EXHIBIT 5(r)
SUB-ADVISORY AGREEMENT
GNMA Portfolio
Delaware Tax-Free Income Portfolio
Kentucky Tax-Free Income Portfolio
AGREEMENT dated as of _______________, 1998, between BlackRock, Inc., a
Delaware corporation ("Adviser"), and BlackRock Financial Management, Inc., a
Delaware corporation ("Sub-Adviser").
WHEREAS, Adviser has agreed to furnish investment advisory services to the
GNMA Portfolio, the Delaware Tax-Free Income Portfolio and the Kentucky Tax-Free
Income Portfolio (each, a "Portfolio") of BlackRock Funds (the "Fund"), an open-
end, management investment company registered under the Investment Company Act
of 1940 ("1940 Act"); and
WHEREAS, Adviser wishes to retain the Sub-Adviser to provide it with sub-
advisory services as described below in connection with Adviser's advisory
activities on behalf of each Portfolio; and
WHEREAS, the advisory agreement between Adviser and the Fund dated January
4, 1996 (such Agreement or the most recent successor agreement between such
parties relating to advisory services to each Portfolio is referred to herein as
the "Advisory Agreement") contemplates that Adviser may sub-contract investment
advisory services with respect to each Portfolio to a sub-adviser pursuant to a
sub-advisory agreement agreeable to the Fund and approved in accordance with the
provisions of the 1940 Act; and
WHEREAS, this Agreement has been approved in accordance with the provisions
of the 1940 Act, and Sub-Adviser is willing to furnish such services upon the
terms and conditions herein set forth;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and mutual covenants
herein contained, it is agreed between the parties hereto as follows:
1. Appointment. Adviser hereby appoints Sub-Adviser to act as sub-adviser
-----------
with respect to each Portfolio as provided in Section 2 of the Advisory
Agreement. Sub-Adviser accepts such appointment and agrees to render the
services herein set forth for the compensation herein provided.
2. Services of Sub-Adviser. Subject to the oversight and supervision of
-----------------------
Adviser and the Fund's Board of Trustees, Sub-Adviser will supervise the day-to-
day operations of each Portfolio and perform the following services: (i)
provide investment research and credit analysis concerning each Portfolio's
investments, (ii) conduct a continual program of investment of each Portfolio's
assets, (iii) determine what portion of each Portfolio's assets will be invested
in cash, cash equivalents and money market instruments, (iv) place orders for
all purchases and sales of the investments made for each Portfolio, and (v)
maintain the books and records as are required to support Fund operations (in
conjunction with record-keeping and accounting functions performed by Adviser).
In addition, Sub-Adviser will keep the Fund and Adviser informed of developments
materially affecting the Fund and shall, on its own initiative, furnish to the
Fund from time to time whatever information Sub-Adviser believes appropriate for
this purpose. Sub-Adviser will communicate to Adviser on each day that a
purchase or sale of an instrument is effected for each Portfolio (i) the name of
the issuer, (ii) the amount of the purchase or sale, (iii) the name of the
broker or dealer, if any, through which the purchase or sale will be effected,
(iv) the CUSIP number of the instrument, if any, and (v) such other information
as Adviser may reasonably require for purposes of fulfilling its obligations to
the Fund under the Advisory Agreement. Sub-Adviser will provide the services
rendered by it under this Agreement in accordance with each Portfolio's
investment objectives, policies and restrictions as stated in each Portfolio's
Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information (as currently in effect and
as they may be amended or supplemented from time to time), and the resolutions
of the Fund's Board of Trustees.
3. Other Sub-Adviser Covenants. Sub-Adviser further agrees that it:
---------------------------
(a) will comply with all applicable Rules and Regulations of the Securities
and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") and will in addition conduct its activities
under this Agreement in accordance with other applicable law;
(b) will place orders either directly with the issuer or with any broker or
dealer. Subject to the other provisions of this paragraph, in placing orders
with brokers and dealers, Sub-Adviser will attempt to obtain the best price and
the most favorable execution of its orders. In placing orders, Sub-Adviser will
consider the experience and skill of the firm's securities traders as well as
the firm's financial responsibility and administrative efficiency. Consistent
with this obligation, Sub-Adviser may, subject to the approval of the Fund's
Board of Trustees, select brokers on the basis of the research, statistical and
pricing services they provide to the Portfolio and other clients of Adviser or
Sub-Adviser. Information and research received from such brokers will be in
addition to, and not in lieu of, the services required to be performed by Sub-
Adviser hereunder. A commission paid to such brokers may be higher than that
which another qualified broker would have charged for effecting the same
transaction, provided that Sub-Adviser determines in good faith that such
commission is reasonable in terms either of the transaction or the overall
responsibility of Adviser and Sub-Adviser to each Portfolio and their other
clients and that the total commissions paid by each Portfolio will be reasonable
in relation to the benefits to the
Portfolio over the long-term. In addition, Sub-Adviser is authorized to take
into account the sale of shares of the Fund in allocating purchase and sale
orders for portfolio securities to brokers or dealers (including brokers and
dealers that are affiliated with Adviser, Sub-Adviser or the Fund's
distributor), provided that Sub-Adviser believes that the quality of the
transaction and the commission are comparable to what they would be with other
qualified firms. In no instance, however, will any Portfolio's securities be
purchased from or sold to the Adviser, Sub-Adviser, the Fund's distributor or
any affiliated person thereof, except to the extent permitted by the SEC or by
applicable law;
(c) will maintain or cause Adviser to maintain books and records with
respect to each Portfolio's securities transactions and will render to Adviser
and the Fund's Board of Trustees such periodic and special reports as they may
request;
(d) will maintain a policy and practice of conducting its investment
advisory services hereunder independently of the commercial banking operations
of its affiliates. When Sub-Adviser makes investment recommendations for a
Portfolio, its investment advisory personnel will not inquire or take into
consideration whether the issuer of securities proposed for purchase or sale for
the Portfolio's account are customers of the commercial department of its
affiliates; and
(e) will treat confidentially and as proprietary information of the Fund
all records and other information relative to the Fund, each Portfolio's and the
Fund's prior, current or potential shareholders, and will not use such records
and information for any purpose other than performance of its responsibilities
and duties hereunder, 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 Sub-Adviser 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.
4. Services Not Exclusive. Sub-Adviser's services hereunder are not
----------------------
deemed to be exclusive, and Sub-Adviser shall be free to render similar services
to others so long as its services under this Agreement are not impaired thereby.
5. Books and Records. In compliance with the requirements of Rule 31a-3
-----------------
under the 1940 Act, Sub-Adviser hereby agrees that all records which it
maintains for each Portfolio are the property of the Fund and further agrees to
surrender promptly to the Fund any such records upon the Fund's request. Sub-
Adviser further agrees to preserve for the periods prescribed by Rule 31a-2
under the 1940 Act the records required to be maintained by Rule 31a-1 under the
1940 Act.
6. Expenses. During the term of this Agreement, Sub-Adviser will pay all
--------
expenses incurred by it in connection with its activities under this Agreement
other than the cost of securities, commodities, and other investments (including
brokerage commissions and other transaction charges, if any) purchased or sold
for each Portfolio.
7. Compensation. For the services which the Sub-Adviser will render to
------------
Adviser under this Agreement, Adviser will pay to Sub-Adviser a fee, computed
daily and payable monthly, at the following annual rates for each Portfolio:
.400% of the first $1 billion of each Portfolio's average daily net assets,
.350% of the next $1 billion of each Portfolio's average daily net assets, .325%
of the next $1 billion of each Portfolio's average daily net assets and .300% of
the average daily net assets of each Portfolio in excess of $3 billion.
If the Adviser waives any or all of its advisory fee payable under the
Advisory Agreement, or reimburses the Fund pursuant to Section 8(b) of that
Agreement, with respect to a Portfolio, the Sub-Adviser will bear its share of
the amount of such waiver or reimbursement by waiving fees otherwise payable to
it hereunder on a proportionate basis to be determined by comparing the
aggregate fees that would otherwise be paid to it hereunder with respect to the
Portfolio to the aggregate fees that would otherwise be paid by the Fund to the
Adviser under the Advisory Agreement with respect to the Portfolio. Adviser
shall inform Sub-Adviser prior to waiving any advisory fees.
8. Limitation on Liability. Sub-Adviser will not be liable for any error
-----------------------
of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by Adviser or by a
Portfolio in connection with the performance of this Agreement, except a loss
resulting from a breach of fiduciary duty with respect to the receipt of
compensation for services or a loss resulting from willful misfeasance, bad
faith or gross negligence on its part in the performance of its duties or from
reckless disregard by it of its obligations or duties under this Agreement.
9. Duration and Termination. This Agreement will become effective as of
------------------------
the date hereof and, unless sooner terminated with respect to a Portfolio as
provided herein, shall continue in effect with respect to each Portfolio until
March 31, 1999. Thereafter, if not terminated, this Agreement shall continue in
effect with respect to each Portfolio for successive annual periods ending on
March 31, provided such continuance is specifically approved at least annually
(a) by the vote of a majority of those members of the Fund's Board of Trustees
who are not interested persons of any party to this Agreement, cast in person at
a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval, and (b) by the
Fund's Board of Trustees or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting
securities of the Portfolio. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Agreement may
be terminated with respect to a Portfolio at any time, without the payment of
any penalty, by the Fund (by vote of the Fund's Board of Trustees or by vote of
a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Portfolio), or by Adviser
or Sub-Adviser on 60 days' written notice, and will terminate automatically upon
any termination of the Advisory Agreement between the Fund and Adviser. This
Agreement will also immediately terminate in the event of its assignment. (As
used in this Agreement, the terms "majority of the outstanding voting
securities," "interested person" and "assignment" shall have the same meanings
of such terms in the 1940 Act.)
10. Amendment of this Agreement. No provision of this Agreement may be
---------------------------
changed, waived, discharged or terminated orally, but only by an instrument in
writing
signed by the party against which enforcement of the change, waiver, discharge
or termination is sought. Any amendment of this Agreement shall be subject to
the 1940 Act.
11. Miscellaneous. 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. 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. This Agreement shall be binding on, and shall inure to the
benefit of, the parties hereto and their respective successors and shall be
governed by Delaware law.
12. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts by the
------------
parties hereto, each of which shall constitute an original counterpart, and all
of which, together, shall constitute one Agreement.
[End of Text]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this instrument to be
executed by their officers designated below as of the day and year first above
written.
BLACKROCK, INC.
By:______________________________
BLACKROCK FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, INC.
By:______________________________
