EXHIBIT 99.8
MASTER CUSTODIAN AGREEMENT
between
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ MUTUAL FUNDS
and
INVESTORS BANK & TRUST COMPANY
TABLE OF CONTENTS
-----------------
1. Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3
2. Employment of Custodian and Property to be held by it . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
3. Duties of the Custodian with Respect toProperty of the Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
A. Safekeeping and Holding of Property . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
B. Delivery of Securities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
C. Registration of Securities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
D. Bank Accounts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-9
E. Payments for Shares of the Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
F. Investment and Availability of Federal Funds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
G. Collections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-10
H. Payment of Fund Moneys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-12
I. Liability for Payment in Advance of Receipt of Securities Purchased . . . . . 12-13
J. Payments for Repurchases of Redemptions of Shares of the Fund . . . . . . . . 13
K. Appointment of Agents by the Custodian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
L. Deposit of Fund Portfolio Securities in Securities Systems . . . . . . . . . . 13-16
M. Deposit of Fund Commercial Paper in an Approved
Book-Entry System for Commercial Paper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-18
N. Segregated Account . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18-19
O. Ownership Certificates for Tax Purposes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
P. Proxies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Q. Communications Relating to Fund Portfolio Securities . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19-20
R. Exercise of Rights; Tender Offers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
S. Depository Receipts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-21
T. Interest Bearing Call or Time Deposits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
U. Options, Futures Contracts and Foreign Currency Transactions . . . . . . . . . 21-23
V. Actions Permitted Without Express Authority . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23-24
4. Duties of Bank with Respect to Books of Account and
Calculations of Net Asset Value . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
5. Records and Miscellaneous Duties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-25
6. Opinion of Fund`s Independent Public Accountants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
7. Compensation and Expenses of Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25-26
8. Responsibility of Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26-27
9. Persons Having Access to Assets of the Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
10. Effective Period, Termination and Amendment; Successor Custodian . . . . . . . . . . 27-28
11. Interpretive and Additional Provisions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28-29
12. Certification as to Authorized Officers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
13. Notices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
14. Massachusetts Law to Apply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
15. Adoption of the Agreement by the Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
MASTER CUSTODIAN AGREEMENT
This Agreement is made as of December 15, 1992 between each investment
company advised by ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Advisers, Inc. which has adopted this Agreement
in the manner provided herein and Investors Bank & Trust Company (hereinafter
called "Bank", "Custodian" and "Agent"), a trust company established under the
laws of Massachusetts with a principal place of business in Boston,
Massachusetts.
Whereas, each such investment company is registered under the Investment
Company Act of 1940 and has appointed the Bank to act as Custodian of its
property and to perform certain duties as its Agent, as more fully hereinafter
set forth; and
Whereas, the Bank is willing and able to act as each such investment
company's Custodian and Agent, subject to and in accordance with the provisions
hereof;
Now, therefore, in consideration of the premises and of the mutual
covenants and agreements herein contained, each such investment company and the
Bank agree as follows:
1. Definitions
-----------
Whenever used in this Agreement, the following words and phrases, unless
the context otherwise requires, shall have the following meanings:
(a) "Fund" shall mean the investment company which has adopted this
Agreement and is listed on Appendix A hereto. If the Fund is a Massachusetts
business trust or Maryland corporation, it may in the future establish and
designate other separate and distinct series of shares, each of which may be
called a "portfolio"; in such case, the term "Fund" shall also refer to each
such separate series or portfolio.
(b) "Board" shall mean the board of directors/trustees/managing general
partners/director general partners of the Fund, as the case may be.
(c) "The Depository Trust Company", a clearing agency registered with the
Securities and Exchange Commission under Section 17A of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934 which acts as a securities depository and which has been
specifically approved as a securities depository for the Fund by the Board.
(d) "Authorized Officer", shall mean any of the following officers of the
Trust: The Chairman of the Board of Trustees, the President, a Vice President,
the Secretary, the Treasurer or Assistant Secretary or Assistant Treasurer, or
any other officer of the Trust duly authorized to sign by appropriate resolution
of the Board of Trustees of the Trust.
(e) "Participants Trust Company", a clearing agency registered with the
Securities and Exchange Commission under Section 17A of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934 which acts as a securities depository and which has been
specifically approved as a securities depository for the Fund by the Board.
(f) "Approved Clearing Agency" shall mean any other domestic clearing
agency registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission under Section 17A
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 which acts as a securities depository but
only if the Custodian has received a certified copy of a vote of the Board
approving such clearing agency as a securities depository for the Fund.
(g) "Federal Book-Entry System" shall mean the book-entry system referred
to in Rule 17f-4(b) under the Investment Company Act of 1940 for United States
and federal agency securities (i.e., as provided in Subpart O of Treasury
Circular ▇▇. ▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇ of 31 CFR Part 350, and the book-entry
regulations of federal agencies substantially in the form of Subpart O).
(h) "Approved Foreign Securities Depository" shall mean a foreign
securities depository or clearing agency referred to in rule 17f-4 under the
Investment Company Act of 1940 for foreign securities but only if the Custodian
has received a certified copy of a vote of the Board approving such depository
or clearing agency as a foreign securities depository for the Fund.
(i) "Approved Book-Entry System for Commercial Paper" shall mean a system
maintained by the Custodian or by a subcustodian employed pursuant to Section 2
hereof for the holding of commercial paper in book-entry form but only if the
Custodian has received a certified copy of a vote of the Board approving the
participation by the Fund in such system.
(j) The Custodian shall be deemed to have received "proper instructions"
in respect of any of the matters referred to in this Agreement upon receipt of
written or facsimile instructions signed by such one or more person or persons
as the Board shall have from time to time authorized to give the particular
class of instructions in question. Electronic instructions for the purchase and
sale of securities which are transmitted by ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Advisers, Inc. to the
Custodian through the ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ equity trading system and the ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
fixed income trading system shall be deemed to be proper instructions; the Fund
shall cause all such instructions to be confirmed in writing. Different persons
may be authorized to give instructions for different purposes. A certified copy
of a vote of the Board may be received and accepted by the Custodian as
conclusive evidence of the authority of any such person to act and may be
considered as in full force and effect until receipt of written notice to the
contrary. Such instructions may be general or specific in terms and, where
appropriate, may be standing instructions. Unless the vote delegating authority
to any person or persons to give a particular class of instructions specifically
requires that the approval of any person, persons or committee shall first have
been obtained before the Custodian may act on instructions of that class, the
Custodian shall be under no obligation to question the right of the person or
persons giving such instructions in so doing. Oral instructions will be
considered proper instructions if the Custodian reasonably believes them to have
been given by a person authorized to give such instructions with respect to the
transaction involved. The Fund shall cause all oral
instructions to be confirmed in writing. The Fund authorizes the Custodian to
tape record any and all telephonic or other oral instructions given to the
Custodian. Upon receipt of a certificate signed by two officers of the Fund as
to the authorization by the President and the Treasurer of the Fund accompanied
by a detailed description of the communication procedures approved by the
President and the Treasurer of the Fund, "proper instructions" may also include
communications effected directly between electromechanical or electronic devices
provided that the President and Treasurer of the Fund and the Custodian are
satisfied that such procedures afford adequate safeguards for the Fund's assets.
In performing its duties generally, and more particularly in connection with the
purchase, sale and exchange of securities made by or for the Fund, the Custodian
may take cognizance of the provisions of the governing documents and
registration statement of the Fund as the same may from time to time be in
effect (and votes, resolutions or proceedings of the shareholders or the Board),
but, nevertheless, except as otherwise expressly provided herein, the Custodian
may assume unless and until notified in writing to the contrary that so-called
proper instructions received by it are not in conflict with or in any way
contrary to any provisions of such governing documents and registration
statement, or votes, resolutions or proceedings of the shareholders or the
Board.
2. Employment of Custodian and Property to be Held by It
-----------------------------------------------------
The Fund hereby appoints and employs the Bank as its Custodian and Agent
in accordance with and subject to the provisions hereof, and the Bank hereby
accepts such appointment and employment. The Fund agrees to deliver to the
Custodian all securities, participation interests, cash and other assets owned
by it, and all payments of income, payments of principal and capital
distributions and adjustments received by it with respect to all securities and
participation interests owned by the Fund from time to time, and the cash
consideration received by it for such new or treasury shares ("Shares") of the
Fund as may be issued or sold from time to time. The Custodian shall not be
responsible for any property of the Fund held by the Fund and not delivered by
the Fund to the Custodian. The Fund will also deliver to the Bank from time to
time copies of its currently effective charter (or declaration of trust or
partnership agreement, as the case may be), by-laws, prospectus, statement of
additional information and distribution agreement with its principal
underwriter, together with such resolutions, votes and other proceedings of the
Fund as may be necessary for or convenient to the Bank in the performance of its
duties hereunder.
The Custodian may from time to time employ one or more subcustodians to
perform such acts and services upon such terms and conditions as shall be
approved from time to time by the Board. Any such subcustodian so employed by
the Custodian shall be deemed to be the agent of the Custodian, and the
Custodian shall remain primarily responsible for the securities, participation
interests, moneys and other property of the Fund held by such subcustodian. Any
foreign subcustodian shall be a bank or trust company which is an eligible
foreign custodian within the meaning of Rule 17f-5 under the Investment Company
Act of 1940, and the foreign custody arrangements shall be approved by the Board
and shall be in accordance with and subject to the provisions of said Rule. For
the purposes of this Agreement, any property of the Fund held by any such
subcustodian (domestic or foreign) shall be deemed to be held by the Custodian
under the terms of this Agreement.
3. Duties of the Custodian with Respect to Property of the Fund
------------------------------------------------------------
A. SAFEKEEPING AND HOLDING OF PROPERTY The Custodian shall keep safely
all property of the Fund and on behalf of the Fund shall from time
to time receive delivery of Fund property for safekeeping. The
Custodian shall hold, earmark and segregate on its books and
records for the account of the Fund all property of the Fund,
including all securities, participation interests and other assets
of the Fund (1) physically held by the Custodian, (2) held by any
subcustodian referred to in Section 2 hereof or by any agent
referred to in Paragraph K hereof, (3) held by or maintained in The
Depository Trust Company or in Participants Trust Company or in an
Approved Clearing Agency or in the Federal Book- Entry System or in
an Approved Foreign Securities Depository, each of which from time
to time is referred to herein as a "Securities System", and (4)
held by the Custodian or by any subcustodian referred to in Section
2 hereof and maintained in any Approved Book-Entry System for
Commercial Paper.
B. DELIVERY OF SECURITIES The Custodian shall release and deliver
securities or participation interests owned by the Fund held (or
deemed to be held) by the Custodian or maintained in a Securities
System account or in an Approved Book-Entry System for Commercial
Paper account only upon receipt of proper instructions, which may
be continuing instructions when deemed appropriate by the parties,
and only in the following cases:
1) Upon sale of such securities or participation interests for
the account of the Fund, BUT ONLY against receipt of
payment therefor; if delivery is made in Boston or New York
City, payment therefor shall be made in accordance with
generally accepted clearing house procedures or by use of
Federal Reserve Wire System procedures; if delivery is made
elsewhere payment therefor shall be in accordance with the
then current "street delivery" custom or in accordance with
such procedures agreed to in writing from time to time by
the parties hereto; if the sale is effected through a
Securities System, delivery and payment therefor shall be
made in accordance with the provisions of Paragraph L
hereof; if the sale of commercial paper is to be effected
through an Approved Book-Entry System for Commercial Paper,
delivery and payment therefor shall be made in accordance
with the provisions of Paragraph M hereof; if the
securities are to be sold outside the United States,
delivery may be made in accordance with procedures agreed
to in writing from time to time by the parties hereto; for
the purposes of this subparagraph, the term "sale" shall
include the disposition of a portfolio
security (i) upon the exercise of an option written by the
Fund and (ii) upon the failure by the Fund to make a
successful bid with respect to a portfolio security, the
continued holding of which is contingent upon the making of
such a bid;
2) Upon the receipt of payment in connection with any
repurchase agreement or reverse repurchase agreement
relating to such securities and entered into by the Fund;
3) To the depository agent in connection with tender or other
similar offers for portfolio securities of the Fund;
4) To the issuer thereof or its agent when such securities or
participation interests are called, redeemed, retired or
otherwise become payable; provided that, in any such case,
the cash or other consideration is to be delivered to the
Custodian or any subcustodian employed pursuant to Section
2 hereof;
5) To the issuer thereof, or its agent, for transfer into the
name of the Fund or into the name of any nominee of the
Custodian or into the name or nominee name of any agent
appointed pursuant to Paragraph K hereof or into the name
or nominee name of any subcustodian employed pursuant to
Section 2 hereof; or for exchange for a different number of
bonds, certificates or other evidence representing the same
aggregate face amount or number of units; provided that, in
any such case, the new securities or participation
interests are to be delivered to the Custodian or any
subcustodian employed pursuant to Section 2 hereof;
6) To the broker selling the same for examination in
accordance with the "street delivery" custom; provided that
the Custodian shall adopt such procedures as the Fund from
time to time shall approve to ensure their prompt return to
the Custodian by the broker in the event the broker elects
not to accept them;
7) For exchange or conversion pursuant to any plan of merger,
consolidation, recapitalization, reorganization or
readjustment of the securities of the issuer of such
securities, or pursuant to provisions for conversion of
such securities, or pursuant to any deposit agreement;
provided that, in any such case, the new securities and
cash, if any, are to be delivered to the Custodian or any
subcustodian employed pursuant to Section 2 hereof;
8) In the case of warrants, rights or similar securities, the
surrender thereof in connection with the exercise of such
warrants, rights or similar securities, or the surrender of
interim receipts or temporary securities for definitive
securities; provided that, in any such case, the new
securities and cash, if any, are to be delivered to the
Custodian or any subcustodian employed pursuant to Section
2 hereof;
9) For delivery in connection with any loans of securities
made by the Fund (such loans to be made pursuant to the
terms of the Fund's current registration statement), but
only against receipt of adequate collateral as agreed upon
from time to time by the Custodian and the Fund, which may
be in the form of cash or obligations issued by the United
States government, its agencies or instrumentalities.
10) For delivery as security in connection with any borrowings
by the Fund requiring a pledge or hypothecation of assets
by the Fund (if then permitted under circumstances
described in the current registration statement of the
Fund), provided, that the securities shall be released only
upon payment to the Custodian of the monies borrowed,
except that in cases where additional collateral is
required to secure a borrowing already made, further
securities may be released for that purpose; upon receipt
of proper instructions, the Custodian may pay any such loan
upon redelivery to it of the securities pledged or
hypothecated therefor and upon surrender of the note or
notes evidencing the loan;
11) When required for delivery in connection with any
redemption or repurchase of Shares of the Fund in
accordance with the provisions of Paragraph J hereof;
12) For delivery in accordance with the provisions of any
agreement between the Custodian (or a subcustodian employed
pursuant to Section 2 hereof) and a broker-dealer
registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and,
if necessary, the Fund, relating to compliance with the
rules of The Options Clearing Corporation or of any
registered national securities exchange, or of any similar
organization or organizations, regarding deposit or escrow
or other arrangements in connection with options
transactions by the Fund;
13) For delivery in accordance with the provisions of any
agreement among the Fund, the Custodian (or a subcustodian
employed pursuant to Section 2 hereof),
and a futures commission merchant, relating to compliance
with the rules of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission
and/or of any
contract market or commodities exchange or similar
organization, regarding futures margin account deposits or
payments in connection with futures transactions by the
Fund;
14) For any other proper corporate purpose, but only upon
receipt of, in addition to proper instructions, a certified
copy of a vote of the Board specifying the securities to be
delivered, setting forth the purpose for which such
delivery is to be made, declaring such purpose to be proper
corporate purpose, and naming the person or persons to whom
delivery of such securities shall be made.
C. REGISTRATION OF SECURITIES Securities held by the Custodian (other
than bearer securities) for the account of the Fund shall be
registered in the name of the Fund or in the name of any nominee of
the Fund or of any nominee of the Custodian, or in the name or
nominee name of any agent appointed pursuant to Paragraph K hereof,
or in the name or nominee name of any subcustodian employed
pursuant to Section 2 hereof, or in the name or nominee name of The
Depository Trust Company or Participants Trust Company or Approved
Clearing Agency or Federal Book-Entry System or Approved Book-Entry
System for Commercial Paper; provided, that securities are held in
an account of the Custodian or of such agent or of such
subcustodian containing only assets of the Fund or only assets held
by the Custodian or such agent or such subcustodian as a custodian
or subcustodian or in a fiduciary capacity for customers. All
certificates for securities accepted by the Custodian or any such
agent or subcustodian on behalf of the Fund shall be in "street" or
other good delivery form or shall be returned to the selling broker
or dealer who shall be advised of the reason thereof.
D. BANK ACCOUNTS The Custodian shall open and maintain a separate bank
account or accounts in the name of the Fund, subject only to draft
or order by the Custodian acting in pursuant to the terms of this
Agreement, and shall hold in such account or accounts, subject to
the provisions hereof, all cash received by it from or for the
account of the Fund other than cash maintained by the Fund in a
bank account established and used in accordance with Rule 17f-3
under the Investment Company Act of 1940. Funds held by the
Custodian for the Fund may be deposited by it to its credit as
Custodian in the Banking Department of the Custodian or in such
other banks or trust companies as the Custodian may in its
discretion deem necessary or desirable; provided, however, that
every such bank or trust company shall be qualified to act as a
custodian under the Investment Company Act of 1940 and that each
such bank or trust company and the funds to be deposited with each
such bank or trust company shall be approved in writing by two
officers of the Fund. Such funds shall be deposited by the
Custodian in its capacity as Custodian and shall be subject to
withdrawal only by the Custodian in that capacity.
E. PAYMENT FOR SHARES OF THE FUND The Custodian shall make appropriate
arrangements with the Transfer Agent and the principal underwriter
of the Fund to enable the Custodian to make certain it promptly
receives the cash or other consideration due to the Fund for such
new or treasury Shares as may be issued or sold from time to time
by the Fund, in accordance with the governing documents and
offering prospectus and statement of additional information of the
Fund. The Custodian will provide prompt notification to the Fund of
any receipt by it of payments for Shares of the Fund.
F. INVESTMENT AND AVAILABILITY OF FEDERAL FUNDS Upon agreement between
the Fund and the Custodian, the Custodian shall, upon the receipt
of proper instructions, which may be continuing instructions when
deemed appropriate by the parties, invest in such securities and
instruments as may be set forth in such instructions on the same
day as received all federal funds received after a time agreed upon
between the Custodian and the Fund.
G. COLLECTIONS The Custodian shall promptly collect all income and
other payments with respect to registered securities held hereunder
to which the Fund shall be entitled either by law or pursuant to
custom in the securities business, and shall promptly collect all
income and other payments with respect to bearer securities if, on
the date of payment by the issuer, such securities are held by the
Custodian or agent thereof and shall credit such income, as
collected, to the Fund's custodian account.
The Custodian shall do all things necessary and proper in connection with such
prompt collections and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the
Custodian shall
1) Present for payment all coupons and other income items
requiring presentations;
2) Present for payment all securities which may mature or be
called, redeemed, retired or otherwise become payable;
3) Endorse and deposit for collection, in the name of the
Fund, checks, drafts or other negotiable instruments;
4) Credit income from securities maintained in a Securities
System or in an Approved Book-Entry System for Commercial
Paper at the time funds become available to the Custodian;
in the case of securities maintained in The Depository
Trust Company funds shall be deemed available to the Fund
not later than the opening of business on the first
business day after receipt of such funds by the Custodian.
The Custodian shall notify the Fund as soon as reasonably practicable whenever
income due on any security is not promptly collected. In any case in which the
Custodian does not receive any due and unpaid income after it has made demand
for the same, it shall immediately so notify the Fund in writing, enclosing
copies of any demand letter, any written response thereto, and memoranda of all
oral responses thereto and to telephonic demands, and await instructions from
the Fund; the Custodian shall in no case have any liability for any nonpayment
of such income provided the Custodian meets the standard of care set forth in
Section 8 hereof. The Custodian shall not be obligated to take legal action for
collection unless and until reasonably indemnified to its satisfaction.
The Custodian shall also receive and collect all stock dividends, rights and
other items of like nature, and deal with the same pursuant to proper
instructions relative thereto.
H. PAYMENT OF FUND MONEYS Upon receipt of proper instructions, which
may be continuing instructions when deemed appropriate by the
parties, the Custodian shall pay out moneys of the Fund in the
following cases only:
1) Upon the purchase of securities, participation interests,
options, futures contracts, forward contracts and options
on futures contracts purchased for the account of the Fund
but only (a) against the receipt of
(i) such securities registered as provided in
Paragraph C hereof or in proper form for transfer
or
(ii) detailed instructions signed by an officer of the
Fund regarding the participation interests to be
purchased or
(iii) written confirmation of the purchase by the Fund
of the options, futures contracts, forward
contracts or options on futures contracts
by the Custodian (or by a subcustodian employed pursuant to
Section 2 hereof or by a clearing corporation of a national
securities exchange of which the Custodian is a member or
by any bank, banking institution or trust company doing
business in the United States or abroad which is qualified
under the Investment Company Act of 1940 to act as a
custodian and which has been designated by the Custodian as
its agent for this purpose or by the agent specifically
designated in such instructions as representing the
purchasers of a new issue of privately placed securities);
(b) in the case of a purchase effected through a Securities
System, upon receipt of the securities by the Securities
System in accordance with the conditions set forth in
Paragraph L hereof; (c) in the case of a purchase of
commercial paper effected through an Approved Book-Entry
System for Commercial Paper, upon
receipt of the paper by the Custodian or subcustodian in
accordance with the conditions set forth in Paragraph M
hereof; (d) in the case of repurchase agreements entered
into between the Fund and another bank or a broker-dealer,
against receipt by the Custodian of the securities
underlying the repurchase agreement either in certificate
form or through an entry crediting the Custodian's
segregated, non-proprietary account at the Federal Reserve
Bank of Boston with such securities along with written
evidence of the agreement by the bank or broker-dealer to
repurchase such securities from the Fund; or (e) with
respect to securities purchased outside of the United
States, in accordance with written procedures agreed to
from time to time in writing by the parties hereto;
2) When required in connection with the conversion, exchange
or surrender of securities owned by the Fund as set forth
in Paragraph B hereof;
3) When required for the redemption or repurchase of Shares of
the Fund in accordance with the provisions of Paragraph J
hereof;
4) For the payment of any expense or liability incurred by the
Fund, including but not limited to the following payments
for the account of the Fund: advisory fees, distribution
plan payments, interest, taxes, management compensation and
expenses, accounting, transfer agent and legal fees, and
other operating expenses of the Fund whether or not such
expenses are to be in whole or part capitalized or treated
as deferred expenses;
5) For the payment of any dividends or other distributions to
holders of Shares declared or authorized by the Board; and
6) For any other proper corporate purpose, but only upon
receipt of, in addition to proper instructions, a certified
copy of a vote of the Board, specifying the amount of such
payment, setting forth the purpose for which such payment
is to be made, declaring such purpose to be a proper
corporate purpose, and naming the person or persons to whom
such payment is to be made.
I. LIABILITY FOR PAYMENT IN ADVANCE OF RECEIPT OF SECURITIES PURCHASED
In any and every case where payment for purchase of securities for
the account of the Fund is made by the Custodian in advance of
receipt of the securities purchased in the absence of specific
written instructions signed by two officers of the Fund to so pay
in advance, the Custodian shall be absolutely liable to the Fund
for such securities to the same extent as if the securities had
been received by the Custodian; EXCEPT that in the case of a
repurchase agreement
entered into by the Fund with a bank which is a member of the
Federal Reserve System, the Custodian may transfer funds to the
account of such bank prior to the receipt of (i) the securities in
certificate form subject to such repurchase agreement or (ii)
written evidence that the securities subject to such repurchase
agreement have been transferred by book-entry into a segregated
non-proprietary account of the Custodian maintained with the
Federal Reserve Bank of Boston or (iii) the safekeeping receipt,
PROVIDED that such securities have in fact been so transferred by
book-entry and the written repurchase agreement is received by the
Custodian in due course; AND EXCEPT that if the securities are to
be
purchased outside the United States, payment may be made in
accordance with procedures agreed to from time to time by the
parties hereto.
J. PAYMENTS FOR REPURCHASES OR REDEMPTIONS OF SHARES OF THE FUND From
such funds as may be available for the purpose, but subject to any
applicable votes of the Board and the current redemption and
repurchase procedures of the Fund, the Custodian shall, upon
receipt of written instructions from the Fund or from the Fund's
transfer agent or from the principal underwriter, make funds and/or
portfolio securities available for payment to holders of Shares who
have caused their Shares to be redeemed or repurchased by the Fund
or for the Fund's account by its transfer agent or principal
underwriter.
The Custodian may maintain a special checking account upon which
special checks may be drawn by shareholders of the Fund holding
Shares for which certificates have not been issued. Such checking
account and such special checks shall be subject to such rules and
regulations as the Custodian and the Fund may from time to time
adopt. The Custodian or the Fund may suspend or terminate use of
such checking account or such special checks (either generally or
for one or more shareholders) at any time. The Custodian and the
Fund shall notify the other immediately of any such suspension or
termination.
K. APPOINTMENT OF AGENTS BY THE CUSTODIAN The Custodian may at any
time or times in its discretion appoint (and may at any time
remove) any other bank or trust company (provided such bank or
trust company is itself qualified under the Investment Company Act
of 1940 to act as a custodian or is itself an eligible foreign
custodian within the meaning of Rule 17f-5 under said Act) as the
agent of the Custodian to carry out such of the duties and
functions of the Custodian described in this Section 3 as the
Custodian may from time to time direct; provided, however, that the
appointment of any such agent shall not relieve the Custodian of
any of its responsibilities or liabilities hereunder, and as
between the Fund and the Custodian the Custodian shall be fully
responsible for the acts and omissions of any such agent. For the
purposes of this Agreement, any property of the Fund held by any
such agent shall be deemed to be held by the Custodian hereunder.
L. DEPOSIT OF FUND PORTFOLIO SECURITIES IN SECURITIES SYSTEMS The
Custodian may deposit and/or maintain securities owned by the Fund
(1) in The Depository Trust Company;
(2) in Participants Trust Company;
(3) in any other Approved Clearing Agency;
(4) in the Federal Book-Entry System; or
(5) in an Approved Foreign Securities Depository
in each case only in accordance with applicable Federal Reserve
Board and Securities and Exchange Commission rules and
regulations, and at all times subject to the following provisions:
(a) The Custodian may (either directly or through one or more
subcustodians employed pursuant to Section 2) keep securities of
the Fund in a Securities System provided that such securities are
maintained in a non-proprietary account ("Account") of the
Custodian or such subcustodian in the Securities System which shall
not include any assets of the Custodian or such subcustodian or any
other person other than assets held by the Custodian or such
subcustodian as a fiduciary, custodian, or otherwise for its
customers.
(b) The records of the Custodian with respect to securities of the Fund
which are maintained in a Securities System shall identify by
book-entry those securities belonging to the Fund, and the
Custodian shall be fully and completely responsible for maintaining
a recordkeeping system capable of accurately and currently stating
the Fund's holdings maintained in each such Securities System.
(c) The Custodian shall pay for securities purchased in book-entry form
for the account of the Fund only upon (i) receipt of notice or
advice from the Securities System that such securities have been
transferred to the Account, and (ii) the making of any entry on the
records of the Custodian to reflect such payment and transfer for
the account of the Fund. The Custodian shall transfer securities
sold for the account of the Fund only upon (i) receipt of notice or
advice from the Securities System that payment for such securities
has been transferred to the Account, and (ii) the making of an
entry on the records of the Custodian to reflect such transfer and
payment for the account of the Fund. Copies of all notices or
advises from the Securities System of transfers of securities for
the account of the Fund shall identify the Fund, be maintained for
the Fund by the Custodian and be promptly provided to the Fund at
its request.
The Custodian shall promptly send to the Fund confirmation of each
transfer to or from the
account of the Fund in the form of a written advice or notice of
each such transaction, and shall furnish to the Fund copies of
daily transaction sheets reflecting each day's transactions in the
Securities System for the account of the Fund on the next business
day.
(d) The Custodian shall promptly send to the Fund any report or other
communication received or obtained by the Custodian relating to the
Securities System's accounting system, system of internal
accounting controls or procedures for safeguarding securities
deposited in the Securities System; the Custodian shall promptly
send to the Fund any report or other communication relating to the
Custodian's internal accounting controls and procedures for
safeguarding securities deposited in any Securities System; and the
Custodian shall ensure that any agent appointed pursuant to
Paragraph K hereof or any subcustodian employed pursuant to Section
2 hereof shall promptly send to the Fund and to the Custodian any
report or other communication relating to such agent's or
subcustodian's internal accounting controls and procedures for
safeguarding securities deposited in any Securities System. The
Custodian's books and records relating to the Fund's participation
in each Securities System will at all times during regular business
hours be open to the inspection of the Fund's authorized officers,
employees or agents.
(e) The Custodian shall not act under this Paragraph L in the absence
of receipt of a certificate of an officer of the Fund that the
Board has approved the use of a particular Securities System; the
Custodian shall also obtain appropriate assurance from the officers
of the Fund that the Board has annually reviewed and approved the
continued use by the Fund of each Securities System, so long as
such review and approval is required by Rule 17f-4 under the
Investment Company Act of 1940, and the Fund shall promptly notify
the Custodian if the use of a Securities System is to be
discontinued; at the request of the Fund, the Custodian will
terminate the use of any such Securities System as promptly as
practicable.
(f) Anything to the contrary in this Agreement notwithstanding, the
Custodian shall be liable to the Fund for any loss or damage to the
Fund resulting from use of the Securities System by reason of any
negligence, misfeasance or misconduct of the Custodian or any of
its agents or subcustodians or of any of its or their employees or
from any failure of the Custodian or any such agent or subcustodian
to enforce effectively such rights as it may have against the
Securities System or any other person; at the election of the Fund,
it shall be entitled to be
subrogated to the rights of the Custodian with respect to any claim
against the Securities System or any other person which the
Custodian may have as a consequence of any such loss or damage if
and to the extent that the Fund has not been made whole for any
such loss or damage.
M. DEPOSIT OF FUND COMMERCIAL PAPER IN AN APPROVED BOOK-ENTRY SYSTEM FOR
COMMERCIAL PAPER Upon receipt of proper instructions with respect to
each issue of direct issue commercial paper purchased by the Fund, the
Custodian may deposit and/or maintain direct issue commercial paper
owned by the Fund in any Approved Book-Entry System for Commercial
Paper, in each case only in accordance with applicable Securities and
Exchange Commission rules, regulations, and no-action correspondence,
and at all times subject to the following provisions:
(a) The Custodian may (either directly or through one or more
subcustodians employed pursuant to Section 2) keep
commercial paper of the Fund in an Approved Book-Entry
System for Commercial Paper, provided that such paper is
issued in book entry form by the Custodian or subcustodian
on behalf of an issuer with which the Custodian or
subcustodian has entered into a book-entry agreement and
provided further that such paper is maintained in a
non-proprietary account ("Account") of the Custodian or
such subcustodian in an Approved Book-Entry System for
Commercial Paper which shall not include any assets of the
Custodian or such subcustodian or any other person other
than assets held by the Custodian or such subcustodian as a
fiduciary, custodian, or otherwise for its customers.
(b) The records of the Custodian with respect to commercial
paper of the Fund which is maintained in an Approved
Book-Entry System for Commercial Paper shall identify by
book-entry each specific issue of commercial paper
purchased by the Fund which is included in the System and
shall at all times during regular business hours be open
for inspection by authorized officers, employees or agents
of the Fund. The Custodian shall be fully and completely
responsible for maintaining a recordkeeping system capable
of accurately and currently stating the Fund's holdings of
commercial paper maintained in each such System.
(c) The Custodian shall pay for commercial paper purchased in
book-entry form for the account of the Fund only upon
contemporaneous (i) receipt of notice or advice
from the issuer that such paper has been issued, sold and
transferred to the Account, and (ii) the making of an entry
on the records of the Custodian to reflect such purchase,
payment and transfer for the account of the Fund. The
Custodian shall transfer such commercial
paper which is sold or cancel such commercial paper which
is redeemed for the account of the Fund only upon
contemporaneous (i) receipt of notice or advice that
payment for such paper has been transferred to the Account,
and (ii) the making of an entry on the records of the
Custodian to reflect such transfer or redemption and
payment for the account of the Fund. Copies of all notices,
advises and confirmations of transfers of commercial paper
for the account of the Fund shall identify the Fund, be
maintained for the Fund by the Custodian and be promptly
provided to the Fund at its request. The Custodian shall
promptly send to the Fund confirmation of each transfer to
or from the account of the Fund in the form of a written
advice or notice of each such transaction, and shall
furnish to the Fund copies of daily transaction sheets
reflecting each day's transactions in the System for the
account of the Fund on the next business day.
(d) The Custodian shall promptly send to the Fund any report or
other communication received or obtained by the Custodian
relating to each System's accounting system, system of
internal accounting controls or procedures for safeguarding
commercial paper deposited in the System; the Custodian
shall promptly send to the Fund any report or other
communication relating to the Custodian's internal
accounting controls and procedures for safeguarding
commercial paper deposited in any Approved Book-Entry
System for Commercial Paper; and the Custodian shall ensure
that any agent appointed pursuant to Paragraph K hereof or
any subcustodian employed pursuant to Section 2 hereof
shall promptly send to the Fund and to the Custodian any
report or other communication relating to such agent's or
subcustodian's internal accounting controls and procedures
for safeguarding securities deposited in any Approved
Book-Entry System for Commercial Paper.
(e) The Custodian shall not act under this Paragraph M in the
absence of receipt of a certificate of an officer of the
Fund that the Board has approved the use of a particular
Approved Book-Entry System for Commercial Paper; the
Custodian shall also obtain appropriate assurance from the
officers of the Fund that the Board
has annually reviewed and approved the continued use by the
Fund of each Approved Book-Entry System for Commercial
Paper, so long as such review and approval is required by
Rule 17f-4 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, and
the Fund shall promptly notify the Custodian if the use of
an Approved Book-Entry System for Commercial Paper is to be
discontinued; at the request of the Fund, the Custodian
will terminate the use of any such System as promptly as
practicable.
(f) The Custodian (or subcustodian, if the Approved Book-Entry
System for Commercial Paper is maintained by the
subcustodian) shall issue physical commercial paper or
promissory notes whenever requested to do so by the Fund or
in the event of an electronic system failure which impedes
issuance, transfer or custody of direct issue commercial
paper by book-entry.
(g) Anything to the contrary in this Agreement notwithstanding,
the Custodian shall be liable to the Fund for any loss or
damage to the Fund resulting from use of any Approved
Book-Entry System for Commercial Paper by reason of any
negligence, misfeasance or misconduct of the Custodian or
any of its agents or subcustodians or of any of its or
their employees or from any failure of the Custodian or any
such agent or subcustodian to enforce effectively such
rights as it may have against the System, the issuer of the
commercial paper or any other person; at the election of
the Fund, it shall be entitled to be subrogated to the
rights of the Custodian with respect to any claim against
the System, the issuer of the commercial paper or any other
person which the Custodian may have as a consequence of any
such loss or damage if and to the extent that the Fund has
not been made whole for any such loss or damage.
N. SEGREGATED ACCOUNT The Custodian shall upon receipt of proper
instructions establish and maintain a segregated account or
accounts for and on behalf of the Fund, into which account or
accounts may be transferred cash and/or securities, including
securities maintained in an account by the Custodian pursuant to
Paragraph L hereof, (i) in accordance with the provisions of any
agreement among the Fund, the Custodian and any registered
broker-dealer (or any futures commission merchant), relating to
compliance with the rules of the Options Clearing Corporation and
of any registered national securities exchange (or of the Commodity
Futures Trading Commission or of any contract market or commodities
exchange), or of any similar
organization or organizations, regarding escrow or deposit or other
arrangements in connection with transactions by the Fund, (ii) for
purposes of segregating cash or U.S. Government securities in
connection with options purchased, sold or written by the Fund or
futures contracts or options thereon purchased or sold by the Fund,
(iii) for the purposes of compliance by the Fund with the
procedures required by Investment Company Act Release No. 10666, or
any subsequent release or releases of the Securities and Exchange
Commission relating to the maintenance of segregated accounts by
registered investment companies and (iv) for other proper purposes,
but only, in the case of clause (iv), upon receipt of, in addition
to proper instructions, a certificate signed by two officers of the
Fund, setting forth the purpose such segregated account and
declaring such purpose to be a proper purpose.
O. OWNERSHIP CERTIFICATES FOR TAX PURPOSES The Custodian shall execute
ownership and other certificates and affidavits for all federal and
state tax purposes in connection with receipt of income or other
payments with respect to securities of the Fund held by it and in
connection with transfers of securities.
P. PROXIES The Custodian shall, with respect to the securities held by
it hereunder, cause to be promptly delivered to the Fund all forms
of proxies and all notices of meetings and any other notices or
announcements or other written information affecting or relating to
the securities, and upon receipt of proper instructions shall
execute and deliver or cause its nominee to execute and deliver
such proxies or other authorizations as may be required. Neither
the Custodian nor its nominee shall vote upon any of the securities
or execute any proxy to vote thereon or give any consent or take
any other action with respect thereto (except as otherwise herein
provided) unless ordered to do so by proper instructions.
Q. COMMUNICATIONS RELATING TO FUND PORTFOLIO SECURITIES The Custodian
shall deliver promptly to the Fund all written information
(including, without limitation, pendency of call and maturities of
securities and participation interests and expirations of rights in
connection therewith and notices of exercise of call and put
options written by the Fund and the maturity of futures contracts
purchased or sold by the Fund) received by the Custodian from
issuers and other persons relating to the securities and
participation interests being held for the Fund. With respect to
tender or exchange offers, the Custodian shall deliver promptly to
the Fund all written information
received by the Custodian from issuers and other persons relating
to the securities and participation interests whose tender or
exchange is sought and from the party (or his agents) making the
tender or exchange offer.
R. EXERCISE OF RIGHTS; TENDER OFFERS In the case of tender offers,
similar offers to purchase or exercise rights (including, without
limitation, pendency of calls and maturities of securities and
participation interests and expirations of rights in connection
therewith and notices of exercise of call and put options and the
maturity of futures contracts) affecting or relating to securities
and participation interests held by the Custodian under this
Agreement, the Custodian shall have responsibility for promptly
notifying the Fund of all such offers in accordance with the
standard of reasonable care set forth in Section 8 hereof. For all
such offers for which the Custodian is responsible as provided in
this Paragraph R, the Fund shall have responsibility for providing
the Custodian with all necessary instructions in timely fashion.
Upon receipt of proper instructions, the Custodian shall timely
deliver to the issuer or trustee thereof, or to the agent of
either, warrants, puts, calls, rights or similar
securities for the purpose of being exercised or sold upon proper
receipt therefor and upon receipt of assurances satisfactory to the
Custodian that the new securities and cash, if any, acquired by
such action are to be delivered to the Custodian or any
subcustodian employed pursuant to Section 2 hereof. Upon receipt of
proper instructions, the Custodian shall timely deposit securities
upon invitations for tenders of securities upon proper receipt
therefor and upon receipt of assurances satisfactory to the
Custodian that the consideration to be paid or delivered or the
tendered securities are to be returned to the Custodian or
subcustodian employed pursuant to Section 2 hereof. Notwithstanding
any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, the Custodian
shall take all necessary action, unless otherwise directed to the
contrary by proper instructions, to comply with the terms of all
mandatory or compulsory exchanges, calls, tenders, redemptions, or
similar rights of security ownership, and shall thereafter promptly
notify the Fund in writing of such action.
S. DEPOSITORY RECEIPTS The Custodian shall, upon receipt of proper
instructions, surrender or cause to be surrendered foreign
securities to the depository used by an issuer of American
Depository Receipts, European Depository Receipts or International
Depository Receipts (hereinafter collectively referred to as
"ADRs") for such securities,
against a written receipt therefor adequately describing such
securities and written evidence satisfactory to the Custodian that
the depository has acknowledged receipt of instructions to issue
with respect to such securities ADRs in the name of a nominee of
the Custodian or in the name or nominee name of any subcustodian
employed pursuant to Section 2 hereof, for delivery to the
Custodian or such subcustodian at such place as the Custodian or
such subcustodian may from time to time designate. The Custodian
shall, upon receipt of proper instructions, surrender ADRs to the
issuer thereof against a written receipt therefor adequately
describing the ADRs surrendered and written evidence satisfactory
to the Custodian that the issuer of the ADRs has acknowledged
receipt of instructions to cause its depository to deliver the
securities underlying such ADRs to the Custodian or to a
subcustodian employed pursuant to Section 2 hereof.
T. INTEREST BEARING CALL OR TIME DEPOSITS The Custodian shall, upon
receipt of proper instructions, place interest bearing fixed term
and call deposits with the banking department of such banking
institution (other than the Custodian) and in such amounts as the
Fund may designate. Deposits may be denominated in U.S. Dollars or
other currencies. The Custodian shall include in its records with
respect to the assets of the Fund appropriate notation as to the
amount and currency of each such deposit, the accepting banking
institution and other appropriate details and shall retain such
forms of advice or receipt evidencing the deposit, if any, as may
be forwarded to the Custodian by the banking
institution. Such deposits shall be deemed portfolio securities of
the applicable Fund for the purposes of this Agreement, and the
Custodian shall be responsible for the collection of income from
such accounts and the transmission of cash to and from such
accounts.
U. Options, Futures Contracts and Foreign Currency Transactions
------------------------------------------------------------
1. OPTIONS. The Custodians shall, upon receipt of proper
instructions and in accordance with the provisions of any
agreement between the Custodian, any registered
broker-dealer and, if necessary, the Fund, relating to
compliance with the rules of the Options Clearing
Corporation or of any registered national securities
exchange or similar organization or organizations, receive
and retain confirmations or other documents, if any,
evidencing the purchase or writing of an option on a
security, securities index, currency or other financial
instrument or index by the Fund;
deposit and maintain in a segregated account for each Fund
separately, either physically or by book-entry in a
Securities System, securities subject to a covered call
option written by the Fund; and release and/or transfer
such securities or other assets only in accordance with a
notice or other communication evidencing the expiration,
termination or exercise of such covered option furnished by
the Options Clearing Corporation, the securities or options
exchange on which such covered option is traded or such
other organization as may be responsible for handling such
options transactions. The Custodian and the broker-dealer
shall be responsible for the sufficiency of assets held in
each Fund's segregated account in compliance with
applicable margin maintenance requirements.
2. FUTURES CONTRACTS The Custodian shall, upon receipt of
proper instructions, receive and retain confirmations and
other documents, if any, evidencing the purchase or sale of
a futures contract or an option on a futures contract by
the Fund; deposit and maintain in a segregated account, for
the benefit of any futures commission merchant, assets
designated by the Fund as initial, maintenance or variation
"margin" deposits (including ▇▇▇▇- to-market payments)
intended to secure the Fund's performance of its
obligations under any futures contracts purchased or sold
or any options on futures contracts written by Fund, in
accordance with the provisions of any agreement or
agreements among the Fund, the Custodian and such futures
commission merchant, designed to comply with the rules of
the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and/or of any
contract market or commodities exchange or similar
organization regarding such margin deposits or payments;
and release and/or transfer assets in such margin accounts
only in
accordance with any such agreements or rules. The Custodian
and the futures commission merchant shall be responsible
for the sufficiency of assets held in the segregated
account in compliance with the applicable margin
maintenance and ▇▇▇▇-to-market payment requirements.
3. FOREIGN EXCHANGE TRANSACTIONS The Custodian shall, pursuant
to proper instructions, enter into or cause a subcustodian
to enter into foreign exchange contracts, currency swaps or
options to purchase and sell foreign currencies for spot
and future delivery on behalf and for the account of the
Fund. Such transactions may be undertaken by the Custodian
or subcustodian with such
banking or financial institutions or other currency
brokers, as set forth in proper instructions. Foreign
exchange contracts, swaps and options shall be deemed to be
portfolio securities of the Fund; and accordingly, the
responsibility of the Custodian therefor shall be the same
as and no greater than the Custodian's responsibility in
respect of other portfolio securities of the Fund. The
Custodian shall be responsible for the transmittal to and
receipt of cash from the currency broker or banking or
financial institution with which the contract or option is
made, the maintenance of proper records with respect to the
transaction and the maintenance of any segregated account
required in connection with the transaction. The Custodian
shall have no duty with respect to the selection of the
currency brokers or banking or financial institutions with
which the Fund deals or for their failure to comply with
the terms of any contract or option. Without limiting the
foregoing, it is agreed that upon receipt of proper
instructions and insofar as funds are made available to the
Custodian for the purpose, the Custodian may (if determined
necessary by the Custodian to consummate a particular
transaction on behalf and for the account of the Fund) make
free outgoing payments of cash in the form of U.S. dollars
or foreign currency before receiving confirmation of a
foreign exchange contract or swap or confirmation that the
countervalue currency completing the foreign exchange
contract or swap has been delivered or received. The
Custodian shall not be responsible for any costs and
interest charges which may be incurred by the Fund or the
Custodian as a result of the failure or delay of third
parties to deliver foreign exchange; provided that the
Custodian shall nevertheless be held to the standard of
care set forth in, and shall be liable to the Fund in
accordance with, the provisions of Section 8.
V. ACTIONS PERMITTED WITHOUT EXPRESS AUTHORITY The Custodian may in its
discretion, without express authority from the Fund:
1) make payments to itself or others for minor expenses of
handling securities or other similar items relating to its
duties under this Agreement, PROVIDED, that all such
payments shall be accounted for by the Custodian to the
Treasurer of the Fund;
2) surrender securities in temporary form for securities in
definitive form;
3) endorse for collection, in the name of the Fund, checks,
drafts and other negotiable instruments; and
4) in general, attend to all nondiscretionary details in
connection with the sale, exchange, substitution, purchase,
transfer and other dealings with the securities and
property of the Fund except as otherwise directed by the
Fund.
4. Duties of Bank with Respect to Books of Account and Calculations of Net
Asset Value
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
The Bank shall as Agent (or as Custodian, as the case may be) keep such books of
account and render as at the close of business on each day a detailed statement
of the amounts received or paid out and of securities received or delivered for
the account of the Fund during said day and such other statements, including a
daily trial balance and inventory of the Fund's portfolio securities; and shall
furnish such other financial information and data as from time to time requested
by the Treasurer or any authorized officer of the Fund; and shall compute and
determine, as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange, or
at such other time or times as the Board may determine, the net asset value of a
Share in the Fund, such computation and determination to be made in accordance
with the governing documents of the Fund and the votes and instructions of the
Board at the time in force and applicable, and promptly notify the Fund and its
investment adviser and such other persons as the Fund may request of the result
of such computation and determination. In computing the net asset value the
Custodian may rely upon security quotations received by telephone or otherwise
from sources or pricing services designated by the Fund by proper instructions,
and may further rely upon information furnished to it by any authorized officer
of the Fund relative (a) to liabilities of the Fund not appearing on its books
of account, (b) to the existence, status and proper treatment of any reserve or
reserves, (c) to any procedures established by the Board regarding the valuation
of portfolio securities, and (d) to the value to be assigned to any bond, note,
debenture, Treasury ▇▇▇▇, repurchase agreement, subscription right, security,
participation interest or other asset or property for which market quotations
are not readily available.
5. Records and Miscellaneous Duties
--------------------------------
The Bank shall create, maintain and preserve all records relating to its
activities and obligations under this Agreement in such manner as will meet the
obligations of the Fund
under the Investment Company Act of 1940, with particular attention to Section
31 thereof and Rules 31a-1 and 31a-2 thereunder, applicable federal and state
tax laws and any other law or administrative rules or procedures which may be
applicable to the Fund. All books of account and records maintained by the Bank
in connection with the performance of its duties under this Agreement shall be
the property of the Fund, shall at all times during the regular business hours
of the Bank be open for inspection by authorized officers, employees or agents
of the Fund, and in the event of termination of this Agreement shall be
delivered to the Fund or to such other person or persons as shall be designated
by the Fund. Disposition of any account or record after any required period of
preservation shall be only in accordance with specific instructions received
from the Fund. The Bank shall assist generally in the preparation of reports to
shareholders, audits of accounts, and other ministerial matters of like nature;
and, upon request, shall furnish the Fund's auditors with an attested inventory
of securities held with appropriate information as to securities in transit or
in the process of purchase or sale and with such other information as said
auditors may from time to time request. The Custodian shall also maintain
records of all receipts, deliveries and locations of such securities, together
with a current inventory thereof, and shall conduct periodic verifications
(including sampling counts at the Custodian) of certificates representing bonds
and other securities for which it is responsible under this Agreement in such
manner as the Custodian shall determine from time to time to be advisable in
order to verify the accuracy of such inventory. The Bank shall not disclose or
use any books or records it has prepared or maintained by reason of this
Agreement in any manner except as expressly authorized herein or directed by the
Fund, and the Bank shall keep confidential any information obtained by reason of
this Agreement.
6. Opinion of Fund's Independent Public Accountants
------------------------------------------------
The Custodian shall take all reasonable action, as the Fund may from time to
time request, to enable the Fund to obtain from year to year favorable opinions
from the Fund's independent public accountants with respect to its activities
hereunder in connection with the preparation of the Fund's registration
statement and Form N-SAR or other periodic reports to the Securities and
Exchange Commission and with respect to any other requirements of such
Commission.
7. Compensation and Expenses of Bank
---------------------------------
The Bank shall be entitled to reasonable compensation for its services as
Custodian and Agent, as agreed upon from time to time between the Fund and the
Bank. The Bank shall entitled to receive from the Fund on demand reimbursement
for its cash disbursements, expenses and charges, including counsel fees, in
connection with its duties as Custodian and Agent hereunder, but excluding
salaries and usual overhead expenses.
8. Responsibility of Bank
----------------------
So long as and to the extent that it is in the exercise of reasonable care, the
Bank as Custodian and Agent shall be held harmless in acting upon any notice,
request, consent, certificate or other instrument reasonably believed by it to
be genuine and to be signed by the proper party or parties.
The Bank as Custodian and Agent shall be entitled to rely on and may act upon
advice of counsel (who may be counsel for the Fund) on all matters, and shall be
without liability for any action reasonably taken or omitted pursuant to such
advice.
The Bank as Custodian and Agent shall be held to the exercise of reasonable care
in carrying out the provisions of this Agreement but shall be liable only for
its own negligent or bad faith acts or failures to act. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, nothing contained in this paragraph is intended to nor shall it be
construed to modify the standards of care and responsibility set forth in
Section 2 hereof with respect to subcustodians and in subparagraph f of
Paragraph L of Section 3 hereof with respect to Securities Systems and in
subparagraph g of Paragraph M of Section 3 hereof with respect to an Approved
Book-Entry System for Commercial Paper.
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 subcustodians
generally in Section 2 hereof, provided that, 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, the Custodian shall not be liable for any
loss, damage, cost, expense, liability or claim resulting from, or caused by,
the direction of or authorization by the Fund to maintain custody of any
securities or cash of the Fund in a foreign county including, but not limited
to, losses resulting from nationalization, expropriation, currency restrictions,
acts of war, civil war or terrorism, insurrection, revolution, military or
usurped powers, nuclear fission, fusion or radiation, earthquake, storm or other
disturbance of nature or acts of God.
If the Fund requires the Bank in any capacity to take any action with respect to
securities, which action involves the payment of money or which action may, in
the opinion of the Bank, result in the Bank or its nominee assigned to the Fund
being liable for the payment of money or incurring liability of some other form,
the Fund, as a prerequisite to requiring the Custodian to take such action,
shall provide indemnity to the Custodian in an amount and form satisfactory to
it.
9. Persons Having Access to Assets of the Fund
-------------------------------------------
(i) No trustee, director, general partner, officer, employee or
agent of the Fund shall have physical access to the assets
of the Fund held by the Custodian or be authorized or
permitted to withdraw any investments of the Fund, nor
shall the Custodian deliver any assets of the Fund to any
such person. No officer or director, employee or agent of
the Custodian who holds any similar position with the Fund
or the
investment adviser of the Fund shall have access to the
assets of the Fund.
(ii) Access to assets of the Fund held hereunder shall only be
available to duly authorized officers, employees,
representatives or agents of the Custodian or other persons
or entities for whose actions the Custodian shall be
responsible to the extent permitted hereunder, or to the
Fund's independent public accountants in connection with
their auditing duties performed on behalf of the Fund.
(iii) Nothing in this Section 9 shall prohibit any officer,
employee or agent of the Fund or of the investment adviser
of the Fund from giving instructions to the Custodian or
executing a certificate so long as it does not result in
delivery of or access to assets of the Fund prohibited by
paragraph (i) of this Section 9.
10. Effective Period, Termination and Amendment; Successor Custodian
----------------------------------------------------------------
This Agreement shall become effective as of its execution, shall continue in
full force and effect until terminated as hereinafter provided, may be amended
at any time by mutual agreement of the parties hereto and may be terminated by
either party by an instrument in writing delivered or mailed, postage prepaid to
the other party, such termination to take effect not sooner than sixty (60) days
after the date of such delivery or mailing; provided, that the Fund may at any
time by action of its Board, (i) substitute another bank or trust company for
the Custodian by giving notice as described above to the Custodian, or (ii)
immediately terminate this Agreement in the event of the appointment of a
conservator or receiver for the Custodian by the Federal Deposit Insurance
Corporation or by the Banking Commissioner of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
or upon the happening of a like event at the direction of an appropriate
regulatory agency or court of competent jurisdiction. Upon termination of the
Agreement, the Fund shall pay to the Custodian such compensation as may be due
as of the date of such termination and shall likewise reimburse the Custodian
for its costs, expenses and disbursements.
Unless the holders of a majority of the outstanding Shares of the Fund vote to
have the securities, funds and other properties held hereunder delivered and
paid over to some other bank or trust company, specified in the vote, having not
less than $2,000,000 of aggregate capital, surplus and undivided profits, as
shown by its last published report, and meeting such other qualifications for
custodians set forth in the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Board shall,
forthwith, upon giving or receiving notice of termination of this Agreement,
appoint as successor custodian, a bank or trust company having such
qualifications. The Bank, as Custodian, Agent or otherwise, shall, upon
termination of the Agreement, deliver to such successor custodian, all
securities then held hereunder and all funds or other properties of the Fund
deposited with or held by the Bank hereunder and all books of account and
records kept by the Bank pursuant to this Agreement, and all documents held by
the Bank relative thereto. In the event that no such vote has been
adopted by the shareholders and that no written order designating a successor
custodian shall have been delivered to the Bank on or before the date when such
termination shall become effective, then the Bank shall not deliver the
securities, funds and other properties of the Fund to the Fund but shall have
the right to deliver to a bank or trust company doing business in Boston,
Massachusetts of its own selection, having an aggregate capital, surplus and
undivided profits, as shown by its last published report, of not less than
$2,000,000, all funds, securities and properties of the Fund held by or
deposited with the Bank, and all books of account and records kept by the Bank
pursuant to this Agreement, and all documents held by the Bank relative thereto.
Thereafter such bank or trust company shall be the successor of the Custodian
under this Agreement.
11. Interpretive and Additional Provisions
--------------------------------------
In connection with the operation of this Agreement, the Custodian and the Fund
may from time to time agree on such provisions interpretive of or in addition to
the provisions of this Agreement as may in their joint opinion be consistent
with the general tenor of this Agreement. Any such interpretive or additional
provisions shall be in a writing signed by both parties and shall be annexed
hereto, provided that no such interpretive or additional provisions shall
contravene any applicable federal or state regulations or any provision of the
governing instruments of the Fund. No interpretive or additional provisions made
as provided in the preceding sentence shall be deemed to be an amendment of this
Agreement.
12. Certification as to Authorized Officers
---------------------------------------
The Secretary of the Fund shall at all times maintain on file with the Bank his
certification to the Bank, in such form as may be acceptable to the Bank, of the
names and signatures of the authorized officers of each fund, it being
understood that upon the occurence of any change in the information set forth in
the most recent certification on file (including without limitation any person
named in the most recent certification who has ceased to hold the office
designated therein), the Secretary of the Fund shall sign a new or amended
certification setting forth the change and the new, additional or ommitted names
or signatures. The Bank shall be entitled to rely and act upon any officers
named in the most recent certification.
13. Notices
-------
Notices and other writings delivered or mailed postage prepaid to the Fund
addressed to ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Advisers, Inc., ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, or to such other address as the Fund may
have designated to the Bank, in writing, or to Investors Bank & Trust Company,
▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, shall be deemed to have been
properly delivered or given hereunder to the respective addressees.
14. Massachusetts Law to Apply; Limitations on Liability
----------------------------------------------------
This Agreement shall be construed and the provisions thereof interpreted under
and in accordance with the laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
If the Fund is a Massachusetts business trust, the Custodian expressly
acknowledges the provision in the Fund's declaration of trust limiting the
personal liability of the trustees and shareholders of the Fund; and the
Custodian agrees that it shall have recourse only to the assets of the Fund for
the payment of claims or obligations as between the Custodian and the Fund
arising out of this Agreement, and the Custodian shall not seek satisfaction of
any such claim or obligation from the trustees or shareholders of the Fund. Each
Fund, and each series or portfolio of a Fund, shall be liable only for its own
obligations to the Custodian under this Agreement and shall not be jointly or
severally liable for the obligations of any other Fund, series or portfolio
hereunder.
15. Adoption of the Agreement by the Fund
-------------------------------------
The Fund represents that its Board has approved this Agreement and has duly
authorized the Fund to adopt this Agreement. This Agreement shall be deemed to
supersede and terminate, as of the date first written above, all prior
agreements between the Fund and the Bank relating to the custody of the Fund's
assets.
* * * *
In Witness Whereof, the parties hereto have caused this agreement to be executed
in duplicate as of the date first written above by their respective officers
thereunto duly authorized.
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Mutual Funds
by: /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
----------------------
Attest:
/s/▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇
-----------------
Investors Bank & Trust Company
by: /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇
------------------
Attest:
/s/ ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
-------------
Page 1 of 2
INVESTORS BANK & TRUST COMPANY
APPENDIX A
[EFFECTIVE JANUARY 30, 1995]
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Limited Term Government Fund
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Capital Series
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Special Value Fund
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Growth Fund
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Income Securities Trust ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Investors Trust ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Sovereign Bond Fund ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Sovereign Investors Fund, Inc.
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Sovereign Investors Fund
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Sovereign Balanced Fund
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Special Equities Fund
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Strategic Series
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Independence Diversified Core Equity Fund
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Strategic Income Fund
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Utilities Fund
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Tax-Exempt Income Fund
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Tax-Exempt Series Fund
California Portfolio
Massachusetts Portfolio
New York Portfolio
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Technology Series, Inc.
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ National Aviation & Technology Fund
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Global Technology Fund
Freedom Investment Trust
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Gold & Government Fund
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Regional Bank Fund
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Sovereign U.S. Government Income Fund
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Managed Tax-Exempt Fund
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Sovereign Achievers Fund
Freedom Investment Trust II
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Special Opportunities Fund
Freedom Investment Trust III
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Discovery Fund
Page 2 of 2
INVESTORS BANK & TRUST COMPANY
APPENDIX A
[EFFECTIVE JANUARY 30, 1995]
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Series, Inc.
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Emerging Growth Fund
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Global Resources Fund
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Government Income Fund
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ High Yield Bond Fund
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ High Yield Tax-Free Fund
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Money Market Fund B
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ Reserve, Inc.
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Current Interest
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ U.S. Government Cash Reserve
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Capital Growth Fund
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Investment Trust
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Growth and Income Fund
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ California Tax-Free Income Fund
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Tax-Free Bond Fund
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ Fund
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Investment Quality Bond Fund
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Government Securities Trust
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ U.S. Government Trust
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Adjustable U.S. Government Trust
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Adjustable U.S. Government Fund
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Intermediate Government Trust
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Institutional Series Trust ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Berkeley Dividend
Performers Fund ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Berkeley Bond Fund ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Berkeley
Fundamental Value Fund ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Berkeley Sector Opportunity Fund
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Independence Diversified Core Equity Fund II ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Independence Value Fund ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Independence Growth Fund ▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Independence Medium Capitalization Fund ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Independence Balanced Fund