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Morgan Stanley Contracts

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SERVICES AGREEMENT

AGREEMENT made as of the day of , and amended as of , , by and between , a Delaware corporation (herein referred to as "MSDW Advisors"), and , a Delaware corporation (herein referred to as "MSDW Services").

WHEREAS, MSDW Advisors has entered into separate agreements (each such agreement being herein referred to as an "Investment Management Agreement") with certain investment companies as set forth on pursuant to which MSDW Advisors is to perform, or supervise the performance of, among other services, administrative services for the Funds.

WHEREAS, MSDW Advisors desires to retain MSDW Services to perform the administrative services as described below; and

WHEREAS, MSDW Services desires to be retained by MSDW Advisors to perform such administrative services:

Now, therefore, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements of the parties hereto as herein set forth, the parties covenant and agree as follows:

1. MSDW Services agrees to provide administrative services to each Fund as hereinafter set forth. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, MSDW Services shall:

(i) administer the Fund's business affairs and supervise the overall day-to-day operations of the Fund (other than rendering investment advice);

(ii) provide the Fund with full administrative services, including the maintenance of certain books and records, such as journals, ledger accounts and other records required under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "Act"), the notification to the Fund and MSDW Advisors of available funds for investment, the reconciliation of account information and balances among the Fund's custodian, transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent and MSDW Advisors, and the calculation of the net asset value of the Fund's shares;

(iii) provide the Fund with the services of persons competent to perform such supervisory, administrative and clerical functions as are necessary to provide effective operation of the Fund;

(iv) oversee the performance of administrative and professional services rendered to the Fund by others, including its custodian, transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent, as well as accounting, auditing and other services;

(v) provide the Fund with adequate general office space and facilities;

(vi) assist in the preparation and the printing of the periodic updating of the Fund's registration statement and prospectus (and, in the case of an open-end Fund, the statement of additional information), tax returns, proxy statements, and reports to its shareholders and the Securities and Exchange Commission; and

(vii) monitor the compliance of the Fund's investment policies and restrictions.

In the event that MSDW Advisors enters into an Investment Management Agreement with another investment company, and wishes to retain MSDW Services to perform administrative services hereunder, it shall notify MSDW Services in writing. If MSDW Services is willing to render such services, it shall notify MSDW Advisors in writing, whereupon such other Fund shall become a Fund as defined herein.

2. MSDW Services shall, at its own expense, maintain such staff and employ or retain such personnel and consult with such other persons as it shall from time to time determine to be necessary or useful to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement.

3. MSDW Advisors will, from time to time, furnish or otherwise make available to MSDW Services such financial reports, proxy statements and other information relating to the business and affairs of the Fund as MSDW Services may reasonably require in order to discharge its duties and obligations to the Fund under this Agreement.

4. For the services to be rendered, the facilities furnished, and the expenses assumed by MSDW Services, MSDW Advisors shall pay to MSDW Services monthly compensation calculated daily (in the case of an open-end Fund) or weekly (in the case of a closed-end Fund) by applying the annual rate or rates set forth on to the net assets of each Fund.

5. In the event the operating expenses of any open-end Fund and/or any Series thereof, or of InterCapital Income Securities Inc., including amounts payable to MSDW Advisors pursuant to the Investment Management Agreement, exceed the expense limitations applicable to the Fund and/or any Series thereof imposed by state securities laws or regulations thereunder, the fee payable hereunder shall be reduced on a pro rata basis.

6. MSDW Services shall bear the cost of rendering the administrative services to be performed by it under this Agreement, and shall, at its own expense, pay the compensation of the officers and employees, if any, of the Fund employed by MSDW Services, and such clerical help and bookkeeping services as MSDW Services shall reasonably require in performing its duties hereunder.

7. MSDW Services will use its best efforts in the performance of administrative activities on behalf of each Fund, but in the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of its obligations hereunder, MSDW Services shall not be liable to the Fund or any of its investors for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any act or omission by MSDW Services or for any losses sustained by the Fund or its investors.

8. It is understood that any of the shareholders, Directors/Trustees, officers and employees of the Fund may be a shareholder, director, officer or employee of, or be otherwise interested in, MSDW Services.

9. This Agreement shall continue until , and thereafter shall continue automatically for successive periods of one year unless terminated by either party by written notice delivered to the other party within 30 days of the expiration of the then-existing period.

10. This Agreement may be amended or modified by the parties in any manner by written agreement executed by each of the parties hereto.

11. This Agreement may be assigned by either party with the written consent of the other party.

12. This Agreement shall be construed and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed and delivered this Agreement, as amended, on in New York, New York.

MORGAN STANLEY DEAN WITTER ADVISORS INC.

By:

Attest:

MORGAN STANLEY DEAN WITTER SERVICES COMPANY INC.

By:

Attest:

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What Morgan Stanley Contracts are

The Morgan Stanley Contracts are formal agreements used to document terms between Morgan Stanley entities and counterparties for services, account relationships, or transactions. These contracts typically define parties, scope of services, fees, representations, confidentiality, and termination rights. While templates vary by business unit and transaction type, they follow standard corporate contracting practices and may include exhibits, signature blocks, and internal authorization clauses. When executed electronically, these agreements must meet U.S. e-signature requirements such as ESIGN and applicable state UETA statutes to ensure enforceability and admissibility in court proceedings.

Why precise Morgan Stanley Contracts matter

Morgan Stanley Contracts set legal rights and obligations for financial services, reducing misunderstanding and regulatory exposure. Clear, complete contracts streamline internal approvals, support audit readiness, and improve enforceability when they comply with ESIGN, UETA, and industry-specific rules.

Why precise Morgan Stanley Contracts matter

Who prepares and signs these contracts

Legal, compliance, relationship managers, and external counterparties commonly prepare, review, or sign Morgan Stanley Contracts.

  • In-house legal teams handling negotiation, regulatory compliance, and risk allocation.
  • Relationship managers overseeing client onboarding, account documentation, and amendments timelines.
  • External counsel and corporate counterparties executing signature blocks and exhibits.

Proper role assignment reduces execution delays and helps ensure regulatory and audit traceability, controls, and records.

Typical signer and reviewer profiles

Institutional Counsel

Morgan Stanley lawyers or outside counsel who negotiate clauses, manage regulatory reviews, and approve non-standard terms. They ensure contractual language aligns with internal policy, securities laws, and compliance programs before execution by authorized signatories.

Client Executive

The counterparty executive or authorized representative who confirms commercial terms, signs the agreement, and coordinates exhibits. They must have delegated authority, and their signature binds the organization for performance, billing, and indemnity obligations.

Core elements to include in Morgan Stanley Contracts

Core elements to include in Morgan Stanley Contracts for clarity, enforceability, and consistent internal processing, approval workflows, exhibits, and signature authority definitions.

Parties

Identify all contracting parties with legal entity names, jurisdictions, and employer identification numbers where applicable. Use full legal names to avoid ambiguity in enforcement and for tax or regulatory reporting purposes.

Scope

Describe services, deliverables, performance standards, and milestones. Define acceptance criteria and any benchmarks. Clear scope reduces disputes and supports measurable contract performance and invoicing processes.

Payment

Specify fees, billing schedules, payment methods, taxes, and late payment remedies. Include invoicing requirements and currency. Link payment milestones to deliverable acceptance where appropriate.

Confidentiality

Set out non-disclosure obligations, permitted disclosures, data handling, and retention. Identify categories of confidential information and duration of confidentiality. Address regulatory exceptions and required disclosures to government authorities.

Termination

Detail termination for convenience and for cause, notice periods, cure windows, and post-termination obligations like transition assistance. Clarify survival clauses for payment, confidentiality, and indemnities.

Representations

Include mutual and entity-specific representations and warranties covering authority, compliance with laws, non-infringement, and tax status. Limit warranties and describe remedies and indemnification procedures for breaches.

Step-by-step: preparing and executing a contract

Follow these steps to prepare, review, and execute a Morgan Stanley Contract consistently and with required approvals.

  • 01
    Prepare Draft: Assemble clauses, exhibits, and required fields.
  • 02
    Internal Review: Circulate to legal and compliance for redline.
  • 03
    Authority Check: Confirm signer authorization and delegation.
  • 04
    Execute: Obtain signatures, dates, and supporting exhibits.

Configure digital workflow settings

Configure digital workflows to match approval paths, signer identity checks, and document retention policies for Morgan Stanley Contracts.

Field Configuration
Signer routing and order settings Sequential or parallel; define approvers and fallback.
Authentication methods for signer identity Email link, SMS code, or KBA.
Conditional fields and reusable templates Show or hide sections based on answers.
Audit trail and retention policy Capture timestamps, IP addresses, and version history.

Platform and integration considerations

Digital signing for Morgan Stanley Contracts works across desktop and mobile and integrates with common enterprise systems.

  • CRM Integration: Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics supported.
  • ERP and Accounting: NetSuite and Oracle integrations.
  • Cloud Storage: Box, Google Drive, and Egnyte.

Comparing eSignature vendor plans relevant to Morgan Stanley Contracts

Compare common eSignature vendors and their baseline plans relevant to executing Morgan Stanley Contracts operationally.

signNow DocuSign Adobe Sign PandaDoc HelloSign
Starting Price $8/user/mo $15/user/mo $14/user/mo $19/user/mo $15/user/mo
Free Trial 7-day trial Varies Varies Varies Varies
Bulk Send Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Audit Trail Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
HIPAA Compliant Yes Yes Yes No No

Key penalties and legal risks to watch

1099 Late Filing: $60–$330 per form (IRC §6721)
1099 Intentional Disregard: $660+ per form, no cap
W-2 Late Penalty: Penalties mirror 1099 scales
I-9 Paperwork: $281–$2,789 per violation
Missing TIN: 24% backup withholding applies
Incorrect Notarization: May void acknowledgement, delay recording

Common preparation errors to avoid

  • Using informal names or initials in party fields can lead to non-matching legal identities and tax reporting errors that delay processing and require re-execution.
  • Failing to obtain clear signer authority or delegation can render a contract unenforceable against a corporate party and trigger internal compliance reviews.
  • Attaching exhibits without labeling or version control leads to ambiguity; reference exhibit numbers and preserve a single signed set for audit purposes.
  • Relying on weak authentication for high-value contracts increases legal risk; stronger methods like KBA or multi-factor reduce repudiation concerns.

Frequently asked questions about electronic execution

Answers to common questions about executing and validating Morgan Stanley Contracts electronically, including enforceability, identity verification, and amendment procedures.


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