[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 241 (Thursday, December 16, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 78768-78775]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-31570]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employee Benefits Security Administration


Proposed Exemptions From Certain Prohibited Transaction 
Restrictions

AGENCY: Employee Benefits Security Administration, Labor.

ACTION: Notice of proposed exemptions.

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SUMMARY: This document contains notices of pendency before the 
Department of Labor (the Department) of proposed exemptions from 
certain of the prohibited transaction restrictions of the Employee 
Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA or the Act) and/or the 
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (the Code). This notice includes the 
following proposed exemptions: D-11592, TD Ameritrade, Inc. (TD 
Ameritrade or the Applicant); and D-11638, Owens & Minor, Inc.; et al.

DATES: All interested persons are invited to submit written comments or 
requests for a hearing on the pending exemptions, unless otherwise 
stated in the Notice of Proposed Exemption, within 45 days from the 
date of publication of this Federal Register Notice.

ADDRESSES: Comments and requests for a hearing should state: (1) The 
name, address, and telephone number of the person making the comment or 
request, and (2) the nature of the person's interest in the exemption 
and the manner in which the person would be adversely affected by the 
exemption. A request for a hearing must also state the issues to be 
addressed and include a general description of the evidence to be 
presented at the hearing.
    All written comments and requests for a hearing (at least three 
copies) should be sent to the Employee Benefits Security Administration 
(EBSA), Office of Exemption Determinations, Room N-5700, U.S. 
Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 
20210. Attention: Application No. ----, stated in each Notice of 
Proposed Exemption. Interested persons are also invited to submit 
comments and/or hearing requests to EBSA via e-mail or FAX. Any such 
comments or requests should be sent either by e-mail to: 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#97faf8f1f1fee3e3b9f5f2e3e3eed7f3f8fbb9f0f8e1"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="dcb1b3babab5a8a8f2beb9a8a8a59cb8b3b0f2bbb3aa">[email protected]</span></a>, or by FAX to (202) 219-0204 by the end of the 
scheduled comment period. The applications for exemption and the 
comments received will be available for public inspection in the Public 
Documents Room of the Employee Benefits Security Administration, U.S. 
Department of Labor, Room N-1513, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., 
Washington, DC 20210.
    Warning: If you submit written comments or hearing requests, do not 
include any personally-identifiable or confidential business 
information that you do not want to be publicly-disclosed. All comments 
and hearing requests are posted on the Internet exactly as they are 
received, and they can be retrieved by most Internet search engines. 
The Department will make no deletions, modifications or redactions to 
the comments or hearing requests received, as they are public records.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Notice to Interested Persons

    Notice of the proposed exemptions will be provided to all 
interested persons in the manner agreed upon by the applicant and the 
Department within 15 days of the date of publication in the Federal 
Register. Such notice shall include a copy of the notice of proposed 
exemption as published in the Federal Register and shall inform 
interested persons of their right to comment and to request a hearing 
(where appropriate). The proposed exemptions were requested in 
applications filed pursuant to section 408(a) of the Act and/or section 
4975(c)(2) of the Code, and in accordance with procedures set forth in 
29 CFR Part 2570, Subpart B (55 FR 32836, 32847, August 10, 1990). 
Effective December 31, 1978, section 102 of Reorganization Plan No. 4 
of 1978, 5 U.S.C. App. 1 (1996), transferred the authority of the 
Secretary of the Treasury to issue exemptions of the type requested to 
the Secretary of Labor. Therefore, these notices of proposed exemption 
are issued solely by the Department.
    The applications contain representations with regard to the 
proposed exemptions which are summarized below. Interested persons are 
referred to the applications on file with the Department for a complete 
statement of the facts and representations.
    TD Ameritrade, Inc. (TD Ameritrade or the Applicant) Located in 
Omaha, NE.
    [Application No. D-11592]

Proposed Exemption

    The Department is considering granting an exemption under the 
authority of section 408(a) of the Employee Retirement Income Security 
Act of 1974 (ERISA or the Act) and section 4975(c)(2) of the Code, and 
in accordance with the procedures set forth in 29 CFR Part 2570, 
Subpart B (55 FR 32836, 32847, August 10, 1990).\1\
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    \1\ For purposes of this proposed exemption, references to 
section 406 of ERISA should be read to refer as well to the 
corresponding provisions of section 4975 of the Code.
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SECTION I. SALES OF AUCTION RATE SECURITIES FROM PLANS TO TD 
AMERITRADE: UNRELATED TO A SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT

    If the proposed exemption is granted, the restrictions of section 
406(a)(1)(A) and (D) and section 406(b)(1) and (2) of the Act and the 
sanctions resulting from the application of section 4975 of the Code, 
by reason of section 4975(c)(1)(A), (D), and (E) of the Code, shall not 
apply, effective July 20, 2009, to the sale by a Plan (as defined in 
Section V(e)) of an Auction Rate Security (as defined in Section V(c)) 
to TD Ameritrade, where such sale (an Unrelated Sale) is unrelated to, 
is not made in connection with, and is entered into after the 
finalization of, a Settlement Agreement (as defined in Section V(f)), 
provided that the conditions set forth in Section II have been met.

SECTION II. CONDITIONS APPLICABLE TO TRANSACTIONS DESCRIBED IN SECTION 
I

    (a) The Plan acquired the Auction Rate Security in connection with 
brokerage services provided by TD Ameritrade to the Plan;
    (b) The last auction for the Auction Rate Security was 
unsuccessful;
    (c) The Unrelated Sale is made pursuant to a written offer by TD 
Ameritrade (the Unrelated Offer) containing all of the material terms 
of the Unrelated Sale, including, but not limited to: (1) The identity 
and par value of the Auction Rate Security; (2) the interest or 
dividend amounts that are due with respect to the Auction Rate 
Security; and (3) the most recent information for the Auction Rate 
Security (if reliable information is available).
    (d) The Unrelated Sale is for no consideration other than cash 
payment against prompt delivery of the Auction Rate Security;
    (e) The sales price for the Auction Rate Security is equal to the 
par value of the Auction Rate Security, plus any

[[Page 78769]]

accrued but unpaid interest or dividends;
    (f) The Plan does not waive any rights or claims in connection with 
the Unrelated Sale;
    (g) The decision to accept the Unrelated Offer or retain the 
Auction Rate Security is made by a Plan fiduciary or Plan participant 
or IRA owner who is independent (as defined in Section V(d)) of TD 
Ameritrade.\2\
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    \2\ The Department notes that the Act's general standards of 
fiduciary conduct also would apply to the transactions described 
herein. In this regard, section 404 of the Act requires, among other 
things, that a fiduciary discharge his duties respecting a plan 
solely in the interest of the plan's participants and beneficiaries 
and in a prudent manner. Accordingly, a plan fiduciary must act 
prudently with respect to, among other things, the decision to sell 
the Auction Rate Security to TD Ameritrade for the par value of the 
Auction Rate Security, plus unpaid interest and dividends. The 
Department further emphasizes that it expects Plan fiduciaries, 
prior to entering into any of the proposed transactions, to fully 
understand the risks associated with this type of transaction 
following disclosure by TD Ameritrade of all relevant information.
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    (h) Neither TD Ameritrade nor any affiliate exercises investment 
discretion or renders investment advice within the meaning of 29 CFR 
2510.3-21(c) with respect to the decision to accept the Unrelated Offer 
or retain the Auction Rate Security;
    (i) The Plan does not pay any commissions or transaction costs with 
respect to the Unrelated Sale;
    (j) The Unrelated Sale is not part of an arrangement, agreement or 
understanding designed to benefit a party in interest to the Plan;
    (k) TD Ameritrade and its affiliates, as applicable, maintain, or 
cause to be maintained, for a period of six (6) years from the date of 
the Unrelated Sale, such records as are necessary to enable the persons 
described below in paragraph (l)(1), to determine whether the 
conditions of this exemption, if granted, have been met, except that:
    (1) No party in interest with respect to a Plan which engages in an 
Unrelated Sale, other than TD Ameritrade and its affiliates, as 
applicable, shall be subject to a civil penalty under section 502(i) of 
the Act or the taxes imposed by section 4975(a) and (b) of the Code, if 
such records are not maintained, or not available for examination, as 
required, below, by paragraph (l)(1); and
    (2) A separate prohibited transaction shall not be considered to 
have occurred solely because, due to circumstances beyond the control 
of TD Ameritrade or its affiliates, as applicable, such records are 
lost or destroyed prior to the end of the six-year period;
    (l)(1) Except as provided below in paragraph (l)(2), and 
notwithstanding any provisions of subsections (a)(2) and (b) of section 
504 of the Act, the records referred to above in paragraph (k) are 
unconditionally available at their customary location for examination 
during normal business hours by:
    (A) Any duly authorized employee or representative of the 
Department, the Internal Revenue Service, or the U.S. Securities and 
Exchange Commission (the Commission);
    (B) Any fiduciary of any Plan, including any IRA owner, that 
engages in an Unrelated Sale, or any duly authorized employee or 
representative of such fiduciary; or
    (C) Any employer of participants and beneficiaries and any employee 
organization whose members are covered by a Plan that engages in the 
Unrelated Sale, or any authorized employee or representative of these 
entities;
    (2) None of the persons described above in paragraphs (l)(1)(B)-(C) 
shall be authorized to examine trade secrets of TD Ameritrade, or 
commercial or financial information which is privileged or 
confidential; and
    (3) Should TD Ameritrade refuse to disclose information on the 
basis that such information is exempt from disclosure, TD Ameritrade 
shall, by the close of the thirtieth (30th) day following the request, 
provide a written notice advising that person of the reasons for the 
refusal and that the Department may request such information.

SECTION III. SALES OF AUCTION RATE SECURITIES FROM PLANS TO TD 
AMERITRADE: RELATED TO A SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT

    If the proposed exemption is granted, the restrictions of section 
406(a)(1)(A) and (D) and section 406(b)(1) and (2) of the Act and the 
sanctions resulting from the application of section 4975 of the Code, 
by reason of section 4975(c)(1)(A), (D), and (E) of the Code shall not 
apply, effective July 20, 2009, to the sale by a Plan of an Auction 
Rate Security to TD Ameritrade, where such sale (a Settlement Sale) is 
related to, and made in connection with, a Settlement Agreement, 
provided that the conditions set forth in Section IV have been met.

SECTION IV. CONDITIONS APPLICABLE TO TRANSACTIONS DESCRIBED IN SECTION 
III

    (a) The terms and delivery of the offer (the Purchase Offer) are 
consistent with the requirements set forth in the Settlement Agreement;
    (b) The Purchase Offer or other documents available to the Plan 
specifically describe, among other things:
    (1) How a Plan may determine: the Auction Rate Securities held by 
the Plan with TD Ameritrade; the number of shares and par value of the 
Auction Rate Securities; the interest or dividend amounts that are due 
with respect to the Auction Rate Securities; purchase dates for the 
Auction Rate Securities; and (if reliable information is available) the 
most recent rate information for the Auction Rate Securities;
    (2) The background of the Purchase Offer;
    (3) That neither the tender of Auction Rate Securities nor the 
purchase of any Auction Rate Securities pursuant to the Purchase Offer 
will constitute a waiver of any claim of the tendering Plan;
    (4) The methods and timing by which Plans may accept the Purchase 
Offer;
    (5) The purchase dates, or the manner of determining the purchase 
dates, for Auction Rate Securities tendered pursuant to the Purchase 
Offer;
    (6) The timing for acceptance by TD Ameritrade of tendered Auction 
Rate Securities;
    (7) The timing of payment for Auction Rate Securities accepted by 
TD Ameritrade for payment;
    (8) The methods and timing by which a Plan may elect to withdraw 
tendered Auction Rate Securities from the Purchase Offer;
    (9) The expiration date of the Purchase Offer;
    (10) The fact that TD Ameritrade may make purchases of Auction Rate 
Securities outside of the Purchase Offer following the termination or 
expiration of the Purchase Offer and may otherwise buy, sell, hold or 
seek to restructure, redeem or otherwise dispose of the Auction Rate 
Securities;
    (11) A description of the risk factors relating to the Purchase 
Offer as TD Ameritrade deems appropriate;
    (12) How to obtain additional information concerning the Purchase 
Offer; and
    (13) The manner in which information concerning material amendments 
or changes to the Purchase Offer will be communicated to the Plan.
    (c) The terms of the Settlement Sale are consistent with the 
requirements set forth in the Settlement Agreement; and
    (d) All the conditions of Section II have been met.

SECTION V. DEFINITIONS

    For purposes of this proposed exemption:
    (a) The term ``affiliate'' means any person directly or indirectly, 
through one or more intermediaries, controlling, controlled by, or 
under common control with such other person;

[[Page 78770]]

    (b) The term ``control'' means the power to exercise a controlling 
influence over the management or policies of a person other than an 
individual;
    (c) The term ``Auction Rate Security'' means a security: (1) That 
is either a debt instrument (generally with a long-term nominal 
maturity) or preferred stock; and (2) with an interest rate or dividend 
that is reset at specific intervals through a Dutch Auction process;
    (d) A person is ``independent'' of TD Ameritrade if the person is 
(1) not TD Ameritrade or an affiliate; and (2) not a relative (as 
defined in section 3(15) of the Act) of the party engaging in the 
transaction;
    (e) The term ``Plan'' means an individual retirement account or 
similar account described in section 4975(e)(1)(B) through (F) of the 
Code (an IRA); an employee benefit plan as defined in section 3(3) of 
the Act; or an entity holding plan assets within the meaning of 29 CFR 
2510.3-101, as modified by section 3(42) of the Act; and
    (f) The term ``Settlement Agreement'' means a legal settlement 
involving TD Ameritrade and a U.S. state or federal authority that 
provides for the purchase of an Auction Rate Security by TD Ameritrade 
from a Plan.
    Effective Date: If granted, this proposed exemption will be 
effective as of July 20, 2009.

Summary Of Facts And Representations

    1. The Applicant, TD Ameritrade, is a New York corporation 
headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska. The Applicant is an online broker-
dealer that provides market access and electronic tools to self-
directed investors. The Applicant is registered as a broker-dealer with 
the Commission pursuant to section 15(c) of the Securities Exchange Act 
of 1934 and is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. 
The Applicant is also a wholly-owned subsidiary of TD Ameritrade 
Holding Corporation (TD Ameritrade Holding). As of September 30, 2009, 
TD Ameritrade Holding had total assets of $18,371,810,000. As of the 
same date, TD Ameritrade had total assets of $3,240,360,000.
    The Applicant was formed as a result of the consolidation of retail 
brokerage operations of Ameritrade, Inc. and TD Waterhouse Investors 
Services, Inc. following TD Ameritrade Holding's acquisition of TD 
Waterhouse Group, Inc. on January 24, 2006. The Applicant and its 
affiliates and subsidiaries provide a wide range of investment-related 
services, including discount brokerage and investment advisory 
services. In this regard, the Applicant acts as a broker and dealer 
with respect to the purchase and sale of securities, including Auction 
Rate Securities, as discussed herein.
    2. The Applicant describes Auction Rate Securities (or ARS) and the 
arrangement by which ARS are bought and sold as follows. Auction Rate 
Securities are preferred stock or bonds that are generally issued with 
maturities of thirty years, but the maturities can range from five 
years to perpetuity. ARS interest rates or dividend yields are 
determined and periodically reset at auctions commonly referred to as 
``Dutch Auctions,'' during which ARS are auctioned at par. Ordinarily, 
ARS can be bought or sold only at a Dutch Auction. Dutch Auctions are 
customarily held every seven, twenty-eight, or thirty-five days.
    Under the typical procedures for a Dutch Auction, investors who 
wish to purchase ARS submit a bid to a broker-dealer selected by the 
entity that issued the ARS, which includes the minimum interest or 
dividend rate that the investors will accept. Holders of ARS may either 
choose to keep their securities until the next auction or submit an 
offer to sell their ARS. An auction agent collects all of the bids and 
offers for a particular auction. The final rate at which all of the ARS 
offered for sale are sold in the auction is the ``clearing rate'' that 
applies to that particular ARS until the next auction. Bids with the 
lowest rate and then successively higher rates are accepted until all 
of the sell orders are filled.
    If there are not enough bids to cover the securities offered for 
sale in a Dutch Auction, then the auction will fail. In a failed 
auction, investors who want to sell securities are not able to do so, 
and hold their ARS until at least the next auction. In this event, the 
issuer pays the holders a maximum rate or ``penalty'' rate. These rates 
might be higher or lower than the prior clearing rate or market rates 
on similar products.
    3. The Applicant states that to facilitate the auction process, the 
issuers of the ARS selected one or more broker-dealers to underwrite 
the offering and to manage the auction process. In many instances, 
these broker-dealers submitted their own bids to support the auctions 
and to prevent the auctions from failing. The Applicant states that it 
did not act as an underwriter, manager or agent for any issuer of ARS. 
Instead, the Applicant represents that it acted solely as an agent, 
both on a solicited and unsolicited basis, for its customers by 
submitting their bids to purchase and orders to sell ARS. Specifically, 
the Applicant would act as an order taker and process client-generated 
requests to purchase ARS. As a so-called ``distributing'' or 
``downstream'' broker-dealer, the Applicant represents that it did not 
submit bids in an effort to support any of the Dutch Auctions or to 
prevent them from failing. The Applicant further represents that it did 
not hold any significant inventory of ARS in its proprietary 
accounts.\3\ However, the Applicant represents that, in certain 
instances, it may have previously advised or otherwise caused a Plan to 
acquire and hold ARS.\4\
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    \3\ The Applicant states that it did not have a practice of 
holding ARS in inventory or for investment purposes. The Applicant 
explains that at any given time and in the ordinary course of 
business, its Fixed Income Trading Desk (the Desk) may have held a 
nominal number of ARS units in proprietary accounts in between 
auctions as a result of data entry or communications errors that may 
have resulted in a customer account receiving more ARS units than 
the customer intended to purchase. The Applicant further explains 
that it was the Desk's practice to sell such units in the next 
auction. The Applicant also states that on other isolated occasions, 
it received the opportunity to obtain a nominal number of ARS units 
in connection with an initial public offering by the issuer. On such 
occasions, the Applicant states that it would obtain those units at 
a discount and sell them at par to clients seeking to purchase such 
securities.
    The Applicant represents that the sales of ARS units out of its 
inventory to plans are exempt transactions under Part II of 
Prohibited Transaction Exemption (PTE) 75-1 (40 FR 50845, October 
31, 1975, 71 FR 5883, February 3, 2006), with respect to principal 
transactions. In those isolated situations when it had ARS units in 
its inventory, the Applicant explains that it sold them to plans at 
par, which satisfies the condition of PTE 75-1 that the transaction 
be at least as favorable to the plan as an arm's length transaction 
with an unrelated party. This is because a plan would have paid the 
same price for the particular ARS unit regardless of where it 
purchased such unit.
    The Department expresses no opinion herein on whether these 
transactions comply with the provisions of PTE 75-1. Accordingly, 
the Department is not proposing any relief beyond that offered by 
PTE 75-1.
    \4\ The relief contained in this proposed exemption does not 
extend to the fiduciary provisions of section 404 of the Act.
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    4. According to the Applicant, in the early part of 2008, the 
broker-dealers that acted as underwriters of the ARS offerings or as 
lead managers for the Dutch Auctions stopped submitting their own bids 
in support of the Dutch Auctions. As a result, by February 13, 2008, 
the ARS market began experiencing widespread auction failures, leaving 
investors unable to sell their ARS holdings. Consequently, Plans 
holding ARS may or may not have sufficient liquidity to make benefit 
payments, mandatory payments and withdrawals and expense payments when 
due.\5\
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    \5\ The Department notes that PTE 80-26 (45 FR 28545 (April 29, 
1980), as amended at 71 FR 17917 (April 7, 2006)), permits interest-
free loans or other extensions of credit from a party in interest to 
a plan if, among other things, the proceeds of the loan or extension 
of credit are used only: (1) For the payment of ordinary operating 
expenses of the plan, including the payment of benefits in 
accordance with the terms of the plan and periodic premiums under an 
insurance or annuity contract, or (2) for a purpose incidental to 
the ordinary operation of the plan.

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[[Page 78771]]

    5. The Applicant further states that from February 13, 2008 through 
the present, the ARS market continues to experience widespread 
failures, making many ARS holdings illiquid. Although ARS have been 
redeemed by their issuers since that time, numerous investors, 
including some of TD Ameritrade's customers, currently hold ARS that 
they have been unable to sell through the auction process or redeem by 
the issuers.
    6. The Applicant is requesting exemptive relief for the sale of ARS 
under two different circumstances: (a) Where a Plan sells ARS to TD 
Ameritrade and such sale (i.e., an Unrelated Sale) is unrelated to, is 
not made in connection with, and is entered into after the finalization 
of, a Settlement Agreement; and (b) where a Plan sells ARS to TD 
Ameritrade and such sale (i.e., a Settlement Sale) is related to, and 
made in connection with, a Settlement Agreement. If granted, the 
exemption would be effective as of July 20, 2009.
    7. With respect to Unrelated Sales, the Applicant represents that 
it may purchase ARS from its customers outside the Purchase Offer at 
times and on terms other than those provided in the Purchase Offer 
(i.e., an Unrelated Offer). For example, TD Ameritrade may purchase ARS 
from Plans who failed to respond to the Purchase Offer prior to the 
expiration of the Purchase Offer or from Plans not covered by the 
Settlements and the Purchase Offer.\6\ In determining whether to make 
an Unrelated Offer, TD Ameritrade will consider the relevant facts and 
circumstances. With respect to Plans covered by the Settlements and the 
Purchase Offer as well as Plans not covered by the Settlements and the 
Purchase Offer, any Unrelated Offer will be made at the same price 
offered under the Purchase Offer (i.e., par plus accrued and unpaid 
interest and/or dividends). Therefore, TD Ameritrade is requesting 
retroactive relief (and prospective relief) for an Unrelated Sale that 
has occurred outside the Settlement process and in the event a sale of 
ARS by a Plan to TD Ameritrade occurs outside the Settlement process in 
the future.
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    \6\ The Applicant states that there has been only one Unrelated 
Sale since the close of the Purchase Offer under the Settlement 
Agreement and that the purchase occurred as if there had been a 
timely tender of the securities under the Purchase Offer. In that 
case, the widow of an IRA holder, who did not realize that her 
husband held ARS in his IRA, discovered the holding after the 
deadline had passed. TD Ameritrade waited until the tender period 
had closed and bought back the ARS on April 12, 2010. TD Ameritrade 
treated the Unrelated Sale as though the ARS holder had timely 
tendered under the Purchase Offer and used the pricing methodology 
set forth in the Settlement Agreement (i.e., par plus accrued and 
unpaid interest and/or dividends).
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    8. With respect to Settlement Sales, the Applicant represents that 
it entered into Settlement Agreements with certain U.S. state and 
federal authorities in connection with TD Ameritrade's role in the 
acquisition and holding of ARS by various TD Ameritrade customers (the 
Eligible Customers), including Plans. As of July 20, 2009, the date 
that the Settlements were publicly announced, the Applicant's Eligible 
Customers held approximately $456 million in ARS. Of this amount, $5.8 
million was held in 87 brokerage accounts for Eligible Customers of the 
Applicant that were Plans.
    9. Pursuant to the Settlement Agreements, among other things, TD 
Ameritrade was required to send a written offer (i.e., the Purchase 
Offer) to certain Plans that held ARS in connection with the brokerage 
services provided by TD Ameritrade. Only ARS purchased from the 
Applicant on or before February 13, 2008 that had failed at auction at 
least once since February 13, 2008 were considered ``Eligible ARS'' for 
purposes of the Purchase Offer. The Purchase Offer explained what 
Eligible Customers had to do to participate and it informed them of the 
relevant terms of the Settlement Agreement and other material terms 
regarding their rights. The Settlement Agreements required that the 
Purchase Offer be sent by August 10, 2009.
    10. Eligible Customers had different lengths of time to respond to 
the Purchase Offer depending on various factors described in the 
Settlement Agreements. In general, Eligible Customers with assets of 
$250,000 or less as of March 13, 2009 had 75 days from the date the 
Purchase Offer was sent to respond; Eligible Customers with more than 
$250,000 had until March 23, 2010, which gave them as much as seven 
months or more to respond, depending on when they were identified as 
eligible.\7\ As described in further detail below, Eligible Customers 
that accepted the Purchase Offer were permitted to sell the ARS to TD 
Ameritrade for cash equal to the par value of such securities, plus any 
accrued interest and/or dividends. Eligible Customers that did not 
respond to the Purchase Offer within a specified period of time were 
sent a second notice informing them of the Applicant's Purchase Offer, 
the relevant terms of the Settlement Agreement, and any other material 
issues regarding such customer's rights. To assist Eligible Customers, 
the Applicant established a dedicated toll-free telephone assistance 
line and a public Internet page to provide information and to respond 
to questions concerning the terms of the Settlement Agreements. The 
Applicant maintained the telephone assistance line and Internet page 
through March 31, 2010, the date of the Applicant's last payment under 
the Settlement Agreement.
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    \7\ Pursuant to the Settlement Agreement, TD Ameritrade was 
permitted to extend the Purchase Offer period up until, but not 
beyond, June 30, 2010 for those Eligible Customers with more than 
$250,000 in ``Eligible ARS''.
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    11. The Applicant states that ARS units have been tendered by Plans 
to TD Ameritrade pursuant to a Purchase Offer issued by TD Ameritrade 
under a Settlement Agreement. In this regard, the Applicant states that 
with respect to the Purchase Offer that closed on March 23, 2010, it 
purchased approximately $302.9 million of ARS from approximately 1,180 
Eligible Customers, which includes $5,525,000 \8\ in ARS held by thirty 
Eligible Customers that were Plans. The Applicant estimates that as of 
the close of the tender offer period on March 23, 2010, approximately 
$81.9 million in ``Eligible ARS'' remained outstanding, including ARS 
that had been transferred away from TD Ameritrade and that could not be 
confirmed. Accordingly, the Applicant is requesting exemptive relief 
retroactive to July 20, 2009 for Settlement Sales.
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    \8\ The Applicant represents that the amount of ARS involved in 
the Unrelated Sale described in Footnote 6 above is included in this 
amount.
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    12. The Applicant opines that Settlement Sales and Unrelated Sales 
(hereinafter, each, a Covered Sale) are in the interests of Plans. In 
this regard, the Applicant states that the Covered Sales allow Plans to 
normalize their investments. The Applicant represents that each Covered 
Sale has been and will be for no consideration other than cash payment 
against prompt delivery of the ARS, and such cash has equaled and will 
equal the par value of the ARS, plus any accrued but unpaid interest or 
dividends. The Applicant represents further that Plans have not paid 
and will not pay any commissions or transaction costs with respect to 
any Covered Sale.
    13. The Applicant also represents that the proposed exemption is 
protective of the Plans. The Applicant states that each Covered Sale 
has been made and

[[Page 78772]]

will be made pursuant to a written Purchase Offer and the decision to 
accept such offer or retain the ARS has been made and will be made by a 
Plan fiduciary or Plan participant or IRA owner who is independent of 
TD Ameritrade. Additionally, each Purchase Offer has been delivered and 
will be delivered in a manner designed to alert a Plan fiduciary that 
TD Ameritrade is willing to purchase ARS from the Plan. Purchase Offers 
made in connection with a Settlement Agreement have specifically 
included, among other things: The background of the Purchase Offer; the 
method and timing by which a Plan may accept the Purchase Offer; the 
expiration date of the Purchase Offer; a description of certain risk 
factors relating to the Purchase Offer; how to obtain additional 
information concerning the Purchase Offer; and the manner in which 
information concerning material amendments or changes to the Purchase 
Offer will be communicated. Further, the Applicant states that, neither 
TD Ameritrade nor any affiliate has exercised or will exercise 
investment discretion or render investment advice within the meaning of 
29 CFR 2510.3-21(c) with respect to a Plan's decision to accept the 
Purchase Offer or to retain the ARS.\9\
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    \9\ The Applicant states that while there may have been or may 
be communication between a Plan and TD Ameritrade subsequent to a 
Purchase Offer, such communication has not involved and will not 
involve advice regarding whether the Plan should accept the Purchase 
Offer.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    In addition, an Unrelated Offer made in connection with an 
Unrelated Sale has included and will include all of the material terms 
of the Unrelated Sale as follows: The identity and par value of the 
ARS; the interest or dividend amounts that are due with respect to the 
ARS; and the most recent information for the ARS (if reliable 
information is available). The Applicant represents further that Plans 
have not waived and will not waive any rights or claims in connection 
with any Covered Sale.
    14. The Applicant further represents that the proposed exemption, 
if granted, would be administratively feasible. In this regard, the 
Applicant notes that each Covered Sale has occurred and will occur at 
the par value of the affected ARS, plus accrued but unpaid interest and 
dividends, to the extent applicable, and such value is readily 
ascertainable. The Applicant represents further that TD Ameritrade has 
maintained and will maintain the records necessary to enable the 
Department and Plan fiduciaries, among others, to determine whether the 
conditions of this exemption, if granted, have been met.
    15. In summary, the Applicant represents that the transactions 
described herein have satisfied or will satisfy the statutory criteria 
for an exemption under section 408(a) of the Act because, among other 
things:
    (a) Each Covered Sale has been made and shall be made pursuant to a 
written Purchase Offer;
    (b) Each Covered Sale has been and shall be for no consideration 
other than cash payment against prompt delivery of the ARS;
    (c) The amount of each Covered Sale has equaled and shall equal the 
par value of the ARS, plus any accrued but unpaid interest or 
dividends;
    (d) No Plan has waived nor shall waive any rights or claims in 
connection with any Covered Sale;
    (e)(1) The decision to accept a Purchase Offer or retain the ARS 
has been made and shall be made by a Plan fiduciary or Plan participant 
or IRA owner who is independent of TD Ameritrade; and (2) neither TD 
Ameritrade nor any affiliate has exercised or shall exercise investment 
discretion or render investment advice within the meaning of 29 CFR 
2510.3-21(c) with respect to the decision to accept the Purchase Offer 
or retain the ARS;
    (f) Plans have not paid and shall not pay any commissions or 
transaction costs with respect to any Covered Sale;
    (g) A Covered Sale has not been part of and shall not be part of an 
arrangement, agreement or understanding designed to benefit a party in 
interest to the affected Plan;
    (h) With respect to any Settlement Sale, the terms and delivery of 
the Purchase Offer, and the terms of Settlement Sale, have been 
consistent with and shall be consistent with the requirements set forth 
in the Settlement Agreement;
    (i) TD Ameritrade has made and shall make available in connection 
with an Unrelated Sale the material terms of the Unrelated Sale, 
including: (1) The identity and par value of the Auction Rate Security; 
(2) the interest or dividend amounts that are due but unpaid with 
respect to the Auction Rate Security; and (3) the most recent 
information for the Auction Rate Security (if reliable information is 
available).
    (j) Each Purchase Offer made in connection with a Settlement 
Agreement has described or shall describe the material terms of the 
Settlement Sale, including the following (and shall not constitute a 
waiver of any claim of the tendering Plan): (1) How the Plan can 
determine: The ARS held by the Plan with TD Ameritrade, the number of 
shares and par value of the ARS, interest or dividend amounts, and 
purchase dates for the ARS, and (if reliable information is available) 
the most recent rate information for the ARS; (2) the background of the 
Purchase Offer; (3) the methods and timing by which the Plan may accept 
the Purchase Offer; (4) the purchase dates, or the manner of 
determining the purchase dates, for ARS pursuant to the Purchase Offer 
and the timing for acceptance by TD Ameritrade of tendered ARS for the 
payment; (5) the expiration date of the Purchase Offer; and (6) how to 
obtain additional information concerning the Purchase Offer.

Notice to Interested Persons

    The Applicant represents that the potentially interested 
participants and beneficiaries cannot all be identified, and, 
therefore, the only practical means of notifying such participants and 
beneficiaries of this proposed exemption is by the publication of this 
notice in the Federal Register. Comments and requests for a hearing 
must be received by the Department not later than 30 days from the date 
of publication of this notice of proposed exemption in the Federal 
Register.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Anna Mpras Vaughan of the Department, 
telephone (202) 693-8565. (This is not a toll-free number.)
Owens & Minor, Inc.,
Located in Mechanicsville, Virginia.
[Application No. D-11638]

Proposed Exemption

    The Department is considering granting an exemption under the 
authority of section 408(a) of the Act and section 4975(c)(2) of the 
Code and in accordance with the procedures set forth in 29 CFR Part 
2570 Subpart B (55 FR 32836, 32847, August 10, 1990). If the proposed 
exemption is granted, the restrictions of section 406(a)(1)(A) and (D) 
and section 406(b)(1) and (b)(2) of the Act, and the sanctions 
resulting from the application of section 4975 of the Code, by reason 
of section 4975(c)(1)(A), (D), and (E) of the Code, shall not apply to 
the sale of certain shares in a hedge fund (the Shares) by the Owens & 
Minor, Inc. Pension Plan (the Plan) to Owens & Minor, Inc. (the 
Employer), a party in interest with respect to the Plan, provided that 
the following conditions are satisfied:
    (a) The sale is a one-time transaction for cash;
    (b) The terms and conditions of the sale are at least as favorable 
to the Plan as those that the Plan could obtain in an arm's-length 
transaction with an unrelated third party;

[[Page 78773]]

    (c) The sales price is the greater of: (1) $1,029.93 per Share (the 
highest per share purchase price paid by the Plan), or (2) the net 
asset value of the Shares reported in the most recently available 
monthly statement, as determined by the hedge fund manager, who is 
independent and unrelated to the Employer, (which is supported by the 
report of the independent auditors);
    (d) The Plan pays no commissions, fees, or other expenses in 
connection with the sale;
    (e) Upon termination of the Plan, the Plan participants and 
beneficiaries will be paid 100% of their accrued benefits from the 
assets of the Plan, as a result of the Employer's sufficiency 
contribution to the Plan;
    (f) The Plan has not waived or released and does not waive or 
release any claims, demands, and/or causes of action that the Plan may 
have against the Employer, the Plan Fiduciary, or the hedge fund 
manager in connection with the acquisition, holding and sale of the 
Shares to the Employer; and
    (g) The Employer maintains, or causes to be maintained, for a 
period of at least six (6) years from the date of the sale, such 
records as are necessary to enable the persons described in paragraph 
(h), below, to determine whether the conditions of this exemption, if 
granted, have been met, except that--
    (1) No party in interest with respect to the Plan other than the 
Employer shall be subject to a civil penalty under section 502(i) of 
ERISA or the taxes imposed by section 4975(a) and (b) of the Code, if 
such records are not maintained, or are not available for examination, 
as required, below, by paragraph (h); and
    (2) A separate prohibited transaction shall not be considered to 
have occurred solely because, due to circumstances beyond the control 
of the Employer, such records are lost or destroyed prior to the end of 
the six-year period; and
    (h)(1) Except as provided in subparagraph (2), below, and 
notwithstanding any provisions of subsections (a)(2) and (b) of section 
504 of ERISA, the records referred to in paragraph (g), above, are 
unconditionally available at their customary location for examination 
during normal business hours by--
    (A) Any duly authorized employee or representative of the 
Department, the Internal Revenue Service, or the U.S. Securities and 
Exchange Commission;
    (B) Any fiduciary of the Plan, or any duly authorized employee or 
representative of such fiduciary; or
    (C) Any employer of participants and beneficiaries and any employee 
organization whose members are covered by the Plan or any authorized 
employee or representative thereof;
    (2) None of the persons described above in paragraph (h)(1)(B) or 
(C) shall be authorized to examine trade secrets of the Employer, or 
commercial or financial information that is privileged or confidential; 
and
    (3) Should the Employer refuse to disclose information on the basis 
that such information is exempt from disclosure, the Employer shall, by 
the close of the thirtieth (30th) day following the request, provide a 
written notice advising that person of the reasons for the refusal and 
that the Department may request such information.

Summary of Facts and Representations

    1. The Owens & Minor, Inc. Pension Plan (the Plan) is a defined 
benefit plan sponsored by Owens & Minor, Inc. (the Employer or the 
applicant), a distributor of national name-brand medical and surgical 
supplies who serves its healthcare provider customers from 55 
distribution centers located throughout the United States. The Plan was 
originally established effective March 31, 1957 and was last amended 
and restated effective January 1, 2002. The Plan was frozen effective 
December 31, 1996. The aggregate fair market value of the Plan's assets 
was approximately $31,276,861, as of April 30, 2010. The Plan had 1,789 
participants and beneficiaries, as of June 4, 2010. The Plan's trustee 
is Reliance Trust Company. The Employer sponsors two defined 
contribution plans, a 401(k) profit sharing plan and an employee stock 
purchase plan, in addition to the Plan.
    On April 30, 2010, the Employer filed a request for a determination 
as to the Plan's qualified status with the Internal Revenue Service 
(IRS). The Employer filed PBGC Form 500 (Standard Termination Notice) 
with the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) by July 30, 2010. 
If PBGC does not object to the proposed termination of the Plan within 
the 60-day period following the filing of the Standard Termination 
Notice, the Plan must distribute all its assets by its ``Distribution 
Date,'' which is the later of (i) 180 days after the end of PBGC's 60-
day review period, or (ii) 120 days after receipt of a favorable 
determination from the IRS.
    2. As of April 30, 2010, the assets of the Plan consisted of: (i) 
FDIC-guaranteed bank notes in the amount of $25,540,900, (ii) money 
market accounts valued at $1,835,666, (iii) a brokerage account 
consisting of several alternative investments valued at $3,058,882, and 
(iv) 943.66 shares of a non-publicly traded hedge fund (the Shares), 
with a value of $841,413 (based upon a net asset value (NAV) of $891.65 
per share). The Plan's investments, including the Shares, are approved 
by the Compensation and Benefits Committee (the Committee) of the 
Employer's Board of Directors. The Plan purchased 2,570.42 Shares at 
$1,029.931 per share on November 28, 2007 and 99.56 Shares at 
$1,004.381 per share on July 30, 2008, at a total cost of approximately 
$2,747,351.37.\10\ The Employer owns no shares in the Fund.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \10\ The Department expresses no opinion herein as to whether 
the acquisition and holding of the Shares by the Plan have met the 
requirements of Part 4 in Title I of the Act.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The hedge fund is the Selectinvest Institutional ARV ASW Fund (the 
Fund), which, in turn, invests substantially all its assets in a ``fund 
of funds,'' (the Master Feeder Fund).
    The Fund manager is Alternate Strategies Group (ASG), a wholly-
owned subsidiary of Wells Fargo. The Master Feeder Fund is unrelated to 
ASG and is managed by Union Bancaire Privee Asset Management LLC 
(UBPAM), which is also its investment advisor. The Master Feeder Fund 
invests in the following three funds: Selectinvest ARV Ltd. (Master 
Fund I); Selectinvest ARV II Ltd. (Master Fund II); and Selectinvest 
ARV L.P. (Master Fund III). UBPAM is the investment manager for Master 
Fund I, Master Fund II, and Master Fund III (collectively, the Master 
Funds).\11\ In February 2009, ASG announced that it intended to 
terminate all Selectinvest ARV Funds, including the Fund.\12\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \11\ It is represented that, in general, the standard investment 
management fees assessed by the Fund had been a 1.25% Advisory Fee 
per annum and a 0.35% Program Fee per annum. Because ASG is 
liquidating all investments in the Fund, however, the Advisory Fee 
was reduced to 0.50% per annum starting on March 31, 2009. The 
Limited Liability Company Agreement defines the term ``Program'' as 
comprised of Feeder Funds that provide access to underlying Master 
Funds; thus, the ``Program Fee'' is an annual fee charged to Fund 
members to participate in the Program. As is typical with mutual 
funds and other collective funds, the Advisory Fee and the Program 
Fee are netted out of the Fund's investment performance and 
published net asset value (NAV). The applicant further represents 
that the Plan is not paying duplicative fees at the underlying funds 
level.
    \12\ The exemption application states: ``Although a secondary 
market exists for the Feeder Fund's investments, it is not active 
and individual transactions are typically not observable. When 
transactions do occur in this limited secondary market, they may 
occur at discounts to the reported net asset value. It is therefore 
reasonably possible that if the Feeder Funds were to sell these 
investments in the secondary market, a buyer may require a discount 
to the reported net asset value, and the discount could be 
significant.''
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    ASG began the process of redeeming all interests in the Fund on 
March 31, 2009. Since that time, ASG has redeemed approximately 1,781 
of the

[[Page 78774]]

Plan's Shares, approximately 67% of the Plan's interest in the Fund, in 
five separate redemptions. The Plan received its first redemption 
payment of $811,700 on May 13, 2009, in exchange for 972.11 shares, 
which represents a per share value of $834.988. On September 10, 2009, 
the Plan received its second redemption payment of $319,500, in 
exchange for 367.01 shares, which represents a per share value of 
$870.548. On January 21, 2010, the Plan received its third redemption 
payment of $203,100, in exchange for 225.09 shares, which represents a 
per share value of $902.306. On April 27, 2010, the Plan received its 
fourth redemption payment of $148,000, in exchange for 162.10 shares, 
which represents a per share value of $913.016. On October 20, 2010, 
the Plan received its most recent redemption payment of $48,100, in 
exchange for 54.79 shares, which represents a per share value of 
$877.897.
    In order for ASG to redeem shares in the Fund, the Master Feeder 
Fund must have sufficient cash reserves. Because ASG's complete 
redemption request exceeded such reserves, the redemption of the Plan's 
Shares will likely not be finalized until a sufficient portion of the 
underlying assets of the Master Feeder Fund and its ``down-stream'' 
investments in the Master Funds are liquidated.
    3. The Employer represents that all the assets of the Plan, 
including the remaining Shares, must be liquidated and the proceeds 
used to fund the purchase of annuity contracts and distributions of 
lump sum benefit amounts. The Plan is contractually prohibited from 
selling its Shares to a third party without the permission of ASG. 
There is only a very limited secondary market for the Shares. In the 
event that the Plan's Shares are not entirely redeemed by the Fund 
prior to the Distribution Date, the Employer proposes to purchase the 
remaining Shares from the Plan for a price that is the greater of: (1) 
$1,029.93 per Share (the highest per share purchase price paid by the 
Plan), or (2) the NAV of the Shares as determined by ASG. It is 
represented that the Plan will pay no commissions, fees, or other 
expenses in connection with the sale.
    4. The applicant represents that ASG determines the Fund's NAV, 
which it publishes at the end of each month in its monthly statements, 
according to the Fund's membership agreement, based upon the current 
fair market value of the underlying investments (based on the NAV of 
the Master Feeder Fund, which in turn is based upon the Master Feeder 
Fund's interest in the Master Funds based upon their underlying 
investments). The applicant further represents that ASG is the only 
qualified appraiser to determine the value of the Plan's interest in 
the Fund because ASG is solely responsible for the determination of the 
Fund's NAV. It is represented that ASG's method of calculating the 
Fund's NAV meets the requirements of FAS 157.\13\ It is also 
represented that ASG is independent from the Employer and receives no 
income from the Employer. The Fund's independent auditor is KPMG LLP, 
located in Boston, Massachusetts and the applicant represents that the 
net asset value of the Shares reported in the most recently available 
monthly statement, as determined by ASG, is supported by the report of 
KPMG.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \13\ FAS 157 provides guidance for measuring the fair value of 
assets and liabilities, including hard-to-value alternative 
investments. Effective January 1, 2008, the Fund, the Master Feeder 
Fund, and each of the Master Funds adopted FAS 157. The description 
of these accounting policies appears in the financial statements of 
each fund.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The value of the Plan's membership interest in the Fund is 
calculated as the number of Shares owned by the Plan relative to all 
outstanding Fund shares. According to ASG's determination of the Fund's 
NAV as of April 30, 2010, the Plan's remaining Shares have a value of 
approximately $792,561.
    The applicant represents that the Fund's NAV as set forth in ASG's 
most recently available statement prior to the date of the sale would 
be used to determine the dollar value of the Plan's Shares. 
Furthermore, the Committee, as the Plan fiduciary, will review and 
approve the valuation methodology used by ASG, ensure that such 
methodology is properly applied in determining the value of the Shares, 
and will also determine whether it is prudent to go forward with the 
proposed transaction. The proposed sale of the Shares is anticipated to 
take place on or about the Distribution Date, contingent upon obtaining 
the requested exemption from the Department.
    5. Because of the Plan's underfunded status, as the final step in 
the Plan termination process, the Employer has made a commitment to 
contribute an estimated additional $1,000,000 to the Plan to ensure 
that the Plan has sufficient assets to satisfy all its accrued benefit 
obligations.
    In accordance with the requirements for a Standard Termination 
under section 4041(b) of the Act and the PBGC guidelines, the amount 
that the Employer will contribute to the Plan to make it sufficient 
will be calculated as follows: The actuarial present value of the total 
Plan liabilities for accrued benefits less (the amount received for the 
remaining Shares, either through the redemption process or consummation 
of the proposed sale, plus the value of all other Plan assets).
    The applicant represents that, if it completes the standard 
termination process for the Plan, the PBGC will not be liable or 
responsible for paying any Plan benefits, and, in fact, will not pay 
any Plan benefits. Upon termination of the Plan, the Plan participants 
and beneficiaries will receive 100% of their accrued benefits, as a 
result of the Employer's sufficiency contribution to the Plan.
    6. According to the applicant, if the requested exemption is denied 
and the Shares are not fully redeemed prior to the Distribution Date, 
the Plan will lack sufficient liquid assets to satisfy the distribution 
deadline. The failure to distribute all accrued benefits by the 
Distribution Date could result in the PBGC issuing the Plan a notice of 
noncompliance, which would require re-starting the standard termination 
process and nullify all actions taken to date to terminate the Plan, 
including the re-issuance of the required multiple notices to the Plan 
participants and beneficiaries required by the termination process, and 
delay the distribution of plan benefits.
    The applicant represents that the proposed transaction is in the 
best interests of the Plan and its participants and beneficiaries 
because it will enable the Plan to convert an illiquid, non-marketable 
asset into cash in order to complete the standard termination process 
and purchase of annuity contracts and lump-sum distributions to satisfy 
all its accrued benefit obligations. The proposed transaction would 
also allow the Plan to avoid the discount that would be expected if the 
Shares were sold in the secondary market. The Employer is also bearing 
the costs of the exemption application and of notifying interested 
persons.
    7. In summary, the applicant represents that the proposed 
transaction satisfies the statutory criteria for an exemption under 
section 408(a) of the Act for the following reasons: (a) The sale will 
be a one-time transaction for cash; (b) the terms and conditions of the 
sale will be at least as favorable to the Plan as those that the Plan 
could obtain in an arm's length transaction with an unrelated third 
party; (c) the sales price will be the greater of: (1) $1,029.93 per 
Share (the highest per share purchase price paid by the Plan), or (2) 
the net asset value of the Shares reported in the most recently 
available monthly statement, as determined by the hedge fund manager, 
who is independent and unrelated to the Employer, (which is

[[Page 78775]]

supported by the report of the independent auditors); (d) the Plan will 
pay no commissions, fees, or other expenses in connection with the 
sale; and (e) upon termination of the Plan, the Plan participants and 
beneficiaries will be paid 100% of their accrued benefits from the 
assets of the Plan, as a result of the Employer's sufficiency 
contribution to the Plan.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Karin Weng of the Department, 
telephone (202) 693-8557. (This is not a toll-free number.)

General Information

    The attention of interested persons is directed to the following:
    (1) The fact that a transaction is the subject of an exemption 
under section 408(a) of the Act and/or section 4975(c)(2) of the Code 
does not relieve a fiduciary or other party in interest or disqualified 
person from certain other provisions of the Act and/or the Code, 
including any prohibited transaction provisions to which the exemption 
does not apply and the general fiduciary responsibility provisions of 
section 404 of the Act, which, among other things, require a fiduciary 
to discharge his duties respecting the plan solely in the interest of 
the participants and beneficiaries of the plan and in a prudent fashion 
in accordance with section 404(a)(1)(b) of the Act; nor does it affect 
the requirement of section 401(a) of the Code that the plan must 
operate for the exclusive benefit of the employees of the employer 
maintaining the plan and their beneficiaries;
    (2) Before an exemption may be granted under section 408(a) of the 
Act and/or section 4975(c)(2) of the Code, the Department must find 
that the exemption is administratively feasible, in the interests of 
the plan and of its participants and beneficiaries, and protective of 
the rights of participants and beneficiaries of the plan;
    (3) The proposed exemptions, if granted, will be supplemental to, 
and not in derogation of, any other provisions of the Act and/or the 
Code, including statutory or administrative exemptions and transitional 
rules. Furthermore, the fact that a transaction is subject to an 
administrative or statutory exemption is not dispositive of whether the 
transaction is in fact a prohibited transaction; and
    (4) The proposed exemptions, if granted, will be subject to the 
express condition that the material facts and representations contained 
in each application are true and complete, and that each application 
accurately describes all material terms of the transaction which is the 
subject of the exemption.

    Signed at Washington, DC, this 13th day of December 2010.
Ivan Strasfeld,
Director of Exemption Determinations, Employee Benefits Security 
Administration, U.S. Department of Labor.
[FR Doc. 2010-31570 Filed 12-15-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-29-P


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