Operation of Business (a) Except as expressly contemplated by this Agreement or consented to by the Buyer in writing (which consent will not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed), during the period from the date of this Agreement to the Closing or the earlier termination of this Agreement in accordance with Article XI hereof (the “Pre-Closing Period”), the Company shall, and shall cause each Consolidated Subsidiary to, conduct its operations only in the Ordinary Course of Business and in compliance with all applicable Laws and, to the extent consistent therewith, use its Reasonable Best Efforts to preserve intact its current business organization, keep available the services of its current officers and employees and preserve its relationships with customers, vendors and independent contractors and consultants. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, and except as expressly contemplated by this Agreement, during the Pre-Closing Period the Company shall not, and shall cause each Consolidated Subsidiary not to, without the written consent of the Buyer (which consent will not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed):
(i) issue or sell any stock or other securities of the Company or any Consolidated Subsidiary or any options, warrants or rights to acquire any such stock or other securities;
(ii) split, combine or reclassify any shares of its capital stock; or declare, set aside or pay any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, stock or property or any combination thereof) in respect of its capital stock;
(iii) create, incur or assume any Indebtedness in excess of $*** per occurrence or $*** in the aggregate, except accounts payable arising in the Ordinary Course of Business; assume, guarantee, endorse or otherwise become liable or responsible (whether directly, contingently or otherwise) for the obligations of any other Person; or make any loans, advances or capital contributions to, or investments in, any other Person, other than in the Ordinary Course of Business;
(iv) except as required to comply with applicable Law or agreements, plans or arrangements existing on the date of this Agreement and listed in the Disclosure Schedule (A) take any action with respect to, adopt, enter into, terminate or amend any Employee Benefit Plan or any collective bargaining agreement (other than matters with respect to lxxxxxxxx unions in Canada, following consultation with Buyer) (B) increase the compensation or benefits of, or pay or promise any bonus to, any director or officer, or materially modify their terms of employment or engagement, (C) amend or accelerate the payment, right to payment or vesting of any compensation or benefits, including any outstanding equity compensation, except in the Ordinary Course of Business, (D) hire any new officers or (except in the Ordinary Course of Business) any new employees, (E) grant any awards under any bonus, incentive, performance or other compensation plan or arrangement or benefit plan, including the grant of performance units or the removal of existing restrictions in any benefit plans or agreements or awards made thereunder, or (F) take any action to fund or in any other way secure the payment of compensation or benefits under any employee plan, agreement, contract or arrangement or benefit plan; *** Represents material omitted per the registrant's Confidential Treatment Request and filed separately with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Rule 24b-2 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
(v) acquire, sell, lease, license or dispose of any material assets or property (including any shares or other equity interests in or securities of any Consolidated Subsidiary or any other corporation, partnership, association or other business organization or division thereof), other than (A) acquisition of capital assets permitted by subsection (xii) below, and (B) sales of obsolete or worn-out inventory or assets in the Ordinary Course of Business and having a fair market value of not more than $*** in the aggregate;
(vi) mortgage or pledge any of its property or assets or subject any such property or assets to any Lien (other than Permitted Encumbrances);
(vii) amend its charter, bylaws, certificate of formation, limited liability company agreement or other organizational documents;
(viii) change the flag or registry of a Vessel;
(ix) change its accounting methods, principles or practices, except insofar as may be required by a generally applicable change in GAAP;
(x) make or change any Tax election, change an annual accounting period, file any amended Tax Return, enter into any closing agreement, waive or extend any statute of limitation with respect to Taxes, settle or compromise any Tax Liability, claim or assessment, surrender any right to claim a refund of Taxes or take any other similar action relating to the filing of any Tax Return or the payment of any Tax;
(xi) enter into, amend, terminate, take or omit to take any action that would constitute a violation of or default under, or waive any rights under, any contract or agreement of a nature required to be listed in Section 5.17 of the Disclosure Schedule, except in the Ordinary Course of Business, provided, for avoidance of doubt, amendments, modifications and termination of ocean service contracts with customers shall be deemed to be in the Ordinary Course of Business;
(xii) make or commit to make any capital expenditures in an aggregate amount exceeding by more than *** the year-to-date budgeted expenditures set forth on Schedule 6.3(a)(xii);
(xiii) institute or settle any material Legal Proceeding, except in the Ordinary Course of Business, provided for avoidance of doubt, settlements of cargo damage and loss claims by customers and claims of salvors or declaration and settlement of any general average shall be deemed in the Ordinary Course of Business; or
(xiv) agree in writing or otherwise to take any of the foregoing actions. *** Represents material omitted per the registrant's Confidential Treatment Request and filed separately with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Rule 24b-2 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
(b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, certain business conducted by the Company and Consolidated Subsidiaries may be in competition with business conducted by one or more subsidiaries of Buyer (such businesses referred to herein as the “Competing Trades”). Nothing in this Agreement is intended to restrict the Company, the Consolidated Subsidiaries or the Buyer and its subsidiaries from continuing to engage in business in competition with each other.
Audit and Inspection of Plants, Places of Business and Records (a) The State and its agents, including, but not limited to, the Connecticut Auditors of Public Accounts, Attorney General and State’s Attorney and their respective agents, may, at reasonable hours, inspect and examine all of the parts of the Contractor’s and Contractor Parties’ plants and places of business which, in any way, are related to, or involved in, the performance of this Contract.
(b) The Contractor shall maintain, and shall require each of the Contractor Parties to maintain, accurate and complete Records. The Contractor shall make all of its and the Contractor Parties’ Records available at all reasonable hours for audit and inspection by the State and its agents.
(c) The State shall make all requests for any audit or inspection in writing and shall provide the Contractor with at least twenty-four (24) hours’ notice prior to the requested audit and inspection date. If the State suspects fraud or other abuse, or in the event of an emergency, the State is not obligated to provide any prior notice.
(d) The Contractor will pay for all costs and expenses of any audit or inspection which reveals information that, in the sole determination of the State, is sufficient to constitute a breach by the Contractor under this Contract. The Contractor will remit full payment to the State for such audit or inspection no later than 30 days after receiving an invoice from the State. If the State does not receive payment within such time, the State may setoff the amount from any moneys which the State would otherwise be obligated to pay the Contractor in accordance with this Contract's Setoff provision.
(e) The Contractor shall keep and preserve or cause to be kept and preserved all of its and Contractor Parties’ Records until three (3) years after the latter of (i) final payment under this Contract, or (ii) the expiration or earlier termination of this Contract, as the same may be modified for any reason. The State may request an audit or inspection at any time during this period. If any Claim or audit is started before the expiration of this period, the Contractor shall retain or cause to be retained all Records until all Claims or audit findings have been resolved.
(f) The Contractor shall cooperate fully with the State and its agents in connection with an audit or inspection. Following any audit or inspection, the State may conduct and the Contractor shall cooperate with an exit conference.
(g) The Contractor shall incorporate this entire Section verbatim into any contract or other agreement that it enters into with any Contractor Party.
