EXHIBIT 99.8
FORM OF AMENDMENT TO CUSTODY AGREEMENT
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FORM OF
AMENDMENT TO THE CUSTODIAN CONTRACT
AGREEMENT made by and between State Street Bank and Trust Company (the
"Custodian") and SAFECO ____________ Trust (the "Fund").
WHEREAS, the Custodian and the Fund are parties to a custodian contract
dated as of March 31, 1997 (the "Custodian Contract") governing the terms and
conditions under which the Custodian maintains custody of the securities and
other assets of the Fund; and
WHEREAS, the Custodian and the Fund desire to amend the Custodian Contract
to provide for the maintenance of the Fund's foreign securities, and cash
incidental to transactions in such securities, in the custody of certain foreign
banking institutions and foreign securities depositories acting as
sub-custodians in conformity with the requirements of Rule 17f-5 under the
Investment Company Act of 1940,
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and covenants contained
herein, the Custodian and the Fund hereby amend the Custodian Contract by the
addition of the following terms and conditions:
1. Appointment of Foreign Sub-Custodians.
The Fund hereby authorizes and instructs the Custodian to employ as
sub-custodians for the Fund's securities and other assets maintained
outside the United States the foreign banking institutions and foreign
securities depositories designated on Schedule A hereto ("foreign
sub-custodians"). Upon receipt of "Proper Instructions", as defined in the
Custodian Contract, together with a certified resolution of the Fund's
Board of Trustees, the Custodian and the Fund may agree to amend Schedule A
hereto from time to time to designate additional foreign banking
institutions and foreign securities depositories to act as sub-custodian.
Upon receipt of Proper Instructions, the Fund may instruct the Custodian to
cease the employment of any one or more such sub-custodians for maintaining
custody of the Fund's assets.
2. Assets to be Held.
The Custodian shall limit the securities and other assets maintained in the
custody of the foreign sub-custodians to: (a) "foreign securities", as
defined in paragraph (c)(1) of Rule 17f-5 under the Investment Company Act
of 1940, and (b) cash and cash equivalents in such amounts as the Custodian
or the Fund may determine to be reasonably necessary to effect the Fund's
foreign securities transactions. The Custodian shall identify on its books
as belonging to the Fund, the foreign securities of the Fund held by each
foreign sub-custodian.
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3. Foreign Securities Systems.
Except as may otherwise be agreed upon in writing by the Custodian and the
Fund, assets of the Funds shall be maintained in a clearing agency which
acts as a securities depository or in a book-entry system for the central
handling of securities located outside of the United States (each a
"Foreign Securities System") only through arrangements implemented by the
foreign banking institutions serving as sub-custodians pursuant to the
terms hereof.
4. Holding Securities.
The Custodian may hold securities and other non-cash property for all of
its customers, including the Fund, with a foreign sub-custodian in a single
account that is identified as belonging to the Custodian for the benefit of
its customers, provided however, that (i) the records of the Custodian with
respect to securities and other non-cash property of the Fund which are
maintained in such account shall identify by book-entry those securities
and other non-cash property belonging to the Fund and (ii) the Custodian
shall require that securities and other non-cash property so held by the
foreign sub-custodian be held separately from any assets of the foreign
sub-custodian or of others.
5. Agreements with Foreign Banking Institutions.
Each agreement with a foreign banking institution shall provide that: (a)
the Fund's assets will not be subject to any right, charge, security
interest, lien or claim of any kind in favor of the foreign banking
institution or its creditors or agent, except a claim of payment for their
safe custody or administration; (b) beneficial ownership of the Fund's
assets will be freely transferable without the payment of money or value
other than for custody or administration; (c) adequate records will be
maintained by the Custodian identifying the assets as belonging to the
Fund; (d) officers of or auditors employed by, or other representatives of
the Custodian, including to the extent permitted under applicable law the
independent public accountants for the Fund, will be given access to the
books and records of the foreign banking institution relating to its
actions under its agreement with the Custodian; and (e) assets of the Fund
held by the foreign sub-custodian will be subject only to the instructions
of the Custodian or its agents.
6. Access of Independent Accountants of the Fund.
Upon request of the Fund, the Custodian will use its best efforts to
arrange for the independent accountants of the Fund to be afforded access
to the books and records of any foreign banking institution employed as a
foreign sub-custodian insofar as such books and records relate to the
performance of such foreign banking institution under its agreement with
the Custodian.
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7. Reports by Custodian.
The Custodian will supply to the Fund from time to time, as mutually agreed
upon, statements in respect of the securities and other assets of the Fund
held by foreign sub-custodians, including but not limited to an
identification of entities having possession of the Fund's securities and
other assets and advices or notifications of any transfers of securities to
or from each custodial account maintained by a foreign banking institution
for the Custodian on behalf of its customers indicating, as to securities
acquired for the Fund, the identity of the entity having physical
possession of such securities.
8. Transactions in Foreign Custody Account.
(a) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (b) of this Section 8, the
provision of Sections 2.2 and 2.7 of the Custodian Contract shall apply,
mutatis mutandis to the foreign securities of the Fund held outside the
United States by foreign sub-custodians.
(b) Notwithstanding any provision of the Custodian Contract to the
contrary, settlement and payment for securities received for the account of
the Fund and delivery of securities maintained for the account of the Fund
may be effected in accordance with the customary established securities
trading or securities processing practices and procedures in the
jurisdiction or market in which the transaction occurs, including, without
limitation, delivering securities to the purchaser thereof or to a dealer
therefor (or an agent for such purchaser or dealer) against a receipt with
the expectation of receiving later payment for such securities from such
purchaser or dealer.
(c) Securities maintained in the custody of a foreign sub-custodian may be
maintained in the name of such entity's nominee to the same extent as set
forth in Section 2.3 of the Custodian Contract, and the Fund agrees to hold
any such nominee harmless from any liability as a holder of record of such
securities.
9. Liability of Foreign Sub-Custodians.
Each agreement pursuant to which the Custodian employs a foreign banking
institution as a foreign sub-custodian shall require the institution to
exercise reasonable care in the performance of its duties and to indemnify,
and hold harmless, the Custodian and the Fund from and against any loss,
damage, cost, expense, liability or claim arising out of or in connection
with the institution's performance of such obligations. At the election of
the Fund, it shall be entitled to be subrogated to the rights of the
Custodian with respect to any claims against a foreign banking institution
as a consequence of any such loss, damage, cost, expense, liability or
claim if and to the extent that the Fund has not been made whole for any
such loss, damage, cost, expense, liability or claim.
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10. Liability of Custodian.
The Custodian shall be liable for the acts or omissions of a foreign
banking institution to the same extent as set forth with respect to
sub-custodians generally in the Custodian Contract and, regardless of
whether assets are maintained in the custody of a foreign banking
institution, a foreign securities depository or a branch of a U.S. bank as
contemplated by paragraph 13 hereof, the Custodian shall not be liable for
any loss, damage, cost, expense, liability or claim resulting from
nationalization, expropriation, currency restrictions, or acts of war or
terrorism or any loss where the sub-custodian has otherwise exercised
reasonable care. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this paragraph
10, in delegating custody duties to State Street London Ltd., the Custodian
shall not be relieved of any responsibility to the Fund for any loss due to
such delegation, except such loss as may result from (a) political risk
(including, but not limited to, exchange control restrictions,
confiscation, expropriation, nationalization, insurrection, civil strife or
armed hostilities) or (b) other losses (excluding a bankruptcy or
insolvency of State Street London Ltd. not caused by political risk) due to
Acts of God, nuclear incident or other losses under circumstances where the
Custodian and State Street London Ltd. have exercised reasonable care.
11. Reimbursement for Advances.
If the Fund requires the Custodian to advance cash or securities for any
purpose including the purchase or sale of foreign exchange or of contracts
for foreign exchange, or in the event that the Custodian or its nominee
shall incur or be assessed any taxes, charges, expenses, assessments,
claims or liabilities in connection with the performance of this Contract,
except such as may arise from its or its nominee's own negligent action,
negligent failure to act or willful misconduct, any property at any time
held for the account of the Fund shall be security therefor and should the
Fund fail to repay the Custodian promptly, the Custodian shall be entitled
to utilize available cash and to dispose of such Fund assets to the extent
necessary to obtain reimbursement.
12. Monitoring Responsibilities.
The Custodian shall furnish annually to the Fund, during the month of June,
information concerning the foreign sub-custodians employed by the
Custodian. Such information shall be similar in kind and scope to that
furnished to the Fund in connection with the initial approval of the
Custodian Contract. In addition, the Custodian will promptly inform the
Fund in the event that the Custodian learns of a material adverse change in
the financial condition of a foreign sub-custodian or any material loss of
the assets of the Fund or in the case of any foreign sub-custodian not the
subject of an exemptive order from the Securities and Exchange Commission
is notified by such foreign sub-custodian that there appears to be a
substantial likelihood that its shareholders' equity will decline below
$200 million (U.S. dollars or the equivalent thereof) or that its
shareholders' equity has declined below $200 million (in each case computed
in accordance with generally accepted U.S. accounting principles).
13. Branches of U.S. Banks.
(a) Except as otherwise set forth in this amendment to the Custodian
Contract, the provisions hereof shall not apply where the custody of the
Funds assets is maintained in a foreign branch of a banking institution
which is a "bank" as defined by Section 2(a)(5) of the Investment Company
Act of 1940 meeting the qualification set forth in Section 26(a) of said
Act. The appointment of any such branch as a sub-custodian shall be
governed by paragraph 1 of the Custodian Contract.
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(b) Cash held for the Fund in the United Kingdom shall be maintained in an
interest bearing account established for the Fund with the Custodian's
London branch, which account shall be subject to the direction of the
Custodian, State Street London Ltd. or both.
14. Tax Law.
The Custodian shall have no responsibility or liability for any obligations
now or hereafter imposed on the Fund or the Custodian as custodian of the
Fund by the tax law of the United States of America or any state or
political subdivision thereof. It shall be the responsibility of the Fund
to notify the Custodian of the obligations imposed on the Fund or the
Custodian as custodian of the Fund by the tax law of jurisdictions other
than those mentioned in the above sentence, including responsibility for
withholding and other taxes, assessments or other governmental charges,
certifications and governmental reporting. The sole responsibility of the
Custodian with regard to such tax law shall be to use reasonable efforts to
assist the Fund with respect to any claim for exemption or refund under the
tax law of jurisdictions for which the Fund has provided such information.
15. Applicability of Custodian Contract
Except as specifically superseded or modified herein, the terms and
provisions of the Custodian Contract shall continue to apply with full
force and effect.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties has caused this instrument to be
executed in its name and behalf by its duly authorized representative and its
seal to be hereunder affixed as of *[date].
ATTEST SAFECO TRUST
By:
Name:
Name:
Title:
ATTEST: STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY
By:
Name:
Name: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx
Title:
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