounts or the appropriate subaccounts of the Separate
Accounts.
1.10 Unless
otherwise specified in Exhibit C, the Fund shall furnish same day notice
(by
wire, telephone, facsimile or on the World Wide Web internet site of the
Fund's
Adviser or its affiliate containing information about the Fund ("Fund Web
Site")
to the Insurer of any income dividends or capital gain distributions payable
on
the shares of the Portfolios. The Insurer hereby elects to reinvest in the
Portfolio all such dividends and distributions as are payable on a Portfolio's
shares and to receive such dividends and distributions in additional shares
of
that Portfolio. The Insurer reserves the right to revoke this election in
writing and to receive all such dividends and distributions in cash. The
Fund or
its agent shall notify the Insurer of the number of shares so issued as payment
of such dividends and distributions.
1.11 Unless
otherwise specified in Exhibit C, the Fund shall furnish to the Insurer (by
wire, telephone, facsimile or on the Fund Web Site) on each Business Day
the net
asset value per share for each Portfolio as soon as reasonably practical
after
the net asset value per share is calculated and shall use its best efforts
to
make such net asset value per share available by 6:15 p.m. Eastern
time.
1.12 Insurer
agrees to collect or cause to be collected all applicable redemption fees
as
described in the Prospectus on all accounts opened with the Fund on an omnibus
basis, and promptly remit such fees to Distributor, subject to the following.
Distributor shall collect all applicable redemption fees on accounts opened
with
the Fund on a fully-disclosed basis. Distributor and Insurer acknowledge
that
currently Insurer's Information Technology systems are capable of administering
a Fund redemption fee of only 1.00% upon Fund Shares redeemed within 60 days
of
purchase ("1.00% Fund Redemption Fee"). Insurer represents and warrants to
Distributor that it is using reasonable commercial efforts to develop the
capability of imposing all applicable redemption fees as described in the
Prospectuses for the Funds. Accordingly, with respect to the Funds, Distributor
hereby waives the requirement that Insurer collect "all applicable" redemption
fees as described above until such time as Insurer has updated its systems,
provided that Insurer shall collect the 1.00% Fund Redemption Fee on all
accounts opened with the Fund on an omnibus basis if such Fund imposes a
redemption fee. Insurer shall make full disclosure regarding the imposition
of
the 1.00% Fund Redemption Fee to Insurer's customers in the event Insurer
seeks
to collect 1.00% Fund Redemption Fee from Insurer's customers holding Fund
Shares. Distributor hereby waives the requirement that Insurer collect "all
applicable" redemption fees as described above until the earlier of the
completion of Insurer's system updates or December 31, 2006. On or about
December 1, 2006, Distributor and Insurer will review Insurer's progress
towards
its ability to impose
such
fees
by December 31, 2006 and based upon that review determine an
appropriate
course
of
action for the period beginning
January
1, 2007.
ARTICLE
II. Representations
and Warranties
2.1 The
Insurer represents and warrants that it is a holding company duly organized
and
in good standing under applicable state law. Nationwide represents that its
life
insurance companies have been duly organized and are in good
standing under applicable law.
2.2 The
Insurer represents and warrants that it has legally and validly established
each
of the Separate Accounts as a separate account under applicable state law,
and
that each of the Separate Accounts is a validly existing separate account
under
applicable federal and state law.
2.3 The
Insurer represents and warrants that the Variable Contracts issued by the
Insurer or interests in the Separate Accounts under such Variable Contracts
(1)
are or, prior to issuance, will be registered as securities under the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended ("1933 Act") or, alternatively, (2) are not registered
because they are properly exempt from registration under the 1933 Act or
will be
offered exclusively in transactions that are properly exempt from registration
under the 0000 Xxx.
2.4 The
Insurer represents and warrants that each of the Separate Accounts (1) has
been
registered as a unit investment trust in accordance with the provisions of
the
1940 Act or, alternatively, (2) has not been registered in proper reliance
upon
an exclusion from registration under the 0000 Xxx.
2.5 The
Insurer represents that the Variable Contracts issued by the Insurer are
currently treated as annuity contracts or life insurance policies (which
may
include modified endowment contracts), whichever is appropriate, under
applicable provisions of the Code.
2.6 The
Fund represents and warrants that it is duly organized as a business trust
under
the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and is in good standing under
applicable law.
2.7 The
Fund represents and warrants that the shares of the Portfolios are duly
authorized for issuance in accordance with applicable law and that the Fund
is
registered as an open-end management investment company under the 0000
Xxx.
2.8 The
Fund represents and warrants that the Portfolios currently comply, and will
make
every effort to continue to comply, with the diversification provisions of
Section 817(h) of the Code and the regulations issued thereunder relating
to the
diversification requirements for variable life insurance policies and variable
annuity contracts.
2.9 The
Distributor represents and warrants that it is a member in good standing
of the
NASD and is registered as a broker-dealer with the SEC.
ARTICLE
III. General Duties
3.1 The
Fund shall take all such actions as are necessary to permit the sale of the
shares of each Portfolio to the Separate Accounts, including maintaining
its
registration as an investment company under the 1940 Act, and registering
the
shares of the Portfolios sold to the Separate Accounts under the 1933 Act
for so
long as required by applicable law. The Fund shall amend its Registration
Statement filed with the SEC under the 1933 Act and the 1940 Act from time
to
time as required in order to effect the continuous offering of the shares
of the
Portfolios. The Fund shall register and qualify the shares for sale in
accordance with the laws of the various states to the extent deemed necessary
by
the Fund or the Distributor.
3.2 The
Fund shall make every effort to maintain qualification of each Portfolio
as a
Regulated Investment Company under Subchapter M of the Code (or any successor
or
similar provision) and shall notify the Insurer immediately upon having
a
reasonable
basis for believing that a Portfolio has ceased to so qualify or that it
might
not so qualify in the future.
3.3 The
Fund shall make every effort to ensure that each Portfolio complies with
the
diversification provisions of Section 817(h) of the Code and the regulations
issued thereunder relating to the diversification requirements for variable
life
insurance policies and variable annuity contracts and any prospective amendments
or other modifications to Section 817 or regulations thereunder, and shall
notify the Insurer immediately upon having a reasonable basis for believing
that
any Portfolio has ceased to comply. The Fund shall make every effort to remedy
any Portfolio's failure to comply with Section 817(h) of the Code and
regulations thereunder within the time frame set forth by Section 817(h)
and the
regulations thereunder.
3.4 The
Insurer shall take all such actions as are necessary under applicable federal
and state law to permit the sale of the Variable Contracts issued by the
Insurer, including registering each Separate Account as an investment company
to
the extent required under the 1940 Act, and registering the Variable Contracts
or interests in the Separate Accounts under the Variable Contracts to the
extent
required under the 1933 Act, and obtaining all necessary approvals to offer
the
Variable Contracts from state insurance commissioners.
3.5 The
Insurer shall make every effort to maintain the treatment of the Variable
Contracts issued by the Insurer as annuity contracts or life insurance policies,
whichever is appropriate, under applicable provisions of the Code, and shall
notify the Fund and the Distributor immediately upon having a reasonable
basis
for believing that such Variable Contracts have ceased to be so treated or
that
they might not be so treated in the future. In that regard, the Insurer shall
make every effort to remedy any Variable Contract's failure to be treated
as
annuity contracts or life insurance policies, as appropriate, under applicable
provisions of the Code, including Section 72 and regulations thereunder within
the required time frames.
3.6 The
Insurer or its agents shall offer and sell the Variable Contracts issued
by the
Insurer in accordance with applicable provisions of the 1933 Act, the 1934
Act,
the 1940 Act, the NASD Rules of Fair Practice, and state insurance law
respecting the offering of variable life insurance policies and variable
annuity
contracts.
3.7 The
Distributor shall sell and distribute the shares of the Portfolios of the
Fund
in accordance with the applicable provisions of the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act,
the
1940 Act, the NASD Rules of Fair Practice, and state law.
3.8 During
such time as the Fund engages in activities that require a Mixed and Shared
Funding Exemptive Order, a majority of the Board of Trustees of the Fund
shall
consist of persons who are not "interested persons" of the Fund ("disinterested
Trustees"), as defined by Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act and the rules
thereunder, and as modified by any applicable orders of the SEC, except that
if
this provision of this Section 3.8 is not met by reason of the death,
disqualification, or bona fide resignation of any Trustee or Trustees, then
the
operation of this provision shall be suspended (a) for a period of 45 days
if
the vacancy or vacancies may be filled by the Fund's Board; (b) for a period
of
60 days if a vote of shareholders is required to fill the vacancy or vacancies;
or (c) for such longer period as the SEC may prescribe by rule or order upon
application.
3.9 Provided
it is consistent with their fiduciary duties, the Insurer and its agents
will
not in any way recommend any proposal in opposition to, or oppose or interfere
with, any proposal submitted by the Fund at a meeting of owners of Variable
Contracts or shareholders of the Fund, and will in no way recommend any proposal
in opposition to, or oppose or interfere with, the solicitation of proxies
by
the Fund of shares held by Contract Owners, without the prior written consent
of
the Fund.
3.10 Each
party hereto shall cooperate with each other party and all appropriate
governmental authorities having jurisdiction (including, without limitation,
the
SEC, the NASD, and state insurance regulators) and shall permit such authorities
reasonable access
to
its
books and records in connection with any investigation or inquiry relating
to
this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.
ARTICLE
IV. Potential
Conflicts
4.1 If
and during the time that the Fund engages in activities that require a Mixed
and
Shared Funding Exemptive Order, the parties shall comply with the conditions
in
this Article IV.
4.2 The
Fund's Board of Trustees shall monitor the Fund for the existence of any
material irreconcilable conflict (1) between the interests of owners of variable
annuity contracts and variable life insurance policies, and (2) between the
interests of owners of Variable Contracts ("Variable Contract Owners") issued
by
different Participating Life Insurance Companies that invest in the Fund.
A
material irreconcilable conflict may arise for a variety of reasons, including:
(a) an action by any state insurance regulatory authority; (b) a change in
applicable federal or state insurance, tax, or securities laws or regulations,
or a public ruling, private letter ruling, no-action or interpretive letter,
or
any similar action by insurance, tax, or securities regulatory authorities;
(c)
an administrative or judicial decision in any relevant proceeding; (d) the
manner in which the investments of any Portfolio of the Fund are being managed;
(e) a difference in voting instructions given by variable annuity and variable
life insurance contract owners; or (f) a decision by a Participating Insurance
Company to disregard the voting instructions of Variable Contract
Owners.
4.3 The
Insurer agrees that it shall report any potential or existing conflicts of
which
it is aware to the Fund's Board of Trustees. The Insurer will be responsible
for
assisting the Board of Trustees of the Fund in carrying out its responsibilities
under the Mixed and Shared Funding Exemptive Order, or, if the Fund is engaged
in mixed funding or shared funding in reliance on Rule 6e-2, 6e-3(T), or
any
other regulation under the 1940 Act, the Insurer will be responsible for
assisting the Board of Trustees of the Fund in carrying out its responsibilities
under such regulation, by providing the Board with all
information
reasonably necessary for the Board to consider any issues raised. This includes,
but is not limited to, an obligation by the Insurer to inform the Board whenever
Variable Contract Owner voting instructions are disregarded. The Insurer
shall
carry out its responsibility under this Section 4.3 with a view only to the
interests of the Variable Contract Owners.
4.4 The
Insurer agrees that in the event that it is determined by a majority of the
Board of Trustees of the Fund or a majority of the Fund's disinterested Trustees
that a material irreconcilable conflict exists, the Insurer shall, at its
expense and to the extent reasonably practicable (as determined by a majority
of
the disinterested Trustees of the Board of the Fund), take whatever steps
are
necessary to remedy or eliminate the irreconcilable material conflict, up
to and
including: (1) withdrawing the assets allocable to some or all of the Separate
Accounts from the Fund or any Portfolio and reinvesting such assets in a
different investment medium, including another portfolio of the Fund, or
submitting the question as to whether such segregation should be implemented
to
a vote of all affected Variable Contract Owners and, as appropriate, segregating
the assets of any appropriate group (i.e., annuity contract owners or
life insurance contract owners of contracts issued by one or more Participating
Insurance Companies), that votes in favor of such segregation, or offering
to
the affected Variable Contract Owners the option of making such a change;
and
(2) establishing a new registered investment company or separate account.
If a
material irreconcilable conflict arises because of the Insurer's decision
to
disregard Variable Contract Owners' voting instructions and that decision
represents a minority position or would preclude a majority vote, the Insurer
shall be required, at the Fund's election, to withdraw the Separate Accounts'
investment in the Fund, provided, however, that such withdrawal and termination
shall be limited to the extent required by the foregoing material irreconcilable
conflict as determined by a majority of the disinterested Trustees, and no
charge or penalty will be imposed as a result of such withdrawal. These
responsibilities shall be carried out with a view only to
the
interests of the Variable Contract Owners. A majority of the disinterested
Trustees of the Fund shall determine whether or not any proposed action
adequately remedies any material irreconcilable conflict, but in no event
will
the Fund or its investment adviser or the Distributor be required to establish
a
new funding medium for any Variable Contract. The Insurer shall not be required
by this Section 4.4 to establish a new funding medium for any Variable Contract
if any offer to do so has been declined by vote of a majority of Variable
Contract Owners materially adversely affected by the material irreconcilable
conflict.
4.5 The
Insurer, at least annually, shall submit to the Fund's Board of Trustees
such
reports, materials, or data as the Board reasonably may request so that the
Trustees of the Fund may fully carry out the obligations imposed upon the
Board
by the conditions contained in the application for the Mixed and Shared Funding
Exemptive Order and said reports, materials, and data shall be submitted
more
frequently if deemed appropriate by the Board.
4.6 All
reports of potential or existing conflicts received by the Fund's Board of
Trustees, and all Board action with regard to determining the existence of
a
conflict, notifying Participating Insurance Companies of a conflict, and
determining whether any proposed action adequately remedies a conflict, shall
be
properly recorded in the minutes of the Board of Trustees of the Fund or
other
appropriate records, and such minutes or other records shall be made available
to the SEC upon request.
4.7 The
Board of Trustees of the Fund shall promptly notify the Insurer in writing
of
its determination of the existence of an irreconcilable material conflict
and
its implications.
ARTICLE
V. Prospectuses
and Proxy Statements; Voting
5.1 The
Insurer shall deliver such prospectuses, proxy statements and periodic reports
of the Fund to the owners of Variable Contracts issued by the Insurer as
required to be distributed to such Variable Contract Owners under applicable
federal or state law.
Such
delivery may be accomplished through electronic means subject to the standards
prescribed by the SEC.
5.2 The
Distributor shall provide the Insurer with as many copies of the current
prospectus of the Fund as the Insurer may reasonably request. If requested
by
the Insurer in lieu thereof, the Fund shall provide such documentation
(including a final copy of the Fund's prospectus as set in type or in
camera-ready copy and/or in electronic form) and other assistance as is
reasonably necessary in order for the Insurer to produce in printed and/or
electronic form either a stand-alone document or in a combined document together
with the current prospectus for the Variable Contracts issued by the Insurer
and
the current prospectus for the Fund, or a document combining the Fund prospectus
with prospectuses of other funds in which the Variable Contracts may be
invested. The Fund shall bear the proportionate expense of printing copies
of
its current prospectus that will be distributed to existing Variable Contract
Owners (whether in a stand-alone document or in a combined document), and
the
Insurer shall bear the expense of printing copies of the Fund's prospectus
that
are used in connection with offering the Variable Contracts issued by the
Insurer.
5.3 The
Fund and the Distributor shall provide, at the Fund's expense, such copies
of
the Fund's current Statement of Additional Information ("SAI") as may reasonably
be requested, to the Insurer and to any owner of a Variable Contract issued
by
the Insurer who requests such SAI. Such delivery may be accomplished through
electronic means subject to the standards prescribed by the
SEC.
5.4 The
Fund, at its expense, shall provide the Insurer with copies of its proxy
statements, periodic reports to shareholders, and other communications to
shareholders in such quantity as the Insurer shall reasonably require for
purposes of distributing to owners of Variable Contracts issued by the Insurer.
The Fund, at the Insurer's expense, shall provide the Insurer with copies
of its
periodic reports to shareholders and other communications to shareholders
in
such quantity as the Insurer shall reasonably request
for
use
in connection with offering the Variable Contracts issued by the Insurer.
If
requested by the Insurer in lieu thereof, the Fund shall provide such
documentation (including a final copy of the Fund's proxy statements, periodic
reports to shareholders, and other communications to shareholders, as set
in
type or in camera-ready copy or in electronic form) and other assistance
as
reasonably necessary in order for the Insurer to print or electronically
deliver
such shareholder communications for distribution to owners of Variable Contracts
issued by the Insurer.
5.5 For
so long as the SEC interprets the 1940 Act to require pass-through voting
by
Participating Insurance Companies whose Separate Accounts are registered
as
investment companies under the 1940 Act, the Insurer shall vote shares of
each
Portfolio of the Fund held in a Separate Account or a subaccount thereof,
whether or not registered under the 1940 Act, at regular and special meetings
of
the Fund in accordance with instructions timely received by the Insurer (or
its
designated agent) from owners of Variable Contracts funded by such Separate
Account or subaccount thereof having a voting interest in the Portfolio.
The
Insurer shall vote shares of a Portfolio of the Fund held in a Separate Account
or a subaccount thereof that are attributable to the Variable Contracts as
to
which no timely instructions are received, as well as shares held in such
Separate Account or subaccount thereof that are not attributable to the Variable
Contracts and owned beneficially by the Insurer (resulting from charges against
the Variable Contracts or otherwise), in the same proportion as the votes
cast
by owners of the Variable Contracts funded by that Separate Account or
subaccount thereof having a voting interest in the Portfolio from whom
instructions have been timely received. The Insurer shall vote shares of
each
Portfolio of the Fund held in each separate account, if any, in the same
proportion as the votes cast with respect to shares of the Portfolio held
in all
Separate Accounts of the Insurer or subaccounts thereof, in the
aggregate.
5.6 If
and during the time as the Fund engages in activities that require a Mixed
and
Shared Funding Exemptive Order, the Fund shall disclose in its
prospectus
that
(1)
the Fund is intended to be a funding vehicle for variable annuity and variable
life insurance contracts offered by various insurance companies, (2) material
irreconcilable conflicts possibly may arise, and (3) the Board of Trustees
of
the Fund will monitor events in order to identify the existence of any material
irreconcilable conflicts and to determine what action, if any, should be
taken
in response to any such conflict. The Fund hereby notifies the Insurer that
prospectus disclosure may be appropriate regarding potential risks of offering
shares of the Fund to separate accounts funding both variable annuity contracts
and variable life insurance policies and to separate accounts funding Variable
Contracts of unaffiliated life insurance companies.
ARTICLE
VI. Sales
Material and Information
6.1 Unless
the parties mutually agree to alternative time frames, upon reasonable request,
the Insurer shall furnish, or shall cause to be furnished, to the Fund or
its
designee, each piece of sales literature or other promotional material in
which
the Fund (or any Portfolio thereof), the Fund's investment adviser (the
"Adviser") or the Distributor is named at least 15 days prior to the anticipated
use of such material, and no such sales literature or other promotional material
shall be used unless the Fund, the Adviser and the Distributor or their designee
approve the material or do not respond with comments on the material within
10
days from receipt of the material.
6.1
(a) The Fund and the Distributor hereby consent to the establishment
by the Insurer of a link between the Fund Web Site and the World Wide Web
internet site of the Insurer ("Insurer Web Site"). Such link may be established
for the purpose of facilitating access to information made available on the
Fund
Web Site, including the Fund's prospectus, as may be amended from time to
time.
Any such link shall be displayed on the Insurer's Web Site in equal prominence
with any other link or links that the Insurer may provide to the Web Sites
of
other underlying investment companies that serve as investments for the
Insurer's Variable Contracts. The establishment of such link shall not relieve
the Insurer of its responsibility for the delivery of the prospectuses,
proxy
statements,
or periodic reports of the Fund as provided for in Section 5.1 hereof. The
consent provided hereby shall terminate upon the termination of this Agreement
as provided for in Article VI hereof. The text contained on the Insurer's
Web
Site related to such link shall be subject to Article VI hereof, including,
without limitation, the requirement that the Insurer provide such text to
the
Fund for prior review in accordance with Section 6.1 hereof.
6.2 The
Insurer agrees that neither it nor any of its affiliates or agents shall
give
any information or make any representations or statements on behalf of the
Fund
and Adviser or concerning the Fund and Adviser other than the information
or
representations contained in the Registration Statement or prospectus for
the
Fund shares, as such registration statement and prospectus may be amended
or
supplemented from time to time, or in reports or proxy statements for the
Fund,
or in sales literature or other promotional material approved by the Fund
or its
designee and by the Distributor or its designee, except with the permission
of
the Fund or its designee and the Distributor or its designee.
6.3 Unless
the parties mutually agree to alternative time frames, the Fund or the
Distributor or their designee , upon reasonable request, shall furnish to
the
Insurer or its designee, each piece of sales literature or other promotional
material in which the Insurer or its Separate Accounts are named at least
15
days prior to the anticipated use of such material, and no such material
shall
be used unless the Insurer or its designee approves the material or does
not
respond with comments on the material within 10 days from receipt of the
material.
6.4 The
Fund and the Distributor agree that each and the affiliates and agents of
each
shall not give any information or make any representations on behalf of the
Insurer or its affiliates, or concerning the Insurer or its affiliates, the
Separate Accounts, or the Variable Contracts issued by the Insurer, other
than
the information or representations contained in a registration statement
or
prospectus for such Variable
Contracts,
as such registration statement and prospectus may be amended or supplemented
from time to time, or in reports for the Separate Accounts or prepared for
distribution to owners of such Variable Contracts, or in sales literature
or
other promotional material approved by the Insurer or its designee, except
with
the permission of the Insurer or its designee.
6.5 The
Fund will provide to the Insurer at least one complete copy of any Mixed
and
Shared Funding Exemptive Order, notice and exemptive application, and any
amendments thereto, all prospectuses, Statements of Additional Information,
reports, proxy statements and other voting solicitation materials, and all
amendments and supplements to any of the above, that relate to the Fund or
its
shares, promptly after the filing of such document with the SEC or other
regulatory authorities.
6.6 The
Insurer will provide to the Fund all prospectuses (which shall include the
portions of an offering memorandum that contains information regarding the
Fund,
Distributor or Adviser if the Variable Contracts issued by the Insurer or
interests therein are not registered under the 1933 Act), Statements of
Additional Information, reports, solicitations for voting instructions relating
to the Fund, and all amendments or supplements to any of the above that relate
to the Variable Contracts issued by the Insurer or the Separate Accounts
which
utilize the Fund as an underlying investment medium, promptly after the filing
of such document with the SEC or other regulatory authority.
6.7 For
purposes of this Agreement, the phrase "sales literature or other promotional
material" includes, but is not limited to, advertisements (such as material
published, or designed for use, in a newspaper, magazine, or other periodical,
radio, television, telephone or tape recording, videotape display, signs
or
billboards, motion pictures, computerized media, Web site or other public
media), sales literature or other promotional material (i.e. any written
communication distributed or made generally available to customers or the
public, including brochures, circulars, information provided on a Web site,
research reports, market letters, form letters, seminar texts, reprints
or
excerpts
of any other advertisement, sales literature or other promotional material,
or
published article), educational or training materials or other communications
distributed or made generally available to some or all agents or
employees.
ARTICLE
VII. Indemnification
7.1 Indemnification
by the Insurer
7.1
(a)
The Insurer agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Fund, the Distributor,
and
each of their Directors, Trustees, officers, employees and agents, and any
affiliated person of the Fund or the Distributor within the meaning of Section
2(a)(3) of the 1940 Act (collectively, the "Indemnified Parties" for purposes
of
this Section 7.1) against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities
(including amounts paid in settlement with the written consent of the Insurer)
or litigation expenses (including reasonable legal and other expenses), to
which
the Indemnified Parties may become subject under any statute or regulation,
at
common law or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages, liabilities
or
litigation expenses are related to the sale or acquisition of the Fund's
shares
or the Variable Contracts issued by the Insurer and:
(i)
arise
out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement
of any
material fact contained in the registration statement or prospectus (which
shall
include the portions of an offering memorandum that contain information
regarding the Fund, Distributor or Adviser) for the Variable Contracts issued
by
the Insurer or sales literature or other promotional material for such Variable
Contracts (or any amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing), or arise
out
of or are based upon the omission or the alleged omission to state therein
a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading, provided that this agreement to indemnify shall not
apply as to any Indemnified Party if such statement or omission or such alleged
statement or omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with
information furnished in writing to the Insurer by or on behalf of the Fund
for
use in the registration statement or prospectus for the Variable Contracts
issued by the Insurer or sales literature or other promotional material (or
any
amendment or supplement) or otherwise for use in connection with the sale
of
such Variable Contracts or Fund shares; or
(ii)
arise out of or as a result of any statement or representation (other than
statements or representations contained in the registration statement,
prospectus or sales literature or other promotional material of the Fund
not
supplied in writing by the Insurer or persons under its control) or wrongful
conduct of the Insurer or any of its affiliates, employees or agents with
respect to the sale or distribution of the Variable Contracts issued by the
Insurer or the Fund shares; or
(iii)
arise out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material
fact
contained in a registration statement, prospectus, or sales literature or
other
promotional material of the Fund or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto
or the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required
to
be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading
if
such a statement or omission was made in reliance upon information furnished
in
writing by or on behalf of the Insurer; or
(iv)
arise out of or result from any material breach of any representation and/or
warranty made by the Insurer in this Agreement or arise out of or result
from
any other material breach of this Agreement by the Insurer;
except
to
the extent provided in Sections 7.1(b) and 7.1(c) hereof.
7.1(b)
The Insurer shall not be liable under this indemnification provision with
respect to any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or litigation expenses
to
which an Indemnified Party would otherwise be subject by reason of willful
misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in the performance of the
Indemnified Party's duties or by reason of the Indemnified Party's reckless
disregard of obligations or duties under this Agreement.
7.1(c)
The Insurer shall not be liable under this indemnification provision with
respect to any claim made against an Indemnified Party unless such Party
shall
have notified the Insurer in writing within a reasonable time after the summons
or other first legal process giving information of the nature of the claim
shall
have been served upon such Indemnified Party (or after such Party shall have
received notice of such service on any designated agent), but failure to
notify
the Insurer of any such claim shall not relieve the Insurer from any liability
which it may have to the Indemnified Party against whom such action is brought
otherwise than on account of this indemnification
provision.
In case any such action is brought against the Indemnified Parties, the Insurer
shall be entitled to participate, at its own expense, in the defense of such
action. The Insurer also shall be entitled to assume the defense thereof,
with
counsel satisfactory to the party named in the action. After notice from
the
Insurer to such party of the Insurer's election to assume the defense thereof,
the Indemnified Party shall bear the fees and expenses of any additional
counsel
retained by it, and the Insurer will not be liable to such party under this
Agreement for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such party
independently in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable
costs
of investigation. If the Insurer assumes the defense or representation of
an
Indemnified Party, the Insurer shall not consent or agree to any settlement
without the prior approval of the Indemnified Party.
7.1(d)
The Indemnified Parties shall promptly notify the Insurer of the commencement
of
any litigation or proceedings against them in connection with the issuance
or
sale of the Fund shares or the Variable Contracts issued by the Insurer or
the
operation of the Fund.
7.2 Indemnification
By the Distributor
7.2(a)
The Distributor agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Fund, the Insurer,
and
the Insurer's affiliated principal underwriter of the Variable Contracts,
and
each of their trustees, directors, officers, employees, and agents, and any
affiliated person of the Insurer, Fund within the meaning of Section 2(a)(3)
of
the 1940 Act (collectively, the "Indemnified Parties" for purposes of this
Section 7.2) against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities (including
amounts paid in settlement with the written consent of the Distributor) or
litigation expenses (including reasonable legal and other expenses) to which
the
Indemnified Parties may become subject under any statute or regulation, at
common law or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages, liabilities
or
litigation expenses are related to the sale or acquisition of the Fund's
shares
or the Variable Contracts issued by the Insurer and:
(i)
arise
out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement
of any
material fact contained in the registration statement or prospectus or sales
literature or other promotional material of the Fund (or any amendment or
supplement to any of the foregoing), or arise out of or are based upon the
omission or the alleged omission to state therein a material fact required
to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading,
provided that this agreement to indemnify shall not apply as to any Indemnified
Party if such statement or omission or such alleged statement or omission
was
made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing
to
the Distributor or the Fund or the designee of either by or on behalf of
the
Insurer for use in the registration statement or prospectus for the Fund
or in
sales literature or other promotional material (or any amendment or supplement)
or otherwise for use in the registration statement or prospectus for the
Fund or
in sales literature or other promotional material (or any amendment or
supplement) or otherwise for use in connection with the sale of the Variable
Contracts issued by the Insurer or Fund shares; or
(ii)
arise out of or as a result of any statement or representations (other than
statements or representations contained in the registration statement,
prospectus or sales literature or other promotional material for the Variable
Contracts not supplied in writing by the Distributor or any employees or
agents
thereof) or wrongful conduct of the Fund or Distributor, or the affiliates,
employees, or agents of the Fund or the Distributor with respect to the sale
or
distribution of the Variable Contracts issued by the Insurer or Fund shares;
or
(iii)
arise out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material
fact
contained in a registration statement, prospectus, or sales literature or
other
promotional material covering the Variable Contracts issued by the Insurer,
or
any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or the omission or alleged omission
to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary
to
make the statement or statements therein not misleading, if such statement
or
omission was made in reliance upon information furnished in writing to the
Insurer by or on behalf of the Fund; or
(iv)
arise out of or result from any material breach of any representation and/or
warranty made by the Distributor in this Agreement or arise out of or result
from any other material breach of this Agreement by the
Distributor;
except
to
the extent provided in Sections 7.2(b) and 7.2(c) hereof.
7.2(b)
The Distributor shall not be liable under this indemnification provision
with
respect to any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or litigation expenses
to
which
an
Indemnified Party would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance,
bad faith, or gross negligence in the performance of the Indemnified Party's
duties or by reason of the Indemnified Party's reckless disregard of obligations
or duties under this Agreement.
7.2(c)
The Distributor shall not be liable under this indemnification provision
with
respect to any claim made against an Indemnified Party unless such Party
shall
have notified the Distributor in writing within a reasonable time after the
summons or other first legal process giving information of the nature of
the
claim shall have been served upon such Indemnified Party (or after such Party
shall have received notice of such service on any designated agent), but
failure
to notify the Distributor of any such claim shall not relieve the Distributor
from any liability which it may have to the Indemnified Party against whom
such
action is brought otherwise than on account of this indemnification provision.
In case any such action is brought against the Indemnified Parties, the
Distributor will be entitled to participate, at is own expense, in the defense
thereof. The Distributor also shall be entitled to assume the defense thereof,
with counsel satisfactory to the party named in the action. After notice
from
the Distributor to such party of the Distributor's election to assume the
defense thereof, the Indemnified Party shall bear the fees and expenses of
any
additional counsel retained by it, and the Distributor will not be liable
to
such party under this Agreement for any legal or other expense subsequently
incurred by such party independently in connection with the defense thereof
other than reasonable costs of investigation. If the Distributor assumes
the
defense or representation of an Indemnified Party, the Distributor shall
not
consent or agree to any settlement without the prior approval of the Indemnified
Party.
7.2(d)
The Indemnified Parties shall promptly notify the Distributor of the
commencement of any litigation or proceedings against them in connection
with
the issuance or sale of the Variable Contracts issued by the Insurer or the
operation of the Separate Accounts.
7.3 Indemnification
by the Fund
7.3(a)
The Fund agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Insurer, the Insurer's
affiliated principal underwriter of the Variable Contracts, and each of their
trustees, directors, officers, employees, and agents, and any "affiliated
person" of the Insurer within the meaning of Section 2(a)(3) of the 1940
Act
(collectively, the "Indemnified Parties" for purposes of this Section 7.3)
against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities (including amounts
paid
in settlement with the written consent of the Fund) or litigation expenses
(including reasonable legal and other expenses) to which the Indemnified
Parties
may become subject under any statute or regulation, at common law or otherwise,
insofar as such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or litigation expenses
are
related to the sale or acquisition of the Fund's shares or the Variable
Contracts issued by the Insurer and:
(i)
arise
out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement
of any
material fact contained in the registration statement or prospectus or sales
literature or other promotional material of the Fund (or any amendment or
supplement to any of the foregoing), or arise out of or are based upon the
omission or the alleged omission to state therein a material fact required
to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading,
provided that this agreement to indemnify shall not apply as to any Indemnified
Party if such statement or omission or such alleged statement or omission
was
made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing
to
the Distributor or the Fund or the designee of either by or on behalf of
the
Insurer for use in the registration statement or prospectus for the Fund
or in
sales literature or other promotional material (or any amendment or supplement)
or otherwise for use in connection with the sale of the Variable Contracts
issued by the Insurer or Fund shares; or
(ii)
arise out of or as a result of any statement or representation (other than
statements or representations contained in the registration statement,
prospectus or sales literature or other promotional material for the Variable
Contracts not supplied in writing by the Distributor or any employees or
agents
thereof) or wrongful conduct of the Fund, or the affiliates, employees, or
agents of the Fund, with respect to the sale or distribution of the Variable
Contracts issued by the Insurer or Fund shares; or
(iii)
arise out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material
fact
contained in a registration statement, prospectus or sales literature or
other
promotional material covering the Variable Contracts issued by the Insurer,
or
any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or the omission or alleged omission
to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary
to
make the statement or statements therein not misleading, if such statement
or
omission was made in reliance upon information furnished in writing to the
Insurer by or on behalf of the Fund; or
(iv)
arise out of or result from any material breach of any representation and/or
warranty made by the Fund in this Agreement or arise out of or result from
any
other material breach of this Agreement by the Fund;
except
to
the extent provided in Sections 7.3(b) and 7.3(c) hereof.
7.3
(b)
The Fund shall not be liable under this indemnification provision with respect
to any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or litigation expenses to which
an
Indemnified Party would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance,
bad faith, or gross negligence in the performance of the Indemnified Party's
duties or by reason of the Indemnified Party's reckless disregard of obligations
or duties under this Agreement or to the Insurer.
7.3
(c)
The Fund shall not be liable under this indemnification provision with respect
to any claim made against an Indemnified Party unless such party shall have
notified the Fund in writing within a reasonable time after the summons or
other
first legal process giving information of the nature of the claim shall have
been served upon such Indemnified Party (or after such Party shall have received
notice of such service on any designated agent), but failure to notify the
Fund
of any such claim shall not relieve the Fund from any liability which it
may
have to the Indemnified Party against whom such action is brought otherwise
than
on account of this indemnification provision. In case any such action is
brought
against the Indemnified Parties, the Fund will be entitled to participate,
at
its own expense, in the defense thereof. The Fund also shall be entitled
to
assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to the party named
in the
action. After notice from the Fund to such party of the Fund's election to
assume the defense
thereof,
the Indemnified Party shall bear the fees and expenses of any additional
counsel
retained by it, and the Fund will not be liable to such party under this
Agreement for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such party
independently in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable
costs
of investigation. If the Fund assumes the defense or representation of an
Indemnified Party, the Fund shall not consent or agree to any settlement
without
the prior approval of the Indemnified Party.
7.3(d)
The Insurer shall promptly notify the Fund of the commencement of any litigation
or proceedings against it or any of its officers or directors in connection
with
the issuance or sale of the Variable Contracts issued by the Insurer or the
sale
of the Fund's shares.
ARTICLE
VIII. Applicable
Law
8.1 This
Agreement shall be construed and the provisions hereof interpreted under
and in
accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
8.2 This
Agreement shall be subject to the provisions of the 1933, 1934, and 1940
Acts,
and the rules and regulations and rulings thereunder, including such exemptions
from those statutes, rules and regulations as the SEC may grant (including,
but
not limited to, any Mixed and Shared Funding Exemptive Order), and the terms
hereof shall be interpreted and construed in accordance
therewith.
ARTICLE
IX. Termination
9.1 This
Agreement shall terminate:
(a)
at
the option of any party upon 180 days advance written notice to the other
parties; or
(b)
at
the option of the Insurer if shares of the Portfolios are not reasonably
available to meet the requirements of the Variable Contracts issued by the
Insurer, as determined by the Insurer, and upon prompt notice by the Insurer
to
the other parties; or
(c)
at
the option of the Fund or the Distributor upon institution of formal proceedings
against the Insurer or its agent by the NASD, the SEC, or any state securities
or insurance department or any other regulatory body regarding the Insurer's
duties under this Agreement or related to the sale of the Variable Contracts
issued by the Insurer, the operation of the Separate Accounts, or the purchase
of the Fund shares; or
(d)
at
the option of the Insurer upon institution of formal proceedings against
the
Fund, the Adviser or the Distributor by the NASD, the SEC, or any state
securities or insurance department or any other regulatory body;
or
(e)
upon
requisite vote of the Variable Contract Owners having an interest in the
Separate Accounts (or any subaccounts thereof) to substitute the shares of
another investment company for the corresponding shares of the Fund or a
Portfolio in accordance with the terms of the Variable Contracts for which
those
shares had been selected or serve as the underlying investment media;
or
(f)
in
the event any of the shares of a Portfolio are not registered, issued or
sold in
accordance with applicable state and/or federal law, or such law precludes
the
use of such shares as the underlying investment media of the Variable Contracts
issued or to be issued by the Insurer; or
(g)
by
any party to the Agreement upon a determination by a majority of the Trustees
of
the Fund, or a majority of its disinterested Trustees, that an irreconcilable
conflict, as described in Article IV hereof, exists; or
(h)
at
the option of the Insurer if the Fund or a Portfolio fails to meet the
requirements under Subchapter M of the Code for qualification as a Regulated
Investment Company specified in Section 3.2 hereof or the diversification
requirements specified in Section 3.3 hereof.
9.2 Each
party to this Agreement shall promptly notify the other parties to the Agreement
of the institution against such party of any such formal proceedings as
described in Sections 9.1(c) and (d) hereof. The Insurer shall give 60 days
prior written
notice
to
the Fund of the date of any proposed vote of Variable Contract Owners to
replace
the Fund's shares as described in Section 9.1(e) hereof.
9.3 Except
as necessary to implement Variable Contract Owner initiated transactions,
or as
required by state insurance laws or regulations, the Insurer shall not redeem
Fund shares attributable to the Variable Contracts issued by the Insurer
(as
opposed to Fund shares attributable to the Insurer's assets held in the Separate
Accounts), and the Insurer shall not prevent Variable Contract Owners from
allocating payments to a Portfolio, until 60 days after the Insurer shall
have
notified the Fund or Distributor of its intention to do so.
9.4 Notwithstanding
any termination of this Agreement, the Fund and the Distributor shall at
the
option of the Insurer continue to make available additional shares of the
Fund
pursuant to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, for all Variable
Contracts in effect on the effective date of termination of this Agreement
(hereinafter referred to as "Existing Contracts"). Specifically, without
limitation, based upon instructions from the owners of the Existing Contracts,
the Separate Accounts shall be permitted to reallocate investments in the
Portfolios of the Fund and redeem investments in the Portfolios, and shall
be
permitted to invest in the Portfolios in the event that owners of the Existing
Contracts make additional purchase payments under the Existing Contracts.
If
this Agreement terminates, the parties agree that Sections 3.10, 7.1, 7.2,
7.3,
7.4, 8.1, 8.2, and 12.7 and, to the extent that all or a portion of the assets
of the Separate Accounts continue to be invested in the Fund or any Portfolio
of
the Fund, Articles I, II, and IV and Sections 5.5 and 5.6 will remain in
effect
after termination.
ARTICLE
X. Market Timing and Late Trading
(A)
Insurer shall not knowingly offer, adopt, implement, conduct or participate
in
any program, plan, arrangement, advice or strategy Distributor or the Funds
reasonably deem to be harmful to Shareholders or potentially disruptive to
the
management of the Funds, as communicated to Insurer by Distributor in writing
from time to time, or which violates the policies and procedures of the Funds
as
disclosed in each Fund's Prospectus; including without limitation, any activity
involving market timing, programmed transfer, frequent transfer and similar
investment programs. Insurer, at all times during the term of this Agreement,
shall have active, formal policies and procedures aimed at deterring "market
timers." Such policies and procedures shall provide for Insurer's ongoing
review
of its customers' account activity and prescribe effective actions to deter
or
detect and stop disruptive activities; (B) With respect to Shares held by
Insurer on an omnibus basis with the Funds, Insurer shall upon Distributor's
request, promptly provide the TIN of each Shareholder that purchased, redeemed,
transferred or exchanged Shares of a Fund and the amount and dates of such
Shareholder purchases, redemptions, transfers and exchanges; and (C) Insurer
shall follow Distributor's instructions to restrict or prohibit further
purchases or exchanges of Shares by a Shareholder that has been identified
by
Distributor as having engaged in transactions of Shares (whether directly
or
through Insurer) that violate the policies and procedures of the Funds as
disclosed in each Fund's Prospectus or that are deemed disruptive to the
Funds
as determined by Distributor in its sole discretion.
Upon
Insurer's request, Distributor and/or Fund shall provide to Insurer, in a
format
that may be shared with the affected Shareholder, a written statement that
a
Shareholder is believed to have violated a Fund's policy regarding frequent
trading. Distributor and Funds acknowledge that the date of compliance with
Rule
22c-2 is October 16, 2006, and that the SEC is considering further comments
on
same. Distributor and Funds further acknowledge and agree that Insurer's
obligations set forth
in
this
Article X hereof, with respect to Rule 22c-2, shall begin as of such effective
date and are subject to change should Rule 22c-2 change, provided that, in
the
interim, if based upon its review of the activity in any omnibus account
held by
Insurer, Distributor has concerns that market timing activities have taken
place
by Insurer's Separate Account customers, Insurer agrees upon Distributor's
request, to carry out further investigations on a Separate Account (or
subaccount thereof) level and inform Distributor about its findings accordingly.
Insurer agrees to provide Distributor with certain non-personal Separate
Account
(or subaccount thereof) trading information as Distributor may from time
to time
reasonably request. Such information would be used solely to comply with
Distributor's market timing policies, applicable laws and requests from
regulatory authorities.
ARTICLE
XI. Privacy Policy
(a) The
parties acknowledge that:
(i) the
SEC has adopted Regulation S-P at 17 CFR Part 248 to protect
the
privacy
of individuals who obtain a financial product or service for personal, family
or
household use;
(ii) Regulation
S-P permits financial dealers, such as Insurer and Distributor, to disclose
"nonpublic personal information" ("NPI") of its "customers" and "consumers"
(as
those terms are therein defined in Regulation S-P) to affiliated and
nonafflliated third parties, without giving such customers and consumers
the
ability to opt out of such disclosure, for the limited purposes of processing
and servicing transactions (17 CFR § 248.14); for specified law enforcement and
miscellaneous purposes (17 CFR § 248.15); and to service providers or in
connection with joint marketing arrangements (17 CFR §
248.13);
(iii) Regulation
S-P provides that the right of a customer and consumer to opt out of having
his
or her NPI disclosed pursuant to 17 CFR § 248.7 and 17 CFR § 248.10 does not
apply when the NPI is disclosed to service providers or in connection with
joint
marketing arrangements, provided the Insurer and third party enter into a
contractual agreement that prohibits the third party from disclosing or using
the information other than to carry out the purposes for which the Insurer
disclosed the information (17 CFR § 248.13);
(iv) NPI
of Insurer's consumers and customers that have no independent customer
relationship with Distributor may be disclosed to Distributor during the
term of
the Agreement ("Insurer Customer NPI");
(v) certain
consumers and customers of Insurer may also be consumers and customers of
Distributor as fully-disclosed shareholders of Federated mutual funds ("Joint
Customer"); and
(vi) NPI
of Joint Customers may be disclosed and exchanged during the term of this
Agreement ("Joint Customer NPI").
(b) Each
party hereby covenants that any Joint Customer NPI which a party receives
from
the other party will be subject to the following limitations and
restrictions:
(i) Each
party may redisclose Joint Customer NPI to its own affiliates, who will be
limited by the same disclosure and use restrictions that are imposed on the
parties under this Agreement; and
(ii) Each
party may redisclose and use Joint Customer NPI only as necessary in the
ordinary course of business to provide the services identified in this Agreement
except as permitted under Regulation S-P and as required by any applicable
federal or state law.
(c) Distributor
covenants that:
(i) Distributor
may redisclose Insurer Customer NPI to its own affiliates, who will be limited
by the same disclosure and use restrictions that are imposed on Distributor
under this Agreement; and
(ii) Distributor
may redisclose and use Insurer Customer NPI only as necessary in the ordinary
course of business to provide the services identified in this Agreement and
to
third-party service providers as permitted under Regulation
S-P.
(d) Each
party represents and warrants that, in accordance with 17 CFR § 248.30, it has
implemented, and will continue to carry out for the term of the Agreement,
policies and procedures reasonably designed to:
(i) Insure
the security and confidentiality of records and customers'
NPI;
(ii) Protect
against any anticipated threats or hazards to the security or integrity of
customer records and NPI; and
(iii) Protect
against unauthorized access or use of such customer records or NPI that could
result in substantial harm or inconvenience to any customer.
(e) The
provisions of this Section shall survive the termination of the
Agreement.
ARTICLE
XII. Notices
Any
notice shall be sufficiently given when sent by registered or certified mail
or
by facsimile duly delivered with confirmation of receipt to the other party
at
the address of such party set forth below or at such other address as such
party
may from time to time specify in writing to the other party.
If
to the
Fund or the Distributor:
Federated
Insurance Series
℅
Federated Securities Corp.
Federated
Investors Tower
0000
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxxxxxx 00000-0000
Attn.:
Secretary
Fax: (000)
000-0000
Phone:
(000) 000-0000
If
to the
Insurer:
Nationwide
Financial Services, Inc.
Xxx
Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxx, 0-00-X0
Xxxxxxxx,
Xxxx 00000
Attn:
Securities Officer
Fax:
(000) 000-0000
With
a
Copy to:
Nationwide
Financial
Xxx
Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxx, 0-00-00
Xxxxxxxx,
XX 00000
Attention:
Vice President - Investment Advisory Services
Fax:
(000) 000-0000
Phone:
(000) 000-0000
ARTICLE
XIII.: Miscellaneous
13.1 The
Fund and the Insurer agree that if and to the extent Rule 6e-2 or Rule 6e-3(T)
under the 1940 Act is amended or if Rule 6e-3 is adopted in final form, to
the
extent applicable, the Fund and the Insurer shall each take such steps as
may be
necessary to comply with the Rule as amended or adopted in final
form.
13.2 A
copy of the Fund's Certificate of Trust is on file with the Secretary of
the
State of Delaware and notice is hereby given that any agreements that are
executed on behalf of the Fund by any Trustee or officer of the Fund are
executed in his or her capacity as Trustee or officer and not individually.
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 shareholder
of
the Fund individually.
13.3 Nothing
in this Agreement shall impede the Fund's Trustees or shareholders of the
shares
of the Fund's Portfolios from exercising any of the
rights
provided
to such Trustees or shareholders in the Fund's Agreement and Declaration
of
Trust, as amended, a copy of which will be provided to the Insurer upon
request.
13.4 Administrative
services to Variable Contract Owners shall be the responsibility of Insurer
as
set forth in Exhibit D. Insurer, on behalf of its separate accounts will
be the
sole shareholder of record of Fund shares. The Distributor agrees to pay
the
Insurer an amount computed at an annual rate of ___ of ___% of the average
daily net asset value of shares of each of the Funds listed on Exhibit B
that
are held in subaccounts in the Funds and for which the Insurer provides
administrative services. Payments shall be made no less frequently than
quarterly.
13.5(a)
It is understood that the name "Federated," or any derivative thereof or
logo
associated with that name (the "Marks") are the valuable property, respectively,
of the Distributor and the Funds (and their affiliates), and that the Insurer
has the right to use such names (or derivatives or logos) only so long as
this
Agreement is in effect and the Distributor or an affiliate of the Distributor
continues to serve as the principal underwriter of the Fund. Upon termination
of
this Agreement the Insurer shall forthwith cease to use the Marks. Insurer
agrees that it shall not use the Marks in a manner that disparages or degrades
the business or reputation of the Distributor, the Fund, or any of their
affiliates, or that infringes, dilutes, or otherwise violates the Marks.
Upon
request, Insurer agrees to provide appropriate attribution of the use of
the
Marks (e.g., through the use of "TM" or ® symbols, and appropriate notice
regarding reservation of rights).
13.6 It
is understood that the name "Nationwide" or any derivative thereof or logo
associated with that name (the "Nationwide Marks") is the valuable property
of
the Insurer and its affiliates, and that the Fund and the Distributor have
the
right to use such name (or derivative or logo) only so long as this Agreement
is
in effect. Upon termination of this Agreement the Fund and the Distributor
shall
forthwith cease to use the Nationwide Marks. Fund and Distributor agree that
it
shall not use the Nationwide Marks in a manner that disparages or degrades
the
business or reputation of the Insurer or
any
of
their affiliates, or that infringes, dilutes, or otherwise violates the
Nationwide Marks. Upon request, Fund and Distributor agree to provide
appropriate attribution of the use of the Nationwide Marks (e.g., through
the
use of "TM" or ® symbols, and appropriate notice regarding reservation of
rights).
13.7 The
parties agree to keep confidential all information, documentation and/or
data
related to this Agreement, except as may be necessary to perform services
under
this Agreement, as required by law, a court of competent jurisdiction or
other
governing regulatory body, or as otherwise may be agreed to in writing by
the
parties. Each party agrees not to use, disclose or distribute to others any
consumer non-public personal information related to this Agreement, except
as
necessary to perform the terms of this Agreement or as permitted or required
by
law. This provision shall survive the termination of this
Agreement.
13.8 Should
Fund or Distributor desire to no longer have a Fund available in a variable
contract, Fund or Distributor shall be responsible for any and all expenses
incurred as a result of removing such Fund as an available investment option
under the Contract. Should Insurer desire to no longer have a Fund available
in
a variable contract, Insurer shall be responsible for any and all expenses
incurred as a result of removing such Fund as an available investment option
under the Contract. Should removal of a Fund as an available investment option
be mutually desired by the parties, the parties agree to equally (or in such
other proportion as they may mutually agree) share any expenses incurred
as a
result of removing such Fund as an available investment option. Insurer,
Fund
and Distributor agree to provide reasonable advance notice of the election
to
remove a Fund as an available investment option in order to permit the parties
to file documentation as may be required under applicable
law.
13.9 The
captions in this Agreement are included for convenience of reference only
and in
no way define or delineate any of the provisions hereof or otherwise affect
their construction or effect.
13.10 Each
party hereby represents and warrants to the other that the persons executing
this Agreement on its behalf are duly authorized and empowered to execute
and
deliver the Agreement and that the Agreement constitutes a legal, valid and
binding obligation, and is enforceable in accordance with its terms. Except
as
particularly set forth herein, neither party assumes any responsibility
hereunder and will not be liable to the other for any damages, loss of data,
delay or any other loss whatsoever caused by events beyond its control. This
Agreement may be executed simultaneously in two or more counterparts, each
of
which taken together shall constitute one and the same
instrument.
13.11 If
any provision of this Agreement shall be held or made invalid by a court
decision, statute, rule or otherwise, the remainder of the Agreement shall
not
be affected thereby.
13.12 No
party to this Agreement may assign the Agreement except with the written
consent
of the other parties to the Agreement.
13.13 This
Agreement may not be amended or modified except by a written amendment, which
includes any amendments to the Exhibits, executed by all parties to the
Agreement.
13.14 This
Agreement terminates all insurance fund prior agreements.
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly
executed as of the day and year first above written.
FEDERATED
SECURITIES CORP.
By:_________________
Name:
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Title: Vice
President
FEDERATED
INSURANCE SERIES
By:____________________________
Name:
Xxxx X. XxXxxxxxx
Title: Executive
Vice President
NATIONWIDE
FINANCIAL SERVICES, INC.
By:____________________________
Name:
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Title: Attorney-in-Fact
EXHIBIT
A
Subsidiary
Life Insurance Companies
Nationwide
Life Insurance Company
Nationwide
Life Insurance Company of America
Nationwide
Life and Annuity Insurance Company
Nationwide
Life and Annuity Company of America
Separate
Accounts
Nationwide
Variable Account
Nationwide
Variable Account-II
Nationwide
Variable Account-3
Nationwide
Variable Account-4
Nationwide
Variable Account-5
Nationwide
Variable Account-6
Nationwide
Variable Account -7
Nationwide
Variable Account-8
Nationwide
Variable Account-9
Nationwide
Variable Account-10
Nationwide
Variable Account-11
Nationwide
Variable Account -12
Nationwide
Variable Account-13
Nationwide
Variable Account-14
Nationwide
Variable Account-15
Nationwide
Variable Account-16
Nationwide
Variable Account-17
Multi-Flex
Variable Account
Nationwide
VA Separate Account-A
Nationwide
VA Separate Account-B
Nationwide
VA Separate Account-C
Nationwide
VA Separate Account-D
Nationwide
VLI Separate Account
Nationwide
VLI Separate Account-2
Nationwide
VLI Separate Account-3
Nationwide
VLI Separate Account-4
Nationwide
VLI Separate Account-5
Nationwide
VLI Separate Account-6
Nationwide
VL Separate Account
Nationwide
VL Separate Account-A
Nationwide
VL Separate Account-B
Nationwide
VL Separate Account-C
Nationwide
VL Separate Account-D
Nationwide
Private Placement Variable Account
Nationwide
Provident VA Separate Account 1
Provident
VA Separate Account A
Provident
VLI Separate Account 1
Provident
VLI Separate Account A
Nationwide
DC Variable Account
Nationwide
DC Variable Account-II
NACo
Variable Account
Nationwide
Governmental Plans Variable Account
Nationwide
Governmental Plans Variable Account-II
Nationwide
Qualified Plans Variable Account
Ohio
DC
Variable Account
EXHIBIT
B
FUNDS
All
current and future funds available for sale through the Variable Products,
including but not limited to any funds listed below.
Federated
Quality Bond Fund II - Primary Shares (921)
Federated
American Leaders Fund II - Primary Shares (338)
Federated
Capital Appreciation Fund II - Primary Shares (252)
Federated
High Income Bond Fund II - Primary Shares (336)
Federated
Xxxxxxxx Fund II Primary Shares (953)
Federated
Equity Income Fund II (834)
Federated
International Equity Fund II (635)
Federated
Mid Cap Growth Strategies Fund II (654)
Federated
Market Opportunity Fund II (246)
Federated
Prime Money Fund II (330)
Federated
Capital Income Fund II (333)
Federated
Fund for US Government Securities II (334)
Federated
American Leaders Fund II - Service Shares (952)
Federated
Capital Appreciation Fund II - Service Shares (928)
Federated
High Income Bond II - Service Shares (250)
Federated
Quality Bond Fund II - Service Shares (929)
Federated
Xxxxxxxx Fund II - Service Shares (957)
EXHIBIT
C
OPERATIONAL
GUIDELINES
(a) Insurer
shall, on behalf of the Funds, receive instructions from the Separate Accounts
for acceptance prior to the Close of Trading on each Business Day. Insurer
shall, upon its acceptance of any such instructions, communicate such acceptance
to the Separate Accounts.
(b)
Insurer or its designee shall communicate to the Funds, by means of electronic
transmission or other mutually acceptable means, a report of the trading
activity of each Account in any of the Funds for the most recent Business
Day in
accordance with each Fund's prospectus. However, if Insurer will be
communicating such information after the Close of Trading, then the Insurer
shall be considered the Fund's agent for purposes of Rule 22c-l of the
Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. To the extent that each of the
parties is a member of, and/or has access to, the National Securities Clearing
Corporation's ("NSCC") systems and services, including
Fund/SERV and Networking, the parties agree to utilize such services for
all
transactions contemplated hereunder and agree that all such dealings and
transactions shall be processed in accordance with, and governed by, the
NSCC's
Rules and Procedures (as the same may be amended from time to time) and the
Networking Agreement executed by each such party. In the event of the
unavailability of the NSCC at any time, the following procedures shall
apply:
(i) the
Funds shall use its best efforts to provide information listed in
Section l(b) of the Agreement to Insurer by means of electronic
transmission or other mutually acceptable means by 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time
on
each Business Day.
(ii) Insurer
or its designee shall communicate to the Funds, by means of electronic
transmission or other mutually acceptable means, a report of the trading
activity of each Account in any of the Funds for the most recent Business
Day
("Trade Date") by 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time on the Business Day
following the Trade Date ("Settlement Date"). The number of
shares to be purchased or redeemed for a Separate Account shall be determined
based upon the net asset value at the Close of Trading on the Trade Date,
provided that, if the Funds receives the trading information called for by
this
sub-paragraph after 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time on a Settlement Date, the Funds
shall
use its best efforts to enter an Account's purchase or redemption order at
the
net asset value at the Close of Trading on the Trade Date, but if the Funds
is
unable to do so, the transaction shall be entered at the net asset value
next
determined after the Funds receives the trading information.
(iii) In
the event there is a net purchase for an Account in any Fund, Insurer or
its
designee shall exercise its best efforts to direct wire payment in the dollar
amount of the net purchase to be received by the Funds by the close of the
Federal Reserve Wire Transfer System on the Settlement Date. If the wire
is not
received by the Funds by such time, and such delay was not caused by the
negligence or willful misconduct of the Funds, the Funds shall be entitled
to
receive from Insurer the dollar amount of any overdraft plus any associated
bank
charges incurred.
(iv) In
the event there is a net redemption by an Account in any Fund, the Funds
shall
wire the redemption proceeds to the Account's custodial account, or to the
designated depository for an Account, specified by Insurer or its designee.
If
the Funds receives the redemption information by 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time on
the
Settlement Date, the redemption proceeds shall be wired so as to be received
on
the Settlement Date. If the Funds receives the redemption information after
that
time, the Funds shall use its best efforts to wire the redemption proceeds
so
that they are received by the Close of Trading on the Settlement Date, but
if
the Funds is unable to do so, the redemption proceeds shall be wired so as
to be
received by the Close of Trading on the Business Day following the Settlement
Date. If the wire is not received by the time specified in this sub-paragraph,
and such delay was not caused by the negligence or willful misconduct of
Insurer
or its designee, Insurer or Insurer's designee shall be entitled to receive
from
the Funds the dollar amount of any overdraft plus any associated bank charges
incurred; provided, however, that if the delay was due to factors beyond
the control of the Funds and its subsidiaries, the Funds shall not be liable
for
any overdraft or any associated bank charges incurred.
(v) If
the dollar amount of the redemption proceeds wired by the Funds exceeds the
amount that should have been transmitted, Insurer shall use its best efforts
to
have such excess amount returned to the Funds as soon as
possible.
(c) All
wire payments referenced in this Agreement shall be transmitted via the Federal
Reserve Wire Transfer System. Notwithstanding any other provision of this
Agreement, in the event that the Federal Reserve Wire Transfer System is
closed
on any Business Day, the duties of the Funds, Insurer, and their designees
under
this Agreement shall be suspended, and shall resume on the next Business
Day
that the Federal Reserve Wire Transfer System is open as if such period of
suspension had not occurred.
(d) In
the event (1) a Fund is required (under the then prevailing pricing error
guidelines of the Fund) to recalculate purchases and redemptions of Shares
held
in an Account due to an error in calculating the net asset value of such
class
of Shares (a "NAVError") or (2) there is a
dividend rate error with respect to any Fund held in an Account (a "Rate
Error"; Rate Error and NAV Error individually and collectively shall be
referred to as a "Pricing Error"):
(i)
The
Funds shall promptly notify Insurer in writing of the Pricing Error, which
written notice shall identify the class of Shares, the Business Day(s) on
which
the Pricing Error(s) occurred and the corrected net asset value of the Shares
on
each Business Day.
(ii)
Upon
such notification, Insurer shall promptly determine, for all Separate Accounts
which purchased or redeemed Shares on each Business Day on which a Pricing
Error
occurred, the correct number of Shares purchased or redeemed using the corrected
price and the amount of transaction proceeds actually paid or received.
Following such determination, the Insurer shall adjust the number of Shares
held
in each Separate Account to the extent necessary to reflect the correct number
of Shares purchased or redeemed for the Separate Account. Following such
determination, Insurer shall notify the Funds of the net changes in transactions
for the relevant Account and the Funds shall adjust the Account
accordingly.
(iii)
If,
after taking into account the adjustments required by subparagraph (d)(ii),
Insurer determines that some Separate Account customers were still entitled
to
additional redemption proceeds (a "Redemption
Shortfall"), it shall notify the Funds of the
aggregate amount of the Redemption Shortfalls and provide supporting
documentation for such amount. Upon receipt of such documentation, the Funds
shall cause the relevant Fund to remit to Insurer additional redemption proceeds
in the amount of such Redemption Shortfalls and Insurer shall apply such
funds
to payment of the Redemption Shortfalls.
(iv)
If,
after taking into account the adjustments required by subparagraph (d)(ii),
Insurer determines that a Separate Account customer still received excess
redemption proceeds (a "Redemption Overage"), Insurer shall use
its best efforts to collect the balance of such Redemption Overage from such
Separate Account customer. In no event, however, shall Insurer be liable
to the
Funds or any Fund for any Redemption Overage. Nothing in this subparagraph
(d)
shall be deemed to limit the right of any Fund to recover any Redemption
Overage
directly or to be indemnified by any party for losses arising from a Pricing
Error.
EXHIBIT
D
Services
Provided by Insurer
Pursuant
to the Agreement, Insurer shall perform all administrative and shareholder
services with respect to the Variable Contracts and plans, including but
not
limited to, the following:
1.
|
Maintaining
separate records for each Variable Contract owner and each plan,
which
shall reflect the Fund shares purchased and redeemed and Fund share
balances of such Variable Contract owners and
plans. Insurer will maintain accounts with each Fund on
behalf of Variable Contract owners and plans, and such account
shall be in
the name of Insurer (or its nominee) as the record owner of shares
owned
by such Variable Contract owners and
plans.
|
2.
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Disbursing
or crediting to contract owners and plans all proceeds of redemptions
of
shares of the Funds and all dividends and other distributions not
reinvested in shares of the
Funds.
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3.
|
Preparing
and transmitting to Variable Contract owners and plans, as required
by
law, periodic statements showing the total number of shares owned
as of
the statement closing date, purchases and redemptions of Fund shares
during the period covered by the statement and the dividends and
other
distributions paid during the statement period (whether paid in
cash or
reinvested in Fund shares), and such other information as may be
required,
from time to time, by Variable Contract owners and
plans.
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4.
|
Supporting
and responding to service inquires from Variable Contract owners
and
plans.
|
5.
|
Maintaining
and preserving all records required by law to be maintained and
preserved
in connection with providing the services for Variable Contract
owners and
plans.
|
6.
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Generating
written confirmations and quarterly statements to Variable Contract
owners
and plan participants.
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7.
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Distributing
to Variable Contract owners and plans, to the extent required by
applicable law, Funds' prospectuses, proxy materials, periodic
fund reports to shareholders and other materials that the Funds
are
required by law or otherwise to provide to their shareholders or
prospective shareholders.
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8.
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Transmitting
purchase and redemption orders to the Funds on behalf of the Variable
Contract owners and
plans.
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