<PAGE> 1
AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON AUGUST 2, 1995
FILE NO. 2-89190
811-3950
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM N-1A
<TABLE>
<S> <C>
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 /X/
Pre-Effective Amendment No. / /
Post-Effective Amendment No. 26 /X/
and
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER
THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940 /X/
Amendment No. 27 /X/
</TABLE>
VAN KAMPEN AMERICAN CAPITAL
U.S. GOVERNMENT TRUST
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Declaration of Trust)
One Parkview Plaza, Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois 60181
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
(708) 684-6000
(Registrant's Telephone Number)
Ronald A. Nyberg, Esq.
Executive Vice President,
General Counsel and Director
Van Kampen American Capital
Investment Advisory Corp.
One Parkview Plaza
Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois 60181
(Name and Address of Agent for Service)
Copies to:
Wayne W. Whalen, Esq.
Thomas A. Hale, Esq.
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom
333 West Wacker Drive
Chicago, Illinois 60606
(312) 407-0700
APPROXIMATE DATE OF PROPOSED PUBLIC OFFERING: As soon as practicable
following effectiveness of this Registration Statement.
IT IS PROPOSED THAT THIS FILING WILL BECOME EFFECTIVE: (CHECK APPROPRIATE
BOX)
/X/ IMMEDIATELY UPON FILING PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH (B)
/ / ON (DATE) PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH (B)
/ / 60 DAYS AFTER FILING PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH (A)(1)
/ / ON (DATE) PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH (A)(1)
/ / 75 DAYS AFTER FILING PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH (A)(2)
/ / ON (DATE) PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH (A)(2) OF RULE 485.
IF APPROPRIATE CHECK THE FOLLOWING:
/ / THIS POST-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT DESIGNATES A NEW EFFECTIVE DATE FOR
A PREVIOUSLY FILED POST-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT.
DECLARATION PURSUANT TO RULE 24F-2
REGISTRANT HAS REGISTERED AN INDEFINITE NUMBER OF SHARES AND WILL FILE WITH
THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION A RULE 24F-2 NOTICE FOR ITS FISCAL YEAR
ENDING DECEMBER 31, 1995 ON OR ABOUT FEBRUARY 28, 1996.
PURSUANT TO A MERGER EFFECTIVE AS OF JULY 31, 1995, VAN KAMPEN AMERICAN
CAPITAL U.S. GOVERNMENT TRUST, A DELAWARE BUSINESS TRUST (THE "REGISTRANT"), IS
THE SUCCESSOR OF VAN KAMPEN MERRITT U.S. GOVERNMENT TRUST, A MASSACHUSETTS
BUSINESS TRUST. UPON EFFECTIVENESS OF THE MERGER AND PURSUANT TO RULE 414 UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, REGISTRANT ADOPTS AND SUCCEEDS TO THE REGISTRATION
STATEMENT OF VAN KAMPEN MERRITT U.S. GOVERNMENT TRUST AND TO ANY PRIOR RULE
24F-2 NOTICES OF VAN KAMPEN MERRITT U.S. GOVERNMENT TRUST.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE> 2
EXPLANATORY NOTE
The Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information with respect to Van
Kampen American Capital U.S. Government Fund included in Post-Effective
Amendment No. 25 to the Registration Statement of the Registrant, as
supplemented through the date hereof, are included herein by reference and no
changes thereto are affected hereby.
<PAGE> 3
VAN KAMPEN AMERICAN CAPITAL U.S. GOVERNMENT TRUST
CROSS REFERENCE SHEET
(AS REQUIRED BY ITEM 501(b) OF REGULATION S-K)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
ITEM NUMBER OF LOCATION OR CAPTION
FORM N-1A IN PROSPECTUS
- ---------------------------------- -----------------------------------------------------------
<C> <S> <C>
PART A INFORMATION REQUIRED IN A PROSPECTUS
Item 1. Cover Page............. Cover Page
Item 2. Synopsis............... SUMMARY OF FUND EXPENSES
Item 3. Condensed Financial
Information.......... FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS; FUND PERFORMANCE
Item 4. General Description of
Registrant........... THE FUND'S INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE; HOW THE FUND SEEKS ITS
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE; FUND ORGANIZATION
Item 5. Management of the
Fund................. SUMMARY OF FUND EXPENSES; HOW THE FUND IS MANAGED; HOW THE
FUND EXECUTES PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS; SHAREHOLDER SERVICES
Item 6. Capital Stock and Other
Securities........... FUND ORGANIZATION; HOW TO BUY SHARES; DISTRIBUTIONS AND
TAXES; ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Item 7. Purchase of Securities
Being Offered........ HOW TO BUY SHARES; HOW THE FUND VALUES ITS SHARES;
DISTRIBUTION AND SERVICE PLANS
Item 8. Redemption or
Repurchase........... HOW TO BUY SHARES; HOW THE FUND VALUES ITS SHARES; HOW TO
SELL SHARES
Item 9. Pending Legal
Proceedings.......... Not Applicable
</TABLE>
i
<PAGE> 4
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
LOCATION OR CAPTION
ITEM NUMBER OF IN STATEMENT OF
FORM N-1A ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
- ---------------------------------- -----------------------------------------------------------
<C> <S> <C>
PART B INFORMATION REQUIRED IN A STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Item 10. Cover Page............. Cover Page
Item 11. Table of Contents...... Table of Contents
Item 12. General Information
and History.......... The Fund and the Trust
Item 13. Investment Objectives
and Policies......... Investment Policies and Restrictions; U.S. Government
Securities; Additional Investment Considerations
Item 14. Management of the
Fund................. Officers and Trustees
Item 15. Control Persons and
Principal Holders of
Securities........... Officers and Trustees
Item 16. Investment Advisory and
Other Services....... Contained in Prospectus under captions: HOW THE FUND IS
MANAGED; DISTRIBUTION AND SERVICE PLANS; Legal Counsel;
Investment Advisory and Other Services; Officers and
Trustees; The Distributor; Notes to Financial Statements
Item 17. Brokerage Allocation... Contained in the Prospectus under caption: HOW THE FUND
EXECUTES PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS; Portfolio Transactions and
Brokerage Allocation
Item 18. Capital Stock and
Other Securities..... Contained in the Prospectus under caption: FUND
ORGANIZATION; Shares of the Fund
Item 19. Purchase, Redemption
and Pricing of
Securities Being
Offered.............. Contained in Prospectus under captions: HOW TO BUY SHARES;
HOW TO SELL SHARES; HOW THE FUND VALUES ITS SHARES; How to
Buy Shares; Distributions from the Fund; How to Sell
Shares; Shareholder Programs
Item 20. Tax Status............. Contained in Prospectus under captions: DISTRIBUTIONS AND
TAXES; Tax Status of the Fund
Item 21. Underwriters........... Contained in the Prospectus under captions: HOW TO BUY
SHARES; DISTRIBUTION AND SERVICE PLANS; The Distributor;
Notes to Financial Statements
Item 22. Calculations of
Performance Data..... Contained in Prospectus under caption: FUND PERFORMANCE;
Performance Information
Item 23. Financial Statements... Contained in the Prospectus under caption: FINANCIAL
HIGHLIGHTS; Independent Auditors' Report; Financial
Statements; Notes to Financial Statements; Officers and
Trustees
</TABLE>
PART C
Information required to be included in Part C is set forth under the
appropriate Item, so numbered, in Part C of this Registration Statement.
ii
<PAGE> 5
PART C: OTHER INFORMATION
ITEM 24. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS.
(A) FINANCIAL STATEMENTS:
<TABLE>
<S> <C> <C>
Included in the Prospectus:
Financial Highlights
Included in Statement of Additional Information:
Independent Auditors' Report
Financial Statements
Notes to Financial Statements
</TABLE>
(B) EXHIBITS:
<TABLE>
<S> <C> <C>
(1)(a) Form of Agreement Declaration of Trust+
(b) Form of Certificate of Designation for Van Kampen American Capital U.S.
Government Fund+
(2) Form of By-Laws+
(4) Form of Specimen of Share Certificate.
(i) Class A Shares+
(ii) Class B Shares+
(iii) Class C Shares+
(5) Form of Investment Advisory Agreement+
(6)(a) Form of Distribution and Service Agreement+
(b) Form of Dealer Agreement+
(c) Form of Broker Agreement+
(d) Form of Bank Agreement+
(8)(a) Custodian Agreement(8)
(b) Form of Transfer Agency Agreement+
(9)(a) Form of Fund Accounting Agreement+
(b) Form of Legal Services Agreement+
(10) Opinion and Consent of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom+
(11) Consent of KPMG Peat Marwick LLP(25)
(13) Letter of understand relating to initial capital*
(14)(a) Copy of Proposed Model Simplified Employee Pension Plan.(1)
(b) Copy of Proposed Model Individual Retirement Account Plan.(2)
(i) Copy of Proposed Profit-Sharing Adoption Agreement for Prototype
Paired Defined Contribution Plan.(3)
(ii) Copy of Proposed Money Purchase Pension Adoption Agreement for
Prototype Paired Defined Contribution Plan.(3)
(15)(a) Form of Distribution Plan Pursuant to Rule 12b-1+
(b) Form of Shareholder Assistance Agreement+
(c) Form of Administrative Services Agreement+
(d) Form of Service Plan+
(16) Computation of Performance Quotations(25)
(17)(a) Investment Companies for which Van Kampen American Capital Distributors, Inc.
acts as principal underwriter or depositor++
(b) List of Officers and Directors of Van Kampen American Capital Distributors,
Inc.++
(24) Power of Attorney+
(27) Financial Data Schedules+
</TABLE>
- ---------------
* Incorporated herein by reference to Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to
Registrant's Registration Statement, File No. 2-89190, filed on April 6,
1984.
(1) Incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to
Registrant's Registration Statement, File No. 2-89190, filed on June 19,
1984.
(2) Incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 2 to
Registrant's Registration Statement, File No. 2-89190, filed on August 20,
1984.
C-1
<PAGE> 6
(3) Incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 3 to
Registrant's Registration Statement, File No. 2-89190, filed on January 25,
1985.
(8) Incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 8 to
Registrant's Registration Statement, File No. 2-89190, filed February 5,
1988.
(25) Incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 25 to
Registrant's Registration Statement, File No. 2-89190, filed April 28,
1995.
+ Filed herewith.
++ Incorporated herein by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 3 to the
Registration Statement on Form N-1A of Van Kampen American Capital
Utilities Income Fund, File No. 33-68452, filed July 14, 1995.
ITEM 25. PERSONS CONTROLLED BY OR UNDER COMMON CONTROL WITH REGISTRANT:
To the best knowledge of Registrant, no person is controlled by or under
common control with the Registrant.
ITEM 26. NUMBER OF HOLDERS OF SECURITIES:
As of July 28, 1995:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
(2)
(1) NUMBER
OF
RECORD
TITLE OF CLASS HOLDERS
-------
<S> <C>
Shares of Beneficial Interest*
Class A Shares............................. 126,271
Class B Shares............................. 19,438
Class C Shares............................. 188
* Prior to May 1, 1995, the Fund offered
Class D Shares.
</TABLE>
ITEM 27. INDEMNIFICATION:
Reference is made to Article 8, Section 8.4 of the Registrant's Agreement
and Declaration of Trust.
Article 8, Section 8.4 of the Agreement and Declaration of Trust provides
that each officer and trustee of the Registrant shall be indemnified by the
Registrant against all liabilities incurred in connection with the defense or
disposition of any action, suit or other proceeding, whether civil or criminal,
in which the officer or trustee may be or may have been involved by reason of
being or having been an officer or trustee, except that such indemnity shall not
protect any such person against a liability to the Registrant or any shareholder
thereof to which such person would otherwise be subject by reason of willful
misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties
involved in the conduct of his or her office. Absent a court determination that
an officer or trustee seeking indemnification was not liable on the merits or
guilty of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard
of the duties involved in the conduct of his or her office, the decision by the
Registrant to indemnify such person must be based upon the reasonable
determination of independent counsel or non-party independent trustees, after
review of the facts, that such officer or trustee is not guilty of willful
misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties
involved in the conduct of his or her office.
The Registrant has purchased insurance on behalf of its officers and
trustees protecting such persons from liability arising from their activities as
officers or trustees of the Registrant. The insurance does not protect or
purport to protect such persons from liability to the Registrant or to its
shareholders to which such officers or trustee would otherwise be subject by
reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard
of the duties involved in the conduct of their office.
Conditional advancing of indemnification monies may be made if the trustee
or officer undertakes to repay the advance unless it is ultimately determined
that he or she is entitled to the indemnification and only if the following
conditions are met: (1) the trustee or officer provides security for the
undertaking; (2) the Registrant is insured against losses arising from lawful
advances; or (3) a majority of a quorum of the Registrant's disinterested,
non-party trustees, or an independent legal counsel in a written opinion, shall
C-2
<PAGE> 7
determine, based upon a review of readily available facts, that a recipient of
the advance ultimately will be found entitled to indemnification.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act
of 1933 (the "Act") may be permitted to trustees, officers and controlling
persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions or otherwise, the
Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange
Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act
and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification
against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses
incurred or paid by the trustee, officer, or controlling person of the
Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is
asserted by such trustee, officer or controlling person in connection with the
shares being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its
counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court
of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is
against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final
adjudication of such issue.
ITEM 28. BUSINESS AND OTHER CONNECTIONS OF INVESTMENT ADVISER:
See "How the Fund is Managed" in the Prospectus and "Officers and Trustees"
and "Investment Advisory and Other Services" in the Statement of Additional
Information for information regarding the business of the Adviser. For
information as to the business, profession, vocation or employment of a
substantial nature of each of the officers and Directors of Van Kampen American
Capital Investment Advisory Corp., reference is made to the Adviser's current
Form ADV filed under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, incorporated herein by
reference.
ITEM 29. PRINCIPAL UNDERWRITERS
(a) The sole principal underwriter is Van Kampen American Capital
Distributors, Inc., which acts as a principal underwriter for certain investment
companies and unit investment trusts set forth in Exhibit (17)(a) hereto.
(b) Van Kampen American Capital Distributors, Inc., which is an affiliated
person of an affiliated person of the Fund. The name, principal business address
and positions and offices with Van Kampen American Capital Distributors, Inc. of
each of the officers thereof are set forth in Exhibit 17(b). Except as disclosed
under the heading "Officers and Trustees" in Part B of this Registration
Statement, none of such persons has any position or office with Registrant.
(c) Not applicable.
ITEM 30. LOCATION OF ACCOUNTS AND RECORDS:
All accounts, books and other documents required by Section 31(a) of the
Investment Company Act of 1940 and the Rules thereunder to be maintained (i) by
Registrant will be maintained at its offices, located at One Parkview Plaza,
Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois 60181, Access Investors Services, Inc., 7501 Tiffany
Springs Parkway, Kansas City, Missouri 64153, or at the State Street Bank and
Trust Company, 1776 Heritage Drive, North Quincy, MA; (ii) by the Adviser, will
be maintained at its offices, located at One Parkview Plaza, Oakbrook Terrace,
Illinois 60181; and (iii) by the Distributor, the principal underwriter, will be
maintained at its offices located at One Parkview Plaza, Oakbrook Terrace,
Illinois 60181.
ITEM 31. MANAGEMENT SERVICES:
Not applicable.
ITEM 32. UNDERTAKINGS:
(a) Not applicable.
(b) Not applicable.
(c) The Registrant provides the information required by Item 5A in the
respective annual reports to shareholders of Registrant's series and hereby
undertakes to furnish without charge to each person to whom a prospectus is
delivered for a particular series with a copy of the latest annual report to
shareholders of such series.
C-3
<PAGE> 8
SIGNATURES
PURSUANT TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 AND THE
INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940, THE REGISTRANT, VAN KAMPEN AMERICAN CAPITAL U.S.
GOVERNMENT TRUST, CERTIFIES THAT IT MEETS ALL THE REQUIREMENTS FOR EFFECTIVENESS
OF THIS REGISTRATION STATEMENT PURSUANT TO RULE 485(B) UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT
OF 1933, HAS DULY CAUSED THIS AMENDMENT TO THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT TO BE
SIGNED ON ITS BEHALF BY THE UNDERSIGNED, THEREUNTO DULY AUTHORIZED IN THE CITY
OF OAKBROOK TERRACE AND THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, ON THE 31ST DAY OF JULY, 1995.
<TABLE>
<S> <C>
VAN KAMPEN AMERICAN CAPITAL
U.S. GOVERNMENT TRUST
By: /s/ RONALD A. NYBERG
------------------------------------
Ronald A. Nyberg, Vice President and
Secretary
</TABLE>
PURSUANT TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, THIS AMENDMENT
TO THIS REGISTRATION STATEMENT HAS BEEN SIGNED ON JULY 31, 1995 BY THE FOLLOWING
PERSONS IN THE CAPACITIES INDICATED.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SIGNATURES TITLE
<S> <C>
/s/ DONALD C. MILLER* Chairman of the Board and
- --------------------------------------------- Trustee
Donald C. Miller
/s/ DENNIS J. McDONNELL* President and Trustee
- --------------------------------------------- (Chief Executive Officer)
Dennis J. McDonnell
/s/ R. CRAIG KENNEDY* Trustee
- ---------------------------------------------
R. Craig Kennedy
/s/ JACK E. NELSON* Trustee
- ---------------------------------------------
Jack E. Nelson
/s/ PHILIP P. GAUGHAN* Trustee
- ---------------------------------------------
Philip P. Gaughan
/s/ JEROME L. ROBINSON* Trustee
- ---------------------------------------------
Jerome L. Robinson
/s/ WAYNE W. WHALEN* Trustee
- ---------------------------------------------
Wayne W. Whalen
/s/ J. MILES BRANAGAN* Trustee
- ---------------------------------------------
J. Miles Branagan
/s/ RICHARD E. CARUSO* Trustee
- ---------------------------------------------
Richard E. Caruso
/s/ ROGER HILSMAN* Trustee
- ---------------------------------------------
Roger Hilsman
/s/ DON G. POWELL* Trustee
- ---------------------------------------------
Don G. Powell
/s/ DAVID REES* Trustee
- ---------------------------------------------
David Rees
</TABLE>
C-4
<PAGE> 9
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
SIGNATURES TITLE
<S> <C>
/s/ LAWRENCE J. SHEEHAN* Trustee
- ---------------------------------------------
Lawrence J. Sheehan
Trustee
- ---------------------------------------------
Fernando Sisto
/s/ WILLIAM S. WOODSIDE* Trustee
- ---------------------------------------------
William S. Woodside
/s/ EDWARD C. WOOD, III* Vice President and
- --------------------------------------------- Treasurer (Chief
Edward C. Wood, III Financial
and Accounting Officer)
- ---------------
* Signed by Ronald A. Nyberg pursuant to a power of attorney, a copy of which has been
previously filed.
/s/ RONALD A. NYBERG July 31, 1995
- ---------------------------------------------
Ronald A. Nyberg
Attorney-in-Fact
</TABLE>
C-5
<PAGE> 10
VAN KAMPEN AMERICAN CAPITAL U.S. GOVERNMENT TRUST
SCHEDULE OF EXHIBITS TO POST-EFFECTIVE
AMENDMENT 26 TO FORM N-1A SUBMITTED TO THE
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON AUGUST 2, 1995
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
EXHIBIT PAGE
NUMBER EXHIBIT NUMBER
- ------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------
<S> <C> <C>
(1)(a) Form of Agreement Declaration of Trust+
(b) Form of Certificate of Designation for Van Kampen American Capital U.S.
Government Fund+
(2) Form of By-Laws+
(4) Form of Specimen of Share Certificate.
(i) Class A Shares+
(ii) Class B Shares+
(iii) Class C Shares+
(5) Form of Investment Advisory Agreement+
(6)(a) Form of Distribution and Service Agreement+
(b) Form of Dealer Agreement+
(c) Form of Broker Agreement+
(d) Form of Bank Agreement+
(8)(a) Custodian Agreement(8)
(b) Form of Transfer Agency Agreement+
(9)(a) Form of Fund Accounting Agreement+
(b) Form of Legal Services Agreement+
(10) Opinion and Consent of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom+
(11) Consent of KPMG Peat Marwick LLP(25)
(13) Letter of understand relating to initial capital*
(14)(a) Copy of Proposed Model Simplified Employee Pension Plan.(1)
(b) Copy of Proposed Model Individual Retirement Account Plan.(2)
(i) Copy of Proposed Profit-Sharing Adoption Agreement for Prototype
Paired Defined Contribution Plan.(3)
(ii) Copy of Proposed Money Purchase Pension Adoption Agreement for
Prototype Paired Defined Contribution Plan.(3)
(15)(a) Form of Distribution Plan Pursuant to Rule 12b-1+
(b) Form of Shareholder Assistance Agreement+
(c) Form of Administrative Services Agreement+
(d) Form of Service Plan+
(16) Computation of Performance Quotations(25)
(17)(a) Investment Companies for which Van Kampen American Capital Distributors,
Inc. acts as principal underwriter or depositor++
(b) List of Officers and Directors of Van Kampen American Capital
Distributors, Inc.++
(24) Power of Attorney+
(27) Financial Data Schedules+
</TABLE>
- ---------------
* Incorporated herein by reference to Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to
Registrant's Registration Statement, File No. 2-89190, filed on April 6,
1984.
(1) Incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to
Registrant's Registration Statement, File No. 2-89190, filed on June 19,
1984.
(2) Incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 2 to
Registrant's Registration Statement, File No. 2-89190, filed on August 20,
1984.
<PAGE> 11
(3) Incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 3 to
Registrant's Registration Statement, File No. 2-89190, filed on January 25,
1985.
(8) Incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 8 to
Registrant's Registration Statement, File No. 2-89190, filed February 5,
1988.
(25) Incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 25 to
Registrant's Registration Statement, File No. 2-89190, filed April 28,
1995.
+ Filed herewith.
++ Incorporated herein by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 3 to the
Registration Statement on Form N-1A of Van Kampen American Capital
Utilities Income Fund, File Number 33-68452, filed July 14, 1995.
<PAGE> 1
EXHIBIT 1(a)
VAN KAMPEN AMERICAN CAPITAL U.S. GOVERNMENT TRUST
AGREEMENT AND DECLARATION OF TRUST
May 10, 1995
<PAGE> 2
VAN KAMPEN AMERICAN CAPITAL U.S. GOVERNMENT TRUST
AGREEMENT AND DECLARATION OF TRUST
Index
RECITALS 1
ARTICLE I THE TRUST 2
SECTION 1.1 Name 2
SECTION 1.2. Location 2
SECTION 1.3. Nature of Trust 2
SECTION 1.4. Definitions 2
SECTION 1.5. Real Property to be Converted into Personal Property 5
ARTICLE 2 PURPOSE OF THE TRUST 5
ARTICLE 3 POWERS OF THE TRUSTEES 6
SECTION 3.1. Powers in General 6
(a) Investments 6
(b) Disposition of Assets 7
(c) Ownership Powers 7
(d) Form of Holding 7
(e) Reorganization, etc. 7
(f) Voting Trusts, etc. 7
<PAGE> 3
(g) Contracts, etc. 7
(h) Guarantees, etc. 7
(i) Partnerships, etc. 8
(j) Insurance 8
(k) Pensions, etc 8
(I) Power of Collection and Litigation 8
(m) Issuance and Repurchase of Shares 8
(n) Offices 8
(o) Expenses 8
(p) Agents, etc. 9
(q) Accounts 9
(r) Valuation 9
(s) Indemnification 9
(t) General 9
SECTION 3.2. Borrowings; Financings; Issuance of Securities 9
i
<PAGE> 4
SECTION 3.3. Deposits 9
SECTION 3.4. Allocations 10
SECTION 3.5. Further Powers; Limitations 10
ARTICLE 4 TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS 10
SECTION 4.1. Number, Designation, Election, Term, etc 10
(a) Initial Trustee 10
(b) Number 10
(c) Election and Term 11
(d) Resignation and Retirement 11
(e) Removal 11
(f) Vacancies 11
(g) Acceptance of Trusts 11
(h) Effect of Death, Resignation, etc. 12
(i) Conveyance 12
(j) No Accounting 12
SECTION 4.2. Trustees' Meetings; Participation by Telephone, etc. 12
SECTION 4.3. Committees; Delegation 12
SECTION 4.4. Officers 13
SECTION 4.5. Compensation of Trustees and Officers 13
SECTION 4.6. Ownership of Shares and Securities of the Trust 13
<PAGE> 5
SECTION 4.7. Right of Trustees and Officers to Own Property or
to Engage in Business; Authority of Trustees to Permit
Others to Do Likewise 13
SECTION 4.8. Reliance on Experts 13
SECTION 4.9. Surety Bonds 14
SECTION 4.10. Apparent Authority of Trustees and Officers 14
SECTION 4.11. Other Relationships Not Prohibited 14
SECTION 4.12. Payment of Trust Expenses 14
SECTION 4.13. 0wnership of the Trust Property 15
ii
<PAGE> 6
SECTION 4.14. By-Laws 15
ARTICLE 5 DELEGATION OF MANAGERIAL RESPONSIBILITIES 15
SECTION 5.1. Appointment; Action by Less than All Trustees 15
SECTION 5.2. Certain Contracts 15
(a) Advisory 16
(b) Administration 16
(c) Underwriting 16
(d) Custodian 16
(e) Transfer and Dividend Disbursing Agent 17
(f) Shareholder Servicing 17
(g) Accounting 17
Section 5.3. Distribution Arrangements 17
Section 5.4. Service Arrangements 17
ARTICLE 6 SERIES AND SHARES 17
SECTION 6.1. Description of Series and Shares 17
(a) General 17
(b) Establishment, etc. of Series; Authorization of Shares 18
(c) Character of Separate Series and Shares Thereof 18
(d) Consideration for Shares 18
(e) Assets Belonging to Series 19
(f) Liabilities of Series 19
(g) Dividends 19
(h) Liquidation 20
(i) Voting 20
<PAGE> 7
(j) Redemption by Shareholder 20
(k) Redemption at the Option of the Trust 21
(I) Net Asset Value 21
(m) Transfer 21
(n) Equality 21
(o) Rights of Fractional Shares 22
(p) Conversion Rights 22
SECTION 6.2. Ownership of Shares 22
SECTION 6.3. Investments in the Trust 23
SECTION 6.4. No Pre-emptive Rights 23
iii
<PAGE> 8
SECTION 6.5. Status of Shares 23
ARTICLE 7 SHAREHOLDERS' VOTING POWERS AND MEETINGS 23
SECTION 7.1. Voting Powers 23
SECTION 7.2. Number of Votes and Manner of Voting; Proxies 24
SECTION 7.3. Meetings 24
SECTION 7.4. Record Dates 24
SECTION 7.5. Quorum and Required Vote 25
SECTION 7.6. Action by Written Consent 25
SECTION 7.7. Inspection of Records 25
SECTION 7.8. Additional Provisions 25
ARTICLE 8 LIMITATION OF LIABILITY; INDEMNIFICATION 25
SECTION 8.1. Trustees, Shareholders, etc. Not Personally
Liable; Notice 25
SECTION 8.2. Trustees' Good Faith Action; Expert Advice; No
Bond or Surety 26
SECTION 8.3. Indemnification of Shareholders 26
SECTION 8.4. Indemnification of Trustees, Officers, etc. 27
<PAGE> 9
SECTION 8.5. Compromise Payment 27
SECTION 8.6. Indemnification Not Exclusive, etc. 28
SECTION 8.7. Liability of Third Persons Dealing with Trustees 28
ARTICLE 9 DURATION; REORGANIZATION; INCORPORATION;
AMENDMENTS 28
SECTION 9.1. Duration of Trust 28
SECTION 9.2. Termination of Trust 28
SECTION 9.3. Reorganization 29
SECTION 9.4. Incorporation 29
iv
<PAGE> 10
SECTION 9.5. Amendments; etc. 29
SECTION 9.6. Filing of Copies of Declaration and Amendments 30
ARTICLE 10 MISCELLANEOUS 30
SECTION 10.1. Notices 30
SECTION 10.2. Governing Law 30
SECTION 10.3. Counterparts 30
SECTION 10.4. Reliance by Third Parties 30
SECTION 10.5. References; Headings 31
SECTION 10.6. Provisions in Conflict With Law or Regulation 31
SECTION 10.7. Use of the Name "Van Kampen American Capital" 31
Signature 32
Acknowledgments 33
<PAGE> 11
AGREEMENT AND DECLARATION OF TRUST
OF
VAN KAMPEN AMERICAN CAPITAL U.S. GOVERNMENT TRUST
This AGREEMENT AND DECLARATION OF TRUST, made at this 10th
day of May, 1995, by and between Ronald A. Nyberg, an
individual residing in Naperville, Illinois (the
"Settlor"), and the Trustee whose signature is set forth below
(the "Initial Trustee"),
W I T N E S S E T H T H A T:
WHEREAS, the Settlor proposes to deliver to the Initial
Trustee the sum of one hundred dollars ($100.00) lawful money of
the United States of America in trust hereunder and to authorize
the Initial Trustee and all other individuals acting as Trustees
hereunder to employ such funds, and any other funds coming into
their hands or the hands of their successor or successors as
such Trustees, to carry on the business of an investment company
and as such of buying, selling, investing or otherwise dealing
in and with stocks, bonds, debentures, warrants and other
securities and interests therein, financial futures contracts,
or options with respect to securities or financial futures
contracts, and such other and further investment media and other
property as the Trustees may deem advisable, which are not
prohibited by law or the terms of this Declaration; and
WHEREAS, the Initial Trustee is willing to accept such
sum, together with any and all additions thereto and the income
or increments thereof, upon the terms, conditions and trusts
hereinafter set forth; and
WHEREAS, the beneficial interest in the assets held by the
Trustees shall be divided into transferable Shares, all in
accordance with the provisions hereinafter set forth; and
WHEREAS, it is desired that the trust established hereby
be managed and operated as a trust with transferable shares
under the laws of Delaware with respect to Delaware business
trusts in accordance with the provisions hereinafter set forth;
1
<PAGE> 12
NOW, THEREFORE, the Initial Trustee, for himself and his
successors as Trustees, hereby declares and agrees with the
Settlor, for himself and for all Persons who shall hereafter
become holders of Shares that the Trustees will hold the sum
delivered to them upon the execution hereof, and all other and
further cash, securities and other property of every type and
description which they may in any way acquire in their capacity
as such Trustees, together with the income therefrom and the
proceeds thereof, IN TRUST NEVERTHELESS, to manage and dispose
of the same for the benefit of the holders from time to time of
the Shares being issued and to be issued hereunder and in the
manner and subject to the provisions hereof, to wit:
<PAGE> 13
ARTICLE I
THE TRUST
SECTION 1.1 Name. The name of the Trust shall be
"VAN KAMPEN AMERICAN CAPITAL U.S. GOVERNMENT TRUST"
and so far as may be practicable, the Trustees shall conduct the
Trust's activities, execute all documents and sue or be sued
under that name, which name (and the word "Trust" wherever used
in this Agreement and Declaration of Trust, except where the
context otherwise requires) shall refer to the Trustees in their
capacity as Trustees, and not individually or personally, and
shall not refer to the officers, agents or employees of the
Trust or of such Trustees, or to the holders of the Shares of
Beneficial Interest of the Trust or any Series. If the Trustees
determine that the use of such name is not practicable, legal or
convenient at any time or in any jurisdiction, or if the Trust
is required to discontinue the use of such name pursuant to
Section 10.7 hereof, then subject to that Section, the Trustees
may use such other designation, or they may adopt such other
name for the Trust as they deem proper, and the Trust may hold
property and conduct its activities under such designation or
name.
SECTION 1.2. Location. The Trust shall maintain a
registered office in the State of Delaware and may have such
other offices or places of business as the Trustees may from
time to time determine to be necessary or expedient.
SECTION 1.3. Nature of Trust. The Trust shall be a trust
with transferable shares under the laws of The State of
Delaware, of the type defined in Title 12, Chapter 38, Section
3801 of the Delaware Code as a business trust. The Trust is not
intended to be, shall not be deemed to be, and shall not be
treated as, a general partnership, limited partnership, joint
venture, corporation or joint stock company. The Shareholders
shall be beneficiaries and their relationship to the Trustees
shall be solely in that capacity in accordance with the rights
conferred upon them hereunder.
SECTION 1.4. Definitions. As used in this Agreement and
Declaration of Trust, the following terms shall have the
meanings set forth below unless the context thereof otherwise
requires:
<PAGE> 14
"Accounting Agent" shall have the meaning designated in
Section 5.2(g) hereof.
"Administrator" shall have the meaning designated in
Section 5.2(b) hereof.
"Affiliated Person" shall have the meaning assigned to it
in the 1940 Act.
"By-Laws" shall mean the By-Laws of the Trust, as amended
from time to time.
"Certificate of Designation" shall have the meaning
designated in Section 6.1 hereof.
"Certificate of Termination" shall have the meaning
designated in Section 6.1 hereof.
"Class" or "Classes" shall mean, with respect to any
Series, any unissued Shares of such Series in respect of which
the Trustees shall from time to time fix and determine any
special provisions relating to sales charges, any rights of
redemption and the price, terms and manner of redemption,
special and relative rights as to dividends and other
distributions and on liquidation, sinking or purchase fund
provisions, conversion rights, and conditions under which the
Shareholders of such Class shall have separate voting rights or
no voting rights.
"Commission" shall have the same meaning as in the 1940
Act.
"Contracting Party" shall have the meaning designated in
the preamble to Section 5.2 hereof.
"Conversion Date" shall mean with respect to Shares of any
Class that are convertible automatically into Shares of any
other Class of a Series the date fixed by the Trustees for such
conversion.
"Covered Person" shall have the meaning designated in
Section 8.4 hereof.
<PAGE> 15
"Custodian" shall have the meaning designated in Section
5.2(d) hereof.
"Declaration" and "Declaration of Trust" shall mean this
Agreement and Declaration of Trust and all amendments or
modifications thereof as from time to time in effect. This
Agreement and Declaration of Trust is the "governing instrument"
of the Trust within the meaning of the laws of the State of
Delaware with respect to Delaware business trusts. References
in this Agreement and Declaration of Trust to "hereof", "herein"
and "hereunder" shall be deemed to refer to the Declaration of
Trust generally, and shall not be limited to the particular
text, Article or Section in which such words appear.
"Disabling Conduct" shall have the meaning designated in
Section 8.4 hereof.
"Distributor" shall have the meaning designated in Section
5.2(c) hereof.
"Dividend Disbursing Agent" shall have the meaning designated
in Section 5.2(e) hereof.
"General Items" shall have the meaning defined in Section
6.2(a) hereof.
"Initial Trustee" shall have the meaning defined in the
preamble hereto.
"Investment Advisor" shall have the meaning defined in Section
5.2(a) hereof.
"Majority of the Trustees" shall mean a majority of the
Trustees in office at the time in question. At any time at which
there shall be only one (1) Trustee in office, such term shall
mean such Trustee.
"Majority Shareholder Vote," as used with respect to (a)
the election of any Trustee at a meeting of Shareholders, shall
mean the vote for the election of such Trustee of a plurality of
all outstanding Shares of the Trust, without regard to Series,
represented in person or by proxy and entitled to vote thereon,
provided that a quorum (as determined in accordance with the
<PAGE> 16
By-Laws) is present, (b) any other action required or permitted
to be taken by Shareholders, shall mean the vote for such action
of the holders of that majority of all outstanding Shares (or,
where a separate vote of Shares of any particular Series is to
be taken, the affirmative vote of that majority of the
outstanding Shares of that Series) of the Trust which consists
of: (i) a majority of all Shares (or of Shares of the particular
Series) represented in person or by proxy and entitled to vote
on such action at the meeting of Shareholders at which such
action is to be taken, provided that a quorum (as determined in
accordance with the By-Laws) is present; or (ii) if such action
is to be taken by written consent of Shareholders, a majority of
all Shares (or of Shares of the particular Series) issued and
outstanding and entitled to vote on such action; provided that
(iii) as used with respect to any action requiring the
affirmative vote of "a majority of the outstanding voting
securities," as the quoted phrase is defined in the 1940 Act, of
the Trust or of any Series, "Majority Shareholder Vote" means
the vote for such action at a meeting of Shareholders of the
smallest majority of all outstanding Shares of the Trust (or of
Shares of the particular Series) entitled to vote on such action
which satisfies such 1940 Act voting requirement.
"1940 Act" shall mean the provisions of the Investment Company
Act of 1940 and the rules and regulations thereunder, both as
amended from time to time, and any order or orders thereunder
which may from time to time be applicable to the Trust.
"Person" shall mean and include individuals, as well as
corporations, limited partnerships, general partnerships, joint
stock companies, joint ventures, associations, banks, trust
companies, land trusts, business trusts or other organizations
established under the laws of any jurisdiction, whether or not
considered to be legal entities, and governments and agencies
and political subdivisions thereof.
"Principal Underwriter" shall have the meaning designated
in Section 5.2(c) hereof.
"Prospectus," as used with respect to the Trust (or the
Shares of a particular Series), shall mean the prospectus
relating to the Trust (or such Series) which constitutes part of
the currently effective Registration Statement of the Trust
under the Securities Act of 1933, as such prospectus may be
amended or supplemented from time to time.
"Securities" shall have the same meaning ascribed to that term
in the Securities Act of 1993.
"Series" shall mean one or more of the series of Shares
authorized by the Trustees to represent the beneficial interest
<PAGE> 17
in one or more separate components of the assets of the Trust
which are now or hereafter established and designated under or
in accordance with the provisions of Article 6 hereof.
"Settlor" shall have the meaning defined in the preamble
hereto.
"Shareholder" shall mean as of any particular time any
Person shown of record at such time on the books of the Trust as
a holder of outstanding Shares of any Series, and shall include
a pledgee into whose name any such Shares are transferred in
pledge.
"Shareholder Servicing Agent" shall have the meaning
designated in Section 5.2(f) hereof.
"Shares" shall mean the transferable units into which the
beneficial interest in the Trust and each Series of the Trust
(as the context may require) shall be divided from time to time,
and includes fractions of Shares as well as whole Shares. All
references herein to "Shares" which are not accompanied by a
reference to any particular Series or Class shall be deemed to
apply to outstanding Shares without regard to Series or Class.
"Single Class Voting," as used with respect to any matter
to be acted upon at a meeting or by written consent of
Shareholders, shall mean a style of voting in which each holder
of one or more Shares shall be entitled to one vote on the
matter in question for each Share standing in his name on the
records of the Trust, irrespective of Series or Class of a
Series, and all outstanding Shares of all Series vote as a
single class.
"Statement of Additional Information," as used with
respect to the Trust (or any Series), shall mean the statement
of additional information relating to the Trust (or such Series)
which constitutes part of the currently effective Registration
Statement of the Trust under the Securities Act of 1933, as such
statement of additional information may be amended or
supplemented from time to time.
"Transfer Agent" shall have the meaning defined in Section
5.2(e) hereof.
"Trust" shall mean the trust named in Section 1.1 hereof.
<PAGE> 18
"Trust Property" shall mean, as of any particular time,
any and all property which shall have been transferred, conveyed
or paid to the Trust or the Trustees, and all interest,
dividends, income, earnings, profits and gains therefrom, and
proceeds thereof, including any proceeds derived from the sale,
exchange or liquidation thereof, and any funds or payments
derived from any reinvestment of such proceeds in whatever form
the same may be, and which at such time is owned or held by, or
for the account of, the Trust or the Trustees, without regard to
the Series to which such property is allocated.
"Trustees" shall mean, collectively, the Initial Trustee,
so long as he shall continue in office, and all other
individuals who at the time in question have been duly elected
or appointed as Trustees of the Trust in accordance with the
provisions hereof and who have qualified and are then in office.
At any time at which there shall be only one (I) Trustee in
office, such term shall mean such single Trustee.
SECTION 1.5. Real Property to be Converted into Personal
Property. Notwithstanding any other provision hereof, any real
property at any time forming part of the Trust Property shall be
held in trust for sale and conversion into personal property at
such time or times and in such manner and upon such terms as the
Trustees shall approve, but the Trustees shall have power until
the termination of this Trust to postpone such conversion as
long as they in their uncontrolled discretion shall think fit,
and for the purpose of determining the nature of the interest of
the Shareholders therein, all such real property shall at all
times be considered as personal property.
ARTICLE 2
PURPOSE OF THE TRUST
The purpose of the Trust shall be to (a) manage, conduct,
operate and carry on the business of an investment company; (b)
subscribe for, invest in, reinvest in, purchase or otherwise
acquire, hold, pledge, sell, assign, transfer, exchange,
distribute or otherwise deal in or dispose of any and all sorts
of property, tangible or intangible, including but not limited
to Securities of any type whatsoever, whether equity or
nonequity, of any issuer, evidences of indebtedness of any
person and any other rights, interest, instruments or property
of any sort to exercise any and all rights, powers and
privileges of ownership or interest in respect of any and all
such investment of every kind and description, including without
limitation, the right to consent and otherwise act with respect
thereto, with power to designate one or more Persons to exercise
any of said rights, powers and privileges in respect of any of
said investments. The Trustees shall not be limited by any law
<PAGE> 19
limiting the investments which may be made by fiduciaries.
ARTICLE 3
POWERS OF THE TRUSTEES
SECTION 3.1. Powers in General. The Trustees shall have,
without other or further authorization, full, entire, exclusive
and absolute power, control and authority over, and management
of, the business of the Trust and over the Trust Property, to
the same extent as if the Trustees were the sole owners of the
business and property of the Trust in their own right, and with
such powers of delegation as may be permitted by this
Declaration, subject only to such limitations as may be
expressly imposed by this Declaration of Trust or by applicable
law. The enumeration of any specific power or authority herein
shall not be construed as limiting the aforesaid power or
authority or any specific power or authority. Without limiting
the foregoing; they may select, and from time to time change,
the fiscal year of the Trust; they may adopt and use a seal for
the Trust, provided that unless otherwise required by the
Trustees, it shall not be necessary to place the seal upon, and
its absence shall not impair the validity of, any document,
instrument or other paper executed and delivered by or on behalf
of the Trust; they may from time to time in accordance with the
provisions of Section 6.1 hereof establish one or more Series to
which they may allocate such of the Trust Property, subject to
such liabilities, as they shall deem appropriate, each such
Series to be operated by the Trustees as a separate and distinct
investment medium and with separately defined investment
objectives and policies and distinct investment purposes, all as
established by the Trustees, or from time to time changed by
them; they may as they consider appropriate elect and remove
officers and appoint and terminate agents and consultants and
hire and terminate employees, any one or more of the foregoing
of whom may be a Trustee; they may appoint from their own
number, and terminate, any one or more committees consisting of
one or more Trustees, including without implied limitation an
Executive Committee, which may, when the Trustees are not in
session and subject to the 1940 Act, exercise some or all of the
power and authority of the Trustees as the Trustees may
determine; in accordance with Section 5.2 they may employ one or
more Investment Advisers, Administrators and Custodians and may
authorize any such service provider to employ one or more other
service providers and to deposit all or any part of such assets
in a system or systems for the central handling of Securities,
retain Transfer, Dividend Disbursing, Accounting or Shareholder
<PAGE> 20
Servicing Agents or any of the foregoing, provide for the
distribution of Shares by the Trust through one or more
Distributors, Principal Underwriters or otherwise, set record
dates or times for the determination of Shareholders entitled to
participate in, benefit from or act with respect to various
matters; and in general they may delegate to any officer of the
Trust, to any Committee of the Trustees and to any employee,
Investment Adviser, Administrator, Distributor, Custodian,
Transfer Agent, Dividend Disbursing Agent, or any other agent or
consultant of the Trust, such authority, powers, functions and
duties as they consider desirable or appropriate for the conduct
of the business and affairs of the Trust, including without
implied limitation the power and authority to act in the name of
the Trust and of the Trustees, to sign documents and to act as
attorney-in-fact for the Trustees. Without limiting the
foregoing and to the extent not inconsistent with the 1940 Act
or other applicable law, the Trustees shall have power and
authority:
(a) Investments. To subscribe for, invest in, reinvest
in, purchase or otherwise acquire, hold, pledge, sell, assign,
transfer, exchange, distribute or otherwise deal in or dispose
of any and all sorts of property, tangible or intangible,
including but not limited to Securities of any type whatsoever,
whether equity or nonequity, of any issuer, evidences of
indebtedness of any person and any other rights, interest,
instruments or property of any sort, to exercise any and all
rights, powers and privileges of ownership or interest in
respect of any and all such investments of every kind and
description, including without limitation the right to consent
and otherwise act with respect thereto, with power to designate
one or more Persons to exercise any of said rights, powers and
privileges in respect of any of said investments, in every case
without being limited by any law limiting the investments which
may be made by fiduciaries;
(b) Disposition of Assets. Upon such terms and conditions
as they deem best, to lend, sell, exchange, mortgage, pledge,
hypothecate, grant security interests in, encumber, negotiate,
convey, transfer or otherwise dispose of, and to trade in, any
and all of the Trust Property, free and clear of all trusts, for
cash or on terms, with or without advertisement, and on such
terms as to payment, security or otherwise, all as they shall
deem necessary or expedient;
(c) Ownership Powers. To vote or give assent, or exercise
any and all other rights, powers and privileges of ownership
with respect to, and to perform any and all duties and
obligations as owners of, any Securities or other property
forming part of the Trust Property, the same as any individual
might do; to exercise powers and rights of subscription or
otherwise which in any manner arise out of ownership of
Securities, and to receive powers of attorney from, and to
execute and deliver proxies or powers of attorney to, such
Person or Persons as the Trustees shall deem proper, receiving
from or granting to such Person or Persons such power and
discretion with relation to Securities or other property of the
<PAGE> 21
Trust, all as the Trustees shall deem proper;
(d) Form of Holding. To hold any Security or other
property in a form not indicating any trust, whether in bearer,
unregistered or other negotiable form, or in the name of the
Trustees or of the Trust, or of the Series to which such
Securities or property belong, or in the name of a Custodian,
subcustodian or other nominee or nominees, or otherwise, upon
such terms, in such manner or with such powers, as the Trustees
may determine, and with or without indicating any trust or the
interest of the Trustees therein;
(e) Reorganizations etc. To consent to or participate in
any plan for the reorganization, consolidation or merger of any
corporation or issuer, any Security of which is or was held in
the Trust or any Series; to consent to any contract, lease,
mortgage, purchase or sale of property by such corporation or
issuer, and to pay calls or subscriptions with respect to any
Security forming part of the Trust Property;
(f) Voting Trusts, etc. To join with other holders of any
Securities in acting through a committee, depository, voting
trustee or otherwise, and in that connection to deposit any
Security with, or transfer any Security to, any such committee,
depository or trustee, and to delegate to them such power and
authority with relation to any Security (whether or not so
deposited or transferred) as the Trustees shall deem proper, and
to agree to pay, and to pay, such portion of the expenses and
compensation of such committee, depository or trustee as the
Trustees shall deem proper;
(g) Contracts. etc. To enter into, make and perform all
such obligations, contracts, agreements and undertakings of
every kind and description, with any Person or Persons, as the
Trustees shall in their discretion deem expedient in the conduct
of the business of the Trust, for such terms as they shall see
fit, whether or not extending beyond the term of office of the
Trustees, or beyond the possible expiration of the Trust; to
amend, extend, release or cancel any such obligations,
contracts, agreements or understandings; and to execute,
acknowledge, deliver and record all written instruments which
they may deem necessary or expedient in the exercise of their
powers;
(h) Guarantees. etc. To endorse or guarantee the payment
of any notes or other obligations of any Person; to make
contracts of guaranty or suretyship, or otherwise assume
liability for payment thereof; and to mortgage and pledge the
Trust Property or any part thereof to secure any of or all such
obligations;
<PAGE> 22
(i) Partnerships, etc. To enter into joint ventures,
general or limited partnerships and any other combinations or
association;
(j) Insurance. To purchase and pay for entirely out of
Trust Property such insurance as they may deem necessary or
appropriate for the conduct of the business, including, without
limitation, insurance policies insuring the assets of the Trust
and payment of distributions and principal on its portfolio
investments, and insurance policies insuring the Shareholders,
Trustees, officers, employees, agents, consultants, Investment
Advisers, managers, Administrators, Distributors, Principal
Underwriters, or other independent contractors, or any thereof
(or any Person connected therewith), of the Trust, individually,
against all claims and liabilities of every nature arising by
reason of holding, being or having held any such office or
position, or by reason of any action alleged to have been taken
or omitted by any such Person in any such capacity, whether or
not the Trust would have the power to indemnify such Person
against such liability;
(k) Pensions, etc. To pay pensions for faithful service,
as deemed appropriate by the Trustees, and to adopt, establish
and carry out pension, profit sharing, share bonus, share
purchase, savings, thrift, deferred compensation and other
retirement, incentive and benefit plans, trusts and provisions,
including the purchasing of life insurance and annuity contracts
as a means of providing such retirement and other benefits, for
any or all of the Trustees, officers, employees and agents of
the Trust;
(I) Power of Collection and Litigation. To collect, sue
for and receive all sums of money coming due to the Trust, to
employ counsel, and to commence, engage in, prosecute, intervene
in, join, defend, compound, compromise, adjust or abandon, in
the name of the Trust, any and all actions, suits, proceedings,
disputes, claims, controversies, demands or other litigation or
legal proceedings relating to the Trust, the business of the
Trust, the Trust Property, or the Trustees, officers, employees,
agents and other independent contractors of the Trust, in their
capacity as such, at law or in equity, or before any other
bodies or tribunals, and to compromise, arbitrate or otherwise
adjust any dispute to which the Trust may be a party, whether or
not any suit is commenced or any claim shall have been made or
asserted. Except to the extent required for a Delaware business
trust, the Shareholders shall have no power to vote as to
whether or not a court action, legal proceeding or claim should
or should not be brought or maintained derivatively or as a
class action on behalf of the Trust or the Shareholders.
(m) Issuance and Repurchase of Shares. To authorize,
issue, sell, repurchase, redeem, retire, cancel, acquire, hold,
resell, reissue, dispose of, transfer, and otherwise deal in
Shares of any Series, and, subject to Article 6 hereof, to apply
to any such repurchase, redemption, retirement, cancellation or
<PAGE> 23
acquisition of Shares of any Series, any of the assets belonging
to the Series to which such Shares relate, whether constituting
capital or surplus or otherwise, to the full extent now or
hereafter permitted by applicable law; provided that any Shares
belonging to the Trust shall not be voted, directly or
indirectly;
(n) Offices. To have one or more offices, and to carry on
all or any of the operations and business of the Trust, in any
of the States, Districts or Territories of the United States,
and in any and all foreign countries, subject to the laws of
such State, District, Territory or country;
(o) Expenses. To incur and pay any and all such expenses
and charges as they may deem advisable (including without
limitation appropriate fees to themselves as Trustees), and to
pay all such sums of money for which they may be held liable by
way of damages, penalty, fine or otherwise;
(p) Agents, etc. To retain and employ any and all such
servants, agents, employees, attorneys, brokers, Investment
Advisers, accountants, architects, engineers, builders, escrow
agents, depositories, consultants, ancillary trustees,
custodians, agents for collection, insurers, banks and officers,
as they think best for the business of the Trust or any Series,
to supervise and direct the acts of any of the same, and to fix
and pay their compensation and define their duties;
(q) Accounts. To determine, and from time to time change,
the method or form in which the accounts of the Trust or any
Series shall be kept;
(r) Valuation. Subject to the requirements of the 1940
Act, to determine from time to time the value of all or any part
of the Trust Property and of any services, Securities, property
or other consideration to be furnished to or acquired by the
Trust, and from time to time to revalue all or any part of the
Trust Property in accordance with such appraisals or other
information as is, in the Trustees' sole judgment, necessary and
satisfactory;
(s) Indemnification. In addition to the mandatory
indemnification provided for in Article 8 hereof and to the
extent permitted by law, to indemnify or enter into agreements
with respect to indemnification with any Person with whom this
Trust has dealings, including, without limitation, any
independent contractor, to such extent as the Trustees shall
determine; and
<PAGE> 24
(t) General. Subject to the fundamental policies in effect
from time to time with respect to the Trust, to do all such
other acts and things and to conduct, operate, carry on and
engage in such other lawful businesses or business activities as
they shall in their sole and absolute discretion consider to be
incidental to the business of the Trust or any Series as an
investment company, and to exercise all powers which they shall
in their discretion consider necessary, useful or appropriate to
carry on the business of the Trust or any Series, to promote any
of the purposes for which the Trust is formed, whether or not
such things are specifically mentioned herein, in order to
protect or promote the interests of the Trust or any Series, or
otherwise to carry out the provisions of this Declaration.
SECTION 3.2. Borrowings; Financings: Issuance of
Securities. The Trustees have power, subject to the fundamental
policies in effect from time to time with respect to the Trust,
to borrow or in any other manner raise such sum or sums of
money, and to incur such other indebtedness for goods or
services, or for or in connection with the purchase or other
acquisition of property, as they shall deem advisable for the
purposes of the Trust, in any manner and on any terms, and to
evidence the same by negotiable or nonnegotiable Securities
which may mature at any time or times, even beyond the possible
date of termination of the Trust; to issue Securities of any
type for such cash, property, services or other considerations,
and at such time or times and upon such terms, as they may deem
advisable; and to reacquire any such Securities. Any such
Securities of the Trust may, at the discretion of the Trustees,
be made convertible into Shares of any Series, or may evidence
the right to purchase, subscribe for or otherwise acquire Shares
of any Series, at such times and on such terms as the Trustees
may prescribe.
SECTION 3.3. Deposits. Subject to the requirements of the
1940 Act, the Trustees shall have power to deposit any moneys or
Securities included in the Trust Property with any one or more
banks, trust companies or other banking institutions, whether or
not such deposits will draw interest. Such deposits are to be
subject to withdrawal in such manner as the Trustees may
determine, and the Trustees shall have no responsibility for any
loss which may occur by reason of the failure of the bank, trust
company or other banking institution with which any such moneys
or Securities have been deposited, except as provided in Section
8.2 hereof.
SECTION 3.4. Allocations. The Trustees shall have power to
determine whether moneys or other assets received by the Trust
shall be charged or credited to income or capital, or allocated
between income and capital, including the power to amortize or
fail to amortize any part or all of any premium or discount, to
treat any part or all of the profit resulting from the maturity
or sale of any asset, whether purchased at a premium or at a
discount, as income or capital, or to apportion the same between
income and capital, to apportion the sale price of any asset
between income and capital, and to determine in what manner any
expenses or disbursements are to be borne as between income and
<PAGE> 25
capital, whether or not in the absence of the power and
authority conferred by this Section 3.4 such assets would be
regarded as income or as capital or such expense or disbursement
would be charged to income or to capital; to treat any dividend
or other distribution on any investment as income or capital, or
to apportion the same between income and capital; to provide or
fail to provide reserves, including reserves for depreciation,
amortization or obsolescence in respect of any Trust Property in
such amounts and by such methods as they shall determine; to
allocate less than all of the consideration paid for Shares of
any Series to surplus with respect to the Series to which such
Shares relate and to allocate the balance thereof to paid-in
capital of that Series, and to reallocate such amounts from time
to time; all as the Trustees may reasonably deem proper.
SECTION 3.5. Further Powers: Limitations. The Trustees
shall have power to do all such other matters and things, and to
execute all such instruments, as they deem necessary, proper or
desirable in order to carry out, promote or advance the
interests of the Trust, although such matters or things are not
herein specifically mentioned. Any determination as to what is
in the interests of the Trust made by the Trustees in good faith
shall be conclusive. In construing the provisions of this
Declaration of Trust, the presumption shall be in favor of a
grant of power to the Trustees. The Trustees shall not be
required to obtain any court order to deal with the Trust
Property. The Trustees may limit their right to exercise any of
their powers through express restrictive provisions in the
instruments evidencing or providing the terms for any Securities
of the Trust or in other contractual instruments adopted on
behalf of the Trust.
ARTICLE 4
TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS
SECTION 4.1. Number. Designation, Election. Term, etc.
(a) Initial Trustee. Upon his execution of this
Declaration of Trust or a counterpart hereof or some other
writing in which he accepts such Trusteeship and agrees to the
provisions hereof, the individual whose signature is affixed
hereto as Initial Trustee shall become the Initial Trustee
hereof.
(b) Number. The Trustees serving as such, whether named
above or hereafter becoming Trustees, may increase (to not more
than twenty (20)) or decrease the number of Trustees to a number
other than the number theretofore determined by a written
<PAGE> 26
instrument signed by a Majority of the Trustees (or by an
officer of the Trust pursuant to the vote of a Majority of the
Trustees). No decrease in the number of Trustees shall have the
effect of removing any Trustee from office prior to the
expiration of his term, but the number of Trustees may be
decreased in conjunction with the removal of a Trustee pursuant
to subsection (e) of this Section 4.1.
(c) Election and Term. The Trustees shall be elected by
the Shareholders of the Trust at the first meeting of
Shareholders immediately prior to the initial public offering of
Shares of the Trust, and the term of office of any Trustees in
office before such election shall terminate at the time of such
election. Subject to Section 16(a) of the 1940 Act and to the
preceding sentence of this subsection (c), the Trustees shall
have the power to set and alter the terms of office of the
Trustees, and at any time to lengthen or shorten their own terms
or make their terms of unlimited duration, to elect their own
successors and, pursuant to subsection (f) of this Section 4.1,
to appoint Trustees to fill vacancies; provided that Trustees
shall be elected by a Majority Shareholder Vote at any such time
or times as the Trustees shall determine that such action is
required under Section 16(a) of the 1940 Act or, if not so
required, that such action is advisable; and further provided
that, after the initial election of Trustees by the
Shareholders, the term of office of any incumbent Trustee shall
continue until the termination of this Trust or his earlier
death, resignation, retirement, bankruptcy, adjudicated
incompetency or other incapacity or removal, or if not so
terminated, until the election of such Trustee's successor in
office has become effective in accordance with this subsection
(c).
(d) Resignation and Retirement. Any Trustee may resign his
trust or retire as a Trustee, by a written instrument signed by
him and delivered to the other Trustees or to any officer of the
Trust, and such resignation or retirement shall take effect upon
such delivery or upon such later date as is specified in such
instrument.
(e) Removal. Any Trustee may be removed with or without
cause at any time: (i) by written instrument, signed by at least
two thirds (2/3) of the number of Trustees prior to such
removal, specifying the date upon which such removal shall
become effective; or (ii) by vote of Shareholders holding not
less than two thirds (2/3) of the Shares of each Series then
outstanding, cast in person or by proxy at any meeting called
for the purpose; or (iii) by a written declaration signed by
Shareholders holding not less than two thirds (2/3) of the
Shares of each Series then outstanding. Upon incapacity or
death of any Trustee, his legal representative shall execute and
deliver on his behalf such documents as the remaining Trustees
shall require in order to effect the purpose of this Paragraph.
(f) Vacancies. Any vacancy or anticipated vacancy
<PAGE> 27
resulting from any reason, including an increase in the number
of Trustees, may (but need not unless required by the 1940 Act)
be filled by a Majority of the Trustees, subject to the
provisions of Section 16(a) of the 1940 Act, through the
appointment in writing of such other individual as such
remaining Trustees in their discretion shall determine; provided
that if there shall be no Trustees in office, such vacancy or
vacancies shall be filled by Majority Shareholders Vote. Any
such appointment or election shall be effective upon such
individual's written acceptance of his appointment as a Trustee
and his agreement to be bound by the provisions of this
Declaration of Trust, except that any such appointment in
anticipation of a vacancy to occur by reason of retirement,
resignation or increase in the number of Trustees to be
effective at a later date shall become effective only at or
after the effective date of said retirement, resignation or
increase in the number of Trustees.
(g) Acceptance of Trusts. Whenever any conditions to the
appointment or election of any individual as a Trustee hereunder
who was not, immediately prior to such appointment or election,
acting as a Trustee shall have been satisfied, such individual
shall become a Trustee and the Trust estate shall vest in the
new Trustee, together with the continuing Trustees, without any
further act or conveyance. Such new Trustee shall accept such
appointment or election in writing and agree in such writing to
be bound by the provisions hereof, but the execution of such
writing shall not be requisite to the effectiveness of the
appointment or election of a new Trustee.
(h) Effect of Death. Resignation, etc. No vacancy, whether
resulting from the death, resignation, retirement, bankruptcy,
adjudicated incompetency, incapacity, or removal of any Trustee,
an increase in the number of Trustees or otherwise, shall
operate to annul or terminate the Trust hereunder or to revoke
or terminate any existing agency or contract created or entered
into pursuant to the terms of this Declaration of Trust. Until
such vacancy is filled as provided in this Section 4.1, the
Trustees in office (if any), regardless of their number, shall
have all the powers granted to the Trustees and shall discharge
all the duties imposed upon the Trustees by this Declaration.
(i) Convevance. In the event of the resignation or
removal of a Trustee or his otherwise ceasing to be a Trustee,
such former Trustee or his legal representative shall, upon
request of the continuing Trustees, execute and deliver such
documents as may be required for the purpose of consummating or
evidencing the conveyance to the Trust or the remaining Trustees
of any Trust Property held in such former Trustee's name, but
the execution and delivery of such documents shall not be
requisite to the vesting of title to the Trust Property in the
remaining Trustees, as provided in subsection (g) of this
Section 4.1 and in Section 4.13 hereof.
(j) No Accounting. Except to the extent required by the
<PAGE> 28
1940 Act or under circumstances which would justify his removal
for cause, no Person ceasing to be a Trustee (nor the estate of
any such Person) shall be required to make an accounting to the
Shareholders or remaining Trustees upon such cessation.
SECTION 4.2. Trustees' Meetings: Participation by
Telephone. etc. Annual and special meetings may be held from
time to time, in each case, upon the call of such officers as
may be thereunto authorized by the By-Laws or vote of the
Trustees, or by any three (3) Trustees, or pursuant to a vote of
the Trustees adopted at a duly constituted meeting of the
Trustees, and upon such notice as shall be provided in the
By-Laws. Any such meeting may be held within or without the
state of Delaware. The Trustees may act with or without a
meeting, and a written consent to any matter, signed by a
Majority of the Trustees, shall be equivalent to action duly
taken at a meeting of the Trustees, duly called and held. Except
as otherwise provided by the 1940 Act or other applicable law,
or by this Declaration of Trust or the By-Laws, any action to be
taken by the Trustees may be taken by a majority of the Trustees
present at a meeting of Trustees (a quorum, consisting of at
least a Majority of the Trustees, being present), within or
without Delaware. If authorized by the By-Laws, all or any one
or more Trustees may participate in a meeting of the Trustees or
any Committee thereof by means of conference telephone or
similar means of communication by means of which all Persons
participating in the meeting can hear each other, and
participation in a meeting pursuant to such means of
communication shall constitute presence in person at such
meeting. The minutes of any meeting thus held shall be prepared
in the same manner as a meeting at which all participants were
present in person.
SECTION 4.3. Committees; Delegation. The Trustees shall
have power, consistent with their ultimate responsibility to
supervise the affairs of the Trust, to delegate from time to
time to one or more other Committees, or to any single Trustee,
the doing of such things and the execution of such deeds or
other instruments, either in the name of the Trust or the names
of the Trustees or as their attorney or attorneys in fact, or
otherwise as the Trustees may from time to time deem expedient,
and any agreement, deed, mortgage, lease or other instrument or
writing executed by the Trustee or Trustees or other Person to
whom such delegation was made shall be valid and binding upon
the Trustees and upon the Trust.
SECTION 4.4. Officers. The Trustees shall annually elect
such officers or agents, who shall have such powers, duties and
responsibilities as the Trustees may deem to be advisable, and
as they shall specify by resolution or in the By-Laws. Except as
may be provided in the By-Laws, any officer elected by the
Trustees may be removed at any time with or without cause. Any
two (2) or more offices may be held by the same individual.
SECTION 4.5. Compensation of Trustees and Officers. The
<PAGE> 29
Trustees shall fix the compensation of all officers and
Trustees. Without limiting the generality of any of the
provisions hereof, the Trustees shall be entitled to receive
reasonable compensation for their general services as such, and
to fix the amount of such compensation, and to pay themselves or
any one or more of themselves such compensation for special
services, including legal, accounting, or other professional
services, as they in good faith may deem reasonable. No Trustee
or officer resigning (except where a right to receive
compensation for a definite future period shall be expressly
provided in a written agreement with the Trust, duly approved by
the Trustees) and no Trustee or officer removed shall have any
right to any compensation as such Trustee or officer for any
period following his resignation or removal, or any right to
damages on account of his removal, whether his compensation be
by the month, or the year or otherwise.
SECTION 4.6. Ownership of Shares and Securities of the
Trust. Any Trustee, and any officer, employee or agent of the
Trust, and any organization in which any such Person is
interested, may acquire, own, hold and dispose of Shares of any
Series and other Securities of the Trust for his or its
individual account, and may exercise all rights of a holder of
such Shares or Securities to the same extent and in the same
manner as if such Person were not such a Trustee, officer,
employee or agent of the Trust; subject, in the case of Trustees
and officers, to the same limitations as directors or officers
(as the case may be) of a Delaware business corporation; and the
Trust may issue and sell or cause to be issued and sold and may
purchase any such Shares or other Securities from any such
Person or any such organization, subject only to the general
limitations, restrictions or other provisions applicable to the
sale or purchase of Shares of such Series or other Securities of
the Trust generally.
SECTION 4.7. Right of Trustees and Officers to Own
Property or to Engage in Business; Authority of Trustees to
Permit Others to Do Likewise. The Trustees, in their capacity as
Trustees, and (unless otherwise specifically directed by vote of
the Trustees) the officers of the Trust in their capacity as
such, shall not be required to devote their entire time to the
business and affairs of the Trust. Except as otherwise
specifically provided by vote of the Trustees, or by agreement
in any particular case, any Trustee or officer of the Trust may
acquire, own, hold and dispose of, for his own individual
account, any property, and acquire, own, hold, carry on and
dispose of, for his own individual account, any business entity
or business activity, whether similar or dissimilar to any
property or business entity or business activity invested in or
carried on by the Trust, and without first offering the same as
an investment opportunity to the Trust, and may exercise all
rights in respect thereof as if he were not a Trustee or officer
of the Trust. The Trustees shall also have power, generally or
in specific cases, to permit employees or agents of the Trust to
have the same rights (or lesser rights) to acquire, hold, own
and dispose of property and businesses, to carry on businesses,
and to accept investment opportunities without offering them to
the Trust, as the Trustees have by virtue of this Section 4.7.
<PAGE> 30
SECTION 4.8. Reliance on Experts. The Trustees and
officers may consult with counsel, engineers, brokers,
appraisers, auctioneers, accountants, investment bankers,
securities analysts or other Persons (any of which may be a firm
in which one or more of the Trustees or officers is or are
members or otherwise interested) whose profession gives
authority to a statement made by them on the subject in
question, and who are reasonably deemed by the Trustees or
officers in question to be competent, and the advice or opinion
of such Persons shall be full and complete personal protection
to all of the Trustees and officers in respect of any action
taken or suffered by them in good faith and in reliance on or in
accordance with such advice or opinion. In discharging their
duties, Trustees and officers, when acting in good faith, may
rely upon financial statements of the Trust represented to them
to be correct by any officer of the Trust having charge of its
books of account, or stated in a written report by an
independent certified public accountant fairly to present the
financial position of the Trust. The Trustees and officers may
rely, and shall be personally protected in acting, upon any
instrument or other document believed by them to be genuine.
SECTION 4.9. Surety Bonds. No Trustee, officer, employee
or agent of the Trust shall, as such, be obligated to give any
bond or surety or other security for the performance of any of
his duties, unless required by applicable law or regulation, or
unless the Trustees shall otherwise determine in any particular
case.
SECTION 4.10. Apparent Authority of Trustees and Officers.
No purchaser, lender, transfer agent or other Person dealing
with the Trustees or any officer of the Trust shall be bound to
make any inquiry concerning the validity of any transaction
purporting to be made by the Trustees or by such officer, or to
make inquiry concerning or be liable for the application of
money or property paid, loaned or delivered to or on the order
of the Trustees or of such officer.
SECTION 4.11. Other Relationships Not Prohibited. The fact
that:
(i) any of the Shareholders, Trustees or officers of the
Trust is a shareholder, director, officer, partner, trustee,
employee, manager, adviser, principal underwriter or distributor
or agent of or for any Contracting Party (as defined in Section
5.2 hereof), or of or for any parent or affiliate of any
Contracting Party, or that the Contracting Party or any parent
or affiliate thereof is a Shareholder or has an interest in the
Trust or any Series, or that
(ii) any Contracting Party may have a contract providing
for the rendering of any similar services to one or more other
<PAGE> 31
corporations, trusts, associations, partnerships, limited
partnerships or other organizations, or have other business or
interests, shall not affect the validity of any contract for the
performance and assumption of services, duties and
responsibilities to, for or of the Trust and/or the Trustees or
disqualify any Shareholder, Trustee or officer of the Trust from
voting upon or executing the same or create any liability or
accountability to the Trust or to the holders of Shares of any
Series; provided that, in the case of any relationship or
interest referred to in the preceding clause (i) on the part of
any Trustee or officer of the Trust, either (x) the material
facts as to such relationship or interest have been disclosed to
or are known by the Trustees not having any such relationship or
interest and the contract involved is approved in good faith by
a majority of such Trustees not having any such relationship or
interest (even though such unrelated or disinterested Trustees
are less than a quorum of all of the Trustees), (y) the material
facts as to such relationship or interest and as to the contract
have been disclosed to or are known by the Shareholders entitled
to vote thereon and the contract involved is specifically
approved in good faith by vote of the Shareholders, or (z) the
specific contract involved is fair to the Trust as of the time
it is authorized, approved or ratified by the Trustees or by the
Shareholders.
SECTION 4.12. Payment of Trust Expenses. The Trustees are
authorized to pay or to cause to be paid out of the principal or
income of the Trust, or partly out of principal and partly out
of income, and according to any allocation to a particular
Series and Class made by them pursuant to Section 6.1(f) hereof,
all expenses, fees, charges, taxes and liabilities incurred or
arising in connection with the business and affairs of the Trust
or in connection with the management thereof, including, but not
limited to, the Trustees' compensation and such expenses and
charges for the services of the Trust's officers, employees,
Investment Adviser, Administrator, Distributor, Principal
Underwriter, auditor, counsel, Custodian, Transfer Agent,
Dividend Disbursing Agent, Accounting Agent, Shareholder
Servicing Agent, and such other agents, consultants, and
independent contractors and such other expenses and charges as
the Trustees may deem necessary or proper to incur.
SECTION 4.13. Ownership of the Trust Property. Legal title
to all the Trust Property shall be vested in the Trustees as
joint tenants, except that the Trustees shall have power to
cause legal title to any Trust Property to be held by or in the
name of one or more of the Trustees, or in the name of the
Trust, or of any particular Series, or in the name of any other
Person as nominee, on such terms as the Trustees may determine;
provided that the interest of the Trust and of the respective
Series therein is appropriately protected. The right, title and
interest of the Trustees in the Trust Property shall vest
automatically in each Person who may hereafter become a Trustee.
Upon the termination of the term of office of a Trustee as
provided in Section 4.1(c), (d) or (e) hereof, such Trustee
shall automatically cease to have any right, title or interest
in any of the Trust Property, and the right, title and interest
of such Trustee in the Trust Property shall vest automatically
in the remaining Trustees. Such vesting and cessation of title
<PAGE> 32
shall be effective whether or not conveyancing documents have
been executed and delivered pursuant to Section 4.1(i) hereof.
SECTION 4.14. By-Laws. The Trustees may adopt and from
time to time amend or repeal By-Laws for the conduct of the
business of the Trust.
ARTICLE 5
DELEGATION OF MANAGERIAL RESPONSIBILITIES
SECTION 5.1. Appointment; Action by Less than All
Trustees. The Trustees shall be responsible for the general
operating policy of the Trust and for the general supervision of
the business of the Trust conducted by officers, agents,
employees or advisers of the Trust or by independent
contractors, but the Trustees shall not be required personally
to conduct all the business of the Trust and, consistent with
their ultimate responsibility as stated herein, the Trustees may
appoint, employ or contract with one or more officers, employees
and agents to conduct, manage and/or supervise the operations of
the Trust, and may grant or delegate such authority to such
officers, employees and/or agents as the Trustees may, in their
sole discretion, deem to be necessary or desirable, without
regard to whether such authority is normally granted or
delegated by trustees. With respect to those matters of the
operation and business of the Trust which they shall elect to
conduct themselves, except as otherwise provided by this
Declaration or the By-Laws, if any, the Trustees may authorize
any single Trustee or defined group of Trustees, or any
committee consisting of a number of Trustees less than the whole
number of Trustees then in office without specification of the
particular Trustees required to be included therein, to act for
and to bind the Trust, to the same extent as the whole number of
Trustees could do, either with respect to one or more particular
matters or classes of matters, or generally.
SECTION 5.2. Certain Contracts. Subject to compliance with
the provisions of the 1940 Act, but notwithstanding any
limitations of present and future law or custom in regard to
delegation of powers by trustees generally, the Trustees may, at
any time and from time to time in their discretion and without
limiting the generality of their powers and authority otherwise
set forth herein, enter into one or more contracts with any one
or more corporations, trusts, associations, partnerships,
limited partnerships or other types of organizations, or
individuals ("Contracting Party"), to provide for the
performance and assumption of some or all of the following
services, duties and responsibilities to, for or on behalf of
the Trust and/or any Series, and/or the Trustees, and to provide
for the performance and assumption of such other services,
<PAGE> 33
duties and responsibilities in addition to those set forth
below, as the Trustees may deem appropriate:
(a) Advisory. An investment advisory or management
agreement whereby the agent shall undertake to furnish each
Series of the Trust such management, investment advisory or
supervisory, statistical and research facilities and services,
and such other facilities and services, if any, as the Trustees
shall from time to time consider desirable, all upon such terms
and conditions as the Trustees may in their discretion determine
to be not inconsistent with this Declaration, the applicable
provisions of the 1940 Act or any applicable provisions of the
By-Laws (any such agent being herein referred to as an
"Investment Adviser"). To the extent required by the 1940 Act,
any such advisory or management agreement and any amendment
thereto shall be subject to approval by a Majority Shareholder
Vote at a meeting of the Shareholders of the applicable Series
of the Trust. Notwithstanding any provisions of this
Declaration, the Trustees may authorize the Investment Adviser
(subject to such general or specific instructions as the
Trustees may from time to time adopt) to effect purchases,
sales, loans or exchanges of securities of the Trust on behalf
of the Trustees or may authorize any officer or employee of the
Trust or any Trustee to effect such purchases, sales, loans or
exchanges pursuant to recommendations of the Investment Adviser
(and all without further action by the Trustees). Any such
purchases, sales, loans and exchanges shall be deemed to have
been authorized by all of the Trustees. The Trustees may, in
their sole discretion, call a meeting of Shareholders in order
to submit to a vote of Shareholders of the applicable Series of
Trust at such meeting the approval of continuance of any such
investment advisory or management agreement.
(b) Administration. An agreement whereby the agent,
subject to the general supervision of the Trustees and in
conformity with any policies of the Trustees with respect to the
operations of the Trust and each Series, will supervise all or
any part of the operations of the Trust and each Series, and
will provide all or any part of the administrative and clerical
personnel, office space and office equipment and services
appropriate for the efficient administration and operations of
the Trust and each Series (any such agent being herein referred
to as an "Administrator").
(c) Underwriting. An agreement providing for the sale of
Shares of any one or more Series to net the Trust not less than
the net asset value per Share (as described in Section 6.2(l)
hereof) and pursuant to which the Trust may appoint the other
party to such agreement as its principal underwriter or sales
agent for the distribution of such Shares. The agreement shall
contain such terms and conditions as the Trustees may in their
discretion determine to be not inconsistent with this
Declaration, the applicable provisions of the 1940 Act and any
applicable provisions of the By-Laws (any such agent being
herein referred to as a "Distributor" or a "Principal
Underwriter," as the case may be).
<PAGE> 34
(d) Custodian. The appointment of an agent meeting the
requirements for a custodian for the assets of Investment
Companies contained in the 1940 Act as custodian of the
Securities and cash of the Trust and of each Series and of the
accounting records in connection therewith (any such agent being
herein referred to as a "Custodian").
(e) Transfer and Dividend Disbursing Agent. An agreement
with an agent to maintain records of the ownership of
outstanding Shares, the issuance and redemption and the transfer
thereof (any such agent being herein referred to as a "Transfer
Agent"), and to disburse any dividends declared by the Trustees
and in accordance with the policies of the Trustees and/or the
instructions of any particular Shareholder to reinvest any such
dividends (any such agent being herein referred to as a
"Dividend Disbursing Agent").
(f) Shareholder Servicing. An agreement with an agent to
provide service with respect to the relationship of the Trust
and its Shareholders, records with respect to Shareholders and
their Shares, and similar matters (any such agent being herein
referred to as a "Shareholder Servicing Agent").
(g) Accounting. An agreement with an agent to handle all
or any part of the accounting responsibilities, whether with
respect to the Trust's properties, Shareholders or otherwise
(any such agent being herein referred to as an "Accounting
Agent").
In addition, the Trustees may from time to time cause the Trust
or any Series thereof to enter into agreements with respect to
such other services and upon such other terms and conditions as
they may deem necessary, appropriate or desirable. The same
Person may be the Contracting Party for some or all of the
services, duties and responsibilities to, for and of the Trust
and/or the Trustees, and the contracts with respect thereto may
contain such terms interpretive of or in addition to the
delineation of the services, duties and responsibilities
provided for, including provisions that are not inconsistent
with the 1940 Act relating to the standard of duty of and the
rights to indemnification of the Contracting Party and others,
as the Trustees may determine. Nothing herein shall preclude,
prevent or limit the Trust or a Contracting Party from entering
into subcontractual arrangements relative to any of the matters
referred to in subsections (a) through (g) of this Section 5.2.
Section 5.3. Distribution Arrangements. Subject to
compliance with the 1940 Act, the Trustees may adopt and amend
or repeal from time to time and implement one or more plans of
distribution pursuant to Rule 12b-1 of the 1940 Act which
plan(s) will provide for the payment of specified marketing,
distribution and shareholder relations expenses of the Trust and
<PAGE> 35
any or all Series and their agents and the agents of such agents.
Section 5.4. Service Arrangements. Subject to
compliance with the 1940 Act, the Trustees may adopt and amend
or repeal from time to time and implement one or more service
plans which plans will provide for the payment of ongoing
services to holders of the shares of such Trust or any Series
thereof and in connection with the maintanence of such
shareholders' accounts.
ARTICLE 6
SERIES AND SHARES
SECTION 6.1. Description of Series and Shares.
(a) General. The beneficial interest in the Trust shall be
divided into Shares (either full or fractional) having $ 0.01
par value per Share, of which an unlimited number may be issued.
The Trustees shall have the authority from time to time to
establish and designate one or more separate, distinct and
independent Series of Shares (each of which Series, including
without limitation each Series authorized in Section 6.2 hereof,
shall represent interests only in the asset attributed by the
Trustees to such Series), and to authorize separate Classes of
Shares of any such Series, as they deem necessary or desirable.
All Shares shall be of one class, provided that the Trustees
shall have the power to classify or reclassify any unissued
Shares of any Series into any number of additional Classes of
such Series as set forth in Section 6.2.
(b) Establishment. etc. of Series; Authorization of
Shares. The establishment and designation of any Series and the
authorization of the Shares thereof shall be effective upon the
execution by a Majority of the Trustees (or by an officer of the
Trust pursuant to the vote of a Majority of the Trustees) of an
instrument setting forth such establishment and designation and
the relative rights and preferences of the Shares of such Series
and the manner in which the same may be amended (a "Certificate
of Designation"), and may provide that the number of Shares of
such Series which may be issued is unlimited, or may limit the
number issuable. At any time that there are no Shares
outstanding of any particular Series previously established and
designated, the Trustees may by an instrument executed by a
Majority of the Trustees (or by an officer of the Trust pursuant
to the vote of a Majority of the Trustees) terminate such Series
and the establishment and designation thereof and the
authorization of its Shares (a "Certificate of Termination").
Each Certificate of Designation, Certificate of Termination and
<PAGE> 36
any instrument amending a Certificate of Designation shall have
the status of an amendment to this Declaration of Trust.
(c) Character of Separate Series and Shares Thereof. Each
Series established hereunder shall represent beneficial
interests in a separate component of the assets of the Trust.
Holders of Shares of a Series shall be considered Shareholders
of such Series, but such Shareholders shall also be considered
Shareholders of the Trust for purposes of receiving reports and
notices and, except as otherwise provided herein or in the
Certificate of Designation of a particular Series, or as
required by the 1940 Act or other applicable law, the right to
vote, all without distinction by Series. The Trustees shall have
exclusive power without the requirement of Shareholder approval
to establish and designate such separate and distinct Series,
and to fix and determine the relative rights and preferences as
between the shares of the respective Series, and as between the
Classes of any Series, as to rights of redemption and the price,
terms and manner of redemption, special and relative rights as
to dividends and other distributions and on liquidation, sinking
or purchase fund provisions, conversion rights, and conditions
under which the Shareholders of the several Series or the
several Classes of any Series of Shares shall have separate
voting rights or no voting rights. Except as otherwise provided
as to a particular Series herein, or in the Certificate of
Designation therefor, the Trustees shall have all the rights and
powers, and be subject to all the duties and obligations, with
respect to each such Series and the assets and affairs thereof
as they have under this Declaration with respect to the Trust
and the Trust Property in general. Separate and distinct
records shall be maintained for each Series of Shares and the
assets and liabilities attributable thereto.
(d) Consideration for Shares. The Trustees may issue
Shares of any Series for such consideration (which may include
property subject to, or acquired in connection with the
assumption of, liabilities) and on such terms as they may
determine (or for no consideration if pursuant to a Share
dividend or split-up), all without action or approval of the
Shareholders. All Shares when so issued on the terms determined
by the Trustees shall be fully paid and nonassessable (but may
be subject to mandatory contribution back to the Trust as
provided in Section 6.1(l) hereof. The Trustees may classify or
reclassify any unissued Shares, or any Shares of any Series
previously issued and reacquired by the Trust, into Shares of
one or more other Series that may be established and designated
from time to time.
(e) Assets Belonging to Series. Any portion of the Trust
Property allocated to a particular Series, and all consideration
received by the Trust for the issue or sale of Shares of such
Series, together with all assets in which such consideration is
invested or reinvested, all interest, dividends, income,
earnings, profits and gains therefrom, and proceeds thereof,
including any proceeds derived from the sale, exchange or
liquidation of such assets, and any funds or payments derived
from any reinvestment of such proceeds in whatever form the same
<PAGE> 37
may be, shall be held by the Trustees in trust for the benefit
of the holders of Shares of that Series and shall irrevocably
belong to that Series for all purposes, and shall be so recorded
upon the books of account of the Trust, and the Shareholders of
such Series shall not have, and shall be conclusively deemed to
have waived, any claims to the assets of any Series of which
they are not Shareholders. Such consideration, assets, interest,
dividends, income, earnings, profits, gains and proceeds,
together with any General Items allocated to that Series as
provided in the following sentence, are herein referred to
collectively as assets "belonging to" that Series. In the event
that there are any assets, income, earnings, profits, and
proceeds thereof, funds, or payments which are not readily
identifiable as belonging to any particular Series
(collectively, "General Items"), the Trustees shall allocate
such General Items to and among any one or more of the Series
established and designated from time to time in such manner and
on such basis as they, in their sole discretion, deem fair and
equitable; and any General Items so allocated to a particular
Series shall belong to and be part of the assets belonging to
that Series. Each such allocation by the Trustees shall be
conclusive and binding upon the Shareholders of all Series for
all purposes.
(f) Liabilities of Series. The assets belonging to each
particular Series shall be charged with the liabilities in
respect of that Series and all expenses, costs, charges and
reserves attributable to that Series, and any general
liabilities, expenses, costs, charges or reserves of the Trust
which are not readily identifiable as pertaining to any
particular Series shall be allocated and charged by the Trustees
to and among any one or more of the Series established and
designated from time to time in such manner and on such basis as
the Trustees in their sole discretion deem fair and equitable.
The indebtedness, expenses, costs, charges and reserves
allocated and so charged to a particular Series are herein
referred to as "liabilities of" that Series. Each allocation of
liabilities, expenses, costs, charges and reserves by the
Trustees shall be conclusive and binding upon the Shareholders
of all Series for all purposes. Any creditor of any Series may
look only to the assets belonging to that Series to satisfy such
creditor's debt.
(g) Dividends. Dividends and distributions on Shares of a
particular Series may be paid with such frequency as the
Trustees may determine, which may be daily or otherwise pursuant
to a standing resolution or resolutions adopted only once or
with such frequency as the Trustees may determine, to the
Shareholders of that Series, from such of the income, accrued or
realized, and capital gains, realized or unrealized, and out of
the assets belonging to that Series, as the Trustees may
determine, after providing for actual and accrued liabilities of
that Series. All dividends and distributions on Shares of a
particular Series shall be distributed pro rata to the
Shareholders of that Series in proportion to the number of such
Shares held by such holders at the date and time of record
established for the payment of such dividends or distributions,
except that the dividends and distributions of investment income
and capital gains with respect to each Class of Shares of a
<PAGE> 38
particular Series shall be in such amount as may be declared
from time to time by the Trustees, and such dividends and
distributions may vary as between such Classes to reflect
differing allocations of the expenses of the Series between the
Shareholders of such several Classes and any resultant
differences between the net asset value of such several Classes
to such extent and for such purposes as the Trustees may deem
appropriate and further except that, in connection with any
dividend or distribution program or procedure, the Trustees may
determine that no dividend or distribution shall be payable on
Shares as to which the Shareholder's purchase order and/or
payment have not been received by the time or times established
by the Trustees under such program or procedure, or that
dividends or distributions shall be payable on Shares which have
been tendered by the holder thereof for redemption or
repurchase, but the redemption or repurchase proceeds of which
have not yet been paid to such Shareholder. Such dividends and
distributions may be made in cash, property or Shares of any
Class of that Series or a combination thereof as determined by
the Trustees, or pursuant to any program that the Trustees may
have in effect at the time for the election by each Shareholder
of the mode of the making of such dividend or distribution to
that Shareholder. Any such dividend or distribution paid in
Shares will be paid at the net asset value thereof as determined
in accordance with subsection (l) of this Section 6.1.
(h) Liquidation. In the event of the liquidation or
dissolution of the Trust, the Shareholders of each Series of
which Shares are outstanding shall be entitled to receive, when
and as declared by the Trustees, the excess of the assets
belonging to that Series over the liabilities of such Series.
The assets so distributable to the Shareholders of any
particular Series shall be distributed among such Shareholders
in proportion to the number of Shares of that Series held by
them and recorded on the books of the Trust. The liquidation of
any particular Series may be authorized by vote of a Majority of
the Trustees, subject to the affirmative vote of "a majority of
the outstanding voting securities" of that Series, as the quoted
phrase is defined in the 1940 Act, determined in accordance with
clause (iii) of the definition of "Majority Shareholder Vote" in
Section 1.4 hereof.
(i) Voting. The Shareholders shall have the voting rights
set forth in or determined under Article 7 hereof.
(j) Redemption by Shareholder. Each holder of Shares of a
particular Series shall have the right at such times as may be
permitted by the Trust, but no less frequently than required by
the 1940 Act, to require the Series to redeem all or any part of
his Shares of that Series at a redemption price equal to the net
asset value per Share of that Series next determined in
accordance with subsection (l) of this Section 6.1 after the
Shares are properly tendered for redemption; provided, that the
Trustees may from time to time, in their discretion, determine
and impose a fee for such redemption and that the proceeds of
the redemption of Shares (including a fractional Share) of any
Class of a particular Series shall be reduced by the amount of
<PAGE> 39
any applicable contingent deferred sales charge or other sales
charge, if any, payable on such redemption to the distributor of
Shares of such Class pursuant to the terms of the initial
issuance of the Shares of such Class (to the extent consistent
with the 1940 Act or regulations or exemptions thereunder) and
the Trust shall promptly pay to such distributor the amount of
such deferred sales charge. Payment of the redemption price
shall be in cash; provided, however, that if the Trustees
determine, which determination shall be conclusive, that
conditions exist which make payment wholly in cash unwise or
undesirable, the Trust may make payment wholly or partly in
Securities or other assets belonging to such Series at the value
of such Securities or assets used in such determination of net
asset value. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Trust may
postpone payment of the redemption price and may suspend the
right of the holders of Shares of any Series to require the
Trust to redeem Shares of that Series during any period or at
any time when and to the extent permissible under the 1940 Act.
(k) Redemption at the Option of the Trust. The Trustees
shall have the power to redeem Shares of any Series at a
redemption price determined in accordance with Section 6.1(j),
if at any time (i) the total investment in such account does not
have a value of at least such minimum amount as may be specified
in the Prospectus for such Series from time to time (ii) the
number of Shares held in such account is equal to or in excess
of a specified percentage of Shares of the Trust or any Series
as set forth from time to time in the applicable Prospectus. In
the event the Trustees determine to exercise their power to
redeem Shares provided in this Section 6.1(k), the Shareholder
shall be notified that the value of his account is less than the
applicable minimum amount and shall be allowed 30 days to make
an appropriate investment before redemption is processed.
(I) Net Asset Value. The net asset value per Share of any
Series at any time shall be the quotient obtained by dividing
the value of the net assets of such Series at such time (being
the current value of the assets belonging to such Series, less
its then existing liabilities) by the total number of Shares of
that Series then outstanding, all determined in accordance with
the methods and procedures, including without limitation those
with respect to rounding, established by the Trustees from time
to time in accordance with the requirements of the 1940 Act. The
net asset value of the several Classes of a particular Series
shall be separately computed, and may vary from one another. The
Trustees shall establish procedures for the allocation of
investment income or capital gains and expenses and liabilities
of a particular Series between the several Classes of such
Series. The Trustees may determine to maintain the net asset
value per Share of any Series at a designated constant dollar
amount and in connection therewith may adopt procedures not
inconsistent with the 1940 Act for the continuing declaration of
income attributable to that Series as dividends payable in
additional Shares of that Series at the designated constant
dollar amount and for the handling of any losses attributable to
that Series. Such procedures may provide that in the event of
any loss each Shareholder shall be deemed to have contributed to
the shares of beneficial interest account of that Series his pro
rata portion of the total number of Shares required to be
<PAGE> 40
canceled in order to permit the net asset value per Share of
that Series to be maintained, after reflecting such loss, at the
designated constant dollar amount. Each Shareholder of the Trust
shall be deemed to have expressly agreed, by his investment in
any Series with respect to which the Trustees shall have adopted
any such procedure, to make the contribution referred to in the
preceding sentence in the event of any such loss.
(m) Transfer. All Shares of each particular Series shall
be transferable, but transfers of Shares of a particular Series
will be recorded on the Share transfer records of the Trust
applicable to that Series only at such times as Shareholders
shall have the right to require the Trust to redeem Shares of
that Series and at such other times as may be permitted by the
Trustees.
(n) Equality. All Shares of each particular Series shall
represent an equal proportionate interest in the assets
belonging to that Series (subject to the liabilities of that
Series), and each Share of any particular Series shall be equal
to each other Share thereof; but the provisions of this sentence
shall not restrict any distinctions between the several Classes
of a Series permissible under this Section 6.1 or under Section
7.1 hereof nor any distinctions permissible under subsection
(g) of this Section 6.1 that may exist with respect to dividends
and distributions on Shares of the same Series. The Trustees may
from time to time divide or combine the Shares of any class of
particular Series into a greater or lesser number of Shares of
that class of a Series without thereby changing the
proportionate beneficial interest in the assets belonging to
that Series or in any way affecting the rights of the holders of
Shares of any other Series.
(o) Rights of Fractional Shares. Any fractional Share of
any Series shall carry proportionately all the rights and
obligations of a whole Share of that Series, including rights
and obligations with respect to voting, receipt of dividends and
distributions, redemption of Shares, and liquidation of the
Trust or of the Series to which they pertain.
(p) Conversion Rights. (i) Subject to compliance with the
requirements of the 1940 Act, the Trustees shall have the
authority to provide that holders of Shares of any Series shall
have the right to convert said Shares into Shares of one or more
other Series, that holders of any Class of a Series of Shares
shall have the right to convert said Shares of such Class into
Shares of one or more other Classes of such Series, and that
Shares of any Class of a Series shall be automatically converted
into Shares of another Class of such Series, in each case in
accordance with such requirements and procedures as the Trustees
may establish.
(ii) The number of Shares of into which a convertible Share
<PAGE> 41
shall convert shall equal the number (including for this purpose
fractions of a Share) obtained by dividing the net asset value
per Share for purposes of sales and redemptions of the
converting Share on the Conversion Date by the net asset value
per Share for purposes of sales and redemptions of the Class of
Shares into which it is converting on the Conversion Date.
(iii) On the Conversion Date, the Share converting into
another share will cease to accrue dividends and will no longer
be deemed outstanding and the rights of the holders thereof
(except the right to receive the number of target Shares into
which the converting Shares have been converted and declared but
unpaid dividends to the Conversion Date) will cease.
Certificates representing Shares resulting from the conversion
need not be issued until certificates representing Shares
converted, if issued, have been received by the Trust or its
agent duly endorsed for transfer.
(vi) The Trust will appropriately reflect the conversion
of Shares of one Class of a Series into Shares of another Class
of such Series on the first periodic statements of account sent
to Shareholders of record affected which provide account
information with respect to a reporting period which includes
the date such conversion occured.
SECTION 6.2. Ownership of Shares. The ownership of
Shares shall be recorded on the books of the Trust or of a
Transfer Agent or similar agent for the Trust, which books shall
be maintained separately for the Shares of each Series that has
been authorized. Certificates evidencing the ownership of Shares
need not be issued except as the Trustees may otherwise
determine from time to time, and the Trustees shall have power
to call outstanding Share certificates and to replace them with
book entries. The Trustees may make such rules as they consider
appropriate for the issuance of Share certificates, the use of
facsimile signatures, the transfer of Shares and similar
matters. The record books of the Trust as kept by the Trust or
any Transfer Agent or similar agent, as the case may be, shall
be conclusive as to who are the Shareholders and as to the
number of Shares of each Series held from time to time by each
such Shareholder.
The holders of Shares of each Series shall upon demand
disclose to the Trustees in writing such information with
respect to their direct and indirect ownership of Shares of such
Series as the Trustees deem necessary to comply with the
provisions of the Internal Revenue Code, or to comply with the
requirements of any other authority.
SECTION 6.3. Investments in the Trust. The Trustees may
accept investments in any Series of the Trust from such Persons
and on such terms and for such consideration, not inconsistent
with the provisions of the 1940 Act, as they from time to time
<PAGE> 42
authorize. The Trustees may authorize any Distributor, Principal
Underwriter, Custodian, Transfer Agent or other Person to accept
orders for the purchase of Shares that conform to such
authorized terms and to reject any purchase orders for Shares,
whether or not conforming to such authorized terms.
SECTION 6.4. No Preemptive Rights. No Shareholder, by
virtue of holding Shares of any Series, shall have any
preemptive or other right to subscribe to any additional Shares
of that Series, or to any shares of any other Series, or any
other Securities issued by the Trust.
SECTION 6.5. Status of Shares. Every Shareholder, by
virtue of having become a Shareholder, shall be held to have
expressly assented and agreed to the terms hereof and to have
become a party hereto. Shares shall be deemed to be personal
property, giving only the rights provided herein. Ownership of
Shares shall not entitle the Shareholder to any title in or to
the whole or any part of the Trust Property or right to call for
a partition or division of the same or for an accounting, nor
shall the ownership of Shares constitute the Shareholders
partners. The death of a Shareholder during the continuance of
the Trust shall not operate to terminate the Trust or any
Series, nor entitle the representative of any deceased
Shareholder to an accounting or to take any action in court or
elsewhere against the Trust or the Trustees, but only to the
rights of said decedent under this Declaration of Trust.
ARTICLE 7
SHAREHOLDERS' VOTING POWERS AND MEETINGS
SECTION 7.1. Voting Powers. The Shareholders shall have
power to vote only (i) for the election or removal of Trustees
as provided in Sections 4.1(c) and (e) hereof, (ii) with respect
to the approval or termination in accordance with the 1940 Act
of any contract with a Contracting Party as provided in Section
5.2 hereof as to which Shareholder approval is required by the
1940 Act, (iii) with respect to any termination or
reorganization of the Trust or any Series to the extent and as
provided in Sections 9.2, 9.3 and 9.4 hereof, (iv) with respect
to any amendment of this Declaration of Trust to the extent and
as provided in Section 9.5 hereof, (v) to the same extent as the
stockholders of a Delaware business corporation as to whether or
not a court action, proceeding or claim should or should not be
brought or maintained derivatively or as a class action on
behalf of the Trust or any Series, or the Shareholders of any of
them (provided. however, that a Shareholder of a particular
Series shall not in any event be entitled to maintain a
derivative or class action on behalf of any other Series or the
Shareholders thereof), and (vi) with respect to such additional
<PAGE> 43
matters relating to the Trust as may be required by the 1940
Act, this Declaration of Trust, the By-Laws or any registration
of the Trust with the Commission (or any successor agency) or
any State, or as the Trustees may consider necessary or
desirable. If and to the extent that the Trustees shall
determine that such action is required by law or by this
Declaration, they shall cause each matter required or permitted
to be voted upon at a meeting or by written consent of
Shareholders to be submitted to a separate vote of the
outstanding Shares of each Series entitled to vote thereon;
provided, that (i) when expressly required by the 1940 Act or by
other law, actions of Shareholders shall be taken by Single
Class Voting of all outstanding Shares whose holders are
entitled to vote thereon; and (ii) when the Trustees determine
that any matter to be submitted to a vote of Shareholders
affects only the rights or interests of Shareholders of one or
more but not all Series or of one or more but not all Classes of
a single Series (including without limitation any distribution
plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 of the 1940 Act applicable to such
Class), then only the Shareholders of the Series or Classes so
affected shall be entitled to vote thereon. Any matter required
to be submitted to shareholders and affecting one or more Series
shall require separate approval by the required vote of
Shareholders of each affected Series; provided, however, that to
the extent required by the 1940 Act, there shall be no separate
Series votes on the election or removal of Trustees, the
selection of auditors for the Trust and its Series or approval
of any agreement or contract entered into by the Trust or any
Series. Shareholders of a particular Series shall not be
entitled to vote on any matter that affects only one or more
other Series.
SECTION 7.2. Number of Votes and Manner of Voting:
Proxies. On each matter submitted to a vote of the Shareholders,
each holder of Shares of any Series shall be entitled to a
number of votes equal to the number of Shares of such Series
standing in his name on the books of the Trust. There shall be
no cumulative voting in the election or removal of Trustees.
Shares may be voted in person or by proxy. A proxy with respect
to Shares held in the name of two (2) or more Persons shall be
valid if executed by any one of them unless at or prior to
exercise of the proxy the Trust receives a specific written
notice to the contrary from any one of them. A proxy purporting
to be executed by or on behalf of a Shareholder shall be deemed
valid unless challenged at or prior to its exercise and the
burden of proving invalidity shall rest on the challenger. Until
Shares are issued, the Trustees may exercise all rights of
Shareholders and may take any action required by law, this
Declaration of Trust or the By-Laws to be taken by Shareholders.
SECTION 7.3. Meetings. Meetings of Shareholders may be
called by the Trustees from time to time for the purpose of
taking action upon any matter requiring the vote or authority of
the Shareholders as herein provided, or upon any other matter
deemed by the Trustees to be necessary or desirable. Written
notice of any meeting of Shareholders shall be given or caused
to be given by the Trustees by mailing such notice at least
seven (7) days before such meeting, postage prepaid, stating the
time, place and purpose of the meeting, to each Shareholder at
<PAGE> 44
the Shareholder's address as it appears on the records of the
Trust. The Trustees shall promptly call and give notice of a
meeting of Shareholders for the purpose of voting upon removal
of any Trustee of the Trust when requested to do so in writing
by Shareholders holding not less than ten percent (10%) of the
Shares then outstanding. If the Trustees shall fail to call or
give notice of any meeting of Shareholders for a period of
thirty (30) days after written application by Shareholders
holding at least ten percent (10%) of the Shares then
outstanding requesting that a meeting be called for any other
purpose requiring action by the Shareholders as provided herein
or in the By-Laws, then Shareholders holding at least ten
percent (10%) of the Shares then outstanding may call and give
notice of such meeting, and thereupon the meeting shall be held
in the manner provided for herein in case of call thereof by the
Trustees. Any meetings may be held within or without The State
of Delaware. Shareholders may only act with respect to matters
set forth in the notice to Shareholders.
SECTION 7.4. Record Dates. For the purpose of
determining the Shareholders who are entitled to vote or act at
any meeting or any adjournment thereof, or who are entitled to
participate in any dividend or distribution, or for the purpose
of any other action, the Trustees may from time to time close
the transfer books for such period, not exceeding thirty (30)
days (except at or in connection with the termination of the
Trust), as the Trustees may determine; or without closing the
transfer books the Trustees may fix a date and time not more
than ninety (90) days prior to the date of any meeting of
Shareholders or other action as the date and time of record for
the determination of Shareholders entitled to vote at such
meeting or any adjournment thereof or to be treated as
Shareholders of record for purposes of such other action, and
any Shareholder who was a Shareholder at the date and time so
fixed shall be entitled to vote at such meeting or any
adjournment thereof or to be treated as a Shareholder of record
for purposes of such other action, even though he has since that
date and time disposed of his Shares, and no Shareholder
becoming such after that date and time shall be so entitled to
vote at such meeting or any adjournment thereof or to be treated
as a Shareholder of record for purposes of such other action.
SECTION 7.5. Quorum and Required Vote. A majority of the
Shares entitled to vote shall be a quorum for the transaction of
business at a Shareholders' meeting, but any lesser number shall
be sufficient for adjournments. Any adjourned session or
sessions may be held within a reasonable time after the date set
for the original meeting without the necessity of further
notice. A Majority Shareholder Vote at a meeting of which a
quorum is present shall decide any question, except when a
different vote is required or permitted by any provision of the
1940 Act or other applicable law or by this Declaration of Trust
or the By-Laws, or when the Trustees shall in their discretion
require a larger vote or the vote of a majority or larger
fraction of the Shares of one or more particular Series.
SECTION 7.6. Action By Written Consent. Subject to the
<PAGE> 45
provisions of the 1940 Act and other applicable law, any action
taken by Shareholders may be taken without a meeting if a
majority of Shareholders entitled to vote on the matter (or such
larger proportion thereof or of the Shares of any particular
Series as shall be required by the 1940 Act or by any express
provision of this Declaration of Trust or the By-Laws or as
shall be permitted by the Trustees) consent to the action in
writing and if the writings in which such consent is given are
filed with the records of the meetings of Shareholders, to the
same extent and for the same period as proxies given in
connection with a Shareholders' meeting. Such consent shall be
treated for all purposes as a vote taken at a meeting of
Shareholders.
SECTION 7.7. Inspection of Records. The records of the
Trust shall be open to inspection by Shareholders to the same
extent as is permitted stockholders of a Delaware business
corporation under the Delaware business corporation law.
SECTION 7.8. Additional Provisions. The By-Laws may
include further provisions for Shareholders' votes and meetings
and related matters not inconsistent with the provisions hereof.
ARTICLE 8
LIMITATION OF LIABILITY: INDEMNIFICATION
SECTION 8.1. Trustees. Shareholders. etc. Not Personally
Liable; Notice. The Trustees, officers, employees and agents of
the Trust, in incurring any debts, liabilities or obligations,
or in limiting or omitting any other actions for or in
connection with the Trust, are or shall be deemed to be acting
as Trustees, officers, employees or agents of the Trust and not
in their own capacities. No Shareholder shall be subject to any
personal liability whatsoever in tort, contract or otherwise to
any other Person or Persons in connection with the assets or the
affairs of the Trust or of any Series, and subject to Section
8.4 hereof, no Trustee, officer, employee or agent of the Trust
shall be subject to any personal liability whatsoever in tort,
contract, or otherwise, to any other Person or Persons in
connection with the assets or affairs of the Trust or of any
Series, save only that arising from his own willful misfeasance,
bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties
involved in the conduct of his office or the discharge of his
functions. The Trust (or if the matter relates only to a
particular Series, that Series) shall be solely liable for any
and all debts, claims, demands, judgments, decrees, liabilities
or obligations of any and every kind, against or with respect to
the Trust or such Series in tort, contract or otherwise in
connection with the assets or the affairs of the Trust or such
Series, and all Persons dealing with the Trust or any Series
<PAGE> 46
shall be deemed to have agreed that resort shall be had solely
to the Trust Property of the Trust or the Series Assets of such
Series, as the case may be, for the payment or performance
thereof.
The Trustees shall use their best efforts to ensure that
every note, bond, contract, instrument, certificate or
undertaking made or issued by the Trustees or by any officers or
officer shall give notice that a Certificate of Trust, referring
to the Declaration of Trust, is on file with the Secretary of
the state of Delaware and shall recite to the effect that the
same was executed or made by or on behalf of the Trust or by
them as Trustees or Trustee or as officers or officer, and not
individually, and that the obligations of such instrument are
not binding upon any of them or the Shareholders individually
but are binding only upon the assets and property of the Trust,
or the particular Series in question, as the case may be, but
the omission thereof shall not operate to bind any Trustees or
Trustee or officers or officer or Shareholders or Shareholder
individually, or to subject the Series Assets of any Series to
the obligations of any other Series.
SECTION 8.2. Trustees' Good Faith Action; Expert Advice:
No Bond or Surety. The exercise by the Trustees of their powers
and discretions hereunder shall be binding upon everyone
interested. Subject to Section 8.4 hereof, a Trustee shall be
liable for his own willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross
negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the
conduct of the office of Trustee, and for nothing else, and
shall not be liable for errors of judgment or mistakes of fact
or law. Subject to the foregoing, (i) the Trustees shall not be
responsible or liable in any event for any neglect or wrongdoing
of any officer, agent, employee, consultant, Investment Adviser,
Administrator, Distributor or Principal Underwriter, Custodian
or Transfer Agent, Dividend Disbursing Agent, Shareholder
Servicing Agent or Accounting Agent of the Trust, nor shall any
Trustee be responsible for the act or omission of any other
Trustee; (ii) the Trustees may take advice of counsel or other
experts with respect to the meaning and operation of this
Declaration of Trust and their duties as Trustees, and shall be
under no liability for any act or omission in accordance with
such advice or for failing to follow such advice; and (iii) in
discharging their duties, the Trustees, when acting in good
faith, shall be entitled to rely upon the books of account of
the Trust and upon written reports made to the Trustees by any
officer appointed by them, any independent public accountant,
and (with respect to the subject matter of the contract
involved) any officer, partner or responsible employee of a
Contracting Party appointed by the Trustees pursuant to Section
5.2 hereof. The Trustees as such shall not be required to give
any bond or surety or any other security for the performance of
their duties.
SECTION 8.3. Indemnification of Shareholders. If any
Shareholder (or former Shareholder) of the Trust shall be
charged or held to be personally liable for any obligation or
liability of the Trust solely by reason of being or having been
<PAGE> 47
a Shareholder and not because of such Shareholder's acts or
omissions or for some other reason, the Trust (upon proper and
timely request by the Shareholder) may assume the defense
against such charge and satisfy any judgment thereon or may
reimburse the Shareholders for expenses, and the Shareholder or
former Shareholder (or the heirs, executors, administrators or
other legal representatives thereof, or in the case of a
corporation or other entity, its corporate or other general
successor) shall be entitled (but solely out of the assets of
the Series of which such Shareholder or former Shareholder is or
was the holder of Shares) to be held harmless from and
indemnified against all loss and expense arising from such
liability.
SECTION 8.4. Indemnification of Trustees. Officers, etc.
Subject to the limitations, if applicable, hereinafter set forth
in this Section 8.4, the Trust shall indemnify (from the assets
of the Series or Series to which the conduct in question
relates) each of its Trustees, officers, employees and agents
(including Persons who serve at the Trust's request as
directors, officers or trustees of another organization in which
the Trust has any interest as a shareholder, creditor or
otherwise (hereinafter, together with such Person's heirs,
executors, administrators or personal representative, referred
to as a "Covered Person")) against all liabilities, including
but not limited to amounts paid in satisfaction of judgments, in
compromise or as fines and penalties, and expenses, including
reasonable accountants' and counsel fees, incurred by any
Covered Person in connection with the defense or disposition of
any action, suit or other proceeding, whether civil or criminal,
before any court or administrative or legislative body, in which
such Covered Person may be or may have been involved as a party
or otherwise or with which such Covered Person may be or may
have been threatened, while in office or thereafter, by reason
of being or having been such a Trustee or officer, director or
trustee, except with respect to any matter as to which it has
been determined that such Covered Person (i) did not act in good
faith in the reasonable belief that such Covered Person's action
was in or not opposed to the best interests of the Trust; (ii)
had acted with willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence
or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of
such Covered Person's office (iii) for a criminal proceeding,
had reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was unlawful
(the conduct described in (i), (ii) and (iii) being referred to
hereafter as "Disabling Conduct"). A determination that the
Covered Person is entitled to indemnification may be made by (i)
a final decision on the merits by a court or other body before
whom the proceeding was brought that the Covered Person to be
indemnified was not liable by reason of Disabling Conduct, (ii)
dismissal of a court action or an administrative proceeding
against a Covered Person for insufficiency of evidence of
Disabling Conduct, or (iii) a reasonable determination, based
upon a review of the facts, that the indemnitee was not liable
by reason of Disabling Conduct by (a) a vote of a majority of a
quorum of Trustees who are neither "interested persons" of the
Trust as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act nor parties
to the proceeding (the "Disinterested Trustees"), or (b) an
independent legal counsel in a written opinion. Expenses,
including accountants' and counsel fees so incurred by any such
Covered Person (but excluding amounts paid in satisfaction of
judgments, in compromise or as fines or penalties), may be paid
<PAGE> 48
from time to time by one or more Series to which the conduct in
question related in advance of the final disposition of any such
action, suit or proceeding; provided that the Covered Person
shall have undertaken to repay the amounts so paid to such
Series if it is ultimately determined that indemnification of
such expenses is not authorized under this Article 8 and (i) the
Covered Person shall have provided security for such
undertaking, (ii) the Trust shall be insured against losses
arising by reason of any lawful advances, or (iii) a majority of
a quorum of the disinterested Trustees, or an independent legal
counsel in a written opinion, shall have determined, based on a
review of readily available facts (as opposed to a full trial
type inquiry), that there is reason to believe that the Covered
Person ultimately will be found entitled to indemnification.
SECTION 8.5. Compromise Payment. As to any matter disposed
of by a compromise payment by any such Covered Person referred
to in Section 8.4 hereof, pursuant to a consent decree or
otherwise, no such indemnification either for said payment or
for any other expenses shall be provided unless such
indemnification shall be approved (i) by a majority of a quorum
of the disinterested Trustees or (ii) by an independent legal
counsel in a written opinion. Approval by the Trustees pursuant
to clause (i) or by independent legal counsel pursuant to clause
(ii) shall not prevent the recovery from any Covered Person of
any amount paid to such Covered Person in accordance with either
of such clauses as indemnification if such Covered Person is
subsequently adjudicated by a court of competent jurisdiction
not to have acted in good faith in the reasonable belief that
such Covered Person's action was in or not opposed to the best
interests of the Trust or to have been liable to the Trust or
its Shareholders by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith,
gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in
the conduct of the Covered Person's office.
SECTION 8.6. Indemnification Not Exclusive, etc. The right
of indemnification provided by this Article 8 shall not be
exclusive of or affect any other rights to which any such
Covered Person or shareholder may be entitled. As used in this
Article 8, a "disinterested" Person is one against whom none of
the actions, suits or other proceedings in question, and no
other action, suit or other proceeding on the same or similar
grounds is then or has been pending or threatened. Nothing
contained in this Article 8 shall affect any rights to
indemnification to which personnel of the Trust, other than
Trustees and officers, and other Persons may be entitled by
contract or otherwise under law, nor the power of the Trust to
purchase and maintain liability insurance on behalf of any such
Person.
SECTION 8.7. Liability of Third Persons Dealing with
Trustees. No person dealing with the Trustees shall be bound to
make any inquiry concerning the validity of any transaction made
or to be made by the Trustees or to see to the application of
any payments made or property transferred to the Trust or upon
its order.
<PAGE> 49
ARTICLE 9
DURATION: REORGANIZATION: INCORPORATION; AMENDMENTS
SECTION 9.1. Duration of Trust. Unless terminated as
provided herein, the Trust shall have perpetual existence.
SECTION 9.2. Termination of Trust. The Trust may be
terminated at any time by a Majority of the Trustees, subject to
the favorable vote of the holders of not less than a majority of
the Shares outstanding and entitled to vote of each Series of
the Trust, or by an instrument or instruments in writing without
a meeting, consented to by the holders of not less than a
majority of such Shares, or by such greater or different vote of
Shareholders of any Series as may be established by the
Certificate of Designation by which such Series was authorized.
Upon termination, after paying or otherwise providing for all
charges, taxes, expenses and liabilities, whether due or accrued
or anticipated as may be determined by the Trustees, the Trust
shall in accordance with such procedures as the Trustees
consider appropriate reduce the remaining assets to
distributable form in cash, Securities or other property, or any
combination thereof, and distribute the proceeds to the
Shareholders, in conformity with the provisions of Section
6.1(h) hereof. After termination of the Trust or any Series and
distribution to the Shareholders as herein provided, a majority
of the Trustees shall execute and lodge among the records of the
Trust an instrument in writing setting forth the fact of such
termination. Upon termination of the Trust, the Trustees shall
thereupon, be discharged from all further liabilities and duties
hereunder, and the rights and interests of all Shareholders
shall thereupon cease. Upon termination of any Series, the
Trustees shall thereupon be discharged from all further
liabilities and duties with respect to such Series, and the
rights and interests of all Shareholders of such Series shall
thereupon cease.
SECTION 9.3. Reorganization. The Trustees may sell,
convey and transfer all or substantially all of the assets of
the Trust, or the assets belonging to any one or more Series, to
another trust, partnership, association, corporation or other
entity organized under the laws of any state of the United
States, or may transfer such assets to another Series of the
Trust, in exchange for cash, Shares or other Securities
(including, in the case of a transfer to another Series of the
Trust, Shares of such other Series), or to the extent permitted
by law then in effect may merge or consolidate the Trust or any
Series with any other Trust or any corporation, partnership, or
association organized under the laws of any state of the United
States, all upon such terms and conditions and for such
consideration when and as authorized by vote or written consent
of a Majority of the Trustees and approved by the affirmative
<PAGE> 50
vote of the holders of not less than a majority of the Shares
outstanding and entitled to vote of each Series whose assets are
affected by such transaction, or by an instrument or instruments
in writing without a meeting, consented to by the holders of not
less than a majority of such Shares, and/or by such other vote
of any Series as may be established by the Certificate of
Designation with respect to such Series. Following such
transfer, the Trustees shall distribute the cash, Shares or
other Securities or other consideration received in such
transaction (giving due effect to the assets belonging to and
indebtedness of, and any other differences among, the various
Series of which the assets have so been transferred) among the
Shareholders of the Series of which the assets have been so
transferred; and if all of the assets of the Trust have been so
transferred, the Trust shall be terminated. Nothing in this
Section 9.3 shall be construed as requiring approval of
Shareholders for the Trustees to organize or assist in
organizing one or more corporations, trusts, partnerships,
associations or other organizations, and to sell, convey or
transfer less than substantially all of the Trust Property or
the assets belonging to any Series to such organizations or
entities.
SECTION 9.4. Incorporation. Upon approval by Majority
Shareholder Vote, the Trustees may cause to be organized or
assist in organizing a corporation or corporations under the
laws of any jurisdiction or any other trust, partnership,
association or other organization to take over all of the Trust
Property or to carry on any business in which the Trust shall
directly or indirectly have any interest, and to sell, convey
and transfer the Trust Property to any such corporation, trust,
association or organization, in exchange for the shares or
securities thereof, or otherwise, and to lend money to,
subscribe for the shares of securities of, and enter into any
contracts with any such corporation, trust, partnership,
association or organization in which the Trust holds or is about
to acquire shares or any other interests. The Trustees may also
cause a merger or consolidation between the Trust or any
successor thereto and any such corporation, trust, partnership,
association or other organization if and to the extent permitted
by law, as provided under the law then in effect. Nothing
contained herein shall be construed as requiring approval of
Shareholders for the Trustees to organize or assist in
organizing one or more corporation, trusts, partnerships,
associations or other organizations and selling, conveying or
transferring a portion of the Trust Property to such
organizations or entities.
SECTION 9.5. Amendments; etc. All rights granted to the
Shareholders under this Declaration of Trust are granted subject
to the reservation of the right to amend this Declaration of
Trust as herein provided, except that no amendment shall repeal
the limitations on personal liability of any Shareholder or
Trustee or the prohibition of assessment upon the Shareholders
(otherwise than as permitted under Section 6.1(l)) without the
express consent of each Shareholder or Trustee involved. Subject
to the foregoing, the provisions of this Declaration of Trust
(whether or not related to the rights of Shareholders) may be
amended at any time, so long as such amendment does not
<PAGE> 51
adversely affect the rights of any Shareholder with respect to
which such amendment is or purports to be applicable and so long
as such amendment is not in contravention of applicable law,
including the 1940 Act, by an instrument in writing signed by a
Majority of the Trustees (or by an officer of the Trust pursuant
to the vote of a Majority of the Trustees). Any amendment to
this Declaration of Trust that adversely affects the rights of
all Shareholders may be adopted at any time by an instrument in
writing signed by a Majority of the Trustees (or by an officer
of the Trust pursuant to a vote of a Majority of the Trustees)
when authorized to do so by the vote in accordance with Section
7.1 hereof of Shareholders holding a majority of all the Shares
outstanding and entitled to vote, without regard to Series, or
if said amendment adversely affects the rights of the
Shareholders of less than all of the Series, by the vote of the
holders of a majority of all the Shares entitled to vote of each
Series so affected.
SECTION 9.6. Filing of Copies of Declaration and
Amendments. The original or a copy of this Declaration and of
each amendment hereto (including each Certificate of Designation
and Certificate of Termination) shall be kept at the office of
the Trust where it may be inspected by any Shareholder. A
restated Declaration, integrating into a single instrument all
of the provisions of this Declaration which are then in effect
and operative, may be executed from time to time by a Majority
of the Trustees and shall, upon execution, be conclusive
evidence of all amendments contained therein and may thereafter
be referred to in lieu of the original Declaration and the
various amendments thereto. A Certificate of Trust shall be
filed in the office of the Secretary of State of the State of
Delaware.
ARTICLE 10
MISCELLANEOUS
SECTION 10.1. Notices. Any and all notices to which any
Shareholder hereunder may be entitled and any and all
communications shall be deemed duly served or given if mailed,
postage prepaid, addressed to any Shareholder of record at his
last known address as recorded on the applicable register of the
Trust.
SECTION 10.2. Governing Law. This Declaration of Trust is,
with reference to the laws thereof, and the rights of all
parties and the construction and effect of every provision
hereof shall be, subject to and construed according to the laws
of said The State of Delaware.
<PAGE> 52
SECTION 10.3. Counterparts. This Declaration of Trust and
any amendment thereto may be simultaneously executed in several
counterparts, each of which so executed shall be deemed to be an
original, and such counterparts, together, shall constitute but
one and the same instrument, which shall be sufficiently
evidenced by any such original counterpart.
SECTION 10.4. Reliance by Third Parties. Any certificate
executed by an individual who, according to the records of the
Trust is a Trustee hereunder, certifying to: (a) the number or
identity of Trustees or Shareholders, (b) the due authorization
of the execution of any instrument or writing, (c) the form of
any vote passed at a meeting of Trustees or Shareholders, (d)
the fact that the number of Trustees or Shareholders present at
any meeting or executing any written instrument satisfies the
requirements of this Declaration of Trust, (e) the form of any
By-Law adopted, or the identity of any officers elected, by the
Trustees, (f) the existence or nonexistence of any fact or facts
which in any manner relate to the affairs of the Trust, or (g)
the name of the Trust or the establishment of a Series shall be
conclusive evidence as to the matters so certified in favor of
any Person dealing with the Trustees, or any of them, and the
successors of such Person.
SECTION 10.5. References; Headings. The masculine gender
shall include the feminine and neuter genders. Headings are
placed herein for convenience of reference only and shall not be
taken as a part of this Declaration or control or affect the
meaning, construction or effect hereof.
SECTION 10.6. Provisions in Conflict With Law or
Regulation. (a) The provisions of this Declaration are
severable, and if the Trustees shall determine, with the advice
of counsel, that any of such provisions is in conflict with the
1940 Act, the regulated investment company provisions of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 or with other applicable laws and
regulations, the conflicting provision shall be deemed never to
have constituted a part of this Declaration; provided, however,
that such determination shall not affect any of the remaining
provisions of this Declaration or render invalid or improper any
action taken or omitted prior to such determination.
(b) If any provision of this Declaration shall be held
invalid or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, such invalidity or
unenforceability shall attach only to such provision in such
jurisdiction and shall not in any manner affect such provision
in any other jurisdiction or any other provision of this
Declaration in any jurisdiction.
SECTION 10.7. Use of the Name "Van Kampen American
Capital". Van Kampen American Capital, Inc. ("Van Kampen
American Capital") has consented to the use by the Trust and by
each Series and each Series thereof to the identifying words
<PAGE> 53
"Van Kampen" or "Van Kampen Merritt" or any combination thereof
in the name of the Trust and of each Series and Series thereof.
Such consent is conditioned upon the Trust's employment of Van
Kampen American Capital, its successors or a subsidiary or
affiliate thereof as investment adviser to the Trust and to each
Series and each Series thereof. As between Van Kampen American
Capital and the Trust, Van Kampen American Capital shall control
the use of such name insofar as such name contains the
identifying words "Van Kampen" or "Van Kampen Merritt". Van
Kampen American Capital may from time to time use the
identifying words "American Capital," "Van Kampen" or "Van
Kampen Merritt" in other connections and for other purposes,
including without limitation in the names of other investment
companies, corporations or businesses that it may manage,
advise, sponsor or own or in which it may have a financial
interest. Van Kampen American Capital may require the Trust or
any Series or Series thereof to cease using the identifying
words "Van Kampen" or "Van Kampen Merritt" in the name of the
Trust or any Series or any Series thereof if the Trust or any
Series or Series thereof ceases to employ Van Kampen American
Capital, its successors or a subsidiary or affiliate thereof as
investment adviser.
<PAGE> 54
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned, being the initial
Trustee, has set his hand and seal, for himself and his assigns,
unto this Declaration of Trust of Van Kampen American Capital
U.S. Government Trust, all as of the day and year first above written.
- ------------------------
Initial Trustee
<PAGE> 55
A C K N O W L E D G M E N T
STATE OF ILLINOIS)
) ss
COUNTY OF DUPAGE)
______________________
May 10, 1995
Then personally appeared the above named Ronald A. Nyberg and
acknowledged the foregoing instrument to be his free act and
deed.
Before me,
_______________________________
(Notary Public)
My commission expires:___________
<PAGE> 1
EXHIBIT 1(b)
VAN KAMPEN AMERICAN CAPITAL U.S. GOVERNMENT TRUST
Certificate of Designation
of
Van Kampen American Capital U.S. Government Fund
The undersigned, being the Secretary of Van Kampen American Capital U.S.
Government Trust, a Delaware business trust (the "Trust"), pursuant to the
authority conferred upon the Trustees of the Trust by Section 6.1 of the
Trust's Agreement and Declaration of Trust ("Declaration"), and by the
affirmative vote of a Majority of the Trustees does hereby establish and
designate as a Series of the Trust the Van Kampen American Capital U.S.
Government Fund (the "Fund") with following the rights, preferences and
characteristics:
1. Shares. The beneficial interest in the Fund shall be divided into Shares
having a nominal or par value of $0.01 per Share, of which an unlimited number
may be issued, which Shares shall represent interests only in the Fund. The
Trustees shall have the authority from time to time to authorize separate
Series of Shares for the Trust as they deem necessary or desirable.
2. Classes of Shares. The Shares of the Fund shall be initially divided into
three classes--Class A, Class B and Class C. The Trustees shall have the
authority from time to time to authorize additional Classes of Shares of the
Fund
3. Sales Charges. Each Class A, Class B and Class C Share shall be subject to
such sales charges, if any, as may be established from time to time by the
Trustees in accordance with the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the "1940 Act")
and applicable rules and regulations of the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc., all as set forth in the Fund's prospectus.
4. Conversion. Each Class B Share of the Fund shall be converted
automatically, and without any action or choice on the part of the Shareholder
thereof, into Class A Shares of the Fund at such times and pursuant to such
terms, conditions and restrictions as may be established by the Trustees and as
set forth in the Fund's Prospectus.
5. Allocation of Expenses Among Classes. Expenses related solely to a
particular Class (including, without limitation, distribution expenses under an
administrative or service agreement, plan or other arrangement, however
designated) shall be borne by that Class and shall be appropriately reflected
(in a manner determined by the Trustees) in the net asset value, dividends,
distribution and liquidation rights of the Shares of that Class.
6. Special Meetings. A special meeting of Shareholders of a Class of the Fund
may be called with respect to the Rule 12b-1 distribution plan applicable to
such Class or with respect to any other proper purpose affecting only holders
of shares of such Class
1
<PAGE> 2
at any time by a Majority of the Trustees.
7. Other Rights Governed by Declaration. All other rights, preferences,
qualifications, limitations and restrictions with respect to Shares of any
Series of the Trust or with respect to any Class of Shares set forth in the
Declaration shall apply to Shares of the Fund unless otherwise specified in
this Certificate of Designation, in which case this Certificate of Designation
shall govern.
8. Amendments, etc. Subject to the provisions and limitations of Section 9.5
of the Declaration and applicable law, this Certificate of Designation may be
amended by an instrument signed in writing by a Majority of the Trustees (or by
and officer of the Trust pursuant to the vote of a Majority of the Trustees) or
when authorized to do so by the vote in accordance with the Declaration of the
holders of a majority of all the Shares of the Fund outstanding and entitled to
vote or, if such amendment affects the Shares of one or more but not all of the
Classes of the Fund, the holders of a majority of all the Shares of the
affected Classes outstanding and entitled to vote.
9. Incorporation of Defined Terms. All capitalized terms which are not
defined herein shall have the same meaning as ascribed to those terms in the
Declaration.
May 10, 1995
- ----------------------
Ronald A. Nyberg,
Secretary
2
<PAGE> 1
EXHIBIT 2
FORM OF VAN KAMPEN FUNDS DELAWARE TRUST BYLAWS
VAN KAMPEN AMERICAN CAPITAL
[TRUST]
BYLAWS
<PAGE> 2
[TRUST]
Bylaws
Index
ARTICLE 1 SHAREHOLDERS AND SHAREHOLDERS' MEETINGS 1
Section 1.1. Meetings 1
Section 1.2. Presiding Officer; Secretary 1
Section 1.3. Authority of Chairman of Meeting to Interpret
Declaration and Bylaws 1
Section 1.4. Voting; Quorum 1
Section 1.5. Inspectors 2
Section 1.6 Records at Shareholder Meetings 2
Section 1.7. Shareholders Action in Writing 2
ARTICLE 2 TRUSTEES AND TRUSTEES' MEETINGS 2
Section 2.1. Number of Trustees 2
Section 2.2. Regular Meetings of Trustees 2
Section 2.3. Special Meetings of Trustees 2
Section 2.4. Notice of Meetings 3
<PAGE> 3
Section 2.5. Quorum; Presiding Trustee 3
Section 2.6. Participation by Telephone 3
Section 2.7. Location of Meetings 3
Section 2.8. Actions by Trustees 3
Section 2.9. Rulings of Presiding Trustee 3
Section 2.10. Trustees' Action in Writing 3
Section 2.11. Resignations 4
Section 2.12. Tenure of Trustees 4
<PAGE> 4
ARTICLE 3 OFFICERS 4
Section 3.1. Officers of the Trust 4
Section 3.2. Time and Terms of Election 4
Section 3.3. Resignation and Removal 4
Section 3.4. Fidelity Bond 4
Section 3.5. President 4
Section 3.6. Vice Presidents 4
Section 3.7. Treasurer and Assistant Treasurers 5
Section 3.8. Controller and Assistant Controllers 5
Section 3.9. Secretary and Assistant Secretaries 5
Section 3.10. Substitutions 5
Section 3.11. Execution of Deeds, etc. 6
Section 3.12. Power to Vote Securities 6
ARTICLE 4 COMMITTEES 6
Section 4.1. Power of Trustees to Designate Committees 6
Section 4.2. Rules for Conduct of Committee Affairs 6
Section 4.3. Trustees May Alter, Abolish, etc., Committees 6
<PAGE> 5
Section 4.4. Minutes; Review by Trustees 6
ARTICLE 5 SEAL 7
ARTICLE 6 SHARES .......................................... 7
Section 6.1. Issuance of Shares 7
Section 6.2. Uncertificated Shares 7
Section 6.3. Share Certificates 7
Section 6.4. Lost, Stolen, etc., Certificates 7
<PAGE> 6
ARTICLE 7 STOCK TRANSFERS 8
Section 7.1. Transfer Agents, Registrars, etc. 8
Section 7.2. Transfer of Shares 8
Section 7.3. Registered Shareholders 8
ARTICLE 8 AMENDMENTS 8
Section 8.1. Bylaws Subject to Amendment 8
Section 8.2. Notice of Proposal to Amend Bylaws Required 8
<PAGE> 7
[TRUST]
BYLAWS
These are the Bylaws of [TRUST], a trust with transferable
shares established under the laws of The State of Delaware (the
"Trust"), pursuant to an Agreement and Declaration of Trust of
the Trust (the "Declaration") made the 10th day of May, 1995,
and a Certificate of Trust filed in the office of the Secretary
of State pursuant to Section 3810 of The Delaware Business Trust
Act, Title 12, Chapter 38 of the Delaware Code. These Bylaws
have been adopted by the Trustees pursuant to the authority
granted by Section 4.14 of the Declaration.
All words and terms capitalized in these Bylaws, unless
otherwise defined herein, shall have the same meanings as they
have in the Declaration.
ARTICLE 1
SHAREHOLDERS AND SHAREHOLDERS' MEETINGS
SECTION 1.1. Meetings. A meeting of the Shareholders of the
Trust shall be held whenever called by the Chairman, the
President or a majority of the Trustees and whenever election of
a Trustee or Trustees by Shareholders is required by the
provisions of the 1940 Act. Meetings of Shareholders shall also
be called by the Trustees when requested in writing by
Shareholders holding at least ten percent (10%) of the Shares
then outstanding for the purpose of voting upon removal of any
Trustee, or if the Trustees shall fail to call or give notice of
any such meeting of Shareholders for a period of thirty (30)
days after such application, then Shareholders holding at least
ten percent (10%) of the Shares then outstanding may call and
give notice of such meeting. Notice of Shareholders' meetings
shall be given as provided in the Declaration.
SECTION 1.2. Presiding Officer; Secretary. The President
shall preside at each Shareholders' meeting as chairman of the
meeting, or in the absence of the President, the Trustees
present at the meeting shall elect one of their number as
chairman of the meeting. Unless otherwise provided for by the
Trustees, the Secretary of the Trust shall be the secretary of
all meetings of Shareholders and shall record the minutes
<PAGE> 8
thereof.
SECTION 1.3. Authority of Chairman of Meeting to
Interpret_Declaration and Bylaws. At any Shareholders' meeting
the chairman of the meeting shall be empowered to determine the
construction or interpretation of the Declaration or these
Bylaws, or any part thereof or hereof, and his ruling shall be
final.
SECTION 1.4. Voting; Quorum. At each meeting of Shareholders,
except as otherwise provided by the Declaration, every holder of
record of Shares entitled to vote shall be entitled to a number
of votes equal to the number of Shares standing in his name on
the Share register of the Trust on the record date of the
meeting. Shareholders may vote by proxy and the form of any
such proxy may be prescribed from time to time by the Trustees.
A quorum shall exist if the holders of a majority of the
outstanding Shares of the Trust entitled to vote are present in
person or by proxy, but any lesser number shall be
sufficient for adjournments. At all meetings of the
Shareholders, votes shall be taken by ballot for all matters
which may be binding upon the Trustees pursuant to Section 7.1
of the Declaration. On other matters, votes of Shareholders
need not be taken by ballot unless otherwise provided for by the
Declaration or by vote of the Trustees, or as required by the
1940 Act, but the chairman of the meeting may in his discretion
authorize any matter to be voted upon by ballot.
SECTION 1.5. Inspectors. At any meeting of Shareholders, the
chairman of the meeting may appoint one or more Inspectors of
Election or Balloting to supervise the voting at such meeting or
any adjournment thereof. If Inspectors are not so appointed,
the chairman of the meeting may, and on the request of any
Shareholder present or represented and entitled to vote shall,
appoint one or more Inspectors for such purpose. Each
Inspector, before entering upon the discharge of his duties,
shall take and sign an oath faithfully to execute the duties of
Inspector of Election or Balloting, as the case may be, at
such meeting with strict impartiality and according to the
best of his ability. If appointed, Inspectors shall take
charge of the polls and, when the vote is completed, shall make
a certificate of the result of the vote taken and of such other
facts as may be required by law.
SECTION 1.6. Records at Shareholder Meetings. At each
meeting of the Shareholders there shall be open for inspection
the minutes of the last previous Meeting of Shareholders of the
Trust and a list of the Shareholders of the Trust, certified to
be true and correct by the Secretary or other proper agent of
the Trust, as of the record date of the meeting or the date of
closing of transfer books, as the case may be. Such list of
Shareholders shall contain the name of each Shareholder.
Shareholders shall have such other rights and procedures of
inspection of the books and records of the Trust as are granted
to shareholders of a Delaware corporation.
<PAGE> 9
SECTION 1.7. Shareholders' Action in Writing. Nothing in this
Article 1 shall limit the power of the Shareholders to take any
action by means of written instruments without a meeting, as
permitted by Section 7.6 of the Declaration.
ARTICLE 2
TRUSTEES AND TRUSTEES' MEETINGS
SECTION 2.1. Number of Trustees. There shall initially be one
(1) Trustee, and the number of Trustees shall thereafter be such
number, authorized by the Declaration, as from time to time
shall be fixed by a vote adopted by a Majority of the Trustees.
SECTION 2.2. Regular Meetings of Trustees. Regular meetings
of the Trustees may be held without call or notice at such
places and at such times as the Trustees may from time to time
determine; provided, that notice of such determination, and of
the time and place of the first regular meeting thereafter,
shall be given to each absent Trustee in accordance with Section
2.4 hereof.
SECTION 2.3. Special Meetings of Trustees. Special meetings
of the Trustees may be held at any time and at any place when
called by the President or the Treasurer or by three (3) or
more Trustees, or if there shall be less than three (3)
Trustees, by any Trustee; provided, that notice of the time and
place thereof is given to each Trustee in accordance with
Section 2.4 hereof by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary or
by the officer or the Trustees calling the meeting.
SECTION 2.4. Notice of Meetings. Notice of any regular or
special meeting of the Trustees shall be sufficient if given in
writing to each Trustee, and if sent by mail at least five (5)
days, by a nationally recognized overnigh delivery service at
least two (2) days or by facsimile at least twenty-four (24)
hours, before the meeting, addressed to his usual or last known
business or residence address, or if delivered to him in person
at least twenty-four (24) hours before the meeting. Notice of a
special meeting need not be given to any Trustee who was present
at an earlier meeting, not more than thirty-one (31) days prior
to the subsequent meeting, at which the subsequent meeting was
called. Unless statute, these bylaws or a resolution of the
Trustees might otherwise dictate, notice need not state the
business to be transacted at or the purpose of any meeting of
the Board of Trustees. Notice of a meeting may be waived by any
Trustee by written waiver of notice, executed by him before or
after the meeting, and such waiver shall be filed with the
records of the meeting. Attendance by a Trustee at a meeting
shall constitute a waiver of notice, except where a Trustee
attends a meeting for the purpose of protesting prior thereto or
at its commencement the lack of notice. No notice need be given
<PAGE> 10
of action proposed to be taken by unanimous written consent.
SECTION 2.5. Quorum: Presiding Trustee. At any meeting of the
Trustees, a Majority of the Trustees shall constitute a quorum.
Any meeting may be adjourned from time to time by a majority of
the votes cast upon the question, whether or not a quorum is
present, and the meeting may be held as adjourned without
further notice. Unless the Trustees shall otherwise elect,
generally or in a particular case, the Chairman shall be the
presiding Trustee at each meeting of the Trustees or in the
absence of the Chairman, the President shall preside over the
meeting. In the absence of both the Chairman and the President,
the Trustees present at the meeting shall elect one of their
number as presiding Trustee of the meeting.
SECTION 2.6. Participation by Telephone. One or more of the
Trustees may participate in a meeting thereof or of any
Committee of the Trustees by means of a conference telephone or
similar communications equipment allowing all persons
participating in the meeting to hear each other at the same
time. Participation by such means shall constitute presence in
person at a meeting.
SECTION 2.7. Location of Meetings. Trustees' meetings may be
held at any place, within or without the State of Delaware.
SECTION 2.8. Actions by Trustees. Unless statute, the
charter or bylaws requires a greater proportion, action of a
majority of the Trustees present at a meeting at which a quorum
is present is action of the Board of Trustees. Voting at
Trustees' meetings may be conducted orally, by show of hands,
or, if requested by any Trustee, by written ballot. The
results of all voting shall be recorded by the Secretary in the
minute book.
SECTION 2.9. Rulings of Presiding Trustee. All other rules of
conduct adopted and used at any Trustees' meeting shall be
determined by the presiding Trustee of such meeting, whose
ruling on all procedural matters shall be final.
SECTION 2.10. Trustees' Action in Writing. Nothing in this
Article 2 shall limit the power of the Trustees to take action
by means of a written instrument without a meeting, as provided
in Section 4.2 of the Declaration.
SECTION 2.11. Resignations. Any Trustee may resign at any
time by written instrument signed by him and delivered to the
Chairman, the President or the Secretary or to a meeting of the
Trustees. Such resignation shall be effective upon receipt
unless specified to be effective at some other time.
<PAGE> 11
SECTION 2.12. Chairman of the Board. The Trustees may from
time to time elect on of the Trustees to serve as Chairman of
the Board of Trustees.
ARTICLE 3
OFFICERS
SECTION 3.1. Officers of the Trust. The officers of the Trust
shall consist of a President, a Treasurer and a Secretary, and
may include one or more Vice Presidents, Assistant Treasurers
and Assistant Secretaries, and such other officers as the
Trustees may designate. Any person may hold more than one
office.
SECTION 3.2. Time and Terms of Election. The President, the
Treasurer and the Secretary shall be elected by the Trustees at
their first meeting and thereafter at the annual meeting of the
Trustees, as provided in Section 4.2 of the Declaration. Such
officers shall hold office until the next annual meeting of the
Trustees and until their successors shall have been duly elected
and qualified, and may be removed at any meeting by the
affirmative vote of a Majority of the Trustees. All other
officers of the Trust may be elected or appointed at any meeting
of the Trustees. Such officers shall hold office for any term,
or indefinitely, as determined by the Trustees, and shall be
subject to removal, with or without cause, at any time by the
Trustees.
SECTION 3.3. Resignation and Removal. Any officer may resign
at any time by giving written notice to the Trustees. Such
resignation shall take effect at the time specified therein,
and, unless otherwise specified therein, the acceptance of
such resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective.
If the office of any officer or agent becomes vacant by reason
of death, resignation, retirement, disqualification, removal
from office or otherwise, the Trustees may choose a successor,
who shall hold office for the unexpired term in respect of which
such vacancy occurred. Except to the extent expressly provided
in a written agreement with the Trust, no officer resigning or
removed shall have any right to any compensation for any period
following such resignation or removal, or any right to damage on
account of such removal.
SECTION 3.4. Fidelity Bond. The Trustees may, in their
discretion, direct any officer appointed by them to furnish at
the expense of the Trust a fidelity bond approved by the
Trustees, in such amount as the Trustees may prescribe.
<PAGE> 12
SECTION 3.5. President. The President shall be the chief
executive officer of the Trust and, subject to the supervision
of the Trustees, shall have general charge and supervision of
the business, property and affairs of the Trust and such other
powers and duties as the Trustees may prescribe.
SECTION 3.6. Vice Presidents. In the absence or disability of
the President, the Vice President or, if there shall be more
than one, the Vice Presidents in the order of their seniority or
as otherwise designated by the Trustees, shall exercise all of
the powers and duties of the President. The Vice Presidents
shall have the power to execute bonds, notes, mortgages and
other contracts, agreements and instruments in the name of the
Trust, and shall do and perform such other duties as the
Trustees or the President shall direct.
SECTION 3.7. Treasurer and Assistant Treasurers. The
Treasurer shall be the chief financial officer of the Trust, and
shall have the custody of the Trust's funds and Securities, and
shall keep full and accurate accounts of receipts and
disbursements in books belonging to the Trust and shall deposit
all moneys, and other valuable effects in the name and to the
credit of the Trust, in such depositories as may be designated
by the Trustees, taking proper vouchers for such disbursements,
shall have such other duties and powers as may be prescribed
from time to time by the Trustees, and shall render to the
Trustees, whenever they may require it, an account of all his
transactions as Treasurer and of the financial condition of the
Trust. If no Controller is elected, the Treasurer shall also
have the duties and powers of the Controller, as provided in
these Bylaws. Any Assistant Treasurer shall have such duties
and powers as shall be prescribed from time to time by the
Trustees or the Treasurer, and shall be responsible to and shall
report to the Treasurer. In the absence or disability of the
Treasurer, the Assistant Treasurer or, if there shall be more
than one, the Assistant Treasurers in the order of their
seniority or as otherwise designated by the Trustees or the
Chairman, shall have the powers and duties of the Treasurer.
SECTION 3.8. Controller and Assistant Controllers. If a
Controller is elected, he shall be the chief accounting officer
of the Trust and shall be in charge of its books of account and
accounting records and of its accounting procedures, and shall
have such duties and powers as are commonly incident to the
office of a controller, and such other duties and powers as may
be prescribed from time to time by the Trustees. The
Controller shall be responsible to and shall report to the
Trustees, but in the ordinary conduct of the Trust's business,
shall be under the supervision of the Treasurer. Any Assistant
Controller shall have such duties and powers as shall be
prescribed from time to time by the Trustees or the Controller,
and shall be responsible to and shall report to the Controller.
In the absence or disability of the Controller, the Assistant
Controller or, if there shall be more than one, the Assistant
Controllers in the order of their seniority or as otherwise
designated by the Trustees, shall have the powers and duties of
the Controller.
<PAGE> 13
SECTION 3.9. Secretary and Assistant Secretaries. The
Secretary shall, if and to the extent requested by the Trustees,
attend all meetings of the Trustees, any Committee of the
Trustees and/or the Shareholders and record all votes and the
minutes of proceedings in a book to be kept for that purpose,
shall give or cause to be given notice of all meetings of the
Trustees, any Committee of the Trustees, and of the
Shareholders and shall perform such other duties as may be
prescribed by the Trustees. The Secretary, or in his absence any
Assistant Secretary, shall affix the Trust's seal to any
instrument requiring it, and when so affixed, it shall be
attested by the signature of the Secretary or an Assistant
Secretary. The Secretary shall be the custodian of the Share
records and all other books, records and papers of the Trust
(other than financial) and shall see that all books, reports,
statements, certificates and other documents and records
required by law are properly kept and filed. In the absence or
disability of the Secretary, the Assistant Secretary or, if
there shall be more than one, the Assistant Secretaries in the
order of their seniority or as otherwise designated by the
Trustees, shall have the powers and duties of the Secretary.
SECTION 3.10. Substitutions. In case of the absence or
disability of any officer of the Trust, or for any other reason
that the Trustees may deem sufficient, the Trustees may
delegate, for the time being, the powers or duties, or any of
them, of such officer to any other officer, or to any Trustee.
SECTION 3.11. Execution of Deeds, etc. Except as the
Trustees may generally or in particular cases otherwise
authorize or direct, all deeds, leases, transfers, contracts,
proposals, bonds, notes, checks, drafts and other obligations
made, accepted or endorsed by the Trust shall be signed or
endorsed on behalf of the Trust by its properly authorized
officers or agents as provided in the Declaration.
SECTION 3.12. Power to Vote Securities. Unless otherwise
ordered by the Trustees, the Treasurer shall have full power and
authority on behalf of the Trust to give proxies for, and/or to
attend and to act and to vote at, any meeting of stockholders of
any corporation in which the Trust may hold stock, and at any
such meeting the Treasurer or his proxy shall possess and may
exercise any and all rights and powers incident to the ownership
of such stock which, as the owner thereof, the Trust might have
possessed and exercised if present. The Trustees, by resolution
from time to time, or, in the absence thereof, the Treasurer,
may confer like powers upon any other person or persons as
attorneys and proxies of the Trust.
ARTICLE 4
COMMITTEES
<PAGE> 14
SECTION 4.1. Power of Trustees to Designate Committees. The
Trustees, by vote of a Majority of the Trustees, may elect from
their number an Executive Committee and any other Committees and
may delegate thereto some or all of their powers except those
which by law, by the Declaration or by these Bylaws may
not be delegated; provided, that an Executive Committee shall
not be empowered to elect the President, the Treasurer or the
Secretary, to amend the Bylaws, to exercise the powers of the
Trustees under this Section 4.1 or under Section 4.3 hereof, or
to perform any act for which the action of a Majority of the
Trustees is required by law, by the Declaration or by these
Bylaws. The members of any such Committee shall serve at the
pleasure of the Trustees.
SECTION 4.2. Rules for Conduct of Committee Affairs. Except
as otherwise provided by the Trustees, each Committee elected or
appointed pursuant to this Article 4 may adopt such standing
rules and regulations for the conduct of its affairs as it may
deem desirable, subject to review and approval of such
rules and regulations by the Trustees at the next succeeding
meeting of the Trustees, but in the absence of any such action
or any contrary provisions by the Trustees, the business of each
Committee shall be conducted, so far as practicable, in the same
manner as provided herein and in the Declaration for the
Trustees.
SECTION 4.3. Trustees May Alter, Abolish, etc., Committees
Trustees may at any time alter or abolish any Committee, change
membership of any Committee, or revoke, rescind, waive or
modify action of any Committee or the authority of any Committee
with respect to any matter or class of matters; provided, that
no such action shall impair the rights of any third parties.
SECTION 4.4. Minutes: Review by Trustees. Any Committee to
which the Trustees delegate any of their powers or duties shall
keep records of its meetings and shall report its actions to the
Trustees.
<PAGE> 15
ARTICLE 5
SEAL
The seal of the Trust, if any, may be affixed to any
instrument, and the seal and its attestation may be
lithographed, engraved or otherwise printed on any document with
the same force and effect as if had been imprinted and affixed
manually in the same manner and with the same force and effect
as if done by a Delaware corporation. Unless otherwise
required by the Trustees, the seal shall not be necessary to be
placed on, and its absence shall not impair the validity of, any
document, instrument or other paper executed and delivered by or
on behalf of the Trust.
ARTICLE 6
SHARES
SECTION 6.1. Issuance of Shares. The Trustees may issue an
unlimited number of Classes of Shares of any or all Series
either in certificated or uncertificated form, they may issue
certificates to the holders of a Class of Shares of a Series
which was originally issued in uncertificated form, and if they
have issued Shares of any Series in certificated form, they may
at any time discontinue the issuance of Share certificates for
such Series and may, by written notice to such Shareholders of
such Series require the surrender of their Share certificates to
the Trust for cancellation, which surrender and cancellation
shall not affect the ownership of Shares for such Series.
SECTION 6.2. Uncertificated Shares. For any Class of Shares
for which the Trustees issue Shares without certificates, the
Trust or the Transfer Agent may either issue receipts therefor
or may keep accounts upon the books of the Trust for the record
holders of such Shares, who shall in either case be deemed, for
all purposes hereunder, to be the holders of such Shares as if
they had received certificates therefor and shall be held to
have expressly assented and agreed to the terms hereof and of
the Declaration.
SECTION 6.3. Share Certificates. For any Class of Shares for
which the Trustees shall issue Share certificates, each
Shareholder of such Class shall be entitled to a certificate
stating the number of Shares owned by him in such form as shall
be prescribed from time to time by the Trustees. Such
<PAGE> 16
certificate shall be signed by the President or a Vice
President, and by the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer or
the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Trust. Such
signatures may be facsimiles if the certificate is
countersigned by a Transfer Agent, or by a Registrar,
other than a Trustee, officer or employee of the Trust. In case
any officer who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been
placed on such certificate shall cease to be such officer before
such certificate is issued, it may be issued by the Trust with
the same effect as if he were such officer at the time of its
issue.
SECTION 6.4. Lost, Stolen, etc., Certificates. If any
certificate for certificated Shares shall be lost,
stolen, destroyed or mutilated, the Trustees may authorize the
issuance of a new certificate of the same tenor and for the same
number of Shares in lieu thereof. The Trustees shall require
the surrender of any mutilated certificate in respect of which a
new certificate is issued, and may, in their discretion, before
the issuance of a new certificate, require the owner of a lost,
stolen or destroyed certificate, or the owner's legal
representative, to make an affidavit or affirmation setting
forth such facts as to the loss, theft or destruction as they
deem necessary, and to give the Trust a bond in such reasonable
sum as the Trustees direct, in order to indemnify the Trust.
ARTICLE 7
TRANSFER OF SHARES
SECTION 7.1. Transfer Agents, Registrars, etc. As approved in
Section 5.2(e) of the Declaration, the Trustees shall have the
authority to employ and compensate such transfer agents and
registrars with respect to the Shares of the Trust as the
Trustees shall deem necessary or desirable. In addition, the
Trustees shall have the power to employ and compensate such
dividend dispersing agents, warrant agents and agents for
reinvestment of dividends as they shall deem necessary or
desirable. Any of such agents shall have such power and
authority as is delegated to any of them by the Trustees.
SECTION 7.2 Transfer of Shares. The Shares of the Trust shall
be transferable on the books of the Trust only upon delivery to
the Trustees or a transfer agent of the Trust of proper
documentation as provided in Section 6.1(m) of the Declaration.
The Trust, or its transfer agents, shall be authorized to refuse
any transfer unless and until presentation of such evidence as
may be reasonably required to show that the requested transfer
is proper.
SECTION 7.3 Registered Shareholders. The Trust may deem and
treat the holder of record of any Shares the absolute owner
<PAGE> 17
thereof for all purposes and shall not be required to take any
notice of any right or claim of right of any other person.
ARTICLE 8
AMENDMENTS
SECTION 8.1. Bylaws Subject to Amendment. These Bylaws may be
altered, amended or repealed, in whole or in part, at any time
by vote of the holders of a majority of the Shares issued,
outstanding and entitled to vote. The Trustees, by vote of a
Majority of the Trustees, may alter, amend or repeal these
Bylaws, in whole or in part, including Bylaws adopted by the
Shareholders, except with respect to any provision hereof which
by law, the Declaration or these Bylaws requires action by the
Shareholders. Bylaws adopted by the Trustees may be altered,
amended or repealed by the Shareholders.
SECTION 8.2. Notice of Proposal to Amend Bylaws Required. No
proposal to amend or repeal these Bylaws or to adopt new Bylaws
shall be acted upon at a meeting unless either (i) such proposal
is stated in the notice or in the waiver of notice, as the case
may be, of the meeting of the Trustees or Shareholders at which
such action is taken, or (ii) all of the Trustees or
Shareholders, as the case may be, are present at such meeting
and all agree to consider such proposal without protesting the
lack of notice.
<PAGE> 1
EXHIBIT 4(i)
NUMBER SHARES
__________ __________
VAN KAMPEN AMERICAN CAPITAL U.S. GOVERNMENT FUND, a series of
VAN KAMPEN AMERICAN CAPITAL U.S. GOVERNMENT TRUST
CLASS A
ORGANIZED AND EXISTING UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE
THIS CERTIFIES that is the owner of
*SEE REVERSE FOR CERTAIN DEFINITIONS
_________________
CUSIP
_________________
fully paid and nonassessable shares of beneficial interest of the par
value of $0.01 per share of Van Kampen American Capital U.S. Government
Fund, transferable on the books of the Fund by the holder thereof in person or
by duly authorized attorney upon surrender of this certificate properly
endorsed. This certificate is not valid unless countersigned by the Transfer
Agent.
WITNESS THE FACSIMILE SEAL OF THE FUND AND THE FACSIMILE SIGNATURES OF
ITS DULY AUTHORIZED OFFICERS.
Dated
[VAN KAMPEN AMERICAN CAPITAL
U.S. GOVERNMENT FUND
DELAWARE SEAL]
RONALD A. NYBERG DENNIS J. MCDONNELL
SECRETARY PRESIDENT
KC 002717
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
COUNTERSIGNED by ACCESS INVESTOR SERVICES, INC.
P.O. BOX 418256, KANSAS CITY, MO 64141-9256
TRANSFER AGENT
By
----------------------------------------------------
AUTHORIZED OFFICER
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PLEASE DETACH AND DISCARD UNLESS CHANGES ARE REQUIRED
VAN KAMPEN AMERICAN CAPITAL U.S. GOVERNMENT FUND
NUMBER CLASS A SHARES
KC
ACCOUNT NO. ALPHA CODE DEALER NO. CONFIRM NO.
TRADE DATE CONFIRM DATE BATCH I.D. NO.
CHANGE NOTICE: IF THE ABOVE INFORMATION
IS INCORRECT OR MISSING, PLEASE PRINT
THE CORRECT INFORMATION BELOW, AND RETURN
TO:
ACCESS
P.O. BOX 418256
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI 64141-9256
----------------------------------------
----------------------------------------
----------------------------------------
<PAGE> 2
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
REQUIREMENTS: THE SIGNATURE(S) TO THIS ASSIGNMENT MUST CORRESPOND WITH THE
NAME(S) AS WRITTEN UPON THE FACE OF THE CERTIFICATE IN EVERY PARTICULAR WITHOUT
ALTERATION OR ENLARGEMENT OR ANY CHANGE WHATEVER.
THE SIGNATURE(S) MUST BE GUARANTEED BY ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:
A BANK OR TRUST COMPANY; A BROKER/DEALER; A CREDIT UNION; A NATIONAL SECURITIES
EXCHANGE, REGISTERED SECURITIES ASSOCIATION OR CLEARING AGENCY; A SAVINGS AND
LOAN ASSOCIATION; OR A FEDERAL SAVINGS BANK.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For value received, hereby sell, assign and transfer unto
________________________________________________________________________________
(PLEASE PRINT OR TYPEWRITE NAME AND ADDRESS OF ASSIGNEE)
________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________ Shares
of the Common Stock represented by the within Certificate, and do hereby
irrevocably constitute and appoint _____________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________ Attorney
to transfer the said stock on the books of the within-named Corporation with
full power of substitution in the premises.
Dated, _________________________________________ 19 ______
__________________________________________________________________
Owner
__________________________________________________________________
Signature of Co-Owner, if any
IMPORTANT { BEFORE SIGNING, READ AND COMPLY CAREFULLY
{ WITH REQUIREMENTS PRINTED ABOVE.
SIGNATURE(S) guaranteed by:
________________________________________________________________________________
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription on the face
of this certificate, shall be construed as though they were written out in full
according to applicable laws or regulations:
TEN COM - as tenants UNIF GIFT MIN. ACT - ________ Custodian _________
in common (Cust) (Minor)
under Uniform Gifts to
TEN ENT - as tenants by Minors Act
the entireties
____________________________
JT TEN - as joint tenants (State)
with right of sur-
vivorship and not
as tenants in common
Additional abbreviations may also be used though not in the above list
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
________________________________________________________________________________
THIS SPACE MUST NOT BE COVERED IN ANY WAY
<PAGE> 1
EXHIBIT 4(ii)
NUMBER SHARES
__________ __________
VAN KAMPEN AMERICAN CAPITAL U.S. GOVERNMENT FUND, a series of
VAN KAMPEN AMERICAN CAPITAL U.S. GOVERNMENT TRUST
CLASS B
ORGANIZED AND EXISTING UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE
THIS CERTIFIES that is the owner of
*SEE REVERSE FOR CERTAIN DEFINITIONS
_________________
CUSIP
_________________
fully paid and nonassessable shares of beneficial interest of the par
value of $0.01 per share of Van Kampen American Capital U.S. Government
Fund, transferable on the books of the Fund by the holder thereof in person or
by duly authorized attorney upon surrender of this certificate properly
endorsed. This certificate is not valid unless countersigned by the Transfer
Agent.
WITNESS THE FACSIMILE SEAL OF THE FUND AND THE FACSIMILE SIGNATURES OF
ITS DULY AUTHORIZED OFFICERS.
Dated
[VAN KAMPEN AMERICAN CAPITAL
U.S. GOVERNMENT FUND
DELAWARE SEAL]
RONALD A. NYBERG DENNIS J. MCDONNELL
SECRETARY PRESIDENT
KC 002717
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
COUNTERSIGNED by ACCESS INVESTOR SERVICES, INC.
P.O. BOX 418256, KANSAS CITY, MO 64141-9256
TRANSFER AGENT
By
----------------------------------------------------
AUTHORIZED OFFICER
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PLEASE DETACH AND DISCARD UNLESS CHANGES ARE REQUIRED
VAN KAMPEN AMERICAN CAPITAL U.S. GOVERNMENT FUND
NUMBER CLASS A SHARES
KC
ACCOUNT NO. ALPHA CODE DEALER NO. CONFIRM NO.
TRADE DATE CONFIRM DATE BATCH I.D. NO.
CHANGE NOTICE: IF THE ABOVE INFORMATION
IS INCORRECT OR MISSING, PLEASE PRINT
THE CORRECT INFORMATION BELOW, AND RETURN
TO:
ACCESS
P.O. BOX 418256
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI 64141-9256
----------------------------------------
----------------------------------------
----------------------------------------
<PAGE> 2
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
REQUIREMENTS: THE SIGNATURE(S) TO THIS ASSIGNMENT MUST CORRESPOND WITH THE
NAME(S) AS WRITTEN UPON THE FACE OF THE CERTIFICATE IN EVERY PARTICULAR WITHOUT
ALTERATION OR ENLARGEMENT OR ANY CHANGE WHATEVER.
THE SIGNATURE(S) MUST BE GUARANTEED BY ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:
A BANK OR TRUST COMPANY; A BROKER/DEALER; A CREDIT UNION; A NATIONAL SECURITIES
EXCHANGE, REGISTERED SECURITIES ASSOCIATION OR CLEARING AGENCY; A SAVINGS AND
LOAN ASSOCIATION; OR A FEDERAL SAVINGS BANK.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For value received, hereby sell, assign and transfer unto
________________________________________________________________________________
(PLEASE PRINT OR TYPEWRITE NAME AND ADDRESS OF ASSIGNEE)
________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________ Shares
of the Common Stock represented by the within Certificate, and do hereby
irrevocably constitute and appoint _____________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________ Attorney
to transfer the said stock on the books of the within-named Corporation with
full power of substitution in the premises.
Dated, _________________________________________ 19 ______
__________________________________________________________________
Owner
__________________________________________________________________
Signature of Co-Owner, if any
IMPORTANT { BEFORE SIGNING, READ AND COMPLY CAREFULLY
{ WITH REQUIREMENTS PRINTED ABOVE.
SIGNATURE(S) guaranteed by:
________________________________________________________________________________
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription on the face
of this certificate, shall be construed as though they were written out in full
according to applicable laws or regulations:
TEN COM - as tenants UNIF GIFT MIN. ACT - ________ Custodian _________
in common (Cust) (Minor)
under Uniform Gifts to
TEN ENT - as tenants by Minors Act
the entireties
____________________________
JT TEN - as joint tenants (State)
with right of sur-
vivorship and not
as tenants in common
Additional abbreviations may also be used though not in the above list
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
________________________________________________________________________________
THIS SPACE MUST NOT BE COVERED IN ANY WAY
<PAGE> 1
EXHIBIT 4(iii)
NUMBER SHARES
__________ __________
VAN KAMPEN AMERICAN CAPITAL U.S. GOVERNMENT FUND, a series of
VAN KAMPEN AMERICAN CAPITAL U.S. GOVERNMENT TRUST
CLASS C
ORGANIZED AND EXISTING UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE
THIS CERTIFIES that is the owner of
*SEE REVERSE FOR CERTAIN DEFINITIONS
_________________
CUSIP
_________________
fully paid and nonassessable shares of beneficial interest of the par
value of $0.01 per share of Van Kampen American Capital U.S. Government
Fund, transferable on the books of the Fund by the holder thereof in person or
by duly authorized attorney upon surrender of this certificate properly
endorsed. This certificate is not valid unless countersigned by the Transfer
Agent.
WITNESS THE FACSIMILE SEAL OF THE FUND AND THE FACSIMILE SIGNATURES OF
ITS DULY AUTHORIZED OFFICERS.
Dated
[VAN KAMPEN AMERICAN CAPITAL
U.S. GOVERNMENT FUND
DELAWARE SEAL]
RONALD A. NYBERG DENNIS J. MCDONNELL
SECRETARY PRESIDENT
KC 002717
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
COUNTERSIGNED by ACCESS INVESTOR SERVICES, INC.
P.O. BOX 418256, KANSAS CITY, MO 64141-9256
TRANSFER AGENT
By
----------------------------------------------------
AUTHORIZED OFFICER
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PLEASE DETACH AND DISCARD UNLESS CHANGES ARE REQUIRED
VAN KAMPEN AMERICAN CAPITAL U.S. GOVERNMENT FUND
NUMBER CLASS A SHARES
KC
ACCOUNT NO. ALPHA CODE DEALER NO. CONFIRM NO.
TRADE DATE CONFIRM DATE BATCH I.D. NO.
CHANGE NOTICE: IF THE ABOVE INFORMATION
IS INCORRECT OR MISSING, PLEASE PRINT
THE CORRECT INFORMATION BELOW, AND RETURN
TO:
ACCESS
P.O. BOX 418256
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI 64141-9256
----------------------------------------
----------------------------------------
----------------------------------------
<PAGE> 2
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
REQUIREMENTS: THE SIGNATURE(S) TO THIS ASSIGNMENT MUST CORRESPOND WITH THE
NAME(S) AS WRITTEN UPON THE FACE OF THE CERTIFICATE IN EVERY PARTICULAR WITHOUT
ALTERATION OR ENLARGEMENT OR ANY CHANGE WHATEVER.
THE SIGNATURE(S) MUST BE GUARANTEED BY ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:
A BANK OR TRUST COMPANY; A BROKER/DEALER; A CREDIT UNION; A NATIONAL SECURITIES
EXCHANGE, REGISTERED SECURITIES ASSOCIATION OR CLEARING AGENCY; A SAVINGS AND
LOAN ASSOCIATION; OR A FEDERAL SAVINGS BANK.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For value received, hereby sell, assign and transfer unto
________________________________________________________________________________
(PLEASE PRINT OR TYPEWRITE NAME AND ADDRESS OF ASSIGNEE)
________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________ Shares
of the Common Stock represented by the within Certificate, and do hereby
irrevocably constitute and appoint _____________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________ Attorney
to transfer the said stock on the books of the within-named Corporation with
full power of substitution in the premises.
Dated, _________________________________________ 19 ______
__________________________________________________________________
Owner
__________________________________________________________________
Signature of Co-Owner, if any
IMPORTANT { BEFORE SIGNING, READ AND COMPLY CAREFULLY
{ WITH REQUIREMENTS PRINTED ABOVE.
SIGNATURE(S) guaranteed by:
________________________________________________________________________________
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription on the face
of this certificate, shall be construed as though they were written out in full
according to applicable laws or regulations:
TEN COM - as tenants UNIF GIFT MIN. ACT - ________ Custodian _________
in common (Cust) (Minor)
under Uniform Gifts to
TEN ENT - as tenants by Minors Act
the entireties
____________________________
JT TEN - as joint tenants (State)
with right of sur-
vivorship and not
as tenants in common
Additional abbreviations may also be used though not in the above list
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
________________________________________________________________________________
THIS SPACE MUST NOT BE COVERED IN ANY WAY
<PAGE> 1
EXHIBIT 5
FORM OF
INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT
THIS INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT dated as of _________, 199_, by and
between VAN KAMPEN AMERICAN CAPITAL U.S. GOVERNMENT FUND (the "Fund"), a series
of VAN KAMPEN AMERICAN CAPITAL U.S. GOVERNMENT TRUST, a Delaware business trust
(the "Trust"), and VAN KAMPEN AMERICAN CAPITAL INVESTMENT ADVISORY CORP. (the
"Adviser"), a Delaware corporation.
1. (a) Retention of Adviser by Fund. The Fund hereby employs
the Adviser to act as the investment adviser for and to manage
the investment and reinvestment of the assets of the Fund in
accordance with the Fund's investment objective and policies and
limitations, and to administer its affairs to the extent
requested by, and subject to the review and supervision of, the
Board of Trustees of the Fund for the period and upon the terms
herein set forth. The investment of funds shall be subject to
all applicable restrictions of applicable law and of the
Declaration of Trust and By-Laws of the Trust, and resolutions
of the Board of Trustees of the Fund as may from time to time be
in force and delivered or made available to the Adviser.
(b) Adviser's Acceptance of Employment. The Adviser accepts
such employment and agrees during such period to render such
services, to supply investment research and portfolio management
(including without limitation the selection of securities for
the Fund to purchase, hold or sell and the selection of brokers
through whom the Fund's portfolio transactions are executed, in
accordance with the policies adopted by the Fund and its Board
of Trustees), to administer the business affairs of the Fund, to
furnish offices and necessary facilities and equipment to the
Fund, to provide administrative services for the Fund, to render
periodic reports to the Board of Trustees of the Fund, and to
permit any of its officers or employees to serve without
compensation as trustees or officers of the Fund if elected to
such positions.
(c) Independent Contractor. The Adviser shall be deemed
to be an independent contractor under this Agreement and, unless
otherwise expressly provided or authorized, shall have no
authority to act for or represent the Fund in any way or
otherwise be deemed as agent of the Fund.
(d) Non-Exclusive Agreement. The services of the Adviser to
the Fund under this Agreement are not to be deemed exclusive,
and the Adviser shall be free to render similar services or
other services to others so long as its services hereunder are
not impaired thereby.
1
<PAGE> 2
2. (a) Fee. For the services and facilities described in
Section 1, the Fund will accrue daily and pay to the Adviser at
the end of each calendar month an investment management fee
equal to a percentage of the average daily net assets of the
Fund as follows:
FEE PERCENT OF
AVERAGE DAILY AVERAGE DAILY
NET ASSETS NET ASSETS
____________________ ____________________
____________________ ____________________
(b) Expense Limitation. The Adviser's compensation for any
fiscal year of the Fund shall be reduced by the amount, if any,
by which the Fund's expense for such fiscal year exceeds the
most restrictive applicable expense jurisdiction in which the
Fund's shares are qualified for offer and sale, as such
limitations set forth in the most recent notice thereof
furnished by the Adviser to the Fund. For purposes of this
paragraph there shall be excluded from computation of the Fund's
expenses any amount borne directly or indirectly by the Fund
which is permitted to be excluded from the computation of such
limitation by such statute or regulatory authority. If for any
month expenses of the Fund properly included in such calculation
exceed 1/12 of the amount permitted annually by the most
restrictive applicable expense limitation, the payment to the
Adviser for that month shall be reduced, and, if necessary, the
Adviser shall make a refund payment to the Fund, so that the
total net expense for the month will not exceed 1/12 of such
amount. As of the end of the Fund's fiscal year, however, the
computations and payments shall be readjusted so that the
aggregate compensation payable to the Adviser for the year is
equal to the fee set forth in subsection (a) of this Section 2,
diminished to the extent necessary so that the expenses for the
year do not exceed those permitted by the applicable expense
limitation.
(c) Determination of Net Asset Value. The net asset value of
the Fund shall be calculated as of the close of the New York
Stock Exchange on each day the Exchange is open for trading or
such other time or times as the trustees may determine in
accordance with the provisions of applicable law and of the
Declaration of Trust and By-Laws of the Trust, and resolutions
of the Board of Trustees of the Fund as from time to time in
force. For the purpose of the foregoing computations, on each
such day when net asset value is not calculated, the net asset
value of a share of beneficial interest of the Fund shall be
deemed to be the net asset value of such share as of the close
of business of the last day on which such calculation was made.
2
<PAGE> 3
(d) Proration. For the month and year in which this Agreement
becomes effective or terminates, there shall be an appropriate
proration of the Adviser's fee on the basis of the number of
days that the Agreement is in effect during such month and year,
respectively.
3. Expenses. In addition to the fee of the Adviser, the Fund
shall assume and pay any expenses for services rendered by a
custodian for the safekeeping of the Fund's securities or other
property, for keeping its books of account, for any other
charges of the custodian and for calculating the net asset value
of the Fund as provided above. The Adviser shall not be
required to pay, and the Fund shall assume and pay, the charges
and expenses of its operations, including compensation of the
trustees (other than those who are interested persons of the
Adviser and other than those who are interested persons of the
distributor of the Fund but not of the Adviser, if the
distributor has agreed to pay such compensation), charges and
expenses of independent accountants, of legal counsel and of any
transfer or dividend disbursing agent, costs of acquiring and
disposing of portfolio securities, cost of listing shares of the
New York Stock Exchange or other exchange interest (if any) on
obligations incurred by the Fund, costs of share certificates,
membership dues in the Investment Company Institute or any
similar organization, costs of reports and notices to
shareholders, costs of registering shares of the Fund under the
federal securities laws, miscellaneous expenses and all taxes
and fees to federal, state or other governmental agencies on
account of the registration of securities issued by the Fund,
filing of corporate documents or otherwise. The Fund shall not
pay or incur any obligation for any management or administrative
expenses for which the Fund intends to seek reimbursement from
the Adviser without first obtaining the written approval of the
Adviser. The Adviser shall arrange, if desired by the Fund, for
officers or employees of the Adviser to serve, without
compensation from the Fund, as trustees, officers or agents of
the Fund if duly elected or appointed to such positions and
subject to their individual consent and to any limitations
imposed by law.
4. Interested Persons. Subject to applicable statutes and
regulations, it is understood that trustees, officers,
shareholders and agents of the Fund are or may be interested in
the Adviser as directors, officers, shareholders, agents or
otherwise and that the directors, officers, shareholders and
agents of the Adviser may be interest in the Fund as trustees,
officers, shareholders, agents or otherwise.
5. Liability. The Adviser shall not be liable for any error of
judgment or of law, or for any loss suffered by the Fund in
connection with the matters to which this Agreement relates,
except a loss resulting from willful misfeasance, bad faith or
gross negligence on the part of the Adviser in the performance
of its obligations and duties, or by reason of its reckless
disregard of its obligations and duties under this Agreement.
6. (a) Term. This Agreement shall become effective on the
date hereof and shall remain in full force until the second
anniversary of the date hereof unless sooner terminated as
hereinafter provided. This Agreement shall continue in force
3
<PAGE> 4
from year to year thereafter, but only as long as such
continuance is specifically approved as least annually in the
manner required by the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended.
(b) Termination. This Agreement shall automatically
terminate in the event of its assignment. This Agreement may be
terminated at any time without the payment of any penalty by the
Fund or by the Adviser on sixty (60) days written notice to the
other party. The Fund may effect termination by action of the
Board of Trustees or by vote of a majority of the outstanding
shares of stock of the Fund, accompanied by appropriate notice.
This Agreement may be terminated at any time without the payment
of any penalty and without advance notice by the Board of
Trustees or by vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of
the Fund in the event that it shall have been established by a
court of competent jurisdiction that the Adviser or any officer
or director of the Adviser has taken any action which results in
a breach of the covenants of the Adviser set forth herein.
(c) Payment upon Termination. Termination of this Agreement
shall not affect the right of the Adviser to receive payment on
any unpaid balance of the compensation described in Section 2
earned prior to such termination.
7. Severability. If any provision of this Agreement shall be
held or made invalid by a court decision, statute, rule or
otherwise, the remainder shall not thereby affected.
8. Notices. Any notice under this Agreement shall be in
writing, addressed and delivered or mailed, postage prepaid, to
the other party at such address as such other party may
designate for the receipt of such notice.
9. Disclaimer. The Adviser acknowledges and agrees that, as
provided by Article 8, Section 8.1 of the Agreement and Declaration of Trust of
the Trust, the shareholders, trustees, officers, employees and other agents of
the Trust and the Fund shall not personally be bound by or liable hereunder,
nor shall resort be had to their private property for the satisfaction of any
obligation or claim hereunder.
10. Governing Law. All questions concerning the validity,
meaning and effect of this Agreement shall be determined in
accordance with the laws (without giving effect to the
conflict-of-law principles thereof) of the State of Delaware
applicable to contracts made and to be performed in that state.
4
<PAGE> 5
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Fund and the Adviser have caused this
Agreement to be executed on the day and year first above written.
VAN KAMPEN AMERICAN CAPITAL INVESTMENT ADVISORY CORP.
By:_____________________________________________
Dennis J. McDonnell, President
VAN KAMPEN AMERICAN CAPITAL U.S. GOVERNMENT FUND,
a series of VAN KAMPEN AMERICAN CAPITAL U.S. GOVERNMENT
TRUST
By:_____________________________________________
Dennis J. McDonnell, President
5
<PAGE> 1
EXHIBIT 6(a)
FORM OF
DISTRIBUTION AND SERVICE AGREEMENT
THIS DISTRIBUTION AND SERVICE AGREEMENT
dated as of
, 199_ (the "Agreement") by and between
VAN KAMPEN AMERICAN CAPITAL__________ TRUST, a Delaware
business trust (the "Trust"), on behalf of its series VAN
KAMPEN AMERICAN CAPITAL__________________ FUND (the "Fund"), and VAN
KAMPEN AMERICAN CAPITAL DISTRIBUTORS, INC., a Delaware
corporation (the "Distributor").
1. Appointment of Distributor. The Fund appoints the
Distributor as a principal underwriter and exclusive distributor
of each class of its shares of beneficial interest (the
"Shares") offered for sale from time to time pursuant to the
then current prospectus of the Fund, subject to different
combinations of front-end sales charges, distribution fees,
service fees and contingent deferred sales charges. Classes of
shares, if any, subject to a front-end sales charge and a
distribution and/or service fee are referred to herein as "FESC
Classes" and the Shares of such classes are referred to herein
as "FESC Shares." Classes of shares, if any, subject to a
contingent-deferred sales charge and a distribution and/or a
service fee are referred to herein as "CDSC Classes" and Shares
of such classes are referred to herein as "CDSC Shares."
Classes of shares, if any, subject to a front-end sales charge,
a contingent-deferred sales charge and a distribution and/or
service fee are referred to herein as "Combination Classes" and
Shares of such class are referred to herein as "Combination
Shares." The Fund reserves the right to refuse at any time or
times to sell Shares hereunder for any reason deemed adequate by
the Board of Trustees of the Fund.
The Distributor will use its best efforts to sell, through its
organization and through other dealers and agents, the Shares
which the Distributor has the right to purchase under Section 2
hereof, but the Distributor does not undertake to sell any
specific number of Shares.
The Distributor agrees that it will not take any long or short
positions in the Shares, except for long positions in those
Shares purchased by the Distributor in accordance with any
systematic sales plan described in the then current Prospectus
of the Fund and except as permitted by Section 2 hereof, and
that so far as it can control the situation, it will prevent any
of its trustees, officers or shareholders from taking any long
or short positions in the Shares, except for legitimate
investment purposes.
1
<PAGE> 2
2. Sale of Shares to Distributor. The Fund hereby grants to
the Distributor the exclusive right, except as herein otherwise
provided, to purchase Shares directly from the Fund upon the
terms herein set forth. Such exclusive right hereby granted
shall not apply to Shares issued or transferred or sold at net
asset value: (a) in connection with the merger or consolidation
of the Fund with any other investment company or the acquisition
by the Fund of all or substantially all of the assets of or the
outstanding Shares of any investment company; (b) in connection
with a pro rata distribution directly to the holders of Fund
Shares in the nature of a stock dividend or stock split or in
connection with any other recapitalization approved by the Board
of Trustees; (c) upon the exercise of purchase or subscription
rights granted to the holders of Shares on a pro rata basis; (d)
in connection with the automatic reinvestment of dividends and
distributions from the Fund; or (e) in connection with the issue
and sale of Shares to trustees, officers and employees of the
Fund; to directors, officers and employees of the investment
adviser of the Fund or any principal underwriter (including the
Distributor) of the Fund; to retirees of the Distributor that
purchased shares of any mutual fund distributed by the
Distributor prior to retirement; to directors, officers and
employees of Van Kampen American Capital, Inc. (formerly The Van
Kampen Merritt Companies, Inc.) (the parent of the Distributor),
VK/AC Holding, Inc. (formerly VKM Holdings, Inc.)(the parent of
The Van Kampen Merritt Companies, Inc.) and to the subsidiaries
of VK/AC Holding, Inc.; and to any trust, pension,
profit-sharing or other benefit plan for any of the aforesaid
persons as permitted by Rule 22d-1 under the Investment Company
Act of 1940 (the "1940 Act").
The Distributor shall have the right to buy from the Fund the
Shares needed, but not more than the Shares needed (except for
reasonable allowances for clerical errors, delays and errors of
transmission and cancellation of orders) to fill unconditional
orders for Shares received by the Distributor from dealers,
agents and investors during each period when particular net
asset values and public offering prices are in effect as
provided in Section 3 hereof; and the price which the
Distributor shall pay for the Shares so purchased shall be the
respective net asset value used in determining the public
offering price on which such orders were based. The Distributor
shall notify the Fund at the end of each such period, or as soon
thereafter on that business day as the orders received in such
period have been compiled, of the number of Shares of each class
that the Distributor elects to purchase hereunder.
3. Public Offering Price. The public offering price per Share
shall be determined in accordance with the then current
Prospectus of the Fund. In no event shall the public offering
price exceed the net asset value per Share, plus, with respect
to the FESC Shares, a front-end sales charge not in excess of
the applicable maximum sales charge permitted under the Rules of
Fair Practice of the National Association of Securities Dealers,
Inc., as in effect from time to time. The net asset value per
share for each class of Shares, respectively, shall be
determined in the manner provided in the Declaration of Trust
and By-Laws of the Trust as then amended, the Designation of
Sub-trust with respect to the Fund, as amended, and in
accordance with the then current Prospectus of the Fund
consistent with the terms and conditions of the exemptive order
with respect to the Fund (Release No. IC- ) issued
2
<PAGE> 3
by the Securities and Exchange Commission on
, 1993, as it may be amended from time to time or
succeeded by other exemptive orders or rules promulgated by the
Securities and Exchange Commission under the 1940 Act. The Fund
will cause immediate notice to be given to the Distributor of
each change in net asset value as soon as it is determined.
Discounts to dealers purchasing FESC Shares from the Distributor
for resale and to brokers and other eligible agents making sales
of FESC Shares to investors and compensation payable from the
Distributor to dealers, brokers and other eligible agents making
sales of CDSC Shares and Combination Shares shall be set forth
in the selling agreements between the Distributor and such
dealers or agents, respectively, as from time to time amended,
and, if such discounts and compensation are described in the
then current Prospectus for the Fund, shall be as so set forth.
4. Compliance with NASD Rules, SEC Orders, etc. In selling
Fund Shares, the Distributor will in all respects duly comply
with all state and federal laws relating to the sale of such
securities and with all applicable rules and regulations of all
regulatory bodies, including without limitation the Rules of
Fair Practice of the National Association of Securities Dealers,
Inc., and all applicable rules and regulations of the Securities
and Exchange Commission under the 1940 Act, and will indemnify
and save the Fund harmless from any damage or expense on account
of any unlawful act by the Distributor or its agents or
employees. The Distributor is not, however, to be responsible
for the acts of other dealers or agents, except to the extent
that they shall be acting for the Distributor or under its
direction or authority. None of the Distributor, any dealer,
any agent or any other person is authorized by the Fund to give
any information or to make any representations, other than those
contained in the Registration Statement or Prospectus heretofore
or hereafter filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act")
(as any such Registration Statement and Prospectus may have been
or may be amended from time to time), covering the Shares, and
in any supplemental information to any such Prospectus approved
by the Fund in connection with the offer or sale of Shares.
None of the Distributor, any dealer, any broker or any other
person is authorized to act as agent for the Fund in connection
with the offering or sale of Shares to the public or otherwise.
All such sales shall be made by the Distributor as principal for
its own account.
In selling Shares to investors, the Distributor will adopt and
comply with certain standards, as set forth in Exhibit III
attached hereto as to when each respective class of Shares may
appropriately be sold to particular investors. The Distributor
will require every broker, dealer and other eligible agent
participating in the offering of the Shares to agree to adopt
and comply with such standards as a condition precedent to their
participation in the offering.
3
<PAGE> 4
5. Expenses.
(a) The Fund will pay or cause to be paid:
(i) all expenses in connection with the registration of
Shares under the federal securities laws, and the Fund will exercise
its best efforts to obtain said registration and qualification;
(ii) all expenses in connection with the printing of any
notices of shareholders' meetings, proxy and proxy statements
and enclosures therewith, as well as any other notice or
communication sent to shareholders in connection with any
meeting of the shareholders or otherwise, any annual, semiannual
or other reports or communications sent to the shareholders, and
the expenses of sending prospectuses relating to the Shares to
existing shareholders;
(iii) all expenses of any federal or state original-issue tax
or transfer tax payable upon the issuance, transfer or delivery
of Shares from the Fund to the Distributor; and
(iv) the cost of preparing and issuing any Share certificates
which may be issued to represent Shares.
(b) The Distributor will pay the costs and expenses of
qualifying and maintaining qualification of the Shares for sale
under the securities laws of the various states. The
Distributor will also permit its officers and employees to serve
without compensation as trustees and officers of the Fund if
duly elected to such positions.
(c) The Fund shall reimburse the Distributor for
out-of-pocket costs and expenses actually incurred by it in
connection with distribution of each class of Shares
respectively in accordance with the terms of a plan (the "12b-1
Plan") adopted by the Fund pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940
Act as such 12b-1 Plan may be in effect from time to time;
provided, however, that no payments shall be due or paid to the
Distributor hereunder with respect to a class of Shares unless
and until this Agreement shall have been approved for each such
class by a majority of the Board of Trustees of the Fund and by
a majority of the "Disinterested Trustees" (as such term is
defined in such 12b-1 Plan) by vote cast in person at a meeting
called for the purpose of voting on this Agreement. A copy of
such 12b-1 Plan as in effect on the date of this Agreement is
attached as Exhibit I hereto. The Fund reserves the right to
terminate such 12b-1 Plan with respect to a class of Shares at
any time, as specified in the Plan. The persons authorized to
direct the payment of funds pursuant to this Agreement and the
12b-1 Plan shall provide to the Fund's Board of Trustees, and
the Trustees shall review, at least quarterly, a written report
with respect to each of the classes of Shares of the amounts so
4
<PAGE> 5
paid and the purposes for which such expenditures were made for
each such class of Shares.
(d) The Fund shall compensate the Distributor for providing
services to, and the maintenance of, shareholder accounts in the
Fund (including prepaying service fees to eligible brokers,
dealers and financial intermediaries and expenses incurred in
connection therewith) and the Distributor may pay as agent for
and on behalf of the Fund a service fee with respect to each
class of Shares to brokers, dealers and financial intermediaries
for the provision of shareholder services and the maintenance of
shareholder accounts in the Fund in the amount with respect to
each class of Shares set forth from time to time in the Fund's
prospectus. The Fund shall compensate the Distributor for such
expenses in accordance with the terms of a service plan (the
"Service Plan"), as such Service Plan may be in effect from time
to time; provided, however, that no service fee payments shall
be due or paid to the Distributor hereunder with respect to a
class of Shares unless and until this Agreement shall have been
approved for each such class by a majority of the Board of
Trustees of the Fund and by a majority of the Disinterested
Trustees by vote cast in person at a meeting called for the
purpose of voting on this Agreement. A copy of such Service
Plan as in effect on the date of this Agreement is attached as
Exhibit II hereto. The Fund reserves the right to terminate
such Service Plan with respect to a class of Shares at any time,
as specified in the Plan. The persons authorized to direct the
payment of funds pursuant to this Agreement and the Service Plan
shall provide to the Fund's Board of Trustees, and the Trustees
shall review, at least quarterly, a written report with respect
to each of the classes of Shares of the amounts paid as service
fees for each such class of Shares.
6. Redemption of Shares. In connection with the Fund's
redemption of its Shares, the Fund hereby authorizes the
Distributor to repurchase, upon the terms and conditions
hereinafter set forth, as the Fund's agent and for the Fund's
account, such Shares as may be offered for sale to the Fund from
time to time by holders of such Shares or their agents.
(a) Subject to and in conformity with all applicable federal
and state legislation, any applicable rules of the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., and any applicable
rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission
under the 1940 Act, the Distributor may accept offers of holders
of Shares to resell such Shares to the Fund on such terms and
conditions and at such prices as described and provided for in
the then current Prospectus of the Fund.
(b) The Distributor agrees to notify the Fund at such times
as the Fund may specify of the number of each class of Shares,
respectively, repurchased for the Fund's account and the time or
times of such repurchases, and the Fund shall notify the
Distributor of the prices and, in the case of a class of CDSC
Shares or Combination Shares, of the deferred sales charge as
described below, if any, applicable to repurchases of Shares of
such class.
5
<PAGE> 6
(c) The Fund shall have the right to suspend or revoke the
foregoing authorization at any time; unless otherwise stated,
any such suspension or revocation shall be effective forthwith
upon receipt of notice thereof by telegraph or by written
instrument from any of the Fund's officers. In the event that
the Distributor's authorization is, by the terms of such notice,
suspended for more than twenty-four hours or until further
notice, the authorization given by this Section 6 shall not be
revived except by vote of the Board of Trustees of the Fund.
(d) The Distributor agrees that all repurchases of Shares
made by the Distributor shall be made only as agent for the
Fund's account and pursuant to the terms and conditions herein
set forth.
(e) The Fund agrees to authorize and direct its Custodian to
pay, for the Fund's account, the repurchase price (together with
any applicable contingent deferred sales charge) of any Shares
so repurchased for the Fund against the authorized transfer of
book shares from an open account and against delivery of any
other documentation required by the Board of Trustees of the
Fund or, in the case of certificated Shares, against delivery of
the certificates representing such Shares in proper form for
transfer to the Fund.
(f) The Distributor shall receive no commissions or other
compensation in respect of any repurchases of FESC Shares for
the Fund under the foregoing authorization and appointment as
agent. With respect to any repurchase of CDSC Shares or
Combination Shares, the Distributor shall receive the deferred
sales charge, if any, applicable to the respective class of
Shares that have been held for less than a specified period of
time with respect to such class as set forth from time to time
in the Fund's Prospectus. The Distributor shall receive no
other commission or other compensation in respect of any
repurchases of CDSC Shares or Combination Shares for the Fund
under the foregoing authorization and appointment as agent.
(g) If any FESC Shares sold to the Distributor under the
terms of this Agreement are redeemed or repurchased by the Fund
or by the Distributor as agent or are tendered for redemption
within seven business days after the date of the Distributor's
confirmation of the original purchase by the Distributor, the
Distributor shall forfeit the amount above the net asset value
received by it in respect of such Shares, provided that the
portion, if any, of such amount re-allowed by the Distributor to
dealers or agents shall be repayable to the Fund only to the
extent recovered by the Distributor from the dealer or agent
concerned. The Distributor shall include in agreements with
such dealers and agents a corresponding provision for the
forfeiture by them of their concession with respect to FESC
Shares purchased by them or their principals and redeemed or
repurchased by the Fund or by the Distributor as agent within
seven business days after the date of the Distributor's
confirmation of such initial purchases.
6
<PAGE> 7
7. Indemnification. The Fund agrees to indemnify and hold
harmless the Distributor and each of its trustees and officers
and each person, if any, who controls the Distributor within the
meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act against any loss,
liability, claim, damage or expense (including the reasonable
cost of investigating or defending any alleged loss, liability,
claim, damage, or expense and reasonable counsel fees incurred
in connection therewith), arising by reason of any person
acquiring any Shares, based upon the ground that the
registration statement, Prospectus, shareholder reports or other
information filed or made public by the Fund (as from time to
time amended) included an untrue statement of a material fact or
omitted to state a material fact required to be stated or
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of
the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading
under the 1933 Act or any other statute or the common law.
However, the Fund does not agree to indemnify the Distributor or
hold it harmless to the extent that the statement or omission
was made in reliance upon, and in conformity with, information
furnished to the Fund by or on behalf of the Distributor. In no
case (i) is the indemnity of the Fund in favor of the
Distributor or any person indemnified to be deemed to protect
the Distributor or any person against any liability to the Fund
or its securityholders to which the Distributor or such person
would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad
faith or gross negligence in the performance of its duties or by
reason of its reckless disregard of its obligations and duties
under this Agreement, or (ii) is the Fund to be liable under its
indemnity agreement contained in this Section with respect to
any claim made against the Distributor or any person indemnified
unless the Distributor or any such person shall have notified
the Fund in writing of the claim within a reasonable time after
the summons or other first written notification giving
information of the nature of the claim shall have been served
upon the Distributor or any such person (or after the
Distributor or the person shall have received notice of service
on any designated agent). However, failure to notify the Fund
of any claim shall not relieve the Fund from any liability which
it may have to the Distributor or any person against whom such
action is brought otherwise than on account of its indemnity
agreement contained in this paragraph. The Fund shall be
entitled to participate at its own expense in the defense, or,
if it so elects, to assume the defense, of any suit brought to
enforce any claims, but if the Fund elects to assume the
defense, the defense shall be conducted by counsel chosen by it
and satisfactory to the Distributor or person or persons,
defendant or defendants in the suit. In the event the Fund
elects to assume the defense of any suit and retain counsel, the
Distributor, officers or trustees or controlling person or
persons, defendant or defendants in the suit, shall bear the
fees and expenses of any additional counsel retained by them.
If the Fund does not elect to assume the defense of any suit, it
will reimburse the Distributor, officers or trustees or
controlling person or persons, defendant or defendants in the
suit for the reasonable fees and expenses of any counsel
retained by them. The Fund agrees to notify the Distributor
promptly of the commencement of any litigation or proceedings
against it or any of its officers or directors in connection
with the issuance or sale of any of the Shares.
The Distributor also covenants and agrees that it will
indemnify and hold harmless the Fund and each of its trustees
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and officers and each person, if any, who controls the Fund
within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act against any
loss, liability, damage, claim or expense (including the
reasonable cost of investigating or defending any alleged loss,
liability, damage, claim or expense and reasonable counsel fees
incurred in connection therewith) arising by reason of any
person acquiring any Shares, based upon the 1933 Act or any
other statute or common law, alleging any wrongful act of the
Distributor or any of its employees or alleging that the
registration statement, Prospectus, shareholder reports or other
information filed or made public by the Fund (as from time to
time amended) included an untrue statement of a material fact or
omitted to state a material fact required to be stated or
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of
the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading,
insofar as the statement or omission was made in reliance upon,
and in conformity with, information furnished to the Fund by or
on behalf of the Distributor. In no case (i) is the indemnity
of the Distributor in favor of the Fund or any person
indemnified to be deemed to protect the Fund or any such person
against any liability to which the Fund or such person would
otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith
or gross negligence in the performance of its duties or by
reason of its reckless disregard of its obligation and duties
under this Amended Agreement, or (ii) is the Distributor to be
liable under its indemnity agreement contained in this paragraph
with respect to any claim made against the Fund or any person
indemnified unless the Fund or person, as the case may be, shall
have notified the Distributor in writing of the claim within a
reasonable time after the summons or other first written
notification giving information of the nature of the claim shall
have been served upon the Fund or person (or after the Fund or
such person shall have received notice of service on any
designated agent). However, failure to notify the Distributor
of any claim shall not relieve the Distributor from any
liability which it may have to the Fund or any person against
whom the action is brought otherwise than on account of its
indemnity agreement contained in this paragraph. In the case of
any notice to the Distributor, it shall be entitled to
participate, at its own expense, in the defense, or, if it so
elects, to assume the defense, of any suit brought to enforce
the claim, but if the Distributor elects to assume the defense,
the defense shall be conducted by counsel chosen by it and
satisfactory to the Fund, to its officers and trustees and to
any controlling person or persons, defendant or defendants in
the suit. In the event that the Distributor elects to assume
the defense of any suit and retain counsel, the Fund or
controlling persons, defendants in the suit, shall bear the fees
and expenses of any additional counsel retained by them. If the
Distributor does not elect to assume the defense of any suit, it
will reimburse the Fund, officers and trustees or controlling
person or persons, defendant or defendants in the suit, for the
reasonable fees and expenses of any counsel retained by them.
The Distributor agrees to notify the Fund promptly of the
commencement of any litigation or proceedings against it in
connection with the issue and sale of any of the Shares.
8. Continuation, Amendment or Termination of This Agreement.
This Agreement shall become effective on the Effective Date and
thereafter shall continue in full force and effect year to year
with respect to each class of Shares so long as such continuance
is approved at least annually (i) by the Board of Trustees of
the Fund or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting
securities of the respective class of Shares of the Fund, and
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<PAGE> 9
(ii) by vote of a majority of the Trustees who are not parties
to this Agreement or interested persons in any such party (the
"Independent Trustee") cast in person at a meeting called for
the purpose of voting on such approval, provided, however, that
(a) this Agreement may at any time be terminated with respect to
either class of Shares of the Fund without the payment of any
penalty either by vote of a majority of the Disinterested
Trustees, or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting
securities of the respective class of Shares of the Fund, on
written notice to the Distributor; (b) this Agreement shall
immediately terminate in the event of its assignment; and (c)
this Agreement may be terminated by the Distributor on ninety
(90) days' written notice to the Fund. Upon termination of this
Agreement with respect to either class of Shares of the Fund,
the obligations of the parties hereunder shall cease and
terminate with respect to such class of Shares as of the date of
such termination, except for any obligation to respond for a
breach of this Agreement committed prior to such termination.
This Agreement may be amended with respect to either class of
Shares at any time by mutual consent of the parties, provided
that such consent on the part of the Fund shall have been
approved (i) by the Board of Trustees of the Fund, or by a vote
of the majority of the outstanding voting securities of the
respective class of Shares of the Fund, and (ii) by vote of a
majority of the Independent Trustees cast in person at a meeting
called for the purpose of voting on such amendment.
For the purpose of this section, the terms "vote of a majority
of the outstanding voting securities", "interested persons" and
"assignment" shall have the meanings defined in the 1940 Act, as
amended.
9. Limited Liability of Shareholder. Notwithstanding anything
to the contrary contained in this Agreement, you acknowledge and
agree that, as provided by Article 8, Section 8.1 of the Agreement and
Declaration of Trust of the Trust, this Agreement is executed by
the Trustees of the Trust and/or Officers of the Fund by them
not individually but as such Trustees and/or Officers, and the
obligations of the Fund hereunder are not binding upon any of
the Trustees, Officers or Shareholders individually, but bind
only the trust estate.
10. Notice. Any notice under this Agreement shall be given in
writing, addressed and delivered, or mailed postpaid, to the
other party at any office of such party or at such other address
as such party shall have designated in writing.
11. GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE CONSTRUED AND
ENFORCED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, AND THE RIGHTS OF THE PARTIES
HERETO SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS
WITHOUT REFERENCE TO PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICT OF LAWS.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this
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<PAGE> 10
Agreement to be executed by their officers designated below on
the day and year first above written.
VAN KAMPEN AMERICAN CAPITAL ____________ TRUST, on
behalf of its series, VAN KAMPEN AMERICAN CAPITAL __________________ FUND
By:
Name:
Title:
VAN KAMPEN AMERICAN CAPITAL DISTRIBUTORS, INC.
By:
Name:
Title:
10
<PAGE> 1
EXHIBIT 6(b)
DEALER AGREEMENT
WITH VAN KAMPEN AMERICAN CAPITAL DISTRIBUTORS, INC.
REGARDING VAN KAMPEN AMERICAN CAPITAL
OPEN-END AND CLOSED-END INVESTMENT COMPANIES
Ladies and Gentlemen:
As dealer for our own account, we offer to sell to you shares
of any of the Van Kampen American Capital open-end investment companies
(the "Open-End Funds" or, individually, an "Open-End Fund") and
Van Kampen American Capital closed-end investment companies (the
"Closed-End Funds" or, individually, a "Closed-End Fund")
distributed by Van Kampen American Capital Distributors, Inc.
("VKAC") pursuant to the terms and conditions contained herein.
Collectively, the Open-End Funds and Closed-End Funds sometimes
are referred to herein as the "Funds" or, individually, as a
"Fund".
VKAC acts as the principal underwriter (as such term is
defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended) for
each Fund with respect to its offering of one or more classes of
shares as described in each Fund's Prospectus. Pursuant to this
Agreement, VKAC offers to sell to you shares of each Open-End
Fund and each Closed-End Fund prior to the Effective Date (as
defined herein) of each Fund's Registration Statement (as
defined herein) (the "Initial Offering Period") and after the
Effective Date of each Fund's Registration Statement (the
"Continuous Offering Period") (if any) as described in each
respective Fund's Prospectus.
As used herein unless otherwise indicated, the term
"Prospectus" means the final prospectus and Statement of
Additional Information included in the registration statement
for the fund on the effective date and as from time to time
thereafter amended or supplemented. As used herein unless
otherwise indicated, the term "Preliminary Prospectus" means any
preliminary prospectus and any preliminary Statement of
Additional Information included at any time as a part of the
registration statement for any Fund prior to the effective date
and which is authorized by VKAC for use in connection with the
offering of shares.
In consideration of the mutual obligations contained herein,
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<PAGE> 2
the sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged by you, the
terms of the Agreement are as follows:
GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS
1. Your acceptance of this Agreement constitutes a
representation that you are a broker-dealer registered with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") and a member in
good standing of the National Association of Securities Dealers,
Inc. (the "NASD") or, in the alternative, that you are a foreign
dealer or bank, not required to be registered as a broker-dealer
with the SEC and not required or eligible for membership in the
NASD. If you are such an NASD member, you agree that in making
sales of shares of the one or more classes of shares of each
Fund you will comply with all applicable rules of the NASD,
including without limitation rules pertaining to the opening,
approval, supervision and monitoring of customer accounts, the
NASD's Interpretation with Respect to Free-Riding and
Withholding and Sections 8, 24 and 36 of Article III of the
NASD's Rules of Fair Practice. If you are such an unregistered
foreign dealer or bank, you agree not to offer or sell, or to
agree to offer or sell, directly or indirectly, except through
VKAC, any shares to any party to whom such shares may not be
sold unless you are so registered and a member of the NASD, and
in making sales of such shares you agree to comply with the
NASD's Interpretation with Respect to Free-Riding and
Withholding and Sections 8, 24 and 36 of Article III of the
NASD's Rules of Fair Practice as though you were a member in
good standing of the NASD and to comply with Section 25 of such
Article III as it applies to a nonmember broker or dealer in a
foreign country. You and we agree to abide by all other Rules
and Regulations of the NASD, including Section 26 of its Rules
of Fair Practice, and all applicable state and Federal laws,
rules and regulations. Your acceptance also constitutes a
representation that you have been duly authorized by proper
corporate or partnership action to enter into this Agreement and
to perform your obligations hereunder. You will not accept any
orders from any broker, dealer or financial institution who is
purchasing from you with a view toward distribution unless you
have obtained such person's or entity's written consent to be
bound by the terms of this Agreement.
2. In all sales of shares of the Funds to the public you
shall act as dealer for your own account, and you shall have no
authority in any transaction to act as agent for the Fund or for
VKAC.
3. Each Fund has filed with the SEC and the securities
commissions of one or more states a Registration Statement (the
"Registration Statement") on the SEC Form applicable to the
respective Fund. The date on which the Registration Statement
is declared effective by the SEC is referred to herein as the
"Effective Date". Prior to the Effective Date of the
Registration Statement with respect to a particular Fund, you
expressly acknowledge and understand that with respect to such
Fund:
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<PAGE> 3
(a) Shares of such Fund may not be sold,
nor may offers to buy be accepted, (i) in any state prior to the
Effective Date of the Registration Statement with respect thereto
or (ii) in any state in which such offer or sale would be unlawful
prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of such
state.
(b) The Fund's Preliminary Prospectus,
together with any sales material distributed for use in connection with the
offering of shares of such Fund, does not constitute an offer to
sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy shares of such Fund
and is subject to completion and modification by the Prospectus.
You agree that you will distribute to the public only (a) the
Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and any amendment or
supplement thereto and (b) sales literature or other documents
expressly authorized for such distribution by VKAC.
(c) In the event that you transmit indications
of interest to VKAC for accumulation prior to the Effective Date, you will
be responsible for confirming such indications of interest with
your customers following the Effective Date. Indications of
interest with respect to shares of a class of a Fund's shares
transmitted to VKAC prior to the Effective Date will be
conditioned upon the occurrence of the Effective Date and the
registration or qualification of the respective class of shares
in the respective state.
(d) Indications of interest with respect to shares of a
class of a Fund's shares which are not canceled by you prior to
the latter of the Effective Date and the registration or
qualification of the respective class of the Fund's shares in
the respective state, and accepted by VKAC will be deemed by
VKAC to be orders for shares of such class of shares of the Fund.
(e) All indications of interest and orders
transmitted to VKAC are subject to the terms and conditions of the Prospectus
and this Agreement.
4. After the Effective Date, you will not offer shares of a
class of the Fund's shares for sale in any state where they are
not qualified for sale under the "blue sky" laws and regulations
of such state or where you are not qualified to act as a dealer,
except for states in which they are exempt from qualification.
5. In the event that you offer shares of the Fund for sale
outside the United States, you agree to comply with the
applicable laws, rules and regulations of the foreign government
having jurisdiction over such sales, including any regulations
of the United States military authorities applicable to
solicitations to military personnel.
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<PAGE> 4
6. Upon application to VKAC, VKAC will inform you as to the
jurisdictions in which VKAC believes shares of a Fund have been
qualified for sale under the respective securities or "blue sky"
laws of such jurisdictions. VKAC understands and agrees that
qualification of any shares of a Fund for sale in such
jurisdictions shall be solely VKAC's responsibility and that you
assume no responsibility or obligation with respect to such
eligibility. You understand and agree that your compliance with
the requirements of the securities or "blue sky" laws in each
jurisdiction with respect to your right to sell the shares in
such jurisdiction shall be solely your responsibility.
7. No person is authorized to make any representations
concerning any class of shares of a Fund except those contained
in the Fund's current Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus, as
the case may be. In purchasing shares from us you shall rely
solely on the representations contained in such Prospectus.
VKAC will furnish additional copies of a Fund's current
Prospectus and sales literature issued by VKAC in reasonable
quantities upon request.
8. Orders received from you will be accepted by VKAC only at
the public offering price applicable to each order as specified
in the then-current Fund Prospectus. The minimum dollar
purchase of any shares of each Fund by any person shall be the
applicable minimum dollar amount described in the then-current
Fund Prospectus for that class of shares, and no order for less
than such amount will be accepted hereunder. The procedures
relating to the handling of orders shall be subject to
instructions that VKAC shall communicate from time to time to
you. All orders are subject to acceptance or rejection by VKAC
in its sole discretion.
9. Payment for Fund shares shall be made on or before the
settlement date specified in the VKAC confirmation at the office
of VKAC's clearing agent, by check payable to the order of the
Fund which reserves VKAC's right to delay issuance or transfer
of shares until such check has cleared. If such payment is not
received by VKAC, VKAC reserves the right, without notice,
forthwith either to cancel the sale or, at its option, to sell
the shares ordered back to the Fund, and in either case, VKAC
may hold you responsible for any loss suffered by the Fund. You
agree that in transmitting investors' funds, you will comply
with Rule 15c2-4 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.
10. You shall not withhold placing orders with VKAC from your
customers so as to profit yourself as a result of such
withholding; e.g., by a change in the net asset value from that
used in determining the public offering price to your customers.
11. VKAC will not accept from you any conditioned orders for
shares, except at a definite, specified price.
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<PAGE> 5
12. You represent that you are familiar with Release No. 4968
under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Rule 15c2-8
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, as it
relates to the distribution of Preliminary Prospectuses (and not
Statements of Additional Information) and Prospectuses (and not
Statements of Additional Information) for each Fund and agree
that you will comply therewith. You agree that if an investor
or potential investor places a request with you to receive a
Statement of Additional Information, you will (i) provide such
person with a Statement of Additional Information without charge
and notify the Fund that you have done so, (ii) notify the Fund
of the request so that the Fund can fulfill the request or (iii)
tell such person to request a Statement of Additional
Information by telephoning the Fund at the number set forth on
the cover of the current Prospectus or Preliminary Prospectus.
You also agree to keep an accurate record of your distribution
(including dates, number of copies and persons to whom sent) of
copies of any Preliminary Prospectus (and any Statement of
Additional Information) and/or Prospectus (and any Statement of
Additional Information) for each Fund (or any amendment or
supplement to either) and, promptly upon request by VKAC, to
bring all subsequent changes to such Preliminary Prospectus or
Prospectus to the attention of anyone to whom such material
shall have been distributed. You further agree to furnish to
persons who receive a confirmation of sale of shares of any Fund
a copy of the Prospectus (and not the Statement of Additional
Information) for such Fund filed pursuant to Rule 497 under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
13. Unless otherwise indicated in a Fund's Prospectus, stock
certificates for shares of Funds sold to you shall be issued
only if specifically requested.
14. VKAC will have no liability to you, except for lack of
good faith and for obligations expressly assumed by VKAC in this
Agreement.
15. All communications to VKAC shall be sent to One Parkview
Plaza, Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois 60181, Attention: Mutual Fund
Department. Any notice to you shall be duly given if sent to
you at the address specified by you below or such other address
as you may designate to VKAC in writing.
16. Neither this Agreement nor the performance of the
services hereunder shall be considered to create a joint venture
or partnership between VKAC and you.
17. This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the
laws of the State of Illinois without reference to the
choice-of-law principles thereof.
18. The Fund reserves the right in its discretion and VKAC
reserves the right in its discretion, without notice, to suspend
or withdraw the offering of any shares of a Fund entirely. VKAC
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<PAGE> 6
reserves the right, without notice, to amend, modify or cancel
the Agreement. The Agreement may not be assigned by either
party without prior written consent of the other party.
19. This Agreement may be terminated at any time by either
party.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLICABLE ONLY TO OPEN-END FUNDS
20. Each of the Open-End Fund's is subject to an alternative
distribution plan (the "Alternative Distribution Plan") as
described in such Fund's then-current Prospectus pursuant to
which the Open-End Fund may sell multiple classes of its shares
with varying combinations of front-end service charges (each a
"FESC"), distributions fees, service fees, contingent deferred
sales charges (each a "CDSC"), exchange features, conversion
rights, voting rights, expenses allocations and investment
requirements. As used herein, classes of shares of a Fund
subject to a FESC will be referred to as FESC Shares, and
classes of shares of a Fund subject to a CDSC will be referred
to as CDSC Shares.
21.(a) With respect to any shares of a class of FESC Shares
of an Open-End Fund, the public offering price for such shares
shall be the net asset value per share plus a FESC, expressed as
a percentage of the applicable public offering price, as
determined and effective as of the time specified in the
then-current Prospectus of such Open-End Fund. The dealer
discount applicable to any sale of shares of a class of FESC
Shares of an Open-End Fund shall be a percentage of the
applicable public offering price for such shares as provided for
in the then-current Prospectus of such Open-End Fund or, if not
so provided, as provided to you from time to time in writing by
VKAC.
(b) With respect to any shares of a class
of CDSC Shares of an Open-End Fund, the public offering price for such shares
shall be the net asset value per share as determined and
effective as of the time specified in the then-current
Prospectus of such Open-End Fund. The dealer sales compensation
payable by VKAC applicable to any sale of shares of a class of
CDSC Shares of an Open-End Fund shall be the percentage of the
applicable public offering price for such shares as provided for
in the then-current Prospectus of such Open-End Fund or, if not
so provided, as provided to you from time to time in writing by
VKAC.
22. Should you wish to participate in the Distribution Plan
with respect to a class of shares adopted by an Open-End Fund
pursuant to Rule 12b-1 ("Rule 12b-1 Plan") under the Investment
Company Act of 1940, as amended, or the Service Plan with
respect to a class of shares, it is understood that you must be
approved by the Board of Directors of such Open-End Fund and
execute a Distribution Assistance Agreement.
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<PAGE> 7
23. With respect to the Open-End Funds, your acceptance of
this Agreement constitutes a representation that you will adopt
policies and procedures in the form of the policies and
procedures attached hereto as Exhibit A with respect to when you
may appropriately sell the various classes of shares of the
Open-End Funds to investors and that you will sell such shares
only in accordance therewith.
24.(a) You agree to purchase shares of an Open-End Fund only
from VKAC or from your customers. If you purchase shares of an
Open-End Fund from VKAC, you agree that all such purchases shall
be made only: (i) to cover orders already received by you from
your customers or (ii) for your own bona fide investment. If
you purchase shares of an Open-End Fund from your customers, you
agree to pay such customers not less than the applicable
repurchase price for such shares as established by the
then-current Prospectus for such Open-End Fund. VKAC in turn
agrees that it will not purchase any shares from an Open-End
Fund except for the purpose of covering purchase orders that it
has already received.
(b) With respect to shares of a class of CDSC Shares
of an Open-End Fund purchased from your customers, you additionally
agree to resell such shares only to VKAC as agent for the Fund
at the repurchase price for such shares as established by the
then-current Prospectus of such Open-End Fund. You acknowledge
and understand that shares of a class of CDSC Shares of an
Open-End Fund may be subject to a CDSC payable to VKAC as set
forth in the Prospectus for such Open-End Fund in effect at the
time of the original purchase of such shares from the Open-End
Fund and that the repurchase price for such shares that will be
paid by VKAC will reflect the imposition of any applicable CDSC.
25.(a) You shall sell shares of a class of shares of an
Open-End Fund only: (i) to customers at the applicable public
offering price or (ii) to VKAC as agent for the Open-End Fund at
the repurchase price in the then-current Prospectus of such
Open-End Fund. In such a sale to VKAC, you may act either as
principal for your own account or as agent for your customer.
If you act as principal for your own account in purchasing
shares of a class of shares of an Open-End Fund for resale to
VKAC, you agree to pay your customer not less than the price
that you receive from VKAC. If you act as agent for your
customer in selling shares of a class of shares of an Open-End
Fund to VKAC, you agree not to charge your customer more than a
fair commission for handling the transaction. You acknowledge
and understand that CDSC Shares of an Open-End Fund may be
subject to a CDSC payable to VKAC as set forth in the Prospectus
of such Open-End Fund in effect at the time of the original
purchase of such CDSC Shares and that the repurchase price that
will be paid by VKAC for such CDSC Shares will reflect the
imposition of any such CDSC.
26. If any shares of a class of FESC Shares of an Open-End
Fund sold to or by you under the terms of this Agreement are
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<PAGE> 8
repurchased by the Fund or by VKAC as agent for the Fund or are
tendered for redemption within seven business days after the
date of VKAC's confirmation of the original purchase, it is
agreed that you shall forfeit your right to any dealer discount
received by you on such FESC Shares. VKAC will notify you of
any such repurchase or redemption within ten business days from
the date on which the repurchase or redemption order in proper
form is delivered to VKAC or to the Fund, and you shall
forthwith refund to VKAC the full dealer discount allowed to you
on such sale. VKAC agrees, in the event of any such repurchase
or redemption, to refund to the Fund its share of any discount
allowed to VKAC and, upon receipt from you of the refund of the
discount allowed to you, to pay such refund forthwith to the
Fund.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLICABLE TO CLOSED END-FUNDS
27. No Closed-End Fund will issue fractional shares.
28. VKAC may, in its sole discretion, allocate shares of a
Closed-End Fund among brokers and dealers participating in the
Initial Offering Period or among brokers, dealers and banks in
the Continuous Offering Period, as the case may be, on other
than a pro rata basis, which may result in certain brokers,
dealers and banks not being allocated the full amount of shares
of such fund sold by them while certain other brokers, dealers
and banks may receive their full allocation.
29. You agree that with respect to orders for shares of a
Closed-End Fund, you will transmit such orders received during
the Initial Offering Period to VKAC within the time period as
specified in such Closed-End Fund's Prospectus (or in the time
period as extended by VKAC in writing). You also agree to
transmit any customer order received during the Continuous
Offering Period to VKAC prior to the time that the public
offering price for such Closed-End Fund is next determined after
your receipt of such order as set forth in the Closed-End Fund's
Prospectus. There is no assurance that each Closed-End Fund
will engage in a continuous offering of shares.
30. On each order accepted by VKAC for shares of a Closed-End
Fund, you will be entitled to receive a concession paid out of
VKAC's own assets as set forth in the then-current Prospectus of
such Closed-End Fund (exclusive of additional compensation that
may be payable pursuant to sales programs, if any, that may be
established from time to time as described in the Prospectus for
such Closed-End Fund, which will be payable only as and to the
extent the requirements of such programs are satisfied). In no
event will any Closed-End Fund reimburse VKAC for any such sales
concessions or other additional compensation or pay any such
concession or other additional compensation or allowance
directly to you. VKAC will specify for each Closed-End Fund a
period after the date that the shares of such Closed-End Fund
are listed on the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock
Exchange or another national securities market system (which
period will end no later that the first dividend payment date
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<PAGE> 9
with respect to such Closed-End Fund) during which sales
concessions and other additional compensation are subject to
forfeiture as provided in the following sentence (the
"Forfeiture Period"). During the Forfeiture Period for any
Closed-End Fund, physical delivery of certificates representing
shares will be required to transfer ownership of such shares.
In the event that any shares of a Closed-End Fund sold through
an order received from you in the Initial Offering Period or the
Continuous Offering Period are resold in the open market or
otherwise during the Forfeiture Period, VKAC reserves the right
to require you to forfeit any sales concessions and other
additional compensation with respect to such shares. In the
event of a forfeiture, VKAC may withhold any forfeited sales
concessions and other additional compensation that has not yet
been paid or from other amounts yet to be paid to you (whether
or not payable with respect to such shares) and you agree to
repay to VKAC, promptly upon demand, any forfeited sales
concessions and other compensation that has been paid.
Determinations of the amounts to be paid to you or by you to
VKAC shall be made by VKAC and shall be conclusive.
31. During the Initial Offering Period and any Continuous
Offering Period for any Closed-End Fund, you agree to supply
VKAC, not less frequently than once a week by Friday, 5:00 p.m.
Eastern Time, during such Closed-End Fund's Initial Offering
Period, a list setting forth by state and in the aggregate all
indications of interest and, during any Continuous Offering
Period, all shares sold by you of such Closed-End Fund during
such week (or lesser period of time), and a list setting forth
by name and location each registered representative making said
sales and indicating the amount of all sales per Closed-End Fund
to date.
32. You expressly acknowledge and understand that there is no
Rule 12b-1 Plan for the Closed-End Funds.
33. You expressly acknowledge and understand that shares of
the Closed-End Funds will not be repurchased by either the
Closed-End Funds (other than through tender offers from time to
time, if any) or by VKAC and that no secondary market for such
shares is expected to develop until the shares have begun
trading on a national exchange or national market system. You
hereby covenant that, until notified by VKAC that the
distribution of such shares has been completed or that the
Forfeiture Period has ended, you (a) will not make a secondary
market in any shares of such a Closed-End Fund, (b) will not
purchase or hold shares of such Closed-End Fund in inventory for
the purpose of resale in the open market or to your customers
and (c) without VKAC's consent, will not repurchase shares of
such Closed-End Fund in the open market or from your customers
for any account in which you have a beneficial interest.
34. Unlike the other Closed-End Funds, the Continuous
Offering period with respect to the Van Kampen Merritt Prime
Rate Income Trust (the "Prime Rate Fund") may continue
indefinitely. The offer to sell shares of the Prime Rate Fund
is subject to further terms and conditions in addition to those
set forth above as follows:
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(a) You expressly acknowledge and understand that
shares of the Prime Rate Fund will not be repurchased by either the Prime
Rate Fund (other than through tender offers from time to time,
if any) or VKAC, and that no secondary market for the shares of
the Prime Rate Fund exists currently, or is expected to develop.
You also expressly acknowledge and agree that, in the event
your customer cancels their order for shares after confirmation,
such shares may not be repurchased, remarketed or otherwise
disposed of by or through VKAC.
(b) You acknowledge and understand that, while the
Board of Trustees of the Prime Rate Fund intends to consider tendering
for all or a portion of the Prime Rate Fund's shares on a
quarterly basis, there is no assurance the Prime Rate Fund will
tender for shares at any time or, following such a tender offer,
that shares so tendered will be repurchased by the Prime Rate
Fund. You acknowledge and understand that an early withdrawal
charge payable to VKAC will be imposed on most shares accepted
for tender by the Prime Rate Fund which have been held for less
than five years, as set forth in the Prime Rate Fund's
Prospectus. ANY REPRESENTATION AS TO A TENDER OFFER BY THE
PRIME RATE FUND, OTHER THAN THAT WHICH IS SET FORTH IN THE PRIME
RATE FUND'S CURRENT PROSPECTUS IS EXPRESSLY PROHIBITED.
Please accept the foregoing by signing this Dealer Agreement,
keeping a copy for your files and returning the original to us.
Accepted and Agreed to:
(PRINT OR TYPE)
Dated: By: Keith K. Furlong
Its: Senior Vice President
Broker-Dealer Name
Broker-Dealer Taxpayer ID Number
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Address
City, State, Zip
By:
Signature
Name
Title
Phone
11
<PAGE> 12
EXHIBIT A
Policies and Procedures
with Respect to Sales under the
Alternative Distribution Plan
As certain Van Kampen American Capital open-end
investment companies (the "Funds") offer multiple classes of
shares subject to either front-end sales charges ("FESC Shares")
or contingent deferred sales charges ("CDSC Shares"), it is
important for an investor not only to choose the Fund that best
suits his or her investment objectives, but also to choose the
alternative distribution method that best suits his or her particular
situation. To assist investors in these decisions, we (the
selling firm) are instituting the following policy:
1. Any purchase order for $1 million or more must be
for Class A Shares.
2. Any purchase order for $100,000 but
less than $1 million is subject to approval by [appropriate selling firm
supervisor], who must approve the purchase order ticket for the appropriate
class of shares in light of the relevant facts and
circumstances, including:
(a) the specific purchase order dollar amount;
(b) the length of time the investor expects to hold his
shares; and
(c) any other relevant circumstances, such as the
availability of purchase price discounts under a Letter of
Intent or a Quantity Discount.
There are instances when one financing method may be more
appropriate than the other. For example, investors who would
qualify for a significant purchase price discount from the
maximum sales charge on shares of a class of FESC Shares that
has such purchase price discounts may determine that payment of
such a reduced front-end sales charge is superior to electing to
purchase shares of a class of CDSC Shares with no front-end
service charge but subject to a higher aggregate distribution
and service fee. On the other hand, an investor whose order
would not qualify for such purchase price discounts and intends
to remain invested until after the expiration of the applicable
CDSC may wish to defer the sales charge and have all his funds
<PAGE> 13
invested in Class B Shares initially. In addition, if such an
investor anticipates that he or she will redeem such shares
prior to the expiration of the CDSC period applicable to Class B
Shares the investor may, depending on the amount of his
purchase, wish to acquire Class C Shares. However, investors
who intend to hold their shares for a significantly long time
may not wish to continue to bear the ongoing distribution and
service expenses of shares of Class C Shares, irrespective of
the fact that a contingent deferred sales charge would
eventually not apply to a redemption of such shares.
[The appropriate selling firm supervisor] must ensure that all
employees receiving investor inquiries about the purchase of
shares from funds subject to Van Kampen American Capital
Distributors, Inc.'s alternative distribution plan advise the
investor of the available alternative distribution methods
offered by such funds and the impact of choosing one method over
another. It may be appropriate for [the appropriate selling
firm supervisor] to discuss the purchase with the investor.
This policy is effective immediately with respect to any order
for the purchase of shares from a fund subject to Van Kampen
American Capital Distributors, Inc.'s alternative distribution
plan.
Questions relating to this policy should be directed to
[appropriate selling firm supervisor].
Van Kampen American Capital
One Parkview Plaza
Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois 60181
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5
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5/95
VAN KAMPEN AMERICAN CAPITAL
DISTRIBUTORS, INC.
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EXHIBIT 6(c)
BROKER FULLY DISCLOSED CLEARING AGREEMENT
WITH VAN KAMPEN AMERICAN CAPITAL DISTRIBUTORS, INC.
REGARDING VAN KAMPEN AMERICAN CAPITAL
OPEN-END AND CLOSED-END INVESTMENT COMPANIES
Ladies and Gentlemen:
As dealer for our own account, we offer to make available to
you shares of any of the
Van Kampen American Capital open-end investment companies (the
"Open-End Funds" or, individually, an "Open-End Fund") and Van Kampen
American Capital closed-end investment companies (the "Closed-End Funds"
or, individually, a "Closed-End Fund") distributed by Van Kampen
American Capital Distributors, Inc. ("VKAC") pursuant to the
terms and conditions contained herein. Collectively, the
Open-End Funds and Closed-End Funds sometimes are referred to
herein as the "Funds" or, individually, as a "Fund". You are a
broker-dealer that desires to make available shares of such
Funds to your customers on a fully disclosed basis wherein VKAC
would confirm transactions of your customers in a Fund directly
to them.
VKAC acts as the principal underwriter (as such term is
defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended) for
each Fund with respect to its offering of one or more classes of
shares as described in each Fund's Prospectus. Pursuant to this
Agreement, VKAC offers to make available to you shares of each
Open-End Fund and each Closed-End Fund, prior to the Effective
Date (as defined herein) of each Fund's Registration Statement
(the "Initial Offering Period") and after the Effective Date of
each Fund's Registration Statement (as defined herein) (the
"Continuous Offering Period") (if any) as described in each
respective Fund's Prospectus.
As used herein unless otherwise indicated, the term
"Prospectus" means the final prospectus and Statement of
Additional Information included in the registration statement
for the fund on the effective date and as from time to time
thereafter amended or supplemented. As used herein unless
otherwise indicated, the term "Preliminary Prospectus" means any
preliminary prospectus and any preliminary Statement of
Additional Information included at any time as a part of the
registration statement for any Fund prior to the effective date
and that is authorized by VKAC for use in connection with the
offering of shares.
<PAGE> 2
In consideration of the mutual obligations contained herein,
the sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged by you, the
terms of the Agreement are as follows:
GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS
1. Your acceptance of this Agreement constitutes a
representation that you are a securities broker-dealer
registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"SEC") and a member in good standing of the National Association
of Securities Dealers, Inc. (the "NASD"). You agree to abide by
the laws, rules and regulations of the SEC and NASD, including
without limitation rules pertaining to the opening, approval,
supervision and monitoring of customer accounts, the NASD's
Interpretation with Respect to Free-Riding and Withholding and
Sections 8, 24 and 36 of Article III of the NASD's Rules of Fair
Practice. You and we agree to abide by all other Rules and
Regulations of the NASD, including Section 26 of its Rules of
Fair Practice. Your acceptance also constitutes a
representation that you have been duly authorized by proper
corporate or partnership action to enter into this Agreement and
to perform your obligations hereunder. You will not accept any
orders from any broker, dealer or financial institution who is
purchasing from you with a view toward distribution unless you
have obtained such person's or entity's written consent to be
bound by the terms of this Agreement.
2. For the purposes of the Securities and Exchange
Commission's Financial Responsibility Rules and the Securities
Investor's Protection Act, your customers will be considered
customers of VKAC and not of your firm. VKAC has been granted
an exemption from the NASD rules of Fair Practice, Article III
Section 45 requirements to send customer statements and thus
will not due so. Customer statements showing account activity
and balances will be mailed to the customer by the Funds each
time a financial transaction occurs in their account and on a
monthly basis. Nothing herein shall cause your firm's customers
to be interpreted as customers of VKAC for any other purpose, or
to negate the intent of any other section of this agreement,
including, but not limited to, the delineation of
responsibilities as set forth elsewhere in this agreement.
3. In transactions where you make available shares of the
Funds to the public, you shall have no authority to act as agent
for the Fund or for VKAC.
4. Each Fund has filed with the SEC and the securities
commissions of one or more states a Registration Statement (the
"Registration Statement") on the SEC form applicable to the
respective Fund. The date on which the Registration Statement
is declared effective by the SEC is referred to herein as the
"Effective Date". Prior to the Effective Date of the
Registration Statement with respect to a particular Fund, you
expressly acknowledge and understand that with respect to such
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<PAGE> 3
Fund:
(a) Shares of such Fund may not be sold, nor may
offers to buy be accepted, (i) prior to the Effective Date of the
Registration Statement or (ii) in any state in which such offer
or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification
under the securities laws of such state.
(b) The Fund's Preliminary Prospectus, together
with any sales material distributed for use in connection with the
offering of shares of such Fund, does not constitute an offer to
sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy shares of such Fund
and is subject to completion and modification by the Prospectus.
(c) In the event that you transmit indications of
interest to VKAC for accumulation prior to the Effective Date, upon your
instruction VKAC will send confirmation of such indications of
interest directly to your customers in writing, together with
copies of the Preliminary Prospectus for the Fund, and send
copies of the confirmations to you. Indications of interest
with respect to shares of a class of a Fund's shares transmitted
to VKAC prior to the Effective Date are subject to acceptance or
rejection by VKAC in its sole discretion and are conditioned
upon the occurrence of (i) the Effective Date and (ii) the
registration or qualification of the respective class of shares
in the respective state.
(d) Indications of interest with respect to shares of a
class of a Fund's shares not cancelled by you prior to or on the
later of (i) the Effective Date and (ii) the registration or
qualification of the respective class of shares in the
respective state, and accepted by VKAC will be deemed by VKAC to
be orders for Shares.
(e) Upon your instruction, VKAC will send
confirmations of orders accepted by VKAC (including indications of interest
deemed orders) directly to your customers in writing, together
with copies of the Prospectus for the Fund, and send copies of
the confirmations to you.
(f) Upon receipt of duplicate confirmations you will
examine the same and promptly notify VKAC of any errors or discrepancies
that you discover and will promptly bring to VKAC's attention
any errors in such confirmations claimed by your customers. All
confirmations to your customers will indicate that orders were
placed on a fully disclosed basis.
(g) All indications of interest and orders
transmitted to VKAC are subject to the terms and conditions of the Fund's
Prospectus and this Agreement and are subject to acceptance or
rejection by VKAC in its sole discretion.
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5. After the Effective Date, you will not make shares of a
class of the Fund's shares available in any state where they are
not qualified for sale under the "blue sky" laws and regulations
of such state, except for states in which they are exempt from
qualification.
6. In the event that you make shares of the Fund available
outside the United States, you agree to comply with the
applicable laws, rules and regulations of the foreign government
having jurisdiction over such sales, including any regulations
of the United States military authorities applicable to
solicitations to military personnel.
7. Upon application to VKAC, VKAC will inform you as to the
jurisdictions in which VKAC believes shares of a Fund have been
qualified for sale under the respective securities or "blue sky"
laws of such jurisdictions. VKAC understands and agrees that
qualification of any shares of a Fund for sale in such
jurisdictions shall be solely VKAC's responsibility and that you
assume no responsibility or obligation with respect to such
eligibility. You understand and agree that your compliance with
the requirements of the securities or "blue sky" laws in each
jurisdiction with respect to your right to make the shares
available in such jurisdiction shall be solely your
responsibility.
8. No person is authorized to make any representations
concerning any class of shares of a Fund except those contained
in the Fund's current Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus, as
the case may be. In purchasing shares from us you shall rely
solely on the representations contained in such Prospectus.
VKAC will furnish additional copies of a Fund's current
Prospectus and sales literature issued by VKAC in reasonable
quantities upon request.
9. You agree that you will distribute to the public only (a)
the Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and any amendment or
supplement thereto and (b) sales literature or other documents
expressly authorized for such distribution by VKAC.
10. Orders received from you will be accepted by VKAC only at
the public offering price applicable to each order as specified
in the then-current Fund Prospectus. The minimum dollar
purchase of any shares of each Fund by any person shall be the
applicable minimum dollar amount described in the then-current
Fund Prospectus for that class of shares, and no order for less
than such amount will be accepted hereunder. The procedures
relating to the handling of orders shall be subject to
instructions that VKAC shall communicate from time to time to
you. All orders are subject to acceptance or rejection by VKAC
in its sole discretion. Upon acceptance of an order, we shall
confirm directly to the customer in writing upon your
instruction and send a copy of the confirmation to you. In
addition, we will send a Fund Prospectus with the confirmation.
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You agree that upon receipt of duplicate confirmations you will
examine the same and promptly notify VKAC of any errors or
discrepancies that you discover and shall promptly bring to
VKAC's attention any errors in such confirmations claimed by
your customers. All confirmations to your customers will
indicate that orders were placed on a fully disclosed basis.
11. Payment for Fund shares shall be made on or before the
settlement date specified in the VKAC confirmation at the office
of VKAC's clearing agent, by check payable to the order of the
Fund which reserves VKAC's right to delay issuance of transfer
of shares until such check has cleared. If such payment is not
received by VKAC, VKAC reserves the right, without notice,
forthwith either to cancel the trade at our option or as
required by the provisions of Regulation T, and in either case,
VKAC may hold you responsible for any loss suffered by the Fund.
You agree that in transmitting investors' funds, you will
comply with Rule 15c2-4 under the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended.
12. You shall not withhold placing orders with VKAC from your
customers so as to profit yourself as a result of such
withholding; e.g., by a change in the net asset value from that
used in determining the public offering price to your customers.
13. VKAC will not accept from you any conditioned orders for
shares, except at a definite, specified price.
14. You represent that you are familiar with Release No. 4968
under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Rule 15c2-8
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, as it
relates to the distribution of Preliminary Prospectuses (and not
Statements of Additional Information) and Prospectuses (and not
Statements of Additional Information) for each Fund and agree
that you will comply therewith. You agree that if an investor
or potential investor places a request with you to receive a
Statement of Additional Information, you will (i) provide such
person with a Statement of Additional Information without charge
and notify the Fund that you have done so, (ii) notify the Fund
of the request so that the Fund can fulfill the request or (iii)
tell such person to request a Statement of Additional
Information by telephoning the Fund at the number set forth on
the cover of the current Prospectus or Preliminary Prospectus.
You also agree to keep an accurate record of your distribution
(including dates, number of copies and persons to whom sent) of
copies of any Preliminary Prospectus (and any Statement of
Additional Information) and/or Prospectus (and any Statement of
Additional Information) for each Fund (or any amendment or
supplement to either) and, promptly upon request by VKAC, to
bring all subsequent changes to such Preliminary Prospectus or
Prospectus to the attention of anyone to whom such material
shall have been distributed. You further agree to furnish to
persons who receive a confirmation of sale of shares of any Fund
a copy of the Prospectus for such Fund filed pursuant to Rule
497 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Upon your
request, VKAC will furnish to such persons a copy of the
Prospectus for such Fund filed pursuant to Rule 497 Under the
Securities Act of 1993, as amended.
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15. The names of your customers shall remain your sole
property and shall not be used by VKAC for any purpose except
for servicing and informational mailings in the normal course of
business to Fund shareholders.
16. Unless otherwise indicated in a Fund's Prospectus, stock
certificates for shares sold will be issued to your customers
only if specifically requested.
17. VKAC will have no liability to you, except for lack of
good faith and for obligations expressly assumed by VKAC in this
Agreement.
18. All communications to VKAC shall be sent to One Parkview
Plaza, Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois 60181, Attention: Mutual Fund
Department. Any notice to you shall be duly given if sent to
you at the address specified by you below or such other address
as you may designate to VKAC in writing.
19. Neither this Agreement nor the performance of the
services hereunder shall be considered to create a joint venture
or partnership between VKAC and you.
20. This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the
laws of the State of Illinois without reference to the
choice-of-law principles thereof.
21. The Fund reserves the right in its discretion and VKAC
reserves the right in its discretion, without notice, to suspend
or withdraw the offering of any shares of a Fund entirely. VKAC
reserves the right, without notice, to amend, modify or cancel
the Agreement. The Agreement may not be assigned by either
party without prior written consent of the other party.
22. This Agreement may be terminated at any time by either
party.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLICABLE TO OPEN-END FUNDS
23. Each of the Open-End Funds is subject to an alternative
distribution plan (the "Alternative Distribution Plan") as
described in such Fund's then-current Prospectus pursuant to
which the Open-End Fund may sell multiple classes of its shares
with varying combinations of front-end service charges (each a
"FESC"), distributions fees, service fees, contingent deferred
sales charges (each a "CDSC"), exchange features, conversion
rights, voting rights, expenses allocations and investment
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requirements. As used herein, classes of shares of a Fund
subject to a FESC will be referred to as FESC Shares, and
classes of shares of a Fund subject to a CDSC will be referred
to as CDSC Shares.
24.(a) With respect to any shares of a class of FESC Shares
of an Open-End Fund, the public offering price for such shares
shall be the net asset value per share plus a FESC, expressed as
a percentage of the applicable public offering price, as
determined and effective as of the time specified in the
then-current Prospectus of such Open-End Fund. On each order
for shares of a class of FESC Shares of an Open-End Fund
accepted by us, you will be entitled to receive the applicable
agency commission for such shares as provided for in the
then-current Prospectus of such Open-End Fund or, if not so
provided, as provided to you from time to time in writing by
VKAC.
(b) With respect to any shares of a class of CDSC
Shares of an Open-End Fund, the public offering price for such shares
shall be the net asset value per share as determined and
effective as of the time specified in the then-current
Prospectus of such Open-End Fund. You will remit payment of the
aggregate public offering price to VKAC for the CDSC Shares
sold, and on each order accepted by us, you will be entitled to
receive the applicable selling compensation for such shares as
provided for in the then-current Prospectus of such Open-End
Fund or, if not so provided, as provided to you from time to
time in writing by VKAC.
25. Should you wish to participate in the Distribution Plan
with respect to a class of shares adopted by an Open-End Fund
pursuant to Rule 12b-1 ("Rule 12b-1 Plan") under the Investment
Company Act of 1940, as amended, or the Service Plan with
respect to a class of shares, it is understood that you must be
approved by the Board of Directors of such Open-End Fund and
execute a Distribution Assistance Agreement.
26. With respect to the Open-End Funds, your acceptance of
this Agreement constitutes a representation that you will adopt
policies and procedures in the form of the policies and
procedures attached hereto as Exhibit A with respect to when you
may appropriately make available the various classes of shares
of the Open-End Funds to investors and that you will make
available such shares only in accordance therewith.
27. You agree to make shares of an Open-End Fund available to
your customers only: (i) at the applicable public offering
price, (ii) from VKAC and (iii) to cover orders already received
by you from your customers. VKAC in turn agrees that it will
not purchase any shares from an Open-End Fund except for the
purpose of covering purchase orders that it has already received.
28.(a) If any shares of a class of FESC Shares of an Open-End
Fund sold to your customers under the terms of this Agreement
are repurchased by the Fund or by VKAC as agent for the Fund or
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are tendered for redemption within seven business days after the
date of VKAC's confirmation of the original purchase, it is
agreed that you shall forfeit your right to any agency
commission received by you on such FESC Shares. VKAC will
notify you of any such repurchase or redemption within ten
business days from the date on which the repurchase or
redemption order in proper form is delivered to VKAC or to the
Fund, and you shall forthwith refund to VKAC the full agency
commission allowed to you on such sale. VKAC agrees, in the
event of any such repurchase or redemption, to refund to the
Fund its share of any discount allowed to VKAC and, upon receipt
from you of the refund of the agency commission allowed to you,
to pay such refund forthwith to the Fund.
(b) If any shares of a class of CDSC Shares sold to
your customers under the terms of this Agreement are repurchased by
the Fund or by VKAC as agent for the Fund or are tendered for
redemption within seven business days after the date of VKAC's
confirmation of the original purchase, it is agreed that you
shall forfeit your right to any sales compensation received by
you on such CDSC Shares. We will notify you of any such
repurchase or redemption within ten business days from the date
on which the repurchase or redemption order in proper form is
delivered to VKAC or to the Fund, and you shall forthwith refund
to VKAC the full sales compensation paid to you.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLICABLE TO CLOSED END-FUNDS
29. No Closed-End Fund will issue fractional shares.
30. VKAC may, in its sole discretion, allocate shares of a
Closed-End Fund among brokers, dealers and, if permitted by
applicable laws, banks participating in the Initial Offering
Period or among brokers, dealers and banks in the Continuous
Offering Period, as the case may be, on other than a pro rata
basis, which may result in certain brokers, dealers and banks
not being allocated the full amount of shares of such Fund sold
by them while certain other brokers, dealers and banks may
receive their full allocation.
31. You agree that with respect to orders for shares of a
Closed-End Fund, you will transmit such orders received during
the Initial Offering Period to VKAC within the time period as
specified in such Closed-End Fund's Prospectus (or in the time
period as extended by VKAC in writing). You also agree to
transmit any customer order received during the Continuous
Offering Period to VKAC prior to the time that the public
offering price for such Closed-End Fund is next determined after
your receipt of such order, as set forth in the Closed-End
Fund's Prospectus. There is no assurance that each Closed-End
Fund will engage in a continuous offering of shares.
32. On each order accepted by VKAC for shares of a Closed-End
Fund, you will be entitled to receive a concession paid out of
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VKAC's own assets as set forth in the then-current Prospectus of
such Closed-End Fund (exclusive of additional compensation that
may be payable pursuant to sales programs, if any, that may be
established from time to time as described in the Prospectus for
such Closed-End Fund, which will be payable only as and to the
extent the requirements of such programs are satisfied). In no
event will any Closed-End Fund reimburse VKAC for any such sales
concessions or other additional compensation or pay any such
concession or other additional compensation or allowance
directly to you. VKAC will specify for each Closed-End Fund a
period after the date that the shares of such Closed-End Fund
are listed on the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock
Exchange or another national securities market system (which
period will end no later than the first dividend payment date
with respect to such Closed-End Fund) during which sales
concessions and other additional compensation are subject to
forfeiture as provided in the following sentence (the
"Forfeiture Period"). During the Forfeiture Period for any
Closed-End Fund, physical delivery of certificates representing
shares will be required to transfer ownership of such shares.
In the event that any shares of a Closed-End Fund sold through
an order received from you in the Initial Offering Period or the
Continuous Offering Period are resold in the open market or
otherwise during the Forfeiture Period, VKAC reserves the right
to require you to forfeit any sales concessions and other
additional compensation with respect to such shares. In the
event of a forfeiture, VKAC may withhold any forfeited sales
concessions and other additional compensation that has not yet
been paid or from other amounts yet to be paid to you (whether
or not payable with respect to such shares), and you agree to
repay to VKAC, promptly upon demand, any forfeited sales
concessions and other compensation that has been paid.
Determinations of the amounts to be paid to you or by you to
VKAC shall be made by VKAC and shall be conclusive.
33. During the Initial Offering Period and any Continuous
Offering Period for any Closed-End Fund, you agree to supply
VKAC, not less frequently than once a week by Friday, 5:00 p.m.
Eastern Time, during such Closed-End Fund's Initial Offering
Period, a list setting forth by state and in the aggregate all
indications of interest and, during any Continuous Offering
Period, all shares sold by you of such Closed-End Fund during
such week (or lesser period of time) and a list setting forth by
name and location each registered representative making said
sales and indicating the amount of all sales per Closed-End Fund
to date.
34. You expressly acknowledge and understand that there is no
Rule 12b-1 Plan for the Closed-End Funds.
35. You expressly acknowledge and understand that shares of
the Closed-End Funds will not be repurchased by either the
Closed-End Funds (other than through tender offers from time to
time, if any) or by VKAC and that no secondary market for such
shares is expected to develop until the shares have begun
trading on a national exchange or national market system. You
hereby covenant that, until notified by VKAC that the
distribution of such shares has been completed or that the
Forfeiture Period has ended, you (a) will not make a secondary
market in any shares of such a Closed-End Fund, (b) will not
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<PAGE> 10
purchase or hold shares of such Closed-End Fund in inventory for
the purpose of resale in the open market or to your customers
and, (c) without VKAC's consent, will not repurchase shares of
such Closed-End Fund in the open market or from your customers
for any account in which you have a beneficial interest.
36. Unlike the other Closed-End Funds, the Continuous
Offering period with respect to the Van Kampen Merritt Prime
Rate Income Trust (the "Prime Rate Fund") may continue
indefinitely. The offer to make available to you shares of the
Prime Rate Fund is subject to further terms and conditions in
addition to those set out above, as follows:
(a) You expressly acknowledge and understand that shares of
the Prime Rate Fund will not be repurchased by either the Prime
Rate Fund (other than through tender offers from time to time,
if any) or VKAC and that no secondary market for the shares of
the Prime Rate Fund exists currently or is expected to develop.
You also expressly acknowledge and agree that, in the event your
customer cancels their order for shares after confirmation, such
shares may not be repurchased, remarketed or otherwise disposed
of by or through VKAC.
(b) You acknowledge and understand that, while the Board of
Trustees of the Prime Rate Fund intends to consider tendering
for all or a portion of the Prime Rate Fund's shares on a
quarterly basis, there is no assurance the Prime Rate Fund will
tender for shares at any time or, following such a tender offer,
that shares so tendered will be repurchased by the Prime Rate
Fund. You acknowledge and understand that an early withdrawal
charge payable to VKAC will be imposed on most shares accepted
for tender by the Prime Rate Fund that have been held for less
than five years, as set forth in the Prime Rate Fund's
Prospectus. ANY REPRESENTATION AS TO A TENDER OFFER BY THE
PRIME RATE FUND, OTHER THAN THAT WHICH IS SET FORTH IN THE PRIME
RATE FUND'S CURRENT PROSPECTUS, IS EXPRESSLY PROHIBITED.
Please accept the foregoing by signing this Broker Fully
Disclosed Clearing Agreement, keeping a copy for your files and
returning the original to us.
Accepted and Agreed to: (PRINT OR TYPE)
Dated: By: Keith K. Furlong
Its: Senior Vice President
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Broker-Dealer Name
Broker-Dealer Taxpayer ID Number
Address
City, State, Zip
By:
Signature
Name
Title
Phone
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EXHIBIT A
Policies and Procedures
with Respect to Sales under the
Alternative Distribution Plan
As certain Van Kampen American Capital open-end investment
companies (the "Funds") offer multiple classes of shares subject to either
front-end sales charges ("FESC Shares") or contingent deferred
sales charges ("CDSC Shares"), it is important for an investor
not only to choose the Fund that best suits his or her
investment objectives, but also to choose the alternative
distribution method that best suits his or her particular
situation. To assist investors in these decisions, we (the
selling firm) are instituting the following policy:
1. Any purchase order for $1 million or more must be for Class
A Shares.
2. Any purchase order for $100,000 but less than $1 million
is subject to approval by [appropriate selling firm supervisor],
who must approve the purchase order ticket for the appropriate
class of shares in light of the relevant facts and
circumstances, including:
(a) the specific purchase order dollar amount;
(b) the length of time the investor expects to hold his
shares; and
(c) any other relevant circumstances, such as the
availability of purchase price discounts under a Letter of
Intent or a Quantity Discount.
There are instances when one financing method may be more
appropriate than the other. For example, investors who would
qualify for a significant purchase price discount from the
maximum sales charge on shares of a class of FESC Shares that
has such purchase price discounts may determine that payment of
such a reduced front-end sales charge is superior to electing to
purchase shares of a class of CDSC Shares with no front-end
service charge but subject to a higher aggregate distribution
and service fee. On the other hand, an investor whose order
would not qualify for such purchase price discounts and intends
to remain invested until after the expiration of the applicable
CDSC may wish to defer the sales charge and have all his funds
invested in Class B Shares initially. In addition, if such an
investor anticipates that he or she will redeem such shares
prior to the expiration of the CDSC period applicable to Class B
Shares the investor may, depending on the amount of his
<PAGE> 13
purchase, wish to acquire Class C Shares. However, investors
who intend to hold their shares for a significantly long time
may not wish to continue to bear the ongoing distribution and
service expenses of shares of Class C Shares, irrespective of
the fact that a contingent deferred sales charge would
eventually not apply to a redemption of such shares.
[The appropriate selling firm supervisor] must ensure that all
employees receiving investor inquiries about the purchase of
shares from funds subject to Van Kampen American Capital
Distributors, Inc.'s alternative distribution plan advise the
investor of the available alternative distribution methods
offered by such funds and the impact of choosing one method over
another. It may be appropriate for [the appropriate selling
firm supervisor] to discuss the purchase with the investor.
This policy is effective immediately with respect to any order
for the purchase of shares from a fund subject to Van Kampen
American Capital Distributors, Inc.'s alternative distribution
plan.
Questions relating to this policy should be directed to
[appropriate selling firm supervisor].
Van Kampen American Capital
One Parkview Plaza
Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois 60181
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5/94
VAN KAMPEN AMERICAN CAPITAL DISTRIBUTORS, INC.
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EXHIBIT 6(d)
BANK FULLY DISCLOSED CLEARING AGREEMENT
WITH VAN KAMPEN AMERICAN CAPITAL DISTRIBUTORS, INC.
REGARDING VAN KAMPEN AMERICAN CAPITAL
OPEN-END AND CLOSED-END INVESTMENT COMPANIES
Ladies and Gentlemen:
As dealer for our own account, we offer to make available to
you shares of any of the
Van Kampen American Capital open-end investment companies (the "Open-End
Funds" or, individually, an "Open-End Fund") and Van Kampen
American Capital closed-end investment companies (the "Closed-End Funds"
or, individually, a "Closed-End Fund") distributed by Van Kampen
American Capital Distributors, Inc. ("VKAC") pursuant to the
terms and conditions contained herein. Collectively, the
Open-End Funds and Closed-End Funds sometimes are referred to
herein as the "Funds" or, individually, as a "Fund". You are a
bank that desires to make available shares of such Funds to your
customers on a fully disclosed basis wherein VKAC would confirm
transactions of your customers in a Fund directly to them. You
agree not to make available shares of such Funds during any
fixed price offering of such shares.
VKAC acts as the principal underwriter (as such term is
defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended) for
each Fund with respect to its offering of one or more classes of
shares as described in each Fund's Prospectus. Pursuant to this
Agreement, VKAC offers to make available to you shares of each
Open-End Fund and each Closed-End Fund prior to the Effective
Date (as defined herein) of each Fund's Registration Statement
(as defined herein) (the "Initial Offering Period"), to the
extent permitted by applicable law, and after the Effective Date
of each Fund's Registration Statement (the "Continuous Offering
Period") (if any) as described in such Closed-End Fund's
Prospectus.
As used herein unless otherwise indicated, the term
"Prospectus" means the final prospectus and Statement of
Additional Information included in the Registration Statement
for the Fund on the Effective Date and as from time to time
thereafter amended or supplemented. As used herein unless
otherwise indicated, the term "Preliminary Prospectus" means any
preliminary prospectus and any Statement of Additional
Information included at any time as a part of the Registration
Statement for any Fund prior to the Effective Date and that is
authorized by VKAC for use in connection with the offering of
shares.
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In consideration of the mutual obligations contained herein,
the sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged by you, the
terms of the Agreement are as follows:
GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS
1. Your acceptance of this Agreement constitutes a
representation that you are a bank as defined in Section 3(a)(6)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and have
been duly authorized to enter into this Agreement and perform
your obligations hereunder. This Agreement as well as your
authority to make shares available to your customers will
automatically terminate if you shall cease to be a bank as
defined above. You agree not to offer or sell shares of any
Fund except through VKAC. You will not accept any orders from
any broker, dealer or financial institution who is purchasing
from you with a view toward distribution unless you have
obtained such person's or entity's written consent to be bound
by the terms of this Agreement.
2. For the purposes of the Securities and Exchange
Commission's Financial Responsibility Rules and the Securities
Investor's Protection Act, your customers will be considered
customers of VKAC and not of your firm. VKAC has been granted
an exemption from the NASD rules of Fair Practice, Article III
Section 45 requirements to send customer statements and thus
will not due so. Customer statements showing account activity
and balances will be mailed to the customer by the Funds each
time a financial transaction occurs in their account and on a
monthly basis. Nothing herein shall cause your firm's customers
to be interpreted as customers of VKAC for any other purpose, or
to negate the intent of any other section of this agreement,
including, but not limited to, the delineation of
responsibilities as set forth elsewhere in this agreement.
3. In transactions where you make available shares of the
Funds to the public, you shall have no authority to act as agent
for the Fund or for VKAC. The customers in question are for all
purposes your customers and not customers of VKAC. We will
clear transactions for each of your customers only upon your
authorization, it being understood in all cases that (a) you are
acting as the agent for the customer; (b) the transactions are
without recourse against you by the customer except to the
extent that your failure to transmit orders in a timely fashion
results in a loss to your customer; (c) as between you and the
customer, the customer will have full beneficial ownership of
the Fund shares; (d) each transaction is initiated solely upon
the order of the customer; and (e) each transaction is for the
account of the customer and not for your account.
4. Each Fund has filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "SEC") and the securities commissions of one or
more states a Registration Statement (the "Registration
Statement") on the SEC form applicable to the respective Fund.
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The date on which the Registration Statement is declared
effective by the SEC is hereinafter referred to as the
"Effective Date". Prior to the Effective Date of the
Registration Statement with respect to a particular Fund, you
expressly acknowledge and understand that with respect to such
Fund:
(a) Shares of such Fund may not be sold, nor may offers to
buy be accepted, (i) prior to the Effective Date of the
Registration Statement or (ii) in any state in which such offer
or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification
under the securities laws of such state.
(b) Except to the extent permitted by law, you will not
solicit or transmit to VKAC any indications of interest to
purchase shares during any fixed-price offering.
(c) The Fund's Preliminary Prospectus, together with any
sales material distributed for use in connection with the
offering of shares of such Fund, does not constitute an offer to
sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy shares of such Fund
and is subject to completion and modification by the Prospectus.
(d) In the event and to the extent permitted by applicable
law you transmit indications of interest to VKAC for
accumulation prior to the Effective Date, upon your instruction
VKAC will send confirmation of such indications of interest
directly to your customers in writing, together with copies of
the Preliminary Prospectus for the Fund, and send copies of the
confirmations to you. Indications of interest with respect to
shares of a class of a Fund's shares transmitted to VKAC prior
to the Effective Date are subject to acceptance or rejection by
VKAC in its sole discretion and are conditioned upon the
occurrence of (i) the Effective Date and (ii) the registration
or qualification of the respective class of shares in the
respective state.
(e) Indications of interest with respect to shares of a
class of a Fund's shares not canceled by you prior to or on the
later of (i) the Effective Date and (ii) the registration or
qualification of the respective class of shares in the
respective state, and accepted by VKAC will be deemed by VKAC to
be orders for Shares solely to the extent permitted by
applicable law.
(f) Upon your instruction, VKAC will send confirmations of
orders accepted by VKAC (including indications of interest
deemed orders) directly to your customers in writing, together
with copies of the Prospectus for the Fund, and send copies of
the confirmations to you.
(g) Upon receipt of duplicate confirmations you will examine
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<PAGE> 4
the same and promptly notify VKAC of any errors or discrepancies
that you discover and will promptly bring to VKAC's attention
any errors in such confirmations claimed by your customers. All
confirmations to your customers will indicate that orders were
placed on a fully disclosed basis.
(h) All indications of interest and orders transmitted to
VKAC are subject to the terms and conditions of the Fund's
Prospectus and this Agreement and are subject to acceptance or
rejection by VKAC in its sole discretion.
5. After the Effective Date, you will not make shares of a
class of the Fund's shares available in any state where they are
not qualified for sale under the "blue sky" laws and regulations
of such state, except for states in which they are exempt from
qualification.
6. In the event that you make shares of the Fund available
outside the United States, you agree to comply with the
applicable laws, rules and regulations of the foreign government
having jurisdiction over such sales, including any regulations
of the United States military authorities applicable to
solicitations to military personnel.
7. Upon application to VKAC, VKAC will inform you as to the
jurisdictions in which VKAC believes shares of a Fund have been
qualified for sale under the respective securities or "blue sky"
laws of such jurisdictions. VKAC understands and agrees that
qualification of any shares of a Fund for sale in such
jurisdictions shall be solely VKAC's responsibility and that you
assume no responsibility or obligation with respect to such
eligibility. You understand and agree that your compliance with
the requirements of the securities or "blue sky" laws in each
jurisdiction with respect to your right to make the shares
available in such jurisdiction shall be solely your
responsibility.
8. No person is authorized to make any representations
concerning any class of shares of a Fund except those contained
in the Fund's current Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus, as
the case may be. In purchasing shares from us you shall rely
solely on the representations contained in such Prospectus.
VKAC will furnish additional copies of a Fund's current
Prospectus and sales literature issued by VKAC in reasonable
quantities upon request.
9. You agree that you will distribute to the public only (i)
the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto and (ii)
sales literature or other documents expressly authorized for
such distribution by VKAC.
10. Orders received from you will be accepted by VKAC only at
the public offering price applicable to each order as specified
in the then-current Fund Prospectus. The minimum dollar
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<PAGE> 5
purchase of any shares of each Fund by any person shall be the
applicable minimum dollar amount described in the then-current
Fund Prospectus for that class of shares, and no order for less
than such amount will be accepted hereunder. The procedures
relating to the handling of orders shall be subject to
instructions that VKAC shall communicate from time to time to
you. All orders are subject to acceptance or rejection by VKAC
in its sole discretion. Upon acceptance of an order, we shall
confirm directly to the customer in writing upon your
instruction and send a copy of the confirmation to you. In
addition, we will send a Fund Prospectus with the confirmation.
You agree that upon receipt of duplicate confirmations you will
examine the same and promptly notify VKAC of any errors or
discrepancies that you discover and shall promptly bring to
VKAC's attention any errors in such confirmations claimed by
your customers. All confirmations to your customers will
indicate that orders were placed on a fully disclosed basis.
11. Payment for Fund shares shall be made on or before the
settlement date specified in the VKAC confirmation at the office
of VKAC's clearing agent, by check payable to the order of the
Fund which reserves VKAC's right to delay issuance or transfer
of shares until such check has cleared. If such payment is not
received by VKAC, VKAC reserves the right, without notice,
forthwith either to cancel the trade at our option or as
required by the provisions of Regulation T, and in either case,
VKAC may hold you responsible for any loss suffered by the Fund.
You agree that in transmitting investors' funds, you will
comply with Rule 15c2-4 under the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended.
12. You shall not withhold placing orders with VKAC from your
customers so as to profit yourself as a result of such
withholding; e.g., by a change in the net asset value from that
used in determining the public offering price to your customers.
13. VKAC will not accept from you any conditioned orders for
shares, except at a definite, specified price.
14. You represent that you are familiar with Release No. 4968
under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Rule 15c2-8
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, as it
relates to the distribution of Preliminary Prospectuses (and not
Statements of Additional Information) and Prospectuses (and not
Statements of Additional Information) for each Fund and agree
that you will comply therewith. You agree that if an investor
or potential investor places a request with you to receive a
Statement of Additional Information, you will (i) provide such
person with a Statement of Additional Information without charge
and notify the Fund that you have done so, (ii) notify the Fund
of the request so that the Fund can fulfill the request or (iii)
tell such person to request a Statement of Additional
Information by telephoning the Fund at the number set forth on
the cover of the current Prospectus or Preliminary Prospectus.
You also agree to keep an accurate record of your distribution
(including dates, number of copies and persons to whom sent) of
copies of any Preliminary Prospectus (and any Statement of
Additional Information) and/or Prospectus (and any Statement of
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Additional Information) for each Fund (or any amendment or
supplement to either) and, promptly upon request by VKAC, to
bring all subsequent changes to such Preliminary Prospectus or
Prospectus to the attention of anyone to whom such material
shall have been distributed. You further agree to furnish to
persons who receive a confirmation of sale of shares of any Fund
a copy of the Prospectus for such Fund filed pursuant to Rule
497 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Upon your
request, VKAC will furnish to such persons a copy of the
Prospectus for such Fund filed pursuant to Rule 497 Under the
Securities Act of 1993, as amended.
15. The names of your customers shall remain your sole
property and shall not be used by VKAC for any purpose except
for servicing and informational mailings in the normal course of
business to Fund shareholders.
16. Unless otherwise indicated in a Fund's Prospectus, stock
certificates for shares sold will be issued to your customers
only if specifically requested.
17. VKAC will have no liability to you, except for lack of
good faith and for obligations expressly assumed by VKAC in this
Agreement.
18. All communications to VKAC shall be sent to One Parkview
Plaza, Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois 60181, Attention: Mutual Fund
Department. Any notice to you shall be duly given if sent to
you at the address specified by you below or such other address
as you may designate to VKAC in writing.
19. Neither this Agreement nor the performance of the
services hereunder shall be considered to create a joint venture
or partnership between VKAC and you.
20. This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the
laws of the State of Illinois without reference to the
choice-of-law principles thereof.
21. The Fund reserves the right in its discretion and VKAC
reserves the right in its discretion, without notice, to suspend
or withdraw the offering of any shares of a Fund entirely. VKAC
reserves the right, without notice, to amend, modify or cancel
the Agreement. The Agreement may not be assigned by either
party without prior written consent of the other party.
22. This Agreement may be terminated at any time by either
party.
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TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLICABLE TO OPEN-END FUNDS
23. Each of the Open-End Funds is subject to an alternative
distribution plan (the "Alternative Distribution Plan") as
described in such Fund's then-current Prospectus pursuant to
which the Open-End Fund may sell multiple classes of its shares
with varying combinations of front-end service charges (each a
"FESC"), distributions fees, service fees, contingent deferred
sales charges (each a "CDSC"), exchange features, conversion
rights, voting rights, expenses allocations and investment
requirements. As used herein, classes of shares of a Fund
subject to a FESC will be referred to as FESC Shares, and
classes of shares of a Fund subject to a CDSC will be referred
to as CDSC Shares.
24. (a) With respect to any shares of a class of FESC Shares
of an Open-End Fund, the public offering price for such shares
shall be the net asset value per share plus a FESC, expressed as
a percentage of the applicable public offering price, as
determined and effective as of the time specified in the
then-current Prospectus of such Open-End Fund. On each order
for shares of a class of FESC Shares of an Open-End Fund
accepted by us, you will be entitled to receive the applicable
agency commission for such shares as provided for in the
then-current Prospectus of such Open-End Fund or, if not so
provided, as provided to you from time to time in writing by
VKAC.
(b) With respect to any shares of a class of CDSC Shares of
an Open-End Fund, the public offering price for such shares
shall be the net asset value per share as determined and
effective as of the time specified in the then-current
Prospectus of such Open-End Fund. You will remit payment of the
aggregate public offering price to VKAC for the CDSC Shares
sold, and on each order accepted by us, you will be entitled to
receive the applicable selling compensation for such shares as
provided for in the then-current Prospectus of such Open-End
Fund or, if not so provided, as provided to you from time to
time in writing by VKAC.
25. Should you wish to participate in the Distribution Plan
with respect to a class of shares adopted by an Open-End Fund
pursuant to Rule 12b-1 ("Rule 12b-1 Plan") under the Investment
Company Act of 1940, as amended, or the Service Plan with
respect to a class of shares, it is understood that you must be
approved by the Board of Directors of such Open-End Fund and
execute an Administrative Service Agreement.
26. With respect to the Open-End Funds, your acceptance of
this Agreement constitutes a representation that you will adopt
policies and procedures in the form of the policies and
procedures attached hereto as Exhibit A with respect to when you
may appropriately make available the various classes of shares
of the Open-End Funds to investors and that you will make
available such shares only in accordance therewith.
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27. You agree to make shares of an Open-End Fund available to
your customers only: (i) at the applicable public offering
price, (ii) from VKAC and (iii) to cover orders already received
by you from your customers. VKAC in turn agrees that it will
not purchase any shares from an Open-End Fund except for the
purpose of covering purchase orders that it has already received.
28. (a) If any shares of a class of FESC Shares of an
Open-End Fund sold to your customers under the terms of this
Agreement are repurchased by the Fund or by VKAC as agent for
the Fund or are tendered for redemption within seven business
days after the date of VKAC's confirmation of the original
purchase, it is agreed that you shall forfeit your right to any
agency commission received by you on such FESC Shares. VKAC
will notify you of any such repurchase or redemption within ten
business days from the date on which the repurchase or
redemption order in proper form is delivered to VKAC or to the
Fund, and you shall forthwith refund to VKAC the full agency
commission allowed to you on such sale. VKAC agrees, in the
event of any such repurchase or redemption, to refund to the
Fund its share of any discount allowed to VKAC and, upon receipt
from you of the refund of the agency commission allowed to you,
to pay such refund forthwith to the Fund.
(b) If any shares of a class of CDSC Shares sold to your
customers under the terms of this Agreement are repurchased by
the Fund or by VKAC as agent for the Fund or are tendered for
redemption within seven business days after the date of VKAC's
confirmation of the original purchase, it is agreed that you
shall forfeit your right to any sales compensation received by
you on such CDSC Shares. We will notify you of any such
repurchase or redemption within ten business days from the date
on which the repurchase or redemption order in proper form is
delivered to VKAC or to the Fund, and you shall forthwith refund
to VKAC the full sales compensation paid to you.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLICABLE TO CLOSED END-FUNDS
29. No Closed-End Fund will issue fractional shares.
30. VKAC may, in its sole discretion, allocate shares of a
Closed-End Fund among brokers, dealers and, to the extent
permitted by applicable law, banks participating in the Initial
Offering Period or among brokers, dealers and banks
participating in the Continuous Offering Period, as the case may
be, on other than a pro rata basis, which may result in certain
brokers, dealers and banks not being allocated the full amount
of shares of such Fund sold by them while certain other brokers,
dealers and banks may receive their full allocation.
31. You agree that with respect to orders for shares of a
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Closed-End Fund, you will transmit such orders received, to the
extent permitted by applicable law, during the Initial Offering
Period to VKAC within the time period as specified in such
Closed-End Fund's Prospectus (or in the time period as extended
by VKAC in writing). You also agree to transmit any customer
order received during the Continuous Offering Period to VKAC
prior to the time that the public offering price for such
Closed-End Fund is next determined after your receipt of such
order, as set forth in the Closed-End Fund's Prospectus. There
is no assurance that each Closed-End Fund will engage in a
continuous offering of shares.
32. On each order accepted by VKAC for shares of a Closed-End
Fund, you will be entitled to receive a concession paid out of
VKAC's own assets as set forth in the then-current Prospectus of
such Closed-End Fund (exclusive of additional compensation that
may be payable pursuant to sales programs, if any, that may be
established from time to time as described in the Prospectus for
such Closed-End Fund, which will be payable only as and to the
extent the requirements of such programs are satisfied). In no
event will any Closed-End Fund reimburse VKAC for any such sales
concessions or other additional compensation or pay any such
concession or other additional compensation or allowance
directly to you. VKAC will specify for each Closed-End Fund a
period after the date that the shares of such Closed-End Fund
are listed on the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock
Exchange or another national securities market system (which
period will end no later than the first dividend payment date
with respect to such Closed-End Fund) during which sales
concessions and other additional compensation are subject to
forfeiture as provided in the following sentence (the
"Forfeiture Period"). During the Forfeiture Period for any
Closed-End Fund, physical delivery of certificates representing
shares will be required to transfer ownership of such shares.
In the event that any shares of a Closed-End Fund sold through
an order received from you, to the extent permitted by
applicable law, in the Initial Offering Period or the Continuous
Offering Period are resold in the open market or otherwise
during the Forfeiture Period, VKAC reserves the right to require
you to forfeit any sales concessions and other additional
compensation with respect to such shares. In the event of a
forfeiture, VKAC may withhold any forfeited sales concessions
and other additional compensation that has not yet been paid or
from other amounts yet to be paid to you (whether or not payable
with respect to such shares), and you agree to repay to VKAC,
promptly upon demand, any forfeited sales concessions and other
compensation that has been paid. Determinations of the amounts
to be paid to you or by you to VKAC shall be made by VKAC and
shall be conclusive.
33. During the Initial Offering Period or any Continuous
Offering Period for any Closed-End Fund, you agree to supply
VKAC, not less frequently than once a week by Friday, 5:00 p.m.
Eastern Time, during such Closed-End Fund's Initial Offering
Period, a list setting forth by state and in the aggregate all
indications of interest and, during any Continuous Offering
Period, all shares sold by you of such Closed-End Fund during
such week (or lesser period of time) and a list setting forth by
name and location each registered representative making said
sales and indicating the amount of all sales per Closed-End Fund
to date.
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34. You expressly acknowledge and understand that there is no
Rule 12b-1 Plan for the Closed-End Funds.
35. You expressly acknowledge and understand that shares of
the Closed-End Funds will not be repurchased by either the
Closed-End Funds (other than through tender offers from time to
time, if any) or by VKAC and that no secondary market for such
shares is expected to develop until the shares have begun
trading on a national exchange or national market system. You
hereby covenant that, until notified by VKAC that the
distribution of such shares has been completed or that the
Forfeiture Period has ended, you (a) will not make a secondary
market in any shares of such a Closed-End Fund, (b) will not
purchase or hold shares of such Closed-End Fund in inventory for
the purpose of resale in the open market or to your customers
and, (c) without VKAC's consent, will not repurchase shares of
such Closed-End Fund in the open market or from your customers
for any account in which you have a beneficial interest.
36. Unlike the other Closed-End Funds, the Continuous
Offering period with respect to the Van Kampen Merritt Prime
Rate Income Trust (the "Prime Rate Fund") may continue
indefinitely. The offer to make available to you shares of the
Prime Rate Fund is subject to further terms and conditions in
addition to those set out above, as follows:
(a) You expressly acknowledge and understand that shares of
the Prime Rate Fund will not be repurchased by either the Prime
Rate Fund (other than through tender offers from time to time,
if any) or VKAC and that no secondary market for the shares of
the Prime Rate Fund exists currently or is expected to develop.
You also expressly acknowledge and agree that, in the event your
customer cancels their order for shares after confirmation, such
shares may not be repurchased, remarketed or otherwise disposed
of by or through VKAC.
(b) You acknowledge and understand that, while the
Board of Trustees of the Prime Rate Fund intends to consider tendering
for all or a portion of the Prime Rate Fund's shares on a
quarterly basis, there is no assurance the Prime Rate Fund will
tender for shares at any time or, following such a tender offer,
that shares so tendered will be repurchased by the Prime Rate
Fund. You acknowledge and understand that an early withdrawal
charge payable to VKAC will be imposed on most shares accepted
for tender by the Prime Rate Fund that have been held for less
than five years, as set forth in the Prime Rate Fund's
Prospectus. ANY REPRESENTATION AS TO A TENDER OFFER BY THE
PRIME RATE FUND, OTHER THAN THAT WHICH IS SET FORTH IN THE PRIME
RATE FUND'S CURRENT PROSPECTUS, IS EXPRESSLY PROHIBITED.
Please accept the foregoing by signing this Bank Fully
Disclosed Clearing Agreement, keeping a copy for your files and
returning the original to us.
10
<PAGE> 11
Accepted and Agreed to: (PRINT OR TYPE)
Dated: By: Keith K. Furlong
Its: Senior Vice President
Bank Name
Bank Taxpayer ID Number
Address
<PAGE> 12
EXHIBIT A
Policies and Procedures
with Respect to Sales under the
Alternative Distribution Plan
As certain Van Kampen American Capital open-end
investment companies (the "Funds") offer multiple classes of
shares subject to either front-end sales charges ("FESC Shares")
or contingent deferred sales charges ("CDSC Shares"), it is
important for an investor not only to choose the Fund that best
suits his or her investment objectives, but also to choose the
alternative distribution method that best suits his or her particular
situation. To assist investors in these decisions, we (the
selling firm) are instituting the following policy:
1. Any purchase order for $1 million or more must be for class
A Shares
2. Any purchase order for $100,000 but less than $1 million
is subject to approval by [appropriate selling firm supervisor],
who must approve the purchase order ticket for the appropriate
class of shares in light of the relevant facts and
circumstances, including:
(a) the specific purchase order dollar amount;
(b) the length of time the investor expects to hold his
shares; and
(c) any other relevant circumstances, such as the
availability of purchase price discounts under a Letter of
Intent or a Quantity Discount.
There are instances when one financing method may be more
appropriate than the other. For example, investors who would
qualify for a significant purchase price discount from the
maximum sales charge on shares of a class of FESC Shares that
has such purchase price discounts may determine that payment of
such a reduced front-end sales charge is superior to electing to
purchase shares of a class of CDSC Shares with no front-end
service charge but subject to a higher aggregate distribution
and service fee. On the other hand, an investor whose order
would not qualify for such purchase price discounts and intends
to remain invested until after the expiration of the applicable
CDSC may wish to defer the sales charge and have all his funds
invested in Class B Shares initially. In addition, if such an
investor anticipates that he or she will redeem such shares
prior to the expiration of the CDSC period applicable to Class B
Shares the investor may, depending on the amount of his
<PAGE> 13
purchase, wish to acquire Class C Shares. However, investors
who intend to hold their shares for a significantly long time
may not wish to continue to bear the ongoing distribution and
service expenses of shares of Class C Shares, irrespective of
the fact that a contingent deferred sales charge would
eventually not apply to a redemption of such shares.
[The appropriate selling firm supervisor] must ensure that all
employees receiving investor inquiries about the purchase of
shares from funds subject to Van Kampen American Capital
Distributors, Inc.'s alternative distribution plan advise the
investor of the available alternative distribution methods
offered by such funds and the impact of choosing one method over
another. It may be appropriate for [the appropriate selling
firm supervisor] to discuss the purchase with the investor.
This policy is effective immediately with respect to any order
for the purchase of shares from a fund subject to Van Kampen
American Capital Distributors, Inc.'s alternative distribution
plan.
Questions relating to this policy should be directed to
[appropriate selling firm supervisor].
Van Kampen American Capital
One Parkview Plaza
Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois 60181
2
3
4
5
6
7
5/95
City, State, Zip
Phone
Signature
<PAGE> 14
Name
Title
VAN KAMPEN AMERICAN CAPITAL DISTRIBUTORS, INC.
8
<PAGE> 1
EXHIBIT 8(b)
TRANSFER AGENCY AND SERVICE AGREEMENT
AGREEMENT made as of the ___ day of _______, 1995 by and between each
of the VAN KAMPEN AMERICAN CAPITAL OPEN END FUNDS set forth on Schedule "A"
hereto, which are organized under the laws of the state and as the entities set
forth in Schedule "A" hereto, having their principal office and place of
business at Houston, Texas (collectively, the "Funds"), and ACCESS INVESTOR
SERVICES, INC., a Delaware corporation, having its principal office at Houston,
Texas, and its principal place of business at Kansas City, Missouri ("ACCESS").
R E C I T A L:
WHEREAS, each of the Funds desires to appoint ACCESS as its transfer
agent, dividend disbursing agent and shareholder service agent and ACCESS
desires to accept such appointments;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants herein
contained, the parties hereto agree as follows:
ARTICLE 1. TERMS OF APPOINTMENT; DUTIES OF ACCESS.
1.01 Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this
Agreement, each of the Funds hereby employs and appoints ACCESS as its transfer
agent, dividend disbursing agent and shareholder service agent.
1.02 ACCESS hereby accepts such employment and appointments and
agrees that on and after the effective date of this Agreement it will act as
the transfer agent, dividend disbursing agent and shareholder service agent for
each of the Funds on the terms and conditions set forth herein.
1.03 ACCESS agrees that its duties and obligations hereunder will
be performed in a competent, efficient and workmanlike manner with due
diligence in accordance with reasonable industry practice, and that the
necessary facilities, equipment and personnel for such performance will be
provided.
1.04 In order to assure compliance with section 1.03 and to
implement a cooperative effort to improve the quality of transfer agency and
shareholder services received by each of the Funds and its shareholders,
1
<PAGE> 2
ACCESS agrees to provide and maintain quantitative performance objectives,
including maximum target turn-around times and maximum target error rates, for
the various services provided hereunder. ACCESS also agrees to provide a
reporting system designed to provide the Board of Trustees or Board of
Directors of each of the Funds (the "Board") on a quarterly basis with
quantitative data comparing actual performance for the period with the
performance objectives. The foregoing procedures are designed to provide a
basis for continuing monitoring by the Board of the quality of services
rendered hereunder.
ARTICLE 2. FEES AND EXPENSES.
2.01 For the services to be performed by ACCESS pursuant to this
Agreement, each of the Funds agrees to pay ACCESS the fees provided in the fee
schedules agreed upon from time to time by each of the Funds and ACCESS.
2.02 In addition to the amounts paid under section 2.01 above, each
of the Funds agrees to reimburse ACCESS promptly for such Fund's reasonable
out-of-pocket expenses or advances paid on its behalf by ACCESS in connection
with its performance under this Agreement for postage, freight, envelopes,
checks, drafts, continuous forms, reports and statements, telephone, telegraph,
costs of outside mailing firms, necessary outside record storage costs, media
for storage of records (e.g., microfilm, microfiche and computer tapes) and
printing costs incurred due to special requirements of such Fund. In addition,
any other special out-of-pocket expenses paid by ACCESS at the specific request
of any of the Funds will be promptly reimbursed by the requesting Fund.
Postage for mailings of dividends, proxies, Fund reports and other mailings to
all shareholder accounts shall be advanced to ACCESS by the concerned Fund
three business days prior to the mailing date of such materials.
ARTICLE 3. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF ACCESS.
ACCESS represents and warrants to each of the Funds that:
3.01 It is a corporation duly organized and existing and in good
standing under the laws of the State of Delaware.
3.02 It is duly qualified to carry on its business in the states of
Texas and Missouri.
3.03 It is empowered under applicable laws and by its charter and
bylaws to enter into and perform this Agreement.
2
<PAGE> 3
3.04 All requisite corporate proceedings have been taken to
authorize it to enter into and perform this Agreement.
3.05 It has and will continue to have during the term of this
Agreement access to the necessary facilities, equipment and personnel to
perform its duties and obligations hereunder.
3.06 It will maintain a system regarding "as of" transactions as
follows:
(a) Each "as of" transaction effected at a price other
than that in effect on the day of processing for which an estimate has
not been given to any of the affected Funds and which is necessitated
by ACCESS' error, or delay for which ACCESS is responsible or which
could have been avoided through the exercise of reasonable care, will
be identified, and the net effect of such transactions determined, on
a daily basis for each such Fund.
(b) The cumulative net effect of the transactions
included in paragraph (a) above will be determined each day throughout
each month. If, on any day during the month, the cumulative net
effect upon any Fund is negative and exceeds an amount equivalent to
1/2 of 1 cent per share of such Fund, ACCESS shall promptly make a
payment to such Fund (in cash or through use of a credit as described
in paragraph (c) below) in such amount as necessary to reduce the
negative cumulative net effect to less than 1/2 of 1 cent per share of
such Fund. If on the last business day of the month the cumulative
net effect (adjusted by the amount of any payments pursuant to the
preceding sentence) upon any Fund is negative, such Fund shall be
entitled to a reduction in the monthly transfer agency fee next
payable by an equivalent amount, except as provided in paragraph (c)
below. If on the last business day of the month the cumulative net
effect (similarly adjusted) upon any Fund is positive, ACCESS shall be
entitled to recover certain past payments and reductions in fees, and
to a credit against all future payments and fee reductions made under
this paragraph to such Fund, as described in paragraph (c) below.
(c) At the end of each month, any positive cumulative net
effect upon any Fund shall be deemed to be a credit to ACCESS which
shall first be applied to recover any payments and fee reductions made
by ACCESS to such Fund under paragraph (b) above during the calendar
year by increasing the amount of the monthly transfer agency fee next
payable in an amount equal to prior payments and fee
3
<PAGE> 4
reductions made during such year, but not exceeding the sum of that
month's credit and credits arising in prior months during such year to
the extent such prior credits have not previously been utilized as
contemplated by this paragraph (c). Any portion of a credit to ACCESS
not so used shall remain as a credit to be used as payment against the
amount of any future negative cumulative net effects that would
otherwise require a payment or fee reduction to such Fund pursuant to
paragraph (b) above.
ARTICLE 4. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE FUNDS.
Each of the Funds hereby represents and warrants on behalf of
itself only and not any other Funds that are a party to this Agreement that:
4.01 It is duly organized and existing and in good standing under
the laws of the commonwealth or state set forth in Schedule "A" hereto.
4.02 It is empowered under applicable laws and regulations and by
its Declaration of Trust or Articles of Incorporation and by-laws to enter into
and perform this Agreement.
4.03 All requisite proceedings have been taken by its Board to
authorize it to enter into and perform this Agreement.
4.04 It is an open-end, diversified, management investment company
registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
4.05 A registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, is currently effective and will remain effective, and appropriate
state securities laws filings have been made and will continue to be made, with
respect to all of its shares being offered for sale.
ARTICLE 5. INDEMNIFICATION.
5.01 ACCESS shall not be responsible for and each of the Funds
shall indemnify and hold ACCESS harmless from and against any and all losses,
damages, costs, charges, reasonable counsel fees, payments, expenses and
liabilities arising out of or attributable to:
4
<PAGE> 5
(a) All actions of ACCESS required to be taken by ACCESS
for the benefit of such Fund pursuant to this Agreement, provided
ACCESS has acted in good faith with due diligence and without
negligence or willful misconduct.
(b) The reasonable reliance by ACCESS on, or reasonable
use by ACCESS of, information, records and documents which have been
prepared or maintained by or on behalf of such Fund or have been
furnished to ACCESS by or on behalf of such Fund.
(c) The reasonable reliance by ACCESS on, or the carrying
out by ACCESS of, any instructions or requests of such Fund.
(d) The offer or sale of such Fund's shares in violation
of any requirement under the federal securities laws or regulations or
the securities laws or regulations of any state or in violation of any
stop order or other determination or ruling by any federal agency or
any state with respect to the offer or sale of such shares in such
state unless such violation results from any failure by ACCESS to
comply with written instructions of such Fund that no offers or sales
of such Fund's shares be made in general or to the residents of a
particular state.
(e) Such Fund's refusal or failure to comply with the
terms of this Agreement, or such Fund's lack of good faith, negligence
or willful misconduct or the breach of any representation or warranty
of such Fund hereunder.
5.02 ACCESS shall indemnify and hold each of the Funds harmless
from and against any and all losses, damages, costs, charges, reasonable
counsel fees, payments, expenses and liability arising out of or attributable
to ACCESS' refusal or failure to comply with the terms of this Agreement, or
ACCESS' lack of good faith, negligence or willful misconduct, or the breach of
any representation or warranty of ACCESS hereunder.
5.03 At any time ACCESS may apply to any authorized officer of any
of the Funds for instructions, and may consult with any of the Funds' legal
counsel, at the expense of such concerned Fund, with respect to any matter
arising in connection with the services to be performed by ACCESS under this
Agreement, and ACCESS shall not be liable and shall be indemnified by such
concerned Fund for any action taken or omitted by it in good faith in
reasonable reliance upon such instructions or upon the opinion of such counsel.
ACCESS shall be protected and
5
<PAGE> 6
indemnified in acting upon any paper or document reasonably believed by ACCESS
to be genuine and to have been signed by the proper person or persons and shall
not be held to have notice of any change of authority of any person, until
receipt of written notice thereof from the concerned Fund. ACCESS shall also
be protected and indemnified in recognizing stock certificates which ACCESS
reasonably believes to bear the proper manual or facsimile signatures of the
officers of the concerned Fund, and the proper countersignature of any former
transfer agent or registrar, or of a co-transfer agent or co-registrar.
5.04 In the event any party is unable to perform its obligations
under the terms of this Agreement because of acts of God, strikes, equipment or
transmission failure or damage, or other causes reasonably beyond its control,
such party shall not be liable for damages to the other for any damages
resulting from such failure to perform or otherwise from such causes.
5.05 In no event and under no circumstances shall any party to this
Agreement be liable to another party for consequential damages under any
provision of this Agreement or for any act or failure to act hereunder.
5.06 In order that the indemnification provisions contained in this
Article 5 shall apply, upon the assertion of a claim for which one party may be
required to indemnify another, the party seeking indemnification shall promptly
notify the other party of such assertion, and shall keep the other party
advised with respect to all developments concerning such claim. The party who
may be required to indemnify shall have the option to participate with the
party seeking indemnification in the defense of such claim. The party seeking
indemnification shall in no case confess any claim or make any compromise in
any case in which the other party may be required to indemnify it except with
the other party's prior written consent.
ARTICLE 6. COVENANTS OF EACH OF THE FUNDS AND ACCESS.
6.01 Each of the Funds shall promptly furnish to ACCESS the
following:
(a) Certified copies of the resolution of its Board
authorizing the appointment of ACCESS and the execution and delivery
of this Agreement.
(b) Certified copies of its Declaration of Trust or
Articles of Incorporation and by-laws and all amendments thereto.
6
<PAGE> 7
6.02 ACCESS hereby agrees to maintain facilities and procedures
reasonably acceptable to each of the Funds for safekeeping of share
certificates, check forms and facsimile signature imprinting devices, if any;
and for the preparation or use, and for keeping account of, such certificates,
forms and devices.
6.03 ACCESS shall keep records relating to the services to be
performed hereunder, in the form and manner as it may deem advisable; provided,
however, that all accounts, books and other records of each of the Funds
(hereinafter referred to as "Fund Records") prepared or maintained by ACCESS
hereunder shall be maintained and kept current in compliance with Section 31 of
the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the Rules thereunder (such Section and
Rules being hereinafter referred to as the "1940 Act Requirements"). To the
extent required by the 1940 Act Requirements, ACCESS agrees that all Fund
Records prepared or maintained by ACCESS hereunder are the property of the
concerned Fund and shall be preserved and made available in accordance with the
1940 Act Requirements, and shall be surrendered promptly to the concerned Fund
on its request. ACCESS agrees at such reasonable times as may be requested by
the Board and at least quarterly to provide (i) written confirmation to the
Board that all Fund Records are maintained and kept current in accordance with
the 1940 Act Requirements, and (ii) such other reports regarding its
performance hereunder as may be reasonably requested by the Board.
6.04 ACCESS and each of the Funds agree that all books, records,
information and data pertaining to the business of the other party which are
exchanged or received pursuant to the negotiation or the carrying out of this
Agreement shall remain confidential, and shall not be voluntarily disclosed to
any other person, except as may be required by law.
6.05 In case of any requests or demands for the inspection of any
of the Fund Records, ACCESS will endeavor to notify each of the concerned Funds
and to secure instructions from an authorized officer of each of the concerned
Funds as to such inspection. ACCESS reserves the right, however, to exhibit
such Fund Records to any person whenever it is advised by its counsel that it
may be held liable for the failure to exhibit such Fund Records to such person.
ARTICLE 7. TERM AND TERMINATION OF AGREEMENT.
7.01 This Agreement shall remain in effect from the date hereof
through June 30, 1995; provided, however, that this Agreement may be terminated
by any party with respect to that party for good and reasonable
7
<PAGE> 8
cause at any time by giving written notice to the other party at least 120 days
prior to the date on which such termination is to be effective. Any unpaid
fees or reimbursable expenses payable to ACCESS shall be due on any such
termination date. ACCESS agrees to use its best efforts to cooperate with each
of the Funds and the successor transfer agent or agents in accomplishing an
orderly transition.
7.02 Subject to the prior approval of the Board, this Agreement
shall be renewed and extended for periods of not more than one year each,
unless and until this Agreement is terminated in accordance with section 7.01
above.
ARTICLE 8. MISCELLANEOUS.
8.01 Except as provided in section 8.03 below, neither this
Agreement nor any rights or obligations hereunder may be assigned by any party
without the written consent of ACCESS or the concerned Fund, as the case may
be; provided, however, that no consent shall be required for any merger of any
of the Funds with, or any sale of all or substantially all the assets of any of
the Funds to, another investment company.
8.02 This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding
upon the parties and their respective permitted successors and assigns.
8.03 ACCESS may, without further consent on the part of any of the
Funds, subcontract with DST, Inc., a Missouri corporation, or any other
qualified servicer, for the performance of data processing activities;
provided, however, that ACCESS shall be as fully responsible to each of the
Funds for the acts and omissions of DST, Inc., or other qualified servicer as
it is for its own acts and omissions.
8.04 ACCESS may, without further consent on the part of any of the
Funds, provide services to its affiliated companies. Such services may be
provided at cost.
8.05 This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the
parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof, and supersedes any
prior agreement with respect thereto, whether oral or written, and this
Agreement may not be modified except by written instrument executed by the
affected parties.
8.06 The execution of this Agreement has been authorized by the
Funds' Trustees. This Plan is executed on
behalf of the Funds or the Trustees of the Funds as Trustees and not
individually and that the obligations of this Agreement are not binding upon
any of
8
<PAGE> 9
the Trustees, officers or shareholders of the Funds individually but are
binding only upon the assets and property of the Funds. A Certificate of Trust
in respect of each of the Funds is on file with the Secretary of the State of
Delaware.
8.07 For each of those Funds that have one or more portfolios as
set forth in Schedule "A" hereto, all obligations of those Funds under this
Agreement shall apply only on a portfolio-by-portfolio basis and the assets of
one portfolio shall not be liable for the obligations of any other.
8.08 In the event of a change in the business or regulatory
environment affecting all or any portion of this Agreement, the parties hereto
agree to renegotiate such affected portions in good faith.
9
<PAGE> 10
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to
be executed in their names and on their behalf and through their duly
authorized officers, as of the date first above written.
EACH OF THE VAN KAMPEN AMERICAN
CAPITAL OPEN END FUNDS LISTED ON
SCHEDULE "A" HERETO
BY:____________________________________
Vice President
ATTEST:
____________________________
Secretary
ACCESS INVESTOR SERVICES, INC.
BY:____________________________________
President
ATTEST:
____________________________
Secretary
10
<PAGE> 11
SCHEDULE "A"
VAN KAMPEN AMERICAN CAPITAL OPEN END FUNDS
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Type
[Corporation "C"/
Fund Name State of Business Trust "T"/
(including Portfolios) Organization Partnership "P"]
===============================================================================================================
<S> <C> <C>
[TO BE PROVIDED]
</TABLE>
11
<PAGE> 12
PRICING SCHEDULE
PRICE PER ACCOUNT PLUS OUT-OF-POCKET
______________, 1995
[TO BE PROVIDED]
12
<PAGE> 1
EXHIBIT 9(a)
FORM OF
FUND ACCOUNTING AGREEMENT
THIS AGREEMENT, dated _________, 199__, by and between the parties
set forth in Schedule A hereto (designated collectively
hereafter as the "Funds") and VAN KAMPEN AMERICAN CAPITAL
INVESTMENT ADVISORY CORP., a Delaware corporation ("Advisory
Corp.").
W I T N E S S E T H:
WHEREAS, each of the Funds is registered as a management
investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended (the "1940 Act"); and
WHEREAS, Advisory Corp. has the capability of providing certain
accounting services to the Funds; and
WHEREAS, each desires to utilized Advisory Corp. in the
provision of such accounting services; and
WHEREAS, Advisory Corp. intends to maintain its staff in order
to accommodate the provision of all such services.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual
covenants spelled out herein, it is agreed between the parties
hereto as follows:
1. Appointment of Advisory Corp.. As agent, Advisory Corp. shall
provide each of the Funds the accounting services ("Accounting
Services") as set forth in Paragraph 2 of this Agreement.
Advisory Corp. accepts such appointment and agrees to furnish
the Accounting Services in return for the compensation provided
in Paragraph 3 of this Agreement.
1
<PAGE> 2
2. Accounting Services to be Provided. Advisory Corp. will
provide to the Funds the following accounting related services,
including without limitation, accurate maintenance of the
specific Fund's books and records such as are within the scope
of control of Advisory Corp. and are required by the applicable
securities statutes and regulations, preparation of each Fund's
financial reports and other accounting and tax related notice
information to shareholders, the assimilation and interpretation
of accounting data for meaningful management review. Advisory
Corp. shall hire persons (collectively the "Accounting Service
Group") as needed to provide such Accounting Services and in
such numbers as the parties to this Agreement may agree from
time to time.
3. Expenses and Reimbursements. The Accounting Service expenses
(the "Accounting Service Expenses") for which Advisory Corp. may
be reimbursed are salary and salary related benefits, including
but not limited to bonuses, group insurances and other regular
wages ("Salaries") paid to the personnel of the Accounting
Service Group as discussed from time to time with the Board of
Trustees of each of the Funds.
2
<PAGE> 3
The Accounting Services Expenses
will be paid by Advisory Corp. and reimbursed by the Funds.
Advisory Corp. will tender to each Fund a monthly invoice as of
the last business day of each month which shall certify the total
support service expenses expended. Except as provided herein,
Advisory Corp. will receive no other compensation in connection
with Accounting Services rendered in accordance with this
Agreement, and Advisory Corp. will be responsible for all other
expenses relating to the providing of Accounting Services.
4. Payment for Accounting Service Expenses Among the Funds. As
to one quarter (25%) of the Accounting Service Expenses incurred
under the Agreement, the expense shall be allocated between all
Funds based on the number of classes of shares of beneficial
interest that each respective Fund has issued.
5. Maintenance of Records. All records maintained by Advisory
Corp. in connection with the performance of its duties under
this agreement will remain the property of each respective Fund
and will be preserved by Advisory Corp. for the periods
prescribed in Section 31 of the 1940 Act and the rules
thereunder or such other applicable rules that may be adopted
from time to time under the act. In the event of termination of
the Agreement, such records will be promptly delivered to the
respective Funds. Such records may be inspected by the
respective Funds at reasonable times.
6. Liability of Advisory Corp. Advisory Corp. shall not be
liable to any Fund for any action taken or thing done by it or
its agents or contractors on behalf of the fund in carrying out
the terms and provisions of the Agreement if done in good faith
and without negligence or misconduct on the part of Advisory
Corp., its agents or contractors.
7. Indemnification By Funds. Each Fund will indemnify and hold
Advisory Corp. harmless from all lost, cost, damage and expense,
including reasonable expenses for legal counsel, incurred by
Advisory Corp. resulting from: (a) any claim, demand, action or
suit in connection with Advisory Corp.'s acceptance of this
Agreement; (b) any action or omission by advisory Corp. in the
performance of its duties hereunder; (c) Advisory Corp.'s acting
upon instructions believed by it to have been executed by a duly
authorized officer of the Fund; or (d) Advisory Corp.'s acting
upon information provided by the Fund in form and under policies
agreed to by Advisory Corp. and the Fund. Advisory Corp. shall
not be entitled to such indemnification in respect of actions or
omissions constituting negligence or willful misconduct of
Advisory Corp. or its agents or contractors. Prior to
confessing any claim against it which may be subject to this
indemnification, Advisory Corp. shall give the Fund reasonable
opportunity to defend against said claim in its own name or in
the name of Advisory Corp.
8. Indemnification By Advisory Corp. Advisory Corp. will
indemnify and hold harmless each Fund from all loss, cost,
damage and expense, including reasonable expenses for legal
3
<PAGE> 4
counsel, incurred by the Fund resulting from any claim, demand,
action or suit arising out of Advisory Corp.'s failure to comply
with the terms of this Agreement or which arises out of the
negligence or willful misconduct of Advisory Corp. or its agents
or contractors; provided that such negligence or misconduct is
not attributable to the Funds, their agents or contractors.
Prior to confessing any claim against it which may be subject to
this indemnification, the Fund shall give Advisory Corp.
reasonable opportunity to defend against said claim in its own
name or in the name of such Fund.
9. Further Assurances. Each party agrees to perform such further
acts and execute such further documents as are necessary to
effectuate the purposes hereof.
10. Dual Interests. It is understood that some person or persons
may be directors, trustees, officers or shareholders of both the
Funds and Advisory Corp. (including Advisory Corp.'s
affiliates), and that the existence of any such dual interest
shall not affect the validity hereof or of any transactions
hereunder except as otherwise provided by a specific provision
of applicable law.
4
<PAGE> 5
11. Execution, Amendment and Termination. The term of this
Agreement shall begin as of the date first above written, and
unless sooner terminated as herein provided, this Agreement
shall remain in effect through _______, 199___, and thereafter
from year to year, if such continuation is specifically approved
at least annually by the Board of Trustees of each Fund,
including a majority of the independent Trustees of each Fund.
This Agreement may be modified or amended from time to time by
mutual agreement between the parties hereto and may be
terminated after _______, 199___, by at least sixty (60) days'
written notice given by one party to the others. Upon
termination hereof, each Fund shall pay to Advisory Corp. such
compensation as may be due as of the date of such termination
and shall likewise reimburse Advisory Corp. for its costs,
expenses and disbursements payable under this Agreement to such
date. This Agreement may be amended in the future to include as
additional parties to the Agreement other investment companies
for with Advisory Corp., any subsidiary or affiliate serves as
investment advisor or distributor if such amendment is approved
by the President of each Fund.
12. Assignment. Any interest of Advisory Corp. under this
Agreement shall not be assigned or transferred, either
voluntarily or involuntarily, by operation of law or otherwise,
without the prior written consent of the Funds. This agreement
shall automatically and immediately terminate in the event of
its assignment without the prior written consent of the Funds.
13. Notice. Any notice under this Agreement shall be in writing,
addressed and delivered or sent by registered or certified mail,
postage prepaid, to the other party at such address as such
other party may designate for the receipt of such notices.
Until further notice to the other parties, it is agreed that for
this purpose the address of each Fund is One Parkview Plaza,
Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois 60181, Attention: President and that
of Advisory Corp. for this purpose is One Parkview Plaza,
Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois 60181, Attention: President.
14. Personal Liability. As provided for in Article 8, Section 8.1
of the Agreement and Declaration of Trust of the various Funds, under
which the Funds are organized as unincorporated trusts, the shareholders,
trustees, officers, employees and other agents of the Fund shall
not personally be found by or liable for the matters set forth
hereto, nor shall resort be had to their private property for
the satisfaction of any obligation or claim hereunder.
15. Interpretive Provisions. In connection with the operation
of this Agreement, Advisory Corp. and the Funds may agree from
time to time on such provisions interpretative 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.
16. State Law. This Agreement shall be construed and enforced in
accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of
Illinois.
5
<PAGE> 6
17. Captions. The captions in this Agreement are included for
convenience of reference only and in no way define or limit any
of the provisions hereof or otherwise affect their construction
or effect.
6
<PAGE> 7
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to
be executed as of the day and year first above written.
ALL OF THE PARTIES SET FORTH IN SCHEDULE A
By:__________________________________________________
Dennis J. McDonnell, President
VAN KAMPEN AMERICAN CAPITAL INVESTMENT ADVISORY CORP.
By:__________________________________________________
Dennis J. McDonnell, President
7
<PAGE> 1
EXHIBIT 9(b)
LEGAL SERVICES AGREEMENT
THIS AGREEMENT, dated as of January 1, 1995, by
and between the parties hereto (designated collectively
hereafter as the "Funds") and VAN KAMPEN AMERICAN CAPITAL,
INC., (formerly Van Kampen Merritt Holdings Corp., a
Delaware corporation ("Van Kampen").
W I T N E S S E T H:
WHEREAS, each of the Funds is registered as a management
investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended (the "1940 Act"); and
WHEREAS, Van Kampen has the capability of providing certain
legal services to the Funds; and
WHEREAS, each Fund desires to utilize Van Kampen in the
provision of such legal services; and
WHEREAS, Van Kampen intends to increase its staff in order to
accommodate the provision of all such services.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual
covenants spelled out herein, it is agreed between the parties
hereto as follows:
1. Appointment of Van Kampen. As agent, Van Kampen shall provide
each of the Funds the legal services (the "Legal Services") as
set forth in Paragraph 2 of this Agreement. Van Kampen accepts
such appointments and agrees to furnish the Legal Services in
return for the compensation provided in Paragraph 3 of this
Agreement.
2. Legal Services to be Provided. Van Kampen will provide to the
Funds the following legal services, including without
limitation: accurate maintenance of the Funds' Corporate Minute
books and records, preparation and oversight of each Fund's
regulatory reports and other information provided to
shareholders as well as responding to day-to-day legal issues on
behalf of the Funds. Van Kampen shall hire persons
(collectively the "Legal Services Group") as needed to provide
such Legal Services and in such numbers as may be agreed from
time to time.
1
<PAGE> 2
3. Expenses and Reimbursement. The Legal Services expenses (the
"Legal Services Expenses") for which Van Kampen may be
reimbursed are salary and salary related benefits, including but
not limited to bonuses, group insurance and other regular wages
paid to the personnel of the Legal Services Group, as well as
overhead and expenses related to office space and necessary
equipment. The Legal Services Expenses will be paid by Van
Kampen and reimbursed by the Funds. Van Kampen will tender to
each Fund a monthly invoice as of the last business day of each
month which shall certify the total Legal Service Expenses
expended. Except as provided herein, Van Kampen will receive no
other compensation in connection with Legal Services rendered in
accordance with this Agreement, and Van Kampen will be
responsible for all other expenses relating to the providing of
Legal Services.
4. Payment for Legal Services Expense Among the Funds. One half
(50%) of the Legal Services Expenses incurred under the
Agreement shall be attributable equally to each respective Fund
and all other funds to whom Van Kampen provides Legal Services,
including all other Funds for which Van Kampen serves as
investment adviser and distributor and the Govett Funds (the
Non-Participating Funds"). Van Kampen shall assume the costs of
Legal Services for the Non-Participating Funds for which
reimbursement is not received. The remaining one half (50%) of
the Legal Services Expenses shall be in allocated (a) in the
event services are attributable to specific funds (including the
Non-Participating Funds) based on such specific time
allocations; and (b) in the event services are attributable only
to types of funds (i.e. closed-end and open-end funds), the
relative amount of time spent on each type of fund and then
further allocated between funds of that type on the basis of
relative net assets at the end of the period.
5. Maintenance of Records. All records maintained by Van Kampen
in connection with the performance of its duties under this
Agreement will remain the property of each respective Fund and
will be preserved by Van Kampen for the periods prescribed in
Section 31 of the 1940 Act and the rules thereunder or such
other applicable rules that may be adopted from time to time
under the Act. In the event of termination of the Agreement,
such records will be promptly delivered to the respective Funds.
Such records may be inspected by the respective Funds at
reasonable times.
6. Liability of Van Kampen. Van Kampen shall not be liable to
any Fund for any action taken or thing done by it or its agents
or contractors on behalf of the Fund in carrying out the terms
and provisions of the Agreement if done in good faith and
without negligence or misconduct on the part of Van Kampen, its
agents or contractors.
7. Indemnification By Funds. Each Fund will indemnify and hold
Van Kampen harmless from all loss, cost, damage and expense,
including reasonable expenses for legal counsel, incurred by Van
2
<PAGE> 3
Kampen resulting from (a) any claim, demand, action or suit in
connection with Van Kampen's acceptance of this Agreement; (b)
an action or omission by Van Kampen in the performance of its
duties hereunder; (c) Van Kampen's acting upon instructions
believed by it to have been executed by a duly authorized office
of the Fund; or (d) Van Kampen's acting upon information
provided by the Fund in form and under policies agreed to by Van
Kampen and the Fund. Van Kampen shall not be entitled to such
indemnification in respect of action or omissions constituting
negligence or willful misconduct of Van Kampen or its agents or
contractors. Prior to confessing any claim against it which may
be subject to this indemnification, Van Kampen shall give the
Fund reasonable opportunity to defend against said claim on its
own name or in the name of Van Kampen.
8. Indemnification By Van Kampen. Van Kampen will indemnify and
hold harmless each Fund from all loss, cost, damage and expense,
including reasonable expenses for legal counsel, incurred by the
Fund resulting from any claim, demand, action or suit arising
out of Van Kampen's failure to comply with the terms of this
Agreement or which arises out of the negligence or willful
misconduct of Van Kampen or its agents or contractors; provided,
that such negligence or misconduct is not attributable to the
Funds, their agents or contractors. Prior to confessing any
claim against it which may be subject to this indemnification,
the Fund shall give Van Kampen reasonable opportunity to defend
against said claim in its own name or in the name of such Fund.
9. Further Assurances. Each party agrees to perform such
further acts and execute such further documents as necessary to
effectuate the purposes hereof.
10. Dual Interests. It is understood that some person or
persons may be directors, trustees, officers, or shareholders of
both the Funds and Van Kampen (including Van Kampen's
affiliates), and that the existence of any such dual interest
shall not affect the validity hereof or of any transactions
hereunder except as otherwise provided by a specific provision
of applicable law.
11. Execution, Amendment and Termination. The term of this
Agreement shall begin as of the date first above written, and
unless sooner terminated as herein provided, this Agreement
shall remain in effect through May 31, 1996, and thereafter from
year to year if such continuation is specifically approved at
least annually by the Board of Trustees of each Fund, including
a majority of the independent Trustees of each Fund. The
Agreement may be modified or amended from time to time by mutual
agreement between the and shall likewise reimburse Van Kampen
for its costs, expenses and disbursements payable under this
Agreement to such date. This Agreement may be amended in the
future to include as additional parties to the Agreement other
investment companies for which Van Kampen, any subsidiary or
affiliate serves as investment advisor or distributor.
12. Assignment. Any interest of Van Kampen under this Agreement
3
<PAGE> 4
shall not be assigned or transferred, either voluntarily or
involuntarily, by operation of law or otherwise, without the
prior written consent of the Fund. This Agreement shall
automatically and immediately terminate in the event of its
assignment without the prior written consent of the Fund.
13. Notice. Any notice under this agreement shall be in
writing, addressed and delivered or sent by registered or
certified mail, postage prepaid, to the other party at such
address as such other party may designate for the receipt of
such notices. Until further notice to the other parties, it is
agreed that for this purpose the address of each Fund is One
Parkview Plaza, Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois 60181, Attention:
President and the address of Van Kampen. for this purpose is One
Parkview Plaza, Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois 60181, Attention:
General Counsel.
14. Personal Liability. As provided for in the Declaration of
Trust of the various Funds, under which the Funds are organized
as unincorporated trust under the laws of the State of Delaware
and Pennsylvania, as the case may be, the shareholders,
trustees, officers, employees and other agents of the Fund shall
not personally be found by or liable for the matters set forth
hereunder, nor shall resort be had to their private property for
the satisfaction of any obligation or claim hereunder.
15. Interpretative Provisions. In connection with the operation
of this agreement, Van Kampen and the Funds may agree from time
to time on such provisions interpretative of or in addition to
the provisions of this Agreement as may in their opinion be
consistent with the general tenor of this Agreement.
16. State Law. This Agreement shall be construed and enforced
in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of
Illinois.
17. Captions. The captions in the Agreement are included for
convenience of reference only and in no way define or limit any
of the provisions hereof or otherwise affect their construction
effect.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to
be executed as of the day and year first above written.
4
<PAGE> 1
EXHIBIT 10
July 31, 1995
Van Kampen American Capital
U.S. Government Trust
One Parkview Plaza
Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois 60181
Re: Van Kampen American Capital
U.S. Government Trust --
Registration Statement on Form N-1A
(File Nos. 2-89190 and 811-3950)
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as counsel to Van Kampen American Capital U.S. Government
Fund (the "Fund"), a series of Van Kampen American Capital U.S. Government
Trust (the "Trust"), a voluntary association with transferable shares formed
and existing under and by virtue of the laws of the State of Delaware, in
connection with the preparation of Post-Effective Amendment No. 26 to the
Trust's Registration Statement on Form N-1A (as so amended, the "Registration
Statement") to be filed under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933
Act"), and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act") with
the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") on August 1, 1995.
The Registration Statement relates to the registration under the 1933 Act and
1940 Act of an indefinite number of each of Class A Shares of beneficial
interest, $.01 par value per share, Class B Shares of beneficial interest, $.01
par value per share, and Class C Shares of beneficial interest, $.01 par value
per share, of the Fund (collectively, the "Shares"). The Trust has stated in
Post-Effective Amendment No. 26 to the Registration Statement that it is
thereby adopting the Registration Statement of Van Kampen Merritt U.S.
Government Fund, a Massachusetts business trust (the "Old Trust"), reorganized
into the Trust as of July 31, 1995.
<PAGE> 2
Van Kampen American Capital
U.S. Government Trust
July 31, 1995
Page 2
The Shares will be sold pursuant to a distribution and service
agreement to be entered into among the Trust, on behalf of the Fund, and Van
Kampen American Capital Distributors, Inc. (the "Distribution Agreement").
The Old Trust is a party to an "Order Pursuant to Section 6(c) of the
Investment Company Act for an Exemption from the Provisions of Sections
2(a)(32), 2(a)(35), 18(f), 18(g), 18(i), 22(c) and 22(d) of such Act and Rule
22c-1 thereunder" (the "Exemptive Order"), issued by the Commission on July 28,
1993, allowing registered investment companies party thereto to issue an
unlimited number of classes of securities (including the Class A Shares,
Class B Shares and Class C Shares) with varying combinations of sales charges,
distribution fees and service fees, the application for which Exemptive Order
requested that such order apply to entities organized for the purpose of
changing the state of domicile of the original parties to such order.
This opinion is delivered in accordance with the requirements of Item
24(b)(10) of Form N-1A under the 1933 Act and the 1940 Act.
In connection with this opinion, we have examined originals or copies,
certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of (i) the Registration
Statement, (ii) the Agreement and Declaration of Trust and By-Laws of the
Trust, each as amended to date (the "Declaration of Trust" and "By-Laws",
respectively), (iii) the designations of series with respect to the Fund,
(iv) copies of the resolutions adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Trust
relating to the authorization, issuance and sale of the Shares, the filing of
the Registration Statement and any amendments or supplements thereto and
related matters, (v) the form of Distribution Agreement, which is included as
an exhibit to the Registration Statement, (vi) the Exemptive Order and (vii)
such other documents as we have deemed necessary or appropriate as a basis for
the opinions set forth herein. In such examination, we have assumed the
genuineness of all signatures, the legal capacity of all natural persons, the
authenticity of all documents submited to us as originals, the conformity to
original documents of all documents submitted to us as certified, conformed or
<PAGE> 3
Van Kampen American Capital
U.S. Government Trust
July 31, 1995
Page 3
photostatic copies and the authenticity of the originals of such copies. We
have also assumed that the Distribution Agreement, when executed and delivered
by the parties thereto, will be in the form reviewed by us in connection with
this opinion and that the Fund will be entitled to rely on the Exemptive Order
as if it were a party thereto. As to any facts material to the opinions
expressed herein which we have not independently established or verified, we
have relied upon statements and representations of officers and other
representatives of the Trust and others.
Members of our firm are admitted to the practice of law in the State of
Delaware, and we express no opinion as to the laws of any other jurisdiction.
Based upon and subject to the foregoing, we are of the opinion that
when (i) the Registration Statement (and such other Post-Effective Amendments,
if any, to the Registration Statement relating to the public offering of the
Shares) shall have become effective under the 1933 Act and shall be deemed to
be the Registration Statement of the Trust pursuant to the rules and
regulations of the Commission under the 1933 Act, (ii) the Distribution
Agreement is duly executed and delivered by the Trust and the other respective
parties thereto and (iii) certificates representing the Shares are duly
executed, countersigned, registered and duly delivered and paid for in
accordance with the Distribution Agreement, the Shares will be validly issued,
fully paid and nonassessable.
<PAGE> 4
Van Kampen American Capital
U.S. Government Trust
July 31, 1995
Page 4
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion with the Commission as
Exhibit 10 to the Registration Statement. We also consent to the reference
to our firm under the heading "Legal Counsel" in the Registration Statement.
In giving this consent, we do not hereby admit that we are in the category of
persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the 1933 Act or the rules
and regulations of the Commission.
Very truly yours,
/s/ Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom
<PAGE> 1
EXHIBIT 15(a)
FORM OF
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION PURSUANT TO RULE 12B-1
VAN KAMPEN AMERICAN CAPITAL FUND
The plan set forth below (the "Distribution Plan") is the
written plan contemplated by Rule 12b-1 (the "Rule") under the
Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"), for
the VAN KAMPEN AMERICAN CAPITAL FUND (the "Fund"), a
Series of the Van Kampen AMERICAN CAPITAL Trust (the
"Trust"). This Distribution Plan describes the material terms
and conditions under which assets of the Fund may be used in
connection with financing distribution related activities with
respect to each of its classes of shares of beneficial interest
(the "Shares"), each of which is offered and sold subject to a
different combination of front-end sales charges, distribution
fees, service fees and contingent deferred sales charges.1
Classes of shares, if any, subject to a front-end sales charge
and a distribution and/or service fee are referred to herein as
"Front-End Classes" and the Shares of such classes are referred
to herein as "Front-End Shares." Classes of shares, if any,
subject to a contingent-deferred sales charge and a distribution
and/or a service fee are referred to herein as "CDSC Classes"
and Shares of such classes are referred to herein as "CDSC
Shares." Classes of shares, if any, subject to a front-end
sales charge, a contingent-deferred sales charge and a
distribution and/or service fee are referred to herein as
"Combination Classes" and Shares of such class are referred to
herein as "Combination Shares."
The Fund has adopted a service plan (the "Service Plan")
pursuant to which the Fund is authorized to expend on an annual
basis a portion of its average net assets attributable to any or
each class of Shares in connection with the provision by the
principal underwriter (within the meaning of the 1940 Act) of
the Shares and by brokers, dealers and other financial
intermediaries (collectively, "Financial Intermediaries") of
personal services to holders of Shares and/or the maintenance of
shareholder accounts. The Fund also has entered into a
distribution and services agreement (the "Distribution and
Services Agreement") with Van Kampen American Capital Distributors,
Inc. (the "Distributor"), pursuant to which the Distributor acts as
the principal underwriter with respect to each class of Shares and
provides services to the Fund and acts as agent on behalf of the
Fund in connection with the implementation of the Service Plan.
<PAGE> 2
The Distributor may enter into selling agreements (the "Selling
Agreements") with Financial Intermediaries in order to implement
the Distribution and Services Agreement, the Service Plan and
this Distribution Plan.
The Fund hereby is authorized to pay the Distributor a
distribution fee with respect to each class of its Shares to
compensate the Distributor for activities which are primarily
intended to result in the sale of such Shares ("distribution
related activities") performed by the Distributor with respect
to the respective class of Shares of the Fund. Such
distribution related activities include without limitation: (a)
printing and distributing copies of any prospectuses and annual
and interim reports of the Fund (after the Fund has prepared and
set in type such materials) that are used by such Distributor in
connection with the offering of Shares; (b) preparing, printing
or otherwise manufacturing and distributing any other literature
or materials of any nature used by such Distributor in
connection with promoting, distributing or offering the Shares;
(c) advertising, promoting and selling Shares to broker-dealers,
banks and the public; (d) distribution related overhead and the
provision of information programs and shareholder services
intended to enhance the attractiveness of investing in the Fund;
(e) incurring initial outlay expenses in connection with
compensating Financial Intermediaries for (i) selling CDSC
Shares and Combination Shares and (ii) providing personal
services to shareholders and the maintenance of shareholder
accounts of all classes of Shares, including paying interest on
and incurring other carrying costs on funds borrowed to pay such
initial outlays; and (f) acting as agent for the Fund in
connection with implementing this Distribution Plan pursuant to
the Selling Agreements.
The amount of the distribution fee hereby authorized with
respect to each class of Shares of the Fund shall be as follows:
With respect to Class A Shares, the distribution fee authorized
hereby and the service fee authorized pursuant to the Service
Plan, in the aggregate, shall not exceed on an annual basis
0.25% of the Fund's average daily net assets attributable to
Class A Shares sold on or after the date on which this
Distribution Plan is first implemented with respect to Class A
Shares. The Fund may pay a distribution fee as determined from
time to time by its Board of Trustees in an annual amount not to
exceed the lesser of (i) (A) 0.25% of the Fund's average daily
net asset value during such year attributable to Class A Shares
sold on or after the date on which this Distribution Plan was
first implemented with respect to Class A Shares minus (B) the
amount of the service fee with respect to the Class A Shares
actually expended during such year by the Fund pursuant to the
Service Plan and (ii) the actual amount of distribution related
expenses incurred by the Distributor with respect to Class A
Shares.
With respect to Class B Shares, the distribution fee authorized
hereby and the service fee authorized pursuant to the Service
Plan, in the aggregate, shall not exceed on an annual basis
1.00% of the Fund's average daily net assets attributable to
2
<PAGE> 3
Class B Shares sold on or after the date on which this
Distribution Plan is first implemented with respect to the Class
B Shares. The Fund may pay a distribution fee with respect to
the Class B Shares as determined from time to time by its Board
of Trustees in an annual amount not to exceed the lesser of (A)
0.75% of the Fund's average daily net asset value during such
year attributable to Class B Shares sold on or after the date on
which this Distribution Plan is first implemented with respect
to the Class B Shares and (B) the actual amount of distribution
related expenses incurred by the Distributor during such year
plus prior unreimbursed distribution related expenses less the
amount of any contingent deferred sales charge paid to the
Distributor, in each case with respect to the Class B Shares
sold on or after the date on which this Distribution Plan is
first implemented with respect to the Class B Shares.
With respect to Class C Shares, the distribution fee authorized
hereby and the service fee authorized pursuant to the Service
Plan, in the aggregate, shall not exceed on an annual basis
1.00% of the Fund's average daily net assets attributable to
Class C Shares sold on or after the date on which this
Distribution Plan is first implemented with respect to the Class
C Shares. The Fund may pay a distribution fee with respect to
the Class C Shares as determined from time to time by its Board
of Trustees in an annual amount not to exceed the lesser of (A)
0.75% of the Fund's average daily net asset value during such
year attributable to Class C Shares sold on or after the date on
which this Distribution Plan is first implemented with respect
to the Class C Shares and (B) the actual amount of distribution
related expenses incurred by the Distributor during such year
plus prior unreimbursed distribution related expenses less the
amount of any contingent deferred sales charge paid to the
Distributor, in each case with respect to the Class C Shares
sold on or after the date on which this Distribution Plan is
first implemented with respect to the Class C Shares.
Payments pursuant to this Distribution Plan shall not be made
more often than monthly upon receipt by the Fund of a separate
written expense report with respect to each class of Shares
setting forth the expenses qualifying for such reimbursement
allocated to each class of Shares and the purposes thereof.
In the event that amounts payable hereunder with respect to
shares of a Front-End Class do not fully reimburse the
Distributor for its actual distribution related expenses with
respect to the Shares of such class, there is no carryforward of
reimbursement obligations to succeeding years. In the event the
amounts payable hereunder with respect to a shares of a CDSC
Class or a Combination Class do not fully reimburse the
Distributor for its actual distribution related expenses with
respect to the Shares of the respective class, such unreimbursed
distribution expenses will be carried forward and paid by the
Fund hereunder in future years so long as this Distribution Plan
remains in effect, subject to applicable laws and regulations.
Reimbursements for distribution related expenses payable
hereunder with respect to a particular class of Shares may not
be used to subsidize the sale of Shares of any other class of
Shares.
3
<PAGE> 4
The Fund shall not compensate the Distributor, and neither the
Fund nor the Distributor shall compensate any Financial
Intermediary, for any distribution related expenses incurred
with respect to a class of Shares prior to the later of (a) the
implementation of this Distribution Plan with respect to such
class of Shares or (b) the date that such Financial Intermediary
enters into a Selling Agreement with the Distributor.
The Fund hereby authorizes the Distributor to enter into
Selling Agreements with certain Financial Intermediaries to
provide compensation to such Financial Intermediaries for
activities and services of the type referred to in Paragraph 1
hereof. Prior to the implementation of a Selling Agreement,
such agreement shall be approved by a majority of the Board of
Trustees of the Trust and a majority of the Disinterested
Trustees (within the meaning of the 1940 Act) by a vote cast in
person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such
Selling Agreements. The Distributor may reallocate all or a
portion of its distribution fee to such Financial Intermediaries
as compensation for the above-mentioned activities and services.
Such reallocation shall be in an amount as set forth from time
to time in the Fund's prospectus. Such Selling Agreements shall
provide that the Financial Intermediaries shall provide the
Distributor with such information as is reasonably necessary to
permit the Distributor to comply with the reporting requirements
set forth in Paragraphs 3 and 8 hereof.
Subject to the provisions of this Distribution Agreement, the
Fund is hereby authorized to pay a distribution fee to any
person that is not an "affiliated person" or "interested person"
of the Fund or its "investment adviser" or "principal
underwriter" (as such terms are defined in the 1940 Act) who
provides any of the foregoing services for the Fund. Such fee
shall be paid only pursuant to written agreements between the
Fund and such other person the terms of which permit payments to
such person only in accordance with the provisions of this
Distribution Agreement and which have the approval of a majority
of the Disinterested Trustees by vote cast separately with
respect to each class of Shares and cast in person at a meeting
called for the purpose of voting on such written agreement.
The Fund and the Distributor shall prepare separate written
reports for each class of Shares and shall submit such reports
to the Fund's Board of Trustees on a quarterly basis summarizing
all payments made by them with respect to each class of Shares
pursuant to this Distribution Plan, the Service Plan and the
agreements contemplated hereby, the purposes for which such
payments were made and such other information as the Board of
Trustees or the Disinterested Trustees may reasonably request
from time to time, and the Board of Trustees shall review such
reports and other information.
This Distribution Plan shall become effective upon its approval
by (a) a majority of the Board of Trustees and a majority of the
Disinterested Trustees by vote cast separately with respect to
each class of Shares cast in person at a meeting called for the
purpose of voting on this Distribution Plan, and (b) with
4
<PAGE> 5
respect to each class of Shares, a "majority of the outstanding
voting securities" (as such phrase is defined in the 1940 Act)
of such class of Shares voting separately as a class.
This Distribution Plan and any agreement contemplated hereby
shall continue in effect beyond the first anniversary of its
adoption by the Board of Trustees of the Fund only so long as
(a) its continuation is approved at least annually in the manner
set forth in clause (a) of paragraph 9 above and (b) the
selection and nomination of those trustees of the Fund who are
not "interested persons" of the Fund are committed to the
discretion of such trustees.
This Distribution Plan may be terminated with respect to a
class of Shares without penalty at any time by a majority of the
Disinterested Trustees or by a "majority of the outstanding
voting securities" of the respective class of Shares of the
Fund.
This Distribution Plan may not be amended to increase
materially the maximum amounts permitted to be expended
hereunder except with the approval of a "majority of the
outstanding voting securities" of the respective class of Shares
of the Fund and may not be amended in any other material respect
except with the approval of a majority of the Disinterested
Trustees. Amendments required to conform this Distribution Plan
to changes in the Rule or to other changes in the 1940 Act or
the rules and regulations thereunder shall not be deemed to be
material amendments.
To the extent any service fees paid by the Fund pursuant to the
Service Plan are deemed to be payments for the financing of any
activity primarily intended to result in the sale of Shares
issued by the Fund within the meaning of the Rule, the terms and
provisions of such plan and any payments made pursuant to such
plan hereby are authorized pursuant to this Distribution Plan in
the amounts and for the purposes authorized in the Service Plan
without any further action by the Board of Trustees or the
shareholders of the Fund. To the extent the terms and
provisions of the Service Plan conflict with the terms and
provisions of this Distribution Plan, the terms and provisions
of the Service Plan shall prevail with respect to amounts
payable pursuant thereto. This paragraph 13 is adopted solely
due to the uncertainty that may exist with respect to whether
payments to be made by the Fund pursuant to the Service Plan
constitute payments primarily intended to result in the sale of
Shares issued by the Fund within the meaning of the Rule.
The Trustees of the Trust have adopted this Distribution Plan
as trustees under the Declaration of Trust of the Trust and the
policies of the Trust adopted hereby are not binding upon any of
the Trustees or shareholders of the Trust individually, but bind
only the trust estate.
1 The Fund is authorized to offer multiple classes of shares
pursuant to an order of the Securities and Exchange Commission
5
<PAGE> 6
exempting the Fund from certain provisions of the 1940 Act.
6
<PAGE> 1
EXHIBIT 15(b)
FORM OF
VAN KAMPEN AMERICAN CAPITAL DISTRIBUTORS, INC.
SHAREHOLDER ASSISTANCE AGREEMENT
This Agreement is entered into as of the _____day of _____,
1995, by and between Van Kampen American Capital Distributors,
Inc. (formerly Van Kampen Merritt, Inc.) (the "Company") and the
undersigned (the "Broker-Dealer").
WHEREAS, the Company is the principal underwriter of the
open-end investment companies listed on Schedule 1 to this
Agreement (hereinafter individually the "Fund" or collectively
the "Funds"); and
WHEREAS, the Broker-Dealer is registered as a broker-dealer
with the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.; and
WHEREAS, each respective Fund has adopted a Distribution Plan
(the "Distribution Plan") and a service plan (the "Service
Plan") pursuant to Rule 12b-1 (the "Rule") under the Investment
Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"), relating to
such Fund, the Distribution Plans being described in the Fund's
Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information; and
WHEREAS, each respective Fund's Distribution Plans authorize
the Company to enter into distribution assistance agreements
such as this Agreement with broker-dealers selected by the
Company, and the Broker-Dealer has been so selected; and
WHEREAS, each respective Fund's Distribution Plans authorize
the Company to make payments at a rate specified in an agreement
such as this Agreement varying directly with the aggregate
average daily net asset value of shares of each respective Fund
sold by such broker-dealer on or after the effective date of
this Agreement, as determined pursuant to Section 4 hereof, and
held at the close of each day in accounts of clients or
customers of a particular broker-dealer, such amount being
referred to herein as the "Holding Level"; for purposes of
calculating the Holding Level, shares of such Fund which are
redeemed or otherwise disposed of from any account existing
prior to such effective date shall be deemed to have been shares
sold prior to such effective date to the extent of the number of
shares held in such account immediately after the close of
business on the day prior to such effective date; and
1
<PAGE> 2
WHEREAS, this Agreement is a "related agreement" to the
Distribution Plan as that term is used in the Rule and is
subject to all of the provisions of the Rule as to such
agreements;
NOW, THEREFORE, the Company and the Broker-Dealer agree as
follows:
1. Subject to continuing compliance with its obligations
pursuant to Section 2 hereof, the Broker-Dealer shall be
entitled distribution fee and service fee to payments, if any,
to be paid by the Company at the annual percentage rate of the
Holding Level set forth from time to time in the then current
Prospectus of the Fund on a quarterly basis (prorated for any
portion of such period during which this Agreement is in effect
for less than the full amount of such period); it is understood
and agreed that the Company may make final and binding
determinations as to whether such continuing compliance and as
to whether or not any Fund shares are to be considered in
determining the Holding Level of any particular broker-dealer
and what Fund shares, if any, are to be attributed to such
purpose to a particular broker-dealer, to a different
broker-dealer or to no broker-dealer. Payments shall be made to
the Broker-Dealer named above and portions of the payments may
be, in the discretion of the Broker-Dealer, paid over to
individual registered representatives of said Broker-Dealer to
whom there have been assigned accounts of clients or customers
of the Broker-Dealer with respect to which the respective
Holding Level was determined.
2. The distribution fee payments with respect to a class of
the Fund's shares to be made in accordance with Section 1
hereof, if any, shall be paid to the Broker-Dealer as
compensation for selling shares of the respective class.
3. In consideration for the service fee payments to be made in
accordance with Section 1 hereof, the Broker-Dealer shall
provide to its clients or customers who hold shares of each
respective Fund with respect to which payments to the
Broker-dealer may be made under such Fund's Distribution Plan
such services and other assistance as may from time to time be
reasonably requested by the Company, including but not limited
to answering inquiries regarding the Fund, providing information
programs regarding the fund, assisting in selected dividend payment
options, account designations and addresses and maintaining the
investment of such customer or client in the Fund.
4. The Company shall have the right at any time and from time
to time without notice to the Broker-Dealer to amend its
Prospectus with respect to the amount of the service free and
the amount of the distribution fee to be paid pursuant hereto.
2
<PAGE> 3
Such amendments shall be effective as of the date of the amended
Prospectus.
5. This Agreement shall go into effect on the later of the date set
forth above or the date on which it is approved by a vote of each Fund's Board
of Trustees, and of those Trustees (the "Qualified Trustees") who are not
interested persons (as defined in the 1940 Act), of the Fund and have no direct
or indirect financial interest in the operations of the Distribution Plan or
any agreement related to the Distribution Plan cast in person at a meeting
called for the purpose of voting on this Agreement and shall continue in effect
(unless terminated) until the June 30th next succeeding such effective date and
will continue thereafter only if such continuance is specifically approved at
least annually in the manner heretofore specified for initial approval. This
agreement will terminate automatically in the event of its assignment (as that
term is used in the Rule) or if the Distribution Plan is terminated. This
Agreement may also be terminated at any time, without the payment of any
penalty, on sixty (60) days written notice to the Broker-dealer, by vote of a
majority of the Qualified Trustees or by vote of a majority (as that term is
used in the Rule) of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Agreement is executed as of the date
first above written.
VAN KAMPEN AMERICAN CAPITAL
Broker-dealer Firm Name
By:______________________________
Firm Address Senior Vice President
By:
Title:
3
<PAGE> 1
EXHIBIT 15(c)
FORM OF
VAN KAMPEN AMERICAN CAPITAL DISTRIBUTORS, INC.
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES AGREEMENT
This Agreement is entered into as of the ____ day of ____,
19__, by and between Van Kampen American Capital Distributors,
Inc. (formerly Van Kampen Merritt, Inc.) (the "Company") and the
undersigned (the "Intermediary").
WHEREAS, the Company is the principal underwriter of the
open-end investment companies listed on Schedule 1 to this
Agreement (hereinafter individually the "Fund" or collectively
the "Funds"); and
WHEREAS, each respective Fund has adopted a Distribution Plan
(the "Distribution Plan") pursuant to Rule 12b-1 (the "Rule")
under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940
Act"), and a Service Plan (the "Service Plan") relating to such
Fund, the Distribution Plans being described in the Fund's
Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information; and
WHEREAS, each respective Fund's Distribution Plans authorize
the Company to enter into distribution services agreements such
as this Agreement with certain financial intermediaries selected
by the Company, and the Intermediary has been so selected; and
WHEREAS, each respective Fund's Distribution Plans authorize
the Company to make payments at a rate specified in an agreement
such as this Agreement varying directly with the aggregate
average daily net asset value of shares of each respective Fund
sold by such financial intermediary on or after the effective
date of this Agreement, as determined pursuant to Section 4
hereof, and held at the close of each day in accounts of clients
or customers of particular intermediary, such amount being
referred to herein as the "Holding Level"; for purposes of
calculating the Holding Level, shares of such Fund which are
redeemed or otherwise disposed of from any account existing
prior to such effective date shall be deemed to have been shares
sold prior to such effective date to the extent of the number of
shares held in such account immediately after the close of
business on the day prior to such effective date; and
WHEREAS, this Agreement is a "related agreement" to the
Distribution Plan as that term is used in the Rule and is
subject to all of the provisions of the Rule as to such
agreements;
1
<PAGE> 2
NOW, THEREFORE, the Company and the Intermediary agree as
follows:
1. Subject to continuing compliance with its obligations
pursuant to Section 2 hereof, the Intermediary shall be entitled
to distribution fee and service fee payments, if any, to be paid
by the Company with respect to each class of the Fund's shares
at the annual percentage rate of the Holding Level set forth
from time to time in the then current Prospect of the Fund on a
quarterly basis (prorated for any portion of such period during
which this Agreement is in effect for less than the full amount
of such period); it is understood and agreed that the Company
may make final and binding determinations as to whether such
continuing compliance and as to whether or not any Fund shares
are to be considered in determining the Holding Level of any
particular financial intermediary and what Fund shares, if any,
are to be attributed to such purpose to a particular financial
intermediary, to a different financial intermediary or to no
financial intermediary.
2. The distribution fee payments with respect to a class of
the Fund's shares to be made in accordance with Section 1
hereof, if any, shall be paid to the Broker-Dealer as
compensation for selling shares of the respective class.
2
<PAGE> 3
3. In consideration for the service fee payments to be made in
accordance with Section 1 hereof, the Intermediary shall provide
to its clients or customers who hold shares of each respective
Fund with respect to which payments to the Intermediary may be
made under such Fund's Distribution Plan such services and other
assistance as may from time to time be reasonably requested by
the Company, including but not limited to answering inquiries
regarding the Fund, providing information programs regarding the
Fund, assisting in selected dividend payment options, account
designations and addresses and maintaining the investment of
such customer or client in the Fund.
4. The Company shall have the right at any time and from time
to time without notice to the Broker-Dealer to amend its
Prospectus with respect to the amount of the service free and
the amount of the distribution fee to be paid pursuant hereto.
Such amendments shall be effective as of the date of the amended
Prospectus.
5. This Agreement shall go into effect on the later of the
date set forth above or the date on which it is approved by a
vote of each Fund's Board of Trustees and of those Trustees (the
"Qualified Trustees") who are not interested persons (as defined
in the 1940 Act) of the Fund and have no direct or indirect
financial interest in the operations of the Distribution Plan or
any agreement related to the Distribution Plan cast in person at
a meeting called for the purpose of voting on this Agreement and
shall continue in effect (unless terminated) until the June 30th
next succeeding such effective date and will continue thereafter
only if such continuance is specifically approved at least
annually in the manner heretofore specified for initial
approval. This agreement will terminate automatically in the
event of its assignment (as that term is used in the Rule) or if
the Distribution Plan is terminated. This Agreement may also be
terminated at any time, without the payment of any penalty, on
sixty (60) days written notice to the Intermediary, by vote of a
majority of the Qualified Trustees or by vote of a majority
(as that term is used in the Rule) of the outstanding
voting securities of the Fund.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Agreement is executed as of the date
first above written.
VAN KAMPEN AMERICAN CAPITAL
By:
Intermediary Senior Vice President
3
<PAGE> 4
Address
By:
Title
4
<PAGE> 1
EXHIBIT 15(d)
FORM OF
VAN KAMPEN AMERICAN CAPITAL [FUND NAME]
SERVICE PLAN
The plan set forth below (the "Service Plan") for the VAN
KAMPEN AMERICAN CAPITAL [FUND NAME] (the "Fund"), a series of the Van
Kampen American Capital [Trust Name] (the "Trust") describes the material
terms and conditions under which assets of the Fund may be used
to compensate the Fund's principal underwriter, within the
meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the
"1940 Act"), brokers, dealers and other financial intermediaries
(collectively "Financial Intermediaries") for providing personal
services to shareholders and/or the maintenance of shareholder
accounts with respect to each of its Class A Shares of
beneficial interest (the "Class A Shares"), its Class B Shares
of beneficial interest (the "Class B Shares"), and its Class C
Shares of beneficial interest (the "Class C Shares") The Class
A Shares, Class B Shares and Class C Shares sometimes are
referred to herein collectively as the "Shares." Each class of
Shares is offered and sold subject to a different combination of
front-end sales charges, distribution fees, service fees and
contingent deferred sales charges.1 Classes of shares, if any,
subject to a front-end sales charge and a distribution and/or
service fee are referred to herein as "Front-End Classes" and
the Shares of such classes are referred to herein as "Front-End
Shares." Classes of shares, if any, subject to a
contingent-deferred sales charge and a distribution and or a
service fee are referred to herein as "CDSC Classes" and Shares
of such classes are referred to herein as "CDSC Shares."
Classes of shares, if any, subject to a front-end sales charge,
a contingent-deferred sales charge and a distribution and/or
service fee are referred to herein as "Combination Classes" and
Shares of such class are referred to herein as "Combination
Shares."
The Fund has adopted a distribution plan (the "Distribution
Plan") pursuant to which the Fund is authorized to expend on an
annual basis a portion of its average net assets attributable to
each class of Shares in connection with financing distribution
related activities. The Fund also has entered into a
distribution and services agreement (the "Distribution and
Services Agreement") with Van Kampen American Capital
Distributors, Inc. (formerly Van Kampen Merritt, Inc.) (the
"Distributor"), pursuant to which the Distributor acts as agent
on behalf of the Fund in connection with the implementation of
the Service Plan and acts as the principal underwriter with
respect to each class of Shares. The Distributor may enter into
selling agreements (the "Selling Agreements") with brokers,
<PAGE> 2
dealers and other financial intermediaries ("Financial
Intermediaries") in order to implement the Distribution
Agreement, the Distribution Plan and this Service Plan.
The Fund hereby is authorized to pay a service fee with respect
to its Class A Shares, Class B Shares and Class C Shares to any
person who sells such Shares and provides personal services to
shareholders and/or maintains shareholder accounts in an annual
amount not to exceed 0.25% of the average annual net asset value
of the Shares maintained in the Fund by such person that were
sold on or after the date on which this Service Plan was first
implemented. The aggregate annual amount of all such payments
with respect to each such class of Shares may not exceed 0.25%
of the Fund's average annual net assets attributable to the
respective class of Shares sold on or after the date on which
this Service Plan was first implemented and maintained in the
Fund more than one year.
Payments pursuant to this Service Plan may be paid or prepaid
on behalf of the Fund by the Distributor acting as the Fund's
agent.
Payments by the Fund to the Distributor pursuant to this
Service Plan shall not be made more often than monthly upon
receipt by the Fund of a separate written expense report with
respect to each class of Shares setting forth the expenses
qualifying for such reimbursement allocated to each class of
Shares and the purposes thereof.
In the event that amounts payable hereunder with respect to a
class of Shares do not fully reimburse the Distributor for
pre-paid service fees, such unreimbursed service fee expenses
will be carried forward and paid by the Fund hereunder in future
years so long as this Service Plan remains in effect, subject to
applicable laws and regulations. Reimbursements for service fee
related expenses payable hereunder with respect to a particular
class of Shares may not be used to subsidize services provided
with respect to any other class of Shares.
The Fund shall not compensate the Distributor, and neither the
Fund nor the Distributor shall compensate any Financial
Intermediary, for any service related expenses incurred with
respect to a class of Shares prior to the later of (a) the
implementation of this Service Plan with respect to such class
of Shares or (b) the date that such Financial Intermediary
enters into a Selling Agreement with the Distributor.
The Fund hereby authorizes the Distributor to enter into
Selling Agreements with certain Financial Intermediaries to
provide compensation to such Financial Intermediaries for
activities and services of the type referred to in Paragraph 1
hereof. Prior to the implementation of a Selling Agreement,
such agreement shall be approved by a majority of the Board of
Trustees of the Trust and a majority of the Disinterested
2
<PAGE> 3
Trustees (within the meaning of the 1940 Act) by a vote cast in
person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such
Selling Agreements. Such Selling Agreements shall provide that
the Financial Intermediaries shall provide the Distributor with
such information as is reasonably necessary to permit the
Distributor to comply with the reporting requirements set forth
in Paragraphs 3 and 8 hereof.
Subject to the provisions of this Service Agreement, the Fund
is hereby authorized to pay a service fee to any person that is
not an "affiliated person" or "interested person" of the Fund or
its "investment adviser" or "principal underwriter" (as such
terms are defined in the 1940 Act) who provides any of the
foregoing services for the Fund. Such fee shall be paid only
pursuant to written agreements between the Fund and such other
person the terms of which permit payments to such person only in
accordance with the provisions of this Service Agreement and
which have the approval of a majority of the Disinterested
Trustees by vote cast separately with respect to each class of
Shares and cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of
voting on such written agreement.
The Fund and the Distributor shall prepare separate written
reports for each class of Shares and shall submit such reports
to the Fund's Board of Trustees on a quarterly basis summarizing
all payments made by them with respect to each class of Shares
pursuant to this Service Plan and the agreements contemplated
hereby, the purposes for which such payments were made and such
other information as the Board of Trustees or the Disinterested
Trustees may reasonably request from time to time, and the Board
of Trustees shall review such reports and other information.
This Service Plan may be terminated with respect to a class of
Shares without penalty at any time by a majority of the
Disinterested Trustees or by a "majority of the outstanding
voting securities" of the respective class of Shares of the
Fund.
This Service Plan shall become effective upon its approval by
(a) a majority of the Board of Trustees and a majority of the
Disinterested Trustees by vote cast separately with respect to
each class of Shares cast in person at a meeting called for the
purpose of voting on this Distribution Plan, and (b) with
respect to each class of Shares, a "majority of the outstanding
voting securities" (as such phrase is defined in the 1940 Act)
of such class of Shares voting separately as a class.
This Service Plan and any agreement contemplated hereby shall
continue in effect beyond the first anniversary of its adoption
by the Board of Trustees of the Fund only so long as (a) its
continuation is approved at least annually in the manner set
forth in clause (a) of paragraph 10 above and (b) the selection
and nomination of those trustees of the Fund who are not
"interested persons" of the Fund are committed to the discretion
of such trustees.
3
<PAGE> 4
This Service Plan may not be amended to increase materially the
maximum amounts permitted to be expended hereunder except with
the approval of a "majority of the outstanding voting
securities" of the respective class of Shares of the Fund. This
Service Plan may not be amended in any material respect except
with the approval of a majority of the Disinterested Trustees.
Amendments required to conform this Service Plan to changes in
Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended
(the "1940 Act"), the 1940 Act, the rules and regulations
thereunder or the Rules of Fair Practice of the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. shall not be deemed to
be material amendments.
The Trustees of the Trust have adopted this Service Plan as
trustees under the Declaration of Trust of the Trust and the
policies of the Trust adopted hereby are not binding upon any of
the Trustees or shareholders of the Trust individually, but bind
only the trust estate.
1 The Fund is authorized to offer multiple classes of shares
pursuant to an order of the Securities and Exchange Commission
exempting the Fund from certain provisions of the 1940 Act.
4
<PAGE> 1
EXHIBIT 24
POWER OF ATTORNEY
rsigned, being officers and trustees of Van Kampen American
Capital U.S. Government Trust, a Delaware business trust (the "Trust"), do
hereby, in the capacities shown below, individually appoint Dennis J. McDonnell
and Ronald A. Nyberg, each of Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois, and each of them, as
the agents and attorneys-in-fact with full power of substitution and
resubstitution, for each of the undersigned, to execute and deliver, for and on
behalf of the undersigned, any and all amendments to the Registration Statement
on Form N-1A filed by the Trust with the Securities and Exchange Commission
pursuant to the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Investment
Company Act of 1940.
This Power of Attorney may be executed in multiple counterparts, each
of which shall be deemed an original, but which taken together shall constitute
one instrument.
Dated: July 25, 1995
Signature Title
/s/ J. Miles Branagan
- ----------------------- Trustee
J. Miles Branagan
<PAGE> 2
/s/ Richard E. Caruso
- ----------------------------- Trustee
Richard E. Caruso
/s/ Philip P. Gaughan
- ----------------------------- Trustee
Philip P. Gaughan
/s/ Roger Hilsman
- ------------------------ Trustee
Roger Hilsman
/s/ R. Craig Kennedy
- ------------------------ Trustee
R. Craig Kennedy
/s/ Dennis J. McDonnell
- ----------------------- President, Chief Executive Officer and Trustee
Dennis J. McDonnell
/s/ Donald C. Miller
- --------------------- Chairman and Trustee
Donald C. Miller
<PAGE> 3
/s/ Jack E. Nelson
- --------------------------- Trustee
Jack E. Nelson
/s/ Don G. Powell
- --------------------------- Trustee
Don G. Powell
/s/ David Rees
- --------------------- Trustee
David Rees
/s/ Jerome L. Robinson
- ----------------------- Trustee
Jerome L. Robinson
/s/ Lawrence J. Sheehan
- ------------------------- Trustee
Lawrence J. Sheehan
_____________________________________ Trustee
Fernando Sisto
<PAGE> 4
/s/ Wayne W. Whalen
- -------------------- Trustee
Wayne W. Whalen
/s/ William S. Woodside
- ------------------------- Trustee
William S. Woodside
/s/ Edward C. Wood III
- ----------------------- Chief Financial and Accounting Officer
Edward C. Wood III
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<SERIES>
<NUMBER> 1
<NAME> U.S. GOVERNMENT
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1994
<PERIOD-START> JAN-01-1994
<PERIOD-END> DEC-31-1994
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 4,565,413,344<F1>
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 4,402,952,339<F1>
<RECEIVABLES> 37,374,247<F1>
<ASSETS-OTHER> 227,355<F1>
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 640<F1>
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 4,440,554,581<F1>
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 896,476,563<F1>
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 146,265,000<F1>
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 25,614,509<F1>
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 1,068,356,072<F1>
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0<F1>
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 3,537,006,303
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 213,486,730
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 233,277,421
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 766,993<F1>
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0<F1>
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> (524,023,042)<F1>
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0<F1>
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> (162,461,005)<F1>
<NET-ASSETS> 2,924,430,635
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 0<F1>
<INTEREST-INCOME> 312,095,070<F1>
<OTHER-INCOME> 30,166,992<F1>
<EXPENSES-NET> 41,608,026<F1>
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 300,654,036<F1>
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> (181,281,942)<F1>
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> (331,730,536)<F1>
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> (212,358,442)<F1>
<EQUALIZATION> 0<F1>
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> (265,263,650)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 7,599,641
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> (36,347,230)
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 8,956,898
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> (729,143,217)
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 87,737<F1>
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> (342,741,100)<F1>
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0<F1>
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0<F1>
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 18,897,359<F1>
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 3,324,515<F1>
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 41,608,026<F1>
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 3,266,258,106
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 15.662
<PER-SHARE-NII> 1.177
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> (1.965)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> (1.176)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 13.698
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 1
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 73,300,000<F1>
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0<F1>
<FN>
<F1>This Item relates to the Fund on a composite basis and not on a class basis.
<F4>
</FN>
</TABLE>
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<SERIES>
<NUMBER> 2
<NAME> U.S. GOVERNMENT
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1994
<PERIOD-START> JAN-01-1994
<PERIOD-END> DEC-31-1994
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 4,565,413,344<F1>
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 4,402,952,339<F1>
<RECEIVABLES> 37,374,247<F1>
<ASSETS-OTHER> 227,355<F1>
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 640<F1>
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 4,440,554,581<F1>
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 896,476,563<F1>
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 146,265,000<F1>
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 25,614,509<F1>
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 1,068,356,072<F1>
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0<F1>
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 507,798,545
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 31,861,261
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 30,344,315
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 766,993<F1>
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0<F1>
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> (524,023,042)<F1>
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0<F1>
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> (162,461,005)<F1>
<NET-ASSETS> 436,334,534
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 0<F1>
<INTEREST-INCOME> 312,095,070<F1>
<OTHER-INCOME> 30,166,992<F1>
<EXPENSES-NET> 41,608,026<F1>
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 300,654,036<F1>
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> (181,281,942)<F1>
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> (331,730,536)<F1>
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> (212,358,442)<F1>
<EQUALIZATION> 0<F1>
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> (33,862,695)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 7,168,455
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> (6,793,189)
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 1,141,680
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> (38,352,313)
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 87,737<F1>
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> (342,741,100)<F1>
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0<F1>
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0<F1>
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 18,897,359<F1>
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 3,324,515<F1>
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 41,608,026<F1>
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 470,430,781
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 15.643
<PER-SHARE-NII> 1.055
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> (1.964)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> (1.04)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 13.694
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 2
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 73,300,000<F1>
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0<F1>
<FN>
<F1>Fund level figures.
</FN>
</TABLE>
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<SERIES>
<NUMBER> 3
<NAME> U.S. GOVERNMENT
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1994
<PERIOD-START> JAN-01-1994
<PERIOD-END> DEC-31-1994
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 4,565,413,344<F1>
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 4,402,952,339<F1>
<RECEIVABLES> 37,374,247<F1>
<ASSETS-OTHER> 227,355<F1>
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 640<F1>
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 4,440,554,581<F1>
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 896,476,563<F1>
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 146,265,000<F1>
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 25,614,509
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 1,068,356,072<F1>
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0<F1>
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 13,109,002
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 834,804
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 616,616
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 766,993<F1>
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0<F1>
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> (524,023,042)<F1>
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0<F1>
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> (162,461,005)<F1>
<NET-ASSETS> 11,431,779
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 0<F1>
<INTEREST-INCOME> 312,095,070<F1>
<OTHER-INCOME> 30,166,992<F1>
<EXPENSES-NET> 41,608,026<F1>
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 300,654,036<F1>
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> (181,281,942)<F1>
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> (331,730,536)<F1>
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> (212,358,442)<F1>
<EQUALIZATION> 0<F1>
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> (848,319)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 498,458
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> (317,931)
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 37,661
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> (1,796,464)
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 87,737<F1>
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> (342,741,100)<F1>
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0<F1>
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0<F1>
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 18,897,359<F1>
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 3,324,515<F1>
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 41,608,026<F1>
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 11,863,587
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 15.626
<PER-SHARE-NII> 1.063
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> (1.956)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> (1.04)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 13.693
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 2
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 73,300,000<F1>
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0<F1>
<FN>
<F1>Fund level figures.
</FN>
</TABLE>
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<SERIES>
<NUMBER> 4
<NAME> U.S. GOVERNMENT
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1994
<PERIOD-START> MAR-04-1994
<PERIOD-END> DEC-31-1994
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 4,565,413,344<F1>
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 4,402,952,339<F1>
<RECEIVABLES> 37,374,247<F1>
<ASSETS-OTHER> 227,355<F1>
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 640<F1>
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 4,440,554,581<F1>
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 896,476,563<F1>
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 146,265,000<F1>
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 25,614,509<F1>
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 1,068,356,072<F1>
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0<F1>
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 1713
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 114
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 100
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 766,993<F1>
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0<F1>
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> (524,023,042)<F1>
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0<F1>
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> (162,461,005)<F1>
<NET-ASSETS> 1561
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 0<F1>
<INTEREST-INCOME> 312,095,070<F1>
<OTHER-INCOME> 30,166,992<F1>
<EXPENSES-NET> 41,608,026<F1>
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 300,654,036<F1>
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> (181,281,942)<F1>
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> (331,730,536)<F1>
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> (212,358,442)<F1>
<EQUALIZATION> 0<F1>
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> (116)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 113
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> 0
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 1
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 57
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 87,737<F1>
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> (342,741,100)<F1>
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0<F1>
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0<F1>
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 18,897,359<F1>
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 3,324,515<F1>
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 41,608,026<F1>
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 1615
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 15.04
<PER-SHARE-NII> .799
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> (1.232)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> (.913)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 13.694
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 1
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 73,300,000<F1>
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0<F1>
<FN>
<F1>Fund level figures.
</FN>
</TABLE>
