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EXHIBIT NO. 99.5(n)
FORM OF
SUB-ADVISORY AGREEMENT
MFS RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL FUND
SUB-ADVISORY AGREEMENT, dated this 30 day of December, 1996, by and
between MASSACHUSETTS FINANCIAL SERVICES COMPANY, a Delaware corporation (the
"Adviser") and FOREIGN & COLONIAL MANAGEMENT LTD., a company incorporated under
the laws of England and Wales (the "Sub-Adviser").
WITNESSETH:
WHEREAS, the Adviser provides MFS Research International Fund (the
"Fund"), a series of MFS Series Trust I (the "Trust"), an open-end investment
company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the
"1940 Act"), business services pursuant to the terms and conditions of an
investment advisory agreement dated December 30, 1996 (the "Advisory Agreement")
between the Adviser and the Trust, on behalf of the Fund; and
WHEREAS, the Sub-Adviser is willing to provide services to the Adviser
on the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements
of the parties hereto as herein set forth, the parties covenant and agree as
follows:
1. Duties of the Sub-Adviser. The Sub-Adviser will furnish the Adviser
with information and advice relating to such portion of the Fund's assets as the
Adviser shall from time to time designate (the "Designated Assets"). Subject to
the supervision of the Trustees of the Trust and the Adviser, the Sub-Adviser
will: (a) manage the Designated Assets on behalf of the Fund in accordance with
the Fund's investment objective, policies and limitations as stated in the
Fund's then current Prospectus (the "Prospectus") and Statement of Additional
Information (the "Statement"), and the Trust's Amended and Restated Declaration
of Trust dated December 14, 1994, as amended, and Amended and Restated By-Laws,
each as from time to time in effect (respectively, the "Declaration" and the
"By-Laws") and in compliance with the 1940 Act and the rules, regulations and
orders thereunder; (b) make investment decisions with respect to the Designated
Assets; (c) place purchase and sale orders for portfolio transactions with
respect to the Designated Assets; (d) manage otherwise uninvested cash assets
with respect to the Designated Assets; (e) as the agent of the Fund, give
instructions (including trade tickets) to the custodian and any sub-custodian of
the Fund as to deliveries of securities, transfers of currencies and payments of
cash with respect to the Designated Assets (the Sub-Adviser shall promptly
notify the Adviser of such instructions); (f) employ professional portfolio
managers to provide research services to the Fund; (g) attend periodic meetings
of the Board of Trustees of the Trust and (h) obtain all the registrations,
qualifications and consents, on behalf of the Fund, which are necessary for the
Fund to purchase and sell assets in each jurisdiction (other than the United
States) in which the Fund's Designated Assets are to be invested (the
Sub-Adviser shall promptly
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provide the Adviser with copies of any such registrations, qualifications and
consents). In providing these services, the Sub-Adviser will furnish
continuously an investment program with respect to the Designated Assets. The
Sub-Adviser shall be responsible for monitoring the Fund's compliance with the
Prospectus, the Statement, the Declaration, the By-Laws and the 1940 Act and the
rules, regulations and orders thereunder and in monitoring such compliance the
Sub-Adviser shall do so in the functional currency of the Fund. The Sub-Adviser
shall only be responsible for compliance with the above-mentioned restrictions
in regards to the Designated Assets. The Adviser agrees to provide the
Sub-Adviser with such assistance as may be reasonably requested by the
Sub-Adviser in connection with its activities under this Agreement, including,
without limitation, information concerning the Fund, its funds available, or to
become available, for investment and generally as to the conditions of the
Fund's affairs. From time to time the Adviser will notify the Sub-Adviser of the
aggregate U.S. Dollar amount of the Designated Assets. The Adviser will have
responsibility for exercising proxy, consent and other rights pertaining to the
Designated Assets; provided, however, that the Sub-Adviser will, as requested,
make recommendations to the Adviser as to the manner in which such proxy,
consent and other rights should be exercised.
Should the Trustees of the Trust or the Adviser at any time make any
determination as to investment policy and notify the Sub-Adviser thereof in
writing, the Sub-Adviser shall be bound by such determination for the period, if
any, specified in such notice or until notified that such determination has been
revoked. Further, the Adviser or the Trustees of the Trust may at any time, upon
written notice to the Sub-Adviser, suspend or restrict the right of the
Sub-Adviser to determine what Designated Assets shall be purchased or sold and
what portion, if any, of the Fund's Designated Assets shall be held uninvested.
It is understood that the Adviser undertakes to discuss with the Sub-Adviser any
such determinations of investment policy and any such suspension or restrictions
on the right of the Sub-Adviser to determine what Designated Assets shall be
purchased or sold or held uninvested, prior to the implementation thereof.
2. Certain Information to the Sub-Adviser. Copies of the Prospectus,
the Statement, the Declaration and the By-Laws have been delivered to the
Sub-Adviser. The Adviser agrees to notify the Sub-Adviser of each change in the
investment policies of the Fund and to provide to the Sub-Adviser as promptly as
practicable copies of all amendments and supplements to the Prospectus, the
Statement, the Declaration and the By-Laws. In addition, the Adviser will
promptly provide the Sub-Adviser with any procedures applicable to the
Sub-Adviser adopted from time to time by the Trustees of the Trust and agrees to
provide promptly to the Sub-Adviser copies of all amendments thereto.
3. Execution of Certain Documents. Subject to any other written
instructions of the Adviser and the Trustees of the Trust, the Sub-Adviser is
hereby appointed the Adviser's and the Trust's agent and attorney-in-fact to
execute account documentation, agreements, contracts and other documents as the
Sub-Adviser shall be requested by brokers, dealers, counterparties and other
persons in connection with its management of the Designated Assets.
4. Reports. The Sub-Adviser shall furnish to the Trustees of the Trust
or the Adviser, or both, as may be appropriate, quarterly reports of its
activities on behalf of the Fund,
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as required by applicable law or as otherwise requested from time to time by the
Trustees of the Trust or the Adviser, and such additional information, reports,
evaluations, analyses and opinions as the Trustees of the Trust or the Adviser,
as appropriate, may request from time to time.
5. Brokerage. In connection with the selections of brokers, dealers or
other entities and the placing of orders for the purchase and sale of portfolio
investments for the Fund, the Sub-Adviser is directed to seek for the Fund
execution at the most favorable price by responsible brokerage firms at
reasonably competitive commission rates. In fulfilling this requirement, the
Sub-Adviser shall not be deemed to have acted unlawfully or to have breached any
duty, created by this Agreement or otherwise, solely by reason of its having
caused the Fund to pay a broker, dealer or other entity an amount of commission
for effecting a securities transaction in excess of the amount of commission
another broker, dealer or other entity would have charged for effecting that
transaction, if the Sub-Adviser determined in good faith that such amount of
commission was reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research
services (within the meaning of Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended) provided by such broker, dealer or other entity, viewed in
terms of either that particular transaction or the Sub-Adviser's overall
responsibilities with respect to the Fund and to other clients of the
Sub-Adviser as to which the Sub-Adviser exercises investment discretion.
6. Services to Other Companies or Accounts. On occasions when the
Sub-Adviser deems the purchase or sale of a security to be in the best interest
of the Fund as well as other clients, the Sub-Adviser, to the extent permitted
by applicable laws and regulations, may, but shall be under no obligation to,
aggregate the securities to be so purchased or sold in order to obtain the most
favorable price or lower brokerage commissions and efficient execution. In such
event, allocation of the securities so purchased or sold, as well as the
expenses incurred in the transaction will be made by the Sub-Adviser in the
manner it considers to be the most equitable. The Sub-Adviser agrees to allocate
similarly opportunities to sell or otherwise dispose of securities among the
Fund and other clients of the Sub-Adviser.
7. Other Sub-Advisers. The Sub-Adviser may from time to time enter into
investment sub-advisory agreements with one or more investment advisers, (an
"Other Sub-Adviser"), to the Fund to perform some or all of the services for
which the Sub-Adviser is responsible pursuant to this Agreement upon such terms
and conditions as the Adviser and the Sub-Adviser may determine; provided,
however, that such investment sub-advisory agreements have been approved by a
majority of the Trustees of the Trust who are not interested persons of the
Trust, or the Sub-Adviser or the Other Sub-Adviser and by vote of a majority of
the outstanding voting securities of the Fund; and, provided, further, that the
Sub-Adviser shall own a majority of the voting securities of any Other
Sub-Adviser. The Sub-Adviser may terminate the services of any Other Sub-Adviser
at any time in its sole discretion, and shall at such time assume the
responsibilities of such Other Sub-Adviser unless and until a successor Other
Sub-Adviser is selected. The Sub-Adviser shall be liable for any error of
judgment or mistake of law by any Other Sub-Adviser and for any act or omission
in the execution and management of the Fund by any Other Sub-Adviser.
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8. Compensation of the Sub-Adviser. For the services to be rendered by
the Sub-Adviser under this Agreement, the Adviser shall pay to the Sub-Adviser
compensation, computed and paid monthly in arrears in U.S. dollars, at a rate of
0.40% per annum of the average daily net asset value of the Fund. If the
Sub-Adviser shall serve for less than the whole of any month, the compensation
payable to the Sub-Adviser with respect to the Fund will be prorated. The
Sub-Adviser will pay its expenses incurred in performing its duties under this
Agreement. Neither the Trust nor the Fund shall be liable to the Sub-Adviser for
the compensation of the Sub-Adviser. For the purpose of determining fees payable
to the Sub-Adviser, the value of the Fund's net assets shall be computed at the
times and in the manner specified in the Prospectus and/or Statement. In the
event that the Adviser reduces its management fee payable under the Advisory
Agreement in order to comply with the expense limitations of a State securities
commission or otherwise, the Sub-Adviser agrees to reduce its fee payable under
this Agreement by a pro rata amount.
9. Limitation of Liability of the Sub-Adviser. The Sub-Adviser shall
not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss
arising out of any investment or for any act or omission in the execution and
management of the Fund, except for willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross
negligence in the performance of its duties and obligations hereunder. The
Trust, on behalf of the Fund, may enforce any obligations of the Sub-Adviser
under this Agreement and may recover directly from the Sub-Adviser for any
liability it may have to the Fund.
10. Activities of the Sub-Adviser. The services of the Sub-Adviser to
the Fund are not deemed to be exclusive, the Sub-Adviser being free to render
investment advisory and/or other services to others. It is understood that the
Trustees, officers and shareholders of the Trust, the Fund or the Adviser are or
may be or become interested in the Sub-Adviser or any person controlling,
controlled by or under common control with the Sub-Adviser, as trustees,
officers, employees or otherwise and that trustees, officers and employees of
the Sub-Adviser or any person controlling, controlled by or under common control
with the Sub-Adviser may become similarly interested in the Trust, the Fund or
the Adviser and that the Sub-Adviser may be or become interested in the Fund as
a shareholder or otherwise.
11. Covenants of the Sub-Adviser. The Sub-Adviser agrees that it (a)
will not deal with itself, "affiliated persons" of the Sub-Adviser, the Trustees
of the Trust or the Fund's distributor, as principals, agents, brokers or
dealers in making purchases or sales of securities or other property for the
account of the Fund, except as permitted by the 1940 Act and the rules,
regulations and orders thereunder and subject to the prior written approval of
the Adviser, (b) will not take a long or short position in the shares of the
Fund except as permitted by the Declaration and (c) will comply with all other
provisions of the Declaration and the By-Laws and the then-current Prospectus
and Statement relative to the Sub-Adviser and its trustees, officers, employees
and affiliates.
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12. Representations, Warranties and Additional Agreements of the
Sub-Adviser. The Sub-Adviser represents, warrants and agrees that:
(a) It: (i) is registered as an investment adviser under the U.S.
Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (the "Advisers Act"), is
authorized to undertake investment business in the United
Kingdom by virtue of its membership in the Investment
Management Regulatory Organisation ("IMRO") and is registered
under the laws of any jurisdiction in which the Sub-Adviser is
required to be registered as an investment adviser in order to
perform its obligations under this Agreement, and will
continue to be so registered for so long as this Agreement
remains in effect; (ii) is not prohibited by the 1940 Act or
the Advisers Act from performing the services contemplated by
this Agreement; (iii) has met, and will continue to meet for
so long as this Agreement remains in effect, any other
applicable Federal or State requirements, or the applicable
requirements of any regulatory or industry self-regulatory
agency, necessary to be met in order to perform the services
contemplated by this Agreement; (iv) has the authority to
enter into and perform the services contemplated by this
Agreement; (v) will immediately notify the Adviser in writing
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(a) of the 1940 Act or
otherwise; and (vi) will immediately notify the Adviser in
writing of any change of control of the Sub-Adviser or any
parent of the Sub-Adviser resulting in an "assignment" of this
Agreement.
(b) It will maintain, keep current and preserve on behalf of the
Fund, in the manner and for the periods of time required or
permitted by the 1940 Act and the rules, regulations and
orders thereunder and the Advisers Act and the rules,
regulations and orders thereunder, records relating to
investment transactions made by the Sub-Adviser for the Fund
as may be reasonably requested by the Adviser or the Fund from
time to time. The Sub-Adviser agrees that such records are the
property of the Fund, and will be surrendered to the Fund
promptly upon request; provided, however, that the Sub-Adviser
may retain copies of such records for archival purposes as
required by IMRO.
(c) The Sub-Adviser has adopted a written code of ethics complying
with the requirements of Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act and, if
it has not already done so, will provide the Adviser and the
Trust with a copy of such code of ethics, and upon any
amendment to such code of ethics, promptly provide such
amendment. At least annually the Sub-Adviser will provide the
Trust and the Adviser with a certificate signed by the chief
compliance officer (or the person performing such function) of
the Sub-Adviser certifying, to the best of his or her
knowledge, compliance with the code of ethics during the
immediately preceding twelve (12) month period,
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including any material violations of or amendments to the code
of ethics or the administration thereof.
(d) It has provided the Adviser and the Trust with a copy of its
Form ADV as most recently filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the "SEC") and will, promptly after
filing any amendment to its Form ADV with the SEC, furnish a
copy of such amendment to the Adviser and the Trust.
13. Duration and Termination of this Agreement. This Agreement shall
become effective on the date first above written and shall govern the relations
between the parties hereto thereafter, and shall remain in force until December
30, 1998 and each year thereafter but only so long as its continuance is
"specifically approved at least annually" (a) by the vote of a majority of the
Trustees of the Trust who are not "interested persons" of the Trust or of the
Adviser or of the Sub-Adviser at a meeting specifically called for the purpose
of voting on such approval, and (b) by the Board of Trustees of the Trust, or by
"vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities" of the Fund. This
Agreement may be terminated at any time without the payment of any penalty by
the Trustees of the Trust, by "vote of a majority of the outstanding voting
securities" of the Fund or by the Adviser, on not more than sixty days nor less
than thirty days written notice, or by the Sub-Adviser on not more than ninety
days nor less than sixty days written notice. This Agreement shall automatically
terminate in the event of its "assignment" or in the event that the Advisory
Agreement shall have terminated for any reason.
14. Amendments to this Agreement. This Agreement may be amended only if
such amendment is approved by "vote of a majority of the outstanding voting
securities" of the Fund, by the Adviser and by the Sub-Adviser.
15. Certain Definitions. The terms "specifically approved at least
annually", "vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities",
"assignment", "control", "affiliated persons" and "interested person", when used
in this Agreement, shall have the respective meanings specified, and shall be
construed in a manner consistent with, the 1940 Act and the rules, regulations
and orders thereunder, subject, however, to such exemptions as may be granted by
the SEC under the 1940 Act.
16. Survival of Representations and Warranties; Duty to Update
Information. All representations and warranties made by the Sub-Adviser pursuant
to Section 12 hereof shall survive for the duration of this Agreement and the
Sub-Adviser shall immediately notify, but in no event later than five (5)
business days, the Adviser in writing upon becoming aware that any of the
foregoing representations and warranties are no longer true.
17. Miscellaneous. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in
accordance with the internal laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts. All
notices provided for by this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed
given when received, against appropriate receipt, by the Sub-Adviser's Secretary
in the case of the Sub-Adviser, the Adviser's General Counsel in the case of the
Adviser, and the Trust's Secretary in the case of the Fund, or such
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other person as a party shall designate by notice to the other parties. This
Agreement constitutes the entire agreement among the parties hereto and
supersedes any prior agreement among the parties relating to the subject matter
hereof. The section headings of this Agreement are for convenience of reference
and do not constitute a part hereof.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be
executed and delivered in their names and on their behalf by the undersigned,
thereunto duly authorized, and their respective seals to be hereto affixed, all
as of the day and year first written above.
MASSACHUSETTS FINANCIAL
SERVICES COMPANY
By:_________________________
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
President
FOREIGN & COLONIAL
MANAGEMENT LTD.
By:_________________________
Xxxxx Oglivy
By:_________________________
Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
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The foregoing is hereby agreed to:
A copy of the Declaration of Trust of the Trust is on file with the
Secretary of State of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The parties hereto
acknowledge that the obligations of or arising out of this instrument are not
binding upon any of the Trust's trustees, officers, employees, agents or
shareholders individually, but are binding solely upon the assets and property
of the Trust in accordance with its proportionate interest hereunder. If this
instrument is executed by the Trust on behalf of one or more series of the
Trust, the parties hereto acknowledge that the assets and liabilities of each
series of the Trust are separate and distinct and that the obligations of or
arising out of this instrument are binding solely upon the assets or property of
the series on whose behalf the Trust has executed this instrument. If the Trust
has executed this instrument on behalf of more than one series of the Trust, the
parties hereto also agree that the obligations of each series hereunder shall be
several and not joint, in accordance with its proportionate interest hereunder,
and the parties hereto agree not to proceed against any series for the
obligations of another series.
MFS SERIES TRUST I
on behalf of MFS RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL FUND
By: _________________________________________
A. Xxxxx Xxxxxxx
Chairman
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