As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 24, 2008
1933 Act File No. 333-30810
1940 Act File No. 811-9819
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, DC 20549
FORM N-1A
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 [X]
Post-Effective Amendment No. 29 [X]
and
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT
OF 1940 [X]
Amendment No. 29 [X]
STATE STREET INSTITUTIONAL INVESTMENT TRUST
P.O. BOX 5501, BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02206
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
(617) 662-3966
(Registrant's Telephone Number)
Nancy L. Conlin, Secretary
State Street Bank and Trust Company
4 Copley Place
Tower II, Floor 3 Fund Administration Legal Division
(Name and Address of Agent for Service)
Copy to:
Timothy W. Diggins, Esq.
Ropes & Gray LLP
One International Place
Boston, Massachusetts 02110-2624
It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check appropriate box):
[ ] Immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)
[X] 60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
[ ] 75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2)
[ ] On _______ pursuant to paragraph (b)
[ ] On (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(1) of Rule 485.
[ ] On (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of Rule 485.
If appropriate, check the following box:
[ ] This post-effective amendment designates a new effective date for a
previously filed post-effective amendment.
State Street Institutional Investment Trust P.O. Box 5049 Boston, Massachusetts 02206
STATE STREET INSTITUTIONAL LIQUID RESERVES FUND
STATE STREET INSTITUTIONAL TAX FREE MONEY MARKET FUND
STATE STREET INSTITUTIONAL U.S. GOVERNMENT MONEY MARKET FUND
STATE STREET INSTITUTIONAL TREASURY MONEY MARKET FUND
STATE STREET INSTITUTIONAL TREASURY PLUS MONEY MARKET FUND
SERVICE CLASS
PROSPECTUS DATED [ ], 2008
THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION HAS NOT APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED THESE SECURITIES OR PASSED UPON THE ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
AN INVESTMENT IN THE STATE STREET INSTITUTIONAL LIQUID RESERVES FUND, THE STATE STREET INSTITUTIONAL TAX FREE MONEY MARKET FUND, THE STATE STREET INSTITUTIONAL U.S. GOVERNMENT MONEY MARKET FUND, THE STATE STREET INSTITUTIONAL TREASURY MONEY MARKET FUND AND THE STATE STREET INSTITUTIONAL TREASURY PLUS MONEY MARKET FUND (INDIVIDUALLY A "FUND," COLLECTIVELY THE "FUNDS") IS NOT A BANK DEPOSIT AND IS NOT INSURED OR GUARANTEED BY THE FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION ("FDIC") OR ANY OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCY. ALTHOUGH THE FUNDS SEEK TO PRESERVE THE VALUE OF YOUR INVESTMENT AT $1.00 PER SHARE, IT IS POSSIBLE TO LOSE MONEY BY INVESTING IN THE FUNDS.
EACH FUND OFFERS THREE CLASSES OF SHARES: INSTITUTIONAL CLASS, INVESTMENT
CLASS AND SERVICE CLASS. THIS PROSPECTUS COVERS ONLY THE SERVICE CLASS.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION State Street Institutional Liquid Reserves Fund State Street Institutional Tax Free Money Market Fund State Street Institutional U.S. Government Money Market Fund State Street Institutional Treasury Money Market Fund State Street Institutional Treasury Plus Money Market Fund MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUNDS' INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES, INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RISKS SHAREHOLDER INFORMATION HOW TO PURCHASE SHARES HOW TO REDEEM SHARES PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS DISCLOSURE SHAREHOLDER SERVICING PAYMENTS PAYMENTS TO FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAX CONSIDERATIONS |
INTRODUCTION
Each Fund is a series of the State Street Institutional Investment Trust (the "Trust"), which is an open-end management investment company organized as a business trust under the laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts. SSgA Funds Management, Inc. (the "Adviser" or "SSgA FM"), a subsidiary of State Street Corporation, is the investment adviser to each Fund and to the respective State Street Master Funds portfolio in which each Fund invests.
STATE STREET INSTITUTIONAL LIQUID RESERVES FUND
The investment objective of State Street Institutional Liquid Reserves Fund (the "ILR Fund" or sometimes referred to in context as the "Fund") is to seek to maximize current income, to the extent consistent with the preservation of capital and liquidity and the maintenance of a stable $1.00 per share net asset value ("NAV"). The Fund invests in U.S. dollar-denominated money market securities. There is no guarantee the Fund will be able to maintain a stable NAV per share, and you could lose money by investing in the Fund.
PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES
The ILR Fund is a money market fund that seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing substantially all of its investable assets in the State Street Money Market Portfolio (the "Money Market Portfolio") of State Street Master Funds, which has the same investment objective as, and investment policies that are substantially similar to those of, the Fund. In reviewing the investment objective and strategies of the Fund below, you should assume that the investment objective and strategies of the Money Market Portfolio are the same in all material respects as those of the Fund.
The ILR Fund attempts to achieve its investment objective by investing in money market instruments. Such instruments include but are not limited to: (1) U.S. Treasury bills, notes and bonds; (2) other obligations issued or guaranteed as to interest or principal by the U.S. government, its agencies, or instrumentalities; (3) instruments of U.S. and foreign banks, such as certificates of deposit, bankers' acceptances and time deposits, including Eurodollar Certificates of Deposit ("ECDs"), Eurodollar Time Deposits ("ETDs") and Yankee Certificates of Deposit ("YCDs"); (4) commercial paper of U.S. and foreign companies; (5) asset-backed securities; (6) corporate obligations of U.S. and foreign companies; (7) variable and floating rate notes; and (8) repurchase agreements. Normally, the Fund intends to invest more than 25% of its total assets in bank obligations.
Quality of Securities. The ILR Fund will limit its portfolio investments to
those U.S. dollar-denominated instruments which at the time of acquisition the
Adviser determines present minimal credit risk and which qualify as "eligible"
securities under the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") rules applicable
to money market mutual funds. In general, eligible securities include securities
that: (1) are rated in one of the two highest short-term categories by at least
two nationally recognized statistical rating organizations (each an "NRSRO");
(2) are rated in one of the two highest short- term categories by one NRSRO, if
only one NRSRO has rated the security; or (3) if unrated, are of comparable
quality to the rated security described above, as determined by the Adviser in
accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees.
Portfolio Maturity. A money market fund must limit its investments to securities with remaining maturities determined in accordance with applicable SEC regulations and must maintain a dollar-weighted average maturity of 90 days or less. The ILR Fund will normally hold portfolio instruments to maturity, but may dispose of them prior to maturity if the Adviser finds it advantageous or necessary. Investing in short-term money market instruments will result in high portfolio turnover. Since the cost of these transactions is small, high turnover is not expected to adversely affect the Fund's price or yield in any material respect.
Defensive Strategies. From time to time, the ILR Fund may take temporary defensive positions that are inconsistent with the Fund's principal investment strategies in attempting to respond to adverse market, economic or other conditions. These may include holding uninvested cash. Temporary defensive strategies may be inconsistent with the Fund's principal investment strategy and the Fund may not achieve its investment objective.
The Adviser bases its decisions on the relative attractiveness of different money market investments which can vary depending on the general level of interest rates as well as supply/demand imbalances in the market. There are risks associated with these instruments, which are summarized below.
PRINCIPAL RISKS OF INVESTING IN THE ILR FUND
- Banking Industry Risk. Because the ILR Fund may concentrate more than 25% of its assets in bank obligations, adverse developments in the banking industry may have a greater effect on the Fund than on a mutual fund that invests more broadly. For instance, if the banking industry suffers a setback, the Fund may perform worse than if the Fund were more diversified across numerous industries. Banks may be particularly sensitive to certain economic factors such as interest rate changes, adverse developments in the real estate market, fiscal and monetary policy and general economic cycles.
- Credit/Default Risk. Credit/default risk is the risk that an issuer or guarantor of a fixed-income security held by the ILR Fund may default on its obligation.
- Fixed-Income Securities Risk. The risks of fixed-income securities include, but are not limited to, interest rate risk, credit risk, and the risk that the maturity or duration of a security may be unexpectedly extended or shortened due to unanticipated prepayments or delays in payments of principal or interest.
- Foreign Investment Risk. Adverse political, regulatory, market, or economic developments in foreign countries can affect issuers located in those countries. Investments in foreign countries may also be subject to foreign withholding taxes.
- Interest Rate Risk. Interest rate increases can cause prices of a debt security to decrease. In addition, if a security is prepaid in a period of falling interest rates, the ILR Fund may have to reinvest the proceeds in lower-yielding investments. Interest rate risk is generally greater in the case of securities with longer durations and in the case of portfolios of securities with longer average durations.
- Liquidity Risk. Liquidity risk exists when particular investments cannot be disposed of quickly in the normal course of business. The ability of the ILR Fund to dispose of such securities at advantageous prices may be greatly limited, and the Fund may have to continue to hold such securities during periods when the Adviser would otherwise have sold them. There may not be a ready market for certain securities held by the Fund. Illiquid securities may be more difficult to value than other securities. In recent periods, various types of securities in which the Fund invests have experienced limited liquidity. It is possible that any such illiquidity will continue for an extended period of time.
- Management Strategy Risk. A strategy used by the Adviser may fail to produce the intended results.
- Master/Feeder Structure Risk. Unlike a traditional mutual fund that invests directly in securities, the ILR Fund pursues its objective by investing substantially all of its assets in another mutual fund (referred to as a "master fund") with substantially the same investment objectives, policies and restrictions as the Fund. The ability of the Fund to meet its investment objective is directly related to the ability of the master fund to meet its objective. The ability of the master fund to meet its objective may be adversely affected by the purchase and redemption activities of other investors in the master fund. The Adviser also serves as investment adviser to the master fund. Therefore, conflicts may arise as the Adviser fulfills its fiduciary responsibilities to the Fund and the master fund. For example, the Adviser may have an economic incentive to maintain the Fund's investment in the master fund at a time when it might otherwise not choose to do so.
- Money Market Risk. The risk that the ILR Fund will not be able to maintain a NAV per share of $1.00 at all times. Although a money market fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in a money market fund. An investment in a money market fund is not a deposit of any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation ("FDIC") or any other government agency.
- Repurchase Agreement Risk. A repurchase agreement allows the ILR Fund to buy securities with the understanding that the seller will buy them back at the same price with interest at a later date. If the seller is unable to honor its commitment to repurchase the securities, the Fund could lose money.
- U.S. Government Sponsored Enterprises Risk. Securities issued or guaranteed by certain agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. government are not supported by the full faith and credit of the United States. For example, mortgage-backed securities issued by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac are backed only by the credit of those issuers.
THE ILR FUND MAY NOT ACHIEVE ITS OBJECTIVE AND YOU COULD LOSE MONEY BY INVESTING IN THE FUND. AN INVESTMENT IN THE FUND IS NOT A DEPOSIT WITH A BANK AND IS NOT INSURED OR GUARANTEED BY THE FDIC OR ANY OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCY.
PERFORMANCE INFORMATION
The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the ILR Fund (as represented by the performance of the Fund's Institutional Class) by illustrating the variability of the Fund's returns during the years since inception. The Fund's past performance does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Performance history will be available for the Service Class of the Fund after it has been in operation for one calendar year. The Institutional Class has lower expenses and typically higher expected returns than the Service Class. The primary difference in expenses is that the Institutional Class does not bear shareholder servicing fees. Please call (877) 521-4083 for the ILR Fund's current 7 day yield.
STATE STREET INSTITUTIONAL LIQUID RESERVES FUND
TOTAL RETURN FOR THE CALENDAR YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31*
BAR CHART:
2005:
2006:
2007:
During the period shown in the bar chart, the highest return for a quarter was ___% (quarter ended 200 ) and the lowest return for a quarter was ___% (quarter ended 200 ).
AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURN THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2007*
SINCE THE INCEPTION PAST 1-YEAR DATE OF THE FUND ENDED ANNUALIZED DECEMBER 31, 2007 AUGUST 12, 2004 ----------------- ------------------- State Street Institutional Liquid Reserves Fund -- Institutional Class............................... -- -- |
FEES AND EXPENSES
The following table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Service Class of the ILR Fund. As a shareholder in the Money Market Portfolio, the Fund bears its ratable share of the Money Market Portfolio's expenses, including advisory and administrative fees, and at the same time continues to pay its own fees and expenses. The table and the Example reflect the expenses of both the Fund and the Money Market Portfolio.
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that are deducted from Fund assets)
Management Fees* 0.10% Other Expenses** % ---- Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses***+ % ==== |
* This fee is the investment advisory fee paid by the Money Market Portfolio to the Adviser and, due to the Adviser's agreement to waive fees and/or reimburse expenses currently in place, also represents the total annual net operating expenses of the Money Market Portfolio. The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive fees and/or reimburse expenses of the Money Market Portfolio to keep the total annual operating expenses of the Money Market Portfolio at 0.10% through April 30, 2009. Without the effects of such contractual limitation, the total annual operating expenses of the Money Market Portfolio would have been ___% for the last fiscal year.
** "Other Expenses" include expenses such as shareholder servicing fees payable by the Fund at an annual rate of up to 0.05% of the Fund's average daily net assets attributable to the Service Class.
*** The Adviser has contractually agreed to cap the total operating expenses (not including the pass-through expenses of the Money Market Portfolio) at 0.05% (on an annualized basis) of the ILR Fund's average daily net assets until April 30, 2009. In addition, the Adviser has voluntarily agreed to cap the total operating expenses of the ILR Fund (not including the pass-through expenses of the Money Market Portfolio) at 0.02% (on an annualized basis). For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007, net operating expenses were reduced from ___% to ___% as a result of the voluntary expense limitation. The voluntary expense limitation may be revised or cancelled at any time without notice.
+ The Adviser may reimburse expenses or waive fees in order to avoid a negative yield. Any such waiver or reimbursement would be voluntary and may be revised or cancelled at any time without notice. There is no guarantee that the ILR Fund will be able to avoid a negative yield.
Example: This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the ILR Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. It assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
1 YEAR 3 YEARS 5 YEARS 10 YEARS ------ ------- ------- -------- |
STATE STREET INSTITUTIONAL TAX FREE MONEY MARKET FUND
The investment objective of State Street Institutional Tax Free Money Market Fund (the "Tax Free Money Market Fund" or sometimes referred to in context as the "Fund") is to seek to maximize current income, exempt from federal income taxes, to the extent consistent with the preservation of capital and liquidity and the maintenance of a stable $1.00 per share NAV. There is no guarantee the Fund will be able to maintain a stable NAV per share, and you could lose money by investing in the Fund.
PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES
The Tax Free Money Market Fund is a money market fund that seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing substantially all of its investable assets in the State Street Tax Free Money Market Portfolio (the "Tax Free Money Market Portfolio") of State Street Master Funds, which has the same investment objective as, and investment policies that are substantially similar to those of, the Fund. In reviewing the investment objective and strategies of the Fund below, you should assume that the investment objective and strategies of the Tax Free Money Market Portfolio are the same in all material respects as those of the Fund.
The Tax Free Money Market Fund has a fundamental policy of investing at least 80% of its net assets under normal market conditions in municipal securities, the interest from which is, in the opinion of bond counsel, exempt from federal income tax, including the alternative minimum tax. These securities are issued by states, municipalities and their political subdivisions and agencies, instrumentalities and other governmental units, and certain territories and possessions of the United States. Investments may include general obligation bonds and notes, revenue bonds and notes, commercial paper, private placements, tender option bonds, private activity bonds, industrial development bonds and municipal lease contracts. Securities purchased may bear fixed, variable or floating rates of interest or may be zero coupon securities. The Fund may buy or sell securities on a when-issued or forward commitment basis. The Fund may also invest in other mutual funds, subject to regulatory limitations, that invest in such obligations.
The Tax Free Money Market Fund may invest up to 20% of its assets in federally taxable money market instruments including securities issued by or guaranteed by the U.S. government or its agencies or instrumentalities, certificates of deposit, commercial paper and repurchase agreements.
Portfolio Maturity. A money market fund must limit its investments to securities with remaining maturities determined in accordance with applicable SEC regulations and must maintain a dollar-weighted average maturity of 90 days or less. The Tax Free Money Market Fund will normally hold portfolio instruments to maturity, but may dispose of them prior to maturity if the Adviser
finds it advantageous or necessary. Investing in short-term money market instruments will result in high portfolio turnover. Since the cost of these transactions is small, high turnover is not expected to adversely affect the Fund's price or yield in any material respect.
Defensive Strategies. From time to time, for temporary defensive purposes, the Tax Free Money Market Fund may hold uninvested cash or invest in taxable short-term investments. Income earned by the Fund from taxable instruments will be taxable to investors. Temporary defensive strategies may be inconsistent with the Fund's principal investment strategy and the Fund may not achieve its investment objective.
The Adviser bases its investment decisions on the relative attractiveness of different money market investments which can vary depending on the general level of interest rates as well as supply/demand imbalances in the market. There are risks associated with these instruments, which are summarized below.
PRINCIPAL RISKS OF INVESTING IN THE TAX FREE MONEY MARKET FUND
- Credit/Default Risk. Credit/default risk is the risk that an issuer or guarantor of a fixed-income security held by the Tax Free Money Market Fund may default on its obligation.
- Fixed-Income Securities Risk. The risks of fixed-income securities include, but are not limited to, interest rate risk, credit risk, and the risk that the maturity or duration of a security may be unexpectedly extended or shortened due to unanticipated prepayments or delays in payments of principal or interest.
- Interest Rate Risk. Interest rate increases can cause prices of a debt security to decrease. In addition, if a security is prepaid in a period of falling interest rates, the Tax Free Money Market Fund may have to reinvest the proceeds in lower-yielding investments. Interest rate risk is generally greater in the case of securities with longer durations and in the case of portfolios of securities with longer average durations.
- Liquidity Risk. Liquidity risk exists when particular investments cannot be disposed of quickly in the normal course of business. The ability of the Tax Free Money Market Fund to dispose of such securities at advantageous prices may be greatly limited, and the Fund may have to continue to hold such securities during periods when the Adviser would otherwise have sold them. Some securities held by the Fund may be restricted as to resale, and there is often no ready market for such securities. Illiquid securities may be more difficult to value than other securities. In recent periods, various types of securities in which the Fund invests have experienced limited liquidity. It is possible that any such illiquidity will continue for an extended period of time.
- Management Strategy Risk. A strategy used by the Adviser may fail to produce the intended results.
- Master/Feeder Structure Risk. Unlike a traditional mutual fund that invests directly in securities, the Tax Free Money Market Fund pursues its objective by investing substantially all of its assets in a master fund with substantially the same investment objectives, policies and restrictions as the Fund. The ability of the Fund to meet its investment objective is directly related to the ability of the master fund to meet its objective. The ability of the master fund to meet its objective may be adversely affected by the purchase and redemption activities of other investors in the master fund. The Adviser also serves as investment adviser to the master fund. Therefore, conflicts may arise as the Adviser fulfills its obligations to the Fund and the master fund. For example, the Adviser may have an economic incentive to maintain the Fund's investment in the master fund at a time when it might otherwise not choose to do so.
- Money Market Risk. The risk that the Tax Free Money Market Fund will not be able to maintain a NAV per share of $1.00 at all times. Although a money market fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in a money market fund. An investment in a money market fund is not a deposit of any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency.
- Municipal Obligations Risk. Municipal obligations are affected by economic, business or political developments. These securities may be subject to provisions of litigation, bankruptcy and other laws affecting the rights and remedies of creditors, or may become subject to future laws extending the time for payment of principal and/or interest, or limiting the rights of municipalities to levy taxes. These investments may be more adversely impacted by changes in tax rates and policies than taxable investments. Because interest income from municipal securities is normally not subject to regular federal income taxation, the attractiveness of municipal securities in relation to other investment alternatives is affected by changes in federal
income tax rates applicable to, or the continuing federal income tax-exempt status of, such interest income. Any proposed or actual changes in such rates or exempt status, therefore, can significantly affect the demand for and supply, liquidity and marketability of municipal securities. This could in turn affect the Tax Free Money Market Fund's ability to acquire and dispose of municipal securities at desirable yield and price levels. For instance, legislative proposals are introduced from time to time to restrict or eliminate the federal income tax exemption for municipal obligations interest. If such legislation is adopted, the Board of Trustees may re-evaluate the Fund's investment objective and may submit possible changes in the structure of the fund to its shareholders if shareholder approval is required. Municipal obligations include revenue obligations. Revenue obligations are backed by the revenues generated from a specific project or facility and include industrial development bonds and private activity bonds. Private activity and industrial development bonds are dependent on the ability of the facility's user to meet its financial obligations and the value of any real or personal property pledged as security for such payment. The Fund's policy to invest in municipal debt obligations will subject the Fund to the risks of adverse economic, business or political developments affecting the particular state, industry or other area of concentration, to a greater extent than if the fund were able to invest in all types of debt obligations. Because many municipal securities are issued to finance similar projects, especially those relating to education, health care, transportation and utilities, conditions in those sectors can affect the overall municipal market. In addition, municipal securities backed by current or anticipated revenues from a specific project or specific asset can be negatively affected by the discontinuance of the taxation supporting the project or asset or the inability to collect revenues for the project. If the Internal Revenue Service determines the issuer of a municipal security has not complied with applicable tax requirements, interest from the security could become taxable and the security could decline in value. Municipal obligations may also be subject to call risk and extension risk.
- Tax Risk. Changes in federal tax laws or the activity of an issuer may adversely affect the tax-exempt status of municipal bonds held by the Fund.
THE TAX FREE MONEY MARKET FUND MAY NOT ACHIEVE ITS OBJECTIVE AND YOU COULD LOSE MONEY BY INVESTING IN THE FUND. AN INVESTMENT IN THE FUND IS NOT A DEPOSIT WITH A BANK AND IS NOT INSURED OR GUARANTEED BY THE FDIC OR ANY OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCY.
PERFORMANCE INFORMATION
Performance information for Service Class of the Tax Free Money Market Fund will be available after the Service Class of the Fund has been in operation for one calendar year.
FEES AND EXPENSES
The following table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Service Class of the Tax Free Money Market Fund. As a shareholder in the Tax Free Money Market Portfolio, the Fund bears its ratable share of the Portfolio's expenses, including advisory and administrative fees, and at the same time continues to pay its own fees and expenses. The table and the Example reflect the expenses of both the Fund and the Tax Free Money Market Portfolio.
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that are deducted from Fund assets)
Management Fees*........................... 0.10% Other Expenses**........................... % ---- Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses***+... % ==== |
* This fee is the investment advisory fee paid by the Tax Free Money Market Portfolio to the Adviser and, due to the Adviser's agreement to waive fees and/or reimburse expenses currently in place, also represents the estimated total annual net operating expenses of the Tax Free Money Market Portfolio. The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive fees and/or reimburse expenses of the Tax Free Money Market Portfolio to keep the total annual operating expenses of the Tax Free Money Market Portfolio at 0.10% through April 30, 2009.
** "Other Expenses" include expenses such as shareholder servicing fees payable by the Fund at an annual rate of up to 0.05% of the Fund's average daily net assets attributable to the Service Class.
*** The Adviser has contractually agreed to cap the total operating expenses (not including the pass-through expenses of the Tax Free Money Market Portfolio) at 0.10% (on an annualized basis) of the Tax Free Money Market Fund's average daily net assets until April 30, 2009.
+ The Adviser may reimburse expenses or waive fees in order to avoid a negative yield. Any such waiver or reimbursement would be voluntary and may be revised or cancelled at any time without notice. There is no guarantee that the Tax Free Money Market Fund will be able to avoid a negative yield.
Example: This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Tax Free Money Market Fund with the costs of investing in other mutual funds. It assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year, that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same and that the Adviser's contractual expense limitation is in effect for year one. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions yours costs would be:
1 YEAR 3 YEARS 5 YEARS 10 YEARS ------ ------- ------- -------- |
STATE STREET INSTITUTIONAL U.S. GOVERNMENT MONEY MARKET FUND
The investment objective of State Street Institutional U.S. Government Money Market Fund (the "U.S. Government Money Market Fund" or sometimes referred to in context as the "Fund") is to seek to maximize current income, to the extent consistent with the preservation of capital and liquidity and the maintenance of a stable $1.00 per share NAV. The Fund invests in U.S. government securities and in repurchase agreements collateralized by U.S. government securities. There is no guarantee the Fund will be able to maintain a stable NAV per share, and you could lose money by investing in the Fund.
PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES
The U.S. Government Money Market Fund is a money market fund that seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing substantially all of its investable assets in the State Street U.S. Government Money Market Portfolio (the "U.S. Government Money Market Portfolio") of State Street Master Funds, which has the same investment objective as, and investment policies that are substantially similar to those of, the Fund. In reviewing the investment objective and strategies of the Fund below, you should assume that the investment objective and strategies of the U.S. Government Money Market Portfolio are the same in all material respects as those of the Fund.
The U.S. Government Money Market Fund attempts to achieve its investment objective by investing, under normal circumstances, substantially all of its assets in obligations issued or guaranteed as to principal or interest by the U.S. government or its agencies or instrumentalities ("U.S. government securities") or in repurchase agreements collateralized by U.S. government securities. Although some U.S. government securities are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government, others are backed only by the credit of the government agency or instrumentality issuing or guaranteeing the securities. Under normal market conditions, the Fund will invest substantially all of its assets in U.S. government securities and in repurchase agreements collateralized by such securities. Shareholders would receive at least 60 days notice prior to any change to this policy.
Portfolio Maturity. A money market fund must limit its investments to securities with remaining maturities determined in accordance with applicable SEC regulations and must maintain a dollar-weighted average maturity of 90 days or less. The U.S. Government Money Market Fund will normally hold portfolio instruments to maturity, but may dispose of them prior to maturity if the Adviser finds it advantageous or necessary. Investing in short-term money market instruments will result in high portfolio turnover. Since the cost of these transactions is small, high turnover is not expected to adversely affect the Fund's price or yield in any material respect.
Repurchase Agreements. The U.S. Government Money Market Fund may enter into repurchase agreements, under which the Fund purchases a security from a seller, who simultaneously commits to repurchase the security from the Fund at the original purchase price plus an agreed upon amount representing the original purchase price plus interest, on an agreed upon date in the future. The Fund bears the risk of loss in the event the other party defaults on its obligations and the Fund is delayed or prevented from its right to dispose of the collateral securities or if the Fund realizes a loss on the sale of the collateral securities. The Fund will enter into repurchase agreements with financial institutions deemed to present minimal risk of bankruptcy during the term of the agreement
based on guidelines established by the Board of Trustees. The Fund will not invest more than 10% of its net assets in repurchase agreements maturing in more than seven days.
Defensive Strategies. From time to time, the U.S. Government Money Market Fund may take temporary defensive positions that are inconsistent with the Fund's principal investment strategies in attempting to respond to adverse market, economic or other conditions. These may include holding uninvested cash. Temporary defensive strategies may be inconsistent with the Fund's principal investment strategy and the Fund may not achieve its investment objective.
The Adviser bases its investment decisions on the relative attractiveness of different money market investments which can vary depending on the general level of interest rates as well as supply/demand imbalances in the market. There are risks associated with these instruments, which are summarized below.
PRINCIPAL RISKS OF INVESTING IN THE U.S. GOVERNMENT MONEY MARKET FUND
- Credit/Default Risk. Credit/default risk is the risk that an issuer or guarantor of a fixed-income security held by the U.S. Government Money Market Fund may default on its obligations.
- Fixed-Income Securities Risk. The risks of fixed-income securities include, but are not limited to, interest rate risk, credit risk, and the risk that the maturity or duration of a security may be unexpectedly extended or shortened due to unanticipated prepayments or delays in payments of principal or interest.
- Interest Rate Risk. Interest rate increases can cause prices of a debt security to decrease. In addition, if a security is prepaid in a period of falling interest rates, the U.S. Government Money Market Fund may have to reinvest the proceeds in lower-yielding investments. Interest rate risk is generally greater in the case of securities with longer durations and in the case of portfolios of securities with longer average durations.
- Liquidity Risk. Liquidity risk exists when particular investments cannot be disposed of quickly in the normal course of business. The ability of the U.S. Government Money Market Fund to dispose of such securities at advantageous prices may be greatly limited, and the Fund may have to continue to hold such securities during periods when the Adviser would otherwise have sold them. There may not be a ready market for certain securities held by the Fund. Illiquid securities may be more difficult to value than other securities. In recent periods, various types of securities in which the Fund invests have experienced limited liquidity. It is possible that any such illiquidity will continue for an extended period of time.
- Management Strategy Risk. A strategy used by the Adviser may fail to produce the intended results.
- Master/Feeder Structure Risk. Unlike a traditional mutual fund that invests directly in securities, the U.S. Government Money Market Fund pursues its objective by investing substantially all of its assets in a master fund with substantially the same investment objectives, policies and restrictions as the Fund. The ability of the Fund to meet its investment objective is directly related to the ability of the master fund to meet its objective. The ability of the master fund to meet its objective may be adversely affected by the purchase and redemption activities of other investors in the master fund. The Adviser also serves as investment adviser to the master fund. Therefore, conflicts may arise as the Adviser fulfills its obligations to the Fund and the master fund. For example, the Adviser may have an economic incentive to maintain the Fund's investment in the master fund at a time when it might otherwise not choose to do so.
- Money Market Risk. The U.S. Government Money Market Fund may not be able to maintain a NAV per share of $1.00 at all times. Although the Fund seeks to maintain a constant NAV of $1.00 per share, the Fund may not be able to do so at all times, and it is possible for you to lose money by investing in the Fund. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency.
- Repurchase Agreement Risk. The U.S. Government Money Market Fund may enter into repurchase agreements. These transactions must be fully collateralized at all times, but involve some risk to a fund if the other party should default on its obligation and a fund is delayed or prevented from recovering the collateral.
- U.S. Government Sponsored Enterprises Risk. Securities issued or guaranteed by certain agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. government are not supported by the full faith and credit of the United States. For example, mortgage-backed securities issued by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac are backed only by the credit of those issuers.
THE U.S. GOVERNMENT MONEY MARKET FUND MAY NOT ACHIEVE ITS OBJECTIVE AND YOU COULD LOSE MONEY BY INVESTING IN THE FUND. AN INVESTMENT IN THE FUND IS NOT A DEPOSIT WITH A BANK AND IS NOT INSURED OR GUARANTEED BY THE FDIC OR ANY OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCY.
PERFORMANCE INFORMATION
Performance information for Service Class of the U.S. Government Money Market Fund Service Class will be available after the Service Class of the Fund has been in operation for one calendar year.
FEES AND EXPENSES
The following table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Service Class of the U.S. Government Money Market Fund. As a shareholder in the U.S. Government Money Market Portfolio, the Fund bears its ratable share of the U.S. Government Money Market Portfolio's expenses, including advisory and administrative fees, and at the same time continues to pay its own fees and expenses. The table and the Example reflect the expenses of both the Fund and the U.S. Government Money Market Portfolio.
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that are deducted from Fund assets)
Management Fees* 0.10% Other Expenses** % ---- Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses+ % ==== |
* This fee is the investment advisory fee paid by the U.S. Government Money Market Portfolio to the Adviser.
** "Other Expenses" include expenses such as shareholder servicing fees payable by the Fund at an annual rate of up to 0.05% of the Fund's average daily net assets attributable to the Service Class.
+ The Adviser may reimburse expenses or waive fees in order to avoid a negative yield. Any such waiver or reimbursement would be voluntary and may be revised or cancelled at any time without notice. There is no guarantee that the U.S. Government Money Market Fund will be able to avoid a negative yield.
Example: This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the U.S. Government Money Market Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. It assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
1 YEAR 3 YEARS 5 YEARS 10 YEARS ------ ------- ------- -------- |
STATE STREET INSTITUTIONAL TREASURY MONEY MARKET FUND
The investment objective of State Street Institutional Treasury Money Market Fund (the "Treasury Fund" or sometimes referred to in context as the "Fund") is to seek a high level of current income consistent with preserving principal and liquidity and the maintenance of a stable $1.00 per share NAV. There is no guarantee the Fund will be able to maintain a stable NAV per share, and you could lose money by investing in the Fund.
PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES
The Treasury Fund is a money market fund that seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing substantially all of its investable assets in the State Street Treasury Money Market Portfolio (the "Treasury Portfolio") of State Street Master Funds, which has the same investment objective as, and investment policies that are substantially similar to those of, the Fund. In reviewing the
investment objective and strategies of the Fund below, you should assume that the investment objective and strategies of the Treasury Portfolio are the same in all material respects as those of the Fund.
The Treasury Fund attempts to meet its investment objective by investing exclusively in direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury that have maturities of 397 calendar days or less. These include U.S. Treasury bonds, bills and notes. The Treasury Fund may also invest in other mutual funds, subject to regulatory limitations, that invest exclusively in such obligations.
Portfolio Maturity. A money market fund must limit its investments to securities with remaining maturities determined in accordance with applicable SEC regulations and must maintain a dollar-weighted average maturity of 90 days or less. Investing in short-term U.S. Treasury obligations will result in high portfolio turnover. Since the cost of these transactions is small, high turnover is not expected to adversely affect the Treasury Fund's price or yield in any material respect.
Defensive Strategies. From time to time, the Treasury Fund may take temporary defensive positions that are inconsistent with the Fund's principal investment strategies in attempting to respond to adverse market, economic or other conditions. These may include holding uninvested cash. Temporary defensive strategies may be inconsistent with the Fund's principal investment strategies and the Fund may not achieve its investment objective.
In selecting investments for the Treasury Plus Fund, the Adviser focuses on the relative attractiveness of different U.S. Treasury obligations which can vary depending on the general level of interest rates as well as supply/demand imbalances in the market. There are risks associated with instruments, which are summarized below.
PRINCIPAL RISKS OF INVESTING IN THE TREASURY FUND
- Fixed-Income Securities Risk. The risks of fixed-income securities include, but are not limited to, interest rate risk, credit risk, and the risk that the maturity or duration of a security may be unexpectedly extended or shortened due to unanticipated prepayments or delays in payments of principal or interest.
- Interest Rate Risk. Interest rate increases can cause prices of a debt security to decrease. In addition, if a security is prepaid in a period of falling interest rates, the Treasury Fund may have to reinvest the proceeds in lower-yielding investments. Interest rate risk is generally greater in the case of securities with longer durations and in the case of portfolios of securities with longer average durations.
- Liquidity Risk. Liquidity risk exists when particular investments cannot be disposed of quickly in the normal course of business. The ability of the Treasury Fund to dispose of such securities at advantageous prices may be greatly limited, and the Fund may have to continue to hold such securities during periods when the Adviser would otherwise have sold them. There may not be a ready market for certain securities held by the Fund. Illiquid securities may be more difficult to value than other securities. In recent periods, various types of securities in which the Fund invests have experienced limited liquidity. It is possible that any such illiquidity will continue for an extended period of time.
- Management Strategy Risk. A strategy used by the Adviser may fail to produce the intended results.
- Master/Feeder Structure Risk. Unlike a traditional mutual fund that invests directly in securities, the Treasury Fund pursues its objective by investing substantially all of its assets in a master fund with substantially the same investment objectives, policies and restrictions as the Fund. The ability of the Fund to meet its investment objective is directly related to the ability of the master fund to meet its objective. The ability of the master fund to meet its objective may be adversely affected by the purchase and redemption activities of other investors in the master fund. The Adviser also serves as investment adviser to the master fund. Therefore, conflicts may arise as the Adviser fulfills its obligations to the Fund and the master fund. For example, the Adviser may have an economic incentive to maintain the Fund's investment in the master fund at a time when it might otherwise not choose to do so.
- Money Market Risk. The risk that the Treasury Fund will not be able to maintain a NAV per share of $1.00 at all times. Although a money market fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in a money market fund. An investment in a money market fund is not a deposit of any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency.
THE TREASURY FUND MAY NOT ACHIEVE ITS OBJECTIVE AND YOU COULD LOSE MONEY BY INVESTING IN THE FUND. AN INVESTMENT IN THE FUND IS NOT A DEPOSIT WITH A BANK AND IS NOT INSURED OR GUARANTEED BY THE FDIC OR ANY OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCY.
PERFORMANCE INFORMATION
Performance information for Service Class of the Treasury Fund will be available after the Service Class of the Fund has been in operation for one calendar year.
FEES AND EXPENSES
The following table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Service Class of the Treasury Fund. As a shareholder in the Treasury Portfolio, the Fund bears its ratable share of the Treasury Portfolio's expenses, including advisory and administrative fees, and at the same time continues to pay its own fees and expenses. The table and the Example reflect the expenses of both the Fund and the Treasury Portfolio.
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that are deducted from Fund assets)
Management Fees* 0.10% Other Expenses** % Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses+ % |
* This fee is the investment advisory fee paid by the Treasury Portfolio to the Adviser.
** "Other Expenses" include expenses such as shareholder servicing fees payable by the Fund at an annual rate of up to 0.05% of the Fund's average daily net assets attributable to the Service Class.
+ The Adviser may reimburse expenses or waive fees in order to avoid a negative yield. Any such waiver or reimbursement would be voluntary and may be revised or cancelled at any time without notice. There is no guarantee that the Treasury Fund will be able to avoid a negative yield.
Example: This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Treasury Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. It assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
1 YEAR 3 YEARS 5 YEARS 10 YEARS ------ ------- ------- -------- |
STATE STREET INSTITUTIONAL TREASURY PLUS MONEY MARKET FUND
The investment objective of State Street Institutional Treasury Plus Money Market Fund (the "Treasury Plus Fund" or sometimes referred to in context as the "Fund") is to seek a high level of current income consistent with preserving principal and liquidity and the maintenance of a stable $1.00 per share NAV. The Fund invests in a portfolio made up principally of U.S. Treasury securities and repurchase agreements collateralized by such securities. There is no guarantee the Fund will be able to maintain a stable NAV per share, and you could lose money by investing in the Fund.
PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES
The Treasury Plus Fund is a money market fund that seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing substantially all of its investable assets in the State Street Treasury Plus Money Market Portfolio (the "Treasury Plus Portfolio") of State Street Master Funds, which has the same investment objective as, and investment policies that are substantially similar to those of, the Fund. In reviewing the investment objective and strategies of the Fund below, you should assume that the investment objective and strategies of the Treasury Plus Portfolio are the same in all material respects as those of the Fund.
The Treasury Plus Fund attempts to meet its investment objective by investing in high-quality, U.S. dollar-denominated, money market instruments with maturities of 397 calendar days or less. Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest substantially all of its net assets in direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury (U.S. Treasury bills, notes and bonds) and repurchase agreements collateralized by these obligations. Shareholders would receive at least 60 days notice prior to any change to this 80% investment policy.
Portfolio Maturity. A money market fund must limit its investments to securities with remaining maturities determined in accordance with applicable SEC regulations and must maintain a dollar-weighted average maturity of 90 days or less. The Treasury Plus Fund will normally hold portfolio instruments to maturity, but may dispose of them prior to maturity if the Adviser finds it advantageous or necessary. Investing in short-term U.S. Treasury obligations will result in high portfolio turnover. Since the cost of these transactions is small, high turnover is not expected to adversely affect the Fund's price or yield in any material respect.
Repurchase Agreements. The Treasury Plus Fund may enter into repurchase agreements, under which the Fund purchases a security from a seller, who simultaneously commits to repurchase the security from the Fund at the original purchase price plus an agreed upon amount representing the original purchase price plus interest, on an agreed upon date in the future. The Fund bears the risk of loss in the event the other party defaults on its obligations and the Fund is delayed or prevented from its right to dispose of the collateral securities or if the Fund realizes a loss on the sale of the collateral securities. The Fund will enter into repurchase agreements with financial institutions deemed to present minimal risk of bankruptcy during the term of the agreement based on guidelines established by the Board of Trustees. The Fund will not invest more than 10% of its net assets in repurchase agreements maturing in more than seven days.
Defensive Strategies. From time to time, the Treasury Plus Fund may take temporary defensive positions that are inconsistent with the Fund's principal investment strategies in attempting to respond to adverse market, economic or other conditions. These may include holding uninvested cash. Temporary defensive strategies may be inconsistent with the Fund's principal investment strategies and the Fund may not achieve its investment objective.
In selecting investments for the Treasury Plus Fund, the Adviser focuses on the relative attractiveness of different U.S. Treasury obligations which can vary depending on the general level of interest rates as well as supply/demand imbalances in the market. There are risks associated with these obligations, which are summarized below.
PRINCIPAL RISKS OF INVESTING IN THE TREASURY PLUS FUND
- Credit/Default Risk. Credit/default risk is the risk that an issuer or guarantor of a fixed-income security held by the Treasury Plus Fund may default on its obligations.
- Fixed-Income Securities Risk. The risks of fixed-income securities include, but are not limited to, interest rate risk, credit risk, and the risk that the maturity or duration of a security may be unexpectedly extended or shortened due to unanticipated prepayments or delays in payments of principal or interest.
- Interest Rate Risk. Interest rate increases can cause prices of a debt security to decrease. In addition, if a security is prepaid in a period of falling interest rates, the Treasury Plus Fund may have to reinvest the proceeds in lower-yielding investments. Interest rate risk is generally greater in the case of securities with longer durations and in the case of portfolios of securities with longer average durations.
- Liquidity Risk. Liquidity risk exists when particular investments cannot be disposed of quickly in the normal course of business. The ability of the Treasury Plus Fund to dispose of such securities at advantageous prices may be greatly limited, and the Fund may have to continue to hold such securities during periods when the Adviser would otherwise have sold them. There may not be a ready market for certain securities held by the Fund. Illiquid securities may be more difficult to value than other securities. In recent periods, various types of securities in which the Fund invests have experienced limited liquidity. It is possible that any such illiquidity will continue for an extended period of time.
- Management Strategy Risk. A strategy used by the Adviser may fail to produce the intended results.
- Master/Feeder Structure Risk. Unlike a traditional mutual fund that invests directly in securities, the Treasury Plus Fund pursues its objective by investing substantially all of its assets in a master fund with substantially the same investment objectives, policies and restrictions as the Fund. The ability of the Fund to meet its investment objective is directly related to
the ability of the master fund to meet its objective. The ability of the master fund to meet its objective may be adversely affected by the purchase and redemption activities of other investors in the master fund. The Adviser also serves as investment adviser to the master fund. Therefore, conflicts may arise as the Adviser fulfills its obligations to the Fund and the master fund. For example, the Adviser may have an economic incentive to maintain the Fund's investment in the master fund at a time when it might otherwise not choose to do so.
- Money Market Risk. The risk that the Treasury Plus Fund will not be able to maintain a NAV per share of $1.00 at all times. Although a money market fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in a money market fund. An investment in a money market fund is not a deposit of any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency.
- Repurchase Agreement Risk. The Treasury Plus Fund may enter into repurchase agreements. These transactions must be fully collateralized at all times, but involve some risk to the Fund if the other party should default on its obligation and the Fund is delayed or prevented from recovering the collateral.
THE TREASURY PLUS FUND MAY NOT ACHIEVE ITS OBJECTIVE AND YOU COULD LOSE MONEY BY INVESTING IN THE FUND. AN INVESTMENT IN THE FUND IS NOT A DEPOSIT WITH A BANK AND IS NOT INSURED OR GUARANTEED BY THE FDIC OR ANY OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCY.
PERFORMANCE INFORMATION
Performance information for Service Class of the Treasury Plus Fund will be available after the Service Class of the Fund has been in operation for one calendar year.
FEES AND EXPENSES
The following table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Service Class of the Treasury Plus Fund. As a shareholder in the Treasury Plus Portfolio, the Fund bears its ratable share of the Treasury Plus Portfolio's expenses, including advisory and administrative fees, and at the same time continues to pay its own fees and expenses. The table and the Example reflect the expenses of both the Fund and the Treasury Plus Portfolio.
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that are deducted from Fund assets)
Management Fees* 0.10% Other Expenses** % Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses+ % |
* This fee is the investment advisory fee paid by the Treasury Plus Portfolio to the Adviser.
** "Other Expenses" include expenses such as shareholder servicing fees payable by the Fund at an annual rate of up to 0.05% of the Fund's average daily net assets attributable to the Service Class.
+ The Adviser may reimburse expenses or waive fees in order to avoid a negative yield. Any such waiver or reimbursement would be voluntary and may be revised or cancelled at any time without notice. There is no guarantee that the Treasury Plus Fund will be able to avoid a negative yield.
Example: This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Treasury Plus Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. It assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
1 YEAR 3 YEARS 5 YEARS 10 YEARS ------ ------- ------- -------- |
MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION
The Funds and the Portfolios. The Trust is an open-end management investment company and was organized as a business trust under the laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts on February 16, 2000. The Funds are separate diversified series of the Trust. The Portfolios in which the Funds invest are managed under the general oversight of the Board of Trustees of State Street Master Funds. SSgA FM, a subsidiary of State Street Corporation, serves as the investment adviser for each Portfolio.
The Trust's Board of Trustees is responsible for generally overseeing the investment of the Funds' assets. If the Adviser were to invest the Funds' assets directly, it would, subject to such policies as the Board of Trustees may determine, furnish a continuing investment program for the Funds and make investment decisions on the Funds' behalf.
The Adviser. State Street Global Advisors ("SSgA") is the investment management group of State Street Corporation, a publicly held bank holding company, and includes SSgA FM, a wholly-owned subsidiary. SSgA is one of the world's largest institutional money managers, and uses quantitative and traditional techniques to manage approximately $2 trillion as of December 31, 2007 in investment programs and portfolios for institutional and individual investors. SSgA FM, as the Adviser, is registered with the SEC under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended. SSgA FM had over $144.5 billion in assets under management at December 31, 2007. Each Fund has entered into an investment advisory agreement with the Adviser pursuant to which the Adviser will manage the Fund's assets directly, at an annual rate of 0.10% of the Fund's average daily net assets, in the event that the Fund were to cease investing substantially all of its assets in its corresponding master portfolio. The Adviser does not receive any fees from a Fund under that agreement so long as the Fund continues to invest substantially all of its assets in the corresponding master portfolio or in another investment company. The Adviser places all orders for purchases and sales of the master portfolios' investments.
A summary of the factors considered by the Board of Trustees in connection with its approval of the investment advisory agreements for the Treasury Fund and the Treasury Plus Fund, and the renewals of the investment advisory agreements for the ILR Fund, the Tax Free Money Market Fund and the U.S. Government Money Market Fund is available in the Fund's annual report dated December 31, 2007.
The Adviser's principal address is State Street Financial Center, One Lincoln Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02111.
The Administrator and Custodian. State Street Bank and Trust Company ("State Street"), a subsidiary of State Street Corporation, is the administrator and custodian.
The Transfer Agent and Dividend Disbursing Agent. ALPS Mutual Funds Services, Inc. is the transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent.
The Distributor. ALPS Distributors, Inc. serves as the Funds' distributor (the "Distributor") pursuant to the Distribution Agreement by and between the Distributor and the Trust.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE ILR FUND'S INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES, INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RISKS
The investment objective of the ILR Fund as stated above may be changed without shareholder approval. The investment policies described below reflect the Fund's current practices. In addition to the principal risks explained above, other risks are explained in some of the descriptions of the investment policies below:
ECDs, ETDs and YCDs. ECDs are U.S. dollar-denominated certificates of deposit issued by a bank outside of the United States. ETDs are U.S. dollar-denominated deposits in foreign branches of U.S. banks and foreign banks. YCDs are U.S. dollar-denominated certificates of deposit issued by U.S. branches of foreign banks. Different risks than those associated with the obligations of domestic banks may exist for ECDs, ETDs and YCDs. The banks issuing these instruments, or their domestic or foreign branches, are not necessarily subject to the same regulatory requirements that apply to U.S. banks operating in the United States. Foreign laws and accounting standards typically are not as strict as they are in the U.S. so there may be fewer restrictions on loan limitations, less frequent examinations and less stringent requirements regarding reserve accounting, auditing, recordkeeping and public reporting requirements.
Mortgage- and Asset-Backed Securities. Mortgage-backed securities, including collateralized mortgage obligations and certain stripped mortgage-backed securities, represent a participation in, or are secured by, mortgage loans. Asset-backed securities are structured like mortgage-backed securities, but instead of mortgage loans or interests in mortgage loans, the underlying assets may
include such items as motor vehicle installment sales or installment loan contracts, leases of various types of real and personal property and receivables from credit card agreements.
Traditional debt investments typically pay a fixed rate of interest until maturity, when the entire principal amount is due. By contrast, payments on mortgage-backed and many asset-backed investments typically include both interest and partial payment of principal. Principal may also be prepaid voluntarily, or as a result of refinancing or foreclosure. A Fund may have to invest the proceeds from prepaid investments in other investments with less attractive terms and yields. As a result, these securities may have less potential for capital appreciation during periods of declining interest rates than other securities of comparable maturities, although they may have a similar risk of decline in market value during periods of rising interest rates. Because the prepayment rate generally declines as interest rates rise, an increase in interest rates will likely increase the duration, and thus the volatility, of mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities. In addition to interest rate risk, investments in mortgage-backed securities composed of subprime mortgages may be subject to a higher degree of credit risk, valuation risk and liquidity risk. Duration is a measure of the expected life of a fixed income security that is used to determine the sensitivity of the security's price to changes in interest rates. Unlike the maturity of a fixed income security, which measures only the time until final payment is due, duration takes into account the time until all payments of interest and principal on a security are expected to be made, including how these payments are affected by prepayments and by changes in interest rates.
A Fund may gain investment exposure to mortgage-backed and asset-backed investments by entering into agreements with financial institutions to buy the investments at a fixed price at a future date. A Fund may or may not take delivery of the investments at the termination date of such an agreement, but will nonetheless be exposed to changes in value of the underlying investments during the term of the agreement.
Section 4(2) Commercial Paper and Rule 144A Securities. The ILR Fund may invest in commercial paper issued in reliance on the private placement exemption from registration afforded by Section 4(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"). This commercial paper is commonly called "Section 4(2) paper." The Fund may also invest in securities that may be offered and sold only to "qualified institutional buyers" under Rule 144A of the 1933 Act ("Rule 144A securities").
Section 4(2) paper is sold to institutional investors who must agree to
purchase the paper for investment and not with a view to public distribution.
Any resale by the purchaser must be in an exempt transaction. Section 4(2) paper
normally is resold to other institutional investors like the ILR Fund through or
with the assistance of the issuer or investment dealers that make a market in
Section 4(2) paper. As a result it suffers from liquidity risk, the risk that
the securities may be difficult to value because of the absence of an active
market and the risk that it may be sold only after considerable expense and
delay, if at all. Rule 144A securities generally must be sold only to other
qualified institutional buyers.
Section 4(2) paper and Rule 144A securities will not be subject to the ILR Fund's 10% limitation on illiquid securities if the Adviser (pursuant to guidelines adopted by the Board) determines that a liquid trading market exists. There can be no assurance that a liquid trading market will exist at any time for either Section 4(2) paper or Rule 144A securities. The Statement of Additional Information ("SAI") addresses the ILR Fund's limitation on illiquid securities.
U.S. Government Securities. U.S. Government securities include a variety of securities that differ in their interest rates, maturities, and dates of issue. While securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Treasury and some agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government (such as the Government National Mortgage Association) are supported by the full faith and credit of the United States, securities issued or guaranteed by certain other agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government (such as Federal Home Loan Banks) are supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Government, and securities issued or guaranteed by certain other agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. Government (such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac) are supported only by the credit of the issuer itself. Investments in these securities are also subject to interest rate risk and prepayment risk (as described above under "Mortgage- and Asset-Backed Securities"), and the risk that the value of the securities will fluctuate in response to political, market, or economic developments.
Variable and Floating Rate Securities. The ILR Fund may purchase variable rate securities. A variable rate security provides for the automatic establishment of a new interest rate on set dates. Variable rate obligations whose interest is readjusted no less frequently than annually will be deemed to have a maturity equal to the period remaining until the next readjustment of the interest rate. The Fund may also purchase floating rate securities. A floating rate security generally provides for the automatic adjustment of its interest rate whenever a specified interest rate changes. Interest rates on these securities are ordinarily tied to a widely recognized interest rate, such as the yield on 90-day U.S. Treasury bills or the prime rate of a specified bank. Generally, changes in interest rates will have a
smaller effect on the market value of variable and floating rate securities than on the market value of comparable fixed income obligations.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE TAX FREE MONEY MARKET FUNDS' INVESTMENT
OBJECTIVE, INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RISKS
The investment objective of the Tax Free Money Market Fund as stated above is fundamental which means that it may not be changed without shareholder approval. The investment policies described below reflect the Fund's current practices. In addition to the principal risks explained above, other risks are explained in some of the descriptions of the investment policies below:
Eligible Securities. Money market funds invest in securities which qualify as "eligible" securities under the SEC rules applicable to money market mutual funds. At the time of acquisition, the Adviser will have determined that these eligible securities present minimal credit risk. In general, eligible securities include securities that: (1) are rated in one of the two highest short-term rating categories by at least two NRSROs; (2) are rated by one NRSRO, if only one rating service has rated the security; or (3) if unrated, are of comparable quality, as determined by the Adviser in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees.
Municipal Securities. Municipal securities may be issued to obtain funds to be used for various public purposes, including general purpose financing for state and local governments, refunding outstanding obligations, and financings for specific projects or public facilities. General obligations are backed by the full faith and credit of the issuer. These securities include, for example, tax anticipation notes, bond anticipation notes and general obligation bonds. Revenue obligations are generally backed by the revenues generated from a specific project or facility and include industrial development bonds and private activity bonds. Private activity and industrial development bonds are dependent on the ability of the facility's user to meet its financial obligations and the value of any real or personal property pledged as security for such payment. Private activity and industrial development bonds, although issued by industrial development authorities, may be backed only by the assets of the non-governmental users, and the user, rather than the municipality, assumes the credit risk. A municipal bond, like a bond issued by a corporation or the U.S. government, obligates the obligor on the bond to pay the bondholder a fixed or variable amount of interest periodically, and to repay the principal value of the bond on a specific maturity date. Municipal notes are short-term instruments which are issued and sold in anticipation of a bond sale, collection of taxes or receipt of other revenues.
Some municipal securities are insured by private insurance companies, while others may be supported by letters of credit furnished by domestic or foreign banks. In determining the credit quality of insured or letter of credit backed securities, the Adviser reviews the financial condition and creditworthiness of such parties including insurance companies, banks and corporations.
Unlike most other bonds, however, municipal bonds pay interest that is exempt from federal income taxes and, in some cases, also from state and local taxes. Municipal bonds, and municipal bond funds, can therefore be advantageous to investors in higher tax brackets. However, because the interest is tax-exempt, municipal bond yields typically are lower than yields on taxable bonds and bond funds with comparable maturity ranges.
Tax Exempt Commercial Paper. Tax exempt commercial paper is a short-term obligation with a stated maturity of 365 days or less. It is typically issued to finance seasonal working capital needs or as short-term financing in anticipation of longer term financing. Each instrument may be backed only by the credit of the issuer or may be backed by some form of credit enhancement, typically in the form of a guarantee by a commercial bank. Commercial paper backed by guarantees of foreign banks may involve additional risk due to the difficulty of obtaining and enforcing judgments against such banks and the generally less restrictive regulations to which such banks are subject. The Tax Free Money Market Fund will only invest in commercial paper rated at the time of purchase not less than Prime-1 by Moody's Investors Service, Inc., A-1 by Standard & Poor's Rating Group or F-1 by Fitch's Investor Service.
Variable and Floating Rate Securities. The Tax Free Money Market Fund may purchase variable rate securities, including variable rate demand notes. A variable rate security provides for the automatic establishment of a new interest rate on set dates. Variable rate demand notes bear interest tied to a money market rate and are payable upon demand. Demand obligations are of uncertain duration and carry the risk of unanticipated prepayment. Variable rate obligations whose interest is readjusted no less frequently than annually will be deemed to have a maturity equal to the period remaining until the next readjustment of the interest rate. Generally, changes in interest rates will have a smaller effect on the market value of variable and floating rate securities than on the market value of comparable fixed income obligations.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE U.S. GOVERNMENT MONEY MARKET FUNDS' INVESTMENT
OBJECTIVES, INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RISKS
The investment objective of the U.S. Government Money Market Fund as stated above may be changed without shareholder approval. The investment policies described below reflect the Fund's current practices. In addition to the principal risks explained above, other risks are explained in some of the descriptions of the investment policies below:
Variable and Floating Rate Securities. The U.S. Government Money Market Fund may purchase variable and floating rate securities. A variable rate security provides for the automatic establishment of a new interest rate on set dates. A variable rate obligation whose interest rate is adjusted no less frequently than annually will be deemed to have a maturity equal to the period remaining until the next adjustment of the interest rate. The Fund may also purchase floating rate securities. A floating rate security generally provides for the automatic adjustment of its interest rate whenever a specified interest rate changes. Interest rates on these securities are ordinarily tied to a widely recognized interest rate, such as the yield on 90-day U.S. Treasury bills or the prime rate of a specified bank. Generally, changes in interest rates will have a smaller effect on the market value of variable and floating rate securities than on the market value of comparable fixed-income obligations. Variable and floating rate instruments may include variable amount master demand notes that permit the indebtedness thereunder to vary in addition to providing for periodic adjustments in the interest rate. There may be no active secondary market with respect to a particular variable or floating rate instrument. Variable and floating rate securities are subject to many of the risks of investing in debt securities generally.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR TREASURY FUNDS' INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES, INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RISKS
The investment objective of the Treasury Fund as stated above may be changed without shareholder approval. The investment policies described below reflect the Fund's current practices. In addition to the principal risks explained above, other risks are explained in some of the descriptions of the investment policies below:
U.S. Government Securities. U.S. Government securities include U.S. Treasury bills, notes, and bonds and other obligations issued or guaranteed as to interest and principal by the U.S. Government or its agencies or instrumentalities. Obligations issued or guaranteed as to interest or principal by the U.S. Government or its agencies or instrumentalities include securities that are supported by the full faith and credit of the United States Treasury, securities that are supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the United States Treasury, discretionary authority of the U.S. Government agency or instrumentality, and securities supported solely by the creditworthiness of the issuer.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR TREASURY PLUS FUNDS' INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES, INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RISKS
The investment objective of the Treasury Plus Fund as stated above may be changed without shareholder approval. The investment policies described below reflect the Fund's current practices. In addition to the principal risks explained above, other risks are explained in some of the descriptions of the investment policies below:
U.S. Government Securities. U.S. Government securities include U.S. Treasury bills, notes, and bonds and other obligations issued or guaranteed as to interest and principal by the U.S. Government or its agencies or instrumentalities. Obligations issued or guaranteed as to interest or principal by the U.S. Government or its agencies or instrumentalities include securities that are supported by the full faith and credit of the United States Treasury, securities that are supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the United States Treasury, discretionary authority of the U.S. Government agency or instrumentality, and securities supported solely by the creditworthiness of the issuer.
SHAREHOLDER INFORMATION
Determination of Net Asset Value. The Tax Free Money Market Fund determines its NAV per share once each business day at 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time ("ET") or the close of the New York Stock Exchange (the "NYSE"), whichever is earlier. The Treasury Fund determines its NAV per share once each business day at 2:00 p.m. ET or the close of the NYSE, whichever is earlier. Each of the other Funds determines its NAV per share once each business day at 5:00 p.m. ET except for days when the NYSE closes earlier than its regular closing time (the time when a Fund determines its NAV per share is referred to herein as the "Valuation Time"). Pricing does not occur on NYSE holidays. A business day is one on which the NYSE is open for regular trading. The Federal Reserve is closed on certain holidays on which the NYSE is open. These holidays are Columbus Day and Veteran's Day. On these holidays, you will not be
able to purchase shares by wiring Federal Funds because the Federal Funds wiring does not occur on these holidays. Payment for Fund shares must be in Federal Funds (or converted to Federal Funds by the Transfer Agent) by the Fund's Valuation Time before a purchase order can be accepted.
The NAV per share for each of the Funds is computed by adding the value of all securities and other assets of the Funds, deducting accrued liabilities, dividing by the number of shares outstanding and rounding to the nearest cent.
Each of the Funds seeks to maintain a $1.00 per share NAV and, accordingly, uses the amortized cost valuation method to value its portfolio instruments. The amortized cost valuation method initially prices an instrument at its cost and thereafter assumes a constant amortization to maturity of any discount or premium, regardless of the impact of fluctuating interest rates on the market value of the instrument.
Purchasing Shares. Investors pay no sales load to invest in the Service Class of the Funds. The price for Fund shares is the NAV per share. Orders will be priced at the NAV next calculated after the order is accepted by the Funds.
The minimum initial investment in the Service Class shares of the Funds is $ , although the Adviser may waive the minimum in its discretion. There is no minimum subsequent investment, except in relation to maintaining certain minimum account balances (See "Redeeming Shares" below). The Funds intend to be as fully invested as is practicable; therefore, investments must be made in Federal Funds (i.e., monies credited to the account of the Funds' custodian bank by a Federal Reserve Bank). Funds require prior notification of subsequent investments in excess of: $5,000,000 for the Tax Free Money Market Fund; $10,000,000 for the Treasury Fund; and $50,000,000 for the ILR Fund, U.S. Government Money Market Fund, and Treasury Plus Fund.
The Funds reserve the right to cease accepting investments at any time or to reject any investment order. In addition, the ILR Fund, U.S. Government Money Market Fund and Treasury Plus Fund may limit the amount of a purchase order received after 3:00 p.m. ET.
HOW TO PURCHASE SHARES
BY MAIL:
An initial investment in the Funds must be preceded or accompanied by a completed, signed Institutional Account Application Form, sent to:
Fund Name
P.O. Box 13515
Denver, CO 80202
BY TELEPHONE/FAX:
An initial investment in the Funds must be preceded or accompanied by a completed, signed Institutional Account Application Form, faxed to (303) 825-2575. Call the Fund at (866) 392-0869 between the hours of 9:00 a.m. ET and 8:00 p.m. ET to:
- confirm receipt of the faxed Institutional Account Application Form (initial purchases only);
- request your new account number (initial purchases only);
- confirm the amount being wired and wiring bank;
- confirm the name and number of the contact person in connection with the order at the wiring bank; and
- receive a confirmation number for your purchase order (your trade is not effective until you have received a confirmation number from the Fund);
For your initial investment, send the original, signed Institutional Account Application Form to the address above.
WIRE INSTRUCTIONS:
Instruct your bank to transfer money by Federal Funds wire to:
State Street Bank and
Trust Company
2 Avenue de Lafayette
Boston, MA 02111
ABA# 011000028
DDA# 0015-755-2
Account Name: Fund Name
Ref: Shareholder Account #
Ref: Shareholder Name
On Columbus Day and Veteran's Day, you will not be able to purchase shares by wiring Federal Funds because the Federal Funds wiring does not occur on those days. Payment for Fund shares must be in Federal Funds (or converted to Federal Funds by the Transfer Agent) by the Fund's Valuation Time before a purchase order can be accepted.
You will not be able to redeem shares from the account until the original Application has been received. The Funds and the Funds' agents are not responsible for transfer errors by the sending or receiving bank and will not be liable for any loss incurred due to a wire transfer not having been received.
In accordance with certain federal regulations, the Trust is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies each entity who applies to open an account. For this reason, when you open (or change ownership of) an account, the Trust will request certain information, including your name, address and taxpayer identification number which will be used to verify your identity. If you are unable to provide sufficient information to verify your identity, the Trust will not open an account for you. As required by law, the Trust may employ various procedures, such as comparing your information to fraud databases or requesting additional information and documentation from you, to ensure that the information supplied by you is correct. The Trust reserves the right to reject any purchase for any reason, including failure to provide the Trust with information necessary to confirm your identity as required by law.
Redeeming Shares. An investor may withdraw all or any portion of its investment at the NAV next determined after it submits a withdrawal request, in proper form, to the Funds. Redemption orders are processed at the NAV next determined after a Fund receives your order in good form. If a Fund receives your redemption order prior to its Valuation Time on a business day, the Fund may send payment for your redeemed shares on that day. Otherwise, the Fund will generally send payment for your redeemed shares on the next business day. The Funds reserve the right to pay for redeemed shares within seven days after receiving your redemption order if, in the judgment of the Adviser, an earlier payment could adversely affect the Funds. The right of any investor to receive payment with respect to any withdrawal may be suspended or the payment of the withdrawal proceeds postponed during any period in which the NYSE is closed (other than weekends or holidays) or trading on the NYSE is restricted or, to the extent otherwise permitted by the 1940 Act, if an emergency exists as a result of which disposal by a Fund of securities owned by it is not reasonably practicable or it is not reasonably practicable for the Fund fairly to determine the value of its net assets. In addition, the SEC may by order permit suspension of withdrawals for the protection of shareholders of the Funds. Although each Fund attempts to maintain its NAV at $1 per share, there can be no assurance that it will be successful, and there can be no assurance that a shareholder will receive $1 per share upon any redemption.
A request for a partial redemption by an investor whose account balance is below the minimum amount or a request for partial redemption by an investor that would bring the account below the minimum amount may be treated as a request for a complete redemption of the account. These minimums may be different for investments made through certain financial intermediaries as determined by their policies and may be waived in the Adviser's discretion. The Funds reserve the right to modify minimum account requirements at any time with or without prior notice. The Funds also reserve the right to involuntarily redeem an investor's account if the investor's account balance falls below the applicable minimum amount due to transaction activity.
HOW TO REDEEM SHARES
BY MAIL
Send a signed letter to:
Fund Name
P.O. Box 13515
Denver, CO 80202
The letter should include information necessary to process your request as described below. The Fund may require a signature guarantee in certain circumstances. See "Signature Guarantees" below.
BY TELEPHONE
Please Call (866) 392-0869 between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 8 p.m. ET.
The Funds will need the following information to process your redemption request:
- name(s) of account owners;
- account number(s);
- the name of the Fund;
- your daytime telephone number; and
- the dollar amount, percentage or number of shares being redeemed.
On any day that the Funds calculate NAV earlier than normal, the Funds reserve the right to adjust the times noted above for purchasing and redeeming shares.
Signature Guarantees. Certain redemption requests must include a signature guarantee for each registered account owner if any of the following apply:
- Your account address has changed within the last 10 business days.
- A wire is being made payable to someone other than the account owner.
- Redemption proceeds are being transferred to an account with a different registration.
- A wire is being sent to a financial institution other than the one that has been established on your Fund account.
- Other unusual situations as determined by the Funds' transfer agent.
All redemption requests regarding shares of the Funds placed after 3:00
p.m. may only be placed by telephone. The Funds reserve the right to postpone
payments for redemption requests received after 3:00 p.m. until the next
business day. The Funds reserve the right to waive signature guarantee
requirements, require a signature guarantee under other circumstances or reject
or delay redemption if the signature guarantee is not in good form. Signature
guarantees may be provided by an eligible financial institution such as a
commercial bank, an NASD member firm such as a stock broker, a savings
association or a national securities exchange. A notary public cannot provide a
signature guarantee. The Funds reserve the right to reject a signature guarantee
if it is not provided by a STAMP Medallion guarantor.
About Telephone and Internet Transactions. You may choose to access your account 24 hours a day and conduct transactions in the Funds via web interface secure account access. All shareholder transaction orders via the Internet are processed at the NAV next determined after your transaction order is received in good order. To learn more and sign up for online account access, please see the website at www.sttfunds.com. Telephone and Internet transactions are extremely convenient but are not free from risk. Neither the Funds nor the Funds' agents will be responsible for any losses resulting from unauthorized telephone or Internet transactions if
reasonable security procedures are followed. For transactions over the Internet, we recommend the use of a secure Internet browser. In addition, you are responsible for: (i) verifying the accuracy of all data and information transmitted via the Internet or by telephone, (ii) verifying the accuracy of your account statements immediately upon receipt, and (iii) promptly notifying the Funds of any errors or inaccuracies including, without limitation, any errors or inaccuracies relating to shareholder data or information transmitted via the Internet or by telephone. During periods of heavy market activity or other times, it may be difficult to reach the Funds by telephone or to transact business over the Internet. Technological irregularities may also make the use of the Internet slow or unavailable at times. If you are unable to reach us by telephone or unable to transact business over the Internet, consider sending written instructions.
The Funds may terminate the receipt of redemption or exchange orders by telephone or the Internet at any time, in which case you may redeem or exchange shares by other means.
Policies to Prevent Market Timing. Frequent purchases and redemptions of Fund shares may present risks for other shareholders of the Funds, which may include, among other things, interference in the efficient management of a Fund's portfolio, increased dilution in the value of shares held by long-term shareholders, brokerage and administrative costs and forcing the Funds to hold excess levels of cash.
The Trust's Board of Trustees has adopted policies and procedures designed to detect and prevent inappropriate short-term trading activity that is harmful to the Funds. Because most of the shares in the Funds are held by investors indirectly through one or more financial intermediaries, the Funds do not generally have information about the identity of those investors or about transactions effected by those investors. Rather, the Funds and service providers to the Funds periodically review cash inflows and outflows from and to those intermediaries in an attempt to detect inappropriate trading activity by investors holding shares through those intermediaries. The Funds may seek to obtain underlying account trading activity information from financial intermediaries when, in the Adviser's judgment, the trading activity suggests possible market timing. There is no assurance that the Funds or the Adviser will be able to determine whether trading in the Funds' shares by an investor holding shares through a financial intermediary is trading activity that may be harmful to the Funds or the Funds' shareholders.
The Funds reserve the right in their discretion to reject any purchase, in whole or in part including, without limitation, by a person whose trading activity in Fund shares the Adviser believes could be harmful to the Funds. The Funds may decide to restrict purchase and sale activity in their shares based on various factors, including, without limitation, whether frequent purchase and sale activity will disrupt portfolio management strategies or adversely affect performance. There can be no assurance that the Funds, the Adviser, State Street or their agents will identify all frequent purchase and sale activity affecting the Funds.
PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS DISCLOSURE
The Funds' portfolio holdings disclosure policy is described in the SAI.
SHAREHOLDER SERVICING PAYMENTS
The Fund's Service Class shares generally are sold to clients of financial intermediaries ("Service Organizations"), including affiliates of the Adviser, which have entered into shareholder servicing agreements with the Funds or Distributor. Service Organizations agree to perform certain shareholder servicing, administrative and accounting services for their clients and customers who are beneficial owners of shares of the Funds. The Funds or Distributor will make payments to Service Organizations for services provided at an annual rate of up to 0.05% of the average daily net assets attributable to the service organization. The Funds expect to reimburse the Distributor for such payments made by the Distributor to Service Organizations.
PAYMENTS TO FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES
The Adviser, or an affiliate of the Adviser, out of its own resources, and without additional cost to a Fund or its shareholders, may make additional payments to financial intermediaries (including affiliates of the Adviser) whose clients or customers invest in the Fund. Generally, such financial intermediaries may (though they will not necessarily) provide shareholder servicing and support for their customers who purchase shares of the Funds. Not all financial intermediaries receive additional compensation and the amount of compensation paid varies for each financial intermediary. If payments to financial intermediaries by the distributor or adviser for a particular mutual fund complex exceed payments by other mutual fund complexes, your financial adviser and the financial intermediary employing him or her may have an incentive to recommend that fund complex over others. Please speak with your financial adviser to learn more about the total amounts paid to your financial adviser and his or her firm by the Adviser and its
affiliates, and by sponsors of other mutual funds he or she may recommend to you. You should also consult disclosures made by your financial intermediary at the time of purchase.
DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAX CONSIDERATIONS
The Funds intend to declare dividends on shares from net investment income daily and pay them as of the last business day of each month. Distributions from capital gains, if any, will be made annually in December.
The following discussion is a summary of some important U.S. federal tax considerations generally applicable to investments in the Funds. Your investment in the Funds may have other tax implications. Please consult your tax advisor about foreign, federal, state, local or other tax laws applicable to you. Foreign persons should consult the SAI.
Each Fund intends to elect to be treated and qualify each year as a regulated investment company. A regulated investment company is not subject to tax at the corporate level on income and gains from investments that are distributed to shareholders. However, the Funds' failure to qualify as a regulated investment company would result in corporate level taxation, and consequently, a reduction in income available for distribution to shareholders.
Dividends from investment income and distributions of any net short-term capital gains are taxable to you as ordinary income under federal income tax laws whether paid in cash or reinvested in additional shares. Taxes on distributions of capital gains are determined by how long the Fund owned the investments that generated them, rather than how long a shareholder has owned his or her shares.
For more information about the Funds:
The Funds' SAI includes additional information about the Funds and is incorporated by reference into this document. Additional information about the Funds' investments is available in the Funds' annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders.
The SAI and the Funds' annual and semi-annual reports are available, without charge, upon request. Shareholders in the Funds may make inquiries to the Funds to receive such information by calling (877) 521-4083. The Funds' website address is https://www.sttfunds.com.
Information about the Funds (including the SAI) can be reviewed and copied
at the Commission's Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C. Information on the
operation of the Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling the Commission
at 1-202-551-8090. Reports and other information about the Funds are available
free of charge on the EDGAR Database on the Commission's Internet site at
http://www.sec.gov. Copies of this information also may be obtained, after
paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following E-mail address:
publicinfo@sec.gov, or by writing the Commission's Public Reference Section,
Washington, D.C. 20549-0102.
SSGA FUNDS MANAGEMENT, INC.
STATE STREET FINANCIAL CENTER
ONE LINCOLN STREET
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02111
The State Street Institutional Investment Trust's Investment Company Act File Number is 811-9819.
STATE STREET INSTITUTIONAL INVESTMENT TRUST
(the "Trust")
P.O. Box 5049
Boston, Massachusetts 02206
STATE STREET INSTITUTIONAL LIQUID RESERVES FUND
STATE STREET INSTITUTIONAL U.S. GOVERNMENT MONEY MARKET FUND
STATE STREET INSTITUTIONAL TAX FREE MONEY MARKET FUND
STATE STREET INSTITUTIONAL TREASURY MONEY MARKET FUND
STATE STREET INSTITUTIONAL TREASURY PLUS MONEY MARKET FUND
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
JULY 24, 2008
This Statement of Additional Information ("SAI") relates to the Service Class prospectus dated July 24, 2008, as amended from time to time thereafter for the State Street Institutional Liquid Reserves Fund, State Street Institutional U.S. Government Money Market Fund, State Street Institutional Tax Free Money Market Fund, State Street Institutional Treasury Money Market Fund and State Street Institutional Treasury Plus Money Market Fund.
The SAI is not a prospectus and should be read in conjunction with the
prospectus. A copy of the prospectus can be obtained free of charge by calling
(866) 293-0869 or by written request to the Trust at the address listed above.
The Trust's financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007, including the independent registered public accounting firm report thereon, are included in the Trust's annual report and are incorporated into this SAI by reference. A copy of the Trust's annual report is available, without charge, upon request, by calling (866) 392-0869 or by written request to the Trust at the address above.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Trust History................................................... Description of the Funds and Their Investments and Risks........ Additional Investments and Risks................................ Management of the Trust......................................... Control Persons and Principal Holders of Securities............. Investment Advisory and Other Services.......................... Brokerage Allocation and Other Practices........................ Capital Stock and Other Securities.............................. Purchase, Redemption and Pricing of Shares...................... Taxation of the Funds........................................... Underwriter..................................................... Financial Statements............................................ Appendix A - Ratings of Debt Instruments........................ A- Appendix B - Trust's Proxy Voting Procedures.................... B- Appendix C - Adviser's Proxy Voting Procedures.................. C- |
TRUST HISTORY
The Trust was organized as a business trust under the laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts on February 16, 2000.
The Trust is an open-end management investment company. The Trust contains the following diversified series:
- State Street Equity 500 Index Fund;
- State Street Equity 400 Index Fund;
- State Street Equity 2000 Index Fund;
- State Street Aggregate Bond Index Fund;
- State Street Institutional Limited Duration Bond Fund;
- State Street Institutional Short-Term Tax Exempt Bond Fund;
- State Street Institutional Liquid Reserves Fund (the "ILR Fund");
- State Street Institutional Tax Free Money Market Fund (the "Tax Free Money Market Fund");
- State Street Institutional U.S. Government Money Market Fund (the "U.S. Government Money Market Fund")
- State Street Institutional Treasury Money Market Fund (the "Treasury Fund"); and
- State Street Institutional Treasury Plus Money Market Fund (the "Treasury Plus Fund")
The Liquid Reserves Fund, Treasury Fund, Treasury Plus Fund and the U.S. Government Money Market Fund are referred to in this SAI as the "Money Funds" or "Money Market Funds." The Tax-Free Money Market Fund is referred to in this SAI as the "Tax-Free Fund." The Treasury Fund and the Treasury Plus Fund are referred to in this SAI as the "Treasury Funds." All Funds together are referred to in this SAI as the "Funds."
DESCRIPTION OF THE FUNDS AND THEIR INVESTMENTS AND RISKS
The prospectus contains information about the investment objective and policies of the Funds. This SAI should only be read in conjunction with the prospectus. In addition to the principal investment strategies and the principal risks of the Funds described in the prospectus, a Fund may employ other investment practices and may be subject to additional risks, which are described below.
ADDITIONAL INVESTMENTS AND RISKS
To the extent consistent with its investment objective and restrictions, each Fund may invest in the following instruments and use the following techniques.
Cash Reserves
The Tax Free Money Market Fund may hold portions of its assets in
short-term debt instruments with remaining maturities of 397 days or less
pending investment or to meet anticipated redemptions and day-to-day operating
expenses. Short-term debt instruments consist of: (i) short-term obligations of
the U.S. government, its agencies, instrumentalities, authorities or political
subdivisions; (ii) other short-term debt securities rated at the time of
purchase Aa or higher by Moody's Investors Service, Inc. ("Moody's") or AA or
higher by Standard & Poor's ("S&P") or, if unrated, of comparable quality in the
opinion of SSgA Funds Management, Inc. (the "Adviser"); (iii) commercial paper;
(iv) bank obligations, including negotiable certificates of deposit, time
deposits and bankers' acceptances; and (v) repurchase agreements. At the time
the Tax Free Money Market Fund invests in commercial paper, bank obligations or
repurchase agreements, the issuer or the issuer's parent must have outstanding
debt rated Aa or higher by Moody's or AA or higher by S&P or outstanding
commercial paper or bank obligations rated Prime-1 by Moody's or A-1 by S&P; or,
if no such ratings are available, the instrument must be of comparable quality
in the opinion of the Adviser. See Appendix A for more information on the
ratings of debt instruments.
Illiquid Securities
Each Fund, except for the Treasury Fund, may invest in illiquid securities. The Tax Free Money Market Fund will invest no more than 15% of its net assets, and each Money Market Fund will invest no more than 10% of its net assets, in illiquid securities or securities that are not readily marketable, including repurchase agreements and time deposits of more than seven days' duration. The absence of a regular trading market for illiquid securities imposes additional risks on investments in these securities. Illiquid securities may be difficult to value and may often be disposed of only after considerable expense and delay.
Purchase of Other Investment Company Shares
Each Fund may, to the extent permitted under the Investment Company of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"), and exemptive rules and orders thereunder, invest in shares of other investment companies which invest exclusively in money market instruments or in investment companies with investment policies and objectives which are substantially similar to the Fund's. These investments may be made temporarily, for example, to invest uncommitted cash balances or, in limited circumstances, to assist in meeting shareholder redemptions.
Repurchase Agreements
Each Fund, except for the Treasury Fund, may enter into repurchase agreements with banks and other financial institutions, such as broker-dealers. In substance, a repurchase agreement is a loan for which the Fund receives securities as collateral. Under a repurchase agreement, the Fund purchases securities from a financial institution that agrees to repurchase the securities at the Fund's original purchase price plus interest within a specified time (normally one business day). The Fund will limit repurchase transactions to those member banks of the Federal Reserve System and broker-dealers whose creditworthiness the Adviser considers satisfactory. Should the counterparty to a transaction fail financially, the Fund may encounter delay and incur costs before being able to sell the securities, or may be prevented from realizing on the securities. Further, the amount realized upon the sale of the securities may be less than that necessary to fully compensate the Fund.
Section 4(2) Commercial Paper/Rule 144A Securities
Each Fund, other than the Treasury Funds, may also invest in commercial paper issued in reliance on the private placement exemption from registration afforded by Section 4(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended ("1933 Act") ("Section 4(2) paper") or in securities that that can be offered and sold only to "qualified institutional buyers" under Rule 144A of the 1933 Act ("Rule 144A securities"). The U.S. Government Money Market Fund may invest in Rule 144A securities, but not Section 4(2) paper.
Section 4(2) paper is restricted as to disposition under the federal
securities laws and generally is sold to institutional investors that agree that
they are purchasing the paper for investment and not with a view to public
distribution. Any resale by the purchaser must be in an exempt transaction.
Section 4(2) paper normally is resold to other institutional investors like the
Funds through or with the assistance of the issuer or investment dealers that
make a market in Section 4(2) paper. Rule 144A securities generally must be sold
only to other qualified institutional buyers.
Section 4(2) paper and Rule 144A securities will not be subject to each Fund's percentage limitations on illiquid securities when the Adviser (pursuant to guidelines adopted by the Board of Trustees) determines that a liquid trading market exists. There can be no assurance that a liquid trading market will exist at any time for either Section 4(2) paper or Rule 144A securities.
U.S. Government Securities
Each Fund may purchase U.S. government securities. With respect to U.S. Government Securities, the Treasury Fund will invest exclusively in direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, such as U.S. Treasury bills, notes and bonds maturing within 397 days, and other mutual funds, subject to regulatory limitations, that invest exclusively in such obligations. The Treasury Plus Fund will invest substantially all of its net assets in direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury (U.S. Treasury bills, notes and bonds) and repurchase agreements collateralized by these obligations. The types of U.S. government obligations in which each of the other Funds may at times invest include: (1) U.S. Treasury obligations and (2) obligations issued or guaranteed by U.S. government agencies and instrumentalities which are supported by any of the following: (a) the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury, (b) the right of the issuer to borrow an amount limited to a specific line of credit from the U.S. Treasury, (c) discretionary authority of the U.S. government agency or instrumentality, or (d) the credit of the instrumentality (examples of agencies and instrumentalities are: Federal Land Banks, Federal Housing Administration, Federal Farm Credit Bank, Farmers Home Administration, Export-Import Bank of the United States, Central Bank for Cooperatives, Federal Intermediate Credit Banks, Federal Home Loan Banks, General Services Administration, Maritime Administration, Tennessee Development Bank, Asian-American Development Bank, International Bank for Reconstruction and Development and Federal National Mortgage Association). No assurance can be given that in the future the U.S. government will provide financial support to such U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities described in (2)(b), (2)(c) and (2)(d), other than as set forth above, since it is not obligated to do so by law.
The Money Funds may purchase U.S. government obligations on a forward commitment basis. The Money Funds except for the Treasury Funds may also purchase Treasury Inflation-Protection Securities, a type of inflation-indexed Treasury security. Treasury Inflation Protected Securities provide for semiannual payments of interest and a payment of principal at maturity which are adjusted for changes in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers ("CPI-U").
When-Issued Securities
Each Fund may purchase securities on a when-issued basis. Delivery of and payment for these securities may take place as long as a month or more after the date of the purchase commitment. The value of these securities is subject to market fluctuation during this period, and no income accrues to the Fund until settlement takes place. The Fund segregates liquid securities in an amount at least equal to these commitments. For the purpose of determining the adequacy of these securities, the segregated securities will be valued at market. If the market value of such securities declines, additional cash or securities will be segregated on the Fund's records on a daily basis so that the market value of the account will equal the amount of such commitments by the Fund. When entering into a when-issued transaction, the Fund will rely on the other party to consummate the transaction; if the other party fails to do so, the Fund may be disadvantaged. The Money Funds will not invest more than 25% of their respective net assets in when-issued securities.
Securities purchased on a when-issued basis and held by a Fund are subject to changes in market value based upon the public's perception of changes in the level of interest rates. Generally, the value of such securities will fluctuate inversely to changes in interest rates -- i.e., they will appreciate in value when interest rates decline and decrease in value when interest rates rise. Therefore, if in order to achieve higher interest income a Fund remains substantially fully invested at the same time that it has purchased securities on a "when-issued" basis, there will be a greater possibility of fluctuation in the Fund's net asset value ("NAV").
When payment for when-issued securities is due, a Fund will meet its obligations from then-available cash flow, the sale of segregated securities, the sale of other securities or, and although it would not normally expect to do so, from the sale of the when-issued securities themselves (which may have a market value greater or less than the Fund's payment obligation). The sale of securities to meet such obligations carries with it a greater potential for the realization of capital gains, which are subject to federal income taxes.
Reverse Repurchase Agreements
All Funds, except for the Treasury Funds, may enter into reverse repurchase agreements under the circumstances described in "Investment Restrictions." In substance, a reverse repurchase agreement is a borrowing for which the Fund provides securities as collateral. Under a reverse repurchase agreement, the Fund sells portfolio securities to a financial institution in return for cash in an amount equal to a percentage of the portfolio securities' market value and agrees to repurchase the securities at a future date at a prescribed repurchase price equal to the amount of cash originally received plus interest on such amount. A Fund retains the right to receive interest and principal payments with respect to the securities while they are in the possession of the financial institutions. Cash or liquid high-quality debt obligations from a Fund's portfolio equal in value to the repurchase price including any accrued interest will be segregated by the Fund's custodian on the Fund's records while a reverse repurchase agreement is in effect. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the market value of securities sold by a Fund may decline below the price at which it is obligated to repurchase the securities. Reverse repurchase agreements also involve a risk of default by the counterparty, which may adversely affect a Fund's ability to reacquire the underlying securities.
Eurodollar Certificates of Deposit ("ECDs"), Eurodollar Time Deposits ("ETDs") and Yankee Certificates of Deposit ("YCDs")
The Money Funds, except for the Treasury Funds, may invest in ECDs, ETDs and YCDs. ECDs and ETDs are U.S. dollar-denominated certificates of deposit issued by foreign branches of domestic banks and foreign banks. YCDs are U.S. dollar-denominated certificates of deposit issued by U.S. branches of foreign banks.
Different risks than those associated with the obligations of domestic banks may exist for ECDs, ETDs and YCDs because the banks issuing these instruments, or their domestic or foreign branches, are not necessarily subject to the same regulatory requirements that apply to domestic banks, such as loan limitations, examinations and reserve, accounting, auditing, recordkeeping and public reporting requirements. Obligations of foreign issuers also involve risks such as future unfavorable political and economic developments, withholding tax, seizures of foreign deposits, currency controls, interest limitations, and other governmental restrictions that might affect repayment of principal or payment of interest, or the ability to honor a credit commitment.
Forward Commitments
All Funds may enter into contracts to purchase securities for a fixed price at a future date beyond customary settlement time ("forward commitments") if the Fund holds, and maintains until the settlement date in a segregated account, cash or liquid securities in an amount sufficient to meet the purchase price, or if the Fund enters into offsetting contracts for the forward sale of other securities it owns. Forward commitments may be considered securities in themselves, and involve a risk of loss if the value of the security to be purchased declines prior to the settlement date, which risk is in addition to the risk of decline in the value of the Fund's other assets. Where such purchases are made through dealers, the Fund relies on the dealer to consummate the sale. The dealer's failure to do so may result in the loss to the Fund of an advantageous yield or price.
Although a Fund will generally enter into forward commitments with the intention of acquiring securities for its portfolio or for delivery pursuant to options contracts it has entered into, a Fund may dispose of a commitment prior to settlement if Adviser deems it appropriate to do so. A Fund may realize short-term profits or losses upon the sale of forward commitments.
Investment-Grade Bonds
The Liquid Reserves Fund may invest in corporate notes and bonds that are rated investment-grade by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization ("NRSRO") (and rated in one of the two short-term highest rating categories by at least two NRSROs or by one NRSRO if only one NRSRO has rated the security) or, if unrated, are of comparable quality to the rated securities described above, as determined by the Adviser, in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees. Investment-grade securities
include securities rated Baa by Moody's or BBB- by S&P (and securities of comparable quality), which have speculative characteristics.
Asset-Backed Securities
The Liquid Reserves Fund may invest in asset-backed securities. Asset-backed securities represent undivided fractional interests in pools of instruments, such as consumer loans, and are similar in structure to mortgage-related securities described below. Payments of principal and interest are passed through to holders of the securities and are typically supported by some form of credit enhancement, such as a letter of credit, surety bond, limited guarantee by another entity or by priority to certain of the borrower's other securities. The degree of credit enhancement varies, generally applying only until exhausted and covering only a fraction of the security's par value. The ability of an issuer of asset-backed securities to enforce its security interest in the underlying assets may be limited. If the credit enhancement of an asset-backed security held by a Fund has been exhausted, and if any required payments of principal and interest are not made with respect to the underlying loans, the Fund may experience loss or delay in receiving payment and a decrease in the value of the security. Use of asset-backed securities will represent less than 5% of the Liquid Reserves Fund's total assets by issuer.
Mortgage-Backed and Mortgage-Related Securities
The Money Funds, except for the Treasury Funds and solely as collateral for repurchase agreements in the case of the Money Funds, may invest in mortgage-backed and mortgage-related securities. Mortgage-backed securities, including collateralized mortgage obligations ("CMOs") and certain stripped mortgage-backed securities represent a participation in, or are secured by, mortgage loans.
Mortgage-backed securities have yield and maturity characteristics corresponding to the underlying assets. Unlike traditional debt securities, which may pay a fixed rate of interest until maturity, when the entire principal amount comes due, payments on certain mortgage-backed securities include both interest and a partial repayment of principal. Besides the scheduled repayment of principal, repayments of principal may result from the voluntary prepayment, refinancing or foreclosure of the underlying mortgage loans. If property owners make unscheduled prepayments of their mortgage loans, these prepayments will result in early payment of the applicable mortgage-related securities. In that event the Fund may be unable to invest the proceeds from the early payment of the mortgage-related securities in an investment that provides as high a yield as the mortgage-related securities. Consequently, early payment associated with mortgage-related securities may cause these securities to experience significantly greater price and yield volatility than that experienced by traditional fixed-income securities.
The occurrence of mortgage prepayments is affected by factors including the level of interest rates, general economic conditions, the location and age of the mortgage and other social and demographic conditions. During periods of falling interest rates, the rate of mortgage prepayments tends to increase, thereby tending to decrease the life of mortgage-related securities. During periods of rising interest rates, the rate of mortgage prepayments usually decreases, thereby tending to increase the life of mortgage-related securities. If the life of a mortgage-related security is inaccurately predicted, the Fund may not be able to realize the rate of return the adviser expected.
Mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities are less effective than other types of securities as a means of "locking in" attractive long-term interest rates. One reason is the need to reinvest prepayments of principal; another is the possibility of significant unscheduled prepayments resulting from declines in interest rates. These prepayments would have to be reinvested at lower rates. As a result, these securities may have less potential for capital appreciation during periods of declining interest rates than other securities of comparable maturities, although they may have a similar risk of decline in market value during periods of rising interest rates. Prepayments may also significantly shorten the effective maturities of these securities, especially during periods of declining interest rates. Conversely, during periods of rising interest rates, a reduction in prepayments may increase the effective maturities of these securities, subjecting them to a greater risk of decline in market value in response to rising interest rates than traditional debt securities, and, therefore, potentially increasing the volatility of a Fund. Prepayments may cause losses on securities purchased at a premium. At times, some mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities will have higher than market interest rates and therefore will be purchased at a premium above their par value.
Mortgage-backed securities are issued by governmental, government-related and private organizations and are backed by pools of mortgage loans. These mortgage loans are made by savings and loan associations, mortgage bankers, commercial banks and other lenders to home buyers throughout the United States. The securities are "pass-through" securities because they provide investors with monthly payments of principal and interest that, in effect, are a "pass-through" of the monthly payments made by the individual borrowers on the underlying mortgage loans, net of any fees paid to the issuer or guarantor of the pass-through certificates. The
principal governmental issuer of such securities is the Government National Mortgage Association ("GNMA"), which is a wholly-owned U.S. government corporation within the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Government-related issuers include the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation ("FHLMC"), which is a shareholder-owned government-sponsored enterprise established by Congress, and the Federal National Mortgage Association ("FNMA"), a government sponsored corporation owned entirely by private stockholders. Commercial banks, savings and loan associations, private mortgage insurance companies, mortgage bankers and other secondary market issuers also create pass-through pools of conventional residential mortgage loans. Such issuers may be the originators of the underlying mortgage loans as well as the guarantors of the mortgage-related securities.
1. GNMA Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates ("Ginnie Maes"). Ginnie Maes represent an undivided interest in a pool of mortgage loans that are insured by the Federal Housing Administration or the Farmers Home Administration or guaranteed by the Veterans Administration. Ginnie Maes entitle the holder to receive all payments (including prepayments) of principal and interest owed by the individual mortgagors, net of fees paid to GNMA and to the issuer which assembles the loan pool and passes through the monthly mortgage payments to the certificate holders (typically, a mortgage banking firm), regardless of whether the individual mortgagor actually makes the payment. Because payments are made to certificate holders regardless of whether payments are actually received on the underlying loans, Ginnie Maes are of the "modified pass-through" mortgage certificate type. GNMA is authorized to guarantee the timely payment of principal and interest on the Ginnie Maes as securities backed by an eligible pool of mortgage loans. The GNMA guaranty is backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, and GNMA has unlimited authority to borrow funds from the U.S. Treasury to make payments under the guaranty. The market for Ginnie Maes is highly liquid because of the size of the market and the active participation in the secondary market by securities dealers and a variety of investors.
2. FHLMC Mortgage Participation Certificates ("Freddie Macs"). Freddie Macs represent interests in groups of specified first lien residential conventional mortgage loans underwritten and owned by FHLMC. Freddie Macs entitle the holder to timely payment of interest, which is guaranteed by FHLMC. FHLMC guarantees either ultimate collection or timely payment of all principal payments on the underlying mortgage loans. In cases where FHLMC has not guaranteed timely payment of principal, FHLMC may remit the amount due on account of its guarantee of ultimate payment of principal at any time after default on an underlying loan, but in no event later than one year after it becomes payable. Freddie Macs are not guaranteed by the United States or by any of the Federal Home Loan Banks and do not constitute a debt or obligation of the United States or of any Federal Home Loan Bank. The secondary market for Freddie Macs is highly liquid because of the size of the market and the active participation in the secondary market by FHLMC, securities dealers and a variety of investors.
3. FNMA Guaranteed Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates ("Fannie Maes"). Fannie Maes represent an undivided interest in a pool of conventional mortgage loans secured by first mortgages or deeds of trust, on one-family to four-family residential properties. FNMA is obligated to distribute scheduled monthly installments of principal and interest on the loans in the pool, whether or not received, plus full principal of any foreclosed or otherwise liquidated loans. The obligation of FNMA under its guaranty is solely the obligation of FNMA and is not backed by, nor entitled to, the full faith and credit of the United States.
CMOs may be issued by a U.S. Government agency or instrumentality or by a private issuer. Although payment of the principal of, and interest on, the underlying collateral securing privately issued CMOs may be guaranteed by the U.S. Government or its agencies or instrumentalities, these CMOs represent obligations solely of the private issuer and are not insured or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities or any other person or entity.
Prepayments could cause early retirement of CMOs. CMOs are designed to reduce the risk of prepayment for investors by issuing multiple classes of securities, each having different maturities, interest rates and payment schedules, and with the principal and interest on the underlying mortgages allocated among the several classes in various ways. Payment of interest or principal on some classes or series of CMOs may be subject to contingencies or some classes or series may bear some or all of the risk of default on the underlying mortgages. CMOs of different classes or series are generally retired in sequence as the underlying mortgage loans in the mortgage pool are repaid. If enough mortgages are repaid ahead of schedule, the classes or series of a CMO with the earliest maturities generally will be retired prior to their maturities. Thus, the early retirement of particular classes or series of a CMO would have the same effect as the prepayment of mortgages underlying other mortgage-backed securities. Conversely, slower than anticipated prepayments can extend the effective maturities of CMOs, subjecting them to a greater risk of decline in market value in response to rising interest rates than traditional debt securities, and, therefore, potentially increasing their volatility.
Prepayments could result in losses on stripped mortgage-backed securities. Stripped mortgage-backed securities are usually structured with two classes that receive different portions of the interest and principal distributions on a pool of mortgage loans. The yield to maturity on an interest only or "IO" class of stripped mortgage-backed securities is extremely sensitive not only to changes in
prevailing interest rates but also to the rate of principal payments (including prepayments) on the underlying assets. A rapid rate of principal prepayments may have a measurable adverse effect on the Fund's yield to maturity to the extent it invests in IOs. If the assets underlying the IO experience greater than anticipated prepayments of principal, the Fund may fail to recoup fully, or at all, its initial investment in these securities. Conversely, principal only securities or "POs" tend to increase in value if prepayments are greater than anticipated and decline if prepayments are slower than anticipated. The secondary market for stripped mortgage-backed securities may be more volatile and less liquid than that for other mortgage-backed securities, potentially limiting the Fund's ability to buy or sell those securities at any particular time.
The market value of mortgage-related securities depends on, among other things, the level of interest rates, the certificates' coupon rates and the payment history of the underlying borrowers.
Variable and Floating Rate Securities
The Money Funds, except for the Treasury Funds, may invest in variable and floating rate securities. A variable rate security provides for the automatic establishment of a new interest rate on set dates. Interest rates on these securities are ordinarily tied to, and are a percentage of, a widely recognized interest rate, such as the yield on 90-day U.S. Treasury bills or the prime rate of a specified bank. These rates may change as often as twice daily. Generally, changes in interest rates will have a smaller effect on the market value of variable and floating rate securities than on the market value of comparable fixed income obligations. Thus, investing in variable and floating rate securities generally allows less opportunity for capital appreciation and depreciation than investing in comparable fixed income securities. Variable rate obligations whose interest is readjusted no less frequently than annually will be deemed to have a maturity equal to the period remaining until the next readjustment of the interest rate.
Variable Amount Master Demand Notes
The Money Funds, except for the Treasury Funds, may invest in variable amount master demand notes which are unsecured obligations that are redeemable upon demand and are typically unrated. These instruments are issued pursuant to written agreements between their issuers and holders. The agreements permit the holders to increase (subject to an agreed maximum) and the holders and issuers to decrease the principal amount of the notes, and specify that the rate of interest payable on the principal fluctuates according to an agreed formula. Generally, changes in interest rates will have a smaller effect on the market value of these securities than on the market value of comparable fixed income obligations. Thus, investing in these securities generally allows less opportunity for capital appreciation and depreciation than investing in comparable fixed income securities. There may be no active secondary market with respect to a particular variable rate instrument.
Zero Coupon Securities
The Money Funds, except for the Treasury Funds, may invest in zero coupon securities. Zero coupon securities are notes, bonds and debentures that: (1) do not pay current interest and are issued at a substantial discount from par value; (2) have been stripped of their unmatured interest coupons and receipts; or (3) pay no interest until a stated date one or more years into the future. These securities also include certificates representing interests in such stripped coupons and receipts. Generally, changes in interest rates will have a greater impact on the market value of a zero coupon security than on the market value of the comparable securities that pay interest periodically during the life of the instrument. In order to satisfy a requirement for qualification as a "regulated investment company" under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), the Money Funds must distribute at least 90% of their net investment income, including the original issue discount accrued on zero coupon bonds. Because the Funds will not receive cash payments on a current basis from the issuer in respect of accrued original discount, the Funds may have to distribute cash obtained from other sources in order to satisfy the 90% distribution requirement. Such cash might be obtained from selling other portfolio holdings of the Funds. In some circumstances such sales might be necessary in order to satisfy cash distribution requirements even though investment considerations might otherwise make it undesirable for the Funds to sell such securities at such time.
The Money Funds, except for the Treasury Funds, may invest no more than 25% of their respective total assets in stripped securities that have been stripped by their holder, typically a custodian bank or investment brokerage firm. Privately-issued stripped securities are not themselves guaranteed by the U.S. government, but the future payment of principal or interest on U.S. Treasury obligations which they represent is so guaranteed.
Municipal and Municipal-Related Securities
Municipal securities may bear fixed, floating or variable rates of interest or may be zero coupon securities. Municipal securities are generally of two types: general obligations and revenue obligations. General obligations are backed by the full faith and credit of the issuer. These securities include tax anticipation notes, bond anticipation notes, general obligation bonds and commercial paper. Revenue obligations are backed by the revenues generated from a specific project or facility and include industrial development bonds and private activity bonds. Tax anticipation notes are issued to finance working capital needs of municipalities and are generally issued in anticipation of future tax revenues. Bond anticipation notes are issued in expectation of the issuer obtaining longer-term financing.
The Tax-Free Fund may invest in municipal and municipal-related securities. Municipal obligations are affected by economic, business or political developments. These securities may be subject to provisions of litigation, bankruptcy and other laws affecting the rights and remedies of creditors, or may become subject to future laws extending the time for payment of principal and/or interest, or limiting the rights of municipalities to levy taxes. The Fund may be more adversely impacted by changes in tax rates and policies than other funds. Because interest income from municipal securities is normally not subject to regular federal income taxation, the attractiveness of municipal securities in relation to other investment alternatives is affected by changes in federal income tax rates applicable to, or the continuing federal income tax-exempt status of, such interest income. Any proposed or actual changes in such rates or exempt status, therefore, can significantly affect the demand for and supply, liquidity and marketability of municipal securities. This could in turn affect the Fund's ability to acquire and dispose of municipal securities at desirable yield and price levels. Concentration of the Fund's investments in these municipal obligations will subject the Fund, to a greater extent than if such investment was not so concentrated, to the risks of adverse economic, business or political developments affecting the particular state, industry or other area of concentration.
Industrial Development and Private Activity Bonds
Industrial development bonds are issued to finance a wide variety of capital projects including: electric, gas, water and sewer systems; ports and airport facilities; colleges and universities; and hospitals. The principal security for these bonds is generally the net revenues derived from a particular facility, group of facilities, or in some cases, the proceeds of a special excise tax or other specific revenue sources. Although the principal security behind these bonds may vary, many provide additional security in the form of a debt service reserve fund whose money may be used to make principal and interest payments on the issuer's obligations. Some authorities provide further security in the form of a state's ability without obligation to make up deficiencies in the debt service reserve fund.
Private activity bonds are considered municipal securities if the interest paid thereon is exempt from federal income tax and are issued by or on behalf of public authorities to raise money to finance various privately operated facilities for business and manufacturing, housing, sports, and pollution control. These bonds are also used to finance public facilities such as airports, mass transit systems, ports and parking. The payment of the principal and interest on such bonds is dependent solely on the ability of the facility's user to meet its financial obligations and the value of any real or personal property pledged as security for such payment. As noted in the Tax-Free Fund's prospectus and discussed below under "Taxation of the Funds," interest income on these bonds may be an item of tax preference subject to federal alternative minimum tax for individuals and corporations.
Insured Municipal Securities
Insured municipal securities are those for which scheduled payments of interest and principal are guaranteed by a private (non-governmental) insurance company. The insurance entitles a fund to receive only the face or par value of the securities held by the fund, but the ability to be paid is limited to the claims paying ability of the insurer. The insurance does not guarantee the market value of the municipal securities or the net asset value of a fund's shares. Insurers are selected based upon the diversification of its portfolio and the strength of the management team which contributes to the claims paying ability of the entity. However, the Adviser selects securities based upon the underlying credit with bond insurance viewed as an enhancement only. The Adviser's objective is to have an enhancement that provides additional liquidity to insulate against volatility in changing markets.
Municipal Leases
The Tax-Free Fund may purchase participation interests in municipal obligations, including municipal lease/purchase agreements. Municipal leases are an undivided interest in a portion of an obligation in the form of a lease or installment purchase issued by a state or local government to acquire equipment or facilities. These instruments may have fixed, floating or variable rates of interest, with remaining maturities of 13 months or less. Certain participation interests may permit the Fund to demand payment on not more than seven days' notice, for all or any part of the fund's interest, plus accrued interest.
Municipal leases frequently have special risks not normally associated with general obligation or revenue bonds. Some leases or contracts include "non-appropriation" clauses, which provide that the governmental issuer has no obligation to make future payments under the lease or contract unless money is appropriated for such purpose by the appropriate legislative body on a yearly or other periodic basis. To reduce these risks, the Tax-Free Fund will only purchase municipal leases subject to a non-appropriation clause when the payment of principal and accrued interest is backed by a letter of credit or guarantee of a bank.
Whether a municipal lease agreement will be considered illiquid for the purpose of the Fund's restriction on investments in illiquid securities will be determined in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees.
Pre-Refunded Municipal Securities
The interest and principal payments on pre-refunded municipal securities are typically paid from the cash flow generated from an escrow fund consisting of U.S. Government securities. These payments have been "pre-refunded" using the escrow fund.
Tender Option Bonds
A tender option is a municipal obligation (generally held pursuant to a custodial arrangement) having a relatively long maturity and bearing interest at a fixed rate substantially higher than prevailing short-term tax exempt rates, that has been coupled with the agreement of a third party, such as a bank, broker-dealer or other financial institution, pursuant to which such institution grants the security holders the option, at periodic intervals, to tender their securities to the institution and receive the face value thereof. As consideration for providing the option, the financial institution receives periodic fees equal to the difference between the municipal obligation's fixed coupon rate and the rate, as determined by a remarketing or similar agent at or near the commencement of such period, that would cause the securities, coupled with the tender option, to trade at par on the date of such determination. Thus, after payment of this fee, the security holder effectively holds a demand obligation that bears interest at the prevailing short-term tax exempt rate. Subject to applicable regulatory requirements, the Fund may buy tender option bonds if the agreement gives the Fund the right to tender the bond to its sponsor no less frequently than once every 397 days. The Adviser will consider on an ongoing basis the creditworthiness of the issuer of the underlying obligation, any custodian and the third party provider of the tender option. In certain instances and for certain tender option bonds, the option may be terminable in the event of a default in payment of principal or interest on the underlying municipal obligation and for other reasons.
Tax Exempt Commercial Paper
The Tax-Free Fund may invest in tax exempt commercial paper. Tax exempt commercial paper is a short-term obligation with a stated maturity of 365 days or less. It is typically issued to finance seasonal working capital needs or as short-term financing in anticipation of longer term financing. Each instrument may be backed only by the credit of the issuer or may be backed by some form of credit enhancement, typically in the form of a guarantee by a commercial bank. Commercial paper backed by guarantees of foreign banks may involve additional risk due to the difficulty of obtaining and enforcing judgments against such banks and the generally less restrictive regulations to which such banks are subject. The Fund will only invest in commercial paper rated at the time of purchase not less than Prime-1 by Moody's Investors Service, Inc., A-1 by Standard & Poor's Rating Group or F-1 by Fitch's Investor Service. See Appendix A for more information on the ratings of debt instruments.
Investment Restrictions
The Portfolios in which the Funds invest each have substantially the same investment restrictions as their corresponding Funds. In reviewing the description of a Fund's investment restrictions below, you should assume that the investment restrictions of the corresponding Portfolio are the same in all material respects as those of the Fund.
The Trust has also adopted the following fundamental investment policies, which, with respect to the Money Funds (excluding the Tax Free Money Market Fund), may not be changed without the approval of a majority of the shareholders of the respective Fund, as defined above. Each Money Fund (excluding the Tax Free Money Market Fund) will not:
(1) Invest 25% or more of the value of its total assets in securities of companies primarily engaged in any one industry (other than the U.S. government, its agencies and instrumentalities). Concentration may occur as a result of changes in the market value of portfolio securities, but may not result from investment. Foreign and domestic branches of U.S. and foreign banks are not considered a single industry for purposes of this restriction.
(2) Borrow money, except as a temporary measure for extraordinary or emergency purposes or to facilitate redemptions (not for leveraging or investment), provided that borrowings do not exceed an amount equal to 33 1/3% of the current value of the Fund's assets taken at market value, less liabilities other than borrowings. If at any time the Fund's borrowings exceed this limitation due to a decline in net assets, such borrowings will within three days be reduced to the extent necessary to comply with this limitation. The Fund will not purchase investments once borrowed funds (including reverse repurchase agreements) exceed 5% of its total assets.
(3) Pledge, mortgage or hypothecate its assets. However, the Fund may
pledge securities having a market value (on a daily marked-to-market
basis) at the time of the pledge not exceeding 33 1/3% of the value of
the Fund's total assets to secure borrowings permitted by paragraph
(2) above.
(4) Invest in securities of any one issuer (other than securities issued by the U.S. government, its agencies, and instrumentalities or securities issued by other investment companies), if immediately after and as a result of such investment the current market value of the Fund's holdings in the securities of such issuer exceeds 5% of the value of the Fund's assets or the Fund would hold more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer.
(5) Make loans to any person or firm; provided, however, that the making of a loan shall not include: (i) the acquisition for investment of bonds, debentures, notes or other evidences of indebtedness of any corporation or government which are publicly distributed or of a type customarily purchased by institutional investors, or (ii) the entry into "repurchase agreements." The Fund may lend its portfolio securities to broker-dealers or other institutional investors if the aggregate value of all securities loaned does not exceed 33 1/3% of the value of the Fund's total assets.
(6) Invest more than 10% of its net assets in the aggregate, on an ongoing basis, in illiquid securities or securities that are not readily marketable, including repurchase agreements and time deposits of more than seven days' duration.
(7) Engage in the business of underwriting securities issued by others, except that the Fund will not be deemed to be an underwriter or to be underwriting on account of the purchase of securities subject to legal or contractual restrictions on disposition.
(8) Issue senior securities, except as permitted by its investment objective, policies and restrictions, and except as permitted by the 1940 Act.
The concentration policy of the Money Funds (as set forth in Investment
Restriction No. 1, above) permits the Money Funds to invest, without limit, in
bankers' acceptances, certificates of deposit and similar instruments issued by:
(i) U.S. banks, (ii) U.S. branches of foreign banks (in circumstances in which
the U.S. branches of foreign banks are subject to the same regulation as U.S.
banks), (iii) foreign branches of U.S. banks (in circumstances in which the
Money Funds will have recourse to the U.S. bank for the obligations of the
foreign branch), and (iv) foreign branches of foreign banks (although the Fund
would only do so if the Adviser were to determine that the foreign branches of
foreign banks are subject to the same or substantially similar regulations as
U.S. banks). The Money Funds may concentrate in such instruments when, in the
opinion of the Adviser, the yield, marketability and availability of investments
meeting the Money Funds' quality standards in the banking industry justify any
additional risks associated with the concentration of the Fund's assets in such
industry. To the extent these restrictions reflect matters of operating policy
which may be changed without shareholder vote, these restrictions may be amended
upon approval by the Board of Trustees and notice to shareholders. If a
percentage restriction is adhered to at the time of investment, a subsequent
increase or decrease in a percentage resulting from a change in the values of
assets will not constitute a violation of that restriction, except as otherwise
noted.
All percentage limitations on investments will apply at the time of the making of an investment and shall not be considered violated unless an excess or deficiency occurs or exists immediately after and as a result of such investment. Except for the investment restrictions listed above as fundamental or to the extent designated as such in the Prospectus with respect to a Fund, the other investment policies described in this Statement of Additional Information or in the Prospectus are not fundamental and may be changed by approval of the Trustees.
The Trust has also adopted the following fundamental investment restrictions, which, with respect to the Tax Free Money Market Fund, may not be changed without the approval of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the respective Fund, which is defined in the 1940 Act to mean the affirmative vote of the lesser of (i) more than 50% of the outstanding interests of the Fund and (2) 67% or more of the interests present at a meeting if more than 50% of the outstanding interests are present at the meeting in person or by proxy.
The Tax Free Money Market Fund will not:
(1) issue any class of securities which is senior to the Fund's shares of beneficial interest, except to the extent the Fund is permitted to borrow money or otherwise to the extent consistent with applicable law from time to time.
Note: The 1940 Act currently prohibits an open-end investment company from issuing any senior securities, except to the extent it is permitted to borrow money (see Note following restriction 2, below).
(2) borrow money, except to the extent permitted by applicable law from time to time, or purchase securities when outstanding borrowings of money exceed 5% of the Fund's total assets;
Note: The 1940 Act currently permits an open-end investment company to borrow money from a bank (including by entering into reverse repurchase agreements) so long as the ratio which the value of the total assets of the investment company (including the amount of any such borrowing), less the amount of all liabilities and indebtedness (other than such borrowing) of the investment company, bears to the amount of such borrowing is at least 300%.
(3) act as underwriter of securities of other issuers except to the extent that, in connection with the disposition of portfolio securities, it may be deemed to be an underwriter under certain federal securities laws
(4) (i) as to 75% of its total assets, purchase any security (other than U.S. Government securities and securities of other investment companies), if as a result more than 5% of the Fund's total assets (taken at current value) would then be invested in securities of a single issuer or the Fund would hold more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer, or (ii) purchase any security (other than securities of the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities) if as a result 25% or more of the Fund's total assets (taken at current value) would be invested in a single industry; there is no limit on the Tax Free Money Market Fund's investments in municipal securities (for purposes of this investment restriction, investment companies are not considered to be part of any industry);
(5) make loans, except by purchase of debt obligations or other financial instruments, by entering into repurchase agreements, or through the lending of its portfolio securities;
(6) purchase or sell commodities or commodity contracts, except that the Fund may purchase or sell financial futures contracts, options on financial futures contracts, and futures contracts, forward contracts, and options with respect to foreign currencies, and may enter into swap transactions or other financial transactions, and except as required in connection with otherwise permissible options, futures, and commodity activities as described elsewhere in the Prospectuses or this SAI at the time; and
(7) purchase or sell real estate or interests in real estate, including real estate mortgage loans, although it may purchase and sell securities which are secured by real estate and securities of companies, including limited partnership interests, that invest or deal in real estate and it may purchase interests in real estate investment trusts. (For purposes of this restriction, investments by a Fund in mortgage-backed securities and other securities representing interests in mortgage pools shall not constitute the purchase or sale of real estate or interests in real estate or real estate mortgage loans).
To the extent these restrictions reflect matters of operating policy which may be changed without shareholder vote, these restrictions may be amended upon approval by the Board of Trustees and notice to shareholders. If a percentage restriction is adhered to at the time of investment, a subsequent increase or decrease in a percentage resulting from a change in the values of assets will not constitute a violation of that restriction, except as otherwise noted.
All percentage limitations on investments will apply at the time of the making of an investment and shall not be considered violated unless an excess or deficiency occurs or exists immediately after and as a result of such investment. Except for the investment restrictions listed above as fundamental or to the extent designated as such in the Prospectus with respect to a Fund, the other investment policies described in this Statement or in the Prospectus are not fundamental and may be changed by approval of the Trustees.
Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings
Introduction
Each Fund currently invests all of its assets in a related Portfolio, each of which is a series of State Street Master Funds ("Master Trust"), that has the same investment objectives and substantially the same investment policies as the relevant Fund. The Master Trust and the Trust, on behalf of each of their respective series (collectively, the "Trusts"), have adopted a joint portfolio holdings disclosure policy (the "Policy").
The Trusts disclose to the general public the complete schedule of portfolio holdings of their respective Portfolios or Funds for the second and fourth fiscal quarters on Form N-CSR, and for the first and third fiscal quarters on Form N-Q, within 60 days of the end of the respective quarter, by filing the applicable Form with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC").
General Policy
In general, the Policy provides that portfolio holdings may be disclosed by
the Trusts on a selective basis only by an officer of the Trusts or a member of
the Adviser's compliance department ("Authorizing Officer") where it is
determined that (i) there is a legitimate business purpose for the information,
(ii) recipients are subject to a duty of confidentiality, including a duty not
to trade on the nonpublic information; and (iii) disclosure is in the best
interests of Fund shareholders. The Authorizing Officer shall attempt to uncover
any apparent conflict between the interests of Fund shareholders on the one hand
and those of the Adviser, the Fund's underwriter and their affiliates on the
other. For example, an Authorizing Officer may inquire whether a portfolio
manager of a Fund has entered into any special arrangements with the requestor
to share confidential portfolio holdings information in exchange for a
substantial investment in the Funds or other products managed by the portfolio
manager. Any potential conflicts between shareholders and affiliated persons of
the Funds that arise as a result of a request for portfolio holdings information
shall be evaluated by the Authorizing Officer in the best interests of
shareholders.
The Policy provides that portfolio holdings information for the Funds may be made available more frequently and prior to its public availability in accordance with the foregoing to:
1. Unaffiliated Service Providers. Various firms, such as pricing services, proxy voting services, financial printers, pricing information vendors, third parties that deliver analytical, statistical, or consulting services, and other unaffiliated third parties that provide services and may require portfolio holdings information to provide services to the Funds. The frequency with which portfolio holdings may be disclosed to an Unaffiliated Service Provider, and the length of the time delay, if any, between the date of the information and the date on which the information is disclosed to the Unaffiliated Service Provider, is determined based on the facts and circumstances surrounding the disclosure, including, without limitation, the nature of the portfolio holdings information to be disclosed, the risk of harm to the Funds and their shareholders, and the legitimate business purposes served by such disclosure. The frequency of disclosure to an Unaffiliated Service Provider varies and may be as frequent as daily, with no time delay. In general, the Funds' contractual arrangements with Unaffiliated Service Providers subject them to a duty of confidentiality. Each of the Funds' Unaffiliated Service Providers as of the date of this SAI for which the Funds may provide portfolio holdings information is identified in the Funds' Prospectus and this SAI; in addition, Bowne, Inc. (financial printer) is an Unaffiliated Service Provider.
2. Ratings and Rankings Agencies. Organizations that publish ratings and/or rankings of the Funds. The table below sets forth the names of those organizations as of the date of this SAI to whom the Funds (or the Master Trust on behalf of the Funds) may provide portfolio holdings information on a monthly or quarterly basis within one to ten business days after the end of the period:
NAME
Bloomberg L.P.
Lipper Analytical Services
Moody's Investors Service
Morningstar, Inc.
Standard & Poor's Ratings Services
Thomson Financial
3. Fund Affiliates and Fiduciaries. Various firms, such as (1) the Adviser, State Street Bank and Trust Company ("State Street") and its affiliates (in their capacities as administrator, transfer agent and custodian) and the distributor to a Fund; and (2) an accounting firm, an auditing firm, or outside legal counsel retained by the Adviser, an affiliate of the Adviser, or a Fund. The frequency with which portfolio holdings may be disclosed to Fund Affiliates and Fiduciaries, and the length of the time delay, if any, between the date of the information and the date on which the information is disclosed to the Fund Affiliates and Fiduciaries, is determined based on the facts and circumstances surrounding the disclosure, including, without limitation, the nature of the portfolio holdings
information to be disclosed, the risk of harm to the Funds and their shareholders, and the legitimate business purposes served by such disclosure. The frequency of disclosure to Fund Affiliates and Fiduciaries varies and may be as frequent as daily, with no lag.
4. As Required by Law. Any party as required by applicable laws, rules, and regulations. Examples of such required disclosures include, but are not limited to, disclosure of Fund portfolio holdings (1) in a filing or submission with the SEC or another regulatory body (including, without limitation, filings by the Adviser and its affiliates on Schedules 13D, 13G and 13F), (2) upon the request of the SEC or another regulatory body, (3) in connection with a lawsuit, or (4) as required by court order.
5. Waiver. Any other party, for a legitimate business purpose, upon waiver or exception, with the consent of the Trust's officers, which will be disclosed to the Board of Trustees no later than its next regularly scheduled quarterly meeting.
Prohibitions on Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings
The Policy provides that portfolio managers and other senior officers or spokespersons of the Adviser, State Street or the Trusts may disclose or confirm the ownership of any individual portfolio holding position to reporters, brokers, shareholders, consultants or other interested persons only if such information has been previously publicly disclosed in accordance with the Policy. For example, the Adviser may indicate that a Fund owns shares of XYZ Company only if the Fund's ownership of such company has previously been publicly disclosed.
Additional Matters
None of the Funds, the Adviser, State Street or any other party may receive compensation or other consideration in connection with the disclosure of information about portfolio securities. The Trust's Board of Trustees has approved the Policy, and will review any material changes to the Policy, and will periodically review persons or entities receiving non-public disclosure.
MANAGEMENT OF THE TRUST
The Trustees are responsible for generally overseeing the Trust's business. The following table provides information with respect to each Trustee, including those Trustees who are not considered to be "interested" as that term is defined in the 1940 Act (the "Independent Trustees"), and officer of the Trust.
NUMBER OF TERM OF FUNDS IN NAME, ADDRESS, POSITION(S) OFFICE AND FUND COMPLEX OTHER AND DATE OF BIRTH HELD WITH LENGTH OF PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION OVERSEEN DIRECTORSHIPS ("DOB") TRUST TIME SERVED DURING PAST FIVE YEARS BY TRUSTEE HELD BY TRUSTEE ------------------------- ----------- ------------- ------------------------------- ------------ ------------------------ INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES Michael F. Holland Trustee and Term: Chairman, Holland & Company 22 Trustee, State Street Holland & Company, LLC Chairman of Indefinite L.L.C. (investment adviser) Institutional Investment 375 Park Avenue the Board Elected: 7/99 (1995 - present). Trust; Director, the New York, NY 10152 Holland Series Fund, Inc.; and Director, The DOB: July 7, 1944 China Fund, Inc.; Chairman and Trustee, Scottish Widows Investment Partnership Trust; and Director, Reaves Utility Income Fund |
William L. Boyan Trustee Term: Trustee of Old Mutual South 22 Trustee, State Street State Street Master Funds Indefinite Africa Master Trust Institutional Investment P.O. Box 5501 Elected: 7/99 (investments) (1995 - present); Trust; and Trustee, Old Boston, MA 02206 Chairman emeritus, Children's Mutual South Africa Hospital (1984 - present); Master Trust DOB: January 20, 1937 Director, Boston Plan For Excellence (non-profit) (1994 - present); President and Chief Operations Officer, John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Company (1959 - 1999). Mr. Boyan retired in 1999. Rina K. Spence Trustee Term: President of SpenceCare 22 Trustee, State Street State Street Master Funds Indefinite International LLC (1998 - Institutional Investment PO Box 5501 Elected: 7/99 present); Member of the Trust; Director, Boston, MA 02206 Advisory Board, Ingenium Corp. Berkshire Life Insurance DOB: October 24, 1948 (technology company) (2001 - Company of America; and present); Chief Executive Director, IEmily.com Officer, IEmily.com (internet Director, National company) (2000 - 2001); Chief Osteoporosis Foundation Executive Officer of Consensus 2005-2008 Director, DAS Pharmaceutical, Inc. (1998 - Al Fouad Hospital 1999); Founder, President and 2006-present Chief Executive Officer of Spence Center for Women's Health (1994 - 1998); Trustee, Eastern Enterprise (utilities) (1988 - 2000). Douglas T. Williams Trustee Term: Executive Vice President of 22 Trustee, State Street State Street Master Funds Indefinite Chase Manhattan Bank (1987 - Institutional Investment P.O. Box 5501 Elected: 7/99 1999). Mr. Williams retired Trust Boston, MA 02206 in 1999. DOB: December 23, 1940 INTERESTED TRUSTEES (1) James E. Ross Trustee/ Term: President, SSgA Funds 22 Trustee, State Street SSgA Funds Management, Preside Indefinite Management, Inc. (2005 - Master Funds; Trustee, Inc. Elected present); Principal, SSgA Funds SPDR(R) Series Trust; State Street Financial Trustee: 2/07 Management, Inc. (2001 - 2005); Trustee, SPDR(R) Index Center Senior Managing Director, State Shares Trust and One Lincoln Street Elected Street Global Advisors (March Trustee, Select Sector Boston, MA 02111-2900 President: 2006 - present); Principal, SPDR(R) Trust 4/05 State Street Global Advisers DOB: June 24, 1965 (2000 - 2006). |
TERM OF NAME, ADDRESS, POSITION(S) OFFICE AND AND DATE OF BIRTH HELD WITH LENGTH OF PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION ("DOB") TRUST TIME SERVED DURING PAST FIVE YEARS ----------------- ----------- ------------- ------------------------------ OFFICERS: Gary L. French Treasurer Term: Senior Vice President of State State Street Bank and Indefinite Street Bank and Trust Company Trust Company Elected: 5/05 (2002 - present); Managing 2 Avenue de Lafayette Director, Deutsche Bank Boston, MA 02111 (including its predecessor, Scudder Investments), Fund DOB: July 4, 1951 Operations Unit (2001 - 2002); President, UAM Fund Services (1995 - 2001). Julie Piatelli Chief Term: Principal and Senior SSgA Funds Compliance Indefinite Compliance and Risk Management Management, Inc. Officer Officer, SSgA Funds State Street Financial Elected: 7/07 Management, Inc. Center (2004-present), Vice President One Lincoln Street State Street Global Advisors Boston, MA 02111 (2004-present); Manager, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP DOB: August 5, 1967 (1999-2004). Nancy L. Conlin Secretary Term: Vice President and Managing State Street Bank and Indefinite Counsel, State Street Bank and Trust Company Trust Company (2007 - P.O. Box 5501 Elected: 9/07 present); General Counsel to Boston, MA 02206 Plymouth Rock Companies (2004-2007); and U.S. Chief DOB: December 11, 1953 Counsel to Sun Life Financial (2002 - 2004). |
The By-Laws of the Trust provide that the Trust shall indemnify each person who is or was a Trustee of the Trust against all expenses, judgments, fines, settlements and other amounts actually and reasonably incurred in connection with any proceedings if the person in good faith and reasonably believes that his or her conduct was in the Trust's best interest. The Trust, at its expense, provides liability insurance for the benefit of its Trustees and officers.
Standing Committees
The Board of Trustees has established various committees to facilitate the timely and efficient consideration of all matters of importance to Independent Trustees, the Trust, and the Trust's shareholders and to facilitate compliance with legal and regulatory requirements. Currently, the Board has created an Audit Committee, Nominating Committee and Pricing Committee.
The Audit Committee is composed of all of the Independent Trustees. The Audit Committee meets twice a year, or more often as required, in conjunction with meetings of the Board of Trustees. The Audit Committee oversees and monitors the Trust's internal accounting and control structure, its auditing function and its financial reporting process. The Audit Committee is responsible for selecting and retaining the independent accountants for the Trust. The Audit Committee is responsible for approving the audit plans, fees and other material arrangements in respect of the engagement of the independent accountants, including non-audit services performed. The Audit Committee reviews the qualifications of the independent accountant's key personnel involved in the foregoing activities and monitors the independent accountant's independence. During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007, the Audit Committee held two meetings.
The Nominating Committee is composed of all of the Independent Trustees. The Nominating Committee is responsible for nominating for election as Trustees all Trustee candidates. The Nominating Committee will consider nominees to the Board of Trustees recommended by shareholders. Recommendations should be submitted to the Nominating Committee in care of the Secretary of the Trust. The Nominating Committee meets as is required. During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007, the Nominating Committee did not meet.
The Pricing Committee is composed of all of the Independent Trustees. The Pricing Committee is responsible for the valuation and revaluation of any portfolio investments for which market quotations or sale prices are not readily available in accordance with the Trust's Valuation Procedures. The Pricing Committee acts pursuant to a tiered notification and meeting structure as set forth in the Valuation Procedures, and is generally convened in the event of a pricing matter that may potentially materially impact a Fund's NAV. During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007, the Pricing Committee did not meet.
Trustee Ownership of Securities of the Trust, Adviser and Distributor
As of April 1, 2008 none of the Independent Trustees had any ownership of securities of the Adviser or ALPS Distributors, Inc. ("ALPS"), the Trust's distributor, or any person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by or under common control with the Adviser or ALPS.
The following table sets forth information describing the dollar range of equity securities beneficially owned by each Trustee in the Trust as of December 31, 2007.
AGGREGATE DOLLAR RANGE OF EQUITY SECURITIES IN ALL REGISTERED INVESTMENT DOLLAR RANGE OF EQUITY COMPANIES OVERSEEN BY TRUSTEE IN SECURITIES IN THE FUNDS FAMILY OF INVESTMENT COMPANIES --------------------------- --------------------------------------- Name of Independent Trustee William L. Boyan None None Michael F. Holland None None Rina K. Spence None None Douglas T. Williams None None Name of Interested Trustee James E. Ross None None |
Trustee Compensation
The following table sets forth the total remuneration of Trustees and officers of the Trust for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007.
PENSION OR RETIREMENT TOTAL BENEFITS ESTIMATED COMPENSATION AGGREGATE ACCRUED AS ANNUAL FROM TRUST & COMPENSATION PART OF TRUST BENEFITS UPON FUND COMPLEX FROM TRUST EXPENSES RETIREMENT PAID TO TRUSTEES ------------ ------------- ------------- ---------------- NAME OF INDEPENDENT TRUSTEE William L. Boyan, Trustee 0 0 0 $30,000 Michael F. Holland, Trustee 0 0 0 $30,000 Rina K. Spence, Trustee 0 0 0 $30,000 Douglas T. Williams, Trustee 0 0 0 $30,000 NAME OF INTERESTED TRUSTEE James E. Ross, Trustee 0 0 0 0 |
Code of Ethics
The Trust, the Adviser and ALPS have adopted codes of ethics (the "Codes of Ethics") under Rule 17j-1 of the 1940 Act. The Codes of Ethics permit personnel, subject to the Codes of Ethics and their provisions, to invest in securities, including securities that may be purchased or held by the Trust, Adviser, State Street or ALPS.
PROXY VOTING PROCEDURES
The Trust has adopted proxy voting procedures pursuant to which the Trust delegates the responsibility for voting proxies relating to portfolio securities held by the Portfolios to the Adviser as part of the Adviser's general management of the Portfolios, subject to the Board's continuing oversight. A copy of the Trust's proxy voting procedures is located in Appendix B and a copy of the Adviser's proxy voting procedures is located in Appendix C.
Shareholders may receive information regarding how the Funds voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the most recent 12-month period ending June 30 (i) by calling (877) 521-4083 or (ii) on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov.
CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES
As of [ ], the Trustees and officers of the Trust owned in the aggregate less than 1% of the shares of the Funds of the Trust (all series taken together).
Persons or organizations owning 25% or more of the outstanding shares of a Fund may be presumed to "control" (as that term is defined in the 1940 Act) a Fund. As a result, these persons or organizations could have the ability to approve or reject those matters submitted to the shareholders of such Fund for their approval. As of [ ] 2008, to the knowledge of the Trust, the following persons held of record or beneficially through one or more accounts 25% or more of the outstanding shares of any class of the Funds.
As of [ ] 2008, to the knowledge of the Trust, the following persons held of record or beneficially through one or more accounts 5% or more of the outstanding shares of any class of the Funds.
INVESTMENT ADVISORY AND OTHER SERVICES
Investment Advisory Agreements
SSgA Funds Management, Inc. ("SSgA FM" or the "Adviser") is responsible for the investment management of the Funds pursuant to Investment Advisory Agreements dated May 1, 2001 and February 7, 2007, as amended from time to time (the "Advisory Agreement"), by and between the Adviser and the Trust. The Adviser and State Street are wholly-owned subsidiaries of State Street Corporation, a publicly held bank holding company.
Each Fund currently invests all of its assets in a related Portfolio that has the same investment objectives and substantially the same investment policies as the relevant Fund. As long as a Fund remains completely invested in a Portfolio (or any other investment company), the Adviser is not entitled to receive any investment advisory fee with respect to the Fund. A Fund may withdraw its investment from the related Portfolio at any time if the Trust's Board of Trustees determines that it is in the best interests of the Fund and its shareholders to do so. The Trust has retained the Adviser as investment adviser to manage a Fund's assets in the event that the Fund withdraws its investment from its related Portfolio.
The Adviser is also the investment adviser to each of the related Portfolios pursuant to an investment advisory agreement (the "Portfolio Advisory Agreement") between the Adviser and State Street Master Funds, on behalf of the Portfolios. The Adviser receives an investment advisory fee with respect to each related Portfolio. The Portfolio Advisory Agreement is the same in all material respects as the Advisory Agreement between the Trust on behalf of the Funds and the Adviser. Each Fund that invests in a related Portfolio bears a proportionate part of the management fees paid by the Portfolio (based on the percentage of the Portfolio's assets attributable to the Fund).
The Advisory Agreement will continue from year to year provided that a majority of the Trustees and a majority of the Independent Trustees or a majority of the shareholders of the Trust approve its continuance. The Advisory Agreement may be terminated by the Adviser or the Trust without penalty upon sixty days' notice and will terminate automatically upon its assignment. The Advisory Agreement was most recently approved by the Trustees, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, on November 29, 2007.
The Adviser and its affiliates may have deposit, loan and other commercial banking relationships with the issuers of obligations that may be purchased on behalf of the Funds, including outstanding loans to such issuers that could be repaid in whole or in part with the proceeds of securities so purchased. Such affiliates deal, trade and invest for their own accounts in such obligations and are among the leading dealers of various types of such obligations. The Adviser has informed the Funds that, in making its investment decisions, it will not obtain or use material inside information in its possession or in the possession of any of its affiliates. In making investment recommendations for a Fund, the Adviser will not inquire or take into consideration whether an issuer of securities proposed for purchase or sale by the Fund is a customer of the Adviser, its parent or its subsidiaries or affiliates and, in dealing with its customers, the Adviser, its parent, subsidiaries and affiliates will not inquire or take into consideration whether securities of such customers were held by any Fund managed by the Adviser or any such affiliate.
In certain instances there may be securities that are suitable for a Fund as well as for one or more of the Adviser's other clients. Investment decisions for the Trust and for the Adviser's other clients are made with a view to achieving their respective investment objectives. It may develop that a particular security is bought or sold for only one client even though it might be held by, or bought or sold for, other clients. Likewise, a particular security may be bought for one or more clients when one or more clients are selling that same security. Some simultaneous transactions are inevitable when several clients receive investment advice from the same investment adviser, particularly when the same security is suitable for the investment objectives of more than one client. When two or more clients are simultaneously engaged in the purchase or sale of the same security, the securities are allocated among clients in a manner believed to be equitable to each. It is recognized that in some cases this system could have a detrimental effect on the price or volume of the security as far as the Fund is concerned. However, it is believed that the ability of each Fund to participate in volume transactions will produce better executions for the Funds.
SSgA FM has contractually agreed to cap the total operating expenses of the Liquid Reserves Fund (not including the pass-through expenses of its corresponding Portfolio) at 0.05% of the Fund's average daily net assets until April 30, 2009. For the year ended December 31, 2007, December 31, 2006 and December 31, 2005, SSgA FM reimbursed the Liquid Reserves Fund $ 1,139,263, $1,974,550 and $282,635, respectively, under this agreement.
SSgA FM has contractually agreed to cap the total operating expenses of the Tax Free Money Market Fund (not including the pass-through expenses of its corresponding Portfolio) at 0.10% of the Fund's average daily net assets until April 30, 2009. For the year ended December 31, 2007, SSgA FM reimbursed the Tax Free Money Market Fund $60,824.
Administrator, Custodian and Transfer Agent
Under the Administrative Services Agreement (the "Administration Agreement"), State Street is obligated on a continuous basis to provide such administrative services as the Board of Trustees of the Trust reasonably deems necessary for the proper administration of the Trust and the Funds. State Street will generally assist in all aspects of the Trust's and the Funds' operations; supply and maintain office facilities (which may be in State Street's own offices); provide statistical and research data, data processing services, clerical, accounting, bookkeeping and record keeping services (including without limitation the maintenance of such books and records as are required under the 1940 Act and the rules thereunder, except as maintained by other agents), internal auditing, executive and administrative services, and stationery and office supplies; prepare reports to shareholders or investors; prepare and file tax returns; supply financial information and supporting data for reports to and filings with the SEC and various state Blue Sky authorities; supply supporting documentation for meetings of the Board of Trustees; provide monitoring reports and assistance regarding compliance with Declarations of Trust, by-laws, the Funds' investment objectives and policies and with Federal and state securities laws; arrange for appropriate insurance coverage; calculate NAVs, net income and realized capital gains or losses; and negotiate arrangements with, and supervise and coordinate the activities of, agents and others to supply services. Pursuant to the Administration Agreement, the Trust has agreed to a limitation on damages and to indemnify the Administrator for certain liabilities, including certain liabilities arising under federal securities laws, unless such loss or liability results from the Administrator's gross negligence or willful misconduct in the performance of its duties.
State Street serves as Custodian for the Funds pursuant to the Custody Agreement and holds the Funds' assets.
ALPS Fund Services, Inc. serves as Transfer Agent to all Funds in this SAI.
As consideration for State Street's services as administrator and custodian to the Funds, State Street shall receive from the Funds an annual fee, accrued daily at the rate of 1/365th and payable monthly on the first business day of each month, pursuant to the following schedule:
Annual Fee Schedule
$25,000 for Administration Services
$12,000 for Custody and Accounting Services
The administration, custodian and transfer agency fees accrued for the last three fiscal years are set forth in the table below.
FISCAL YEAR ENDED FISCAL YEAR ENDED FISCAL YEAR ENDED FUND DECEMBER 31, 2005 DECEMBER 31, 2006 DECEMBER 31, 2007 --------------------------------- ----------------- ----------------- ----------------- Liquid Reserves Fund $64,823 $84,419 $75,389 Tax Free Money Market Fund -- -- $64,891 U.S. Government Money Market Fund -- -- $18,294 |
Treasury Money Market Fund -- -- $18,516 Treasury Plus Money Market Fund -- -- $18,515 |
Counsel and Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
Ropes & Gray LLP serves as counsel to the Trust. The principal business address of Ropes & Gray LLP is One International Place, Boston, Massachusetts 02110.
__________ serves as the independent registered public accounting firm for the Trust and provides (i) audit services and (ii) assistance and consultation with respect to the preparation of filings with the SEC. In connection with the audit of the 2007 financial statements, the Trust entered into an engagement agreement with __________ that sets forth the terms of __________ audit engagement. That agreement is subject to alternative dispute resolution procedures and a mutual exclusion of punitive damages. The principal business address of __________ is __________.
BROKERAGE ALLOCATION AND OTHER PRACTICES
The Funds invests all of their investable assets in a corresponding Portfolio and therefore do not directly incur transactional costs for purchases and sales of portfolio investments. The Funds purchase and redeem shares of the corresponding Portfolio each day depending on the number of shares of such Fund purchased or redeemed by investors on that day. Shares of the Portfolios are available for purchase by the Funds at their NAV without any sales charges, transaction fees, or brokerage commissions being charged.
All portfolio transactions are placed on behalf of the Portfolios by SSgA FM. Purchases and sales of securities on a securities exchange are effected through brokers who charge a commission for their services. Ordinarily commissions are not charged on over the counter orders (including, for example, debt securities and money market investments) because a Portfolio pays a spread which is included in the cost of the security, and is the difference between the dealer's cost and the cost to a Portfolio. When a Portfolio executes an over the counter order with an electronic communications network, an alternative trading system or a non-market maker, a commission is charged because there is no spread on the trade. Securities may be purchased from underwriters at prices that include underwriting fees. The Money Portfolios normally do not pay a stated brokerage commission on transactions.
Each Portfolio's investment advisory agreement authorizes SSgA FM to place, in the name of the Portfolio, orders for the execution of the securities transactions in which the Portfolio is authorized to invest, provided SSgA FM seeks the best overall terms for the transaction. In selecting brokers or dealers (including affiliates of SSgA FM), SSgA FM chooses the broker-dealer deemed most capable of providing the services necessary to obtain the most favorable execution (the most favorable cost or net proceeds reasonably obtainable under the circumstances). The full range of brokerage services applicable to a particular transaction may be considered when making this judgment, which may include, but is not limited to: liquidity, price, commission, timing, aggregated trades, capable floor brokers or traders, competent block trading coverage, ability to position, capital strength and stability, reliable and accurate communications and settlement processing, use of automation, knowledge of other buyers or sellers, arbitrage skills, administrative ability, underwriting, and provision of information on a particular security or market in which the transaction is to occur. The specific criteria will vary depending on the nature of the transaction, the market in which it is executed, and the extent to which it is possible to select from among multiple broker-dealers. SSgA FM does not currently use any Portfolio's assets for soft-dollar arrangements. SSgA FM does not presently participate in any soft dollar arrangements. It may aggregate trades with clients of State Street Global Advisors whose commission dollars are used to generate soft dollar credits. Although SSgA FM's clients' commissions are not used for soft dollars, the clients may benefit from the soft dollar products/services received by State Street Global Advisors.
The Adviser assumes general supervision over placing orders on behalf of the Trust for the purchase or sale of portfolio securities.
CAPITAL STOCK AND OTHER SECURITIES
Under the Declaration of Trust, the Trustees are authorized to issue an unlimited number of shares of each Fund. Upon liquidation or dissolution of a Fund, investors are entitled to share pro rata in the Fund's net assets available for distribution to its investors. Investments in a Fund have no preference, preemptive, conversion or similar rights and are fully paid and non-assessable, except as set forth below. Investments in a Fund may not be transferred.
Each investor is entitled to a vote in proportion to the number of Fund shares it owns. Shares do not have cumulative voting rights, and investors holding more than 50% of the aggregate outstanding shares in the Trust may elect all of the Trustees if they choose to do so. The Trust is not required and has no current intention to hold annual meetings of investors but the Trust will hold special meetings of shareholders when in the judgment of the Trustees it is necessary or desirable to submit matters for a shareholder vote.
Under Massachusetts law, shareholders in a Massachusetts business trust could, under certain circumstances, be held personally liable for the obligations of the trust. However, the Declaration of Trust disclaims shareholder liability for acts or obligations of the Trust and provides for indemnification out of the Trust's property for any claim or liability to which the shareholder may become subject by reason of being or having been a shareholder and for reimbursement of the shareholder for all legal and other expenses reasonably incurred by the shareholder in connection with any such claim or liability. Thus the risk of a shareholder incurring financial loss on account of shareholder liability is limited to circumstances in which the Trust would be unable to meet its obligations.
PURCHASE, REDEMPTION AND PRICING OF SHARES
Shares of the Funds are offered continuously at a price equal to the NAV attributable to each share. Each Fund determines the NAV per share on each day on which the New York Stock Exchange (the "NYSE") is open for trading ("Business Day"). This determination is made each Business Day at the close of regular trading on the NYSE (the "Valuation Time") by dividing the value of the Fund's net assets (i.e., the value of its securities and other assets less its liabilities, including expenses payable or accrued) by the number of shares outstanding at the time the determination is made.
The NYSE is open for trading every weekday except for: (a) the following holidays: New Year's Day, Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Birthday, Washington's Birthday (the third Monday in February), Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas; and (b) the preceding Friday or the subsequent Monday when one of the calendar-determined holidays falls on a Saturday or Sunday, respectively. Purchases and withdrawals will be effected at the time of determination of NAV next following the receipt of any purchase or withdrawal order which is determined to be in good order.
It is the policy of the Funds, to use their best efforts to attempt to maintain a constant price per share of $1.00 respectively, although there can be no assurance that the $1.00 NAV per share will be maintained. In accordance with this effort and pursuant to Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act, each Money Market Fund uses the amortized cost valuation method to value its portfolio instruments. This method involves valuing an instrument at its cost and thereafter assuming a constant amortization to maturity of any discount or premium, even though the portfolio security may increase or decrease in market value generally in response to changes in interest rates. While this method provides certainty in valuation, it may result in periods during which value, as determined by amortized cost, is higher or lower than the price each Money Market Fund would receive if it sold the instrument.
For example, in periods of declining interest rates, the daily yield on each Fund's shares computed by dividing the annualized daily income on the Fund's portfolio by the NAV based upon the amortized cost valuation technique may tend to be higher than a similar computation made by using a method of valuation based upon market prices and estimates. In periods of rising interest rates, the daily yield on each Fund's shares computed the same way may tend to be lower than a similar computation made by using a method of calculation based upon market prices and estimates.
The Trustees have established procedures reasonably designed to stabilize each Fund's price per share at $1.00. These procedures include: (1) the determination of the deviation from $1.00, if any, of each Fund's NAV using market values; (2) periodic review by the Trustees of the amount of and the methods used to calculate the deviation; and (3) maintenance of records of such determination. The Trustees will promptly consider what action, if any, should be taken if such deviation exceeds 1/2 of one percent.
The Funds' securities will be valued pursuant to guidelines established by the Board of Trustees.
TAXATION OF THE FUNDS
The following discussion of U.S. federal income tax consequences of investment in the Funds is based on the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended ("the Code"), U.S. Treasury regulations, and other applicable authority, as of the date of this SAI. These authorities are subject to change by legislative or administrative action, possibly with retroactive effect. The following discussion is only a summary of some of the important U.S. federal tax considerations generally applicable to investments in the Funds. There may be other tax considerations applicable to particular shareholders. Shareholders should consult their own tax advisors regarding their particular situation and the possible application of foreign, state and local tax laws.
Special tax rules apply to investments through defined contribution plans and other tax-qualified plans. Shareholders should consult their tax advisers to determine the suitability of shares of a Fund as an investment through such plans and the precise effect of an investment on their particular tax situations.
Qualification as a Regulated Investment Company
Each Fund intends to elect to be treated and qualify each year as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Code. In order to qualify for the favorable tax treatment accorded regulated investment companies, each Fund must, among other things, (a) derive at least 90% of its gross income for each taxable year from (i) dividends, interest, payments with respect to certain securities loans, gains from the sale of securities or foreign currencies, or other income (including, but not limited to, gains from options, futures or forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities or currencies; and (ii) net income derived from interests in qualified publicly traded partnerships (as defined below); (b) diversify its holdings so that, at the end of each quarter of the Fund's taxable year (i) at least 50% of the value of its total assets are invested in cash, U.S. government securities, securities of other regulated investment companies, and other securities of issuers that consist, with respect to each issuer, of no more than 5% of the value of the Fund's total assets and no more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer, and (ii) no more than 25% of its assets are invested in the securities (other than those of the U.S. government or other regulated investment companies) of any one issuer or of two or more issuers which the Fund controls and which are engaged in the same, similar or related trades and businesses, or in the securities of one or more qualified publicly traded partnerships (as defined below); and (c) distribute with respect to each taxable year at least 90% of the sum of its investment company taxable income (as that term is defined in the Code without regard to the deduction for dividends paid -- generally taxable ordinary income and the excess, if any, of net short-term capital gains over net long-term capital losses) and net tax-exempt interest income, for such year.
In general, for purposes of the 90% gross income requirement described in
(a) above, income derived from a partnership will be treated as qualifying
income only to the extent such income is attributable to items of income of the
partnership which would be qualifying income if realized by the regulated
investment company. Where, as here, each Fund seeks to achieve its investment
objective by investing substantially all of its investable assets in a
corresponding Portfolio of the Trust, the nature and character of each Fund's
income and gains will generally be determined at the Portfolio level and each
Fund will be allocated its share of Portfolio income and gains. Consequently,
references in this discussion of Taxation of the Funds to gains and losses
recognized will generally be to gains and losses recognized at the Portfolio
level. In the discussion below, "Portfolio" refers to the series of the Trust in
which the relevant Fund(s) invest their assets.
In addition, recent legislation provides that 100% of the net income derived from an interest in a "qualified publicly traded partnership" (defined as a partnership (x) interests in which are traded on an established securities market or readily tradable on a secondary market or the substantial equivalent thereof (y) that derives at least 90% of its income from the passive income sources defined in Code section 7704(d), and (z) that derives less than 90% of its income from the qualifying income described in section (a)(i) of the prior paragraph) will be treated as qualifying income. Although in general the passive loss rules of the Code do not apply to regulated investment companies, such rules do apply to a regulated investment company with respect to items attributable to an interest in a qualified publicly traded partnership.
In addition, for purposes of meeting the diversification requirement described in (b) above, in the case of the Portfolio's investment in loan participations, the Fund shall treat both the financial intermediary and the issuer of the underlying loan as an issuer. Finally, for purposes of (b) above, the term "outstanding voting securities of such issuer" will include the equity securities of a qualified publicly traded partnership.
If the Fund qualifies as a regulated investment company that is accorded special tax treatment, the Fund will not be subject to federal income tax on income distributed in a timely manner to its shareholders in the form of dividends (including Capital Gain Dividends, as defined below). If the Fund were to fail to qualify as a regulated investment company accorded special tax treatment in any taxable year, the Fund would be subject to tax on its taxable income at corporate rates, and all distributions from earnings and profits, including any distributions of net tax-exempt income and net long-term capital gains, would be taxable to shareholders as ordinary income. Some portions of such distributions may be eligible for the dividends received deduction in the case of corporate shareholders. In addition, the Fund could be required to recognize unrealized gains, pay substantial taxes and interest and make substantial distributions before re-qualifying as a regulated investment company that is accorded special tax treatment.
Each Fund intends to distribute at least annually to its shareholders all or substantially all of its investment company taxable income (computed without regard to the dividends-paid deduction) and may distribute its net capital gain. Investment company taxable income (which is retained by a Fund) will be subject to tax at regular corporate rates. Each Fund may also retain for
investment its net capital gain. If a Fund retains any net capital gain, it will be subject to tax at regular corporate rates on the amount retained, but may designate the retained amount as undistributed capital gains in a notice to its shareholders who (i) will be required to include in income for federal income tax purposes, as long-term capital gain, their shares of such undistributed amount, and (ii) will be entitled to credit their proportionate shares of the tax paid by the Fund on such undistributed amount against their federal income tax liabilities, if any, and to claim refunds to the extent the credit exceeds such liabilities. For federal income tax purposes, the tax basis of shares owned by a shareholder of the Fund will be increased by an amount equal under current law to the difference between the amount of undistributed capital gains included in the shareholder's gross income and the tax deemed paid by the shareholder under clause (ii) of the preceding sentence. Treasury regulations permit a regulated investment company, in determining its investment company taxable income and net capital gain, to elect to treat all or part of any net capital loss, any net long-term capital loss or any net foreign currency loss incurred after October 31 as if it had been incurred in the succeeding year.
A 4% excise tax will be imposed on the excess, if any, of each Fund's "required distribution" over its actual distributions in any calendar year. Generally, the "required distribution" is 98% of the Fund's ordinary income for the calendar year plus 98% of its capital gain net income recognized during the one-year period ending October 31 (or December 31, if the Fund so elects) plus undistributed amounts from prior years. For these purposes, each Fund will be treated as having distributed on any amount which it is subject to corporate income tax. Each Fund intends to make distributions sufficient to avoid imposition of the excise tax. Distributions declared by a Fund during October, November and December to shareholders of record on a date in any such month and paid by the Fund during the following January will be treated for federal tax purposes as paid by the Fund and received by shareholders on December 31 of the year in which declared. Each Fund intends generally to make distributions sufficient to avoid imposition of the 4% excise tax, although there can be no assurance that it will be able to do so.
Taxation of Distributions Received by Shareholders
Shareholders of each Fund will be subject to federal income taxes on distributions made by the Fund whether received in cash or reinvested in additional shares of the Fund. A shareholder whose distributions are reinvested in shares will be treated as having received a dividend equal to the fair market value of the new shares issued to the shareholder. Distributions are taxable to shareholders even if they are paid from income or gains earned by the Fund before a shareholder's investment (and thus were included in the price the shareholder paid). Dividends and distributions on a Fund's shares are generally subject to federal income tax as described herein to the extent they do not exceed the Fund's realized income and gains, even though such dividends and distributions may economically represent a return of a particular shareholder's investment. Such distributions are likely to occur in respect of shares purchased at a time when the Fund's net asset value reflects gains that are either unrealized, or realized but not distributed. Such realized gains may be required to be distributed even when the Fund's net asset value also reflects unrealized losses.
For federal income tax purposes, distributions of investment income are generally taxable as ordinary income. Taxes on distributions of capital gains are determined by how long a Fund (or, in this case, the Portfolio) owned the investments that generated them, rather than how long a shareholder has owned his or her shares. Distributions of gains from the sale of investments that a Portfolio owned for one year or less will be taxable as ordinary income. Distributions of net capital gains from the sale of investments that a Portfolio owned for more than one year and that are properly designated by the Fund as capital gain dividends ("Capital Gain Dividends") will be taxable as long-term capital gains. The Money Market Funds do not expect to distribute Capital Gain Dividends. Long-term capital gain rates applicable to individuals have been temporarily reduced -- in general, to 15% with lower rates applying to taxpayers in the 10% and 15% rate brackets -- for taxable years beginning before January 1, 2011. Distributions from capital gains are generally made after applying any available capital loss carryovers. For taxable years beginning before January 1, 2011, distributions of investment income designated by the Fund as derived from "qualified dividend income" will be taxed in the hands of individuals at the rates applicable to long-term capital gain, provided holding period and other requirements are met at both the shareholder and Fund level. The Tax Free Funds, the Treasury Funds and the Money Market Funds do not expect Fund distributions to be derived from qualified dividend income.
In order for some portion of the dividends received by a Fund shareholder to be "qualified dividend income," the Portfolio must meet holding period and other requirements with respect to some portion of the dividend-paying stocks in its portfolio and the shareholder must meet holding period and other requirements with respect to the Fund's shares. A dividend will not be treated as qualified dividend income (at either the Fund or shareholder level) (1) if the dividend is received with respect to any share of stock held for fewer than 61 days during the 121-day period beginning on the date which is 60 days before the date on which such share becomes ex-dividend with respect to such dividend (or, in the case of certain preferred stock, 91 days during the 181-day period beginning 90 days before such date), (2) to the extent that the recipient is under an obligation (whether pursuant to a short sale or otherwise) to make related payments with respect to positions in substantially similar or related property, (3) if the recipient elects to have the dividend income treated as investment income for purposes of the limitation on deductibility of investment interest, or (4) if
the dividend is received from a foreign corporation that is (a) not eligible for the benefits of a comprehensive income tax treaty with the United States (with the exception of dividends paid on stock of such a foreign corporation readily tradable on an established securities market in the United States) or (b) treated as a passive foreign investment company.
In general, distributions of investment income designated by a Fund as derived from qualified dividend income will be treated as qualified dividend income by a shareholder taxed as an individual, provided the shareholder meets the holding period and other requirements described above with respect to the Fund's shares. If the aggregate dividends allocated to a Fund by a Portfolio during any taxable year are 95% or more of its gross income (excluding net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss), then 100% of the Fund's dividends (other than dividends properly designated as Capital Gain Dividends) will be eligible to be treated as qualified dividend income.
To the extent that a Fund makes a distribution of income received by a Portfolio and allocated to the Fund in lieu of dividends (a "substitute payment") with respect to securities on loan pursuant to a securities lending transaction, such income will not constitute qualified dividend income and thus will not be eligible for taxation at the rates applicable to long-term capital gain.
Dividends of net investment income received by corporate shareholders of a Fund will qualify for the 70% dividends received deduction generally available to corporations to the extent of the amount of qualifying dividends received by a Portfolio and allocated to the Fund from domestic corporations for the taxable year. A dividend so allocated to a Fund will not be treated as a qualifying dividend (1) if the stock on which the dividend is paid is considered to be "debt-financed" (generally, acquired with borrowed funds), (2) if it has been received with respect to any share of stock that the Portfolio has held for less than 46 days (91 days in the case of certain preferred stock) during the 91-day period beginning on the date which is 45 days before the date on which such share becomes ex-dividend with respect to such dividend (during the 181-day period beginning 90 days before such date in the case of certain preferred stock) or (3) to the extent that the Portfolio is under an obligation (pursuant to a short sale or otherwise) to make related payments with respect to positions in substantially similar or related property. Moreover, the dividends received deduction may be disallowed or reduced (1) if the corporate shareholder fails to satisfy the foregoing requirements with respect to its shares of the Fund or (2) by application of the Code.
If the Fund makes a distribution to a shareholder in excess of the Fund's current and accumulated earnings and profits in any taxable year, the excess distribution will be treated as a return of capital to the extent of such shareholder's tax basis in its shares, and thereafter as capital gain. A return of capital is not taxable, but it reduces a shareholder's tax basis in its shares, thus reducing any loss or increasing any gain on a subsequent taxable disposition by the shareholder of its shares.
Tax Exempt Income
Distributions that are designated as "exempt-interest dividends" will be excludable from gross income by shareholders for federal income tax purposes, if the Fund satisfies the requirement that, at the close of each quarter of its taxable year, at least 50% of the value of its total assets consists of securities the interest on which is excludable from gross income under section 103(a) of the Code; the Tax-Free Fund intends to satisfy this requirement. Although Fund distributions designated as "exempt-interest dividends" are not generally subject to federal income tax, they may be subject to state and local taxes.
If shares of the Funds are sold at a loss after being held for six months or less, the loss will be disallowed to the extent of any exempt-interest dividends received on those shares. Tax-exempt interest attributable to certain private activity bonds ("PABs") (including, in the case of a RIC receiving interest on such bonds, a proportionate part of the exempt-interest dividends paid by that RIC) is an item of tax preference for purposes of the alternative minimum tax. Exempt-interest dividends received by a corporate shareholder also may be indirectly subject to that tax without regard to whether the Fund's tax-exempt interest was attributable to those bonds.
Entities or persons who are "substantial users" (or persons related to substantial users) of facilities financed by PABs or industrial development bonds ("IDBs") should consult their tax advisors before purchasing shares of a Fund because, for users of certain of these facilities, the interest on those bonds is not exempt from federal income tax. For these purposes, the term "substantial user" is defined generally to include a non-exempt person who regularly uses in trade or business a part of a facility financed from the proceeds of PABs or IDBs.
Up to 85% of social security and railroad retirement benefits may be included in taxable income for recipients whose adjusted gross income (including income from tax-exempt sources such as the Funds) plus 50% of their benefits exceeds certain base amounts.
Exempt-interest dividends paid by the Funds still are tax-exempt to the extent described in each Fund's prospectus; but they are included in the calculation of whether a recipient's income exceeds the base amounts.
If a Fund invests in any instrument that generates taxable income, under the circumstances described in the prospectus, distributions of the interest earned thereon will be taxable to the Fund's shareholders as ordinary income to the extent of the Fund's earnings and profits. Moreover, if the Funds realize capital gain as a result of market transactions, any distribution of that gain will be taxable to its shareholders (as described above - see "Taxation of Distributions Received by Shareholders"). There also may be collateral federal income tax consequences regarding the receipt of exempt-interest dividends by shareholders such as S corporations, financial institutions and property and casualty insurance companies. A shareholder falling into any such category should consult its tax advisor concerning its investment in shares of a Fund.
Foreign Income
Income received by a Fund from sources within foreign countries may be subject to withholding and other foreign taxes. Tax conventions between certain countries and the United States may reduce or eliminate such taxes. It is impossible to determine the effective rate of foreign tax in advance since the amount of a Fund's assets to be invested in various countries will vary. Shareholders generally will not be entitled to claim a credit or deduction with respect to foreign taxes.
Investments in Original Issue Discount Securities
A Portfolio's investment in securities issued at a discount and certain other obligations will (and investments in securities purchased at a discount may) require a Fund to accrue and distribute income not yet received. Some debt obligations with a fixed maturity date of more than one year from the date of issuance (and all zero-coupon debt obligations with a fixed maturity date of more than one year from the date of issuance) that are acquired by a Portfolio will be treated as debt obligations that are issued originally at a discount. Generally, the amount of the original issue discount ("OID") is treated as interest income and is included in taxable income (and required to be distributed) over the term of the debt security, even though payment of that amount is not received until a later time, usually when the debt security matures.
In addition, some debt obligations with a fixed maturity date of more than one year from the date of issuance that are acquired in the secondary market by a Portfolio may be treated as having market discount. Generally, any gain recognized on the disposition of, and any partial payment of principal on, a debt security having market discount is treated as ordinary income to the extent the gain, or principal payment, does not exceed the "accrued market discount" on such debt security. Market discount generally accrues in equal daily installments. The Portfolio may make one or more of the elections applicable to debt obligations having market discount, which could affect the character and timing of recognition of income allocated to a Fund that invests in the Portfolio.
Furthermore, some debt obligations with a fixed maturity date of one year or less from the date of issuance that are acquired by a Portfolio may be treated as having acquisition discount, or OID in the case of certain types of debt obligations. Generally, a Fund investing in such a Portfolio will be required to include the acquisition discount, or OID, in income over the term of the debt security, even though payment of that amount is not received until a later time, usually when the debt security matures. The Portfolio may make one or more of the elections applicable to debt obligations having acquisition discount, or OID, which could affect the character and timing of recognition of income allocated to a Fund investing in the Portfolio.
Backup Withholding
A Fund generally is required to withhold and remit to the U.S. Treasury a percentage of the taxable distributions and redemption proceeds paid to any individual shareholder who fails to properly furnish the Fund with a correct taxpayer identification number ("TIN"), who has under-reported dividend or interest income, or who fails to certify to the Fund that he or she is not subject to such withholding.
Redemptions and Exchanges
Redemptions and exchanges of each Fund's shares are taxable events and, accordingly, shareholders may realize gain or loss on these transactions. In general, any gain or loss realized upon a taxable disposition of shares will be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than one year. Otherwise, the gain or loss on the sale, exchange or redemption of Fund shares will be treated as short-term capital gain or loss. However, if a shareholder sells Fund shares at a loss within six months after purchasing the shares, the loss will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any long-term capital gain distributions
received by the shareholder. Furthermore, no loss will be allowed on the sale of Fund shares to the extent the shareholder acquired other shares of the same Fund within 30 days prior to the sale of the loss shares or 30 days after such sale. In such a case, the basis of the newly purchased shares will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss.
Tax-Exempt Shareholders
Under current law, the Funds "block" (that is, prevent the attribution to shareholders of) unrelated business taxable income ("UBTI") from being realized by tax-exempt shareholders. Notwithstanding this "blocking" effect, a tax-exempt shareholder could realize UBTI by virtue of its investment in a Fund if shares in the Fund constitute debt-financed property in the hands of the tax-exempt shareholder within the meaning of Code Section 514(b).
Tax Shelter Reporting
If a Fund shareholder recognizes a loss of $2 million or more for an individual shareholder or $10 million or more for a corporate shareholder, the shareholder must file with the Internal Revenue Service a disclosure statement on Form 8886. Direct shareholders of portfolio securities are in many cases excepted from this reporting requirement, but under current guidance, shareholders of a regulated investment company are not excepted. Future guidance may extend the current exception from this reporting requirement to shareholders of most or all regulated investment companies. The fact that a loss is reportable under these regulations does not affect the legal determination of whether the taxpayer's treatment of the loss is proper. Shareholders should consult their tax advisers to determine the applicability of these regulations in light of their individual circumstances.
Non-US Investors
Non-U.S. investors in the Funds should consult their tax advisors concerning the tax consequences of ownership of shares in the Funds. Distributions properly designated as Capital Gain Dividends generally will not be subject to withholding of federal income tax. In general, dividends other than Capital Gain Dividends and exempt-interest dividends paid by a Fund to a shareholder that is not a "U.S. person" within the meaning of the Code ( a "foreign person") are subject to withholding of U.S. federal income tax at a rate of 30% (or lower applicable treaty rate) even if they are funded by income or gains (such as portfolio interest, short-term capital gains, or foreign-source dividend and interest income) that, if paid to a foreign person directly, would not be subject to withholding.
A beneficial holder of shares who is a foreign person is not, in general, subject to U.S. federal income tax on gains (and is not allowed a deduction for losses) realized on the sale of shares of a Fund or on Capital Gain Dividends or exempt-interest dividends unless (i) such gain or dividend is effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business carried on by such holder within the United States or (ii) in the case of an individual holder, the holder is present in the United States for a period or periods aggregating 183 days or more during the year of the sale or the receipt of the Capital Gain Dividend and certain other conditions are met.
If a shareholder is eligible for the benefits of a tax treaty, any effectively connected income or gain will generally be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a net basis only if it is also attributable to a permanent establishment maintained by the shareholder in the United States.
In order for a foreign person to qualify for exemption from the backup withholding tax rates under income tax treaties, the foreign person must comply with special certification and filing requirements. Foreign investors in the Funds should consult their tax advisers in this regard. Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld may be credited against the shareholder's U.S. federal income tax liability, provided the appropriate information is furnished to the Internal Revenue Service.
A beneficial holder of shares who is a foreign person may be subject to state and local tax and to the U.S. federal estate tax in addition to the federal tax on income referred to above.
General Considerations
The foregoing discussion summarizes some of the consequences under the current federal tax law of an investment in the Funds. It is not a substitute for personal tax advice. Consult your personal tax advisor about the potential tax consequences of an investment in the Fund, as well as the effects of state, local and foreign tax laws and any proposed tax law changes.
UNDERWRITER
ALPS Distributors, Inc. serves as the Funds' Distributor (the "Distributor") pursuant to the Distribution Agreement by and between the Distributor and the Trust. The Distributor is not obligated to sell any specific number of shares and will sell shares of a Fund on a continuous basis only against orders to purchase shares. The principal business address of the Distributor is 1290 Broadway, Suite 1100, Denver, Colorado 80203.
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
[The audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007 are included in the Annual Report of the Trust, which was filed with the SEC on March 7, 2008 as part of the Trust's filing on Form N-CSR (accession number 0000950135-08-001647) and are incorporated into this SAI by reference. The Annual Report is available, without charge, upon request, by calling (866) 392-0869.]
APPENDIX A
RATINGS OF DEBT INSTRUMENTS
MOODY'S INVESTORS SERVICE, INC. ("MOODY'S") - LONG TERM DEBT RATINGS. The
following is a description of Moody's debt instrument ratings.
Aaa - Bonds that are rated Aaa are judged to be of the best quality. They carry the smallest degree of investment risk and are generally referred to as "gilt edged." Interest payments are protected by a large or exceptionally stable margin, and principal is secure. While the various protective elements are likely to change, such changes as can be visualized are most unlikely to impair the fundamentally strong position of such issues.
Aa - Bonds that are rated Aa are judged to be of high quality by all standards. Together with the Aaa group they comprise what are generally known as high-grade bonds. They are rated lower than the best bonds because margins of protection may not be as large as in Aaa securities, fluctuation of protective elements may be of greater amplitude, or there may be other elements present that make the long-term risk appear somewhat larger than that of the Aaa securities.
A - Bonds that are rated A possess many favorable investment attributes and are to be considered as upper-medium-grade obligations. Factors giving security to principal and interest are considered adequate, but elements may be present that suggest a susceptibility to impairment sometime in the future.
Moody's applies numerical modifiers 1, 2 and 3 in each generic rating classification from Aa through B. The modifier 1 indicates that the obligation ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a midrange ranking; and the modifier 3 indicates a ranking in the lower end of that generic rating category.
STANDARD & POOR'S RATING GROUP ("S&P"). S&P's ratings are based, in varying degrees, on the following considerations: (i) the likelihood of default - capacity and willingness of the obligor as to the timely payment of interest and repayment of principal in accordance with the terms of the obligation; (ii) the nature of and provisions of the obligation; and (iii) the protection afforded by, and relative position of, the obligation in the event of bankruptcy, reorganization, or other arrangement under the laws of bankruptcy and other laws affecting creditors' rights.
AAA - Debt rated AAA has the highest rating assigned by S&P. Capacity to pay interest and repay principal is extremely strong.
AA - Debt rated AA has a very strong capacity to pay interest and repay principal and differs from the highest rated issues only in small degree.
A - Debt rated A has a strong capacity to pay interest and repay principal, although it is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than debt in higher rated categories.
Plus (+) or minus (-): The ratings from AA to CCC may be modified by the addition of a plus or minus sign to show relative standing within the major rating categories.
RATINGS OF COMMERCIAL PAPER
MOODY'S. Moody's short-term debt ratings are opinions of the ability of issuers to repay punctually senior debt obligations. These obligations have an original maturity not exceeding one year, unless explicitly noted. Moody's employs the following three designations, all judged to be investment grade, to indicate the relative repayment ability of rated issuers:
Issuers rated Prime-1 (or supporting institutions) have a superior ability for repayment of senior short-term debt obligations. Prime-1 repayment ability will often be evidenced by many of the following characteristics:
- Leading market positions in well-established industries.
- High rates of return on funds employed.
- Conservative capitalization structure with moderate reliance on debt and ample asset protection.
- Broad margins in earnings coverage of fixed financial charges and high internal cash generation.
- Well-established access to a range of financial markets and assured sources of alternate liquidity.
Issuers rated Prime-2 (or supporting institutions) have a strong ability for repayment of senior short-term debt obligations. This will normally be evidenced by many of the characteristics cited above but to a lesser degree. Earnings trends and coverage ratios, while sound, may be more subject to variation. Capitalization characteristics, while still appropriate, may be more affected by external conditions. Ample alternative liquidity is maintained.
Issuers rated Not Prime do not fall within any of the Prime rating categories.
S&P. An S&P commercial paper rating is a current assessment of the likelihood of timely payment of debt considered short-term in the relevant market. Ratings are graded into several categories, ranging from A-1 for the highest quality obligations to D for the lowest. These categories are as follows:
A-1 - This highest category indicates that the degree of safety regarding timely payment is strong. Those issues determined to possess extremely strong safety characteristics are deemed with a plus sign (+) designation.
A-2 - Capacity for timely payment on issues with this designation is satisfactory. However, the relative degree of safety is not as high as for issues designated A-1.
FITCH, INC. ("FITCH"). Commercial paper rated by Fitch reflects Fitch's current appraisal of the degree of assurance of timely payment of such debt. An appraisal results in the rating of an issuer's paper as F-1, F-2, F-3, or F-4.
F-1 - This designation indicates that the commercial paper is regarded as having the strongest degree of assurance for timely payment.
F-2 - Commercial paper issues assigned this rating reflect an assurance of timely payment only slightly less in degree than those issues rated F-1.
APPENDIX B
STATE STREET MASTER FUNDS
STATE STREET INSTITUTIONAL INVESTMENT TRUST
PROXY VOTING POLICY AND PROCEDURES
The Board of Trustees of State Street Master Funds and State Street Institutional Investment Trust (the "Trusts") has determined that it is in the best interests of the Trusts and their respective series (each, a "Fund" and collectively, the "Funds") for the Trusts to adopt the following policy and procedures with respect to voting proxies relating to portfolio securities held by certain of the Funds.
I. POLICY
It is the policy of the Trusts to delegate the responsibility for voting proxies relating to portfolio securities held by the Funds to SSgA Funds Management, Inc. (the "Adviser") as a part of the Adviser's general management of the Funds' portfolios, subject to the Board's continuing oversight. The Board of Trustees of the Trusts (the "Board") hereby delegates such responsibility to the Adviser, and directs the Adviser to vote proxies relating to portfolio securities held by each Fund consistent with the duties and procedures set forth below. The Adviser may retain one or more vendors to review, monitor and recommend how to vote proxies in a manner consistent with the duties and procedures set forth below, to ensure that such proxies are voted on a timely basis and to provide reporting and/or record retention services in connection with proxy voting for the Funds.
II. FIDUCIARY DUTY
The right to vote a proxy with respect to portfolio securities held by a Fund is an asset of such Fund. The Adviser, to which authority to vote on behalf of the Funds is delegated, acts as a fiduciary of the Funds and must vote proxies in a manner consistent with the best interest of the Funds and their shareholders. In discharging this fiduciary duty, the Adviser must maintain and adhere to its policies and procedures for addressing conflicts of interest and must vote proxies in a manner substantially consistent with its policies, procedures and guidelines, as presented to the Board.
III. PROCEDURES
The following are the procedures adopted by the Board for the administration of this policy:
A. Review of Adviser Proxy Voting Procedures. The Adviser shall present to the Board its policies, procedures and other guidelines for voting proxies at least annually, and must notify the Board promptly of material changes to any policies and procedures.
B. Voting Record Reporting. The Adviser shall provide the voting record information necessary for the completion and filing of Form N-PX to the Trusts at least annually. Such voting record information shall be in a form acceptable to the Trusts and shall be provided at such time(s) as are required for the timely filing of Form N-PX and at such additional time(s) as the Trusts and the Adviser may agree to from time to time. With respect to those proxies that the Adviser has identified as involving a conflict of interest(1), the Adviser shall submit a separate report indicating the nature of the conflict of interest and how that conflict was resolved with respect to the voting of the proxy.
C. Record Retention. The Adviser shall maintain such records with respect to the voting of proxies as may be required by the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 and the rules promulgated thereunder or by the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended and the rules promulgated thereunder.
D. Conflicts of Interest. Any actual or potential conflicts of interest between a Fund's principal underwriter or Adviser and the applicable Fund's shareholders arising from the proxy voting process will be addressed by the Adviser and the Adviser's application of its proxy voting procedures pursuant to the delegation of proxy voting responsibilities to the Adviser. In the event that the Adviser notifies the officer(s) of the Trusts that a conflict of interest cannot be resolved under the Adviser's Proxy Voting Procedures, such officer(s) are responsible for notifying the Audit Committee of the Trusts of the irreconcilable conflict of interest and assisting the Audit Committee with any actions it determines are necessary.
IV. REVOCATION
The delegation by the Board of the authority to vote proxies relating to portfolio securities of the Funds is entirely voluntary and may be revoked by the Board, in whole or in part, at any time.
V. ANNUAL FILING
The Trusts shall file an annual report of each proxy voted with respect to portfolio securities of the Funds during the twelve-month period ended June 30 on Form N-PX not later than August 31 of each year.(2)
VI. DISCLOSURES
A. The Trusts shall include in its registration statement:
1. A description of this policy and of the policies and procedures used by the Adviser to determine how to vote proxies relating to portfolio securities; and
2. A statement disclosing that information regarding how the Trusts voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the most recent 12-month period ended June 30 is available without charge, upon request, by calling the Trusts' toll-free telephone number; or through a specified Internet address; or both; and on the Securities and Exchange Commission's (the "SEC") website.
B. The Trusts shall include in its annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders:
1. A statement disclosing that a description of the policies and procedures used by or on behalf of the Trusts to determine how to vote proxies relating to portfolio securities of the Funds is available without charge, upon request, by calling the Trusts' toll-free telephone number; through a specified Internet address, if applicable; and on the SEC's website; and
2. A statement disclosing that information regarding how the Trusts voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the most recent 12-month period ended June 30 is available without charge, upon request, by calling the Trusts' toll-free telephone number; or through a specified Internet address; or both; and on the SEC's website.
VII. REVIEW OF POLICY.
The Board shall review this policy to determine its sufficiency and shall make and approve any changes that it deems necessary from time to time.
APPENDIX C
[SSGA LOGO]
PROXY VOTING POLICY
Funds Management, Inc.
INTRODUCTION
SSgA Funds Management, Inc. ("FM") seeks to vote proxies for which it has discretionary authority in the best interests of its clients. This entails voting proxies in a way which FM believes will maximize the monetary value of each portfolio's holdings with respect to proposals that are reasonably anticipated to have an impact on the current or potential value of a security. Absent unusual circumstances or specific client instructions, we vote proxies on a particular matter in the same way for all clients, regardless of their investment style or strategies. FM takes the view that voting in a manner consistent with maximizing the value of our clients' holdings will benefit our direct clients (e.g. investment funds) and, indirectly, the ultimate owners and beneficiaries of those clients (e.g. fund shareholders).
Oversight of the proxy voting process is the responsibility of the State Street Global Advisors ("SSgA") Investment Committee. The SSgA Investment Committee reviews and approves amendments to the FM Proxy Voting Policy and delegates authority to vote in accordance with this policy to the FM Proxy Review Committee, a subcommittee of the SSgA Investment Committee. FM retains the final authority and responsibility for voting. In addition to voting proxies, FM:
1) describes its proxy voting procedures to its clients in Part II of its Form ADV;
2) provides the client with this written proxy policy, upon request;
3) discloses to its clients how they may obtain information on how FM voted the client's proxies;
4) matches proxies received with holdings as of record date;
5) holdings as of record date and rectifies any discrepancies;
6) generally applies its proxy voting policy consistently and keeps records of votes for each client;
7) documents the reason(s) for voting for all non-routine items; and
8) keeps records of such proxy voting available for inspection by the client or governmental agencies.
PROCESS
The FM Manager of Corporate Governance is responsible for monitoring proxy voting on behalf of our clients and executing the day to day implementation of this Proxy Voting Policy. As stated above, oversight of the proxy voting process is the responsibility of the SSgA Investment Committee.
In order to facilitate our proxy voting process, FM retains Institutional Shareholder Services ("ISS"), a firm with expertise in the proxy voting and corporate governance fields. ISS assists in the proxy voting process, including acting as our voting agent (i.e. actually processing the proxies), advising us as to current and emerging governance issues that we may wish to address, interpreting this policy and applying it to individual proxy items, and providing analytical information concerning specific issuers and proxy items as well as governance trends and developments. This Policy does not address all issues as to which we may receive proxies nor does it seek to describe in detail all factors that we may consider relevant to any particular proposal. To assist ISS in interpreting and applying this Policy, we meet with ISS at least annually, provide written guidance on certain topics generally on an annual basis and communicate more regularly as necessary to discuss how specific issues should be addressed. This guidance permits ISS to apply this Policy without consulting us as to each proxy but in a manner that is consistent with our investment view and not their own governance opinions. If an issue raised by a proxy is not addressed by this Policy or our prior guidance to ISS, ISS refers the proxy to us for direction on
voting. On issues that we do not believe affect the economic value of our portfolio holdings or are considered by us to be routine matters as to which we have not provided specific guidance, we have agreed with ISS to act as our voting agent in voting such proxies in accordance with its own recommendations which, to the extent possible, take into account this Policy and FM's general positions on similar matters. The Manager of Corporate Governance is responsible, working with ISS, for submitting proxies in a timely manner and in accordance with our policy. The Manager of Corporate Governance works with ISS to establish and update detailed procedures to implement this policy.
From time to time, proxy votes will be solicited which fall into one of the following categories:
(i) proxies which involve special circumstances and require additional research and discussion (e.g. a material merger or acquisition, or a material governance issue with the potential to become a significant precedent in corporate governance); or
(ii) proxies which are not directly addressed by our policies and which are reasonably anticipated to have an impact on the current or potential value of a security or which we do not consider to be routine.
These proxies are identified through a number of methods, including but not limited to notification from ISS, concerns of clients, review by internal proxy specialists, and questions from consultants. The role of third parties in identifying special circumstances does not mean that we will depart from our guidelines; these third parties are all treated as information sources. If they raise issues that we determine to be prudent before voting a particular proxy or departing from our prior guidance to ISS, we will weigh the issue along with other relevant factors before making an informed decision. In all cases, we vote proxies as to which we have voting discretion in a manner that we determine to be in the best interest of our clients. As stated above, if the proposal has a quantifiable effect on shareholder value, we seek to maximize the value of a portfolio's holdings. With respect to matters that are not so quantifiable, we exercise greater judgment but still seek to maximize long-term value by promoting sound governance policies. The goal of the Proxy Voting Committee is to make the most informed decision possible.
In instances of special circumstances or issues not directly addressed by our policies or guidance to ISS, the FM Manager of Corporate Governance will refer the item to the Chairman of the Investment Committee for a determination of the proxy vote. The first determination is whether there is a material conflict of interest between the interests of our client and those of FM or its affiliates (as explained in greater detail below under "Potential Conflicts"). If the Manager of Corporate Governance and the Chairman of the Investment Committee determine that there is a material conflict, the process detailed below under "Potential Conflicts" is followed. If there is no material conflict, we examine the proposals that involve special circumstances or are not addressed by our policy or guidance in detail in seeking to determine what vote would be in the best interests of our clients. At this point, the Chairman of the Investment Committee makes a voting decision in our clients' best interest. However, the Chairman of the Investment Committee may determine that a proxy involves the consideration of particularly significant issues and present the proxy item to the Proxy Review Committee and/or to the entire Investment Committee for a final decision on voting the proxy. The Investment Committee will use the same rationale for determining the appropriate vote.
FM reviews proxies of non-US issuers in the context of these guidelines. However, FM also endeavors to show sensitivity to local market practices when voting these proxies, which may lead to different votes. For example, in certain foreign markets, items are put to vote which have little or no effect on shareholder value, but which are routinely voted on in those jurisdictions; in the absence of material effect on our clients, we will follow market practice. FM votes in all markets where it is feasible to do so. Note that certain custodians utilized by our clients do not offer proxy voting in every foreign jurisdiction. In such a case, FM will be unable to vote such a proxy.
VOTING
For most issues and in most circumstances, we abide by the following general guidelines. However, it is important to remember that these are simply guidelines. As discussed above, in certain circumstances, we may determine that it would be in the best interests of our clients to deviate from these guidelines.
I. Generally, FM votes for the following ballot items:
Board of Directors
- Elections of directors who (i) we determine to be adequately independent of management and (ii) do not simultaneously serve on an unreasonable (as determined by FM) number of other boards (other than those affiliated with the issuer). Factors that
we consider in evaluating independence include whether the nominee is an employee of or related to an employee of the issuer or its auditor, whether the nominee provides professional services to the issuer, or whether the nominee receives non-board related compensation from the issuer
- Directors' compensation, provided the amounts are not excessive relative to other issuers in the market or industry. In making such a determination, we review whether the compensation is overly dilutive to existing shareholders.
- Proposals to limit directors' liability and/or expand indemnification of directors, provided that a director shall only be eligible for indemnification and liability protection if he or she has not acted in bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his or her office
- Discharge of board members' duties*, in the absence of pending litigation, governmental investigation, charges of fraud or other indicia of significant concern
- The establishment of annual elections of the board of directors unless the board is composed by a majority of independent directors, the board's key committees (auditing, nominating and compensation) are composed of independent directors, and there are no other material governance issues or performance issues.
- Mandates requiring a majority of independent directors on the Board of Directors
- Mandates that Audit, Compensation and Nominating Committee members should all be independent directors
- Mandates giving the Audit Committee the sole responsibility for the selection and dismissal of the auditing firm and any subsequent result of audits are reported to the audit committee
- Elimination of cumulative voting
- Establishment of confidential voting
Auditors
- Approval of auditors, unless the fees paid to auditors are excessive; auditors' fees will be deemed excessive if the non-audit fees for the prior year constituted 50% or more of the total fees paid to the auditors
- Auditors' compensation, provided the issuer has properly disclosed audit and non-audit fees relative to market practice and that non-audit fees for the prior year constituted no more than 50% of the total fees paid to the auditors
- Discharge of auditors*
- Approval of financial statements, auditor reports and allocation of income
- Requirements that auditors attend the annual meeting of shareholders
- Disclosure of Auditor and Consulting relationships when the same or related entities are conducting both activities
- Establishment of a selection committee responsible for the final approval of significant management consultant contract awards where existing firms are already acting in an auditing function
Capitalization
- Dividend payouts that are greater than or equal to country and industry standards; we generally support a dividend which constitutes 30% or more of net income
- Authorization of share repurchase programs, unless the issuer does not clearly state the business purpose for the program, a definitive number of shares to be repurchased, and the time frame for the repurchase
- Capitalization changes which eliminate other classes of stock and/or unequal voting rights
- Changes in capitalization authorization for stock splits, stock dividends, and other specified needs which are no more than 50% of the existing authorization for U.S. companies and no more than 100% of existing authorization for non-U.S. companies.
- Elimination of pre-emptive rights for share issuance of less than a certain percentage (country specific - ranging from 5% to 20%) of the outstanding shares, unless even such small amount could have a material dilutive effect on existing shareholders (e.g. in illiquid markets)
Anti-Takeover Measures
- Elimination of shareholder rights plans ("poison pill")
- Amendment to a shareholder rights plans ("poison pill") where the terms of the new plans are more favorable to shareholders' ability to accept unsolicited offers (i.e. if one of the following conditions are met: (i) minimum trigger, flip-in or flip-over of 20%, (ii) maximum term of three years, (iii) no "dead hand," "slow hand," "no hand" or similar feature that limits the ability of a future board to redeem the pill, and (iv) inclusion of a shareholder redemption feature (qualifying offer clause), permitting ten percent of the shares to call a special meeting or seek a written consent to vote on rescinding the pill if the board refuses to redeem the pill 90 days after a qualifying offer is announced)
- Adoption or renewal of a non-US issuer's shareholder rights plans ("poison pill") if the following conditions are met: (i) minimum trigger, flip-in or flip-over of 20%, (ii) maximum term of three years, (iii) no "dead hand," "slow hand," "no hand" or similar feature that limits the ability of a future board to redeem the pill, and (iv) inclusion of a shareholder redemption feature (qualifying offer clause), permitting ten percent of the shares to call a special meeting or seek a written consent to vote on rescinding the pill if the board refuses to redeem the pill 90 days after a qualifying offer is announced
- Reduction or elimination of super-majority vote requirements, unless management of the issuer was concurrently seeking to or had previously made such reduction or elimination
- Mandates requiring shareholder approval of a shareholder rights plans
("poison pill")
- Repeals of various anti-takeover related provisions
Executive Compensation/Equity Compensation
- Stock purchase plans with an exercise price of not less that 85% of fair market value
- Stock option plans which are incentive based and not excessively dilutive. In order to assess the dilutive effect, we divide the number of shares required to fully fund the proposed plan, the number of authorized but unissued shares, and the issued but unexercised shares by fully diluted share count. We review that number in light of certain factors, including the industry of the issuer, in order to make our determination as to whether the dilution is excessive.
- Other stock-based plans which are not excessively dilutive, using the same process set forth in the preceding bullet
- Expansions to reporting of financial or compensation-related information, within reason
- Proposals requiring the disclosure of executive retirement benefits if the issuer does not have an independent compensation committee
Routine Business Items
- General updating of or corrective amendments to charter not otherwise specifically addressed herein, unless such amendments would reasonably be expected to diminish shareholder rights (e.g. extension of directors' term limits, amending shareholder vote requirement to amend the charter documents, insufficient information provided as to the reason behind the amendment)
- Change in Corporation Name
- Mandates that amendments to bylaws or charters have shareholder approval
Other
- Adoption of anti-"greenmail" provisions, provided that the proposal:
(i) defines greenmail; (ii) prohibits buyback offers to large block
holders (holders of at least 1% of the outstanding shares and in
certain cases, a greater amount, as determined by the Proxy Review
Committee) not made to all shareholders or not approved by
disinterested shareholders; and (iii) contains no anti-takeover
measures or other provisions restricting the rights of shareholders
- Repeals or prohibitions of "greenmail" provisions
- "Opting-out" of business combination provision
II. Generally, FM votes against the following items:
Board of Directors
- Establishment of classified boards of directors, unless 80% of the board is independent
- Proposal requesting re-election of insiders or affiliated directors who serve on audit, compensation, or nominating committees
- Limits to tenure of directors
- Requirements that candidates for directorships own large amounts of stock before being eligible to be elected
- Restoration of cumulative voting in the election of directors
- Removal of a director, unless we determine the director (i) is not adequately independent of management or (ii) simultaneously serves on an unreasonable (as determined by FM) number of other boards (other than those affiliated with the issuer). Factors that we consider in evaluating independence include whether the director is an employee of or related to an
employee of the issuer or its auditor, whether the director provides professional services to the issuer, or whether the director receives non-board related compensation from the issuer Elimination of Shareholders' Right to Call Special Meetings
- Proposals that relate to the "transaction of other business as properly comes before the meeting", which extend "blank check" powers to those acting as proxy
- Approval of Directors who have failed to act on a shareholder proposal that has been approved by a majority of outstanding shares
- Directors at companies where prior non-cash compensation was improperly "backdated" or "springloaded" where one of the following scenarios exists:
- (i) it is unknown whether the Compensation Committee had knowledge of such backdating at the time, (ii) the Compensation Committee was not independent at the time, and (iii) the director seeking reelection served on the Compensation Committee at the time; or
- (i) it is unknown whether the Compensation Committee had knowledge of such backdating at the time, (ii) the Compensation Committee was independent at the time, and (iii) sufficient controls have not been implemented to avoid similar improper payments going forward; or
- (i) the Compensation Committee had knowledge of such backdating at the time, and (ii) the director seeking reelection served on the Compensation Committee at the time; or
- (i) the Compensation Committee did not have knowledge of such backdating at the time, and (ii) sufficient controls have not been implemented to avoid similar improper payments going forward
Capitalization
- Capitalization changes that add "blank check" classes of stock (i.e. classes of stock with undefined voting rights) or classes that dilute the voting interests of existing shareholders
- Capitalization changes that exceed 100% of the issuer's current authorized capital unless management provides an appropriate rationale for such change
Anti-Takeover Measures
- Anti-takeover and related provisions that serve to prevent the majority of shareholders from exercising their rights or effectively deter appropriate tender offers and other offers
- Adjournment of Meeting to Solicit Additional Votes
- Shareholder rights plans that do not include a shareholder redemption feature (qualifying offer clause), permitting ten percent of the shares to call a special meeting or seek a written consent to vote on rescinding the pill if the board refuses to redeem the pill 90 days after a qualifying offer is announced
- Adoption or renewal of a US issuer's shareholder rights plan ("poison pill")
Executive Compensation/Equity Compensation
- Excessive compensation (i.e. compensation plans which are deemed by FM to be overly dilutive)
- Retirement bonuses for non-executive directors and auditors
- Proposals requiring the disclosure of executive retirement benefits if the issuer has an independent compensation -- committee
Routine Business Items
- Amendments to bylaws which would require super-majority shareholder votes to pass or repeal certain provisions
- Reincorporation in a location which has more stringent anti-takeover and related provisions
- Proposals asking the board to adopt any form of majority voting, unless the majority standard indicated is based on a majority of shares outstanding.
Other
- Requirements that the company provide costly, duplicative, or redundant reports, or reports of a non-business nature
- Restrictions related to social, political, or special interest issues which affect the ability of the company to do business or be competitive and which have significant financial or best-interest impact
- Proposals which require inappropriate endorsements or corporate actions
- Proposals asking companies to adopt full tenure holding periods for their executives
III. FM evaluates Mergers and Acquisitions on a case-by-case basis. Consistent with our proxy policy, we support management in seeking to achieve their objectives for shareholders. However, in all cases, FM uses its discretion in order to maximize shareholder value. FM generally votes as follows:
- Against offers with potentially damaging consequences for minority shareholders because of illiquid stock, especially in some non-US markets
- Against offers when we believe that reasonable prospects exist for an enhanced bid or other bidders
- Against offers where, at the time of voting, the current market price of the security exceeds the bid price
- For proposals to restructure or liquidate closed end investment funds in which the secondary market price is substantially lower than the net asset value
- For offers made at a premium where no other higher bidder exists
PROTECTING SHAREHOLDER VALUE
We at FM agree entirely with the United States Department of Labor's position that "where proxy voting decisions may have an effect on the economic value of the plan's underlying investment, plan fiduciaries should make proxy voting decisions with a view to enhancing the value of the shares of stock" (IB 94-2). Our proxy voting policy and procedures are designed with the intent that our clients receive the best possible returns on their investments. We meet directly with corporation representatives and participate in conference calls and third-party inquiries in order to ensure our processes are as fully informed as possible. However, we use each piece of information we receive - whether from clients, consultants, the media, the issuer, ISS or other sources -- as one part of our analysis in seeking to carry out our duties as a fiduciary and act in the best interest of our clients. We are not unduly influenced by the identity of any particular source, but use all the information to form our opinion as to the best outcome for our clients.
Through our membership in the Council of Institutional Investors as well as our contact with corporate pension plans, public funds, and unions, we are also able to communicate extensively with other shareholders regarding events and issues relevant to individual corporations, general industry, and current shareholder concerns.
In addition, FM monitors "target" lists of underperforming companies prepared by various shareholder groups, including: California Public Employee Retirement System, The City of New York - Office of the Comptroller, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, and
Council of Institutional Investors. Companies, so identified, receive an individual, systematic review by the FM Manager of Corporate Governance and the Proxy Review Committee, as necessary.
As an active shareholder, FM's role is to support corporate policies that serve the best interests of our clients. Though we do not seek involvement in the day-to-day operations of an organization, we recognize the need for conscientious oversight of and input into management decisions that may affect a company's value. To that end, our monitoring of corporate management and industry events is substantially more detailed than that of the typical shareholder. We have demonstrated our willingness to vote against management-sponsored initiatives and to support shareholder proposals when appropriate. To date we have not filed proposals or initiated letter-writing or other campaigns, but have used our active participation in the corporate governance process -- especially the proxy voting process -- as the most effective means by which to communicate our and our clients' legitimate shareholder concerns. Should an issue arise in conjunction with a specific corporation that cannot be satisfactorily resolved through these means, we shall consider other approaches.
POTENTIAL CONFLICTS
As discussed above under Process, from time to time, FM will review a proxy which may present a potential conflict of interest. As a fiduciary to its clients, FM takes these potential conflicts very seriously While FM's only goal in addressing any such potential conflict is to ensure that proxy votes are cast in the clients' best interests and are not affected by FM's potential conflict, there are a number of courses FM may take. Although various relationships could be deemed to give rise to a conflict of interest, we have determined that two categories of relationships present a sufficiently serious concern to warrant an alternative process: customers of FM or its affiliates which are among the top 100 clients of FM and its affiliates based upon revenue; and the 10 largest broker-dealers used by SSgA, based upon revenue (a "Material Relationship").
When the matter falls clearly within the polices set forth above or the guidance previously provided by FM to ISS and the proxy is to be voted in accordance with that guidance, we do not believe that such decision represents a conflict of interest and no special procedures are warranted.
In circumstances where either (i) the matter does not fall clearly within the policies set forth above or the guidance previously provided to ISS, or (ii) FM determines that voting in accordance with such policies or guidance is not in the best interests of its clients, the Manager of Corporate Governance will compare the name of the issuer against a list of the top 100 revenue generating clients of State Street Corporation and its affiliates and a list of the top 10 broker-dealer relationships to determine if a Material Relationship exists. (These lists are updated quarterly.) If the issuer's name appears on either list and the pre-determined policy is not being followed, FM will employ the services of a third party, wholly independent of FM, its affiliates and those parties involved in the proxy issue, to determine the appropriate vote. However, in certain circumstances the Proxy Review Committee may determine that the use of a third party fiduciary is not necessary or appropriate, either because the matter involved does not involve a material issue or because the issue in question affects the underlying value of the portfolio position and it is appropriate for FM, notwithstanding the potential conflict of interest, to vote the security in a manner that it determines will maximize the value to its client. In such situations, the Proxy Committee, or if a broader discussion is warranted, the SSgA Investment Committee, shall make a decision as to the voting of the proxy. The basis for the voting decision, including the basis for the determination that the decision is in the best interests of FM's clients, shall be formalized in writing as a part of the minutes to the Investment Committee.
RECORDKEEPING
In accordance with applicable law, FM shall retain the following documents for not less than five years from the end of the year in which the proxies were voted, the first two years in FM's office:
1) FM's Proxy Voting Policy and any additional procedures created pursuant to such Policy;
2) a copy of each proxy statement FM receives regarding securities held by its clients (note: this requirement may be satisfied by a third party who has agreed in writing to do so or by obtaining a copy of the proxy statement from the EDGAR database);
3) a record of each vote cast by FM (note: this requirement may be satisfied by a third party who has agreed in writing to do so);
4) a copy of any document created by FM that was material in making its voting decision or that memorializes the basis for such decision; and
5) a copy of each written request from a client, and response to the client, for information on how FM voted the client's proxies.
DISCLOSURE OF CLIENT VOTING INFORMATION
Any client who wishes to receive information on how its proxies were voted should contact its FM client service officer.
PART C. OTHER INFORMATION
ITEM 23. EXHIBITS
(a)(1) Declaration of Trust was filed with the Commission on February 16, 2000 as Exhibit (a) to the Trust's Registration Statement and is incorporated by reference herein. (2) Amendment No.1 to Agreement and Declaration of Trust was filed with the Commission on April 29, 2008 as Exhibit (a)(2) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 28 and is incorporated by reference herein. (3) Amendment No. 2 to Agreement and Declaration of Trust and is filed herein. (4) Amendment No. 3 to Agreement and Declaration of Trust was filed with the commission on April 29, 2008 as Exhibit (a)(4) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 28 and is incorporated by reference herein. (5) Amendment No. 4 to Agreement and Declaration of Trust was filed with the Commission on February 6, 2007 as Exhibit (a)(5) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 23 and is incorporated by reference herein. (6) Amendment No. 5 to Agreement and Declaration of Trust was filed with the Commission on October 2, 2007 as Exhibit (a)(6) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 27 and is incorporated by reference herein. (b) Third Amended and Restated By-laws of the Trust was filed with the Commission on April 29, 2008 as exhibit (b) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 28 and is incorporated by reference herein. (c) Not applicable. (d)(1) Investment Advisory Agreement dated May 1, 2001 between SSgA Funds Management, Inc. and the Trust was filed with the Commission on April 30, 2002 as Exhibit (d)(2) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 9+ and is incorporated by reference herein. (2) Amendment dated February 14, 2002 to Investment Advisory Contract between SSgA Funds Management, Inc. and the Trust was filed with the Commission on April 29, 2008 as Exhibit (d)(2) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 28 and is incorporated by reference herein. (3) Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement Agreement Dated April 1, 2007 between SSgA Funds Management, Inc. and the Trust with respect to the State Street Institutional Liquid Reserves Fund was filed with the Commission on April 29, 2008 as Exhibit (d)(3) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 28 and is incorporated by reference herein. (4) Voluntary Fee Waiver Letter dated April 1, 2007 from SSgA Funds Management, Inc. to the Trust with respect to the State Street Institutional Liquid Reserves Fund was filed with the Commission on April 29, 2008 as Exhibit (d)(4) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 28 and incorporated by reference herein. (5) Amendment to Investment Advisory Contract dated May 1, 2001 between SSgA Funds Management, Inc. and the Trust regarding the State Street Institutional Limited Duration Bond Fund, State Street Institutional Tax Free Limited Duration Bond Fund and State Street Institutional Tax Free Money Market Fund and is filed herein. |
(6) Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement Agreement dated February 7, 2007 between SSgA Funds Management, Inc. and the Trust with respect to the State Street Institutional Limited Duration Bond Fund, State Street Institutional Tax Free Limited Duration Bond Fund and State Street Institutional Tax Free Money Market Fund was filed with the Commission on April 29, 2008 as Exhibit (d)(6) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 28 and is incorporated by reference herein. (7) Amendment to Investment Advisory Contract between SSgA Funds Management, Inc. and the Trust regarding the State Street Institutional Tax Free Money Market Fund, State Street Institutional Treasury Money Market Fund, and State Street Institutional Treasury Plus Money Market Fund and is filed herein. (8) First Amendment to Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement Agreement dated April 29, 2008 between SSgA Funds Management, Inc. and the Trust with respect to the State Street Institutional Liquid Reserves Fund was filed with the Commission on April 29, 2008 as Exhibit (d)(8) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 28 and is incorporated by reference herein. (9) First Amendment to Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement Agreement dated April 29, 2008 between SSgA Funds Management, Inc. and the Trust with respect to the State Street Institutional Limited Duration Bond Fund, State Street Institutional Short-Term Tax Exempt Bond Fund (formerly State Street Institutional Tax Free Limited Duration Bond Fund), and State Street Institutional Tax Free Money Market Fund was filed with the Commission on April 29, 2008 as Exhibit (d)(9) to Post-Effective Amendment No 28 and is incorporated by reference herein. (10) Voluntary Fee Waiver letter dated April 29, 2008 from SSgA Funds Management, Inc. to the Trust with respect to the State Street Institutional Liquid Reserves Fund was filed with the Commission on April 29, 2008 as Exhibit (d)(1) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 28 and is incorporated by reference herein. (e)(1) Distribution Agreement dated February 28, 2000 between ALPS Mutual Funds Services, Inc. and the Trust was filed with the Commission on April 28, 2006 as Exhibit (e)(1) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 17 and is incorporated by reference herein. (2) Addendum dated March 30, 2001 to Distribution Agreement dated February 28, 2000 between ALPS Mutual Funds Services, Inc. and the Trust was filed as Exhibit (e)(2) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 28 and is incorporated by reference herein. (3) Form of Selling Dealer Agreement for ALPS Distributors, Inc. was filed with the Commission on February 25, 2005 as Exhibit (e)(4) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 13 and is incorporated by reference herein. (4) Notice to Distribution Agreement dated February 14, 2002 regarding the State Street Institutional Money Market Fund and the State Street Institutional U.S. Government Money Market Fund was filed on April 29, 2008 as Exhibit (e)(4) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 28 and is incorporated by reference herein. (5) Notice to the Distribution Agreement dated May 19, 2005 between the Trust and ALPS Distributors, Inc. regarding Class R shares of the State Street Institutional Equity 500 Index Fund and is filed herein. |
(6) Amendment dated February 7, 2007 to Distribution Agreement between the Trust and ALPS Distributors, Inc. regarding the State Street Institutional Limited Duration Bond Fund, the State Street Institutional Tax Free Limited Duration Bond Fund, and the State Street Institutional Tax Free Money Market Fund and is filed herein. (7) Deleted. (8) Second Amendment to Distribution Agreement dated October 11, 2007 between the Trust and ALPS Distributors, Inc. regarding the State Street Institutional Treasury Money Market Fund and the State Street Institutional Treasury Plus Money Market Fund is filed herein. (f) Not applicable. (g)(1) Amended and Restated Custodian Agreement dated February 14, 2001 between State Street Bank and Trust Company and the Trust was filed with the Commission on April 30, 2002 as Exhibit (g)(1) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 9+ and is incorporated by reference herein. (2) Notice to Custodian Agreement dated February 14, 2002 regarding the State Street Money Market Fund and the State Street Institutional U.S. Government Money Market Fund was filed with the Commission on April 29, 2008 as Exhibit (g)(2) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 28 and is incorporated by reference herein. (3) Notice to Custodian Agreement dated February 12, 2004 between State Street Bank and Trust Company and the Trust regarding the State Street Institutional Money Market Fund was filed with the Commission on April 29, 2008 as Exhibit (g)(3) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 28 and is incorporated by reference herein. (4) Notice to Custodian Agreement between State Street Bank and Trust Company and the Trust regarding the State Street Institutional Treasury Money Market Fund and the State Street Institutional Treasury Plus Money Market Fund is filed herein. (h)(1)(a) Transfer Agent and Services Agreement dated February 28, 2000 between State Street Bank and Trust Company and the Trust was filed with the Commission on April 30, 2002 as Exhibit (h)(1) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 9+ and is incorporated by reference herein. (1)(b) Transfer Agent and Services Agreement dated February 1, 2005 between ALPS Mutual Funds Services, Inc. and the Trust was filed with the Commission on April 29, 2008 as Exhibit (h)(1)(b) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 28 and is incorporated by reference herein. (1)(c) Services Amendment to Transfer Agent and Services Agreement dated February 1, 2005 between ALPS Mutual Funds Services, Inc. and The Trust was filed with the Commission on April 29, 2008 as Exhibit (h(1)(c) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 28 and is incorporated by reference herein. (1)(d) Amendment to Transfer Agency and Services Agreement dated February 7, 2007 between ALPS Fund Services, Inc. and the Trust was filed with the Commission on April 29, 2008 as Exhibit (h)(1)(d) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 28 and is incorporated by reference herein. |
(1)(e) Amendment to Services Amendment to Transfer Agent and Services Agreement dated February 7, 2007 between ALPS Fund Services, Inc. and the Trust was filed with the Commission on April 29, 2008 as Exhibit (h)(1)(e) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 28 and is incorporated by reference herein. (1)(f) Deleted. (1)(g) Deleted (1)(h) Notice to Transfer Agent and Service Agreement dated October 31, 2006 between State Street Bank and Trust Company and the Trust with regard to anti-money laundering services amendment is filed herein. (1)(i) Notice of Amendment to Transfer Agent and Service Agreement dated April 5, 2004 between State Street Bank and Trust Company and the Trust was filed with the Commission on April 29, 2008 as Exhibit (h)(1)(i) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 28 and is incorporated by reference herein. (1)(j) Second Amendment to Transfer Agency and Service Agreement dated October 11, 2007 between State Street Bank and Trust Company and ALPS Fund Services, Inc. is filed herein. (1)(k) Second Amendment to Services Amendment dated October 11, 2007 between State Street Bank and Trust Company and ALPS Fund Services, Inc. is filed herein. (2) Administration Agreement dated February 28, 2000 between State Street Bank and Trust Company and the Trust was filed with the Commission on April 30, 2002 as Exhibit (h)(2) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 9+ and is incorporated by reference herein. (2)(a) Notice to Administration Agreement dated February 14, 2002 regarding the State Street Institutional Money Market Fund and the State Street Institutional U.S. Government Money Market Fund was filed with the Commission on April 29, 2008 as Exhibit (h)(2)(a) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 28 and is incorporated by reference herein. (2)(b) Notice to Administration Agreement dated February 12, 2004 between State Street Bank and Trust Company and the Trust regarding the State Street Institutional Money Market Fund was filed with the Commission on April 29, 2008 as Exhibit (h)(2)(b) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 28 and is incorporated by reference herein. (2)(c) Notice to Administration Agreement between State Street Bank and Trust Company and the Trust regarding the State Street Institutional Treasury Money Market Fund and the State Street Institutional Treasury Plus Money Market Fund is filed herein. (3) Form of Master-Feeder Participation Agreement between State Street Master Funds and the Trust with respect to the State Street Equity 500 Index Fund was filed with the Commission on April 28, 2006 as Exhibit (h)(4) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 17 and is incorporated by reference herein. (4) Form of Master-Feeder Participation Agreement between State Street Master Funds and the Trust with respect to the State Street Institutional Liquid Reserves Fund was filed with the Commission on April 28, 2006 as Exhibit (h)(5) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 17 and is incorporated by reference herein. |
(5) Form of Master-Feeder Participation Agreement between State Street Master Funds and the Trust with respect to the State Street Institutional Limited Duration Bond Fund was filed with the Commission on April 28, 2006 as Exhibit (h)(6) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 23 and is incorporated by reference herein. (6) Master-Feeder Participation Agreement between State Street Master Funds and the Trust with respect to the State Street Institutional Tax Free Limited Duration Bond Fund is filed herein. (7) Master-Feeder Participation Agreement between State Street Master Funds and the Trust with respect to the State Street Institutional Tax Free Money Market Fund is filed herein. (8) Master-Feeder Participation Agreement between State Street Master Funds and the Trust with respect to the State Street Institutional Treasury Money Market Fund is filed herein. (9) Master-Feeder Participation Agreement between State Street Master Funds and the Trust with respect to the State Street Institutional Treasury Plus Money Market Fund is filed herein. (i)(1) Legal Opinion of Ropes & Gray LLP was filed with the Commission in September 2000 as Exhibit (i) to Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Trust's Registration Statement and is incorporated by reference herein. (2) Legal Opinion of Ropes & Gray LLP regarding the State Street Money Market Fund was filed with the Commission on November 13, 2002 as Exhibit (i)(2) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 10 and is incorporated by reference herein. (3) Legal Opinion of Ropes & Gray LLP regarding the Class R Shares of the State Street Equity 500 Index Fund was filed with the Commission on June 3, 2005 as Exhibit (i)(3) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 15 and is incorporated by reference herein. (4) Legal Opinion of Ropes & Gray LLP regarding the State Street Institutional Limited Duration Bond Fund, State Street Institutional Tax Free Limited Duration Bond Fund and State Street Institutional Tax Free Money Market Fund was filed with the Commission on February 6, 2007 as Exhibit (i)(4) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 23 and is incorporated by reference herein. (j) Not applicable. (k) Not applicable. (l) Not applicable. (m)(1) Rule 12b-1 Plan dated May 15, 2008 is filed herein. |
(2) Shareholder Servicing Plan for Service Class Effective May 15, 2008 is filed herein. (n)(1) Rule 18f-3 Plan dated May 15, 2008 is filed herein. (o) Reserved. (p)(1) Joint Code of Ethics with the State Street Master Funds was filed with the Commission on February 25, 2005 as Exhibit (p)(1) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 13 and is incorporated by reference herein. (p)(2)(i) Amended Code of Ethics of SSgA Funds Management, Inc. was filed with the Commission on February 25, 2005 as Exhibit (p)(1) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 13 and is incorporated by reference herein. (ii) Amendment to SSgA Code of Ethics of SSgA Funds Management, Inc. was filed with the Commission on April 29, 2008 as Exhibit (p)(2)(ii) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 28 and is incorporated by reference herein. (3) Amended Code of Ethics of ALPS Distributors, Inc. was filed with the Commission on April 28, 2006 as Exhibit (p)(3) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 17 and is incorporated by reference herein. |
ITEM 24. PERSONS CONTROLLED BY OR UNDER COMMON CONTROL WITH THE FUND
See the Prospectus and the Statement of Additional Information regarding the Trust's control relationships.
ITEM 25. INDEMNIFICATION
Pursuant to Article 4 of the Trust's Amended and Restated By-Laws, the Trust shall indemnify each of its Trustees and officers (including persons who serve at the Trust's request as directors, officers or trustees of another organization in which the Trust has any interest as a shareholder, creditor or otherwise) (hereinafter referred to as a "Covered Person") against all liabilities and expenses, including but not limited to amounts paid in satisfaction of judgments, in compromise or as fines and penalties, and counsel fees reasonably incurred by any Covered Person in connection with the defense or disposition of any action, suit or other proceeding, whether civil or criminal, before any court or administrative or legislative body, in which such Covered Person may be or may have been involved as a party or otherwise or with which such Covered Person may be or may have been threatened, while in office or thereafter, by reason of any alleged act or omission as a Trustee or officer or by reason of his or her being or having been such a Trustee or officer, except with respect to any matter as to which such Covered Person shall have been finally adjudicated in any such action, suit or other proceeding not to have acted in good faith in the reasonable belief that such Covered Person's action was in the best interest of the Trust and except that no Covered Person shall be indemnified against any liability to the Trust or its Shareholders to which such Covered Person would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of such Covered Person's office. Expenses, including counsel fees so incurred by any such Covered Person, may be paid from time to time by the Trust in advance of the final disposition of any such action, suit or proceeding on the condition that the amounts so
paid shall be repaid to the Trust if it is ultimately determined that indemnification of such expenses is not authorized under this Article.
As to any matter disposed of by a compromise payment by any such Covered Person referred to above, pursuant to a consent decree or otherwise, no such indemnification either for said payment or for any other expenses shall be provided unless such compromise shall be approved as in the best interests of the Trust, after notice that it involved such indemnification, (a) by a disinterested majority of the Trustees then in office; or (b) by a majority of the disinterested Trustees then in office; or (c) by any disinterested person or persons to whom the question may be referred by the Trustees, provided that in the case of approval pursuant to clause (b) or (c) there has been obtained an opinion in writing of independent legal counsel to the effect that such Covered Person appears to have acted in good faith in the reasonable belief that his or her action was in the best interests of the Trust and that such indemnification would not protect such person against any liability to the Trust or its Shareholders to which such person would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of office; or (d) by vote of Shareholders holding a majority of the Shares entitled to vote thereon, exclusive of any Shares beneficially owned by any interested Covered Person. Approval by the Trustees pursuant to clause (a) or (b) or by any disinterested person or persons pursuant to clause (c) of this Section shall not prevent the recovery from any Covered Person of any amount paid to such Covered Person in accordance with any of such clauses as indemnification if such Covered Person is subsequently adjudicated by a court of competent jurisdiction not to have acted in good faith in the reasonable belief that such Covered Person's action was in the best interests of the Trust or to have been liable to the Trust or its Shareholders by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of such Covered Person's office.
The right of indemnification hereby provided shall not be exclusive of or affect any other rights to which any such Covered Person may be entitled. As used in this Article 4, the term "Covered Person" shall include such person's heirs, executors and administrators; an "interested Covered Person" is one against whom the action, suit or other proceeding in question or another action, suit or other proceeding on the same or similar grounds is then or has been pending; and a "disinterested Trustee" or "disinterested person" is a Trustee or a person against whom none of such actions, suits or other proceedings or another action, suit or other proceeding on the same or similar grounds is then or has been pending. Nothing contained in this Article shall affect any rights to indemnification to which personnel of the Trust, other than Trustees and officers, and other persons may be entitled by contract or otherwise under law, nor the power of the Trust to purchase and maintain liability insurance on behalf of any such person.
ITEM 26. BUSINESS AND OTHER CONNECTIONS OF THE INVESTMENT ADVISER
See "Management of the Trust" in Part B. Information as to the directors and officers of the Adviser is included in its Form ADV filed with the SEC and is incorporated herein by reference thereto.
ITEM 27. PRINCIPAL UNDERWRITER
Item 27. Principal Underwriters.
(a) ALPS Distributors, Inc. acts as the distributor for the Registrant and the following investment companies: AARP Funds, ALPS ETF Trust, ALPS Variable Insurance Trust, Ameristock Mutual Fund, Inc., BLDRS Index Fund Trust, Campbell Multi-Strategy Trust, CornerCap Group of Funds, DIAMONDS Trust, Drake Funds, Financial Investors Trust, Financial Investors Variable Insurance Trust, Firsthand Funds, Forward Funds, Heartland Group, Inc., Henssler Funds, Inc., Holland Balanced Fund, Laudus Trust, Milestone Funds, MTB Group of Funds, Pax World Funds, PowerShares QQQ 100 Trust Series 1, Realty Funds, Inc., Scottish Widows Investment Partnership, SPDR Trust, MidCap SPDR Trust, Select Sector SPDR Trust, Stonebridge Funds, Inc., Stone Harbor Investment Funds, TDAX Funds, Inc., Utopia Funds, W. P. Stewart Funds, Wasatch Funds, Westcore Trust, Williams Capital Liquid Assets Fund, and WisdomTree Trust.
(b) To the best of Registrant's knowledge, the directors and executive officers of ALPS Distributors, Inc., are as follows:
Edmund J. Burke President; Director Thomas Carter Managing Director - Business Development; Director Jeremy O. May Managing Director - Operations and Client Service; Assistant Secretary; Director Spencer Hoffman Director John C. Donaldson Chief Financial Officer Diana Adams Vice President, Controller, Treasurer Robert J. Szydlowski Chief Technology Officer , Tane Tyler General Counsel, Secretary Brad Swenson Chief Compliance Officer |
* The principal business address for each of the above directors and executive officers is 1290 Broadway, Suite 1100, Denver, Colorado 80203.
ITEM 28. LOCATION OF ACCOUNTS AND RECORDS
The accounts and records of the Trust are located, in whole or in part, at the office of the Trust and the following locations:
State Street Institutional Investment Trust ("Trust") P.O. Box 5501 Boston, MA 02206
SSgA Funds Management, Inc. ("Adviser")
State Street Financial Center
One Lincoln Street
Boston, MA 02111
State Street Bank and Trust Company ("Custodian, Administrator, Transfer
Agent and Dividend Disbursing Agent", except not the Transfer
Agent/Dividend Disbursing Agent for the State Street Institutional Liquid
Reserves Fund, State Street Institutional Limited Duration Bond Fund, State
Street Institutional Short-Term Tax Exempt Bond Fund (formerly the State
Street Institutional Tax Free Limited Duration Bond Fund), State Street
Institutional Tax Free Money Market Fund, State Street Institutional
Treasury Money Market Fund, and the State Street Institutional Treasury
Plus Money Market Fund.
Box 5501
Boston, MA 02206
ALPS Distributors, Inc.
ALPS Fund Services, Inc. (Transfer Agent/Dividend Disbursing Agent for the
State Street Institutional Liquid Reserves Fund, State Street Institutional
Limited Duration Bond Fund, State Street Institutional Short-Term Tax
Exempt Bond Fund (formerly the State Street Institutional Tax Free Limited
Duration Bond Fund), State Street Institutional Tax Free Money Market Fund,
State
Street Institutional U.S. Government Money Market Fund, State Street
Institutional Treasury Money Market Fund, and the State Street
Institutional Treasury Plus Money Market Fund.
1290 Broadway
Suite 1100
Denver, CO 80203
ITEM 29. MANAGEMENT SERVICES
Not applicable.
ITEM 30. UNDERTAKINGS
Not applicable.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 (the "1933 Act") and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Registrant, State Street Institutional Investment Trust (the "Trust") certifies that it meets all of the requirements for effectiveness of this amendment to the Trust's registration statement under Rule 485(b) under the 1933 Act and has duly caused this Amendment to the Trust's Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereto duly authorized, in the City of Boston and Commonwealth of Massachusetts on this 24th day of July 2008.
STATE STREET INSTITUTIONAL INVESTMENT
TRUST
By: /s/ James E. Ross ------------------------------------ James E. Ross President |
Pursuant to the requirements of the 1933 Act, this Registration Statement for the Trust has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities indicated on the 24th day of July 2008:
Signature Title --------- ----- /s/ James E. Ross Trustee and President (Principal ------------------------------------- Executive Officer) James E. Ross /s/ Gary L. French Treasurer (Principal Accounting Officer) ------------------------------------- Gary L. French * Trustee ------------------------------------- William L. Boyan * Trustee ------------------------------------- Michael F. Holland * Trustee ------------------------------------- Rina K. Spence * Trustee ------------------------------------- Douglas T. Williams |
*Attorney-in-fact: /s/ Julie A. Tedesco ---------------------------- |
EXHIBIT INDEX
EXHIBIT NO. DOCUMENT ----------- -------- (a)(3) Amendment No. 2 to Agreement and Declaration of Trust (d)(5) Amendment to Investment Advisory Contract dated May 1, 2001 between SSgA Funds Management, Inc. and the Trust with respect to the State Street Institutional Limited Duration Bond Fund, State Street Institutional Tax Free Limited Duration Bond Fund, and the State Street Institutional Tax Free Money Market Fund. (d)(7) Amendment to Investment Advisory Contract between SSgA Funds Management, Inc. and the Trust regarding the State Street Institutional Tax Free Money Market Fund, State Street Institutional Treasury Money Market Fund, and State Street Institutional Treasury Plus Money Market Fund. (e)(5) Notice to the Distribution Agreement dated May 19, 2005 between the Trust and ALPS Distributors, Inc. regarding Class R shares of the State Street Equity 500 Index Fund. (e)(6) Amendment dated February 7, 2007 to Distribution Agreement between the Trust and ALPS Distributors, Inc. regarding the State Street Institutional Limited Duration Bond Fund, the State Street Institutional Tax Free Limited Duration Bond Fund, and the State Street Institutional Tax Free Money Market Fund. (e)(8) Second Amendment to Distribution Agreement dated October 11, 2007 between the Trust and ALPS Distributors, Inc. regarding the State Street Institutional Treasury Money Market Fund and the State Street Institutional Treasury Plus Money Market Fund. (g)(4) Notice to Custodian Agreement between State Street Bank and Trust Company and the Trust regarding the State Street Institutional Treasury Money Market Fund and the State Street Institutional Treasury Plus Money Market Fund. (h)(1)(h) Notice to Transfer Agent and Services Agreement dated October 31, 2006 between State Street Bank and Trust Company and the Trust with regard to anti-money laundering services amendment. (h)(1)(j) Second Amendment to Transfer Agent and Service Agreement dated October 11, 2007 between State Street Bank and Trust Company and ALPS Fund Services, Inc. (h)(1)(k) Second Amendment to Services Amendment dated October 11, 2007 between State Street Bank and Trust Company and ALPS Fund Services, Inc. (h)(2)(c) Notice to Administration Agreement between State Street Bank and Trust Company and the Trust regarding the State Street Institutional Treasury Money Market Fund and the State Street Institutional Treasury Plus Money Market Fund. (h)(6) Master Feeder Participation Agreement between State Street Master Funds and the Trust with respect to the State Street Institutional Tax Free Limited Duration Bond Fund. (h)(7) Master Feeder Participation Agreement between State Street Master Funds and the Trust with respect to the State Street Institutional Tax Free Money Market Fund. (h)(8) Master Feeder Participation Agreement between State Street Master Funds and the Trust with respect to the State Street Institutional Treasury Money Market Fund. (h)(9) Master Feeder Participation Agreement between State Street Master Funds and the Trust with respect to the State Street Institutional Treasury Plus Money Market Fund. (m)(1) Rule 12b-1 Plan dated May 15, 2008. (m)(2) Shareholder Serving Plan for Service Class Effective May 15, 2008. (n)(1) Rule 18f-3 Plan dated May 15, 2008. |
EXHIBIT (a)(3)
STATE STREET INSTITUTIONAL INVESTMENT TRUST
AMENDMENT NO. 2 TO AGREEMENT AND DECLARATION OF TRUST
AMENDMENT NO. 2 to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust of State Street Institutional Investment Trust (the "Trust"), dated February 16, 2000 (the "Agreement"), made at Boston, Massachusetts this 13th day of May 2004.
WHEREAS, the Trustees desire to change the name of the series called the "State Street Money Market Fund" to the "State Street Institutional Liquid Reserves Fund,"
WHEREAS, the Trustees desire to change the name of the classes of shares of the State Street Equity 500 Index Fund from "Class A" and "Class B" to "Administrative Shares" and "Services Shares", respectively; and
WHEREAS, Section 5 of Article III of the Agreement provides that the Trustees may amend the Agreement to, among other things, change the designation of any Series or classes of Shares;
NOW, THEREFORE, the undersigned Trustees hereby amend the Agreement as follows:
The first paragraph of Section 6 of Article III of the Agreement is hereby deleted in its entirety and the following paragraph is hereby substituted therefor:
Section 6. Establishment and Designation of Series and Classes. Without limiting the authority of the Trustees set forth in Section 5, inter alia, to establish and designate any further Series or classes or to modify the rights and preferences of any Series or class, the following Series of Shares be, and hereby are, established and designated as Multi-Class Series:
Name of Series Effective Date: -------------- ----------------- State Street Equity 500 Index Fund February 28, 2000 Administrative Shares February 12, 2004 Service Shares February 12, 2004 State Street Equity 400 Index Fund February 28, 2000 State Street Equity 2000 Index Fund February 28, 2000 State Street MSCI EAFE Index Fund February 28, 2000 State Street Aggregate Bond Index Fund February 28, 2000 State Street Institutional Liquid Reserves Fund May 13, 2004 State Street U.S. Government Money Market Fund February 14, 2002 |
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned hereunto have set their hands in the City of Boston, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as of the 13th day of May 2004.
/s/ William L. Boyan /s/ Rina K. Spence ------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------- William L. Boyan Rina K. Spence /s/ Michael F. Holland /s/ Douglas T. Williams ------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------- Michael F. Holland Douglas T. Williams |
SSgA Funds Management, Inc. Exhibit (d)(5)
One Lincoln Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02111
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Reference is made to the Investment Advisory Agreement between us dated May 1, 2001, as amended (the "Agreement").
Pursuant to the Agreement, this letter is to provide notice of the creation of three additional funds of the State Street Institutional Investment Trust (the "Trust"), namely the State Street Institutional Limited Duration Bond Fund, the State Street Institutional Tax Free Limited Duration Bond Fund and the State Street Institutional Tax Free Money Market Fund (the "New Funds").
We request that you act as Investment Advisor under the Agreement with respect to the New Funds. It is acknowledged by both parties that no payment for services is rendered pursuant to the Agreement for so long as substantially all of the assets of the New Funds are invested in the corresponding portfolio of the State Street Master Funds or another investment company with essentially the same investment objectives and policies as the New Funds; otherwise, you shall be entitled to receive fees, payable monthly equal to 0.10% of the average daily net assets of each of the New Funds.
Please indicate your acceptance of the foregoing by executing two copies of this letter, returning one to the Trust and retaining one copy for your records.
Very truly yours,
State Street Institutional Investment Trust
By: /s/ Karen Jacoppo-Wood ------------------------------------ |
Accepted:
SSgA Funds Management, Inc.
By: /s/ James Ross ------------------------------------ Date: February 7, 2007 |
Exhibit (d)(7)
SSgA Funds Management, Inc.
One Lincoln Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02111
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Reference is made to the Investment Advisory Agreement between us dated May 1, 2001, as amended (the "Agreement").
Pursuant to the Agreement, this letter is to provide notice of the creation of two additional funds of the State Street Institutional Investment Trust (the "Trust"), namely the State Street Institutional Treasury Money Market Fund and the State Street Institutional Treasury Plus Money Market Fund (the "New Funds").
We request that you act as Investment Advisor under the Agreement with respect to the New Funds. It is acknowledged by both parties that no payment for services is rendered pursuant to the Agreement for so long as substantially all of the assets of the New Funds are invested in the corresponding portfolio of the State Street Master Funds or another investment company with essentially the same investment objectives and policies as the New Funds; otherwise, you shall be entitled to receive fees, payable monthly equal to 0.10% of the average daily net assets of each of the New Funds.
Please indicate your acceptance of the foregoing by executing two copies of this letter, returning one to the Trust and retaining one copy for your records.
Very truly yours,
State Street Institutional Investment Trust
By: /s/ Gary L. French ------------------------------------ Gary L. French, Vice President |
Accepted:
SSgA Funds Management, Inc.
By: /s/ James Ross ------------------------------------ James Ross, President Date: October 2, 2007 |
Ex. (e)(5)
State Street Institutional Investment Trust
One Federal Street, 9th Floor
Boston, MA 02110
Date: May 19, 2005
ALPS Distributors, Inc.
370 Seventeenth Street
Denver, Colorado 80202-5627
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Reference is made to the Distribution Agreement between us dated February 28, 2000, as amended (the "Agreement").
Pursuant to the Agreement, this letter is to provide notice of the creation of an additional class of shares, the "Class R Shares" (the "New Class"), of the State Street Equity 500 Index Fund, a series of the State Street Institutional Investment Trust (the "Trust").
We request that you act as Distributor under the Agreement with respect to the New Class.
Please indicate your acceptance of the foregoing by executing two copies of this letter, retuning one copy to the Trust and retaining one copy for your records.
Very truly yours,
State Street Institutional Investment Trust
By: /s/ Ryan M. Louvar ------------------------------------ Name: Ryan M. Louvar Title: Assistant Secretary |
Accepted:
ALPS Distributors, Inc.,
By: /s/ Robert Szydlowski ------------------------------------ Name: Robert Szydlowski Title: Vice President and CTO |
Ex. (e)(6)
Amendment to Distribution Agreement
This Amendment, dated February 7, 2002, to the Distribution Agreement dated as of February 1, 2005 (the "AGREEMENT"), by and among State Street Institutional Investment Trust, a Trust established under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (the "FUND"), and ALPS Distributors, Inc., a Colorado corporation, having its principal place of business at 1625 Broadway, Suite 2200, Denver, Colorado 80202 (the "DISTRIBUTOR").
WHEREAS, the Distributor and the Fund wish to modify the provisions of the Agreement to reflect the addition of three new Portfolios under Annex I of this Agreement; and
Now Therefore, the parties hereby agree to amend the Distribution Agreement as follows:
1. The parties hereto agree to delete Annex I in its entirety and replace it with a new Annex I dated February 7, 2007 and is attached hereto.
2. Except as specifically set forth herein, all other provisions of the agreement shall remain in full force and effect. Any items not herein defined shall have the meaning ascribed to them in the Agreement.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Amendment as of the date first written above.
STATE STREET INSTITUTIONAL ALPS DISTRIBUTORS, INC. INVESTMENT TRUST By: /s/ James Ross By: /s/ Jeremy O. May --------------------------------- ------------------------------------ Name: James Ross Name: Jeremy O. May Title: President Title: Managing Director |
ANNEX I
AS AMENDED ON
FEBRUARY 7, 2007
State Street Institutional Investment Trust
State Street Liquid Reserves Fund
State Street Institutional Limited Duration Bond Fund
State Street Institutional Tax Free Limited Duration Bond Fund
State Street Institutional Tax Free Money Market Fund
EX. (e)(8)
SECOND AMENDMENT TO DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT
This Second Amendment to the Distribution Agreement, dated as of October 11, 2007 (the "Amendment"), by and between State Street Institutional Investment Trust, a trust established under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (the "Fund"), and ALPS Distributors, Inc., a Colorado corporation, having its principal place of business at 1290 Broadway, Suite 1100, Denver, Colorado 80203 (the "Distributor").
WHEREAS, the Fund and Distributor entered into a Distribution Agreement dated February 1, 2005 (the "Agreement"); and
WHEREAS, the Distributor and the Fund wish to modify the provisions of the Agreement to reflect the addition of three new Portfolios under Annex I of this Agreement; and
NOW THEREFORE, the parties hereby agree to amend the Agreement as follows:
1. The parties hereto agree to delete Annex I in its entirety and replace it with a new Annex I attached hereto, dated October 11, 2007.
2. Except as specifically set forth herein, all other provisions of the Agreement shall remain in full force and effect. Any items not herein defined shall have the meaning ascribed to them in the Agreement.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Amendment as of the date first written above.
STATE STREET INSTITUTIONAL ALPS DISTRIBUTORS, INC. INVESTMENT TRUST , By: /s/ Gary L. French By: /s/ Tane Tyler --------------------------------- ------------------------------------ , Name: Gary L. French Name: Tane Tyler Title: Treasurer Title: Secretary |
ANNEX I
AS AMENDED ON
OCTOBER 11, 2007
FUND
State Street Equity 500 Index Fund (Administrative Class/Service Class/R Class)
State Street Equity 400 Index Fund
State Street Equity 2000 Index Fund
State Street Aggregate Bond Index Fund
State Street Institutional U.S. Government Money Market Fund (Institutional
Class/Investment Class)
State Street Institutional Liquid Reserves Fund (Institutional Class/Investment
Class)
State Street Institutional Limited Duration Bond Fund
State Street Institutional Tax Free Limited Duration Bond Fund
State Street Institutional Tax Free Money Market Fund (Institutional
Class/Investment Class)
State Street Institutional Treasury Money Market Fund (Institutional
Class/Investment Class)
State Street Institutional Treasury Plus Money Market Fund (Institutional
Class/Investment Class)
Ex. (g)(4)
State Street Bank and Trust Company
225 Franklin Street
Boston, MA 02110
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Reference is made to the Amended and Restated Custodian Agreement between us dated February 14, 2001.
Pursuant to the Agreement, this letter is to provide notice of the creation of two additional funds namely, the State Street Institutional Treasury Fund and the State Street Institutional Treasury Plus Fund (the "New Funds").
We request that you act as the New Funds' Custodian under the respective Agreement. By your signature below, you agree that the existing Exhibit C to the Agreements shall be deleted in its entirety and the attached Exhibit C shall be substituted therefore.
Please indicate your acceptance of the foregoing by executing two copies of this letter, returning one to the Trust and retaining one copy for your records.
Very Truly Yours,
State Street Institutional Investment Trust
By: /s/ Gary L. French ------------------------------------ Gary L. French, Treasurer |
State Street Bank and Trust Company
By: /s/ Joseph C. Antonellis ------------------------------------ Joseph C. Antonellis, Vice Chairman Date: July 22, 2008 |
EXHIBIT (h)(1)(h)
ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING SERVICES AMENDMENT
October 31, 2006
State Street Institutional Investment Trust
P.O. Box 5049
Boston, MA 02206
Dear Sir or Madam:
STATE STREET INSTITUTIONAL INVESTMENT TRUST (THE "TRUST") AND STATE STREET BANK & TRUST COMPANY (THE "TRANSFER AGENT") ARE PARTIES TO AN AGREEMENT DATED AS OF MARCH 1, 2000 (THE "AGREEMENT") under which the Transfer Agent performs certain transfer agency and/or record keeping services for the trust. In connection with the enactment of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (the "USA PATRIOT Act") and the regulations promulgated thereunder (collectively, the "Patriot Act"), the Trust has requested and the Transfer Agent has agreed to amend the Agreement as of the date hereof in the manner set for the below:
WHEREAS, Section 326 of the USA PATRIOT Act (the "Patriot Act") and final rules adopted by the Department of The Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (the "Rules") require the Trust to develop and implement an anti-money laundering program, which among other things, is designed to verify the identity of any person opening an account, determine whether such person appears on lists of known or suspected terrorist or terrorist organizations and identify and report unusual and suspicious account activity to regulators;
WHEREAS, the Patriot Act authorizes a mutual fund to delegate to a service provider, including its transfer agent, the implementation and operation of certain aspects of the Trust's anti-money laundering program;
WHEREAS, in order to assist its transfer agent clients with their customer identification compliance responsibilities under the Patriot Act and the Rules, the Transfer Agent has provided to the Trust for its consideration and approval written procedures describing various tools designed to assist in the (i) verification of the identity of persons opening accounts with the Trust and determination whether such persons appear on any list of known or suspected terrorist or terrorist organizations, and (ii) identification and reporting of unusual and suspicious activity in connection with accounts opened with the Trust and the Trust has, after review, selected various procedures to comply with its customer identification and suspicious activity monitoring program and its obligations under the Patriot Act and the Rules (the "Program");
WHEREAS, in connection with the verification of customers' identities and identification and reporting of unusual and suspicious activity ("Monitoring Activities"), the Transfer Agent may encounter shareholder activity that would require it to file a Suspicious Activity Report ("SAR") with the Department of the Treasury's financial Crimes Enforcement Network ("FinCEN"); and
WHEREAS, FinCEN recently adopted a rule (the "Rule") under the Bank Secrecy Act (the "Act") requiring mutual funds to report suspicious transactions, effective for any transactions occurring after October 31, 2006 ("Effective Date");
WHEREAS, the Trust desires to delegate to the Transfer Agent the day-to-day responsibility for filing SARs on its behalf based on suspicious transactions observed during the course of Monitoring Activities, on or after the Effective Date; and
WHEREAS, the Trust recognizes the importance of complying with the Patriot Act and desires to implement its procedures as part of its overall anti-money laundering program and , subject to the terms of the Rules, delegate to the Transfer Agent the day-to-day operation of certain of its procedures on behalf of the Trust;
NOW THEREFOR, in consideration of the foregoing and the mutual covenants and agreements hereinafter contained, the parties hereby agree to amend the Agreement, pursuant to the terms thereof, as follows:
1. Delegation; Duties.
1.1 Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Agreement, the Trust hereby instructs and directs the Transfer Agent to implement the procedures on its behalf as set forth on Exhibit A, which is attached to and made a part of this Agreement (the "Procedures"). Exhibit A may be amended, from time to time, by the Transfer Agent in writing to the Trust with at least 20 days prior notice of such effective change.
1.2 The Transfer Agent agrees to perform such Procedures, with respect to the ownership of share in the Portfolio(s) set forth in Exhibit B (each a Portfolio) for which the Transfer Agent maintains the applicable participant information, subject to and in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Agreement. Exhibit B, which is attached to and made a part of this Agreement, may be amended from time to time by mutual agreement of the parties upon the execution by both parties of a revised Exhibit B.
1.3 The Trust acknowledges that it has had an opportunity to review, consider and comment upon and select the Procedures and the Trust has determined that they, as part of the Trust's overall anti-money laundering Program, are reasonably designed to prevent the Trust from being used for money laundering or the financing of terrorist activities and to achieve compliance with the applicable provisions of the Patriot Act, Bank Secrecy Act and their implementing regulations thereunder, which compliance the Trust
acknowledges to be its responsibility. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, in no event shall the Transfer Agent be obligated to file with any regulator, on behalf of the Trust, any requisite forms or other information in connection with the Program. Any filing by the Transfer Agent shall be in its own name and on its own behalf. The Trust shall be responsible for complying with any and all requisite regulatory filings which arise as a result of the Procedures or Program generally.
1.4 Except as otherwise expressly stated in this Amendment, the Transfer Agent makes no representation or warranty, either express, implied or statutory, concerning the Procedures herein. The Trust expressly confirms that is has not relied upon any representation by the Transfer Agent as a basis for entering into this Amendment. The provision of this Section 1.4 shall survive the termination of this Amendment.
2. Consent to Examination. In connection with the performance by the Transfer Agent of the Procedures, the Transfer Agent understands and acknowledges that the Trust remains responsible for assuring compliance with the Patriot Act and that the records the Transfer Agent maintains for the Trust relating to the Trust's Program may be subject, from time to time, to examination and/or inspection by federal regulators in order that the regulators may evaluate such compliance. The Trust hereby directs that the Transfer Agent shall (1) permit federal regulators access to such information and records maintained by the Transfer Agent and relating to the Transfer Agent's implementation of the Procedures on behalf of the Trust as they may request, and (2) permit such federal regulators to inspect the Transfer Agent's implementation of the Procedures on behalf of the Trust. The Transfer Agent hereby consents to such examination and/or inspection and agrees to cooperate with such federal examiners in connection with their review. For purposes of such examination and/or inspection, the Transfer Agent will use its best efforts to make available, during normal business hours, all required records and information for review by such examiners.
3. Limitation on Delegation.
3.1 The Trust acknowledges and agrees that in accepting the delegation hereunder, the Transfer Agent is agreeing to perform only those aspects of the Trust's Program that have been expressly delegated as part of the Procedures and is not undertaking and shall not be responsible for any other aspect of the Trust's Program or for the overall compliance by the Trust with the Patriot Act. Additionally, the parties acknowledge and agree that the Transfer Agent shall only be responsible for performing the Procedures with respect to the ownership of shares in the Trust for which the Transfer Agent maintains the applicable participant information.
3.2 The Trust also acknowledges and agrees that the Transfer Agent's provision of the procedures hereunder is dependent upon the receipt by the Transfer Agent of certain services from third parties. In the event services from any such third party becomes unavailable, the Transfer Agent shall use reasonable efforts to obtain equivalent services from an alternative provider or may, in its discretion, discontinue the
delegated duties upon such prior notice to the Trust as may be reasonably practicable. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Transfer Agent will have no liability for the performance or non performance of any such third party except to the extent the Transfer Agent exercises in the conduct of its own operations.
4. Reports. The Transfer Agent agrees to provide to the Trust (i) any
reports received by the Transfer Agent from any government agency
pertaining to the Transfer Agent's anti-money laundering monitoring on
behalf of the Trust as provided in this Amendment, (ii) any action
taken in response to anti-money laundering violations as described in
(i), and (iii) an annual report of its verification activities on
behalf of the trust. The Transfer Agent shall provide such other
reports on the verification activities conducted at the discretion of
the Trust as may be agreed to from time to time by the Transfer Agent
and the Trust.
5. Fees & Expenses.
5.1 In consideration of the performance of the foregoing duties, the Trust agrees on behalf of each of the Portfolios to pay the Transfer Agent a fee for each participant account as set out in the fee Schedule which is attached to, and made a part of, this Agreement. Such fees and out-of-pocket expenses and advances identified in Section 5.2 below may be changed from time to time subject to mutual written agreement between the Trust and the Transfer Agent.
5.2 In addition to such fees paid under Section 5.1 above, the Trust agrees on behalf of each of the Portfolios to reimburse the Transfer Agent for the reasonable administrative expenses that may be associated with such additional duties including, but not limited to, confirmation production, postage, forms, telephone, microfilm, microfiche, records storage, or advances incurred by the Transfer Agent for the items set form in the fee schedule attached hereto. The terms of the Agreement shall apply with respect to the payment of such expenses in the same manner and to the same extent as any other expenses incurred under the Agreement.
6. Reliance on Information and Authenticity. The Trust hereby acknowledges and understands that the Transfer Agent's ability to perform the Procedures under the terms and conditions set forth in this Amendment is contingent upon the Trust's ongoing cooperation with the Transfer Agent. The Trust shall use all reasonable efforts in good faith to cooperate with the Transfer Agent taking all action in a timely manner which the Transfer Agent, in its reasonable opinion, deems necessary to enable or assist the Transfer Agent in performing any of the Procedures under this Agreement, including but not limited to providing, or causing to be provided, to the Transfer Agent any information or documents which the Transfer Agent deems reasonable or appropriate to provide the duties hereunder. The Transfer Agent shall, when performing hereunder, be entitled to rely upon (i) the accuracy of information, data and authorizations received from the Trust or any participant, and (ii) the authenticity of any representation purporting to be from, or signature purporting to be of, the Trust or a participant.
In no event shall the Transfer Agent be liable in any way for any losses, penalties, expenses or other harm or injury which may arise in connection with the Transfer Agent's delay in establishing, or refusal to establish, a participant account as a result of the Transfer Agent's failure to receive in a timely manner an application to open such account, which, in the Transfer Agent's sole discretion, it deems complete.
7. Miscellaneous.
7.1 Except as set forth herein, the terms and provisions of the Agreement shall remain unchanged and continue to apply with full force and effect. Except as otherwise defined herein, all capitalized terms used in this Amendment shall have the same meaning as set forth in the Agreement.
7.2 The parties to this Amendment understand and acknowledge that the Transfer Agent shall act on behalf of and as agent for the Trust with respect to the Procedures. In no event shall the Transfer Agent be liable for its failure to perform under the terms of this Amendment or any Exhibit, except where the Transfer Agent has acted with negligence or willful misconduct. This Amendment shall not be deemed to constitute the Trust and the transfer Agent as partners or joint ventures.
7.3 The Trust shall indemnify and hold harmless the Transfer Agent from and against any and all losses, penalties, expenses or other harm or injury which the Transfer Agent may incur or suffer or which may be asserted by any person or entity, including reasonable attorneys' fees and court costs, arising out of (i) any failure by the Trust to observe and perform properly each and every covenant of this Amendment or any other wrongdoing of the Trust, or (ii) any action taken or omitted to be taken by the Transfer Agent in reasonable reliance upon information provided to the Transfer Agent by the Trust; provided, however, that the Trust shall not be required to indemnify and hold harmless the Transfer Agent from any losses which are caused by the Transfer Agent's negligence. The foregoing provisions of this Section 7.3 shall survive the termination of this Amendment.
7.4 In the event that the Transfer Agent, in its sole judgment, believes that its performance of any duty set forth herein may create a risk of financial, reputation or other loss for it, the Transfer Agent may, upon notice to the Trust, suspend its performance of the Procedures; provided, however, that if the Trust takes such action as may be requested by the Transfer Agent to eliminate such risk, the Transfer Agent shall not suspend the Procedures, or, if the Procedures have been suspended, shall reinstate its provision of the Procedures.
7.5 The Transfer Agent represents that it is subject to regulation requiring it to implement an anti-money laundering program, and further represents that it is regulated by a "federal functional regulator" within the meaning of the Bank
Secrecy Act, the Patriot Act, and the applicable rules and regulations in connection therewith.
7.6 The Transfer Agent agrees to certify annually to the Trust that it has implemented an AML program and that it or its agent(s) will perform the specific requirements of the Customer Identification and Suspicious Activity Procedures of the Trust, i.e., the procedures required by Section 326 of the Patriot Act.
7.7 Each party represents to the other that the execution and delivery of this Amendment has been duly authorized.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties has caused this Amendment to be executed in its name and behalf by its duly authorized representative as of the date first above written.
STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY
By: /s/ Joseph L. Hooley ------------------------------------ Name: Joseph L. Hooley Title: Executive Vice President |
State Street Institutional Investment Trust
By: /s/ Gary L. French ------------------------------------ Name: Gary L. French Title: Treasurer |
Amended: October 31, 2006
EXHIBIT A
PROCEDURES
The Transfer Agent agrees to perform the duties set forth below, with respect to the ownership of shares in the Portfolio(s) set forth in Exhibit B for which the Transfer Agent maintains the applicable account participant information, subject to and in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Amendment. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, in no event shall State Street be obligated to verify the identity of any person who is not a United States citizen or any entity (such as a corporation, partnership or trust), that is not established or organized under the laws of a State of the United States. State Street shall scan such name into its database to compare it against certain lists as described below.
I. REQUESTS FOR NEW ACCOUNT
Upon receipt from the fund of an application to establish an account in the name of one of its participants, the Transfer Agent shall review it for completeness. The Transfer Agent shall deem the application complete as to the participant or any authorized signers or beneficiaries on the account if with respect to such entity (i) the application includes such entity's name, U.S. resident street address, social security number and date of birth or (ii) the Fund (a) certifies to the Transfer Agent as to the successful verification of the identity of such entity and the manner in which the Fund verified such identity, and (b) provides the detailed information so verified (i.e. passport number, drivers license number, birth certificate, etc.) which, in the Transfer's Agent's opinion, fulfills applicable regulatory requirements.
If the application is incomplete as to the participant, the Transfer agent will not open the account and will notify the Fund and request additional information from the Fund. If the Fund fails to provide the necessary participant information to complete the application within two business days of the Transfer Agent's request, the Transfer Agent shall promptly return the application as incomplete and return any funds earmarked for deposit in such account to the participant, unless upon receipt of the Transfer Agent request, the Fund requests additional time to provide the missing information, in which case such application and funds will be returned to the participant if the missing information is not provided within five (5) business days of the Transfer Agent's request. If the Transfer Agent determined, in its sole discretion, that the participant information has been completed within a timely manner, the Transfer Agent shall establish the account; provided, however, that such account shall be restricted from any and all redemption transactions unless and until such restriction is lifted by the Transfer Agent in accordance with the terms below.
If the participant information is complete but the application is incomplete as to any authorized signer and/or beneficiary, the Transfer Agent will open the account and restrict such account from any redemption transactions with respect to such entity unless
and until such restriction is lifted by the Transfer Agent in accordance with the terms below (see part III).
The Transfer Agent may file a Suspicious Activity Report or other appropriate report on its own behalf with applicable regulator(s) if in attempting to collect any requisite information it deems such action necessary or appropriate.
The trade date for the purchase of shares on a newly established account shall be the date on which the transfer Agent deems the application complete as to participant information.
II. SCREENING AGAINST THE BLOCKED PERSONS AND OTHER RESTRICTED LISTS
Newly Established Accounts
Once the application is deemed complete by the Transfer Agent and the account is established, the Transfer Agent will scan the application into a database, inputting the name and address of the participant and any authorized signer(s) and beneficiary(ies) on the account and shall compare it against the published lists enumerated in Exhibit C, and such other lists as the Transfer Agent may utilize, in an effort to determine whether or not such entity is named on any of the said lists (if so, a so-called "Positive Match").
Such scanning will result in a report of potential matches (the "Exception Report"), which may or may not include a Positive Match. If, upon review of the Exception Report and any information available to it, the Transfer Agent determines in its sole discretion that any potential match is not a valid Positive Match, then such match will be deemed a False Match and the Transfer Agent shall so document to the file without reporting it to the Fund. If the Transfer Agent believes a potential match is a Positive Match or requires additional information to make a determination, then such match will be reported to the Fund. If additional information is provided by the Fund, the Transfer Agent will make any necessary corrections and will re-evaluate such "match" by re-scanning the updated information. If the Transfer Agent determines in its sole discretion, that a Positive Match exists or that it is unable to determine with reasonable certainty that no Positive Match exists, the Transfer Agent will notify the Fund and provide supporting documentation. It also will file the appropriate report(s) with the applicable regulators and comply with the instructions of appropriate regulator(s) which may include, without limitation, freezing the account and its assets, refusing to add an authorized signer or beneficiary to the account, and/or closing the account.
If the Transfer Agent determines, in is sole discretion, that no Positive Match exists on items reported, the Transfer Agent will notify the Fund and document its review. If the Fund, in its sole discretion, believes that a Positive Match does exist, the Transfer Agent will take instructions from the Fund, subject to any regulatory limitations, and will document its files.
Existing Accounts
Each month, or as otherwise agreed to by the parties, the Transfer Agent shall scan the participant's name and that of each authorized signer and beneficiary on existing accounts in an effort to identify whether or not a Positive match exists, in which case the Transfer Agent and Fund shall act in accordance with the applicable terms above.
The Transfer Agent will retain records of scanning function and results, in accordance with applicable Bank Secrecy Act regulation(s).
III. IDENTITY VERIFICATION
Upon receipt of a complete application, as described in Section I above, to establish an account or add an authorized signer or beneficiary, the Transfer Agent will attempt to verify the identity of the participant and its authorized signers and/or beneficiaries, as applicable. The extent and nature of the information needed by the Transfer Agent to perform such verification shall depend upon the nature of the accountholder, authorized signer or beneficiary (e.g. corporation, individual, trust, non-U.S. resident) but shall at a minimum include, without limitation, the entity's name, U.S. street address, social security number and, if applicable, date of birth. The Transfer Agent shall deem the identity verified, as to the participant or any authorized signers or beneficiaries on the account, if (i) such entity's name, U.S. resident street address, social security number and date of birth matches information in the database utilized by the Transfer Agent or (ii) the Fund, to the Transfer Agent's reasonable satisfaction, (a) certifies to the successful verification by the Fund of the identity of such entity and the manner in which the Fund verified such identity, and (b) provides copies of the detailed information verified (i.e. passport number, drivers license number, birth certificate, etc.) which, in the Transfer's Agent's opinion, fulfills applicable regulatory requirements. Examples of acceptable documentary evidence, as agreed upon by the parties, include driver's license, military driver's license or other military identification card, alien registration card, birth certificate, identification card issued by a state within the last 6 months, certified copy of a court order with a full name and date of birth, and passport.
The Transfer Agent also shall attempt to so verify the identity of any authorized signer or beneficiary which the Fund and/or participant requests to be added to any existing account established after October 1, 2003.
In cases where the Fund has not certified to the entity's identity as described above and the Transfer Agent is unable to verify such information, the Transfer Agent shall so notify the Fund, furnish supporting documentation to it and request that additional evidence or such certification from the Fund.
In cases where the participant's identity cannot be verified by the Transfer Agent and the Fund has failed to provide a certification with respect to the participant's identity to the Transfer Agent' reasonable satisfaction, the Transfer Agent, in is sole discretion or upon the Fund's request, may close the account. If it is an authorized signer or beneficiary's identity that cannot be verified to the Transfer Agent's reasonable satisfaction, the Transfer Agent, in its sole discretion or at the Fund's request, may close the account or refuse to add such entity(ies) to the account. In either case, the Transfer Agent may file the appropriate report(s) on its own behalf with the applicable regulators and comply with instructions of appropriate report(s) on its own behalf with the applicable regulators and comply with instructions of appropriate regulator(s) which may include, without limitation, freezing the account and its assets, refusing to add an authorized signer or beneficiary to the account, and/or closing the account.
The Transfer Agent shall redeem any share in a closed account with the opening net asset value as of the date on which such account was closed, with the proceeds forwarded to the participant when available.
Lifting of Restrictions on Redemptions
The restrictions against redemption transactions with respect to an account or any authorized signer of beneficiary on such account shall be removed only when the Transfer Agent determines that (i) no Positive Match exists with respect to the participant, authorized signer or beneficiary, as the case may be, and (ii) such entity's identity has been verified by the Transfer Agent as describe above.
IV. SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY MONITORING
The Transfer Agent, for each participant account, will establish an activity pattern (the account "Profile") based on its transactional history for the immediately preceding twelve-month period or such shorter period if the account has been established for less than a year. The Profile will be based upon the number of purchases and redemptions, as well as the average dollar amount of such purchase and redemptions during such period. Exchange transactions may or may not be a part of the Profile, as determined upon mutual agreement of the parties. The Profile shall not include other transactional activity including, but not limited to, dividends, share adjustments and stock splits. The Fund shall provide written approval of its acceptance of such Profiles. After the Profile has been approved by the Fund, it may be revised by State Street, without notice to the Fund, from time to time, to reflect the transactional history of the account during preceding months. On a daily basis, the Transfer Agent will input a file of the purchase, redemption, exchange, and transfer transactions on a participant account into its database in an effort to analyze and report any transaction (an "Exception Report") that does not correspond to the established account Profile or, upon request by the Fund, upon rules established by the Fund (e.g. report on any transaction below a dollar minimum) and agreed upon by the Transfer Agent.
The Transfer Agent will review each Exception Report produced by the database. If the Transfer Agent, upon review of the information available to it, determines that an item listed on the Exception Report is not suspicious, it will document its findings. Any item which the Transfer Agent, in is reasonable opinion, determines is or may be suspicious will be reported to the Fund. Upon receipt of such notice, the Fund shall promptly provide any additional information which it would like the Transfer Agent to consider. Upon review of such additional information, the Transfer Agent may determine that the item is not suspicious in nature, in which case the Transfer Agent will report its findings to the Fund. If, however, the Transfer agent cannot, in its sole judgment, determine the nature/cause of the suspicious transaction, the Transfer agent will consider the item to be "suspicious" in nature and notify the Fund, unless prohibited by applicable law, rule or regulation. The Transfer Agent, if it deems appropriate will report such activity to the Risk and Compliance Group. The Risk and Compliance Group will review such activity further and prepare a draft SAR on Form SAR-SF and send a copy to the Fund's AML Officer for review. The Fund's AML Officer shall review the SAR and provide comments, if any, to the Risk and Compliance Group. The Risk and Compliance Group will file the appropriate report(s) on own behalf of the Transfer Agent and the Fund ("joint filing") with the applicable regulators and comply with instructions of appropriate regulator(s) which may include, without limitation, freezing the account and its assets, refusing to add an authorized signer or beneficiary to the account, and/or closing the account. The Risk and Compliance Group shall provide to the Fund a copy of each SAR filed with supporting documentation which the Risk and Compliance Group will maintain for five (5) years.
With respect to any newly established account, the Transfer Agent will review the account for thirty (30) days following the initial deposit into such account for any and all redemptions that occur and determine, it its sole discretion, whether or not any such redemptions are "suspicious" in nature. If the Transfer Agent determined that any redemption is suspicious, it will promptly notify the Fund, unless prohibited by applicable law, rule or regulation, file the appropriate report(s) on its own behalf with the applicable regulators and comply with instructions of appropriate regulator(s) which may include, without limitation, freezing the account and its assets, refusing to add an authorized signer or beneficiary to the account, and/or closing the account.
The Fund acknowledges that the Transfer Agent does not accept cash equivalents (bank drafts, bank notes, etc.) in connection with any participant accounts.
The Transfer Agent will notify the fund of any change in payment instructions which in the sole discretion of the Transfer Agent is deemed to be "suspicious" in nature and await instruction from the fund as to whether or not such change should be implemented by the Transfer Agent.
The Transfer Agent will review any changes to an account's statement address that occur within 30 days of the account opening and notify the Fund of any such changes that it deems to be "suspicious" in nature, unless prohibited by applicable law, rule or regulation. Upon such notice or upon instruction from the Fund, the Transfer Agent may
file the appropriate report(s) on its own behalf with the applicable regulators and comply with instructions of appropriate regulator(s) which may include, without limitation, freezing the account and its assets, refusing to add an authorized signer or beneficiary to the account, and/or closing the account.
As consideration for State Street Bank and Trust Company's services as administrator, custodian and transfer agent to each of the following Funds and such other services as the parties may from time to time agree and for State Street's assumption of ordinary operating expenses of the Funds, State Street shall receive from each Fund an annual administrative fee, accrued daily at the rate of 1/365th of the applicable fee rate of the following annual percentages of the Fund's average daily net assets during the month:
Annual percentage of Average daily Fund net assets ---- ------------- STATE STREET EQUITY 500 INDEX FUND -ADMINISTRATIVE SHARES .05% STATE STREET EQUITY 500 INDEX FUND -SERVICE SHARES .05% STATE STREET EQUITY 500 INDEX FUND -CLASS R SHARES .05% STATE STREET EQUITY 400 INDEX FUND .10% STATE STREET EQUITY 2000 INDEX FUND .10% STATE STREET AGGREGATE BOND INDEX FUND .10% STATE STREET U.S. GOVERNMENT MONEY MARKET FUND .05% |
As consideration for State Street's services as administrator and custodian to the State Street Institutional Liquid Reserves Fund ("Liquid Reserves Fund") (f/k/a State Street Money Market Fund), State Street shall receive from the Liquid Reserves Fund an annual fee, accrued daily at the rate of 1/365th and payable monthly on the first business day of each month, pursuant to the following schedule:
$25,000 for Administration Services $12,000 for Custody and Accounting Services
EXHIBIT B-FUND LIST
STATE STREET EQUITY 500 INDEX FUND
STATE STREET EQUITY 400 INDEX FUND
STATE STREET EQUITY 2000 INDEX FUND
STATE STREET AGGREGATE BOND INDEX FUND
STATE STREET U.S. MONEY MARKET INDEX FUND
Exhibit C
OFAC SDN list
OFAC Blocked Countries
Bank of England
Canadian Consolidated List (OSFI)
Ex. (h)(1)(j)
SECOND AMENDMENT TO TRANSFER AGENCY AND SERVICE AGREEMENT
This Second Amendment to the Transfer Agency and Service Agreement dated as of October 11, 2007 (the "Amendment"), by and between State Street Institutional Investment Trust, a trust established under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (the "FUND"), and ALPS Fund Services, Inc. a Colorado corporation, having its principal place of business at 1290 Broadway, Suite 1100, Denver, Colorado 80203 (the "TRANSFER AGENT").
WHEREAS, the Fund and Transfer Agent entered into a Transfer Agency and Service Agreement dated February 1, 2005 (the "Agreement"); and
WHEREAS, the Transfer Agent and the Fund wish to modify the provisions of the Agreement to reflect the addition of new Portfolios and Classes under Schedule A of this Agreement;
NOW THEREFORE, the parties hereby agree to amend the Transfer Agency and Service Agreement as follows:
1. The parties agree to delete Schedule A in its entirety and replace it with a new Schedule A attached hereto, dated October 11 2007.
2. Except as specifically set forth herein, all other provisions of the Agreement shall remain in full force and effect. Any items not herein defined shall have the meaning ascribed to them in the Agreement.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Amendment as of the date first written above.
STATE STREET INSTITUTIONAL ALPS FUND SERVICES, INC. INVESTMENT TRUST , By: /s/ James Ross By: /s/ Tane T. Tyler --------------------------------- ------------------------------------ , Name: James Ross Name: Tane T. Tyler Title: President Title: Secretary |
SCHEDULE A
FUND LIST
AS AMENDED ON
OCTOBER 11, 2007
State Street Institutional Investment Trust State Street Institutional Liquid Reserves Fund State Street Institutional Limited Duration Bond Fund State Street Institutional Tax Free Limited Duration Bond Fund State Street Institutional Tax Free Money Market Fund
Exhibit. (h)(1)(k)
SECOND AMENDMENT TO SERVICES AMENDMENT
This Second Amendment to the Services Amendment, dated as of October 11, 2007 (the "Amendment"), by and between State Street Institutional Investment Trust, a trust established under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (the "Fund"), and ALPS Fund Services, Inc., a Colorado corporation, having its principal place of business at 1290 Broadway, Suite 1100, Denver, Colorado 80202 (the "Transfer Agent").
WHEREAS, the Fund and Transfer Agent entered into a Services Amendment dated February 1, 2005 (the "Agreement"); and
WHEREAS, the Transfer Agent and the Fund wish to modify the provisions of the Agreement to reflect the addition of three new Portfolios under Exhibit B of this Amendment; and
NOW THEREFORE, the parties hereby agree to amend the Agreement as follows:
1. The parties hereto agree to delete Exhibit B in its entirety and replace it with a new Exhibit B attached hereto, dated October 11, 2007.
2. Except as specifically set forth herein, all other provisions of the Amendment shall remain in full force and effect. Any items not herein defined shall have the meaning ascribed to them in the Amendment.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Amendment as of the date first written above.
STATE STREET INSTITUTIONAL ALPS FUND SERVICES, INC. INVESTMENT TRUST , By: /s/ James Ross By: Tane T. Tyler --------------------------------- ------------------------------------ , Name: James Ross Name: Tane T. Tyler Title: President Title: Secretary |
EXHIBIT B - FUND LIST
AS AMENDED ON
OCTOBER 11, 2007
State Street Institutional Investment Trust State Street Institutional Liquid Reserves Fund State Street Institutional Limited Duration Bond Fund State Street Institutional Tax Free Limited Duration Bond Fund State Street Institutional Tax Free Money Market Fund State Street Institutional Treasury Money Market Fund State Street Institutional Treasury Plus Money Market Fund State Street Institutional U.S. Government Money Market Fund
State Street Bank and Trust Company Ex. (h)(2)(c)
225 Franklin Street
Boston, MA 02110
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Reference is made to the Custodian Agreement between us dated February 14, 2001 and the Administration Agreement between us dated February 28, 2000 ("the Agreements"). Pursuant to the Agreements, State Street Bank and Trust Company ("State Street") serves as the Custodian and the Administrator for the State Street Institutional Investment Trust.
The purpose of this letter is to provide notice of the creation of two new funds namely, the State Street Institutional Treasury Fund and The State Street Institutional Treasury Plus Fund.
We request that you act as the Custodian and Administrator under the respective Agreements with respect to the New Funds. As compensation for such services, you shall be entitled to receive from the new Funds the annual fee reflected on the amended fee schedule to the Agreement, which is attached hereto. By your signature below, you agree that the existing Exhibit C to the Agreement shall be deleted in its entirety and the attached Exhibit C shall be substituted therefore.
Please indicate your acceptance of the foregoing by executing two copies of this letter, returning one to the Trust and retaining one copy for your records.
Very Truly Yours,
State Street Institutional Investment Trust
By: /s/ Gary L. French ------------------------------------ Gary L. French, Treasurer |
State Street Bank and Trust Company
By: /s/ Joseph L. Hooley ------------------------------------ Joseph L. Hooley, Executive Vice President Date: September 10, 2007 |
Exhibit (h)(6)
MASTER FEEDER PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT
BETWEEN
STATE STREET INSTITUTIONAL INVESTMENT TRUST
AND
STATE STREET MASTER FUNDS
DATED AS OF
FEBRUARY 7, 2007
AGREEMENT
THIS AGREEMENT is made and entered into as of the 7th day of February 2007, by and between State Street Institutional Investment Trust (the "Company"), on behalf of its State Street Institutional Tax Free Limited Duration Bond Fund (the "Feeder Fund") and State Street Master Funds (the "Trust"), a trust organized under the common law of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, on behalf of its State Street Tax Free Limited Duration Bond Portfolio (the "Master Portfolio").
WITNESSETH
WHEREAS, the Feeder Fund and the Master Portfolio are each open-end management investment companies and the Feeder Fund and the Master Portfolio have the same investment objectives and substantively the same investment policies;
WHEREAS, the Feeder Fund desires to invest all of the its investable assets in the Master Portfolio in exchange for a beneficial interest in the Master Portfolio (the "Investment") on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing, the mutual promises herein made and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties agree as follows:
I
THE INVESTMENT
1.1 The Feeder Fund will invest all of its investable assets in the Master Portfolio and, in exchange therefor, the Master Portfolio agrees to issue to the Feeder Fund a beneficial interest in the Master Portfolio equal in value to the net value of the assets of the Feeder Fund conveyed to the Master Portfolio (the "Account"). The Feeder Fund may add to or reduce its investment in the Master Portfolio in the manner described in the Master Portfolio's registration statement on Form N-1A, as it may be amended from time to time (the "Master Portfolio's N-1A"). The Feeder Fund's aggregate interest in the Master Portfolio would then be recomputed in accordance with the method described in the Master Portfolio's N-1A.
1.2 On each date of Investment, the Feeder Fund shall authorize the Feeder Fund's custodian to deliver all of the assets held by such custodian to the Master Portfolio's custodian. The Master Portfolio's custodian shall acknowledge its acceptance of the assets. In addition, each party shall deliver to the other such bills of sale, checks, assignments, securities instruments, receipts or other documents as such other party or its counsel may reasonably request.
II
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
2.1 The Company on behalf of the Feeder Fund represents and warrants to the Trust and the Master Portfolio (which representations and warranties shall be deemed made at and as of this date and at and as of all times when this Agreement is in effect) that:
(a) The Feeder Fund is a series of State Street Institutional Investment Trust, which is a trust duly organized and validly existing under the laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and has the requisite power and authority to own its property and conduct its business as now being conducted and as proposed to be conducted pursuant to this Agreement.
(b) The execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Feeder Fund and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby have been duly authorized by all necessary action on the part of the Feeder Fund by the Company's Board of Directors and no other action or proceeding is necessary for the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company, the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder and the consummation by the Feeder Fund of the transactions contemplated hereby. This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Feeder Fund and constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Feeder Fund, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms.
(c) The Feeder Fund is not under the jurisdiction of a court in a proceeding under Title 11 of the United States Code (the "Bankruptcy Code") or similar case within the meaning of Section 368(a) (3) (A) of the Bankruptcy Code.
(d) The fiscal year end for the Feeder Fund is December 31.
(e) The Feeder Fund has duly filed all forms, reports, proxy statements and other documents (collectively, the "SEC Filings") required to be filed under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"), the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "1934 Act") or the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act" and, together with the 1933 Act and the 1934 Act, the "Securities Laws") in connection with the registration of its shares, any meetings of its shareholders and its registration as an investment company. The SEC Filings were prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Securities Laws, as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") thereunder, and did not at the time of their filing contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(f) The Feeder Fund has duly registered as an open-end management investment company under the 1940 Act and the Feeder Fund and its shares are registered or qualified in any states where such registration or qualification is necessary and such registrations or qualifications are in full force and effect. The Feeder Fund is and will at all times when it owns or purchases interests in the Master Portfolio be registered as an open-end investment company under the 1940 Act.
(g) The Feeder Fund understands and agrees that the interests in the Master Portfolio (the "Interests") have not been registered and will not be registered under the 1933 Act or any state securities law, and that the Interests offered and the offering of the Interests have not been approved, disapproved, or passed on by any federal or state regulatory agency or commission, securities or commodities exchange, or other self-regulatory organization. The sale of interests is being made privately by the Master Portfolio pursuant to the private placement exemption from registration provided by Section 4(2) of the 1933 Act.
(h) The Feeder Fund acknowledges that it has received copies of the Offering Memorandum of the Master Portfolio (the "Memorandum") and of the Master Portfolio's Declaration of Trust and By-Laws. The Feeder Fund has read, understands, and is fully familiar with each of those documents and has received adequate information concerning all matters that the Feeder Fund considers material to a decision to purchase the Interests.
(i) The Interests subscribed for will be acquired solely by and for the account of the Feeder Fund, solely for investment, and are not being purchased for resale or distribution. The Feeder Fund has no existing or contemplated agreement or arrangement with any person to sell, exchange, transfer, assign, pledge, or otherwise dispose of the interests. The Feeder Fund acknowledges and agrees that the interests are non-transferable.
(j) The Feeder Fund has relied solely upon the Memorandum, the advice of its tax or other advisers, and independent investigations made by the Feeder Fund in purchasing the Interests. No representations or agreements other than those set forth in the Memorandum have been made to the Feeder Fund by the Master Portfolio.
(k) The Feeder Fund agrees to notify the Trust promptly if there is any change with respect to any of the information, representations, or warranties contained herein and to provide such further information as the Trust may reasonably request.
(l) The Feeder Fund agrees to comply with the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001 ("AML Laws") and to provide documentation that demonstrates the compliance of the Feeder Fund, or its service providers on its behalf, as the case may be, with the AML Laws. The Feeder shall comply with such risk-based informational or other requirements as may reasonably be determined by the Trust's AML Compliance Officer to be necessary or appropriate in light of the Trusts' anti-money laundering program.
2.2 The Trust on behalf of the Master Portfolio represents and warrants to the Company and the Feeder Fund (which representations and warranties shall be deemed made at and as of this date and at all times when this Agreement is in effect) that:
(a) The Master Portfolio is a series of the State Street Master Funds, a trust duly organized and validly existing under the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, which has the requisite power and authority to own its property and conduct its business as now being conducted and as proposed to be conducted pursuant to this Agreement.
(b) The execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Trust and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby have been duly authorized by all necessary action on the part of the Trust by its Board of Trustees and no other action or proceeding is necessary for the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Trust, the performance by the Trust of its obligations hereunder and the consummation by the Trust of the transactions contemplated hereby. This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Trust and constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Trust, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms.
(c) The issuance by the Master Portfolio of the Interests in exchange for the Investment by the Feeder Fund of its assets has been duly authorized by all necessary action on the part of the Board of Trustees of the Trust. When issued in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, the Interests will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable by the Master Portfolio.
(d) The Master Portfolio is not under the jurisdiction of a court in a proceeding under Title 11 of the Bankruptcy Code or similar case within the meaning of Section 368(a)(3)(A) of the Bankruptcy Code.
(e) The fiscal year end of the Master Portfolio is December 31.
(f) The Master Portfolio has duly filed all SEC Filings required to be filed with the SEC pursuant to the 1934 Act and the 1940 Act in connection with any meetings of its investors and its registration as an investment company. The SEC Filings were prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Securities Laws, as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the SEC thereunder, and do not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(g) The Master Portfolio is duly registered as an open-end management investment company under the 1940 Act and such registration is in full force and effect.
III
COVENANTS AND INDEMNIFICATION
3.1 The Feeder Fund covenants that:
(a) The Feeder Fund will own no investment security other than its Account in the Master Portfolio for all periods during which this Agreement is in effect.
(b) If requested to vote on matters pertaining to the Master Portfolio, the Feeder Fund will (i) call a meeting of shareholders of the Feeder Fund for the purpose of seeking instructions from shareholders regarding such matters, (ii) vote the Feeder Fund's Interests proportionally as instructed by Feeder Fund shareholders, and (iii) vote the Feeder Fund's Interests with respect to the shares held by Feeder Fund shareholders who do not give voting instructions in the same proportion as the shares of Feeder Fund shareholders who do give voting instructions. The Feeder Fund will hold each such meeting of Feeder Fund shareholders in accordance with a timetable reasonably established by the Master Portfolio.
(c) The Feeder Fund will furnish the Master Portfolio, at least five
(5) business days prior to filing or first use, as the case may be, with drafts
of amendments to its registration statement on Form N-lA and prospectus
supplements or amendments relating to the Feeder Fund. The Feeder Fund will
furnish the Master Portfolio with any proposed advertising or sales literature
relating to the Feeder Fund at least three (3) business days prior to filing or
first use; provided, however, that such advance notice shall not be required for
advertising or sales literature that merely references the name of the Feeder
Fund. The Feeder Fund agrees that it will include in all such Feeder Fund
documents any disclosures that may be required by law and it will include in all
such Feeder Fund documents any material comments reasonably made by the Master
Portfolio and its counsel. The Master Portfolio will, however, in no way be
liable for any errors or omissions in such documents, whether or not it makes
any objection thereto, except to the extent such errors or omissions result from
information provided in
writing by the Master Portfolio specifically for use therein. The Feeder Fund will not make any other written or oral representation about the Master Portfolio without its prior written consent.
(d) The Feeder Fund agrees to comply with the AML Laws and to provide such information and documentation, including copies of procedures and certifications, evidencing compliance with the AML Laws as may be requested by the Master Portfolio from time to time.
3.2 Indemnification by Feeder Fund.
(a) Feeder Fund will indemnify and hold harmless the Master Portfolio, and the Trust and its respective trustees, directors, officers and employees and each other person who controls the Master Portfolio, as the case may be, within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act (each, a "Covered Person" and collectively, "Covered Persons"), against any and all losses, claims, demands, damages, liabilities and expenses (each, a "Liability" and collectively, the "Liabilities") (including the reasonable cost of investigating and defending against any claims therefor and any counsel fees and expenses incurred in connection therewith), joint or several, that
(i) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in any registration statement, any prospectus, or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or any advertisement or sales literature, or any other document or publication filed, created, or published or otherwise disseminated by the Feeder Fund, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; provided, however, that the Feeder Fund will not be liable in any such case to the extent that such Liability arises out of or is based upon any untrue statement or omission in or from any thereof in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Feeder Fund by the Master Portfolio specifically for use therein;
(ii) result from the failure of any representation or warranty made by the Company on behalf of the Feeder Fund to be accurate when made or the failure of the Company or the Feeder Fund to perform any covenant contained herein or to otherwise comply with the terms of this Agreement; or
(iii) arise out of any failure of the Feeder Fund or any director, officer, employee or agent of the Company, to comply with any applicable law.
(b) The Feeder Fund will be entitled to participate at its own expense in the defense or, if it so elects, to assume the defense of any suit brought to enforce any such liability, but, if the Feeder Fund elects to assume the defense, such defense shall be conducted by counsel chosen by the Feeder Fund and reasonably acceptable to the Master Portfolio. In the event the Feeder Fund elects to assume the defense of any such suit and retain such counsel, each Covered Person and any other defendant or defendants may retain additional counsel, but shall bear the fees and expenses of such counsel unless (A) the Feeder Fund shall have specifically authorized the retaining of such counsel or (B) the parties to such suit include any Covered Person and the Feeder Fund, and any such Covered Person has been advised by counsel that one or more legal defenses may be available to it that may not be available to the Feeder Fund, in which case the Feeder Fund shall not be entitled to assume the defense of such suit notwithstanding its obligation to bear the fees and expenses of such counsel. The Feeder Fund shall not be liable to indemnify any Covered Person for any settlement of any claim effected without the Feeder Fund's written consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed. The indemnities set forth in paragraph (a) will be in addition to any liability that the Feeder Fund might otherwise have to a Covered Person.
3.3 Indemnification by the Master Portfolio.
(a) The Master Portfolio will indemnify and hold harmless the Feeder Fund and the Company and its respective directors, officers and employees and each other person who controls the Feeder Fund, as the case may be, within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act (each, a "Covered Person" and collectively, "Covered Persons"), against any and all losses, claims, demands, damages, liabilities and expenses (each, a "Liability" and collectively, the "Liabilities") (including the reasonable costs of investigating and defending against any claims therefor and any counsel fees incurred in connection therewith), joint or several; that
(i) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in the Master Portfolio's N-1A, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; provided, however, that the Master Portfolio will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such Liability arises out of or is based upon any untrue statement or omission in or from the Master Portfolio's N-1A made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Master Portfolio by the Feeder Fund specifically for use therein (for this purpose, information of any kind contained in any filing by the Feeder Fund with the Securities and Exchange Commission being deemed to have been so furnished to the Master Portfolio); or
(ii) result from the failure of any representation or warranty made by the Master Portfolio to be accurate when made or the failure of the Master Portfolio to perform any covenant contained herein or to otherwise comply with the terms of this Agreement.
(b) The Master Portfolio will be entitled to participate at its own expense in the defense or, if it so elects, to assume the defense of any suit brought to enforce any such liability, but, if the Master Portfolio elects to assume the defense, such defense shall be conducted by counsel chosen by the Master Portfolio. In the event that the Master Portfolio elects to assume the defense of any such suit and retain such counsel, each Covered Person and any other defendant or defendants may retain additional counsel, but shall bear the fees and expenses of such counsel unless (A) the Master Portfolio shall have specifically authorized the retaining of such counsel or (B) the parties to such suit include any Covered Person and the Master Portfolio, and any such Covered Person has been advised by counsel that one or more legal defenses may be available to it that may not be available to the Master Portfolio, in which case the Master Portfolio shall not be entitled to assume the defense of such suit notwithstanding its obligation to bear the fees and expenses of such counsel. The Master Portfolio shall not be liable to indemnify any Covered Person for any settlement of any claim affected without the Master Portfolio's written consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed. The indemnities set forth in paragraph (a) will be in addition to any liability that the Master Portfolio might otherwise have to a Covered Person.
3.4 Allocation of Losses.
(a) If the indemnification provided for in Section 3.2 or Section 3.3 is for any reason unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless a Covered Person in respect of any losses, claims, demands, damages, liabilities, or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount of any losses, claims, demands, damages, liabilities, or expenses incurred by such Covered Person in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the Feeder Fund and the Master Portfolio in connection with the statements or omissions or other action or failure to act which resulted in such losses, liabilities, claims, damages, or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.
(b) In the case of any such untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact, the relative fault of the Feeder Fund and the Master Portfolio shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission related to information supplied by the Feeder Fund or the Master Portfolio and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information, and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
(c) The Feeder Fund and the Master Portfolio agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 3.4 were determined by any method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this Section 3.4. The aggregate amount of losses, claims, demands, damages, liabilities, and expenses incurred by a Covered Person and referred to above in this Section 3.4 shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Covered Person in investigating, preparing, or defending against any litigation or any investigation or proceeding or any such claims and reasonable counsel fees and expenses incurred in connection therewith.
(d) For purposes of this Section 3.4, each person, if any, who controls the Feeder Fund or the Master Portfolio within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, shall have the same rights to contribution as the Feeder Fund or the Master Portfolio, as the case may be, and each director or trustee, officer, or employee of the Trust or the Company and each officer thereof who signed a registration statement shall have the same rights to contribution as the Feeder Fund or the Master Portfolio, as the case may be.
IV
ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS
4.1 Each party agrees that it shall hold in strict confidence all data and information, including any and all portfolio holdings information, obtained from the other party (unless such information is or becomes readily ascertainable from public or published information or trade sources) and shall ensure that its officers, employees and authorized representatives do not disclose such information to others without the prior written consent of the party from whom it was obtained, except if disclosure is required by the SEC, any other regulatory body or the Feeder Fund's or Master Portfolio's respective auditors, or in the opinion of counsel such disclosure is required by law, and then only with as much prior written notice to the other party as is practical under the circumstances.
4.2 No party shall issue any press release or otherwise make any public statements with respect to the matters covered by this Agreement without the prior consent of the other parties hereto, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld; provided, however, that consent shall not be required if, in the opinion of counsel, such disclosure is required by law, provided further, however, that the party making such disclosure shall provide the other parties hereto with as much prior written notice of such disclosure as is practical under the circumstances.
V
TERMINATION, AMENDMENT AND WAIVER
5.1 Termination.
(a) This Agreement may be terminated by the Company upon five (5) business days notice to the Trust.
(b) This Agreement may be terminated at any time by the Company by withdrawing all of the Feeder Fund's Interest in the Master Portfolio.
(c) This Agreement may be terminated on not less than 120 days' prior written notice by the Trust to the Company.
(d) This Agreement may be terminated at any time immediately upon written notice to the other parties in the event that formal proceedings are instituted against another party to this Agreement by the SEC or any other regulatory body, provided that the terminating party has a reasonable belief that the institution of the proceeding is not without foundation and will have a material adverse impact on the terminating party.
(e) The indemnification and contribution obligations set forth in Article III and the confidentiality provisions in Section 4.1 shall survive the termination of this Agreement.
5.2 This Agreement may be amended, modified or supplemented at any time in such manner as may be mutually agreed upon in writing by the parties.
VI
GENERAL PROVISIONS
6.1 All notices and other communications given or made pursuant hereto shall to in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given or made when actually received in person or by fax, or three days after being sent by certified or registered United States mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, addressed as follows:
If to the Feeder Fund:
State Street Institutional Investment Trust
c/o State Street Bank and Trust Company
P.O. Box 5049
Boston, MA 02206
Attn: Karen Jacoppo-Wood
If to the Master Portfolio:
State Street Master Funds
c/o State Street Bank and Trust Company
P.O. Box 5049
Boston, MA 02206
Attn: Karen Jacoppo-Wood
Either party to this Agreement may change the identity of the person to receive notice by providing written notice thereof to all other parties to the Agreement.
6.2 Unless stated otherwise herein, all costs and expenses associated with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be paid by the party incurring such costs and expenses.
6.3 The headings and captions contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.
6.4 If any term or other provision of this Agreement is invalid, illegal or incapable of being enforced by any rule of law, or public policy, all other conditions and provisions of this Agreement shall nevertheless remain in full force and effect so long as the economic or legal substance of the transactions contemplated hereby is not affected in any manner adverse to any party. Upon such determination that any term or other provision is invalid, illegal or incapable of being enforced, the parties hereto shall negotiate in good faith to modify this Agreement so as to effect the original intent of the parties as closely as possible in an acceptable manner to the end that the transactions contemplated hereby are fulfilled to the extent possible.
6.5 This Agreement and the agreements and other documents delivered pursuant hereto set forth the entire understanding between the parties concerning the subject matter of this Agreement and incorporate or supersede all prior negotiations and understandings. There are no covenants, promises, agreements, conditions or understandings, either oral or written, between them relating to the subject matter of this Agreement other than those set forth herein.
6.6 Each and all of the provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and, except as otherwise specifically provided in this Agreement, their respective successors and assigns. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no party shall make any assignment of this Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder without the written consent of all other parties.
6.7 This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts without giving effect to the choice of law or conflicts of law provisions thereof.
6.8 This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, all of which shall constitute one and the same instrument, and any party hereto may execute this Agreement by signing one or more counterparts.
6.9 Nothing herein expressed or implied is intended or shall be construed to confer upon or give any person, other than the parties hereto and their successors or assigns, any rights or remedies under or by reason of this Agreement.
6.10 Any uncertainty or ambiguity existing herein shall not presumptively be interpreted against any party, but shall be interpreted according to the application of the rules of interpretation for arm's length agreements.
6.11 Each party expressly acknowledges the provision in the Articles of Incorporation of the Company and the Declaration of Trust of the Trust limiting the personal liability of shareholders and the officers and trustees of the Feeder Fund and the Master Portfolio, respectively.
6.12 The parties hereto agree and acknowledge that (a) the Company has entered into this Agreement solely on behalf of the Feeder Fund and that no other party shall have any obligation hereunder with respect to any liability of the Feeder Fund arising hereunder; (b) the Trust has entered into this Agreement solely on behalf of the Master Portfolio and that no other series of the Trust shall have any obligation hereunder with respect to any liability of the Master Portfolio arising hereunder; and (c) no series or feeder participant of the Master Portfolio shall be liable to any other series or feeder participant of the Master Portfolio.
6.13 It is expressly acknowledged and agreed that the obligations of the Trust hereunder shall not be binding upon any of the interest holders, Trustees, officers, employees or agents of the Trust personally, but shall bind only the trust property of the Trust, as provided in its Declaration of Trust. The
execution and delivery of this Agreement have been authorized by the Trustees of the Trust and this Agreement will be signed by an officer of the Trust, acting as such, and neither such authorization by such Trustees nor such execution and delivery by such officer shall be deemed to have been made by any of them individually or to impose any liability on any of them personally, but shall bind only the trust property of the Trust as provided in its Declaration of Trust.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be executed by their respective officers, thereunto duly authorized, as of the date first written above.
STATE STREET INSTITUTIONAL INVESTMENT
TRUST
By: /s/ Gary L. French ------------------------------------ Gary L. French Its: Treasurer |
STATE STREET MASTER FUNDS
By: /s/ James Ross ------------------------------------ James Ross, President Its: President |
Exhibit (h)(7)
MASTER FEEDER PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT
BETWEEN
STATE STREET INSTITUTIONAL INVESTMENT TRUST
AND
STATE STREET MASTER FUNDS
DATED AS OF
FEBRUARY 7, 2007
AGREEMENT
THIS AGREEMENT is made and entered into as of the 7th day of February 2007, by and between State Street Institutional Investment Trust (the "Company"), on behalf of its State Street Institutional Tax Free Money Market Fund (the "Feeder Fund") and State Street Master Funds (the "Trust"), a trust organized under the common law of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, on behalf of its State Street Tax Free Money Market Portfolio (the "Master Portfolio").
WITNESSETH
WHEREAS, the Feeder Fund and the Master Portfolio are each open-end management investment companies and the Feeder Fund and the Master Portfolio have the same investment objectives and substantively the same investment policies;
WHEREAS, the Feeder Fund desires to invest all of the its investable assets in the Master Portfolio in exchange for a beneficial interest in the Master Portfolio (the "Investment") on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing, the mutual promises herein made and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties agree as follows:
I
THE INVESTMENT
1.1 The Feeder Fund will invest all of its investable assets in the Master Portfolio and, in exchange therefor, the Master Portfolio agrees to issue to the Feeder Fund a beneficial interest in the Master Portfolio equal in value to the net value of the assets of the Feeder Fund conveyed to the Master Portfolio (the "Account"). The Feeder Fund may add to or reduce its investment in the Master Portfolio in the manner described in the Master Portfolio's registration statement on Form N-1A, as it may be amended from time to time (the "Master Portfolio's N-1A"). The Feeder Fund's aggregate interest in the Master Portfolio would then be recomputed in accordance with the method described in the Master Portfolio's N-1A.
1.2 On each date of Investment, the Feeder Fund shall authorize the Feeder Fund's custodian to deliver all of the assets held by such custodian to the Master Portfolio's custodian. The Master Portfolio's custodian shall acknowledge its acceptance of the assets. In addition, each party shall deliver to the other such bills of sale, checks, assignments, securities instruments, receipts or other documents as such other party or its counsel may reasonably request.
II
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
2.1 The Company on behalf of the Feeder Fund represents and warrants to the Trust and the Master Portfolio (which representations and warranties shall be deemed made at and as of this date and at and as of all times when this Agreement is in effect) that:
(a) The Feeder Fund is a series of State Street Institutional Investment Trust, which is a trust duly organized and validly existing under the laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and has the requisite power and authority to own its property and conduct its business as now being conducted and as proposed to be conducted pursuant to this Agreement.
(b) The execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Feeder Fund and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby have been duly authorized by all necessary action on the part of the Feeder Fund by the Company's Board of Directors and no other action or proceeding is necessary for the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company, the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder and the consummation by the Feeder Fund of the transactions contemplated hereby. This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Feeder Fund and constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Feeder Fund, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms.
(c) The Feeder Fund is not under the jurisdiction of a court in a proceeding under Title 11 of the United States Code (the "Bankruptcy Code") or similar case within the meaning of Section 368(a) (3) (A) of the Bankruptcy Code.
(d) The fiscal year end for the Feeder Fund is December 31.
(e) The Feeder Fund has duly filed all forms, reports, proxy statements and other documents (collectively, the "SEC Filings") required to be filed under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"), the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "1934 Act") or the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act" and, together with the 1933 Act and the 1934 Act, the "Securities Laws") in connection with the registration of its shares, any meetings of its shareholders and its registration as an investment company. The SEC Filings were prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Securities Laws, as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") thereunder, and did not at the time of their filing contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(f) The Feeder Fund has duly registered as an open-end management investment company under the 1940 Act and the Feeder Fund and its shares are registered or qualified in any states where such registration or qualification is necessary and such registrations or qualifications are in full force and effect. The Feeder Fund is and will at all times when it owns or purchases interests in the Master Portfolio be registered as an open-end investment company under the 1940 Act.
(g) The Feeder Fund understands and agrees that the interests in the Master Portfolio (the "Interests") have not been registered and will not be registered under the 1933 Act or any state securities law, and that the Interests offered and the offering of the Interests have not been approved, disapproved, or passed on by any federal or state regulatory agency or commission, securities or commodities exchange, or other self-regulatory organization. The sale of interests is being made privately by the Master Portfolio pursuant to the private placement exemption from registration provided by Section 4(2) of the 1933 Act.
(h) The Feeder Fund acknowledges that it has received copies of the Offering Memorandum of the Master Portfolio (the "Memorandum") and of the Master Portfolio's Declaration of Trust and By-Laws. The Feeder Fund has read, understands, and is fully familiar with each of those documents and has received adequate information concerning all matters that the Feeder Fund considers material to a decision to purchase the Interests.
(i) The Interests subscribed for will be acquired solely by and for the account of the Feeder Fund, solely for investment, and are not being purchased for resale or distribution. The Feeder Fund has no existing or contemplated agreement or arrangement with any person to sell, exchange, transfer, assign, pledge, or otherwise dispose of the interests. The Feeder Fund acknowledges and agrees that the interests are non-transferable.
(j) The Feeder Fund has relied solely upon the Memorandum, the advice of its tax or other advisers, and independent investigations made by the Feeder Fund in purchasing the Interests. No representations or agreements other than those set forth in the Memorandum have been made to the Feeder Fund by the Master Portfolio.
(k) The Feeder Fund agrees to notify the Trust promptly if there is any change with respect to any of the information, representations, or warranties contained herein and to provide such further information as the Trust may reasonably request.
(l) The Feeder Fund agrees to comply with the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001 ("AML Laws") and to provide documentation that demonstrates the compliance of the Feeder Fund, or its service providers on its behalf, as the case may be, with the AML Laws. The Feeder shall comply with such risk-based informational or other requirements as may reasonably be determined by the Trust's AML Compliance Officer to be necessary or appropriate in light of the Trusts' anti-money laundering program.
2.2 The Trust on behalf of the Master Portfolio represents and warrants to the Company and the Feeder Fund (which representations and warranties shall be deemed made at and as of this date and at all times when this Agreement is in effect) that:
(a) The Master Portfolio is a series of the State Street Master Funds, a trust duly organized and validly existing under the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, which has the requisite power and authority to own its property and conduct its business as now being conducted and as proposed to be conducted pursuant to this Agreement.
(b) The execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Trust and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby have been duly authorized by all necessary action on the part of the Trust by its Board of Trustees and no other action or proceeding is necessary for the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Trust, the performance by the Trust of its obligations hereunder and the consummation by the Trust of the transactions contemplated hereby. This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Trust and constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Trust, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms.
(c) The issuance by the Master Portfolio of the Interests in exchange for the Investment by the Feeder Fund of its assets has been duly authorized by all necessary action on the part of the Board of Trustees of the Trust. When issued in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, the Interests will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable by the Master Portfolio.
(d) The Master Portfolio is not under the jurisdiction of a court in a proceeding under Title 11 of the Bankruptcy Code or similar case within the meaning of Section 368(a)(3)(A) of the Bankruptcy Code.
(e) The fiscal year end of the Master Portfolio is December 31.
(f) The Master Portfolio has duly filed all SEC Filings required to be filed with the SEC pursuant to the 1934 Act and the 1940 Act in connection with any meetings of its investors and its registration as an investment company. The SEC Filings were prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Securities Laws, as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the SEC thereunder, and do not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(g) The Master Portfolio is duly registered as an open-end management investment company under the 1940 Act and such registration is in full force and effect.
III
COVENANTS AND INDEMNIFICATION
3.1 The Feeder Fund covenants that:
(a) The Feeder Fund will own no investment security other than its Account in the Master Portfolio for all periods during which this Agreement is in effect.
(b) If requested to vote on matters pertaining to the Master Portfolio, the Feeder Fund will (i) call a meeting of shareholders of the Feeder Fund for the purpose of seeking instructions from shareholders regarding such matters, (ii) vote the Feeder Fund's Interests proportionally as instructed by Feeder Fund shareholders, and (iii) vote the Feeder Fund's Interests with respect to the shares held by Feeder Fund shareholders who do not give voting instructions in the same proportion as the shares of Feeder Fund shareholders who do give voting instructions. The Feeder Fund will hold each such meeting of Feeder Fund shareholders in accordance with a timetable reasonably established by the Master Portfolio.
(c) The Feeder Fund will furnish the Master Portfolio, at least five
(5) business days prior to filing or first use, as the case may be, with drafts
of amendments to its registration statement on Form N-lA and prospectus
supplements or amendments relating to the Feeder Fund. The Feeder Fund will
furnish the Master Portfolio with any proposed advertising or sales literature
relating to the Feeder Fund at least three (3) business days prior to filing or
first use; provided, however, that such advance notice shall not be required for
advertising or sales literature that merely references the name of the Feeder
Fund. The Feeder Fund agrees that it will include in all such Feeder Fund
documents any disclosures that may be required by law and it will include in all
such Feeder Fund documents any material comments reasonably made by the Master
Portfolio and its counsel. The Master Portfolio will, however, in no way be
liable for any errors or omissions in such documents, whether or not it makes
any objection thereto, except to the extent such errors or omissions result from
information provided in
writing by the Master Portfolio specifically for use therein. The Feeder Fund will not make any other written or oral representation about the Master Portfolio without its prior written consent.
(d) The Feeder Fund agrees to comply with the AML Laws and to provide such information and documentation, including copies of procedures and certifications, evidencing compliance with the AML Laws as may be requested by the Master Portfolio from time to time.
3.2 Indemnification by Feeder Fund.
(a) Feeder Fund will indemnify and hold harmless the Master Portfolio, and the Trust and its respective trustees, directors, officers and employees and each other person who controls the Master Portfolio, as the case may be, within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act (each, a "Covered Person" and collectively, "Covered Persons"), against any and all losses, claims, demands, damages, liabilities and expenses (each, a "Liability" and collectively, the "Liabilities") (including the reasonable cost of investigating and defending against any claims therefor and any counsel fees and expenses incurred in connection therewith), joint or several, that
(i) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in any registration statement, any prospectus, or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or any advertisement or sales literature, or any other document or publication filed, created, or published or otherwise disseminated by the Feeder Fund, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; provided, however, that the Feeder Fund will not be liable in any such case to the extent that such Liability arises out of or is based upon any untrue statement or omission in or from any thereof in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Feeder Fund by the Master Portfolio specifically for use therein;
(ii) result from the failure of any representation or warranty made by the Company on behalf of the Feeder Fund to be accurate when made or the failure of the Company or the Feeder Fund to perform any covenant contained herein or to otherwise comply with the terms of this Agreement; or
(iii) arise out of any failure of the Feeder Fund or any director, officer, employee or agent of the Company, to comply with any applicable law.
(b) The Feeder Fund will be entitled to participate at its own expense in the defense or, if it so elects, to assume the defense of any suit brought to enforce any such liability, but, if the Feeder Fund elects to assume the defense, such defense shall be conducted by counsel chosen by the Feeder Fund and reasonably acceptable to the Master Portfolio. In the event the Feeder Fund elects to assume the defense of any such suit and retain such counsel, each Covered Person and any other defendant or defendants may retain additional counsel, but shall bear the fees and expenses of such counsel unless (A) the Feeder Fund shall have specifically authorized the retaining of such counsel or (B) the parties to such suit include any Covered Person and the Feeder Fund, and any such Covered Person has been advised by counsel that one or more legal defenses may be available to it that may not be available to the Feeder Fund, in which case the Feeder Fund shall not be entitled to assume the defense of such suit notwithstanding its obligation to bear the fees and expenses of such counsel. The Feeder Fund shall not be liable to indemnify any Covered Person for any settlement of any claim effected without the Feeder Fund's written consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed. The indemnities set forth in paragraph (a) will be in addition to any liability that the Feeder Fund might otherwise have to a Covered Person.
3.3 Indemnification by the Master Portfolio.
(a) The Master Portfolio will indemnify and hold harmless the Feeder Fund and the Company and its respective directors, officers and employees and each other person who controls the Feeder Fund, as the case may be, within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act (each, a "Covered Person" and collectively, "Covered Persons"), against any and all losses, claims, demands, damages, liabilities and expenses (each, a "Liability" and collectively, the "Liabilities") (including the reasonable costs of investigating and defending against any claims therefor and any counsel fees incurred in connection therewith), joint or several; that
(i) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in the Master Portfolio's N-1A, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; provided, however, that the Master Portfolio will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such Liability arises out of or is based upon any untrue statement or omission in or from the Master Portfolio's N-1A made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Master Portfolio by the Feeder Fund specifically for use therein (for this purpose, information of any kind contained in any filing by the Feeder Fund with the Securities and Exchange Commission being deemed to have been so furnished to the Master Portfolio); or
(ii) result from the failure of any representation or warranty made by the Master Portfolio to be accurate when made or the failure of the Master Portfolio to perform any covenant contained herein or to otherwise comply with the terms of this Agreement.
(b) The Master Portfolio will be entitled to participate at its own expense in the defense or, if it so elects, to assume the defense of any suit brought to enforce any such liability, but, if the Master Portfolio elects to assume the defense, such defense shall be conducted by counsel chosen by the Master Portfolio. In the event that the Master Portfolio elects to assume the defense of any such suit and retain such counsel, each Covered Person and any other defendant or defendants may retain additional counsel, but shall bear the fees and expenses of such counsel unless (A) the Master Portfolio shall have specifically authorized the retaining of such counsel or (B) the parties to such suit include any Covered Person and the Master Portfolio, and any such Covered Person has been advised by counsel that one or more legal defenses may be available to it that may not be available to the Master Portfolio, in which case the Master Portfolio shall not be entitled to assume the defense of such suit notwithstanding its obligation to bear the fees and expenses of such counsel. The Master Portfolio shall not be liable to indemnify any Covered Person for any settlement of any claim affected without the Master Portfolio's written consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed. The indemnities set forth in paragraph (a) will be in addition to any liability that the Master Portfolio might otherwise have to a Covered Person.
3.4 Allocation of Losses.
(a) If the indemnification provided for in Section 3.2 or Section 3.3 is for any reason unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless a Covered Person in respect of any losses, claims, demands, damages, liabilities, or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount of any losses, claims, demands, damages, liabilities, or expenses incurred by such Covered Person in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the Feeder Fund and the Master Portfolio in connection with the statements or omissions or other action or failure to act which resulted in such losses, liabilities, claims, damages, or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.
(b) In the case of any such untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact, the relative fault of the Feeder Fund and the Master Portfolio shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission related to information supplied by the Feeder Fund or the Master Portfolio and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information, and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
(c) The Feeder Fund and the Master Portfolio agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 3.4 were determined by any method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this Section 3.4. The aggregate amount of losses, claims, demands, damages, liabilities, and expenses incurred by a Covered Person and referred to above in this Section 3.4 shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Covered Person in investigating, preparing, or defending against any litigation or any investigation or proceeding or any such claims and reasonable counsel fees and expenses incurred in connection therewith.
(d) For purposes of this Section 3.4, each person, if any, who controls the Feeder Fund or the Master Portfolio within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, shall have the same rights to contribution as the Feeder Fund or the Master Portfolio, as the case may be, and each director or trustee, officer, or employee of the Trust or the Company and each officer thereof who signed a registration statement shall have the same rights to contribution as the Feeder Fund or the Master Portfolio, as the case may be.
IV
ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS
4.1 Each party agrees that it shall hold in strict confidence all data and information, including any and all portfolio holdings information, obtained from the other party (unless such information is or becomes readily ascertainable from public or published information or trade sources) and shall ensure that its officers, employees and authorized representatives do not disclose such information to others without the prior written consent of the party from whom it was obtained, except if disclosure is required by the SEC, any other regulatory body or the Feeder Fund's or Master Portfolio's respective auditors, or in the opinion of counsel such disclosure is required by law, and then only with as much prior written notice to the other party as is practical under the circumstances.
4.2 No party shall issue any press release or otherwise make any public statements with respect to the matters covered by this Agreement without the prior consent of the other parties hereto, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld; provided, however, that consent shall not be required if, in the opinion of counsel, such disclosure is required by law, provided further, however, that the party making such disclosure shall provide the other parties hereto with as much prior written notice of such disclosure as is practical under the circumstances.
V
TERMINATION, AMENDMENT AND WAIVER
5.1 Termination.
(a) This Agreement may be terminated by the Company upon five (5) business days notice to the Trust.
(b) This Agreement may be terminated at any time by the Company by withdrawing all of the Feeder Fund's Interest in the Master Portfolio.
(c) This Agreement may be terminated on not less than 120 days' prior written notice by the Trust to the Company.
(d) This Agreement may be terminated at any time immediately upon written notice to the other parties in the event that formal proceedings are instituted against another party to this Agreement by the SEC or any other regulatory body, provided that the terminating party has a reasonable belief that the institution of the proceeding is not without foundation and will have a material adverse impact on the terminating party.
(e) The indemnification and contribution obligations set forth in Article III and the confidentiality provisions in Section 4.1 shall survive the termination of this Agreement.
5.2 This Agreement may be amended, modified or supplemented at any time in such manner as may be mutually agreed upon in writing by the parties.
VI
GENERAL PROVISIONS
6.1 All notices and other communications given or made pursuant hereto shall to in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given or made when actually received in person or by fax, or three days after being sent by certified or registered United States mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, addressed as follows:
If to the Feeder Fund:
State Street Institutional Investment Trust
c/o State Street Bank and Trust Company
P.O. Box 5049
Boston, MA 02206
Attn: Karen Jacoppo-Wood
If to the Master Portfolio:
State Street Master Funds
c/o State Street Bank and Trust Company
P.O. Box 5049
Boston, MA 02206
Attn: Karen Jacoppo-Wood
Either party to this Agreement may change the identity of the person to receive notice by providing written notice thereof to all other parties to the Agreement.
6.2 Unless stated otherwise herein, all costs and expenses associated with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be paid by the party incurring such costs and expenses.
6.3 The headings and captions contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.
6.4 If any term or other provision of this Agreement is invalid, illegal or incapable of being enforced by any rule of law, or public policy, all other conditions and provisions of this Agreement shall nevertheless remain in full force and effect so long as the economic or legal substance of the transactions contemplated hereby is not affected in any manner adverse to any party. Upon such determination that any term or other provision is invalid, illegal or incapable of being enforced, the parties hereto shall negotiate in good faith to modify this Agreement so as to effect the original intent of the parties as closely as possible in an acceptable manner to the end that the transactions contemplated hereby are fulfilled to the extent possible.
6.5 This Agreement and the agreements and other documents delivered pursuant hereto set forth the entire understanding between the parties concerning the subject matter of this Agreement and incorporate or supersede all prior negotiations and understandings. There are no covenants, promises, agreements, conditions or understandings, either oral or written, between them relating to the subject matter of this Agreement other than those set forth herein.
6.6 Each and all of the provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and, except as otherwise specifically provided in this Agreement, their respective successors and assigns. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no party shall make any assignment of this Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder without the written consent of all other parties.
6.7 This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts without giving effect to the choice of law or conflicts of law provisions thereof.
6.8 This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, all of which shall constitute one and the same instrument, and any party hereto may execute this Agreement by signing one or more counterparts.
6.9 Nothing herein expressed or implied is intended or shall be construed to confer upon or give any person, other than the parties hereto and their successors or assigns, any rights or remedies under or by reason of this Agreement.
6.10 Any uncertainty or ambiguity existing herein shall not presumptively be interpreted against any party, but shall be interpreted according to the application of the rules of interpretation for arm's length agreements.
6.11 Each party expressly acknowledges the provision in the Articles of Incorporation of the Company and the Declaration of Trust of the Trust limiting the personal liability of shareholders and the officers and trustees of the Feeder Fund and the Master Portfolio, respectively.
6.12 The parties hereto agree and acknowledge that (a) the Company has entered into this Agreement solely on behalf of the Feeder Fund and that no other party shall have any obligation hereunder with respect to any liability of the Feeder Fund arising hereunder; (b) the Trust has entered into this Agreement solely on behalf of the Master Portfolio and that no other series of the Trust shall have any obligation hereunder with respect to any liability of the Master Portfolio arising hereunder; and (c) no series or feeder participant of the Master Portfolio shall be liable to any other series or feeder participant of the Master Portfolio.
6.13 It is expressly acknowledged and agreed that the obligations of the Trust hereunder shall not be binding upon any of the interest holders, Trustees, officers, employees or agents of the Trust personally, but shall bind only the trust property of the Trust, as provided in its Declaration of Trust. The
execution and delivery of this Agreement have been authorized by the Trustees of the Trust and this Agreement will be signed by an officer of the Trust, acting as such, and neither such authorization by such Trustees nor such execution and delivery by such officer shall be deemed to have been made by any of them individually or to impose any liability on any of them personally, but shall bind only the trust property of the Trust as provided in its Declaration of Trust.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be executed by their respective officers, thereunto duly authorized, as of the date first written above.
STATE STREET INSTITUTIONAL INVESTMENT
TRUST
By: /s/ Gary L. French ------------------------------------ Gary L. French Its: Treasurer |
STATE STREET MASTER FUNDS
By: /s/ James Ross ------------------------------------ James Ross, President Its: President |
Exhibit (h)(8)
MASTER FEEDER PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT
BETWEEN
STATE STREET INSTITUTIONAL INVESTMENT TRUST
AND
STATE STREET MASTER FUNDS
DATED AS OF
October 2, 2007
AGREEMENT
THIS AGREEMENT is made and entered into as of the 2nd day of October 2007, by and between State Street Institutional Investment Trust (the "Company"), on behalf of its State Street Institutional Treasury Money Market Fund (the "Feeder Fund") and State Street Master Funds (the "Trust"), a trust organized under the common law of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, on behalf of its State Street Tax Free Money Market Portfolio (the "Master Portfolio").
WITNESSETH
WHEREAS, the Feeder Fund and the Master Portfolio are each open-end management investment companies and the Feeder Fund and the Master Portfolio have the same investment objectives and substantively the same investment policies;
WHEREAS, the Feeder Fund desires to invest all of the its investable assets in the Master Portfolio in exchange for a beneficial interest in the Master Portfolio (the "Investment") on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing, the mutual promises herein made and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties agree as follows:
I
THE INVESTMENT
1.1 The Feeder Fund will invest all of its investable assets in the Master Portfolio and, in exchange therefor, the Master Portfolio agrees to issue to the Feeder Fund a beneficial interest in the Master Portfolio equal in value to the net value of the assets of the Feeder Fund conveyed to the Master Portfolio (the "Account"). The Feeder Fund may add to or reduce its investment in the Master Portfolio in the manner described in the Master Portfolio's registration statement on Form N-1A, as it may be amended from time to time (the "Master Portfolio's N-1A"). The Feeder Fund's aggregate interest in the Master Portfolio would then be recomputed in accordance with the method described in the Master Portfolio's N-1A.
1.2 On each date of Investment, the Feeder Fund shall authorize the Feeder Fund's custodian to deliver all of the assets held by such custodian to the Master Portfolio's custodian. The Master Portfolio's custodian shall acknowledge its acceptance of the assets. In addition, each party shall deliver to the other such bills of sale, checks, assignments, securities instruments, receipts or other documents as such other party or its counsel may reasonably request.
II
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
2.1 The Company on behalf of the Feeder Fund represents and warrants to the Trust and the Master Portfolio (which representations and warranties shall be deemed made at and as of this date and at and as of all times when this Agreement is in effect) that:
(a) The Feeder Fund is a series of State Street Institutional Investment Trust, which is a trust duly organized and validly existing under the laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and has the requisite power and authority to own its property and conduct its business as now being conducted and as proposed to be conducted pursuant to this Agreement.
(b) The execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Feeder Fund and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby have been duly authorized by all necessary action on the part of the Feeder Fund by the Company's Board of Directors and no other action or proceeding is necessary for the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company, the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder and the consummation by the Feeder Fund of the transactions contemplated hereby. This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Feeder Fund and constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Feeder Fund, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms.
(c) The Feeder Fund is not under the jurisdiction of a court in a proceeding under Title 11 of the United States Code (the "Bankruptcy Code") or similar case within the meaning of Section 368(a) (3) (A) of the Bankruptcy Code.
(d) The fiscal year end for the Feeder Fund is December 31.
(e) The Feeder Fund has duly filed all forms, reports, proxy statements and other documents (collectively, the "SEC Filings") required to be filed under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"), the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "1934 Act") or the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act" and, together with the 1933 Act and the 1934 Act, the "Securities Laws") in connection with the registration of its shares, any meetings of its shareholders and its registration as an investment company. The SEC Filings were prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Securities Laws, as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") thereunder, and did not at the time of their filing contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(f) The Feeder Fund has duly registered as an open-end management investment company under the 1940 Act and the Feeder Fund and its shares are registered or qualified in any states where such registration or qualification is necessary and such registrations or qualifications are in full force and effect. The Feeder Fund is and will at all times when it owns or purchases interests in the Master Portfolio be registered as an open-end investment company under the 1940 Act.
(g) The Feeder Fund understands and agrees that the interests in the Master Portfolio (the "Interests") have not been registered and will not be registered under the 1933 Act or any state securities law, and that the Interests offered and the offering of the Interests have not been approved, disapproved, or passed on by any federal or state regulatory agency or commission, securities or commodities exchange, or other self-regulatory organization. The sale of interests is being made privately by the Master Portfolio pursuant to the private placement exemption from registration provided by Section 4(2) of the 1933 Act.
(h) The Feeder Fund acknowledges that it has received copies of the Offering Memorandum of the Master Portfolio (the "Memorandum") and of the Master Portfolio's Declaration of Trust and By-Laws. The Feeder Fund has read, understands, and is fully familiar with each of those documents and has received adequate information concerning all matters that the Feeder Fund considers material to a decision to purchase the Interests.
(i) The Interests subscribed for will be acquired solely by and for the account of the Feeder Fund, solely for investment, and are not being purchased for resale or distribution. The Feeder Fund has no existing or contemplated agreement or arrangement with any person to sell, exchange, transfer, assign, pledge, or otherwise dispose of the interests. The Feeder Fund acknowledges and agrees that the interests are non-transferable.
(j) The Feeder Fund has relied solely upon the Memorandum, the advice of its tax or other advisers, and independent investigations made by the Feeder Fund in purchasing the Interests. No representations or agreements other than those set forth in the Memorandum have been made to the Feeder Fund by the Master Portfolio.
(k) The Feeder Fund agrees to notify the Trust promptly if there is any change with respect to any of the information, representations, or warranties contained herein and to provide such further information as the Trust may reasonably request.
(l) The Feeder Fund agrees to comply with the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001 ("AML Laws") and to provide documentation that demonstrates the compliance of the Feeder Fund, or its service providers on its behalf, as the case may be, with the AML Laws. The Feeder shall comply with such risk-based informational or other requirements as may reasonably be determined by the Trust's AML Compliance Officer to be necessary or appropriate in light of the Trusts' anti-money laundering program.
2.2 The Trust on behalf of the Master Portfolio represents and warrants to the Company and the Feeder Fund (which representations and warranties shall be deemed made at and as of this date and at all times when this Agreement is in effect) that:
(a) The Master Portfolio is a series of the State Street Master Funds, a trust duly organized and validly existing under the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, which has the requisite power and authority to own its property and conduct its business as now being conducted and as proposed to be conducted pursuant to this Agreement.
(b) The execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Trust and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby have been duly authorized by all necessary action on the part of the Trust by its Board of Trustees and no other action or proceeding is necessary for the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Trust, the performance by the Trust of its obligations hereunder and the consummation by the Trust of the transactions contemplated hereby. This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Trust and constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Trust, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms.
(c) The issuance by the Master Portfolio of the Interests in exchange for the Investment by the Feeder Fund of its assets has been duly authorized by all necessary action on the part of the Board of Trustees of the Trust. When issued in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, the Interests will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable by the Master Portfolio.
(d) The Master Portfolio is not under the jurisdiction of a court in a proceeding under Title 11 of the Bankruptcy Code or similar case within the meaning of Section 368(a)(3)(A) of the Bankruptcy Code.
(e) The fiscal year end of the Master Portfolio is December 31.
(f) The Master Portfolio has duly filed all SEC Filings required to be filed with the SEC pursuant to the 1934 Act and the 1940 Act in connection with any meetings of its investors and its registration as an investment company. The SEC Filings were prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Securities Laws, as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the SEC thereunder, and do not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(g) The Master Portfolio is duly registered as an open-end management investment company under the 1940 Act and such registration is in full force and effect.
III
COVENANTS AND INDEMNIFICATION
3.1 The Feeder Fund covenants that:
(a) The Feeder Fund will own no investment security other than its Account in the Master Portfolio for all periods during which this Agreement is in effect.
(b) If requested to vote on matters pertaining to the Master Portfolio, the Feeder Fund will (i) call a meeting of shareholders of the Feeder Fund for the purpose of seeking instructions from shareholders regarding such matters, (ii) vote the Feeder Fund's Interests proportionally as instructed by Feeder Fund shareholders, and (iii) vote the Feeder Fund's Interests with respect to the shares held by Feeder Fund shareholders who do not give voting instructions in the same proportion as the shares of Feeder Fund shareholders who do give voting instructions. The Feeder Fund will hold each such meeting of Feeder Fund shareholders in accordance with a timetable reasonably established by the Master Portfolio.
(c) The Feeder Fund will furnish the Master Portfolio, at least five
(5) business days prior to filing or first use, as the case may be, with drafts
of amendments to its registration statement on Form N-lA and prospectus
supplements or amendments relating to the Feeder Fund. The Feeder Fund will
furnish the Master Portfolio with any proposed advertising or sales literature
relating to the Feeder Fund at least three (3) business days prior to filing or
first use; provided, however, that such advance notice shall not be required for
advertising or sales literature that merely references the name of the Feeder
Fund. The Feeder Fund agrees that it will include in all such Feeder Fund
documents any disclosures that may be required by law and it will include in all
such Feeder Fund documents any material comments reasonably made by the Master
Portfolio and its counsel. The Master Portfolio will, however, in no way be
liable for any errors or omissions in such documents, whether or not it makes
any objection thereto, except to the extent such errors or omissions result from
information provided in
writing by the Master Portfolio specifically for use therein. The Feeder Fund will not make any other written or oral representation about the Master Portfolio without its prior written consent.
(d) The Feeder Fund agrees to comply with the AML Laws and to provide such information and documentation, including copies of procedures and certifications, evidencing compliance with the AML Laws as may be requested by the Master Portfolio from time to time.
3.2 Indemnification by Feeder Fund.
(a) Feeder Fund will indemnify and hold harmless the Master Portfolio, and the Trust and its respective trustees, directors, officers and employees and each other person who controls the Master Portfolio, as the case may be, within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act (each, a "Covered Person" and collectively, "Covered Persons"), against any and all losses, claims, demands, damages, liabilities and expenses (each, a "Liability" and collectively, the "Liabilities") (including the reasonable cost of investigating and defending against any claims therefor and any counsel fees and expenses incurred in connection therewith), joint or several, that
(i) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in any registration statement, any prospectus, or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or any advertisement or sales literature, or any other document or publication filed, created, or published or otherwise disseminated by the Feeder Fund, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; provided, however, that the Feeder Fund will not be liable in any such case to the extent that such Liability arises out of or is based upon any untrue statement or omission in or from any thereof in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Feeder Fund by the Master Portfolio specifically for use therein;
(ii) result from the failure of any representation or warranty made by the Company on behalf of the Feeder Fund to be accurate when made or the failure of the Company or the Feeder Fund to perform any covenant contained herein or to otherwise comply with the terms of this Agreement; or
(iii) arise out of any failure of the Feeder Fund or any director, officer, employee or agent of the Company, to comply with any applicable law.
(b) The Feeder Fund will be entitled to participate at its own expense in the defense or, if it so elects, to assume the defense of any suit brought to enforce any such liability, but, if the Feeder Fund elects to assume the defense, such defense shall be conducted by counsel chosen by the Feeder Fund and reasonably acceptable to the Master Portfolio. In the event the Feeder Fund elects to assume the defense of any such suit and retain such counsel, each Covered Person and any other defendant or defendants may retain additional counsel, but shall bear the fees and expenses of such counsel unless (A) the Feeder Fund shall have specifically authorized the retaining of such counsel or (B) the parties to such suit include any Covered Person and the Feeder Fund, and any such Covered Person has been advised by counsel that one or more legal defenses may be available to it that may not be available to the Feeder Fund, in which case the Feeder Fund shall not be entitled to assume the defense of such suit notwithstanding its obligation to bear the fees and expenses of such counsel. The Feeder Fund shall not be liable to indemnify any Covered Person for any settlement of any claim effected without the Feeder Fund's written consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed. The indemnities set forth in paragraph (a) will be in addition to any liability that the Feeder Fund might otherwise have to a Covered Person.
3.3 Indemnification by the Master Portfolio.
(a) The Master Portfolio will indemnify and hold harmless the Feeder Fund and the Company and its respective directors, officers and employees and each other person who controls the Feeder Fund, as the case may be, within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act (each, a "Covered Person" and collectively, "Covered Persons"), against any and all losses, claims, demands, damages, liabilities and expenses (each, a "Liability" and collectively, the "Liabilities") (including the reasonable costs of investigating and defending against any claims therefor and any counsel fees incurred in connection therewith), joint or several; that
(i) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in the Master Portfolio's N-1A, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; provided, however, that the Master Portfolio will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such Liability arises out of or is based upon any untrue statement or omission in or from the Master Portfolio's N-1A made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Master Portfolio by the Feeder Fund specifically for use therein (for this purpose, information of any kind contained in any filing by the Feeder Fund with the Securities and Exchange Commission being deemed to have been so furnished to the Master Portfolio); or
(ii) result from the failure of any representation or warranty made by the Master Portfolio to be accurate when made or the failure of the Master Portfolio to perform any covenant contained herein or to otherwise comply with the terms of this Agreement.
(b) The Master Portfolio will be entitled to participate at its own expense in the defense or, if it so elects, to assume the defense of any suit brought to enforce any such liability, but, if the Master Portfolio elects to assume the defense, such defense shall be conducted by counsel chosen by the Master Portfolio. In the event that the Master Portfolio elects to assume the defense of any such suit and retain such counsel, each Covered Person and any other defendant or defendants may retain additional counsel, but shall bear the fees and expenses of such counsel unless (A) the Master Portfolio shall have specifically authorized the retaining of such counsel or (B) the parties to such suit include any Covered Person and the Master Portfolio, and any such Covered Person has been advised by counsel that one or more legal defenses may be available to it that may not be available to the Master Portfolio, in which case the Master Portfolio shall not be entitled to assume the defense of such suit notwithstanding its obligation to bear the fees and expenses of such counsel. The Master Portfolio shall not be liable to indemnify any Covered Person for any settlement of any claim affected without the Master Portfolio's written consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed. The indemnities set forth in paragraph (a) will be in addition to any liability that the Master Portfolio might otherwise have to a Covered Person.
3.4 Allocation of Losses.
(a) If the indemnification provided for in Section 3.2 or Section 3.3 is for any reason unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless a Covered Person in respect of any losses, claims, demands, damages, liabilities, or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount of any losses, claims, demands, damages, liabilities, or expenses incurred by such Covered Person in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the Feeder Fund and the Master Portfolio in connection with the statements or omissions or other action or failure to act which resulted in such losses, liabilities, claims, damages, or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.
(b) In the case of any such untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact, the relative fault of the Feeder Fund and the Master Portfolio shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission related to information supplied by the Feeder Fund or the Master Portfolio and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information, and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
(c) The Feeder Fund and the Master Portfolio agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 3.4 were determined by any method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this Section 3.4. The aggregate amount of losses, claims, demands, damages, liabilities, and expenses incurred by a Covered Person and referred to above in this Section 3.4 shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Covered Person in investigating, preparing, or defending against any litigation or any investigation or proceeding or any such claims and reasonable counsel fees and expenses incurred in connection therewith.
(d) For purposes of this Section 3.4, each person, if any, who controls the Feeder Fund or the Master Portfolio within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, shall have the same rights to contribution as the Feeder Fund or the Master Portfolio, as the case may be, and each director or trustee, officer, or employee of the Trust or the Company and each officer thereof who signed a registration statement shall have the same rights to contribution as the Feeder Fund or the Master Portfolio, as the case may be.
IV
ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS
4.1 Each party agrees that it shall hold in strict confidence all data and information, including any and all portfolio holdings information, obtained from the other party (unless such information is or becomes readily ascertainable from public or published information or trade sources) and shall ensure that its officers, employees and authorized representatives do not disclose such information to others without the prior written consent of the party from whom it was obtained, except if disclosure is required by the SEC, any other regulatory body or the Feeder Fund's or Master Portfolio's respective auditors, or in the opinion of counsel such disclosure is required by law, and then only with as much prior written notice to the other party as is practical under the circumstances.
4.2 No party shall issue any press release or otherwise make any public statements with respect to the matters covered by this Agreement without the prior consent of the other parties hereto, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld; provided, however, that consent shall not be required if, in the opinion of counsel, such disclosure is required by law, provided further, however, that the party making such disclosure shall provide the other parties hereto with as much prior written notice of such disclosure as is practical under the circumstances.
V
TERMINATION, AMENDMENT AND WAIVER
5.1 Termination.
(a) This Agreement may be terminated by the Company upon five (5) business days notice to the Trust.
(b) This Agreement may be terminated at any time by the Company by withdrawing all of the Feeder Fund's Interest in the Master Portfolio.
(c) This Agreement may be terminated on not less than 120 days' prior written notice by the Trust to the Company.
(d) This Agreement may be terminated at any time immediately upon written notice to the other parties in the event that formal proceedings are instituted against another party to this Agreement by the SEC or any other regulatory body, provided that the terminating party has a reasonable belief that the institution of the proceeding is not without foundation and will have a material adverse impact on the terminating party.
(e) The indemnification and contribution obligations set forth in Article III and the confidentiality provisions in Section 4.1 shall survive the termination of this Agreement.
5.2 This Agreement may be amended, modified or supplemented at any time in such manner as may be mutually agreed upon in writing by the parties.
VI
GENERAL PROVISIONS
6.1 All notices and other communications given or made pursuant hereto shall to in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given or made when actually received in person or by fax, or three days after being sent by certified or registered United States mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, addressed as follows:
If to the Feeder Fund:
State Street Institutional Investment Trust
c/o State Street Bank and Trust Company
P.O. Box 5049
Boston, MA 02206
Attn: Tim Walsh
If to the Master Portfolio:
State Street Master Funds
c/o State Street Bank and Trust Company
P.O. Box 5049
Boston, MA 02206
Attn: Tim Walsh
Either party to this Agreement may change the identity of the person to receive notice by providing written notice thereof to all other parties to the Agreement.
6.2 Unless stated otherwise herein, all costs and expenses associated with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be paid by the party incurring such costs and expenses.
6.3 The headings and captions contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.
6.4 If any term or other provision of this Agreement is invalid, illegal or incapable of being enforced by any rule of law, or public policy, all other conditions and provisions of this Agreement shall nevertheless remain in full force and effect so long as the economic or legal substance of the transactions contemplated hereby is not affected in any manner adverse to any party. Upon such determination that any term or other provision is invalid, illegal or incapable of being enforced, the parties hereto shall negotiate in good faith to modify this Agreement so as to effect the original intent of the parties as closely as possible in an acceptable manner to the end that the transactions contemplated hereby are fulfilled to the extent possible.
6.5 This Agreement and the agreements and other documents delivered pursuant hereto set forth the entire understanding between the parties concerning the subject matter of this Agreement and incorporate or supersede all prior negotiations and understandings. There are no covenants, promises, agreements, conditions or understandings, either oral or written, between them relating to the subject matter of this Agreement other than those set forth herein.
6.6 Each and all of the provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and, except as otherwise specifically provided in this Agreement, their respective successors and assigns. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no party shall make any assignment of this Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder without the written consent of all other parties.
6.7 This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts without giving effect to the choice of law or conflicts of law provisions thereof.
6.8 This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, all of which shall constitute one and the same instrument, and any party hereto may execute this Agreement by signing one or more counterparts.
6.9 Nothing herein expressed or implied is intended or shall be construed to confer upon or give any person, other than the parties hereto and their successors or assigns, any rights or remedies under or by reason of this Agreement.
6.10 Any uncertainty or ambiguity existing herein shall not presumptively be interpreted against any party, but shall be interpreted according to the application of the rules of interpretation for arm's length agreements.
6.11 Each party expressly acknowledges the provision in the Articles of Incorporation of the Company and the Declaration of Trust of the Trust limiting the personal liability of shareholders and the officers and trustees of the Feeder Fund and the Master Portfolio, respectively.
6.12 The parties hereto agree and acknowledge that (a) the Company has entered into this Agreement solely on behalf of the Feeder Fund and that no other party shall have any obligation hereunder with respect to any liability of the Feeder Fund arising hereunder; (b) the Trust has entered into this Agreement solely on behalf of the Master Portfolio and that no other series of the Trust shall have any obligation hereunder with respect to any liability of the Master Portfolio arising hereunder; and (c) no series or feeder participant of the Master Portfolio shall be liable to any other series or feeder participant of the Master Portfolio.
6.13 It is expressly acknowledged and agreed that the obligations of the Trust hereunder shall not be binding upon any of the interest holders, Trustees, officers, employees or agents of the Trust personally, but shall bind only the trust property of the Trust, as provided in its Declaration of Trust. The
execution and delivery of this Agreement have been authorized by the Trustees of the Trust and this Agreement will be signed by an officer of the Trust, acting as such, and neither such authorization by such Trustees nor such execution and delivery by such officer shall be deemed to have been made by any of them individually or to impose any liability on any of them personally, but shall bind only the trust property of the Trust as provided in its Declaration of Trust.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be executed by their respective officers, thereunto duly authorized, as of the date first written above.
STATE STREET INSTITUTIONAL INVESTMENT
TRUST
By: /s/ Gary L. French ------------------------------------ Gary L. French Its: Treasurer |
STATE STREET MASTER FUNDS
By: /s/ James Ross ------------------------------------ James Ross, President Its: President |
Exhibit (h)(9)
MASTER FEEDER PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT
BETWEEN
STATE STREET INSTITUTIONAL INVESTMENT TRUST
AND
STATE STREET MASTER FUNDS
DATED AS OF
October 2, 2007
AGREEMENT
THIS AGREEMENT is made and entered into as of the 2nd day of October 2007, by and between State Street Institutional Investment Trust (the "Company"), on behalf of its State Street Institutional Treasury Plus Money Market Fund (the "Feeder Fund") and State Street Master Funds (the "Trust"), a trust organized under the common law of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, on behalf of its State Street Tax Free Limited Duration Bond Portfolio (the "Master Portfolio").
WITNESSETH
WHEREAS, the Feeder Fund and the Master Portfolio are each open-end management investment companies and the Feeder Fund and the Master Portfolio have the same investment objectives and substantively the same investment policies;
WHEREAS, the Feeder Fund desires to invest all of the its investable assets in the Master Portfolio in exchange for a beneficial interest in the Master Portfolio (the "Investment") on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing, the mutual promises herein made and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties agree as follows:
I
THE INVESTMENT
1.1 The Feeder Fund will invest all of its investable assets in the Master Portfolio and, in exchange therefor, the Master Portfolio agrees to issue to the Feeder Fund a beneficial interest in the Master Portfolio equal in value to the net value of the assets of the Feeder Fund conveyed to the Master Portfolio (the "Account"). The Feeder Fund may add to or reduce its investment in the Master Portfolio in the manner described in the Master Portfolio's registration statement on Form N-1A, as it may be amended from time to time (the "Master Portfolio's N-1A"). The Feeder Fund's aggregate interest in the Master Portfolio would then be recomputed in accordance with the method described in the Master Portfolio's N-1A.
1.2 On each date of Investment, the Feeder Fund shall authorize the Feeder Fund's custodian to deliver all of the assets held by such custodian to the Master Portfolio's custodian. The Master Portfolio's custodian shall acknowledge its acceptance of the assets. In addition, each party shall deliver to the other such bills of sale, checks, assignments, securities instruments, receipts or other documents as such other party or its counsel may reasonably request.
II
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
2.1 The Company on behalf of the Feeder Fund represents and warrants to the Trust and the Master Portfolio (which representations and warranties shall be deemed made at and as of this date and at and as of all times when this Agreement is in effect) that:
(a) The Feeder Fund is a series of State Street Institutional Investment Trust, which is a trust duly organized and validly existing under the laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and has the requisite power and authority to own its property and conduct its business as now being conducted and as proposed to be conducted pursuant to this Agreement.
(b) The execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Feeder Fund and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby have been duly authorized by all necessary action on the part of the Feeder Fund by the Company's Board of Directors and no other action or proceeding is necessary for the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company, the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder and the consummation by the Feeder Fund of the transactions contemplated hereby. This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Feeder Fund and constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Feeder Fund, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms.
(c) The Feeder Fund is not under the jurisdiction of a court in a proceeding under Title 11 of the United States Code (the "Bankruptcy Code") or similar case within the meaning of Section 368(a) (3) (A) of the Bankruptcy Code.
(d) The fiscal year end for the Feeder Fund is December 31.
(e) The Feeder Fund has duly filed all forms, reports, proxy statements and other documents (collectively, the "SEC Filings") required to be filed under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"), the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "1934 Act") or the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act" and, together with the 1933 Act and the 1934 Act, the "Securities Laws") in connection with the registration of its shares, any meetings of its shareholders and its registration as an investment company. The SEC Filings were prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Securities Laws, as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") thereunder, and did not at the time of their filing contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(f) The Feeder Fund has duly registered as an open-end management investment company under the 1940 Act and the Feeder Fund and its shares are registered or qualified in any states where such registration or qualification is necessary and such registrations or qualifications are in full force and effect. The Feeder Fund is and will at all times when it owns or purchases interests in the Master Portfolio be registered as an open-end investment company under the 1940 Act.
(g) The Feeder Fund understands and agrees that the interests in the Master Portfolio (the "Interests") have not been registered and will not be registered under the 1933 Act or any state securities law, and that the Interests offered and the offering of the Interests have not been approved, disapproved, or passed on by any federal or state regulatory agency or commission, securities or commodities exchange, or other self-regulatory organization. The sale of interests is being made privately by the Master Portfolio pursuant to the private placement exemption from registration provided by Section 4(2) of the 1933 Act.
(h) The Feeder Fund acknowledges that it has received copies of the Offering Memorandum of the Master Portfolio (the "Memorandum") and of the Master Portfolio's Declaration of Trust and By-Laws. The Feeder Fund has read, understands, and is fully familiar with each of those documents and has received adequate information concerning all matters that the Feeder Fund considers material to a decision to purchase the Interests.
(i) The Interests subscribed for will be acquired solely by and for the account of the Feeder Fund, solely for investment, and are not being purchased for resale or distribution. The Feeder Fund has no existing or contemplated agreement or arrangement with any person to sell, exchange, transfer, assign, pledge, or otherwise dispose of the interests. The Feeder Fund acknowledges and agrees that the interests are non-transferable.
(j) The Feeder Fund has relied solely upon the Memorandum, the advice of its tax or other advisers, and independent investigations made by the Feeder Fund in purchasing the Interests. No representations or agreements other than those set forth in the Memorandum have been made to the Feeder Fund by the Master Portfolio.
(k) The Feeder Fund agrees to notify the Trust promptly if there is any change with respect to any of the information, representations, or warranties contained herein and to provide such further information as the Trust may reasonably request.
(l) The Feeder Fund agrees to comply with the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001 ("AML Laws") and to provide documentation that demonstrates the compliance of the Feeder Fund, or its service providers on its behalf, as the case may be, with the AML Laws. The Feeder shall comply with such risk-based informational or other requirements as may reasonably be determined by the Trust's AML Compliance Officer to be necessary or appropriate in light of the Trusts' anti-money laundering program.
2.2 The Trust on behalf of the Master Portfolio represents and warrants to the Company and the Feeder Fund (which representations and warranties shall be deemed made at and as of this date and at all times when this Agreement is in effect) that:
(a) The Master Portfolio is a series of the State Street Master Funds, a trust duly organized and validly existing under the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, which has the requisite power and authority to own its property and conduct its business as now being conducted and as proposed to be conducted pursuant to this Agreement.
(b) The execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Trust and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby have been duly authorized by all necessary action on the part of the Trust by its Board of Trustees and no other action or proceeding is necessary for the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Trust, the performance by the Trust of its obligations hereunder and the consummation by the Trust of the transactions contemplated hereby. This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Trust and constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Trust, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms.
(c) The issuance by the Master Portfolio of the Interests in exchange for the Investment by the Feeder Fund of its assets has been duly authorized by all necessary action on the part of the Board of Trustees of the Trust. When issued in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, the Interests will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable by the Master Portfolio.
(d) The Master Portfolio is not under the jurisdiction of a court in a proceeding under Title 11 of the Bankruptcy Code or similar case within the meaning of Section 368(a)(3)(A) of the Bankruptcy Code.
(e) The fiscal year end of the Master Portfolio is December 31.
(f) The Master Portfolio has duly filed all SEC Filings required to be filed with the SEC pursuant to the 1934 Act and the 1940 Act in connection with any meetings of its investors and its registration as an investment company. The SEC Filings were prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Securities Laws, as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the SEC thereunder, and do not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(g) The Master Portfolio is duly registered as an open-end management investment company under the 1940 Act and such registration is in full force and effect.
III
COVENANTS AND INDEMNIFICATION
3.1 The Feeder Fund covenants that:
(a) The Feeder Fund will own no investment security other than its Account in the Master Portfolio for all periods during which this Agreement is in effect.
(b) If requested to vote on matters pertaining to the Master Portfolio, the Feeder Fund will (i) call a meeting of shareholders of the Feeder Fund for the purpose of seeking instructions from shareholders regarding such matters, (ii) vote the Feeder Fund's Interests proportionally as instructed by Feeder Fund shareholders, and (iii) vote the Feeder Fund's Interests with respect to the shares held by Feeder Fund shareholders who do not give voting instructions in the same proportion as the shares of Feeder Fund shareholders who do give voting instructions. The Feeder Fund will hold each such meeting of Feeder Fund shareholders in accordance with a timetable reasonably established by the Master Portfolio.
(c) The Feeder Fund will furnish the Master Portfolio, at least five
(5) business days prior to filing or first use, as the case may be, with drafts
of amendments to its registration statement on Form N-lA and prospectus
supplements or amendments relating to the Feeder Fund. The Feeder Fund will
furnish the Master Portfolio with any proposed advertising or sales literature
relating to the Feeder Fund at least three (3) business days prior to filing or
first use; provided, however, that such advance notice shall not be required for
advertising or sales literature that merely references the name of the Feeder
Fund. The Feeder Fund agrees that it will include in all such Feeder Fund
documents any disclosures that may be required by law and it will include in all
such Feeder Fund documents any material comments reasonably made by the Master
Portfolio and its counsel. The Master Portfolio will, however, in no way be
liable for any errors or omissions in such documents, whether or not it makes
any objection thereto, except to the extent such errors or omissions result from
information provided in
writing by the Master Portfolio specifically for use therein. The Feeder Fund will not make any other written or oral representation about the Master Portfolio without its prior written consent.
(d) The Feeder Fund agrees to comply with the AML Laws and to provide such information and documentation, including copies of procedures and certifications, evidencing compliance with the AML Laws as may be requested by the Master Portfolio from time to time.
3.2 Indemnification by Feeder Fund.
(a) Feeder Fund will indemnify and hold harmless the Master Portfolio, and the Trust and its respective trustees, directors, officers and employees and each other person who controls the Master Portfolio, as the case may be, within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act (each, a "Covered Person" and collectively, "Covered Persons"), against any and all losses, claims, demands, damages, liabilities and expenses (each, a "Liability" and collectively, the "Liabilities") (including the reasonable cost of investigating and defending against any claims therefor and any counsel fees and expenses incurred in connection therewith), joint or several, that
(i) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in any registration statement, any prospectus, or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or any advertisement or sales literature, or any other document or publication filed, created, or published or otherwise disseminated by the Feeder Fund, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; provided, however, that the Feeder Fund will not be liable in any such case to the extent that such Liability arises out of or is based upon any untrue statement or omission in or from any thereof in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Feeder Fund by the Master Portfolio specifically for use therein;
(ii) result from the failure of any representation or warranty made by the Company on behalf of the Feeder Fund to be accurate when made or the failure of the Company or the Feeder Fund to perform any covenant contained herein or to otherwise comply with the terms of this Agreement; or
(iii) arise out of any failure of the Feeder Fund or any director, officer, employee or agent of the Company, to comply with any applicable law.
(b) The Feeder Fund will be entitled to participate at its own expense in the defense or, if it so elects, to assume the defense of any suit brought to enforce any such liability, but, if the Feeder Fund elects to assume the defense, such defense shall be conducted by counsel chosen by the Feeder Fund and reasonably acceptable to the Master Portfolio. In the event the Feeder Fund elects to assume the defense of any such suit and retain such counsel, each Covered Person and any other defendant or defendants may retain additional counsel, but shall bear the fees and expenses of such counsel unless (A) the Feeder Fund shall have specifically authorized the retaining of such counsel or (B) the parties to such suit include any Covered Person and the Feeder Fund, and any such Covered Person has been advised by counsel that one or more legal defenses may be available to it that may not be available to the Feeder Fund, in which case the Feeder Fund shall not be entitled to assume the defense of such suit notwithstanding its obligation to bear the fees and expenses of such counsel. The Feeder Fund shall not be liable to indemnify any Covered Person for any settlement of any claim effected without the Feeder Fund's written consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed. The indemnities set forth in paragraph (a) will be in addition to any liability that the Feeder Fund might otherwise have to a Covered Person.
3.3 Indemnification by the Master Portfolio.
(a) The Master Portfolio will indemnify and hold harmless the Feeder Fund and the Company and its respective directors, officers and employees and each other person who controls the Feeder Fund, as the case may be, within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act (each, a "Covered Person" and collectively, "Covered Persons"), against any and all losses, claims, demands, damages, liabilities and expenses (each, a "Liability" and collectively, the "Liabilities") (including the reasonable costs of investigating and defending against any claims therefor and any counsel fees incurred in connection therewith), joint or several; that
(i) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in the Master Portfolio's N-1A, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; provided, however, that the Master Portfolio will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such Liability arises out of or is based upon any untrue statement or omission in or from the Master Portfolio's N-1A made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Master Portfolio by the Feeder Fund specifically for use therein (for this purpose, information of any kind contained in any filing by the Feeder Fund with the Securities and Exchange Commission being deemed to have been so furnished to the Master Portfolio); or
(ii) result from the failure of any representation or warranty made by the Master Portfolio to be accurate when made or the failure of the Master Portfolio to perform any covenant contained herein or to otherwise comply with the terms of this Agreement.
(b) The Master Portfolio will be entitled to participate at its own expense in the defense or, if it so elects, to assume the defense of any suit brought to enforce any such liability, but, if the Master Portfolio elects to assume the defense, such defense shall be conducted by counsel chosen by the Master Portfolio. In the event that the Master Portfolio elects to assume the defense of any such suit and retain such counsel, each Covered Person and any other defendant or defendants may retain additional counsel, but shall bear the fees and expenses of such counsel unless (A) the Master Portfolio shall have specifically authorized the retaining of such counsel or (B) the parties to such suit include any Covered Person and the Master Portfolio, and any such Covered Person has been advised by counsel that one or more legal defenses may be available to it that may not be available to the Master Portfolio, in which case the Master Portfolio shall not be entitled to assume the defense of such suit notwithstanding its obligation to bear the fees and expenses of such counsel. The Master Portfolio shall not be liable to indemnify any Covered Person for any settlement of any claim affected without the Master Portfolio's written consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed. The indemnities set forth in paragraph (a) will be in addition to any liability that the Master Portfolio might otherwise have to a Covered Person.
3.4 Allocation of Losses.
(a) If the indemnification provided for in Section 3.2 or Section 3.3 is for any reason unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless a Covered Person in respect of any losses, claims, demands, damages, liabilities, or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount of any losses, claims, demands, damages, liabilities, or expenses incurred by such Covered Person in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the Feeder Fund and the Master Portfolio in connection with the statements or omissions or other action or failure to act which resulted in such losses, liabilities, claims, damages, or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.
(b) In the case of any such untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact, the relative fault of the Feeder Fund and the Master Portfolio shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission related to information supplied by the Feeder Fund or the Master Portfolio and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information, and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
(c) The Feeder Fund and the Master Portfolio agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 3.4 were determined by any method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this Section 3.4. The aggregate amount of losses, claims, demands, damages, liabilities, and expenses incurred by a Covered Person and referred to above in this Section 3.4 shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Covered Person in investigating, preparing, or defending against any litigation or any investigation or proceeding or any such claims and reasonable counsel fees and expenses incurred in connection therewith.
(d) For purposes of this Section 3.4, each person, if any, who controls the Feeder Fund or the Master Portfolio within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, shall have the same rights to contribution as the Feeder Fund or the Master Portfolio, as the case may be, and each director or trustee, officer, or employee of the Trust or the Company and each officer thereof who signed a registration statement shall have the same rights to contribution as the Feeder Fund or the Master Portfolio, as the case may be.
IV
ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS
4.1 Each party agrees that it shall hold in strict confidence all data and information, including any and all portfolio holdings information, obtained from the other party (unless such information is or becomes readily ascertainable from public or published information or trade sources) and shall ensure that its officers, employees and authorized representatives do not disclose such information to others without the prior written consent of the party from whom it was obtained, except if disclosure is required by the SEC, any other regulatory body or the Feeder Fund's or Master Portfolio's respective auditors, or in the opinion of counsel such disclosure is required by law, and then only with as much prior written notice to the other party as is practical under the circumstances.
4.2 No party shall issue any press release or otherwise make any public statements with respect to the matters covered by this Agreement without the prior consent of the other parties hereto, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld; provided, however, that consent shall not be required if, in the opinion of counsel, such disclosure is required by law, provided further, however, that the party making such disclosure shall provide the other parties hereto with as much prior written notice of such disclosure as is practical under the circumstances.
V
TERMINATION, AMENDMENT AND WAIVER
5.1 Termination.
(a) This Agreement may be terminated by the Company upon five (5) business days notice to the Trust.
(b) This Agreement may be terminated at any time by the Company by withdrawing all of the Feeder Fund's Interest in the Master Portfolio.
(c) This Agreement may be terminated on not less than 120 days' prior written notice by the Trust to the Company.
(d) This Agreement may be terminated at any time immediately upon written notice to the other parties in the event that formal proceedings are instituted against another party to this Agreement by the SEC or any other regulatory body, provided that the terminating party has a reasonable belief that the institution of the proceeding is not without foundation and will have a material adverse impact on the terminating party.
(e) The indemnification and contribution obligations set forth in Article III and the confidentiality provisions in Section 4.1 shall survive the termination of this Agreement.
5.2 This Agreement may be amended, modified or supplemented at any time in such manner as may be mutually agreed upon in writing by the parties.
VI
GENERAL PROVISIONS
6.1 All notices and other communications given or made pursuant hereto shall to in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given or made when actually received in person or by fax, or three days after being sent by certified or registered United States mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, addressed as follows:
If to the Feeder Fund:
State Street Institutional Investment Trust
c/o State Street Bank and Trust Company
P.O. Box 5049
Boston, MA 02206
Attn: Tim Walsh
If to the Master Portfolio:
State Street Master Funds
c/o State Street Bank and Trust Company
P.O. Box 5049
Boston, MA 02206
Attn: Tim Walsh
Either party to this Agreement may change the identity of the person to receive notice by providing written notice thereof to all other parties to the Agreement.
6.2 Unless stated otherwise herein, all costs and expenses associated with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be paid by the party incurring such costs and expenses.
6.3 The headings and captions contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.
6.4 If any term or other provision of this Agreement is invalid, illegal or incapable of being enforced by any rule of law, or public policy, all other conditions and provisions of this Agreement shall nevertheless remain in full force and effect so long as the economic or legal substance of the transactions contemplated hereby is not affected in any manner adverse to any party. Upon such determination that any term or other provision is invalid, illegal or incapable of being enforced, the parties hereto shall negotiate in good faith to modify this Agreement so as to effect the original intent of the parties as closely as possible in an acceptable manner to the end that the transactions contemplated hereby are fulfilled to the extent possible.
6.5 This Agreement and the agreements and other documents delivered pursuant hereto set forth the entire understanding between the parties concerning the subject matter of this Agreement and incorporate or supersede all prior negotiations and understandings. There are no covenants, promises, agreements, conditions or understandings, either oral or written, between them relating to the subject matter of this Agreement other than those set forth herein.
6.6 Each and all of the provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and, except as otherwise specifically provided in this Agreement, their respective successors and assigns. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no party shall make any assignment of this Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder without the written consent of all other parties.
6.7 This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts without giving effect to the choice of law or conflicts of law provisions thereof.
6.8 This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, all of which shall constitute one and the same instrument, and any party hereto may execute this Agreement by signing one or more counterparts.
6.9 Nothing herein expressed or implied is intended or shall be construed to confer upon or give any person, other than the parties hereto and their successors or assigns, any rights or remedies under or by reason of this Agreement.
6.10 Any uncertainty or ambiguity existing herein shall not presumptively be interpreted against any party, but shall be interpreted according to the application of the rules of interpretation for arm's length agreements.
6.11 Each party expressly acknowledges the provision in the Articles of Incorporation of the Company and the Declaration of Trust of the Trust limiting the personal liability of shareholders and the officers and trustees of the Feeder Fund and the Master Portfolio, respectively.
6.12 The parties hereto agree and acknowledge that (a) the Company has entered into this Agreement solely on behalf of the Feeder Fund and that no other party shall have any obligation hereunder with respect to any liability of the Feeder Fund arising hereunder; (b) the Trust has entered into this Agreement solely on behalf of the Master Portfolio and that no other series of the Trust shall have any obligation hereunder with respect to any liability of the Master Portfolio arising hereunder; and (c) no series or feeder participant of the Master Portfolio shall be liable to any other series or feeder participant of the Master Portfolio.
6.13 It is expressly acknowledged and agreed that the obligations of the Trust hereunder shall not be binding upon any of the interest holders, Trustees, officers, employees or agents of the Trust personally, but shall bind only the trust property of the Trust, as provided in its Declaration of Trust. The
execution and delivery of this Agreement have been authorized by the Trustees of the Trust and this Agreement will be signed by an officer of the Trust, acting as such, and neither such authorization by such Trustees nor such execution and delivery by such officer shall be deemed to have been made by any of them individually or to impose any liability on any of them personally, but shall bind only the trust property of the Trust as provided in its Declaration of Trust.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be executed by their respective officers, thereunto duly authorized, as of the date first written above.
STATE STREET INSTITUTIONAL INVESTMENT
TRUST
By: /s/ Gary L. French ------------------------------------ Gary L. French Its: Treasurer |
STATE STREET MASTER FUNDS
By: /s/ James Ross ------------------------------------ James Ross, President Its: President |
Ex. (m)(1)
RULE 12b-1 PLAN
State Street Institutional Investment Trust
1. The Trust. The State Street Institutional Investment Trust (the "Trust") is an open-end management investment company registered as such under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"), and organized as a series trust (each such series is referred to herein as a "Fund").
2. The Plan. The Trust desires to adopt a plan of distribution pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act with respect to the shares of beneficial interest ("Shares") of each Fund, and the Board of Trustees of the Trust (the "Board of Trustees") has determined that there is a reasonable likelihood that adoption of this Rule 12b-1 Plan (the "Plan") will benefit each Fund (each a "Designated Fund" and collectively the "Designated Funds") and their holders of Shares. Accordingly, each Designated Fund hereby adopts this Plan in accordance with Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act on the following terms and conditions (capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein have the meanings assigned thereto in the Funds' registration statement under the 1940 Act and under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, as such registration statement is amended by any amendments thereto at the time in effect).
3. The Distributor. The Trust has entered into a written Distribution Agreement with ALPS Distributors, Inc., formerly ALPS Mutual Funds Services, Inc. (the "Distributor"), pursuant to which the Distributor will act as the exclusive distributor with respect to the distribution of Shares as described in the Funds' registration statement of each Fund.
4. Payments. Each Designated Fund may pay fees pursuant to this Plan at annual rates as may hereafter be determined by the Board of Trustees, which rates shall not exceed the rates set forth on Exhibit A attached hereto. All agreements related to this Plan shall be in writing and shall provide: (A) that such agreement may be terminated at any time, without payment of any penalty, by vote of a majority of Trustees who are not "interested persons" of the Trust (as defined in the 1940 Act) and who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operator of this Plan or in any agreement related to this Plan (the "Independent Trustees") or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Designated Fund, on not more than 60 days' written notice to any other party to the agreement, and (B) that such agreement shall terminate automatically in the event of its assignment (as defined in the 1940 Act).
5. Effective Date. This Plan shall become effective upon approval by a vote of both a majority of the Board of Trustees and a majority of the Independent Trustees, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on this Plan.
6. Term. This Plan shall, unless terminated as hereinafter provided, remain in effect with respect to the Designated Fund for one year from its effective date and shall continue thereafter, provided that its continuance is specifically approved at least annually by a vote of both a majority of the Trustees and a majority of Independent Trustees, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on this Plan.
7. Amendment. This Plan may be amended at any time by the Board of Trustees, provided that (a) any amendment to increase materially the rate at which payments may be made by a
Designated Fund under this Plan shall be effective only upon approval by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as such term is defined in the 1940 Act) of the Designated Fund, and (b) any material amendment of this Plan shall be effective only upon approval by a vote of both a majority of the Board of Trustees and a majority of the Independent Trustees, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such amendment.
8. Termination. This Plan may be terminated at any time, without payment of any penalty, by vote of a majority of the Independent Trustees, or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as such term is defined in the 1940 Act) of the Designated Fund. In the event of termination or non-continuance of this Plan, the Trust may reimburse any expense that it incurred prior to such termination or non-continuance, provided that such reimbursement is specifically approved by both a majority of the Board of Trustees and a majority of the Independent Trustees.
9. Reports. While this Plan is in effect, the Distributor shall provide to the Trustees, and the Trustees shall review, at least quarterly, a written report of the amounts expended pursuant to the Plan and the purposes for which such expenditures were made.
10. Records. The Trust shall preserve copies of this Plan, each agreement related hereto and each report referred to in paragraph 9 hereof for a period of at least six years from the date of the Plan, agreement and report, the first two years in an easily accessible place.
11. Independent Trustees. While this Plan is in effect, the selection and nomination of Independent Trustees shall be committed to the discretion of the Trustees who are not "interested persons" of the Trust (as defined in the 1940 Act).
12. Severability. If any provision of the Plan shall be held or made invalid by a court decision, statute, rule or otherwise, the remainder of the Plan shall not be affected thereby.
Plan adopted: February 28, 2000
Amended: September 17, 2007; May 15, 2008
EXHIBIT A
The fees payable to the Distributor under this Plan shall not exceed, with respect to a particular Fund and its classes of shares, if applicable, on an annualized basis, the percentage of such class's average daily net assets set forth below next to the class's name.
FUND AND CLASS FEE LIMITATION -------------- -------------- State Street Equity 500 Index Fund Administrative Shares 0.15% Service Shares 0.25% Class R Shares 0.60% State Street Equity 400 Index Fund 0.25% State Street Equity 2000 Index Fund 0.25% State Street Aggregate Bond Index Fund 0.25% State Street Institutional Liquid Reserves Fund Institutional Class 0.00% [Name of Class] 0.00% Investment Class 0.10% State Street Institutional U.S. Government Money Market Fund Institutional Class 0.00% Investment Class 0.10% State Street Institutional Limited Duration Bond Fund 0.05% State Street Institutional Tax Free Limited Duration Bond Fund 0.05% State Street Institutional Tax Free Money Market Fund Institutional Class 0.00% Investment Class 0.10% State Street Institutional Treasury Fund Institutional Class 0.00% Investment Class 0.10% State Street Institutional Treasury Plus Fund Institutional Class 0.00% Investment Class 0.10% |
Ex. (m)(2)
STATE STREET INSTITUTIONAL INVESTMENT TRUST
SHAREHOLDER SERVICING PLAN
Effective May 15, 2008
This Shareholder Servicing Plan (the "Plan") constitutes the Shareholder Servicing Plan relating to the [Name of Class] Class shares (the "Shares") of each Fund listed on Exhibit I hereto (collectively, the "Funds"), each a series of State Street Institutional Investment Trust, a Massachusetts business trust (the "Trust").
Section 1. The Trust, on behalf the [Name of Class] Class of Shares of a Fund, may pay to [ ], or such other entity as shall from time to time act as the shareholder servicer of the [Name of Class] Class of the Fund's Shares (the "Shareholder Servicer"), a fee (the "Shareholder Service Fee") for services rendered and expenses borne by the Shareholder Servicer in connection with the provision of personal services provided to investors in Shares of the Funds and/or the maintenance of shareholder accounts, at an annual rate not to exceed the percentage set forth on the Service Fee Schedule attached as Exhibit II hereto of the Fund's average daily net assets attributable to the Shares. The Shareholder Service Fee shall be computed and accrued daily, and paid monthly or at such other intervals as the Trustees shall determine. The Shareholder Servicer may pay all or any portion of the Shareholder Service Fee to shareholder servicing agents or other organizations (including, but not limited to, any affiliate of the Fund's investment adviser or of the Shareholder Servicer) as service fees pursuant to agreements with such organizations for providing personal services to investors in Shares of the Funds and/or the maintenance of shareholder accounts, and may retain all or any portion of the Shareholder Service Fee as compensation for providing personal services to investors in Shares of the Funds and/or the maintenance of shareholder accounts.
Section 2. This Plan shall not take effect until it has been approved by votes of the majority of both (a) the Trustees of the Trust, and (b) the Independent Trustees of the Trust. This Plan shall continue in effect for a period of more than one year after the date this Plan takes effect, but only so long as such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by votes of the majority of both (a) the Trustees of the Trust, and (b) the Independent Trustees of the Trust.
Section 3. The Shareholder Servicer shall provide to the Trustees of the Trust, and the Trustees shall review, at least annually, a written report of the amounts so expended and the general purposes for which such expenditures were made.
Section 4. This Plan may be terminated at any time by vote of a majority of the Independent Trustees.
Section 5. All agreements with any person relating to implementation of this Plan shall be in writing, and any agreement related to this Plan shall provide:
A. That such agreement may be terminated at any time, without payment of any penalty, by vote of a majority of the Independent Trustees, on not more than 60 days' written notice to any other party to the agreement; and
B. That such agreement shall terminate automatically in the event of its assignment; provided, however, in the event of consolidation or merger in which the Shareholder Servicer is not the surviving corporation or which results in the acquisition of substantially all the Shareholder Servicer's outstanding stock by a single person or entity or by a group of persons and/or entities acting in concert, or in the event of the sale or transfer of substantially all the Shareholder Servicer's assets, the Shareholder Servicer may assign any such agreement to such surviving entity, acquiring entity, assignee or purchaser, as the case may be.
Section 6. This Plan may not be amended to increase materially the amount of expenses permitted pursuant to Section 1 hereof without approval in the manner provided for the continuation of this Plan in Section 2 hereof.
Section 7. As used in this Plan, (a) the term "Independent Trustees" shall mean those Trustees of the Trust who are not interested persons of the Trust, and have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of this Plan or any agreements related to it, and (b) the terms "assignment" and "interested person" shall have the respective meanings specified in the Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, all subject to such exemptions as may be granted by the Securities and Exchange Commission.
EXHIBIT I
State Street Institutional Liquid Reserves Fund State Street Institutional U.S. Government Money Market Fund State Street Institutional Tax Free Money Market Fund State Street Institutional Treasury Money Market Fund State Street Institutional Treasury Plus Money Market Fund
SERVICE FEE SCHEDULE EXHIBIT II
[NAME OF CLASS] CLASS SHARES
FUND SERVICE FEE ---- ----------- State Street Institutional Liquid Reserves Fund 0.05% State Street Institutional U.S. Government Money Market Fund 0.05% State Street Institutional Tax Free Money Market Fund 0.05% State Street Institutional Treasury Money Market Fund 0.05% State Street Institutional Treasury Money Market Plus Fund 0.05% |
EX. (n)(1)
STATE STREET INSTITUTIONAL INVESTMENT TRUST
Plan pursuant to Rule 18f-3(d) under the Investment Company Act of 1940
WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees of the State Street Institutional Investment Trust (the "Trust") has considered the following multi-class plan (the "Plan") under which the Trust may offer multiple classes of shares of its now existing and hereafter created series pursuant to Rule 18f-3 (the "Rule") under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the "1940 Act"); and
WHEREAS, a majority of the Trustees of the Trust and a majority of the Trustees who are not interested persons of the Trust have found the Plan, as proposed, to be in the best interests of each class of shares of each series of the Trust individually and the Trust as a whole.
NOW, THEREFORE, the Trust hereby approves and adopts the following Plan pursuant to the Rule.
THE PLAN
Each now existing and hereafter created series ("Fund") of the Trust may from time to time issue one or more classes of shares, as detailed on Exhibit A (each a "Class" and collectively, the "Classes"). Each Class is subject to such investment minimums and other conditions of eligibility as are set forth in the Trust's prospectuses, each as from time to time in effect (each, a "Prospectus"). The differences in expenses between these Classes of shares, and the exchange features of each Class of shares, are set forth below in this Plan, which is subject to change, to the extent permitted by law and by the Agreement and Declaration of Trust and Bylaws of the Trust, as amended from time to time, by action of the Board of Trustees of the Trust. There are no conversion rights or features relating to Classes of shares. Nothing in this Plan shall limit the authority of the Trustees to create additional classes of shares of any Fund.
CLASS CHARACTERISTICS
The Classes of shares of a Fund represent interests in the assets of such Fund. The Classes differ materially only with respect to the amount of Rule 12b-1 fees (the "Rule 12b-1 Fees") borne by the Classes. Rule 12b-1 Fees are paid under a plan adopted pursuant to Rule 12b-1 promulgated under the 1940 Act (the "Rule 12b-1 Plan") relating to the Classes of shares adopted by the Trustees of the Trust.
EXPENSE ALLOCATIONS
Each Class pays Rule 12b-1 Fees as described in Exhibit A. Each Class may, at the Trustees' discretion, also pay a different share of other expenses, not including
advisory or custodial fees or other expenses related to the management of the Trust's assets, if these expenses are actually incurred in a different amount by that Class, or if the Class receives services of a different kind or to a different degree than the other Classes ("Class Expenses"). All other expenses will be allocated to each Class on the basis of the net asset value of that Class in relation to the net asset value of a particular Fund attributable to that Class.
VOTING RIGHTS
Each Class of shares of each Fund has identical voting rights except that each Class has exclusive voting rights on any matter submitted to shareholders that relates solely to that Class, and has separate voting rights on any matter submitted to shareholders in which the interests of one Class differ from the interests of any other Class. In matters as to which one or more Classes do not have exclusive voting rights, all Classes of shares of a Fund will vote together, except when a Class vote is required by the 1940 Act.
AMENDMENTS
The Plan may be amended from time to time in accordance with the provisions and requirements of the Rule.
Effective May 19, 2005
Amended September 17, 2007; May 15, 2008
EXHIBIT A
STATE STREET EQUITY 500 INDEX FUND:
CLASS NAME RULE 12B-1 FEE --------------------- -------------- Administrative Shares An annual rate of up to .15% of the Fund's average daily net assets. Service Shares An annual rate of up to .25% of the Fund's average daily net assets. Class R Shares An annual rate of up to .60% of the Fund's average daily net assets. |
STATE STREET INSTITUTIONAL LIQUID RESERVES FUND, STATE STREET INSTITUTIONAL TAX FREE MONEY MARKET FUND, STATE STREET INSTITUTIONAL U.S. GOVERNMENT MONEY MARKET FUND, STATE STREET INSTITUTIONAL TREASURY MONEY MARKET FUND, STATE STREET INSTITUTIONAL TREASURY PLUS MONEY MARKET FUND:
CLASS NAME RULE 12B-1 FEE --------------------- -------------- Institutional Shares An annual rate of 0% of the Fund's average daily net assets. [Name of Class] An annual rate of up to .05% of the Fund's average daily Shares net assets. Investment Shares An annual rate of up to .35% of the Fund's average daily net assets. |