Silver Point Specialty Credit Fund 10-12G Registration of securities

Exhibit 10.3

EXECUTION

AMENDED AND RESTATED CUSTODY AGREEMENT

dated as of November 17, 2021

by and between

SILVER POINT SPECIALTY LENDING FUND

(“Company”)

and

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

(“Custodian” and “Document Custodian”)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

		Page
1.	DEFINITIONS		1
2.	APPOINTMENT OF CUSTODIAN		7
3.	DUTIES OF CUSTODIAN		8
4.	REPORTING		20
5.	DEPOSIT IN U.S. SECURITIES SYSTEMS		20
6.	SECURITIES HELD OUTSIDE OF THE UNITED STATES		21
7.	CERTAIN GENERAL TERMS		23
8.	COMPENSATION OF CUSTODIAN		26
9.	RESPONSIBILITY OF CUSTODIAN		27
10.	SECURITY CODES		30
11.	TAX LAW		31
12.	EFFECTIVE PERIOD AND TERMINATION		31
13.	REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES		32
14.	PARTIES IN INTEREST; NO THIRD PARTY BENEFIT		33
15.	NOTICES		33
16.	CHOICE OF LAW AND JURISDICTION		34
17.	ENTIRE AGREEMENT; COUNTERPARTS		34
18.	AMENDMENT; WAIVER		35
19.	SUCCESSOR AND ASSIGNS		35
20.	SEVERABILITY		36
21.	REQUEST FOR INSTRUCTIONS		36
22.	OTHER BUSINESS		36
23.	REPRODUCTION OF DOCUMENTS		36
24.	MISCELLANEOUS		36

THIS AMENDED AND RESTATED CUSTODY AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is dated as of November 17, 2021 and is by and between SILVER POINT SPECIALTY LENDING FUND, a Maryland statutory trust (together with its predecessors, successors and permitted assigns, the “Company”), and U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, a national banking association, as custodian (in its capacity as custodian under this Agreement, or any successor or permitted assign acting in such capacity, the “Custodian”) and as document custodian (in such capacity, along with any successor or permitted assign acting in such capacity, the “Document Custodian”).

RECITALS

WHEREAS, the Company and the Custodian have entered into that certain Custody Agreement dated as of June 17, 2005 (the “Original Agreement”);

WHEREAS, the Company converted from a Delaware limited partnership to a Maryland statutory trust on November 15, 2021;

WHEREAS, the parties desire to amend and restate the Original Agreement in its entirety in accordance with the terms hereof;

WHEREAS, the Company is a closed-end management investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), which will elect to be regulated as a business development company;

WHEREAS, the Company desires to retain U.S. Bank National Association to act as custodian and as document custodian for the Company and each Subsidiary hereafter identified to the Custodian and the Document Custodian;

WHEREAS, the Company desires that certain of the Company’s and, if applicable, the Subsidiaries’ Securities (as defined below) and cash be held and administered by the Custodian pursuant to this Agreement; and

WHEREAS, the Company desires that certain of the Company’s and, if applicable, the Subsidiaries’ Loan Files (as defined below) be held by the Document Custodian pursuant to this Agreement.

NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements contained herein, the parties hereto agree as follows:

1. DEFINITIONS

1.1     Defined Terms. In addition to terms expressly defined elsewhere herein, the following words shall have the following meanings as used in this Agreement:

“Account” or “Accounts” means the Cash Account, the Securities Account, any Subsidiary Cash Account and any Subsidiary Securities Account, collectively.

“Agreement” means this Custody Agreement (as the same may be amended from time to time in accordance with the terms hereof).

“Authorized Person” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.4.

“Business Day” means a day on which the Custodian, the Document Custodian or the relevant sub-custodian, including a Foreign Sub-custodian, is open for business in the market or country in which a transaction is to take place.    

“Cash Account” or “Cash Accounts” means the accounts to be established at the Custodian to which the Custodian shall deposit and hold any cash Proceeds received by it from time to time from or with respect to any Securities owned by the Company or any securities issued by the Company, which accounts shall be designated the “Silver Point Specialty Lending Fund Cash Interest Proceeds Account” and the “Silver Point Specialty Lending Fund Cash Principal Proceeds Account.”

“Company” means Silver Point Specialty Lending Fund its successors or permitted assigns.

“Confidential Information” means any databases, computer programs, screen formats, screen designs, report formats, interactive design techniques, and other similar or related information that may be furnished to the Company by the Custodian from time to time pursuant to this Agreement.

“Custodian” has the meaning set forth in the first paragraph of this Agreement.

“Document Custodian” means the Custodian when acting in the role of a document custodian hereunder.

“Eligible Investment” means any investment that at the time of its acquisition is one or more of the following:

(a)    United States government and agency obligations;

(b)    commercial paper having a rating assigned to such commercial paper by Standard & Poor’s Rating Services or Moody’s Investor Service, Inc. (or, if neither such organization shall rate such commercial paper at such time, by any nationally recognized rating organization in the United States of America) equal to one of the two highest ratings assigned by such organization, it being understood that as of the date hereof such ratings by Standard & Poor’s Rating Services are “A1+” and “A1” and such ratings by Moody’s Investor Service, Inc. are “P1” and “P2”;

(c)    interest bearing deposits in United States dollars in United States banks with an unrestricted surplus of at least U.S. $250,000,000, maturing within one year; and

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(d)    money market funds (including funds of the bank serving as Custodian or its affiliates) or United States government securities funds designed to maintain a fixed share price and high liquidity.

“Eligible Securities Depository” has the meaning set forth in Section (b)(1) of Rule 17f-7 under the 1940 Act.

“ERISA” has the meaning set forth in Section 13.1(c).

“Federal Reserve Bank Book-Entry System” means a depository and securities transfer system operated by the Federal Reserve Bank of the United States on which are eligible to be held all United States Government direct obligation bills, notes and bonds.

“Financing Documents” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.3(b)(ii).

“Foreign Sub-custodian” means and includes any sub-custodian appointed to administer any of the Company’s Foreign Securities, pursuant to Section 6 below.

“Foreign Securities” means Securities for which the primary market is outside the United States.

“Investment Manager” means Silver Point Specialty Credit Fund Management, LLC, or any successor Investment Manager identified to the Custodian or the Document Custodian by the Company in writing.

“Loan” means any loan, or participation therein, made by a bank or other financial institution that by its terms provides for payments of principal and/or interest, including discount obligations and payment-in-kind obligations, acquired by the Company from time to time.

“Loan Checklist” means a list delivered by the Company (or the Investment Manager on its behalf) to the Document Custodian in connection with delivery of a Loan to the Document Custodian that identifies the items contained in the related Loan File.

“Loan File” means, with respect to each Loan delivered to the Document Custodian, each of the Required Loan Documents identified on the related Loan Checklist.

“Noteless Loan” means a Loan with respect to which (i) the related loan agreement does not require the obligor to execute and deliver an Underlying Note to evidence the indebtedness created under such Loan and (ii) no Underlying Notes are outstanding with respect to the portion of the Loan transferred by the issuer or the prior holder of record.

“Participation” means an interest in a Loan that is acquired indirectly by way of a participation from a selling institution.

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“Person” means any individual, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, association, joint stock company, trust (including any beneficiary thereof) unincorporated organization, or any government or agency or political subdivision thereof.

“Plan-assets Vehicle” has the meaning set forth in Section 13.1(c).

“Proceeds” means, collectively, (i) the net cash proceeds to the Company of the initial public offering by the Company and any subsequent offering by the Company of any class of securities issued by the Company, (ii) cash distributions, earnings, dividends, fees and other cash payments paid on the Securities (or, as applicable, Subsidiary Securities) by or on behalf of the issuer or obligor thereof, or applicable paying agent, (iii) the net cash proceeds of the sale or other disposition of the Securities (or, as applicable, Subsidiary Securities) pursuant to the terms of this Agreement (and any Reinvestment Earnings from investment of the foregoing, as defined in Section 3.6(b) hereof) and (iv) the net cash proceeds to the Company of any borrowing or other financing by the Company.

“Proper Instructions” means instructions (including Trade Confirmations) received by the Custodian in form acceptable to it, from the Company, the Investment Manager or any Person duly authorized by the Company or the Investment Manager in any of the following forms acceptable to the Custodian:

(a)    in writing signed by an Authorized Person (and delivered by hand, by mail, by overnight courier or by telecopier);

(b)    by electronic mail from an Authorized Person; or

(c)    such other means as may be agreed upon from time to time by the Custodian and the party giving such instructions, including oral instructions and any SWIFT Transmissions (as defined herein).    

provided that, for any instruction involving a transfer or other disbursement of cash or assets to a third party, the Custodian shall confirm that such instruction is authorized by an authorized representative of the Investment Manager by telephone call-back at the telephone number designated in writing by the Company from time to time; provided, further, however, that such confirmation shall only be required to the extent that a prior instruction to transfer or disburse cash or assets to such third party has not been confirmed.

“Reinvestment Earnings” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.6.

“Request for Release” means a request for release of any Loan File, which request shall be either (i) delivered to the Document Custodian substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto or (ii) as otherwise agreed to between the Document Custodian and the Company.

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“Required Loan Documents” means, for each Loan, the relevant Underlying Loan Documents that the Company delivers to the Custodian from time to time, which shall include a Loan Checklist identifying for such Loan the Required Loan Documents to be delivered and which may include:

(a)    other than in the case of a Participation, an executed copy of the Assignment for such Loan, as identified on the Loan Checklist;

(b)    with the exception of Noteless Loans and Participations, the original executed Underlying Note endorsed by the issuer or the prior holder of record in blank or to the Company, as identified on the Loan Checklist;

(c)    an executed copy of the Underlying Loan Agreement (which may be included in the Underlying Note if so indicated in the Loan Checklist), together with a copy of all amendments and modifications thereto, as identified on the Loan Checklist;

(d)    a copy of each related security agreement (if any) signed by the applicable Obligor(s), as identified on the Loan Checklist;

(e)    a copy of the Loan Checklist; and

(f)    a copy of each related guarantee (if any) then executed in connection with such Loan, as identified on the Loan Checklist.

“Security or Securities” means, collectively, the (i) investments, including Loans, acquired by the Company and delivered to the Custodian by the Company from time to time during the term of, and pursuant to the terms of, this Agreement and (ii) all dividends in kind (e.g., non-cash dividends) from the investments described in clause (i). For avoidance of doubt, the term “securities” includes stocks, shares, bonds, debentures, notes, or other obligations and any certificates, receipts, warrants or other instruments representing rights to receive, purchase, or subscribe for the same, or evidencing or representing any other rights or interests therein, or in any property or assets.

“Securities Account” means the segregated account to be established at the Custodian to which the Custodian shall deposit or credit and hold the Securities (other than Loans) received by it pursuant to this Agreement, which account shall be designated the “Silver Point Specialty Lending Fund Securities Custody Account”.

“Securities Depository” means The Depository Trust Company and any other clearing agency registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission under Section 17A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”), which acts as a system for the central handling of Securities where all Securities of any particular class or series of an issuer deposited within the system are treated as fungible and may be transferred or pledged by bookkeeping entry without physical delivery of the Securities.

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“Securities System” means the Federal Reserve Book-Entry System, a clearing agency which acts as a Securities Depository, or another book entry system for the central handling of securities.

“Street Delivery Custom” means a custom of the United States securities market to deliver securities which are being sold to the buying broker for examination to determine that the securities are in proper form.

“Street Name” means the form of registration in which the securities are held by a broker who is delivering the securities to another broker for the purposes of sale, it being an accepted custom in the United States securities industry that a security in Street Name is in proper form for delivery to a buyer and that a security may be re-registered by a buyer in the ordinary course.

“Subsidiary” means, collectively, any wholly owned subsidiary of the Company identified to the Custodian by the Company pursuant to Section 3.13(c).

“Subsidiary Cash Account” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.13(b).

“Subsidiary Securities” collectively, the (i) investments, including Loans, acquired by a Subsidiary and delivered to the Custodian from time to time during the term of, and pursuant to the terms of, this Agreement and (ii) all dividends in kind (e.g., non-cash dividends) from the investments described in clause (i).

“Subsidiary Securities Account” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.13(a).

“Trade Confirmation” means a confirmation to the Custodian from the Company of the Company’s acquisition of a Loan, and setting forth applicable information with respect to such Loan, in each case in the form as may be agreed to by the Custodian and the Company from time to time.

“UCC” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.3(b)(ii).

“Underlying Loan Agreement” means, with respect to any Loan, the document or documents evidencing the commercial loan agreement or facility pursuant to which such Loan is made.

“Underlying Loan Documents” means, with respect to any Loan, the related Underlying Loan Agreement together with any agreements and instruments (including any Underlying Note) executed or delivered in connection therewith or in respect thereof or any possessory collateral received in connection therewith, in each case from time to time delivered to and received by the Document Custodian.

“Underlying Note” means the one or more promissory notes executed by an obligor to evidence a Loan.

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1.2 Construction. In this Agreement unless the contrary intention appears:

(a) any reference to this Agreement or another agreement or instrument refers to such agreement or instrument as the same may be amended, modified or otherwise rewritten from time to time;

(b) a reference to a statute, ordinance, code or other law includes regulations and other instruments under it and consolidations, amendments, re-enactments or replacements of any of them;

(c) any term defined in the singular form may be used in, and shall include, the plural with the same meaning, and vice versa;

(d) a reference to a Person includes a reference to the Person’s executors, successors and permitted assigns;

(e) an agreement, representation or warranty in favor of two or more Persons is for the benefit of them jointly and severally;

(f) an agreement, representation or warranty on the part of two or more Persons binds them jointly and severally;

(g) a reference to the term “including” means “including, without limitation,” and

(h) a reference to any accounting term is to be interpreted in accordance with generally accepted principles and practices in the United States, consistently applied, unless otherwise instructed by the Company.

1.3 Headings. Headings are inserted for convenience and do not affect the interpretation of this Agreement.

2. APPOINTMENT OF CUSTODIAN

2.1 Appointment and Acceptance.    

(a) The Company hereby appoints the Custodian as custodian of certain Securities and cash owned by the Company and the Subsidiaries (as applicable) and delivered to the Custodian from time to time during the period of this Agreement, on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement (which shall include any addendum hereto which is hereby incorporated herein and made a part of this Agreement), and the Custodian hereby accepts such appointment and agrees to perform the services and duties set forth in this Agreement with respect to it subject to and in accordance with the provisions hereof.    

(b) The Company hereby appoints the Document Custodian as custodian to hold the Loan Files and Required Loan Documents owned by the Company and the

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Subsidiaries (as applicable) and delivered to the Document Custodian from time to time during the period of this Agreement on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement (which shall include any addendum hereto which is hereby incorporated herein and made a part of this Agreement), and the Document Custodian hereby accepts such appointment and agrees to perform the services and duties set forth in this Agreement with respect to it and subject to and in accordance with the provisions hereof. Any Account may contain any number of sub-accounts for the convenience of the Custodian or as required by the Company for convenience in administering such accounts.

2.2    Instructions. The Company agrees that it shall from time to time provide, or cause to be provided, to the Custodian all necessary instructions and information, and shall respond promptly to all inquiries and requests of the Custodian, as may reasonably be necessary to enable the Custodian to perform its duties hereunder.

2.3    Company Responsible For Directions. The Company is solely responsible for directing the Custodian with respect to deposits to, withdrawals from and transfers to or from the Account. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Custodian has no responsibility for the Company’s compliance with the 1940 Act, to the extent applicable, any restrictions, covenants, limitations or obligations to which the Company may be subject or for which it may have obligations to third-parties in respect of the Account, and the Custodian shall have no liability for the application of any funds made at the direction of the Company. The Company shall be solely responsible for properly instructing all applicable payors to make all appropriate payments to the Custodian for deposit to the Account, and for properly instructing the Custodian with respect to the allocation or application of all such deposits.

3. DUTIES OF CUSTODIAN

3.1    Segregation. All Securities and non-cash property held by the Custodian, as applicable, for the account of the Company (other than Securities maintained in a Securities Depository, Eligible Securities Depository or Securities System) shall be physically segregated from other Securities and non-cash property in the possession of the Custodian and shall be identified as subject to this Agreement.

3.2    Accounts.

(a) The Company directs the Custodian to open and maintain the Cash Account to which the Custodian shall deposit or credit and hold any cash or Proceeds received by it from time to time from or with respect to the Securities or the sale of the interest of the Company, as applicable.

(b) The Custodian shall open and maintain a segregated account in the name of the Company, subject only to order of the Custodian, in which the Custodian shall

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enter and carry, subject to Section 3.6(b), all Securities (other than Loans), cash and other assets of the Company which are delivered to it in accordance with this Agreement. For avoidance of doubt, the Custodian shall not be required to credit or deposit Loans in the Securities Account but shall instead maintain a register (in book-entry form or in such other form as it shall deem necessary or desirable) of such Loans, containing such information as the Company and the Custodian may reasonably agree; provided that, with respect to such Loans, all Required Loan Documents shall be held in safekeeping by the Document Custodian, individually segregated from the securities and investments of any other person and marked so as to clearly identify them as the property of the Company and as set forth in this Agreement.

The Custodian shall have no power or authority to assign, hypothecate, pledge or otherwise dispose of any such Securities and investments except pursuant to the direction of the Company under terms of the Agreement.

3.3 Delivery of Cash and Securities to Custodian.

(a) The Company shall deliver, or cause to be delivered, to the Custodian certain of the Company’s Securities, cash and other investment assets, including (i) payments of income, payments of principal and capital distributions received by the Company with respect to such Securities, cash or other assets owned by the Company at any time during the period of this Agreement, and (ii) cash received by the Company for the issuance, at any time during such period, of securities or in connection with a borrowing by the Company. With respect to assets other than Loans, such assets shall be delivered to the Custodian in its role as, and (where relevant) at the address identified for, the Custodian. Except to the extent otherwise expressly provided herein, delivery of Securities (other than Loans) to the Custodian shall be in Street Name or other good delivery form. The Custodian shall not be responsible for such Securities, cash or other assets until actually delivered to, and received by it. With respect to Securities (other than Loan Assets and assets in the nature of “general intangibles” (as hereinafter defined)) held by the Custodian in its capacity as a “securities intermediary” (as defined in Section 8-102 of the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect in the State of New York (the “UCC”)), the Custodian shall be obligated to exercise due care in accordance with reasonable commercial standards in discharging its duties as a securities intermediary to hold such Securities. With respect to Loans, Required Loan Documents and other Underlying Loan Documents shall be delivered to the Document Custodian and at the address identified in Section 15(c) hereof.

(b) (i)    In connection with its acquisition of a Loan or other delivery of a Security constituting a Loan, the Company shall deliver or cause to be delivered to the Custodian (in its roles as, and at the address identified for, the Custodian and Document Custodian) a properly completed Trade Confirmation containing such

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information in respect of such Loan as the Custodian may reasonably require in order to enable the Custodian to perform its duties hereunder in respect of such Loan on which the Custodian may conclusively rely without further inquiry or investigation, in such form and format as the Custodian reasonably may require, and shall deliver to the Document Custodian (in its role as, and at the address identified for, the Document Custodian) the Required Loan Documents for all Loans, including the Loan Checklist.

(ii)    Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, delivery of Loans acquired by the Company (or, if applicable, a Subsidiary thereof) which constitute Noteless Loans or Participations or which are otherwise not evidenced by a “security” or “instrument” as defined in Section 8-102 and Section 9-102(a)(47) of the UCC, respectively, shall be made by delivery to the Custodian of (i) in the case of a Noteless Loan, a copy of the loan register with respect to such Noteless Loan evidencing registration of such Loan on the books and records of the applicable obligor or bank agent to the name of the Company or, if applicable, a Subsidiary thereof (or, in either case, its nominee) or a copy (which may be a facsimile copy) of an assignment agreement in favor of the Company (or, if applicable, a Subsidiary) as assignee, and (ii) in the case of a Participation, a copy of the related participation agreement. Any duty on the part of the Custodian with respect to the custody of such Loans shall be limited to the exercise of reasonable care by the Custodian in the physical custody of any Underlying Note (or other “security” or “instrument” evidencing a Loan) or, if applicable, assignment agreement or participation agreement, in each case to the extent delivered to it. Except as expressly provided above, the Custodian is not under any duty to hold custody of any related instrument, security, credit agreement, assignment agreement and/or other agreements or documents, if any (collectively, “Financing Documents”) related to a Loan. Nothing herein shall require the Custodian to credit to the Securities Account or to treat as a financial asset (within the meaning of Section 8-102(a)(9) of the UCC) any such Loan or other asset in the nature of a general intangible (as defined in Section 9-102(a)(42) of the UCC) or to “maintain” a sufficient quantity thereof. Neither the Custodian nor the Document Custodian is under a duty to examine any such Financing Documents, or any underlying credit agreements or loan documents for such Loan to determine the validity, sufficiency, marketability or enforceability of any Financing Document (and shall have no responsibility for the genuineness or completeness thereof), or otherwise.

(iii)    The Custodian may assume the genuineness of any such Financing Document it may receive and the genuineness and due authority of any signatures (including any electronic signatures) appearing thereon, and shall be entitled to assume that each such Financing Document it may receive is what it purports to be. If an original “security” or “instrument” as defined in Section 8-102 and Section 9-102(a)(47) of the UCC, respectively, is or shall be or become available with respect to any Loan to be held by the Custodian under this Agreement, it

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shall be the sole responsibility of the Company to make or cause delivery thereof to the Custodian, and the Custodian shall not be under any obligation at any time to determine whether any such original security or instrument has been or is required to be issued or made available in respect of any Loan or to compel or cause delivery thereof to the Custodian or the Document Custodian.

(iv)    Contemporaneously with the acquisition of any Loan, the Company may (1) cause any Financing Documents evidencing such Loan to be delivered to the Document Custodian, (2) if requested by the Custodian, provide to the Custodian an amortization schedule of principal payments and a schedule of the interest payable date(s) identifying the amount and due dates of all scheduled principal and interest payments for such Loan, (3) a properly completed Trade Confirmation containing such information in respect of such Loan as the Custodian may reasonably require in order to enable the Custodian to perform its duties hereunder in respect of such Loan on which the Custodian may conclusively rely without further inquiry or investigation, in such form and format as the Custodian reasonably may require; (3) take all actions necessary for the Company to acquire good title to such Loan; and (4) take all actions as may be necessary (including appropriate payment notices and instructions to bank agents or other applicable paying agents) to cause (A) all payments in respect of the Loan to be made to the Custodian and (B) all notices, solicitations and other communications in respect of such Loan to be directed to the Company. The Custodian shall have no liability for any delay or failure on the part of the Company to provide necessary information to the Custodian, or for any inaccuracy therein or incompleteness thereof, or for any delay or failure on the part of the Company to give such effective payment instruction to bank agents and other paying agents, in respect of the Loans. With respect to each such Loan, the Custodian shall be entitled to rely on any information and notices it may receive from time to time from the related bank agent, obligor or similar party with respect to the related Loan, and shall be entitled to update its records (as it may deem necessary or appropriate), or from the Company, on the basis of such information or notices received, without any obligation on its part independently to verify, investigate or recalculate such information.

3.4 Release of Securities.

(a) The Custodian or the Document Custodian shall release and ship, if applicable, for delivery, or direct its agents or sub-custodian to release and ship for delivery, as the case may be, Securities or Required Loan Documents of the Company held by the Custodian, its agents or its sub-custodian from time to time upon receipt of Proper Instructions (which shall, among other things, specify the Securities or Required Loan Documents to be released, with such delivery and other information as may be necessary to enable the Custodian to perform, which may be standing instructions (in form acceptable to the Custodian) in the following cases:

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(i) upon sale of such Securities by or on behalf of the Company, and such sale may, unless and except to the extent otherwise directed by Proper Instructions, be carried out by the Custodian, as applicable:

(A) in accordance with the customary or established practices and procedures in the jurisdiction or market where the transactions occur, including delivery to the purchaser thereof or to a dealer therefor (or an agent of such purchaser or dealer) against expectation of receiving later payment; or

(B) in the case of a sale effected through a Securities System, in accordance with the rules governing the operations of the Securities System;

(ii) upon the receipt of payment in connection with any repurchase agreement related to such Securities;

(iii) to a depositary agent in connection with tender or other similar offers for Securities;

(iv) to the issuer thereof or its agent when such Securities are called, redeemed, retired or otherwise become payable (unless otherwise directed by Proper Instructions, the cash or other consideration is to be delivered to the Custodian, its agents or its sub-custodian);

(v) to an issuer thereof, or its agent, for transfer into the name of the Custodian or of any nominee of the Custodian or into the name of any of its agents or sub-custodian or their nominees or for exchange for a different number of bonds, certificates or other evidence representing the same aggregate face amount or number of units;

(vi) to brokers clearing banks or other clearing agents for examination in accordance with the Street Delivery Custom;

(vii) for exchange or conversion pursuant to any plan of merger, consolidation, recapitalization, reorganization or readjustment of the Securities of the issuer of such Securities, or pursuant to any deposit agreement (unless otherwise directed by Proper Instructions, the new securities and cash, if any, are to be delivered to the Custodian, its agents or sub-custodian);

(viii) in the case of warrants, rights or similar securities, the surrender thereof in the exercise of such warrants, rights or similar securities or the surrender of interim receipts or temporary securities for definitive securities (unless otherwise directed by Proper Instructions, the new securities and cash, if any, are to be delivered to the Custodian, its agents or sub-custodian); and/or

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(ix) for any other purpose, but only upon receipt of Proper Instructions and an officer’s certificate signed by an officer of the Company (which officer shall not have been the Authorized Person providing the Proper Instructions) stating (i) the specified securities to be delivered, (ii) the purpose for such delivery, (iii) that such purpose is a proper corporate purpose and (iv) naming the person or persons to whom delivery of such securities shall be made and attaching a certified copy of a resolution of the board of directors of the Company or an authorized committee thereof approving the delivery of such Proper Instructions.

3.5    Registration of Securities. Securities held by the Custodian, its agents or its sub-custodian (other than bearer securities, securities held in a Securities System or Securities that are Noteless Loans or Participations) shall be registered in the name of the Company or its nominee; or, at the option of the Custodian (if the Custodian determines it cannot hold such security in the name of the Company), in the name of the Custodian or in the name of any nominee of the Custodian, or in the name of its agents or its sub-custodian or their nominees; or if directed by the Company by Proper Instruction, may be maintained in Street Name. The Custodian, its agents and its sub-custodian shall not be obligated to accept Securities on behalf of the Company under the terms of this Agreement unless such Securities (other than Loans) are in Street Name or other good deliverable form.

3.6 Bank Accounts, and Management of Cash.

(a) Proceeds from the Securities and other cash received by the Custodian from time to time shall be credited to the Cash Account. All amounts credited to the Cash Account shall be subject to clearance and receipt of final payment by the Custodian. Securities may also be delivered and held in the Cash Account by the Custodian.

(b) Amounts held in the respective Cash Account from time to time may be invested in Eligible Investments pursuant to specific written Proper Instructions (which may be standing instructions) received by the Custodian from an Authorized Person acting on behalf of the Company. Such investments shall be subject to availability and the Custodian’s then applicable transaction charges (which shall be at the Company’s expense). The Custodian shall have no liability for any loss incurred on any such investment. Absent receipt of such written instruction from the Company, the Custodian shall have no obligation to invest (or otherwise pay interest on) amounts on deposit in the Cash Account. In no instance will the Custodian have any obligation to provide investment advice to the Company. Any earnings from such investment of amounts held in the Cash Account from time to time (collectively, “Reinvestment Earnings”) shall be redeposited in the Cash Account (and may be reinvested at the written direction of the Company). The Custodian shall have no liability for any losses on any investments made as described herein. Without limiting the foregoing, in no event shall the Custodian

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be liable for any negative interest accrued or applied in respect of any Eligible Investments maintained in an Account hereunder. The Company shall be responsible for the payment of any such negative interest and the Custodian shall be entitled to deduct from cash on deposit in the applicable Account an amount necessary to pay such negative interest upon 10 Business Days’ prior notice to the Company. For the avoidance of doubt, the reimbursement and indemnification protections afforded to the Custodian hereunder shall apply in respect of any interest-related expenses incurred by the Custodian in the performance of its duties hereunder.

(c) In the event that the Company shall at any time request a withdrawal of amounts from the Cash Accounts, the Custodian shall be entitled to liquidate, and shall have no liability for any loss incurred as a result of the liquidation of, any investment of the funds credited to such Cash Account as needed to provide necessary liquidity.

(d) The Company acknowledges that cash deposited or invested with any bank (including the bank acting as Custodian) may make a margin or generate banking income for which such bank shall not be required to account to the Company.

(e) The Custodian shall be authorized to open such additional accounts as may be necessary or convenient for administration of its duties hereunder, with notice to be provided to the Company.

3.7 Foreign Exchange.

(a) Upon the receipt of Proper Instructions, the Custodian, its agents or its sub-custodian may (but shall not be obligated to) enter into all types of contracts for foreign exchange on behalf of the Company, upon terms acceptable to the Custodian and the Company (in each case at the Company’s expense), including transactions entered into with the Custodian, its sub-custodian or any affiliates of the Custodian or the sub-custodian. The Company shall bear all risks of investing in Securities denominated in a foreign currency. It is understood and agreed that any foreign exchange transaction effected by the Custodian in connection with this Agreement may be entered with the Custodian acting as principal or otherwise through customary banking channels. The Custodian shall have no liability for any losses incurred in or resulting from the rates obtained in such foreign exchange transactions; and absent specific and acceptable Proper Instructions, the Custodian shall not be deemed to have any duty to carry out any foreign exchange on behalf of the Company. The Custodian shall be entitled at all times to comply with any legal or regulatory requirements applicable to currency or foreign exchange transactions.

(b) The Company acknowledges that the Custodian, any sub-custodian or any affiliates of the Custodian or any sub-custodian, involved in any such foreign

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exchange transactions may make a margin or generate banking income from foreign exchange transactions entered into pursuant to this section for which they shall not be required to account to the Company.

3.8    Collection of Income. The Custodian, its agents or its sub-custodian shall use reasonable efforts to collect on a timely basis all income and other payments with respect to the Securities held hereunder to which the Company shall be entitled, to the extent consistent with usual custom in the securities custodian business in the United States. Such efforts shall include collection of interest income, dividends and other payments with respect to registered domestic securities if on the record date with respect to the date of payment by the issuer the Security is registered in the name of the Custodian or its nominee (or in the name of its agent or sub-custodian, or their nominee); and interest income, dividends and other payments with respect to bearer domestic securities if, on the date of payment by the issuer such securities are held by the Custodian or its sub-custodian or agent; provided, however, that in the case of Securities held in Street Name, the Custodian shall use commercially reasonable efforts only to timely collect income. In no event shall the Custodian’s agreement herein to collect income be construed to obligate the Custodian to commence, undertake or prosecute any legal proceedings.

3.9    Payment of Moneys.

(a) Upon receipt of Proper Instructions, which may be standing instructions, the Custodian shall pay out from the respective Cash Account designated by the Company (or remit to its agents or its sub-custodian, and direct them to pay out) moneys of the Company on deposit therein in the following cases:

(i) upon the purchase of Securities for the Company pursuant to such Proper Instruction; and such purchase may, unless and except to the extent otherwise directed by Proper Instructions, be carried out by the Custodian:

(A) in accordance with the customary or established practices and procedures in the jurisdiction or market where the transactions occur, including delivering money to the seller thereof or to a dealer therefor (or any agent for such seller or dealer) or to an escrow account used in connection with a closing transaction, in each case against expectation of receiving later delivery of such securities; or

(B) in the case of a purchase effected through a Securities System, in accordance with the rules governing the operation of such Securities System;

(ii) for the purchase or sale of foreign exchange or foreign exchange agreements for the accounts of the Company, including transactions executed with or through the Custodian, its agents or its sub-custodian, as contemplated by Section 3.7 above; and

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(iii) for any other purpose directed by the Company, but only upon receipt of Proper Instructions specifying the amount of such payment, and naming the Person or Persons to whom such payment is to be made.

(b) At any time or times, the Custodian shall be entitled to pay (i) itself and the Document Custodian from the Cash Account, whether or not in receipt of express direction or instruction from the Company, any amounts due and payable to it pursuant to Section 8 hereof, and (ii) as otherwise permitted by Section 7.5, 9.4 or Section 12.5 below, provided, however, that in each case (i) the Custodian shall have first invoiced or billed the Company for such amounts and the Company shall have failed to pay such amounts within thirty (30) days after the date of such invoice or bill, and (ii) all such payments shall be accounted for to the Company.

3.10    Proxies. The Custodian will, with respect to the Securities held hereunder, use reasonable efforts to cause to be promptly executed by the registered holder of such Securities proxies received by the Custodian from its agents or its sub-custodian or from issuers of the Securities being held for the Company, without indication of the manner in which such proxies are to be voted, and upon receipt of Proper Instructions shall promptly deliver to the applicable issuer such proxies, proxy soliciting materials and notices relating to such Securities. In the absence of such Proper Instructions, or in the event that such Proper Instructions are not received in a timely fashion, the Custodian shall be under no duty to act with regard to such proxies.

3.11    Communications Relating to Securities. The Custodian shall transmit promptly to the Company all written information (including proxies, proxy soliciting materials, notices, pendency of calls and maturities of Securities and expirations of rights in connection therewith) received by the Custodian, from its agents or its sub-custodian or from issuers of the Securities being held for the Company. The Custodian shall have no obligation or duty to exercise any right or power, or otherwise to preserve rights, in or under any Securities unless and except to the extent it has received timely Proper Instruction from the Company in accordance with the next sentence. The Custodian will not be liable for any untimely exercise of any right or power in connection with Securities at any time held by the Custodian, its agents or sub-custodian unless:

(i) the Custodian has received Proper Instructions with regard to the exercise of any such right or power; and

(ii) the Custodian, or its agents or sub-custodian or nominee is actually entitled to act,

in each case, at least three (3) Business Days prior to the date on which such right or power is to be exercised. It will be the responsibility of the Company to notify the Custodian of the Person to whom such communications must be forwarded under this Section.

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3.12    Records. The Custodian shall create and maintain complete records relating to its activities under this Agreement with respect to the Securities, cash or other property held for the Company under this Agreement. All such records shall be the property of the Company and shall at all times during the regular business hours of the Custodian be open for inspection by duly authorized officers, employees or agents of the Company (including its independent public accountants) and employees and agents of the Securities and Exchange Commission, upon reasonable request and at least five Business Days’ prior written notice and at the Company’s expense. The Custodian shall, at the Company’s request, supply the Company with a tabulation of Securities owned by the Company and held by the Custodian and shall, when requested to do so by the Company and for such compensation as shall be agreed upon between the Company and the Custodian, include, to the extent applicable, the certificate numbers in such tabulations, to the extent such information is available to the Custodian. To the extent that the Custodian, in its sole opinion, is able to do so, the Custodian shall provide assistance to the Company (at the Company’s reasonable request made from time to time) by providing sub-certifications regarding certain of its services performed hereunder to the Company in connection with the Company’s certification requirements pursuant to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended.

3.13 Custody of Subsidiary Securities.

(a) With respect to each Subsidiary identified to the Custodian by the Company, there shall be established at the Custodian a segregated account to which the Custodian shall deposit and hold any Subsidiary Securities (other than Loans) received by it (and any Proceeds received by it in the form of dividends in kind) pursuant to this Agreement, which account shall be designated the “[INSERT NAME OF SUBSIDIARY] Securities Account” (the “Subsidiary Securities Account”).

(b) With respect to each Subsidiary identified to the Custodian by the Company, there shall be established at the Custodian a segregated account to which the Custodian shall deposit and hold any cash Proceeds received by it from time to time from or with respect to Subsidiary Securities or other Proceeds, which account shall be designated the “[INSERT NAME OF SUBSIDIARY] Cash Proceeds Account” (the “Subsidiary Cash Account”).

(c) To the maximum extent possible, the provisions of this Agreement regarding Securities of the Company, the Securities Account and the Cash Account shall be applicable to any Subsidiary Securities, cash and other investment assets, Subsidiary Securities Account and Subsidiary Cash Account, respectively. The parties hereto agree that the Company shall notify the Custodian in writing as to the establishment of any Subsidiary as to which the Custodian is to serve as custodian pursuant to the terms of this Agreement; and identify in writing any accounts the Custodian shall be required to establish for such Subsidiary as herein provided.

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3.14    Responsibility for Property Held by Sub-custodians. The Custodian’s responsibility with respect to the selection or appointment of a sub-custodian shall be limited to a duty to exercise reasonable care in the selection of such sub-custodian in light of prevailing settlement and securities handling practices, procedures and controls in the relevant market. With respect to any costs, expenses, damages, liabilities, or claims (including attorneys’ and accountants’ fees) incurred as a result of the acts or the failure to act by any sub-custodian, the Custodian shall take reasonable action to recover such costs, expenses, damages, liabilities, or claims from such sub-custodian; provided that the Custodian’s sole liability in that regard shall be limited to amounts actually received by it from such sub-custodian (exclusive of related costs and expenses incurred by the Custodian).

3.15    Securities Depositories and Book-Entry Systems. The Custodian may deposit and/or maintain Securities (excluding Loans) of the Company in a Securities Depository or in a Book-Entry System, subject to the following provisions:

(a)    The Custodian, on an on-going basis, shall deposit in a Securities Depository or Book-Entry System all Securities eligible for deposit therein and shall make use of such Securities Depository or Book-Entry System to the extent possible and practical in connection with its performance hereunder, including, without limitation, in connection with settlements of purchases and sales of Securities, loans of Securities, and deliveries and returns of collateral consisting of Securities.

(b)    Securities (other than Loans) of the Company kept in a Book-Entry System or Securities Depository shall be kept in an account (“Depository Account”) of the Custodian in such Book-Entry System or Securities Depository which includes only assets held by the Custodian as a fiduciary, custodian or otherwise for customers.

(c)    The records of the Custodian with respect to Securities of the Company maintained in a Book-Entry System or Securities Depository shall, by book-entry, identify such Securities (other than Loans) as belonging to the Company.

(d)    If Securities purchased by the Company are to be held in a Book-Entry System or Securities Depository, the Custodian shall pay for such Securities upon: (i) receipt of advice from the Book-Entry System or Securities Depository that such Securities have been transferred to the Depository Account; and (ii) the making of an entry on the records of the Custodian to reflect such payment and transfer for the account of the Company. If Securities sold by the Company are held in a Book-Entry System or Securities Depository, the Custodian shall transfer such Securities upon (i) receipt of advice from the Book-Entry System or Securities Depository that payment for such Securities has been transferred to the Depository Account; and (ii) the making of an entry on the records of the Custodian to reflect such transfer and payment for the account of the Company.

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(e)    The Custodian shall provide the Company with copies of any report (obtained by the Custodian from a Book-Entry System or Securities Depository in which Securities of the Company are kept) on the internal accounting controls and procedures for safeguarding Securities deposited in such Book-Entry System or Securities Depository.

(f)    With respect to its responsibilities under this Section 3.15 and pursuant to Rule 17f-4 under the 1940 Act, the Custodian hereby warrants to the Company that it agrees to (i) exercise due care in accordance with reasonable commercial standards in discharging its duty as a securities intermediary to obtain and thereafter maintain such assets, and (ii) provide, promptly upon request by the Company, such reports as are available concerning the Custodian’s internal accounting controls and financial strength.

3A. DUTIES OF DOCUMENT CUSTODIAN

(a) With respect to Loans, Required Loan Documents and other Underlying Loan Documents may be delivered to the Custodian in its role as, and at the address identified for, the Document Custodian. All Required Loan Documents shall be held in safekeeping by the Document Custodian, individually segregated from the securities and investments of any other Person and marked so as to clearly identify them as the property of the Company (or, if applicable, a Subsidiary).

(b) In connection with its acquisition of a Loan or other delivery of a Security constituting a Loan, the Company (or, if applicable, a Subsidiary) may deliver or cause to be delivered to the Document Custodian the Required Loan Documents, including the Loan Checklist.

(c) The Document Custodian shall release and ship for delivery, or direct its agents or Sub-Custodian to release and ship for delivery, as the case may be, Required Loan Documents (or other Underlying Loan Documents) of the Company (or, if applicable, a Subsidiary) held by the Document Custodian, its agents or its Sub-Custodian from time to time upon receipt of a Request for Release (which shall, among other things, specify the Required Loan Documents (or other Underlying Loan Documents) to be released, with such delivery and other information as may be necessary to enable the Document Custodian to perform (including the delivery method). Any request for release by the Company (or, if applicable, a Subsidiary) shall be in the form of the Request for Release. The Company (or, if applicable, a Subsidiary) is authorized to transmit and the Document Custodian is authorized to accept signed facsimile or email copies of Requests for Release submitted in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A (or as otherwise agreed between the Document Custodian and the Company).

(d) For the avoidance of doubt, the Document Custodian shall have no obligation to review or monitor any Required Loan Documents or other Underlying Loan

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Documents but shall only be required to hold those Required Loan Documents or other Underlying Loan Documents received by it in accordance with this Agreement. All rights, protections, indemnities, immunities and limitations of liabilities provided in this Agreement in favor of the Custodian under this Agreement shall also apply to the Document Custodian.

4. REPORTING

(a) The Custodian shall render to the Company a monthly report of (i) all deposits to and withdrawals from the Cash Account during the month, and the outstanding balance (as of the last day of the preceding monthly report and as of the last day of the subject month) and (ii) an itemized statement of the Securities held pursuant to this Agreement as of the end of each month, all transactions in the Securities during the month, as well as a list of all Securities transactions that remain unsettled at that time, and (iii) such other matters as the parties may agree from time to time.

(b) For each Business Day, the Custodian shall render to the Company a daily report of (i) all deposits to and withdrawals from the Cash Account for such Business Day and the outstanding balance as of the end of such Business Day, and (ii) a report of settled trades of Securities for such Business Day.

(c) The Custodian shall have no duty or obligation to undertake any market valuation of the Securities under any circumstance.

(d) The Custodian shall provide the Company with such reports as are reasonably available to it and as the Company may reasonably request from time to time on the internal accounting controls and procedures for safeguarding securities, which are employed by the Custodian.

5. DEPOSIT IN U.S. SECURITIES SYSTEMS

The Custodian may deposit and/or maintain Securities in a Securities System within the United States in accordance with applicable Federal Reserve Board and Securities and Exchange Commission rules and regulations, including Rule 17f-4 under the 1940 Act to the extent applicable, and subject to the following provisions:

(a) The Custodian may keep domestic Securities in a U.S. Securities System provided that such Securities are represented in an account of the Custodian in the U.S. Securities System which shall not include any assets of the Custodian other than assets held by it as a fiduciary, custodian or otherwise for customers;

(b) The records of the Custodian with respect to Securities which are maintained in a U.S. Securities System shall identify by book-entry those Securities belonging to the Company;

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(c) If requested by the Company, the Custodian shall provide to the Company copies of all notices received from the U.S. Securities System of transfers of Securities for the account of the Company; and

(d) Anything to the contrary in this Agreement notwithstanding, the Custodian shall not be liable to the Company for any direct loss, damage, cost, expense, liability or claim to the Company resulting from use of any Securities System (other than to the extent resulting from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of the Custodian itself, or from failure of the Custodian to enforce effectively such rights as it may have against the U.S. Securities System).

6. SECURITIES HELD OUTSIDE OF THE UNITED STATES

6.1    Appointment of Foreign Sub-custodian. The Company hereby authorizes and instructs the Custodian in its sole discretion to employ one or more Foreign Sub-custodians to act as Eligible Securities Depositories or as sub-custodian to hold the Securities and other assets of the Company maintained outside the United States, subject to the Company’s approval in accordance with this Section. If the Custodian wishes to appoint a Foreign Sub-custodian to hold property of the Company subject to this Agreement, it will so notify the Company and provide it with information reasonably necessary to determine any such new Foreign Sub-custodian’s eligibility under Rule 17f-5 under the 1940 Act, including a copy of the proposed agreement with such Foreign Sub-custodian. The Company shall at the meeting of its members next following receipt of such notice and information give a written approval or disapproval of the proposed action.

6.2    Assets to be Held. The Custodian shall limit the Securities and other assets maintained in the custody of the Foreign Sub-custodian to: (a) Foreign Securities and (b) cash and cash equivalents in such amounts as the Company (through Proper Instructions) may determine to be reasonably necessary to effect the Company’s transactions in such investments.

6.3    Omnibus Accounts. The Custodian may hold Foreign Securities and related Proceeds with one or more Foreign Sub-custodians in each case in a single account with such Foreign Sub-custodian that is identified as belonging to the Custodian for the benefit of its customers; provided however, that the records of the Custodian with respect to Securities and related Proceeds that are property of the Company maintained in such account(s) shall identify by book-entry those Securities and other property as belonging to the Company.

6.4    Reports Concerning Foreign Sub-custodian. The Custodian will supply to the Company, upon request from time to time, statements in respect of the Securities held by Foreign Sub-custodians or Eligible Securities Depositories, including an identification of the Foreign Sub-custodians and Eligible Securities Depositories having physical possession of the Foreign Securities.

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6.5    Transactions in Foreign Custody Account. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, settlement and payment for Securities received by a Foreign Sub-custodian for the account of the Company may be effected in accordance with the customary established securities trading or securities processing practices and procedures in the jurisdiction or market in which the transaction occurs, including delivering securities to the purchaser thereof or to a dealer therefor (or an agent for such purchaser or dealer) against a receipt with the expectation of receiving later payment for such securities from such purchaser or dealer.

6.6    Foreign Sub-custodian. Each contract or agreement pursuant to which the Custodian employs a Foreign Sub-custodian shall include provisions that provide: (i) for indemnification or insurance arrangements (or any combination of the foregoing) such that the Company will be adequately protected against the risk of loss of assets held in accordance with such contract; (ii) that the Company’s assets will not be subject to any right, charge, security interest, lien or claim of any kind in favor of the Sub-custodian or its creditors (except a claim of payment for their safe custody or administration) or, in the case of cash deposits, liens or rights in favor of creditors of the Sub-custodian arising under bankruptcy, insolvency, or similar laws; (iii) that beneficial ownership for the Company’s assets will be freely transferable without the payment of money or value other than for safe custody or administration; (iv) that adequate records will be maintained identifying the assets as belonging to the Company or as being held by a third party for the benefit of the Company; (v) that the Company’s independent public accountants will be given access to those records or confirmation of the contents of those records; and (vi) that the Company will receive periodic reports with respect to the safekeeping of the Company’s assets, including notification of any transfer to or from a Company’s account or a third party account containing assets held for the benefit of the Company. Such contract may contain, in lieu of any or all of the provisions specified above, such other provisions that the Custodian determines will provide, in their entirety, the same or a greater level of care and protection for Company assets as the specified provisions, in their entirety.

6.7 Custodian’s Responsibility for Foreign Sub-custodian.

(a) With respect to its responsibilities under this Section 6, the Custodian agrees to exercise reasonable care, prudence and diligence such as a person having responsibility for the safekeeping of property of the Company would exercise. The Custodian further agrees that the Foreign Securities will be subject to reasonable care, based on the standards applicable to the Custodian in the relevant market, if maintained with each Foreign Sub-custodian, after considering all factors relevant to the safekeeping of such assets, including: (i) the Foreign Sub-custodian’s practices, procedures, and internal controls, including the physical protections available for certificated securities (if applicable), the method of keeping custodial records, and the security and data protection practices; (ii) whether the Foreign Sub-custodian has the requisite financial strength to provide reasonable care for Company assets; (iii) the Foreign Sub-custodian’s

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general reputation and standing and, in the case of Eligible Securities Depository, the Eligible Securities Depository’s operating history and number of participants; and (iv) whether the Company will have jurisdiction over and be able to enforce judgments against the Foreign Sub-custodian, such as by virtue of the existence of any offices of the Foreign Sub-custodian in the United States or the Sub-custodian’s consent to service of process in the United States.

(b) The Custodian shall establish a system to monitor the appropriateness of maintaining the Company’s assets with a particular Foreign Sub-custodian and the performance of the contract governing the Company’s arrangements with such Foreign Sub-custodian.    

(c) The Custodian’s responsibility with respect to the selection or appointment of a Foreign Sub-custodian shall be limited to a duty to exercise reasonable care in the selection or retention of such Foreign Intermediaries in light of prevailing settlement and securities handling practices, procedures and controls in the relevant market. With respect to any costs, expenses, damages, liabilities, or claims (including attorneys’ and accountants’ fees) incurred as a result of the acts or the failure to act by any Foreign Sub-custodian, the Custodian shall take reasonable action to recover such costs, expenses, damages, liabilities, or claims from such Foreign Sub-custodian; provided that the Custodian’s sole liability in that regard shall be limited to amounts actually received by it from such Foreign Intermediaries (exclusive of related costs and expenses incurred by the Custodian). The Custodian shall have no responsibility for any act or omission (or the insolvency of) any Securities System (including an Eligible Securities Depository).

7. CERTAIN GENERAL TERMS

7.1    No Duty to Examine Financing Documents. Nothing herein shall obligate the Custodian to review or examine the terms of any Financing Document, underlying instrument, certificate, credit agreement, indenture, loan agreement, promissory note, or other financing document evidencing or governing any Security to determine the validity, sufficiency, marketability or enforceability of any Security or Loan (and shall have no responsibility for the genuineness or completeness thereof), or otherwise.

7.2    Resolution of Discrepancies. In the event of any discrepancy between the information set forth in any report provided by the Custodian to the Company and any information contained in the books or records of the Company, the Company shall promptly notify the Custodian thereof and the parties shall cooperate to diligently resolve the discrepancy.

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7.3    Improper Instructions. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Custodian shall not be obligated to take any action (or forebear from taking any action), which it reasonably determines (at its sole option) to be contrary to the terms of this Agreement or applicable law. In no instance shall the Custodian be obligated to provide services on any day that is not a Business Day.

7.4    Proper Instructions.

(a) The Company will give, and will cause the Investment Manager to give, a incumbency certificate to the Custodian, in form acceptable to the Custodian, specifying the names, titles, contact information (including email addresses) and specimen signatures of persons authorized to give Proper Instructions (where any two of the persons listed in such incumbency certificate acting jointly shall be an “Authorized Person”) which certificate shall be signed by an officer of the Company or an officer of the Investment Manager, as applicable, or by another Authorized Person previously certified to the Custodian. The Custodian shall be entitled to rely upon the identity and authority of such persons until it receives written notice from an Authorized Person of the Company or the Investment Manager to the contrary. If such person elects to give the Custodian email or facsimile instructions (or instructions by a similar electronic method) and the Custodian in its discretion elects to act upon such instructions, the Custodian’s reasonable understanding of such instructions shall be deemed controlling. The Custodian shall not be liable for any losses, costs or expenses arising directly or indirectly from the Custodian’s reliance upon and compliance with such instructions notwithstanding such instructions conflicting with or being inconsistent with a subsequent written instruction. Any person providing such instructions or directions agrees to assume all risks arising out of the use of such electronic methods to submit instructions and directions to the Custodian, including without limitation the risk of the Custodian acting on unauthorized instructions, and the risk of interception and misuse by third parties.

(b) The Custodian shall have no responsibility or liability to the Company (or any other person or entity), and shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Company, in the event that a subsequent written confirmation of an oral instruction fails to conform to the oral instructions received by the Custodian. The Custodian shall not have an obligation to act in accordance with purported instructions to the extent that they conflict with applicable law or regulations, local market practice or the Custodian’s operating policies and practices. The Custodian shall not be liable for any loss resulting from a delay while it obtains clarification of any Proper Instructions.

(c) The Company hereby directs the Custodian to accept instructions sent pursuant to secure financial messaging services provided by SWIFT (“SWIFT Transmissions”) as Proper Instructions for all purposes hereunder. The Company

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instructs the Custodian to accept and process SWIFT Transmissions initiated by the Company (or the Advisor on its behalf) to the same extent that written wire transfer instructions are accepted and processed by the Custodian. The Custodian may conclusively rely on SWIFT Transmissions to release payments as instructed, subject to any verification of information as requested by the Custodian, including the call back process to an individual designated by the Company as authorized to provide such verification. The Custodian may also request, and the Company will provide, an additional signed direction (whether by manual, facsimile, .pdf or other electronic signature) in order for the Custodian to make such payment in connection with any SWIFT Transmission. For purposes of compliance with any incumbency certificate of the Company, all instructions received by the Custodian through the methodology described herein shall be deemed in compliance with the procedures outlined therein (to the extent applicable).

7.5    Actions Permitted Without Express Authority. The Custodian may, at its discretion, without express authority from the Company:

(a) make payments to itself as described in or pursuant to Section 3.9, or to make payments to itself or others for minor expenses of handling securities or other similar items relating to its duties under this Agreement, provided that (i) the Custodian shall have first invoiced or billed the Company for such amounts and the Company shall have failed to pay such amounts within thirty (30) days after the date of such invoice or bill, and (ii) all such payments shall be regularly accounted for to the Company;

(b) surrender Securities in temporary form for Securities in definitive form;

(c) endorse for collection cheques, drafts and other negotiable instruments; and

(d) in general, attend to all nondiscretionary details in connection with the sale, exchange, substitution, purchase, transfer and other dealings with the securities and property of the Company.

7.6    Evidence of Authority. The Custodian shall be protected in acting upon any instructions, notice, request, consent, certificate instrument or paper reasonably believed by it to be genuine and to have been properly executed or otherwise given by or on behalf of the Company by an Authorized Person. The Custodian may receive and accept a certificate signed by any Authorized Person as conclusive evidence of:

(a)    the authority of any person to act in accordance with such certificate; or

(b)    any determination or of any action by the Company as described in such certificate,

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and such certificate may be considered as in full force and effect until receipt by the Custodian of written notice to the contrary from an Authorized Person of the Company. The Company hereby authorizes and directs the Custodian to accept, rely and act upon instruction from an Authorized Person of the Investment Manager listed on the Authorized Person certificate provided pursuant to Section 7.4(a) hereof, acting on behalf and in the name of the Company for all purposes hereunder, and the Custodian is authorized to recognize and act upon the instruction of such Authorized Person of the Investment Manager, acting on behalf and in the stead of the Company for all purposes hereunder (provided that, notwithstanding the foregoing, any action required to be taken by the Custodian to confirm any instruction has been complied with); provided further that such authorization and direction may be revoked at any time by an Authorized Person who is an officer of the Company.

7.7    Receipt of Communications. Any communication received by the Custodian on a day which is not a Business Day or after 3:30 p.m., Eastern time (or such other time as is agreed by the Company and the Custodian from time to time), on a Business Day will be deemed to have been received on the next Business Day (but in the case of communications so received after 3:30 p.m., Eastern time, on a Business Day the Custodian will use its best efforts to process such communications as soon as possible after receipt).

7.8    Actions on the Loans. The Custodian shall have no duty or obligation hereunder to take any action on behalf of the Company, to communicate on behalf of the Company, to collect amounts or proceeds in respect of, or otherwise to interact or exercise rights or remedies on behalf of the Company, with respect to any of the Loans. All such actions and communications are the responsibility of the Company.

8. COMPENSATION OF CUSTODIAN

8.1    Fees. The Custodian shall be entitled to compensation for their services in accordance with the terms of that certain fee letter dated March 20, 2015 between the Company (or the Investment Manager on its behalf) and the Custodian.

8.2    Expenses. The Company agrees to pay or reimburse to the Custodian upon its request from time to time all costs, disbursements, advances, and expenses (including reasonable fees and expenses of legal counsel) incurred, and any disbursements and advances made (including any account overdraft resulting from any settlement or assumed settlement, provisional credit, chargeback, returned deposit item, reclaimed payment or claw-back, or the like), in connection with the preparation or execution of this Agreement, or in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby or the administration of this Agreement or performance by the Custodian of its duties and services under this Agreement, from time to time (including costs and expenses of any action deemed necessary by the Custodian to collect any amounts owing to it under this Agreement).

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9. RESPONSIBILITY OF CUSTODIAN

9.1    General Duties. The Custodian shall have no duties, obligations or responsibilities under this Agreement or with respect to the Securities or Proceeds except for such duties as are expressly and specifically set forth in this Agreement, and the duties and obligations of the Custodian shall be determined solely by the express provisions of this Agreement. No implied duties, obligations or responsibilities shall be read into this Agreement against, or on the part of, the Custodian.

9.2    Instructions.

(a) The Custodian shall be entitled to refrain from taking any action unless it has such instruction (in the form of Proper Instructions) from the Company as it reasonably deems necessary, and shall be entitled to require, upon notice to the Company, that Proper Instructions to it be in writing. The Custodian shall have no liability for any action (or forbearance from action) taken pursuant to the Proper Instruction of the Company.

(b) Whenever the Custodian is entitled or required to receive or obtain any communications or information pursuant to or as contemplated by this Agreement, it shall be entitled to receive the same in writing, in form, content and medium reasonably acceptable to it and otherwise in accordance with any applicable terms of this Agreement; and whenever any report or other information is required to be produced or distributed by the Custodian it shall be in form, content and medium reasonably acceptable to it and the Company, and otherwise in accordance with any applicable terms of this Agreement.

9.3    General Standards of Care. Notwithstanding any terms herein contained to the contrary, the acceptance by the Document Custodian and the Custodian of its appointments hereunder is expressly subject to the following terms, which shall govern and apply to each of the terms and provisions of this Agreement (whether or not so stated therein):

(a) Each of the Custodian and the Document Custodian may rely on and shall be protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any written notice, instruction, statement, certificate, request, waiver, consent, opinion, report, receipt, electronic communication or other paper or document furnished to it (including any of the foregoing provided to it by telecopier or electronic means), not only as to its due execution and validity, but also as to the truth and accuracy of any information therein contained, which it in good faith believes to be genuine and signed, sent or presented by the proper person (which in the case of any instruction from or on behalf of the Company shall be an Authorized Person); and the Custodian and the Document Custodian shall be entitled to presume the genuineness and due authority of any signature appearing thereon (including any electronic signature). Neither the Custodian nor the Document Custodian shall be bound to make any

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independent investigation into the facts or matters stated in any such notice, instruction, statement, certificate, request, waiver, consent, opinion, report, receipt or other paper or document, provided, however, that if the form thereof is specifically prescribed by the terms of this Agreement, the Custodian or the Document Custodian shall examine the same to determine whether it substantially conforms on its face to such requirements hereof.

(b) Neither the Custodian, the Document Custodian nor any of its directors, officers or employees shall be liable to anyone for any error of judgment, or for any act done or step taken or omitted to be taken by it (or any of its directors, officers of employees), or for any mistake of fact or law, or for anything which it may do or refrain from doing in connection herewith, unless such action or inaction constitutes gross negligence or willful misconduct on its part and in breach of the terms of this Agreement. Neither the Custodian nor the Document Custodian shall be liable for any action taken by it in good faith and reasonably believed by it to be within powers conferred upon it, or taken by it pursuant to any direction or instruction by which it is governed hereunder, or omitted to be taken by it by reason of the lack of direction or instruction required hereby for such action. Neither the Custodian nor the Document Custodian shall be under any obligation at any time to ascertain whether the Company is in compliance with the Company’s investment objectives and policies then in effect. For avoidance of doubt, neither the Custodian nor the Document Custodian shall be under any obligation to determine whether any investment constitutes an Eligible Investment under this Agreement.

(c) In no event shall the Custodian or the Document Custodian be liable for any indirect, special, punitive or consequential damages (including lost profits) whether or not it has been advised of the likelihood of such damages.

(d) The Custodian and the Document Custodian may consult with, and obtain advice from, legal counsel selected in good faith with respect to any question as to any of the provisions hereof or its duties hereunder, or any matter relating hereto, and the written opinion or advice of such counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by the Custodian and/or the Document Custodian in good faith in accordance with the opinion and directions of such counsel; the reasonable cost of such services shall be reimbursed pursuant to Section 8.2 above.

(e) Neither the Custodian nor the Document Custodian shall be deemed to have notice of any fact, claim or demand with respect hereto unless actually known by an officer working in its Global Corporate Trust group and charged with responsibility for administering this Agreement or unless (and then only to the extent received) in writing by the Custodian or the Document Custodian at the applicable address(es) as set forth in Section 15 hereof and specifically referencing this Agreement.

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(f) No provision of this Agreement shall require either the Custodian or the Document Custodian to expend or risk its own funds, or to take any action (or forbear from action) hereunder which might in its judgment involve any expense or any financial or other liability unless it shall be furnished with acceptable indemnification. Nothing herein shall obligate the Custodian or the Document Custodian to commence, prosecute or defend legal proceedings in any instance, whether on behalf of the Company or on its own behalf or otherwise, with respect to any matter arising hereunder, or relating to this Agreement or the services contemplated hereby.

(g) The permissive right of the Custodian or the Document Custodian to take any action hereunder shall not be construed as duty.

(h) The Custodian and the Document Custodian may act or exercise its duties or powers hereunder through agents, Sub-Custodians or attorneys, and the Custodian and the Document Custodian shall not be liable or responsible for the actions or omissions of any such agent, Sub-Custodian or attorney appointed with due care.

(i) All indemnifications contained in this Agreement in favor of the Custodian and the Document Custodian shall survive the termination of this Agreement or the earlier resignation or removal of the Custodian and/or the Document Custodian.

(j) Neither the Custodian nor the Document Custodian has responsibility to verify or determine whether any purchase or sale of a Security satisfies any transfer restrictions applicable to it, including any transfer restriction imposed by applicable law.

(k) Neither the Custodian nor the Document Custodian shall have responsibility for performing or monitoring the performance of any anti-money laundering procedures undertaken by the Company and shall have no liability to the Company for any violation of any anti-money laundering rules or regulations by the Company.

(l) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, neither the Custodian nor the Document Custodian shall have any duty or obligation under this Agreement to monitor, verify or inquire into, and shall not be liable for, (i) the legality of the Securities, (ii) the purchase, transfer or sale of any Securities, the sufficiency of the amount to be received or the authority of the Company to effect any such purchase, transfer or sale.

9.4 Indemnification.

(a) The Company shall and does hereby indemnify and hold harmless each of the Custodian, the Document Custodian and any Foreign Sub-custodian appointed pursuant to Section 6.1 above, for and from any and all costs and expenses

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(including reasonable attorney’s fees and expenses) and any and all losses, damages, claims and liabilities, that may arise, be brought against or incurred by the whether direct, indirect or consequential, as a result of or arising from or in any way relating to any claim, demand, suit, action or proceeding (including any inquiry or investigation) by any person, including without limitation the Company or any Subsidiary, and any advances or disbursements made by the Custodian or the Document Custodian (including in respect of any Account overdraft, returned deposit item, chargeback, provisional credit, settlement or assumed settlement, reclaimed payment, claw-back or the like), as a result of, relating to, or arising out of this Agreement, or the administration or performance of the duties of the Custodian and the Document Custodian hereunder, or the relationship between the Company (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any Subsidiary) and the Custodian and the Document Custodian created hereby, including the enforcement of any indemnification rights hereunder, other than such liabilities, losses, damages, claims, costs and expenses as are directly caused by the Custodian’s or the Document Custodian’s own action or inaction constituting gross negligence or willful misconduct on its part.

(b) The Custodian shall have and is hereby granted a continuing lien upon and security interest in, and right of set-off against, the Account, and any funds (and investments in which such funds may be invested) held therein or credited thereto from time to time, whether now held or hereafter required, and all proceeds thereof, to secure the payment of any amounts that may be owing to the Custodian under or pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, whether now existing or hereafter arising.

9.5    Force Majeure. Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, the Custodian and the Document Custodian shall not be liable to the Company for any damage or loss resulting from or caused by events or circumstances beyond the reasonable control of the Custodian and the Document Custodian, including nationalization, expropriation, currency restrictions, the interruption, disruption or suspension of the normal procedures and practices of any securities market, power, mechanical, communications or other technological failures or interruptions, computer viruses or the like, fires, floods, earthquakes or other natural disasters, civil and military disturbance, acts of war or terrorism, riots, revolution, acts of God, work stoppages, strikes, national disasters of any kind, or other similar events or acts; errors by the Company (including any Authorized Person) in its instructions to the Custodian or the Document Custodian; or changes in applicable law, regulation or orders.

10. SECURITY CODES

If the Custodian issues to the Company security codes, passwords or test keys in order that it may verify that certain transmissions of information, including Proper Instructions, have been originated by the Company, the Company shall take all commercially reasonable steps to safeguard any security codes, passwords, test keys or other security devices which the Custodian shall make available.

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11. TAX LAW

11.1    Domestic Tax Law. The Custodian shall have no responsibility or liability for any obligations now or hereafter imposed on the Company or the Custodian as custodian of the Securities or the Proceeds, by the tax law of the United States or any state or political subdivision thereof. The Custodian shall be kept indemnified by and be without liability to the Company for such obligations including taxes, (but excluding any income taxes assessable in respect of compensation paid to the Custodian pursuant to this Agreement) withholding, certification and reporting requirements, claims for exemption or refund, additions for late payment interest, penalties and other expenses (including legal expenses) that may be assessed against the Company, or the Custodian as custodian of the Securities or Proceeds.

11.2    Foreign Tax Law. It shall be the responsibility of the Company to notify the Custodian of the obligations imposed on the Company by the tax law of foreign (e.g., non-U.S.) jurisdictions, including responsibility for withholding and other taxes, assessments or other government charges, certifications and government reporting. The sole responsibility of the Custodian with regard to such tax law shall be to use reasonable efforts to cooperate with the Company with respect to any claims for exemption or refund under the tax law of the jurisdictions for which the Company has provided such information.

12. EFFECTIVE PERIOD AND TERMINATION

12.1    Effective Date. This Agreement shall become effective as of its due execution and delivery by each of the parties. This Agreement shall continue in full force and effect until terminated as hereinafter provided. This Agreement may be terminated by the Custodian or the Company pursuant to Section 12.2.

12.2    Termination. This Agreement shall terminate upon the earliest of (a) occurrence of the effective date of termination specified in any written notice of termination given by any party to the other parties not less than sixty (60) days prior to the effective date of termination specified therein, (b) such other date of termination as may be mutually agreed upon by the parties in writing.

12.3    Resignation. The Custodian may at any time resign under this Agreement by giving not less than sixty (60) days advance written notice thereof to the Company. The Company may at any time remove the Custodian under this Agreement by giving not less than sixty (60) days advance written notice to the Custodian.

12.4    Successor. Prior to the effective date of termination of this Agreement, or the effective date of the resignation of the Custodian, as the case may be, the Company shall

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give Proper Instruction to the Custodian designating a successor Custodian, if applicable. The Custodian shall, upon receipt of Proper Instruction from the Company (i) deliver directly to the successor Custodian all Securities (other than Securities held in a Book-Entry System, Eligible Securities Depository or Securities Depository) and cash then owned by the Company and held by the Custodian as custodian, and (ii) transfer any Securities held in a Book-Entry System, Eligible Securities Depository or Securities Depository to an account of or for the benefit of the Company at the successor Custodian, provided that the Company shall have paid to the Custodian all fees, expenses and other amounts to the payment or reimbursement of which it shall then be entitled. In addition, the Custodian shall, at the expense of the Company, transfer to such successor all relevant books, records, correspondence, and other data established or maintained by the Custodian under this Agreement (if such form differs from the form in which the Custodian has maintained the same, the Company shall pay any expenses associated with transferring the data to such form), and will cooperate in the transfer of such duties and responsibilities. Upon such delivery and transfer, the Custodian shall be relieved of all obligations under this Agreement.

12.5    Payment of Fees, etc. Upon termination of this Agreement or resignation of the Custodian, the Company shall pay to the Custodian such compensation, and shall likewise reimburse the Custodian for its costs, expenses and disbursements, as may be due as of the date of such termination or resignation. All indemnifications in favor of the Custodian under this Agreement shall survive the termination of this Agreement or any resignation of the Custodian, as applicable.

12.6    Final Report. In the event of any resignation of the Custodian, the Custodian shall provide to the Company a complete final report or data file transfer of any Confidential Information as of the date of such resignation.

13. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

13.1    Representations of the Company. The Company represents and warrants to the Custodian that:

(a) it has the power and authority to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement, and it has duly authorized, executed and delivered this Agreement so as to constitute its valid and binding obligation;

(b) in giving any instructions which purport to be “Proper Instructions” under this Agreement, the Company will act in accordance with the provisions of its organizational document and any applicable laws and regulations; and

(c) (i) the Company is not a Plan-Assets Vehicle (as defined below); (ii) the Company is not subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), (iii) less than 25% of the total value of each class of equity interest in the Company is held by “benefit plan investors” within the

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meaning of Section (42) of ERISA. If for any reason the Company breaches or otherwise fails to comply with any of the foregoing representations, warranties, or covenants, then (i) the Custodian’s duties hereunder with respect to the Company terminates immediately upon such breach, regardless of whether the Custodian received notice of such breach or provided notice of termination, (ii) the Company will promptly notify the Custodian of such breach, (iii) the Company acknowledges that the Custodian does not act as “investment manager” (within the meaning of ERISA §3(38)) of the Securities or the Accounts and (iv) the Company acknowledges that the Custodian does not provide any services as a “fiduciary” with respect to the Company within the meaning of ERISA §3(21). For purposes herein, “Plan-Assets Vehicle” means an investment contract, product, or entity that holds “plan assets” (as defined under ERISA §§3(42) and 29 CFR §2510.3-101).

13.2    Representations of the Custodian. The Custodian hereby represents and warrants to the Company that:

(a) it has the power and authority to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement;

(b) it has duly authorized, executed and delivered this Agreement so as to constitute its valid and binding obligations; and

(c) it maintains business continuity policies and standards that include data file backup and recovery procedures that comply with all applicable regulatory requirements.

14. PARTIES IN INTEREST; NO THIRD PARTY BENEFIT

This Agreement is not intended for, and shall not be construed to be intended for, the benefit of any third parties and may not be relied upon or enforced by any third parties (other than successors and permitted assigns pursuant to Section 19).

15. NOTICES

Any Proper Instructions shall be given to the following address (or such other address as either party may designate by written notice to the other party), and otherwise any notices, approvals and other communications hereunder shall be sufficient if made in writing and given to the parties at the following address (or such other address as either of them may subsequently designate by notice to the other), given by (i) certified or registered mail, postage prepaid, (ii) recognized courier or delivery service, or (iii) confirmed telecopier or telex, with a duplicate sent on the same day by first class mail, postage prepaid:

(a) if to the Company or any Subsidiary, to

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Silver Point Specialty Lending Fund

c/o Silver Point Specialty Credit Fund Management, LLC

2 Greenwich Plaza, 1^st Floor

Greenwich, CT 06830

Attention: Loan Administration

Email: creditadmin@silverpointcapital.com

(b) if to the Custodian, to

U.S. Bank National Association

8 Greenway Plaza, Suite 1100

Houston, Texas 77046

Attn: Global Corporate Trust – Silver Point Specialty Lending Fund

Email: SilverPointTrades@usbank.com

(c) if to the Document Custodian, to:

U.S. Bank National Association

1719 Otis Way

Florence, SC 29501

Mail Code: EX-SC-FLOR

Ref: Silver Point Specialty Lending Fund

Email: steven.garrett@usbank.com

16. CHOICE OF LAW AND JURISDICTION

This Agreement shall be construed, and the provisions thereof interpreted under and in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of New York for all purposes (without regard to its choice of law provisions). THE COMPANY AND THE CUSTODIAN EACH HEREBY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY AND ANY OBJECTION TO LAYING OF VENUE ON GROUNDS OF FORUM NONCONVENIENS IN RESPECT OF ANY CLAIM BASED UPON, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT IN ANY U.S. FEDERAL OR NEW YORK STATE COURT SITTING IN THE BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN, IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK (OR ANY APPELLATE COURT THEREFROM).

17. ENTIRE AGREEMENT; COUNTERPARTS

17.1    Complete Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the complete and exclusive agreement of the parties with regard to the matters addressed herein and supersedes and terminates as of the date hereof, all prior agreements or understandings, oral or written, between the parties to this Agreement relating to such matters.

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17.2    Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and all counterparts taken together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

17.3    Facsimile or Electronic Signatures. The exchange of copies of this Agreement and of signature pages by facsimile or electronic transmission (including .pdf file, .jpeg file or any electronic signature complying with the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000, including Orbit, Adobe Sign, DocuSign, or any other similar platform identified by the Company and reasonably available at no undue burden or expense to the Custodian) shall constitute effective execution and delivery of this Agreement as to the parties and may be used in lieu of the original Agreement for all purposes. Signatures of the parties transmitted by facsimile or electronic means shall be deemed to be their original signatures for all purposes. The Custodian shall have no duty to inquire into or investigate the authenticity or authorization of any electronic signature and shall be entitled to conclusively rely on any such electronic signature without any liability with respect thereto.

18. AMENDMENT; WAIVER

18.1    Amendment. This Agreement may not be amended except by an express written instrument duly executed by the Company and the Custodian.

18.2    Waiver. In no instance shall any delay or failure to act be deemed to be or effective as a waiver of any right, power or term hereunder, unless and except to the extent such waiver is set forth in an expressly written instrument signed by the party against whom it is to be charged.

19. SUCCESSOR AND ASSIGNS

19.1    Successors Bound. The covenants and agreements set forth herein shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of each of the parties and their respective successors and permitted assigns. Neither party shall be permitted to assign their rights under this Agreement without the written consent of the other party; provided, however, that the foregoing shall not limit the ability of the Custodian to delegate certain duties or services to or perform them through agents or attorneys appointed with due care as expressly provided in this Agreement.

19.2    Merger and Consolidation. Any corporation or association into which the Custodian may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation or association resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which the Custodian shall be a party, or any corporation or association to which the Custodian (other than Document Custodian) transfers all or substantially all of its corporate trust business (with respect to Document Custodian transfers all or substantially all of its document custody business), shall be the successor of the Custodian, as applicable hereunder, and shall succeed to all of the rights, powers and duties of the Custodian, as applicable, hereunder, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto.

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20. SEVERABILITY

The terms of this Agreement are hereby declared to be severable, such that if any term hereof is determined to be invalid or unenforceable, such determination shall not affect the remaining terms.

21. REQUEST FOR INSTRUCTIONS

If, in performing its duties under this Agreement, the Custodian is required to decide between alternative courses of action, the Custodian may (but shall not be obliged to) request written instructions from the Company as to the course of action desired by it. If the Custodian does not receive such instructions within two (2) Business Days after it has requested them, the Custodian may, but shall be under no duty to, take or refrain from taking any such courses of action. The Custodian shall act in accordance with instructions received from the Company in response to such request after such two-Business Day period except to the extent it has already taken, or committed itself to take, action inconsistent with such instructions.

22. OTHER BUSINESS

Nothing herein shall prevent the Custodian or any of its affiliates from engaging in other business, or from entering into any other transaction or financial or other relationship with, or receiving fees from or from rendering services of any kind to the Company or any other Person. Nothing contained in this Agreement shall constitute the Company and/or the Custodian (and/or any other Person) as members of any partnership, joint venture, association, syndicate, unincorporated business or similar assignment as a result of or by virtue of the engagement or relationship established by this Agreement.

23. REPRODUCTION OF DOCUMENTS

This Agreement and all schedules, exhibits, attachments and amendment hereto may be reproduced by any photographic, photostatic, microfilm, micro-card, miniature photographic or other similar process. The parties hereto each agree that any such reproduction shall be admissible in evidence as the original itself in any judicial or administrative proceeding, whether or not the original is in existence and whether or not such reproduction was made by a party in the regular course of business, and that any enlargement, facsimile or further production shall likewise be admissible in evidence.

24. MISCELLANEOUS

The Company acknowledges receipt of the following notice:

“IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT PROCEDURES FOR OPENING A NEW ACCOUNT.

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To help the government fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering activities, Federal law requires all financial institutions to obtain, verify and record information that identifies each person who opens an account. For a non-individual person such as a business entity, a charity, a trust or other legal entity the Custodian will ask for documentation to verify its formation and existence as a legal entity. The Custodian may also ask to see financial statements, licenses, identification and authorization documents from individuals claiming authority to represent the entity or other relevant documentation.”

[PAGE INTENTIONALLY ENDS HERE. SIGNATURES APPEAR ON NEXT PAGE.]

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties has caused this Agreement to be executed and delivered by a duly authorized officer, intending the same to take effect as of the date first above written.

SILVER POINT SPECIALTY LENDING FUND
By:
Name:	Jesse Dorigo
Title:	Authorized Signatory
U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
as Custodian
By:
Name:
Title:
U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Document Custodian
By:
Name:
Title:

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties has caused this Agreement to be executed and delivered by a duly authorized officer, intending the same to take effect as of the date first above written.

SILVER POINT SPECIALTY LENDING FUND
By:
Name:
Title:
U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
as Custodian
By:
Name:	Elaine Mah
Title:	Senior Vice President
U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as Document Custodian
By:
Name:	Kenneth Brandt
Title:	Vice President

EXHIBIT A

REQUEST FOR RELEASE