EXHIBIT K
PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT
Agreement made this _____ day of ___________, 1997 among The GCG Trust
(the "Trust"), a Massachusetts business trust, Directed Services, Inc.
("Manager"), a New York corporation, and Eagle Asset Management, Inc.
("Portfolio Manager"), a Florida corporation.
WHEREAS, the Trust is registered under the Investment Company Act of
1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"), as an open-end, management investment
company;
WHEREAS, the Trust is authorized to issue separate series, each of which
will offer a separate class of shares of beneficial interest, each series
having its own investment objective or objectives, policies, and limitations;
WHEREAS, the Trust currently offers shares in multiple series, may offer
shares of additional series in the future, and intends to offer shares of
additional series in the future;
WHEREAS, pursuant to a Management Agreement, effective as of
_____________, 1997, a copy of which has been provided to the Portfolio
Manager, the Trust has retained the Manager to render advisory, management,
and administrative services to many of the Trust's series;
WHEREAS, the Trust and the Manager wish to retain the Portfolio Manager
to furnish investment advisory services to one or more of the series of the
Trust, and the Portfolio Manager is willing to furnish such services to the
Trust and the Manager;
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the promises and
mutual covenants herein contained, it is agreed between the Trust, the
Manager, and the Portfolio Manager as follows:
1. APPOINTMENT. The Trust and the Manager hereby appoint Eagle Asset
Management, Inc. to act as Portfolio Manager to the Series designated on
Schedule A of this Agreement (the "Series") for the periods and on the terms
set forth in this Agreement. The Portfolio Manager accepts such appointment
and agrees to furnish the services herein set forth for the compensation
herein provided. In the event the Trust designates one or more series other
than the Series with respect to which the Trust and the Manager wish to retain
the Portfolio Manager to render investment advisory services hereunder, they
shall notify the Portfolio Manager in writing. If the Portfolio Manager is
willing to render such services, it shall notify the Trust and Manager in
writing, whereupon such series shall become a Series hereunder, and be subject
to this Agreement.
2. PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT DUTIES. Subject to the supervision of the
Trust's Board of Trustees and the Manager, the Portfolio Manager will provide
a continuous investment program for the Series' portfolio and determine the
composition of the assets of the Series' portfolio, including determination of
the purchase, retention, or sale of the securities, cash, and other
investments contained in the portfolio. The Portfolio Manager will provide
investment research and conduct a continuous program of evaluation,
investment, sales, and reinvestment of the Series' assets by determining the
securities and other investments that shall be purchased, entered into, sold,
closed, or exchanged for
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the Series, when these transactions should be executed, and what portion of
the assets of the Series should be held in the various securities and other
investments in which it may invest, and the Portfolio Manager is hereby
authorized to execute and perform such services on behalf of the Series. To
the extent permitted by the investment policies of the Series, the Portfolio
Manager shall make decisions for the Series as to foreign currency matters and
make determinations as to and execute and perform foreign currency exchange
contracts on behalf of the Series. The Portfolio Manager will provide the
services under this Agreement in accordance with the Series' investment
objective or objectives, policies, and restrictions as stated in the Trust's
Registration Statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
("SEC"), as amended, copies of which shall be sent to the Portfolio Manager by
the Manager. The Portfolio Manager further agrees as follows:
(a) The Portfolio Manager will (1) take all steps necessary to
manage the Series so that it will qualify as a regulated investment company
under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code, (2) take all steps necessary
to manage the Series so as to ensure compliance by the Series with the
diversification requirements of Section 817(h) of the Internal Revenue Code
and regulations issued thereunder, and (3) use reasonable efforts to manage
the Series so as to ensure compliance by the Series with any other rules and
regulations pertaining to investment vehicles underlying variable annuity or
variable life insurance policies. The Manager or the Trust will notify the
Portfolio Manager of any pertinent changes, modifications to, or
interpretations of Section 817(h) of the Internal Revenue Code and regulations
issued thereunder.
(b) The Portfolio Manager will conform with the 1940 Act and all
rules and regulations thereunder, all other applicable federal and state laws
and regulations, with any applicable procedures adopted by the Trust's Board
of Trustees of which the Portfolio Manager has been sent a copy, and the
provisions of the Registration Statement of the Trust under the Securities Act
of 1933 (the "1933 Act") and the 1940 Act, as supplemented or amended, of
which the Portfolio Manager has received a copy. The Manager or the Trust
will notify the Portfolio Manager of pertinent provisions of applicable state
insurance law with which the Portfolio Manager must comply under this
Paragraph 2(b).
(c) In connection with the purchase and sale of securities for the
Series, the Portfolio Manager will arrange for the transmission to the
custodian and portfolio accounting agent for the Series on a daily basis, such
confirmation, trade tickets, and other documents and information, including,
but not limited to, Cusip, Sedol, or other numbers that identify securities to
be purchased or sold on behalf of the Series, as may be reasonably necessary
to enable the custodian and portfolio accounting agent to perform its
administrative and record keeping responsibilities with respect to the Series.
With respect to portfolio securities to be purchased or sold through the
Depository Trust Company, the Portfolio Manager will arrange for the automatic
transmission of the confirmation of such trades to the Trust's custodian and
portfolio accounting agent.
(d) The Portfolio Manager will monitor on a daily basis the
determination by the portfolio accounting agent for the Trust of the valuation
of portfolio securities and other investments of the Series. The Portfolio
Manager will assist the custodian and portfolio accounting agent for the Trust
in determining or confirming, consistent with the procedures and policies
stated in the Registration Statement for the Trust, the value of any portfolio
securities or other assets of the Series for which the custodian and portfolio
accounting agent seeks assistance from or identifies for review by the
Portfolio Manager.
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(e) The Portfolio Manager will make available to the Trust and the
Manager, promptly upon request, all of the Series' investment records and
ledgers maintained by the Portfolio Manager (which shall not include the
records and ledgers maintained by the custodian or portfolio accounting agent
for the Trust) as are necessary to assist the Trust and the Manager to comply
with requirements of the 1940 Act and the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (the
"Advisers Act"), as well as other applicable laws. The Portfolio Manager will
furnish to regulatory authorities having the requisite authority any
information or reports in connection with such services which may be requested
in order to ascertain whether the operations of the Trust are being conducted
in a manner consistent with applicable laws and regulations.
(f) The Portfolio Manager will provide reports to the Trust's Board
of Trustees for consideration at meetings of the Board on the investment
program for the Series and the issuers and securities represented in the
Series' portfolio, and will furnish the Trust's Board of Trustees with respect
to the Series such periodic and special reports as the Trustees and the
Manager may reasonably request.
(g) In rendering the services required under this Agreement, the
Portfolio Manager may, from time to time, employ or associate with itself such
person or persons as it believes necessary to assist it in carrying out its
obligations under this Agreement. However, the Portfolio Manager may not
retain as subadviser any company that would be an "investment adviser," as
that term is defined in the 1940 Act, to the Series unless the contract with
such company is approved by a majority of the Trust's Board of Trustees and a
majority of Trustees who are not parties to any agreement or contract with
such company and who are not "interested persons," as defined in the 1940 Act,
of the Trust, the Manager, or the Portfolio Manager, or any such company that
is retained as subadviser, and is approved by the vote of a majority of the
outstanding voting securities of the applicable Series of the Trust to the
extent required by the 1940 Act. The Portfolio Manager shall be responsible
for making reasonable inquiries and for reasonably ensuring that any employee
of the Portfolio Manager, any subadviser that the Portfolio Manager has
employed or with which it has associated with respect to the Series, or any
employee thereof has not, to the best of the Portfolio Manager's knowledge, in
any material connection with the handling of Trust assets:
(i) been convicted, in the last ten (10) years, of any felony
or misdemeanor arising out of conduct involving embezzlement, fraudulent
conversion, or misappropriation of funds or securities, involving violations
of Sections 1341, 1342, or 1343 of ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Code, or involving
the purchase or sale of any security; or
(ii) been found by any state regulatory authority, within the
last ten (10) years, to have violated or to have acknowledged violation of any
provision of any state insurance law involving fraud, deceit, or knowing
misrepresentation; or
(iii) been found by any federal or state regulatory
authorities, within the last ten (10) years, to have violated or to have
acknowledged violation of any provision of federal or state securities laws
involving fraud, deceit, or knowing misrepresentation.
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3. BROKER-DEALER SELECTION. The Portfolio Manager is responsible for
decisions to buy and sell securities and other investments for the Series'
portfolio, broker-dealer selection, and negotiation of brokerage commission
rates. The Portfolio Manager's primary consideration in effecting a security
transaction will be to obtain the best execution for the Series, taking into
account the factors specified in the prospectus and/or statement of additional
information for the Trust, which include price (including the applicable
brokerage commission or dollar spread), the size of the order, the nature of
the market for the security, the timing of the transaction, the reputation,
the experience and financial stability of the broker-dealer involved, the
quality of the service, the difficulty of execution, and the execution
capabilities and operational facilities of the firm involved, and the firm's
risk in positioning a block of securities. Accordingly, the price to the
Series in any transaction may be less favorable than that available from
another broker-dealer if the difference is reasonably justified, in the
judgment of the Portfolio Manager in the exercise of its fiduciary obligations
to the Trust, by other aspects of the portfolio execution services offered.
Subject to such policies as the Board of Trustees may determine and consistent
with Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Portfolio
Manager 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 Series to pay a broker-dealer for effecting a portfolio investment
transaction in excess of the amount of commission another broker- dealer would
have charged for effecting that transaction, if the Portfolio Manager or its
affiliate determines 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- dealer, viewed in terms of either that particular
transaction or the Portfolio Manager's or its affiliate's overall
responsibilities with respect to the Series and to their other clients as to
which they exercise investment discretion. To the extent consistent with
these standards, the Portfolio Manager is further authorized to allocate the
orders placed by it on behalf of the Series to the Portfolio Manager if it is
registered as a broker-dealer with the SEC, to its affiliated broker-dealer,
or to such brokers and dealers who also provide research or statistical
material, or other services to the Series, the Portfolio Manager, or an
affiliate of the Portfolio Manager. Such allocation shall be in such amounts
and proportions as the Portfolio Manager shall determine consistent with the
above standards, and the Portfolio Manager will report on said allocation
regularly to the Board of Trustees of the Trust indicating the broker-dealers
to which such allocations have been made and the basis therefor.
4. DISCLOSURE ABOUT PORTFOLIO MANAGER. The Portfolio Manager has
reviewed the post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement for the
Trust filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission that contains
disclosure about the Portfolio Manager, and represents and warrants that, with
respect to the disclosure about the Portfolio Manager or information relating,
directly or indirectly, to the Portfolio Manager, such Registration Statement
contains, as of the date hereof, no untrue statement of any material fact and
does not omit any statement of a material fact which was required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements contained therein not misleading.
The Portfolio Manager further represents and warrants that it is a duly
registered investment adviser under the Advisers Act and a duly registered
investment adviser in all states in which the Portfolio Manager is required to
be registered.
5. EXPENSES. During the term of this Agreement, the Portfolio Manager
will pay all expenses incurred by it and its staff and for their activities in
connection with its portfolio management duties under this Agreement. The
Manager or the Trust shall be responsible for all the expenses of the Trust's
operations including, but not limited to:
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(a) Expenses of all audits by the Trust's independent public
accountants;
(b) Expenses of the Series' transfer agent, registrar, dividend
disbursing agent, and shareholder record keeping services;
(c) Expenses of the Series' custodial services including record
keeping services provided by the custodian;
(d) Expenses of obtaining quotations for calculating the value of
the Series' net assets;
(e) Expenses of obtaining Portfolio Activity Reports and Analyses
of International Management Reports (as appropriate) for the Series;
(f) Expenses of maintaining the Trust's tax records;
(g) Salaries and other compensation of any of the Trust's executive
officers and employees, if any, who are not officers, directors, stockholders,
or employees of the Portfolio Manager or an affiliate of the Portfolio
Manager;
(h) Taxes levied against the Trust;
(i) Brokerage fees and commissions in connection with the purchase
and sale of portfolio securities for the Series;
(j) Costs, including the interest expense, of borrowing money;
(k) Costs and/or fees incident to meetings of the Trust's
shareholders, the preparation and mailings of prospectuses and reports of the
Trust to its shareholders, the filing of reports with regulatory bodies, the
maintenance of the Trust's existence, and the regulation of shares with
federal and state securities or insurance authorities;
(l) The Trust's legal fees, including the legal fees related to the
registration and continued qualification of the Trust's shares for sale;
(m) Costs of printing stock certificates representing shares of the
Trust;
(n) Trustees' fees and expenses to Trustees who are not officers,
employees, or stockholders of the Portfolio Manager or any affiliate thereof;
(o) The Trust's pro rata portion of the fidelity bond required by
Section 17(g) of the 1940 Act, or other insurance premiums;
(p) Association membership dues;
(q) Extraordinary expenses of the Trust as may arise including
expenses incurred in connection with litigation, proceedings, and other claims
(unless the Portfolio Manager is responsible for such expenses under Section
14 of this Agreement), and the legal obligations of the Trust to indemnify its
Trustees, officers, employees, shareholders, distributors, and agents with
respect thereto; and
(r) Organizational and offering expenses.
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6. COMPENSATION. For the services provided, the Manager will pay the
Portfolio Manager a fee, payable monthly, as described on Schedule B. Such
fee shall be paid without regard to any reduction in the fee paid to the
Manager as a result of any statutory or regulatory limitation on investment
company expenses.
7. SEED MONEY. The Manager agrees that the Portfolio Manager shall not
be responsible for providing money for the initial capitalization of the
Series.
8. COMPLIANCE.
(a) The Portfolio Manager agrees that it shall immediately notify
the Manager and the Trust (1) in the event that the SEC has censured the
Portfolio Manager; placed limitations upon its activities, functions or
operations; suspended or revoked its registration as an investment adviser; or
has commenced proceedings or an investigation that may result in any of these
actions, (2) upon having a reasonable basis for believing that the Series has
ceased to qualify or might not qualify as a regulated investment company under
Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code, or (3) upon having a reasonable
basis for believing that the Series has ceased to comply with the
diversification provisions of Section 817(h) of the Internal Revenue Code or
the Regulations thereunder. The Portfolio Manager further agrees to notify
the Manager and the Trust immediately of any material fact known to the
Portfolio Manager respecting or relating to the Portfolio Manager that is not
contained in the Registration Statement or prospectus for the Trust, or any
amendment or supplement thereto, or of any statement contained therein that
becomes untrue in any material respect.
(b) The Manager agrees that it shall immediately notify the
Portfolio Manager (1) in the event that the SEC has censured the Manager or
the Trust; placed limitations upon either of their activities, functions, or
operations; suspended or revoked the Manager's registration as an investment
adviser; or has commenced proceedings or an investigation that may result in
any of these actions, (2) upon having a reasonable basis for believing that
the Series has ceased to qualify or might not qualify as a regulated
investment company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code, or (3)
upon having a reasonable basis for believing that the Series has ceased to
comply with the diversification provisions of Section 817(h) of the Internal
Revenue Code or the Regulations thereunder.
9. BOOKS AND RECORDS. In compliance with the requirements of Rule 31a-
3 under the 1940 Act, the Portfolio Manager hereby agrees that all records
which it maintains for the Series are the property of the Trust and further
agrees to surrender promptly to the Trust any of such records upon the Trust's
or the Manager's request, although the Portfolio Manager may, at its own
expense, make and retain a copy of such records. The Portfolio Manager further
agrees to preserve for the periods prescribed by Rule 31a-2 under the 1940 Act
the records required to be maintained by Rule 31a-l under the 1940 Act and to
preserve the records required by Rule 204-2 under the Advisers Act for the
period specified in the Rule.
10. COOPERATION. Each party to this Agreement agrees to cooperate with
each other party and with all appropriate governmental authorities having the
requisite jurisdiction (including, but not limited to, the Securities and
Exchange Commission and state insurance regulators) in connection with any
investigation or inquiry relating to this Agreement or the Trust.
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11. REPRESENTATIONS RESPECTING PORTFOLIO MANAGER. The Manager and the
Trust agree that neither the Trust, the Manager, nor affiliated persons of the
Trust or the Manager shall give any information or make any representations or
statements in connection with the sale of shares of the Series concerning the
Portfolio Manager or the Series other than the information or representations
contained in the Registration Statement, prospectus, or statement of
additional information for the Trust shares, as they may be amended or
supplemented from time to time, or in reports or proxy statements for the
Trust, or in sales literature or other promotional material approved in
advance by the Portfolio Manager, except with the prior permission of the
Portfolio Manager. The parties agree that in the event that the Manager or an
affiliated person of the Manager sends sales literature or other promotional
material to the Portfolio Manager for its approval and the Portfolio Manager
has not commented within 30 days, the Manager and its affiliated persons may
use and distribute such sales literature or other promotional material,
although, in such event, the Portfolio Manager shall not be deemed to have
approved of the contents of such sales literature or other promotional
material.
12. CONTROL. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Agreement, it
is understood and agreed that the Trust shall at all times retain the ultimate
responsibility for and control of all functions performed pursuant to this
Agreement and reserve the right to direct, approve, or disapprove any action
hereunder taken on its behalf by the Portfolio Manager.
13. OTHER ACTIVITIES OF PORTFOLIO MANAGER. The Manager agrees that the
Portfolio Manager and any of its officers, directors or employees, and persons
affiliated with it or with any such partner or employee may render investment
management or advisory services to other investors and institutions, and such
investors and institutions may own, purchase or sell, securities or other
interests in property the same as or similar to those which are selected for
purchase, holding or sale for the Series, and the Portfolio Manager shall be
in all respects free to take action with respect to investments in securities
or other interests in property the same as or similar to those selected for
purchase, holding or sale for the Series. On occasions when the Portfolio
Manager deems the purchase or sale of a security to be in the best interests
of the Series, as well as other clients of the Portfolio Manager, the
Portfolio Manager, to the extent permitted by applicable laws and regulations,
may, but shall be under no obligation to, aggregate the securities to be sold
or purchased in order to obtain the most favorable price or lower brokerage
commissions and efficient execution. In such event, allocation of the
securities so purchased or sold, as well as the expenses incurred in the
transaction, will be made by the Portfolio Manager in the manner the Portfolio
Manager considers to be most equitable and consistent with its fiduciary
obligations to the Series and to such other clients. Nothing in this
Agreement shall impose upon the Portfolio Manager any obligation to purchase
or sell or recommend for purchase or sale, for the Series any security which
it, its officers, directors, affiliates or employees may purchase or sell for
the Portfolio Manager or such partner's, affiliate's or employee's own
accounts or for the account of any other client, advisory or otherwise.
14. LIABILITY. Except as may otherwise be required by the 1940 Act or
the rules thereunder or other applicable law, the Trust and the Manager agree
that the Portfolio Manager, any affiliated person of the Portfolio Manager,
and each person, if any, who, within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act
controls the Portfolio Manager shall not be liable to the Trust or its
shareholders for, or subject to any damages, expenses, or losses in
connection with, any act or
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omission connected with or arising out of any services rendered under this
Agreement, except by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross
negligence in the performance of the Portfolio Manager's duties, or by reason
of reckless disregard of the Portfolio Manager's obligations and duties under
this Agreement.
15. INDEMNIFICATION.
(a) The Manager agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Portfolio
Manager, any affiliated person of the Portfolio Manager, and each person, if
any, who, within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act controls
("controlling person") the Portfolio Manager (all of such persons being
referred to as "Portfolio Manager Indemnified Persons") against any and all
losses, claims, damages, liabilities, or litigation (including legal and other
expenses) to which a Portfolio Manager Indemnified Person may become subject
under the 1933 Act, the 1940 Act, the Advisers Act, the Internal Revenue Code,
under any other statute, at common law or otherwise, arising out of the
Manager's responsibilities to the Trust which (1) may be based upon any
misfeasance, malfeasance, or nonfeasance by the Manager, any of its employees
or representatives or any affiliate of or any person acting on behalf of the
Manager or (2) may be based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact supplied by, or which is the responsibility of,
the Manager and contained in the Registration Statement or prospectus covering
shares of the Trust or a Series, or any amendment thereof or any supplement
thereto, or the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact
known or which should have been known to the Manager and was required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading,
unless such statement or omission was made in reliance upon information
furnished to the Manager or the Trust or to any affiliated person of the
Manager by a Portfolio Manager Indemnified Person; provided however, that in
no case shall the indemnity in favor of the Portfolio Manager Indemnified
Person be deemed to protect such person against any liability to which any
such person would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad
faith, or gross negligence in the performance of its duties, or by reason of
its reckless disregard of obligations and duties under this Agreement.
(b) Notwithstanding Section 14 of this Agreement, the Portfolio
Manager agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Manager, any affiliated
person of the Manager, and each person, if any, who, within the meaning of
Section 15 of the 1933 Act, controls ("controlling person") the Manager (all
of such persons being referred to as "Manager Indemnified Persons") against
any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, or litigation (including
legal and other expenses) to which a Manager Indemnified Person may become
subject under the 1933 Act, 1940 Act, the Advisers Act, the Internal Revenue
Code, under any other statute, at common law or otherwise, arising out of the
Portfolio Manager's responsibilities as Portfolio Manager of the Series which
(1) may be based upon any misfeasance, malfeasance, or nonfeasance by the
Portfolio Manager, any of its employees or representatives, or any affiliate
of or any person acting on behalf of the Portfolio Manager, (2) may be based
upon a failure to comply with Section 2, Paragraph (a) of this Agreement, or
(3) may be based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a
material fact contained in the Registration Statement or prospectus covering
the shares of the Trust or a Series, or any amendment or supplement thereto,
or the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact known or
which should have been known to the Portfolio Manager and was required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, if
such a statement or omission was made in reliance upon information furnished
to the Manager, the Trust, or any affiliated person of the
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Manager or Trust by the Portfolio Manager or any affiliated person of the
Portfolio Manager; provided, however, that in no case shall the indemnity in
favor of a Manager Indemnified Person be deemed to protect such person against
any liability to which any such person would otherwise be subject by reason of
willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence in the performance of its
duties, or by reason of its reckless disregard of its obligations and duties
under this Agreement.
(c) The Manager shall not be liable under Paragraph (a) of this
Section 15 with respect to any claim made against a Portfolio Manager
Indemnified Person unless such Portfolio Manager Indemnified Person shall have
notified the Manager in writing within a reasonable time after the summons,
notice, or other first legal process or notice giving information of the
nature of the claim shall have been served upon such Portfolio Manager
Indemnified Person (or after such Portfolio Manager Indemnified Person shall
have received notice of such service on any designated agent), but failure to
notify the Manager of any such claim shall not relieve the Manager from any
liability which it may have to the Portfolio Manager Indemnified Person
against whom such action is brought otherwise than on account of this Section
15. In case any such action is brought against the Portfolio Manager
Indemnified Person, the Manager will be entitled to participate, at its own
expense, in the defense thereof or, after notice to the Portfolio Manager
Indemnified Person, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory
to the Portfolio Manager Indemnified Person. If the Manager assumes the
defense of any such action and the selection of counsel by the Manager to
represent both the Manager and the Portfolio Manager Indemnified Person would
result in a conflict of interests and therefore, would not, in the reasonable
judgment of the Portfolio Manager Indemnified Person, adequately represent the
interests of the Portfolio Manager Indemnified Person, the Manager will, at
its own expense, assume the defense with counsel to the Manager and, also at
its own expense, with separate counsel to the Portfolio Manager Indemnified
Person, which counsel shall be satisfactory to the Manager and to the
Portfolio Manager Indemnified Person. The Portfolio Manager Indemnified
Person shall bear the fees and expenses of any additional counsel retained by
it, and the Manager shall not be liable to the Portfolio Manager Indemnified
Person under this Agreement for any legal or other expenses subsequently
incurred by the Portfolio Manager Indemnified Person independently in
connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of
investigation. The Manager shall not have the right to compromise on or settle
the litigation without the prior written consent of the Portfolio Manager
Indemnified Person if the compromise or settlement results, or may result in a
finding of wrongdoing on the part of the Portfolio Manager Indemnified Person.
(d) The Portfolio Manager shall not be liable under Paragraph (b)
of this Section 15 with respect to any claim made against a Manager
Indemnified Person unless such Manager Indemnified Person shall have notified
the Portfolio Manager in writing within a reasonable time after the summons,
notice, or other first legal process or notice giving information of the
nature of the claim shall have been served upon such Manager Indemnified
Person (or after such Manager Indemnified Person shall have received notice of
such service on any designated agent), but failure to notify the Portfolio
Manager of any such claim shall not relieve the Portfolio Manager from any
liability which it may have to the Manager Indemnified Person against whom
such action is brought otherwise than on account of this Section 15. In case
any such action is brought against the Manager Indemnified Person, the
Portfolio Manager will be entitled to participate, at its own expense, in the
defense thereof or, after notice to the Manager Indemnified Person, to assume
the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to the Manager
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Indemnified Person. If the Portfolio Manager assumes the defense of any such
action and the selection of counsel by the Portfolio Manager to represent both
the Portfolio Manager and the Manager Indemnified Person would result in a
conflict of interests and therefore, would not, in the reasonable judgment of
the Manager Indemnified Person, adequately represent the interests of the
Manager Indemnified Person, the Portfolio Manager will, at its own expense,
assume the defense with counsel to the Portfolio Manager and, also at its own
expense, with separate counsel to the Manager Indemnified Person which counsel
shall be satisfactory to the Portfolio Manager and to the Manager Indemnified
Person. The Manager Indemnified Person shall bear the fees and expenses of
any additional counsel retained by it, and the Portfolio Manager shall not be
liable to the Manager Indemnified Person under this Agreement for any legal or
other expenses subsequently incurred by the Manager Indemnified Person
independently in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable
costs of investigation. The Portfolio Manager shall not have the right to
compromise on or settle the litigation without the prior written consent of
the Manager Indemnified Person if the compromise or settlement results, or may
result in a finding of wrongdoing on the part of the Manager Indemnified
Person.
16. DURATION AND TERMINATION. This Agreement shall become effective on
the date first indicated above. Unless terminated as provided herein, the
Agreement shall remain in full force and effect for two (2) years from such
date and continue on an annual basis thereafter with respect to the Series;
provided that such annual continuance is specifically approved each year by
(a) the vote of a majority of the entire Board of Trustees of the Trust, or by
the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as defined in the
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇) of the Series, and (b) the vote of a majority of those Trustees who
are not parties to this Agreement or interested persons (as such term is
defined in the ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇) of any such party to this Agreement cast in person at
a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. The Portfolio
Manager shall not provide any services for a Series or receive any fees on
account of such Series with respect to which this Agreement is not approved as
described in the preceding sentence. However, any approval of this Agreement
by the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares (as defined in the ▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇) of a Series shall be effective to continue this Agreement with respect to
the Series notwithstanding (i) that this Agreement has not been approved by
the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of any other Series or
(ii) that this Agreement has not been approved by the vote of a majority of
the outstanding shares of the Trust, unless such approval shall be required by
any other applicable law or otherwise. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this
Agreement may be terminated for each or any Series hereunder: (a) by the
Manager at any time without penalty, upon sixty (60) days' written notice to
the Portfolio Manager and the Trust, (b) at any time without payment of any
penalty by the Trust, upon the vote of a majority of the Trust's Board of
Trustees or a majority of the outstanding voting securities of each Series,
upon sixty (60) days' written notice to the Manager and the Portfolio Manager,
or (c) by the Portfolio Manager at any time without penalty, upon sixty (60)
days' written notice to the Manager and the Trust. In the event of
termination for any reason, all records of each Series for which the Agreement
is terminated shall promptly be returned to the Manager or the Trust, free
from any claim or retention of rights in such record by the Portfolio Manager,
although the Portfolio Manager may, at its own expense, make and retain a copy
of such records. The Agreement shall automatically terminate in the event of
its assignment (as such term is described in the 1940 Act). In the event this
Agreement is terminated or is not approved in the manner described above, the
Sections or Paragraphs numbered 2(e), 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, and 18 of this
Agreement shall remain in effect, as well as any applicable provision of this
Paragraph numbered 16.
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17. AMENDMENTS. No provision of this Agreement may be changed, waived,
discharged or terminated orally, but only by an instrument in writing signed
by the party against which enforcement of the change, waiver, discharge or
termination is sought, and no amendment of this Agreement shall be effective
until approved by an affirmative vote of (i) the holders of a majority of the
outstanding voting securities of the Series, and (ii) the Trustees of the
Trust, including a majority of the Trustees of the Trust who are not
interested persons of any party to this Agreement, cast in person at a meeting
called for the purpose of voting on such approval, if such approval is
required by applicable law.
18. USE OF NAME.
(a) It is understood that the name "Directed Services, Inc." or any
derivative thereof or logo associated with that name is the valuable property
of the Manager and/or its affiliates, and that the Portfolio Manager has the
right to use such name (or derivative or logo) only with the approval of the
Manager and only so long as the Manager is Manager to the Trust and/or the
Series. Upon termination of the Management Agreement between the Trust and
the Manager, the Portfolio Manager shall forthwith cease to use such name (or
derivative or logo).
(b) It is understood that the name "Eagle Asset Management, Inc."
or any derivative thereof or logo associated with that name is the valuable
property of the Portfolio Manager and its affiliates and that the Trust and/or
the Series have the right to use such name (or derivative or logo) in offering
materials of the Trust with the approval of the Portfolio Manager and for so
long as the Portfolio Manager is a portfolio manager to the Trust and/or the
Series. Upon termination of this Agreement between the Trust, the Manager,
and the Portfolio Manager, the Trust shall forthwith cease to use such name
(or derivative or logo).
19. AMENDED AND RESTATED AGREEMENT AND DECLARATION OF TRUST. A copy of
the Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust for the Trust is
on file with the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Amended
and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust has been executed on behalf of
the Trust by Trustees of the Trust in their capacity as Trustees of the Trust
and not individually. The obligations of this Agreement shall be binding upon
the assets and property of the Trust and shall not be binding upon any
Trustee, officer, or shareholder of the Trust individually.
20. MISCELLANEOUS.
(a) This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of
Delaware, provided that nothing herein shall be construed in a manner
inconsistent with the 1940 Act, the Advisers Act or rules or orders of the SEC
thereunder. The term "affiliate" or "affiliated person" as used in this
Agreement shall mean "affiliated person" as defined in Section 2(a)(3) of the
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇.
(b) The captions of this Agreement are included for convenience
only and in no way define or limit any of the provisions hereof or otherwise
affect their construction or effect.
(c) To the extent permitted under Section 16 of this Agreement,
this Agreement may only be assigned by any party with the prior written
consent of the other parties.
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(d) If any provision of this Agreement shall be held or made
invalid by a court decision, statute, rule or otherwise, the remainder of this
Agreement shall not be affected thereby, and to this extent, the provisions of
this Agreement shall be deemed to be severable.
(e) Nothing herein shall be construed as constituting the Portfolio
Manager as an agent of the Manager, or constituting the Manager as an agent of
the Portfolio Manager.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this instrument to be
executed as of the day and year first above written.
THE GCG TRUST
__________________________________ By:___________________________________
Attest
__________________________________ ____________________________________
Title Title
DIRECTED SERVICES, INC.
__________________________________ By:___________________________________
Attest
__________________________________ ____________________________________
Title Title
EAGLE ASSET MANAGEMENT, INC.
__________________________________ By:___________________________________
Attest
__________________________________ ____________________________________
Title Title
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SCHEDULE A
The Series of The GCG Trust, as described in Section 1 of the attached
Portfolio Management Agreement, to which Eagle Asset Management, Inc. shall
act as Portfolio Manager is as follows:
Value Equity Series
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SCHEDULE B
COMPENSATION FOR SERVICES TO SERIES
For the services provided by Eagle Asset Management, Inc. ("Portfolio
Manager") to the following Series of The GCG Trust, pursuant to the attached
Portfolio Management Agreement, the Manager will pay the Portfolio Manager a
fee, payable monthly, based on the average daily net assets of the Series at
the following annual rate of the average daily net assets of the Series:
SERIES RATE
------ ----
Value Equity Series 0.50% of net assets
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