Investment Management Services Agreement: Definition & Sample
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What is an Investment Management Services Agreement?
An investment management services agreement is a contract between an investor and a service provider. The agreement outlines the responsibilities of each party, including the investment objectives and strategies to be followed by the service provider. It can also specify such things as the fees to be paid, the amount of control or input that the investor will have over the portfolio, and how often performance reports will be provided. A well-drafted agreement can provide clarity and peace of mind for both parties involved.
Common Sections in Investment Management Services Agreements
Below is a list of common sections included in Investment Management Services Agreements. These sections are linked to the below sample agreement for you to explore.
Investment Management Services Agreement Sample
INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT SERVICES AGREEMENT
This Agreement, dated as of April 17, 2012, is by and between Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC (the “Investment Manager”), a Minnesota limited liability company, and VPMF Offshore Fund, Ltd. (“Subsidiary” or “Fund”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Variable Portfolio – AQR Managed Futures Strategy Fund (“Parent Fund”), a series of Columbia Funds Variable Insurance Trust.
Part One: INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT AND OTHER SERVICES
The Fund hereby retains the Investment Manager, and the Investment Manager hereby agrees, for the period of this Agreement and under the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth, to furnish the Fund continuously with investment advice; to determine, consistent with the Fund’s Memorandum and Articles of Association and the Fund’s investment objectives, strategies and policies as from time to time set forth in the Parent Fund’s then-current prospectus or statement of additional information, or as otherwise established by the Board of the Subsidiary (the “Board”), which investments, in the Investment Manager’s discretion, shall be purchased, held or sold, and to execute or cause the execution of purchase or sell orders; to recommend changes to investment objectives, strategies and policies to the Board, as the Investment Manager deems appropriate; to perform investment research and prepare and make available to the Fund research and statistical data in connection therewith; and to furnish all other services of whatever nature that the Investment Manager from time to time reasonably determines to be necessary or useful in connection with the investment management of the Fund as provided under this Agreement; subject always to oversight by the Board and the authorized officers of the Fund. The Investment Manager agrees: (a) to maintain an adequate organization of competent persons to provide the services and to perform the functions herein mentioned (to the extent that such services and functions have not been delegated to a subadviser); and (b) to maintain adequate oversight over any subadvisers hired to provide services and to perform the functions herein mentioned. The Investment Manager agrees to meet with any persons at such times as the Board deems appropriate for the purpose of reviewing the Investment Manager’s performance under this Agreement and will prepare and furnish to the Board such reports, statistical data and other information relating to the investment management of the Fund in such form and at such intervals as the Board may reasonably request. The Fund agrees that the Investment Manager may, at its own expense, subcontract for certain of the services described under this Agreement (including with affiliates of the Investment Manager) with the understanding that the quality and scope of services required to be provided under this Agreement shall not be diminished thereby, and also with the understanding that the Investment Manager shall obtain such approval from the Board and/or Fund shareholders as is required by applicable law, rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, terms of this Agreement, resolutions of the Board and commitments of the Investment Manager. The Investment Manager agrees that, in the event it subcontracts with another party for some or all of the investment management services contemplated by this Agreement with respect to the Fund, the Investment Manager will retain overall supervisory responsibility for the general management and investment of the Fund and, subject to review and approval by the Board, will set the Fund’s overall investment strategies (consistent with the Parent Fund’s then-current
| prospectus and statement of additional information); evaluate, select and recommend one or more subadvisers to manage all or a portion of the Fund’s assets; when appropriate, allocate and reallocate the Fund’s assets among multiple subadvisers; monitor and evaluate the investment performance of subadvisers; and implement procedures reasonably designed to ensure that the subadvisers comply with the Fund’s investment objectives, policies and restrictions. |
| (2) | The Investment Manager shall comply (or cause the Fund to comply, as applicable) with all applicable law, and shall manage the Fund so as to ensure that the operations of the Fund and Parent Fund, taken as a whole, comply with all applicable law, including but not limited to the following, to the extent applicable, the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (the “1940 Act”), the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, the 1933 Act, and the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. |
| (3) | The Investment Manager shall allocate investment opportunities among its clients, including the Fund, in a fair and equitable manner, consistent with its fiduciary obligations to clients. The Fund recognizes that the Investment Manager and its affiliates may from time to time acquire information about issuers or securities that it may not share with, or act upon for the benefit of, the Fund. |
| (4) | The Investment Manager agrees to vote proxies and to provide or withhold consents, or to provide such support as is required or requested by the Board in conjunction with voting proxies and providing or withholding consents, solicited by or with respect to the issuers of securities in which the Fund ’ s assets may be invested from time to time, as directed by the Board from time to time. |
| (5) | The Investment Manager agrees that it will maintain all required records, memoranda, instructions or authorizations relating to the management of the assets for the Fund, including with respect to the acquisition or disposition of securities. The Investment Manager hereby agrees that all records that it maintains for the Fund under this Agreement are the property of the Subsidiary and further agrees to surrender promptly to the Subsidiary any of such records upon request. |
| (6) | The Fund agrees that it will furnish to the Investment Manager any information that the latter may reasonably request with respect to the services performed or to be performed by the Investment Manager under this Agreement. |
In selecting broker-dealers for execution, the Investment Manager will seek to obtain best execution for securities transactions on behalf of the Fund, except where otherwise directed by the Board. In selecting broker-dealers to execute transactions, the Investment Manager may consider not only available prices (including commissions or mark-up), but also other relevant factors such as, without limitation, the characteristics of the security being traded, the size and difficulty of the transaction, the execution, clearance and settlement capabilities as well as the reputation, reliability, and financial soundness of the broker-dealer selected,
| the broker-dealer’s risk in positioning a block of securities, the broker-dealer’s execution service rendered on a continuing basis and in other transactions, the broker-dealer’s expertise in particular markets, and the broker-dealer’s ability to provide research services. To the extent permitted by law, and consistent with its obligation to seek best execution, the Investment Manager may, except where otherwise directed by the Board, execute transactions or pay a broker-dealer a commission or markup in excess of that which another broker-dealer might have charged for executing a transaction provided that the Investment Manager determines, in good faith, that the execution is appropriate or the commission or markup is reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and/or research services provided, viewed in terms of either that particular transaction or the Investment Manager’s overall responsibilities with respect to the Fund and other clients for which it acts as investment adviser. The Investment Manager shall not consider the sale or promotion of shares of the Fund, or other affiliated products, as a factor in the selection of broker dealers through which transactions are executed. |
| (8) | Except for willful misfeasance, bad faith or negligence on the part of the Investment Manager in the performance of its duties, or reckless disregard by the Investment Manager of its obligations and duties, under this Agreement, neither the Investment Manager, nor any of its respective directors, officers, partners, principals, employees, or agents shall be liable for any acts or omissions or for any loss suffered by the Fund or its shareholders or creditors. To the extent permitted by applicable law, each of the Investment Manager, and its respective directors, officers, partners, principals, employees and agents, shall be entitled to rely, and shall be protected from liability in reasonably relying, upon any information or instructions furnished to it (or any of them as individuals) by the Fund or its agents which is believed in good faith to be accurate and reliable. The Fund understands and acknowledges that the Investment Manager does not warrant any rate of return, market value or performance of any assets in the Fund. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the federal securities laws impose liabilities under certain circumstances on persons who act in good faith and, therefore, nothing herein shall constitute a waiver of any right which the Fund may have under such laws or regulations. |
Part Two: COMPENSATION TO THE INVESTMENT MANAGER
| (1) | The Fund agrees to pay to the Investment Manager, in full payment for the services furnished, a fee as set forth in Schedule A . |
| (2) | The fee shall be accrued daily (unless otherwise directed by the Board consistent with the prospectus and statement of additional information of the Parent Fund) and paid on a monthly basis and, in the event of the effectiveness or termination of this Agreement, in whole or in part with respect to the Fund, during any month, the fee paid to the Investment Manager shall be prorated on the basis of the number of days that this Agreement is in effect during the month with respect to which such payment is made. |
| (3) | The fee provided for hereunder shall be paid in cash to the Investment Manager within five business days after the last day of each month. |
Part Three: ALLOCATION OF EXPENSES
