Tax Contests If, in connection with any examination, investigation, audit or other administrative or judicial proceeding in respect of any non-Seller Group Tax Return with respect to the income or operations of the Company, Newco or the Sold Subsidiaries for a Pre-Closing Tax Period, any Governmental Body issues to Newco, the Company or the Sold Subsidiaries a notice of an examination, investigation, audit or other administrative or judicial proceeding, a request for documents or other information, written notice of deficiency, a notice of reassessment, a proposed adjustment, or an assertion of claim or demand concerning the taxable period covered by such Tax Return, Buyer shall notify Seller of its receipt of such communication from such Governmental Body within fifteen (15) Business Days after receiving such communication. Buyer shall not, and shall not permit Newco, the Company or the Sold Subsidiaries to, settle or otherwise resolve any issue with respect to any Taxes of the Company, Newco or the Sold Subsidiaries if such settlement or other resolution could result in Seller being liable for any amounts pursuant to this Agreement without the prior written consent of Seller. Seller shall have the right to control any examination, investigation, audit or other administrative or judicial proceeding in respect of any non-Seller Group Tax Return of the Company, Newco or the Sold Subsidiaries for any Pre-Closing Tax Period if such examination, investigation, audit or other administrative or judicial proceeding could result in or lead to Seller being liable for any amounts pursuant to this Agreement; provided, however, that Buyer, at its sole cost and expense, shall have the right to participate in any such contest; provided, further, that Seller shall not settle or otherwise resolve such examination, investigation, audit or other administrative or judicial proceeding without the prior written consent of Buyer (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed); provided, further, that Seller and Buyer shall jointly control any examination, investigation, audit or other administrative or judicial proceeding in respect of Taxes for a Straddle Period. For avoidance of doubt, Seller shall have the sole right to control and settle any examination, investigation, audit or other administrative or judicial proceeding in respect of any Seller Group Tax Return and Buyer shall have no right to participate therein.
Tax Proceedings (i) Buyer shall, upon receipt of notice thereof by Company, notify the Members of any written communication from a Tax authority with respect to any pending Tax Proceeding involving a Pre-Acquisition Tax Liability. Buyer shall include with such notification a copy of the written communication so received by Company.
(ii) The Buyer shall have responsibility and authority to represent the interests of the Company in any Tax Proceeding relating to Pre-Acquisition Taxable Periods and Straddle Periods and to employ counsel of its choice in connection therewith; provided, however, that Members shall be permitted to participate in any such Tax Proceedings and all hearings related thereto at the expense of the Members; and provided further, that, without the prior written consent of the Members, which shall not be unreasonably withheld, the Buyer shall not agree to settle or compromise any such Tax Proceeding and/or any Pre-Acquisition Tax Liability issue arising therein if such settlement can reasonably be expected to result in a material increase in the Pre-Acquisition Tax Liabilities for which the Members are responsible hereunder, provided, however, the consent of the Members to such settlement or compromise shall not be required hereunder if the failure to settle or compromise the Tax Proceeding or an issue arising therein can reasonably be expected to result in an adverse effect on the Company following the Closing. The Members, promptly upon demand from the Buyer, shall pay the reasonable costs and expenses, including attorney fees, incurred by Buyer in connection with any such Tax Proceedings, provided, however, in any Tax Proceeding related to a Straddle Period which involves Tax Liabilities for which Members are responsible hereunder and Tax Liabilities attributable to the Post-Closing Period for which Members are not responsible, the Buyer, on the one hand, and the Members, on the other hand, shall jointly bear the costs and expenses thereof as allocated between them on an equitable basis.
(iii) All notices to Members provided for hereunder shall be deemed delivered to each Member upon receipt thereof either directly by the Member. The Members shall proportionately pay all Tax Liabilities and costs and expenses for which the Members are responsible hereunder; provided, however, the Members shall be jointly and severally liable for all such Tax Liabilities, costs and expenses.
(iv) The Member shall furnish to Buyer such information and documents as may be reasonably requested by Buyer, and shall otherwise reasonably cooperate with Buyer, in connection with Buyer's conduct of any Tax Proceedings described herein.
Control of Tax Contests (a) Except as otherwise provided in paragraphs (b) and (c), Parent shall control, and have sole discretion in handling, settling or contesting, any Tax Contest relating to any Joint Returns, as well as any Separate Returns that relate to a Pre-Distribution Tax Period or to a Straddle Period or other Tax Return if any such Tax Return is related to Taxes for which Parent is responsible pursuant to Article II, or the Tax treatment of the Separation Transactions, provided that (x) Parent shall act in good faith in connection with its control of any such Tax Contests and (y) SpinCo shall have the right at its sole cost and expense to participate in and advise on (including the opportunity to review and comment upon Parent’s communications with the Tax Authority, which comments shall be incorporated upon the consent of Parent, not to be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned) such items for which SpinCo would reasonably be expected to be liable under Article II or Section 6.06 as a result of such Tax Contest.
(b) Parent shall have exclusive control over any Separation Related Tax Contest, including exclusive authority with respect to any settlement of such Tax Contest, subject to the following provisions of this Section 9.02(b). In the event of any Separation Related Tax Contest as a result of which SpinCo could reasonably be expected (as determined in the sole discretion of Parent acting in good faith) to become liable for any Separation Tax Losses, (A) Parent shall keep SpinCo reasonably informed in a timely manner of all significant developments in respect of such Tax Contest and all significant actions taken or proposed to be taken by Parent with respect to such Tax Contest, (B) Parent shall timely provide SpinCo with copies of any written materials prepared, furnished or received in connection with such Tax Contest, (C) Parent shall consult with SpinCo reasonably in advance of taking any significant action in connection with such Tax Contest and (D) Parent shall offer SpinCo a reasonable opportunity to comment before submitting any written materials prepared or furnished in connection with such Tax Contest. Notwithstanding anything in the preceding sentence to the contrary, the final determination of the positions taken, including with respect to settlement or other disposition, in any Separation Related Tax Contest shall be made in the sole discretion of Parent and shall be final and not subject to the dispute resolution provisions of Article XIII of this Agreement or Section 11.02 of the Separation and Distribution Agreement.
(c) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (a) or (b), SpinCo shall have sole control over any Tax Contest that relates to Separate Returns of the SpinCo Group for any Post-Distribution Tax Period.
Tax Audits (a) The Managing Member is hereby designated as the “tax matters partner,” as that term is defined in Section 6231(a)(7) of the Code (the “Tax Matters Partner”), of the Company, with all of the rights, duties and powers provided for in Sections 6221 through 6234 of the Code, inclusive, provided however that in the case of a removal of the Managing Member after the occurrence of any Removal Event, the Investor shall have the right to assume the rights and duties of the Tax Matters Partner and to be designated as such. The Managing Member is hereby directed and authorized to take whatever steps it, in its reasonable discretion, deems necessary or desirable to perfect such designation, including filing any forms or documents with the IRS and taking such other action as may from time to time be required under the Treasury Regulations. The Managing Member shall remain as the Tax Matters Partner so long as it retains any ownership interests in the Company unless the Investor assumes the rights and duties of the Tax Matters Partner under the proviso to the first sentence of this paragraph.
(b) The Tax Matters Partner, in Consultation with the other Members, shall use reasonable commercial efforts to direct the defense of any claims made by any tax authority to the extent that such claims relate to the adjustment of Company items at the Company level and, in connection therewith, shall cause the Company to retain and to pay the fees and expenses of counsel and other advisors chosen by the Tax Matters Partner in Consultation with the other Members. The Tax Matters Partner shall promptly deliver to each Member a copy of all notices, communications, reports and writings received from the IRS by the Company or the Tax Matters Partner relating to or potentially resulting in an adjustment of Company items, shall promptly advise each Member of the substance of any conversations with the tax authorities in connection therewith and shall keep the Members advised of all developments with respect to any proposed adjustments that come to its attention. In addition, the Tax Matters Partner shall (i) provide each Member with a draft copy of any correspondence or filing to be submitted by the Company in connection with any administrative or judicial proceedings relating to the determination of Company items at the Company level reasonably in advance of such submission, (ii) consider in good faith incorporating all changes or comments to such correspondence or filing requested by any Member and (iii) provide each Member with a final copy of such correspondence or filing. The Tax Matters Partner will provide each Member with notice reasonably in advance of any meetings or conferences with respect to any administrative or judicial proceedings relating to the determination of Company items at the Company level (including any meetings or conferences with counsel or advisors to the Company with respect to such proceedings) and each Member shall have the right to participate, at its sole cost and expense, in any such meetings or conferences.
(c) The Tax Matters Partner shall not, without a Required Majority Vote, (i) except in the case of any claim by the IRS that could give rise to an indemnity claim under this Agreement or any other Transaction Document in respect of federal income taxes or the loss of federal income tax benefits (a “Tax Loss Contest”), commence a judicial action (including filing a petition as contemplated in Section 6226(a) or Section 6228 of the Code) with respect to a federal income tax matter or appeal any adverse determination of a judicial tribunal; (ii) enter into a settlement agreement with the IRS which purports to bind the Members; (iii) intervene in any action as contemplated by Section 6226(b) of the Code; (iv) file any request contemplated in Section 6227(c) of the Code; or (v) except in the case of a Tax Loss Contest, enter into an agreement extending the period of limitations as contemplated in Section 6229(b)(1)(B) of the Code. Any cost or expense incurred by the Tax Matters Partner in connection with its duties as Tax Matters Partner shall be paid by the Company.
(d) If for any reason the IRS disregards the election made by the Company pursuant to Section 7.5(c) and commences any audit or proceeding in which it makes a claim, or proposes to make a claim, against any Member that could reasonably be expected to result in the disallowance or adjustment of any items of income, gain, loss, deduction or credit (including Tax Credits) allocated to such Member by the Company, then such Member shall promptly advise the other Members of the same, and such Member, in Consultation with the other Members, shall at the expense of the Company use best efforts to convert the portion of such audit or proceeding that relates to such items into a proceeding at the level of the Company consistent with the election of the Company pursuant to Section 7.5(c). In the case of any such audit or proceeding involving the Investor for a tax period prior to or including the Flip Date, if the Investor is not successful in converting the portion of such audit or proceeding that relates to such items into a proceeding at the level of the Company, the Company shall reimburse the Investor for all reasonable costs and expenses, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, in contesting such claim.
(e) If any Member intends to file, pursuant to Section 6227 of the Code, a request for an administrative adjustment of any such partnership item of the Company, or to file a petition under Sections 6226, 6228 or other Sections of the Code with respect to any such partnership item or any other tax matter involving the Company, such Member shall, at least thirty (30) calendar days prior to any such filing, notify the other Members of such intent, which notification must include a reasonable description of the contemplated action and the reasons for such action; provided, however, that this Section 7.7(e) shall not relieve such Member’s obligation to use all commercially reasonable efforts to convert a Member level proceeding into a Company level proceeding as provided in Section 7.7(d).
Company Tax Returns The Company shall file all tax returns, if any, required to be filed by the Company.
