Duties of the Escrow Agent The Escrow Agent shall have no duties or responsibilities other than those expressly set forth in this Agreement, and no implied duties or obligations shall be read into this Agreement against the Escrow Agent. The Escrow Agent is not a party to, or bound by, any other agreement among the other parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof, and the Escrow Agent’s duties shall be determined solely by reference to this Agreement. The Escrow Agent shall have no duty to enforce any obligation of any person, other than as provided herein. The Escrow Agent shall be under no liability to anyone by reason of any failure on the part of any party hereto or any maker, endorser or other signatory of any document or any other person to perform such person’s obligations under any such document.
Services and Duties of USBFS USBFS shall provide the following transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent services to the Fund:
A. Receive and process all orders for the purchase, exchange, transfer, and/or redemption of Fund shares in accordance with Rule 22c-1 under the 1940 Act, other applicable regulations, and as specified in the Fund's prospectus (the "Prospectus”).
B. Process purchase and redemption orders with prompt delivery, where appropriate, of payment and supporting documentation to the shareholder based on the shareholder’s or the Trust’s custodian instructions, and record the appropriate number of shares being held in the appropriate shareholder account.
C. Process redemption requests received in good order and, where relevant, deliver appropriate documentation to the Trust's custodian.
D. Pay proceeds upon receipt from the Trust's custodian, where relevant, in accordance with the instructions of redeeming shareholders.
E. Process transfers of shares in accordance with the shareholder's instructions, after receipt of appropriate documentation from the shareholder as specified in the Prospectus.
F. Prepare and transmit payments, or apply reinvestments for income dividends and capital gains distributions declared by the Trust with respect to a Fund, after deducting any amount required to be withheld by any applicable laws, rules and regulations and in accordance with shareholder instructions.
G. Serve as the Fund’s agent in connection with systematic plans including, but not limited to, systematic investment plans, systematic withdrawal plans, and systematic exchange plans.
H. Make changes to shareholder records, including, but not limited to, address and plan changes (e.g., systematic investment and withdrawal, dividend reinvestment).
I. Handle load and multi-class processing, including rights of accumulation and purchases by letters of intent in accordance with the Prospectus.
J. Record the issuance of shares of each Fund and maintain, pursuant to Rule 17Ad-10(e) promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), a record of the total number of shares of each Fund which are authorized, issued and outstanding.
K. Prepare ad-hoc reports as necessary at prevailing rates.
L. Mail shareholder reports and Prospectuses to current shareholders.
M. Prepare and file U.S. Treasury Department Forms 1099 and other appropriate information returns required with respect to dividends and distributions for all shareholders.
N. Provide shareholder account information upon shareholder or Trust requests and prepare and mail confirmations and statements of account to shareholders for all purchases, redemptions and other confirmable transactions as agreed upon with the Trust.
O. Mail and/or obtain shareholders’ certifications under penalties of perjury and pay on a timely basis to the appropriate federal or state authorities any taxes to be withheld on dividends and distributions paid by the Trust, all as required by applicable federal and state tax laws and regulations.
P. Answer correspondence from shareholders, securities brokers and others relating to USBFS’ duties hereunder within required time periods established by applicable regulation.
Q. Reimburse the Fund for all material losses resulting from “as of” processing errors for which USBFS is responsible in accordance with the “as of” processing guidelines set forth on Exhibit B hereto.
R. Calculate average assets held in shareholder accounts for purposes of paying Rule 12b-1 and/or shareholder servicing fees as directed by a Fund
S. Provide service and support to financial intermediaries including but not limited to trade placements, settlements, and corrections.
Services and Duties of the Distributor A. The Distributor agrees to act as the principal underwriter of the Client for the distribution of the Shares of the Funds, upon the terms and at the current offering price (plus sales charge, if any) described in the Prospectus. As used in this Agreement, the term “Prospectus” shall mean the current prospectus, including the statement of additional information, as both may be amended or supplemented, relating to any of the Funds and included in the currently effective registration statement(s) or post-effective amendment(s) thereto (the “Registration Statement”) of the Client under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), and the 1940 Act.
B. During the continuous public offering of Shares of the Funds, the Distributor shall use commercially reasonable efforts to distribute the Shares. All orders for Shares shall be made through financial intermediaries or submitted directly to the applicable Fund or its designated agent. Such purchase orders shall be deemed effective at the time and in the manner set forth in the Prospectus. The Client or its designated agent will confirm orders and subscriptions upon receipt, will make appropriate book entries and, upon receipt of payment therefor, will issue the appropriate number of Shares in uncertificated form.
C. The Distributor shall maintain membership with the National Securities Clearing Corporation (“NSCC”) and any other similar successor organization to sponsor a participant number for the Funds so as to enable the Shares to be traded through NSCC’s Fund/SERV System (“FundSERV”). The Client acknowledges and agrees that the Distributor shall not be responsible for any operational matters associated with FundSERV or Networking transactions, including but not limited to taking orders from financial intermediaries.
D. The Distributor acknowledges and agrees that it is not authorized to provide any information or make any representations regarding the Funds other than as contained in the Prospectus and any marketing materials specifically approved by the Client or the investment adviser to the Fund(s).
E. The Distributor agrees to review all proposed marketing materials provided by the Client for compliance with applicable Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and FINRA advertising rules and regulations, and shall file with FINRA those marketing materials it believes are in compliance with such applicable laws and regulations. The Distributor agrees to furnish to the Client any comments provided by regulators with respect to such marketing materials.
F. At the request of the Client, the Distributor shall enter into the Standard Dealer Agreement (as defined below), and may, in its discretion, enter into non-standard dealer agreements with financial intermediaries as the Client may select, in order that such broker-dealers and other intermediaries may sell Shares of the Funds. The Fund’s form of dealer agreement and/or selling agreement shall in a form similar to that attached at Exhibit C and shall be approved by the Client’s Board (“Standard Dealer Agreement”).
G. The Client acknowledges and agrees that the Distributor shall not be obligated to make any payments to any broker-dealers, other financial intermediaries or other third parties, unless (i) the Distributor has received an authorized corresponding payment from the applicable Fund’s plan of distribution adopted pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act (“Plan”) and (ii) such Plan been approved by the Client’s Board.
H. The Distributor shall not be obligated to sell any certain number of Shares.
I. The Distributor shall prepare reports for the Board regarding its activities under this Agreement as from time to time shall be reasonably requested by the Board, including reports regarding the use of 12b-1 payments received by the Distributor, if any.
J. The Distributor may enter into agreements (“Subcontracts”) with qualified third parties to carry out some or all of the Distributor’s obligations under this Agreement, with the prior written consent of the Client, such consent not to be unreasonably withheld; provided that execution of a Subcontract shall not relieve the Distributor of any of its responsibilities hereunder.
K. The services furnished by the Distributor hereunder are not to be deemed exclusive and the Distributor shall be free to furnish similar services to others so long as its services under this Agreement are not impaired thereby.
L. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Distributor shall not be required to register as a broker or dealer in any specific jurisdiction or to maintain its registration in any jurisdiction in which it is now registered.
M. The Distributor undertakes to perform such duties and only such duties as are expressly set forth herein, or expressly incorporated herein by reference, and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Agreement against the Distributor.
POWERS AND DUTIES OF CUSTODIAN As custodian, the Custodian shall have and perform the powers and duties set forth in this Article II. Pursuant to and in accordance with Article IV hereof, the Custodian may appoint one or more Subcustodians (as hereinafter defined) to exercise the powers and perform the duties of the Custodian set forth in this Article II and references to the Custodian in this Article II shall include any Subcustodian so appointed.
Powers and Duties of the Trustee (a) This Guarantee Agreement shall be held by the Trustee for the benefit of the Holders, and the Trustee shall not transfer this Guarantee Agreement to any Person except the Trustee shall assign rights hereunder to a Holder to the extent such assignment is necessary to exercise such Holder's rights pursuant to Section 5.04 or to a Successor Trustee upon acceptance by such Successor Trustee of its appointment to act as Successor Trustee. The right, title and interest of the Trustee shall automatically vest in any Successor Trustee, and such vesting and cessation of title shall be effective whether or not conveyancing documents have been executed and delivered pursuant to the appointment of such Successor Trustee.
(b) If an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Trustee shall enforce this Guarantee Agreement for the benefit of the Holders.
(c) The Trustee, before the occurrence of any Event of Default and after the curing or waiving of all Events of Default that may have occurred, shall undertake to perform only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Guarantee Agreement, and no implied covenants shall be read into this Guarantee Agreement against the Trustee. In case an Event of Default has occurred (that has not been cured or waived pursuant to Section 2.06), the Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Guarantee Agreement, and use the same degree of care and skill in its exercise thereof, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his or her own affairs.
(d) No provision of this Guarantee Agreement shall be construed to relieve the Trustee from liability for its own negligent action, its own negligent failure to act, or its own willful misconduct, except that:
(i) prior to the occurrence of any Event of Default and after the curing or waiving of all such Events of Default that may have occurred:
(A) the duties and obligations of the Trustee shall be determined solely by the express provisions of this Guarantee Agreement, and the Trustee shall not be liable except for the performance of such duties and obligations as are specifically set forth in this Guarantee Agreement; and
(B) in the absence of bad faith on the part of the Trustee, the Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon any certificates or opinions furnished to the Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Guarantee Agreement; but in the case of any such certificates or opinions that by any provision hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Trustee, the Trustee shall be under a duty to examine the same to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements of this Guarantee Agreement;
(ii) the Trustee shall not be liable for any error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer of the Trustee, unless it shall be proved that the Trustee was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts upon which such judgment was made;
(iii) the Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with the direction of the Holders of a Majority in liquidation amount of the Preferred Securities relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Trustee under this Guarantee Agreement; and
(iv) no provision of this Guarantee Agreement shall require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur personal financial liability in the performance of any of its duties or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if the Trustee shall have reasonable grounds for believing that the repayment of such funds or liability is not reasonably assured to it under the terms of this Guarantee Agreement or adequate indemnity against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it.