Document:

Exhibit 10.(b)

 

CONSENT OF
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

 

We hereby consent to the use in this Registration
Statement on Form N-4 (File No. 333-146506) of our report dated April 13,
2009, relating to the statutory financial statements of Protective Life and
Annuity Insurance Company, which appears in such Registration Statement.  We also consent to the use in this Registration
Statement on Form N-4 (File No. 333-146506) of our report dated April 24,
2009, relating to the financial statements of Variable Annuity Account A of
Protective Life, which appears in such Registration Statement.  We also consent to the reference to us under
the heading “Experts” in such Registration Statement.

 

 

PricewaterhouseCoopers
LLP

Birmingham, Alabama

April 30, 2009Exhibit 10.1

 

* * –
CERTAIN INFORMATION IN THIS EXHIBIT HAS BEEN OMITTED AND FILED SEPARATELY WITH
THE COMMISSION.  CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT
HAS BEEN REQUESTED WITH RESPECT TO THE OMITTED PORTIONS.

 

2009 PFIZER EQUINE PRODUCTS
MARKETING AGREEMENT

 

This Agreement dated and effective as of January 1,
2009 is made by and between Pfizer Inc., 235 East 42nd Street, New York, New York 10017 (hereinafter, “PFIZER”)
and MWI Veterinary Supply  Co., 651 South Stratford Drive, Suite 100,
Meridian, ID 83642 (hereinafter, “MWI”).

 

1.                                       PFIZER hereby appoints MWI, and MWI hereby accepts appointment, as a
contract distributor for PFIZER Products set forth on Exhibit A (the “Products”),
to purchase from PFIZER and to resell for MWI’s own account as a distributor,
subject to the following terms and conditions.

 

2.                                       MWI recognizes and agrees to the following:

(a)                                  PFIZER has elected to work with a select group of distributors that are
committed to maximizing the sale of the Products and to working closely with
PFIZER to identify market opportunities for both companies. The intent of this
Agreement is to attain that goal;

(b)                                 PFIZER intends to utilize this group of distributors to sell the
Products to customers below them in the distribution chain and that PFIZER has,
and may in the future, run promotions and other activities that would be
seriously prejudiced if MWI resells the Products to other PFIZER contract
distributors, non-employee agents or through brokers.

 

3.                                       Accordingly, MWI shall:

(a)                                  use its reasonable best efforts to sell the Products by focusing its
primary effort at reselling to veterinarians, OTC retailers, and horse owners;

(b)                                 maintain a full-time outside and inside sales force that will personally
and actively solicit sales of the Products and pay such sales representatives
reasonable commission as MWI deems appropriate in its sole discretion;

(c)                                  store and handle its inventory of Products under conditions that will
ensure that such Products retain their potency, purity, quality, and identity;

(d)                                 MWI will provide PDA/EDI
with sales out data on each PFIZER sku MWI sells. MWI will provide to Covansys
its Health Industry Number, Customer Health Industry Number, PFIZER product
number, transaction date, ship to zip code, number of units and price with
respect to each sale of product, and unit inventories on each PFIZER sku that
MWI sells. This information should be sent to Covansys. Sales out data shall be
provided to Covansys within /**/ of
the date of each invoice. MWI will use its best efforts to insure sales out
data integrity and timeliness;

(e)                                  set its resale prices for the Products independently and at its sole
discretion;

(f)                                    cooperate fully with PFIZER by actively participating in such strategy
sessions as PFIZER reasonably may require, for the purpose of developing programs
to increase use of the Products; and to cooperate fully with PFIZER in
implementing all promotions and sales campaigns for the  Products;

(g)                                 allow PFIZER’s representatives to attend and actively participate in
meetings of MWI’s sales representatives;

(h)                                 MWI agrees that credit limits established by PFIZER shall be subject to
change by PFIZER in its sole discretion and that no shipments will be made to
MWI in excess of the established credit limits;

(i)                                     take no action, whether or not identified above, that would harm the
goodwill 

 

 

or name of PFIZER, or damage the interests of PFIZER
or the Products, other than where supported by sound factual evidence. For
purposes of this Agreement “Goodwill” shall mean the marketplace advantage of
customer patronage and loyalty developed with continuous business under the
same name over a period of time.

(j)                                     MWI shall immediately notify PFIZER in the event MWI obtains information
indicating that any of the Products may have to be recalled either by virtue of
applicable law or regulation or good business judgment. PFIZER shall control
all efforts necessary to conduct any such recall. MWI shall cooperate with
PFIZER and MWI agrees to maintain adequate records to conduct such recall,
including the name, address and Product purchases of all purchasers of PFIZER
Products.

(k)                                  MWI may make use of the custom marketing program funding provided for in
Exhibit E hereto.

(l)                                     Make payment to PFIZER /**/; and

(m)                               Provide to PFIZER by the close of business on the last business day of
each PFIZER Accounting Period (as set forth in Exhibit G hereto) an
inventory report covering all inventory purchased from PFIZER and setting forth
in dollars at MWI’s acquisition cost from PFIZER the amount of inventory by
species. MWI agrees that PFIZER shall have the right to audit inventory in the
possession of MWI to confirm compliance with this paragraph 3 (m) and to
confirm the accuracy of the data contained in the report.

 

4.                                       PFIZER shall:

(a)                                  sell the Products to MWI at the prices in effect in the then current
published PFIZER Animal Health Products Distributor Price List (hereinafter, “Price
List”). PFIZER also shall permit MWI to participate
in the distributor incentive programs offered by PFIZER, in accordance with the
terms of such programs. PFIZER shall have the unrestricted right to revise the
prices, terms and conditions of the Price List, and to add or delete Products
or package sizes, without advance notice to MWI, and the revisions shall be
effective on all orders submitted after the effective date of the price
revisions. In all cases of orders received for other than immediate shipment,
the price for the Products shall be that in effect at the time of shipment.
PFIZER agrees to give MWI /**/
advance notice of price increases;

(b)                                 compensate MWI in accordance with Exhibits B, D and E hereto. In the
event that one Agreement holder acquires or combines with another Agreement
holder, the purchase objectives will be adjusted accordingly for the purpose of
determining incentives earned; and

(c)                                  allow MWI credit on prepaid returns in accordance with PFIZER’s Outdated
Products Policy which is in effect at the time;

(d)                                 Agreement holders with more than one location must combine purchases of
all locations to determine attainment level for incentives. In the event that
one Agreement holder acquires or combines with another Agreement holder, the
purchase objectives will be adjusted accordingly for the purpose of determining
incentives earned.

(e)                                  Direct purchase from PFIZER will be used to determine the level of
purchases achieved. Any discrepancies must be documented by the Marketing
Agreement holder using copies of PFIZER invoices.

 

5.                                       All purchases by MWI pursuant to this Agreement shall be in accordance
with the terms of PFIZER’s Pricing and Shipping Policies, as may be amended by
PFIZER from time to time. Unless the parties agree otherwise, shipments shall
be made to either MWI’s central warehouse point or to branch offices at MWI’s
direction.

 

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6.                                       MWI shall not be provided with any rebate, discount or other
compensation for Products handled under this Agreement unless specifically set
forth herein. MWI will NOT be eligible to collect an RSA or Performance Payment
on any lateral sales to other PFIZER contract distributors or to an
unauthorized Pfizer distributor. (It is MWI’s obligation to confirm with
Pfizer, prior to making a sale, as to whether a distributor is a PFIZER
contract distributor or an unauthorized distributor.) Nor shall MWI be eligible
to collect an RSA or Performance Payment on sales made through brokers or
non-employee  agents.

 

7.                                       The following standard conditions shall apply to all sales under this
Agreement:

(a)                                  MWI shall cooperate fully with PFIZER in participating fully in the
Animal Health Institute Electronic Data Interchange (“AHI EDI”) for the
reporting of sales and inventory data on a daily basis. The data to be reported
shall be as described in the AHI EDI Transaction sets.

(b)                                 all orders are subject to acceptance by PFIZER’s New York Headquarters.
Title to the goods shall pass to MWI once they have been properly delivered to
the address designated by MWI. Products requiring temperature control will be
shipped F.O.B. destination;

(c)                                  any tax or other charge upon the sale and/or shipment of the goods now
or hereafter imposed by federal, state or municipal authorities shall be paid
by MWI. In the event that the price of any article includes transportation
charges, any increase or decrease in transportation charges shall be for MWI’s
account;

(d)                                 EXCEPT AS SET FORTH IN THIS AGREEMENT, OR IN THE LABELING OF THE
PRODUCTS SOLD HEREUNDER, PFIZER MAKES NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES WITH
RESPECT TO THE PRODUCTS;

(e)                                  PFIZER shall defend and indemnify MWI from all claims resulting from any
breach by PFIZER of the warranties set forth in this paragraph 6, and
specifically any claim that the  Products,
as sold by PFIZER, were defective. In the event PFIZER is found by any court of
competent jurisdiction to be liable for any claim based in products liability,
then PFIZER shall reimburse MWI’s reasonable legal fees incurred in the course
of cooperating with PFIZER’s defense. To be covered by this defense and
indemnity, MWI must: promptly notify PFIZER of any such claim; allow PFIZER to
fully control the defense and/or resolution of the claim; and cooperate fully
with PFIZER in the matter. This defense, indemnity and payment for legal fees
shall not apply to claims alleging: MWI alteration, negligent handling or
improper storage of the Products; sale of outdated Products; sale or
recommendation of the Products for uses or
in a manner not set forth in the labeling supplied by PFIZER; or sale of the
Products after receipt of notice from PFIZER that such sales should be halted;

(f)                                    in no event shall PFIZER be liable to MWI for special, collateral,
incidental, or consequential damages in connection with or arising out of the
purchase, resale, or use of the Products. Except as provided under subparagraph
6(e), above, total damages recoverable against PFIZER by MWI shall be
exclusively limited to the purchase price of the Products with respect to which
damages are claimed;

(g)                                 failure of PFIZER to make or of MWI to take, when due, any delivery (or
portion thereof) pursuant to an order hereunder, if occasioned by any
circumstance or condition beyond the control of the party so failing, shall not
subject the failing party to any liability to the other and, at the option of
either party, that order or portion thereof not delivered may be canceled;

(h)                                 acceptance of MWI’s order by PFIZER is expressly made conditional upon
MWI’s acceptance of the conditions of sale as set forth herein, and the prices,
terms and conditions of the Price List then in effect, notwithstanding
acknowledgment or receipt of MWI’s purchase order containing additional or
different provisions, or conflicting oral representations by any agent of
PFIZER.

 

3

 

8.                                       MWI and PFIZER agree that, under the specific circumstances delineated
herein,  PFIZER, at PFIZER’s sole discretion may recoup
the sums outstanding to it from MWI against those sums  which may become due from PFIZER to MWI, in that the obligations arise
from mutual transactions. The  specific
circumstances which will enable PFIZER to initiate recoupment are:

(a)                                  MWI becomes insolvent which shall be defined as:

(i)    the sum of MWI’s debts is greater than all of MWI’s property  (“Balance Sheet Test”); or

(ii)   MWI is generally not paying its debts as they come due; or

(iii)  MWI has failed to act in good faith for a period in excess of six  months to resolve any outstanding invoice or purchase order issues  or reconciliations.

(b)                                 MWI commences a liquidation of its operations by means of a sale of its
assets in their entirety or piecemeal; or

(c)                                  MWI ceases its business operations whether or not such cessation is
voluntary or involuntary; or

(d)                                 MWI files a proceeding pursuant to the U.S. Bankruptcy Code or any state
court proceeding, including an Assignment for the Benefit of Creditors.

 

9.                                       MWI shall distribute PFIZER products only under the labeling provided by
PFIZER; prescribe, recommend, suggest, and advertise each product for use only
under the conditions stated in the labeling provided by PFIZER; and observe all
federal, state, and local laws governing the distribution of animal drugs. In
the case of Products bearing the legend, “CAUTION: FEDERAL LAW RESTRICTS THIS
DRUG TO USE BY OR ON THE ORDER OF A LICENSED VETERINARIAN,” or any similar
legend, sell such Products only to or on the order of a licensed veterinarian
for use in the course of his or her professional practice or to another person
or entity regularly and lawfully engaged in the use, distribution or dispensing
of such legend drugs.

 

10.                                 Nothing in this Agreement shall be deemed to limit PFIZER’s ability to
sell any product at any time to any other customer any other party.

 

11.                                 MWI and PFIZER acknowledge that in the performance of their duties
hereunder MWI and PFIZER may obtain access to “Confidential Information” (as
defined below) of each other. MWI and PFIZER agree that during the term of this
Agreement and for a period of three (3) years after the termination of
this Agreement, unless specifically permitted in writing by the other party,
which permission shall not be unreasonably withheld, especially with the sale
of all or a substantial portion of MWI’s business, to (a) retain in
confidence and not disclose to any third party and (b) use only for the
purpose of carrying out their duties hereunder, any such Confidential Information.
As used herein the term “Confidential Information” means any information, or
data, whether of a business or scientific nature and whether in written, oral
or tangible form, relating to PFIZER’s and MWI’s business or potential business
or  its research and development activities, not
generally available to or known to the public, and not otherwise known to the
receiving party, that is disclosed to or learned by the other party pursuant
hereto. “Confidential Information” does not mean or include any information: (a) which
is, at the time of disclosure, available to the general public; or (b) which
following disclosure becomes available to the general public through no fault
of the recipient; or (c) which recipient can demonstrate was in its
possession before receipt; or (d) which is disclosed to recipient without
restriction on disclosure. Upon completion of the work provided for hereunder
or other termination of this Agreement 

 

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each party will return to the other party any
documents, or copies thereof, or any product samples, containing or
constituting Confidential Information disclosed to or generated by either party
in connection with this Agreement.

 

12.                                 This Agreement shall be effective as of the date first written above and
shall continue in force until December 31, 2009. Either party may
terminate this Agreement prior to the expiration date (i) with or without
cause, upon thirty (30) days written notice to the other party, or (ii) immediately
upon written notice, in the event of a material breach by the other party.

 

13.                                 This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of New York
applicable to contracts to be fully performed therein. This Agreement is not
assignable without the express written consent of PFIZER, and may be modified
or amended only in writing signed by the party to be bound.

 

14.                                 This Agreement and documents referred to herein embody the entire
understanding between the parties hereto, will supersede prior agreements
relating to the Products, and may be modified only in writing and signed by the
parties to be bound. No activities conducted pursuant to this Agreement or
related thereto, including but not limited to the future planning activities of
the parties, shall be deemed to give rise to any obligations on the part of
either party other than as expressly provided for herein.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, intending to be legally bound, the
parties have executed this Agreement.

 

 

	
  MWI Veterinary Supply Co.

  	
   

  	
  Pfizer
  Inc

  
	
   

  	
   

  	
   

  
	
  BY:

  	
  /s/
  Jim Cleary

  	
   

  	
  BY:

  	
  /s/
  Clinton A. Lewis, Jr.

  
	
   

  	
   

  	
   

  	
   

  	
  Clinton A. Lewis, Jr.

  
	
  Print
  Name:

  	
  Jim
  Cleary

  	
   

  	
   

  	
  President, U.S. Operations

  
	
   

  	
   

  	
   

  	
   

  	
  Pfizer Animal Health

  
	
  Title:

  	
  President

  	
   

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
   

  	
   

  	
   

  
	
  Date:

  	
  Dec. 31,
  2008

  	
   

  	
  Date:

  	
  1/09/09

  

 

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