SUB-INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT

SUB-INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT

THE DREYFUS CORPORATION 

000 Xxxx Xxxxxx

Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000 

September 17, 2002

Xxxxxxxx Associates LLC 

000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx 

Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000 

Dear Sirs:

     As you are aware, Dreyfus Variable Investment Fund (the "Fund"), currently consisting of twelve series, desires to employ the capital of its series named on Schedule 1 hereto, as such Schedule may be revised from time to time (each, a "Series"), by investing and reinvesting the same in investments of the type and in accordance with the limitations specified in the Fund's charter documents and in its Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information as from time to time in effect, copies of which have been or will be submitted to you, and in such manner and to such extent as from time to time may be approved by the Fund's Board. The Fund employs The Dreyfus Corporation (the "Adviser") as its investment adviser pursuant to a written agreement (the "Advisory Agreement"), a copy of which has been furnished to you. The Adviser desires to employ you to act as each Series' sub-investment adviser.

     In connection with your serving as sub-investment adviser to the Series, it is understood that from time to time you will employ or associate with yourself such person or persons as you may believe to be particularly fitted to assist you in the performance of this Agreement. Such person or persons may be officers or employees who are employed by both you and the Fund. The compensation of such person or persons shall be paid by you and no obligation may be incurred on the Fund's behalf in any such respect.

     Subject to the supervision and approval of the Adviser, you will provide investment management of the Series' portfolio in accordance with the Series' investment objectives and policies as stated in the Fund's Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information as from time to time in effect. In connection therewith, you will supervise each Series' investments and conduct a continuous program of investment, evaluation and, if appropriate, sale and reinvestment of such Series' assets. You will furnish to the Adviser or the Fund such statistical information, with respect to the investments which a Series may hold or contemplate purchasing, as the Adviser or the Fund may reasonably request. The Fund and the Adviser wish to be informed of important developments materially affecting any Series' portfolio

and shall expect you, on your own initiative, to furnish to the Fund or the Adviser from time to time such information as you may believe appropriate for this purpose.

     You shall exercise your best judgment in rendering the services to be provided hereunder, and the Adviser agrees as an inducement to your undertaking the same that you shall not be liable hereunder for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by one or more Series or the Adviser, provided that nothing herein shall be deemed to protect or purport to protect you against any liability to the Adviser, the Fund or a Series' security holders to which you would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of your duties hereunder, or by reason of your reckless disregard of your obligations and duties hereunder.

     In consideration of services rendered pursuant to this Agreement, the Adviser will pay you, on the first business day of each month, out of the investment advisory fee it receives and only to the extent thereof, a fee at the rate set forth opposite each Series' name on Schedule 1 hereto. Net asset value shall be computed on such days and at such time or times as described in the Fund's then-current Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information. The fee for the period from the date following the commencement of sales of a Series' shares (after any sales are made to the Fund's sponsor) to the end of the month during which such sales shall have been commenced or, if a Series is added to this Agreement subsequent to the commencement of sales of such Series shares, for the period from the effective date of this Agreement with respect to such Series to the end of the month in which this Agreement became effective with respect to such Series, shall be pro-rated according to the proportion which such period bears to the full monthly period, and upon any termination of this Agreement before the end of any month, the fee for such part of a month shall be pro-rated according to the proportion which such period bears to the full monthly period and shall be payable within 10 business days of date of termination of this Agreement.

     For the purpose of determining fees payable to you, the value of each Series' net assets shall be computed in the manner specified in the Fund's charter documents for the computation of the value of the Series' net assets.

     You will bear all expenses in connection with the performance of your services under this Agreement. All other expenses to be incurred in the operation of the Series (other than those borne by the Adviser) will be borne by the Fund, except to the extent specifically assumed by you. The expenses to be borne by the Fund include, without limitation, the following: taxes, interest, loan commitment fees, interest and distributions paid on securities sold short, brokerage fees and commissions, if any, fees of Board members who are not officers, directors, employees or holders of 5% or more of the outstanding voting securities of you or the Adviser or any affiliate of you or the Adviser, Securities and Exchange Commission fees and state Blue Sky qualification fees, advisory fees, charges of custodians, transfer and dividend disbursing agents' fees, certain insurance premiums, industry association fees, outside auditing and legal expenses, costs of independent pricing services, costs of maintaining the Fund's existence, costs attributable to investor services (including, without limitation, telephone and personnel expenses), costs of preparing and printing prospectuses and statements of additional information

for regulatory purposes and for distribution to existing shareholders, costs of shareholders' reports and meetings, and any extraordinary expenses.

     The Adviser understands that you now act, and that from time to time hereafter you may act, as investment adviser to one or more investment companies and fiduciary or other managed accounts, and the Adviser has no objection to your so acting, provided that when purchase or sale of securities of the same issuer is suitable for the investment objectives of two or more companies or accounts managed by you which have available funds for investment, the available securities will be allocated in a manner believed by you to be equitable to each company or account. It is recognized that in some cases this procedure may adversely affect the price paid or received by one or more Series or the size of the position obtainable for or disposed of by one or more Series.

     In addition, it is understood that the persons employed by you to assist in the performance of your duties hereunder will not devote their fulltime to such services and nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit or restrict your right or the right of any of your affiliates to engage in and devote time and attention to other businesses or to render services of whatever kind or nature.

     You shall not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by a Series or the Adviser in connection with the matters to which this Agreement relates, except for a loss resulting from willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on your part in the performance of your duties or from reckless disregard by you of your obligations and duties under this Agreement. Any person, even though also your officer, director, partner, employee or agent, who may be or become an officer, Board member, employee or agent of the Fund, shall be deemed, when rendering services to the Fund or acting on any business of the Fund, to be rendering such services to or acting solely for the Fund and not as your officer, director, partner, employee, or agent or one under your control or direction even though paid by you.

     As to each Series, this Agreement shall continue until the date set forth opposite such Series' name on Schedule 1 hereto (the "Reapproval Date"), and thereafter shall continue automatically for successive annual periods ending on the day of each year set forth opposite the Series' name on Schedule 1 hereto (the "Reapproval Day"), provided such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by (i) the Fund's Board or (ii) vote of a majority (as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended) of such Series' outstanding voting securities, provided that in either event its continuance also is approved by a majority of the Fund's Board members who are not "interested persons" (as defined in said Act) of any party to this Agreement, by vote cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. As to each Series, this Agreement is terminable without penalty (i) by the Adviser upon 60 days' notice to you, (ii) by the Fund's Board or by vote of the holders of a majority of such Series' shares upon 60 days' notice to you, or (iii) by you upon not less than 90 days' notice to the Fund and the Adviser. This Agreement also will terminate automatically, as to the relevant Series, in the event of its assignment (as defined in said Act). In addition, notwithstanding

anything herein to the contrary, if the Advisory Agreement terminates for any reason, this Agreement shall terminate effective upon the date the Advisory Agreement terminates.

     If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, will you kindly so indicate by signing and returning to us the enclosed copy hereof.

Accepted: 

XXXXXXXX ASSOCIATES LLC 

By: __/s/ Xxxxx X. Kohler________________ 

Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx 

Title: __Executive Vice President 

Very truly yours, 

THE DREYFUS CORPORATION 

By: _/s/ Xxxxxxx X. Maresca_____ 

Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx

Title:_Controller________________ 

SCHEDULE 1

		ANNUAL FEE AS
		A PERCENTAGE
		OF AVERAGE
NAME OF SERIES		DAILY NET ASSETS		REAPPROVAL DATE		REAPPROVAL DAY
Special Value Portfolio		*		May 21, 2004		May 21st

*      A fee calculated daily and paid monthly based on the Series' average daily net assets, for the preceding month as follows:

		ANNUAL FEE AS A PERCENTAGE
AVERAGE DAILY NET ASSETS		OF AVERAGE DAILY NET ASSETS
$0 to $300 million		0.50%
$300 million and over		0.45%