Form 485BPOS PUTNAM SUSTAINABLE LEADE
AMENDED AND RESTATED
MASTER INTERFUND LENDING AGREEMENT
This Amended and Restated Master Interfund Lending Agreement (as further amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Master Agreement”), dated as of September 24, 2021 (the “Effective Date”), is by and among each investment company listed on Schedule A or Schedule B hereto (collectively, the “Trusts,” and each portfolio series of a Trust (or if the relevant Trust has no portfolio series, then the relevant Trust) shall be referred to herein as a “Fund” and collectively as the “Funds”) and Putnam Investment Management, LLC (the “Adviser”).
WHEREAS, the Trusts and the Adviser have received an exemptive order (the “Order”) dated April 10, 2002 from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission permitting the Funds to participate in a joint lending and borrowing facility (the “Lending Facility”);
WHEREAS, the Funds listed on Schedule A hereto (as amended from time to time) are permitted to borrow cash in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Order to satisfy redemption requests, to cover unanticipated cash shortfalls such as a Sales Fail (defined below), or for other temporary purposes (each such borrowing Fund is hereinafter referred to as a “Borrower”);
WHEREAS, the Funds listed on Schedule B hereto (as amended from time to time) are permitted to lend cash to one or more Borrowers from time to time on the terms set forth below and in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Order (each such lending Fund is hereinafter referred to as a “Lender”);
NOW THEREFORE, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1. Definitions. As used herein, the following terms shall have meanings assigned to them below:
“1940 Act” means the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
“Bank Loan Rate” for any day means the rate calculated by the Credit Facility Team according to a formula established by the Board of Trustees of each Trust intended to approximate the lowest interest rate at which bank short-term loans would be available to a Borrower.
“Borrowing Instructions” has the meaning specified in Section 3.1.1 hereof.
“Business Day” means a day on which the New York Stock Exchange is open for the purpose of transacting business.
“Credit Arrangements” means the credit arrangements that a Fund may have for borrowing for temporary or emergency purposes, including borrowings from banks and other institutional lenders.
| 1 |
“Credit Facility Team” means the officers and employees of the fund administration, middle office, trading and investment departments of the Adviser who are responsible for administering the Interfund Lending Facility.
“Interest Rate” means, for each date on which interest accrues hereunder, the average of (i) the higher of the OTD Rate and the Repo Rate and (ii) the Bank Loan Rate.
“Lending Instructions” has the meaning specified in Section 3.1.1 hereof.
“Loan” has the meaning specified in Section 2 hereof.
“Loan Account” has the meaning specified in Section 3.5 hereof.
“Maximum Amount” has the meaning specified in Section 2 hereof.
“Obligations” means all of the obligations (whether direct or indirect, absolute or contingent, primary or secondary, due or to become due, now existing or hereafter arising) of a Borrower to a Lender hereunder.
“OTD Rate” on any day means the highest interest rate available to a Lender from investment in overnight time deposits.
“Outstanding Secured Borrowing” means any loan made to a Fund either under this Master Agreement or under any other agreement that is secured by assets of the Fund.
“Prospectus” means with respect to each Borrower the prospectus required to be delivered by the Borrower to offerees of its securities pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
“Repo Rate” on any day means the highest interest rate available to a Lender from investment in overnight repurchase agreements.
“Sales Fail” in connection with the attempted sale of a security means the cash shortfall resulting from circumstances beyond the seller’s control, such as the delay in the delivery of cash to the seller’s custodian or improper delivery instructions by the broker effecting the transaction.
“SEC” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Secured Loan” has the meaning specified in Section 2(e) hereof.
“Security Agreement” has the meaning specified in Section 3.11(d) hereof.
“Statement of Additional Information” means with respect to each Borrower the Statement of Additional Information which must be provided by the Borrower to recipients of its Prospectus upon request pursuant to rules and regulations adopted by the SEC.
“Unsecured Loan” means any Loan other than a Secured Loan.
| 2 |
2. Lending Facility. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Master Agreement, each Lender may from time to time in its discretion loan its available cash to any Borrower (a “Loan”). Each Loan shall be made for a term no longer than the least of (a) the maximum term on any outstanding loan or advance to the Borrower under its Credit Arrangements; (b) seven (7) days; or (c) the number of days required for the Borrower to receive payment for securities sold at or prior to the time the Loan is made in an amount sufficient to repay the Loan. The maximum principal amount of all Loans outstanding with respect to any Borrower at any time shall not exceed the Maximum Amount the Borrower is permitted to borrow at such time under:
(a) applicable laws and regulations;
(b) the provisions of Section 5.2 hereof;
(c) agreements with federal, state, local or foreign governmental authorities or regulators applicable to the Borrower or limitations specified in the Order applicable to the Borrower’s borrowing and pledging activities, all as amended and in effect from time to time;
(d) limitations on borrowing adopted by the Borrower in its Prospectus, Statement of Additional Information or elsewhere, as amended and in effect from time to time; and
(e) in the case of Loans for which the Borrower is required to provide collateral pursuant to Section 3.11 hereof (“Secured Loans”), any limitations specified in the Security Agreement (as defined below) and any limitations on the pledging of assets adopted by the Borrower in its Prospectus, Statement of Additional Information, Credit Arrangements or elsewhere.
As used herein, the term “Maximum Amount” means the maximum amount that the Borrower is permitted to borrow in accordance with the provisions of the preceding sentence.
3. Loan Requirements.
3.1 Procedural Requirements. All loans shall be requested and funded in accordance with the procedures set forth herein and such other procedures as may be approved and adopted from time to time by the Board of Trustees of the applicable Trust (the “Interfund Lending Procedures”), including a majority of the trustees who are not “interested persons” as that term is used in Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act.
3.1.1 Borrowing and Lending Instructions. The Adviser’s investment personnel for each participating Fund shall provide the Credit Facility Team with standing instructions as to their desire to have the Fund act as a Lender when such Fund has uninvested cash balances (“Lending Instructions”). If the designated individual or individuals in the Interfund Lending Procedures determine that a Fund has borrowing needs in accordance with the Interfund Lending Procedures, then such individual or individuals shall instruct the Credit Facility Team as to such Fund’s desire to have the Fund act as a Borrower (“Borrowing Instructions”). Such individual or individuals may revoke or change Lending Instructions or Borrowing Instructions in accordance with the
| 3 |
Interfund Lending Procedures with respect to a Fund by notifying the Credit Facility Team.
3.1.2 Allocation Procedures. On each Business Day, the Credit Facility Team shall seek to collect data on the uninvested cash of Funds listed on Schedule B hereto from such Funds’ custodian. On each occasion that a Fund delivers Borrowing Instructions to the Credit Facility Team, the Credit Facility Team will seek to match the amount and term of the Fund’s borrowing needs with the cash available from the Funds that have provided Lending Instructions in accordance with allocation and administrative procedures established by the Board of Trustees. The Credit Facility Team shall allocate the borrowing demand and lending needs among the Funds on what the Credit Facility Team deems to be an equitable basis and in accordance with the Interfund Lending Procedures. The Credit Facility Team shall not solicit cash for Loans from any Funds or publish or disseminate the amount of any current borrowing demand to the Adviser’s investment personnel.
No Loan may be made unless the Interest Rate is more favorable for the Lender than both the OTD Rate and the Repo Rate and more favorable for the Borrower than the Bank Loan Rate.
3.1.3 Funding the Loans. If a Loan has been allocated to a Lender and Borrower pursuant to Section 3.1.2 hereof, and the Loan is otherwise in compliance with the requirements set forth in the Order, the Lender shall make such Loan to the Borrower. The proceeds of each Loan made by the Lender to the Borrower shall be wired (or transferred if Borrower and Lender have the same custodian) at the Borrower’s expense in accordance with the wiring instructions for each Fund, as in effect from time to time, to an account maintained on the Borrower’s behalf by its custodian.
3.1.4 Obligations Arising from Loan. Each Loan made by the Lender to Borrower shall:
(a) obligate the Borrower to borrow the principal amount of the Loan at the Interest Rate applicable thereto for the term thereof solely for use by the Borrower;
(b) constitute a representation and warranty by the Borrower to the Lender that
(i) the Loan requested thereby
(A) is permitted under the Borrower’s most recent Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information,
(B) is in accordance with the requirements of the Order applicable to the Borrower,
(C) will not, when made, cause the aggregate indebtedness of the Borrower to exceed the Maximum Amount then in effect, and
| 4 |
(D) will be used by the Borrower only in accordance with Section 3.7 hereof; and
(ii) all of the representations and warranties of the Borrower contained in Section 4 hereof are true and correct as of the date of such Loan as though made on and as of such date; and
(iii) all material facts about the Borrower’s intended participation in the Lending Facility are fully disclosed in the Borrower’s Statement of Additional Information; and
(c) constitute a representation and warranty by the Lender to the Borrower that the Loan thereby
(i) is permitted under the Lender’s most recent Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information;
(ii) is in accordance with the requirements of the Order applicable to the Lender; and
(iii) all material facts about the Lender’s intended participation in the Lending Facility are fully disclosed in the Lender’s Statement of Additional Information.
3.2 Repayment of Loans. The principal amount of each Loan shall be repaid by the Borrower from the assets of the Borrower on the earlier of one (1) Business Day after demand by the Lender or the expiration of the term of the Loan.
3.3 Interest. The outstanding principal amount of each Loan shall bear interest until maturity at the Interest Rate. Interest accrued on each Loan shall be paid by the Borrower upon the earlier of (a) mutually agreed times, or (b) the maturity of such Loan. Amounts overdue hereunder (including, without limitation, overdue principal, and, to the extent permitted by law, overdue interest, fees, charges and expenses) shall bear interest until paid at an annual rate equal to the sum of (i) the Interest Rate applicable to such Loan prior to its maturity and (ii) two percent (2%).
3.4 Prepayments. Loans may be prepaid in whole or in part prior to the date on which such Loan is due and payable without premium or penalty.
3.5 Loan Records Accounts. Promptly after a Loan has been made, the Credit Facility Team shall note on its records for the Borrower and Lender, confirming (a) the principal amount of such Loan, (b) the Interest Rate applicable thereto and (c) the maturity thereof. The Credit Facility Team will maintain a separate account on its books for each Lender and Borrower (a “Loan Account”) on which will be recorded, in accordance with the Adviser’s customary accounting practice, (a) all Loans made by a Lender to a Borrower, (b) all payments of such Loans made to a Lender, and (c) all other charges and expenses properly chargeable to the Borrower. The debit balance of each Fund’s Loan Account shall reflect the amount of the Borrower’s indebtedness from time to time to the Lenders hereunder. Any written statement
| 5 |
maintained by the Credit Facility Team regarding the Loan shall, in the absence of manifest error, constitute conclusive evidence of the indebtedness of the Borrower to the Lender as of the date of such statement, provided, however, that the failure of the Credit Facility Team to make such statement shall not impair the validity or binding nature of the Borrower’s Obligations with respect to such Loan.
3.6 Computations. All computations hereunder shall be computed on the basis of the actual number of days elapsed and a 360-day year.
3.7 Use of Proceeds. The proceeds of each Loan made hereunder with respect to any Fund shall be used only by such Fund in accordance with its Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information for temporary purposes to satisfy redemption requests, to cover unanticipated cash shortfalls such as a Sales Fail, or for other temporary purposes as permitted by the Interfund Lending Procedures.
3.8 Discretionary Facility. It is acknowledged and agreed by each Borrower that each Lender has no obligation to make any Loan hereunder unless it has issued Lending Instructions, and that the decision whether or not to issue Lending Instructions under this Master Agreement is within the sole and exclusive discretion of each Lender. It is acknowledged and agreed by each Lender that no Borrower is obligated to borrow money hereunder unless it has issued Borrowing Instructions.
3.9 Termination of Participation in the Lending Facility. Each Lender and each Borrower may terminate its participation in this Master Agreement at any time by written notice to the Credit Facility Team; provided that on or before the date of any termination the relevant Lender or Borrower has no Loans outstanding. The Adviser may at any time by delivery of a revised Schedule A or Schedule B, as applicable, to the Credit Facility Team add additional Funds that are eligible to rely on the Order as parties to this Master Agreement, whereupon those additional Funds shall be treated for all purposes as a Borrower and as a Lender, as applicable.
3.10 Recourse to Assets. Loans made to any Borrower shall be repaid solely from the assets of such Borrower, and a Lender shall have no right of recourse or offset against the assets of any other Fund with respect to such Loans or any default in respect thereto. Each Lender’s liability under this Master Agreement with respect to a Loan shall be solely limited to the Lender’s assets and each Borrower hereby waives any and all rights it may have against any other Funds with respect to such Loan or any default by Lender with respect thereto.
3.11 Collateral Security for Loans.
(a) As a condition precedent to making any Loan to any Borrower or continuing any Loan made to any Borrower, the Borrower covenants and agrees that in the event that (i) the Borrower’s outstanding borrowings from all sources immediately after the Loan would exceed 10% of its total assets or (ii) the Borrower’s outstanding borrowings from all sources exceed 10% of the Borrower’s total assets for any reason (such as a decline in net asset value or because of shareholder redemptions), within one (1) Business Day (except as required by Section 3.11(b) below), the Borrower will
(i) repay all its outstanding Loans;
| 6 |
(ii) reduce its outstanding indebtedness to 10% or less of its total assets; or
(iii) secure each outstanding Loan by the pledge of segregated collateral for such Loan and by transfer of such collateral into a segregated account in the name of the Lender or the entering into, by the Borrower, the Lender and the Borrower’s custodian, of a control agreement satisfactory to the Lender. The minimum market value of the stock and other portfolio securities of the Borrower required to be pledged as collateral to the Lender hereunder with respect to any Secured Loan shall be determined by the Lender in its discretion but, in all cases, will have a market value at least equal to 102% of the outstanding principal value of the loan.
Until each Loan that is outstanding at any time that a Borrower’s outstanding borrowings exceed 10% of its assets is repaid or the Borrower’s outstanding borrowings cease to exceed 10% of its total assets, the Borrower shall mark the value of the collateral to market each day and will pledge and transfer to a segregated account in the name of the Lender such additional collateral as is necessary to maintain the market value of the collateral that secures each outstanding Loan at least equal to 102% of the outstanding principal value of the Loan. Subject to Sections 3.11(b) and (c) hereof, once a Borrower’s outstanding borrowings cease to exceed 10% of its total assets, segregated collateral will no longer be required.
(b) Any Loan to a Borrower with Outstanding Secured Borrowings (i) will be at an interest rate equal to or lower than that of any outstanding bank loan, (ii) will be secured at least on an equal priority basis with at least an equivalent percentage of collateral to loan value as any outstanding bank loan that requires collateral, and (iii) will have a maturity no longer than any outstanding bank loan (and in any event not more than seven (7) days).
(c) Notwithstanding Sections 3.11(a) and (b), if any other lender to a Borrower imposes conditions with respect to the quality of or access to collateral securing a borrowing, the Borrower’s collateral for any Loan will be subject to the same conditions (if the other lender is another Fund) or the same or better conditions (in any other circumstance).
(d) Each pledge of collateral required pursuant to this Section 3.11 shall be made in accordance with and subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the collateral security agreement dated as of the Effective Date and signed by each Trust, substantially in the form set forth in Schedule C hereto (the “Security Agreement”).
(e) If requested by the Lender, the Borrower agrees to enter into, and use reasonable efforts to cause its custodian to enter into, a control agreement with the Lender on terms satisfactory to the Lender.
3.12 Records and Reports. Each Fund will maintain and preserve for a period of not less than six years from the end of the fiscal year in which any transaction under this Master Agreement has occurred, the first two years in an easily accessible place, written records of all Loans to which it was a party setting forth: (i) a description of the terms of the transaction,
| 7 |
including the amount, the maturity, and the rate of interest on the Loan, (ii) the rate of interest available at the time on short-term repurchase agreements and commercial bank borrowings, and (iii) a quarterly report of the Credit Facility Team to the applicable Board of Trustees and the other information presented to the applicable Board of Trustees related to their review of the Lending Facility. On a quarterly basis, the Credit Facility Team will prepare a report for the applicable Board of Trustees (i) concerning the participation of the Funds in the Lending Facility and the terms and other conditions of any extensions of credit under the Lending Facility and (ii) reporting on the operations of the Lending Facility.
4. Representations and Warranties
Each Borrower represents and warrants to each Lender and each Lender represents and warrants to each Borrower that:
(a) it is a series of the applicable Trust that is duly organized and validly existing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization and is qualified to do business in every other jurisdiction where lack of such qualification would have a material adverse effect on its business, assets or condition (financial or otherwise);
(b) the applicable Trust is registered as an open-end management investment company under the 1940 Act;
(c) the execution, delivery and performance by the applicable Trust of this Master Agreement
(i) are within its power,
(ii) have been duly authorized by all necessary action, and
(iii) will not
(A) contribute to or result in a breach of or default under or conflict with any existing law, order, regulation or ruling of any governmental or regulatory agency or authority, any order, writ, injunction or ruling of any court or other tribunal, or any indenture, lease agreement, instrument or other undertaking to which the Trust is a party or by which it is or its property or assets may be bound or affected, or
(B) result in the imposition of any liens or encumbrances on any property or assets of the Trust (except as contemplated hereby), or
(C) require any additional approval or consent of, or filing with, shareholders of such Trust or any governmental or regulatory agency or authority bearing on the validity of any borrowing pursuant to this Master Agreement, or
| 8 |
(D) violate any provision of the Trust’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust or any amendment thereof, any of its investment policies and limitations, or any provision of its most recent Prospectus or Statement of Additional Information;
(d) this Master Agreement is a legally valid and binding obligation of the applicable Trust, enforceable against the Fund in accordance with its terms except as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other laws or equitable principles relating to or limiting the rights of creditors generally; and
(e) it is not in material violation of any material term of its most recent Prospectus or Statement of Additional Information, or of its organizational documents, or of any investment, borrowing or other similar type of policy or restriction to which it is subject, or of any material term of any material agreement or instrument to which it is a party, or, to the best of its knowledge, of any judgment, decree, order, statute, rule or governmental regulation applicable to it.
5. Covenants
5.1 Covenants in Effect Until Termination of Master Agreement. Until all of the obligations have been performed in full and its participation in the Lending Facility has been terminated as provided herein, each Borrower covenants that it will:
(a) maintain its legal existence and business; provided, however, that nothing contained in this Section 5.1(a) shall prohibit the merger or consolidation of any Borrower with or into another person upon written notice thereof to the Lenders under any Loans then outstanding, subject to the requirement that the surviving entity (if not previously a Borrower) be admitted as such in accordance with this Master Agreement, and subject to the further requirement that the surviving entity assumes all of the obligations of such Borrower under this Master Agreement, including, without limitation, the obligations of such Borrower with respect to any Loans outstanding to such Borrower at the time of such merger or consolidation;
(b) at any time and from time to time, at its own expense, promptly execute and deliver or file all further instruments and documents, and take all further action, that may be necessary or desirable, or that the Lender may request, in order to perfect, protect, validate or preserve any security interest granted or pledged to the Lender pursuant to Section 3.11 hereof or to enable the Lender to exercise and enforce its rights and remedies thereunder with respect thereto;
(c) file all federal and other tax returns, reports and declarations required by all relevant jurisdictions on or before the due dates for such returns, reports and declarations and will pay all taxes and other governmental assessments and charges as and when they become due;
| 9 |
(d) comply in all material respects with all of its investment policies and restrictions and all applicable statutes, rules, regulations and orders of, and all applicable restrictions imposed by, all governmental authorities in respect of the conduct of its business and the ownership of its properties; provided that such Borrower shall not be required by reason of this section to comply therewith at any time while such Borrower shall be contesting its obligations to do so in good faith by appropriate proceedings promptly initiated and diligently conducted;
(e) promptly notify the Lender of any material change in its agreements with governmental authorities or regulators or its investment policies or restrictions or of any Credit Arrangements or modifications thereof; and
(f) upon request from the Lender from time to time, furnish to the Lender at reasonable times and intervals any information with respect to its financial standing and history or its property or business or prospects.
5.2 Covenants in Effect While Loans Are Outstanding.
5.2.1 The Borrower covenants that, so long as any principal of or interest on any Loan made to it is outstanding, it will:
(a) not, as long as any Unsecured Loan is outstanding hereunder, create or permit to exist any encumbrance in favor of any person or entity other than the Lender upon any of the assets of the Borrower other than (i) encumbrances created in connection with portfolio investments of the Borrower and (ii) to secure the Borrower’s obligations under any Credit Arrangement, in each case to the extent permitted by the provisions of its Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information;
(b) not take out any Loan that
(i) immediately after such Loan would cause the total of such loans to exceed 33 1/3% of the Borrower’s total assets, or
(ii) would cause such Borrower’s total loans to exceed 10% of such Borrower’s total assets unless any Loan hereunder is secured in accordance with Section 3.11 hereof;
(c) not, as long as any Loan made with respect to the Borrower is outstanding, allow the total amount of such Borrower’s Loans, as measured on the day when the most recent Loan was made, to exceed the greater of 125% of such Borrower’s total net cash redemptions for the preceding seven (7) calendar days and 102% of Sales Fails for the preceding seven (7) calendar days;
(d) notify the Lender if it draws on its Credit Arrangements, borrows from other Lenders under the Master Agreement, or borrows from other parties; and
(e) notify the Lender promptly of
| 10 |
(i) any material changes in its method of business, Prospectus, Statement of Additional Information, and
(ii) the occurrence of any event which would make any of the representations and warranties contained herein, or in any document, instrument or certificate delivered in connection herewith, untrue or inaccurate in any material respect.
5.2.2 The Lender covenants that
(a) its Loans to a single Borrower will not exceed 5% of the Lender’s net assets; and
(b) its aggregate Loans to all Borrowers constitute 15% or less of the Lender’s net assets at the time of any Loan.
6. Documents to be Delivered Prior to Initial Loan. The Borrower shall deliver to the Lender prior to the first Loan between the parties any documents as the Lender shall have requested in order to comply with applicable rules and regulations promulgated by governmental and regulatory authorities.
7. Default
7.1 Events of Default. The occurrence of any one or more of the following events (“Events of Default”) shall constitute an immediate Event of Default with respect to the Borrower:
(a) The Borrower shall fail to pay principal of, or interest on, any Loan as and when due, or the Borrower shall fail to perform any of its other Obligations; or
(b) There shall be a default by the Borrower under any Credit Arrangement, whether such Credit Arrangement now exists or shall hereafter be created, which default extends beyond any period of grace provided with respect thereto and which default relates to
(i) the obligations to pay the principal of or interest on any such indebtedness under the Credit Arrangement, or
(ii) an obligation other than the obligation to pay the principal of or interest on any such indebtedness and the effect of such default is to cause, or to permit the lender under the Credit Arrangement to cause, with the giving of notice if required, such indebtedness to become due prior to its stated maturity; or
(c) Any representation or warranty made by the Borrower in Section 4 of this Master Agreement, or in connection with any Loan made to or pledge of pledged collateral made by the Borrower, shall prove to have been incorrect in any material respect when made; or
(d) The Borrower shall generally not pay its debts as such debts become due, or shall admit in writing its inability to pay its debts generally, or shall make a general assignment for the benefit of creditors; or any governmental or public authority shall take over
| 11 |
possession or control of a substantial part of the Borrower’s business; or any of the Borrower’s property shall become subject to attachment or other involuntary lien or levy; or any action or proceeding shall be commenced by the Borrower seeking to adjudicate it as bankrupt or insolvent, or seeking liquidation, winding up, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, protection, relief, or composition of it or its debts under any law relating to bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization or relief or debtors, seeking the entry of an order for relief of the appointment of a receiver, trustee, or similar official for it or for any substantial part of its property, or any such proceeding is commenced against it which results in the entry of an order for such relief or such proceeding is not dismissed or stayed for a period of sixty (60) days following such commencement; or
(e) An event of default occurs under any agreement evidencing an outstanding bank loan to the Borrower; provided that, in such circumstance, that event of default will automatically (without need for action or notice by the Lender) constitute an immediate event of default entitling the Lender to call the Loan (and exercise all rights with respect to any collateral) and that such a call will be deemed made if the lending bank exercises its right to call its loan under its agreement with the Borrower.
7.2 Remedies
7.2.1 Arbitration. In the event an Event of Default under Section 7.1(a) has occurred and not been cured within two Business Days from the Loan’s maturity or from the time the Lender makes a demand for payment (and none of the Events of Default specified in Section 7.1(d) has occurred), the Lender and the Borrower agree that such matter shall be submitted for binding arbitration to an independent arbitrator selected by the Board of Trustees of the Lender and Borrower. If the dispute involves a Lender and Borrower with different Boards of Trustees, the respective Boards of Trustees of the Lender and Borrower will select an independent arbitrator that is satisfactory to each party. Such independent arbitrator’s decision shall be binding and conclusive between the Lender and the Borrower. Such Arbitrator shall submit at least annually a written report of any dispute to the Boards of Trustees of the Funds describing the nature of any dispute and the actions taken by the Lender and Borrower to resolve the dispute.
7.2.2 Other Rights and Remedies. If an Event of Default has occurred and has not been resolved pursuant to Section 7.2.1, or any other Event of Default has occurred, then the Lender shall be entitled to exercise any and all rights and remedies available to it at law or in equity, including without limitation any rights and remedies that may be available to it under the Security Agreement referred to in Section 3.11 to the Master Agreement and, with respect to an Event of Default specified in Section 7.1(e), any rights and remedies available to it under Section 7.1(e), and the Borrower shall pay to the Lender all reasonable expenses and disbursements incurred by the Lender in connection with the enforcement of its rights and remedies under this Master Agreement including the reasonable fees and out-of-pocket expenses of counsel for the Lender with respect thereto.
8. Notice. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all notices hereunder to any party shall be in writing and shall be delivered in hand, mailed by United States registered or certified first-class mail, postage prepaid or sent by fax, addressed to such party to the attention of the
| 12 |
person specified in the following sentence at the address set forth for such party below, or to such other person or address as such party may designate to the other party hereto by notice delivered in accordance with this Section 8. All notices to the Borrower shall be addressed to the Treasurer of the Borrower and all notices from the Borrower to the Lender shall be addressed to the Treasurer of the Lender. Written notice to the Credit Facility Team shall be sent to the following address: Putnam Investment Management, LLC, 100 Federal Street, Boston, MA 02110. The address for all Funds listed in this Master Agreement is: 100 Federal Street, Boston, MA 02110.
9. Amendments. Neither this Master Agreement nor any provision hereof may be amended in any respect except by a statement in writing executed by the parties hereto.
10. Assignment. All of the terms of this Master Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns; provided, that the Borrower shall not assign or transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the Lender.
11. Survival of Covenants, Representations and Warranties. All covenants, agreements, representations and warranties made herein or in any documents or other papers delivered by or on behalf of the Borrowers, or any of them, pursuant hereto shall be deemed to have been relied upon by the Lenders, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the Lenders and shall survive the execution and delivery of this Master Agreement and the making by the Lenders of the Loans as herein contemplated and shall continue in full force and effect so long as any Loan, Obligation or any other amount due under this Agreement remains outstanding and unpaid or unsatisfied.
12. Section Headings. The descriptive section headings in this Master Agreement have been inserted for convenience of reference only and shall not be deemed to limit or otherwise affect the construction of any provision thereof or hereof.
13. Counterparts. This Master Agreement and the documents contemplated hereby may be executed simultaneously in any number of counterparts each of which when so executed and delivered shall be an original, but all of which shall together constitute but one and the same document.
14. Severability. If any of the provisions of this Master Agreement or any instrument delivered hereunder or the application thereof to any party hereto or to any person or circumstances is held invalid, the remainder of this Master Agreement or such instrument and the application thereof to any party hereto or to any other person or circumstances shall not be affected thereby.
15. Governing Law. This Master Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, without giving effect to principles of conflicts of law.
16. Entire Agreement. This Master Agreement and the other documents contemplated hereby and executed in connection herewith express the entire understanding of the parties with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby.
| 13 |
17. Limitation of Liability of the Board of Trustees. A copy of the Agreement and Declaration of Trust of each Trust is on file with the Secretary of State of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and notice is hereby given that this instrument is executed on behalf of the Trustees of each Trust as Trustees of such Trust and not individually and that the obligations of or arising out of this instrument are not binding upon any of the Trustees, officers or shareholders individually but are binding only upon the assets and property of the applicable Trust.
[The remainder of this page is intentionally left blank.]
| 14 |
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties hereto has caused this Master Agreement to be duly executed as an instrument under seal by its duly authorized officer as of the date first written above.
ALL TRUSTS LISTED ON SCHEDULE A OR SCHEDULE B
By: /s/ Jonathan S. Horwitz
| Name: | Jonathan S. Horwitz |
| Title: | Executive Vice President, Principal Executive Officer and Compliance Liaison |
PUTNAM INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, LLC
By: /s/ Stephen J. Tate
| Name: | Stephen J. Tate |
| Title: | General Counsel |
| 15 |
SCHEDULE A – Borrowing Funds
As amended as of September 24, 2021
Except as otherwise indicated below, for each Fund, the Master Agreement was effective as of July 16, 2010.
Putnam Asset Allocation Funds
-Putnam Dynamic Asset Allocation Balanced Fund
-Putnam Dynamic Asset Allocation Conservative Fund
-Putnam Dynamic Asset Allocation Growth Fund
-Putnam Income Strategies Portfolio (effective 11/22/19)
Putnam California Tax Exempt Income Fund
Putnam Convertible Securities Fund
Putnam Diversified Income Trust
Putnam Large Cap Value Fund
Putnam Funds Trust
-Putnam Dynamic Asset Allocation Equity Fund
-Putnam Dynamic Risk Allocation Fund (effective 9/9/11)
-Putnam Emerging Markets Equity Fund
-Putnam Fixed Income Absolute Return Fund (effective 9/20/19)
-Putnam Floating Rate Income Fund
-Putnam Focused Equity Fund (effective 9/20/19)
-Putnam Global Technology Fund
-Putnam Intermediate-Term Municipal Income Fund (effective 12/14/12)
-Putnam International Value Fund
-Putnam Mortgage Opportunities Fund (effective 4/6/15)
-Putnam Multi-Asset Absolute Return Fund (effective 9/20/19)
-Putnam Multi-Cap Core Fund (effective 5/14/10)
-Putnam Short Duration Bond Fund
-Putnam Short-Term Municipal Income Fund (effective 12/14/12)
-Putnam Small Cap Growth Fund
-Putnam Ultra Short Duration Income Fund (effective 6/17/11)
George Putnam Balanced Fund
Putnam Focused International Equity Fund
Putnam Global Health Care Fund
Putnam Global Income Trust
Putnam High Yield Fund
Putnam Income Fund
Putnam International Equity Fund
Putnam Investment Funds
-Putnam Growth Opportunities Fund
-Putnam International Capital Opportunities Fund
-Putnam PanAgora Risk Parity Fund (effective 6/23/17)
-Putnam Research Fund
-Putnam Small Cap Value Fund
| 16 |
-Putnam Sustainable Future Fund (effective 9/20/19)
Putnam Massachusetts Tax Exempt Income Fund
Putnam Minnesota Tax Exempt Income Fund
Putnam Mortgage Securities Fund (effective 9/20/19)
Putnam New Jersey Tax Exempt Income Fund
Putnam New York Tax Exempt Income Fund
Putnam Ohio Tax Exempt Income Fund
Putnam Pennsylvania Tax Exempt Income Fund
Putnam Sustainable Leaders Fund (effective 9/20/19)
Putnam Target Date Funds
-Putnam Retirement Advantage Maturity Fund (effective 11/22/19)
-Putnam Retirement Advantage 2065 Fund (effective 12/30/20)
-Putnam Retirement Advantage 2060 Fund (effective 11/22/19)
-Putnam Retirement Advantage 2055 Fund (effective 11/22/19)
-Putnam Retirement Advantage 2050 Fund (effective 11/22/19)
-Putnam Retirement Advantage 2045 Fund (effective 11/22/19)
-Putnam Retirement Advantage 2040 Fund (effective 11/22/19)
-Putnam Retirement Advantage 2035 Fund (effective 11/22/19)
-Putnam Retirement Advantage 2030 Fund (effective 11/22/19)
-Putnam Retirement Advantage 2025 Fund (effective 11/22/19)
-Putnam RetirementReady Maturity Fund
-Putnam RetirementReady 2065 Fund (effective 1/4/21)
-Putnam RetirementReady 2060 Fund (effective 11/30/15)
-Putnam RetirementReady 2055 Fund (effective 6/11/10)
-Putnam RetirementReady 2050 Fund
-Putnam RetirementReady 2045 Fund
-Putnam RetirementReady 2040 Fund
-Putnam RetirementReady 2035 Fund
-Putnam RetirementReady 2030 Fund
-Putnam RetirementReady 2025 Fund
Putnam Tax Exempt Income Fund
Putnam Tax-Free Income Trust
-Putnam Strategic Intermediate Municipal Fund
-Putnam Tax-Free High Yield Fund
Putnam Variable Trust
-Putnam VT Diversified Income Fund
-Putnam VT Large Cap Value Fund
-Putnam VT Emerging Markets Equity Fund
-Putnam VT George Putnam Balanced Fund
-Putnam VT Global Asset Allocation Fund
-Putnam VT Focused International Equity Fund
-Putnam VT Global Health Care Fund
-Putnam VT Growth Opportunities Fund
-Putnam VT High Yield Fund
-Putnam VT Income Fund
-Putnam VT International Equity Fund
| 17 |
-Putnam VT International Value Fund
-Putnam VT Mortgage Securities Fund (effective 9/20/19)
-Putnam VT Multi-Asset Absolute Return Fund (effective 9/20/19)
-Putnam VT Multi-Cap Core Fund (effective 9/20/19)
-Putnam VT Research Fund
-Putnam VT Small Cap Growth Fund (effective 9/20/19)
-Putnam VT Small Cap Value Fund
-Putnam VT Sustainable Future Fund (effective 9/20/19)
-Putnam VT Sustainable Leaders Fund (effective 9/20/19)
EACH TRUST LISTED ABOVE, ON BEHALF OF EACH OF ITS FUNDS LISTED ABOVE
By: /s/ Jonathan S. Horwitz
| Name: | Jonathan S. Horwitz |
| Title: | Executive Vice President, Principal Executive Officer and Compliance Liaison |
PUTNAM INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, LLC
By: /s/ Stephen J. Tate
| Name: | Stephen J. Tate |
| Title: | General Counsel |
| 18 |
SCHEDULE B – Lending Funds
As amended as of September 24, 2021
Except as otherwise indicated below, for each Fund, the Master Agreement was effective as of July 16, 2010.
Putnam Asset Allocation Funds
-Putnam Dynamic Asset Allocation Balanced Fund
-Putnam Dynamic Asset Allocation Conservative Fund
-Putnam Dynamic Asset Allocation Growth Fund
-Putnam Income Strategies Portfolio (effective 11/22/19)
Putnam Convertible Securities Fund
Putnam Diversified Income Trust
Putnam Large Cap Value Fund
Putnam Funds Trust
-Putnam Dynamic Asset Allocation Equity Fund
-Putnam Dynamic Risk Allocation Fund (effective 9/9/11)
-Putnam Emerging Markets Equity Fund
-Putnam Fixed Income Absolute Return Fund (effective 9/20/19)
-Putnam Floating Rate Income Fund
-Putnam Focused Equity Fund (effective 9/20/19)
-Putnam Global Technology Fund
- Putnam Intermediate-Term Municipal Income Fund (effective 12/14/12)
-Putnam International Value Fund
-Putnam Mortgage Opportunities Fund (effective 4/6/15)
-Putnam Multi-Asset Absolute Return Fund (effective 9/20/19)
-Putnam Multi-Cap Core Fund (effective 5/14/10)
-Putnam Short Duration Bond Fund
-Putnam Short Term Investment Fund (effective 11/9/12)
-Putnam Short-Term Municipal Income Fund (effective 12/14/12)
-Putnam Small Cap Growth Fund
-Putnam Ultra Short Duration Income Fund (effective 6/17/11)
George Putnam Balanced Fund
Putnam Focused International Equity Fund
Putnam Global Health Care Fund
Putnam Global Income Trust
Putnam High Yield Fund
Putnam Income Fund
Putnam International Equity Fund
Putnam Investment Funds
-Putnam Government Money Market Fund (effective 10/16/15)
-Putnam Growth Opportunities Fund
-Putnam International Capital Opportunities Fund
-Putnam PanAgora Risk Parity Fund (effective 6/23/17)
| 19 |
-Putnam Research Fund
-Putnam Small Cap Value Fund
-Putnam Sustainable Future Fund (effective 9/20/19)
Putnam Master Intermediate Income Trust
Putnam Money Market Fund
Putnam Mortgage Securities Fund (effective 9/20/19)
Putnam Premier Income Trust
Putnam Sustainable Leaders Fund (effective 9/20/19)
Putnam Target Date Funds
-Putnam Retirement Advantage Maturity Fund (effective 11/22/19)
-Putnam Retirement Advantage 2065 Fund (effective 12/30/20)
-Putnam Retirement Advantage 2060 Fund (effective 11/22/19)
-Putnam Retirement Advantage 2055 Fund (effective 11/22/19)
-Putnam Retirement Advantage 2050 Fund (effective 11/22/19)
-Putnam Retirement Advantage 2045 Fund (effective 11/22/19)
-Putnam Retirement Advantage 2040 Fund (effective 11/22/19)
-Putnam Retirement Advantage 2035 Fund (effective 11/22/19)
-Putnam Retirement Advantage 2030 Fund (effective 11/22/19)
-Putnam Retirement Advantage 2025 Fund (effective 11/22/19)
-Putnam RetirementReady Maturity Fund
-Putnam RetirementReady 2065 Fund (effective 1/4/21)
-Putnam RetirementReady 2060 Fund (effective 11/30/15)
-Putnam RetirementReady 2055 Fund (effective 6/11/10)
-Putnam RetirementReady 2050 Fund
-Putnam RetirementReady 2045 Fund
-Putnam RetirementReady 2040 Fund
-Putnam RetirementReady 2035 Fund
-Putnam RetirementReady 2030 Fund
-Putnam RetirementReady 2025 Fund
Putnam Variable Trust
-Putnam VT Diversified Income Fund
-Putnam VT Large Cap Value Fund
-Putnam VT Emerging Markets Equity Fund
-Putnam VT George Putnam Balanced Fund
-Putnam VT Global Asset Allocation Fund
-Putnam VT Focused International Equity Fund
-Putnam VT Global Health Care Fund
-Putnam VT Government Money Market Fund
-Putnam VT Growth Opportunities Fund
-Putnam VT High Yield Fund
-Putnam VT Income Fund
-Putnam VT International Equity Fund
-Putnam VT International Value Fund
-Putnam VT Mortgage Securities Fund (effective 9/20/19)
-Putnam VT Multi-Asset Absolute Return Fund (effective 9/20/19)
-Putnam VT Multi-Cap Core Fund (effective 9/20/19)
| 20 |
-Putnam VT Research Fund
-Putnam VT Small Cap Growth Fund (effective 9/20/19)
-Putnam VT Small Cap Value Fund
-Putnam VT Sustainable Future Fund (effective 9/20/19)
-Putnam VT Sustainable Leaders Fund (effective 9/20/19)
EACH TRUST LISTED ABOVE, ON BEHALF OF EACH OF ITS FUNDS LISTED ABOVE
By: /s/ Jonathan S. Horwitz
| Name: | Jonathan S. Horwitz |
| Title: | Executive Vice President, Principal Executive Officer and Compliance Liaison |
PUTNAM INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, LLC
By: /s/ Stephen J. Tate
| Name: | Stephen J. Tate |
| Title: | General Counsel |
| 21 |
SCHEDULE C
AMENDED AND RESTATED COLLATERAL SECURITY AGREEMENT
This Amended and Restated Collateral Security Agreement (this “Agreement”) is made this 24th day of September, 2021, by and among each investment company listed on the signature pages hereto (each, a “Trust” and collectively, the “Trusts”), on behalf of each Borrower and Lender (as such terms are defined in the Master Agreement (defined below)).
WHEREAS, each Trust, on behalf of each Borrower and Lender, has entered into an Amended and Restated Master Interfund Lending Agreement dated as of September 24, 2021 by and among each Trust and Putnam Investment Management, LLC (the “Master Agreement”) in accordance with the terms of (i) the exemptive order from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission dated April 10, 2002 exempting such Borrowers and Lenders and Putnam Investment Management, LLC from certain provisions of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended; and (ii) the Interfund Lending Procedures, as in effect from time to time, for Loans by and among the Funds;
NOW, THEREFORE, each Borrower, in consideration of Loans heretofore, now or from time to time hereafter made, given or extended to the Borrower by a Lender, hereby agrees with the Lenders as follows:
1. Capitalized terms used herein which are not otherwise defined herein shall have the respective meanings ascribed thereto in the Master Agreement.
2. Effective upon the transfer of collateral, pursuant to Section 3.11 of the Master Agreement, or as provided herein, to an account owned or controlled by a Lender, as security for the payment of any and all loans heretofore, now or from time to time hereafter made, given or extended to a Borrower by the Lender under and pursuant to the Master Agreement (which loans shall hereinafter be referred to collectively as the “Secured Liabilities” and each individually as a “Secured Liability”), the Lender shall have, and the Borrower hereby grants to the Lender, a security interest in (i) any and all securities and other instruments owned by the Borrower which have been or at any time shall be delivered to the Lender or its custodian by or on behalf of the Borrower or have or at any time shall otherwise come into the possession, custody or control of the Lender or its custodian, including securities and other instruments held in depository trust companies and other institutions and clearing agencies in segregated accounts in the name of the Lender; (ii) all right, title, interest and power (including the power of hypothecation and disposition) of the Borrower in, or in respect of any and all securities and other instruments owned by the Borrower which have or at any time shall come into the possession, custody or control of the Lender or its custodian in any way for any purpose whatsoever, whether or not the Lender shall have accepted said property for the purpose or purposes for which said property was delivered to or otherwise caused to come into the possession, custody or control of the Lender or its custodian; and (iii) all proceeds of any of the foregoing. All property shall be deemed to be in the possession,
| 22 |
custody or control of the Lender as soon as it is transferred to the Lender or its custodian or if the Lender and the Borrower enter into a control agreement satisfactory to the Lender with the Borrower’s custodian. If the Lender shall at any time deem itself insecure in respect of any Secured Liability, the Borrower will deliver to the Lender or its custodian upon demand additional collateral owned by the Borrower satisfactory to the Lender. The term “collateral” as hereinafter used shall mean and include the securities and other instruments, together with proceeds of the securities and other instruments, and any and all property, rights, titles, powers, sums, receivables or claims which by virtue of the provisions of this Agreement are or shall be at the time in question subject to a security interest in favor of the Lender.
3. Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default (as defined in the Master Agreement), or any time or times thereafter, (i) the Lender may exercise any and all rights and remedies (a) granted to the Lender by the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect in The Commonwealth of Massachusetts or otherwise allowed at law, and/or (b) otherwise provided by this Agreement or the Master Agreement, and (ii) any and all Secured Liabilities of the Borrower shall, at the option of the Lender, become due and payable without notice or demand, notwithstanding any credit or time allowed to the Borrower by any instrument or other document evidencing the same or otherwise.
4. Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, the Lender shall have full power and authority to sell any or all of the collateral of the Borrower. Except as required by law, such sale or other disposition may be made without advertisement or any notice to the Borrower or to any other person. Where reasonable notification of the time or place of such sale or other disposition is so required, such requirement shall be met if such notice is given in the manner prescribed in Paragraph 10 hereof at least five days before the time of such sale or other disposition to each person entitled to such notice, addressed, if to the Borrower, in the manner specified in said Paragraph 10, or, if to any person, to such person at such person’s last address known to the Lender. After deducting all costs and expenses of collection, storage, custody, sale or other disposition and delivery (including legal costs and reasonable attorneys’ fees) and all other charges against the collateral, the residue of the proceeds of any such sale or other disposition shall be applied to the payment of any and all of the Secured Liabilities, due or to become due, in such order of preference as the Lender may determine, proper allowance for interest on liabilities not then due being made, and, unless otherwise provided by law, any surplus shall be returned to the Borrower.
5. The Borrower will pay when due all taxes, assessments, liens, premiums or other charges against the collateral and, if the Borrower and the Lender agree it is appropriate, the Borrower will fully insure the same in favor and to the satisfaction of the Lender against loss by any risk to which the collateral or any part thereof may be subject and will on demand deposit with the Lender the policies covering any such insurance. Although under no obligation to do so, the Lender may at any time and from time to time pay any taxes, assessments, liens, premiums or other charges against the collateral, and
| 23 |
may insure the same or otherwise protect the value thereof and the property represented thereby, and in such event all expenditures so incurred shall be chargeable to the Borrower and secured by the collateral of the Borrower. The Lender shall be under no obligation to take any steps necessary to preserve rights in any collateral against prior parties but may do so at its option. Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, the Lender may at any time and from time to time transfer into its own name or that of its nominee any securities constituting part of the collateral of the Borrower and receive the income thereon and hold the same as additional collateral or apply it to the payment of any or all of the Secured Liabilities and may at any time notify the obligor(s) on any collateral to make payment of the Lender of any amounts due or to become due thereon.
6. Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, the Lender may, at any time and from time to time, transfer or assign the whole or any part of any Secured Liability and may transfer therewith, or assign to and set apart for the account of the transferee or assignee thereof, in either event as security therefor, the whole or any part of the collateral of the Borrower. If the Lender does so transfer or assign and set apart the whole or any part of the collateral, the transferee or assignee thereof, without notice to the Borrower, shall thereupon become vested with, and may thereafter exercise, every right and power hereby given to the Lender in respect thereof, and the Lender shall thereafter be forever relieved and fully discharged from any liability or responsibility in respect thereof, except that the Lender shall continue to use reasonable care in the custody and preservation of any collateral so assigned and set apart while such collateral remains in the possession of the Lender. Such transferee or assignee shall have no right or power in respect of any part of the collateral not so transferred or assigned and set apart, in respect whereof the Lender shall retain all rights and powers hereby given in respect thereof.
7. Except as provided in Paragraphs 4, 5 and 6 hereof, the Lender shall at no time transfer or assign the whole or any part of any Secured Liability or assign, transfer or set aside the whole or any part of the collateral held in security therefor except to an assignee of the Loans secured thereby.
8. Upon the request of the Borrower following the payment in full of all loans and Secured Liabilities and termination of the Master Agreement, the Lender shall (i) return or cause to be returned to the Borrower all collateral which shall remain in the possession, custody or control of the Lender or its custodian at such time, and (ii) shall deliver to the Borrower such instruments, UCC termination statements and other documents, and provide for delivery of such instructions to the custodian, in each case as the Borrower may reasonably request for the purpose of releasing (in fact and as a matter of record) the security interest created by this Agreement.
9. Except as is otherwise expressly provided herein or by law, the Borrower waives all demands and notices in connection with this Agreement or the enforcement of the Lender’s rights hereunder and also waives presentment, demand, notice, protest and all other demands and notices in connection with any Secured Liability or the
| 24 |
enforcement of the Lender’s rights with respect thereto and hereby consents that the time of payment of any Secured Liability may be extended from time to time and that no such extension or other indulgence granted to any other party primarily or secondarily liable on any Secured Liability, no discharge or release of any such party and no substitution, release or surrender of collateral of the Borrower shall discharge or otherwise affect the liability of the Borrower on or in respect of any Secured Liability. No delay or omission on the part of the Lender in exercising any right hereunder shall operate as a waiver of such right on any one occasion and shall not be construed as a bar to or waiver of any such right on any future occasion.
10. Any demand upon or notice to the Borrower permitted or required hereunder shall be sufficient if, and effective when, deposited in the mails, postage prepaid, addressed to the Borrower at 100 Federal Street, Boston, MA 02110 or at such other address of the Borrower appearing on the first page of this Agreement or at such other address as the Borrower may furnish to the Lender as the address to which such demands, notices or other communications addressed to the Borrower shall be mailed or forwarded.
11. This Agreement may be terminated by the Borrower giving written notice of such termination to the Lender, provided, however, that such termination shall not be effective unless and until all loans and Secured Liabilities (including those contingent or not yet due) existing as of the time of receipt of such notice by the Lender have been paid in full.
12. The Borrower will pay on demand all costs and expenses (including legal costs and reasonable attorneys’ fees) incurred or paid by the Lender in collecting any loan or Secured Liability upon any default in respect thereof, and all costs and expenses so incurred shall be secured by the collateral.
13. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of the Lender, its successors and assigns, and shall be binding upon the Borrower, its successors and assigns.
14. This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of Massachusetts.
15. A copy of the Agreement and Declaration of Trust of each Trust is on file with the Secretary of State of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and notice is hereby given that this instrument is executed on behalf of the Trustees of each Trust as Trustees of such Trust and not individually and that the obligations of or arising out of this instrument are not binding upon any of the Trustees, officers or shareholders individually but are binding only upon the assets and property of the applicable Trust.
[Signature Page Follows]
| 25 |
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the day and year first written above.
ALL TRUSTS LISTED ON SCHEDULE A OR SCHEDULE B TO THE MASTER AGREEMENT, AS SUCH SCHEDULES ARE AMENDED FROM TIME TO TIME
By: /s/ Jonathan S. Horwitz
| Name: | Jonathan S. Horwitz |
| Title: | Executive Vice President, Principal Executive Officer and Compliance Liaison |
| 26 |
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
We hereby consent to the use in this Registration Statement on Form N-1A of our report dated August 11, 2021, relating to the financial statements and financial highlights of Putnam Sustainable Leaders Fund, which appears in such Registration Statement. We also consent to the references to us under the headings "Financial highlights" and "Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm and Financial Statements" in such Registration Statement.
/s/ PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Boston, Massachusetts
October 26, 2021
11
EXECUTION COPY
Master Custodian Agreement
This Agreement is made as of January 1, 2007 by and among each management investment company identified on Appendix A hereto, each such investment company acting on its own behalf separately from all of the other investment companies and not jointly or jointly and severally with any of the other investment companies (each such investment company and each management investment company made subject to this Agreement in accordance with Section 21.5 below shall hereinafter be referred to as a “Fund”), and State Street Bank and Trust Company, a Massachusetts trust company (the “Custodian”).
Witnesseth:
Whereas, each Fund is authorized to issue common stock or shares of beneficial interest (“Shares”), and some Funds are authorized to issue Shares in separate series, with each such series representing interests in a separate portfolio of securities and other assets, as more particularly identified on Appendix A hereto (each such series and each series made subject to this Agreement in accordance with Section 21.6 below shall hereinafter be referred to as a “Portfolio” with respect to that Fund, but for any Fund that does not have any separate series, then any reference to “Portfolio” is a reference to that Fund);
Now, Therefore, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements hereinafter contained, the parties hereto agree as follows:
Section 1. Employment of Custodian and Property to be Held by It
Each Fund hereby employs the Custodian as a custodian of assets of the Portfolios, including securities which the Fund, on behalf of the applicable Portfolio, desires to be held in places within the United States (“domestic securities”) and securities it desires to be held outside the United States (“foreign securities”). Each Fund, on behalf of its Portfolio(s), agrees to deliver to the Custodian all securities and cash of the Portfolios (other than any securities or cash of the Portfolios held by a futures commission merchant or commodity clearing organization pursuant to Rule 17f-6 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”)), and all payments of income, payments of principal or capital distributions received by it with respect to all securities owned by the Portfolio(s) from time to time, and the cash consideration received by it for such Shares as may be issued or sold from time to time. The Custodian shall not be responsible for any property of a Portfolio held or received by the Portfolio but not delivered to the Custodian or which is delivered out in accordance with Proper Instructions or Special Instructions (as such terms are defined in Section 7 hereof). With respect to uncertificated shares (the “Underlying Shares”) of registered “investment companies” (as defined in Section 3(a)(1) of the 1940 Act) (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the “Underlying Portfolios”), whether in the same “group of investment companies” (as defined in Section 12(d)(1)(G)(ii) of the 1940 Act) or otherwise, the holding of confirmation statements that identify the shares as being recorded in the Custodian’s name on behalf of the Portfolios will be deemed custody for purposes hereof.
Upon receipt of Proper Instructions, the Custodian shall on behalf of the applicable Portfolio(s) from time to time employ as its agent one or more sub-custodians located in the United States, but only in accordance with an applicable vote by the Board of Trustees or the Board of Directors of the Fund (as appropriate, and in each case, the “Board”) on behalf of the applicable Portfolio(s). The Custodian may place and maintain each Fund’s foreign securities with Eligible Foreign Custodians employed by the Custodian and/or Foreign Securities Systems, all as designated in Schedules A and B hereto, but only in accordance with the applicable provisions of Sections 3 and 4 hereof.
Section 2. Duties of the Custodian with Respect to Property of the Portfolios to be Held in the United States
Section 2.1 Holding Securities. The Custodian shall hold and physically segregate for the account of each Portfolio all non-cash property to be held by it in the United States, including all domestic securities owned by such Portfolio other than (a) securities which are maintained pursuant to Section 2.8 in a clearing agency which acts as a securities depository or in a book-entry system authorized by the U.S. Department of the Treasury (each, a “U.S. Securities System”) and (b) Underlying Shares owned by each Fund on behalf of a Portfolio which are maintained pursuant to Section 2.10 hereof in an account with State Street Bank and Trust Company or such other entity which may from time to time act as a transfer agent for the Underlying Portfolios and with respect to which the Custodian is provided with Proper Instructions (the “Underlying Transfer Agent”).
Section 2.2 Delivery of Securities. The Custodian shall release and deliver domestic securities owned by a Portfolio held by the Custodian, whether held by the Custodian, in a U.S. Securities System account of the Custodian or in an account at the Underlying Transfer Agent, only upon receipt of Proper Instructions on behalf of the applicable Portfolio, which may be continuing instructions when deemed appropriate by the parties, and only in the following cases:
| 1) | Upon sale of such securities for the account of the Portfolio and receipt of payment therefor; |
| 2) | Upon the receipt of payment in connection with any repurchase agreement related to such securities entered into by the Portfolio; |
| 3) | In the case of a sale effected through a U.S. Securities System, in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.8 hereof; |
| 4) | To the depository agent in connection with tender or other similar offers for securities of the Portfolio; |
| 5) | To the issuer thereof or its agent when such securities are called, redeemed, retired or otherwise become payable; provided that, in any such case, the cash or other consideration is to be delivered to the Custodian; |
| 2 |
| 6) | To the issuer thereof, or its agent, for transfer into the name of the Portfolio or into the name of any nominee or nominees of the Custodian or into the name or nominee name of any agent appointed pursuant to Section 2.7 or into the name or nominee name of any sub-custodian appointed pursuant to Section 1; or for exchange for a different number of bonds, certificates or other evidence representing the same aggregate face amount or number of units; provided that, in any such case, the new securities are to be delivered to the Custodian; |
| 7) | Upon the sale of such securities for the account of the Portfolio, to the broker or its clearing agent, against a receipt, for examination in accordance with “street delivery” custom; provided that in any such case, the Custodian shall have no responsibility or liability for any loss arising from the delivery of such securities prior to receiving payment for such securities except as may arise from the Custodian’s own negligence or willful misconduct; |
| 8) | For exchange or conversion pursuant to any plan of merger, consolidation, recapitalization, reorganization or readjustment of the securities of the issuer of such securities, or pursuant to provisions for conversion contained in such securities, or pursuant to any deposit agreement; provided that, in any such case, the new securities and cash, if any, are to be delivered to the Custodian; |
| 9) | In the case of warrants, rights or similar securities, the surrender thereof in the exercise of such warrants, rights or similar securities or the surrender of interim receipts or temporary securities for definitive securities; provided that, in any such case, the new securities and cash, if any, are to be delivered to the Custodian; |
| 10) | For delivery in connection with any loans of securities made by the Portfolio (a) against receipt of collateral as agreed from time to time by the Fund on behalf of the Portfolio, except that in connection with any loans for which collateral is to be credited to the Custodian’s account in the book-entry system authorized by the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the Custodian will not be held liable or responsible for the delivery of securities owned by the Portfolio prior to the receipt of such collateral or (b) to the lending agent, or the lending agent’s custodian, in accordance with written Proper Instructions (which may but need not provide for the receipt by the Custodian of collateral therefor) agreed upon from time to time by the Custodian and the Fund; |
| 11) | For delivery as security in connection with any borrowing by a Fund on behalf of a Portfolio requiring a pledge of assets by the Fund on behalf of such Portfolio but only against receipt of amounts borrowed; |
| 12) | For delivery in accordance with the provisions of any agreement among the Fund on behalf of the Portfolio, the Custodian and a broker-dealer that is both registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and a |
| 3 |
member of The National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (the “NASD”), relating to compliance with the rules of The Options Clearing Corporation and of any registered national securities exchange, or of any similar organization or organizations, regarding escrow or other arrangements in connection with transactions by the Fund on behalf of a Portfolio;
| 13) | For delivery in accordance with the provisions of any agreement among a Fund on behalf of the Portfolio, the Custodian, and a futures commission merchant registered under the Commodity Exchange Act, relating to compliance with the rules of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (the “CFTC”) and/or any contract market, or any similar organization or organizations, regarding account deposits in connection with transactions by the Fund on behalf of a Portfolio; |
| 14) | Upon the sale or other delivery of such investments, including, without limitation, to one or more (a) additional custodians appointed by the Fund, and communicated to the Custodian from time to time via a writing duly executed by an authorized officer of the Fund, for the purpose of engaging in repurchase agreement transactions(s), (each a “Repo Custodian”), or (b) Special Sub-Custodians, and prior to receipt of payment therefor, as set forth in written Proper Instructions (such delivery in advance of payment, along with payment in advance of delivery made in accordance with Section 2.6(7), as applicable, shall each be referred to herein as a “Free Trade”), provided that such Proper Instructions shall set forth (a) the securities of the Portfolio to be delivered and (b) the person(s) to whom delivery of such securities shall be made; |
| 15) | Upon receipt of Proper Instructions from the Fund or the Fund’s transfer agent (the “Transfer Agent”) for delivery to such Transfer Agent or to the holders of Shares in connection with payments in kind, as may be described from time to time in the currently effective prospectus and statement of additional information of the Fund related to the Portfolio (the “Prospectus”), in satisfaction of requests by holders of Shares for repurchase or redemption; |
| 16) | In the case of a sale processed through the Underlying Transfer Agent of Underlying Shares, in accordance with Section 2.10 hereof; |
| 17) | For delivery as initial or variation margin in connection with futures or options on futures contracts entered into by the Fund on behalf of the Portfolio; and |
| 18) | For any other purpose, but only upon receipt of Proper Instructions from the Fund on behalf of the applicable Portfolio specifying (a) the securities of the Portfolio to be delivered and (b) the person or persons to whom delivery of such securities shall be made. |
| 4 |
Section 2.3 Registration of Securities. Domestic securities held by the Custodian (other than bearer securities) shall be registered by the Custodian in the name of the Portfolio or in the name of any nominee of a Fund on behalf of the Portfolio or in the name of any nominee of the Custodian which nominee shall be assigned exclusively to the Portfolio, unless the Fund has authorized in writing the appointment of a nominee to be used in common with other registered management investment companies having the same investment adviser as the Portfolio, or in the name or nominee name of any agent appointed pursuant to Section 2.7 or in the name or nominee name of any sub-custodian appointed pursuant to Section 1. All securities accepted by the Custodian on behalf of the Portfolio under the terms of this Agreement shall be in “street name” or other good delivery form. If, however, a Fund directs the Custodian to maintain securities in “street name”, the Custodian shall utilize its best efforts only to timely collect income due the Fund on such securities and to notify the Fund on a best efforts basis only of relevant corporate actions including, without limitation, pendency of calls, maturities, tender or exchange offers.
Section 2.4 Bank Accounts. The Custodian shall open and maintain a separate bank account or accounts in the United States in the name of each Portfolio of each Fund, subject only to draft or order by the Custodian acting pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, and shall hold in such account or accounts, subject to the provisions hereof, all cash received by it from or for the account of the Portfolio, other than cash maintained by the Portfolio in a bank account established and used in accordance with Rule 17f-3 under the 1940 Act. Cash held by the Custodian for a Portfolio may be deposited by it to its credit as Custodian in the banking department of the Custodian or in such other banks or trust companies as it may in its reasonable discretion deem necessary or desirable; provided, however, that every such bank or trust company shall be qualified to act as a custodian under the 1940 Act and that each such bank or trust company and the funds to be deposited therewith shall on behalf of each applicable Portfolio be approved by vote of a majority of the Board. Such cash shall be deposited by the Custodian only in its capacity as Custodian and shall be withdrawable by the Custodian only in that capacity.
Section 2.5 Collection of Income. Except with respect to Portfolio property released and delivered pursuant to Section 2.2(14) or purchased and not held pursuant to Section 2.6(7), and subject to the provisions of Section 2.3, the Custodian shall collect on a timely basis all income and other payments with respect to (a) registered domestic securities held hereunder to which each Portfolio shall be entitled either by law or pursuant to custom in the securities business if, on the record date for payment by the issuer, such securities are held hereunder, and (b) bearer domestic securities if, on the date of payment by the issuer, such securities are held by the Custodian or its agent, and, with respect to (a) and (b) above, shall credit such income, on the designated settlement date, as predetermined income, to such Portfolio’s custodian account. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Custodian shall detach and present for payment all coupons and other income items requiring presentation as and when they become due and shall collect interest when due on securities held hereunder. Income due each Portfolio on securities loaned pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.2 (10) shall be the responsibility of the applicable Fund. The Custodian will have no duty or responsibility in connection therewith, other than to provide the Fund with such information or data as may be necessary to assist the Fund in arranging for the timely delivery to the Custodian of the income to which the Portfolio is properly entitled. The Fund, or its duly authorized
| 5 |
investment manager, shall instruct the Custodian regarding all Fund or investment manager determinations that a portfolio security has been deemed worthless by such Fund.
Section 2.6 Payment of Fund Monies. Upon receipt of Proper Instructions on behalf of the applicable Portfolio, which may be continuing instructions when deemed appropriate by the parties, the Custodian shall pay out monies of a Portfolio in the following cases only:
| 1) | Upon the purchase of domestic securities, options, futures contracts or options on futures contracts for the account of the Portfolio but only (a) against the delivery of such securities or evidence of title to such options, futures contracts or options on futures contracts to the Custodian (or any bank, banking firm or trust company doing business in the United States or abroad which is qualified under the 1940 Act to act as a custodian and has been designated by the Custodian as its agent for this purpose) registered in the name of the Portfolio or in the name of a nominee of the Custodian pursuant to Section 2.3 hereof or in proper form for transfer; (b) in the case of a purchase effected through a U.S. Securities System, in accordance with the conditions set forth in Section 2.8 hereof; (c) in the case of a purchase of Underlying Shares, in accordance with the conditions set forth in Section 2.10 hereof; (d) in the case of repurchase agreements entered into between the applicable Fund on behalf of a Portfolio and the Custodian, or another bank, or a broker-dealer which is a member of NASD, (i) against delivery of the securities either in certificate form or through an entry crediting the Custodian’s account at the Federal Reserve Bank with such securities or (ii) against delivery of the receipt evidencing purchase by the Portfolio of securities owned by the Custodian, or another bank, or a broker-dealer which is a member of NASD along with written evidence of the agreement by the Custodian, or another bank, or a broker-dealer which is a member of NASD to repurchase such securities from the Portfolio; or (e) for transfer to a time deposit account of the Fund in any bank, whether domestic or foreign; such transfer may be effected prior to receipt of a confirmation from a broker and/or the applicable bank pursuant to Proper Instructions from the Fund; |
| 2) | In connection with conversion, exchange or surrender of securities owned by the Portfolio as set forth in Section 2.2 hereof; |
| 3) | For the redemption or repurchase of Shares issued as set forth in Section 6 hereof; |
| 4) | For the payment of any expense or liability incurred by the Portfolio, including but not limited to the following payments for the account of the Portfolio: interest, taxes, management, accounting, audit, transfer agent and legal fees, and operating expenses of the Fund whether or not such expenses are to be in whole or part capitalized or treated as deferred expenses; |
| 6 |
| 5) | For the payment of any dividends on Shares declared pursuant to the Fund’s articles of incorporation or organization and by-laws or agreement or declaration of trust, as applicable, and Prospectus (collectively, “Governing Documents”); |
| 6) | For payment of the amount of dividends received in respect of securities sold short; |
| 7) | Upon the purchase of domestic investments including, without limitation, repurchase agreement transactions involving delivery of Portfolio monies to Repo Custodian(s), and prior to receipt of such investments, as set forth in written Proper Instructions (such payment in advance of delivery, along with delivery in advance of payment made in accordance with Section 2.2(14), as applicable, shall each be referred to herein as a “Free Trade”), provided that such Proper Instructions shall also set forth (a) the amount of such payment and (b) the person(s) to whom such payment is made; |
| 8) | For payment as initial or variation margin in connection with futures or options on futures contracts entered into by the Fund on behalf of the Portfolio; and |
| 9) | For any other purpose, but only upon receipt of Proper Instructions from the Fund on behalf of the Portfolio specifying (a) the amount of such payment and (b) the person or persons to whom such payment is to be made. |
Section 2.7 Appointment of Agents. The Custodian may at any time or times in its discretion appoint (and may at any time remove) one or more of its wholly-owned subsidiaries which is a bank or trust company and which is itself qualified under the 1940 Act to act as a custodian, as its agent to carry out such of the provisions of this Section 2 as the Custodian may from time to time direct; provided, however, that the appointment of any agent shall not relieve the Custodian of its responsibilities or liabilities hereunder. No Underlying Transfer Agent acting as such shall be deemed an agent or sub-custodian of the Custodian for purposes of this Section 2.7 or any other provision of this Agreement.
Section 2.8 Deposit of Fund Assets in U.S. Securities Systems. The Custodian may deposit and/or maintain securities owned by a Portfolio in a U.S. Securities System in compliance with the conditions of Rule 17f-4 under the 1940 Act, as amended from time to time.
Section 2.9 Segregated Account. The Custodian shall upon receipt of Proper Instructions on behalf of each applicable Portfolio, establish and maintain a segregated account or accounts for and on behalf of each such Portfolio, into which account or accounts may be transferred cash and/or securities, including securities maintained in an account by the Custodian pursuant to Section 2.8 hereof, (a) in accordance with the provisions of any agreement among the Fund on behalf of the Portfolio, the Custodian and a broker-dealer registered under the Exchange Act and a member of the NASD (or any futures commission merchant registered under the Commodity Exchange Act), relating to compliance with the rules of The Options Clearing Corporation and of any registered national securities exchange (or the CFTC or any registered contract market), or of
| 7 |
any similar organization or organizations, regarding escrow or other arrangements in connection with transactions by the Portfolio, (b) for purposes of segregating cash or government securities in connection with swap arrangements of the Portfolio, options purchased, sold or written by the Portfolio or commodity futures contracts or options thereon purchased or sold by the Portfolio, (c) for the purposes of compliance by the Portfolio with the procedures required by Investment Company Act Release No. 10666, or any subsequent release of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), or interpretative opinion of the staff of the SEC, relating to the maintenance of segregated accounts by registered investment companies, and (d) for any other purpose in accordance with Proper Instructions.
Section 2.10 Deposit of Fund Assets with the Underlying Transfer Agent. Underlying Shares beneficially owned by the Fund, on behalf of a Portfolio, shall be deposited and/or maintained in an account or accounts maintained with an Underlying Transfer Agent and the Custodian’s only responsibilities with respect thereto shall be limited to the following:
| 1) | Upon receipt of a confirmation or statement from an Underlying Transfer Agent (copies of which the Custodian will maintain as may be required by Section 11 of this Agreement) that such Underlying Transfer Agent is holding or maintaining Underlying Shares in the name of the Custodian (or a nominee of the Custodian) for the benefit of a Portfolio, the Custodian shall identify by book-entry that such Underlying Shares are being held by it as custodian for the benefit of the Portfolio. |
| 2) | In respect of the purchase of Underlying Shares for the account of a Portfolio, upon receipt of Proper Instructions, the Custodian shall pay out monies of such Portfolio as so directed, and record such payment from the account of such Portfolio on the Custodian’s books and records. |
| 3) | In respect of the sale or redemption of Underlying Shares for the account of a Portfolio, upon receipt of Proper Instructions, the Custodian shall transfer such Underlying Shares as so directed, record such transfer from the account of such Portfolio on the Custodian’s books and records and, upon the Custodian’s receipt of the proceeds therefor, record such payment for the account of such Portfolio on the Custodian’s books and records. |
The Custodian shall not be liable to the Fund for any loss or damage to the Fund or any Portfolio resulting from the maintenance of Underlying Shares with an Underlying Transfer Agent except for losses to the extent resulting from (i) the fraud, negligence, or willful misconduct of the Custodian or any of its agents or of any of its or their employees, (ii) violation of law applicable to the Custodian in its capacity as a custodian and that affects the Custodian’s performance of the Services hereunder, or (iii) material breach of this Agreement by the Custodian (provided, however, that the Custodian shall have the opportunity to cure, within thirty (30) days of its receipt of written notice from the Fund, solely those breaches capable of cure without material adverse impact to the Fund, provided, in each such instance where the Custodian is aware of an event related to such notice, the Custodian had previously informed the Fund promptly of such
| 8 |
event; any such communication from the Custodian to the Fund shall not be used as or considered as an admission of fault and will be provided solely as an accommodation to the Fund).
Section 2.11 Ownership Certificates for Tax Purposes. The Custodian shall execute ownership and other certificates and affidavits for all federal and state tax purposes in connection with receipt of income or other payments with respect to domestic securities of each Portfolio held by it and in connection with transfers of securities.
Section 2.12 Proxies. Except with respect to Portfolio property released and delivered pursuant to Section 2.2(14), or purchased and not held pursuant to Section 2.6(7), the Custodian shall, with respect to the domestic securities held hereunder, cause to be promptly executed by the registered holder of such securities, if the securities are registered otherwise than in the name of the Portfolio or a nominee of the Portfolio, all proxies, without indication of the manner in which such proxies are to be voted, and shall promptly deliver to the Fund or its duly authorized agent all proxies, all proxy soliciting materials and all notices relating to such securities.
Section 2.13 Communications Relating to Portfolio Securities. Except with respect to Portfolio property released and delivered pursuant to Section 2.2(14), or purchased and not held pursuant to Section 2.6(7), and subject to the provisions of Section 2.3, the Custodian shall transmit promptly to the applicable Fund for each Portfolio all written information (including, without limitation, pendency of calls and maturities of domestic securities and expirations of rights in connection therewith and notices of exercise of call and put options written by the Fund on behalf of the Portfolio and the maturity of futures contracts purchased or sold by the Fund on behalf of the Portfolio) received by the Custodian from issuers of the securities being held for the Portfolio. With respect to voluntary corporate actions such as tender or exchange offers, the Custodian shall transmit promptly to the applicable Fund all written information received by the Custodian from issuers of the securities whose tender or exchange or other action is sought and from the party (or its agents) making the tender or exchange offer or other action. The Custodian shall also transmit promptly to the applicable Fund for each Portfolio all written information received by the Custodian regarding any class action or other litigation in connection with Portfolio securities or other assets issued in the United States and then held, or previously held, during the term of this Agreement by the Custodian for the account of the Fund for such Portfolio, including, but not limited to, opt-out notices and proof-of-claim forms. The Custodian shall not be liable for any untimely exercise of any tender, exchange or other right or power in connection with domestic securities or other property of the Portfolios at any time held by it unless (i) the Custodian is in actual possession of such domestic securities or property and (ii) the Custodian receives Proper Instructions with regard to the exercise of any such right or power, and both (i) and (ii) occur prior to such deadline established by the Custodian in its reasonable discretion as will give the Custodian sufficient time to take such action, which deadline shall in no event be longer than three (3) business days. The Custodian shall inform the Fund of pertinent deadlines in each case. For avoidance of doubt, upon and after the effective date of any termination of this Agreement, with respect to a Fund or its Portfolio(s), as may be applicable, the Custodian shall have no responsibility to so transmit any information under this Section 2.13.
| 9 |
Section 3. Provisions Relating to Rules 17f-5 and 17f-7
Section 3.1. Definitions. As used throughout this Agreement, the capitalized terms set forth below shall have the indicated meanings:
“Country Risk” means all factors reasonably related to the systemic risk of holding Foreign Assets in a particular country including, but not limited to, such country’s political environment, economic and financial infrastructure (including any Eligible Securities Depository operating in the country), prevailing or developing custody and settlement practices, and laws and regulations applicable to the safekeeping and recovery of Foreign Assets held in custody in that country.
“Eligible Foreign Custodian” has the meaning set forth in section (a)(1) of Rule 17f-5, including a majority-owned or indirect subsidiary of a U.S. Bank (as defined in Rule 17f-5), a bank holding company meeting the requirements of an Eligible Foreign Custodian (as set forth in Rule 17f-5 or by other appropriate action of the SEC), or a foreign branch of a Bank (as defined in Section 2(a)(5) of the 1940 Act) meeting the requirements of a custodian under Section 17(f) of the 1940 Act; the term does not include any Eligible Securities Depository.
“Eligible Securities Depository” has the meaning set forth in section (b)(1) of Rule 17f-7.
“Foreign Assets” means any of the Portfolios’ investments (including foreign currencies) for which the primary market is outside the United States and such cash and cash equivalents as are reasonably necessary to effect the Portfolios’ transactions in such investments.
“Foreign Custody Manager” has the meaning set forth in section (a)(3) of Rule 17f-5.
“Rule 17f-5” means Rule 17f-5 promulgated under the 1940 Act.
“Rule 17f-7” means Rule 17f-7 promulgated under the 1940 Act.
Section 3.2. The Custodian as Foreign Custody Manager.
3.2.1 Delegation to the Custodian as Foreign Custody Manager. Each Fund, by resolution adopted by its Board, hereby delegates to the Custodian, subject to Section (b) of Rule 17f-5, the responsibilities set forth in this Section 3.2 with respect to Foreign Assets of the Portfolios held outside the United States, and the Custodian hereby accepts such delegation as Foreign Custody Manager with respect to the Portfolios.
3.2.2 Countries Covered. The Foreign Custody Manager shall be responsible for performing the delegated responsibilities defined below only with respect to the countries and custody arrangements for each such country listed on Schedule A to this Agreement, which list of countries may be amended from time to time by any Fund with the agreement of the Foreign Custody Manager. The Foreign Custody Manager shall list on Schedule A the Eligible Foreign
| 10 |
Custodians selected by the Foreign Custody Manager to maintain the assets of the Portfolios, which list of Eligible Foreign Custodians may be amended from time to time in the sole discretion of the Foreign Custody Manager. The Foreign Custody Manager will provide amended versions of Schedule A in accordance with Section 3.2.5 hereof.
Upon the receipt by the Foreign Custody Manager of Proper Instructions to open an account or to place or maintain Foreign Assets in a country listed on Schedule A, and the fulfillment by each Fund, on behalf of the applicable Portfolio(s), of the applicable account opening requirements for such country, the Foreign Custody Manager shall be deemed to have been delegated by such Fund’s Board on behalf of such Portfolio(s) responsibility as Foreign Custody Manager with respect to that country and to have accepted such delegation. Execution of this Agreement by each Fund shall be deemed to be a Proper Instruction authorizing the Foreign Custody Manager to open an account, or to place or maintain Foreign Assets, with the Eligible Foreign Custodians identified in each country as listed on Schedule A, as required by each Portfolio from time to time. Following the receipt of Proper Instructions directing the Foreign Custody Manager to close the account of a Portfolio with the Eligible Foreign Custodian selected by the Foreign Custody Manager in a designated country, the delegation by the Board on behalf of such Portfolio to the Custodian as Foreign Custody Manager for that country shall be deemed to have been withdrawn and the Custodian shall immediately cease to be the Foreign Custody Manager with respect to such Portfolio with respect to that country.
The Foreign Custody Manager may withdraw its acceptance of delegated responsibilities with respect to a designated country upon written notice to the Fund. Thirty days (or such longer period to which the parties agree in writing) after receipt of any such notice by the Fund, the Custodian shall have no further responsibility in its capacity as Foreign Custody Manager to the Fund with respect to the country as to which the Custodian’s acceptance of delegation is withdrawn.
3.2.3 Scope of Delegated Responsibilities:
(a) Selection of Eligible Foreign Custodians. Subject to the provisions of this Section 3.2, the Foreign Custody Manager may place and maintain the Foreign Assets in the care of the Eligible Foreign Custodian selected by the Foreign Custody Manager for each appropriate country as is listed on Schedule A, as amended from time to time. In performing its delegated responsibilities as Foreign Custody Manager to place or maintain Foreign Assets with an Eligible Foreign Custodian, the Foreign Custody Manager shall determine that the Foreign Assets will be subject to reasonable care, based on the standards applicable to custodians in the relevant market in which the Foreign Assets will be held by that Eligible Foreign Custodian, after considering all factors relevant to the safekeeping of such assets, including, without limitation the factors specified in Rule 17f-5(c)(1).
(b) Contracts With Eligible Foreign Custodians. The Foreign Custody Manager shall determine that the contract governing the foreign custody arrangements with each Eligible Foreign Custodian selected by the Foreign Custody Manager will satisfy the requirements of Rule 17f-5(c)(2).
| 11 |
(c) Monitoring. In each case in which the Foreign Custody Manager maintains Foreign Assets with an Eligible Foreign Custodian selected by the Foreign Custody Manager, the Foreign Custody Manager shall establish a system to monitor (i) the appropriateness of maintaining the Foreign Assets with such Eligible Foreign Custodian and (ii) performance of the contract governing the custody arrangements established by the Foreign Custody Manager with the Eligible Foreign Custodian. In the event the Foreign Custody Manager determines that the custody arrangements with an Eligible Foreign Custodian it has selected are no longer appropriate, the Foreign Custody Manager shall reasonably promptly notify the Board in accordance with Section 3.2.5 hereunder.
3.2.4 Guidelines for the Exercise of Delegated Authority. For purposes of this Section 3.2, the Board, or at the Board’s delegation, a Fund’s investment adviser, shall be deemed to have considered and determined to accept, on behalf of the Fund, such Country Risk as is incurred by placing and maintaining the Foreign Assets in each country for which the Custodian is serving as Foreign Custody Manager of the Portfolios.
3.2.5 Reporting Requirements. The Foreign Custody Manager shall report the withdrawal of the Foreign Assets from an Eligible Foreign Custodian and the placement of such Foreign Assets with another Eligible Foreign Custodian by providing to the Board an amended Schedule A at the end of each calendar quarter in which an amendment to such Schedule has occurred. The Foreign Custody Manager shall make written reports notifying the Board of any other material change in the foreign custody arrangements of the Portfolios described in this Section 3.2 reasonably promptly after the occurrence of the material change.
3.2.6 Standard of Care as Foreign Custody Manager of a Portfolio. In performing the responsibilities delegated to it, the Foreign Custody Manager agrees to exercise reasonable care, prudence and diligence such as a person having responsibility for the safekeeping of assets of management investment companies registered under the 1940 Act would exercise.
3.2.7 Representations with Respect to Rule 17f-5. The Foreign Custody Manager represents to each Fund that it is a U.S. Bank as defined in section (a)(7) of Rule 17f-5. Each Fund represents to the Custodian that its Board has determined that it is reasonable for such Board to rely on the Custodian to perform the responsibilities delegated pursuant to this Agreement to the Custodian as the Foreign Custody Manager of the Portfolios.
3.2.8 Effective Date and Termination of the Custodian as Foreign Custody Manager. Each Board’s delegation to the Custodian as Foreign Custody Manager of the Portfolios shall be effective as of the date hereof and shall remain in effect until terminated at any time, without penalty, by written notice from the terminating party to the non-terminating party. Termination will become effective thirty (30) days after receipt by the non-terminating party of such notice. The provisions of Section 3.2.2 hereof shall govern the delegation to and termination of the Custodian as Foreign Custody Manager of the Portfolios with respect to designated countries.
| 12 |
Section 3.3 Eligible Securities Depositories.
3.3.1 Analysis and Monitoring. The Custodian shall (a) provide the Fund (or its duly-authorized investment manager or investment adviser) with an analysis of the custody risks associated with maintaining assets with the Eligible Securities Depositories set forth on Schedule B hereto in accordance with section (a)(1)(i)(A) of Rule 17f-7, and (b) monitor such risks on a continuing basis, and promptly notify the Fund (or its duly-authorized investment manager or investment adviser) of any material change in such risks, in accordance with section (a)(1)(i)(B) of Rule 17f-7.
3.3.2 Standard of Care. The Custodian agrees to exercise reasonable care, prudence and diligence in performing the duties set forth in Section 3.3.1.
Section 4. Duties of the Custodian with Respect to Property of the Portfolios to be Held Outside the United States
Section 4.1 Definitions. As used throughout this Agreement, the capitalized terms set forth below shall have the indicated meanings:
“Foreign Securities System” means an Eligible Securities Depository listed on Schedule B hereto.
“Foreign Sub-Custodian” means a foreign banking institution serving as an Eligible Foreign Custodian.
Section 4.2. Holding Securities. The Custodian shall identify on its books as belonging to the Portfolios the foreign securities held by each Foreign Sub-Custodian or Foreign Securities System. The Custodian may hold foreign securities for all of its customers, including the Portfolios, with any Foreign Sub-Custodian in an account that is identified as belonging to the Custodian for the benefit of its customers, provided however, that (i) the records of the Custodian with respect to foreign securities of the Portfolios which are maintained in such account shall identify those securities as belonging to the Portfolios and (ii), to the extent permitted and customary in the market in which the account is maintained, the Custodian shall require that securities so held by the Foreign Sub-Custodian be held separately from any assets of such Foreign Sub-Custodian or of other customers of such Foreign Sub-Custodian.
Section 4.3. Foreign Securities Systems. Foreign securities shall be maintained in a Foreign Securities System in a designated country through arrangements implemented by the Custodian or a Foreign Sub-Custodian, as applicable, in such country.
Section 4.4. Transactions in Foreign Custody Account.
4.4.1. Delivery of Foreign Assets. The Custodian or a Foreign Sub-Custodian shall release and deliver foreign securities of the Portfolios held by the Custodian or such Foreign Sub-Custodian, or in a Foreign Securities System account, only upon receipt of Proper Instructions,
| 13 |
which may be continuing instructions when deemed appropriate by the parties, and only in the following cases:
| (i) | Upon the sale of such foreign securities for the Portfolio in accordance with commercially reasonable market practice in the country where such foreign securities are held or traded, including, without limitation: (A) delivery against expectation of receiving later payment; or (B) in the case of a sale effected through a Foreign Securities System, in accordance with the rules governing the operation of the Foreign Securities System; |
| (ii) | In connection with any repurchase agreement related to foreign securities; |
| (iii) | To the depository agent in connection with tender or other similar offers for foreign securities of the Portfolios; |
| (iv) | To the issuer thereof or its agent when such foreign securities are called, redeemed, retired or otherwise become payable; |
| (v) | To the issuer thereof, or its agent, for transfer into the name of the Custodian (or the name of the respective Foreign Sub-Custodian or of any nominee of the Custodian or such Foreign Sub-Custodian) or for exchange for a different number of bonds, certificates or other evidence representing the same aggregate face amount or number of units; |
| (vi) | To brokers, clearing banks or other clearing agents for examination or trade execution in accordance with market custom; provided that in any such case, the Foreign Sub-Custodian shall have no responsibility or liability for any loss arising from the delivery of such foreign securities prior to receiving payment for such foreign securities except as may arise from the Foreign Sub-Custodian’s own negligence or willful misconduct; |
| (vii) | For exchange or conversion pursuant to any plan of merger, consolidation, recapitalization, reorganization or readjustment of the securities of the issuer of such securities, or pursuant to provisions for conversion contained in such securities, or pursuant to any deposit agreement; |
| (viii) | In the case of warrants, rights or similar foreign securities, the surrender thereof in the exercise of such warrants, rights or similar securities or the surrender of interim receipts or temporary securities for definitive securities; |
| (ix) | For delivery as security in connection with any borrowing by a Fund on behalf of a Portfolio requiring a pledge of assets by the Fund on behalf of such Portfolio; |
| 14 |
| (x) | In connection with trading in options and futures contracts, including delivery as original margin and variation margin; |
| (xi) | Upon the sale or other delivery of such foreign securities (including, without limitation, to one or more Special Sub-Custodians or Repo Custodians) as a Free Trade, provided that applicable Proper Instructions shall set forth (A) the foreign securities to be delivered and (B) the person or persons to whom delivery shall be made; |
| (xii) | In connection with the lending of foreign securities; and |
| (xiii) | For any other purpose, but only upon receipt of Proper Instructions specifying (A) the foreign securities to be delivered and (B) the person or persons to whom delivery of such securities shall be made. |
4.4.2. Payment of Portfolio Monies. Upon receipt of Proper Instructions, which may be continuing instructions when deemed appropriate by the parties, the Custodian shall pay out, or direct the respective Foreign Sub-Custodian or the respective Foreign Securities System to pay out, monies of a Portfolio in the following cases only:
| (i) | Upon the purchase of foreign securities for the Portfolio in accordance with commercially reasonable market practice in the country where such foreign securities are held or traded, unless otherwise directed by Proper Instructions, by (A) delivering money to the seller thereof or to a dealer therefor (or an agent for such seller or dealer) against expectation of receiving later delivery of such foreign securities; or (B) in the case of a purchase effected through a Foreign Securities System, in accordance with the rules governing the operation of such Foreign Securities System; |
| (ii) | In connection with the conversion, exchange or surrender of foreign securities of the Portfolio; |
| (iii) | For the payment of any expense or liability of the Portfolio, including but not limited to the following payments: interest, taxes, investment advisory fees, transfer agency fees, fees under this Agreement, legal fees, audit or accounting fees, and other operating expenses; |
| (iv) | For the purchase or sale of foreign exchange or foreign exchange contracts for the Portfolio, including transactions executed with or through the Custodian or its Foreign Sub-Custodians; |
| (v) | In connection with trading in options and futures contracts, including delivery as original margin and variation margin; |
| 15 |
| (vi) | Upon the purchase of foreign investments including, without limitation, repurchase agreement transactions involving delivery of Portfolio monies to Repo Custodian(s), as a Free Trade, provided that applicable Proper Instructions shall set forth (A) the amount of such payment and (B) the person or persons to whom payment shall be made; |
| (vii) | For payment of part or all of the dividends received in respect of securities sold short; |
| (viii) | In connection with the borrowing or lending of foreign securities; and |
| (ix) | For any other purpose, but only upon receipt of Proper Instructions specifying (A) the amount of such payment and (B) the person or persons to whom such payment is to be made. |
4.4.3. Market Customs. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, settlement and payment for Foreign Assets received for the account of the Portfolios and delivery of Foreign Assets maintained for the account of the Portfolios may be effected in accordance with the customary established securities trading or processing practices and procedures in the country or market in which the transaction occurs, including, without limitation, delivering Foreign Assets to the purchaser thereof or to a dealer therefor (or an agent for such purchaser or dealer) with the expectation of receiving later payment for such Foreign Assets from such purchaser or dealer.
The Custodian shall provide to each Board the information with respect to custody and settlement practices in countries in which the Custodian employs a Foreign Sub-Custodian described on Schedule C hereto at the time or times set forth on such Schedule. The Custodian may revise Schedule C from time to time, provided that no such revision shall result in a Board being provided with substantively less information than had been previously provided hereunder.
Section 4.5. Registration of Foreign Securities. The foreign securities maintained in the custody of a Foreign Sub-Custodian (other than bearer securities) shall be registered by the Custodian or the Foreign Sub-Custodian in the name of the applicable Portfolio or in the name of the Custodian or in the name of any Foreign Sub-Custodian or in the name of any nominee of the foregoing. The Custodian or a Foreign Sub-Custodian shall not be obligated to accept securities on behalf of a Portfolio under the terms of this Agreement unless the form of such securities and the manner in which they are delivered are in accordance with reasonable market practice.
Section 4.6 Bank Accounts. The Custodian shall identify on its books as belonging to the applicable Fund on behalf of a Portfolio cash (including cash denominated in foreign currencies) deposited with the Custodian. Cash maintained on the books of the Custodian (including its branches, subsidiaries and affiliates), regardless of currency denomination, is maintained in bank accounts established under, and subject to the laws of, The Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Where the Custodian is unable to maintain, or market practice does not readily allow the
| 16 |
maintenance of, cash on the books of the Custodian, a bank account or bank accounts shall be opened and maintained outside the United States on behalf of the Portfolio with a Foreign Sub-Custodian. All accounts referred to in this section shall be subject only to draft or order by the Custodian (or, if applicable, such Foreign Sub-Custodian) acting pursuant to the terms of this Agreement to hold cash received by or from or for the account of the Portfolio.
Section 4.7. Collection of Income. The Custodian shall use reasonable commercial efforts to collect all income and other payments with respect to the Foreign Assets held hereunder to which the Portfolios shall be entitled and shall credit such income, as collected, to the applicable Portfolio. In the event that extraordinary measures are required to collect such income, the Fund and the Custodian shall consult as to such measures and as to the compensation and expenses of the Custodian relating to such measures.
Section 4.8 Shareholder Rights. With respect to the foreign securities held pursuant to this Section 4, the Custodian shall use reasonable commercial efforts to facilitate the exercise of voting and other shareholder rights, subject always to the laws, regulations and practical constraints that may exist in the country where such securities are issued, which facilitation efforts may include endeavoring to (a) cause to be executed by the registered holder of such foreign securities (if such securities are registered otherwise than in the name of the Portfolio or a nominee of the Portfolio), all proxies, without indication of the manner in which such proxies are to be voted, and (b) deliver to the Fund or its agents all proxy soliciting materials and all notices relating to such securities. Each Fund acknowledges that local conditions, including lack of regulation, onerous procedural obligations, lack of notice and other factors may have the effect of severely limiting the ability of such Fund to exercise shareholder rights.
Section 4.9. Communications Relating to Foreign Securities. The Custodian shall transmit promptly to the applicable Fund written information with respect to materials received by the Custodian via the Foreign Sub-Custodians from issuers of the foreign securities being held for the account of the Portfolios (including, without limitation, pendency of calls and maturities of foreign securities and expirations of rights in connection therewith). With respect to voluntary corporate actions such as tender or exchange offers, the Custodian shall transmit promptly to the applicable Fund written information with respect to materials so received by the Custodian from issuers of the foreign securities whose tender or exchange or other action is sought or from the party (or its agents) making the tender or exchange offer or other action. The Custodian shall also transmit promptly to the applicable Fund all written information received by the Custodian via the Foreign Sub-Custodians from issuers of the foreign securities being held for the account of the Portfolios regarding any class action or other litigation in connection with Portfolio foreign securities or other assets issued outside the United States and then held, or previously held, during the term of this Agreement by the Custodian via a Foreign Sub-Custodian for the account of the Fund for such Portfolio, including, but not limited to, opt-out notices and proof-of-claim forms. The Custodian shall not be liable for any untimely exercise of any tender, exchange or other right or power in connection with foreign securities or other property of the Portfolios at any time held by it unless (i) the Custodian or the respective Foreign Sub-Custodian is in actual possession of such foreign securities or property and (ii) the Custodian receives Proper Instructions with regard to the exercise
| 17 |
of any such right or power, and both (i) and (ii) occur prior to such deadline established by the Custodian in its reasonable discretion as will give the Custodian (including any Foreign Sub-Custodian) sufficient time to take such action, which deadline shall in no event be longer than three (3) business days. The Custodian shall inform the Fund of pertinent deadlines in each case. For avoidance of doubt, upon and after the effective date of any termination of this Agreement, with respect to a Fund or its Portfolio(s), as may be applicable, the Custodian shall have no responsibility to so transmit any information under this Section 4.9.
Section 4.10. Liability of Foreign Sub-Custodians. Each agreement pursuant to which the Custodian employs a Foreign Sub-Custodian shall, to the extent possible, require the Foreign Sub-Custodian to exercise reasonable care in the performance of its duties, and to indemnify, and hold harmless, the Custodian from and against any loss, damage, cost, expense, liability or claim arising out of or in connection with the Foreign Sub-Custodian’s performance of such obligations. At a Fund’s election, its Portfolios shall be entitled to be subrogated to the rights of the Custodian with respect to any claims against a Foreign Sub-Custodian as a consequence of any such loss, damage, cost, expense, liability or claim if and to the extent that the Portfolios have not been made whole for any such loss, damage, cost, expense, liability or claim.
Section 4.11 Tax Law. The Custodian shall have no responsibility or liability for any obligations now or hereafter imposed on any Fund, the Portfolios or the Custodian as custodian of the Portfolios by the tax law of the United States or of any state or political subdivision thereof. It shall be the responsibility of each Fund to notify the Custodian of the obligations imposed on such Fund with respect to the Portfolios or the Custodian as custodian of the Portfolios by the tax law of countries other than those mentioned in the above sentence, including responsibility for withholding and other taxes, assessments or other governmental charges, certifications and governmental reporting. The sole responsibilities of the Custodian with regard to such tax law shall be to use reasonable efforts to effect the withholding of local taxes and related charges with regard to market entitlement/payment in accordance with local law and subject to local market practice or custom and to assist the Fund with respect to any claim for exemption or refund under the tax law of countries for which such Fund has provided such information. Except as specifically provided in this Agreement or otherwise agreed to in writing by the Custodian, the Custodian shall have no independent obligation to determine the tax obligations now or hereafter imposed on any of the Funds by any taxing authority or to obtain or provide information relating thereto, and shall have no obligation or liability with respect to such tax obligations, it being specifically understood and agreed that the Custodian shall not thereby or otherwise be considered any Fund’s tax advisor or tax counsel.
Section 5. Special Sub-Custodians
Upon receipt of Special Instructions (as such term is defined in Section 7 hereof), the Custodian shall, on behalf of one or more Portfolios, appoint one or more banks, trust companies or other entities designated in such Special Instructions to act as a sub-custodian for the purposes of effecting such transaction(s) as may be designated by a Fund in Special Instructions. Each such designated sub-custodian is referred to herein as a “Special Sub-Custodian.” Each such duly appointed Special
| 18 |
Sub-Custodian shall be listed on Schedule D hereto, as it may be amended from time to time by a Fund, with the acknowledgment of the Custodian. In connection with the appointment of any Special Sub-Custodian, and in accordance with Special Instructions, the Custodian shall enter into a sub-custodian agreement with the Fund and the Special Sub-Custodian in form and substance approved by such Fund, provided that such agreement shall in all events comply with the provisions of the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder and the terms and provisions of this Agreement.
Section 6. Payments for Sales or Repurchases or Redemptions of Shares
The Custodian shall receive from the distributor of the Shares or from the Transfer Agent and deposit into the account of the appropriate Portfolio such payments as are received for Shares thereof issued or sold from time to time by the applicable Fund. The Custodian will provide timely notification to such Fund on behalf of each such Portfolio and the Transfer Agent of any receipt by it of payments for Shares of such Portfolio.
From such funds as may be available for the purpose, the Custodian shall, upon receipt of instructions from the Transfer Agent, make funds available for payment to holders of Shares who have delivered to the Transfer Agent a request for redemption or repurchase of their Shares. In connection with the redemption or repurchase of Shares, the Custodian is authorized upon receipt of instructions from the Transfer Agent to wire funds to or through a commercial bank designated by the redeeming shareholders. In connection with the redemption or repurchase of Shares, the Custodian shall honor checks drawn on the Custodian by a holder of Shares, which checks have been furnished by a Fund to the holder of Shares, when presented to the Custodian in accordance with such procedures and controls as are mutually agreed upon from time to time between such Fund and the Custodian.
Section 6A. Investment Administration Services
Custodian shall provide Investment Administration Services to the Funds pursuant to the terms and conditions of the attached Investment Administration Services Addendum.
Section 7. Proper Instructions and Special Instructions
“Proper Instructions,” which may be standing instructions, shall mean instructions received by the Custodian from a Fund or a person or entity duly authorized by the Fund. Such instructions may be in writing signed by the authorized person or persons or may be in a tested communication or in a communication utilizing access codes effected between electro-mechanical or electronic devices or may be by such other means and utilizing such intermediary systems and utilities as may be agreed from time to time by the Custodian and the person(s) or entity giving such instruction, provided that such person(s) or entity has followed any security procedures agreed to from time to time by the applicable Fund and the Custodian including, but not limited to, the security procedures selected by the Fund via the form of Funds Transfer Addendum hereto. Oral instructions will be considered Proper Instructions if the Custodian reasonably believes them to have been given by a person
| 19 |
authorized to provide such instructions with respect to the transaction involved; the Fund shall cause all oral instructions to be confirmed in writing. For purposes of this section, Proper Instructions shall include instructions received by the Custodian pursuant to any multi-party agreement which requires a segregated asset account in accordance with Section 2.9 hereof.
“Special Instructions,” as such term is used throughout this Agreement, means Proper Instructions countersigned or confirmed in writing by the Treasurer or any Assistant Treasurer of the applicable Fund or any other person designated in writing by the Treasurer of such Fund, which countersignature or confirmation shall be (a) included on the same instrument containing the Proper Instructions or on a separate instrument clearly relating thereto and (b) delivered by hand, by facsimile transmission, or in such other manner as the Fund and the Custodian agree in writing.
Concurrently with the execution of this Agreement, and from time to time thereafter, as appropriate, each Fund shall deliver to the Custodian, duly certified by such Fund’s Treasurer or Assistant Treasurer, a certificate setting forth: (i) the names, titles, signatures and scope of authority of all persons authorized to give Proper Instructions or any other notice, request, direction, instruction, certificate or instrument on behalf of the Fund and (ii) the names, titles and signatures of those persons authorized to give Special Instructions. Such certificate may be accepted and relied upon by the Custodian as conclusive evidence of the facts set forth therein and shall be considered to be in full force and effect until receipt by the Custodian of notice to the contrary.
Section 8. Evidence of Authority
Subject to Section 15, the Custodian shall be protected in acting upon any instructions, notice, request, consent, certificate or other instrument or paper reasonably believed by it to be genuine and to have been properly executed by or on behalf of the applicable Fund. The Custodian may receive and accept a copy of a resolution certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of any Fund as conclusive evidence (a) of the authority of any person to act in accordance with such resolution or (b) of any determination or of any action by the applicable Board as described in such resolution, and such resolution may be considered as in full force and effect until receipt by the Custodian of written notice to the contrary.
Section 9. Actions Permitted without Express Authority
The Custodian may in its discretion, without express authority from the applicable Fund on behalf of each applicable Portfolio:
| 1) | Make payments to itself or others for minor expenses of handling securities or other similar items relating to its duties under this Agreement; provided that all such payments shall be accounted for to the Fund on behalf of the Portfolio; |
| 2) | Surrender securities in temporary form for securities in definitive form; |
| 20 |
| 3) | Endorse for collection, in the name of the Portfolio, checks, drafts and other negotiable instruments; and |
| 4) | In general, attend to all non-discretionary details in connection with the sale, exchange, substitution, purchase, transfer and other dealings with the securities and property of the Portfolio except as otherwise directed by the applicable Board. |
Section 10. Representations and Warranties
(1) The Custodian represents and warrants to each Fund that:
a. It is a Massachusetts trust company, duly organized and existing under the laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts and is qualified to conduct its business in every jurisdiction where its business is conducted except where the failure to be so qualified would not have a material adverse affect on the Custodian.
b. It has the power and authority to carry on its business in The Commonwealth of Massachusetts and to enter into and perform this Agreement;
c. All requisite proceedings have been taken to authorize it to enter into and perform this Agreement;
d. No legal or administrative proceedings have been instituted or threatened which would materially impair the Custodian’s ability to perform its duties and obligations under this Agreement;
e. This Agreement constitutes its legal, valid, binding and enforceable agreement; and
f. Its entrance into this Agreement shall not cause a material breach or be in material conflict with any other agreement or obligation of the Custodian or any law or regulation applicable to it.
(2) Each Fund represents and warrants to the Custodian that:
a. It is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing in its state of organization as specified on Appendix A, and is qualified to conduct its business in every jurisdiction where its business is conducted except where the failure to be so qualified would not have a material adverse affect on the Fund;
b. It has the power and authority under applicable laws and its Governing Documents to enter into and perform this Agreement;
| 21 |
c. All requisite proceedings have been taken to authorize it to enter into and perform this Agreement;
d. No legal or administrative proceedings have been instituted or threatened which would materially impair the Fund’s ability to perform its duties and obligations under this Agreement;
e. This Agreement constitutes its legal, valid, binding and enforceable agreement; and
f. Its entrance into this Agreement will not cause a material breach or be in material conflict with any other agreement or obligation of the Fund or any law or regulation applicable to it.
Section 11. Records
The Custodian shall with respect to each Portfolio create and maintain all records relating to its activities and obligations under this Agreement in such manner as will meet the obligations of each Fund under the 1940 Act, with particular attention to section 31 thereof and Rules 31a-1 and 31a-2 thereunder. All such records shall be the property of the Fund and shall at all times during the regular business hours of the Custodian be open for inspection by duly authorized officers, employees or agents of such Fund and employees and agents of the SEC. The Custodian shall, at a Fund’s request, supply the Fund with a tabulation of securities owned by each Portfolio and held by the Custodian and shall, when requested to do so by the Fund and for such compensation as shall be agreed upon between the Fund and the Custodian, include certificate numbers in such tabulations. Each Fund acknowledges that, in creating and maintaining the records as set forth herein with respect to Portfolio property released and delivered pursuant to Section 2.2(14), or purchased pursuant to Section 2.6(7) hereof, the Custodian is authorized and instructed to rely upon information provided to it by the Fund, the Fund’s counterparty(ies), or the agents of either of them. In addition to the foregoing, the Custodian shall provide storage for, during the term of this Agreement, historical records delivered to it by any prior custodian of the Funds and consult with the Funds in any event of the Custodian’s inability to do so; provided, that the parties hereby agree that the Custodian shall have no responsibility for the condition, accuracy, integrity, searchability, reconciliation or contents of such historical records.
Section 12. Opinion of Fund’s Independent Accountant
The Custodian shall take all reasonable action, as a Fund with respect to a Portfolio may from time to time request, to obtain from year to year favorable opinions from the Fund’s independent accountants with respect to its activities hereunder in connection with the preparation of the Fund’s Form N-1A or Form N-2, as applicable, and Form N-SAR or other annual reports to the SEC and with respect to any other requirements thereof.
| 22 |
Section 13. Reports to Fund by Independent Public Accountants
The Custodian shall provide each Fund, on behalf of each of its Portfolios, at such times as such Fund may reasonably require, with reports by independent public accountants on the accounting system, internal accounting control and procedures for safeguarding securities, futures contracts and options on futures contracts, including securities deposited and/or maintained in a U.S. Securities System or a Foreign Securities System (either, a “Securities System”), relating to the services provided by the Custodian under this Agreement; such reports shall be of sufficient scope and in sufficient detail as may reasonably be required by the Fund to provide reasonable assurance that any material inadequacies would be disclosed by such examination, and, if there are no such inadequacies, the reports shall so state.
Section 14. Compensation of Custodian
The Custodian shall be entitled to reasonable compensation for its services and expenses as Custodian, as agreed upon from time to time in writing between each Fund on behalf of each applicable Portfolio and the Custodian.
Section 15. Responsibility of Custodian
So long as and to the extent that it is in the exercise of reasonable care, the Custodian shall not be responsible for the title, validity or genuineness of any property or evidence of title thereto received by it or delivered by it pursuant to this Agreement and shall be held harmless in acting upon any notice, request, consent, certificate or other instrument reasonably believed by it to be genuine and to be signed by the proper party or parties, including any futures commission merchant acting pursuant to the terms of a three-party futures or options agreement. The Custodian shall be held to the exercise of reasonable care in carrying out the provisions of this Agreement, but shall be kept indemnified by and shall be without liability to any Fund for any action taken or omitted by it in good faith without negligence, bad faith, willful misconduct, violation of law applicable to the Custodian in its capacity as a custodian and that affects the Custodian’s performance of the Services hereunder, or material breach of this Agreement (provided, however, that the Custodian shall have the opportunity to cure, within thirty (30) days of its receipt of written notice from the Fund, solely those breaches capable of cure without material adverse impact to the Fund, provided, in each such instance where the Custodian is aware of an event related to such notice, the Custodian had previously informed the Fund promptly of such event; any such communication from the Custodian to the Fund shall not be used as or considered as an admission of fault and will be provided solely as an accommodation to the Fund), including, without limitation, acting in accordance with any Proper Instruction. It shall be entitled to rely on and may act upon advice of counsel (who may be counsel for the Fund) on all matters, and shall be without liability for any action reasonably taken or omitted pursuant to such advice. The Custodian shall be without liability to any Fund or Portfolio for any loss, liability, claim or expense to the extent resulting from or caused by anything which is part of Country Risk (as defined in Section 3 hereof), including without limitation nationalization, expropriation, currency restrictions, or acts of war, revolution, riots or terrorism.
| 23 |
Except as may arise from the Custodian’s own negligence, bad faith, willful misconduct, violation of law applicable to the Custodian in its capacity as a custodian that affects the Custodian’s performance of the Services hereunder, or material breach of this Agreement (provided, however, that the Custodian shall have the opportunity to cure, within thirty (30) days of its receipt of written notice from the Fund, solely those breaches capable of cure without material adverse impact to the Fund, provided, in each such instance where the Custodian is aware of an event related to such notice, the Custodian had previously informed the Fund promptly of such event; any such communication from the Custodian to the Fund shall not be used as or considered as an admission of fault and will be provided solely as an accommodation to the Fund), or the negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct of a sub-custodian or agent, the Custodian shall be without liability to any Fund for any loss, liability, claim or expense to the extent resulting from or caused by: (i) events or circumstances beyond the reasonable control of the Custodian or any sub-custodian or Securities System or any agent or nominee of any of the foregoing, including, without limitation, the interruption, suspension or restriction of trading on or the closure of any securities market, power or other mechanical or technological failures or interruptions, computer viruses or communications disruptions, work stoppages, natural disasters, or other similar events or acts; (ii) errors by any Fund or its duly authorized investment manager or investment adviser in its instructions to the Custodian provided such instructions have been in accordance with this Agreement; (iii) the insolvency of or acts or omissions by a Securities System; (iv) any act or omission of a Special Sub-Custodian including, without limitation, reliance on reports prepared by a Special Sub-Custodian ; (v) any delay or failure of any broker, agent or intermediary, central bank or other commercially prevalent payment or clearing system to deliver to the Custodian’s sub-custodian or agent securities purchased or in the remittance or payment made in connection with securities sold; (vi) any delay or failure of any company, corporation, or other body in charge of registering or transferring securities in the name of the Custodian, any Fund, the Custodian’s sub-custodians, nominees or agents or any consequential losses arising out of such delay or failure to transfer such securities including non-receipt of bonus, dividends and rights and other accretions or benefits; (vii) delays or inability to perform its duties due to any disorder in market infrastructure with respect to any particular security or Securities System; (viii) any provision of any present or future law or regulation or order of the United States of America, or any state thereof, or any other country, or political subdivision thereof or of any court of competent jurisdiction; and (ix) the Custodian acting in accordance with any Proper Instruction with respect to Free Trade.
In the event of equipment failure, work stoppage, governmental action, communication disruption or other impossibility of performance beyond the Custodian’s control, the Custodian shall take reasonable steps to minimize service interruptions. The Custodian shall enter into and shall maintain in effect, at all times during the term of this Agreement, with appropriate parties one or more agreements making reasonable provision for (i) periodic back-up of the computer files and data with respect to the Funds; and (ii) emergency use of electronic data processing equipment to provide services under this Agreement.
The Custodian shall have no more or less responsibility or liability to any Fund on account of any actions or omissions of any sub-custodian so employed than any such sub-custodian has to the Custodian. The Custodian shall be liable for the acts or omissions of a Foreign Sub-Custodian (as
| 24 |
such term is defined in Section 4 hereof) to the same extent as set forth with respect to sub-custodians generally in this Agreement and, regardless of whether assets are maintained in the custody of a Foreign Sub-Custodian or a Foreign Securities System, the Custodian shall not be liable for any loss, damage, cost, expense, liability or claim to the extent resulting from nationalization, expropriation, currency restrictions, or acts of war or terrorism, or any other loss where the Sub-Custodian has otherwise acted with reasonable care. With respect to foreign securities maintained in the custody of a Foreign Sub-Custodian (other than bearer securities) which are registered in the name of the applicable Portfolio or in the name of the Custodian or in the name of any Foreign Sub-Custodian or in the name of any nominee of the foregoing in accordance with Section 4.5 of this Agreement, the applicable Fund on behalf of such Portfolio agrees to hold any such nominee harmless from any liability as a holder of record of such foreign securities.
If a Fund on behalf of a Portfolio requires the Custodian to take any action not otherwise addressed in this Agreement with respect to securities, which action involves the payment of money or which action may, in the reasonable opinion of the Custodian, result in the Custodian or its nominee assigned to the Fund or the Portfolio being liable for the payment of money or incurring liability of some other form, such Fund on behalf of the Portfolio, as a prerequisite to requiring the Custodian to take such action, shall provide indemnity to the Custodian in an amount and form satisfactory to it.
In the event a Fund requires the Custodian, its affiliates, subsidiaries or agents, to advance cash or securities for any purpose (including but not limited to securities settlements, predetermined income, foreign exchange contracts and assumed settlement) or in the event that the Custodian or its nominee shall incur or be assessed any taxes, charges, expenses, assessments, claims or liabilities in connection with the performance of this Agreement, except such as may arise from its or its nominee’s own negligent action, negligent failure to act or willful misconduct, any property at any time held for the account of the applicable Portfolio shall be security therefor and should the Fund fail to repay the Custodian promptly, the Custodian shall be entitled to utilize available cash and to dispose of such Portfolio’s assets to the extent necessary to obtain reimbursement. To the extent not inconsistent with market rules or practice, the Custodian shall first utilize available cash and thereafter such Portfolio’s other assets, it being specifically understood that any failure of the Custodian to so utilize or dispose shall in no way affect either the validity or priority of the Custodian’s security interest in such cash or assets. Further, and only to the extent practicable, the Custodian shall provide notice to the Fund prior to commencing such utilization or disposal, and, if such prior notice is not practicable, the Custodian shall provide notice to the Fund as soon as practicable thereafter, it being specifically understood that any failure of the Custodian to provide any such notice shall in no way affect the Custodian’s rights or remedies under this paragraph or applicable law.
In no event shall any party hereto be liable for indirect, special or consequential damages.
Section 16. Effective Period, Termination and Amendment
(a) This Agreement shall become effective as of its execution and shall continue in full force and effect for an initial term of four (4) years from the date hereof, and shall automatically
| 25 |
renew for additional consecutive three (3) year terms, unless either party gives one hundred eighty (180) days’ prior written notice to the other of its intent not to renew. If this Agreement is terminated (the effective date of such termination being referred to as the “Termination Date”), the Custodian shall, at the reasonable request of the Funds, and subject to the consent of the Custodian (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed), continue to provide services hereunder for a period (the “Extension Period”) not to exceed ninety (90) days from the Termination Date, and the compensation payable to the Custodian for its services and expenses during such Extension Period shall not exceed one hundred and five percent (105%) (per annum) of the compensation last agreed upon by each Fund and the Custodian and in effect immediately prior to the Termination Date.
(b) In the event that the Agreement is terminated by any Fund with respect to a Portfolio (the “Terminating Fund”), other than for cause, with respect to such Terminating Fund prior to the four (4) year anniversary of the date hereof (the “Anniversary Date”), and the Custodian has not terminated either this Agreement with respect to such Terminating Fund or any agreement pursuant to which the Custodian provides fund accounting services relative to such Terminating Fund, the Terminating Fund shall pay to the Custodian, in lieu of any other fees, expenses, termination penalties, damages or other amounts (except as identified in paragraph (c) below), an early termination fee equal to the present value, using a discount rate of seven percent (7%), compounded annually, of the remaining fees which would have been due by the Terminating Fund to the Custodian for the period from the Termination Date until the Anniversary Date if the Agreement had not been terminated (the “Remaining Fees”) which Remaining Fees shall be determined using the average monthly compensation for its services (prior to the application of any earnings credits) earned by the Custodian hereunder with respect to such Terminating Fund during the 12-month period (or if shorter, such lesser period of time) preceding such Termination Date (the “Early Termination Fee”).
For the avoidance of doubt, no Terminating Fund will be required to make any such Early Termination Fee payment (other than as set forth in paragraph (e) below) if this Agreement is terminated on or after the Anniversary Date or by the Terminating Funds for cause at any time.
(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (b) above, no Early Termination Fee shall be payable in the event (each, a “Liquidation, Merger or Consolidation Event”) that a Fund or Portfolio is
(i) liquidated; or
(ii) merged into or consolidated with another Fund or Portfolio with respect to which the Custodian provides Services pursuant to this Agreement; or
(iii) merged into or consolidated with another investment company or series of an investment company (each series representing interests in a separate portfolio of securities and other assets) with respect to which the Custodian provides custody services,
| 26 |
provided, that in each case of (i) and (ii) above, the aggregate amount of fees for custody services provided by the Custodian with respect to all Funds and Portfolios covered by this Agreement immediately after, and taking into consideration the effect of, such Liquidation, Merger or Consolidation Event (the “Projected Fees”) shall be equal to or greater than the aggregate amount of fees for custody services provided by the Custodian pursuant to this Agreement, measured as of the date of this Agreement (the “Existing Fees”);
and further provided, that in each case of (iii) above, (A) the Projected Fees plus (B) the Incremental Fees (as defined below) shall be equal to or greater than the Existing Fees.
For purposes of this Section 16(c), the Projected Fees shall equal the custody fees, with respect to such Funds and Portfolios subject to this Agreement immediately after such Liquidation, Merger or Consolidation Event, projected to be earned by the Custodian on an annualized basis for the ensuing twelve-month period, with no adjustments for market fluctuations or subscription and redemption activity.
For purposes of this Section 16(c), the Existing Fees shall equal the custody fees, with respect to such Funds and Portfolios on the date of this Agreement, projected to be earned by the Custodian on an annualized basis for the ensuing twelve-month period, with no adjustments for market fluctuations or subscription and redemption activity.
For purposes of this Section 16(c), the “Other Contract” shall mean a contractual arrangement pursuant to which the Custodian provides custody services that may not be terminated earlier than the Anniversary Date and whose fee schedule is fixed until the Anniversary Date.
For purposes of this Section 16(c), the “Incremental Fees” shall mean (A) the custody fees with respect to custody services under the Other Contract that are projected to be earned by the Custodian on an annualized basis for the ensuing twelve-month period, with no adjustments for market fluctuations or subscription and redemption activity, immediately after such Liquidation, Merger or Consolidation Event, less (B) the custody fees with respect to custody services under the Other Contract that were projected to have been earned by the Custodian on an annualized basis for the ensuing twelve-month period, with no adjustments for market fluctuations or subscription and redemption activity, immediately prior to such Liquidation, Merger or Consolidation Event.
(d) Upon any termination of this Agreement pursuant to paragraph (b) above and receipt of a final bill from the Custodian, the Terminating Fund shall pay to the Custodian all accrued and unpaid fees and expenses, whether the same have been billed or remain unbilled prior to delivery of such final bill, and shall reimburse the Custodian for any reasonable de-conversion costs associated with such termination.
(e) Notwithstanding any term herein to the contrary, termination of this Agreement with respect to a Terminating Fund shall in no way affect the rights and duties under this Agreement with respect to any other Fund or Portfolio.
| 27 |
(f) In the event of the appointment of a conservator or receiver for the Custodian by the Comptroller of the Currency or upon the happening of a like event at the direction of an appropriate regulatory agency or court of competent jurisdiction, any Fund on behalf of one or more of the Portfolios may at any time by action of its Board (i) substitute another bank or trust company for the Custodian by giving notice as described above to the Custodian, or (ii) immediately terminate this Agreement without penalty.
(g) This Agreement may be modified or amended from time to time by mutual written agreement of the parties hereto.
Section 17. Successor Custodian
If a successor custodian for one or more Portfolios shall be appointed by the applicable Board, the Custodian shall, upon notice of such appointment and receipt of Proper Instructions, deliver to such successor custodian at the office of the Custodian, duly endorsed and in the form for transfer, as may be applicable, all securities, funds and other properties of each applicable Portfolio then held by it hereunder and shall transfer to an account of the successor custodian all of the securities of each such Portfolio held in a Securities System or at the Underlying Transfer Agent.
If no such successor custodian shall be appointed, the Custodian shall, in like manner, upon receipt of Proper Instructions, deliver at the office of the Custodian and transfer such securities, funds and other properties in accordance therewith.
In the event that no Proper Instructions designating a successor custodian or alternative arrangements shall have been delivered to the Custodian on or before the date when such termination shall become effective, then the Custodian shall have the right to deliver to a bank or trust company, which is a “bank” as defined in the 1940 Act, doing business in Boston, Massachusetts or New York, New York, of its own selection, having an aggregate capital, surplus, and undivided profits, as shown by its last published report, of not less than $25,000,000, all securities, funds and other properties held by the Custodian on behalf of each applicable Portfolio and all instruments held by the Custodian relative thereto and all other property held by it under this Agreement on behalf of each applicable Portfolio, and to transfer to an account of such successor custodian all of the securities of each such Portfolio held in any Securities System or at the Underlying Transfer Agent. Thereafter, such bank or trust company shall be the successor of the Custodian under this Agreement.
In the event that securities, funds and other properties remain in the possession of the Custodian after the date of termination hereof owing to failure of any Fund to provide Proper Instructions as aforesaid, the Custodian shall be entitled to fair compensation for its services during such period as the Custodian retains possession of such securities, funds and other properties and the provisions of this Agreement relating to the duties and obligations of the Custodian shall remain in full force and effect.
| 28 |
Section 18. Oversight; Audit Rights; Additional Sub-Certifications and Reports
Section 18.1 Oversight. The Custodian acknowledges that the Funds have informed the Custodian of their intent to engage Putnam Fiduciary Trust Company, a Massachusetts trust company (“PFTC”), or one of PFTC’s affiliates to perform custody oversight services on behalf of the Funds. Upon notice and instruction from the Funds that they have engaged PFTC or its affiliate regarding such custody oversight services, the Custodian shall, at the expense of the Funds, reasonably cooperate with such entity to provide such information regarding the Funds and such information regarding the Custodian’s performance of the services contemplated by this Agreement (the “Services”) to such entity as it may reasonably request from time to time.
Section 18.2 Audit Rights.
(a) To the extent required by applicable law, rule or regulation and upon request of a Fund (which shall include reasonable advance notice), the Custodian shall allow such Fund’s regulators or supervisory authorities to perform periodic on-site audits as may be reasonably required to examine the Custodian’s performance of the Services. Notwithstanding the foregoing, prior to the performance of any audits of the Custodian’s performance of the Services, the Fund will request that such regulator or supervisory authority to the extent possible shall coordinate such audit through the Custodian’s primary regulator, the United States Federal Reserve Bank of Boston.
(b) Upon request of a Fund (which shall include reasonable advance notice), the Custodian shall allow such Fund and its duly-authorized agents, auditors (including internal audit staff and external auditors), and compliance personnel to perform periodic on-site audits as may be reasonably required to examine the Custodian’s performance of the Services.
(c) Notwithstanding the audit and inspection rights conferred by the foregoing sub-section, the Custodian reserves the right to impose reasonable limitations on the number, frequency, timing and scope of audits and inspections requested by the Funds so as to prevent or minimize any potential impairment or disruption of its operations, distraction of its personnel or breaches of security or confidentiality; provided, however, that the Custodian may not limit the number, frequency or timing of audits and inspections by regulatory bodies with supervisory authority over a Fund or by a Fund resulting from a regulatory problem at the Custodian and affecting the Custodian’s ability to provide the Services hereunder or any material weakness or significant deficiency in the Custodian’s internal controls. In addition, the Custodian shall be entitled to impose a commercially reasonable per person hourly charge for the cooperation and assistance of its personnel in connection with any audit in excess of one (1) in any twelve (12) month period; provided, however, that no such charge may be imposed in connection with any audit or inspection by any regulatory body with supervisory authority over a Fund or by a Fund resulting from a regulatory problem at the Custodian and affecting the Custodian’s ability to provide the Services hereunder or any material weakness or significant deficiency in the Custodian’s internal controls. Nothing contained in this section shall obligate the Custodian to provide access to or otherwise disclose: (i) any information that is unrelated to the relevant Fund and the provision of the Services to such Fund; (ii) any information which is treated as confidential under the Custodian’s corporate
| 29 |
policies, including, without limitation, internal audit reports, compliance or risk management plans or reports, work papers and other reports and information relating to management functions; or (iii) any other documents, reports or other information that the Custodian is obligated to maintain in confidence as a matter of law or regulation. In addition, any access provided hereunder to technology shall be limited to a demonstration by the Custodian of the functionality thereof and a reasonable opportunity to communicate with the Custodian personnel regarding such technology.
Section18.3 Additional Sub-Certifications and Reports
The Custodian shall provide to the Funds: (a) sub-certifications in connection with Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 certification requirements; and (b) periodic reports and reasonable documentation for delivery to the Funds’ Chief Compliance Officer in connection with Rule 38a-1 under the 1940 Act with respect to the Services and the Custodian’s compliance with its operating policies and procedures related thereto.
Section 19. Included Service Enhancements.
If, in the ordinary course of its business, the Custodian enhances core system processing functionality that it uses in connection with the Services, the Custodian shall use such enhanced core system processing enhancements in performing the Services hereunder, at no additional charge to the Funds, as soon as the Custodian reasonably determines that such use is appropriate. To the extent the Custodian reasonably determines that such enhanced core system processing enhancements are relevant to the Funds’ receipt of the Services, the Custodian shall inform the Funds of such core system processing enhancements.
Section 20. Confidentiality.
The parties hereto agree that each shall treat as confidential all information provided by a party (the “Disclosing Party”) to the other party (the “Recipient”) or to which the Recipient obtains access and that relates to the Disclosing Party, including information regarding its business, financial affairs, operations or otherwise, including without limitation, securities holdings and trading information of a Portfolio or Fund (“Confidential Information”). In maintaining the confidentiality of the Confidential Information of a Disclosing Party, each Recipient shall exercise the same degree of care that such person exercises with respect to its own Confidential Information of a similar nature, including the use of customary data protection procedures, and in no event less than a reasonable degree of care. All Confidential Information of a Disclosing Party shall be used by a Recipient solely for the purpose of rendering or receiving services pursuant to this Agreement and shall not be disclosed to any party other than such Recipient’s (i) employees and contractors who have a need-to-know for purposes of performing such Recipient’s obligations under this Agreement, provided, that, such persons and entities are bound by confidentiality provisions at least as stringent as those contained herein, (ii) regulators or examiners, and (iii) auditors and legal counsel, to the extent required in connection with services provided by such parties to Recipient.
| 30 |
The Recipient shall notify the Disclosing Party of any unauthorized use or disclosure of Confidential Information of the Disclosing Party of which the Recipient becomes aware. The parties agree that disclosure of Confidential Information of a Disclosing Party may give rise to an irreparable injury to such Disclosing Party inadequately compensable in damages. Accordingly, the Disclosing Party may seek (without the posting of any bond or other security) injunctive relief against the breach of the foregoing undertaking of confidentiality and nondisclosure, in addition to any other legal remedies which may be available.
The foregoing obligations of confidentiality and non-disclosure shall not be applicable to any information that the Recipient demonstrates (i) is publicly available when provided or thereafter becomes publicly available, other than through disclosure by the Recipient or any of its affiliates, or that is independently derived by the Recipient without the use of any information provided by the Disclosing Party, (ii) that is required in any legal or regulatory proceeding, investigation, audit, examination, subpoena, civil investigative demand or other similar process, or by operation of law or regulation (collectively, “Legal Process”), or (iii) where the Recipient has received the prior written consent of the Disclosing Party. In the event that a Recipient is requested by or pursuant to, or required by, Legal Process to disclose any Confidential Information of any other party to this Agreement, such Recipient will, to the extent not legally prohibited, provide the applicable Disclosing Party with prompt notice of such Legal Process in order to enable the Disclosing Party, at its own expense, to seek an appropriate protective order or other remedy (and, if the Disclosing Party seeks such order, the Recipient will provide such cooperation as the Disclosing Party shall reasonably request at the Disclosing Party’s expense) to resist or narrow the scope of such request or legal process, or waive compliance, in whole or in part, with the terms of this Section 20. In the event that such protective order or other remedy is not obtained or the Disclosing Party waives such compliance, only that portion of the Confidential Information may be disclosed as the Recipient, as advised by counsel, is legally required to disclose and the Recipient will request that all such Confidential Information so disclosed will be accorded confidential treatment. Confidential Information disclosed in combination with other information that is not Confidential Information is not deemed to fall within one of the foregoing exceptions by reason of such combination.
Furthermore, and notwithstanding anything in this section to the contrary, the Custodian may aggregate Fund or Portfolio data with similar data of other customers of the Custodian (“Aggregated Data”) and may use Aggregated Data for purposes of constructing statistical models so long as such Aggregated Data represents a sufficiently large sample that no Fund or Portfolio data can be identified either directly or by inference or implication.
All of the undertakings and obligations relating to confidentiality and nondisclosure, whether contained in this Section or elsewhere in this Agreement or any schedule or exhibit hereto shall survive the termination or expiration of this Agreement for a period of three (3) years.
| 31 |
Section 21. General
Section 21.1 Massachusetts Law to Apply. This Agreement shall be construed and the provisions thereof interpreted under and in accordance with laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Section 21.2 Prior Agreements. This Agreement supersedes and terminates, as of the date hereof, any prior Agreements between each Fund on behalf of each of the Portfolios and the Custodian relating to the custody of such Fund’s assets.
Section 21.3 Assignment. This Agreement may not be assigned by (a) any Fund without the written consent of the Custodian or (b) by the Custodian without the written consent of each applicable Fund.
Section 21.4 Interpretive and Additional Provisions. In connection with the operation of this Agreement, the Custodian and each Fund on behalf of each of the Portfolios, may from time to time agree on such provisions interpretive of or in addition to the provisions of this Agreement as may in their joint opinion be consistent with the general tenor of this Agreement. Any such interpretive or additional provisions shall be in a writing signed by all parties and shall be annexed hereto, provided that no such interpretive or additional provisions shall contravene any applicable federal or state regulations or any provision of a Fund’s Governing Documents. No interpretive or additional provisions made as provided in the preceding sentence shall be deemed to be an amendment of this Agreement.
Section 21.5 Additional Funds. In the event that any management investment company advised by Putnam Investment Management, LLC or an affiliate thereof, in addition to those listed on Appendix A hereto desires to have the Custodian render services as custodian under the terms hereof, it shall so notify the Custodian in writing, and if the Custodian agrees in writing to provide such services, such management investment company shall become a Fund hereunder and the Custodian and the Fund shall be bound by all terms and conditions and provisions hereof.
Section 21.6 Additional Portfolios. In the event that any Fund establishes one or more series of Shares in addition to those set forth on Appendix A hereto with respect to which it desires to have the Custodian render services as custodian under the terms hereof, it shall so notify the Custodian in writing, and if the Custodian agrees in writing to provide such services, such series of Shares shall become a Portfolio hereunder and the Custodian and the Fund shall be bound by all terms and conditions and provisions hereof with respect to such Portfolio.
Section 21.7 The Parties. All references herein to the “Fund” are to each of the management investment companies listed on Appendix A hereto, and each management investment company made subject to this Agreement in accordance with Section 21.5 above, individually, as if this Agreement were between such individual Fund and the Custodian. In the case of a series corporation, trust or other entity, all references herein to the “Portfolio” are to the individual series or portfolio of such corporation, trust or other entity, or to such corporation, trust or other entity on
| 32 |
behalf of the individual series or portfolio, as appropriate. Any reference in this Agreement to “the parties” shall mean the Custodian and such other individual Fund as to which the matter pertains.
A copy of the Declaration of Trust of each Fund is on file with the Secretary of The Commonwealth of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Notice is hereby given, and it is expressly agreed that the obligations under this Agreement of any such Fund shall not be binding upon any of the trustees, shareholders, nominees, officers, agents or employees of such Fund personally, but bind only the trust property of such Fund. In the case of each Fund, the execution and delivery of this Agreement on its behalf has been authorized by its trustees, and signed by an authorized officer, in each case acting in such capacity and not individually, and neither such authorization by the trustees nor such execution and delivery shall be deemed to have been made by any of them individually, but shall only bind the trust property of each Fund.
Section 21.8 Remote Access Services Addendum. The Custodian and each Fund agree to be bound by the terms of the Remote Access Services Addendum hereto.
Section 21.9 Notices. Any notice, instruction or other instrument required to be given hereunder may be delivered in person to the offices of the parties as set forth herein during normal business hours or delivered prepaid registered mail, overnight courier or by telex, cable or telecopy to the parties at the following addresses or such other addresses as may be notified by any party from time to time.
| To any Fund: | c/o Putnam Fiduciary Trust Company |
| 1 Post Office Square |
| Boston, Massachusetts 02109 |
| Attention: Judd Symon, Senior Vice President |
| Telephone: 617-760-5181 |
| Telecopy: 617-760-5140 |
| with a copy to: | Ropes & Gray |
| Prudential Tower |
| 800 Boylston Street |
| Boston, MA 02199-3600 |
| Attention: John W. Gertsmayr |
| Telephone: 617-951-7393 |
| Telecopy: 617-235-0040 |
| 33 |
| To the Custodian: | State Street Bank and Trust Company |
| Lafayette Corporate Center |
| 2 Avenue de Lafayette |
| Boston, Massachusetts 02111 |
| Attention: Robert F. Dame, Senior Vice President, LCC/2S |
| Telephone: 617-662-4036 |
| Telecopy: 617-662-4040 |
Such notice, instruction or other instrument shall be deemed to have been served in the case of a registered letter at the expiration of five business days after posting, in the case of overnight courier, upon receipt, in the case of cable twenty-four hours after dispatch and, in the case of telex or telecopy, immediately on dispatch and if delivered by cable, telex or telecopy outside normal business hours it shall be deemed to have been received at the next time after delivery when normal business hours commence. Evidence that the notice was properly addressed, stamped and put into the post shall be conclusive evidence of posting.
Section 21.10 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in several counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts taken together shall constitute one and the same Agreement.
Section 21.11 Severability; Waiver. If any provision or provisions of this Agreement shall be held to be invalid, unlawful or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired. The failure of a party hereto to insist upon strict adherence to any term of this Agreement on any occasion or the failure of a party hereto to exercise or any delay in exercising any right or remedy under this Agreement shall not constitute a waiver of any such term, right or remedy or a waiver of any other rights or remedies and no single or partial exercise of any right or remedy under this Agreement shall prevent any further exercise of the right or remedy or the exercise of any other right or remedy.
Section 21.12 Reproduction of Documents. This Agreement and all schedules, addenda, exhibits, appendices, attachments and amendments hereto may be reproduced by any photographic, photostatic, microfilm, micro-card, miniature photographic or other similar process. The parties hereto all/each agree that any such reproduction shall be admissible in evidence as the original itself in any judicial or administrative proceeding, whether or not the original is in existence and whether or not such reproduction was made by a party in the regular course of business, and that any enlargement, facsimile or further reproduction of such reproduction shall likewise be admissible in evidence.
Section 21.13 Shareholder Communications Election. SEC Rule 14b-2 requires banks which hold securities for the account of customers to respond to requests by issuers of securities for the names, addresses and holdings of beneficial owners of securities of that issuer held by the bank unless the beneficial owner has expressly objected to disclosure of this information. In order to comply with the rule, the Custodian needs each Fund to indicate whether it authorizes the Custodian
| 34 |
to provide such Fund’s name, address, and share position to requesting companies whose securities the Fund owns. If a Fund tells the Custodian “no,” the Custodian will not provide this information to requesting companies. If a Fund tells the Custodian “yes” or does not check either “yes” or “no” below, the Custodian is required by the rule to treat the Fund as consenting to disclosure of this information for all securities owned by the Fund or any funds or accounts established by the Fund. For a Fund’s protection, the Rule prohibits the requesting company from using the Fund’s name and address for any purpose other than corporate communications. Please indicate below whether the Fund consents or objects by checking one of the alternatives below.
| YES [ ] | The Custodian is authorized to release the Fund’s name, address, and share positions. |
| NO [X] | The Custodian is not authorized to release the Fund’s name, address, and share positions. |
| 35 |
Signature Page
In Witness Whereof, each of the parties has caused this instrument to be executed in its name and behalf by its duly authorized representative and its seal to be hereunder affixed as of the date first above-written.
| Fund Signature Attested to By: | EACH OF THE ENTITIES SET FORTH ON APPENDIX A HERETO |
| /s/ Robert T. Burns | /s/ Jonathan S. Horwitz |
| By: Robert T. Burns | By: Jonathan S. Horwitz |
| Robert T. Burns | Jonathan S. Horwitz |
| Managing Director, | Executive Vice President, |
| Putnam Investments | Principal Executive Officer, Treasurer and Compliance Liaison |
| Signature Attested to By: | State Street Bank and Trust Company |
| /s/ Stephanie L. Poster | /s/ Joseph L. Hooley |
| By: Stephanie L. Poster | By: Joseph L. Hooley |
| Stephanie L. Poster | Joseph L. Hooley |
| Vice President and Senior Managing Counsel | Executive Vice President |
APPENDIX A
to
Master Custodian Agreement
As amended as of December 30, 2020
Putnam Asset Allocation Funds
-Putnam Dynamic Asset Allocation Balanced Fund
-Putnam Dynamic Asset Allocation Conservative Fund
-Putnam Dynamic Asset Allocation Growth Fund
Putnam California Tax Exempt Income Fund
Putnam Convertible Securities Fund
Putnam Diversified Income Trust
Putnam Equity Income Fund
Putnam Funds Trust
- Putnam Dynamic Asset Allocation Equity Fund
- Putnam Dynamic Risk Allocation Fund
- Putnam Emerging Markets Equity Fund
- Putnam Fixed Income Absolute Return Fund
- Putnam Focused Equity Fund
- Putnam Floating Rate Income Fund
- Putnam Global Technology Fund
- Putnam Intermediate-Term Municipal Fund
- Putnam International Value Fund
- Putnam Mortgage Opportunities Fund
- Putnam Multi-Asset Absolute Return Fund
- Putnam Multi-Cap Core Fund
- Putnam Short Duration Bond Fund
- Putnam Short Term Investment Fund
- Putnam Short-Term Municipal Income Fund
- Putnam Small Cap Growth Fund
- Putnam Ultra Short Duration Income Fund
George Putnam Balanced Fund
Putnam Global Equity Fund
Putnam Global Health Care Fund
Putnam Global Income Trust
Putnam Global Utilities Fund
Putnam High Yield Fund
Putnam Income Fund
Putnam International Equity Fund
Putnam Investment Funds
-Putnam Government Money Market Fund
-Putnam Growth Opportunities Fund
-Putnam International Capital Opportunities Fund
-Putnam PanAgora Managed Futures Strategy
-Putnam PanAgora Market Neutral Fund
-Putnam PanAgora Risk Parity Fund
-Putnam Research Fund
-Putnam Small Cap Value Fund
-Putnam Sustainable Future Fund
Putnam Managed Municipal Income Trust
Putnam Massachusetts Tax Exempt Income Fund
Putnam Master Intermediate Income Trust
Putnam Minnesota Tax Exempt Income Fund
Putnam Money Market Fund
Putnam Mortgage Securities Fund
Putnam Municipal Opportunities Trust
Putnam New Jersey Tax Exempt Income Fund
Putnam New York Tax Exempt Income Fund
Putnam Ohio Tax Exempt Income Fund
Putnam Pennsylvania Tax Exempt Income Fund
Putnam Premier Income Trust
Putnam Target Date Funds
-Putnam Retirement Advantage Maturity Fund
-Putnam Retirement Advantage 2065 Fund
-Putnam Retirement Advantage 2060 Fund
-Putnam Retirement Advantage 2055 Fund
-Putnam Retirement Advantage 2050 Fund
-Putnam Retirement Advantage 2045 Fund
-Putnam Retirement Advantage 2040 Fund
-Putnam Retirement Advantage 2035 Fund
-Putnam Retirement Advantage 2030 Fund
-Putnam Retirement Advantage 2025 Fund
-Putnam RetirementReady Maturity Fund
-Putnam RetirementReady 2065 Fund (effective 1/4/21)
-Putnam RetirementReady 2060 Fund
-Putnam RetirementReady 2055 Fund
-Putnam RetirementReady 2050 Fund
-Putnam RetirementReady 2045 Fund
-Putnam RetirementReady 2040 Fund
-Putnam RetirementReady 2035 Fund
-Putnam RetirementReady 2030 Fund
-Putnam RetirementReady 2025 Fund
Putnam Sustainable Leaders Fund
Putnam Tax Exempt Income Fund
Putnam Tax-Free Income Trust
-Putnam Strategic Intermediate Municipal Fund
-Putnam Tax-Free High Yield Fund
Putnam Variable Trust
-Putnam VT Diversified Income Fund
-Putnam VT Emerging Markets Equity Fund
-Putnam VT Equity Income Fund
-Putnam VT George Putnam Balanced Fund
-Putnam VT Global Asset Allocation Fund
-Putnam VT Global Equity Fund
-Putnam VT Global Health Care Fund
-Putnam VT Government Money Market Fund
-Putnam VT Growth Opportunities Fund
-Putnam VT High Yield Fund
-Putnam VT Income Fund
-Putnam VT International Equity Fund
-Putnam VT International Value Fund
-Putnam VT Mortgage Securities Fund
-Putnam VT Multi-Asset Absolute Return Fund
-Putnam VT Multi-Cap Core
-Putnam VT Research Fund
-Putnam VT Small Cap Growth Fund
-Putnam VT Small Cap Value Fund
-Putnam VT Sustainable Future Fund
-Putnam VT Sustainable Leaders Fund
12/30/20
| EXECUTION COPY |
| MASTER SUB-ACCOUNTING SERVICES AGREEMENT |
This AGREEMENT is made as of January 1, 2007 by and between PUTNAM INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, having its principal place of business at 1 Post Office Square, Boston, Massachusetts 02109 (the “Administrator”), and STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY, a Massachusetts trust company, having its principal place of business at 225 Franklin Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02110 (the "Sub-Accounting Agent").
| WITNESSETH: |
WHEREAS, pursuant to various management or administration agreements (collectively, the “Administration Agreement”) by and between the Administrator and each management investment company party thereto (and each management investment company that becomes a party thereto), the Administrator has been retained to provide, and provides, certain fund accounting and recordkeeping services;
WHEREAS, the Administrator may contract, subcontract or otherwise arrange for the Sub-Accounting Agent’s provision of certain of the aforementioned services, including the fund accounting and recordkeeping services set forth below;
WHEREAS, the Administrator desires to retain the Sub-Accounting Agent to perform certain fund accounting and recordkeeping services with regard to each management investment company for which it provides fund accounting and recordkeeping services under the Administration Agreement, as more particularly identified on Appendix A hereto (each such management investment company and each management investment company made subject to this Agreement in accordance with Section 11.5 below shall hereinafter be referred to as a “Fund” and collectively as the “Funds”);
WHEREAS, each Fund is authorized to issue common stock or shares of beneficial interest (“Shares”), and some Funds are authorized to issue Shares in separate series, with each such series representing interests in a separate portfolio of securities and other assets, as more particularly identified on Appendix A hereto (each such series and each series made subject to this Agreement in accordance with Section 11.6 below shall hereinafter be referred to as “Portfolio” with respect to that Fund, but for any Fund that does not have any separate series, then any reference to the “Portfolio” is a reference to that Fund; and
WHEREAS, the Sub-Accounting Agent is willing to perform such services upon the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements hereinafter contained, the parties hereto agree as follows:
SECTION 1. DUTIES OF THE SUB-ACCOUNTING AGENT.
SECTION 1.1 BOOKS OF ACCOUNT.
The Sub-Accounting Agent shall maintain the books of account of each Portfolio and shall perform the duties described in Appendix B in the manner prescribed by such Portfolio’s currently effective prospectus, statement of additional information or other governing document, certified copies of which have been supplied to the Sub-Accounting Agent (a "governing document").
The Administrator shall provide timely prior notice to the Sub-Accounting Agent of any modification in the manner in which calculations are to be performed as prescribed in any revision to such Portfolio’s governing document and shall supply the Sub-Accounting Agent with certified copies of all amendments and/or supplements to the governing documents in a timely manner. For purposes of calculating the net asset value of a Portfolio, the Sub-Accounting Agent shall value each Portfolio’s portfolio securities utilizing prices obtained from sources designated by the Administrator (collectively, the “Authorized Price Sources”) on a price source authorization substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A, as the same may be amended from time to time, or otherwise designated by means of Proper Instructions (as such term is defined in Section 2.2 below) (the “Price Source Authorization”). The Sub-Accounting Agent shall not be responsible for any revisions to calculation methods unless such revisions are communicated in writing by the Administrator to the Sub-Accounting Agent.
SECTION 1.2 RECORDS.
The Sub-Accounting Agent shall create and maintain all records relating to its activities and obligations under this Agreement in such a manner as will meet the obligations of the Administrator with respect to each Fund under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), specifically Section 31 thereof and Rules 31a-1 and 31a-2 thereunder. All such records shall be the property of the applicable Fund and shall at all times during the regular business hours of the Sub-Accounting Agent be open for inspection by duly authorized officers, employees or agents of the applicable Fund and employees and agents of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Subject to Section 3 below, the Sub-Accounting Agent shall preserve for the period required by law the records required to be maintained thereunder.
The Administrator acknowledges that, in keeping the books of account of each Fund and/or making the calculations described herein with respect to Fund property released and delivered pursuant to Section 2.2(14), or purchased pursuant to Section 2.6(7) of such Fund’s custodial services agreement with State Street Bank and Trust Company (the “Custody Contract”), if any, or pursuant to comparable provisions of other custodial services agreements applicable to the Fund, the Sub-Accounting Agent is authorized and instructed to rely upon information provided to it by such Fund, such Fund’s counterparty(ies), or the agents of either of them.
| 2. |
SECTION 1.3 APPOINTMENT OF AGENTS.
The Sub-Accounting Agent may at its own expense employ one or more of its affiliates as agents in the performance of its duties and the exercise of its rights under this Agreement, provided that the employment of such agents shall not reduce the Sub-Accounting Agent’s obligations or liabilities hereunder.
SECTION 2. DUTIES OF THE ADMINISTRATOR.
SECTION 2.1 DELIVERY OF INFORMATION.
The Administrator shall provide, or shall cause a third party to provide, timely notice to the Sub-Accounting Agent of certain data as a condition to the Sub-Accounting Agent's performance described in Section 1 above. The data required to be provided pursuant to this section is set forth on Schedule A hereto, which schedule may be separately amended or supplemented by the parties from time to time.
The Sub-Accounting Agent is authorized and instructed to rely upon the information it receives from the Administrator or any third party designated by the Administrator to provide such information, including without limitation as set forth on Schedule A.
SECTION 2.2 PROPER INSTRUCTIONS.
The Administrator and any other person duly authorized by it shall communicate to the Sub-Accounting Agent by means of Proper Instructions. Proper Instructions shall mean (i) a writing signed or initialed by one or more persons as the Administrator shall have from time to time authorized in writing or (ii) communication effected directly between the Administrator or its third-party agents (each, a “Third Party Agent”) and the Sub-Accounting Agent by electro-mechanical or electronic devices, provided that the Administrator and the Sub-Accounting Agent agree to security procedures. The Sub-Accounting Agent may rely upon any Proper Instruction reasonably believed by it to be genuine and to have been properly issued by or on behalf of the Administrator. Oral instructions shall be considered Proper Instructions if the Sub-Accounting Agent reasonably believes them to have been given by a person authorized to give such instructions. The Administrator shall cause all oral instructions to be confirmed in accordance with clauses (i) or (ii) above, as appropriate. The Administrator shall give timely Proper Instructions to the Sub-Accounting Agent in regard to matters affecting accounting practices and the Sub-Accounting Agent's performance pursuant to this Agreement.
SECTION 3. STANDARD OF CARE; LIMITATION OF LIABILITY.
The Sub-Accounting Agent shall be held to the exercise of reasonable care in carrying out the provisions of this Agreement, but shall be kept indemnified by and shall be without liability to the Administrator for any action taken or omitted by it in good faith without negligence, bad faith, willful misconduct, violation of law applicable to the Sub-Accounting Agent in its capacity as a fund accounting agent and that affects the Sub-Accounting Agent’s performance of the Services hereunder, or material breach of this Agreement (provided, however, that the Sub-
| 3. |
Accounting Agent shall have the opportunity to cure, within thirty (30) days of its receipt of written notice from the Administrator, solely those breaches capable of cure without material adverse impact to the Administrator, provided, in each such instance where the Sub-Accounting Agent is aware of an event related to such notice, the Sub-Accounting Agent had previously informed the Administrator promptly of such event; any such communication from the Sub-Accounting Agent to the Administrator shall not be used as or considered as an admission of fault and will be provided solely as an accommodation to the Administrator), including, without limitation, acting in accordance with any Proper Instruction. The Sub-Accounting Agent shall be entitled to rely on and may act upon the advice of counsel (who may be counsel for the Administrator or the Fund) on all matters, and shall be without liability for any action reasonably taken or omitted pursuant to such advice. Without in any way limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Sub-Accounting Agent shall in no event be liable for any loss or damage to the extent arising from causes beyond its control including, without limitation, delay or cessation of services hereunder or any damages resulting therefrom as a result of work stoppage, power or other mechanical failure, natural disaster, governmental action, communication disruption or other impossibility of performance, or causes commonly referred to as “Acts of God”.
In the event of equipment failure, work stoppage, governmental action, communication disruption or other impossibility of performance beyond the Sub-Accounting Agent’s control, the Sub-Accounting Agent shall take reasonable steps to minimize service interruptions. The Sub-Accounting Agent shall enter into and shall maintain in effect with appropriate parties one or more agreements making reasonable provision for (i) periodic back-up of the computer files and data with respect to the Funds; and (ii) emergency use of electronic data processing equipment to provide services under this Agreement.
The Sub-Accounting Agent shall not be liable for any special, indirect, incidental, or consequential damages of any kind whatsoever (including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees) in any way due to the Administrator’s use of the accounting services or the performance of or failure to perform the Sub-Accounting Agent’s obligations under this Agreement. The Administrator shall not be liable for any special, indirect, incidental, or consequential damages of any kind whatsoever (including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees) in any way due to the performance of or failure to perform the Administrator’s obligations under this Agreement. The aforementioned disclaimer applies without limitation to claims regardless of the form of action, whether in contract, tort (including negligence), strict liability or otherwise, and regardless of whether such damages are foreseeable.
The Administrator, any Third Party Agent or any Authorized Price Source from which the Sub-Accounting Agent shall receive or obtain certain records, reports and other data utilized or included in the sub-accounting services provided hereunder is solely responsible for the contents of such information including, without limitation, the accuracy thereof and the Administrator agrees to make no claim against the Sub-Accounting Agent arising out of the contents of such third-party data including, but not limited to, the accuracy thereof. Except as otherwise required by the Price Source Authorization with respect to the use of data obtained from Authorized Price Sources, the Sub-Accounting Agent shall have no responsibility to review, confirm or otherwise assume any duty with respect to the accuracy or completeness of any such information and, it shall be without liability for any loss or damage suffered as a result of the Sub-Accounting
| 4. |
Agent’s reliance on and utilization of such information. The Sub-Accounting Agent shall have no responsibility and shall be without liability for any loss or damage caused by the failure of the Administrator or any Third Party Agent to provide it with the information required by Section 2.1 above. Further, and without in any way limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Sub-Accounting Agent shall have no liability in respect of any loss, damage or expense suffered by the Administrator, any Fund or any third party, insofar as such loss, damage or expense arises from the performance of the Sub-Accounting Agent’s duties hereunder by reason of the Sub-Accounting Agent’s reliance upon records that were maintained for the Administrator or any Fund by any entity other than the Sub-Accounting Agent prior to the Administrator’s appointment of the Sub-Accounting Agent pursuant to this Agreement.
The Administrator agrees to indemnify and hold the Sub-Accounting Agent free and harmless from any expense, loss, damage or claim, including reasonable attorney's fees, suffered by the Sub-Accounting Agent and caused by or resulting from the acts or omissions of the Administrator or any third party whose services the Sub-Accounting Agent must rely upon in performing the services hereunder, except to the extent that any such expense, loss, damage or claim is caused by or results from the Sub-Accounting Agent’s own negligence, bad faith, willful misconduct, violation of law applicable to the Sub-Accounting Agent in its capacity as a fund accounting agent and that affects the Sub-Accounting Agent’s performance of the Services hereunder, or material breach of this Agreement (provided, however, that the Sub-Accounting Agent shall have the opportunity to cure, within thirty (30) days of its receipt of written notice from the Administrator, solely those breaches capable of cure without material adverse impact to the Administrator, provided, in each such instance where the Sub-Accounting Agent is aware of an event related to such notice, the Sub-Accounting Agent had previously informed the Administrator promptly of such event; any such communication from the Sub-Accounting Agent to the Administrator shall not be used as or considered as an admission of fault and will be provided solely as an accommodation to the Administrator).
The Administrator acknowledges and agrees that, with respect to investments any Portfolio maintains with an entity which may from time to time act as a transfer agent for uncertificated shares of registered investment companies (the “Underlying Transfer Agent”), such Underlying Transfer Agent is the sole source of information on the number of shares held by it on behalf of a Portfolio and that the Sub-Accounting Agent has the right to rely on holdings information furnished by the Underlying Transfer Agent to the Sub-Accounting Agent in performing its duties under this Agreement.
SECTION 4. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES.
The Administrator represents and warrants to the Sub-Accounting Agent that:
(a) It is duly incorporated or organized, validly existing and in good standing in its jurisdiction of incorporation or organization and is qualified to conduct its business in every jurisdiction where its business is conducted except where the failure to be so qualified would not have a material adverse affect on the Administrator;
| 5. |
(b) The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, all documents and instruments to be delivered hereunder or thereunder and all transactions contemplated hereunder or thereunder have been duly authorized by all necessary action;
(c) The person executing this Agreement on its behalf has been duly authorized to act on its behalf;
(d) This Agreement constitutes its legal, valid, binding and enforceable agreement;
(e) It has obtained all authorizations, approvals and consents of any governmental body required in connection with this Agreement and all transactions contemplated hereunder and such authorizations are in full force and effect; and
(f) The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the transactions hereunder will not violate any agreement, law, ordinance, charter, by-law, rule or regulation applicable to it or to any Fund, or by which it or any Fund is bound or by which any of its or any Fund’s assets are affected. Further, the Administrator hereby acknowledges and agrees that it shall promptly notify the Sub-Accounting Agent of any statute, regulation, rule, or other regulatory requirement or policy governing the Administrator or the Funds, and any change thereto, which may affect the Sub-Accounting Agent’s responsibilities under this Agreement.
The Sub-Accounting Agent represents and warrants to the Administrator that:
(a) It is a Massachusetts trust company, duly organized and existing under the laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts and is qualified to conduct its business in every jurisdiction where its business is conducted except where the failure to be so qualified would not have a material adverse affect on the Sub-Accounting Agent;
(b) The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, all documents and instruments to be delivered hereunder or thereunder and all transactions contemplated hereunder or thereunder have been duly authorized by all necessary action;
(c) The person executing this Agreement on its behalf has been duly authorized to act on its behalf;
(d) This Agreement constitutes its legal, valid, binding and enforceable agreement;
(e) It has obtained all authorizations, approvals and consents of any governmental body required in connection with this Agreement and all transactions contemplated hereunder and such authorizations are in full force and effect; and
(f) The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the transactions hereunder will not violate any agreement, law, ordinance, charter, by-law, rule or regulation applicable to it, or by which it is bound or by which any of its assets are affected. Further, the Sub-Accounting Agent hereby acknowledges and agrees that it shall promptly notify the Administrator of any statute, regulation, rule, or other regulatory requirement or policy governing the Sub-Accounting Agent,
| 6. |
and any change thereto, which may affect the Administrator’s responsibilities under this Agreement.
SECTION 5. COMPENSATION OF SUB-ACCOUNTING AGENT.
The Sub-Accounting Agent shall be entitled to reasonable compensation for its services and expenses as Sub-Accounting Agent, as agreed upon from time to time in writing between the Administrator and the Sub-Accounting Agent.
SECTION 6. TERM OF AGREEMENT.
(a) This Agreement shall become effective as of its execution and shall continue in full force and effect for an initial term of seven (7) years from the date hereof, and shall automatically renew for additional consecutive three (3) year terms, unless either party gives one hundred eighty (180) days’ prior written notice to the other of its intent not to renew. If this Agreement is terminated (the effective date of such termination being referred to as the “Termination Date”), the Sub-Accounting Agent shall, at the reasonable request of the Administrator, and subject to the consent of the Sub-Accounting Agent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed), continue to provide services hereunder for a period (the “Extension Period”) not to exceed ninety (90) days from the Termination Date, and the compensation payable to the Sub-Accounting Agent for its services and expenses during such Extension Period shall not exceed one hundred and five percent (105%) (per annum) of the compensation last agreed upon by the Administrator and the Sub-Accounting Agent and in effect immediately prior to the Termination Date.
(b) In the event that the Agreement is terminated by the Administrator, other than for cause, either in its entirety, with respect to any particular Fund, or with respect to its applicability to any particular Portfolio, as may be applicable, prior to the five (5) year anniversary of the date hereof (the “Anniversary Date”), and the Sub-Accounting Agent has not terminated either this Agreement or any agreement pursuant to which the Sub-Accounting Agent provides custody services to the Funds, either in its entirety, with respect to such particular Fund, or with respect to its applicability to such particular Portfolio, as applicable, the Administrator shall pay to the Sub-Accounting Agent, in lieu of any other fees, expenses, termination penalties, damages or other amounts (except as identified in paragraph (c) below), an early termination fee equal to the present value, using a discount rate of seven percent (7%), compounded annually, of the remaining fees which would have been due by the Administrator to the Sub-Accounting Agent for Services provided to the Funds, to such particular Fund, or to such particular Portfolio, as applicable, for the period from the Termination Date until the Anniversary Date if the Agreement had not been terminated either in its entirety, with respect to such particular Fund, or with respect to its applicability to such particular Portfolio, as applicable (the “Remaining Fees”) which Remaining Fees shall be determined using the average monthly compensation for its services (prior to the application of any earnings credits) earned by the Sub-Accounting Agent hereunder with respect to all Funds, such particular Fund, or such particular Portfolio, as applicable, during the 12-month period (or if shorter, such lesser period of time) preceding such Termination Date (the “Early Termination Fee”).
| 7. |
For the avoidance of doubt, the Administrator will not be required to make any such Early Termination Fee payment (other than as set forth in paragraph (e) below) if this Agreement is terminated on or after the Anniversary Date or by the Administrator for cause at any time.
(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (b) above, no Early Termination Fee shall be payable in the event (each, a “Liquidation, Merger or Consolidation Event”) that a Fund or Portfolio is
(i) liquidated; or
(ii) merged into or consolidated with another Fund or Portfolio with respect to which the Sub-Accounting Agent provides Services pursuant to this Agreement; or
(iii) merged into or consolidated with another investment company or series of an investment company (each series representing interests in a separate portfolio of securities and other assets) with respect to which the Sub-Accounting Agent provides fund accounting services (either as an accounting agent or sub-accounting agent),
provided, that in each case of (i) and (ii) above, the aggregate amount of fees for fund accounting services provided by the Sub-Accounting Agent with respect to all Funds and Portfolios covered by this Agreement immediately after, and taking into consideration the effect of, such Liquidation, Merger or Consolidation Event (the “Projected Fees”) shall be equal to or greater than the aggregate amount of fees for fund accounting services provided by the Sub-Accounting Agent pursuant to this Agreement, measured as of the date of this Agreement (the “Existing Fees”);
and further provided, that in each case of (iii) above, (A) the Projected Fees plus (B) the Incremental Fees (as defined below), shall be equal to or greater than the Existing Fees.
For purposes of this Section 6(c), the Projected Fees shall equal the fund accounting fees, with respect to such Funds and Portfolios subject to this Agreement immediately after such Liquidation, Merger or Consolidation Event, projected to be earned by the Sub-Accounting Agent on an annualized basis for the ensuing twelve-month period, with no adjustments for market fluctuations or subscription and redemption activity.
For purposes of this Section 6(c), the Existing Fees shall equal the fund accounting fees, with respect to such Funds and Portfolios on the date of this Agreement, projected to be earned by the Sub-Accounting Agent on an annualized basis for the ensuing twelve-month period, with no adjustments for market fluctuations or subscription and redemption activity.
For purposes of this Section 6(c), the “Other Contract” shall mean a contractual arrangement pursuant to which the Sub-Accounting Agent provides fund accounting services that may not be terminated earlier than the Anniversary Date and whose fee schedule is fixed until the Anniversary Date.
For purposes of this Section 6(c), the “Incremental Fees” shall mean (A) the fund accounting fees with respect to fund accounting services under the Other Contract that are projected to be
| 8. |
earned by the Sub-Accounting Agent on an annualized basis for the ensuing twelve-month period, with no adjustments for market fluctuations or subscription and redemption activity, immediately after such Liquidation, Merger or Consolidation Event, less (B) the fund accounting fees with respect to fund accounting services under the Other Contract that were projected to have been earned by the Sub-Accounting Agent on an annualized basis for the ensuing twelve-month period, with no adjustments for market fluctuations or subscription and redemption activity, immediately prior to such Liquidation, Merger or Consolidation Event.
(d) Upon any termination of this Agreement pursuant to paragraph (b) above, the Administrator shall pay to the Sub-Accounting Agent all accrued and unpaid fees and expenses, whether the same have been billed or remain unbilled, and shall reimburse Sub-Accounting Agent for any reasonable de-conversion costs associated with such termination.
(e) Notwithstanding any term herein to the contrary, termination of this Agreement with respect to the coverage of any one particular Fund or Portfolio shall in no way affect the rights and duties under this Agreement with respect to any other Fund or Portfolio.
(f) Notwithstanding any term herein to the contrary, this Agreement may, at the sole option of the Sub-Accounting Agent, be terminated (in its entirety, with respect to any particular Fund, or with respect to its applicability to any particular Portfolio, as may be applicable) without prior notice by the Sub-Accounting Agent in the event of (i) any termination by a Fund of its custodial services agreement with State Street Bank and Trust Company (in each such case, in such agreement’s entirety, with respect to any particular Fund, or with respect to its applicability to any particular Portfolio, as may be applicable) or (ii) any termination of the Administration Agreement or the termination or resignation of the Administrator under the Administration Agreement (in each such case, in such agreement’s entirety, with respect to any particular Fund, or with respect to its applicability to any particular Portfolio, as may be applicable).
SECTION 7. SUCCESSOR AGENT.
If a successor fund accounting agent with respect to any Fund, or Portfolio thereof, shall be appointed by the Administrator, the Sub-Accounting Agent shall upon termination deliver to such successor agent at the office of the Sub-Accounting Agent all records of such Fund or Portfolio thereof, as applicable, held by it hereunder. If no such successor agent shall be appointed, the Sub-Accounting Agent shall have the right at its office to deliver such records to the Administrator.
SECTION 8. AUDIT RIGHTS; REPORTS TO ADMINISTRATOR BY INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS
SECTION 8.1 AUDIT RIGHTS.
(a) To the extent required by applicable law, rule or regulation and upon request of the Administrator (which shall include reasonable advance notice), the Sub-Accounting Agent shall allow the Administrator’s regulators or supervisory authorities to perform periodic on-site audits as may be reasonably required to examine the Sub-Accounting Agent’s performance of the services contemplated by this Agreement (the “Services”). Notwithstanding the foregoing, prior
| 9. |
to the performance of any audits of the Sub-Accounting Agent’s performance of the Services, the Administrator will request that such regulator or supervisory authority to the extent possible shall coordinate such audit through the Sub-Accounting Agent’s primary regulator, the United States Federal Reserve Bank of Boston.
(b) Upon request of the Administrator (which shall include reasonable advance notice), the Sub-Accounting Agent shall allow the Administrator and its auditors (including internal audit staff and external auditors) and compliance personnel to perform periodic on-site audits as may be reasonably required to examine the Sub-Accounting Agent’s performance of the Services.
(c) Notwithstanding the audit and inspection rights conferred by the foregoing subsection, the Sub-Accounting Agent reserves the right to impose reasonable limitations on the number, frequency, timing and scope of audits and inspections requested by the Administrator so as to prevent or minimize any potential impairment or disruption of its operations, distraction of its personnel or breaches of security or confidentiality; provided, however, that the Sub-Accounting Agent may not limit the number, frequency or timing of audits and inspections by regulatory bodies with supervisory authority over the Administrator or by the Administrator resulting from a regulatory problem at the Sub-Accounting Agent and affecting the Sub-Accounting Agent’s ability to provide the Services hereunder or any material weakness or significant deficiency in the Sub-Accounting Agent’s internal controls. In addition, the Sub-Accounting Agent shall be entitled to impose a commercially reasonable per person hourly charge for the cooperation and assistance of its personnel in connection with any audit in excess of one (1) in any twelve (12) month period; provided, however, that no such charge may be imposed in connection with any audit or inspection by any regulatory body with supervisory authority over the Administrator or by the Administrator resulting from a regulatory problem at the Sub-Accounting Agent and affecting the Sub-Accounting Agent’s ability to provide the Services hereunder or any material weakness or significant deficiency in the Sub-Accounting Agent’s internal controls. Nothing contained in this section shall obligate the Sub-Accounting Agent to provide access to or otherwise disclose: (i) any information that is unrelated to the Administrator or the Funds and the provision of the Services to the Administrator; (ii) any information which is treated as confidential under the Sub-Accounting Agent’s corporate policies, including, without limitation, internal audit reports, compliance or risk management plans or reports, work papers and other reports and information relating to management functions; or (iii) any other documents, reports or other information that the Sub-Accounting Agent is obligated to maintain in confidence as a matter of law or regulation. In addition, any access provided hereunder to technology shall be limited to a demonstration by the Sub-Accounting Agent of the functionality thereof and a reasonable opportunity to communicate with the Sub-Accounting Agent personnel regarding such technology.
| 10. |
SECTION 8.2 REPORTS TO ADMINISTRATOR BY INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS
The Sub-Accounting Agent shall provide the Administrator, at such times as the Administrator may reasonably require, with reports by independent public accountants on the accounting system, internal accounting control and procedures relating to the services provided by the Sub-Accounting Agent under this Agreement; such reports shall be of sufficient scope and in sufficient detail as may reasonably be required by the Administrator to provide reasonable assurance that any material inadequacies would be disclosed by such examination, and, if there are no such inadequacies, the reports shall so state.
SECTION 8.3 ADDITIONAL SUB-CERTIFICATIONS AND REPORTS
The Sub-Accounting Agent shall provide to the Administrator: (a) sub-certifications in connection with Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 certification requirements; and (b) periodic reports and reasonable documentation for delivery to the Funds’ Chief Compliance Officer in connection with Rule 38a-1 under the 1940 Act with respect to the Services and the Sub-Accounting Agent’s compliance with its operating policies and procedures related thereto.
SECTION 9. INCLUDED SERVICE ENHANCEMENTS.
If, in the ordinary course of its business, the Sub-Accounting Agent enhances core system processing functionality that it uses in connection with the Services, the Sub-Accounting Agent shall use such enhanced core system processing enhancements in performing the Services hereunder, at no additional charge to the Administrator, as soon as the Sub-Accounting Agent reasonably determines that such use is appropriate. To the extent the Sub-Accounting Agent reasonably determines that such enhanced core system processing enhancements are relevant to the Administrator’s receipt of the Services, the Sub-Accounting Agent shall inform the Administrator of such core system processing enhancements.
SECTION 10. CONFIDENTIALITY.
Each party hereto agrees that it shall treat as confidential all information provided by the other party (the “Disclosing Party”) to such party (the “Recipient”) or to which the Recipient obtains access and that relates to the Disclosing Party, including information regarding its business, financial affairs, operations or otherwise, including without limitation, securities holdings and trading information of a Portfolio or Fund (“Confidential Information”). In maintaining the confidentiality of the Confidential Information of a Disclosing Party, each Recipient shall exercise the same degree of care that such person exercises with respect to its own Confidential Information of a similar nature, including the use of customary data protection procedures, and in no event less than a reasonable degree of care. All Confidential Information of a Disclosing Party shall be used by the Recipient solely for the purpose of rendering or receiving services pursuant to this Agreement and shall not be disclosed to any party other than such Recipient’s (i) employees and contractors who have a need-to-know for purposes of performing such Recipient’s obligations under this Agreement, provided, that, such persons and entities are bound by confidentiality provisions at least as stringent as those contained herein, (ii) regulators or examiners, and (iii) auditors and legal counsel, to the extent required in connection with services provided by such parties to Recipient.
| 11. |
The Recipient shall notify the Disclosing Party of any unauthorized use or disclosure of Confidential Information of the Disclosing Party of which the Recipient becomes aware. The parties agree that disclosure of Confidential Information of a Disclosing Party may give rise to an irreparable injury to such Disclosing Party inadequately compensable in damages. Accordingly, the Disclosing Party may seek (without the posting of any bond or other security) injunctive relief against the breach of the foregoing undertaking of confidentiality and nondisclosure, in addition to any other legal remedies which may be available.
The foregoing obligations of confidentiality and non-disclosure shall not be applicable to any information that the Recipient demonstrates (i) is publicly available when provided or thereafter becomes publicly available, other than through disclosure by the Recipient or any of its affiliates, or that is independently derived by the Recipient without the use of any information provided by the Disclosing Party, (ii) that is required in any legal or regulatory proceeding, investigation, audit, examination, subpoena, civil investigative demand or other similar process, or by operation of law or regulation (collectively, “Legal Process”), or (iii) where the Recipient has received the prior written consent of the Disclosing Party. In the event that a Recipient is requested by or pursuant to, or required by, Legal Process to disclose any Confidential Information of any other party to this Agreement, such Recipient will, to the extent not legally prohibited, provide the Disclosing Party with prompt notice of such Legal Process in order to enable the Disclosing Party, at its own expense, to seek an appropriate protective order or other remedy (and, if the Disclosing Party seeks such order, the Recipient will provide such cooperation as the Disclosing Party shall reasonably request at the Disclosing Party’s expense) to resist or narrow the scope of such request or legal process, or waive compliance, in whole or in part, with the terms of this Section 10. In the event that such protective order or other remedy is not obtained or the Disclosing Party waives such compliance, only that portion of the Confidential Information may be disclosed as the Recipient, as advised by counsel, is legally required to disclose and the Recipient will request that all such Confidential Information so disclosed will be accorded confidential treatment. Confidential Information disclosed in combination with other information that is not Confidential Information is not deemed to fall within one of the foregoing exceptions by reason of such combination.
Furthermore, and notwithstanding anything in this section to the contrary, the Sub-Accounting Agent may aggregate Fund or Portfolio data with similar data of other customers of the Sub-Accounting Agent (“Aggregated Data”) and may use Aggregated Data for purposes of constructing statistical models so long as such Aggregated Data represents a sufficiently large sample that no Fund or Portfolio data can be identified either directly or by inference or implication.
All of the undertakings and obligations relating to confidentiality and nondisclosure, whether contained in this Section or elsewhere in this Agreement or any schedule or exhibit hereto shall survive the termination or expiration of this Agreement for a period of three (3) years.
SECTION 11. GENERAL.
SECTION 11.1 MASSACHUSETTS LAW TO APPLY. This Agreement shall be governed by, construed and the provisions thereof interpreted under and in accordance with laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts excluding that body of law applicable to conflicts of law.
| 12. |
SECTION 11.2 PRIOR AGREEMENTS. This Agreement supersedes and terminates, as of the date hereof, any prior agreements between the Administrator and the Sub-Accounting Agent relating to fund accounting and recordkeeping services regarding each Fund.
SECTION 11.3 ASSIGNMENT. This Agreement may not be assigned by (a) the Administrator without the prior written consent of the Sub-Accounting Agent or (b) by the Sub-Accounting Agent without the prior written consent of the Administrator, except that either party may, without such prior consent, assign to an entity controlling, controlled by or under common control with such party or to a successor of all of or a substantial portion of its business; however, such assignment shall not relieve the assigning party of its responsibilities hereunder.
SECTION 11.4 INTERPRETIVE AND ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS. In connection with the operation of this Agreement, the Sub-Accounting Agent and the Administrator may from time to time agree on such provisions interpretive of or in addition to the provisions of this Agreement as may in their joint opinion be consistent with the general tenor of this Agreement. Any such interpretive or additional provisions shall be in a writing signed by all parties and shall be annexed hereto, provided that no such interpretive or additional provisions shall contravene any applicable federal or state regulations or any provision of a Fund’s governing documents. No interpretive or additional provisions made as provided in the preceding sentence shall be deemed to be an amendment of this Agreement.
SECTION 11.5 ADDITIONAL FUNDS. In the event that the Administrator desires to have the Sub-Accounting Agent render services hereunder with respect to any management investment company in addition to those listed on Appendix A hereto, it shall so notify the Sub-Accounting Agent in writing, and if the Sub-Accounting Agent agrees in writing to provide such services, such management investment company shall become a Fund hereunder and the Sub-Accounting Agent and the Administrator shall be bound by all terms and conditions and provisions hereof with respect to such Fund.
SECTION 11.6 ADDITIONAL PORTFOLIOS. In the event that any Fund establishes one or more series of Shares in addition to those set forth on Appendix A hereto with respect to which the Administrator desires to have the Sub-Accounting Agent render services as sub-accounting agent under the terms hereof, the Administrator shall so notify the Sub-Accounting Agent in writing, and if the Sub-Accounting Agent agrees in writing to provide such services, such series of Shares shall become a Portfolio hereunder and the Sub-Accounting Agent and the Administrator shall be bound by all terms and conditions and provisions hereof with respect to such Portfolio.
SECTION 11.7 REMOTE ACCESS SERVICES ADDENDUM. The Administrator and the Sub-Accounting Agent hereby agree to the terms of the Remote Access Services Addendum hereto.
SECTION 11.8 AMENDMENTS. This Agreement may be modified or amended from time to time only by mutual written agreement of the parties hereto.
| 13. |
SECTION 11.9 NOTICES. Any notice, instruction or other instrument required to be given hereunder may be delivered in person to the offices of the parties as set forth herein during normal business hours or delivered prepaid registered mail, overnight courier or by telex, cable or telecopy to the parties at the following addresses or such other addresses as may be notified by any party from time to time.
| To the Administrator: | PUTNAM INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, LLC |
| 1 Post Office Square | |
| Boston, Massachusetts 02109 | |
| Attention: Susan G. Malloy, Managing Director | |
| Telephone: 617-760-5050 | |
| with a copy to: | PUTNAM INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, LLC |
| 1 Post Office Square | |
| Boston, Massachusetts 02109 | |
| Francis J. McNamara, III, Senior Managing Director and | |
| General Counsel | |
| Telephone: 617-760-1722 | |
| To the Sub-Accounting Agent: | STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY |
| Lafayette Corporate Center | |
| 2 Avenue de Lafayette | |
| Boston, Massachusetts 02111 | |
| Attention: Robert F. Dame, Senior Vice President | |
| Telephone: 617-662-4036 | |
| Telecopy: 617-662-4040 | |
Such notice, instruction or other instrument shall be deemed to have been served in the case of a registered letter at the expiration of five business days after posting, in the case of overnight courier, upon receipt, in the case of cable twenty-four hours after dispatch and, in the case of telex or telecopy, immediately on dispatch and if delivered by cable, telex or telecopy outside normal business hours it shall be deemed to have been received at the next time after delivery when normal business hours commence. Evidence that the notice was properly addressed, stamped and put into the post shall be conclusive evidence of posting.
SECTION 11.10 COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed in several counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement.
SECTION 11.11 SEVERABILITY; WAIVER. If any provision or provisions of this Agreement shall be held to be invalid, unlawful or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired. The failure of a party hereto to insist upon strict adherence to any term of this Agreement on any occasion or the failure of a party hereto to exercise or any delay in exercising any right or remedy under this Agreement shall not constitute a waiver of any such term, right or remedy or a waiver of any other rights or
| 14. |
remedies and no single or partial exercise of any right or remedy under this Agreement shall prevent any further exercise of the right or remedy or the exercise of any other right or remedy.
SECTION 11.12 REPRODUCTION OF DOCUMENTS. This Agreement and all schedules, addenda, exhibits, appendices, attachments and amendments hereto may be reproduced by any photographic, photostatic, microfilm, micro-card, miniature photographic or other similar process. The parties hereto all/each agree that any such reproduction shall be admissible in evidence as the original itself in any judicial or administrative proceeding, whether or not the original is in existence and whether or not such reproduction was made by a party in the regular course of business, and that any enlargement, facsimile or further reproduction of such reproduction shall likewise be admissible in evidence.
| REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK |
| 15. |
| SIGNATURE PAGE |
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties has caused this instrument to be executed in its name and behalf by its duly authorized representative under seal as of the date first above written.
| SIGNATURE ATTESTED TO BY: | PUTNAM INVESTMENT | ||
| MANAGEMENT, LLC | |||
| By: | Robert T. Burns | By: | Steven D. Krichmar |
| Robert T. Burns | Steven D. Krichmar | ||
| Managing Director | Chief of Operations, Senior | ||
| Managing Director | |||
| SIGNATURE ATTESTED TO BY: | STATE STREET BANK AND | ||
| TRUST COMPANY | |||
| By: | Stephanie L. Poster | By: | Joseph L. Hooley |
| Stephanie L. Poster | Joseph L. Hooley | ||
| Vice President and Senior Managing Counsel | Executive Vice President | ||
| APPENDIX A |
| TO |
| MASTER ACCOUNTING SERVICES AGREEMENT |
As amended as of July, 24, 2017
| Putnam American Government Income Fund | |
| Putnam Asset Allocation Funds | |
| -Putnam Dynamic Asset Allocation Balanced Fund | |
| -Putnam Dynamic Asset Allocation Conservative Fund | |
| -Putnam Dynamic Asset Allocation Growth Fund | |
| Putnam California Tax Exempt Income Fund | |
| Putnam Convertible Securities Fund | |
| Putnam Diversified Income Trust | |
| Putnam Equity Income Fund | |
| Putnam Europe Equity Fund | |
| Putnam Funds Trust | |
| - Putnam Absolute Return 100 Fund | |
| - Putnam Absolute Return 300 Fund | |
| - Putnam Absolute Return 500 Fund | |
| - Putnam Absolute Return 700 Fund | |
| - Putnam Capital Spectrum Fund | |
| - Putnam Dynamic Asset Allocation Equity Fund | |
| - Putnam Dynamic Risk Allocation Fund | |
| - Putnam Emerging Markets Equity Fund | |
| - Putnam Emerging Markets Income Fund | |
| - Putnam Equity Spectrum Fund | |
| - Putnam Floating Rate Income Fund | |
| - Putnam Global Consumer Fund | |
| - Putnam Global Financials Fund | |
| - Putnam Global Industrials Fund | |
| - Putnam Global Sector Fund | |
| - Putnam Global Technology Fund | |
| - Putnam Global Telecommunications Fund | |
| - Putnam Intermediate-Term Municipal Fund | |
| - Putnam International Value Fund | |
| - Putnam Low Volatility Equity Fund | |
| - Putnam Mortgage Opportunities Fund | |
| - Putnam Multi-Cap Core Fund | |
| - Putnam Short Duration Income Fund | |
| - Putnam Short Term Investment Fund | |
| - Putnam Short-Term Municipal Income Fund | |
| - Putnam Small Cap Growth Fund | |
| George Putnam Balanced Fund | |
| Putnam Global Equity Fund | |
| Putnam Global Health Care Fund | |
| Putnam Global Income Trust | |
| Putnam Global Natural Resources Fund | |
| Putnam Global Utilities Fund | |
| Putnam High Income Securities Fund | |
| Putnam High Yield Fund | |
| Putnam Income Fund | |
| Putnam International Equity Fund | |
| Putnam Investment Funds | |
| -Putnam Capital Opportunities Fund | |
| -Putnam Government Money Market Fund | |
| -Putnam Growth Opportunities Fund | |
| -Putnam International Capital Opportunities Fund | |
| -Putnam International Growth Fund | |
| -Putnam Multi-Cap Value Fund | |
| -Putnam PanAgora Managed Futures Strategy | |
| -Putnam PanAgora Market Neutral Fund | |
| -PanAgora Risk Parity Fund | |
| -Putnam Research Fund | |
| -Putnam Small Cap Value Fund | |
| Putnam Investors Fund | |
| Putnam Managed Municipal Income Trust | |
| Putnam Massachusetts Tax Exempt Income Fund | |
| Putnam Master Intermediate Income Trust | |
| Putnam Minnesota Tax Exempt Income Fund | |
| Putnam Money Market Fund | |
| Putnam Mortgage Recovery Fund | |
| Putnam Multi-Cap Growth Fund | |
| Putnam Municipal Opportunities Trust | |
| Putnam New Jersey Tax Exempt Income Fund | |
| Putnam New York Tax Exempt Income Fund | |
| Putnam Ohio Tax Exempt Income Fund | |
| Putnam Pennsylvania Tax Exempt Income Fund | |
| Putnam Premier Income Trust | |
| Putnam RetirementReady® Funds | |
| -Putnam Retirement Income Fund Lifestyle 1 | |
| -Putnam RetirementReady 2060 Fund | |
| -Putnam RetirementReady 2055 Fund | |
| -Putnam RetirementReady 2050 Fund | |
| -Putnam RetirementReady 2045 Fund | |
| -Putnam RetirementReady 2040 Fund | |
| -Putnam RetirementReady 2035 Fund | |
| -Putnam RetirementReady 2030 Fund | |
| -Putnam RetirementReady 2025 Fund | |
| -Putnam RetirementReady 2020 Fund | |
| Putnam Tax Exempt Income Fund | |
| Putnam Tax-Free Income Trust | |
| -Putnam AMT-Free Municipal Fund | |
| -Putnam Tax-Free High Yield Fund | |
| Putnam U.S. Government Income Trust | |
| Putnam Variable Trust | |
| -Putnam VT Absolute Return 500 Fund | |
| -Putnam VT American Government Income Fund | |
| -Putnam VT Capital Opportunities Fund | |
| -Putnam VT Diversified Income Fund | |
| -Putnam VT Equity Income Fund | |
| -Putnam VT George Putnam Balanced Fund | |
| -Putnam VT Global Asset Allocation Fund | |
| -Putnam VT Global Equity Fund | |
| -Putnam VT Global Health Care Fund | |
| -Putnam VT Global Utilities Fund | |
| -Putnam VT Government Money Market Fund | |
| -Putnam VT Growth Opportunities Fund | |
| -Putnam VT High Yield Fund | |
| -Putnam VT Income Fund | |
| -Putnam VT International Equity Fund | |
| -Putnam VT International Value Fund | |
| -Putnam VT International Growth Fund | |
| -Putnam VT Investors Fund | |
| -Putnam VT Multi-Cap Growth Fund | |
| -Putnam VT Multi-Cap Value Fund | |
| -Putnam VT Research Fund | |
| -Putnam VT Small Cap Value Fund | |
7-24-17
| APPENDIX B |
| TO |
| MASTER ACCOUNTING SERVICES AGREEMENT |
| DUTIES OF SUB-ACCOUNTING AGENT* |
| (i) | Record each Portfolio’s investment, capital share and income and expense |
| activities; | |
| (ii) | Establish amortization calculations in accordance with Administrator’s amortization |
| authorizations; | |
| (iii) | Maintain ledgers for investment securities; |
| (iv) | Maintain historical tax lots for each security; |
| (v) | Reconcile cash and investment balances to the custodian’s records; |
| (vi) | Post entries to and prepare each Portfolio’s daily trial balance; |
| (vii) | Calculate fee-based expenses and set-up expense accruals; |
| (viii) | Calculate capital gains and losses; |
| (ix) | Calculate net income of each Portfolio; |
| (x) | Pursuant to Price Source Authorization duly executed by Administrator, receive |
| quotes regarding portfolio investments; | |
| (xi) | Compute the net asset value (“NAV”) of each Portfolio daily; |
| (xii) | Disseminate NAV, distribution and other Portfolio data as authorized by |
| Administrator; | |
| (xiii) | Compute each Portfolio’s yield and, if required by Administrator, portfolio |
| average dollar-weighted maturity; | |
| (xiv) | For multi-managed Portfolios, calculate NAV and maintain books, ledgers, and |
| capital at manager level (none of which in the capacity of an official book or | |
| recordkeeper); | |
| (xv) | Maintain a separate portfolio to calculate a tax basis for each Portfolio’s |
| investments, as directed by Administrator (not in the capacity of an official book or | |
| recordkeeper); | |
| (xvi) | Prepare a monthly proof package of accounting reports mutually agreed upon, |
| including, as applicable, the following: | |
| Account Position Appraisal (details holdings, shares, value) | |
| Trial balance reflecting all “as of” activity | |
| Capital Stock Roll-forward | |
| Base Equivalent Cash Statement | |
| Detail Gains and Loss report | |
| Cost of securities held | |
| Accretion and amortization of cost | |
| Open Trades |
| Forward contracts and swap receivables and payables | |
| Income | |
| Distributions | |
| Paid In Capital | |
| Unrealized Gains and Losses | |
| Cost Roll Forward | |
| Interest-only yield and impairment spreadsheets | |
| Cash to Custodian reconciliations, as may be applicable; | |
| (xvii) | Prepare and transmit to Administrator, or such other entities or persons as the |
| Administrator may instruct from time to time, such quarterly reports of Portfolio | |
| data as may be mutually agreed upon by the parties hereto; and | |
| (xviii) | Daily portfolio reconciliation for attribution and performance. |
| * | Details with respect to such duties may be set forth in mutually acceptable service level |
| documents. |
| EXHIBIT A |
| TO |
| MASTER ACCOUNTING SERVICES AGREEMENT |
| Form of Price Source Authorization |
| SCHEDULE A |
| TO |
| MASTER ACCOUNTING SERVICES AGREEMENT |
| INFORMATION REQUIRED TO BE SUPPLIED | RESPONSIBLE PARTY |
| Portfolio Trade Authorizations | Investment Adviser |
| Currency Transactions | Investment Adviser |
| Cash Transaction Report | Custodian |
| Portfolio Prices | Third Party Vendors/Investment Adviser |
| Exchange Rates | Third Party Vendors/Investment Adviser |
| Capital Stock Activity Report | Transfer Agent |
| Dividend/Distribution Schedule | Investment Adviser |
| Dividend/Distribution Declaration | Investment Adviser |
| Dividend Reconciliation/Confirmation | Transfer Agent |
| Corporate Actions | Third Party Vendors/Custodian |
| Service Provider Fee Schedules | Investment Adviser |
| Expense Budget | Investment Adviser/Administrator |
| Amortization Policy | Investment Adviser |
| Accounting Policy/Complex Investments | Investment Adviser |
| Audit Management Letter | Auditor |
| Annual Shareholder Letter | Investment Adviser |
| Annual/Semi-Annual Reports | Investment Adviser/Administrator |
July 1, 2021
The Putnam Funds
100 Federal Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02110
Ladies and Gentlemen:
| Putnam Investment Management, LLC (“PIM”) hereby contractually agrees, as of the date hereof, with |
| respect to the funds specified below or in Schedule A, Schedule B, or Schedule C, to waive fees and |
| reimburse certain expenses in the manner provided below: |
| 1. | Other expenses. | ||
| a. | PIM agrees to waive fees and/or reimburse expenses of each open-end fund listed on | ||
| Schedule A and each variable trust fund listed on Schedule B to the extent necessary to | |||
| limit the cumulative expenses of the fund, exclusive of brokerage, interest, taxes, | |||
| investment-related expenses (including borrowing costs, i.e., short selling and lines of | |||
| credit costs), extraordinary expenses, acquired fund fees and expenses, and payments under | |||
| the fund’s investor servicing contract, the fund’s investment management contract | |||
| (including any applicable performance-based upward or downward adjustment to a fund’s | |||
| base management fee), and the fund’s distribution plans, to an annual (measured on a fiscal | |||
| year basis) rate of 0.20% of the fund’s average net assets. This contractual waiver will | |||
| remain in effect for a fund through the expiration of one year following the effective date | |||
| of the next annual update of the fund’s registration statement. | |||
| b. | PIM agrees to waive fees and/or reimburse expenses of Putnam Dynamic Asset Allocation | ||
| Equity Fund to the extent necessary to limit the cumulative expenses of the fund, exclusive | |||
| of brokerage, interest, taxes, investment-related expenses (including borrowing costs, i.e., | |||
| short selling and lines of credit costs), extraordinary expenses, acquired fund fees and | |||
| expenses, and payments under the fund’s investor servicing contract, the fund’s investment | |||
| management contract, and the fund’s distribution plans, to an annual (measured on a fiscal | |||
| year basis) rate of 0.02% of the fund’s average net assets. This contractual waiver will | |||
| remain in effect through the expiration of the one-year period following the effective date | |||
| of the next annual update of the fund’s registration statement. | |||
| 2. | Fund-specific expense limitations. | ||
| a. | As set forth in the table below, PIM agrees to waive fees and/or reimburse expenses of | ||
| each fund set forth below to the extent that the total annual fund operating expenses for the | |||
| fund -- exclusive of payments under the fund’s distribution plans, any applicable | |||
| performance-based upward or downward adjustment to the fund’s base management fee, | |||
| brokerage, interest, taxes, investment-related expenses (including borrowing costs, i.e., | |||
| short selling and lines of credit costs), extraordinary expenses, and acquired fund fees and | |||
| expenses – would exceed the specified rate through the specified date, which is the | |||
| expiration of the one-year period following the effective date of the next annual update of | |||
| each fund’s registration statement: |
| Fund | Proposed Contractual | Expiration | ||||
| Limitation on Total | ||||||
| Fund Operating | ||||||
| Expenses | ||||||
| Putnam VT Emerging Markets Equity Fund | 1.09% | April 30, 2023 | ||||
| Putnam VT Multi-Asset Absolute Return Fund | 0.90% | April 30, 2023 | ||||
| Putnam VT Mortgage Securities Fund | 0.50% | April 30, 2023 |
| b. | As set forth in the table below, PIM agrees to waive fees and/or reimburse expenses of | ||
| each fund set forth below to the extent that the total annual fund operating expenses for the | |||
| fund – exclusive of payments under the fund’s distribution plans, payments under the | |||
| fund’s investor servicing contract, any applicable performance-based upward or downward | |||
| adjustment to the fund’s base management fee, brokerage, interest, taxes, investment- | |||
| related expenses (including borrowing costs, i.e., short selling and lines of credit costs), | |||
| extraordinary expenses, and acquired fund fees and expenses – would exceed the specified | |||
| rate through the specified date, which is the expiration of the one-year period following the | |||
| effective date of the next post-effective amendment of each fund’s registration statement: |
| Fund | Proposed Contractual | Expiration | ||||
| Limitation on Total | ||||||
| Fund Operating | ||||||
| Expenses | ||||||
| Putnam Dynamic Risk Allocation Fund | 0.70% | Sept. 30, 2022 | ||||
| Putnam Emerging Markets Equity Fund | 0.78% | December 30, | ||||
| 2022 | ||||||
| Putnam Global Income Trust | 0.43% | February 28, | ||||
| 2023 | ||||||
| Putnam Income Fund | 0.33% | Feb. 28, 2023 | ||||
| Putnam Intermediate-Term Municipal Income | 0.52% | March 30, 2023 | ||||
| Fund | ||||||
| Putnam Mortgage Opportunities Fund | 0.46% | September 30, | ||||
| 2022 | ||||||
| Putnam Ultra Short Duration Income Fund | 0.24% | Nov. 30, 2022 | ||||
| Putnam Short-Term Municipal Income Fund | 0.28% | March 30, 2023 |
| 3. | Putnam Short Term Investment Fund. PIM agrees to waive the contractual management fee of | |
| 0.25% for Putnam Short Term Investment Fund through November 30, 2022, the expiration of the | ||
| one-year period following the effective date of the next update of the fund’s registration statement. | ||
| 4. | Putnam VT Focused International Equity Fund. PIM agrees to waive 5 basis points of the | |
| contractual management fee payable by Putnam VT Focused International Equity Fund through | ||
| 2 |
| April 30, 2023, the expiration of the one-year period following the effective date of the next annual | ||
| update of the fund’s registration statement. |
| 5. | Target Date Funds. |
| a. | RetirementReady Funds: PIM agrees to (1) waive fees and/or reimburse expenses of each | ||
| Putnam RetirementReady Fund, in an amount equal to the fund’s “acquired fund fees and | |||
| expenses” and (2) waive fees and/or reimburse expenses of each class of shares specified below | |||
| of each Putnam RetirementReady Fund in an amount sufficient to result in total annual fund | |||
| operating expenses for each share class of the fund – exclusive of payments under the fund’s | |||
| distribution plan, brokerage, interest, taxes, investment-related expenses (including borrowing | |||
| costs, i.e., short selling and lines of credit costs), and extraordinary expenses – that equal the | |||
| amount specified in the table below of the fund’s average net assets attributable to each such | |||
| class. Each of these contractual waivers will remain in effect through the date that is three | |||
| years after the effective date of the next annual update of each fund’s registration statement | |||
| (except for Putnam RetirementReady® 2060 Fund, which will remain in effect through the date | |||
| that is ten years after the effective date of the next annual update of the fund’s registration | |||
| statement). |
| Share Class | Net Total Expense | ||
| Ratio Cap | |||
| Class A | 0.65% | ||
| Class B | 0.65% | ||
| Class C | 0.65% | ||
| Class R | 0.80% | ||
| Class R3 | 0.80% | ||
| Class R4 | 0.80% | ||
| Class R5 | 0.65% | ||
| Class R6 | 0.55% | ||
| Class Y | 0.65% |
| b. | Retirement Advantage Funds: PIM agrees to (1) waive fees and/or reimburse expenses of | ||
| each Putnam Retirement Advantage Fund in an amount equal to each fund’s “acquired | |||
| fund fees and expenses” and (2) waive fees and/or reimburse expenses of each class of | |||
| shares specified below of each Putnam Retirement Advantage Fund in an amount sufficient | |||
| to result in total annual fund operating expenses for each class of each fund – exclusive of | |||
| payments under the fund’s distribution plan, brokerage, interest, taxes, investment-related | |||
| expenses (including borrowing costs, i.e., short selling and lines of credit costs), and | |||
| extraordinary expenses – that equal the amount specified in the table below of the fund’s | |||
| average net assets attributable to each such class. Each of these contractual waivers will | |||
| remain in effect through the date that is three years after the effective date of the next annual | |||
| update of each fund’s registration statement. |
| Share Class | Net Total Expense | ||
| Ratio Cap | |||
| Class A | 0.55% | ||
| Class C | 0.55% | ||
| Class R | 0.70% | ||
| Class R3 | 0.70% |
| 3 |
| Class R4 | 0.70% | ||
| Class R5 | 0.55% | ||
| Class R6 | 0.45% | ||
| Class Y | 0.55% |
| Effective July 1, 2021, this contractual undertaking supersedes any prior contractual expense limitation |
| provisions between PIM and the funds. This undertaking shall be binding upon any successors and |
| assignees of PIM. |
| A copy of the Declaration of Trust (including any amendments thereto) of each of The Putnam Funds is on |
| file with the Secretary of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and notice is hereby given that this |
| instrument is executed on behalf of the Trustees of each Putnam Fund as trustees and not individually and |
| that the obligations of or arising out of this instrument are not binding upon any of the Trustees or officers |
| or shareholders individually, but binding only upon the assets and property of each Putnam Fund with |
| respect to its obligations under this instrument. Furthermore, notice is given that the assets and liabilities |
| of each series of each Putnam Fund that is a series company are separate and distinct and that the obligations |
| of or arising out of this instrument are several and not joint or joint and several and are binding only on the |
| assets of each series with respect to its obligations under this instrument. Each fund is acting on its own |
| behalf separately from all of the other investment companies and not jointly or jointly and severally with |
| any of the other investment companies. |
| Very truly yours, | ||
| PUTNAM INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, LLC | ||
| By: | /s/ Stephen J. Tate__________ | |
| Stephen J. Tate | ||
| Vice President and Chief Legal Officer | ||
| Agreed and accepted by each Putnam fund listed on Schedule A, | |
| Schedule B and Schedule C | |
| By: | /s/ Jonathan S. Horwitz_______________ |
| Jonathan S. Horwitz | |
| Executive Vice President, Principal | |
| Executive Officer, and Compliance Liaison | |
| 4 |
| Schedule A |
| Putnam California Tax Exempt Income Fund | |
| Putnam Convertible Securities Fund | |
| Putnam Diversified Income Trust | |
| Putnam Asset Allocation Funds | |
| - Putnam Dynamic Asset Allocation Balanced Fund | |
| - Putnam Dynamic Asset Allocation Conservative Fund | |
| - Putnam Dynamic Asset Allocation Growth Fund | |
| - Putnam Income Strategies Portfolio | |
| Putnam Focused International Equity Fund | |
| Putnam Funds Trust | |
| - Putnam Dynamic Risk Allocation Fund | |
| - Putnam Emerging Markets Equity Fund | |
| - Putnam Fixed Income Absolute Return Fund | |
| - Putnam Floating Rate Income Fund | |
| - Putnam Focused Equity Fund | |
| - Putnam Global Technology Fund | |
| - Putnam Intermediate-Term Municipal Income Fund | |
| - Putnam International Value Fund | |
| - Putnam Mortgage Opportunities Fund | |
| - Putnam Multi-Asset Absolute Return Fund | |
| - Putnam Multi-Cap Core Fund | |
| - Putnam Short Duration Bond Fund | |
| - Putnam Short-Term Municipal Income Fund | |
| - Putnam Small Cap Growth Fund | |
| - Putnam Ultra Short Duration Income Fund | |
| George Putnam Balanced Fund | |
| Putnam Global Health Care Fund | |
| Putnam Global Income Trust | |
| Putnam High Yield Fund | |
| Putnam Income Fund | |
| Putnam International Equity Fund | |
| Putnam Investment Funds | |
| -Putnam Government Money Market Fund | |
| -Putnam Growth Opportunities Fund | |
| -Putnam International Capital Opportunities Fund | |
| -Putnam PanAgora Risk Parity Fund | |
| -Putnam Research Fund | |
| -Putnam Small Cap Value Fund | |
| -Putnam Sustainable Future Fund | |
| Putnam Large Cap Value Fund | |
| Putnam Massachusetts Tax Exempt Income Fund | |
| Putnam Minnesota Tax Exempt Income Fund | |
| Putnam Money Market Fund | |
| Putnam Mortgage Securities Fund | |
| Putnam New Jersey Tax Exempt Income Fund | |
| Putnam New York Tax Exempt Income Fund | |
| 5 |
| Putnam Ohio Tax Exempt Income Fund | |
| Putnam Pennsylvania Tax Exempt Income Fund | |
| Putnam Sustainable Leaders Fund | |
| Putnam Tax Exempt Income Fund | |
| Putnam Tax-Free Income Trust | |
| -Putnam Strategic Intermediate Municipal Fund | |
| -Putnam Tax-Free High Yield Fund | |
| 6 |
| Schedule B |
| Putnam Variable Trust | |
| - Putnam VT Diversified Income Fund | |
| - Putnam VT Emerging Markets Equity Fund | |
| - Putnam VT Focused International Equity Fund | |
| - Putnam VT George Putnam Balanced Fund | |
| - Putnam VT Global Asset Allocation Fund | |
| - Putnam VT Global Health Care Fund | |
| - Putnam VT Government Money Market Fund | |
| - Putnam VT Growth Opportunities Fund | |
| - Putnam VT High Yield Fund | |
| - Putnam VT Income Fund | |
| - Putnam VT International Equity Fund | |
| - Putnam VT International Value Fund | |
| - Putnam VT Large Cap Value Fund | |
| - Putnam VT Mortgage Securities Fund | |
| - Putnam VT Multi-Asset Absolute Return Fund | |
| - Putnam VT Multi-Cap Core Fund | |
| - Putnam VT Research Fund | |
| - Putnam VT Small Cap Growth Fund | |
| - Putnam VT Small Cap Value Fund | |
| - Putnam VT Sustainable Future Fund | |
| - Putnam VT Sustainable Leaders Fund | |
| 7 |
| Schedule C |
| Other Funds Subject to Expense Limitations |
| Putnam Funds Trust | |
| - Putnam Dynamic Asset Allocation Equity Fund | |
| - Putnam Short Term Investment Fund | |
| Putnam Target Date Funds | |
| - Putnam RetirementReady Maturity Fund | |
| - Putnam RetirementReady 2065 Fund | |
| - Putnam RetirementReady 2060 Fund | |
| - Putnam RetirementReady 2055 Fund | |
| - Putnam RetirementReady 2050 Fund | |
| - Putnam RetirementReady 2045 Fund | |
| - Putnam RetirementReady 2040 Fund | |
| - Putnam RetirementReady 2035 Fund | |
| - Putnam RetirementReady 2030 Fund | |
| - Putnam RetirementReady 2025 Fund | |
| - Putnam Retirement Advantage Maturity Fund | |
| - Putnam Retirement Advantage 2065 Fund | |
| - Putnam Retirement Advantage 2060 Fund | |
| - Putnam Retirement Advantage 2055 Fund | |
| - Putnam Retirement Advantage 2050 Fund | |
| - Putnam Retirement Advantage 2045 Fund | |
| - Putnam Retirement Advantage 2040 Fund | |
| - Putnam Retirement Advantage 2035 Fund | |
| - Putnam Retirement Advantage 2030 Fund | |
| - Putnam Retirement Advantage 2025 Fund | |
| 8 |
| [PUTNAM LOGO OMITTED] |
| June 25, 2021 |
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Putnam Investor Services, Inc. (“PSERV”) hereby contractually agrees, as of the date hereof, with respect to all Putnam-sponsored open-end registered investment companies, that the aggregate investor servicing fees attributable to DC Accounts or Non-DC Accounts for each fund will not exceed an annual rate of 0.250% of the fund’s average daily net assets attributable to DC Accounts or Non-DC Accounts (as determined before taking into account any expense reduction or other benefit attributable to balance credits or brokerage credits).
This contractual waiver will remain in effect for each fund through the later of one year following the effective date of the next annual update of the fund’s registration statement or August 31, 2022.
Any capitalized term not defined herein shall have the meaning assigned to the term in the Compensation Memorandum dated June 26, 2020.
Effective June 30, 2021, this contractual undertaking supersedes any prior contractual expense limitation provisions between PSERV and the funds. This undertaking shall be binding upon any successors and assignees of PSERV.
A copy of the Declaration of Trust (including any amendments thereto) of each of The Putnam Funds is on file with the Secretary of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and notice is hereby given that this instrument is executed on behalf of the Trustees of each Putnam Fund as trustees and not individually and that the obligations of or arising out of this instrument are not binding upon any of the Trustees or officers or shareholders individually, but binding only upon the assets and property of each Putnam Fund with respect to its obligations under this instrument. Furthermore, notice is given that the assets and liabilities of each series of each Putnam Fund that is a series company are separate and distinct and that the obligations of or arising out of this instrument are several and not joint or joint and several and are binding only on the assets of each series with respect to its obligations under this instrument. Each fund is acting on its own behalf separately from all of the other investment companies and not jointly or jointly and severally with any of the other investment companies.
| Very truly yours, | ||
| PUTNAM INVESTOR SERVICES, INC. | ||
| By: | /s/ Michael J. Woodall | |
| Michael J. Woodall | ||
| President | ||
Agreed and accepted by each Putnam open-end fund
and each variable trust fund
| By: | /s/ Jonathan S. Horwitz |
| Jonathan S. Horwitz | |
| Executive Vice President, Principal | |
| Executive Officer, and Compliance Liaison |
Create E-mail Alert Related Categories
SEC FilingsRelated Entities
Putnam InvestmentsSign up for StreetInsider Free!
Receive full access to all new and archived articles, unlimited portfolio tracking, e-mail alerts, custom newswires and RSS feeds - and more!



Tweet
Share