Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC and Compass EMP Funds Trust; Notice of Application, 35073-35075 [2013-13771]
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Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 112 / Tuesday, June 11, 2013 / Notices
contain guidance for staff review of the
subject of loss-of-large areas of the plant
due to explosions and fires.
DATES: Submit comments by July 11,
2013. Comments received after this date
will be considered, if it is practical to do
so, but the Commission is able to ensure
consideration only for comments
received on or before this date.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comment
by any of the following methods (unless
this document describes a different
method for submitting comments on a
specific subject):
• Federal Rulemaking Web site: Go to
https://www.regulations.gov and search
for Docket ID NRC–2013–0124. Address
questions about NRC dockets to Carol
Gallagher; telephone: 301–492–3668;
email: Carol.Gallagher@nrc.gov. For
technical questions, contact the
individual(s) listed in the FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
section of this document.
• Mail comments to: Cindy Bladey,
Chief, Rules, Announcements, and
Directives Branch (RADB), Office of
Administration, Mail Stop: TWB–05–
B01M, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission, Washington, DC 20555–
0001.
For additional direction on accessing
information and submitting comments,
see ‘‘Accessing Information and
Submitting Comments’’ in the
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of
this document.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.
Joseph Colaccino, Branch Chief, Office
of New Reactors, U.S. Nuclear
Regulatory Commission, Washington,
DC 20555–0001; telephone: 301–415–
7102, email: Joseph.Colaccino@nrc.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Search.’’ For problems with ADAMS,
please contact the NRC’s Public
Document Room (PDR) reference staff at
1–800–397–4209, 301–415–4737, or by
email to pdr.resource@nrc.gov. The SRP
Section 19.4 is in ADAMS under
Accession No. ML121110138.
• NRC’s PDR: You may examine and
purchase copies of public documents at
the NRC’s PDR, Room O1–F21, One
White Flint North, 11555 Rockville
Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852.
I. Accessing Information and
Submitting Comments
II. Further Information
The NRC seeks public comment on a
new SRP Section 19.4, ‘‘Strategies and
Guidance to Address Loss-of-Large
Areas of the Plant due to Explosions and
Fires.’’ This section has been developed
to assist NRC staff with the review of
applications for certain construction
permits, early site permits, licenses,
license amendments, and combined
licenses. It also informs new reactor
applicants and other affected entities of
proposed SRP guidance regarding an
acceptable method by which staff
performs its review of the subject of loss
of large areas of the plant due to
explosions and fires. Following NRC
staff evaluation of public comments, the
NRC intends to incorporate the final
approved guidance into the next
revision of NUREG–0800.
The SRP is guidance for the NRC staff.
The SRP is not a substitute for the
wreier-aviles on DSK5TPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
A. Accessing Information
Please refer to Docket ID NRC–2013–
0124 when contacting the NRC about
the availability of information regarding
this document. You may access
information related to this document,
which the NRC possesses and is
publicly-available, by the following
methods:
• Federal Rulemaking Web site: Go to
https://www.regulations.gov and search
for Docket ID NRC–2013–0124.
• NRC’s Agencywide Documents
Access and Management System
(ADAMS): You may access publiclyavailable documents online in the NRC
Library at https://www.nrc.gov/readingrm/adams.html. To begin the search,
select ‘‘ADAMS Public Documents’’ and
then select ‘‘Begin Web-based ADAMS
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B. Submitting Comments
Please include Docket ID NRC–2013–
0124 in the subject line of your
comment submission, in order to ensure
that the NRC is able to make your
comment submission available to the
public in this docket.
The NRC cautions you not to include
identifying or contact information that
you do not want to be publicly
disclosed in your comment submission.
The NRC posts all comment
submissions at https://
www.regulations.gov as well as entering
the comment submissions into ADAMS.
The NRC does not routinely edit
comment submissions to remove
identifying or contact information.
If you are requesting or aggregating
comments from other persons for
submission to the NRC, then you should
inform those persons not to include
identifying or contact information that
they do not want to be publicly
disclosed in their comment submission.
Your request should state that the NRC
does not routinely edit comment
submissions to remove such information
before making the comment
submissions available to the public or
entering the comment submissions into
ADAMS.
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35073
NRC’s regulations, and compliance with
the SRP is not required. Accordingly,
issuance of the SRP does not constitute
‘‘backfitting’’ as defined in 10 CFR
50.109(a)(1) of the backfit rule and is not
otherwise inconsistent with the
applicable issue finality provisions in
10 CFR Part 52.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 6 day of
June 2013.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Joseph Colaccino,
Chief, Policy Branch, Division of Advanced
Reactors and Rulemaking, Office of New
Reactors.
[FR Doc. 2013–13788 Filed 6–10–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590–01–P
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
[Investment Company Act Release No.
30550; 812–13881]
Compass Efficient Model Portfolios,
LLC and Compass EMP Funds Trust;
Notice of Application
June 4, 2013.
Securities and Exchange
Commission (‘‘Commission’’).
ACTION: Notice of an application under
section 6(c) of the Investment Company
Act of 1940 (‘‘Act’’) for an exemption
from section 15(a) of the Act and rule
18f–2 under the Act.
AGENCY:
Summary of Application: Applicants
request an order that would permit them
to enter into and materially amend
subadvisory agreements without
shareholder approval.
Applicants: Compass Efficient Model
Portfolios, LLC (the ‘‘Adviser’’) and
Compass EMP Funds Trust (‘‘the
Trust’’).
Filing Dates: The application was
filed on March 17, 2011, and amended
on September 1, 2011, May 16, 2012,
September 24, 2012, and May 14, 2013.
Hearing or Notification of Hearing: An
order granting the application 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 July 1, 2013, and should
be accompanied by proof of service on
the 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
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35074
Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 112 / Tuesday, June 11, 2013 / Notices
wreier-aviles on DSK5TPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
notification by writing to the
Commission’s Secretary.
ADDRESSES: Elizabeth M. Murphy,
Secretary, U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission, 100 F Street NE.,
Washington, DC 20549–1090.
Applicants: Adviser, 213 Overlook
Circle, Suite A–1, Brentwood, TN
37027; the Trust, 17605 Wright Street,
Omaha, Nebraska 68130.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Lewis Reich, Senior Counsel, at (202)
551–6919, or Jennifer L. Sawin, Branch
Chief, at (202) 551–6821 (Division of
Investment Management, Exemptive
Applications 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 an applicant using the
Company name box, at https://
www.sec.gov/search/search.htm or by
calling (202) 551–8090.
2. The Adviser is a Tennessee limited
liability company registered as an
investment adviser under the
Investment Advisers Act of 1940
(‘‘Advisers Act’’). It provides investment
management services to the Compass
Funds under an investment advisory
agreement with the Trust (the ‘‘Advisory
Agreement’’) and will provide
investment management services to
future Funds under substantially similar
advisory agreements (the Advisory
Agreement and the advisory agreements
for any future Funds, together, the
‘‘Advisory Agreements’’). The terms of
the Advisory Agreement with respect to
the Compass Funds comply, and of
other Advisory Agreements will
comply, with section 15(a) of the Act.
The Advisory Agreement with respect to
the Compass Funds was approved by
the board of trustees of the Trust (the
board of trustees of any Fund, a
‘‘Board’’), including by a majority of the
trustees who are not ‘‘interested
persons’’ (as defined in section 2(a)(19)
Applicants’ Representations
of the Act) of the Trust, any Fund or the
1. The Trust is organized as a
Adviser (such trustees for any Fund, its
Delaware statutory trust and is
‘‘Independent Trustees’’), and by the
registered as an open-end management
initial shareholder of each of the
investment company currently
Compass Funds in the manner required
comprising 23 series (the ‘‘Compass
by sections 15(a) and (c) of the Act and
Funds’’).1 Each series of the Trust has its
Rule 18f–2 thereunder.3
own investment objective, policies and
3. Under the terms of the Advisory
restrictions, and each is managed by the
Adviser and may be managed by various Agreements, the Adviser is responsible
for the overall management of the
subadvisers.2
business affairs of the Compass Funds’
1 Those 23 series are Compass EMP U.S. 500
business affairs and selecting
Volatility Weighted Fund, Compass EMP U.S. Small investments in accordance with the
Cap 500 Volatility Weighted Fund, Compass EMP
Compass Funds’ respective investment
International 500 Volatility Weighted Fund,
objectives, policies and restrictions. For
Compass EMP Emerging Market 500 Volatility
Weighted Fund, Compass EMP REC Enhanced
the investment management services
Volatility Weighted Fund, Compass EMP U.S. 500
that it provides to the Compass Funds,
Enhanced Volatility Weighted Fund, Compass EMP
the Adviser receives the fee specified in
Long/Short Strategies Fund, Compass EMP
the Advisory Agreements. The Advisory
International 500 Enhanced Volatility Weighted
Fund, Compass EMP U.S. Long/Short Fund,
Agreement also permits the Adviser to
Compass EMP Commodity Long/Short Strategies
retain one or more subadvisers for the
Fund, Compass EMP Commodity Strategies
purpose of managing all or a portion of
Volatility Weighted Fund, Compass EMP Managed
Futures Strategy Fund, Compass EMP U.S. Long/
the assets of the Compass Funds.
Short Fixed Income Fund, Compass EMP Long/
Pursuant to this authority, the Adviser
Short Fixed Income Fund, Compass EMP U.S.
intends to enter into subadvisory
Enhanced Fixed Income Fund, Compass EMP
agreements with certain unaffiliated
Enhanced Fixed Income Fund, Compass EMP Ultra
Short-Term Fixed Income Fund, Compass EMP
subadvisers (‘‘Subadvisers’’, and such
Multi-Asset Balanced Fund, Compass EMP Multiagreements, ‘‘Subadvisory Agreements’’)
Asset Growth Fund, Compass EMP Alternative
to provide investment advisory services
Strategies Fund, Compass EMP Balanced Volatility
Weighted Fund, Compass EMP Growth Volatility
to the Compass Funds. Each Subadviser
Weighted Fund, and Compass EMP Conservative
to a Fund will be an ‘‘investment
Volatility Weighted Fund.
adviser’’ as defined in section
2 Applicants request relief with respect to any
2(a)(20)(B) of the Act and registered as
existing or future series of the Trust and any other
an investment adviser under the
existing or future registered open-end management
investment company or series thereof that (a) is
Advisers Act or not subject to such
advised by the Adviser; (b) uses the manager-ofmanagers structure described in the application
(‘‘Manager of Managers Structure’’); and (c)
complies with the terms and conditions of the
application (together with the Compass Funds, the
‘‘Funds’’ and each, individually, a ‘‘Fund’’). The
only existing registered open-end management
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investment company that currently intends to rely
on the requested order are named as an Applicant.
3 Other Advisory Agreements will be similarly
approved. Applicants are not seeking any
exemptions with respect to Advisory Agreements.
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Sfmt 4703
registration.4 The Adviser will supervise
and monitor the Subadvisers, allocate
Fund assets to the Subadvisers and
periodically recommend to the Board
which Subadvisers should be retained
or released. The Adviser will
compensate the Subadvisers for a Fund
out of the advisory fees that the Adviser
receives from that Fund.
4. Applicants request an order to
permit the Adviser, subject to Board
approval, to select Subadvisers and
enter into and materially amend
Subadvisory Agreements without
obtaining shareholder approval. The
terms of the Subadvisory Agreements
will comply fully with the requirements
of section 15(a) of the Act and the
Subadvisory Agreements will be
approved by the Board, including a
majority of the Independent Trustees as
required under section 15(a) and section
15(c) of the Act. The Adviser will
compensate each Subadviser out of the
fees paid to the Adviser under the
applicable Advisory Agreement.
5. The requested relief will not extend
to any subadviser that is an affiliated
person, as defined in section 2(a)(3) of
the Act, of the Trust, a Fund or the
Adviser (other than by reason of serving
as a subadviser to one or more Funds)
(‘‘Affiliated Subadviser’’).
6. The Funds will inform
shareholders of the hiring of a new
Subadviser pursuant to the following
procedures (‘‘Modified Notice and
Access Procedures’’): (a) Within 90 days
after a new Subadviser is hired for any
Fund, that Fund will send its
shareholders either a Multi-manager
Notice or a Multi-manager Notice and
Multi-manager Information Statement; 5
and (b) the Fund will make the Multimanager Information Statement
available on the Web site identified in
the Multi-manager Notice no later than
4 If the name of any Fund contains the name of
a Subadviser, the name of the Fund’s Adviser will
precede the name of the Subadviser.
5 The ‘‘Multi-manager Notice’’ will be modeled on
a Notice of Internet Availability as defined in rule
14a–16 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(‘‘Exchange Act’’), and specifically will, among
other things: (a) Summarize the relevant
information regarding the new Subadviser; (b)
inform shareholders that the Multi-manager
Information Statement is available on a Web site;
(c) provide the Web site address; (d) state the time
period during which the Multi-manager Information
Statement will remain available on that Web site;
(e) provide instructions for accessing and printing
the Multi-manager Information Statement; and (f)
instruct the shareholder that a paper or email copy
of the Multi manager Information Statement may be
obtained, without charge, by contacting the Funds.
A ‘‘Multi-manager Information Statement’’ will
meet the requirements of Regulation 14C, Schedule
14C and Item 22 of Schedule 14A under the
Exchange Act for an information statement. Multimanager Information Statements will be filed
electronically with the Commission via the EDGAR
system.
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Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 112 / Tuesday, June 11, 2013 / Notices
when the Multi-manager Notice (or
Multi-manager Notice and Multimanager Information Statement) is first
sent to shareholders, and will maintain
it on that Web site for at least 90 days.
wreier-aviles on DSK5TPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Applicants’ Legal Analysis
1. Section 15(a) of the Act provides,
in relevant part, that it is unlawful for
any person to act as an investment
adviser to a registered investment
company except pursuant to a written
contract that has been approved by the
vote of a majority of the company’s
outstanding voting securities. Rule 18f–
2 under the Act provides that each
series or class of securities in a series
investment company affected by a
matter must approve that matter if the
Act requires shareholder approval.
2. Section 6(c) of the Act provides that
the Commission may exempt any
person, security, or transaction or any
class or classes of persons, securities, or
transactions from any provisions of the
Act, or from any rule thereunder, if such
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. Applicants
state that the requested relief meets this
standard for the reasons discussed
below.
3. Applicants assert that the
shareholders are relying on the
Adviser’s experience to select one or
more Subadvisers best suited to achieve
a Fund’s investment objectives.
Applicants assert that, from the
perspective of the investor, the role of
the Subadvisers is comparable to that of
the individual portfolio managers
employed by the Adviser. Applicants
state that requiring shareholder
approval of each Subadvisory
Agreement would impose costs and
unnecessary delays on the Funds, and
may preclude the Adviser from acting
promptly in a manner considered
advisable by the Board. Applicants note
that the Advisory Agreements and any
subadvisory agreement with an
Affiliated Subadviser will remain
subject to sections 15(a) and (c) of the
Act and rule 18f–2 under the Act.
Applicants’ Conditions
Applicants agree that any order
granting the requested relief will be
subject to the following conditions:
1. Before a Fund may rely on the
requested order, the operation of the
Fund in the manner described in the
application will be approved by a
majority of the Fund’s outstanding
voting securities, as defined in the Act,
or in the case of a Fund whose public
shareholders purchase shares on the
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15:13 Jun 10, 2013
Jkt 229001
basis of a prospectus containing the
disclosure contemplated by condition 2
below, by the initial shareholder(s)
before offering shares of that Fund to the
public.
2. Each Fund relying on the requested
order will disclose in its prospectus the
existence, substance, and effect of any
order granted pursuant to the
application. Each Fund will hold itself
out to the public as utilizing the
Manager of Managers Structure. The
prospectus will prominently disclose
that the Adviser has ultimate
responsibility (subject to oversight by
the applicable Board) to oversee the
Subadvisers and recommend their
hiring, termination, and replacement.
3. Funds will inform shareholders of
the hiring of a new Subadviser within
90 days after the hiring of the new
Subadviser pursuant to the Modified
Notice and Access Procedures.
4. The Adviser will not enter into a
subadvisory agreement with any
Affiliated Subadviser without such
agreement, including the compensation
to be paid thereunder, being approved
by the shareholders of the applicable
Fund.
5. At all times, at least a majority of
the applicable Board will be
Independent Trustees, and the
nomination of new or additional
Independent Trustees will be placed
within the discretion of the thenexisting Independent Trustees.
6. Whenever a subadviser change is
proposed for a Fund with an Affiliated
Subadviser, the applicable Board,
including a majority of the Independent
Trustees, will make a separate finding,
reflected in the Board minutes, that
such change is in the best interests of
the Fund and its shareholders, and does
not involve a conflict of interest from
which the Adviser or the Affiliated
Subadviser derives an inappropriate
advantage.
7. The Adviser will provide general
management services to each Fund,
including overall supervisory
responsibility for the general
management and investment of each
Fund’s assets and, subject to review and
approval of the applicable Board, will:
(a) Set each Fund’s overall investment
strategies; (b) evaluate, select and
recommend Subadvisers to manage all
or a part of each Fund’s assets; (c)
allocate and, when appropriate,
reallocate each Fund’s assets among one
or more Subadvisers; (d) monitor and
evaluate the performance of
Subadvisers; and (e) implement
procedures reasonably designed to
ensure that the Subadvisers comply
with each Fund’s investment objective,
policies and restrictions.
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35075
8. No trustee or officer of the Trust or
a Fund, or director, manager, or officer
of the Adviser, will own directly or
indirectly (other than through a pooled
investment vehicle that is not controlled
by such person), any interest in a
Subadviser, except for (a) ownership of
interests in the Adviser or any entity
that controls, is controlled by, or is
under common control with the Adviser
or (b) ownership of less than 1% of the
outstanding securities of any class of
equity or debt of any publicly traded
company that is either a Subadviser or
an entity that controls, is controlled by,
or is under common control with a
Subadviser.
9. In the event the Commission adopts
a rule under the Act providing
substantially similar relief to that in the
order requested in the application, the
requested order will expire on the
effective date of that rule.
For the Commission, by the Division of
Investment Management, under delegated
authority.
Kevin M. O’Neill,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2013–13771 Filed 6–10–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011–01–P
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
Sunshine Act Meeting
Notice is hereby given, pursuant to
the provisions of the Government in the
Sunshine Act, Public Law 94–409, that
the Securities and Exchange
Commission will hold a Closed Meeting
on Thursday, June 13, 2013 at 2:00 p.m.
Commissioners, Counsel to the
Commissioners, the Secretary to the
Commission, and recording secretaries
will attend the Closed Meeting. Certain
staff members who have an interest in
the matters also may be present.
The General Counsel of the
Commission, or her designee, has
certified that, in her opinion, one or
more of the exemptions set forth in 5
U.S.C. 552b(c)(3), (5), (7), 9(B) and (10)
and 17 CFR 200.402(a)(3), (5), (7), 9(ii)
and (10), permit consideration of the
scheduled matters at the Closed
Meeting.
Commissioner Walter, as duty officer,
voted to consider the items listed for the
Closed Meeting in a closed session.
The subject matter of the Closed
Meeting will be:
institution and settlement of
injunctive actions;
institution and settlement of
administrative proceedings;
adjudicatory matters; and
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 112 (Tuesday, June 11, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35073-35075]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-13771]
=======================================================================
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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
[Investment Company Act Release No. 30550; 812-13881]
Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC and Compass EMP Funds
Trust; Notice of Application
June 4, 2013.
AGENCY: Securities and Exchange Commission (``Commission'').
ACTION: Notice of an application under section 6(c) of the Investment
Company Act of 1940 (``Act'') for an exemption from section 15(a) of
the Act and rule 18f-2 under the Act.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Summary of Application: Applicants request an order that would
permit them to enter into and materially amend subadvisory agreements
without shareholder approval.
Applicants: Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC (the
``Adviser'') and Compass EMP Funds Trust (``the Trust'').
Filing Dates: The application was filed on March 17, 2011, and
amended on September 1, 2011, May 16, 2012, September 24, 2012, and May
14, 2013.
Hearing or Notification of Hearing: An order granting the
application 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 July 1, 2013, and should be accompanied by proof of
service on the 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
[[Page 35074]]
notification by writing to the Commission's Secretary.
ADDRESSES: Elizabeth M. Murphy, Secretary, U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission, 100 F Street NE., Washington, DC 20549-1090. Applicants:
Adviser, 213 Overlook Circle, Suite A-1, Brentwood, TN 37027; the
Trust, 17605 Wright Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68130.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lewis Reich, Senior Counsel, at (202)
551-6919, or Jennifer L. Sawin, Branch Chief, at (202) 551-6821
(Division of Investment Management, Exemptive Applications 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 an applicant
using the Company name box, at https://www.sec.gov/search/search.htm or
by calling (202) 551-8090.
Applicants' Representations
1. The Trust is organized as a Delaware statutory trust and is
registered as an open-end management investment company currently
comprising 23 series (the ``Compass Funds'').\1\ Each series of the
Trust has its own investment objective, policies and restrictions, and
each is managed by the Adviser and may be managed by various
subadvisers.\2\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Those 23 series are Compass EMP U.S. 500 Volatility Weighted
Fund, Compass EMP U.S. Small Cap 500 Volatility Weighted Fund,
Compass EMP International 500 Volatility Weighted Fund, Compass EMP
Emerging Market 500 Volatility Weighted Fund, Compass EMP REC
Enhanced Volatility Weighted Fund, Compass EMP U.S. 500 Enhanced
Volatility Weighted Fund, Compass EMP Long/Short Strategies Fund,
Compass EMP International 500 Enhanced Volatility Weighted Fund,
Compass EMP U.S. Long/Short Fund, Compass EMP Commodity Long/Short
Strategies Fund, Compass EMP Commodity Strategies Volatility
Weighted Fund, Compass EMP Managed Futures Strategy Fund, Compass
EMP U.S. Long/Short Fixed Income Fund, Compass EMP Long/Short Fixed
Income Fund, Compass EMP U.S. Enhanced Fixed Income Fund, Compass
EMP Enhanced Fixed Income Fund, Compass EMP Ultra Short-Term Fixed
Income Fund, Compass EMP Multi-Asset Balanced Fund, Compass EMP
Multi-Asset Growth Fund, Compass EMP Alternative Strategies Fund,
Compass EMP Balanced Volatility Weighted Fund, Compass EMP Growth
Volatility Weighted Fund, and Compass EMP Conservative Volatility
Weighted Fund.
\2\ Applicants request relief with respect to any existing or
future series of the Trust and any other existing or future
registered open-end management investment company or series thereof
that (a) is advised by the Adviser; (b) uses the manager-of-managers
structure described in the application (``Manager of Managers
Structure''); and (c) complies with the terms and conditions of the
application (together with the Compass Funds, the ``Funds'' and
each, individually, a ``Fund''). The only existing registered open-
end management investment company that currently intends to rely on
the requested order are named as an Applicant.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. The Adviser is a Tennessee limited liability company registered
as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940
(``Advisers Act''). It provides investment management services to the
Compass Funds under an investment advisory agreement with the Trust
(the ``Advisory Agreement'') and will provide investment management
services to future Funds under substantially similar advisory
agreements (the Advisory Agreement and the advisory agreements for any
future Funds, together, the ``Advisory Agreements''). The terms of the
Advisory Agreement with respect to the Compass Funds comply, and of
other Advisory Agreements will comply, with section 15(a) of the Act.
The Advisory Agreement with respect to the Compass Funds was approved
by the board of trustees of the Trust (the board of trustees of any
Fund, a ``Board''), including by a majority of the trustees who are not
``interested persons'' (as defined in section 2(a)(19) of the Act) of
the Trust, any Fund or the Adviser (such trustees for any Fund, its
``Independent Trustees''), and by the initial shareholder of each of
the Compass Funds in the manner required by sections 15(a) and (c) of
the Act and Rule 18f-2 thereunder.\3\
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\3\ Other Advisory Agreements will be similarly approved.
Applicants are not seeking any exemptions with respect to Advisory
Agreements.
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3. Under the terms of the Advisory Agreements, the Adviser is
responsible for the overall management of the business affairs of the
Compass Funds' business affairs and selecting investments in accordance
with the Compass Funds' respective investment objectives, policies and
restrictions. For the investment management services that it provides
to the Compass Funds, the Adviser receives the fee specified in the
Advisory Agreements. The Advisory Agreement also permits the Adviser to
retain one or more subadvisers for the purpose of managing all or a
portion of the assets of the Compass Funds. Pursuant to this authority,
the Adviser intends to enter into subadvisory agreements with certain
unaffiliated subadvisers (``Subadvisers'', and such agreements,
``Subadvisory Agreements'') to provide investment advisory services to
the Compass Funds. Each Subadviser to a Fund will be an ``investment
adviser'' as defined in section 2(a)(20)(B) of the Act and registered
as an investment adviser under the Advisers Act or not subject to such
registration.\4\ The Adviser will supervise and monitor the
Subadvisers, allocate Fund assets to the Subadvisers and periodically
recommend to the Board which Subadvisers should be retained or
released. The Adviser will compensate the Subadvisers for a Fund out of
the advisory fees that the Adviser receives from that Fund.
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\4\ If the name of any Fund contains the name of a Subadviser,
the name of the Fund's Adviser will precede the name of the
Subadviser.
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4. Applicants request an order to permit the Adviser, subject to
Board approval, to select Subadvisers and enter into and materially
amend Subadvisory Agreements without obtaining shareholder approval.
The terms of the Subadvisory Agreements will comply fully with the
requirements of section 15(a) of the Act and the Subadvisory Agreements
will be approved by the Board, including a majority of the Independent
Trustees as required under section 15(a) and section 15(c) of the Act.
The Adviser will compensate each Subadviser out of the fees paid to the
Adviser under the applicable Advisory Agreement.
5. The requested relief will not extend to any subadviser that is
an affiliated person, as defined in section 2(a)(3) of the Act, of the
Trust, a Fund or the Adviser (other than by reason of serving as a
subadviser to one or more Funds) (``Affiliated Subadviser'').
6. The Funds will inform shareholders of the hiring of a new
Subadviser pursuant to the following procedures (``Modified Notice and
Access Procedures''): (a) Within 90 days after a new Subadviser is
hired for any Fund, that Fund will send its shareholders either a
Multi-manager Notice or a Multi-manager Notice and Multi-manager
Information Statement; \5\ and (b) the Fund will make the Multi-manager
Information Statement available on the Web site identified in the
Multi-manager Notice no later than
[[Page 35075]]
when the Multi-manager Notice (or Multi-manager Notice and Multi-
manager Information Statement) is first sent to shareholders, and will
maintain it on that Web site for at least 90 days.
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\5\ The ``Multi-manager Notice'' will be modeled on a Notice of
Internet Availability as defined in rule 14a-16 under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (``Exchange Act''), and specifically will,
among other things: (a) Summarize the relevant information regarding
the new Subadviser; (b) inform shareholders that the Multi-manager
Information Statement is available on a Web site; (c) provide the
Web site address; (d) state the time period during which the Multi-
manager Information Statement will remain available on that Web
site; (e) provide instructions for accessing and printing the Multi-
manager Information Statement; and (f) instruct the shareholder that
a paper or email copy of the Multi manager Information Statement may
be obtained, without charge, by contacting the Funds.
A ``Multi-manager Information Statement'' will meet the
requirements of Regulation 14C, Schedule 14C and Item 22 of Schedule
14A under the Exchange Act for an information statement. Multi-
manager Information Statements will be filed electronically with the
Commission via the EDGAR system.
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Applicants' Legal Analysis
1. Section 15(a) of the Act provides, in relevant part, that it is
unlawful for any person to act as an investment adviser to a registered
investment company except pursuant to a written contract that has been
approved by the vote of a majority of the company's outstanding voting
securities. Rule 18f-2 under the Act provides that each series or class
of securities in a series investment company affected by a matter must
approve that matter if the Act requires shareholder approval.
2. Section 6(c) of the Act provides that the Commission may exempt
any person, security, or transaction or any class or classes of
persons, securities, or transactions from any provisions of the Act, or
from any rule thereunder, if such 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. Applicants state that the requested relief meets this standard for
the reasons discussed below.
3. Applicants assert that the shareholders are relying on the
Adviser's experience to select one or more Subadvisers best suited to
achieve a Fund's investment objectives. Applicants assert that, from
the perspective of the investor, the role of the Subadvisers is
comparable to that of the individual portfolio managers employed by the
Adviser. Applicants state that requiring shareholder approval of each
Subadvisory Agreement would impose costs and unnecessary delays on the
Funds, and may preclude the Adviser from acting promptly in a manner
considered advisable by the Board. Applicants note that the Advisory
Agreements and any subadvisory agreement with an Affiliated Subadviser
will remain subject to sections 15(a) and (c) of the Act and rule 18f-2
under the Act.
Applicants' Conditions
Applicants agree that any order granting the requested relief will
be subject to the following conditions:
1. Before a Fund may rely on the requested order, the operation of
the Fund in the manner described in the application will be approved by
a majority of the Fund's outstanding voting securities, as defined in
the Act, or in the case of a Fund whose public shareholders purchase
shares on the basis of a prospectus containing the disclosure
contemplated by condition 2 below, by the initial shareholder(s) before
offering shares of that Fund to the public.
2. Each Fund relying on the requested order will disclose in its
prospectus the existence, substance, and effect of any order granted
pursuant to the application. Each Fund will hold itself out to the
public as utilizing the Manager of Managers Structure. The prospectus
will prominently disclose that the Adviser has ultimate responsibility
(subject to oversight by the applicable Board) to oversee the
Subadvisers and recommend their hiring, termination, and replacement.
3. Funds will inform shareholders of the hiring of a new Subadviser
within 90 days after the hiring of the new Subadviser pursuant to the
Modified Notice and Access Procedures.
4. The Adviser will not enter into a subadvisory agreement with any
Affiliated Subadviser without such agreement, including the
compensation to be paid thereunder, being approved by the shareholders
of the applicable Fund.
5. At all times, at least a majority of the applicable Board will
be Independent Trustees, and the nomination of new or additional
Independent Trustees will be placed within the discretion of the then-
existing Independent Trustees.
6. Whenever a subadviser change is proposed for a Fund with an
Affiliated Subadviser, the applicable Board, including a majority of
the Independent Trustees, will make a separate finding, reflected in
the Board minutes, that such change is in the best interests of the
Fund and its shareholders, and does not involve a conflict of interest
from which the Adviser or the Affiliated Subadviser derives an
inappropriate advantage.
7. The Adviser will provide general management services to each
Fund, including overall supervisory responsibility for the general
management and investment of each Fund's assets and, subject to review
and approval of the applicable Board, will: (a) Set each Fund's overall
investment strategies; (b) evaluate, select and recommend Subadvisers
to manage all or a part of each Fund's assets; (c) allocate and, when
appropriate, reallocate each Fund's assets among one or more
Subadvisers; (d) monitor and evaluate the performance of Subadvisers;
and (e) implement procedures reasonably designed to ensure that the
Subadvisers comply with each Fund's investment objective, policies and
restrictions.
8. No trustee or officer of the Trust or a Fund, or director,
manager, or officer of the Adviser, will own directly or indirectly
(other than through a pooled investment vehicle that is not controlled
by such person), any interest in a Subadviser, except for (a) ownership
of interests in the Adviser or any entity that controls, is controlled
by, or is under common control with the Adviser or (b) ownership of
less than 1% of the outstanding securities of any class of equity or
debt of any publicly traded company that is either a Subadviser or an
entity that controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with
a Subadviser.
9. In the event the Commission adopts a rule under the Act
providing substantially similar relief to that in the order requested
in the application, the requested order will expire on the effective
date of that rule.
For the Commission, by the Division of Investment Management,
under delegated authority.
Kevin M. O'Neill,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2013-13771 Filed 6-10-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P