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EX-99.B5(b)
INVESTMENT MGMT. AG. - KIMBF
INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT
(▇▇▇▇▇▇ Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund)
AGREEMENT made this 4th day of January, 1996, by and between
▇▇▇▇▇▇ NATIONAL TAX-FREE INCOME SERIES, a Massachusetts business
trust (the "Fund"), and ▇▇▇▇▇▇ FINANCIAL SERVICES, INC., a
Delaware corporation (the "Adviser").
WHEREAS, the Fund is an open-end management investment
company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, the
shares of beneficial interest ("Shares") of which are registered
under the Securities Act of 1933;
WHEREAS, the Fund is authorized to issue Shares in separate
series or portfolios with each representing the interests in a
separate portfolio of securities and other assets;
WHEREAS, the Fund wants to retain the Adviser under this
Agreement to render investment advisory and management services
to the portfolio of the Fund known as ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Intermediate
Municipal Bond Fund (the "Initial Portfolio"), together with any
other Fund portfolios that hereafter become subject to this
Agreement pursuant to Section 2 hereof, being herein referred to
collectively as the "Portfolios" and individually referred to as
a "Portfolio"; and
WHEREAS, the Fund desires at this time to retain the Adviser
to render investment advisory and management services to the
Initial Portfolio, and the Adviser is willing to render such
services for the Initial Portfolio;
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants
hereinafter contained, it is hereby agreed by and between the
parties hereto as follows:
1. The Fund hereby employs the Adviser to act as the
investment adviser for the Initial Portfolio and other Portfolios
hereunder and to manage the investment and reinvestment of the
assets of each such Portfolio in accordance with the applicable
investment objectives and policies and limitations, and to
administer the affairs of each such Portfolio to the extent
requested by and subject to the supervision of the Board of
Trustees of the Fund for the period and upon the terms herein set
forth, and to place orders for the purchase or sale of portfolio
securities for the Fund's account with brokers or dealers
selected by it; and, in connection therewith, the Adviser is
authorized as the agent of the Fund to give instructions to the
Custodian of the Fund as to the deliveries of securities and
payments of cash for the account of the Fund. In connection with
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the selection of such brokers or dealers and the placing of such
orders, the Adviser is directed to seek for the Fund best
execution of orders. Subject to such policies as the Board of
Trustees of the Fund determines, the Adviser shall not be deemed
to have acted unlawfully or to have breached any duty, created by
this Agreement or otherwise, solely by reason of its having
caused the Fund to pay a broker or dealer an amount of commission
for effecting a securities transaction in excess of the amount of
commission another broker or dealer would have charged for
effecting that transaction, if the Adviser determined in good
faith that such amount of commission was reasonable in relation
to the value of the brokerage and research services provided by
such broker or dealer viewed in terms of either that particular
transaction or the Adviser's overall responsibilities with
respect to the clients of the Adviser as to which the Adviser
exercises investment discretion. The Fund recognizes that all
research services and research that the Adviser receives or
generates are available for all clients, and that the Fund and
other clients may benefit thereby. The investment of funds shall
be subject to all applicable restrictions of the Agreement and
Declaration of Trust and By-Laws of the Fund as may from time to
time be in force.
The Adviser accepts such employment and agrees during such
period to render such services, to furnish office facilities and
equipment and clerical, bookkeeping and administrative services
for the Fund, to permit any of its officers or employees to serve
without compensation as trustees or officers of the Fund if
elected to such positions and to assume the obligations herein
set forth for the compensation herein provided. The Adviser
shall for all purposes herein provided be deemed to be an
independent contractor and, unless otherwise expressly provided
or authorized, shall have no authority to act for or represent
the Fund in any way or otherwise be deemed an agent of the Fund.
It is understood and agreed that the Adviser, by separate
agreements with the Fund, may also serve the Fund in other
capacities.
2. In the event that the Fund establishes one or more
portfolios other than the Initial Portfolio with respect to which
it desires to retain the Adviser to render investment advisory
and management services hereunder, it shall notify the Adviser in
writing. If the Adviser is willing to render such services, it
shall notify the Fund in writing whereupon such portfolio or
portfolios shall become a Portfolio or Portfolios hereunder.
3. For the services and facilities described in Section 1,
the Fund will pay to the Adviser at the end of each calendar
month, an investment management fee for each Portfolio computed
by applying the following annual rates to the applicable average
daily net assets of the Portfolio:
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Applicable Average
Daily Net Assets
(Thousands) Annual Rate
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$0 - $ 250,000 .55 of 1%
$ 250,000 - $ 1,000,000 .52 of 1%
$ 1,000,000 - $ 2,500,000 .50 of 1%
$ 2,500,000 - $ 5,000,000 .48 of 1%
$ 5,000,000 - $ 7,500,000 .45 of 1%
$ 7,500,000 - $10,000,000 .43 of 1%
$10,000,000 - $12,500,000 .41 of 1%
Over $12,500,000 .40 of 1%
The fee as computed above shall be computed separately for,
and charged as an expense of, each Portfolio based upon the
average daily net assets of such Portfolio. For the month and
year in which this Agreement becomes effective or terminates,
there shall be an appropriate proration on the basis of the
number of days that the Agreement is in effect during the month
and year, respectively.
4. The services of the Adviser to the Fund under this
Agreement are not to be deemed exclusive, and the Adviser shall
be free to render similar services or other services to others so
long as its services hereunder are not impaired thereby.
5. In addition to the fee of the Adviser, the Fund shall
assume and pay any expenses for services rendered by a custodian
for the safekeeping of the Fund's securities or other property,
for keeping its books of account, for any other charges of the
custodian, and for calculating the net asset value of the Fund as
provided in the prospectus of the Fund. The Adviser shall not be
required to pay and the Fund shall assume and pay the charges and
expenses of its operations, including compensation of the
trustees (other than those affiliated with the Adviser), charges
and expenses of independent auditors, of legal counsel, of any
transfer or dividend disbursing agent, and of any registrar of
the Fund, costs of acquiring and disposing of portfolio
securities, interest, if any, on obligations incurred by the
Fund, costs of share certificates and of reports, membership dues
in the Investment Company Institute or any similar organization,
costs of reports and notices to shareholders, other like
miscellaneous expenses and all taxes and fees payable to federal,
state or other governmental agencies on account of the
registration of securities issued by the Fund, filing of trust
documents or otherwise. The Fund shall not pay or incur any
obligation for any expenses for which the Fund intends to seek
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reimbursement from the Adviser as herein provided without first
obtaining the written approval of the Adviser. The Adviser shall
arrange, if desired by the Fund, for officers or employees of the
Adviser to serve, without compensation from the Fund, as
trustees, officers or agents of the Fund if duly elected or
appointed to such positions and subject to their individual
consent and to any limitations imposed by law.
If expenses borne by the Fund for those Portfolios which the
Adviser manages in any fiscal year (including the Adviser's fee,
but excluding interest, taxes, fees incurred in acquiring and
disposing of portfolio securities, distribution services fees,
extraordinary expenses and any other expenses excludable under
state securities law limitations) exceed any applicable
limitation arising under state securities laws, the Adviser will
reduce its fee or reimburse the Fund for any excess to the extent
required by such state securities laws. If for any month the
expenses of the Fund properly chargeable to the income account
shall exceed 1/12 of the percentage of average net assets
allowable as expenses, the payment to the Adviser for that month
shall be reduced and if necessary the Adviser shall make a refund
payment to the Fund so that the total net expense will not exceed
such percentage. As of the end of the Fund's fiscal year,
however, the foregoing computations and payments shall be
readjusted so that the aggregate compensation payable to the
Adviser for the year is equal to the percentage calculated in
accordance with Section 3 hereof of the average net asset value
as determined as described herein throughout the fiscal year,
diminished to the extent necessary so that the total of the
aforementioned expense items of the Fund shall not exceed the
expense limitation. The aggregate of repayments, if any, by the
Adviser to the Fund for the year shall be the amount necessary to
limit the said net expense to said percentage in accordance with
the foregoing.
The net asset value for each Portfolio shall be calculated
in accordance with the provisions of the Fund's prospectus or as
the trustees may determine in accordance with the provisions of
the Investment Company Act of 1940. On each day when net asset
value is not calculated, the net asset value of a Portfolio shall
be deemed to be the net asset value of such Portfolio as of the
close of business on the last day on which such calculation was
made for the purpose of the foregoing computations.
6. Subject to applicable statutes and regulations, it is
understood that trustees, officers or agents of the Fund are or
may be interested in the Adviser as officers, directors, agents,
shareholders or otherwise, and that the officers, directors,
shareholders and agents of the Adviser may be interested in the
Fund otherwise than as a trustee, officer or agent.
7. The Adviser shall not be liable for any error of judgment
or of law or for any loss suffered by the Fund in connection with
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the matters to which this Agreement relates, except loss
resulting from willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence
on the part of the Adviser in the performance of its obligations
and duties or by reason of its reckless disregard of its
obligations and duties under this Agreement.
8. This Agreement shall become effective with respect to the
Initial Portfolio on the date hereof and shall remain in full
force until March 1, 1996, unless sooner terminated as
hereinafter provided. This Agreement shall continue in force
from year to year thereafter with respect to each Portfolio, but
only as long as such continuance is specifically approved for
each Portfolio at least annually in the manner required by the
Investment Company Act of 1940 and the rules and regulations
thereunder; provided, however, that if the continuation of this
Agreement is not approved for a Portfolio, the Adviser may
continue to serve in such capacity for such Portfolio in the
manner and to the extent permitted by the Investment Company Act
of 1940 and the rules and regulations thereunder.
This Agreement shall automatically terminate in the event of
its assignment and may be terminated at any time without the
payment of any penalty by the Fund or by the Adviser on sixty
(60) days written notice to the other party. The Fund may effect
termination with respect to any Portfolio by action of the Board
of Trustees or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting
securities of such Portfolio.
This Agreement may be terminated with respect to any
Portfolio at any time without the payment of any penalty by the
Board of Trustees or by vote of a majority of the outstanding
voting securities of such Portfolio in the event that it shall
have been established by a court of competent jurisdiction that
the Adviser or any officer or director of the Adviser has taken
any action which results in a breach of the covenants of the
Adviser set forth herein.
The terms "assignment" and "vote of a majority of the
outstanding voting securities" shall have the meanings set forth
in the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the rules and
regulations thereunder.
Termination of this Agreement shall not affect the right of
the Adviser to receive payments on any unpaid balance of the
compensation described in Section 3 earned prior to such
termination.
9. If any provision of this Agreement shall be held or made
invalid by a court decision, statute, rule or otherwise, the
remainder shall not be thereby affected.
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10. Any notice under this Agreement shall be in writing,
addressed and delivered or mailed, postage prepaid, to the other
party at such address as such other party may designate for the
receipt of such notice.
11. All parties hereto are expressly put on notice of the
Fund's Agreement and Declaration of Trust and all amendments
thereto, all of which are on file with the Secretary of The
Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and the limitation of shareholder
and trustee liability contained therein. This Agreement has been
executed by and on behalf of the Fund by its representatives as
such representatives and not individually, and the obligations of
the Fund hereunder are not binding upon any of the trustees,
officers, or shareholders of the Fund individually but are
binding upon only the assets and property of the Fund. With
respect to any claim by the Adviser for recovery of that portion
of the investment management fee (or any other liability of the
Fund arising hereunder) allocated to a particular Portfolio,
whether in accordance with the express terms hereof or otherwise,
the Adviser shall have recourse solely against the assets of that
Portfolio to satisfy such claim and shall have no recourse
against the assets of any other Portfolio for such purpose.
12. This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with
applicable federal law and (except as to Section 11 hereof which
shall be construed in accordance with the laws of The
Commonwealth of Massachusetts) the laws of the State of Illinois.
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13. This Agreement is the entire contract between the parties
relating to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior
agreements between the parties relating to the subject matter
hereof.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Fund and the Adviser have caused
this Agreement to be executed as of the day and year first above
written.
▇▇▇▇▇▇ NATIONAL TAX-FREE INCOME SERIES
By: /s/ ▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇
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Title: Vice President
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ATTEST:
/s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
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Title: Secretary
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▇▇▇▇▇▇ FINANCIAL SERVICES, INC.
By: /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
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Title: Senior Vice President
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ATTEST:
/s/ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
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Title: Assistant Secretary
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