Exhibit d(18)

                          INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT

        AGREEMENT made as of ___________, 2002 by and between the Small Cap
Growth Portfolio, a series of Diversified Investors Portfolios (herein called
the "Portfolio"), and Diversified Investment Advisors, Inc. a Delaware
corporation (herein called "Diversified").

        WHEREAS, the Portfolio is registered as a diversified, open-end,
management investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the
"1940 Act"); and

        WHEREAS, Diversified has been organized to operate as an investment
advisor registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940; and

        WHEREAS, the Portfolio desires to retain Diversified to render
investment advisory services, and Diversified is willing to so render such
services on the terms hereinafter set forth;

        NOW, THEREFORE, this Agreement


                                  WITNESSETH:

        In consideration of the promises and mutual covenants herein contained,
it is agreed between the parties hereto as follows:

1. The Portfolio hereby appoints Diversified to act as investment advisor to the
Portfolio for the period and on the terms set forth in this Agreement.
Diversified accepts such appointment and agrees to render the services herein
set forth for the compensation herein provided.

2. (a) Diversified shall, at its expense, (i) employ sub-advisors or associate
with itself such entities as it believes appropriate to assist it in performing
its obligations under this Agreement and (ii) provide all services, equipment
and facilities necessary to perform its obligations under this Agreement.

        (b) The Portfolio shall be responsible for all of its expenses and
liabilities, including, but not limited to: compensation and out-of-pocket
expenses of Trustees not affiliated with any subadvisor or Diversified;
governmental fees; interest charges; taxes; membership dues; fees and expenses
of independent auditors, of legal counsel and of any transfer agent,
administrator, distributor, shareholder servicing agents,



registrar or dividend disbursing agent of the Portfolio; expenses of
distributing and redeeming shares and servicing shareholder accounts; expenses
of preparing, printing and mailing prospectuses, shareholder reports, notices,
proxy statements and reports to governmental officers and commissions and to
shareholders of the Portfolio; expenses connected with the execution, recording
and settlement of Portfolio security transactions; insurance premiums; fees and
expenses of the custodian for all services to the Portfolio, including
safekeeping of funds and securities and maintaining required books and accounts;
expenses of calculating the net asset value of shares of the Portfolio; expenses
of shareholder meetings; expenses of litigation and other extraordinary or
non-recurring events and expenses relating to the issuance, registration and
qualification of shares of the Portfolio.

        3. (a) Subject to the general supervision of the Board of Trustees of
the Portfolio, Diversified shall formulate and provide an appropriate investment
program on a continuous basis in connection with the management of the
Portfolio, including research, analysis, advice, statistical and economic data
and information and judgments of both a macroeconomic and microeconomic
character.

        Diversified will determine the securities to be purchased, sold, lent,
exchanged or otherwise disposed of or acquired by the Portfolio in accordance
with predetermined guidelines as set forth from time to time in the Portfolio's
then-current prospectus and Statement of Additional Information ("SAI") and will
place orders pursuant to its determinations either directly with the issuer or
with any broker or dealer who deals in such securities. In placing orders with
brokers and dealers, Diversified will use its reasonable best efforts to obtain
the best net price and the most favorable execution of its orders, after taking
into account all factors it deems relevant, including the breadth of the market
in the security, the price of the security, the financial condition and
execution capability of the broker or dealer, and the reasonableness of the
commission, if any, both for the specific transaction and on a continuing basis.
Consistent with this obligation, Diversified may, to the extent permitted by
law, purchase and sell Portfolio securities to and from brokers and dealers who
provide brokerage and research services (within the meaning of Section 28(e) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) to or for the benefit of the Portfolio
and/or other accounts over which Diversified or any of its affiliates exercises
investment discretion.

        Subject to the review of the Portfolio's Board of Trustees from time to
time with respect to the extent and continuation of the policy, Diversified is
authorized to pay to a broker or dealer who provides such brokerage and research
services a commission for effecting a securities transaction for the Portfolio
which is in excess of the amount of commission another broker or dealer would
have charged for effecting that transaction if Diversified determines in good
faith that such commission was reasonable in relation to the value of the
brokerage and research services


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provided by such broker or dealer, viewed in terms of either that particular
transaction or the overall responsibilities of Diversified with respect to the
accounts as to which it exercises investment discretion.

        In placing orders with brokers and/or dealers, Diversified intends to
seek best price and execution for purchases and sales and may effect
transactions through itself and its affiliates on a securities exchange provided
that the commissions paid by the Portfolio are "reasonable and fair" compared to
commissions received by other broker-dealers having comparable execution
capability in connection with comparable transactions involving similar
securities and provided that the transactions in connection with which such
commissions are paid are effected pursuant to procedures established by the
Board of the Trustees of the Portfolio. All transactions are effected pursuant
to written authorizations from the Portfolio conforming to the requirements of
Section 11(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 11a2-2(T)
thereunder. Pursuant to such authorizations, an affiliated broker-dealer may
transmit, clear and settle transactions for the Portfolio that are executed on a
securities exchange provided that it arranges for unaffiliated brokers to
execute such transactions.

        Diversified shall determine from time to time the manner in which voting
rights, rights to consent to corporate action and any other rights pertaining to
the Portfolio's securities shall be exercised, provided, however, that should
the Board of Trustees at any time make any definite determination as to
investment policy and notify Diversified thereof in writing, Diversified shall
be bound by such determination for the period, if any, specified in such notice
or until similarly notified that such determination has been revoked.
Diversified will determine what portion of securities owned by the Portfolio
shall be invested in securities described by the policies of the Portfolio and
what portion, if any, should be held uninvested. Diversified will determine
whether and to what extent to employ various investment techniques available to
the Portfolio. In effecting transactions with respect to securities or other
property for the account of the Portfolio, Diversified may deal with itself and
its affiliates, with the Trustees of the Portfolio or with other entities to the
extent such actions are permitted by the 1940 Act.

        (b) Diversified also shall provide to the Portfolio administrative
assistance in connection with the operation of the Portfolio, which shall
include compliance with all reasonable requests of the Portfolio for
information, including information required in connection with the Portfolio's
filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and state securities
commissions.

        (c) As manager of the assets of the Portfolio, Diversified shall make
investments for the account of the Portfolio in accordance with Diversified's
best judgment and within the Portfolio's investment objectives, guidelines, and
restrictions, the 1940


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Act and the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 relating to
regulated investment companies subject to policy decisions adopted by the Board
of Trustees.

        (d) Diversified shall furnish to the Board of Trustees periodic reports
on the investment performance of the Portfolio and on the performance of its
obligations under this Agreement and shall supply such additional reports and
information as the Portfolio's officers or Board of Trustees shall reasonably
request.

        (e) On occasions when Diversified deems the purchase or sale of a
security to be in the best interest of the Portfolio as well as other customers,
Diversified, to the extent permitted by applicable law, may aggregate the
securities to be so sold or purchased in order to obtain the best execution or
lower brokerage commissions, if any. Diversified may also on occasion purchase
or sell a particular security for one or more customers in different amounts. On
either occasion, and to the extent permitted by applicable law and regulations,
allocation of the securities so purchased or sold, as well as the expenses
incurred in the transaction, will be made by Diversified in the manner it
considers to be the most equitable and consistent with its fiduciary obligations
to the Portfolio and to such other customers.

        (f) Diversified shall also provide the Portfolio with the following
services as may be required:

        (i)     providing office space, equipment and clerical personnel
                necessary for maintaining the organization of the Portfolio and
                for performing administrative and management functions;

        (ii)    supervising the overall administration of the Portfolio,
                including negotiation of contracts and fees with and the
                monitoring of performance and billings of the Portfolio's
                transfer agent, custodian and other independent contractors or
                agents;

        (iii)   preparing and, if applicable, filing all documents required for
                compliance by the Portfolio with applicable laws and
                regulations, including registration statements, registration fee
                filings, semi-annual and annual reports to investors, proxy
                statements and tax returns;

        (iv)    preparation of agendas and supporting documents for and minutes
                of meeting of Trustees, committees of Trustees and investors;
                and

        (v)     maintaining books and records of the Portfolio.

        4. Diversified shall give the Portfolio the benefit of Diversified's
best judgment and efforts in rendering services under this Agreement. As an
inducement


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to Diversified's undertaking to render these services, the Portfolio agrees that
Diversified shall not be liable under this Agreement for any mistake in judgment
or in any other event whatsoever provided that nothing in this Agreement shall
be deemed to protect or purport to protect Diversified against any liability to
the Portfolio or its investors to which Diversified would otherwise be subject
by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the
performance of the Adviser's duties under this Agreement or by reason of the
Adviser's reckless disregard of its obligations and duties hereunder.

        5. In consideration of the services to be rendered by Diversified under
this Agreement, the Portfolio shall pay Diversified a fee accrued daily and paid
monthly at an annual rate equal to .85% of the Portfolio's average daily net
assets. If the fees payable to Diversified pursuant to this paragraph 5 begin to
accrue before the end of any month or if this Agreement terminates before the
end of any month, the fees for the period from that date to the end of that
month or from the beginning of that month to the date of termination, as the
case may be, shall be prorated according to the proportion which the period
bears to the full month in which the effectiveness or termination occurs. For
purposes of calculating the monthly fees, the value of the net assets of the
Portfolio shall be computed in the manner specified in its Regulation Statement
on Form N-1A for the computation of net asset value. For purposes of this
Agreement, a "business day" is any day the New York Stock Exchange is open for
trading.

        In compliance with the requirements of Rule 31a-3 under the 1940 Act,
Diversified hereby agrees that all records which it maintains for the Portfolio
are property of the Portfolio and further agrees to surrender promptly to the
Portfolio any such records upon the Portfolio's request. Diversified further
agrees to preserve for the periods prescribed by Rule 31a-2 under the 1940 Act
any such records required to be maintained by Rule 31a-1 under the 1940 Act.

        6. This Agreement shall be effective as to the Portfolio as of the date
the Portfolio commences investment operations after this Agreement shall have
been approved by the Board of Trustees of the Portfolio and the investor(s) in
the Portfolio in the manner contemplated by Section 15 of the 1940 Act and,
unless sooner terminated as provided herein, shall continue until the second
anniversary of the date hereof. Thereafter, if not terminated, this Agreement
shall continue in effect as to the Portfolio for successive periods of 12 months
each, provided such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by
the vote of a majority of those members of the Board of Trustees of the
Portfolio who are not parties to this Agreement or interested persons of any
such party, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such
approval; and either (a) by the vote of a majority of the full Board of Trustees
or (b) by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the
Portfolio; provided, however, that this Agreement may be terminated by the


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Portfolio at any time, without the payment of any penalty, by the Board of
Trustees of the Portfolio or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting
securities of the Portfolio on 60 days' written notice to Diversified, or by
Diversified as to the Portfolio at any time, without payment of any penalty, on
90 days' written notice to the Portfolio. This Agreement will immediately
terminate in the event of its assignment. (As used in this Agreement, the terms
"majority of the outstanding voting securities", "interested person" and
"assignment" shall have the same meanings as such terms have in the 1940 Act and
the rule and regulatory constructions thereunder.)

        7. Except to the extent necessary to perform Diversified's obligations
under this Agreement, nothing herein shall be deemed to limit or restrict the
right of Diversified, or any affiliate of Diversified, or any employee of
Diversified, to engage in any other business or devote time and attention to the
management or other aspects of any other business, whether of a similar or
dissimilar nature, or to render services of any kind to any other trust,
corporation, firm, individual or association.

        8. The investment management services of Diversified to the Portfolio
under this Agreement are not to be deemed exclusive as to Diversified and
Diversified will be free to render similar services to others.

        Each party agrees to perform such further acts and execute such further
documents as are necessary to effectuate the purposes hereof.

        No provision of this Agreement may be changed, waived, discharged or
terminated orally, but only by an instrument in writing signed by the party
against which enforcement of the change, waiver, discharge, or termination is
sought and no material amendment of this Agreement shall be effective until
approved by vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting
securities of the Portfolio.

        This Agreement embodies the entire agreement and understanding between
the parties hereto and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings
relating to the subject matter hereof. The captions in this Agreement are
included for convenience of reference only and in no way define or delimit any
of the provisions hereof or otherwise affect their construction or effect.
Should any part of this Agreement be held or made invalid by a court decision,
statute, rule or otherwise, the remainder of this Agreement shall not be
affected thereby. This Agreement shall be binding and shall inure to the benefit
of the parties hereto and their respective successors, to the extent permitted
by law.

        9. This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the
State of New York provided that nothing herein shall be construed in a manner
inconsistent with the requirements of 1940 Act.


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        IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
executed by their officers designated below as of the day and year first above
written.

Attest:                                   Diversified Investors Portfolios


/s/ CATHERINE A. MOHR                     By: /s/ ROBERT F. COLBY
-----------------------------------          -----------------------------------
                                             Robert F. Colby
                                             Secretary

Attest:                                   Diversified Investment Advisors, Inc.


/s/ CATHERINE A. MOHR                     By: /s/ JOHN F. HUGHES
-----------------------------------          -----------------------------------
                                             John F. Hughes
                                             Vice President and Senior Counsel





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