EXHIBIT (d).7
INVESTMENT SUB-ADVISORY AGREEMENT
Agreement dated January 12, 1998 by and between Fortis Advisers, Inc., a
Minnesota Corporation (the "Manager") and Mercury Asset Management International
Ltd., a corporation organized under the Companies Act of England and Wales (the
"Sub-Adviser") the principal office of which is located at 00 Xxxx Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxx, Xxxxxx XX0X 0XX, Xxxxxxx.
WHEREAS, the Manager serves as the investment adviser, manager, registrar,
transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent for Fortis Series Fund, Inc. (the
"Company"), an open-end, management investment company registered with the
Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") pursuant to the Investment Company
Act of 1940, as amended ("1940 Act"), that is comprised of a number of separate
series of investments that act as funding vehicles for various variable annuity
contracts and variable universal life insurance policies issued by Fortis
Benefits Insurance Company ("FBIC") and variable annuity contracts issued by
First Fortis Life Insurance Company ("First Fortis");
WHEREAS, the Manager desires to retain the Sub-Adviser to assist the
Manager in furnishing an investment program to one series of the Company, the
Global Bond Series (the "Portfolio");
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual agreements herein made, the
Manager and the Sub-Adviser agree as follows:
1. APPOINTMENT AND EXPENSES OF THE SUB-ADVISER. The Manager hereby
appoints the Sub-Adviser to serve as sub-adviser with respect to the assets of
the Portfolio and to perform the services hereinafter set forth and the
Sub-Adviser hereby accepts such appointment. The Sub-Adviser agrees, for the
compensation herein provided, to assume all obligations herein provided and bear
all its personnel and other expenses associated with the performance of its
services hereunder. The Company shall be responsible for the Portfolio's
administrative and other direct expenses, including, but not limited to:
(a) fees pursuant to any plan of distribution that the Portfolio may adopt;
(b) the Portfolio's brokerage and commission expenses, including all ordinary
and reasonable transaction costs; (c) fees and expenses of pricing services used
by the Company to determine the value of the Portfolio's holdings; (d) Federal,
state, local and foreign taxes, including issue and transfer taxes incurred by
or levied on the Portfolio; (e) interest charges on any Portfolio borrowings;
(f) the Company's organizational and offering expenses; (g) the cost of the
Company's personnel providing services to the Company; (h) fees and expenses of
registering the Company's shares under the appropriate Federal securities laws
and of qualifying the Company's shares under applicable state securities laws
and pursuant to any foreign laws; (i) expenses of printing and distributing
reports to the Company's shareholders, proxy materials, prospectuses and
distribution of dividends; (j) costs of the Company's shareholders' meetings and
proxy solicitation; (k) charges and expenses of the Company's custodian and
registrar, transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent; (l) compensation of the
Company's officers, directors and employees that are not "affiliated persons" or
"interested persons" [as defined in Section 2(a) of the 1940 Act and the rules,
regulations and releases relating thereto] of the Sub-Adviser; (m) the Company's
legal and auditing expenses; (n) cost of
certificates representing shares of the Portfolio; (o) the Company's costs of
stationery and supplies; (p) the Company's insurance expenses; (q) the Company's
association membership dues; (r) travel expenses of officers and employees of
the Sub-Adviser to the extent such expenses relate to the attendance of such
persons at meetings at the request of the Board of Directors of the Company
(EXCEPT that a representative of the Sub-Adviser will attend one Board meeting
per year, at the Sub-Adviser's own expense); and (s) travel expenses for
attendance at Board of Directors meetings by members of the Board of Directors
of the Company who are not "interested persons" or "affiliated persons" of the
Sub-Adviser. The Sub-Adviser shall for all purposes herein be deemed to be an
independent contractor and shall, except as expressly provided or authorized
(whether herein or otherwise), have no authority to act for or on behalf of the
Company in any way or otherwise be deemed an agent of the Company.
2. DUTIES OF THE SUB-ADVISER. The Sub-Adviser will deal in good faith
and with due diligence and will use professional skill, care and judgment in the
performance of its duties under this Agreement. In so doing, the Sub-Adviser
shall formulate and implement a continuing program for the management of the
assets of the Portfolio. The Sub-Adviser shall amend and update such program
from time to time as financial and other economic conditions warrant. The
Sub-Adviser shall make all determinations with respect to the investment of the
assets of the Portfolio and shall take such steps as may be necessary to
implement the same, including the placement of purchase and sale orders on
behalf of the Portfolio. The Manager shall be responsible for the
administration of the investment activities of the Company and the Portfolio,
including compliance with the requirements of the 1940 Act, except for the
investment management activities specifically delegated to the Sub-Adviser
pursuant to this Agreement.
3. POWERS OF THE SUB-ADVISER.
3.1 The Sub-Adviser's power to direct the investment and reinvestment
of the assets of the Portfolio shall be exercised in accordance with applicable
law, the Company's Articles of Incorporation and the investment objectives,
policies and restrictions set forth in the then-current Prospectus and Statement
of Additional Information (collectively the "Prospectus") relating to the
Portfolio contained in the Company's Registration Statement under the 1940 Act
and the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. The Company and/or the Manager may
also place additional limitations on the Sub-Adviser's investment decisions by
written notice to the Sub-Adviser. The Company agrees to provide promptly to
the Sub-Adviser a copy of the documents mentioned above and all changes made to
such documents.
3.2 While the Sub-Adviser will have day-to-day responsibility for the
discretionary investment decisions to be made on behalf of the Portfolio, the
Sub-Adviser will be subject to oversight by the Manager. Such oversight,
however, shall not require prior approval of discretionary investment decisions
made by the Sub-Adviser except as may be required by applicable law, the
Portfolio's investment policies and restrictions and/or any limitations imposed
on the Sub-Adviser by the Company and/or the Manager pursuant to the preceding
paragraph. The Manager shall retain the right to instruct the Sub-Adviser to
effect any transactions necessary to ensure compliance with the Portfolio's
investment policies and restrictions as well as the requirements of Subchapter M
of the Internal Revenue Code and the
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provisions of Section 817(h) of the Internal Revenue Code and the regulations
promulgated thereunder.
3.3 In the event the Sub-Adviser's compliance with any amendment of
the Portfolio's investment objectives, policies and restrictions or other
limitations placed on the Sub-Adviser's investment decisions with respect to the
Portfolio would interfere with the completion of any transaction commenced on
behalf of the Portfolio prior to the Sub-Adviser's knowledge of such amendment,
the Sub-Adviser may complete such transaction unless doing so would violate any
applicable law, rule or regulation. In such an event, the Sub-Adviser will not
be responsible for any loss that may result from the completion of the
transaction.
3.4 Further, and except as may be qualified elsewhere in this
Agreement, the Sub-Adviser is hereby authorized, for and on behalf of the
Company, with respect to the Portfolio, in its discretion to:
(a) exercise any conversion and/or subscription rights available
in connection with any securities or other investments held in the
Portfolio;
(b) maintain all or part of the Portfolio's assets uninvested in
short-term income-producing instruments for such periods of time as shall
be deemed reasonable and prudent by the Sub-Adviser;
(c) instruct the Custodian, in accordance with the Custodian
Agreement, to deliver for cash received, securities or other cash and/or
securities instruments sold, exchanged, redeemed or otherwise disposed of
from the Portfolio, and to pay cash for securities or other cash and/or
securities instruments delivered to the Custodian and/or credited to the
Portfolio upon acquisition of the same for the Portfolio;
(d) determine how to vote all proxies received with respect to
securities held in the Portfolio and direct the Custodian as to the voting
of such proxies; and
(e) generally, perform any other act necessary to enable the
Sub-Adviser to carry out its obligations under this Agreement.
4. SELECTION OF BROKER-DEALERS. The Sub-Adviser shall select the brokers
and dealers through whom transactions on behalf of the Portfolio will be
executed and the markets on or in which such transactions will be executed and
shall place, in the name of the Portfolio or its nominee (or appropriate foreign
equivalent), all such orders. In selecting brokers and dealers to execute such
transactions, and in negotiating brokerage commissions, and in obtaining
research, statistical and other information from brokers and dealers in
connection with Portfolio transactions, the Sub-Adviser shall comply with the
description of the process contained in the Prospectus.
(a) It is understood that certain other clients (including other
funds, portfolios and accounts) of the Sub-Adviser may have investment
objectives and policies similar to those of
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the Portfolio and that the Sub-Adviser may, from time to time, make
recommendations that result in the purchase (or sale) of a particular security
by its other clients and the Portfolio during the same period of time. If
transactions on behalf of more than one client during the same period increase
the demand for securities being purchased or the supply of securities being
sold, there may be an adverse effect on price or quantity. In such event, the
Sub-Adviser shall allocate the securities or investments to be purchased or
sold, as well as the expenses incurred in the transactions (including price) in
a manner the Sub-Adviser considers equitable and consistent with its obligations
to the Portfolio and the Sub-Adviser's other clients.
(b) The Sub-Adviser agrees that it will only enter into transactions
that are covered by Section 10(f) or Section 17(e) of the 1940 Act if it has
(i) complied with Rule 10f-3 or Rule 17e-1 thereunder, respectively, or the
terms of an appropriate exemptive order issued to the Company by the SEC, and
(ii) has complied with the procedures adopted thereunder by the Board of
Directors of the Company which may, pursuant to authority granted by the
Company, be supplemented by interpretive guidelines of the Manager. Aside from
parties that are known or should be known by the Sub-Adviser, the Manager shall
promptly notify the Sub-Adviser of any additional parties with whom engaging in
a transaction for the Portfolio would result in a violation of the 1940 Act.
5. REPORTS AND INFORMATION TO BE PROVIDED BY THE SUB-ADVISER. The
Sub-Adviser shall furnish such information and reports relating to the
Portfolio, its holdings and transactions involving Portfolio securities as the
Manager and/or the Company may reasonably require to fulfill its or their legal
responsibilities or to meet regulatory requirements or discharge other duties
they may have. Among the subjects of the reports and information to be provided
by the Sub-Adviser are the following:
(a) Information reasonably required by the Manager to determine the
Company's and Portfolio's compliance with the 1940 Act, the Advisers Act,
the Internal Revenue Code, applicable federal and state securities and
insurance laws and other applicable laws and regulations or regulatory and
taxing authorities in the United States and other relevant countries;
(b) Information reasonably required by the Manager to meet the
accounting and operational requirements of the Portfolio. Specific
examples of the types of reports and information that will be needed by the
Manager and the Company are set forth in Exhibit A, attached hereto;
(c) Information reasonably required by the Manager to satisfy its
reporting obligations to the Company arising from the Investment Advisory
and Management Agreement between the Manager and the Company;
(d) Information reasonably requested by the Manager to determine the
Portfolio's compliance with Rule 17f-5 under the 1940 Act, relating to
foreign custodians and sub-custodians;
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(e) Information reasonably required by the Manager to determine the
Sub-Adviser's compliance with Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act with respect to
the Sub-Adviser's activities on behalf of the Portfolio;
(f) Information reasonably required by the Manager to determine
compliance with Rule 10f-3 and Rule 17e-1 under the 1940 Act with respect
to the Sub-Adviser's (or its affiliates') activities on behalf of the
Portfolio; and
(g) Information reasonably necessary to respond to specific inquiries
from the Company's management and/or Board of Directors.
6. NON-EXCLUSIVE SERVICES, CONFLICTS OF INTEREST AND MATERIAL NONPUBLIC
INFORMATION. The Manager understands that the Sub-Adviser and its affiliates
may furnish investment management and advisory services to others, and that the
Sub-Adviser and its affiliates shall be at all times free, in their discretion,
to make recommendations to, and investments for, others which may or may not
correspond to investments made for the Portfolio. The Manager further
understands that the Sub-Adviser, its affiliates, and any officer, director,
stockholder, employee or any member of their families may or may not have an
interest in the securities whose purchase and sale the Sub-Adviser effects for
the Portfolio. Actions taken by the Sub-Adviser on behalf of the Portfolio may
be the same as, or different from, actions taken by the Sub-Adviser on its own
behalf or for others or from actions taken by the Sub-Adviser's affiliates,
officers, directors, partners, employees of the Sub-Adviser or its affiliates,
or the family members of such persons or other investors. The Sub-Adviser
represents that it has in effect a code of ethics that complies with Rule 17j-1
under the 1940 Act and has procedures in place that, taken together, provide
reasonable enforcement of the code's provisions. Similarly, the Sub-Adviser
represents that, with respect to the use of nonmaterial nonpublic information,
it has complied, and will continue to comply, with Section 204A of the
Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended ("Advisers Act") and any rules
thereunder.
7. DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION AND CONFIDENTIALITY.
7.1 The Sub-Adviser, the Company and the Manager, either during or
after the termination of this Agreement, are authorized with respect to matters
arising out of this Agreement to make any disclosures and/or participate in any
conduct required by any applicable law, rule, regulation, self-regulating
organization, investment exchange or any other body having regulatory or
enforcement responsibility with respect to any investment business conducted by
the Sub-Adviser on behalf of the Portfolio.
7.2 Subject to the preceding paragraph, the Sub-Adviser agrees that
all information which has or will come into its possession or knowledge
concerning the Portfolio or its investments in connection with this Agreement
shall be held by the Sub-Adviser in confidence. The Sub-Adviser shall make no
use of such information other than for the performance of this Agreement, shall
disclose such information only to the directors, officers or employees of the
Sub-Adviser or its affiliated firms or of any third party appointed pursuant to
this Agreement requiring such information and shall not disclose such
information to any other
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person without the written consent of the Company; provided, however, that to
the extent the investments for the Portfolio are similar to investments for
other clients of the Sub-Adviser, the Sub-Adviser may disclose such investments
without direct reference to the Portfolio. The Sub-Adviser may also include the
name of the Portfolio in a representative client list.
7.3 Subject to the preceding paragraph, the Company and the Manager
agree that all information which has or will come into their possession or
knowledge concerning the operations and procedures of the Sub-Adviser shall be
held by the Company and the Manager in confidence. The Company and the Manager
shall make no use of such information other than for the performance of this
Agreement, shall disclose such information only to their directors, officers or
employees or those of its affiliated firms and shall not disclose such
information to any other person without the written consent of the Sub-Adviser.
7.4 The Manager and the Company agree not to refer to Mercury Asset
Management International Ltd. or its affiliates in any advertisement or other
document without prior consent of the Sub-Adviser. Similarly, Mercury Asset
Management International Ltd. and its affiliates shall not refer to the Manager,
the Company, the Portfolio, or other Fortis affiliates in any advertisement or
other document without the Manager's prior consent. However, the Parties to
this Agreement agree that they may reference one another as necessary in
regulatory and other legal filings. Further, the parties agree that they will
not unreasonably withhold permission to use their names or otherwise reference
them in materials used to describe the Portfolio and/or the Company.
8. DEALINGS WITH THE CUSTODIAN. The Manager shall notify the Sub-Adviser
of the appointment of the custodian(s) ("Custodian") for all or any portion of
the Portfolio's assets, shall provide the Sub-Adviser with a true and complete
copy of each agreement with the Custodian that deals with the Portfolio's assets
("Custodian Agreements"), and shall provide the Sub-Adviser with the names of
persons authorized to act on behalf of the Custodian and such other information
as the Sub-Adviser shall reasonably require. The Sub-Adviser agrees to give
instructions in accordance with the terms of the applicable Custodian
Agreements. The Company agrees to provide promptly to the Sub-Adviser a copy of
all relevant Custodian Agreements, and all changes made to such documents.
9. DELEGATION OF THE SUB-ADVISER'S RESPONSIBILITIES. The Sub-Adviser may
not delegate its investment advisory responsibilities as Sub-Adviser to the
Portfolio. However, the Sub-Adviser may employ, retain or otherwise avail
itself of the services and facilities of persons and entities within its own
organization or any other organization for the purpose of providing the
Sub-Adviser, the Manager or the Portfolio with such information, advice or
assistance, including but not limited to advice regarding economic factors and
trends and advice as to transactions in specific securities, as the Sub-Adviser
may deem necessary, appropriate or convenient for the discharge of its
obligations hereunder or as may otherwise be helpful to the Manager or the
Portfolio, or in the discharge of the Sub-Adviser's overall responsibilities
with respect to the other accounts for which it serves as investment manager or
investment adviser.
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The Sub-Adviser's acquisition of information, advice or assistance pursuant to
this paragraph shall be at the Sub-Adviser's own expense and shall not relieve
the Sub-Adviser of any of its obligations under this Agreement.
10. COMPENSATION.
10.1 For the services to be rendered under this Agreement and the
facilities to be furnished, the Manager shall pay to the Sub-Adviser for
each fiscal year of the Company, a monthly management fee at the annual
rate of .35 of 1% of the Portfolio's first $100 million of average daily
net assets and .225 of 1% of the Portfolio's average daily net assets in
excess of $100 million. The monthly management fee shall be paid to the
Sub-Adviser not later than the tenth business day of the month following
the month in which such services were rendered and shall be based upon the
average net asset values of all the issued and outstanding shares of the
Portfolio as determined as of the close of each business day of the month
pursuant to the Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws and currently effective
Prospectus of the Portfolio. Payments of the monthly management fee will
be accompanied by documentation that verifies the calculation of such fee.
If the management of the Portfolio by the Sub-Adviser commences or
terminates at any time other than the beginning or end of a month, the
management fee shall be prorated for that portion of such month during
which this Agreement was in force.
10.2 Any fees payable by the Manager pursuant to Clause 10.1 during
the period commencing on the later of (a) the first date that Xxxxxxx Xxxxx
& Co., Inc. ("Xxxxxxx Xxxxx") controls Mercury Asset Management Group plc
("MAM") (the "Assignment Date") and (b) the date on which the SEC grants
the exemptive order application of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, MAM, Mercury Asset
Management International Chanel Islands Ltd. and the Sub-Adviser filed with
the SEC on December 10, 1997 seeking an exemption from compliance with
certain provisions of Section 15(a) of the 1940 Act (the "Issuance Date")
and ending on the date of the initial approval of this Agreement by a
majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Portfolio shall be
paid into an interest-bearing account with an unaffiliated financial
institution, as the Sub-Adviser and the manager may establish, to be
released to the Sub-Adviser only upon such initial approval of this
Agreement, or, if such approval shall not occur prior to the earlier of (i)
the 150th day following the Assignment Date and (ii) July 15, 1998, to the
Portfolio.
11. REPRESENTATIONS OF THE SUB-ADVISER. The Sub-Adviser represents and agrees
that:
(a) The Sub-Adviser is registered as an "investment adviser" under
the Advisers Act and is currently in compliance in all material respects
and shall at all times continue to comply in all material respects with the
requirements imposed upon it by the Advisers Act, the 1940 Act, the
Internal Revenue Code, state securities laws and all applicable rules and
regulations thereunder as they relate to the services provided under this
Agreement. The Sub-Adviser will immediately notify the Manager if it
becomes aware of the occurrence of any event that would disqualify the
Sub-Adviser from serving as an investment adviser of an investment company
pursuant to Section 9 of the 1940 Act
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or any other applicable law or regulation.
(b) The Sub-Adviser will maintain, keep current and accurate, and
preserve all records with respect to the Portfolio as are required of it
under the Advisers Act and the 1940 Act, in the manner provided by such
Acts and the rules thereunder. The Sub-Adviser agrees that such records
are the property of the Company, and following termination of this
Agreement will be surrendered to the Company promptly upon request except
to the extent that they are required to be retained by the Sub-Adviser
under applicable law. Further, such records shall be open to inspection by
the Company. The Sub-Adviser will also assure that the Company will have
the same access as the Sub-Adviser has to records relating to the Portfolio
that are held by relevant third parties. Such inspections will be at
reasonable times during business hours and only upon reasonable notice of
the Company's desire to make an inspection.
(c) The Sub-Adviser agrees to advise the Manager of any developments,
such as the reassignment of a portfolio manager, that would require
Prospectus disclosure and to provide any necessary information related to
such developments.
(d) The Sub-Adviser has provided the Manager and the Company with a
copy of its most recent and complete Form ADV and will promptly furnish
them with copies of any material amendments to the Form.
(e) If the Sub-Adviser's performance of its obligations under this
Agreement takes place in the United Kingdom, the Sub-Adviser shall be and
shall remain during the effectiveness of this Agreement, a member of the
Investment Management Regulatory Organization, Ltd. ("IMRO") and thereby
regulated in the conduct of Investment Business (as defined in IMRO's
rules) by the IMRO. The Company and the Manager will be treated as a
Non-Private Customer (as defined in IMRO's rules) of the Sub-Adviser.
(f) The Sub-Adviser shall furnish the Manager with a certificate,
signed by a duly authorized officer of the Sub-Adviser that designates the
officers or employees of the Sub-Adviser having authority to act for and on
behalf of the Sub-Adviser in connection with this Agreement. The
Sub-Adviser agrees that, until such time as the Manager is otherwise
informed in writing by a duly authorized officer of the Sub-Adviser, the
Manager shall be authorized and entitled to rely on any notice,
instruction, request, order or other communication, given either in writing
or orally, and reasonably believed by the Manager in good faith to be given
by an authorized representative of the Sub-Adviser.
12. REPRESENTATIONS OF THE MANAGER. The Manager represents and agrees
that:
(a) The Manager is registered as an "investment adviser" under the
Advisers Act and has provided to the Sub-Adviser a copy of its most recent
and complete Form ADV, along with a copy of the Investment Advisory and
Management Agreement
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between the Manager and the Company and the current Company Prospectus
regarding the Portfolio. After any amendment to the documents referenced
in this paragraph, the Manager will promptly furnish a copy of such amended
document to the Sub-Adviser. In addition, the Manager will provide the
Sub-Adviser with notice of proposed changes in the Prospectus and the
opportunity to review and comment upon such changes before they are
finalized, wherever possible.
(b) The Manager and the Company are currently in material compliance
and shall at all times continue to be in material compliance with the
relevant requirements of the Advisers Act, the 1940 Act, all applicable
state securities and insurance laws, and the rules thereunder, as they
pertain to the Portfolio.
(c) The Manager shall furnish the Sub-Adviser with a certificate,
signed by a duly authorized officer of the Manager that designates the
officers or employees of the Manager having authority to act for and on
behalf of the Manager in connection with this Agreement. The Manager
agrees that, until such time as the Sub-Adviser is otherwise informed in
writing by a duly authorized officer of the Manager, the Sub-Adviser shall
be authorized and entitled to rely on any notice, instruction, request,
order or other communication, given either in writing or orally, and
reasonably believed by the Sub-Adviser in good faith to be given by an
authorized representative of the Manager.
13. LIABILITY, INDEMNIFICATION AND FORCE MAJEURE.
13.1 The Sub-Adviser, its affiliated firms or its or their employees,
officers, or directors will not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake
of law or for any loss suffered by the Portfolio, its shareholders, FBIC
contract owners or First Fortis contract owners in connection with the
performance of their duties under this Agreement, except for loss resulting from
willful misfeasance, bad faith or negligence on their part in the performance of
their duties or from reckless disregard by them of their duties under this
Agreement.
13.2 The Manager shall indemnify the Sub-Adviser against all claims
which may be made against the Sub-Adviser in connection with the exercise of the
powers and discretion conferred upon it pursuant to this Agreement, including
reasonable attorneys' fees incurred in connection with any such claim, EXCEPT
insofar as such claims allege or are the result of the willful misfeasance, bad
faith or negligence of the Sub-Adviser or any of its affiliated firms or its or
their employees, officers or directors or its or their breach of this Agreement
or violation of applicable law. Conversely, the Sub-Adviser shall indemnify the
Manager and the Company against all claims alleging or resulting from the
willful misfeasance, bad faith or negligence of the Sub-Adviser or any of its
affiliated firms or its or their employees, officers or directors or its or
their breach of this Agreement or violation of applicable law.
13.3 Neither party shall be held responsible for their nonperformance
of any of their obligations under this Agreement by reason of any cause beyond
their control, including
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any breakdown or failure of transmission, communication or computer facilities,
postal or other strikes or similar industrial action and the failure of any
relevant exchange, clearing house and/or broker for any reason to perform its
obligations.
14. TERM, RENEWAL AND TERMINATION.
14.1 This Agreement shall, with respect to the Portfolio, become
effective on the later of the Assignment Date and the Issuance Date and shall
remain in force for two years thereafter, and for successive annual periods
thereafter but only so long as each such continuance is specifically approved at
least annually by (1) a majority of the Directors of the Company who are not
parties to this Agreement or interested persons of any such parties (other than
as Directors of the Company), by vote cast in person at a meeting called for the
purpose of voting on such approval; or (2) a vote of the holders of a majority
of the outstanding voting securities (as defined in the 0000 Xxx) of such
Portfolio. It shall be the duty of the Directors of the Company to request and
evaluate, and the duty of the Manager and Sub-Adviser to furnish, such
information as may be reasonably necessary to evaluate the terms of this
Agreement and any renewal hereof.
14.2 This Agreement may be terminated with respect to the Portfolio at
any time without the payment of any penalty by the Portfolio (1) by a vote of a
majority of the entire Board of Directors of the Company on sixty (60) days'
written notice to the Manager and the Sub-Adviser; (2) by vote of the holders of
a majority of the outstanding voting securities of such Portfolio (as defined in
the 1940 Act); or (3) by the Sub-Adviser on 60 days' written notice to the
Manager and the Company.
14.3 This Agreement shall automatically terminate in the event of its
assignment, as that term is defined in Section 2(a)(4) of the 1940 Act and the
rules thereunder.
14.4 On the effective date of any termination of this Agreement or as
close to such date as is reasonably possible, the Sub-Adviser shall provide the
Manager with a final report for the Portfolio which will include the fair market
value for each of the Portfolio's investments.
14.5 Upon the Manager's receipt or service of any notice given by or
to the Company concerning the termination of the Manager's appointment as the
investment adviser to the Company, the Manager shall immediately forward a copy
of such notice to the Sub-Adviser and the Sub-Adviser's appointment under this
Agreement shall terminate on the same date as the termination of the Manager's
appointment.
15. AMENDMENT. No material amendment to or modification of this Agreement
shall be effective unless and until it is set forth in a written amendment
signed by the Manager and the Sub-Adviser and approved by the vote of a majority
of the outstanding shares of the Portfolio, as defined in the 1940 Act.
16. AUTHORITY AND ENFORCEABILITY.
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16.1 Each of the parties to this Agreement hereby represents that it
is duly authorized and empowered to execute, deliver, and perform this Agreement
and that such actions do not conflict with or violate any provision of law,
rule, regulation, other legal requirement, contract or other instrument to which
it is a party or to which it is subject and that this Agreement constitutes a
valid and binding obligation, inuring to the benefit of the Manager and the
Sub-Adviser and their respective successors, enforceable in accordance with its
terms.
16.2 If any provision of this Agreement shall be held or made invalid
or unenforceable by a court decision, statute, rule or otherwise, the remainder
of this Agreement shall not be affected thereby and any such invalid or
unenforceable provision shall be deemed to be replaced with a valid and
enforceable provision that most closely reflects the intention of the parties.
17. APPLICABLE LAW. To the extent that state law is not preempted by the
provisions of any law of the United States heretofore or hereafter enacted, as
the same may be amended from time to time, this Agreement shall be administered,
construed and enforced according to the laws of the State of Minnesota.
18. NOTICES. All notices hereunder shall be in writing and shall be
delivered in person or by facsimile (followed by delivery in person) to the
parties at the addresses set forth below:
If to the Manager: Fortis Advisers, Inc.
000 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxx
Xx. Xxxx, XX 00000
Fax #: (000) 000-0000
Attn: Legal Department
If to the Sub-Adviser: Mercury Asset Management International, Ltd.
00 Xxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx XX0X 0XX, Xxxxxxx
Fax #: 000-00-00-000-0000
or such other name or address as may be given in writing to the other party.
Unless specifically provided elsewhere, notice given as provided above
shall be deemed to have been given, if by personal delivery, on the day of
such delivery, and if by facsimile and mail, on the date on which such
facsimile is sent.
19. EXECUTION. This Agreement may be executed in two or more
counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which
together shall constitute one and the same instrument.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this instrument to be
executed by their duly authorized officers.
Attest: FORTIS ADVISERS, INC.
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_____________________________ By: _____________________________
Attest: MERCURY ASSET MANAGMENT
INTERNATIONAL, LTD.
_____________________________ By: _____________________________
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EXHIBIT A
EXAMPLES OF THE ROUTINE ACCOUNTING AND OPERATIONAL
INFORMATION AND DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE
PORTFOLIO TO BE SATISFIED BY THE SUB-ADVISER
The following information is to be provided to:
Fortis Series Fund, Inc.
ATTN: Fund Accounting
X.X. Xxx 00000
Xx. Xxxx, XX 00000
FAX: (000) 000-0000
PHONE: (000) 000-0000, 5517 or 5369
1. DOCUMENTATION OF TRADES. On a daily basis, via facsimile, a listing
of that day's executed trades. At the end of each week, by mail, hard copies of
documentation for that week's executed trades. The signature or initials of the
portfolio manager or duly authorized officer or employee of the Sub-Adviser
should be placed on the trade tickets to validate the authenticity of the
trading information.
2. PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS. On a weekly basis, via facsimile and mail, a list
of the Portfolio's holdings. The list should include the following information,
for each of the Portfolio's holdings, where applicable: long description,
cusip/sedol number, maturity date, par/principal amounts, market value, market
price, coupon rate and bond rating.
3. SECURITY PRICING. On a daily basis, by telephone or facsimile:
(i) review with the Company's Fund Accounting Department (the "Department") the
prices of the Portfolio's securities, which shall be provided by the Department;
(ii) inform the Department of its agreement or disagreement with such prices;
(iii) provide the Department with the basis for any disagreement it may have
with respect to a particular security's price and its opinion (along with
outside broker quotes) as to what that security's price should be; and (iv) in
any instance where the pricing services utilized by the Department do not
provide a price for a security held by the Portfolio, provide the Department
with reasonable assistance in determining a price for such security.
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