Preview | Administrative Services Agreement |

This Administrative Services Agreement (Agreement) is made as of December 12, 2002 by and among each of the investment companies in the Lord Abbett Family of Funds, as set forth on Exhibit 1 hereto, and each new Lord Abbett Fund added as a party to this Agreement pursuant to section 9, (each, a Fund or collectively, the Funds) and Lord, Abbett & Co. LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (Lord Abbett).

A. WHEREAS, Lord Abbett has entered into a Management Agreement with each Fund whereby Lord Abbett provides investment management services to each Fund.

B. WHEREAS, each Fund desires to retain Lord Abbett to provide certain administrative services and Lord Abbett is willing to provide, or arrange to have provided, such services upon the terms and conditions as hereinafter provided.

NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and of other good and valuable consideration, receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, it is agreed as follows:

1. AGREEMENT TO PERFORM ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES. Each Fund hereby employs Lord Abbett under the terms and conditions of this Agreement, and Lord Abbett hereby accepts such employment and agrees to perform the administrative services described below. It is understood that the persons employed by Lord Abbett to assist in the performance of its duties hereunder will not devote their full time to such services, and may in fact devote a substantial portion of their time to the performance of duties relating to Lord Abbetts provision of services to other clients, and nothing herein shall be deemed to limit or restrict the right of Lord Abbett, its affiliates, and their respective employees, to engage in and devote time and attention to other business or to render services of whatever kind or nature to Lord Abbetts other clients.

2. LORD ABBETT SERVICES AND DUTIES. Lord Abbett will provide, or arrange to have provided in accordance with section 3 below, for each Fund those facilities, equipment, and personnel to carry out the administrative services which are described in Exhibit 2 hereto (Administrative Services). Lord Abbett represents that it has sufficient personnel and experience to perform the Administrative Services, and agrees to perform such Administrative Services in accordance with industry standards for mutual fund administrators.

In performing its duties under this Agreement, Lord Abbett agrees that it shall observe and be bound by all of the provisions of (1) each Funds Articles of Incorporation/Declaration and Agreement of Trust and By-laws (including any amendments thereto) which in any way limit or restrict or prohibit or otherwise regulate any action by Lord Abbett, (2) each Funds registration statement, and (3) the instructions and directions of the Boards of Directors/Trustees of each Fund. In addition, Lord Abbett agrees and warrants that it will use its best efforts to conform to and comply with the requirements of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (1940 Act) and all other applicable federal and state laws and regulations.

3. LORD ABBETT SUBCONTRACTORS. It is understood that Lord Abbett may from time to time employ or associate with such person or persons (Subcontractors) as Lord Abbett may believe to be particularly fitted to assist in its performance of this Agreement; provided, however, that the compensation of such Subcontractors shall be paid by Lord Abbett and that Lord Abbett shall be as fully responsible to each Fund for the acts and omissions of any Subcontractor as it is for its own acts and omissions. Lord Abbett shall use its best efforts to ensure that any Subcontractor complies with the provisions of section 2 above.

4. EXPENSES ASSUMED. Except as otherwise set forth in this section 4 or as otherwise approved by the Funds Boards of Directors/Trustees, Lord Abbett shall pay all expenses incurred by it in performing the Administrative Services, including the cost of providing office facilities, equipment and personnel related to such services. Each Fund will pay its own fees, costs, expenses or charges relating to its assets and operations, including without limitation: fees and expenses under the Management Agreement; fees and expenses of Directors/Trustees not affiliated with Lord Abbett; governmental fees; interest charges; taxes; association membership dues; fees and charges for legal and auditing services; fees and expenses of any custodians or trustees with respect to custody of its assets; fees, charges and expenses of dividend disbursing agents, registrars and transfer agents (including the cost of keeping all necessary shareholder records and accounts, and of handling any problems relating thereto and the expense of furnishing to all shareholders statements of their accounts after every transaction, including the expense of mailing); costs and expenses of repurchase and redemption of its shares; costs and expenses of preparing, printing and mailing to shareholders ownership certificates, proxy statements and materials, prospectuses, reports and notices; costs of preparing reports to governmental agencies; brokerage fees and commissions of every kind and expenses in connection with the execution of portfolio security transactions (including the cost of any service or agency designed to facilitate the purchase and sale of portfolio securities); and all postage, insurance premiums, and any other fee, cost, expense or charge of any kind incurred by and on behalf of the Trust and not expressly assumed by Lord Abbett under this Agreement or the Management Agreement.

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