ADMINISTRATION AND ACCOUNTING SERVICES AGREEMENT
THIS AGREEMENT is made as of March __, 2003 by and between PFPC Inc., a
Massachusetts corporation ("PFPC"), and ACP FUNDS TRUST a Delaware business
trust (the "Fund").
W I T N E S S E T H:
WHEREAS, the Fund is registered as an open-end management investment
company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act");
and
WHEREAS, the Fund wishes to retain PFPC to provide administration and
accounting services to its investment portfolios listed on Exhibit A attached
hereto and made a part hereof, as such Exhibit A may be amended from time to
time (each a "Portfolio"), and PFPC wishes to furnish such services.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual covenants
herein contained, and intending to be legally bound hereby the parties hereto
agree as follows:
1. DEFINITIONS. AS USED IN THIS AGREEMENT:
(a) "1933 Act" means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
(b) "1934 Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
(c) "Authorized Person" means any officer of the Fund and any other
person duly authorized by the Fund's Board of Trustees to give Oral
Instructions and Written Instructions on behalf of the Fund. An
Authorized Person's scope of authority may be limited by setting
forth such limitation in a written document signed by both parties
hereto.
(d) "CEA" means the Commodities Exchange Act, as amended.
(e) "Change of Control" means a change in ownership or control (not
including transactions between wholly-owned direct or indirect
subsidiaries of a common parent) of 25% or more of the beneficial
ownership of the shares of common stock or shares of beneficial
interest of an entity or its parent(s).
(f) "Oral Instructions" mean oral instructions received by PFPC from an
Authorized Person or from a person reasonably believed by PFPC to be
an Authorized Person. PFPC may, in its sole discretion in each
separate instance, consider and rely upon instructions it receives
from an Authorized Person via electronic mail as Oral Instructions.
(g) "SEC" means the Securities and Exchange Commission.
(h) "Securities Laws" means the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act, the 1940 Act and
the CEA.
(i) "Shares" means the shares of beneficial interest of any series or
class of the Fund.
(j) "Written Instructions" mean (i) written instructions signed by an
Authorized Person and received by PFPC or (ii) trade instructions
transmitted (and received by PFPC) by means of an electronic
transaction reporting system access to which requires use of a
password or other authorized identifier. The instructions may be
delivered by hand, mail, tested telegram, cable, telex or facsimile
sending device.
2. APPOINTMENT. The Fund hereby appoints PFPC to provide administration and
accounting services to each of the Portfolios, in accordance with the
terms set forth in this Agreement. PFPC accepts such appointment and
agrees to furnish such services.
3. DELIVERY OF DOCUMENTS. The Fund has provided or, where applicable, will
provide PFPC with the following:
(a) at PFPC's request, certified or authenticated copies of the
resolutions of the Fund's
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Board of Trustees, approving the appointment of PFPC or its
affiliates to provide services to each Portfolio and approving this
Agreement;
(b) a copy of Fund's most recent effective registration statement;
(c) a copy of each Portfolio's advisory agreement or agreements;
(d) a copy of the distribution/underwriting agreement with respect to
each class of Shares representing an interest in a Portfolio;
(e) a copy of each additional administration agreement with respect to a
Portfolio;
(f) a copy of each distribution and/or shareholder servicing plan and
agreement made in respect of the Fund or a Portfolio; and
(g) copies (certified or authenticated, where applicable) of any and all
amendments or supplements to the foregoing.
4. COMPLIANCE WITH RULES AND REGULATIONS.
PFPC undertakes to comply with all applicable requirements of the
Securities Laws, and any laws, rules and regulations of governmental
authorities having jurisdiction with respect to the duties to be performed
by PFPC hereunder. Except as specifically set forth herein, PFPC assumes
no responsibility for such compliance by the Fund or other entity.
5. INSTRUCTIONS.
(a) Unless otherwise provided in this Agreement, PFPC shall act only
upon Oral Instructions or Written Instructions.
(b) PFPC shall be entitled to rely upon any Oral Instruction or Written
Instruction it receives from an Authorized Person (or from a person
reasonably believed by PFPC to be an Authorized Person) pursuant to
this Agreement. PFPC may assume that any Oral Instruction or Written
Instruction received hereunder is not in any way inconsistent with
the provisions of organizational documents or this Agreement or of
any vote, resolution
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or proceeding of the Fund's Board of Trustees or of the Fund's
shareholders, unless and until PFPC receives Written Instructions to
the contrary.
(c) The Fund agrees to forward to PFPC Written Instructions confirming
Oral Instructions (except where such Oral Instructions are given by
PFPC or its affiliates) so that PFPC receives the Written
Instructions as promptly as practicable and in any event by the
close of business on the day after such Oral Instructions are
received. The fact that such confirming Written Instructions are not
received by PFPC or differ from the Oral Instructions shall in no
way invalidate the transactions or enforceability of the
transactions authorized by the Oral Instructions or PFPC's ability
to rely upon such Oral Instructions.
6. RIGHT TO RECEIVE ADVICE.
(a) ADVICE OF THE FUND. If PFPC is in doubt as to any action it should
or should not take, PFPC may request directions or advice, including
Oral Instructions or Written Instructions, from the Fund.
(b) ADVICE OF COUNSEL. If PFPC shall be in doubt as to any question of
law pertaining to any action it should or should not take, PFPC may
request advice from counsel of its own choosing (who may be counsel
for the Fund, the Fund's investment adviser or PFPC, at the option
of PFPC).
(c) CONFLICTING ADVICE. In the event of a conflict between directions,
advice or Oral Instructions or Written Instructions PFPC receives
from the Fund and the advice PFPC receives from counsel, PFPC may
rely upon and follow the advice of counsel.
(d) PROTECTION OF PFPC. PFPC shall be protected and indemnified by the
Fund in any
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action PFPC takes or does not take in reliance upon directions,
advice or Oral Instructions or Written Instructions PFPC receives
from or on behalf of the Fund or from counsel and which PFPC
believes, in good faith, to be consistent with those directions,
advice and Oral Instructions or Written Instructions. Nothing in
this section shall be construed so as to impose an obligation upon
PFPC (i) to seek such directions or advice or Oral Instructions or
Written Instructions, or (ii) to act in accordance with such
directions or advice or Oral Instructions or Written Instructions.
7. RECORDS; VISITS.
(a) The books and records pertaining to the Fund and the Portfolios
which are in the possession or under the control of PFPC shall be
the property of the Fund. Such books and records shall be prepared
and maintained as required by the 1940 Act and other applicable
securities laws, rules and regulations. The Fund and Authorized
Persons shall have access to such books and records at all times
during PFPC's normal business hours. Upon the reasonable request of
the Fund, copies of any such books and records shall be provided by
PFPC to the Fund or to an Authorized Person, at the Fund's expense.
Any such books and records may be maintained in the form of
electronic media and stored on any magnetic disk or tape or similar
recording method.
(b) PFPC shall keep the following records:
(i) all books and records with respect to each Portfolio's books
of account;
(ii) records of each Portfolio's securities transactions; and
(iii) all other books and records as PFPC is required to maintain
pursuant to Rule 31a-1 of the 1940 Act in connection with the
services provided hereunder.
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8. CONFIDENTIALITY. Each party shall keep confidential any information
relating to the other party's business ("Confidential Information").
Confidential Information shall include (a) any data or information that is
competitively sensitive material, and not generally known to the public,
including, but not limited to, information about product plans, marketing
strategies, finances, operations, customer relationships, customer
profiles, customer lists, sales estimates, business plans, and internal
performance results relating to the past, present or future business
activities of the Fund or PFPC, their respective subsidiaries and
affiliated companies and the customers, clients and suppliers of any of
them; (b) any scientific or technical information, design, process,
procedure, formula, or improvement that is commercially valuable and
secret in the sense that its confidentiality affords the Fund or PFPC a
competitive advantage over its competitors; (c) all confidential or
proprietary concepts, documentation, reports, data, specifications,
computer software, source code, object code, flow charts, databases,
inventions, know-how, and trade secrets, whether or not patentable or
copyrightable; and (d) anything designated as confidential.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, information shall not be subject to such
confidentiality obligations if it: (a) is already known to the receiving
party at the time it is obtained; (b) is or becomes publicly known or
available through no wrongful act of the receiving party; (c) is
rightfully received from a third party who, to the best of the receiving
party's knowledge, is not under a duty of confidentiality; (d) is released
by the protected party to a third party without restriction; (e) is
required to be disclosed by the receiving party pursuant to a requirement
of a court order, subpoena, governmental or regulatory agency or law
(provided the receiving party will provide the other party written notice
of such requirement, to the extent such notice is permitted); (f) is
relevant to the defense of any claim or cause of action asserted against
the receiving party; or
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(g) has been or is independently developed or obtained by the receiving
party.
9. LIAISON WITH ACCOUNTANTS. PFPC shall act as liaison with the Fund's
independent public accountants and shall provide account analyses, fiscal
year summaries, and other audit-related schedules with respect to each
Portfolio. PFPC shall take all reasonable action in the performance of its
duties under this Agreement to assure that the necessary information is
made available to such accountants for the expression of their opinion, as
required by the Fund.
10. PFPC SYSTEM. PFPC shall retain title to and ownership of any and all data
bases, computer programs, screen formats, report formats, interactive
design techniques, derivative works, inventions, discoveries, patentable
or copyrightable matters, concepts, expertise, patents, copyrights, trade
secrets, and other related legal rights utilized by PFPC in connection
with the services provided by PFPC to the Fund.
11. DISASTER RECOVERY. PFPC shall enter into and shall maintain in effect with
appropriate parties one or more agreements making reasonable provisions
for emergency use of electronic data processing equipment to the extent
appropriate equipment is available. In the event of equipment failures,
PFPC shall, at no additional expense to the Fund, take reasonable steps to
minimize service interruptions. PFPC shall have no liability with respect
to the loss of data or service interruptions caused by equipment failure,
provided such loss or interruption is not caused by PFPC's own willful
misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of its
duties or obligations under this Agreement.
12. COMPENSATION. As compensation for services set forth herein that are
rendered by PFPC during the term of this Agreement, the Fund, on behalf of
each Portfolio, will pay to PFPC a fee or fees as may be agreed to in
writing by the Fund and PFPC.
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13. INDEMNIFICATION. The Fund, on behalf of each Portfolio, agrees to
indemnify and hold harmless PFPC and its affiliates, including their
respective officers, directors, agents and employees from all taxes,
charges, expenses, assessments, claims and liabilities (including, without
limitation, attorneys' fees and disbursements and liabilities arising
under the Securities Laws and any state and foreign securities and blue
sky laws) arising directly or indirectly from any action or omission to
act which PFPC takes in connection with the provision of services to the
Fund. Neither PFPC, nor any of its affiliates, shall be indemnified
against any liability (or any expenses incident to such liability) caused
by PFPC's or its affiliates' own willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross
negligence or reckless disregard in the performance of PFPC's activities
under this Agreement. Any amounts payable by the Fund hereunder shall be
satisfied only against the relevant Portfolio's assets and not against the
assets of any other investment portfolio of the Fund. The provisions of
this Section 13 shall survive termination of this Agreement.
14. RESPONSIBILITY OF PFPC.
(a) PFPC shall be under no duty to take any action hereunder on behalf
of the Fund or any Portfolio except as specifically set forth herein
or as may be specifically agreed to by PFPC and the Fund in a
written amendment hereto. PFPC shall be obligated to exercise care
and diligence in the performance of its duties hereunder and to act
in good faith in performing services provided for under this
Agreement. PFPC shall be liable only for any damages arising out of
PFPC's failure to perform its duties under this Agreement to the
extent such damages arise out of PFPC's willful misfeasance, bad
faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of such duties.
(b) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, (i) PFPC
shall not be liable
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for losses, delays, failure, errors, interruption or loss of data
occurring directly or indirectly by reason of circumstances beyond
its reasonable control, including without limitation acts of God;
action or inaction of civil or military authority; public enemy;
war; terrorism; riot; fire; flood; sabotage; epidemics; labor
disputes; civil commotion; interruption, loss or malfunction of
utilities, transportation, computer or communications capabilities;
insurrection; elements of nature; or non-performance by a third
party; and (ii) PFPC shall not be under any duty or obligation to
inquire into and shall not be liable for the validity or invalidity,
authority or lack thereof, or truthfulness or accuracy or lack
thereof, of any instruction, direction, notice, instrument or other
information which PFPC reasonably believes to be genuine.
(c) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, (i)
neither PFPC nor its affiliates shall be liable for any
consequential, special or indirect losses or damages, whether or not
the likelihood of such losses or damages was known by PFPC or its
affiliates and (ii) PFPC's cumulative liability to the Fund for all
losses, claims, suits, controversies, breaches or damages for any
cause whatsoever (including but not limited to those arising out of
or related to this Agreement) and regardless of the form of action
or legal theory shall not exceed the lesser of $200,000 or the fees
received by PFPC for services provided hereunder during the 12
months immediately prior to the date of such loss or damage.
(d) No party may assert a cause of action against PFPC or any of its
affiliates that allegedly occurred more than 12 months immediately
prior to the filing of the suit (or, if applicable, commencement of
arbitration proceedings) alleging such cause of action.
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(e) Each party shall have a duty to mitigate damages for which the other
party may become responsible.
(f) The provisions of this Section 14 shall survive termination of this
Agreement.
15. DESCRIPTION OF ACCOUNTING SERVICES ON A CONTINUOUS BASIS.
PFPC will perform the following accounting services with respect to each
Portfolio:
(i) Journalize investment, capital share and income and expense
activities;
(ii) Verify investment buy/sell trade tickets when received from the
investment adviser for a Portfolio (the "Adviser") and transmit
trades to the Fund's custodian (the "Custodian") for proper
settlement;
(iii) Maintain individual ledgers for investment securities;
(iv) Maintain historical tax lots for each security;
(v) Record and reconcile corporate action activity and all other
capital changes;
(vi) Reconcile cash and investment balances of the Fund with the
Custodian, and provide the Adviser with the beginning cash balance
available for investment purposes;
(vii) Post to and prepare the Statement of Assets and Liabilities and the
Statement of Operations;
(viii) Calculate various contractual expenses (e.g., advisory and custody
fees);
(ix) Monitor the expense accruals and notify an officer of the Fund of
any proposed adjustments;
(x) Control all disbursements and authorize such disbursements from the
Fund's account with the custodian upon Written Instructions;
(xi) Calculate capital gains and losses;
(xii) Determine net income;
(xiii) Obtain security market quotes from independent pricing services
approved by the Adviser, or if such quotes are unavailable, then
obtain such prices from the Adviser, and in either case calculate
the market value of each Portfolio's Investments;
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(xiv) Transmit or mail a copy of the portfolio valuation to the Adviser,
as agreed upon between PFPC and the Adviser;
(xv) Compute net asset value; and
(xvi) As appropriate, compute yields, total return, expense ratios and
portfolio turnover.
16. DESCRIPTION OF ADMINISTRATION SERVICES ON A CONTINUOUS BASIS.
PFPC will perform the following administration services with respect to
each Portfolio:
(i) Prepare quarterly broker security transactions summaries;
(ii) Prepare monthly security transaction listings;
(iii) Supply various normal and customary Portfolio and Fund statistical
data as requested on an ongoing basis;
(iv) Prepare for execution and file the Fund's Federal and state tax
returns;
(v) Prepare and file the Fund's annual and semi-annual reports with the
SEC on Form N-SAR;
(vi) Prepare and file with the SEC the Fund's annual and semi-annual
shareholder reports;
(vii) Assist in the preparation of registration statements and other
filings relating to the registration of Shares;
(viii) Monitor each Portfolio's status as a regulated investment company
under Sub-chapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended; and
(ix) Coordinate contractual relationships and communications between the
Fund and its contractual service providers.
17. DURATION AND TERMINATION. This Agreement shall continue until terminated
by the Fund or by PFPC on sixty (60) days' prior written notice to the
other party. In the event the Fund gives notice of termination, all
expenses associated with movement (or duplication) of records and
materials and conversion thereof to a successor service
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provider (or each successive service provider, if there are more than
one), and all trailing expenses incurred by PFPC, will be borne by the
Fund.
18. CHANGE OF CONTROL. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement,
in the event of an agreement to enter into a transaction that would result
in a Change of Control of the Fund's adviser or sponsor, the Fund's
ability to terminate the Agreement pursuant to Section 17 will be
suspended from the time of such agreement until eighteen months after the
Change of Control.
19. NOTICES. Notices shall be addressed (a) if to PFPC, at ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, Attention: President; (b) if to the
Fund, at ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, Attention:
President or (c) if to neither of the foregoing, at such other address as
shall have been given by like notice to the sender of any such notice or
other communication by the other party. If notice is sent by confirming
telegram, cable, telex or facsimile sending device, it shall be deemed to
have been given immediately. If notice is sent by first-class mail, it
shall be deemed to have been given three days after it has been mailed. If
notice is sent by messenger, it shall be deemed to have been given on the
day it is delivered.
20. AMENDMENTS. This Agreement, or any term thereof, may be changed or waived
only by written amendment, signed by the party against whom enforcement of
such change or waiver is sought.
21. ASSIGNMENT. PFPC may assign its rights hereunder to any majority-owned
direct or indirect subsidiary of PFPC or of The PNC Financial Services
Group, Inc., provided that PFPC gives the Fund 30 days prior written
notice of such assignment.
22. COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts,
each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall
constitute one and the same
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instrument.
23. FURTHER ACTIONS. Each party agrees to perform such further acts and
execute such further documents as are necessary to effectuate the purposes
hereof.
24. MISCELLANEOUS.
(a) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, the Fund
agrees not to make any modifications to its registration statement
or adopt any policies which would affect materially the obligations
or responsibilities of PFPC hereunder without the prior written
approval of PFPC, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld
or delayed.
(b) Except as expressly provided in this Agreement, PFPC hereby
disclaims all representations and warranties, express or implied,
made to the Fund or any other person, including, without limitation,
any warranties regarding quality, suitability, merchantability,
fitness for a particular purpose or otherwise (irrespective of any
course of dealing, custom or usage of trade), of any services or any
goods provided incidental to services provided under this Agreement.
PFPC disclaims any warranty of title or non-infringement except as
otherwise set forth in this Agreement.
(c) This Agreement embodies the entire agreement and understanding
between the parties and supersedes all prior agreements and
understandings relating to the subject matter hereof, provided that
the parties may embody in one or more separate documents their
agreement, if any, with respect to delegated duties. The captions in
this Agreement are included for convenience of reference only and in
no way define or delimit any of the provisions hereof or otherwise
affect their construction or effect. Notwithstanding any
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provision hereof, the services of PFPC are not, nor shall they be,
construed as constituting legal advice or the provision of legal
services for or on behalf of the Fund or any other person.
(d) This Agreement shall be deemed to be a contract made in Delaware and
governed by Delaware law, without regard to principles of conflicts
of law.
(e) 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. This Agreement shall be
binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of the parties hereto
and their respective successors and permitted assigns.
(f) The facsimile signature of any party to this Agreement shall
constitute the valid and binding execution hereof by such party.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
executed as of the day and year first above written.
PFPC INC.
By:
Title:
ACP FUNDS TRUST
By:
Title:
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EXHIBIT A
THIS EXHIBIT A, dated as of March __, 2003 is Exhibit A to that certain
Administration and Accounting Services Agreement dated as of March __, 2003
between PFPC Inc. and ACP Funds Trust.
PORTFOLIOS
ACP Advantage Continuum Return Fund
ACP Adviser Series Continuum Return Fund
ACP Advantage Strategic Opportunities Fund
ACP Adviser Series Strategic Opportunities Fund
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