TRANSFER AGENCY AGREEMENT
THIS AGREEMENT is made this 9th day of February, 1989, by and
between Tax-Free Trust of Oregon, an unincorporated business trust
organized under the laws of Massachusetts (the "Fund"), and
ADMINISTRATIVE DATA MANAGEMENT CORP., a corporation organized and
existing under the laws of the State of New York ("ADM").
R E C I T A L S
WHEREAS, the Fund is registered as an open-end, diversified,
management investment company under the Investment Company Act of
1940, as amended (the "1940 Act") currently offering one class of
shares (the "Shares"); and
WHEREAS, the Fund desires to retain ADM to serve as the Fund's
transfer agent, registrar and dividend disbursing agent, and ADM is
willing to 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. The Fund hereby appoints ADM to serve as
transfer agent, registrar and dividend disbursing agent for the
Fund, for the period and on the terms set forth in this Agreement.
ADM accepts such appointment and agrees to furnish the services
herein set forth in return for the compensation as provided for in
Paragraph 15 of this Agreement.
2. Delivery of Documents. (a) The Fund has furnished ADM
with copies properly certified or authenticated of each of the
following:
(i) Resolutions of the Fund's Board of Trustees
authorizing the execution of this Agreement;
(ii) Appendix B identifying and containing the signatures
of the Fund's officers and other persons authorized to sign Written
Instructions and give Oral Instructions, each as hereinafter
defined, on behalf of the Fund;
(iii) The Fund's Declaration of Trust filed with the
Secretary of State of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and all
amendments thereto (such Declaration of Trust, as presently in
effect and as it shall from time to time be amended, is herein
called the "Declaration");
(iv) The Fund's By-Laws and all amendments thereto (such
By-Laws, as presently in effect and as they shall from time to time
be amended, are herein called the "By-Laws");
(v) The Fund's Registration Statement on Form N-1A under
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act") and under
the 1940 Act as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
("SEC") and all amendments thereto;
(vi) The Fund's most recent prospectus and statement of
additional information (such prospectus and statement of additional
information, as from time to time in effect and all amendments and
supplements thereto are herein called the "Prospectus").
(b) ADM has furnished the Fund with copies properly
certified or authenticated its Registration Statement on Form TA-1
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and all
annual or other public reports filed with the SEC as may be
requested by the Fund.
(c) Each party from time to time will furnish the other
with copies, properly certified or authenticated, of all amendments
or supplements to the foregoing, if any. Neither party is
obligated hereby to provide the other with otherwise confidential
information.
3. Definitions.
(a) "Authorized Person". As used in this Agreement, the
term "Authorized Person" means the Fund's officers and other
persons duly authorized by the Board of Trustees of the Fund to
give Oral and Written Instructions on behalf of the Fund and listed
on the Certificate annexed hereto as Appendix B or any amendment
thereto as may be received by ADM from time to time.
(b) "Oral Instructions". As used in this Agreement, the
term "Oral Instructions" means verbal instructions actually
received by ADM from an Authorized Person or from a person
reasonably believed by ADM to be an Authorized Person. The Fund
agrees to deliver to ADM Written Instructions confirming Oral
Instructions.
(c) "Written Instructions". As used in this Agreement,
the term "Written Instructions" means written instructions
delivered by mail, telegram, cable, telex or facsimile sending
device, and received by ADM and signed by an Authorized Person or
reasonably believed by ADM to have been signed by or authorized by
an Authorized Person unless otherwise required by a resolution of
the Board of Trustees furnished to ADM pursuant to Section 2(a)
hereof.
4. Instructions Consistent with Declaration, etc.
(a) Unless otherwise provided in this Agreement, ADM
shall act only upon Oral or Written Instructions. Although ADM may
take cognizance of the provisions of the Declaration and By-Laws of
the Fund, the Fund's Prospectus and the laws, rules and regulations
applicable to the Fund, ADM may assume that any Oral or Written
Instructions received hereunder are not in any way inconsistent
with any provisions of such Declaration or By-Laws, the Fund's
Prospectus or with any laws, rules or regulations applicable to the
Fund or any vote, resolution or proceeding of the Shareholders, or
of the Board of Trustees, or of any committee thereof.
(b) ADM shall be entitled to rely upon any Oral
Instructions and any Written Instructions actually received by ADM
pursuant to this Agreement and shall have no liability for any
action which it takes or omits in accordance with such Oral
Instructions or Written Instructions, whether received from
personnel of the Fund, its investment adviser, its administrator,
or otherwise. The Fund agrees to forward to ADM Written
Instructions confirming Oral Instructions in such manner that the
Written Instructions are received by ADM, whether by hand delivery,
telex, facsimile sending device or otherwise, as promptly as
practicable after Oral Instructions are given to ADM. The Fund
agrees that the fact that such confirming Written Instructions are
not received by ADM shall in no way affect the validity of the
actions or transactions or enforceability of the actions or
transactions authorized by the Fund by giving Oral Instructions.
5. Transactions Not Requiring Instructions.
(a) In the absence of contrary Written Instructions, ADM
is authorized to take and to the extent set forth in the Activities
List shall take the following actions:
(i) issuance, transfer and
redemption of Shares;
(ii) opening, maintenance, servicing
and closing of accounts of Shareholders or prospective
Shareholders;
(iii) acting as agent of the Fund, in
connection with plan accounts, upon the terms and subject to the
conditions contained in the application relating to the plan
account in question;
(iv) causing the reinvestment in
Shareholders' accounts of dividends and distributions declared upon
shares;
(v) transferring the investment of
an investor into, or from, the shares of other open-end investment
companies, if and to the extent permitted by the Prospectus;
(vi) processing redemptions;
(vii) examining and approving legal
transfers;
(viii) furnishing to Shareholders
confirmations of transactions relating to their Shares;
(ix) preparing and mailing to the
Internal Revenue Service and all payees all information returns and
payee statements required under the Internal Revenue Code in
respect to the Fund's dividends and distributions and taking all
other necessary actions in connection with the dividend and other
withholding requirements of that Code;
(x) mailing to Shareholders annual
and semi-annual reports prepared by or on behalf of the Fund, and
mailing new Prospectuses upon their issue to shareholders.
(xi) preparation and sending such
other information from the Fund records held by ADM as may be
reasonably requested by the Fund;
(xii) preparation and sending to the
Fund such affidavits of mailing and certifications as are
reasonably requested by an officer of the Fund;
(xiii) transferring stock certificates
representing shares for other stock certificates representing such
shares;
(xiv) replacing allegedly lost, stolen
or destroyed stock certificates with or without surety bonds; and
(xv) maintaining such books and
records relating to transactions effected by ADM as are required by
the 1940 Act, or by any other applicable provisions of law, to be
maintained by the Fund or its transfer agent with respect to such
transactions, and preserving, or causing to be preserved, any such
books and records for such periods as may be required by any such
law, rule or regulation.
(b) ADM agrees to act as Proxy Agent in connection with
the holding of annual or special meetings of Shareholders, mailing
to Shareholders notices, proxies and proxy statements in connection
with the holding of such meetings, receiving and tabulating votes
cast by proxy and communicating to the Fund the results of such
tabulation accompanied by appropriate certificates, and preparing
and furnishing to the Fund certified lists of Shareholders as of
such date, and in such form and containing such information as may
be required by the Fund to comply with any applicable provisions of
law or its Declaration and/or By-Laws relating to such meetings.
ADM shall be reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses in performing
such services, such as the costs of forms, envelopes and postage.
ADM at its cost with the consent of the Fund may employ another
firm to perform all or some of the functions required by this
subsection. The Fund shall pay such additional charges as the
parties may agree upon for the services of the Transfer Agent in
connection with special meetings of shareholders of the Fund in
excess of one such meeting held in any fiscal year of the Fund.
(c) ADM shall furnish to the Fund such information and
at such intervals as the Fund may reasonably request for the Fund
to comply with the normal registration and/or the normal reporting
requirements of the SEC, Blue Sky authorities or other regulatory
agencies. All such information shall be materially correct and
complete based upon information supplied to ADM.
(d) ADM shall, in addition to the services herein
itemized, if so requested by the Fund and for such additional fees
as the Fund and ADM may from time to time agree, perform and do all
other acts and services that are customarily performed and done by
transfer agents, dividend disbursing agents and shareholder
servicing agents of open-end mutual funds such as the Fund,
provided that normally occurring improvements in the services of
such agents will be provided without initial capital cost to the
Fund and at service fees which are competitive with those
prevailing in the industry.
(e) The parties hereto agree that without prejudice to
any other provisions of this Agreement, the functions of ADM and
the Fund under this Agreement will be substantially performed in
accordance with the Activities List set out in Appendix A to this
Agreement. Such activities List as amended from time to time is an
integral part of this Agreement. In the event that the provisions
of this Agreement are in conflict with or are inconsistent with
those set forth in such Activity List the provisions of the
Activities List shall govern.
(f) ADM agrees to provide to the Fund upon request such
information as may reasonably be required to enable the Fund to
reconcile the number of outstanding shares of the Fund between
ADM's records and the account books of the Fund.
6. Authorized Shares. The Fund hereby represents that the
Declaration authorizes the Board of Trustees to issue an unlimited
number of shares.
7. Dividends and Distributions. The Fund shall furnish ADM
with the amount of each daily dividend and with appropriate
evidence of action by the Fund's Board of Trustees authorizing the
daily declaration of dividends and distributions in respect of
Shares as described in the then current Prospectus. Upon
declaration of each dividend other than daily dividends, each
capital gain distribution or other distribution by the Board of
Trustees of the Fund, the Fund shall promptly notify ADM of the
date of such declaration, the amount payable per share, the record
date for determining the shareholders entitled to payment, the
payment date, and the reinvestment date and price which is to be
used to purchase shares for reinvestment, all sufficiently in
advance to permit ADM to process properly such dividend or capital
gain distribution or other distribution in a timely and orderly
manner.
Sufficiently in advance of each payment date to permit ADM to
have federal funds available to it for the payment thereof, the
Fund will transfer, or cause the Custodian to transfer, to ADM in
its capacity as dividend disbursing agent, at First Financial
Savings Bank, S.L.A. or at such bank or other financial institution
as ADM with the consent of the Fund shall select, which may but
need not be an affiliate of ADM, the total amount of the dividend
or distribution currently payable. After deducting any amount
reasonably believed by ADM to be required to be withheld by any
applicable tax laws, rules and regulations or other applicable
laws, rules and regulations, based upon information available to
it, ADM shall, as agent for each Shareholder and in accordance with
the provisions of the Fund's Declaration and then current
Prospectus, invest dividends in Shares in the manner described in
the Prospectus or pay them in cash.
ADM shall prepare, file with the Internal Revenue Service, and
address and mail to shareholders such returns and information
relating to dividends and distributions paid by the Fund as are
required to be so prepared, filed and mailed by applicable laws,
rules and regulations, or such substitute form of notice as may
from time to time be permitted or required by the Internal Revenue
Service. The Fund shall promptly provide ADM with the information
necessary to prepare such returns and information, all sufficiently
in advance to permit ADM to prepare properly and mail such returns
and information in a timely and orderly manner. On behalf of the
Fund, ADM shall pay on a timely basis to the appropriate Federal
authorities any taxes withheld on dividends and distributions paid
by the Fund.
8. Notification of ADM: The Fund shall promptly notify ADM
of the closing net asset value per share and the offering price per
share each day there are any transaction in shares of the Fund, but
in any event not later than sixty (60) minutes after the closing of
the New York Stock Exchange (if the Fund is not a money market
Fund) or before 1:00 p.m. New York Time (if the Fund is a money
market Fund.) In the event ADM is not so notified, it may assume
that the price is unchanged from the prior price.
9. Communications with Shareholders.
(a) Communications to Shareholders. The Fund shall
prepare, print and provide ADM with sufficient quantities of all
communications by the Fund to its shareholders all sufficiently in
advance to permit ADM to properly address and mail in a timely and
orderly manner all communications by the Fund to its Shareholders,
including reports to Shareholders, dividend and distribution
notices and proxy material for its meetings of Shareholders. ADM
agrees to mail all such material to shareholders of the Fund in a
timely manner. ADM or a firm employed by ADM will at ADM'S cost and
expense receive and tabulate the proxy cards for the meetings of
the Fund's Shareholders.
(b) Correspondence. ADM will answer such correspondence
from Shareholders, securities brokers and others relating to its
duties hereunder and such other correspondence as may from time to
time be mutually agreed upon between ADM and the Fund.
10. Records. ADM shall keep the records described on the
Activities List, including but not limited to the following:
(a) accounts for each Shareholder showing the following
information:
(i) name, address and United States
Tax Identification or Social Security number;
(ii) number of Shares held and number
of Shares for which certificates, if any, have been issued,
including certificate numbers and denominations;
(iii) historical information regarding
the account of each Shareholder, including dividends and
distributions paid and the date and the price, if applicable, for
all transactions in a Shareholder's account;
(iv) any stop or restraining order
placed against a Shareholder's account;
(v) any correspondence relating to
the current maintenance of a Shareholder's account;
(vi) information with respect to
withholdings in the case of a foreign account; and
(vii) information with respect to
withholding in the case of an account subject to backup
withholding;
(ix) any information required in
order for ADM to perform any calculations contemplated or required
by this Agreement.
(b) If agreed between the Fund and ADM, subaccounts may
be maintained for each Shareholder requesting such services in
connection with shares held by such Shareholder for separate
accounts containing the same information for each subaccount as
required by subparagraph (a) above.
The books and records pertaining to the Fund which
are in the possession of ADM shall be the property of the Fund.
Such books and records shall be prepared and maintained as required
by the 1940 Act and other applicable securities laws and rules and
regulations in effect from time to time. ADM will, if so requested
by the counsel to the Fund, modify the manner in which such books
and records are prepared and maintained so as to comply with the
reasonable opinion of such counsel as to such laws and rules. The
Fund, or the Fund's authorized representatives, shall have access
to such books and records at all times during ADM's normal business
hours. Upon the reasonable request of the Fund, copies of any such
books and records shall be provided by ADM to the Fund or the
Fund's authorized representative at the Fund's expense.
11. Reports and Other Information.
Upon reasonable request of the Fund, provided that the
cost or effort required therefor are, singly or in the aggregate,
not unduly burdensome or expensive to it, ADM will promptly
transmit to the Fund, at no additional cost to the Fund, (a)
documents and information in the possession of ADM and not
otherwise available necessary to enable it and its affiliates to
comply with the requirements of the Internal Revenue Service, the
SEC, the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., state
blue sky authorities, and any other regulatory bodies having
jurisdiction; (b) documents and information in the possession of
ADM necessary to enable the Fund to conduct annual and special
meetings of its shareholder; and (c) such other information,
including shareholder lists and statistical information concerning
accounts as may be agreed upon from time to time between the Fund
and ADM.
12. Cooperation with Accountants. ADM shall cooperate with
the Fund's independent public accountants and shall take all
reasonable action in the performance of its obligations under this
Agreement to assure that the necessary information is made
available on a timely basis to such accountants for the expression
of their unqualified opinion, including but not limited to the
opinion included in the Fund's annual report to Shareholders and on
Form N-SAR, or similar form.
13. Confidentiality. ADM agrees on behalf of itself and its
employees to treat confidentially all confidential records and
other confidential information relative to the Fund and its prior,
present or potential shareholders and relative to the Fund's
Distributor and its prior, present or potential customers. ADM
will under normal circumstances not divulge any such confidential
records or information to anyone other than the shareholder,
dealer, Fund or other person, firm, corporation or other entity
which ADM reasonably believes is entitled to such records or
information except, after prior notification to and approval in
writing by the Fund, which approval shall not be unreasonably
withheld and may not be withheld where ADM may be exposed to civil
or criminal contempt proceedings for failure to comply, when
requested to divulge such information by duly constituted
authorities, or when so requested by the Fund.
ADM shall not be considered to have breached this provision if
it, in good faith, has provided information or documents to an
individual, firm, corporation or other entity (governmental or
otherwise) which it reasonably believes is entitled to such
information or documents; provided that it shall, with respect to
any non-routine governmental investigation or inquiry, first
provide notice thereof to the Fund.
14. Equipment Failures. ADM shall maintain adequate and
reliable computer and other equipment necessary or appropriate to
carry out its obligations under this Agreement. In the event of
computer or other equipment failures at its own facilities beyond
ADM's reasonable control, ADM shall, at its expense, take
reasonable steps to minimize service interruptions. The foregoing
obligation of ADM shall not extend to computer terminals owned or
maintained by others, located outside of premises maintained by
ADM. ADM represents that it has presently in effect backup and
emergency systems described on Appendix C hereto. ADM will
maintain such arrangements or equivalent while this Agreement is in
force unless ADM notifies the Fund to the contrary and establishes
to the satisfaction of the Fund that industry standards no longer
require such arrangements.
15. Compensation. As compensation for the services rendered
by ADM during the term of this Agreement, ADM shall be entitled to
receive such reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses and such
compensation is specified on Appendix D attached hereto or as may
from time to time be otherwise agreed on in writing between the
parties.
16. Responsibility of ADM. In the performance of its duties
hereunder, ADM shall be obligated to exercise care and diligence
and to act in good faith and to use its best efforts within
reasonable limits to insure the accuracy and completeness of all
services performed under this Agreement.
ADM and the affiliates and agents of ADM shall not be
responsible for or liable for any taxes, assessments, penalties,
fines or other governmental charges of whatever description which
may be levied or assessed on any basis whatsoever in connection
with withholding of amounts, verifying or providing taxpayer
identification numbers or otherwise under applicable tax laws and
preparing and filing of tax forms, excepting only for taxes
assessed on the basis of its compensation hereunder, provided that
ADM exercises the care and diligence required by this Agreement,
and in the case of its responsibilities for backup withholding,
verifying or providing taxpayer identification numbers or
otherwise, as to any shareholder from whom such withholding is
required, it withholds the necessary amount and attempts with
reasonable frequency, but no less often than once a calendar
quarter, to obtain the necessary information from the shareholder
until withholding is no longer required.
ADM and the affiliates and agents of ADM shall not be
responsible or liable for the actions, inactions, or any losses or
damages caused by any such actions or inactions of any agents,
brokers or others who are specifically selected by the Fund in
writing.
17. Release. ADM understands that the obligations of this
Agreement are not binding upon any Shareholder of the Fund
personally, but bind only the Fund's property; ADM represents that
it has notice of the provisions of the Fund's Declaration
disclaiming Shareholder liability for acts or obligations of the
Fund.
The Fund understands that the obligations of this
Agreement are not binding upon the parent corporation of ADM or any
affiliates or subsidiaries of ADM and that the Fund, its Directors,
Trustees, Officers, Shareholders and others shall look only to the
separate assets of ADM.
18. Right to Receive Advice. (a) Advice of Fund. If ADM
shall be in doubt as to any action to be taken or omitted by it, it
may request, and shall receive, from the Fund directions or advice,
including Oral or Written Instructions where appropriate.
(b) Advice of Counsel. If ADM shall be in doubt as to
any question of law involved in any action to be taken or omitted
by ADM, it may request advice without cost to itself from counsel
of its own choosing (who may be counsel for the Adviser, the Fund
or ADM, at the option of ADM).
(c) Conflicting Advice. In case of conflict between
directions, advice or Oral or Written Instructions received by ADM
pursuant to subparagraph (a) of this paragraph and advice received
by ADM pursuant to subparagraph (b) of this paragraph, ADM shall be
entitled to rely on and follow the advice received pursuant to the
latter provision alone.
(d) Protection of ADM. ADM shall be fully protected in
any action or inaction which it takes in reliance on the provisions
of the Fund's Prospectus, procedures established between ADM and
the Fund, or in reliance on any directions, advice or Oral or
Written Instructions received pursuant to subparagraph (a) or (b)
of this paragraph which ADM, after receipt of any such directions,
advice or Oral or Written Instructions, in good faith believes to
be consistent with such directions, advice or Oral or Written
Instructions, as the case may be. However, nothing in this
paragraph shall be construed as imposing upon ADM any obligation
(i) to seek such directions, advice or Oral or Written
Instructions, or (ii) to act in accordance with such directions,
advice or Oral or Written Instructions when received, unless, under
the terms of another provision of this Agreement, the same is a
condition to ADM's properly taking or omitting to take such action.
19. Compliance with Governmental Rules and Regulations.
ADM shall have no responsibility for insuring that the
contents of each Prospectus of the Fund complies with all
applicable requirements of the 1933 Act, the 1940 Act, and any
laws, rules and regulations of governmental authorities having
jurisdiction, except that ADM shall cause a senior officer of ADM,
who shall be its General Counsel unless otherwise agreed upon, or
his designee to provide such information and represents and
warrants that all information so furnished by it for specific use
in any such Prospectus will be correct and complete in all material
respects.
20. Records From Others: ADM, its affiliates and agents
shall have no responsibility or liability for the accuracy or
completeness of any documents, records, or information maintained
or provided by or reasonably believed by ADM to have been
maintained or provided by any prior transfer agent, any shareholder
or dealer, or by the Fund or anyone on behalf of the Fund and the
Fund hereby specifically agrees that ADM, its affiliates and agents
may rely on and will be fully protected in so relying on the
completeness and accuracy of all such documents, records and
information; provided, that ADM will inform the Fund of material
errors coming to its attention in the course of the performance of
its duties hereunder.
ADM, its affiliates and agents may conclusively rely on, and
will be fully protected in relying on, the authenticity and
accuracy of any documents or communications, whether oral, written
or facsimile, it receives from the Fund or which ADM, its
affiliates or agents reasonably believes are from the Fund,
provided these are received from Authorized Persons in accordance
with this Agreement. This provision will apply to, among other
things, the daily public offering and net asset value prices for
Fund shares; instructions from the Fund concerning dividends and
other distributions; and other matters relating to the Fund and its
shareholders.
21. Responsibilities of the Fund: The Fund and the Agents of
the Fund hereby acknowledge and agree that ADM, its affiliates and
its agents are responsible only for those functions and duties set
forth in this Agreement and unless so set forth are not responsible
for any of the following which are to be handled by the Fund:
(a) creating or maintaining any records on behalf of the Fund
or others required by any federal or state law, or
regulation or rule of any agency thereof or any self-
regulatory authority except (i) those relating to
shareholder account information set forth in Rule 31a-
1(b)(2)(iv) promulgated under the 1940 Act or equivalent
regulation applicable from time to time; and (ii) such
additional records as may reasonably be requested from
time to time by the Fund which are customarily maintained
by transfer agents to mutual funds, and which ADM by use
of its best efforts may provide at minimal cost and
inconvenience to it; with respect to these records ADM
agrees that they: (i) are the property of the Fund; (ii)
will be maintained by ADM for the period prescribed in
Rule 31a-2 or equivalent regulation; (iii) will be made
available, upon request to the Fund and the SEC; and (iv)
will be surrendered promptly upon the request of the
Fund;
(b) determining the legality of any sale, exchange, issuance
or redemption of any shares of the Fund;
(c) determining the legality of any communications, oral or
written, which is sent or provided by ADM, its affiliates
or its agents on behalf of the Fund;
(d) complying with any federal or state laws or the
regulations or rules of any agency thereof or of any
self-regulatory authority except those specifically
applicable to ADM as a transfer agent;
(e) filing any documents on behalf of the Fund or any one
else with any federal or state government or with any
agency thereof or of any self-regulatory authority except
ADM will file with the Internal Revenue Service copies of
1099 Div, 1099R and 1099B Forms sent to shareholders of
the Fund and forms relating to withholding and non-
resident alien withholding;
(f) monitoring the activities of the Fund or any one else or
their compliance with applicable law, rules and
regulations or with the provisions of the Fund's
Prospectus, of Trust, By-Laws or other governing
instruments; or
(g) compliance of the Fund or others with applicable federal
and state laws, regulations and rules of any agency
thereof, or of any self-regulatory authority pertaining
to the registration of the Fund or of shares of the Fund
or the legality of their sale although ADM will, in order
to provide the Fund with assistance in complying with
normal Blue Sky requirements, upon the reasonable request
of the Fund provide the Fund with a report generated from
the information readily available to ADM detailing the
amount of shares of the Fund purchased and redeemed and
the states of residence of the shareholders purchasing or
redeeming such shares.
22. Information and Documents: (a) The Fund shall promptly
provide ADM with the current Prospectus for the Fund, the Annual
and Semi-Annual Reports to shareholders of the Fund, Proxy
Statement and other Fund material, all in sufficient quantities and
sufficiently in advance to permit ADM to provide them to
shareholders of the Fund in a timely and orderly fashion.
(b) To the extent necessary or appropriate to enable ADM to
carry out its responsibilities under this Agreement, the Fund shall
(i) promptly notify ADM of all material events which
affect the Fund or any affiliate of the Fund;
(ii) promptly notify ADM of any suits or other
proceedings threatened or actually instituted
against the Fund or any affiliate of the Fund by the
federal government, any state government, or any
agency thereof (including but not limited to the
SEC, the Securities Commission of any state) or by
the National Association of Securities Dealers,
Inc., or any other self-regulatory authority;
(iii) promptly notify ADM of any consent order, stop
orders or similar orders affecting the Fund or any
affiliate of the Fund issued by the federal
government, any state government, or any agency
thereof (including but not limited to the SEC, the
Securities Commission of any state) or by the
National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. or
any other self-regulatory authority;
(iv) promptly provide ADM, with copies of the audited
Annual Financial Statements for each affiliate of
the Fund which is an Investment Advisor, Investment
Sub-Advisor, Distributor or Administrator of the
Fund;
(v) promptly provide ADM, upon request, with copies of
any filings made by the Fund or any affiliate of the
Fund which is an Investment Advisor, Investment Sub-
Advisor, Distributor or Administrator of the Fund
with the federal government or any state government
or any agency thereof or with any self-regulatory
authority; and
(vi) promptly provide ADM, upon request, with copies of
any documents relating to items (ii) and (iii)
above.
(vii) discuss with ADM changes in the description of ADM
and the services which ADM provides to shareholders
contained in the Prospectus of the Fund at the time
of filing any amendments to the registration
statement of the Fund involving any such change.
ADM shall use its best efforts to assure the
accuracy and completeness of all material
information furnished by it for inclusion in any
such document.
23. Indemnification. Neither party nor any of its nominees
shall be indemnified against any liability to the other party (or
any expenses incident to such liability) arising solely out of (a)
such party's or such nominee's own willful misfeasance, bad faith
or gross negligence or reckless disregard of its duties in
connection with the performance of any duties, obligations or
responsibilities provided for in this Agreement or (b) such party's
or such nominee's own negligent failure to perform its duties
expressly provided for in this Agreement or otherwise agreed to in
writing.
24. Liability. (a) ADM shall be responsible for the
performance of its obligations under this Agreement notwithstanding
the delegation of some or all of such obligations to others in
accordance with the terms of this Agreement.
(b) ADM shall not be responsible for loss, liability cost
or expense arising out of occurrences beyond its control caused by
fire, flood, power failure, unanticipated equipment failure, acts
of God, or war or civil insurrection; provided, however, that it
shall have contingency planning for equipment or electrical failure
and such other contingencies as provided in this Agreement.
25. Insurance. ADM shall maintain fidelity, errors and
omissions and other insurance coverage in amounts and on terms and
conditions as set forth in information provided to the Fund from
time to time.
26. Advancement of Monies: Nothing in this Agreement shall
require ADM or any affiliate or agent of ADM to pay any monies
prior to its receipt of federal funds for such payment or for ADM
or any of its affiliates or agents to incur or assume any liability
for the payment of any such monies prior to its receipt of federal
funds for such payment.
27. Exclusivity. It is expressly understood and agreed that
the services to be rendered by ADM to the Fund under the provisions
of this Transfer Agency Agreement are not deemed to be exclusive
and ADM shall be free to render similar or different services to
others.
28. Further Actions. Each party agrees to perform such
further acts and execute such further documents as are reasonably
necessary to effectuate the purposes hereof.
29. Amendments. This Agreement or any part hereof may be
changed or waived only by an instrument in writing signed by the
party against which enforcement of such change or waiver is sought.
30. Assignment. This Agreement and the performance hereunder
may not be assigned by ADM without the Fund's written consent. Not
withstanding the previous sentence, ADM may, without the Fund's
consent, assign the performance of all or a portion of its
responsibilities and duties hereunder to an affiliate of ADM,
provided that the Fund shall incur no additional cost or expense in
connection therewith.
31. Declaration and Termination. This Agreement shall
continue until termination by the Fund on sixty (60) days' written
notice or by ADM on ninety (90) days' written notice.
32. Notices. All notices and other communications, including
Written Instructions (collectively referred to as "Notice" or
"Notices" in this paragraph), hereunder shall be in writing or by
confirming telegram, cable, telex or facsimile sending device.
Notices shall be addressed;
(a) if to ADM at:
Administrative Data Management Corp.
00 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxx Xxxxxx 00000-0000
Attn: Ms. Xxxx Xxxxxx, Vice President
or to such other address as ADM shall instruct the Fund, in
writing, from time to time;
(b) if to the Fund at:
___________________________
000 Xxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Attention: President
or to such other address as the Fund shall instruct ADM, in
writing, from time to time; or
(c) if to neither of the foregoing, at such other address as
shall have been notified to the sender of any such Notice or other
communication.
33. Miscellaneous. This Agreement embodies the entire
agreement and understanding between the parties hereto, and
supersedes all prior agreements and understandings relating to the
subject matter hereof, provided that the parties hereto may embody
in one or more separate documents their agreement, if any, with
respect to Oral Instructions. The captions in this Agreement are
included for convenience of reference only and in no way define or
delimit any of the provisions hereof or otherwise affect their
construction or effect. This Agreement shall be deemed to be a
contract made in New York and governed by New York law. 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. None of the provisions
contained in this Agreement shall be deemed waived or modified
because of a previous failure of a party to insist upon strict
performance thereof. This Agreement shall be binding and shall
inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective
successors.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this
Agreement to be executed by their officers designated below
on the day and year first above written.
/s/Xxxxxxx X. XxxXxxxxxx /s/Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Attest:By: ______________________ By:______________________
Xxxxxxx X. XxxXxxxxxx, Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxx,
Assistant Secretary President
ADMINISTRATIVE DATA
MANAGEMENT CORP.
/s/Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx /s/Xxxxx X. Head
Attest:By: ______________________ By:_______________________
Name: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx Name: Xxxxx X. Head
Title: Secretary & General Title: Chairman
Counsel
APPENDIX A
ACTIVITIES LIST
It is understood that the Fund, its Custodian, and other
persons, firms, corporations or other entities performing services
for or on behalf of the Fund shall provide ADM and the Fund with
such services, information, or other assistance as may be necessary
or appropriate to permit the Transfer Agent to properly perform the
services hereunder.
A. SHAREHOLDER ACCOUNTING SERVICES
1. General Scope
All terms used herein shall be as defined in the attached
Agreement (the "Agreement") except that ADM is referred
to as the "Transfer Agent." In accordance with the terms
of the Agreement the Transfer Agent will provide a
comprehensive Shareholder accounting service generally
consistent with that provided to other investment
companies, including:
a. dividend accounting;
b. arrangement for wire receipt and payout of
Shareholder funds;
c. to the extent that it is reasonably within the
control of, or can be reasonably arranged without
additional cost by, the Transfer Agent, the rapid
and efficient transfer of investment monies between
various accounts;
d. to the extent that it is reasonably within the
control of, or can reasonably be arranged without
additional cost by, the Transfer Agent, the
effective and controlled processing of expedited
redemptions and exchanges by telegraphic and
telephonic means.
2. Computer Accounting and Record Keeping
The Transfer Agent will perform daily maintenance and
routine file update.
The Transfer Agent will perform a dividend credit run as
required in order to credit all existing Shareholder
accounts with each daily dividend, monthly dividend,
capital gain distribution or other distribution. The
Transfer Agent will establish new and adjust or close
existing Shareholder accounts if necessary on or as of
each business day.
The Transfer Agent will take reasonable precautions for
safeguarding of all Shareholder accounts during these
computer runs.
The Transfer Agent will provide continuous proof to the
outstanding Shares maintained by the Fund on a daily
basis, and off-line availability of all file data
pertaining to Shareholder accounts.
The Transfer Agent will to the extent technically
feasible create and maintain the ability to liquidate and
back out dividends reinvested in accounts which are
subsequently liquidated by or on behalf of the Fund due
to nonreceipt of funds, improper registration, or other
sufficient reason.
3. Establishing and Servicing Accounts
The Transfer agent will, as set forth in the Fund's
Prospectus, or substantially in conformity with
procedures established by or on behalf of the Fund,
accept instructions from investors to open new accounts
and perform such functions consistent with opening a new
account:
a. Accept applications in proper form sent directly to
the Fund or its Custodian when they are properly
delivered to the Transfer Agent;
b. Accept applications in proper form sent directly to
it when they are received by the Transfer Agent;
c. Transfer Shares accompanied by apparent proper
instructions;
d. Audit and verify payment items for apparent
compliance with the requirements established by the
Fund, e.g. minimum investment amount, apparent
proper endorsements on third party checks or drafts
if the Fund elects to accept such third party checks
or drafts, and other particulars as prescribed in
the prospectus. The Fund will provide the Transfer
Agent, from time to time, with names and taxpayer
identification numbers of individuals entitled to
purchase shares at a reduced offering price as
described in the prospectus;
e. Review existing accounts to determine whether there
are any other existing accounts with the same
registration; process W-9 or similar forms received
by the Transfer Agent; and compare upon receipt of
a computer tape from the Internal Revenue Service
taxpayer identification numbers contained in such
tape against those maintained by the Transfer Agent
for the Fund.
f. Assign account numbers as necessary and, where
appropriate, indicate the account number on
applications;
g. Review payment items to determine whether the payee,
original or by endorsement, on such payment items
corresponds to the registration of the account to
which it is to be credited (permitted exceptions
include ADM or the Fund specified as the payee when
accompanied by a valid account number or all
necessary documents to establish a new account or
such other exceptions as the Transfer Agent and the
Fund shall agree);
h. Upon opening incoming mail, record the date and
approximate time of day all checks were received;
i. Produce microfilm record of all incoming checks and
other documentation on filmstrips or other microfilm
retrieval method so as to be retrievable and
reproducible upon request;
j. Process address changes and acknowledge such changes
to previous address of record;
k. Answer inquiries from Shareholders or other
individuals, corporations, or other entity who
appear to be the Shareholder, dealer or otherwise
entitled to receive information as to account
information;
l. Open new accounts per telephone instructions
received from a prospective Shareholder, his dealer
or his fiduciary pending receipt of funds
transmitted by bank wire or other means; forward a
new account application to the prospective investor;
and issue a confirmation, including duplicates where
requested, when funds are received by the Transfer
Agent or the Fund's Custodian; under normal
circumstances the new account application bearing
the Shareholder account number assigned must be
completed by or appear to have been completed by the
Shareholder and received by the Transfer Agent
before any redemption orders are accepted and
processed for that account.
m. Prepare confirmations in such form as may be agreed
between the Fund and the Transfer Agent from time to
time for all "Open Accounts" after each non-dividend
transaction in a Shareholder's account which affects
the share balance; mailing confirmations to the
Shareholder as such changes occur;
n. Process on a daily basis if necessary or appropriate
routine transactions such as:
(1) Deposit or withdrawal of Shares from
Shareholders' accounts;
(2) Changes of address;
(3) Miscellaneous changes;
(4) Stop-transfers;
(5) Instructions relating to the remittance or
reinstatement of Dividends and other
distributions;
o. Incorporate in the Shareholder accounting software
and procedures the necessary flags, audits, and
tests reasonably designed to assure that the various
provisions and requirements specified elsewhere in
this Agreement to be performed by the Transfer Agent
will be substantially satisfied.
B. TRANSFER AGENT SERVICES
In accordance with the Agreement, and in particular Section
5(d) thereof, the Transfer Agent will perform the functions
normally performed by the Transfer Agent for other investment
companies of a similar type. Such functions shall include but
not necessarily be limited to:
1. Processing
a. Keep such records in the form and manner as the
Transfer Agent may deem advisable but not
inconsistent with the rules and regulations of
appropriate governmental authorities applicable to
the Transfer Agent or as may otherwise be agreed
from time to time in writing between the Fund and
the Transfer Agent;
b. Process transfers as requested by Shareholders or
persons, firms, corporations or other entities the
Transfer Agent reasonably believes to be the
Shareholder or authorized to act on behalf of the
Shareholder including obtaining and reviewing papers
and all other documents necessary to satisfy
transfer requirements; the Fund will, upon request
of the Transfer Agent, advise the Transfer Agent of
the transfer requirements of the Fund, and the
Transfer Agent will be fully protected by the Fund
if it is following such transfer requirements;
c. Process initial and subsequent investments from
Shareholders;
d. On a semi-monthly or other basis acceptable to the
Transfer Agent and the Fund initiate, accept and
process pre-authorized checks or, when available,
electronic funds transfers drawn against
Shareholders' checking accounts;
e. Process and record redemption of Shares to satisfy
ordinary redemptions and Plan account;
f. Proportionally allocate dividends, which are
provided to the Transfer Agent by the Fund in gross
dollar amount, to the benefit of the Fund
Shareholders entitled to receive them. The
procedure used must show that the amounts allocated
daily substantially balance to the gross dollar
amount provided by the Fund to the Transfer Agent.
Until otherwise specified by the Fund, dividends
shall be in accordance with the following: Three-
day accrual on Monday for the previous weekend; Two-
day accrual on the first business day following a
holiday or Four-day accrual if the holiday
immediately precedes or follows a weekend;
compatibility with the Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Automatic
Investment of Dividends System, and the issuance of
all reports incidental thereto provided the Fund's
method of operation is so compatible.
2. Custody and Control of Shares and Certificates:
Certificates will not be issued except on Shareholder
request but shares will be credited to the Shareholder's
account in non-certificate form. The Transfer Agent will
examine certificates surrendered for transfer or
redemption, or requests for transfer or redemption of
shares not represented by certificates, for apparent
genuineness or alterations; pass upon the apparent
validity thereof including endorsements, signature
guarantees and (if applicable) tax stamps or waivers,
provided that the Transfer Agent shall not be required to
compare any such endorsements against other records it
maintains except in accordance with written procedures
agreed upon between it and the Fund. The Transfer Agent
will also:
a. Countersign all certificates;
b. Prepare, mail, or deliver certificates for original
issue, subsequent investments, exchanges, or
transfers upon request from the Shareholder or one
reasonably believed to be the Shareholder;
c. Prepare, mail, or deliver certificates for Shares
previously held in non-certificate form;
d. Deposit certificate Shares;
e. Cancel surrendered certificates;
f. Establish and maintain safeguards for cancelled and
uncancelled certificates;
g. Establish and maintain a system to monitor stop-
transfers;
h. Replace lost certificates.
C. SUBSCRIPTION AGENT SERVICES:
The Transfer Agent will act as Subscription Agent for the
Fund. In addition to subscription functions described
elsewhere in this Agreement, the Transfer Agent will:
1. Maintain a Subscription Account for the Fund. This
account shall be established and operated so as to
satisfy the following criteria:
a. The account shall be established by the Transfer
Agent for the benefit of the Fund in accordance with
the terms of the Agreement;
b. The account shall be provided at no additional cost
except as may otherwise be stated in Appendix D of
the Agreement;
c. The account shall serve as the sole depository for
subscription monies intended for the purchase of
Fund Shares until such funds are transferred to the
Custody Account;
d. The Transfer Agent shall be prepared to receive and
efficiently process incoming cash, checks, Federal
Reserve Drafts and bank wire transfers of funds;
e. Withdrawals from the account shall be for the
purpose of transferring funds into the Custody
Account or, where appropriate, the crediting or
payment of commission or dealer's commissions;
withdrawals are also permitted to accommodate net
settlements with the Custodian;
f. No dividend or redemption or any other payments
shall be made to Fund Shareholders from the
Subscription Account;
g. The Transfer Agent will cashier all items presented
in payment as expeditiously as possible.
2. In connection with managing the Subscription Account, the
Transfer Agent will exercise all possible care in
satisfying operational requirements in each of the
following critical areas:
a. Validation Receipt of Good Subscription Funds
Procedures and criteria are to be established by the
Transfer Agent and approved by the Fund for the
purpose of providing assurance that good (collected)
funds were received from Shareholders prior to
paying out any redemption proceeds (under a Plan
account or as a result of one or more specific
redemption requests). Such procedures are to deal
with:
(1) Screening subscriptions to prevent:
-forgery, fraud, improper endorsement or other
unauthorized use particularly when accepting third
party funds;
-maintenance of accounts in names other than proper
form; funds received where the legal existence or
legal capacity of the subscriber is in doubt shall
be employed in a temporary investment status until
a proper account is established to which prior
income will be credited, or until the funds are
returned upon determination that no subscriber of
legal existence and capacity exits.
(2) Establishing and maintaining procedures
reasonably designed to assure the clearance and
collection of checks which are otherwise properly
drawn.
In this regard, the Transfer Agent with the approval
of the Fund will:
-Establish for all parts of the United States the
normal number of days required for check clearance
and return notice of uncollectability;
-Establish redemption amount and clearing time
criteria which together place an automatic stop on
issuance of certificates, if any, and upon
redemption payments until the Transfer Agent
reasonably believes that good subscription funds
were received.
In general, the redemption of a subscription payment
received in the form of a check, draft or similar
instrument shall not be made until the Transfer
Agent has determined, by telephone call to the
drawee bank or otherwise, that the deposit has
cleared the drawee bank or until fifteen (15)
calendar days after the receipt of such subscription
payment, in order to permit the orderly clearing
thereof.
-Provide a means to record and promptly retrieve the
status of a subscription received (which may include
days remaining before redemptions permitted, name of
bank, or other similar information as may be agreed
upon.)
Shareholder checks returned for insufficient funds or
other reasons will be promptly processed for liquidation
on or after the date of receipt or notification to the
effect that a check is being returned. Returned checks
will be cleared promptly and processed through a Returned
Check Account in conjunction with the following actions:
(1) Place a freeze on the account to prevent redemption
of the amount of such returned check or such lesser
amount as is in the affected account;
(2) Determine how many shares are to be liquidated due
to the investment attributable to such returned
check;
(3) Calculate and back out accrued dividends, if any,
attributable to such investment;
(4) Process the liquidation for the appropriate amount;
(5) Mail the Shareholder confirmation of the liquidation
and the check with a letter of explanation;
(6) Allocate the accrued dividends, if any, which were
attributable to such investment, as the Fund shall
direct which will normally be to the remaining
Shareholder accounts as of the next month-end
dividend run;
(7) Take reasonable steps to recover commissions or
dealer concessions applicable to such returned
check, although the Distributor shall be ultimately
responsible therefor.
b. Establish Procedures to Process Effectively Bank
Wire Transfers
Establish and maintain procedures reasonably
designed by the Transfer Agent and approved by the
Fund to maintain positive control over movements of
incoming money by bank wire so as to:
(1) Accept requests (WATS and local calls) for bank wire
instructions, record account information and client
telephone number, assign as appropriate a wire
control number, establish Shareholder pending file,
and if appropriate alert the bank wire department;
(2) Advise the Fund of pending bank wire receipts at
selected cutoff times during the course of each
business day so as to facilitate full investment of
Fund assets;
(3) Confirm to the Fund actual bank wire receipts at
selected cutoff times during the course of each
business day;
(4) Close out pending Shareholder files if bank wire
receipts are not received as of the date agreed
upon;
(5) Open new or credit existing Shareholder account in
accordance with the provisions of the current
prospectus upon receipt of bank wire funds;
(6) Take appropriate action to secure from Shareholders
who invest by bank wire the necessary written
applications and redemption authorizations.
D. DIVIDEND DISBURSING AND REDEMPTION AGENT SERVICES
In performance of the Dividend Disbursing and Redemption Agent
functions, the Transfer Agent will provide the Fund with
regular checks (or electronic funds transfer if available, at
the Shareholder's option) and carry out the following
functional activities:
1. Dividends
a. The Fund shall advise the Transfer Agent of dividend
amounts which shall then be applied as described in
the Prospectus or as directed by the Fund, or its
officers or Trustees;
b. Confirmation of dividend reinvestments shall be
mailed to Shareholders after each reinvestment.
c. Additional dividend information, if provided by the
Fund to the Transfer Agent shall then be provided to
Shareholders upon written request.
2. Redemption Procedures
The Transfer Agent with the approval of the Fund shall
establish procedures reasonably designed to insure that
redemption requirements established by the Transfer Agent
and agreed to by the Fund have been met, including the
receipt and examination of stock certificates,
endorsements, signature guarantees and obtaining any
needed papers or documents, including properly completed
Application, where lacking. More specifically:
a. The Transfer Agent will accept redemption requests
in written, telegraphic or telephonic form provided
the necessary instructions and authorizations are
reasonably believed by the Transfer Agent to be in
good form. Generally, telephonic redemption
requests will be repeated for confirmation to the
person making the request, and upon voice
confirmation by such person, will be recorded in a
log kept for that purpose.
b. Requests for the redemption of shares not
represented by certificates received and without
signature guarantees will be honored only if:
(1) the applicable portion of the Application has been
completed and the proceeds are forwarded to the
previously designated bank account, address, or
other destination identified on the Application;
(2) Expedited Redemption Authorization instructions
filed at any time other than upon the original
opening of a Shareholder's account are filed on an
appropriate form and bear or reasonably appear to
bear a signature guarantee;
(3) Shareholder accounts in the name of joint tenants
shall generally be handled on the basis of jointly
signed instructions and signature guarantees (where
applicable) for any payments.
c. The Transfer Agent will provide a means to record,
call up, and display on Cathode Ray tube or
otherwise an appropriate symbol or other indication
that redemption authorization instructions are on
file and appear to be in proper form.
d. All redemption requests will be promptly reviewed to
insure:
(1) that there are sufficient shares available in the
Shareholder's account;
(2) the applicable subscription check has not been
returned to ADM or its agent and the applicable
period of days has expired before using the funds
for redemption (see above);
(3) that no redemptions in accounts represented in whole
or in part by certificates are effected without
cancellation of an adequate number of certificate
shares, if necessary.
(4) that no signature guarantees shall be acceptable
unless they reasonably appear to have been provided
by a commercial bank or by a brokerage firm which is
a member of the New York, American, Midwest, or
Pacific Stock Exchanges, except as otherwise stated
in the Prospectus or in instructions received from
the Fund.
e. Certificate acceptance and replacement:
(1) Accept for redemption, certificates received for
redemptions accompanied by what reasonably appears
to be Shareholder's instructions.
(2) Furnish to the Shareholder, after with the policies
and procedures established by the Fund and the
Transfer Agent proper investigation and receipt of
necessary documentation for protection of the Fund,
replacement certificates and dividend and redemption
checks alleged to have been lost, stolen, destroyed,
or not received.
3. Dividend Account
The Transfer Agent will maintain a Dividend Account for
the Fund. This account shall be established and operated so as to
satisfy the following criteria:
1. This account shall be used to disburse cash in
payment of dividends, capital gain distributions and
returns of capital.
2. This account shall be operated in the same manner as
the Redemption Account (see below) except as otherwise
required by the purpose for which it shall be used; it
may, at the election of the Transfer Agent, be operated
as a combined account with the Redemption Account (see
below).
4. Redemption Account
The Transfer Agent will maintain a Redemption Account for
the Fund. This account shall generally be established
and operated so as to satisfy the following criteria.
1. All withdrawals from the account shall be for the
exclusive purpose of making payments to Fund
Shareholders. These payments are to be made only to
satisfy automatic or other account liquidation payment
requirements.
2. No deposits or subscription receipts shall be made
directly in the Redemption Account.
3. The Transfer Agent will advise the Fund at various
mutually established times during each business day as to
the total demand for valid payments to be honored that
day or the following day. Valid payments consist of
liquidations of shares for which funds are payable in
cash or check to shareholders, whether initiated by
check, wire, letter, automatic distribution plan,
determination of the Fund or otherwise. The notification
of demand for payments shall only include valid demands
for payment which are actually in hand, such that the
Fund need not fund the Redemption Account with any more
funds than are actually required. The Fund agrees to
fund, or cause the Custodian to fund, the Redemption
Account sufficiently to cover all demands for payment
which are currently valid or will become valid the
following business day. The Fund and the Transfer Agent
agree that a goal of this procedure is to allow for the
maximum employment of Fund Assets while still adequately
funding the Redemption Account. The Transfer Agent and
its affiliates shall not be required to honor any demand
for payment for which previously collected funds have not
been received from the Custodian or other Agent of the
Fund.
4. The Transfer Agent with the approval of the Fund will
develop specific procedures reasonably designed to
protect against:
(a) raising of dollar amounts or any other alteration of
instruments representing redemption payments;
(b) fraudulent or forged endorsements;
(c) other improper use of a redemption item which could
result in the Fund or its Shareholders being
defrauded.
Such procedures shall take into account the type of
accounts involved, the sums involved and the cost
effectiveness of such procedures.
5. Employ due diligence in servicing redemption requests as
promptly as possible.
E. EXCHANGE AGENT SERVICES
The Transfer Agent will provide services as required to
implement the exchange privileges described from time to time
in the prospectus of the Fund. The Transfer Agent will
install and utilize a telephonic system that is designed to
afford the Shareholder the opportunity to exchange Shares
among eligible Funds and that will record the telephone
request for such exchange. It is understood that the Transfer
Agent is only able to effect exchanges among funds for which
the Transfer Agent has entered into an agreement similar to
this Agreement for provision of Transfer Agency services.
F. PROXY AGENT SERVICES
The Transfer Agent agrees to act as Proxy Agent in connection
with the holding of annual or special meetings of
Shareholders, mailing to Shareholders notice, proxies and
proxy statements in connection with the holding of such
meetings, receiving and tabulating votes cast by proxy and
communicating to the Fund the results of such tabulation
accompanied by appropriate certificates, and preparing and
communicating to the Fund certified lists of Shareholders as
of such date, and in such form and containing such information
as may be required by the Fund to comply with any applicable
provisions relating to such meetings. The Transfer Agent may
at its expense employ another firm to provide all or a portion
of such services.
I. Reports to be provided by Transfer Agent:
A. Daily
1. Payment Journals
2. Transfers
3. Non-Certificate Redemption Journal
4. Original Issue Non-Certificate Shares
5. Clerical Journal
6. New Account Journal
7. Closed Account Journal
B. Monthly
1. Sales By State and Dividends Reinvested
2. Withdrawals and Dividends Paid in Cash List
3. Record of Out-of-Pocket Costs Incurred
C. Annual Reports
Provide Fund Management upon request with all
reports reasonably required to conduct an annual
review of Transfer Agency functions relating to the
Fund, including but not limited to performance,
volume, error ratios, costs and other matters
relating to the Fund. The Transfer Agent shall also
provide to the Fund general information concerning
its operations which might be believed to affect
adversely the future services to the Fund.
D. Periodic Marketing Reports - Provided these reports
are readily available from existing information and
can be produced without unreasonable effort or
expense by the Transfer Agent, including, e.g.,
1. Geographic Distribution Data
2. Size of Holdings Data
II. Other Services
The Transfer Agent will provide the following additional
services:
A. Security
1. Design and maintain security procedures reasonably
designed to guard against the possible theft and/or
use by others of the names and addresses of Fund
Shareholders.
2. Periodic duplication of all records
(computer/microfilm/hardcopy/copy) at a frequency
and in a detail reasonably designed to assure
protection of Shareholder record information in the
event of a disaster to the Transfer Agent's
facilities, including:
(a) significant voltage drop;
(b) power blackout;
(c) major destruction of the Transfer Agent's
central facilities.
3. The Transfer Agent will maintain equipment
reasonably designed or represented to assure an
uninterrupted power supply of at least 10 minutes at
the offices of the Transfer Agent to allow for
orderly shut down of hardware in the event of a
power outage; periodic back-up of tapes to be stored
at an offsite facility of the Transfer Agent's
choosing; and will provide redundancy capacity in
accordance with the Agreement.
B. Statements
1. Provide for up to two extra lines of print on
Shareholder statements which may be employed by the
Fund to advise Shareholders of such information as
yield or other explanatory account information. The
Fund will advise the Transfer Agent of such
information sufficiently in advance to permit it to
properly insert such information in a timely and
orderly manner.
2. Provide a combined dividend check and statement to
Shareholders electing cash distributions.
C. Processing Routine Shareholder Inquiries
1. Receive, control, research, and promptly reply to
all routine Shareholder and other inquiries whether
received by written or telephonic means which
pertain to a Shareholder's account.
2. Exercise due care to protect confidential
information in responding to inquiries.
3. Request ATT or such other telephone company as may
be appropriate to provide, at the Distributor's
expense, for a dedicated transmission line between
Aquila Distributors, 000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx
and Transfer Agent, Woodbridge, N.J. for inquiry via
a dedicated or P.C. terminal.
4. Provide if possible for continuity of present 800
telephone numbers for existing funds and adequate
personnel for live telephone response generally
until 7:00 PM, New York time on normal business
days. It is mutually understood that continuity of
the 800 numbers is dependant on cooperation from the
prior transfer agent and appropriate telephone
companies.
5. Provide for the automated tracking of all
Shareholder/Dealer telephone inquiries with on line
update status.
D. Other Mailings
1. Mailing services include addressing, enclosing, and
mailing quarterly reports, semi-annual reports,
annual reports, prospectuses and notices to all
accounts will be provided. To the extent the
Transfer Agent utilizes the services of another firm
to accomplish this for any First Investors Fund, it
shall be permitted to do so for the Fund, at the
Transfer Agent's expense.
2. All routine mailings to Shareholder/Dealers will,
where appropriate, utilize pre-sorted zip codes.
3. All month-end reinvestment statements, with any month-end
dividend check attached, will generally be mailed to
Shareholders, with duplicates to dealer and
representative, by the fourth business day of the next
month.
4. Commission checks and statements will generally be
mailed to brokerage firms on at least a weekly basis
for direct investments of prior weeks.
E. Other Services
1. Refer all Shareholder, dealer or governmental
inquiries of a policy or non-routine nature to the
Fund.
2. Provide an Account Officer to serve as the primary
point of contact between the Fund and the Transfer
Agent. The Transfer Agent will exercise due care in
assigning an individual who is both conversant with
standard investment company practices and of
sufficient stature to deal quickly and efficiently
with problems peculiar to placing a new investment
company on line.
F. Messenger Service
Provide messenger pick-up and delivery as necessary but
no less frequently than once daily between the Fund's
offices provided they are located within the borough of
Manhattan and the offices of the Transfer Agent.
Exhibit 1
The Fund and the Transfer Agent anticipate that the following
activities should be incorporated into and become a part of
Appendix A as they become effective:
1. Installation of the National Security Clearing
Corporation, Fund/SERV system which shall be
operational no later than June 30, 1989.
2. The Transfer Agent will make a best effort to
provide networking capabilities with tape
transmission to dealers when and as required by
market competitiveness.
3. The Transfer Agent will work with the Distributor to
define criteria for an Audio Response system and
arrange for the implementation of such a system on
a timely basis.
TAX-FREE TRUST OF OREGON
APPENDIX B
Signatures
On the date of the Agreement and thereafter until further
notice, the following persons shall be Authorized Persons as
defined therein:
/s/Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Xxxx X Xxxxxxxx _____________________
Chairman of the Board of Trustees Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
/s/Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx _____________________
Vice President Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
/s/Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx _____________________
Vice President Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
/s/Xxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Xxxx X. Xxxxxxx _____________________
Treasurer Xxxx X. Xxxxxxx
/s/Xxxxxxx X. XxxXxxxxxx
Xxxxxxx X. XxxXxxxxxx _____________________
Assistant Secretary Xxxxxxx X. XxxXxxxxxx
/s/Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx _____________________
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
/s/Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx _____________________
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
/s/Xxxxxxx X. Childs III
Xxxxxxx X. Childs III ______________________
Xxxxxxx X. Childs III
/s/Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx ______________________
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
/s/Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxx ______________________
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
/s/Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx ______________________
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
APPENDIX C
Backup Arrangement
ADM currently has in effect a redundancy arrangement with
Comdisco Disaster Recovery Services, Inc. The agreement with
Comdisco provides that in the event of a data processing systems
disaster at ADM's facilities in Woodbridge, New Jersey, ADM may use
equipment available at Comdisco's facilities for routine and other
processing. The agreement with Comdisco also provides for
dedicated time on Comdisco's data processing equipment each year to
allow ADM to test the redundancy system.
APPENDIX D
Compensation
In accordance with the provisions of Section 15 of the
attached Agreement, the Fund shall pay ADM the monthly amount of
$1.25 for each account in the Fund open at any time during the
month. The minimum amount of compensation for each month shall be
$208.33.
In addition to the above charges, the Fund shall pay or
reimburse ADM for out-of pocket expenses, including but not limited
to: postage; forms relating to the Fund or shareholders of the
Fund; envelopes; paper; bank charges; costs relating to the
production of special reports for the Fund, its distributor, or
otherwise; and similar expenses. The Fund will also reimburse ADM
for counsel fees in accordance with the Agreement.
