EXHIBIT 9(a)(1)
TRANSFER AGENCY AND SERVICE AGREEMENT
between
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ GNMA FUND
and
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ SERVICE CORPORATION
TRANSFER AGENCY AND SERV1CE AGREEMENT
AGREEMENT made as of October 2, 1989, by and between ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ GNMA FUND, a
Massachusetts business trust, having its principal office and place of business
at ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ (the "Company") and ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
CORPORATION, a Massachusetts corporation, having its principal office and place
of business at ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ (the "Agent").
WHEREAS, the Company desires to appoint the Agent as a transfer agent,
dividend disbursing agent and agent in connection with certain other activities
and the Agent desires to accept such appointment;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants herein contained,
the parties hereto agree as follows:
Article 1. Terms of Appointment: Duties of the Agent.
1.01. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, the
Company hereby employs and appoints the Agent to act as, and the Agent agrees to
act as, transfer agent for the Company's authorized and issued shares of
beneficial interest ("Shares"), dividend disbursing agent and agent in
connection with any accumulation, open-account or similar plans provided to the
shareholders of the Company ("Shareholders") and set out in a currently
effective prospectus ("Prospectus") or currently effective statement of
additional information ("Statement of Additional Information") of the Company
including without limitation any periodic investment plan or periodic withdrawal
program. If the Company offers two or more series of Shares as of the date
hereof, the term "Company" shall be deemed to apply to each series of Shares,
unless the context otherwise requires.
1.02. The Agent agrees that it will perform the following services:
(a) In accordance with procedures established from time to time by
agreement between the Company and the Agent, the Agent shall:
(i) Receive for acceptance orders for the purchase of Shares and
promptly deliver payment and appropriate documentation
thereof to the duly authorized custodian of the Company (the
"Custodian").
(ii) Pursuant to orders for the purchase of Shares, record the
purchase of the appropriate number of Shares in the
Shareholder's account and, if requested by the Shareholder,
and if the Trustees of the Company have authorized the
issuance of stock certificates, issue a certificate for the
appropriate number of Shares;
(iii) Pursuant to instructions provided by Shareholders, reinvest
income dividends and capital gain distributions;
(iv) Receive for acceptance redemption requests and redemption
directions and deliver the appropriate documentation thereof
to the Custodian;
(v) Provide an appropriate response to Shareholders with respect
to all correspondence and rejected trades;
(vi) At the appropriate time as and when it receives monies paid
to it by the Custodian with respect to any redemption, pay
over or cause to be paid over in the appropriate manner such
monies as instructed by the redeeming Shareholders;
(vii) Effect transfers of Shares by the registered owners thereof
upon receipt of appropriate instructions;
(viii) Prepare and transmit payments for dividends and
distributions declared by the Company;
(ix) Report abandoned property to the various states as
authorized by the Company in accordance with policies and
principles agreed upon by the Company and Agent;
(x) Maintain records of account for and advise the Company and
its Shareholders as to the foregoing;
(xi) Record the issuance of Shares of the Company and maintain an
accurate control book with respect to Shares pursuant to SEC
Rule 17Ad-l0(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
The Agent shall also provide the Company on a regular basis
with the total number of shares which are issued and shall
have no obligation, when recording the issuance of Shares,
to monitor the issuance of such Shares or to take cognizance
of any laws relating to the issue or sale of such Shares,
which functions shall be the sole responsibility of the
Company;
(xii) Respond to all telephone inquiries from shareholders or
their authorized representatives regarding the status of
Shareholder accounts;
(xiii) Respond to correspondence from Shareholders or their
authorized representatives regarding the status of
Shareholder accounts or information related to Shareholder
accounts; and
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(xiv) Perform all Shareholder account maintenance updates.
(b) In addition to and neither in lieu nor in contravention of the
services set forth in the above paragraph (a), the Agent shall: (i) perform the
customary services of a transfer agent, dividend disbursing agent and, as
relevant, agent in connection with accumulation, open-account or similar plans
(including without limitation any periodic investment plan or periodic
withdrawal program). The detailed definition, frequency, limitations and
associated costs (if any) set out in the attached fee schedule, include but are
not limited to: maintaining all Shareholder accounts, preparing Shareholder
meeting lists, mailing proxy statements and proxies, receiving and tabulating
proxies, mailing shareholder reports and prospectuses to current Shareholders,
and withholding all applicable taxes (including but not limited to all
withholding taxes imposed under the U.S. Internal Revenue Code and Treasury
regulations promulgated thereunder, and applicable state and local laws to the
extent consistent with good industry practice), preparing and filing U.S.
Treasury Department Forms 1099, Form 941 when applicable and other appropriate
forms with respect to dividends, distributions and taxes withheld on Shareholder
accounts by federal authorities for all registered Shareholders, preparing and
mailing confirmation forms and statements of account to Shareholders for all
purchases and redemptions of Shares and other confirmable transactions in
Shareholder accounts, preparing and mailing activity statements for
Shareholders, and providing Shareholder account information, (ii) provide daily
and monthly a written report and access to information which will enable the
Company to monitor the total number of Shares sold and the aggregate public
offering price thereof in each State by the Company, added by sales in each
State of the registered Shareholder or dealer branch office, as defined by the
Company, and (iii) if directed by the Company, (A) each confirmation of the
purchase which establishes a new account will be accompanied by a Prospectus
and any amendment or supplement thereto, and (B) a Prospectus, and any amendment
or supplement thereto, will be mailed to each Shareholder at the time a
confirmation of the first purchase by such Shareholder, subsequent to the
effective date of a Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, is mailed
to such Shareholders.
(c) In addition, the Company shall (i) identify to the Agent in
writing those transactions and assets to be treated as exempt from blue sky
reporting to the Company for each state and (ii) approve those transactions to
be included for each state on the blue sky system prior to activation and
thereafter monitor the daily activity for each state. The responsibility of the
Agent for the Company's blue sky State registration status is solely limited to
the initial establishment of transactions subject to blue sky compliance by the
Company and the reporting of such transactions as provided above.
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(d) The Agent shall utilize a system to identify all share
transactions which involve purchase and redemption orders that are processed at
a time other than the time of the computation of net asset value per share next
computed after receipt of such orders, and shall compute the net effect upon the
Company of such transactions so identified on a daily and cumulative basis.
(e) The Agent shall supply to the Company from time to time, as
mutually agreed upon, reports summarizing the transactions identified pursuant
to paragraph (d) above, and the daily and cumulative net effects of such
transactions, and shall advise the Company at the end of each month of the net
cumulative effect at such time. The Agent shall promptly advise the Company if
at any time the cumulative net effect exceeds a dollar amount equivalent to 1/2
of 1 cent per outstanding Share.
(f) The Agent shall make appropriate arrangements with banking
institutions in connection with effecting timely redemptions of shares by the
Write-a-Check redemption feature described in the Company's Prospectus and
Statement of Additional Information.
1.03. The Agent's offices, personnel and computer and other equipment shall
be adequate to perform the services contemplated by this Agreement for the
Company and for other investment companies advised by ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇,
Inc. and its affiliates. The Agent shall notify the Company in the event that it
proposes to provide such services for any investment companies or other entities
other than those managed by ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇, Inc. and its affiliates.
Article 2. Fees and Expenses
2.01. For the performance by the Agent pursuant to this Agreement, the
Company agrees to pay the Agent an annual maintenance fee for each Shareholder
account as set out in a fee schedule agreed to by both parties in writing. Such
fees and out-of-pocket expenses and advances identified under Section 2.02 below
may be changed from time to time subject to mutual written agreement between the
Company and the Agent, as approved by a majority of the Trustees who are not
"interested persons" (as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940) of the
Company.
2.02. In addition to the fee paid under Section 2.01 above, the Company
agrees to reimburse the Agent for out-of-pocket expenses or advances incurred by
the Agent for the items set out in the fee schedule agreed to by both parties in
writing. In addition, any other expenses incurred by the Agent at the request or
with the consent of the Company will be reimbursed by the Company.
2.03. The Company agrees to pay all fees and reimbursable expenses
promptly, the terms, method and procedures for which are detailed on the fee
schedule agreed to by both parties in writing. Postage for mailing of dividends,
proxy statements, Company reports and other mailings to all Shareholders
accounts shall be advanced to
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the Agent by the Company at least two (2) days prior to the mailing date of such
materials.
2.04. The Company may engage accounting firms or other consultants to
evaluate the fees paid by the Company and quality of services rendered by the
Servicing Company hereunder, and such firms or other consultants shall be
provided access by the Servicing Company to such information as may be
reasonably required in connection with such engagement. The Servicing Company
will give due consideration and regard to the recommendations to the Company in
connection with such engagement, but shall not be bound thereby.
Article 3. Representations and Warranties of the Agent.
The Agent represents and warrants to the Company that:
3.01. It is a corporation duly organized and existing and in good standing
under the laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
3.02. It has the legal power and authority to carry on its business in The
Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
3.03. It is empowered under applicable laws and by its charter and by-laws
to enter into and perform this Agreement.
3.04. All requisite proceedings have been taken to authorize it to enter
into and perform this Agreement.
3.05. It is duly registered as a transfer agent under Section 17A of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
3.06. It has and will continue to have access to the necessary facilities,
equipment and personnel to perform its duties and obligations under this
Agreement.
Article 4. Representations and Warranties of the Company.
The Company represents and warrants to the Agent that:
4.01. It is a business trust duly organized and existing and in good
standing under the laws of Massachusetts.
4.02. It is empowered under applicable laws and by its Declaration of Trust
and By-Laws to enter into and perform this Agreement.
4.03. All proceedings required by said Declaration of Trust and By-Laws
have been taken to authorize it to enter into and perform this Agreement.
4.04. It is an investment company registered under the Investment Company
Act of 1940, as amended.
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4.05. A registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933 is
currently effective (or will be effective prior to commencement by the Agent of
performance of services hereunder) and will remain effective, and appropriate
state securities law filings have been made and/or will continue to be made,
with respect to all Shares of the Company being offered for sale.
Article 5. Indemnification
5.01. To the extent that the Agent acts in good faith and without
negligence or willful misconduct, the Agent shall not be responsible for, and
the Company shall indemnify and hold the Agent harmless from and against, any
and all losses, damages, costs, charges, counsel fees, payments, expenses and
liabilities arising out of or attributable to:
(a) All actions of the Agent or its agents or subcontractors required
to be taken and correctly executed pursuant to this Agreement.
(b) The Company's lack of good faith, negligence or willful misconduct
or which arise out of the breach of any representation or warranty of the
Company hereunder.
(c) The reasonable reliance on or use by the Agent or its agents or
subcontractors of information, records and documents or services which are
received or relied upon by the Agent or its agents or subcontractors and
furnished to it or performed by or on behalf of the Company.
(d) The reasonable reliance on, or the carrying out by the Agent or
its agents or subcontractors of, any written instructions or requests of the
Company.
(e) The offer or sale of Shares in violation of any requirement under
the federal securities laws or regulations, or the securities laws or
regulations of any state that such Shares be registered in such state, or in
violation of any stop order or other determination or ruling by any federal
agency or any state with respect to the offer or sale of such Shares in such
state, unless such violation is the result of the Agent's negligent or willful
failure to comply with the provisions of Section 1.02(b) of this
5.02. The Agent shall indemnify and hold the Company harmless from and
against any and all losses, damages, costs, charges, counsel fees, payments,
expenses and liabilities arising out of or attributable to the Agent's refusal
or failure to comply with the terms of this Agreement (whether as a result of
the acts or omissions of the Agent or of its agents or subcontractors) or
arising out of the lack of good faith, negligence or willful misconduct of the
Agent, or its agents or subcontractors, or arising out of the breach of any
representation or warranty of the Agent hereunder.
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5.03. At any time the Agent may apply to any officer of the Company for
instructions, and may consult with outside legal counsel with respect to any
matter arising in connection with the services to be performed by the Agent
under this Agreement, and the Agent and its agents or subcontractors shall not
be liable and shall be indemnified by the Company for any action reasonably
taken or omitted by it in reliance upon such instructions or upon the opinion of
such counsel. The Agent, its agents and subcontractors shall be protected and
indemnified in acting upon any paper or document furnished by or on behalf of
the Company, reasonably believed to be genuine and to have been signed by the
proper person or persons, or upon any instruction, information, data, records or
documents provided to the Agent or its agents or subcontractors by
machine-readable input, telex, CRT data entry or other similar means authorized
by the Company, and shall not be held to have notice of any change of authority
of any person, until receipt by the Agent of written notice thereof from the
Company. The Agent, its agents and subcontractors shall also be protected and
indemnified in recognizing stock certificates which are reasonably believed to
bear the proper manual or facsimile signatures of the officers of the Company,
and the proper countersignature of any former transfer agent or registrar, or of
a co-transfer agent or co-registrar.
5.04. In the event either party is unable to perform its obligations under
the terms of this Agreement because of acts of God, strikes, equipment or
transmission failure or damage reasonably beyond its control, or other causes
reasonably beyond its control, such party shall not be liable to the other for
any damages resulting from such failure to perform or otherwise from such
causes.
5.05. Neither party to this Agreement shall be liable to the other party
for consequential damages under any provision of this Agreement, but each shall
be liable for general damages resulting from breach of this Agreement. For the
purpose of this Agreement, the term "general damages" shall include but shall
not be limited to:
(a) All costs of correcting errors made by the Agent or its agents or
subcontractors in Company shareholder accounts, including the
expense of computer time, computer programming and personnel;
(b) Amounts which the Company is liable to pay to a person (or his
representative) who has purchased or redeemed, or caused to be
purchased, Shares at a price which is higher, in the case of a
purchase, or lower, in the case of a redemption or repurchase,
than correct net asset value per Share, but only to the extent
that the price at which such Shares were purchased, redeemed or
repurchased was incorrect as a result of either (i) one or more
errors caused by the Agent or its agents or subcontractors in
processing shareholder accounts of the Company or (ii) the
posting by the Agent of the purchase, redemption or repurchase of
Shares subsequent to the time such purchase, redemption or
repurchase
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should have been posted pursuant to laws and regulations
applicable to open-end investment companies, if the delay is
caused by the Agent, its agents or subcontractors;
(c) The value of dividends and distributions which were not credited
on Shares because of the failure of the Agent or its agents or
subcontractors to timely post the purchase of such Shares;
(d) The value of dividends and distributions which were incorrectly
credited on Shares because of the failure of the Agent or its
agents or subcontractors to timely post the redemption or
repurchase of such Shares;
(e) The value of dividends and distributions, some portion of which
was incorrectly credited, or was not credited, on Shares because
of the application by the Agent or its agents or subcontractor of
an incorrect dividend or distribution factor or otherwise;
(f) Penalties and interest which the Company is required to pay
because of the failure of the Agent or its agents or
subcontractors to comply with the information reporting and
withholding (including backup withholding) requirements of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and applicable
Treasury regulations thereunder, applicable to Company
Shareholder accounts; and
(g) Interest in accordance with the laws of The Commonwealth of
Massachusetts on any damages from the date of the breach of this
Agreement.
5.06. In order that the indemnification provisions contained in this
Article 5 shall apply, upon the assertion of a claim or loss for which either
party may be required to indemnify the other, the party seeking indemnification
shall promptly notify the other party of such assertion or loss, and shall keep
the other party advised with respect to all developments concerning such claim.
The party who may be required to indemnify shall have the option to participate
at its expense with the party seeking indemnification in the defense of such
claim. The party seeking indemnification shall in no case confess any claim or
make any comprise in any case in which the other party may be required to
indemnify it except with the other party's prior written consent.
5.07. Losses incurred by the Company arising from the Agent effecting a
share transaction at a trade (pricing) date prior to the processing date shall
be governed by a separate agreement between the Agent and the Company.
The obligations of the parties hereto under this Article 5 shall survive
the termination of this Agreement.
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Article 6. Covenants of the Company and the Agent.
6.01. The Company shall promptly furnish to the Agent the following:
(a) A certified copy of the resolution of the Board of Trustees of the
Company authorizing the appointment of the Agent and the execution and delivery
of this Agreement.
(b) A copy of the Declaration of Trust and By-Laws of the Company and
all amendments thereto.
6.02. The Agent hereby agrees to establish and maintain facilities and
procedures reasonably acceptable to the Company for safekeeping of stock
certificates, check forms and facsimile signature imprinting devices, if any;
and for the preparation or use, and for keeping account, of such certificates,
forms and devices.
6.03. The Agent shall at all times maintain insurance coverage which is
reasonable and customary in light of its duties hereunder and its other
obligations and activities.
6.04. The Agent shall keep records relating to the services to be performed
hereunder, in the form and manner as it may deem advisable. To the extent
required by Section 31 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, (the
"Act") and the Rules thereunder, the Agent agrees that all such records prepared
or maintained by the Agent relating to the services to be performed the Agent
hereunder and those records that the Company and the Agent agree from time to
time to be the records of the Company are the property of the Company and will
be preserved, maintained and made available in accordance with such Section and
Rules, and will be surrendered promptly to the Company on and in accordance with
its request. Records surrendered hereunder shall be in machine readable form,
except to the extent that the Agent has maintained such a record only in paper
form.
6.05. The Agent and the Company agree that all books, records, information
and data pertaining to the business of the other party which are exchanged or
received pursuant to the negotiation or the carrying out of this Agreement shall
remain confidential and shall not be voluntarily disclosed to any other person,
except as may be required by law.
6.06. In case of any requests or demands for the inspection of the
Shareholders records of the Company, the Agent will endeavor to notify the
Company and to secure instructions from an authorized officer of the Company as
to such inspection. The Agent reserves the right, however, to exhibit the
Shareholders records to any person whenever it is reasonably advised by its
counsel that it may be held liable for the failure to exhibit the Shareholders
records to such person.
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6.07. The Agent agrees to maintain or provide for redundant facilities or a
compatible configuration and to maintain or provide for backup of the Company's
master and input files and to store such files in a secure off-premises location
so that in the event of a power failure or other interruption of whatever cause
at the location of such files the Company's records are maintained intact and
transactions can be processed at another location.
6.08. The Agent acknowledges that the Company, as a registered investment
company under the Act, is subject to the provisions of the Act and the rules and
regulations thereunder, and that the offer and sale of the Company's Shares are
subject to the provisions of federal and state laws and regulations applicable
to the offer and sale of securities. The Company acknowledges that the Agent is
not responsible for the Company's compliance with such laws and regulations. If
the Company advises the Agent that a procedure of the Agent related to the
discharge of its obligations hereunder has or may have the effect of causing the
Company to violate any of such laws or regulations, the Agent shall use its beet
efforts to develop a mutually agreeable alternative procedure which does not
have such effect.
Article 7. Termination of Agreement.
7.01. This Agreement may be terminated by either party upon one hundred
twenty (120) days written notice to the other.
7.02. Should the Company exercise its right to terminate, all reasonable
out-of-pocket expenses of the Agent associated with the movement of records and
materials required by this Agreement will be borne by the Company. Additionally,
the Agent reserves the right to charge for any other reasonable expenses
associated with such termination.
Article 8. Additional Series.
8.01. In the event that the Company establishes one or more series of
Shares with respect to which it desires to have the Agent render services as
transfer agent under the terms hereof, it shall so notify the Agent in writing,
and unless the Agent objects in writing to providing such services, the term
"Company" hereunder, unless the context otherwise requires, shall be deemed to
include each such series of Shares. All recordkeeping and reporting shall be
done separately for each series. Unless the Company and the Agent agree to an
amended fee schedule, the fee schedule attached hereto shall apply to each
series separately.
Article 9. Assignment.
9.01. Except as provided in Section 9.03 below, neither this Agreement nor
any rights or obligations hereunder may be assigned by either party without the
written consent of the other party.
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9.02. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the
parties and their respective permitted successors and assigns.
9.03. The Agent may, with notice to and consent on the part of the Company,
which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, subcontract for the
performance of certain services under this Agreement to qualified service
providers, which shall be registered as transfer agents under Section l7A of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 if such registration is required; provided,
however, that the Agent shall be as fully responsible to the Company for the
acts and omissions of any subcontractor as it is for its own acts and omissions.
Article 10. Amendment.
10.01. This Agreement may be amended or modified by a written agreement
executed by both parties and authorized or approved by a resolution of the Board
of Directors or Trustees of each party.
Article 11. Massachusetts Law to Apply.
11.01. This Agreement shall be construed and the provisions thereof
interested under and in accordance with the laws of The Commonwealth of
Massachusetts.
Article 12. Form N-SAR.
12.01. The Agent shall maintain such records as shall enable the Company to
fulfill the requirements of Form N-SAR or any report which Trust be filed with
the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Article 13.
13.01. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties
hereto and supersedes any prior agreement with respect to the subject hereof
whether oral or written.
Article 14. Counterparts.
14.01. This Agreement may be executed by the parties hereto in any number
of counterparts, and all of said counterparts taken together shall be deemed to
constitute one and the same instrument.
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Article 15. Limitation of Liability of the Trustees and the shareholders
It is understood and expressly stipulated that none of the Trustees,
officers, agents, or shareholders of the Company shall be personally liable
hereunder. The name of the Company is the designation of the Trustees for the
time being under the Company's Declaration of Trust, as the same is now stated
or may hereafter be amended, and all persons dealing with the trust must look
solely to the property of the trust for the enforcement of any claims against
the trust as neither the Trustees, officers, agents or shareholders assume any
personal liability for obligations entered into on behalf of the trust. No
series of the Company, if any, shall be liable for the obligations of any other
series.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
executed in their names and on their behalf under their seals by and through
their duly authorized officers, as of the day and year first above written.
ATTEST: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ GNMA FUND
/s/ [ILLEGIBLE] BY: /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇
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Title: Vice President
ATTEST: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ SERVICE CORPORATION
/s/ [ILLEGIBLE] BY: /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
---------------------------------- ------------------------------------
Title: Vice President
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