<Page>

                                                               EXHIBIT 99.(1)(1)


                     CLAYMORE SECURITIES DEFINED PORTFOLIOS,

                                   SERIES 154

              CLOSED-END SENIOR LOAN AND INCOME PORTFOLIO, SERIES 1

                            REFERENCE TRUST AGREEMENT


     This Reference Trust Agreement dated as of July 25, 2003, between Claymore
Securities, Inc., as Depositor, and The Bank of New York, as Trustee, sets forth
certain provisions in full and incorporates other provisions by reference to the
document entitled "Standard Terms and Conditions of Trust For Series Formed on
or Subsequent to December 18, 2001" (herein called the "Standard Terms and
Conditions of Trust"), and such provisions as are set forth in full and such
provisions as are incorporated by reference constitute a single instrument. All
references herein to Articles and Sections are to Articles and Sections of the
Standard Terms and Conditions of Trust.

                                WITNESSETH THAT:

     In consideration of the premises and of the mutual agreements herein
contained, the Depositor and the Trustee agree as follows:

                                     PART I.

                     STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF TRUST

     Subject to the provisions of Part II hereof, all the provisions contained
in the Standard Terms and Conditions of Trust are herein incorporated by
reference in their entirety and shall be deemed to be a part of this instrument
as fully and to the same extent as though said provisions had been set forth in
this instrument.

                                    PART II.

                      SPECIAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF TRUST

     The following special terms and conditions are hereby agreed to:

          (1) The equity securities listed in the Schedule hereto have been
     deposited in the Trust(s) under this Reference Trust Agreement as indicated
     on the attached Schedule A.

<Page>

          (2) For the purposes of the definition of the term "Unit" in
     Article I, it is hereby specified that the fractional undivided interest in
     and ownership of a Trust is the amount described in Amendment No. 1 to the
     Trust's Registration Statement (Registration No. 333-106475) as filed with
     the Securities and Exchange Commission today. The fractional undivided
     interest may (a) increase by the number of any additional Units issued
     pursuant to Section 2.03, (b) increase or decrease in connection with an
     adjustment to the number of Units pursuant to Section 2.03, or (c) decrease
     by the number of Units redeemed pursuant to Section 5.02.

          (3) The term "Deferred Sales Charge" shall mean the "deferred sales
     fee" as described in the Prospectus.

          (4) The terms "Income Account Record Date" and "Capital Account Record
     Date" shall mean the dates set forth under "Essential Information--Record
     Dates" in the Prospectus.

          (5) The terms "Income Account Distribution Date" and "Capital Account
     Distribution Date" shall mean the dates set forth under "Essential
     Information--Distribution Dates" in the Prospectus.

          (6) The term "Initial Date of Deposit" shall mean the date of this
     Reference Trust Agreement as set forth above.

          (7) Section 2.03 is hereby amended by adding the following sentence as
     the third sentence of Section 2.03:

          "Effective as of the Evaluation Time on July 25, 2003, in the event
     that the aggregate value of Securities in the Trust has increased since the
     evaluation on July 24, 2003, the Trustee shall issue such number of
     additional Units to the Unitholder of outstanding Units as of the close of
     business on July 24, 2003, that the price per Unit computed as of the
     Evaluation Time on July 25, 2003, plus the maximum applicable sales charge
     shall equal approximately $10 per Unit (based on the number of Units
     outstanding as of said Evaluation Time, including the additional Units
     issued pursuant to this sentence); in the event that the aggregate value of
     Securities in the Trust Fund has decreased since the evaluation on
     July 24, 2003, there will be a reverse split of the outstanding Units, and
     said Unitholder will surrender to the Trustee for cancellation such number
     of Units, that the price per Unit computed as of the Evaluation Time on
     July 25, 2003, plus the maximum applicable sales charge shall equal
     approximately $10 per Unit (based on the number of Units outstanding as of
     said Evaluation Time, reflecting cancellation of Units pursuant to this
     sentence)."

          (8) The number of Units of the Trust(s) referred to in Section 2.03
     shall be equal to the "Number of Units" in the Statement(s) of Financial
     Condition in the Prospectus.

          (9) The first paragraph of Section 5.01 is hereby amended and restated
     to read as follows:

<Page>

          SECTION 5.01. TRUST EVALUATION. As of the Evaluation Time (a) on the
     last Business Day of each year, (b) on the day on which any Unit is
     tendered for redemption and (c) on any other day desired by the Trustee or
     requested by the Depositor, the Trustee shall: Add (i) all moneys on
     deposit in a Trust (excluding (1) cash, cash equivalents or Letters of
     Credit deposited pursuant to Section 2.01 hereof for the purchase of
     Contract Securities, unless such cash or Letters of Credit have been
     deposited in the Interest and Principal Accounts because of failure to
     apply such moneys to the purchase of Contract Securities pursuant to the
     provisions of Sections 2.01, 3.03 and 3.04 hereof and (2) moneys credited
     to the Reserve Account pursuant to Section 3.05 hereof), plus (ii) the
     aggregate Evaluation of all Securities (including Contract Securities and
     Reinvestment Securities) on deposit in such Trust as is determined by the
     Evaluator (such evaluations shall take into account and itemize separately
     (i) the cash on hand in the Trust or moneys in the process of being
     collected from matured interest coupons or bonds matured or called for
     redemption prior to maturity, (ii) the value of each issue of the
     Securities in the Trust on the bid side of the market as determined by the
     Evaluator pursuant to Section 4.01, and (iii) interest accrued thereon not
     subject to collection and distribution). For each such Evaluation there
     shall be deducted from the sum of the above (i) amounts representing any
     applicable taxes or governmental charges payable out of the respective
     Trust and for which no deductions shall have previously been made for the
     purpose of addition to the Reserve Account, (ii) amounts representing
     estimated accrued fees of the Trust and expenses of such Trust including
     but not limited to unpaid fees and expenses of the Trustee, the Evaluator,
     the Supervisor, the Depositor and bond counsel, in each case as reported by
     the Trustee to the Evaluator on or prior to the date of evaluation, (iii)
     any moneys identified by the Trustee, as of the date of the Evaluation, as
     held for distribution to Unitholders of record as of a Record Date or for
     payment of the Redemption Value of Units tendered prior to such date and
     (iv) unpaid organization costs in the estimated amount per Unit set forth
     in the Prospectus. The resulting figure is herein called a "TRUST FUND
     EVALUATION." The value of the pro rata share of each Unit of the respective
     Trust determined on the basis of any such evaluation shall be referred to
     herein as the "UNIT VALUE."

          (10) For the purposes of Section 6.01(g)(i), the liquidation amount
     shall be 20% of the total value of all Securities deposited in the Trust(s)
     during a Trust's initial offering period at the time of each such deposit.

          (11) Article III is hereby amended by adding the following section:

          SECTION 3.23. BOOKKEEPING AND ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES. If so provided
     in the Prospectus, as compensation for providing bookkeeping and other
     administrative services of a character described in Section 26(a)(2)(C) of
     the Investment Company Act of 1940 to the extent such services are in
     addition to, and do not duplicate, the services to be provided hereunder by
     the Trustee or the Depositor for providing supervisory services, the
     Depositor shall receive at the times specified in Section 3.05, against a
     statement or statements therefor submitted to the Trustee an aggregate
     annual fee in an amount which shall not exceed that amount set forth in the
     Prospectus, calculated as specified in Section 3.05, but in no event shall
     such compensation, when combined with all compensation

<Page>

     received from other series of the Trust or other unit investment trusts
     sponsored by the Depositor or its affiliates for providing such bookkeeping
     and administrative services in any calendar year exceed the aggregate cost
     to the Depositor for providing such services to such unit investment
     trusts. Such compensation may, from time to time, be adjusted provided that
     the total adjustment upward does not, at the time of such adjustment,
     exceed the percentage of the total increase, during the period from the
     Trust Agreement to the date of any such increase, in consumer prices for
     services as measured by the United States Department of Labor Consumer
     Price Index entitled "All Services Less Rent of Shelter" or similar index
     as described under Section 3.18. The consent or concurrence of any
     Unitholder hereunder shall not be required for any such adjustment or
     increase. Such compensations shall be paid by the Trustee, upon receipt of
     invoice therefor from the Depositor, upon which, as to the cost incurred by
     the Depositor of providing services hereunder the Trustee may rely, and
     shall be charged against the Income and Capital Accounts as specified in
     Section 3.05. The Trustee shall have no liability to any Unitholder or
     other person for any payment made in good faith pursuant to this Section.

          If the cash balance in the Income and Capital Accounts shall be
     insufficient to provide for amounts payable pursuant to this Section 3.23,
     the Trustee shall have the power to sell (1) Securities from the current
     list of Securities designated to be sold pursuant to Section 5.02 hereof,
     or (2) if no such Securities have been so designated, such Securities as
     the Trustee may see fit to sell in its own discretion, and to apply the
     proceeds of any such sale in payment of the amounts payable pursuant to
     this Section 3.23.

          Any moneys payable to the Depositor pursuant to this Section 3.23
     shall be secured by a prior lien on the Trust except that no such lien
     shall be prior to any lien in favor of the Trustee under the provisions of
     Section 6.04.

          (12) The phrases "supervisory services," "supervisory portfolio
     services" and "portfolio supervisory services" in Sections 3.18 are hereby
     replaced with the phrase "portfolio supervisory services and bookkeeping
     and administrative expenses."

          (13) Section 7.05 is hereby amended and replaced in its entirety with
     the following:

          SECTION 7.05. COMPENSATION. The Depositor shall receive at the times
     set forth in Sections 3.05, 3.18, 3.23 and 4.03 as compensation for
     performing portfolio supervisory services, bookkeeping and administrative
     expenses and evaluation services, such amount and for such periods as
     specified the Prospectus and/or Reference Trust Agreement. The compensation
     for providing portfolio supervisory services, bookkeeping and
     administrative expenses and evaluation services shall be made on the basis
     of the largest number of units outstanding at any time during the period
     for which such compensation is being computed. At no time, however, will
     the total amount received by the Depositor for services rendered to all
     series of Claymore Securities Defined Portfolios in any calendar year
     exceed the aggregate cost to them of supplying such services in such year.
     Such rate may be increased by the Trustee from time to time, without the
     consent or approval of

<Page>

     any Unitholder, or the Depositor, by amounts not exceeding the
     proportionate increase during the period from the date of such Prospectus
     and/or Reference Trust Agreement to the date of any such increase, in
     consumer prices as published either under the classification "All Services
     Less Rent" in the Consumer Price Index published by the United States
     Department of Labor or, if such Index is no longer published, a similar
     index.

          In the event that any amount of the compensation paid to the Depositor
     pursuant to Sections 3.05, 3.18 and 3.23 and 4.03 is found to be an
     improper charge against a Trust, the Depositor shall reimburse the Trust in
     such amount. An improper charge shall be established if a final judgment or
     order for reimbursement of the Trust shall be rendered against the
     Depositor and such judgment or order shall not be effectively stayed or a
     final settlement is established in which the Depositor agrees to reimburse
     the Trust for amounts paid to the Depositor pursuant to this Section 7.05.

          (14) The first two sentences of Section 3.22 are hereby amended and
     replaced with the following:

          SECTION 3.22. CREATION AND DEVELOPMENT FEE. If the Prospectus related
     to a Trust specifies a creation and development fee, the Trustee shall, on
     or immediately after the end of the initial offering period, withdraw from
     the Capital Account, an amount equal to the unpaid creation and development
     fee as of such date and credit such amount to a special non-Trust account
     designated by the Depositor out of which the creation and development fee
     will be distributed to the Depositor (the "Creation and Development
     Account"). The creation and development fee is the per unit amount
     specified in the Prospectus for the Trust.

          (15) Article III is hereby amended by adding the following section:

          SECTION 3.24. LICENSE FEES. If so provided in the Prospectus, the
     Depositor may enter into a Licensing Agreement (the "AGREEMENT") with a
     licensor (the "LICENSOR") described in the Prospectus in which the
     Trust(s), as consideration for the licenses granted by the Licensor for the
     right to use its trademarks and trade names, intellectual property rights
     or for the use of databases and research owned by the Licensor, will pay a
     fee set forth in the Agreement to the applicable Licensor or the Depositor
     to reimburse the Depositor for payment of the expenses.

          If the Agreement provides for an annual license fee computed in whole
     or part by reference to the average daily net asset value of the Trust
     assets, for purpose of calculating the accrual of estimated expenses such
     annual fee shall accrue at a daily rate and the Trustee is authorized to
     compute an estimated license fee payment (i) until the Depositor has
     informed the Trustee that there will be no further deposits of additional
     Securities, by reference to an estimate of the average daily net asset
     value of the Trust assets which the Depositor shall provide the Trustee,
     (ii) thereafter and during the calendar quarter in which the last business
     day of the period described in clause (i) occurs, by reference to the net
     asset value of the Trust assets as of such last business day,

<Page>

     and (iii) during each subsequent calendar quarter, by reference to the net
     asset value of the Trust assets as of the last business day of the
     preceding calendar quarter. The Trustee shall adjust the net asset value
     (Trust Fund Evaluation) as of the dates specified in the preceding sentence
     to account for any variation between accrual of estimated license fee and
     the license fee payable pursuant to the Agreement, but such adjustment
     shall not affect calculations made prior thereto and no adjustment shall be
     made in respect thereof.

          (16) Section 2.05 (b) is replaced in its entirety with the following:

          (b)  Additional Securities deposited during the 90 days following the
     initial deposit made pursuant to Section 2.01 hereof shall maintain as
     closely as practicable the Original Proportionate Relationship, except as
     provided in this Section 2.05(b). Additional Securities may be deposited or
     purchased in round lots; if the amount of the deposit is insufficient to
     acquire round lots of each Security to be acquired, the Additional
     Securities shall be deposited or purchased in the order of the Security in
     the Trust most under represented immediately before the deposit with
     respect to the Original Proportionate Relationship. Instructions to
     purchase Additional Securities under this Section shall be in writing and
     shall direct the Trustee to purchase, or enter into contracts to purchase,
     Additional Securities; such instructions shall also specify the name, CUSIP
     number, if any, aggregate amount of each such Additional Security and price
     or range of price. If, at the time of a subsequent deposit under this
     Section, Securities of an Original Issue are unavailable, cannot be
     purchased at reasonable prices or their purchase is prohibited or
     restricted by applicable law, regulation or policies, in lieu of the
     portion of the deposit that would otherwise be represented by those
     Securities, the Depositor may (A) deposit (or instruct the Trustee to
     purchase) Securities of another Original Issue or (B) deposit cash or a
     letter of credit with instructions to acquire the Securities of such
     Original Issue when they become available.

          (17) Section 4.01(b) is replaced in its entirety by the following:

          (b)  During the initial offering period such Evaluation shall be made
     in the following manner: if the Securities are listed on a national
     securities exchange or foreign securities exchange, such Evaluation shall
     generally be based on the last available sale price on or immediately prior
     to the Evaluation Time on the exchange which is the principal market
     therefor, which shall be deemed to be the New York Stock Exchange if the
     Securities are listed thereon (unless the Evaluator deems such price
     inappropriate as a basis for evaluation) or, if there is no such available
     sale price on such exchange, at the last available offer prices of the
     Securities. Securities not listed on the New York Stock Exchange but
     principally traded on the Nasdaq National Market System will be valued at
     Nasdaq's official close price. If the Securities are not so listed or, if
     so listed, the principal market therefor is other than on such exchange or
     there is no such available sale price on such exchange, such Evaluation
     shall generally be based on the following methods or any combination
     thereof whichever the Evaluator deems appropriate: (i) on the basis of the
     current offer price for comparable securities (unless the Evaluator deems
     such price inappropriate as a basis for evaluation), (ii) by determining
     the valuation of the Securities on the offer side of the market by
     appraisal or (iii) by any combination of the above. If the

<Page>

     Trust holds Securities denominated in a currency other than U.S. dollars,
     the Evaluation of such Security shall be converted to U.S. dollars based on
     current offering side exchange rates (unless the Evaluator deems such
     prices inappropriate as a basis for valuation). The Evaluator shall add to
     the Evaluation of each Security which is traded principally on a foreign
     securities exchange the amount of any commissions and relevant taxes
     associated with the acquisition of the Security. As used herein, the
     closing sale price is deemed to mean the most recent closing sale price on
     the relevant securities exchange immediately prior to the Evaluation Time.
     For each Evaluation, the Evaluator shall also confirm and furnish to the
     Trustee and the Depositor, on the basis of the information furnished to the
     Evaluator by the Trustee as to the value of all Trust assets other than
     Securities, the calculation of the Trust Fund Evaluation to be computed
     pursuant to Section 5.01.

          (18) Section 4.01(c) is replaced in its entirety by the following:

          (c)  For purposes of the Trust Fund Evaluations required by
     Section 5.01 in determining Redemption Value and Unit Value and for
     secondary market purchases, Evaluation of the Securities shall be made in
     the manner described in 4.01(b), on the basis of the last available bid
     prices of the Securities (rather than offer prices), except in those cases
     in which the Securities are listed on a national securities exchange or a
     foreign securities exchange and the last available sale prices are
     utilized. In addition, with respect to each Security which is traded
     principally on a foreign securities exchange, the Evaluator shall (i) not
     make the addition specified in the fourth sentence of Section 4.01(b) and
     (ii) shall reduce the Evaluation of each Security by the amount of any
     liquidation costs (other than brokerage costs incurred on any national
     securities exchange) and any capital gains or other taxes which would be
     incurred by the Trust upon the sale of such Security, such taxes being
     computed as if the Security were sold on the date of the Evaluation.

          (19) Section 9.05 is hereby revised to read as follows:

          SECTION 9.05. WRITTEN NOTICE. Any notice, demand, direction or
     instruction to be given to the Depositor, Evaluator or Supervisor hereunder
     shall be in writing and shall be duly given if mailed or delivered to the
     Depositor, 210 North Hale Road, Wheaton, Illinois 60187, or at such other
     address as shall be specified by the Depositor to the other parties hereto
     in writing.

          (20) The second paragraph of Section 6.02 is replaced in its entirety
     as follows:

          An audit of the accounts of each Trust shall not be conducted unless
     the Depositor determines that such an audit is required. In the event that
     the Depositor determines that an audit is required, the accounts of each
     Trust shall be audited not less than annually by independent public
     accountants designated from time to time by the Depositor and reports of
     such accountants shall be furnished by the Trustee, upon request, to
     Unitholders. The Trustee, however, in connection with any such audits shall
     not be obligated to use Trust assets to pay for such audits in excess of
     the amounts, if any, indicated in the Prospectus

<Page>

     relating to such Trust. The Trustee shall maintain and provide, upon the
     request of a Unitholder or the Depositor, the Unitholders' or the
     Unitholder's designated representative with the cost basis of the
     Securities represented by the Unitholder's Units.

          (21) The first paragraph of Section 6.04 is replaced in its entirety
     as follows:

          SECTION 6.04. COMPENSATION. Subject to the provisions of Section 3.14
     hereof, the Trustee shall receive at the times set forth in Section 3.05,
     as compensation for performing ordinary normal recurring services under
     this Indenture, an amount calculated at the annual compensation rate stated
     in the Prospectus. The Trustee shall charge a pro rated portion of its
     annual fee at the times specified in Section 3.05, which pro rated portion
     shall be calculated on the basis of the largest number of Units in such
     Trust at any time during the primary offering period. After the primary
     offering period has terminated, the fee shall accrue daily and be based on
     the number of Units outstanding on the first business day of each calendar
     year in which the fee is calculated or the number of Units outstanding at
     the end of the primary offering period, as appropriate. The Trustee may
     from time to time adjust its compensation as set forth above, PROVIDED that
     total adjustment upward does not, at the time of such adjustment, exceed
     the percentage of the total increase, after the date hereof, in consumer
     prices for services as measured by the United States Department of Labor
     Consumer Price Index entitled "All Services Less Rent," or, if such index
     shall cease to be published, then as measured by the available index most
     nearly comparable to such index. The consent or concurrence of any
     Unitholder hereunder shall not be required for any such adjustment or
     increase, however, the consent of the Depositor shall be required. Such
     compensation shall be charged by the Trustee against the Income and Capital
     Accounts of each Trust; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that such compensation shall be
     deemed to provide only for the usual, normal and proper functions
     undertaken as Trustee pursuant to this Indenture.

     This Reference Trust Agreement shall be deemed effective when executed and
delivered by the Sponsor and the Trustee.

<Page>

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Reference Trust
Agreement to be duly executed.


                                    CLAYMORE SECURITIES, INC., DEPOSITOR


                                    By /s/ Nicholas Dalmaso
                                      -------------------------------------
                                             Chief Operations Officer and
                                                 General Counsel


                                    THE BANK OF NEW YORK, TRUSTEE


                                    By /s/ Thomas Porrazzo
                                      --------------------------------------
                                                   Vice President

<Page>

                                   SCHEDULE A

                         SECURITIES INITIALLY DEPOSITED

               CLAYMORE SECURITIES DEFINED PORTFOLIOS, SERIES 154


(Note:    Incorporated herein and made a part hereof are the "Trust
          Portfolio(s)" as set forth in the Prospectus.)