ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES AGREEMENT
AGREEMENT made the __ day of _______, 2000, by and between AXP Strategy Series,
Inc. (the "Corporation"), a Minnesota corporation on behalf of AXP Small Cap
Growth Fund and American Express Financial Corporation, a Delaware corporation.
Part One: SERVICES
(1) The Corporation hereby retains American Express Financial Corporation, and
American Express Financial Corporation hereby agrees, for the period of this
Agreement and under the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth, to furnish
the Corporation continuously with all administrative, accounting, clerical,
statistical, correspondence, corporate and all other services of whatever nature
required in connection with the administration of the Funds as provided under
this Agreement; and to pay such expenses as may be provided for in Part Three
hereof; subject always to the direction and control of the Board of Directors,
the Executive Committee and the authorized officers of the Funds. American
Express Financial Corporation agrees to maintain an adequate organization of
competent persons to provide the services and to perform the functions herein
mentioned. American Express Financial Corporation agrees to meet with any
persons at such times as the Board of Directors deems appropriate for the
purpose of reviewing American Express Financial Corporation's performance under
this Agreement.
(2) The Corporation agrees that it will furnish to American Express Financial
Corporation any information that the latter may reasonably request with respect
to the services performed or to be performed by American Express Financial
Corporation under this Agreement.
(3) It is understood and agreed that in furnishing the Corporation with the
services as herein provided, neither American Express Financial Corporation, nor
any officer, director or agent thereof shall be held liable to the Corporation
or its creditors or shareholders for errors of judgment or for anything except
willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in the performance of its
duties, or reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under the terms of
this Agreement. It is further understood and agreed that American Express
Financial Corporation may rely upon information furnished to it reasonably
believed to be accurate and reliable.
Part Two: COMPENSATION FOR SERVICES
(1) The Corporation agrees to pay to American Express Financial Corporation, and
American Express Financial Corporation covenants and agrees to accept from the
Corporation in full payment for the services furnished, based on the net assets
of the Corporation as set forth in the following table:
Assets Annual Rate At
(Billions) Each Asset Level
First $0.25 0.060%
Next 0.25 0.055
Next 0.50 0.050
Next 0.50 0.045
Next 1.00 0.040
Over 2.00 0.035
The administrative fee for each calendar day of each year shall be equal to
1/365th (1/366th in each leap year) of the total amount computed. The
computation shall be made for each such day on the basis of net assets as of the
close of business of the full business day two (2) business days prior to the
day for which the computation is being made. In the case of the suspension of
the computation of net asset value, the administrative fee for each day during
such suspension shall be computed as of the close of business on the
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last full business day on which the net assets were computed. As used herein,
"net assets" as of the close of a full business day shall include all
transactions in shares of the Funds recorded on the books of the Funds for that
day.
(2) The administrative fee shall be paid on a monthly basis and, in the event of
the termination of this Agreement, the administrative fee accrued shall be
prorated on the basis of the number of days that this Agreement is in effect
during the month with respect to which such payment is made.
(3) The administrative fee provided for hereunder shall be paid in cash by the
Corporation to American Express Financial Corporation within five (5) business
days after the last day of each month.
Part Three: ALLOCATION OF EXPENSES
(1) The Corporation agrees to pay:
(a) Administrative fees payable to American Express Financial Corporation for
its services under the terms of this Agreement.
(b) Taxes.
(c) Fees and charges of its independent certified public accountants for
services the Corporation requests.
(d) Fees and expenses of attorneys (i) it employs in matters not involving the
assertion of a claim by a third party against the Corporation, its directors and
officers, (ii) it employs in conjunction with a claim asserted by the Board of
Directors against American Express Financial Corporation, except that American
Express Financial Corporation shall reimburse the Corporation for such fees and
expenses if it is ultimately determined by a court of competent jurisdiction, or
American Express Financial Corporation agrees, that it is liable in whole or in
part to the Corporation, and (iii) it employs to assert a claim against a third
party.
(e) Fees paid for the qualification and registration for public sale of the
securities of the Corporation under the laws of the United States and of the
several states in which such securities shall be offered for sale.
(f) Office expenses which shall include a charge for occupancy, insurance on the
premises, furniture and equipment, telephone, telegraph, electronic information
services, books, periodicals, published services, and office supplies used by
the Corporation, equal to the cost of such incurred by American Express
Financial Corporation.
(g) Fees of consultants employed by the Corporation.
(h) Directors, officers and employees expenses which shall include fees,
salaries, memberships, dues, travel, seminars, pension, profit sharing, and all
other benefits paid to or provided for directors, officers and employees,
directors and officers liability insurance, errors and omissions liability
insurance, worker's compensation insurance and other expenses applicable to the
directors, officers and employees, except the Corporation will not pay any fees
or expenses of any person who is an officer or employee of American Express
Financial Corporation or its affiliates.
(i) Filing fees and charges incurred by the Corporation in connection with
filing any amendment to its articles of incorporation, or incurred in filing any
other document with the State of Minnesota or its political subdivisions.
(j) Organizational expenses of the Corporation.
(k) One-half of the Investment Company Institute membership dues charged jointly
to the AMERICAN EXPRESS(R) FUNDS and American Express Financial Corporation.
(l) Expenses properly payable by the Corporation, approved by the Board of
Directors.
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(2) American Express Financial Corporation agrees to pay all expenses associated
with the services it provides under the terms of this Agreement. Further,
American Express Financial Corporation agrees that if, at the end of any month,
the expenses of the Corporation under this Agreement and any other agreement
between the Corporation and American Express Financial Corporation, but
excluding those expenses set forth in (1)(b) of this Part Three, exceed the most
restrictive applicable state expenses limitation, the Corporation shall not pay
those expenses set forth in (1)(a) and (c) through (m) of this Part Three to the
extent necessary to keep the Corporation's expenses from exceeding the
limitation, it being understood that American Express Financial Corporation will
assume all unpaid expenses and bill the Corporation for them in subsequent
months but in no event can the accumulation of unpaid expenses or billing be
carried past the end of the Corporation's fiscal year.
Until______________, American Express Financial Corporation has agreed to waive
certain fees and to absorb certain fund expenses under the agreement. If, at the
end of any month, the fees and expenses of the Funds' respective Class A Common
Stock, $0.01 par value per share collectively referred to as the "Class A
Shares" under this agreement and any other agreement between the Fund and
American Express Financial Corporation exceed _____% for AXP Small Cap Growth
Fund, that Fund shall not pay fees or expenses under this agreement to the
extent necessary to keep the expense ratio from exceeding the limitation. In any
month that fees and expenses of Class A shares exceed the limitation all fees
and expenses in excess of that limit will be returned to the respective Fund.
Any fee waiver or elimination of expenses will apply to each class on a pro rata
basis.
Part Four: MISCELLANEOUS
(1) American Express Financial Corporation shall be deemed to be an independent
contractor and, except as expressly provided or authorized in this Agreement,
shall have no authority to act for or represent the Corporation.
(2) A "full business day" shall be as defined in the By-laws.
(3) The Corporation recognizes that American Express Financial Corporation now
renders and may continue to render investment advice and other services to other
investment companies and persons which may or may not have investment policies
and investments similar to those of the Corporation and that American Express
Financial Corporation manages its own investments and/or those of its
subsidiaries. American Express Financial Corporation shall be free to render
such investment advice and other services and the Corporation hereby consents
thereto.
(4) Neither this Agreement nor any transaction had pursuant hereto shall be
invalidated or in anyway affected by the fact that directors, officers, agents
and/or shareholders of the Corporation are or may be interested in American
Express Financial Corporation or any successor or assignee thereof, as
directors, officers, stockholders or otherwise; that directors, officers,
stockholders or agents of American Express Financial Corporation are or may be
interested in the Corporation as directors, officers, shareholders, or
otherwise; or that American Express Financial Corporation or any successor or
assignee, is or may be interested in the Corporation as shareholder or
otherwise, provided, however, that neither American Express Financial
Corporation, nor any officer, director or employee thereof or of the
Corporation, shall sell to or buy from the Corporation any property or security
other than shares issued by the Corporation, except in accordance with
applicable regulations or orders of the United States Securities and Exchange
Commission.
(5) Any notice under this Agreement shall be given in writing, addressed, and
delivered, or mailed postpaid, to the party to this Agreement entitled to
receive such, at such party's principal place of business in Minneapolis,
Minnesota, or to such other address as either party may designate in writing
mailed to the other.
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(6) American Express Financial Corporation agrees that no officer, director or
employee of American Express Financial Corporation will deal for or on behalf of
the Corporation with himself as principal or agent, or with any corporation or
partnership in which he may have a financial interest, except that this shall
not prohibit officers, directors or employees of American Express Financial
Corporation from having a financial interest in the Corporation or in American
Express Financial Corporation.
(7) The Corporation agrees that American Express Financial Corporation may
subcontract for certain of the services described under this Agreement with the
understanding that there shall be no diminution in the quality or level of the
services and that American Express Financial Corporation remains fully
responsible for the services.
(8) This Agreement shall extend to and shall be binding upon the parties hereto,
and their respective successors and assigns; provided, however, that this
Agreement shall not be assignable without the written consent of the other
party. This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Minnesota.
Part Five: RENEWAL AND TERMINATION
(1) This Agreement shall become effective on the date first set forth above (the
"Effective Date") and shall continue in effect from year to year thereafter as
the parties may mutually agree; provided that either party may terminate this
Agreement by giving the other party notice in writing specifying the date of
such termination, which shall be not less than 60 days after the date of receipt
of such notice.
(2) This Agreement may not be amended or modified in any manner except by a
written agreement executed by both parties.
IN WITNESS THEREOF, the parties hereto have executed the foregoing Agreement as
of the day and year first above written.
AXP STRATEGY SERIES, INC.
AXP Small Cap Growth Fund
By: __________________________
Leslie L. Ogg
Vice President
AMERICAN EXPRESS FINANCIAL CORPORATION
By: _________________________
Pamela J. Moret
Senior Vice President
