Exhibit 8(a)
TRANSFER AGENCY AND SERVICE AGREEMENT
Between
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ FUNDS FOR INSTITUTIONS SERIES
And
STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
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1. Terms of Appointment and Duties ....................................... 1
2. Third Party Administrators for Defined Contribution Plans ............. 4
3. Fees and Expenses ..................................................... 4
4. Representations and Warranties of the Transfer Agent .................. 5
5. Representations and Warranties of the Fund ............................ 6
6. Wire Transfer Operating Guidelines .................................... 6
7. Data Access and Proprietary Information ............................... 8
8. Indemnification ....................................................... 10
9. Standard of Care ...................................................... 11
10. Confidentiality ....................................................... 11
11. Covenants of the Fund and the Transfer Agent .......................... 12
12. Termination of Agreement .............................................. 12
13. Assignment and Third Party Beneficiaries .............................. 13
14. Subcontractors ........................................................ 13
15. Miscellaneous ......................................................... 14
16. Additional Funds ...................................................... 16
17. Limitations of Liability of the Trustees and Shareholders ............. 16
TRANSFER AGENCY AND SERVICE AGREEMENT
-------------------------------------
AGREEMENT made as of the 1st day of February, 2000, by and between ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
FUNDS FOR INSTITUTIONS SERIES, a Massachusetts business trust, having its
principal office and place of business at ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇,
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ (the "Fund"), and STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY, a
Massachusetts trust company having its principal office and place of business at
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ (the "Transfer Agent").
WHEREAS, the Fund is authorized to issue shares in separate series, with each
such series representing interests in a separate portfolio of securities and
other assets;
WHEREAS, the Fund intends to initially offer shares in six (6) series, such
series shall be named in the attached Schedule A which may be amended by the
parties from time to time (each such series, together with all other series
subsequently established by the Fund and made subject to this Agreement in
accordance with Section 17, being herein referred to as a "Portfolio", and
collectively as the "Portfolios"); and
WHEREAS, the Fund on behalf of the Portfolios desires to appoint the Transfer
Agent as its transfer agent, dividend disbursing agent, custodian of certain
retirement plans and agent in connection with certain other activities, and the
Transfer Agent desires to accept such appointment.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants herein contained, the
parties hereto agree as follows:
1. Terms of Appointment and Duties
1.1 Transfer Agency Services. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in
this Agreement, the Fund, on behalf of the Portfolios, hereby employs and
appoints the Transfer Agent to act as, and the Transfer Agent agrees to
act as its transfer agent for the Fund's authorized and issued shares of
its beneficial interest ("Shares"), dividend disbursing agent, custodian
of certain retirement plans and agent in connection with any accumulation,
open-account or similar plan provided to the shareholders of each of the
respective Portfolios of the Fund ("Shareholders") and set out in the
currently effective prospectus and statement of additional information
("prospectus") of the Fund on behalf of the applicable Portfolio,
including without limitation any periodic investment plan or periodic
withdrawal program. In accordance with procedures established from time to
time by agreement between the Fund on behalf of each of the Portfolios, as
applicable and the Transfer Agent, the Transfer Agent agrees that it will
perform the following services:
(a) Receive for acceptance, orders for the purchase of Shares, and
promptly deliver payment and appropriate documentation thereof to the
Custodian of the Fund authorized pursuant to the Declaration of Trust of
the Fund (the "Custodian");
(b) Pursuant to purchase orders, issue the appropriate number of Shares
and hold such Shares in the appropriate Shareholder account;
(c) Receive for acceptance redemption requests and redemption directions
and deliver the appropriate documentation thereof to the Custodian;
(d) In respect to the transactions in items (a), (b) and (c) above, the
Transfer Agent shall execute transactions directly with broker-dealers
authorized by the Fund;
(e) 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;
(f) Effect transfers of Shares by the registered owners thereof upon
receipt of appropriate instructions;
(g) Prepare and transmit payments for dividends and distributions declared
by the Fund on behalf of the applicable Portfolio;
(h) Issue replacement certificates for those certificates alleged to have
been lost, stolen or destroyed upon receipt by the Transfer Agent of
indemnification satisfactory to the Transfer Agent and protecting the
Transfer Agent and the Fund, and the Transfer Agent at its option, may
issue replacement certificates in place of mutilated stock certificates
upon presentation thereof and without such indemnity;
(i) Maintain records of account for and advise the Fund and its
Shareholders as to the foregoing; and
(j) 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. The Transfer Agent 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.
1.2 Additional Services. In addition to, and neither in lieu nor in
contravention of, the services set forth in the above paragraph, the
Transfer Agent shall perform the following services:
(a) Other Customary Services. Perform the customary services of a transfer
agent, dividend disbursing agent, custodian of certain retirement plans
and, as relevant, agent in connection with accumulation, open-account or
similar plan (including without limitation any periodic investment plan or
periodic withdrawal program), including but not limited to: maintaining
all Shareholder accounts, preparing Shareholder meeting lists, mailing
Shareholder proxies, Shareholder reports and prospectuses to current
Shareholders,
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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.
(b) Control Book (also known as "Super Sheet"). Maintain a daily record
and produce a daily report for the Fund of all transactions and receipts
and disbursements of money and securities and deliver a copy of such
report for the Fund for each business day to the Fund no later than 9:00
AM Eastern Time, or such earlier time as the Fund may reasonably require,
on the next business day.
(c) "Blue Sky" Reporting. The Fund shall (1) identify to the Transfer
Agent in writing those transactions and assets to be treated as exempt
from blue sky reporting for each State; and (ii) verify the establishment
of transactions for each State on the system prior to activation and
thereafter monitor the daily activity for each State. The responsibility
of the Transfer Agent for the Fund's blue sky State registration status is
solely limited to the initial establishment of transactions subject to
blue sky compliance by the Fund and providing a system which will enable
the Fund to monitor the total number of Shares sold in each State.
(d) National Securities Clearing Corporation (the "NSCC"). (i) accept and
effectuate the registration and maintenance of accounts through Networking
and the purchase, redemption, transfer and exchange of shares in such
accounts through Fund/SERV (networking and Fund/SERV being programs
operated by the NSCC on behalf of NSCC's participants, including the
Fund), in accordance with, instructions transmitted to and received by the
Transfer Agent by transmission from NSCC on behalf of broker-dealers and
banks which have been established by, or in accordance with the
instructions of authorized persons, as hereinafter defined on the dealer
file maintained by the Transfer Agent; (ii) issue instructions to Fund's
banks for the settlement of transactions between the Fund and NSCC (acting
on behalf of its broker-dealer and bank participants); (iii) provide
account and transaction information from the affected Fund's records on
DST Systems, Inc. computer system TA2000 ("TA2000 System") in accordance
with NSCC's Networking and Fund/SERV rules for those broker-dealers; and
(iv) maintain Shareholder accounts on TA2000 System through Networking.
(e) New Procedures. New procedures as to who shall provide certain of
these services in Section 1 may be established in writing from time to
time by agreement between the Fund and the Transfer Agent. The Transfer
Agent may at times perform only a portion of these services and the Fund
or its agent may perform these services on the Fund's behalf.
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2. Third Party Administrators for Defined Contribution Plans
2.1 The Fund may decide to make available to certain of its customers, a
qualified plan program (the "Program") pursuant to which the customers
("Employers") may adopt certain plans of deferred compensation ("Plan or
Plans") for the benefit of the individual Plan participant (the "Plan
Participant"), such Plan(s) being qualified under Section 401(a) of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended ("Code") and administered by
third party administrators which may be plan administrators as defined in
the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended)(the
"TPA(s)").
2.2 In accordance with the procedures established in the initial Schedule 2.1
entitled "Third Party Administrator Procedures", as may be amended by the
Transfer Agent and the Fund from time to time ("Schedule 2.1"), the
Transfer Agent shall:
(a) Treat Shareholder accounts established by the Plans in the name of the
Trustees, Plans or TPAs as the case may be as omnibus accounts;
(b) Maintain omnibus accounts on its records in the name of the TPA or its
designee as the Trustee for the benefit of the Plan; and
(c) Perform all services under Section 1 as transfer agent of the Funds
and not as a record-keeper for the Plans.
2.3 Transactions identified under Section 2 of this Agreement shall be deemed
exception services ("Exception Services") when such transactions:
(a) Require the Transfer Agent to use methods and procedures other than
those usually employed by the Transfer Agent to perform services under
Section 1 of this Agreement;
(b) Involve the provision of information to the Transfer Agent after the
commencement of the nightly processing cycle of the TA2000 System; or
(c) Require more manual intervention by the Transfer Agent, either in the
entry of data or in the modification or amendment of reports generated by
the TA2000 System than is usually required by non-retirement plan and
pre-nightly transactions.
3. Fees and Expenses
3.1 Fee Schedule. For the performance by the Transfer Agent pursuant to this
Agreement, the Fund agrees to pay the Transfer Agent an annual maintenance
fee for each Shareholder account as set forth in the attached fee schedule
("Schedule 3.1"). Such fees
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and out-of-pocket expenses and advances identified under Section 3.2 below
may be changed from time to time subject to mutual written agreement
between the Fund and the Transfer Agent.
3.2 Out-of-Pocket Expenses. In addition to the fee paid under Section 3.1
above, the Fund agrees to reimburse the Transfer Agent for its reasonable
out-of-pocket expenses relating to its performance of its obligation under
this agreement, including but not limited to confirmation production,
postage, forms, telephone, microfilm, microfiche, mailing and tabulating
proxies, records storage, or advances incurred by the Transfer Agent for
the items set out in Schedule 3.1 attached hereto. In addition, any other
expenses incurred by the Transfer Agent at the request or with the consent
of the Fund, will be reimbursed by the Fund.
3.3 Postage. Postage for mailing of dividends, proxies, Fund reports and other
mailings to all shareholder accounts shall be advanced to the Transfer
Agent by the Fund at least seven (7) days prior to the mailing date of
such materials.
3.4 Invoices. The Fund agrees to pay all fees and reimbursable expenses within
thirty (30) days following the receipt of the respective billing notice,
except for any fees or expenses that are subject to good faith dispute. In
the event of such a dispute, the Fund may only withhold that portion of
the fee or expense subject to the good faith dispute. The Fund shall
notify the Transfer Agent in writing as soon as practicable following the
receipt of each billing notice if the Fund is disputing any amounts in
good faith.
4. Representations and Warranties of the Transfer Agent
The Transfer Agent represents and warrants to the Fund that:
4.1 It is a trust company duly organized and existing and in good standing
under the laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
4.2 It is duly qualified to carry on its business in The Commonwealth of
Massachusetts.
4.3 It is empowered under applicable laws and by its Charter and By-Laws to
enter into and perform this Agreement.
4.4 All requisite corporate proceedings have been taken to authorize it to
enter into and perform this Agreement.
4.5 It has and will continue to have access to the necessary facilities,
equipment and personnel to perform its duties and obligations under this
Agreement.
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5. Representations and Warranties of the Fund
The Fund represents and warrants to the Transfer Agent that:
5.1 It is a business trust duly organized and existing under the laws of The
Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
5.2 It is empowered under applicable laws and by its Declaration of Trust and
By-Laws to enter into and perform this Agreement.
5.3 All corporate proceedings required by said Declaration of Trust and
By-Laws have been taken to authorize it to enter into and perform this
Agreement.
5.4 It is an open-end and diversified management investment company registered
under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
5.5 A registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended 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.
6. Wire Transfer Operating Guidelines/Articles 4A of the Uniform Commercial
Code
6.1 The Transfer Agent is authorized to promptly debit the appropriate Fund
account(s) upon the receipt of a payment order in compliance with the
selected security procedure (the "Security Procedure") chosen for funds
transfer and in the amount of money that the Transfer Agent has been
instructed to transfer. The Transfer Agent shall execute payment orders in
compliance with the Security Procedure and with the Fund instructions on
the execution date provided that such payment order is received by the
customary deadline for processing such a request, unless the payment order
specifies a later time. All payment orders and communications received
after this the customary deadline will be deemed to have been received the
next business day.
6.2 The Fund acknowledges that the Security Procedure it has designated on the
Fund Selection Form was selected by the Fund from security procedures
offered by the Transfer Agent. The Fund shall restrict access to
confidential information relating to the Security Procedure to authorized
persons as communicated to the Transfer Agent in writing. The Fund must
notify the Transfer Agent immediately if it has reason to believe
unauthorized persons may have obtained access to such information or of
any change in the Fund's authorized personnel. The Transfer Agent shall
verify the authenticity of all Fund instructions according to the Security
Procedure.
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6.3 The Transfer Agent shall process all payment orders on the basis of the
account number contained in the payment order. In the event of a
discrepancy between any name indicated on the payment order and the
account number, the account number shall take precedence and govern.
6.4 The Transfer Agent reserves the right to decline to process or delay the
processing of a payment order which (a) is in excess of the collected
balance in the account to be charged at the time of the Transfer Agent's
receipt of such payment order; (b) if initiating such payment order would
cause the Transfer Agent, in the Transfer Agent's sole judgement, to
exceed any volume, aggregate dollar, network, time, credit or similar
limits which are applicable to the Transfer Agent; or (c) if the Transfer
Agent, in good faith, is unable to satisfy itself that the transaction has
been properly authorized.
6.5 The Transfer Agent shall use reasonable efforts to act on all authorized
requests to cancel or amend payment orders received in compliance with the
Security Procedure provided that such requests are received in a timely
manner affording the Transfer Agent reasonable opportunity to act.
However, the Transfer Agent assumes no liability if the request for
amendment or cancellation cannot be satisfied.
6.6 The Transfer Agent shall assume no responsibility for failure to detect
any erroneous payment order provided that the Transfer Agent complies with
the payment order instructions as received and the Transfer Agent complies
with the Security Procedure. The Security Procedure is established for the
purpose of authenticating payment orders only and not for the detection of
errors in payment orders.
6.7 The Transfer Agent shall assume no responsibility for lost interest with
respect to the refundable amount of any unauthorized payment order, unless
the Transfer Agent is notified of the unauthorized payment order within
thirty (30) days of notification by the Transfer Agent of the acceptance
of such payment order. In no event (including failure to execute a payment
order) shall the Transfer Agent be liable for special, indirect or
consequential damages, even if advised of the possibility of such damages.
6.8 When the Fund initiates or receives Automated Clearing House credit and
debit entries pursuant to these guidelines and the rules of the National
Automated Clearing House Association and the New England Clearing House
Association, the Transfer Agent will act as an Originating Depository
Financial Institution and/or receiving depository Financial Institution,
as the case may be, with respect to such entries. Credits given by the
Transfer Agent with respect to an ACH credit entry are provisional until
the Transfer Agent receives final settlement for such entry from the
Federal Reserve Bank. If the Transfer Agent does not receive such final
settlement, the Fund agrees that the Transfer Agent shall receive a refund
of the amount credited to the Fund in connection with such entry, and the
party making payment to the Fund via such entry shall not be deemed to
have paid the amount of the entry.
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6.9 Confirmation of Transfer Agent's execution of payment orders shall
ordinarily be provided within twenty four (24) hours notice of which may
be delivered through the Transfer Agent's proprietary information systems,
or by facsimile or call-back. Fund must report any objections to the
execution of an order within thirty (30) days.
7. Data Access and Proprietary Information
7.1 The Fund acknowledges that the databases, computer programs, screen
formats, report formats, interactive design techniques, and documentation
manuals furnished to the Fund by the Transfer Agent as part of the Fund's
ability to access certain Fund-related data ("Customer Data") maintained
by the Transfer Agent on databases under the control and ownership of the
Transfer Agent or other third party ("Data Access Services") constitute
copyrighted, trade secret, or other proprietary information (collectively,
"Proprietary Information") of substantial value to the Transfer Agent or
other third party. In no event shall Proprietary Information be deemed
Customer Data. The Fund agrees to treat all Proprietary Information as
proprietary to the Transfer Agent and further agrees that it shall not
divulge any Proprietary Information to any person or organization except
as may be provided hereunder. Without limiting the foregoing, the Fund
agrees for itself and its employees and agents to:
(a) Use such programs and databases (i) solely on the Fund's computers, or
(ii) solely from equipment at the location agreed to between the Fund and
the Transfer Agent and (iii) solely in accordance with the Transfer
Agent's applicable user documentation;
(b) Refrain from copying or duplicating in any way (other than in the
normal course of performing processing on the Fund's computer(s)), the
Proprietary Information;
(c) Refrain from obtaining unauthorized access to any portion of the
Proprietary Information, and if such access is inadvertently obtained, to
inform in a timely manner of such fact and dispose of such information in
accordance with the Transfer Agent's instructions;
(d) Refrain from causing or allowing information transmitted from the
Transfer Agent's computer to the Fund's terminal to be retransmitted to
any other computer terminal or other device except as expressly permitted
by the Transfer Agent (such permission not to be unreasonably withheld);
(e) Allow the Fund to have access only to those authorized transactions as
agreed to between the Fund and the Transfer Agent; and
(f) Honor all reasonable written requests made by the Transfer Agent to
protect at the Transfer Agent's expense the rights of the Transfer Agent
in Proprietary Information at common law, under federal copyright law and
under other federal or state law.
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7.2 Proprietary Information shall not include all or any portion of any of the
foregoing items that: (i) are or become publicly available without breach
of this Agreement; (ii) are released for general disclosure by a written
release by the Transfer Agent; or (iii) are already in the possession of
the receiving party at the time or receipt without obligation of
confidentiality or breach of this Agreement.
7.3 The Fund acknowledges that its obligation to protect the Transfer Agent's
Proprietary Information is essential to the business interest of the
Transfer Agent and that the disclosure of such Proprietary Information in
breach of this Agreement would cause the Transfer Agent immediate,
substantial and irreparable harm, the value of which would be extremely
difficult to determine. Accordingly, the parties agree that, in addition
to any other remedies that may be available in law, equity, or otherwise
for the disclosure or use of the Proprietary Information in breach of this
Agreement, the Transfer Agent shall be entitled to seek and obtain a
temporary restraining order, injunctive relief, or other equitable relief
against the continuance of such breach.
7.4 If the Fund notifies the Transfer Agent that any of the Data Access
Services do not operate in material compliance with the most recently
issued user documentation for such services, the Transfer Agent shall
endeavor in a timely manner to correct such failure. Organizations from
which the Transfer Agent may obtain certain data included in the Data
Access Services are solely responsible for the contents of such data and
the Fund agrees to make no claim against the Transfer Agent arising out of
the contents of such third-party data, including, but not limited to, the
accuracy thereof. DATA ACCESS SERVICES AND ALL COMPUTER PROGRAMS AND
SOFTWARE SPECIFICATIONS USED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH ARE PROVIDED ON AN AS
IS, AS AVAILABLE BASIS. THE TRANSFER AGENT EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL
WARRANTIES EXCEPT THOSE EXPRESSLY STATED HEREIN INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED
TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
PURPOSE.
7.5 If the transactions available to the Fund include the ability to originate
electronic instructions to the Transfer Agent in order to: (i) effect the
transfer or movement of cash or Shares; or (ii) transmit Shareholder
information or other information, then in such event the Transfer Agent
shall be entitled to rely on the validity and authenticity of such
instruction without undertaking any further inquiry as long as such
instruction is undertaken in conformity with security procedures
established by the Transfer Agent from time to time.
7.6 Each party shall take reasonable efforts to advise its employees of their
obligations pursuant to this Section 7. The obligations of this Section
shall survive any earlier termination of this Agreement.
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8. Indemnification
8.1 The Transfer Agent shall not be responsible for, and the Fund shall
indemnify and hold the Transfer Agent 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 the Transfer Agent or its agents or subcontractors
required to be taken pursuant to this Agreement, provided that such
actions are taken in good faith and without negligence or willful
misconduct;
(b) The Fund's lack of good faith, negligence or willful misconduct;
(c) The reliance upon, and any subsequent use of or action taken or
omitted, by the Transfer Agent, or its agents or subcontractors on: (i)
any information, records, documents, data, stock certificates or services,
which are received by the Transfer Agent or its agents or subcontractors
by machine readable input, facsimile, CRT data entry, electronic
instructions or other similar means authorized by the Fund, and which have
been prepared, maintained or performed by the Fund or any other person or
firm on behalf of the Fund including but not limited to any previous
transfer agent or registrar; (ii) any instructions or requests of the Fund
or any of its officers; (iii) any instructions or opinions of legal
counsel with respect to any matter arising in connection with the services
to be performed by the Transfer Agent under this Agreement which are
provided to the Transfer Agent after consultation with such legal counsel;
or (iv) any paper or document, reasonably believed to be genuine,
authentic, or signed by the proper person or persons;
(d) The offer or sale of Shares in violation of federal or state
securities laws or regulations requiring that such Shares be registered or
in violation of any stop order or other determination or ruling by any
federal or any state agency with respect to the offer or sale of such
Shares;
(e) The negotiation and processing of any checks including without
limitation for deposit into the Fund's demand deposit account maintained
by the Transfer Agent; or
(f) Upon the Fund's request entering into any agreements required by the
National Securities Clearing Corporation (the "NSCC") for the transmission
of Fund or Shareholder data through the NSCC clearing systems.
8.2 The Transfer Agent 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 the Transfer Agent as a result of
the Transfer Agent's lack of good faith negligence or willful misconduct.
8.3 In order that the indemnification provisions contained in this Section 8
shall apply, upon the assertion of a claim for which the Fund may be
required to indemnify the Transfer
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Agent, the Transfer Agent shall promptly notify the Fund of such
assertion, and shall keep the Fund advised with respect to all
developments concerning such claim. The Fund shall have the option to
participate with the Transfer Agent in the defense of such claim or to
defend against said claim in its own name or in the name of the Transfer
Agent. The Transfer Agent shall in no case confess any claim or make any
compromise in any case in which the Fund may be required to indemnify the
Transfer Agent except with the Fund's prior written consent.
9. Standard of Care
9.1 The Transfer Agent shall at all times act in good faith and agrees to use
its best efforts within reasonable limits to insure the accuracy of all
services performed under this Agreement, but assumes no responsibility and
shall not be liable for loss or damage due to errors unless said errors
are caused by its negligence, bad faith, or willful misconduct or that of
its employees.
9.2 The parties agree that any encoding or payment processing errors shall be
governed by the above standard of care and the Fund agrees as between the
Fund and the Transfer Agent that the standard of care created under
Section 4-209 of the Uniform Commercial Code is superseded by Section 9 of
this Agreement. This standard of care also shall apply to Exception
Services, as defined in Section 2.3 herein, but such application shall
take into consideration the manual processing involved in, and time
sensitive nature of, Exception Services.
10. Confidentiality
10.1 The Transfer Agent and the Fund agree that they will not, at any time
during the term of this Agreement or after its termination, reveal,
divulge, or make known to any person, firm, corporation or other business
organization, any customers' lists, trade secrets, cost figures and
projections, profit figures and projections, or any other secret or
confidential information whatsoever, whether of the Transfer Agent or of
the Fund, used or gained by the Transfer Agent or the Fund during
performance under this Agreement. The Fund and the Transfer Agent further
covenant and agree to retain all such knowledge and information acquired
during and after the term of this Agreement respecting such lists, trade
secrets, or any secret or confidential information whatsoever in trust for
the sole benefit of the Transfer Agent or the Fund and their successors
and assigns. In the event of breach of the foregoing by either party, the
remedies provided by Section 7.3 shall be available to the party whose
confidential information is disclosed. The above prohibition of disclosure
shall not apply to the extent that the Transfer Agent must disclose such
data to its sub-contractor or Fund agent for purposes of providing
services under this Agreement.
10.2 In the event that any requests or demands are made for the inspection of
the Shareholder records of the Fund, other than request for records of
Shareholders pursuant to standard subpoenas from state or federal
government authorities (i.e., divorce and criminal
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actions), the Transfer Agent will endeavor to notify the Fund and to
secure instructions from an authorized officer of the Fund as to such
inspection. The Transfer Agent expressly reserves the right, however, to
exhibit the Shareholder records to any person whenever it is advised by
counsel that it may be held liable for the failure to exhibit the
Shareholder records to such person or if required by law or court order.
11. Covenants of the Fund and the Transfer Agent
11.1 The Fund shall promptly furnish to the Transfer Agent the following:
(a) A certified copy of the resolution of the Board of Trustees of the
Fund authorizing the appointment of the Transfer Agent and the execution
and delivery of this Agreement; and
(b) A copy of the Declaration of Trust and By-Laws of the Fund and all
amendments thereto.
11.2 The Transfer Agent 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.
11.3 The Transfer 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 Transfer Agent agrees that all
such records prepared or maintained by the Transfer Agent relating to the
services to be performed by the Transfer 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 promptly
to the Fund on and in accordance with its request.
12. Termination of Agreement
12.1 This Agreement may be terminated by either party upon one hundred twenty
(120) days written notice to the other.
12.2 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, the Transfer Agent reserves the right to
charge for any other reasonable expenses associated
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with such termination and a charge equivalent to the average of three (3)
months' fees. Payment of such expenses or costs shall be in accordance
with Section 3.4 of this Agreement.
12.3 Upon termination of this Agreement, each party shall return to the other
party all copies of confidential or proprietary materials or information
received from such other party hereunder, other than materials or
information required to be retained by such party under applicable laws or
regulations.
13. Assignment and Third Party Beneficiaries.
13.1 Except as provided in Section 15.1 below, neither this Agreement nor any
rights or obligations hereunder may be assigned by either party without
the written consent of the other party. Any attempt to do so in violation
of this Section shall be void. Unless specifically stated to the contrary
in any written consent to an assignment, no assignment will release or
discharge the assignor from any duty or responsibility under this
Agreement.
13.2 Except as explicitly stated elsewhere in this Agreement, nothing under
this Agreement shall be construed to give any rights or benefits in this
Agreement to anyone other than the Transfer Agent and the Fund, and the
duties and responsibilities undertaken pursuant to this Agreement shall be
for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Transfer Agent and the Fund.
This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the
parties and their respective permitted successors and assigns.
13.3 This Agreement does not constitute an agreement for a partnership or joint
venture between the Transfer Agent and the Fund. Other than as provided in
Section 15.1, neither party shall make any commitments with third parties
that are binding on the other party without the other party's prior
written consent.
14. Subcontractors
14.1 The Transfer Agent may, without further consent on the part of the Fund,
subcontract for the performance hereof with (i) Boston Financial Data
Services, Inc., a Massachusetts corporation ("BFDS") which is duly
registered as a transfer agent pursuant to Section 17A(c)(2) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, (ii) a BFDS subsidiary duly
registered as a transfer agent or (iii) a BFDS affiliate duly registered
as a transfer agent; provided, however, that the Transfer Agent shall be
fully responsible to the Fund for the acts and omissions of BFDS or its
subsidiary or affiliate as it is for its own acts and omissions.
14.2 Nothing herein shall impose any duty upon the Transfer Agent in connection
with or make the Transfer Agent liable for the actions or omissions to act
of unaffiliated third parties such as by way of example and not
limitation, Airborne Services, Federal Express, United Parcel Service, the
U.S. Mails, the NSCC and telecommunication companies,
13
provided, if the Transfer Agent selected such company, the Transfer Agent
shall have exercised due care in selecting the same.
15. Miscellaneous
15.1 Amendment. 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 Trustees of the Fund.
15.2 Massachusetts Law to Apply. This Agreement shall be construed and the
provisions thereof interpreted under and in accordance with the laws of
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
15.3 Force Majeure. 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.
15.4 Consequential Damages. Neither party to this Agreement shall be liable to
the other party for consequential damages under any provision of this
Agreement or for any consequential damages arising out of any act or
failure to act hereunder.
15.5 Survival. All provisions regarding indemnification, warranty, liability,
and limits thereon, and confidentiality and/or protections of proprietary
rights and trade secrets shall survive the termination of this Agreement.
15.6 Severability. If any provision or provisions of this Agreement shall be
held invalid, unlawful, or unenforceable, the validity, legality, and
enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be
affected or impaired.
15.7 Priorities Clause. In the event of any conflict, discrepancy or ambiguity
between the terms and conditions contained in this Agreement and any
Schedules or attachments hereto, the terms and conditions contained in
this Agreement shall take precedence.
15.8 Waiver. No waiver by either party or any breach or default of any of the
covenants or conditions herein contained and performed by the other party
shall be construed as a waiver of any succeeding breach of the same or of
any other covenant or condition.
15.9 Merger of Agreement. 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.
14
15.10 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed by the parties hereto on any
number of counterparts, and all of said counterparts taken together shall
be deemed to constitutte one and the same instrument.
15.11 Reproduction of Documents. This Agreement and all schedules, exhibits,
attachments and amendments hereto may be reproduced by any photographic,
photostatic, microfilm, micro-card, miniature photographic or other
similar process. The parties hereto each agree that any such reproduction
shall be admissible in evidence as the original itself in any judicial or
administrative proceeding, whether or not the original is in existence and
whether or not such reproduction was made by a party in the regular course
of business, and that any enlargement, facsimile or further reproduction
shall likewise be admissible in evidence.
15.12 Notices. All notices and other communications as required or permitted
hereunder shall be in writing and sent by first class mail, postage
prepaid, addressed as follows or to such other address or addresses of
which the respective party shall have notified the other.
(a) If to State Street Bank and Trust Company, to:
State Street Bank and Trust Company
c/o Boston Financial Data Services, Inc.
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Attention: Legal Department
Facsimile: (▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇
(b) If to the Fund, to:
Attention: ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
15
16. Additional Funds
In the event that the Fund establishes one or more series of Shares in
addition to the attached Schedule A with respect to which it desires to
have the Transfer Agent render services as transfer agent under the terms
hereof, it shall so notify the Transfer Agent in writing, and if the
Transfer Agent agrees in writing to provide such services, such series of
Shares shall become a Portfolio hereunder.
17. Limitations of Liability of the Trustees and Shareholders
A copy of the Declaration of Trust of the Trust is on file with the
Secretary of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and notice is hereby given
that this instrument is executed on behalf of the Trustees of the Trust as
Trustees and not individually and that the obligations of this instrument
are not binding upon any of the Trustees or Shareholders individually but
are binding only upon the assets and property of the Fund.
16
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed
in their names and on their behalf by and through their duly authorized
officers, as of the day and year first above written.
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ FUNDS FOR INSTITUTIONS
SERIES
BY: /s/ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
---------------------------
ATTEST:
/s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇
----------------------------
STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY
BY: /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
----------------------------
Vice Chairman
ATTEST:
/s/ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
----------------------------
17
SCHEDULE A
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ Premier Institutional Fund
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ Institutional Fund
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ Government Fund
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ Treasury Fund
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ Institutional Tax-Exempt Fund
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ Rated Institutional Fund
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ FUNDS FOR STATE STREET BANK AND
INSTITUTIONS SERIES TRUST COMPANY
BY: /s/ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ BY: /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
-------------------------- --------------------------
18
SCHEDULE 3.1
FEES
Effective February 1, 2000 to January 31, 2001
Annual Account Service Fees: Fees are billable on a monthly basis at the rate of
1/12 of the annual fee.
Per Account Fee $ 29.00
Closed Account Fee $ 3.00
Disaster Recovery/ per open account $ 1.00
Complex Base Fee $210,000.00
Each class is considered a fund and will be billed accordingly. A charge is made
for an account in the month that an account opens or closes.
Activity Based Fees
-------------------
New Account Set-up $ 4.00/each
Manual Transactions $ 2.00/each
Telephone Calls $ 3.00/each
Correspondence $ 3.00/each
Tel-Trade (ACH) $ 2.00/each
Banking Services
----------------
Checkwriting Setup $ 5.00
Checkwriting (per draft) $ 1.50
Out-of-Pocket Expenses Billed as incurred
----------------------
Out-of-Pocket expenses include but are not limited to: confirmation statements,
investor statements, postage, forms, audio response, telephone, records
retention, customized programming / enhancements, federal wire, transcripts,
microfilm, microfiche, and expenses incurred at the specific direction of the
fund.
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ FUNDS FOR STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST
INSTITUTIONS SERIES COMPANY
BY: /s/ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ BY: /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
------------------------------- ------------------------------