TRANSFER AGENT AGREEMENT
------------------------
THIS AGREEMENT is made and entered into on this 31st day of January,
2000, by and between PRUDENT BEAR FUNDS, INC., on behalf of Prudent Safe Harbor
Fund (hereinafter referred to as the "Fund") and FIRSTAR MUTUAL FUND SERVICES,
LLC, a limited liability company organized under the laws of the State of
Wisconsin (hereinafter referred to as the "Agent").
W I T N E S S E T H :
- - - - - - - - - -
WHEREAS, the Fund is an open-end management investment company which
is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940; and
WHEREAS, the Agent is in the business of administering transfer and
dividend disbursing agent functions for the benefit of its customers;
NOW, THEREFORE, the Fund and the Agent do mutually promise and agree
as follows:
1. Terms of Appointment; Duties of the Agent
-----------------------------------------
Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, the
Fund hereby employs and appoints the Agent to act as transfer agent and dividend
disbursing agent.
The Agent shall perform all of the customary services of a transfer
agent and dividend disbursing agent, and as relevant, agent in connection with
accumulation, open account or similar plans (including without limitation any
periodic investment plan or periodic withdrawal program), including but not
limited to:
A. Receive orders for the purchase of shares;
B. Process purchase orders and issue the appropriate number of
certificated or uncertificated shares with such uncertificated shares
being held in the appropriate shareholder account;
C. Process redemption requests received in good order;
D. Pay monies in accordance with the instructions of redeeming
shareholders;
E. Process transfers of shares in accordance with the shareowner's
instructions;
F. Process exchanges between funds within the same family of funds;
G. Issue and/or cancel certificates as instructed; replace lost, stolen
or destroyed certificates upon receipt of satisfactory indemnification
or surety bond;
H. Prepare and transmit payments for dividends and distributions declared
by the Fund;
I. Make changes to shareholder records, including, but not limited to,
address changes in plans (i.e., systematic withdrawal, automatic
investment, dividend reinvestment, etc.);
J. Record the issuance of shares of the Fund and maintain, pursuant to
Section Rule 17Ad-10(e), a record of the total number of shares of the
Fund which are authorized, issued and outstanding;
K. Prepare shareholder meeting lists and, if applicable, mail, receive
and tabulate proxies;
L. Mail shareholder reports and prospectuses to current shareholders;
M. Prepare and file U.S. Treasury Department forms 1099 and other
appropriate information returns required with respect to dividends and
distributions for all shareholders;
N. Provide shareholder account information upon request and prepare and
mail confirmations and statements of account to shareholders for all
purchases, redemptions and other confirmable transactions as agreed
upon with the Fund; and
O. Provide a Blue Sky System which will enable the Fund to monitor the
total number of shares sold in each state. In addition, the Fund shall
identify to the Agent in writing those transactions and assets to be
treated as exempt from the Blue Sky reporting to the Fund for each
state. The responsibility of the Agent for the Fund's Blue Sky state
registration status is solely limited to the initial compliance by the
Fund and the reporting of such transactions to the Fund.
2. Compensation
------------
The Fund agrees to pay the Agent for performance of the duties listed
in this Agreement; the fees and out-of-pocket expenses include, but are not
limited to the following: printing, postage, forms, stationery, record
retention, mailing, insertion, programming, labels, shareholder lists and proxy
expenses.
These fees and reimbursable expenses may be changed from time to time
subject to mutual written agreement between the Fund and the Agent.
The Fund agrees to pay all fees and reimbursable expenses within ten
(10) business days following the mailing of the billing notice.
2
3. Representations of Agent
------------------------
The Agent represents and warrants to the Fund that:
A. It is a limited liability company duly organized, existing and in good
standing under the laws of Wisconsin;
B. It is duly qualified to carry on its business in the state of
Wisconsin;
C. It is empowered under applicable laws and by its organizational and
operational documents to enter into and perform this Agreement;
D. All requisite corporate proceedings have been taken to authorize it to
enter and perform this Agreement; and
E. It has and will continue to have access to the necessary facilities,
equipment and personnel to perform its duties and obligations under
this Agreement.
4. Representations of the Fund
---------------------------
A. The Fund represents and warrants to the Agent that:
B. The Fund is an open-end diversified investment company under the
Investment Company Act of 1940;
C. The Fund is a corporation or business organized, existing, and in good
standing under the laws of Maryland;
D. The Fund is empowered under applicable laws and by its Corporate
Charter and bylaws to enter into and perform this Agreement;
E. All necessary proceedings required by the Corporate Charter have been
taken to authorize it to enter into and perform this Agreement;
F. The Fund will comply with all applicable requirements of the
Securities and Exchange Acts of 1933 and 1934, as amended, the
Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and any laws, rules and
regulations of governmental authorities having jurisdiction; and
3
Z. A registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933 is currently
effective and will remain effective, and appropriate state securities
law filings have been made and will continue to be made, with respect
to all shares of the Fund being offered for sale.
5. Covenants of Fund and Agent
---------------------------
The Fund shall furnish the Agent a certified copy of the resolution of
the Board of Directors of the Fund authorizing the appointment of the Agent and
the execution of this Agreement. The Fund shall provide to the Agent a copy of
the Corporate Charter, bylaws of the Corporation, and all amendments.
The Agent shall keep records relating to the services to be performed
hereunder, in the form and manner as it may deem advisable. To the extent
required by Section 31 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and
the rules thereunder, the Agent agrees that all such records prepared or
maintained by the Agent relating to the services to be performed by the Agent
hereunder are the property of the Fund and will be preserved, maintained and
made available in accordance with such section and rules and will be surrendered
to the Fund on and in accordance with its request.
6. Indemnification; Remedies Upon Breach
-------------------------------------
The Agent agrees to use reasonable care and act in good faith in
performing its duties hereunder.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Agent shall not be liable or
responsible for delays or errors occurring by reason of circumstances beyond its
control, including acts of civil or military authority, national or state
emergencies, fire, mechanical or equipment failure, flood or catastrophe, acts
of God, insurrection or war. In the event of a mechanical breakdown beyond its
control, the Agent shall take all reasonable steps to minimize service
interruptions for any period that such interruption continues beyond the Agent's
control. The Agent will make every reasonable effort to restore any lost or
damaged data, and the correcting of any errors resulting from such a breakdown
will be at the Agent's expense. The Agent agrees that it shall, at all times,
have reasonable contingency plans with appropriate parties, making reasonable
provision for emergency use of electrical data processing equipment to the
extent appropriate equipment is available. Representatives of The Prudent Bear
Fund, Inc. shall be entitled to inspect the Agent's premises and operating
capabilities at any time during regular business hours of the Agent, upon
reasonable notice to the Agent.
The Fund will indemnify and hold the Agent harmless against any and
all losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses (including reasonable
counsel fees and expenses) resulting from any claim, demand, action or suit not
resulting from the Agent's bad faith or negligence, and arising out of or in
connection with the Agent's duties on behalf of the Fund hereunder.
Further, the Fund will indemnify and hold the Agent harmless against
any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses (including
reasonable counsel fees and expenses) resulting from any claim, demand, action
or suit as a result of the negligence of the Fund or the principal underwriter
(unless contributed to by the Agent's own negligence or bad faith); or as a
result of the Agent acting upon telephone instructions relating to the exchange
or redemption of shares received by the Agent and reasonably believed by the
Agent to have
4
originated from the record owner of the subject shares; or as a result of the
Agent acting upon any instructions executed or orally communicated by a duly
authorized officer or employee of the Fund, according to such lists of
authorized officers and employees furnished to the Agent and as amended from
time to time in writing by a resolution of the Board of Directors of the Fund;
or as a result of acting in reliance upon any genuine instrument or stock
certificate signed, countersigned or executed by any person or persons
authorized to sign, countersign or execute the same.
In order for this section to apply, it is understood that if in any
case the Fund may be asked to indemnify or hold harmless the Agent, the Fund
shall be advised of all pertinent facts concerning the situation in question,
and it is further understood that the Agent will use reasonable care to notify
the Fund promptly concerning any situation which presents or appears likely to
present a claim for indemnification against the Fund. The Fund shall have the
option to defend the Agent against any claim which may be the subject of this
indemnification and, in the event that the Fund so elects, the Agent will so
notify the Fund, and thereupon the Fund shall take over complete defense of the
claim and the Agent shall sustain no further legal or other expenses in such
situation for which the Agent shall seek indemnification under this section. The
Agent will in no case confess any claim or make any compromise in any case in
which the Fund will be asked to indemnify the Agent, except with the Fund's
prior written consent.
7. Confidentiality
---------------
The Agent agrees on behalf of itself and its employees to treat
confidentially all records and other information relative to the Fund and its
shareholders and shall not be disclosed to any other party, except after prior
notification to and approval in writing by the Fund, which approval shall not be
unreasonably withheld and may not be withheld where the Agent may be exposed to
civil or criminal contempt proceedings for failure to comply after being
requested to divulge such information by duly constituted authorities.
8. Wisconsin Law to Apply
----------------------
This Agreement shall be construed and the provisions thereof
interpreted under and in accordance with the laws of the state of Wisconsin.
9. Amendment, Assignment, Termination and Notice
---------------------------------------------
A. This Agreement may be amended by the mutual written consent of the
parties.
B. This Agreement may be terminated upon ninety (90) day's written notice
given by one party to the other.
C. This Agreement and any right or obligation hereunder may not be
assigned by either party without the signed, written consent of the
other party.
5
D. Any notice required to be given by the parties to each other under the
terms of this Agreement shall be in writing, addressed and delivered,
or mailed to the principal place of business of the other party.
E. In the event that the Fund gives to the Agent its written intention to
terminate and appoint a successor transfer agent, the Agent agrees to
cooperate in the transfer of its duties and responsibilities to the
successor, including any and all relevant books, records and other
data established or maintained by the Agent under this Agreement.
F. Should the Fund exercise its right to terminate, all out-of-pocket
expenses associated with the movement of records and material will be
paid by the Fund.
PRUDENT BEAR FUNDS, INC. FIRSTAR MUTUAL FUND SERVICES,
LLC
By:__________________________________ By:______________________________
6