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Form SC 13D BLACKROCK MUNIYIELD MICH Filed by: Toronto Dominion Investments, Inc.

July 5, 2022 10:30 AM EDT

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

SCHEDULE 13D

 

Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

(Amendment No. n/a )*

 

BLACKROCK MUNIYIELD MICHIGAN QUALITY FUND, INC.

(Name of Issuer)

 

VARIABLE RATE DEMAND PREFERRED SHARES

(Title of Class of Securities)

 

09254V600

(CUSIP Number)

 

Toronto-Dominion Investments, Inc.

1 Vanderbilt Avenue

New York, NY 10017

(212) 827-7488

(Name, Address and Telephone Number of Person

Authorized to Receive Notices and Communications)

 

June 16, 2020

(Date of Event Which Requires Filing of this Statement)

 

If the filing person has previously filed a statement on Schedule 13G to report the acquisition which is the subject of this Schedule 13D, and is filing this schedule because of Rule 13d-1(e), 13d-1(f) or 13d-1(g), check the following box ☐.

 

*The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person's initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

 

The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the Notes).

 

 

 

 

SCHEDULE 13D

 

CUSIP No. 09254V600

 

1.

Names of Reporting Persons

 

Toronto Dominion Investments, Inc. 

36-2998941

2.

Check the Appropriate Box if a member of a Group (see instructions)

 

a. ☐

b. ☒

3.

SEC Use Only ___________________

 

 

4.

Source of Funds (See Instructions): 

 

WC

5.

Check Box if Disclosure of Legal Proceedings Is Required pursuant to Items 2(d) or 2(e).

 

6.

Citizenship or Place of Organization

 

Delaware

 

Number of

Shares

Beneficially

Owned by

Each

Reporting

Person With:

7.

Sole Voting Power:

 

0

8.

Shared Voting Power:

 

2,319

9. 

Sole Dispositive Power:

 

0

10.

Shared Dispositive Power:

 

2,319

 

11.

Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person:

 

2,319 shares

12.

Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row (11) Excludes Certain Shares (See Instructions):

 

13.

Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (11):

 

100%

14.

Type of Reporting Person (See Instructions)

 

CO

 

 
2

 

 

SCHEDULE 13D

 

CUSIP No. 09254V600

 

1.

Names of Reporting Persons

 

Toronto Dominion Holdings (U.S.A.), Inc.

58-1495511

2.

Check the Appropriate Box if a member of a Group (see instructions)

 

a. ☐

b. ☒

3.

SEC Use Only ___________________

 

 

4.

Source of Funds (See Instructions): 

 

WC

5.

Check Box if Disclosure of Legal Proceedings Is Required pursuant to Items 2(d) or 2(e).

 

6.

Citizenship or Place of Organization

 

Delaware

 

Number of

Shares

Beneficially

Owned by

Each

Reporting

Person With:

7.

Sole Voting Power:

 

0

8.

Shared Voting Power:

 

2,319

9.

Sole Dispositive Power:

 

0

10.

Shared Dispositive Power:

 

2,319

 

11.

Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person:

 

2,319 shares

12.

Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row (11) Excludes Certain Shares (See Instructions):

 

13.

Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (11):

 

100%

14.

Type of Reporting Person (See Instructions)

 

CO

 

 
3

 

 

SCHEDULE 13D

 

CUSIP No. 09254V600

 

1.

Names of Reporting Persons

 

TD Group US Holdings LLC

47-4435262

2.

Check the Appropriate Box if a member of a Group (see instructions)

 

a. ☐

b. ☒

3.

SEC Use Only ___________________

 

 

4.

Source of Funds (See Instructions): 

 

WC

5.

Check Box if Disclosure of Legal Proceedings Is Required pursuant to Items 2(d) or 2(e).

 

6.

Citizenship or Place of Organization

 

Delaware

 

 Number of

Shares

Beneficially

Owned by

Each

Reporting

Person With:

7.

Sole Voting Power:

 

0

8.

Shared Voting Power:

 

2,319

9.

Sole Dispositive Power:

 

0

10.

Shared Dispositive Power:

 

2,319

 

11.

Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person:

 

2,319 shares

12.

Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row (11) Excludes Certain Shares (See Instructions):

 

13.

Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (11):

 

100%

14.

Type of Reporting Person (See Instructions)

 

OO

 

 
4

 

 

SCHEDULE 13D

 

CUSIP No. 09254V600

 

1.

Names of Reporting Persons

 

The Toronto-Dominion Bank

13-5640479

2.

Check the Appropriate Box if a member of a Group (see instructions)

 

a. ☐

b. ☒

3.

SEC Use Only ___________________

 

 

4.

Source of Funds (See Instructions): 

 

WC

5.

Check Box if Disclosure of Legal Proceedings Is Required pursuant to Items 2(d) or 2(e).

 

6.

Citizenship or Place of Organization

 

Canada

 

 Number of

Shares

Beneficially

Owned by

Each

Reporting

Person With:

7.

Sole Voting Power:

 

0

8.

Shared Voting Power:

 

2,319

9.

Sole Dispositive Power:

 

0

10.

Shared Dispositive Power:

 

2,319

 

11.

Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person:

 

2,319 shares

12.

Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row (11) Excludes Certain Shares (See Instructions):

 

13.

Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (11):

 

100%

14.

Type of Reporting Person (See Instructions)

 

BK

 

 
5

 

 

Item 1 Security and Issuer

 

This Statement on Schedule 13D (this "Statement") relates to the purchase of 2,319 Series W-7 Variable Rate Demand Preferred Shares (CUSIP No. 09254V600) ("VRDP Shares") of BlackRock MuniYield Michigan Quality Fund, Inc. (the "Issuer" or the "Company"). This Statement is being filed by the Reporting Persons (as defined below) as a result of the purchase of VRDP Shares by TDI (as defined below). The Issuer's principal executive offices are located at 100 Bellevue Parkway, Wilmington, Delaware 19808.

 

Item 2 Identity and Background

 

(a) This Statement is being filed on behalf of each of the following persons (collectively, the "Reporting Persons"):

 

 

i.

Toronto Dominion Investments, Inc. ("TDI"), a Delaware corporation

 

 

 

 

ii.

Toronto Dominion Holdings (U.S.A.), Inc. ("TDH") a Delaware corporation

 

 

 

 

iii.

TD Group US Holdings LLC ("TD GUS") a Delaware limited liability company

 

 

 

 

iv.

The Toronto-Dominion Bank ("TD") a Canadian chartered bank

 

This Statement relates to the VRDP Shares that were purchased for the account of TDI.

 

(b) The address of the principal business office of TDI is:

 

1 Vanderbilt Avenue

New York, New York 10017

 

The address of the principal business office of TDH is:

 

1 Vanderbilt Avenue

New York, New York 10017

 

The address of the principal business office of TD GUS is:

 

251 Little Falls Drive

Wilmington, Delaware 19808

 

The address of the principal business office of TD is:

 

Toronto-Dominion Centre

P.O. Box 1

Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5k 1A2

 

(c) TD and its subsidiaries are principally engaged in the business of personal, commercial and wholesale banking and wealth management. TDI's principal business is limited to lending and investing.

 

Information concerning each executive officer, director and controlling person (the "Listed Persons") of the Reporting Persons is listed on Schedule I attached hereto, and is incorporated by reference herein. To the knowledge of the Reporting Persons, all of the Listed Persons are citizens of the United States, other than as otherwise specified on Schedule I hereto.

 

 
6

 

 

(d) During the last five years, the Reporting Persons have not, and to the best knowledge of the Reporting Persons none of the Listed Persons have, been convicted in a criminal proceeding (excluding traffic violations or similar misdemeanors) or were a party to a civil proceeding of a judicial or administrative body of competent jurisdiction as a result of which such person was or is subject to a judgment, decree or final order enjoining future violations of, or prohibiting or mandating activities subject to, federal or state securities laws, or finding any violation with respect to such laws.

 

Item 3 Source and Amount of Funds or Other Consideration

 

The aggregate amount of funds used by the Reporting Persons to purchase the securities reported herein was approximately $231,900,000. The source of funds was the working capital of the Reporting Persons.

 

The Reporting Persons declare that neither the filing of this Statement nor anything herein shall be construed as an admission that such person is, for the purposes of Section 13(d) of the Act or any other purpose, (i) acting (or has agreed or is agreeing to act together with any other person) as a partnership, limited partnership, syndicate, or other group for the purpose of acquiring, holding or disposing of securities of the Issuer or otherwise with respect to the Issuer or any securities of the Issuer or (ii) a member of any group with respect to the Issuer or any securities of the Company.

 

Item 4 Purpose of the Transaction

 

TDI has purchased the VRDP Shares for investment purposes. TDI acquired the VRDP Shares in an open market transaction for an aggregate purchase price of $231,900,000.

 

The Reporting Persons have not acquired the VRDP Shares with any purpose, or with the effect of, changing or influencing control of the issuer, or in connection with or as a participant in any transaction having that purpose or effect.

 

Item 5 Interest in Securities of the Issuer

 

(a) - (b) The responses of the Reporting Persons to Rows (7) through (11) of the cover pages of this Statement are incorporated herein by reference.

 

As of June 16, 2020, the Reporting Persons beneficially owned an aggregate of 2,319 VRDP Shares representing 100% of the outstanding VRDP Shares of the Issuer. The 2,319 VRDP Shares reported herein consist of 2,319 VRDP Shares over which TDI is the record and beneficial owner. TDH is the sole owner of TDI and accordingly beneficially owns the VRDP Shares held by TDI. TD GUS is the sole owner of TDH and accordingly beneficially owns the VRDP Shares held by TDI. TD is the sole owner of TD GUS and accordingly beneficially owns the VRDP Shares held by TDI.

 

(c) There have been no transactions in the VRDP Shares that were effected during the past sixty days by the Reporting Persons other than as reported in this Statement.

 

(d) No other person is known by the Reporting Persons to have the right to receive or the power to direct the receipt of dividends from, or the proceeds from the sale of, VRDP Shares that may be deemed to be beneficially owned by the Reporting Persons.

 

(e) Not applicable.

 

 
7

 

 

Item 6 Contracts, Arrangements, Understandings or Relationships with Respect to Securities of the Issuer

 

The responses of the Reporting Persons to Item 4 are incorporated herein by reference. With respect to the VRDP Shares owned by TDI, on June 16, 2020, TDI assigned certain voting rights on the VRDP Shares to a voting trust (the "Voting Trust") created pursuant to the Special Rate Period Voting Trust Agreement, dated as of January 26, 2017, among TDI, Lord Securities Corporation, as voting trustee (the "Voting Trustee") and Glass Lewis & Co., LLC (the "Voting Consultant"). Voting rights on the VRDP Shares not assigned to the Voting Trust have been retained by TDI. The Voting Trust provides that, with respect to voting matters relating to the voting rights assigned to the Voting Trust, the Voting Consultant analyzes such voting matters and makes a recommendation to the Voting Trustee on voting. The Voting Trustee is obligated to follow any such recommendations of the Voting Consultant when providing a vote.

 

Item 7 Material to be Filed as Exhibits

 

Exhibit

 

Description of Exhibit

 

 

 

99.1

 

Joint Filing Agreement

 

 

 

99.2 

 

Certificate for TD 

 

 

 

99.3

 

Secretary's Certificate for TD GUS

 

 

 

99.4

 

Voting Trust Agreement as amended dated June 16, 2020 

 

 

 

99.5 

 

VRDP Shares Fee Agreement dated June 16, 2020 

 

 

 

99.6

 

VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement dated June 16, 2020 

 

 

 

99.7

 

VRDP Shares Remarketing Agreement dated June 16, 2020

 

 
8

 

 

SIGNATURES

 

After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct.

 

Date: June 30, 2022

 

 

TORONTO DOMINION INVESTMENTS, INC.

       
By: /s/ Christina Petrou

 

Name:

Christina Petrou  
  Title: Vice President & Chief Operating Officer  

 

 

TORONTO DOMINION HOLDINGS (U.S.A.), INC.

       
By: /s/ Christina Petrou

 

Name:

Christina Petrou  
  Title: Vice President & Chief Operating Officer  

 

 

TD GROUP US HOLDINGS LLC

       
By: /s/ Cody Botnick

 

Name:

Cody Botnick  
  Title: Assistant Secretary  

 

 

THE TORONTO-DOMINION BANK

       
By:

/s/ Christina Petrou

 

Name:

Christina Petrou

 

 

Title:

Vice President

 

 

 
9

 

 

LIST OF EXHIBITS

 

Exhibit

 

Description of Exhibit

 

 

 

99.1

 

Joint Filing Agreement

 

 

 

99.2

 

Certificate for TD

 

 

 

99.3

 

Secretary's Certificate for TD GUS

 

 

 

99.4

 

Voting Trust Agreement as amended dated June 16, 2020

 

 

 

99.5

 

VRDP Shares Fee Agreement dated June 16, 2020

 

 

 

99.6

 

VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement dated June 16, 2020

 

 

 

99.7

 

VRDP Shares Remarketing Agreement dated June 16, 2020

 

 
10

 

 

SCHEDULE I

 

INFORMATION RELATING TO THE EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS OF THE TD ENTITIES

 

The following sets forth the name, title and present principal occupation of each executive officer and director of TDI.

 

TORONTO DOMINION INVESTMENTS, INC.

 

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS

 

Name

 

Title

 

Principal Occupation or Employment

 

 

 

 

 

Danny Salinas

(U.S. Citizen)

 

Director, Officer, & President

 

Chief Financial Officer, Executive

Managing Director, TD Securities (USA) LLC

1 Vanderbilt Avenue,

New York, NY 10017

 

 

 

 

 

Nancy Haraf

(U.S. Citizen)

 

Director, Vice President & Treasurer

 

Director, Finance, TD Securities (USA) LLC

1 Vanderbilt Avenue,

New York, NY 10017

 

 

 

 

 

Richard Rosenthal

(US Citizen)

 

Officer, Vice President

 

Director, Financial & Regulatory

Reporting, TD Securities (USA) LLC

1 Vanderbilt Avenue,

New York, NY 10017

 

 

 

 

 

Christina Petrou

(US Citizen)

 

Officer, Vice President

 

Chief Operating Officer, TD Securities (USA) LLC

1 Vanderbilt Avenue,

New York, NY 10017

 

 

 

 

 

Robert Franciscus

(US Citizen)

 

Officer, Vice President

 

Managing Director, TD Securities (USA) LLC

1 Vanderbilt Avenue,

New York, NY 10017

 

 

 

 

 

Robyn Zeller

(US Citizen)

 

Officer, Vice President

 

Executive Managing Director, TD

Securities (USA) LLC

1 Vanderbilt Avenue,

New York, NY 10017

 

 
11

 

 

Executive Officers and Directors of TDH

 

The following sets forth the name, title and present principal occupation of each executive officer and director of TDH.

 

TORONTO DOMINION HOLDINGS (U.S.A.), INC.

 

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS

 

Name

 

Title

 

Principal Occupation or Employment

 

 

 

 

 

Glenn Gibson

(Canadian Citizen)

 

President, Chief Executive Officer

 

Region Head, TD Securities (USA) LLC

1 Vanderbilt Avenue,

New York, NY 10017

 

 

 

 

 

Christina Petrou

(US Citizen)

 

Officer, Vice President, Chief Operating Officer

 

Chief Operating Officer, TD Securities (USA) LLC

1 Vanderbilt Avenue,

New York, NY 10017

 

 

 

 

 

Nancy Haraf

(U.S. Citizen)

 

Officer & Director, Vice President & Treasurer

 

Director, Finance, TD Securities (USA) LLC

1 Vanderbilt Avenue,

New York, NY 10017

 

 

 

 

 

Robyn Zeller

(US Citizen)

 

Officer & Director, Vice President

 

Executive Managing Director, TD

Securities (USA) LLC

1 Vanderbilt Avenue,

New York, NY 10017

 

 

 

 

 

Danny Salinas

(U.S. Citizen)

 

Officer & Director, Vice President

 

Chief Financial Officer, Executive

Managing Director, TD Securities (USA) LLC

1 Vanderbilt Avenue,

Robert Franciscus

(US Citizen)

 

Officer, Vice President

 

New York, NY 10017

 

 

 

 

 

Pradeep Mehra

(India Citizen)

 

Officer, Vice President

 

Managing Director, TD Securities (USA) LLC

1 Vanderbilt Avenue,

New York, NY 10017

 

 

 

 

 

Peter Stroud

(US Citizen)

 

Officer, Vice President

 

Managing Director, TD

Securities (USA) LLC

1 Vanderbilt Avenue,

Robert Doster

(US Citizen)

 

Officer, Vice President

 

New York, NY 10017

 

 

 

 

 

Stuart Homcy

(US Citizen)

 

Officer, Vice President

 

Director, TD Securities (USA) LLC

1 Vanderbilt Avenue,

New York, NY 10017

 

 
12

 

 

Executive Officers and Directors of TD

 

The following sets forth the name, title and present principal occupation of each executive officer and director of TD.

 

THE TORONTO-DOMINION BANK

 

DIRECTORS

 

Name

 

Principal Occupation or Employment

 

 

 

Cherie L. Brant

(Canadian Citizen)

 

Partner

Borden Ladner Gervais LLP

22 Adelaide St West, Suite 3400

Toronto, Ontario M5H 4E3

 

 

 

Amy W. Brinkley

(U.S. Citizen)

 

Consultant

AWB Consulting, LLC

2225 Sharon Lane

Charlotte, North Carolina 28211

 

 

 

Brian C. Ferguson

(Canadian Citizen)

 

Corporate Director and former President & Chief Executive Officer

Cenovus Energy Inc.

600 Princeton Way SW#505

Calgary, Alberta T2P 5N4

 

 

 

Colleen A. Goggins

(U.S. Citizen)

 

Corporate Director and retired Worldwide Chairman,

Consumer Group, Johnson & Johnson

7 Constitution Hill East

Princeton, New Jersey 08540

 

 

 

Jean-René Halde

(Canadian Citizen)

 

Corporate Director and retired President and Chief Executive Officer,

Business Development Bank of Canada

2813 rue des Outardes

Saint-Laurent, Quebec H4R 0H5

 

 

 

David E. Kepler

(U.S. Citizen)

 

Corporate Director and retired Executive Vice President, The Dow Chemical Company

912 Turtle Cove

Sanford, Michigan 48657

 

Brian M. Levitt

(Canadian Citizen)

 

Chairman of the Board

The Toronto-Dominion Bank

P.O. Box 1, TD Bank Tower

66 Wellington Street West, 4th Floor

Toronto, Ontario M5K 1A2

 

 

 

Alan N. MacGibbon

(Canadian Citizen)

 

Corporate Director and retired Managing Partner and Chief Executive of Deloitte LLP

15 Birkbank Drive

Oakville, Ontario L6J 4Z1

 

 
13

 

 

Karen E. Maidment

(Canadian Citizen)

 

Corporate Director and former Chief Financial and Administrative Officer

BMO Financial Group

92 Salisbury Avenue

Cambridge, Ontario N1S 1J5

 

 

 

Bharat B. Masrani

(Canadian and British Citizen)

 

Group President and Chief Executive Officer

The Toronto-Dominion Bank

P.O. Box 1, TD Bank Tower

66 Wellington Street West, 4th Floor

Toronto, Ontario M5K 1A2

 

 

 

Nadir H. Mohamed

(Canadian Citizen)

 

Corporate Director and former President and Chief Executive Officer,

Rogers Communications Inc.

Goodmans LLP

Bay Adelaide Centre

333 Bay Street, Suite 3400

Toronto, Ontario M5H 2S7

 

 

 

Claude Mongeau

(Canadian Citizen)

 

Corporate Director and former President and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian National Railway

Company

195 Maplewood Ave.

Outremont, Quebec H2V 2M6

 

 

 

S. Jane Rowe

(Canadian Citizen)

 

Vice Chair, Investments

Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan Board

5650 Yonge Street

Toronto, Ontario M2M 4H5

 

 

 

Nancy G. Tower

(Canadian Citizen)

 

Former President & Chief Executive Officer, Tampa Electric Company

1550 Dresden Row, Unit 1605

Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3J 4A2

 

 
14

 

 

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

 

Name

 

Principal Occupation or Employment

 

 

 

Bharat B. Masrani

(Canadian and British Citizen)

 

Group President and Chief Executive Officer, TD Bank Group

66 Wellington St. W., 4th Floor

Toronto, Ontario MK5 1A2  Canada

 

 

 

Riaz Ahmed

(Canadian Citizen)

 

President and CEO of TD Securities,  Group Head, Wholesale Banking, TD Bank Group

66 Wellington St. W., 4th Floor

Toronto, Ontario MK5 1A2  Canada

 

 

 

Ajai K. Bambawale

(Canadian Citizen)

 

Group Head and Chief Risk Officer, TD Bank Group

66 Wellington St. W., 4th Floor

Toronto, Ontario MK5 1A2  Canada

 

 

 

Raymond Chun

(Canadian Citizen)

 

Group head, Wealth and Insurance, TD Bank Group

161 Bay Street, 35th Floor

Toronto, Ontario M5J 2T2  Canada

 

 

 

Paul C. Douglas

(Canadian Citizen)

 

Group Head, Canadian Business Banking, TD Bank Group

100 Wellington Street West, 27th Floor, TD West Tower

Toronto, Ontario M5K 1A2  Canada

 

 

 

Barbara Hooper

(Canadian Citizen)

 

Senior Executive Vice President, Treasury and Enterprise Strategy, TD Bank

66 Wellington St. W., 4th Floor

Toronto, Ontario MK5 1A2  Canada

 

 

 

Greg Keeley

(U.S. Citizen)

 

Senior Executive Vice President, Platforms & Technology, TD Bank Group

66 Wellington St. W., 4th Floor

Toronto, Ontario MK5 1A2  Canada

 

 

 

Kenneth W. Lalonde

(Canadian Citizen)

 

Senior Executive Vice President and

Chief Human Resources Officer, TD Bank Group

66 Wellington St. W., 4th Floor

Toronto, Ontario MK5 1A2  Canada

 

 

 

Jane A. Langford

(Canadian Citizen)

 

Executive Vice President and General Counsel, TD Bank Group

66 Wellington St. W., 4th Floor

Toronto, Ontario MK5 1A2  Canada

 

 

 

Christine Morris

(Canadian Citizen)

 

Senior Executive Vice President, Transformation, Enablement and Customer Experience

66 Wellington St. W., 4th Floor

Toronto, Ontario MK5 1A2  Canada

 

 
15

 

 

Anita O'Dell

(U.S. Citizen)

 

Senior Vice President and Chief Auditor, TD Bank Group

US Audit Admin 200 Carolina Point Pkwy, Bldg B

Greenville,  SC  29607 SC1-009-415

 

 

 

Michael G. Rhodes

(U.S. Citizen)

 

Group Head, Canadian Personal Banking, TD Bank Group

66 Wellington St. W., 4th Floor

Toronto, Ontario MK5 1A2  Canada

 

 

 

Leovigildo Salom

(U.S. Citizen)

 

Group Head, U.S. Retail and CEO

TD Bank and President and CEO, TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank®

1701 Route 70 East, 2nd Floor

Cherry Hill, Camden, NJ 08003

 

 

 

Kelvin Vi Luan Tran

(Canadian Citizen)

 

Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, TD Bank

66 Wellington St. W., 4th Floor

Toronto, Ontario MK5 1A2  Canada

 

 

 
16

 


ndmo_ex991.htm

EXHIBIT 99.1

 

JOINT FILING AGREEMENT

 

Pursuant to and in accordance with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), and the rules and regulations thereunder, each party hereto hereby agrees to the joint filing, on behalf of each of them, of any filing required by such party under Section 13 or Section 16 of the Exchange Act or any rule or regulation thereunder (including any amendment, restatement, supplement, and/or exhibit thereto) with the Securities and Exchange Commission (and, if such security is registered on a national securities exchange, also with the exchange), and further agrees to the filing, furnishing, and/or incorporation by reference of this agreement as an exhibit thereto. This agreement shall remain in full force and effect until revoked by any party hereto in a signed writing provided to each other party hereto, and then only with respect to such revoking party.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each party hereto, being duly authorized, has caused this agreement to be executed and effective as of the date set forth below.

 

Date: June 30, 2022

 

 

TORONTO DOMINION INVESTMENTS, INC.

       
By: /s/ Christina Petrou

 

Name:

Christina Petrou  
  Title: Vice President & Chief Operating Officer  

 

 

TORONTO DOMINION HOLDINGS (U.S.A.), INC.

       
By:

/s/ Christina Petrou

 

Name:

Christina Petrou  
  Title: Vice President & Chief Operating Officer  

 

 

TD GROUP US HOLDINGS LLC

       
By:

/s/ Cody Botnick

 

Name:

Cody Botnick  
  Title: Assistant Secretary  

 

 

THE TORONTO-DOMINION BANK

       
By:

/s/ Christina Petrou

 

Name:

Christina Petrou  
  Title: Vice President  

 


ndmo_ex992.htm

EXHIBIT 99.2

 

THE TORONTO-DOMINION BANK

 

CERTIFICATE

 

"RESOLVED THAT:

 

 

1.      

The Chief Executive Officer of the Bank be and is hereby authorized to designate offices of the Bank and appoint such officers thereto as the Chief Executive Officer may consider necessary to carry on the business of the Bank.

 

 

 

 

2.      

The Group Head, Senior Executive Vice President or Executive Vice President with enterprise responsibility for Human Resources of the Bank be and is hereby authorized to appoint persons to the position of Vice President, Associate Vice President or District Vice President as the aforementioned Group Head may consider appropriate.

 

 

 

 

3.      

Without restricting the authority of the Chief Executive Officer set out in paragraph 1 above, any position at the level of Group Head or Senior Executive Vice President or above, together with the respective Human Resources Operating Committee ("HROC") member for the business segment or functional area of the Bank be and are hereby authorized to appoint persons to the position of Vice President, Associate Vice President or District Vice President as the aforementioned Group Head or Senior Executive Vice President or above, and HROC member may consider appropriate.

 

 

 

 

4.      

All instruments and documents necessary or proper to be executed by the Bank, either under corporate seal or otherwise, which, for greater certainty in the Province of Quebec, includes without limitation all powers of attorney, releases, discharges or main levées given for any or no consideration, may be signed by:

 

 

(a)   

any one of the Chair, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Chief Operating Officer, the Secretary, a Vice Chair, a Group Head, a Senior Executive Vice President, an Executive Vice President or a Senior Vice President; or

 

 

 

 

(b)  

the holder of any office created in the future at a level that is greater than or equivalent to a Senior Vice President; or

 

 

 

 

(c)   

any holder of an office, the holder of which is designated by the Chief Executive Officer as authorized to sign instruments and documents on behalf of the Bank; or

 

 

 

 

(d)  

any holder of the position of Vice President, Associate Vice President or District Vice President, the holder of which is designated by the Group Head, Senior Executive Vice President or Executive Vice President with enterprise responsibility for Human Resources as authorized to sign instruments and documents on behalf of the Bank; or

 

 

 

 

(e)   

any holder of the position of Vice President, Associate Vice President or District Vice President, the holder of which is designated by any position at the level of Group Head or Senior Executive Vice President or above together with the respective HROC member for the business segment or functional area of the Bank, as authorized to sign instruments and documents on behalf of the Bank; or

 

 

 

 

(f)    

one or more persons specifically designated for that purpose by:

 

 

(i)             

the Chief Executive Officer;

 

 

 

 

(ii)           

the Group Head, Senior Executive Vice President or Executive Vice President with enterprise responsibility for Human Resources;

 

 

 

 

(iii)       

any position at the level of Group Head or Senior Executive Vice President or above together with the respective HROC member for the business segment or functional area of the Bank;

 

 

 

 

each of whom shall have the authority to affix the corporate seal of the Bank and all instruments and documents so signed or so signed and sealed shall be valid and binding on the Bank."

 

I, Gwen F. Hughes, the undersigned Associate Vice President, Legal and Corporate Secretary of The Toronto-Dominion Bank (the "Bank"), do hereby certify that:

 

 

1.      

The foregoing resolution of the Bank is a true copy of a resolution duly passed by the Board of Directors of the Bank (the "Board") at a meeting of the Board duly called and held on the 26th day of May, 2021 and that the said resolution has not been amended or rescinded and is still in full force and effect as at the date hereof; and that

 

 

 

 

2.      

Christina Petrou has been designated as authorized to sign instruments and documents on behalf of the Bank, either under corporate seal of the Bank or otherwise; and that

 

 

 

 

3.      

The aforesaid designation has not been revoked or amended and is in full force and effect as at this date.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF I have hereunto subscribed my name at the City of Toronto, in the Province of Ontario, this 21st day of June, 2022.

 

 

/s/ Gwen F. Hughes

 

 

Gwen F. Hughes

 

 

Associate Vice President, Legal and

Corporate Secretary

 

 

 

 


ndmo_ex993.htm

EXHIBIT 99.3

 

TD GROUP US HOLDINGS LLC

 

SECRETARY'S CERTIFICATE

 

The undersigned, being the duly elected, qualified and acting Assistant Secretary of TD Group US Holdings LLC, a Delaware Limited Liability Company, hereby certifies that the following person is a duly elected officer of TD Group US Holdings LLC:

 

Cody J. Botnick, Assistant Secretary

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this certificate on the 14th day of June 2022.

 

 

/s/ Lydia C. Boose

 

 

Lydia C. Boose, Assistant Corporate Secretary

 

 


ndmo_ex994.htm

EXHIBIT 99.4

 

SPECIAL RATE PERIOD VOTING TRUST AGREEMENT

 

THIS VOTING TRUST AGREEMENT (this "Agreement") is made and entered into effective for all purposes and in all respects as of January 26, 2017 by and among Lord Securities Corporation, including its successors and assigns by operation of law, as trustee (the "Trustee"), Toronto Dominion Investments Inc., including its successors and assigns by operation of law (the "Purchaser"), and Glass Lewis & Co., LLC, including its successors and assigns by operation of law (the "Voting Consultant").

 

WHEREAS, the Purchaser is the legal and Beneficial Owner of the Series of Variable Rate Demand Preferred Shares listed on Schedule 1 to this Agreement (including as supplemented from time to time in accordance with this Agreement to add Additional VRDP Shares thereto) (the "VRDP Shares"), which VRDP Shares were issued by the respective issuers thereof listed on Schedule 1 to this Agreement (each, a "Fund");

 

WHEREAS, the Purchaser may in the future become the legal and Beneficial Owner of additional Variable Rate Demand Preferred Shares ("Additional VRDP Shares") and the parties hereto wish to provide a means of subjecting those Additional VRDP Shares to this Agreement as VRDP Shares;

 

WHEREAS, the Purchaser desires to transfer and assign irrevocably to the Trustee, and the Trustee desires to accept such transfer and assignment of, the right to vote for such Purchaser in connection with its voting rights set forth in Section 1 below as a Beneficial Owner of VRDP Shares that may be acquired from time to time by the Purchaser (such VRDP Shares, when owned by the Purchaser, the "Subject Shares");

 

WHEREAS, the Voting Consultant, appointed pursuant to the Proxy Voting Consultant Agreement, shall analyze any Voting Matters (as defined below) requiring or permitting the owner of Subject Shares to vote in its capacity as an equity holder (whether at a meeting or otherwise) and shall provide a recommendation to the Trustee of how to vote with respect to such Voting Matters;

 

WHEREAS, the Voting Consultant and the Trustee are Independent (and not Affiliates) of the Purchaser; and

 

WHEREAS, the parties hereto desire to set forth In writing their understandings and agreements with respect to certain voting rights relating to the Subject Shares.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing, of the mutual promises hereinafter set forth and of other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties, intending legally and equitably to be bound, hereby agree as follows:

 

1. Creation of Trust

 

The Purchaser hereby irrevocably transfers and assigns to the Trustee, and the Trustee hereby accepts the transfer and assignment of, the right to vote for the Purchaser in connection with all of its voting rights as Beneficial Owner of Subject Shares with respect to the following matters (collectively, the "Voting Matters"):

 

(a)

the election of the two members of the Board of Trustees of a Fund for which holders of VRDP Shares are exclusively (along with other Preferred Shares of the Fund) entitled to vote under Section 18{a)(2)(C) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and all other rights given to holders of VRDP Shares of a Fund with respect to the election of the Board of Trustees of such Fund;

 

 

(b)

any matters submitted co a vote of the shareholders of a Fund that do not relate to (i) the authorization, creation or issuance of any class or series of shares ranking prior to the VRDP Shares of such Fund with respect to the payment of dividends or the distribution of assets upon dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the affairs of such Fund, or (ii) the amendment, alteration or repeal of the provisions of the declaration of trust of such Fund, the statement establishing and fixing the rights and preferences of any VRDP Shares of such Fund or any notice of special rate period establishing and fixing, in whole or in part, the rights and preferences of any VRDP Shares of such Fund during the special rate period applicable to such VRDP Shares, whether by merger, consolidation or otherwise, so as to materially and adversely affect any preference, right or power of such VRDP Shares or the holders or the beneficial owners thereof; and

 

 

(c)

any matters described in 12 C.F.R. § 225.2(q)(l).

 
 
1

 

 

In order to effect the transfer of voting rights with respect to the Voting Matters, the Purchaser hereby irrevocably appoints and constitutes the Trustee as its attorney-in-fact and agrees to grant the Trustee one or more irrevocable proxies with respect to the Voting Matters and further agrees to renew any such proxies that may lapse by their terms while any relevant Subject Shares are still subject to this Agreement.

 

The Purchaser will retain all other voting rights relating to the Subject Shares, provided that, for the avoidance of doubt, such voting rights shall not exceed those described in 12 C.F.R. § 225.2{q)(2). If any dividend or other distribution in respect of any Subject Shares is paid, such dividend or distribution will be paid directly to the Person (including, if applicable, the Purchaser) owning such Subject Shares, provided that any additional VRDP Shares included in such dividend or other distribution will become part of the Subject Shares covered by this Agreement.

 

2. Definitions

 

"Affiliate" means, with respect to a Person, (i) any other Person who, directly or indirectly, is in control of, or controlled by, or is under common control with, such Person or (ii) any other Person who is a director or trustee, officer, employee or general partner (a) of such Person, (b) of any majority-owned subsidiary or parent company of such Person or (c) of any Person described in clause (i) above. For the purposes of this definition, "control" of a Person shall mean the power, direct or Indirect, (x) to vote 25% or more of the securities having ordinary voting power for the election of directors or trustees of such Person or (y) to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person whether by contract or otherwise.

 

"Beneficial owner" means, with respect to any securities, any Person who, directly or indirectly, through any contract, arrangement, understanding, relationship, or otherwise has or shares (i) the power to vote, or to direct the voting of, such securities and/or (ii) the power to dispose, or to direct the disposition of, such securities.

 

"Board of Trustees" means the Board of Trustees or Board of Directors, as applicable, of the relevant Fund or any duly authorized committee thereof.

 

"Independent" means, as to any Person, any other Person who (i) does not have and is not committed to acquire any material direct or any material indirect financial interest in such Person, (ii) is not connected with such Person as an officer, employee, promoter, underwriter, partner, director or Person performing similar functions and (iii) is not otherwise subject to the undue influence or control of such other Person. For purposes of this definition, no Person will fail to be Independent solely because such Person acts as a voting consultant or trustee in respect of property owned by another Person or its Affiliates pursuant to this Agreement or any other agreement. With respect to item (i) above, "material direct or material indirect financial interest" means, (1) as to any Person, owning directly or indirectly (as principal for such Person's own account) at least 5% of any class of the outstanding equity or debt securities issued by any other Person or (2) with respect to a Person (the "Investor") owning directly or indirectly (as principal for the Investor's own account) outstanding equity or debt securities of any other Person in an amount at least equal to 5% of the total consolidated shareholders equity of the Investor (measured in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles).

 

"Person" means and includes an individual, a partnership, a corporation, a trust, an unincorporated association, a joint venture or other entity or a government or any agency or political subdivision thereof.

 

"Proxy Voting Consultant Agreement" means that certain Proxy Voting Consultant Agreement by and between the Voting Consultant and the Purchaser (and/or an Affiliate of the Purchaser), as may be amended from time to time in accordance with the provisions thereof, which Proxy Voting Consultant Agreement sets forth additional details, including fees, pursuant to which the Voting Consultant is providing the services contemplated hereunder.

 

 
2

 

 

3. Effect of Transfer

 

The Purchaser shall have the right to sell or otherwise transfer Subject Shares at any time in its sole discretion, subject to any transfer restrictions applicable to the Subject Shares. Upon the transfer of Subject Shares by the Purchaser to any third party (other than a transfer, if any, to an Affiliate of the Purchaser in connection with a related assignment to such Affiliate of the Purchaser's rights and obligations under this Agreement pursuant to Section 20, in which case such Subject Shares shall remain Subject Shares under this Agreement) such Subject Shares shall cease to constitute Subject Shares under this Agreement (but subject to any transferred VRDP Shares again becoming Subject Shares pursuant to the definition thereof).

 

4. Trustee

 

(a) Rights And Powers Of Trustee. With respect to Subject Shares of which the Purchaser is the Beneficial Owner, the Trustee shall, in person or by nominees, agents, attorneys-in-fact, or proxies, have the right and the obligation to vote with respect to all Voting Matters requiring or permitting holders of VRDP Shares to vote with respect thereto, subject to the terms of this Agreement. The Trustee shall be obligated to vote with respect to any Voting Matter in accordance with Section 7 and the other provisions of this Agreement.

 

(b) Liability Of Trustee. In exercising the rights and powers of the Trustee hereunder, the Trustee will exercise all such rights and powers in the Trustee's best judgment and in accordance with the recommendations of the Voting Consultant; provided, however, the Trustee shall not be liable for any action taken by the Trustee or the Trustee's agent, except for liability arising from the Trustee's bad faith, wilful misconduct or gross negligence. The Trustee shall not be required to give any bond or other security for the discharge of the Trustee's duties.

 

(c) Resignation of and Successor Trustee. The Trustee may at any time resign as Trustee by delivering a resignation in writing to the Purchaser and the Voting Consultant to become effective at least 90 days after the date of such delivery, but in any event such notice shall not become effective prior to the acceptance of a successor Trustee. The Trustee shall nominate a successor Trustee acceptable to the Purchaser, who shall have all rights, powers and obligations of the resigning Trustee as set forth in this Agreement, and all rights, powers and obligations of the resigning Trustee hereunder shall immediately terminate upon the acceptance by the successor Trustee of such nomination and the execution of this Agreement by the successor Trustee as "Trustee" hereunder. No such resignation shall become effective until such time as a successor Trustee has been appointed and such appointment has been accepted. The fact that any Trustee has resigned such Trustee's position as a Trustee shall not act, or be construed to act, as a release of any Subject Shares from the terms and provisions of this Agreement.

 

(d) Removal. The Trustee may be removed by the Purchaser upon 30 days' prior written notice upon either (i) a material breach by the Trustee of its obligations hereunder or (ii) any action or inaction of the Trustee that constitutes bad faith, negligence or wilful misconduct in the performance of its obligations hereunder.

 

(e) Independent. The Trustee represents that it is Independent (and not an Affiliate) of the Purchaser.

 

5. Voting Consultant

 

(a) Liability Of Voting Consultant. In providing its voting recommendations on Voting Matters hereunder, the Voting Consultant will provide such recommendations in the Voting Consultant's best judgment as to the best interests of the Purchaser as holder and beneficial owner of the Subject Shares with respect to the Voting Matters; provided, however, the Voting Consultant shall not be liable for any action taken by such Voting Consultant or the Voting Consultant's agent, except for I/ability arising from the Voting Consultant's bad faith, wilful misconduct or gross negligence. For the avoidance of doubt, the Voting Consultant's maximum liability shall be limited to an amount not to exceed the total amounts of the fees the Voting Consultant receives under the Proxy Voting Consultant Agreement in any one year period for any and all claims made within that one year period; provided that, if a breach of Section S(d) is determined to have occurred, the sole remedy shall be the immediate removal of the Voting Consultant by the Purchaser in the Purchaser's sole discretion and no monetary damages shall be due or payable. In addition, the Voting Consultant shall not be liable for any action taken by the Trustee contrary to the recommendations provided by the Voting Consultant.

 

 
3

 

 

(b) Resignation of and Successor Voting Consultant. The Voting Consultant may at any time resign as Voting Consultant by delivering a resignation in writing to the Purchaser and to the Trustee to become effective at least 90 days after the date of such delivery. Upon receipt of the Voting Consultant's written resignation, the Purchaser shall use commercially reasonable efforts to appoint a successor Voting Consultant that has been consented to by the Trustee, such consent not to be unreasonably withheld. If the Voting Consultant shall resign but a successor Voting Consultant has not assumed all of the Voting Consultant's duties and obligations within 90 days of such resignation, the Voting Consultant may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Voting Consultant. No such resignation shall become effective until such time as a successor Voting Consultant has been appointed and such appointment has been accepted.

 

(c) Removal. The Voting Consultant may be removed by the Purchaser upon 30 days' prior written notice upon either (i) a material breach by the Voting Consultant of its obligations hereunder or (ii) any action or inaction of the Voting Consultant that constitutes bad faith, gross negligence or wilful misconduct in the performance of its obligations hereunder.

 

(d) Independent. The Voting Consultant represents that it is Independent (and not an Affiliate) of the Purchaser; provided, however, if the Voting Consultant becomes aware that the Voting Consultant is no longer Independent of the Purchaser, the Voting Consultant shall promptly, and in no event later than two Business Days after becoming so aware, notify the Purchaser and shall abstain from making voting recommendations during any period of time during which the Voting Consultant is not Independent of the Purchaser. If the Voting Consultant notifies the Purchaser that it is no longer Independent of the Purchaser, the Purchaser shall use commercially reasonable efforts to identify and appoint a replacement voting consultant.

 

6. Additional VRDP Shares; Amount of Subject Shares Notification

 

If the Purchaser acquires any Additional VRDP Shares, the Purchaser may provide a written notice to the Voting Consultant and Voting Trustee identifying the relevant Additional VRDP Shares as VRDP Shares for purposes of this Agreement, which notice shall be accompanied by a revised Schedule 1 supplemented to include such Additional VRDP Shares as VRDP Shares and specifying the effective date of such revised schedule. Thereafter, such Additional VRDP Shares shall constitute "VRDP Shares" under this Agreement. Additionally, on any date on which the Purchaser otherwise acquires any Subject Shares, or sells or otherwise transfers any Subject Shares to another Beneficial Owner (including a transfer, if any, to an Affiliate of the Purchaser in connection with a related assignment to such Affiliate of the Purchaser's rights and obligations under this Agreement), the Purchaser shall promptly notify the Trustee of such occurrence and the number of Subject Shares that the Purchaser {and any such Affiliate) then owns.

 

7. Voting Communications

 

At any time during which the Purchaser is the Beneficial Owner of Subject Shares, the Purchaser shall notify the Trustee and the Voting Consultant as soon as possible and, in any event, not later than two Business Days after receipt of notice that a vote of the holders of VRDP Shares has been requested or permitted on any Voting Matter and the Purchaser shall, within such same time frame, forward any information sent to the Purchaser in connection with such vote to the Trustee and the Voting Consultant by Electronic Means.

 

The Voting Consultant shall analyze and provide a voting recommendation to the Trustee {with a copy to the Purchaser) with respect to each Voting Matter in respect of the relevant Subject Shares. The Trustee is obligated to act in accordance with the voting recommendation made by the Voting Consultant in its voting recommendation. If the Voting Consultant fails to provide a voting recommendation to the Trustee on or prior to the deadline for submission of such vote, the Trustee shall not be obligated to provide a vote on behalf of the Purchaser on such deadline and shall provide notice of the failure to receive a voting recommendation to the Purchaser and the Voting Consultant. In all Voting Matters, the Trustee shall use the proxies granted to it by the Purchaser to vote the relevant Subject Shares in accordance with the voting recommendation made by the Voting Consultant, and the Purchaser shall not exercise any voting rights in such matters.

 

 
4

 

 

8. Indemnification

 

(a) Of the Trustee and the Voting Consultant. The Purchaser shall indemnify and hold the Trustee and the Voting Consultant and the Trustee's and the Voting Consultant's agents, employees, officers and directors harmless from and against any and all liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, taxes, claims, actions, suits, reasonable costs, reasonable expenses or disbursements (including reasonable legal fees and expenses) of any kind and nature whatsoever in connection with or growing out of (i) with respect to the Trustee, the administration of the voting trust created by this Agreement or (ii) with respect to the Trustee and the Voting Consultant, the exercise of any powers or the performance of any duties by the Trustee or the Voting Consultant as herein provided or contemplated, including, without limitation, any action taken or omitted to be taken, except, with respect to the Trustee and the Voting Consultant separately, such as may arise from the bad faith, willful misconduct or gross negligence of the Trustee or the Voting Consultant, respectively. In no event shall the Purchaser be liable for special, incidental, indirect or consequential damages.

 

(b) Of the Purchaser and the Voting Consultant. The Trustee shall indemnify and hold the Purchaser and the Voting Consultant and the Purchaser's and the Voting Consultant's agents, employees, officers and directors harmless from and against any and all liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, taxes, claims, actions, suits, reasonable costs, reasonable expenses or disbursements (including reasonable legal fees and expenses) of any kind and nature whatsoever which may be imposed on, incurred by or asserted against the Purchaser or the Voting Consultant in connection with or growing out of the bad faith, wilful misconduct or gross negligence of the Trustee in connection with the exercise of any powers or the performance of any duties by the Trustee as herein provided or contemplated, including, without limitation, any action taken or omitted to be taken, except, with respect to the Purchaser and the Voting Consultant separately, such as may arise from the wilful misconduct or gross negligence of the Purchaser or the Voting Consultant, respectively. In no event shall the Trustee be liable for special, incidental, indirect or consequential damages.

 

(c) Of the Purchaser and the Trustee. The Voting Consultant shall indemnify and hold the Purchaser and the Trustee and the Purchaser's and the Trustee's agents, employees, officers and directors harmless from and against any and all liabilities, obligations, losses, damages, penalties, taxes, claims, actions, suits, reasonable costs, reasonable expenses or disbursements (including reasonable legal fees and expenses) of any kind and nature whatsoever which may be imposed on, incurred by or asserted against the Purchaser or the Trustee in connection with or growing out of the bad faith, wilful misconduct or gross negligence of the Voting Consultant in connection with the exercise of any powers or the performance of any duties by the Voting Consultant as herein provided or contemplated, including, without limitation, any action taken or omitted to be taken, except, with respect to the Purchaser and the Trustee separately, such as may arise from the wilful misconduct or gross negligence of the Purchaser or the Trustee, respectively; provided, however, that the Voting Consultant's maximum liability under this Section 8(c) shall be limited to an amount not to exceed the total amount of the fees the Voting Consultant receives under the Proxy Voting Consultant Agreement in any one year period for any and all claims made within that one year period. In no event shall the Voting Consultant be liable for special, incidental, indirect or consequential damages.

 

(d) Conditions to Indemnification. An indemnified party must give the other party(ies) prompt written notice of any claim and allow the indemnifying party to defend or settle the claim as a condition to indemnification. No settlement shall bind any party without such party's written consent.

 

 
5

 

 

9. Termination of Agreement

 

(a) This Agreement and the voting trust created hereby shall terminate with respect to any VRDP Shares identified in writing by the Purchaser in a notice provided to the Trustee and the Voting Consultant (i) at the option of the Purchaser, upon the non-payment of dividends on such VRDP Shares for two years (whether or not such VRDP Shares constitute Subject Shares at such time), (ii) at the option of the Purchaser, at any time that the Purchaser is not the Beneficial Owner of any VRDP Shares (i.e., such VRDP Shares are not Subject Shares) or (iii) at the option of the Purchaser, in connection with the Purchaser entering into a replacement voting trust agreement in respect of such VRDP Shares.

 

(b) Upon the termination of this Agreement with respect to any VRDP Shares, the voting trust created pursuant to Section 1 hereof shall cease to have any effect with respect to such VRDP Shares, and the parties hereto shall have no further rights or obligations under this Agreement with respect to such VRDP Shares. Upon the termination of this Agreement with respect to all VRDP Shares, the parties hereto shall have no further rights or obligations under this Agreement, provided that Section 8 hereof shall survive the termination of this Agreement.

 

10. Trustee's Compensation

 

The Trustee shall be entitled to the compensation set forth in the letter agreement between the Purchaser (or an Affiliate thereof) and the Trustee dated as of January 26, 2017, as may be amended from time to time.

 

11. Voting Consultant's Compensation

 

The Voting Consultant shall be entitled to the compensation pursuant to the Proxy Voting Consultant Agreement.

 

12. Tax Treatment

 

It is the intention of the parties hereto that for all federal, state and local income and other tax purposes the Beneficial Owner shall be treated as the owner of the relevant Subject Shares and, except as otherwise required by law or by generally accepted accounting principles in the case of financial reporting, no party shall take a contrary position in any tax return or report or otherwise act in a contrary manner.

 

13. Notices

 

All notices, requests and other communications to the Purchaser, the Trustee or the Voting Consultant shall be in writing (including telecopy, electronic mail or similar writing), except in the case, if any, of notices and other communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone, and shall be given to such party at its address or telecopy number or email address set forth below or to such other Person and/or such other address or telecopy number or email address as such party may hereafter specify for the purpose by notice to the other party. Each such notice, request or other communication shall be effective (i) if given by mail, five days after such communication is deposited in the mail, return receipt requested, addressed as aforesaid, or (ii) if given by any other means, when delivered at the address specified in this Section. The notice address for each party is specified below:

 

if to the Purchaser:

 

Toronto Dominion Investments Inc.

31 West 52nd Street

New York, NY 10019

Attention:

Robert Franciscus, Managing Director, Head of Global Counterparty Credit

USA, TD Securities (USA) LLC

Telephone: (212) 827-7554

Facsimile: (212) 827-7244

 

 

With a copy to:

Rick Fogliano, Director, Head of Municipal Products, TD Securities (USA) LLC

Telephone: (212) 827-7172

Facsimile: (212) 827-7173

Email:

[email protected], [email protected], [email protected] and [email protected]

 

 
6

 

 

if to the Trustee:

 

LordSPV, a TMF Group Company

48 Wall Street, 27th Floor

New York, NY 10005

Attention: Ed O'Connell

General Counsel

Telephone: (212) 346-9018

Facsimile: (212) 346-9012

Mobile: (646) 673-4090

Email: [email protected]

 

if to the Voting Consultant:

 

Glass Lewis & Co.

44 Wall Street, Suite 2001

New York, NY 10005

Attention: Marguerite Pierce

Telephone: (646) 826-5654

Email: [email protected]

 

With a copy to:

 

Glass Lewis & Co.

44 Wall Street, Suite 2001

New York, NY 10005

Attention: Dianne Lindsey

Telephone: (912) 576-2516

Email: [email protected]

 

14. Modification

 

No modification of this Agreement shall be effective unless in writing and signed by all of the parties hereto.

 

15. Benefit and Burden

 

This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of, and shall be binding upon, the parties hereto and their successors and assigns.

 

16. Severability

 

The invalidity of any particular provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity of the remainder hereof, and this Agreement shall be construed in all respects as if such invalid or unenforceable provision were omitted.

 

17. Headings

 

The section headings herein are for convenience of reference only and shall not affect the construction, or limit or otherwise affect the meaning, hereof.

 

18. Applicable Law

 

This Agreement shall be construed and enforced in accordance with and governed by the domestic law of the State of New York.

 

THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY SUBMIT TO THE EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF THE FEDERAL AND NEW YORK STATE COURTS LOCATED IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK, BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN, NEW YORK IN CONNECTION WITH ANY DISPUTE RELATED TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY MATTERS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.

 

 
7

 

 

19. Waiver of Jury Trial

 

THE PURCHASER, THE TRUSTEE AND THE VOTING CONSULTANT HEREBY WAIVE TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION, PROCEEDING OR COUNTERCLAIM BROUGHT BY ANY OF THE PARTIES HERETO AGAINST THE OTHER(S) ON ANY MATTERS WHATSOEVER ARISING OUT OF OR IN ANY WAY CONNECTED WITH THIS AGREEMENT.

 

20. Assignment

 

None of the parties hereto may assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement without the prior written consent of the other parties, provided that, without the consent of either the Trustee or the Voting Consultant, the Purchaser may assign its rights and obligations under this Agreement (i) to an Affiliate, (ii) to a successor entity following a consolidation, amalgamation with, or merger with or into, such successor entity or (iii) to a transferee that acquires all or substantially all of the Purchaser's assets. Upon any such assignment, such assignee shall become the "Purchaser" hereunder, and the Purchaser and such assignee shall provide notice of such assignment to the other parties hereto. Any assignment other than in accordance with this Section 20 shall be void.

 

21. Conflicts with Other Documents

 

In the event that this Agreement requires any action to be taken with respect to any matter and the Proxy Voting Consultant Agreement requires that a different action be taken with respect to such matter, and such actions are mutually exclusive, the provisions of this Agreement in respect thereof shall control.

 

22. Counterparts

 

This Agreement may be executed by the parties hereto in any number of separate counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, and all of which taken together shall be deemed to constitute one and the same instrument. Any counterpart or other signature delivered by facsimile or by electronic mail shall be deemed for all purposes as being a good and valid execution and delivery of this Agreement by the party so delivering such counterpart or other signature.

 

 
8

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the date first set forth above.

 

Toronto Dominion Investments Inc., as Purchaser

     
By: /s/ Mansoor Mahmood

Name:

Mansoor Mahmood  
Title: President  

 

Lord Securities Corporation, as Trustee

     
By: /s/ Edward O’Connell

Name:

Edward O’Connell  
Title: Senior Vice President  

 

Glass Lewis & Co., LLC, as Voting Consultant

     
By: /s/ Jeff Thompson

Name:

Jeff Thompson  
Title: SVP Sales and Marketing  

 

 

 

 

Schedule 1

 

[On File]

 

 

 

 

 


ndmo_ex995.htm

EXHIBIT 99.5

 

 

 

VRDP SHARES FEE AGREEMENT

 

dated as of

 

June 16, 2020

 

between

 

BLACKROCK MUNIYIELD MICHIGAN QUALITY FUND, INC.,

 

as Issuer

 

and

 

THE TORONTO-DOMINION BANK,

acting through its New York branch

as Liquidity Provider

 

BlackRock MuniYield Michigan Quality Fund, Inc.

Variable Rate Demand Preferred Shares (“VRDP Shares”),

Series W-7

 

 

 

 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

 

 

Page

 

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE I.

DEFINITIONS.

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 1.01.

Definitions.

 

1

 

SECTION 1.02.

Incorporation of Certain Definitions by Reference.

 

16

 

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE II.

PURCHASE OBLIGATION.

 

17

 

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 2.01.

Commitment to Purchase VRDP Shares; Fees.

 

17

 

SECTION 2.02.

Extension of Scheduled Termination Date.

 

17

 

SECTION 2.03.

Sale of VRDP Shares.

 

18

 

SECTION 2.04.

Reduction of Available Commitment.

 

18

 

SECTION 2.05.

Fees.

 

19

 

SECTION 2.06.

Operating Expenses.

 

20

 

SECTION 2.07.

No Deductions; Increased Costs.

 

20

 

SECTION 2.08.

Current Special Rate Period.

 

22

 

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE III.

CLOSING DATE.

 

22

 

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 3.01.

Conditions to Closing Date.

 

22

 

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE IV.

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE FUND.

 

24

 

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 4.01.

Existence.

 

24

 

SECTION 4.02.

Authorization; Contravention.

 

24

 

SECTION 4.03.

Binding Effect.

 

24

 

SECTION 4.04.

Financial Information.

 

24

 

SECTION 4.05.

Litigation.

 

25

 

SECTION 4.06.

Consents.

 

25

 

SECTION 4.07.

Offering Memorandum.

 

25

 

SECTION 4.08.

Complete and Correct Information.

 

25

 

SECTION 4.09.

1940 Act Registration.

 

26

 

SECTION 4.10.

Effective Leverage Ratio; Minimum VRDP Shares Asset Coverage.

 

26

 

SECTION 4.11.

Investment Policies.

 

26

 

SECTION 4.12.

Credit Quality.

 

26

 

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE V.

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE LIQUIDITY PROVIDER.

 

26

 

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 5.01.

Existence.

 

26

 

SECTION 5.02.

Authorization; Contravention.

 

26

 

SECTION 5.03.

Binding Effect.

 

27

 

SECTION 5.04.

Financial Information.

 

27

 

SECTION 5.05.

Litigation.

 

27

 

SECTION 5.06.

Consents.

 

27

 

SECTION 5.07.

[Reserved].

 

28

 

SECTION 5.08.

Ranking.

 

28

 

SECTION 5.09.

Related Party.

 

28

 

 

 
i

 

 

SECTION 5.10.

Debt Rating. 

 

28

 

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE VI.

COVENANTS OF THE FUND.

 

28

 

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 6.01.

Information.

 

28

 

SECTION 6.02.

No Amendment or Certain Other Actions Without Consent of the Liquidity Provider.

 

31

 

SECTION 6.03.

Notices and Consents Regarding Remarketing Agent and the Tender and Paying Agent.

 

32

 

SECTION 6.04.

Maintenance of Existence.

 

32

 

SECTION 6.05.

Ratings.

 

32

 

SECTION 6.06.

Tax Status of the Fund.

 

32

 

SECTION 6.07.

Deposit Securities.

 

32

 

SECTION 6.08.

Payment Obligations.

 

33

 

SECTION 6.09.

Compliance With Law.

 

33

 

SECTION 6.10.

Maintenance of Approvals: Filings, Etc.

 

33

 

SECTION 6.11.

Inspection Rights.

 

33

 

SECTION 6.12.

Permitted Liens.

 

34

 

SECTION 6.13.

Litigation, Etc.

 

34

 

SECTION 6.14.

1940 Act Registration.

 

34

 

SECTION 6.15.

Purchase by Affiliates.

 

34

 

SECTION 6.16.

Eligible Assets.

 

34

 

SECTION 6.17.

Credit Quality.

 

35

 

SECTION 6.18.

Leverage Ratio.

 

35

 

SECTION 6.19.

Engagement of Remarketing Agent and Tender and Paying Agent.

 

35

 

SECTION 6.20.

[Intentionally Omitted].

 

35

 

SECTION 6.21.

Failed Remarketing Condition—Purchased VRDP Shares Redemption.

 

36

 

SECTION 6.22.

Failed Remarketing Condition Liquidity Account.

 

37

 

SECTION 6.23.

Maintenance of Minimum VRDP Shares Asset Coverage.

 

38

 

SECTION 6.24.

Issuance of Senior Securities.

 

38

 

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE VII.

COVENANTS OF THE LIQUIDITY PROVIDER.

 

39

 

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 7.01.

Proceedings.

 

39

 

SECTION 7.02.

Waiver.

 

39

 

SECTION 7.03.

Payment Obligations.

 

39

 

SECTION 7.04.

Compliance With Law.

 

39

 

SECTION 7.05.

Maintenance of Approvals: Filings, Etc.

 

40

 

SECTION 7.06.

Notice of Certain Events.

 

40

 

SECTION 7.07.

No Amendment Without Consent of the Fund.

 

40

 

SECTION 7.08.

Additional Information.

 

40

 

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE VIII.

MISCELLANEOUS.

 

41

 

 

 

 

 

 

SECTION 8.01.

Notices.

 

41

 

SECTION 8.02.

No Waivers.

 

42

 

SECTION 8.03.

Expenses and Indemnification.

 

42

 

SECTION 8.04.

Amendments and Waivers.

 

45

 

SECTION 8.05.

Successors and Assigns.

 

45

 

 

 
ii

 

 

SECTION 8.06.

Term of this Agreement.

 

45

 

SECTION 8.07.

Governing Law.

 

46

 

SECTION 8.08.

Waiver of Jury Trial.

 

47

 

SECTION 8.09.

Counterparts.

 

47

 

SECTION 8.10.

Beneficiaries.

 

47

 

SECTION 8.11.

Entire Agreement.

 

47

 

SECTION 8.12.

Inconsistency Between Documents.

 

47

 

SECTION 8.13.

Regulatory Matters.

 

47

 

SECTION 8.14.

Nonpetition Covenant.

 

48

 

SECTION 8.15.

Confidentiality.

 

48

 

 

Schedule I

—             Description of VRDP Shares; Remarketing Agent

 

 

 

Schedule II

—             Litigation

 

 

 

Schedule III

—             Terms of the Current Special Rate Period

 

 

 

Schedule IV

—             Investment Objectives and Policies and Municipal Bonds

 

1

 

Exhibit A

—             Eligible Assets

 

A-1

 

 

 
iii

 

 

VRDP SHARES FEE AGREEMENT

 

VRDP SHARES FEE AGREEMENT dated as of June 16, 2020 (the “Closing Date”), between BLACKROCK MUNIYIELD MICHIGAN QUALITY FUND, INC., a closed-end investment company organized as a Maryland corporation, as issuer (the “Fund”), and THE TORONTO-DOMINION BANK, acting through its New York branch, including its successors and assigns, as liquidity provider (the “Liquidity Provider”).

 

WHEREAS, the Fund has issued Variable Rate Demand Preferred Shares, as set forth on Schedule I hereto, which are subject to this Agreement (the “VRDP Shares”);

 

WHEREAS, the Fund wishes to replace the current liquidity provider of the VRDP Shares with the Liquidity Provider and maintain the liquidity of the VRDP Shares by providing for the right of the Holders (as defined below) and Beneficial Owners (as defined below) to tender VRDP Shares pursuant to the Statement (as defined below) and for the obligation of the Liquidity Provider to purchase VRDP Shares pursuant to the Purchase Obligation (as defined below); and

 

WHEREAS, the Statement provides that the Fund for the benefit of the Holders and Beneficial Owners of VRDP Shares shall (i) maintain a VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement (as defined below) providing a Purchase Obligation on an ongoing basis to the extent that the Fund can do so on a commercially reasonable basis, and (ii) provide Holders and Beneficial Owners with advance notice of any termination of the Purchase Obligation;

 

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

 

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

 

SECTION 1.01. Definitions.

 

The following terms, as used herein, have the following meanings:

 

1940 Act” means the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

 

Agent Member” means a Person with an account at the Securities Depository that holds one or more VRDP Shares through the Securities Depository, directly or indirectly, for a Beneficial Owner and that will be authorized and instructed, directly or indirectly, by a Beneficial Owner to disclose information to the Remarketing Agent and the Tender and Paying Agent with respect to such Beneficial Owner.

 

Agreement” means this VRDP Shares Fee Agreement, as the same may be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time in accordance with the terms hereof.

 

Alternate VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement” means any agreement with a successor liquidity provider replacing the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement (or any replacement therefor) upon its termination in accordance with its terms and containing a Purchase Obligation substantially similar to the Purchase Obligation therein, as determined by the Fund.

 

 
1

 

 

Applicable Rate” means the dividend rate per annum on any share of VRDP Shares for a Rate Period determined as set forth in Section 2(e)(i) of Part I of the Statement or in the definition of “Maximum Rate,” as applicable.

 

Available Commitment” as of any day means, with respect to the VRDP Shares, the sum of the aggregate Liquidation Preference of the VRDP Shares then Outstanding plus all accumulated but unpaid dividends, whether or not earned or declared on such VRDP Shares.

 

Basic Maintenance Amount,” as of any Valuation Date, has the meaning set forth in the Rating Agency Guidelines.

 

Beneficial Owner” means a Person in whose name VRDP Shares are recorded as beneficial owner of such VRDP Shares by the Securities Depository, an Agent Member or other securities intermediary on the records of such Securities Depository, Agent Member or securities intermediary, as the case may be, or such Person’s subrogee, including the Liquidity Provider to the extent it is at any time such a beneficial owner of VRDP Shares (irrespective of any assignment or transfer by the Liquidity Provider of its voting rights).

 

Board” means the Board of Directors of the Fund or any duly authorized committee thereof.

 

Business Day” means a day other than a day (a) on which commercial banks in The City of New York, New York are required or authorized by law or executive order to close or (b) on which the New York Stock Exchange is closed.

 

Charter” means the Articles of Incorporation of the Fund, and all amendments thereto, as filed with the State Department of Assessments and Taxation of the State of Maryland.

 

Closing Date” has the meaning set forth in the preamble to this Agreement.

 

Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

 

Common Shares” means the shares of common stock, par value $0.10 per share, of the Fund.

 

Conditional Acceptance” means a conditional acceptance by the Liquidity Provider of an extension of the Scheduled Termination Date.

 

Confidential Information” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.15.

 

Current Notice of Special Rate Periodmeans the Notice of Special Rate Period dated June 25, 2020, as amended from time to time.

 

Current Special Rate Periodmeans the current Special Rate Period for the VRDP Shares designated in accordance with the Statement.

 

 
2

 

 

Custodian” means a bank, as defined in Section 2(a)(5) of the 1940 Act, that has the qualifications prescribed in paragraph 1 of Section 26(a) of the 1940 Act, or such other entity as shall be providing custodian services to the Fund as permitted by the 1940 Act or any rule, regulation, or order thereunder, and shall include, as appropriate, any similarly qualified sub-custodian duly appointed by the Custodian.

 

Date of Original Issue,” with respect to the VRDP Shares, means the date on which the Fund initially issued such VRDP Shares.

 

Defeased Securities” means a security for which cash, cash equivalents or other eligible property has been pledged in an amount sufficient to make all required payments on such security to and including maturity, in accordance with the instrument governing the issuance of such security.

 

Deposit Securities” means, as of any date, any United States dollar-denominated security or other investment of a type described below that either (i) is a demand obligation payable to the holder thereof on any Business Day or (ii) has a maturity date, mandatory redemption date or mandatory payment date, on its face or at the option of the holder, preceding the relevant payment date in respect of which such security or other investment has been deposited or set aside as a Deposit Security:

 

(1) cash or any cash equivalent;

 

(2) any U.S. Government Security;

 

(3) any Municipal Obligation that has a credit rating from at least one (1) NRSRO that is the highest applicable rating generally ascribed by such NRSRO to Municipal Obligations with substantially similar terms as of the date of the Statement (or such rating’s future equivalent), including (A) any such Municipal Obligation that has been pre-refunded by the issuer thereof with the proceeds of such refunding having been irrevocably deposited in trust or escrow for the repayment thereof and (B) any such fixed or variable rate Municipal Obligation that qualifies as an eligible security under Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act;

 

(4) any investment in any money market fund registered under the 1940 Act that qualifies under Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act, or similar investment vehicle described in Rule 12d1-1(b)(2) under the 1940 Act, that invests principally in Municipal Obligations or U.S. Government Securities or any combination thereof; or

 

(5) any letter of credit from a bank or other financial institution that has a credit rating from at least one (1) NRSRO that is the highest applicable rating generally ascribed by such NRSRO to bank deposits or short-term debt of similar banks or other financial institutions as of the date of the Statement (or such rating’s future equivalent).

 

 
3

 

 

Derivative Contract” means (a) any and all rate swap transactions, basis swaps, credit derivative transactions, forward rate transactions, commodity swaps, commodity options, forward commodity contracts, forward swap transactions, equity or equity index swaps or options, bond or bond price or bond index swaps or options or forward bond or forward bond price or forward bond index transactions, futures contracts, repurchase transactions, interest rate options, forward foreign exchange transactions, cap transactions, floor transactions, collar transactions, currency swap transactions, cross-currency rate swap transactions, currency options, spot contracts, or any other similar transactions or any combination of any of the foregoing (including any options to enter into any of the foregoing), whether or not any such transaction is governed by or subject to any master agreement, and (b) any and all transactions of any kind, and the related confirmations, which are subject to the terms and conditions of, or governed by, any form of master agreement published by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc., any International Foreign Exchange Master Agreement, or any other master agreement (any such master agreement, together with any related schedules, a “Master Agreement”), including any such obligations or liabilities under any Master Agreement.

 

Derivative Termination Value” means, in respect of any one or more Derivative Contracts, after taking into account the effect of any legally enforceable netting agreement relating to such Derivative Contracts, (a) for any date on or after the date such Derivative Contracts have been closed out and termination value(s) determined in accordance therewith, such termination value(s), and (b) for any date prior to the date referenced in clause (a), the amount(s) determined as the mark-to-market value(s) for such Derivative Contracts, as determined based upon one or more mid-market or other readily available quotations provided by any recognized dealer in such Derivative Contracts (which may include the Liquidity Provider or an affiliate of the Liquidity Provider).

 

Discounted Value” as of any Valuation Date, shall have the meaning set forth in the Rating Agency Guidelines.

 

Dividend Payment Date” except as otherwise provided in the Statement, means the date that is the first (1st) Business Day of each calendar month.

 

Dividend Period,” with respect to the VRDP Shares, means the period from, and including, the Date of Original Issue of the VRDP Shares to, but excluding, the initial Dividend Payment Date for the VRDP Shares and any period thereafter from, and including, one Dividend Payment Date for the VRDP Shares to, but excluding, the next succeeding Dividend Payment Date for the VRDP Shares.

 

Effective Date” means 5:00 p.m. New York City time on June 24th, 2020.

 

Effective Leverage Ratio” means the quotient of:

 

(A) the sum of (i) the aggregate liquidation preference of the Fund’s “senior securities” (as that term is defined in the 1940 Act) that are stock, plus any accumulated but unpaid dividends thereon, excluding, without duplication, any such senior securities for which the Fund has issued a Notice of Redemption and either has delivered Deposit Securities to the Tender and Paying Agent or otherwise has adequate Deposit Securities on hand for the purpose of such redemption; (ii) the aggregate principal amount of the Fund’s “senior securities representing indebtedness” (as that term is defined in the 1940 Act), plus any accrued but unpaid interest thereon; and (iii) the aggregate principal amount of floating rate trust certificates corresponding to the associated residual floating rate trust certificates owned by the Fund (less the aggregate principal amount of any such floating rate trust certificates owned by the Fund and corresponding to the associated residual floating rate trust certificates owned by the Fund).

 

 
4

 

 

divided by

 

(B) the sum of (i) the Market Value of the Fund’s total assets (including amounts attributable to senior securities but excluding any assets consisting of Deposit Securities referred to in clause (i) of paragraph (A) above), less the amount of the Fund’s accrued liabilities (which accrued liabilities shall include net obligations of the Fund under each Derivative Contract in an amount equal to the Derivative Termination Value thereof payable by the Fund to the related counterparty), other than liabilities for the aggregate principal amount of senior securities representing indebtedness, and (ii) the aggregate principal amount of floating rate trust certificates corresponding to the associated residual floating rate trust certificates owned by the Fund (less the aggregate principal amount of any such floating rate trust certificates owned by the Fund and corresponding to the associated residual floating rate trust certificates owned by the Fund).

 

Effective Leverage Ratio Cure Period” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.18.

 

Electronic Means” means email transmission, facsimile transmission or other similar electronic means of communication providing evidence of transmission (but excluding online communications systems covered by a separate agreement) acceptable to the sending party and the receiving party, in any case if operative as between the relevant two (2) parties, or, if not operative, by telephone (promptly confirmed by any other method set forth in this definition), which, in the case of notices to the Tender and Paying Agent, shall be sent by such means as set forth in the Tender and Paying Agent Agreement or as specified in the related notice.

 

Eligible Assets” means the instruments listed on Exhibit A to this Agreement, as amended from time to time with the prior written consent of the Liquidity Provider.

 

Exchange Act” means the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

Extraordinary Corporate Event” means as to the Liquidity Provider, (i) the consolidation, amalgamation with, or merger with or into or the transfer of all or substantially all of the Liquidity Provider’s assets to, another entity, or (ii) the dissolution, for any reason, of the Liquidity Provider other than in connection with the consolidation or amalgamation with, or merger with and into another entity, or the transfer of all or substantially all of the Liquidity Provider’s assets to another entity; provided, however, that with respect to (i) above, an Extraordinary Corporate Event does not include any of the listed occurrences where (x) the surviving entity, or transferee of all or substantially all of the Liquidity Provider’s assets, (a) assumes all of the obligations of the Liquidity Provider under the terms of the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement and (b) has short-term debt ratings in one of the two highest ratings categories from the Requisite NRSROs and (y) the Liquidity Provider has provided notice in writing to the Fund confirming the information described in (x) at least ten (10) days prior to the scheduled date of the applicable listed occurrence in (i) above.

 

Failed Remarketing Condition” means a Failed Remarketing Condition—Purchased VRDP Shares or a Failed Remarketing Condition—Unpurchased VRDP Shares.

 

 
5

 

 

Failed Remarketing Condition—Purchased VRDP Shares” means that the Liquidity Provider acquires and continues to be the beneficial owner for federal income tax purposes of any VRDP Shares in connection with purchases made pursuant to the Purchase Obligation (whether as a result of an unsuccessful Remarketing or a Mandatory Purchase) on any Purchase Date including VRDP Shares that the Liquidity Provider continues to be the beneficial owner of for federal income tax purposes after the expiration or termination of the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement.

 

Failed Remarketing Condition—Purchased VRDP Shares Redemption” means redemption by the Fund, at a redemption price equal to $100,000 per share plus accumulated but unpaid dividends thereon (whether or not earned or declared) to, but excluding, the date fixed by the Board for redemption, of VRDP Shares that the Liquidity Provider shall have acquired pursuant to the Purchase Obligation and continued to be the beneficial owner of for federal income tax purposes for a continuous period of six (6) months during which such VRDP Shares are tendered for Remarketing on each Business Day in accordance with the Related Documents but cannot be successfully remarketed pursuant to such Remarketings (i.e., a Failed Remarketing Condition—Purchased VRDP Shares shall have occurred and be continuing for such period of time with respect to such VRDP Shares), determined by the Fund on a first-in, first-out basis, in accordance with and subject to the provisions of Section 6.21 of this Agreement and the Statement.

 

Failed Remarketing Condition—Unpurchased VRDP Shares” means that a Beneficial Owner (other than the Liquidity Provider or its affiliates) continues to hold VRDP Shares, that were subject to a Tender in accordance with the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement, after any Purchase Date as a result of the failure by the Liquidity Provider for any reason to purchase such VRDP Shares pursuant to the Purchase Obligation (whether as a result of an unsuccessful Remarketing or a Mandatory Purchase) (“Unpurchased VRDP Shares”), until such time as all Outstanding Unpurchased VRDP Shares are (i) successfully remarketed pursuant to a Remarketing, (ii) purchased by the Liquidity Provider pursuant to the Purchase Obligation, or (iii) if not successfully remarketed pursuant to a Remarketing or purchased by the Liquidity Provider pursuant to the Purchase Obligation, the subject of a validly tendered Notice of Revocation (or any combination of the foregoing); and any Unpurchased VRDP Shares shall be deemed tendered for Remarketing until the earliest to occur of the foregoing events (i), (ii) or (iii) with respect to such Unpurchased VRDP Shares.

 

Final Notice of Purchase” means, in connection with an Optional Tender or a Mandatory Tender, a Notice of Purchase delivered by the Tender and Paying Agent to the Liquidity Provider (or directly to the Liquidity Provider by Beneficial Owners or their Agent Members, in the case of an Optional Tender, or Holders, in the case of a Mandatory Tender, if there is no Tender and Paying Agent or for any reason the Tender and Paying Agent does not perform its obligations) on the Purchase Date indicating the number of VRDP Shares to be purchased on such date pursuant to the Purchase Obligation, or, in connection with a Mandatory Purchase, the Mandatory Purchase Notice delivered by the Fund or the Tender and Paying Agent on behalf of the Fund.

 

Fitch” means Fitch Ratings.

 

 
6

 

 

Fitch Guidelines” means the guidelines applicable to Fitch’s current long-term preferred shares ratings of the VRDP Shares, provided by Fitch in connection with Fitch’s long-term preferred shares ratings of shares of a Series of VRDP Shares at the request of the Fund (a copy of which is available on request to the Fund), in effect on the date hereof and as may be amended from time to time, provided, however, that any such amendment will not be effective for thirty (30) days from the date that Fitch provides final notice of such amendment to the Fund or such earlier date as the Trust may elect.

 

Fund” has the meaning set forth in the preamble to this Agreement.

 

Fund Insolvency Event” means that the Fund becomes a debtor under Title 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code or becomes subject to insolvency or liquidation proceedings under any United States federal or state, or other applicable law.

 

Holder” means a Person in whose name a VRDP Share is registered in the registration books of the Fund maintained by the Tender and Paying Agent.

 

The word “including” means “including without limitation.

 

Indemnified Persons” means, as applicable, the Fund and its affiliates and directors, officers, partners, employees, agents, representatives and control persons within the meaning of the Exchange Act, entitled to indemnification by the Liquidity Provider, or the Liquidity Provider and its affiliates and directors, officers, partners, employees, agents, representatives and control persons within the meaning of the Exchange Act, entitled to indemnification by the Fund, in each case, under Section 8.03.

 

Initial Rate Period” with respect to the VRDP Shares, has the meaning set forth in the Statement.

 

Investment Adviser” means BlackRock Advisors, LLC, or any successor company or entity.

 

Legal Process” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.15.

 

Liquidation Preference,” with respect to a given number of VRDP Shares, means $100,000 times that number.

 

Liquidity Account” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.22(a).

 

Liquidity Account Investments” means Deposit Securities or any other security or investment owned by the Fund that is rated at least A- or the equivalent rating (or any such rating’s future equivalent) by each NRSRO then rating such security or investment (or if rated by only one NRSRO, by such NRSRO) or, if no NRSRO is then rating such security, deemed to be, with the prior written consent of the Liquidity Provider, of an equivalent rating by the Investment Adviser on the Fund’s books and records.

 

Liquidity Provider” has the meaning set forth in the preamble to this Agreement.

 

Liquidity Provider Information” means any information in the Remarketing Materials under the captions “Summary Liquidity Provider” or “Liquidity Provider”, which in each case has been furnished in writing by the Liquidity Provider or its affiliates expressly for inclusion therein (including without limitation through incorporation by reference) and for the avoidance of doubt, relates solely to The Toronto-Dominion Bank, acting through its New York branch, in its capacity as Liquidity Provider.

 

 
7

 

 

Liquidity Provider Ratings Event” means the Liquidity Provider shall fail to maintain at any time short-term debt ratings in one of the two highest rating categories from the Requisite NRSROs.

 

Liquidity Provider Ratings Event Termination Date” means the date established by the Tender and Paying Agent, acting upon instructions of the Fund pursuant to the Tender and Paying Agent Agreement, for termination of the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement upon the occurrence of a Liquidity Provider Ratings Event, which date shall be not less than sixteen (16) days nor more than thirty (30) days following the date on which such Liquidity Provider Ratings Event first occurs.

 

Liquidity Requirement” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.22(b).

 

Managed Assets” means the Fund’s total assets (including any assets attributable to money borrowed for investment purposes) minus the sum of the Fund’s accrued liabilities (other than money borrowed for investment purposes). For the avoidance of doubt, assets attributable to money borrowed for investment purposes includes the portion of the Fund’s assets in a TOB Trust of which the Fund owns the residual interest (without regard to the value of the residual interest to avoid double counting).

 

Mandatory Purchase” means the mandatory purchase of Outstanding VRDP Shares by the Liquidity Provider pursuant to the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement in connection with a Mandatory Purchase Event.

 

Mandatory Purchase Date” means the Purchase Date for a Mandatory Purchase determined in accordance with the Statement and the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement.

 

Mandatory Purchase Event” means, (i) in connection with the termination of the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement due to its expiration as of a Scheduled Termination Date, by the fifteenth (15th) day prior to any such Scheduled Termination Date, (a) the Liquidity Provider shall not have agreed to an extension or further extension of the Scheduled Termination Date to a date not earlier than 364 days from the Scheduled Termination Date of the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement then in effect, and (b) the Fund shall not have obtained and delivered to the Tender and Paying Agent an Alternate VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement with a termination date not earlier than 364 days from the Scheduled Termination Date of the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement, or (ii) in connection with the termination of the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement due to a Liquidity Provider Ratings Event or Related Party Termination Event, by the fifteenth (15th) day prior to the Liquidity Provider Ratings Event Termination Date or Related Party Termination Date, as the case may be, the Fund shall not have obtained and delivered to the Tender and Paying Agent an Alternate VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement with a termination date not earlier than 364 days from the Liquidity Provider Ratings Event Termination Date or Related Party Termination Date, as the case may be, of the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement. The Mandatory Purchase Event shall be deemed to occur on such fifteenth (15th) day prior to any Scheduled Termination Date, Liquidity Provider Ratings Event Termination Date or Related Party Termination Date, as the case may be.

 

 
8

 

 

Mandatory Purchase Notice” means, in connection with the Mandatory Purchase of VRDP Shares, a notice substantially in the form attached to the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement as Exhibit B, delivered by the Fund or the Tender and Paying Agent on behalf of the Fund to the Holders and the Liquidity Provider in accordance with the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement specifying a Mandatory Purchase Date.

 

Mandatory Tender,” with respect to a Mandatory Tender Event, means the mandatory tender of all VRDP Shares by Holders for Remarketing, or, in the event (i) no Remarketing occurs on or before the Purchase Date or (ii) pursuant to an attempted Remarketing, VRDP Shares remain unsold and the Remarketing Agent does not purchase for its own account the unsold VRDP Shares tendered to the Tender and Paying Agent for Remarketing (provided, that the Remarketing Agent may seek to sell such VRDP Shares in a subsequent Remarketing prior to the Purchase Date), for purchase by the Liquidity Provider at the Purchase Price pursuant to Section 2 of Part II of the Statement and the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement.

 

Mandatory Tender Event” means (a) each failure by the Fund to make a scheduled payment of dividends on a Dividend Payment Date; (b) the occurrence of a Liquidity Provider Ratings Event (which shall constitute a single Mandatory Tender Event upon the occurrence of such Liquidity Provider Ratings Event, whether or not continuing and whether or not such Liquidity Provider Ratings Event also results in a Mandatory Purchase Event; provided that, following restoration of the short-term debt ratings to the requisite level, a subsequent Liquidity Provider Ratings Event shall constitute a new Mandatory Tender Event); (c) in the event of a failure by the Fund to pay the Liquidity Provider the applicable fee when due in advance under the terms of this Agreement by seven Business Days prior to the beginning of the month to which such payment relates, if the Liquidity Provider (in its sole discretion) thereafter provides written notice to the Fund that such failure to pay such fee constitutes a Mandatory Tender Event; (d) the eighth (8th) day prior to the scheduled date of the occurrence of an Extraordinary Corporate Event; (e) the Fund shall have obtained and delivered to the Tender and Paying Agent an Alternate VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement by the fifteenth (15th) day prior to the Scheduled Termination Date, Liquidity Provider Ratings Event Termination Date or Related Party Termination Date, as the case may be, of the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement; (f) the Fund shall have provided a Notice of Proposed Special Rate Period in accordance with the Statement; or (g) in the event of a breach by the Fund of its Effective Leverage Ratio covenant with the Liquidity Provider set forth in Section 6.18 of this Agreement and the failure to cure such breach within sixty (60) days from the date of such breach (which 60-day period would include the Effective Leverage Ratio Cure Period), if the Liquidity Provider (in its sole discretion) thereafter provides written notice to the Fund and the Tender and Paying Agent that the failure to timely cure such breach constitutes a Mandatory Tender Event (subject to the Fund curing such breach prior to the delivery date of such notice from the Liquidity Provider).

 

Mandatory Tender Notice” means, in connection with the Mandatory Tender of VRDP Shares, a notice, substantially in the form attached to the VRDP Shares Remarketing Agreement as Annex II, delivered by the Fund or the Tender and Paying Agent on behalf of the Fund to the Holders and the Liquidity Provider in accordance with the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement and specifying a Mandatory Tender Event and Purchase Date.

 

 
9

 

 

Market Value” of any asset of the Fund means the market value thereof determined by an independent third-party pricing service designated pursuant to the Fund’s valuation policies and procedures approved from time to time by the Board for use in connection with the determination of the Fund’s net asset value. Market Value of any asset shall include any interest or dividends, as applicable, accrued thereon. The pricing service values portfolio securities at the mean between the quoted bid and asked price or the yield equivalent when quotations are readily available. Securities for which quotations are not readily available are valued at fair value as determined by the pricing service using methods which include consideration of: yields or prices of municipal bonds of comparable quality, type of issue, coupon, maturity and rating; indications as to value from dealers; and general market conditions. The pricing service may employ electronic data processing techniques or a matrix system, or both, to determine valuations.

 

Maximum Rate” with respect to the VRDP Shares, has the meaning specified in the Statement.

 

Minimum Rate Period” means any Rate Period consisting of seven (7) Rate Period Days, as adjusted to reflect any changes when the regular day that is a Rate Determination Date is not a Business Day.

 

Minimum VRDP Shares Asset Coverage” means asset coverage, as defined in Section 18(h) of the 1940 Act as of the date hereof (excluding (1) from the denominator of such asset coverage test any senior securities for which the Fund has issued a Notice of Redemption and either has delivered Deposit Securities to the Tender and Paying Agent or otherwise has adequate Deposit Securities on hand and segregated on the books and records of the Custodian for the purpose of such redemption and (2) from the numerator of such asset coverage test, any Deposit Securities referred to in the previous clause (1)), with such changes thereafter as agreed with the prior written consent of the Liquidity Provider, of at least 200% or such higher percentage as required and specified in this Agreement, but, in any event, not more than 250%, with respect to all outstanding senior securities of the Fund which are stock, including all Outstanding VRDP Shares (or, in each case, if higher, such other asset coverage as may in the future be specified in or under the 1940 Act as the minimum asset coverage for senior securities which are stock of a closed-end investment company as a condition of declaring dividends on its common shares or stock).

 

Minimum VRDP Shares Asset Coverage Cure Date” with respect to the failure by the Fund to maintain the Minimum VRDP Shares Asset Coverage (as required by the Statement and this Agreement) as of the last Business Day of each month, means the tenth Business Day of the following month.

 

Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.

 

Moody’s Guidelines” means the guidelines applicable to Moody’s current long-term preferred share ratings of the VRDP Shares, provided by Moody’s in connection with Moody’s ratings of shares of a Series of VRDP Shares at the request of the Fund (a copy of which is available on request of the Fund), in effect on the date hereof and as may be amended from time to time, provided, however that any such amendment will not be effective for thirty (30) days from the date that Moody’s provides final notice of such amendment to the Fund or such earlier date as the Fund may elect.

 

 
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Municipal Obligations” means municipal bonds as defined in Scheduled IV herein.

 

Notice of Purchase” means, as the context requires, a Preliminary Notice of Purchase or a Final Notice of Purchase, in each case, substantially in the form attached as Exhibit A to the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement.

 

Notice of Redemption” has the meaning specified in paragraph (c) of Section 10 of Part I of the Statement.

 

Notice of Revocation” means, in connection with the revocation by a Beneficial Owner or its Agent Member of its Notice of Tender, a notice, substantially in the form attached to the Tender and Paying Agent Agreement as Exhibit C, delivered by a Beneficial Owner or its Agent Member to the Tender and Paying Agent indicating an intention to revoke the tender of some or all of the VRDP Shares for sale on a Purchase Date pursuant to Section 1 of Part II of the Statement.

 

Notice of Tender” means, in connection with an Optional Tender, a notice, substantially in the form attached to the Tender and Paying Agent Agreement as Exhibit A, delivered by a Beneficial Owner or its Agent Member to the Tender and Paying Agent indicating an intention to tender VRDP Shares for sale on a Purchase Date pursuant to Section 1 of Part II of the Statement.

 

NRSRO” means a “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” within the meaning of Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act, that is not an “affiliated person” (as defined in Section 2(a)(3) of the 1940 Act) of the Fund or the Liquidity Provider, including, at the date hereof, Moody’s and Fitch.

 

Optional Tender” means any tender of VRDP Shares by a Beneficial Owner or its Agent Member to the Tender and Paying Agent, other than a Mandatory Tender, for Remarketing or, in the event (i) no Remarketing occurs on or before the Purchase Date, or (ii) pursuant to an attempted Remarketing, VRDP Shares remain unsold and the Remarketing Agent does not purchase for its own account the unsold VRDP Shares tendered to the Tender and Paying Agent for Remarketing (provided, that the Remarketing Agent may seek to sell such VRDP Shares in a subsequent Remarketing prior to the Purchase Date), for purchase by the Liquidity Provider pursuant to Section 2 of Part II of the Statement and the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement.

 

The word “or” is used in its inclusive sense.

 

Other Rating Agency” means each NRSRO, if any, other than Moody’s or Fitch, then providing a short-term or long-term preferred shares rating for the VRDP Shares pursuant to the request of the Fund.

 

Other Rating Agency Guidelines” means the guidelines applicable to each Other Rating Agency’s long-term preferred ratings of the VRDP Shares, provided by such an Other Rating Agency in connection with such Other Rating Agency’s long-term preferred shares ratings of shares of a Series of VRDP Shares at the request of the Fund (a copy of which is available on request to the Fund), as may be amended from time to time, provided, however, that any such amendment will not be effective except as agreed between the Other Rating Agency and the Fund.

 

 
11

 

 

Outstanding” means, as of any date with respect to the VRDP Shares, the number of VRDP Shares theretofore issued by the Fund except, without duplication, (i) any VRDP Shares theretofore cancelled or delivered to the Tender and Paying Agent for cancellation or redemption by the Fund, (ii) any VRDP Shares with respect to which the Fund has given a Notice of Redemption and irrevocably deposited with the Tender and Paying Agent sufficient Deposit Securities to redeem such VRDP Shares, pursuant to Section 10 of Part I of the Statement, (iii) any VRDP Shares as to which the Fund shall be a Beneficial Owner, and (iv) any VRDP Shares represented by any certificate in lieu of which a new certificate has been executed and delivered by the Fund; provided, however, with respect to clause (ii), any such VRDP Shares will be deemed to be Outstanding for purposes of the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement until redeemed by the Fund.

 

Person” means and includes an individual, a partnership, a corporation, a trust, an unincorporated association, a joint venture or other entity or a government or any agency or political subdivision thereof.

 

Preferred Shares” means the preferred shares of the Fund, and includes the VRDP Shares.

 

Purchase Date,” with respect to any purchase of VRDP Shares, means (i) in connection with an Optional Tender, the date specified in a Notice of Tender, which date shall be no earlier than the seventh (7th) day (or, if such day is not a Business Day, the next succeeding Business Day) following delivery to the Tender and Paying Agent of the Notice of Tender, (ii) in connection with a Mandatory Tender, the date specified in the Mandatory Tender Notice (or, if such day is not a Business Day, the next succeeding Business Day), subject to the immediately succeeding sentence below, or (iii) in connection with a Mandatory Purchase, the Mandatory Purchase Date specified in the Mandatory Purchase Notice (or, if such day is not a Business Day, the next succeeding Business Day). The Purchase Date in respect of a Mandatory Tender Event shall be not later than seven (7) days following the date a Mandatory Tender Notice is sent to Holders by Electronic Means; provided, that: (A) the Purchase Date in connection with the failure of the Fund to pay the applicable fee to the Liquidity Provider may not be later than the last Business Day of the month such payment was due; (B) the Purchase Date in connection with the occurrence of an Extraordinary Corporate Event may not be later than the Business Day immediately preceding the occurrence of the Extraordinary Corporate Event (and, if no earlier Purchase Date is specified in a Mandatory Tender Notice with respect to such Extraordinary Corporate Event, the Business Day immediately preceding the occurrence of the Extraordinary Corporate Event shall be deemed to be the Purchase Date irrespective of the failure to have given or sent a Mandatory Tender Notice); (C) the Purchase Date in connection with the Fund obtaining an Alternate VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement may not be later than the Business Day immediately preceding the termination of the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement and the effective date of such Alternate VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement (which may not be later than the termination date of the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement); and (D) the Purchase Date in connection with a Notice of Proposed Special Rate Period may not be later than the first (1st) day of such proposed Special Rate Period.

 

 
12

 

 

Purchase Obligation” means the unconditional and irrevocable obligation of the Liquidity Provider during the term and pursuant to the terms of the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement to purchase Outstanding VRDP Shares on any Purchase Date at the Purchase Price from Beneficial Owners, in the case of any Optional Tender, and Holders, in the case of any Mandatory Tender or any Mandatory Purchase, in each case following delivery of a Final Notice of Purchase with respect to such VRDP Shares.

 

Purchase Price” means an amount equal to the Liquidation Preference of any VRDP Shares to be purchased on a Purchase Date, plus any accumulated but unpaid dividends thereon (whether or not earned or declared), if any, to, but excluding, the relevant Purchase Date.

 

Purchased VRDP Shares” means all VRDP Shares purchased by the Liquidity Provider pursuant to the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement, so long as the Liquidity Provider continues to be the beneficial owner for federal income tax purposes of such VRDP Shares.

 

QIB” means a “qualified institutional buyer” as defined in Rule 144A under the Securities Act.

 

Rate Determination Date” means, with respect to the VRDP Shares, the last day of a Rate Period for the VRDP Shares or, if such day is not a Business Day, the next succeeding Business Day; provided, however, that the next succeeding Rate Determination Date will be determined without regard to any prior extension of a Rate Determination Date to a Business Day.

 

Rate Period” with respect to the VRDP Shares, means the Initial Rate Period and any Subsequent Rate Period, including any Special Rate Period.

 

Rate Period Days” for any Rate Period, means the number of days that would constitute such Rate Period, but for the application of Section 2(d) of Part I of the Statement or Section 4(b) of Part I of the Statement.

 

Rating Agency” means each of Fitch (if Fitch is then rating the VRDP Shares at the request of the Fund), Moody’s (if Moody’s is then rating the VRDP Shares at the request of the Fund)and any Other Rating Agency (if such Other Rating Agency is then rating the VRDP Shares at the request of the Fund).

 

Rating Agency Guidelines” means Moody’s Guidelines (if Moody’s is then rating the VRDP Shares at the request of the Fund), Fitch Guidelines (if Fitch is then rating the VRDP Shares at the request of the Fund) and any Other Rating Agency Guidelines (if such Other Rating Agency is then rating the VRDP Shares at the request of the Fund).

 

Redemption Date” has the meaning specified in Section 10(c) of Part I of the Statement.

 

Redemption Price” means the applicable redemption price specified in Section 10(a) or 10(b) of Part I of the Statement.

 

Related Documents” means this Agreement, the Charter, the Statement, the VRDP Shares, the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement, the VRDP Shares Remarketing Agreement and the Tender and Paying Agent Agreement.

 

 
13

 

 

Related Party” means a related party for purposes of Section 267(b) or Section 707(b) of the Code, as such provisions may be amended from time to time.

 

Related Party Termination Date” means the effective date of the termination of the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement in accordance with its terms following the occurrence of a Related Party Termination Event.

 

Related Party Termination Event” means the Liquidity Provider becoming a Related Party of the Fund other than through the acquisition of VRDP Shares pursuant to the terms of the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement.

 

Remarketing” means the remarketing of VRDP Shares by the Remarketing Agent on behalf of the Beneficial Owners thereof pursuant to an Optional Tender or on behalf of the Holders thereof pursuant to a Mandatory Tender, as provided in the VRDP Shares Remarketing Agreement and the Statement.

 

Remarketing Agent” means, with respect to the VRDP Shares, the Person or Persons designated as Remarketing Agent for the VRDP Shares with the prior written consent of the Liquidity Provider (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), initially as set forth in Schedule I hereto, and its or their permitted successors and assigns.

 

Remarketing Materials” means (i) the Fund’s most recent annual report and, if available, subsequent semi-annual report, which shall be deemed to have been made available upon the electronic availability of any such document on a public website, (ii) the most recent annual and, if available, interim report of the Liquidity Provider, which shall be deemed to have been made available upon the electronic availability of any such document on a public website, (iii) such other publicly available information as the Fund or the Liquidity Provider or the Remarketing Agent, if applicable, may reasonably request from time to time, of the Liquidity Provider, the Fund or the Remarketing Agent, and such other documentation, representations, warranties and certifications as the Fund, the Liquidity Provider or the Remarketing Agent, if applicable, may reasonably request, it being understood that the Fund, the Liquidity Provider or the Remarketing Agent, if applicable, may, in its discretion, determine to deliver to purchasers and prospective purchasers, in connection with the offer and sale of VRDP Shares by the Liquidity Provider, a Remarketing Memorandum, and (iv) such other publicly available information necessary, in the opinion of counsel for the Fund, the Liquidity Provider or the Remarketing Agent, if applicable, to amend or supplement the foregoing materials, in order that the foregoing materials will not include any untrue statements of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances existing at the time made available to or delivered to a purchaser.

 

Remarketing Memorandum” means any written communication describing the Fund, the Liquidity Provider and/or the terms of the VRDP Shares and the Purchase Obligation, which has been approved prior to its use by each party hereto in writing for use in connection with Remarketing prior to its use, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed and shall (i) be limited in scope to the Liquidity Provider Information in the case of any such approval by the Liquidity Provider and (ii) exclude the Liquidity Provider Information in the case of any such approval by the Fund.

 

 
14

 

 

Representatives” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.15.

 

Requisite NRSROs” means (i) any two (2) NRSROs that have issued a rating with respect to a security or class of debt obligations of an issuer; or (ii) if only one (1) NRSRO has issued a rating with respect to such security or class of debt obligations of an issuer at the time a purchaser Acquires (as such term is defined from time to time in Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act) the security, that NRSRO.

 

Scheduled Termination Date” means July 9, 2021 or any succeeding date to which the term of this Agreement is extended pursuant to Section 2.02.

 

SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

Securities Act” means the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

Securities Depository” means The Depository Trust Company, New York, New York, and any substitute for or successor to such securities depository that shall maintain a book-entry system with respect to the VRDP Shares.

 

Special Rate Period” with respect to the VRDP Shares, has the meaning specified in Section 4(a) of Part I of the Statement.

 

Special Redemption Provisions” has the meaning specified in Section 10(a)(i) of Part I of the Statement.

 

Statement” means the Articles Supplementary Establishing and Fixing the Rights and Preferences of the VRDP Shares, as amended from time to time in accordance with the provisions thereof, as applicable, with respect to the Fund and the VRDP Shares.

 

Subsequent Rate Period” with respect to the VRDP Shares, means the period from, and including, the first day following the Initial Rate Period of the VRDP Shares to, and including, the next Rate Determination Date for the VRDP Shares and any period thereafter from, and including, the first day following a Rate Determination Date for the VRDP Shares to, and including, the next succeeding Rate Determination Date for the VRDP Shares; provided, however, that if any Subsequent Rate Period is also a Special Rate Period, such term shall mean the period commencing on the first day of such Special Rate Period and ending on, and including, the last day of the last Dividend Period thereof; except for Special Rate Periods, each Subsequent Rate Period will be a Minimum Rate Period.

 

Tender” means either a Mandatory Tender or an Optional Tender, as applicable.

 

Tender and Paying Agent” means The Bank of New York Mellon or, with the prior written consent of the Liquidity Provider (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), any successor Person, which has entered into an agreement with the Fund to act in such capacity as the Fund’s tender agent, transfer agent, registrar, dividend disbursing agent, paying agent, redemption price disbursing agent and calculation agent in connection with the payment of regularly scheduled dividends with respect to VRDP Shares.

 

 
15

 

 

Tender and Paying Agent Agreement” means the amended and restated tender and paying agent agreement, dated as of June 16, 2020, by and between the Fund and the Tender and Paying Agent, as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time, or any similar agreement with a successor tender and paying agent.

 

Termination Event” means a termination of this Agreement (a) on a Scheduled Termination Date, as such date may be extended pursuant to the terms hereof, (b) following written notice provided by the Fund pursuant to Section 8.06(b) hereof following the occurrence of a Liquidity Provider Ratings Event at any time during the term hereof or (c) on a Related Party Termination Date.

 

TOB Trust” means a tender option bond trust or similar vehicles that are functionally equivalent to tender option bond trusts and used for providing financing for municipal obligations and municipal closed-end fund preferred shares.

 

Transactions” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.15.

 

U.S. Government Securities” means direct obligations of the United States or of its agencies or instrumentalities that are entitled to the full faith and credit of the United States and that, other than United States Treasury Bills, provide for the periodic payment of interest and the full payment of principal at maturity or call for redemption.

 

Valuation Date” means, for purposes of determining whether the Fund is maintaining the VRDP Shares Basic Maintenance Amount, (i) each Friday occurring after the Date of Original Issue that is a Business Day or, for any such Friday that is not a Business Day, the immediately preceding Business Day and (ii) the Date of Original Issue.

 

VRDP Shares” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.

 

VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement” means the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement, dated as of June 16, 2020, by and between the Liquidity Provider and the Tender and Paying Agent, as amended, modified or supplemented, or any Alternate VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement.

 

VRDP Shares Remarketing Agreement” means the VRDP Shares Remarketing Agreement with respect to the VRDP Shares, dated as of June 16, 2020, by and between the Fund and the Remarketing Agent, as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time, or any similar agreement with a successor remarketing agent.

 

written” or “in writing” means any form of written communication, including communication by means of telex, telecopier or electronic mail.

 

SECTION 1.02. Incorporation of Certain Definitions by Reference.

 

Each capitalized term used herein and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meaning provided therefor (including by incorporation by reference) in the Statement. Any day not referred to herein as a Business Day shall mean a calendar day.

 

 
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ARTICLE II

PURCHASE OBLIGATION

 

SECTION 2.01. Commitment to Purchase VRDP Shares; Fees.

 

(a) The Fund and the Liquidity Provider are entering into this Agreement in connection with the Liquidity Provider’s agreement to provide the Purchase Obligation under the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement. The Liquidity Provider agrees that in no event shall amounts paid by it in respect of the Purchase Obligation be paid from funds or property of the Fund, including, without limitation, any funds derived from funds that the Fund may have on deposit with the Liquidity Provider. The obligation of the Liquidity Provider to purchase VRDP Shares pursuant to the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement shall run to the benefit of the Holders and Beneficial Owners of VRDP Shares and shall be unconditional and irrevocable in accordance with the provisions thereof.

 

(b) Pursuant to the Statement, the Fund shall use its best efforts to engage at all times a Remarketing Agent that is a nationally recognized securities dealer with experience in remarketing variable-rate securities whose appointment has been consented to in writing by the Liquidity Provider (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld) to use its best efforts to find purchasers for all VRDP Shares properly tendered pursuant to a Tender. All such VRDP Shares shall be remarketed at the Purchase Price of such VRDP Shares.

 

(c) Upon the occurrence of the Effective Date, the Fund shall use its best efforts to engage at all times a Tender and Paying Agent to perform the duties specified in the Statement, the Tender and Paying Agent Agreement and the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement.

 

SECTION 2.02. Extension of Scheduled Termination Date.

 

The Fund shall have the right, exercisable not more than 120 days nor less than 90 days prior to the Scheduled Termination Date, to request that the Liquidity Provider extend the term of such Scheduled Termination Date for an additional period of up to 180 days or, if mutually agreed upon by the parties hereto, a period greater than 180 days, which request may be conditioned upon terms and conditions that are different from the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement then in effect. The Liquidity Provider shall, no later than 30 days after receiving such request, notify the Fund and the Tender and Paying Agent of its acceptance or rejection of such request, which acceptance by the Liquidity Provider may be a Conditional Acceptance conditioned upon terms and conditions which are different from the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement then in effect or the terms and conditions proposed by the Fund in making an extension request. If the Liquidity Provider fails to notify the Fund and the Tender and Paying Agent of its acceptance or rejection of the Fund’s request for extension within such 30-day period, such failure to respond shall constitute a rejection of such request. If the Liquidity Provider provides a Conditional Acceptance, then the Fund shall have 30 days thereafter to notify the Liquidity Provider and the Tender and Paying Agent of its acceptance or rejection of the terms and conditions specified in the Liquidity Provider’s Conditional Acceptance. The Fund’s failure to notify the Liquidity Provider and the Tender and Paying Agent within the 30-day period will be deemed a rejection of the terms and conditions specified in the Liquidity Provider’s Conditional Acceptance. The Fund acknowledges and agrees that the Liquidity Provider may grant or deny any request for extension of the Scheduled Termination Date in its sole and absolute discretion.

 

 
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SECTION 2.03. Sale of VRDP Shares.

 

(a) The Liquidity Provider shall make available to the Remarketing Agent those VRDP Shares held by it pursuant to the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement for Remarketing in accordance with the terms of the VRDP Shares Remarketing Agreement and the remarketing procedures thereunder; provided, however, that the Liquidity Provider expressly reserves the right to sell VRDP Shares held by it at any time to any Person that is a QIB and by any other means deemed appropriate by the Liquidity Provider in its sole discretion in accordance with applicable law; provided, that the Liquidity Provider shall not sell any VRDP Shares held by it outside of a Remarketing to any Person that is not a registered investment company under the 1940 Act (a “RIC”) other than (i) an affiliate of the Liquidity Provider or Remarketing Agent or (ii) in connection with a repurchase financing transaction, without the prior consent of the Fund. For purposes of the preceding sentence, the Fund’s prior consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed with respect to sales to (1) a TOB Trust (all of the investors in which are RICs, banks, insurance companies or any companies that are included in the S&P 500 Index (or a direct or indirect wholly-owned subsidiary thereof)) or (2) to any bank, insurance company or any company that is included in the S&P 500 Index (or a direct or indirect wholly-owned subsidiary thereof); provided, that with respect to any other purchaser, any consent withheld by the Fund because of the identity of such purchaser shall not be deemed unreasonable. The Liquidity Provider agrees that offers and sales will be made only to QIBs, pursuant to Rule 144A or another available exemption from registration under the Securities Act, in a manner not involving any public offering within the meaning of Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act.

 

(b) In order to facilitate the sale of VRDP Shares by the Liquidity Provider, the Fund and the Liquidity Provider agree to timely make available their respective Remarketing Materials for inclusion in any Remarketing Memorandum.

 

SECTION 2.04. Reduction of Available Commitment.

 

(a) As of the opening of business on the day following the Liquidity Provider’s receipt of written notice (which the Fund will cause to be given) of any redemption or other repurchase of VRDP Shares consummated by the Fund, the Available Commitment shall automatically be reduced by the amount applicable to the VRDP Shares so redeemed or otherwise repurchased; and the Available Commitment in respect of such VRDP Shares shall be extinguished and shall not thereafter be revived, except with the prior written consent of the Liquidity Provider. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein is intended to expand the terms of the Purchase Obligation.

 

 
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(b) In the event that any dividends or redemption proceeds paid by the Fund on Outstanding VRDP Shares prior to the occurrence of a Fund Insolvency Event are required to be, and are, paid over to the bankruptcy estate of the Fund pursuant to a final, non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction arising out of a Fund Insolvency Event, any Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) of VRDP Shares that has paid over to the bankruptcy estate of the Fund pursuant to such judgment any dividends or redemption proceeds previously received from the Fund may demand reimbursement from the Liquidity Provider of any amounts so paid. The Liquidity Provider agrees to make such reimbursement payment within three (3) Business Days of receipt of any such demand for payment made in writing and accompanied by evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Liquidity Provider of payment made to the bankruptcy estate of the Fund by or on behalf of the demanding party. In connection with any reimbursement payment by the Liquidity Provider, the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) of VRDP Shares shall be deemed to have transferred, assigned and conveyed to the Liquidity Provider the right to receive from the Fund and the bankruptcy estate of the Fund any such dividends or redemption proceeds in exchange for the reimbursement payment by the Liquidity Provider, and the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) shall execute, acknowledge and deliver such further conveyances, assignments and other documents as the Liquidity Provider may reasonably request and are reasonably necessary in order to effectuate such assignment. The provisions of this Section 2.04 shall survive any expiration or termination of this Agreement, in respect of any dividends or redemption proceeds paid by the Fund on Outstanding VRDP Shares during the term of this Agreement, and shall be in addition to any other obligation of the Liquidity Provider under this Agreement.

 

SECTION 2.05. Fees.

 

(a) Except as provided in the succeeding sentence, the Fund shall pay to the Liquidity Provider from the Effective Date to and including the date on which the Purchase Obligation under the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement for all VRDP Shares has terminated, a monthly fee, payable in arrears in respect of a calendar month, for each VRDP Share Outstanding on the first calendar day of the immediately preceding calendar month, in an amount, equal to (a) the product of (i) 0.80% of 101.85% of the Liquidation Preference for such VRDP Share and (ii) the actual number of days from and including such first calendar day of the immediately preceding calendar month to and including the last calendar day of such immediately preceding month, or if applicable, the date of any prior redemption of such VRDP Share (as the case may be) divided by (b) 365; provided, that without limiting the foregoing, during any period in which a VRDP Share constitutes a Purchased VRDP Share, the fee payable in respect of such Purchased VRDP Share for such period shall be an amount equal to (1) the product of (x) the applicable per annum rate or rates set forth in the table below of 101.85% of the Liquidation Preference of such Purchased VRDP Share and (y) the actual number of days from and including such first calendar day of such period to and excluding the last calendar day of such period, or, if applicable, the date of any prior redemption of such Purchased VRDP Share (as the case may be) divided by (2) 365:

 

Failed Remarketing Condition shall have occurred and be continuing for:

 

up to 59 days

0.85%

60 days but fewer than 120 days

1.00%

120 days but fewer than 180 days

1.50%

180 days or more

2.75%

 

The fee for the period from and including the Effective Date to and including June 30, 2020 shall be paid on July 15, 2020, provided that the day count for such fee calculation pursuant to clause (a)(ii) of the immediately preceding sentence for such payment on July 15, 2020 shall be 6 days and the fee shall be calculated in respect of each VRDP Share Outstanding on the Effective Date instead of the first calendar day of the immediately preceding month.

 

 
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With respect to the fees payable pursuant to the first sentence of this Section 2.05, such fee shall be invoiced by the Liquidity Provider and shall be payable monthly in arrears on the 15th calendar day of each month and, if such day is not a Business Day, the next succeeding Business Day, and upon the date of termination of this Agreement, unless such payment date is a Dividend Payment Date, in which case such fee shall be paid on the Business Day immediately preceding such payment date.  In addition, notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event of any optional redemption of VRDP Shares during the period commencing on the date hereof and ending on the July 9, 2021, on the related Redemption Date the Fund shall pay to the Liquidity Provider a make-whole amount equal to the fee that would otherwise have been payable in respect of such redeemed VRDP Shares for the remainder of such period calculated as if such VRDP Shares remained Outstanding and not purchased by the Liquidity Provider during such remaining period.

 

SECTION 2.06. Operating Expenses.

 

The Fund shall pay amounts due to be paid by it hereunder (including any incidental expenses but not including redemption or dividend payments on the VRDP Shares) as operating expenses.

 

SECTION 2.07. No Deductions; Increased Costs.

 

(a) To the extent set forth in clauses (b) and (c) below, all “Sums Payable Hereunder” shall be paid in full, without any deduction or withholding whatsoever. For purposes of this Section 2.07, “Sums Payable Hereunder” shall mean amounts payable by the Fund hereunder, whether of fees, expenses or otherwise (but excluding any sums payable with respect to VRDP Shares of liquidation preference or dividends whether in connection with a Failed Remarketing Condition —Purchased VRDP Shares Redemption or otherwise).

 

(b) If any change in applicable law, regulation, condition, or directive applicable to transactions of the type contemplated in this Agreement and the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement (including any request, guideline or policy whether or not having the force of law (which the Liquidity Provider, in the reasonable exercise of its judgment, complies with) and including, without limitation, Regulation D promulgated by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System as now and from time to time hereafter in effect but excluding, changes in tax laws) or interpretation thereof by any authority charged with the administration or interpretation thereof with respect to the regulation of national banks occurs after the date hereof which:

 

(i) imposes, modifies or deems applicable any reserve or deposit or similar requirements against any assets held by or in connection with the Liquidity Provider’s commitment to provide the Purchase Obligation or this Agreement (or any Related Document to which the Liquidity Provider is a party); or

 

 
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(ii) imposes upon the Liquidity Provider any other condition with respect to Sums Payable Hereunder or amounts payable by the Liquidity Provider with respect to this Agreement (or any Related Document to which the Liquidity Provider is a party) or its commitment to provide the Purchase Obligation; and the result of any of the foregoing is (x) to increase the cost to the Liquidity Provider of entering into or performing this Agreement (or any Related Document to which the Liquidity Provider is a party), making any payment pursuant to its Purchase Obligation or maintaining its commitment to provide the Purchase Obligation, (y) to reduce the amount of any Sums Payable Hereunder to the Liquidity Provider or (z) to require the Liquidity Provider to make any payment to a regulatory or governmental authority on or calculated by reference to the gross amount of any sum received by it, in each case by an amount which the Liquidity Provider reasonably deems material, then:

 

(1) the Liquidity Provider shall promptly notify the Fund in writing of the happening of such event;

 

(2) the Liquidity Provider shall promptly deliver to the Fund a certificate stating in reasonable detail the change which has occurred or the reserve requirements or other conditions which have been imposed on the Liquidity Provider or the request, direction or requirement with which it has complied, together with the date thereof, the amount of such increased cost, reduction or payment and the way in which such amount has been calculated; and

 

(3) the Fund shall within thirty (30) days after demand and the Fund’s receipt of the certificate described in subclause (2) above pay to the Liquidity Provider such an amount or amounts as will compensate the Liquidity Provider for such additional cost, reduction or payment as set forth on such certificate.

 

The reasonably detailed certificate of the Liquidity Provider prepared in good faith, signed by a senior officer of the Liquidity Provider, as to the additional amounts payable pursuant to this paragraph delivered to the Fund shall be conclusive and binding on the Fund absent manifest error of the amount thereof. In the event any such amounts paid by the Fund are subsequently refunded to the Liquidity Provider by the authority imposing such costs, the Liquidity Provider will reimburse the Fund for such amounts to the extent they are refunded to the Liquidity Provider, but without interest; provided, however, that it is understood and agreed that the Liquidity Provider has no duty or obligation to contest the imposition of or seek the recovery of any such costs.

 

For the avoidance of doubt, no payment will be due under this subsection in respect of a cost arising solely out of the ownership of VRDP Shares after performance by the Liquidity Provider of its obligations under this Agreement.

 

(c) If any applicable law, rule or regulation regarding capital adequacy, or any change therein, in each case adopted after the date hereof, or any change in the interpretation or administration thereof after the date hereof by any governmental authority, central bank or comparable agency charged with the interpretation or administration thereof, or compliance by the Liquidity Provider (or any of its branches) with any request or directive made after the date hereof regarding capital adequacy (whether or not having the force of law) of any such authority, central bank or comparable agency, has or would have the effect of reducing the rate of return on the Liquidity Provider’s capital as a consequence of its obligations hereunder (or any Related Document to which the Liquidity Provider is a party) or under its commitment to provide the Purchase Obligation or the transactions referenced herein or contemplated hereby to a level below that which the Liquidity Provider could have achieved but for such adoption, change or compliance (taking into consideration the Liquidity Provider’s policies with respect to liquidity and capital adequacy) by an amount reasonably deemed by the Liquidity Provider to be material, then, within thirty (30) days of demand by the Liquidity Provider and receipt by the Fund of a certificate stating in reasonable detail the basis on which such amount was determined, the amount requested and the way in which such amount has been calculated, the Fund shall pay to the Liquidity Provider such additional amount or amounts determined by the Liquidity Provider set forth on such certificate as will compensate the Liquidity Provider for such reduced rate of return. The reasonably detailed certificate of the Liquidity Provider prepared in good faith, signed by a senior officer of the Liquidity Provider, as to the additional amounts payable pursuant to this paragraph delivered to the Fund shall be conclusive and binding on the Fund absent manifest error of the amount thereof.

 

 
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For the avoidance of doubt, no payment will be due under this subsection in respect of a cost arising solely out of the ownership of VRDP Shares after performance by the Liquidity Provider of its obligations under this Agreement.

 

(d) With respect to the Liquidity Provider’s claim for any compensation under this Section 2.07, the Fund shall not be required to compensate the Liquidity Provider for any amount incurred more than one hundred eighty (180) days prior to the date that the Liquidity Provider notifies the Fund of the event that gives rise to such claim; provided that if the circumstances giving rise to such claim is retroactive, then such 180-day period referenced above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect.

 

SECTION 2.08. Current Special Rate Period.

 

The terms set forth in Schedule III hereto shall be applicable during the Current Special Rate Period and such terms shall supersede any other terms, provisions or obligations set forth in this Agreement during the Current Special Rate Period. Schedule III shall have no force or effect after the last day of the Current Special Rate Period and the terms and provisions therein shall be deemed deleted and removed from this Agreement in its entirety thereafter without any further action from the Fund or the Liquidity Provider.

 

ARTICLE III

CLOSING DATE

 

SECTION 3.01. Conditions to Closing Date.

 

It shall be a condition to the Closing Date that each of the following conditions shall have been satisfied or waived as of such date, and upon such satisfaction or waiver, this Agreement shall be effective:

 

(a) this Agreement shall have been duly executed and delivered by the parties hereto; and

 

(b) the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement, VRDP Shares Remarketing Agreement and the Tender and Paying Agent Agreement shall have been duly executed and delivered by the parties hereto or thereto;

 

 
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(c) the VRDP Shares shall have a long-term preferred share rating of Aa2 from Moody’s or AAA from Fitch;

 

(d) the Liquidity Provider shall have short-term debt ratings of P-1 from Moody’s and F1+ from Fitch;

 

(e) receipt by the Liquidity Provider of executed originals, or copies certified by a duly authorized officer of the Fund to be in full force and effect and not otherwise amended, of: the Statement and the VRDP Shares; a true and complete copy of the Charter as in full force and effect on the Closing Date; and an incumbency certificate with respect to the authorized signatories thereto;

 

(f) receipt by the Liquidity Provider of opinions of counsel for the Fund in form reasonably satisfactory to the Liquidity Provider;

 

(g) receipt by the Fund of opinions of counsel for the Liquidity Provider and the Remarketing Agent in form reasonably satisfactory to the Fund;

 

(h) receipt by the Fund and the Liquidity Provider of opinions of counsel for the Tender and Paying Agent in form reasonably satisfactory to the Fund and Liquidity Provider;

 

(i) the reasonable fees and expenses and all other amounts (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses related to the execution and delivery of the Related Documents) payable to the Liquidity Provider on or prior to the Closing Date pursuant to this Agreement shall have been paid subject to the Liquidity Provider’s agreement to bear certain costs pursuant to Section 8.03(a) of this Agreement; and

 

(j) there shall have been delivered to the Liquidity Provider such publicly available information and copies of documents, approvals (if any) and records certified, where appropriate, of organizational and legal proceedings as the Liquidity Provider may have requested relating to the Fund’s entering into and performing this Agreement and the other Related Documents to which it is a party, and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby. Such documents shall, in any event, include a certificate of the Fund, in form and substance satisfactory to the Liquidity Provider and its counsel, executed by an executive officer of the Fund, dated the Closing Date, to the effect that the all representations and warranties made by the Fund herein or in any of the Related Documents to which it is a party shall be true and correct in all material respects with the same effect as though such representations and warranties had been made at and as of such time, unless such representations and warranties expressly relate to a specific earlier date, in which case such representations and warranties are true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date, that all fees and expenses and other amounts and obligations payable by the Fund under this Agreement have been paid or satisfied as of such date and that all actions required to be taken, all consents required to be obtained, and all resolutions required to be adopted (which resolutions shall be attached to such certificate), in each case by the Fund under applicable law, have been done, obtained and adopted.

 

 
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ARTICLE IV

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE FUND

 

The representations and warranties set out in this Article IV are given hereunder by the Fund on the Closing Date (in respect of Section 4.01 to Section 4.06 (inclusive), Section 4.08 and Section 4.09) and as of the Effective Date and each date subsequent to the date thereof, except that the representations and warranties set forth in Section 4.10, Section 4.11 and Section 4.12 shall be given only on the Effective Date.

 

SECTION 4.01. Existence.

 

The Fund is validly existing as a corporation under the laws of the State of Maryland, with full right and power to issue the VRDP Shares and to execute, deliver and perform its obligations under this Agreement and each other Related Document.

 

SECTION 4.02. Authorization; Contravention.

 

The execution, delivery and performance by the Fund of this Agreement and each other Related Document are within the Fund’s powers, have been duly authorized by all necessary action, require no action by or in respect of, or filing with, any governmental body, agency or official and do not violate or contravene, or constitute a default under, any provision of applicable law, charter, ordinance or regulation or of any material agreement, judgment, injunction, order, decree or other instrument binding upon the Fund or result in the creation or imposition of any lien or encumbrance on any asset of the Fund, except for such violations or contraventions which would not have a material adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to pay when due and otherwise perform its obligations under this Agreement, any of the VRDP Shares or any other Related Documents; provided, however, that the foregoing exception shall not apply to any violation or contravention of the Charter.

 

SECTION 4.03. Binding Effect.

 

This Agreement, the Tender and Paying Agent Agreement and the VRDP Shares Remarketing Agreement constitute valid and binding agreements of the Fund, in each case enforceable in accordance with their respective terms except as (i) the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and (ii) the availability of equitable remedies may be limited by equitable principles of general applicability, it being understood that the enforceability of indemnification provisions may be subject to limitations imposed under applicable securities laws. The VRDP Shares have been duly authorized and validly issued by the Fund and are fully paid and nonassessable and are free of any preemptive or similar rights.

 

SECTION 4.04. Financial Information.

 

The financial statements of the Fund as of its most recent fiscal year-end, and the auditors’ report with respect thereto, copies of which have heretofore been furnished to the Liquidity Provider, are complete and correct and fairly present in all material respects the financial condition of the Fund, at such date and for such period, and were prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles, consistently applied. Since the most recent fiscal year-end of the Fund, there has been no material adverse change in the condition (financial or otherwise) or operations of the Fund, except as disclosed in writing to the Liquidity Provider. Since the date of the financial statements, no transaction or event has occurred and no change has occurred in the condition (financial or otherwise) or operations of the Fund which materially adversely affects the issuance of any of the VRDP Shares or the Fund’s ability to pay when due and otherwise perform its obligations under this Agreement, any of the VRDP Shares and the Related Documents.

 

 
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SECTION 4.05. Litigation.

 

Except as disclosed in Schedule II hereto, no action, suit, proceeding or investigation is pending or (to the best knowledge of the Fund) overtly threatened in writing against the Fund in any court or before any governmental authority (i) in any way contesting or that, if decided adversely, would affect the validity of any other Related Document or this Agreement; or (ii) in which a final adverse decision would adversely affect provisions for or materially adversely affect the sources for payment of liquidation preference of or dividends on the VRDP Shares.

 

SECTION 4.06. Consents.

 

All consents, licenses, approvals, validations and authorizations of, and registrations, validations or declarations by or with, any court or any governmental agency or bureau required to be obtained in connection with the execution, delivery, performance, validity or enforceability against the Fund of this Agreement and the other Related Documents (including the VRDP Shares) to which it is a party or by which it is bound have been obtained and are in full force and effect.

 

SECTION 4.07. Offering Memorandum.

 

[Reserved]

 

SECTION 4.08. Complete and Correct Information.

 

All information, reports and other papers and data with respect to the Fund furnished to the Liquidity Provider were, at the time the same were so furnished, complete and correct in all material respects. Any financial, budget and other projections furnished to the Liquidity Provider were prepared in good faith on the basis of the assumptions stated therein, which assumptions were fair and reasonable in light of conditions existing at the time of delivery of such financial, budget or other projections, and represented, and as of the date of this representation, represent, the Fund’s best estimate of the Fund’s future financial performance. No fact is known to the Fund that materially and adversely affects or in the future may (so far as it can reasonably foresee) materially and adversely affect the VRDP Shares, or the Fund’s ability to pay when due its obligations under this Agreement, any of the VRDP Shares and the other Related Documents that has not been set forth in the financial information and other documents referred to in this Section 4.08 or in such information, reports, papers and data or otherwise disclosed in writing to the Liquidity Provider. Taken as a whole, the documents furnished and written statements made by the Fund in connection with the negotiation, preparation or execution of this Agreement and the other Related Documents do not contain untrue statements of material facts or omit to state material facts necessary to make the statements contained therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made when taken as a whole, not misleading.

 

 
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SECTION 4.09. 1940 Act Registration.

 

The Fund is duly registered as a closed-end management investment company under the 1940 Act and such registration is in full force and effect.

 

SECTION 4.10. Effective Leverage Ratio; Minimum VRDP Shares Asset Coverage.

 

As of the Effective Date, the Fund is not in an Effective Leverage Ratio Cure Period with respect to its Effective Leverage Ratio covenant in Section 6.18 and is in compliance with the Minimum VRDP Shares Asset Coverage.

 

SECTION 4.11. Investment Policies.

 

As of the Effective Date, the Fund owns only Eligible Assets.

 

SECTION 4.12. Credit Quality.

 

The Fund has invested at least 75% of its Managed Assets in investment grade securities that, at the time of investment, were rated within the four highest grades (Baa or BBB or better) by at least one NRSRO or were unrated but judged to be of comparable quality by the Investment Adviser.

 

ARTICLE V

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE LIQUIDITY PROVIDER

 

The representations and warranties set out in this Article V are given hereunder by the Liquidity Provider on the Closing Date and are not repeated on any subsequent date.

 

SECTION 5.01. Existence.

 

The Liquidity Provider is a Canadian chartered bank duly established and validly existing under the Bank Act (Canada) and duly licensed to operate its New York branch located at 31 West 52nd Street, New York, NY 10019 (the “New York Branch”). The Liquidity Provider has all requisite power and authority to execute and deliver, and to perform its obligations under this Agreement and the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement, including, without limitation, the Purchase Obligation, and to do so acting through its New York Branch.

 

SECTION 5.02. Authorization; Contravention.

 

The execution, delivery and performance by the Liquidity Provider of this Agreement and the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement, including, without limitation, the Purchase Obligation, are within the Liquidity Provider’s powers, have been duly authorized by all necessary action, require no action by or in respect of, or filing with, any governmental body, agency or official and do not violate or contravene, or constitute a default under, any provision of applicable law, charter, ordinance or regulation or of any agreement, judgment, injunction, order, decree or other instrument binding upon the Liquidity Provider or result in the creation or imposition of any lien or encumbrance on any asset of the Liquidity Provider, except for such violations, contraventions, defaults, liens or encumbrances that would not have a material adverse effect on the Liquidity Provider’s ability to pay when due and otherwise perform its obligations under this Agreement and the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement, including, without limitation, the Purchase Obligation; provided, however, that the foregoing exception shall not apply to any violation or contravention of the Liquidity Provider’s charter.

 

 
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SECTION 5.03. Binding Effect.

 

Each of this Agreement and the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement, including, without limitation, the Purchase Obligation, constitutes a valid and binding agreement of the Liquidity Provider enforceable in accordance with its terms except as (i) the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and (ii) the availability of equitable remedies may be limited by equitable principles of general applicability, it being understood that the enforceability of indemnification provisions may be subject to limitations imposed under applicable securities laws.

 

SECTION 5.04. Financial Information.

 

The consolidated financial statements of the Liquidity Provider, which comprise the consolidated balance sheet as at October 31, 2019 and October 31, 2018, and the consolidated statements of income, comprehensive income, changes in equity, and cash flows for each of the years in the three-year period ended October 31, 2019, copies of which are publicly available, present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Liquidity Provider and its consolidated subsidiaries as at October 31, 2019 and October 31, 2018, and its financial performances and its cash flows for each of the years in the period ended October 31, 2019 in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board. Since the date of the most recent such financial statement, no transaction or event has occurred and no change has occurred in the condition (financial or otherwise) or operations of the Liquidity Provider that would materially and adversely affect its ability to perform its obligations under this Agreement or the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement, including, without limitation, the Purchase Obligation.

 

SECTION 5.05. Litigation.

 

Except as disclosed in the publicly available financial statements of the Liquidity Provider, no action, suit, proceeding or investigation is pending or (to the best knowledge of the Liquidity Provider) overtly threatened in writing against the Liquidity Provider in any court or before any governmental authority in any way contesting or that, if decided adversely, would affect the validity of this Agreement or the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement, including, without limitation, the Purchase Obligation.

 

SECTION 5.06. Consents.

 

All consents, licenses, approvals, validations and authorizations of, and registrations, validations or declarations by or with, any court or any regulatory, supervisory or governmental agency, bureau or agency required to be obtained in connection with the performance by the Liquidity Provider of or the execution and, delivery by, or the validity or enforceability against, the Liquidity Provider of, this Agreement and the other Related Documents to which the Liquidity Provider is a party have been obtained and are in full force and effect. If and to the extent that the Purchase Obligation is determined to be a “security” for purposes of the Securities Act, the Purchase Obligation is exempt from registration under Section 3(a)(2) of the Securities Act.

 

 
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SECTION 5.07. [Reserved].

 

SECTION 5.08. Ranking.

 

The obligations of the Liquidity Provider under the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement rank pari passu with all other senior unsecured obligations of the Liquidity Provider (other than any such obligations preferred by statute or by operation of law).

 

SECTION 5.09. Related Party.

 

The Liquidity Provider is not related to the Fund within the meaning of Section 267(b) or Section 707(b) of the Code.

 

SECTION 5.10. Debt Rating.

 

The Liquidity Provider has a short-term debt ratings of “P-1” from Moody’s and “F1+” from Fitch.

 

ARTICLE VI

COVENANTS OF THE FUND

 

The Fund agrees that, so long as there is any Purchase Obligation under the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement or any amount payable hereunder or the Liquidity Provider owns any VRDP Shares purchased pursuant to the Purchase Obligation:

 

SECTION 6.01. Information.

 

Without limitation of the other provisions of this Agreement, the Fund will deliver, or direct the Tender and Paying Agent to deliver, to the Liquidity Provider:

 

(a) upon receipt, a copy of any Notice of Tender and any Notice of Purchase;

 

(b) within three (3) Business Days following the occurrence of a Mandatory Tender Event, a Mandatory Tender Notice;

 

(c) within three (3) Business Days following the occurrence of a Mandatory Purchase Event, a Mandatory Purchase Notice;

 

(d) as promptly as practicable after the preparation and filing thereof with the SEC, each annual and semi-annual report prepared with respect to the Fund, which delivery shall be deemed to have been made upon the electronic availability of any such document on a public website;

 

(e) notice of any change (including being put on Credit Watch or Watchlist), suspension or termination in or of the ratings on the VRDP Shares by any NRSRO then rating the VRDP Shares at the request of the Fund, or any change of a NRSRO rating the VRDP Shares at the request of the Fund, as promptly as practicable upon the occurrence thereof;

 

 
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(f) notice of any redemption or other repurchase of any or all of the VRDP Shares as provided in the Statement;

 

(g) notice of any proposed amendments to or waivers of any of the Related Documents at such time as the amendments or waivers are sent to other parties and in any event not less than ten (10) Business Days prior to any proposed amendment or waiver and copies of all actual amendments or waivers thereto within five (5) Business Days of being signed or, in each case, as provided in the relevant document;

 

(h) notice of any missed, reduced or deferred dividend payment that remains uncured for more than three (3) Business Days as soon as reasonably practicable, but in no event later than one (1) Business Day after expiration of the foregoing grace period;

 

(i) notice of the failure to make the deposit provided for under and in accordance with Section 10(g) of Part I of the Statement in respect of a properly noticed redemption and the continuation thereof beyond the third (3rd) Business Day following the required date of deposit, as soon as reasonably practicable, but in no event later than two (2) Business Days after obtaining knowledge of such failure;

 

(j) notice of non-compliance with the Rating Agency Guidelines for more than five (5) Business Days or of the Minimum VRDP Shares Asset Coverage for more than five (5) Business Days as soon as reasonably practicable, but in no event later than one (1) Business Day after expiration of the foregoing grace period;

 

(k) notice of the distribution of net capital gains or ordinary income taxable for regular federal income tax purposes in advance of the Rate Period that such gains or income will or may be distributed, simultaneously with the Tender and Paying Agent providing such notice to Beneficial Owners or their Agent Members;

 

(l) notice of any change to any investment adviser or sub-adviser of the Fund within two (2) Business Days after a resignation or a notice of removal has been sent by or to any investment adviser or sub-adviser; provided, however, that this clause shall not apply to personnel changes of the investment adviser or sub-adviser;

 

(m) notice of any proxy solicitation as soon as reasonably practicable, but in no event later than five (5) Business Days after mailing thereof by the Fund’s proxy agent;

 

(n) notice one (1) Business Day after the occurrence thereof of (i) the failure of the Fund to pay the amount due on any senior securities or debt not constituting a senior security at the time outstanding, and any period of grace or cure with respect thereto shall have expired; or (ii) the failure of the Fund to pay, or admitting in writing its inability to pay, its debts generally as they become due; or (iii) the failure of the Fund to pay accumulated dividends on any additional preferred shares ranking pari passu with the VRDP Shares, and any period of grace or cure with respect thereto shall have expired;

 

 
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(o) as soon as reasonably practicable upon the request of the Liquidity Provider, any Remarketing Materials required of the Fund pursuant to Section 2.03(b);

 

(p) notice of a material breach of any representation, warranty or covenant of the Fund (including any failure by the Fund to maintain the Minimum VRDP Shares Asset Coverage by any applicable Minimum VRDP Shares Asset Coverage Cure Date and any breach by the Fund of the Effective Leverage Ratio covenant in Section 6.18 of this Agreement), the Tender and Paying Agent or the Remarketing Agent, in each case, only if the Fund has actual knowledge of such breach, set forth herein or in any Related Documents as soon as reasonably practicable, but in no event later than five (5) days after knowledge of senior management of the Fund or the Investment Adviser thereof;

 

(q) notice of any action, suit, proceeding, investigation or regulatory or business development, including any that is pending or threatened in writing against the Fund or other Person in any court or before any governmental authority (i) in any way contesting or affecting the validity of this Agreement or any Related Document to which the Fund is a party; or (ii) in which a final adverse decision or outcome should reasonably be expected to materially adversely affect the ability of the Fund to perform its obligations under this Agreement or any other Related Document to which the Fund is a party as promptly as practicable, but in no event, later than ten (10) Business Days after knowledge of senior management of the Fund or the Investment Adviser thereof;

 

(r) copies of all certificates that the Fund has delivered to each NRSRO which is then rating the VRDP Shares at the request of the Fund that are set forth in the respective Rating Agency Guidelines regarding Minimum VRDP Shares Asset Coverage, the VRDP Shares Basic Maintenance Amount and all related calculations at such times and containing such information as set forth in the respective Rating Agency Guidelines as soon as reasonably practicable, but in no event, later than ten (10) Business Days after such certificates have been sent;

 

(s) a report of portfolio holdings of the Fund as of the end of each month 15 days after the end of each month;

 

(t) from time to time such additional information regarding the financial position, results of operations or prospects of the Fund as the Liquidity Provider may reasonably request including, without limitation, copies of all offering memorandums or other offering material with respect to the sale of any securities of the Fund as soon as reasonably practicable, but in no event later than ten (10) Business Days after a request;

 

(u) notice (i) as of the fifteenth day (or, if not a Business Day, as of the next succeeding Business Day) and the last Business Day of each month, reasonably promptly thereafter, and on the Business Day immediately following a request by the Liquidity Provider, as of the most recent practicable date, of, if applicable, the Market Value of the Liquidity Account Investments and Deposit Securities included in the Liquidity Account, in each case by Electronic Means (which, for this purpose, includes the posting of such information on the Fund’s website) and (ii) on each Tuesday (or, if not a Business Day, as of the next succeeding Business Day) of the Fund’s then-current Effective Leverage Ratio and Minimum VRDP Shares Asset Coverage as of the close of business on the immediately preceding Friday by Electronic Means (which, for this purpose, includes the posting of such information on the Fund’s website);

 

 
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(v) upon receipt, a copy of a Notice of Revocation received by the Tender and Paying Agent from a Beneficial Owner or its Agent Member;

 

(w) notice if the Remarketing Agent establishes the Maximum Rate as the Applicable Rate as soon as reasonably practicable following receipt by the Fund of notice thereof from the Remarketing Agent;

 

(x) a copy of the notice to the Tender and Paying Agent delivered by the Fund indicating its intention to make a Gross-Up Payment on the VRDP Shares pursuant to the Statement; and

 

(y) notice of the Fund’s failure to declare a dividend on the VRDP Shares on any day no later than 11:00 a.m. (New York City time) on the Business Day after the occurrence of such failure.

 

SECTION 6.02. No Amendment or Certain Other Actions Without Consent of the Liquidity Provider.

 

Without the prior written consent of the Liquidity Provider, which prior written consent shall be determined in the Liquidity Provider’s good faith discretion, the Fund will not agree or consent to any amendment, supplement, modification or repeal of any Related Document to which it is a party (or to which its consent is required because such Related Document constitutes an organizational document of the Fund or otherwise) or provision therein, nor waive any provision thereof; provided further, that so long as TD together with any of its Affiliates individually or in the aggregate own 100% of the Outstanding VRDP Shares, the Fund shall not amend the Notice of Special Rate Period. In addition, the Fund will not, without the prior written consent of the Liquidity Provider, which prior written consent shall be determined in the Liquidity Provider’s good faith discretion, designate or approve of or, as applicable, permit: (i) the designation of any Special Rate Period pursuant to Section 4(a) of Part I of the Statement; (ii) any change to the Dividend Payment Dates or Dividend Periods in respect of any Minimum Rate Periods pursuant to Section 2(d)(i) of Part I of the Statement; (iii) any change to the definition of Applicable Rate, Applicable Spread or Maximum Rate, as each is defined in the Definitions section of the Statement; (iv) any change to the Dividend Payment Dates in respect of any Special Rate Period consisting of more than seven (7) Rate Period Days pursuant to Section 2(d)(ii) of Part I of the Statement; (v) the authorization, creation or issuance of any class or series of shares ranking prior to or on a parity with the VRDP Shares with respect to the payment of dividends or the distribution of assets upon dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the affairs of the Fund, or the authorization, creation or issuance of additional shares of any series of VRDP Shares in accordance with Section 5(c)(i)(a) of Part I of the Statement; (vi) unless the VRDP Shares are redeemed in full prior to the conversion, the conversion of the Fund from a closed-end to an open-end investment company pursuant to Section 5(c)(ii)(A) of Part I of the Statement; (vii) any plan of reorganization of the Fund pursuant to Section 5(c)(ii)(B) of Part I of the Statement; (viii) the inclusion of Special Redemption Provisions in the Notice of Special Rate Period as described in Section 10(a)(ii) of Part I of the Statement; (ix) the modification of the procedures for redemption as described in Section 10(j) of Part I of the Statement; (x) any amendment to the Statement in connection with the issuance of additional VRDP Shares or the issuance of an additional series of VRDP Shares pursuant to Section 13(a) of Part I of the Statement; (xi) the selection of one or more Other Rating Agencies; (xii) any change to the Fund’s investment objectives, as set forth under “Investment Objective and Policies” in Schedule IV herein, requiring the approval of the holders of a “majority of the Outstanding” (as defined in the 1940 Act) Common Shares and Preferred Shares, including the VRDP Shares, voting as a separate class; or (xiii) the appointment of a LIBOR Dealer (as defined in the Definitions section of the Statement) from time to time.

 

 
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SECTION 6.03. Notices and Consents Regarding Remarketing Agent and the Tender and Paying Agent.

 

The Fund shall not, without the Liquidity Provider’s prior written consent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), appoint any Person other than the Person defined herein as the Tender and Paying Agent to perform the duties of the Tender and Paying Agent or the Person identified in Schedule I to perform the duties of the Remarketing Agent, in each case in respect of the VRDP Shares.

 

SECTION 6.04. Maintenance of Existence.

 

The Fund shall continue to maintain its existence as a corporation under the laws of the State of Maryland, with full right and power to issue the VRDP Shares and to execute, deliver and perform its obligations under this Agreement and each other Related Document.

 

SECTION 6.05. Ratings.

 

The Fund will use its reasonable best efforts to maintain a long-term preferred share rating of the VRDP Shares of Aa2 by Moody’s or a long-term preferred share rating of the VRDP Shares of AAA by Fitch (or the highest equivalent ratings category for preferred shares furnished by at least one Rating Agency).

 

SECTION 6.06. Tax Status of the Fund.

 

The Fund will qualify as a Regulated Investment Company within the meaning of Section 851(a) of the Code and the dividends made with respect to the VRDP Shares will qualify as tax exempt dividends to the extent designated by the Fund.

 

SECTION 6.07. Deposit Securities.

 

Except as otherwise provided with respect to a Failed Remarketing Condition— Purchased VRDP Shares Redemption in Section 6.21 below, if a Notice of Redemption of VRDP Shares has been provided in accordance with the Statement, the Fund shall have available Deposit Securities or shall deposit with the Tender and Paying Agent, on the day such Notice of Redemption is provided to Holders, an aggregate amount of Deposit Securities with a Market Value sufficient to redeem the VRDP Shares that are the subject of such notice as provided in the Statement.

 

 
32

 

 

SECTION 6.08. Payment Obligations.

 

The Fund shall pay or cause to be paid all amounts payable by it hereunder and under the Tender and Paying Agent Agreement and the VRDP Shares Remarketing Agreement, according to the terms hereof or thereof, shall take such actions as may be necessary to include all payments hereunder which are subject to appropriation in its budget and make full appropriations related thereto, and shall duly perform each of its obligations under this Agreement, the Tender and Paying Agent Agreement and the VRDP Shares Remarketing Agreement. All payments of any sums due hereunder shall be made in the amounts required hereunder without any reduction or setoff, notwithstanding the availability of any right of recoupment or setoff or of any counterclaim by the Fund, each of which is hereby waived.

 

SECTION 6.09. Compliance With Law.

 

The Fund shall comply with all laws, ordinances, orders, rules and regulations that may be applicable to it if the failure to comply could have a material adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to pay when due and otherwise perform its obligations under this Agreement, any of the VRDP Shares, and the other Related Documents.

 

SECTION 6.10. Maintenance of Approvals: Filings, Etc.

 

The Fund shall at all times maintain in effect, renew and comply with all the terms and conditions of all consents, filings, licenses, approvals and authorizations as may be necessary under any applicable law or regulation for its execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the other Related Documents to which it is a party or by which it is bound, except to the extent not doing so would not have a material adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to pay when due and otherwise perform its obligations under this Agreement, any of the VRDP Shares or any other Related Documents.

 

SECTION 6.11. Inspection Rights.

 

The Fund shall, at any reasonable time and from time to time, upon at least five (5) Business Days advance written notice provided to the Fund, permit the Liquidity Provider or any agents or representatives thereof, at the Fund’s expense, to examine the records and books of account related to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (and the Fund shall provide copies of such records and accounts reasonably requested by the Liquidity Provider, to the extent necessary, in the good faith judgment of the Liquidity Provider, to comply with laws and regulations applicable to the Liquidity Provider and its internal audit requirements), to visit its properties and to discuss its affairs, finances and accounts with any of its officers and independent accountants, provided, however, that the Fund shall not be required to pay for more than one inspection per fiscal year. The Fund will not unreasonably withhold its authorization for its independent accountants to discuss its affairs, finances and accounts with the Liquidity Provider.

 

 
33

 

 

SECTION 6.12. Permitted Liens.

 

The Fund shall not create or incur or suffer to be incurred or to exist any lien on any funds, accounts or other property held under the Charter, (a) except as permitted by the Charter or liens arising by operation of law for taxes, assessments or similar governmental charges or levies and liens arising in the ordinary course of business by operation of law and not securing indebtedness, in each case that (x) are not yet due and payable or (y) are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which the Fund has set aside on its books adequate reserves with respect thereto in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles consistently applied and (b) except for any lien of the Custodian with respect to the payment of its fees or repayment for its advances, any lien that may be incurred in connection with the Fund’s use of tender option bonds, futures and forward start swaps and other derivative transactions, and any lien that may be incurred in connection with the Fund’s use of alternative forms of leverage for purposes of redeeming all of the Outstanding VRDP Shares, provided that the Fund delivers all of the proceeds raised from the alternative leverage to the Tender and Paying Agent for the purpose of redeeming the VRDP Shares, issues a notice of redemption for the VRDP Shares on the day it receives such cash and redeems such VRDP Shares as soon as practicable in accordance with the terms of the Statement and that all such proceeds so delivered to the Tender and Paying Agent shall not be subject to any lien so incurred in connection with the Fund’s use of alternative forms of leverage.

 

SECTION 6.13. Litigation, Etc.

 

The Fund shall give prompt notice in writing to the Liquidity Provider of any litigation, administrative proceeding or business development which, if adversely determined, may materially adversely affect its business, properties or affairs and reasonably would impair the ability of the Fund to perform its obligations as set forth hereunder or under any of the Related Documents to which it is a party or by which it is bound.

 

SECTION 6.14. 1940 Act Registration.

 

The Fund shall maintain its valid registration as a registered closed-end company under the 1940 Act in full force and effect.

 

SECTION 6.15. Purchase by Affiliates.

 

The Fund shall not permit or cause to be permitted the Investment Adviser, affiliated persons of the Investment Adviser (as defined in Section 2(a)(3) of the 1940 Act) (other than the Fund, in the case of a purchase of VRDP Shares which are to be cancelled within ten (10) days of purchase by the Fund), and Persons over which the Investment Adviser, or affiliated persons (as defined in Section 2(a)(3) of the 1940 Act) of the Investment Adviser, exercise discretionary investment or voting authority (other than the Fund, in the case of a purchase of VRDP Shares which are to be cancelled within ten (10) days of purchase by the Fund), to purchase VRDP Shares without the prior written consent of the Liquidity Provider, and any such purchases without such consent shall be void ab initio; provided, that, without regard to the preceding requirements, purchases of VRDP Shares may be made by broker-dealers that are affiliated persons of the Investment Adviser in riskless principal transactions with respect to such purchases of VRDP Shares.

 

SECTION 6.16. Eligible Assets.

 

The Fund shall make investments only in Eligible Assets in accordance with the Fund’s investment objectives and the investment policies as set forth under “Investment Objective and Policies” in Schedule IV herein.

 

 
34

 

 

SECTION 6.17. Credit Quality.

 

Unless the Fund receives the prior written consent of the Liquidity Provider (such consent to be determined in the Liquidity Provider’s good faith discretion), the Fund will, under normal market conditions, invest at least 75% of its Managed Assets in investment grade securities that, at the time of investment, are rated within the four highest grades (Baa or BBB or better) by at least one NRSRO or are unrated but judged to be of comparable quality by the Investment Adviser; provided, however, that the Fund may invest up to 100% of its Managed Assets in securities issued by money market funds that invest exclusively in Eligible Assets.

 

SECTION 6.18. Leverage Ratio.

 

Unless the Fund receives the prior written consent of the Liquidity Provider, the Fund’s Effective Leverage Ratio shall not exceed 45% as of the close of business on any Business Day; provided, however, in the event that the Fund’s Effective Leverage Ratio exceeds 45% (i) solely by reason of fluctuations in the market value of its portfolio securities, in such event and to the extent the Effective Leverage Ratio exceeds 46% and (ii) in any event other than an event described in the immediately preceding clause (i), the Fund shall cause its Effective Leverage Ratio to be 45% or lower within fifteen (15) Business Days (“Effective Leverage Ratio Cure Period”).

 

SECTION 6.19. Engagement of Remarketing Agent and Tender and Paying Agent.

 

The Fund will use its best efforts to engage at all times a Remarketing Agent that is a nationally recognized securities dealer with expertise in remarketing adjustable rate securities and a Tender and Paying Agent, as provided in Section 2.01 of this Agreement.

 

SECTION 6.20. [Intentionally Omitted].

 

 
35

 

 

SECTION 6.21. Failed Remarketing Condition—Purchased VRDP Shares Redemption.

 

If the Liquidity Provider acquires any VRDP Shares pursuant to the Purchase Obligation and continues to be the beneficial owner for federal income tax purposes of such Purchased VRDP Shares for a continuous period of six months during which such Purchased VRDP Shares are tendered for Remarketing on each Business Day in accordance with the Related Documents but cannot be successfully remarketed pursuant to such Remarketings (i.e., a Failed Remarketing Condition—Purchased VRDP Shares shall have occurred and be continuing for such period of time with respect to such Purchased VRDP Shares), the Fund shall effect a Failed Remarketing Condition—Purchased VRDP Shares Redemption out of funds legally available for the redemption of the Purchased VRDP Shares that are subject to the Failed Remarketing Condition—Purchased VRDP Shares Redemption and in accordance with any other applicable law restrictions that apply to redemptions of stock; provided, that, as of the date of redemption: (i) to the extent any VRDP Shares are Outstanding and held by Persons other than the Liquidity Provider, the Purchase Obligation of the Liquidity Provider whose VRDP Shares are subject to the Failed Remarketing Condition—Purchased VRDP Shares Redemption (i.e., The Toronto-Dominion Bank, acting through its New York branch, or any successor or permitted assign) remains in effect to the extent required by, and in accordance with, the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement with The Toronto-Dominion Bank, acting through its New York branch, or any successor or permitted assign; and (ii) to the extent (a) any VRDP Shares are Outstanding and held by Persons other than the Liquidity Provider and (b) the Purchase Obligation of the Liquidity Provider whose VRDP Shares are subject to the Failed Remarketing Condition—Purchased VRDP Shares Redemption (i.e., The Toronto-Dominion Bank, acting through its New York branch, or any successor or permitted assign) remains in effect to the extent required by, and in accordance with, the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement with The Toronto-Dominion Bank, acting through its New York branch, or any successor or permitted assign, the Liquidity Provider whose VRDP Shares are subject to the Failed Remarketing Condition—Purchased VRDP Shares Redemption (i.e., The Toronto-Dominion Bank, acting through its New York branch, or any successor or permitted assign) shall have made written affirmation to the Fund not later than the Business Day immediately preceding the Redemption Date to the effect that the Liquidity Provider is in compliance with the Purchase Obligation in accordance with its terms. Notwithstanding the foregoing proviso, any failure or delay by the Liquidity Provider whose VRDP Shares are subject to the Failed Remarketing Condition—Purchased VRDP Shares Redemption (i.e., The Toronto-Dominion Bank, acting through its New York branch, or any successor or permitted assign) to deliver the affirmation referred to in the foregoing proviso shall not relieve the Fund of its obligation to effectuate a Failed Remarketing Condition—Purchased VRDP Shares Redemption and shall only result in a delay by the Fund to effectuate a Failed Remarketing Condition—Purchased VRDP Shares Redemption until one (1) Business Day following the date that such Liquidity Provider delivers such affirmation or such affirmation is no longer required. The six-month holding period for Purchased VRDP Shares acquired and continuously held as a result of a continuing Failed Remarketing Condition—Purchased VRDP Shares will be determined by the Fund on a first-in, first-out basis.

 

The Fund shall effect a Failed Remarketing Condition—Purchased VRDP Shares Redemption on the Redemption Date fixed by the Fund therefor, which date will not be later than three (3) Business Days after the expiration of the six-month period, except that if the Fund does not have funds legally available for the redemption of all of the required number of Purchased VRDP Shares which are subject to the Failed Remarketing Condition—Purchased VRDP Shares Redemption or the Fund otherwise is unable as a result of applicable law restrictions that apply to redemptions of stock to effect such redemption, on or prior to three (3) Business Days after the expiration of the six-month period, the Fund will redeem those Purchased VRDP Shares which it was unable to redeem on the earliest practicable date on which it is able to effect such redemption out of legally available funds in respect of stock and in accordance with applicable law restrictions that apply to redemptions of stock.

 

Notwithstanding anything expressed or implied in this Agreement to the contrary, nothing outside of this Section 6.21 or Section 6.23 shall confer upon the Liquidity Provider any rights to a redemption of Purchased VRDP Shares (other than the rights provided to Holders under the Statement).

 

 
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SECTION 6.22. Failed Remarketing Condition Liquidity Account.

 

(a) Upon the occurrence and continuance of a Failed Remarketing Condition—Purchased VRDP Shares with respect to any VRDP Shares, by the fifth Business Day following delivery of notice thereof from the Liquidity Provider in accordance with Section 7.08(c) of this Agreement, the Fund shall cause the Custodian to segregate, by means of appropriate identification on its books and records or otherwise in accordance with the Custodian’s normal procedures, from the other assets of the Fund (a “Liquidity Account”) Liquidity Account Investments with a Market Value equal to at least 110% of the Liquidation Preference of such Purchased VRDP Shares. If, while the Failed Remarketing Condition—Purchased VRDP Shares with respect to such Purchased VRDP Shares is continuing, the aggregate Market Value of the Liquidity Account Investments included in the Liquidity Account for such Purchased VRDP Shares as of the close of business on any Business Day is less than 110% of the Liquidation Preference of such Purchased VRDP Shares, then the Fund shall cause the Custodian and the Investment Adviser to take all such necessary actions, including segregating additional assets of the Fund as Liquidity Account Investments, so that the aggregate Market Value of the Liquidity Account Investments included in the Liquidity Account for such Purchased VRDP Shares is at least equal to 110% of the Liquidation Preference of such Purchased VRDP Shares not later than the close of business on the next succeeding Business Day. With respect to assets of the Fund segregated as Liquidity Account Investments, the Investment Adviser, on behalf of the Fund, shall be entitled to instruct the Custodian with a copy to the Liquidity Provider on any date to release any Liquidity Account Investments with respect to any Purchased VRDP Shares from such segregation and to substitute therefor other Liquidity Account Investments, so long as (i) the assets of the Fund segregated as Liquidity Account Investments with respect to such Purchased VRDP Shares at the close of business on such date have a Market Value equal to 110% of the Liquidation Preference of such Purchased VRDP Shares and (ii) the assets of the Fund designated and segregated as Deposit Securities at the close of business on such date have a Market Value equal to the Liquidity Requirement (if any) determined in accordance with subsection (b) below with respect to such Purchased VRDP Shares for such date. The Fund shall cause the Custodian not to permit any lien, security interest or encumbrance to be created or permitted to exist on or in respect of any Liquidity Account Investments included in the Liquidity Account for any Purchased VRDP Shares, other than liens, security interests or encumbrances arising by operation of law and any lien of the Custodian with respect to the payment of its fees or repayment for its advances. Notwithstanding anything expressed or implied to the contrary herein, the assets of the Liquidity Account shall continue to be assets of the Fund subject to the interests of all creditors and shareholders of the Fund.

 

(b) Subject to notice having been received as referred to in subsection (a) above, the Market Value of the Deposit Securities held in the Liquidity Account for any Purchased VRDP Shares, from and after the day (or, if such day is not a Business Day, the next succeeding Business Day) preceding the expiration of the six-month period for the Failed Remarketing Condition—Purchased VRDP Shares applicable to such Purchased VRDP Shares (which, for the avoidance of doubt, may result in multiple six month periods, each in respect of a Failed Remarketing Condition—Purchased VRDP Shares in respect of applicable Purchased VRDP Shares) specified in the table set forth below, shall not be less than the percentage of the Liquidation Preference for such Purchased VRDP Shares set forth below opposite such day (the “Liquidity Requirement”), but in all cases subject to the cure provisions of subsection (c) below:

 

Number of Days*

Preceding the Six-

Month Anniversary

of the Liquidity

Provider’s Purchase

 

Value of Deposit Securities as

Percentage of Liquidation

Preference

135

 

20%

105

 

40%

75

 

60%

45

 

80%

15

 

100%

 

*Or if such day is not a Business Day, the next succeeding Business Day

 

 
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(c) If the aggregate Market Value of the Deposit Securities included in the Liquidity Account for any Purchased VRDP Shares as of the close of business on any Business Day is less than the Liquidity Requirement in respect of such Purchased VRDP Shares for such Business Day, then the Fund shall cause the segregation of additional or substitute Deposit Securities in respect of the Liquidity Account for such Purchased VRDP Shares, so that the aggregate Market Value of the Deposit Securities included in the Liquidity Account for such Purchased VRDP Shares is at least equal to the Liquidity Requirement for such Purchased VRDP Shares not later than the close of business on the next succeeding Business Day.

 

(d) The Deposit Securities included in the Liquidity Account for any Purchased VRDP Shares may be applied by the Fund, in its discretion, towards payment of the Redemption Price for such Purchased VRDP Shares. Upon the earlier to occur of (i) the successful remarketing of the Purchased VRDP Shares or (ii) the deposit by the Fund with the Tender and Paying Agent with arrangements satisfactory to the Liquidity Provider of Deposit Securities having an initial combined Market Value sufficient to effect the redemption of such Purchased VRDP Shares on the Redemption Date for such Purchased VRDP Shares, the requirement of the Fund to maintain a Liquidity Account for such Purchased VRDP Shares as contemplated by this Section 6.22 shall lapse and be of no further force and effect.

 

SECTION 6.23. Maintenance of Minimum VRDP Shares Asset Coverage.

 

The Fund shall maintain Minimum VRDP Shares Asset Coverage of 225% or, if it does not cure a failure to maintain the Minimum VRDP Shares Asset Coverage by the Minimum VRDP Shares Asset Coverage Cure Date, the Fund shall immediately commence a redemption of VRDP Shares, as provided in Section 10(b)(i) of Part I of the Statement, out of funds legally available for the redemption of VRDP Shares and in accordance with any other applicable law restrictions that apply to redemptions of stock.

 

SECTION 6.24. Issuance of Senior Securities.

 

For so long as any VRDP Shares are Outstanding, the Fund shall not issue or suffer to exist any other “senior security” (as defined in the 1940 Act as of the date hereof or, in the event such definition shall be amended, with such changes to the definition thereof as consented to by the Liquidity Provider) of the Fund, except as may be otherwise mutually agreed upon by the Fund and the Liquidity Provider or that may be issued in connection with the Fund’s redemption of all of the Outstanding VRDP Shares, provided that the Fund delivers all of the proceeds raised from such issuance to the Tender and Paying Agent for the purpose of redeeming the VRDP Shares, issues a notice of redemption for the VRDP Shares on the day it receives such cash and redeems such VRDP Shares as soon as practicable in accordance with the terms of the Statement.

 

 
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ARTICLE VII

COVENANTS OF THE LIQUIDITY PROVIDER

 

The Liquidity Provider agrees that, from the Closing Date to the Effective Date, and thereafter in all cases so long as there is any Available Commitment under the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement or any amount payable under the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement:

 

SECTION 7.01. Proceedings.

 

The Liquidity Provider will deliver to the Fund as promptly as practicable notice of any action, suit, proceeding or investigation, including any that is pending against the Liquidity Provider in any court or before any governmental authority or (to the best knowledge of the Liquidity Provider) overtly threatened in writing against the Liquidity Provider (i) in any way contesting or affecting the validity of this Agreement or the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement, including, without limitation, the Purchase Obligation; or (ii) in which a final adverse decision would have the effect of making the Liquidity Provider unable to perform its obligations under this Agreement and the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement, including, without limitation, the Purchase Obligation.

 

SECTION 7.02. Waiver.

 

In the event of a termination of the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement as a result of a Termination Event, the Liquidity Provider waives its right with respect to the exercise of the Purchase Obligation provided by any successor liquidity provider in an Alternate VRDP Purchase Agreement in respect of any Purchased VRDP Shares, but not, for the avoidance of doubt, any right of any Holders or Beneficial Owners of any such Purchased VRDP Shares, subsequent to the sale of such Purchased VRDP Shares by the Liquidity Provider in a successful Remarketing or otherwise, to exercise such Purchase Obligation provided by any successor liquidity provider in accordance with the terms of such Alternate VRDP Purchase Agreement.

 

SECTION 7.03. Payment Obligations.

 

The Liquidity Provider shall pay or cause to be paid all amounts payable by it under the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement according to the terms thereof. The obligation of the Liquidity Provider under the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement shall be unconditional and irrevocable in accordance with the provisions thereof, without regard to, without limitation, any failure of the representations, warranties, agreements or performance of the Tender and Paying Agent set forth therein or of the Fund set forth in this Agreement or in any Related Documents.

 

SECTION 7.04. Compliance With Law.

 

The Liquidity Provider shall comply with all laws, ordinances, orders, rules and regulations that may be applicable to it if the failure to comply could have a material adverse effect on the Liquidity Provider’s ability to perform when due the Purchase Obligation or its other obligations under the Related Documents.

 

 
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SECTION 7.05. Maintenance of Approvals: Filings, Etc.

 

The Liquidity Provider shall at all times maintain in effect, renew and comply with all the terms and conditions of all consents, filings, licenses, approvals and authorizations as may be necessary under any applicable law or regulation for its execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the other Related Documents.

 

SECTION 7.06. Notice of Certain Events.

 

(a) To the extent permitted under applicable confidentiality restrictions, the Liquidity Provider shall provide (a) written notice of an Extraordinary Corporate Event and (b) the written notice referred to in clause (y) in the definition of an Extraordinary Corporate Event to the Fund at least ten (10) days prior to the scheduled date of the occurrence of an Extraordinary Corporate Event or ten (10) days prior to the scheduled date of the applicable listed occurrence in clause (i) of such definition, respectively.

 

(b) The Liquidity Provider shall notify the Tender and Paying Agent and the Fund not less than sixty (60) days prior to the effective date of a Related Party Termination Event, which effective date will also be the Related Party Termination Date.

 

SECTION 7.07. No Amendment Without Consent of the Fund.

 

Without the prior written consent of the Fund, the Liquidity Provider will not agree or consent to any amendment, supplement, modification or repeal of the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement, nor waive any provision thereof.

 

SECTION 7.08. Additional Information.

 

The Liquidity Provider will deliver or cause to be delivered to the Fund:

 

(a) as promptly as practicable after the preparation thereof, each publicly available financial statement prepared with respect to the Liquidity Provider, which delivery shall be deemed to have been made upon electronic availability to the public of any such document;

 

(b) as soon as reasonably practicable upon the request of the Fund, any Remarketing Materials required of the Liquidity Provider pursuant to Section 2.03(b); and

 

(c) as promptly as practicable after the purchase of VRDP Shares pursuant to a Failed Remarketing Condition or the sale of such Purchased VRDP Shares, written notice thereof (which notice shall also be provided to the Remarketing Agent in the case of any such sale other than through a Remarketing), specifying, as applicable, the commencement or conclusion of the Failed Remarketing Condition, the date of purchase or sale and number of VRDP Shares purchased or sold; provided, however, that any failure of the Liquidity Provider to deliver any of the foregoing notices shall not relieve the Fund of its obligation to adjust the Applicable Rate to the Maximum Rate, to pay any amounts due on the Purchased VRDP Shares or to perform its obligations under Section 6.21.

 

 
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If at any time the Liquidity Provider is not furnishing information to the SEC pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, in order to preserve the exemption for resales and transfers under Rule 144A, the Liquidity Provider shall furnish, or cause to be furnished, to Holders and Beneficial Owners of VRDP Shares and prospective purchasers of VRDP Shares, upon request, information with respect to the Liquidity Provider satisfying the requirements of subsection (d)(4) of Rule 144A.

 

ARTICLE VIII

MISCELLANEOUS

 

SECTION 8.01. Notices.

 

All notices, requests and other communications to any party hereunder shall be in writing (including telecopy, electronic mail or similar writing), except in the case of notices and other communications permitted to be given by telephone, and shall be given to such party at its address or telecopy number or e-mail address set forth below or such other address or telecopy number or e-mail address as such party may hereafter specify for the purpose by notice to the other parties.

 

Each such notice, request or other communication shall be effective (i) if given by mail, upon receipt, or (ii) if given by any other means, when delivered at the address specified in this Section; provided that notices to the Liquidity Provider under Section 6.01 shall not be effective until received in writing; except as otherwise specified, notices under Section 6.01 may be given by telephone to the Liquidity Provider at the telephone numbers listed below (or such other telephone numbers as may be designated by the Liquidity Provider, by written notice to the Fund, to receive such notice), immediately confirmed in writing, including by fax or electronic mail. The notice address for each party is specified below:

 

(a)         if to the Fund:

 

BlackRock MuniYield Michigan Quality Fund, Inc.

100 Bellevue Parkway

Wilmington, DE 19808-3700

Attention: Accounting Custody

Telephone: (302) 797-6179

Telecopy: (302) 797-2455

Email: [email protected]

 

(b)         if to the Liquidity Provider:

 

The Toronto-Dominion Bank, acting through its New York Branch

31 West 52nd Street

New York, NY 10019

Attention: Rick Fogliano, Head of Municipal Products

Telephone: (212) 827-7172

Telecopy: (212) 827-7173

Email: [email protected],

[email protected] and TDSFinance-

[email protected]

 

 
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Wire Instructions:

Bank of America, NT & SA

New York, NY

ABA# 026009593

Credit: Toronto Dominion (TEXAS) LLC

Account#: 6550-6-53000

 

SECTION 8.02. No Waivers.

 

(a) The obligations of the Fund hereunder shall not in any way be modified or limited by reference to any other document, instrument or agreement (including, without limitation, the VRDP Shares or any other Related Document). The rights of the Liquidity Provider hereunder are separate from and in addition to any rights that any Holder or Beneficial Owner of any VRDP Shares may have under the terms of such VRDP Shares or any Related Document or otherwise.

 

(b) No failure or delay by the Fund or the Liquidity Provider in exercising any right, power or privilege hereunder or under any other Related Document or the VRDP Shares shall operate as a waiver thereof nor shall any single or partial exercise thereof preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or privilege. No failure or delay by the Fund or the Liquidity Provider in exercising any right, power or privilege under or in respect of the VRDP Shares or any other Related Document shall affect the rights, powers or privileges of the Fund or the Liquidity Provider hereunder or thereunder or shall operate as a limitation or waiver thereof. The rights and remedies herein provided shall be cumulative and not exclusive of any rights or remedies provided by law.

 

SECTION 8.03. Expenses and Indemnification.

 

(a) The Fund shall upon demand either, as the Liquidity Provider may require, pay in the first instance or reimburse the Liquidity Provider (to the extent that payments for the following items are not made under the other provisions hereof) for (i) the reasonable fees, expenses, and disbursement of the Liquidity Provider (including reasonable fees and costs of outside counsel) incurred by the Liquidity Provider in connection with the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the other Related Documents and other instruments mentioned herein; and (ii) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses (including reasonable fees and costs of outside counsel) incurred by the Liquidity Provider in connection with the enforcement of or preservation of rights under this Agreement or the other Related Documents. The Fund shall not be responsible under clause (ii) above for the fees and costs of more than one law firm in any one jurisdiction with respect to any one proceeding or set of related proceedings for the Liquidity Provider, unless the Liquidity Provider shall have reasonably concluded that there are legal defenses available to it that are different from or additional to those available to the Fund.

 

 
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(b) The Fund agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Liquidity Provider and each other Indemnified Person of the Liquidity Provider from and against any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses incurred by them (including reasonable fees and disbursements of outside counsel) which (i) are related to or arise out of (A) any untrue statements or alleged untrue statements of a material fact made or any statements of a material fact omitted or alleged to have been omitted to be made in any Remarketing Memorandum or any of the Remarketing Materials and required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances in which they were made, not materially misleading and excluding any statement or omissions constituting Liquidity Provider Information (including in each case any documents incorporated by reference therein), (B) actions taken or omitted to be taken by the Fund in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement, the Tender and Paying Agent Agreement and the VRDP Shares Remarketing Agreement, (C) actions taken or omitted to be taken by the Liquidity Provider or another Indemnified Person of the Liquidity Provider at the indemnifying party’s direction or with the indemnifying party’s consent in conformity with the indemnifying party’s directions or consent or (ii) are otherwise related to or arise out of this Agreement and the Related Documents, including modifications or future additions to this Agreement and any other Related Documents, including the acquisition by the Liquidity Provider of VRDP Shares that are subject to prior liens, security interests or claims of any Person other than the Liquidity Provider, except for consensual liens or other security interests as may be created by the Liquidity Provider (and the Liquidity Provider agrees that the rights of the Fund shall be subrogated to the rights of the Liquidity Provider in respect of any payments made in respect of any such prior liens, security interests or claims to the extent of any indemnification payments made by the Fund) and to promptly reimburse the Liquidity Provider or any other Indemnified Person of the Liquidity Provider for all expenses (including reasonable fees and disbursements of outside counsel) as incurred by such Indemnified Person in connection with investigating, preparing or defending any such action or claim, whether or not in connection with pending or threatened litigation in which any such Indemnified Person is a party. The indemnifying party will not, however, be responsible for any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses of any such Indemnified Person to the extent the same resulted from any untrue statements or alleged untrue statements made or any statements omitted or alleged to have been omitted to be made in the Liquidity Provider Information or pursuant to clause (ii) of the preceding sentence to the extent the same resulted from the gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct of such Indemnified Person or to the extent the same resulted from any failure by the Liquidity Provider to perform the Purchase Obligation in accordance with the terms of the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement, which failure has not been the proximate result of, or caused by, a breach by the Fund of its obligations under this Agreement, as determined in a non-appealable final judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction.

 

(c) The Liquidity Provider agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Fund and each other Indemnified Person of the Fund from and against any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses incurred by them (including reasonable fees and disbursements of outside counsel) which are related to or arise out of any untrue statements or alleged untrue statements made or any statements omitted or alleged to have been omitted to be made in the Liquidity Provider Information and required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances in which they were made, not materially misleading, and to promptly reimburse the Fund or any other Indemnified Person of the Fund for all expenses (including reasonable fees and disbursements of outside counsel) as incurred by such Indemnified Person in connection with investigating, preparing or defending any such action or claim, whether or not in connection with pending or threatened litigation in which any such Indemnified Person is a party.

 

 
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(d) The indemnifying party also agrees that if any indemnification sought by an Indemnified Person pursuant to this Agreement is unavailable or insufficient, for any reason, to hold harmless the Indemnified Persons of the other party in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof), then the indemnifying party, in order to provide for just and equitable contribution, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Person as a result of such losses, claims, liabilities, damages and expenses (or actions in respect thereof) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect (i) the relative benefits received by the Fund on the one hand and the Liquidity Provider on the other hand from the actual or proposed transactions giving rise to or contemplated by this Agreement or (ii) if the allocation provided by the foregoing clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, not only such relative benefits but also the relative fault of the Fund on the one hand and the Liquidity Provider on the other, in connection with the statements or omissions or alleged statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses (or actions in respect thereof), as well as any other relevant equitable considerations; provided that in any event the aggregate contribution of the Liquidity Provider and its Indemnified Persons to all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses with respect to which contributions are available hereunder will not exceed the amount of fees actually received by the Liquidity Provider from the Fund pursuant to the proposed transactions giving rise to this Agreement (unless such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses were caused by the gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct of the Liquidity Provider or one or more of its Indemnified Persons). For purposes of determining the relative benefits to the Fund on the one hand, and the Liquidity Provider on the other, under the proposed transactions giving rise to or contemplated by this Agreement, such benefits shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as (i) the total value received or proposed to be received by the Fund pursuant to the transactions, whether or not consummated, for which the Liquidity Provider is providing services as provided in this Agreement bears to (ii) the fees paid or proposed to be paid by the Fund or on the Fund’s behalf to the Liquidity Provider in connection with the proposed transactions giving rise to or contemplated by this Agreement. The relative fault of the parties shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the actions taken or omitted to be taken in connection with the proposed transactions contemplated by this Agreement (including any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact) relates to information supplied by the Fund on the one hand, or the Liquidity Provider on the other, the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such action, statement or omission or alleged statement or omission, and any other equitable considerations appropriate in the circumstances. No Person found liable for a fraudulent misrepresentation shall be entitled to contribution from any Person who is not also found liable for such fraudulent misrepresentation. The indemnity, reimbursement and contribution obligations under this Agreement shall be in addition to any rights that any Indemnified Person may have at common law or otherwise.

 

(e) If any action, suit, proceeding or investigation is commenced, as to which an Indemnified Person proposes to demand indemnification, it shall notify the indemnifying party with reasonable promptness; provided, however, that any failure by such Indemnified Person to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve the indemnifying party from its obligations hereunder (except to the extent that the indemnifying party is materially prejudiced by such failure to promptly notify). The indemnifying party shall be entitled to assume the defense of any such action, suit, proceeding or investigation, including the employment of counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person. The Indemnified Person shall have the right to counsel of its own choice to represent it, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Person unless (i) the indemnifying party has failed promptly to assume the defense and employ counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person in accordance with the preceding sentence or (ii) the Indemnified Person shall have been advised by counsel that there exist actual or potential conflicting interests between the indemnifying party and such Indemnified Person, including situations in which one or more legal defenses may be available to such Indemnified Person that are different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party; provided, however, that the indemnifying party shall not, in connection with any one such action or proceeding or separate but substantially similar actions or proceedings arising out of the same general allegations be liable for fees and expenses of more than one separate firm of attorneys at any time for all Indemnified Persons of the other party; and such counsel shall, to the extent consistent with its professional responsibilities, cooperate with the indemnifying party and any counsel designated by the indemnifying party.

 

 
44

 

 

Each party further agrees that it will not, without the prior written consent of the other party, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment in any pending or threatened claim, action, suit or proceeding in respect of which indemnification may be sought hereunder (whether or not any Indemnified Person is an actual or potential party to such claim, action, suit or proceeding) unless such settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional release of each other Indemnified Person from all liability and obligations arising therefrom. The Fund further agrees that neither the Liquidity Provider, nor any of its affiliates, nor any directors, officers, partners, employees, agents, representatives or control persons of the Liquidity Provider or any of its affiliates shall have any liability to the Fund arising out of or in connection with the proposed transactions giving rise to or contemplated by this Agreement except for such liability for losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses to the extent they have resulted from the Liquidity Provider’s or its affiliates’ gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct. No party shall be responsible or liable to the other party or any other Person for consequential, special or punitive damages which may be alleged as a result of this Agreement.

 

(f) Nothing in this Section is intended to limit any party’s obligations contained in other parts of this Agreement or the VRDP Shares. Neither the Fund nor the Liquidity Provider will refer to the other in any materials used in marketing the VRDP Shares other than any Remarketing Memorandum without the prior written consent of the other.

 

SECTION 8.04. Amendments and Waivers.

 

Any provision of this Agreement may be amended or waived if, but only if, such amendment or waiver is in writing and is signed by the Fund and the Liquidity Provider.

 

SECTION 8.05. Successors and Assigns.

 

The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns. Neither party hereto may assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement without the prior written consent of the other party. Any assignment without such prior written consent shall be void.

 

SECTION 8.06. Term of this Agreement.

 

(a) Subject to subsections (b) and (c) below, this Agreement shall terminate on the later of (i) the earlier of (x) the Scheduled Termination Date (as such date may be extended in accordance with Section 2.02 hereof) and (y) the reduction of the Available Commitment of the Liquidity Provider to zero; and (ii) the date of payment of all sums payable by the Liquidity Provider pursuant to the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement (irrespective of the Liquidity Provider’s obligations under Section 2.05 of the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement); and notwithstanding any termination of this Agreement, Section 2.05 (with respect to previously accrued but unpaid fees), Section 6.01(p), (q) and (t), Section 6.02, Section 6.05, Section 6.06, Section 6.08, Section 6.14, Section 6.16, Section 6.17, Section 6.18, Section 6.19, Section 6.21, Section 6.22, Section 6.23 and Section 6.24 of Article VI (Covenants of the Fund), Section 8.03 (Expenses and Indemnification), Section 8.07 (Governing Law) and Section 8.08 (Waiver of Jury Trial) of this Article VIII (Miscellaneous) shall remain in full force and effect; provided that the foregoing sections of Article VI (Covenants of the Fund) shall survive termination of this Agreement only until such time that the Liquidity Provider no longer owns any VRDP Shares purchased pursuant to the Purchase Obligation and Section 8.15 shall only remain in full force and effect for one (1) year after termination of this Agreement.

 

 
45

 

 

(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) the Fund may terminate this Agreement prior to the Scheduled Termination Date (as such date may be extended in accordance with Section 2.02 hereof) in accordance with this Section 8.06(b) as of the Liquidity Provider Ratings Event Termination Date specified by notice in writing to the Liquidity Provider following the occurrence of a Liquidity Provider Ratings Event or (ii) this Agreement shall terminate prior to the Scheduled Termination Date (as such date may be extended in accordance with Section 2.02 hereof) as of a Related Party Termination Date upon the occurrence of a Related Party Termination Event; provided that, notwithstanding any termination of this Agreement, Section 6.01 (p), (q) and (t), Section 6.02, Section 6.05, Section 6.06, Section 6.08, Section 6.14, Section 6.16, Section 6.17, Section 6.18, Section 6.19, Section 6.21, Section 6.22, Section 6.23 and Section 6.24 of Article VI (Covenants of the Fund), Section 8.03 (Expenses and Indemnification), Section 8.07 (Governing Law) and Section 8.08 (Waiver of Jury Trial) of this Article VIII (Miscellaneous) shall remain in full force and effect; provided that the foregoing sections of Article VI (Covenants of the Fund) shall survive termination of this Agreement only until such time that the Liquidity Provider no longer owns any VRDP Shares purchased pursuant to the Purchase Obligation and Section 8.15 shall only remain in full force and effect for one (1) year after termination of this Agreement.

 

(c) No expiration or termination of this Agreement shall be effective, so long as VRDP Shares are Outstanding, until the completion of a Mandatory Purchase in respect thereof, if then required under the Statement, including the purchase by the Liquidity Provider of any VRDP Shares required to be purchased by it as a result thereof pursuant to the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement.

 

SECTION 8.07. Governing Law.

 

This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of New York, without regard to conflict of laws principles that would require the application of the laws of another jurisdiction.

 

THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY SUBMIT TO THE NON-EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF THE FEDERAL AND NEW YORK STATE COURTS LOCATED IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK IN CONNECTION WITH ANY DISPUTE RELATED TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY MATTERS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.

 

 
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SECTION 8.08. Waiver of Jury Trial.

 

The Fund and the Liquidity Provider hereby waive trial by jury in any action, proceeding or counterclaim brought by either of the parties hereto against the other on any matters whatsoever arising out of or in any way connected with this Agreement.

 

SECTION 8.09. Counterparts.

 

This Agreement may be signed in counterparts, each of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument.

 

SECTION 8.10. Beneficiaries.

 

This Agreement is not intended and shall not be construed to confer upon any Person other than the parties hereto and their successors and permitted assigns any rights or remedies hereunder.

 

SECTION 8.11. Entire Agreement.

 

This Agreement shall constitute the entire agreement and understanding between the parties hereto with respect to the matters set forth herein and shall supersede any and all prior agreements and understandings relating to the subject matter hereof.

 

SECTION 8.12. Inconsistency Between Documents.

 

In the event of any inconsistency between this Agreement and the Statement, including with respect to the taking of any action or the consent required for any such action, this Agreement shall govern.

 

SECTION 8.13. Regulatory Matters.

 

Each party hereto acknowledges and agrees that it shall not be a condition precedent to the Purchase Obligation that any seller of VRDP Shares demonstrate or account for any loss.

 

 
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SECTION 8.14. Nonpetition Covenant.

 

Notwithstanding any prior termination of this Agreement, The Toronto-Dominion Bank, acting through its New York branch, solely in its capacity as Liquidity Provider, hereby covenants and agrees that it shall not, prior to the date which is one year and one day after the redemption and the payment in full of the VRDP Shares and all accumulated dividends, petition or otherwise, invoke the process of any court or government authority for the purpose of commencing a case against the Fund under any federal or state bankruptcy, insolvency or similar law or appointing a receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, custodian, sequestrator or other similar official of the Fund or any substantial part of the property of the Fund; provided, however, that nothing in this provision shall preclude, or be deemed to stop, the Liquidity Provider from taking any action prior to the expiration of the aforementioned one year and one day period in (x) any case or proceeding voluntarily filed or commenced by the Fund, (y) any involuntary insolvency proceeding filed or commenced against the Fund by a Person other than the Liquidity Provider, or (z) with respect to its rights or preferences as a Beneficial Owner or Holder of VRDP Shares.

 

SECTION 8.15. Confidentiality.

 

All information, whether oral, written, via computer disk or electronic media or otherwise, to which it is given access or is made available to it by the other party (including by such other party’s agents and representatives) in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any other Related Document is referred to as “Confidential Information”. Confidential Information shall include, without limitation, all technology, processes, trade secrets, contracts, proprietary information, portfolio information, historical and projected financial information, operating data and organizational cost structures, strategic or management plans, customer information and customer lists, whether received before or after the date hereof. Confidential Information shall also include information of or relating to any parent, subsidiary or affiliate of a party.

 

Each party agrees to hold all Confidential Information in confidence, that it will not disclose any Confidential Information to any person, other than directors, trustees, officers, employees, agents or representatives (including those of a legal nature) (collectively, the “Representatives”) who have a need to know such information in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any other Related Document (the “Transactions”), and that it will not use any such Confidential Information for purposes other than in connection with the Transactions. For the avoidance of doubt, any Ratings Agency rating the VRDP Shares at the request of the Fund shall not be deemed to be a Representative for purposes of this Section 8.15 and will not be subject to the obligations of this Section 8.15. Each party agrees to inform its Representatives of the confidential and valuable nature of the Confidential Information and of its obligations under this Section 8.15. Each party shall be responsible and liable for any breach of this Section 8.15 by its Representatives. Each party agrees to use reasonable care and implement reasonable controls, but in all events at least the same degree of care and controls that it uses to protect its own confidential and proprietary information of similar importance, to prevent the unauthorized use, disclosure or availability of Confidential Information.

 

 
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It is understood and agreed that no information shall be within the protection of this Section 8.15 where such information: (a) is or becomes publicly available through no fault of either party or its Representatives, (b) is authorized to be released by the disclosing party, (c) is rightly obtained from a third party, who, to the best of the receiving party’s knowledge, is not under obligation of confidentiality, (d) is required to be disclosed as a matter of law or by deposition, interrogatory, request for documents, subpoena, regulatory request or demand, civil investigative demand or similar process, (e) is made available to any regulatory body, (f) is made available to any authorized government agency at its express direction, (g) is provided to either party’s independent attorneys or auditors, (h) is required by any Rating Agency, (i) is required to be disclosed in connection with the enforcement of this Agreement or with respect to the exercise of any remedies hereunder or (j) is disclosed subject to an agreement containing provisions substantially similar to those of this Section 8.15. Furthermore, the obligations of confidentiality set out in this Section 8.15 shall not extend to Confidential Information that is disclosed to Holders or Beneficial Owners or potential Holders or Beneficial Owners, in each case in their capacity as such, in the Remarketing Memorandum or the Remarketing Materials, in notices to Holders or Beneficial Owners pursuant to one or more of the Related Documents or pursuant to the Fund’s or the Liquidity Provider’s informational obligations under Rule 144A(d)(4) or other reporting obligation of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

In the event that either party to this Agreement or any of its Representatives become legally compelled (by deposition, interrogatory, request for documents, subpoena, regulatory request or demand, civil investigative demand or similar process (“Legal Process”)) to disclose any of the Confidential Information, such party may disclose such Confidential Information to the extent legally required; provided, however, that such party shall: (a) first notify the other party of such Legal Process, unless such notice is prohibited by statute, regulatory request, rule or court order, (b) attempt to obtain such other party’s consent to such disclosure, and (c) in the event consent is not given, not object to the filing of a motion to quash, or other similar procedural step, seeking protection against the production of publication of Confidential Information. In making any disclosure under such Legal Process, each party agrees to use all reasonable efforts to preserve the confidential nature of such information. Nothing herein shall require a party to fail to honor any Legal Process on a timely basis.

 

In the event that this Agreement is terminated, or at any time upon request, each party agrees to return promptly or destroy all copies of the Confidential Information without retaining any copies thereof and to destroy all copies of any analyses, compilations, studies or other documents prepared by it or for its use containing or reflecting any Confidential Information.

 

Provided however each party will be permitted to retain all or any portion or the Confidential Information to comply with its governing laws, regulations or internal policies. Such Confidential Information shall remain subject to the confidentiality obligations set forth in this Section 8.15.

 

Inasmuch as any breach of this Section 8.15 may result in immediate and irreparable injury, it is recognized and agreed that each party shall be entitled to equitable relief, including injunctive relief and specific performance, in addition to all other remedies available at law. Further, all obligations, rights and remedies hereunder shall survive any return or destruction of the Confidential Information and any termination of this Agreement; provided, however, that all obligations, rights and remedies hereunder shall survive the termination of this Agreement and remain in full force and effect for one (1) year after the termination of this Agreement.

 

It is further understood and agreed that no failure or delay by either party in exercising any right, power or privilege under this Section 8.15 shall operate as a waiver hereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise thereof preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or privilege under this Section 8.15.

 

 
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized officers as of the day and year first above written.

 

 

BLACKROCK MUNIYIELD MICHIGAN QUALITY FUND, INC.

       
By: /s/ Jonathan Diorio

 

Name:

Jonathan Diorio  
  Title: Vice President  
       

 

THE TORONTO-DOMINION BANK

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Robert C. Franciscus

 

 

Name:

Robert C. Franciscus

 

 

Title:

Authorized Signature

 

 

 

[Signature Page – MIY Fee Agreement]

 

 

SCHEDULE I

 

Description of VRDP Shares:

 

2,319 Series W-7 Variable Rate Demand Preferred Shares, par value $0.10 per share, with a liquidation preference of $100,000 per share.

 

 

 

Remarketing Agent:

 

TD Securities (USA) LLC

 

 

 

 

SCHEDULE II

 

LITIGATION:

 

NONE

 

 

 

 

SCHEDULE III

 

TERMS OF THE CURRENT SPECIAL RATE PERIOD

 

ARTICLE I OF SCHEDULE III

 

DEFINITIONS

 

The following defined terms shall apply to the VRDP Shares Fee Agreement only during the Current Special Rate Period:

 

Affiliate” means, for purposes of Section 3.01, 3.02 and 3.04 of this Schedule III, with respect to a Person, (i) any other Person who, directly or indirectly, is in control of, or controlled

by, or is under common control with, such Person or (ii) any other Person who is a director, trustee officer, employee or general partner (a) of such Person, (b) of any majority-owned subsidiary or parent company of such Person or (c) of any Person described in clause (i) above. For the purposes of this definition, “control” of a Person shall mean the power, direct or indirect, (x) to vote more than 25% of the securities having ordinary voting power for the election of directors or trustees of such Person or (y) to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person whether by contract or otherwise. For the avoidance of doubt, the term “Affiliate” shall include a TOB Trust of which TD and/or one or more of its Affiliates collectively owns a majority of the residual interests.

 

Applicable Law” means the laws of the State of Maryland (including, without limitation, the Maryland General Corporation Law) and the federal law of the United States of America (including, without limitation, the 1940 Act).

 

TD” means, unless the context indicates otherwise, Toronto-Dominion Bank, Acting Through its New York Branch, in its individual capacity and not in its capacity as Liquidity Provider.

 

Maximum Rate,” “Special Rate Period Commencement Date,” “SRP Applicable Rate” and “SRP Calculation Date” shall have the meaning given to such terms in the Current Notice of Special Rate Period.

 

ARTICLE II OF SCHEDULE III

FEES DURING CURRENT SPECIAL RATE PERIOD; SCHEDULED TERMINATION

DATE; CALCULATION OF DIVIDENDS

 

(a) Section 2.05 of the VRDP Shares Fee Agreement shall be amended by replacing the fee rate of 0.80% of 101.85% with a fee rate of 0.00% of 101.85% for each day during the Current Special Rate Period.

 

(b) Section 2.07 of this Agreement shall not be applicable during the Current Special Rate Period.

 

 

 

 

(c) For the avoidance of doubt, during the Current Special Rate Period, the dividend rate on the VRDP Shares shall be calculated in accordance with the Current Notice of Special Rate Period.

 

(d) During the Current Special Rate Period, Beneficial Owners and Holders shall not have the right to tender their VRDP Shares for Remarketing pursuant to an Optional Tender.

 

(e) During the Special Rate Period, the provisions of the Statement relating to Mandatory Tender Events, Mandatory Tenders, Mandatory Purchase Events and Mandatory Purchases shall be inapplicable.

 

ARTICLE III OF SCHEDULE III

ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS APPLICABLE DURING CURRENT SPECIAL RATE

PERIOD

 

Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, each of the provisions of this Article III of Schedule III shall be applicable only during the Current Special Rate Period.

 

SECTION 3.01. Voting Rights.

 

(a) From (and including) the first day of the Current Special Rate Period to (and excluding) the last day thereof, and for so long as TD together with any of its Affiliates individually or in the aggregate own at least 20% of the Outstanding VRDP Shares and the Fund has not failed to pay dividends on the VRDP Shares for two years, TD, to the extent it owns any VRDP Shares, shall enter into and maintain, and cause such Affiliates that own any VRDP Shares to enter into and maintain, in full force and effect a voting trust agreement in substantially the form attached as Appendix A to this Schedule III (a “Voting Trust Agreement”) and thereby convey into the voting trust governed by the Voting Trust Agreement (the “Voting Trust”), the right to vote all of its VRDP Shares owned by it and such Affiliates as of the first day of the Current Special Rate Period or acquired any time thereafter and so owned, with respect to:

 

(i) the election of the two members of the Board for which Holders of VRDP Shares are exclusively entitled to vote under Section 18(a)(2)(C) of the 1940 Act and all other rights given to Holders of VRDP Shares with respect to the election of the Board of the Fund;

 

(ii) any matters submitted to a vote of the shareholders of the Fund that do not relate to (i) the authorization, creation or issuance of any class or series of shares ranking prior to the VRDP Shares of the Fund with respect to the payment of dividends or the distribution of assets upon dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the affairs of the Fund, or (ii) the amendment, alteration or repeal of the provisions of (a) the Charter, (b) the Statement, (c) any notice of special rate period establishing and fixing, in whole or in part, the rights and preferences of any VRDP Shares of the Fund during the special rate period applicable to such VRDP Shares, or (d) any supplement to the Statement during any mode or similar special rate period applicable to the VRDP Shares, in each case, of the Fund, whether by merger, consolidation or otherwise, so as to materially and adversely affect any preference, right or power of the VRDP Shares or the Holders or the Beneficial Owners thereof; and;

 

 

 

 

(iii) any matters described in 12 C.F.R. § 225.2(q)(1);

 

Each voting right set forth in clauses (i) through (iii) above is referred to herein as a “Voting Right.”

 

(b) At all times that Voting Rights are subject to the Voting Trust Agreement, TD or its Affiliate or designee will be the registered owner or Beneficial Owner of the VRDP Shares. If any dividend or other distribution in respect of the VRDP Shares is paid, such dividend or distribution will be paid directly to TD or its Affiliate or designee owning such VRDP Shares; provided that any additional VRDP Shares subsequently acquired by TD or its Affiliate will become part of the VRDP Shares covered by the Voting Trust Agreement.

 

(c) The Voting Rights of TD and its Affiliates shall remain subject to the Voting Trust Agreement during the Current Special Rate Period for so long as TD and its Affiliates collectively are the Beneficial Owners in the aggregate of 20% or more of the Outstanding VRDP Shares.

 

(d) At all times that the Voting Rights are subject to the Voting Trust Agreement, TD, to the extent it is a Beneficial Owner of any VRDP Shares, shall irrevocably appoint and constitute, and shall cause each of its Affiliates that are Beneficial Owners of any VRDP Shares (other than a TOB Trust to the extent TD or an Affiliate (other than such trust) thereof and not such trust exercises the Voting Rights in respect of the VRDP Shares held by such trust) to irrevocably appoint and constitute the trustee under the Voting Trust Agreement (the “Trustee”) as its attorney-in-fact and agrees, and agrees to cause each of such Affiliates, to grant the Trustee one or more irrevocable proxies with respect to the Voting Rights and further agrees, and agrees to cause each of such Affiliates, to renew any such proxies that may lapse by their terms while the VRDP Shares are still subject to the Voting Trust Agreement.

 

(e) Notwithstanding the above provisions of this Section 3.01, upon the transfer of VRDP Shares during the Current Special Rate Period by TD or any Affiliate thereof to any third party (other than a transfer to an Affiliate thereof, in which case such VRDP Shares shall remain subject to the Voting Trust Agreement), such VRDP Shares shall no longer be subject to the Voting Trust Agreement.

 

(f) Without the prior written consent of the Fund (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed), TD will not agree or consent, and agrees to cause its Affiliates not to agree or consent, to any amendment, supplement, modification or repeal of the Voting Trust Agreement, nor waive any provision thereof, if any such amendment, supplement, modification, repeal or waiver would (i) adversely affect the conveyance into the Voting Trust of all Voting Rights in respect of the VRDP Shares beneficially owned by TD or its Affiliates or the voting of such VRDP Shares in accordance with the Voting Trust Agreement and this Agreement or (ii) replace or change the Voting Consultant (as defined in the Voting Trust Agreement) or the Trustee with a Voting Consultant or Trustee who is an Affiliate of (as defined in the Voting Trust Agreement), or is not Independent from (as defined in the Voting Trust Agreement), TD, or terminate the Voting Consultant or Trustee, in each case in effect at the start of the Current Special Rate Period.

 

 

 

 

SECTION 3.02. Disposition of VRDP Shares.

 

(a) TD shall not, and shall cause its Affiliates not to, sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of (including, for the avoidance of doubt, through repurchase agreements and collateral pledge arrangements) any or all of the VRDP Shares owned (legally or beneficially) by it during the Current Special Rate Period without the prior consent of the Fund, unless any such sale, transfer or disposition is made in accordance with Section 3.02(b) of this Schedule III and the terms of the Current Notice of Special Rate Period.

 

(b) Notwithstanding Section 2.03 of this Agreement or Section 2(n) of the VRDP Shares Remarketing Agreement, subject to paragraph (f) below, TD and its Affiliates may sell any or all of the VRDP Shares owned by it only to Persons that TD reasonably believes are QIBs that are registered closed-end management investment companies, the common shares of which are traded on a national securities exchange (“Closed-End Funds”), banks, insurance companies, companies that are included in the S&P 500 Index (and their direct or indirect wholly owned subsidiaries) or registered open-end management investment companies. The foregoing restrictions on transfer shall not apply to any VRDP Shares that may be registered in the future under the Securities Act or any subsequent transfer of such VRDP Shares thereafter. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Fund shall have the right of first refusal in accordance with the Right of First Refusal Procedures on all proposed transfers of Outstanding VRDP Shares from TD or an Affiliate thereof to an unaffiliated third party which will upon settlement result in such unaffiliated third party holding and having purchased directly or indirectly in a series of related transactions (with the actual knowledge of TD) (or TD’s Affiliates in the aggregate), more than 25% of the Outstanding VRDP Shares. Any transfer in violation of this Section 3.02 shall be void ab initio.

 

(c) In connection with the right of first refusal set forth in Section 3.02(b) of this Schedule III, the following procedures shall apply (the “Right of First Refusal Procedures”):

 

(i) TD shall notify the Fund by Electronic Means of any proposed sale of VRDP Shares which would entitle the Fund to exercise its right of first refusal and such notification shall include the name and contact information of the prospective purchaser, the number of VRDP Shares subject to the proposed sale and the proposed sale price;

 

(ii) if the Fund wishes to exercise its right of first refusal, TD must be notified of such election by the Fund by Electronic Means within three Business Days after delivery of notice from TD pursuant to subparagraph (i) above (not counting the day of delivery), and the price to be paid by the Fund with respect to such transfer will be the lesser of the (x) Liquidation Preference plus accrued and unpaid dividends and (y) the proposed sale price to the unaffiliated third party, provided, however, the price to be paid by the Fund with respect to any sale of the residual interests in a TOB Trust or any sale of VRDP Shares by any TOB Trust to anyone other than TD or its Affiliates shall be at the proposed sale price;

 

(iii) the exercise of the right of first refusal by the Fund pursuant to subparagraph (ii) above shall be deemed to be the trade date for the purchase of the VRDP Shares by the Fund from TD or its Affiliate, as the case may be, and the sale shall settle within 30 days after such trade date or, if the 30th day after such trade date is not a Business Day, then the next Business Day after such 30th day;

 

 

 

 

(iv) if TD does not receive an affirmative response from the Fund pursuant to subparagraph (ii) above within the required time frame, such right of first refusal shall be deemed rejected by the Fund;

 

(v) any VRDP Shares purchased by the Fund pursuant to its exercise of the right of first refusal in subparagraph (ii) above shall not be subject to the limitations of Section 6.15 of the this Agreement, provided such VRDP Shares shall be cancelled by the Fund within one Business Day after settlement of such purchase to the extent the Fund, together with the Investment Adviser and accounts or entities over which the Fund or the Investment Adviser exercises discretionary authority, owns or controls in the aggregate more than 25% of the Outstanding VRDP Shares; and

 

(vi) all purchases of VRDP Shares pursuant to the Fund’s right of first refusal shall be made only out of legally available funds for the redemption of shares of the Fund under Applicable Law and the Statement and otherwise in accordance with Applicable Law and the Statement.

 

(d) Notwithstanding the foregoing, in connection with the extension of, or the failure to extend, the Scheduled Termination Date in accordance with the terms of the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement, any VRDP Shares beneficially owned by TD or any of its Affiliates will be deemed automatically tendered for Remarketing and, if not successfully remarketed, will be deemed owned by the Liquidity Provider and subject to redemption, on the terms set forth in the Current Notice of Special Rate Period and in the Related Documents.

 

SECTION 3.03. Rating Agencies.

 

(a) Notwithstanding Section 6.05 of this Agreement, during the Current Special Rate Period, the Fund will use its reasonable best efforts to maintain a long-term preferred share rating of the VRDP Shares by at least one Rating Agency, provided that the Fund shall not be required to maintain such rating at any specific ratings category level.

 

(b) During the Current Special Rate Period, there shall be no consequences, penalties or notices with respect to the withdrawal of the VRDP Shares’ short-term preferred shares ratings by a Rating Agency.

 

(c) Notwithstanding Section 5(d) of the Statement, the Board, without the approval of the Liquidity Provider or TD, may terminate the services of any Rating Agency then providing a rating for the VRDP Shares and replace it with another NRSRO, provided that the Fund provides seven (7) days’ notice by Electronic Means to the Liquidity Provider or TD prior to terminating the services of a Rating Agency and replacing it with another NRSRO that, at the time of such replacement has (i) published a rating for the VRDP Shares and (ii) entered into an agreement with the Fund to continue to publish such rating subject to such NRSRO’s customary conditions.

 

 

 

 

(d) (i) The Board, without the approval of the Liquidity Provider or TD, may terminate the services of any Rating Agency then providing a rating for the VRDP Shares without replacement, provided that (A) the Fund has given the Tender and Paying Agent, and such terminated Rating Agency and the Liquidity Provider or TD at least 45 calendar days’ advance written notice of such termination of services, (B) the Fund is in compliance with the Rating Agency Provisions of such terminated Rating Agency at the time the notice required in the preceding clause (A) is given and at the time of the termination of such Rating Agency’s services, and (C) the VRDP Shares continue to be rated by at least two Rating Agencies at and after the time of the termination of such Rating Agency’s services.

 

(ii) On the date that the notice is given as described in clause (A) of the preceding Section 3.03(c)(i) and on the date that the services of the applicable Rating Agency are terminated, the Fund shall provide the Tender and Paying Agent and such terminated Rating Agency with an officers’ certificate as to the compliance with the provisions of the preceding Section 3.03(c)(i).

 

(e) In the event that during the Current Special Rate Period a Rating Agency ceases to furnish a preferred share rating or the Fund terminates a Rating Agency in accordance with Section 3.03(c) or Section 3.03(d) of this Schedule III, the Fund shall no longer be required to comply with the applicable Rating Agency Provisions of the Rating Agency so ceasing to furnish a preferred share rating or so terminated and, as applicable, the Fund shall be required to thereafter comply only with the Rating Agency Provisions of each Rating Agency then providing a rating for the VRDP Shares at the request of the Fund, and any credit rating of such terminated Rating Agency, to the extent it would have been taken into account in any of the provisions for such VRDP Shares during the Current Special Rate Period, shall be disregarded, and only the credit ratings of the Rating Agencies then providing a rating for the VRDP Shares shall be taken into account for purposes of the VRDP Shares, provided that, for purposes of determining the SRP Applicable Rate applicable to a SRP Calculation Period, any designation of a Rating Agency after the SRP Calculation Date for such SRP Calculation Period will take effect on or as of the next succeeding SRP Calculation Date.

 

SECTION 3.04. Information Reporting.

 

(a) The Fund agrees that, during the Current Special Rate Period and so long as TD or any Affiliate thereof is the beneficial owner of any Outstanding VRDP Shares, it will deliver, or direct the Tender and Paying Agent to deliver, to TD and any such affiliate:

 

(i) on the fifteenth (15th) day of each calendar month (each a “Portfolio Reporting Date”), the information set forth in Appendix B to this Schedule III as of the end of the last Business Day of the calendar month immediately preceding the Portfolio Reporting Date;

 

(ii) on each Monday, provided that if a Monday is not a Business Day, then the next succeeding Business Day, the information set forth in Appendix C to this Schedule III and a calculation of the Effective Leverage Ratio and the Minimum VRDP Shares Asset Coverage of the Fund, in each case, as of the close of business on the immediately preceding Business Day; and

 

 

 

 

(iii) upon the failure of the Fund to maintain the Minimum VRDP Shares Asset Coverage as required by Section 6 of Part I of the Statement or the Effective Leverage Ratio as required by Section 6.18 of this Agreement, notice of such failure within one (1) Business Day of the occurrence thereof.

 

(b) Section 6.01(g) of this Agreement shall be inapplicable with respect to any amendments of the Related Documents that has been consented to by the Liquidity Provider.

 

(c) Section 6.01(r) of the this Agreement shall not be applicable during the Current Special Rate Period.

 

(d) During the Current Special Rate Period, the Fund will deliver to TD notice of the Fund’s failure to declare a dividend on the VRDP Shares on any day no later than 11:00 a.m. (New York City time) on the Business Day after the occurrence of such failure.

 

SECTION 3.05. The Current Notice of Special Rate Period and Ambiguities

 

(a) During the Current Special Rate Period, the terms and provisions of the Notice of Current Special Rate Period shall be deemed a part of the Statement.

 

(b) In the event of any conflict between the terms of the Current Notice of Special Rate Period and the terms of this Schedule III or the Related Documents (as amended by any amendments thereto), the terms of the Current Notice of Special Rate Period shall govern.

 

 

 

 

APPENDIX A TO SCHEDULE III

 

FORM OF VOTING TRUST AGREEMENT

 

 

 

 

 

 

APPENDIX B TO SCHEDULE III

 

                PORTFOLIO INFORMATION

 

                Reporting as of: ____________

 

                TOB Floaters: $_____________

 

CUSIP

 

Portfolio Name

 

Description

 

Market Value

 

Par Value

 

Rating

 

State

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[●]

 

[●]

 

[●]

 

[●]

 

[●]

 

[●]

 

[●]

 

 

 

 

APPENDIX C TO SCHEDULE III

 

EFFECTIVE LEVERAGE RATIO AND ASSET COVERAGE INFORMATION

 

EFFECTIVE LEVERAGE RATIO TEST

 

Preferred Shares Outstanding –

 

[ ]

Accrued Dividends

 

 

 

 

 

Total Preferred Liability

 

[ ]

 

 

 

Preferred Shares Outstanding –

 

[ ]

VRDP

 

 

Accrued Dividends

 

 

 

 

 

Total Debt Senior Securities

 

[ ]

 

 

 

Floaters Issued by Trust

 

[ ]

 

 

 

Market Value of Total Assets

 

[ ]

 

 

 

Total Market Value of Total

 

[ ]

Assets

 

 

 

 

 

NOTE: Derivative Termination

 

 

Value of Derivatives Contract

 

 

 

 

 

Effective Leverage Ratio

 

[ ]

 

 

 

Pass/Fail

 

[ ]

 

ASSET COVERAGE RATIO TEST

 

Minimum VRDP Shares Asset

 

[ ]

Coverage

 

 

 

 

 

Pass/Fail

 

[ ]

 

 

 

 

SCHEDULE IV

 

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND POLICIES AND MUNICIPAL BONDS

 

Investment Objectives and Policies

 

The Fund’s investment objective is to provide shareholders with as high a level of current income exempt from federal and Michigan income taxes as is consistent with its investment policies and prudent investment management. The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing at least 80% of an aggregate of the Fund’s net assets (including proceeds from the issuance of any preferred stock) and the proceeds of any borrowings for investment purposes, in a portfolio of municipal obligations issued by or on behalf of the State of Michigan, its political subdivisions, agencies and instrumentalities and by other qualifying issuers, each of which pays interest that, in the opinion of bond counsel to the issuer, is excludable from gross income for federal income tax purposes (except that the interest may be includable in taxable income for purposes of the federal alternative minimum tax) and exempt from Michigan income taxes (“Michigan Municipal Bonds”). The Fund also may invest directly in such securities or synthetically through the use of derivatives in municipal obligations issued by or on behalf of states, territories and possessions of the United States and their political subdivisions, agencies or instrumentalities, each of which pays interest that is excludable from gross income for federal income tax purposes, in the opinion of bond counsel to the issuer, but is not excludable from gross income for Michigan income tax purposes (“Municipal Bonds”). Unless otherwise noted, the term “Municipal Bonds” also includes Michigan Municipal Bonds. In general, the Fund does not intend for its investments to earn a large amount of interest income that is (i) includable in gross income for federal income tax purposes or (ii) not exempt from Michigan income taxes. From time to time, the Fund may realize taxable capital gains. The Fund’s investment objective and its policy of investing at least 80% of an aggregate of the Fund’s net assets (including proceeds from the issuance of any preferred stock) and the proceeds of any borrowings for investment purposes, in Municipal Bonds are fundamental policies that may not be changed without the approval of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund (as defined in the 1940 Act). There can be no assurance that the Fund’s investment objective will be realized.

 

The Fund may invest in certain tax-exempt securities classified as “private activity bonds” (or industrial development bonds, under pre-1986 law) (“PABs”) (in general, bonds that benefit non-governmental entities) that may subject certain investors in the Fund to an alternative minimum tax. The percentage of the Fund’s total assets invested in PABs will vary from time to time.

 

Under normal market conditions, the Fund expects to invest primarily in a portfolio of long-term Municipal Bonds that are commonly referred to as “investment grade” securities, which are obligations rated at the time of purchase within the four highest-quality ratings as determined by either Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”) (currently Aaa, Aa, A and Baa), S&P Global Ratings (“S&P”) (currently AAA, AA, A and BBB) or Fitch Ratings, Inc. (“Fitch”) (currently AAA, AA, A and BBB) or are considered by the Fund’s Investment Adviser to be of comparable quality. In the case of short-term notes, the investment grade rating categories are SP-1+ through SP-2 for S&P, MIG 1 through MIG 3 for Moody’s and F1+ through F3 for Fitch. In the case of tax-exempt commercial paper, the investment grade rating categories are A-1+ through A-3 for S&P, Prime-1 through Prime-3 for Moody’s and F1+ through F3 for Fitch. Obligations ranked in the lowest investment grade rating category (BBB, SP-2 and A-3 for S&P; Baa, MIG 3 and Prime-3 for Moody’s; and BBB and F3 for Fitch), while considered “investment grade,” may have certain speculative characteristics. There may be sub-categories or gradations indicating relative standing within the rating categories set forth above. In assessing the quality of Municipal Bonds with respect to the foregoing requirements, the Investment Adviser takes into account the nature of any letters of credit or similar credit enhancement to which particular Municipal Bonds are entitled and the creditworthiness of the financial institution that provided such credit enhancement. Insurance is expected to protect the Fund against losses caused by a bond issuer’s failure to make interest or principal payments. However, insurance does not protect the Fund or its shareholders against losses caused by declines in a bond’s market value. If a bond’s insurer fails to fulfill its obligations or loses its credit rating, the value of the bond could drop. If unrated, such securities will possess creditworthiness comparable, in the opinion of the Investment Adviser, to other obligations in which the Fund may invest.

 

 
1

 

 

The Fund may also invest up to 20% of its managed assets in securities that are rated below investment grade, or are considered by the Fund’s Investment Adviser to be of comparable quality, at the time of purchase.

 

All percentage and ratings limitations on securities in which the Fund may invest apply at the time of making an investment and shall not be considered violated as a result of subsequent market movements or if an investment rating is subsequently downgraded to a rating that would have precluded the Fund’s initial investment in such security. In the event that the Fund disposes of a portfolio security subsequent to its being downgraded, the Fund may experience a greater risk of loss than if such security had been sold prior to such downgrade.

 

The average maturity of the Fund’s portfolio securities varies from time to time based upon an assessment of economic and market conditions by the Investment Adviser. The Fund’s portfolio at any given time may include both long-term and intermediate-term municipal bonds.

 

The net asset value of the shares of common stock of a closed-end investment company, such as the Fund, which invests primarily in fixed income securities, changes as the general levels of interest rates fluctuate. When interest rates decline, the value of a fixed income portfolio can be expected to rise. Conversely, when interest rates rise, the value of a fixed income portfolio can be expected to decline. Prices of longer term securities generally fluctuate more in response to interest rate changes than do shorter term securities. These changes in net asset value are likely to be greater in the case of a fund having a leveraged capital structure, such as the Fund.

 

For temporary periods or to provide liquidity, the Fund has the authority to invest as much as 20% of its total assets in tax-exempt and taxable money market obligations with a maturity of one year or less (such short-term obligations being referred to herein as “Temporary Investments”). In addition, the Fund reserves the right as a defensive measure to invest temporarily a greater portion of its assets in Temporary Investments, when, in the opinion of the Investment Adviser, prevailing market or financial conditions warrant. Taxable money market obligations will yield taxable income. The Fund also may invest in variable rate demand obligations (“VRDOs”) and VRDOs in the form of participation interests (“Participating VRDOs”) in variable rate tax-exempt obligations held by a financial institution. See “Other Investment Policies—Temporary Investments.” The Fund’s hedging strategies, which are described in more detail under “—Strategic Transactions—Financial Futures Transactions and Options,” are not fundamental policies and may be modified by the Board of Directors of the Fund without the approval of the Fund’s stockholders. The Fund is also authorized to invest in indexed and inverse floating rate obligations for hedging purposes and to seek to enhance return.

 

 
2

 

 

The Fund may invest in securities not issued by or on behalf of a state or territory or by an agency or instrumentality thereof, if the Fund receives an opinion of counsel to the issuer that such securities pay interest that is excludable from gross income for federal income tax purposes and, if applicable, exempt from Michigan income taxes (“Non-Municipal Tax-Exempt Securities”). Non-Municipal Tax-Exempt Securities could include trust certificates, partnership interests or other instruments evidencing interest in one or more long-term Municipal Bonds. Non-Municipal Tax-Exempt Securities also may include securities issued by other investment companies that invest in Municipal Bonds, to the extent such investments are permitted by the Fund’s investment restrictions and applicable law. Non-Municipal Tax-Exempt Securities are subject to the same risks associated with an investment in Municipal Bonds as well as many of the risks associated with investments in derivatives. If the Internal Revenue Service were to issue any adverse ruling or take an adverse position with respect to the taxation on these types of securities, there is a risk that the interest paid on such securities would be deemed taxable at the federal level.

 

The Fund ordinarily does not intend to realize significant investment income not exempt from federal income tax. From time to time, the Fund may realize taxable capital gains.

 

Federal tax legislation may limit the types and volume of bonds the interest on which qualifies for a federal income tax-exemption. As a result, current legislation and legislation that may be enacted in the future may affect the availability of Municipal Bonds for investment by the Fund.

 

Description of Municipal Bonds

 

Set forth below is a detailed description of the Municipal Bonds and Temporary Investments in which the Fund may invest. Obligations are included within the term Municipal Bonds if the interest paid thereon is excluded from gross income for federal income tax purposes in the opinion of bond counsel to the issuer.

 

Municipal Bonds include debt obligations issued to obtain funds for various public purposes, including the construction of a wide range of public facilities, refunding of outstanding obligations and obtaining funds for general operating expenses and loans to other public institutions and facilities. In addition, certain types of private activity bonds (“PABs”) are issued by or on behalf of public authorities to finance various privately owned or operated facilities, including among other things, airports, public ports, mass commuting facilities, multi-family housing projects, as well as facilities for water supply, gas, electricity, sewage or solid waste disposal and other specialized facilities. Other types of PABs, the proceeds of which are used for the construction, equipment or improvement of privately operated industrial or commercial facilities, may constitute Municipal Bonds. The interest on Municipal Bonds may bear a fixed rate or be payable at a variable or floating rate. The two principal classifications of Municipal Bonds are “general obligation” bonds and “revenue” bonds, which latter category includes PABs and, for bonds issued on or before August 15, 1986, industrial development bonds. Municipal Bonds typically are issued to finance public projects, such as roads or public buildings, to pay general operating expenses or to refinance outstanding debt. Municipal Bonds may also be issued for private activities, such as housing, medical and educational facility construction, or for privately owned industrial development and pollution control projects. General obligation bonds are backed by the full faith and credit, or taxing authority, of the issuer and may be repaid from any revenue source. Revenue bonds may be repaid only from the revenues of a specific facility or source.

 

 
3

 

 

Municipal Bonds may be issued on a long-term basis to provide permanent financing. The repayment of such debt may be secured generally by a pledge of the full faith and credit taxing power of the issuer, a limited or special tax, or any other revenue source, including project revenues, which may include tolls, fees and other user charges, lease payments and mortgage payments. Municipal Bonds may also be issued to finance projects on a short-term interim basis, anticipating repayment with the proceeds of the later issuance of long-term debt.

 

The Fund has not established any limit on the percentage of its portfolio that may be invested in PABs. The Fund may not be a suitable investment for investors who are already subject to the federal alternative minimum tax or who would become subject to the federal alternative minimum tax as a result of an investment in the Fund’s Common Shares.

 

General Obligation Bonds. General obligation bonds are typically secured by the issuer’s pledge of its faith, credit and taxing power for the repayment of principal and the payment of interest. The taxing power of any governmental entity may be limited, however, by provisions of its state constitution or laws, and an entity’s creditworthiness will depend on many factors, including potential erosion of its tax base due to population declines, natural disasters, declines in the state’s industrial base or inability to attract new industries, economic limits on the ability to tax without eroding the tax base, state legislative proposals or voter initiatives to limit ad valorem real property taxes and the extent to which the entity relies on federal or state aid, access to capital markets or other factors beyond the state’s or entity’s control. Accordingly, the capacity of the issuer of a general obligation bond as to the timely payment of interest and the repayment of principal when due is affected by the issuer’s maintenance of its tax base.

 

Revenue Bonds. Revenue or special obligation bonds are typically payable only from the revenues derived from a particular facility or class of facilities or, in some cases, from the proceeds of a special excise tax or other specific revenue sources such as payments from the user of the facility being financed. Accordingly, the timely payment of interest and the repayment of principal in accordance with the terms of the revenue or special obligation bond is a function of the economic viability of such facility or such revenue source. Revenue bonds issued by state or local agencies to finance the development of low-income, multi-family housing involve special risks in addition to those associated with municipal securities generally, including that the underlying properties may not generate sufficient income to pay expenses and interest costs. Such bonds are generally non-recourse against the property owner, may be junior to the rights of others with an interest in the properties, may pay interest that changes based in part on the financial performance of the property, may be prepayable without penalty and may be used to finance the construction of housing developments which, until completed and rented, do not generate income to pay interest. Increases in interest rates payable on senior obligations may make it more difficult for issuers to meet payment obligations on subordinated bonds.

 

 
4

 

 

Municipal Notes. Municipal notes are shorter term municipal debt obligations. They may provide interim financing in anticipation of tax collection, bond sales or revenue receipts. If there is a shortfall in the anticipated proceeds, repayment on the note may be delayed or the note may not be fully repaid, and the Fund may lose money.

 

Municipal Commercial Paper. Municipal commercial paper is generally unsecured and issued to meet short-term financing needs. The lack of security presents some risk of loss to the Fund since, in the event of an issuer’s bankruptcy, unsecured creditors are repaid only after the secured creditors out of the assets, if any, that remain.

 

PABs. The Fund may purchase Municipal Bonds classified as PABs. Interest received on certain PABs is treated as an item of “tax preference” for purposes of the federal alternative minimum tax and may impact the overall tax liability of certain investors in the Fund. PABs, formerly referred to as industrial development bonds, are issued by, or on behalf of, states, municipalities or public authorities to obtain funds to provide privately operated housing facilities, airport, mass transit or port facilities, sewage disposal, solid waste disposal or hazardous waste treatment or disposal facilities and certain local facilities for water supply, gas or electricity. Other types of PABs, the proceeds of which are used for the construction, equipment, repair or improvement of privately operated industrial or commercial facilities, may constitute municipal securities, although the federal tax laws may place substantial limitations on the size of such issues. Such bonds are secured primarily by revenues derived from loan repayments or lease payments due from the entity which may or may not be guaranteed by a parent company or otherwise secured. PABs generally are not secured by a pledge of the taxing power of the issuer of such bonds.

 

Therefore, an investor should be aware that repayment of such bonds generally depends on the revenues of a private entity and be aware of the risks that such an investment may entail. The continued ability of an entity to generate sufficient revenues for the payment of principal and interest on such bonds will be affected by many factors including the size of the entity, capital structure, demand for its products or services, competition, general economic conditions, government regulation and the entity’s dependence on revenues for the operation of the particular facility being financed.

 

Moral Obligation Bonds. Municipal Bonds may also include “moral obligation” bonds, which are normally issued by special purpose public authorities. If an issuer of moral obligation bonds is unable to meet its obligations, the repayment of such bonds becomes a moral commitment but not a legal obligation of the state or municipality in question.

 

Municipal Lease Obligations. Also included within the general category of Municipal Bonds are certificates of participation (“COPs”) issued by government authorities or entities to finance the acquisition or construction of equipment, land and/or facilities. COPs represent participations in a lease, an installment purchase contract or a conditional sales contract (hereinafter collectively called “lease obligations”) relating to such equipment, land or facilities. Municipal leases, like other municipal debt obligations, are subject to the risk of non-payment. Although lease obligations do not constitute general obligations of the issuer for which the issuer’s unlimited taxing power is pledged, a lease obligation is frequently backed by the issuer’s covenant to budget for, appropriate and make the payments due under the lease obligation. However, certain lease obligations contain “non-appropriation” clauses which provide that the issuer has no obligation to make lease or installment purchase payments in future years unless money is appropriated for such purpose on a yearly basis. Although “non-appropriation” lease obligations are secured by the leased property, disposition of the property in the event of foreclosure might prove difficult and the value of the property may be insufficient to issue lease obligations. Certain investments in lease obligations may be illiquid.

 

 
5

 

 

The ability of issuers of municipal leases to make timely lease payments may be adversely impacted in general economic downturns and as relative governmental cost burdens are allocated and reallocated among federal, state and local governmental units. Such non-payment would result in a reduction of income to the Fund, and could result in a reduction in the value of the municipal lease experiencing non-payment and a potential decrease in the net asset value of the Fund. Issuers of municipal lease obligations might seek protection under the bankruptcy laws. In the event of bankruptcy of such an issuer, the Fund could experience delays and limitations with respect to the collection of principal and interest on such municipal leases and the Fund may not, in all circumstances, be able to collect all principal and interest to which it is entitled. To enforce its rights in the event of a default in lease payments, the Fund might take possession of and manage the assets securing the issuer’s obligations on such securities, which may increase the Fund’s operating expenses and adversely affect the net asset value of the Fund. When the lease contains a non-appropriation clause, however, the failure to pay would not be a default and the Fund would not have the right to take possession of the assets. Any income derived from the Fund’s ownership or operation of such assets may not be tax-exempt or may fail to generate qualifying income for purposes of the income tests applicable to RICs. In addition, the Fund’s intention to qualify as a RIC under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, may limit the extent to which the Fund may exercise its rights by taking possession of such assets, because as a RIC the Fund is subject to certain limitations on its investments and on the nature of its income.

 

Zero Coupon Bonds. Municipal Bonds may include zero-coupon bonds. Zero coupon bonds are securities that are sold at a discount to par value and do not pay interest during the life of the security. The discount approximates the total amount of interest the security will accrue and compound over the period until maturity at a rate of interest reflecting the market rate of the security at the time of issuance. Upon maturity, the holder of a zero coupon bond is entitled to receive the par value of the security.

 

While interest payments are not made on such securities, holders of such securities are deemed to have received income (“phantom income”) annually, notwithstanding that cash may not be received currently. The effect of owning instruments that do not make current interest payments is that a fixed yield is earned not only on the original investment but also, in effect, on all discount accretion during the life of the obligations. This implicit reinvestment of earnings at a fixed rate eliminates the risk of being unable to invest distributions at a rate as high as the implicit yield on the zero coupon bond, but at the same time eliminates the holder’s ability to reinvest at higher rates in the future. For this reason, some of these securities may be subject to substantially greater price fluctuations during periods of changing market interest rates than are comparable securities that pay interest currently. Longer term zero coupon bonds are more exposed to interest rate risk than shorter term zero coupon bonds. These investments benefit the issuer by mitigating its need for cash to meet debt service, but also require a higher rate of return to attract investors who are willing to defer receipt of cash.

 

 
6

 

 

The Fund accrues income with respect to these securities for U.S. federal income tax and accounting purposes prior to the receipt of cash payments. Zero coupon bonds may be subject to greater fluctuation in value and less liquidity in the event of adverse market conditions than comparably rated securities that pay cash interest at regular intervals.

 

Further, to maintain its qualification for pass-through treatment under the federal tax laws, the Fund is required to distribute income to its shareholders and, consequently, may have to dispose of other, more liquid portfolio securities under disadvantageous circumstances or may have to leverage itself by borrowing in order to generate the cash to satisfy these distributions. The required distributions may result in an increase in the Fund’s exposure to zero coupon bonds.

 

In addition to the above-described risks, there are certain other risks related to investing in zero coupon bonds. During a period of severe market conditions, the market for such securities may become even less liquid. In addition, as these securities do not pay cash interest, the Fund’s investment exposure to these securities and their risks, including credit risk, will increase during the time these securities are held in the Fund’s portfolio.

 

Pre-Refunded Municipal Securities. The principal of, and interest on, pre-refunded municipal securities are no longer paid from the original revenue source for the securities. Instead, the source of such payments is typically an escrow fund consisting of U.S. Government securities. The assets in the escrow fund are derived from the proceeds of refunding bonds issued by the same issuer as the pre-refunded municipal securities. Issuers of municipal securities use this advance refunding technique to obtain more favorable terms with respect to securities that are not yet subject to call or redemption by the issuer. For example, advance refunding enables an issuer to refinance debt at lower market interest rates, restructure debt to improve cash flow or eliminate restrictive covenants in the indenture or other governing instrument for the pre-refunded municipal securities.

However, except for a change in the revenue source from which principal and interest payments are made, the pre-refunded municipal securities remain outstanding on their original terms until they mature or are redeemed by the issuer.

 

Special Taxing Districts. Special taxing districts are organized to plan and finance infrastructure developments to induce residential, commercial and industrial growth and redevelopment. The bond financing methods such as tax increment finance, tax assessment, special services district and Mello-Roos bonds (a type of municipal security established by the Mello-Roos Community Facilities Act of 1982), are generally payable solely from taxes or other revenues attributable to the specific projects financed by the bonds without recourse to the credit or taxing power of related or overlapping municipalities. They often are exposed to real estate development-related risks and can have more taxpayer concentration risk than general tax-supported bonds, such as general obligation bonds. Further, the fees, special taxes, or tax allocations and other revenues that are established to secure such financings are generally limited as to the rate or amount that may be levied or assessed and are not subject to increase pursuant to rate covenants or municipal or corporate guarantees. The bonds could default if development failed to progress as anticipated or if larger taxpayers failed to pay the assessments, fees and taxes as provided in the financing plans of the districts.

 

 
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Indexed and Inverse Floating Rate Securities. The Fund may invest in Municipal Bonds (and Non-Municipal Tax-Exempt Securities) that yield a return based on a particular index of value or interest rates. For example, the Fund may invest in Municipal Bonds that pay interest based on an index of Municipal Bond interest rates. The principal amount payable upon maturity of certain Municipal Bonds also may be based on the value of the index. To the extent the Fund invests in these types of Municipal Bonds, the Fund’s return on such Municipal Bonds will be subject to risk with respect to the value of the particular index. Interest and principal payable on the Municipal Bonds may also be based on relative changes among particular indices. Also, the Fund may invest in so-called “inverse floating rate bonds” or “residual interest bonds” on which the interest rates vary inversely with a short-term floating rate (which may be reset periodically by a dutch auction, a remarketing agent, or by reference to a short-term tax-exempt interest rate index). The Fund may purchase synthetically created inverse floating rate bonds evidenced by custodial or trust receipts. Generally, income on inverse floating rate bonds will decrease when short-term interest rates increase, and will increase when short-term interest rates decrease. Such securities have the effect of providing a degree of investment leverage, since they may increase or decrease in value in response to changes, as an illustration, in market interest rates at a rate which is a multiple (typically two) of the rate at which fixed rate long-term tax-exempt securities increase or decrease in response to such changes. As a result, the market values of such securities will generally be more volatile than the market values of fixed rate tax-exempt securities. To seek to limit the volatility of these securities, the Fund may purchase inverse floating rate bonds with shorter-term maturities or limitations on the extent to which the interest rate may vary. Certain investments in such obligations may be illiquid. See “Leverage—Tender Option Bond Transactions.”

 

When-Issued Securities, Delayed Delivery Securities and Forward Commitments. The Fund may purchase or sell securities that it is entitled to receive on a when-issued basis. The Fund may also purchase or sell securities on a delayed delivery basis. The Fund may also purchase or sell securities through a forward commitment. These transactions involve the purchase or sale of securities by the Fund at an established price with payment and delivery taking place in the future. The purchase will be recorded on the date the Fund enters into the commitment and the value of the securities will thereafter be reflected in the Fund’s net asset value. The Fund has not established any limit on the percentage of its assets that may be committed in connection with these transactions. At the time the Fund enters into a transaction on a when-issued basis, it will segregate or designate on its books and records cash or liquid assets with a value not less than the value of the when-issued securities.

 

There can be no assurance that a security purchased on a when-issued basis will be issued or that a security purchased or sold through a forward commitment will be delivered. A default by a counterparty may result in the Fund missing the opportunity of obtaining a price considered to be advantageous. The value of securities in these transactions on the delivery date may be more or less than the Fund’s purchase price. The Fund may bear the risk of a decline in the value of the security in these transactions and may not benefit from an appreciation in the value of the security during the commitment period.

 

 
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If deemed advisable as a matter of investment strategy, the Fund may dispose of or renegotiate a commitment after it has been entered into, and may sell securities it has committed to purchase before those securities are delivered to the Fund on the settlement date. In these cases the Fund may realize a taxable capital gain or loss.

 

When the Fund engages in when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment transactions, it relies on the other party to consummate the trade. Failure of such party to do so may result in the Fund’s incurring a loss or missing an opportunity to obtain a price considered to be advantageous.

The market value of the securities underlying a commitment to purchase securities, and any subsequent fluctuations in their market value, is taken into account when determining the market value of the Fund starting on the day the Fund agrees to purchase the securities. The Fund does not earn interest on the securities it has committed to purchase until they are paid for and delivered on the settlement date.

 

Call Rights. The Fund may purchase a Municipal Bond issuer’s right to call all or a portion of such Municipal Bond for mandatory tender for purchase (a “Call Right”). A holder of a Call Right may exercise such right to require a mandatory tender for the purchase of related Municipal Bonds, subject to certain conditions. A Call Right that is not exercised prior to maturity of the related Municipal Bond will expire without value. The economic effect of holding both the Call Right and the related Municipal Bond is identical to holding a Municipal Bond as a non-callable security. Certain investments in such obligations may be illiquid.

 

Yields. Yields on Municipal Bonds are dependent on a variety of factors, including the general condition of the money market and of the Municipal Bond market, the size of a particular offering, the financial condition of the issuer, the maturity of the obligation and the rating of the issue. The ability of the Fund to achieve its investment objective is also dependent on the continuing ability of the issuers of the securities in which the Fund invests to meet their obligations for the payment of interest and principal when due. There are variations in the risks involved in holding Municipal Bonds, both within a particular classification and between classifications, depending on numerous factors. Furthermore, the rights of owners of Municipal Bonds and the obligations of the issuer of such Municipal Bonds may be subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency and similar laws and court decisions affecting the rights of creditors generally and to general equitable principles, which may limit the enforcement of certain remedies.

 

Leverage

 

The Fund may utilize leverage to seek to enhance the yield and net asset value of its Common Shares. However, this objective cannot be achieved in all interest rate environments. The Fund currently leverages its assets through the use of VRDP Shares and tender option bonds. Under the 1940 Act, the Fund is permitted to issue debt up to 33 1/3% of its managed assets (50% of its net assets) or preferred equity securities up to 50% of its managed assets (100% of its net assets). The Fund may voluntarily elect to limit its leverage to less than the maximum amount permitted under the 1940 Act. In addition, the Fund may also be subject to certain asset coverage, leverage or portfolio composition requirements imposed by the VRDP Shares’ governing instruments, counterparties or by agencies rating the VRDP Shares, which may be more stringent than those imposed by the 1940 Act. Under the 1940 Act, the Fund is not permitted to issue preferred shares if, immediately after such issuance, the liquidation value of the Fund’s outstanding preferred shares exceeds 50% of its assets (including the proceeds from the issuance) less liabilities other than borrowings (i.e., the value of the Fund’s assets must be at least 200% of the liquidation value of its outstanding preferred shares).

 

 
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Credit Facility. The Fund may leverage its portfolio by entering into one or more credit facilities. If the Fund enters into a credit facility, the Fund may be required to prepay outstanding amounts or incur a penalty rate of interest upon the occurrence of certain events of default. The Fund would also likely have to indemnify the lenders under the credit facility against liabilities they may incur in connection therewith. In addition, the Fund expects that any credit facility would contain covenants that, among other things, likely would limit the Fund’s ability to pay distributions in certain circumstances, incur additional debt, change certain of its investment policies and engage in certain transactions, including mergers and consolidations, and require asset coverage ratios in addition to those required by the 1940 Act. The Fund may be required to pledge its assets and to maintain a portion of its assets in cash or high-grade securities as a reserve against interest or principal payments and expenses. The Fund expects that any credit facility would have customary covenant, negative covenant and default provisions. There can be no assurances that the Fund will enter into an agreement for a credit facility, or one on terms and conditions representative of the foregoing, or that additional material terms will not apply. In addition, if entered into, a credit facility may in the future be replaced or refinanced by one or more credit facilities having substantially different terms, by the issuance of preferred shares or debt securities or by the use of other forms of leverage.

 

Reverse Repurchase Agreements. The Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements with respect to its portfolio investments subject to the investment restrictions set forth herein. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the sale of securities held by the Fund with an agreement by the Fund to repurchase the securities at an agreed upon price, date and interest payment. At the time the Fund enters into a reverse repurchase agreement, it may establish and maintain a segregated account with the custodian containing cash and/or liquid assets having a value not less than the repurchase price (including accrued interest). If the Fund establishes and maintains such a segregated account, or earmarks such assets as described, a reverse repurchase agreement will not be considered a senior security under the 1940 Act and therefore will not be considered a borrowing by the Fund; however, under certain circumstances in which the Fund does not establish and maintain such a segregated account, or earmark such assets on its books and records, such reverse repurchase agreement will be considered a borrowing for the purpose of the Fund’s limitation on borrowings discussed above. The use by the Fund of reverse repurchase agreements involves many of the same risks of leverage since the proceeds derived from such reverse repurchase agreements may be invested in additional securities. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the market value of the securities acquired in connection with the reverse repurchase agreement may decline below the price of the securities the Fund has sold but is obligated to repurchase. Also, reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the market value of the securities retained in lieu of sale by the Fund in connection with the reverse repurchase agreement may decline in price.

 

If the buyer of securities under a reverse repurchase agreement files for bankruptcy or becomes insolvent, such buyer or its trustee or receiver may receive an extension of time to determine whether to enforce the Fund’s obligation to repurchase the securities and the Fund’s use of the proceeds of the reverse repurchase agreement may effectively be restricted pending such decision. Also, the Fund would bear the risk of loss to the extent that the proceeds of the reverse repurchase agreement are less than the value of the securities subject to such agreement.

 

 
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The Fund also may effect simultaneous purchase and sale transactions that are known as “sale-buybacks.” A sale-buyback is similar to a reverse repurchase agreement, except that in a sale-buyback, the counterparty that purchases the security is entitled to receive any principal or interest payments made on the underlying security pending settlement of the Fund’s repurchase of the underlying security.

 

Dollar Roll Transactions. The Fund may enter into “dollar roll” transactions. In a dollar roll transaction, the Fund sells a mortgage related or other security to a dealer and simultaneously agrees to repurchase a similar security (but not the same security) in the future at a pre-determined price. A dollar roll transaction can be viewed, like a reverse repurchase agreement, as a collateralized borrowing in which the Fund pledges a mortgage related security to a dealer to obtain cash. However, unlike reverse repurchase agreements, the dealer with which the Fund enters into a dollar roll transaction is not obligated to return the same securities as those originally sold by the Fund, but rather only securities which are “substantially identical,” which generally means that the securities repurchased will bear the same interest rate and a similar maturity as those sold, but the pools of mortgages collateralizing those securities may have different prepayment histories than those sold.

 

During the period between the sale and repurchase, the Fund will not be entitled to receive interest and principal payments on the securities sold. Proceeds of the sale will be invested in additional instruments for the Fund and the income from these investments will generate income for the Fund. If such income does not exceed the income, capital appreciation and gain that would have been realized on the securities sold as part of the dollar roll, the use of this technique will diminish the investment performance of the Fund compared with what the performance would have been without the use of dollar rolls.

 

At the time the Fund enters into a dollar roll transaction, it may establish and maintain a segregated account with the custodian containing cash and/or liquid assets having a value not less than the repurchase price (including accrued interest). If the Fund establishes and maintains such a segregated account, or earmarks such assets as described, a dollar roll transaction will not be considered a senior security under the 1940 Act and therefore will not be considered a borrowing by the Fund; however, under certain circumstances in which the Fund does not establish and maintain such a segregated account, or earmark such assets on its books and records, such dollar roll transaction will be considered a borrowing for the purpose of the Fund’s limitation on borrowings.

 

Dollar roll transactions involve the risk that the market value of the securities the Fund is required to purchase may decline below the agreed upon repurchase price of those securities. The Fund’s right to purchase or repurchase securities may be restricted. Successful use of mortgage dollar rolls may depend upon the investment manager’s ability to correctly predict interest rates and prepayments. There is no assurances that dollar rolls can be successfully employed.

 

 
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Derivatives. The Fund may enter into derivative transactions that have economic leverage embedded in them. Derivative transactions that the Fund may enter into are also referred to as “Strategic Transactions.” The Fund cannot assure you that investments in derivative transactions that have economic leverage embedded in them will result in a higher return on its Common Shares.

 

To the extent the terms of such transactions obligate the Fund to make payments, the Fund may earmark or segregate cash or liquid assets in an amount at least equal to the current value of the amount then payable by the Fund under the terms of such transactions or otherwise cover such transactions in accordance with applicable interpretations of the staff of the SEC. If the current value of the amount then payable by the Fund under the terms of such transactions is represented by the notional amounts of such investments, the Fund would segregate or earmark cash or liquid assets having a market value at least equal to such notional amounts, and if the current value of the amount then payable by the Fund under the terms of such transactions is represented by the market value of the Fund’s current obligations, the Fund would segregate or earmark cash or liquid assets having a market value at least equal to such current obligations. To the extent the terms of such transactions obligate the Fund to deliver particular securities to extinguish the Fund’s obligations under such transactions the Fund may “cover” its obligations under such transactions by either (i) owning the securities or collateral underlying such transactions or (ii) having an absolute and immediate right to acquire such securities or collateral without additional cash consideration (or, if additional cash consideration is required, having earmarked or segregated an appropriate amount of cash or liquid assets). Such earmarking, segregation or cover is intended to provide the Fund with available assets to satisfy its obligations under such transactions. As a result of such earmarking, segregation or cover, the Fund’s obligations under such transactions will not be considered senior securities representing indebtedness for purposes of the 1940 Act, or considered borrowings subject to the Fund’s limitations on borrowings discussed above, but may create leverage for the Fund. To the extent that the Fund’s obligations under such transactions are not so earmarked, segregated or covered, such obligations may be considered “senior securities representing indebtedness” under the 1940 Act and therefore subject to the asset coverage requirements described above.

 

These earmarking, segregation or cover requirements can result in the Fund maintaining securities positions it would otherwise liquidate, segregating or earmarking assets at a time when it might be disadvantageous to do so or otherwise restrict portfolio management.

 

Temporary Borrowings. The Fund may also borrow money as a temporary measure for extraordinary or emergency purposes, including the payment of dividends and the settlement of securities transactions which otherwise might require untimely dispositions of Fund securities. Certain short-term borrowings (such as for cash management purposes) are not subject to the 1940 Act’s limitations on leverage if (i) repaid within 60 days, and (ii) not in excess of 5% of the Fund’s total assets.

 

Tender Option Bond Transactions. The Fund currently leverages its assets through the use of residual interest municipal tender option bonds (“TOB Residuals”), which are derivative interests in municipal bonds. The TOB Residuals in which the Fund will invest pay interest or income that, in the opinion of counsel to the issuer of such TOB Residuals, is exempt from regular U.S. federal income tax. No independent investigation will be made to confirm the tax-exempt status of the interest or income paid by TOB Residuals held by the Fund. Although volatile, TOB Residuals typically offer the potential for yields exceeding the yields available on fixed rate municipal bonds with comparable credit quality.

 

 
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TOB Residuals represent beneficial interests in a TOB Trust formed for the purpose of holding municipal bonds contributed by one or more funds. A TOB Trust typically issues two classes of beneficial interests: short-term floating rate interests (“TOB Floaters”), which are sold to third party investors, and TOB Residuals, which are generally issued to the fund(s) that transferred municipal bonds to the TOB Trust. The Fund may invest in both TOB Floaters and TOB Residuals. TOB Floaters may have first priority on the cash flow from the municipal bonds held by the TOB Trust and are enhanced with a liquidity support arrangement provided by a third party bank or other financial institution (the “TOBs Liquidity Provider”) which allows holders to tender their position at par (plus accrued interest). The Fund, as a holder of TOB Residuals, is paid the residual cash flow from the TOB Trust. The Fund contributes municipal bonds to the TOB Trust and is paid the cash received by the TOB Trust from the sale of the TOB Floaters, less certain transaction costs, and typically will invest the cash to purchase additional municipal bonds or other investments permitted by its investment policies. If the Fund ever purchases all or a portion of the TOB Floaters sold by the TOB Trust, it may surrender those TOB Floaters together with a proportionate amount of TOB Residuals to the TOB Trust in exchange for a proportionate amount of the municipal bonds owned by the TOB Trust.

 

Other registered investment companies advised by the Investment Adviser or its affiliates (“BlackRock-Advised Funds”) may contribute municipal bonds to a TOB Trust into which the Fund has contributed municipal bonds. If multiple BlackRock-Advised Funds participate in the same TOB Trust, the economic rights and obligations under the TOB Residual will generally be shared among the funds ratably in proportion to their participation in the TOB Trust.

 

The municipal bonds transferred to a TOB Trust typically are high grade municipal bonds. In certain cases, when municipal bonds transferred are lower grade municipal bonds, the TOB Trust transaction includes a credit enhancement feature that provides for the timely payment of principal and interest on the bonds to the TOB Trust by a credit enhancement provider. The TOB Trust would be responsible for the payment of the credit enhancement fee and the Fund, as a TOB Residual holder, would be responsible for reimbursement of any payments of principal and interest made by the credit enhancement provider.

 

The TOB Residuals held by the Fund generally provide the Fund with the right to cause the holders of a proportional share of the TOB Floaters to tender their notes to the TOB Trust at par plus accrued interest. Thereafter, the Fund may withdraw a corresponding share of the municipal bonds from the TOB Trust. As a result, a tender option bond transaction, in effect, creates exposure for the Fund to the entire return of the municipal bonds in the TOB Trust, with a net cash investment by the Fund that is less than the value of the municipal bonds in the TOB Trust. This multiplies the positive or negative impact of the municipal bonds’ return within the Fund (thereby creating leverage). The leverage within a TOB Trust depends on the value of the municipal bonds deposited in the TOB Trust relative to the value of the TOB Floaters it issues.

 

 
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The Fund may invest in highly leveraged TOB Residuals. A TOB Residual generally is considered highly leveraged if the principal amount of the TOB Floaters issued by the related TOB Trust exceeds 75% of the principal amount of the municipal bonds owned by the TOB Trust.

 

The leverage attributable to the Fund’s use of TOB Residuals may be “called away” on relatively short notice and therefore may be less permanent than more traditional forms of leverage. The TOB Trust may be collapsed without the consent of the Fund upon the occurrence of termination events, as defined in the TOB Trust agreements. Upon the occurrence of a termination event, a TOB Trust would be liquidated with the proceeds applied first to any accrued fees owed to the trustee of the TOB Trust, the remarketing agent of the TOB Floaters and the TOBs Liquidity Provider. Upon certain termination events, the holders of the TOB Floaters would be paid before the TOB Residual holders (i.e., the Fund) whereas in other termination events, the holders of TOB Floaters and the TOB Residual holders would be paid pro rata.

 

TOB Trusts are typically supported by a liquidity facility provided by a TOBs Liquidity Provider that allows the holders of the TOB Floaters to tender their TOB Floaters in exchange for payment of par plus accrued interest on any business day (subject to the non-occurrence of a termination event). The tendered TOB Floaters are remarketed by a remarketing agent. In the event of a failed remarketing, the TOB Trust may draw upon a loan from the TOBs Liquidity Provider to purchase the tendered TOB Floaters. Any loans made by the TOBs Liquidity Provider will be secured by the purchased TOB Floaters held by the TOB Trust and will be subject to an increased interest rate based on number of days the loan is outstanding.

 

The Fund may invest in a TOB Trust on either a non-recourse or recourse basis. When the Fund invests in TOB Trusts on a non-recourse basis, and the TOBs Liquidity Provider is required to make a payment under the liquidity facility, the TOBs Liquidity Provider will typically liquidate all or a portion of the municipal bonds held in the TOB Trust and then fund the balance, if any, of the amount owed under the liquidity facility proceeds (“Liquidation Shortfall”). If the Fund invests in a TOB Trust on a recourse basis, it will typically enter into a reimbursement agreement with the TOBs Liquidity Provider pursuant to which the Fund is required to reimburse the TOBs Liquidity Provider the amount of any Liquidation Shortfall. As a result, if the Fund invests in a recourse TOB Trust, the Fund will bear the risk of loss with respect to any Liquidation Shortfall. If multiple BlackRock-Advised Funds participate in any such TOB Trust, these losses will be shared ratably, in proportion to their participation in the TOB Trust.

 

Under accounting rules, municipal bonds of the Fund that are deposited into a TOB Trust are investments of the Fund and are presented on the Fund’s Schedule of Investments and outstanding TOB Floaters issued by a TOB Trust are presented as liabilities in the Fund’s Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Interest income from the underlying municipal bonds is recorded by the Fund on an accrual basis. Interest expense incurred on the TOB Floaters and other expenses related to remarketing, administration, trustee and other services to a TOB Trust are reported as expenses of the Fund. In addition, under accounting rules, loans made to a TOB Trust sponsored by the Fund may be presented as loans of the Fund in the Fund’s financial statements even if there is no recourse to the Fund’s assets.

 

 
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For TOB Floaters, generally, the interest rate earned will be based upon the market rates for municipal bonds with maturities or remarketing provisions that are comparable in duration to the periodic interval of the tender option. Since the tender option feature has a shorter term than the final maturity or first call date of the underlying municipal bonds deposited in the TOB Trust, the holder of the TOB Floaters relies upon the terms of the agreement with the financial institution furnishing the liquidity facility as well as the credit strength of that institution. The risk associated with TOB Floaters, however, may be increased in the current market environment as a result of recent downgrades to the credit ratings, and thus the perceived reliability and creditworthiness, of many major financial institutions, some of which sponsor and/or provide liquidity support to TOB Trusts. This in turn may reduce the desirability of TOB Floaters as investments, which could impair the viability or availability of TOB Trusts.

 

The use of TOB Residuals will require the Fund to earmark or segregate liquid assets in an amount equal to any TOB Floaters, plus any accrued but unpaid interest due on the TOB Floaters, issued by TOB Trusts sponsored by, or on behalf of, the Fund that are not owned by the Fund. The use of TOB Residuals may also require the Fund to earmark or segregate liquid assets in an amount equal to loans provided by the TOBs Liquidity Provider to the TOB Trust to purchase tendered TOB Floaters. The Fund reserves the right to modify its asset segregation policies in the future to the extent that such changes are in accordance with applicable regulations or interpretations. Future regulatory requirements or SEC guidance may necessitate more onerous contractual or regulatory requirements, which may increase the costs or reduce the degree of potential economic benefits of TOB Trust transactions or limit the Fund’s ability to enter into or manage TOB Trust transactions.

 

Strategic Transactions

 

The Fund may purchase and sell futures contracts, enter into various interest rate transactions and swap contracts (including, but not limited to, credit default swaps) and may purchase and sell exchange-listed and OTC put and call options on securities and swap contracts, financial indices and futures contracts and use other derivative instruments or management techniques. These Strategic Transactions may be used for duration management and other risk management purposes, subject to the Fund’s investment restrictions. While the Fund’s use of Strategic Transactions is intended to reduce the volatility of the net asset value of the Fund’s Common Shares, the net asset value of the Fund’s Common Shares will fluctuate. No assurance can be given that the Fund’s Strategic Transactions will be effective.

 

There is no particular strategy that requires use of one technique rather than another as the decision to use any particular strategy or instrument is a function of market conditions and the composition of the portfolio. The ability of the Fund to use Strategic Transactions successfully will depend on the Investment Adviser’s ability to predict pertinent market movements as well as sufficient correlation among the instruments, which cannot be assured. Strategic Transactions subject the Fund to the risk that, if the Investment Adviser incorrectly forecasts market values, interest rates or other applicable factors, the Fund’s performance could suffer. Certain of these Strategic Transactions, such as investments in inverse floating rate securities and credit default swaps, may provide investment leverage to the Fund’s portfolio. The Fund is not required to use derivatives or other portfolio strategies to seek to hedge its portfolio and may choose not to do so.

 

 
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The use of Strategic Transactions may result in losses greater than if they had not been used, may require the Fund to sell or purchase portfolio securities at inopportune times or for prices other than current market values, may limit the amount of appreciation the Fund can realize on an investment or may cause the Fund to hold a security that it might otherwise sell. In addition, because of the leveraged nature of the Common Shares, Strategic Transactions will result in a larger impact on the net asset value of the Common Shares than would be the case if the Common Shares were not leveraged. Furthermore, the Fund may only engage in Strategic Transactions from time to time and may not necessarily be engaging in hedging activities when movements in interest rates occur.

 

Inasmuch as any obligations of the Fund that arise from the use of Strategic Transactions will be covered by segregated or earmarked liquid assets or offsetting transactions, the Fund and the Investment Adviser believe such obligations do not constitute senior securities and, accordingly, will not treat such transactions as being subject to its borrowing restrictions. Additionally, segregated or earmarked liquid assets, amounts paid by the Fund as premiums and cash or other assets held in margin accounts with respect to Strategic Transactions are not otherwise available to the Fund for investment purposes. For so long as the VRDP Shares are rated by a rating agency, the Fund’s use of options and certain financial futures and options thereon will be subject to such rating agency’s guidelines and limitations on such transactions. In order to maintain ratings on the VRDP Shares from one or more rating agencies, the Fund may be required to limit its use of Strategic Transactions in accordance with the specified guidelines of the applicable rating agencies.

 

Certain federal income tax requirements may restrict or affect the ability of the Fund to engage in Strategic Transactions. In addition, the use of certain Strategic Transactions may give rise to taxable income and have certain other consequences.

 

Put and Call Options on Securities and Indices. The Fund may purchase and sell put and call options on securities and indices. A put option gives the purchaser of the option the right to sell and the writer the obligation to buy the underlying security at the exercise price during the option period. The Fund may also purchase and sell options on bond indices (“index options”). Index options are similar to options on securities except that, rather than taking or making delivery of securities underlying the option at a specified price upon exercise, an index option gives the holder the right to receive cash upon exercise of the option if the level of the bond index upon which the option is based is greater, in the case of a call, or less, in the case of a put, than the exercise price of the option. The purchase of a put option on a debt security could protect the Fund’s holdings in a security or a number of securities against a substantial decline in the market value. A call option gives the purchaser of the option the right to buy and the seller the obligation to sell the underlying security or index at the exercise price during the option period or for a specified period prior to a fixed date. The purchase of a call option on a security could protect the Fund against an increase in the price of a security that it intended to purchase in the future.

 

 
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Writing Covered Call Options. The Fund is authorized to write (i.e., sell) covered call options with respect to municipal bonds it owns, thereby giving the holder of the option the right to buy the underlying security covered by the option from the Fund at the stated exercise price until the option expires. The Fund writes only covered call options, which means that so long as the Fund is obligated as the writer of a call option, it will own the underlying securities subject to the option.

The Fund receives a premium from writing a call option, which increases the Fund’s return on the underlying security in the event the option expires unexercised or is closed out at a profit. By writing a call, the Fund limits its opportunity to profit from an increase in the market value of the underlying security above the exercise price of the option for as long as the Fund’s obligation as a writer continues. Covered call options serve as a partial hedge against a decline in the price of the underlying security. The Fund may engage in closing transactions in order to terminate outstanding options that it has written.

 

Additional Information About Options. The Fund’s ability to close out its position as a purchaser or seller of an exchange-listed put or call option is dependent upon the existence of a liquid secondary market on option exchanges. Among the possible reasons for the absence of a liquid secondary market on an exchange are: (i) insufficient trading interest in certain options; (ii) restrictions on transactions imposed by an exchange; (iii) trading halts, suspensions or other restrictions imposed with respect to particular classes or series of options or underlying securities; (iv) interruption of the normal operations on an exchange; (v) inadequacy of the facilities of an exchange or OCC to handle current trading volume; or (vi) a decision by one or more exchanges to discontinue the trading of options (or a particular class or series of options), in which event the secondary market on that exchange (or in that class or series of options) would cease to exist, although outstanding options on that exchange that had been listed by the OCC as a result of trades on that exchange would generally continue to be exercisable in accordance with their terms. OTC options are purchased from or sold to dealers, financial institutions or other counterparties which have entered into direct agreements with the Fund. With OTC options, such variables as expiration date, exercise price and premium will be agreed upon between the Fund and the counterparty, without the intermediation of a third party such as the OCC. If the counterparty fails to make or take delivery of the securities underlying an option it has written, or otherwise settle the transaction in accordance with the terms of that option as written, the Fund would lose the premium paid for the option as well as any anticipated benefit of the transaction. OTC options and assets used to cover OTC options written by the Fund are considered by the staff of the SEC to be illiquid. The illiquidity of such options or assets may prevent a successful sale of such options or assets, result in a delay of sale, or reduce the amount of proceeds that might otherwise be realized.

 

The Fund may engage in options and futures transactions on exchanges and options in the over-the-counter markets. The Fund will only enter into OTC options with counterparties the Investment Adviser believes to be creditworthy at the time they enter into such transactions.

 

The hours of trading for options on debt securities may not conform to the hours during which the underlying securities are traded. To the extent that the option markets close before the markets for the underlying securities, significant price and rate movements can take place in the underlying markets that cannot be reflected in the option markets.

 

 
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Financial Futures Transactions and Options. The Fund is authorized to purchase and sell certain exchange traded financial futures contracts (“financial futures contracts”) in order to hedge its investments against declines in value, and to hedge against increases in the cost of securities it intends to purchase or to seek to enhance the Fund’s return. However, any transactions involving financial futures or options (including puts and calls associated therewith) will be in accordance with the Fund’s investment policies and limitations. A financial futures contract obligates the seller of a contract to deliver and the purchaser of a contract to take delivery of the type of financial instrument covered by the contract, or in the case of index-based futures contracts to make and accept a cash settlement, at a specific future time for a specified price. To hedge its portfolio, the Fund may take an investment position in a futures contract which will move in the opposite direction from the portfolio position being hedged. A sale of financial futures contracts may provide a hedge against a decline in the value of portfolio securities because such depreciation may be offset, in whole or in part, by an increase in the value of the position in the financial futures contracts. A purchase of financial futures contracts may provide a hedge against an increase in the cost of securities intended to be purchased because such appreciation may be offset, in whole or in part, by an increase in the value of the position in the futures contracts.

 

Distributions, if any, of net long term capital gains from certain transactions in futures or options are taxable at long term capital gains rates for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

 

Futures Contracts. A futures contract is an agreement between two parties to buy and sell a security or, in the case of an index-based futures contract, to make and accept a cash settlement for a set price on a future date. A majority of transactions in futures contracts, however, do not result in the actual delivery of the underlying instrument or cash settlement, but are settled through liquidation, i.e., by entering into an offsetting transaction. Futures contracts have been designed by boards of trade which have been designated “contracts markets” by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (the “CFTC”).

 

The purchase or sale of a futures contract differs from the purchase or sale of a security in that no price or premium is paid or received. Instead, an amount of cash or securities acceptable to the broker and the relevant contract market, which varies, but is generally about 5% of the contract amount, must be deposited with the broker. This amount is known as “initial margin” and represents a “good faith” deposit assuring the performance of both the purchaser and seller under the futures contract. Subsequent payments to and from the broker, called “variation margin,” are required to be made on a daily basis as the price of the futures contract fluctuates making the long and short positions in the futures contract more or less valuable, a process known as “marking to the market.” At any time prior to the settlement date of the futures contract, the position may be closed out by taking an opposite position that will operate to terminate the position in the futures contract. A final determination of variation margin is then made, additional cash is required to be paid to or released by the broker and the purchaser realizes a loss or gain. In addition, a nominal commission is paid on each completed sale transaction.

 

The Fund may also purchase and sell financial futures contracts on U.S. Government securities as a hedge against adverse changes in interest rates as described below. The Fund may purchase and write call and put options on futures contracts on U.S. Government securities in connection with its hedging strategies.

 

The Fund also may engage in other futures contracts transactions such as futures contracts on municipal bond indices that may become available if the Investment Adviser should determine that there is normally a sufficient correlation between the prices of such futures contracts and municipal bonds in which the Fund invests to make such hedging appropriate.

 

 
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Futures Strategies. The Fund may sell a financial futures contract (i.e., assume a short position) in anticipation of a decline in the value of its investments resulting from an increase in interest rates or otherwise. The risk of decline could be reduced without employing futures as a hedge by selling investments and either reinvesting the proceeds in securities with shorter maturities or by holding assets in cash. This strategy, however, entails increased transaction costs in the form of dealer spreads and typically would reduce the average yield of the Fund’s portfolio securities as a result of the shortening of maturities. The sale of futures contracts provides an alternative means of hedging against declines in the value of its investments. As such values decline, the value of the Fund’s positions in the futures contracts will tend to increase, thus offsetting all or a portion of the depreciation in the market value of the Fund’s investments that are being hedged. While the Fund will incur commission expenses in selling and closing out futures positions, commissions on futures transactions are typically lower than transaction costs incurred in the purchase and sale of the Fund’s investments being hedged. In addition, the ability of the Fund to trade in the standardized contracts available in the futures markets may offer a more effective defensive position than a program to reduce the average maturity of the portfolio securities due to the unique and varied credit and technical characteristics of the instruments available to the Fund. Employing futures as a hedge also may permit the Fund to assume a defensive posture without reducing the yield on its investments beyond any amounts required to engage in futures trading.

 

When the Fund intends to purchase a security, the Fund may purchase futures contracts as a hedge against any increase in the cost of such security resulting from a decrease in interest rates or otherwise, that may occur before such purchase can be effected. Subject to the degree of correlation between such securities and the futures contracts, subsequent increases in the cost of such securities should be reflected in the value of the futures held by the Fund. As such purchases are made, an equivalent amount of futures contracts will be closed out. Due to changing market conditions and interest rate forecasts, however, a futures position may be terminated without a corresponding purchase of portfolio securities.

 

Call Options on Futures Contracts. The Fund may also purchase and sell exchange traded call and put options on financial futures contracts. The purchase of a call option on a futures contract is analogous to the purchase of a call option on an individual security. Depending on the pricing of the option compared to either the futures contract upon which it is based or the price of the underlying securities, it may or may not be less risky than ownership of the futures contract or underlying securities. Like the purchase of a futures contract, the Fund may purchase a call option on a futures contract to hedge against a market advance when the Fund is not fully invested.

 

The writing of a call option on a futures contract constitutes a partial hedge against declining prices of the securities which are deliverable upon exercise of the futures contract. If the futures price at expiration is below the exercise price, the Fund will retain the full amount of the option premium which provides a partial hedge against any decline that may have occurred in the Fund’s portfolio holdings.

 

 
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Put Options on Futures Contracts. The purchase of a put option on a futures contract is analogous to the purchase of a protective put option on portfolio securities. The Fund may purchase a put option on a futures contract to hedge the Fund’s portfolio against the risk of rising interest rates.

 

The writing of a put option on a futures contract constitutes a partial hedge against increasing prices of the securities which are deliverable upon exercise of the futures contract. If the futures price at expiration is higher than the exercise price, the Fund will retain the full amount of the option premium which provides a partial hedge against any increase in the price of securities which the Fund intends to purchase.

 

The writer of an option on a futures contract is required to deposit initial and variation margin pursuant to requirements similar to those applicable to futures contracts. Premiums received from the writing of an option will be included in initial margin. The writing of an option on a futures contract involves risks similar to those relating to futures contracts.

 

The CFTC subjects advisers to registered investment companies to regulation by the CFTC if a fund that is advised by the investment adviser either (i) invests, directly or indirectly, more than a prescribed level of its liquidation value in CFTC-regulated futures, options and swaps (“CFTC Derivatives”), or (ii) markets itself as providing investment exposure to such instruments. To the extent the Fund uses CFTC Derivatives, it intends to do so below such prescribed levels and will not market itself as a “commodity pool” or a vehicle for trading such instruments. Accordingly, the Investment Adviser has claimed an exclusion from the definition of the term “commodity pool operator” under the Commodity Exchange Act (“CEA”) pursuant to Rule 4.5 under the CEA. The Investment Adviser is not, therefore, subject to registration or regulation as a “commodity pool operator” under the CEA in respect of the Fund.

 

Interest Rate Swap Transactions. In order to seek to hedge the value of the Fund against interest rate fluctuations, to hedge against increases in the Fund’s costs associated with the dividend payments on any preferred shares, including the VRDP Shares, or to seek to increase the Fund’s return, the Fund may enter into interest rate swap transactions such as Municipal Market Data AAA Cash Curve swaps (“MMD Swaps”) or Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association Municipal Swap Index swaps (“SIFMA Swaps”). To the extent that the Fund enters into these transactions, the Fund expects to do so primarily to preserve a return or spread on a particular investment or portion of its portfolio as a duration management technique or to protect against any increase in the price of securities the Fund anticipates purchasing at a later date. The Fund may enter into these transactions primarily as a hedge or for duration or risk management rather than as a speculative investment. However, the Fund also may invest in MMD Swaps and SIFMA Swaps to seek to enhance return or gain or to increase the Fund’s yield, for example, during periods of steep interest rate yield curves (i.e., wide differences between short term and long term interest rates).

 

The Fund may purchase and sell SIFMA Swaps in the SIFMA swap market. In a SIFMA Swap, the Fund exchanges with another party their respective commitments to pay or receive interest (e.g., an exchange of fixed rate payments for floating rate payments linked to the SIFMA Municipal Swap Index). Because the underlying index is a tax-exempt index, SIFMA Swaps may reduce cross-market risks incurred by the Fund and increase the Fund’s ability to hedge effectively. SIFMA Swaps are typically quoted for the entire yield curve, beginning with a seven day floating rate index out to 30 years. The duration of a SIFMA Swap is approximately equal to the duration of a fixed-rate municipal bond with the same attributes as the swap (e.g., coupon, maturity, call feature).

 

 
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The Fund may also purchase and sell MMD Swaps, also known as MMD rate locks. An MMD Swap permits the Fund to lock in a specified municipal interest rate for a portion of its portfolio to preserve a return on a particular investment or a portion of its portfolio as a duration management technique or to protect against any increase in the price of securities to be purchased at a later date. By using an MMD Swap, the Fund can create a synthetic long or short position, allowing the Fund to select the most attractive part of the yield curve. An MMD Swap is a contract between the Fund and an MMD Swap provider pursuant to which the parties agree to make payments to each other on a notional amount, contingent upon whether the Municipal Market Data AAA General Obligation Scale is above or below a specified level on the expiration date of the contract. For example, if the Fund buys an MMD Swap and the Municipal Market Data AAA General Obligation Scale is below the specified level on the expiration date, the counterparty to the contract will make a payment to the Fund equal to the specified level minus the actual level, multiplied by the notional amount of the contract. If the Municipal Market Data AAA General Obligation Scale is above the specified level on the expiration date, the Fund will make a payment to the counterparty equal to the actual level minus the specified level, multiplied by the notional amount of the contract.

 

In connection with investments in SIFMA and MMD Swaps, there is a risk that municipal yields will move in the opposite direction than anticipated by the Fund, which would cause the Fund to make payments to its counterparty in the transaction that could adversely affect the Fund’s performance.

 

The Fund has no obligation to enter into SIFMA Swaps or MMD Swaps and may elect not to do so. The net amount of the excess, if any, of the Fund’s obligations over its entitlements with respect to each interest rate swap will be accrued on a daily basis, and the Fund will segregate or designate on its books and records liquid assets having an aggregate net asset value at least equal to the accrued excess.

 

If there is a default by the other party to an uncleared interest rate swap transaction, generally the Fund will have contractual remedies pursuant to the agreements related to the transaction. With respect to interest rate swap transactions cleared through a central clearing counterparty, a clearing organization will be substituted for the counterparty and will guarantee the parties’ performance under the swap agreement. However, there can be no assurances that the clearing organization will satisfy its obligation to the Fund or that the Fund would be able to recover the full amount of assets deposited on its behalf with the clearing organization in the event of the default by the clearing organization or the Fund’s clearing broker. Certain U.S. federal income tax requirements may limit the Fund’s ability to engage in interest rate swaps. Distributions attributable to transactions in interest rate swaps generally will be taxable as ordinary income to shareholders.

 

 
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Counterparty Credit Standards. To the extent that the Fund engages in principal transactions, including, but not limited to, OTC options, forward currency transactions, swap transactions, repurchase and reverse repurchase agreements and the purchase and sale of bonds and other fixed income securities, it must rely on the creditworthiness of its counterparties under such transactions. In certain instances, the credit risk of a counterparty is increased by the lack of a central clearing house for certain transactions, including certain swap contracts. In the event of the insolvency of a counterparty, the Fund may not be able to recover its assets, in full or at all, during the insolvency process. Counterparties to investments may have no obligation to make markets in such investments and may have the ability to apply essentially discretionary margin and credit requirements. Similarly, the Fund will be subject to the risk of bankruptcy of, or the inability or refusal to perform with respect to such investments by, the counterparties with which it deals. The Investment Adviser will seek to minimize the Fund’s exposure to counterparty risk by entering into such transactions with counterparties the Investment Adviser believes to be creditworthy at the time it enters into the transaction. Certain option transactions and Strategic Transactions may require the Fund to provide collateral to secure its performance obligations under a contract, which would also entail counterparty credit risk.

 

Other Investment Policies

 

The Fund has adopted certain other policies as set forth below.

 

Temporary Investments

 

The Fund may invest in short-term tax-exempt and taxable securities subject to the limitations set forth above. The tax-exempt money market securities may include municipal notes, municipal commercial paper, Municipal Bonds with a remaining maturity of less than one year, variable rate demand notes and participations therein. Municipal notes include tax anticipation notes, bond anticipation notes, revenue anticipation notes and grant anticipation notes. Anticipation notes are sold as interim financing in anticipation of tax collection, bond sales, government grants or revenue receipts. Municipal commercial paper refers to short-term unsecured promissory notes generally issued to finance short-term credit needs. The taxable money market securities in which the Fund may invest as Temporary Investments consist of U.S. Government securities, U.S. Government agency securities, domestic bank or savings institution certificates of deposit and bankers’ acceptances, short-term corporate debt securities such as commercial paper and repurchase agreements. These Temporary Investments must have a stated maturity not in excess of one year from the date of purchase. The Fund may not invest in any security issued by a commercial bank or a savings institution unless the bank or institution is organized and operating in the United States, has total assets of at least one billion dollars and is a member of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”), except that up to 10% of total assets may be invested in certificates of deposit of smaller institutions if such certificates are fully insured by the FDIC.

 

 
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Credit Default Swap Agreements

 

The Fund may enter into credit default swap agreements for hedging purposes or to seek to increase its return. The credit default swap agreement may have as reference obligations one or more securities that are not currently held by the Fund. The protection “buyer” in a credit default contract may be obligated to pay the protection “seller” an upfront or a periodic stream of payments over the term of the contract, provided that no credit event on a reference obligation has occurred. If a credit event occurs, the seller generally must pay the buyer the “par value” (full notional value) of the swap in exchange for an equal face amount of deliverable obligations of the reference entity described in the swap, or the seller may be required to deliver the related net cash amount (the difference between the market value of the reference obligation and its par value), if the swap is cash settled. The Fund may be either the buyer or seller in the transaction. If the Fund is a buyer and no credit event occurs, the Fund may recover nothing if the swap is held through its termination date. However, if a credit event occurs, the buyer generally may elect to receive the full notional value of the swap in exchange for an equal face amount of deliverable obligations of the reference entity whose value may have significantly decreased. As a seller, the Fund generally receives an upfront payment or a fixed rate of income throughout the term of the swap, which typically is between six (6) months and three years, provided that there is no credit event. If a credit event occurs, generally the seller must pay the buyer the full notional value of the swap in exchange for an equal face amount of deliverable obligations of the reference entity whose value may have significantly decreased. As the seller, the Fund would effectively add leverage to its portfolio because, in addition to its total net assets, the Fund would be subject to investment exposure on the notional amount of the swap.

 

Credit default swap agreements involve greater risks than if the Fund had invested in the reference obligation directly since, in addition to general market risks, credit default swaps are subject to illiquidity risk, counterparty risk and credit risks. The Fund will enter into credit default swap agreements only with counterparties the Investment Adviser believes to be creditworthy at the time they enter into such transactions. A buyer generally also will lose its investment and recover nothing should no credit event occur and the swap is held to its termination date. If a credit event were to occur, the value of any deliverable obligation received by the seller, coupled with the upfront or periodic payments previously received, may be less than the full notional value it pays to the buyer, resulting in a loss of value to the seller. The Fund’s obligations under a credit default swap agreement will be accrued daily (offset against any amounts owing to the Fund).

 

The Fund will at all times segregate or designate on its books and records in connection with each such transaction liquid assets or cash with a value at least equal to the Fund’s exposure (any accrued but unpaid net amounts owed by the Fund to any counterparty) on a marked-to-market basis (as calculated pursuant to requirements of the SEC). If the Fund is a seller of protection in a credit default swap transaction, it will segregate or designate on its books and records in connection with such transaction liquid assets or cash with a value at least equal to the full notional amount of the contract. Such segregation or designation will ensure that the Fund has assets available to satisfy its obligations with respect to the transaction and will avoid any potential leveraging of the Fund’s portfolio. Such segregation or designation will not limit the Fund’s exposure to loss.

 

VRDOs and Participating VRDOs

 

VRDOs are tax-exempt obligations that contain a floating or variable interest rate adjustment formula and right of demand on the part of the holder thereof to receive payment of the unpaid principal balance plus accrued interest upon a short notice period not to exceed seven days. There is, however, the possibility that because of default or insolvency the demand feature of VRDOs and Participating VRDOs may not be honored. The interest rates are adjustable at intervals (ranging from daily to up to one year) to some prevailing market rate for similar investments, such adjustment formula being calculated to maintain the market value of the VRDOs, at approximately the par value of the VRDOs on the adjustment date. The adjustments typically are based upon the SIFMA Municipal Swap Index or some other appropriate interest rate adjustment index. The Fund may invest in all types of tax exempt instruments currently outstanding or to be issued in the future which satisfy its short term maturity and quality standards.

 

 
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Participating VRDOs provide the Fund with a specified undivided interest (up to 100%) of the underlying obligation and the right to demand payment of the unpaid principal balance plus accrued interest on the Participating VRDOs from the financial institution upon a specified number of days’ notice, not to exceed seven days. In addition, the Participating VRDO is backed by an irrevocable letter of credit or guaranty of the financial institution. The Fund would have an undivided interest in the underlying obligation and thus participate on the same basis as the financial institution in such obligation except that the financial institution typically retains fees out of the interest paid on the obligation for servicing the obligation, providing the letter of credit and issuing the repurchase commitment. It is contemplated that the Fund will not invest more than 20% of its assets in Participating VRDOs.

 

VRDOs that contain an unconditional right of demand to receive payment of the unpaid principal balance plus accrued interest on a notice period exceeding seven days may be deemed to be illiquid securities. The Directors may adopt guidelines and delegate to the Investment Adviser the daily function of determining and monitoring liquidity of such VRDOs.

 

The Temporary Investments, VRDOs and Participating VRDOs in which the Fund may invest will be in the following rating categories at the time of purchase: MIG 1/VMIG 1 through MIG 3/VMIG 3 for notes and VRDOs and Prime-1 through Prime-3 for commercial paper (as determined by Moody’s), SP-1 through SP-2 for notes and A-1 through A-3 for VRDOs and commercial paper (as determined by S&P), or F1 through F3 for notes, VRDOs and commercial paper (as determined by Fitch). Temporary Investments, if not rated, must be of comparable quality in the opinion of the Investment Adviser. In addition, the Fund reserves the right to invest temporarily a greater portion of its assets in Temporary Investments for defensive purposes, when, in the judgment of the Investment Adviser, market conditions warrant.

 

Repurchase Agreements

 

The Fund may invest in securities pursuant to repurchase agreements. Repurchase agreements may be entered into only with a member bank of the Federal Reserve System or primary dealer or an affiliate thereof, in U.S. Government securities or an affiliate thereof. A repurchase agreement is a contractual agreement whereby the seller of securities agrees to repurchase the same security at a specified price on a future date agreed upon by the parties. The agreed-upon repurchase price determines the yield during the Fund’s holding period. The risk to the Fund is limited to the ability of the issuer to pay the agreed-upon repurchase price on the delivery date; however, although the value of the underlying collateral at the time the transaction is entered into always equals or exceeds the agreed-upon repurchase price, if the value of the collateral declines there is a risk of loss of both principal and interest. The Investment Adviser monitors the value of the collateral at the time the action is entered into and at all times during the term of the repurchase agreement. The Investment Adviser does so in an effort to determine that the value of the collateral always equals or exceeds the agreed-upon repurchase price to be paid to the Fund. In the event of default, the collateral may be sold but the Fund might incur a loss if the value of the collateral declines, and might incur disposition costs or experience delays in connection with liquidating the collateral. In addition, if bankruptcy proceedings are commenced with respect to the seller of the security, realization upon the collateral by the Fund may be delayed or limited.

 

 
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In general, for federal income tax purposes, repurchase agreements are treated as collateralized loans secured by the securities “sold.” Therefore, amounts earned under such agreements will not be considered tax exempt interest. The treatment of purchase and sales contracts is less certain.

 

Investment Restrictions

 

The following are fundamental investment restrictions of the Fund and may not be changed without the approval of the holders of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding Common Shares and outstanding Preferred Shares, voting together as a single class, and a majority of the outstanding Preferred Shares, voting as a separate class (which for this purpose and under the 1940 Act means the lesser of (i) 67% of the shares of each class of capital stock represented at a meeting at which more than 50% of the outstanding shares of each class of capital stock are represented or (ii) more than 50% of the outstanding shares of each class of capital stock). The Fund may not:

 

1. Make investments for the purpose of exercising control or management.

 

2. Purchase securities of other investment companies, except (i) in connection with a merger, consolidation, acquisition or reorganization, (ii) by purchase of shares of tax-exempt money market funds advised by the Investment Adviser or its affiliates (as defined in the 1940 Act) to the extent permitted by an exemptive order issued to the Fund by the SEC, or (iii) by purchase in the open market of securities of closed-end investment companies and only if immediately thereafter not more than 10% of the Fund’s total assets would be invested in such securities.

 

3. Purchase or sell real estate, real estate limited partnerships, commodities or commodity contracts; provided that the Fund may invest in securities secured by real estate or interests therein or issued by companies that invest in real estate or interests therein and the Fund may purchase and sell financial futures contracts and options thereon.

 

4. Issue senior securities other than preferred stock or borrow in excess of 5% of its total assets taken at market value; provided, however, that the Fund is authorized to borrow moneys in excess of 5% of the value of its total assets for the purpose of repurchasing shares of common stock or redeeming shares of preferred stock.

 

5. Underwrite securities of other issuers except insofar as the Fund may be deemed an underwriter under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, in selling portfolio securities.

 

6. Make loans to other persons, except that the Fund may purchase Michigan Municipal Bonds, Municipal Bonds and other debt securities in accordance with its investment objective, policies and limitations.

 

7. Purchase any securities on margin, except that the Fund may obtain such short-term credit as may be necessary for the clearance of purchases and sales of portfolio securities (the deposit or payment by the Fund of initial or variation margin in connection with financial futures contracts and options thereon is not considered the purchase of a security on margin).

 

 
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8. Make short sales of securities or maintain a short position or invest in put, call, straddle or spread options, except that the Fund may write, purchase and sell options and futures on Michigan Municipal Bonds, Municipal Bonds, U.S. Government obligations and related indices or otherwise in connection with bona fide hedging activities.

 

9. Invest more than 25% of its total assets (taken at market value at the time of each investment) in securities of issuers in a single industry; provided that, for purposes of this restriction, states municipalities and their political subdivisions are not considered to be part of any industry.

 

For purposes of fundamental investment restriction (4) above, the Fund may borrow moneys in excess of 5% of the value of its total assets to the extent permitted by Section 18 of the 1940 Act or otherwise as permitted by applicable law for the purpose of repurchasing shares of common stock or redeeming shares of preferred stock. For purposes of fundamental investment restriction (9) above, the exception for states, municipalities and their political subdivisions applies only to tax-exempt securities issued by such entities.

 

An additional investment restriction adopted by the Fund, which may be changed by the Board of Directors without stockholder approval, provides that the Fund may not mortgage, pledge, hypothecate or in any manner transfer, as security for indebtedness, any securities owned or held by the Fund except as may be necessary in connection with borrowings mentioned in investment restriction (4) above or except as may be necessary in connection with transactions in financial futures contracts and options thereon.

 

If a percentage restriction on the investment or use of assets set forth above is adhered to at the time a transaction is effected, later changes in percentage resulting from changing values will not be considered a violation.

 

The Fund is classified as non-diversified within the meaning of the 1940 Act, which means that the Fund is not limited by the 1940 Act in the proportion of its total assets that it may invest in securities of a single issuer. However, the Fund’s investments are limited so as to qualify the Fund for the special tax treatment afforded RICs under the federal tax laws. In order to qualify as a RIC, the Fund must, among other things, diversify its holdings so that, at the close of each quarter of its taxable year, (i) at least 50% of the value of its total assets consists of cash, cash items, U.S. Government securities, securities of other RICs and other securities, with such other securities limited in respect of any one issuer to an amount not greater in value than 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets and to not more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer, and (ii) not more than 25% of the value of the total assets is invested in the securities (other than U.S. Government securities and securities of other RICs) of any one issuer, any two or more issuers controlled by the Fund and engaged in the same, similar or related trades or businesses, or any one or more “qualified publicly traded partnerships.” For purposes of this restriction, the Fund will regard each state and each political subdivision, agency or instrumentality of such state and each multi-state agency of which such state is a member and each public authority which issues securities on behalf of a private entity as a separate issuer, except that if the security is backed only by the assets and revenues of a non-government entity then the entity with the ultimate responsibility for the payment of interest and principal may be regarded as the sole issuer. These tax-related limitations may be changed by the Board of the Fund to the extent necessary to comply with changes in the federal tax requirements.

 

 
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To the extent that the Fund assumes large positions in the securities of a small number of issuers, its yield may fluctuate to a greater extent than that of a diversified company as a result of changes in the financial condition or in the market’s assessment of the issuers.

 

The Fund’s VRDP Shares are assigned long-term ratings by Moody’s and Fitch. In order to maintain the required ratings, the Fund is required to comply with certain investment quality, diversification and other guidelines established by Moody’s and Fitch. Such guidelines may be more restrictive than the restrictions set forth above. The Fund does not anticipate that such guidelines would have a material adverse effect on its ability to achieve its investment objective. Moody’s and Fitch receive fees in connection with their ratings issuances. The Fund is also subject to certain covenants and requirements under the terms of the Fund VRDP Shares and related documents, including the terms of the liquidity facility supporting the Fund VRDP Shares. Such requirements may be more restrictive than the restrictions set forth above. The Fund does not anticipate that such requirements would have a material adverse effect on its ability to achieve its investment objective.

 

How the Fund Manages Risk                      

 

Investment Limitations

 

The Fund will limit certain of the Fund’s investments in a manner consistent with the Liquidity Provider’s credit policies that may be more restrictive than the Fund’s stated investment policies. Such limitations may change from time to time by agreement with the Liquidity Provider, or may be eliminated if not required by any replacement Liquidity Provider. The Fund may also become subject to other guidelines that are more restrictive than the Fund’s stated investment policies in order to obtain and maintain ratings from rating agencies on the Preferred Shares that it intends to issue. The Fund does not anticipate that the foregoing limitations or guidelines will materially restrict the Fund’s ability to pursue its investment objectives or policies.

 

Management of Investment Portfolio and Capital Structure to Limit Leverage Risk

 

The Fund may take certain actions if short-term interest rates increase or market conditions otherwise change (or the Fund anticipates such an increase or change) and the Fund’s leverage begins (or is expected) to adversely affect common stockholders. In order to attempt to offset such a negative impact of leverage on common stockholders, the Fund may shorten the average maturity of its investment portfolio (by investing in short-term securities) or may reduce its indebtedness or extend the maturity of outstanding Preferred Shares or unwind other leverage transactions. The Fund may also attempt to reduce the leverage by redeeming or otherwise purchasing Preferred Shares. The success of any such attempt to limit leverage risk depends on the Investment Adviser’s ability to accurately predict interest rate or other market changes. Because of the difficulty of making such predictions, the Fund may never attempt to manage its capital structure in the manner described in this paragraph. If market conditions suggest that additional leverage would be beneficial, the Fund may sell previously unissued Preferred Shares or Preferred Shares that the Fund previously issued but later repurchased.

 

Strategic Transactions

 

The Fund may engage in various Strategic Transactions for duration management and other risk management purposes, including to attempt to protect against possible changes in the market value of the Fund’s portfolio resulting from trends in the securities markets and changes in interest rates or to protect the Fund’s unrealized gains in the value of its portfolio securities, to facilitate the sale of portfolio securities for investment purposes or to establish a position in the securities markets as a temporary substitute for purchasing particular securities or to enhance income or gain. These strategies include purchasing and selling futures contracts, entering into various interest rate transactions and swap contracts (including, but not limited to, credit default swaps) and purchasing and selling exchange-listed and OTC put and call options on securities and swap contracts, financial indices and futures contracts and using other derivative instruments or management techniques.

 

 
27

 

 

EXHIBIT A

 

ELIGIBLE ASSETS

 

On the Effective Date and at all times thereafter that the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement is outstanding:

 

1. All assets in the Fund consist of “Eligible Assets”, defined to consist only of the following as of the time of investment:

 

(a) Debt obligations

 

(i) “Municipal securities,” defined as obligations of a State, the District of Columbia, a U.S. territory, or a political subdivision thereof and including general obligations, limited obligation bonds, revenue bonds, and obligations that satisfy the requirements of section 142(b)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 issued by or on behalf of any State, the District of Columbia, any U.S. territory or any political subdivision thereof, including any municipal corporate instrumentality of 1 or more States, or any public agency or authority of any State, the District of Columbia, any U.S. territory or any political subdivision thereof, including obligations of any of the foregoing types related to financing a 501(c)(3) organization. Eligible Assets shall include any municipal securities that at the time of purchase are paying scheduled principal and interest or if at the time of purchase are in payment default, then in the sole judgment of the Investment Adviser are expected to produce payments of principal and interest whose present value exceeds the purchase price.

 

(ii) Debt obligations of the United States.

 

(iii) Debt obligations issued, insured, or guaranteed by a department or an agency of the U.S. Government, if the obligation, insurance, or guarantee commits the full faith and credit of the United States for the repayment of the obligation (including municipal bonds that have been pre-refunded or escrowed with securities previously referenced in this Section 1(a)(iii)).

 

(iv) Debt obligations of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority guaranteed by the Secretary of Transportation under Section 9 of the National Capital Transportation Act of 1969.

 

(v) Debt obligations of the Federal Home Loan Banks.

 

(vi) Debt obligations, participations or other instruments of or issued by the Federal National Mortgage Association or the Government National Mortgage Association.

 

(vii) Debt obligations which are or ever have been sold by the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation pursuant to sections 305 or 306 of the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation Act.

 

 
A-1

 

 

(viii) Debt obligations of any agency named in 12 U.S.C. § 24(Seventh) as eligible to issue obligations that a national bank may underwrite, deal in, purchase and sell for the bank’s own account, including qualified Canadian government obligations.

 

(ix) Debt obligations of issuers other than those specified in (i) through (viii) above that are “investment grade” and that are “marketable.” For these purposes, an obligation is:

 

(aa) “marketable” if:

 

 

·

it is registered under the Securities Act;

 

·

it is offered and sold pursuant to Securities and Exchange Commission Rule 144A; 17 CFR 230.144A; or

 

·

it can be sold with reasonable promptness at a price that corresponds reasonably to its fair value; and

 

(bb) “investment grade” if:

 

 

·

the obligor had adequate capacity, as determined by the Investment Adviser in its sole discretion, to meet financial commitments under the security for the projected life of the asset or exposure, which capacity is presumed if the risk of default by the obligor is low and the full and timely repayment of principal and interest is expected.

 

(x) Certificates or other securities evidencing ownership interests in a municipal bond trust structure (generally referred to as a tender option bond structure) that invests in (a) debt obligations of the types described in (i) above or (b) depository receipts reflecting ownership interests in accounts holding debt obligations of the types described in (i) above.

 

(xi) An asset shall not lose its status as an Eligible Asset solely by virtue of the fact that:

 

 

·

it provides for repayment of principal and interest in any form including fixed and floating rate, zero interest, capital appreciation, discount, leases, and payment in kind; or

 

·

it is for long-term or short-term financing purposes.

 

(b) Derivatives

 

(i) Interest rate derivatives;

 

 
A-2

 

 

(ii) Swaps, futures, forwards, structured notes, options and swaptions related to Eligible Assets or on an index related to Eligible Assets; or

 

(iii) Credit default swaps.

 

(c) Other Assets

 

(i) Shares of other investment companies (open- or closed-end funds and ETFs) the assets of which consist entirely of either (a) Eligible Assets, or (b) “Eligible securities” permitted for investment by a “Tax exempt fund” as defined under SEC Rule 2a-7, based on the Investment Adviser’s assessment of the assets of each such investment company taking into account the investment company’s most recent publicly available schedule of investments and publicly disclosed investment policies.

 

(ii) Cash.

 

(iii) Repurchase agreements on assets described in (a) above.

 

(iv) Taxable fixed-income securities, for the purpose of influencing control of an issuer whose municipal bonds (a) the Fund already owns and (b) have deteriorated or are expected shortly to deteriorate that such investment should enable the Fund to better maximize its existing investment in such issuer, provided that the Fund may invest no more than 0.5% of its total assets in such securities.

 

(d) Other assets, upon written agreement of the Liquidity Provider that such assets are eligible for purchase by the Fund.

 

2. The Fund will provide the following information at the Closing Date (for the purposes of the information to be provided at the Closing Date, such information shall be as of a date no earlier than two days prior to the Closing Date), and within 10 days after the end of every calendar quarter thereafter for every debt security in the Fund:

 

(a) The identity of each portfolio holding (including the name of the issuer and obligor and the security and CUSIP Number);

 

(b) The par value for each portfolio holding; and

 

(c) The identity of any portfolio holding that is in payment default.

 

 
A-3

 

 

3. For any investment company the shares of which are held by the Fund, other than shares of any money market fund, the Fund will provide the following information at the Closing Date (for the purposes of the information to be provided at the Closing Date, such information shall be as of a date no earlier than two days prior to the Closing Date) and within 10 days after the end of every calendar quarter after the Closing Date:

 

(a) the identity of the investment company and the CUSIP Number, the number of shares owned, and the percentage of the investment company’s equity represented by the Fund’s investment;

 

(b) a representation that the portfolio of each fund investment consists solely of “Eligible Assets” based upon the affirmative representation of the target fund’s investment adviser; and

 

(c) the information contained in the most recently released financial statements of each such underlying investment company relating to the portfolio holdings of each such investment company.

 

4. The Fund will purchase Eligible Assets (primarily Municipal Obligations) for its portfolio based upon the Investment Adviser’s assessment of an asset’s relative value in terms of current yield, price, credit quality, and future prospects; and will monitor the continued creditworthiness of its portfolio investments and analyze economic, political and demographic trends affecting the markets for such assets.

 

5. The Fund has instituted policies and procedures that it believes are sufficient to ensure that the Fund complies with the representations, warranties and covenants contained in Section 6.16 of this Agreement.

 

6. The Fund will, upon request, provide the Liquidity Provider and its internal and external auditors and inspectors as the Liquidity Provider may from time to time designate, with all reasonable assistance and access to information and records of the Fund relevant to the Fund’s compliance with and performance of the representations, warranties and covenants contained in Section 6.16 of this Agreement, but only for the purposes of internal and external audit.

 

 
A-4

 


ndmo_ex996.htm

EXHIBIT 99.6

 

 

 

VRDP SHARES PURCHASE AGREEMENT

 

DATED AS OF

 

JUNE 16, 2020 BETWEEN

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,

 

AS TENDER AND PAYING AGENT

 

AND

 

THE TORONTO-DOMINION BANK, acting through its New York branch,

 

AS LIQUIDITY PROVIDER

 

BLACKROCK MUNIYIELD MICHIGAN QUALITY FUND, INC.

 

SERIES W-7

 

VARIABLE RATE DEMAND PREFERRED SHARES (“VRDP SHARES”)

 

 

 

 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

Section 1.01

Definitions

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

Section 1.02

Incorporation of Certain Definitions by Reference

 

11

 

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE II

PURCHASE OBLIGATION

 

11

 

 

 

 

 

 

Section 2.01

Commitment to Purchase VRDP Shares

 

11

 

 

 

 

 

 

Section 2.02

Method of Purchasing

 

12

 

 

 

 

 

 

Section 2.03

Extension of Scheduled Termination Date

 

18

 

 

 

 

 

 

Section 2.04

Reduction of Available Commitment

 

19

 

 

 

 

 

 

Section 2.05

Claw-Back Provision

 

19

 

 

 

 

 

 

Section 2.06

Current Special Rate Period

 

20

 

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE III

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE TENDER AND PAYING AGENT

 

20

 

 

 

 

 

 

Section 3.01

Existence; Binding Effect

 

20

 

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE IV

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE LIQUIDITY PROVIDER

 

21

 

 

 

 

 

 

Section 4.01

Existence

 

21

 

 

 

 

 

 

Section 4.02

Authorization; Contravention

 

21

 

 

 

 

 

 

Section 4.03

Binding Effect

 

21

 

 

 

 

 

 

Section 4.04

Financial Information

 

21

 

 

 

 

 

 

Section 4.05

Litigation

 

22

 

 

 

 

 

 

Section 4.06

Consents

 

22

 

 

 

 

 

 

Section 4.07

Ranking

 

22

 

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE V

DUTIES OF THE TENDER AND PAYING AGENT

 

22

 

 

 

 

 

 

Section 5.01

Duties and Responsibilities

 

22

 

 

 

 

 

 

Section 5.02

Rights of the Tender and Paying Agent

 

23

 

 

 

 

 

 

Section 5.03

Tender and Paying Agent’s Disclaimer

 

25

 

 

 

 

 

 

Section 5.04

Concerning the Securities Depository

 

25

 

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE VI

COVENANTS OF THE LIQUIDITY PROVIDER

 

26

 

 

 

 

 

 

Section 6.01

Fund Insolvency Event

 

26

 

 

 

 

 

 

Section 6.02

Waiver

 

26

 

 

 
i

 

 

Section 6.03

Notice of Extraordinary Corporate Event

 

26

 

 

 

 

 

 

Section 6.04

Additional Information

 

26

 

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE VII

MISCELLANEOUS

 

27

 

 

 

 

 

 

Section 7.01

Resignation or Removal of the Tender and Paying Agent

 

27

 

 

 

 

 

 

Section 7.02

Notices

 

27

 

 

 

 

 

 

Section 7.03

No Waivers

 

28

 

 

 

 

 

 

Section 7.04

Amendments and Waivers

 

29

 

 

 

 

 

 

Section 7.05

Successors and Assigns

 

29

 

 

 

 

 

 

Section 7.06

Term of this Agreement

 

29

 

 

 

 

 

 

Section 7.07

New York Law

 

30

 

 

 

 

 

 

Section 7.08

Waiver of Jury Trial

 

30

 

 

 

 

 

 

Section 7.09

Counterparts

 

30

 

 

 

 

 

 

Section 7.10

Beneficiaries

 

30

 

 

 

 

 

 

Section 7.11

Entire Agreement

 

31

 

 

 

 

 

 

Section 7.12

Regulatory Matters

 

31

 

 

 

 

 

 

Section 7.13

Severability

 

31

 

 

 

 

 

 

Section 7.14

Articles and Section Headings

 

31

 

 

 

 

 

 

Section 7.15

Nonpetition Covenant—Liquidity Provider

 

31

 

 

 

 

 

 

Section 7.16

Nonpetition Covenant—Tender and Paying Agent

 

31

 

 

Schedule I - Description of VRDP Shares; Remarketing Agent

 

S I-1

 

Schedule II

 

S II-1

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit A - Notice of Purchase

 

Ex. A-1

 

Exhibit B - Mandatory Purchase Notice

 

Ex. B-1

 

Exhibit C - Notice of Tender

 

Ex. C-1

 

Exhibit D - Notice of Revocation

 

Ex. D-1

 

 

 
ii

 

 

VRDP SHARES

PURCHASE AGREEMENT

 

VRDP SHARES PURCHASE AGREEMENT, dated as of June 16, 2020 between THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, a New York banking corporation, including its successors and assigns, as tender and paying agent (the “Tender and Paying Agent”) and THE TORONTO-DOMINION BANK, acting through its New York branch, including its successors and assigns, as liquidity provider (the “Liquidity Provider”).

 

WHEREAS, BlackRock MuniYield Michigan Quality Fund, Inc., a closed-end investment company organized as a Maryland corporation (the “Fund”), has authorized the issuance to Holders (as defined below) of its Variable Rate Demand Preferred Shares, as set forth on Schedule I hereto, which are subject to this Agreement (the “VRDP Shares”);

 

WHEREAS, the Fund wishes to replace the current liquidity provider of the VRDP Shares with the Liquidity Provider and maintain the liquidity of the VRDP Shares by providing for the right of the Holders and Beneficial Owners (as defined below) to tender VRDP Shares pursuant to the Statement (as defined below) and for the obligation of the Liquidity Provider to purchase VRDP Shares pursuant to the Purchase Obligation (as defined below);

 

WHEREAS, pursuant to the terms of the Tender and Paying Agent Agreement (as defined below), the Fund has retained the Tender and Paying Agent to perform certain duties with respect to the VRDP Shares, including entering into and performing its duties under this Agreement (as defined below); and

 

WHEREAS, the Statement provides that the Fund for the benefit of the Holders and Beneficial Owners of VRDP Shares shall (i) maintain an agreement providing a Purchase Obligation on an ongoing basis to the extent that the Fund can do so on a commercially reasonable basis, and (ii) provide Holders and Beneficial Owners with advance notice of any termination of the Purchase Obligation;

 

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

 

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

 

Section 1.01 Definitions.

 

The following terms, as used herein, have the following meanings:

 

1940 Act” means the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

 

Agent Member” means a Person with an account at the Securities Depository that holds one or more VRDP Shares through the Securities Depository, directly or indirectly, for a Beneficial Owner and that will be authorized and instructed, directly or indirectly, by a Beneficial Owner to disclose information to the Remarketing Agent and the Tender and Paying Agent with respect to such Beneficial Owner.

 

 
1

 

 

Agreement” means this VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement, as the same may be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time in accordance with the terms hereof.

 

Alternate VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement” means any agreement with a successor liquidity provider replacing this Agreement (or any replacement therefor) upon its termination in accordance with its terms and containing a Purchase Obligation substantially similar to the Purchase Obligation herein, as determined by the Fund.

 

Available Commitment” as of any day means, with respect to the VRDP Shares, the sum of the aggregate Liquidation Preference of the VRDP Shares then Outstanding plus all accumulated but unpaid dividends, whether or not earned or declared on such VRDP Shares.

 

Beneficial Owner” means a Person in whose name VRDP Shares are recorded as beneficial owner of such VRDP Shares by the Securities Depository, an Agent Member or other securities intermediary on the records of such Securities Depository, Agent Member or securities intermediary, as the case may be, or such Person’s subrogee, including the Liquidity Provider to the extent it is at any time such a beneficial owner of VRDP Shares (irrespective of any assignment or transfer by the Liquidity Provider of its voting rights).

 

Board” means the Board of Directors of the Fund or any duly authorized committee thereof.

 

Business Day” means a day other than a day (a) on which commercial banks in The City of New York, New York are required or authorized by law or executive order to close or (b) on which the New York Stock Exchange is closed.

 

Charter” means the Articles of Incorporation of the Fund, and all amendments thereto, as filed with the State Department of Assessments and Taxation of the State of Maryland.

 

Closing Date” means June 16, 2020.

 

Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

 

Conditional Acceptance” means a conditional acceptance by the Liquidity Provider of an extension of the Scheduled Termination Date.

 

Current Notice of Special Rate Period” means the Notice of Special Rate Period dated June 25, 2020, as amended from time to time.

 

Current Special Rate Period” means the current Special Rate Period for the VRDP Shares designated in accordance with the Statement.

 

 
2

 

 

Deposit Securities” means, as of any date, any United States dollar-denominated security or other investment of a type described below that either (i) is a demand obligation payable to the holder thereof on any Business Day or (ii) has a maturity date, mandatory redemption date or mandatory payment date, on its face or at the option of the holder, preceding the relevant payment date in respect of which such security or other investment has been deposited or set aside as a Deposit Security:

 

(1) cash or any cash equivalent;

 

(2) any U.S. Government Security;

 

(3) any Municipal Obligation that has a credit rating from at least one (1) NRSRO that is the highest applicable rating generally ascribed by such NRSRO to Municipal Obligations as of the date of the Statement (or such rating’s future equivalent), including (A) any such Municipal Obligation that has been pre-refunded by the issuer thereof with the proceeds of such refunding having been irrevocably deposited in trust or escrow for the repayment thereof and (B) any such fixed or variable rate Municipal Obligation that qualifies as an eligible security under Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act;

 

(4) any investment in any money market fund registered under the 1940 Act that qualifies under Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act, or similar investment vehicle described in Rule 12d1-1(b)(2) under the 1940 Act, that invests principally in Municipal Obligations or U.S. Government Securities or any combination thereof; or

 

(5) any letter of credit from a bank or other financial institution that has a credit rating from at least one (1) NRSRO that is the highest applicable rating generally ascribed by such NRSRO to bank deposits or short-term debt of banks or other financial institutions as of the date of the Statement (or such rating’s future equivalent).

 

Dividend Payment Date” except as otherwise provided in the Statement, means the date that is the first (1st) Business Day of each calendar month.

 

Effective Date” means 5:00 p.m. New York City time on June 24, 2020, which shall be the effective date of this Agreement.

 

Effective Leverage Ratio” has the meaning set forth in the Fee Agreement.

 

Effective Leverage Ratio Cure Period” has the meaning set forth in the Fee Agreement.

 

Electronic Means” means email transmission, facsimile transmission or other similar electronic means of communication providing evidence of transmission (but excluding online communications systems covered by a separate agreement) acceptable to the sending party and the receiving party, in any case if operative as between the relevant two (2) parties, or, if not operative, by telephone (promptly confirmed by any other method set forth in this definition), which, in the case of notices to the Tender and Paying Agent, shall be sent by such means as set forth in the Tender and Paying Agent Agreement or as specified in the related notice.

 

Exchange Act” means the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

 
3

 

 

Extraordinary Corporate Event” means as to the Liquidity Provider, (i) the consolidation, amalgamation with, or merger with or into or the transfer of all or substantially all of the Liquidity Provider’s assets to, another entity, or (ii) the dissolution, for any reason, of the Liquidity Provider other than in connection with the consolidation or amalgamation with, or merger with and into another entity, or the transfer of all or substantially all of the Liquidity Provider’s assets to another entity; provided, however, that with respect to (i) above, an Extraordinary Corporate Event does not include any of the listed occurrences where (x) the surviving entity, or transferee of all or substantially all of the Liquidity Provider’s assets, (a) assumes all of the obligations of the Liquidity Provider under the terms of this Agreement and (b) has short-term debt ratings in one of the two highest ratings categories from the Requisite NRSROs and (y) the Liquidity Provider has provided notice in writing to the Fund confirming the information described in (x) at least ten (10) days prior to the scheduled date of the applicable listed occurrence in (i) above.

 

Failed Remarketing Condition” means a Failed Remarketing Condition—Purchased VRDP Shares or a Failed Remarketing Condition—Unpurchased VRDP Shares.

 

Failed Remarketing Condition—Purchased VRDP Shares” means that the Liquidity Provider acquires and continues to be the beneficial owner for federal income tax purposes of any VRDP Shares in connection with purchases made pursuant to the Purchase Obligation (whether as a result of an unsuccessful Remarketing or a Mandatory Purchase) on any Purchase Date including VRDP Shares that the Liquidity Provider continues to be the beneficial owner of for federal income tax purposes after the expiration or termination of this Agreement.

 

Failed Remarketing Condition—Purchased VRDP Shares Redemption” means redemption by the Fund, at a redemption price equal to $100,000 per share plus accumulated but unpaid dividends thereon (whether or not earned or declared) to, but excluding, the date fixed by the Board for redemption, of VRDP Shares that the Liquidity Provider shall have acquired pursuant to the Purchase Obligation and continued to be the beneficial owner of for federal income tax purposes for a continuous period of six (6) months during which such VRDP Shares are tendered for Remarketing on each Business Day in accordance with the Related Documents but cannot be successfully remarketed pursuant to such Remarketings (i.e., a Failed Remarketing Condition—Purchased VRDP Shares shall have occurred and be continuing for such period of time with respect to such VRDP Shares), determined by the Fund on a first-in, first-out basis, in accordance with and subject to the provisions of the Fee Agreement and the Statement.

 

Failed Remarketing Condition—Unpurchased VRDP Shares” means that a Beneficial Owner (other than the Liquidity Provider or its affiliates) continues to hold VRDP Shares, that were subject to a Tender in accordance with this Agreement, after any Purchase Date as a result of the failure by the Liquidity Provider for any reason to purchase such VRDP Shares pursuant to the Purchase Obligation (whether as a result of an unsuccessful Remarketing or a Mandatory Purchase) (“Unpurchased VRDP Shares”), until such time as all Outstanding Unpurchased VRDP Shares are (i) successfully remarketed pursuant to a Remarketing, (ii) purchased by the Liquidity Provider pursuant to the Purchase Obligation, or (iii) if not successfully remarketed pursuant to a Remarketing or purchased by the Liquidity Provider pursuant to the Purchase Obligation, the subject of a validly tendered Notice of Revocation (or any combination of the foregoing); and any Unpurchased VRDP Shares shall be deemed tendered for Remarketing until the earliest to occur of the foregoing events (i), (ii) or (iii) with respect to such Unpurchased VRDP Shares.

 

 
4

 

 

Fee Agreement” means the VRDP Shares Fee Agreement, dated as of June 16, 2020, between the Fund and the Liquidity Provider, as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time, or any similar agreement with a successor liquidity provider.

 

Final Notice of Purchase” means, in connection with an Optional Tender or a Mandatory Tender, a Notice of Purchase delivered by the Tender and Paying Agent to the Liquidity Provider (or directly to the Liquidity Provider by Beneficial Owners or their Agent Members, in the case of an Optional Tender, or Holders, in the case of a Mandatory Tender, if there is no Tender and Paying Agent or for any reason the Tender and Paying Agent does not perform its obligations) on the Purchase Date indicating the number of VRDP Shares to be purchased on such date pursuant to the Purchase Obligation, or, in connection with a Mandatory Purchase, the Mandatory Purchase Notice delivered by the Fund or the Tender and Paying Agent on behalf of the Fund.

 

Fitch” means Fitch Ratings.

 

Fund” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.

 

Fund Insolvency Event” means that the Fund becomes a debtor under Title 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code or becomes subject to insolvency or liquidation proceedings under any United States federal or state, or other applicable law.

 

Global VRDP Shares” means the VRDP Shares issued in book-entry form, deposited with the Tender and Paying Agent on behalf of the Securities Depository and registered in the name of a nominee of the Securities Depository.

 

Holder” means a Person in whose name a VRDP Share is registered in the registration books of the Fund maintained by the Tender and Paying Agent.

 

The word “including” means “including without limitation.

 

Investment Adviser” means BlackRock Advisors, LLC, or any successor company or entity.

 

Liquidation Preference,” with respect to a given number of VRDP Shares, means $100,000 times that number.

 

Liquidity Provider” has the meaning set forth in the preamble of this Agreement.

 

Liquidity Provider Ratings Event” means the Liquidity Provider shall fail to maintain at any time short-term debt ratings in one of the two highest rating categories from the Requisite NRSROs.

 

Liquidity Provider Ratings Event Termination Date” means the date established by the Tender and Paying Agent, acting upon instructions of the Fund pursuant to the Tender and Paying Agent Agreement, for termination of this Agreement upon the occurrence of a Liquidity Provider Ratings Event, which date shall be not less than sixteen (16) days nor more than thirty (30) days following the date on which such Liquidity Provider Ratings Event first occurs.

 

 
5

 

 

Losses” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.02(o).

 

Mandatory Purchase” means the mandatory purchase of Outstanding VRDP Shares by the Liquidity Provider pursuant to this Agreement in connection with a Mandatory Purchase Event.

 

Mandatory Purchase Date” means the Purchase Date for a Mandatory Purchase determined in accordance with the Statement and this Agreement.

 

Mandatory Purchase Event” means, (i) in connection with the termination of this Agreement due to its expiration as of a Scheduled Termination Date, by the fifteenth (15th) day prior to any such Scheduled Termination Date, (a) the Liquidity Provider shall not have agreed to an extension or further extension of the Scheduled Termination Date to a date not earlier than 364 days from the Scheduled Termination Date of this Agreement then in effect, and (b) the Fund shall not have obtained and delivered to the Tender and Paying Agent an Alternate VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement with a termination date not earlier than 364 days from the Scheduled Termination Date of this Agreement, or (ii) in connection with the termination of this Agreement due to a Liquidity Provider Ratings Event or Related Party Termination Event, by the fifteenth (15th) day prior to the Liquidity Provider Ratings Event Termination Date or Related Party Termination Date, as the case may be, the Fund shall not have obtained and delivered to the Tender and Paying Agent an Alternate VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement with a termination date not earlier than 364 days from the Liquidity Provider Ratings Event Termination Date or Related Party Termination Date, as the case may be, of this Agreement. The Mandatory Purchase Event shall be deemed to occur on such fifteenth (15th) day prior to any Scheduled Termination Date, Liquidity Provider Ratings Event Termination Date or Related Party Termination Date, as the case may be.

 

Mandatory Purchase Notice” means, in connection with the Mandatory Purchase of VRDP Shares, a notice substantially in the form attached to this Agreement as Exhibit B, delivered by the Fund or the Tender and Paying Agent on behalf of the Fund to the Holders and the Liquidity Provider in accordance with the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement specifying a Mandatory Purchase Date.

 

Mandatory Tender,” with respect to a Mandatory Tender Event, means the mandatory tender of all VRDP Shares by Holders for Remarketing, or, in the event (i) no Remarketing occurs on or before the Purchase Date or (ii) pursuant to an attempted Remarketing, VRDP Shares remain unsold and the Remarketing Agent does not purchase for its own account the unsold VRDP Shares tendered to the Tender and Paying Agent for Remarketing (provided, that the Remarketing Agent may seek to sell such VRDP Shares in a subsequent Remarketing prior to the Purchase Date), for purchase by the Liquidity Provider at the Purchase Price pursuant to Section 2 of Part II of the Statement and this Agreement.

 

 
6

 

 

Mandatory Tender Event” means (a) each failure by the Fund to make a scheduled payment of dividends on a Dividend Payment Date; (b) the occurrence of a Liquidity Provider Ratings Event (which shall constitute a single Mandatory Tender Event upon the occurrence of such Liquidity Provider Ratings Event, whether or not continuing and whether or not such Liquidity Provider Ratings Event also results in a Mandatory Purchase Event; provided that, following restoration of the short-term debt ratings to the requisite level, a subsequent Liquidity Provider Ratings Event shall constitute a new Mandatory Tender Event); (c) in the event of a failure by the Fund to pay the Liquidity Provider the applicable fee when due in advance under the terms of the Fee Agreement by seven Business Days prior to the beginning of the month to which such payment relates, if the Liquidity Provider (in its sole discretion) thereafter provides written notice to the Fund that such failure to pay such fee constitutes a Mandatory Tender Event; (d) the eighth (8th) day prior to the scheduled date of the occurrence of an Extraordinary Corporate Event; (e) the Fund shall have obtained and delivered to the Tender and Paying Agent an Alternate VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement by the fifteenth (15th) day prior to the Scheduled Termination Date, Liquidity Provider Ratings Event Termination Date or Related Party Termination Date, as the case may be, of this Agreement; (f) the Fund shall have provided a Notice of Proposed Special Rate Period in accordance with the Statement; or (g) in the event of a breach by the Fund of its Effective Leverage Ratio covenant with the Liquidity Provider set forth in the Fee Agreement and the failure to cure such breach within sixty (60) days from the date of such breach (which 60-day period would include the Effective Leverage Ratio Cure Period), if the Liquidity Provider (in its sole discretion) thereafter provides written notice to the Fund and the Tender and Paying Agent that the failure to timely cure such breach constitutes a Mandatory Tender Event (subject to the Fund curing such breach prior to the delivery date of such notice from the Liquidity Provider).

 

Mandatory Tender Notice” means, in connection with the Mandatory Tender of VRDP Shares, a notice, substantially in the form attached to the VRDP Shares Remarketing Agreement as Annex II, delivered by the Fund or the Tender and Paying Agent on behalf of the Fund to the Holders and the Liquidity Provider in accordance with this Agreement and specifying a Mandatory Tender Event and Purchase Date.

 

Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.

 

Municipal Obligations” means Municipal Bonds described in Schedule II herein.

 

Notice of Purchase” means, as the context requires, a Preliminary Notice of Purchase or a Final Notice of Purchase, in each case, substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto.

 

Notice of Redemption” has the meaning specified in paragraph (c) of Section 10 of Part I of the Statement.

 

Notice of Revocation” means, in connection with the revocation by a Beneficial Owner or its Agent Member of its Notice of Tender, a notice, substantially in the form attached to this Agreement as Exhibit D and the Tender and Paying Agent Agreement as Exhibit C, delivered by a Beneficial Owner or its Agent Member to the Tender and Paying Agent indicating an intention to revoke the tender of some or all of the VRDP Shares for sale on a Purchase Date pursuant to Section 1 of Part II of the Statement.

 

Notice of Tender” means, in connection with an Optional Tender, a notice, substantially in the form attached to this Agreement as Exhibit C and the Tender and Paying Agent Agreement as Exhibit A, delivered by a Beneficial Owner or its Agent Member to the Tender and Paying Agent indicating an intention to tender VRDP Shares for sale on a Purchase Date pursuant to Section 1 of Part II of the Statement.

 

NRSRO” means a “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” within the meaning of Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act, that is not an “affiliated person” (as defined in Section 2(a)(3) of the 1940 Act) of the Fund or the Liquidity Provider, including, at the date hereof, Moody’s and Fitch.

 

 
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Optional Tender” means any tender of VRDP Shares by a Beneficial Owner or its Agent Member to the Tender and Paying Agent, other than a Mandatory Tender, for Remarketing or, in the event (i) no Remarketing occurs on or before the Purchase Date, or (ii) pursuant to an attempted Remarketing, VRDP Shares remain unsold and the Remarketing Agent does not purchase for its own account the unsold VRDP Shares tendered to the Tender and Paying Agent for Remarketing (provided, that the Remarketing Agent may seek to sell such VRDP Shares in a subsequent Remarketing prior to the Purchase Date), for purchase by the Liquidity Provider pursuant to Section 2 of Part II of the Statement and this Agreement.

 

Outstanding” means, as of any date with respect to the VRDP Shares, the number of VRDP Shares theretofore issued by the Fund except, without duplication, (i) any VRDP Shares theretofore cancelled or delivered to the Tender and Paying Agent for cancellation or redemption by the Fund, (ii) any VRDP Shares with respect to which the Fund has given a Notice of Redemption and irrevocably deposited with the Tender and Paying Agent sufficient Deposit Securities to redeem such VRDP Shares, pursuant to Section 10 of Part I of the Statement, (iii) any VRDP Shares as to which the Fund shall be a Beneficial Owner, and (iv) any VRDP Shares represented by any certificate in lieu of which a new certificate has been executed and delivered by the Fund; provided, however, with respect to clause (ii), any such VRDP Shares will be deemed to be Outstanding for purposes of this Agreement until redeemed by the Fund.

 

Person” means and includes an individual, a partnership, a corporation, a trust, an unincorporated association, a joint venture or other entity or a government or any agency or political subdivision thereof.

 

Preliminary Notice of Purchase” means a Notice of Purchase delivered by the Tender and Paying Agent to the Liquidity Provider (or directly to the Liquidity Provider by Beneficial Owners or their Agent Members if there is no Tender and Paying Agent or for any reason the Tender and Paying Agent does not perform its obligations) on the Business Day immediately preceding a Purchase Date indicating the number of VRDP Shares to be purchased on the Purchase Date pursuant to the Purchase Obligation.

 

Purchase Date,” with respect to any purchase of VRDP Shares, means (i) in connection with an Optional Tender, the date specified in a Notice of Tender, which date shall be no earlier than the seventh (7th) day (or, if such day is not a Business Day, the next succeeding Business Day) following delivery to the Tender and Paying Agent of the Notice of Tender, (ii) in connection with a Mandatory Tender, the date specified in the Mandatory Tender Notice (or, if such day is not a Business Day, the next succeeding Business Day), subject to the immediately succeeding sentence below, or (iii) in connection with a Mandatory Purchase, the Mandatory Purchase Date specified in the Mandatory Purchase Notice (or, if such day is not a Business Day, the next succeeding Business Day). The Purchase Date in respect of a Mandatory Tender Event shall be not later than seven (7) days following the date a Mandatory Tender Notice is sent to Holders by Electronic Means; provided, that: (A) the Purchase Date in connection with the failure of the Fund to pay the applicable fee to the Liquidity Provider may not be later than the last Business Day of the month such payment was due; (B) the Purchase Date in connection with the occurrence of an Extraordinary Corporate Event may not be later than the Business Day immediately preceding the occurrence of the Extraordinary Corporate Event (and, if no earlier Purchase Date is specified in a Mandatory Tender Notice with respect to such Extraordinary Corporate Event, the Business Day immediately preceding the occurrence of the Extraordinary Corporate Event shall be deemed to be the Purchase Date irrespective of the failure to have given or sent a Mandatory Tender Notice); (C) the Purchase Date in connection with the Fund obtaining an Alternate VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement may not be later than the Business Day immediately preceding the termination of this Agreement and the effective date of such Alternate VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement (which may not be later than the termination date of this Agreement); and (D) the Purchase Date in connection with a Notice of Proposed Special Rate Period may not be later than the first (1st) day of such proposed Special Rate Period.

 

 
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Purchase Obligation” means the unconditional and irrevocable obligation of the Liquidity Provider during the term and pursuant to the terms of this Agreement to purchase Outstanding VRDP Shares on any Purchase Date at the Purchase Price from Beneficial Owners, in the case of any Optional Tender, and Holders, in the case of any Mandatory Tender or any Mandatory Purchase, in each case following delivery of a Final Notice of Purchase with respect to such VRDP Shares.

 

Purchase Price” means an amount equal to the Liquidation Preference of any VRDP Shares to be purchased on a Purchase Date, plus any accumulated but unpaid dividends thereon (whether or not earned or declared), if any, to, but excluding, the relevant Purchase Date.

 

Purchased VRDP Shares” means all VRDP Shares purchased by the Liquidity Provider pursuant to Article II of this Agreement, so long as the Liquidity Provider continues to be the beneficial owner for federal income tax purposes of such VRDP Shares.

 

Related Documents” means this Agreement, the Charter, the Statement, the VRDP Shares, the VRDP Shares Remarketing Agreement, the Fee Agreement and the Tender and Paying Agent Agreement.

 

Related Party” means a related party for purposes of Section 267(b) or Section 707(b) of the Code, as such provisions may be amended from time to time.

 

Related Party Termination Date” means the effective date of the termination of this Agreement in accordance with its terms following the occurrence of a Related Party Termination Event.

 

Related Party Termination Event” means the Liquidity Provider becoming a Related Party of the Fund other than through the acquisition of VRDP Shares pursuant to the terms of this Agreement.

 

Remarketing” means the remarketing of VRDP Shares by the Remarketing Agent on behalf of the Beneficial Owners thereof pursuant to an Optional Tender or on behalf of the Holders thereof pursuant to a Mandatory Tender, as provided in the VRDP Shares Remarketing Agreement and the Statement.

 

 
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Remarketing Agent” means, with respect to the VRDP Shares, the Person or Persons designated as Remarketing Agent for the VRDP Shares with the prior written consent of the Liquidity Provider (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), initially as set forth in Schedule I hereto, and its or their permitted successors and assigns. The Liquidity Provider’s execution of this Agreement shall constitute its consent to the designation of the Remarketing Agent set forth in Schedule I.

 

Remarketing Notice” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.02(h).

 

Requisite NRSROs” means (i) any two (2) NRSROs that have issued a rating with respect to a security or class of debt obligations of an issuer; or (ii) if only one (1) NRSRO has issued a rating with respect to such security or class of debt obligations of an issuer at the time a purchaser Acquires (as such term is defined from time to time in Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act) the security, that NRSRO.

 

Scheduled Termination Date” means July 9, 2021, or any succeeding date to which the term of this Agreement is extended pursuant to Section 2.03.

 

SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

Securities Depository” means The Depository Trust Company, New York, New York, and any substitute for or successor to such securities depository that shall maintain a book-entry system with respect to the VRDP Shares.

 

Special Optional Tender Provisions” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.02(e).

 

Special Rate Period” with respect to the VRDP Shares, has the meaning specified in paragraph (a) of Section 4 of Part I of the Statement.

 

Statement” means the Articles Supplementary Establishing and Fixing the Rights and Preferences of the VRDP Shares, as amended from time to time in accordance with the provisions thereof, as applicable with respect to the Fund.

 

Tender” means either a Mandatory Tender or an Optional Tender, as applicable.

 

Tender and Paying Agent” means The Bank of New York Mellon or, with the prior written consent of the Liquidity Provider (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), any successor Person, which has entered into an agreement with the Fund to act in such capacity as the Fund’s tender agent, transfer agent, registrar, dividend disbursing agent, paying agent, redemption price disbursing agent and calculation agent in connection with the payment of regularly scheduled dividends with respect to VRDP Shares.

 

Tender and Paying Agent Agreement” means the amended and restated tender and paying agent agreement, dated as of June 16, 2020, by and between the Fund and the Tender and Paying Agent, as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time, or any similar agreement with a successor tender and paying agent.

 

 
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Termination Event” means a termination of this Agreement (a) on a Scheduled Termination Date, as such date may be extended pursuant to the terms hereof, (b) following written notice provided by the Tender and Paying Agent pursuant to Section 7.06(b) hereof following the occurrence of a Liquidity Provider Ratings Event at any time during the term hereof or (c) on a Related Party Termination Date.

 

U.S. Government Securities” means direct obligations of the United States or of its agencies or instrumentalities that are entitled to the full faith and credit of the United States and that, other than United States Treasury Bills, provide for the periodic payment of interest and the full payment of principal at maturity or call for redemption.

 

VRDP Shares” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.

 

VRDP Shares Remarketing Agreement” means the VRDP Shares remarketing agreement, dated as of June 16, 2020, by and between the Fund and the Remarketing Agent, as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time, or any similar agreement with a successor remarketing agent.

 

written” or “in writing” means any form of written communication, including communication by means of telex, telecopier or electronic mail.

 

Section 1.02 Incorporation of Certain Definitions by Reference.

 

Each capitalized term used herein and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meaning provided therefor (including by incorporation by reference) in the Statement. Any day not referred to herein as a Business Day shall mean a calendar day.

 

ARTICLE II

PURCHASE OBLIGATION

 

Section 2.01 Commitment to Purchase VRDP Shares.

 

(a) The Liquidity Provider agrees, commencing on the Effective Date of this Agreement, to purchase at the Purchase Price any Outstanding VRDP Shares that are properly tendered in accordance with the Statement and this Agreement, including, without limitation to any other provision of this Agreement, on the Purchase Date for a Mandatory Tender in connection with the Fund obtaining an Alternate VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement and the Purchase Date for a Mandatory Purchase Event. The Liquidity Provider agrees that in no event shall amounts paid by it in respect of the Purchase Price be paid from funds or property of the Fund, including, without limitation, any funds derived from funds that the Fund may have on deposit with the Liquidity Provider. The obligation of the Liquidity Provider to purchase VRDP Shares pursuant to this Agreement shall run to the benefit of those beneficiaries identified in Section 7.10 and shall be unconditional and irrevocable in accordance with the provisions hereof, without regard to, without limitation, any failure of the representations, warranties, agreements or performance of the Tender and Paying Agent set forth herein or of the Fund set forth in the Fee Agreement or the termination of the obligations of the Remarketing Agent under Section 10 of the VRDP Shares Remarketing Agreement.

 

 
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(b) The obligation of the Liquidity Provider hereunder to purchase VRDP Shares of any Holder or Beneficial Owner on any Purchase Date shall be unconditional upon delivery to the Liquidity Provider of a written Final Notice of Purchase from the Tender and Paying Agent by Electronic Means or, if there is no Tender and Paying Agent or for any reason the Tender and Paying Agent does not perform its obligations hereunder, from any Holder or Beneficial Owner; provided that, in the case of a Mandatory Purchase, the Final Notice of Purchase shall automatically be deemed given upon the Mandatory Purchase Notice being delivered to the Liquidity Provider in accordance herewith.

 

(c) In the case of an Optional Tender or a Mandatory Tender, the Liquidity Provider shall be obligated to purchase only those Outstanding VRDP Shares subject to a Final Notice of Purchase. In the case of a Mandatory Purchase, the Liquidity Provider shall be obligated to purchase all Outstanding VRDP Shares.

 

Section 2.02 Method of Purchasing.

 

(a) Pursuant to an Optional Tender, Beneficial Owners may elect to tender their VRDP Shares (in denominations equal to the Liquidation Preference) for purchase at the Purchase Price on the Purchase Date designated in the Notice of Tender (or if such day is not a Business Day, on the next succeeding Business Day) by a proper delivery of a Notice of Tender to the Tender and Paying Agent. Each Notice of Tender will be irrevocable (except as described below) and effective upon receipt by the Tender and Paying Agent and shall:

 

(i) be delivered by a Beneficial Owner, directly or through its Agent Member, by email transmission (or if email transmission shall be unavailable, by facsimile transmission), to the Tender and Paying Agent not later than 2:00 p.m., New York City time, on any Business Day;

 

(ii) state the series and the aggregate number of VRDP Shares to be purchased, the CUSIP number of the VRDP Shares to be purchased and the Purchase Date and be in substantially the form of and contain such other information specified in Exhibit C to this Agreement; and

 

(iii) state that the tendering Beneficial Owner acknowledges that such Beneficial Owner is required to deliver the VRDP Shares that are the subject of a Notice of Tender (that has not been duly revoked as described below) on or before 2:00 p.m., New York City time, on the Purchase Date.

 

(b) Upon receipt of a Notice of Tender, the Tender and Paying Agent shall provide a copy of such notice to the Liquidity Provider and the Remarketing Agent (with a copy to the Fund) as promptly as practicable by Electronic Means, but no later than 4:00 p.m., New York City time, on the date of receipt or deemed receipt. Any Notice of Tender that is delivered to the Tender and Paying Agent by a Beneficial Owner or its Agent Member after 2:00 p.m., New York City time, shall be deemed to have been received by the Tender and Paying Agent on the next succeeding Business Day, and the Purchase Date shall be adjusted such that the Purchase Date shall be the Business Day next succeeding the date specified as the Purchase Date in the Notice of Tender. The Tender and Paying Agent’s determination as to whether a Notice of Tender has been properly delivered shall be conclusive and binding on a Beneficial Owner and its Agent Member.

 

 
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(c) VRDP Shares are subject to Mandatory Tender upon the occurrence of a Mandatory Tender Event. So long as the VRDP Shares are in book-entry form and held through the Securities Depository, any Mandatory Tender will be effected automatically through the book-entry system of the Securities Depository, without any action required on the part of the Holders or Beneficial Owners.

 

(i) Promptly following the occurrence of a Mandatory Tender Event, and in any event within three (3) Business Days thereafter, the Fund, or the Tender and Paying Agent at the direction of the Fund (provided, that the Tender and Paying Agent may require up to two (2) Business Days prior notification by Electronic Means by the Fund), shall provide a Mandatory Tender Notice by Electronic Means to the Holders, the Remarketing Agent and the Liquidity Provider, specifying a Purchase Date for all Outstanding VRDP Shares. Any notice given in respect of a Mandatory Tender under the Statement shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given, whether or not the Holders receive such notice.

 

(ii) Upon the occurrence of a Mandatory Tender Event, all Outstanding VRDP Shares automatically shall be subject to Mandatory Tender and delivered to the Tender and Paying Agent for purchase on the designated Purchase Date by purchasers in the Remarketing in the event of a successful Remarketing or otherwise by the Liquidity Provider, including any VRDP Shares previously tendered pursuant to an Optional Tender for which the Purchase Date has not yet occurred. In the event that VRDP Shares are issued in certificated form outside the book-entry system of the Securities Depository and a Holder of VRDP Shares fails to deliver such VRDP Shares to which a Mandatory Tender relates on or prior to the Purchase Date, the Holder of such VRDP Shares shall not be entitled to any payment (including any accumulated but unpaid dividends thereon, whether or not earned or declared) other than the Purchase Price of such undelivered VRDP Shares as of the scheduled Purchase Date. Any such undelivered VRDP Shares shall be deemed to be delivered to the Tender and Paying Agent, and the Tender and Paying Agent shall place stop-transfer orders against the undelivered VRDP Shares. Any moneys held by the Tender and Paying Agent for the purchase of undelivered VRDP Shares shall be held in a separate account by the Tender and Paying Agent, shall not be invested, and shall be held for the exclusive benefit of the Holder of such undelivered VRDP Shares. The undelivered VRDP Shares shall be deemed to be no longer Outstanding (except as to entitlement to payment of the Purchase Price), and the Fund shall issue to the purchaser replacement VRDP Shares certificates in lieu of such undelivered VRDP Shares.

 

 
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(d) A Beneficial Owner or its Agent Member that delivered a Notice of Tender in connection with an Optional Tender may deliver in writing by email transmission (or if email transmission shall be unavailable, by facsimile transmission) to the Tender and Paying Agent, not later than 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on or prior to the Business Day immediately preceding the Purchase Date, a Notice of Revocation, a form of which is attached hereto as Exhibit D, to the effect that such Beneficial Owner wishes to revoke its election to tender some or all of the VRDP Shares that were specified in such Notice of Tender to be purchased. Any Notice of Revocation delivered to the Tender and Paying Agent shall be promptly delivered by Electronic Means by the Tender and Paying Agent to the Liquidity Provider and the Remarketing Agent (with a copy to the Fund) by 12:00 noon, New York City time, on the Business Day immediately preceding the relevant Purchase Date. The Remarketing Agent (following receipt of such Notice of Revocation) shall notify the Tender and Paying Agent and the Liquidity Provider of the number of VRDP Shares specified in such Notice of Revocation that are subject to an agreement of sale pursuant to a Remarketing by Electronic Means not later than 2:00 p.m., New York City time, on the Business Day immediately preceding the Purchase Date. The Tender and Paying Agent shall contact the Remarketing Agent by Electronic Means by 1:45 p.m., New York City time, if such notification has not been received by such time. The Tender and Paying Agent shall deliver such notification to the Beneficial Owner or its Agent Member promptly following receipt from the Remarketing Agent, and in any event by 4:00 p.m., New York City time, on the Business Day immediately preceding the Purchase Date. Any such Notice of Revocation shall be effective (without further action on the part of the Beneficial Owner or its Agent Member) as a revocation of the Optional Tender of the number of VRDP Shares specified therein as being sought to be revoked, but (except as set forth below) only if and to the extent that the Remarketing Agent has not entered into an agreement to sell such VRDP Shares. A Notice of Revocation shall be effective as to the number of VRDP Shares specified therein as having been revoked less the number of such VRDP Shares in respect of which the Remarketing Agent has so notified the Tender and Paying Agent and the Liquidity Provider that it has entered into an agreement of sale. Notwithstanding the foregoing, tendered VRDP Shares, if any, that remain unsold on the related Purchase Date shall be allocated by the Remarketing Agent to each Notice of Revocation received in respect of VRDP Shares tendered for purchase on such Purchase Date and not already satisfied in the chronological order in which each such Notice of Revocation was received by the Tender and Paying Agent, and each such Notice of Revocation shall be effective only to the extent of such allocation and availability of unsold VRDP Shares.

 

(e) In connection with any Special Rate Period designated pursuant to the Statement, the Board, without the vote or consent of any Holder of VRDP Shares but with prior written consent of the Liquidity Provider, in the Notice of Special Rate Period relating to the VRDP Shares, as delivered to the Remarketing Agent and the Liquidity Provider, may provide for optional tender provisions relating solely to such Special Rate Period (“Special Optional Tender Provisions”) whereby the minimum number of days’ notice required for an Optional Tender may exceed seven (7) days as specified in the Special Optional Tender Provisions for such Special Rate Period.

 

(f) Pursuant to the Statement, the Fund has agreed in the Fee Agreement to use its best efforts to engage at all times a Remarketing Agent that is a nationally recognized securities dealer with experience in remarketing variable-rate securities whose appointment has been consented to in writing by the Liquidity Provider (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld) to use its best efforts to find purchasers for all VRDP Shares properly tendered pursuant to a Tender.

 

 
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(g) In connection with any attempted Remarketing, all tendered VRDP Shares shall be remarketed at the Purchase Price of such VRDP Shares. The calculation of the Purchase Price of the VRDP Shares that are remarketed or purchased by the Liquidity Provider shall be made by the Remarketing Agent in advance of such Remarketing or purchase and, together with the details of the aggregate number and Purchase Price of remarketed VRDP Shares and the aggregate number and Purchase Price of VRDP Shares to be purchased by the Liquidity Provider pursuant to the Purchase Obligation, shall be communicated by the Remarketing Agent to the Fund, the Liquidity Provider and the Tender and Paying Agent by Electronic Means by 2:00 p.m., New York City time, on the Business Day immediately preceding the Purchase Date, as described below. The proceeds of any sale of any remarketed VRDP Shares by the Remarketing Agent relating to tendered VRDP Shares will be used by the Tender and Paying Agent for the purchase of the tendered VRDP Shares at the Purchase Price, and the terms of the sale will provide for the wire transfer of such Purchase Price by the Remarketing Agent to be received by the Tender and Paying Agent no later than 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on the related Purchase Date for payment to the Agent Member of the Beneficial Owner, in the case of an Optional Tender, or Holder, in the case of a Mandatory Tender, tendering VRDP Shares for sale through the Securities Depository in immediately available funds against delivery of the tendered VRDP Shares to the Tender and Paying Agent through the Securities Depository, the delivery of such VRDP Shares to the Tender and Paying Agent through the Securities Depository no later than 2:00 p.m., New York City time, on the related Purchase Date, and the re-delivery of such VRDP Shares by means of “FREE” delivery through the Securities Depository to the Remarketing Agent for delivery to the purchaser’s Agent Member through the Securities Depository by 3:00 p.m., New York City time, on the related Purchase Date.

 

(h) By 2:00 p.m., New York City time, on the Business Day immediately preceding each Purchase Date, the Remarketing Agent shall deliver a notice to the Tender and Paying Agent and the Liquidity Provider (a “Remarketing Notice”), by Electronic Means, that sets forth the number of VRDP Shares, if any, that it successfully remarketed for purchase on such Purchase Date and the aggregate Purchase Price of such sold VRDP Shares and the number of VRDP Shares, if any, not successfully remarketed for purchase on such Purchase Date and the aggregate Purchase Price of such unsold VRDP Shares to be paid by the Liquidity Provider. If the Remarketing Notice states that the Remarketing Agent has not successfully remarketed all of the VRDP Shares to be purchased on such Purchase Date, the Tender and Paying Agent shall promptly, and in any event not later than 4:00 p.m., New York City time, on such Business Day, deliver by Electronic Means to the Liquidity Provider (with a copy to the Fund) a Preliminary Notice of Purchase that, subject to delivery of the Final Notice of Purchase on the Purchase Date described below, provides for the purchase by the Liquidity Provider of the number of such VRDP Shares that the Remarketing Agent stated in the Remarketing Notice as not having been successfully remarketed, including the aggregate Purchase Price of such VRDP Shares, as calculated by the Remarketing Agent. If the Remarketing Notice states that the Remarketing Agent has not successfully remarketed all of the VRDP Shares to be purchased on such Purchase Date (or if proceeds from a Remarketing of any tendered VRDP Shares have not been received for any reason by the Tender and Paying Agent by 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on the Purchase Date), the Tender and Paying Agent shall deliver by Electronic Means to the Liquidity Provider (with a copy to the Fund) by 12:00 noon, New York City time, on such Purchase Date a Final Notice of Purchase that states the number of VRDP Shares required to be purchased by the Liquidity Provider. For purposes of the Final Notice of Purchase, any tendered VRDP Shares for which proceeds from a Remarketing have not been received for any reason by the Tender and Paying Agent by 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on the Purchase Date (other than VRDP Shares owned by the Remarketing Agent or Liquidity Provider and tendered for Remarketing), shall be treated as not having been successfully remarketed and shall be required to be purchased by the Liquidity Provider. Except for manifest error, the payment obligation of the Liquidity Provider shall equal the Purchase Price of the VRDP Shares stated in the Final Notice of Purchase delivered to the Liquidity Provider, as being required to be purchased by the Liquidity Provider.

 

 
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(i) The Liquidity Provider shall, no later than 2:00 p.m., New York City time, on a Purchase Date for any VRDP Shares, wire transfer the aggregate Purchase Price of all VRDP Shares in respect of which Final Notices of Purchase have been delivered to it for purchase on such date, as follows: (i) in the case of a Final Notice of Purchase delivered by the Tender and Paying Agent, by wire transfer, in immediately available funds, to the account of the Tender and Paying Agent specified by the Tender and Paying Agent in any such Final Notice of Purchase and (ii) in the case of a Final Notice of Purchase delivered by a Beneficial Owner or its Agent Member, in the case of an Optional Tender, or by a Holder, in the case of a Mandatory Tender, in the event there is no Tender and Paying Agent or for any reason the Tender and Paying Agent does not perform its obligations under this Agreement and the Liquidity Provider has received a Remarketing Notice that such VRDP Shares have not been the subject of an agreement of sale in a Remarketing and has received written notice from the Fund that there is no Tender and Paying Agent or that the Tender and Paying Agent does not intend to perform its obligations hereunder, by payment against delivery of the VRDP Shares that are the subject of any such Final Notice of Purchase, in each case above, through means of the Securities Depository in the case of Global VRDP Shares. The Fund is required pursuant to the Statement, in the event there is no Tender and Paying Agent or for any reason the Tender and Paying Agent does not perform its obligations under this Agreement, to (i) upon becoming aware thereof, promptly notify the Liquidity Provider, the Remarketing Agent and Holders by Electronic Means of such event and (ii) so long as such event is continuing, use its best efforts to direct the Remarketing Agent to forward, concurrently with the delivery thereof to the Liquidity Provider or as promptly as practicable thereafter, any Remarketing Notice to each Beneficial Owner or Holder tendering VRDP Shares that are the subject of such notice(s).

 

(j) Upon receipt by the Tender and Paying Agent from the Beneficial Owner or its Agent Member, in the case of an Optional Tender, or from the Holder, in the case of a Mandatory Tender, of tendered VRDP Shares and the payment by the Tender and Paying Agent to such Beneficial Owner or its Agent Member, or such Holder as the case may be, of the Purchase Price therefor on the applicable Purchase Date, the Tender and Paying Agent shall deliver to the Liquidity Provider, by means of “FREE” delivery through the system of the Securities Depository, VRDP Shares in satisfaction of the Liquidity Provider’s Purchase Obligation on such Purchase Date. Any funds paid by the Liquidity Provider and held in the account of the Tender and Paying Agent for the payment of the Purchase Price shall be held in trust (i) in the case of an Optional Tender, on the Purchase Date, for the benefit of the tendering Beneficial Owners or their Agent Members until the VRDP Shares are delivered by the tendering Beneficial Owners or their Agent Members and, after the Purchase Date, for the benefit of the Liquidity Provider, for payment of the Purchase Price upon delivery of the VRDP Shares or, with respect to VRDP Shares that are not delivered, for return to the Liquidity Provider upon its request and (ii) in the case of a Mandatory Tender, for the benefit of the tendering Holders until delivery of the VRDP Shares by the tendering Holders against payment therefor. Any funds paid by the Remarketing Agent and held in an account of the Tender and Paying Agent for the payment of the Purchase Price in connection with a Remarketing shall be held in trust (i) in the case of an Optional Tender, on the Purchase Date, for the benefit of the tendering Beneficial Owners or their Agent Members until the VRDP Shares are delivered by the tendering Beneficial Owners or their Agent Members and, after the Purchase Date, for the benefit of the Remarketing Agent on account of purchasers purchasing in a Remarketing or for the Remarketing Agent’s account to the extent it has advanced the Purchase Price of any VRDP Shares on behalf of one or more purchasers, as applicable, for payment of the Purchase Price upon delivery of the VRDP Shares or, with respect to VRDP Shares that are not delivered, for return to the Remarketing Agent on account of purchasers purchasing in a Remarketing or for the Remarketing Agent’s account to the extent it has advanced the Purchase Price of any VRDP Shares on behalf of one or more purchasers, as applicable, upon the Remarketing Agent’s request and (ii) in the case of a Mandatory Tender, for the benefit of the tendering Holders until delivery of the VRDP Shares by the tendering Holders against payment therefor. Upon receipt of VRDP Shares from the tendering Beneficial Owners or their Agent Members, in the case of an Optional Tender, or from the tendering Holders, in the case of a Mandatory Tender, by the Tender and Paying Agent, the Tender and Paying Agent shall pay, subject to receipt of the Purchase Price by the Tender and Paying Agent in the form of proceeds of a Remarketing from the Remarketing Agent, with respect to VRDP Shares remarketed by the Remarketing Agent, or in the form of payment pursuant to this Agreement from the Liquidity Provider, with respect to the VRDP Shares subject to purchase pursuant to the Purchase Obligation, the Purchase Price for such VRDP Shares to such tendering Beneficial Owner, Agent Member or Holder, as the case may be. In accordance with and subject to the foregoing, the Tender and Paying Agent shall effect any such payment on the applicable Purchase Date.

 

 
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(k) Except as otherwise expressly provided for herein, the purchase and delivery of tendered Global VRDP Shares and their Remarketing will be accomplished in accordance with the applicable procedures of the Securities Depository.

 

(l) In the event of a Failed Remarketing Condition, of which the Tender and Paying Agent has received notice labeled “Notice of Failed Remarketing Condition” by Electronic Means from the Fund, the Tender and Paying Agent shall provide notice of such Failed Remarketing Condition within two (2) Business Days of receipt by the Tender and Paying Agent of such notice of such Failed Remarketing Condition, by Electronic Means (or by first class mail, postage prepaid, in the case where the VRDP Shares are in physical form outside the book-entry system of the Securities Depository), to the Holders (with a copy to the Fund).

 

(m) At any time that no Purchase Obligation is in effect (or with respect to a Remarketing of VRDP Shares held by the Liquidity Provider as to which any then effective Purchase Obligation by a successor liquidity provider is inapplicable), any VRDP Shares unsold in a Remarketing shall be returned to the tendering Beneficial Owners or their Agent Members, or the relevant tendering Holders, as the case may be, by the Tender and Paying Agent.

 

(n) VRDP Shares are subject to Mandatory Purchase by the Liquidity Provider upon the occurrence of a Mandatory Purchase Event. Promptly following the occurrence of a Mandatory Purchase Event, and in any event within three (3) Business Days thereafter, the Fund, or the Tender and Paying Agent at the direction of the Fund (provided, that the Tender and Paying Agent may require up to two (2) Business Days prior notification by Electronic Means by the Fund), shall provide a Mandatory Purchase Notice by Electronic Means to the Holders and the Liquidity Provider, specifying a Mandatory Purchase Date for all Outstanding VRDP Shares. The Mandatory Purchase Date shall not be later than seven (7) days following the date a Mandatory Purchase Notice is sent to Holders by Electronic Means, and in any event shall be not later than the Business Day immediately preceding the termination of this Agreement. Any notice given in respect of a Mandatory Purchase under the Statement shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given, whether or not the Holders receive such notice. Upon the occurrence of a Mandatory Purchase Event, all Outstanding VRDP Shares automatically shall be subject to Mandatory Purchase by the Liquidity Provider at the Purchase Price on the Mandatory Purchase Date, including any VRDP Shares tendered pursuant to an Optional Tender or Mandatory Tender for which the Purchase Date has not yet occurred. In the event that VRDP Shares are issued in certificated form outside the book-entry system of the Securities Depository and a Holder fails to deliver such VRDP Shares to which a Mandatory Purchase relates, on or prior to the Mandatory Purchase Date, the Holder of such VRDP Shares shall not be entitled to any payment (including any accumulated but unpaid dividends thereon, whether or not earned or declared) other than the Purchase Price of such undelivered VRDP Shares as of the scheduled Purchase Date. Any such undelivered VRDP Shares shall be deemed to be delivered to the Tender and Paying Agent, and the Tender and Paying Agent shall place stop-transfer orders against the undelivered VRDP Shares. Any moneys held by the Tender and Paying Agent for the purchase of undelivered VRDP Shares shall be held in a separate account, shall not be invested, and shall be held for the exclusive benefit of the Holder of such undelivered VRDP Shares. The undelivered VRDP Shares shall be deemed to be no longer Outstanding (except as to entitlement to payment of the Purchase Price), and the Fund will issue to the purchaser replacement VRDP Shares certificates in lieu of such undelivered VRDP Shares.

 

 
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(o) The Liquidity Provider shall not have any responsibility for, or incur any liability in respect of, any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses (including reasonable fees and expenses of counsel) (“Losses”) relating to any act by the Tender and Paying Agent, or any failure by the Tender and Paying Agent to act or to perform any of its obligations, other than Losses arising out of the bad faith, gross negligence or willful misconduct of the Liquidity Provider.

 

(p) VRDP Shares purchased by the Liquidity Provider pursuant to this Section 2.02 shall be delivered to the Liquidity Provider or its nominee as specified by the Liquidity Provider.

 

(q) If there is no Tender and Paying Agent or for any reason the Tender and Paying Agent does not perform any of its foregoing obligations hereunder on behalf of any Beneficial Owner or Holder, such Beneficial Owner or its Agent Member or Holder may perform any such obligations in place of the Tender and Paying Agent (if any) with respect to the VRDP Shares of such Beneficial Owner or Holder and payments shall be made to the account(s) specified by such Beneficial Owners or Holders.

 

Section 2.03 Extension of Scheduled Termination Date.

 

Under the Fee Agreement, the Fund shall have the right, exercisable not more than one hundred twenty (120) days nor less than ninety (90) days prior to the Scheduled Termination Date, to request that the Liquidity Provider extend the term of such Scheduled Termination Date for an additional period of up to 180 days or, if mutually agreed upon by the parties to the Fee Agreement, a period greater than 180 days, which request may be conditioned upon terms and conditions that are different from the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the Fee Agreement then in effect. The Liquidity Provider shall, no later than thirty (30) days after receiving such request, notify the Fund and the Tender and Paying Agent of its acceptance or rejection of such request, which acceptance by the Liquidity Provider may be a Conditional Acceptance conditioned upon terms and conditions which are different from the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the Fee Agreement then in effect or the terms and conditions proposed by the Fund in making an extension request. If the Liquidity Provider fails to notify the Fund and the Tender and Paying Agent of its acceptance or rejection of the Fund’s request for extension within such 30-day period, such failure to respond shall constitute a rejection of such request. If the Liquidity Provider provides a Conditional Acceptance, then the Fund shall have thirty (30) days thereafter to notify the Liquidity Provider and the Tender and Paying Agent of its acceptance or rejection of the terms and conditions specified in the Liquidity Provider’s Conditional Acceptance. The Fund’s failure to notify the Liquidity Provider and the Tender and Paying Agent within the 30-day period will be deemed a rejection of the terms and conditions specified in the Liquidity Provider’s Conditional Acceptance. Under the Fee Agreement, the Fund will acknowledge and agree that the Liquidity Provider may grant or deny any request for extension of the Scheduled Termination Date in its sole and absolute discretion.

 

 
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Section 2.04 Reduction of Available Commitment.

 

As of the opening of business on the day following the Liquidity Provider’s receipt of written notice (which the Tender and Paying Agent will provide within two (2) Business Days of receipt of notice from the Fund) of any redemption or other repurchase of VRDP Shares consummated by the Fund, the Available Commitment shall automatically be reduced by the amount applicable to the VRDP Shares so redeemed or otherwise repurchased; and the Available Commitment in respect of such VRDP Shares shall be extinguished and shall not thereafter be revived, except with the prior written consent of the Liquidity Provider. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein is intended to expand the terms of the Purchase Obligation.

 

Section 2.05 Claw-Back Provision.

 

In the event that any dividends or redemption proceeds paid by the Fund on Outstanding VRDP Shares prior to the occurrence of a Fund Insolvency Event are required to be, and are, paid over to the bankruptcy estate of the Fund pursuant to a final, non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction arising out of a Fund Insolvency Event, any Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) of VRDP Shares that has paid over to the bankruptcy estate of the Fund pursuant to such judgment any dividends or redemption proceeds previously received from the Fund may demand reimbursement from the Liquidity Provider of any amounts so paid. The Liquidity Provider agrees to make such reimbursement payment within three (3) Business Days of receipt of any such demand for payment made in writing and accompanied by evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Liquidity Provider of payment made to the bankruptcy estate of the Fund by or on behalf of the demanding party. In connection with any reimbursement payment by the Liquidity Provider, the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) of VRDP Shares shall be deemed to have transferred, assigned and conveyed to the Liquidity Provider the right to receive from the Fund and the bankruptcy estate of the Fund any such dividends or redemption proceeds in exchange for the reimbursement payment by the Liquidity Provider, and the Beneficial Owner (or former Beneficial Owner) shall execute, acknowledge and deliver such further conveyances, assignments and other documents as the Liquidity Provider may reasonably request and are reasonably necessary in order to effectuate such assignment. The provisions of this Section 2.05 shall survive any expiration or termination of this Agreement, in respect of any dividends or redemption proceeds paid by the Fund on Outstanding VRDP Shares during the term of this Agreement, and shall be in addition to any other obligation of the Liquidity Provider under this Agreement.

 

 
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Section 2.06 Current Special Rate Period.

 

The terms set forth in this Section 2.06 shall be applicable during the Current Special Rate Period and such terms shall supersede any other terms, provisions or obligations set forth in this Agreement during the Current Special Rate Period. This Section 2.06 shall have no force or effect after the last day of the Current Special Rate Period and the terms and provisions therein shall be deemed deleted and removed from this Agreement in its entirety thereafter without any further action from the Tender and Paying Agent or the Liquidity Provider.

 

(a) During the Current Special Rate Period, Beneficial Owners and Holders shall not have the right to tender their VRDP Shares for Remarketing pursuant to an Optional Tender.

 

(b) During the Current Special Rate Period, there shall be no Mandatory Tender Events or Mandatory Tenders or any consequences or penalties as a result of there being no Mandatory Tender Events or Mandatory Tenders.

 

(c) During the Current Special Rate Period, the terms and provisions of the Current Notice of Special Rate Period shall be deemed a part of the Statement.

 

(d) In the event of any conflict between the terms of the Current Notice of Special Rate Period and the terms of the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement or the Related Documents (as amended by any amendments thereto), the terms of the Current Notice of Special Rate Period shall govern.

 

ARTICLE III

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE TENDER AND PAYING AGENT

 

The representations and warranties set out in this Article III are given hereunder by the Tender and Paying Agent on the Closing Date only and are not repeated on any subsequent date.

 

Section 3.01 Existence; Binding Effect.

 

The Tender and Paying Agent represents and warrants to the Liquidity Provider that (i) the Tender and Paying Agent is duly organized and is validly existing as a banking corporation under the laws of the State of New York, (ii) it has the corporate power to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement and each other Related Document to which it is a party and (iii) this Agreement constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Tender and Paying Agent except as the same may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws related to or affecting the rights of creditors generally from time to time in effect and by general principles of equity.

 

 
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ARTICLE IV

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE LIQUIDITY PROVIDER

 

The representations and warranties set out in this Article IV are given hereunder by the Liquidity Provider on Closing Date only and are not repeated on any subsequent date.

 

Section 4.01 Existence.

 

The Liquidity Provider is a Canadian chartered bank duly established and validly existing under the Bank Act (Canada) and duly licensed to operate its New York branch located at 31 West 52nd Street, New York, NY 10019 (the “New York Branch”). The Liquidity Provider has all requisite power and authority to execute and deliver, and to perform its obligations under, this Agreement, including, without limitation, the Purchase Obligation, and to do so acting through its New York Branch.

 

Section 4.02 Authorization; Contravention.

 

The execution, delivery and performance by the Liquidity Provider of this Agreement, including, without limitation, the Purchase Obligation, are within the Liquidity Provider’s powers, have been duly authorized by all necessary action, require no action by or in respect of, or filing with, any governmental body, agency or official and do not violate or contravene, or constitute a default under, any provision of applicable law, charter, ordinance or regulation or of any agreement, judgment, injunction, order, decree or other instrument binding upon the Liquidity Provider or result in the creation or imposition of any lien or encumbrance on any asset of the Liquidity Provider, except for such violations, contraventions, defaults, liens or encumbrances that would not have a material adverse effect on the Liquidity Provider’s ability to pay when due and otherwise perform its obligations under this Agreement and the Fee Agreement, including, without limitation, the Purchase Obligation; provided, however, that the foregoing exception shall not apply to any violation or contravention of the Liquidity Provider’s charter.

 

Section 4.03 Binding Effect.

 

This Agreement, including, without limitation, the Purchase Obligation, constitutes a valid and binding agreement of the Liquidity Provider, enforceable in accordance with its terms except as (i) the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and (ii) the availability of equitable remedies may be limited by equitable principles of general applicability, it being understood that the enforceability of indemnification provisions may be subject to limitations imposed under applicable securities laws.

 

Section 4.04 Financial Information.

 

The consolidated financial statements of the Liquidity Provider, which comprise the consolidated balance sheet as at October 31, 2019 and October 31, 2018, and the consolidated statements of income, comprehensive income, changes in equity, and cash flows for each of the years in the three-year period ended October 31, 2019, copies of which are publicly available, present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Liquidity Provider and its consolidated subsidiaries as at October 31, 2019 and October 31, 2018, and its financial performances and its cash flows for each of the years in the period ended October 31, 2019 in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board. Since the date of the most recent such financial statement, no transaction or event has occurred and no change has occurred in the condition (financial or otherwise) or operations of the Liquidity Provider that would materially and adversely affect its ability to perform its obligations under this Agreement or the Fee Agreement, including, without limitation, the Purchase Obligation.

 

 
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Section 4.05 Litigation.

 

Except as disclosed in the publicly available financial statements of the Liquidity Provider, no action, suit, proceeding or investigation is pending or (to the best knowledge of the Liquidity Provider) overtly threatened in writing against the Liquidity Provider in any court or before any governmental authority in any way contesting or, if decided adversely, would affect the validity of this Agreement, including, without limitation, the Purchase Obligation.

 

Section 4.06 Consents.

 

All consents, licenses, approvals, validations and authorizations of, and registrations, validations or declarations by or with, any court or any regulatory, supervisory or governmental agency, bureau or agency required to be obtained in connection with the performance by the Liquidity Provider under this Agreement or the execution and delivery by, or the validity or enforceability against, the Liquidity Provider of this Agreement and the other Related Documents to which the Liquidity Provider is a party have been obtained and are in full force and effect.

 

Section 4.07 Ranking.

 

The obligations of the Liquidity Provider hereunder rank pari passu with all other senior unsecured obligations of the Liquidity Provider (other than any such obligations preferred by statute or by operation of law).

 

ARTICLE V

DUTIES OF THE TENDER AND PAYING AGENT

 

Section 5.01 Duties and Responsibilities.

 

(a) The Tender and Paying Agent is acting solely as agent for the Fund hereunder and owes no duties, fiduciary or otherwise, to any other Person by reason of this Agreement, other than to the Liquidity Provider as and to the extent expressly provided for herein.

 

(b) The Tender and Paying Agent undertakes to perform such duties and only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Agreement and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Agreement against the Tender and Paying Agent.

 

(c) In the absence of negligence or willful misconduct on its part, the Tender and Paying Agent shall not be liable for any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in the performance of its duties under this Agreement. The Tender and Paying Agent shall not be liable for any error of judgment made in good faith unless and to the extent it is negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts.

 

 
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Section 5.02 Rights of the Tender and Paying Agent.

 

(a) The Tender and Paying Agent shall not incur liability for following the instructions herein contained or expressly provided for, or written instructions authorized hereby. The Tender and Paying Agent may conclusively rely and shall be fully protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any communication authorized hereby and upon any written instruction, notice, request, direction, consent, report, certificate, share certificate or other instrument, paper or document, believed by it, in the absence of manifest error or bad faith, to be genuine. The Tender and Paying Agent shall not be liable for acting upon any telephone communication authorized hereby which the Tender and Paying Agent reasonably believes in the absence of bad faith to have been given by the Fund, a Holder, a Beneficial Owner, an Agent Member, the Liquidity Provider or the Remarketing Agent. The Tender and Paying Agent may record telephone communications with the Fund, the Liquidity Provider and the Remarketing Agent in connection with its duties hereunder.

 

(b) The Tender and Paying Agent may consult with counsel of its choice and the advice or opinion of such counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in reliance thereon.

 

(c) The Tender and Paying Agent shall not be required to advance, expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur or become exposed to financial liability in the performance of its duties hereunder.

 

(d) The Tender and Paying Agent may perform its duties and its rights hereunder either directly or by or through agents or attorneys and shall not be responsible for misconduct or negligence on the part of any agent or attorney not affiliated with the Tender and Paying Agent appointed by it with due care hereunder. The Tender and Paying Agent shall notify the Fund of the appointment of any such non-affiliated agents or attorneys hereunder.

 

(e) Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, in no event shall the Tender and Paying Agent be liable for special, indirect, punitive or consequential loss or damage of any kind whatsoever (including but not limited to lost profits), even if the Tender and Paying Agent has been advised of the likelihood of such loss or damage and regardless of the form of action.

 

(f) The Tender and Paying Agent shall not be obligated to take any legal action hereunder that might, in its judgment, involve any expenses or liability, unless it has been furnished with indemnity reasonably satisfactory to it.

 

(g) The Tender and Paying Agent shall not be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations under this Agreement arising out of or caused, directly or indirectly, by circumstances beyond its reasonable control, including, without limitation, acts of God; earthquakes; flood; terrorism; wars and other military disturbances; sabotage; epidemics; riots; interruptions; loss or malfunctions of utilities, computer (hardware or software) or communication services; accidents; labor disputes; acts of civil or military authority and governmental action. The Tender and Paying Agent shall use commercially reasonable efforts to commence performance of its obligations during any of the foregoing circumstances.

 

 
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(h) The Tender and Paying Agent makes no representation as to, and shall have no liability with respect to, the correctness of the recitals in, or the validity (with respect to parties other than the Tender and Paying Agent), accuracy or adequacy of this Agreement (including any schedules hereto), any VRDP Shares, the Statement, any offering material used in connection with the offer and sale of any VRDP Shares or any other agreement or instrument executed in connection with the transactions contemplated herein or in any thereof.

 

(i) The permissive right of the Tender and Paying Agent under this Agreement to take or omit to take any action shall not be construed as a duty.

 

(j) The Tender and Paying Agent may request that the Liquidity Provider deliver a certificate setting forth the names of individuals and/or titles of officers authorized at such time to take specified actions pursuant to this Agreement, which certificate may be signed by any Person authorized to sign such a certificate, including any Person specified as so authorized in any such certificate previously delivered and not superseded.

 

(k) Unless otherwise mutually agreed in writing between the Liquidity Provider and the Tender and Paying Agent, the Tender and Paying Agent shall have no duty or obligation to pay any interest or earnings on or with respect to amounts held or deposited hereunder or to invest any funds deposited with it at any time pursuant to this Agreement. In the event the Liquidity Provider and the Tender and Paying Agent shall otherwise agree, any interest or earnings on or with respect to any amount held or deposited hereunder shall be remitted to the Fund in accordance with such agreement. The Tender and Paying Agent shall be under no duty or obligation to collateralize or pledge any security therefor, or to segregate any amounts hereunder except as may be required by law; provided, however, that the Tender and Paying Agent shall hold any Purchase Price received from the Liquidity Provider, with respect to VRDP Shares subject to purchase pursuant to the Purchase Obligation, or the Remarketing Agent, with respect to VRDP Shares remarketed by the Remarketing Agent, in separate accounts in trust for the benefit of the parties specified in Section 2.02(j)) or the return of such Purchase Price to the Liquidity Provider or the Remarketing Agent as provided in Section 2.02(j)).

 

(l) The Tender and Paying Agent, in its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of VRDP Shares with the same rights it would have if it were not Tender and Paying Agent.

 

(m) Nothing contained herein shall be construed to require the Tender and Paying Agent to advance its own funds to any Holder if sufficient funds have not been deposited with the Tender and Paying Agent by the Fund for the purpose of making payments hereunder.

 

(n) Except as set out in Section 5.04(b), the Tender and Paying Agent shall have no duty to examine and shall not be charged with knowledge of the contents of any report, information or document delivered to it hereunder. The Tender and Paying Agent shall have no duty to determine the occurrence or continuance of any event or events that constitute a Liquidity Provider Ratings Event, Mandatory Tender Event, Mandatory Purchase Event, Failed Remarketing Condition, Failed Remarketing Condition—Purchased VRDP Shares Redemption or Related Party Termination Event, or to determine whether any agreement satisfies the requirements of an Alternate VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement.

 

 
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(o) The Tender and Paying Agent has no obligation under the terms of this Agreement or otherwise to enforce any rights or exercise any remedies that may be available to any Holder or Beneficial Owner or other Person that arise out of or relate to this Agreement or otherwise.

 

Section 5.03 Tender and Paying Agent’s Disclaimer.

 

The Tender and Paying Agent makes no representation as to the validity (except with respect to itself) or adequacy of this Agreement or any VRDP Shares issued or to be issued.

 

Section 5.04 Concerning the Securities Depository.

 

(a) Neither the Liquidity Provider nor the Tender and Paying Agent shall have any responsibility or obligation to any Beneficial Owner of an interest in the Global VRDP Shares, an Agent Member or other Person with respect to the accuracy of the records of the Securities Depository or its nominee or of any Agent Member, with respect to any ownership interest in the Global VRDP Shares or with respect to the delivery to any Agent Member, Beneficial Owner or other Person (other than the Securities Depository to the extent provided in the Related Documents) of any notice (including any Notice of Redemption) or the payment of any amount, under or with respect to such VRDP Shares. All notices and communications to be given to the Holders and all payments to be made to Holders under this Agreement or the other Related Documents shall be given or made only to or upon the order of the registered holders (which shall be the Securities Depository or its nominee in the case of Global VRDP Shares). The rights of Beneficial Owners in the Global VRDP Shares shall be exercised only through the Securities Depository subject to the applicable procedures of the Securities Depository. The Liquidity Provider and the Tender and Paying Agent shall be entitled to rely and shall be fully protected in acting upon information furnished by the Securities Depository with respect to its members, participants and any beneficial owners. The Fund and the Tender and Paying Agent shall be entitled to deal with the Securities Depository, and any nominee thereof that is the registered holder of any Global VRDP Shares for all purposes of this Agreement or the other Related Documents relating to such Global VRDP Shares (including the payment of dividends, redemption price, if any, and additional amounts, if any, and the giving of instructions or directions by or to the owner or holder of a beneficial ownership interest in such Global VRDP Shares), as the sole holder of such Global VRDP Shares and shall have no obligations to the Beneficial Owners thereof. Neither the Liquidity Provider nor the Tender and Paying Agent shall have any responsibility or liability for any acts or omissions of the Securities Depository with respect to such Global VRDP Shares, for the records of the Securities Depository, including records in respect of beneficial ownership interests in respect of any such Global VRDP Shares, for any transactions between the Securities Depository and any Agent Member or between or among the Securities Depository, any such Agent Member and/or any holder or owner of a beneficial interest in such Global VRDP Shares, or for any transfers of beneficial interests in any such Global VRDP Shares.

 

 
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(b) The Tender and Paying Agent shall have no obligation or duty to monitor, determine or inquire as to compliance with any restrictions on transfer imposed under the other Related Documents or this Agreement or under applicable law with respect to any transfer of any interest in any VRDP Shares (including any transfers between or among Agent Members or Beneficial Owners of interests in any Global VRDP Shares), other than to require delivery of such certificates, other documentation or evidence, if any, as are expressly required by, and to do so if and when expressly required by the terms of this Agreement, and to examine the same to determine substantial compliance as to form with the express requirements hereof.

 

ARTICLE VI

COVENANTS OF THE LIQUIDITY PROVIDER

 

The Liquidity Provider agrees that, so long as there is any Purchase Obligation hereunder or any amount payable by it hereunder:

 

Section 6.01 Fund Insolvency Event.

 

The Liquidity Provider agrees to perform all of its obligations hereunder, including the obligation to purchase the VRDP Shares in accordance with Article II herein, notwithstanding a Fund Insolvency Event.

 

Section 6.02 Waiver.

 

In the event of a termination of this Agreement as a result of a Termination Event, the Liquidity Provider waives its right with respect to the exercise of the Purchase Obligation provided by any successor liquidity provider in an Alternate VRDP Purchase Agreement in respect of any Purchased VRDP Shares, but not, for the avoidance of doubt, any right of any Holders or Beneficial Owners of any such Purchased VRDP Shares, subsequent to the sale of such Purchased VRDP Shares by the Liquidity Provider in a successful Remarketing or otherwise to exercise such Purchase Obligation provided by any successor liquidity provider in accordance with the terms of such Alternate VRDP Purchase Agreement.

 

Section 6.03 Notice of Extraordinary Corporate Event.

 

To the extent permitted under applicable confidentiality restrictions, the Liquidity Provider shall provide (a) written notice of an Extraordinary Corporate Event and (b) the written notice referred to in clause (y) in the definition of an Extraordinary Corporate Event, to the Fund at least ten (10) days prior to the scheduled date of the occurrence of an Extraordinary Corporate Event or ten (10) days prior to the scheduled date of the applicable listed occurrence in clause (i) of such definition, respectively.

 

Section 6.04 Additional Information.

 

If at any time the Liquidity Provider is not furnishing information to the SEC pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, in order to preserve the exemption for resales and transfers under Rule 144A, the Liquidity Provider shall furnish, or cause to be furnished, to Holders and Beneficial Owners of VRDP Shares and prospective purchasers of VRDP Shares, upon request, information with respect to the Liquidity Provider satisfying the requirements of subsection (d)(4) of Rule 144A.

 

 
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ARTICLE VII

MISCELLANEOUS

 

Section 7.01 Resignation or Removal of the Tender and Paying Agent.

 

Any resignation or removal of the Tender and Paying Agent shall be effective only upon a replacement Tender and Paying Agent entering into a replacement of this Agreement with the Liquidity Provider.

 

Section 7.02 Notices.

 

All notices, requests and other communications to the Liquidity Provider shall be in writing (including by Electronic Means), except in the case of notices and other communications permitted to be given by telephone, and shall be given to such party at its address or telecopy number or email address set forth below or to such other Person and/or such other address or telecopy number or email address as such party may hereafter specify for the purpose by notice to the other party. All notices, requests, demands and communications to be delivered to the Tender and Paying Agent shall be sent by Electronic Means to the attention of the Tender and Paying Agent at the office of the Tender and Paying Agent as set forth below or to such other Persons and/or such other addresses, telecopy numbers or email addresses as such party may hereafter specify for the purpose of notice to the other party. Each such notice, request or other communication shall be effective (i) if given by mail, upon receipt, or (ii) if given by any other means, when delivered at the address specified in this Section. The notice address for each party is specified below:

 

(a)         if to the Liquidity Provider:

 

The Toronto-Dominion Bank, acting through its New York branch

31 West 52nd Street

New York, NY 10019

Attention: Rick Fogliano, Head of Municipal Products

Tel: (212) 827-7172

Fax: (212) 827-7173

Email:  [email protected]

            [email protected] and

            [email protected]

 

Wire Instructions:

 

Bank of America, NT & SA

New York, NY

ABA# 026009593

Credit: Toronto Dominion (TEXAS) LLC

Account#: 6550-6-53000

 

 
27

 

 

(b)         if to the Tender and Paying Agent:

 

The Bank of New York Mellon

Corporate Trust Division

Dealing and Trading Group

240 Greenwich Street

Floor 7 East

New York, New York 10286

Fax: (212) 815-2830

Monika Kozdra-Rusin, Vice President

Tel: (212) 815-5787

Fax: (732) 667-9221

Email: [email protected]

 

Wire Instructions:

 

The Bank of New York Mellon

New York New York

ABA# 021 000 018

For Further Credit to Account #7041168400

Acct Name: BlackRock MY MI Qlty Fd - Fund

Ref: mm/dd/yy and Event (e.g., Purchase Date or Mandatory Tender)

Attn: Monika Kozdra-Rusin, Tel: (212) 815-5787

 

Any payments required to be made by either party to the other, or any VRDP Shares required to be delivered by the Tender and Paying Agent to the Liquidity Provider, unless otherwise provided in a Related Document or otherwise instructed in writing by the applicable party, shall be made in immediately available funds or delivered, by wire transfer, to the account of the applicable party listed under “Wire Instructions.

 

Section 7.03 No Waivers.

 

(a) The rights of the Liquidity Provider hereunder are separate from and in addition to any rights that the Liquidity Provider, as a holder of any VRDP Shares, may have under the terms of such VRDP Shares or any Related Document or otherwise.

 

(b) No failure or delay by the Liquidity Provider in exercising any right, power or privilege hereunder or under the VRDP Shares or any other Related Document shall operate as a waiver thereof nor shall any single or partial exercise thereof preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or privilege. No failure or delay by the Liquidity Provider in exercising any right, power or privilege under or in respect of the VRDP Shares or any other Related Document shall affect the rights, powers or privileges of the Liquidity Provider hereunder or thereunder or shall operate as a limitation or waiver thereof. The rights and remedies herein provided shall be cumulative and not exclusive of any rights or remedies provided by law.

 

 
28

 

 

Section 7.04 Amendments and Waivers.

 

Any provision of this Agreement may be amended or waived with the consent of the Fund if, but only if, such amendment or waiver is in writing and is signed by the Tender and Paying Agent and the Liquidity Provider; provided, that no amendment or waiver that affects any preference, right or power of the VRDP Shares or the Holders thereof shall be made except as permitted under the Charter and the Statement, and agreed to by the Fund. The provisions of Section 7.10 relating to the third-party beneficiary rights of the Holders and Beneficial Owners may be amended only with the prior written consent of the Holders of 100% of the Outstanding VRDP Shares.

 

Section 7.05 Successors and Assigns.

 

The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns. Neither party hereto may assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement without the prior written consent of the other party and the Fund, except pursuant to the proviso to the definition of “Extraordinary Corporate Event”. Any assignment or transfer without such prior written consent shall be void. The obligations of the Liquidity Provider to purchase VRDP Shares pursuant to this Agreement shall run to the benefit of those beneficiaries identified in Section 7.10 and the Purchase Obligation evidenced hereby shall not be transferable except in connection with a transfer of VRDP Shares or any beneficial interest therein, whereupon the Purchase Obligation shall automatically run to the benefit of the transferee.

 

Section 7.06 Term of this Agreement.

 

(a) Subject to subsections (b) and (c) below, this Agreement shall terminate on the later of (i) the earlier of (x) the Scheduled Termination Date (as such date may be extended in accordance with Section 2.03 hereof) and (y) the reduction of the Available Commitment of the Liquidity Provider to zero; and (ii) the date of payment of all sums payable by the Liquidity Provider pursuant to this Agreement.

 

(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) the Tender and Paying Agent, acting upon instructions of the Fund, may terminate this Agreement prior to the Scheduled Termination Date (as such date may be extended in accordance with Section 2.03 hereof) in accordance with this Section 7.06(b) as of the Liquidity Provider Ratings Event Termination Date specified by notice in writing to the Liquidity Provider following the occurrence of a Liquidity Provider Ratings Event or (ii) this Agreement shall terminate prior to the Scheduled Termination Date (as such date may be extended in accordance with Section 2.03 hereof) as of a Related Party Termination Date upon the occurrence of a Related Party Termination Event. The Liquidity Provider will use reasonable efforts to notify the Tender and Paying Agent and the Fund as soon as practicable at any time the Liquidity Provider believes it is highly likely a Related Party Termination Event will occur.

 

(c) No expiration or termination of this Agreement shall be effective, so long as VRDP Shares are Outstanding, until the completion of a Mandatory Purchase in respect thereof, if then required under the Statement, including the purchase by the Liquidity Provider of any VRDP Shares required to be purchased by it as a result thereof pursuant to this Agreement.

 

 
29

 

 

Section 7.07 New York Law.

 

This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of New York, without regard to conflict of laws principles that would require the application of the laws of another jurisdiction.

 

THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY SUBMIT TO THE NON-EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF THE FEDERAL AND NEW YORK STATE COURTS LOCATED IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK IN CONNECTION WITH ANY DISPUTE RELATED TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY MATTERS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.

 

Section 7.08 Waiver of Jury Trial.

 

Each of the Tender and Paying Agent, the Liquidity Provider and each third party beneficiary of this Agreement hereby waives trial by jury in any action, proceeding or counterclaim brought by any of the parties hereto or beneficiaries hereof against the other on any matters whatsoever arising out of or in any way connected with this Agreement.

 

Section 7.09 Counterparts.

 

This Agreement may be signed in counterparts, each of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument.

 

Unless otherwise provided in this Agreement or in any VRDP Share certificate, the words “execute,” “execution,” “signed” and “signature” and words of similar import used in or related to any document to be signed in connection with this Agreement, the VRDP Share certificate or any of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby (including amendments, waivers, consents and other modifications) shall be deemed to include electronic signatures and the keeping of records in electronic form, each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature in ink or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as applicable, to the fullest extent and as provided for in any applicable law, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act and any other similar state laws based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act.

 

Section 7.10 Beneficiaries.

 

This Agreement is not intended and shall not be construed to confer upon any Person other than the parties hereto and their successors and permitted assigns any rights or remedies hereunder, except that the agreement of the Liquidity Provider to purchase VRDP Shares in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement is made for the benefit of the Holders and Beneficial Owners from time to time of the VRDP Shares and shall be directly enforceable by the Holders or Beneficial Owners against the Liquidity Provider.

 

 
30

 

 

Section 7.11 Entire Agreement.

 

This Agreement shall constitute the entire agreement and understanding between the parties hereto with respect to the matters set forth herein and shall supersede any and all prior agreements and understandings relating to the subject matter hereof.

 

Section 7.12 Regulatory Matters.

 

Each party hereto acknowledges and agrees that it shall not be a condition precedent to the Purchase Obligation that any seller of VRDP Shares demonstrate or account for any loss.

 

Section 7.13 Severability.

 

If any clause, provision or section hereof shall be ruled invalid or unenforceable by any court of competent jurisdiction, the invalidity or unenforceability of such clause, provision or section shall not affect any of the remaining clauses, provisions or sections hereof.

 

Section 7.14 Articles and Section Headings.

 

The Articles and Section headings and the Table of Contents herein are for convenience of reference only, and shall not affect the construction, or limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.

 

Section 7.15 Nonpetition Covenant—Liquidity Provider.

 

Notwithstanding any prior termination of this Agreement, The Toronto-Dominion Bank, acting through its New York branch, solely in its capacity as Liquidity Provider, hereby covenants and agrees that it shall not, prior to the date which is one (1) year and one (1) day after the redemption and the payment in full of the VRDP Shares and all accumulated dividends thereon, petition or otherwise invoke the process of any court or government authority for the purpose of commencing a case against the Fund under any federal or state bankruptcy, insolvency or similar law or appointing a receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, custodian, sequestrator or other similar official of the Fund or any substantial part of the property of the Fund; provided, however, that nothing in this provision shall preclude, or be deemed to stop, the Liquidity Provider from taking any action prior to the expiration of the aforementioned one (1) year and one (1) day period (x) in any case or proceeding voluntarily filed or commenced by the Fund, (y) in any involuntary insolvency proceeding filed or commenced against the Fund by a Person other than the Liquidity Provider, or (z) with respect to its rights or preferences as a Beneficial Owner or Holder of VRDP Shares.

 

Section 7.16 Nonpetition Covenant—Tender and Paying Agent.

 

Notwithstanding any prior termination of this Agreement, The Bank of New York Mellon, solely in its capacity as Tender and Paying Agent, hereby covenants and agrees that it shall not, prior to the date which is one (1) year and one (1) day after the redemption and the payment in full of the VRDP Shares and all accumulated dividends, petition or otherwise invoke process of any court or government authority for the purpose of commencing a case against, the Fund under any federal or state bankruptcy, insolvency or similar law or appointing a receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, custodian, sequestrator or other similar official of the Fund or any substantial part of the property of the Fund; provided, however, that nothing in this provision shall preclude, or be deemed to stop, the Tender and Paying Agent from taking any action prior to the expiration of the aforementioned one (1) year and one (1) day period (x) in any case or proceeding voluntarily filed or commenced by the Fund, (y) in any involuntary insolvency proceeding filed or commenced against the Fund by a Person other than the Tender and Paying Agent, or (z) with respect to its rights or preferences as a Beneficial Owner or Holder of VRDP Shares.

 

[Signature Page Follows]

 

 
31

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized officers as of the day and year first above written.

 

 

The Bank of New York Mellon,

as Tender and Paying Agent

       
By: /s/ Glenn G. McKeever

 

Name:

Glenn G. McKeever  
  Title: Vice President  
       

 

The Toronto-Dominion Bank

as Liquidity Provider

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Robert C. Franciscus

 

 

Name:

Robert C. Franciscus

 

 

Title:

Authorized Signature

 

 

 

[Signature Page - MIY Purchase Agreement]

 

 

SCHEDULE I

 

Description of VRDP Shares:

 

2,319 Series W-7 Variable Rate Demand Preferred Shares, par value $0.10 per share, with a liquidation preference of $100,000 per share.

 

 

 

Remarketing Agent:

 

TD Securities (USA) LLC

 

 

S I-1

 

 

SCHEDULE II

 

 

 

 

S II-1

 

 

EXHIBIT A

 

To be completed by Tender and Paying Agent only —

Check applicable Box:

☐ This is a Preliminary Notice of Purchase

☐ This is a Final Notice of Purchase

 

 

NOTICE OF PURCHASE

 

[Date]

 

The Toronto-Dominion Bank, acting through its New York branch

31 West 52nd Street

New York, NY 10019

Attention: Rick Fogliano, Head of Municipal Products

 

BlackRock MuniYield Michigan Quality Fund, Inc.

100 Bellevue Parkway

Wilmington, DE 19809

 

 

Re:

BlackRock MuniYield Michigan Quality Fund, Inc. - Series W-7 Variable Rate Demand Preferred Shares (“VRDP Shares”)

 

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

Reference is made to the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement dated as of June 16, 2020 (as heretofore amended, modified or supplemented, the “Agreement”) between The Bank of New York Mellon, as the Tender and Paying Agent, and The Toronto-Dominion Bank, acting through its New York branch, as the Liquidity Provider. Capitalized terms used herein shall have the meanings given to them in or by reference to the Agreement.

 

Pursuant to Section 2.01(b) of the Agreement, the undersigned [Tender and Paying Agent] [Beneficial Owner] [Agent Member of a Beneficial Owner] [Holder] hereby notifies you of [number] VRDP Shares (CUSIP 09254V600) to be purchased by you on [•] [today] (the “Purchase Date”) pursuant to Section 2.02 of the Agreement. The aggregate Purchase Price of such VRDP Shares is dollars ($ ). Of such aggregate Purchase Price, dollars ($ ) comprises the aggregate liquidation preference of such VRDP Shares and dollars ($ ) comprises accumulated but unpaid dividends on such VRDP Shares to and including the Purchase Date.

 

The Purchase Price should be provided in immediately available funds to:

 

[Insert Appropriate Wire Instructions for the Tender and Paying Agent]

 

[If there is no Tender and Paying Agent or the Tender and Paying Agent does not perform its obligations:]

 

[Insert Appropriate Wire Instructions]

 

 
Exhibit A-1

 

 

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

 

 

  The Bank of New York Mellon, as Tender and Paying Agent
       
By:

 

Name:

 
  Title:  

 

 

[To be executed only if there is no Tender and Paying Agent or the Tender and Paying Agent does not perform its obligations]

 

 

 

 

 

In the case of a Beneficial Owner:

       
By:

 

Name:

 
  Title:  

 

 

[Address of Beneficial Owner]

 

 

 

 

 

[To be executed only if there is no Tender and Paying Agent or the Tender and Paying Agent does not perform its obligations]

 

 

 

 

 

In the case of an Agent Member of a Beneficial Owner:

       
By:

 

Name:

 
  Title:  

 

 
Exhibit A-2

 

 

 

[Address of Agent Member of a Beneficial Owner]

 

 

 

 

 

[To be executed only if there is no Tender and Paying Agent or the Tender and Paying Agent does not perform its obligations]

 

 

 

 

 

In the case of a Holder:

       
By:

 

Name:

 
  Title:  

 

 

 

 

 

[Address of Holder]

 

 

 
Exhibit A-3

 

 

EXHIBIT B

 

BLACKROCK MUNIYIELD MICHIGAN QUALITY FUND, INC. (THE “FUND”)

SERIES W-7

VARIABLE RATE DEMAND PREFERRED SHARES (“VRDP SHARES”)

 

CUSIP NO. 09254V600*

MANDATORY PURCHASE NOTICE

 

In accordance with the Fund’s Articles Supplementary Establishing and Fixing the Rights and Preferences of the VRDP Shares dated April 20, 2011 (the “Articles Supplementary”), the Fund hereby notifies Holders and the Liquidity Provider of the Mandatory Purchase of the Outstanding VRDP Shares for purchase by the Liquidity Provider on the Mandatory Purchase Date specified below due to the occurrence of the following Mandatory Purchase Event:

 

The termination of the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement prior to or on the Scheduled Termination Date where:

 

(i) at least fifteen (15) days prior to any such termination, (a) the Liquidity Provider has not agreed to an extension or further extension of the Scheduled Termination Date to a date not earlier than 180 days from the Scheduled Termination Date of the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement currently in effect; and (b) the Fund has not obtained and delivered to the Tender and Paying Agent an Alternate VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement with a termination date not earlier than 180 days from the Scheduled Termination Date of the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement; or

 

(ii) by the fifteenth (15th) day prior to a Liquidity Provider Ratings Event Termination Date or Related Party Termination Date, as the case may be, the Fund has not obtained and delivered to the Tender and Paying Agent an Alternate VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement with a termination date not earlier than 180 days from the Liquidity Provider Ratings Event Termination Date or Related Party Termination Date, as the case may be, of the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement.

 

The Mandatory Purchase Date for purchase of all Outstanding VRDP Shares by the Liquidity Provider will be , 20__.

 

All Outstanding VRDP Shares will be automatically subject to Mandatory Purchase by the Liquidity Provider at the Purchase Price on the Mandatory Purchase Date, including any VRDP Shares tendered pursuant to an Optional Tender or Mandatory Tender for which the Purchase Date has not yet occurred.

____________________

* NOTE: Neither the Fund nor the Tender and Paying Agent shall be responsible for the selection or use of the CUSIP Numbers selected, nor is any representation made as to its correctness indicated in any notice or as printed on any VRDP Shares certificate. It is included solely as a convenience to Holders of VRDP Shares.

 

 
Exhibit B-1

 

 

In the event that VRDP Shares are issued in certificated form outside the book-entry system of the Securities Depository and a Holder fails to deliver such VRDP Shares to which a Mandatory Purchase relates, on or prior to the Mandatory Purchase Date, the Holder of such VRDP Shares shall not be entitled to any payment (including any accumulated but unpaid dividends thereon, whether or not earned or declared) other than the Purchase Price of such undelivered VRDP Shares as of the scheduled Purchase Date. Any such undelivered VRDP Shares shall be deemed to be delivered to the Tender and Paying Agent, and the Tender and Paying Agent shall place stop transfer orders against the undelivered VRDP Shares. Any moneys held by the Tender and Paying Agent for the purchase of undelivered VRDP Shares shall be held in a separate account, shall not be invested, and shall be held for the exclusive benefit of the Holder of such undelivered VRDP Shares. The undelivered VRDP Shares shall be deemed to be no longer Outstanding (except as to entitlement to payment of the Purchase Price), and the Fund will issue to the purchaser replacement VRDP Shares certificates in lieu of such undelivered VRDP Shares.

 

The Final Notice of Purchase to the Liquidity Provider will automatically be deemed given upon the delivery of this Mandatory Purchase Notice to the Liquidity Provider as provided in the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement.

 

The Mandatory Purchase Notice shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given, whether or not the Holders receive this notice.

 

Terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meanings given to such terms in the Articles Supplementary.

 

Dated:  _____________

 

 

BLACKROCK MUNIYIELD MICHIGAN QUALITY FUND, INC.

       
By:

 

Name:

 
  Title:  

 

 
Exhibit B-2

 

 

EXHIBIT C

 

BLACKROCK MUNIYIELD MICHIGAN QUALITY FUND, INC. (THE “FUND”)

 

SERIES W-7

 

VARIABLE RATE DEMAND PREFERRED SHARES (“VRDP SHARES”)

 

NOTICE OF TENDER

 

Note:

The substance of this notice must be given by the Beneficial Owner or its Agent Member to The Bank of New York Mellon, as Tender and Paying Agent (the “Tender and Paying Agent”), appointed under the Amended and Restated Tender and Paying Agent Agreement, dated as of June 16, 2020, between BlackRock MuniYield Michigan Quality Fund, Inc. and the Tender and Paying Agent, in the manner provided in Schedule 1 hereto by email transmission (or if email transmission shall be unavailable, by facsimile transmission) at or prior to 2:00 p.m., New York City time, on any Business Day. Any Notice of Tender delivered after 2:00 p.m., New York City time, will be deemed to have been received by the Tender and Paying Agent on the next succeeding Business Day and the Purchase Date specified in this Notice of Tender will be adjusted such that the Purchase Date shall be the next succeeding Business Day following the Purchase Date specified in this Notice of Tender. The determination of the Tender and Paying Agent as to whether a Notice of Tender has been properly delivered shall be conclusive and binding upon the Beneficial Owner and its Agent Member.

 

TO:        The Bank of New York Mellon, as Tender and Paying Agent

 

1. In accordance with the Fund’s Articles Supplementary Establishing and Fixing the Rights and Preferences of the VRDP Shares dated April 20, 2011, (the “Articles Supplementary”), the undersigned, ____________________, [Beneficial Owner] [Agent Member of the Beneficial Owner] of the following VRDP Shares:

 

VRDP Shares Series

 

CUSIP Number

 

Number of VRDP Shares to be Tendered*

 

 

09254V600

 

 

 

hereby notifies you of the election by the Beneficial Owner of the referenced VRDP Shares to tender such VRDP Shares for purchase in the amount of the Purchase Price for the number of VRDP Shares set forth above on the Purchase Date specified below, which is a Business Day and a date on which such VRDP Shares are subject to Optional Tender for purchase pursuant to a notice given on the date hereof. Such Purchase Date shall be on any day not less than seven (7) days (or, if such day is not a Business Day, on the next succeeding Business Day) after delivery of this Notice of Tender.

 

* VRDP Shares may be tendered only in denominations of $100,000 and integral multiples thereof.

 

 
Exhibit C-1

 

 

Purchase Date:__________

 

The name and DTC Participant No. of the Agent Member tendering on behalf of the Beneficial Owner is:  ____________________

 

Name of Agent Member:  ____________________

 

DTC Participant No. of Agent Member:  ____________________

 

Name of Beneficial Owner:  ____________________

 

Beneficial Owner’s account number:  ____________________

 

The person to contact at the Beneficial Owner or its Agent Member and the related contact information are as follows:

 

Name:  ____________________

 

Telephone No:  ____________________

 

Email address:  ____________________

 

The Beneficial Owner or its Agent Member acknowledges and agrees that the Person or Persons to whom or to whose order the Purchase Price of the tendered VRDP Shares is to be paid is/are the same as identified above.

 

2. The undersigned acknowledges the obligation of the tendering Beneficial Owner to deliver the VRDP Shares that are the subject of this Notice of Tender (that has not been duly revoked in accordance with the procedures referenced in Item 5 below) on or before 2:00 p.m., New York City time on the Purchase Date, and, in accordance with such obligation, the undersigned hereby undertakes to deliver or to cause to be delivered the VRDP Shares being sold [directly] or [through an Agent Member] to the Tender and Paying Agent, through the “funds against delivery” procedures of the Securities Depository, no later than 2:00 p.m., New York City time, on the Purchase Date. The undersigned hereby also assigns and transfers and directs the Securities Depository or its nominee or the Tender and Paying Agent to transfer the tendered VRDP Shares to the purchaser in accordance with the procedures described under Part II of the Statement, and otherwise according to the Securities Depository’s procedures, in exchange for the payment of the Purchase Price thereof on the Purchase Date.

 

3. The undersigned confirms its agreement that it hereby transfers to the purchaser of the VRDP Shares tendered pursuant to this Notice of Tender the right to receive from the Fund any dividends declared and unpaid for each day prior to the purchaser becoming the Beneficial Owner of the VRDP Shares in exchange for payment of the Purchase Price for such VRDP Shares by the purchaser.

 

4. The undersigned hereby represents and warrants for the benefit of the Tender and Paying Agent, the Remarketing Agent, the Liquidity Provider and the Fund that the undersigned has full power and authority to tender, exchange, assign and transfer the VRDP Shares to be tendered hereby, and that the transferee will acquire good and unencumbered title thereto, free and clear of all liens, restrictions, charges and encumbrances and not subject to any adverse claim, when the same are tendered.

 

 
Exhibit C-2

 

 

5. The undersigned acknowledges that this Notice of Tender is irrevocable and effective upon the receipt by the Tender and Paying Agent, except that a Notice of Revocation to tender any or all of the VRDP Shares specified in this Notice of Tender may be delivered by email transmission (or if email transmission shall be unavailable, by facsimile transmission) to the Tender and Paying Agent, not later than 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on or prior to the Business Day immediately preceding the Purchase Date; provided, that the revocation will be effective only to the extent set forth in the Articles Supplementary.

 

6. Terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meanings given to such terms in the Articles Supplementary.

 

Dated:  ____________________

 

 

[Complete applicable signature block below.]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Print name of Beneficial Owner

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name: 

 

 

Title: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[OR]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Print name of Agent Member

 

 

 

 

 

 

By: 

 

 

 

Name: 

 

 

 

Title: 

 

 

 

 
Exhibit C-3

 

 

SCHEDULE 1

 

NOTICE OF TENDER DELIVERY INFORMATION

 

FOR THE TENDER AND PAYING AGENT

 

This Notice of Tender must be delivered by the Beneficial Owner or its Agent Member to The Bank of New York Mellon (the “Tender and Paying Agent”) by email transmission at the email address listed below or such other email address as the Tender and Paying Agent shall designate, (or if email transmission shall be unavailable, by facsimile transmission to the fax number listed below or such other fax number as the Tender and Paying Agent shall designate) at or prior to 2:00 p.m., New York City time, on any Business Day. If this Notice of Tender is delivered after 2:00 p.m., New York City time, it will be deemed to have been received by the Tender and Paying Agent on the next succeeding Business Day, and the Purchase Date will be adjusted such that the Purchase Date will be the Business Day next succeeding the date specified as the Purchase Date in this Notice of Tender:

 

The Bank of New York Mellon

Corporate Trust Division

Dealing and Trading Group

240 Greenwich Street

Floor 7 East

New York, New York 10286

Email: [email protected];

[email protected]

Fax: (212) 815-2830 (only if email transmission is unavailable)

 

This Notice of Tender shall not be deemed to be delivered unless and until the Tender and Paying Agent actually receives it by the above-described means.

 

 
Exhibit C-4

 

 

EXHIBIT D

 

BLACKROCK MUNIYIELD MICHIGAN QUALITY FUND, INC. (THE “FUND”)

SERIES W-7 VARIABLE RATE DEMAND PREFERRED SHARES (“VRDP SHARES”)

NOTICE OF REVOCATION

 

Note:

The substance of this notice must be given to The Bank of New York Mellon (the “Tender and Paying Agent”), in the manner provided in Schedule 1 hereto by email transmission (or if email transmission shall be unavailable, by facsimile transmission), at or prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on or prior to the Business Day immediately preceding the Purchase Date.

 

1. In accordance with the Fund’s Articles Supplementary Establishing and Fixing the Rights and Preferences of the VRDP Shares (“VRDP Shares”) dated April 20, 2011 (the “Articles Supplementary”), the undersigned [Beneficial Owner] or [Agent Member of the Beneficial Owner] delivered to the Tender and Paying Agent on ____________ a Notice of Tender (the “Notice of Tender”) in connection with an Optional Tender relating to the following VRDP Shares:

 

VRDP Shares Series

 

CUSIP Number

 

Number of VRDP Shares Tendered*

 

 

09254V600

 

 

 

and specifying the following additional information applicable to such Optional Tender and Notice of Tender: Purchase Date:

 

The name and DTC Participant No. of the Agent Member tendering on behalf of itself or the Beneficial Owner is:

 

Name of Agent Member:  ____________________

 

DTC Participant No. of Agent Member:  ____________________

 

Name of Beneficial Owner:  ____________________

 

Beneficial Owner’s account number:  ____________________

 

The person to contact at the Beneficial Owner or its Agent Member and the related contact information are as follows:

 

Name:  ____________________

 

Telephone No:  ____________________

 

Email address:  ____________________

____________________

* VRDP Shares may be tendered only in denominations of $100,000 and integral multiples thereof.

 

 
Exhibit D-1

 

 

2. The undersigned, ____________________,[Beneficial Owner] [Agent Member of the Beneficial Owner] hereby requests revocation of the following number of VRDP Shares that were the subject of the Notice of Tender:

 

VRDP Shares Series

 

CUSIP Number

 

Number of VRDP Shares to be Tendered*

 

 

09254V600

 

 

 

3. The undersigned hereby acknowledges that this Notice of Revocation shall only be effective as a revocation of the Optional Tender of such number of VRDP Shares that are the subject of the Notice of Tender if all of the following conditions are met:

 

(i) the Remarketing Agent has not entered into an agreement to sell such VRDP Shares; and

 

(ii) this Notice of Revocation is received by the Tender and Paying Agent by email transmission (or if email transmission shall be unavailable, by facsimile transmission) not later than 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the Business Day immediately preceding the Purchase Date.

 

4. The undersigned hereby acknowledges that this Notice of Revocation is irrevocable.

 

5. The undersigned acknowledges that this Notice of Revocation shall be effective to revoke the number of VRDP Shares requested to be revoked hereby only if and to the extent that the Remarketing Agent has so determined the effectiveness of such revocation with respect to such number of VRDP Shares (as evidenced by the Remarketing Agent below) and, to the extent not so effective, the Beneficial Owner (or its Agent Member on its behalf) continues to be obligated to tender such VRDP Shares for purchase for Optional Tender pursuant to and in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Notice of Tender.

 

6. Terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meanings given to such terms in the Articles Supplementary.

____________________

* VRDP Shares may be revoked only in denominations of $100,000 and integral multiples thereof.

 

 
Exhibit D-2

 

 

Dated:  ____________________

 

 

[Complete applicable signature block below.]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Print name of Beneficial Owner

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name: 

 

 

Title: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[OR]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Print name of Agent Member

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name: 

 

 

 

Title: 

 

 

 

 
Exhibit D-3

 

 

Extent to which this Notice of Revocation is Effective

 

The undersigned Remarketing Agent has determined in accordance with the Remarketing procedures set forth in Part II of the Statement that the foregoing Notice of Revocation is effective for the following number of VRDP Shares that are the subject of the Notice of Tender: VRDP Shares.

 

TD SECURITIES (USA) LLC

   

 

By:

 

Name:

 

Title:

 

 

Dated:  ________________

 

 
Exhibit D-4

 

 

SCHEDULE 1

 

NOTICE OF REVOCATION DELIVERY INFORMATION

FOR THE TENDER AND PAYING AGENT

 

This Notice of Revocation must be delivered by the Beneficial Owner or its Agent Member to The Bank of New York Mellon (the “Tender and Paying Agent”) by email transmission at the email address listed below or such other email address as the Tender and Paying Agent shall designate, (or if email transmission shall be unavailable, by facsimile transmission to the fax number listed below or such other fax number as the Tender and Paying Agent shall designate) at or prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the Business Day immediately preceding the Purchase Date:

 

The Bank of New York Mellon

Corporate Trust Division

Dealing and Trading Group

240 Greenwich Street

Floor East

New York, New York 10286

Email: [email protected];

[email protected]

Fax: (212) 815-2830 (only if email transmission is unavailable)

 

 
Exhibit D-5

 


ndmo_ex997.htm

EXHIBIT 99.7

 

 

 

BLACKROCK MUNIYIELD MICHIGAN QUALITY FUND, INC.

 

AND

 

TD SECURITIES (USA) LLC

 

VRDP SHARES REMARKETING AGREEMENT

 

Dated as of June 16, 2020

 

 

 

 

 

 

VRDP SHARES REMARKETING AGREEMENT

 

This VRDP SHARES REMARKETING AGREEMENT, dated as of June 16, 2020 (this “Agreement”), by and among BlackRock MuniYield Michigan Quality Fund, Inc., a non-diversified, closed-end investment company organized as a Maryland corporation (the “Fund”), and TD Securities (USA) LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Remarketing Agent”).

 

WITNESSETH:

 

WHEREAS, the Fund has issued 2,319 Series W-7 Variable Rate Demand Preferred Shares, par value $0.10 per share (“VRDP Shares”), with a liquidation preference of $100,000 per share (the “Liquidation Preference”), pursuant to and with the preferences, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends, qualifications, and terms and conditions of redemption assigned to them in the Fund’s Statement (as defined below);

 

WHEREAS, in connection with an Optional Tender, Beneficial Owners of VRDP Shares  or their Agent Members may elect to tender their VRDP Shares (in one or more denominations equal to the Liquidation Preference) for purchase at the Purchase Price on the Purchase Date designated in the Notice of Tender (or if such day is not a Business Day, on the next succeeding Business Day) after delivery of a Notice of Tender to The Bank of New York Mellon (the “Tender and Paying Agent”), or, in the event (i) no Remarketing occurs on or before the Purchase Date or (ii) pursuant to an attempted Remarketing, VRDP Shares remain unsold and the Remarketing Agent does not purchase for its own account the unsold VRDP Shares tendered to the Tender and Paying Agent for Remarketing (provided, that the Remarketing Agent may seek to sell such VRDP Shares in a subsequent Remarketing prior to the Purchase Date), the Tender and Paying Agent will deliver all unsold VRDP Shares that have been delivered to the Tender and Paying Agent to The Toronto-Dominion Bank, acting through its New York branch, or its successors or assigns, as liquidity provider (the “Liquidity Provider”) for purchase at the Purchase Price pursuant to the Statement and the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement;

 

WHEREAS, VRDP Shares will be subject to Mandatory Tender for Remarketing at the Purchase Price for purchase on the designated Purchase Date upon the occurrence of a Mandatory Tender Event, or, in the event (i) no Remarketing occurs on or before the Purchase Date or (ii) pursuant to an attempted Remarketing, VRDP Shares remain unsold and the Remarketing Agent does not purchase for its own account the unsold VRDP Shares tendered to the Tender and Paying Agent for Remarketing (provided, that the Remarketing Agent may seek to sell such VRDP Shares in a subsequent Remarketing prior to the Purchase Date), the Tender and Paying Agent will deliver all unsold VRDP Shares that have been delivered to the Tender and Paying Agent to the Liquidity Provider for purchase at the Purchase Price on the Purchase Date pursuant to the Statement and the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement;

 

WHEREAS, the Fund has requested TD Securities (USA) LLC to act as the Remarketing Agent under this Agreement in accordance with the provisions of the Statement (and the Board of Directors of the Fund has adopted a resolution appointing TD Securities (USA) LLC as the Remarketing Agent) to perform the duties set forth herein and to perform such other duties as are assigned to the Remarketing Agent herein and in the Statement; and

 

 
1

 

 

WHEREAS, the Remarketing Agent is willing to assume such duties on the terms and conditions expressly set forth herein;

 

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

 

Section 1. Definitions. Capitalized terms used herein that are not otherwise defined shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Statement or the Current Notice of Special Rate Period Statement, as applicable. Any day not referred to herein as a Business Day shall mean a calendar day.

 

1940 Act” means the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

 

1940 Act Documents” has the meaning set forth in Section 4(d).

 

1940 Act Regulations” has the meaning set forth in Section 4(d).

 

Agent Member” means a Person with an account at the Securities Depository that holds one or more VRDP Shares through the Securities Depository, directly or indirectly, for a Beneficial Owner and that will be authorized and instructed, directly or indirectly, by a Beneficial Owner to disclose information to the Remarketing Agent and the Tender and Paying Agent with respect to such Beneficial Owner.

 

Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

 

Alternate VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement” means any agreement with a successor liquidity provider replacing the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement (or any replacement therefor) upon its termination in accordance with its terms and containing a Purchase Obligation substantially similar to the Purchase Obligation therein, as determined by the Fund.

 

Beneficial Owner” means a Person in whose name VRDP Shares are recorded as beneficial owner of such VRDP Shares by the Securities Depository, an Agent Member or other securities intermediary on the records of such Securities Depository, Agent Member or securities intermediary, as the case may be, or such Person’s subrogee, including the Liquidity Provider to the extent it is at any time such a beneficial owner of VRDP Shares (irrespective of any assignment or transfer by the Liquidity Provider of its voting rights).

 

Board” means the Board of Directors of the Fund or any duly authorized committee thereof.

 

Business Day” means a day other than a day (a) on which commercial banks in The City of New York, New York are required or authorized by law or executive order to close or (b) on which the New York Stock Exchange is closed.

 

Charter” means the Articles of Incorporation of the Fund, and all amendments thereto, as filed with the State Department of Assessments and Taxation of the State of Maryland.

 

Commission” has the meaning set forth in Section 4(d).

 

 
2

 

 

Confidential Information” has the meaning set forth in Section 27.

 

Current Notice of Special Rate Period” means the Notice of Special Rate Period dated June 25, 2020, as amended from time to time.

 

                “Current Special Rate Period” means the current Special Rate Period for the VRDP Shares designated in accordance with the Statement.

 

Effective Date” means the effective date of this Agreement, which shall be the effective date of the Fee Agreement.

 

Effective Leverage Ratio” has the meaning set forth in the Fee Agreement.

 

Effective Leverage Ratio Cure Period” has the meaning set forth in the Fee Agreement.

 

Electronic Means” means email transmission, facsimile transmission or other similar electronic means of communication providing evidence of transmission (but excluding online communications systems covered by a separate agreement) acceptable to the sending party and the receiving party, in any case if operative as between the relevant two (2) parties, or, if not operative, by telephone (promptly confirmed by any other method set forth in this definition), which, in the case of notices to the Tender and Paying Agent, shall be sent by such means as set forth in the Tender and Paying Agent Agreement or as specified in the related notice.

 

Exchange Act” has the meaning set forth in Section 4(c).

 

Extraordinary Corporate Event” means as to the Liquidity Provider, (i) the consolidation, amalgamation with, or merger with or into or the transfer of all or substantially all of the Liquidity Provider’s assets to, another entity, or (ii) the dissolution, for any reason, of the Liquidity Provider other than in connection with the consolidation or amalgamation with, or merger with and into another entity, or the transfer of all or substantially all of the Liquidity Provider’s assets to another entity; provided, however, that with respect to (i) above, an Extraordinary Corporate Event does not include any of the listed occurrences where (x) the surviving entity, or transferee of all or substantially all of the Liquidity Provider’s assets, (a) assumes all of the obligations of the Liquidity Provider under the terms of the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement and (b) has short-term debt ratings in one of the two (2) highest ratings categories from the Requisite NRSROs and (y) the Liquidity Provider has provided notice in writing to the Fund confirming the information described in (x) at least ten (10) days prior to the scheduled date of the applicable listed occurrence in (i) above.

 

Fee Agreement” means the VRDP Shares Fee Agreement, dated as of June 16, 2020, between the Fund and the Liquidity Provider, as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time, or any similar agreement with a successor liquidity provider.

 

Final Notice of Purchase” means, in connection with an Optional Tender or a Mandatory Tender, a Notice of Purchase delivered by the Tender and Paying Agent to the Liquidity Provider (or directly to the Liquidity Provider by Beneficial Owners or their Agent Members, in the case of an Optional Tender, or Holders, in the case of a Mandatory Tender, if there is no Tender and Paying Agent or for any reason the Tender and Paying Agent does not perform its obligations) on the Purchase Date indicating the number of VRDP Shares to be purchased on such date pursuant to the Purchase Obligation, or, in connection with a Mandatory Purchase, the Mandatory Purchase Notice delivered by the Fund or the Tender and Paying Agent on behalf of the Fund.

 

 
3

 

 

Fitch” means Fitch Ratings.

 

Fund” has the meaning set forth in the preamble to this Agreement.

 

Indemnified Person” has the meaning set forth in Section 10(a).

 

Indemnifying Person” has the meaning set forth in Section 10(c).

 

Liquidation Preference” has the meaning set forth in the recitals of this Agreement.

 

Liquidity Provider” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.

 

Losses” has the meaning set forth in Section 10(b).

 

Mandatory Tender” with respect to a Mandatory Tender Event, means the mandatory tender of all VRDP Shares by Holders for Remarketing, or, in the event (i) no Remarketing occurs on or before the Purchase Date or (ii) pursuant to an attempted Remarketing, VRDP Shares remain unsold and the Remarketing Agent does not purchase for its own account the unsold VRDP Shares tendered to the Tender and Paying Agent for Remarketing (provided, that the Remarketing Agent may seek to sell such VRDP Shares in a subsequent Remarketing prior to the Purchase Date), for purchase by the Liquidity Provider at the Purchase Price pursuant to Section 2 of Part II of the Statement and the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement.

 

Mandatory Tender Event” means (a) each failure by the Fund to make a scheduled payment of dividends on a Dividend Payment Date; (b) the occurrence of a Liquidity Provider Ratings Event (which shall constitute a single Mandatory Tender Event upon the occurrence of such Liquidity Provider Ratings Event, whether or not continuing and whether or not such Liquidity Provider Ratings Event also results in a Mandatory Purchase Event; provided that, following restoration of the short-term debt ratings to the requisite level, a subsequent Liquidity Provider Ratings Event shall constitute a new Mandatory Tender Event); (c) in the event of a failure by the Fund to pay the Liquidity Provider the applicable fee when due in advance under the terms of the Fee Agreement by seven Business Days prior to the beginning of the month to which such payment relates, if the Liquidity Provider (in its sole discretion) thereafter provides written notice to the Fund that such failure to pay such fee constitutes a Mandatory Tender Event; (d) the eighth (8th) day prior to the scheduled date of the occurrence of an Extraordinary Corporate Event; (e) the Fund shall have obtained and delivered to the Tender and Paying Agent an Alternate VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement by the fifteenth (15th) day prior to the Scheduled Termination Date, Liquidity Provider Ratings Event Termination Date or Related Party Termination Date, as the case may be, of the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement; (f) the Fund shall have provided a Notice of Proposed Special Rate Period in accordance with the Statement; or (g) in the event of a breach by the Fund of its Effective Leverage Ratio covenant with the Liquidity Provider in the Fee Agreement and the failure to cure such breach within sixty (60) days from the date of such breach (which 60-day period would include the Effective Leverage Ratio Cure Period), if the Liquidity Provider (in its sole discretion) thereafter provides written notice to the Fund and the Tender and Paying Agent that the failure to timely cure such breach constitutes a Mandatory Tender Event (subject to the Fund curing such breach prior to the delivery date of such notice from the Liquidity Provider).

 

 
4

 

 

Mandatory Tender Notice” means, in connection with the Mandatory Tender of VRDP Shares, a notice delivered by the Fund or the Tender and Paying Agent on behalf of the Fund to the Holders and the Liquidity Provider in accordance with the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement specifying a Mandatory Tender Event and Purchase Date, substantially in the form attached as Annex II hereto.

 

Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.

 

Notice of Purchase” means, as the context requires, a Preliminary Notice of Purchase or a Final Notice of Purchase, in each case, substantially in the form attached as Exhibit A to the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement.

 

Notice of Revocation” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(c)(iii).

 

Notice of Tender” means, in connection with an Optional Tender, a notice, substantially in the form attached to the Tender and Paying Agent Agreement as Exhibit A, delivered by a Beneficial Owner or its Agent Member to the Tender and Paying Agent indicating an intention to tender VRDP Shares for sale on a Purchase Date pursuant to Section 1 of Part II of the Statement.

 

NRSRO” means a “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” within the meaning of Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act, that is not an “affiliated person” (as defined in Section 2(a)(3) of the 1940 Act) of the Fund or the Liquidity Provider, including, at the date hereof, Moody’s and Fitch.

 

Optional Tender” means any tender of VRDP Shares by a Beneficial Owner or its Agent Member to the Tender and Paying Agent, other than a Mandatory Tender, for Remarketing or, in the event (i) no Remarketing occurs on or before the Purchase Date, or (ii) pursuant to an attempted Remarketing, VRDP Shares remain unsold and the Remarketing Agent does not purchase for its own account the unsold VRDP Shares tendered to the Tender and Paying Agent for Remarketing (provided, that the Remarketing Agent may seek to sell such VRDP Shares in a subsequent Remarketing prior to the Purchase Date), for purchase by the Liquidity Provider pursuant to Section 2 of Part II of the Statement and the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement.

 

Outstanding” means, as of any date with respect to the VRDP Shares, the number of VRDP Shares theretofore issued by the Fund except, without duplication, (i) any VRDP Shares theretofore cancelled or delivered to the Tender and Paying Agent for cancellation or redemption by the Fund, (ii) any VRDP Shares with respect to which the Fund has given a Notice of Redemption and irrevocably deposited with the Tender and Paying Agent sufficient Deposit Securities to redeem such VRDP Shares, pursuant to Section 10 of Part I of the Statement, (iii) any VRDP Shares as to which the Fund shall be a Beneficial Owner, and (iv) any VRDP Shares represented by any certificate in lieu of which a new certificate has been executed and delivered by the Fund; provided, however, with respect to clause (ii), any such VRDP Shares will be deemed to be Outstanding for purposes of the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement until redeemed by the Fund.

 

 
5

 

 

Purchase Date,” with respect to any purchase of VRDP Shares, means (i) in connection with an Optional Tender, the date specified in a Notice of Tender, which date shall be no earlier than the seventh (7th) day (or, if such day is not a Business Day, the next succeeding Business Day) following delivery to the Tender and Paying Agent of the Notice of Tender, (ii) in connection with a Mandatory Tender, the date specified in the Mandatory Tender Notice (or, if such day is not a Business Day, the next succeeding Business Day), subject to the immediately succeeding sentence below, or (iii) in connection with a Mandatory Purchase, the Mandatory Purchase Date specified in the Mandatory Purchase Notice (or, if such day is not a Business Day, the next succeeding Business Day). The Purchase Date in respect of a Mandatory Tender Event shall be not later than seven (7) days following the date a Mandatory Tender Notice is sent to Holders by Electronic Means; provided, that: (A) the Purchase Date in connection with the failure of the Fund to pay the applicable fee to the Liquidity Provider may not be later than the last Business Day of the month such payment was due; (B) the Purchase Date in connection with the occurrence of an Extraordinary Corporate Event may not be later than the Business Day immediately preceding the occurrence of the Extraordinary Corporate Event (and, if no earlier Purchase Date is specified in a Mandatory Tender Notice with respect to such Extraordinary Corporate Event, the Business Day immediately preceding the occurrence of the Extraordinary Corporate Event shall be deemed to be the Purchase Date irrespective of the failure to have given or sent a Mandatory Tender Notice); (C) the Purchase Date in connection with the Fund obtaining an Alternate VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement may not be later than the Business Day immediately preceding the termination of the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement and the effective date of such Alternate VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement (which may not be later than the termination date of the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement); and (D) the Purchase Date in connection with a Notice of Proposed Special Rate Period may not be later than the first (1st) day of such proposed Special Rate Period.

 

Purchase Obligation” means the unconditional and irrevocable obligation of the Liquidity Provider during the term and pursuant to the terms of the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement to purchase Outstanding VRDP Shares on any Purchase Date at the Purchase Price from Beneficial Owners, in the case of any Optional Tender, and Holders, in the case of any Mandatory Tender or any Mandatory Purchase, in each case following delivery of a Final Notice of Purchase with respect to such VRDP Shares.

 

Purchase Price” means an amount equal to the Liquidation Preference of any VRDP Shares to be purchased on a Purchase Date, plus any accumulated but unpaid dividends thereon (whether or not earned or declared), if any, to, but excluding, the relevant Purchase Date.

 

Related Documents” means this Agreement, the Charter, the Statement, the VRDP Shares, the Fee Agreement, the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement and the Tender and Paying Agent Agreement.

 

Remarketing” means the remarketing of VRDP Shares by the Remarketing Agent on behalf of the Beneficial Owners thereof pursuant to an Optional Tender or on behalf of the Holders thereof pursuant to a Mandatory Tender, as provided in this Agreement and the Statement.

 

Remarketing Agent” has the meaning set forth in the preamble hereto.

 

 
6

 

 

Remarketing Materials” means (i) the Fund’s most recent annual report and, if available, subsequent semi-annual report, which shall be deemed to have been made available upon the electronic availability of any such document on a public website, (ii) the most recent annual and, if available, interim report of the Liquidity Provider, which shall be deemed to have been made available upon the electronic availability of any such document on a public website, (iii) such other publicly available information as the Fund or the Liquidity Provider or the Remarketing Agent, if applicable, may reasonably request from time to time, of the Liquidity Provider, the Fund or the Remarketing Agent, and such other documentation, representations, warranties and certifications as the Fund, the Liquidity Provider or the Remarketing Agent, if applicable, may reasonably request, it being understood that the Fund, the Liquidity Provider or the Remarketing Agent, if applicable, may, in its discretion, determine to deliver to purchasers and prospective purchasers, in connection with the offer and sale of VRDP Shares by the Liquidity Provider, a Remarketing Memorandum, and (iv) such other publicly available information necessary, in the opinion of counsel for the Fund, the Liquidity Provider or the Remarketing Agent, if applicable, to amend or supplement the foregoing materials, in order that the foregoing materials will not include any untrue statements of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances existing at the time made available to or delivered to a purchaser.

 

Remarketing Memorandum” means any written communication describing the Fund, the Liquidity Provider and/or the terms of the VRDP Shares and the Purchase Obligation, which has been approved prior to its use by each party hereto in writing for use in connection with Remarketing, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed and shall (i) be limited in scope to the Liquidity Provider Information in the case of any such approval by the Liquidity Provider and (ii) exclude the Liquidity Provider Information in the case of any such approval by the Fund.

 

Remarketing Notice” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(f).

 

Representatives” has the meaning set forth in Section 27.

 

Securities Act” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(n).

 

Securities Depository” means The Depository Trust Company, New York, New York, and any substitute for or successor to such securities depository that shall maintain a book-entry system with respect to the VRDP Shares.

 

Special Optional Tender Provisions” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(c)(iv).

 

Statement” means the Articles Supplementary Establishing and Fixing the Rights and Preferences of the VRDP Shares, as amended from time to time in accordance with the provisions thereof, as applicable, with respect to the Fund and the VRDP Shares.

 

Tender” means either a Mandatory Tender or an Optional Tender, as applicable.

 

Tender and Paying Agent” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.

 

 
7

 

 

Tender and Paying Agent Agreement” means the amended and restated tender and paying agent agreement, dated as of June 16, 2020, by and between the Fund and the Tender and Paying Agent, as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time, or any similar agreement with a successor tender and paying agent.

 

Transactions” has the meaning set forth in Section 27.

 

VRDP Shares” has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement.

 

VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement” means the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement, dated as of June 16, 2020, by and between the Liquidity Provider and the Tender and Paying Agent, as amended, modified or supplemented, or any Alternate VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement.

 

Section 2. Appointment and Obligations of the Remarketing Agent.

 

(a) The Fund hereby appoints TD Securities (USA) LLC, and TD Securities (USA) LLC hereby accepts such appointment, as the exclusive Remarketing Agent of the VRDP Shares for the purpose of establishing the Applicable Rate on each Rate Determination Date in respect of the VRDP Shares and, in connection with a Tender, Remarketing such VRDP Shares on behalf of the Beneficial Owners or Holders thereof, as applicable, and calculating the Purchase Price therefor, among other things; and performing such other duties as are assigned to the Remarketing Agent in the Statement, all pursuant to the procedures set forth in the Statement and this Agreement.

 

(b) The Remarketing Agent agrees with respect to the VRDP Shares to:

 

(i) subject to Section 4 hereof, use its best efforts to remarket tendered VRDP Shares in connection with a Tender, but shall in no way be liable if no purchasers are found, provided it has otherwise performed its obligations as set forth herein;

 

(ii) establish the Applicable Rate not later than 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on each Rate Determination Date to the nearest one-thousandth (0.001) of one percent per annum for each Subsequent Rate Period; such Applicable Rate being determined by the Remarketing Agent as the lowest rate under then-existing market conditions that in the Remarketing Agent’s sole judgment would result in the VRDP Shares on the first day of the Subsequent Rate Period next succeeding the Rate Determination Date having a market value equal to the Liquidation Preference thereof, plus accumulated but unpaid dividends thereon (whether or not earned or declared); provided, that the Applicable Rate may not exceed the Maximum Rate;

 

(iii) notify the Fund, the Tender and Paying Agent and the Liquidity Provider of the Applicable Rate by Electronic Means after 5:00 p.m., New York City time, and post the Applicable Rate on Bloomberg, on each Rate Determination Date;

 

(iv) calculate the Maximum Rate applicable to each Rate Period and notify the Fund and the Tender and Paying Agent of the Maximum Rate by Electronic Means after 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on each Rate Determination Date;

 
8

 

 

(v) upon request from the Fund, assist the Fund in establishing the Late Charge (if any), relating to the VRDP Shares;

 

(vi) calculate the Purchase Price to be paid in connection with a Tender or Mandatory Purchase of VRDP Shares;

 

(vii) deliver a Remarketing Notice to the Tender and Paying Agent and the Liquidity Provider (and, in the event the Tender and Paying Agent does not perform its obligations under the Tender and Paying Agent Agreement, at the Fund’s direction (and not on behalf of the Tender and Paying Agent), concurrently therewith or as promptly as practicable thereafter, to each Beneficial Owner or Holder tendering VRDP Shares that are the subject of such notice) by Electronic Means not later than 2:00 p.m., New York City time, on the Business Day immediately preceding the related Purchase Date of the number of VRDP Shares that were successfully remarketed and the aggregate Purchase Price of such sold VRDP Shares and the number of VRDP Shares that remain unsold and the aggregate Purchase Price of such unsold VRDP Shares to be paid by the Liquidity Provider;

 

(viii) upon receipt of a Notice of Revocation, deliver notification by Electronic Means to the Tender and Paying Agent and the Liquidity Provider not later than 2:00 p.m., New York City time, on the Business Day immediately preceding the related Purchase Date, of the number of VRDP Shares specified in each Notice of Revocation that are the subject of an agreement of sale pursuant to a Remarketing;

 

(ix) allocate any unsold VRDP Shares to satisfy any Notice of Revocation;

 

(x) provide any other notices to the Fund, the Liquidity Provider and the Tender and Paying Agent as set forth in the Statement;

 

(xi) record on Schedule I hereto each adjustment, if any, to the Applicable Percentage, the Applicable Spread or the Maximum Rate made in accordance with this Agreement and provide copies thereof by Electronic Means to each of the Fund, the Liquidity Provider and the Tender and Paying Agent;

 

(xii) make copies of the Contact Notification Form and Cancellation Form (each as defined in the Tender and Paying Agent Agreement) available in connection with Remarketings, as provided in the Tender and Paying Agent Agreement;

 

(xiii) upon request of each purchaser, prospective purchaser or its agent to deliver a copy of the most recent Remarketing Memorandum prepared by the Fund, and provided to the Remarketing Agent by the Fund, in connection with each Remarketing;

 

(xiv) carry out such other duties as are assigned to the Remarketing Agent herein and in the Statement, all in accordance with the provisions hereof and thereof; and

 

(xv) if the Remarketing Agent and the Liquidity Provider are not affiliates, notify the Liquidity Provider within two Business Days by telephone or Electronic Means, if, at any time, it owns any VRDP Shares;

 

 
9

 

 

(c) The Remarketing Agent acknowledges and agrees to the following procedures in connection with an Optional Tender:

 

(i) Beneficial Owners may elect to tender their VRDP Shares (in one or more denominations equal to the Liquidation Preference) for purchase at the Purchase Price on the Purchase Date designated in the Notice of Tender (or if such day is not a Business Day, on the next succeeding Business Day) by a proper delivery of a Notice of Tender to the Tender and Paying Agent. Each Notice of Tender shall be irrevocable (except as described below) and effective upon receipt by the Tender and Paying Agent and shall:

 

(A) be delivered by a Beneficial Owner, directly or through its Agent Member, by email transmission (or if email transmission shall be unavailable, by facsimile transmission), to the Tender and Paying Agent not later than 2:00 p.m., New York City time, on any Business Day;

 

(B) state the series and the aggregate number of VRDP Shares to be purchased, the CUSIP number of the VRDP Shares to be purchased, and the Purchase Date, and be in substantially the form of and contain such other information specified in the Notice of Tender attached as Exhibit C to the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement; and

 

(C) state that the tendering Beneficial Owner acknowledges that such Beneficial Owner is required to deliver the VRDP Shares that are the subject of a Notice of Tender (that has not been duly revoked as described below) on or before 2:00 p.m., New York City time, on the Purchase Date.

 

(ii) Upon receipt of a Notice of Tender, the Tender and Paying Agent will provide a copy of such notice to the Liquidity Provider and the Remarketing Agent (with a copy to the Fund) as promptly as practicable by Electronic Means, but no later than 4:00 p.m., New York City time, on the date of receipt or deemed receipt. Any Notice of Tender that is delivered to the Tender and Paying Agent by a Beneficial Owner or its Agent Member after 2:00 p.m., New York City time, shall be deemed to have been received by the Tender and Paying Agent on the next succeeding Business Day, and the Purchase Date shall be adjusted such that the Purchase Date shall be the Business Day next succeeding the date specified as the Purchase Date in the Notice of Tender. The Tender and Paying Agent’s determination as to whether a Notice of Tender has been properly delivered shall be conclusive and binding on a Beneficial Owner and its Agent Member.

 

 
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(iii) A Beneficial Owner or its Agent Member that delivered a Notice of Tender in connection with an Optional Tender may deliver in writing by email transmission (or if email transmission shall be unavailable, by facsimile transmission) to the Tender and Paying Agent, not later than 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on or prior to the Business Day immediately preceding the Purchase Date, a notice to the effect that such Beneficial Owner wishes to revoke its election to tender some or all of the VRDP Shares that were specified in such Notice of Tender to be purchased (a “Notice of Revocation”). Any Notice of Revocation delivered to the Tender and Paying Agent shall be promptly delivered by Electronic Means by the Tender and Paying Agent to the Liquidity Provider and the Remarketing Agent (with a copy to the Fund) by 12:00 noon, New York City time, on the Business Day immediately preceding the relevant Purchase Date. The Remarketing Agent (following receipt of such Notice of Revocation) shall notify the Tender and Paying Agent and the Liquidity Provider of the number of VRDP Shares specified in such Notice of Revocation that are subject to an agreement of sale pursuant to a Remarketing by Electronic Means not later than 2:00 p.m., New York City time, on the Business Day immediately preceding the Purchase Date. The Tender and Paying Agent shall contact the Remarketing Agent by Electronic Means by 1:45 p.m., New York City time, if such notification has not been received by such time. The Tender and Paying Agent shall deliver such notification to the Beneficial Owner or its Agent Member promptly following receipt from the Remarketing Agent, and in any event by 4:00 p.m., New York City time, on the Business Day immediately preceding the Purchase Date. Any such Notice of Revocation shall be effective (without further action on the part of the Beneficial Owner or its Agent Member) as a revocation of the Optional Tender of the number of VRDP Shares specified therein as being sought to be revoked, but (except as set forth below) only if and to the extent that the Remarketing Agent has not entered into an agreement to sell such VRDP Shares. A Notice of Revocation shall be effective as to the number of VRDP Shares specified therein as having been revoked less the number of such VRDP Shares in respect of which the Remarketing Agent has so notified the Tender and Paying Agent and the Liquidity Provider that it has entered into an agreement of sale. Notwithstanding the foregoing, tendered VRDP Shares, if any, that remain unsold on the related Purchase Date shall be allocated by the Remarketing Agent to each Notice of Revocation received in respect of VRDP Shares tendered for purchase on such Purchase Date and not already satisfied in the chronological order in which each such Notice of Revocation was received by the Tender and Paying Agent, and each such Notice of Revocation shall be effective only to the extent of such allocation and availability of unsold VRDP Shares.

 

(iv) In connection with any Special Rate Period designated pursuant to the Statement, the Board, without the vote or consent of any Holder of VRDP Shares but with prior written consent of the Liquidity Provider, in the Notice of Special Rate Period relating to the VRDP Shares, as delivered to the Remarketing Agent and the Liquidity Provider, may provide for optional tender provisions relating solely to such Special Rate Period (“Special Optional Tender Provisions”) whereby the minimum number of days’ notice required for an Optional Tender may exceed seven days as specified in the Special Optional Tender Provisions for such Special Rate Period.

 

(d) The Remarketing Agent acknowledges and agrees to the following procedures in connection with a Mandatory Tender:

 

(i) VRDP Shares are subject to Mandatory Tender upon the occurrence of a Mandatory Tender Event. So long as the VRDP Shares are in book-entry form and held through the Securities Depository, any Mandatory Tender will be effected automatically through the book-entry system of the Securities Depository, without any action required on the part of Holders or Beneficial Owners. Promptly following the occurrence of a Mandatory Tender Event, and in any event within three (3) Business Days thereafter, the Fund, or the Tender and Paying Agent at the direction of the Fund (provided, that the Tender and Paying Agent may require up to two (2) Business Days prior notification by Electronic Means by the Fund), shall provide a Mandatory Tender Notice by Electronic Means to Holders, the Remarketing Agent and the Liquidity Provider, specifying a Purchase Date for all Outstanding VRDP Shares. Any notice given in respect of a Mandatory Tender under the Statement will be conclusively presumed to have been duly given, whether or not the Holders receive such notice.

 

 
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(ii) Upon the occurrence of a Mandatory Tender Event, all Outstanding VRDP Shares automatically shall be subject to Mandatory Tender and delivered to the Tender and Paying Agent for purchase on the designated Purchase Date by purchasers in the Remarketing in the event of a successful Remarketing or otherwise by the Liquidity Provider, including any VRDP Shares previously tendered pursuant to an Optional Tender for which the Purchase Date has not yet occurred. In the event that VRDP Shares are issued in certificated form outside of the book entry system of the Securities Depository and a Holder of VRDP Shares fails to deliver such VRDP Shares to which a Mandatory Tender relates on or prior to the Purchase Date, the Holder of such VRDP Shares shall not be entitled to any payment (including any accumulated but unpaid dividends thereon, whether or not earned or declared) other than the Purchase Price of such undelivered VRDP Shares as of the scheduled Purchase Date. Any such undelivered VRDP Shares will be deemed to be delivered to the Tender and Paying Agent, and the Tender and Paying Agent will place stop-transfer orders against the undelivered VRDP Shares. Any moneys held by the Tender and Paying Agent for the purchase of undelivered VRDP Shares will be held in a separate account by the Tender and Paying Agent, will not be invested, and will be held for the exclusive benefit of the Holder of such undelivered VRDP Shares. The undelivered VRDP Shares will be deemed to be no longer Outstanding (except as to entitlement to payment of the Purchase Price), and the Fund will issue to the purchaser replacement VRDP Shares certificates in lieu of such undelivered VRDP Shares.

 

(e) It is further understood and agreed by and between the parties that, in connection with any attempted Remarketing, all tendered VRDP Shares shall be remarketed at the Purchase Price of such VRDP Shares. The calculation of the Purchase Price of the VRDP Shares that are remarketed or purchased by the Liquidity Provider shall be made by the Remarketing Agent in advance of such Remarketing or purchase and, together with the details of the aggregate number and Purchase Price of remarketed VRDP Shares and the aggregate number and Purchase Price of VRDP Shares to be purchased by the Liquidity Provider pursuant to the Purchase Obligation, shall be communicated by the Remarketing Agent to the Fund, the Liquidity Provider and the Tender and Paying Agent by Electronic Means by 2:00 p.m., New York City time, on the Business Day immediately preceding the Purchase Date, as described below. The proceeds of any sale of any remarketed VRDP Shares by the Remarketing Agent relating to tendered VRDP Shares will be used by the Tender and Paying Agent for the purchase of the tendered VRDP Shares at the Purchase Price, and the terms of the sale will provide for the wire transfer of such Purchase Price by the Remarketing Agent to be received by the Tender and Paying Agent no later than 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on the related Purchase Date for payment to the Agent Member of the Beneficial Owner, in the case of an Optional Tender, or Holder, in the case of a Mandatory Tender, tendering VRDP Shares for sale through the Securities Depository in immediately available funds against delivery of the tendered VRDP Shares to the Tender and Paying Agent through the Securities Depository, the delivery of such VRDP Shares to the Tender and Paying Agent through the Securities Depository no later than 2:00 p.m., New York City time, on the related Purchase Date, and the re-delivery of such VRDP Shares by means of “FREE” delivery through the Securities Depository to the Remarketing Agent for delivery to the purchaser’s Agent Member through the Securities Depository by 3:00 p.m., New York City time, on the related Purchase Date.

 

 
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(f) The Remarketing Agent acknowledges and agrees that, by 2:00 p.m., New York City time, on the Business Day immediately preceding each Purchase Date, the Remarketing Agent shall deliver a notice, in the form attached as Annex I hereto, to the Tender and Paying Agent and the Liquidity Provider (and, at the direction of the Fund, concurrently therewith or as promptly as practicable thereafter, to each Beneficial Owner or Holder tendering VRDP Shares that are the subject of such notice) (a “Remarketing Notice”), by Electronic Means, that sets forth the number of VRDP Shares, if any, that it successfully remarketed for purchase on such Purchase Date and the aggregate Purchase Price of such sold VRDP Shares and the number of VRDP Shares, if any, not successfully remarketed for purchase on such Purchase Date and the aggregate Purchase Price of such unsold VRDP Shares to be paid by the Liquidity Provider. If the Remarketing Notice states that the Remarketing Agent has not successfully remarketed all of the VRDP Shares to be purchased on such Purchase Date, the Tender and Paying Agent shall promptly, and in any event not later than 4:00 p.m., New York City time, on such Business Day, deliver by Electronic Means to the Liquidity Provider (with a copy to the Fund) a Preliminary Notice of Purchase that, subject to delivery of the Final Notice of Purchase on the Purchase Date described below, provides for the purchase by the Liquidity Provider of the number of such VRDP Shares that the Remarketing Agent stated in the Remarketing Notice as not having been successfully remarketed, including the aggregate Purchase Price of such VRDP Shares, as calculated by the Remarketing Agent. If the Remarketing Notice states that the Remarketing Agent has not successfully remarketed all of the VRDP Shares to be purchased on such Purchase Date (or if proceeds from a Remarketing of any tendered VRDP Shares have not been received for any reason by the Tender and Paying Agent by 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on the Purchase Date), the Tender and Paying Agent shall deliver by Electronic Means to the Liquidity Provider (with a copy to the Fund) by 12:00 noon, New York City time, on such Purchase Date a Final Notice of Purchase that states the number of VRDP Shares required to be purchased by the Liquidity Provider. For purposes of the Final Notice of Purchase, any tendered VRDP Shares for which proceeds from a Remarketing have not been received for any reason by the Tender and Paying Agent by 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on the Purchase Date (other than VRDP Shares owned by the Remarketing Agent or Liquidity Provider and tendered for Remarketing), shall be treated as not having been successfully remarketed and will be required to be purchased by the Liquidity Provider. Except for manifest error, the payment obligation of the Liquidity Provider will equal the Purchase Price of the VRDP Shares stated in the Final Notice of Purchase delivered to the Liquidity Provider, as being required to be purchased by the Liquidity Provider.

 

With respect to the Remarketing Agent’s responsibilities, but without affecting the Tender and Paying Agent’s role as intermediary, the Remarketing Agent hereby agrees that it shall remarket tendered VRDP Shares only to Persons that also are registered investment companies under the 1940 Act (each, a “RIC”). VRDP Shares owned by the Liquidity Provider or the Remarketing Agent may be sold to any Person that is not a RIC (a “Non-RIC”) through a Remarketing or otherwise with the prior consent of the Fund; provided, that such prior consent shall not be required if such VRDP Shares are sold (i) to an affiliate of the Liquidity Provider or Remarketing Agent or (ii) in connection with a repurchase financing transaction. For purposes of the preceding sentence, the Fund’s prior consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed with respect to sales to (1) a tender option bond trust (all of the investors in which are RICs, banks, insurance companies or any companies that are included in the S&P 500 Index (or a direct or indirect wholly-owned subsidiary thereof)) or (2) to any bank, insurance company or any company that is included in the S&P 500 Index (or a direct or indirect wholly-owned subsidiary thereof); provided, that with respect to any other purchaser, any consent withheld by the Fund because of the identity of such purchaser shall not be deemed unreasonable.

 

 
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(g) Except as otherwise expressly provided for herein, the purchase and delivery of tendered VRDP Shares and their Remarketing will be accomplished in accordance with the applicable procedures of the Securities Depository.

 

(h) At any time that no Purchase Obligation is in effect (or with respect to a Remarketing of VRDP Shares held by the Liquidity Provider as to which any then-effective Purchase Obligation by a successor liquidity provider is inapplicable), any VRDP Shares unsold in a Remarketing will be returned to the relevant tendering Beneficial Owners or their Agent Members, or the relevant tendering Holders, as the case may be, by the Tender and Paying Agent.

 

(i) In connection with the allocation of VRDP Shares tendered for Remarketing by the Liquidity Provider and any other Holder or Beneficial Owner of VRDP Shares in any Remarketing, the Remarketing Agent shall allocate those VRDP Shares previously acquired by the Liquidity Provider pursuant to its Purchase Obligation first to any purchasers in a Remarketing (such allocation coming first from those VRDP Shares acquired earliest by the Liquidity Provider).

 

(j) The Remarketing Agent agrees that if, at any time, either Moody’s, Fitch or any Other Rating Agency shall not make available a rating for the VRDP Shares required for the Remarketing Agent to calculate any Maximum Rate, or if both of Moody’s and Fitch shall not make available such a rating, the Fund shall select, with the prior written consent of the Liquidity Provider, one or more Other Rating Agencies for such purpose.

 

(k) The Remarketing Agent shall use commercially reasonable efforts to meet the timing requirements set forth above. Subject to Section 4(h) hereof, the Remarketing Agent may, in its sole discretion, modify the settlement procedures set forth above with respect to any Remarketing upon ten (10) days’ prior written notice to the Fund, the Liquidity Provider and the Tender and Paying Agent, provided any such modification does not adversely affect the Holders, the Beneficial Owners, the Tender and Paying Agent, the Liquidity Provider or the Fund.

 

(l) If the Remarketing Agent in its sole discretion decides to purchase unsold VRDP Shares for its own account, on each Purchase Date, the Remarketing Agent will settle such purchase delivery against payment of the Purchase Price for such VRDP Shares to be received by the Tender and Paying Agent by 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on such Purchase Date. The Remarketing Agent is not obligated to purchase any VRDP Shares that would otherwise remain unsold in a Remarketing.

 

(m) It is expressly understood and agreed by the parties hereto that VRDP Shares as to which the Remarketing Agent is the Beneficial Owner may be held by the Remarketing Agent for its own account or for the account of others, and may be remarketed or otherwise sold by the Remarketing Agent, subject to the restrictions on sales to Non-RICs set forth in Section 2(f). The Remarketing Agent may sell VRDP Shares for its own account outside of a Remarketing at a price other than the Purchase Price, subject to the restrictions on sales to Non-RICs set forth in Section 2(f).

 

 
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(n) The Remarketing Agent shall remarket or otherwise offer and sell the VRDP Shares only to Persons that it reasonably believes are “qualified institutional buyers” within the meaning of Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), in transactions meeting the requirements of Rule 144A.

 

(o) The provisions contained in the Statement concerning Special Rate Periods and the notification of a Special Rate Period shall be followed by the Fund and, to the extent applicable, the Remarketing Agent, and the provisions contained therein are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety and shall be deemed to be a part of this Agreement to the same extent as if such provisions were set forth fully herein.

 

(p) Whenever the Fund intends to include any net capital gains or other taxable income in any dividend on VRDP Shares, the Fund shall notify the Remarketing Agent and Tender and Paying Agent of the amount to be so included (i) not later than 14 calendar days preceding the first Rate Determination Date on which the Applicable Rate for such dividend is to be established, and (ii) for any immediately following Rate Determination Date on which the Applicable Rate for such dividend is to be established, not later than the close of business on the immediately preceding Rate Determination Date. Whenever such advance notice is received from the Fund, the Tender and Paying Agent will notify each Holder and the Remarketing Agent shall promptly notify each potential Beneficial Owner or its Agent Member after receipt of such advance notice by the Remarketing Agent.

 

(q) The Remarketing Agent acknowledges and agrees that, unless the Liquidity Provider notifies the Remarketing Agent of its intention to sell such VRDP Shares outside of a Remarketing pursuant to Section 2.03 of the Fee Agreement, any VRDP Shares held by the Liquidity Provider shall be deemed to have been tendered for Remarketing pursuant to an Optional Tender on each Business Day immediately following the acquisition of such VRDP Shares by the Liquidity Provider, and any required notice shall be deemed to have been properly given in a timely manner.

 

(r) (i) The Fund and the Remarketing Agent agree that the Fund, with the prior written consent of the Liquidity Provider and after consultation with the Remarketing Agent, (A) may adjust the Applicable Percentage and the Applicable Spread upward (and if previously adjusted upward, subsequently downward), provided, that, notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in this Agreement, the Maximum Rate is equal to or higher than the rates determined as set forth in the Statement, and immediately following any such increase, the Fund would be in compliance with the Minimum VRDP Shares Asset Coverage and the VRDP Shares Basic Maintenance Amount in the Rating Agency Guidelines of the NRSRO or NRSROs then rating the VRDP Shares at the request of the Fund and (B) in the event of Special Rate Periods of greater than 364 days, may adjust the Maximum Rate upward, provided, that, notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in this Agreement, immediately following any such increase, the Fund would be in compliance with the Minimum VRDP Shares Asset Coverage and the VRDP Shares Basic Maintenance Amount in the Rating Agency Guidelines of the NRSRO or NRSROs then rating the VRDP Shares at the request of the Fund.

 

 
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(ii) Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in this Agreement, in no event shall the Maximum Rate exceed 15%; provided, however, that in the event the Fund has given notification prior to the Applicable Rate Determination for the Rate Period pursuant to the Statement that any ordinary income or capital gains will be included in the dividend on VRDP Shares for that Rate Period, the Maximum Rate shall not exceed 15% divided by the quantity one (1) minus (i) the maximum marginal regular federal personal income tax rate applicable to ordinary income or net capital gains (as applicable) each expressed as a decimal applicable to ordinary income or net capital gains (as applicable), or (ii) the maximum marginal regular federal corporate income tax rate applicable to ordinary income or net capital gains (as applicable), each expressed as a decimal applicable to ordinary income or net capital gains (as applicable), whichever is greater and determined on a weighted average basis in respect of the relative amounts of ordinary income and net capital gains.

 

(iii) Upon each adjustment to the Applicable Percentage, the Applicable Spread or the Maximum Rate made in accordance with subsection (r)(i) above, the Remarketing Agent shall record promptly on Schedule I to this Agreement each such adjustment, if any, and thereupon provide copies of the updated Schedule I by Electronic Means to each of the Fund, the Liquidity Provider and the Tender and Paying Agent.

 

Section 3. Terms Applicable During the Current Special Rate Period.

 

The terms set forth in this Section 3 shall be applicable during, and only during, the Current Special Rate Period and such terms shall supersede any other terms, provisions or obligations set forth in this Agreement during the Current Special Rate Period. This Section 3 shall have no force or effect after the last day of the Current Special Rate Period and shall be deemed deleted and removed from this Agreement in its entirety thereafter without any further action from the Fund or the Remarketing Agent.

 

(a) The Remarketing Agent shall not be required to establish the Applicable Rate or calculate the Maximum Rate during the Current Special Rate Period.

 

(b) During the period from (and including) June 25, 2020 to (but excluding) the day that is seven days prior to the end of the Current Special Rate Period, Section 5 of this Agreement shall be amended by replacing the fee rate of 0.05% with a fee rate of 0.00%.

 

(c) During the period from (and including) June 25, 2020 to (but excluding) the day that is seven days prior to the end of the Current Special Rate Period, Section 8 of this Agreement shall not be applicable.

 

(d) Except to the extent provided in the Current Notice of Special Rate Period, Section 2(q) of this Agreement shall not be applicable during the Current Special Rate Period.

 

(e) Beneficial Owners and Holders shall not have the right to tender their VRDP Shares for Remarketing pursuant to an Optional Tender during the Current Special Rate Period.

 

 
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(f) The provisions of the Related Documents relating to Mandatory Tender Events and related Mandatory Tenders shall be inapplicable during the Current Special Rate Period.

 

(g) Notwithstanding Section 2(m) of the this Agreement, during the Current Special Rate Period, the Remarketing Agent shall not transfer or dispose of any VRDP Shares owned by the Remarketing Agent, except in accordance with Section 3.02 of Schedule III to the Fee Agreement, as if such Section 3.02 applied to the Remarketing Agent rather than the Liquidity Provider.

 

(h) Section 2(p) of this Agreement shall have no effect during the Current Special Rate Period.

 

(i) During the Current Special Rate Period, whenever the Fund intends or expects to include any net capital gains or ordinary income taxable for regular federal income tax purposes in any dividend on VRDP Shares, the Fund shall notify the Tender and Paying Agent of the amount to be so included (i) not later than 14 calendar days preceding the first SRP Calculation Date on which the SRP Applicable Rate for such dividend is to be established and (ii) for any successive SRP Calculation Date on which the SRP Applicable Rate for such dividend is to be established, not later than the close of business on the immediately preceding SRP Calculation Date. Whenever such advance notice is received from the Fund, the Tender and Paying Agent will notify each Holder and each Beneficial Owner or its Agent Member identified to the Tender and Paying Agent. Capitalized terms used but not defined in this Section 3(i) shall have the meanings given to such terms in the Current Notice of Special Rate Period.

 

(j) During the Current Special Rate Period, notwithstanding Section 6(b) or Section 9(b)(i), the Remarketing Agent may not have the right to resign or terminate to Remarketing Agreement as a result of the withdrawal of the VRDP Shares’ short-term preferred shares ratings by a Rating Agency, and there shall be no other consequences, penalties or notices thereof with respect to such withdrawal.

 

(k) During the Current Special Rate Period, the terms and provisions of the Current Notice of Special Rate Period shall be deemed a part of the Statement.

 

(l) In the event of any conflict between the terms of the Current Notice of Special Rate Period and the terms of the Remarketing Agreement (as amended by any amendments thereto) or the Related Documents (as amended by any amendments thereto), the terms of the Current Notice of Special Rate Period shall govern.

 

Section 4. Representations, Warranties and Covenants of the Remarketing Agent and the Fund.

 

(a) The Remarketing Agent hereby represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the Fund that it shall, subject to Section 2(m), remarket or otherwise offer and sell the VRDP Shares only to Persons that it reasonably believes are “qualified institutional buyers” within the meaning of Rule 144A under the Securities Act in transactions meeting the requirements of Rule 144A and in accordance with the information as set forth in Schedule II herein.

 

 
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(b) The Remarketing Agent hereby represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the Fund in connection with each Remarketing that no form of general solicitation or general advertising (within the meaning of Regulation D under the Securities Act) has been or will be used by the Remarketing Agent or any of its representatives in connection with a Remarketing of VRDP Shares, including, but not limited to, articles, notices or other communications published in any newspaper, magazine or similar medium or broadcast over television or radio, or any seminar or meeting whose attendees have been invited by any general solicitation or general advertising.

 

(c) The Fund represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the Remarketing Agent that the VRDP Shares are not of the same class (within the meaning of Rule 144A under the Securities Act) as securities which are listed on a national securities exchange registered under Section 6 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or quoted in a U.S. automated inter-dealer quotation system.

 

(d) The Fund represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the Remarketing Agent as of the date hereof, and as of each Purchase Date, that (i) the Fund has made all the filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) that are required to be made under the 1940 Act, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “1940 Act Regulations”) (collectively, the “1940 Act Documents”), (ii) each 1940 Act Document complies in all material respects with the requirements of the 1940 Act and the 1940 Act Regulations, and each 1940 Act Document did not at the time of filing with the Commission include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made when taken as a whole, not misleading and (iii) as of each Rate Determination Date after the date hereof, the applicable Remarketing Materials (as defined in Section 8), as amended or supplemented, including any 1940 Act Document filed on or prior to such Purchase Date (or, if applicable, by any document filed pursuant to the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder), but excluding any Liquidity Provider Information (as defined in Section 10), will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made when taken as a whole, not misleading.

 

(e) The Fund represents, warrants and covenants with the Remarketing Agent that (a) neither it nor any Person acting on its behalf has or will directly or indirectly, make offers or sales of any security (as defined in the Securities Act) under circumstances that would require the registration of the VRDP Shares under the Securities Act, (b) it shall not, and shall not permit its affiliates (as defined in Rule 501(b) under the Securities Act) to, make any offer or sale of securities of the Fund of any class if, as a result of the doctrine of “integration” referred to in Rule 502 under the Securities Act, such offer or sale would, with respect to the VRDP Shares, render invalid the exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act provided by Section 4(a)(2) thereof or by Rule 144A thereunder or otherwise, and (c) if at any time the Fund is not furnishing information to the Commission pursuant to the 1940 Act and/or the 1940 Act Regulations to satisfy its filing requirements pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, in order to preserve the exemption for resales and transfers under Rule 144A, the Fund shall furnish, or cause to be furnished, to holders of VRDP Shares and prospective purchasers of VRDP Shares, upon request and for the benefit of holders from time to time of VRDP Shares, information with respect to the Fund satisfying the requirements of subsection (d)(4) of Rule 144A.

 

 
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(f) It is expressly understood and agreed by the parties hereto that the Remarketing Agent’s obligation to remarket VRDP Shares shall extend to and include any VRDP Shares tendered or deemed tendered by the Liquidity Provider as the Beneficial Owner (whether the Liquidity Provider acquired such VRDP Shares pursuant to its Purchase Obligation under the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement or otherwise).

 

(g) The Fund agrees to notify the Remarketing Agent as soon as practicable after a Failure to Deposit.

 

(h) Without the prior written consent of the Liquidity Provider (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld), the Remarketing Agent shall not modify the settlement procedures as set forth in Section 2 of Part II of the Statement as described in Section 2(d) thereof insofar as they affect settlement with the Liquidity Provider.

 

Section 5. Fees and Expenses. Except as provided in the succeeding sentence, the Fund shall, except during the Current Special Rate Period, pay to the Remarketing Agent a monthly fee, payable in arrears in respect of a calendar month, for each VRDP Share Outstanding on the first calendar day of the immediately preceding calendar month, in an amount, equal to (a) the product of 0.05% of 101.85% of the Liquidation Preference for such VRDP Share and (ii) the actual number of days from and including such first calendar day of the immediately preceding calendar month to and including the last calendar day of such immediately preceding month, or if applicable, the date of any prior redemption of such VRDP Share (as the case may be) divided by (b) 365. The fee for the period from and including the Effective Date to and including June 30, 2020 shall be paid on July 15, 2020, provided that the day count for such fee calculation pursuant to clause (a)(ii) of the immediately preceding sentence for such payment on July 15, 2020 shall be 6 days and the fee shall be calculated in respect of each VRDP Share Outstanding on the Effective Date instead of the first calendar day of the immediately preceding month.

 

Section 6. Resignation, Suspension and Removal of the Remarketing Agent.

 

(a) The Remarketing Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder with respect to the VRDP Shares by giving 90 days’ prior written notice to the Fund, the Securities Depository, the Tender and Paying Agent and the Liquidity Provider pursuant to Section 25 of this Agreement and by Electronic Means. Notwithstanding the foregoing, so long as the Purchase Obligation is in effect, following notice of a Mandatory Tender Event, the Remarketing Agent may not terminate this Agreement or resign until after the purchase of the VRDP Shares required to be made on the related Purchase Date.

 

(b) The Fund, with the prior written consent of the Liquidity Provider (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld), may remove the Remarketing Agent with respect to the VRDP Shares by giving at least 60 days’ prior written notice to the Remarketing Agent, the Tender and Paying Agent, if any, and the Liquidity Provider; provided, however, that no such removal shall become effective for an additional 30 days unless the Fund shall have appointed, with the prior written consent of the Liquidity Provider (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld), at least one nationally recognized securities dealer with experience in remarketing variable rate securities as a successor Remarketing Agent for the VRDP Shares and the successor Remarketing Agent shall have entered into a remarketing agreement with the Fund, in form and substance satisfactory to the Fund, in which it shall have agreed to, among other duties, conduct Remarketings in respect of VRDP Shares and determine the Applicable Rate on each Rate Determination Date for the VRDP Shares in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Statement; provided, further, however, that if the Liquidity Provider is an affiliate of the Remarketing Agent, the Remarketing Agent may not be removed unless the Liquidity Provider consents to such removal or the successor Remarketing Agent agrees to purchase any VRDP Shares owned by the Remarketing Agent as of the effective date of such removal at a purchase price equal to the Liquidation Preference thereof plus accumulated but unpaid dividends thereon (whether or not earned or declared) to the effective date of such removal.

 

 
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In each of the occurrences described in clause (a) or (b), the Fund shall use its best efforts to appoint a successor Remarketing Agent for such VRDP Shares and enter into a remarketing agreement with such person as soon as reasonably practicable.

 

Section 7. Dealing in the VRDP Shares.

 

(a) The Remarketing Agent in its sole discretion may purchase for its own account VRDP Shares in a Remarketing; however, the Remarketing Agent shall not be obligated to purchase any VRDP Shares that would otherwise remain unsold in a Remarketing. None of the Fund, the Tender and Paying Agent nor the Remarketing Agent shall be obligated in any case to provide funds to make payment to a Beneficial Owner or its Agent Member or a Holder upon such Beneficial Owner’s or Holder’s tender of its VRDP Shares in a Remarketing unless, in each case, such VRDP Shares were acquired for the account of the Fund, the Tender and Paying Agent or the Remarketing Agent, as applicable. The Remarketing Agent may exercise any vote or join in any action which any Holder of VRDP Shares may be entitled to exercise or take pursuant to the Statement with like effect as if it did not act in any capacity hereunder. The Remarketing Agent, in its individual capacity, either as principal or agent, may also engage in or have an interest in any financial or other transaction with the Fund as freely as if it did not act in any capacity hereunder.

 

(b) The Fund acknowledges and agrees, whether or not the Remarketing Agent or any affiliate thereof has advised or is currently advising the Fund on other matters, that in connection with the remarketing of the VRDP Shares and any other duties or obligations of the Remarketing Agent pursuant to and/or as set forth in this Agreement: (a) the Remarketing Agent is not an advisor (including, without limitation, a Municipal Advisor (as such term is defined in Section 975(e) of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act), an “advisor”) of, and owes no fiduciary duty to, the Fund or any other person, (b) the Remarketing Agent’s duties and obligations to the Fund shall be limited to those contractual duties and obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement and the Statement, and (c) the Fund has consulted with those independent legal, financial and any other advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate in connection with any questions or other issues it might have relating to the remarketing of the VRDP Shares.

 

Section 8. Information.

 

(a) The Fund agrees to furnish to the Remarketing Agent: (i) copies of the Statement and its bylaws and any amendment thereto and each report or other document mailed or made available to Holders (including annual reports to shareholders) or filed by the Fund with the Commission (including any documents incorporated therein by reference); (ii) notice of the creation of any subsidiary by the Fund; (iii) notice of the purchase of VRDP Shares by a subsidiary or affiliate of the Fund as soon as the Fund shall become aware of such purchase; (iv) notice of any change (including being put on Credit Watch or Watchlist), suspension or termination in or any change of any NRSRO then rating the VRDP Shares or any change of a NRSRO rating the VRDP Shares as promptly as practicable upon the occurrence thereof or of the occurrence of any of the events set forth in clause (b)(i), (b)(ii) or (b)(iii) of Section 9 hereof (with the occurrence of any of the events described in clause (b)(iii) to be determined without regard to the opinion of the Remarketing Agent referred to therein); and (v) in connection with a Remarketing, any Remarketing Memorandum and such other publicly available remarketing information (including the Remarketing Materials) as the Remarketing Agent may reasonably request from time to time, including but not limited to the financial condition of the Fund. The Fund agrees to provide the Remarketing Agent with as many copies of the foregoing materials and publicly available information as the Remarketing Agent may reasonably request for use in connection with any Remarketing of VRDP Shares and consents to the use thereof for such purpose.

 

 
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(b) If at any time during the term of this Agreement any event or condition known to the Fund relating to or affecting the Fund or the VRDP Shares shall occur which causes any of the Remarketing Materials (other than the Liquidity Provider Information (as defined below) so long as the Liquidity Provider is an affiliate of the Remarketing Agent) or any other materials or information made publicly available by the Fund to include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made when taken as a whole, not misleading, the Fund shall promptly notify the Remarketing Agent in writing of the circumstances and details of such event or condition and the Fund shall promptly prepare or cause to be prepared and delivered to the Remarketing Agent, at the Fund’s expense, a supplement or amendment to the Remarketing Materials describing the circumstances and details of such event or condition.

 

Section 9. Conditions to Obligations of the Remarketing Agent. The obligations of the Remarketing Agent with respect to VRDP Shares under this Agreement have been undertaken in reliance on, and shall be subject to: (a) the due performance in all material respects by the Fund of its obligations and agreements as set forth in this Agreement (including Sections 4(d) and 8(b) hereof); and (b) the non-occurrence of any of the following events: (i) the rating of the VRDP Shares or the Liquidity Provider shall have been downgraded or withdrawn by any NRSRO after the date hereof, the effect of which, in the reasonable opinion of the Remarketing Agent, is to affect materially and adversely the market price of the VRDP Shares or the Remarketing Agent’s ability to remarket the VRDP Shares; (ii) all of the VRDP Shares shall have been redeemed by the Fund and redemption proceeds have been paid to the relevant Holders; or (iii) without the prior written consent of the Remarketing Agent, the Statement, the Charter, or the Tender and Paying Agent Agreement, shall either not be in full force and effect or have been amended in any manner that in the reasonable opinion of the Remarketing Agent materially adversely changes the nature of the VRDP Shares or the remarketing procedures; (iv) legislation, or a decision by a court of the United States shall be rendered, or stop order, ruling, regulation or official statement by, or on behalf of, the Commission or other governmental agency having jurisdiction of the subject matter shall be made, to the effect that the offering or sale of the VRDP Shares is or would be in violation of any provision of the Securities Act as then in effect, or the Exchange Act as then in effect, or with the purpose or effect of otherwise prohibiting the offering or sale of the VRDP Shares, as contemplated hereby, without registration under the Securities Act; (v) any legislation, resolution, ordinance, rule or regulation shall be enacted by any governmental body, department or agency of the United States or the State of New York, or a decision by any court of competent jurisdiction within the United States or the State of New York shall be rendered, which, in the Remarketing Agent’s reasonable opinion, materially adversely affects the marketability of the VRDP Shares; (vi) additional material restrictions not in force as of the date hereof shall have been imposed upon trading in securities generally by any governmental authority or by any national securities exchange, which, in the Remarketing Agent’s reasonable opinion, would cause the performance of the Remarketing Agent’s obligations hereunder to violate applicable law; (vii) any litigation shall be instituted and be outstanding to restrain or enjoin the sale or remarketing of the VRDP Shares or in any way protesting or affecting any authority for or the validity of the VRDP Shares or this Agreement, or the existence or powers of the Fund or the Liquidity Provider to perform, as applicable, its obligations hereunder or under the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement; (viii) a general banking moratorium has been declared by federal or New York authorities having jurisdiction, a material disruption in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services or a force majeure event shall have occurred which in the reasonable opinion of the Remarketing Agent materially adversely affects the settlement or clearance of the VRDP Shares; or (ix) a material misstatement or omission in the Remarketing Materials, except for any Liquidity Provider Information, so long as the Liquidity Provider is an affiliate of the Remarketing Agent, has occurred, so that it is not advisable, in the reasonable judgment of the Remarketing Agent, to attempt to remarket the VRDP Shares, provided that the Remarketing Agent, upon identifying any such material misstatement or omission in the Remarketing Materials, shall promptly notify the Fund. In the event of the failure of any such conditions with respect to VRDP Shares, the Remarketing Agent may terminate its obligations under this Agreement with respect to VRDP Shares as provided in Section 11(b). Notwithstanding the foregoing, so long as the Purchase Obligation is in effect, following notice of a Mandatory Tender Event, the foregoing conditions shall not apply and the Remarketing Agent may not terminate this Agreement or resign until after the purchase of the VRDP Shares required to be made on the related Purchase Date provided that the Remarketing Agent shall not be required to perform its obligations hereunder or under any other Related Document if, in the opinion of a nationally recognized outside counsel selected by the Remarketing Agent reasonably acceptable to the Fund and its investment advisor, such performance would violate any applicable laws.

 

 
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Section 10. Indemnification.

 

(a) The Fund agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Remarketing Agent and its respective officers, directors and employees (collectively, the “Indemnified Persons” and individually, an “Indemnified Person”) from and against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which any Indemnified Person may become subject insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any of the Remarketing Materials or any Remarketing Memorandum or the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances in which they were made, not misleading (except with respect to the Liquidity Provider Information, so long as the Liquidity Provider is an affiliate of the Remarketing Agent), or information provided by the Remarketing Agent specifically for use therein), or arise out of, or are based upon, any violation by the Fund of, or any failure by the Fund to perform, any of its obligations under, this Agreement. The Fund agrees to promptly reimburse each Indemnified Person for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Indemnified Person in investigating, defending or preparing to defend any such action or claim; provided, however, that the Fund shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of the use by the Remarketing Agent of any information that is not contained in the Remarketing Materials. The indemnity agreement in this paragraph shall be in addition to any liability or obligation which the Fund may otherwise have to any Indemnified Person and shall extend upon the same terms and conditions to each person, if any, who controls the Remarketing Agent within the meaning of the Exchange Act. “Liquidity Provider Information” shall mean any information in the Remarketing Materials under the caption “Liquidity Provider”, which in each case has been furnished in writing by the Liquidity Provider or its affiliates for inclusion therein (including without limitation through incorporation by reference).

 

(b) The Fund agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Indemnified Persons from and against every loss, liability or expense, including without limitation, damages, fines, suits, actions, demands, costs, out-of-pocket expenses, and reasonable legal fees and expenses (collectively, “Losses”), that may be imposed on, incurred by, or asserted against, any Indemnified Person for or in respect of its (1) execution and delivery of this Agreement, (2) compliance or attempted compliance with or reliance upon any instruction or other direction upon which the Remarketing Agent is authorized to rely pursuant to the terms of this Agreement and (3) performance under this Agreement, except to the extent that the Loss resulted from such Indemnified Person’s gross negligence, willful misconduct, bad faith, violations of law, violations of the terms and conditions of this Agreement or the failure of the Remarketing Agent to have the authority to execute, deliver or perform this Agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, the Fund agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Indemnified Persons from and against any and all Losses that may be imposed on, incurred by, or asserted against, any Indemnified Person for or in respect of the failure of the Remarketing Agent to deliver Remarketing Materials during the course of a Remarketing, if such failure is due to the failure by the Fund to provide to the Remarketing Agent such Remarketing Materials for delivery (regardless of whether the Remarketing Agent has requested such Remarketing Materials), notwithstanding that such failure by the Remarketing Agent to deliver Remarketing Materials during the course of a Remarketing could be deemed a violation of law by an Indemnified Person. The indemnity agreement in this paragraph shall be in addition to any liability or obligation which the Fund may otherwise have to any Indemnified Person.

 

(c) Each Indemnified Person shall give notice as promptly as reasonably practicable to the Fund (the “Indemnifying Person”) of any action commenced against it in respect of which indemnity may be sought hereunder, but failure to so notify the Indemnifying Persons shall not relieve the Indemnifying Person from any liability which it may have otherwise than on account of this indemnity agreement. No settlement or compromise of any such action shall be made without the consent of the Indemnifying Person, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld.

 

 
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(d) In case any such action is brought against any Indemnified Person, and it notifies the Indemnifying Person from which it seeks indemnification of the commencement thereof, the Indemnifying Person will be entitled to participate in, and, to the extent that it may wish, to assume the defense thereof so long as its interests are not adverse to those of the Indemnified Person, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Person, and after notice from the Indemnifying Person to such Indemnified Person of its election to assume the defense thereof, the Indemnifying Person will not be liable to such Indemnified Person under this Section 10 for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such Indemnified Person in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation. Upon assumption by the Indemnifying Person of the defense of any such action or proceeding, the Indemnified Person shall have the right to participate in such action or proceeding and to retain its own counsel but the Indemnifying Person shall not be liable for any legal expenses of other counsel subsequently incurred by such Indemnified Person in connection with the defense thereof unless (i) the Indemnifying Person has agreed to pay such fees and expenses, (ii) the Indemnifying Person shall have failed to employ counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person in a timely manner, or (iii) the Indemnified Person shall have been advised by counsel that there are actual or potential conflicting interests between the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person, including situations in which there are one or more legal defenses available to the Indemnified Person that are different from or additional to those available to the Fund. If the Indemnifying Person elects not to assume the defense of any such suit, it will reimburse the Indemnified Persons for the reasonable fees and expenses of any counsel retained by them. In the event that the parties to any such action (including impleaded parties) include the Indemnifying Person and one or more Indemnified Persons, and one or more Indemnified Persons shall have been advised by counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnifying Person that there may be one or more legal defenses available to any of the Indemnified Persons, which are different from, additional to, or in conflict with those available to the Indemnifying Person, the Indemnifying Person will reimburse the Indemnified Persons for the reasonable fees and expenses of any counsel retained by the Indemnified Persons (it being understood that the Indemnifying Person shall not, in connection with any one action or separate but similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances, be liable for the reasonable fees and expenses of more than one separate firm of attorneys (plus local counsel) for all Indemnified Persons, which firm shall be designated by the Indemnified Persons, the Remarketing Agent or the Indemnifying Person, as the case may be). The Indemnifying Person agrees promptly to notify each Indemnified Person of the commencement of any litigation or proceedings against it in connection with the remarketing of the VRDP Shares. The Indemnifying Person shall not consent to the terms of any compromise or settlement of any action against an Indemnified Person and defended by the Indemnifying Person in accordance with the foregoing without the prior consent of the Indemnified Person. The Indemnifying Person shall not be liable under this Section 10 for the amount of any compromise or settlement of any action unless such compromise or settlement has been approved in writing by the Indemnifying Person, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld.

 

(e) If the indemnification provided for in subparagraph (a) of this Section 10 is unavailable, because of limitations imposed by securities laws or for any other reason, to a party that would otherwise have been an Indemnified Person under subparagraph (a) above in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to therein, then the party that would have been an Indemnifying Person thereunder shall, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Person, contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Person as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) in such proportion so that the Remarketing Agent is responsible for that portion represented by the percentage that the Remarketing Agent’s fee (calculated for a one year period) with respect to the relevant remarketing bears to the aggregate principal amount of the VRDP Shares being remarketed but will not exceed the amount of such fee (calculated for a one year period) and the Fund is responsible for the balance; provided, however, that no person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act. The amount paid or payable by an Indemnified Person as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereon referred to above in this subparagraph (e)) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Indemnified Person in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claims (which shall be limited as provided in this subparagraph (e) above if the Indemnifying Person has assumed the defense of any such action in accordance with the provisions thereof).

 

 
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(f) The indemnity agreements contained in clauses (a), (b) and (c) of this Section 10 shall remain operative and in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the Remarketing Agent, and shall survive the termination or cancellation of this Agreement and the remarketing of any VRDP Shares hereunder.

 

(g) The parties hereto acknowledge and agree that funds paid by the Liquidity Provider pursuant to the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement are not subject to claims for indemnification made against the Fund under Section 10(a) or 10(b) of this Agreement.

 

Section 11. Termination of VRDP Shares Remarketing Agreement.

 

(a) This Agreement shall terminate as to the Remarketing Agent and its obligations hereunder with respect to VRDP Shares on the effective date of the resignation or removal of such Remarketing Agent pursuant to Section 6(a) and Section 6(b), respectively.

 

(b) In addition, the Remarketing Agent may terminate this Agreement and all of its obligations hereunder with respect to VRDP Shares, by notifying the Fund, the Liquidity Provider and the Tender and Paying Agent of its election to do so, if any of the conditions referred to or set forth in Section 9 hereof with respect to VRDP Shares have not been met or satisfied in full and such failure shall have continued for a period of 30 days after such Remarketing Agent has given notice thereof to the Fund specifying the condition which has not been met and requiring it to be met; provided, however, that, subject to the last sentence of Section 9, termination of this Agreement with respect to VRDP Shares by the Remarketing Agent after giving the required notices with respect to VRDP Shares shall be immediate in the event of the occurrence and continuation of any event set forth in Section 9(b)(i), (ii), (iii) or (iv) hereof with respect to VRDP Shares.

 

(c) Upon termination of this Agreement, the Remarketing Agent, at the request of the Fund, shall use commercially reasonable efforts, subject to confidentiality restrictions, to deliver to the Fund or any person designated by the Fund information maintained by it with respect to the VRDP Shares in connection with its duties hereunder provided that the Remarketing Agent may retain all or any portion of such information necessary or, in the good faith judgment of the Remarketing Agent, desirable to comply with laws and regulations applicable to the Remarketing Agent and its internal policies.

 

 
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Section 12. Remarketing Agent’s Performance; Duty of Care.

 

(a) The duties and obligations of the Remarketing Agent shall be determined solely by the express provisions of this Agreement and the Statement. No implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Agreement, or the Statement. In the absence of bad faith on the part of the Remarketing Agent, the Remarketing Agent may conclusively rely upon any document furnished to it, which purports to conform to the requirements of this Agreement and the Statement, as to the truth of the statements expressed in any of such documents. The Remarketing Agent shall be protected in acting upon any document or communication reasonably believed by it to have been signed, presented or made by the proper party or parties. The Remarketing Agent shall incur no liability to the Fund, the Fund’s investment adviser, the Liquidity Provider, the Tender and Paying Agent or to any Beneficial Owner (or its Agent Member) or any Holder of the VRDP Shares in its individual capacity or as Remarketing Agent for any action or failure to act, in connection with its duties under this Agreement and the Statement or otherwise, except as a result of its bad faith, gross negligence or willful misconduct on its part.

 

(b) The Remarketing Agent shall not be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations under this Agreement arising out or caused by the failure of any other party (other than an affiliate of the Remarketing Agent) to provide any notice, statement or document required to be delivered pursuant to any Related Document in connection with performance by the Remarketing Agent of the relevant obligation.

 

Section 13. Amendment, Supplement or Modification of Agreements. Without the prior written consent of the Remarketing Agent, the Fund will not agree or consent to any amendment, supplement or modification of the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement, the Fee Agreement, the Tender and Paying Agent Agreement, this Agreement or the Statement, nor waive any provision thereof, if such amendment, supplement, modification or waiver would materially adversely affect the interests of the Remarketing Agent, in the Remarketing Agent’s sole discretion; provided, that, for purposes of this Section 13, any changes or amendments to the rating agency criteria provided in the Statement for the VRDP Shares shall not be deemed to materially adversely affect the interests of the Remarketing Agent if immediately following such changes or amendments the VRDP Shares continue to be rated in the highest preferred stock ratings category by at least one NRSRO.

 

Section 14. Books and Records. The Remarketing Agent shall keep such books and records with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder as shall be consistent with prudent industry practice and shall, to the extent permitted by law, make such books and records available for inspection by the Fund on reasonable notice during normal business hours. Any costs and expenses associated with such inspections shall be for the account of the party requesting such inspection.

 

Section 15. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of New York, without regard to conflict of laws principles that would require the application of the laws of another jurisdiction.

 

THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY SUBMIT TO THE NON-EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF THE FEDERAL AND NEW YORK STATE COURTS LOCATED IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK IN CONNECTION WITH ANY DISPUTE RELATED TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY MATTERS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.

 

 
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Section 16. Waiver of Jury Trial. The Fund and the Remarketing Agent hereby waive trial by jury in any action, proceeding or counterclaim brought by any of the parties hereto against the other on any matters whatsoever arising out of or in any way connected with this Agreement.

 

Section 17. Term of Agreement. Unless otherwise terminated in accordance with the provisions hereof, this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect from the Effective Date with respect to the VRDP Shares until the first day thereafter on which no such VRDP Shares are outstanding. Regardless of any termination of this Agreement pursuant to any of the provisions hereof, the obligations of the Fund pursuant to Sections 4, 5 and 10 hereof and of the Remarketing Agent pursuant to Section 10 hereof shall remain operative and in full force and effect until fully satisfied.

 

Section 18. Successors and Assigns. The rights and obligations of the Fund hereunder may not be assigned or delegated to any other person without the prior written consent of the Remarketing Agent and the Liquidity Provider. The rights and obligations of the Remarketing Agent hereunder may not be assigned or delegated to any other person without the prior written consent of the Fund and the Liquidity Provider. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Fund and the Remarketing Agent and their respective permitted successors and assigns, and, subject to Section 24, will not confer any benefit upon any other person, partnership, association or corporation other than persons, if any, controlling the Remarketing Agent within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act, or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, or any Indemnified Person to the extent provided in Section 10 hereof. As used in this Section 18, the terms “successors” and “assigns” shall not include any purchaser of VRDP Shares merely because of such purchase.

 

Section 19. Headings. The section headings herein are for convenience of reference only, and it is agreed that such section headings are not a part of this Agreement and will not be used in the interpretation of any provisions of this Agreement.

 

Section 20. Severability. If any provision of this Agreement shall be held or deemed to be or shall, in fact, be invalid, inoperative or unenforceable as applied in any particular case in any or all jurisdiction or jurisdictions, because it conflicts with any provision of any constitution, statute, rule of public policy, or for any other reason, such circumstances shall not have the effect of rendering the provision in question invalid, inoperative or unenforceable in any other case, circumstance or jurisdiction, or of rendering any other provision or provisions of this Agreement invalid, inoperative or unenforceable to any extent whatsoever.

 

Section 21. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in several counterparts, each of which shall be regarded as an original and all of which shall constitute one and the same document.

 

 
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Section 22. Remarketing Agent Not Acting as Underwriter. It is understood and agreed by the parties hereto that the only obligations of the Remarketing Agent hereunder are as set forth in Sections 2, 4, 10 and 14 hereof. When engaged in remarketing any properly-tendered VRDP Shares, the Remarketing Agent shall act only as agent for and on behalf of each owner of the VRDP Shares so tendered. The Remarketing Agent shall not act as an underwriter for the tendered VRDP Shares and shall in no way be obligated to advance its own funds to purchase any tendered VRDP Shares (except to the extent that in its individual capacity as purchaser of those VRDP Shares it may elect, in accordance with Section 7 hereof, to purchase, in its sole discretion) or to otherwise expend or risk its own funds or incur or become exposed to financial liability in the performance of its duties hereunder.

 

Section 23. Amendment. This Agreement may be amended by any instrument in writing signed by all of the parties hereto so long as this Agreement as amended is not inconsistent with the Statement in effect as of the date of any such amendment, provided that the parties to this Agreement agree not to unreasonably withhold or delay consent to any proposed amendment to Section 2(m) hereof. The parties acknowledge that amendments to this Agreement (including with respect to Section 2(m)) are subject to prior notice requirements as set forth in the Tender and Paying Agent Agreement.

 

Section 24. Benefits. Nothing herein, express or implied, shall give to any person, other than the Fund, the Remarketing Agent and their respective permitted successors and assigns, any benefit of any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim hereunder. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, no Holder or Beneficial Owner (or their Agent Member) of VRDP Shares shall have or be deemed to have any right in respect of, or shall in any event be entitled to enforce or to seek recourse against any person in respect of, any provision of this Agreement, and any and all rights of holders of VRDP Shares or obligations of the Fund in respect thereof arise only under and as governed solely by the Charter, Statement and by-laws as they are in effect from time to time.

 

Section 25. Notices and Wire Instructions. Unless otherwise specified, any notices, requests, consents or other communications given or made hereunder or pursuant hereto shall be made in writing and shall be deemed to have been validly given or made when delivered or mailed, by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested and postage prepaid, or by prepaid courier service, in each case, addressed as follows: if to the Fund or its investment adviser, to either of them at 100 Bellevue Parkway, Wilmington, Delaware 19809, Attention: Accounting Custody; if to the Remarketing Agent, to TD Securities (USA) LLC, 31 West 52nd Street, New York, NY 10019, Attention: Rick Fogliano, Head of Municipal Products, Tel: (212) 827-7172, Fax: (212) 827-7173, Email: [email protected], [email protected] and [email protected]; if to the Liquidity Provider, to The Toronto-Dominion Bank, acting through its New York branch, 31 West 52nd Street, New York, NY 10019, Attention: Rick Fogliano, Head of Municipal Products, Tel: (212) 827-7172, Fax: (212) 827-7173, Email: [email protected], [email protected] and [email protected]; and if to the Tender and Paying Agent, to The Bank of New York Mellon, Corporate Trust Division, Dealing and Trading Group, 240 Greenwich Street, Floor 7 East, New York, New York 10286, Fax: (212) 815-2830, Attention: Monika Kozdra-Rusin, Vice President, Tel: (212) 815-5787, Fax: (732) 667-9221, Email: [email protected]; or to such other address as any of the foregoing persons shall specify to the parties hereto in writing.

 

 
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The Purchase Price of remarketed VRDP Shares shall be paid by the Remarketing Agent in immediately available funds by wire transfer to the Tender and Paying Agent in accordance with the following instructions:

 

The Bank of New York Mellon

New York, New York

ABA# 021 000 018

For Further Credit to Account# 7041168400

Ref: mm/dd/yy and Event (e.g.: Purchase Date)

Attn: Monika Kozdra-Rusin

Tel: (212) 815-5787

 

Email transmissions shall be deemed to have been validly given or made when sent to the following email addresses; if to the Fund or its investment adviser, to [email protected]; if to the Remarketing Agent, to [email protected], [email protected] and [email protected]; or to such other address as any such parties shall specify to the other party in writing; if to the Liquidity Provider, to [email protected], [email protected] and [email protected]; and, if to the Tender and Paying Agent, to [email protected] or [email protected].

 

 
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Section 26. Nonpetition Covenant. Notwithstanding any prior termination of this Agreement, TD Securities (USA) LLC, solely in its capacity as Remarketing Agent, hereby covenants and agrees that it shall not, prior to the date which is one year and one day after the redemption and the payment in full of the VRDP Shares and all accumulated dividends, petition or otherwise invoke the process of any court or government authority for the purpose of commencing a case against, the Fund under any federal or state bankruptcy, insolvency or similar law or appointing a receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, custodian, sequestrator or other similar official of the Fund or any substantial part of the property of the Fund; provided, however, that nothing in this provision shall preclude, or be deemed to stop, the Remarketing Agent from taking any action prior to the expiration of the aforementioned one year and one day period (x) in any case or proceeding voluntarily filed or commenced by the Fund, (y) in any involuntary insolvency proceeding filed or commenced against the Fund by a Person other than the Remarketing Agent, or (z) with respect to its rights or preferences as a Beneficial Owner or Holder of VRDP Shares.

 

Section 27. Confidentiality. All information, whether oral, written, via computer disk or electronic media or otherwise, to which it is given access or is made available to it by the other party (including by such other party’s agents and representatives) in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any other Related Document is referred to as “Confidential Information”. Confidential Information shall include, without limitation, all technology, processes, trade secrets, contracts, proprietary information, portfolio information, historical and projected financial information, operating data and organizational cost structures, strategic or management plans, customer information and customer lists, whether received before or after the date hereof. Confidential Information shall also include information of or relating to any parent, subsidiary or affiliate of a party.

 

Each party agrees to hold all Confidential Information in confidence, that it will not disclose any Confidential Information to any person, other than directors, trustees, officers, employees, agents or representatives (including those of a legal nature) (collectively, the “Representatives”) who have a need to know such information in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any other Related Document (the “Transactions”), and that it will not use any such Confidential Information for purposes other than in connection with the Transactions. For the avoidance of doubt, any NRSRO rating the VRDP Shares at the request of the Fund shall not be deemed to be a Representative for purposes of this Section 27 and will not be subject to the obligations of this Section 27. Each party agrees to inform its Representatives of the confidential and valuable nature of the Confidential Information and of its obligations under this Section 27. Each party shall be responsible and liable for any breach of this Section 27 by its Representatives. Each party agrees to use reasonable care and implement reasonable controls, but in all events at least the same degree of care and controls that it uses to protect its own confidential and proprietary information of similar importance, to prevent the unauthorized use, disclosure or availability of Confidential Information.

 

 
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It is understood and agreed that no information shall be within the protection of this Section 27 where such information: (a) is or becomes publicly available through no fault of either party or its Representatives, (b) is authorized to be released by the disclosing party, (c) is rightly obtained from a third party, who, to the best of the receiving party’s knowledge, is not under obligation of confidentiality, (d) is required to be disclosed as a matter of law or by deposition, interrogatory, request for documents, subpoena, regulatory request or demand, civil investigative demand or similar process, (e) is made available to any regulatory body, (f) is made available to any authorized government agency at its express direction, (g) is provided to either party’s independent attorneys or auditors, (h) is required by any NRSRO, (i) is required to be disclosed in connection with the enforcement of this Agreement or with respect to the exercise of any remedies hereunder or (j) is disclosed subject to an agreement subject to an agreement containing provisions substantially similar to those of this Section 27. Furthermore, the obligations of confidentiality set out in this Section 27 shall not extend to Confidential Information that is disclosed to Holders or Beneficial Owners or potential Holders or Beneficial Owners, in each case in their capacity as such, in the Remarketing Memorandum or the Remarketing Materials, in notices to Holders or Beneficial Owners pursuant to one or more of the Related Documents or pursuant to the Fund’s or the Liquidity Provider’s informational obligations under Rule 144A(d)(4) or other reporting obligation of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

In the event that either party to this Agreement or any of its Representatives become legally compelled (by deposition, interrogatory, request for documents, subpoena, regulatory request or demand, civil investigative demand or similar process (“Legal Process”)) to disclose any of the Confidential Information, such party may disclose such Confidential Information to the extent legally required; provided, however, that such party shall: (a) first notify the other party of such Legal Process, unless such notice is prohibited by statute, regulatory request, rule or court order, (b) attempt to obtain such other party’s consent to such disclosure, and (c) in the event consent is not given, not object to the filing of a motion to quash, or other similar procedural step, seeking protection against the production of publication of Confidential Information. In making any disclosure under such Legal Process, each party agrees to use all reasonable efforts to preserve the confidential nature of such information. Nothing herein shall require a party to fail to honor any Legal Process on a timely basis.

 

In the event that this Agreement is terminated, or at any time upon request, each party agrees to return promptly or destroy all copies of the Confidential Information without retaining any copies thereof and to destroy all copies of any analyses, compilations, studies or other documents prepared by it or for its use containing or reflecting any Confidential Information, provided, however, each party will be permitted to retain all or any portion or the Confidential Information to comply with its governing laws, regulations or internal policies. Such Confidential Information shall remain subject to the confidentiality obligations set forth in this Section 27.

 

Inasmuch as any breach of this Section 27 may result in immediate and irreparable injury, it is recognized and agreed that each party shall be entitled to equitable relief, including injunctive relief and specific performance, in addition to all other remedies available at law. Further, all obligations, rights and remedies hereunder shall survive any return or destruction of the Confidential Information and any termination of this Agreement; provided, however, that all obligations, rights and remedies hereunder shall survive the termination of this Agreement and remain in full force and effect for one (1) year after the termination of this Agreement.

 

It is further understood and agreed that no failure or delay by either party in exercising any right, power or privilege under this Section 27 shall operate as a waiver hereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise thereof preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or privilege under this Section 27.

 

[Signature Page Follows]

 

 
30

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties hereto has caused this Agreement to be executed in its name and on its behalf by one of its duly authorized officers as of the date first above written.

 

 

BLACKROCK MUNIYIELD MICHIGAN QUALITY FUND, INC.

       
By: /s/ Jonathan Diorio

 

Name:

Jonathan Diorio  
  Title: Vice President  
       

 

TD SECURITIES (USA) LLC

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Robert C. Franciscus

 

 

Name:

Robert C. Franciscus

 

 

Title:

Authorized Signature

 

 

 

[Signature Page – MIY Remarketing Agreement]

 

 

ANNEX I

 

FORM OF REMARKETING NOTICE

 

[Date]

 

TD Securities (USA) LLC

31 West 52nd Street

New York, NY 10019

Attention: Rick Fogliano, Head of Municipal Products

Tel: (212) 827-7172

Fax: (212) 827-7173

Email: [email protected], [email protected] and [email protected]

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

Corporate Trust Division

Dealing and Trading Group

240 Greenwich Street, Floor 7 East

New York, New York 10286

Fax: (212) 815-2830

Email: [email protected]

 

[or to such other Person and/or address or telecopy number or email address as the Tender and Paying Agent and/or the Liquidity Provider may specify for the purpose by notice to the Remarketing Agent]

 

 

Re: 

BlackRock MuniYield Michigan Quality Fund, Inc.

 

 

Series W-7 Variable Rate Demand Preferred Shares (“VRDP Shares”)

 

Pursuant to Section 2(f) of the VRDP Shares Remarketing Agreement dated as of June 16, 2020 (the “VRDP Shares Remarketing Agreement”), by and among BlackRock MuniYield Michigan Quality Fund, Inc., a non-diversified, closed-end investment company organized as a Maryland corporation, and TD Securities (USA) LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Remarketing Agent”), the undersigned Remarketing Agent hereby notifies you of the following information regarding the Remarketing of the VRDP Shares as of the date hereof:

 

1.           Information regarding the VRDP Shares is as follows:

 

VRDP Shares Series: ___________________

CUSIP number: ___________________

Purchase Date: ___________________

Purchase Price per share of VRDP Shares: ___________________

 

 

 

 

2.           Remarketing Results:

 

(i) The number of VRDP Shares that were successfully remarketed for purchase on the Purchase Date: ___________________

 

(ii) The aggregate Purchase Price of the VRDP Shares that were SOLD in the Remarketing: ___________________

 

(iii) The number of VRDP Shares that were NOT successfully remarketed for purchase on the Purchase Date: ___________________

 

(iv) The aggregate Purchase Price of the VRDP Shares that were NOT SOLD in the Remarketing, to be paid by the Liquidity Provider: ___________________

 

3.           The undersigned hereby acknowledges that this Remarketing Notice is being provided by 2:00 p.m., New York City time, on the Business Day immediately preceding the Purchase Date, by Electronic Means to the Liquidity Provider and to the Tender and Paying Agent.

 

4.           Capitalized terms used herein shall have the meanings given to them in or by reference to the VRDP Shares Remarketing Agreement.

 

 

TD SECURITIES (USA) LLC,

as Remarketing Agent

       
By:

 

Name:

 
 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

ANNEX II

 

BLACKROCK MUNIYIELD MICHIGAN QUALITY FUND, INC. (THE “FUND”)

SERIES W-7

VARIABLE RATE DEMAND PREFERRED SHARES (“VRDP SHARES”)

 

CUSIP NO. 09254V600*

 

MANDATORY TENDER NOTICE

 

In accordance with the Fund’s Articles Supplementary Establishing and Fixing the Rights and Preferences of the VRDP Shares (“VRDP Shares”) dated April 20, 2011 (the “Articles Supplementary”), the Fund hereby notifies Holders of VRDP Shares and the Liquidity Provider of the Mandatory Tender of the Outstanding VRDP Shares for Remarketing or purchase by the Liquidity Provider on the Purchase Date specified below due to the occurrence of the following Mandatory Tender Event:

 

(please select the applicable Mandatory Tender Event)

 

(i) [Failure by the Fund to make a scheduled payment of dividends on a Dividend Payment Date]

 

(ii) [Liquidity Provider Ratings Event]

 

(iii) [Failure by the Fund to pay the Liquidity Provider the applicable fee when due under the terms of the Fee Agreement, if the Liquidity Provider (in its sole discretion) thereafter provides written notice to the Fund that such failure to pay such fee constitutes a Mandatory Tender Event]

 

(iv) [The eighth (8th) day prior to the scheduled date of the occurrence of an Extraordinary Corporate Event]

 

(v) [The Fund has obtained and delivered to the Tender and Paying Agent an Alternate VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement by the fifteenth (15th) day prior to the Scheduled Termination Date, Liquidity Provider Ratings Event Termination Date or Related Party Termination Date, as the case may be, of the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement being replaced] [the effective date of the Alternate VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement is [●], and the Liquidity Provider is [●]]

 

(vi) [The Fund has provided a Notice of Proposed Special Rate Period in accordance with the Articles Supplementary]

_____________________

* NOTE: Neither the Fund nor the Tender and Paying Agent shall be responsible for the selection or use of the CUSIP Numbers selected, nor is any representation made as to its correctness indicated in any notice or as printed on any VRDP Share certificate. It is included solely as a convenience to Holders of VRDP Shares.

 

 

 

(vii) [A breach by the Fund of its Effective Leverage Ratio covenant with the Liquidity Provider in the Fee Agreement and the failure to cure such breach within sixty (60) days from the date of such breach (which 60-day period would include the Effective Leverage Ratio Cure Period), if the Liquidity Provider (in its sole discretion) thereafter provides written notice to the Fund and the Tender and Paying Agent that the failure to timely cure such breach constitutes a Mandatory Tender Event (subject to the Fund curing such breach prior to the delivery date of such notice from the Liquidity Provider)]

 

The Purchase Date for all Outstanding VRDP Shares for purchase pursuant to a successful Remarketing or otherwise by the Liquidity Provider will be [●], 20[●].

 

(to determine the applicable Purchase Date, please note:)

 

The Purchase Date in respect of a Mandatory Tender Event shall be not later than seven (7) days following the date a Mandatory Tender Notice is sent to Holders by Electronic Means; provided, that: (A) the Purchase Date in connection with the failure of the Fund to pay the applicable fee to the Liquidity Provider may not be later than the last Business Day of the month such payment was due; (B) the Purchase Date in connection with the occurrence of an Extraordinary Corporate Event may not be later than the Business Day immediately preceding the occurrence of the Extraordinary Corporate Event (and, if no earlier Purchase Date is specified in a Mandatory Tender Notice with respect to such Extraordinary Corporate Event, the Business Day immediately preceding the occurrence of the Extraordinary Corporate Event shall be deemed to be the Purchase Date irrespective of the failure to have given or sent a Mandatory Tender Notice); (C) the Purchase Date in connection with the Fund obtaining an Alternate VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement may not be later than the Business Day immediately preceding the termination of the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement and the effective date of such Alternate VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement (which may not be later than the termination date of the VRDP Shares Purchase Agreement); and (D) the Purchase Date in connection with a Notice of Proposed Special Rate Period may not be later than the first (1st) day of such proposed Special Rate Period.

 

Upon the occurrence of a Mandatory Tender Event, all Outstanding VRDP Shares automatically will be subject to Mandatory Tender and delivered to the Tender and Paying Agent for purchase on the designated Purchase Date by purchasers in the Remarketing in the event of a successful Remarketing or otherwise by the Liquidity Provider, including any VRDP Shares previously tendered pursuant to an Optional Tender for which the Purchase Date has not yet occurred.

 

In the event that VRDP Shares are issued in certificated form outside the book-entry system of the Securities Depository and a Holder of VRDP Shares fails to deliver such VRDP Shares to which a Mandatory Tender relates on or prior to the Purchase Date, the Holder of such VRDP Shares shall not be entitled to any payment (including any accumulated but unpaid dividends thereon, whether or not earned or declared) other than the Purchase Price of such undelivered VRDP Shares as of the scheduled Purchase Date. Any such undelivered VRDP Shares shall be deemed to be delivered to the Tender and Paying Agent, and the Tender and Paying Agent shall place stop-transfer orders against the undelivered VRDP Shares. Any moneys held by the Tender and Paying Agent for the purchase of undelivered VRDP Shares shall be held in a separate account by the Tender and Paying Agent, shall not be invested, and shall be held for the exclusive benefit of the Holder of such undelivered VRDP Shares. The undelivered VRDP Shares shall be deemed to be no longer Outstanding (except as to entitlement to payment of the Purchase Price), and the Fund shall issue to the purchaser replacement VRDP Shares certificates in lieu of such undelivered VRDP Shares.

 

 

 

 

Any notice given to Holders in respect of a Mandatory Tender shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given, whether or not the Holders receive such notice.

 

Terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meanings given to such terms in the Statement.

 

Dated:______________________

 

 

BLACKROCK MUNIYIELD MICHIGAN QUALITY FUND, INC.

       
By:

 

Name:

 
 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

SCHEDULE I

 

MAXIMUM RATE ADJUSTMENTS

 

 

 

 

Schedule I

 

 

SCHEDULE II

 

 

 

 



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