FUND ADMINISTRATION SERVICING AGREEMENT
THIS AGREEMENT is made and entered into as of this
_____ day of ____________, 1999, by and between
Bearguard Funds, Inc., a Maryland corporation
(hereinafter referred to as the "Company"), and Firstar
Mutual Fund Services, LLC, a Wisconsin limited
liability company (hereinafter referred to as
"Firstar").
WHEREAS, the Company is an open-end management
investment company which is registered under the
Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act");
WHEREAS, the Company is authorized to create
separate series, each with its own separate investment
portfolio;
WHEREAS, Firstar is in the business of providing,
among other things, fund administration services to
investment companies; and
WHEREAS, the Company desires to retain Firstar to
act as Administrator for the Bearguard Fund and for
each additional series of the Company listed on Exhibit
A attached hereto (each, a "Fund"), as may be amended
from time to time.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual
agreements herein made, the Company and Firstar agree
as follows:
1. Appointment of Administrator
The Company hereby appoints Firstar as
Administrator of the Company on the terms and
conditions set forth in this Agreement, and Firstar
hereby accepts such appointment and agrees to perform
the services and duties set forth in this Agreement in
consideration of the compensation provided for herein.
2. Duties and Responsibilities of Firstar
A. General Fund Management
1. Act as liaison among all Fund service providers
2. Coordinate board communication by:
a. Assisting Company counsel in
establishing meeting agendas
b. Preparing board reports based on
financial and administrative data
c. Evaluating independent auditor
d. Securing and monitoring fidelity bond
and director and officer liability
coverage, and making the necessary
SEC filings relating thereto
e. Preparing minutes of meetings of the
board and shareholders
3. Audits
a. Prepare appropriate schedules and
assist independent auditors
b. Provide information to SEC and
facilitate audit process
c. Provide office facilities
4. Assist in overall operations of the Fund
5. Pay Fund expenses upon written authorization from the Company
B. Compliance
1. Regulatory Compliance
a. Monitor compliance with 1940 Act
requirements, including:
1) Asset diversification tests
2) Total return and SEC yield calculations
3) Maintenance of books and records under Rule 31a-3
4) Code of Ethics for the disinterested directors of the
Fund (if requested by the Fund)
b. Monitor Fund's compliance with the
policies and investment limitations
of the Company as set forth in its
Prospectus and Statement of
Additional Information
2. Blue Sky Compliance
a. Prepare and file with the appropriate
state securities authorities any
and all required compliance filings
relating to the registration of the
securities of the Company so as to
enable the Company to make a
continuous offering of its shares
in all states
b. Monitor status and maintain
registrations in each state
3. SEC Registration and Reporting
a. Assist Company counsel in updating
Prospectus and Statement of
Additional Information and in
preparing proxy statements and
Rule 24f-2 notices
b. Prepare annual and semiannual reports
c. Coordinate the printing of publicly
disseminated Prospectuses and
reports
d. File fidelity bond under Rule 17g-1
e. File shareholder reports under Rule 30b2-1
4. IRS Compliance
a. Monitor Company's status as a
regulated investment company under
Subchapter M through review of the
following:
1) Asset diversification requirements
2) Qualifying income requirements
3) Distribution requirements
b. Calculate required distributions
(including excise tax distributions)
C. Financial Reporting
1. Provide financial data required by Fund's
Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information
2. Prepare financial reports for shareholders,
the board, the SEC, and independent auditors
3. Supervise the Company's Custodian and
Company Accountants in the maintenance
of the Company's general ledger and in
the preparation of the Fund's financial
statements, including oversight of
expense accruals and payments, of the
determination of net asset value of the
Company's net assets and of the
Company's shares, and of the declaration
and payment of dividends and other
distributions to shareholders
D. Tax Reporting
1. Prepare and file on a timely basis
appropriate federal and state tax
returns including Forms 1120/8610 with
any necessary schedules
2. Prepare state income breakdowns where relevant
3. File Form 1099 Miscellaneous for payments
to directors and other service providers
4. Monitor wash losses
5. Calculate eligible dividend income for
corporate shareholders
3. Compensation
The Company, on behalf of the Fund, agrees to pay
Firstar for the performance of the duties listed in
this Agreement, the fees and out-of-pocket expenses as
set forth in the attached Exhibit A.
These fees may be changed from time to time,
subject to mutual written Agreement between the Company
and Firstar.
The Company agrees to pay all fees and
reimbursable expenses within ten (10) business days
following the receipt of the billing notice.
4. Performance of Service; Limitation of Liability
A. Firstar shall exercise reasonable care in the
performance of its duties under this Agreement.
Firstar shall not be liable for any error of judgment
or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by the
Company in connection with matters to which this
Agreement relates, including losses resulting from
mechanical breakdowns or the failure of communication
or power supplies beyond Firstar's control, except a
loss resulting from Firstar's refusal or failure to
comply with the terms of this Agreement or from bad
faith, negligence, or willful misconduct on its part in
the performance of its duties under this Agreement.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement,
the Company shall indemnify and hold harmless Firstar
from and against any and all claims, demands, losses,
expenses, and liabilities (whether with or without
basis in fact or law) of any and every nature
(including reasonable attorneys' fees) which Firstar
may sustain or incur or which may be asserted against
Firstar by any person arising out of any action taken
or omitted to be taken by it in performing the services
hereunder (i) in accordance with the foregoing
standards, or (ii) in reliance upon any written or oral
instruction provided to Firstar by any duly authorized
officer of the Company, such duly authorized officer to
be included in a list of authorized officers furnished
to Firstar and as amended from time to time in writing
by resolution of the Board of Directors of the Company.
Firstar shall indemnify and hold the Company
harmless from and against any and all claims, demands,
losses, expenses, and liabilities (whether with or
without basis in fact or law) of any and every nature
(including reasonable attorneys' fees) which the
Company may sustain or incur or which may be asserted
against the Company by any person arising out of any
action taken or omitted to be taken by Firstar as a
result of Firstar's refusal or failure to comply with
the terms of this Agreement, its bad faith, negligence,
or willful misconduct.
In the event of a mechanical breakdown or
failure of communication or power supplies beyond its
control, Firstar shall take all reasonable steps to
minimize service interruptions for any period that such
interruption continues beyond Firstar's control.
Firstar will make every reasonable effort to restore
any lost or damaged data and correct any errors
resulting from such a breakdown at the expense of
Firstar. Firstar agrees that it shall, at all times,
have reasonable contingency plans with appropriate
parties, making reasonable provision for emergency use
of electrical data processing equipment to the extent
appropriate equipment is
available. Representatives of
the Company shall be entitled to inspect Firstar's
premises and operating capabilities at any time during
regular business hours of Firstar, upon reasonable
notice to Firstar.
Regardless of the above, Firstar reserves the
right to reprocess and correct administrative errors at
its own expense.
B. In order that the indemnification provisions
contained in this section shall apply, it is understood
that if in any case the indemnitor may be asked to
indemnify or hold the indemnitee harmless, the
indemnitor shall be fully and promptly advised of all
pertinent facts concerning the situation in question,
and it is further understood that the indemnitee will
use all reasonable care to notify the indemnitor
promptly concerning any situation which presents or
appears likely to present the probability of a claim
for indemnification. The indemnitor shall have the
option to defend the indemnitee against any claim which
may be the subject of this indemnification. In the
event that the indemnitor so elects, it will so notify
the indemnitee and thereupon the indemnitor shall take
over complete defense of the claim, and the indemnitee
shall in such situation initiate no further legal or
other expenses for which it shall seek indemnification
under this section. The indemnitee shall in no case
confess any claim or make any compromise in any case in
which the indemnitor will be asked to indemnify the
indemnitee except with the indemnitor's prior written
consent.
5. Proprietary and Confidential Information
Firstar agrees on behalf of itself and its
directors, officers, and employees to treat
confidentially and as proprietary information of the
Company all records and other information relative to
the Company and prior, present, or potential
shareholders of the Company (and clients of said
shareholders), and not to use such records and
information for any purpose other than the performance
of its responsibilities and duties hereunder, except
after prior notification to and approval in writing by
the Company, which approval shall not be unreasonably
withheld and may not be withheld where Firstar may be
exposed to civil or criminal contempt proceedings for
failure to comply, when requested to divulge such
information by duly constituted authorities, or when so
requested by the Company.
6. Data Necessary to Perform Services
The Company or its agent, which may be Firstar,
shall furnish to Firstar the data necessary to perform
the services described herein at times and in such form
as mutually agreed upon.
7. Term of Agreement
This Agreement shall become effective as of the
date hereof and, unless sooner terminated as provided
herein, shall continue automatically in effect for
successive annual periods. The Agreement may be
terminated by either party upon giving ninety (90) days prior
written notice to the other party or such shorter
period as is mutually agreed upon by the parties.
However, this Agreement may be amended by mutual
written consent of the parties.
8. Notices
Notices of any kind to be given by either party to
the other party shall be in writing and shall be duly
given if mailed or delivered as follows: Notice to
Firstar shall be sent to:
Firstar Mutual Fund Services, LLC
000 Xxxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx, XX 00000
and notice to the Company shall be sent to:
Bearguard Funds, Inc.
000 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 00
Xxx Xxxxx, XX 00000
Attn: Corporate Secretary
9. Duties in the Event of Termination
In the event that, in connection with termination,
a successor to any of Firstar's duties or
responsibilities hereunder is designated by the Company
by written notice to Firstar, Firstar will promptly,
upon such termination and at the expense of the
Company, transfer to such successor all relevant books,
records, correspondence, and other data established or
maintained by Firstar under this Agreement in a form
reasonably acceptable to the Company (if such form
differs from the form in which Firstar has maintained,
the Company shall pay any expenses associated with
transferring the data to such form), and will cooperate
in the transfer of such duties and responsibilities,
including provision for assistance from Firstar's
personnel in the establishment of books, records, and
other data by such successor.
10. Governing Law
This Agreement shall be construed and the
provisions thereof interpreted under and in accordance
with the laws of the State of Wisconsin. However,
nothing herein shall be construed in a manner
inconsistent with the 1940 Act or any rule or
regulation promulgated by the Securities and Exchange
Commission thereunder.
11. Records
Firstar shall keep records relating to the
services to be performed hereunder, in the form and
manner, and for such period as it may deem advisable
and is agreeable to the Company but not inconsistent
with the rules and regulations of appropriate
government authorities, in particular, Section 31 of
the 1940 Act and the rules thereunder. Firstar agrees
that all such records prepared or maintained by Firstar
relating to the services to be performed by Firstar
hereunder are the property of the Company and will be
preserved, maintained, and made available in accordance
with such section and rules of the 1940 Act and will be
promptly surrendered to the Company on and in
accordance with its request.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused
this Agreement to be executed by a duly authorized
officer in one or more counterparts as of the day and
year first written above.
BEARGUARD FUNDS, INC. FIRSTAR MUTUAL FUND
SERVICES, LLC
By:__________________ By:___________________________
Its:_________________ Its:__________________________
Fund Administration and Compliance
Annual Fee Schedule - Domestic Funds
Exhibit A
Separate Series of Bearguard Funds, Inc.
Name of Series Date Added
Bearguard Fund ______ ____, 1999
Investor Class
Institutional Class
Annual fee based upon average assets per Fund or class
6 basis points on the first $200 million
5 basis points on the next $500 million
3 basis points on the balance
Minimum annual fee: $55,000 for the first two classes of Fund
$20,000 for additional Funds or classes
Plus out-of-pocket expense reimbursements, including but not limited to:
Postage
Programming
Stationery
Proxies
Retention of records
Special reports
Federal and state regulatory filing fees
Certain insurance premiums
Expenses from board of directors meetings
Auditing and legal expenses
Fees and out-of-pocket expense reimbursements are billed to the Fund monthly.
