Purchase Price Adjustment (a) Within 90 days following the Closing, the Buyer shall prepare and deliver, or cause to be prepared and delivered, to the Seller a statement (the “Closing Schedule”) setting forth:
(i) the Buyer’s determination of the actual amounts of (A) the Adjustment Amount, including the Final Adjustment Amount Overage or the Final Adjustment Amount Underage (the “Final Adjustment Amount”), and (B) the Seller Indebtedness Amount, in each case as of 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time on the Closing Date without taking into account any of the transactions to be completed on the Closing Date in accordance with the terms of this Agreement;
(ii) a calculation of any adjustments to the Closing Payment based on such calculations (the adjusted Closing Payment as a result of such calculation being the “Final Closing Payment”); and
(iii) a calculation of the accounts receivable contained in the Preliminary Adjustment Amount that were not collected by Buyer within the thirty (30) days immediately following the Closing and the accounts receivable existing at the Closing but not taken into account in calculating the Adjustment Amount (the “Excluded AR”).
(b) Within fifteen (15) days after delivery of the Closing Schedule, the Seller may deliver a notice to Buyer either: (i) concurring with the Closing Schedule (a “Notice of Concurrence”); or (ii) disagreeing therewith (a “Notice of Disagreement”). If the Seller delivers a Notice of Disagreement, then it shall be accompanied by the Seller’s proposed revisions to the Closing Schedule. If the Seller fails to deliver any notice within such 15-day period, the Seller shall be deemed to have delivered a Notice of Concurrence.
(c) If a Notice of Concurrence is delivered or deemed delivered, and if the Final Closing Payment is less than the Closing Payment, the Buyer shall be entitled to payment out of the Royalty Consideration in the full amount of such shortfall. If a Notice of Concurrence is delivered or deemed delivered, and the Final Closing Payment is greater than the Closing Payment, Buyer shall pay to the Seller the full amount of such excess (with such payment being in shares of Buyer Common Stock priced at $1.50 per share) within thirty (30) days of the delivery of the Notice of Concurrence.
(d) If a Notice of Disagreement is delivered, then the Seller and the Buyer shall, during the 15-day period following such delivery (the “Negotiation Period”), use commercially reasonable efforts to agree on the Final Adjustment Amount. If, during such period, the Seller and the Buyer are unable to reach agreement, they promptly shall engage a nationally recognized certified public accounting firm reasonably acceptable to each such party (the “Independent Auditor”) to resolve the disagreement, and any such resolution shall be final, conclusive and binding upon the parties hereto, absent fraud or manifest error. To the extent the Final Closing Payment as determined by the Independent Auditor is less than the Closing Payment, the Buyer shall be entitled to payment out of the Royalty Consideration in the full amount of such shortfall. To the extent the Final Closing Payment as determined by the Independent Auditor is more than the Closing Payment, the Buyer shall pay to the Seller the full amount of such excess (with such payment being in shares of Buyer Common Stock priced at $1.50 per share) within thirty (30) days of such resolution.
(e) Each of the Seller and the Buyer shall pay fifty percent (50%) of the fees and expenses of the Independent Auditor.
Post-Closing Purchase Price Adjustment 1.9.1 Within ninety (90) days following the Closing Date, Seller shall prepare, or cause to be prepared, and deliver to Purchaser a statement (the “Closing Net Working Capital Statement”) which shall set forth the Net Working Capital of the Newsprint Business and of Apache as of the Closing Time (which shall be set forth separately for each of the Newsprint Business and Apache, but as aggregated shall be referred to as the “Closing Net Working Capital”) and shall be prepared in accordance with Seller’s past accounting methods, policies, practices and procedures and in the same manner, with consistent classification and estimation methodology, as the Financial Statements were prepared, except that the Excluded Assets and the Newsprint Retained Obligations shall be excluded. The Closing Net Working Capital Statement may not be amended by Seller after it is delivered to Purchaser.
1.9.2 Purchaser shall, within thirty (30) days after the delivery of the Closing Net Working Capital Statement to it, complete its review of the Closing Net Working Capital reflected on the Closing Net Working Capital Statement. If Purchaser wishes to dispute the Closing Net Working Capital, Purchaser shall notify Seller in writing in reasonable detail of such disagreement and any reason therefore (“Purchaser’s Objection”), setting forth a specific description of the basis of Purchaser’s Objection and the adjustments to the Closing Net Working Capital that Purchaser believes should be made, on or before the last day of such thirty (30) day period, which Purchaser’s Objection may not be amended by Purchaser after it is delivered to Seller (except to withdraw any such Purchaser’s Objection). Any items on the Closing Net Working Capital Statements not disputed in Purchaser’s Objection shall be irrevocably deemed to be accepted by Purchaser. Seller shall then have thirty (30) days to review and respond to Purchaser’s Objection. If Seller and Purchaser are unable to resolve all of their disagreements with respect to the determination of the foregoing items within thirty (30) days following Seller’s receipt of Purchaser’s Objection (the “Negotiation Period”), they shall refer their remaining differences to a mutually agreeable independent accounting firm of national recognition (other than an independent accounting firm utilized by any of Seller, Apache or Purchaser or any Affiliate of any of the foregoing within the past three (3) years) acceptable to both Seller and Purchaser or if Seller and Purchaser are unable to agree as to such third party accounting firm within ten (10) days after the conclusion of the Negotiation Period, either Seller or Purchaser may request that the Chairman of the American Arbitration Association (or the nominated representative of the Chairman) appoint a third party accounting firm meeting the aforementioned requirements to resolve the dispute (the accounting firm selected being referred to as the “CPA Firm”), who shall determine, only with respect to the remaining differences so submitted, whether and to what extent, if any, the Closing Net Working Capital requires adjustment. The procedure and schedule under which any dispute shall be submitted to the CPA Firm shall be as follows:
(a) Within ten (10) days after the later of (i) the end of the Negotiation Period and (ii) the selection of the CPA Firm, Purchaser shall submit any unresolved elements of the Purchaser’s Objection to the CPA Firm in writing (with a copy to Seller), supported by any documents and/or affidavits upon which it relies. Failure to timely do so shall constitute a withdrawal by Purchaser of the Purchaser’s Objection with respect to any unresolved element to which such failure relates.
(b) Within fifteen (15) days following Purchaser’s submission of the unresolved elements of the Purchaser’s Objection as specified in sub-clause (a) above, Seller shall submit its response to the CPA Firm in writing (with a copy to Purchaser), supported by any documents and/or affidavits upon which it relies. Failure to timely do so shall constitute an acceptance by Seller with respect to any unresolved elements to which such failure relates.
(c) The CPA Firm shall deliver its written determination to Purchaser and Seller no later than the thirtieth (30th) day after the remaining differences underlying Purchaser’s Objection are referred to the CPA Firm, or such longer period of time as the CPA Firm determines is necessary.
Purchase Price Adjustments (a) Schedule 2.4 sets forth the Seller’s good faith estimate of the Net Working Capital (the “Estimated Net Working Capital”) as of September 30, 2013, together with a calculation of the Closing Purchase Price based on such estimate. The Estimated Net Working Capital shall be determined in accordance with Section 2.6 and the other terms of this Agreement.
(b) As promptly as possible, but in any event within forty five (45) days after the Closing Date, the Buyer will deliver to the Seller a balance sheet of the Company (the “Closing Balance Sheet”) and a statement showing the calculation of the Net Working Capital derived from the Closing Balance Sheet (together with the Closing Balance Sheet, the “Preliminary Closing Statement”), in each case as of the Reference Time. The Closing Balance Sheet shall be prepared, and the Net Working Capital and the Preliminary Closing Statement shall be determined, in accordance with Section 2.6 and the definitions and other terms set forth in this Agreement. The Preliminary Closing Statement shall contain line item detail comparable to the Balance Sheet with respect to the components of Net Working Capital of the Company as of the Reference Time. After delivery of the Preliminary Closing Statement, the Buyer shall give the Seller and its accountants and representatives reasonable access at reasonable times to review the Company’s books and records and work papers related to the preparation of the Preliminary Closing Statement subject to customary confidentiality restrictions. The Seller and its accountants and representatives may make inquiries of the Buyer and its accountants regarding questions concerning or disagreements with the Preliminary Closing Statement arising in the course of its review thereof, and the Buyer shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause any such accountants to cooperate with and respond to such inquiries. If the Seller has any objections to the Preliminary Closing Statement, the Seller shall deliver to the Buyer a statement setting forth its objections thereto (an “Objections Statement”). If an Objections Statement is not delivered by the Seller to the Buyer within twenty (20) days after delivery of the Preliminary Closing Statement, the Preliminary Closing Statement shall be final, binding and non-appealable by the Parties hereto. The Seller and the Buyer shall negotiate in good faith to resolve any such objections for fifteen (15) days after the delivery of the Objections Statement, but if they do not reach a final resolution, the Seller and the Buyer shall submit such dispute to PricewaterhouseCoopers, or if they are not independent pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission at the time, another nationally recognized independent accounting firm reasonably acceptable to the Buyer and the Seller (the “Dispute Resolution Firm”) within three (3) Business Days following the end of the fifteen (15)-day period from the date of the delivery of the Objections Statement. Any further submissions to the Dispute Resolution Firm must be written and delivered to each party to the dispute. The Dispute Resolution Firm shall consider work papers and other documents and information related to those items and amounts which are identified in the Objections Statement as being items which the Seller and the Buyer are unable to resolve. The Dispute Resolution Firm’s determination will be based on the definition of Net Working Capital and the other definitions and terms contained herein and shall be in amounts between the disputed amounts set forth in the Preliminary Closing Statement and the Objections Statement. The Seller and the Buyer shall use their commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Dispute Resolution Firm to resolve all disagreements as soon as practicable and in any event within thirty (30) days after the submission of any dispute. Further, the Dispute Resolution Firm’s determination shall be based solely on the presentations by the Buyer and the Seller which are in accordance with the terms and procedures set forth in this Agreement (i.e., not on the basis of an independent review). The resolution of the dispute by the Dispute Resolution Firm shall be, absent manifest error, final, binding and non-appealable on the Parties hereto. The costs and expenses of the Dispute Resolution Firm shall be allocated fifty percent (50%) to the Buyer and fifty percent (50%) to the Seller.
(c) If the Net Working Capital as finally determined pursuant to Section 2.4(b) above is greater than the Target Working Capital, the Buyer shall promptly pay to the Seller the amount of such excess in cash. If the Net Working Capital as finally determined pursuant to Section 2.4(b) above is less than the Target Working Capital (such amount, the “Working Capital Deficiency”), the Seller and the Buyer shall promptly cause an amount equal to the Working Capital Deficiency to be paid to the Buyer from the Working Capital Escrow Amount; provided, however, that if the Working Capital Deficiency is in excess of the Working Capital Escrow Amount (such excess amount, the “Working Capital Indemnity Amount”), then the Buyer may elect to seek indemnification for the Working Capital Indemnity Amount either (i) from the Indemnity Escrow Amount or (ii) directly from the Seller. The net adjustment amount payable to the Seller or the Buyer under this Section 2.4(c) (such amount, the “Net Adjustment Amount”) shall be paid in accordance with Section 2.5.
Purchase Price; Allocation of Purchase Price (a) The purchase price for the Purchased Assets (the “Purchase Price”) is equal to $675,000,000 in cash. The Purchase Price shall be paid as provided in Section 2.07 and shall be subject to adjustment as provided in Section 2.08. Seller shall be treated as receiving a portion of the Purchase Price as agent for any of its Affiliates actually selling, transferring or conveying the Purchased Assets, consistent with the allocation of the Purchase Price pursuant to the Allocation Statement, and Buyer’s payment of the Purchase Price to Seller shall constitute payment by Buyer to any of Seller’s Affiliates actually selling, transferring or conveying the Purchased Assets hereunder.
(b) Within 60 days after the Closing, Buyer shall deliver to Seller a statement (the “Allocation Statement”) allocating the Purchase Price (plus Assumed Liabilities and transaction costs, to the extent properly taken into account under Section 1060 of the Code) among the Purchased Assets in accordance with Section 1060 of the Code. If, within five Business Days after delivery of the Allocation Statement, Seller notifies Buyer in writing that Seller objects to the allocation set forth in the Allocation Statement, Buyer and Seller shall use commercially reasonable efforts to resolve such dispute within 20 days. In the event that Buyer and Seller are unable to resolve such dispute within 20 days, Buyer and Seller shall jointly retain KPMG LLP (the “Accounting Referee”) to resolve the disputed items in the manner described in Section 8.10.
(c) Each of Buyer and Seller shall (i) be bound by the Allocation Statement, as may be adjusted in accordance with Section 2.06(e), (ii) act in accordance with, and cause its Affiliates to act in accordance with, the Allocation Statement in the preparation, filing and audit of any Tax Return (including filing IRS Form 8594 with its federal Income Tax Return for the taxable year that includes the Closing) and (iii) take no position, and cause its Affiliates to take no position, inconsistent with the allocation reflected on the Allocation Statement on any Tax Return, in any Contest or otherwise, unless required by a Final Determination.
(d) In the event that the allocation reflected on the Allocation Statement is disputed by any Taxing Authority, the party receiving notice of the dispute shall promptly notify the other party hereto, and Buyer and Seller shall use their commercially reasonable efforts to defend such allocation in any Tax audit or similar proceeding.
(e) If an adjustment is made with respect to the Purchase Price pursuant to Section 2.08, the Allocation Statement shall be adjusted in accordance with Section 1060 of the Code and as mutually agreed by Buyer and Seller. In the event that an agreement is not reached within 20 days after the determination of the Final Closing Working Capital, any disputed items shall be resolved in the manner described in Section 8.10. Buyer and Seller shall file any additional information return required to be filed pursuant to Section 1060 of the Code and to treat the Allocation Statement as adjusted in the manner described in Section 2.06(c).
(f) Not later than 30 days prior to the filing of their respective Forms 8594 relating to this transaction, each party shall deliver to the other party a copy of its Form 8594.
Adjustments to the Purchase Price As soon as practicable (but not more than five business days) after the date on which the Final Closing Balance Sheet shall have been determined in accordance with this Section 2.5.3:
(a) the Escrow Agent shall:
(i) release from the ESOP Adjustments and Claims Escrow and pay to Federal an amount in immediately available funds equal to the product of (1) the amount, if any, by which the Net Worth (after the M Street Lease Adjustment) as set forth in the Final Closing Balance Sheet is less than the amount of Net Worth (after the M Street Lease Adjustment) as set forth in the Estimated Closing Balance Sheet and (2) the ESOP Percentage. The difference between any payment to Federal pursuant to this Section 2.5.3(a)(i) and the product of $2,000,000 (Two Million Dollars) and the ESOP Percentage, shall be released to the ESOP Stockholders’ Representative; and
(ii) release from the Non-ESOP Adjustments and Claims Escrow and pay to Federal an amount in immediately available funds equal to the product of (1) the amount, if any, by which the Net Worth (after the M Street Lease Adjustment) as set forth in the Final Closing Balance Sheet is less than the amount of Net Worth (after the M Street Lease Adjustment) as set forth in the Estimated Closing Balance Sheet and (2) the Non-ESOP Percentage. The difference between any payment to Federal pursuant to this Section 2.5.3(a)(ii) and the product of $2,000,000 (Two Million Dollars) and the Non-ESOP Percentage shall be released to the Non-ESOP Stockholders’ Representative as Paying Agent; and
(b) Federal shall pay to:
(i) the ESOP Stockholder an amount in immediately available funds equal to the product of (1) the amount, if any, by which the Net Worth (after the M Street Lease Adjustment) as set forth in the Final Closing Balance Sheet is greater than the Net Worth (after the M Street Lease Adjustment) as set forth in the Estimated Closing Balance Sheet and (2) the ESOP Percentage; and
(ii) the Non-ESOP Stockholders’ Representative, as Paying Agent, an amount in immediately available funds equal to the product of (1) the amount, if any, by which the Net Worth (after the M Street Lease Adjustment) as set forth in the Final Closing Balance Sheet is greater than the Net Worth (after the M Street Lease Adjustment) as set forth in the Estimated Closing Balance Sheet and (2) the Non-ESOP Percentage; and
(c) Pursuant to Section 2.5.3(b) following payment by Federal to the ESOP Shareholder’s Representative and the Non-ESOP Stockholder’s Representative, respectively, of any amount by which the Net Worth as set forth in the Final Closing Balance Sheet is greater than the Net Worth as set forth in the Estimated Closing Balance Sheet, the Escrow Agent shall:
(i) release from the ESOP Adjustments and Claims Escrow and pay to the ESOP Stockholder’s Representative an amount in immediately available funds equal to the product of (1) $2,000,000 (Two Million Dollars) and (2) the ESOP Percentage; and
(ii) release from the Non-ESOP Adjustments and Claims Escrow and pay to the Non-ESOP Stockholders’ Representative as paying agent an amount in immediately available funds equal to the product of (1) $2,000,000 (Two Million Dollars) and (2) the Non-ESOP Percentage. All payments made pursuant to this Section 2.5.3 shall constitute immediate adjustments of the Purchase Price in such amounts.
Purchase Price Allocation Not more than one hundred eighty (180) days after the Closing Date, Buyer will deliver to the Members a schedule allocating the Base Purchase Price (as adjusted pursuant to Section 2.3.2) as provided in this Section 2.6. As soon as practicable after payment of each of (a) the Final Working Capital Adjustment, (b) the Earnout Amount for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2013, (c) the Earnout Amount for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014, and (d) the Earnout Amount for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015, Buyer will deliver to the Members a schedule allocating each such payment in accordance with this Section 2.6. Buyer and the Members agree that the aggregate amount of (a) the Base Purchase Price (as adjusted pursuant to Section 2.3.2), plus (b) the Final Working Capital Adjustment, plus (c) any Earnout Amount received shall be allocated in the following amounts or consistent with the following methodology: (a) first, to the tangible assets of the Company, (b) second, an amount not to exceed Six Hundred Thousand Dollars ($600,000) shall be allocated, solely for Tax purposes, to the non-compete described in Section 6.14, and (c) third, any remaining amount shall be allocated to goodwill and other intangible assets. Except as otherwise required by law or pursuant to a “determination” under Section 1313(a) of the Code, Buyer and the Members agree to act, and will act, and will cause their Affiliates to act, in accordance with such allocations for purposes of all income Taxes, and neither Buyer nor the Members will take any position inconsistent therewith in any Tax Return or similar filings (including IRS Form 8594), any refund claim, any litigation, or otherwise. The Parties acknowledge and agree that the allocation of the Purchase Price as set forth above shall not limit the amount of damages that Buyer may seek for any breach of the covenants contained in Article VI.
Cash Purchase Price The term "Cash Purchase Price" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.3(a).
Adjustment Amount (a) Schedule 2.16 sets forth a sample calculation of the Adjustment Amount and the Target Adjustment Amount as of the Balance Sheet Date (the “Sample Closing Statement”), including the asset, liability and other line items and accounting principles used in such calculation, and assuming that all of such asset and liability line items that constitute Mallinckrodt Assets or Mallinckrodt Liabilities under this Agreement will be transferred to Mallinckrodt as of the Distribution.
(b) Within sixty (60) days after the Distribution Date, Mallinckrodt shall cause to be prepared and delivered to Covidien a statement (the “Closing Statement”) setting forth (i) the Adjustment Amount and the calculation of the Adjustment Amount and (ii) the Target Adjustment Amount and the calculation of the Target Adjustment Amount. The Closing Statement shall be prepared in accordance with the Transaction Accounting Principles, including the use of the same line items and line item entries, set forth on and used in the preparation of the Sample Closing Statement; provided, however, that assets newly acquired and liabilities newly incurred following the date of the Sample Closing Statement which cannot be appropriately placed in line items previously used by Mallinckrodt, but that constitute Mallinckrodt Assets or Mallinckrodt Liabilities, will also be included to the extent consistent with the Transaction Accounting Principles.
(c) Within thirty (30) days following receipt by Covidien of the Closing Statement, Covidien shall deliver written notice to Mallinckrodt of any dispute Covidien has with respect to the preparation or content of the Closing Statement (the “Dispute Notice”); provided, however, that if Covidien does not deliver any Dispute Notice to Mallinckrodt within such thirty (30)-day period, the Closing Statement will be final, conclusive and binding on the Parties. Any Dispute Notice shall (i) set forth in reasonable detail the basis for any dispute included therein, the amounts involved and Covidien’s determination of the Adjustment Amount and/or the Target Adjustment Amount (as applicable) and (ii) include only disagreements based on the Adjustment Amount and/or the Target Adjustment Amount (as applicable) not being calculated properly in accordance with this Agreement or containing mathematical errors. Upon receipt by Mallinckrodt of a Dispute Notice, Mallinckrodt and Covidien shall negotiate in good faith to resolve any dispute set forth therein. If Mallinckrodt and Covidien, such good faith effort notwithstanding, fail to resolve any such dispute within fifteen (15) Business Days following receipt by Mallinckrodt of the Dispute Notice (the “Dispute Resolution Period”), then Mallinckrodt and Covidien jointly shall engage, within ten (10) Business Days following the expiration of the Dispute Resolution Period, Ernst & Young LLP or, if Ernst & Young LLP is unavailable or conflicted, another nationally recognized major accounting firm selected jointly by Covidien and Mallinckrodt (the “Independent Accounting Firm”) to resolve any such dispute. If Ernst & Young LLP is unavailable or conflicted and Covidien and Mallinckrodt are unable to agree on the Independent Accounting Firm, then each of Covidien and Mallinckrodt shall select a nationally recognized major accounting firm, and the two (2) firms will mutually select a third nationally recognized major accounting firm to serve as the Independent Accounting Firm. As promptly as practicable, and in any event not more than fifteen (15) days following the engagement of the Independent Accounting Firm, Mallinckrodt and Covidien shall each prepare and submit a presentation detailing each Party’s complete statement of proposed resolution of each issue still in dispute to the Independent Accounting Firm. Mallinckrodt and Covidien shall cause the Independent Accounting Firm to, as soon as practicable after the submission of the presentations described in the immediately preceding sentence and in any event not more than thirty (30) days following such presentations, make a final determination, binding on the Parties, of the appropriate amount of each of the line items that remain in dispute as indicated in the Dispute Notice. With respect to each disputed line item, such determination, if not in accordance with the position of either Covidien or Mallinckrodt, shall not be in excess of the higher, nor less than the lower, of the amounts set forth by Mallinckrodt in the Closing Statement or by Covidien in the Dispute Notice, as applicable. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the scope of the disputes to be resolved by the Independent Accounting Firm shall be limited to whether any determination of the Adjustment Amount and/or the Target Adjustment Amount (as applicable) was properly calculated in accordance with the Transaction Accounting Principles, and the Independent Accounting Firm is not to make any other determination, including any determination as to whether GAAP was followed, to the extent GAAP is inconsistent with the Transaction Accounting Principles. All fees and expenses relating to the work, if any, to be performed by the Independent Accounting Firm shall be borne equally by Covidien and Mallinckrodt. All determinations made by the Independent Accounting Firm, and the Closing Statement, as modified by the Independent Accounting Firm, will be final, conclusive and binding on the Parties, absent fraud or manifest error.
(d) For purposes of complying with the terms set forth in this Section 2.16, Mallinckrodt and Covidien shall cooperate with and make available to each other and their respective Representatives all information, records, data and working papers, in each case, to the extent related to the Mallinckrodt Assets, Mallinckrodt Liabilities or Mallinckrodt Business, and shall permit access to its facilities and personnel, as may be reasonably required in connection with the preparation and analysis of the Closing Statement and the resolution of any disputes thereunder.
(e) If the Adjustment Amount, as finally determined pursuant to Section 2.16(c), is greater than the Target Adjustment Amount, as finally determined pursuant to Section 2.16(c), by at least $20 million, then Mallinckrodt shall pay or cause to be paid an amount in cash equal to the difference from the first dollar (i.e., without regard to the $20 million threshold) to Covidien by wire transfer of immediately available funds to an account or accounts designated in writing by Covidien to Mallinckrodt. If the Adjustment Amount, as finally determined pursuant to Section 2.16(c), is less than the Target Adjustment Amount, as finally determined pursuant to Section 2.16(c), by at least $20 million, then Covidien shall pay or cause to be paid an amount in cash equal to the difference from the first dollar (i.e., without regard to the $20 million threshold) to Mallinckrodt by wire transfer of immediately available funds to an account or accounts designated in writing by Mallinckrodt to Covidien. Any such payment pursuant to this Section 2.16(e) is to be made within five (5) Business Days of the date on which the Adjustment Amount and the Target Adjustment Amount have been finally determined pursuant to this Section 2.16.
Price Adjustment Civil works contracts of long duration (more than 18 months) shall contain an appropriate price adjustment clause.
Price Adjustments 17.1 Prices for Goods/Services supplied in terms of this Agreement shall be subject to review as indicated in the Schedule of Requirements/Works Order annexed hereto.
17.2 No less than 2 [two] months prior to any proposed Price adjustment, the Parties shall commence negotiations for Prices for the next period or as otherwise indicated in Schedule 1 hereto. The Parties shall have regard for market-related pricing of equivalent goods, continuous improvement initiatives, costs [including labour, raw materials and transport/delivery], order size and frequency and changes to the specification of the Goods/Services.
17.3 Pursuant to clause 17.2 above, the Supplier/Service Provider shall keep full and accurate records of all costs associated with the supply of the Goods/Services to Transnet, in a form to be approved in writing by Transnet. The Supplier/Service Provider shall produce such records to Transnet for inspection at all reasonable times on request and such records may, at Transnet's option, be audited by Transnet or its designated representatives.
17.4 Should Transnet and the Supplier/Service Provider fail to reach an agreement on Price for the successive period, either Party shall be entitled to submit this matter to dispute resolution in accordance with clause 32 of the Master Agreement [Dispute Resolution].
17.5 If during the period of this Agreement Transnet can purchase similar Goods/Services of a like quality from another supplier at a total delivered cost to a Transnet facility that is lower than the total delivered cost of the Goods/Services purchased hereunder from the Supplier/Service Provider, Transnet may notify the Supplier/Service Provider of such total delivered cost and the Supplier/Service Provider shall have an opportunity to adjust the Price of the Goods/Services purchased hereunder, on such a basis as to result in the same total delivered cost to Transnet, within 30 [thirty] calendar days of such notice. If the Supplier/Service Provider fails to do so or cannot legally do so, Transnet may (i) purchase the Goods/Services from such other supplier in which case the obligations, including, but not limited to, any purchase and sale requirements and/or commitments, if any, of Transnet and the Supplier/Service Provider hereunder shall be reduced accordingly; (ii) terminate this Agreement without any penalty, liability or further obligation; or (iii) continue purchases under this Agreement.
17.6 If during the period of this Agreement the Supplier/Service Provider sells any materials which are the same as, equivalent to, or substantially similar to the Goods/Services herein, at a total delivered cost to a third party lower than the total delivered cost to a Transnet facility, then the Supplier/Service Provider has an opportunity to adjust its Price for the Goods/Services purchased hereunder within 30 [thirty] calendar days so that the Price is the same or lower than the total delivered cost of such third party. If the Supplier/Service Provider fails to do so or cannot legally do so, Transnet may (i) purchase the Goods/Services from any other such supplier, in which case the obligations, including, but not limited to, any purchase and sale requirements and/or commitments, if any, of Transnet and the Supplier/Service Provider hereunder shall be reduced accordingly; or
