INVESTMENT SUBADVISORY AGREEMENT
INVESTMENT SUBADVISORY AGREEMENT
This Investment Subadvisory Agreement is made as of
May 23, 2005, by
and between Vantagepoint Investment
Advisers, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (hereafter "Client"),
and Xxxx Xxxxx Capital Management,
Inc., a Maryland corporation (hereafter “Subadviser"), and THE VANTAGEPOINT FUNDS, a Delaware
business trust.
WHEREAS, The Vantagepoint Funds is a Delaware Statutory Trust registered as an open-end management investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”);
WHEREAS, Client is party to a Master Investment Advisory Agreement with The Vantagepoint Funds for management of the investment operations of The Vantagepoint Funds including the establishment and operation of investment portfolios for The Vantagepoint Funds and entering into contracts with subadvisers to assist in managing the investment of The Vantagepoint Funds’ property;
WHEREAS, Client and Subadviser wish to enter into a subadvisory agreement pursuant to which Subadviser will provide such assistance to Client.
AGREEMENTS:
In consideration for the performance by Subadviser as Investment Subadviser of certain assets held by The Vantagepoint Funds, Client authorizes Subadviser to manage certain of the securities and other assets of The Vantagepoint Funds as follows:
1. ACCOUNT
2. APPOINTMENT STATUS, POWERS OF CLIENT AND SUBADVISER
(a) Purchase and Sale. Client hereby appoints Subadviser to manage the Account on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement. Subject to the restrictions set forth in this Agreement, and acting always in conformity with the Fund’s investment guidelines and policies and the written investment objectives, policies, procedures and restrictions of the Fund described in Section 4 below, Client hereby grants Subadviser complete, unlimited and unrestricted discretion and authority to supervise and direct the investment of the Account and to select portfolio securities with respect to the Account including the power to acquire (by purchase, exchange, subscription or otherwise), to hold and to dispose (by sale, exchange or otherwise). Subadviser will review with Client, upon the request of Client, any transactions it makes with respect to the investment of the Account. Client agrees to provide Subadviser with copies of any amendments to the written investment objectives, policies, procedures and restrictions of the Fund within one business day of the date on which such amendments or related filings are made with the Securities and Exchange Commission or other regulatory body.
(b) Limitation on Authority. Except as expressly authorized herein or hereafter from time to time, Subadviser shall for all purposes be deemed an independent contractor and shall have no authority to act for or to represent Client or The Vantagepoint Funds in any way or otherwise to be an agent of Client or the Fund. The activities of Client and Subadviser in managing the assets of the Fund shall in all instances be conducted subject to the supervision and direction of the Board of Directors of The Vantagepoint Funds and in compliance with applicable laws and rules.
(d) Key Personnel. Subadviser agrees that the following key personnel will have primary responsibility with respect to the investment management of the Account. If the individual is unable to devote sufficient time to maintain primary responsibility for the Account, Subadviser must give Client written advance notice, or, if Subadviser does not have advance knowledge of such inability, prompt written notice within one (1) business day after Subadviser first learns of such inability, of the name of the person designated by Subadviser to replace or supplement theindividual. In addition, Subadviser shall give Client written notice of the replacement of any employee of Subadviser who has direct supervisory responsibility for the key personnel or who has responsibility for setting investment policy as soon as reasonably practicable.
Key Personnel: Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
Subadviser accepts the appointment as an investment subadviser of the Fund and agrees to use its best efforts and professional judgment to make timely investments for the Account, and to provide the other services required of Subadviser under the provisions of this Agreement.
<![if !supportLists]>4. <![endif]>INVESTMENT POLICIES
<![if !supportLists]>(a) <![endif]>Investment Objectives and Restrictions. Subject to the supervision of The Vantagepoint Funds’ Board of Directors and Client, Subadviser shall manage the assets and direct the investments of the Fund held in the Account in accordance with The Vantagepoint Funds’ prospectus and statement of additional information, with the written investment objectives, policies, procedures, guidelines, restrictions and liquidity requirements of The Vantagepoint Funds and the Fund, with The Vantagepoint Funds’ compliance policies, guidelines and procedures and with any additional investment guidelines and policies that may be communicated, from time to time, by the Client to the Subadviser, all as they may be restated or modified from time to time by Client or The Vantagepoint Funds. Client retains the right, on written notice to Subadviser and without amending this Agreement, to modify any such objectives, policies, procedures, guidelines, restrictions, or requirements in any manner and at any time as may be allowed pursuant to the 1940 Act and consistent with the terms of the Master Investment Advisory Agreement with The Vantagepoint Funds.
5. CUSTODY, DELIVERY, RECEIPT OF SECURITIES
(a) Custody Responsibilities. Client shall designate one or more custodians (the “Custodian”) to hold the Account assets. The Custodian, as designated by Client will be responsible for the custody, receipt and delivery of securities and other assets of The Vantagepoint Funds (including the Account), and Subadviser shall have no authority, responsibility or obligation with respect to the custody, receipt or delivery of securities or other assets of The Vantagepoint Funds (including the Account). In the event that any cash or securities of The Vantagepoint Funds are delivered to Subadviser, it will promptly deliver the same over to the Custodian, in the name of The Vantagepoint Funds. Client shall be responsible for all custodial arrangements, including the payment of all fees and charges to Custodian. Subadviser shall not be responsible or liable for any act or omission of Custodian.
6. RECORD KEEPING AND REPORTING
(d) Loss Reimbursement. Subadviser shall reimburse the Account for any material error to the Fund’s net asset value caused by Subadviser’s breach of its standard of care, as set forth in the following sentence that is a direct cause of a delay in the accurate daily pricing of the Fund. In managing the Account, Subadviser shall act with the care, skill, prudence and diligence under the circumstances then prevailing that a prudent person acting in a like capacity and familiar with such matters would use in the conduct of an enterprise of a like character and with like aims.
(e) Reports. Subadviser shall furnish Client and the Board of Directors of The Vantagepoint Funds such periodic and special reports and non-proprietary or non-confidential information as shall be reasonably necessary to evaluate the terms of any subadvisory agreement between Client and Subadviser with respect to the assets of the Fund including but not limited to: (i) a quarterly report and attestation to the Board of Directors of The Vantagepoint Funds regarding activities and practices relating to transactions entered into in accordance with Rules 10f-3, 17a-7, 17e-1 under the 1940 Act, the purchase or holding of any Rule 144(a) securities or any other technically restricted and/or potentially illiquid securities in the Account, any soft dollar transactions entered into by the Subadviser, and whether the Subadviser violated the restrictions imposed on it by the Fund’s prospectus and statement of additional information; (ii) information relating to the use of brokers; and (iii) information relating to regulatory and/or law enforcement inquiries or actions.
7. PURCHASE AND SALE OF SECURITIES
<![if !supportLists]>(a) <![endif]>Selection of Brokers and Dealers. Except to the extent otherwise instructed in writing by Client (it being understood that Client, acting on behalf of the Fund, may, in its absolute discretion and consistent with the requirements of the 1940 Act and other applicable laws and rules, direct Fund portfolio transactions for which Subadviser is responsible to any broker-dealer that Client may designate), Subadviser shall place all orders for the purchase or sale of securities on behalf of the Account with brokers or dealers selected by Subadviser, but not with a person affiliated with Subadviser, as the term “affiliated person” is defined in the 1940 Act (hereafter an "Affiliate"), unless the transaction is in compliance with Rules 17e-1 or 10f-3 under the 1940 Act or other applicable rules and with The Vantagepoint Funds’ policies and procedures thereunder, copies of which shall be provided to Subadviser. Subadviser will make reasonable efforts to ensure that brokers and/or dealers perform their obligations to the Account, provided, however, that Subadviser will not be responsible or liable for any act or omission of any broker and/or dealer.
(b) Best Execution. In placing such orders, Subadviser will give primary consideration to obtaining the most favorable price and efficient execution reasonably available under the circumstances and in accordance with applicable law. In evaluating the terms available for executing particular transactions for the Account and in selecting broker-dealers to execute such transactions, Subadviser may consider, in addition to commission cost and execution capabilities, the financial stability and reputation of broker-dealers and the brokerage and research services (as those terms are defined in Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) provided by such broker-dealers. Subadviser is authorized to pay a broker-dealer who provides such brokerage and research services a commission for executing a transaction which is in excess of the amount of commission another broker-dealer would have charged for effecting that transaction if Subadviser determines in good faith that such commission is reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services provided by such broker-dealer in discharging responsibilities with respect to the Account or to other client accounts as to which it exercises investment discretion.
(b) For purposes of this section 8 and Schedule A, all payments due to Subadviser shall be solely made from the assets of the Fund, a portfolio of The Vantagepoint Funds.
9. BEST EFFORTS; NON-EXCLUSIVITY OF SERVICES
The Subadviser shall devote its best efforts and such time as it deems necessary to provide prompt and expert service to Client and the Fund. The services of Subadviser to be provided hereunder are not to be deemed exclusive and Subadviser shall be free to provide similar services for its own account and the accounts of other persons and to receive compensation for such services. Client acknowledges that Subadviser and its Affiliates and Subadviser's other clients may at any time, have, acquire, increase, decrease or dispose of positions in the same investments which are at the same time being held, acquired for or disposed of under this Agreement for the Fund. Subadviser shall have no obligation to acquire or dispose of a position in any investment pursuant to this Agreement simply because Subadviser, its directors, members, Affiliates or employees invest in such a position for its or their own accounts or for the account of another client.
<![if !supportLists]>10. <![endif]> COMPLIANCE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
The Subadviser shall promptly provide The Vantagepoint Funds’ Chief Compliance Officer (CCO), upon request, copies of its policies and procedures for compliance by the Subadviser and the Fund with the Federal Securities Laws as defined in Rule 38a-1 under the 1940 Act and promptly provide the CCO with copies of any material changes to those policies and procedures. The Subadviser shall fully cooperate with the CCO as to facilitate the CCO’s performance of his/her responsibilities under Rule 38a-1 to review, evaluate and report to The Vantagepoint Funds’ Board of Directors on the operation of the Subadvisers compliance policies and procedures and shall promptly report to the CCO any “Material Compliance Matter” as defined by Rule 38a-1(2). At least annually, the Subadviser shall provide a certification to the CCO to the effect that the Subadviser has in place and has implemented policies and procedures that are reasonably designed to ensure compliance by the Fund and the Subadviser with the Federal Securities Laws.
<![if !supportLists]>11. <![endif]> XXXXXXX XXXXXXX POLICIES AND CODE OF ETHICS
12. INSURANCE
13. LIABILITY
(a) In the absence of any willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in the performance of its duties or by reason of reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under this Agreement, Subadviser shall not be liable to Client or The Vantagepoint Funds for honest mistakes of judgment or for action or inaction taken in good faith for a purpose that Subadviser reasonably believes to be in the best interests of the Fund. However, neither this provision nor any other provision of this Agreement shall constitute a waiver or limitation of any rights which Client or The Vantagepoint Funds may have under federal or state securities laws.
14. TERM
15. TERMINATION
(a) Subadviser hereby confirms to Client and The Vantagepoint Funds that Subadviser is registered as an investment adviser under the Advisers Act, that it has full power and authority to enter into and perform fully the terms of this Agreement and that the execution of this Agreement on behalf of Subadviser has been duly authorized and, upon execution and delivery, this Agreement will be binding upon Subadviser in accordance with its terms.
(b) Client hereby confirms to Subadviser that it is registered as an investment adviser under the Advisers Act, that it has full power and authority to enter into this Agreement and that the execution of this Agreement on behalf of Client has been fully authorized and, upon execution and delivery, this Agreement will be binding upon Client in accordance with its terms.
17. NOTICES
Client and Funds:
The Vantagepoint Funds
Vantagepoint Investment Advisers, LLC
Attention: Xxxx Xxxxxxxxx, Legal Department
c/o ICMA Retirement Corporation
000 Xxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, XX, Xxx. 000
Xxxxxxxxxx, X.X. 00000-0000
Fax: 000-000-0000
Subadviser:
Xxxx Xxxxx Capital Management, Inc.
000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Chief Operating Officer
Fax: 000-000-0000
Each party may change its address by giving notice as herein required.
20. ASSIGNMENT OR CHANGE OF CONTROL
21. COUNTERPARTS
22. CHOICE OF LAW
This Agreement shall be governed by, and the rights of the parties arising hereunder construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of Delaware without reference to principles of conflict of laws. To the extent that the applicable laws of the State of Delaware conflict with the applicable provisions of the 1940 Act, the latter shall control.
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, THE PARTIES HERETO EXECUTE THIS AGREEMENT ON
May 23, 2005
and make it effective on the date first set forth at the beginning of this
Agreement.
Client Subadviser
Vantagepoint Investment Advisers, LLC Xxxx Xxxxx Capital Management, Inc.
by: _____________________________ by: _____________________________
Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx, Secretary Name:
Title:
The
Vantagepoint Funds, on behalf of
the Growth Fund
by: _____________________________
Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx, Secretary
VANTAGEPOINT INVESTMENT ADVISERS, LLC
THE VANTAGEPOINT FUNDS
Fee Schedule
For
XXXX XXXXX CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, INC.
The Subadviser’s quarterly fee shall be calculated based on the average daily net asset value of the assets under the Subadviser’s management as provided by the Client or Custodian, at Client’s discretion, based on the following annual rate.
0.40% for the first $200 million in assets
0.38% for assets over $200 million