INVESTMENT SUBADVISORY AGREEMENT
between
THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK, N.A.
AND ITS SUCCESSOR
and
CHASE ASSET MANAGEMENT, INC.
AGREEMENT made as of the 6th day of May, 1996, by and between The Chase
Manhattan Bank, N.A., a national banking association and its successor, a New
York State chartered bank (the "Adviser"), and Chase Asset Management, Inc., a
Delaware corporation (the "Sub-Adviser").
WHEREAS, the Adviser provides investment advisory services to the
series of Mutual Fund Variable Annuity Trust, a Massachusetts business trust
(the "Trust"), an open-end, management investment company registered under the
Investment Trust Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act") which serves as the
underlying investment for certain variable annuity contracts issued by insurance
company separate accounts, pursuant to an Investment Advisory Agreement dated as
of May 6, 1996 (the "Advisory Agreement"); and
WHEREAS, the Adviser is a registered investment adviser under the
Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the "Advisers Act"); and
WHEREAS, the Adviser desires to retain the Sub-Adviser to furnish
investment subadvisory services in connection with the series of the Trust
listed on Schedule A (each, a "Portfolio" and collectively, the "Portfolios"),
and the Sub-Adviser represents that it is willing and possesses legal authority
to so furnish such services;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and mutual covenants
herein contained, it is agreed between the parties hereto as follows:
1. Appointment.
(a) General. The Adviser hereby appoints the Sub-Adviser to act as
investment subadviser to the Portfolios for the period and on
the terms set forth in this Agreement. The Sub-Adviser accepts
such appointment and agrees to furnish the services herein set
forth for the compensation herein provided.
(b) Employees of Affiliates. The Sub-Adviser may, in its
discretion, provide such services through its own employees or
the employees of one or more affiliated companies that are
qualified to act as an investment subadviser to the Portfolios
under applicable laws and are under the control of New Chase,
the parent of the Sub-Adviser; provided that (i) all persons,
when providing services hereunder, are
functioning as part of an organized group of persons, and (ii)
such organized group of persons is managed at all times by
authorized officers of the Sub-Adviser.
2. Delivery of Documents. The Adviser has delivered to the Sub-Adviser
copies of each of the following documents along with all amendments thereto
through the date hereof, and will promptly deliver to it all future amendments
and supplements thereto, if any:
(a) the Trust's Declaration of Trust;
(b) the By-Laws of the Trust;
(c) resolutions of the Board of Trustees of the Trust authorizing
the execution and delivery of the Advisory Agreement and this
Agreement;
(d) the most recent Post-Effective Amendment to the Trust's
Registration Statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended (the "1933 Act"), and the 1940 Act, on Form N-1A as
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"Commission");
(e) Notification of Registration of the Trust under the 1940 Act
on Form N-8A as filed with the Commission; and
(f) the currently effective Prospectuses and Statements of
Additional Information of the Portfolios.
3. Investment Advisory Services.
(a) Management of the Portfolios. The Sub-Adviser hereby
undertakes to act as investment subadviser to the Portfolios.
The Sub-Adviser shall regularly provide investment advice to
the Portfolios and continuously supervise the investment and
reinvestment of cash, securities and other property composing
the assets of the Portfolios and, in furtherance thereof,
shall:
(i) obtain and evaluate pertinent economic, statistical
and financial data, as well as other significant
events and developments, which affect the economy
generally, the Portfolios' investment programs, and
the issuers of securities included in the portfolio
of each Portfolio and the industries in which they
engage, or which may relate to securities or other
investments which the Sub-Adviser may deem desirable
for inclusion in a Portfolio's portfolio;
(ii) determine which issuers and securities shall be
included in the portfolio of each Portfolio;
- 2 -
(iii) furnish a continuous investment program for each
Portfolio;
(iv) in its discretion, and without prior consultation,
buy, sell, lend and otherwise trade any stocks, bonds
and other securities and investment instruments on
behalf of each Portfolio; and
(v) take, on behalf of each Portfolio, all actions the
Sub-Adviser may deem necessary in order to carry into
effect such investment program and the Sub-Adviser's
functions as provided above, including the making of
appropriate periodic reports to the Adviser and the
Trust's Board of Trustees.
(b) Covenants. The Sub-Adviser shall carry out its investment
subadvisory responsibilities in a manner consistent with the
investment objectives, policies, and restrictions provided in:
(i) each Portfolio's Prospectus and Statement of Additional
Information as revised and in effect from time to time; (ii)
the Trust's Declaration of Trust, By-Laws or other governing
instruments, as amended from time to time; (iii) the 1940 Act;
(iv) the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended, including Subchapters L and M, relating to Variable
Contracts and regulated investment companies, respectively,
(v) other applicable laws; and (vi) such other investment
policies, procedures and/or limitations as may be adopted by
the Trust with respect to a Portfolio and provided to the
Adviser in writing. The management of the Portfolios by the
Adviser shall at all times be subject to the review of the
Trust's Board of Trustees.
(c) Books and Records. Pursuant to applicable law, the Sub-Adviser
shall keep each Portfolio's books and records required to be
maintained by, or on behalf of, the Portfolios with respect to
subadvisory services rendered hereunder. The Sub-Adviser
agrees that all records which it maintains for a Portfolio are
the property of the Portfolio and it will promptly surrender
any of such records to the Portfolio upon the Portfolio's
request. The Sub-Adviser further agrees to preserve for the
periods prescribed by Rule 31a-2 under the 1940 Act any such
records of the Portfolio required to be preserved by such
Rule.
(d) Reports, Evaluations and other services. The Sub-Adviser shall
furnish reports, evaluations, information or analyses to the
Adviser and the Trust with respect to the Portfolios and in
connection with the Sub-Adviser's services hereunder as the
Adviser and/or the Trust's Board of Trustees may request from
time to time or as the Sub-Adviser may otherwise deem to be
desirable. The Sub-Adviser shall make recommendations to the
Adviser and the Trust's Board of Trustees with respect to the
Trust's policies, and shall carry out such policies as are
adopted by the Board of Trustees. The Sub-Adviser may, subject
to review by the Adviser, furnish such other services as the
Sub-Adviser shall from time to time determine to be necessary
or useful to perform its obligations under this Agreement.
- 3 -
(e) Purchase and Sale of Securities. The Sub-Adviser shall place
all orders for the purchase and sale of portfolio securities
for each Portfolio with brokers or dealers selected by the
Sub-Adviser, which may include brokers or dealers affiliated
with the Adviser or the Sub-Adviser to the extent permitted by
the 1940 Act and the Trust's policies and procedures
applicable to the Portfolios. The Sub-Adviser shall use its
best efforts to seek to execute portfolio transactions at
prices which, under the circumstances, result in total costs
or proceeds being the most favorable to the Portfolios. In
assessing the best overall terms available for any
transaction, the Sub- Adviser shall consider all factors it
deems relevant, including the breadth of the market in the
security, the price of the security, the financial condition
and execution capability of the broker or dealer, research
services provided to the Sub-Adviser, and the reasonableness
of the commission, if any, both for the specific transaction
and on a continuing basis. In no event shall the Sub-Adviser
be under any duty to obtain the lowest commission or the best
net price for any Portfolio on any particular transaction, nor
shall the Sub-Adviser be under any duty to execute any order
in a fashion either preferential to any Portfolio relative to
other accounts managed by the Sub-Adviser or otherwise
materially adverse to such other accounts.
(f) Selection of Brokers or Dealers. In selecting brokers or
dealers qualified to execute a particular transaction, brokers
or dealers may be selected who also provide brokerage and
research services (as those terms are defined in Section 28(e)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) to the Sub-Adviser,
the Portfolios, and/or the other accounts over which the
Sub-Adviser exercises investment discretion. The Sub- Adviser
is authorized to pay a broker or dealer who provides such
brokerage and research services a commission for executing a
portfolio transaction for a Portfolio which is in excess of
the amount of commission another broker or dealer would have
charged for effecting that transaction if the Sub-Adviser
determines in good faith that the total commission is
reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and
research services provided by such broker or dealer, viewed in
terms of either that particular transaction or the overall
responsibilities of the Sub-Adviser with respect to accounts
over which it exercises investment discretion. The Sub-Adviser
shall report to the Board of Trustees of the Trust regarding
overall commissions paid by the Portfolios and their
reasonableness in relation to their benefits to the
Portfolios.
(g) Aggregation of Securities Transactions. In executing portfolio
transactions for a Portfolio, the Sub-Adviser may, to the
extent permitted by applicable laws and regulations, but shall
not be obligated to, aggregate the securities to be sold or
purchased with those of other Portfolios or its other clients
if, in the Sub-Adviser's reasonable judgment, such aggregation
(i) will result in an overall economic benefit to the
Portfolio, taking into consideration the advantageous selling
or purchase price, brokerage commission and other expenses,
and trading requirements, and (ii) is not inconsistent with
the policies set forth in the Trust's registration statement
and the Portfolio's Prospectus and Statement of Additional
Information. In such event, the Sub-Adviser will allocate the
securities so purchased or sold, and the expenses
- 4 -
incurred in the transaction, in an equitable manner,
consistent with its fiduciary obligations to the Portfolio and
such other clients.
4. Representations and Warranties.
(a) The Sub-Adviser hereby represents and warrants to the Adviser
as follows:
(i) The Sub-Adviser is a corporation duly organized and
in good standing under the laws of the State of
Delaware and is fully authorized to enter into this
Agreement and carry out its duties and obligations
hereunder.
(ii) The Sub-Adviser is registered as an investment
adviser with the Commission under the Advisers Act,
and is registered or licensed as an investment
adviser under the laws of all applicable
jurisdictions. The Sub-Adviser shall maintain such
registrations or licenses in effect at all times
during the term of this Agreement.
(iii) The Sub-Adviser at all times shall provide its best
judgment and effort to the Adviser in carrying out
the Sub-Adviser's obligations hereunder.
(b) The Adviser hereby represents and warrants to the Sub-Adviser
as follows:
(i) The Adviser is a national banking association duly
organized and in good standing under the laws of the
United States of America and is fully authorized to
enter into this Agreement and carry out its duties
and obligations hereunder.
(ii) The Trust has been duly organized as a business trust
under the laws of the State of Massachusetts.
(iii) The Trust is registered as an investment company with
the Commission under the 1940 Act, and shares of the
each Portfolio are registered for offer and sale to
the public under the 1933 Act and all applicable
state securities laws where currently sold. Such
registrations will be kept in effect during the term
of this Agreement.
5. Compensation. (a) As compensation for the services which the
Sub-Adviser is to provide or cause to be provided pursuant to Paragraph 3, with
respect to each Portfolio, the Adviser shall pay to the Sub-Adviser (or cause to
be paid by the Trust directly to the Sub-Adviser) a fee, which shall be accrued
daily and paid in arrears on the first business day of each month, at an annual
rate to be determined between the parties hereto from time to time, as a
percentage of the average daily net assets of the Portfolio during the preceding
month (computed in the manner set forth in the
- 5 -
Portfolio's most recent Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information).
Average daily net assets shall be based upon determinations of net assets made
as of the close of business on each business day throughout such month. The fee
for any partial month shall be calculated on a proportionate basis, based upon
average daily net assets for such partial month.
(b) The Sub-Adviser shall have the right, but not the
obligation, to voluntarily waive any portion of the sub-advisory fee from time
to time. Any such voluntary waiver will be irrevocable and determined in advance
of rendering sub-investment advisory services by the Sub-Adviser, and shall be
in writing and signed by the parties hereto.
(c) If the aggregate expenses incurred by, or allocated to,
each Portfolio in any fiscal year shall exceed the lowest expense limitation, if
applicable to such Portfolio, imposed by state securities laws or regulations
thereunder, as such limitations may be raised or lowered from time to time, the
Sub-Adviser shall reduce its investment advisory fee, but not below zero, to the
extent of its share of such excess expenses; provided, however, there shall be
excluded from such expenses the amount of any interest, taxes, brokerage
commissions and extraordinary expenses (including but not limited to legal
claims and liabilities and litigation costs and any indemnification related
thereto) paid or payable by the Portfolio. Such reduction, if any, shall be
computed and accrued daily, shall be settled on a monthly basis and shall be
based upon the expense limitation applicable to the Portfolio as at the end of
the last business day of the month. Should two or more of such expense
limitations be applicable at the end of the last business day of the month, that
expense limitation which results in the largest reduction in the Sub-Adviser's
fee shall be applicable. For the purposes of this paragraph, the Sub-Adviser's
share of any excess expenses shall be computed by multiplying such excess
expenses by a fraction, the numerator of which is the amount of the investment
advisory fee which would otherwise be payable to the Sub-Adviser for such fiscal
year were it not for this subsection 5(b) and the denominator of which is the
sum of all investment advisory and administrative fees which would otherwise be
payable by the Portfolio were it not for the expense limitation provisions of
any investment advisory or administrative agreement to which the Portfolio is a
party.
6. Interested Persons. It is understood that, to the extent consistent
with applicable laws, the Trustees, officers and shareholders of the Trust or
the Adviser are or may be or become interested in the Sub-Adviser as directors,
officers or otherwise and that directors, officers and shareholders of the
Sub-Adviser are or may be or become similarly interested in the Trust or the
Adviser.
7. Expenses. The Sub-Adviser will pay all expenses incurred by it in
connection with its activities under this Agreement other than the cost of
securities (including brokerage commissions) purchased for or sold by the
Portfolios.
- 6 -
8. Non-Exclusive Services; Limitation of Sub-Adviser's Liability. The
services of the Sub-Adviser hereunder are not to be deemed exclusive, and the
Sub-Adviser may render similar services to others and engage in other
activities. The Sub-Adviser and its affiliates may enter into other agreements
with the Portfolios, the Trust or the Adviser for providing additional services
to the Portfolios, the Trust or the Adviser which are not covered by this
Agreement, and to receive additional compensation for such services. In the
absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless
disregard of obligations or duties hereunder on the part of the Sub-Adviser, or
a breach of fiduciary duty with respect to receipt of compensation, neither the
Sub-Adviser nor any of its directors, officers, shareholders, agents, or
employees shall be liable or responsible to the Adviser, the Trust, the
Portfolios or to any shareholder of the Portfolios for any error of judgment or
mistake of law or for any act or omission in the course of, or connected with,
rendering services hereunder or for any loss suffered by the Adviser, the Trust,
a Portfolio, or any shareholder of a Portfolio in connection with the
performance of this Agreement.
9. Effective Date; Modifications; Termination. This Agreement shall
become effective on the date hereof (the "Effective Date") provided that it
shall have been approved by a majority of the outstanding voting securities of
each Portfolio, in accordance with the requirements of the 1940 Act, or such
later date as may be agreed by the parties following such shareholder approval.
(a) This Agreement shall continue in force for two years from the
Effective Date. Thereafter, this Agreement shall continue in
effect as to each Portfolio for successive annual periods,
provided such continuance is specifically approved at least
annually (i) by a vote of the majority of the Trustees of the
Trust who are not parties to this Agreement or interested
persons of any such party, cast in person at a meeting called
for the purpose of voting on such approval, and (ii) by a vote
of the Board of Trustees of the Trust or a majority of the
outstanding voting securities of the Portfolio.
(b) The modification of any of the non-material terms of this
Agreement may be approved by a vote of a majority of those
Trustees of the Trust who are not interested persons of any
party to this Agreement, cast in person at a meeting called
for the purpose of voting on such approval.
(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Paragraph 9,
either party hereto may terminate this Agreement as to any
Portfolio(s) at any time on sixty (60) days' prior written
notice to the other, without payment of any penalty. A
termination of the Sub-Adviser may be effected as to any
particular Portfolio by the Adviser, by a vote of the Trust's
Board of Trustees, or by vote of a majority of the outstanding
voting securities of the Portfolio. This Agreement shall
terminate automatically in the event of its assignment.
- 7 -
10. Limitation of Liability of Trustees and Shareholders. The
Sub-Adviser acknowledges the following limitation of liability:
The terms "Mutual Fund Variable Annuity Trust" and "Trustees of Mutual
Fund Variable Annuity Trust" refer, respectively, to the trust created and the
Trustees, as trustees but not individually or personally, acting from time to
time under the Declaration of Trust, to which reference is hereby made and a
copy of which is on file at the office of the Secretary of State of the State of
Massachusetts, such reference being inclusive of any and all amendments thereto
so filed or hereafter filed. The obligations of "Mutual Fund Variable Annuity
Trust" entered into in the name or on behalf thereof by any of the Trustees,
representatives or agents are made not individually, but in such capacities and
are not binding upon any of the Trustees, shareholders or representatives of the
Trust personally, but bind only the assets of the Trust, and all persons dealing
with the Trust or a Portfolio must look solely to the assets of the Trust or
Portfolio for the enforcement of any claims against the Trust or Portfolio.
11. Certain Definitions. The terms "vote of a majority of the
outstanding voting securities," "assignment," "control," and "interested
persons," when used herein, shall have the respective meanings specified in the
1940 Act. References in this Agreement to the 1940 Act and the Advisers Act
shall be construed as references to such laws as now in effect or as hereafter
amended, and shall be understood as inclusive of any applicable rules,
interpretations and/or orders adopted or issued thereunder by the Commission.
12. Independent Contractor. The Sub-Adviser shall for all purposes
herein be deemed to be an independent contractor and shall, unless otherwise
expressly provided herein or authorized by the Board of Trustees of the Trust
from time to time, have no authority to act for or represent a Portfolio in any
way or otherwise be deemed an agent of a Portfolio.
13. Structure of Agreement. The Adviser and Sub-Adviser are entering
into this Agreement with regard to the respective Portfolios severally and not
jointly. The responsibilities and benefits set forth in this Agreement shall be
deemed to be effective as between the Adviser and Sub-Adviser in connection with
each Portfolio severally and not jointly. This Agreement is intended to govern
only the relationships between the Adviser, on the one hand, and the
Sub-Adviser, on the other hand, and is not intended to and shall not govern (i)
the relationship between the Adviser or Sub-Adviser and any Portfolio, or (ii)
the relationships among the respective Portfolios.
14. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the
State of New York, provided that nothing herein shall be construed in a manner
inconsistent with the 1940 Act or the Advisers Act.
15. Severability. If any provision of this Agreement shall be held or
made invalid by a court decision, statute, rule or otherwise, the remainder of
this Agreement shall not be affected thereby and, to this extent, the provisions
of this Agreement shall be deemed to be severable.
- 8 -
16. Notices. Notices of any kind to be given to the Adviser hereunder
by the Sub-Adviser shall be in writing and shall be duly given if mailed or
delivered to the Adviser at ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ or at such
other address or to such individual as shall be so specified by the Adviser to
the Sub-Adviser. Notices of any kind to be given to the Sub-Adviser hereunder by
the Adviser shall be in writing and shall be duly given if mailed or delivered
to the Sub-Adviser at 1211 Avenue of the Americas, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ or
at such other address or to such individual as shall be so specified by the
Sub-Adviser to the Adviser. Notices shall be effective upon delivery.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be
executed by their respective officers thereunto duly authorized as of the date
written above.
CHASE ASSET MANAGEMENT, INC. THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK, N.A.
By:_______________________________________ By:_______________________________
Name: Name:
Title: Title:
- 9 -
Schedule A
Portfolio:
International Equity Portfolio
Capital Growth Portfolio
Growth and Income Portfolio
Asset Allocation Portfolio
U.S. Treasury Income Portfolio
Money Market Portfolio
i
