81_FR_32086 81 FR 31988 - Nationwide Mutual Funds, et al.; Notice of Application

81 FR 31988 - Nationwide Mutual Funds, et al.; Notice of Application

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 98 (May 20, 2016)

Page Range31988-31993
FR Document2016-11873

Federal Register, Volume 81 Issue 98 (Friday, May 20, 2016)
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 98 (Friday, May 20, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31988-31993]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-11873]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Investment Company Act Release No. 32115; File No. 812-14573]


Nationwide Mutual Funds, et al.; Notice of Application

May 16, 2016.
AGENCY: Securities and Exchange Commission (``Commission'').

ACTION: Notice of an application for an order pursuant to section 6(c) 
of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (``Act'') granting an exemption 
from sections 18(f) and 21(b) of the Act; pursuant to section 
12(d)(1)(J) of the Act granting an exemption from section 12(d)(1) of 
the Act; pursuant to sections 6(c) and 17(b) of the Act granting an 
exemption from sections 17(a)(1), 17(a)(2) and 17(a)(3) of the Act; and 
pursuant to section 17(d) of the Act and rule 17d-1 under the Act to 
permit certain joint arrangements.

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[[Page 31989]]


Summary of the Application: Applicants request an order that would 
permit certain registered open-end management investment companies to 
participate in a joint lending and borrowing facility.

Applicants: Nationwide Mutual Funds (``NMF''), and Nationwide Variable 
Insurance Trust (``NVIT,'' and together with NMF, each a ``Trust,'' and 
together, the ``Trusts'') and Nationwide Fund Advisors (the ``Initial 
Adviser'').

Filing Dates: The application was filed on October 29, 2015, and 
amended on April 6, 2016.

Hearing or Notification of Hearing: An order granting the requested 
relief will be issued unless the Commission orders a hearing. 
Interested persons may request a hearing by writing to the Commission's 
Secretary and serving applicants with a copy of the request, personally 
or by mail. Hearing requests should be received by the Commission by 
5:30 p.m. on June 10, 2016, and should be accompanied by proof of 
service on applicants, in the form of an affidavit, or, for lawyers, a 
certificate of service. Pursuant to rule 0-5 under the Act, hearing 
requests should state the nature of the writer's interest, any facts 
bearing upon the desirability of a hearing on the matter, the reason 
for the request, and the issues contested. Persons who wish to be 
notified of a hearing may request notification by writing to the 
Commission's Secretary.

ADDRESSES: Secretary, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F 
Street NE., Washington, DC 20549-1090; Applicants: 1000 Continental 
Drive, Suite 400, King of Prussia, PA 19406.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jill Ehrlich, Senior Counsel, at (202) 
551-6819 or David J. Marcinkus, Branch Chief, at (202) 551-6821 
(Division of Investment Management, Chief Counsel's Office).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The following is a summary of the 
application. The complete application may be obtained via the 
Commission's Web site by searching for the file number, or for an 
applicant using the Company name box, at http://www.sec.gov/search/search.htm or by calling (202) 551-8090.

Applicants' Representations

    1. Each of NMF and NVIT is organized as a Delaware statutory trust. 
Each Trust consists of multiple series (each series, a ``Fund,'' and 
together, the ``Funds''). One series of NMF, the Nationwide Money 
Market Fund, and one series of NVIT, the NVIT Money Market Fund, 
operate as money market funds in reliance on rule 2a-7 under the Act. 
(The Nationwide Money Market Fund, the NVIT Money Market Fund, and any 
future Funds that rely on rule 2a-7 are the ``Money Market Funds.'') 
The Funds are registered with the Commission as open-end management 
investment companies. The Initial Adviser, a Delaware business trust, 
serves as investment adviser to the Funds, and is registered as an 
investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 
(``Advisers Act'').\1\
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    \1\ Applicants request that the relief also apply to any other 
open-end registered management investment company advised by the 
Initial Adviser or any entity controlling, controlled by, or under 
common control with the Initial Adviser (such entity included in the 
term ``Adviser'') that currently, or in the future, is part of the 
same ``group of investment companies'' as the Trusts, as defined in 
section 12(d)(1)(G)(ii) of the Act (included in the term 
``Trusts''). All entities that currently intend to rely on the 
requested order have been named as applicants. Any other entity that 
relies on the requested order in the future will comply with the 
terms and conditions set forth in the application. Any other Adviser 
will be registered as an investment adviser under the Advisers Act. 
All references to the term ``Adviser'' herein include successors-in-
interest to the Adviser. Successors-in-interest are limited to any 
entity resulting from a reorganization of the Adviser into another 
jurisdiction or a change in the type of business organization.
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    2. At any particular time, while some Funds enter into repurchase 
agreements, or invest their cash balances in money market funds or 
other short-term instruments, other Funds may need to borrow money for 
temporary purposes to satisfy redemption requests, to cover 
unanticipated cash shortfalls such as a trade ``fail'' in which cash 
payment for a security sold by a Fund has been delayed, or for other 
temporary purposes. The Trusts currently are parties to a senior 
unsecured committed credit facility (as amended, modified, refinanced 
or replaced from time to time, the ``Loan Agreement'') that provides a 
line of credit to the participating Funds, and is furnished by a 
syndicate of banks, including the Funds' custodian.
    3. Applicants state that, generally, when a Fund borrows money 
under the Loan Agreement, it pays interest on the loan at a rate that 
is typically higher than the rate that is earned by other (non-
borrowing) Funds on investments in repurchase agreements, money market 
funds, and other short-term instruments of the same maturity as the 
bank loan. Applicants assert that this differential represents the 
profit earned by the lender on loans and is not attributable to any 
material difference in the credit quality or risk of such transactions.
    4. The Trusts seek to enter into master interfund lending 
agreements (``Interfund Lending Agreements'') with each other on behalf 
of the Funds that would permit each Fund to lend money directly to and 
borrow directly from other Funds through a credit facility for 
temporary purposes (an ``Interfund Loan''). The Money Market Funds will 
not participate as borrowers in the interfund lending facility. 
Applicants state that the proposed credit facility is expected to both 
reduce the Funds' potential borrowing costs and enhance the ability of 
the lending Funds to earn higher rates of interest on their short-term 
lendings. Although the proposed credit facility would reduce the Funds' 
need to borrow from banks, the Funds would be free to establish and 
maintain committed lines of credit or other borrowing arrangements with 
unaffiliated banks.
    5. Applicants anticipate that the proposed credit facility would 
provide a borrowing Fund with savings at times when the cash position 
of the borrowing Fund is insufficient to meet temporary cash 
requirements. This situation could arise when shareholder redemptions 
exceed anticipated volumes and certain Funds have insufficient cash on 
hand to satisfy such redemptions. When the Funds liquidate portfolio 
securities to meet redemption requests, they often do not receive 
payment in settlement for up to three days (or longer for certain 
foreign transactions). However, redemption requests normally are 
effected immediately. The proposed credit facility would provide a 
source of immediate, short-term liquidity pending settlement of the 
sale of portfolio securities.
    6. Applicants also anticipate that a Fund could use the proposed 
credit facility when a sale of securities ``fails'' due to 
circumstances beyond the Fund's control, such as a delay in the 
delivery of cash to the Fund's custodian or improper delivery 
instructions by the broker effecting the transaction. ``Sales fails'' 
may present a cash shortfall if the Fund has undertaken to purchase a 
security using the proceeds from securities sold. Alternatively, the 
Fund could ``fail'' on its intended purchase due to lack of funds from 
the previous sale, resulting in additional cost to the Fund. Use of the 
proposed credit facility under these circumstances would enable the 
Fund to have access to immediate short-term liquidity.
    7. While bank borrowings generally could supply needed cash to 
cover unanticipated redemptions and sales fails, under the proposed 
credit facility, a borrowing Fund would pay lower interest rates than 
those that would be payable under short-term loans offered by banks. In 
addition, Funds making

[[Page 31990]]

short-term cash loans directly to other Funds would earn interest at a 
rate higher than they otherwise could obtain from investing their cash 
in repurchase agreements or money market funds. Thus, applicants assert 
that the proposed credit facility would benefit both borrowing and 
lending Funds.
    8. The interest rate to be charged to the Funds on any Interfund 
Loan (the ``Interfund Loan Rate'') would be the average of the ``Repo 
Rate'' and the ``Bank Loan Rate,'' both as defined below. The Repo Rate 
for any day would be the highest or best (after giving effect to 
factors such as the credit quality of the counterparty) rate available 
to a lending Fund from investment in overnight repurchase agreements 
with counterparties approved by the Fund or its Adviser. The Bank Loan 
Rate for any day would be calculated by the Interfund Lending 
Committee, as defined below, each day an Interfund Loan is made 
according to a formula established by each Fund's board of trustees 
(the ``Trustees'') intended to approximate the lowest interest rate at 
which bank short-term loans would be available to the Funds. The 
formula would be based upon a publicly available rate (e.g., federal 
funds plus 25 basis points) and would vary with this rate so as to 
reflect changing bank loan rates. The initial formula and any 
subsequent modifications to the formula would be subject to the 
approval of each Fund's Trustees. In addition, each Fund's Trustees 
would periodically review the continuing appropriateness of using the 
formula to determine the Bank Loan Rate, as well as the relationship 
between the Bank Loan Rate and current bank loan rates that would be 
available to the Funds.
    9. Certain members of the Adviser's fund administration personnel 
and money market analysts (the ``Interfund Lending Committee'') will 
administer the credit facility. No portfolio manager of any Fund will 
serve as a member of the Interfund Lending Committee. On any day on 
which a Fund intends to borrow money, the Interfund Lending Committee 
would make an Interfund Loan from a lending Fund to a borrowing Fund 
only if the Interfund Loan Rate is: (i) More favorable to the lending 
Fund than the Repo Rate and, if applicable, the yield of any money 
market fund in which the lending Fund could otherwise invest, and (ii) 
more favorable to the borrowing Fund than the Bank Loan Rate.
    10. Under the proposed credit facility, the portfolio managers for 
each participating Fund could provide standing instructions to 
participate daily as a borrower or lender; alternatively, the portfolio 
manager could provide instructions from time to time as to when the 
Fund wishes to participate as a borrower or lender. The Interfund 
Lending Committee on each business day would collect data on the 
uninvested cash and borrowing requirements of all participating Funds. 
Once it had determined the aggregate amount of cash available for loans 
and borrowing demand, the Interfund Lending Committee would allocate 
loans among borrowing Funds without any further communication from the 
portfolio managers of the Funds. Applicants anticipate that there 
typically will be far more available uninvested cash each day than 
borrowing demand. Therefore, after the Interfund Lending Committee has 
allocated cash for Interfund Loans, the Interfund Lending Committee 
will invest any remaining cash in accordance with the standing 
instructions of the portfolio managers or such remaining amounts will 
be invested directly by the portfolio managers of the Funds.
    11. The Interfund Lending Committee would allocate borrowing demand 
and cash available for lending among the Funds on what the Interfund 
Lending Committee believes to be an equitable basis, subject to certain 
administrative procedures applicable to all Funds, such as the time of 
filing requests to participate, minimum loan lot sizes, and the need to 
minimize the number of transactions and associated administrative 
costs. To reduce transaction costs, each loan normally would be 
allocated in a manner intended to minimize the number of participants 
necessary to complete the loan transaction. The method of allocation 
and related administrative procedures would be approved by each Fund's 
Trustees, including a majority of Trustees who are not ``interested 
persons'' of the Fund, as that term is defined in section 2(a)(19) of 
the Act (``Independent Trustees''), to ensure that both borrowing and 
lending Funds participate on an equitable basis.
    12. The Adviser would: (a) Monitor the Interfund Loan Rate and the 
other terms and conditions of the loans; (b) limit the borrowings and 
loans entered into by each Fund to ensure that they comply with the 
Fund's investment policies and limitations; (c) ensure equitable 
treatment of each Fund; and (d) make quarterly reports to the Trustees 
concerning any transactions by the Funds under the proposed credit 
facility and the Interfund Loan Rate charged.
    13. The Adviser, through the Interfund Lending Committee, would 
administer the proposed credit facility as a disinterested fiduciary as 
part of its duties under the investment advisory agreement and 
administrative agreements with each Fund and would receive no 
additional fee as compensation for its services in connection with the 
administration of the proposed credit facility. The Adviser may collect 
standard pricing, record keeping, bookkeeping and accounting fees 
associated with the transfer of cash and/or securities in connection 
with repurchase and lending transactions generally, including 
transactions effected through the proposed credit facility. Such fees 
would be no higher than those applicable for comparable bank loan 
transactions.
    14. No Fund may participate in the proposed credit facility unless: 
(a) The Fund has obtained shareholder approval for its participation, 
if such approval is required by law; (b) the Fund has fully disclosed 
all material information concerning the credit facility in its 
prospectus and/or statement of additional information; and (c) the 
Fund's participation in the credit facility is consistent with its 
investment objectives and limitations and organizational documents.
    15. As part of the Trustees' review of the continuing 
appropriateness of a Fund's participation in the proposed credit 
facility as required by condition 14, the Trustees of the Fund, 
including a majority of the Independent Trustees, also will review the 
process in place to appropriately assess: (i) If the Fund participates 
as a lender, any effect its participation may have on the Fund's 
liquidity risk; and (ii) if the Fund participates as a borrower, 
whether the Fund's portfolio liquidity is sufficient to satisfy its 
obligations under the facility along with its other liquidity needs.
    16. In connection with the credit facility, applicants request an 
order under section 6(c) of the Act exempting them from the provisions 
of sections 18(f) and 21(b) of the Act; under section 12(d)(1)(J) of 
the Act exempting them from section 12(d)(1) of the Act; under sections 
6(c) and 17(b) of the Act exempting them from sections 17(a)(1), 
17(a)(2), and 17(a)(3) of the Act; and under section 17(d) of the Act 
and rule 17d-1 under the Act to permit certain joint arrangements.

Applicants' Legal Analysis

    1. Section 17(a)(3) of the Act generally prohibits any affiliated 
person of a registered investment company, or affiliated person of an 
affiliated person, from borrowing money or other property from the 
registered investment company. Section 21(b) of the Act generally 
prohibits any registered

[[Page 31991]]

management company from lending money or other property to any person, 
directly or indirectly, if that person controls or is under common 
control with that company. Section 2(a)(3)(C) of the Act defines an 
``affiliated person'' of another person, in part, to be any person 
directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common 
control with, such other person. Section 2(a)(9) of the Act defines 
``control'' as the ``power to exercise a controlling influence over the 
management or policies of a company,'' but excludes circumstances in 
which ``such power is solely the result of an official position with 
such company.'' Applicants state that the Funds may be under common 
control by virtue of having common investment advisers and/or by having 
common Trustees and officers.
    2. Section 6(c) of the Act provides that an exemptive order may be 
granted where an exemption is ``necessary or appropriate in the public 
interest and consistent with the protection of investors and the 
purposes fairly intended by the policy and provisions of [the Act].'' 
Section 17(b) of the Act authorizes the Commission to exempt a proposed 
transaction from section 17(a) provided that the terms of the 
transaction, including the consideration to be paid or received, are 
fair and reasonable and do not involve overreaching on the part of any 
person concerned, and the transaction is consistent with the policy of 
the investment company as recited in its registration statement and 
with the general purposes of the Act. Applicants believe that the 
proposed arrangements satisfy these standards for the reasons discussed 
below.
    3. Applicants assert that sections 17(a)(3) and 21(b) of the Act 
were intended to prevent a party with strong potential adverse 
interests to, and some influence over the investment decisions of, a 
registered investment company from causing or inducing the investment 
company to engage in lending transactions that unfairly inure to the 
benefit of such party and that are detrimental to the best interests of 
the investment company and its shareholders. Applicants assert that the 
proposed credit facility transactions do not raise these concerns 
because: (a) The Adviser, through the Interfund Lending Committee, 
would administer the program as a disinterested fiduciary as part of 
its duties under the investment advisory agreement and administrative 
agreements with each Fund; (b) all Interfund Loans would consist only 
of uninvested cash reserves that the lending Fund otherwise would 
invest in short-term repurchase agreements or other short-term 
instruments either directly or through a money market fund; (c) the 
Interfund Loans would not involve a significantly greater risk than 
such other investments; (d) the lending Fund would receive interest at 
a rate higher than it could otherwise obtain through such other 
investments; and (e) the borrowing Fund would pay interest at a rate 
lower than otherwise available to it under its bank loan agreements and 
avoid some up-front commitment fees associated with committed lines of 
credit. Moreover, applicants assert that the other terms and conditions 
that applicants propose also would effectively preclude the possibility 
of any Fund obtaining an undue advantage over any other Fund.
    4. Section 17(a)(1) of the Act generally prohibits an affiliated 
person of a registered investment company, or any affiliated person of 
such a person, from selling securities or other property to the 
investment company. Section 17(a)(2) of the Act generally prohibits an 
affiliated person of a registered investment company, or any affiliated 
person of such a person, from purchasing securities or other property 
from the investment company. Section 12(d)(1) of the Act generally 
prohibits a registered investment company from purchasing or otherwise 
acquiring any security issued by any other investment company except in 
accordance with the limitations set forth in that section.
    5. Applicants state that the obligation of a borrowing Fund to 
repay an Interfund Loan could be deemed to constitute a security for 
the purposes of sections 17(a)(1) and 12(d)(1). Applicants also state 
that any pledge of assets in connection with an Interfund Loan could be 
construed as a purchase of the borrowing Fund's securities or other 
property for purposes of section 17(a)(2) of the Act. Section 
12(d)(1)(J) of the Act provides that the Commission may exempt persons 
or transactions from any provision of section 12(d)(1) if and to the 
extent that such exemption is consistent with the public interest and 
the protection of investors. Applicants submit that the requested 
exemptions from sections 17(a)(1), 17(a)(2) and 12(d)(1) are 
appropriate in the public interest, and consistent with the protection 
of investors and policies and purposes of the Act for all the reasons 
set forth above in support of their request for relief from sections 
17(a)(3) and 21(b). Applicants also state that the requested relief 
from section 17(a)(2) of the Act meets the standards of section 6(c) 
and 17(b) because any collateral pledged to secure an Interfund Loan 
would be subject to the same conditions imposed by any other lender to 
a Fund that imposes conditions on the quality of or access to 
collateral for a borrowing (if the lender is another Fund) or the same 
or better conditions (in any other circumstance).
    6. Applicants state that section 12(d)(1) was intended to prevent 
the pyramiding of investment companies in order to avoid imposing on 
investors additional and duplicative costs and fees attendant upon 
multiple layers of investments. Applicants submit that the proposed 
credit facility does not involve these abuses. Applicants note that 
there will be no duplicative costs or fees to the Funds or their 
shareholders, and that the Adviser will receive no additional 
compensation for its services in administering the credit facility. 
Applicants also note that the purpose of the proposed credit facility 
is to provide economic benefits for all the participating Funds and 
their shareholders.
    7. Section 18(f)(1) of the Act prohibits open-end investment 
companies from issuing any senior security except that a company is 
permitted to borrow from any bank, provided, that immediately after the 
borrowing, there is asset coverage of at least 300 per centum for all 
borrowings of the company. Under section 18(g) of the Act, the term 
``senior security'' generally includes any bond, debenture, note or 
similar obligation or instrument constituting a security and evidencing 
indebtedness. Applicants request exemptive relief under section 6(c) 
from section 18(f)(1) only to the limited extent necessary to permit a 
Fund to lend to or borrow directly from other Funds. The Funds would 
remain subject to the requirement of section 18(f)(l) that all 
borrowings of a Fund, including combined interfund and bank borrowings, 
have at least 300% asset coverage. Based on the conditions and 
safeguards described in the application, applicants submit that to 
allow the Funds to borrow directly from other Funds pursuant to the 
proposed credit facility is consistent with the purposes and policies 
of section 18(f)(l).
    8. Section 17(d) of the Act and rule 17d-1 under the Act generally 
prohibit an affiliated person of a registered investment company, or 
any affiliated person of such a person, when acting as principal, from 
effecting any joint transaction in which the investment company 
participates, unless, upon application, the transaction has been 
approved by the Commission. Rule 17d-1(b) under the Act provides that 
in passing upon an application filed under the rule, the Commission 
will consider whether the participation of the registered investment 
company in a joint enterprise on the basis proposed is

[[Page 31992]]

consistent with the provisions, policies and purposes of the Act and 
the extent to which such participation is on a basis different from or 
less advantageous than that of the other participants.
    9. Applicants assert that the purpose of section 17(d) is to avoid 
overreaching by and unfair advantage to insiders. Applicants assert 
that the proposed credit facility is consistent with the provisions, 
policies and purposes of the Act in that it offers both reduced 
borrowing costs and enhanced returns on loaned funds to all 
participating Funds and their shareholders. Applicants note that each 
Fund would have an equal opportunity to borrow and lend on equal terms 
consistent with its investment policies and fundamental investment 
limitations. Applicants assert that each Fund's participation in the 
proposed credit facility would be on terms that are no different from 
or less advantageous than that of other participating Funds.

Applicants' Conditions

    Applicants agree that any order granting the requested relief will 
be subject to the following conditions:
    1. The Interfund Loan Rate will be the average of the Repo Rate and 
the Bank Loan Rate.
    2. On each business day when an Interfund Loan is to be made, the 
Interfund Lending Committee will compare the Bank Loan Rate with the 
Repo Rate and will make cash available for Interfund Loans only if the 
Interfund Loan Rate is: (a) More favorable to the lending Fund than the 
Repo Rate and, if applicable, the yield of any money market fund in 
which the lending Fund could otherwise invest; and (b) more favorable 
to the borrowing Fund than the Bank Loan Rate.
    3. If a Fund has outstanding bank borrowings, any Interfund Loans 
to the Fund: (a) Will be at an interest rate equal to or lower than the 
interest rate of any outstanding bank loan; (b) will be secured at 
least on an equal priority basis with at least an equivalent percentage 
of collateral to loan value as any outstanding bank loan that requires 
collateral; (c) will have a maturity no longer than any outstanding 
bank loan (and in any event not over seven days); and (d) will provide 
that, if an event of default by the Fund occurs under any agreement 
evidencing an outstanding bank loan to the Fund, that event of default 
will automatically (without need for action or notice by the lending 
Fund) constitute an immediate event of default under the Interfund 
Lending Agreement entitling the lending Fund to call the Interfund Loan 
(and exercise all rights with respect to any collateral) and that such 
call will be made if the lending bank exercises its right to call its 
loan under its agreement with the borrowing Fund.
    4. A Fund may make an unsecured borrowing through the proposed 
credit facility if its outstanding borrowings from all sources 
immediately after the interfund borrowing total 10% or less of its 
total assets, provided that if the Fund has a secured loan outstanding 
from any other lender, including but not limited to another Fund, the 
Fund's interfund borrowing will be secured on at least an equal 
priority basis with at least an equivalent percentage of collateral to 
loan value as any outstanding loan that requires collateral. If a 
Fund's total outstanding borrowings immediately after an interfund 
borrowing would be greater than 10% of its total assets, the Fund may 
borrow through the proposed credit facility only on a secured basis. A 
Fund may not borrow through the proposed credit facility or from any 
other source if its total outstanding borrowings immediately after such 
borrowing would be more than 33\1/3\% of its total assets.
    5. Before any Fund that has outstanding interfund borrowings may, 
through additional borrowings, cause its outstanding borrowings from 
all sources to exceed 10% of its total assets, the Fund must first 
secure each outstanding Interfund Loan by the pledge of segregated 
collateral with a market value at least equal to 102% of the 
outstanding principal value of the loan. If the total outstanding 
borrowings of a Fund with outstanding Interfund Loans exceed 10% of its 
total assets for any other reason (such as a decline in net asset value 
or because of shareholder redemptions), the Fund will within one 
business day thereafter: (a) Repay all of its outstanding Interfund 
Loans; (b) reduce its outstanding indebtedness to 10% or less of its 
total assets; or (c) secure each outstanding Interfund Loan by the 
pledge of segregated collateral with a market value at least equal to 
102% of the outstanding principal value of the loan until the Fund's 
total outstanding borrowings cease to exceed 10% of its total assets, 
at which time the collateral called for by this condition 5 shall no 
longer be required. Until each Interfund Loan that is outstanding at 
any time that a Fund's total outstanding borrowings exceed 10% is 
repaid or the Fund's total outstanding borrowings cease to exceed 10% 
of its total assets, the Fund will mark the value of the collateral to 
market each day and will pledge such additional collateral as is 
necessary to maintain the market value of the collateral that secures 
each outstanding Interfund Loan at least equal to 102% of the 
outstanding principal value of the Interfund Loan.
    6. No Fund may lend to another Fund through the proposed credit 
facility if the loan would cause its aggregate outstanding loans 
through the proposed credit facility to exceed 15% of the lending 
Fund's current net assets at the time of the loan.
    7. A Fund's Interfund Loans to any one Fund shall not exceed 5% of 
the lending Fund's net assets.
    8. The duration of Interfund Loans will be limited to the time 
required to obtain cash sufficient to repay such Interfund Loan, 
through either the sale of portfolio securities or the net sales of the 
Fund's shares, but in no event more than seven days. Loans effected 
within seven days of each other will be treated as separate loan 
transactions for purposes of this condition.
    9. A Fund's borrowings through the proposed credit facility, as 
measured on the day when the most recent loan was made, will not exceed 
the greater of 125% of the Fund's total net cash redemptions for the 
preceding seven calendar days or 102% of the Fund's sales fails for the 
preceding seven calendar days.
    10. Each Interfund Loan may be called on one business day's notice 
by a lending Fund and may be repaid on any day by a borrowing Fund.
    11. A Fund's participation in the proposed credit facility must be 
consistent with its investment objectives and limitations and 
organizational documents.
    12. The Interfund Lending Committee will calculate total Fund 
borrowing and lending demand through the proposed credit facility, and 
allocate loans on an equitable basis among the Funds, without the 
intervention of any portfolio manager. The Interfund Lending Committee 
will not solicit cash for the proposed credit facility from any Fund or 
prospectively publish or disseminate loan demand data to portfolio 
managers. The Interfund Lending Committee will invest any amounts 
remaining after satisfaction of borrowing demand in accordance with the 
standing instructions of the portfolio managers or such remaining 
amounts will be invested directly by the portfolio managers of the 
Funds.
    13. The Interfund Lending Committee will monitor the Interfund Loan 
Rate and the other terms and conditions of the Interfund Loans and will 
make a quarterly report to the Trustees of each Fund concerning the 
participation of the Funds in the proposed credit facility and the 
terms and other conditions of any extensions of credit under the credit 
facility.

[[Page 31993]]

    14. The Trustees of each Fund, including a majority of the 
Independent Trustees, will:
    (a) Review, no less frequently than quarterly, the Fund's 
participation in the proposed credit facility during the preceding 
quarter for compliance with the conditions of any order permitting such 
transactions;
    (b) establish the Bank Loan Rate formula used to determine the 
interest rate on Interfund Loans and review, no less frequently than 
annually, the continuing appropriateness of the Bank Loan Rate formula; 
and
    (c) review, no less frequently than annually, the continuing 
appropriateness of the Fund's participation in the proposed credit 
facility.
    15. In the event an Interfund Loan is not paid according to its 
terms and such default is not cured within two business days from its 
maturity or from the time the lending Fund makes a demand for payment 
under the provisions of the Interfund Lending Agreement, the Adviser 
will promptly refer such loan for arbitration to an independent 
arbitrator selected by the Trustees of each Fund involved in the loan 
who will serve as arbitrator of disputes concerning Interfund Loans.\2\ 
The arbitrator will resolve any problem promptly, and the arbitrator's 
decision will be binding on both Funds. The arbitrator will submit, at 
least annually, a written report to the Trustees setting forth a 
description of the nature of any dispute and the actions taken by the 
Funds to resolve the dispute.
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    \2\ If the dispute involves Funds with different Trustees, the 
respective Trustees of each Fund will select an independent 
arbitrator that is satisfactory to each Fund.
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    16. Each Fund will maintain and preserve for a period of not less 
than six years from the end of the fiscal year in which any transaction 
by it under the proposed credit facility occurred, the first two years 
in an easily accessible place, written records of all such transactions 
setting forth a description of the terms of the transactions, including 
the amount, the maturity and the Interfund Loan Rate, the rate of 
interest available at the time each Interfund Loan is made on overnight 
repurchase agreements and commercial bank borrowings, the yield of any 
money market fund in which the lending Fund could otherwise invest, and 
such other information presented to the Fund's Trustees in connection 
with the review required by conditions 13 and 14.
    17. The Adviser will prepare and submit to the Trustees for review 
an initial report describing the operations of the proposed credit 
facility and the procedures to be implemented to ensure that all Funds 
are treated fairly. After the commencement of the proposed credit 
facility, the Adviser will report on the operations of the proposed 
credit facility at the Trustees' quarterly meetings.
    Each Fund's chief compliance officer, as defined in rule 38a-
1(a)(4) under the Act, shall prepare an annual report for its Trustees 
each year that the Fund participates in the proposed credit facility, 
that evaluates the Fund's compliance with the terms and conditions of 
the application and the procedures established to achieve such 
compliance. Each Fund's chief compliance officer will also annually 
file a certification pursuant to Item 77Q3 of Form N-SAR as such Form 
may be revised, amended or superseded from time to time, for each year 
that the Fund participates in the proposed credit facility, that 
certifies that the Fund and the Adviser have established procedures 
reasonably designed to achieve compliance with the terms and conditions 
of the order. In particular, such certification will address procedures 
designed to achieve the following objectives:
    (a) That the Interfund Loan Rate will be higher than the Repo Rate, 
and, if applicable, the yield of any money market fund in which the 
lending Fund could otherwise invest, but lower than the Bank Loan Rate;
    (b) compliance with the collateral requirements as set forth in the 
application;
    (c) compliance with the percentage limitations on interfund 
borrowing and lending;
    (d) allocation of interfund borrowing and lending demand in an 
equitable manner and in accordance with procedures established by the 
Trustees; and
    (e) that the Interfund Loan Rate does not exceed the interest rate 
on any third party borrowings of a borrowing Fund at the time of the 
Interfund Loan.
    Additionally, each Fund's independent public accountants, in 
connection with their audit examination of the Fund, will review the 
operation of the proposed credit facility for compliance with the 
conditions of the application and their review will form the basis, in 
part, of the auditor's report on internal accounting controls in Form 
N-SAR.
    18. No Fund will participate in the proposed credit facility upon 
receipt of requisite regulatory approval unless it has fully disclosed 
in its prospectus and/or statement of additional information all 
material facts about its intended participation.

    For the Commission, by the Division of Investment Management, 
under delegated authority.
Robert W. Errett,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2016-11873 Filed 5-19-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 8011-01-P



                                                  31988                               Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 98 / Friday, May 20, 2016 / Notices

                                                  MAMMs to direct their order flow to the                    C. Self-Regulatory Organization’s                       Internet Web site (http://www.sec.gov/
                                                  Exchange, which would increase orders                      Statement on Comments on the                            rules/sro.shtml). Copies of the
                                                  routed to the Exchange and benefit all                     Proposed Rule Change Received From                      submission, all subsequent
                                                  market participants by expanding                           Members, Participants, or Others                        amendments, all written statements
                                                  liquidity, providing more trading                            The Exchange has not solicited, and                   with respect to the proposed rule
                                                  opportunities and tighter spreads,                         does not intend to solicit, comments on                 change that are filed with the
                                                  including those market participants that                   this proposed rule change. The                          Commission, and all written
                                                  opt not to become a MAMM and                               Exchange has not received any                           communications relating to the
                                                  therefore may be ineligible to earn the                    unsolicited written comments from                       proposed rule change between the
                                                  credits under the MVP.                                     members or other interested parties.                    Commission and any person, other than
                                                     The proposal is also reasonable,                                                                                those that may be withheld from the
                                                  equitable and not unfairly                                 III. Date of Effectiveness of the                       public in accordance with the
                                                  discriminatory because the Exchange                        Proposed Rule Change and Timing for                     provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be
                                                  would only process one designation of                      Commission Action                                       available for Web site viewing and
                                                  a MOFP and MAMM every 6 months,                               The foregoing rule change has become                 printing in the Commission’s Public
                                                  which requirement would impose a                           effective pursuant to Section                           Reference Room, 100 F Street NE.,
                                                  measure of exclusivity while allowing                      19(b)(3)(A)(ii) of the Act,23 and                       Washington, DC 20549 on official
                                                  MAMM’s to rely upon, and potentially                       subparagraph (f)(2) of Rule 19b–4                       business days between the hours of
                                                  increase, the MOFP’s transaction                           thereunder,24 because it establishes a                  10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Copies of such
                                                  volume executed on the Exchange to the                     due, fee, or other charge imposed by ISE                filing also will be available for
                                                  benefit of all Exchange participants.                      Mercury.                                                inspection and copying at the principal
                                                     Finally, the Exchange believes the                         At any time within 60 days of the                    office of the Exchange. All comments
                                                  proposal is reasonable, equitable and                      filing of such proposed rule change, the                received will be posted without change;
                                                  not unfairly discriminatory as it may                      Commission summarily may                                the Commission does not edit personal
                                                  encourage an increase in orders routed                     temporarily suspend such rule change if                 identifying information from
                                                  to the Exchange, which would expand                        it appears to the Commission that such                  submissions. You should submit only
                                                  liquidity and provide more trading                         action is necessary or appropriate in the               information that you wish to make
                                                  opportunities and tighter spreads to the                   public interest, for the protection of                  available publicly. All submissions
                                                  benefit of all market participants.                        investors, or otherwise in furtherance of               should refer to File Number SR–
                                                                                                             the purposes of the Act. If the                         ISEMercury–2016–11, and should be
                                                  B. Self-Regulatory Organization’s                          Commission takes such action, the                       submitted on or before June 10, 2016.
                                                  Statement on Burden on Competition                         Commission shall institute proceedings                    For the Commission, by the Division of
                                                     In accordance with Section 6(b)(8) of                   to determine whether the proposed rule                  Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated
                                                  the Act,22 the Exchange does not believe                   should be approved or disapproved.                      authority.25
                                                  that the proposed rule change will                         IV. Solicitation of Comments                            Robert W. Errett,
                                                  impose any burden on intermarket or                                                                                Deputy Secretary.
                                                  intramarket competition that is not                          Interested persons are invited to
                                                                                                             submit written data, views, and                         [FR Doc. 2016–11881 Filed 5–19–16; 8:45 am]
                                                  necessary or appropriate in furtherance
                                                  of the purposes of the Act. To the                         arguments concerning the foregoing,                     BILLING CODE 8011–01–P

                                                  contrary, the Exchange believes that the                   including whether the proposed rule
                                                  proposed rule change will increase                         change is consistent with the Act.
                                                                                                             Comments may be submitted by any of                     SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
                                                  competition by allowing smaller Market                                                                             COMMISSION
                                                  Makers to compete for more favorable                       the following methods:
                                                  fees and rebates. As currently                             Electronic Comments                                     [Investment Company Act Release No.
                                                  implemented, Market Makers that are                                                                                32115; File No. 812–14573]
                                                                                                                • Use the Commission’s Internet
                                                  affiliated with an order router are                        comment form (http://www.sec.gov/
                                                  advantaged relative to other firms in                                                                              Nationwide Mutual Funds, et al.; Notice
                                                                                                             rules/sro.shtml); or                                    of Application
                                                  achieving volume based fees and                               • Send an email to rule-comments@
                                                  rebates. Although the Exchange                             sec.gov. Please include File Number SR–                 May 16, 2016.
                                                  continues to believe that counting                         ISEMercury–2016–11 on the subject                       AGENCY:    Securities and Exchange
                                                  volume across affiliated members is                        line.                                                   Commission (‘‘Commission’’).
                                                  appropriate, a Market Maker that has a
                                                                                                             Paper Comments                                          ACTION: Notice of an application for an
                                                  similar relationship, without common
                                                                                                                                                                     order pursuant to section 6(c) of the
                                                  ownership, should be able to compete                          • Send paper comments in triplicate                  Investment Company Act of 1940
                                                  for and receive similar benefits. The                      to Brent J. Fields, Secretary, Securities               (‘‘Act’’) granting an exemption from
                                                  proposed rule change is designed to                        and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street                   sections 18(f) and 21(b) of the Act;
                                                  level the playing field between these                      NE., Washington, DC 20549–1090.                         pursuant to section 12(d)(1)(J) of the Act
                                                  members and their competitors that                         All submissions should refer to File                    granting an exemption from section
                                                  already benefit from affiliated volume.                    Number SR–ISEMercury–2016–11. This                      12(d)(1) of the Act; pursuant to sections
                                                  The Exchange operates in a highly                          file number should be included on the                   6(c) and 17(b) of the Act granting an
                                                  competitive market in which market
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                                                                                                             subject line if email is used. To help the              exemption from sections 17(a)(1),
                                                  participants can readily direct their                      Commission process and review your                      17(a)(2) and 17(a)(3) of the Act; and
                                                  order flow to competing venues. For the                    comments more efficiently, please use                   pursuant to section 17(d) of the Act and
                                                  reasons described above, the Exchange                      only one method. The Commission will                    rule 17d–1 under the Act to permit
                                                  believes that the proposed fee change                      post all comments on the Commission’s                   certain joint arrangements.
                                                  reflects this competitive environment.
                                                                                                              23   15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(ii).
                                                    22   15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(8).                                 24   17 CFR 240.19b–4(f)(2).                             25   17 CFR 200.30–3(a)(12).



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                                                                                   Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 98 / Friday, May 20, 2016 / Notices                                                31989

                                                  SUMMARY OF THE APPLICATION:                             Act. (The Nationwide Money Market                       (‘‘Interfund Lending Agreements’’) with
                                                  Applicants request an order that would                  Fund, the NVIT Money Market Fund,                       each other on behalf of the Funds that
                                                  permit certain registered open-end                      and any future Funds that rely on rule                  would permit each Fund to lend money
                                                  management investment companies to                      2a–7 are the ‘‘Money Market Funds.’’)                   directly to and borrow directly from
                                                  participate in a joint lending and                      The Funds are registered with the                       other Funds through a credit facility for
                                                  borrowing facility.                                     Commission as open-end management                       temporary purposes (an ‘‘Interfund
                                                  APPLICANTS: Nationwide Mutual Funds                     investment companies. The Initial                       Loan’’). The Money Market Funds will
                                                  (‘‘NMF’’), and Nationwide Variable                      Adviser, a Delaware business trust,                     not participate as borrowers in the
                                                  Insurance Trust (‘‘NVIT,’’ and together                 serves as investment adviser to the                     interfund lending facility. Applicants
                                                  with NMF, each a ‘‘Trust,’’ and together,               Funds, and is registered as an                          state that the proposed credit facility is
                                                  the ‘‘Trusts’’) and Nationwide Fund                     investment adviser under the                            expected to both reduce the Funds’
                                                  Advisors (the ‘‘Initial Adviser’’).                     Investment Advisers Act of 1940                         potential borrowing costs and enhance
                                                  FILING DATES: The application was filed                 (‘‘Advisers Act’’).1                                    the ability of the lending Funds to earn
                                                  on October 29, 2015, and amended on                        2. At any particular time, while some                higher rates of interest on their short-
                                                  April 6, 2016.                                          Funds enter into repurchase agreements,                 term lendings. Although the proposed
                                                                                                          or invest their cash balances in money                  credit facility would reduce the Funds’
                                                  HEARING OR NOTIFICATION OF HEARING: An
                                                                                                          market funds or other short-term                        need to borrow from banks, the Funds
                                                  order granting the requested relief will
                                                                                                          instruments, other Funds may need to                    would be free to establish and maintain
                                                  be issued unless the Commission orders
                                                                                                          borrow money for temporary purposes                     committed lines of credit or other
                                                  a hearing. Interested persons may
                                                                                                          to satisfy redemption requests, to cover                borrowing arrangements with
                                                  request a hearing by writing to the
                                                                                                          unanticipated cash shortfalls such as a                 unaffiliated banks.
                                                  Commission’s Secretary and serving
                                                                                                          trade ‘‘fail’’ in which cash payment for                   5. Applicants anticipate that the
                                                  applicants with a copy of the request,
                                                                                                          a security sold by a Fund has been                      proposed credit facility would provide a
                                                  personally or by mail. Hearing requests
                                                                                                          delayed, or for other temporary                         borrowing Fund with savings at times
                                                  should be received by the Commission
                                                                                                          purposes. The Trusts currently are                      when the cash position of the borrowing
                                                  by 5:30 p.m. on June 10, 2016, and
                                                                                                          parties to a senior unsecured committed                 Fund is insufficient to meet temporary
                                                  should be accompanied by proof of
                                                                                                          credit facility (as amended, modified,                  cash requirements. This situation could
                                                  service on applicants, in the form of an
                                                                                                          refinanced or replaced from time to                     arise when shareholder redemptions
                                                  affidavit, or, for lawyers, a certificate of
                                                                                                          time, the ‘‘Loan Agreement’’) that                      exceed anticipated volumes and certain
                                                  service. Pursuant to rule 0–5 under the
                                                                                                          provides a line of credit to the                        Funds have insufficient cash on hand to
                                                  Act, hearing requests should state the
                                                                                                          participating Funds, and is furnished by                satisfy such redemptions. When the
                                                  nature of the writer’s interest, any facts
                                                                                                          a syndicate of banks, including the                     Funds liquidate portfolio securities to
                                                  bearing upon the desirability of a
                                                                                                          Funds’ custodian.                                       meet redemption requests, they often do
                                                  hearing on the matter, the reason for the
                                                                                                             3. Applicants state that, generally,                 not receive payment in settlement for up
                                                  request, and the issues contested.
                                                                                                          when a Fund borrows money under the                     to three days (or longer for certain
                                                  Persons who wish to be notified of a
                                                                                                          Loan Agreement, it pays interest on the                 foreign transactions). However,
                                                  hearing may request notification by
                                                                                                          loan at a rate that is typically higher                 redemption requests normally are
                                                  writing to the Commission’s Secretary.
                                                                                                          than the rate that is earned by other                   effected immediately. The proposed
                                                  ADDRESSES: Secretary, U.S. Securities                   (non-borrowing) Funds on investments                    credit facility would provide a source of
                                                  and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street                   in repurchase agreements, money                         immediate, short-term liquidity pending
                                                  NE., Washington, DC 20549–1090;                         market funds, and other short-term                      settlement of the sale of portfolio
                                                  Applicants: 1000 Continental Drive,                     instruments of the same maturity as the                 securities.
                                                  Suite 400, King of Prussia, PA 19406.                   bank loan. Applicants assert that this                     6. Applicants also anticipate that a
                                                  FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jill                   differential represents the profit earned               Fund could use the proposed credit
                                                  Ehrlich, Senior Counsel, at (202) 551–                  by the lender on loans and is not                       facility when a sale of securities ‘‘fails’’
                                                  6819 or David J. Marcinkus, Branch                      attributable to any material difference in              due to circumstances beyond the Fund’s
                                                  Chief, at (202) 551–6821 (Division of                   the credit quality or risk of such                      control, such as a delay in the delivery
                                                  Investment Management, Chief                            transactions.                                           of cash to the Fund’s custodian or
                                                  Counsel’s Office).                                         4. The Trusts seek to enter into master              improper delivery instructions by the
                                                  SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The                          interfund lending agreements                            broker effecting the transaction. ‘‘Sales
                                                  following is a summary of the                                                                                   fails’’ may present a cash shortfall if the
                                                  application. The complete application                      1 Applicants request that the relief also apply to   Fund has undertaken to purchase a
                                                  may be obtained via the Commission’s                    any other open-end registered management                security using the proceeds from
                                                                                                          investment company advised by the Initial Adviser       securities sold. Alternatively, the Fund
                                                  Web site by searching for the file                      or any entity controlling, controlled by, or under
                                                  number, or for an applicant using the                   common control with the Initial Adviser (such           could ‘‘fail’’ on its intended purchase
                                                  Company name box, at http://                            entity included in the term ‘‘Adviser’’) that           due to lack of funds from the previous
                                                  www.sec.gov/search/search.htm or by                     currently, or in the future, is part of the same        sale, resulting in additional cost to the
                                                                                                          ‘‘group of investment companies’’ as the Trusts, as     Fund. Use of the proposed credit facility
                                                  calling (202) 551–8090.                                 defined in section 12(d)(1)(G)(ii) of the Act
                                                                                                          (included in the term ‘‘Trusts’’). All entities that    under these circumstances would
                                                  Applicants’ Representations                                                                                     enable the Fund to have access to
                                                                                                          currently intend to rely on the requested order have
                                                     1. Each of NMF and NVIT is                           been named as applicants. Any other entity that         immediate short-term liquidity.
                                                  organized as a Delaware statutory trust.                relies on the requested order in the future will           7. While bank borrowings generally
mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES




                                                                                                          comply with the terms and conditions set forth in
                                                  Each Trust consists of multiple series                  the application. Any other Adviser will be
                                                                                                                                                                  could supply needed cash to cover
                                                  (each series, a ‘‘Fund,’’ and together, the             registered as an investment adviser under the           unanticipated redemptions and sales
                                                  ‘‘Funds’’). One series of NMF, the                      Advisers Act. All references to the term ‘‘Adviser’’    fails, under the proposed credit facility,
                                                  Nationwide Money Market Fund, and                       herein include successors-in-interest to the Adviser.   a borrowing Fund would pay lower
                                                                                                          Successors-in-interest are limited to any entity
                                                  one series of NVIT, the NVIT Money                      resulting from a reorganization of the Adviser into
                                                                                                                                                                  interest rates than those that would be
                                                  Market Fund, operate as money market                    another jurisdiction or a change in the type of         payable under short-term loans offered
                                                  funds in reliance on rule 2a–7 under the                business organization.                                  by banks. In addition, Funds making


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                                                  31990                            Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 98 / Friday, May 20, 2016 / Notices

                                                  short-term cash loans directly to other                 alternatively, the portfolio manager                  as a disinterested fiduciary as part of its
                                                  Funds would earn interest at a rate                     could provide instructions from time to               duties under the investment advisory
                                                  higher than they otherwise could obtain                 time as to when the Fund wishes to                    agreement and administrative
                                                  from investing their cash in repurchase                 participate as a borrower or lender. The              agreements with each Fund and would
                                                  agreements or money market funds.                       Interfund Lending Committee on each                   receive no additional fee as
                                                  Thus, applicants assert that the                        business day would collect data on the                compensation for its services in
                                                  proposed credit facility would benefit                  uninvested cash and borrowing                         connection with the administration of
                                                  both borrowing and lending Funds.                       requirements of all participating Funds.              the proposed credit facility. The Adviser
                                                     8. The interest rate to be charged to                Once it had determined the aggregate                  may collect standard pricing, record
                                                  the Funds on any Interfund Loan (the                    amount of cash available for loans and                keeping, bookkeeping and accounting
                                                  ‘‘Interfund Loan Rate’’) would be the                   borrowing demand, the Interfund                       fees associated with the transfer of cash
                                                  average of the ‘‘Repo Rate’’ and the                    Lending Committee would allocate                      and/or securities in connection with
                                                  ‘‘Bank Loan Rate,’’ both as defined                     loans among borrowing Funds without                   repurchase and lending transactions
                                                  below. The Repo Rate for any day would                  any further communication from the                    generally, including transactions
                                                  be the highest or best (after giving effect             portfolio managers of the Funds.                      effected through the proposed credit
                                                  to factors such as the credit quality of                Applicants anticipate that there                      facility. Such fees would be no higher
                                                  the counterparty) rate available to a                   typically will be far more available                  than those applicable for comparable
                                                  lending Fund from investment in                         uninvested cash each day than                         bank loan transactions.
                                                  overnight repurchase agreements with                    borrowing demand. Therefore, after the                   14. No Fund may participate in the
                                                  counterparties approved by the Fund or                  Interfund Lending Committee has                       proposed credit facility unless: (a) The
                                                  its Adviser. The Bank Loan Rate for any                 allocated cash for Interfund Loans, the               Fund has obtained shareholder approval
                                                  day would be calculated by the                          Interfund Lending Committee will                      for its participation, if such approval is
                                                  Interfund Lending Committee, as                         invest any remaining cash in accordance               required by law; (b) the Fund has fully
                                                  defined below, each day an Interfund                    with the standing instructions of the                 disclosed all material information
                                                  Loan is made according to a formula                     portfolio managers or such remaining                  concerning the credit facility in its
                                                  established by each Fund’s board of                     amounts will be invested directly by the              prospectus and/or statement of
                                                  trustees (the ‘‘Trustees’’) intended to                 portfolio managers of the Funds.                      additional information; and (c) the
                                                  approximate the lowest interest rate at                    11. The Interfund Lending Committee                Fund’s participation in the credit
                                                  which bank short-term loans would be                    would allocate borrowing demand and                   facility is consistent with its investment
                                                  available to the Funds. The formula                     cash available for lending among the                  objectives and limitations and
                                                  would be based upon a publicly                          Funds on what the Interfund Lending                   organizational documents.
                                                  available rate (e.g., federal funds plus 25             Committee believes to be an equitable                    15. As part of the Trustees’ review of
                                                  basis points) and would vary with this                  basis, subject to certain administrative              the continuing appropriateness of a
                                                  rate so as to reflect changing bank loan                procedures applicable to all Funds, such              Fund’s participation in the proposed
                                                  rates. The initial formula and any                      as the time of filing requests to                     credit facility as required by condition
                                                  subsequent modifications to the formula                 participate, minimum loan lot sizes, and              14, the Trustees of the Fund, including
                                                  would be subject to the approval of each                the need to minimize the number of                    a majority of the Independent Trustees,
                                                  Fund’s Trustees. In addition, each                      transactions and associated                           also will review the process in place to
                                                  Fund’s Trustees would periodically                      administrative costs. To reduce                       appropriately assess: (i) If the Fund
                                                  review the continuing appropriateness                   transaction costs, each loan normally                 participates as a lender, any effect its
                                                  of using the formula to determine the                   would be allocated in a manner                        participation may have on the Fund’s
                                                  Bank Loan Rate, as well as the                          intended to minimize the number of                    liquidity risk; and (ii) if the Fund
                                                  relationship between the Bank Loan                      participants necessary to complete the                participates as a borrower, whether the
                                                  Rate and current bank loan rates that                   loan transaction. The method of                       Fund’s portfolio liquidity is sufficient to
                                                  would be available to the Funds.                        allocation and related administrative                 satisfy its obligations under the facility
                                                     9. Certain members of the Adviser’s                  procedures would be approved by each                  along with its other liquidity needs.
                                                  fund administration personnel and                       Fund’s Trustees, including a majority of                 16. In connection with the credit
                                                  money market analysts (the ‘‘Interfund                  Trustees who are not ‘‘interested                     facility, applicants request an order
                                                  Lending Committee’’) will administer                    persons’’ of the Fund, as that term is                under section 6(c) of the Act exempting
                                                  the credit facility. No portfolio manager               defined in section 2(a)(19) of the Act                them from the provisions of sections
                                                  of any Fund will serve as a member of                   (‘‘Independent Trustees’’), to ensure that            18(f) and 21(b) of the Act; under section
                                                  the Interfund Lending Committee. On                     both borrowing and lending Funds                      12(d)(1)(J) of the Act exempting them
                                                  any day on which a Fund intends to                      participate on an equitable basis.                    from section 12(d)(1) of the Act; under
                                                  borrow money, the Interfund Lending                        12. The Adviser would: (a) Monitor                 sections 6(c) and 17(b) of the Act
                                                  Committee would make an Interfund                       the Interfund Loan Rate and the other                 exempting them from sections 17(a)(1),
                                                  Loan from a lending Fund to a                           terms and conditions of the loans; (b)                17(a)(2), and 17(a)(3) of the Act; and
                                                  borrowing Fund only if the Interfund                    limit the borrowings and loans entered                under section 17(d) of the Act and rule
                                                  Loan Rate is: (i) More favorable to the                 into by each Fund to ensure that they                 17d–1 under the Act to permit certain
                                                  lending Fund than the Repo Rate and,                    comply with the Fund’s investment                     joint arrangements.
                                                  if applicable, the yield of any money                   policies and limitations; (c) ensure
                                                  market fund in which the lending Fund                   equitable treatment of each Fund; and                 Applicants’ Legal Analysis
                                                  could otherwise invest, and (ii) more                   (d) make quarterly reports to the                        1. Section 17(a)(3) of the Act generally
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                                                  favorable to the borrowing Fund than                    Trustees concerning any transactions by               prohibits any affiliated person of a
                                                  the Bank Loan Rate.                                     the Funds under the proposed credit                   registered investment company, or
                                                     10. Under the proposed credit facility,              facility and the Interfund Loan Rate                  affiliated person of an affiliated person,
                                                  the portfolio managers for each                         charged.                                              from borrowing money or other property
                                                  participating Fund could provide                           13. The Adviser, through the                       from the registered investment
                                                  standing instructions to participate                    Interfund Lending Committee, would                    company. Section 21(b) of the Act
                                                  daily as a borrower or lender;                          administer the proposed credit facility               generally prohibits any registered


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                                                                                   Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 98 / Friday, May 20, 2016 / Notices                                             31991

                                                  management company from lending                         other short-term instruments either                   to a Fund that imposes conditions on
                                                  money or other property to any person,                  directly or through a money market                    the quality of or access to collateral for
                                                  directly or indirectly, if that person                  fund; (c) the Interfund Loans would not               a borrowing (if the lender is another
                                                  controls or is under common control                     involve a significantly greater risk than             Fund) or the same or better conditions
                                                  with that company. Section 2(a)(3)(C) of                such other investments; (d) the lending               (in any other circumstance).
                                                  the Act defines an ‘‘affiliated person’’ of             Fund would receive interest at a rate                    6. Applicants state that section
                                                  another person, in part, to be any person               higher than it could otherwise obtain                 12(d)(1) was intended to prevent the
                                                  directly or indirectly controlling,                     through such other investments; and (e)               pyramiding of investment companies in
                                                  controlled by, or under common control                  the borrowing Fund would pay interest                 order to avoid imposing on investors
                                                  with, such other person. Section 2(a)(9)                at a rate lower than otherwise available              additional and duplicative costs and
                                                  of the Act defines ‘‘control’’ as the                   to it under its bank loan agreements and              fees attendant upon multiple layers of
                                                  ‘‘power to exercise a controlling                       avoid some up-front commitment fees                   investments. Applicants submit that the
                                                  influence over the management or                        associated with committed lines of                    proposed credit facility does not involve
                                                  policies of a company,’’ but excludes                   credit. Moreover, applicants assert that              these abuses. Applicants note that there
                                                  circumstances in which ‘‘such power is                  the other terms and conditions that                   will be no duplicative costs or fees to
                                                  solely the result of an official position               applicants propose also would                         the Funds or their shareholders, and
                                                  with such company.’’ Applicants state                   effectively preclude the possibility of               that the Adviser will receive no
                                                  that the Funds may be under common                      any Fund obtaining an undue advantage                 additional compensation for its services
                                                  control by virtue of having common                      over any other Fund.                                  in administering the credit facility.
                                                  investment advisers and/or by having                       4. Section 17(a)(1) of the Act generally           Applicants also note that the purpose of
                                                  common Trustees and officers.                           prohibits an affiliated person of a                   the proposed credit facility is to provide
                                                     2. Section 6(c) of the Act provides that             registered investment company, or any                 economic benefits for all the
                                                  an exemptive order may be granted                       affiliated person of such a person, from              participating Funds and their
                                                  where an exemption is ‘‘necessary or                    selling securities or other property to               shareholders.
                                                  appropriate in the public interest and                  the investment company. Section                          7. Section 18(f)(1) of the Act prohibits
                                                  consistent with the protection of                       17(a)(2) of the Act generally prohibits an            open-end investment companies from
                                                  investors and the purposes fairly                       affiliated person of a registered                     issuing any senior security except that
                                                  intended by the policy and provisions of                investment company, or any affiliated                 a company is permitted to borrow from
                                                  [the Act].’’ Section 17(b) of the Act                   person of such a person, from                         any bank, provided, that immediately
                                                  authorizes the Commission to exempt a                   purchasing securities or other property               after the borrowing, there is asset
                                                  proposed transaction from section 17(a)                 from the investment company. Section                  coverage of at least 300 per centum for
                                                  provided that the terms of the                          12(d)(1) of the Act generally prohibits a             all borrowings of the company. Under
                                                  transaction, including the consideration                registered investment company from                    section 18(g) of the Act, the term ‘‘senior
                                                  to be paid or received, are fair and                    purchasing or otherwise acquiring any                 security’’ generally includes any bond,
                                                  reasonable and do not involve                           security issued by any other investment               debenture, note or similar obligation or
                                                  overreaching on the part of any person                  company except in accordance with the                 instrument constituting a security and
                                                  concerned, and the transaction is                       limitations set forth in that section.                evidencing indebtedness. Applicants
                                                  consistent with the policy of the                          5. Applicants state that the obligation            request exemptive relief under section
                                                  investment company as recited in its                    of a borrowing Fund to repay an                       6(c) from section 18(f)(1) only to the
                                                  registration statement and with the                     Interfund Loan could be deemed to                     limited extent necessary to permit a
                                                  general purposes of the Act. Applicants                 constitute a security for the purposes of             Fund to lend to or borrow directly from
                                                  believe that the proposed arrangements                  sections 17(a)(1) and 12(d)(1).                       other Funds. The Funds would remain
                                                  satisfy these standards for the reasons                 Applicants also state that any pledge of              subject to the requirement of section
                                                  discussed below.                                        assets in connection with an Interfund                18(f)(l) that all borrowings of a Fund,
                                                     3. Applicants assert that sections                   Loan could be construed as a purchase                 including combined interfund and bank
                                                  17(a)(3) and 21(b) of the Act were                      of the borrowing Fund’s securities or                 borrowings, have at least 300% asset
                                                  intended to prevent a party with strong                 other property for purposes of section                coverage. Based on the conditions and
                                                  potential adverse interests to, and some                17(a)(2) of the Act. Section 12(d)(1)(J) of           safeguards described in the application,
                                                  influence over the investment decisions                 the Act provides that the Commission                  applicants submit that to allow the
                                                  of, a registered investment company                     may exempt persons or transactions                    Funds to borrow directly from other
                                                  from causing or inducing the investment                 from any provision of section 12(d)(1) if             Funds pursuant to the proposed credit
                                                  company to engage in lending                            and to the extent that such exemption                 facility is consistent with the purposes
                                                  transactions that unfairly inure to the                 is consistent with the public interest                and policies of section 18(f)(l).
                                                  benefit of such party and that are                      and the protection of investors.                         8. Section 17(d) of the Act and rule
                                                  detrimental to the best interests of the                Applicants submit that the requested                  17d–1 under the Act generally prohibit
                                                  investment company and its                              exemptions from sections 17(a)(1),                    an affiliated person of a registered
                                                  shareholders. Applicants assert that the                17(a)(2) and 12(d)(1) are appropriate in              investment company, or any affiliated
                                                  proposed credit facility transactions do                the public interest, and consistent with              person of such a person, when acting as
                                                  not raise these concerns because: (a) The               the protection of investors and policies              principal, from effecting any joint
                                                  Adviser, through the Interfund Lending                  and purposes of the Act for all the                   transaction in which the investment
                                                  Committee, would administer the                         reasons set forth above in support of                 company participates, unless, upon
                                                  program as a disinterested fiduciary as                 their request for relief from sections                application, the transaction has been
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                                                  part of its duties under the investment                 17(a)(3) and 21(b). Applicants also state             approved by the Commission. Rule 17d–
                                                  advisory agreement and administrative                   that the requested relief from section                1(b) under the Act provides that in
                                                  agreements with each Fund; (b) all                      17(a)(2) of the Act meets the standards               passing upon an application filed under
                                                  Interfund Loans would consist only of                   of section 6(c) and 17(b) because any                 the rule, the Commission will consider
                                                  uninvested cash reserves that the                       collateral pledged to secure an Interfund             whether the participation of the
                                                  lending Fund otherwise would invest in                  Loan would be subject to the same                     registered investment company in a
                                                  short-term repurchase agreements or                     conditions imposed by any other lender                joint enterprise on the basis proposed is


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                                                  31992                            Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 98 / Friday, May 20, 2016 / Notices

                                                  consistent with the provisions, policies                such call will be made if the lending                 equal to 102% of the outstanding
                                                  and purposes of the Act and the extent                  bank exercises its right to call its loan             principal value of the Interfund Loan.
                                                  to which such participation is on a basis               under its agreement with the borrowing                  6. No Fund may lend to another Fund
                                                  different from or less advantageous than                Fund.                                                 through the proposed credit facility if
                                                  that of the other participants.                            4. A Fund may make an unsecured                    the loan would cause its aggregate
                                                     9. Applicants assert that the purpose                borrowing through the proposed credit                 outstanding loans through the proposed
                                                  of section 17(d) is to avoid overreaching               facility if its outstanding borrowings                credit facility to exceed 15% of the
                                                  by and unfair advantage to insiders.                    from all sources immediately after the                lending Fund’s current net assets at the
                                                  Applicants assert that the proposed                     interfund borrowing total 10% or less of              time of the loan.
                                                  credit facility is consistent with the                  its total assets, provided that if the Fund             7. A Fund’s Interfund Loans to any
                                                  provisions, policies and purposes of the                has a secured loan outstanding from any               one Fund shall not exceed 5% of the
                                                  Act in that it offers both reduced                      other lender, including but not limited               lending Fund’s net assets.
                                                  borrowing costs and enhanced returns                    to another Fund, the Fund’s interfund                   8. The duration of Interfund Loans
                                                  on loaned funds to all participating                    borrowing will be secured on at least an              will be limited to the time required to
                                                  Funds and their shareholders.                           equal priority basis with at least an                 obtain cash sufficient to repay such
                                                  Applicants note that each Fund would                    equivalent percentage of collateral to                Interfund Loan, through either the sale
                                                  have an equal opportunity to borrow                     loan value as any outstanding loan that               of portfolio securities or the net sales of
                                                  and lend on equal terms consistent with                 requires collateral. If a Fund’s total                the Fund’s shares, but in no event more
                                                  its investment policies and fundamental                 outstanding borrowings immediately                    than seven days. Loans effected within
                                                  investment limitations. Applicants                      after an interfund borrowing would be                 seven days of each other will be treated
                                                  assert that each Fund’s participation in                greater than 10% of its total assets, the             as separate loan transactions for
                                                  the proposed credit facility would be on                Fund may borrow through the proposed                  purposes of this condition.
                                                  terms that are no different from or less                credit facility only on a secured basis.                9. A Fund’s borrowings through the
                                                  advantageous than that of other                         A Fund may not borrow through the                     proposed credit facility, as measured on
                                                  participating Funds.                                    proposed credit facility or from any                  the day when the most recent loan was
                                                                                                          other source if its total outstanding                 made, will not exceed the greater of
                                                  Applicants’ Conditions                                                                                        125% of the Fund’s total net cash
                                                                                                          borrowings immediately after such
                                                     Applicants agree that any order                      borrowing would be more than 331⁄3%                   redemptions for the preceding seven
                                                  granting the requested relief will be                   of its total assets.                                  calendar days or 102% of the Fund’s
                                                  subject to the following conditions:                       5. Before any Fund that has                        sales fails for the preceding seven
                                                     1. The Interfund Loan Rate will be the               outstanding interfund borrowings may,                 calendar days.
                                                  average of the Repo Rate and the Bank                   through additional borrowings, cause its                10. Each Interfund Loan may be called
                                                  Loan Rate.                                              outstanding borrowings from all sources               on one business day’s notice by a
                                                     2. On each business day when an                      to exceed 10% of its total assets, the                lending Fund and may be repaid on any
                                                  Interfund Loan is to be made, the                       Fund must first secure each outstanding               day by a borrowing Fund.
                                                  Interfund Lending Committee will                        Interfund Loan by the pledge of                         11. A Fund’s participation in the
                                                  compare the Bank Loan Rate with the                     segregated collateral with a market                   proposed credit facility must be
                                                  Repo Rate and will make cash available                  value at least equal to 102% of the                   consistent with its investment objectives
                                                  for Interfund Loans only if the Interfund               outstanding principal value of the loan.              and limitations and organizational
                                                  Loan Rate is: (a) More favorable to the                 If the total outstanding borrowings of a              documents.
                                                  lending Fund than the Repo Rate and,                    Fund with outstanding Interfund Loans                   12. The Interfund Lending Committee
                                                  if applicable, the yield of any money                   exceed 10% of its total assets for any                will calculate total Fund borrowing and
                                                  market fund in which the lending Fund                   other reason (such as a decline in net                lending demand through the proposed
                                                  could otherwise invest; and (b) more                    asset value or because of shareholder                 credit facility, and allocate loans on an
                                                  favorable to the borrowing Fund than                    redemptions), the Fund will within one                equitable basis among the Funds,
                                                  the Bank Loan Rate.                                     business day thereafter: (a) Repay all of             without the intervention of any portfolio
                                                     3. If a Fund has outstanding bank                    its outstanding Interfund Loans; (b)                  manager. The Interfund Lending
                                                  borrowings, any Interfund Loans to the                  reduce its outstanding indebtedness to                Committee will not solicit cash for the
                                                  Fund: (a) Will be at an interest rate                   10% or less of its total assets; or (c)               proposed credit facility from any Fund
                                                  equal to or lower than the interest rate                secure each outstanding Interfund Loan                or prospectively publish or disseminate
                                                  of any outstanding bank loan; (b) will be               by the pledge of segregated collateral                loan demand data to portfolio managers.
                                                  secured at least on an equal priority                   with a market value at least equal to                 The Interfund Lending Committee will
                                                  basis with at least an equivalent                       102% of the outstanding principal value               invest any amounts remaining after
                                                  percentage of collateral to loan value as               of the loan until the Fund’s total                    satisfaction of borrowing demand in
                                                  any outstanding bank loan that requires                 outstanding borrowings cease to exceed                accordance with the standing
                                                  collateral; (c) will have a maturity no                 10% of its total assets, at which time the            instructions of the portfolio managers or
                                                  longer than any outstanding bank loan                   collateral called for by this condition 5             such remaining amounts will be
                                                  (and in any event not over seven days);                 shall no longer be required. Until each               invested directly by the portfolio
                                                  and (d) will provide that, if an event of               Interfund Loan that is outstanding at                 managers of the Funds.
                                                  default by the Fund occurs under any                    any time that a Fund’s total outstanding                13. The Interfund Lending Committee
                                                  agreement evidencing an outstanding                     borrowings exceed 10% is repaid or the                will monitor the Interfund Loan Rate
                                                  bank loan to the Fund, that event of                    Fund’s total outstanding borrowings                   and the other terms and conditions of
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                                                  default will automatically (without need                cease to exceed 10% of its total assets,              the Interfund Loans and will make a
                                                  for action or notice by the lending Fund)               the Fund will mark the value of the                   quarterly report to the Trustees of each
                                                  constitute an immediate event of default                collateral to market each day and will                Fund concerning the participation of the
                                                  under the Interfund Lending Agreement                   pledge such additional collateral as is               Funds in the proposed credit facility
                                                  entitling the lending Fund to call the                  necessary to maintain the market value                and the terms and other conditions of
                                                  Interfund Loan (and exercise all rights                 of the collateral that secures each                   any extensions of credit under the credit
                                                  with respect to any collateral) and that                outstanding Interfund Loan at least                   facility.


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                                                                                    Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 98 / Friday, May 20, 2016 / Notices                                                 31993

                                                     14. The Trustees of each Fund,                       initial report describing the operations              information all material facts about its
                                                  including a majority of the Independent                 of the proposed credit facility and the               intended participation.
                                                  Trustees, will:                                         procedures to be implemented to ensure                  For the Commission, by the Division of
                                                     (a) Review, no less frequently than                  that all Funds are treated fairly. After              Investment Management, under delegated
                                                  quarterly, the Fund’s participation in                  the commencement of the proposed                      authority.
                                                  the proposed credit facility during the                 credit facility, the Adviser will report on           Robert W. Errett,
                                                  preceding quarter for compliance with                   the operations of the proposed credit                 Deputy Secretary.
                                                  the conditions of any order permitting                  facility at the Trustees’ quarterly
                                                                                                                                                                [FR Doc. 2016–11873 Filed 5–19–16; 8:45 am]
                                                  such transactions;                                      meetings.
                                                                                                                                                                BILLING CODE 8011–01–P
                                                     (b) establish the Bank Loan Rate                        Each Fund’s chief compliance officer,
                                                  formula used to determine the interest                  as defined in rule 38a–1(a)(4) under the
                                                  rate on Interfund Loans and review, no                  Act, shall prepare an annual report for
                                                                                                                                                                SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
                                                  less frequently than annually, the                      its Trustees each year that the Fund
                                                                                                                                                                COMMISSION
                                                  continuing appropriateness of the Bank                  participates in the proposed credit
                                                  Loan Rate formula; and                                  facility, that evaluates the Fund’s                   Submission for OMB Review;
                                                     (c) review, no less frequently than                  compliance with the terms and                         Comment Request
                                                  annually, the continuing                                conditions of the application and the
                                                  appropriateness of the Fund’s                           procedures established to achieve such                Upon Written Request; Copies Available
                                                  participation in the proposed credit                    compliance. Each Fund’s chief                          From: Securities and Exchange
                                                  facility.                                               compliance officer will also annually                  Commission, Office of FOIA Services,
                                                     15. In the event an Interfund Loan is                file a certification pursuant to Item                  100 F Street NE., Washington, DC
                                                  not paid according to its terms and such                77Q3 of Form N–SAR as such Form may                    20549–2736
                                                  default is not cured within two business                be revised, amended or superseded from                Extension:
                                                  days from its maturity or from the time                 time to time, for each year that the Fund               Industry Guides, SEC File No. 270–069,
                                                  the lending Fund makes a demand for                     participates in the proposed credit                       OMB Control No. 3235–0069.
                                                  payment under the provisions of the                     facility, that certifies that the Fund and
                                                                                                                                                                   Notice is hereby given that, pursuant
                                                  Interfund Lending Agreement, the                        the Adviser have established procedures
                                                                                                                                                                to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
                                                  Adviser will promptly refer such loan                   reasonably designed to achieve
                                                                                                                                                                (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), the Securities
                                                  for arbitration to an independent                       compliance with the terms and
                                                                                                                                                                and Exchange Commission
                                                  arbitrator selected by the Trustees of                  conditions of the order. In particular,
                                                                                                                                                                (‘‘Commission’’) has submitted to the
                                                  each Fund involved in the loan who                      such certification will address
                                                                                                                                                                Office of Management and Budget this
                                                  will serve as arbitrator of disputes                    procedures designed to achieve the
                                                                                                                                                                requests for extension of the previously
                                                  concerning Interfund Loans.2 The                        following objectives:
                                                                                                                                                                approved collections of information
                                                  arbitrator will resolve any problem                        (a) That the Interfund Loan Rate will
                                                                                                                                                                discussed below.
                                                  promptly, and the arbitrator’s decision                 be higher than the Repo Rate, and, if
                                                                                                                                                                   Industries Guides are used by
                                                  will be binding on both Funds. The                      applicable, the yield of any money
                                                                                                                                                                registrants in certain industries as
                                                  arbitrator will submit, at least annually,              market fund in which the lending Fund
                                                                                                                                                                disclosure guidelines to be followed in
                                                  a written report to the Trustees setting                could otherwise invest, but lower than
                                                                                                                                                                presenting information to investors in
                                                  forth a description of the nature of any                the Bank Loan Rate;
                                                                                                             (b) compliance with the collateral                 registration statements and reports
                                                  dispute and the actions taken by the                                                                          under the Securities Act (15 U.S.C. 77a
                                                  Funds to resolve the dispute.                           requirements as set forth in the
                                                                                                          application;                                          et seq.) and Exchange Act (15 U.S.C. 78a
                                                     16. Each Fund will maintain and                                                                            et seq.). The paperwork burden from the
                                                  preserve for a period of not less than six                 (c) compliance with the percentage
                                                                                                          limitations on interfund borrowing and                Industry Guides is imposed through the
                                                  years from the end of the fiscal year in                                                                      forms that are subject to the disclosure
                                                  which any transaction by it under the                   lending;
                                                                                                             (d) allocation of interfund borrowing              requirements in the Industry Guides and
                                                  proposed credit facility occurred, the                                                                        is reflected in the analysis of these
                                                  first two years in an easily accessible                 and lending demand in an equitable
                                                                                                          manner and in accordance with                         documents. To avoid a Paperwork
                                                  place, written records of all such                                                                            Reduction Act inventory reflecting
                                                  transactions setting forth a description                procedures established by the Trustees;
                                                                                                          and                                                   duplicative burdens and for
                                                  of the terms of the transactions,                                                                             administrative convenience, the
                                                                                                             (e) that the Interfund Loan Rate does
                                                  including the amount, the maturity and                                                                        Commission estimates the total annual
                                                                                                          not exceed the interest rate on any third
                                                  the Interfund Loan Rate, the rate of                                                                          burden imposed by the Industry Guides
                                                                                                          party borrowings of a borrowing Fund at
                                                  interest available at the time each                                                                           to be one hour. The information
                                                                                                          the time of the Interfund Loan.
                                                  Interfund Loan is made on overnight                        Additionally, each Fund’s                          required by the Industry Guides is filed
                                                  repurchase agreements and commercial                    independent public accountants, in                    on occasion and is mandatory. All
                                                  bank borrowings, the yield of any                       connection with their audit examination               information is provided to the public.
                                                  money market fund in which the                          of the Fund, will review the operation                The Industry Guides do not directly
                                                  lending Fund could otherwise invest,                    of the proposed credit facility for                   impose any disclosure burden.
                                                  and such other information presented to                 compliance with the conditions of the                    An agency may not conduct or
                                                  the Fund’s Trustees in connection with                  application and their review will form                sponsor, and a person is not required to
                                                  the review required by conditions 13                    the basis, in part, of the auditor’s report           respond to, a collection of information
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                                                  and 14.                                                 on internal accounting controls in Form               unless it displays a currently valid
                                                     17. The Adviser will prepare and                     N–SAR.                                                control number.
                                                  submit to the Trustees for review an                       18. No Fund will participate in the                   The public may view the background
                                                    2 If the dispute involves Funds with different
                                                                                                          proposed credit facility upon receipt of              documentation for this information
                                                  Trustees, the respective Trustees of each Fund will
                                                                                                          requisite regulatory approval unless it               collection at the following Web site,
                                                  select an independent arbitrator that is satisfactory   has fully disclosed in its prospectus                 www.reginfo.gov. Comments should be
                                                  to each Fund.                                           and/or statement of additional                        directed to: (i) Desk Officer for the


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Document Created: 2016-05-20 01:59:17
Document Modified: 2016-05-20 01:59:17
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionNotices
ActionNotice of an application for an order pursuant to section 6(c) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (``Act'') granting an exemption from sections 18(f) and 21(b) of the Act; pursuant to section 12(d)(1)(J) of the Act granting an exemption from section 12(d)(1) of the Act; pursuant to sections 6(c) and 17(b) of the Act granting an exemption from sections 17(a)(1), 17(a)(2) and 17(a)(3) of the Act; and pursuant to section 17(d) of the Act and rule 17d-1 under the Act to permit certain joint arrangements.
DatesThe application was filed on October 29, 2015, and amended on April 6, 2016.
ContactJill Ehrlich, Senior Counsel, at (202) 551-6819 or David J. Marcinkus, Branch Chief, at (202) 551-6821 (Division of Investment Management, Chief Counsel's Office).
FR Citation81 FR 31988 

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