Document:

EXHIBIT 10.7

 

FORM OF

 

CUSTODIAN AGREEMENT

 

 

This Agreement is made as of July 31, 2019 (this “Agreement”), between NEW MOUNTAIN GUARDIAN III BDC, L.L.C. (the “Fund”) and STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY, a Massachusetts trust company (the “Custodian”).

 

WITNESSETH:

 

WHEREAS, the Fund desires for the Custodian to provide certain custodial services relating to securities and other assets of the Fund; and

 

WHEREAS, the Custodian is willing to provide the services upon the terms contained in this Agreement;

 

SECTION 1.                            DEFINITIONS.  In addition to terms defined in Section 4.1 (Rule 17f-5 and Rule 17f-7 related definitions) or elsewhere in this Agreement, (a) terms defined in the UCC have the same meanings herein as therein and (b) the following other terms have the following meanings for purposes of this Agreement:

 

“1940 Act” means the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended from time to time.

 

“Board” means, in relation to the Fund, the board of directors, trustees or other governing body of the Fund.

 

“Client Publications” means the general client publications of State Street Bank and Trust Company available from time to time to clients and their investment managers.

 

“Deposit Account Agreement” means the Deposit Account Agreement and Disclosure, as may be amended from time to time, issued by the Custodian and available on the Custodian’s internet customer portal, “my.statestreet.com”.

 

“Domestic securities” means securities held within the United States.

 

“Foreign securities” means securities held primarily outside of the United States.

 

“Held outside of the United States” means not held within the United States.

 

“Held within the United States” means (a) in relation to a security or other financial asset, the security or other financial asset (i) is a certificated security registered in the name of the Custodian or its sub-custodian, agent or nominee or is endorsed to the Custodian or its sub-custodian, agent or nominee or in blank and the security certificate is located within the United States, (ii) is an uncertificated security or other financial asset registered in the name of the Custodian or its sub-custodian, agent or nominee at an office located in the United States, or (iii) has given rise to a security entitlement of which the Custodian or its sub-custodian, agent or nominee is the entitlement holder against a U.S. Securities System or another securities intermediary for which the securities intermediary’s jurisdiction is within the United States, and

 

Information Classification: Limited Access

 

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(b) in relation to cash, the cash is maintained in a deposit account denominated in U.S. dollars with the banking department of the Custodian or with another bank or trust company’s office located in the United States.

 

“Investment Advisor” means the investment manager or investment advisor of the Fund.

 

“On book currency” means (a) U.S. dollars or (b) a foreign currency that, when credited to a deposit account of a customer maintained in the banking department of the Custodian or an Eligible Foreign Custodian, the Custodian maintains on its books as an amount owing as a liability by the Custodian to the customer.

 

“Proper Instructions” means instructions in accordance with Section 9 received by the Custodian from the Fund, the Fund’s Investment Advisor, or an individual or organization duly authorized by the Fund or the Investment Advisor.  The term includes standing instructions.

 

“SEC” means the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

“UCC” means the Uniform Commercial Code of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as in effect from time to time.

 

“Underlying Portfolios” means a group of investment companies as defined in Section 12(d)(1)(F) of the 1940 Act.

 

“Underlying Shares” means shares or other securities, issued by a U.S. issuer, of Underlying Portfolios and other registered “investment companies” (as defined in Section 3(a)(1) of the 1940 Act), whether or not in the same “group of investment companies” (as defined in Section 12(d)(1)(G)(ii) of the 1940 Act).

 

“Underlying Transfer Agent” means State Street Bank and Trust Company or such other organization which may from time to time be appointed by the Fund to act as a transfer agent for the Underlying Portfolios and with respect to which the Custodian is provided with Proper Instructions.

 

“U.S. Securities System” means a securities depository or book-entry system authorized by the U.S. Department of the Treasury or a “clearing corporation” as defined in Section 8-102 of the UCC.

 

SECTION 2.                            EMPLOYMENT OF CUSTODIAN.

 

SECTION 2.1                     GENERAL.  The Fund hereby employs the Custodian as a custodian of (a) securities (including stocks, shares, bonds, debentures, notes, mortgages or other obligations and any certificates, receipts, warrants or other instruments representing rights to receive, purchase, or subscribe for the same, or evidencing or representing any other rights or interests therein, or in any property or assets) and cash of the Fund and (b) other assets of the Fund that the Custodian agrees to treat as financial assets.  The Fund agrees to deliver to the Custodian (i) all securities and cash of the Fund, (ii) all other assets of the Fund that it desires the Custodian, and the Custodian is willing, to treat as a financial asset and (iii) all cash and other proceeds of the securities and

 

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financial assets held in custody under this Agreement.  The holding of confirmation statements that identify Underlying Shares as being recorded in the Custodian’s name on behalf of the Fund will be custody for purposes of this Section 2.1.  This Agreement does not require the Custodian to accept an asset for custody hereunder or to treat any asset that is not a security as a financial asset.

 

SECTION 2.2                     SUB-CUSTODIANS.  Upon receipt of Proper Instructions, the Custodian shall on behalf of the Fund appoint one or more banks, trust companies or other entities located in the United States and designated in the Proper Instructions to act as a sub-custodian for the purposes of effecting such transactions as may be designated by the Fund in the Proper Instructions.  The Custodian may place and maintain the Fund’s foreign securities with foreign banking institution sub-custodians employed by the Custodian or foreign securities depositories, all in accordance with the applicable provisions of Sections 4 and 5.  An entity acting in the capacity of Underlying Transfer Agent is not an agent or sub-custodian of the Custodian for purposes of this Agreement.

 

SECTION 2.3                     RELATIONSHIP.  With respect to securities and other financial assets of the Fund, the Custodian is a securities intermediary and the Fund is the entitlement holder.  With respect to cash maintained in a deposit account and denominated in an “on book” currency, the Custodian is a bank and the Fund is the bank’s customer.  If cash is maintained in a deposit account with a bank other than the Custodian and the cash is denominated in an “on book” currency, the Custodian is that bank’s customer.  The Custodian agrees to treat the claim to the cash as a financial asset for the benefit of the Fund.  The Custodian does not otherwise agree to treat cash as a financial asset.  The duties of the Custodian as securities intermediary and bank set forth in the UCC are varied by the terms of this Agreement to the extent that the duties may be varied by agreement under the UCC.

 

SECTION 3.                            ACTIVITIES OF THE CUSTODIAN WITH RESPECT TO PROPERTY HELD IN THE UNITED STATES.

 

SECTION 3.1                     HOLDING SECURITIES.  The Custodian may deposit and maintain securities or other financial assets of the Fund in a U.S. Securities System in compliance with the conditions of Rule 17f-4 under the 1940 Act.  Upon receipt of Proper Instructions on behalf of the Fund, the Custodian shall establish and maintain a segregated account or accounts for and on behalf of the Fund and into which account or accounts may be transferred cash or securities and other financial assets, including securities and financial assets maintained in a U.S. Securities System.  The Custodian shall hold and physically segregate for the account of the Fund all securities and other financial assets held by the Custodian in the United States, including all domestic securities of the Fund, other than (a) securities or other financial assets maintained in a U.S. Securities System and (b) Underlying Shares maintained pursuant to Section 3.6 in an account of an Underlying Transfer Agent.  The Custodian may at any time or times in its discretion appoint any other bank or trust company, qualified under the 1940 Act to act as a custodian, as the Custodian’s agent to carry out such of the provisions of this Section as the Custodian may from time to time direct.  The appointment of any agent shall not relieve the Custodian of any of its duties hereunder.  The Custodian may at any time or times in its discretion remove the bank or trust company as the Custodian’s agent.

 

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SECTION 3.2                     REGISTRATION OF SECURITIES.  Domestic securities or other financial assets held by the Custodian and that are not bearer securities shall be registered in the name of the Fund or in the name of any nominee of the Fund or of any nominee of the Custodian, or in the name or nominee name of any agent or any sub-custodian permitted hereby.  All securities accepted by the Custodian on behalf of the Fund under the terms of this Agreement shall be in “street name” or other good delivery form.  However, if the Fund directs the Custodian to maintain securities or other financial assets in “street name,” the Custodian shall utilize reasonable efforts only to timely collect income due the Fund on the securities and other financial assets and to notify the Fund of relevant issuer actions including, without limitation, pendency of calls, maturities, tender or exchange offers.

 

SECTION 3.3                     BANK ACCOUNTS.  The Custodian shall open and maintain upon the terms of the Deposit Account Agreement a separate deposit account or accounts in the United States in the name of the Fund, subject only to draft or order by the Custodian acting pursuant to the terms of this Agreement.  The Custodian shall credit to the deposit account or accounts, subject to the provisions hereof, all cash received by the Custodian from or for the account of the Fund, other than cash maintained by the Fund in a deposit account established and used in accordance with Rule 17f-3 under the 1940 Act.  Funds held by the Custodian for the Fund may be deposited by the Custodian to its credit as Custodian in the banking department of the Custodian or in such other banks or trust companies as it may in its discretion deem necessary or desirable; provided, however, that (a) every such bank or trust company shall be qualified to act as a custodian under the 1940 Act and (b) each such bank or trust company and the funds to be deposited with each such bank or trust company shall on behalf of the Fund be approved by vote of a majority of the Fund’s Board.  The funds shall be deposited by the Custodian in its capacity as Custodian and shall be withdrawable by the Custodian only in that capacity.

 

SECTION 3.4                     COLLECTION OF INCOME.  Subject to the domestic securities or other financial assets held in the United States being registered as provided in Section 3.2, the Custodian shall collect on a timely basis all income and other payments with respect to the securities and other financial assets and to which the Fund shall be entitled either by law or pursuant to custom in the securities business. The Custodian shall collect on a timely basis all income and other payments with respect to bearer domestic securities if, on the date of payment by the issuer, the securities are held by the Custodian or its agent.  The Custodian shall present for payment all income items requiring presentation as and when they become due and shall collect interest when due on securities and other financial assets held hereunder.  The Custodian shall credit income to the Fund as such income is received or in accordance with the Custodian’s then current payable date income schedule.  Any credit to the Fund in advance of receipt may be reversed when the Custodian determines that payment will not occur in due course, and the Fund may be charged at the Custodian’s applicable rate for time credited.

 

SECTION 3.5                     DELIVERY OUT.  The Custodian shall release and deliver out domestic securities and other financial assets of the Fund held in a U.S. Securities System, or in an account at the Underlying Transfer Agent, only upon receipt of Proper Instructions on behalf of the Fund, specifying the domestic securities or financial assets held in the United States to be delivered out and the person or persons to whom delivery is to be made.  The Custodian shall pay out cash of

 

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the Fund upon receipt of Proper Instructions on behalf of the Fund, specifying the amount of the payment and the person or persons to whom the payment is to be made.

 

SECTION 3.6                     DEPOSIT OF FUND ASSETS WITH THE UNDERLYING TRANSFER AGENT.  Underlying Shares of the Fund shall be deposited and held in an account or accounts maintained with an Underlying Transfer Agent.  The Custodian’s only responsibilities with respect to the Underlying Shares shall be limited to the following:

 

1)                                     Upon receipt of a confirmation or statement from an Underlying Transfer Agent that the Underlying Transfer Agent is holding or maintaining Underlying Shares in the name of the Custodian (or a nominee of the Custodian) for the benefit of the Fund, the Custodian shall identify by book-entry that the Underlying Shares are being held by it as custodian for the benefit of the Fund.

 

2)                                     Upon receipt of Proper Instructions to purchase Underlying Shares for the account of the Fund, the Custodian shall pay out cash of the Fund as so directed to purchase the Underlying Shares and record the payment from the account of the Fund on the Custodian’s books and records.

 

3)                                     Upon receipt of Proper Instructions for the sale or redemption of Underlying Shares for the account of the Fund, the Custodian shall transfer the Underlying Shares as so directed to sell or redeem the Underlying Shares, record the transfer from the account of the Fund on the Custodian’s books and records and, upon the Custodian’s receipt of the proceeds of the sale or redemption, record the receipt of the proceeds for the account of the Fund on the Custodian’s books and records.

 

SECTION 3.7                     PROXIES.  The Custodian shall cause to be promptly executed by the registered holder of domestic securities or other financial assets held in the United States of the Fund, if the securities or other financial assets are registered otherwise than in the name of the Fund or a nominee of the Fund, all proxies, without indication of the manner in which the proxies are to be voted, and shall promptly deliver to the Fund such proxies, all proxy soliciting materials and all notices relating to the securities or other financial assets.

 

SECTION 3.8                     COMMUNICATIONS.  Subject to the domestic securities or other financial assets held in the United States being registered as provided in Section 3.2, the Custodian shall transmit promptly to the Fund for the Fund all written information received by the Custodian from issuers of the securities and other financial assets being held for the Fund.  The Custodian shall transmit promptly to the Fund all written information received by the Custodian from issuers of the securities and other financial assets whose tender or exchange is sought and from the party or its agent making the tender or exchange offer.  The Custodian shall also transmit promptly to the Fund for the Fund all written information received by the Custodian regarding any class action or other collective litigation relating to Fund securities or other financial assets issued in the United States and then held, or previously held, during the relevant class-action period during the term of this Agreement by the Custodian for the account of the Fund for the Fund, including, but not limited to, opt-out notices and proof-of-claim forms. The Custodian does not support class-action

 

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participation by the Fund beyond such forwarding of written information received by the Custodian.

 

SECTION 4.                            PROVISIONS RELATING TO RULES 17F-5 AND 17F-7.

 

SECTION 4.1.                  DEFINITIONS.  As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the following meanings:

 

“Country Risk” means all factors reasonably related to the systemic risk of holding Foreign Assets in a particular country.  The factors include but are not limited to risks arising from the country’s political environment, economic and financial infrastructure (including any Eligible Securities Depository operating in the country); prevailing or developing custody, tax and settlement practices; nationalization, expropriation or other  government actions; currency restrictions, devaluations or fluctuations; market conditions affecting the orderly execution of securities transactions or the value of assets; the  regulation of the banking and securities industries, including changes in market rules; and laws and regulations applicable to the safekeeping and recovery of Foreign Assets held in custody in that country.

 

“Covered Foreign Country” means a country listed on Schedule A, which list of countries may be amended from time to time at the request of the Fund and with the agreement of the Foreign Custody Manager.

 

“Eligible Foreign Custodian” has the meaning set forth in Section (a)(1) of Rule 17f-5.

 

“Eligible Securities Depository” has the meaning set forth in section (b)(1) of Rule 17f-7.

 

“Foreign Assets” means, in relation to the Fund, any of the Fund’s securities or other investments (including foreign currencies) for which the primary market is outside the United States, and any cash and cash equivalents that are reasonably necessary to effect transactions of the Fund in those investments.

 

“Foreign Custody Manager” has the meaning set forth in section (a)(3) of Rule 17f-5.

 

“Foreign Securities System” means an Eligible Securities Depository listed on Schedule B.

 

“Rule 17f-5” means Rule 17f-5 promulgated under the 1940 Act.

 

“Rule 17f-7” means Rule 17f-7 promulgated under the 1940 Act.

 

SECTION 4.2.                  THE CUSTODIAN AS FOREIGN CUSTODY MANAGER.

 

4.2.1                     DELEGATION.  The Fund, by resolution adopted by its Board, hereby delegates to the Custodian, subject to Section (b) of Rule 17f-5, the responsibilities set forth in this Section 4.2 with respect to Foreign Assets of the Fund held outside the United States.  The Custodian hereby accepts such delegation.  By giving at least 30 days’ prior written notice to the Fund, the Foreign Custody Manager may withdraw its acceptance of the delegated responsibilities

 

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generally or with respect to a Covered Foreign Country designated in the notice.  Following the withdrawal, the Custodian shall have no further responsibility in its capacity as Foreign Custody Manager to the Fund generally or, as the case may be, with respect to the Covered Foreign Country so designated.

 

4.2.2                     EXERCISE OF CARE AS FOREIGN CUSTODY MANAGER.  The Foreign Custody Manager shall exercise reasonable care, prudence and diligence such as a person having responsibility for the safekeeping of the Foreign Assets would exercise in performing the delegated responsibilities.

 

4.2.3                     FOREIGN CUSTODY ARRANGEMENTS.  The Foreign Custody Manager shall be responsible for performing the delegated responsibilities only with respect to Covered Foreign Countries.  The Foreign Custody Manager shall list on Schedule A for a Covered Foreign Country each Eligible Foreign Custodian selected by the Foreign Custody Manager to maintain the Foreign Assets of the Fund with respect to the Covered Foreign Country. The list of Eligible Foreign Custodians may be amended from time to time upon notice in the sole discretion of the Foreign Custody Manager.  This Agreement constitutes a Proper Instruction by the Fund to open an account, and to place and maintain Foreign Assets, for the Fund in each applicable Covered Foreign Country.  The Fund shall satisfy the account opening requirements for the Covered Foreign Country, and the delegation with respect to the Fund for the Covered Foreign Country will not be considered to have been accepted by the Custodian until that satisfaction.  If the Foreign Custody Manager receives from the Fund Proper Instructions directing the Foreign Custody Manager to close the account, the delegation shall be considered withdrawn, and the Custodian shall immediately cease to be the Foreign Custody Manager with respect to the Fund for the Covered Foreign Country.

 

4.2.4                     SCOPE OF DELEGATED RESPONSIBILITIES:  Subject to the provisions of this Section 4.2, the Foreign Custody Manager may place and maintain Foreign Assets in the care of an Eligible Foreign Custodian selected by the Foreign Custody Manager in each applicable Covered Foreign Country.  The Foreign Custody Manager shall determine that (a) the Foreign Assets will be subject to reasonable care, based on the standards applicable to custodians in the country in which the Foreign Assets will be held by the Eligible Foreign Custodian, after considering all factors relevant to the safekeeping of such assets, including, without limitation the factors specified in Rule 17f-5(c)(1) and (b) the contract between the Foreign Custody Manager and the Eligible Foreign Custodian governing the foreign custody arrangements will satisfy the requirements of Rule 17f-5(c)(2).  The Foreign Custody Manager shall establish a system to monitor (i) the appropriateness of maintaining the Foreign Assets with the Eligible Foreign Custodian and (ii) the performance of the contract governing the custody arrangements.  If the Foreign Custody Manager determines that the custody arrangements with an Eligible Foreign Custodian are no longer appropriate, the Foreign Custody Manager shall so notify the Fund and, pursuant to Proper Instructions, the Custodian shall provide reasonable assistance to the Fund in transferring the Foreign Assets to another Eligible Foreign Custodian, if available, or act on such Proper Instructions with regard to the Fund’s disposition of such Foreign Assets.

 

4.2.5                     REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.  The Foreign Custody Manager shall (a) report the withdrawal of Foreign Assets from an Eligible Foreign Custodian and the placement of Foreign

 

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Assets with another Eligible Foreign Custodian by providing to the Fund’s Board an amended Schedule A at the end of the calendar quarter in which the action has occurred, and (b) after the occurrence of any other material change in the foreign custody arrangements of the Fund described in this Section 4.2, make a written report to the Board containing a notification of the change.

 

4.2.6                     REPRESENTATIONS.  The Foreign Custody Manager represents to the Fund that it is a U.S. Bank as defined in Section (a)(7) of Rule 17f-5.  The Fund represents to the Custodian that its Board has (a) determined that it is reasonable for the Board to rely on the Custodian to perform the responsibilities delegated pursuant to this Agreement to the Custodian as the Foreign Custody Manager of the Fund and (b) considered and determined to accept such Country Risk as is incurred by placing and maintaining the Foreign Assets of the Fund in each Covered Foreign Country.

 

4.2.7                     TERMINATION BY THE FUND OF THE CUSTODIAN AS FOREIGN CUSTODY MANAGER.  By giving at least 30 days’ prior written notice to the Custodian, the Fund may terminate the delegation to the Custodian as the Foreign Custody Manager for the Fund.  Following the termination, the Custodian shall have no further responsibility in its capacity as Foreign Custody Manager to the Fund.

 

SECTION 4.3                     MONITORING OF ELIGIBLE SECURITIES DEPOSITORIES.  The Custodian shall (a) provide the Fund or its Investment Advisor with an analysis of the custody risks associated with maintaining assets with the Eligible Securities Depositories set forth on Schedule B in accordance with Section (a)(1)(i)(A) of Rule 17f-7 and (b) monitor such risks on a continuing basis and  promptly notify the Fund or its Investment Advisor of any material change in such risks, in accordance with Section (a)(1)(i)(B) of Rule 17f-7.  The Custodian agrees to exercise reasonable care, prudence and diligence in performing the above duties.  If a custody arrangement with an Eligible Securities Depository no longer meets the requirements of this Section, then, pursuant to Proper Instructions, the Custodian shall provide reasonable assistance to the Fund in transferring such Foreign Assets to another Eligible Securities Depository, if available, or act on such Proper Instruction with regard to the Fund’s disposition of such Foreign Assets.

 

SECTION 5.                            ACTIVITIES OF THE CUSTODIAN WITH RESPECT TO PROPERTY HELD OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES.

 

SECTION 5.1.                  HOLDING SECURITIES.  Foreign securities and other financial assets held outside of the United States shall be maintained in a Foreign Securities System in a Covered Foreign Country through arrangements implemented by the Custodian or an Eligible Foreign Custodian, as applicable, in the Covered Foreign Country.  The Custodian shall identify on its books as belonging to the Fund the foreign securities and other financial assets held by each Eligible Foreign Custodian or Foreign Securities System.  The Custodian may hold foreign securities and other financial assets for all of its customers, including the Fund, with any Eligible Foreign Custodian in an account that is identified as the Custodian’s account for the benefit of its customers; provided however, that (a) the records of the Custodian with respect to foreign securities or other financial assets of the Fund maintained in the account shall identify those securities and other financial assets as belonging to the Fund and (b) to the extent permitted and customary in the market in which the account is maintained, the Custodian shall require that

 

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securities and other financial assets so held by the Eligible Foreign Custodian be held separately from any assets of the Eligible Foreign Custodian or of other customers of the Eligible Foreign Custodian.

 

SECTION 5.2.                  REGISTRATION OF FOREIGN SECURITIES.  Foreign securities and other financial assets held outside of the United States maintained in the custody of an Eligible Foreign Custodian and that are not bearer securities shall be registered in the name of the Fund or in the name of the Custodian or in the name of any Eligible Foreign Custodian or in the name of any nominee of any of the foregoing.  The Fund agrees to hold any such nominee harmless from any liability as a holder of record of the foreign securities or other financial assets.  The Custodian or an Eligible Foreign Custodian reserves the right not to accept securities or other financial assets on behalf of the Fund under the terms of this Agreement unless the form of the securities or other financial assets and the manner in which they are delivered are in accordance with local market practice.

 

SECTION 5.3.                  INDEMNIFICATION BY ELIGIBLE FOREIGN CUSTODIANS.  Each contract pursuant to which the Custodian employs an Eligible Foreign Custodian shall, to the extent possible, require the Eligible Foreign Custodian to indemnify and hold harmless the Custodian from and against any loss, cost or expense arising out of or in connection with the Eligible Foreign Custodian’s performance of its obligations.  At the Fund’s election, the Fund shall be entitled to be subrogated to the rights of the Custodian with respect to any claims against an Eligible Foreign Custodian as a consequence of any such loss, cost or expense if and to the extent that the Fund has not been made whole for the loss, cost or expense.  In no event shall the Custodian be obligated to bring suit in its own name or to allow suit to be brought in its name.

 

SECTION 5.4                     BANK ACCOUNTS.

 

5.4.1                     GENERAL.  The Custodian shall identify on its books as for the account of the Fund the amount of cash (including cash denominated in foreign currencies) deposited with the Custodian.  The Custodian shall maintain cash deposits in on book currencies on its balance sheet. The Custodian shall be liable for such balances.  If the Custodian is unable to maintain, or market practice does not facilitate the maintenance for the Fund of a cash balance in a currency as an on book currency, a deposit account shall be opened and maintained by the Custodian outside the United States on behalf of the Fund with an Eligible Foreign Custodian.  The Custodian shall not maintain the cash deposit on its balance sheet.  The Eligible Foreign Custodian will be liable for such balance directly to the Fund.  All deposit accounts referred to in this Section shall be subject only to draft or order by the Custodian or, if applicable, the Eligible Foreign Custodian acting pursuant to the terms of this Agreement.  Cash maintained in a deposit account and denominated in an “on book” currency will be maintained under and subject to the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.  The Custodian will not have any deposit liability for deposits in any currency that is not an “on book” currency.

 

5.4.2                     NON-U.S. BRANCH AND NON-U.S. DOLLAR DEPOSITS.  In accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the Custodian shall not be required to repay any deposit made at a non-U.S. branch of the Custodian or any deposit made with the Custodian and denominated in a non-U.S. dollar currency, if repayment of the deposit or the use of assets

 

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denominated in the non-U.S. dollar currency is prevented, prohibited or otherwise blocked due to (a) an act of war, insurrection or civil strife; (b) any action by a non-U.S. government or instrumentality or authority asserting governmental, military or police power of any kind, whether such authority be recognized as a de facto or a de jure government, or by any entity, political or revolutionary movement or otherwise that usurps, supervenes or otherwise materially impairs the normal operation of civil authority; or  (c) the closure of a non-U.S. branch in order to prevent, in the reasonable judgment of the Custodian, harm to the employees or property of the Custodian.

 

SECTION 5.5.                  COLLECTION OF INCOME.  The Custodian shall use reasonable commercial efforts to collect all income and other payments with respect to the Foreign Assets held hereunder to which the Fund shall be entitled.  If extraordinary measures are required to collect the income or payment, the Fund and the Custodian shall consult as to such measures and as to the compensation and expenses of the Custodian relating to such measures.  The Custodian shall credit income to the Fund as such income is received or in accordance with the Custodian’s then current payable date income schedule.  Any credit to the Fund in advance of receipt may be reversed when the Custodian determines that payment will not occur in due course, and the Fund may be charged at the Custodian’s applicable rate for time credited.  Income on securities or other financial assets loaned other than from the Custodian’s securities lending program shall be credited as received.

 

SECTION 5.6.                  TRANSACTIONS IN FOREIGN CUSTODY ACCOUNT.

 

5.6.1                     DELIVERY OUT.  The Custodian or an Eligible Foreign Custodian shall release and deliver foreign securities or other financial assets held outside of the United States owned by the Fund and held by the Custodian or such Eligible Foreign Custodian, or in a Foreign Securities System account, only upon receipt of Proper Instructions, specifying the foreign securities to be delivered and the person or persons to whom delivery is to be made. The Custodian shall pay out, or direct the respective Eligible Foreign Custodian or the respective Foreign Securities System to pay out, cash of the Fund only upon receipt of Proper Instructions specifying the amount of the payment and the person or persons to payment is to be made.

 

5.6.2                     MARKET CONDITIONS.  Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, settlement and payment for Foreign Assets received for the account of the Fund and delivery of Foreign Assets maintained for the account of the Fund may be effected in accordance with the customary established securities trading or processing practices and procedures in the country or market in which the transaction occurs, including, without limitation, delivering Foreign Assets to the purchaser thereof or to a dealer therefor (or an agent for such purchaser or dealer) with the expectation of receiving later payment for the Foreign Assets from such purchaser or dealer.

 

5.6.3                     SETTLEMENT PRACTICES.  The Custodian shall provide to the Board the information with respect to custody and settlement practices in countries in which the Custodian employs an Eligible Foreign Custodian described on Schedule C at the time or times set forth on the Schedule.  The Custodian may revise Schedule C from time to time, but no revision shall result in a Board being provided with substantively less information than had been previously provided on Schedule C.

 

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SECTION 5.7                     SHAREHOLDER OR BONDHOLDER RIGHTS.  The Custodian shall use reasonable commercial efforts to facilitate the exercise of voting and other shareholder and bondholder rights with respect to foreign securities and other financial assets held outside the United States, subject always to the laws, regulations and practical constraints that may exist in the country where the securities or other financial assets are issued.  The Custodian may utilize Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. or another proxy service firm of recognized standing as its delegate to provide proxy services for the exercise of shareholder and bondholder rights.  Local conditions, including lack of regulation, onerous procedural obligations, lack of notice and other factors may have the effect of severely limiting the ability of the Fund to exercise shareholder and bondholder rights.

 

SECTION 5.8.                  COMMUNICATIONS.  The Custodian shall transmit promptly to the Fund written information with respect to materials received by the Custodian through Eligible Foreign Custodians from issuers of the foreign securities and other financial assets being held outside the United States for the account of the Fund.  The Custodian shall transmit promptly to the Fund written information with respect to materials so received by the Custodian from issuers of foreign securities whose tender or exchange is sought or from the party or its agent making the tender or exchange offer.  The Custodian shall also transmit promptly to the Fund all written information received by the Custodian through Eligible Foreign Custodians from issuers of the foreign securities or other financial assets issued outside of the United States and being held for the account of the Fund regarding any class action or other collective litigation relating to the Fund’s foreign securities or other financial assets issued outside the United States and then held, or previously held, during the relevant class-action period during the term of this Agreement by the Custodian via an Eligible Foreign Custodian for the account of the Fund for the Fund, including, but not limited to, opt-out notices and proof-of-claim forms. The Custodian does not support class-action participation by the Fund beyond such forwarding of written information received by the Custodian.

 

SECTION 6.                            FOREIGN EXCHANGE.

 

SECTION 6.1.                  GENERALLY.  Upon receipt of Proper Instructions, which for purposes of this Section may also include security trade advices, the Custodian shall facilitate the processing and settlement of foreign exchange transactions.  Such foreign exchange transactions do not constitute part of the services provided by the Custodian under this Agreement.

 

SECTION 6.2.                  FUND ELECTIONS.  The Fund (or its Investment Advisor acting on its behalf) may elect to enter into and execute foreign exchange transactions with third parties that are not affiliated with the Custodian, with State Street Global Markets, which is the foreign exchange division of State Street Bank and Trust Company and its affiliated companies (“SSGM”), or with a sub-custodian.  Where the Fund or its Investment Advisor gives Proper Instructions for the execution of a foreign exchange transaction using an indirect foreign exchange service described in the Client Publications, the Fund (or its Investment Advisor) instructs the Custodian, on behalf of the Fund, to direct the execution of such foreign exchange transaction to SSGM or, when the relevant currency is not traded by SSGM, to the applicable sub-custodian.  The Custodian shall not have any agency (except as contemplated in preceding sentence), trust or fiduciary obligation to the Fund, its Investment Advisor or any other person in connection with the execution of any

 

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foreign exchange transaction.  The Custodian shall have no responsibility under this Agreement for the selection of the counterparty to, or the method of execution of, any foreign exchange transaction entered into by the Fund (or its Investment Advisor acting on its behalf) or the reasonableness of the execution rate on any such transaction.

 

SECTION 6.3.                  FUND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.  The Fund acknowledges that in connection with all foreign exchange transactions entered into by the Fund (or its Investment Advisor acting on its behalf) with SSGM or any sub-custodian, SSGM and each such sub-custodian:

 

(i)                               shall be acting in a principal capacity and not as broker, agent or fiduciary to the Fund or its Investment Advisor;

 

(ii)                            shall seek to profit from such foreign exchange transactions, and are entitled to retain and not disclose any such profit to the Fund or its Investment Advisor; and

 

(iii)                               shall enter into such foreign exchange transactions pursuant to the terms and conditions, including pricing or pricing methodology, (a) agreed with the Fund or its Investment Advisor from time to time or (b) in the case of an indirect foreign exchange service, (i) as established by SSGM and set forth in the Client Publications with respect to the particular foreign exchange execution services selected by the Fund or the Investment Advisor or (ii) as established by the sub-custodian from time to time.

 

SECTION 6.4.                  TRANSACTIONS BY STATE STREET.  The Custodian or its affiliates, including SSGM, may trade based upon information that is not available to the Fund (or its Investment Advisor acting on its behalf), and may enter into transactions for its own account or the account of clients in the same or opposite direction to the transactions entered into with the Fund (or its Investment Advisor), and shall have no obligation under this Agreement to share such information with or consider the interests of their respective counterparties, including, where applicable, the Fund or the Investment Advisor.

 

SECTION 7.                            TAX SERVICES.

 

SECTION 7.1                     FUND INFORMATION.  The Fund will provide documentary evidence of its tax domicile, organizational specifics and other documentation and information as may be required by the Custodian from time to time for tax purposes, including, without limitation, information relating to any special ruling or treatment to which the Fund may be entitled that is not applicable to the general nationality and category of person to which the Fund belongs under general laws and treaty obligations and documentation and information required in relation to countries where the Fund engages or proposes to engage in investment activity or where Fund assets are or will be held.  The provision of such documentation and information shall be deemed to be a Proper Instruction, upon which the Custodian shall be entitled to rely and act.  In giving such documentation and information, the Fund represents and warrants that it is true and correct in all material respects and that it will promptly provide the Custodian with all necessary corrections or updates upon becoming aware of any changes or inaccuracies in the documentation or information supplied.

 

SECTION 7.2                     TAX RESPONSIBILITY.  The Fund shall be liable for all taxes (including

 

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Taxes, as defined below) relating to its investment activity, including with respect to any cash or securities held by the Custodian on behalf of the Fund or any transactions related thereto.  Subject to compliance by the Fund with its obligations under Section 7.1, the Custodian shall withhold (or cause to be withheld) the amount of any Tax which is required to be withheld under applicable law in connection with the collection on behalf of the Fund pursuant to this Agreement of any dividend, interest income or other distribution with respect to any security and the proceeds or income from the sale or other transfer of any security held by the Custodian.  If any Taxes become payable with respect to any prior payment made to the Fund by the Custodian or otherwise, the Custodian may apply any credit balance in the Fund’s deposit account to the extent necessary to satisfy such Tax obligation.  The Fund shall remain liable for any tax deficiency.  The Custodian is not liable for any tax obligations relating to the Fund, other than those Tax services as set out specifically in this Section 7.  The Fund agrees that the Custodian is not, and shall not be deemed to be, providing tax advice or tax counsel.  The capitalized terms “Tax” or “Taxes” means any withholding or capital gains tax, stamp duty, levy, impost, charge, assessment, deduction or related liability, including any addition to tax, penalty or interest imposed on or in respect of (i) cash or securities, (ii) the transactions effected under this Agreement, or (iii) the Fund.

 

SECTION 7.3                     TAX RELIEF.  The Custodian will provide tax relief services in relation to designated markets as may be specified from time to time in the Client Publications.  Subject to the preceding sentence and compliance by the Fund with its obligations under Section 7.1, the Custodian will apply for a reduction of withholding tax and refund of any tax paid or tax credits which apply in each applicable market in respect of income payments on securities for the benefit of the Fund.  Unless otherwise informed by the Fund, the Custodian shall be entitled to apply categorical treatment of the Fund according to its nationality, particulars of its organization and other relevant details supplied by the Fund.

 

SECTION 8.                            PAYMENTS FOR SALES OR REDEMPTIONS OF FUND INTERESTS.

 

SECTION 8.1                     PAYMENT FOR FUND INTERESTS ISSUED.  The Custodian shall receive from subscribers of Interests of the Fund or their respective agents or if applicable, distributors, or from the Fund’s transfer agent (the “Transfer Agent”) and deposit into the account of the Fund such payments as are received for Fund Interests issued or sold from time to time by the Fund.  The Custodian will provide timely notification to the Fund and the Transfer Agent of any receipt of the payments by the Custodian.

 

SECTION 8.2                     PAYMENT FOR FUND INTERESTS REPURCHASED.  Upon receipt of instructions from the Transfer Agent, the Custodian shall set aside funds of the Fund (to the extent available) for payment to holders of Fund Interests being repurchased by the Fund. The Custodian is authorized upon receipt of instructions from the Transfer Agent to wire funds to or through a commercial bank designated by the holders of Fund Interests being repurchased.  If the Custodian furnishes a check to a holder in payment for the repurchase of the holder’s Fund Interests and the check is drawn on the Custodian, the Custodian shall honor the check so long as the check is presented to the Custodian in accordance with the Deposit Account Agreement and such procedures and controls as are mutually agreed upon from time to time between the Fund and the Custodian.

 

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SECTION 9.                            PROPER INSTRUCTIONS.

 

SECTION 9. 1                  FORM AND SECURITY PROCEDURES.  Proper Instructions may be in writing signed by the authorized individual or individuals or may be in a tested communication or in a communication utilizing access codes effected between electro-mechanical or electronic devices or may be by such other means and utilizing such intermediary systems and utilities as may be agreed to from time to time by the Custodian and the individual or organization giving the instruction, provided that the Fund has followed any security procedures agreed to from time to time by the Fund and the Custodian.  The Custodian may agree to accept oral instructions, and in such case oral instructions will be considered Proper Instructions.  The Fund shall cause all oral instructions to be confirmed in writing, but the Fund’s failure to do so shall not affect the Custodian’s authority to rely on the oral instructions.

 

Section 9.2                                    RELIANCE ON OFFICER’S CERTIFICATE.  Concurrently with the execution of this Agreement, and from time to time thereafter, as appropriate, the Fund shall deliver to the Custodian an officer’s certificate setting forth the names, titles, signatures and scope of authority of all individuals authorized to give Proper Instructions or any other notice, request, direction, instruction, certificate or instrument on behalf of the Fund.  The certificate may be accepted and conclusively relied upon by the Custodian and shall be considered to be in full force and effect until receipt by the Custodian of a similar certificate to the contrary and the Custodian has had a reasonable time to act thereon.

 

Section 9.3                                    UNTIMELY PROPER INSTRUCTIONS.  If the Custodian is not provided with reasonable time to execute a Proper Instruction (including any Proper Instruction not to execute, or any other modification to, a prior Proper Instruction), the Custodian will use good faith efforts to execute the Proper Instruction but will not be responsible or liable if the Custodian’s efforts are not successful (including any inability to change any actions that the Custodian had taken pursuant to the prior Proper Instruction).  The inclusion of a statement of purpose or intent (or any similar notation) in a Proper Instruction shall not impose any additional obligations on the Custodian or condition or qualify its authority to effect the Proper Instruction.  The Custodian will not assume a duty to ensure that the stated purpose or intent is fulfilled and will have no responsibility or liability when it follows the Proper Instruction without regard to such purpose or intent.

 

SECTION 10.                     ACTIONS PERMITTED WITHOUT EXPRESS AUTHORITY.

 

The Custodian may in its discretion, without express authority from the Fund:

 

1)                                     Make payments to itself or others for minor expenses of handling securities or other financial assets relating to its duties under this Agreement; provided that all such payments shall be accounted for to the Fund;

 

2)                                     Surrender securities or other financial assets in temporary form for securities or other financial assets in definitive form;

 

3)                                     Endorse for collection, in the name of the Fund, checks, drafts and other negotiable instruments; and

 

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4)                                     In general, attend to all non-discretionary details in connection with the sale, exchange, substitution, purchase, transfer and other dealings with the securities and other financial assets of the Fund except as otherwise directed by the applicable Board.

 

SECTION 11.                     COOPERATION WITH PARTY APPOINTED TO KEEP THE BOOKS OF ACCOUNT AND CALCULATE NET ASSET VALUE.

 

The Custodian shall cooperate with and supply necessary information to any organization appointed by the Board of the Fund to keep the books of account of the Fund and compute the net asset value per Fund Interest of the outstanding Fund Interests.  The Fund acknowledges and agrees that, with respect to investments maintained with the Underlying Transfer Agent, the Underlying Transfer Agent is the sole source of information on the number of Fund Interests held by it on behalf of the Fund and that the Custodian has the right to rely on holdings information furnished by the Underlying Transfer Agent to the Custodian in performing its duties under this Agreement, including without limitation, the duties set forth in this Section 11 and in Section 12.

 

SECTION 12.                     RECORDS.

 

The Custodian shall with respect to the Fund create and maintain all records relating to its activities and obligations under this Agreement in such manner as will meet the obligations of the Fund under the 1940 Act, with particular attention to Section 31 thereof and Rules 31a-1 and 31a-2 thereunder.  All such records shall be the property of the Fund and shall at all times during the regular business hours of the Custodian be open for inspection by duly authorized officers, employees or agents of the Fund and employees and agents of the SEC.  The Custodian shall, at the Fund’s request, supply the Fund with a tabulation of securities owned by the Fund and held by the Custodian and shall, when requested to do so by the Fund and for such compensation as shall be agreed upon between the Fund and the Custodian, include certificate numbers in such tabulations.  In the event that the Custodian is requested or authorized by the Fund, or required by subpoena, administrative order, court order or other legal process, applicable law or regulation, or required in connection with any investigation, examination or inspection of the Fund by state or federal regulatory agencies, to produce the records of the Fund or the Custodian’s personnel as witnesses, the Fund agrees to pay the Custodian for the Custodian’s time and expenses, as well as the fees and expenses of the Custodian’s counsel, incurred in responding to such request, order or requirement.  The Custodian shall render to the Fund such written reports (electronically or otherwise) as the parties may agree, from time to time.

 

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SECTION 13.                     FUND’S INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS; REPORTS.

 

SECTION 13.1              OPINIONS.  The Custodian shall take all reasonable action, as the Fund may from time to time request, to obtain from year to year favorable opinions from the Fund’s independent accountants with respect to its activities hereunder in connection with the preparation of the Fund’s Form N-2 and Form 10-K or other reports to the SEC and with respect to any other requirements thereof.

 

SECTION 13.2              REPORTS.  Upon reasonable request of the Fund, the Custodian shall provide the Fund with a copy of the Custodian’s Service Organizational Control (SOC) 1 reports prepared in accordance with the requirements of AT section 801, Reporting on Controls at a Service Organization (formerly Statement on Standards for Attestation Engagements (SSAE) No. 16).  The Custodian shall use commercially reasonable efforts to provide the Fund (electronically or otherwise) with such reports as the Fund may reasonably request or otherwise reasonably require to fulfill its duties under Rule 38a-1 of the 1940 Act or similar legal and regulatory requirements.

 

SECTION 14.                     CUSTODIAN’S STANDARD OF CARE; EXCULPATION.

 

14.1                        STANDARD OF CARE.  In carrying out the provisions of this Agreement, the Custodian shall act in good faith and without negligence and shall be held to the exercise of reasonable care.

 

14.2                        RELIANCE ON PROPER INSTRUCTIONS.  The Custodian shall be entitled conclusively to rely and act upon Proper Instructions until the Custodian has received notice of any change from the Fund and has had a reasonable time to act thereon.  The Custodian may act on a Proper Instruction if it reasonably believes that it contains sufficient information and may refrain from acting on any Proper Instructions until such time that it has determined, in its sole discretion, that is has received any required clarification or authentication of Proper Instructions.  The Custodian may rely upon and shall be protected in acting upon any Proper Instruction or any other instruction, notice, request, consent, certificate or other instrument or paper believed by it in good faith to be genuine and to have been properly executed by or on behalf of the Fund.

 

14.3                        OTHER RELIANCE.  The Custodian is authorized and instructed to rely upon the information that the Custodian receives from the Fund or any third party on behalf of the Fund.  The Custodian shall have no responsibility to review, confirm or otherwise assume any duty with respect to the accuracy or completeness of any information supplied to it by or on behalf of the Fund.  The Custodian shall have no liability in respect of any loss, cost or expense incurred or sustained by the Fund arising from the performance of the Custodian’s duties hereunder in reliance upon records that were maintained for the Fund by any individual or organization, other than the Custodian, prior to the Custodian’s appointment as custodian hereunder.  The Custodian shall be entitled to rely on and may act upon advice of counsel (who may be counsel for the Fund) on all matters and shall be without liability for any action reasonably taken or omitted pursuant to the advice.

 

14.4                        LIABILITY FOR FOREIGN CUSTODIANS.  The Custodian shall be liable for the acts or omissions of an Eligible Foreign Custodian to the same extent as if the action or omission were performed by the Custodian itself, taking into account the facts and circumstances and the

 

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established local market practices and laws prevailing in the particular jurisdiction in which the Fund elects to invest.

 

14.5                        INSOLVENCY AND COUNTRY RISK.  The Custodian shall in no event be liable for (a) the insolvency of any Eligible Foreign Custodian, (b) the insolvency of any depositary bank maintaining in a deposit account cash denominated in any currency other than an “on book” currency, or (c) any loss, cost or expense incurred or sustained by the Fund resulting from or caused by Country Risk.

 

14.6                        FORCE MAJEURE AND THIRD PARTY ACTIONS.  The Custodian shall be without responsibility or liability to the Fund for: (a) events or circumstances beyond the reasonable control of the Custodian, including, without limitation, the interruption, suspension or restriction of trading on or the closure of any currency or securities market or system, power or other mechanical or technological failures or interruptions, computer viruses or communications disruptions, work stoppages, natural disasters, acts of war, revolution, riots or terrorism or other similar force majeure events or acts; (b) errors by the Fund, its Investment Advisor or any other duly authorized person in their instructions to the Custodian; (c) the insolvency of or acts or omissions by a U.S. Securities System, Foreign Securities System, Underlying Transfer Agent or domestic sub-custodian designated pursuant to Section 2.2; (d) the failure of the Fund, its Investment Advisor, or any duly authorized individual or organization to adhere to the Custodian’s operational policies and procedures; (e) any delay or failure of any broker, agent, securities intermediary or other intermediary, central bank or other commercially prevalent payment or clearing system to deliver to the Custodian’s sub-custodian or agent securities or other financial assets purchased or in the remittance or payment made in connection with securities or other financial assets sold; (f) any delay or failure of any organization in charge of registering or transferring securities or other financial assets in the name of the Custodian, the Fund, the Custodian’s sub-custodians, nominees or agents including non-receipt of bonus, dividends and rights and other accretions or benefits; (g) delays or inability to perform its duties due to any disorder in market infrastructure with respect to any particular security, other financial asset, U.S. Securities System or Foreign Securities System; and (h) the effect of any provision of any law or regulation or order of the United States of America, or any state thereof, or any other country, or political subdivision thereof or of any court of competent jurisdiction.

 

14.7                        INDIRECT/SPECIAL/CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES.  Notwithstanding any other provision set forth herein, in no event shall the Custodian be liable for any special, indirect, incidental, punitive or consequential damages of any kind whatsoever (including, without limitation, lost profits) with respect to the services provided pursuant to this Agreement, regardless of whether either party has been advised of the possibility of such damages.

 

14.8                        DELIVERY OF PROPERTY. The Custodian shall not be responsible for any securities or other assets of the Fund which are not received by the Custodian or which are delivered out in accordance with Proper Instructions.  The Custodian shall not be responsible for the title, validity or genuineness of any securities or other assets or evidence of title thereto received by it or delivered by it pursuant to this Agreement.

 

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14.9                        NO INVESTMENT ADVICE.  The Custodian has no responsibility to monitor or oversee the investment activity undertaken by the Fund or its Investment Advisor.  The Custodian has no duty to ensure or to inquire whether an Investment Advisor complies with any investment objectives or restrictions agreed upon between the Fund and the Investment Advisor or whether the Investment Advisor complies with its legal obligations under applicable securities laws or other laws, including laws intended to protect the interests of investors.   The Custodian shall neither assess nor take any responsibility or liability for the suitability or appropriateness of the investments made by the Fund or on its behalf.

 

14.10                 COMMUNICATIONS.  The Custodian shall not be liable for any untimely exercise of any tender, exchange or other right or power in connection with securities or other financial assets of the Fund at any time held by the Custodian unless (a) the Custodian or the Eligible Foreign Custodian is in actual possession of such securities or other financial assets, (b) the Custodian receives Proper Instructions with regard to the exercise of the right or power, and (c) both of the conditions referred to in the foregoing clauses (a) and (b) have been satisfied at least three business days prior to the date on which the Custodian is to take action to exercise the right or power.

 

14.11                 LOANED SECURITIES.  Income due to the Fund on securities or other financial assets loaned shall be the responsibility of the Fund.  The Custodian will have no duty or responsibility in connection with loaned securities or other financial assets, other than to provide the Fund with such information or data as may be necessary to assist the Fund in arranging for the timely delivery to the Custodian of the income to which the Fund is entitled.

 

14.12                 TRADE COUNTERPARTIES.  The Fund’s receipt of securities or other financial assets from a counterparty in connection with any of its purchase transactions and its receipt of cash from a counterparty in connection with any sale or redemption of securities or other financial assets will be at the Fund’s sole risk, and the Custodian shall not be obligated to make demands on the Fund’s behalf if the Fund’s counterparty defaults.  If the Fund’s counterparty fails to deliver securities, other financial assets or cash, the Custodian will, as its sole responsibility, notify the Fund’s Investment Advisor of the failure within a reasonable time after the Custodian became aware of the failure.

 

SECTION 15.                     COMPENSATION AND INDEMNIFICATION OF CUSTODIAN; SECURITY INTEREST.

 

SECTION. 15.1           COMPENSATION.  The Custodian shall be entitled to reasonable compensation for its services and expenses as agreed upon from time to time between the Fund and the Custodian.

 

SECTION 15.2              INDEMNIFICATION.  The Fund agrees to indemnify the Custodian and to hold the Custodian harmless from and against any loss, cost or expense sustained or incurred by the Custodian in acting or omitting to act under or in respect of this Agreement in good faith and without negligence, including, without limitation, (a) the Custodian’s compliance with Proper Instructions and (b) in connection with the provision of services to the Fund pursuant to Section 7, any obligations, including taxes, withholding and reporting requirements, claims for exemption and refund, additions for late payment, interest, penalties and other expenses, that may be assessed against the Fund, or the Custodian as custodian of the assets of the Fund.  If the Fund instructs the

 

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Custodian to take any action with respect to securities or other financial assets, and the action involves the payment of money or may, in the opinion of the Custodian, result in the Custodian or its nominee assigned to the Fund being liable therefor, the Fund, as a prerequisite to the Custodian taking the action, shall provide to the Custodian at the Custodian’s request such further indemnification in an amount and form satisfactory to the Custodian.

 

SECTION 15.3              SECURITY INTEREST.  The Fund hereby grants to the Custodian, to secure the payment and performance of the Fund’s obligations under this Agreement, whether contingent or otherwise, a security interest in and right of recoupment and setoff against all cash and all securities and other financial assets at any time held for the account of the Fund by or through the Custodian.  The obligations include, without limitation, the Fund’s obligations to reimburse the Custodian if the Custodian or any of its affiliates, subsidiaries or agents advances cash or securities or other financial assets to the Fund for any purpose (including but not limited to settlements of securities or other financial assets, foreign exchange contracts and assumed settlement), or in the event that the Custodian or its nominee shall incur or be assessed any taxes, charges, expenses, assessments, claims or liabilities in connection with the performance of this Agreement, except such as may arise from the Custodian or its nominee’s own negligence, as well as the Fund’s obligation to compensate the Custodian pursuant to Section 15.1 or indemnify the Custodian pursuant to Section 15.2.  Should the Fund fail to reimburse or otherwise pay the Custodian any obligation under this Agreement promptly, the Custodian shall have the rights and remedies of a secured party under this Agreement, the UCC and other applicable law, including the right to utilize available cash and to sell or otherwise dispose of the Fund’s assets to the extent necessary to obtain payment or reimbursement.  The Custodian may at any time decline to follow Proper Instructions to deliver out cash, securities or other financial assets if the Custodian determines in its reasonable discretion that, after giving effect to the Proper Instructions, the cash, securities or other financial assets remaining will not have sufficient value fully to secure the Fund’s payment or reimbursement obligations, whether contingent or otherwise.

 

SECTION 16.                     EFFECTIVE PERIOD AND TERMINATION.

 

This Agreement shall become effective as of its execution, shall continue in full force and effect until terminated as hereinafter provided, may be amended at any time by mutual agreement of the parties hereto and may be terminated by either party by an instrument in writing delivered or mailed, postage prepaid to the other party, such termination to take effect not sooner than sixty (60) days after the date of such delivery or mailing; provided, however, that the Fund shall not amend or terminate this Agreement in contravention of any applicable federal or state regulations, or any provision of the Fund’s formation documents, and further provided, that the Fund may at any time by action of its Board (i) substitute another bank or trust company for the Custodian by giving notice as described above to the Custodian, or (ii) immediately terminate this Agreement in the event of the appointment of a conservator or receiver for the Custodian by the Comptroller of the Currency or upon the happening of a like event at the direction of an appropriate regulatory agency or court of competent jurisdiction.

 

Upon termination of the Agreement, the Fund shall pay to the Custodian such compensation as may be due as of the date of such termination and shall likewise reimburse the

 

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Custodian for its costs, expenses and disbursements.  The provisions of Sections 7, 14, 15 and 17 of this Agreement shall survive termination of this Agreement.

 

SECTION 17.                     SUCCESSOR CUSTODIAN.

 

SECTION 17.1              SUCCESSOR APPOINTED.  If a successor custodian shall be appointed for the Fund by its Board, the Custodian shall, upon termination of this Agreement and receipt of Proper Instructions, deliver to the successor custodian at the office of the Custodian, duly endorsed and in the form for transfer, all cash and all securities and other financial assets of the Fund then held by the Custodian hereunder and shall transfer to an account of the successor custodian all of the securities and other financial assets of the Fund held in a U.S. Securities System or Foreign Securities System or at the Underlying Transfer Agent.

 

SECTION 17.2              NO SUCCESSOR APPOINTED.  If no such successor custodian shall be appointed, the Custodian shall, in like manner, upon receipt of Proper Instructions, deliver at the office of the Custodian and transfer the cash and the securities and other financial assets of the Fund in accordance with the Proper Instructions. Unless so directed by the Proper Instructions, the Custodian shall not deliver the cash, securities and other financial assets of the Fund directly to the Fund.

 

SECTION 17.3              NO SUCCESSOR APPOINTED AND NO PROPER INSTRUCTIONS.  If no successor custodian has been appointed and no Proper Instructions have been delivered to the Custodian on or before the termination of this Agreement, then the Custodian shall have the right to deliver to a bank or trust company, which is a “bank” as defined in the 1940 Act, doing business in Boston, Massachusetts, or New York, New York, of its own selection, all cash and all securities and other financial assets of the Fund then held by the Custodian hereunder, and to transfer to an account of the bank or trust company all of the securities and other financial assets of the Fund held in any U.S. Securities System or Foreign Securities System or at the Underlying Transfer Agent.  The transfer will be on such terms as are contained in this Agreement or as the Custodian may otherwise reasonably negotiate with the bank or trust company.  Any compensation payable to the bank or trust company, and any cost or expense incurred by the Custodian, in connection with the transfer shall be for the account of the Fund.

 

SECTION 17.4              REMAINING PROPERTY.  If any cash or any securities or other financial assets of the Fund held by the Custodian hereunder remain held by the Custodian after the termination of this Agreement owing to the failure of the Fund to provide Proper Instructions, the Custodian shall be entitled to fair compensation for its services during such period as the Custodian holds the cash or the securities or other financial assets (the existing agreed-to compensation at the time of termination shall be one indicator of what is considered fair compensation).  The provisions of this Agreement relating to the duties, exculpation and indemnification of the Custodian shall apply in favor of the Custodian during such period.

 

SECTION 18.  REMOTE ACCESS SERVICES ADDENDUM.  The Custodian and the Fund agree to be bound by the terms of the Remote Access Services Addendum hereto.

 

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SECTION 19.  LOAN SERVICES ADDENDUM.                           If the Fund directs the Custodian in writing to perform loan services, the Custodian and the Fund will be bound by the terms of the Loan Services Addendum attached hereto.  The Fund shall reimburse Custodian for its fees and expenses related thereto as agreed upon from time to time in writing by the Fund and the Custodian.

 

SECTION 20.  GENERAL.

 

SECTION 20.1  GOVERNING LAW.  Any and all matters in dispute between the parties hereto, whether arising from or relating to this Agreement, shall be governed by and construed in accordance with laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, without giving effect to any conflict of laws rules.  Likewise, the law applicable to all issues in Article 2(1) of the Hague Convention on the Law Applicable to Certain Rights in respect of Securities Held with an Intermediary is the law in force in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

 

SECTION 20.2  PRIOR AGREEMENTS; AMENDMENTS.  This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements between the Fund and the Custodian relating to the custody of the Fund’s assets.  This Agreement may be amended at any time in writing by mutual agreement of the parties hereto.

 

SECTION 20.3  ASSIGNMENT; DELEGATION.  This Agreement may not be assigned by (a) the Fund without the written consent of the Custodian or (b) the Custodian without the written consent of the Fund, except that the Custodian may assign this Agreement to a successor of all or a substantial portion of its business, or to an affiliate of the Custodian.  The Custodian shall retain the right to employ agents, subcontractors, consultants or other third parties, including, without limitation, affiliates (each, a “Delegate” and collectively, the “Delegates”) to provide or assist it in the provision of any part of the non-custodial services described herein or the discharge of any other non-custodial obligations or duties under this Agreement without the consent or approval of the Fund. Except as otherwise provided below, the Custodian shall be responsible for the acts and omissions of any such Delegate so employed as if the Custodian had committed such acts and omissions itself.  The Custodian shall be responsible for the compensation of its Delegates. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall the term Delegate include sub-custodians, Eligible Foreign Custodians, U.S. Securities Systems and Foreign Securities Systems, and the Custodian shall have no liability for their acts or omissions except as otherwise expressly provided elsewhere in this Agreement. The liability of the Custodian for the acts and omissions of sub-custodians, Eligible Foreign Custodians, U.S. Securities Systems and Foreign Securities Systems shall be as set forth in Section 14 above.

 

SECTION 20.4  INTERPRETIVE AND ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS.  In connection with the operation of this Agreement, the Custodian and the Fund may from time to time agree on such provisions interpretive of or in addition to the provisions of this Agreement as may in their joint opinion be consistent with the general tenor of this Agreement.  Any such interpretive or additional provisions shall be in a writing signed by all parties, provided that no such interpretive or additional provisions shall contravene any applicable laws or regulations or any provision of the Fund’s governing documents and currently effective prospectus.  No interpretive or additional provisions made as provided in the preceding sentence shall be an amendment of this Agreement.

 

21

 

SECTION 20.5  THE PARTIES; REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES.  Any reference in this Agreement to “the parties” shall mean the Custodian and the Fund as to which the matter pertains.

 

20.5.1              FUND REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES.  The Fund hereby represents and warrants that (a) it is duly organized and validly existing in good standing in its jurisdiction of organization; (b) it has the requisite power and authority under applicable law and its organic record to enter into and perform this Agreement; (c) all requisite proceedings have been taken to authorize it to enter into and perform this Agreement; (d) no legal or administrative proceedings have been instituted or threatened which would materially impair the Fund’s ability to perform its duties and obligations under this Agreement; and (e) its entering into this Agreement shall not cause a material breach or be in material conflict with any other agreement or obligation of the Fund or any law or regulation applicable to it.

 

20.5.2              CUSTODIAN REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES.  The Custodian hereby represents and warrants that (a) it is a trust company, duly organized and validly existing under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts; (b) it has the requisite power and authority to carry on its business in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts; (c) all requisite proceedings have been taken to authorize it to enter into and perform this Agreement; (d) no legal or administrative proceedings have been instituted or threatened which would materially impair the Custodian’s ability to perform its duties and obligations under this Agreement; and (e) its entering into this Agreement shall not cause a material breach or be in material conflict with any other agreement or obligation of the Custodian or any law or regulation applicable to it.

 

SECTION 20.6  NOTICES.  Any notice, instruction or other communication required to be given hereunder will, unless otherwise provided in this Agreement, be in writing and may be sent by hand, or by facsimile transmission, or overnight delivery by any recognized delivery service, to the parties at the following addresses or such other addresses as may be notified by any party from time to time.

 

	
To the Fund:
    	
 
    	
NEW MOUNTAIN GUARDIAN III BDC, L.L.C.
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
787 Seventh Avenue, 49th Floor
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
New York, New York 10019
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Attention:
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Facsimile:
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Email:
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
To the Custodian:
    	
 
    	
STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
100 Summer Street, Floor 5
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Boston, MA 02110
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Attention:
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Facsimile No.:
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Telephone No.:
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
with a copy to:
    	
 
    	
STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
One Lincoln Street
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Boston, MA 02111
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Attention:
    

 

22

 

SECTION 20.7  COUNTERPARTS.  This Agreement may be executed in several counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts taken together shall constitute one and the same Agreement.  Counterparts may be executed in either original or electronically transmitted form (e.g., faxes or emailed portable document format (PDF) form), and the parties hereby adopt as original any signatures received in electronically transmitted form.

 

SECTION 20.8  SEVERABILITY; NO WAIVER.  If any provision of this Agreement shall be held to be invalid, unlawful or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired.  The failure of a party hereto to insist upon strict adherence to any term of this Agreement on any occasion or the failure of a party hereto to exercise or any delay in exercising any right or remedy under this Agreement shall not constitute a waiver of any the term, right or remedy or a waiver of any other rights or remedies, and no single or partial exercise of any right or remedy under this Agreement shall prevent any further exercise of the right or remedy or the exercise of any other right or remedy.

 

SECTION 20.9              CONFIDENTIALITY.  All information provided under this Agreement by a party (the “Disclosing Party”) to the other party (the “Receiving Party”) regarding the Disclosing Party’s business and operations shall be treated as confidential.  Subject to Section 20.10 below, all confidential information provided under this Agreement by Disclosing Party shall be used, including disclosure to third parties, by the Receiving Party, or its agents or service providers, solely for the purpose of performing or receiving the services and discharging the Receiving Party’s other obligations under the Agreement or managing the business of the Receiving Party and its affiliates, including financial and operational management and reporting, risk management, legal and regulatory compliance and client service management.  The foregoing shall not be applicable to any information (a) that is publicly available when provided or thereafter becomes publicly available, other than through a breach of this Agreement, (b) that is independently derived by the Receiving Party without the use of any information provided by the Disclosing Party in connection with this Agreement, (c) that is disclosed to comply with any legal or regulatory proceeding, investigation, audit, examination, subpoena, civil investigative demand or other similar process, (d) that is disclosed as required by operation of law or regulation or as required to comply with the requirements of any market infrastructure that the Disclosing Party or its agents direct the Custodian or its affiliates to employ (or which is required in connection with the holding or settlement of instruments included in the assets subject to this Agreement), or (e) where the party seeking to disclose has received the prior written consent of the party providing the information, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld.

 

23

 

SECTION 20.10  USE OF DATA.

 

(a)                                 In connection with the provision of the services and the discharge of its other obligations under this Agreement, the Custodian (which term for purposes of this Section 20.10 includes each of its parent company, branches and affiliates (“Affiliates”)) may collect and store information regarding the Fund and share such information with its Affiliates, agents and service providers in order and to the extent reasonably necessary (i) to carry out the provision of services contemplated under this Agreement and other agreements between the Fund and the Custodian or any of its Affiliates and (ii) to carry out management of its businesses, including, but not limited to, financial and operational management and reporting, risk management, legal and regulatory compliance and client service management.

 

(b)                                 Subject to paragraph (c) below, the Custodian and/or its Affiliates (except those Affiliates or business divisions principally engaged in the business of asset management) may use any data or other information (“Data”) obtained by such entities in the performance of their services under this Agreement or any other agreement between the Fund and the Custodian or one of its Affiliates, including Data regarding transactions and portfolio holdings relating to the Fund, and publish, sell, distribute or otherwise commercialize the Data; provided that, unless the Fund otherwise consents, Data is combined or aggregated with information relating to (i) other customers of the Custodian and/or its Affiliates or (ii) information derived from other sources, in each case such that any published information will be displayed in a manner designed to prevent attribution to or identification of such Data with the Fund. The Fund agrees that Custodian and/or its Affiliates may seek to profit and realize economic benefit from the commercialization and use of the Data, that such benefit will constitute part of the Custodian’s compensation for services under this Agreement or such other agreement, and the Custodian and/or its Affiliates shall be entitled to retain and not be required to disclose the amount of such economic benefit and profit to the Fund.

 

(c)                                  Except as expressly contemplated by this Agreement, nothing in this Section 20.10 shall limit the confidentiality and data-protection obligations of the Custodian and its Affiliates under this Agreement and applicable law.  The Custodian shall cause any Affiliate, agent or service provider to which it has disclosed Data pursuant to this Section 20.10 to comply at all times with confidentiality and data-protection obligations as if it were a party to this Agreement.

 

SECTION 20.11  DATA PRIVACY. The Custodian will implement and maintain a written information security program that contains appropriate security measures to safeguard the personal information of the Fund’s shareholders, employees, directors and officers that the Custodian receives, stores, maintains, processes or otherwise accesses in connection with the provision of services hereunder.  The term, “personal information”, as used in this Section, means (a) an individual’s name (first initial and last name or first name and last name), address or telephone number plus (i) Social Security number, (ii) driver’s license number, (iii) state identification card number, (iv) debit or credit card number, (v) financial account number or (vi) personal identification number or password that would permit access to a person’s account, or (b) any combination of any of the foregoing that would allow a person to log onto or access an individual’s account.  The term does not include information that is lawfully obtained from publicly available information, or from federal, state or local government records lawfully made available to the general public.

 

24

 

SECTION 20.12  REPRODUCTION OF DOCUMENTS.  This Agreement and all schedules, addenda, exhibits, appendices, attachments and amendments hereto may be reproduced by any photographic, photostatic, microfilm, micro-card, miniature photographic or other similar process.  Any such reproduction shall be admissible in evidence as the original itself in any judicial or administrative proceeding, whether or not the original is in existence and whether or not such reproduction was made by a party in the regular course of business, and any enlargement, facsimile or further reproduction of such reproduction shall likewise be admissible in evidence.

 

SECTION 20.13  REGULATION GG.  The Fund represents and warrants that it does not engage in an “Internet gambling business,” as such term is defined in Section 233.2(r) of Federal Reserve Regulation GG (12 CFR 233) and covenants that it shall not engage in an Internet gambling business.  In accordance with Regulation GG, the Fund is hereby notified that “restricted transactions,” as such term is defined in Section 233.2(y) of Regulation GG, are prohibited in any dealings with the Custodian pursuant to this Agreement or otherwise between or among any party hereto.

 

SECTION 20.14  SHAREHOLDER COMMUNICATIONS ELECTION.  SEC Rule 14b-2 requires banks that hold securities, as that term is used in federal securities laws, for the account of customers to respond to requests by issuers of securities for the names, addresses and holdings of beneficial owners of securities of that issuer held by the bank unless the beneficial owner has expressly objected to disclosure of this information.  In order to comply with the rule, as may be applicable, the Custodian needs the Fund to indicate whether it authorizes the Custodian to provide the Fund’s name, address, and share position to requesting companies whose securities the Fund owns.  If the Fund tells the Custodian “no,” the Custodian will not provide this information to requesting companies.  If the Fund tells the Custodian “yes” or does not check either “yes” or “no” below, the Custodian is required by the rule, as applicable, to treat the Fund as consenting to disclosure of this information for all securities owned by the Fund or any funds or accounts established by the Fund.  For the Fund’s protection, the Rule, as applicable, prohibits the requesting company from using the Fund’s name and address for any purpose other than corporate communications.  Please indicate below whether the Fund consents or objects by checking one of the alternatives below.

 

	
YES [   ]
    	
 
    	
The Custodian is authorized to release the Fund’s   name, address, and share positions.
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
NO [   ]
    	
 
    	
The Custodian is not authorized to release the   Fund’s name, address, and share positions.
    

 

[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]

 

25

 

SIGNATURE PAGE

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties has caused this Agreement to be executed in its name and behalf by its duly authorized representative under seal as of the date first above-written.

 

 

	
NEW MOUNTAIN GUARDIAN III BDC, L.L.C.
    
	
 
    
	
 
    
	
By:
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Name:
    	
 
    
	
Title:
    	
 
    
	
 
    
	
 
    
	
STATE   STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY
    
	
 
    
	
 
    
	
By:
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Name:
    	
 
    
	
Title:
    	
 
    

 

26

 

LOAN SERVICES ADDENDUM

TO CUSTODIAN AGREEMENT

 

ADDENDUM to that certain Custodian Agreement (the “Custodian Agreement”) by and between New Mountain Guardian III BDC, L.L.C. (the “Fund”) and State Street Bank and Trust Company, including its subsidiaries and other affiliates (the “Custodian”).

 

In addition to the applicable terms of the Custodian Agreement, if any, the following provisions will apply with respect to interests in commercial loans, including loan participations, whether the loans are bilateral or syndicated and whether any obligor is located in or outside of the United States (collectively, “Loans”), made or acquired by the Fund.

 

SECTION 1.  PAYMENT CUSTODY.  If the Fund wishes the Custodian to receive payments directly with respect to a Loan for credit to the bank account maintained by the Custodian for the Fund under the Custodian Agreement,

 

(a)                                 the Fund will cause the Custodian to be named as the Fund’s nominee for payment purposes under the relevant financing documents, e.g., in the case of a syndicated loan, the administrative contact for the agent bank, and otherwise provide for the payment to the Custodian of the payments with respect to the Loan; and

 

(b)                                 the Custodian will credit to the bank account maintained by the Custodian for the Fund under the Custodian Agreement any payment on or in respect of the Loan actually received by the Custodian and identified as relating to the Loan, but with any amount credited being conditional upon clearance and actual receipt by the Custodian of final payment.

 

SECTION 2.  MONITORING.  If the Fund wishes the Custodian to monitor payments on and forward notices relating to a Loan,

 

(a)                                 the Fund will deliver, or cause to be delivered, to the Custodian a schedule identifying the amount and due dates of the scheduled principal payments, the scheduled interest payment dates and related payment amount information, and such other information with respect to the Loan as the Custodian may reasonably require in order to perform its services hereunder (collectively, “Loan Information”) and in such form and format as the Custodian may reasonably request; and

 

(b)                                 the Custodian will (i) if the amount of a principal, interest, fee or other payment with respect to the Loan is not received by the Custodian on the date on which the amount is scheduled to be paid as reflected in the Loan Information, provide a report to the Fund that the payment has not been received and (ii) if the Custodian receives any consent solicitation, notice of default or similar notice from any syndication agent, lead or obligor on the Loan, undertake reasonable efforts to forward the notice to the Fund.

 

i

 

SECTION 3.  SAFEKEEPING.

 

(a)                                 Safekeeping Function.  If the Fund wishes the Custodian to hold for safekeeping any document, instrument or agreement relating to a Loan, whether in written or electronic form and whether an original or copy (a “Financing Document”),

 

(i)                                     the Fund will (A) if the Financing Document is in a written or other tangible form, deliver the Financing Document to the Custodian and (B) otherwise transmit the Financing Document to the Custodian as an electronic record, in each case through a method of delivery or transmission approved by the Custodian, and

 

(ii)                                  the Custodian will (A) accept the delivery or transmission of the Financing Document, (B) hold or store the Financing Document as bailee for the benefit of the Fund, (C) promptly, upon the Fund’s request, deliver or transmit the Financing Document to the Fund or to any party as the Fund may specify and (D) at the request of the Fund but no more often than once each calendar quarter, provide to the Fund a list of the Financing Documents accepted by the Custodian pursuant to the foregoing clause (A) and of the Financing Documents delivered or transmitted out by the Custodian pursuant to the foregoing clause (C).  The Custodian will be entitled to employ a sub-custodian to carry out any of the foregoing safekeeping duties.

 

(b)                                 Safekeeping Exculpation.  The Custodian will have no obligation to (i) determine what Financing Documents may exist for a Loan, (ii) obtain any Financing Document that is not delivered or transmitted by the Fund to the Custodian, or (iii) examine the contents or determine the sufficiency of any Financing Document.  The Custodian will be entitled to assume the genuineness, sufficiency and completeness of any Financing Document and the genuineness and due authority of any person whose signature appears on any Financing Document.  The foregoing also applies to any sub-custodian.

 

SECTION 4.  EXCULPATION OF THE CUSTODIAN.

 

(a)                                 Payment Custody and Monitoring.  The Custodian will have no liability for any delay or failure by the Fund or any third party in providing Loan Information to the Custodian or for any inaccuracy or incompleteness of any Loan Information.  The Custodian will have no obligation to verify, investigate, recalculate, update or otherwise confirm the accuracy or completeness of any Loan Information or other information or notices received by the Custodian in respect of the Loan.  The Custodian will be entitled to (i) rely upon the Loan Information provided to it by or on behalf of the Fund or any other information or notices that the Custodian may receive from time to time from any syndication agent, lead or obligor or any similar party with respect to the Loan and (ii) update its records on the basis of such information or notices as may from time to time be received by the Custodian.

 

(b)                                 Any Service.  The Custodian will have no obligation to (i) determine whether any necessary steps have been taken or requirements have been met for the Fund to have acquired good or record title to a Loan, (ii) ensure that the Fund’s acquisition of the Loan has been authorized by the Fund, (iii) collect past due payments on the Loan, preserve any rights against prior parties, exercise any right or perform any obligation in connection with the Loan (including

 

ii

 

taking any action in connection with any consent solicitation, notice of default or similar notice received from any syndication agent, lead or obligor on the Loan) or otherwise take any other action to enforce the payment obligations of any obligor on the Loan, (iv) become itself the record title holder of the Loan or (v) make any advance of its own funds with respect to the Loan.

 

(c)                                  Miscellaneous.  The Custodian will not be considered to have been or be charged with knowledge of the sale of a Loan by the Fund, unless and except to the extent that the Custodian shall have received written notice of the sale from the Fund and the proceeds of the sale have been received by the Custodian for credit to the bank account maintained by the Custodian for the Fund under the Custodian Agreement.  If any question arises as to the Custodian’s duties under this Addendum, the Custodian may request instructions from the Fund and will be entitled at all times to refrain from taking any action unless it has received Proper Instructions from the Fund.  The Custodian will in all events have no liability, risk or cost for any action taken or omitted with respect to the Loan pursuant to Proper Instructions.  The Custodian will have no responsibilities or duties whatsoever with respect to the Loan except as are expressly set forth in this Addendum.

 

iiiEXHIBIT 10.8

 

TRANSFER AGENCY AND REGISTRAR SERVICES AGREEMENT

 

THIS TRANSFER AGENCY AND REGISTRAR SERVICES AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), dated as of August 1, 2019 (the “Effective Date”), is entered into by and between NEW MOUNTAIN GUARDIAN III BDC, L.L.C., a Delaware limited liability company (the “Company”), and AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY, LLC, a New York limited liability trust company (“AST”; together with the Company, the “Parties”; each, the “Party”).

 

1.                                      Appointment of AST as Transfer Agent and Registrar.

 

(a)                                 The Company hereby appoints AST, and AST hereby accepts such appointment, to act as sole transfer agent and registrar (the “Transfer Agent”) for the units of the Company and for any other securities of the Company as requested in writing by the Company from time to time (the “Units”).  AST shall perform only those duties and obligations that are specifically set forth in this Agreement, and no implied duties and obligations shall be read into this Agreement against AST.

 

(b)                                 On or immediately after the Effective Date, the Company shall deliver to AST the following: (i) a record of the outstanding Units of the Company approved and authorized by the board of directors of the Company (the “Board”) and certified by the corporate secretary or similar authorized officers of the Company; (ii) incumbency certificates of the officers of the Company who are authorized to deliver written instructions and requests on behalf of the Company to AST; (iii) copies of the organizational documents of the Company, certified by the corporate secretary or similar authorized officers of the Company; (iv) a schedule that lists the class of the Units; and (vi) all documentation or information reasonably requested by AST that is required by bank regulatory authorities under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including without limitation the United and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001, as amended.

 

(c)                                  The Company shall promptly advise AST in writing of any change in the capital structure of the Company, and the Company shall promptly provide AST with resolutions of the Board authorizing any recapitalization of the Units or change in the number of issued or authorized Units.  Further, the Company shall advise AST reasonably promptly of any amendment or supplement to any information or materials provided by the Company to AST and shall provide such amendment or supplement to AST as soon as practicable.

 

(d)                                 The Company hereby authorizes AST to establish a program (the “DRS Sale Program”) through which a holder of one or more Units (each, a “Unitholder”) may elect to sell any Units, if permitted by the Company, held in book-entry form through the Direct Registration System.  The Company shall not be charged by AST for establishing or administering the DRS Sale Program, and AST shall be entitled to charge a transaction fee as set forth on Schedule 2 to any Unitholder that elects to sell Units through the DRS Sale Program.  The Company hereby appoints AST, and AST hereby accepts such appointment, to act as the administrator of the DRS Sale Program.

 

2.                                      Term.  The initial term of this Agreement shall be two (2) years from the date hereof, and this Agreement shall automatically renew for additional three-year successive terms (each, a “Term”) without further action of the Parties, unless written notice is provided by either Party at least sixty (60) days prior to the end of the initial or any subsequent Term.  The Term shall be governed by this Section, notwithstanding the cessation of active trading of the Units.  Notwithstanding this Section 2, this Agreement shall terminate on the date that all Units of the Company have been redeemed.

 

 

3.                                      Fees; Expenses.

 

(a)                                 As consideration for the services listed on Schedule 1 (the “Services”), the Company shall pay to AST the fees set forth on Schedule 2 (the “Fees”).  If the Company requests that AST provide additional services not contemplated hereby, the Company shall pay to AST fees for such services at AST’s reasonable and customary rates, such fees to be governed by the terms of a separate agreement to be mutually agreed to and entered into by the Parties at such time (the “Additional Service Fee”; together with the Fees, the “Service Fees”).

 

(b)                                 The Company shall reimburse AST for all reasonable and documented expenses incurred by AST (including, without limitation, reasonable and documented fees and disbursements of counsel) in connection with the Services (the “Expenses”); provided, however, that AST reserves the right to request advance payment for any out-of-pocket expenses and AST shall receive written approval from the Company for any out-of-pocket expenses exceeding $1,000.  The Company agrees to pay all Service Fees and Expenses within forty-five (45) days following receipt of an invoice from AST.

 

(c)                                  The Company agrees and acknowledges that AST may adjust the Service Fees annually, on or about each anniversary date of this Agreement, by the annual percentage of change in the latest Consumer Price Index of All Urban Consumers United States City Average, as published by the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, plus one-half percent (0.5%), provided that such annual increase will be limited to no more than three percent (3%) per year.

 

(d)                                 Upon termination of this Agreement for any reason, AST shall assist the Company with the transfer of records of the Company held by AST.  AST shall be entitled to reasonable additional compensation and reimbursement of any Expenses for the preparation and delivery of such records to the successor agent or to the Company, and for maintaining records that are received after the termination of this Agreement (the “Record Transfer Services”).

 

4.                                      Representations and Warranties.

 

(a)                                 The Company represents and warrants to AST that (i) it is duly organized and validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the state of its organization; (ii) it has all requisite power and authority to enter into this Agreement and to perform the transactions contemplated hereby; (iii) the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby have been duly authorized by all necessary action on the part of the Company; and (iv) this Agreement has been duly executed and delivered and is the legally valid and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with this Agreement’s terms, except as may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws relating to or limiting creditors’ rights generally or by equitable principles (whether enforcement is sought by proceeding in equity or at law).

 

(b)                                 AST represents and warrants to the Company that: (i) it is a limited liability trust company duly organized and validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of New York; (ii) it is duly qualified to carry on its business in the State of New York; (iii) it is empowered under applicable laws and by its governing documents to enter into and perform this Agreement; (iv) all requisite corporate proceedings required by said governing instruments and applicable law have been taken to authorize it to enter into and perform this Agreement, and this Agreement has been duly executed and delivered, and is enforceable against AST in accordance with its terms, except as may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws relating to or limiting creditors’ rights generally or by equitable principles (whether enforcement is sought by proceeding in equity or at law); and (v) it is duly registered as a transfer agent under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and is in compliance with its obligations under the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder.

 

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(c)                                  All Units issued and outstanding as of the date hereof, or to be issued during the Term, are or shall be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable. All such Units shall be issued pursuant to an exemption from the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and are or shall be duly registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”).

 

(d)                                 Any Units that are not registered under the Securities Act are or shall be issued or transferred in a transaction that is, or a series of transactions that are, exempt from the registration provisions under the Securities Act, and such Units bear or shall bear the applicable restrictive legends.  Upon any issuance or transfer of such Units, the Company shall deliver to AST a legal opinion in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to AST.

 

5.                                      Reliance.

 

(a)                                 AST shall be entitled to assume the validity of the issuance, presentation or transfer of  a Unit, the genuineness of any endorsement(s), the authority of its presenter(s), or the collection or payment of charges or taxes incident to the issuance or transfer of such Unit; provided, however, that AST may delay or decline to issue or transfer a Unit if it determines in good faith and in its sole discretion that it is in the Company’s and/or AST’s best interests to receive evidence or written assurance of the validity of the issuance, presentation or transfer of the Unit, the authority of its presenter(s) or the collection or payment of any charges or taxes relating to the issuance or transfer.

 

(b)                                 For the avoidance of doubt, AST shall not be responsible for any transfer or issuance of Units that has not been effected by AST.

 

(c)                                  AST may rely on, and shall be protected and incur no liability in acting or refraining from acting in reliance upon: (i) any writing or other instruction, including, but not limited to, oral instruction, certificate, instrument, opinion, notice, letter, stock power, affidavit or other document or security, received from any Person (as defined below) it believes in good faith to be an authorized officer, agent or employee of the Company, unless, prior thereto the Company has advised AST in writing that AST must act and rely only on written instructions of certain authorized officers of the Company; (ii) any statement of fact contained in any such writing or instruction which AST in good faith believes to be accurate; (iii) other authenticity and genuineness of any signature (manual, facsimile or electronic) appearing on any writing, including, but not limited to, any certificate, instrument, opinion, notice, letter, stock power, affidavit or other document or security; and (iv) the conformity to original of any copy.  AST may act and rely on the advice, opinions or instructions received from the Company’s legal counsel.  In the event that the Company or its legal counsel is unavailable or does not respond to AST’s requests for legal advice, AST may seek the advice of AST’s own legal counsel (including its internal legal counsel), and AST shall be entitled to act and rely on the advice, opinion or instruction of such counsel, which shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by AST pursuant to such advice, opinion or instruction.  Without limiting the foregoing, AST shall be entitled to use and rely upon any instructions of the Company without responsibility for independent verification thereof and shall not assume responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of such instructions.

 

(d)                                 AST may rely on, and shall be protected and incur no liability in acting or refraining from acting in reliance upon: (i) any writing or other instruction believed by AST in good faith to have been furnished by or on behalf of a Unitholder, including, but not limited to, any oral instruction, certificate, instrument, opinion, notice, letter, stock power, affidavit or other document or security; (ii) any statement of fact contained in any such writing or instruction which AST in good faith believes to be accurate; (iii) the apparent authority of any Person to act on behalf of a Unitholder as having actual authority to the extent of such apparent authority; (iv) the authenticity and genuineness of any signature (manual, facsimile or

 

3

 

electronic) appearing on any writing, including, but not limited to, any certificate, instrument, opinion, notice, letter, stock power, affidavit or other document or security; and (v) on the conformity to original of any copy.  AST is authorized to reject any transfer request that fails to satisfy AST’s internal procedures relating to the transfer of Units.  Without limiting the foregoing, AST shall be entitled to use and rely upon any instructions of a Unitholder or its representatives without responsibility for independent verification thereof and shall not assume responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of such instructions.

 

(e)                                  AST may rely on, and shall be protected and incur no liability in acting or refraining from acting in reliance upon: (i) any guaranty of signature by an “eligible guarantor institution” that is a member or participant in the Securities Transfer Agents Medallion Program or other comparable signature guarantee program or insurance program; or (ii) any instructions received through the Depository Trust Company’s Direct Registration System/Profile service.

 

(f)                                   AST shall promptly notify the Company upon receipt of a Unit that is not reflected in AST’s records.  If the Company and AST are unable to account for such Unit, within sixty (60) days of such determination, the Company shall in its sole discretion (a) increase the number of issued Units or (b) acquire and cancel a number of Units to account for such Unit.

 

6.                                      Unclaimed Property.

 

(a)                                 To the extent required by applicable unclaimed property laws or if requested by the Company, AST will provide, or cause to be provided, unclaimed property reporting services for unclaimed property that  may be deemed abandoned or otherwise subject to unclaimed property law.  Such services may include (without limitation) (i) identification of unclaimed or abandoned property, (ii) preparation of unclaimed or abandoned property reports, (iii) delivery of unclaimed or abandoned property to the applicable state unclaimed property departments, (iv) completion of required due diligence notifications, (v) responses to inquiries from Unitholders relating to unclaimed or abandoned property, and (vi) such other services as may reasonably be necessary to comply with unclaimed property laws or regulations.  The Company shall assist and cooperate with AST as reasonably necessary in connection with the performance of the services described in this Section.  AST shall assist the Company in responding to (x) inquiries from state unclaimed property departments regarding reports filed by or on behalf of the Company or (y) requests for the confirmation of names of owners of unclaimed or abandoned property.

 

(b)                                 Upon written approval from the Company, AST may use a unitholder locating service provider (the “Locating Service Provider”) to locate and contact Unitholders (or their surviving relatives, joint tenants or heirs, as applicable) to assist them in preventing the escheatment of applicable Units and related unclaimed or abandoned property.  The Company shall not be charged by AST or the Locating Service Provider for such services.  The Locating Service Provider shall inform the Unitholders that they may elect (x) to contact AST at no charge other than at AST’s applicable fees or (y) to utilize the services of the Locating Service Provider for a fee, which shall not exceed the maximum fee allowed under the applicable state’s unclaimed property rules.

 

7.                                      Confidentiality.

 

(a)                                       “Confidential Information” means, as to the Disclosing Party (as defined below) and, if applicable, its Affiliates: (i) information concerning the business of the Disclosing Party and, if applicable, its Affiliates (including, without limitation, business, financial, technical, and other information marked or designated by such Party as “confidential” or “proprietary”, historical financial statements, financial projections and budgets, audits, tax returns and accountants’ materials, historical, current and projected sales, capital spending budgets and plans, business plans, strategic plans, marketing and advertising plans, publications, and customer agreements); (ii) information that, by the nature of the circumstances

 

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surrounding the disclosure, ought in good faith to be treated as confidential; (iii) information, including account information, relating to the unitholders of the Disclosing Party; and (iv) all notes, analyses, compilations, studies, summaries and other material prepared by the Receiving Party (as defined below), its Affiliates, employees, agents, and representatives containing or based, in whole or in part, on any or all of the foregoing; provided that Confidential Information shall not include any information that (x) is or becomes generally available to the public (other than as a result of a disclosure by the Receiving Party, its Affiliates, or the Receiving Party’s or its Affiliates’ directors, officers, employees, agents, representatives, advisors, legal counsel or auditors (collectively “Representatives”)); (y) was rightfully disclosed to the Receiving Party by a third party without a breach of any confidentiality obligations hereunder (provided that such third party and information is not known by the Receiving Party to be bound by a confidentiality agreement with or other obligation of secrecy or confidentiality to or for the benefit of the Disclosing Party); or (z) was independently developed by the Receiving Party or its Representatives without reference to or use of any Confidential Information.

 

(b)                                 “Affiliates” means, as to a specified Person, another Person that directly, or indirectly, controls or is controlled or is under common control with the specified Person; “Person” means any corporation, limited liability company, partnership or other legal entity; and “control” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of a Person, whether through the ability to exercise voting power, by contract or otherwise.  “Controlling” and “controlled” shall have corresponding meanings.

 

(c)                                  Each Party (the “Receiving Party”) acknowledges that it may acquire or have access to Confidential Information of the other Party (the “Disclosing Party”) in connection with the Services or this Agreement.  The Receiving Party shall not disclose Confidential Information to any other Person, and shall not use Confidential Information for any purposes other than in connection with the performance of its obligations under this Agreement; provided that the Receiving Party shall be permitted to disclose Confidential Information (i) pursuant to the order of any court or administrative agency or in any pending legal, judicial or administrative proceeding, or otherwise as required by applicable law or compulsory legal process based on the advice of counsel (in which case the Receiving Party agrees, to the extent practicable and not prohibited by applicable law, to inform the Disclosing Party promptly thereof prior to disclosure; provided, however, that this clause shall not require AST to notify the Company of its receipt of any subpoena, summons, or other legal process relating to wage garnishment, tax levy or domestic matter proceedings filed against or by a Unitholder); or  (ii) upon the request or demand of any regulatory authority having jurisdiction over the Receiving Party (in which case the Receiving Party agrees, to the extent practicable and not prohibited by applicable law, to inform the Disclosing Party promptly thereof prior to disclosure).  The Receiving Party shall safeguard the Confidential Information to the same extent that it safeguards its own confidential information of a like nature and in any event with not less than a reasonable degree of care.

 

(d)                                 Upon the termination of this Agreement or upon the Disclosing Party’s written request, the Receiving Party shall, at the Disclosing Party’s option, either destroy or return to the Disclosing Party any and all of the Confidential Information, written or other materials derived from the Confidential Information, and copies thereof, and shall delete and purge permanently all copies and traces of the same from any storage location and/or media to the extent reasonably or technically possible. The Receiving Party shall, within fifteen (15) days from the termination of this Agreement or such request, provide the Disclosing Party with a certificate signed by an authorized officer of the Receiving Party confirming that the Receiving Party has fulfilled its obligations under this clause.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, upon notice to the Disclosing Party, the Receiving Party may keep a copy of the Confidential Information after termination of this Agreement to the extent necessary for audit and/or regulatory purposes, required by its internal compliance or electronic back-up policies and procedures, or to the extent required under applicable law or order.

 

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8.                                      Termination.

 

(a)                                 Either Party may terminate this Agreement if the other Party breaches any material provision herein and either the breach cannot be cured or, if the breach can be cured, it is not cured by the breaching Party within 30 days after the breaching Party’s receipt of written notice of such breach (the “Cure Period”).  If the Company is the breaching Party, then, during the Cure Period, upon written notice to the Company, AST may suspend the Services without terminating this Agreement.  During the period of suspension of Services, AST shall have no obligation to act as Transfer Agent, it being understood that such suspension shall not affect AST’s rights and remedies hereunder.  If AST is the breaching Party, and the breach remains uncured in accordance with this Section, the Company shall be entitled to terminate this Agreement without further payments other than payment of any amounts then outstanding under this Agreement.

 

(b)                                 Either Party may terminate this Agreement, effective upon written notice to the other Party,  if the other Party (i) becomes insolvent or admits its inability to pay its debts generally as they become due; (ii) becomes subject, voluntarily or involuntarily, to any proceeding under any domestic or foreign bankruptcy or insolvency law, which is not fully stayed within seven (7) business days or is not dismissed or vacated within forty-five (45) business days after filing; (iii) is dissolved or liquidated or takes any corporate action for such purpose; (iv) makes a general assignment for the benefit of creditors; or (v) has a receiver, trustee, custodian or similar agent appointed by order of any court of competent jurisdiction to take charge of or sell any material portion of its property or business.

 

(c)                                  The expiration or termination of this Agreement, for any reason, shall not release either Party from any obligation or liability to the other Party, including any payment and delivery obligation, that (i) has already accrued hereunder; (ii) comes into effect due to the expiration or termination of this Agreement; or (iii) otherwise survives the expiration or termination of this Agreement. Following the termination of this Agreement, AST shall promptly invoice the Company for any outstanding Service Fees and Expenses due and owing under this Agreement, and the Company shall pay all such Service Fees and Expenses to AST in accordance with the payment terms set forth in this Agreement.

 

(d)                                 If the Company terminates this Agreement pursuant to Sections 2 or 8(a), then the Company shall pay to AST (i) all amounts outstanding (except such amounts contested in good faith) under this Agreement as of the date of such termination and (ii) AST’s then-customary fees for Record Transfer Services.  If the Company terminates this Agreement for any reason other than pursuant to Sections 2 or 8(a), then the Company shall pay to AST (x) all outstanding Service Fees and Expenses as of the date of such termination, (y) the Service Fees that would otherwise have accrued during the remainder of the then-current Term, and (z) AST’s then-customary fees for Record Transfer Services.

 

9.                                      Limitations on Liability.

 

(a)                                 To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, no Party shall be liable to any other Party on any theory of liability for any special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages (including, without limitation, any loss of profits, business or anticipated savings).

 

(b)                                 AST’s liability arising out of or in connection with the Services shall not exceed two times (2x) the aggregate amount of all Service Fees paid under this Agreement during the twelve-month period immediately prior to the date of occurrence of the circumstances giving rise to such liability.

 

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10.                               Indemnity.

 

(a)                                 The Company hereby agrees to indemnify and hold harmless AST and its Affiliates and its and their officers, directors, employees, advisors, agents, other representatives and controlling persons (each, an “Indemnified Person”) from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses, joint or several, to which any such Indemnified Person may become subject arising out of or in connection with this Agreement and the Services or any claim, litigation, investigation or proceeding relating to any of the foregoing (each, a “Proceeding”), regardless of whether any such Indemnified Person is a party thereto or whether a Proceeding is brought by a third party or by the Company or any of its Affiliates, and to reimburse each such Indemnified Person upon demand for any reasonable, documented legal or other out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with investigating or defending any of the foregoing by one counsel to the Indemnified Persons taken as a whole and, in the case of actual or potential conflict of interest, one additional counsel to the affected Indemnified Persons taken as a whole; provided that the foregoing indemnity shall not, as to any Indemnified Person, apply to losses, claims, damages, liabilities or related expenses  to the extent they have resulted from the willful misconduct, bad faith or gross negligence of such Indemnified Person (as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in a final and non-appealable decision).

 

(b)                                 AST agrees to notify the Company promptly of the assertion of any Proceeding against any Indemnified Person; and the Company agrees to notify AST promptly of the assertion of any Proceeding against the Company, or any of its officers, directors, employees, advisors, agents other Representatives and controlling persons in connection with the Services, in which event AST agrees to assume sole responsibility of promptly notifying any of the relevant Indemnified Persons of any such assertion.  At the Company’s election, unless there is a conflict of interest, the defense of the Indemnified Persons shall be conducted by the Company’s counsel. Notwithstanding the foregoing, AST may employ separate counsel to represent it or defend AST or an Indemnified Person in such Proceeding, and the Company will pay any reasonable, documented legal or other out-of-pocket expenses of counsel if AST or such Indemnified Person reasonably determines, based on the advice of its legal counsel, that there are defenses available to AST or such Indemnified Person that are different from, or in addition to, those available to the Company, or if an actual or potential conflict of interest between AST or the Indemnified Person and the Company makes representation by the Company’s counsel not advisable; provided  that, unless there is an actual or potential conflict of interest, the Company will not be required to pay the fees and expenses of more than one separate counsel for all Indemnified Persons in any jurisdiction in any single Proceeding.  In any Proceeding the defense of which the Company assumes, the Indemnified Persons shall be entitled to participate in such Proceeding and retain its own counsel at such Indemnified Person’s own expense.

 

(c)                                  The Company shall not be liable for any settlement of any Proceedings effected without its consent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed), but if settled with the Company’s written consent or if there is a final judgment for the plaintiff in any such Proceedings, the Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Indemnified Person from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses by reason of such settlement or judgment in accordance with clause (a) above.  The Company shall not, without the prior written consent of an Indemnified Person (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed), effect any settlement or consent to the entry of any judgment of any pending or threatened Proceedings in respect of which indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such Indemnified Person, unless (i) such settlement includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Person in form and substance satisfactory to such Indemnified Person from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such Proceedings and (ii) does not include any statement as to or any admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any Indemnified Person.

 

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11.                               Force Majeure.  AST shall not be liable for failure or delay in the performance of the Services if such failure or delay is due to causes beyond its reasonable control, including but not limited to Acts of God (including fire, flood, earthquake, storm, hurricane or other natural disaster), war, invasion, act of foreign enemies, hostilities (regardless of whether war is declared), civil war, rebellion, revolution, insurrection, military or usurped power or confiscation, terrorist activities, nationalization, government sanction, blockage, embargo, labor dispute, strike, lockout or interruption or failure of electricity or telephone service or any other force majeure event.

 

12.                               Notices.  Any notice, report or payment required or permitted to be given or made under this Agreement by one Party to the other shall be in writing and addressed to the other Party at the following address (or at such other address as shall be given in writing by one Party to the other):

 

If to the Company:

 

New Mountain Guardian III BDC, L.L.C.

787 Seventh Avenue, 48th Floor

New York, New York 10019

Attention: Shiraz Kajee

Email: skajee@newmountaincapital.com

 

With a copy to:

 

Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP

700 Sixth Street NW, Suite 700

Washington, DC 20001

Attention: Vlad Bulkin

Email: vladbulkin@eversheds-sutherland.com

 

If to AST:

 

American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC

6201 15th Avenue

Brooklyn, NY  11219

Attention: Relationship Management

 

With a copy to:

 

American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC

48 Wall Street, 22nd Floor

New York, New York 10005

Attention: Legal Department

Email: legalteamAST@astfinancial.com

 

13.                               Miscellaneous.

 

(a)                                 The Company acknowledges and agrees that (i) nothing herein shall be construed as creating any agency, partnership, joint venture or other form of joint enterprise, employment or fiduciary relationship between the Parties, and (ii) the Company waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims that it may have against AST for breach of fiduciary duty or alleged breach of fiduciary duty and agrees that AST shall have no liability (whether direct or indirect) to the Company in respect of such a fiduciary duty claim.

 

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(b)                                 This Agreement shall be construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without reference to its conflicts of law rules.  It is agreed that any action, suit or proceeding arising out of or based upon this Agreement shall be brought in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York or any court of the State of New York of competent jurisdiction located in such District.  Service of any process by registered mail addressed to each party at the respective address above shall be effective service of process against such party for any suit, action or proceeding brought in any such court.  Each Party (i) waives, to the fullest extent it may legally and effectively do so, any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the Services in any New York State court or in any such Federal court; (ii) waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the defense of an inconvenient forum to the maintenance of such suit, action or proceeding in any such court; and (iii) agrees that a final judgment in any such suit, action or proceeding shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by law.  EACH PARTY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES THE RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION, PROCEEDING, CLAIM OR COUNTERCLAIM BROUGHT BY OR ON BEHALF OF ANY PARTY RELATED TO OR ARISING OUT OF THIS AGREEMENT OR THE PERFORMANCE OF ANY SERVICE HEREUNDER.

 

(c)                                  The compensation, reimbursement, confidentiality, indemnification, jurisdiction, governing law, and waiver of jury trial provisions contained herein shall remain in full force and effect regardless of the termination of this Agreement.  No amendment or waiver of any provision hereof shall be effective unless in writing and signed by the Parties and then only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which given.  This Agreement is the only agreement between the Parties with respect to the matters contemplated hereby and sets forth the entire understanding of the Parties with respect thereto.  This Agreement and the obligations hereunder of each Party shall not be assignable by such Party without the prior written consent of the other Party (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned).

 

(d)                                 This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and by different Parties in separate counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement.  Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Agreement by facsimile transmission or in “.pdf” or “.tif” form shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement.  If any provision of this Agreement shall be held illegal or invalid by any court, this Agreement shall be construed and enforced as if such provision had not been contained herein and shall be deemed an agreement between the Parties to the fullest extent permitted by law.

 

[REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK.]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each Party has caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first above written.

 

 

	
AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY, LLC
    	
 
    	
NEW MOUNTAIN GUARDIAN III BDC, L.L.C.
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
By:
    	
/s/ Carlos Pinto
    	
 
    	
By:
    	
/s/ Karrie J. Jery
    
	
 
    	
Name: Carlos Pinto
    	
 
    	
 
    	
Name:
    	
Karrie J. Jerry
    
	
 
    	
Title: Senior Vice President
    	
 
    	
 
    	
Title:
    	
Chief Compliance Officer and Corporate Secretary
    

 

10

 

Schedule 1

 

Services

 

Capitalized terms used herein and not defined have the meaning ascribed to such terms in this Agreement.  Unless otherwise noted, AST will provide the following services:

 

ACCOUNT MAINTENANCE AND RECORDKEEPING

 

·                                          Open new accounts, consolidate and close Unitholder accounts

·                                          Annual record storage services (subject to additional fee)

·                                          Maintain all Unitholder accounts

·                                          Process address changes, including seasonal addresses

·                                          Place, maintain and remove stop transfers

·                                          Post all debit and credit certificate transactions

·                                          Perform social security solicitation

·                                          Handle unitholder and broker inquiries, including internet correspondence

·                                          Respond to requests for audit confirmations

·                                          Monthly report for all classes of securities in Microsoft Word and HTML formats (Excel format is subject to an additional fee)

 

UNIT AUDIT / CONTROL BOOK FUNCTIONS

 

·                                          Maintain accurate records of outstanding Units

·                                          Respond to requests for audit confirmations

·                                          Provide web access to the total outstanding Unit balances

 

SECURITY ISSUANCE/REDEMPTION FUNCTIONS

 

·                                          Process all routine transfers

·                                          Post all debit and credit certificate transactions

·                                          Create book entry Direct Registration System (“DRS”) positions

·                                          Participate in the DRS profile system, allowing broker “sweeps” of registered positions

·                                          Interface electronically with DTC/CEDE & CO.

·                                          Mail newly-issued DRS advices to Unitholders

·                                          Issue and register all Units

·                                          Issue Units upon exercise of unit options.

·                                          Process legal transfers and transactions requiring special handling

·                                          Provide, upon request, access to daily reports of processed transfers

·                                          Redeem Units upon written request

 

REPORTING

 

·                                          Furnish, upon request, unlimited Unitholder list, sorted by Company-designated criteria

 

LISTS AND MAILINGS

 

·                                          Enclose multiple proxy cards to same household in one envelope, if applicable (subject to additional fee)

·                                          Monitor and suppress undeliverable mail until correct address is located

·                                          Furnish unitholder lists, in any sequence

·                                          Provide geographical detail reports of all units issued/surrendered over a specific period

 

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·                                          Provide mailing labels

 

WEB-BASED ORIGINAL ISSUANCE (OI) / DWAC SYSTEM (1)

 

·                                          Facilitate Deposit/Withdrawal At Custodian (“DWAC”) and original issuances initiated from the Company’s desktop via Internet

·                                          Accept files for original issuances

·                                          Allow multiple requests to be submitted on the same form at the same time

·                                          Notify the Company via email when matching broker instructions have not been received

·                                          Provide designated brokers the ability for brokers to log into the system and track the status of Company-submitted items

·                                          Report daily and monthly transactions via e-mail

·                                          Enforce built-in security procedures

 

TECHNOLOGY AND INTERNET ACCESS

 

·                                          Retrieve account information (including outstanding Units and checks) 24 hours a day, 7 days per week

·                                          Review frequently asked questions, including transfer requirements and corporate actions data

·                                          Download forms (e.g., affidavit of domicile, form W8/W9, letters of transmittal and stock power)

·                                          Change account addresses

·                                          Replace lost, stolen or uncashed checks

·                                          Obtain a duplicate Form 1099

·                                          Sign up for electronic delivery (e.g., for proxy materials)

·                                          Request a record of Units held in book-entry or plan form

·                                          Enroll to have dividends directed toward purchase of additional Units

·                                          Send e-mail inquiries concerning Unitholder’s account, or conduct an online chat session with one of AST’s customer service representatives

 

UNITHOLDERS VIA THE INTERACTIVE VOICE RESPONSE (“IVR”)

 

·                                          Obtain account-specific information, including account balance

·                                          Execute plan transactions, including sales and certification requests

·                                          Request a duplicate Form 1099, with delivery via mail or fax

·                                          Request a transfer package via mail or fax

·                                          Request forms to effect address changes, check replacements and direct deposit enrollments

·                                          Obtain information pertaining to current corporate actions or other significant Company events

 

UNITHOLDER (INQUIRIES)

 

·                                          Distribute “welcome” material to new Unitholders (may incur reimbursable expenses)

·                                          Provide assistance to Unitholders related to their securities holdings as they initiate account inquiries or perform transactions, including guidance through common transactions and explanations for transaction rejections and the corrective steps required to complete their request

·                                          Provide 24/7 account access via the internet and IVR telephonic system

·                                          Provide toll-free number for Unitholder-initiated telephone inquiries to AST’s call center

·                                          Oversee the fulfillment process for potential investors (if applicable)

 

(1)  Please note that AST does not charge a fee for DWAC processing but that the broker may charge fees incurred from receipt of Units.

 

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CLIENT-DESIGNATED PERSONNEL VIA THE INTERNET

 

·                                          View and download detailed Unitholder data, including: name, address of record, account number(s), number of Units held in book-entry form, historical dividend-related information and  cost basis reporting information

·                                          Obtain total outstanding Unit balances

·                                          Utilize AST’s reporting tool to generate comprehensive reports in a real-time environment, with immediate e-mail delivery

·                                          Issue unit options and effect delivery through the DWAC system

·                                          Update company profile and corporate information

 

CONTROL BOOKS TRACKING

 

·                                          Receive daily emails of control books information

·                                          Review current transactions affecting the number of outstanding Units in a Company-specified date range

 

PROXY CENTRAL

 

·                                          Proxy reports (either summarized or detailed) by proposal

·                                          Voting status on the 50 largest accounts

·                                          Unitholders attending any Company unitholder meeting

·                                          DTC position listing

·                                          Broker voting detail

 

ANNUAL UNITHOLDER MEETING

 

·                                          Process proxy votes for routine/non-routine meetings of the Company

·                                          Imprint Unitholders’ name on proxy cards

·                                          (2)Mail material to Unitholders

·                                          Prepare and transmit daily proxy tabulation reports to the Company by email

·                                          Provide certified Unitholder list in hard copy if requested

·                                          Facilitate proxy distribution mailing

 

DIVIDEND DISBURSEMENT

 

·                                          Confirm in writing that the dividend notice was received

·                                          Prepare and calculate dividend payments

·                                          Coordinate dividend checks and enclosures (if applicable) mailing to the Unitholders

·                                          Furnish one copy of the dividend register, hard copy or CD-ROM (if requested)

·                                          Place stop payment orders on reported lost dividend checks

·                                          Issue replacement dividend checks/sales checks

·                                          Provide copies of paid dividend checks upon request (subject to additional fee)

·                                          Report annual dividend income to Unitholders on applicable Form 1099

·                                          File annual tax information electronically to the Internal Revenue Service

·                                          Withhold and remit backup withholding taxes as required by the Internal Revenue Service

·                                          Withhold foreign tax and file foreign tax reports as required by the Internal Revenue Service

·                                          Maintain custody and control of all undeliverable checks and forward returned items to Unitholders upon confirmation of a current address

 

(2)  Please note that postage and processing fees will apply.

 

13

 

UNCLAIMED PROPERTY

 

·                                          Analyze and identify unclaimed or abandoned property across each class of security (if applicable)

·                                          Prepare and distribute due diligence notices (may incur reimbursable expenses)

·                                          Prepare unclaimed or abandoned property reports (including null or negative reports, if applicable)

·                                          Deliver all unclaimed property and reports to the applicable jurisdictions

·                                          Respond to unitholder and state inquiries relating to unclaimed property filings

 

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Schedule 2

 

Fees

 

[Redacted]

 

15

 

[Redacted]

 

16

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