Document:

Exhibit 4.4

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED WARRANT AGREEMENT

 

THIS AMENDED AND RESTATED WARRANT AGREEMENT (“Agreement”) dated as of March 26, 2018 is between INFRASTRUCTURE AND ENERGY ALTERNATIVES,  INC., a Delaware corporation formerly known as M III Acquisition Corp. (“Company”), and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, a New York corporation (“Warrant Agent”) and amends and restates the Warrant Agreement dated July 7, 2016 by and between Company and the Warrant Agent (the “Original Warrant Agreement”).

 

WHEREAS, the Company has entered into that certain Second Amended and Restated Sponsor Unit Subscription Agreement (the “Sponsor Unit Subscription Agreement”), dated July 7, 2016, between the Company and M III Sponsor I, LLC and M III Sponsor I, LP  (collectively, the “Sponsor”), pursuant to which the Sponsor has agreed to purchase an aggregate of 340,000 units (the “Private Units”), each Private Unit consisting of one share of Company common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (“Common Stock”) and one warrant to purchase one-half of one share of Common Stock at a price of $5.75 per half share (the “Sponsor Private Placement Warrants”), simultaneously with the closing of the Public Offering (as defined below), at a purchase price of $10.00 per Private Unit; and

 

WHEREAS, the Company has entered into that certain Amended and Restated Unit Subscription Agreement (the “CF Unit Subscription Agreement”), dated July 7, 2016, between the Company and Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. (“CF & Co.”), pursuant to which CF & Co. has agreed to purchase an aggregate of 120,000 Private Units simultaneously with the closing of the Public Offering (as defined below), such warrants underlying these units referred to as the CF Private Placement Warrants (collectively with the Sponsor Private Placement Warrants, the “Private Placement Warrants”), at a purchase price of $10.00 per Private Unit; and

 

WHEREAS, the Company issued in a public offering (“Public Offering”) 15,000,000 units (the “Units”), each comprised of one share of Common Stock and one redeemable warrant (“Public Warrants” and together with the Private Placement Warrants, the “Warrants”); and

 

WHEREAS, the Company and the Warrant Agent wish to amend and restate the Original Warrant Agreement to reflect the change in the name of the Company upon consummation of the Business Combination (as defined herein) and reflect that the Company may issue additional warrants on the same terms as the Public Warrants in the future, including in connection with the consummation of the Business Combination, whether in registered offerings or in private placement transactions and such additional warrants shall be “Public Warrants” hereunder; and

 

WHEREAS, each Warrant evidences the right of the holder thereof to purchase one half of one share of Common Stock, for $5.75 per half share, subject to adjustment as described herein; and

 

WHEREAS, the Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission a Registration Statement on Form S-1, No. 333-210817 (“Registration Statement”), for the registration, under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (“Act”), of, among other securities, the Warrants issued in the Public Offering; and

 

 

WHEREAS, the Company desires the Warrant Agent to act on behalf of the Company, and the Warrant Agent is willing to so act, in connection with the issuance, registration, transfer, exchange, redemption and exercise of the Warrants; and

 

WHEREAS, the Company desires to provide for the form and provisions of the Warrants, the terms upon which they shall be issued and exercised, and the respective rights, limitation of rights, and immunities of the Company, the Warrant Agent, and the holders of the Warrants; and

 

WHEREAS, all acts and things have been done and performed which are necessary to make the Warrants, when executed on behalf of the Company and countersigned by or on behalf of the Warrant Agent, as provided herein, the valid, binding and legal obligations of the Company, and to authorize the execution and delivery of this Agreement.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual agreements herein contained, the parties hereto agree as follows:

 

1.                                      Appointment of Warrant Agent. The Company hereby appoints the Warrant Agent to act as agent for the Company for the Warrants, and the Warrant Agent hereby accepts such appointment and agrees to perform the same in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement.

 

2.                                      Warrants.

 

2.1.                            Form of Warrant; Additional Warrants.

 

2.1.1.                         Each Warrant shall be issued in registered form only, shall be in substantially the form of Exhibit A hereto, the provisions of which are incorporated herein and shall be signed by, or bear the facsimile signature of, the Chairman of the Board of Directors or Chief Executive Officer and Treasurer, Secretary or Assistant Secretary of the Company and shall bear a facsimile of the Company’s seal. In the event the person whose facsimile signature has been placed upon any Warrant shall have ceased to serve in the capacity in which such person signed the Warrant before such Warrant is issued, it may be issued with the same effect as if he or she had not ceased to be such at the date of issuance.

 

2.1.2.                         From time to time, the Company may issue additional Warrants (“Additional Warrants”), which shall for all purposes constitute “Public Warrants” hereunder and shall have identical attributes to the Public Warrants (other than with respect to issue date and issue price and except as set forth in Section 7.4). With respect to any Additional Warrants, the Company shall set forth in a resolution of the Board of Directors of the Company the aggregate number of Warrants to be issued, a copy of which shall be delivered to the Warrant Agent, together with such other documentation as reasonably requested by the Warrant Agent.

 

2.2.                            Uncertificated Warrants. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, any Warrant, or portion thereof, may be issued as part of, and be represented by, a Unit or a Private Unit, and any Warrant may be issued in uncertificated or book-entry form through the Warrant Agent and/or the facilities of The Depository Trust Company (the “Depositary”) or other book- entry depositary system, in each case as determined by the Board of Directors of the Company or by an authorized committee thereof. Any Warrant so issued shall have the same terms, force and

 

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effect as a certificated Warrant that has been duly countersigned by the Warrant Agent in accordance with the terms of this Agreement

 

2.3.                            Effect of Countersignature. Except with respect to uncertificated Warrants as described above, unless and until countersigned by the Warrant Agent pursuant to this Agreement, a Warrant shall be invalid and of no effect and may not be exercised by the holder thereof.

 

2.4.                            Registration.

 

2.4.1.                         Warrant Register. The Warrant Agent shall maintain books (“Warrant Register”) for the registration of original issuance and the registration of transfer of the Warrants. Upon the initial issuance of the Warrants in book-entry form, the Warrant Agent shall issue and register the Warrants in the names of the respective holders thereof in such denominations and otherwise in accordance with instructions delivered to the Warrant Agent by the Company. Ownership of beneficial interests in the Public Warrants issued in the Public Offering (and any other Warrants that are Public Warrants and not otherwise held in book entry or certificated form) shall be shown on, and the transfer of such ownership shall be effected through, records maintained by institutions that have accounts with the Depository Trust Company (the “Depository”) (such institution, with respect to a Warrant in its account, a “Participant”).

 

If the Depository subsequently ceases to make its book-entry settlement system available for the Public Warrants, the Company may instruct the Warrant Agent regarding making other arrangements for book-entry settlement. In the event that the Public Warrants are not eligible for, or it is no longer necessary to have the Public Warrants available in, book-entry form, the Warrant Agent shall provide written instructions to the Depository to deliver to the Warrant Agent for cancellation each book-entry Public Warrant, and the Company shall instruct the Warrant Agent to deliver to the Depository definitive certificates in physical form evidencing such Warrants which shall be in the form annexed hereto as Exhibit A.

 

2.4.2.                         Registered Holder. Prior to due presentment for registration of transfer of any Warrant, the Company and the Warrant Agent may deem and treat the person in whose name such Warrant shall be registered upon the Warrant Register (“registered holder”) as the absolute owner of such Warrant and of each Warrant represented thereby (notwithstanding any notation of ownership or other writing on the Warrant certificate made by anyone other than the Company or the Warrant Agent), for the purpose of any exercise thereof, and for all other purposes, and neither the Company nor the Warrant Agent shall be affected by any notice to the contrary.

 

2.5.                            Detachability of Warrants. The Common Stock and Warrants comprising the Units and Private Units began separate trading on August 29, 2016.

 

2.6.                            Private Placement Warrant Attributes. The Private Placement Warrants will be issued in the same form as the Public Warrants but they (i) will not be redeemable by the Company and (ii) may be exercised for cash or on a cashless basis at the holder’s option pursuant to Section 3.3.1(c) below, in either case as long as the Private Placement Warrants are held by the initial purchasers or their affiliates and permitted transferees (as prescribed in Section 5.6 hereof). Prior to the 30th day after the Company consummates an initial Business Combination,

 

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the Private Placement Warrants may only be transferred to permitted transferees (as defined in Section 5.6 hereof). Once a Private Placement Warrant is transferred to a holder other than an affiliate or permitted transferee, it shall be treated as a Public Warrant hereunder for all purposes.

 

3.                                      Terms and Exercise of Warrants.

 

3.1.                            Warrant Price. Each Warrant shall, when countersigned by the Warrant Agent, entitle the registered holder thereof, subject to the provisions of such Warrant and of this Warrant Agreement, to purchase from the Company the number of shares of Common Stock stated therein, at the price of $5.75 per half share, subject to the adjustments provided in Section 4 hereof and in the last sentence of this Section 3.1. The term “Warrant Price” as used in this Warrant Agreement refers to the price per share at which the shares of Common Stock may be purchased at the time a Warrant is exercised. The Company in its sole discretion may lower the Warrant Price at any time prior to the Expiration Date (as defined below) for a period of not less than twenty (20) Business Days; provided, that the Company shall provide at least twenty (20) days prior written notice of such reduction to registered holders of the Warrants and, provided further that any such reduction shall be applied consistently to all of the Warrants.

 

3.2.                            Duration of Warrants. A Warrant may be exercised only during the period (“Exercise Period”) commencing on the later of 30 days after the consummation by the Company of a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, recapitalization, reorganization or other similar business combination with one or more businesses or entities (“Business Combination”) (as described more fully in the Registration Statement) or 12 months from the closing of the Public Offering, and terminating at 5:00 p.m., New York City time on the earlier to occur of (i) five years from the consummation of a Business Combination, (ii) the liquidation of the Company in accordance with the Company’s second amended and restated certificate of incorporation, as amended from time to time, if the Company fails to consummate a Business Combination and (iii) the Redemption Date as provided in Section 6.2 of this Agreement (“Expiration Date”). Except with respect to the right to receive the Redemption Price (as set forth in Section 6 hereunder), each Warrant not exercised on or before the Expiration Date shall become void, and all rights thereunder and all rights in respect thereof under this Agreement shall cease at the close of business on the Expiration Date. The Company in its sole discretion may extend the duration of the Warrants by delaying the Expiration Date; provided, however, that the Company will provide at least twenty (20) days prior written notice of any such extension to registered holders.

 

3.3.                     Exercise of Warrants.

 

3.3.1.                  Payment. Subject to the provisions of the Warrant and this Warrant Agreement, a Warrant, when countersigned by the Warrant Agent, may be exercised by the registered holder thereof by surrendering it, at the office of the Warrant Agent, or at the office of its successor as Warrant Agent, in the Borough of Manhattan, City and State of New York, with the subscription form, as set forth in the Warrant, duly executed, and by paying in full the Warrant Price for each full share of Common Stock as to which the Warrant is exercised and any and all applicable taxes due in connection with the exercise of the Warrant, as follows:

 

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(a)                          by good certified check or good bank draft payable to the order of the Company (or as otherwise agreed to by the Company); or

 

(b)                          in the event of redemption pursuant to Section 6 hereof in which the Company’s management has elected to force all holders of Warrants to exercise such Warrants on a “cashless basis,” by surrendering the Warrants for that number of shares of Common Stock equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the product of the number of shares of Common Stock underlying the Warrants, multiplied by the difference between the Warrant Price and the “Fair Market Value” (defined below) by (y) the Fair Market Value; provided, however, that Warrants may not be exercised on a “cashless basis” unless the Fair Market Value is equal to or higher than the Warrant Price. Solely for purposes of this Section 3.3.1(b), the “Fair Market Value” shall mean the average reported last sale price of the Common Stock for the ten (10) trading days ending on the third trading day prior to the date on which the notice of redemption is sent to holders of Warrant pursuant to Section 6 hereof; or

 

(c)                           with respect to any Private Placement Warrants, so long as such Private Placement Warrants are held by the Sponsor, CF & Co. or their permitted transferees, by surrendering such Private Placement Warrants for that number of shares of Common Stock equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the product of the number of shares of Common Stock underlying the Warrants, multiplied by the difference between the exercise price of the Warrants and the “Fair Market Value” by (y) the Fair Market Value; provided, however, that no cashless exercise shall be permitted unless the Fair Market Value is equal to or higher than the Warrant Price. Solely for purposes of this Section 3.3.1(c), the “Fair Market Value” shall mean the average reported last sale price of the Common Stock for the ten (10) trading days ending on the third trading day prior to the date of exercise; or

 

(d)                          in the event the registration statement required by Section 7.4 hereof is not effective and current within ninety (90) days after the closing of a Business Combination, then during the period beginning on the 91st day after the closing of a Business Combination and ending upon the effectiveness of such registration statement, and during any other period after such date of effectiveness when the Company shall fail to have maintained an effective registration statement covering the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants, by surrendering such Warrants for that number of shares of Common Stock equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the product of the number of shares of Common Stock underlying the Warrants, multiplied by the difference between the exercise price of the Warrants and the “Fair Market Value” by (y) the Fair Market Value; provided, however, that no cashless exercise shall be permitted unless the Fair Market Value is equal to or higher than the Warrant Price. Solely for purposes of this Section 3.3.1(d), the “Fair Market Value” shall mean the average reported last sale price of the Common Stock for the ten (10) trading days ending on the day prior to the date of exercise.

 

3.3.2.           Issuance of Certificates. As soon as practicable after the exercise of any Warrant and the clearance of the funds in payment of the Warrant Price (if any), the Company shall issue to the registered holder of such Warrant a book-entry position or certificate, as

 

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applicable, for the number of full shares of Common Stock to which he is entitled, registered in such name or names as may be directed by him, her or it, and if such Warrant shall not have been exercised in full, a new book-entry position or countersigned Warrant, as applicable, for the number of shares as to which such Warrant shall not have been exercised. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event will the Company be required to net cash settle the Warrant exercise. No Warrant shall be exercisable and the Company shall not be obligated to issue shares of Common Stock upon exercise of a Warrant unless the Common Stock issuable upon such Warrant exercise has been registered, qualified or deemed to be exempt under the securities laws of the state of residence of the registered holder of the Warrants. In the event that the condition in the immediately preceding sentence is not satisfied with respect to a Warrant, the holder of such Warrant shall not be entitled to exercise such Warrant and such Warrant may have no value and expire worthless, in which case the purchaser of a Unit containing such Public Warrants shall have paid the full purchase price for the Unit solely for the shares of Common Stock underlying such Unit. Subject to Section 4.7 of this Agreement, a Registered Holder of Warrants may exercise its Warrants only for a whole number of shares of Common Stock (i.e., only an even number of Warrants may be exercised at any given time by a Registered Holder). If, by reason of any exercise of warrants on a “cashless basis”, the holder of any Warrant would be entitled, upon the exercise of such Warrant, to receive a fractional interest in a share, the Company shall round down to the nearest whole number, the number of shares to be issued to such holder. Warrants may not be exercised by, or securities issued to, any registered holder in any state in which such exercise would be unlawful.

 

3.3.3.                  Valid Issuance. All shares of Common Stock issued upon the proper exercise of a Warrant in conformity with this Agreement shall be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

 

3.3.4.                  Date of Issuance. Each person in whose name any book-entry position or such certificate, as applicable, for shares of Common Stock is issued shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of such shares on the date on which the Warrant, or book-entry position representing such Warrant, was surrendered and payment of the Warrant Price was made, irrespective of the date of delivery of such certificate in the case of a certificated Warrant, except that, if the date of such surrender and payment is a date when the share transfer books of the Company or book-entry system of the Warrant Agent are closed, such person shall be deemed to have become the holder of such shares at the close of business on the next succeeding date on which the share transfer books or book-entry system are open.

 

3.3.5.                  Maximum Percentage. A holder of a Warrant may notify the Company in writing in the event it elects to be subject to the provisions contained in this subsection 3.3.5; however, no holder of a Warrant shall be subject to this subsection 3.3.5 unless he, she or it makes such election. If the election is made by a holder, the Warrant Agent shall not affect the exercise of the holder’s Warrant, and such holder shall not have the right to exercise such Warrant, to the extent that after giving effect to such exercise, such person (together with such person’s affiliates), to the Warrant Agent’s actual knowledge, would beneficially own in excess of 9.8% (the “Maximum Percentage”) of the shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to such exercise. For purposes of the foregoing sentence, the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by such person and its affiliates shall include the number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrant with

 

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respect to which the determination of such sentence is being made, but shall exclude shares of Common Stock that would be issuable upon (x) exercise of the remaining, unexercised portion of the Warrant beneficially owned by such person and its affiliates and (y) exercise or conversion of the unexercised or unconverted portion of any other securities of the Company beneficially owned by such person and its affiliates (including, without limitation, any convertible notes or convertible preferred stock or warrants) subject to a limitation on conversion or exercise analogous to the limitation contained herein. Except as set forth in the preceding sentence, for purposes of this paragraph, beneficial ownership shall be calculated in accordance with  Section 13(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). For purposes of the Warrant, in determining the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock, the holder may rely on the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock as reflected in (1) the Company’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly report on Form 10-Q, current report on Form 8-K or other public filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission as the case may be, (2) a more recent public announcement by the Company or (3) any other more recent notice by the Company or the Warrant Agent setting forth the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding. For any reason at any time, upon the written request of the holder of the Warrant, the Company shall, within two (2) Business Days, confirm orally and in writing to such holder the number of shares of Common Stock then outstanding. In any case, the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock shall be determined after giving effect to the conversion or exercise of equity securities of the Company by the holder and its affiliates since the date as of which such number of outstanding shares of Common Stock was reported. By written notice to the Company, the holder of a Warrant may from time to time increase or decrease the Maximum Percentage applicable to such holder to any other percentage specified in such notice; provided, however, that any such increase shall not be effective until the sixty-first (61st) day after such notice is delivered to the Company.

 

4.                                      Adjustments.

 

4.1.                            Stock Dividends - Split Ups. If after the date hereof, and subject to the provisions of Section 4.7 below, the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock is increased by a stock dividend payable in shares of Common Stock, or by a split up of shares of Common Stock, or other similar event, then, on the effective date of such stock dividend, split up or similar event, the number of shares of Common Stock issuable on exercise of each Warrant shall be increased in proportion to such increase in outstanding shares of Common Stock. A rights offering to holders of the Common Stock entitling holders to purchase shares of Common Stock at a price less than the “Fair Market Value” (as defined below) shall be deemed a stock dividend of a number of shares of Common Stock equal to the product of (i) the number of shares of Common Stock actually sold in such rights offering (or issuable under any other equity securities sold in such rights offering that are convertible into or exercisable for the Common Stock) multiplied by (ii) one (1) minus the quotient of (x) the price per share of Common Stock paid in such rights offering divided by (y) the Fair Market Value. For purposes of this subsection 4.1, (i) if the rights offering is for securities convertible into or exercisable for Common Stock, in determining the price payable for Common Stock, there shall be taken into account any consideration received for such rights, as well as any additional amount payable upon exercise or conversion and (ii) “Fair Market Value” means the volume weighted average price of the Common Stock as reported during the ten (10) trading day period ending on the trading day prior to the first date on

 

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which the shares of Common Stock trade on the applicable exchange or in the applicable market, regular way, without the right to receive such rights.

 

4.2.                            Aggregation of Shares. If after the date hereof, the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock is decreased by a consolidation, combination, reverse stock split or reclassification of shares of Common Stock or other similar event, then, on the effective date of such consolidation, combination, reverse stock split, reclassification or similar event, the number of shares of Common Stock issuable on exercise of each Warrant shall be decreased in proportion to such decrease in outstanding shares of Common Stock.

 

4.3.                            Extraordinary Dividends. If the Company, at any time while the Warrants are outstanding and unexpired, shall pay a cash dividend or make a distribution in cash, securities or other assets to the holders of the shares of Common Stock or other shares of the Company’s capital stock into which the Warrants are convertible (an “Extraordinary Dividend”), then the Warrant Price shall be decreased, effective immediately after the effective date of such Extraordinary Dividend, by the amount of cash and the fair market value (as determined by the Company’s Board of Directors, in good faith) of any securities or other assets paid on each share of Common Stock in respect of such Extraordinary Dividend; provided, however, that none of the following shall be deemed an Extraordinary Dividend for purposes of this provision: (a) any adjustment described in subsection 4.1 above, (b) any cash dividends or cash distributions which, when combined on a per share basis with the per share amounts of all other cash dividends and cash distributions paid on the Common Stock during the 365-day period ending on the date of declaration of such dividend or distribution does not exceed $0.50 (as adjusted to appropriately reflect any of the events referred to in other subsections of this Section 4 and excluding cash dividends or cash distributions that resulted in an adjustment to the Warrant Price or to the number of shares of Common Stock issuable on exercise of each Warrant) but only with respect to the amount of the aggregate cash dividends or cash distributions equal to or less than $0.50, (c) any payment to satisfy the redemption rights of the holders of the shares of Common Stock in connection with a proposed initial Business Combination or (d) any payment in connection with the Company’s liquidation and the distribution of its assets upon its failure to consummate a Business Combination. Solely for purposes of illustration, if the Company, at a time while the Warrants are outstanding and unexpired, pays a cash dividend of $0.35 and previously paid an aggregate of $0.40 of cash dividends and cash distributions on the Common Stock during the 365-day period ending on the date of declaration of such $0.35 dividend, then the Warrant Price will be decreased, effectively immediately after the effective date of such $0.35 dividend, by $0.25 (the difference between $0.75 (the aggregate amount of all cash dividends and cash distributions paid or made in such 365-day period, including such $0.35 dividend) and $0.50 (the greater of (x) $0.50 and (y) the aggregate amount of all cash dividends and cash distributions paid or made in such 365-day period prior to such $0.35 dividend)).

 

4.4.                            Adjustments in Exercise Price. Whenever the number of shares of Common Stock purchasable upon the exercise of the Warrants is adjusted, as provided in Sections 4.1 and 4.2 above, the Warrant Price shall be adjusted (to the nearest cent) by multiplying such Warrant Price immediately prior to such adjustment by a fraction (x) the numerator of which shall be the number of shares of Common Stock purchasable upon the exercise of the Warrants immediately prior to such adjustment, and (y) the denominator of which shall be the number of shares of Common Stock so purchasable immediately thereafter.

 

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4.5.                            Replacement of Securities upon Reorganization, etc. In case of any reclassification or reorganization of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (other than a change covered by Section 4.1, 4.2 or 4.3 hereof or that solely affects the par value of the Common Stock), or in the case of any merger or consolidation of the Company with or into another corporation (other than a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing corporation and that does not result in any reclassification or reorganization of the outstanding Common Stock), or in the case of any sale or conveyance to another corporation or entity of the assets or other property of the Company as an entirety or substantially as an entirety in connection with which the Company is dissolved, the Warrant holders shall thereafter have the right to purchase and receive, upon the basis and upon the terms and conditions specified in the Warrants and in lieu of the shares of Common Stock of the Company immediately theretofore purchasable and receivable upon the exercise of the rights represented thereby, the kind and amount of shares of stock or other securities or property (including cash) receivable upon such reclassification, reorganization, merger or consolidation, or upon a dissolution following any such sale or transfer, that the Warrant holder would have received if such Warrant holder had exercised his, her or its Warrant(s) immediately prior to such event (the “Alternative Issuance” ); provided, however, that (i) if the holders of the Common Stock were entitled to exercise a right of election as to the kind or amount of securities, cash or other assets receivable upon such consolidation or merger, then the kind and amount of securities, cash or other assets constituting the Alternative Issuance for which each Warrant shall become exercisable shall be deemed to be the weighted average of the kind and amount received per share by the holders of the Common Stock in such consolidation or merger that affirmatively make such election, and (ii) if a tender, exchange or redemption offer shall have been made to and accepted by the holders of the Common Stock (other than a tender, exchange or redemption offer made by the Company in connection with redemption rights held by stockholders of the Company as provided for in the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation or as a result of the repurchase of shares of Common Stock by the Company if a proposed initial Business Combination is presented to the stockholders of the Company for approval) under circumstances in which, upon completion of such tender or exchange offer, the maker thereof, together with members of any group (within the meaning of Rule 13d-5(b)(1) under the Exchange Act) of which such maker is a part, and together with any affiliate or associate of such maker (within the meaning of Rule 12b-2 under the Exchange Act) and any members of any such group of which any such affiliate or associate is a part, own beneficially (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) more than 50% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, the holder of a Warrant shall be entitled to receive as the Alternative Issuance, the highest amount of cash, securities or other property to which such holder would actually have been entitled as a stockholder if such Warrant holder had exercised the Warrant prior to the expiration of such tender or exchange offer, accepted such offer and all of the Common Stock held by such holder had been purchased pursuant to such tender or exchange offer, subject to adjustments (from and after the consummation of such tender or exchange offer) as nearly equivalent as possible to the adjustments provided for in this Section 4; provided, further, that if less than 70% of the consideration receivable by the holders of the Common Stock in the applicable event is payable in the form of common stock in the successor entity that is listed for trading on a national securities exchange or is quoted in an established over-the-counter market, or is to be so listed for trading or quoted immediately following such event, and if the Registered Holder properly exercises the Warrant within thirty (30) days following the public disclosure of the

 

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consummation of such applicable event by the Company pursuant to a Current Report on Form  8-K filed with the SEC, the Warrant Price shall be reduced by an amount (in dollars) equal to the difference (but in no event less than zero) of (i) the Warrant Price in effect prior to such reduction minus (ii) (A) the Per Share Consideration (as defined below) minus (B) the Black- Scholes Warrant Value (as defined below). The “Black-Scholes Warrant Value” means the value of a Warrant immediately prior to the consummation of the applicable event based on the Black- Scholes Warrant Model for a Capped American Call on Bloomberg Financial Markets (“Bloomberg”). For purposes of calculating such amount, (1) Section 6 of this Agreement shall be taken into account, (2) the price of each share of Common Stock shall be the volume weighted average price of the Common Stock as reported during the ten (10) trading day period ending on the trading day prior to the effective date of the applicable event, (3) the assumed volatility shall be the 90 day volatility obtained from the HVT function on Bloomberg determined as of the trading day immediately prior to the day of the announcement of the applicable event , and (4) the assumed risk-free interest rate shall correspond to the U.S. Treasury rate for a period equal to the remaining term of the Warrant. “Per Share Consideration” means (i) if the consideration paid to holders of the Common Stock consists exclusively of cash, the amount of such cash per share of Common Stock, and (ii) in all other cases, the amount of cash per share of Common Stock, if any, plus the volume weighted average price of the Common Stock as reported during the ten (10) trading day period ending on the trading day prior to the effective date of the applicable event. If any reclassification also results in a change in the Common Stock covered by Section 4.1, 4.2 or 4.3, then such adjustment shall be made pursuant to Sections 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4 and this Section 4.5. The provisions of this Section 4.5 shall similarly apply to successive reclassifications, reorganizations, mergers or consolidations, sales or other transfers.

 

4.6.                            Notices of Changes in Warrant. Upon every adjustment of the Warrant Price or the number of shares issuable upon exercise of a Warrant, the Company shall give written notice thereof to the Warrant Agent, which notice shall state the Warrant Price resulting from such adjustment and the increase or decrease, if any, in the number of shares purchasable at such price upon the exercise of a Warrant, setting forth in reasonable detail the method of calculation and the facts upon which such calculation is based. Upon the occurrence of any event specified in Sections 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4 or 4.5, then, in any such event, the Company shall give written notice to each Warrant holder, at the last address set forth for such holder in the Warrant Register, of the record date or the effective date of the event. Failure to give such notice, or any defect therein, shall not affect the legality or validity of such event.

 

4.7.                            No Fractional Warrants or Shares. No fractional Warrants will be issued hereunder. Additionally, notwithstanding any provision contained in this Warrant Agreement to the contrary, the Company shall not issue fractional shares upon exercise of Warrants. If, by reason of any adjustment made pursuant to this Section 4, the holder of any Warrant would be entitled, upon the exercise of such Warrant, to receive a fractional interest in a share, the Company shall, upon such exercise, round down to the nearest whole number of shares of Common Stock to be issued to the Warrant holder.

 

4.8.                            Form of Warrant. The form of Warrant need not be changed because of any adjustment pursuant to this Section 4, and Warrants issued after such adjustment may state the same Warrant Price and the same number of shares as is stated in the Warrants initially issued pursuant to this Agreement. However, the Company may at any time in its sole discretion make

 

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any change in the form of Warrant that the Company may deem appropriate and that does not affect the substance thereof, and any Warrant thereafter issued or countersigned, whether in exchange or substitution for an outstanding Warrant or otherwise, may be in the form as so changed.

 

4.9.                            Other Events. In case any event shall occur affecting the Company as to which none of the provisions of preceding subsections of this Section 4 are strictly applicable, but which would require an adjustment to the terms of the Warrants in order to (i) avoid an adverse impact on the Warrants and (ii) effectuate the intent and purpose of this Section 4, then, in each such case, the Company shall appoint a firm of independent public accountants, investment banking or other appraisal firm of recognized national standing, which shall give its opinion as to whether or not any adjustment to the rights represented by the Warrants is necessary to effectuate the intent and purpose of this Section 4 and, if they determine that an adjustment is necessary, the terms of such adjustment; provided, however, that under no circumstances shall the Warrants be adjusted pursuant to this Section 4 as a result of any issuance of securities in connection with the Business Combination. The Company shall adjust the terms of the Warrants in a manner that is consistent with any adjustment recommended in such opinion.

 

5.                                      Transfer and Exchange of Warrants.

 

5.1.                            Registration of Transfer. The Warrant Agent shall register the transfer, from time to time, of any outstanding Warrant upon the Warrant Register, upon surrender of such Warrant for transfer, properly endorsed with signatures properly guaranteed and accompanied by appropriate instructions for transfer. Upon any such transfer, a new Warrant representing an equal aggregate number of Warrants shall be issued and the old Warrant shall be cancelled by the Warrant Agent. The Warrants so cancelled shall be delivered by the Warrant Agent to the Company from time to time upon request.

 

5.2.                            Procedure for Surrender of Warrants. Warrants may be surrendered to the Warrant Agent, together with a written request for exchange or transfer, and thereupon the Warrant Agent shall issue in exchange therefor one or more new Warrants as requested by the registered holder of the Warrants so surrendered, representing an equal aggregate number of Warrants; provided, however, that in the event that a Warrant surrendered for transfer bears a restrictive legend, the Warrant Agent shall not cancel such Warrant and issue new Warrants in exchange therefor until the Warrant Agent has received an opinion of counsel for the Company stating that such transfer may be made and indicating whether the new Warrants must also bear a restrictive legend.

 

5.3.                            Fractional Warrants. The Warrant Agent shall not be required to effect any registration of transfer or exchange which will result in the issuance of a warrant certificate or book-entry position for a fraction of a warrant.

 

5.4.                            Service Charges. No service charge shall be made for any exchange or registration of transfer of Warrants.

 

5.5.                            Warrant Execution and Countersignature. The Warrant Agent is hereby authorized to countersign and to deliver, in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, the Warrants required to be issued pursuant to the provisions of this Section 5, and the Company,

 

11

 

whenever required by the Warrant Agent, will supply the Warrant Agent with Warrants duly executed on behalf of the Company for such purpose.

 

5.6.                            Private Placement Warrants. The Warrant Agent shall not register any transfer of Private Placement Warrants until the 31st day after the consummation by the Company of an initial Business Combination, except for transfers (a) to the Company’s officers or directors, any affiliates or family members of any of the Company’s officers or directors, any members or partners of the Sponsor, or any affiliates of the Sponsor or any of its members or partners, or CF & Co.’s officers, directors and direct and indirect equityholders; (b) in the case of an individual, by gift to a member of one of the members of the individual’s immediate family or to a trust, the beneficiary of which is a member of one of the individual’s immediate family, an affiliate of such person or to a charitable organization; (c) in the case of an individual, by virtue of laws of descent and distribution upon death of the individual; (d) in the case of an individual, pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order; (e) by private sales or transfers made in connection with the consummation of a Business Combination at prices no greater than the price at which the Private Placement Warrants were originally purchased; (f) in the event of a Company liquidation prior to a completion of a Business Combination; (g) to the Company for no value for cancellation; or (h) by virtue of the laws of Delaware or either of the Sponsors’ operating agreements; provided, however, that in the case of clauses (a) through (e) these permitted transferees must enter into a written agreement agreeing to be bound by these transfer restrictions.

 

6.                                      Redemption.

 

6.1.                            Redemption. Subject to Section 6.4 hereof, not less than all of the outstanding Public Warrants may be redeemed, at the option of the Company, at any time while they are exercisable and prior to their expiration (so long as there is a current registration statement in effect with respect to the shares of Common Stock underlying the Warrants), at the office of the Warrant Agent, upon the notice referred to in Section 6.2, at the price of $0.01 per Warrant (“Redemption Price”), provided that the last sales price of the Common Stock equals or exceeds $24.00 per share (subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 4 hereof), on each of twenty (20) trading days within any thirty (30) trading day period (“30-Day Trading Period”) ending on the third business day prior to the date on which notice of redemption is given and provided further that there is a current registration statement in effect with respect to the Common Stock underlying the Public Warrants commencing five business days prior to the 30-Day Trading Period and continuing each day thereafter until the Redemption Date (defined below); provided, however, in the event there was no actual trading of the Common Stock for any day within such 30-Day Trading Period, then the closing bid price on such day must exceed $24.00 per share to count.

 

6.2.                            Date Fixed for, and Notice of, Redemption. In the event the Company shall elect to redeem all of the Public Warrants, the Company shall fix a date for the redemption (the “Redemption Date”). Notice of redemption shall be mailed by first class mail, postage prepaid, by the Company not less than 30 days prior to the Redemption Date to the registered holders of the Warrants to be redeemed at their last addresses as they shall appear on the registration books. Any notice mailed in the manner herein provided shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given whether or not the registered holder received such notice.

 

12

 

6.3.                            Exercise After Notice of Redemption. The Public Warrants may be exercised, for cash (or on a “cashless basis” in accordance with Section 3 of this Agreement) at any time after notice of redemption shall have been given by the Company pursuant to Section 6.2 hereof and prior to the Redemption Date. In the event the Company determines to require all holders of Public Warrants to exercise their Warrants on a “cashless basis” pursuant to Section 3.3.1(b), the notice of redemption will contain the information necessary to calculate the number of shares of Common Stock to be received upon exercise of the Warrants, including the “Fair Market Value” in such case. On and after the Redemption Date, the record holder of the Warrants shall have no further rights except to receive, upon surrender of the Warrants, the Redemption Price.

 

6.4.                            Exclusion of Private Placement Warrants. The Company agrees that the redemption rights provided in this Section 6 shall not apply to the Private Placement Warrants if at the time of the redemption such Private Placement Warrants continue to be held by the Sponsor, CF & Co. or their permitted transferees. However, once such Private Placement Warrants are transferred (other than to permitted transferees under Section 5.6), the Company may redeem the Private Placement Warrants in the same manner as the Public Warrants.

 

7.                                      Other Provisions Relating to Rights of Holders of Warrants.

 

7.1.                            No Rights as Stockholder. A Warrant does not entitle the registered holder thereof to any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right to receive dividends, or other distributions, exercise any preemptive rights to vote or to consent or to receive notice as stockholders in respect of the meetings of stockholders or the election of directors of the Company or any other matter.

 

7.2.                            Lost, Stolen, Mutilated, or Destroyed Warrants. If any Warrant is lost, stolen, mutilated, or destroyed, the Company and the Warrant Agent may on such terms as to indemnity or otherwise as they may in their discretion impose (which shall, in the case of a mutilated Warrant, include the surrender thereof), issue a new Warrant of like denomination, tenor, and date as the Warrant so lost, stolen, mutilated, or destroyed. Any such new Warrant shall constitute a substitute contractual obligation of the Company, whether or not the allegedly lost, stolen, mutilated, or destroyed Warrant shall be at any time enforceable by anyone.

 

7.3.                            Reservation of Shares of Common Stock. The Company shall at all times reserve and keep available a number of its authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock that will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding Warrants issued pursuant to this Agreement.

 

7.4.                            Registration of Shares of Common Stock. The Company agrees that as soon as practicable after the closing of its initial Business Combination but in no event later than 30 days after the closing, it shall use its best efforts to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission a registration statement for the registration, under the Act, of the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants, and it shall use its best efforts to take such action as is necessary to register or qualify for sale, in those states in which the Warrants were initially offered by the Company, the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants, to the extent an exemption is not available. The Company will use its best efforts to cause the same to become effective and to maintain the effectiveness of such registration statement until the

 

13

 

expiration of the Warrants in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. In addition, the Company agrees to use its best efforts to register such securities under the blue sky laws of the states of residence of the exercising warrant holders (in those states in which the Warrants were initially offered by the Company) to the extent an exemption is not available. If any such registration statement has not been declared effective by the 90th day following the closing of the Business Combination, holders of the Warrants shall have the right, during the period beginning on the 91st day after the closing of the Business Combination and ending upon such registration statement being declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission, and during any other period when the Company shall fail to have maintained an effective registration statement covering the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants, to exercise such Warrants on a “cashless basis” as determined in accordance with Section 3.3.1(d). The Company shall provide the Warrant Agent with an opinion of counsel for the Company (which shall be an outside law firm with securities law experience) stating that (i) the exercise of the Warrants on a cashless basis in accordance with this Section 7.4 is not required to be registered under the Act and (ii) the shares of Common Stock issued upon such exercise will be freely tradable under U.S. federal securities laws by anyone who is not an affiliate (as such term is defined in Rule 144 under the Act) of the Company and, accordingly, will not be required to bear a restrictive legend. For the avoidance of any doubt, unless and until all of the Warrants have been exercised on a cashless basis, the Company shall continue to be obligated to comply with its registration obligations under the first three sentences of this Section 7.4. The provisions of this Section 7.4 may not be modified, amended or deleted without the prior written consent of CF & Co. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, any Additional Warrants shall not be entitled to the rights set forth in this Section 7.4 and any rights to registration of the shares of Common Stock upon exercise of Additional Warrants shall be set forth in a separate agreement between the holders of such Additional Warrants and the Company.

 

8.                                      Concerning the Warrant Agent and Other Matters.

 

8.1.                            Payment of Taxes. The Company will from time to time promptly pay all taxes and charges that may be imposed upon the Company or the Warrant Agent in respect of the issuance or delivery of shares of Common Stock upon the exercise of Warrants, but the Company shall not be obligated to pay any transfer taxes in respect of the Warrants or such shares.

 

8.2.                            Resignation, Consolidation, or Merger of Warrant Agent.

 

8.2.1.                  Appointment of Successor Warrant Agent. The Warrant Agent, or any successor to it hereafter appointed, may resign its duties and be discharged from all further duties and liabilities hereunder after giving sixty (60) days’ notice in writing to the Company. If the office of the Warrant Agent becomes vacant by resignation or incapacity to act or otherwise, the Company shall appoint in writing a successor Warrant Agent in place of the Warrant Agent. If the Company shall fail to make such appointment within a period of 30 days after it has been notified in writing of such resignation or incapacity by the Warrant Agent or by the holder of the Warrant (who shall, with such notice, submit his Warrant for inspection by the Company), then the holder of any Warrant may apply to the Supreme Court of the State of New York for the County of New York for the appointment of a successor Warrant Agent at the Company’s cost. Any successor Warrant Agent, whether appointed by the Company or by such court, shall be a

 

14

 

corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of New York, in good standing and having its principal office in the Borough of Manhattan, City and State of New York, and authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust powers and subject to supervision or examination by federal or state authority. After appointment, any successor Warrant Agent shall be vested with all the authority, powers, rights, immunities, duties, and obligations of its predecessor Warrant Agent with like effect as if originally named as Warrant Agent hereunder, without any further act or deed; but if for any reason it becomes necessary or appropriate, the predecessor Warrant Agent shall execute and deliver, at the expense of the Company, an instrument transferring to such successor Warrant Agent all the authority, powers, and rights of such predecessor Warrant Agent hereunder; and upon request of any successor Warrant Agent the Company shall make, execute, acknowledge, and deliver any and all instruments in writing for more fully and effectually vesting in and confirming to such successor Warrant Agent all such authority, powers, rights, immunities, duties, and obligations.

 

8.2.2.                  Notice of Successor Warrant Agent. In the event a successor Warrant Agent shall be appointed, the Company shall give notice thereof to the predecessor Warrant Agent and the transfer agent for the shares of Common Stock not later than the effective date of any such appointment.

 

8.2.3.                  Merger or Consolidation of Warrant Agent. Any corporation into which the Warrant Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated or any corporation resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Warrant Agent shall be a party shall be the successor Warrant Agent under this Agreement without any further act.

 

8.3.                     Fees and Expenses of Warrant Agent.

 

8.3.1.                  Remuneration. The Company agrees to pay the Warrant Agent reasonable remuneration for its services as such Warrant Agent hereunder and will reimburse the Warrant Agent upon demand for all expenditures that the Warrant Agent may reasonably incur in the execution of its duties hereunder.

 

8.3.2.                  Further Assurances. The Company agrees to perform, execute, acknowledge, and deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged, and delivered all such further and other acts, instruments, and assurances as may reasonably be required by the Warrant Agent for the carrying out or performing of the provisions of this Agreement.

 

8.4.                     Liability of Warrant Agent.

 

8.4.1.                  Reliance on Company Statement. Whenever in the performance of its duties under this Warrant Agreement, the Warrant Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter be proved or established by the Company prior to taking or suffering any action hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and established by a statement signed by the Chief Executive Officer or Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Company and delivered to the Warrant Agent. The Warrant Agent may rely upon such statement for any action taken or suffered in good faith by it pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement.

 

15

 

8.4.2.                  Indemnity. The Warrant Agent shall be liable hereunder only for its own gross negligence, willful misconduct or bad faith. The Company agrees to indemnify the Warrant Agent and save it harmless against any and all liabilities, including judgments, costs and reasonable counsel fees, for anything done or omitted by the Warrant Agent in the execution of this Agreement except as a result of the Warrant Agent’s gross negligence, willful misconduct, or bad faith.

 

8.4.3.                  Exclusions. The Warrant Agent shall have no responsibility with respect to the validity of this Agreement or with respect to the validity or execution of any Warrant (except its countersignature thereof); nor shall it be responsible for any breach by the Company of any covenant or condition contained in this Agreement or in any Warrant; nor shall it be responsible to make any adjustments required under the provisions of Section 4 hereof or responsible for the manner, method, or amount of any such adjustment or the ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require any such adjustment; nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any shares of Common Stock to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Warrant or as to whether any shares of Common Stock will, when issued, be valid and fully paid and nonassessable.

 

8.5.                            Acceptance of Agency. The Warrant Agent hereby accepts the agency established by this Agreement and agrees to perform the same upon the terms and conditions herein set forth and among other things, shall account promptly to the Company with respect to Warrants exercised and concurrently account for, and pay to the Company, all monies received by the Warrant Agent for the purchase of shares of Common Stock through the exercise of Warrants.

 

9.                                      Miscellaneous Provisions.

 

9.1.                            Successors. All the covenants and provisions of this Agreement by or for the benefit of the Company or the Warrant Agent shall bind and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns.

 

9.2.                            Notices. Any notice, statement or demand authorized by this Warrant Agreement to be given or made by the Warrant Agent or by the holder of any Warrant to or on the Company shall be sufficiently given when so delivered if by hand or overnight delivery or if sent by certified mail or private courier service within five days after deposit of such notice, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing by the Company with the Warrant Agent), as follows:

 

Infrastructure and Energy Alternatives, Inc.
 2647 Waterfront Parkway East Drive, Suite 100
 Indianapolis, Indiana 46214
 Attn: Chief Financial Officer

 

Any notice, statement or demand authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the holder of any Warrant or by the Company to or on the Warrant Agent shall be sufficiently given when so delivered if by hand or overnight delivery or if sent by certified mail or private courier

 

16

 

service within five days after deposit of such notice, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing by the Warrant Agent with the Company), as follows:

 

Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company
 17 Battery Place
 New York, New York 10004
 Attn: Compliance Department

 

9.3.                            Applicable Law. The validity, interpretation, and performance of this Agreement and of the Warrants shall be governed in all respects by the laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to conflicts of law principles that would result in the application of the substantive laws of another jurisdiction. The Company hereby agrees that any action, proceeding or claim against it arising out of or relating in any way to this Agreement shall be brought and enforced in the courts of the State of New York or the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and irrevocably submits to such jurisdiction, which jurisdiction shall be exclusive. The Company hereby waives any objection to such exclusive jurisdiction and that such courts represent an inconvenient forum. Any such process or summons to be served upon the Company may be served by transmitting a copy thereof by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, addressed to it at the address set forth in Section 9.2 hereof. Such mailing shall be deemed personal service and shall be legal and binding upon the Company in any action, proceeding or claim.

 

9.4.                            Persons Having Rights under this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement expressed and nothing that may be implied from any of the provisions hereof is intended, or shall be construed, to confer upon, or give to, any person or corporation other than the parties hereto and the registered holders of the Warrants and, for purposes of Sections 2.5, 6.4, 7.4, 9.4 and 9.8 hereof, CF & Co., any right, remedy, or claim under or by reason of this Warrant Agreement or of any covenant, condition, stipulation, promise, or agreement hereof. CF & Co. shall be deemed to be a third party beneficiary of this Agreement with respect to Sections 2.5, 6.4, 7.4, 9.4 and 9.8 hereof. All covenants, conditions, stipulations, promises, and agreements contained in this Warrant Agreement shall be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the parties hereto (and CF & Co. with respect to Sections 2.5, 6.4, 7.4, 9.4 and 9.8 hereof) and their successors and assigns and of the registered holders of the Warrants.

 

9.5.                            Examination of the Warrant Agreement. A copy of this Agreement shall be available at all reasonable times at the office of the Warrant Agent in the Borough of Manhattan, City and State of New York, for inspection by the registered holder of any Warrant. The Warrant Agent may require any such holder to submit his Warrant for inspection by it.

 

9.6.                            Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of original or facsimile counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.

 

9.7.                            Effect of Headings. The Section headings herein are for convenience only and are not part of this Warrant Agreement and shall not affect the interpretation thereof.

 

17

 

9.8.                                   Amendments. This Agreement may be amended by the parties hereto without the consent of any registered holder for the purpose of curing any ambiguity, or of curing, correcting or supplementing any defective provision contained herein or adding or changing any other provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under this Agreement as the parties may deem necessary or desirable and that the parties deem shall not adversely affect the interest of the registered holders. All other modifications or amendments, including any amendment to increase the Warrant Price or shorten the Exercise Period, shall require the written consent or vote of the registered holders of at least 65% of the then outstanding Public Warrants. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company may lower the Warrant Price or extend the duration of the Exercise Period pursuant to Sections 3.1 and 3.2, respectively, without the consent of the registered holders. The provisions of this Section 9.8 may not be modified, amended or deleted without the prior written consent of CF & Co.

 

9.9.                                   Trust Account Waiver. The Warrant Agent acknowledges and agrees that it shall not make any claims or proceed against the trust account established by the Company in connection with the Public Offering (as more fully described in the Registration Statement) (“Trust Account”), including by way of set-off, and shall not be entitled to any funds in the Trust Account under any circumstance. In the event that the Warrant Agent has a claim against the Company under this Agreement, the Warrant Agent will pursue such claim solely against the Company and not against the property held in the Trust Account.

 

9.10.                            Severability. This Agreement shall be deemed severable, and the invalidity or unenforceability of any term or provision hereof shall not affect the validity or enforceability of this Warrant Agreement or of any other term or provision hereof. Furthermore, in lieu of any such invalid or unenforceable term or provision, the parties hereto intend that there shall be added as a part of this Agreement a provision as similar in terms to such invalid or unenforceable provision as may be possible and be valid and enforceable.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Agreement has been duly executed by the parties hereto as of the day and year first above written.

 

18

 

	
 
    	
INFRASTRUCTURE   AND ENERGY ALTERNATIVES, INC.
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:
    	
/s/ John P. Roehm
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Name:   John P. Roehm
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Title:   President
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
CONTINENTAL   STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:
    	
/s/ Henry Farrell
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Name:   Henry Farrell
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
Title:   Vice President
    

 

[Signature Page to Amended and Restated Warrant Agreement]

 

 

EXHIBIT A

 

[Form of Warrant Certificate]

 

[FACE]

 

Number

 

Warrants

 

THIS WARRANT SHALL BE VOID IF NOT EXERCISED PRIOR TO THE EXPIRATION OF THE EXERCISE PERIOD PROVIDED FOR IN THE WARRANT AGREEMENT DESCRIBED BELOW

 

INFRASTRUCTURE AND ENERGY ALTERNATIVES, INC.

(F/K/A M III ACQUISITION CORP.)

Incorporated Under the Laws of the State of Delaware

 

CUSIP 45686J 112

 

Warrant Certificate

 

This Warrant Certificate certifies that                                             , or registered assigns, is the registered holder of        warrant(s) evidenced hereby (the “Warrants” and each, a “Warrant”) to purchase shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”), of Infrastructure and Energy Alternatives, Inc. (f/k/a M III Acquisition Corp.), a Delaware corporation (the “Company”). Each Warrant entitles the holder, upon exercise during the period set forth in the Warrant Agreement referred to below, to receive from the Company that number of fully paid and nonassessable shares of Common Stock as set forth below, at the exercise price (the “Exercise Price”) as determined pursuant to the Warrant Agreement, payable in lawful money (or through “cashless exercise” as provided for in the Warrant Agreement) of the United States of America upon surrender of this Warrant Certificate and payment of the Exercise Price at the office or agency of the Warrant Agent referred to below, subject to the conditions set forth herein and in the Warrant Agreement. Defined terms used in this Warrant Certificate but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Warrant Agreement.

 

Each Warrant is initially exercisable for one half of one fully paid and non-assessable share of Common Stock. The number of the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants is subject to adjustment upon the occurrence of certain events set forth in the Warrant Agreement.

 

The initial Exercise Price per half share of Common Stock for any Warrant is equal to  $5.75 per half share; provided, however, that a Warrant may not be exercised for a fractional share, so that only an even number of Warrants may be exercised at a given time. The Exercise Price is subject to adjustment upon the occurrence of certain events set forth in the Warrant Agreement.

 

A-1

 

Subject to the conditions set forth in the Warrant Agreement, the Warrants may be exercised only during the Exercise Period and to the extent not exercised by the end of such Exercise Period, such Warrants shall become void.

 

Reference is hereby made to the further provisions of this Warrant Certificate set forth on the reverse hereof and such further provisions shall for all purposes have the same effect as though fully set forth at this place.

 

This Warrant Certificate shall not be valid unless countersigned by the Warrant Agent, as such term is used in the Warrant Agreement.

 

This Warrant Certificate shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York, without regard to conflicts of laws principles thereof.

 

	
 
    	
INFRASTRUCTURE   AND ENERGY ALTERNATIVES, INC.
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:
    	
/s/   John P. Roehm
    
	
 
    	
Name:
    	
John   P. Roehm
    
	
 
    	
Title:
    	
President
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
CONTINENTAL   STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY, as Warrant Agent
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:
    	
/s/   Henry Farrell
    
	
 
    	
Name:
    	
Henry   Farrell
    
	
 
    	
Title:
    	
Vice   President
    

 

A-2

 

[Form of Warrant Certificate]

 

[Reverse]

 

The Warrants evidenced by this Warrant Certificate are part of a duly authorized issue of Warrants entitling the holder on exercise to receive shares of Common Stock and are issued or to be issued pursuant to an Amended and Restated Warrant Agreement dated as of March 26, 2018 (the “Warrant Agreement”), duly executed and delivered by the Company to Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, a New York corporation, as warrant agent (the “Warrant Agent”), which Warrant Agreement is hereby incorporated by reference in and made a part of this instrument and is hereby referred to for a description of the rights, limitation of rights, obligations, duties and immunities thereunder of the Warrant Agent, the Company and the holders (the words “holders” or “holder” meaning the Registered Holders or Registered Holder) of the Warrants. A copy of the Warrant Agreement may be obtained by the holder hereof upon written request to the Company. Defined terms used in this Warrant Certificate but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Warrant Agreement.

 

Warrants may be exercised at any time during the Exercise Period set forth in the Warrant Agreement. The holder of Warrants evidenced by this Warrant Certificate may exercise them by surrendering this Warrant Certificate, with the form of election to purchase set forth hereon properly completed and executed, together with payment of the Exercise Price as specified in the Warrant Agreement (or through “cashless exercise” as provided for in the Warrant Agreement) at the principal corporate trust office of the Warrant Agent. In the event that upon any exercise of Warrants evidenced hereby the number of Warrants exercised shall be less than the total number of Warrants evidenced hereby, there shall be issued to the holder hereof or his, her or its assignee, a new Warrant Certificate evidencing the number of Warrants not exercised.

 

Notwithstanding anything else in this Warrant Certificate or the Warrant Agreement, no Warrant may be exercised, except through “cashless exercise” as provided for in the Warrant Agreement, unless at the time of exercise (i) a registration statement covering the shares of Common Stock to be issued upon exercise is effective under the Securities Act, (ii) a prospectus thereunder relating to the shares of Common Stock is current, or (iii) in the case of any Additional Warrants, if, in the Company’s sole determination, an exemption from the registration requirements under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, is available with respect thereto.

 

The Warrant Agreement provides that upon the occurrence of certain events the number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants set forth on the face hereof may, subject to certain conditions, be adjusted. If, upon exercise of a Warrant, the holder thereof would be entitled to receive a fractional interest in a share of Common Stock, the Company shall, upon exercise, round down to the nearest whole number of shares of Common Stock to be issued to the holder of the Warrant.

 

Warrant Certificates, when surrendered at the principal corporate trust office of the Warrant Agent by the Registered Holder thereof in person or by legal representative or attorney duly authorized in writing, may be exchanged, in the manner and subject to the limitations provided in the Warrant Agreement, but without payment of any service charge, for another

 

A-3

 

Warrant Certificate or Warrant Certificates of like tenor evidencing in the aggregate a like number of Warrants.

 

Upon due presentation for registration of transfer of this Warrant Certificate at the office of the Warrant Agent, a new Warrant Certificate or Warrant Certificates of like tenor and evidencing in the aggregate a like number of Warrants shall be issued to the transferee(s) in exchange for this Warrant Certificate, subject to the limitations provided in the Warrant Agreement, without charge except for any tax or other governmental charge imposed in connection therewith.

 

The Company and the Warrant Agent may deem and treat the Registered Holder(s) hereof as the absolute owner(s) of this Warrant Certificate (notwithstanding any notation of ownership or other writing hereon made by anyone) for the purpose of any exercise hereof, of any distribution to the holder(s) hereof, and for all other purposes, and neither the Company nor the Warrant Agent shall be affected by any notice to the contrary. Neither the Warrants nor this Warrant Certificate entitles any holder hereof to any rights of a stockholder of the Company.

 

Election to Purchase

 

(To Be Executed Upon Exercise of Warrant)

 

The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise the right, represented by this Warrant Certificate, to receive shares of Common Stock and herewith tenders payment for such shares to the order of Infrastructure and Energy Alternatives, Inc. (the “Company”) in the amount of $[    ] in accordance with the terms hereof. The undersigned requests that a certificate for such shares be registered in the name of [                       ], whose address is [                                      ] and that such shares be delivered to whose address is  [                            ]. If said number of shares is less than all of the shares of Common Stock purchasable hereunder, the undersigned requests that a new Warrant Certificate representing the remaining balance of such shares be registered in the name of [                            ], whose address is [                                       ], and that such Warrant Certificate be delivered to [                             ], whose address is [                                        ].

 

In the event that the Warrant has been called for redemption by the Company pursuant to Section 6 of the Warrant Agreement and the Company has required cashless exercise pursuant to Section 6.3 of the Warrant Agreement, the number of shares that this Warrant is exercisable for shall be determined in accordance with subsection 3.3.1(b) and Section 6.3 of the Warrant Agreement.

 

In the event that the Warrant is a Private Placement Warrant that is to be exercised on a “cashless” basis pursuant to subsection 3.3.1(c) of the Warrant Agreement, the number of shares that this Warrant is exercisable for shall be determined in accordance with subsection 3.3.1(c) of the Warrant Agreement.

 

In the event that the Warrant is to be exercised on a “cashless” basis pursuant to Section 3.3.1 of the Warrant Agreement, the number of shares that this Warrant is exercisable for shall be determined in accordance with Section 3.3.1 of the Warrant Agreement.

 

A-4

 

In the event that the Warrant may be exercised, to the extent allowed by the Warrant Agreement, through cashless exercise (i) the number of shares that this Warrant is exercisable for would be determined in accordance with the relevant section of the Warrant Agreement which allows for such cashless exercise and (ii) the holder hereof shall complete the following: The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise the right, represented by this Warrant Certificate, through the cashless exercise provisions of the Warrant Agreement, to receive shares of Common Stock. If said number of shares is less than all of the shares of Common Stock purchasable hereunder (after giving effect to the cashless exercise), the undersigned requests that a new Warrant Certificate representing the remaining balance of such shares be registered in the name of [                                      ], whose address is [                                      ], and that such Warrant Certificate be delivered to [                                      ], whose address is  [                                                              ].

 

[Signature Page Follows]

 

A-5

 

	
Date:                                     ,   20
    	
 
    	
(Signature)
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
(Address)
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
(Tax   Identification Number)
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Signature Guaranteed:
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
THE   SIGNATURE(S) SHOULD BE GUARANTEED BY AN ELIGIBLE GUARANTOR INSTITUTION (BANKS,   STOCKBROKERS, SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATIONS AND CREDIT UNIONS WITH MEMBERSHIP   IN AN APPROVED SIGNATURE GUARANTEE MEDALLION PROGRAM, PURSUANT TO S.E.C. RULE   17Ad-15).
    

 

A-6Exhibit 10.1

 

Published CUSIP Numbers:

Deal: 44949EAA9

Revolver: 44949EAB7

Term Loan: 44949EAC5

 

CREDIT AGREEMENT

 

Dated as of March 26, 2018

 

among

 

WIND MERGER SUB I, INC.,

as the Initial Borrower,

 

IEA ENERGY SERVICES LLC,

as the Borrower after giving effect to the Closing Date Merger,

 

THE GUARANTORS PARTY HERETO,

 

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,

as Administrative Agent, Swingline Lender and L/C Issuer,

 

and

 

THE OTHER LENDERS PARTY HERETO

 

Arranged By:

 

BANK OF AMERICA MERRILL LYNCH and

CADENCE BANK, N.A.,

as Joint Lead Arrangers and Joint Bookrunners

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

	
ARTICLE I   DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS
    	
1
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
1.01
    	
Defined Terms
    	
1
    
	
1.02
    	
Other Interpretive Provisions
    	
32
    
	
1.03
    	
Accounting Terms
    	
33
    
	
1.04
    	
Rounding
    	
34
    
	
1.05
    	
Times of Day; Rates
    	
34
    
	
1.06
    	
Letter of Credit   Amounts
    	
34
    
	
1.07
    	
Limited Condition   Acquisitions
    	
34
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
ARTICLE II THE   COMMITMENTS AND CREDIT EXTENSIONS
    	
36
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
2.01
    	
Revolving Loans and   Term Loan
    	
36
    
	
2.02
    	
Borrowings, Conversions   and Continuations of Loans
    	
37
    
	
2.03
    	
Letters of Credit
    	
38
    
	
2.04
    	
Swingline Loans
    	
47
    
	
2.05
    	
Prepayments
    	
49
    
	
2.06
    	
Termination or   Reduction of Aggregate Revolving Commitments
    	
52
    
	
2.07
    	
Repayment of Loans
    	
53
    
	
2.08
    	
Interest
    	
53
    
	
2.09
    	
Fees
    	
54
    
	
2.10
    	
Computation of Interest   and Fees
    	
55
    
	
2.11
    	
Evidence of Debt
    	
55
    
	
2.12
    	
Payments Generally;   Administrative Agent’s Clawback
    	
56
    
	
2.13
    	
Sharing of Payments by   Lenders
    	
57
    
	
2.14
    	
Cash Collateral
    	
58
    
	
2.15
    	
Defaulting Lenders
    	
59
    
	
2.16
    	
Incremental Facility   Loans
    	
61
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
ARTICLE III TAXES,   YIELD PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY
    	
63
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
3.01
    	
Taxes
    	
63
    
	
3.02
    	
Illegality
    	
68
    
	
3.03
    	
Inability to Determine   Rates
    	
68
    
	
3.04
    	
Increased Costs;   Reserves on Eurodollar Rate Loans
    	
69
    
	
3.05
    	
Compensation for Losses
    	
70
    
	
3.06
    	
Mitigation Obligations;   Replacement of Lenders
    	
71
    
	
3.07
    	
Successor LIBOR
    	
71
    
	
3.08
    	
Survival
    	
72
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
ARTICLE IV   CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO CREDIT EXTENSIONS
    	
73
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
4.01
    	
Conditions of Initial   Credit Extension
    	
73
    
	
4.02
    	
Conditions to all   Credit Extensions
    	
76
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
ARTICLE V   REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
    	
76
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
5.01
    	
Existence,   Qualification and Power
    	
76
    
	
5.02
    	
Authorization; No   Contravention
    	
77
    
	
5.03
    	
Governmental   Authorization; Other Consents
    	
77
    
	
5.04
    	
Binding Effect
    	
77
    
	
5.05
    	
Financial Statements;   No Material Adverse Effect
    	
77
    
	
5.06
    	
Litigation
    	
78
    

 

i

 

	
5.07
    	
No Default
    	
78
    
	
5.08
    	
Ownership of Property
    	
78
    
	
5.09
    	
Environmental   Compliance
    	
78
    
	
5.10
    	
Insurance
    	
79
    
	
5.11
    	
Taxes
    	
79
    
	
5.12
    	
ERISA Compliance
    	
79
    
	
5.13
    	
Subsidiaries
    	
80
    
	
5.14
    	
Margin Regulations;   Investment Company Act
    	
80
    
	
5.15
    	
Disclosure
    	
81
    
	
5.16
    	
Compliance with Laws
    	
81
    
	
5.17
    	
Intellectual Property;   Licenses, Etc.
    	
81
    
	
5.18
    	
Solvency
    	
82
    
	
5.19
    	
Perfection of Security   Interests in the Collateral
    	
82
    
	
5.20
    	
Business Locations;   Taxpayer Identification Number
    	
82
    
	
5.21
    	
OFAC
    	
82
    
	
5.22
    	
Anti-Corruption Laws
    	
82
    
	
5.23
    	
Use of Proceeds
    	
82
    
	
5.24
    	
No EEA Financial   Institution
    	
82
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
ARTICLE VI   AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS
    	
83
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
6.01
    	
Financial Statements
    	
83
    
	
6.02
    	
Certificates; Other   Information
    	
84
    
	
6.03
    	
Notices
    	
85
    
	
6.04
    	
Payment of Taxes
    	
86
    
	
6.05
    	
Preservation of   Existence, Etc.
    	
86
    
	
6.06
    	
Maintenance of   Properties
    	
86
    
	
6.07
    	
Maintenance of   Insurance
    	
86
    
	
6.08
    	
Compliance with Laws
    	
87
    
	
6.09
    	
Books and Records
    	
87
    
	
6.10
    	
Inspection Rights
    	
87
    
	
6.11
    	
Use of Proceeds
    	
88
    
	
6.12
    	
ERISA Compliance
    	
88
    
	
6.13
    	
Additional Guarantors
    	
88
    
	
6.14
    	
Pledged Assets
    	
88
    
	
6.15
    	
Anti-Corruption Laws
    	
89
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
ARTICLE VII   NEGATIVE COVENANTS
    	
89
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
7.01
    	
Liens
    	
89
    
	
7.02
    	
Investments
    	
91
    
	
7.03
    	
Indebtedness
    	
91
    
	
7.04
    	
Fundamental Changes
    	
92
    
	
7.05
    	
Dispositions
    	
93
    
	
7.06
    	
Restricted Payments
    	
93
    
	
7.07
    	
Change in Nature of   Business
    	
94
    
	
7.08
    	
Transactions with   Affiliates
    	
94
    
	
7.09
    	
Burdensome Agreements
    	
94
    
	
7.10
    	
Use of Proceeds
    	
94
    
	
7.11
    	
Financial Covenants
    	
95
    
	
7.12
    	
Restrictions on Payment   of Earn-Out Obligations
    	
95
    
	
7.13
    	
Organization Documents;   Fiscal Year; Legal Name, State of Formation and Form of Entity
    	
95
    

 

ii

 

	
7.14
    	
Ownership of   Subsidiaries
    	
95
    
	
7.15
    	
Sale Leasebacks
    	
95
    
	
7.16
    	
Capital Expenditures
    	
95
    
	
7.17
    	
Restrictions on   Holdings
    	
96
    
	
7.18
    	
Sanctions
    	
96
    
	
7.19
    	
Anti-Corruption Laws
    	
96
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
ARTICLE VIII   EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES
    	
96
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
8.01
    	
Events of Default
    	
96
    
	
8.02
    	
Remedies Upon Event of   Default
    	
98
    
	
8.03
    	
Application of Funds
    	
99
    
	
8.04
    	
Right to Cure Financial   Covenant Defaults
    	
100
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
ARTICLE IX   ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
    	
101
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
9.01
    	
Appointment and   Authority
    	
101
    
	
9.02
    	
Rights as a Lender
    	
101
    
	
9.03
    	
Exculpatory Provisions
    	
101
    
	
9.04
    	
Reliance by   Administrative Agent
    	
102
    
	
9.05
    	
Delegation of Duties
    	
103
    
	
9.06
    	
Resignation of   Administrative Agent
    	
103
    
	
9.07
    	
Non-Reliance on   Administrative Agent and Other Lenders
    	
104
    
	
9.08
    	
No Other Duties; Etc.
    	
105
    
	
9.09
    	
Administrative Agent   May File Proofs of Claim; Credit Bidding
    	
105
    
	
9.10
    	
Collateral and Guaranty   Matters
    	
106
    
	
9.11
    	
Secured Cash Management   Agreements and Secured Hedge Agreements
    	
107
    
	
9.12
    	
ERISA Matters
    	
107
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
ARTICLE X GUARANTY
    	
109
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
10.01
    	
The Guaranty
    	
109
    
	
10.02
    	
Obligations   Unconditional
    	
109
    
	
10.03
    	
Reinstatement
    	
110
    
	
10.04
    	
Certain Additional   Waivers
    	
110
    
	
10.05
    	
Remedies
    	
110
    
	
10.06
    	
Rights of Contribution
    	
111
    
	
10.07
    	
Guarantee of Payment;   Continuing Guarantee
    	
111
    
	
10.08
    	
Keepwell
    	
112
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
ARTICLE XI   MISCELLANEOUS
    	
112
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
11.01
    	
Amendments, Etc.
    	
112
    
	
11.02
    	
Notices; Effectiveness;   Electronic Communications
    	
114
    
	
11.03
    	
No Waiver; Cumulative   Remedies; Enforcement
    	
116
    
	
11.04
    	
Expenses; Indemnity;   Damage Waiver
    	
117
    
	
11.05
    	
Payments Set Aside
    	
119
    
	
11.06
    	
Successors and Assigns
    	
119
    
	
11.07
    	
Treatment of Certain   Information; Confidentiality
    	
123
    
	
11.08
    	
Rights of Setoff
    	
124
    
	
11.09
    	
Interest Rate   Limitation
    	
125
    
	
11.10
    	
Counterparts;   Integration; Effectiveness
    	
125
    
	
11.11
    	
Survival of   Representations and Warranties
    	
125
    
	
11.12
    	
Severability
    	
126
    
	
11.13
    	
Replacement of Lenders
    	
126
    

 

iii

 

	
11.14
    	
Governing Law;   Jurisdiction; Etc.
    	
127
    
	
11.15
    	
Waiver of Jury Trial
    	
128
    
	
11.16
    	
No Advisory or   Fiduciary Responsibility
    	
128
    
	
11.17
    	
Electronic Execution of   Assignments and Certain Other Documents
    	
128
    
	
11.18
    	
USA PATRIOT Act Notice
    	
129
    
	
11.19
    	
Subordination of   Intercompany Indebtedness
    	
129
    
	
11.20
    	
Acknowledgement and   Consent to Bail-In of EEA Financial Institutions
    	
129
    
	
11.21
    	
Assumption and   Acknowledgment
    	
130
    
	
11.22
    	
ENTIRE AGREEMENT
    	
130
    

 

iv

 

	
SCHEDULES
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
2.01
    	
Commitments and Applicable Percentages
    
	
5.13
    	
Subsidiaries
    
	
5.17
    	
IP Rights
    
	
5.20(a)
    	
Locations of Real Property
    
	
5.20(b)
    	
Location of Chief Executive Office, Taxpayer Identification   Number, Etc.
    
	
5.20(c)
    	
Changes in Legal Name, State of Formation and   Structure
    
	
7.01
    	
Liens Existing on the Closing Date
    
	
7.02
    	
Investments Existing on the Closing Date
    
	
7.03-1
    	
Indebtedness Existing on the Closing Date
    
	
7.03-2
    	
Purchase Money Indebtedness Existing on the Closing   Date
    
	
7.03-3
    	
Backstopped Letters of Credit
    
	
11.02
    	
Certain Addresses for Notices
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
EXHIBITS
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
1.01
    	
Form of Secured Party Designation Notice
    
	
2.02
    	
Form of Loan Notice
    
	
2.04
    	
Form of Swingline Loan Notice
    
	
2.05
    	
Form of Notice of Loan Prepayment
    
	
2.11
    	
Form of Note
    
	
3.01
    	
Forms of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificates
    
	
6.02
    	
Form of Compliance Certificate
    
	
6.13
    	
Form of Joinder Agreement
    
	
11.06(b)
    	
Form of Assignment and Assumption
    
	
11.06(b)(iv)
    	
Form of Administrative Questionnaire
    
			

 

v

 

CREDIT AGREEMENT

 

This CREDIT AGREEMENT is entered into as of March 26, 2018 among WIND MERGER SUB I, INC., a Delaware corporation (prior to consummation of the Closing Date Merger, the “Initial Borrower”), IEA ENERGY SERVICES LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (f/k/a WIND MERGER SUB II, LLC; after giving effect to the Closing Date Merger, the “Borrower”), IEA INTERMEDIATE HOLDCO, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Holdings”), the other Guarantors, the Lenders and BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as Administrative Agent, Swingline Lender and L/C Issuer.

 

The Borrower has requested that the Lenders provide credit facilities for the purposes set forth herein, and the Lenders are willing to do so on the terms and conditions set forth herein.

 

In consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements herein contained, the parties hereto covenant and agree as follows:

 

ARTICLE I

 

DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS

 

1.01        Defined Terms.

 

As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:

 

“Acquisition”, by any Person, means the acquisition by such Person, in a single transaction or in a series of related transactions, of either (a) all or any substantial portion of the property of, or a line of business, division of or other business unit of, another Person or (b) at least a majority of the Voting Stock of another Person, in each case whether or not involving a merger or consolidation with such other Person.

 

“Administrative Agent” means Bank of America in its capacity as administrative agent under any of the Loan Documents, or any successor administrative agent.

 

“Administrative Agent’s Office” means the Administrative Agent’s address and, as appropriate, account as set forth on Schedule 11.02 or such other address or account as the Administrative Agent may from time to time notify the Borrower and the Lenders.

 

“Administrative Questionnaire” means an Administrative Questionnaire in substantially the form of Exhibit 11.06(b)(iv) or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.

 

“Affiliate” means, with respect to a specified Person, another Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, Controls or is Controlled by or is under common Control with the Person specified.

 

“Affiliate Real Property Lease” means that certain Amended and Restated Lease Agreement, dated October 20, 2017, between Clinton RE Holdings (Delaware), LLC and White Construction, Inc.

 

“Agent Fee Letter” the letter agreement, dated as of November 3, among IEA, Bank of America and MLPFS.

 

“Aggregate Revolving Commitments” means the Revolving Commitments of all the Lenders.  The initial amount of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments in effect on the Closing Date is $50,000,000.

 

 

“Agreement” means this Credit Agreement.

 

“All-In Yield” means, as to any Indebtedness, the yield thereof, whether in the form of interest rate, margin, original issue discount, upfront fees, a Eurodollar Rate or Base Rate floor or otherwise, in each case, incurred or payable by Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries generally to all lenders of such Indebtedness; provided that original issue discount and upfront fees shall be equated to interest rate assuming a 4-year life to maturity (or, if less, the stated life to maturity at the time of incurrence of the applicable Indebtedness); and provided, further, that “All-In Yield” shall not include arrangement, structuring, commitment, underwriting or other similar fees (regardless of whether paid in whole or in part to any lenders) not paid generally to all lenders of such Indebtedness.

 

“Applicable Percentage” means with respect to any Lender at any time, (a) with respect to such Lender’s Revolving Commitment at any time, the percentage (carried out to the ninth decimal place) of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments represented by such Lender’s Revolving Commitment at such time; provided that if the commitment of each Lender to make Revolving Loans and the obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions have been terminated pursuant to Section 8.02 or if the Aggregate Revolving Commitments have expired, then the Applicable Percentage of each Lender shall be determined based on the Applicable Percentage of such Lender most recently in effect, giving effect to any subsequent assignments, and (b) with respect to such Lender’s Term Loan Commitment and outstanding portion of the outstanding Term Loan at any time, the percentage (carried out to the ninth decimal place) of the aggregate amount of the Term Loan Commitments and the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Term Loan represented by such Lender’s Term Loan Commitment and outstanding principal amount of the Term Loan held by such Lender at such time; provided that if the Term Loan Commitments have been terminated pursuant to Section 8.02 or if the Term Loan Commitments have expired, then the Applicable Percentage of each Lender shall be determined based on the outstanding amount of the Term Loan, giving effect to any subsequent assignments.  The initial Applicable Percentage of each Lender is set forth opposite the name of such Lender on Schedule 2.01 or in the Assignment and Assumption or other documentation pursuant to which such Lender becomes a party hereto, as applicable.  The Applicable Percentages shall be subject to adjustment as provided in Section 2.15.

 

“Applicable Period” means, as of any date of determination, the period of four fiscal quarters most recently ended for which the Loan Parties have delivered or were required to deliver financial statements pursuant to Section 6.01(a) or (b); provided that, prior to the first date that financial statements have been or are required to be delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(a) or (b), the Applicable Period in effect shall be the period of four consecutive fiscal quarters of IEA ended December 31, 2017.

 

“Applicable Rate” means (i) with respect to Eurodollar Rate Loans, 3.00% per annum and (ii) with respect to Base Rate Loans, 2.00% per annum.

 

“Approved Fund” means any Fund that is administered or managed by (a) a Lender, (b) an Affiliate of a Lender or (c) an entity or an Affiliate of an entity that administers or manages a Lender.

 

“Arrangers” means Bank of America (an affiliate of MLPFS) and Cadence Bank, each in its capacity as joint lead arranger and joint bookrunner.

 

“Assignment and Assumption” means an assignment and assumption entered into by a Lender and an Eligible Assignee (with the consent of any party whose consent is required by Section 11.06(b)), and accepted by the Administrative Agent, in substantially the form of Exhibit 11.06(b) or any other form (including electronic documentation generated by use of an electronic platform) approved by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower.

 

2

 

“Attributable Indebtedness” means, with respect to any Person on any date, (a) in respect of any capital lease, the capitalized amount thereof that would appear on a balance sheet of such Person prepared as of such date in accordance with GAAP, (b) in respect of any Synthetic Lease Obligation, the capitalized amount of the remaining lease payments under the relevant lease that would appear on a balance sheet of such Person prepared as of such date in accordance with GAAP if such lease were accounted for as a capital lease, (c) in respect of any Securitization Transaction, the outstanding principal amount of such financing, after taking into account reserve accounts and making appropriate adjustments, determined by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable judgment and (d) in respect of any Sale and Leaseback Transaction, the present value (discounted in accordance with GAAP at the debt rate implied in the applicable lease) of the obligations of the lessee for rental payments during the term of such lease.

 

“Audited Financial Statements” means the audited consolidated balance sheet of IEA and its Subsidiaries for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017, and the related consolidated statements of income or operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows of IEA and its Subsidiaries for such fiscal year, including the notes thereto.

 

“Availability Period” means, (a) with respect to the Revolving Commitments, the period from and including the Closing Date to the earliest of (i) the Maturity Date, (ii) the date of termination of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments pursuant to Section 2.06, and (iii) the date of termination of the commitment of each Lender to make Loans and of the obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions pursuant to Section 8.02 and (b) with respect to the Term Loan Commitments, the period from the Closing Date to the earliest of (i) the Maturity Date, (ii) the date of termination of the Term Loan Commitments pursuant to Section 2.06 and (iii) the date of termination of the commitment of each Lender to make Loans pursuant to Section 8.02.

 

“Bail-In Action” means the exercise of any Write-Down and Conversion Powers by the applicable EEA Resolution Authority in respect of any liability of an EEA Financial Institution.

 

“Bail-In Legislation” means, with respect to any EEA Member Country implementing Article 55 of Directive 2014/59/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of the European Union, the implementing law for such EEA Member Country from time to time which is described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule.

 

“Bank of America” means Bank of America, N.A. and its successors.

 

“Base Rate” means for any day a fluctuating rate of interest per annum equal to the highest of (a) the Federal Funds Rate plus 0.50%, (b) the rate of interest in effect for such day as publicly announced from time to time by Bank of America as its “prime rate” and (c) the Eurodollar Rate plus 1.0%; provided that if the Base Rate shall be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed zero for purposes of this Agreement.  The “prime rate” is a rate set by Bank of America based upon various factors including Bank of America’s costs and desired return, general economic conditions and other factors, and is used as a reference point for pricing some loans, which may be priced at, above, or below such announced rate.  Any change in such “prime rate” announced by Bank of America shall take effect at the opening of business on the day specified in the public announcement of such change.

 

“Base Rate Loan” means a Loan that bears interest based on the Base Rate.

 

“Benefit Plan” means any of (a) an “employee benefit plan” (as defined in ERISA) that is subject to Title I of ERISA, (b) a “plan” as defined in Section 4975 of the Internal Revenue Code or (c) any Person whose assets include (for purposes of ERISA Section 3(42) or otherwise for purposes of Title I of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Internal Revenue Code) the assets of any such “employee benefit plan” or “plan”.

 

3

 

“Borrower” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph hereto.

 

“Borrower Materials” has the meaning specified in Section 6.02.

 

“Borrowing” means a borrowing consisting of simultaneous Loans of the same Type and, in the case of Eurodollar Rate Loans, having the same Interest Period made by each of the Lenders pursuant to Section 2.01.

 

“Business Day” means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks are authorized to close under the Laws of, or are in fact closed in, the state where the Administrative Agent’s Office is located and, if such day relates to any Eurodollar Rate Loan, means any such day that is also a day on which dealings in Dollar deposits are conducted by and between banks in the London interbank eurodollar market.

 

“Cadence Bank” means Cadence Bank, N.A.

 

“Cash Collateralize” means to pledge and deposit with or deliver to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of one or more of the L/C Issuer or the Lenders, as collateral for L/C Obligations or obligations of the Lenders to fund participations in respect of L/C Obligations, (a) cash or deposit account balances, (b) backstop letters of credit entered into on terms, from issuers and in amounts satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer and/or (c) if the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer shall agree in their sole discretion, other credit support, in each case pursuant to documentation in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer. “Cash Collateral” shall have a meaning correlative to the foregoing and shall include the proceeds of such cash collateral and other credit support.

 

“Cash Equivalents” means, as at any date, (a) securities issued or directly and fully guaranteed or insured by the United States or any agency or instrumentality thereof (provided that the full faith and credit of the United States is pledged in support thereof) (or, in the case of any Foreign Subsidiary, by any foreign government having an investment grade rating from either S&P or Moody’s (or the equivalent thereof)) having maturities of not more than twelve months from the date of acquisition, (b) Dollar (or, in the case of any Foreign Subsidiary, such local currencies held by it from time to time in the ordinary course of its business) denominated time deposits and certificates of deposit of any commercial bank that (i) is a Lender or (ii) (A) is organized under the laws of the United States, any state thereof, the District of Columbia or any member nation of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development or is the principal banking Subsidiary of a bank holding company organized under the laws of the United States, any state thereof, the District of Columbia or any member nation of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, and is a member of the Federal Reserve System and (B) has capital and surplus in excess of $500,000,000 or (iii) any bank whose short term commercial paper rating from S&P is at least A-1 or the equivalent thereof or from Moody’s is at least P-1 or the equivalent thereof (any such bank being an “Approved Bank”), in each case with maturities of not more than 270 days from the date of acquisition, (c) commercial paper and variable or fixed rate notes issued by any Approved Bank (or by the parent company thereof) or any variable rate notes issued by, or guaranteed by, any domestic corporation rated A-1 (or the equivalent thereof) or better by S&P or P-1 (or the equivalent thereof) or better by Moody’s and maturing within six months of the date of acquisition, (d) repurchase agreements entered into by any Person with a bank or trust company (including any of the Lenders) or recognized securities dealer having capital and surplus in excess of $500,000,000 for direct obligations issued by or fully guaranteed by the United States (or, in the case of any Foreign Subsidiary, Canada or any member nation of the European Union) in which such Person shall have a perfected first priority security interest (subject to no other Liens) and having, on the date of purchase thereof, a fair market value of at least 100% of the amount of the repurchase obligations and (e) investments, classified in accordance with GAAP as current assets, in money market investment

 

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programs registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 which are administered by reputable financial institutions having capital of at least $500,000,000 and the portfolios of which are limited to Investments of the character described in the foregoing subdivisions (a) through (d).

 

“Cash Management Agreement” means any agreement that is not prohibited by the terms hereof to provide treasury or cash management services, including deposit accounts, overnight draft, credit cards, debit cards, p-cards (including purchasing cards and commercial cards), funds transfer, automated clearinghouse, zero balance accounts, returned check concentration, controlled disbursement, lockbox, account reconciliation and reporting and trade finance services and other cash management services.

 

“Cash Management Bank” means any Person that (a) at the time it enters into a Cash Management Agreement, is a Lender or the Administrative Agent or an Affiliate of a Lender or the Administrative Agent, (b) in the case of any Cash Management Agreement in effect on or prior to the Closing Date, is, as of the Closing Date or within 30 days thereafter, a Lender or the Administrative Agent or an Affiliate of a Lender or the Administrative Agent and a party to a Cash Management Agreement or (c) within 30 days after the time it enters into the applicable Cash Management Agreement, becomes a Lender, the Administrative Agent or an Affiliate of a Lender or the Administrative Agent, in each case, in its capacity as a party to such Cash Management Agreement.

 

“Change in Law” means the occurrence, after the Closing Date, of any of the following: (a) the adoption or taking effect of any Law, (b) any change in any Law or in the administration, interpretation, implementation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority or (c) the making or issuance of any request, rule, guideline or directive (whether or not having the force of Law) by any Governmental Authority; provided that notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, (i) the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and all requests, rules, guidelines or directives thereunder or issued in connection therewith and (ii) all requests, rules, guidelines or directives promulgated by the Bank for International Settlements, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (or any successor or similar authority) or the United States or foreign regulatory authorities, in each case pursuant to Basel III, shall in each case be deemed to be a “Change in Law”, regardless of the date enacted, adopted or issued.

 

“Change of Control” means an event or series of events by which:

 

(a)           any “person” or “group” (as such terms are used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, but excluding any employee benefit plan of such person or its subsidiaries, and any person or entity acting in its capacity as trustee, agent or other fiduciary or administrator of any such plan) (other than Oaktree and its Controlled Investment Affiliates) becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, except that a person or group shall be deemed to have “beneficial ownership” of all Equity Interests that such person or group has the right to acquire, whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time (such right, an “option right”)), directly or indirectly, of Voting Stock of Pubco representing the greater of (i) 35% and (ii) more than Oaktree and its Controlled Investment Affiliates of the combined voting power of all Voting Stock of Pubco on a fully diluted basis (and taking into account all such securities that such person or group has the right to acquire pursuant to any option right); or

 

(b)           during any period of 24 consecutive months, a majority of the members of the board of directors or other equivalent governing body of Pubco cease to be composed of individuals (i) who were members of that board or equivalent governing body on the first day of such period, (ii) whose election or nomination to that board or equivalent governing body was approved by individuals referred to in clause (i) above constituting at the time of such election or nomination at least a majority of that board or equivalent governing body or (iii) whose election or nomination to

 

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that board or other equivalent governing body was approved by individuals referred to in clauses (i) and (ii) above constituting at the time of such election or nomination at least a majority of that board or equivalent governing body; or

 

(c)           Pubco shall cease to own and control, of record and beneficially, directly or indirectly, 100% of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of the Borrower on a fully diluted basis (which for this purpose shall exclude all Equity Interests that have not yet vested); or

 

(d)           Pubco shall cease to have the ability to elect (either through share ownership or contractual voting rights) a majority of the board of directors or equivalent governing body of the Borrower.

 

“Closing Date” means the date hereof.

 

“Closing Date Merger” means the Acquisition by Pubco of all the Equity Interests of IEA pursuant to the Closing Date Merger Documents whereby the Initial Borrower will merge with and into IEA, with IEA as the surviving entity (the “First Merger”), and then immediately after the First Merger, IEA will merge with and into the Borrower, with the Borrower as the surviving entity.

 

“Closing Date Merger Agreement” means that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of November 3, 2017, by and among IEA, Pubco, the Initial Borrower, the Borrower, Infrastructure and Energy Alternatives, LLC (the “Seller”), and Oaktree Opportunities Fund III Delaware, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, as the Seller’s representative in the Closing Date Merger.

 

“Closing Date Merger Documents” means the Closing Date Merger Agreement, and all other documents, agreements and instruments relating to the Closing Date Merger in each case including all schedules and exhibits thereto.

 

“Collateral” means a collective reference to all property with respect to which Liens in favor of the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of itself and the other holders of the Obligations, are purported to be granted pursuant to and in accordance with the terms of the Collateral Documents.

 

“Collateral Documents” means a collective reference to the Security Agreement, the Mortgages and other security documents as may be executed and delivered by any Loan Party pursuant to the terms of Section 6.14 or any of the Loan Documents.

 

“Commitment” means, as to each Lender, the Revolving Commitment of such Lender and/or the Term Loan Commitment of such Lender.

 

“Commitment Fees” has the meaning specified in Section 2.09(a)(ii).

 

“Commodity Exchange Act” means the Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. § 1 et seq.).

 

“Company Material Adverse Effect” means any change, event, circumstance, development or effect that, individually or in the aggregate, has had, or would reasonably be expected to have, a material adverse effect on (1) the business, condition (financial or otherwise), assets, liabilities (actual or contingent) or results of operations of IEA and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole or (2) the ability of IEA and its Subsidiaries to consummate the transactions contemplated by the Closing Date Merger Agreement when required pursuant to the Closing Date Merger Agreement and in any event prior to April 30, 2018; provided, however, that “Company Material Adverse Effect” shall not include the impact on such business, condition,

 

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assets, liabilities or results of operations arising out of or attributable to (a) conditions or effects that generally affect the industries in which IEA and its Subsidiaries operate, (b) seasonal fluctuations of the businesses of IEA and its Subsidiaries, (c) any regional, national or international economic, financial, social or political conditions (including changes therein), (d) effects resulting from changes in the financial, banking or securities markets, (e) any effects or conditions resulting from an outbreak or escalation of hostilities, disease, acts of terrorism, cyber terrorism, political instability or other national or international calamity, crisis or emergency, an act of God or any governmental or other response to any of the foregoing, in each case whether or not involving the United States or any other region where IEA or any of its Subsidiaries conducts business or operations, (f) effects arising from changes or proposed changes in Laws or accounting principles or requirements, including any changes or proposed changes in standards, interpretations or enforcement thereof, (g) effects relating to the announcement, execution or consummation of the Closing Date Merger Agreement or the transactions contemplated thereby, including the fact that the prospective owner of IEA and its Subsidiaries is Pubco or any affiliate of Pubco or related to the identity of any of Pubco’s directors, managers, officers, agents, employees, partners, members, equityholders, advisors or representatives, (h) effects resulting from compliance with the terms and conditions of the Closing Date Merger Agreement by Infrastructure and Energy Alternatives, LLC, IEA and its Subsidiaries (including the failure to take any action restricted by the Closing Date Merger Agreement) or otherwise consented to in writing by Pubco, or (i) any failure by IEA or any of its Subsidiaries to meet any projections, forecasts or estimates in and of itself (although this clause (i) shall not apply to the facts and circumstances that may have given rise or contributed to any such failure), except that in the case of sub-clauses (a), (b), (c), (d), (e) and (f), to the extent that such conditions or effects disproportionately impact the businesses of IEA and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, relative to other participants in the industry in which IEA and its Subsidiaries operate (in which case, only the incremental disproportionate effect shall be taken into account in the determination of Company Material Adverse Effect hereunder).  For the avoidance of doubt, a Company Material Adverse Effect shall be measured only against past performance of IEA and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, and not against any forward-looking statements, financial projections or forecasts of IEA or its Subsidiaries.

 

“Compliance Certificate” means a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit 6.02.

 

“Connection Income Taxes” means Other Connection Taxes that are imposed on or measured by net income (however denominated) or that are franchise Taxes or branch profits Taxes.

 

“Consolidated Capital Expenditures” means, for any period, for Holdings and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, all capital expenditures.

 

“Consolidated EBITDA” means, for any period, for Holdings and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, an amount equal to the sum of (a) Consolidated Net Income for such period plus (b) the following, in each case without duplication, to the extent deducted in calculating such Consolidated Net Income: (i) Consolidated Interest Charges for such period; (ii) the provision for federal, state, local and non-U.S. income taxes payable for such period; (iii) depreciation and amortization expense for such period; (iv) non-cash charges, expenses or losses, including (A) non-cash compensation expense and other non-cash expenses or charges arising from the granting of stock options, stock appreciation rights or similar arrangements, (B) any non-cash accounting adjustments and (C) non-cash exchange or translation losses arising from foreign currency hedging transactions or currency fluctuations; (v) charges and expenses incurred as a result of the entering into and funding of the Transaction within ninety (90) days of the Closing Date in an aggregate amount not to exceed $30,000,000 less any amounts accrued prior to December 31, 2017 and included in the calculation of the deemed amount of Consolidated EBITDA in any period set forth below; (vi) restructuring costs, integration costs, business optimization expenses or costs, retention, recruiting, relocation and signing bonuses and expenses, severance costs, transaction fees; (vii) fees, costs and expenses related to any Permitted Acquisition, Investment, Restricted Payment, Disposition, the

 

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issuance or amendment of Indebtedness or Equity Interests (each a “Permitted Transaction”) (A) for Permitted Transactions consummated, in an aggregate amount not to exceed $5,000,000 per Permitted Transaction and (B) for not consummated Permitted Transactions, the amount added back shall be subject to the aggregate cap set forth below; (viii) charges, losses, or expenses to the extent indemnified or insured or reimbursed by an unaffiliated third party (including business interruption insurance) to the extent such indemnification, insurance or reimbursement is (A) actually received in cash for such period or (B) is reasonably expected to be received in cash; provided that amounts added back pursuant to this clause (B) will be subtracted in any subsequent period for which it is determined such amounts will not be received; (ix) to the extent not already excluded pursuant to the definition of Consolidated Net Income, extraordinary losses during such period, net of related tax effects; and (x) the Enterprise Expansion Addback, minus (c) the following, without duplication, to the extent included in calculating such Consolidated Net Income, (i) non-cash income or gains arising from foreign currency hedging transactions or currency fluctuations, (ii) to the extent not already excluded per the definition of Consolidated Net Income, extraordinary gains during such period, net of related tax effects and (iii) cash payments made during such period with respect to non-cash charges, expenses or losses that were added back pursuant to clause (b)(iv) above in a prior period; provided, that, the aggregate amount added back to Consolidated EBITDA pursuant to clauses (vi), (vii)(B), (ix) and (x) hereof shall not exceed 25% of Consolidated EBITDA in the aggregate in any Applicable Period (calculated before giving effect to such add back).  Notwithstanding the foregoing, Consolidated EBITDA shall be deemed to be the following amounts for the following fiscal quarters (in each case subject to Section 1.03(d) for any Acquisition (other than the Closing Date Merger) or Disposition occurring after the Closing Date): (1) the fiscal quarter ending March 31, 2017, $6,151,418; (2) the fiscal quarter ending June 30, 2017, $10,876,385; (3) the fiscal quarter ending September 30, 2017, $19,269,712 and (4) the fiscal quarter ending December 31, 2017, $16,247,645.

 

“Consolidated Funded Indebtedness” means, as of any date of determination with respect to Holdings and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, without duplication, the sum of:  (a) the outstanding principal amount of all obligations for borrowed money (including Obligations) and all obligations evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes, loan agreements or other similar instruments; (b) the maximum amount available to be drawn under issued and outstanding letters of credit (including standby and commercial), bankers’ acceptances, bank guaranties and similar instruments (other than surety bonds); (c) all obligations in respect of the deferred purchase price of property or services (other than trade accounts payable in the ordinary course of business), including any Earn-Out Obligations but only to the extent such obligation would be recognized as a liability on the consolidated balance sheet of Holdings in accordance with GAAP; (d) all purchase money Indebtedness; (e) all Attributable Indebtedness; (f) all obligations to purchase, redeem, retire, defease or otherwise make any payment prior to the Maturity Date in respect of any Equity Interests or any warrant, right or option to acquire such Equity Interest, valued, in the case of a redeemable preferred interest, at the greater of its voluntary or involuntary liquidation preference plus accrued and unpaid dividends; (g) all Guarantees with respect to Indebtedness of the types specified in clauses (a) through (f) above of another Person; and (h) all Indebtedness of the types referred to in clauses (a) through (g) above of any partnership or joint venture (other than a joint venture that is itself a corporation or limited liability company) in which any Loan Party or any Subsidiary is a general partner or joint venturer, except to the extent that Indebtedness is expressly made non-recourse to such Person.

 

“Consolidated Interest Charges” means, for any period, for Holdings and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, the sum of (a) all interest (including capitalized interest), premium payments (including in connection with any voluntary prepayment of Indebtedness), debt discount, fees, charges and related expenses in connection with borrowed money (including in respect of guarantees and letters of credit) or the deferred purchase price of assets, in each case to the extent treated as interest in accordance with GAAP, plus (b) the portion of rent expense with respect to such period under capital leases that is treated as interest in accordance with GAAP, plus (c) commissions, discounts and other fees and charges owed with respect to letters of credit and bankers’ acceptance financing, plus (d) net costs associated with any Swap Contract

 

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with respect to any Indebtedness (including the amortization or payment of fees but excluding (i) unrealized gains or losses with respect thereto and (ii) any termination payments related to such Swap Contract), plus (e) the portion of any payments made in connection with Synthetic Lease Obligations to the extent treated as interest in accordance with GAAP.

 

“Consolidated Leverage Ratio” means, as of any date of determination, the ratio of (a) Consolidated Funded Indebtedness as of such date to (b) Consolidated EBITDA for the Applicable Period then most recently ended.

 

“Consolidated Net Income” means, for any period, for Holdings and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, net income (or loss) for such period; provided that Consolidated Net Income shall exclude (a) gains and losses for such period that are “unusual” and “infrequently occurring items” as defined by FASB ASC 225-20, (b) the net income of any Subsidiary during such period to the extent that the declaration or payment of dividends or similar distributions by such Subsidiary of such income is not permitted by operation of the terms of its Organization Documents or any agreement, instrument or Law applicable to such Subsidiary during such period, and (c) any income (or loss) for such period of any Person if such Person is not a Subsidiary, except that Holdings’ equity in the net income of any such Person for such period shall be included in Consolidated Net Income up to the aggregate amount of cash actually distributed by such Person during such period to Holdings or a Subsidiary as a dividend or other distribution (and in the case of a dividend or other distribution to a Subsidiary, such Subsidiary is not precluded from further distributing such amount to Holdings as described in clause (b) of this proviso).

 

“Contractual Obligation” means, as to any Person, any provision of any security issued by such Person or of any agreement, instrument or other undertaking to which such Person is a party or by which it or any of its property is bound.

 

“Control” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of a Person, whether through the ability to exercise voting power, by contract or otherwise.  “Controlling” and “Controlled” have meanings correlative thereto.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, a Person shall be deemed to be Controlled by another Person if such other Person possesses, directly or indirectly, power to vote 10% or more of the securities having ordinary voting power for the election of directors, managing general partners or the equivalent.

 

“Controlled Investment Affiliate” means, with respect to Oaktree, any other Person that is (a) controlled by, or is under common control with, Oaktree and (b) engaged in the business of making equity or debt investments in the ordinary course of business.

 

“Credit Extension” means each of the following: (a) a Borrowing and (b) an L/C Credit Extension.

 

“Cure Amount” has the meaning specified in Section 8.04.

 

“Cure Notice” has the meaning specified in Section 8.04.

 

“Cure Notice Date” has the meaning specified in Section 8.04.

 

“Cure Right” has the meaning specified in Section 8.04.

 

“Debt Issuance” means the issuance by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary of any Indebtedness other than Indebtedness permitted under Section 7.03.

 

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“Debtor Relief Laws” means the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, and all other liquidation, conservatorship, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of creditors, moratorium, rearrangement, receivership, insolvency, reorganization, or similar debtor relief Laws of the United States or other applicable jurisdictions from time to time in effect.

 

“Default” means any event or condition that constitutes an Event of Default or that, with the giving of any notice, the passage of time, or both, would be an Event of Default.

 

“Default Rate” means (a) with respect to any Obligation for which a rate is specified, a rate per annum equal to two percent (2%) in excess of the rate otherwise applicable thereto and (b) with respect to any Obligation for which a rate is not specified or available, a rate per annum equal to the Base Rate plus the Applicable Rate for Revolving Loans that are Base Rate Loans plus two percent (2%), in each case, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law.

 

“Defaulting Lender” means, subject to Section 2.15(d), any Lender that (a) has failed to (i) fund all or any portion of its Loans within two (2) Business Days of the date such Loans were required to be funded hereunder unless such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent and the Borrower in writing that such failure is the result of such Lender’s determination that one or more conditions precedent to funding (each of which conditions precedent, together with any applicable default, shall be specifically identified in such writing) has not been satisfied, or (ii) pay to the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer, the Swingline Lender or any other Lender any other amount required to be paid by it hereunder (including in respect of its participation in Letters of Credit or Swingline Loans) within two (2) Business Days of the date when due, (b) has notified the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or the Swingline Lender in writing that it does not intend to comply with its funding obligations hereunder, or has made a public statement to that effect (unless such writing or public statement relates to such Lender’s obligation to fund a Loan hereunder and states that such position is based on such Lender’s determination that a condition precedent to funding (which condition precedent, together with any applicable default, shall be specifically identified in such writing or public statement) cannot be satisfied), (c) has failed, within three (3) Business Days after written request by the Administrative Agent or the Borrower, to confirm in writing to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower that it will comply with its prospective funding obligations hereunder (provided that such Lender shall cease to be a Defaulting Lender pursuant to this clause (c) upon receipt of such written confirmation by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower), or (d) has, or has a direct or indirect parent company that has, (i) become the subject of a proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, (ii) had appointed for it a receiver, custodian, conservator, trustee, administrator, assignee for the benefit of creditors or similar Person charged with reorganization or liquidation of its business or assets, including the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other state or federal regulatory authority acting in such a capacity or (iii) become the subject of a Bail-In Action; provided that a Lender shall not be a Defaulting Lender solely by virtue of the ownership or acquisition of any Equity Interest in that Lender or any direct or indirect parent company thereof by a Governmental Authority so long as such ownership interest does not result in or provide such Lender with immunity from the jurisdiction of courts within the United States or from the enforcement of judgments or writs of attachment on its assets or permit such Lender (or such Governmental Authority) to reject, repudiate, disavow or disaffirm any contracts or agreements made with such Lender.  Any determination by the Administrative Agent that a Lender is a Defaulting Lender under any one or more of clauses (a) through (d) above, and of the effective date of such status, shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error, and such Lender shall be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender (subject to Section 2.15(d)) as of the date established therefor by the Administrative Agent in a written notice of such determination, which shall be delivered by the Administrative Agent to the Borrower, the L/C Issuer, the Swingline Lender and each other Lender promptly following such determination.

 

“Designated Jurisdiction” means any country or territory to the extent that such country or territory is the subject of any Sanction.

 

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“Disposition” or “Dispose” means the sale, transfer, license, lease or other disposition of any property by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary, including any Sale and Leaseback Transaction and any sale, assignment, transfer or other disposal, with or without recourse, of any notes or accounts receivable or any rights and claims associated therewith, but excluding any Recovery Event.

 

“Dollar” and “$” mean lawful money of the United States.

 

“Domestic Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary that is organized under the Laws of any state of the United States or the District of Columbia other than a Subsidiary that constitutes a FSHCO.

 

“Earn-Out Obligations” means any deferred purchase price obligations (including earn-out obligations) in connection with an Acquisition but excluding (a) indemnification obligations, holdbacks, purchase price adjustments or any similar obligations or (b) any earn-out obligations paid in equity of Pubco.

 

“EEA Financial Institution” means (a) any credit institution or investment firm established in any EEA Member Country which is subject to the supervision of an EEA Resolution Authority, (b) any entity established in an EEA Member Country which is a parent of an institution described in clause (a) of this definition, or (c) any financial institution established in an EEA Member Country which is a Subsidiary of an institution described in clauses (a) or (b) of this definition and is subject to consolidated supervision with its parent.

 

“EEA Member Country” means any of the member states of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway.

 

“EEA Resolution Authority” means any public administrative authority or any person entrusted with public administrative authority of any EEA Member Country (including any delegee) having responsibility for the resolution of any EEA Financial Institution.

 

“Eligible Assignee” means any Person that meets the requirements to be an assignee under Sections 11.06(b) (subject to such consents, if any, as may be required under Section 11.06(b)(iii)).

 

“Enterprise Expansion Addback” means, for any entity, division, operation or line of business commenced or started within the twelve (12) months prior to the last day of the Applicable Period, the amount by which expenses exceed revenues in an amount not to exceed $7,500,000 in the aggregate for such period.

 

“Environmental Laws” means any and all federal, state, local and foreign statutes, laws, regulations, ordinances, rules, or legally binding judgments, orders, decrees and governmental restrictions relating to pollution and the protection of the environment or the release of any materials into the environment, including those related to hazardous substances or wastes, air emissions and wastewater discharges.

 

“Environmental Liability” means any liability, contingent or otherwise (including any liability for damages, costs of environmental remediation, fines, or penalties), of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary directly or indirectly resulting from or based upon (a) violation of any Environmental Law, (b) the generation, use, handling, transportation, storage, treatment or disposal of any Hazardous Materials, (c) exposure to any Hazardous Materials, (d) the release or threatened release of any Hazardous Materials into the environment or (e) any written contract or agreement pursuant to which liability is assumed or imposed with respect to any of the foregoing.

 

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“Equity Interests”  means, with respect to any Person, all of the shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person, all of the warrants, options or other rights for the purchase or acquisition from such Person of shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person, all of the securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person or warrants, rights or options for the purchase or acquisition from such Person of such shares (or such other interests), and all of the other ownership or profit interests in such Person (including partnership, member or trust interests therein), whether voting or nonvoting, and whether or not such shares, warrants, options, rights or other interests are outstanding on any date of determination.

 

“ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.

 

“ERISA Affiliate” means any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) under common control with the Borrower within the meaning of Section 414(b) or (c) of the Internal Revenue Code (and Sections 414(m) and (o) of the Internal Revenue Code for purposes of provisions relating to Section 412 of the Internal Revenue Code).

 

“ERISA Event” means (a) a Reportable Event with respect to a Pension Plan; (b) the withdrawal of the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from a Pension Plan subject to Section 4063 of ERISA during a plan year in which such entity was a substantial employer (as defined in Section 4001(a)(2) of ERISA) or a cessation of operations that is treated as such a withdrawal under Section 4062(e) of ERISA; (c) a complete or partial withdrawal by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from a Multiemployer Plan or receipt by the Borrower of notification that a Multiemployer Plan is in reorganization; (d) the filing of a notice of intent to terminate, the treatment of a Pension Plan amendment as a termination under Section 4041 or 4041A of ERISA, (e) the institution by the PBGC of proceedings to terminate a Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan; (f) any event or condition which constitutes grounds under Section 4042 of ERISA for the termination of, or the appointment of a trustee to administer, any Pension Plan; (g) the determination that any Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan is considered an at-risk plan or a plan in endangered or critical status within the meaning of Sections 430, 431 and 432 of the Internal Revenue Code or Sections 303, 304 and 305 of ERISA, (h) the imposition of any liability under Title IV of ERISA, other than for PBGC premiums due but not delinquent under Section 4007 of ERISA, upon the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate or (i) a failure by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate to meet all applicable requirements under the Pension Funding Rules in respect of a Pension Plan, whether or not waived, or the failure by the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate to make any required contribution to a Multiemployer Plan.

 

“EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule” means the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule published by the Loan Market Association (or any successor person), as in effect from time to time.

 

“Eurodollar Rate”  means:

 

(a)           for any Interest Period with respect to a Eurodollar Rate Loan, the rate per annum equal to the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) or a comparable or successor rate, which rate is approved by the Administrative Agent, as published on the applicable Bloomberg screen page (or such other commercially available source providing such quotations as may be designated by the Administrative Agent from time to time) (in such case, the “LIBOR Rate”) at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two (2) Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period, for Dollar deposits (for delivery on the first day of such Interest Period) with a term equivalent to such Interest Period; and

 

(b)           for any interest rate calculation with respect to a Base Rate Loan on any date, the rate per annum equal to the LIBOR Rate, at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time determined

 

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two (2) Business Days prior to such date for Dollar deposits with a term of one month commencing that day;

 

provided that (i) to the extent a comparable or successor rate is approved by the Administrative Agent in connection herewith, the approved rate shall be applied in a manner consistent with market practice; provided, further that to the extent such market practice is not administratively feasible for the Administrative Agent, such approved rate shall be applied as otherwise reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent and (ii) if the Eurodollar Rate shall be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed zero for purposes of this Agreement.

 

“Eurodollar Rate Loan” means a Loan that bears interest at a rate based on clause (a) of the definition of “Eurodollar Rate.”

 

“Event of Default” has the meaning specified in Section 8.01.

 

“Excluded Property” means, with respect to any Loan Party, (a) any owned or leased real property which is located outside of the United States, (b) any fee-owned real property which is located within the United States with a fair market value of less than $3,750,000, (c) any leasehold interest of any Loan Party in real property, (d) any IP Rights for which a perfected Lien thereon is not effected either by filing of a Uniform Commercial Code financing statement or by appropriate evidence of such Lien being filed in either the United States Copyright Office or the United States Patent and Trademark Office, (e) any IP Rights consisting of any intent-to-use trademark applications for which a verified statement of use or any amendment to allege use has not been filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office only to the extent that, and solely during the period in which, the grant of a security interest therein would impair the validity or enforceability of such intent-to-use trademark applications, (f) any personal property (other than personal property described in clause (d) above) for which the attachment or perfection of a Lien thereon is not governed by the Uniform Commercial Code, (g) motor vehicles, airplanes and other assets subject to certificates of title, (h) any commercial tort claims or letter of credit rights with a value of less than $1,500,000, (i) the Equity Interests of any direct Foreign Subsidiary or FSHCO of any Loan Party to the extent not required to be pledged to secure the Obligations pursuant to Section 6.13(a), (j) any property which is subject to a Lien of the type described in Section 7.01(i) pursuant to documents which prohibit such Loan Party from granting any other Liens in such property, (k) any general intangible, permit, lease, license, contract or other instrument of a Loan Party to the extent the grant of a security interest in such general intangible, permit, lease, license, contract or other instrument in the manner contemplated by the Collateral Documents, under the terms thereof or under applicable Law, is prohibited and would result in the termination thereof or give the other parties thereto the right to terminate, accelerate or otherwise alter such Loan Party’s rights, titles and interests thereunder (including upon the giving of notice or the lapse of time or both), (l) any assets or property to the extent that the grant of a security interest or Lien therein is prohibited under applicable Law; provided, that (A) the foregoing exclusions of set forth in clauses (k) and (l) shall in no way be construed to apply to (1) the extent that any described prohibition or restriction is ineffective under the UCC or any other applicable Law (including Debtor Relief Laws) or principles of equity, or (2) the extent that any such prohibition or the requirement for any consent contained in any applicable Law, general intangible, permit, lease, license, contract or other instrument, is terminated or eliminated to the extent sufficient to permit any such item to become Collateral, or to the extent that any such consent is granted, or any requirement for such consent is waived or terminated, and (B) the foregoing exclusions set forth in clauses (k) through (l) shall in no way be construed to limit, impair, or otherwise affect any of the Administrative Agent’s continuing security interests in and Liens upon any rights or interests of any Loan Party in or to (1) monies due or to become due under or in connection with any described contract, lease, permit, license, license agreement, governmental licenses, state or local franchises, charters or authorizations, or Equity Interests, or (2) any proceeds from the sale, license, lease, or other dispositions of any such contract, lease, permit, license, license agreement, governmental licenses,

 

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state or local franchises, charters or authorizations, or Equity Interests, and (m) any real or personal property as to which the Administrative Agent and the Borrower reasonably agree in writing that the costs or other consequences of obtaining a security interest or perfection thereof are excessive in view of the benefits to be obtained by the Lenders and the other holders of the Obligations.

 

“Excluded Swap Obligation” means, with respect to any Guarantor, any Swap Obligation if, and to the extent that, all or a portion of the Guaranty of such Guarantor of, or the grant by such Guarantor of a Lien to secure, such Swap Obligation (or any Guarantee thereof) is or becomes illegal under the Commodity Exchange Act or any rule, regulation or order of the Commodity Future Trading Commission (or the application or official interpretation thereof) by virtue of such Guarantor’s failure for any reason to constitute an “eligible contract participant” as defined in the Commodity Exchange Act (determined after giving effect to Section 10.08 and any other “keepwell”, support or other agreement for the benefit of such Guarantor and any and all guarantees of such Guarantor’s Swap Obligations by other Loan Parties) at the time the Guaranty of such Guarantor, or grant by such Guarantor of a Lien, becomes effective with respect to such Swap Obligation.  If a Swap Obligation arises under a Master Agreement governing more than one Swap Contract, such exclusion shall apply to only the portion of such Swap Obligation that is attributable to Swap Contracts for which such Guaranty or Lien is or becomes excluded in accordance with the first sentence of this definition.

 

“Excluded Taxes” means any of the following Taxes imposed on or with respect to any Recipient  or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to a Recipient, (a) Taxes imposed on or measured by net income (however denominated), franchise Taxes, and branch profits Taxes, in each case, (i) imposed as a result of such Recipient being organized under the Laws of, or having its principal office or, in the case of any Lender, its Lending Office located in, the jurisdiction imposing such Tax (or any political subdivision thereof) or (ii) that are Other Connection Taxes, (b) in the case of a Lender, U.S. federal withholding Taxes imposed on amounts payable to or for the account of such Lender with respect to an applicable interest in a Loan or Commitment pursuant to a Law in effect on the date on which (i) such Lender acquires such interest in the Loan or Commitment (other than pursuant to an assignment request by the Borrower under Section 11.13) or (ii) such Lender changes its Lending Office, except in each case to the extent that, pursuant to Section 3.01(a)(ii), 3.01(a)(iii) or 3.01(c), amounts with respect to such Taxes were payable either to such Lender’s assignor immediately before such Lender became a party hereto or to such Lender immediately before it changed its Lending Office, (c) Taxes attributable to such Recipient’s failure to comply with Section 3.01(e) and (d) any withholding Taxes imposed pursuant to FATCA.

 

“Facility Termination Date” means the date as of which all of the following shall have occurred:  (a) all Commitments have terminated, (b) all Obligations arising under the Loan Documents have been paid in full (other than contingent indemnification obligations), and (c) all Letters of Credit have terminated or expired (other than Letters of Credit that have been Cash Collateralized).

 

“FASB ASC” means the Accounting Standards Codification of the Financial Accounting Standards Board.

 

“FATCA” means Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Internal Revenue Code, as of the Closing Date (or any amended or successor version that is substantively comparable and not materially more onerous to comply with), any current or future regulations or official interpretations thereof, any agreements entered into pursuant to Section 1471(b)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code and any fiscal or regulatory legislation, rules or practices adopted pursuant to any intergovernmental agreement, treaty or convention among Governmental Authorities and implementing such Sections of the Internal Revenue Code.

 

“FCPA” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.22.

 

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“Federal Funds Rate” means, for any day, the rate per annum equal to the weighted average of the rates on overnight federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System, as published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on the Business Day next succeeding such day; provided that (a) if such day is not a Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such day shall be such rate on such transactions on the next preceding Business Day as so published on the next succeeding Business Day, (b) if no such rate is so published on such next succeeding Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such day shall be the average rate (rounded upward, if necessary, to a whole multiple of 1/100 of 1%) charged to Bank of America on such day on such transactions as determined by the Administrative Agent and (c) if the Federal Funds Rate shall be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed zero for purposes of this Agreement.

 

“Fee Letters” means the Agent Fee Letter and the Joint Fee Letter.

 

“Financial Covenant Default” has the meaning specified in Section 8.04.

 

“Flood Hazard Property” means any real property subject to a Mortgage that is in an area designated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency as having special flood or mudslide hazards.

 

“Foreign Lender” means (a) if the Borrower is a U.S. Person, a Lender that is not a U.S. Person, and (b) if the Borrower is not a U.S. Person, a Lender that is resident or organized under the Laws of a jurisdiction other than that in which the Borrower is resident for tax purposes.  For purposes of this definition, the United States, each State thereof and the District of Columbia shall be deemed to constitute a single jurisdiction.

 

“Foreign Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary that is not a Domestic Subsidiary.

 

“FRB” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States.

 

“Fronting Exposure” means, at any time there is a Defaulting Lender, (a) with respect to the L/C Issuer, such Defaulting Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the outstanding L/C Obligations other than L/C Obligations as to which such Defaulting Lender’s participation obligation has been reallocated to other Lenders or Cash Collateralized in accordance with the terms hereof, and (b) with respect to the Swingline Lender, such Defaulting Lender’s Applicable Percentage of Swingline Loans other than Swingline Loans as to which such Defaulting Lender’s participation obligation has been reallocated to other Lenders in accordance with the terms hereof.

 

“FSHCO” means any Subsidiary that owns no material assets other than the Equity Interests of one or more Foreign Subsidiaries and/or of one or more FSHCOs.

 

“Funding Indemnity Letter” means a funding indemnity letter, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

 

“Fund” means any Person (other than a natural Person) that is (or will be) engaged in making, purchasing, holding or otherwise investing in commercial loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its activities.

 

“GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States set forth from time to time in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and statements and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (or agencies with similar functions of comparable stature and authority within the accounting profession) including, without limitation, the FASB Accounting Standards Codification, that are applicable to the circumstances as of the date of determination, consistently applied and subject to Section 1.03.

 

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“Governmental Authority” means the government of the United States or any other nation, or of any political subdivision thereof, whether state or local, and any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government (including any supra-national bodies such as the European Union or the European Central Bank).

 

“Guarantee” means, as to any Person, (a) any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of such Person guaranteeing or having the economic effect of guaranteeing any Indebtedness or other obligation payable or performable by another Person (the “primary obligor”) in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, and including any obligation of such Person, direct or indirect, (i) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness or other obligation, (ii) to purchase or lease property, securities or services for the purpose of assuring the obligee in respect of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment or performance of such Indebtedness or other obligation, (iii) to maintain working capital, equity capital or any other financial statement condition or liquidity or level of income or cash flow of the primary obligor so as to enable the primary obligor to pay such Indebtedness or other obligation, or (iv) entered into for the purpose of assuring in any other manner the obligee in respect of such Indebtedness or other obligation of the payment or performance thereof or to protect such obligee against loss in respect thereof (in whole or in part), or (b) any Lien on any assets of such Person securing any Indebtedness or other obligation of any other Person, whether or not such Indebtedness or other obligation is assumed by such Person (or any right, contingent or otherwise, of any holder of such Indebtedness to obtain any such Lien).  The amount of any Guarantee shall be deemed to be an amount equal to the stated or determinable amount of the related primary obligation, or portion thereof, in respect of which such Guarantee is made or, if not stated or determinable, the maximum reasonably anticipated liability in respect thereof as determined by the guaranteeing Person in good faith.  The term “Guarantee” as a verb has a corresponding meaning.

 

“Guarantors” means, collectively, (a) Holdings, (b) each Domestic Subsidiary of Holdings identified as a “Guarantor” on the signature pages hereto, (c) each Person that joins as a Guarantor pursuant to Section 6.13 or otherwise, (d) with respect to (i) Obligations under any Secured Hedge Agreement, (ii) Obligations under any Secured Cash Management Agreement and (iii) any Swap Obligation of a Specified Loan Party (determined before giving effect to Sections 10.01 and 10.08) under the Guaranty, the Borrower, and (e) the successors and permitted assigns of the foregoing; provided, that, in no event shall a Foreign Subsidiary or a FSHCO be required to become a Guarantor.

 

“Guaranty” means the Guaranty made by the Guarantors in favor of the Administrative Agent and the other holders of the Obligations pursuant to Article X.

 

“Hazardous Materials” means all substances, wastes, or chemicals defined, listed or regulated by any Environmental Law as “hazardous”, “toxic”, a “pollutant”, a “contaminant”, explosive or radioactive or words of similar import or meaning, including petroleum or petroleum distillates, natural gas, natural gas liquids, asbestos or asbestos-containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls, radon gas, toxic mold, infectious or medical wastes.

 

“Hedge Bank” means any Person that (i) at the time it enters into a Swap Contract, is a Lender or the Administrative Agent or an Affiliate of a Lender or the Administrative Agent, (ii) in the case of any Swap Contract in effect on or prior to the Closing Date, is, as of the Closing Date or within 30 days thereafter, a Lender or the Administrative Agent or an Affiliate of a Lender or the Administrative Agent and a party to a Swap Contract or (iii) within 30 days after the time it enters into the applicable Swap Contract, becomes a Lender, the Administrative Agent or an Affiliate of a Lender or the Administrative Agent, in each case, in its capacity as a party to such Swap Contract; provided, in the case of a Secured Hedge Agreement with a Person who is no longer a Lender (or Affiliate of a Lender), such Person shall be

 

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considered a Hedge Bank only through the stated termination date (without extension or renewal) of such Secured Hedge Agreement.

 

“Holdings” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph.

 

“Honor Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.03(c).

 

“IEA” means IEA Energy Services LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, prior to giving effect to the Closing Date Merger.

 

“IFRS” means international accounting standards within the meaning of IAS Regulation 1606/2002 to the extent applicable to the relevant financial statements delivered under or referred to herein.

 

“Immaterial Subsidiary” means any Domestic Subsidiary that accounts for less than (a) 2.5% of total revenues of Holdings and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis for the Applicable Period or (b) 2.5% of total assets of Holdings and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis as of the end of the Applicable Period; provided that if at any time all Domestic Subsidiaries that are not Guarantors account in the aggregate for greater than (i) 5% of Consolidated EBITDA for the Applicable Period, (ii) 5% of total revenues of Holdings and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis for the Applicable Period or (iii) 5% of total assets of Holdings and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis as of the end of the Applicable Period, then the Borrower shall cause one or more of such Domestic Subsidiaries to become Guarantors pursuant to Section 6.13 such that immediately thereafter the remaining Domestic Subsidiaries that are not Guarantors shall not exceed any of the thresholds in clauses (i), (ii) or (iii) of this proviso.

 

“Incremental Facility Amendment” has the meaning specified in Section 2.16.

 

“Incremental Facility Loans” has the meaning specified in Section 2.16.

 

“Incremental Request” has the meaning specified in Section 2.16.

 

“Incremental Revolving Commitments” has the meaning specified in Section 2.16.

 

“Incremental Revolving Loans” has the meaning specified in Section 2.16.

 

“Incremental Term Facility” has the meaning specified in Section 2.16.

 

“Incremental Term Loans” has the meaning specified in Section 2.16.

 

“Indebtedness” means, as to any Person at a particular time, without duplication, all of the following, whether or not included as indebtedness or liabilities in accordance with GAAP:

 

(a)           all obligations for borrowed money and all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes, loan agreements or other similar instruments;

 

(b)           the maximum amount of all direct or contingent obligations arising under letters of credit (including standby and commercial), bankers’ acceptances, bank guaranties, surety bonds and similar instruments;

 

(c)           the Swap Termination Value of any Swap Contract;

 

(d)           all obligations to pay the deferred purchase price of property or services (other than trade accounts payable in the ordinary course of business);

 

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(e)           indebtedness (excluding prepaid interest thereon) secured by a Lien on property owned or being purchased by such Person (including indebtedness arising under conditional sales or other title retention agreements), whether or not such indebtedness shall have been assumed by such Person or is limited in recourse;

 

(f)            all Attributable Indebtedness;

 

(g)           all obligations to purchase, redeem, retire, defease or otherwise make any payment prior to the Maturity Date in respect of any Equity Interests or any warrant, right or option to acquire such Equity Interest, valued, in the case of a redeemable preferred interest, at the greater of its voluntary or involuntary liquidation preference plus accrued and unpaid dividends;

 

(h)           all Guarantees of such Person in respect of any of the foregoing; and

 

(i)            all Indebtedness of the types referred to in clauses (a) through (h) above of any partnership or joint venture (other than a joint venture that is itself a corporation or limited liability company) in which such Person is a general partner or joint venturer, unless such Indebtedness is expressly made non-recourse to such Person.

 

“Indemnified Taxes” means (a) Taxes, other than Excluded Taxes, imposed on or with respect to any payment made by or on account of any obligation of any Loan Party under any Loan Document and (b) to the extent not otherwise described in clause (a), Other Taxes.

 

“Indemnitee” has the meaning specified in Section 11.04(b).

 

“Information” has the meaning specified in Section 11.07.

 

“Initial Borrower” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph.

 

“Interest Payment Date” means (a) as to any Eurodollar Rate Loan, the last day of each Interest Period applicable to such Loan and the Maturity Date; provided, however, that if any Interest Period for a Eurodollar Rate Loan exceeds three months, the respective dates that fall every three months after the beginning of such Interest Period shall also be Interest Payment Dates; and (b) as to any Base Rate Loan (including a Swingline Loan), the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December and the Maturity Date.

 

“Interest Period” means, as to each Eurodollar Rate Loan, the period commencing on the date such Eurodollar Rate Loan is disbursed or converted to or continued as a Eurodollar Rate Loan and ending on the date one, two, three or six months thereafter (in each case, subject to availability), as selected by the Borrower in its Loan Notice, or upon consent of all of the Lenders under the applicable facility, such other period that is twelve months or less (in each case, subject to availability); provided that:

 

(a)           any Interest Period that would otherwise end on a day that is not a Business Day shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless such Business Day falls in another calendar month, in which case such Interest Period shall end on the next preceding Business Day;

 

(b)           any Interest Period that begins on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period; and

 

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(c)           no Interest Period shall extend beyond the Maturity Date.

 

“Internal Revenue Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

 

“Investment” means, as to any Person, any direct or indirect acquisition or investment by such Person, whether by means of (a) the purchase or other acquisition of Equity Interests of another Person, (b) a loan, advance or capital contribution to, Guarantee or assumption of debt of, or purchase or other acquisition of any other debt or equity participation or interest in, another Person, including any partnership or joint venture interest in such other Person, or (c) an Acquisition.  For purposes of covenant compliance, the amount of any Investment shall be the amount actually invested, without adjustment for subsequent increases or decreases in the value of such Investment.

 

“IP Rights” has the meaning specified in Section 5.17.

 

“IRS” means the United States Internal Revenue Service.

 

“ISP” means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, the “International Standby Practices 1998” published by the Institute of International Banking Law & Practice, Inc. (or such later version thereof as may be in effect at the time of issuance).

 

“Issuer Documents” means with respect to any Letter of Credit, the Letter of Credit Application, and any other document, agreement and instrument entered into by the L/C Issuer and the Borrower (or any Subsidiary) or in favor of the L/C Issuer and relating to such Letter of Credit.

 

“Joinder Agreement” means a joinder agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit 6.13 executed and delivered by a Domestic Subsidiary in accordance with the provisions of Section 6.13 or any other documents as the Administrative Agent shall deem appropriate for such purpose.

 

“Joint Fee Letter” the letter agreement, dated as of November 3, 2017, among IEA, the Administrative Agent, MLPFS and Cadence Bank.

 

“Laws” means, collectively, all international, foreign, federal, state and local statutes, treaties, rules, guidelines, regulations, ordinances, codes and administrative or judicial precedents or authorities, including the interpretation or administration thereof by any Governmental Authority charged with the enforcement, interpretation or administration thereof, and all applicable administrative orders, directed duties, requests, licenses, authorizations and permits of, and agreements with, any Governmental Authority, in each case whether or not having the force of Law.

 

“L/C Advance” means, with respect to each Lender, such Lender’s funding of its participation in any L/C Borrowing in accordance with its Applicable Percentage.

 

“L/C Borrowing” means an extension of credit resulting from a drawing under any Letter of Credit which has not been reimbursed on the date when made or refinanced as a Borrowing of Revolving Loans.

 

“L/C Credit Extension” means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, the issuance thereof or extension of the expiry date thereof, or the increase of the amount thereof.

 

“L/C Issuer” means Bank of America in its capacity as issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder, or any successor issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder.

 

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“L/C Obligations” means, as at any date of determination, the aggregate amount available to be drawn under all outstanding Letters of Credit plus the aggregate of all Unreimbursed Amounts, including all L/C Borrowings.  For purposes of computing the amount available to be drawn under any Letter of Credit, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be determined in accordance with Section 1.06.  For all purposes of this Agreement, if on any date of determination a Letter of Credit has expired by its terms but any amount may still be drawn thereunder by reason of the operation of Rule 3.14 of the ISP, such Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be “outstanding” in the amount so remaining available to be drawn.

 

“LCA Action” has the meaning set forth in Section 1.07.

 

“LCA Election” has the meaning set forth in Section 1.07.

 

“LCA Test Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 1.07.

 

“Lenders” means each of the Persons identified as a “Lender” on the signature pages hereto, each other Person that becomes a “Lender” in accordance with this Agreement and their successors and assigns and, unless the context requires otherwise, includes the Swingline Lender.

 

“Lending Office” means, as to the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or any Lender, the office or offices of such Person described as such in such Person’s Administrative Questionnaire, or such other office or offices as such Person may from time to time notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, which office may include any Affiliate of such Person or any domestic or foreign branch of such Person or such affiliate.

 

“Letter of Credit” means any standby letter of credit issued hereunder providing for the payment of cash upon the honoring of a presentation thereunder.

 

“Letter of Credit Application” means an application and agreement for the issuance or amendment of a Letter of Credit in the form from time to time in use by the L/C Issuer.

 

“Letter of Credit Expiration Date” means the day that is seven days prior to the Maturity Date then in effect (or, if such day is not a Business Day, the next preceding Business Day).

 

“Letter of Credit Fee” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(h).

 

“Letter of Credit Sublimit” means an amount equal to the lesser of (a) $25,000,000 and (b) the Aggregate Revolving Commitments.  The Letter of Credit Sublimit is part of, and not in addition to, the Aggregate Revolving Commitments.

 

“LIBOR Screen Rate” means the LIBOR quote on the applicable screen page the Administrative Agent designates to determine LIBOR (or such other commercially available source providing such quotations as may be designated by the Administrative Agent from time to time).

 

“LIBOR Successor Rate” has the meaning specified in Section 3.08.

 

“LIBOR Successor Rate Conforming Changes” means, with respect to any proposed LIBOR Successor Rate, any conforming changes to the definition of Base Rate, Interest Period, timing and frequency of determining rates and making payments of interest and other administrative matters as may be appropriate, in the discretion of the Administrative Agent, to reflect the adoption of such LIBOR Successor Rate and to permit the administration thereof by the Administrative Agent in a manner substantially consistent with market practice (or, if the Administrative Agent determines that adoption of

 

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any portion of such market practice is not administratively feasible or that no market practice for the administration of such LIBOR Successor Rate exists, in such other manner of administration as the Administrative Agent determines in consultation with the Borrower).

 

“Lien” means any mortgage, deed of trust, pledge, hypothecation, assignment, deposit arrangement, encumbrance, lien (statutory or other), charge, or preference, priority or other security interest or preferential arrangement in the nature of a security interest of any kind or nature whatsoever (including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, any easement, right of way or other encumbrance on title to real property, and any financing lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing).

 

“Limited Condition Acquisition” means any Acquisition by Holdings or one or more of its Subsidiaries permitted pursuant to this Agreement whose consummation is not conditioned on the availability of, or on obtaining, third-party financing and which is designated as a Limited Condition Acquisition by the Borrower in writing to the Administrative Agent.

 

“Liquidity” means, as of any date of determination, the sum of (a) availability existing under the Aggregate Revolving Commitments as of the date of such determination and (b) Qualified Cash.

 

“Loan” means an extension of credit by a Lender to the Borrower under Article II in the form of a Revolving Loan, Swingline Loan or the Term Loan, and shall include as the context requires, any Incremental Facility Loan.

 

“Loan Documents” means this Agreement, each Note, each Issuer Document, each Joinder Agreement, the Collateral Documents, each Incremental Facility Amendment, each Term Loan Tranche Amendment and the Fee Letters (but specifically excluding Secured Hedge Agreements and any Secured Cash Management Agreements).

 

“Loan Notice” means a notice of (a) a Borrowing of Revolving Loans or the Term Loan, (b) a conversion of Loans from one Type to the other, or (c) a continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans, in each case pursuant to Section 2.02(a), which shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit 2.02 or such other form as may be approved by the Administrative Agent (including any form on an electronic platform or electronic transmission system as shall be approved by the Administrative Agent) appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower.

 

“Loan Parties” means, collectively, the Borrower and each Guarantor.

 

“Master Agreement” has the meaning specified in the definition of “Swap Contract.”

 

“Material Adverse Effect” means (a) a material adverse change in, or a material adverse effect upon, the operations, business, assets, properties, liabilities (actual or contingent), condition (financial or otherwise) of Holdings and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole; (b) a material impairment of the rights and remedies of the Administrative Agent or any Lender or the ability of the Loan Parties, taken as a whole, to perform their obligations under the Loan Documents; or (c) a material adverse effect upon the legality, validity, binding effect or enforceability against any Loan Party of any Loan Document to which it is a party.

 

“Maturity Date” means March 26, 2021; provided, however, that if such date is not a Business Day, the Maturity Date shall be the next preceding Business Day.

 

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“Minimum Collateral Amount” means, at any time, (a) with respect to Cash Collateral consisting of cash or deposit account balances provided to reduce or eliminate Fronting Exposure during any period when a Lender constitutes a Defaulting Lender, an amount equal to 100% of the Fronting Exposure of the L/C Issuer with respect to Letters of Credit issued and outstanding at such time, (b) with respect to Cash Collateral consisting of cash or deposit account balances provided in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.14(a)(i), (a)(ii) or (a)(iii), an amount equal to 100% of the Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations, and (c) otherwise, an amount determined by the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer in their sole discretion.

 

“MLPFS” means Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (or any other registered broker-dealer wholly-owned by Bank of America Corporation to which all or substantially all of Bank of America Corporation’s or any of its subsidiaries’ investment banking, commercial lending services or related businesses may be transferred following the date of this Agreement).

 

“Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. and any successor thereto.

 

“Mortgages” means the mortgages, deeds of trust or deeds to secure debt that purport to grant to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the holders of the Obligations, a security interest in the fee interests of any Loan Party in any real property.

 

“Multiemployer Plan” means any employee benefit plan of the type described in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA, to which the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate makes or is obligated to make contributions, or during the preceding five plan years, has made or been obligated to make contributions.

 

“Multiple Employer Plan” means a Plan which has two or more contributing sponsors (including the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate) at least two of whom are not under common control, as such a plan is described in Section 4064 of ERISA.

 

“Net Cash Proceeds” means the aggregate cash or Cash Equivalents proceeds received by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary in respect of any Disposition, Debt Issuance or Recovery Event, net of (a) direct costs incurred in connection therewith (including legal, accounting and investment banking fees, and sales commissions), (b) taxes paid or payable as a result thereof (including any amounts to be included in Permitted Tax Distributions attributable to such transaction) and (c) in the case of any Disposition or any Recovery Event, the amount necessary to retire any Indebtedness secured by a Permitted Lien (ranking senior to any Lien of the Administrative Agent) on the related property; it being understood that “Net Cash Proceeds” shall include any cash or Cash Equivalents received upon the sale or other disposition of any non-cash consideration received by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary in any Disposition, Debt Issuance or Recovery Event.

 

“Non-Consenting Lender” means any Lender that does not approve any consent, waiver or amendment that (a) requires the approval of all Lenders or all affected Lenders in accordance with the terms of Section 11.01 and (b) has been approved by the Required Lenders.

 

“Non-Defaulting Lender” means, at any time, each Lender that is not a Defaulting Lender at such time.

 

“Note” has the meaning specified in Section 2.11(a).

 

“Notice of Loan Prepayment” means a notice of prepayment with respect to a Loan, which shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit 2.05 or such other form as may be approved by the Administrative Agent (including any form on an electronic platform or electronic transmission system as shall be approved

 

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by the Administrative Agent), appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower.

 

“Oaktree” means Oaktree Capital Management L.P., a Delaware limited partnership.

 

“Obligations” means with respect to each Loan Party (i) all advances to, and debts, liabilities, obligations, covenants and duties of, any Loan Party arising under any Loan Document or otherwise with respect to any Loan or Letter of Credit, and (ii) all obligations of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary owing to a Cash Management Bank or a Hedge Bank in respect of Secured Cash Management Agreements or Secured Hedge Agreements, in each case identified in clauses (i) and (ii) whether direct or indirect (including those acquired by assumption), absolute or contingent, due or to become due, now existing or hereafter arising and including interest and fees that accrue after the commencement by or against any Loan Party or any Affiliate thereof of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Laws naming such Person as the debtor in such proceeding, regardless of whether such interest and fees are allowed claims in such proceeding; provided, however, that the “Obligations” of a Loan Party shall exclude any Excluded Swap Obligations with respect to such Loan Party.

 

“OFAC” means the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the United States Department of the Treasury.

 

“Organization Documents” means, (a) with respect to any corporation, the certificate or articles of incorporation and the bylaws (or equivalent or comparable constitutive documents with respect to any non-U.S. jurisdiction); (b) with respect to any limited liability company, the certificate or articles of formation or organization and operating agreement or limited liability company agreement (or equivalent or comparable documents with respect to any non-U.S. jurisdiction); (c) with respect to any partnership, joint venture, trust or other form of business entity, the partnership, joint venture or other applicable agreement of formation or organization (or equivalent or comparable documents with respect to any non-U.S. jurisdiction) and (d) with respect to all entities, any agreement, instrument, filing or notice with respect thereto filed in connection with its formation or organization with the applicable Governmental Authority in the jurisdiction of its formation or organization (or equivalent or comparable documents with respect to any non-U.S. jurisdiction).

 

“Other Connection Taxes” means, with respect to any Recipient, Taxes imposed as a result of a present or former connection between such Recipient and the jurisdiction imposing such Tax (other than connections arising from such Recipient having executed, delivered, become a party to, performed its obligations under, received payments under, received or perfected a security interest under, engaged in any other transaction pursuant to or enforced any Loan Document, or sold or assigned an interest in any Loan or Loan Document).

 

“Other Taxes” means all present or future stamp, court or documentary, intangible, recording, filing or similar Taxes that arise from any payment made under, from the execution, delivery, performance, enforcement or registration of, from the receipt or perfection of a security interest under, or otherwise with respect to, any Loan Document, except any such Taxes that are Other Connection Taxes imposed with respect to an assignment (other than an assignment made pursuant to Section 3.06).

 

“Other Term Loans” has the meaning specified in Section 2.16.

 

“Outstanding Amount” means (a) with respect to any Loans on any date, the aggregate outstanding principal amount thereof after giving effect to any borrowings and prepayments or repayments of any Loans occurring on such date; and (b) with respect to any L/C Obligations on any date, the amount of such L/C Obligations on such date after giving effect to any L/C Credit Extension occurring on such date and any

 

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other changes in the aggregate amount of the L/C Obligations as of such date, including as a result of any reimbursements by the Borrower of Unreimbursed Amounts.

 

“Participant” has the meaning specified in Section 11.06(d).

 

“Participant Register” has the meaning specified in Section 11.06(d).

 

“PATRIOT Act” has the meaning set forth in Section 11.19.

 

“PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.

 

“Pension Act” means the Pension Protection Act of 2006.

 

“Pension Funding Rules” means the rules of the Internal Revenue Code and ERISA regarding minimum required contributions (including any installment payment thereof) to Pension Plans and set forth in, with respect to plan years ending prior to the effective date of the Pension Act, Section 412 of the Internal Revenue Code and Section 302 of ERISA, each as in effect prior to the Pension Act and, thereafter, Section 412, 430, 431, 432 and 436 of the Internal Revenue Code and Sections 302, 303, 304 and 305 of ERISA.

 

“Pension Plan” means any employee pension benefit plan (excluding any Multiemployer Plan) that is maintained or is contributed to by the Borrower and any ERISA Affiliate and is either covered by Title IV of ERISA or is subject to the minimum funding standards under Section 412 of the Internal Revenue Code.

 

“Permitted Acquisition” means an Investment consisting of an Acquisition by Holdings or any Subsidiary of Holdings, provided, that, (a) subject to Section 1.07, no Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would result from such Acquisition, (b) the property acquired (or the property of the Person acquired) in such Acquisition is used or useful in the same or a similar line of business as the Borrower and its Subsidiaries were engaged in on the Closing Date (or any reasonable extensions or expansions thereof, including for the avoidance of doubt, infrastructure and industrials construction and alternative energy), (c) in the case of an Acquisition of the Equity Interests of another Person, the board of directors (or other comparable governing body) of such other Person shall have duly approved such Acquisition, (d) subject to Section 1.07, the Loan Parties shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent a Pro Forma Compliance Certificate demonstrating that, after giving effect to such Acquisition on a Pro Forma Basis, (i) the Loan Parties would be in compliance with the financial covenants set forth in Section 7.11 recomputed as of the end of the Applicable Period and (ii) the Consolidated Leverage Ratio recomputed as of the end of the Applicable Period would not exceed the amount that is 0.25:1.0 lower than the Consolidated Leverage Ratio permitted under Section 7.11(a) as of the end of the Applicable Period, (e) subject to Section 1.07, the representations and warranties made by the Loan Parties in each Loan Document shall be true and correct in all material respects at and as if made as of the date of such Acquisition (after giving effect thereto), (f) if such transaction involves the purchase of an interest in a partnership between any Loan Party as a general partner and entities unaffiliated with the Borrower as the other partners, such transaction shall be effected by having such equity interest acquired by a corporate holding company directly or indirectly wholly owned by such Loan Party newly formed for the sole purpose of effecting such transaction, (g) subject to Section 1.07, the Loan Parties shall have Liquidity of at least $20,000,000 after giving effect to such Acquisition on a Pro Forma Basis, and (h) the aggregate cash and non-cash consideration (including assumed Indebtedness, the good faith estimate by the Borrower of the maximum amount of any Earn-Out Obligation) for all such Acquisitions occurring during the term of this Agreement shall not exceed $150,000,000 (excluding consideration funded with capital contributions to Holdings (including cash proceeds from the initial public offering of Pubco) or paid in common stock of Pubco); provided, that the aggregate amount

 

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of Earn-Out Obligations expected to be paid with respect to all Acquisitions in the aggregate, as determined by the Borrower in good faith, shall not exceed $30,000,000.

 

“Permitted Equity” has the meaning specified in Section 8.04.

 

“Permitted Liens” means, at any time, Liens in respect of property of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary permitted to exist at such time pursuant to the terms of Section 7.01.

 

“Permitted Tax Distributions” means with respect to each taxable period, distributions by Holdings to holders of membership or other equity interests of Holdings in an amount not to exceed the amount of any U.S. federal, state, local and/or non-U.S. taxes that Holdings and/or its Subsidiaries, as applicable, would have paid had Holdings and/or its Subsidiaries, as applicable, been a stand-alone corporate taxpayer or a stand-alone corporate consolidated, combined, affiliated, unitary or similar group (without duplication, for the avoidance of doubt, of any amount of such taxes actually directly paid by Holdings and/or any of its Subsidiaries to the relevant taxing authorities).

 

“Permitted Transfers” means (a) Dispositions of inventory in the ordinary course of business; (b) Dispositions of property to Holdings or any Subsidiary; provided, that if the transferor of such property is a Loan Party then either (i) the transferee thereof shall be a Loan Party or (ii) such Disposition shall constitute an Investment permitted by Section 7.02; (c) Dispositions of accounts receivable in connection with the collection or compromise thereof; (d) Dispositions of machinery and equipment that are Disposed of in the ordinary course of business; (e) licenses, sublicenses, leases or subleases granted to others not interfering in any material respect with the business of Holdings and its Subsidiaries; and (f) the sale or disposition of Cash Equivalents for fair market value.

 

“Person” means any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, association, company, partnership, Governmental Authority or other entity.

 

“Plan” means any employee benefit plan within the meaning of Section 3(3) of ERISA (including any Pension Plan and excluding any Multiemployer Plans), maintained for employees of any Loan Party or any ERISA Affiliate or any such Plan to which the any Loan Party or any ERISA Affiliate is required to contribute on behalf of any of its employees.

 

“Platform” has the meaning specified in Section 6.02.

 

“Pro Forma Basis” means, with respect to any transaction, that for purposes of calculating the financial covenants set forth in Section 7.11, such transaction (including the incurrence of any Indebtedness therewith) shall be deemed to have occurred as of the first day of the Applicable Period.  In connection with the foregoing, (a) with respect to any Disposition or Recovery Event, (i) income statement and cash flow statement items (whether positive or negative) attributable to the property disposed of shall be excluded to the extent relating to any period occurring prior to the date of such transaction and (ii) Indebtedness which is retired shall be excluded and deemed to have been retired as of the first day of the applicable period and (b) with respect to any Acquisition, (i) income statement and cash flow statement items attributable to the Person or property acquired shall be included to the extent relating to any period applicable in such calculations to the extent (A) such items are not otherwise included in such income statement and cash flow statement items for Holdings and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP or in accordance with any defined terms set forth in Section 1.01 and (B) such items are supported by (x) financial statements or (y) other information reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and (ii) any Indebtedness incurred or assumed by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary (including the Person or property acquired) in connection with such transaction and any Indebtedness of the Person or property acquired which is not retired in connection with such transaction (A) shall be deemed to have been incurred as of the first day of the

 

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applicable period and (B) if such Indebtedness has a floating or formula rate, shall have an implied rate of interest for the applicable period for purposes of this definition determined by utilizing the rate which is or would be in effect with respect to such Indebtedness as at the relevant date of determination.

 

“Pro Forma Compliance Certificate” means a certificate of a Responsible Officer of Holdings containing reasonably detailed calculations of the financial covenants set forth in Section 7.11 recomputed as of the end of the Applicable Period after giving effect to the applicable transaction on a Pro Forma Basis.

 

“PTE” means a prohibited transaction class exemption issued by the U.S. Department of Labor, as any such exemption may be amended from time to time.

 

“Pubco” means Infrastructure and Energy Alternatives, Inc. (f/k/a M III Acquisition Corp.) a Delaware corporation.

 

“Public Lender” has the meaning specified in Section 6.02.

 

“Qualified Cash” means cash or Cash Equivalents of the Loan Parties that (a) are maintained in a deposit account with the Administrative Agent or in a deposit account that is subject to an account control agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, (b) do not appear (or would not be required to appear) as “restricted” on a consolidated balance sheet of Holdings and (c) are not subject to a Lien (other than Liens of the type described in Sections 7.01(a), (c), (m) and (n)).

 

“Qualified ECP Guarantor” means, at any time, each Loan Party with total assets exceeding $10,000,000 or that qualifies at such time as an “eligible contract participant” under the Commodity Exchange Act and can cause another Person to qualify as an “eligible contract participant” at such time under Section 1a(18)(A)(v)(II) of the Commodity Exchange Act.

 

“Real Property Security Documents” means with respect to the fee interest of any Loan Party in any real property:

 

(a)                                 a fully executed and notarized Mortgage encumbering the fee interest of such Loan Party in such real property;

 

(b)                                 if requested by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion, an as-built survey of the sites of such real property certified to the Administrative Agent and the title insurance company issuing the policies referred to in clause (c) of this definition in a manner satisfactory to each of the Administrative Agent and such title insurance company, dated a date satisfactory to each of the Administrative Agent and such title insurance company by an independent professional licensed land surveyor, which survey shall be sufficient to delete any standard printed survey exception contained in the applicable title policy and be made in accordance with the Minimum Standard Detail Requirements for Land Title Surveys jointly established and adopted by the American Land Title Association and the American Congress on Surveying and Mapping as such requirements are in effect on the date of preparation of such survey;

 

(c)                                  an ALTA mortgagee title insurance policy or marked up unconditional binder of title insurance issued by a title insurance company reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent with respect to such real property, in an amount reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent (not to exceed 110% of the fair market value of the applicable property, as determined in good faith by the Borrower) assuring the Administrative Agent that the Mortgage covering such real property creates a valid and enforceable first priority mortgage lien on such real property, free and clear of all defects and encumbrances except Permitted Liens, which title insurance policies

 

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shall otherwise be in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and shall include such endorsements as are reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent and which are available at commercially reasonable rates in the jurisdiction where the applicable real property is located;

 

(d)                                 (i) a completed “Life-of-Loan” Federal Emergency Management Agency Standard Flood Hazard Determination with respect to such real property (together with a notice about special flood hazard area status and flood disaster assistance duly executed by each Loan Party relating thereto) and (ii) if such real property is a Flood Hazard Property, (A)  notices to (and confirmations of receipt by) such Loan Party as to the existence of a special flood hazard and, if applicable, the unavailability of flood hazard insurance under the National Flood Insurance Program and (A) evidence of applicable flood insurance, if available, in each case in such form, on such terms and in such amounts as required by The National Flood Insurance Reform Act of 1994 or as otherwise reasonably required by the Administrative Agent;

 

(e)                                  if requested by the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion, an environmental assessment report, as to such real property, in form and substance and from professional firms reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent;

 

(f)                                   if requested by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion, evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent that such real property, and the uses of such real property, are in compliance in all material respects with all applicable zoning Laws (the evidence submitted as to which should include the zoning designation made for such real property, the permitted uses of such real property under such zoning designation and, if available, zoning requirements as to parking, lot size, ingress, egress and building setbacks); and

 

(g)                                  if requested by the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion, an opinion of legal counsel to the Loan Party granting the Mortgage on such real property regarding the enforceability, due authorization, execution and delivery of the Mortgage and such other matters customarily covered in real estate counsel opinions, addressed to the Administrative Agent and each Lender, in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent.

 

“Recipient” means the Administrative Agent, any Lender, the L/C Issuer or any other recipient of any payment to be made by or on account of any obligation of any Loan Party hereunder.

 

“Recovery Event” means any loss of, damage to or destruction of, or any condemnation or other taking for public use of, any property of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary.

 

“Register” has the meaning specified in Section 11.06(c).

 

“Related Parties” means, with respect to any Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the partners, directors, officers, employees, agents, trustees, administrators, managers, advisors and representatives of such Person and of such Person’s Affiliates.

 

“Relevant Quarter” has the meaning specified in Section 8.04.

 

“Reportable Event” means any of the events set forth in Section 4043(c) of ERISA, other than events for which the thirty-day notice period has been waived.

 

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“Request for Credit Extension” means (a) with respect to a Borrowing, conversion or continuation of Loans, a Loan Notice, (b) with respect to an L/C Credit Extension, a Letter of Credit Application, and (c) with respect to a Swingline Loan, a Swingline Loan Notice.

 

“Required Lenders” means, at any time, Lenders having Total Credit Exposures representing more than 50% of the Total Credit Exposures of all Lenders; provided, however, that Required Lenders shall require at least two unaffiliated Lenders so long as there are at least two unaffiliated Lenders that are not Defaulting Lenders.  The Total Credit Exposure of any Defaulting Lender shall be disregarded in determining Required Lenders at any time; provided that the amount of any participation in any Swingline Loan and Unreimbursed Amounts that such Defaulting Lender has failed to fund that have not been reallocated to and funded by another Lender shall be deemed to be held by the Lender that is the Swingline Lender or L/C Issuer, as the case may be, in making such determination.

 

“Resignation Effective Date” has the meaning specified in Section 9.06.

 

“Responsible Officer” means the chief executive officer, president, chief financial officer, treasurer, assistant treasurer or controller of a Loan Party, and, solely for purposes of the delivery of incumbency certificates, the secretary or any assistant secretary of a Loan Party and, solely for purposes of notices given pursuant to Article II, any other officer or employee of the applicable Loan Party so designated by any of the foregoing officers in a notice to the Administrative Agent or any other officer or employee of the applicable Loan Party designated in or pursuant to an agreement between the applicable Loan Party and the Administrative Agent.  Any document delivered hereunder that is signed by a Responsible Officer of a Loan Party shall be conclusively presumed to have been authorized by all necessary corporate, partnership and/or other action on the part of such Loan Party and such Responsible Officer shall be conclusively presumed to have acted on behalf of such Loan Party.  To the extent requested by the Administrative Agent, each Responsible Officer will provide an incumbency certificate and appropriate authorization documentation, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

 

“Restricted Payment” means any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property) with respect to any Equity Interests of any Person, or any payment (whether in cash, securities or other property), including any sinking fund or similar deposit, on account of the purchase, redemption, retirement, defeasance, acquisition, cancellation or termination of any such Equity Interests or on account of any return of capital to such Person’s stockholders, partners or members (or the equivalent Person thereof), or any option, warrant or other right to acquire any such dividend or other distribution or payment.

 

“Revolving Commitment” means, as to each Lender, its obligation to (a) make Revolving Loans to the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.01, (b) purchase participations in L/C Obligations, and (c) purchase participations in Swingline Loans, in an aggregate principal amount at any one time outstanding not to exceed the amount set forth opposite such Lender’s name on Schedule 2.01 or in the Assignment and Assumption or any other documentation pursuant to which such Lender becomes a party hereto, as applicable as such amount may be adjusted from time to time in accordance with this Agreement.  Revolving Commitments shall include any Incremental Revolving Commitment.

 

“Revolving Commitment Fee” has the meaning specified in Section 2.09(a)(i).

 

“Revolving Credit Exposure” means, as to any Lender at any time, the aggregate principal amount at such time of its outstanding Revolving Loans and such Lender’s participation in L/C Obligations and Swingline Loans at such time.

 

“Revolving Loan” has the meaning specified in Section 2.01(a).

 

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“S&P” means Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC, a subsidiary of The McGraw Hill Companies, Inc. and any successor thereto.

 

“Sale and Leaseback Transaction” means, with respect to any Person, any arrangement, directly or indirectly, whereby such Person shall sell or transfer any property used or useful in its business, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, and thereafter rent or lease such property or other property that it intends to use for substantially the same purpose or purposes as the property being sold or transferred.

 

“Sanction(s)” means any sanction administered or enforced by the United States Government, including OFAC, the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury (“HMT”) or other relevant sanctions authority.

 

“Scheduled Unavailability Date” has the meaning specified in Section 3.08.

 

“SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, or any Governmental Authority succeeding to any of its principal functions.

 

“Secured Cash Management Agreement” means any Cash Management Agreement that is entered into by and between any Loan Party or any Subsidiary and any Cash Management Bank with respect to such Cash Management Agreement for which such Cash Management Bank has delivered a Secured Party Designation Notice in accordance with Section 9.11.  For the avoidance of doubt, a holder of Obligations in respect of Secured Cash Management Agreements shall be subject to the last paragraph of Section 8.03 and Section 9.11.

 

“Secured Hedge Agreement” means any Swap Contract that is entered into by and between any Loan Party or any Subsidiary and any Hedge Bank for which such Hedge Bank has delivered a Secured Party Designation Notice in accordance with Section 9.11.  For the avoidance of doubt, a holder of Obligations in respect of Secured Hedge Agreements shall be subject to the last paragraph of Section 8.03 and Section 9.11.

 

“Secured Party Designation Notice” means a notice delivered with the consent of the Borrower (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned) by any Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender that is a party to a Secured Cash Management Agreement or a Secured Hedge Agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit 1.01.

 

“Securitization Transaction” means, with respect to any Person, any financing transaction or series of financing transactions (including factoring arrangements) pursuant to which such Person or any Subsidiary of such Person may sell, convey or otherwise transfer, or grant a security interest in, accounts, payments, receivables, rights to future lease payments or residuals or similar rights to payment to a special purpose subsidiary or affiliate of such Person.

 

“Security Agreement” means the security and pledge agreement, dated as of the Closing Date, executed in favor of the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the holders of the Obligations by each of the Loan Parties.

 

“Solvent” or “Solvency” means, with respect to any Person as of a particular date, that on such date (a) such Person is able to pay its debts and other liabilities, contingent obligations and other commitments as they mature in the ordinary course of business, (b) such Person does not intend to, and does not believe that it will, incur debts or liabilities beyond such Person’s ability to pay such debts and liabilities as they mature in the ordinary course of business, (c) such Person is not engaged in a business or a transaction, and is not about to engage in a business or a transaction, for which such Person’s property would constitute

 

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unreasonably small capital, (d) the fair value of the property of such Person is greater than the total amount of liabilities, including contingent liabilities, of such Person and (e) the present fair salable value of the assets of such Person is not less than the amount that will be required to pay the probable liability of such Person on its debts as they become absolute and matured.  The amount of contingent liabilities at any time shall be computed as the amount that, in the light of all the facts and circumstances existing at such time, represents the amount that can reasonably be expected to become an actual or matured liability.

 

“Specified Closing Date Merger Representations” means such of the representations made by or with respect to IEA and its Subsidiaries in the Closing Date Merger Documents to the extent that the accuracy of any such representation is a condition to Pubco’s obligations to consummate the Closing Date Merger pursuant to the Closing Date Merger Documents or is material to the interests of the Lenders, but only to the extent that Pubco has the right to terminate its obligations under the Closing Date Merger Documents or decline to consummate the Closing Date Merger as a result of a breach of such representations.

 

“Specified Loan Party” has the meaning specified in Section 10.08.

 

“Specified Representations” means the representations and warranties made in Sections 5.01(a) (as to valid existence), Section 5.01(b)(ii), Section 5.02(a), Section 5.02(b)(i), Section 5.02(b)(iii), Section 5.04, Section 5.14, Section 5.18 (after giving effect to the Transaction), Section 5.19 (but subject to the last paragraph of Section 4.01), Section 5.21 and Section 5.22.

 

“Subsidiary” of a Person means a corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other business entity of which a majority of the shares of Voting Stock is at the time beneficially owned, or the management of which is otherwise controlled, directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, or both, by such Person.  Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to a “Subsidiary” or to “Subsidiaries” shall refer to a Subsidiary or Subsidiaries of Holdings.

 

“Swap Contract” means (a) any and all rate swap transactions, basis swaps, credit derivative transactions, forward rate transactions, commodity swaps, commodity options, forward commodity contracts, equity or equity index swaps or options, bond or bond price or bond index swaps or options or forward bond or forward bond price or forward bond index transactions, interest rate options, forward foreign exchange transactions, cap transactions, floor transactions, collar transactions, currency swap transactions, cross-currency rate swap transactions, currency options, spot contracts, or any other similar transactions or any combination of any of the foregoing (including any options to enter into any of the foregoing), whether or not any such transaction is governed by or subject to any master agreement, and (b) any and all transactions of any kind, and the related confirmations, which are subject to the terms and conditions of, or governed by, any form of master agreement published by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc., any International Foreign Exchange Master Agreement, or any other master agreement (any such master agreement, together with any related schedules, a “Master Agreement”), including any such obligations or liabilities under any Master Agreement.

 

“Swap Obligation” means with respect to any Guarantor any obligation to pay or perform under any agreement, contract or transaction that constitutes a “swap” within the meaning of Section 1a(47) of the Commodity Exchange Act.

 

“Swap Termination Value” means, in respect of any one or more Swap Contracts, after taking into account the effect of any legally enforceable netting agreement relating to such Swap Contracts, (a) for any date on or after the date such Swap Contracts have been closed out and termination value(s) determined in accordance therewith, such termination value(s) and (b) for any date prior to the date referenced in clause (a), the amount(s) determined as the mark-to-market value(s) for such Swap Contracts, as determined based

 

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upon one or more mid-market or other readily available quotations provided by any recognized dealer in such Swap Contracts (which may include a Lender or any Affiliate of a Lender).

 

“Swingline Lender” means Bank of America in its capacity as provider of Swingline Loans, or any successor Swingline lender hereunder.

 

“Swingline Loan” has the meaning specified in Section 2.04(a).

 

“Swingline Loan Notice” means a notice of a Borrowing of Swingline Loans pursuant to Section 2.04(b), which shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit 2.04 or such other form as approved by the Administrative Agent (including any form on an electronic platform or electronic transmission system as shall be approved by the Administrative Agent), appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower.

 

“Swingline Sublimit” means an amount equal to the lesser of (a) $10,000,000 and (b) the Aggregate Revolving Commitments.  The Swingline Sublimit is part of, and not in addition to, the Aggregate Revolving Commitments.

 

“Synthetic Lease Obligation” means the monetary obligation of a Person under (a) a so-called synthetic, off-balance sheet or tax retention lease, or (b) an agreement for the use or possession of property creating obligations that do not appear on the balance sheet of such Person but which, upon the insolvency or bankruptcy of such Person, would be characterized as the indebtedness of such Person (without regard to accounting treatment).

 

“Taxes” means all present or future taxes, levies, imposts, duties, deductions, withholdings (including backup withholding), assessments, fees or other charges imposed by any Governmental Authority, including any interest, additions to tax or penalties applicable thereto.

 

“Term Loan” has the meaning specified in Section 2.01(b)(i) and includes any Term Loan Tranche and any Incremental Term Loan increasing such Term Loan.

 

“Term Loan Commitment” means, as to each Lender, its obligation to make its portion of the Term Loan to the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.01(b), in the principal amount set forth opposite such Lender’s name on Schedule 2.01 or in the Assignment and Assumption or other document pursuant to which such Lender becomes a party hereto, as applicable, as such amount may be adjusted from time to time in accordance with this Agreement. The aggregate principal amount of the Term Loan Commitments of all of the Lenders as in effect on the Closing Date is $50,000,000.

 

“Term Loan Commitment Fee” has the meaning specified in Section 2.09(a)(ii).

 

“Term Loan Draw” has the meaning specified in Section 2.01(b)(i).

 

“Term Loan Tranche Amendment” has the meaning specified in Section 2.01(b)(iii).

 

“Term Loan Tranche” has the meaning specified in Section 2.01(b)(ii).

 

“Threshold Amount” means $5,000,000.

 

“Total Credit Exposure” means, as to any Lender at any time, the unused Commitments of such Lender at such time, the outstanding Loans of such Lender at such time and such Lender’s participation in L/C Obligations and Swingline Loans at such time.

 

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“Total Revolving Outstandings” means the aggregate Outstanding Amount of all Revolving Loans, all Swingline Loans and all L/C Obligations.

 

“Transaction” means, collectively, the Closing Date Merger, the Closing Date Refinancing, the making of the Credit Extensions on the Closing Date, the payment of the fees, premiums, expenses and other transaction costs in connection with each of the foregoing transactions and all related transactions.

 

“Type” means, with respect to any Loan, its character as a Base Rate Loan or a Eurodollar Rate Loan.

 

“UCP” means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, the Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits, International Chamber of Commerce (“ICC”) Publication No. 600 (or such later version thereof as may be in effect at the time of issuance).

 

“United States” and “U.S.” mean the United States of America.

 

“Unreimbursed Amount” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(c)(i).

 

“U.S. Person” means any Person that is a “United States Person” as defined in Section 7701(a)(30) of the Internal Revenue Code.

 

“U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate” has the meaning specified in Section 3.01(e)(ii)(B)(3).

 

“Voting Stock” means, with respect to any Person, Equity Interests issued by such Person the holders of which are ordinarily, in the absence of contingencies, entitled to vote for the election of directors (or persons performing similar functions) of such Person, even though the right so to vote has been suspended by the happening of such a contingency.

 

“Weighted Average Life to Maturity” means, when applied to any Indebtedness at any date, the number of years (and/or portion thereof) obtained by dividing:  (a) the sum of the products obtained by multiplying (i) the amount of each then remaining installment, sinking fund, serial maturity or other required payments of principal, including payment at final maturity, in respect thereof, by (ii) the number of years (calculated to the nearest one-twelfth) that will elapse between such date and the making of such payment; by (b) the then outstanding principal amount of such Indebtedness.

 

“Write-Down and Conversion Powers” means, with respect to any EEA Resolution Authority, the write-down and conversion powers of such EEA Resolution Authority from time to time under the Bail-In Legislation for the applicable EEA Member Country, which write-down and conversion powers are described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule.

 

1.02                        Other Interpretive Provisions.

 

With reference to this Agreement and each other Loan Document, unless otherwise specified herein or in such other Loan Document:

 

(a)                                 The definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined.  Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms.  The words “include,” “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation.”  The word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall.”  Unless the context requires otherwise, (i) any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument or other

 

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document (including any Loan Document or Organization Document) shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to time amended, amended and restated, modified, extended, restated, replaced or supplemented from time to time (subject to any restrictions on such amendments, supplements or modifications set forth herein or in any other Loan Document), (ii) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and assigns, (iii) the words “hereto,” “herein,” “hereof” and “hereunder,” and words of similar import when used in any Loan Document, shall be construed to refer to such Loan Document in its entirety and not to any particular provision thereof, (iv) all references in a Loan Document to Articles, Sections, Preliminary Statements, Exhibits and Schedules shall be construed to refer to Articles and Sections of, Preliminary Statements of and Exhibits and Schedules to, the Loan Document in which such references appear, (v) any reference to any Law shall include all statutory and regulatory rules, regulations, orders and provisions consolidating, amending, replacing or interpreting such Law and any reference to any Law or regulation shall, unless otherwise specified, refer to such Law or regulation as amended, modified, extended, restated, replaced or supplemented from time to time, and (vi) the words “asset” and “property” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect and to refer to any and all assets and properties, tangible and intangible, real and personal, including cash, securities, accounts and contract rights.

 

(b)                                 In the computation of periods of time from a specified date to a later specified date, the word “from” means “from and including;” the words “to” and “until” each mean “to but excluding;” and the word “through” means “to and including.”

 

(c)                                  Section headings herein and in the other Loan Documents are included for convenience of reference only and shall not affect the interpretation of this Agreement or any other Loan Document.

 

1.03                        Accounting Terms.

 

(a)                                 Generally.  All accounting terms not specifically or completely defined herein shall be construed in conformity with, and all financial data (including financial ratios and other financial calculations) required to be submitted pursuant to this Agreement shall be prepared in conformity with, GAAP applied on a consistent basis, as in effect from time to time, applied in a manner consistent with that used in preparing the Audited Financial Statements, except as otherwise specifically prescribed herein.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, for purposes of determining compliance with any covenant (including the computation of any financial covenant) contained herein, Indebtedness of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries shall be deemed to be carried at 100% of the outstanding principal amount thereof, and the effects of FASB ASC 825 and FASB ASC 470-20 on financial liabilities shall be disregarded.

 

(b)                                 Changes in GAAP.  If at any time any change in GAAP or the application thereof (including the adoption of IFRS) would affect the computation of any financial ratio or requirement set forth in any Loan Document, and either the Loan Parties or the Required Lenders shall so request, the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Loan Parties shall negotiate in good faith to amend such ratio or requirement to preserve the original intent thereof in light of such change in GAAP or the application thereof (subject to the approval of the Required Lenders); provided that, until so amended, (i) such ratio or requirement shall continue to be computed in accordance with GAAP prior to such change therein and (ii) the Loan Parties shall provide to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders financial statements and other documents required under this Agreement or as reasonably requested hereunder setting forth a reconciliation between calculations of such ratio or requirement made before and after giving effect to such change in GAAP.  Without limiting the foregoing, leases shall continue to be classified and accounted for on a basis consistent with that

 

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reflected in the Audited Financial Statements for all purposes of this Agreement, notwithstanding any change in GAAP relating thereto, unless the parties hereto shall enter into a mutually acceptable amendment addressing such changes, as provided for above.

 

(c)           Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities.  All references herein to consolidated financial statements of Holdings and its Subsidiaries or to the determination of any amount for Holdings and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis or any similar reference shall, in each case, be deemed to include each variable interest entity that Holdings is required to consolidate pursuant to FASB ASC 810 as if such variable interest entity were a Subsidiary as defined herein.

 

(d)           Calculations.  Notwithstanding the above, the parties hereto acknowledge and agree that all calculations of the Consolidated Leverage Ratio (including for the financial covenants in Section 7.11 and for purposes of determining the Applicable Rate) shall be made on a Pro Forma Basis with respect to (i) any Disposition of all of the Equity Interests of, or all or substantially all of the assets of, a Subsidiary, (ii) any Disposition of a line of business or division of any Loan Party or Subsidiary, or (iii) any Acquisition, in each case, occurring during the applicable period.

 

1.04        Rounding.

 

Any financial ratios required to be maintained by the Loan Parties pursuant to this Agreement shall be calculated by dividing the appropriate component by the other component, carrying the result to one place more than the number of places by which such ratio is expressed herein and rounding the result up or down to the nearest number (with a rounding-up if there is no nearest number).

 

1.05        Times of Day; Rates.

 

Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to times of day shall be references to Eastern time (daylight or standard, as applicable).  The Administrative Agent does not warrant, nor accept responsibility, nor shall the Administrative Agent have any liability with respect to the administration, submission or any other matter related to the rates in the definition of “Eurodollar Rate” or with respect to any comparable or successor rate thereto.

 

1.06        Letter of Credit Amounts.

 

Unless otherwise specified herein, the amount of a Letter of Credit at any time shall be deemed to be the stated amount of such Letter of Credit in effect at such time; provided, however, that with respect to any Letter of Credit that, by its terms or the terms of any Issuer Document related thereto, provides for one or more automatic increases in the stated amount thereof, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be the maximum stated amount of such Letter of Credit after giving effect to all such increases, whether or not such maximum stated amount is in effect at such time.

 

1.07        Limited Condition Acquisitions.

 

(a)           In connection with the incurrence of any Indebtedness or Liens or the making of any Investments, in each case, in connection with a Limited Condition Acquisition (any of the foregoing, an “LCA Action” and collectively, the “LCA Actions”), for purposes of determining compliance with any provision of this Agreement which requires that no Default has occurred, is continuing or would result from any such LCA Action or that the representations and warranties shall be true and correct in all material respects (or, if qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect, in all respects), as applicable, such condition shall, at the option of the Borrower (the Borrower’s election to exercise such option in connection with any Limited Condition Acquisition,

 

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an “LCA Election”), be deemed satisfied, so long as no Default exists and the representations and warranties are true and correct in all material respects (or, if qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect, in all respects) on and as of the date the definitive agreements for such Limited Condition Acquisition are entered into (the “LCA Test Date”) and no Event of Default under Section 8.01(a), (f) or (g) shall have occurred and is continuing on the effective date of such LCA Action.  For the avoidance of doubt, if the Borrower has exercised the LCA Election, and any Default occurs (including as a result of the representations and warranties not being true and correct) following the LCA Test Date and prior to the consummation of such Limited Condition Acquisition, any such Default shall be deemed to not have occurred or be continuing for purposes of determining whether any action being taken in connection with such Limited Condition Acquisition is permitted hereunder.

 

(b)           In connection with any LCA Action, for purposes of:

 

(i)            determining compliance with any provision of this Agreement which requires the calculation of the financial covenants set forth in Section 7.11; or

 

(ii)           testing baskets set forth in this Agreement;

 

in each case, upon the LCA Election, the date of determination of whether any such action is permitted hereunder, shall be the LCA Test Date, and if, after giving effect to the Limited Condition Acquisition and the other transactions to be entered into in connection therewith (including any incurrence of Indebtedness and the use of proceeds thereof) on a Pro Forma Basis as if they had occurred at the beginning of the Applicable Period then most recently ended prior to the LCA Test Date for which consolidated financial statements of Holdings are available, the Loan Parties could have taken such action on the relevant LCA Test Date in compliance with such ratio or basket, such ratio or basket shall be deemed to have been complied with.  For the avoidance of doubt, if the Borrower has made an LCA Election and any of the ratios or baskets for which compliance was determined or tested as of the LCA Test Date are exceeded as a result of fluctuations in any such ratio or basket, including due to fluctuations in Consolidated EBITDA of Holdings or the Person subject to such Limited Condition Acquisition, at or prior to the consummation of the relevant transaction or action, such baskets or ratios will not be deemed to have been exceeded as a result of such fluctuations.  If the Borrower has made an LCA Election for any Limited Condition Acquisition, then in connection with any subsequent calculation of any ratio or basket availability with respect to the incurrence of any Indebtedness or Liens or the making of any Investments, Restricted Payments, prepayments of Indebtedness, Dispositions, fundamental changes or any other purpose, in each case on or following the relevant LCA Test Date and prior to the earlier of the date on which such Limited Condition Acquisition is consummated or the definitive agreement for such Limited Condition Acquisition is terminated or expires without consummation of such Limited Condition Acquisition, any such ratio or basket shall be calculated both (y) on a Pro Forma Basis assuming such Limited Condition Acquisition and other transactions in connection therewith (including any incurrence of Indebtedness and the use of proceeds thereof) have been consummated and (z) assuming such Limited Condition Acquisition and other transactions in connection therewith have not been consummated.

 

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ARTICLE II

 

THE COMMITMENTS AND CREDIT EXTENSIONS

 

2.01        Revolving Loans and Term Loan.

 

(a)           Revolving Loans.  Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Lender severally agrees to make loans (each such loan, a “Revolving Loan”) to the Borrower in Dollars from time to time on any Business Day during the Availability Period in an aggregate amount not to exceed at any time outstanding the amount of such Lender’s Revolving Commitment; provided, however, that after giving effect to any Borrowing of Revolving Loans, (i) the Total Revolving Outstandings shall not exceed the Aggregate Revolving Commitments, and (ii) the Revolving Credit Exposure of any Lender shall not exceed such Lender’s Revolving Commitment.  Within the limits of each Lender’s Revolving Commitment, and subject to the other terms and conditions hereof, the Borrower may borrow under this Section 2.01, prepay under Section 2.05, and reborrow under this Section 2.01.  Revolving Loans may be Base Rate Loans or Eurodollar Rate Loans, or a combination thereof, as further provided herein; provided, however, that any Borrowing of Revolving Loans made on the Closing Date or any of the three (3) Business Days following the Closing Date shall be made as Base Rate Loans unless the Borrower delivers a Funding Indemnity Letter not less than three (3) Business Days prior to the date of such Borrowing of Revolving Loans.

 

(b)           Term Loan.

 

(i)            Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Lender severally agrees to make its portion of a term loan (the “Term Loan”) to the Borrower in Dollars during the Availability Period in one or more Borrowings (each such Borrowing of the Term Loan, a “Term Loan Draw”), not to exceed four Term Loan Draws, in an aggregate amount not to exceed such Lender’s Term Loan Commitment.  Each Term Loan Draw shall be in a principal amount of at least $5,000,000. Amounts repaid on the Term Loan may not be reborrowed.  The Term Loan may consist of Base Rate Loans or Eurodollar Rate Loans, or a combination thereof, as further provided herein; provided, however, that any Term Loan Draw made on the Closing Date or any of the three (3) Business Days following the Closing Date shall be made as Base Rate Loans unless the Borrower delivers a Funding Indemnity Letter not less than three (3) Business Days prior to the date of such Term Loan Draw.

 

(ii)           Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, any Term Loan Draw made for the purpose of funding a Limited Condition Acquisition may be subject to Section 1.07 provided that (A) the Borrower shall deliver written notice of such request to the Administrative Agent at least ten (10) Business Days prior to the LCA Test Date (or such shorter period as the Administrative Agent may designate in its sole discretion), together with: (I) a quality of earnings with respect to the target of such Limited Condition Acquisition, (II) a management presentation if prepared with respect to such Limited Condition Acquisition, (III) the most recently completed audit for the target of such Limited Condition Acquisition, (IV) a five year income statement forecast of Holdings and its Subsidiaries after giving effect to such Limited Condition Acquisition on a Pro Forma Basis and (V) a sources and uses table with respect to such Limited Condition Acquisition and (B) each Lender shall be afforded five (5) Business Days from receipt of such notice to consent to such request.  If any Lender does not respond in such period, such Lender shall be deemed to have rejected such request.  If less than all Lenders holding a Term Loan Commitment consent to funding the Term Loan Draw subject to Section 1.07, the Term Loan Draw requested by the Borrower may be funded by the consenting Lenders only in an amount equal to the lesser of (x) the requested amount of such Term Loan Draw and (y) the aggregate amount of the undrawn Term Loan Commitments of such consenting Lenders, and the portion of the Term Loan to be drawn pursuant to such Term Loan Draw shall thereafter constitute a separate tranche of Loans (a “Term Loan Tranche”).

 

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(iii)          Each Term Loan Tranche shall be evidenced by an amendment (a “Term Loan Tranche Amendment”) to this Agreement, giving effect to the modifications permitted by this Section 2.01 (and subject to the limitations set forth in the immediately preceding paragraph), executed by the Loan Parties, the Administrative Agent and each Lender providing a portion of the Term Loan Tranche, which such amendment, when so executed, shall amend this Agreement as provided therein.  Each Term Loan Tranche Amendment shall also require such amendments to the Loan Documents, and such other new Loan Documents, as the Administrative Agent reasonably deems necessary or appropriate to effect the modifications and credit extensions permitted by this Section 2.01.  Neither any Term Loan Tranche Amendment, nor any such amendments to the other Loan Documents or such other new Loan Documents, shall be required to be executed or approved by any Lender, other than the Lenders providing such Term Loan Tranche and the Administrative Agent, in order to be effective.  The Administrative Agent shall give notice to the Loan Parties and the Lenders of the effectiveness of any Term Loan Tranche Amendment.

 

2.02        Borrowings, Conversions and Continuations of Loans.

 

(a)           Each Borrowing, each conversion of Loans from one Type to the other, and each continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be made upon the Borrower’s irrevocable notice to the Administrative Agent, which may be given by (A) telephone or (B) a Loan Notice; provided that any telephonic notice must be confirmed immediately by delivery to the Administrative Agent of a Loan Notice.  Each such Loan Notice must be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. (i) three (3) Business Days prior to the requested date of any Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of, Eurodollar Rate Loans or of any conversion of Eurodollar Rate Loans to Base Rate Loans, and (ii) on the requested date of any Borrowing of Base Rate Loans.  Each Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $1,000,000 or a whole multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof (or, in connection with any conversion or continuation of the Term Loan, if less, the entire principal thereof then outstanding).  Except as provided in Sections 2.03(c) and 2.04(c), each Borrowing of or conversion to Base Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $1,000,000 or a whole multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof (or, in connection with any conversion or continuation of the Term Loan, if less, the entire principal thereof then outstanding).  Each Loan Notice shall specify (i) whether the Borrower is requesting a Borrowing, a conversion of Loans from one Type to the other, or a continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans, (ii) the requested date of the Borrowing, conversion or continuation, as the case may be (which shall be a Business Day), (iii) the principal amount of Loans to be borrowed, converted or continued, (iv) the Type of Loans to be borrowed or to which existing Loans are to be converted, and (v) if applicable, the duration of the Interest Period with respect thereto.  If the Borrower fails to specify a Type of Loan in a Loan Notice or if the Borrower fails to give a timely notice requesting a conversion or continuation, then the applicable Loans shall be made as, or converted to, Base Rate Loans. Any such automatic conversion to Base Rate Loans shall be effective as of the last day of the Interest Period then in effect with respect to the applicable Eurodollar Rate Loans.  If the Borrower requests a Borrowing of, conversion to, or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans in any Loan Notice, but fails to specify an Interest Period, it will be deemed to have specified an Interest Period of one month.

 

(b)           Following receipt of a Loan Notice, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender of the amount of its Applicable Percentage of the applicable Loans, and if no timely notice of a conversion or continuation is provided by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent shall notify each Lender of the details of any automatic conversion to Base Rate Loans described in the preceding subsection.  In the case of a Borrowing, each Lender shall make the

 

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amount of its Loan available to the Administrative Agent in immediately available funds at the Administrative Agent’s Office not later than 1:00 p.m. on the Business Day specified in the applicable Loan Notice.  Upon satisfaction of the applicable conditions set forth in Section 4.02 (and, if such Borrowing is the initial Credit Extension, Section 4.01), the Administrative Agent shall make all funds so received available to the Borrower in like funds as received by the Administrative Agent either by (i) crediting the account of the Borrower on the books of Bank of America with the amount of such funds or (ii) wire transfer of such funds, in each case in accordance with instructions provided to (and reasonably acceptable to) the Administrative Agent by the Borrower; provided, however, that if, on the date the Loan Notice with respect to a Borrowing of Revolving Loans is given by the Borrower, there are L/C Borrowings outstanding, then the proceeds of such Borrowing, first, shall be applied to the payment in full of any such L/C Borrowings and second, shall be made available to the Borrower as provided above.

 

(c)           Except as otherwise provided herein, a Eurodollar Rate Loan may be continued or converted only on the last day of the Interest Period for such Eurodollar Rate Loan.  During the existence of an Event of Default, no Loans may be requested as, converted to or continued as Eurodollar Rate Loans without the consent of the Required Lenders, and the Required Lenders may demand that any or all of the outstanding Eurodollar Rate Loans be converted immediately to Base Rate Loans.

 

(d)           Each determination of an interest rate by the Administrative Agent pursuant to any provision of this Agreement shall be conclusive and binding on the Borrower and the Lenders in the absence of manifest error.

 

(e)           After giving effect to all Borrowings, all conversions of Loans from one Type to the other, and all continuations of Loans as the same Type, there shall not be more than ten Interest Periods in effect.

 

(f)            Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, any Lender may exchange, continue or rollover all or a portion of its Loans in connection with any refinancing, extension, loan modification or similar transaction permitted by the terms of this Agreement, pursuant to a cashless settlement mechanism approved by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and such Lender.

 

(g)           This Section 2.02 shall not apply to Swingline Loans.

 

2.03        Letters of Credit.

 

(a)           The Letter of Credit Commitment.

 

(i)            Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, (A) the L/C Issuer agrees, in reliance upon the agreements of the Lenders set forth in this Section 2.03 , (1) from time to time on any Business Day during the period from the Closing Date until the Letter of Credit Expiration Date, to issue Letters of Credit in Dollars for the account of the any Loan Party or any Subsidiary, and to amend or extend Letters of Credit previously issued by it, in accordance with subsection (b) below, and (2) to honor drawings under the Letters of Credit; and (B) the Lenders severally agree to participate in Letters of Credit issued for the account of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary and any drawings thereunder; provided that after giving effect to any L/C Credit Extension with respect to any Letter of Credit, (x) the Total Revolving Outstandings shall not exceed the Aggregate Revolving Commitments, (y) the Revolving Credit Exposure of any Lender shall not exceed such

 

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Lender’s Revolving Commitment and (z) the Outstanding Amount of the L/C Obligations shall not exceed the Letter of Credit Sublimit.  Each request by the Borrower for the issuance or amendment of a Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be a representation by the Borrower that the L/C Credit Extension so requested complies with the conditions set forth in the proviso to the preceding sentence.  Within the foregoing limits, and subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the Borrower’s ability to obtain Letters of Credit shall be fully revolving, and accordingly the Borrower may, during the foregoing period, obtain Letters of Credit to replace Letters of Credit that have expired or that have been drawn upon and reimbursed.

 

(ii)           The L/C Issuer shall not issue any Letter of Credit if:

 

(A)          subject to Section 2.03(b)(iii), the expiry date of the requested Letter of Credit would occur more than twelve months after the date of issuance or last extension, unless the Lenders (other than Defaulting Lenders) holding a majority of the Revolving Credit Exposure have approved such expiry date; or

 

(B)          the expiry date of such requested Letter of Credit would occur after the Letter of Credit Expiration Date, unless all the Lenders that have Revolving Commitments have approved such expiry date.

 

(iii)          The L/C Issuer shall not be under any obligation to issue any Letter of Credit if:

 

(A)          any order, judgment or decree of any Governmental Authority or arbitrator shall by its terms purport to enjoin or restrain the L/C Issuer from issuing such Letter of Credit, or any Law applicable to the L/C Issuer or any request or directive (whether or not having the force of Law) from any Governmental Authority with jurisdiction over the L/C Issuer shall prohibit, or request that the L/C Issuer refrain from, the issuance of letters of credit generally or such Letter of Credit in particular or shall impose upon the L/C Issuer with respect to such Letter of Credit any restriction, reserve or capital requirement (for which the L/C Issuer is not otherwise compensated hereunder) not in effect on the Closing Date, or shall impose upon the L/C Issuer any unreimbursed loss, cost or expense which was not applicable on the Closing Date and which the L/C Issuer in good faith deems material to it;

 

(B)          the issuance of such Letter of Credit would violate one or more policies of the L/C Issuer applicable to letters of credit generally;

 

(C)          except as otherwise agreed by the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer, such Letter of Credit is in an initial stated amount less than $100,000;

 

(D)          such Letter of Credit is to be denominated in a currency other than Dollars;

 

(E)           any Lender is at that time a Defaulting Lender, unless the L/C Issuer has entered into arrangements, including the delivery of Cash Collateral, satisfactory to the L/C Issuer (in its sole discretion) with the Borrower or such Defaulting Lender to eliminate the L/C Issuer’s actual or potential Fronting Exposure (after giving effect to Section 2.15(b)) with respect to the Defaulting

 

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Lender arising from either the Letter of Credit then proposed to be issued or that Letter of Credit and all other L/C Obligations as to which the L/C Issuer has actual or potential Fronting Exposure, as it may elect in its sole discretion; or

 

(F)           such Letter of Credit contains any provisions for automatic reinstatement of the stated amount after any drawing thereunder.

 

(iv)          The L/C Issuer shall not amend any Letter of Credit if the L/C Issuer would not be permitted at such time to issue the Letter of Credit in its amended form under the terms hereof.

 

(v)           The L/C Issuer shall be under no obligation to amend any Letter of Credit if (A) the L/C Issuer would have no obligation at such time to issue the Letter of Credit in its amended form under the terms hereof, or (B) the beneficiary of the Letter of Credit does not accept the proposed amendment to the Letter of Credit.

 

(vi)          The L/C Issuer shall act on behalf of the Lenders with respect to any Letters of Credit issued by it and the documents associated therewith, and the L/C Issuer shall have all of the benefits and immunities (A) provided to the Administrative Agent in Article IX with respect to any acts taken or omissions suffered by the L/C Issuer in connection with Letters of Credit issued by it or proposed to be issued by it and Issuer Documents pertaining to such Letters of Credit as fully as if the term “Administrative Agent” as used in Article IX included the L/C Issuer with respect to such acts or omissions, and (B) as additionally provided herein with respect to the L/C Issuer.

 

(b)           Procedures for Issuance and Amendment of Letters of Credit; Auto-Extension Letters of Credit.

 

(i)            Each Letter of Credit shall be issued or amended, as the case may be, upon the request of the Borrower delivered to the L/C Issuer (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) in the form of a Letter of Credit Application, appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower.  Such Letter of Credit Application may be sent by fax transmission, by United States mail, by overnight courier, by electronic transmission using the system provided by the L/C Issuer, by personal delivery or by any other means acceptable to the L/C Issuer.  Such Letter of Credit Application must be received by the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. at least two (2) Business Days (or such later date and time as the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer may agree in a particular instance in their sole discretion) prior to the proposed issuance date or date of amendment, as the case may be.  In the case of a request for an initial issuance of a Letter of Credit, such Letter of Credit Application shall specify in form and detail satisfactory to the L/C Issuer: (A) the proposed issuance date of the requested Letter of Credit (which shall be a Business Day); (B) the amount thereof; (C) the expiry date thereof; (D) the name and address of the beneficiary thereof; (E) the documents to be presented by such beneficiary in case of any drawing thereunder; (F) the full text of any certificate to be presented by such beneficiary in case of any drawing thereunder; (G) the purpose and nature of the requested Letter of Credit; and (H) such other matters as the L/C Issuer may require.  In the case of a request for an amendment of any outstanding Letter of Credit, such Letter of Credit Application shall specify in form and detail satisfactory to the L/C Issuer (A) the Letter of Credit to be amended; (B) the proposed date of amendment thereof (which shall be a Business Day); (C) the nature of the proposed amendment; and (D) such other matters as the L/C Issuer may require.  Additionally, the

 

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Borrower shall furnish to the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent such other documents and information pertaining to such requested Letter of Credit issuance or amendment, including any Issuer Documents, as the L/C Issuer or the Administrative Agent may require.

 

(ii)           Promptly after receipt of any Letter of Credit Application, the L/C Issuer will confirm with the Administrative Agent (by telephone or in writing) that the Administrative Agent has received a copy of such Letter of Credit Application from the Borrower and, if not, the L/C Issuer will provide the Administrative Agent with a copy thereof.  Unless the L/C Issuer has received written notice from any Lender, the Administrative Agent or any Loan Party, at least one Business Day prior to the requested date of issuance or amendment of the applicable Letter of Credit, that one or more applicable conditions contained in Article IV shall not then be satisfied, then, subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the L/C Issuer shall, on the requested date, issue a Letter of Credit for the account of the Borrower or the applicable Subsidiary or enter into the applicable amendment, as the case may be, in each case in accordance with the L/C Issuer’s usual and customary business practices.  Immediately upon the issuance of each Letter of Credit, each Lender shall be deemed to, and hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees to, purchase from the L/C Issuer a risk participation in such Letter of Credit in an amount equal to the product of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage times the amount of such Letter of Credit.

 

(iii)          If the Borrower so requests in any applicable Letter of Credit Application, the L/C Issuer may, in its sole discretion, agree to issue a Letter of Credit that has automatic extension provisions (each, an “Auto-Extension Letter of Credit”); provided that any such Auto-Extension Letter of Credit must permit the L/C Issuer to prevent any such extension at least once in each twelve-month period (commencing with the date of issuance of such Letter of Credit) by giving prior notice to the beneficiary thereof not later than a day (the “Non-Extension Notice Date”) in each such twelve-month period to be agreed upon at the time such Letter of Credit is issued.  Unless otherwise directed by the L/C Issuer, the Borrower shall not be required to make a specific request to the L/C Issuer for any such extension.  Once an Auto-Extension Letter of Credit has been issued, the Lenders shall be deemed to have authorized (but may not require) the L/C Issuer to permit the extension of such Letter of Credit at any time to an expiry date not later than the Letter of Credit Expiration Date; provided, however, that the L/C Issuer shall not permit any such extension if (A) the L/C Issuer has determined that it would not be permitted, or would have no obligation, at such time to issue such Letter of Credit in its revised form (as extended) under the terms hereof (by reason of the provisions of clause (ii) or (iii) of Section 2.03(a) or otherwise), or (B) it has received notice (which may be by telephone or in writing) on or before the day that is seven (7) Business Days before the Non-Extension Notice Date (1) from the Administrative Agent that the Required Lenders have elected not to permit such extension or (2) from the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any Loan Party that one or more of the applicable conditions specified in Section 4.02 is not then satisfied, and in each case directing the L/C Issuer not to permit such extension.

 

(iv)          If the Borrower so requests in any applicable Letter of Credit Application, the L/C Issuer may, in its sole discretion, agree to issue a Letter of Credit that permits the automatic reinstatement of all or a portion of the stated amount thereof after any drawing thereunder (each, an “Auto-Reinstatement Letter of Credit”).  Unless otherwise directed by the L/C Issuer, the Borrower shall not be required to make a specific request to the L/C Issuer to permit such reinstatement.  Once an Auto-Reinstatement Letter of Credit has been

 

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issued, except as provided in the following sentence, the Lenders shall be deemed to have authorized (but may not require) the L/C Issuer to reinstate all or a portion of the stated amount thereof in accordance with the provisions of such Letter of Credit.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, if such Auto-Reinstatement Letter of Credit permits the L/C Issuer to decline to reinstate all or any portion of the stated amount thereof after a drawing thereunder by giving notice of such non-reinstatement within a specified number of days after such drawing (the “Non-Reinstatement Deadline”), the L/C Issuer shall not permit such reinstatement if it has received a notice (which may be by telephone or in writing) on or before the day that is seven (7) Business Days before the Non-Reinstatement Deadline (A) from the Administrative Agent that the Required Lenders have elected not to permit such reinstatement or (B) from the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the Borrower that one or more of the applicable conditions specified in Section 4.02 is not then satisfied (treating such reinstatement as an L/C Credit Extension for purposes of this clause) and, in each case, directing the L/C Issuer not to permit such reinstatement.

 

(v)           Promptly after its delivery of any Letter of Credit or any amendment to a Letter of Credit to an advising bank with respect thereto or to the beneficiary thereof, the L/C Issuer will also deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent a true and complete copy of such Letter of Credit or amendment.

 

(c)           Drawings and Reimbursements; Funding of Participations.

 

(i)            Upon receipt from the beneficiary of any Letter of Credit of any notice of drawing under such Letter of Credit, the L/C Issuer shall notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent thereof.  Not later than 11:00 a.m. on the date of any payment by the L/C Issuer under a Letter of Credit (each such date, an “Honor Date”), the Borrower shall reimburse the L/C Issuer through the Administrative Agent in an amount equal to the amount of such drawing.  If the Borrower fails to so reimburse the L/C Issuer by such time, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender of the Honor Date, the amount of the unreimbursed drawing (the “Unreimbursed Amount”), and the amount of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage thereof.  In such event, the Borrower shall be deemed to have requested a Borrowing of Revolving Loans that are Base Rate Loans to be disbursed on the Honor Date in an amount equal to the Unreimbursed Amount, without regard to the minimum and multiples specified in Section 2.02 for the principal amount of Base Rate Loans, but subject to the unutilized portion of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments and the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 (other than the delivery of a Loan Notice).  Any notice given by the L/C Issuer or the Administrative Agent pursuant to this Section 2.03(c)(i) may be given by telephone if immediately confirmed in writing; provided that the lack of such an immediate confirmation shall not affect the conclusiveness or binding effect of such notice.

 

(ii)           Each Lender shall upon any notice pursuant to Section 2.03(c)(i) make funds available (and the Administrative Agent may apply Cash Collateral provided for this purpose) for the account of the L/C Issuer at the Administrative Agent’s Office in an amount equal to its Applicable Percentage of the Unreimbursed Amount not later than 1:00 p.m. on the Business Day specified in such notice by the Administrative Agent, whereupon, subject to the provisions of Section 2.03(c)(iii), each Lender that so makes funds available shall be deemed to have made a Revolving Loan that is a Base Rate Loan to the Borrower in such amount.  The Administrative Agent shall remit the funds so received to the L/C Issuer.

 

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(iii)          With respect to any Unreimbursed Amount that is not fully refinanced by a Borrowing of Revolving Loans that are Base Rate Loans because the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 cannot be satisfied or for any other reason, the Borrower shall be deemed to have incurred from the L/C Issuer an L/C Borrowing in the amount of the Unreimbursed Amount that is not so refinanced, which L/C Borrowing shall be due and payable on demand (together with interest) and shall bear interest at the Default Rate.  In such event, each Lender’s payment to the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer pursuant to Section 2.03(c)(ii) shall be deemed payment in respect of its participation in such L/C Borrowing and shall constitute an L/C Advance from such Lender in satisfaction of its participation obligation under this Section 2.03.

 

(iv)          Until each Lender funds its Revolving Loan or L/C Advance pursuant to this Section 2.03(c) to reimburse the L/C Issuer for any amount drawn under any Letter of Credit, interest in respect of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of such amount shall be solely for the account of the L/C Issuer.

 

(v)           Each Lender’s obligation to make Revolving Loans or L/C Advances to reimburse the L/C Issuer for amounts drawn under Letters of Credit, as contemplated by this Section 2.03(c), shall be absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance, including (A) any setoff, counterclaim, recoupment, defense or other right which such Lender may have against the L/C Issuer, any Loan Party, any Subsidiary or any other Person for any reason whatsoever; (B) the occurrence or continuance of a Default, or (C) any other occurrence, event or condition, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing; provided, however, that each Lender’s obligation to make Revolving Loans pursuant to this Section 2.03(c) is subject to the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 (other than delivery by the Borrower of a Loan Notice).  No such making of an L/C Advance shall relieve or otherwise impair the obligation of the Borrower to reimburse the L/C Issuer for the amount of any payment made by the L/C Issuer under any Letter of Credit, together with interest as provided herein.

 

(vi)          If any Lender fails to make available to the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer any amount required to be paid by such Lender pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.03(c) by the time specified in Section 2.03(c)(ii), then, without limiting the other provisions of this Agreement, the L/C Issuer shall be entitled to recover from such Lender (acting through the Administrative Agent), on demand, such amount with interest thereon for the period from the date such payment is required to the date on which such payment is immediately available to the L/C Issuer at a rate per annum equal to the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the L/C Issuer in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation, plus any administrative, processing or similar fees customarily charged by the L/C Issuer in connection with the foregoing.  If such Lender pays such amount (with interest and fees as aforesaid), the amount so paid shall constitute such Lender’s Revolving Loan included in the relevant Borrowing or L/C Advance in respect of the relevant L/C Borrowing, as the case may be.  A certificate of the L/C Issuer submitted to any Lender (through the Administrative Agent) with respect to any amounts owing under this clause (vi) shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

 

(d)           Repayment of Participations.

 

(i)            At any time after the L/C Issuer has made a payment under any Letter of Credit and has received from any Lender such Lender’s L/C Advance in respect of such

 

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payment in accordance with Section 2.03(c), if the Administrative Agent receives for the account of the L/C Issuer any payment in respect of the related Unreimbursed Amount or interest thereon (whether directly from the Borrower or otherwise, including proceeds of Cash Collateral applied thereto by the Administrative Agent), the Administrative Agent will distribute to such Lender its Applicable Percentage thereof in the same funds as those received by the Administrative Agent.

 

(ii)           If any payment received by the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer pursuant to Section 2.03(c)(i) is required to be returned under any of the circumstances described in Section 11.05 (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the L/C Issuer in its discretion), each Lender shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer its Applicable Percentage thereof on demand of the Administrative Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date such amount is returned by such Lender, at a rate per annum equal to the Federal Funds Rate from time to time in effect.  The obligations of the Lenders under this clause shall survive the payment in full of the Obligations and the termination of this Agreement.

 

(e)           Obligations Absolute.  The obligation of the Borrower to reimburse the L/C Issuer for each drawing under each Letter of Credit and to repay each L/C Borrowing shall be absolute, unconditional and irrevocable, and shall be paid strictly in accordance with the terms of this Agreement under all circumstances, including the following:

 

(i)            any lack of validity or enforceability of such Letter of Credit, this Agreement or any other Loan Document;

 

(ii)           the existence of any claim, counterclaim, setoff, defense or other right that any Loan Party or any Subsidiary may have at any time against any beneficiary or any transferee of such Letter of Credit (or any Person for whom any such beneficiary or any such transferee may be acting), the L/C Issuer or any other Person, whether in connection with this Agreement, the transactions contemplated hereby or by such Letter of Credit or any agreement or instrument relating thereto, or any unrelated transaction;

 

(iii)          any draft, demand, certificate or other document presented under such Letter of Credit proving to be forged, fraudulent, invalid or insufficient in any respect or any statement therein being untrue or inaccurate in any respect; or any loss or delay in the transmission or otherwise of any document required in order to make a drawing under such Letter of Credit;

 

(iv)          waiver by the L/C Issuer of any requirement that exists for the L/C Issuer’s protection and not the protection of any Loan Party or any waiver by the L/C Issuer which does not in fact materially prejudice any Loan Party;

 

(v)           honor of a demand for payment presented electronically even if such Letter of Credit requires that demand be in the form of a draft;

 

(vi)          any payment made by the L/C Issuer in respect of an otherwise complying item presented after the date specified as the expiration date of, or the date by which documents must be received under such Letter of Credit if presentation after such date is authorized by the UCC, the ISP or the UCP, as applicable;

 

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(vii)         any payment by the L/C Issuer under such Letter of Credit against presentation of a draft or certificate that does not strictly comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit; or any payment made by the L/C Issuer under such Letter of Credit to any Person purporting to be a trustee in bankruptcy, debtor-in-possession, assignee for the benefit of creditors, liquidator, receiver or other representative of or successor to any beneficiary or any transferee of such Letter of Credit, including any arising in connection with any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law; or

 

(viii)        any other circumstance or happening whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing, including any other circumstance that might otherwise constitute a defense available to, or a discharge of, any Loan Party or any Subsidiary.

 

The Borrower shall promptly examine a copy of each Letter of Credit and each amendment thereto that is delivered to it and, in the event of any claim of noncompliance with the Borrower’s instructions or other irregularity, the Borrower will immediately notify the L/C Issuer.  The Borrower shall be conclusively deemed to have waived any such claim against the L/C Issuer and its correspondents unless such notice is given as aforesaid.

 

(f)            Role of L/C Issuer.  Each Lender and the Borrower agree that, in paying any drawing under a Letter of Credit, the L/C Issuer shall not have any responsibility to obtain any document (other than any sight or time draft, certificates and documents expressly required by such Letter of Credit) or to ascertain or inquire as to the validity or accuracy of any such document or the authority of the Person executing or delivering any such document.  None of the L/C Issuer, the Administrative Agent, any of their respective Related Parties nor any correspondent, participant or assignee of the L/C Issuer shall be liable to any Lender for (i) any action taken or omitted in connection herewith at the request or with the approval of the Lenders or the Required Lenders, as applicable; (ii) any action taken or omitted in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct; or (iii) the due execution, effectiveness, validity or enforceability of any document or instrument related to any Letter of Credit or Issuer Document.  The Borrower hereby assumes all risks of the acts or omissions of any beneficiary or transferee with respect to its use of any Letter of Credit; provided, however, that this assumption is not intended to, and shall not, preclude the Borrower from pursuing such rights and remedies as it may have against the beneficiary or transferee at law or under any other agreement.  None of the L/C Issuer, the Administrative Agent, any of their respective Related Parties nor any correspondent, participant or assignee of the L/C Issuer shall be liable or responsible for any of the matters described in Section 2.03(e); provided, however, that anything in such clauses to the contrary notwithstanding, the Borrower may have a claim against the L/C Issuer, and the L/C Issuer may be liable to the Borrower, to the extent, but only to the extent, of any direct, as opposed to consequential or exemplary, damages suffered by the Borrower which the Borrower proves, as determined by a final nonappealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction, were caused by the L/C Issuer’s willful misconduct or gross negligence or the L/C Issuer’s willful failure to pay under any Letter of Credit after the presentation to it by the beneficiary of a sight or time draft and certificate(s) strictly complying with the terms and conditions of a Letter of Credit.  In furtherance and not in limitation of the foregoing, the L/C Issuer may accept documents that appear on their face to be in order, without responsibility for further investigation, regardless of any notice or information to the contrary, and the L/C Issuer shall not be responsible for the validity or sufficiency of any instrument transferring, endorsing or assigning or purporting to transfer, endorse or assign a Letter of Credit or the rights or benefits thereunder or proceeds thereof, in whole or in part, which may prove to be invalid or ineffective for any reason.  The L/C Issuer may send a Letter of Credit or conduct any communication to or from the beneficiary via the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (“SWIFT”)

 

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message or overnight courier, or any other commercially reasonable means of communicating with a beneficiary.

 

(g)           Applicability of ISP and UCP; Limitation of Liability.  Unless otherwise expressly agreed by the L/C Issuer and the Borrower when a Letter of Credit is issued, the rules of the ISP shall apply to each Letter of Credit.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the L/C Issuer shall not be responsible to the Borrower for, and the L/C Issuer’s rights and remedies against the Borrower shall not be impaired by, any action or inaction of the L/C Issuer required or permitted under any Law, order, or practice that is required or permitted to be applied to any Letter of Credit or this Agreement, including the Law or any order of a jurisdiction where the L/C Issuer or the beneficiary is located, the practice stated in the ISP or UCP, as applicable, or in the decisions, opinions, practice statements, or official commentary of the ICC Banking Commission, the Bankers Association for Finance and Trade - International Financial Services Association (BAFT-IFSA), or the Institute of International Banking Law & Practice, whether or not any Letter of Credit chooses such Law or practice.

 

(h)           Letter of Credit Fees.  The Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender in accordance, subject to Section 2.15, with its Applicable Percentage a Letter of Credit fee (the “Letter of Credit Fee”) for each Letter of Credit equal to the Applicable Rate for Eurodollar Rate Loans times the daily amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit.  For purposes of computing the daily amount available to be drawn under any Letter of Credit, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be determined in accordance with Section 1.06.  Letter of Credit Fees shall be (i) due and payable on the first Business Day after the end of each March, June, September and December, commencing with the first such date to occur after the issuance of such Letter of Credit, on the Letter of Credit Expiration Date and thereafter on demand and (ii) computed on a quarterly basis in arrears.  If there is any change in the Applicable Rate during any quarter, the daily amount available to be drawn under each Letter of Credit shall be computed and multiplied by the Applicable Rate separately for each period during such quarter that such Applicable Rate was in effect.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, upon the request of the Required Lenders, while any Event of Default exists, all Letter of Credit Fees shall accrue at the Default Rate.

 

(i)            Fronting Fee and Documentary and Processing Charges Payable to L/C Issuer. The Borrower shall pay directly to the L/C Issuer for its own account a fronting fee with respect to each Letter of Credit, at the rate per annum specified in the Agent Fee Letter, computed on the daily amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit on a quarterly basis in arrears.  Such fronting fee shall be due and payable on the tenth Business Day after the end of each March, June, September and December in respect of the most recently-ended quarterly period (or portion thereof, in the case of the first payment), commencing with the first such date to occur after the issuance of such Letter of Credit, on the Letter of Credit Expiration Date and thereafter on demand.  For purposes of computing the daily amount available to be drawn under any Letter of Credit, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be determined in accordance with Section 1.06.  In addition, the Borrower shall pay directly to the L/C Issuer for its own account the customary issuance, presentation, amendment and other processing fees, and other standard costs and charges, of the L/C Issuer relating to letters of credit as from time to time in effect.  Such customary fees and standard costs and charges are due and payable on demand and are nonrefundable.

 

(j)            Conflict with Issuer Documents.  In the event of any conflict between the terms hereof and the terms of any Issuer Document, the terms hereof shall control.

 

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(k)           Letters of Credit Issued for Holdings and its Subsidiaries.  Notwithstanding that a Letter of Credit issued or outstanding hereunder is in support of any obligations of, or is for the account of, Holdings or a Subsidiary, the Borrower shall be obligated to reimburse the L/C Issuer hereunder for any and all drawings under such Letter of Credit.  The Borrower hereby acknowledges that the issuance of Letters of Credit for the account of Holdings or any Subsidiary inures to the benefit of the Borrower, and that the Borrower’s business derives substantial benefits from the businesses of such Subsidiaries.

 

2.04        Swingline Loans.

 

(a)           Swingline Facility.  Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Swingline Lender, in reliance upon the agreements of the other Lenders set forth in this Section 2.04, may in its sole discretion make loans (each such loan, a “Swingline Loan”) to the Borrower in Dollars from time to time on any Business Day during the Availability Period in an aggregate amount not to exceed at any time outstanding the amount of the Swingline Sublimit, notwithstanding the fact that such Swingline Loans, when aggregated with the Applicable Percentage of the Outstanding Amount of Revolving Loans and L/C Obligations of the Lender acting as Swingline Lender, may exceed the amount of such Lender’s Revolving Commitment; provided, however, that (i) after giving effect to any Swingline Loan, (A) the Total Revolving Outstandings shall not exceed the Aggregate Revolving Commitments and (B) the Revolving Credit Exposure of any Lender shall not exceed such Lender’s Revolving Commitment, (ii) the Borrower shall not use the proceeds of any Swingline Loan to refinance any outstanding Swingline Loan and (iii) the Swingline Lender shall not be under any obligation to make any Swingline Loan if it shall determine (which determination shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error) that it has, or by such Credit Extension may have, Fronting Exposure.  Within the foregoing limits, and subject to the other terms and conditions hereof, the Borrower may borrow under this Section 2.04, prepay under Section 2.05, and reborrow under this Section 2.04.  Each Swingline Loan shall be a Base Rate Loan.  Immediately upon the making of a Swingline Loan, each Lender shall be deemed to, and hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees to, purchase from the Swingline Lender a risk participation in such Swingline Loan in an amount equal to the product of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage times the amount of such Swingline Loan.

 

(b)           Borrowing Procedures.

 

(i)            Each Borrowing of Swingline Loans shall be made upon the Borrower’s irrevocable notice to the Swingline Lender and the Administrative Agent, which may be given by (A) telephone or (B) by a Swingline Loan Notice; provided that any telephonic notice must be confirmed promptly by delivery to the Swingline Lender and the Administrative Agent of a Swingline Loan Notice.  Each such Swingline Loan Notice must be received by the Swingline Lender and the Administrative Agent not later than 1:00 p.m. on the requested borrowing date, and shall specify (i) the amount to be borrowed, which shall be a minimum principal amount of $100,000, and (ii) the requested borrowing date, which shall be a Business Day.  Promptly after receipt by the Swingline Lender of any Swingline Loan Notice, the Swingline Lender will confirm with the Administrative Agent (by telephone or in writing) that the Administrative Agent has also received such Swingline Loan Notice and, if not, the Swingline Lender will notify the Administrative Agent (by telephone or in writing) of the contents thereof.  Unless the Swingline Lender has received notice (by telephone or in writing) from the Administrative Agent (including at the request of any Lender) prior to 2:00 p.m. on the date of the proposed Borrowing of Swingline Loans (A) directing the Swingline Lender not to make such Swingline Loan as a result of the limitations set forth in the first proviso to the first sentence of Section 2.04(a), or (B)

 

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that one or more of the applicable conditions specified in Article IV is not then satisfied, then, subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the Swingline Lender will, not later than 3:00 p.m. on the borrowing date specified in such Swingline Loan Notice, make the amount of its Swingline Loan available to the Borrower.

 

(c)           Refinancing of Swingline Loans.

 

(i)            The Swingline Lender at any time in its sole discretion may request, on behalf of the Borrower (which hereby irrevocably authorizes the Swingline Lender to so request on its behalf), that each Lender make a Revolving Loan that is a Base Rate Loan in an amount equal to such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the amount of Swingline Loans then outstanding.  Such request shall be made in writing (which written request shall be deemed to be a Loan Notice for purposes hereof) and in accordance with the requirements of Section 2.02, without regard to the minimum and multiples specified therein for the principal amount of Base Rate Loans, but subject to the unutilized portion of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments and the conditions set forth in Section 4.02.  The Swingline Lender shall furnish the Borrower with a copy of the applicable Loan Notice promptly after delivering such notice to the Administrative Agent.  Each Lender shall make an amount equal to its Applicable Percentage of the amount specified in such Loan Notice available to the Administrative Agent in immediately available funds (and the Administrative Agent may apply Cash Collateral available with respect to the applicable Swingline Loan) for the account of the Swingline Lender at the Administrative Agent’s Office not later than 1:00 p.m. on the day specified in such Loan Notice, whereupon, subject to Section 2.04(c)(ii), each Lender that so makes funds available shall be deemed to have made a Revolving Loan that is a Base Rate Loan to the Borrower in such amount.  The Administrative Agent shall remit the funds so received to the Swingline Lender.

 

(ii)           If for any reason any Swingline Loan cannot be refinanced by such a Borrowing of Revolving Loans in accordance with Section 2.04(c)(i), the request for Revolving Loans that are Base Rate Loans submitted by the Swingline Lender as set forth herein shall be deemed to be a request by the Swingline Lender that each of the Lenders fund its risk participation in the relevant Swingline Loan and each Lender’s payment to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Swingline Lender pursuant to Section 2.04(c)(i) shall be deemed payment in respect of such participation.

 

(iii)          If any Lender fails to make available to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Swingline Lender any amount required to be paid by such Lender pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.04(c) by the time specified in Section 2.04(c)(i), the Swingline Lender shall be entitled to recover from such Lender (acting through the Administrative Agent), on demand, such amount with interest thereon for the period from the date such payment is required to the date on which such payment is immediately available to the Swingline Lender at a rate per annum equal to the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Swingline Lender in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation, plus any administrative, processing or similar fees customarily charged by the Swingline Lender in connection with the foregoing.  If such Lender pays such amount (with interest and fees as aforesaid), the amount so paid shall constitute such Lender’s Revolving Loan included in the relevant Borrowing or funded participation in the relevant Swingline Loan, as the case may be.  A certificate of the Swingline Lender submitted to any Lender (through the Administrative Agent) with respect to any amounts owing under this clause (iii) shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

 

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(iv)          Each Lender’s obligation to make Revolving Loans or to purchase and fund risk participations in Swingline Loans pursuant to this Section 2.04(c) shall be absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance, including (A) any setoff, counterclaim, recoupment, defense or other right that such Lender may have against the Swingline Lender, the Borrower or any other Person for any reason whatsoever, (B) the occurrence or continuance of a Default, or (C) any other occurrence, event or condition, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing; provided, however, that each Lender’s obligation to make Revolving Loans pursuant to this Section 2.04(c) is subject to the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 (other than delivery by the Borrower of a Loan Notice).  No such funding of risk participations shall relieve or otherwise impair the obligation of the Borrower to repay Swingline Loans, together with interest as provided herein.

 

(d)           Repayment of Participations.

 

(i)            At any time after any Lender has purchased and funded a risk participation in a Swingline Loan, if the Swingline Lender receives any payment on account of such Swingline Loan, the Swingline Lender will distribute to such Lender its Applicable Percentage thereof in the same funds as those received by the Swingline Lender.

 

(ii)           If any payment received by the Swingline Lender in respect of principal or interest on any Swingline Loan is required to be returned by the Swingline Lender under any of the circumstances described in Section 11.05 (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the Swingline Lender in its discretion), each Lender shall pay to the Swingline Lender its Applicable Percentage thereof on demand of the Administrative Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date such amount is returned, at a rate per annum equal to the Federal Funds Rate.  The Administrative Agent will make such demand upon the request of the Swingline Lender.  The obligations of the Lenders under this clause shall survive the payment in full of the Obligations and the termination of this Agreement.

 

(e)           Interest for Account of Swingline Lender.  The Swingline Lender shall be responsible for invoicing the Borrower for interest on the Swingline Loans.  Until each Lender funds its Revolving Loans that are Base Rate Loans or risk participation pursuant to this Section 2.04 to refinance such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of any Swingline Loan, interest in respect of such Applicable Percentage shall be solely for the account of the Swingline Lender.

 

(f)            Payments Directly to Swingline Lender.  The Borrower shall make all payments of principal and interest in respect of the Swingline Loans directly to the Swingline Lender.

 

2.05        Prepayments.

 

(a)           Voluntary Prepayments of Loans.

 

(i)            Revolving Loans and Term Loan.  The Borrower may, upon delivery of a Notice of Loan Prepayment to the Administrative Agent, at any time or from time to time voluntarily prepay Revolving Loans and the Term Loan in whole or in part without premium or penalty; provided that, unless otherwise agreed by the Administrative Agent, (A) such notice must be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. (1) three (3) Business Days prior to any date of prepayment of Eurodollar Rate Loans and (2)

 

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on the date of prepayment of Base Rate Loans; (B) any such prepayment of Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $1,000,000 or a whole multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof (or, if less, the entire principal amount thereof then outstanding); (C) any prepayment of Base Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $1,000,000 or a whole multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof (or, if less, the entire principal amount thereof then outstanding); and (D) any prepayment of the Term Loan shall be applied to the remaining principal amortization payments in direct order of maturity (provided, such prepayment shall be applied ratably to all outstanding Term Loan Tranches).  Each such notice shall specify the date and amount of such prepayment and the Type(s) of Loans to be prepaid and, if Eurodollar Rate Loans are to be prepaid, the Interest Period(s) of such Loans.  The Administrative Agent will promptly notify each Lender of its receipt of each such notice, and of the amount of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of such prepayment.  If such notice is given by the Borrower, the Borrower shall make such prepayment and the payment amount specified in such notice shall be due and payable on the date specified therein; provided that such notice may state that such notice is conditional upon the consummation of an acquisition or sale transaction or upon the effectiveness of other credit facilities or the receipt of the proceeds from the issuance of other Indebtedness or the occurrence of any other specified event, in which case such notice of prepayment may, subject to Section 3.05, be revoked by the Borrower (by notice to the Administrative Agent on or prior to the specified date) if such condition is not satisfied.  Any prepayment of a Eurodollar Rate Loan shall be accompanied by all accrued interest on the amount prepaid, together with any additional amounts required pursuant to Section 3.05.  Subject to Section 2.15, each such prepayment shall be applied to the Loans of the applicable Lenders in accordance with their respective Applicable Percentages.

 

(ii)           Swingline Loans.  The Borrower may, upon notice to the Swingline Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), at any time or from time to time, voluntarily prepay Swingline Loans in whole or in part without premium or penalty; provided that, unless otherwise agreed by the Swingline Lender, (i) such notice must be received by the Swingline Lender and the Administrative Agent not later than 1:00 p.m. on the date of the prepayment, and (ii) any such prepayment shall be in a minimum principal amount of $100,000 or a whole multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof (or, if less, the entire principal thereof then outstanding).  Each such notice shall specify the date and amount of such prepayment.  If such notice is given by the Borrower, the Borrower shall make such prepayment and the payment amount specified in such notice shall be due and payable on the date specified therein; provided that such notice may state that such notice is conditional upon the consummation of an acquisition or sale transaction or upon the effectiveness of other credit facilities or the receipt of the proceeds from the issuance of other Indebtedness or the occurrence of any other specified event, in which case such notice of prepayment may, subject to Section 3.05, be revoked by the Borrower (by notice to the Administrative Agent on or prior to the specified date) if such condition is not satisfied.  Any prepayment of a Swingline Loan shall be accompanied by all accrued interest on the amount prepaid, together with any additional amounts required pursuant to Section 3.05.

 

(b)           Mandatory Prepayments of Loans.

 

(i)            Revolving Commitments.  If for any reason the Total Revolving Outstandings at any time exceed the Aggregate Revolving Commitments then in effect, the Borrower shall immediately prepay Revolving Loans and/or Swingline Loans and/or Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations in an aggregate amount equal to such excess; provided, however, that the Borrower shall not be required to Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations

 

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pursuant to this Section 2.05(b)(i) unless after the prepayment in full of the Revolving Loans and Swingline Loans the Total Revolving Outstandings exceed the Aggregate Revolving Commitments then in effect.

 

(ii)           Dispositions and Recovery Events.  The Borrower shall prepay the Loans and/or Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations as hereafter provided in an aggregate amount equal to 100% of the Net Cash Proceeds received by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary from all Dispositions (other than Permitted Transfers) and Recovery Events to the extent such Net Cash Proceeds (A) exceed $500,000 in the aggregate in any fiscal year and (B) are not reinvested in assets (excluding current assets as classified by GAAP) that are useful in the business of Holdings and its Subsidiaries within 365 days of the date of such Disposition or Recovery Event (it being understood that such prepayment shall be due immediately upon the expiration of such reinvestment period to the extent not reinvested).  Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Section 2.05(b)(ii) to the contrary, (A) to the extent that any or all of the Net Cash Proceeds of any Disposition by a Foreign Subsidiary or any Recovery Event of a Foreign Subsidiary would otherwise be required to be applied pursuant to this Section 2.05(b) but is prohibited, restricted or delayed by applicable local law from being repatriated to the United States (as determined in good faith by the Borrower), the portion of such Net Cash Proceeds so affected will not be required to be applied to prepay Loans and/or Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations at the times provided in this Section 2.05(b) but may be retained by the applicable Foreign Subsidiary and (B) to the extent that the Borrower has determined in good faith that repatriation of any or all of such Net Cash Proceeds that would otherwise be required to be applied pursuant to this Section 2.05(b) would have a material adverse tax consequence with respect to such Net Cash Proceeds, the Net Cash Proceeds so affected may be retained by the applicable Foreign Subsidiary (the Borrower hereby agreeing to cause the applicable Subsidiary to promptly use commercially reasonable efforts to take all actions within the reasonable control of the Borrower that are reasonably required to eliminate such tax effects).

 

(iii)          Debt Issuances.  Immediately upon receipt by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary of the Net Cash Proceeds of any Debt Issuance, the Borrower shall prepay the Loans and/or Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations as hereafter provided in an aggregate amount equal to 100% of such Net Cash Proceeds.

 

(iv)          Equity Cure Proceeds.  Immediately upon the receipt by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary of cash proceeds from the issuance of any Equity Interests or contribution of additional equity pursuant to the exercise of a Cure Right, the Borrower shall prepay the Loans and/or Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations in an aggregate amount equal to 100% of the Cure Amount.

 

(v)           Application of Mandatory Prepayments.  All amounts required to be paid pursuant to this Section 2.05(b) shall be applied as follows:

 

(A)          with respect to all amounts prepaid pursuant to Section 2.05(b)(i), first, ratably to the L/C Borrowings and the Swingline Loans, second, to the outstanding Revolving Loans, and, third, to Cash Collateralize the remaining L/C Obligations; and

 

(B)          with respect to all amounts prepaid pursuant to Sections 2.05(b)(ii), (iii) and (iv), first to the Term Loan (ratably to the remaining principal

 

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amortization payments (and ratably to all outstanding Term Loan Tranches)), second, ratably to the L/C Borrowings and the Swingline Loans, third, to the outstanding Revolving Loans, and, fourth, to Cash Collateralize the remaining L/C Obligations (without a corresponding reduction in the Aggregate Revolving Commitments in the cases of clauses second through fourth).

 

Within the parameters of the applications set forth above, prepayments shall be applied first to Base Rate Loans and then to Eurodollar Rate Loans in direct order of Interest Period maturities.  All prepayments under this Section 2.05(b) shall be subject to Section 3.05, but otherwise without premium or penalty, and shall be accompanied by interest on the principal amount prepaid through the date of prepayment.

 

2.06        Termination or Reduction of Aggregate Revolving Commitments.

 

(a)           Optional Reductions.

 

(i)          The Borrower may, upon notice to the Administrative Agent, terminate the Aggregate Revolving Commitments, the Letter of Credit Sublimit or the Swingline Sublimit, or from time to time permanently reduce the Aggregate Revolving Commitments, the Letter of Credit Sublimit or the Swingline Sublimit; provided that (i) any such notice shall be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. five (5) Business Days prior to the date of termination or reduction, (ii) any such partial reduction shall be in an aggregate amount of $5,000,000 or any whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof, (iii) the Borrower shall not terminate or reduce the Aggregate Revolving Commitments if, after giving effect thereto and to any concurrent prepayments hereunder, the Total Revolving Outstandings would exceed the Aggregate Revolving Commitments, (iv) the Borrower shall not terminate or reduce the Letter of Credit Sublimit if, after giving effect thereto and to any concurrent prepayments hereunder, the Outstanding Amount of the L/C Obligations would exceed the Letter of Credit Sublimit, (v) the Borrower shall not terminate or reduce the Swingline Sublimit if, after giving effect thereto and to any concurrent prepayments hereunder, the Outstanding Amount of Swingline Loans would exceed the Swingline Sublimit and (vi) if, after giving effect to any reduction of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments, the Letter of Credit Sublimit or the Swingline Sublimit exceeds the amount of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments, such sublimit shall be automatically reduced by the amount of such excess.  The Administrative Agent will promptly notify the Lenders of any such notice of termination or reduction.  Any reduction of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments shall be applied to the Revolving Commitment of each Lender according to its Applicable Percentage.  All fees accrued until the effective date of any termination of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments shall be paid on the effective date of such termination.

 

(ii)           The Borrower may, upon notice to the Administrative Agent, terminate the undrawn portion of the Term Loan Commitments, or from time to time permanently reduce the undrawn portion of the Term Loan Commitments; provided that (A) any such notice shall be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. five (5) Business Days prior to the date of termination or reduction and (B) any such partial reduction shall be in an aggregate amount of $5,000,000 or any whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, any notice of termination or reduction may be revocable (or conditional or extendable) in the event of a termination or reduction in connection with a transaction in the event that such transaction does not close.

 

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(b)           Mandatory Reductions.

 

(i)            The Term Loan Commitments shall be automatically and permanently reduced on a dollar-for-dollar basis by the amount of each Term Loan Draw, on the date of such Term Loan Draw, and

 

(ii)           all undrawn Term Loan Commitments shall be automatically and permanently reduced to zero on March 26, 2020.

 

2.07        Repayment of Loans.

 

(a)           Revolving Loans.  The Borrower shall repay to the Lenders on the Maturity Date the aggregate principal amount of all Revolving Loans outstanding on such date.

 

(b)           Swingline Loans.  The Borrower shall repay each Swingline Loan on the earlier to occur of (i) the date ten (10) Business Days after such Swingline Loan is made and (ii) the Maturity Date.

 

(c)           Term Loan.  The Borrower shall repay the outstanding principal amount of the Term Loan in quarterly installments in an amount equal to 3.5% of the initial amount of each Term Loan Draw commencing on the last day of the first full fiscal quarter ending after such Term Loan Draw (as such installments may hereafter be adjusted as a result of prepayments made pursuant to Section 2.05 and increases with respect to any increase to the Term Loan pursuant to Section 2.16), unless accelerated sooner pursuant to Section 8.02; provided, that, the Borrower shall repay to the Lenders on the Maturity Date the aggregate principal amount of the Term Loan outstanding on such date.

 

provided, however, that (i) if any principal repayment installment to be made by the Borrower (other than principal repayment installments on Eurodollar Rate Loans) shall come due on a day other than a Business Day, such principal repayment installment shall be due on the next succeeding Business Day, and such extension of time shall be reflected in computing interest or fees, as the case may be and (ii) if any principal repayment installment to be made by the Borrower on a Eurodollar Rate Loan shall come due on a day other than a Business Day, such principal repayment installment shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless the result of such extension would be to extend such principal repayment installment into another calendar month, in which event such principal repayment installment shall be due on the immediately preceding Business Day.

 

2.08        Interest.

 

(a)           Subject to the provisions of subsection (b) below, (i) each Eurodollar Rate Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof for each Interest Period at a rate per annum equal to the sum of the Eurodollar Rate for such Interest Period plus the Applicable Rate; (ii) each Base Rate Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof from the applicable borrowing date at a rate per annum equal to the sum of the Base Rate plus the Applicable Rate; and (iii) each Swingline Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof from the applicable borrowing date at a rate per annum equal to the sum of the Base Rate plus the Applicable Rate.  To the extent that any calculation of interest or any fee required to be paid under this Agreement shall be based on (or result in) a calculation that is less than zero, such calculation shall be deemed zero for purposes of this Agreement.

 

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(b)           (i)            If any amount of principal of any Loan is not paid when due (without regard to any applicable grace periods), whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise, such amount shall thereafter bear interest at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.

 

(ii)           If any amount (other than principal of any Loan) payable by the Borrower under any Loan Document is not paid when due (without regard to any applicable grace periods), whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise, then upon the request of the Required Lenders, such amount shall thereafter bear interest at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.

 

(iii)          Upon the request of the Required Lenders, while any Event of Default exists (other than as set forth in clauses (b)(i) and (b)(ii) above), the Borrower shall pay interest on the principal amount of all outstanding Obligations hereunder at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.

 

(iv)        Accrued and unpaid interest on past due amounts (including interest on past due interest) shall be due and payable upon demand.

 

(c)           Interest on each Loan shall be due and payable in arrears on each Interest Payment Date applicable thereto and at such other times as may be specified herein.  Interest hereunder shall be due and payable in accordance with the terms hereof before and after judgment, and before and after the commencement of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law.

 

2.09        Fees.

 

In addition to certain fees described in subsections (h) and (i) of Section 2.03:

 

(a)           Commitment Fee.

 

(i)            The Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent, for the account of each Lender in accordance with its Applicable Percentage, a commitment fee (the “Revolving Commitment Fee”) at a rate per annum equal to the product of (A) 0.50% times (B) the actual daily amount by which the Aggregate Revolving Commitments exceed the sum of (1) the Outstanding Amount of Revolving Loans and (2) the Outstanding Amount of L/C Obligations, subject to adjustment as provided in Section 2.15.  For the avoidance of doubt, the Outstanding Amount of Swingline Loans shall not be counted towards or considered usage of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments for purposes of determining the Revolving Commitment Fee.  The Revolving Commitment Fee shall accrue at all times during the Availability Period, including at any time during which one or more of the conditions in Article IV is not met, and shall be due and payable quarterly in arrears on the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December, commencing with the first such date to occur after the Closing Date, and on the last day of the Availability Period.

 

(ii)           The Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent, for the account of each Lender in accordance with its Applicable Percentage, a commitment fee (the “Term Loan Commitment Fee” and together with the Revolving Credit Commitment Fee, the “Commitment Fees”) at a rate per annum equal to the product of (A) 1.00% (provided, that, such percentage shall be decreased to 0.50% on the date when the Term Loan

 

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Commitments of all the Lenders as in effect on such date are less than or equal to $25,000,000 times (B) the actual daily amount of the Term Loan Commitments, subject to adjustment as provided in Section 2.15.  For the avoidance of doubt, the Outstanding Amount of Swingline Loans shall not be counted towards or considered usage of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments for purposes of determining the Term Loan Commitment Fee.  The Term Loan Commitment Fee shall accrue at all times during the Availability Period, including at any time during which one or more of the conditions in Article IV is not met, and shall be due and payable quarterly in arrears on the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December, commencing with the first such date to occur after the Closing Date, and on the last day of the Availability Period.

 

(b)           Other Fees.

 

(i)            The Borrower shall pay to the Arrangers and the Administrative Agent for their own respective accounts fees in the amounts and at the times specified in the Fee Letters.  Such fees shall be fully earned when paid and shall not be refundable for any reason whatsoever.

 

(ii)           The Borrower shall pay to the Lenders such fees as shall have been separately agreed upon in writing in the amounts and at the times so specified.  Such fees shall be fully earned when paid and shall not be refundable for any reason whatsoever.

 

2.10        Computation of Interest and Fees.

 

All computations of interest for Base Rate Loans (including Base Rate Loans determined by reference to the Eurodollar Rate) shall be made on the basis of a year of 365 or 366 days, as the case may be, and actual days elapsed.  All other computations of fees and interest shall be made on the basis of a 360-day year and actual days elapsed (which results in more fees or interest, as applicable, being paid than if computed on the basis of a 365-day year).  Interest shall accrue on each Loan for the day on which the Loan is made, and shall not accrue on a Loan, or any portion thereof, for the day on which the Loan or such portion is paid, provided that any Loan that is repaid on the same day on which it is made shall, subject to Section 2.12(a), bear interest for one day.  Each determination by the Administrative Agent of an interest rate or fee hereunder shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.

 

2.11        Evidence of Debt.

 

(a)           The Credit Extensions made by each Lender shall be evidenced by one or more accounts or records maintained by such Lender and by the Administrative Agent in the ordinary course of business.  The accounts or records maintained by the Administrative Agent and each Lender shall be conclusive absent manifest error of the amount of the Credit Extensions made by the Lenders to the Borrower and the interest and payments thereon.  Any failure to so record or any error in doing so shall not, however, limit or otherwise affect the obligation of the Borrower hereunder to pay any amount owing with respect to the Obligations.  In the event of any conflict between the accounts and records maintained by any Lender and the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent in respect of such matters, the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent shall control in the absence of manifest error.  Upon the request of any Lender made through the Administrative Agent, the Borrower shall execute and deliver to such Lender (through the Administrative Agent) a promissory note, which shall evidence such Lender’s Loans in addition to such accounts or records.  Each such promissory note shall be in the form of Exhibit 2.11 (a “Note”).  Each Lender may attach schedules to its Note and endorse thereon the date, Type (if applicable), amount and maturity of its Loans and payments with respect thereto.

 

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(b)           In addition to the accounts and records referred to in subsection (a) above, each Lender and the Administrative Agent shall maintain in accordance with its usual practice accounts or records evidencing the purchases and sales by such Lender of participations in Letters of Credit and Swingline Loans.  In the event of any conflict between the accounts and records maintained by the Administrative Agent and the accounts and records of any Lender in respect of such matters, the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent shall control in the absence of manifest error.

 

2.12        Payments Generally; Administrative Agent’s Clawback.

 

(a)           General.  All payments to be made by the Borrower shall be made free and clear of and without condition or deduction for any counterclaim, defense, recoupment or setoff.  Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all payments by the Borrower hereunder shall be made to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the respective Lenders to which such payment is owed, at the Administrative Agent’s Office in Dollars and in immediately available funds not later than 3:00 p.m. on the date specified herein.  The Administrative Agent will promptly distribute to each Lender its Applicable Percentage (or other applicable share as provided herein) of such payment in like funds as received by wire transfer to such Lender’s Lending Office.  All payments received by the Administrative Agent after 3:00 p.m. shall be deemed received on the next succeeding Business Day and any applicable interest or fee shall continue to accrue.  Subject to Section 2.07(b) and as otherwise specifically provided for in this Agreement, if any payment to be made by the Borrower shall come due on a day other than a Business Day, payment shall be made on the next following Business Day, and such extension of time shall be reflected in computing interest or fees, as the case may be.

 

(b)           (i)            Funding by Lenders; Presumption by Administrative Agent.  Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from a Lender prior to the proposed date of any Borrowing of Eurodollar Rate Loans (or, in the case of any Borrowing of Base Rate Loans, prior to 12:00 noon on the date of such Borrowing) that such Lender will not make available to the Administrative Agent such Lender’s share of such Borrowing, the Administrative Agent may assume that such Lender has made such share available on such date in accordance with Section 2.02 (or, in the case of a Borrowing of Base Rate Loans, that such Lender has made such share available in accordance with and at the time required by Section 2.02) and may, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the Borrower a corresponding amount.  In such event, if a Lender has not in fact made its share of the applicable Borrowing available to the Administrative Agent, then the applicable Lender and the Borrower severally agree to pay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand such corresponding amount in immediately available funds with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is made available to the Borrower to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at (A) in the case of a payment to be made by such Lender, the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation, plus any administrative, processing or similar fees customarily charged by the Administrative Agent in connection with the foregoing, and (B) in the case of a payment to be made by the Borrower, the interest rate applicable to Base Rate Loans.  If the Borrower and such Lender shall pay such interest to the Administrative Agent for the same or an overlapping period, the Administrative Agent shall promptly remit to the Borrower the amount of such interest paid by the Borrower for such period.  If such Lender pays its share of the applicable Borrowing to the Administrative Agent, then the amount so paid shall constitute such Lender’s Loan included in such Borrowing.  Any payment by the Borrower shall be without prejudice to any claim the Borrower may have against a Lender that shall have failed to make such payment to the Administrative Agent.

 

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(ii)           Payments by Borrower; Presumptions by Administrative Agent.  Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from the Borrower prior to the date on which any payment is due to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Lenders or the L/C Issuer hereunder that the Borrower will not make such payment, the Administrative Agent may assume that the Borrower has made such payment on such date in accordance herewith and may, in reliance upon such assumption, distribute to the Lenders or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, the amount due.  In such event, if the Borrower has not in fact made such payment, then each of the Lenders or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, severally agrees to repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand the amount so distributed to such Lender or the L/C Issuer, in immediately available funds with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is distributed to it to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation.

 

A notice of the Administrative Agent to any Lender or the Borrower with respect to any amount owing under this subsection (b) shall be conclusive, absent manifest error.

 

(c)           Failure to Satisfy Conditions Precedent.  If any Lender makes available to the Administrative Agent funds for any Loan to be made by such Lender as provided in the foregoing provisions of this Article II, and such funds are not made available to the Borrower by the Administrative Agent because the conditions to the applicable Credit Extension set forth in Article IV are not satisfied or waived in accordance with the terms hereof, the Administrative Agent shall return such funds (in like funds as received from such Lender) to such Lender, without interest.

 

(d)           Obligations of Lenders Several.  The obligations of the Lenders hereunder to make Loans, to fund participations in Letters of Credit and Swingline Loans and to make payments pursuant to Section 11.04(c) are several and not joint.  The failure of any Lender to make any Loan, to fund any such participation or to make any payment under Section 11.04(c) on any date required hereunder shall not relieve any other Lender of its corresponding obligation to do so on such date, and no Lender shall be responsible for the failure of any other Lender to so make its Loan, to purchase its participation or to make its payment under Section 11.04(c).

 

(e)           Funding Source.  Nothing herein shall be deemed to obligate any Lender to obtain the funds for any Loan in any particular place or manner or to constitute a representation by any Lender that it has obtained or will obtain the funds for any Loan in any particular place or manner.

 

2.13        Sharing of Payments by Lenders.

 

If any Lender shall, by exercising any right of setoff or counterclaim or otherwise, obtain payment in respect of any principal of or interest on any of the Loans made by it, or the participations in L/C Obligations or in Swingline Loans held by it resulting in such Lender’s receiving payment of a proportion of the aggregate amount of such Loans or participations and accrued interest thereon greater than its pro rata share thereof as provided herein, then the Lender receiving such greater proportion shall (a) notify the Administrative Agent of such fact, and (b) purchase (for cash at face value) participations in the Loans and subparticipations in L/C Obligations and Swingline Loans of the other Lenders, or make such other adjustments as shall be equitable, so that the benefit of all such payments shall be shared by the Lenders ratably in accordance with the aggregate amount of principal of and accrued interest on their respective Loans and other amounts owing them, provided that:

 

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(i)            if any such participations or subparticipations are purchased and all or any portion of the payment giving rise thereto is recovered, such participations or subparticipations shall be rescinded and the purchase price restored to the extent of such recovery, without interest; and

 

(ii)           the provisions of this Section shall not be construed to apply to (A) any payment made by or on behalf of the Borrower pursuant to and in accordance with the express terms of this Agreement (including the application of funds arising from the existence of a Defaulting Lender), (B) the application of Cash Collateral provided for in Section 2.14, or (C) any payment obtained by a Lender as consideration for the assignment of or sale of a participation in any of its Loans or subparticipations in L/C Obligations or Swingline Loans to any assignee or participant, other than an assignment to any Loan Party or any Subsidiary (as to which the provisions of this Section shall apply).

 

Each Loan Party consents to the foregoing and agrees, to the extent it may effectively do so under applicable Law, that any Lender acquiring a participation pursuant to the foregoing arrangements may exercise against such Loan Party rights of setoff and counterclaim with respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender were a direct creditor of such Loan Party in the amount of such participation.

 

2.14        Cash Collateral.

 

(a)           Certain Credit Support Events.  If (i) the L/C Issuer has honored any full or partial drawing request under any Letter of Credit and such drawing has resulted in an L/C Borrowing, (ii) as of the Letter of Credit Expiration Date, any L/C Obligation for any reason remains outstanding, (iii) the Borrower shall be required to provide Cash Collateral pursuant to Section 2.05 or 8.02(c) or (iv) there shall exist a Defaulting Lender, the Borrower shall immediately (in the case of clause (iii) above) or within one Business Day (in all other cases) following any request by the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer provide Cash Collateral in an amount not less than the applicable Minimum Collateral Amount (determined in the case of Cash Collateral provided pursuant to clause (iv) above, after giving effect to Section 2.15(b) and any Cash Collateral provided by the Defaulting Lender).

 

(b)           Grant of Security Interest.  The Borrower, and to the extent provided by any Defaulting Lender, such Defaulting Lender, hereby grants to (and subjects to the control of) the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and the Lenders, and agrees to maintain, a first priority security interest in all such cash, deposit accounts and all balances therein, and all other property so provided as collateral pursuant hereto, and in all proceeds of the foregoing, all as security for the obligations to which such Cash Collateral may be applied pursuant to Section 2.14(c).  If at any time the Administrative Agent determines that Cash Collateral is subject to any right or claim of any Person other than the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer as herein provided (other than Liens permitted under Sections 7.01(a), (m) and (n)), or that the total amount of such Cash Collateral is less than the Minimum Collateral Amount, the Borrower will, promptly upon demand by the Administrative Agent, pay or provide to the Administrative Agent additional Cash Collateral in an amount sufficient to eliminate such deficiency.  All Cash Collateral (other than credit support not constituting funds subject to deposit) shall be maintained in blocked, non-interest bearing deposit accounts at Bank of America.  The Borrower shall pay on demand therefor from time to time all customary account opening, activity and other administrative fees and charges in connection with the maintenance and disbursement of Cash Collateral.

 

(c)           Application.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, Cash Collateral provided under any of this Section 2.14 or Sections 2.03, 2.05, 2.15 or

 

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8.02 in respect of Letters of Credit shall be held and applied to the satisfaction of the specific L/C Obligations, obligations to fund participations therein (including, as to Cash Collateral provided by a Defaulting Lender, any interest accrued on such obligation) and other obligations for which the Cash Collateral was so provided, prior to any other application of such property as may otherwise be provided for herein.

 

(d)           Release.  Cash Collateral (or the appropriate portion thereof) provided to reduce Fronting Exposure or to secure other obligations shall be released promptly following (i) the elimination of the applicable Fronting Exposure or other obligations giving rise thereto (including by the termination of Defaulting Lender status of the applicable Lender (or, as appropriate, its assignee following compliance with Section 11.06(b)(vi))) or (ii) the determination by the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer that there exists excess Cash Collateral; provided, however, (x) any such release shall be without prejudice to, and any disbursement or other transfer of Cash Collateral shall be and remain subject to, any other Lien conferred under the Loan Documents and the other applicable provisions of the Loan Documents, and (y) the Person providing Cash Collateral and the L/C Issuer may agree that Cash Collateral shall not be released but instead held to support future anticipated Fronting Exposure or other obligations.

 

2.15        Defaulting Lenders.

 

(a)           Adjustments.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, if any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, then, until such time as that Lender is no longer a Defaulting Lender, to the extent permitted by applicable Law:

 

(i)            Waivers and Amendments.  Such Defaulting Lender’s right to approve or disapprove any amendment, waiver or consent with respect to this Agreement shall be restricted as set forth in the definition of “Required Lenders” and Section 11.01.

 

(ii)           Defaulting Lender Waterfall.  Any payment of principal, interest, fees or other amounts received by the Administrative Agent for the account of such Defaulting Lender (whether voluntary or mandatory, at maturity, pursuant to Article VIII or otherwise) or received by the Administrative Agent from a Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 11.08 shall be applied at such time or times as may be determined by the Administrative Agent as follows: first, to the payment of any amounts owing by such Defaulting Lender to the Administrative Agent hereunder; second, to the payment on a pro rata basis of any amounts owing by such Defaulting Lender to the L/C Issuer or Swingline Lender hereunder; third, to Cash Collateralize the L/C Issuer’s Fronting Exposure with respect to such Defaulting Lender in accordance with Section 2.14; fourth, as the Borrower may request (so long as no Default exists), to the funding of any Loan in respect of which such Defaulting Lender has failed to fund its portion thereof as required by this Agreement, as determined by the Administrative Agent; fifth, if so determined by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, to be held in a deposit account and released pro rata in order to (x) satisfy such Defaulting Lender’s potential future funding obligations with respect to Loans under this Agreement and (y) Cash Collateralize the L/C Issuer’s future Fronting Exposure with respect to such Defaulting Lender with respect to future Letters of Credit issued under this Agreement, in accordance with Section 2.14; sixth, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Lenders, the L/C Issuer or Swingline Lender as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by any Lender, the L/C Issuer or the Swingline Lender against such Defaulting Lender as a result of such Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement; seventh, so long as no Default exists, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Borrower as a result of any judgment

 

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of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by the Borrower against such Defaulting Lender as a result of such Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement; and eighth, to such Defaulting Lender or as otherwise as may be required under the Loan Documents in connection with any Lien conferred thereunder or directed by a court of competent jurisdiction; provided that if (x) such payment is a payment of the principal amount of any Loans or L/C Borrowings in respect of which such Defaulting Lender has not fully funded its appropriate share, and (y) such Loans were made or the related Letters of Credit were issued at a time when the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 were satisfied or waived, such payment shall be applied solely to pay the Loans of, and L/C Obligations owed to, all Non-Defaulting Lenders on a pro rata basis prior to being applied to the payment of any Loans of, or L/C Obligations owed to, such Defaulting Lender until such time as all Loans and funded and unfunded participations in L/C Obligations and Swingline Loans are held by the Lenders pro rata in accordance with the Commitments hereunder without giving effect to Section 2.15(b). Any payments, prepayments or other amounts paid or payable to a Defaulting Lender that are applied (or held) to pay amounts owed by a Defaulting Lender or to post Cash Collateral pursuant to this Section 2.15(a)(ii) shall be deemed paid to and redirected by such Defaulting Lender, and each Lender irrevocably consents hereto.

 

(iii)          Certain Fees.

 

(A)          No Defaulting Lender shall be entitled to receive any Commitment Fee payable pursuant to Section 2.09(a) for any period during which that Lender is a Defaulting Lender (and the Borrower shall not be required to pay any such fee that otherwise would have been required to have been paid to that Defaulting Lender).

 

(B)          Each Defaulting Lender shall be entitled to receive Letter of Credit Fees for any period during which that Lender is a Defaulting Lender only to the extent allocable to its Applicable Percentage of the stated amount of Letters of Credit for which it has provided Cash Collateral pursuant to Section 2.14.

 

(C)          With respect to any Letter of Credit Fee not required to be paid to any Defaulting Lender pursuant to clause (B) above, the Borrower shall (x) pay to each Non-Defaulting Lender that portion of any such fee otherwise payable to such Defaulting Lender with respect to such Defaulting Lender’s participation in L/C Obligations that has been reallocated to such Non-Defaulting Lender pursuant to clause (b) below, (y) pay to the L/C Issuer the amount of any such fee otherwise payable to such Defaulting Lender to the extent allocable to such L/C Issuer’s Fronting Exposure to such Defaulting Lender, and (z) not be required to pay the remaining amount of any such fee.

 

(b)           Reallocation of Applicable Percentages to Reduce Fronting Exposure.  All or any part of such Defaulting Lender’s participation in L/C Obligations and Swingline Loans shall be reallocated among the Non-Defaulting Lenders in accordance with their respective Applicable Percentages (calculated without regard to such Defaulting Lender’s Commitment) but only to the extent that such reallocation does not cause the aggregate Revolving Credit Exposure of any Non-Defaulting Lender to exceed such Non-Defaulting Lender’s Commitment.  Subject to Section 11.20, no reallocation hereunder shall constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder against a Defaulting Lender arising from that Lender having become a Defaulting

 

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Lender, including any claim of a Non-Defaulting Lender as a result of such Non-Defaulting Lender’s increased exposure following such reallocation.

 

(c)           Cash Collateral, Repayment of Swingline Loans.  If the reallocation described in clause (b) above cannot, or can only partially, be effected, the Borrower shall, without prejudice to any right or remedy available to it hereunder or under applicable Law, (x) first, prepay Swingline Loans in an amount equal to the Swingline Lenders’ Fronting Exposure and (y) second, Cash Collateralize the L/C Issuer’s Fronting Exposure in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 2.14.

 

(d)           Defaulting Lender Cure.  If the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Swingline Lender and the L/C Issuer agree in writing that a Lender is no longer a Defaulting Lender, the Administrative Agent will so notify the parties hereto, whereupon as of the effective date specified in such notice and subject to any conditions set forth therein (which may include arrangements with respect to any Cash Collateral), that Lender will, to the extent applicable, purchase at par that portion of outstanding Loans of the other Lenders or take such other actions as the Administrative Agent may determine to be necessary to cause the Loans and funded and unfunded participations in Letters of Credit and Swingline Loans to be held on a pro rata basis by the Lenders in accordance with their Applicable Percentages (without giving effect to Section 2.15(b)), whereupon such Lender will cease to be a Defaulting Lender; provided that no adjustments will be made retroactively with respect to fees accrued or payments made by or on behalf of the Borrower while that Lender was a Defaulting Lender; and provided, further, that except to the extent otherwise expressly agreed by the affected parties, no change hereunder from Defaulting Lender to Lender will constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder arising from that Lender’s having been a Defaulting Lender.

 

2.16        Incremental Facility Loans.

 

Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Borrower shall have the right, from time to time and upon at least ten (10) Business Days’ prior written notice to the Administrative Agent (an “Incremental Request”), to request to incur additional term loans under a then existing tranche and/or add one or more additional tranches of term loans (“Other Term Loans” and, together with any additional term loans under a then existing tranche incurred pursuant to this Section 2.16, the “Incremental Term Loans”; and any credit facility for providing for any Incremental Term Loans being referred to as an “Incremental Term Facility”) and/or increase the Aggregate Revolving Commitments (the “Incremental Revolving Commitments”; and revolving loans made thereunder the “Incremental Revolving Loans”); the Incremental Revolving Loans, together with the Incremental Term Loans are referred to herein as the “Incremental Facility Loans”) subject, however, in any such case, to satisfaction of the following conditions precedent:

 

(a)           the aggregate amount of all Incremental Revolving Commitments and Incremental Term Loans effected pursuant to this Section 2.16 shall not exceed $25,000,000;

 

(b)           on the date on which any Incremental Facility Amendment is to become effective, both immediately prior to and immediately after giving effect to the incurrence of such Incremental Facility Loans (assuming that the full amount of the Incremental Facility Loans shall have been funded on such date) and any related transactions, no Default shall have occurred and be continuing;

 

(c)           after giving effect to the incurrence of such Incremental Facility Loans (assuming the full amount of the Incremental Facility Loans have been funded) and any related transactions, on a Pro Forma Basis, the Loan Parties shall be in compliance with the financial covenants set forth in Section 7.11;

 

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(d)           the representations and warranties of each Loan Party contained in this Agreement or any other Loan Document, or which are contained in any document furnished at any time under or in connection herewith or therewith, shall be true and correct in all material respects (or, if qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect, in all respects) on and as of the date on which such Incremental Facility Amendment is to become effective, except to the extent that such representations and warranties specifically refer to an earlier date, in which case they shall be true and correct in all material respects (or if such representation and warranty is qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect, it shall be true and correct) as of such earlier date;

 

(e)           such Incremental Facility Loans shall be in a minimum amount of $10,000,000 and in integral multiples of $5,000,000 in excess thereof (or such lesser amounts as agreed by the Administrative Agent);

 

(f)            any Incremental Revolving Commitments shall be made on the same terms and provisions (other than upfront fees) as apply to the existing Revolving Commitments, including with respect to maturity date, interest rate and prepayment provisions, and shall not constitute a credit facility separate and apart from the existing revolving credit facility set forth in Section 2.01(a);

 

(g)           any Incremental Term Loans that constitute additional term loans under a then existing tranche of term loans shall be made on the same terms and provisions (other than upfront fees) as apply to such outstanding term loans, including with respect to maturity date, interest rate and prepayment provisions, and shall not constitute a credit facility separate and apart from such term loans;

 

(h)           in the case of any Other Term Loans, such Other Term Loans shall:  (A) rank pari passu in right of payment priority with the existing term loans, (B) share ratably in rights in the Collateral and the Guaranty, (C) have a maturity date that is no earlier than the Maturity Date of any other existing Term Loan, (D) have a Weighted Average Life to Maturity that is no shorter than the Weighted Average Life to Maturity of any other existing Term Loan (it being understood that, subject to the foregoing, the amortization schedule applicable to such Incremental Term Loans shall be determined by the Borrower and the Lenders of such Incremental Term Loans) and (E) otherwise be on terms reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, provided that, such terms and documentation relating to such Other Term Loans shall be on terms not materially more onerous, taken as a whole, to the Borrower than any other existing Term Loan (except to the extent permitted above with respect to the maturity date, amortization and interest rate and other than terms which are applicable only after the Maturity Date of any other existing Term Loan);

 

(i)            in the case of any Incremental Term Loans, such Incremental Term Loans shall not have an All-In Yield that is greater than the All-In Yield payable pursuant to the terms of this Agreement (as amended through the date of such calculation) with respect to any other existing Term Loan plus 50 basis points per annum, unless the interest rate with respect to any other existing Term Loan shall be increased (pursuant to the applicable Incremental Facility Amendment) so as to cause the then applicable All-In Yield under this Agreement on any other existing Term Loan to equal the All-In Yield then applicable to such Incremental Term Loans minus 50 basis points per annum;

 

(j)            the Administrative Agent shall have received additional commitments in a corresponding amount of such requested Incremental Facility Loans from either existing Lenders and/or one or more other institutions that qualify as Eligible Assignees (it being understood and agreed that no existing Lender shall be required to provide an additional commitment);

 

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(k)           the Administrative Agent shall have received customary closing certificates and legal opinions and all other documents (including resolutions of the board of directors of the Loan Parties) it may reasonably request relating to the corporate or other necessary authority for such Incremental Facility Loans and the validity of such Incremental Facility Loans, and any other matters relevant thereto, all in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent; and

 

(l)            the Administrative Agent shall have received all flood hazard determination certifications, acknowledgements and evidence of flood insurance and other flood-related documentation as required by applicable Law and as reasonably required by the Administrative Agent.

 

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 2.16, in the case of any Incremental Term Facility to be provided in connection with a Limited Condition Acquisition, at the sole option of the Borrower, the conditions in clauses (b), (c) and/or (d) above may be subject to Section 1.07.

 

Each Incremental Term Facility and any Incremental Revolving Commitments shall be evidenced by an amendment (an “Incremental Facility Amendment”) to this Agreement, giving effect to the modifications permitted by this Section 2.16 (and subject to the limitations set forth in the immediately preceding paragraph), executed by the Loan Parties, the Administrative Agent and each Lender providing a portion of the Incremental Term Facility and/or Incremental Revolving Commitments, as applicable; which such amendment, when so executed, shall amend this Agreement as provided therein.  Each Incremental Facility Amendment shall also require such amendments to the Loan Documents, and such other new Loan Documents, as the Administrative Agent reasonably deems necessary or appropriate to effect the modifications and credit extensions permitted by this Section 2.16.  Neither any Incremental Facility Amendment, nor any such amendments to the other Loan Documents or such other new Loan Documents, shall be required to be executed or approved by any Lender, other than the Lenders providing such Incremental Term Loans and/or Incremental Revolving Commitments, as applicable, and the Administrative Agent, in order to be effective.  The effectiveness of any Incremental Facility Amendment shall be subject to the satisfaction on the date thereof of each of the conditions set forth above and as such other conditions as requested by the Lenders under the Incremental Facility Loans established in connection therewith.

 

ARTICLE III

 

TAXES, YIELD PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY

 

3.01        Taxes.

 

(a)           Payments Free of Taxes; Obligation to Withhold; Payments on Account of Taxes.

 

(i)            Any and all payments by or on account of any obligation of any Loan Party under any Loan Document shall be made without deduction or withholding for any Taxes, except as required by applicable Laws.  If any applicable Laws (as determined in the good faith discretion of the Administrative Agent) require the deduction or withholding of any Tax from any such payment by the Administrative Agent or a Loan Party, then the Administrative Agent or such Loan Party shall be entitled to make such deduction or withholding, upon the basis of the information and documentation to be delivered pursuant to subsection (e) below.

 

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(ii)           If any Loan Party or the Administrative Agent shall be required by the Internal Revenue Code to withhold or deduct any Taxes, including both United States Federal backup withholding and withholding taxes, from any payment, then (A) the Administrative Agent shall withhold or make such deductions as are determined by the Administrative Agent to be required based upon the information and documentation it has received pursuant to subsection (e) below, (B) the Administrative Agent shall timely pay the full amount withheld or deducted to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with the Internal Revenue Code, and (C) to the extent that the withholding or deduction is made on account of Indemnified Taxes, the sum payable by the applicable Loan Party shall be increased as necessary so that after any required withholding or the making of all required deductions (including deductions applicable to additional sums payable under this Section 3.01) the applicable Recipient receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such withholding or deduction been made.

 

(iii)          If any Loan Party or the Administrative Agent shall be required by any applicable Laws other than the Internal Revenue Code to withhold or deduct any Taxes from any payment, then (A) such Loan Party or the Administrative Agent, as required by such Laws, shall withhold or make such deductions as are determined by it to be required based upon the information and documentation it has received pursuant to subsection (e) below, (B) such Loan Party or the Administrative Agent, to the extent required by such Laws, shall timely pay the full amount withheld or deducted to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with such Laws, and (C) to the extent that the withholding or deduction is made on account of Indemnified Taxes, the sum payable by the applicable Loan Party shall be increased as necessary so that after any required withholding or the making of all required deductions (including deductions applicable to additional sums payable under this Section 3.01) the applicable Recipient receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such withholding or deduction been made.

 

(b)           Payment of Other Taxes by the Loan Parties.  Without limiting the provisions of subsection (a) above, the Loan Parties shall timely pay to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable Laws, or at the option of the Administrative Agent timely reimburse it for the payment of, any Other Taxes.

 

(c)           Tax Indemnifications.  (i) Each of the Loan Parties shall, and does hereby, jointly and severally indemnify each Recipient, and shall make payment in respect thereof within ten days after demand therefor, for the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes (including Indemnified Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under this Section 3.01) payable or paid by such Recipient or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to such Recipient, and any penalties, interest and reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Indemnified Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority.  A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to the Borrower by a Lender or the L/C Issuer (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), or by the Administrative Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of a Lender or the L/C Issuer, shall be conclusive absent manifest error.  Each of the Loan Parties shall, and does hereby, jointly and severally indemnify the Administrative Agent, and shall make payment in respect thereof within ten days after demand therefor, for any amount which a Lender or the L/C Issuer for any reason fails to pay indefeasibly to the Administrative Agent as required pursuant to Section 3.01(c)(ii) below.

 

(ii)           Each Lender and the L/C Issuer shall, and does hereby, severally indemnify, and shall make payment in respect thereof within 10 days after demand therefor,

 

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(x) the Administrative Agent against any Indemnified Taxes attributable to such Lender or the L/C Issuer (but only to the extent that any Loan Party has not already indemnified the Administrative Agent for such Indemnified Taxes and without limiting the obligation of the Loan Parties to do so), (y) the Administrative Agent and the Loan Parties, as applicable, against any Taxes attributable to such Lender’s failure to comply with the provisions of Section 11.06(d) relating to the maintenance of a Participant Register and (z) the Administrative Agent and the Loan Parties, as applicable, against any Excluded Taxes attributable to such Lender or the L/C Issuer, in each case, that are payable or paid by the Administrative Agent or a Loan Party in connection with any Loan Document, and any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority.  A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to any Lender by the Administrative Agent shall be conclusive absent manifest error.  Each Lender and the L/C Issuer hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to set off and apply any and all amounts at any time owing to such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, under this Agreement or any other Loan Document against any amount due to the Administrative Agent under this clause (ii).

 

(d)           Evidence of Payments.  As soon as practicable, after any payment of Taxes by any Loan Party to a Governmental Authority as provided in this Section 3.01, such Loan Party shall deliver to the Administrative Agent the original or a certified copy of a receipt issued by such Governmental Authority evidencing such payment, a copy of any return reporting such payment or other evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

 

(e)           Status of Lenders; Tax Documentation.

 

(i)            Any Lender that is entitled to an exemption from or reduction of withholding Tax with respect to payments made under any Loan Document shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, at the time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, such properly completed and executed documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will permit such payments to be made without withholding or at a reduced rate of withholding.  In addition, any Lender, if reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, shall deliver such other documentation prescribed by applicable Law or reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will enable the Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine whether or not such Lender is subject to backup withholding or information reporting requirements.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the preceding two sentences, the completion, execution and submission of such documentation (other than such documentation set forth in Section 3.01(e)(ii)(A), 3.01(e)(ii)(B) and 3.01(e)(ii)(D) below) shall not be required if in the Lender’s reasonable judgment such completion, execution or submission would subject such Lender to any material unreimbursed cost or expense or would materially prejudice the legal or commercial position of such Lender.

 

(ii)           Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, in the event that the Borrower is a U.S. Person,

 

(A)          any Lender that is a U.S. Person shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent on or prior to the date on which such Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), executed copies of IRS

 

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Form W-9 certifying that such Lender is exempt from U.S. federal backup withholding tax;

 

(B)          any Foreign Lender shall, to the extent it is legally entitled to do so, deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent (in such number of copies as shall be requested by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), whichever of the following is applicable:

 

(1)           in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of an income tax treaty to which the United States is a party (x) with respect to payments of interest under any Loan Document, executed copies of IRS Form W-8BEN-E (or W-8BEN, as applicable) establishing an exemption from, or reduction of, U.S. federal withholding Tax pursuant to the “interest” article of such tax treaty and (y) with respect to any other applicable payments under any Loan Document, IRS Form W-8BEN-E (or W-8BEN, as applicable) establishing an exemption from, or reduction of, U.S. federal withholding Tax pursuant to the “business profits” or “other income” article of such tax treaty;

 

(2)           executed copies of IRS Form W-8ECI;

 

(3)           in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of the exemption for portfolio interest under Section 881(c) of the Internal Revenue Code, (x) a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit 3.01-A to the effect that such Foreign Lender is not a “bank” within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Internal Revenue Code, a “10 percent shareholder” of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(B) of the Internal Revenue Code, or a “controlled foreign corporation” described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Internal Revenue Code (a “U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate”) and (y) executed copies of IRS Form W-8BEN-E (or W-8BEN, as applicable); or

 

(4)           to the extent a Foreign Lender is not the beneficial owner, executed copies of IRS Form W-8IMY, accompanied by IRS Form W-8ECI, IRS Form W-8BEN-E (or W-8BEN, as applicable), a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit 3.01-B or Exhibit 3.01-C, IRS Form W-9, and/or other certification documents from each beneficial owner, as applicable; provided that if the Foreign Lender is a partnership and one or more direct or indirect partners of such Foreign Lender are claiming the portfolio interest exemption, such Foreign Lender may provide a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit 3.01-D on behalf of each such direct and indirect partner;

 

(C)          any Foreign Lender shall, to the extent it is legally entitled to do so, deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent (in such number of copies as shall be requested by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), executed copies (or originals, as required) of any other form prescribed by

 

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applicable Law as a basis for claiming exemption from or a reduction in U.S. federal withholding Tax, duly completed, together with such supplementary documentation as may be prescribed by applicable Law to permit the Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine the withholding or deduction required to be made; and

 

(D)          if a payment made to a Lender under any Loan Document would be subject to U.S. federal withholding Tax imposed by FATCA if such Lender were to fail to comply with the applicable reporting requirements of FATCA (including those contained in Section 1471(b) or 1472(b) of the Internal Revenue Code, as applicable), such Lender shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent at the time or times prescribed by Law and at such time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent such documentation prescribed by applicable Law (including as prescribed by Section 1471(b)(3)(C)(i) of the Internal Revenue Code) and such additional documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as may be necessary for the Borrower and the Administrative Agent to comply with their obligations under FATCA and to determine that such Lender has complied with such Lender’s obligations under FATCA or to determine the amount to deduct and withhold from such payment.  Solely for purposes of this clause (D), “FATCA” shall include any amendments made to FATCA after the Closing Date.

 

(iii)          Each Lender agrees that if any form or certification it previously delivered pursuant to this Section 3.01 expires or becomes obsolete or inaccurate in any respect, it shall update such form or certification or promptly notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent in writing of its legal inability to do so.

 

(f)            Treatment of Certain Refunds.  Unless required by applicable Laws, at no time shall the Administrative Agent have any obligation to file for or otherwise pursue on behalf of a Lender or the L/C Issuer, or have any obligation to pay to any Lender or the L/C Issuer, any refund of Taxes withheld or deducted from funds paid for the account of such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be.  If any Recipient determines, in its sole discretion exercised in good faith, that it has received a refund of any Taxes as to which it has been indemnified by any Loan Party or with respect to which any Loan Party has paid additional amounts pursuant to this Section 3.01, it shall pay to the Loan Party an amount equal to such refund (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made, or additional amounts paid, by a Loan Party under this Section 3.01 with respect to the Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all out-of-pocket expenses (including Taxes) incurred by such Recipient, and without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund), provided that the Loan Party, upon the request of the Recipient, agrees to repay the amount paid over to the Loan Party (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) to the Recipient in the event the Recipient is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this subsection, in no event will the applicable Recipient be required to pay any amount to the Loan Party pursuant to this subsection the payment of which would place the Recipient in a less favorable net after-Tax position than such Recipient would have been in if the Tax subject to indemnification and giving rise to such refund had not been deducted, withheld or otherwise imposed and the indemnification payments or additional amounts with respect to such Tax had never been paid.  This subsection shall not be construed to require any Recipient to make available its tax returns (or any other information relating to its taxes that it deems confidential) to any Loan Party or any other Person.

 

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(g)           Survival.  Each party’s obligations under this Section 3.01 shall survive the resignation or replacement of the Administrative Agent or any assignment of rights by, or the replacement of, a Lender or the L/C Issuer, the termination of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all other Obligations.

 

3.02        Illegality.

 

If any Lender determines that any Law has made it unlawful, or that any Governmental Authority has asserted that it is unlawful, for any Lender or its Lending Office to perform any of its obligations hereunder or to make, maintain or fund or charge interest with respect to any Credit Extension or to determine or charge interest rates based upon the Eurodollar Rate, or any Governmental Authority has imposed material restrictions on the authority of such Lender to purchase or sell, or to take deposits of, Dollars in the London interbank market, then, on notice thereof by such Lender to the Borrower through the Administrative Agent, (i) any obligation of such Lender to issue, make, maintain, fund or charge interest with respect to any such Credit Extension or continue Eurodollar Rate Loans or to convert Base Rate Loans to Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be suspended and (ii) if such notice asserts the illegality of such Lender making or maintaining Base Rate Loans the interest rate on which is determined by reference to the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate, the interest rate on which Base Rate Loans of such Lender, shall, if necessary to avoid such illegality, be determined by the Administrative Agent without reference to the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate, in each case until such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent and the Borrower that the circumstances giving rise to such determination no longer exist.  Upon receipt of such notice, (x) the Borrower shall, upon demand from such Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), prepay or, if applicable, convert all Eurodollar Rate Loans of such Lender to Base Rate Loans (the interest rate on which Base Rate Loans of such Lender shall, if necessary to avoid such illegality, be determined by the Administrative Agent without reference to the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate), either on the last day of the Interest Period therefor, if such Lender may lawfully continue to maintain such Eurodollar Rate Loans to such day, or immediately, if such Lender may not lawfully continue to maintain such Eurodollar Rate Loans and (y) if such notice asserts the illegality of such Lender determining or charging interest rates based upon the Eurodollar Rate, the Administrative Agent shall during the period of such suspension compute the Base Rate applicable to such Lender without reference to the Eurodollar Rate component thereof until the Administrative Agent is advised in writing by such Lender that it is no longer illegal  for such Lender to determine or charge interest rates based upon the Eurodollar Rate.  Upon any such prepayment or conversion, the Borrower shall also pay accrued interest on the amount so prepaid or converted.

 

3.03        Inability to Determine Rates.

 

(a)           If in connection with any request for a Eurodollar Rate Loan or a conversion to or continuation thereof, (i) the Administrative Agent determines that (A) Dollar deposits are not being offered to banks in the London interbank eurodollar market for the applicable amount and Interest Period of such Eurodollar Rate Loan, or (B) adequate and reasonable means do not exist for determining the Eurodollar Rate for any requested Interest Period with respect to a proposed Eurodollar Rate Loan or in connection with an existing or proposed Base Rate Loan (in each case with respect to clause (i), “Impacted Loans”), or (ii) the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders determine that for any reason the Eurodollar Rate for any requested Interest Period with respect to a proposed Eurodollar Rate Loan does not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders of funding such Eurodollar Rate Loan, the Administrative Agent will promptly so notify the Borrower and each Lender.  Thereafter, (x) the obligation of the Lenders to make or maintain Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be suspended (to the extent of the affected Eurodollar Rate Loans or Interest Periods), and (y) in the event of a determination described in the preceding sentence with respect to the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate, the utilization of the Eurodollar Rate

 

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component in determining the Base Rate shall be suspended, in each case until the Administrative Agent (upon the instruction of the Required Lenders) revokes such notice.  Upon receipt of such notice, the Borrower may revoke any pending request for a Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans (to the extent of the affected Eurodollar Rate Loans or Interest Periods) or, failing that, will be deemed to have converted such request into a request for a Borrowing of Base Rate Loans in the amount specified therein.

 

(b)           Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Administrative Agent has made the determination described in clause (a)(i) of this Section, the Administrative Agent, in consultation with the Borrower and the affected Lenders, may establish an alternative interest rate for the Impacted Loans, in which case, such alternative rate of interest shall apply with respect to the Impacted Loans until (1) the Administrative Agent revokes the notice delivered with respect to the Impacted Loans under clause (a)(i) of this Section, (2) the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders notify the Administrative Agent and the Borrower that such alternative interest rate does not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders of funding the Impacted Loans, or (3) any Lender determines that any Law has made it unlawful, or that any Governmental Authority has asserted that it is unlawful, for such Lender or its applicable Lending Office to make, maintain or fund Loans whose interest is determined by reference to such alternative rate of interest or to determine or charge interest rates based upon such rate or any Governmental Authority has imposed material restrictions on the authority of such Lender to do any of the foregoing and provides the Administrative Agent and the Borrower written notice thereof.

 

3.04        Increased Costs; Reserves on Eurodollar Rate Loans.

 

(a)           Increased Costs Generally.  If any Change in Law shall:

 

(i)            impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve, special deposit, compulsory loan, insurance charge or similar requirement against assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or credit extended or participated in by, any Lender (except any reserve requirement contemplated by Section 3.04(e)) or the L/C Issuer;

 

(ii)           subject any Recipient to any Taxes (other than (A) Indemnified Taxes, (B) Taxes described in clauses (b) through (d) of the definition of Excluded Taxes and (C) Connection Income Taxes) on its loans, loan principal, letters of credit, commitments, or other obligations, or its deposits, reserves, other liabilities or capital attributable thereto; or

 

(iii)          impose on any Lender or the L/C Issuer or the London interbank market any other condition, cost or expense affecting this Agreement or Eurodollar Rate Loans made by such Lender or any Letter of Credit or participation therein;

 

and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Lender of making, converting to, continuing or maintaining any Loan (or of maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan), or to increase the cost to such Lender or the L/C Issuer of participating in, issuing or maintaining any Letter of Credit (or of maintaining its obligation to participate in or to issue any Letter of Credit), or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender or the L/C Issuer hereunder (whether of principal, interest or any other amount) then, upon request of such Lender or the L/C Issuer, the Borrower will pay to such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.

 

(b)           Capital Requirements.  If any Lender or the L/C Issuer determines that any Change in Law affecting such Lender or the L/C Issuer or any Lending Office of such Lender or such

 

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Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s holding company, if any, regarding capital or liquidity requirements has or would have the effect of reducing the rate of return on such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s capital or on the capital of such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s holding company, if any, as a consequence of this Agreement, the Commitments of such Lender or the Loans made by, or participations in Letters of Credit or Swingline Loans held by, such Lender, or the Letters of Credit issued by the L/C Issuer, to a level below that which such Lender or the L/C Issuer or such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s holding company could have achieved but for such Change in Law (taking into consideration such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s policies and the policies of such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s holding company with respect to capital adequacy), then from time to time the Borrower will pay to such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or the L/C Issuer or such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s holding company for any such reduction suffered.

 

(c)           Certificates for Reimbursement.  A certificate of a Lender or the L/C Issuer setting forth the amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Lender or the L/C Issuer or its holding company, as the case may be, as specified in subsection (a) or (b) of this Section and delivered to the Borrower shall be conclusive absent manifest error.  The Borrower shall pay such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, the amount shown as due on any such certificate within ten days after receipt thereof.

 

(d)           Delay in Requests.  Failure or delay on the part of any Lender or the L/C Issuer to demand compensation pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section shall not constitute a waiver of such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s right to demand such compensation, provided that the Borrower shall not be required to compensate a Lender or the L/C Issuer pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section for any increased costs incurred or reductions suffered more than nine months prior to the date that such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, notifies the Borrower of the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions and of such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s intention to claim compensation therefor (except that, if the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions is retroactive, then the nine-month period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof).

 

(e)           Reserves on Eurodollar Rate Loans.  The Borrower shall pay to each Lender, as long as such Lender shall be required to maintain reserves with respect to liabilities or assets consisting of or including eurocurrency funds or deposits (currently known as “Eurocurrency liabilities”), additional interest on the unpaid principal amount of each Eurodollar Rate Loan equal to the actual costs of such reserves allocated to such Loan by such Lender (as determined by such Lender in good faith, which determination shall be conclusive), which shall be due and payable on each date on which interest is payable on such Loan, provided the Borrower shall have received at least ten (10) days’ prior notice (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) of such additional interest or costs from such Lender.  If a Lender fails to give notice ten (10) days prior to the relevant Interest Payment Date, such additional interest shall be due and payable ten (10) days from receipt of such notice.

 

3.05        Compensation for Losses.

 

Upon demand of any Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) from time to time, the Borrower shall promptly compensate such Lender for and hold such Lender harmless from any loss, cost or expense incurred by it as a result of:

 

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(a)           any continuation, conversion, payment or prepayment of any Eurodollar Rate Loan on a day other than the last day of the Interest Period for such Loan (whether voluntary, mandatory, automatic, by reason of acceleration, or otherwise);

 

(b)           any failure by the Borrower (for a reason other than the failure of such Lender to make a Loan) to prepay, borrow, continue or convert any Eurodollar Rate Loan on the date or in the amount notified by the Borrower; or

 

(c)           any assignment of a Eurodollar Rate Loan on a day other than the last day of the Interest Period therefor as a result of a request by the Borrower pursuant to Section 11.13;

 

excluding any loss of anticipated profits, but including any loss or expense arising from the liquidation or reemployment of funds obtained by it to maintain such Loan or from fees payable to terminate the deposits from which such funds were obtained.  The Borrower shall also pay any customary administrative fees charged by such Lender in connection with the foregoing.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Section 3.05 shall not apply with respect to Excluded Taxes.

 

For purposes of calculating amounts payable by the Borrower to the Lenders under this Section 3.05, each Lender shall be deemed to have funded each Eurodollar Rate Loan made by it at the Eurodollar Rate used in determining the Eurodollar Rate for such Loan by a matching deposit or other borrowing in the London interbank eurodollar market for a comparable amount and for a comparable period, whether or not such Eurodollar Rate Loan was in fact so funded.

 

3.06        Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders.

 

(a)           Designation of a Different Lending Office.  If any Lender requests compensation under Section 3.04, or requires the Borrower to pay any Indemnified Taxes or additional amounts to any Lender, the L/C Issuer, or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender or the L/C Issuer pursuant to Section 3.01, or if any Lender gives a notice pursuant to Section 3.02, then at the request of the Borrower such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as applicable, shall use reasonable efforts to designate a different Lending Office for funding or booking its Loans hereunder or to assign its rights and obligations hereunder to another of its offices, branches or affiliates, if, in the judgment of such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as applicable, such designation or assignment (i) would eliminate or reduce amounts payable pursuant to Section 3.01 or 3.04, as the case may be, in the future, or eliminate the need for the notice pursuant to Section 3.02, as applicable, and (ii) in each case, would not subject such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, to any unreimbursed cost or expense and would not otherwise be disadvantageous to such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be.  The Borrower hereby agrees to pay all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by any Lender or the L/C Issuer in connection with any such designation or assignment.

 

(b)           Replacement of Lenders.  If any Lender requests compensation under Section 3.04, or if the Borrower is required to pay any Indemnified Taxes or additional amounts to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 3.01 and, in each case, such Lender has declined or is unable to designate a different lending office in accordance with Section 3.06(a), the Borrower may replace such Lender in accordance with Section 11.13.

 

3.07        Successor LIBOR.

 

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement or any other Loan Documents (including Section 11.01 hereof), if the Administrative Agent determines (which determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error), or the Borrower or Required Lenders notify the Administrative Agent

 

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(with, in the case of the Required Lenders, a copy to the Borrower) that the Borrower or Required Lenders (as applicable) have determined, that:

 

(a)           adequate and reasonable means do not exist for ascertaining LIBOR for any requested Interest Period because the LIBOR Screen Rate is not available or published on a current basis and such circumstances are unlikely to be temporary;

 

(b)           the administrator of the LIBOR Screen Rate or a Governmental Authority having jurisdiction over the Administrative Agent has made a public statement identifying a specific date after which LIBOR or the LIBOR Screen Rate shall no longer be made available, or used for determining the interest rate of loans (such specific date, the “Scheduled Unavailability Date”); or

 

(c)           syndicated loans currently being executed, or that include language similar to that contained in this Section 3.08, are being executed or amended (as applicable) to incorporate or adopt a new benchmark interest rate to replace LIBOR;

 

then, reasonably promptly after such determination by the Administrative Agent or receipt by the Administrative Agent of such notice, as applicable,  the Administrative Agent and the Borrower may amend this Agreement to replace LIBOR with an alternate benchmark rate (including any mathematical or other adjustments to the benchmark (if any) incorporated therein), giving due consideration to any evolving or then existing convention for similar Dollar denominated syndicated credit facilities for such alternative benchmarks (any such proposed rate, a “LIBOR Successor Rate”), together with any proposed LIBOR Successor Rate Conforming Changes (as defined below) and any such amendment shall become effective at 5:00 p.m. (New York time) on the fifth Business Day after the Administrative Agent shall have posted such proposed amendment to all Lenders and the Borrower unless, prior to such time, Lenders comprising the Required Lenders have delivered to the Administrative Agent written notice that such Required Lenders do not accept such amendment.

 

If no LIBOR Successor Rate has been determined and the circumstances under clause (i) above exist or the Scheduled Unavailability Date has occurred (as applicable), the Administrative Agent will promptly so notify the Borrower and each Lender.  Thereafter, (x) the obligation of the Lenders to make or maintain Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be suspended, (to the extent of the affected Eurodollar Rate Loans or Interest Periods), and (y) the Eurodollar Rate component shall no longer be utilized in determining the Base Rate.  Upon receipt of such notice, the Borrower may revoke any pending request for a Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans (to the extent of the affected Eurodollar Rate Loans or Interest Periods) or, failing that, will be deemed to have converted such request into a request for a Borrowing of Base Rate Loans (subject to the foregoing clause (y)) in the amount specified therein.

 

Notwithstanding anything else herein, any definition of LIBOR Successor Rate shall provide that in no event shall such LIBOR Successor Rate be less than zero for purposes of this Agreement.

 

3.08        Survival.

 

All of the Loan Parties’ obligations under this Article III shall survive termination of the Aggregate Revolving Commitments, repayment of all other Obligations hereunder, resignation of the Administrative Agent and the Facility Termination Date.

 

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ARTICLE IV

 

CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO CREDIT EXTENSIONS

 

4.01        Conditions of Initial Credit Extension.

 

This Agreement shall become effective upon, and the obligation of the L/C Issuer and each Lender to make its initial Credit Extension hereunder is subject to, the satisfaction of the following conditions precedent:

 

(a)           Receipt by the Administrative Agent of the following, each in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and each Lender:

 

(i)            Loan Documents.  Executed counterparts of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, each properly executed by a Responsible Officer of the signing Loan Party and, in the case of this Agreement, by each Lender.

 

(ii)           Opinions of Counsel.  Favorable opinions of legal counsel to the Loan Parties, addressed to the Administrative Agent and each Lender, dated as of the Closing Date.

 

(iii)          Organization Documents, Resolutions, Etc.

 

(A)          copies of the Organization Documents of each Loan Party certified to be true and complete as of a recent date by the appropriate Governmental Authority of the state or other jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, where applicable, and certified by a secretary or assistant secretary of such Loan Party to be true and correct as of the Closing Date;

 

(B)          such certificates of resolutions or other action, incumbency certificates and/or other certificates of Responsible Officers of each Loan Party as the Administrative Agent may reasonably require evidencing the identity, authority and capacity of each Responsible Officer thereof authorized to act as a Responsible Officer in connection with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which such Loan Party is a party; and

 

(C)          such documents and certifications as the Administrative Agent may reasonably require to evidence that each Loan Party is duly organized or formed, and is validly existing, in good standing and qualified to engage in business in its state of organization or formation.

 

(iv)          Personal Property Collateral.

 

(A)          searches of Uniform Commercial Code filings in the jurisdiction of formation of each Loan Party and each other jurisdiction reasonably deemed appropriate by the Administrative Agent;

 

(B)          UCC financing statements for each appropriate jurisdiction as is necessary, in the Administrative Agent’s discretion, to perfect the Administrative Agent’s security interest in the Collateral;

 

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(C)          all certificates evidencing any certificated Equity Interests pledged to the Administrative Agent pursuant to the Security Agreement, together with duly executed in blank, undated stock powers attached thereto (unless, with respect to the pledged Equity Interests of any Foreign Subsidiary, such stock powers are deemed unnecessary by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion under the Law of the jurisdiction of organization of such Person);

 

(D)          searches of ownership of, and Liens on, United States registered intellectual property of each Loan Party in the appropriate United States governmental offices; and

 

(E)           duly executed notices of grant of security interest in the form required by the Security Agreement as are necessary, in the Administrative Agent’s sole discretion, to perfect the Administrative Agent’s security interest in the United States registered intellectual property of the Loan Parties; and

 

(v)           Evidence of Insurance.  Copies of insurance policies or certificates of insurance of the Loan Parties evidencing liability and casualty insurance meeting the requirements set forth in the Loan Documents, including naming the Administrative Agent and its successors and assigns as additional insured (in the case of liability insurance) or lenders loss payee (in the case of property insurance) on behalf of the Lenders.

 

(vi)          Solvency Certificate.  A certification from (i) the chief executive officer or chief financial officer of the Borrower as to the solvency of the Borrower, on a standalone basis and (ii) the chief executive officer or chief financial officer of Holdings as to the solvency of Holdings and its Subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis, in each case, after giving effect to the Transaction.

 

(vii)         Closing Certificate.  A certificate signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower certifying that the conditions specified in Sections 4.02(a) and 4.02(b) have been satisfied. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (A) the only representations the accuracy of which shall be a condition to the availability of the Revolving Loans on the Closing Date shall be the Specified Representations and the Specified Closing Date Merger Representations and (B) Section 4.02(b) shall not be a condition to the availability of the Revolving Loans on the Closing Date.

 

(b)           No Company Material Adverse Effect.  There shall not have occurred since November 3, 2017 any event or condition that has had or could be reasonably expected, either individually or in the aggregate, to have a Company Material Adverse Effect.

 

(c)           Closing Date Merger.  The Closing Date Merger has been consummated (or shall be consummated, substantially concurrently with the funding of the Loans) substantially in accordance with the Closing Date Merger Documents. The Closing Date Merger Agreement shall not have been amended or waived, and no consent shall have been given thereunder, in any manner materially adverse to the interests of the Lenders without the prior written consent of the Arrangers (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned).  For purposes of the foregoing condition, it is hereby understood and agreed that (i) amendments, waivers and other changes to the definition of “Company Material Adverse Effect”, and consents and requests given or made pursuant to such definition shall in each case be deemed to be materially adverse to the interests of the Lenders, (ii) any reduction in the purchase price in connection with the Closing Date Merger shall not be deemed to be materially adverse to the interests of the Lenders so long as such

 

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reduction is allocated to reduce the amount of the Term Loans, on the one hand, and the other consideration to be used to effect the Acquisition, on the other hand, on a pro rata basis, (iii) any reduction in the purchase price in connection with the Closing Date Merger shall not be deemed to be materially adverse to the interests of the Lenders so long as such reduction (other than pursuant to any purchase price or similar adjustment provision set forth in the Closing Date Merger Agreement) does not decrease the purchase price by more than ten percent (10%) (cumulative for all such reductions) without the prior written consent of the Arrangers (not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed) and (iv) any increase in the purchase price in connection with the Closing Date Merger shall not be deemed to be material and adverse to the interests of the Lenders to the extent that such increase is funded with proceeds from issuance of common equity of Holdings.

 

(d)           Financial Statements.  Receipt by the Administrative Agent and the Lenders of the unaudited consolidated balance sheets and related statements of income and cash flows of IEA and its Subsidiaries for each month ended after September 30, 2017 and at least 45 days prior to the Closing Date.

 

(e)           Minimum Liquidity.  After giving effect to the Transaction, the Loan Parties shall have Liquidity of at least $20,000,000.

 

(f)            Refinance of Existing Indebtedness.  Holdings and its Subsidiaries shall have repaid all outstanding indebtedness (the “Existing Indebtedness”) and terminated all commitments to extend credit with respect to the Existing Indebtedness, and all Liens securing the Existing Indebtedness shall have been released (the “Closing Date Refinancing”).

 

(g)           Fees and expenses.  Receipt by the Administrative Agent, the Arrangers and the Lenders of any fees and expenses (including the fees and expenses of counsel required to be paid on or before the Closing Date.

 

(h)           Attorney Costs.  The Borrower shall have paid all fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the Administrative Agent (directly to such counsel if requested by the Administrative Agent) to the extent invoiced prior to or on the Closing Date, plus such additional amounts of such fees, charges and disbursements as shall constitute its reasonable estimate of such fees, charges and disbursements incurred or to be incurred by it through the closing proceedings (provided that such estimate shall not thereafter preclude a final settling of accounts between the Borrower and the Administrative Agent).

 

Without limiting the generality of the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 9.03, for purposes of determining compliance with the conditions specified in this Section 4.01, each Lender that has signed this Agreement shall be deemed to have consented to, approved or accepted or to be satisfied with, each document or other matter required thereunder to be consented to or approved by or acceptable or satisfactory to a Lender unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from such Lender prior to the proposed Closing Date specifying its objection thereto.

 

Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary or any Collateral Document, it is understood that to the extent that any Liens in any Collateral (other than Liens perfected by the filing of a Uniform Commercial Code financing statement, the filing of short form security agreements with the United States Patent and Trademark Office or United States Copyright Office or the delivery of certificates evidencing Equity Interests (and related stock powers) of any Loan Party or any Domestic Subsidiary (other than an Immaterial Subsidiary)) is not provided on the Closing Date (a) without undue burden or expense to the Loan Parties or (ii) after the use of commercially reasonable efforts by the Loan Parties to do so, then the

 

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provision of such perfected Liens shall not constitute a condition precedent for purposes of this Section 4.01 but shall be required to be delivered within 30 days after the Closing Date (or such later date as agreed by the Administrative Agent) in accordance with Section 6.13.

 

4.02        Conditions to all Credit Extensions.

 

The obligation of each Lender and the L/C Issuer to honor any Request for Credit Extension (other than a Loan Notice requesting only a conversion of Loans to the other Type, or a continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans) is (subject to Sections 1.07 and 2.16) subject to the following conditions precedent:

 

(a)           The representations and warranties of each Loan Party contained in this Agreement or any other Loan Document, or which are contained in any document furnished at any time under or in connection herewith or therewith, shall be true and correct in all material respects (or, if qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect, in all respects) on the date of such Credit Extension, except to the extent that such representations and warranties specifically refer to an earlier date, in which case they shall be true and correct in all material respects (or if such representation and warranty is qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect, it shall be true and correct) as of such earlier date.

 

(b)           No Default shall exist, or would result from such proposed Credit Extension or from the application of the proceeds thereof.

 

(c)           With respect to any Term Loan Draw (other than a Term Loan Draw on the Closing Date the proceeds of which are used in accordance with Section 6.11(b)(i)), after giving effect to such Term Loan Draw on a Pro Forma Basis, (i) the Consolidated Leverage Ratio shall not exceed the amount that is 0.25:1.0 less than the maximum Consolidated Leverage Ratio permitted under Section 7.11(a) and (ii) the Loan Parties shall have Liquidity of at least $20,000,000.

 

(d)           The Administrative Agent and, if applicable, the L/C Issuer or the Swingline Lender shall have received a Request for Credit Extension in accordance with the requirements hereof.

 

Each Request for Credit Extension (other than a Loan Notice requesting only a conversion of Loans to the other Type, or a continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans) submitted by the Borrower shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty that the conditions specified in Sections 4.02(a) and (b) have been satisfied on and as of the date of the applicable Credit Extension.

 

ARTICLE V

 

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

 

The Loan Parties represent and warrant to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders that:

 

5.01        Existence, Qualification and Power.

 

Each Loan Party and each Subsidiary (a) is duly organized or formed, validly existing and, as applicable, in good standing under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, (b) has all requisite power and authority and all requisite governmental licenses, authorizations, consents and approvals to (i) own or lease its assets and carry on its business and (ii) execute, deliver and perform its obligations under the Loan Documents to which it is a party, and (c) is duly qualified and is licensed and, as applicable, in good standing under the Laws of each jurisdiction where its ownership, lease or operation

 

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of properties or the conduct of its business requires such qualification or license; except in each case referred to in clause (b)(i) or (c), to the extent that failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

5.02        Authorization; No Contravention.

 

The execution, delivery and performance by each Loan Party of each Loan Document to which such Person is party (a) have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate or other organizational action, and (b) do not (i) contravene the terms of any of such Person’s Organization Documents; (ii) conflict with or result in any breach or contravention of, or the creation of any Lien under, or require any payment to be made under (A) any Contractual Obligation to which such Person is a party or affecting such Person or the properties of such Person or any of its Subsidiaries or  (B) any order, injunction, writ or decree of any Governmental Authority or any arbitral award to which such Person or its property is subject; or (iii) violate any Law.

 

5.03        Governmental Authorization; Other Consents.

 

No approval, consent, exemption, authorization, or other action by, or notice to, or filing with, any Governmental Authority or any other Person is necessary or required in connection with the execution, delivery or performance by, or enforcement against, any Loan Party of this Agreement or any other Loan Document other than (a) those that have already been obtained and are in full force and effect and (b) filings to perfect the Liens created by the Collateral Documents.

 

5.04        Binding Effect.

 

Each Loan Document has been duly executed and delivered by each Loan Party that is party thereto.  Each Loan Document constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of each Loan Party that is party thereto, enforceable against each such Loan Party in accordance with its terms.

 

5.05        Financial Statements; No Material Adverse Effect.

 

(a)           The financial statements delivered pursuant to Sections 6.01(a) and 6.01(b) (i) were prepared in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein; and (ii) fairly present the financial condition of Holdings and its Subsidiaries as of the date thereof and their results of operations for the period covered thereby in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein (subject, in the case of unaudited financial statements, to the absence of footnotes and to normal year-end audit adjustments).

 

(b)           The Audited Financial Statements (i) were prepared in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein; and (ii) fairly present the financial condition of IEA and its Subsidiaries as of the date thereof and their results of operations for the period covered thereby (subject, in the case of unaudited financial statements, to the absence of footnotes and to normal year-end audit adjustments).

 

(c)           From the date of the Audited Financial Statements to and including the Closing Date, there has been no Disposition or any Recovery Event of any material part of the business or property of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, and no purchase or other acquisition by any of them of any business or property (including any Equity Interests of any other Person) material in relation to the consolidated financial condition of the Loan Parties and their

 

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Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, in each case, which is not reflected in the foregoing financial statements or in the notes thereto and has not otherwise been disclosed in writing to the Lenders on or prior to the Closing Date.

 

(d)           Since the date of the Audited Financial Statements, there has been no event or circumstance, either individually or in the aggregate, that has had or could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

5.06        Litigation.

 

There are no actions, suits, proceedings, claims or disputes pending or, to the knowledge of the Loan Parties after due and diligent investigation, threatened or contemplated, at law, in equity, in arbitration or before any Governmental Authority, by or against any Loan Party or any Subsidiary or against any of their properties or revenues that (a) purport to affect or pertain to this Agreement or any other Loan Document, or any of the transactions contemplated hereby or (b) either individually or in the aggregate could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

5.07        No Default.

 

(a)           No Loan Party nor any Subsidiary is in default under or with respect to any Contractual Obligation that individually or in the aggregate could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(b)           No Default has occurred and is continuing.

 

5.08        Ownership of Property.

 

Each Loan Party and each of its Subsidiaries has good record and marketable title in fee simple to, or valid leasehold interests in, all real property necessary or used in the ordinary conduct of its business, subject to Permitted Liens and to such defects in title as could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

5.09        Environmental Compliance.

 

(a)           To the knowledge of the Loan Parties there are no facts or circumstances that would reasonably be expected to result in capital expenditures required for compliance with Environmental Laws or claims alleging potential liability or responsibility for violation of any Environmental Law with respect to their respective businesses, operations and properties, in each case except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(b)           Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect (i) none of the properties currently or, to the knowledge of the Loan Parties, formerly owned or operated by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary is listed or proposed for listing on the National Priorities List under CERCLA or on the CERCLIS or any analogous foreign, state or local list or is adjacent to any such property; (ii) there are no and never have been any underground or above-ground storage tanks or any surface impoundments, septic tanks, pits, sumps or lagoons in which Hazardous Materials are being or have been treated, stored or disposed on any property currently owned or operated by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary or, to the knowledge of the Loan Parties, on any property formerly owned or operated by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary; (iii) there is no asbestos or asbestos-containing material on any property currently owned or

 

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operated by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary; and (iv) Hazardous Materials have not been released, discharged or disposed of on any property currently or formerly owned or operated by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary.

 

(c)           No Loan Party nor any Subsidiary is undertaking, and has not completed, either individually or together with other potentially responsible parties, any investigation or assessment or remedial or response action relating to any actual or threatened release, discharge or disposal of Hazardous Materials at any site, location or operation, either voluntarily or pursuant to the order of any Governmental Authority or the requirements of any Environmental Law; and all Hazardous Materials generated, used, treated, handled or stored at, or transported to or from, any property currently or formerly owned or operated by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary have been disposed of in a manner not reasonably expected to result in material liability to any Loan Party or any Subsidiary, in each case except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

5.10        Insurance.

 

(a)           The properties of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries are insured with financially sound and reputable insurance companies not Affiliates of the Borrower, in such amounts, with such deductibles and covering such risks as are customarily carried by companies engaged in similar businesses and owning similar properties in localities where the applicable Loan Party or the applicable Subsidiary operates.

 

(b)           Each Loan Party and its Subsidiaries maintain, if available, fully paid flood hazard insurance on all real property that is located in a special flood hazard area and that constitutes Collateral, on such terms and in such amounts as required by The National Flood Insurance Reform Act of 1994 or as otherwise required by the Administrative Agent.

 

5.11        Taxes.

 

Each Loan Party and its Subsidiaries have filed all U.S. federal and state income and other material tax returns and reports required to be filed, and have paid all federal and state income and other material taxes, assessments, fees and other governmental charges levied or imposed upon them or their properties, income or assets otherwise due and payable, except those which are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted and for which adequate reserves have been provided in accordance with GAAP.  There is no proposed tax assessment against any Loan Party or any Subsidiary that would, if made, have a Material Adverse Effect.  No Loan Party nor any Subsidiary is party to any tax sharing agreement with any Person other than another Loan Party; provided, that, the term “tax sharing agreement” shall not include customary commercial leases or any contracts, in each case entered into in the ordinary course of business, that are not primarily related to taxes.

 

5.12        ERISA Compliance.

 

(a)           Except as could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, each Plan is in compliance in all material respects with the applicable provisions of ERISA, the Internal Revenue Code and other federal or state Laws.  Except as could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, each Pension Plan that is intended to be a qualified plan under Section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code has received a favorable determination letter or is subject to a favorable opinion letter from the IRS to the effect that the form of such Plan is qualified under Section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code and the trust related thereto has been determined by the IRS to be exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(a) of the Internal Revenue

 

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Code, or an application for such a letter is currently being processed by the IRS.  To the best knowledge of the Loan Parties, nothing has occurred that would reasonably be expected to prevent or cause the loss of such tax-qualified status.

 

(b)           There are no pending or, to the best knowledge of the Loan Parties, threatened claims, actions or lawsuits, or action by any Governmental Authority, with respect to any Plan that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.  There has been no prohibited transaction or violation of the fiduciary responsibility rules with respect to any Plan that has resulted or could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(c)           (i)  No ERISA Event has occurred, and no Loan Party nor any ERISA Affiliate is aware of any fact, event or circumstance that could reasonably be expected to constitute or result in an ERISA Event with respect to any Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan; (ii) as of the most recent valuation date for any Pension Plan, the funding target attainment percentage (as defined in Section 430(d)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code) is 60% or higher and no Loan Party nor any ERISA Affiliate knows of any facts or circumstances that could reasonably be expected to cause the funding target attainment percentage for any such plan to drop below 60% as of the most recent valuation date; (iii) no Loan Party nor any ERISA Affiliate has incurred any liability to the PBGC other than for the payment of premiums, and there are no premium payments which have become due that are unpaid; (iv) no Loan Party nor any ERISA Affiliate has engaged in a transaction that could be subject to Section 4069 or Section 4212(c) of ERISA; and (v) no Pension Plan has been terminated by the plan administrator thereof nor by the PBGC, and no event or circumstance has occurred or exists that could reasonably be expected to cause the PBGC to institute proceedings under Title IV of ERISA to terminate any Pension Plan; and in the case of each of clauses (i) to (v) above, such event or conditions, if any, would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(d)           The Borrower represents and warrants as of the Closing Date that the Borrower is not and will not be using “plan assets” (within the meaning of 29 CFR § 2510.3-101, as modified by Section 3(42) of ERISA) of one or more Benefit Plans in connection with the Loans, the Letters of Credit or the Commitments.

 

5.13        Subsidiaries.

 

Set forth on Schedule 5.13 is a complete and accurate list as of the Closing Date of each Subsidiary of any Loan Party (and a designation of any Subsidiary that is an Immaterial Subsidiary), together with (i) jurisdiction of organization, (ii) number of shares of each class of Equity Interests outstanding, and (iii) number and percentage of outstanding shares of each class owned (directly or indirectly) by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary.  The outstanding Equity Interests of each Subsidiary of any Loan Party are validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

 

5.14        Margin Regulations; Investment Company Act.

 

(a)           The Borrower is not engaged and will not engage, principally or as one of its important activities, in the business of purchasing or carrying margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation U issued by the FRB), or extending credit for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock.  Following the application of the proceeds of each Borrowing or drawing under each Letter of Credit, not more than 25% of the value of the assets (either of the Borrower only or of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis) subject to the provisions of Section 7.01 or Section 7.05 or subject to any restriction contained in any agreement or instrument between the

 

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Borrower and any Lender or any Affiliate of any Lender relating to Indebtedness and within the scope of Section 8.01(e) will be margin stock.

 

(b)           None of the Borrower, any Person Controlling the Borrower, or any Subsidiary is or is required to be registered as an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940.

 

5.15        Disclosure.

 

Each Loan Party has disclosed to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders all agreements, instruments and corporate or other restrictions to which it or any of its Subsidiaries is subject, and all other matters known to it, that, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.  No report, financial statement, certificate or other information furnished (whether in writing or orally) by or on behalf of any Loan Party to the Administrative Agent or any Lender in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby and the negotiation of this Agreement or delivered hereunder or under any other Loan Document (in each case, as modified or supplemented by other information so furnished) contains any material misstatement of fact or omits to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that, with respect to projected financial information, the Loan Parties represent only that such information was prepared in good faith based upon assumptions believed to be reasonable at the time.

 

5.16        Compliance with Laws.

 

Each Loan Party and Subsidiary is in compliance with the requirements of all Laws and all orders, writs, injunctions and decrees applicable to it or to its properties, except in such instances in which (a) such requirement of Law or order, writ, injunction or decree is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted or (b) the failure to comply therewith could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

5.17        Intellectual Property; Licenses, Etc.

 

Each Loan Party and each Subsidiary owns, or possesses the right to use, all of the trademarks, service marks, trade names, copyrights, patents, patent rights, franchises, licenses and other intellectual property rights (collectively, “IP Rights”) that are reasonably necessary for the operation of their respective businesses, except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.  Set forth on Schedule 5.17 is a list of all IP Rights registered or pending registration with the United States Copyright Office or the United States Patent and Trademark Office that, as of the date hereof, are owned by a Loan Party.  Except for such claims and infringements that could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, as of the date hereof: (i) no claim has been asserted and is pending by any Person challenging or questioning the use of any IP Rights owned by a Loan Party or the validity or effectiveness of any IP Rights owned by a Loan Party, nor does any Loan Party know of any such claim, and (ii) to the knowledge of the Responsible Officers of the Loan Parties, the use of any IP Rights by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary or the granting of a right or a license in respect of any IP Rights from any Loan Party or any Subsidiary does not infringe on the rights of any Person.  As of the date hereof, none of the IP Rights owned by any Loan Party is subject to any licensing agreement, other than in the ordinary course of business, except as set forth on Schedule 5.17.

 

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5.18        Solvency.

 

The Borrower is Solvent on a standalone basis, and Holdings and its Subsidiaries are Solvent on a consolidated basis, in each case, after giving effect to the Transaction.

 

5.19        Perfection of Security Interests in the Collateral.

 

The Collateral Documents create valid security interests in, and Liens on, the Collateral purported to be covered thereby, which security interests and Liens are currently perfected security interests and Liens, prior to all other Liens other than Permitted Liens.

 

5.20        Business Locations; Taxpayer Identification Number.

 

Set forth on Schedule 5.20(a) is a list of all real property located in the United States that is owned or leased by any Loan Party as of the Closing Date.  Set forth on Schedule 5.20(b) is the jurisdiction of organization, chief executive office, exact legal name, U.S. tax payer identification number and organizational identification number of each Loan Party as of the Closing Date.  Except as set forth on Schedule 5.20(c), as of the Closing Date no Loan Party has during the five years preceding the Closing Date (i) changed its legal name, (ii) changed its state of formation or (iii) been party to a merger, consolidation or other change in structure.

 

5.21        OFAC.

 

None of the Loan Parties, nor any of their Subsidiaries, nor, to the knowledge of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries, any director, officer, employee, agent, affiliate or representative thereof, is an individual or entity that is, or is owned or controlled by any individual or entity that is (i) currently the subject or target of any Sanctions, (ii) included on OFAC’s List of Specially Designated Nationals, HMT’s Consolidated List of Financial Sanctions Targets and the Investment Ban List, or any similar list enforced by any other relevant sanctions authority or (iii) located, organized or resident in a Designated Jurisdiction.

 

5.22        Anti-Corruption Laws.

 

The Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries have conducted their businesses in compliance with the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 (“FCPA), the UK Bribery Act 2010, and other similar anti-corruption legislation in other jurisdictions and have instituted and maintained policies and procedures designed to promote and achieve compliance with such laws.

 

5.23        Use of Proceeds.

 

The Borrower has used proceeds of all Credit Extensions in accordance with Section 6.11.

 

5.24        No EEA Financial Institution.

 

No Loan Party is an EEA Financial Institution.

 

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ARTICLE VI

 

AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

 

Until the Facility Termination Date, each Loan Party shall and shall cause each Subsidiary to:

 

6.01        Financial Statements.

 

Deliver to the Administrative Agent and each Lender, in form and detail reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent (provided, that the Audited Financial Statements are in form and detail satisfactory to the Administrative Agent):

 

(a)           as soon as available, but in any event within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year of Holdings (or, if earlier, 30 days after the date required to be filed with the SEC (without giving effect to any extension permitted by the SEC)), commencing with the fiscal year ending December 31, 2017, a consolidated balance sheet of Holdings and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such fiscal year, and the related consolidated statements of income or operations, changes in shareholders’ equity and cash flows for such fiscal year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the previous fiscal year, all in reasonable detail and prepared in accordance with GAAP, and in the case of such consolidated statements audited and accompanied by a report and opinion of an independent certified public accountant of nationally recognized standing, which report and opinion shall be prepared in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards and shall not be subject to any “going concern” or like qualification (other than as a result of the impending Maturity Date) or exception or any qualification or exception as to the scope of such audit; and

 

(b)           as soon as available, but in any event within 60 days after the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year of Holdings (or, if earlier, 30 days after the date required to be filed with the SEC (without giving effect to any extension permitted by the SEC)), commencing with the fiscal quarter ending March 31, 2018, a consolidated balance sheet of Holdings and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such fiscal quarter, the related consolidated statements of income or operations for such fiscal quarter and for the portion of Holdings’ fiscal year then ended, and the related consolidated statements of changes in shareholders’ equity and cash flows for such fiscal quarter and for the portion of Holdings’ fiscal year then ended, in each case setting forth in comparative form, as applicable, the figures for the corresponding fiscal quarter of the previous fiscal year and the corresponding portion of the previous fiscal year, all in reasonable detail and, in the case of such consolidated statements, certified by the chief executive officer, chief financial officer, treasurer or controller of Holdings as fairly presenting the financial condition, results of operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows of Holdings and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP, subject only to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes.

 

As to any information contained in materials furnished pursuant to Section 6.02(c), Holdings shall not be separately required to furnish such information under Section 6.01(a) or 6.01(b), but the foregoing shall not be in derogation of the obligation of Holdings to furnish the information and materials described in Section 6.01(a) or 6.01(b) at the times specified therein.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the obligations in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section 6.01 may be satisfied with respect to any financial statements of Holdings, at the option of Holdings, by furnishing the applicable financial statements of Pubco’s Form 10-K or 10-Q, as applicable, filed with the SEC or any securities exchange, in each case, within the time periods specified in such paragraphs; provided, that (i) such financial statements shall be accompanied by consolidating information that summarizes in reasonable detail any material differences between the information related to Pubco, on the one hand, and the information relating solely to Holdings and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, on the other hand and (ii) to the extent such statements are in lieu of the statements required to be provided under Section 6.01(a), such statements shall be accompanied by a report and opinion of an independent certified public account of nationally recognized standing, which report and opinion shall satisfy the applicable requirements set forth in Section 6.01(a).

 

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6.02        Certificates; Other Information.

 

Deliver to the Administrative Agent and each Lender, in form and detail satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Required Lenders:

 

(a)           concurrently with the delivery of the financial statements referred to in Sections 6.01(a) and 6.01(b), a duly completed Compliance Certificate signed by the chief executive officer, chief financial officer, treasurer or controller of Holdings which shall include such supplements to Schedule 5.17, as are necessary such that, as supplemented, such Schedule would be accurate and complete as of the date of such Compliance Certificate (which delivery may be by electronic communication including fax or email and shall be deemed to be an original authentic counterpart thereof for all purposes);

 

(b)           not later than 60 days after the beginning of each fiscal year of Holdings, commencing with the fiscal year beginning January 1, 2019, an annual business plan and budget of Holdings and its Subsidiaries containing, among other things, pro forma financial statements for each quarter of such fiscal year;

 

(c)           promptly after the same are available, copies of each annual report, proxy or financial statement or other report or communication sent to the equityholders of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary, and copies of all annual, regular, periodic and special reports and registration statements which a Loan Party or any Subsidiary may file or be required to file with the SEC under Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and not otherwise required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent pursuant hereto;

 

(d)           promptly after any request by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, copies of any detailed final audit reports, management letters or recommendations submitted to the board of directors (or the audit committee of the board of directors) of Holdings by independent accountants in connection with the accounts or books of Holdings or any Subsidiary, or any audit of any of them;

 

(e)           promptly after the furnishing thereof, copies of any statement or report furnished to any holder of debt securities of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary pursuant to the terms of any indenture, loan or credit or similar agreement and not otherwise required to be furnished to the Lenders pursuant to Section 6.01 or any other clause of this Section 6.02;

 

(f)            promptly, and in any event within five (5) Business Days after receipt thereof by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary, copies of each notice or other correspondence received from the SEC (or comparable agency in any applicable non-U.S. jurisdiction) concerning any investigation or possible investigation or other inquiry by such agency regarding financial or other operational results of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary; and

 

(g)           promptly, such additional information regarding the business, financial or corporate affairs of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary, or compliance with the terms of the Loan Documents, as the Administrative Agent or Required Lenders may from time to time reasonably request.

 

Documents required to be delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(a) or 6.01(b) or Section 6.02(c) (to the extent any such documents are included in materials otherwise filed with the SEC) may be delivered electronically and if so delivered, shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date (i) on which Holdings posts such documents, or provides a link thereto on Holdings’ website on the Internet at the website address

 

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listed on Schedule 11.02; or (ii) on which such documents are posted on Holdings’ behalf on an Internet or intranet website, if any, to which each Lender and the Administrative Agent have access (whether a commercial, third party website or whether sponsored by the Administrative Agent); provided that: Holdings shall notify the Administrative Agent and each Lender (by facsimile or e-mail) of the posting of any such documents and provide to the Administrative Agent by e-mail electronic versions (i.e., soft copies) of such documents.  The Administrative Agent shall have no obligation to request the delivery of or to maintain paper copies of the documents referred to above, and in any event shall have no responsibility to monitor compliance by Holdings any such request by a Lender for delivery, and each Lender shall be solely responsible for requesting delivery to it or maintaining its copies of such documents.

 

Each Loan Party hereby acknowledges that (a) the Administrative Agent and/or an Affiliate thereof may, but shall not be obligated to, make available to the Lenders and the L/C Issuer materials and/or information provided by or on behalf of such Loan Party hereunder (collectively, “Borrower Materials”) by posting the Borrower Materials on IntraLinks, Syndtrak, ClearPar or a substantially similar electronic transmission system (the “Platform”) and (b) certain of the Lenders (each a “Public Lender”) may have personnel who do not wish to receive material non-public information with respect to such Loan Party or its Affiliates, or the respective securities of any of the foregoing, and who may be engaged in investment and other market-related activities with respect to such Persons’ securities.  Each Loan Party hereby agrees that so long as such Loan Party is the issuer of any outstanding debt or equity securities that are registered or issued pursuant to a private offering or is actively contemplating issuing any such securities it will use commercially reasonable efforts to identify that portion of the Borrower Materials that may be distributed to the Public Lenders and that (w) all such Borrower Materials shall be clearly and conspicuously marked “PUBLIC” which, at a minimum, shall mean that the word “PUBLIC” shall appear prominently on the first page thereof; (x) by marking Borrower Materials “PUBLIC,” such Loan Party shall be deemed to have authorized the Administrative Agent, any Affiliate thereof, the L/C Issuer and the Lenders to treat such Borrower Materials as not containing any material non-public information (although it may be sensitive and proprietary) with respect to such Loan Party or its securities for purposes of United States federal and state securities Laws (provided, however, that to the extent such Borrower Materials constitute Information, they shall be treated as set forth in Section 11.07); (y) all Borrower Materials marked “PUBLIC” are permitted to be made available through a portion of the Platform designated “Public Side Information;” and (z) the Administrative Agent and any Affiliate thereof shall be entitled to treat any Borrower Materials that are not marked “PUBLIC” as being suitable only for posting on a portion of the Platform not designated as “Public Side Information.”  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Loan Parties shall be under no obligation to mark any Borrower Materials “PUBLIC.”

 

6.03        Notices.

 

Promptly notify the Administrative Agent and each Lender of:

 

(a)           the occurrence of any Default;

 

(b)           any matter that has resulted or could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect;

 

(c)           the occurrence of any ERISA Event;

 

(d)           any material change in accounting policies or financial reporting practices by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary; and

 

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(e)           any draw on any surety or performance bond or any beneficiary in respect of any surety or performance bond shall have elected to have the bonding company assume or provide for the assumption of the performance obligations covered thereby.

 

Each notice pursuant to this Section 6.03 shall be accompanied by a statement of a Responsible Officer of Holdings setting forth details of the occurrence referred to therein and stating what action the Loan Parties have taken and proposes to take with respect thereto.  Each notice pursuant to Section 6.03(a) shall describe with particularity any and all provisions of this Agreement and any other Loan Document that have been breached.

 

6.04        Payment of Taxes.

 

Pay and discharge, as the same shall become due and payable, all federal and state income and other material tax liabilities, assessments and governmental charges or levies upon it or its properties or assets, unless the same are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted and adequate reserves in accordance with GAAP are being maintained by such Loan Party or such Subsidiary.

 

6.05        Preservation of Existence, Etc.

 

(a)           Preserve, renew and maintain in full force and effect its legal existence under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its organization except in a transaction permitted by Section 7.04 or 7.05.

 

(b)           Preserve, renew and maintain in full force and effect its good standing under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its organization except in a transaction permitted by Section 7.04 or 7.05.

 

(c)           Take all reasonable action to maintain all rights, privileges, permits, licenses and franchises necessary or desirable in the normal conduct of its business, except to the extent that the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(d)           Maintain or renew all of its registered IP Rights, the non-preservation or non-renewal of which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

6.06        Maintenance of Properties.

 

(a)           Maintain, preserve and protect all of its material properties and equipment necessary in the operation of its business in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted.

 

(b)           Make all necessary repairs thereto and renewals and replacements thereof, except where the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(c)           Use the standard of care typical in the industry in the operation and maintenance of its facilities.

 

6.07        Maintenance of Insurance.

 

(a)           Maintain in full force and effect insurance (including worker’s compensation insurance, liability insurance, casualty insurance and business interruption insurance) with

 

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financially sound and reputable insurance companies not Affiliates of the Borrower, in such amounts, with such deductibles and covering such risks as are customarily carried by companies engaged in similar businesses and owning similar properties in localities where such Loan Party or such Subsidiary operates.

 

(b)           Without limiting the foregoing, (i) maintain, if available, fully paid flood hazard insurance on all real property that is located in a special flood hazard area and that constitutes Collateral, on such terms and in such amounts as required by The National Flood Insurance Reform Act of 1994 or as otherwise required by the Administrative Agent, (ii) furnish to the Administrative Agent evidence of the renewal (and payment of renewal premiums therefor) of all such policies prior to the expiration or lapse thereof, and (iii) furnish to the Administrative Agent prompt written notice of any redesignation of any such improved real property into or out of a special flood hazard area of which it has knowledge.

 

(c)           Cause the Administrative Agent and its successors and assigns to be named as lender’s loss payee or mortgagee, as its interest may appear, and/or additional insured with respect to any such insurance providing liability coverage or coverage in respect of any Collateral, and cause each provider of any such insurance to agree, by endorsement upon the policy or policies issued by it or by independent instruments furnished to the Administrative Agent, that it will give the Administrative Agent thirty days (or such lesser amount as the Administrative Agent may agree) prior written notice before any such policy or policies shall be altered or canceled.

 

6.08        Compliance with Laws.

 

Comply with the requirements of all Laws and all orders, writs, injunctions and decrees applicable to it or to its business or property, except in such instances in which (a) such requirement of Law or order, writ, injunction or decree is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted; or (b) the failure to comply therewith could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

6.09        Books and Records.

 

(a)           Maintain proper books of record and account, in which full, true and correct entries in conformity with GAAP consistently applied shall be made of all financial transactions and matters involving the assets and business of such Loan Party or such Subsidiary, as the case may be.

 

(b)           Maintain such books of record and account in material conformity with all applicable requirements of any Governmental Authority having regulatory jurisdiction over such Loan Party or such Subsidiary, as the case may be.

 

6.10        Inspection Rights.

 

Permit representatives and independent contractors of the Administrative Agent to visit and inspect any of its properties, to examine its corporate, financial and operating records, and make copies thereof or abstracts therefrom, and to discuss its affairs, finances and accounts with its directors, officers, and independent public accountants, all at the expense of the Borrower and at such reasonable times during normal business hours and as often as may be reasonably desired, upon reasonable advance notice to the Borrower; provided, however, that (i) absent an Event of Default, the Borrower shall be required to pay for only one such visit and/or inspection per fiscal year and (ii) when an Event of Default exists, the Administrative Agent (or any of its representatives or independent contractors) may do any of the foregoing

 

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at the expense of the Borrower at any time during normal business hours and without advance notice, all at the expense of the Borrower.

 

6.11        Use of Proceeds.

 

(a)           Use the proceeds of the Revolving Loans (i) on the Closing Date, solely (x) to refinance the Existing Indebtedness (including replacing or backstopping existing letters of credit of IEA), (y) for Transaction Expenses (as defined in the Closing Date Merger Agreement), (z) for Cash Consideration (as defined in the Closing Date Merger Agreement); provided, that Revolving Loans shall only be used for the purposes described in clauses (y) and (z), so long as the maximum amount of the Term Loan permitted to be drawn pursuant to Section 6.11(b)(i) is funded on the Closing Date and (ii) after the Closing Date, for working capital, capital expenditures and other lawful corporate purposes of Holdings (including distributions to Pubco to the extent permitted by this Agreement) and its Subsidiaries.

 

(b)           Use the proceeds of the Term Loan solely (i) on the Closing Date, for Cash Consideration (as defined in the Closing Date Merger Agreement) and Transaction Expenses (as defined in the Closing Date Merger Agreement) in an aggregate amount not to exceed $24,000,000 and (ii) after the Closing Date, for capital expenditures and/or to finance Permitted Acquisitions, in each case, including financing of related fees and expenses and distributions to Holdings to consummate such transactions, not in contravention of any law or the definitive loan documentation.

 

provided that in no event shall the proceeds of the Credit Extensions be used in contravention of any Law or of any Loan Document.

 

6.12        ERISA Compliance.

 

Do, and cause each of its ERISA Affiliates to do, each of the following: (a) maintain each Plan in compliance in all material respects with the applicable provisions of ERISA, the Internal Revenue Code and other federal or state Law; (b) cause each Plan that is qualified under Section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code to maintain such qualification; and (c) make all required contributions to any Plan subject to Section 412, Section 430 or Section 431 of the Internal Revenue Code, except in the cases of each of clauses (a), (b) and (c) above, would not reasonably be likely to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

6.13        Additional Guarantors.

 

Within thirty days (or such later date as the Administrative Agent may agree in its sole discretion) after any Person becomes a Domestic Subsidiary, cause such Person (other than any Immaterial Subsidiary) to (a) become a Guarantor by executing and delivering to the Administrative Agent a Joinder Agreement or such other documents as the Administrative Agent shall deem appropriate for such purpose, and (b) upon the request of the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion, deliver to the Administrative Agent such Organization Documents, resolutions and favorable opinions of counsel, all in form, content and scope reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent; provided, however, that any Immaterial Subsidiary ceasing to be an Immaterial Subsidiary shall be deemed to constitute the acquisition of a Subsidiary for all purposes of this Section 6.13.

 

6.14        Pledged Assets.

 

(a)           Equity Interests.  Cause (i) 100% of the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of each Domestic Subsidiary and (ii) 65% (or such greater percentage that, due to a change in an

 

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applicable Law after the Closing Date, the Administrative Agent in consultation with the Borrower determines (A) could not reasonably be expected to cause the undistributed earnings of such Foreign Subsidiary or FSHCO as determined for United States federal income tax purposes to be treated as a deemed dividend to such Foreign Subsidiary’s or FSHCO’s United States parent and (B) could not reasonably be expected to cause any material adverse tax consequences) of the issued and outstanding Equity Interests entitled to vote (within the meaning of Treas. Reg. Section 1.956-2(c)(2)) and 100% of the issued and outstanding Equity Interests not entitled to vote (within the meaning of Treas. Reg. Section 1.956-2(c)(2)) in each Foreign Subsidiary or FSHCO directly owned by any Loan Party to be subject at all times to a first priority, perfected Lien in favor of the Administrative Agent pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Collateral Documents, and, in connection with the foregoing, deliver to the Administrative Agent such other documentation as the Administrative Agent may request including, any filings and deliveries to perfect such Liens and favorable opinions of counsel all in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

 

(b)           Other Property.  Cause all property (other than Excluded Property) of each Loan Party to be subject at all times to first priority, perfected and, in the case of real property (other than Excluded Property), title insured Liens in favor of the Administrative Agent to secure the Obligations pursuant to the Collateral Documents (subject to Permitted Liens) and, in connection with the foregoing, deliver to the Administrative Agent such other documentation as the Administrative Agent may request including filings and deliveries necessary to perfect such Liens, Organization Documents, resolutions, and favorable opinions of counsel to such Person, all in form, content and scope reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.  With respect to real property (other than Excluded Property) acquired after the Closing Date, the Loan Parties shall have sixty (60) days (or such later time as agreed by the Administrative Agent) to deliver Real Property Security Documents with respect thereto.

 

6.15        Anti-Corruption Laws.

 

Conduct its businesses in compliance with the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, the UK Bribery Act 2010 and other similar anti-corruption legislation in other jurisdictions and maintain policies and procedures designed to promote and achieve compliance with such laws.

 

ARTICLE VII

 

NEGATIVE COVENANTS

 

Until the Facility Termination Date, no Loan Party shall, nor shall it permit any Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly:

 

7.01        Liens.

 

Create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Lien upon any of its property, assets or revenues, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, other than the following:

 

(a)           Liens pursuant to any Loan Document;

 

(b)           Liens existing on the Closing Date and listed on Schedule 7.01 and any renewals or extensions thereof, provided that the property covered thereby is not increased;

 

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(c)           Liens (other than Liens imposed under ERISA) for taxes, assessments or governmental charges or levies not yet due or which are being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted, if adequate reserves with respect thereto are maintained on the books of the applicable Person in accordance with GAAP;

 

(d)           Liens of carriers, warehousemen, mechanics, materialmen and repairmen or other like Liens arising in the ordinary course of business which are not overdue for a period of more than 30 days or which are being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted, if adequate reserves with respect thereto are maintained on the books of the applicable Person;

 

(e)           pledges or deposits in the ordinary course of business in connection with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance and other social security legislation, other than any Lien imposed by ERISA;

 

(f)            deposits to secure the performance of bids, trade contracts and leases (other than Indebtedness), statutory obligations, surety and appeal bonds, performance bonds and other obligations of a like nature incurred in the ordinary course of business;

 

(g)           survey exceptions, minor title defects, easements, rights-of-way, covenants, restrictions and other non-monetary encumbrances affecting real property which do not in any case materially detract from the use and operation of the property subject thereto or materially interfere with the ordinary conduct of the business of the applicable Person;

 

(h)           Liens securing judgments for the payment of money (or appeal or other surety bonds relating to such judgments) not constituting an Event of Default under Section 8.01(h);

 

(i)            Liens securing Indebtedness permitted under Section 7.03(e); provided that (i) such Liens do not at any time encumber any property other than the property financed by such Indebtedness and (ii) such Liens attach to such property concurrently with or within ninety days after the acquisition thereof;

 

(j)            leases, subleases, licenses or sublicenses (including with respect to IP Rights) granted to others not interfering in any material respect with the business of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary;

 

(k)           any interest of title of a lessor under, and Liens arising from UCC financing statements (or equivalent filings, registrations or agreements in foreign jurisdictions) relating to, leases permitted by this Agreement;

 

(l)            Liens deemed to exist in connection with Investments in repurchase agreements permitted under Section 7.02(a);

 

(m)          normal and customary rights of setoff upon deposits of cash in favor of banks or other depository institutions;

 

(n)           Liens of a collection bank arising under Section 4-210 of the Uniform Commercial Code on items in the course of collection; and

 

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(o)           Liens on an insurance policy of the Borrower or any Subsidiary and the identifiable cash proceeds thereof in favor of the issuer of such policy (or any of its affiliates) and securing Indebtedness permitted to finance the premiums of such policies.

 

7.02        Investments.

 

Make any Investments, except:

 

(a)           Investments held in the form of cash or Cash Equivalents;

 

(b)           Investments existing as of the Closing Date and set forth on Schedule 7.02;

 

(c)           Investments in any Person that is a Loan Party prior to or concurrently with giving effect to such Investment;

 

(d)           Investments by any Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party in any other Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party;

 

(e)           Investments in any Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party in an amount not to exceed $2,500,000 at any one time outstanding;

 

(f)            Investments consisting of extensions of credit in the nature of accounts receivable or notes receivable arising from the grant of trade credit in the ordinary course of business, and Investments received in satisfaction or partial satisfaction thereof from financially troubled account debtors to the extent reasonably necessary in order to prevent or limit loss;

 

(g)           Guarantees permitted by Section 7.03;

 

(h)           Permitted Acquisitions; and

 

(i)            Investments of a nature not contemplated in the foregoing clauses in an amount not to exceed $10,000,000 in the aggregate at any time outstanding.

 

7.03        Indebtedness.

 

Create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Indebtedness, except:

 

(a)           Indebtedness under the Loan Documents;

 

(b)           Indebtedness outstanding on the Closing Date set forth on Schedule 7.03-1 (and renewals, refinancings and extensions thereof); provided that (i) the amount of such Indebtedness is not increased at the time of such refinancing, renewal or extension except by an amount equal to a reasonable premium or other reasonable amount paid, and fees and expenses reasonably incurred, in connection with such refinancing and by an amount equal to any existing commitments unutilized thereunder and (ii) the terms relating to principal amount, amortization, maturity, collateral (if any) and subordination (if any), and other material terms taken as a whole, of any such refinancing, renewal or extension are no less favorable in any material respect to the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries or the Lenders than the terms of the Indebtedness being refinanced, renewed or extended;

 

(c)           intercompany Indebtedness permitted under Section 7.02; provided that in the case of Indebtedness owing by a Loan Party to a Foreign Subsidiary (i) such Indebtedness shall be

 

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subordinated prior to the Obligations in a manner and to an extent reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent and (ii) such Indebtedness shall not be prepaid unless no Default exists immediately prior to or after giving effect to such prepayment;

 

(d)           obligations (contingent or otherwise) existing or arising under any Swap Contract, provided that (i) such obligations are (or were) entered into by such Person in the ordinary course of business for the purpose of directly mitigating risks associated with fluctuations in interest rates or foreign exchange rates, and not for purposes of speculation or taking a “market view;” and (ii) such Swap Contract does not contain any provision exonerating the non-defaulting party from its obligation to make payments on outstanding transactions to the defaulting party;

 

(e)           purchase money Indebtedness (including obligations in respect of capital leases and Synthetic Lease Obligations) (i) outstanding on the Closing Date set forth on Schedule 7.03-2 and (ii) hereafter incurred to finance the purchase of fixed assets, and renewals, refinancings and extensions thereof, provided that (x) after giving effect to the incurrence of such Indebtedness on a Pro Forma Basis, the Loan Parties would be in compliance with the financial covenants set forth in Section 7.11; and (y) such Indebtedness when incurred shall not exceed the purchase price of the asset(s) financed;

 

(f)            Indebtedness consisting of Earn-Out Obligations, indemnification obligations, purchase price adjustments, holdbacks or similar obligations and guarantee obligations, in each case in connection with Acquisitions, dispositions of property and Investments and indemnification obligations arising under Contractual Obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business; provided, that, with respect to such Indebtedness consisting of unsecured seller notes issued pursuant to the definitive documentation in connection with Permitted Acquisitions, the maximum amount of interest payable at the time of issuance of such notes shall not exceed $3,000,000 in the aggregate for all seller notes;

 

(g)           the letters of credit set forth on Schedule 7.03-3 issued on behalf of IEA; provided that such letters of credit are not extended or renewed beyond their existing maturities; and

 

(h)           Indebtedness incurred in connection with the financing of insurance premiums in an aggregate amount at any time outstanding not to exceed the premiums owed under such policy;

 

(i)            surety and appeal bonds, performance bonds and other obligations of a like nature incurred in the ordinary course of business;

 

(j)            other unsecured Indebtedness in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $10,000,000 at any one time outstanding; and

 

(k)           Guarantees with respect to Indebtedness permitted under this Section 7.03.

 

7.04        Fundamental Changes.

 

Merge, dissolve, liquidate or consolidate with or into another Person, except that so long as no Default exists or would result therefrom, (a) any Subsidiary may merge or consolidate with any other Subsidiary provided that if the Borrower is a party to such transaction, the Borrower is the continuing or surviving Person, (b) any Subsidiary of the Borrower may merge or consolidate with any other Subsidiary of the Borrower provided that if a Guarantor is a party to such transaction, the continuing or surviving Person is a Guarantor, (c) the Borrower or any Subsidiary may merge with any other Person in connection with a Permitted Acquisition provided that (i) if the Borrower is a party to such transaction, the Borrower

 

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is the continuing or surviving Person and (ii) if the Borrower is not a party to such transaction and a Guarantor is a party to such transaction, the surviving Person is or becomes a Guarantor concurrently with such transaction and (d) any Subsidiary (other than the Borrower) may dissolve, liquidate or wind up its affairs at any time provided that such dissolution, liquidation or winding up, as applicable, could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

7.05        Dispositions.

 

Make any Disposition except:

 

(a)           Permitted Transfers;

 

(b)           Dispositions of non-core assets (including any Subsidiary, line of business or other assets) acquired in connection with a Permitted Acquisition so long as (i) such non-core assets are identified by Holdings in a written notice delivered to the Administrative Agent within thirty (30) days prior to the Disposition thereof, (ii) the fair market value of such non-core assets does not exceed 25% of the aggregate consideration for such Acquisition and (iii) at the time of such Disposition, no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would result from such Disposition;

 

(c)           other Dispositions so long as (i) at least 75% of the consideration paid in connection therewith shall be cash or Cash Equivalents paid contemporaneously with consummation of the transaction and shall be in an amount not less than the fair market value of the property disposed of, (ii) if such transaction is a Sale and Leaseback Transaction, such transaction is not prohibited by the terms of Section 7.15, (iii) such transaction does not involve the sale or other disposition of a minority Equity Interest in any Subsidiary, (iv) such transaction does not involve a sale or other disposition of receivables other than receivables owned by or attributable to other property concurrently being disposed of in a transaction otherwise permitted under this Section 7.05, and (v) the aggregate net book value of all of the assets sold or otherwise disposed of by the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries in all such transactions (excluding Sale and Leaseback Transactions) in any fiscal year of Holdings shall not exceed $5,000,000.

 

7.06        Restricted Payments.

 

Declare or make, directly or indirectly, any Restricted Payment, or incur any obligation (contingent or otherwise) to do so, except that:

 

(a)           each Subsidiary may make Restricted Payments to Persons that own Equity Interests in such Subsidiary, ratably according to their respective holdings of the type of Equity Interest in respect of which such Restricted Payment is being made;

 

(b)           each Loan Party and each Subsidiary may declare and make dividend payments or other distributions payable solely in common Equity Interests of such Person;

 

(c)           Holdings may make Permitted Tax Distributions;

 

(d)           Holdings may make distributions to Pubco to pay customary public company expenses;

 

(e)           Holdings may make Restricted Payments to Pubco to pay dividends, in an amount not to exceed the amount provided for in Section 4 of the certificate of designation in effect on the

 

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Closing Date, on the Series A Preferred Stock of Pubco that is outstanding on the Closing Date so long as no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would result from such payment; and

 

(f)            other Restricted Payments in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $1,000,000.

 

7.07        Change in Nature of Business.

 

Engage in any material line of business substantially different from those lines of business conducted by the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries on the Closing Date or any business substantially related or incidental thereto.

 

7.08        Transactions with Affiliates.

 

(a)           Enter into or permit to exist any transaction or series of transactions with any Affiliate of such Person, whether or not in the ordinary course of business, other than (i) advances of working capital to any Loan Party, (ii) transfers of cash and assets to any Loan Party, (iii) intercompany transactions expressly permitted by Section 7.02, Section 7.03, Section 7.04, Section 7.05 or Section 7.06, (iv) normal and reasonable compensation and reimbursement of expenses of officers and directors, (v) the Affiliate Real Property Lease (provided the Affiliate Real Property Lease shall not be amended in any manner adverse to the Lenders) and (vi) except as otherwise specifically limited in this Agreement, other transactions which are on terms and conditions substantially as favorable to such Person as would be obtainable by it in a comparable arms-length transaction with a Person other than an Affiliate.

 

(b)           Pay any credit support or similar fees to any Affiliate or to any manager, director, officer or employee of Holdings or any Subsidiary.

 

7.09        Burdensome Agreements.

 

Enter into, or permit to exist, any Contractual Obligation (except for the Loan Documents) that (a) encumbers or restricts the ability of any such Person to (i) make Restricted Payments to any Loan Party, (ii) pay any Indebtedness or other obligation owed to any Loan Party, (iii) make loans or advances to any Loan Party, (iv) transfer any of its property to any Loan Party, (v) pledge its property pursuant to the Loan Documents or any renewals, refinancings, exchanges, refundings or extension thereof  or (vi) act as a Loan Party pursuant to the Loan Documents or any renewals, refinancings, exchanges, refundings or extension thereof, except (in respect of any of the matters referred to in clauses (i) through (v) above) for (1) any document or instrument governing Indebtedness incurred pursuant to Section 7.03(e), provided that any such restriction contained therein relates only to the asset or assets constructed or acquired in connection therewith, (2) any agreement in effect at the time any Subsidiary becomes a Subsidiary of Holdings, so long as such agreement was not entered into solely in contemplation of such Person becoming a Subsidiary of Holdings, or (3) customary restrictions and conditions contained in any agreement relating to the sale of any property permitted under Section 7.05 pending the consummation of such sale, or (b) requires the grant of any security for any obligation if such property is given as security for the Obligations.

 

7.10        Use of Proceeds.

 

Use the proceeds of any Credit Extension, whether directly or indirectly, and whether immediately, incidentally or ultimately, to purchase or carry margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation U of the

 

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FRB) or to extend credit to others for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock or to refund indebtedness originally incurred for such purpose.

 

7.11        Financial Covenants.

 

(a)           Consolidated Leverage Ratio.  Permit the Consolidated Leverage Ratio as of the end of any fiscal quarter of the Borrower, commencing with the fiscal quarter ending June 30, 2018, to be greater than 3.00:1.0.

 

(b)           Consolidated EBITDA.  Permit Consolidated EBITDA as of the end of any fiscal quarter of the Borrower, commencing with the fiscal quarter ending June 30, 2018, to be less than $35,000,000.

 

7.12        Restrictions on Payment of Earn-Out Obligations.

 

Pay any Earn-Out Obligation unless, at the time of such payment, (i) no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing at the time of such payment and (ii) after giving effect to such payment Liquidity shall be at least $20,000,000.

 

7.13        Organization Documents; Fiscal Year; Legal Name, State of Formation and Form of Entity.

 

(a)           Amend, modify or change its Organization Documents in a manner adverse to the Lenders.

 

(b)           Change its fiscal year.

 

(c)           Without providing ten days prior written notice to the Administrative Agent (or such lesser period as the Administrative Agent may agree), change its name, state of formation or form of organization.

 

7.14        Ownership of Subsidiaries.

 

Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement to the contrary, (a) permit any Person (other than Holdings or any wholly-owned Subsidiary) to own any Equity Interests of any Subsidiary except (i) to qualify directors where required by applicable Law or to satisfy other requirements of applicable Law with respect to the ownership of Equity Interests of Foreign Subsidiaries or (ii) existing at the time of acquisition of such Subsidiary, or (b) permit any Subsidiary to issue or have outstanding any shares of preferred Equity Interests.

 

7.15        Sale Leasebacks.

 

Enter into any Sale and Leaseback Transaction unless (a) such Sale and Leaseback Transaction comprises real property acquired in a Permitted Acquisition, (b) after giving effect to such Sale and Leaseback Transaction on a Pro Forma Basis, the Loan Parties would be in compliance with the financial covenants set forth in Section 7.11 and (c) at the time of such Sale and Leaseback Transaction, no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would result from such Sale and Leaseback Transaction.

 

7.16        Capital Expenditures.

 

Permit Consolidated Capital Expenditures that are not financed with the proceeds of Indebtedness (other than revolving Indebtedness) to exceed $20,000,000 during any fiscal year.

 

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7.17        Restrictions on Holdings.

 

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, Holdings shall not (a) hold any material property other than cash and Cash Equivalents and the Equity Interests of the Borrower, (b) have any material liabilities other than (i) obligations under the Loan Documents, its Organization Documents, the Closing Date Merger Documents and contracts and agreements (including with respect to indemnities) with officers, directors, consultants and employees of Holdings relating to their employment, services or directorships, (ii) tax liabilities in the ordinary course of business or incurred as a member of the consolidated group of Holdings and its Subsidiaries, and (iii) corporate, administrative and operating expenses incurred in the ordinary course of business, or (c) engage in any business other than (i) maintaining its existence and activities related thereto, (ii) owning the Equity Interests of the Borrower and activities incidental or related thereto, (iii) performing its obligations under the Loan Documents and contracts and agreements (including with respect to indemnities) with officers, directors, consultants and employees of Holdings relating to their employment, services or directorships and (iv) activities in the ordinary course reasonably related to the foregoing.

 

7.18        Sanctions.

 

Directly or indirectly, use any Credit Extension or the proceeds of any Credit Extension, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such Credit Extension or the proceeds of any Credit Extension to any Person, to fund any activities of or business with any Person, or in any Designated Jurisdiction, that, at the time of such funding, is the subject of Sanctions, or in any other manner that will result in a violation by any Person (including any Person participating in the transaction, whether as Lender, Arranger, Administrative Agent, L/C Issuer, Swingline Lender, or otherwise) of Sanctions.

 

7.19        Anti-Corruption Laws.

 

Directly or indirectly use any Credit Extension or the proceeds of any Credit Extension for any purpose which would breach the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, the UK Bribery Act 2010 or other similar anti-corruption legislation in other jurisdictions.

 

ARTICLE VIII

 

EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES

 

8.01        Events of Default.

 

Any of the following shall constitute an “Event of Default”:

 

(a)           Non-Payment.  Any Loan Party fails to pay (i) when and as required to be paid herein, any amount of principal of any Loan or any L/C Obligation or deposit any funds as Cash Collateral in respect of L/C Obligations, or (ii) within three days after the same becomes due, any interest on any Loan or on any L/C Obligation, or any fee due hereunder, or (iii) within five days after the same becomes due, any other amount payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document; or

 

(b)           Specific Covenants.  Any Loan Party fails to perform or observe any term, covenant or agreement contained in any of Section 6.01, 6.02, 6.03(a), 6.05(a), 6.10 or 6.11 or Article VII (subject to, with respect to the financial covenants set forth in Section 7.11, use of a Cure Right under Section 8.04); or

 

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(c)           Other Defaults.  Any Loan Party fails to perform or observe any other covenant or agreement (not specified in subsection (a) or (b) above) contained in any Loan Document on its part to be performed or observed and such failure continues for thirty (30) days after the earlier of (i) a Responsible Officer of such Loan Party obtains actual knowledge of such default, or (ii) the date on which written notice thereof is delivered by the Administrative Agent to the Borrower; or

 

(d)           Representations and Warranties.  Any representation, warranty, certification or statement of fact made or deemed made by or on behalf of any Loan Party herein, in any other Loan Document, or in any document delivered in connection herewith or therewith shall be incorrect or misleading when made or deemed made; or

 

(e)           Cross-Default.  (i) Any Loan Party or any Subsidiary (A) fails to make any payment when due (whether by scheduled maturity, required prepayment, acceleration, demand, or otherwise) in respect of any Indebtedness or Guarantee (other than Indebtedness hereunder and Indebtedness under Swap Contracts) having an aggregate principal amount (including undrawn committed or available amounts and including amounts owing to all creditors under any combined or syndicated credit arrangement) of more than the Threshold Amount, or (B) fails to observe or perform any other agreement or condition relating to any such Indebtedness or Guarantee or contained in any instrument or agreement evidencing, securing or relating thereto, or any other event occurs, the effect of which default or other event is to cause, or to permit the holder or holders of such Indebtedness or the beneficiary or beneficiaries of such Guarantee (or a trustee or agent on behalf of such holder or holders or beneficiary or beneficiaries) to cause, with the giving of notice if required, such Indebtedness to be demanded or to become due or to be repurchased, prepaid, defeased or redeemed (automatically or otherwise), or an offer to repurchase, prepay, defease or redeem such Indebtedness to be made, prior to its stated maturity, or such Guarantee to become payable or cash collateral in respect thereof to be demanded; or (ii) there occurs under any Swap Contract an Early Termination Date (as defined in such Swap Contract) resulting from (A) any event of default under such Swap Contract as to which any Loan Party or any Subsidiary is the Defaulting Party (as defined in such Swap Contract) or (B) any Termination Event (as so defined) under such Swap Contract as to which any Loan Party or any Subsidiary is an Affected Party (as so defined) and, in either event, the Swap Termination Value owed by such Loan Party or such Subsidiary as a result thereof is greater than the Threshold Amount; or

 

(f)            Insolvency Proceedings, Etc.  Any Loan Party or any Subsidiary institutes or consents to the institution of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, or makes an assignment for the benefit of creditors; or applies for or consents to the appointment of any receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator, liquidator, rehabilitator or similar officer for it or for all or any material part of its property; or any receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator, liquidator, rehabilitator or similar officer is appointed without the application or consent of such Person and the appointment continues undischarged or unstayed for sixty calendar days; or any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law relating to any such Person or to all or any material part of its property is instituted without the consent of such Person and continues undismissed or unstayed for sixty calendar days, or an order for relief is entered in any such proceeding; or

 

(g)           Inability to Pay Debts; Attachment.  (i) Any Loan Party or any Subsidiary becomes unable or admits in writing its inability or fails generally to pay its debts as they become due, or (ii) any writ or warrant of attachment or execution or similar process is issued or levied against all or any material part of the property of any such Person and is not released, vacated or fully bonded within thirty days after its issue or levy; or

 

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(h)           Judgments.  There is entered against any Loan Party or any Subsidiary (i) one or more final judgments or orders for the payment of money in an aggregate amount (as to all such judgments or orders) exceeding the Threshold Amount (to the extent not covered by independent third-party insurance as to which the insurer has been notified of the claim and does not dispute coverage), or (ii) any one or more non-monetary final judgments that have, or could reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect and, in either case, (A) enforcement proceedings are commenced by any creditor upon such judgment or order, or (B) there is a period of thirty (30) consecutive days during which a stay of enforcement of such judgment, by reason of a pending appeal or otherwise, is not in effect; or

 

(i)            ERISA.  (i) An ERISA Event occurs with respect to a Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan which has resulted or could reasonably be expected to result in liability of any Loan Party under Title IV of ERISA to the Pension Plan, Multiemployer Plan or the PBGC in an aggregate amount in excess of the Threshold Amount, or (ii) the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate fails to pay when due, after the expiration of any applicable grace period, any installment payment with respect to its withdrawal liability under Section 4201 of ERISA under a Multiemployer Plan in an aggregate amount in excess of the Threshold Amount; or

 

(j)            Invalidity of Loan Documents.  Any provision of any Loan Document, at any time after its execution and delivery and for any reason other than as expressly permitted hereunder or thereunder or satisfaction in full of all the Obligations, ceases to be in full force and effect or ceases to give the Administrative Agent any material part of the Liens purported to be created thereby; or any Loan Party or any other Person contests in any manner the validity or enforceability of any provision of any Loan Document; or any Loan Party denies that it has any or further liability or obligation under any provision of any Loan Document, or purports to revoke, terminate or rescind any Loan Document; or

 

(k)           Change of Control.  There occurs any Change of Control.

 

8.02        Remedies Upon Event of Default.

 

If any Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Administrative Agent shall, at the request of, or may, with the consent of, the Required Lenders, take any or all of the following actions:

 

(a)           declare the commitment of each Lender to make Loans and any obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions to be terminated, whereupon such commitments and obligation shall be terminated;

 

(b)           declare the unpaid principal amount of all outstanding Loans, all interest accrued and unpaid thereon, and all other amounts owing or payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document to be immediately due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived by the Borrower;

 

(c)           require that the Borrower Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations (in an amount equal to the Minimum Collateral Amount with respect thereto); and

 

(d)           exercise on behalf of itself, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer all rights and remedies available to it, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer under the Loan Documents or applicable Law or at equity;

 

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provided, however, that upon the occurrence of an actual or deemed entry of an order for relief with respect to the Borrower under the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, the obligation of each Lender to make Loans and any obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions shall automatically terminate, the unpaid principal amount of all outstanding Loans and all interest and other amounts as aforesaid shall automatically become due and payable, and the obligation of the Borrower to Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations as aforesaid shall automatically become effective, in each case without further act of the Administrative Agent or any Lender.

 

8.03        Application of Funds.

 

After the exercise of remedies provided for in Section 8.02 (or after the Loans have automatically become immediately due and payable and the L/C Obligations have automatically been required to be Cash Collateralized as set forth in the proviso to Section 8.02), any amounts received on account of the Obligations shall, subject to the provisions of Sections 2.14 and 2.15, be applied by the Administrative Agent in the following order:

 

First, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities, expenses and other amounts (including fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the Administrative Agent and amounts payable under Article III) payable to the Administrative Agent in its capacity as such;

 

Second, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities and other amounts (other than principal, interest and Letter of Credit Fees) payable to the Lenders and the L/C Issuer (including fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the respective Lenders and the L/C Issuer and amounts payable under Article III), ratably among them in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Second payable to them;

 

Third, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting accrued and unpaid Letter of Credit Fees and interest on the Loans and L/C Borrowings, ratably among the Lenders and the L/C Issuer in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Third payable to them;

 

Fourth, to (a) payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting unpaid principal of the Loans and L/C Borrowings, (b) payment of Obligations then owing under any Secured Hedge Agreements, (c) payment of Obligations then owing under any Secured Cash Management Agreements and (d) Cash Collateralize that portion of L/C Obligations comprised of the aggregate undrawn amount of Letters of Credit, ratably among the Lenders, the L/C Issuer, the Hedge Banks and the Cash Management Banks in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Fourth payable to them; and

 

Last, the balance, if any, after all of the Obligations have been indefeasibly paid in full, to the Borrower or as otherwise required by Law.

 

Subject to Sections 2.03(c) and 2.14, amounts used to Cash Collateralize the aggregate undrawn amount of Letters of Credit pursuant to clause Fourth above shall be applied to satisfy drawings under such Letters of Credit as they occur.  If any amount remains on deposit as Cash Collateral after all Letters of Credit have either been fully drawn or expired, such remaining amount shall be applied to the other Obligations, if any, in the order set forth above.  Excluded Swap Obligations with respect to any Guarantor shall not be paid with amounts received from such Guarantor or such Guarantor’s assets, but appropriate adjustments shall be made with respect to payments from other Loan Parties to preserve the allocation to Obligations otherwise set forth above in this Section.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, Obligations arising under Secured Cash Management Agreements and Secured Hedge Agreements shall be excluded from the application described above if the

 

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Administrative Agent has not received a Secured Party Designation Notice, together with such supporting documentation as the Administrative Agent may request, from the applicable Cash Management Bank or Hedge Bank, as the case may be (unless such Cash Management Bank or Hedge Bank is the Administrative Agent or an Affiliate thereof).  Each Cash Management Bank or Hedge Bank not a party to this Agreement that has given the notice contemplated by the preceding sentence shall, by such notice, be deemed to have acknowledged and accepted the appointment of the Administrative Agent pursuant to the terms of Article IX for itself and its Affiliates as if a “Lender” party hereto.

 

8.04        Right to Cure Financial Covenant Defaults.

 

In the event that the Loan Parties fail to comply with any financial covenant contained in Section 7.11 (a “Financial Covenant Default”) as of the end of any fiscal quarter of Holdings (the “Relevant Quarter”), Holdings shall have the right to cure such Event of Default on the following terms and conditions (the “Cure Right”):

 

(a)           Cure Notice.  In the event Holdings desires to cure a Financial Covenant Default for the Relevant Quarter, Holdings shall deliver to the Administrative Agent irrevocable written notice of its intent to cure (a “Cure Notice”) no later than the date on which financial statements and a Compliance Certificate are delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(a) or (b) for such Relevant Quarter (the “Cure Notice Date”); provided, however, that in no event shall the Cure Right be exercised (i) in consecutive fiscal quarters or (ii) more than three (3) times during the term of this Agreement.

 

(b)           Issuance of Equity Interests.  In the event Holdings delivers a Cure Notice, Holdings may (i) issue common Equity Interests not containing any requirement to make a cash payment (whether dividends, scheduled redemptions, mandatory redemptions or otherwise) for cash consideration (“Permitted Equity”) not later than ten (10) Business Days after the Cure Notice Date for such Relevant Quarter or (ii) designate any Permitted Equity issued after the first day of the Relevant Quarter, in each case, in an amount equal to (and not in excess of) the amount needed to cure the applicable Financial Covenant Defaults (the “Cure Amount”).  Such Cure Amount received by Holdings shall be included in the calculation of Consolidated EBITDA solely for the purposes of determining compliance with the financial covenants in Section 7.11 at the end of the Relevant Quarter and any subsequent period that includes such fiscal quarter, but shall be disregarded for purposes of the calculation of Consolidated EBITDA for all other purposes (including, without limitation, calculating borrowing availability, calculating basket levels and other items governed by reference to Consolidated EBITDA).  The principal amount of the Loans prepaid with the proceeds of the Cure Amount shall be deemed outstanding for purposes of determining compliance with the financial covenants for the Relevant Quarter and the next three (3) fiscal quarters thereafter.

 

(c)           Cure.  Upon timely receipt by the Borrower in cash of the Cure Amount and payment of the mandatory prepayment pursuant to Section 2.05(b), the Loan Parties shall be deemed to have been in compliance with such financial covenant contained in Section 7.11 as of the relevant date of determination with the same effect as though there had been no Financial Covenant Default and the applicable Financial Covenant Default and any related Default or Event of Default resulting solely from such Financial Covenant Default shall be deemed cured.

 

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ARTICLE IX

 

ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT

 

9.01        Appointment and Authority.

 

Each of the Lenders and the L/C Issuer hereby irrevocably appoints Bank of America to act on its behalf as the Administrative Agent hereunder and under the other Loan Documents and authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such actions on its behalf and to exercise such powers as are delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms hereof or thereof, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental thereto.  The provisions of this Article are solely for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer, and no Loan Party shall have rights as a third party beneficiary of any of such provisions.  It is understood and agreed that the use of the term “agent” herein or in any other Loan Documents (or any other similar term) with reference to the Administrative Agent is not intended to connote any fiduciary or other implied (or express) obligations arising under agency doctrine of any applicable Law. Instead such term is used as a matter of market custom, and is intended to create or reflect only an administrative relationship between contracting parties.

 

The Administrative Agent shall also act as the “collateral agent” under the Loan Documents, and each of the Lenders (in its capacities as a Lender, Swingline Lender (if applicable), potential Hedge Banks and potential Cash Management Banks) and the L/C Issuer hereby irrevocably appoints and authorizes the Administrative Agent to act as the agent of such Lender and the L/C Issuer for purposes of acquiring, holding and enforcing any and all Liens on Collateral granted by any of the Loan Parties to secure any of the Obligations, together with such powers and discretion as are reasonably incidental thereto.  In this connection, the Administrative Agent, as “collateral agent” and any co-agents, sub-agents and attorneys-in-fact appointed by the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 9.05 for purposes of holding or enforcing any Lien on the Collateral (or any portion thereof) granted under the Collateral Documents, or for exercising any rights and remedies thereunder at the direction of the Administrative Agent), shall be entitled to the benefits of all provisions of this Article IX and Article XI (including Section 11.04(c), as though such co-agents, sub-agents and attorneys-in-fact were the “collateral agent” under the Loan Documents) as if set forth in full herein with respect thereto.

 

9.02        Rights as a Lender.

 

The Person serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder shall have the same rights and powers in its capacity as a Lender as any other Lender and may exercise the same as though it were not the Administrative Agent and the term “Lender” or “Lenders” shall, unless otherwise expressly indicated or unless the context otherwise requires, include the Person serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder in its individual capacity.  Such Person and its Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to, own securities of, act as the financial advisor or in any other advisory capacity for and generally engage in any kind of business with any Loan Party or any Subsidiary or other Affiliate thereof as if such Person were not the Administrative Agent hereunder and without any duty to account therefor to the Lenders or to provide notice to or consent of the Lenders with respect thereto.

 

9.03        Exculpatory Provisions.

 

The Administrative Agent shall not have any duties or obligations except those expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, and its duties hereunder shall be administrative in nature.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Administrative Agent and its Related Parties:

 

(a)           shall not be subject to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether a Default has occurred and is continuing;

 

(b)           shall not have any duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary powers, except discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated hereby or by

 

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the other Loan Documents that the Administrative Agent is required to exercise as directed in writing by the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be expressly provided for herein or in the other Loan Documents), provided that the Administrative Agent shall not be required to take any action that, in its opinion or the opinion of its counsel, may expose the Administrative Agent to liability or that is contrary to any Loan Document or applicable Law, including for the avoidance of doubt any action that may be in violation of the automatic stay under any Debtor Relief Law or that may effect a forfeiture, modification or termination of property of a Defaulting Lender in violation of any Debtor Relief Law; and

 

(c)           shall not, except as expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, have any duty or responsibility to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any information relating to any Loan Party or any of its Affiliates that is communicated to or obtained by the Person serving as the Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity.

 

Neither the Administrative Agent nor any of its Related Parties shall be liable for any action taken or not taken by the Administrative Agent under or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby (i) with the consent or at the request of the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary, or as the Administrative Agent shall believe in good faith shall be necessary, under the circumstances as provided in Sections 11.01 and 8.02) or (ii) in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment.  The Administrative Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any Default unless and until notice describing such Default is given in writing to the Administrative Agent by a Loan Party, a Lender or the L/C Issuer.

 

Neither the Administrative Agent nor any of its Related Parties have any duty or obligation to any Lender or participant or any other Person to ascertain or inquire into (i) any statement, warranty or representation made in or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered hereunder or thereunder or in connection herewith or therewith, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth herein or therein or the occurrence of any Default, (iv) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any other agreement, instrument or document, or the creation, perfection or priority of any Lien purported to be created by the Collateral Documents, (v) the value or the sufficiency of any Collateral, or (vi) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article IV or elsewhere herein, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent.

 

9.04        Reliance by Administrative Agent.

 

The Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely upon, and shall be fully protected in relying and shall not incur any liability for relying upon, any notice, request, certificate, communication, consent, statement, instrument, document or other writing (including any electronic message, Internet or intranet website posting or other distribution) believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or otherwise authenticated by the proper Person.  The Administrative Agent also may rely upon any statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed by it to have been made by the proper Person, and shall be fully protected in relying and shall not incur any liability for relying thereon.  In determining compliance with any condition hereunder to the making of a Loan, or the issuance, extension, renewal or increase of a Letter of Credit, that by its terms must be fulfilled to the satisfaction of a Lender or the L/C Issuer, the Administrative Agent may presume that such condition is satisfactory to such Lender or the L/C Issuer unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice to the contrary from such Lender or the L/C Issuer prior to the making of such Loan or the issuance, extension, renewal or increase of such Letter of Credit.  The Administrative Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be counsel for the Loan

 

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Parties), independent accountants and other experts selected by it, and shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it in accordance with the advice of any such counsel, accountants or experts.

 

9.05        Delegation of Duties.

 

The Administrative Agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers hereunder or under any other Loan Document by or through any one or more sub agents appointed by the Administrative Agent.  The Administrative Agent and any such sub agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers by or through their respective Related Parties.  The exculpatory provisions of this Article shall apply to any such sub agent and to the Related Parties of the Administrative Agent and any such sub agent, and shall apply to their respective activities in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein as well as activities as Administrative Agent.  The Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for the negligence or misconduct of any sub-agents except to the extent that a court of competent jurisdiction determines in a final and non-appealable judgment that the Administrative Agent acted with gross negligence or willful misconduct in the selection of such sub-agents.

 

9.06        Resignation of Administrative Agent.

 

(a)           The Administrative Agent may at any time give notice of its resignation to the Lenders, the L/C Issuer and the Borrower.  Upon receipt of any such notice of resignation, the Required Lenders shall have the right, in consultation with the Borrower, to appoint a successor, which shall be a bank with an office in the United States, or an Affiliate of any such bank with an office in the United States.  If no such successor shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within thirty days after the retiring Administrative Agent gives notice of its resignation (or such earlier day as shall be agreed by the Required Lenders) (the “Resignation Effective Date”), then the retiring Administrative Agent may (but shall not be obligated to) on behalf of the Lenders and the L/C Issuer, appoint a successor Administrative Agent meeting the qualifications set forth above, provided that in no event shall any such successor Administrative Agent be a Defaulting Lender.  Whether or not a successor has been appointed, such resignation shall become effective in accordance with such notice on the Resignation Effective Date.

 

(b)           If the Person serving as Administrative Agent is a Defaulting Lender pursuant to clause (d) of the definition thereof, the Required Lenders may, to the extent permitted by applicable Law, by notice in writing to the Borrower and such Person remove such Person as Administrative Agent and, in consultation with the Borrower, appoint a successor. If no such successor shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within thirty days (or such earlier day as shall be agreed by the Required Lenders) (the “Removal Effective Date”), then such removal shall nonetheless become effective in accordance with such notice on the Removal Effective Date.

 

(c)           With effect from the Resignation Effective Date or the Removal Effective Date (as applicable) (i) the retiring or removed Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder and under the other Loan Documents (except that in the case of any collateral security held by the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Lenders or the L/C Issuer under any of the Loan Documents, the retiring or removed Administrative Agent shall continue to hold such collateral security until such time as a successor Administrative Agent is appointed) and (ii) except for any indemnity payments or other amounts then owed to the retiring or removed Administrative Agent, all payments, communications and determinations provided to be made by, to or through the Administrative Agent shall instead be made by or to each Lender and the L/C Issuer directly,

 

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until such time, if any, as the Required Lenders appoint a successor Administrative Agent as provided for above.  Upon the acceptance of a successor’s appointment as Administrative Agent hereunder, such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring (or removed) Administrative Agent (other than as provided in Section 3.01(g) and other than any rights to indemnity payments or other amounts owed to the retiring or removed Administrative Agent as of the Resignation Effective Date or the Removal Effective Date, as applicable), and the retiring or removed Administrative Agent shall be discharged from all of its duties and obligations hereunder or under the other Loan Documents (if not already discharged therefrom as provided above in this Section).  The fees payable by the Borrower to a successor Administrative Agent shall be the same as those payable to its predecessor unless otherwise agreed between the Borrower and such successor.  After the retiring or removed Administrative Agent’s resignation or removal hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, the provisions of this Article and Section 11.04 shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring or removed Administrative Agent, its sub agents and their respective Related Parties in respect of any actions taken or omitted to be taken by any of them (i) while the retiring or removed Administrative Agent was acting as Administrative Agent and (ii) after such resignation or removal for as long as any of them continues to act in any capacity hereunder or under the other Loan Documents, including (A) acting as collateral agent or otherwise holding any collateral security on behalf of any of the Lenders and (B) in respect of any actions taken in connection with transferring the agency to any successor Administrative Agent.

 

(d)           Any resignation by or removal of Bank of America as Administrative Agent pursuant to this Section shall also constitute its resignation as L/C Issuer and Swingline Lender.  If Bank of America resigns as an L/C Issuer, it shall retain all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the L/C Issuer hereunder with respect to all Letters of Credit outstanding as of the effective date of its resignation as L/C Issuer and all L/C Obligations with respect thereto, including the right to require the Lenders to make Base Rate Loans or fund risk participations in Unreimbursed Amounts pursuant to Section 2.03(c).  If Bank of America resigns as Swingline Lender, it shall retain all the rights of the Swingline Lender provided for hereunder with respect to Swingline Loans made by it and outstanding as of the effective date of such resignation, including the right to require the Lenders to make Base Rate Loans or fund risk participations in outstanding Swingline Loans pursuant to Section 2.04(c).  Upon the appointment by the Borrower of a successor L/C Issuer or Swingline Lender hereunder (which successor shall in all cases be a Lender other than a Defaulting Lender), (i) such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring L/C Issuer or Swingline Lender, as applicable, (ii) the retiring L/C Issuer and Swingline Lender shall be discharged from all of their respective duties and obligations hereunder or under the other Loan Documents and (iii) the successor L/C Issuer shall issue letters of credit in substitution for the Letters of Credit, if any, outstanding at the time of such succession or make other arrangements satisfactory to Bank of America to effectively assume the obligations of Bank of America with respect to such Letters of Credit.

 

9.07        Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders.

 

Each Lender and the L/C Issuer acknowledges that it has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender or any of their Related Parties and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Agreement.  Each Lender and the L/C Issuer also acknowledges that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender or any of their Related Parties and based on such documents and information as it shall from time to time deem appropriate, continue to make its own decisions in taking or not taking action under or based upon this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any related agreement or any document furnished hereunder or thereunder.

 

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9.08        No Other Duties; Etc.

 

Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, none of the bookrunners, arrangers, syndication agents, documentation agents or co-agents shall have any powers, duties or responsibilities under this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents, except in its capacity, as applicable, as the Administrative Agent, a Lender or the L/C Issuer hereunder.

 

9.09        Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim; Credit Bidding.

 

In case of the pendency of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law or any other judicial proceeding relative to any Loan Party, the Administrative Agent (irrespective of whether the principal of any Loan or L/C Obligation shall then be due and payable as herein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Administrative Agent shall have made any demand on the Borrower) shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise:

 

(a)           to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of the principal and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Loans, L/C Obligations and all other Obligations that are owing and unpaid and to file such other documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Lenders, the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Lenders, the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent and their respective agents and counsel and all other amounts due the Lenders, the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent under Sections 2.03(h), 2.03(i), 2.09 and 11.04) allowed in such judicial proceeding; and

 

(b)           to collect and receive any monies or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same;

 

and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Lender and the L/C Issuer to make such payments to the Administrative Agent and, in the event that the Administrative Agent shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Lenders and the L/C Issuer, to pay to the Administrative Agent any amount due for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Administrative Agent and its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Administrative Agent under Sections 2.09 and 11.04.

 

Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to authorize the Administrative Agent to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Lender or the L/C Issuer any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Obligations or the rights of any Lender or the L/C Issuer to authorize the Administrative Agent to vote in respect of the claim of any Lender or the L/C Issuer in any such proceeding.

 

The holders of the Obligations hereby irrevocably authorize the Administrative Agent, at the direction of the Required Lenders, to credit bid all or any portion of the Obligations (including accepting some or all of the Collateral in satisfaction of some or all of the Obligations pursuant to a deed in lieu of foreclosure or otherwise) and in such manner purchase (either directly or through one or more acquisition vehicles) all or any portion of the Collateral (a) at any sale thereof conducted under the provisions of the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, including under Sections 363, 1123 or 1129 of the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, or any similar Laws in any other jurisdictions to which a Loan Party is subject, (b) at any other sale or foreclosure or acceptance of collateral in lieu of debt conducted by (or with the consent or at the direction of) the Administrative Agent (whether by judicial action or otherwise) in accordance with any applicable Law.  In connection with any such credit bid and purchase, the Obligations owed to the holders thereof shall be entitled to be, and shall be, credit bid on a ratable basis (with Obligations with

 

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respect to contingent or unliquidated claims receiving contingent interests in the acquired assets on a ratable basis that would vest upon the liquidation of such claims in an amount proportional to the liquidated portion of the contingent claim amount used in allocating the contingent interests) in the asset or assets so purchased (or in the Equity Interests or debt instruments of the acquisition vehicle or vehicles that are used to consummate such purchase).  In connection with any such bid (i) the Administrative Agent shall be authorized to form one or more acquisition vehicles to make a bid, (ii) to adopt documents providing for the governance of the acquisition vehicle or vehicles (provided that any actions by the Administrative Agent with respect to such acquisition vehicle or vehicles, including any disposition of the assets or Equity Interests thereof shall be governed, directly or indirectly, by the vote of the Required Lenders, irrespective of the termination of this Agreement and without giving effect to the limitations on actions by the Required Lenders contained in clauses (a)(i) through (a)(vi) of Section 11.01, and (ii) to the extent that Obligations that are assigned to an acquisition vehicle are not used to acquire Collateral for any reason (as a result of another bid being higher or better, because the amount of Obligations assigned to the acquisition vehicle exceeds the amount of debt credit bid by the acquisition vehicle or otherwise), such Obligations shall automatically be reassigned to the Lenders pro rata and the Equity Interests and/or debt instruments issued by any acquisition vehicle on account of the Obligations that had been assigned to the acquisition vehicle shall automatically be cancelled, without the need for any Lender or any acquisition vehicle to take any further action.

 

9.10        Collateral and Guaranty Matters.

 

Without limiting the provisions of Section 9.09, each of the Lenders (including in its capacities as a potential Cash Management Bank and a potential Hedge Bank) and the L/C Issuer irrevocably authorize the Administrative Agent, at its option and in its discretion,

 

(a)           to release any Lien on any property granted to or held by the Administrative Agent under any Loan Document (i) upon the Facility Termination Date, (ii) that is sold or otherwise disposed of as part of or in connection with any sale or other disposition permitted hereunder or under any other Loan Document or any Recovery Event, or (iii) as approved in accordance with Section 11.01;

 

(b)           to subordinate any Lien on any property granted to or held by the Administrative Agent under any Loan Document to the holder of any Lien on such property that is permitted by Section 7.01(i); and

 

(c)           to release any Guarantor from its obligations under the Guaranty if such Person ceases to be a Subsidiary as a result of a transaction permitted under the Loan Documents.

 

Upon request by the Administrative Agent at any time, the Required Lenders will confirm in writing the Administrative Agent’s authority to release or subordinate its interest in particular types or items of property, or to release any Guarantor from its obligations under the Guaranty, pursuant to this Section 9.10.

 

The Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for or have a duty to ascertain or inquire into any representation or warranty regarding the existence, value or collectability of the Collateral, the existence, priority or perfection of the Administrative Agent’s Lien thereon, or any certificate prepared by any Loan Party in connection therewith, nor shall the Administrative Agent be responsible or liable to the Lenders for any failure to monitor or maintain any portion of the Collateral.

 

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9.11        Secured Cash Management Agreements and Secured Hedge Agreements.

 

Except as otherwise expressly set forth herein, no Cash Management Bank or Hedge Bank that obtains the benefit of Section 8.03, the Guaranty or any Collateral by virtue of the provisions hereof or any Collateral Document shall have any right to notice of any action or to consent to, direct or object to any action hereunder or under any other Loan Document or otherwise in respect of the Collateral (including the release or impairment of any Collateral) (or to notice of or to consent to any amendment, waiver or modification of the provisions hereof or of the Guaranty or any Collateral Document) other than in its capacity as a Lender and, in such case, only to the extent expressly provided in the Loan Documents.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Article IX to the contrary, the Administrative Agent shall not be required to verify the payment of, or that other satisfactory arrangements have been made with respect to, Obligations arising under Secured Cash Management Agreements and Secured Hedge Agreements except to the extent expressly provided herein and unless the Administrative Agent has received a Secured Party Designation Notice of such Obligations, together with such supporting documentation as the Administrative Agent may request, from the applicable Cash Management Bank or Hedge Bank, as the case may be.  The Administrative Agent shall not be required to verify the payment of, or that other satisfactory arrangements have been made with respect to, Obligations arising under Secured Cash Management Agreements and Secured Hedge Agreements in the case of the Facility Termination Date.

 

9.12        ERISA Matters.

 

(a)           Each Lender (x) represents and warrants, as of the date such Person became a Lender party hereto, to, and (y) covenants, from the date such Person became a Lender party hereto to the date such Person ceases being a Lender party hereto, for the benefit of, the Administrative Agent, the Arrangers and their respective Affiliates, and not, for the avoidance of doubt, to or for the benefit of the Borrower or any other Loan Party, that at least one of the following is and will be true:

 

(i)          such Lender is not using “plan assets” (within the meaning of 29 CFR § 2510.3-101, as modified by Section 3(42) of ERISA) of one or more Benefit Plans in connection with the Loans, the Letters of Credit or the Commitments,

 

(ii)         the transaction exemption set forth in one or more PTEs, such as PTE 84-14 (a class exemption for certain transactions determined by independent qualified professional asset managers), PTE 95-60 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving insurance company general accounts), PTE 90-1 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving insurance company pooled separate accounts), PTE 91-38 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving bank collective investment funds) or PTE 96-23 (a class exemption for certain transactions determined by in-house asset managers), is applicable with respect to such Lender’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement,

 

(iii)        (A) such Lender is an investment fund managed by a “Qualified Professional Asset Manager” (within the meaning of Part VI of PTE 84-14), (B) such Qualified Professional Asset Manager made the investment decision on behalf of such Lender to enter into, participate in, administer and perform the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement, (C) the entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement satisfies the requirements of sub-sections (b) through (g) of Part I of PTE 84-14 and (D) to the best knowledge of such Lender, the requirements of subsection (a) of Part I of PTE 84-14 are satisfied with respect to such Lender’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement, or

 

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(iv)        such other representation, warranty and covenant as may be agreed in writing between the Administrative Agent, in its sole discretion, and such Lender.

 

(b)           In addition, unless subclause (i) in the immediately preceding clause (a) is true with respect to a Lender or such Lender has not provided another representation, warranty and covenant as provided in subclause (iv) in the immediately preceding clause (a), such Lender further (x) represents and warrants, as of the date such Person became a Lender party hereto, to, and (y) covenants, from the date such Person became a Lender party hereto to the date such Person ceases being a Lender party hereto, for the benefit of, the Administrative Agent, the Arrangers and their respective Affiliates, and not, for the avoidance of doubt, to or for the benefit of the Borrower or any other Loan Party, that:

 

(i)          none of the Administrative Agent or the Arrangers or any of their respective Affiliates is a fiduciary with respect to the assets of such Lender (including in connection with the reservation or exercise of any rights by the Administrative Agent under this Agreement, any Loan Document or any documents related to hereto or thereto),

 

(ii)         the Person making the investment decision on behalf of such Lender with respect to the entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement is independent (within the meaning of 29 CFR § 2510.3-21) and is a bank, an insurance carrier, an investment adviser, a broker-dealer or other person that holds, or has under management or control, total assets of at least $50 million, in each case as described in 29 CFR § 2510.3-21(c)(1)(i)(A)-(E),

 

(iii)        the Person making the investment decision on behalf of such Lender with respect to the entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement is capable of evaluating investment risks independently, both in general and with regard to particular transactions and investment strategies (including in respect of the Obligations),

 

(iv)        the Person making the investment decision on behalf of such Lender with respect to the entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement is a fiduciary under ERISA or the Internal Revenue Code, or both, with respect to the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement and is responsible for exercising independent judgment in evaluating the transactions hereunder, and

 

(v)         no fee or other compensation is being paid directly to the Administrative Agent, any of the Arrangers or any their respective Affiliates for investment advice (as opposed to other services) in connection with the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments or this Agreement.

 

(c)           The Administrative Agent and each of the Arrangers hereby inform the Lenders that each such Person is not undertaking to provide impartial investment advice, or to give advice in a fiduciary capacity, in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, and that such Person has a financial interest in the transactions contemplated hereby in that such Person or an Affiliate thereof (i) may receive interest or other payments with respect to the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement, (ii) may recognize a gain if it extended the Loans, the Letters of Credit or the Commitments for an amount less than the amount being paid for an interest in the Loans, the Letters of Credit or the Commitments by such Lender or (iii) may receive

 

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fees or other payments in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, the Loan Documents or otherwise, including structuring fees, commitment fees, arrangement fees, facility fees, upfront fees, underwriting fees, ticking fees, agency fees, administrative agent or collateral agent fees, utilization fees, minimum usage fees, letter of credit fees, fronting fees, deal-away or alternate transaction fees, amendment fees, processing fees, term out premiums, banker’s acceptance fees, breakage or other early termination fees or fees similar to the foregoing.

 

ARTICLE X

 

GUARANTY

 

10.01      The Guaranty.

 

Each of the Guarantors hereby jointly and severally guarantees to each Lender, the L/C Issuer and each other holder of Obligations as hereinafter provided, as primary obligor and not as surety, the prompt payment of the Obligations in full when due (whether at stated maturity, as a mandatory prepayment, by acceleration, as a mandatory cash collateralization or otherwise) strictly in accordance with the terms thereof.  The Guarantors hereby further agree that if any of the Obligations are not paid in full when due (whether at stated maturity, as a mandatory prepayment, by acceleration, as a mandatory cash collateralization or otherwise), the Guarantors will, jointly and severally, promptly pay the same, without any demand or notice whatsoever, and that in the case of any extension of time of payment or renewal of any of the Obligations, the same will be promptly paid in full when due (whether at extended maturity, as a mandatory prepayment, by acceleration, as a mandatory cash collateralization or otherwise) in accordance with the terms of such extension or renewal.

 

Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary contained herein or in any other of the Loan Documents or the other documents relating to the Obligations, the obligations of each Guarantor under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall not exceed an aggregate amount equal to the largest amount that would not render such obligations subject to avoidance under applicable Debtor Relief Laws.

 

10.02      Obligations Unconditional.

 

The obligations of the Guarantors under Section 10.01 are joint and several, absolute and unconditional, irrespective of the value, genuineness, validity, regularity or enforceability of any of the Loan Documents or other documents relating to the Obligations, or any substitution, release, impairment or exchange of any other guarantee of or security for any of the Obligations, and, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law, irrespective of any other circumstance whatsoever which might otherwise constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of a surety or guarantor, it being the intent of this Section 10.02 that the obligations of the Guarantors hereunder shall be absolute and unconditional under any and all circumstances.  Each Guarantor agrees that such Guarantor shall have no right of subrogation, indemnity, reimbursement or contribution against the Borrower or any other Loan Party for amounts paid under this Article X until such time as the Obligations have been paid in full and the Commitments have expired or terminated.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, it is agreed that, to the fullest extent permitted by Law, the occurrence of any one or more of the following shall not alter or impair the liability of any Guarantor hereunder, which shall remain absolute and unconditional as described above:

 

(a)           at any time or from time to time, without notice to any Guarantor, the time for any performance of or compliance with any of the Obligations shall be extended, or such performance or compliance shall be waived;

 

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(b)           any of the acts mentioned in any of the provisions of any of the Loan Documents or other documents relating to the Obligations shall be done or omitted;

 

(c)           the maturity of any of the Obligations shall be accelerated, or any of the Obligations shall be modified, supplemented or amended in any respect, or any right under any of the Loan Documents or other documents relating to the Obligations shall be waived or any other guarantee of any of the Obligations or any security therefor shall be released, impaired or exchanged in whole or in part or otherwise dealt with;

 

(d)           any Lien granted to, or in favor of, the Administrative Agent or any other holder of the Obligations as security for any of the Obligations shall fail to attach or be perfected; or

 

(e)           any of the Obligations shall be determined to be void or voidable (including for the benefit of any creditor of any Guarantor) or shall be subordinated to the claims of any Person (including any creditor of any Guarantor).

 

With respect to its obligations hereunder, each Guarantor hereby expressly waives diligence, presentment, demand of payment, protest and all notices whatsoever, and any requirement that the Administrative Agent or any other holder of the Obligations exhaust any right, power or remedy or proceed against any Person under any of the Loan Documents or any other document relating to the Obligations, or against any other Person under any other guarantee of, or security for, any of the Obligations.

 

10.03      Reinstatement.

 

The obligations of each Guarantor under this Article X shall be automatically reinstated if and to the extent that for any reason any payment by or on behalf of any Person in respect of the Obligations is rescinded or must be otherwise restored by any holder of any of the Obligations, whether as a result of any Debtor Relief Law or otherwise, and each Guarantor agrees that it will indemnify the Administrative Agent and each other holder of the Obligations on demand for all reasonable costs and expenses (including the fees, charges and disbursements of counsel) incurred by the Administrative Agent or such holder of the Obligations in connection with such rescission or restoration, including any such costs and expenses incurred in defending against any claim alleging that such payment constituted a preference, fraudulent transfer or similar payment under any Debtor Relief Law.

 

10.04      Certain Additional Waivers.

 

Each Guarantor agrees that such Guarantor shall have no right of recourse to security for the Obligations, except through the exercise of rights of subrogation pursuant to Section 10.02 and through the exercise of rights of contribution pursuant to Section 10.06.

 

10.05      Remedies.

 

The Guarantors agree that, to the fullest extent permitted by Law, as between the Guarantors, on the one hand, and the Administrative Agent and the other holders of the Obligations, on the other hand, the Obligations may be declared to be forthwith due and payable as specified in Section 8.02 (and shall be deemed to have become automatically due and payable in the circumstances specified in Section 8.02) for purposes of Section 10.01 notwithstanding any stay, injunction or other prohibition preventing such declaration (or preventing the Obligations from becoming automatically due and payable) as against any other Person and that, in the event of such declaration (or the Obligations being deemed to have become automatically due and payable), the Obligations (whether or not due and payable by any other Person) shall forthwith become due and payable by the Guarantors for purposes of Section 10.01.  The Guarantors

 

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acknowledge and agree that their obligations hereunder are secured in accordance with the terms of the Collateral Documents and that the holders of the Obligations may exercise their remedies thereunder in accordance with the terms thereof.

 

10.06      Rights of Contribution.

 

The Guarantors hereby agree as among themselves that, if any Guarantor shall make an Excess Payment (as defined below), such Guarantor shall have a right of contribution from each other Guarantor in an amount equal to such other Guarantor’s Contribution Share (as defined below) of such Excess Payment.  The payment obligations of any Guarantor under this Section 10.06 shall be subordinate and subject in right of payment to the Obligations until such time as the Obligations have been paid-in-full and the Commitments have terminated, and none of the Guarantors shall exercise any right or remedy under this Section 10.06 against any other Guarantor until such Obligations have been paid-in-full and the Commitments have terminated.  For purposes of this Section 10.06, (a) “Excess Payment” shall mean the amount paid by any Guarantor in excess of its Ratable Share of any Obligations; (b) “Ratable Share” shall mean, for any Guarantor in respect of any payment of Obligations, the ratio (expressed as a percentage) as of the date of such payment of Obligations of (i) the amount by which the aggregate present fair salable value of all of its assets and properties exceeds the amount of all debts and liabilities of such Guarantor (including contingent, subordinated, unmatured, and unliquidated liabilities, but excluding the obligations of such Guarantor hereunder) to (ii) the amount by which the aggregate present fair salable value of all assets and other properties of all of the Loan Parties exceeds the amount of all of the debts and liabilities (including contingent, subordinated, unmatured, and unliquidated liabilities, but excluding the obligations of the Loan Parties hereunder) of the Loan Parties; provided, however, that, for purposes of calculating the Ratable Shares of the Guarantors in respect of any payment of Obligations, any Guarantor that became a Guarantor subsequent to the date of any such payment shall be deemed to have been a Guarantor on the date of such payment and the financial information for such Guarantor as of the date such Guarantor became a Guarantor shall be utilized for such Guarantor in connection with such payment; and (c) “Contribution Share” shall mean, for any Guarantor in respect of any Excess Payment made by any other Guarantor, the ratio (expressed as a percentage) as of the date of such Excess Payment of (i) the amount by which the aggregate present fair salable value of all of its assets and properties exceeds the amount of all debts and liabilities of such Guarantor (including contingent, subordinated, unmatured, and unliquidated liabilities, but excluding the obligations of such Guarantor hereunder) to (ii) the amount by which the aggregate present fair salable value of all assets and other properties of the Loan Parties other than the maker of such Excess Payment exceeds the amount of all of the debts and liabilities (including contingent, subordinated, unmatured, and unliquidated liabilities, but excluding the obligations of the Loan Parties) of the Loan Parties other than the maker of such Excess Payment; provided, however, that, for purposes of calculating the Contribution Shares of the Guarantors in respect of any Excess Payment, any Guarantor that became a Guarantor subsequent to the date of any such Excess Payment shall be deemed to have been a Guarantor on the date of such Excess Payment and the financial information for such Guarantor as of the date such Guarantor became a Guarantor shall be utilized for such Guarantor in connection with such Excess Payment.  This Section 10.06 shall not be deemed to affect any right of subrogation, indemnity, reimbursement or contribution that any Guarantor may have under Law against the Borrower in respect of any payment of Obligations.

 

10.07      Guarantee of Payment; Continuing Guarantee.

 

The guarantee in this Article X is a guaranty of payment and not of collection, is a continuing guarantee, and shall apply to the Obligations whenever arising.

 

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10.08      Keepwell.

 

Each Loan Party that is a Qualified ECP Guarantor at the time the Guaranty in this Article X by any Loan Party that is not then an “eligible contract participant” under the Commodity Exchange Act (a “Specified Loan Party”) or the grant of a security interest under the Loan Documents by any such Specified Loan Party, in either case, becomes effective with respect to any Swap Obligation, hereby  jointly and severally, absolutely, unconditionally and irrevocably undertakes to provide such funds or other support to each Specified Loan Party with respect to such Swap Obligation as may be needed by such Specified Loan Party from time to time to honor all of its obligations under the Loan Documents in respect of such Swap Obligation (but, in each case, only up to the maximum amount of such liability that can be hereby incurred without rendering such Qualified ECP Guarantor’s obligations and undertakings under this Article X voidable under applicable Debtor Relief Laws, and not for any greater amount).  The obligations and undertakings of each Qualified ECP Guarantor under this Section shall remain in full force and effect until the Obligations have been indefeasibly paid and performed in full.  Each Loan Party intends this Section to constitute, and this Section shall be deemed to constitute, a “keepwell, support, or other agreement” for the benefit of each Specified Loan Party for all purposes of the Commodity Exchange Act.

 

ARTICLE XI

 

MISCELLANEOUS

 

11.01      Amendments, Etc.

 

Except as provided in Sections 2.01(b) and 2.16 with respect to an Incremental Facility Amendment, no amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, and no consent to any departure by any Loan Party therefrom, shall be effective unless in writing signed by the Required Lenders (or by the Administrative Agent with the consent of the Required Lenders) and the Borrower or the applicable Loan Party, as the case may be, and acknowledged by the Administrative Agent, and each such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which given; provided, however, that

 

(a)           no such amendment, waiver or consent shall:

 

(i)            extend or increase the Commitment of any Lender (or reinstate any Commitment terminated pursuant to Section 8.02) without the written consent of such Lender (it being understood and agreed that a waiver of any condition precedent set forth in Section 4.02 or of any Default or a mandatory reduction in Commitments is not considered an extension or increase in Commitments of any Lender);

 

(ii)           postpone any date fixed by this Agreement or any other Loan Document for any payment (excluding mandatory prepayments) of principal, interest, fees or other amounts due to the Lenders (or any of them) or any scheduled reduction of the Commitments hereunder or under any other Loan Document without the written consent of each Lender entitled to receive such payment or whose Commitments are to be reduced;

 

(iii)          reduce the principal of, or the rate of interest specified herein on, any Loan or L/C Borrowing, or (subject to clause (i) of the final proviso to this Section 11.01) any fees or other amounts payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document without the written consent of each Lender entitled to receive such amount; provided, however, that (A) only the consent of the Required Lenders shall be necessary to amend the definition of “Default Rate” or to waive any obligation of the Borrower to pay interest or Letter of Credit Fees at the Default Rate and (B) an amendment to any financial covenant hereunder (or any defined term used therein) even if the effect of such amendment would be to reduce

 

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the rate of interest on any Loan or L/C Borrowing or to reduce any fee payable hereunder shall not be deemed to be a reduction of the principal of, or the rate of interest specified herein on, any Loan or L/C Borrowing, or any fees or other amounts payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document;

 

(iv)          change Section 8.03 in a manner that would alter the pro rata sharing of payments required thereby without the written consent of each Lender directly and adversely affected thereby;

 

(v)           change any provision of this Section 11.01(a) or the definition of “Required Lenders” without the written consent of each Lender directly and adversely affected thereby;

 

(vi)          release all or substantially all of the Collateral without the written consent of each Lender whose Obligations are secured by such Collateral;

 

(vii)         release the Borrower without the consent of each Lender, or, except in connection with a transaction permitted under Section 7.04 or Section 7.05, all or substantially all of the value of the Guaranty without the written consent of each Lender whose Obligations are guarantied thereby, except to the extent such release is permitted pursuant to Section 9.10 (in which case such release may be made by the Administrative Agent acting alone); or

 

(b)           unless also signed by the L/C Issuer, no amendment, waiver or consent shall affect the rights or duties of the L/C Issuer under this Agreement or any Issuer Document relating to any Letter of Credit issued or to be issued by it;

 

(c)           unless also signed by the Swingline Lender, no amendment, waiver or consent shall affect the rights or duties of the Swingline Lender under this Agreement; and

 

(d)           unless also signed by the Administrative Agent, no amendment, waiver or consent shall affect the rights or duties of the Administrative Agent under this Agreement or any other Loan Document;

 

provided, further, that notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, (i) the Fee Letter may be amended, or rights or privileges thereunder waived, in a writing executed only by the parties thereto, (ii) each Lender is entitled to vote as such Lender sees fit on any bankruptcy reorganization plan that affects the Loans, and each Lender acknowledges that the provisions of Section 1126(c) of the Bankruptcy Code of the United States supersedes the unanimous consent provisions set forth herein, (iii) the Required Lenders shall determine whether or not to allow a Loan Party to use cash collateral in the context of a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding and such determination shall be binding on all of the Lenders and (iv) Incremental Facility Amendments may be effected in accordance with Section 2.16.

 

No Defaulting Lender shall have any right to approve or disapprove any amendment, waiver or consent hereunder (and any amendment, waiver or consent which by its terms requires the consent of all Lenders or each affected Lender may be effected with the consent of the applicable Lenders other than Defaulting Lenders), except that (x) the Commitment of such Defaulting Lender may not be increased or extended without the consent of such Lender and (y) any waiver, amendment or modification requiring the consent of all Lenders or each affected Lender that by its terms affects such Defaulting Lender disproportionately adversely relative to other affected Lenders shall require the consent of such Defaulting Lender.

 

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Notwithstanding any provision herein to the contrary, this Agreement may be amended with the written consent of the Required Lenders, the Administrative Agent and the Loan Parties (i) to add one or more additional revolving credit or term loan facilities to this Agreement and to permit the extensions of credit and all related obligations and liabilities arising in connection therewith from time to time outstanding to share ratably (or on a basis subordinated to the existing facilities hereunder) in the benefits of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents with the obligations and liabilities from time to time outstanding in respect of the existing facilities hereunder, and (ii) in connection with the foregoing, to permit, as deemed appropriate by the Administrative Agent and approved by the Required Lenders, the Lenders providing such additional credit facilities to participate in any required vote or action required to be approved by the Required Lenders or by any other number, percentage or class of Lenders hereunder.

 

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, this Agreement may be amended and restated without the consent of any Lender (but with the consent of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent) if, upon giving effect to such amendment and restatement, such Lender shall no longer be a party to this Agreement (as so amended and restated), the Commitments of such Lender shall have terminated, such Lender shall have no other commitment or other obligation hereunder and shall have been paid in full all principal, interest and other amounts owing to it or accrued for its account under this Agreement.

 

Notwithstanding any provision herein to the contrary (x) the Administrative Agent and the Borrower may amend, modify or supplement this Agreement or any other Loan Document to cure or correct administrative errors or omissions, any ambiguity, omission, defect or inconsistency or to effect administrative changes, and such amendment shall become effective without any further consent of any other party to such Loan Document so long as (i) such amendment, modification or supplement does not adversely affect the rights of any Lender or other holder of Obligations in any material respect and (ii) the Lenders shall have received at least five (5) Business Days’ prior written notice thereof and the Administrative Agent shall not have received, within five (5) Business Days of the date of such notice to the Lenders, a written notice from the Required Lenders stating that the Required Lenders object to such amendment and (y) the Administrative Agent and the Borrower may make amendments contemplated by Section 3.07.

 

11.02      Notices; Effectiveness; Electronic Communications.

 

(a)           Notices Generally.  Except in the case of notices and other communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone (and except as provided in subsection (b) below), all notices and other communications provided for herein shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or overnight courier service, mailed by certified or registered mail or sent by facsimile as follows, and all notices and other communications expressly permitted hereunder to be given by telephone shall be made to the applicable telephone number, as follows:

 

(i)            if to any Loan Party, the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or the Swingline Lender, to the address, facsimile number, e-mail address or telephone number specified for such Person on Schedule 11.02; and

 

(ii)           if to any other Lender, to the address, facsimile number, e-mail address or telephone number specified in its Administrative Questionnaire (including, as appropriate, notices delivered solely to the Person designated by a Lender on its Administrative Questionnaire then in effect for the delivery of notices that may contain material non-public information relating to the Borrower).

 

Notices and other communications sent by hand or overnight courier service, or mailed by certified or registered mail, shall be deemed to have been given when received; notices and other communications sent by facsimile shall be deemed to have been given when sent (except that, if not given during normal

 

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business hours for the recipient, shall be deemed to have been given at the opening of business on the next Business Day for the recipient).  Notices and other communications delivered through electronic communications to the extent provided in subsection (b) below, shall be effective as provided in such subsection (b).

 

(b)           Electronic Communications.  Notices and other communications to the Lenders and the L/C Issuer hereunder may be delivered or furnished by electronic communication (including e mail, FpML messaging, and Internet or intranet websites) pursuant to procedures approved by the Administrative Agent, provided that the foregoing shall not apply to notices to any Lender or the L/C Issuer pursuant to Article II if such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as applicable, has notified the Administrative Agent that it is incapable of receiving notices under such Article by electronic communication.  The Administrative Agent, the Swingline Lender, the L/C Issuer or the Borrower may each, in its discretion, agree to accept notices and other communications to it hereunder by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by it, provided that approval of such procedures may be limited to particular notices or communications.

 

Unless the Administrative Agent otherwise prescribes, (i) notices and other communications sent to an e-mail address shall be deemed received upon the sender’s receipt of an acknowledgement from the intended recipient (such as by the “return receipt requested” function, as available, return e-mail or other written acknowledgement) and (ii) notices or communications posted to an Internet or intranet website shall be deemed received upon the deemed receipt by the intended recipient at its e-mail address as described in the foregoing clause (i) of notification that such notice or communication is available and identifying the website address therefor; provided that, for both clauses (i) and (ii), if such notice, email or other communication is not sent during the normal business hours of the recipient, such notice, email or communication shall be deemed to have been sent at the opening of business on the next business day for the recipient.

 

(c)           The Platform.  THE PLATFORM IS PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE.”  THE AGENT PARTIES (AS DEFINED BELOW) DO NOT WARRANT THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE BORROWER MATERIALS OR THE ADEQUACY OF THE PLATFORM, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM LIABILITY FOR ERRORS IN OR OMISSIONS FROM THE BORROWER MATERIALS.  NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT OF THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR FREEDOM FROM VIRUSES OR OTHER CODE DEFECTS, IS MADE BY ANY AGENT PARTY IN CONNECTION WITH THE BORROWER MATERIALS OR THE PLATFORM.  In no event shall the Administrative Agent or any of its Related Parties (collectively, the “Agent Parties”) have any liability to the Borrower, any Lender, the L/C Issuer or any other Person for losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses of any kind (whether in tort, contract or otherwise) arising out of any Loan Party’s or the Administrative Agent’s transmission of Borrower Materials or notices through the Platform, any other electronic platform or electronic messaging service, or through the Internet.

 

(d)           Change of Address, Etc.  Each of the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and the Swingline Lender may change its address, facsimile or telephone number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto.  Each other Lender may change its address, facsimile or telephone number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and the Swingline Lender.  In addition, each Lender agrees to notify the Administrative Agent from time to time to ensure that the Administrative Agent has on record (i) an effective address, contact name, telephone number, facsimile number and e-mail address to which notices and other communications may be sent and

 

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(ii) accurate wire instructions for such Lender.  Furthermore, each Public Lender agrees to cause at least one individual at or on behalf of such Public Lender to at all times have selected the “Private Side Information” or similar designation on the content declaration screen of the Platform in order to enable such Public Lender or its delegate, in accordance with such Public Lender’s compliance procedures and applicable Law, including United States Federal and state securities Laws, to make reference to Borrower Materials that are not made available through the “Public Side Information” portion of the Platform and that may contain material non-public information with respect to the Borrower or its securities for purposes of United States Federal or state securities Laws.

 

(e)           Reliance by Administrative Agent, L/C Issuer and Lenders.  The Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and the Lenders shall be entitled to rely and act upon any notices (including telephonic or electronic notices, Loan Notices, Letter of Credit Applications and Swingline Loan Notices) purportedly given by or on behalf of any Loan Party even if (i) such notices were not made in a manner specified herein, were incomplete or were not preceded or followed by any other form of notice specified herein, or (ii) the terms thereof, as understood by the recipient, varied from any confirmation thereof.  The Loan Parties shall indemnify the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer, each Lender and the Related Parties of each of them from all losses, costs, expenses and liabilities resulting from the reliance by such Person on each notice purportedly given by or on behalf of a Loan Party.  All telephonic notices to and other telephonic communications with the Administrative Agent may be recorded by the Administrative Agent, and each of the parties hereto hereby consents to such recording.

 

11.03      No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies; Enforcement.

 

No failure by any Lender, the L/C Issuer or the Administrative Agent to exercise, and no delay by any such Person in exercising, any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall operate as a waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder  or under any other Loan Document (including the imposition of the Default Rate) preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, remedy, power or privilege.  The rights, remedies, powers and privileges herein provided, and provided under each other Loan Document are cumulative and not exclusive of any rights, remedies, powers and privileges provided by Law.

 

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein or in any other Loan Document, the authority to enforce rights and remedies hereunder and under the other Loan Documents against the Loan Parties or any of them shall be vested exclusively in, and all actions and proceedings at law in connection with such enforcement shall be instituted and maintained exclusively by, the Administrative Agent in accordance with Section 8.02 for the benefit of all the Lenders and the L/C Issuer; provided, however, that the foregoing shall not prohibit (a) the Administrative Agent from exercising on its own behalf the rights and remedies that inure to its benefit (solely in its capacity as Administrative Agent) hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, (b) the L/C Issuer or the Swingline Lender from exercising the rights and remedies that inure to its benefit (solely in its capacity as L/C Issuer or Swingline Lender, as the case may be) hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, (c) any Lender from exercising setoff rights in accordance with Section 11.08 (subject to the terms of Section 2.13), or (d) any Lender from filing proofs of claim or appearing and filing pleadings on its own behalf during the pendency of a proceeding relative to any Loan Party under any Debtor Relief Law; and provided, further, that if at any time there is no Person acting as Administrative Agent hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, then (i) the Required Lenders shall have the rights otherwise ascribed to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 8.02 and (ii) in addition to the matters set forth in clauses (b), (c) and (d) of the preceding proviso and subject to Section 2.13, any Lender may, with the consent of the Required Lenders, enforce any rights and remedies available to it and as authorized by the Required Lenders.

 

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11.04      Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver.

 

(a)           Costs and Expenses.  The Loan Parties shall pay (i) all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates (limited, in the case of legal fees and expenses, to the reasonable fees and disbursements and other charges of one counsel for the Administrative Agent, and, if reasonably necessary, of one local counsel for the Administrative Agent and in each relevant material jurisdiction) in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein, the preparation, negotiation, execution, delivery and administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents or any amendments, modifications or waivers of the provisions hereof or thereof (whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be consummated), (ii) all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by the L/C Issuer in connection with the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or any demand for payment thereunder and (iii) all costs and expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the L/C Issuer (limited, in the case of legal fees and expenses, to the reasonable fees and disbursements and other charges of one counsel for the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer taken as a whole, and, if reasonably necessary, of one local counsel for the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer taken as a whole in each relevant material jurisdiction and, solely in the case of a conflict of interest, one additional counsel in each relevant jurisdiction for each group of similarly situated Persons), and shall pay all fees and time charges for attorneys who may be employees of the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the L/C Issuer, in connection with the enforcement or protection of its rights (A) in connection with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, including its rights under this Section 11.04, or (B) in connection with the Loans made or Letters of Credit issued hereunder, including all such out of pocket expenses incurred during any workout, restructuring or negotiations in respect of such Loans or Letters of Credit.

 

(b)           Indemnification by the Loan Parties.  The Loan Parties shall indemnify the Administrative Agent (and any sub-agent thereof), each Lender, the L/C Issuer and each Arranger, and each Related Party of any of the foregoing Persons (each such Person being called an “Indemnitee”) against, and hold each Indemnitee harmless from, any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and related expenses (limited, in the case of legal fees and expenses, to the reasonable fees and disbursements and other charges of one counsel for the Indemnitees taken as a whole, and, if reasonably necessary, of one local counsel for all Indemnitees taken as a whole in each relevant material jurisdiction and, solely in the case of a conflict of interest, one additional counsel in each relevant material jurisdiction for each group of similarly situated Indemnitees), and shall indemnify and hold harmless each Indemnitee from all fees and time charges and disbursements for attorneys who may be employees of any Indemnitee, incurred by any Indemnitee or asserted against any Indemnitee by any Person (including any Loan Party) arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of (i) the execution or delivery of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby or thereby, the performance by the parties hereto of their respective obligations hereunder or thereunder, the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, or, in the case of the Administrative Agent (and any sub-agent thereof) and its Related Parties only, the administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents (including in respect of any matters addressed in Section 3.01), (ii) any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use or proposed use of the proceeds therefrom (including any refusal by the L/C Issuer to honor a demand for payment under a Letter of Credit if the documents presented in connection with such demand do not strictly comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit), (iii) any actual or alleged presence or release of Hazardous Materials on or from any property owned or operated by a Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries, or any Environmental Liability related in any way to a Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries, or (iv) any actual or prospective claim, litigation, investigation or proceeding relating to any of the foregoing, whether based on contract, tort or any

 

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other theory, whether brought by a third party or by any Loan Party, and regardless of whether any Indemnitee is a party thereto, IN ALL CASES, WHETHER OR NOT CAUSED BY OR ARISING, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, OUT OF THE COMPARATIVE, CONTRIBUTORY OR SOLE NEGLIGENCE OF THE INDEMNITEE; provided that such indemnity shall not, as to any Indemnitee, be available to the extent that such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or related expenses (A) are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment to have resulted from (1) the gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee or (2) a material breach in bad faith of such Indemnitee’s obligations hereunder or under any other Loan Document or (B) arise from any settlement of any claim, litigation, investigation or proceeding entered into by such Indemnitee without the Borrower’s consent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed).  Without limiting the provisions of Section 3.01(c), this Section 11.04(b) shall not apply with respect to Taxes other than any Taxes that represent losses, claims, damages, etc. arising from any non-Tax claim.

 

(c)           Reimbursement by Lenders.  To the extent that the Loan Parties for any reason fail to indefeasibly pay any amount required under subsection (a) or (b) of this Section to be paid by them to the Administrative Agent (or any sub-agent thereof), the L/C Issuer, the Swingline Lender or any Related Party of any of the foregoing, each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent), the L/C Issuer, the Swingline Lender or such Related Party, as the case may be, such Lender’s pro rata share (determined as of the time that the applicable unreimbursed expense or indemnity payment is sought based on each Lender’s share of the Total Credit Exposures of all Lenders at such time) of such unpaid amount (including any such unpaid amount in respect of a claim asserted by such Lender), such payment to be made severally among them based on such Lenders’ Applicable Percentage (determined as of the time that the applicable unreimbursed expense or indemnity payment is sought), provided, further that, the unreimbursed expense or indemnified loss, claim, damage, liability or related expense, as the case may be, was incurred by or asserted against the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent), the L/C Issuer or the Swingline Lender in its capacity as such, or against any Related Party of any of the foregoing acting for the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent), the L/C Issuer or the Swingline Lender in connection with such capacity.  The obligations of the Lenders under this subsection (c) are subject to the provisions of Section 2.12(d).

 

(d)           Waiver of Consequential Damages, Etc.  To the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law, no Loan Party shall assert, and each Loan Party hereby waives, and acknowledges that no other Person shall have, any claim against any Indemnitee, on any theory of liability, for special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages) arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of, this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby, the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds thereof.  No Indemnitee shall be liable for any damages arising from the use by unintended recipients of any information or other materials distributed to such unintended recipients by such Indemnitee through telecommunications, electronic or other information transmission systems in connection with this Agreement or the other Loan Documents or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby.

 

(e)           Payments.  All amounts due under this Section shall be payable not later than ten (10) Business Days after demand therefor.

 

(f)            Survival.  The agreements in this Section and the indemnity provisions of Section 11.02(e) shall survive the resignation of the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and the Swingline Lender, the replacement of any Lender, the termination of the Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all the other Obligations.

 

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11.05      Payments Set Aside.

 

To the extent that any payment by or on behalf of any Loan Party is made to the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or any Lender, or the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or any Lender exercises its right of setoff, and such payment or the proceeds of such setoff or any part thereof is subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside or required (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or such Lender in its discretion) to be repaid to a trustee, receiver or any other party, in connection with any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law or otherwise, then (a) to the extent of such recovery, the obligation or part thereof originally intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued in full force and effect as if such payment had not been made or such setoff had not occurred, and (b) each Lender and the L/C Issuer severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent upon demand its applicable share (without duplication) of any amount so recovered from or repaid by the Administrative Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date such payment is made at a rate per annum equal to the Federal Funds Rate from time to time in effect.  The obligations of the Lenders and the L/C Issuer under clause (b) of the preceding sentence shall survive the payment in full of the Obligations and the termination of this Agreement.

 

11.06      Successors and Assigns.

 

(a)           Successors and Assigns Generally.  The provisions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and thereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, except that the Borrower may not assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder or thereunder without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent and each Lender and no Lender may assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder except (i) to an assignee in accordance with the provisions of subsection (b) of this Section, (ii) by way of participation in accordance with the provisions of subsection (d) of this Section or (iii) by way of pledge or assignment of a security interest subject to the restrictions of subsection (e) of this Section (and any other attempted assignment or transfer by any party hereto shall be null and void).  Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any Person (other than the parties hereto, their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, Participants to the extent provided in subsection (d) of this Section and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Related Parties of each of the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and the Lenders) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.

 

(b)           Assignments by Lenders.  Any Lender may at any time assign to one or more assignees all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents (including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Loans (including for purposes of this subsection (b), participations in L/C Obligations and in Swingline Loans) at the time owing to it); provided that any such assignment shall be subject to the following conditions:

 

(i)            Minimum Amounts.

 

(A)          in the case of an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender’s Commitment and the related Loans at the time owing to it or contemporaneous assignments to related Approved Funds (determined after giving effect to such assignments) that equal at least the amount specified in subsection (b)(i)(B) of this Section in the aggregate or in the case of an assignment to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund, no minimum amount need be assigned; and

 

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(B)          in any case not described in subsection (b)(i)(A) of this Section, the aggregate amount of the Commitment (which for this purpose includes Loans outstanding thereunder) or, if the applicable Commitment is not then in effect, the principal outstanding balance of the Loans of the assigning Lender subject to each such assignment, determined as of the date the Assignment and Assumption with respect to such assignment is delivered to the Administrative Agent or, if “Trade Date” is specified in the Assignment and Assumption, as of the Trade Date, shall not be less than $5,000,000 in the case of any assignment in respect of a Revolving Commitment (and the related Revolving Loans thereunder), $5,000,000 in the case of any assignment in respect of a Term Loan Commitment and $1,000,000 in the case of any assignment in respect of any funded Term Loan unless each of the Administrative Agent and, so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Borrower otherwise consents (each such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed).

 

(ii)           Proportionate Amounts.  Each partial assignment shall be made as an assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s Loans and Commitments, and rights and obligations with respect thereto, assigned, except that this clause (ii) shall not (A) apply to the Swingline Lender’s rights and obligations in respect of Swingline Loans or (B) prohibit any Lender from assigning all or a portion of its rights and obligations in respect of its Revolving Commitment (and the related Revolving Loans thereunder) and its outstanding Term Loans on a non-pro rata basis.

 

(iii)          Required Consents.  No consent shall be required for any assignment except to the extent required by subsection (b)(i)(B) of this Section and, in addition:

 

(A)          the consent of the Borrower (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required unless (1) an Event of Default under Section 8.01(a), (f) or (g) has occurred and is continuing at the time of such assignment or (2) such assignment is to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund; provided that the Borrower shall be deemed to have consented to any such assignment unless it shall object thereto by written notice to the Administrative Agent within ten (10) Business Days after having received notice thereof;

 

(B)          the consent of the Administrative Agent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required for assignments in respect of (1) any unfunded Term Loan Commitment or any Revolving Commitment if such assignment is to a Person that is not a Lender with a Commitment in respect of the applicable facility subject to such assignment, an Affiliate of such Lender or an Approved Fund with respect to such Lender or (2) any Term Loan to a Person that is not a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund; and

 

(C)          the consent of the L/C Issuer and the Swingline Lender shall be required for any assignment in respect of Revolving Loans and Revolving Commitments.

 

(iv)          Assignment and Assumption.  The parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Assignment and Assumption, together with a processing and recordation fee in the amount of $3,500; provided, however, that the Administrative Agent may, in its sole discretion, elect to waive such processing and

 

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recordation fee in the case of any assignment.  The assignee, if it is not a Lender, shall deliver to the Administrative Agent an Administrative Questionnaire.

 

(v)           No Assignment to Certain Persons.  No such assignment shall be made to (A) Holdings, the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries, (B) any Defaulting Lender or any of its Subsidiaries, or any Person who, upon becoming a Lender hereunder, would constitute any of the foregoing Persons described in this clause (B), or (C) a natural Person (or a holding company, investment vehicle or trust for, or owned and operated for the primary benefit of a natural Person).

 

(vi)          Certain Additional Payments.  In connection with any assignment of rights and obligations of any Defaulting Lender hereunder, no such assignment shall be effective unless and until, in addition to the other conditions thereto set forth herein, the parties to the assignment shall make such additional payments to the Administrative Agent in an aggregate amount sufficient, upon distribution thereof as appropriate (which may be outright payment, purchases by the assignee of participations or subparticipations, or other compensating actions, including funding, with the consent of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, the applicable pro rata share of Loans previously requested but not funded by the Defaulting Lender, to each of which the applicable assignee and assignor hereby irrevocably consent), to (x) pay and satisfy in full all payment liabilities then owed by such Defaulting Lender to the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or any Lender hereunder (and interest accrued thereon) and (y) acquire (and fund as appropriate) its full pro rata share of all Loans and participations in Letters of Credit and Swingline Loans in accordance with its Applicable Percentage.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that any assignment of rights and obligations of any Defaulting Lender hereunder shall become effective under applicable Law without compliance with the provisions of this paragraph, then the assignee of such interest shall be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender for all purposes of this Agreement until such compliance occurs.

 

Subject to acceptance and recording thereof by the Administrative Agent pursuant to subsection (c) of this Section, from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Assumption, the assignee thereunder shall be a party to this Agreement and, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, have the rights and obligations of a Lender under this Agreement, and the assigning Lender thereunder shall, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and Assumption covering all of the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of Sections 3.01, 3.04, 3.05 and 11.04 with respect to facts and circumstances occurring prior to the effective date of such assignment); provided, that except to the extent otherwise expressly agreed by the affected parties, no assignment by a Defaulting Lender will constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder arising from that Lender’s having been a Defaulting Lender.  Upon request, the Borrower (at its expense) shall execute and deliver a Note to the assignee Lender.  Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this subsection shall be treated for purposes of this Agreement as a sale by such Lender of a participation in such rights and obligations in accordance with subsection (d) of this Section.

 

(c)           Register.  The Administrative Agent, acting solely for this purpose as a non-fiduciary agent of the Borrower (and such agency being solely for tax purposes), shall maintain at the Administrative Agent’s Office a copy of each Assignment and Assumption delivered to it (or the equivalent thereof in electronic form) and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders, and the Commitments of, and principal amounts (and stated interest) of

 

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the Loans and L/C Obligations owing to, each Lender pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the “Register”).  The entries in the Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register pursuant to the terms hereof as a Lender hereunder for all purposes of this Agreement.  The Register shall be available for inspection by the Borrower and any Lender at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.

 

(d)           Participations.  Any Lender may at any time, without the consent of, or notice to, the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, sell participations to any Person (other than a natural Person (or a holding company, investment vehicle or trust for, or owned and operated for the primary benefit of a natural Person), a Defaulting Lender or Holdings, the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries) (each, a “Participant”) in all or a portion of such Lender’s rights and/or obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and/or the Loans (including such Lender’s participations in L/C Obligations and/or Swingline Loans) owing to it); provided that (i) such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged, (ii) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations and (iii) the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement.  For the avoidance of doubt, each Lender shall be responsible for the indemnity under Section 11.04(c) without regard to the existence of any participation.

 

Any agreement or instrument pursuant to which a Lender sells such a participation shall provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce this Agreement and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement; provided that such agreement or instrument may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment, waiver or other modification described in Section 11.01(a) that affects such Participant.  The Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 3.01, 3.04 and 3.05 to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to subsection (b) of this Section (it being understood that the documentation required under Section 3.01(e) shall be delivered to the Lender who sells the participation) to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section; provided that such Participant (A) agrees to be subject to the provisions of Sections 3.06 and 11.13 as if it were an assignee under paragraph (b) of this Section and (B) shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Sections 3.01 or 3.04, with respect to any participation, than the Lender from whom it acquired the applicable participation would have been entitled to receive, except to the extent such entitlement to receive a greater payment results from a Change in Law that occurs after the Participant acquired the applicable participation.  Each Lender that sells a participation agrees, at the Borrower’s request and expense, to use reasonable efforts to cooperate with the Borrower to effectuate the provisions of Section 3.06 with respect to any Participant.  To the extent permitted by Law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 11.08 as though it were a Lender; provided that such Participant agrees to be subject to Section 2.13as though it were a Lender.  Each Lender that sells a participation shall, acting solely for this purpose as a non-fiduciary agent of the Borrower, maintain a register on which it enters the name and address of each Participant and the principal amounts (and stated interest) of each Participant’s interest in the Loans or other obligations under the Loan Documents (the “Participant Register”); provided that no Lender shall have any obligation to disclose all or any portion of the Participant Register (including the identity of any Participant or any information relating to a Participant’s interest in any commitments, loans, letters of credit or its other obligations under any Loan Document) to any Person except to the extent that such disclosure is necessary to establish that such commitment, loan, letter of credit or other obligation is in registered form under Section 5f.103-1(c) of the United States Treasury Regulations.  The entries in the Participant Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and such Lender shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Participant Register

 

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as the owner of such participation for all purposes of this Agreement notwithstanding any notice to the contrary.  For the avoidance of doubt, the Administrative Agent (in its capacity as Administrative Agent) shall have no responsibility for maintaining a Participant Register.

 

(e)                                  Certain Pledges.  Any Lender may at any time pledge or assign a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement (including under its Note, if any) to secure obligations of such Lender, including any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank; provided that no such pledge or assignment shall release such Lender from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender as a party hereto.

 

(f)                                   Resignation as L/C Issuer or Swingline Lender after Assignment.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, if at any time Bank of America assigns all of its Revolving Commitment and Revolving Loans pursuant to subsection (b) above, Bank of America may, (i) upon thirty days’ notice to the Borrower and the Lenders, resign as L/C Issuer and/or (ii) upon thirty days’ notice to the Borrower, resign as Swingline Lender.  In the event of any such resignation as L/C Issuer or Swingline Lender, the Borrower shall be entitled to appoint from among the Lenders a successor L/C Issuer or Swingline Lender hereunder; provided, however, that no failure by the Borrower to appoint any such successor shall affect the resignation of Bank of America as L/C Issuer or Swingline Lender, as the case may be.  If Bank of America resigns as L/C Issuer, it shall retain all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the L/C Issuer hereunder with respect to all Letters of Credit outstanding as of the effective date of its resignation as L/C Issuer and all L/C Obligations with respect thereto (including the right to require the Lenders to make Base Rate Loans or fund risk participations in Unreimbursed Amounts pursuant to Section 2.03(c)).  If Bank of America resigns as Swingline Lender, it shall retain all the rights of the Swingline Lender provided for hereunder with respect to Swingline Loans made by it and outstanding as of the effective date of such resignation, including the right to require the Lenders to make Base Rate Loans or fund risk participations in outstanding Swingline Loans pursuant to Section 2.04(c).  Upon the appointment of a successor L/C Issuer and/or Swingline Lender, (1) such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring L/C Issuer or Swingline Lender, as the case may be, and (2) the successor L/C Issuer shall issue letters of credit in substitution for the Letters of Credit, if any, outstanding at the time of such succession or make other arrangements satisfactory to Bank of America to effectively assume the obligations of Bank of America with respect to such Letters of Credit.

 

11.07                 Treatment of Certain Information; Confidentiality.

 

Each of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the Information (as defined below), except that Information may be disclosed (a) to its Affiliates, its auditors and to its Related Parties (it being understood that the Persons to whom such disclosure is made will be informed of the confidential nature of such Information and instructed to keep such Information confidential), (b) to the extent required or requested by any regulatory authority purporting to have jurisdiction over such Person or its Related Parties (including any self-regulatory authority, such as the National Association of Insurance Commissioners), (c) to the extent required by applicable Laws or regulations or by any subpoena or similar legal process, (d) to any other party hereto, (e) in connection with the exercise of any remedies hereunder or under any other Loan Document or any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the enforcement of rights hereunder or thereunder, (f) subject to an agreement containing provisions substantially the same as those of this Section, to (i) any assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective assignee of or Participant in, any of its rights and obligations under this Agreement or any Eligible Assignee invited to become a Lender pursuant to Section 2.16 or (ii) any actual or prospective party (or its Related Parties) to any swap, derivative

 

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or other transaction under which payments are to be made by reference to the Borrower and its obligations, this Agreement or payments hereunder, (g) on a confidential basis to (i) any rating agency in connection with rating any Loan Party or its Subsidiaries or the credit facilities provided hereunder or (ii) the CUSIP Service Bureau or any similar agency in connection with the issuance and monitoring of CUSIP numbers or other market identifiers with respect to the credit facilities provided hereunder, (h) with the consent of the Borrower or (i) to the extent such Information (x) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section or (y) becomes available to the Administrative Agent, any Lender, the L/C Issuer or any of their respective Affiliates on a nonconfidential basis from a source other than the Borrower.    In addition, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders may disclose the existence of this Agreement and information about this Agreement to market data collectors, similar service providers to the lending industry and service providers to the Agents and the Lenders in connection with the administration of this Agreement, the other Loan Documents, and the Commitments.

 

For purposes of this Section, “Information” means all information received from a Loan Party or any Subsidiary relating to the Loan Parties or any Subsidiary or any of their respective businesses, other than any such information that is available to the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the L/C Issuer on a nonconfidential basis prior to disclosure by such Loan Party or any Subsidiary, provided that, in the case of information received from a Loan Party or any Subsidiary after the Closing Date, such information is clearly identified at the time of delivery as confidential.  Any Person required to maintain the confidentiality of Information as provided in this Section shall be considered to have complied with its obligation to do so if such Person has exercised the same degree of care to maintain the confidentiality of such Information as such Person would accord to its own confidential information.

 

Each of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer acknowledges that (a) the Information may include material non-public information concerning a Loan Party or a Subsidiary, as the case may be, (b) it has developed compliance procedures regarding the use of material non-public information and (c) it will handle such material non-public information in accordance with applicable Law, including United States Federal and state securities Laws.

 

The Loan Parties and their Affiliates agree that they will not in the future issue any press releases or other public disclosure using the name of the Administrative Agent or any Lender or their respective Affiliates or referring to this Agreement or any of the Loan Documents without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, unless (and only to the extent that) the Loan Parties or such Affiliate is required to do so under law and then, in any event the Loan Parties or such Affiliate will consult with such Person before issuing such press release or other public disclosure.

 

The Loan Parties consent to the publication by the Administrative Agent or any Lender of customary advertising material relating to the transactions contemplated hereby using the name, product photographs, logo or trademark of the Loan Parties.

 

11.08                 Rights of Setoff.

 

If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, each Lender, the L/C Issuer and each of their respective Affiliates is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law, to set off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final, in whatever currency) at any time held and other obligations (in whatever currency) at any time owing by such Lender, the L/C Issuer or any such Affiliate to or for the credit or the account of any Loan Party against any and all of the obligations of such Loan Party now or hereafter existing under this Agreement or any other Loan Document to such Lender or the L/C Issuer or their respective Affiliates, irrespective of whether or not such Lender, the L/C Issuer or such Affiliate shall have made any demand under this Agreement or any other Loan Document and although such obligations of such Loan Party may

 

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be contingent or unmatured or are owed to a branch or office or Affiliate of such Lender or the L/C Issuer different from the branch or office or Affiliate holding such deposit or obligated on such indebtedness; provided, that in the event that any Defaulting Lender shall exercise any such right of setoff, (x) all amounts so set off shall be paid over immediately to the Administrative Agent for further application in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.15 and, pending such payment, shall be segregated by such Defaulting Lender from its other funds and deemed held in trust for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and the Lenders, and (y) the Defaulting Lender shall provide promptly to the Administrative Agent a statement describing in reasonable detail the Obligations owing to such Defaulting Lender as to which it exercised such right of setoff.  The rights of each Lender, the L/C Issuer and their respective Affiliates under this Section are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff) that such Lender, the L/C Issuer or their respective Affiliates may have.  Each Lender and the L/C Issuer agrees to notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent promptly after any such setoff and application, provided that the failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such setoff and application.

 

11.09                 Interest Rate Limitation.

 

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in any Loan Document, the interest paid or agreed to be paid under the Loan Documents shall not exceed the maximum rate of non-usurious interest permitted by applicable Law (the “Maximum Rate”).  If the Administrative Agent or any Lender shall receive interest in an amount that exceeds the Maximum Rate, the excess interest shall be applied to the principal of the Loans or, if it exceeds such unpaid principal, refunded to the Borrower.  In determining whether the interest contracted for, charged, or received by the Administrative Agent or a Lender exceeds the Maximum Rate, such Person may, to the extent permitted by applicable Law, (a) characterize any payment that is not principal as an expense, fee, or premium rather than interest, (b) exclude voluntary prepayments and the effects thereof, and (c) amortize, prorate, allocate, and spread in equal or unequal parts the total amount of interest throughout the contemplated term of the Obligations hereunder.

 

11.10                 Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness.

 

This Agreement and each of the other Loan Documents may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto in different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract.  This Agreement, the other Loan Documents and any separate letter agreements with respect to fees payable to the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer constitute the entire contract among the parties relating to the subject matter hereof and supersede any and all previous agreements and understandings, oral or written, relating to the subject matter hereof.  Except as provided in Section 4.01, this Agreement shall become effective when it shall have been executed by the Administrative Agent and when the Administrative Agent shall have received counterparts hereof that, when taken together, bear the signatures of each of the other parties hereto.  Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, or any certificate delivered thereunder, by fax transmission or e-mail transmission (e.g., “pdf” or “tif”) shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement or such other Loan Document or certificate.  Without limiting the foregoing, to the extent a manually executed counterpart is not specifically required to be delivered under the terms of any Loan Document, upon the request of any party, such fax transmission or e-mail transmission shall be promptly followed by such manually executed counterpart.

 

11.11                 Survival of Representations and Warranties.

 

All representations and warranties made hereunder and in any other Loan Document or other document delivered pursuant hereto or thereto or in connection herewith or therewith shall survive the execution and delivery hereof and thereof.  Such representations and warranties have been or will be relied upon by the Administrative Agent and each Lender, regardless of any investigation made by the

 

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Administrative Agent or any Lender or on their behalf and notwithstanding that the Administrative Agent or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of any Default at the time of any Credit Extension, and shall continue in full force and effect as long as any Loan or any other Obligation hereunder shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied or any Letter of Credit shall remain outstanding.

 

11.12                 Severability.

 

If any provision of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents is held to be illegal, invalid or unenforceable, (a) the legality, validity and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall not be affected or impaired thereby and (b) the parties shall endeavor in good faith negotiations to replace the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions.  The invalidity of a provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction.  Without limiting the foregoing provisions of this Section 11.12, if and to the extent that the enforceability of any provisions in this Agreement relating to Defaulting Lenders shall be limited by Debtor Relief Laws, as determined in good faith by the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or the Swingline Lender, as applicable, then such provisions shall be deemed to be in effect only to the extent not so limited.

 

11.13                 Replacement of Lenders.

 

If the Borrower is entitled to replace a Lender pursuant to the provisions of Section 3.06, or if any Lender is a Defaulting Lender or a Non-Consenting Lender, then the Borrower may, at its sole expense and effort, upon notice to such Lender and the Administrative Agent, require such Lender to assign and delegate, without recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in, and consents required by, Section 11.06), all of its interests, rights (other than its existing rights to payments pursuant to Sections 3.01 and 3.04) and obligations under this Agreement and the related Loan Documents to an Eligible Assignee that shall assume such obligations (which assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment), provided that:

 

(a)                                 the Borrower shall have paid to the Administrative Agent the assignment fee (if any) specified in Section 11.06(b);

 

(b)                                 such Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal to the outstanding principal of its Loans and L/C Advances, accrued interest thereon, accrued fees and all other amounts payable to it hereunder and under the other Loan Documents (including any amounts under Section 3.05) from the assignee (to the extent of such outstanding principal and accrued interest and fees) or the Borrower (in the case of all other amounts);

 

(c)                                  in the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under Section 3.04 or payments required to be made pursuant to Section 3.01, such assignment will result in a reduction in such compensation or payments thereafter;

 

(d)                                 such assignment does not conflict with applicable Laws; and

 

(e)                                  in the case of an assignment resulting from a Lender becoming a Non-Consenting Lender, the applicable assignee shall have consented to the applicable amendment, waiver or consent.

 

126

 

A Lender shall not be required to make any such assignment or delegation if, prior thereto, as a result of a waiver by such Lender or otherwise, the circumstances entitling the Borrower to require such assignment and delegation cease to apply.

 

11.14                 Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Etc.

 

(a)                                 GOVERNING LAW.  THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS (EXCEPT, AS TO ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT, AS EXPRESSLY SET FORTH THEREIN) AND ANY CLAIMS, CONTROVERSY, DISPUTE OR CAUSE OF ACTION (WHETHER IN CONTRACT OR TORT OR OTHERWISE) BASED UPON, ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT (EXCEPT, AS TO ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT, AS EXPRESSLY SET FORTH THEREIN) AND THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY AND THEREBY SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

 

(b)                                 SUBMISSION TO JURISDICTION.  EACH LOAN PARTY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY AGREES THAT IT WILL NOT COMMENCE ANY ACTION, LITIGATION OR PROCEEDING OF ANY KIND OR DESCRIPTION, WHETHER IN LAW OR EQUITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT OR IN TORT OR OTHERWISE, AGAINST THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, ANY LENDER, THE L/C ISSUER, OR ANY RELATED PARTY OF THE FOREGOING IN ANY WAY RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS RELATING HERETO OR THERETO, IN ANY FORUM OTHER THAN THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK SITTING IN NEW YORK COUNTY AND OF THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT OF THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK, AND ANY APPELLATE COURT FROM ANY THEREOF, AND EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY SUBMITS TO THE JURISDICTION OF SUCH COURTS  AND AGREES THAT ALL CLAIMS IN RESPECT OF ANY SUCH ACTION, LITIGATION OR PROCEEDING MAY BE HEARD AND DETERMINED IN SUCH NEW YORK STATE COURT OR, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, IN SUCH FEDERAL COURT.  EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO AGREES THAT A FINAL JUDGMENT IN ANY SUCH ACTION, LITIGATION OR PROCEEDING SHALL BE CONCLUSIVE AND MAY BE ENFORCED IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS BY SUIT ON THE JUDGMENT OR IN ANY OTHER MANNER PROVIDED BY LAW.  NOTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT OR IN ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT SHALL AFFECT ANY RIGHT THAT THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, ANY LENDER OR THE L/C ISSUER MAY OTHERWISE HAVE TO BRING ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT AGAINST ANY LOAN PARTY OR ITS PROPERTIES IN THE COURTS OF ANY JURISDICTION.

 

(c)                                  WAIVER OF VENUE.  EACH LOAN PARTY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY OBJECTION THAT IT MAY NOW OR HEREAFTER HAVE TO THE LAYING OF VENUE OF ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT IN ANY COURT REFERRED TO IN PARAGRAPH (B) OF THIS SECTION.  EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, THE DEFENSE OF AN INCONVENIENT FORUM TO THE MAINTENANCE OF SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING IN ANY SUCH COURT.

 

127

 

(d)                                 SERVICE OF PROCESS.  EACH PARTY HERETO IRREVOCABLY CONSENTS TO SERVICE OF PROCESS IN THE MANNER PROVIDED FOR NOTICES IN SECTION 11.02.  NOTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT WILL AFFECT THE RIGHT OF ANY PARTY HERETO TO SERVE PROCESS IN ANY OTHER MANNER PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW.

 

11.15                 Waiver of Jury Trial.

 

EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY).  EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PERSON HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PERSON WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION.

 

11.16                 No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility.

 

In connection with all aspects of each transaction contemplated hereby (including in connection with any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or of any other Loan Document), each of the Loan Parties acknowledges and agrees, and acknowledges its Affiliates’ understanding, that: (i) (A) the arranging and other services regarding this Agreement provided by the Administrative Agent, the Arrangers and the Lenders are arm’s-length commercial transactions between the Loan Parties and their respective Affiliates, on the one hand, and the Administrative Agent, the Arrangers and the Lenders, on the other hand, (B) each of the Loan Parties has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it has deemed appropriate, and (C) each of the Loan Parties is capable of evaluating, and understands and accepts, the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated hereby and by the other Loan Documents; (ii) (A) the Administrative Agent, the Arrangers and the Lenders each is and has been acting solely as a principal and, except as expressly agreed in writing by the relevant parties, has not been, is not, and will not be acting as an advisor, agent or fiduciary for the Loan Parties or any of their respective Affiliates, or any other Person and (B) neither the Administrative Agent, any Arranger nor any Lender has any obligation to the Loan Parties or any of their respective Affiliates with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby except those obligations expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents; and (iii) the Administrative Agent, the Arrangers, the Lenders and their respective Affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Loan Parties and their respective Affiliates, and neither the Administrative Agent, any Arranger nor any Lender has any obligation to disclose any of such interests to the Loan Parties and their respective Affiliates.  To the fullest extent permitted by Law, each of the Loan Parties hereby waives and releases any claims that it may have against the Administrative Agent, any Arranger or any Lender with respect to any breach or alleged breach of agency or fiduciary duty in connection with any aspect of any transaction contemplated hereby.

 

11.17                 Electronic Execution of Assignments and Certain Other Documents.

 

The words “execute,” “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” and words of like import in any Loan Document or any other document to be signed in connection with this Agreement, any other document executed in connection herewith and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be deemed to include

 

128

 

electronic signatures, the electronic matching of assignment terms and contract formations on electronic platforms approved by the Administrative Agent, or the keeping of records in electronic form, each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature, physical delivery or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be, to the extent and as provided for in any applicable law, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act, or any other similar state laws based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act; provided that notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary the Administrative Agent is under no obligation to agree to accept electronic signatures in any form or in any format unless expressly agreed to by the Administrative Agent pursuant to procedures approved by it; provided  further without limiting the foregoing, upon the request of the Administrative Agent, any electronic signature shall be promptly followed by such manually executed counterpart.

 

11.18                 USA PATRIOT Act Notice.

 

Each Lender that is subject to the PATRIOT Act (as hereinafter defined) and the Administrative Agent (for itself and not on behalf of any Lender) hereby notifies the Loan Parties that pursuant to the requirements of the USA PATRIOT Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)) (the “PATRIOT Act”), it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies the Loan Parties, which information includes the name and address of the Loan Parties and other information that will allow such Lender or the Administrative Agent, as applicable, to identify the Loan Parties in accordance with the PATRIOT Act.  The Loan Parties shall, promptly following a request by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, provide all documentation and other information that the Administrative Agent or such Lender requests in order to comply with its ongoing obligations under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including the PATRIOT Act.

 

11.19                 Subordination of Intercompany Indebtedness.

 

Each Loan Party (a “Subordinating Loan Party”) agrees that the payment of all obligations and indebtedness, whether principal, interest, fees and other amounts and whether now owing or hereafter arising, owing to such Subordinating Loan Party by any other Loan Party is expressly subordinated to the payment in full in cash of the Obligations.  If the Administrative Agent so requests, any such obligation or indebtedness shall be enforced and performance received by the Subordinating Loan Party as trustee for the holders of the Obligations and the proceeds thereof shall be paid over to the holders of the Obligations on account of the Obligations, but without reducing or affecting in any manner the liability of the Subordinating Loan Party under this Agreement or any other Loan Document.  Without limitation of the foregoing, so long as no Default has occurred and is continuing, the Loan Parties may make and receive payments with respect to any such obligations and indebtedness, provided, that in the event that any Loan Party receives any payment of any such obligations and indebtedness at a time when such  payment is prohibited by this Section, such payment shall be held by such Loan Party, in trust for the benefit of, and shall be paid forthwith over and delivered, upon written request, to the Administrative Agent.

 

11.20                 Acknowledgement and Consent to Bail-In of EEA Financial Institutions.

 

Solely to the extent any Lender or L/C Issuer that is an EEA Financial Institution is a party to this Agreement and notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any Loan Document or in any other agreement, arrangement or understanding among any such parties, each party hereto acknowledges that any liability of any Lender or L/C Issuer that is an EEA Financial Institution arising under any Loan Document, to the extent such liability is unsecured, may be subject to the write-down and conversion powers of an EEA Resolution Authority and agrees and consents to, and acknowledges and agrees to be bound by:

 

129

 

(a)                                 the application of any Write-Down and Conversion Powers by an EEA Resolution Authority to any such liabilities arising hereunder which may be payable to it by any Lender or L/C Issuer that is an EEA Financial Institution; and

 

(b)                                 the effects of any Bail-In Action on any such liability, including, if applicable:

 

(i)                                           a reduction in full or in part or cancellation of any such liability;

 

(ii)                                        a conversion of all, or a portion of, such liability into shares or other instruments of ownership in such EEA Financial Institution, its parent entity, or a bridge institution that may be issued to it or otherwise conferred on it, and that such shares or other instruments of ownership will be accepted by it in lieu of any rights with respect to any such liability under this Agreement or any other Loan Document; or

 

(iii)                                     the variation of the terms of such liability in connection with the exercise of the write-down and conversion powers of any EEA Resolution Authority.

 

11.21                 Assumption and Acknowledgment.

 

Effective immediately after the consummation of the Closing Date Merger, the execution and delivery by the Borrower of a counterpart hereto and the making of the initial Credit Extensions hereunder, IEA hereby assumes all of the Initial Borrower’s rights, title, interests, duties, liabilities and obligations (including the Obligations) under the Loan Documents as the “Borrower” hereunder (collectively, the “Assumption”), including, any claims, liabilities, or obligations arising from the Initial Borrower’s failure to perform any of its covenants, agreements, commitments or obligations under the Loan Documents to be performed prior to the Assumption.  The Initial Borrower hereby acknowledges the Assumption by the Borrower and its effectiveness immediately after the consummation of the Closing Date Merger, the execution and delivery by the Borrower of a counterpart hereto and the making of the initial Credit Extensions hereunder.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, upon its execution and delivery of a counterpart hereto, the Borrower hereby expressly agrees to observe and perform and be bound by all of the terms, covenants, representations, warranties, and agreements contained herein which are binding upon, and to be observed or performed by, the Borrower.  The Administrative Agent and each Lender hereby consents to the Assumption.

 

11.22                 ENTIRE AGREEMENT.

 

THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS REPRESENT THE FINAL AGREEMENT AMONG THE PARTIES AND MAY NOT BE CONTRADICTED BY EVIDENCE OF PRIOR, CONTEMPORANEOUS, OR SUBSEQUENT ORAL AGREEMENTS OF THE PARTIES.  THERE ARE NO UNWRITTEN ORAL AGREEMENTS AMONG THE PARTIES.

 

[SIGNATURE PAGES FOLLOW]

 

130

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Credit Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first above written.

 

	
BORROWER:
    	
WIND   MERGER SUB I, INC.,
    
	
 
    	
a   Delaware corporation
    
	
 
    	
as   the Initial Borrower
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:
    	
/s/   Mohsin Y. Meghji
    
	
 
    	
Name:   Mohsin Y. Meghji
    
	
 
    	
Title:   Chief Executive Officer
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
IEA   ENERGY SERVICES LLC,
    
	
 
    	
a   Delaware limited liability company,
    
	
 
    	
as   the Borrower after giving effect to the Closing Date Merger
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:
    	
/s/   John P. Roehm
    
	
 
    	
Name:   John P. Roehm
    
	
 
    	
Title:   President
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
GUARANTORS:
    	
IEA INTERMEDIATE   HOLDCO, LLC,
    
	
 
    	
a   Delaware limited liability company
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:
    	
/s/   John P. Roehm
    
	
 
    	
Name:   John P. Roehm
    
	
 
    	
Title:   President
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
IEA EQUIPMENT MANAGEMENT, INC.,
    
	
 
    	
a   Delaware corporation
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:
    	
/s/   John P. Roehm
    
	
 
    	
Name:   John P. Roehm
    
	
 
    	
Title:   President
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
IEA MANAGEMENT   SERVICES, INC.,
    
	
 
    	
a   Delaware corporation
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:
    	
/s/   John P. Roehm
    
	
 
    	
Name:   John P. Roehm
    
	
 
    	
Title:   President
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
IEA RENEWABLE   ENERGY, INC.,
    
	
 
    	
a   Wisconsin corporation
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:
    	
/s/   William Douglas
    
	
 
    	
Name:   William Douglas
    
	
 
    	
Title:   Treasurer
    

 

 

	
 
    	
WHITE CONSTRUCTION   ENERGY SERVICES, LLC,
    
	
 
    	
a   Delaware limited liability company
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:
    	
/s/   David Berthelsen
    
	
 
    	
Name:   David Berthelsen
    
	
 
    	
Title:   President
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
WHITE   CONSTRUCTION, INC.,
    
	
 
    	
an   Indiana corporation
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:
    	
/s/   David Berthelsen
    
	
 
    	
Name:   David Berthelsen
    
	
 
    	
Title:   President
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
WHITE ELECTRICAL   CONSTRUCTORS, INC.,
    
	
 
    	
a   Delaware corporation
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:
    	
/s/   Derek Johnson
    
	
 
    	
Name:   Derek Johnson
    
	
 
    	
Title:   President
    

 

2

 

	
ADMINISTRATIVE   AGENT:
    	
BANK   OF AMERICA, N.A.,
    
	
 
    	
as   Administrative Agent
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:
    	
/s/   Gerund Diamond
    
	
 
    	
Name:   Gerund Diamond
    
	
 
    	
Title:   Vice President
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
LENDERS:
    	
BANK   OF AMERICA, N.A.,
    
	
 
    	
as   a Lender, L/C Issuer and Swingline Lender
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:
    	
/s/   Frank Byrne
    
	
 
    	
Name:   Frank Byrne
    
	
 
    	
Title:   Senior Vice President
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
CADENCE   BANK, N.A.,
    
	
 
    	
as   a Lender
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:
    	
/s/   Taylor Ducoff
    
	
 
    	
Name:   Taylor Ducoff
    
	
 
    	
Title:   Assistant Vice President
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
HSBC   BANK USA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
    
	
 
    	
as   a Lender
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:
    	
/s/   Joanna London
    
	
 
    	
Name:   Joanna London
    
	
 
    	
Title:   Vice President
    
	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
FIRST   MERCHANTS BANK,
    
	
 
    	
as   a Lender
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
By:
    	
/s/   Anthony Kaufman
    
	
 
    	
Name:   Anthony Kaufman
    
	
 
    	
Title:   Vice President

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