Letter of Credit Accommodations (a) Subject to and upon the terms and conditions contained herein, at the request of any Borrower, Agent agrees, for the ratable risk of each Revolving Loan Lender according to its Pro Rata Share, to provide or arrange for Letter of Credit Accommodations for the account of Borrowers containing terms and conditions acceptable to Agent and the issuer thereof. Any payments made by or on behalf of Agent or any Revolving Loan Lender to any issuer thereof and/or related parties in connection with the Letter of Credit Accommodations provided to or for the benefit of any Borrower shall constitute additional Revolving Loans to Borrowers pursuant to this Section 2 (or Special Agent Advances as the case may be).
(b) In addition to any charges, fees or expenses charged by any bank or issuer in connection with the Letter of Credit Accommodations, Borrowers shall pay to Agent, for the benefit of Revolving Loan Lenders, a letter of credit fee at a rate equal to five-eighths percent (.625%) per annum on the daily outstanding balance of the Letter of Credit Accommodations in respect of commercial Letter of Credit Accommodations and a letter of credit fee at a rate equal to the Applicable Margin for standby Letter of Credit Accommodations on the daily outstanding balance of the Letter of Credit Accommodations in respect of standby Letter of Credit Accommodations (the “Letter of Credit Fee”), in each case for the immediately preceding month (or part thereof), payable in arrears as of the first day of each succeeding month; provided, that, Agent may, and upon the written direction of the Required Revolving Loan Lenders shall, require Borrowers to pay to Agent, for the ratable benefit of Revolving Loan Lenders, such Letter of Credit Fee, at a rate that is (2%) percent per annum greater than the otherwise applicable rate on such daily outstanding balance for: (i) the period from and after the date of termination or non-renewal hereof until Agent and Lenders have received full and final payment of all Obligations (notwithstanding entry of a judgment against any Borrower) and (ii) the period from and after the date of the occurrence of an Event of Default for so long as such Event of Default is continuing as determined by Agent. Such Letter of Credit Fee shall be calculated on the basis of a three hundred sixty (360) day year and actual days elapsed and the obligation of Borrowers to pay such fee shall survive the termination or non-renewal of this Agreement.
(c) A Borrower shall give Agent one (1) Business Day’s prior written notice of such Borrower’s request for the issuance of a commercial Letter of Credit Accommodation and two (2) Business Days’ prior written notice of such Borrower’s request for the issuance of a stand-by Letter of Credit Accommodation. Such notice shall be irrevocable and shall specify the original face amount of the Letter of Credit Accommodation requested, the effective date (which date shall be a Business Day) of issuance of such requested Letter of Credit Accommodation, whether such Letter of Credit Accommodations may be drawn in a single or in partial draws, the date on which such requested Letter of Credit Accommodation is to expire (which date shall be a Business Day), the purpose for which such Letter of Credit Accommodation is to be issued, and the beneficiary of the requested Letter of Credit Accommodation. Such Borrower shall attach to such notice the proposed terms of the Letter of Credit Accommodation.
(d) In addition to being subject to the satisfaction of the applicable conditions precedent contained in Section 4 hereof and the other terms and conditions contained herein, no Letter of Credit Accommodations shall be available unless each of the following conditions precedent have been satisfied in a manner satisfactory to Agent: (i) the applicable Borrower shall have delivered to the proposed issuer of such Letter of Credit Accommodation at such times and in such manner as such proposed issuer may require, an application, in form and substance satisfactory to such proposed issuer and Agent, for the issuance of the Letter of Credit Accommodation and such other documents as may be required pursuant to the terms thereof, and the form and terms of the proposed Letter of Credit Accommodation shall be satisfactory to Agent and such proposed issuer, (ii) as of the date of issuance, no order of any court, arbitrator or other Governmental Authority shall purport by its terms to enjoin or restrain money center banks generally from issuing letters of credit of the type and in the amount of the proposed Letter of Credit Accommodation, and no law, rule or regulation applicable to money center banks generally and no request or directive (whether or not having the force of law) from any Governmental Authority with jurisdiction over money center banks generally shall prohibit, or request that the proposed issuer of such Letter of Credit Accommodation refrain from, the issuance of letters of credit generally or the issuance of such Letters of Credit Accommodation; and (iii) after giving effect to the LC Reserve Amount applicable to such requested Letter of Credit Accommodation, the aggregate amount of the Obligations then outstanding would not exceed the Borrowing Base. Effective on the issuance of each Letter of Credit Accommodation, a Reserve shall be established in an amount equal to the LC Reserve Amount for such Letter of Credit Accommodation.
(e) Except with the consent of all Lenders, the amount of all outstanding Letter of Credit Accommodations and all other commitments and obligations made or incurred by Agent or any Lender in connection therewith shall not at any time exceed $75,000,000.
(f) Each Borrower and Guarantor shall indemnify and hold Agent and Revolving Loan Lenders harmless from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, costs and expenses which Agent or any Revolving Loan Lender may suffer or incur in connection with any Letter of Credit Accommodations and any documents, drafts or acceptances relating thereto, including any losses, claims, damages, liabilities, costs and expenses due to any action taken by any issuer or correspondent with respect to any Letter of Credit Accommodation, except for such losses, claims, damages, liabilities, costs or expenses that are a direct result of the gross negligence or willful misconduct of Agent or any Revolving Loan Lender as determined pursuant to a final non-appealable order of a court of competent jurisdiction. Each Borrower assumes all risks with respect to the acts or omissions of the drawer under or beneficiary of any Letter of Credit Accommodation and for such purposes the drawer or beneficiary shall be deemed such Borrower’s agent. Each Borrower assumes all risks for, and agrees to pay, all foreign, Federal, State and local taxes, duties and levies relating to any goods subject to any Letter of Credit Accommodations or any documents, drafts or acceptances thereunder. Each Borrower and Guarantor hereby releases and holds Agent and Revolving Loan Lenders harmless from and against any acts, waivers, errors, delays or omissions, whether caused by such Borrower or Guarantor, by any issuer or correspondent or otherwise with respect to or relating to any Letter of Credit Accommodation, except for the gross negligence or willful misconduct of Agent or any Revolving Loan Lender as determined pursuant to a final, non-appealable order of a court of competent jurisdiction. The provisions of this Section 2.2(f) shall survive the payment of Obligations and the termination of this Agreement.
(g) At any time during an Availability Compliance Period, in connection with Inventory purchased pursuant to Letter of Credit Accommodations during such Availability Compliance Period, each Borrower and Guarantor shall, at Agent’s request, instruct all suppliers, carriers, forwarders, customs brokers, warehouses or others receiving or holding cash, checks, Inventory, documents or instruments in which Agent holds a security interest to deliver them to Agent and/or subject to Agent’s order, and if they shall come into such Borrower’s or Guarantor’s possession, to deliver them, upon Agent’s request, to Agent in their original form. Each Borrower and Guarantor shall also, at Agent’s request, designate Agent as the consignee on all bills of lading and other negotiable and non-negotiable documents.
(h) Each Borrower hereby irrevocably authorizes and directs any issuer of a Letter of Credit Accommodation to name such Borrower as the account party therein and to deliver to Agent all instruments, documents and other writings and property received by issuer pursuant to the Letter of Credit Accommodations and to accept and rely upon Agent’s instructions and agreements with respect to all matters arising in connection with the Letter of Credit Accommodations or the applications therefor. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed or construed to grant any Borrower any right or authority to pledge the credit of Agent or any Revolving Loan Lender in any manner. Agent and Revolving Loan Lenders shall have no liability of any kind with respect to any Letter of Credit Accommodation provided by an issuer other than Agent or any Revolving Loan Lender unless Agent has duly executed and delivered to such issuer the application or a guarantee or indemnification in writing with respect to such Letter of Credit Accommodation. Borrowers shall be bound by any reasonable interpretation made in good faith by Agent, or any other issuer or correspondent under or in connection with any Letter of Credit Accommodation or any documents, drafts or acceptances thereunder, notwithstanding that such interpretation may be inconsistent with any instructions from any Borrower.
(i) At any time an Event of Default exists or has occurred and is continuing, Agent shall have the right and authority to, and no Borrower or Guarantor shall, without the prior written consent of Agent, (i) approve or resolve any questions of non-compliance of documents, (ii) give any instructions as to acceptance or rejection of any documents or goods, (iii) execute any and all applications for steamship or airway guaranties, indemnities or delivery orders, (iv) grant any extensions of the maturity of, time of payments for, or time of presentation of, any drafts, acceptances, or documents, and (v) agree to any amendments, renewals, extensions, modifications, changes or cancellations of any of the terms or conditions of any of the applications, Letter of Credit Accommodations, or documents, drafts or acceptances thereunder or any letters of credit included in the Collateral. Agent may take such actions either in its own name or in any Borrower’s or Guarantor’s name.
(j) At any time, so long as no Event of Default exists or has occurred and is continuing, any Borrower may, with Agent’s consent, (i) grant any extensions of the maturity of, time of payment for, or time of presentation of, any drafts, acceptances, or documents, and (ii) agree to any amendments, renewals, extensions, modifications, changes or cancellations of any of the terms or conditions of any of the applications, Letter of Credit Accommodations, or documents, drafts or acceptances thereunder or any letters of credit included in the Collateral; provided, that, such Borrower may approve or resolve any questions of non-compliance of documents following notice to Agent thereof and without Agent’s consent except as otherwise provided in Section 2.2(i) hereof.
(k) Any rights, remedies, duties or obligations granted or undertaken by any Borrower to any issuer or correspondent in any application for any Letter of Credit Accommodation, or any other agreement in favor of any issuer or correspondent relating to any Letter of Credit Accommodation, shall be deemed to have been granted or undertaken by such Borrower to Agent for the ratable benefit of Revolving Loan Lenders. Any duties or obligations undertaken by Agent to any issuer or correspondent in any application for any Letter of Credit Accommodation, or any other agreement by Agent in favor of any issuer or correspondent to the extent relating to any Letter of Credit Accommodation, shall be deemed to have been undertaken by such Borrower to Agent for the ratable benefit of Revolving Loan Lenders and to apply in all respects to such Borrower.
(l) Immediately upon the issuance or amendment of any Letter of Credit Accommodation, each Revolving Loan Lender shall be deemed to have irrevocably and unconditionally purchased and received, without recourse or warranty, an undivided interest and participation to the extent of such Revolving Loan Lender’s Pro Rata Share of the liability with respect to such Letter of Credit Accommodation (including, without limitation, all Obligations with respect thereto).
(m) Borrowers and Guarantors are irrevocably and unconditionally, jointly and severally, obligated, without presentment, demand or protest, to pay to Agent any amounts paid by an issuer of a Letter of Credit Accommodation with respect to such Letter of Credit Accommodation (whether through the borrowing of Revolving Loans in accordance with Section 2.2(a) hereof or otherwise). In the event that Borrowers and Guarantors fail to pay Agent on the date of any payment under a Letter of Credit Accommodation in an amount equal to the amount of such payment, Agent (to the extent it has actual notice thereof) shall promptly notify each Revolving Loan Lender of the unreimbursed amount of such payment and each Revolving Loan Lender agrees, upon one (1) Business Day’s notice, to fund to Agent the purchase of its participation in such Letter of Credit Accommodation in an amount equal to its Pro Rata Share of the unpaid amount. The obligation of each Revolving Loan Lender to deliver to Agent an amount equal to its respective participation pursuant to the foregoing sentence is absolute and unconditional and such remittance shall be made notwithstanding the occurrence or continuance of any Event of Default, the failure to satisfy any other condition set forth in Section 4 hereof or any other event or circumstance. If such amount is not made available by a Revolving Loan Lender when due, Agent shall be entitled to recover such amount on demand from such Revolving Loan Lender with interest thereon, for each day from the date such amount was due until the date such amount is paid to Agent at the Federal Funds Rate for each day during such period (as published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York or at Agent’s option based on the arithmetic mean determined by Agent of the rates for the last transaction in overnight Federal funds arranged prior to 9:00 a.m. (New York City time) on that day by each of the three leading brokers of Federal funds transactions in New York City selected by Agent) and if such amounts are not paid within three (3) days of Agent’s demand, at the highest Revolving Loan Interest Rate provided for in Section 3.1 hereof applicable to Prime Rate Loans.
Letter of Credit Advances (i) The Borrower shall repay to the Paying Agent for the account of each Issuing Bank and each other Revolving Credit Lender that has made a Letter of Credit Advance on the earlier of demand and the Termination Date the outstanding principal amount of each Letter of Credit Advance made by each of them.
(ii) The Obligations of the Borrower under this Agreement, any Letter of Credit Agreement and any other agreement or instrument relating to any Letter of Credit, and the obligations of Revolving Credit Lenders to reimburse any Issuing Bank for Letter of Credit Advances not reimbursed by the Borrower, shall be unconditional and irrevocable, and shall be paid strictly in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, such Letter of Credit Agreement and such other agreement or instrument under all circumstances, including, without limitation, the following circumstances:
(A) any lack of validity or enforceability of any Loan Document, any Letter of Credit Agreement, any Letter of Credit or any other agreement or instrument relating thereto (all of the foregoing being, collectively, the “L/C Related Documents”);
(B) any change in the time, manner or place of payment of, or in any other term of, all or any of the Obligations of the Borrower in respect of any L/C Related Document or any other amendment or waiver of or any consent to departure from all or any of the L/C Related Documents;
(C) the existence of any claim, set-off, defense or other right that the Borrower may have at any time against any beneficiary or any transferee of a Letter of Credit (or any Persons for which any such beneficiary or any such transferee may be acting), any Issuing Bank or any other Person, whether in connection with the transactions contemplated by the L/C Related Documents or any unrelated transaction;
(D) any statement or any other document presented under a 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;
(E) payment by any Issuing Bank under a Letter of Credit against presentation of a draft or certificate that does not comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit;
(F) any exchange, release or non-perfection of any Collateral or other collateral, or any release or amendment or waiver of or consent to departure from the Guaranties or any other guarantee, for all or any of the Obligations of the Borrower in respect of the L/C Related Documents; or
(G) any other circumstance or happening whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing, including, without limitation, any other circumstance that might otherwise constitute a defense available to, or a discharge of, the Borrower or a Guarantor.
