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Rule
Summary

Ensures that a uniform account transfer standard applies to all dealers.

(a) Definitions. For purposes of this rule, the following terms have the following meanings:

(i) The term "delayed delivery asset" means an asset subject to a delayed delivery and includes when-issued securities.

(ii) The term "in-transfer asset" means an asset which has been submitted to the registrar or transfer agent for transfer and shipment to the customer at the time the transfer instruction is received by the carrying party.

(iii) The term "nontransferable asset" means an asset that is incapable of being transferred from the carrying party to the receiving party because it is:

 

 

(A) an issue in default for which the carrying party does not possess the proper denominations to effect delivery and no transfer agent is available to re-register the securities;

(B) a municipal fund security which the issuer requires to be held in an account carried by one or more specified brokers, dealers or municipal securities dealers that does not include the receiving party; or

(C) a proprietary product of the carrying party.

 

 

(iv) The term “participant in a registered clearing agency” shall mean a member of a registered clearing agency that is eligible to make use of the agency’s automated customer securities account transfer capabilities.

(v) The term “registered clearing agency” shall be deemed to be a clearing agency as defined in, and registered in accordance with, the Exchange Act.

(vi) The term “safekeeping position” shall mean any security held by a carrying party in the name of the customer, including securities that are unendorsed or have a stock/bond power attached thereto.

(b) Responsibility to Expedite Customer’s Request. When a customer whose municipal securities account is carried by a broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer (the "carrying party") wishes to transfer municipal securities account assets, in whole or in specifically designated part, to another broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer (the "receiving party") and gives authorized instructions to the receiving party, both parties must expedite and coordinate activities with respect to the transfer.

(c) Transfer Instructions.

(i) Parties may use Form G-26, the transfer instruction prescribed by the Board, or the transfer instructions required by a clearing agency registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission in connection with its automated customer account transfer system, or transfer instructions that are substantially similar to those required by such clearing agency, when accomplishing account transfers pursuant to this rule.

(ii) If an account, or an instruction to transfer specifically designated account assets, includes any nontransferable assets, the carrying party and/or the receiving party must provide the customer with a list of the specific assets and request, in writing and prior to or at the time of validation of the transfer instruction, further instructions from the customer with respect to the disposition of such assets. Such request shall provide the customer with the following alternative methods of disposition of nontransferable assets, if applicable:

(A) liquidation, with a specific indication of any redemption or other liquidation-related fees that may result from such liquidation (including a referral to the program disclosure or the registered representative for specific details regarding any such fees in the case of a nontransferable asset described in section (a)(iii)(B)), that those fees may be deducted from the money balance due the customer and that any remaining balance will be distributed to the customer, including the method by which it will be so distributed;

(B) retention by the carrying party for the customer’s benefit;

(C) transfer, physically and directly, in the customer’s name to the customer; or

(D) in the case of a nontransferable asset described in section (a)(iii)(B), transfer to another broker, dealer or municipal securities dealer, if any, which the issuer has specified as being permitted to carry such asset.

(iii) If the customer has authorized liquidation or transfer of assets deemed to be nontransferable, the carrying party must distribute the resulting money balance to the customer or initiate the transfer within five (5) business days following receipt of the customer’s disposition instructions.

 

(d) Transfer Procedures.

(i) Upon receipt from the customer of an authorized transfer instruction to receive such customer's municipal securities account assets, in whole or in specifically designated part, from the carrying party, the receiving party must immediately submit such instruction to the carrying party. The carrying party must, within one business day following receipt of such instruction, validate and return the transfer instruction to the receiving party (with an attachment reflecting all positions and money balances as shown on its books) or take exception to the transfer instruction for reasons other than securities positions or money balance discrepancies and advise the receiving party of the exception taken.

(ii) The carrying party and the receiving party must promptly resolve any exceptions taken to the transfer instruction.

 

(e) Validation of Transfer Instructions.

 

 

 

(i) Upon validation of an instruction to transfer municipal securities account assets in whole, the carrying party must "freeze" the account to be transferred, i.e., all open orders must be cancelled and no new orders may be taken.

 

(ii) Upon validation of an instruction to transfer municipal securities account assets, in whole or in specifically designated part, the carrying party must return the transfer instruction to the receiving party with an attachment indicating all municipal securities positions, safekeeping positions and any money balance to be transferred as shown on the books of the carrying party. Except as hereinafter provided, the attachment must include a then-current market value for all assets so indicated. If a then-current market value for an asset cannot be determined, the asset must be valued at original cost. However, delayed delivery assets, nontransferable assets, and assets in-transfer to the customer, need not be valued, although the "delayed delivery," "nontransferable," or "in-transfer" status of such assets, respectively, must be indicated on the attachment. A carrying party must provide the description set forth in Rule G-12(c)(v)(E) with respect to any municipal security that has not been assigned a CUSIP number in an account it is to transfer.

 

(iii) A carrying party may not take exception to a transfer instruction, and therefore deny validation of the transfer instruction, because of a dispute over municipal securities positions or the money balance in the account to be transferred. Such alleged discrepancies notwithstanding, the carrying party must transfer the municipal securities positions and/or money balance reflected on its books for the account.

 

(iv) A carrying party may take exception to a transfer instruction only if:

 

(A) it has no record of the account on its books;

 

(B) the transfer instruction is incomplete;

 

(C) the transfer instruction contains an improper signature;

 

(D) additional documentation is required (e.g., legal documents such as death or marriage certificate);

 

(E) the account is “flat” and reflects no transferable assets;

 

(F) the account number is invalid (i.e., the account number is not on the carrying party’s books); however, if the carrying party has changed the account number for purposes of internally reassigning the account, it is the responsibility of the carrying party to track the changed account number, and such reassigned account number shall not be considered invalid for purposes of fulfilling a transfer instruction;

 

(G) it is a duplicate request;

 

(H) it violates the receiving party’s credit policy;

 

(I) it contains unrecognized residual credit assets (the receiving party cannot identify the customer);

 

(J) the customer rescinds the instruction (e.g., the customer has submitted a written request to cancel the transfer);

 

(K) there is a mismatch of the Social Security Number/Tax ID (e.g., the number on the transfer instruction does not correspond to that on the carrying party’s records);

 

(L) the account title on the transfer instruction does not match that on the carrying party’s records;

 

(M) the account type on the transfer instruction does not correspond to that on the carrying party’s records;

 

(N) the transfer instruction is missing or contains an improper authorization (e.g., the transfer instruction requires an additional customer authorization or successor custodian’s acceptance authorization or custodial approval; or

 

(O) the customer has taken possession of the assets in the account (e.g., the municipal securities account assets in question have been transferred directly to the customer).

 

(v) If a carrying party takes exception to a transfer instruction because the account is “flat,” as provided in paragraph (iv)(E) above, the receiving party may re-submit the transfer instruction only if the most recent customer statement is attached.

 

(vi) The carrying party and the receiving party must promptly resolve and reverse any nontransferable assets that were not properly identified during validation. In all cases, each party shall promptly update its records and bookkeeping systems and notify the customer of the action taken.

 

(vii) Upon receipt of the asset validation report, the receiving party shall designate any assets that are a product of a third party (e.g., municipal fund security) with which the receiving party does not maintain the relationship or arrangement necessary to receive/carry the asset for the customer’s account. The carrying party, upon receipt of such designation, may treat such designated assets as nontransferable and refrain from transferring the designated assets.

 

(viii) After validation of the transfer instruction by the carrying party, a receiving party may reject a transfer of municipal securities account assets in whole only if the account is not in compliance with the receiving party’s credit policies or minimum asset requirements. A receiving party, however, may only reject the entire account for such reasons; it may not reject only a portion of the account assets (e.g., the particular assets not in compliance with the party’s credit policies or minimum asset requirement) while accepting the remainder.

 

(f) Completion of the Transfer.

 

 

(i) Within three business days following the validation of a transfer instruction, the carrying party must complete the transfer of the customer’s municipal securities account assets to the receiving party. The receiving party and the carrying party must immediately establish fail-to-receive and fail-to-deliver contracts at the then-current market value as of the date of validation upon their respective books of account against the long/short positions in the customer’s accounts that have not been physically delivered/received and the receiving party/carrying party must debit/credit the related money amount. Nontransferable assets and assets in-transfer to the customer are exempt from the requirement that fail-to-receive and fail-to-deliver contracts must be established for positions in a customer’s securities account that have not been physically delivered. Zero value fail-to-receive and fail-to-deliver instructions shall be established for delayed delivery assets. The customer's account(s) shall thereupon be deemed transferred.

(ii) To the extent any assets in the account are not readily transferable, with or without penalties, such assets are not subject to the time frames required by the rule; and, if the customer has authorized liquidation of any nontransferable assets, the carrying member must distribute the resulting money balance to the customer within five business days following receipt of the customer’s disposition instructions.

 

 

 

(g) Transfer of Residual Positions. Each party is required, for a minimum period of six (6) months after the transfer of municipal securities account assets in whole is completed, to transfer credit balances (both cash and securities) that occur in such transferred account assets within ten (10) business days after the credit balances accrue to the account.

 

(h) Fail Contracts Established. Any fail contracts resulting from this account transfer procedure must be closed out in accordance with Rule G-12(h).

 

(i) Prompt Resolution of Discrepancies.

(i) Any discrepancies relating to positions or money balances that exist or occur after transfer of a customer's municipal securities account assets must be resolved promptly.

(ii) The carrying party must promptly distribute to the receiving party any transferable assets that accrue to the account after the transfer of a customer’s securities account assets has been effected.

(iii) When a party receives a claim notice relating to a municipal securities account transfer, the party must resolve the claim within five (5) business days from receipt of such claim or take exception to the claiming party by setting forth specific reasons for denying the claim.

(j) Exemptions. The Board may exempt from the provisions of this rule, either unconditionally or on specified terms and conditions, any dealer or any type of account, security or municipal security.

(k) Participant in a Registered Clearing Agency.

(i) When both the carrying party and the receiving party are direct participants in a clearing agency registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission offering automated customer securities account asset transfer capabilities, the municipal securities account transfer procedure, including the establishing and closing out of fail contracts, must be accomplished pursuant to the rules of and through such registered clearing agency with the exception of specifically designated municipal securities assets transferred pursuant to the submittal of a customer’s authorized alternate instructions to the carrying party, indicating such intent and specifying the designated assets to be transferred. The parties must expedite all authorized municipal securities account asset transfers, whether through automated customer account transfer services (ACATS) or via other means permissible, and coordinate their activities with respect thereto.

(ii) When municipal securities account assets are transferred in whole and such registered clearing agency has the capability to transfer residual credit positions (both cash and municipal securities) that have accrued to an account after the account has been transferred (residual credit processing), such capability must be utilized for transferring residual credit positions from the carrying party to the receiving party.

(iii) When both the carrying party and the receiving party are participants in a registered clearing agency having automated customer securities account asset transfer capabilities with a facility permitting electronic transmittal of customer account asset transfer instructions, such facilities shall be used in accordance with the following:

(A) parties using such facilities shall execute an agreement specifying the rights, obligations and liabilities of all participants in or users of such facilities;

(B) customer account transfer instructions shall be transmitted in accordance with the procedures prescribed by the registered clearing agency;

(C) the transmittal of a transfer request through such electronic facilities shall constitute a representation by the receiving party that it has received a properly executed transfer instruction or other actual authority to receive the customer's municipal securities and funds;

(D) transfer instructions transmitted through such facilities shall contain the information necessary for the clearing agency and the carrying party to respond to the transfer instruction as may be specified by this rule and the clearing agency; and

(E) non-standard ACATS processing and reclaim processing shall be transmitted through such facilities, if the facility permits.

(l) Forwarding of Copy of Form G-26 to Enforcement Authority on Request. The carrying party shall forward a copy of each customer account transfer instruction issued pursuant to paragraph (c)(i) to the enforcement authority having jurisdiction over the carrying party member, at the request of such authority.

Supplementary Material

.01 Customer Authorization. For purposes of this rule, customer authorization pursuant to a transfer instruction could be the customer’s actual signature, or an electronic signature in a format recognized as valid under federal law to conduct interstate commerce.

 

.02 Written Procedures. Municipal securities dealers must establish, maintain and enforce written procedures to effect and supervise the transfer of municipal securities account assets pursuant to this rule that are reasonably designed to achieve compliance with applicable securities laws and regulations, including applicable Board rules.

.03 Transfer Fees. The party at whose instance a transfer of municipal securities is made shall pay all service charges of the transfer agent.

No Compliance Resources for this rule
Interpretive Guidance - Interpretive Notices
Publication date:

Electronic Delivery and Receipt of Information by Brokers, Dealers and Municipal Securities Dealers

On May 9, 1996, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) issued an interpretative release expressing its views on the use of electronic media for delivery of information by, among others, brokers and dealers.[1] The SEC stated that brokers, dealers and others may satisfy their delivery obligations under federal securities laws by using electronic media as an alternative to paper-based media within the framework established in the SEC’s October 1995 interpretive release on the use of electronic media for delivery purposes.[2] The SEC also indicated that an electronic communication from a customer to a broker or dealer generally would satisfy the requirements for written consent or acknowledgment under the federal securities laws.

 

The Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (the “Board”) is publishing this notice to address the use by brokers, dealers and municipal securities dealers (“dealers”) of electronic media to deliver and receive information under Board rules.[3] The Board will permit dealers to transmit documents electronically that they are required or permitted to furnish to customers under Board rules provided that they adhere to the standards set forth in the SEC Releases and summarized below.[4] Dealers also may receive consents and acknowledgments from customers electronically in satisfaction of required written consents and acknowledgments. Furthermore, the Board believes that the standards applied by the SEC to communications with customers should also apply to communications among dealers and between dealers and issuers. However, although it is the Board’s goal ultimately to permit dealers to make required submissions of materials to the Board electronically if possible, this notice does not affect existing requirements for the submission of materials to the Board, its designees and certain other entities to which information is required to be delivered under Board rules.[5]

Dealers are urged to review the SEC Releases in their entirety to ensure that they comply with all aspects of the SEC’s electronic delivery requirements. Although the examples provided in the SEC Releases are based on SEC rules, the examples nonetheless provide important guidance as to the intended application of the standards set out by the SEC with respect to electronic communications.

Electronic Communications from Dealers to Customers

General. According to the standards established by the SEC, dealers may use electronic media to satisfy their delivery obligations to customers under Board rules, provided that the electronic communication satisfies the following principles:[6]

1. Notice – The electronic communication should provide timely and adequate notice to customers that the information is available electronically.[7] Since certain forms of electronic delivery may not always provide a likelihood of notice that recipients have received information that they may wish to review, dealers should consider supplementing such forms of electronic communication with a separate communication, providing notice similar to that provided by delivery in paper through the postal mail, that information has been sent electronically that the recipients may wish to review.[8]

2. Access – Customers who are provided information through electronic delivery should have access to that information comparable to the access that would be provided if the information were delivered in paper form.[9] The use of a particular electronic medium should not be so burdensome that intended recipients cannot effectively access the information provided.[10] A recipient should have the opportunity to retain the information through the selected medium (e.g., by downloading or printing the information) or have ongoing access equivalent to personal retention.[11] Also, as a matter of policy, the SEC believes that a person who has a right to receive a document under the federal securities laws and chooses to receive it electronically should be provided with a paper version of the document upon specific request or if consent to receive documents electronically is revoked.[12]

3. Evidence to Show Delivery – Dealers must have reason to believe that electronically delivered information will result in the satisfaction of the delivery requirements under the federal securities laws. Dealers should consider the need to establish procedures to ensure that applicable delivery obligations are met, including recordkeeping procedures to evidence such satisfaction.[13] Such procedures should also be designed to ensure the integrity and security of information being delivered so as to ensure that it is the information that was intended to be delivered.[14] Dealers may be able to evidence satisfaction of delivery obligations, for example, by:

(1) obtaining the intended recipient’s informed consent [15] to delivery through a specified electronic medium and ensuring that the recipient has appropriate notice and access;

(2) obtaining evidence that the intended recipient actually received the information, such as by an electronic mail return-receipt [16] or by confirmation that the information was accessed, downloaded, or printed; or

(3) disseminating information through certain facsimile methods (e.g., faxing information to a customer who has requested the information and has provided the telephone number for the fax machine).

Personal Financial Information. The SEC has noted, and the Board agrees, that special precautions are appropriate when dealers are delivering information to customers that is specific to that particular customer’s personal financial information, including but not limited to information contained on confirmations and account statements.[17] In transmitting such personal financial information, dealers should consider the following factors:

1. Confidentiality and Security – Dealers sending personal financial information through electronic means or in paper form should take reasonable precautions to ensure the integrity, confidentiality, and security of that information. Dealers transmitting personal financial information electronically must tailor those precautions to the medium used in order to ensure that the information is reasonably secure from tampering or alteration.

2. Consent – Unless a dealer is responding to a request for information that is made through electronic media or the person making the request specifies delivery through a particular electronic medium, the dealer should obtain the intended recipient’s informed consent prior to delivering personal financial information electronically. The customer’s consent may be made either by a manual signature or by electronic means.

Electronic Communications from Customers to Dealers

Consistent with the position taken by the SEC, dealers may rely on consents and acknowledgments received from customers by electronic means for purposes of Board rules. In relying on such communications from customers, dealers must be cognizant of their responsibilities to prevent, and the potential liability associated with, unauthorized transactions. In this regard, the SEC states, and the Board agrees, that dealers should have reasonable assurance that the communication from a customer is authentic.

Electronic Transmission of Non-Required Communications

The 1996 SEC Release states that the above standards are intended to permit dealers to comply with their delivery obligations under federal securities laws when using electronic media. While compliance with the guidelines is not mandatory for the electronic delivery of non-required information that, in some cases, is being provided voluntarily to customers, the Board believes adherence to the guidelines should be considered, especially with respect to delivery of personal financial information.

Electronic Communications Among Dealers and Between Dealers and Issuers

The Board believes that the standards applied by the SEC to communications with customers should also apply to mandated communications among dealers and between dealers and issuers. Thus, a dealer that undertakes communications required under Board rules with other dealers and with issuers in a manner that conforms with the principles stated above relating to customer communications will have met its obligations with respect to such communications. In addition, a dealer may rely on consents and acknowledgments received from other dealers or issuers by electronic means for purposes of Board rules, provided that the dealer should have reasonable assurance that the communication from such other party is authentic. However, any Board rule that explicitly requires that a dealer enter into a written agreement with another party will continue to require that such agreement be in written form.[18] Financial information, as well as other privileged or confidential information, relating to another dealer or an issuer (or relating to another person or entity contained in a transmission between a dealer and another dealer or an issuer) should be transmitted using precautions similar to those used by a dealer in transmitting personal financial information to a customer.

Rules to Which this Notice Applies

Set forth below is a list of current Board rules to which dealers may apply the guidance provided in this notice. The Board believes that the list sets forth all of the rules that require or permit communications among dealers and between dealers and customers and issuers.[19] The summaries provided of the delivery obligations under the listed rules is intended for ease of reference only and are not intended to be complete statements of all the requirements under such rules.

  • Rule G-8, on books and records to be made by dealers, prohibits dealers from obtaining or submitting for payment a check, draft or other form of negotiable paper drawn on a customer’s checking, savings, share or similar account without the customer’s express written authorization.

  • Rule G-10, on delivery of investor brochure, requires dealers to deliver a copy of the investor brochure to a customer upon receipt of a complaint by the customer.

  • Rule G-11, on sales of new issue municipal securities during the underwriting period, requires certain communications between senior syndicate managers and other members of the syndicate.[20]

  • Rule G-12, on uniform practice, provides for confirmation of inter-dealer transactions and certain other inter-dealer communications.[21]

  • Rule G-15, on confirmation, clearance and settlement of transactions with customers, provides for confirmation of transactions with customers and the provision of additional information to customers upon request.[22]

  • Rule G-19, on suitability of recommendations and transactions and discretionary accounts, requires that dealers obtain certain information from their customers in connection with transactions and recommendations and also receive customer authorizations with respect to discretionary account transactions.

  • Rule G-22, on control relationships, requires certain disclosures from a dealer effecting a transaction for a customer in municipal securities with respect to which such dealer has a control relationship and customer authorization of such transaction with respect to discretionary accounts.

  • Rule G-23, on activities of financial advisors, requires that, under certain circumstances, dealers acting as financial advisors to issuers provide various disclosures to issuers and customers and receive certain consents and acknowledgments from issuers.[23]

  • Rule G-24, on use of ownership information obtained in fiduciary or agency capacity, requires a dealer seeking to use for its own purposes information obtained while acting in a fiduciary or agency capacity for an issuer or other dealer to receive consents to the use of such information.

  • Rule G-25, on improper use of assets, provides that put options and repurchase agreements will not be deemed to be guaranties against loss if their terms are provided in writing to customers with or on the transaction confirmation.

  • Rule G-26, on customer account transfers, provides for written notice from customers requesting account transfers between dealers and the use of Form G-26 to effect such transfer.[24]

  • Rule G-28, on transactions with employees and partners of other municipal securities professionals, requires that a dealer opening an account for a customer who is an employee or partner of another dealer must provide notice and copies of confirmations to such other dealer and permits such other dealers to provide instructions for handling of transactions with such customer.

  • Rule G-29, on availability of Board rules, provides that dealers must make available to customers for examination promptly upon request a copy of the Board’s rules required to be kept in their offices.[25]

  • Rule G-32, on disclosures in connection with new issues, requires dealers selling new issue municipal securities to customers to deliver official statements[26] and certain other information by settlement and requires selling dealers, managing underwriters and certain dealers acting as financial advisors to deliver such materials to dealers purchasing new issue municipal securities, upon request.[27]

  • Rule G-34, on CUSIP numbers and new issue requirements, requires underwriters to communicate information regarding CUSIP numbers and initial trade date to syndicate and selling group members.[28]

  • Rule G-38, on consultants, requires dealers to provide certain information to issuers regarding consulting arrangements.[29]

  • Rule G-39, on telemarketing, prohibits certain telemarketing calls without the prior consent of the person being called.[30]


ENDNOTES

[1] See Securities Act Release No. 7288, Exchange Act Release No. 37182 (May 9, 1996), 61 FR 24644 (May 15, 1996) (the “1996 SEC Release”).

[2] See Securities Act Release No. 7233, Exchange Act Release No. 36345 (October 6, 1995), 60 FR 53458 (October 13, 1995) (the “1995 SEC Release” and, together with the 1996 SEC Release, the “SEC Releases”).

[3] This notice has been filed with the SEC as File No. SR-MSRB-98-12.

[4] The Board also reminds dealers that the SEC indicated in the 1996 SEC Release that dealers may fulfill their obligation to deliver to customers, upon request, preliminary official statements and final official statements in connection with primary offerings of municipal securities subject to SEC Rule 15c2-12 by electronic means, subject to the guidelines set forth in the 1996 SEC Release. See 1996 SEC Release at note 47.

[5] For example, this notice does not apply to any requirements that dealers supply the Board with written information pursuant to Board rules A-12, A-14, A-15, G-36, G-37 and G-38. The Board has begun the planning process for electronic submission of information required under rule A-15 and of Form G-37/G-38 under rules G-37 and G-38. At such time as electronic submission becomes available, the Board will publish notice thereof and of the procedures to be used for such submission. Although submission of Forms G-36(OS) and G-36(ARD) under rule G-36 could also be made electronically by means similar to those which the Board may develop for Form G-37/G-38, such electronic submission is complicated by the requirement that Forms G-36(OS) and G-36(ARD) be accompanied by an official statement or advance refunding document, as appropriate. Given the current debate and lack of consensus among the various sectors of the municipal securities industry regarding electronic formatting of disclosure materials, and since the Board does not have the authority to dictate the format of issuer documents, the Board believes that any further action regarding electronic submissions under rule G-36 should await resolution of these issues. Finally, the Board does not at this time anticipate permitting electronic submission of information required under rules A-12 and A-14 since such information must be accompanied by payment of certain required fees.

Electronic submission of information under rule G-14 will continue to be governed by rule G-14 and associated Transaction Reporting Procedures. In addition, this notice does not alter the current submission standards applicable to the Board’s Continuing Disclosure Information (CDI) System of the Municipal Securities Information Library[®] (MSIL[®]) system. The Municipal Securities Information Library and MSIL are registered trademarks of the Board.

Furthermore, submission of information to the Board’s designees or certain other designated entities under Board rules must continue to be done in accordance with the procedures established by such designees or other entities. Board rules in which such requirements currently appear include rules G-7 (with respect to information required to be filed with the appropriate enforcement agencies), G-12 and G-15 (with respect to information to be submitted to registered clearing agencies and registered securities depositories), G-26 (with respect to customer account transfer instructions (other than Form G-26) required by registered clearing agencies), G-34 (with respect to information to be submitted to the Board’s designee for assignment of CUSIP numbers and to registered securities depositories) and G-37 (with respect to application to the appropriate enforcement agencies for exemptions from the ban on municipal securities business).

[6] Dealers that structure their deliveries in accordance with the principles set forth in this notice can be assured, except where otherwise noted, that they have satisfied their delivery obligations under Board rules. However, as the SEC stated in the 1995 SEC Release, the three enumerated principles are not the only factors relevant to determining whether the legal requirements pertaining to delivery of documents have been satisfied. Consistent with the SEC’s view, the Board believes that, if a dealer develops a method of electronic delivery that differs from the principles discussed herein, but provides assurance comparable to paper delivery that the required information will be delivered, that method may satisfy delivery obligations. See 1995 SEC Release, text following note 22. For example, a dealer can satisfy its obligation to send a confirmation to a customer under rule G-15 by electronic means in a manner that meets the principles set forth in this notice. In addition, dealers may continue to deliver confirmations electronically through the OASYS Global system established by Thomson Financial Services, Inc. on the conditions described in the Board’s Notice Concerning Use of the OASYS Global Trade Confirmation System to Satisfy Rule G-15(a), dated June 6, 1994, without specifically complying with the principles described in this notice. See MSRB Reports, Vol. 14, No. 3 (June 1994) at 37. See also 1996 SEC Release, note 38, and 1995 SEC Release, note 12. Also, rule G-29 provides that dealers must make available to customers for examination promptly upon request a copy of the Board’s rules required to be kept in their offices. Dealers may continue to comply with such requirement by giving customers access to the rules either in printed form or by viewing the rules on screen from the Board’s Internet web site (www.msrb.org) or from software products produced by other companies. See Interpretive Notice on Availability of Board Rules, dated May 20, 1998, in MSRB Reports, Vol. 18, No. 2 (August 1998) at 37.

[7] See 1996 SEC Release, text at note 20.

[8] See 1996 SEC Release, text at note 21, and 1995 SEC Release, text at note 23. The SEC notes, for example, that if information is provided by physically delivering material (such as a diskette or CD-ROM) or by electronic mail, such communication itself generally should be sufficient notice. However, if information is made available electronically through a passive delivery system, such as an Internet web site, separate notice would be necessary to satisfy the delivery requirements unless the dealer can otherwise evidence that delivery to the customer has been satisfied. 1996 SEC Release, note 21.

[9] The SEC states that, regardless of whether information is delivered in paper form or by electronic means, it should convey all material and required information. For example, if a paper document is required to present information in a certain order, then the information delivered electronically should be in substantially the same order. 1996 SEC Release, text at note 14.

[10] The SEC notes, for example, that if a customer must proceed through a confusing series of ever-changing menus to access a required document so that it is not reasonable to expect that access would generally occur, this procedure would likely be viewed as unduly burdensome. In that case, the SEC would deem delivery not to have occurred unless delivery otherwise could be shown. 1995 SEC Release, note 24.

[11] See 1996 SEC Release, note 22 and accompanying text, and 1995 SEC Release, notes 25-26 and accompanying text.

[12] See 1996 SEC Release, note 17 and accompanying text, and 1995 SEC Release, note 27 and accompanying text.

[13] See 1996 SEC Release, text following note 22, and 1995 SEC Release, note 22 and text at note 28. The Board is of the view that dealers that choose to deliver information to customers electronically should consider establishing systems and procedures for providing paper copies or using alternate electronic means in a timely manner should the primary electronic media fail for any reason.

[14] See 1996 SEC Release, text at note 25, and 1995 SEC Release, note 22. Dealers also should consider the need for systems and procedures to deter or detect misconduct by firm personnel in connection with the delivery of information, whether by electronic or paper means. 1996 SEC Release, text at note 16.

[15] In order for a consent to be an informed consent, the SEC has stated that the consent should specify the electronic medium or source through which the information will be delivered and the period during which the consent will be effective, describe the information that will be delivered using such means, and disclose the potential for the customer to incur costs in accessing the information. See 1996 SEC Release, note 23, and 1995 SEC Release, note 29.

[16] To the extent that material is distributed as an attachment to an electronic mail transmission, dealers must have a reasonable basis for believing that the attachment will in fact be transmitted along with the electronic mail transmission and that the attachment will be received by the recipient in an accessible format.

[17] In addition, the Board believes that other information that is privileged or confidential, regardless of whether such information is financial in nature, should be accorded the same precautions as is personal financial information.

[18] For example, the written agreements required under rules G-20(c), G-23(c) and G-38(b) must continue to be entered into in paper form.

[19] Unless otherwise provided in connection with the adoption by the Board of any new rules or amendments to existing rules that require or permit communications among dealers and between dealers and customers, issuers and others, the guidance provided in this notice would also apply to any such communications.

[20] Rule G-11 also requires that syndicate members furnish certain information to others, upon request. The Board believes that, solely for purposes of this requirement under rule G-11, such information may be provided to others by electronic means so long as the standards established in this notice with respect to electronic deliveries to customers are met.

[21] See, however, note 5 above with respect to information to be submitted to registered clearing agencies and registered securities depositories.

[22] See, however, note 5 above with respect to information to be submitted to registered clearing agencies and registered securities depositories. See also note 6 above regarding alternate electronic means previously reviewed by the Board.

[23] See, however, note 18 above and accompanying text regarding the written agreement to be entered into between a dealer acting as financial advisor and the issuer.

[24] See, however, note 5 above with respect to use of customer account transfer instructions (other than Form G-26).

[25] See note 6 above regarding alternate electronic means previously reviewed by the Board.

[26] The Board believes that dealers must be particularly cautious in delivering official statements by electronic means since they may present special challenges in ensuring that they are received by customers and other dealers without material omissions or distortions in formatting (for example, tables in which data is more than negligibly misaligned) that may cause such materials not to meet the standard for electronically transmitted information comparable to information delivered in paper form. See note 9 above and accompanying text.

[27] The Board believes that, to the extent that rule G-32(b)(i) [currently codified at rule G-32(c)(i)] obligates a managing or sole underwriter to provide, upon request, multiple copies of the official statement to a dealer with respect to new issue municipal securities sold by such dealer to customers, such obligation must continue to be met with paper copies of the official statement unless the purchasing dealer has consented to electronic delivery of the official statement in lieu of delivery of multiple paper copies. Compare 1995 SEC Release, example 11.

[28] See, however, note 5 above with respect to information to be submitted to the Board’s designee with respect to CUSIP number assignment and to registered securities depositories.

[29] See, however, note 18 above and accompanying text regarding the written agreement to be entered into between a dealer and its consultant and note 5 above with respect to submission of Form G-37/G-38 to the Board.

[30] Although the person receiving such telemarketing call may in many cases not be a customer, the Board believes that, solely for purposes of this provision of rule G-39, such consent may be accepted by the dealer by electronic means so long as the standards established in this notice with respect to electronic communications from customers to dealers are met.


Interpretation on the Application of Rules G-32 and G-36 to New Issue Offerings Through Auction Procedures

March 26, 2001

Traditionally, brokers, dealers and municipal securities dealers (“dealers”) have underwritten new issue municipal securities through syndicates in which one dealer serves as the managing underwriter. In some cases, a single dealer may serve as the sole underwriter for a new issue. Typically, these underwritings are effected on an “all-or-none” basis, meaning that the underwriters bid on the entire new issue. In addition, new issues are occasionally sold to two or more underwriters that have not formed a syndicate but instead each underwriter has purchased a separate portion of the new issue (in effect, each underwriter serving as the sole underwriter for its respective portion of the new issue).

In the primary market in recent years, some issuers have issued their new offerings through an electronic “auction” process that permits the taking of bids from both dealers and investors directly. In some cases, these bids may be taken on other than an all-or-none basis, with bidders making separate bids on each maturity of a new issue.  The issuer may engage a dealer as an auction agent to conduct the auction process on its behalf. In addition, to effectuate the transfer of the securities from the issuer to the winning bidders and for certain other purposes connected with the auction process, the issuer may engage a dealer to serve in the role of settlement agent or in some other intermediary role.

Although the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (the “MSRB”) has not examined all forms that these auction agent, settlement agent or other intermediary roles (collectively referred to as “dealer-intermediaries”) may take, it believes that in most cases such dealer-intermediary is effecting a transaction between the issuer and each of the winning bidders. The MSRB also believes that in many cases such dealer-intermediary may be acting as an underwriter, as such term is defined in Rule 15c2-12(f)(8) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”).[1] A dealer-intermediary that is effecting transactions in connection with such an auction process has certain obligations under rule G-32. If it is also an underwriter with respect to an offering, it has certain additional obligations under rules G-32 and G-36.

Application of Rule G-32, on Disclosures in Connection with New Issues

Rule G-32(a) generally requires that any dealer (i.e., not just the underwriter) selling municipal securities to a customer during the issue’s underwriting period must deliver the official statement in final form, if any, to the customer by settlement of the transaction. Any dealer selling a new issue municipal security to another dealer is obligated under rule G-32(b) to send such official statement to the purchasing dealer within one business day of request. In addition, under rule G-32(c), the managing or sole underwriter for new issue municipal securities is obligated to send to any dealer purchasing such securities (regardless of whether the securities were purchased from such managing or sole underwriter or from another dealer), within one business day of request, one official statement plus one additional copy per $100,000 par value of the new issue municipal securities sold by such dealer to customers. Where multiple underwriters underwrite a new issue without forming an underwriting syndicate, each underwriter is considered a sole underwriter for purposes of rule G-32 and therefore each must undertake the official statement delivery obligation described in the preceding sentence.

If a dealer-intermediary is involved in an auction or similar process of primary offering of municipal securities in which all or a portion of the securities are sold directly to investors that have placed winning bids with the issuer, the dealer-intermediary is obligated under rule G-32(a) to deliver an official statement to such investors by settlement of their purchases. If all or a portion of the securities are sold to other dealers that have placed winning bids with the issuer, the dealer-intermediary is obligated under rule G-32(b) to send an official statement to such purchasing dealers within one business day of a request. Further, to the extent that the dealer-intermediary is an underwriter, such dealer-intermediary typically would have the obligations of a sole underwriter under rule G-32(c) to distribute the official statement to any other dealer that subsequently purchases the securities during the underwriting period and requests a copy. Any dealer that has placed a winning bid in a new issue auction would have the same distribution responsibility under rule G-32(c), to the extent that it is acting as an underwriter.

The MSRB views rule G-32 as permitting one or more dealer-intermediaries involved in an auction process to enter into an agreement with one or more other dealers that have purchased securities through a winning bid in which the parties agree that one such dealer (i.e., a dealer-intermediary or one of the winning bidders) will serve in the role of managing underwriter for purposes of rule G-32. In such a case, such single dealer (rather than all dealers individually) would have the responsibility for distribution of official statements to the marketplace typically undertaken by a managing or sole underwriter under rule G-32(c).[2] Such an agreement may be entered into by less than all dealers that have purchased securities through the auction process. All dealers that agree to delegate this duty to a single dealer may rely on such delegation to the same extent as if they had in fact formed an underwriting syndicate.

Application of Rule G-36, on Delivery of Official Statements, Advance Refunding Documents and Forms G-36(OS) and G-36(ARD) to the MSRB

Rule G-36 requires that the managing or sole underwriter for most primary offerings send the official statement and Form G-36(OS) to the MSRB within certain time frames set forth in the rule. In addition, if the new issue is an advance refunding and an advance refunding document has been prepared, the advance refunding document and Form G-36(ARD) also must be sent to the MSRB by the managing or sole underwriter. Where multiple underwriters underwrite an offering without forming an underwriting syndicate, the MSRB has stated that each underwriter would have the role of sole underwriter for purposes of rule G-36 and therefore each would have a separate obligation to send official statements, advance refunding documents and Forms G-36(OS) and G-36(ARD) to the MSRB.[3]

To the extent that the dealer-intermediary in an auction or similar process of primary offering of municipal securities is an underwriter for purposes of the Exchange Act, such dealer-intermediary would have obligations under rule G-36. If all or a portion of the securities are sold directly to investors that have placed winning bids with the issuer, the dealer-intermediary would be obligated to send the official statement and Form G-36(OS) (as well as any applicable advance refunding document and Form G-36(ARD)) to the MSRB with respect to the issue or portion thereof purchased by investors. If all or a portion of the securities are sold to other dealers that have placed winning bids with the issuer, the dealer-intermediary and each of the purchasing dealers (to the extent that they are underwriters for purposes of the Exchange Act) also typically would be separately obligated to send such documents to the MSRB with respect to the issue or portion thereof purchased by dealers.

To avoid duplicative filings under rule G-36, the MSRB believes that one or more dealer-intermediaries involved in an auction process may enter into an agreement with one or more other dealers that have purchased securities through a winning bid in which the parties agree that one such dealer (i.e., a dealer-intermediary or one of the winning bidders) will serve in the role of managing underwriter for purposes of rule G-36. In such a case, such single dealer (rather than all dealers individually) would have the responsibility for sending the official statement, advance refunding document and Forms G-36(OS) and G-36(ARD) to the MSRB.[4] Such an agreement may be entered into by less than all dealers that have purchased securities. All dealers that agree to delegate this duty to a single dealer may rely on such delegation to the same extent as if they had in fact formed an underwriting syndicate.


ENDNOTES

1 Questions regarding whether  an entity acting in an intermediary role is effecting a transaction or whether a dealer acting in such an intermediary role for a particular primary offering of municipal securities would constitute an underwriter should be addressed to staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

2 Each dealer that is party to this agreement would be required to inform any dealer seeking copies of the official statement from such dealer under rule G-32(c) of the identity of the dealer that has by agreement undertaken this obligation or, in the alternative, may fulfill the request for official statements. In either case, the dealer would be required to act promptly so as either to permit the dealer undertaking the distribution obligation to fulfill its duty in a timely manner or to provide the official statement itself in the time required by the rule. Such agreement would not affect the obligation of a dealer that sells new issue securities to another dealer to provide a copy of the official statement to such dealer upon request as required under rule G-32(b), nor would it affect the obligation to deliver official statements to customers as required under rule G-32(a).

3 See Rule G-36 Interpretive Letter – Multiple underwriters, MSRB interpretation of January 30, 1998, MSRB Rule Book (January 1, 2001) at 189.

4 The dealer designated to act as managing underwriter for purposes of rule G-36 would be billed the full amount of any applicable underwriting assessment due under rule A-13, on underwriting and transaction assessments. Such dealer would be permitted, in turn, to bill each other dealer that is party to the agreement for its share of the assessment.