Exhibit (g)(1) MASTER CUSTODIAN AGREEMENT

Exhibit (g)(1)

MASTER CUSTODIAN AGREEMENT

 

This Agreement is made as of November 17, 2008, between EACH REGISTERED INVESTMENT COMPANY IDENTIFIED ON APPENDIX A HERETO (each such registered investment company, and each registered investment company made subject to this Agreement in accordance with Section 18 below, referred to as the “Fund”), and STATE STREET BANK and TRUST COMPANY, a Massachusetts trust company (the “Custodian”).

 

WITNESSETH:

 

WHEREAS, the Funds are registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (“the 1940 Act”) and each Fund has appointed the Custodian to act as its custodian;

 

WHEREAS, each Fund may or may not be authorized to issue shares of common stock or shares of beneficial interest in separate series, with each such series representing interests in a separate portfolio of securities and other assets;

 

WHEREAS, each Fund so authorized so intends that this Agreement be applicable to each of its series set forth on Appendix A hereto (such series together with all other series subsequently established by the Fund and made subject to this Agreement in accordance with Section 19 below, shall be referred to as the “Portfolio(s)”);

 

WHEREAS, each Fund not so authorized intends that this Agreement be applicable to it and all references herein to one or more “Portfolio(s)” shall be deemed to refer to such Fund(s); and

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements hereinafter contained, the parties hereto agree as follows:

 

 

Each Fund hereby employs the Custodian as the custodian of its assets of the Portfolios, including securities which the Fund, on behalf of the applicable Portfolio, desires to be held in places within the United States (“domestic securities”) and securities it desires to be held outside the United States (“foreign securities”). Each Fund, on behalf of its Portfolio(s), agrees to deliver to the Custodian all securities and cash owned by it (excluding assets held elsewhere pursuant to Rule 17f-6 of the 1940 Act), and all payments of income, payments of principal or capital distributions received by such Portfolios with respect to all securities owned by it from time to time, and the cash consideration received by it for such new or treasury share of beneficial interest of each Fund representing interests in its Portfolios (“Shares”) as may be issued or sold from time to time. The Custodian shall not be responsible for any property of a Portfolio held or received by the Fund and not delivered to the Custodian. With respect to uncertificated shares (the “Underlying Shares”) of registered investment companies (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the “Underlying Portfolios”), the holding of confirmation statements that identify the shares as being recorded in the Custodian’s name on behalf of the Portfolios will be deemed custody for purposes hereof.

 

Upon receipt of “Proper Instructions” (as such term is defined in Section 6 hereof), the Custodian shall, on behalf of the applicable Portfolio(s), from time to time employ one or more sub-custodians

 

located in the United States, but only in accordance with an applicable vote by the Board of Directors or the Board of Trustees of the applicable Fund on behalf of the applicable Portfolio (as appropriate, and in each case, the “Board”). The Custodian may employ as sub-custodian for each Fund’s foreign securities, on behalf of the applicable Portfolio, the foreign banking institutions and foreign securities depositories designated in Schedules A and B hereto, but only in accordance with the applicable provisions of Sections 3 and 4. The Custodian shall have no more or less responsibility or liability to any Fund on account of any actions or omissions of any sub-custodian so employed than any such sub-custodian has to the Custodian.

 

 

SECTION 2.1    HOLDING SECURITIES. The Custodian shall hold and physically segregate for the account of each Portfolio all non-cash property, to be held by it in the United States, including all domestic securities owned by such Portfolio other than (a) securities which are maintained pursuant to Section 2.9 in a clearing agency which acts as a securities depository or in a book-entry system authorized by the U.S. Department of the Treasury (each, a “U.S. Securities System”) and (b) the Underlying Shares owned by each Fund which are maintained pursuant to Section 2.14 in an account with State Street Bank and Trust Company or such other entity which may from time to time act as a transfer agent for the Underlying Portfolios and with respect to which the Custodian is provided with Proper Instructions (the “Underlying Transfer Agent”).

 

SECTION 2.2    DELIVERY OF SECURITIES. The Custodian shall release and deliver domestic securities owned by a Portfolio held by the Custodian or in a U.S. Securities System account of the Custodian or in an account at the Underlying Transfer Agent, only upon receipt of Proper Instructions, which may be continuing instructions when deemed appropriate by the parties, and only in the following cases:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

sub-custodian appointed pursuant to Section 1; or for exchange for a different number of bonds, certificates or other evidence representing the same aggregate face amount or number of units; provided that, in any such case, the new securities are to be delivered to the Custodian;

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) and a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA,” formerly known as The National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.), relating to compliance with the rules of The Options Clearing Corporation and of any registered national securities exchange, or of any similar organization or organizations, regarding escrow or other arrangements in connection with transactions by the Fund on behalf of a Portfolio;

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 2.3    REGISTRATION OF SECURITIES. Domestic securities held by the Custodian (other than bearer securities) shall be registered in the name of the Portfolio or in the name of any nominee of a Fund on behalf of the Portfolio or of any nominee of the Custodian which nominee shall be assigned exclusively to the Portfolio, unless the Fund has authorized in writing the appointment of a nominee to be used in common with other registered investment companies having the same investment advisor as the Portfolio, or in the name or nominee name of any agent appointed pursuant to Section 2.8 or in the name or nominee name of any sub-custodian appointed pursuant to Section 1. All securities accepted by the Custodian on behalf of the Portfolio under the terms of this Agreement shall be in “street name” or other good delivery form. If, however, a Fund directs the Custodian to maintain securities in “street name”, the Custodian shall utilize its best efforts only to timely collect income due the Fund on such securities and to notify the Fund on a best efforts basis only of relevant corporate actions including, without limitation, pendency of calls, maturities, tender or exchange offers.

 

SECTION 2.4    BANK ACCOUNTS. The Custodian shall open and maintain a separate bank account or accounts in the United States in the name of each Portfolio of each Fund, subject only to draft or order by the Custodian acting pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, and shall hold in such account or accounts, subject to the provisions hereof, all cash received by it from or for the account of the Portfolio, other than cash maintained by the Portfolio in a bank account established and used in

 

 

accordance with Rule 17f-3 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. Monies held by the Custodian for a Portfolio may be deposited by it to its credit as Custodian in the banking department of the Custodian or in such other banks or trust companies as it may in its discretion deem necessary or desirable; provided, however, that every such bank or trust company shall be qualified to act as a custodian under the 1940 Act and that each such bank or trust company and the monies to be deposited with each such bank or trust company shall on behalf of each Portfolio be approved by vote of a majority of the Board. Such monies shall be deposited by the Custodian in its capacity as Custodian and shall be withdrawable by the Custodian only in that capacity.

 

SECTION 2.5    COLLECTION OF INCOME. Subject to the provisions of Section 2.3, the Custodian shall collect on a timely basis all income and other payments with respect to registered domestic securities held hereunder to which each Portfolio shall be entitled either by law or pursuant to custom in the securities business, and shall collect on a timely basis all income and other payments with respect to bearer domestic securities if, on the date of payment by the issuer, such securities are held by the Custodian or its agent thereof and shall credit such income, as collected, to such Portfolio’s custodian account. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Custodian shall detach and present for payment all coupons and other income items requiring presentation as and when they become due and shall collect interest when due on securities held hereunder. Income due each Portfolio on securities loaned pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.2 (10) and (11) shall be the responsibility of the applicable Fund. The Custodian will have no duty or responsibility in connection therewith, other than to provide the Fund with such information or data as may be necessary to assist the Fund in arranging for the timely delivery to the Custodian of the income to which the Portfolio is properly entitled.

 

SECTION 2.6    PAYMENT OF FUND MONIES. Upon receipt of Proper Instructions, which may be continuing instructions when deemed appropriate by the parties, the Custodian shall pay out monies of a Portfolio in the following cases only:

 

 

 

effected prior to receipt of a confirmation from a broker and/or the applicable bank pursuant to Proper Instructions from the Fund as defined herein;

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 2.7     Liability for Payment in Advance of Receipt of Securities Purchased. Except as specifically stated otherwise in this Agreement, in any and every case where payment for purchase of domestic securities for the account of a Portfolio is made by the Custodian in advance of receipt of the securities purchased in the absence of specific written instructions from the Fund on behalf of such Portfolio to so pay in advance, the Custodian shall be absolutely liable to the Fund for such securities to the same extent as if the securities had been received by the Custodian.

 

SECTION 2.8    APPOINTMENT OF AGENTS. The Custodian may at any time or times in its discretion appoint (and may at any time remove) any other bank or trust company which is itself qualified under the 1940 Act to act as a custodian, as its agent to carry out such of the provisions of this Section 2 as the Custodian may from time to time direct; provided, however, that the appointment of any agent shall not relieve the Custodian of its responsibilities or liabilities hereunder. The Underlying Transfer Agent shall not be deemed an agent or subcustodian of the Custodian for purposes of this Section 2.8 or any other provision of this Agreement.

 

SECTION 2.9    DEPOSIT OF FUND ASSETS IN U.S. SECURITIES SYSTEMS. The Custodian may deposit and/or maintain securities owned by a Portfolio in a U.S. Securities System subject to the following provisions:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 2.10  SEGREGATED ACCOUNT. The Custodian shall, upon receipt of Proper Instructions on behalf of each applicable Portfolio, establish and maintain a segregated account or accounts for and on behalf of each such Portfolio, into which account or accounts may be transferred cash and/or securities, including securities maintained in an account by the Custodian pursuant to Section 2.9 hereof, (i) in accordance with the provisions of any agreement among a Fund on behalf of itself or its Portfolios, the Custodian and a broker-dealer registered under the Exchange Act and a member of the FINRA (or any futures commission merchant registered under the Commodity Exchange Act), relating to compliance with the rules of The Options Clearing Corporation and of any registered national securities exchange (or the CFTC or any registered contract market), or of any similar organization or organizations, regarding escrow or other arrangements in connection with transactions by the Fund or Portfolio, (ii) for purposes of segregating cash or government securities in connection with swaps arrangements entered into by a Fund on behalf of itself or its Portfolios, options purchased, sold or written by a Fund on behalf of itself or its Portfolio(s), or commodity futures contracts or options thereon purchased or sold by a Fund on behalf of itself or its Portfolios, (iii) for the purposes of compliance by a Fund or a Portfolio with the procedures required by Investment Company Act Release No. 10666, or any subsequent release of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), or interpretative opinion of the staff of the SEC, relating to the maintenance of segregated accounts by registered investment companies, (iv) for the purpose of segregating securities or other assets of the Fund on behalf of itself or its Portfolios in connection with a borrowing transaction between a Fund as borrower and an investment company advised by Deutsche Asset Management, Inc., or its applicable affiliates; and (v) for any other purpose upon receipt of Proper Instructions.

 

SECTION 2.11  OWNERSHIP CERTIFICATES FOR TAX PURPOSES. The Custodian shall execute ownership and other certificates and affidavits for all federal and state tax purposes in connection with receipt of income or other payments with respect to domestic securities of each Portfolio held by it and in connection with transfers of securities.

 

SECTION 2.12  PROXIES. Except with respect to Portfolio property purchased pursuant to Section 2.6(10), the Custodian shall, with respect to the domestic securities held hereunder, cause to be promptly executed by the registered holder of such securities, if the securities are registered otherwise than in the name of the Portfolio or a nominee of the Portfolio, all proxies, without indication of the manner in which such proxies are to be voted, and shall promptly deliver to the Fund such proxies, all proxy soliciting materials and all notices relating to such securities.

 

SECTION 2.13  COMMUNICATIONS RELATING TO FUND SECURITIES. Except with respect to Portfolio property purchased pursuant to Section 2.6(10), and subject to the provisions of Section 2.3, the Custodian shall transmit promptly to the applicable Fund for each Portfolio all written information (including, without limitation, pendency of calls and maturities of domestic securities and expirations of rights in connection therewith and notices of exercise of call and put options written by the Fund on behalf of itself or its Portfolios and the maturity of futures contracts purchased or sold by the Fund on behalf of itself or its Portfolios) received by the Custodian from issuers of the securities being held for the Fund or Portfolio. With respect to tender or exchange offers, the Custodian shall transmit promptly to the applicable Fund all written information received by the Custodian from issuers of the securities whose tender or exchange is sought and from the party (or its agents) making the tender or exchange offer. If a Fund desires to take action with respect to any tender offer, exchange offer or any other

 

 

similar transaction, the Fund shall notify the Custodian at least three business days prior to the date on which the Custodian is to take such action.

 

SECTION 2.14  DEPOSIT OF FUND ASSETS WITH THE UNDERLYING TRANSFER AGENT. Underlying Shares shall be deposited and/or maintained in an account or accounts maintained with the Underlying Transfer Agent. The Underlying Transfer Agent shall be deemed to be acting as if it is a securities depository for purposes of Rule 17f-4 under the 1940 Act. Each Fund hereby directs the Custodian to deposit and/or maintain such securities with the Underlying Transfer Agent, subject to the following provisions:

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 2.15 AVAILABILITY OF FEDERAL FUNDS. Upon agreement between the Fund on behalf of itself or its Portfolios and the Custodian, the Custodian shall, upon the receipt of Proper Instructions

 

 

from the Fund or Portfolio, make federal funds available to the Fund or Portfolio as of specified times agreed upon from time to time by the Fund or Portfolio and the Custodian in the amount of checks received in payment for Shares of such Fund or Portfolio which are deposited into the Fund's or Portfolio’s account.

 

 

SECTION 3.1.   DEFINITIONS. As used throughout this Agreement, the following capitalized terms shall have the indicated meanings:

 

“Country Risk” means all factors reasonably related to the systemic risk of holding Foreign Assets in a particular country including, but not limited to, such country’s political environment, economic and financial infrastructure (including any Eligible Securities Depository operating in the country), prevailing or developing custody and settlement practices, and laws and regulations applicable to the safekeeping and recovery of Foreign Assets held in custody in that country.

 

“Eligible Foreign Custodian” has the meaning set forth in section (a)(1) of Rule 17f-5, including a majority-owned direct or indirect subsidiary of a U.S. Bank (as defined in Section (a)(7) of Rule 17f-5), a bank holding company meeting the requirements of an Eligible Foreign Custodian (as set forth in Rule 17f-5 or by other appropriate action of the SEC), or a foreign branch of a Bank (as defined in Section 2(a)(5) of the ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇) meeting the requirements of a custodian under Section 17(f) of the 1940 Act; the term does not include any Eligible Securities Depository.

 

“Eligible Securities Depository” has the meaning set forth in section (b)(1) of Rule 17f-7.

 

“Foreign Assets” means any of the Fund’s investments (including foreign currencies) for which the primary market is outside the United States and such cash and cash equivalents as are reasonably necessary to effect the Fund’s transactions in such investments.

 

“Foreign Custody Manager” has the meaning set forth in section (a)(3) of Rule 17f-5.

 

“Rule 17f-5” means Rule 17f-5 promulgated under the 1940 Act.

 

“Rule 17f-7” means Rule 17f-7 promulgated under the 1940 Act.

 

 

3.2.1    DELEGATION TO THE CUSTODIAN AS FOREIGN CUSTODY MANAGER. Each Fund, by resolution adopted by its Board, hereby delegates to the Custodian, subject to Section (b) of Rule 17f-5, the responsibilities set forth in this Section 3.2 with respect to Foreign Assets held outside the United States, and the Custodian hereby accepts such delegation as Foreign Custody Manager for each Fund and each Portfolio, as applicable.

 

3.2.2    COUNTRIES COVERED. The Foreign Custody Manager shall be responsible for performing the delegated responsibilities defined below only with respect to the countries and custody arrangements for each such country listed on the appropriate Schedule A to this Agreement (“Schedule A”, which list of countries may be amended from time to time by any Fund with the agreement of the Foreign Custody Manager.) The Foreign Custody Manager shall list on Schedule A the Eligible

 

 

Foreign Custodians selected by the Foreign Custody Manager to maintain the assets of each Fund, and each Schedule A of Eligible Foreign Custodians may be amended from time to time by agreement between the Fund and the Foreign Custody Manager. The Foreign Custody Manager will provide amended versions of Schedule A in accordance with Section 3.2.5 hereof.

 

Upon the receipt by the Foreign Custody Manager of Proper Instructions to open an account or to place or maintain Foreign Assets in a country listed on a Schedule A, and the fulfillment by each Fund, on behalf of the applicable Portfolio(s), of the applicable account opening requirements for such country, the Foreign Custody Manager shall be deemed to have been delegated by such Fund’s Board on behalf of such Portfolio(s) responsibility as Foreign Custody Manager with respect to that country and to have accepted such delegation. Execution of this Agreement by each Fund shall be deemed to be a Proper Instruction to open an account, or to place or maintain Foreign Assets, in each country listed on Schedule A in which the Custodian has previously placed or currently maintains Foreign Assets pursuant to the terms of the Agreement. Following the receipt of Proper Instructions directing the Foreign Custody Manager to close the account of a Portfolio with the Eligible Foreign Custodian selected by the Foreign Custody Manager in a designated country, the delegation by the Board on behalf of such Portfolio to the Custodian as Foreign Custody Manager for that country shall be deemed to have been withdrawn, the Custodian shall immediately cease to be the Foreign Custody Manager for such Portfolio with respect to that country.

 

In the event that the Foreign Custody Manager determines that no Eligible Foreign Custodian in the designated market satisfies the requirements of Rule 17f-5, the Foreign Custody Manager may withdraw its acceptance of delegated responsibilities with respect to such designated country upon written notice to the Fund. Sixty days (or such longer period to which the parties agree in writing) after receipt of any such notice by the Fund, the Custodian shall have no further responsibility in its capacity as Foreign Custody Manager to the Fund with respect to the country as to which the Custodian’s acceptance of delegation is withdrawn.

 

 

(a)       SELECTION OF ELIGIBLE FOREIGN CUSTODIANS. Subject to the provisions of this Section 3.2, the Foreign Custody Manager may place and maintain the Foreign Assets in the care of the Eligible Foreign Custodian selected by the Foreign Custody Manager in each country listed on Schedule A, as amended from time to time. In performing its delegated responsibilities as Foreign Custody Manager to place or maintain Foreign Assets with an Eligible Foreign Custodian, the Foreign Custody Manager shall determine that the Foreign Assets will be subject to reasonable care, based on the standards applicable to custodians in the country in which the Foreign Assets will be held by that Eligible Foreign Custodian, after considering all factors relevant to the safekeeping of such assets, including, without limitation the factors specified in Rule 17f-5(c)(1), as amended from time to time.

 

(b)       CONTRACTS WITH ELIGIBLE FOREIGN CUSTODIANS. The Foreign Custody Manager shall determine that the contract governing the foreign custody arrangements with each Eligible Foreign Custodian selected by the Foreign Custody Manager will satisfy the requirements of Rule 17f-5(c)(2).

 

(c)       MONITORING. In each case in which the Foreign Custody Manager maintains Foreign Assets with an Eligible Foreign Custodian selected by the Foreign Custody Manager, the Foreign Custody Manager shall establish a system to monitor: (i) the appropriateness of maintaining the Foreign

 

 

Assets with such Eligible Foreign Custodian and (ii) performance of the contract governing the custody arrangements established by the Foreign Custody Manager with the Eligible Foreign Custodian. In the event the Foreign Custody Manager determines that the custody arrangements with an Eligible Foreign Custodian it has selected are no longer appropriate, the Foreign Custody Manager shall notify the Board in accordance with Section 3.2.5 hereunder.

 

3.2.4    GUIDELINES FOR THE EXERCISE OF DELEGATED AUTHORITY. For purposes of this Section 3.2, the Board, directly or by delegation to its duly authorized investment adviser or investment manager, shall be deemed to have considered and determined to accept such Country Risk as is incurred by placing and maintaining the Foreign Assets in each country for which the Custodian is serving as Foreign Custody Manager of the Portfolios.

 

3.2.5    REPORTING REQUIREMENTS. At least annually and more frequently as the Board deems reasonable and appropriate based on the circumstances, the Foreign Custody Manager shall provide the Board with written reports specifying placement of the Portfolios’ Foreign Assets with each Eligible Foreign Custodian selected by the Foreign Custody Manager and shall promptly report to the Board, or its duly authorized investment adviser or manager, as to any material change to such foreign custody arrangement.

 

3.2.6    STANDARD OF CARE AS FOREIGN CUSTODY MANAGER OF THE FUND. In performing the responsibilities delegated to it hereunder, the Foreign Custody Manager agrees to exercise reasonable care, prudence and diligence such as a person having responsibility for the safekeeping of foreign assets of management investment companies registered under the 1940 Act would exercise.

 

3.2.7    REPRESENTATIONS WITH RESPECT TO RULE 17F-5. The Foreign Custody Manager represents to each Fund that it is a U.S. Bank as defined in section (a)(7) of Rule 17f-5. Each Fund represents to the Custodian that its Board has determined that it is reasonable for such Board to rely on the Custodian to perform the responsibilities delegated pursuant to this Agreement to the Custodian as the Foreign Custody Manager of the Portfolios.

 

3.2.8    EFFECTIVE DATE AND TERMINATION OF THE CUSTODIAN AS FOREIGN CUSTODY MANAGER. The Board’s delegation to the Custodian as Foreign Custody Manager of the Portfolios shall be effective as of the date hereof and shall remain in effect until terminated at any time, without penalty, by written notice from the terminating party to the non-terminating party. Termination will become effective sixty (60) days after receipt by the non-terminating party of such notice. The provisions of Section 3.2.2 hereof shall govern the delegation to and termination of the Custodian as Foreign Custody Manager of the Portfolios with respect to designated countries.

 

 

3.3.1    ANALYSIS AND MONITORING. The Custodian shall (a) provide each Fund (or its duly-authorized investment manager or investment advisor) with an analysis of the custody risks associated with maintaining assets with the Eligible Securities Depositories set forth on Schedule B hereto, in accordance with section (a)(1)(i)(A) of Rule 17f-7, and (b) monitor such risks on a continuing basis, and promptly notify such Fund (or its duly-authorized investment manager or investment advisor) of any material change in such risks, in accordance with section (a)(1)(i)(B) of Rule 17f-7.

 

 

 

3.3.2    STANDARD OF CARE. The Custodian agrees to exercise reasonable care, prudence and diligence in performing the duties set forth in Section 3.3.1.

 

 

SECTION 4.1    DEFINITIONS. As used throughout this Agreement, the following capitalized terms shall have the indicated meanings:

 

“Foreign Securities System” means an Eligible Securities Depository listed on Schedule B hereto.

 

“Foreign Sub-Custodian” means a foreign banking institution serving as an Eligible Foreign Custodian.

 

SECTION 4.2.   HOLDING SECURITIES. The Custodian shall identify on its books as belonging to the Portfolios the foreign securities held by each Foreign Sub-Custodian or Foreign Securities System. The Custodian may hold foreign securities for all of its customers, including the Portfolios, with any Foreign Sub-Custodian in an account that is identified as belonging to the Custodian for the benefit of its customers, provided however, that (i) the records of the Custodian with respect to foreign securities of the Portfolios which are maintained in such account shall identify those securities as belonging to the Portfolios and (ii) to the extent permitted and customary in the market in which the account is maintained, the Custodian shall require that securities so held by the Foreign Sub-Custodian be held separately from any assets of such Foreign Sub-Custodian or of other customers of such Foreign Sub-Custodian.

 

SECTION 4.3.   FOREIGN SECURITIES SYSTEMS. Foreign securities shall be maintained in a Foreign Securities System in a designated country through arrangements implemented by the Custodian or a Foreign Sub-Custodian, as applicable, in such country.

 

 

4.4.1.   DELIVERY OF FOREIGN SECURITIES. The Custodian or a Foreign Sub-Custodian shall release and deliver foreign securities of the Portfolios held by the Custodian or such Foreign Sub-Custodian, or in a Foreign Securities System account, only upon receipt of Proper Instructions, which may be continuing instructions when deemed appropriate by the parties, and only in the following cases:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4.4.2.     PAYMENT OF PORTFOLIO MONIES. Upon receipt of Proper Instructions, which may be continuing instructions when deemed appropriate by the parties, the Custodian shall pay out, or direct the respective Foreign Sub-Custodian or the respective Foreign Securities System to pay out, monies of a Portfolio in the following cases only:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Instructions (which may not provide for the receipt by the Custodian of collateral therefor) agreed upon from time to time by the Custodian and such Portfolio; and

 

 

4.4.3.   MARKET CONDITIONS. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, settlement and payment for Foreign Assets received for the account of the Portfolios and delivery of Foreign Assets maintained for the account of the Portfolios may be effected in accordance with the customary established securities trading or processing practices and procedures in the country or market in which the transaction occurs, including, without limitation, delivering Foreign Assets to the purchaser thereof or to a dealer therefor (or an agent for such purchaser or dealer) with the expectation of receiving later payment for such Foreign Assets from such purchaser or dealer.

 

The Custodian shall provide to each Board, or its duly authorized designee, the information with respect to custody and settlement practices in countries in which the Custodian employs a Foreign Sub-Custodian described on Schedule C hereto at the time or times set forth on such Schedule. The Custodian may revise Schedule C from time to time, provided that no such revision shall result in a Board or its duly-authorized designee being provided with substantively less information than had been previously provided hereunder.

 

SECTION 4.5.   REGISTRATION OF FOREIGN SECURITIES. The foreign securities maintained in the custody of a Foreign Sub-Custodian (other than bearer securities) shall be registered in the name of the applicable Portfolio or in the name of the Custodian or in the name of any Foreign Sub-Custodian or in the name of any nominee of the foregoing, and, provided that a nominee does not act negligently, the applicable Fund on behalf of such Portfolio agrees to hold any such nominee harmless from any liability as a holder of record of such foreign securities. The Custodian or a Foreign Sub-Custodian shall not be obligated to accept securities on behalf of a Portfolio under the terms of this Agreement unless the form of such securities and the manner in which they are delivered are in accordance with reasonable market practice.

 

SECTION 4.6    BANK ACCOUNTS. The Custodian shall identify on its books as belonging to the applicable Fund cash (including cash denominated in foreign currencies) deposited with the Custodian. Where the Custodian is unable to maintain, or market practice does not facilitate the maintenance of, cash on the books of the Custodian, a bank account or bank accounts shall be opened and maintained outside the United States on behalf of a Portfolio with a Foreign Sub-Custodian in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. All accounts referred to in this Section shall be subject only to draft or order by the Custodian (or, if applicable, such Foreign Sub-Custodian) acting pursuant to the terms of this Agreement to hold cash received by or from or for the account of the Portfolio. Cash maintained on the books of the Custodian (including its branches, subsidiaries and affiliates), regardless of currency denomination, is maintained in bank accounts established under, and subject to the laws of, The Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

 

SECTION 4.7.   COLLECTION OF INCOME. The Custodian shall use reasonable commercial efforts to collect all income and other payments with respect to the Foreign Assets held hereunder to which the Portfolios shall be entitled and shall credit such income, as collected, to the applicable Portfolio. In the

 

 

event that extraordinary measures are required to collect such income, the Fund and the Custodian shall consult as to such measures and as to the compensation and expenses of the Custodian relating to such measures.

 

SECTION 4.8   SHAREHOLDER RIGHTS. With respect to the foreign securities held pursuant to this Section 4, the Custodian will use reasonable commercial efforts to facilitate the exercise of voting and other shareholder rights, subject always to the laws, regulations and practical constraints that may exist in the country where such securities are issued. Each Fund acknowledges that local conditions, including lack of regulation, onerous procedural obligations, lack of notice and other factors may have the effect of severely limiting the ability of such Fund to exercise shareholder rights.

 

SECTION 4.9.   COMMUNICATIONS RELATING TO FOREIGN SECURITIES. The Custodian shall transmit promptly to the applicable Fund written information with respect to materials received by the Custodian via the Foreign Sub-Custodians from issuers of the foreign securities being held for the account of the Portfolios (including, without limitation, pendency of calls and maturities of foreign securities and expirations of rights in connection therewith). With respect to tender or exchange offers, the Custodian shall transmit promptly to the applicable Fund written information with respect to materials so received by the Custodian from issuers of the foreign securities whose tender or exchange is sought or from the party (or its agents) making the tender or exchange offer. Absent negligence on the part of the Custodian, the Custodian shall not be liable for any untimely exercise of any tender, exchange or other right or power in connection with foreign securities or other property of the Portfolios at any time held by it unless (i) the Custodian or the respective Foreign Sub-Custodian is in actual possession or control of such foreign securities or property and (ii) the Custodian receives Proper Instructions with regard to the exercise of any such right or power, and both (i) and (ii) occur at least three business days prior to the date on which the Custodian is to take action to exercise such right or power.

 

SECTION 4.10. LIABILITY OF FOREIGN SUB-CUSTODIANS. Each agreement pursuant to which the Custodian employs a Foreign Sub-Custodian shall require the Foreign Sub-Custodian to exercise reasonable care in the performance of its duties, and, to the extent possible, to indemnify and hold harmless the Custodian from and against any loss, damage, cost, expense, liability or claim arising out of or in connection with the Foreign Sub-Custodian’s performance of such obligations. At a Fund’s election, the Portfolios shall be entitled to be subrogated to the rights of the Custodian with respect to any claims against a Foreign Sub-Custodian as a consequence of any such loss, damage, cost, expense, liability or claim if and to the extent that the Portfolios has not been made whole for any such loss, damage, cost, expense, liability or claim.

 

SECTION 4.11  TAX LAW. The Custodian shall have no responsibility or liability for any obligations now or hereafter imposed on any Fund, the Portfolios or the Custodian as custodian of the Portfolios by the tax law of the United States or of any state or political subdivision thereof. It shall be the responsibility of each Fund to notify the Custodian of the obligations imposed on such Fund with respect to those Portfolios or the Custodian as custodian of the Portfolios by the tax law of countries other than those mentioned in the above sentence, including responsibility for withholding and other taxes, assessments or other governmental charges, certifications and governmental reporting. The sole responsibility of the Custodian with regard to such tax law shall be to use reasonable efforts to assist the Fund with respect to any claim for exemption or refund under the tax law of countries for which such Fund has provided such information.

 

 

 

SECTION 4.12. ACCESS OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS OF THE FUND. Upon request of any Fund, the Custodian will use reasonable efforts to arrange for the independent accountants of such Fund to be afforded access to the books and records of any foreign banking institution employed as a foreign sub-custodian insofar as such books and records relate to the performance of such foreign banking institution under its contract with the Custodian.

 

 

The Custodian shall receive from the distributor for the Shares or from the Transfer Agent and deposit into the account of the appropriate Portfolio such payments as are received for Shares thereof issued or sold from time to time by the applicable Fund. The Custodian will provide timely notification to such Fund on behalf of each such Portfolio and the Transfer Agent of any receipt by it of payments for Shares of such Portfolio.

 

From such funds as may be available for the purpose, the Custodian shall, upon receipt of instructions from the Transfer Agent, make funds available for payment to holders of Shares who have delivered to the Transfer Agent a request for redemption or repurchase of their Shares. In connection with the redemption or repurchase of Shares, the Custodian is authorized upon receipt of instructions from the Transfer Agent to wire funds to or through a commercial bank designated by the redeeming shareholders.

 

 

“Proper Instructions”, which may also be standing instructions, as used throughout this Agreement shall mean instructions received by the Custodian from a Fund or from a Fund’s investment manager or subadviser, as duly authorized by the applicable Board of such Fund. Such instructions may be in writing signed by the authorized person or persons or may be in a tested communication or in a communication utilizing access codes effected between electro-mechanical or electronic devices or may be by such other means and utilizing such intermediary systems and utilities as may be agreed to from time to time by the Custodian and the person giving such instructions, provided that each Fund has followed any security procedures agreed to from time to time by the applicable Fund and the Custodian, including, but not limited to, the security procedures selected by such Fund in the Funds Transfer Addendum to this Agreement. Oral instructions will be considered Proper Instructions if the Custodian reasonably believes them to have been given by a person authorized to give such instructions with respect to the transaction involved. Each Fund shall cause all oral instructions to be confirmed promptly in writing. For purposes of this Section, Proper Instructions shall include instructions received by the Custodian pursuant to any multi-party agreement which requires a segregated asset account in accordance with Section 2.10 of this Agreement. Each Fund or such Fund’s investment manager shall cause its duly authorized officer to certify to the Custodian in writing the names and specimen signatures of persons authorized to give Proper Instructions. The Custodian shall be entitled to rely upon the identity and authority of such persons until it receives notice from the applicable Fund to the contrary.

 

 

The Custodian may in its discretion, without express authority from the applicable Fund on behalf of each applicable Portfolio:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Custodian shall be protected in acting upon any instructions, notice, request, consent, certificate or other instrument or paper believed by it to be genuine and to have been properly executed by or on behalf of the applicable Fund. The Custodian may receive and accept a copy of a resolution of the Board, certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of any Fund (“Certified Resolution”), as conclusive evidence (a) of the authority of any person to act in accordance with such resolution or (b) of any determination or of any action by the applicable Board as described in such resolution, and such resolution may be considered as in full force and effect until receipt by the Custodian of written notice to the contrary.

 

 

The Custodian shall cooperate with and supply necessary information to the entity or entities appointed by the applicable Board to keep the books of account of each Portfolio and/or compute the net asset value per Share of the outstanding Shares or, if directed in writing to do so by the Fund on behalf of such Portfolio(s), shall itself keep such books of account and/or compute such net asset value per Share. If so directed, the Custodian shall also calculate daily the net income of each applicable Portfolio as described in the Prospectus and shall advise such Portfolio and the Transfer Agent daily of the total amounts of such net income and, if instructed in writing by an officer of the Fund on behalf of such Portfolio to do so, shall advise the Transfer Agent periodically of the division of such net income among its various components. Each Fund acknowledges and agrees that, with respect to investments maintained with the Underlying Transfer Agent, the Underlying Transfer Agent is the sole source of information on the number of shares of a fund held by it on behalf of a Portfolio and that the Custodian has the right to rely on holdings information furnished by the Underlying Transfer Agent to the Custodian in performing its duties under this Agreement, including, without limitation, the duties set forth in this Section 9 and in Section 10 hereof; provided, however, that the Custodian shall be obligated to reconcile information as to purchases and sales of Underlying Shares contained in trade instructions and confirmations received by the Custodian and to report promptly any discrepancies to the Underlying Transfer Agent. The calculations of the net asset value per Share and the daily income of each Portfolio shall be made at the time or times described from time to time in the Prospectus.

 

 

 

The Custodian shall create and maintain all records relating to its activities and obligations under this Agreement in such manner as will meet the obligations of each Fund under the 1940 Act, with particular attention to Section 31 thereof and Rules 31a1-1 and 31a-2 thereunder. All such records shall be the property of the Fund and shall at all times during the regular business hours of the Custodian be open for inspection by duly authorized officers, employees or agents of such Fund and employees and agents of the SEC. The Custodian shall, at the Fund’s request, supply the Fund with a tabulation of securities owned by each Portfolio and held by the Custodian and shall, when requested to do so by the Fund and for such compensation as shall be agreed upon between the Fund and the Custodian, include certificate numbers in such tabulations.

 

 

The Custodian shall take all reasonable action, as a Fund with respect to a Portfolio may from time to time request, to obtain from year to year favorable opinions from the Fund’s independent accountants with respect to its activities hereunder in connection with the preparation of the Fund’s Form N-1A, N-2, and Form N-SAR or other annual reports to the SEC and with respect to any other requirements thereof.

 

 

The Custodian shall provide the applicable Fund, on behalf of each of the Portfolios, at such times as such Fund may reasonably require, with reports by independent public accountants on the accounting system, internal accounting control and procedures for safeguarding securities, futures contracts and options on futures contracts, including securities deposited and/or maintained in a U.S. Securities System or a Foreign Securities System (either system, a “Securities System”) relating to the services provided by the Custodian under this Agreement; such reports, shall be of sufficient scope and in sufficient detail, as may reasonably be required by the Fund to provide reasonable assurance that any material inadequacies would be disclosed by such examination, and, if there are no such inadequacies, the reports shall so state.

 

 

The Custodian shall be entitled to reasonable compensation for its services and expenses as Custodian, as agreed upon from time to time between each Fund, on behalf of each applicable Portfolio, and the Custodian.

 

 

So long as and to the extent that it is in the exercise of reasonable care, the Custodian shall not be responsible for the title, validity or genuineness of any property or evidence of title thereto received by it or delivered by it pursuant to this Agreement and shall be held harmless in acting upon any notice, request, consent, certificate or other instrument reasonably believed by it to be genuine and to be signed by the proper party or parties, including any futures commission merchant acting pursuant to the terms of a three-party futures or options agreement. The Custodian shall be held to the exercise of reasonable care in carrying out the provisions of this Agreement, but shall be kept indemnified by and shall be

 

 

without liability to any Fund for any action taken or omitted by it in good faith without negligence, including, without limitation, acting in accordance with any Proper Instruction. It shall be entitled to rely on and may act upon advice of counsel (who may be counsel for a Fund) on all matters, and shall be without liability for any action reasonably taken or omitted pursuant to such advice. Except to the extent arising from the Custodian’s own negligence or willful misconduct or the negligence or willful misconduct of a sub-custodian, the Custodian shall be without liability to any Fund or Portfolio for any loss, liability, claim or expense resulting from or caused by anything which is part of Country Risk (as defined in Section 3 hereof), including without limitation nationalization, expropriation, currency restrictions, or acts of war, revolution, riots or terrorism.

 

Except as may arise from the Custodian’s own negligence, willful misconduct, or the negligence or willful misconduct of a sub-custodian or agent, the Custodian shall be without liability to any Fund for any loss, liability, claim or expense resulting from or caused by: (i) events or circumstances beyond the reasonable control of the Custodian or any sub-custodian or Securities System or any agent or nominee of any of the foregoing, including, without limitation, the interruption, suspension or restriction of trading on or the closure of any securities market, power or other mechanical or technological failures or interruptions, computer viruses or communications disruptions, work stoppages, natural disasters, or other similar events or acts; or (ii) the insolvency of or acts or omissions by a Securities System. In the event such event or circumstances directly affect the performance of the Custodian’s obligations under this Agreement, the Custodian will take reasonable steps to minimize service interruptions arising from such event or circumstances.

 

The Custodian shall be liable for the acts or omissions of a Foreign Sub-Custodian (as defined in Section 4 of this Agreement) to the same extent as set forth with respect to sub-custodians generally in the Agreement and, regardless of whether assets are maintained in the custody of a Foreign Sub-Custodian or a Foreign Securities System, the Custodian shall not be liable for any loss, damage, cost, expense, liability or claim resulting from nationalization, expropriation, currency restrictions, or acts of war or terrorism, or any other loss where the Sub-Custodian has otherwise acted with reasonable care.

 

If a Fund on behalf of a Portfolio requires the Custodian to take any action with respect to securities, which action involves the payment of money or which action may, in the opinion of the Custodian, result in the Custodian or its nominee assigned to the Fund or the Portfolio being liable for the payment of money or incurring liability of some other form, such Fund on behalf of the Portfolio, as a prerequisite to requiring the Custodian to take such action, shall provide indemnity to the Custodian in an amount and form satisfactory to it.

 

If any Fund or any of its applicable Portfolios requires the Custodian, its affiliates, subsidiaries or agents, to advance cash or securities for any purpose (including but not limited to securities settlements, foreign exchange contracts and assumed settlement) or in the event that the Custodian or its nominee shall incur or be assessed any taxes, charges, expenses, assessments, claims or liabilities in connection with the performance of this Agreement, except such as may arise from its or its nominee’s own negligent action, negligent failure to act or willful misconduct, any property at any time held for the account of such Fund on behalf of the applicable Portfolio shall be security therefor and should the Portfolio fail to repay the Custodian promptly, the Custodian shall be entitled to utilize available cash and to dispose of the Portfolio’s assets to the extent necessary to obtain reimbursement.

 

 

 

 

This Agreement shall become effective as of its execution and shall continue in full force and effect until terminated as hereinafter provided. This Agreement may be amended at any time by mutual agreement of the parties hereto and may be terminated by either party by an instrument in writing delivered or mailed, postage prepaid to the other party, such termination to take effect not sooner than ninety (90) days after the date of such delivery or mailing; provided, however, that a Fund shall not amend or terminate this Agreement in contravention of any applicable federal or state regulations, or any provision of such Fund’s Governing Documents, and further provided, that any Fund on behalf of one or more of the Portfolios may at any time by action of its Board (i) substitute another bank or trust company for the Custodian by giving notice as described above to the Custodian, or (ii) immediately terminate this Agreement in the event of the appointment of a conservator or receiver for the Custodian by the Comptroller of the Currency or upon the happening of a like event at the direction of an appropriate regulatory agency or court of competent jurisdiction.

 

Termination of this Agreement with respect to any one particular Fund or Portfolio shall in no way affect the rights and duties under this Agreement with respect to any other Fund or Portfolio.

 

Upon termination of the Agreement, the applicable Fund on behalf of each applicable Portfolio shall pay to the Custodian such compensation as may be due as of the date of such termination and shall likewise reimburse the Custodian for its reasonable costs, expenses and disbursements.

 

 

If a successor custodian for one or more Portfolios shall be appointed by the applicable Board, the Custodian shall, upon termination and receipt of Proper Instructions, deliver to such successor custodian at the office of the Custodian, duly endorsed and in the form for transfer, all securities of each applicable Portfolio then held by it hereunder and shall transfer to an account of the successor custodian all of the securities of each such Portfolio held in a Securities System or at the Underlying Transfer Agent.

 

If no such successor custodian shall be appointed, the Custodian shall, in like manner, upon receipt of a Certified Resolution, deliver at the office of the Custodian and transfer such securities, funds and other properties in accordance with such resolution.

 

In the event that no written order designating a successor custodian or Certified Resolution shall have been delivered to the Custodian on or before the date when such termination shall become effective, then the Custodian shall have the right to deliver to a bank or trust company, which is a “bank” as defined in the 1940 Act, doing business in Boston, Massachusetts, or New York, New York, of its own selection, having an aggregate capital, surplus, and undivided profits, as shown by its last published report, of not less than $25,000,000, all securities, funds and other properties held by the Custodian on behalf of each applicable Portfolio and all instruments held by the Custodian relative thereto and all other property held by it under this Agreement on behalf of each applicable Portfolio, and to transfer to an account of such successor custodian all of the securities of each such Portfolio held in any Securities System or at the Underlying Transfer Agent. Thereafter, such bank or trust company shall be the successor of the Custodian under this Agreement.

 

 

In the event that securities, funds and other properties remain in the possession of the Custodian after the date of termination hereof owing to failure of any Fund to procure the Certified Resolution to appoint a successor custodian, the Custodian shall be entitled to fair compensation for its services during such period as the Custodian retains possession of such securities, funds and other properties and the provisions of this Agreement relating to the duties and obligations of the Custodian shall remain in full force and effect.

 

 

As expressly permitted, limited or prohibited by relevant state or federal law, it is understood and expressly stipulated that no member of the Board, officers, agents or shareholders of any Fund shall be personally liable under the Agreement. It is understood and acknowledged that all persons dealing with any Fund must look solely to the property of that Fund for the enforcement of any claims against such Fund, as the trustees, officers, agents or shareholders will not assume any personal liability for obligations entered into on behalf of such Fund.

 

 

In the event that any registered investment company in addition to those listed on Appendix A to this Agreement desires to have the Custodian render services as custodian under the terms of this Agreement, it shall so notify the Custodian in writing, and if the Custodian agrees in writing to provide such services, such registered investment company shall become a Fund hereunder and be bound by all terms and conditions and provisions of this Agreement.

 

 

In the event that any Fund establishes one or more series of Shares in addition to those set forth on Appendix A to this Agreement and the Fund desires to have the Custodian render services to such series as custodian under the terms of this Agreement, it shall so notify the Custodian in writing, and if the Custodian agrees in writing to provide such services, such series of Shares shall become a Portfolio under this Agreement.

 

 

In connection with the operation of this Agreement, the Custodian and each Fund on behalf of the Portfolios may from time to time agree on such provisions interpretive of or in addition to the provisions of this Agreement as may in their joint opinion be consistent with the general tenor of this Agreement. Any such interpretive or additional provisions shall be in a writing signed by both parties and shall be annexed hereto, provided that no such interpretive or additional provisions shall contravene any applicable federal or state regulations or any provision of any Fund’s Governing Documents. No interpretive or additional provisions made as provided in the preceding sentence shall be deemed to be an amendment of this Agreement.

 

 

This Agreement shall be construed and the provisions thereof interpreted under and in accordance with laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

 

 

 

 

This Agreement supersedes and terminates, as of the date hereof, all prior Agreements between each Fund on behalf of each of the Portfolios, as applicable, and the Custodian relating to the custody of such Fund’s assets.

 

 

Any notice, instruction or other instrument required to be given hereunder may be delivered in person to the offices of the parties as set forth herein during normal business hours or delivered prepaid registered mail or by telex, cable or telecopy to the parties at the following addresses or such other addresses as may be notified by any party from time to time.

 

 

 

Such notice, instruction or other instrument shall be deemed to have been served in the case of a registered letter at the expiration of five business days after posting, in the case of cable twenty-four hours after dispatch and, in the case of telex, immediately on dispatch and if delivered outside normal business hours it shall be deemed to have been received at the next time after delivery when normal business hours commence and in the case of cable, telex or telecopy on the business day after the receipt thereof. Evidence that the notice was properly addressed, stamped and put into the post shall be conclusive evidence of posting.

 

 

This Agreement and all schedules, addenda, exhibits, attachments and amendments hereto may be reproduced by any photographic, photostatic, microfilm, micro-card, miniature photographic or other similar process. The parties hereto all/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 of such reproduction shall likewise be admissible in evidence.

 

 

 

 

All references herein to the “Fund” are to each of the management investment companies listed on Appendix A hereto, and each management investment company made subject to this Agreement in accordance with Section 18 above, individually, as if this Agreement were between such individual Fund and the Custodian. In the case of a series corporation, trust or other entity, all references herein to the “Portfolio” are to the individual series or portfolio of such corporation, trust or other entity, or to such corporation, trust or other entity on behalf of the individual series or portfolio, as appropriate, made subject to this Agreement in accordance with Section 19 above. Any reference in this Agreement to “the parties” shall mean the Custodian and such other individual Fund as to which the matter pertains.

 

On behalf of each Fund that is organized as a Massachusetts business trust, notice is hereby given that a copy of the Agreement and Declaration of Trust of the Fund is on file with the Secretary of State of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and that this Agreement is executed by an officer of the Fund, as an officer and not individually, on behalf of the trustees of the Fund, as trustees and not individually, and that the obligations of this Agreement with respect to the Fund shall be binding upon the assets and properties of the Fund only and shall not be binding upon any of the trustees, officers, employees, agents or shareholders of the Fund individually.

 

 

The Custodian and each Fund agree to be bound by the terms of the Remote Access Services Addendum attached hereto.

 

 

This Agreement may be signed in counterparts, all of which shall constitute but one and the same instrument.

 

 

Whenever possible, each provision of this Agreement shall be interpreted in such a manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Agreement shall be deemed prohibited or invalid under such applicable law, such provision shall be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or invalidity, and such prohibition or invalidity shall not invalidate the remainder of such provision or the other provisions of this Agreement.

 

 

The parties hereto agree that each shall treat confidentially all information provided by each party to the other party regarding its business and operations. All confidential information provided by a party hereto shall be used by any other party hereto solely for the purpose of rendering services pursuant to this Agreement and, except as may be required in carrying out this Agreement, shall not be disclosed to any third party without the prior written consent of the party providing the information. In addition, during the term of this Agreement, the Custodian will maintain policies reasonably designed to prohibit the Custodian and its employees from engaging in securities transactions based on knowledge of the

 

 

Fund’s portfolio holdings

 

The foregoing shall not be applicable to any information that is (i) publicly available when provided or thereafter becomes publicly available, other than through a breach of this Agreement, or that is independently derived by any party hereto without the use of any information provided by the other party hereto in connection with this Agreement, (ii) aggregated, without reference to such Fund, in whole or in part, with other client information for the Custodian’s own marketing, reporting or other purposes, or (iii) required in any legal or regulatory proceeding, investigation, audit, examination, subpoena, civil investigative demand or other similar process, or by operation of law or regulation.

 

 

The provisions of Sections 10, 14, 16, 21 and 29 of this Agreement shall survive termination of this Agreement for any reason.

 

 

SEC Rule 14b-2 requires banks which hold securities for the account of customers to respond to requests by issuers of securities for the names, addresses and holdings of beneficial owners of securities of that issuer held by the bank unless the beneficial owner has expressly objected to disclosure of this information. In order to comply with the rule, the Custodian needs each Fund to indicate whether it authorizes the Custodian to provide such Fund’s name, address, and share position to requesting companies whose securities the Fund owns. If a Fund tells the Custodian “no”, the Custodian will not provide this information to requesting companies. If a Fund tells the Custodian “yes” or does not check either “yes” or “no” below, the Custodian is required by the rule to treat a Fund as consenting to disclosure of this information for all securities owned by the Fund or any funds or accounts established by the Fund. For a Fund’s protection, the Rule prohibits the requesting company from using the Fund’s name and address for any purpose other than corporate communications. Please indicate below whether each Fund consents or objects by checking one of the alternatives below.

 

 

 

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties has caused this instrument to be executed in its name and behalf by its duly authorized representative and its seal to be hereunder affixed as of the date written on page one of this Agreement.

 

 

EACH REGISTERED INVESTMENT COMPANY

IDENTIFIED ON APPENDIX A ATTACHED

 

 

 

STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY

 

Name: ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇

 

 

 

APPENDIX A

 

Cash Account Trust

Government & Agency Securities Portfolio

Money Market Portfolio

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

 

Cash Management Portfolio

 

Cash Reserve Fund, Inc.

Prime Series

 

DWS Advisor Funds

DWS Core Fixed Income Fund

DWS High Income Plus Fund

DWS Lifecycle Long Range Fund

DWS Micro Cap Fund

DWS Mid Cap Growth Fund

DWS RREEF Real Estate Securities Fund

DWS Short Duration Fund

DWS Short Duration Plus Fund

DWS Short-Term Municipal Bond Fund

DWS Small Cap Growth Fund

NY Tax Free Fund Money Fund

Tax Free Money Fund Investment

 

DWS Balanced Fund

 

DWS Blue Chip Fund

 

DWS Communications Fund, Inc.

 

DWS Dreman Value Income Edge Fund, Inc.

 

DWS Equity 500 Index Portfolio

 

DWS Equity Trust

DWS Alternative Asset Allocation Plus Fund

DWS Core Plus Allocation Fund

DWS Disciplined Long/Short Growth Fund

DWS Disciplined Long/Short Value Fund

DWS Disciplined Market Neutral Fund

DWS Select Alternative Allocation Fund

 

 

 

DWS High Income Series

DWS High Income Fund

 

DWS High Income Trust

 

DWS Income Trust

DWS GNMA Fund

 

DWS Institutional Funds

Cash Management Fund Institutional

Cash Reserves Fund Institutional

Daily Assets Fund Institutional

DWS EAFE Equity Index Fund

DWS Equity 500 Index Fund

DWS Inflation Protected Plus Fund

DWS US Bond Index Institutional

 

DWS Investment Trust

DWS Capital Growth Fund

DWS Growth & Income Fund

DWS Large Company Growth Fund

DWS S&P 500 Index Fund

DWS Small Cap Core Fund

 

DWS Investments VIT Funds

DWS Equity 500 Index VIP

DWS Small Cap Index VIP

 

DWS Money Funds

DWS Money Market Prime Series

 

DWS Money Market Trust

DWS Money Market Series

 

DWS Multi-Market Income Trust

 

DWS Municipal Income Trust

 

DWS Municipal Trust

DWS Strategic High Yield Tax Free Fund

DWS Managed Municipal Bond Fund

 

DWS Portfolio Trust

DWS Core Plus Income Fund

DWS Floating Rate Plus Fund

 

 

DWS RREEF Real Estate Fund, Inc.

 

DWS RREEF Real Estate Fund II, Inc.

 

DWS Securities Trust

DWS Health Care Fund

 

DWS State Tax-Free Income Series

DWS California Tax-Free Fund

DWS New York Tax-Free Income Fund

 

DWS State Tax Free Trust

DWS Massachusetts Tax-Free Fund

 

DWS Strategic Government Securities Fund

 

DWS Strategic Income Fund

 

DWS Strategic Income Trust

 

DWS Strategic Municipal Income Trust

 

DWS Target Date Series

DWS LifeCompass Retirement Fund

DWS LifeCompass 2015 Fund

DWS LifeCompass 2020 Fund

DWS LifeCompass 2030 Fund

DWS LifeCompass 2040 Fund

 

DWS Target Fund

DWS Target 2010 Fund

DWS Target 2011 Fund

DWS Target 2012 Fund

DWS Target 2013 Fund

DWS Target 2014 Fund

DWS LifeCompass Income Fund

DWS LifeCompass Protect Fund

 

DWS Tax Free Trust

DWS Intermediate Tax/AMT Free Fund

 

DWS Technology Fund

 

DWS Value Builder Fund, Inc.

 

 

Value Equity Trust

DWS Enhanced S&P 500 Index Fund

DWS Equity Income Fund

 

DWS Value Series, Inc.

DWS Dreman Concentrated Value Fund

DWS Dreman High Return Equity Fund

DWS Dreman Mid Cap Value Fund

DWS Dreman Small Cap Value Fund

DWS Large Cap Value Fund

 

DWS Variable Series I

DWS Bond VIP

DWS Capital Growth VIP

DWS Growth and Income VIP

DWS Health Care VIP

 

DWS Variable Series II

DWS Balanced VIP

DWS Blue Chip VIP

DWS Conservation Allocation VIP

DWS Core Fixed Income VIP

DWS ▇▇▇▇▇ Venture Value VIP

DWS Dreman High Return Equity VIP

DWS Dreman Small Mid Cap Value VIP

DWS Government & Agency Securities VIP

DWS Growth Allocation VIP

DWS High Income VIP

DWS Janus Growth and Income VIP

DWS Large Cap Value VIP

DWS Mid Cap Growth VIP

DWS Moderate Allocation VIP

DWS Money Market VIP

DWS Small Cap Growth VIP

DWS Strategic Income VIP

DWS Technology VIP

DWS ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Mid Cap Growth VIP

 

Investors Cash Trust

Treasury Portfolio

 

Tax-Exempt California Money Market Fund

 

 

 

Argentina                          Citibank, N.A.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Shanghai and Shenzhen)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

INTERBOLSA – Sociedad Gestora de Sistemas de Liquidação

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Central Depository System (Pvt) Limited

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dubai International

Financial Center

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TRANSNATIONAL

 

Euroclear Bank S.A./N.V.

Clearstream Banking, S.A.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Includes changes in market and tax regulations, depository developments, dematerialization information, as well as other market changes that may impact State Street’s clients.

 

 

as otherwise necessary) summary of material changes with Foreign Sub-Custodians that have occurred during the previous quarter. The notices also identify any material changes in the custodial risks associated with maintaining assets with Foreign Securities Depositories.

 

 

 

 

 

to

 

Master Custodian Agreement of November 17, ▇▇▇▇

▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Bank and Trust Company and

Each Registered Investment Company Identified on Appendix A

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OPERATING GUIDELINES

 

1.         OBLIGATION OF THE SENDER: State Street is authorized to promptly debit Client’s account(s) upon the receipt of a payment order in compliance with the selected Security Procedure chosen for funds transfer and in the amount of money that State Street has been instructed to transfer. State Street shall execute payment orders in compliance with the Security Procedure and with the Client's 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 time will be deemed to have been received on the next business day.

 

2.         SECURITY PROCEDURE: The Client acknowledges that the Security Procedure it has designated on the Selection Form was selected by the Client from Security Procedures offered by State Street. The Client agrees that the Security Procedures are reasonable and adequate for its wire transfer transactions and agrees to be bound by any payment orders, amendments and cancellations, whether or not authorized, issued in its name and accepted by State Street after being confirmed by any of the selected Security Procedures. The Client also agrees to be bound by any other valid and authorized payment order accepted by State Street. The Client shall restrict access to confidential information relating to the Security Procedure to authorized persons as communicated in writing to State Street. The Client must notify State Street immediately if it has reason to believe unauthorized persons may have obtained access to such information or of any change in the Client’s authorized personnel. State Street shall verify the authenticity of all instructions according to the Security Procedure.

 

3.         ACCOUNT NUMBERS: State Street 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. Financial institutions that receive payment orders initiated by State Street at the instruction of the Client may also process payment orders on the basis of account numbers, regardless of any name included in the payment order. State Street will also rely on any financial institution identification numbers included in any payment order, regardless of any financial institution name included in the payment order.

 

4.         REJECTION: State Street 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 State Street’s receipt of such payment order; (b) if initiating such payment order would cause State Street, in State Street’s sole judgment, to exceed any volume, aggregate dollar, network, time, credit or similar limits upon wire transfers which are applicable to State Street; or (c) if State Street, in good faith, is unable to satisfy itself that the transaction has been properly authorized.

 

5.         CANCELLATION OR AMENDMENT: State Street 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 State Street reasonable opportunity to act. However, State Street assumes no liability if the request for amendment or cancellation cannot be satisfied.

 

6.         ERRORS: State Street shall assume no responsibility for failure to detect any erroneous payment order provided that State Street complies with the payment order instructions as received and State Street 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.

 

7.         INTEREST AND LIABILITY LIMITS: State Street shall assume no responsibility for lost interest with respect to the refundable amount of any unauthorized payment order, unless State Street is notified of the unauthorized payment order within thirty (30) days of notification by State Street of the acceptance of such payment order. In no event shall State Street be liable for special, indirect or consequential damages, even if advised of the possibility of such damages and even for failure to execute a payment order.

 

8.         AUTOMATED CLEARING HOUSE ("ACH") CREDIT ENTRIES/PROVISIONAL PAYMENTS: When a Client initiates or receives ACH 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, State Street will act as an Originating Depository Financial Institution and/or Receiving Depository Institution, as the case may be, with respect to such entries. Credits given by State Street with respect to an ACH credit entry are provisional until State Street receives final settlement for such entry from the Federal Reserve Bank. If State Street does not receive such final settlement, the Client agrees that State Street shall receive a refund of the amount credited to the Client in connection with such entry, and the party making payment to the Client via such entry shall not be deemed to have paid the amount of the entry.

 

9.         CONFIRMATION STATEMENTS: Confirmation of State Street’s execution of payment orders shall ordinarily be provided within 24 hours. Notice may be delivered through State Street’s proprietary information systems, such as, but not limited to Horizon and GlobalQuest®, account statements, advices, or by facsimile or callback. The Client must report any objections to the execution of a payment order within 30 days.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10.        LIABILITY ON FOREIGN ACCOUNTS: State Street shall not be required to repay any deposit made at a non-U.S. branch of State Street, or any deposit made with State Street and denominated in a non-U.S. dollar currency, if repayment of such deposit or the use of assets denominated in the non-U.S. dollar currency is prevented, prohibited or otherwise blocked due to: (a) an act of war, insurrection or civil strife; (b) any action by a non-U.S. government or instrumentality or authority asserting governmental, military or police power of any kind, whether such authority be recognized as a defacto or a dejure government, or by any entity, political or revolutionary movement or otherwise that usurps, supervenes or otherwise materially impairs the normal operation of civil authority; or(c) the closure of a non-U.S. branch of State Street in order to prevent, in the reasonable judgment of State Street, harm to the employees or property of State Street. The obligation to repay any such deposit shall not be transferred to and may not be enforced against any other branch of State Street.

 

The foregoing provisions constitute the disclosure required by Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 167D, Section 36.

 

While State Street is not obligated to repay any deposit made at a non-U.S. branch or any deposit denominated in a non-U.S. currency during the period in which its repayment has been prevented, prohibited or otherwise blocked, State Street will repay such deposit when and if all circumstances preventing, prohibiting or otherwise blocking repayment cease to exist.

 

11.       MISCELLANEOUS: State Street and the Client agree to cooperate to attempt to recover any funds erroneously paid to the wrong party or parties, regardless of any fault of State Street or the Client, but the party responsible for the erroneous payment shall bear all costs and expenses incurred in trying to effect such recovery. These Guidelines may not be amended except by a written agreement signed by the parties.

 

 

 

 

 

Security Procedure(s) Selection Form

 

Please select one or more of the funds transfer security procedures indicated below.

 

SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication) is a cooperative society owned and operated by member financial institutions that provides telecommunication services for its membership. Participation is limited to securities brokers and dealers, clearing and depository institutions, recognized exchanges for securities, and investment management institutions. SWIFT provides a number of security features through encryption and authentication to protect against unauthorized access, loss or wrong delivery of messages, transmission errors, loss of confidentiality and fraudulent changes to messages. SWIFT is considered to be one of the most secure and efficient networks for the delivery of funds transfer instructions.

Selection of this security procedure would be most appropriate for existing SWIFT members.

 

Standing Instructions may be used where funds are transferred to a broker on the Client’s established list of brokers with which it engages in foreign exchange transactions. Only the date, the currency and the currency amount are variable. In order to establish this procedure, State Street will send to the Client a list of the brokers that State Street has determined are used by the Client. The Client will confirm the list in writing, and State Street will verify the written confirmation by telephone. Standing Instructions will be subject to a mutually agreed upon limit. If the payment order exceeds the established limit, the Standing Instruction will be confirmed by telephone prior to execution.

 

Wire transfer instructions are delivered via Computer-to-Computer (CPU-CPU) data communications between the Client and State Street. Security procedures include encryption and or the use of a test key by those individuals authorized as Automated Batch Verifiers.

Clients selecting this option should have an existing facility for completing CPU-CPU transmissions. This delivery mechanism is typically used for high-volume business.

 

Global Horizon Interchange Funds Transfer Service (FTS) is a State Street proprietary microcomputer-based wire initiation system. FTS enables Clients to electronically transmit authenticated Fedwire, CHIPS or internal book transfer instructions to State Street.

This delivery mechanism is most appropriate for Clients with a low-to-medium number of transactions (5-75 per day), allowing Clients to enter, batch, and review wire transfer instructions on their PC prior to release to State Street.

 

Telephone confirmation will be used to verify all non-repetitive funds transfer instructions received via untested facsimile or phone. This procedure requires Clients to designate individuals as authorized initiators and authorized verifiers. State Street will verify that the instruction contains the signature of an authorized person and prior to execution, will contact someone other than the originator at the Client’s location to authenticate the instruction.

Selection of this alternative is appropriate for Clients who do not have the capability to use other security procedures.

 

For situations where funds are transferred periodically (minimum of one instruction per calendar quarter) from an existing authorized account to the same payee (destination bank and account number) and only the date and currency amount are variable, a repetitive wire may be implemented. Repetitive wires will be subject to a mutually agreed upon limit. If the payment order exceeds the established limit, the instruction will be confirmed by telephone prior to execution. Telephone confirmation is used to establish this process. Repetitive wire instructions must be reconfirmed annually.

This alternative is recommended whenever funds are frequently transferred between the same two accounts.

 

The Client faxes wire transfer instructions directly to State Street Mutual Fund Services. Standard security procedure requires the use of a random number test key for all transfers. Every six months the Client receives test key logs from State Street. The test key contains alpha-numeric characters, which the Client puts on each document faxed to State Street. This procedure ensures all wire instructions received via fax are authorized by the Client.

We provide this option for Clients who wish to batch wire instructions and transmit these as a group to State Street Mutual Fund Services once or several times a day.

 

 

 

Instruct is a State Street web-based application designed to provide internet-enabled remote access that allows for the capturing, verification and processing of various instruction types, including securities, cash and foreign exchange transactions. Instruct is designed using industry standard formats to facilitate straight-through processing. Instruct provides a number of security features through user entitlements, industry standard encryption protocols, digital security certificates and multiple tiers of user authentication requirements.

 

Secure Transport is a file transfer application based upon the Secure File Transfer Protocol standard that is designed to enable State Street clients/ investment managers to send file based transfer and transaction instructions over the internet. Secure Transport features multi-factor authenticators such as SecurID and digital certificates, and incorporates industry-standard encryption protocols.

 

State Street receives an automated transmission or a magnetic tape from a Client for the initiation of payment (credit) or collection (debit) transactions through the ACH network. The transactions contained on each transmission or tape must be authenticated by the Client. Clients using ACH must select one or more of the following delivery options:

 

Transactions are created on a microcomputer, assembled into batches and delivered to State Street via fully authenticated electronic transmissions in standard NACHA formats.

 

 

 

 

 

State Street is hereby instructed to accept funds transfer instructions only via the delivery methods and security procedures indicated. The selected delivery methods and security procedure(s) will be effective                                 for payment orders initiated by our organization.

 

Key Contact Information

 

Whom shall we contact to implement your selection(s)?

 

 

 

 

                   

 

                   

 

                   

 

 

 

                   

 

 

 

 

INSTRUCTION(S)

 

TELEPHONE CONFIRMATION

 

 

 

Authorized Initiators

 

Please provide a listing of Fund officers or other individuals who are currently authorized to INITIATE wire transfer instructions to State Street:

 

 

               

 

 

 

 

 

Authorized Verifiers

 

Please provide a listing of Fund officers or other individuals who will be CALLED BACK to verify the initiation of repetitive wires of $10 million or more and all non-repetitive wire instructions:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

REMOTE ACCESS SERVICES ADDENDUM TO MASTER CUSTODIAN AGREEMENT

 

ADDENDUM to that certain Master Custodian Agreement dated as of November 17, 2008 (the “Custodian Agreement”) by and among each management investment company identified on Appendix A thereto or made subject thereto pursuant to Section 18 thereof (each, a “Customer”) and State Street Bank and Trust Company, including its subsidiaries and affiliates (“State Street”).

 

State Street has developed and/or utilizes proprietary or third-party accounting and other systems in conjunction with the services that State Street provides to the Customer. In this regard, State Street maintains certain information in databases under its ownership and/or control that it makes available to its customers (the “Remote Access Services”).

 

The Services

 

State Street agrees to provide the Customer, and its designated investment advisors, consultants or other third parties who agree to abide by the terms of this Addendum (“Authorized Designees”) with access to State Street propriety and third-party systems as may be offered by State Street from time to time (each, a “System”) on a remote basis.

 

Security Procedures

 

The Customer agrees to comply, and to cause its Authorized Designees to comply, with remote access operating standards and procedures and with user identification or other password control requirements and other security devices and procedures as may be issued or required from time to time by State Street or its third-party vendors for use of the System and access to the Remote Access Services. The Customer is responsible for any use and/or misuse of the System and Remote Access Services by its Authorized Designees. The Customer agrees to advise State Street immediately in the event that it learns or has reason to believe that any person to whom it has given access to the System or the Remote Access Services has violated or intends to violate the terms of this Addendum and the Customer will cooperate with State Street in seeking injunctive or other equitable relief. The Customer agrees to discontinue use of the System and Remote Access Services, if requested, for any security reasons cited by State Street and State Street may restrict access of the System and Remote Access Services by the Customer or any Authorized Designee for security reasons or noncompliance with the terms of this Addendum at any time.

 

Fees

 

Fees and charges for the use of the System and the Remote Access Services and related payment terms shall be as set forth in the fee schedule in effect from time to time between the parties. The Customer shall be responsible for any tariffs, duties or taxes imposed or levied by any government or governmental agency by reason of the transactions contemplated by this Addendum, including, without limitation, federal, state and local taxes, use, value added and personal property taxes (other than income, franchise or similar taxes which may be imposed or assessed against State Street). Any claimed exemption from such tariffs, duties or taxes shall be supported by proper documentary evidence delivered to State Street.

 

PROPRIETARY INFORMATION/INJUNCTIVE RELIEF

 

The System and Remote Access Services described herein and the databases, computer programs, screen formats, report formats, interactive design techniques, formulae, processes, systems, software, know- how, algorithms, programs, training aids, printed materials, methods, books, records, files, documentation and other information made available to the Customer by State Street as part of the Remote Access Services and through the use of the System and all copyrights, patents, trade secrets and other proprietary and intellectual property rights of State Street and third-party vendors related thereto are the exclusive, valuable and confidential proprietary property of State Street and its relevant licensors and third-party vendors (the “Proprietary Information”). The Customer agrees on behalf of itself and its Authorized Designees to keep the Proprietary Information confidential and to limit access to its employees and Authorized Designees (under a similar duty of confidentiality) who require access to the System for the purposes intended. The foregoing shall not apply to Proprietary Information in the public domain or required by law to be made public.

 

The Customer agrees to use the Remote Access Services only in connection with the proper purposes of this Addendum. The Customer will not, and will cause its employees and Authorized Designees not to, (i) permit any third party to use the System

 

 

or the Remote Access Services, (ii) sell, rent, license or otherwise use the System or the Remote Access Services in the operation of a service bureau or for any purpose other than as expressly authorized under this Addendum, (iii) use the System or the Remote Access Services for any fund, trust or other investment vehicle without the prior written consent of State Street, or (iv) allow or cause any information transmitted from State Street's databases, including data from third-party sources, available through use of the System or the Remote Access Services, to be published, redistributed or retransmitted for other than use for or on behalf of the Customer, as State Street’s customer.          

 

The Customer agrees that neither it nor its Authorized Designees will modify the System in any way, enhance, copy or otherwise create derivative works based upon the System, nor will the Customer or its Authorized Designees reverse engineer, decompile or otherwise attempt to secure the source code for all or any part of the System.

 

The Customer acknowledges that the disclosure of any Proprietary Information, or of any information which at law or equity ought to remain confidential, will immediately give rise to continuing irreparable injury to State Street or its third-party licensors and vendors inadequately compensable in damages at law and that State Street shall be entitled to obtain immediate injunctive relief against the breach or threatened breach of any of the foregoing undertakings, in addition to any other legal remedies which may be available.

 

Limited Warranties

 

State Street represents and warrants that it is the owner of and/or has the right to grant access to the System and to provide the Remote Access Services contemplated herein. Because of the nature of computer information technology including, but not limited to the use of the Internet, and the necessity of relying upon third-party sources, and data and pricing information obtained from third parties, the System and Remote Access Services are provided “AS IS” without warranty express or implied including as to availability of the System, and the Customer and its Authorized Designees shall be solely responsible for the use of the System and Remote Access Services and investment decisions, results obtained, regulatory reports and statements produced using the Remote Access Services. State Street and its relevant licensors and third-party vendors will not be liable to the Customer or its Authorized Designees for any direct or indirect, special, incidental, punitive or consequential damages arising out of or in any way connected with the System or the Remote Access Services, nor shall any party be responsible for delays or nonperformance under this Addendum arising out of any cause or event beyond such party’s control.

 

EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY SET FORTH IN THIS ADDENDUM, STATE STREET, FOR ITSELF AND ITS RELEVANT LICENSORS AND THIRD-PARTY VENDORS EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL WARRANTIES CONCERNING THE SYSTEM AND THE SERVICES TO BE RENDERED HEREUNDER, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

 

Infringement

 

State Street will defend or, at its option, settle any claim or action brought against the Customer to the extent that it is based upon an assertion that access to or use of State Street proprietary systems by the Customer under this Addendum constitutes direct infringement of any United States patent or copyright or misappropriation of a trade secret, provided that the Customer notifies State Street promptly in writing of any such claim or proceeding, cooperates with State Street in the defense of such claim or proceeding and allows State Street sole control over such claim or proceeding. Should the State Street proprietary system or any part thereof become, or in State Street’s opinion be likely to become, the subject of a claim of infringement or the like under any applicable patent, copyright or trade secret laws, State Street shall have the right, at State Street's sole option, to (i) procure for the Customer the right to continue using the State Street proprietary system, (ii) replace or modify the State Street proprietary system so that the State Street proprietary system becomes noninfringing, or (iii) terminate this Addendum without further obligation. This section constitutes the sole remedy to the Customer for the matters described in this section.

 

Termination

 

Either party to the Custodian Agreement may terminate this Addendum (i) for any reason by giving the other party at least one-hundred and eighty (180) days prior written notice in the case of notice of termination by State Street to the Customer or

 

 

thirty (30) days notice in the case of notice from the Customer to State Street of termination, or (ii) immediately for failure of the other party to comply with any material term and condition of the Addendum by giving the other party written notice of termination. This Addendum shall in any event terminate within ninety (90) days after the termination of any service agreement applicable to the Customer. The Customer’s use of any third-party System is contingent upon its compliance with any terms of use of such system imposed by such third party and State Street’s continued access to, and use of, such third-party system. In the event of termination, the Customer will return to State Street all copies of documentation and other confidential information in its possession or in the possession of its Authorized Designees and immediately cease access to the System and Remote Access Services. The foregoing provisions with respect to confidentiality and infringement will survive termination for a period of three (3) years.

 

Miscellaneous

 

This Addendum constitutes the entire understanding of the parties to the Custodian Agreement with respect to access to the System and the Remote Access Services. This Addendum cannot be modified or altered except in a writing duly executed by each of State Street and the Customer and shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

 

By its execution of the Custodian Agreement, the Customer: (a) confirms to State Street that it informs all Authorized Designees of the terms of this Addendum; (b) accepts responsibility for its and its Authorized Designees’ compliance with the terms of this Addendum; and (c) indemnifies and holds State Street harmless from and against any and all costs, expenses, losses, damages, charges, counsel fees, payments and liabilities arising from any failure of the Customer or any of its Authorized Designees to abide by the terms of this Addendum.