99-2481. NationsBanc Coinvest Fund 1999, L.P. and BankAmerica Corporation; Notice of Application  

  • [Federal Register Volume 64, Number 22 (Wednesday, February 3, 1999)]
    [Notices]
    [Pages 5322-5327]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 99-2481]
    
    
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    SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
    
    [Investment Company Act Release No. 23669; 813-196]
    
    
    NationsBanc Coinvest Fund 1999, L.P. and BankAmerica Corporation; 
    Notice of Application
    
    January 27, 1999.
    AGENCY: Securities and Exchange Commission (``SEC'').
    
    ACTION: Notice of application for an order under sections 6(b) and 6(e) 
    of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the ``Act'') granting an 
    exemption from all provisions of the Act, except section 9, section 17 
    (other than certain provisions of paragraphs (a), (d), (e), (f), (g) 
    and (j)), section 30 (other than certain provisions of paragraphs (a), 
    (b), (e), and (h)), sections 36 through 53, and the rules and 
    regulations thereunder.
    
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        Summary of Application: Applicants request an order to exempt 
    certain limited partnerships and limited liability companies 
    (``Partnerships'') formed for the benefit of key employees of 
    BankAmerica Corporation (``BankAmerica'') and certain of its affiliates 
    from certain provisions of the Act. Each Partnership will be an 
    ``employees' securities company'' as defined in section 2(a)(13) of the 
    Act.
        Applicants: NationsBanc Coinvest Fund 1999, L.P. (the ``Initial 
    Partnership''), and BankAmerica, on behalf of other Partnerships which 
    have been or may in the future be formed.
    
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        Filing Dates: The application was filed on August 12, 1998, and 
    amended on October 14, 1998.
        Hearing or Notification of Hearing: An order granting the 
    application will be issued unless the SEC orders a hearing. Interested 
    persons may request a hearing by writing to the SEC's Secretary and 
    serving applicants with a copy of the request, personally or by mail. 
    Hearing requests should be received by the SEC by 5:30 p.m. on February 
    22, 1999, and should be accompanied by proof of service on applicants 
    in the form of an affidavit or, for lawyers, a certificate of service. 
    Hearing requests should state the nature of the writer's interest, 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 
    SEC's Secretary.
    
    ADDRESSES: Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, 450 Fifth 
    Street, NW, Washington, DC 20549. Applicants, 100 North Tyson Street, 
    Charlotte, NC 28255.
    
    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bruce R. MacNeil, Staff Attorney, at 
    (202) 942-0634, or Edward P. Macdonald, Branch Chief, at (202) 942-0564 
    (Division of Investment Management, Office of Investment Company 
    Regulation).
    
    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The following is a summary of the 
    application. The complete application may be obtained for a fee at the 
    SEC's Public Reference Branch, 450 Fifth Street, NW, Washington, DC 
    20549 (tel. 202-942-8090).
    
    Applicants' Representations
    
        1. BankAmerica, the largest bank in the United States, was created 
    by the merger of NationsBank Corporation and BankAmerica Corporation on 
    September 30, 1998. BankAmerica and its affiliates, as defined in rule 
    12b-2 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the ``Exchange Act''), 
    (``Affiliates'') are referred to in this notice collectively as 
    ``BankAmerica Group'' and individually as a ``BankAmerica entity.''
        2. BankAmerica Group offers various investment programs for the 
    benefit of certain key employees. These programs may be structured as 
    different Partnerships or as separate plans within a Partnership. Each 
    Partnership will be a limited partnership or limited liability company 
    formed as an ``employees' securities company'' within the meaning of 
    section 2(a)(13) of the Act, and will operate as a closed-end, non-
    diversified, management investment company. The Partnerships will be 
    established primarily for the benefit of highly compensated employees 
    of BankAmerica Group as part of a program designed to create capital 
    building opportunities that are competitive with those at other 
    investment banking firms and to facilitate the recruitment of high 
    caliber professionals. Participation in a Partnership will be 
    voluntary. The Initial Partnership will invest exclusively in one or 
    more limited partnerships formed by BankAmerica to make private entity 
    investments (the ``BankAmerica Funds'').
        3. NB Coinvest GP, Inc., a North Carolina corporation, will act as 
    the general partner of the Initial Partnership (together with any 
    Affiliate of BankAmerica that acts as a Partnership's general partner, 
    the ``General Partner''). The General Partner of the Initial 
    Partnership will not be registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 
    1940 (``Advisers Act'') pursuant to section 203(b)(3) of the Advisers 
    Act and rule 203(b)(3)-1 thereunder. The General Partner will manage, 
    operate, and control each of the Partnerships. However, the General 
    Partner will be authorized to delegate to another BankAmerica Group 
    affiliate or to a committee of BankAmerica Group employees such 
    management responsibility (including, without limitation, the managers 
    of the other Partnerships which have been or may in the future be 
    formed).
        4. Limited partner interests in the Partnerships (``Interests'') 
    will be offered without registration in reliance on section 4(2) of the 
    Securities Act of 1933 (the ``Securities Act'') or similar exemption 
    and will be sold only to ``Eligible Employees'' and ``Qualified 
    Participants'' (collectively, ``Participants''). Prior to offering 
    Interests to an Eligible Employee, the General Partner must reasonably 
    believe that an Eligible Employee will be a sophisticated investor 
    capable of understanding and evaluating the risks of participating in 
    the Partnership without the benefit of regulatory safeguards. An 
    Eligible Employee is (i) an individual who is a current or former 
    employee, officer, director, or ``Consultant'' of BankAmerica Group 
    and, except for certain individuals who manage the day-to-day affairs 
    of the Partnership in question (``Managing Employees''), meets the 
    standards of an accredited investor under rule 501(a)(6) of Regulation 
    D under the Securities Act, or (ii) an entity that is a current or 
    former ``Consultant'' of BankAmerica Group and meets the standards of 
    an accredited investor under rule 501(a) of Regulation D.\1\ Eligible 
    Employees will be experienced professionals in the banking, investment 
    banking and securities, investment management or financial services 
    businesses, or in the related administrative, financial, accounting, 
    legal, or operational activities.
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        \1\ A Consultant is a person or entity whom BankAmerica Group 
    has engaged in retainer to provide services and professional 
    expertise on an ongoing basis as a regular consultant or as a 
    business or legal adviser and who shares a community of interest 
    with BankAmerica Group and BankAmerica Group employees.
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        5. Managing Employees will have primary responsibility for 
    operating the Partnership. These responsibilities will include, among 
    other things, identifying, investigating, structuring, negotiating, and 
    monitoring investments for the Partnership, communicating with the 
    limited partners, maintaining the books and records of the Partnership, 
    and making recommendations with respect to investment decisions. Each 
    Managing Employee will: (a) be closely involved with, and knowledgeable 
    with respect to, the affairs and the status of the Partnership, (b) be 
    an officer or employee of BankAmerica Group and (c) have reportable 
    income from all sources (including any profit shares and bonuses) in 
    the calendar year immediately preceding the Employee's participation in 
    the Partnership in excess of $120,000 and have a reasonable expectation 
    of reportable income of at least $150,000 in the years in which the 
    Employee invests in a Partnership.
        6. A Qualified Participant (i) is an Eligible Family Member or 
    Qualified Entity (in each case as defined below) of an Eligible 
    Employee, and, (ii) if the individual or entity is purchasing on 
    Interest from a Partner or directly from the Partnership, comes within 
    one of the categories of an ``accredited investor'' under rule 501(a) 
    of Regulation D. An ``Eligible Family Member'' is a spouse, parent, 
    child, spouse of child, brother, sister, or grandchild of an Eligible 
    Employee. A ``Qualified Entity'' is (i) a trust of which the trustee, 
    grantor, and/or beneficiary is an Eligible Employee; (ii) a 
    partnership, corporation, or other entity controlled by an Eligible 
    Employee; \2\ or (iii) a trust or other entity
    
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    established for the benefit of Eligible Family Members of an Eligible 
    Employee.
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        \2\ The inclusion of partnerships, corporations, or other 
    entities controlled by an Eligible Employee in the definition of 
    ``Qualified Entities'' is intended to enable Eligible Employees to 
    make investments in the Partnerships through personal investment 
    vehicles for the purpose of personal and family investment and 
    estate planning objectives. Eligible Employees will exercise 
    investment discretion or control over these investment vehicles, 
    thereby creating a close nexus between BankAmerica Group and these 
    investment vehicles. In the case of a partnership, corporation, or 
    other entity controlled by a Consultant entity individual 
    participants will be limited to senior level employees, members, or 
    partners of the Consultant who will be required to qualify as an 
    ``accredited investor'' under rule 501(a)(6) of Regulation D and who 
    will have access to the General Partner or BankAmerica Group.
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        7. The terms of a Partnership will be fully disclosed to each 
    Eligible Employee and, if applicable, to a Qualified Participant of the 
    Eligible Employee, at the time the Eligible Employee is invited to 
    participate in the Partnership. Each Partnership will send audited 
    financial statements to each Participant within 120 days or as soon as 
    practicable after the end of its fiscal year. In addition, each 
    Participant will receive a copy of Schedule K-1 showing the 
    Participant's share of income, credits, reductions, and other tax 
    items.
        8. Interests in a Partnership will be non-transferable except with 
    the prior written consent of the General Partner. No person will be 
    admitted into a Partnership unless the person is an Eligible Employee, 
    a Qualified Participant of an Eligible Employee, or a BankAmerica 
    entity. No sales load will be charged in connection with the sale of a 
    limited partnership interest.
        9. An Eligible Employee's interest in a Partnership may be subject 
    to repurchase or cancellation if: (i) the Eligible Employee's 
    relationship with BankAmerica Group is terminated for cause; (ii) the 
    Eligible Employee becomes a consultant to or joins any firm that the 
    General Partner determines, in its reasonable discretion, is 
    competitive with any business of BankAmerica Group; or (iii) the 
    Eligible Employee voluntarily resigns from employment with BankAmerica 
    Group. Upon repurchase or cancellation, the General Partner will pay to 
    the Eligible Employee at least the lesser of (i) the amount actually 
    paid by the Eligible Employee to acquire the Interest (plus interest, 
    as determined by the General Partner), and (ii) the fair market value 
    of the Interest as determined at the time of repurchase by the General 
    Partner. The terms of any repurchase or cancellation will apply equally 
    to any Qualified Participant of an Eligible Employee.
        10. Subject to the terms of the applicable Limited Partnership 
    Agreement, a Partnership will be permitted to enter into transactions 
    involving (i) a BankAmerica entity, (ii) a portfolio company, (iii) any 
    Partner or any person or entity affiliated with a Partner, (iv) an 
    investment fund or separate account that is organized for the benefit 
    of investors who are not affiliated with and over which a BankAmerica 
    entity will exercise investment discretion (a ``Third Party Fund''), or 
    (v) any partner or other investor of a Third Party Fund that is not 
    affiliated with BankAmerica Group (a ``Third Party Investor''). These 
    transactions may include a Partnership's purchase or sale of an 
    investment or an interest from or to any BankAmerica entity or Third 
    Party Fund, acting as principal. Prior to entering into these 
    transactions, the General Partner must determine that the terms are 
    fair to the Partners.
        11. A Partnership will not invest more than 15% of its assets in 
    securities issued by registered investment companies (with the 
    exception of temporary investments in money market funds). A 
    Partnership will not acquire any security issued by a registered 
    investment company if immediately after the acquisition, the 
    Partnership will own more than 3% of the outstanding voting stock of 
    the registered investment company.
        12. A BankAmerica entity (including the General Partner) acting as 
    agent or broker may receive placement fees, advisory fees, or other 
    compensation from a Partnership in connection with a Partnership's 
    purchase or sale of securities, provided the placement fees, advisory 
    fees, or other compensation are ``reasonable and customary.'' Fees or 
    other compensation will be deemed ``reasonable and customary'' only if 
    (i) the Partnership is purchasing or selling securities with other 
    unaffiliated third parties, including Third Party Funds, (ii) the fees 
    or compensation being charged to the Partnership are also being charged 
    to the unaffiliated third parties, including Third Party Funds, and 
    (iii) the amount of securities being purchased or sold by the 
    Partnership does not exceed 50% of the total amount of securities being 
    purchased or sold by the Partnership and the unaffiliated third 
    parties, including Third Party Funds. A BankAmerica entity (including 
    the General Partner) also may be compensated for services to entities 
    in which the Partnerships invest and to entities that are competitors 
    of these entities, and may otherwise engage in normal business 
    activities that conflict with the interests of the Partnerships.
    
    Applicants' Legal Analysis
    
        1. Section 6(b) of the Act provides, in part, that the SEC will 
    exempt employees' securities companies from the provisions of the Act 
    to the extent that the exemption is consistent with the protection of 
    investors. Section 6(b) provides that the Commission will consider, in 
    determining the provisions of the Act from which the company should be 
    exempt, the company's form of organization and capital structure, the 
    persons owning and controlling its securities, the price of the 
    company's securities and the amount of any sales load, how the 
    company's funds are invested, and the relationship between the company 
    and the issuers of the securities in which it invests. Section 2(a)(13) 
    defines an employees' security company, in relevant part, as any 
    investment company all of whose securities are beneficially owned (a) 
    by current or former employees, or persons on retainer, of one or more 
    affiliated employers, (b) by immediate family members of such persons, 
    or (c) by such employer or employers together with any of the persons 
    in (a) or (b).
        2. Section 7 of the Act generally prohibits an investment company 
    that is not registered under section 8 of the Act from selling or 
    redeeming its securities. Section 6(e) provides that, in connection 
    with any order exempting an investment company from any provision of 
    section 7, certain provisions of the Act, as specified by the SEC, will 
    be applicable to the company and other persons dealing with the company 
    as though the company were registered under the Act. Applicants request 
    an order under sections 6(b) and 6(e) of the Act for an exemption from 
    all provisions of the Act except section 9, section 17 (other than 
    certain provisions of paragraphs (a), (d), (e), (f), (g) and (j)), 
    section 30 (other than certain provisions of paragraphs (a), (b), (e), 
    and (h)), sections 36 through 53, and the rules and regulations 
    thereunder.
        3. Section 17(a) generally prohibits any affiliated person of a 
    registered investment company, or any affiliated person of an 
    affiliated person, acting as principal, from knowingly selling or 
    purchasing any security or other property to or from the company. 
    Applicants request an exemption from section 17(a) to (i) permit a 
    BankAmerica entity (including, without limitation, a BankAmerica Fund) 
    or a Third Party Fund, acting as principal, to engage in any 
    transaction directly or indirectly with any Partnership or any company 
    controlled by the Partnership; (ii) permit any Partnership to invest in 
    or engage in any transaction with any BankAmerica entity (including 
    without limitation, acting as principal), (a) in which the Partnership, 
    any company controlled by the Partnership, or any BankAmerica entity 
    (including, without limitation, a BankAmerica Fund) or Third Party Fund 
    has invested or will invest, or (b) with which the Partnership, any 
    company controlled by
    
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    the Partnership, or any BankAmerica entity (including, without 
    limitation, a BankAmerica Fund) or Third Party Fund is or will become 
    otherwise affiliated; and (iii) permit any Third Party Investor, acting 
    as principal, to engage in any transaction directly or indirectly with 
    any Partnership or any company controlled by the Partnership.
        4. Applicants state that an exemption from section 17(a) is 
    consistent with the protection of investors and is necessary to promote 
    the purpose of the Partnerships. Applicants state that the Participants 
    in each Partnership will be fully informed of the extent of the 
    Partnership's dealings with BankAmerica Group. Applicants also state 
    that, as professionals employed in the investment banking and financial 
    services businesses, Participants will be able to understand and 
    evaluate the attendant risks. Applicants assert that the community of 
    interest among the Participants and BankAmerica Group will provide the 
    best protection against any risk of abuse.
        5. Section 17(d) and rule 17d-1 prohibit any affiliated person or 
    principal underwriter of a registered investment company, or any 
    affiliated person of such person or principal underwriter, acting as 
    principal, from participating in any joint arrangement with the company 
    unless authorized by the SEC. Applicants request exemptive relief to 
    permit affiliated persons of each Partnership, or affiliated persons of 
    any of these persons, to participate in, or effect any transaction in 
    connection with, any joint enterprise or other joint arrangement or 
    profit-sharing plan in which the Partnership or a company controlled by 
    the Partnership is a participant.
        6. Applicants submit that it is likely that suitable investments 
    will be brought to the attention of a Partnership because of its 
    affiliation with BankAmerica Group, BankAmerica Group's large capital 
    resources, and its experience in structuring complex transactions. 
    Applicants also submit that the types of investment opportunities 
    considered by a Partnership often require each investor to make funds 
    available in an amount that may be substantially greater than what a 
    Partnership may make available on its own. Applicants contend that, as 
    a result, the only way in which a Partnership may be able to 
    participate in these opportunities may be to co-invest with other 
    persons, including its affiliates. Applicants note that each 
    Partnership will be primarily organized for the benefit of employee 
    participants as an incentive for them to remain with BankAmerica Group 
    and for the generation and maintenance of goodwill. Applicants believe 
    that, if co-investments with BankAmerica Group are prohibited, the 
    appeal of the Partnerships would be significantly diminished. 
    Applicants assert that Eligible Employees wish to participate in co-
    investment opportunities because they believe that (a) the resources of 
    BankAmerica Group enable it to analyze investment opportunities to an 
    extent that individual employees would not be able to duplicate, (b) 
    investments made by BankAmerica Group will not be generally available 
    to investors even of the financial status of the Eligible Employees, 
    and (c) Eligible Employees will be able to pool their investment 
    resources, thus achieving greater diversification of their individual 
    investment portfolios.
        7. Applicants assert that the flexibility to structure co-
    investments and joint investments will not involve abuses of the type 
    section 17(d) and rule 17d-1 were designed to prevent. Applicants state 
    that the concern that permitting co-investments by BankAmerica Group 
    and a Partnership might lead to less advantageous treatment of the 
    Partnership will be mitigated by the fact that BankAmerica Group will 
    be acutely concerned with its relationship with the personnel who 
    invest in such partnership and the fact that senior officers and 
    directors of BankAmerica Group entities will be investing in such 
    Partnership. In addition, applicants assert that strict compliance with 
    section 17(d) would cause the Partnership to forego investment 
    opportunities simply because a Participant or other affiliated person 
    of the Partnership (or any affiliate of such person) made a similar 
    investment. Finally, applicants contend that the possibility that a 
    Partnership may be disadvantaged by the participation of an affiliate 
    in a transaction will be minimized by compliance with the lockstep 
    procedures described in condition 3 below. Applicants believe that this 
    condition will ensure that a Partnership will co-invest side-by-side 
    and pro rata with, and on at least as favorable terms as, a BankAmerica 
    entity.
        8. Co-investments with Third Party Funds, or by a BankAmerica 
    entity pursuant to a contractual obligation to a Third Party Fund, will 
    not be subject to condition 3. Applicants note that it is common for a 
    Third Party Fund to require that BankAmerica Group invest its own 
    capital in Third Party Fund investments, and that the BankAmerica Group 
    investments be subject to substantially the same terms as those 
    applicable to the Third Party Fund. Applicants believe it is important 
    that the interests of the Third Party Fund take priority over the 
    interests of the Partnerships, and that the Third Party Fund not be 
    burdened or otherwise affected by activities of the Partnerships. In 
    addition, applicants assert that the relationship of a Partnership to a 
    Third Party Fund is fundamentally different from a Partnership's 
    relationship to BankAmerica Group. Applicants contend that the focus 
    of, and the rationale for, the protections contained in the requested 
    relief are to protect the Partnerships from any overreaching by 
    BankAmerica Group in the employer/employee context, whereas the same 
    concerns are not present with respect to the Partnerships vis-a-vis a 
    Third Party Fund.
        9. Section 17(e) and rule 17e-1 limit the compensation an 
    affiliated person may receive when acting as agent or broker for a 
    registered investment company. Applicants request an exemption from 
    section 17(e) to permit a BankAmerica entity (including the General 
    Partner), that acts as an agent or broker, to receive placement fees, 
    advisory fees, or other compensation from a Partnership in connection 
    with the purchase or sale by the Partnership of securities, provided 
    that the fees or other compensation is deemed ``usual and customary.'' 
    Applicants state that for the purposes of the application, fees or 
    other compensation that is charged or received by a BankAmerica entity 
    will be deemed ``usual and customary'' only if (i) the Partnership is 
    purchasing or selling securities with other unaffiliated third parties, 
    including Third Party Funds, (ii) the fees or compensation being 
    charged to the Partnership are also being charged to the unaffiliated 
    third parties, including Third Party Funds, and (iii) the amount of 
    securities being purchased or sold by the Partnership does not exceed 
    50% of the total amount of securities being purchased or sold by the 
    Partnership and the unaffiliated third parties, including Third Party 
    Funds. Applicants assert that, because BankAmerica Group does not wish 
    it to appear as if it is favoring the Partnerships, compliance with 
    section 17(e) would prevent a Partnership from participating in 
    transactions where the Partnership is being charged lower fees than 
    unaffiliated third parties. Applicants assert that the fees or other 
    compensation paid by a Partnership to a BankAmerica entity will be the 
    same as those negotiated at arm's length with unaffiliated third 
    parties.
        10. Rule 17e-1(b) requires that a majority of directors of the 
    General Partner who are not ``interested
    
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    persons'' (as defined in section 2(a)(19) of the Act) take actions and 
    make approvals regarding commissions, fees, or other remuneration. 
    Applicants request an exemption from rule 17e-1(b) to the extent 
    necessary to permit each Partnership to comply with the rule without 
    having a majority of the directors of the General Partner who are not 
    interested persons take actions and make determinations as set forth in 
    the rule. Applicants state that because all the directors of the 
    General Partner will be affiliated persons, without the relief 
    requested, a Partnership could not comply with rule 17e-1(b). 
    Applicants state that each Partnership will comply with rule 17e-1(b) 
    by having a majority of the directors of the General Partner take 
    actions and make approvals as are set forth in rule 17e-1. Applicants 
    state that each Partnership will comply with all other requirements of 
    rule 17e-1 for the transactions described above in the discussion of 
    section 17(e).
        11. Section 17(f) designates the entities that may act as 
    investment company custodians, and rule 17f-1 imposes certain 
    requirements when the custodian is a member of a national securities 
    exchange. Applicants request an exemption from section 17(f) and rule 
    17f-1 to permit a BankAmerica entity to act as custodian of Partnership 
    assets without a written contract, as would be required by rule 17f-
    1(a). Applicants also request an exemption from the rule 17f-1(b)(4) 
    requirement that an independent accountant periodically verify the 
    assets held by the custodian. Applicants believe that, because of the 
    community of interest between BankAmerica Group and the Partnerships 
    and the existing requirement for an independent audit, compliance with 
    these requirements would be unnecessarily burdensome and expensive. 
    Applicants will comply with all other requirements of rule 17f-1.
        12. Section 17(g) and rule 17g-1 generally require the bonding of 
    officers and employees of a registered investment company who have 
    access to its securities or funds. Rule 17g-1 requires that a majority 
    of directors who are not interested persons take certain actions and 
    give certain approvals relating to fidelity bonding. Applicants request 
    exemptive relief to permit the General Partner's officers and 
    directors, who may be deemed interested persons, to take actions and 
    make determinations set forth in the rule. Applicants state that, 
    because all the directors of the General Partner will be affiliated 
    persons, a Partnership could not comply with rule 17g-1 without the 
    requested relief. Specifically, each Partnership will company with rule 
    17g-1 by having a majority of the Partnership's directors take actions 
    and make determinations as are set forth in rule 17g-1. Applicants also 
    state that each Partnership will comply with all other requirements of 
    rule 17g-1.
        13. Section 17(j) and paragraph (a) of rule 17j-1 make it unlawful 
    for certain enumerated persons to engage in fraudulent or deceptive 
    practices in connection with the purchase or sale of a security held or 
    to be acquired by a registered investment company. Rule 17j-1 also 
    requires that every registered investment company adopt a written code 
    of ethics and that every access person of a registered investment 
    company report personal securities transactions. Applicants request an 
    exemption from the provisions of rule 17j-1, except for the anti-fraud 
    provisions of paragraph (a), because they are unnecessarily burdensome 
    as applied to the Partnerships.
        14. Applicants request an exemption from the requirements in 
    sections 30(a), 30(b) and 30(e), and the rules under those sections, 
    that registered investment companies prepare and file with the SEC and 
    mail to their shareholders certain periodic reports and financial 
    statements. Applicants contend that the forms prescribed by the SEC for 
    periodic reports have little relevance to the Partnerships and would 
    entail administrative and legal costs that outweigh any benefit to the 
    Participants. Applicants request exemptive relief to the extent 
    necessary to permit each Partnership to report annually to its 
    Participants. Applicants also request an exemption from section 30(h) 
    to the extent necessary to exempt the General Partner of each 
    Partnership and any other persons who may be deemed to be members of an 
    advisory board of a Partnership from filing Forms 3, 4 and 5 under 
    section 16(a) of the Exchange Act with respect to their ownership of 
    Interests in the Partnership. Applicants assert that, because there 
    will be no trading market and the transfers of Interests will be 
    severely restricted, these filings are unnecessary for the protection 
    of investors and burdensome to those required to make them.
    
    Applicants' Conditions
    
        Applicants agree that the order granting the requested relief will 
    be subject to the following conditions:
        1. Each proposed transaction otherwise prohibited by section 17(a) 
    or section 17(d) and rule 17d-1 to which a Partnership is a party (the 
    ``Section 17 Transaction'') will be effected only if the General 
    Partner determines that: (i) the terms of the transaction, including 
    the consideration to be paid or received, are fair and reasonable to 
    the Partners of the Partnership and do not involve overreaching of the 
    Partnership or its Participants on the part of any person concerned; 
    and (ii) the transaction is consistent with the interests of the 
    Participants in the Partnership, and the Partnership's organizational 
    documents and reports to its Participants. In addition, the General 
    Partner of each Partnership will record and preserve a description of 
    the Section 17 Transactions, the General Partner's findings, the 
    information or materials upon which the General Partner's findings are 
    based, and the basis for the findings. All records relating to an 
    investment program will be maintained until the termination of the 
    investment program and at least two years thereafter, and will be 
    subject to examination by the SEC and its staff.\3\
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        \3\ Each Partnership will preserve the accounts, books and other 
    documents required to be maintained in an easily accessible place 
    for the first two years.
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        2. In connection with the Section 17 Transactions, the General 
    Partner of each Partnership will adopt, and periodically review and 
    update, procedures designed to ensure that reasonable inquiry is made, 
    prior to the consummation of any Section 17 Transaction, with respect 
    to the possible involvement in the Transaction of any affiliated person 
    or promoter of or principal underwriter for the Partnership, or any 
    affiliated person of the affiliated person, promoter, or principal 
    underwriter.
        3. The General Partner of each Partnership will not invest the 
    funds of the Partnership in any investment in which a ``Co-Investor'' 
    (as defined below) has acquired or proposes to acquire the same class 
    of securities of the same issuer, if the investment involves a joint 
    enterprise or other joint arrangement within the meaning of rule 17d-1 
    in which the Partnership and the Co-Investor are participants, unless 
    the Co-Investor, prior to disposing of all or part of its investment, 
    (i) gives the General Partner sufficient, but not less than one day's 
    notice of its intent to dispose of its investment; and (ii) refrains 
    from disposing of its investment unless the Partnership has the 
    opportunity to dispose of the Partnership's investment prior to or 
    concurrently with, on the same terms as, and pro rata with the Co-
    Investor. The term ``Co-Investor'' with respect to any Partnership 
    means any person who is: (i) an ``affiliated person'' (as defined in 
    section 2(a)(3) of the Act) of the Partnership (other than a Third 
    Party
    
    [[Page 5327]]
    
    Fund); (ii) BankAmerica Group; (iii) an officer or director of 
    BankAmerica Group; or (iv) an entity (other than a Third Party Fund) in 
    which the General Partner acts as a general partner or has a similar 
    capacity to control the sale or other disposition of the entity's 
    securities. The restrictions contained in this condition, however, will 
    not be deemed to limit or prevent the disposition of an investment by a 
    Co-Investor: (i) to its direct or indirect wholly-owned subsidiary, to 
    any company (a ``Parent'') of which the Co-Investor is a direct or 
    indirect wholly-owned subsidiary, or to a direct or indirect wholly-
    owned subsidiary of its Parent; (ii) to immediate family members of the 
    Co-Investor or a trust or other investment vehicle established for any 
    immediate family member; (iii) when the investment is comprised of 
    securities that are listed on any exchange registered as a national 
    securities exchange under section 6 of the Exchange Act; (iv) when the 
    investment if comprised of securities that are national market system 
    securities pursuant to section 11A(a)(2) of the Exchange Act and rule 
    11Aa2-1 under the Exchange Act; or (v) when the investment is comprised 
    of securities that are listed on or traded on any foreign securities 
    exchange or board of trade that satisfies regulatory requirements under 
    the law of the jurisdiction in which the foreign securities exchange or 
    board of trade is organized similar to those that apply to a national 
    securities exchange or a national market system for securities.
        4. Each Partnership and the General Partner will maintain and 
    preserve, for the life of the Partnership and at least two years 
    thereafter, the accounts, books, and other documents that constitute 
    the record forming the basis for the audited financial statements that 
    are to be provided to the Participants in the Partnership, and each 
    annual report of the Partnership required to be sent to Participants, 
    and agree that these records will be subject to examination by the SEC 
    and its staff.\4\
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        \4\ Each Partnership will preserve the accounts, books and other 
    documents required to be maintained in an easily accessible place 
    for the first two years.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        5. The General Partner of each Partnership will send to each 
    Participant in the Partnership who had an interest in any capital 
    account of the Partnership, at any time during the fiscal year then 
    ended, Partnership financial statements audited by the Partnership's 
    independent accountants. At the end of each fiscal year, the General 
    Partner will make a valuation or have a valuation made of all of the 
    assets of the Partnership as of the fiscal year end in a manner 
    consistent with customary practice with respect to the valuation of 
    assets of the kind held by the Partnership. In addition, within 120 
    days after the end of each fiscal year of each Partnership or as soon 
    as practicable thereafter, the General Partner of the Partnership will 
    send a report to each person who was a Participant in the Partnership 
    at any time during the fiscal year then ended, setting forth the tax 
    information necessary for the preparation by the Participant of federal 
    and state income tax returns.
        6. If purchases or sales are made by a Partnership from or to an 
    entity affiliated with the Partnership by reason of a 5% or more 
    investment in the entity by a BankAmerica director, officer, or 
    employee, the individual will not participate in the Partnership's 
    determination of whether or not to effect the purchase or sale.
    
        For the Commission, by the Division of Investment Management, 
    pursuant to delegated authority.
    Margaret H. McFarland,
    Deputy Secretary.
    [FR Doc. 99-2481 Filed 2-2-99; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 8010-01-M
    
    
    

Document Information

Published:
02/03/1999
Department:
Securities and Exchange Commission
Entry Type:
Notice
Action:
Notice of application for an order under sections 6(b) and 6(e) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the ``Act'') granting an exemption from all provisions of the Act, except section 9, section 17 (other than certain provisions of paragraphs (a), (d), (e), (f), (g) and (j)), section 30 (other than certain provisions of paragraphs (a), (b), (e), and (h)), sections 36 through 53, and the rules and regulations thereunder.
Document Number:
99-2481
Dates:
The application was filed on August 12, 1998, and amended on October 14, 1998.
Pages:
5322-5327 (6 pages)
Docket Numbers:
Investment Company Act Release No. 23669, 813-196
PDF File:
99-2481.pdf