INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT
INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT made this 18th day of April, 2012, by and
between FIRST TRUST VARIABLE INSURANCE TRUST, a Massachusetts business trust
(the "Trust"), and FIRST TRUST ADVISORS L.P., an Illinois limited partnership
(the "Adviser").
WHEREAS, the Trust is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940,
as amended ("1940 Act"), as an open-end management investment company;
WHEREAS, the Trust is authorized to issue shares in separate series, with
each such series representing interests in a separate portfolio of securities
and other assets;
WHEREAS, the Trust intends to offer shares in series as set forth on
Schedule A attached hereto and any other series as to which this Agreement may
hereafter be made applicable and set forth on Schedule A, which may be amended
from time to time (each such series being herein referred to as a "Fund," and
collectively as the "Funds"), to separate accounts of both affiliated and
unaffiliated insurance companies to serve as the investment vehicle for variable
annuity contracts and variable life insurance contracts ("Variable Contracts").
The insurance companies that elect to purchase shares of one or more portfolios
are collectively referred to herein as "Participating Insurance Companies." The
Trust may also offer and sell shares representing interests in the portfolios
directly to qualified pension and retirement plans ("Qualified Plans" or
"Plans") outside the separate account context; and
WHEREAS, the Trust desires to retain the Adviser as investment adviser, to
furnish certain investment advisory and portfolio management services to the
Trust with respect to the Funds, and the Adviser is willing to furnish such
services.
WITNESSETH:
In consideration of the mutual covenants hereinafter contained, it is
hereby agreed by and between the parties hereto as follows:
1. The Trust hereby engages the Adviser to act as the investment adviser
for, and to manage the investment and reinvestment of the assets of, each Fund
in accordance with each Fund's investment objective and policies and
limitations, and to administer each Fund's affairs to the extent requested by
and subject to the supervision of the Board of Trustees of the Trust for the
period and upon the terms herein set forth. The investment of each Fund's assets
shall be subject to the Fund's policies, restrictions and limitations with
respect to securities investments as set forth in the Fund's then current
registration statement under the l940 Act, and all applicable laws and the
regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission relating to the management
of registered open-end management investment companies.
The Adviser accepts such employment and agrees during such period to
render such services, to furnish office facilities and equipment and clerical,
bookkeeping and administrative services (other than such services, if any,
provided by the Funds' transfer agent, administrator or other service providers)
for the Funds, to permit any of its officers or employees to serve without
compensation as trustees or officers of the Trust if elected to such positions,
and to assume the obligations herein set forth for the compensation herein
provided. The Adviser shall at its own expense furnish all executive and other
personnel, office space, and office facilities required to render the investment
management and administrative services set forth in this Agreement. In the event
that the Adviser pays or assumes any expenses of a Fund not required to be paid
or assumed by the Adviser under this Agreement, the Adviser shall not be
obligated hereby to pay or assume the same or similar expense in the future;
provided, that nothing contained herein shall be deemed to relieve the Adviser
of any obligation to a Fund under any separate agreement or arrangement between
the parties.
2. The Adviser shall, for all purposes herein provided, be deemed to be an
independent contractor and, unless otherwise expressly provided or authorized,
shall neither have the authority to act for nor represent the Trust in any way,
nor otherwise be deemed an agent of the Trust.
3. For the services and facilities described in Section 1, each Fund will
pay to the Adviser, at the end of each calendar month, and the Adviser agrees to
accept as full compensation therefor, an investment management fee equal to the
annual rate of each Fund's average daily net assets as set forth on Schedule A.
For the month and year in which this Agreement becomes effective, or
terminates, there shall be an appropriate proration on the basis of the number
of days that the Agreement shall have been in effect during the month and year,
respectively. The services of the Adviser to the Trust under this Agreement are
not to be deemed exclusive, and the Adviser shall be free to render similar
services or other services to others so long as its services hereunder are not
impaired thereby.
4. The Adviser shall arrange for suitably qualified officers or employees
of the Adviser to serve, without compensation from the Trust, as trustees,
officers or agents of the Trust, if duly elected or appointed to such positions,
and subject to their individual consent and to any limitations imposed by law.
5. For purposes of this Agreement, brokerage commissions paid by a Fund
upon the purchase or sale of a Fund's portfolio securities shall be considered a
cost of securities of the Fund and shall be paid by the Fund.
6. The Adviser is authorized to select the brokers or dealers that will
execute the purchases and sales of a Fund's securities on behalf of the Fund,
and is directed to use its commercially reasonable efforts to obtain best
execution, which includes most favorable net results and execution of the Fund's
orders, taking into account all appropriate factors, including price, dealer
spread or commission, size and difficulty of the transaction and research or
other services provided. Subject to approval by the Trust's Board of Trustees
and to the extent permitted by and in conformance with applicable law (including
Rule 17e-1 of the 1940 Act), the Adviser may select brokers or dealers
affiliated with the Adviser. It is understood that the Adviser will not be
deemed to have acted unlawfully, or to have breached a fiduciary duty to the
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Trust, or be in breach of any obligation owing to the Trust under this
Agreement, or otherwise, solely by reason of its having caused the Fund to pay a
member of a securities exchange, a broker or a dealer a commission for effecting
a securities transaction for the Fund in excess of the amount of commission
another member of an exchange, broker or dealer would have charged if the
Adviser determined in good faith that the commission paid was reasonable in
relation to the brokerage or research services provided by such member, broker
or dealer, viewed in terms of that particular transaction or the Adviser's
overall responsibilities with respect to its accounts, including the Fund, as to
which it exercises investment discretion.
In addition, the Adviser may, to the extent permitted by applicable law,
aggregate purchase and sale orders of securities with similar orders being made
simultaneously for other accounts managed by the Adviser or its affiliates, if
in the Adviser's reasonable judgment such aggregation shall result in an overall
economic benefit to a Fund, taking into consideration the selling or purchase
price, brokerage commissions and other expenses. In the event that a purchase or
sale of an asset of a Fund occurs as part of any aggregate sale or purchase
orders, the objective of the Adviser and any of its affiliates involved in such
transaction shall be to allocate the securities so purchased or sold, as well as
expenses incurred in the transaction, among the Fund and other accounts in an
equitable manner. Nevertheless, each Fund acknowledges that under some
circumstances, such allocation may adversely affect the Fund with respect to the
price or size of the securities positions obtainable or salable. Whenever a Fund
and one or more other investment advisory clients of the Adviser have available
funds for investment, investments suitable and appropriate for each will be
allocated in a manner believed by the Adviser to be equitable to each, although
such allocation may result in a delay in one or more client accounts being fully
invested that would not occur if such an allocation were not made. Moreover, it
is possible that due to differing investment objectives or for other reasons,
the Adviser and its affiliates may purchase securities of an issuer for one
client and at approximately the same time recommend selling or sell the same or
similar types of securities for another client.
The Adviser will not arrange purchases or sales of securities between a
Fund and other accounts advised by the Adviser or its affiliates unless (a) such
purchases or sales are in accordance with applicable law (including Rule 17a-7
of the 0000 Xxx) and the Trust's policies and procedures, (b) the Adviser
determines the purchase or sale is in the best interests of each Fund, and (c)
the Trust's Board of Trustees have approved these types of transactions.
To the extent a Fund seeks to adopt, amend or eliminate any objectives,
policies, restrictions or procedures in a manner that modifies or restricts
Adviser's authority regarding the execution of the Fund's portfolio
transactions, the Fund agrees to use reasonable commercial efforts to consult
with the Adviser regarding the modifications or restrictions prior to such
adoption, amendment or elimination.
The Adviser will communicate to the officers and trustees of the Trust
such information relating to transactions for the Funds as they may reasonably
request. In no instance will portfolio securities be purchased by or sold to the
Adviser or any affiliated person of either the Trust or the Adviser, except as
may be permitted under the 1940 Act.
The Adviser further agrees that it:
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(a) will use the same degree of skill and care in providing such
services as it uses in providing services to fiduciary accounts for which
it has investment responsibilities;
(b) will conform in all material respects to all applicable rules
and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and comply in
all material respects with all policies and procedures adopted by the
Board of Trustees for the Trust and communicated to the Adviser and, in
addition, will conduct its activities under this Agreement in all material
respects in accordance with any applicable regulations of any governmental
authority pertaining to its investment advisory activities;
(c) will report regularly to the Board of Trustees of the Trust
(generally on a quarterly basis) and will make appropriate persons
available for the purpose of reviewing with representatives of the Board
of Trustees on a regular basis at reasonable times the management of each
Fund, including, without limitation, review of the general investment
strategies of each Fund, the performance of each Fund's investment
portfolio in relation to relevant standard industry indices and general
conditions affecting the marketplace and will provide various other
reports from time to time as reasonably requested by the Board of Trustees
of the Trust; and
(d) will prepare and maintain such books and records with respect to
each Fund's securities and other transactions as required under applicable
law and will prepare and furnish the Trust's Board of Trustees such
periodic and special reports as the Board of Trustees may reasonably
request. The Adviser further agrees that all records which it maintains
for each Fund are the property of the Fund and the Adviser will surrender
promptly to the Fund any such records upon the request of the Fund
(provided, however, that Adviser shall be permitted to retain copies
thereof); and shall be permitted to retain originals (with copies to the
Fund) to the extent required under Rule 204-2 of the Investment Advisers
Act of 1940 or other applicable law.
7. Subject to applicable statutes and regulations, it is understood that
officers, trustees, or agents of the Trust are, or may be, interested persons
(as such term is defined in the 1940 Act and rules and regulations thereunder)
of the Adviser as officers, directors, agents, shareholders or otherwise, and
that the officers, directors, shareholders and agents of the Adviser may be
interested persons of the Trust otherwise than as trustees, officers or agents.
8. The Adviser shall not be liable for any loss sustained by reason of the
purchase, sale or retention of any security, whether or not such purchase, sale
or retention shall have been based upon the investigation and research made by
any other individual, firm or corporation, if such recommendation shall have
been selected with due care and in good faith, except loss resulting from
willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence on the part of the Adviser
in the performance of its obligations and duties, or by reason of its reckless
disregard of its obligations and duties under this Agreement.
9. Subject to obtaining the initial and periodic approvals required under
Section 15 of the 1940 Act, the Adviser may retain one or more sub-advisers at
the Adviser's own cost and expense for the purpose of furnishing one or more of
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the services described in Section 1 hereof with respect to a Fund. Retention of
a sub-adviser shall in no way reduce the responsibilities or obligations of the
Adviser under this Agreement and the Adviser shall be responsible to a Fund for
all acts or omissions of any sub-adviser in connection with the performance of
the Adviser's duties hereunder.
Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, the duties of any sub-adviser
or delegate, the portion of portfolio assets of the Fund that the sub-adviser or
delegate shall manage and the fees to be paid to the sub-adviser or delegate by
the Adviser under and pursuant to any sub-advisory agreement or other
arrangement entered into in accordance with this Agreement may be adjusted from
time to time by the Adviser, subject to the prior approval of a majority of the
Trustees who are not "interested persons," as defined in the 1940 Act.
10. The Trust acknowledges that the Adviser now acts, and intends in the
future to act, as an investment adviser to other managed accounts and as
investment adviser or sub-investment adviser to one or more other investment
companies that are not a series of the Trust. In addition, the Trust
acknowledges that the persons employed by the Adviser to assist in the Adviser's
duties under this Agreement will not devote their full time to such efforts. It
is also agreed that the Adviser may use any supplemental research obtained for
the benefit of the Trust in providing investment advice to its other investment
advisory accounts and for managing its own accounts.
11. This Agreement shall be effective on the date provided on Schedule A
for each respective Fund, provided it has been approved by a vote of a majority
of the outstanding voting securities held by shareholders of the respective Fund
in accordance with the requirements of the 1940 Act. This Agreement shall
continue in effect until the two-year anniversary of the date of its
effectiveness, unless and until terminated by either party as hereinafter
provided, and shall continue in force from year to year thereafter, but only as
long as such continuance is specifically approved, at least annually, in the
manner required by the 1940 Act.
This Agreement shall automatically terminate in the event of its
assignment, and may be terminated at any time without the payment of any penalty
by a Fund or by the Adviser upon sixty (60) days' written notice to the other
party. Each Fund may effect termination by action of the Board of Trustees or by
vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund, accompanied
by appropriate notice. This Agreement may be terminated, at any time, without
the payment of any penalty, by the Board of Trustees of the Trust, or by vote of
a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Trust, in the event that
it shall have been established by a court of competent jurisdiction that the
Adviser, or any officer or director of the Adviser, has taken any action which
results in a breach of the material covenants of the Adviser set forth herein.
Termination of this Agreement shall not affect the right of the Adviser to
receive payments on any unpaid balance of the compensation, described in Section
3, earned prior to such termination and for any additional period during which
the Adviser serves as such for the Fund, subject to applicable law. The terms
"assignment" and "vote of the majority of outstanding voting securities" shall
have the same meanings set forth in the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations
thereunder.
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12. This Agreement may be amended or modified only by a written instrument
executed by both parties.
13. If any provision of this Agreement shall be held or made invalid by a
court decision, statute, rule, or otherwise, the remainder shall not be thereby
affected.
14. Any notice under this Agreement shall be in writing, addressed and
delivered or mailed, postage prepaid, to the other party at such address as such
other party may designate for receipt of such notice.
15. All parties hereto are expressly put on notice of the Trust's
Declaration of Trust and all amendments thereto, a copy of which is on file with
the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the limitation of
shareholder and trustee liability contained therein. This Agreement is executed
on behalf of the Trust (and its Funds) by the Trust's officers as officers and
not individually and the obligations imposed upon the Trust (and its Funds) by
this Agreement are not binding upon any of the Trust's Trustees, officers or
shareholders individually but are binding only upon the assets and property of
the applicable Fund, and persons dealing with the Trust or a Fund must look
solely to the assets of the applicable Fund for the enforcement of any claims.
16. This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with applicable
federal law and (except as to Section 15 hereof which shall be construed in
accordance with the laws of Massachusetts) the laws of the State of Illinois.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Trust and the Adviser have caused this Agreement
to be executed on the day and year above written.
FIRST TRUST VARIABLE INSURANCE TRUST
By: /s/ Xxxx X. Xxxxxxx
-----------------------------
Name: Xxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Title: President
ATTEST: /s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx
----------------------------
Name: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx
Title: Assistant Secretary
FIRST TRUST ADVISORS L.P.
By: /s/ Xxxx X. Xxxxxxx
-----------------------------
Name: Xxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Title: CFO, COO
ATTEST: /s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx
----------------------------
Name: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx
Title: Deputy General Counsel
SCHEDULE A
FUNDS
(DATED AS OF __________)
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ANNUAL RATE OF
Series AVERAGE DAILY NET EFFECTIVE
ASSETS DATE
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First Trust/Dow Xxxxx Dividend & Income Allocation Portfolio 0.60% __/__/__
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