TRANSFER AGENT AGREEMENT Exhibit h(1)
THIS AGREEMENT is made and entered into this 17th day of June, 1999, by
and between Merlin Funds Group, a registered management investment company
(the "Fund"), Mutual Shareholder Services, LLC an Ohio Limited Liability
Corporation ("MSS").
RECITALS:
A. The Fund is a diversified, open-end management investment company
registered with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission under the
Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"); and
B. The Fund desires to appoint MSS as its transfer agent and dividend
disbursing and redemption agent, and MSS desires to accept such appointment.
AGREEMENTS:
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants herein
contained, the parties hereby agree as follows:
1. DUTIES OF MSS.
1.01Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, the
Fund hereby employs and appoints MSS to act, and MSS agrees to act, as
transfer agent for the Fund's authorized and issued shares of beneficial
interest of each class of each portfolio of the Fund (the "Shares"), and as
dividend disbursing and redemption agent for the Fund.
1.02MSS agrees that it will perform the following services:
(a) In accordance with procedures established from time to time by
agreement between the Fund and MSS, MSS shall:
(i) Receive for acceptance, orders for the purchase of Shares,
and promptly deliver payment and appropriate documentation therefore
to the Custodian of the Fund authorized by the Board of Directors of
the Fund (the "Custodian");
(ii)Pursuant to purchase orders, issue the
appropriate number of Shares and hold such Shares in
the appropriate Shareholder account;
(iii)Receive for acceptance redemption requests
and redemption directions and deliver the appropriate
documentation therefore to the Custodian;
(iv)At the appropriate time as and when it receives monies paid
to it by the Custodian with respect to any redemption, pay over or
cause to be paid over in the appropriate manner such monies as
instructed by the redeeming Shareholders;
(v) Effect transfers of Shares by the registered owners thereof
upon receipt of appropriate instructions;
(vi)Prepare and transmit payments for dividends
and distributions declared by the Fund;
(vii)Maintain records of account for and advise
the Fund and its Shareholders as to the foregoing; and
(viii)Record the issuance of shares of the Fund and maintain
pursuant to SEC Rule 17Ad-10(e) a record of the total number of
shares of the Fund which are authorized, based upon data provided to
it by the Fund, and issued and outstanding. MSS shall also provide
the Fund on a regular basis with the total number of shares which
are authorized and issued and outstanding and shall have no
obligation, when recording the issuance of shares, to monitor the
issuance of such shares or to take cognizance of any laws relating
to the issue or sale of such shares, which functions shall be the
sole responsibility of the Fund.
(b) In addition, MSS shall perform all of the customary services of
a transfer agent, dividend disbursing and redemption agent, including but
not limited to: maintaining all Shareholder accounts, preparing
Shareholder meeting lists, mailing proxies, receiving and tabulating
proxies, mailing Shareholder reports and prospectuses to current
Shareholders, withholding taxes on U.S. resident and non-resident alien
accounts, preparing and filing U.S. Treasury Department Forms 1099 and
other appropriate forms required with respect to dividends and
distributions by federal authorities for all Shareholders, preparing and
mailing confirmation forms and statements of account to Shareholders for
all purchases and redemptions of Shares and other confirmable
transactions in Shareholder accounts, preparing and mailing activity
statements for Shareholders, and providing Shareholder account
information and provide a system and reports which will enable the Fund
to monitor the total number of Shares sold in each State.
Procedures applicable to certain of these services may be established
from time to time by agreement between the Fund and MSS.
2. FEES AND EXPENSES
2.01In consideration of the services to be performed by MSS pursuant to
this Agreement, the Fund agrees to pay MSS the fees set forth in the fee
schedule attached hereto as Exhibit "A".
2.02In addition to the fee paid under Section 2.01 above, the Fund agrees
to reimburse MSS for out-of-pocket expenses or advances incurred by MSS in
connection with the performance of its obligations under this Agreement. In
addition, any other expenses incurred by MSS at the request or with the
consent of the Fund will be reimbursed by the Fund.
2.03The Fund agrees to pay all fees and reimbursable expenses within five
days following the receipt of the respective billing notice. Postage for
mailing of dividends, proxies, Fund reports and other mailings to all
shareholder accounts shall be advanced to MSS by the Fund at least seven days
prior to the mailing date of such materials.
3. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF MSS
MSS represents and warrants to the Fund that:
3.01 It is a corporation duly organized and existing and in good standing
under the laws of the State of Ohio.
3.02 It is duly qualified to carry on its business in the State of Ohio.
3.03 It is empowered under applicable laws and by its charter and by-laws
to enter into and perform this Agreement.
3.04 All requisite corporate proceedings have been taken to authorize it to
enter into and perform this Agreement.
3.05 It has and will continue to have access to the necessary facilities,
equipment and personnel to perform its duties and obligations under this
Agreement.
3.06 MSS is duly registered as a transfer agent under the Securities Act of
1934 and shall continue to be registered throughout the remainder of this
Agreement.
4. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE FUND
The Fund represents and warrants to MSS that:
4.01 It is a Corporation duly organized and existing and in good standing
under the laws of Delaware.
4.02 It is empowered under applicable laws and by its charter and By-Laws
to enter into and perform this Agreement.
4.03 All corporate proceedings required by said Certificate of Trust and
Agreement and Declaration of Trust have been taken to authorize it to enter into
and perform this Agreement.
4.04 It is an open-end and diversified management investment company
registered under the ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇.
4.05 A registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933 is currently
or will become effective and will remain effective, and appropriate state
securities law filings as required, have been or will be made and will continue
to be made, with respect to all Shares of the Fund being offered for sale.
5. INDEMNIFICATION
5.01 MSS shall not be responsible for, and the Fund shall indemnify and
hold MSS harmless from and against, any and all losses, damages, costs, charges,
counsel fees, payments, expenses and liability arising out of or attributable
to:
(a) All actions of MSS or its agents or subcontractors required to be
taken pursuant to this Agreement, provided that such actions are taken in
good faith and without gross negligence or willful misconduct.
(b) The Fund's refusal or failure to comply with the terms of this
Agreement, or which arise out of the Fund's lack good faith, gross
negligence or willful misconduct or which arise out of the breach of any
representation or warranty of the Fund hereunder.
(c) The reliance on or use by MSS or its agents or subcontractors of
information, records and documents which (i) are received by MSS or its
agents or subcontractors and furnished to it by or on behalf of the Fund,
and (ii) have been prepared and/or maintained by the Fund or any other
person or firm on behalf of the Fund.
(d) The reliance on, or the carrying out by MSS or its agents or
subcontractors of, any instructions or requests of the Fund.
(e) The offer or sale of Shares in violation of any requirement under
the federal securities laws or regulations or the securities laws or
regulations of any state that such Shares be registered in such state or in
violation of any stop order or other determination or ruling by any federal
agency or any state with respect to the offer or sale of such Shares in
such state.
5.02 MSS shall indemnify and hold the Fund harmless from and against any
and all losses, damages, costs, charges, counsel fees, payments, expenses and
liability arising out of or attributable to any action or failure or omission to
act by MSS as a result of MSS's lack of good faith, gross or ordinary negligence
or willful misconduct.
5.03 At any time MSS may apply to any officer of the Fund for instructions,
and may consult with legal counsel with respect to any matter arising in
connection with the services to be performed by MSS under this Agreement, and
MSS and its agents or subcontractors shall not be liable and shall be
indemnified by the Fund for any action taken or omitted by it in reliance upon
such instructions or upon the opinion of such counsel. MSS, its agents and
subcontractors shall be protected and indemnified in acting upon any paper or
document furnished by or on behalf of the Fund, reasonably believed to be
genuine and to have been signed by the proper person or persons, or upon any
instruction, information, data, records or documents provided MSS or its agents
or subcontractors by machine readable input, telex, CRT data entry or other
similar means authorized by the Fund, and shall not be held to have notice of
any change of authority of any person, until receipt of written notice thereof
from the Fund. MSS, its agents and subcontractors shall also be protected and
indemnified in recognizing stock certificates which are reasonably believed to
bear the proper manual or facsimile signatures of the officers of the Fund, and
the proper countersignature of any former transfer agent or registrar, or of a
co-transfer agent or co-registrar.
5.04 In the event either party is unable to perform its obligations under
the terms of this Agreement because of acts of God, strikes, equipment or
transmission failure or damage reasonably beyond its control, or other causes
reasonably beyond its control, such party shall not be liable for damages to the
other for any damages resulting from such failure to perform or otherwise from
such causes.
5.05 Neither party to this Agreement shall be liable to the other party for
consequential damages under any provision of this Agreement or for any act or
failure to act hereunder.
5.06 Upon the assertion of a claim for which either party may be required
to indemnify the other, the party of seeking indemnification shall promptly
notify the other party of such assertion, and shall keep the other party advised
with respect to all developments concerning such claim. The party who may be
required to indemnify shall have the option to participate with the party
seeking indemnification the defense of such claim. The party seeking
indemnification shall in no case confess any claim or make any compromise in any
case in which the other party may be required to indemnify it except with the
other party's prior written consent.
6. COVENANTS OF THE FUND AND MSS
6.01 The Fund shall promptly furnish to MSS a certified copy of the
resolution of the Board of Directors of the Fund authorizing the appointment of
MSS and the execution and delivery of this Agreement.
6.02 MSS hereby agrees to establish and maintain facilities and procedures
reasonably acceptable to the Fund for safekeeping of stock certificates, check
forms and facsimile signature imprinting devices, if any; and for the
preparation or use, and for keeping account of, such certificates, forms and
devices.
6.03 MSS 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 1940 Act, as amended, and the Rules thereunder,
MSS agrees that all such records prepared or maintained by MSS relating to the
services to be performed by MSS 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 promptly to the Fund on and in
accordance with its request.
6.04 MSS and the Fund agree that all books, records, information and data
pertaining to the business of the other party which are exchanged or received
pursuant to the negotiation or the carrying out of this Agreement shall remain
confidential, and shall not be voluntarily disclosed to any other person,
except as may be required by law.
6.05 In case of any requests or demands for the inspection of the
Shareholder records of the Fund, MSS will endeavor to notify the Fund and to
secure instructions from an authorized officer of the Fund as to such
inspection. MSS reserves the right, however, to exhibit the Shareholder
records to any person whenever it is advised by its counsel that it may be
held liable for the failure to exhibit the Shareholder records to such person,
and shall promptly notify the Fund of any unusual request to inspect or copy
the shareholder records of the Fund or the receipt of any other unusual
request to inspect, copy or produce the records of the Fund.
7. TERM OF AGREEMENT
7.01 This Agreement shall become effective as of the date hereof and shall
remain in force for a period of three years; provided, however, that each
party to this Agreement have the option to terminate the Agreement without
penalty, upon 90 days prior written notice.
7.02 Should the Fund exercise its right to terminate, all out-of-pocket
expenses associated with the movement of records and material will be borne by
the Fund. Additionally, MSS reserves the right to charge for any other
reasonable expenses associated with such termination.
8. MISCELLANEOUS
8.01 Neither this Agreement nor any rights or obligations hereunder may be
assigned by either party without the written consent of the other party. This
Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties and
their respective permitted successors and assigns.
8.02 This Agreement may be amended or modified by a written agreement
executed by both parties and authorized or approved by a resolution of the
Board of Directors of the Fund.
8.03 The provisions of this Agreement shall be construed and interpreted
in accordance with the laws of the State of Ohio as at the time in effect and
the applicable provisions of the 1940 Act. To the extent that the applicable
law of the State of Ohio, or any of the provisions here in, conflict with the
applicable provisions of the 1940 Act, the latter shall control.
8.04 This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties
hereto and supersedes any prior agreement with respect to the subject matter
hereof whether oral or written.
8.05 All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing,
shall be deemed to have been given when received or when sent by telex or
facsimile, and shall be given to the following addresses (or such other
addresses as to which notice is given):
To the Fund: To MSS:
Merlin Funds Group Mutual Shareholder Services, LLC
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of
the day and year first above written.
Fund: Mutual Shareholder Services, LLC
Merlin Funds Group
(Name of Fund)
By: /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ By: /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇
Its: President Its: President