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EXHIBIT 10(e)(1)
SERVICE AGREEMENT FOR
CERTAIN RETIREMENT PLANS
(THE AIM FAMILY OF FUNDS(R))
This Agreement is entered into as of the_____ of __________________,
199___, between _________________________________________________________ (the
"Plan Provider") and A I M Distributors, Inc. (the "Distributor").
RECITAL
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Plan Provider acts as a trustee and/or servicing agent for defined
contribution plans and/or deferred compensation plans (the "Plans") and invests
and reinvests such Plans' assets as specified by an investment adviser, sponsor
or administrative committee of the Plan (a "Plan Representative") generally
upon the direction of Plan beneficiaries (the "Participants").
Plan Provider and Distributor desire to facilitate the purchase and
redemption of shares (the "Shares") of the funds listed on Exhibit A hereto
(the "Fund" or "Funds"), registered investment companies distributed by
Distributor, on behalf of the Plans, through one or more accounts (not to
exceed one per Plan) in each Fund (individually an "Account" and collectively
the "Accounts"), subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement.
Distributor shall, on behalf of the Funds, pay to Plan Provider a fee in
accordance with Exhibit A hereto.
AGREEMENT
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1. PRICING INFORMATION
Each Fund or its designee will furnish Plan Provider on each business
day that the New York Stock Exchange is open for business ("Business
Day"), with (i) net asset value information as of the close of trading
(currently 4:15 p.m. Eastern Time) on the New York Stock Exchange or
as at such later times at which a Fund's net asset value is calculated
as specified in such Fund's prospectus ("Close of Trading"), (ii)
dividend and capital gains information as it becomes available, and
(iii) in the case of income Funds, the daily accrual or interest rate
factor (mil rate). The Funds shall use their best efforts to provide
such information to Plan Provider by 6:00 p.m. Central Time on the
same Business Day.
2. ORDERS AND SETTLEMENT
Plan Provider will calculate order allocations among designated
investment media and transmit to Distributor orders to purchase or
redeem Shares for specified Accounts. Plan Provider agrees that
orders for net purchases or net redemptions of Shares derived from
instructions received in proper form by Plan Provider from Plan
Representatives prior to the Close of Trading on any given Business
Day will be processed that same evening and transmitted to Distributor
or its designee by 9:00 a.m. Central Time on the following Business
Day. Plan Provider agrees that payment for net purchases of Shares
attributable to all orders executed for the Accounts on a given
Business Day will be wired by Plan Provider or its designee no later
than 3:00 p.m. Central Time to a custodial account designated by
Distributor. Distributor agrees that payment for net redemptions of
Shares attributable to all orders executed for the Accounts on a given
Business Day will be wired
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by Distributor on the next Business Day after such redemption orders
are transmitted to Distributor or its designee no later than the close
of business on the next Business Day to an account designated by Plan
Provider.
Subject to Plan Provider's compliance with the foregoing, Plan
Provider will be considered agent for the Funds and the Business Day
on which instructions are received in proper form by Plan Provider
from Participants or Plan Representatives by the Close of Trading will
be the date as of which Shares will be purchased and redeemed as a
result of such instructions. Plan Provider will time and date stamp
instructions received from Participants or Plan Representatives and
will make such instructions and other records relating to the services
performed hereunder (the "Services") available for audit by
Distributor's auditors upon request. Instructions received in proper
form by Plan Provider from Participants or Plan Representatives after
the Close of Trading on any given Business Day shall be treated as if
received on the next following Business Day. Dividends and capital
gains distributions will be automatically reinvested on payable date
at net asset value in accordance with each Fund's then current
prospectus.
3. PARTICIPANT RECORD KEEPING
Record keeping and other services to Plan Participants shall be the
responsibility of the record keeper for the Plans and shall not be the
responsibility of the Distributor or its transfer agent. Distributor
will recognize each Plan as a single shareholder and as an unallocated
account in the Funds, and will not maintain separate accounts for Plan
participants.
4. ACCOUNT INFORMATION
Distributor will provide Plan Provider (a) daily confirmations of
Account activity within five Business Days after each day on which a
purchase or redemption of Shares is effected for the particular
Account, (b) if requested by Plan Provider, quarterly statements
detailing activity in each Account within fifteen Business Days after
the end of each quarter, and (c) such other reports as may be
reasonably requested by Plan Provider.
5. MAINTENANCE OF RECORDS
Each party shall maintain and preserve all records as required by law
to be maintained and preserved in connection with providing the
Services and in making Shares available to the Plans. Upon the
request of Distributor, the Plan Provider shall provide copies of all
records relating to the Funds as may reasonably be requested to enable
the Funds or their representatives to comply with any request of a
governmental body or self-regulatory organization.
6. COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS
At all times Plan Provider shall comply with all laws, rules and
regulations applicable to it by virtue of entering into this
Agreement, including but not limited to those applicable to a transfer
agent under the Federal securities laws, including, without
limitation, all prospectus delivery requirements. The parties agree
that Plan Provider may satisfy prospectus delivery
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requirements by sub-contracting with Plan Representatives. At all
times, Distributor and the Funds shall comply with all laws, rules and
regulations applicable to them by virtue of entering into this
Agreement. The Plan Provider and Plan Representatives, and not the
Distributor shall take such action as may be necessary so that the
transactions contemplated by this Service Agreement shall not be
"Prohibited Transactions" under section 406 of the Employee Retirement
Income Security Act of 1974, or section 4975 of the Internal Revenue
Code.
7. REPRESENTATIONS WITH RESPECT TO THE DISTRIBUTOR AND THE FUNDS
Plan Provider and its agents shall not make representations concerning
a Fund or Shares except those contained in the then current prospectus
of such Fund, in current sales literature furnished by Distributor to
Plan Provider, in publicly available databases, such as those
databases created by Standard & Poor's Corporation and Morningstar,
and in current sales literature created by Plan Provider and submitted
to and approved in writing by Distributor prior to its use.
8. EXPENSES
(a) Each party shall bear all expenses incidental to the
performance of its obligations under this Agreement.
(b) Each Fund shall pay the cost of registration of its shares
with the Securities and Exchange Commission and in states
where required. Each Fund shall distribute or cause to be
distributed to Plan Provider its proxy material, periodic Fund
reports to shareholders and other material as such Fund may
require to be sent to shareholders. The cost of preparing and
printing this material shall be paid by the applicable Fund or
Distributor, and the cost of distributing such items shall be
borne by Plan Provider or the Plan(s) Representatives.
9. RELATIONSHIP OF PARTIES
Except to the extent provided in Section 2, it is understood and
agreed that all Services performed hereunder by Plan Provider shall be
as an independent contractor and not as an employee or agent of
Distributor or any of the Funds, and none of the parties shall hold
itself out as an agent of any other party with the authority to bind
such party.
10. USE OF NAMES
Plan Provider and its affiliates will not, without the prior written
approval of Distributor, make public references to A I M Management
Group Inc. or any of its subsidiaries, or to the Funds. For purposes
of this provision, the public does not include Plan Providers'
representatives who are actively engaged in promoting the Funds. Any
brochure or other communication to the public that mentions the Funds
shall be submitted to the compliance officer of Distributor, or its
affiliates, for his written approval prior to use by Plan Provider or
its affiliates. Plan Provider shall provide copies to Distributor's
or its affiliates' compliance officer of any of Plan Provider's
regulatory filings that include any reference to A I M Management
Group Inc. or its subsidiaries or the Funds. If Plan Provider or its
affiliates
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should make unauthorized references or representations, Plan Provider
agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Funds, A I M Management
Group Inc. and its subsidiaries from any claims, losses, expenses or
liability arising in any way out of or connected in any way with such
references or representations.
11. TERMINATION
(a) This Agreement may be terminated with respect to any Fund at
any time without payment of any penalty by the vote of a
majority of the directors of such Fund who are "disinterested
directors", as that term is defined in the Investment Company
Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"), or by a vote of a
majority of the Fund's outstanding shares, on sixty (60) days'
written notice. It will be terminated by any act which
terminates either the Fund's distribution agreement with the
Distributor, or any related agreement thereunder, and in any
event, it shall terminate automatically in the event of its
assignment as that term is defined in the 1940 Act.
(b) Either party may terminate this Agreement upon sixty (60)
days' prior written notice to the other party.
12. INDEMNIFICATION
(a) Plan Provider agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the
Distributor, its affiliates, the Funds, the Funds' investment
advisers, and each of their directors, officers, employees,
agents and each person, if any, who controls them within the
meaning of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
"Securities Act"), (the "Distributor Indemnitees") against any
losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses to which a
Distributor Indemnitee may become subject insofar as those
losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses or actions in
respect thereof, arise out of or are based upon (i) Plan
Provider's negligence or willful misconduct in performing the
Services, (ii) any breach by Plan Provider of any material
provision of this Agreement, or (iii) any breach by Plan
Provider of a representation, warranty or covenant made in
this Agreement; and Plan Provider will reimburse the
Distributor Indemnitee for any legal or other expenses
reasonably incurred, as incurred, by them in connection with
investigating or defending such loss, claim or action. This
indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which
Plan Provider may otherwise have.
(b) Distributor agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Plan
Provider and its affiliates, and each of its directors,
officers, employees, agents and each person, if any, who
controls Plan Provider within the meaning of the Securities
Act (the "Plan Provider Indemnitees") against any losses,
claims, damages, liabilities or expenses to which a Plan
Provider Indemnitee may become subject insofar as such losses,
claims, damages, liabilities or expenses (or actions in
respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon (i) any untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact
contained in the Registration Statement or Prospectus of a
Fund, or the omission or the alleged omission to state therein
a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
make statements therein not misleading, (ii) any breach by
Distributor of any material provision of this Agreement, (iii)
Distributor's negligence
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or willful misconduct in carrying out its duties and
responsibilities under this Agreement, or (iv) any breach by
Distributor of a representation, warranty or covenant made in
this Agreement; and Distributor will reimburse the Plan
Provider Indemnitees for any legal or other expenses
reasonably incurred, as incurred, by them, in connection with
investigating or defending any such loss, claim or action.
This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability
which Distributor may otherwise have.
(c) If any third party threatens to commence or commences any
action for which one party (the "Indemnifying Party") may be
required to indemnify another person hereunder (the
"Indemnified Party"), the Indemnified Party shall promptly
give notice thereof to the Indemnifying Party. The
Indemnifying Party shall be entitled, at its own expense and
without limiting its obligations to indemnify the Indemnified
Party, to assume control of the defense of such action with
counsel selected by the Indemnifying Party which counsel shall
be reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Party. If the
Indemnifying Party assumes the control of the defense, the
Indemnified Party may participate in the defense of such claim
at its own expense. Without the prior written consent of the
Indemnified Party, which consent shall not be withheld
unreasonably, the Indemnifying Party may not settle or
compromise the liability of the Indemnified Party in such
action or consent to or permit the entry of any judgment in
respect thereof unless in connection with such settlement,
compromise or consent each Indemnified Party receives from
such claimant an unconditional release from all liability in
respect of such claim.
13. NOTICE
Each notice required by this Agreement shall be given in writing and
delivered personally or mailed by certified mail or courier service to
the other party at the following address or such other address as each
party may give notice to the other.
If to Plan Provider, to:
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
If to Distributor or any Fund, to:
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxx, President
A I M Distributors, Inc.
00 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000
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and
X. Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx, President
Fund Management Company
00 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000
with a copy to the General Counsel of Distributor.
14. GOVERNING LAW
This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with
the internal laws of the State of Texas applicable to agreements fully
executed and to be performed therein.
15. ADDITIONAL REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES AND COVENANTS
Each party represents that it is free to enter into this Agreement and
that by doing so it will not breach or otherwise impair any other
agreement or understanding with any other person, corporation or other
entity. Plan Provider further represents, warrants, and covenants
that:
(a) it has full power and authority under applicable law, and has
taken all action necessary, to enter into and perform this
Agreement and the person executing this Agreement on its
behalf is duly authorized and empowered to execute and deliver
this Agreement;
(b) it is registered as a transfer agent pursuant to Section 17A
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "1934
Act"), or is exempt from such registration;
(c) the arrangements provided for in this Agreement will be
disclosed to the Plan Representatives;
(d) it is registered as a broker-dealer under the 1934 Act or any
applicable state securities laws, or, including as a result of
entering into and performing the services set forth in this
Agreement, is exempt from such registration; and
(e) this Agreement, when executed and delivered, shall constitute
the valid, legal and binding obligation of Plan Provider,
enforceable in accordance with its terms.
Distributor further represents, warrants and covenants, that:
(a) it has full power and authority under applicable law,
and has taken all action necessary, to enter into and
perform this Agreement and the person executing this
Agreement on its behalf is duly authorized and
empowered to execute and deliver this Agreement;
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(b) it is registered as a broker-dealer under the 1934
Act and any applicable state securities laws;
(c) the Funds' advisor(s) are registered as an investment
adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940,
the Funds are registered as investment companies
under the Investment Company Act of 1940 and Fund
Shares are registered under the Securities Act of
1933; and
(d) this Agreement, when executed and delivered, shall
constitute the valid, legal and binding obligation of
Distributor, enforceable in accordance with its
terms.
16. COMPLETE AGREEMENT
This Agreement contains the full and complete understanding of the
parties and supersedes all prior representations, promises,
statements, arrangements, agreements, warranties and understandings
between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof, whether
oral or written, express or implied.
17. MODIFICATION
This Agreement may be modified or amended, and the terms of this
Agreement may be waived, only by a writing signed by each of the
parties.
18. COUNTERPARTS
This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of
which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall
constitute one and the same Agreement.
19. ASSIGNMENT
This Agreement shall not be assigned by a party hereto, without the
prior written consent of the other parties hereto, except that a party
may assign this Agreement to an affiliate having the same ultimate
ownership as the assigning party without such consent.
20. SURVIVAL
The provisions of Sections 5, 10, and 12 shall survive termination of
this Agreement.
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21. NON-EXCLUSIVITY
Each of the parties acknowledges and agrees that this Agreement and
the arrangement described herein are intended to be non-exclusive and
that each of the parties is free to enter into similar agreements and
arrangements with other entities.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed this Agreement by
their duly authorized officers as of this ______ day of ______________________,
19_____.
_____________________________________________
(PLAN PROVIDER)
By: _________________________________________
Print Name: _________________________________
Title: ______________________________________
A I M DISTRIBUTORS, INC.
(DISTRIBUTOR)
By: _________________________________________
Print Name: _________________________________
Title: ______________________________________
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EXHIBIT A
For the term of this Agreement, Distributor, or its affiliates, shall
pay Plan Provider the following amounts for each of the following Funds with
respect to the average daily net asset value of the Plans' balances for the
prior quarter:
FUND ANNUAL FEE
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AIM Equity Funds, Inc. (Class A Shares Only)
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AIM Aggressive Growth Fund* .25%
AIM Blue Chip Fund .25%
AIM Capital Development Fund .25%
AIM Charter Fund .25%
AIM Constellation Fund .25%
AIM Xxxxxxxxxx Fund .25%
AIM Funds Group (Class A Shares Only)
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AIM Balanced Fund .25%
AIM Global Utilities Fund .25%
AIM Growth Fund .25%
AIM High Yield Fund .25%
AIM Income Fund .25%
AIM Intermediate Government Fund .25%
AIM Municipal Bond Fund .25%
AIM Value Fund .25%
AIM International Funds, Inc. (Class A Shares Only)
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AIM Global Aggressive Growth Fund .25%
AIM Global Growth Fund .25%
AIM Global Income Fund .25%
AIM International Equity Fund .25%
AIM Investment Securities Funds
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Limited Maturity Treasury Portfolio (AIM
Limited Maturity Treasury Shares) .15%
Distributor or its affiliates shall calculate the amount of quarterly
payment and shall deliver to Plan Provider a quarterly statement showing the
calculation of the quarterly amounts payable to Plan provider. Payment to Plan
Provider shall occur within 30 days following the end of each quarter. All
parties agree that the payments referred to herein are for record keeping and
administrative services only and are not for legal, investment advisory or
distribution services.
* AIM Aggressive Growth Fund is currently closed to new investors.
