FUND ADMINISTRATION SERVICING AGREEMENT
THIS AGREEMENT is made and entered into as of this 31st day of October,
2001, by and between Country Mutual Funds Trust, a Delaware business trust (the
"Trust") and Firstar Mutual Fund Services, LLC, a Wisconsin limited liability
company ("FMFS"), and replaces any prior Fund Administration Servicing
Agreement, and amendments thereto, between FMFS and any of the Trust's
predecessor companies.
WHEREAS, the Trust is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940,
as amended (the "1940 Act"), as an open-end management investment company, and
is authorized to issue shares of beneficial interest in separate series, with
each such series representing interests in a separate portfolio of securities
and other assets;
WHEREAS, FMFS is, among other things, in the business of providing fund
administration services for the benefit of its customers; and
WHEREAS, the Trust desires to retain FMFS to provide fund administration
services for each series of the Trust listed on Exhibit A hereto (as amended
from time to time) (each a "Fund", collectively the "Funds").
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises and mutual covenants
herein contained, and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt of
which is hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto, intending to be legally bound,
do hereby agree as follows:
1. Appointment of FMFS as Administrator
The Trust hereby appoints FMFS as administrator of the Trust on the terms
and conditions set forth in this Agreement, and FMFS hereby accepts such
appointment and agrees to perform the services and duties set forth in this
Agreement.
2. Services and Duties of FMFS
FMFS shall provide the following fund administration services for the
Funds, including but not limited to:
A. General Fund Management:
(1) Act as liaison among all Fund service providers.
(2) Supply:
a. Corporate secretarial services.
b. Office facilities (which may be in FMFS's or its affiliate's
own offices).
c. Non-investment-related statistical and research data as
needed.
(3) Coordinate the Trust's Board of Trustees' (the "Board of
Trustees" or the "Trustees") communication:
a. Establish meeting agendas.
b. Prepare reports for the Board of Trustees based on financial
and administrative data.
c. Evaluate independent auditor.
d. Secure and monitor fidelity bond and director and officer
liability coverage, and make the necessary Securities and
Exchange Commission (the "SEC") filings relating thereto.
e. Prepare minutes of meetings of the Board of Trustees and
Fund shareholders.
f. Recommend dividend declarations to the Board of Trustees,
prepare and distribute to appropriate parties notices
announcing declaration of dividends and other distributions
to shareholders.
g. Provide personnel to serve as officers of the Trust if so
elected by the Board of Trustees, attend Board of Trustees
meetings and present materials for Trustees' review at such
meetings.
(4) Audits:
a. Prepare appropriate schedules and assist independent
auditors.
b. Provide information to the SEC and facilitate audit process.
c. Provide office facilities.
(5) Assist in overall operations of the Fund.
(6) Pay Fund expenses upon written authorization from the Trust.
(7) Monitor arrangements under shareholder services or similar plan.
B. Compliance:
(1) Regulatory Compliance:
a. Monitor compliance with the 1940 Act requirements,
including:
(i) Asset diversification tests.
(ii) Total return and SEC yield calculations.
(iii) Maintenance of books and records under Rule 31a-3.
(iv) Code of Ethics for the disinterested Trustees of the
Fund.
b. Monitor Fund's compliance with the policies and investment
limitations of the Trust as set forth in its current
prospectus (the "Prospectus") and statement of additional
information (the "SAI").
c. Maintain awareness of applicable regulatory and operational
service issues and recommend dispositions.
(2) Blue Sky Compliance:
a. Prepare and file with the appropriate state securities
authorities any and all required compliance filings relating
to the registration of the securities of the Trust so as to
enable the Trust to make a continuous offering of its shares
in all states.
b. Monitor status and maintain registrations in each state.
c. Provide information regarding material developments in state
securities regulation.
(3) SEC Registration and Reporting:
a. Assist Corporate counsel in updating the Prospectus and SAI
and in preparing proxy statements and Rule 24f-2 notices.
b. Prepare annual and semiannual reports, Form N-SAR filings
and Rule 24f-2 notices.
c. Coordinate the printing, filing and mailing of publicly
disseminated Prospectuses and reports.
d. File fidelity bond under Rule 17g-1.
e. File shareholder reports under Rule 30b2-1.
f. Monitor sales of each Fund's shares and ensure that such
shares are properly registered with the SEC and the
appropriate state authorities.
g. File Rule 24f-2 notices.
(4) IRS Compliance:
a. Monitor the Trust's status as a regulated investment company
under Subchapter M, including without limitation, review of
the following:
(i) Asset diversification requirements.
(ii) Qualifying income requirements.
(iii) Distribution requirements.
b. Calculate required distributions (including excise tax
distributions).
C. Financial Reporting:
(1) Provide financial data required by the Fund's Prospectus and SAI.
(2) Prepare financial reports for officers, shareholders, tax
authorities, performance reporting companies, the Board of
Trustees, the SEC, and independent auditors.
(3) Supervise the Trust's custodian and fund accountants in the
maintenance of the Trust's general ledger and in the preparation
of the Fund's financial statements, including oversight of
expense accruals and payments, of the determination of net asset
value of the Trust's net assets and of the Trust's shares, and of
the declaration and payment of dividends and other distributions
to shareholders.
(4) Compute the yield, total return and expense ratio of each class
of each Fund, and each Fund's portfolio turnover rate.
(5) Monitor the expense accruals and notify the Trust's management of
any proposed adjustments.
(6) Prepare monthly financial statements, which include without
limitation the following items: a. Schedule of Investments. b.
Statement of Assets and Liabilities. c. Statement of Operations.
d. Statement of Changes in Net Assets. e. Cash Statement. f.
Schedule of Capital Gains and Losses.
(7) Prepare quarterly broker security transaction summaries.
D. Tax Reporting:
(1) Prepare and file on a timely basis appropriate federal and state
tax returns including, without limitation, Forms 1120/8610 with
any necessary schedules.
(2) Prepare state income breakdowns where relevant.
(3) File Form 1099 Miscellaneous for payments to Trustees and other
service providers.
(4) Monitor wash losses.
(5) Calculate eligible dividend income for corporate shareholders.
3. Compensation
FMFS shall be compensated for providing the services set forth in this
Agreement in accordance with the fee schedule set forth on Exhibit B hereto
(as amended from time to time). The Trust shall pay all fees and
reimbursable expenses within thirty (30) calendar days following receipt of
the billing notice, except for any fee or expense subject to a good faith
dispute. The Trust shall notify FMFS in writing within thirty (30) calendar
days following receipt of each invoice if the Trust is disputing any
amounts in good faith. The Trust shall settle such disputed amounts within
ten (10) calendar days of the day on which the parties agree to the amount
to be paid. With the exception of any fee or expense the Trust is disputing
in good faith as set forth above, unpaid invoices shall accrue a finance
charge of one and one-half percent (1 1/2%) per month, after the due date.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, amounts owed by the Trust to FMFS
shall only be paid out of the assets and property of the particular Fund
involved.
4. Indemnification; Limitation of Liability
A. FMFS shall exercise reasonable care in the performance of its duties
under this Agreement. FMFS shall not be liable for any error of
judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by the Trust in
connection with matters to which this Agreement relates, including
losses resulting from mechanical breakdowns or the failure of
communication or power supplies beyond FMFS's control, except a loss
arising out of or relating to FMFS's refusal or failure to comply with
the terms of this Agreement or from bad faith, negligence, or willful
misconduct on its part in the performance of its duties under this
Agreement. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, if
FMFS has exercised reasonable care in the performance of its duties
under this Agreement, the Trust shall indemnify and hold harmless FMFS
from and against any and all claims, demands, losses, expenses, and
liabilities of any and every nature (including reasonable attorneys'
fees) which FMFS may sustain or incur or which may be asserted against
FMFS by any person arising out of any action taken or omitted to be
taken by it in performing the services hereunder, except for any and
all claims, demands, losses, expenses, and liabilities arising out of
or relating to FMFS's refusal or failure to comply with the terms of
this Agreement or from bad faith, negligence or from willful
misconduct on its part in performance of its duties under this
Agreement, (i) in accordance with the foregoing standards, or (ii) in
reliance upon any written or oral instruction provided to FMFS by any
duly authorized officer of the Trust, such duly authorized officer to
be included in a list of authorized officers furnished to FMFS and as
amended from time to time in writing by resolution of the Board of
Trustees.
FMFS shall indemnify and hold the Trust harmless from and against any
and all claims, demands, losses, expenses, and liabilities of any and
every nature (including reasonable attorneys' fees) that the Trust may
sustain or incur or that may be asserted against the Trust by any
person arising out of any action taken or omitted to be taken by FMFS
as a result of FMFS's refusal or failure to comply with the terms of
this Agreement, its bad faith, negligence, or willful misconduct.
In the event of a mechanical breakdown or failure of communication or
power supplies beyond its control, FMFS shall take all reasonable
steps to minimize service interruptions for any period that such
interruption continues beyond FMFS's control. FMFS will make every
reasonable effort to restore any lost or damaged data and correct any
errors resulting from such a breakdown at the expense of FMFS. FMFS
agrees that it shall, at all times, have reasonable contingency plans
with appropriate parties, making reasonable provision for emergency
use of electrical data processing equipment to the extent appropriate
equipment is available. Representatives of the Trust shall be entitled
to inspect FMFS's premises and operating capabilities at any time
during regular business hours of FMFS, upon reasonable notice to FMFS.
Notwithstanding the above, FMFS reserves the right to reprocess and
correct administrative errors at its own expense.
B. In order that the indemnification provisions contained in this section
shall apply, it is understood that if in any case the indemnitor may
be asked to indemnify or hold the indemnitee harmless, the indemnitor
shall be fully and promptly advised of all pertinent facts concerning
the situation in question, and it is further understood that the
indemnitee will use all reasonable care to notify the indemnitor
promptly concerning any situation that presents or appears likely to
present the probability of a claim for indemnification. The indemnitor
shall have the option to defend the indemnitee against any claim that
may be the subject of this indemnification. In the event that the
indemnitor so elects, it will so notify the indemnitee and thereupon
the indemnitor shall take over complete defense of the claim, and the
indemnitee shall in such situation initiate no further legal or other
expenses for which it shall seek indemnification under this section.
The indemnitee shall in no case confess any claim or make any
compromise in any case in which the indemnitor will be asked to
indemnify the indemnitee except with the indemnitor's prior written
consent.
5. Proprietary and Confidential Information
FMFS agrees on behalf of itself and its directors, officers, and employees
to treat confidentially and as proprietary information of the Trust all
records and other information relative to the Trust and prior, present, or
potential shareholders of the Trust (and clients of said shareholders), and
not to use such records and information for any purpose other than the
performance of its responsibilities and duties hereunder, except after
prior notification to and approval in writing by the Trust, which approval
shall not be unreasonably withheld and may not be withheld where FMFS 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 Trust.
Further, FMFS will adhere to the privacy policies adopted by the Trust
pursuant to Title V of the Xxxxxx-Xxxxx-Xxxxxx Act, as may be modified from
time to time (the "Act"). Notwithstanding the foregoing, FMFS will not
share any nonpublic personal information concerning any of the Trust's
shareholders to any third party unless specifically directed by the Trust
or allowed under one of the exceptions noted under the Act.
6. Term of Agreement; Amendment
This Agreement shall become effective as of the date first written above
and will continue in effect for a period of one year. This Agreement may be
terminated by either party upon giving ninety (90) days prior written
notice to the other party or such shorter period as is mutually agreed upon
by the parties. However, this Agreement may be amended by mutual written
consent of the parties.
7. Records
FMFS shall keep records relating to the services to be performed hereunder
in the form and manner, and for such period, as it may deem advisable and
is agreeable to the Trust, but not inconsistent with the rules and
regulations of appropriate government authorities, in particular, Section
31 of the 1940 Act and the rules thereunder. FMFS agrees that all such
records prepared or maintained by FMFS relating to the services to be
performed by FMFS hereunder are the property of the Trust and will be
preserved, maintained, and made available in accordance with such
applicable sections and rules of the 1940 Act and will be promptly
surrendered to the Trust on and in accordance with its request.
8. Governing Law
This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the State
of Wisconsin, without regard to conflicts of law principles. To the extent
that the applicable laws of the State of Wisconsin, or any of the
provisions herein, conflict with the applicable provisions of the 1940 Act,
the latter shall control, and nothing herein shall be construed in a manner
inconsistent with the 1940 Act or any rule or order of the SEC thereunder.
9. Duties in the Event of Termination
In the event that, in connection with termination, a successor to any of
FMFS's duties or responsibilities hereunder is designated by the Trust by
written notice to FMFS, FMFS will promptly, upon such termination and at
the expense of the Trust, transfer to such successor all relevant books,
records, correspondence, and other data established or maintained by FMFS
under this Agreement in a form reasonably acceptable to the Trust (if such
form differs from the form in which FMFS has maintained, the Trust shall
pay any expenses associated with transferring the data to such form), and
will cooperate in the transfer of such duties and responsibilities,
including provision for assistance from FMFS's personnel in the
establishment of books, records, and other data by such successor.
10. No Agency Relationship
Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize or empower FMFS to
act as agent for the other party to this Agreement, or to conduct business
in the name, or for the account, of the other party to this Agreement.
11. Data Necessary to Perform Services
The Trust or its agent, which may be FMFS, shall furnish to FMFS the data
necessary to perform the services described herein at such times and in
such form as mutually agreed upon. If FMFS is also acting in another
capacity for the Trust, nothing herein shall be deemed to relieve FMFS of
any of its obligations in such capacity.
12. Assignment
This Agreement may not be assigned by either party without the prior
written consent of the other party.
13. Notices
Any notice required or permitted to be given by either party to the other
shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been given on the date
delivered personally or by courier service, or three (3) days after sent by
registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested, or
on the date sent and confirmed received by facsimile transmission to the
other party's address set forth below:
Notice to FMFS shall be sent to:
Firstar Mutual Fund Services, LLC
000 Xxxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx, XX 00000
and notice to the Trust shall be sent to:
Country Trust Bank
000 XXX Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxxx, XX 00000
with a copy to:
Office of the General Counsel
0000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxxx, XX 00000
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
executed by a duly authorized officer on one or more counterparts as of the date
first above written.
COUNTRY MUTUAL FUNDS TRUST FIRSTAR MUTUAL FUND SERVICES, LLC
By: ______________________________ By: ________________________________
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx Xxx Xxxxxxx
Title: Vice President Title: President
