WILLIAMS PARTNERS L.P. 6,600,000 Common Units Representing Limited Partner Interests UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
Exhibit 1.1
XXXXXXXX PARTNERS L.P.
6,600,000 Common Units
Representing Limited Partner Interests
, 2006
XXXXXX BROTHERS INC.
CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS INC.
As the Representatives of the several
Underwriters named in Schedule 1
c/x Xxxxxx Brothers Inc.
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS INC.
As the Representatives of the several
Underwriters named in Schedule 1
c/x Xxxxxx Brothers Inc.
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
c/o Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Xxxxxxxx Partners L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the “Partnership”), proposes to issue
and sell to the several Underwriters named in Schedule 1 hereto (the “Underwriters”)
6,600,000 common units (the “Firm Units”) representing limited partner interests in the Partnership
(the “Common Units”). Xxxxxx Brothers Inc. and Citigroup Global Markets Inc. shall act as
representatives (the “Representatives”) of the several Underwriters.
In addition, the Partnership proposes to grant to the Underwriters an option to purchase up to
an additional 990,000 Common Units on the terms and for the purposes set forth in Section 2 (the
“Option Units”). The Firm Units and the Option Units, if purchased, are hereinafter collectively
called the “Units.” Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the same meanings
given them in the Partnership Agreement or the Prospectus (each as defined herein).
It is understood and agreed to by all parties that the Partnership was formed to own, operate
and acquire the natural gas gathering, transportation and processing, and natural gas liquids
fractionation and storage, assets and business held by various subsidiaries of The Xxxxxxxx
Companies, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Xxxxxxxx”), as described more particularly in the
Prospectus. Xxxxxxxx Partners GP LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, serves as the general
partner (the “General Partner”) of the Partnership. Xxxxxxxx Energy Services, LLC, a Delaware
limited liability company and a direct wholly owned subsidiary of Xxxxxxxx (“XXX”), serves as the
sole member of the General Partner. Each of XXX, Xxxxxxxx Discovery Pipeline LLC, a Delaware
limited liability company (“Xxxxxxxx Pipeline”), Xxxxxxxx Partners Holdings LLC, a Delaware limited
liability company (“Holdings”), and Xxxxxxxx Energy, L.L.C., a Delaware limited liability company
(“WE”), are limited partners of the Partnership.
The Partnership is the sole member of Xxxxxxxx Partners Operating LLC, a Delaware limited
liability company (“OLLC”). OLLC is the sole member of each of Mid-Continent Fractionation and
Storage, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“MCFS”), and Carbonate Trend Pipeline LLC, a
Delaware limited liability company (“CTP”) and owns a 40% limited liability company interest in
Discovery Producer Services, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“DPS”). DPS is the sole
member of Discovery Gas Transmission, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“DGT”).
The Partnership, Xxxxxxxx and certain other Xxxxxxxx subsidiaries entered into the Amended and
Restated Credit Agreement (the “Amended Credit Agreement”), dated as of May 20, 2005, by and among
Xxxxxxxx, the Partnership, Northwest Pipeline Corporation and Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line
Corporation, as the borrowers, the lenders named therein, Citicorp USA, Inc., as administrative
agent and collateral agent, Citibank, N.A. and Bank of America, N.A., as the issuing banks, Bank of
America, N.A., as syndication agent, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., the Bank of Nova Scotia and The
Royal Bank of Scotland PLC, as co-documentation agents, and Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and Banc
of America Securities LLC, as joint lead arrangers and co-book runners, to, among other things,
allow the Partnership to borrow up to $75 million under the Amended Credit Agreement for general
partnership purposes, including acquisitions. In addition, the Partnership entered into a working
capital loan agreement with Xxxxxxxx providing for a $20 million revolving credit facility (the
“Revolving Credit Agreement”).
Concurrently with the offer and sale of the Units, the Partnership will offer and sell $
million in aggregate principal amount of senior notes (the “Notes”) in a private placement (the
“Notes Offering”) pursuant to a Purchase Agreement
among the Partnership, OLLC,
and the Initial Purchasers named therein (the “Notes Purchase Agreement”). The Notes will
be issued pursuant to an Indenture, dated as of the First Delivery Date, between the Partnership
and , as trustee (the “Indenture”).
Prior to the date hereof, the following transactions occurred:
(a) Xxxxxxxx Field Services Company LLC (“WFS Company”), a Delaware limited liability
company and wholly owned subsidiary of Xxxxxxxx Field Services Group LLC (“WFS Group”),
formed Xxxxxxxx Four Corners LLC (“Four Corners LLC”) for the purpose of holding all of the
assets owned and operated by WFS Company in what is commonly referred to as the “four
corners” area of Colorado and New Mexico, including (i) the Xxxxxxx, Xxxx and Xxxxxxx
processing plants, (ii) the Xxxxxxx and Xxxxxxxxx treating facilities and (iii)
approximately 3,500 miles of associated gathering systems (collectively, the “Four Corners
Assets”).
(b) Pursuant to an Asset Contribution Agreement between WFS Company and Four Corners
LLC (the “Asset Contribution Agreement”), WFS Company conveyed the Four Corners Assets to
Four Corners LLC.
(c) XXX, WFS Group, WFS Company, the General Partner, the Partnership and OLLC entered
into a Purchase and Sale Agreement (the “Purchase and Sale
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Agreement”)
pursuant to which OLLC will acquire a 25.1% interest in Four Corners LLC from
WFS Company on the First Delivery Date.
The transactions described in clauses (a)-(c) above are referred to herein collectively as the
“Prior Transactions.”
On the First Delivery Date, the following transaction will occur, unless otherwise noted:
(a) XXX, WFS Group, WFS Company, the General Partner, the Partnership and OLLC will
enter into an Interest Contribution Agreement (the “Interest Contribution Agreement”)
pursuant to which the following transactions will occur on the First Delivery Date, unless
otherwise noted:
(i)
WFS Company will distribute a 25.1% limited liability company interest in
Four Corners LLC (the “Four Corners Interest”) to WFS Group.
(ii) WFS Group will distribute the Four Corners Interest to XXX.
(iii) XXX will convey the Four Corners Interest to the General Partner as a
capital contribution.
(iv) The General Partner will convey the Four Corners Interest to the
Partnership as a capital contribution.
(b)
The public, through the Underwriters, will contribute
$ million, $ million net of the Underwriters’ discounts and commissions (the “Offering Proceeds”), to the
Partnership in exchange for
Common Units representing a % limited partner
interest in the Partnership.
(c) Pursuant to the Notes Purchase Agreement, the Initial Purchasers in the Notes
Offering will pay $ million, $ net of the Initial Purchasers’ discounts and
commissions (the “Notes Offering Proceeds”), to the Partnership in exchange for the Notes.
(d) The Partnership will use the Offering Proceeds and the Notes Offering Proceeds to
(i) pay the underwriting discounts and commissions related to the offering of the Units,
(ii) pay the initial purchasers’ discounts, if any, and commissions related to the Notes
Offering, (iii) pay approximately $ million (excluding the Underwriters’ discounts and
commissions related to the offering of the Units and Initial Purchasers’ discounts and
commissions related to the Notes Offering) in offering expenses incurred by the Partnership,
(iv) pay $ million to the General Partner in consideration for the contribution of the
Four Corners Interest to the Partnership and (v) provide $ of additional working capital.
(e) The Partnership will contribute the Four Corners Interest to OLLC as a contribution
to the capital of OLLC.
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(f) The limited liability company agreement of Four Corners LLC will be amended and
restated to the extent necessary to reflect the foregoing transactions and any other
transactions contemplated by the Purchase and Sale Agreement, the Asset Contribution
Agreement and the Interest Contribution Agreement.
(g) If the Underwriters exercise their option to purchase any Option Units within 30
days after the date of this Agreement as provided in Section 2, the Partnership will sell
the Option Units to the Underwriters at the price set forth in Section 2.
Each of MCFS, CTP, DPS, DGT and Four Corners LLC is referred to herein, individually, as a
“Subsidiary” and, collectively, as the “Subsidiaries.”
The transactions described above in clauses (a)-(g) above are referred to as the “Subsequent
Transactions” and, together with the Prior Transactions, are referred to as the “Transactions.”
The Partnership, the General Partner, OLLC and the Subsidiaries are sometimes referred to
herein collectively as the “Partnership Entities.” XXX, WFS Group, WFS Company, OLLC, the General
Partner, the Partnership and OLLC are sometimes referred to herein collectively as the “Xxxxxxxx
Parties.” The Xxxxxxxx Parties, together with Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx Pipeline, Holdings and WE are
sometimes referred to herein collectively as the “Xxxxxxxx Entities”.
This is to confirm the agreement concerning the purchase of the Firm Units and the Option
Units, if any, from the Partnership by the Underwriters.
Section 1. Representations, Warranties and Agreements of the Xxxxxxxx Parties. The Xxxxxxxx
Parties jointly and severally represent, warrant and agree that:
(a)
A registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-133065) with respect to the
Units has (i) been prepared by the Partnership in conformity with the requirements of the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and the rules and regulations
(the “Rules and Regulations”) of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”)
thereunder, (ii) been filed with the Commission under the Securities Act and (iii) become
effective under the Securities Act. Copies of such registration statement and each of the
amendments thereto have been delivered by the Partnership to the Representatives. As used
in this Agreement,
(i)
“Applicable Time” means a.m. (New York City time) on the date of this
agreement;
(ii) “Effective Date” means the date and the time as of which such registration
statement, or the most recent post-effective amendment thereto, if any, was declared
effective by the Commission;
(iii) “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means each “free writing prospectus” (as defined
in Rule 405 of the Rules and Regulations) prepared by or on behalf of the
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Partnership or used or referred to by the Partnership in connection with the offering
the Units;
(iv) “Preliminary Prospectus” means any preliminary prospectus included in such
registration statement or filed with the Commission by the Partnership with the consent of
the Representatives pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations;
(v) “Pricing Disclosure Package” means, as of the Applicable Time, the most recent
Preliminary Prospectus, together with each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus filed or used by
the Partnership on or before the Applicable Time, other than a road show that is an Issuer
Free Writing Prospectus but is not required to be filed under Rule 433 of the Rules and
Regulations;
(vi) “Prospectus” means the final prospectus relating to the Units, as filed with the
Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations; and
(vii) “Registration Statement” means such registration statement, as amended as of the
Effective Date, including any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus and all exhibits to
such Registration Statement.
Any reference to any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to
and include any documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Form S-1 under the
Securities Act as of the date of such Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case
may be. Any reference to any amendment or supplement to any Preliminary Prospectus or the
Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include any document filed under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), after the date of such Preliminary
Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be, and before the date of such amendment or
supplement and incorporated by reference in such Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus,
as the case may be. Any reference to the “most recent Preliminary Prospectus” shall be
deemed to refer to the latest Preliminary Prospectus included in the Registration Statement
or filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) prior to or on the date hereof. Any reference herein to
the term “Registration Statement” shall be deemed to include any abbreviated registration
statement to register additional Units under Rule 462(b) of the Rules and Regulations (the
“Rule 462 Registration Statement”).
(b) The Partnership was not at the time of initial filing of the Registration Statement
and at the earliest time thereafter that the Partnership or another offering participant
made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) of the Rules and Regulations)
of the Units, is not on the date hereof and will not be on the applicable Delivery Date an
“ineligible issuer” (as defined in Rule 405). The Partnership has met all the conditions
for incorporation by reference pursuant to the General Instructions to Form S-1.
(c) The Registration Statement conformed and will conform in all material respects on
the Effective Date and on the applicable Delivery Date, and any amendment to the
Registration Statement filed after the date hereof will conform in all material respects
when filed, to the requirements of the Securities Act and the Rules and
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Regulations. The Preliminary Prospectus conformed, and the Prospectus will conform, in
all material respects when filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) and on the
applicable Delivery Date to the requirements of the Securities Act and the Rules and
Regulations. The documents incorporated by reference in any Preliminary Prospectus or the
Prospectus conformed, when filed with the Commission, in all material respects to the
requirements of the Exchange Act or the Securities Act, as applicable, and the rules and
regulations of the Commission thereunder.
(d) The Registration Statement did not, as of the Effective Date, contain an untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein
or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; provided that no representation
or warranty is made as to information contained in or omitted from the Registration
Statement in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the
Partnership through the Representatives by or on behalf of any Underwriter specifically for
inclusion therein, which information is specified in Section 8(e).
(e) The Prospectus will not, as of its date and on the applicable Delivery Date,
contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to
be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that no representation or
warranty is made as to information contained in or omitted from the Prospectus in reliance
upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Partnership through the
Representatives by or on behalf of any Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein, which
information is specified in Section 8(e).
(f) The documents incorporated by reference in any Preliminary Prospectus or the
Prospectus did not, when filed with the Commission, contain an untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made,
not misleading.
(g) The Pricing Disclosure Package did not, as of the Applicable Time, contain an
untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading, except that the price of the Units and disclosures
directly relating thereto will be included on the cover page of the Prospectus; provided
that no representation or warranty is made as to information contained in or omitted from
the Pricing Disclosure Package in reliance upon and in conformity with written information
furnished to the Company through the Representatives by or on behalf of any Underwriter
specifically for inclusion therein, which information is specified in Section 8(e).
(h) Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (including, without limitation, any road show
that is a free writing prospectus under Rule 433), when considered together with the Pricing
Disclosure Package as of the Applicable Time, did not contain an untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
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necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which
they were made, not misleading, except that the price of the Units and disclosures directly
relating thereto will be included on the cover page of the Prospectus.
(i) Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conformed or will conform in all material
respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations on the date
of first use, and the Company has complied with all prospectus delivery and any filing
requirements applicable to such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus pursuant to the Rules and
Regulations. The Company has not made any offer relating to the Units that would constitute
an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus without the prior written consent of the Representatives.
The Partnership has retained in accordance with the Rules and Regulations all Issuer Free
Writing Prospectuses that were not required to be filed pursuant to the Rules and
Regulations.
(j) The Partnership has been duly formed and is validly existing in good standing as a
limited partnership under the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act (the
“Delaware LP Act”), has full partnership power and authority necessary to own or hold its
properties and assets and to conduct the businesses in which it is engaged, and is, or at
each Delivery Date will be, duly registered or qualified to do business as a foreign limited
partnership in each jurisdiction listed opposite its name in Annex I, such
jurisdictions being the only jurisdictions in which its ownership or lease of property or
the conduct of its business requires such qualification, except where the failure to so
register or qualify could not reasonably be expected to (i) have a material adverse effect
on the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, securityholders’ equity,
properties, business or prospects of the Partnership Entities, taken as a whole (a “Material
Adverse Effect”) or (ii) subject the limited partners of the Partnership to any material
liability or disability.
(k) Each of the General Partner, OLLC, MCFS, CTP, DPS, DGT, XXX, WFS Group, WFS Company
and Four Corners LLC has been duly formed and is validly existing in good standing as a
limited liability company under Delaware LLC Act, has full limited liability company power
and authority necessary to own or hold its properties and to conduct the businesses in which
it is engaged, and is, or at each Delivery Date will be, duly registered or qualified to do
business as a foreign limited liability company in each jurisdiction listed opposite its
name in Annex I, such jurisdictions being the only jurisdictions in which its
ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its business requires such qualification,
except where the failure to so register or qualify could not reasonably be expected to (i)
have a Material Adverse Effect or (ii) subject the limited partners of the Partnership to
any material liability or disability.
(l) Xxxxxxxx has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in
good standing under the DGCL, has full corporate all power and authority necessary to own or
hold its properties and to conduct the businesses in which it is engaged, and is, or at each
Delivery Date will be, duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation in each
jurisdiction listed opposite its name in Annex I, such jurisdictions being the only
jurisdictions in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its businesses
requires such qualification, except where the failure to so
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register or qualify could not reasonably be expected to (i) have a Material Adverse
Effect or (ii) subject the limited partners of the Partnership to any material liability or
disability.
(m) On the First Delivery Date, after giving effect to the Transactions, the General
Partner will be the sole general partner of the Partnership with an initial 2.0% general
partner interest in the Partnership; such general partner interest will be duly authorized
and validly issued in accordance with the Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited
Partnership of the Partnership (as the same may be amended and restated on or prior to the
First Delivery Date, the “Partnership Agreement”); and the General Partner will own such
general partner interest free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, security interests,
charges or claims (collectively, “Liens”).
(n) As of the date of the Prospectus, other than the Units to be offered by the
Partnership under this Agreement, the Partnership has no limited partner interests issued
and outstanding other than the following:
(i) 253,557 Common Units and 715,693 Subordinated Units held by XXX (the “XXX
Sponsor Units”);
(ii) 715,693 Common Units and 2,504,925 Subordinated Units held by WE (the “WE
Sponsor Units”)
(iii) 345,567 Common Units and 1,209,486 Subordinated Units held by Xxxxxxxx
Pipeline (the “Xxxxxxxx Pipeline Sponsor Units”);
(iv) 685,183 Common Units and 2,398,139 Subordinated Units held by Holdings
(the “Holdings Sponsor Units” and collectively with the XXX Sponsor Units, the WE
Sponsor Units, the Xxxxxxxx Pipeline Sponsor Units and the Holdings Sponsor Units,
the “Sponsor Units”);
(v) the Incentive Distribution Rights (as defined in the Partnership Agreement) held by
the General Partner; and
(vi)
Common Units, representing an aggregate % interest in the Partnership, issued to
public unitholders (the “Existing Public Units”).
The Sponsor Units represent an aggregate % interest in the Partnership. All of such
Sponsor Units, Incentive Distribution Rights, Common Units and the limited partner interests
represented thereby have been duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with the
Partnership Agreement, and are fully paid (to the extent required under the Partnership
Agreement) and non-assessable (except as such non-assessability may be affected by (i)
matters described in the Prospectus under the captions “The Partnership Agreement—Limited
Liability” and “Risk Factors—Risks Inherent in an Investment in Us—You may not have limited
liability if a court finds that unitholder action constitutes control of our business. You
may also have liability to repay distributions.” and (ii) Sections 17-303 and 17-607 of the
Delaware LP Act); and XXX owns such XXX Sponsor Units, WE owns such WE Sponsor Units,
Xxxxxxxx Pipeline owns such Xxxxxxxx Pipeline Sponsor Units, Holdings owns such Holdings
Sponsor Units and the General
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Partner owns such Incentive Distribution Rights, in each case, free and clear of all Liens
(except, with respect to the Sponsor Units and the Incentive Distribution Rights,
restrictions on transferability contained in the Partnership Agreement or as described in
the Prospectus).
(o) The Firm Units and the Option Units, if any, to be issued and sold by the
Partnership to the Underwriters under this Agreement have been duly authorized and, when
issued and delivered against payment therefor in accordance with this Agreement, will be
validly issued, fully paid (to the extent required under the Partnership Agreement) and
non-assessable (except as such non-assessability may be affected by (i) matters described in
the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus under the captions “The
Partnership Agreement—Limited Liability” and “Risk Factors—Risks Inherent in an Investment
in Us—You may not have limited liability if a court finds that unitholder action constitutes
control of our business. You may also have liability to repay distributions.” and (ii)
Sections 17-303 and 17-607 of the Delaware LP Act); the Firm Units and the Option Units, if
any, when issued and delivered against payment therefor in accordance with this Agreement,
will conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof contained in the
Prospectus; and other than the Sponsor Units, the Incentive Distribution Rights and the
Existing Public Units, the Firm Units and the Option Units, if any, will be the only limited
partner interests of the Partnership issued and outstanding at each Delivery Date.
(p) The Partnership is the sole member of OLLC with a 100% limited liability company
interest in OLLC; such limited liability company interest has been duly authorized and
validly issued in accordance with the Limited Liability Company Agreement of OLLC (as the
same may be amended and restated on or prior to the First Delivery Date, the “OLLC
Agreement”) and is fully paid (to the extent required under the OLLC Agreement) and
non-assessable (except as such non-assessability may be affected by Section 18-607 of the
Delaware LLC Act); and the Partnership owns such limited liability company interest free and
clear of all Liens.
(q)
On the First Delivery Date, OLLC will own a 25.1% limited liability company interest
in Four Corners LLC; such limited liability company interests will be duly authorized and
validly issued in accordance with the Four Corners LLC Agreement and is fully paid (to the
extent required under the Four Corners LLC Agreement) and non-assessable (except as such
non-accessibility may be affected by Section 18-607 of the Delaware LLC Act); and OLLC will
own such limited liability company interest free and clear of all Liens.
(r) OLLC owns a 100% limited liability company interest in each of MCFS and CTP; such
limited liability company interests have been duly authorized and validly issued in
accordance with the respective limited liability company agreements of each of MCFS and CTP
(as the same may be amended or restated on or prior to the First Delivery Date, the “Wholly
Owned Subsidiary LLC Agreements”), and have been fully paid (to the extent required under
the Wholly Owned Subsidiary LLC Agreements) and non-assessable (except as such
non-assessability may be affected by Section 18-607 of the
9
Delaware LLC Act); and OLLC owns such limited liability company interests free and
clear of all Liens.
(s) OLLC owns a 40% limited liability company interest in DPS; such limited liability
company interest has been duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with the limited
liability company agreement of DPS (as such may be amended and restated on or prior to the
First Delivery Date, the “DPS LLC Agreement”); and OLLC owns such limited liability company
interest free and clear of all Liens. DPS is the sole member of DGT with a 100% limited
liability company interest in DGT; such limited liability company interest has been duly
authorized and validly issued in accordance with the limited liability company agreement of
DGT (as the same may be amended or restated on or prior to the First Delivery Date (the “DGT
LLC Agreement”), and together with the DPS LLC Agreement and the Wholly Owned Subsidiary LLC
Agreements, the “Subsidiary LLC Agreements”) and is fully paid (to the extent required under
the DGT LLC Agreement) and non-assessable (except as such non-assessability may be affected
by Section 18-607 of the Delaware LLC Act); and DPS owns such limited liability company
interest free and clear of all Liens.
(t) Other than (i) the General Partner’s ownership of an initial 2.0% general partner
interest in the Partnership and its ownership of the Incentive Distribution Rights, (ii) the
Partnership’s ownership of a 100% limited liability company interest in OLLC, (iii) OLLC’s
ownership of a 100% limited liability company interest in each of MCFS and CTP, (iv) OLLC’s
ownership of a 40% limited liability company interest in DPS, (v) DPS’ 100% limited
liability company interest in DGT, and (vi) OLLC’s
ownership of a 25.1% limited liability
company interest in Four Corners LLC, on each Delivery Date, after giving effect to the
Transactions, none of the Partnership Entities will own, directly or indirectly, any equity
or long-term debt securities of any corporation, partnership, limited liability company,
joint venture, association or other entity; and none of the entities mentioned in the
preceding clauses (i) through (vi), other than OLLC, MCFS and CTP is a “significant
subsidiary” of the Partnership as such term is defined in Rule 405 of the Rules and
Regulations.
(u) XXX owns a 100% limited liability company interest in the General Partner; such
limited liability company interest has been duly authorized and validly issued in accordance
with the limited liability agreement of the General Partner (as the same may be amended or
restated on or prior to the First Delivery Date, the “GP LLC Agreement”), and is fully paid
(to the extent required under the GP LLC Agreement) and non-assessable (except as such
non-assessability may be affected by Section 18-607 of the Delaware LLC Act); and XXX owns
such limited liability company interest free and clear of all Liens.
(v) Xxxxxxxx owns a 100% limited liability company interest in each of XXX, WFS Group
and WFS Company; such limited liability company interests have been duly authorized and
validly issued in accordance with the respective limited liability company agreements of
XXX, WFS Group and WFS Company (as the same may be amended or restated on or prior to the
First Delivery Date, the “Xxxxxxxx Subsidiary LLC Agreements”) and are fully paid (to the
extent required under the Xxxxxxxx Subsidiary
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LLC Agreements) and non-assessable (except as such non-assessability may be
affected by Section 18-607 of the Delaware LLC Act); and Xxxxxxxx owns such limited
liability company interests free and clear of all Liens.
(w) WE owns a 20% limited liability company interest in DPS; such membership interest
has been duly and validly issued in accordance with the DPS LLC Agreement and is fully paid
(to the extent required under the DPS LLC Agreement) and non-assessable (except as such
non-assessability may be affected by Section 18-607 of the Delaware LLC Act); and WE owns
such limited liability company interest free and clear of all Liens.
(x) Except as described in the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus or as provided
in the Amended Credit Agreement, the Revolving Credit Agreement, or the Organizational
Documents, there are no preemptive rights or other rights to subscribe for or to purchase,
nor any restriction upon the voting or transfer of, (i) any limited partner interests in the
Partnership or (ii) any limited liability company interests in the General Partner, OLLC or,
except as provided in the DPS LLC Agreement and the DGT LLC Agreement, any of the
Subsidiaries, in each case pursuant to the Partnership Agreement, the OLLC Agreement, the GP
LLC Agreement or the Subsidiary LLC Agreements, each as amended or restated on or prior to
the First Delivery Date (collectively, the “Organizational Documents”), or any other
agreement or instrument to which any of such entities is a party or by which any one of them
may be bound. Except as described in the Prospectus, there are no outstanding options or
warrants to purchase (A) any Common Units or Subordinated Units or other interests in the
Partnership or (B) any interests in the General Partner, OLLC or the Subsidiaries.
(y) None of the Partnership Entities has sold or issued any securities that would be
integrated with the offering of the Units contemplated by this Agreement pursuant to the
Securities Act, the Rules and Regulations or the interpretations thereof by the Commission.
(z) The Partnership has all requisite power and authority to issue, sell and deliver
the Firm Units and the Option Units, if any, in accordance with and upon the terms and
conditions set forth in this Agreement, the Partnership Agreement, the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus. On each Delivery Date, all corporate, partnership and limited
liability company action, as the case may be, required to be taken by the Xxxxxxxx Entities
or any of their stockholders, members or partners for the authorization, issuance, sale and
delivery of the Firm Units and the Option Units, if any, and the consummation of the
transactions (including the Transactions) contemplated by this Agreement, shall have been
validly taken.
(aa) This Agreement has been duly and validly authorized, executed and delivered by
each of the Xxxxxxxx Parties.
(bb) (i) The Partnership Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by
the General Partner and is a valid and legally binding agreement of the General Partner,
enforceable against the General Partner in accordance with its terms;
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(ii) The OLLC Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the
Partnership and is a valid and legally binding agreement of the Partnership,
enforceable against the Partnership in accordance with its terms;
(iii) The GP LLC Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by
XXX, and is a valid and legally binding agreement of XXX, enforceable against XXX in
accordance with its terms;
(iv) Each of the MCFS LLC Agreement and the CTP LLC Agreement has been duly
authorized, executed and delivered by OLLC, and each is a valid and legally binding
agreement of OLLC, enforceable against OLLC in accordance with its terms;
(v) The DPS LLC Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by
each of OLLC and WE and, assuming due authorization, execution and delivery by Duke
Energy Field Services, LP (“DEFS”), is a valid and legally binding agreement of OLLC
and WE, enforceable against each of them in accordance with its terms
(vi) The omnibus agreement among XXX, WE, Xxxxxxxx Pipeline, Holdings, the
General Partner, the Partnership, OLLC and Xxxxxxxx (the “Omnibus Agreement”) has
been duly authorized, executed and delivered by each of XXX, WE, Xxxxxxxx Pipeline,
Holdings, the General Partner, the Partnership, OLLC and Xxxxxxxx and is a valid and
legally binding agreement of each of them, enforceable against each of them in
accordance with its terms;
(vii) Each of the Amended Credit Agreement and the Revolving Credit Agreement
have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Partnership and is a valid
and legally binding agreement of the Partnership, enforceable against the
Partnership in accordance with its terms;
(viii) The Purchase and Sale Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and
delivered by each of XXX, WFS Group, WFS Company, the General Partner, the
Partnership and OLLC and is a valid and legally binding agreement of the each of
them, enforceable against each of them in accordance with its terms; and
(ix) The Asset Contribution Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and
delivered by each of WFS Company and Four Corners LLC and is a valid and legally
binding agreement of each of them, enforceable against each of them in accordance
with its terms.
provided that, with respect to each agreement described in this Section 1(bb), the
enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer,
reorganization, moratorium and similar laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights
generally and by general principles of equity (regardless of whether such enforceability is
considered in a proceeding in equity or at law); and provided, further, that the indemnity,
12
contribution and exoneration provisions contained in any of such agreements may be limited
by applicable laws and public policy.
(cc) On or before the First Delivery Date:
(i) The Interest Contribution Agreement will have been duly authorized,
executed and delivered by each of XXX, WFS Group, WFS Company, the General Partner,
the Partnership and OLLC and will be a valid and legally binding agreement of each
of them, enforceable against each of them in accordance with its terms;
(ii) The Notes Purchase Agreement will have been duly authorized, executed and
delivered by the Partnership;
(iii) The Indenture will have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by
the Partnership and, assuming due authorization, execution and delivery by the
trustee named therein, will be a valid and legally binding agreement of the
Partnership, enforceable against the Partnership in accordance with its terms; and
(iv) The Four Corners LLC Agreement will have been duly authorized, executed
and delivered by each of OLLC and WFS Company and will be a valid and legally
binding agreement of each of them, enforceable against each of them in accordance
with its terms;
provided that, with respect to each agreement described in this Section 1(cc), the
enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer,
reorganization, moratorium and similar laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights
generally and by general principles of equity (regardless of whether such enforceability is
considered in a proceeding in equity or at law); and provided, further, that the indemnity,
contribution and exoneration provisions contained in any of such agreements may be limited
by applicable laws and public policy. The Purchase and Sale Agreement, Asset Contribution
Agreement and the Interest Contribution Agreement are herein collectively referred to as the
“Operative Agreements.”
(dd) None of the offering, issuance and sale by the Partnership of the Units and the
application of the net proceeds therefrom as described under “Use of Proceeds” in the most
recent Preliminary Prospectus, the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement or
the Operative Agreements by the Xxxxxxxx Entities that are parties thereto, or the
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby (including the
Transactions) (i) conflicts or will conflict with or constitutes or will constitute a
violation of the agreement of limited partnership, limited liability company agreement,
certificate or articles of incorporation or bylaws or other organizational documents of any
of the Xxxxxxxx Entities, (ii) conflicts or will conflict with or constitutes or will
constitute a breach or violation of, or a default under (or an event which, with notice or
lapse of time or both, would constitute such an event), any indenture, mortgage, deed of
trust, loan agreement, lease or other agreement or instrument to which any of the Xxxxxxxx
Entities
13
is a party or by which any of them or any of their respective properties may be bound,
(iii) violates or will violate any statute, law or regulation or any order, judgment, decree
or injunction of any court or governmental agency or body directed to any of the Xxxxxxxx
Entities or any of their properties in a proceeding to which any of them or their property
is a party or (iv) will result in the creation or imposition of any Lien upon any property
or assets of any of the Xxxxxxxx Entities, which conflicts, breaches, violations, defaults
or Liens, in the case of clauses (ii), (iii) or (iv), would, individually or in the
aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
(ee) Except for the registration of the Units under the Securities Act and such
consents, approvals, authorizations, registrations or qualifications as may be required
under the Exchange Act, and applicable state securities laws in connection with the purchase
and sale of the Units by the Underwriters, no consent, approval, authorization or order of,
or filing or registration with, any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction
over the any of the Xxxxxxxx Entities or any of their properties or assets is required for
the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Xxxxxxxx Parties and the
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and the application of the proceeds
from the sale of the Units as described under “Use of Proceeds” in the most recent
Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus.
(ff) Except as described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and
the Partnership Agreement, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the
any of the Xxxxxxxx Entities and any person granting such person the right to require the
Partnership to file a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to any
securities of the Partnership Entities owned or to be owned by such person or to require the
Partnership to include such securities in the Units registered pursuant to the Registration
Statement or in any securities being registered pursuant to any other registration statement
filed by any of the Partnership Entities under the Securities Act.
(gg) None of the Partnership Entities has sustained, since the date of the latest
audited financial statements included in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the
Prospectus, any loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other
calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or
governmental action, order or decree, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the
most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus; and, since such date, except as
described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, there has not been
any change in the capitalization or long-term debt of any of the Partnership Entities or any
adverse change, or any development involving a prospective adverse change, in or affecting
the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, securityholders’ equity,
properties, management, business or prospects of any of the Partnership Entities, in each
case except as could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(hh) The historical financial statements (including the related notes and supporting
schedules) included in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus comply as
to form in all material respects with the requirements of
14
Regulation S-X under the Securities Act and present fairly in all material respects the
financial position, results of operations and cash flows of the entities purported to be
shown thereby on the basis stated therein at the respective dates or for the respective
periods to which they apply and have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles
generally accepted in the United States consistently applied throughout the periods
involved, except to the extent disclosed therein. The selected historical and pro forma
financial and operating information set forth in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and
the Prospectus under the caption “Selected Historical and Pro Forma Financial and Operating
Data” is accurately presented in all material respects and prepared on a basis consistent
with the audited and unaudited historical consolidated financial statements and pro forma
financial statements, as applicable, from which it has been derived.
(ii) The pro forma financial statements included in the most recent Preliminary
Prospectus and the Prospectus include assumptions that provide a reasonable basis for
presenting the significant effects directly attributable to the transactions and events
described therein, the related pro forma adjustments give appropriate effect to those
assumptions, and the pro forma adjustments reflect the proper application of those
adjustments to the historical financial statement amounts in the pro forma financial
statements included in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus. The pro
forma financial statements included in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the
Prospectus comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable requirements of
Regulation S-X under the Act. At December 31, 2005, the Partnership would have had, on the
consolidated pro forma basis indicated in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the
Prospectus, a capitalization as set forth therein.
(jj) Ernst & Young LLP, who has certified certain financial statements of the
Partnership, the General Partner, Xxxxxxxx Four Corners Predecessor (as defined therein) and
DPS, whose reports appear in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus and
who have delivered the initial letter referred to in Section 7(h) hereof, were independent
registered public accountants as required by the Securities Act and the Rules and
Regulations during the periods covered by the financial statements on which they reported
contained in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus.
(kk) On each Delivery Date, after giving effect to the Transactions, each of the
Partnership Entities will have good and indefeasible title to all real property and good
title to all personal property, contemplated as owned or to be owned by any of them in the
Operative Agreements or the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, in each
case free and clear of all liens, claims, security interests, encumbrances and other
defects, except (i) such as are described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the
Prospectus or (ii) such as do not materially interfere with the use made in the past and
proposed to be made in the future of such property as described in the most recent
Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus; provided, that, with respect to title to pipeline
rights-of-way, the Xxxxxxxx Parties represent that (A) no Xxxxxxxx Entity has received any
actual notice or claim from any owner of land upon which any pipeline that will be owned by
any Subsidiary as of the First Delivery Date as described in the most recent Preliminary
Prospectus and the Prospectus is located that such Xxxxxxxx Entity does not
15
have sufficient title to enable it to use and occupy the pipeline rights-of-way as they
have been used and occupied in the past and are proposed to be used and occupied in the
future as described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus and (B) any
lack of title to the pipeline rights-of-way that will have a material adverse effect on the
ability of any Subsidiary to use and occupy the pipeline rights-of-way as they have been
used and occupied in the past and are proposed to be used and occupied in the future as
described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus will be subject to
the indemnification provisions of Section 2.3(a)(i) of the Omnibus Agreement. All assets
held under lease or license by the Partnership Entities are held under valid, subsisting and
enforceable leases or licenses, with such exceptions as are not material and do not
materially interfere with the use made in the past and proposed to be made in the future of
such assets by the Partnership Entities taken as a whole as described in the most recent
Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus. The Operative Agreements are legally sufficient
to transfer to or vest in Four Corners LLC all properties that are, individually or in the
aggregate, required to enable Four Corners LLC to conduct its operations in all material
respects as contemplated by the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus,
subject to the conditions, reservations and limitations contained in the Operative
Agreements or as described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus.
Four Corners LLC, upon the consummation of the Transactions as contemplated by the Operative
Agreements, succeeded or will succeed in all material respects to the applicable businesses,
assets, properties, liabilities and operations reflected in the pro forma financial
statements of the Partnership included in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the
Prospectus, except as disclosed in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus
and in the Operative Agreements.
(ll) Each of the Partnership Entities carry, or are covered by, insurance from insurers
of recognized financial responsibility in such amounts and covering such risks related to
property damage and liability to third parties as is reasonably adequate for the conduct of
their respective businesses and the value of their respective properties and as is customary
for companies engaged in similar businesses in similar industries. All policies of
insurance of each of the Partnership Entities are in full force and effect on the date
hereof; each of the Partnership Entities are in compliance with the terms of such policies
in all material respects as of the date hereof; and none of the Partnership Entities has
received notice from any insurer or agent of such insurer that substantial capital
improvements or other expenditures will have to be made in order to continue such insurance.
(mm) Each of the Partnership Entities owns or possesses adequate rights to use all
material patents, patent applications, trademarks, service marks, trade names, trademark
registrations, service xxxx registrations, copyrights, licenses and know-how (including
trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential
information, systems or procedures) necessary for the conduct of their respective businesses
and none of the Partnership Entities has any reason to believe that the conduct of their
respective businesses conflict or will conflict in any material respect with, and have not
received any notice of any claim of conflict with, any such rights of other parties.
16
(nn) Except as described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus,
there are no legal or governmental proceedings pending to which any of the Xxxxxxxx Parties
is a party or of which any of their property or assets is the subject that could reasonably
be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or could reasonably be expected to have a
material adverse effect on the performance of this Agreement or the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby or that are required to be described in the most recent
Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus but are not described as required; and to the
knowledge of the Xxxxxxxx Parties, no such proceedings are threatened by governmental
authorities or by others.
(oo) There are no contracts or other documents that are required to be described in the
most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus or filed as exhibits to the
Registration Statement by the Securities Act or by the Rules and Regulations that have not
been described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus or filed as
exhibits to the Registration Statement; and the statements set forth in the most recent
Preliminary Prospectus under the captions “Prospectus Summary—The Offering,” “How We Make
Cash Distributions,” “Description of the Common Units,” “Description of the Subordinated
Units” and “The Partnership Agreement,” insofar as they purport to constitute a summary of
the terms of the Common Units and the Subordinated Units, and under the captions “Material
Tax Consequences” and “Investment in Xxxxxxxx Partners L.P. by Employee Benefit Plans,”
insofar as they purport to describe the provisions of the laws and documents referred to
therein, are fair summaries in all material respects.
(pp) Except as described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus,
no labor disturbance by the employees of any of the Partnership Entities (and to the extent
they perform services on behalf of any of the Partnership Entities, employees employed
directly or indirectly by any of the Xxxxxxxx Entities other than the Partnership Entities),
exists or, to the knowledge of the Xxxxxxxx Parties, is imminent or threatened, which might
be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(qq) Each of the Xxxxxxxx Parties has filed all federal, state and local income and
franchise tax returns required to be filed through the date hereof, subject to permitted
extensions, and has timely paid all taxes shown to be due thereon, other than those (i)
which, if not paid, would not have a Material Adverse Effect, or (ii) which are being
contested in good faith and for which adequate reserves have been established in accordance
with generally accepted accounting principles.
(rr) Since the date as of which information is given in the most recent Preliminary
Prospectus and the Prospectus through the date hereof, and except with respect to the
Amended Credit Agreement or the Revolving Credit Agreement or as may otherwise be disclosed
in the most recent preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, none of the Partnership
Entities have (i) issued or granted any securities, (ii) incurred any liability or
obligation, direct or contingent, other than liabilities and obligations which were incurred
in the ordinary course of business or (iii) entered into any transaction not in the ordinary
course of business.
17
(ss) Each of the Partnership Entities (i) makes and keeps books and records which, in
reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of assets
and (ii) maintains effective internal control over financial reporting as defined in Rule
13a-15 under the Exchange Act and a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to
provide reasonable assurance that (A) transactions are executed in accordance with
management’s general or specific authorizations, (B) transactions are recorded as necessary
to permit preparation of the Partnership’s financial statements in conformity with
accounting principles generally accepted in the United States and to maintain accountability
for its assets, (C) access to the Partnership’s assets is permitted only in accordance with
management’s general or specific authorization and (D) the recorded accountability for the
Partnership’s assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and
appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences.
(tt) (i) Each of the Partnership Entities have established and maintain disclosure
controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15 under the Exchange Act),
(ii) such disclosure controls and procedures are designed to ensure that the information
required to be disclosed by the Partnership and its subsidiaries in the reports they will
file or submit under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to management of the
Partnership and its subsidiaries, including their respective principal executive officers
and principal financial officers, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding
required disclosure to be made and (iii) such disclosure controls and procedures are
effective in all material respects to perform the functions for which they were established.
(uu) Since the date of the most recent balance sheet of the Partnership and its
consolidated subsidiaries reviewed or audited by Ernst & Young LLP and the audit committee
of the board of directors of the General Partner, (i) the Partnership has not been advised
of (A) any significant deficiencies in the design or operation of internal controls that
could adversely affect the ability of the Partnership and each of its subsidiaries to
record, process, summarize and report financial data, or any material weaknesses in internal
controls and (B) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other
employees who have a significant role in the internal controls of the Partnership and each
of its subsidiaries, and (ii) since that date, there have been no significant changes in
internal controls or in other factors that could significantly affect internal controls,
including any corrective actions with regard to significant deficiencies or material
weaknesses.
(vv) Except as described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus,
no relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among the Partnership Entities, on
the one hand, and the directors, officers, securityholders, customers or suppliers of the
Partnership Entities, on the other hand, that is required to be described in the most recent
Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus which is not so described. No Partnership Entity
has, in violation of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002, directly or indirectly, extended or
maintained credit, or arranged for the extension of credit, or renewed or amended any
extension of credit, in the form of a personal loan to or for any of its directors or
executive officers.
18
(ww) The Partnership is in compliance in all material respects with the applicable
requirements of the Xxxxxxxx-Xxxxx Act of 2002.
(xx) The section entitled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition
and Results of Operations—Critical Accounting Policies” in the most recent Preliminary
Prospectus and the Prospectus accurately and fully describes (A) the accounting policies
that the Partnership believes are the most important in the portrayal of the Partnership’s
financial condition and results of operations and that require management’s most difficult,
subjective or complex judgments (“Critical Accounting Policies”); (B) the judgments and
uncertainties affecting the application of Critical Accounting Policies; and (C) the
likelihood that materially different amounts would be reported under different conditions or
using different assumptions and an explanation thereof.
(yy) None of the Xxxxxxxx Parties (i) is in violation of its certificate or agreement
of limited partnership, certificate of formation or limited liability company agreement,
certificate or articles of incorporation or bylaws or other organizational documents; (ii)
is in breach or default in any material respect, and no event has occurred which, with
notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a breach or default, in the due
performance or observance of any term, covenant or condition contained in any indenture,
mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which it is a
party or by which it is bound or to which any of its properties or assets is subject, (iii)
is in violation of any statute or any order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental
agency or body having jurisdiction over its property or assets or (iv) has failed to obtain
any license, permit, certificate, franchise or other governmental authorization or permit
necessary to the ownership of its property or to the conduct of its business, except in the
case of clauses (ii), (iii) and (iv) as could not reasonably be expected to have a Material
Adverse Effect.
(zz) None of the Xxxxxxxx Parties, nor any director, officer, employee, or to the
knowledge of the Xxxxxxxx Parties, any agent or other person associated with or acting on
behalf of any of the Xxxxxxxx Parties, has used any corporate funds for any unlawful
contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity;
made any direct or indirect unlawful payment to any foreign or domestic government official
or employee from corporate funds; violated or is in violation of any provision of the
Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977; or made any bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment,
kickback or other unlawful payment.
(aaa) Except as described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, the Xxxxxxxx
Entities (i) are in compliance with any and all applicable federal, state and local laws and
regulations relating to the protection of health and human safety, the environment or
natural resources or imposing liability or standards of conduct concerning any Hazardous
Materials (as defined below) (“Environmental Laws”), (ii) have received and, as necessary,
maintained all permits required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their
respective businesses, (iii) are in compliance with all terms and conditions of any such
permits and (iv) do not have any liability in connection with the release into the
environment of any Hazardous Material, except
19
where such noncompliance with Environmental Laws, failure to receive and maintain
required permits, failure to comply with the terms and conditions of such permits or
liability in connection with such releases could not, individually or in the aggregate,
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The term “Hazardous Materials”
means (A) any “hazardous substance” as defined in the Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation and Liability Act of 1980, as amended (“CERCLA”), (B) any “hazardous waste” as
defined in the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, as amended, (C) any petroleum or
petroleum product, (D) any polychlorinated biphenyl and (E) any pollutant or contaminant or
hazardous, dangerous or toxic chemical, material, waste or substance regulated under or
within the meaning of any other Environmental Law. None of the Xxxxxxxx Parties has been
named as a “potentially responsible party” under CERCLA or any other similar Environmental
Law, except with respect to any matters that, individually or in the aggregate, could not
reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Except as described in the most
recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, (A) none of the Xxxxxxxx Parties is a
party to any proceeding under Environmental Laws in which a governmental authority is also a
party, other than such proceedings in which it is reasonably believed that no monetary
penalties of $100,000 or more will be imposed, and (B) none of the Xxxxxxxx Parties
anticipates material capital expenditures relating to Environmental Laws.
(bbb) As of each Delivery Date, and after giving effect to the Transactions, each
Partnership Entity will be in compliance in all material respects with all presently
applicable provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended,
including the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (“ERISA”); no “reportable
event” (as defined in ERISA) has occurred with respect to any “pension plan” (as defined in
ERISA) for which any Partnership Entity (after giving effect to the Transactions) would have
any liability, excluding any reportable event for which a waiver could apply; no Partnership
Entity (after giving effect to the Transactions) expects to incur liability under (i) Title
IV of ERISA with respect to termination of, or withdrawal from, any “pension plan” or (ii)
Sections 412 or 4971 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, including the
regulations and published interpretations thereunder (the “Code”); and each “pension plan”
for which any Partnership Entity would have any liability that is intended to be qualified
under Section 401(a) of the Code has been determined by the Internal Revenue Service to be
so qualified and nothing has occurred, whether by action or by failure to act, which could
reasonably be expected to cause the loss of such qualification.
(ccc) Each of the Partnership Entities has, or at each Delivery Date will have, such
permits, consents, licenses, franchises, certificates and authorizations of governmental or
regulatory authorities (“permits”) as are necessary to own or lease its properties and to
conduct its business in the manner described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and
the Prospectus, subject to such qualifications as may be set forth in the most recent
Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus and except for such permits that, if not obtained,
could not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material
Adverse Effect; except as described in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the
Prospectus, each of the Partnership Entities has, or at
20
each Delivery Date will have, fulfilled and performed all its material obligations with
respect to such permits that are or will be due to have been fulfilled and performed by such
date; and no event has occurred that would prevent the permits from being renewed or
reissued or that allows, or after notice or lapse of time would allow, revocation or
termination thereof or results or would result in any impairment of the rights of the holder
of any such permit, except for such non-renewals, non-issues, revocations, terminations and
impairments that could not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate,
a Material Adverse Effect.
(ddd) None of the Partnership Entities are or, as of each Delivery Date after giving
effect to the Transactions and the application of the net proceeds therefrom as described
under the caption “Use of Proceeds” in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the
Prospectus, will be, (i) an “investment company” as defined in the Investment Company Act of
1940, as amended or (ii) a “public utility company,” “holding company” or a “subsidiary
company” of a “holding company” under the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935, as
amended.
(eee) The operations of the Partnership Entities are and have been conducted at all
times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of
the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money
laundering statutes of all jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any
related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any
governmental agency (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or
proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any
arbitrator involving any of the Partnership Entities with respect to the Money Laundering
Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the General Partner, threatened, except, in each
case, as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(fff) None of the Partnership Entities nor, to the knowledge of the General Partner,
any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Partnership Entities is currently
subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the
U.S. Treasury Department (“OFAC”); and the Partnership will not directly or indirectly use
the proceeds of the offering of the Units, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available
such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity, for the
purpose of financing the activities of any person currently subject to any U.S. sanctions
administered by OFAC
(ggg) None of the Xxxxxxxx Entities has distributed and, prior to the later to occur of
any Delivery Date and completion of the distribution of the Units, will not distribute any
offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Units other than any
Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to which the
Representatives have consented in accordance with Section 1(i) or 5(f).
(hhh) None of the Xxxxxxxx Entities has taken, nor will it take, directly or
indirectly, any action designed to or that has constituted or that could reasonably be
21
expected to cause or result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of the
Common Units to facilitate the sale or resale of the Units.
(iii) The Units have been approved for listing on the New York Stock Exchange, Inc.
(the “NYSE”), subject only to official notice of issuance.
(jjj) Except for this Agreement and any engagement letters with the Representatives,
there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Partnership and any person
that would give rise to a valid claim against the Partnership or any Underwriter for a
brokerage commission, finder’s fee or other like payment in connection with the offering and
sale of the Units contemplated by this Agreement.
(kkk) The statistical and market-related data included in the most recent Preliminary
Prospectus and the Prospectus and the consolidated financial statements of each of the
Partnership, DPS and Xxxxxxxx Four Corners Predecessor included in the most recent
Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the
Partnership Entities believe to be reliable and accurate in all material respects.
Each certificate signed by or on behalf of any of the Partnership Entities and delivered to
the Underwriters or counsel for the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed to be a
representation and warranty by each such Partnership Entity to the Underwriters as to the matters
covered thereby.
Section 2. Purchase of the Units by the Underwriters. On the basis of the representations and
warranties contained in and subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the Partnership
agrees to sell the Firm Units to the several Underwriters and each of the Underwriters, severally
and not jointly, agrees to purchase the number of Firm Units set forth opposite that Underwriter’s
name in Schedule 1 hereto. The respective purchase obligations of the Underwriters with
respect to the Firm Units shall be rounded among the Underwriters to avoid fractional Common Units,
as the Representatives may determine.
In
addition, the Partnership grants to the Underwriters an option to
purchase up to 990,000
Units, severally and not jointly. Such option (the “Option”) is exercisable in the event that the
Underwriters sell more Units than the number of Firm Units in the offering and as set forth in
Section 4 hereof. Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase the number of
Option Units (subject to such adjustments to eliminate fractional Common Units as the
Representatives may determine) that bears the same proportion to the total number of Option Units
to be sold on such Delivery Date as the number of Firm Units set forth in Schedule 1 hereto
opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of Firm Units.
The price of both the Firm Units and any Option Units shall be $ per Common Unit.
The Partnership shall not be obligated to deliver any of the Units to be delivered on any
Delivery Date (as hereinafter defined), except upon payment for all the Units to be purchased on
such Delivery Date as provided herein.
22
Section 3. Offering of Units by the Underwriters. Upon authorization by the Representatives of the
release of the Firm Units, the several Underwriters propose to offer the Firm Units for sale upon
the terms and conditions set forth in the Prospectus.
Section 4. Delivery of and Payment for the Units. Delivery of and payment for the Firm Units shall
be made at the offices of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx LLP, 000 Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000, Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000 at 9:00
A.M., Houston, Texas time, on the fourth full business day following the date of this Agreement or
at such other date or place as shall be determined by agreement among the Representatives and the
Partnership. This date and time are sometimes referred to as the “First Delivery Date.” On the
First Delivery Date, the Partnership shall deliver or cause to be delivered the Firm Units to the
Representatives for the account of each Underwriter in book entry form through the facilities of
DTC against payment to or upon the order of the Partnership of the purchase price by wire transfer
in immediately available funds to the accounts specified by the Partnership. Time shall be of the
essence, and delivery at the time and place specified pursuant to this Agreement is a further
condition of the obligation of each Underwriter hereunder.
The Option granted in Section 2 will expire 30 days after the date of this Agreement and may
be exercised in whole or in part from time to time by written notice being given to the Partnership
by the Representatives; provided that if such date falls on a day that is not a business day, the
Option granted in Section 2 will expire on the next succeeding business day. Such notice shall set
forth the aggregate number of Option Units as to which the Option is being exercised, the names in
which the Option Units are to be registered, the denominations in which the Option Units are to be
issued and the date and time, as determined by the Representatives, when the Option Units are to be
delivered; provided, however, that this date and time shall not be earlier than the First Delivery
Date nor earlier than the second business day after the date on which the Option shall have been
exercised nor later than the fifth business day after the date on which the Option shall have been
exercised. The date and time the Option Units are delivered are sometimes referred to as a “Second
Delivery Date” and the First Delivery Date and any Second Delivery Date are sometimes each referred
to as a “Delivery Date.”
Delivery of and payment for the Option Units shall be made at the place specified in the first
sentence of the first paragraph of this Section 4 (or at such other place as shall be determined by
agreement among the Representatives and the Partnership) at 9:00 A.M., Houston, Texas time, on such
Second Delivery Date. On such Second Delivery Date, the Partnership shall deliver or cause to be
delivered the Option Units to the Representatives for the account of each Underwriter in book entry
form through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company against payment to or upon the order of
the Partnership of the purchase price by wire transfer in immediately available funds to the
accounts specified by the Partnership. Time shall be of the essence, and delivery at the time and
place specified pursuant to this Agreement is a further condition of the obligation of each
Underwriter hereunder.
Section 5. Further Agreements of the Xxxxxxxx Parties. Each of the Xxxxxxxx Parties, jointly and
separately, covenants and agrees with each Underwriter:
(a) To prepare the Prospectus in a form approved by the Representatives and to file
such Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act not later than the
23
Commission’s close of business on the second business day following the execution and
delivery of this Agreement; to make no further amendment or any supplement to the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus prior to the last Delivery Date except as provided
herein; to advise the Representatives, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the
time when any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus has
been filed and to furnish the Representatives with copies thereof; to advise the
Representatives, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the issuance by the
Commission of any stop order or of any order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement or preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus,
the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, of the suspension of the qualification
of the Units for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, of the initiation or threatening of
any proceeding or examination for any such purpose or of any request by the Commission for
the amending or supplementing of the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the
Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or for additional information; and, in the
event of the issuance of any stop order or of any order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement or preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus,
the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or suspending any such qualification,
to use promptly its best efforts to obtain its withdrawal;
(b) To furnish promptly to the Representatives and to counsel for the Underwriters a
signed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed with the Commission, and each
amendment thereto filed with the Commission, including all consents and exhibits filed
therewith;
(c) To deliver promptly to the Representatives such number of the following documents
as the Representatives shall reasonably request: (A) conformed copies of the Registration
Statement as originally filed with the Commission and each amendment thereto (in each case
excluding exhibits other than this Agreement and the computation of per share earnings), (B)
each Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and any amended or supplemented Prospectus, (C)
each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and (D) any document incorporated by reference in any
Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus; and, if the delivery of a prospectus is required
at any time after the date hereof in connection with the offering or sale of the Units or
any other securities relating thereto and if at such time any events shall have occurred as
a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make
the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made when
such Prospectus is delivered, not misleading, or, if for any other reason it shall be
necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to comply with the Securities Act,
to notify the Representatives and, upon its request, to file such document and to prepare
and furnish without charge to each Underwriter and to any dealer in securities as many
copies as the Representatives may from time to time reasonably request of an amended or
supplemented Prospectus that will correct such statement or omission or effect such
compliance;
(d) To file promptly with the Commission any amendment to the Registration Statement or
the Prospectus or any supplement to the Prospectus that may, in the
24
reasonable judgment of the Partnership or the Representatives, be required by the
Securities Act or requested by the Commission;
(e) Prior to filing with the Commission any amendment or supplement to the Registration
Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any document incorporated by
reference in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment to any document
incorporated by reference in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment to
any document incorporated by reference in any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, to
furnish a copy thereof to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters and obtain
the consent of the Representatives to the filing;
(f) Not to make any offer relating to the Units that would constitute an Issuer Free
Writing Prospectus without the prior written consent of the Representatives.
(g) To retain in accordance with the Rules and Regulations all Issuer Free Writing
Prospectuses not required to be filed pursuant to the Rules and Regulations; and if at any
time after the date hereof any events shall have occurred as a result of which any Issuer
Free Writing Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, would conflict with the
information in the Registration Statement, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus or the
Prospectus or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any
material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or, if for any other reason it
shall be necessary to amend or supplement any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, to notify the
Representatives and, upon its request, to file such document and to prepare and furnish
without charge to each Underwriter as many copies as the Representatives may from time to
time reasonably request of an amended or supplemented Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that
will correct such conflict, statement or omission or effect such compliance;
(h) As soon as practicable after the Effective Date, to make generally available to the
Partnership’s security holders and to deliver to the Representatives an earnings statement
of the Partnership and its subsidiaries (which need not be audited) complying with Section
11(a) of the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations (including, at the option of the
Partnership, Rule 158);
(i) For a period of two years following the Effective Date, to furnish or to make
available via the Commission’s Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval (XXXXX)
System to the Representatives a copy of all materials furnished by the Partnership to its
unitholders (excluding any periodic income tax reporting materials) and all public reports
and all reports and financial statements furnished by the Partnership to the principal
national securities exchange or automated quotation system upon which the Units may be
listed pursuant to requirements of or agreements with such exchange or to the Commission
pursuant to the Exchange Act or any rule or regulation of the Commission thereunder;
25
(j) Promptly from time to time to take such action as the Representatives may
reasonably request to qualify the Units for offering and sale under the securities laws of
such jurisdictions as the Representatives may request and to comply with such laws so as to
permit the continuance of sales and dealings therein in such jurisdictions for as long as
may be necessary to complete the distribution of the Units; provided that in connection
therewith the Partnership shall not be required to (i) qualify as a foreign limited
partnership in any jurisdiction in which it would not otherwise be required to so qualify,
(ii) file a general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction or (iii) subject
itself to taxation in any jurisdiction in which it would not otherwise be subject;
(k) For a period commencing on the date hereof and ending on the 90th day after the
date of the Prospectus (the “Lock-Up Period”), not to, directly or indirectly, (1) offer for
sale, sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of (or enter into any transaction or device that is
designed to, or could be expected to, result in the disposition by any person at any time in
the future of) any Common Units or securities convertible into or exchangeable for Common
Units (other than the Units and shares issued pursuant to employee benefit plans, qualified
option plans or other employee compensation plans existing on the date hereof or pursuant to
currently outstanding options, warrants or rights), or sell or grant options, rights or
warrants with respect to any Common Units or securities convertible into or exchangeable for
Common Units (other than the grant of options pursuant to option plans existing on the date
hereof), (2) enter into any swap or other derivatives transaction that transfers to another,
in whole or in part, any of the economic benefits or risks of ownership of such Common
Units, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by
delivery of Common Units or other securities, in cash or otherwise, (3) file or cause to be
filed a registration statement, including any amendments, with respect to the registration
of any Common Units or securities convertible, exercisable or exchangeable into Common Units
or any other securities of the Partnership (other than any registration statement on Form
S-8 or Form S-3) or (4) publicly disclose the intention to do any of the foregoing, in each case without
the prior written consent of the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters, and to cause
each officer, director and unitholder of the Company set forth on Schedule 3 hereto
to furnish to the Representatives, prior to the Initial Delivery Date, a letter or letters,
substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto (the “Lock-Up Agreements”).
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if (1) during the last 17 days of the Lock-Up Period, the
Partnership issues an earnings release or material news or a material event relating to the
Partnership occurs or (2) prior to the expiration of the Lock-Up Period, the Partnership
announces that it will release earnings results during the 16-day period beginning on the
last day of the Lock-Up Period, then the restrictions imposed in the preceding paragraph
shall continue to apply until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the issuance
of the earnings release or the announcement of the material news or the occurrence of the
material event, unless the Representatives, on behalf of the Underwriters, waive such
extension in writing.
(l) To apply the net proceeds from the offering of the Units as set forth in the
Prospectus; and
26
(m) To take such steps as shall be necessary to ensure that none of the Partnership
Entities shall become an “investment company” as defined in the Investment Company Act of
1940, as amended; and
(n) Each Underwriter severally agrees that such Underwriter shall not include any
“issuer information” (as defined in Rule 433) in any “free writing prospectus” (as defined
in Rule 405) used or referred to by such Underwriter without the prior consent of the
General Partner (any such issuer information with respect to whose use the General Partner
has given its consent, being defined as “Permitted Issuer Information”); provided that (i)
no such consent shall be required with respect to any such issuer information contained in
any document filed by the Partnership with the Commission prior to the use of such free
writing prospectus and (ii) “issuer information,” as used in this Section 5(n), shall not be
deemed to include information prepared by or on behalf of such Underwriter on the basis of
or derived from issuer information.
Section 6. Expenses. The Xxxxxxxx Parties agree, whether or not the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, to pay all costs, expenses, fees
and taxes incident to and in connection with (a) the authorization, issuance, sale and delivery of
the Units and any stamp duties or other taxes payable in that connection, and the preparation and
printing of certificates for the Units; (b) the preparation, printing and filing under the
Securities Act of the Registration Statement (including any exhibits thereto), any Preliminary
Prospectus, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and any amendment or supplement
thereto; (c) the distribution of the Registration Statement (including any exhibits thereto), any
Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and any amendment or
supplement thereto, or any document incorporated by reference therein, all as provided in this
Agreement; (d) the production and distribution of this Agreement, any supplemental agreement among
Underwriters, and any other related documents in connection with the offering, purchase, sale and
delivery of the Units; (e) any required review by the National Association of Securities Dealers,
Inc. (the “NASD”) of the terms of sale of the Units (including related fees and expenses of counsel
to the Underwriters); (f) the listing of the Units on the New York Stock Exchange; (g) the
qualification of the Units under the securities laws of the several jurisdictions as provided in
Section 5(j) and the preparation, printing and distribution of a Blue Sky Memorandum (including
related fees and expenses of counsel to the Underwriters); (h) the investor presentations on any
“road show” undertaken in connection with the marketing of the Units, including, without
limitation, expenses associated with any electronic roadshow, travel and lodging expenses of the
representatives and officers of the Partnership Entities and the cost of any aircraft chartered in
connection with the road show; and (i) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of
the obligations of the Xxxxxxxx Parties under this Agreement; provided that, except as provided in
this Section 6 and in Section 11, the Underwriters shall pay their own costs and expenses,
including the costs and expenses of their counsel, any transfer taxes on the Units that they may
sell and the expenses of advertising any offering of the Units made by the Underwriters.
Section 7. Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations. The respective obligations of the Underwriters
hereunder are subject to the accuracy, when made and on each Delivery Date, of the representations
and warranties of the Xxxxxxxx Parties contained herein, to the performance
27
by the Xxxxxxxx Parties of their obligations hereunder, and to each of the following additional
terms and conditions:
(a) The Prospectus shall have been timely filed with the Commission in accordance with
Section 5(a); the Partnership shall have complied with all filing requirements applicable to
any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus used or referred to after the date hereof; no stop order
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or preventing or suspending the
use of any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus
shall have been issued and no proceeding or examination for such purpose shall have been
initiated or threatened by the Commission; and any request of the Commission for inclusion
of additional information in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the
Prospectus or otherwise shall have been complied with.
(b) No Underwriter shall have discovered and disclosed to the Partnership on or prior
to such Delivery Date that the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the
Prospectus or the Pricing Disclosure Package, or any amendment or supplement thereto
contains an untrue statement of a fact which, in the reasonable opinion of Xxxxxx & Xxxxxx
LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, is material or omits to state a fact which, in the
reasonable opinion of such counsel, is material and is required to be stated therein or is
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading (in the case of the most recent
Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus, in light of the circumstances under which such
statements were made).
(c) All corporate, partnership and limited liability company proceedings and other
legal matters incident to the authorization, form and validity of this Agreement, the Units,
the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and any Issuer Free
Writing Prospectus, and all other legal matters relating to this Agreement, the transactions
contemplated hereby (including the Transactions) shall be reasonably satisfactory in all
material respects to counsel for the Underwriters, and the Xxxxxxxx Parties shall have
furnished to such counsel all documents and information that they may reasonably request to
enable them to pass upon such matters.
(d) Xxxxxxx Xxxxx LLP shall have furnished to the Representatives their written
opinion, as counsel to the Partnership Entities, addressed to the Underwriters and dated
such Delivery Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives,
with respect to the matters set forth in Exhibit B to this Agreement.
(e) The Representatives shall have received from Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx, internal counsel to
the Partnership, his written opinion, addressed to the Underwriters and dated such Delivery
Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, with respect to
the matters set forth in Exhibit C to this Agreement.
(f) The Representatives shall have received from each of and
, which are acting as special local counsel for the Xxxxxxxx Entities, an opinion or
opinions, addressed to the Underwriters and dated such Delivery Date, in the
28
form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, with respect to the
matters set forth in Exhibit D to this Agreement.
(g) The Representatives shall have received from Xxxxxx & Xxxxxx LLP, counsel for the
Underwriters, such opinion or opinions, dated such Delivery Date, with respect to the
issuance and sale of the Units, the Registration Statement, the most recent Preliminary
Prospectus, the Prospectus and the Pricing Disclosure Package and other related matters as
the Representatives may reasonably require, and the Xxxxxxxx Parties shall have furnished to
such counsel such documents as they reasonably request for the purpose of enabling them to
pass upon such matters.
(h) At the time of execution of this Agreement, the Representatives shall have received
from Ernst & Young LLP a letter or letters, in form and substance satisfactory to the
Representatives, addressed to the Underwriters and dated the date hereof (i) confirming that
they are independent public accountants within the meaning of the Securities Act and are in
compliance with the applicable requirements relating to the qualification of accountants
under Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X of the Commission and (ii) stating, as of the date hereof
(or, with respect to matters involving changes or developments since the respective dates as
of which specified financial information is given in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus,
as of a date not more than three days prior to the date hereof), the conclusions and
findings of such firm with respect to the financial information and other matters ordinarily
covered by accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters in connection with registered
public offerings.
(i) With respect to the letter or letters of Ernst & Young LLP referred to in the
preceding paragraph and delivered to the Representatives concurrently with the execution of
this Agreement (the “initial letter”), the Partnership shall have furnished to the
Representatives a letter (the “bring-down letter”) of such accountants, addressed to the
Underwriters and dated such Delivery Date (i) confirming that they are independent public
accountants within the meaning of the Securities Act and are in compliance with the
applicable requirements relating to the qualification of accountants under Rule 2-01 of
Regulation S-X of the Commission, (ii) stating, as of the date of the bring-down letter (or,
with respect to matters involving changes or developments since the respective dates as of
which specified financial information is given in the Prospectus, as of a date not more than
three days prior to the date of the bring-down letter), the conclusions and findings of such
firm with respect to the financial information and other matters covered by the initial
letter and (iii) confirming in all material respects the conclusions and findings set forth
in the initial letter.
(j) On each Delivery Date, the General Partner shall have furnished to the
Representatives a certificate, dated such Delivery Date, of its Chairman of the Board, its
President or a Vice President and its Chief Financial Officer stating that:
(i) the representations, warranties and agreements of the Xxxxxxxx Parties
contained in Section 1 of this Agreement are true and correct as of such Delivery
Date, and the Xxxxxxxx Parties have complied with all of their
29
agreements contained herein and satisfied all the conditions on their part to
be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to such Delivery Date;
(ii) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement
has been issued, and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or, to
their knowledge, threatened; and
(iii) they have carefully examined the Registration Statement, the most recent
Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and the Pricing Disclosure Package, and in
their opinion, (A)(1) the Registration Statement, as of the Effective Date, (2) the
most recent Preliminary Prospectus, as of its date and on the applicable Delivery
Date, (3) the Prospectus, as of its date and on the applicable Delivery Date, or (4)
the Pricing Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time, did not and do not
contain any untrue statement of a material fact and did not and do not omit to state
a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein (in the case of the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus,
in the light of the circumstances under which such statements were made) not
misleading, except, in the case of the Pricing Disclosure Package, that the price of
the Units and the disclosures directly relating thereto are included on the cover
page of the Prospectus, and (B) since the Effective Date, no event has occurred that
should have been set forth in a supplement or amendment to the Registration
Statement, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free
Writing Prospectus that has not been so set forth.
(k) None of the Xxxxxxxx Entities shall have sustained since the date of the latest
audited financial statements included in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the
Prospectus (i) any loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or
other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or
governmental action, order or decree, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the
Prospectus, or shall have become a party to or the subject of any litigation, court or
governmental action, investigation, order or decree which is adverse to the Partnership
Entities or (ii) since such date there shall not have been any adverse change in the
partners’ capital, members’ equity or short-term or long-term debt of the Partnership
Entities or any change, or any development involving a prospective adverse change, in or
affecting the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, securityholders’
equity, properties, management, business or prospects of the Partnership Entities, otherwise
than as set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus, the effect of which, in any such case
described in clause (i) or (ii), is, in the judgment of the Representatives, so material and
adverse as to make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or
the delivery of the Units being delivered on such Delivery Date on the terms and in the
manner contemplated in the Prospectus.
(l) Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement (i) no downgrading shall
have occurred in the rating accorded the Partnership’s debt securities by any “nationally
recognized statistical rating organization” (as that term is defined by the Commission for
purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) of the Rules and Regulations), and (ii) no
30
such organization shall have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or
review, with possible negative implications, its rating of any of the Partnership’s debt
securities.
(m) Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement there shall not have
occurred any of the following: (i) trading in securities generally on the NYSE or the
American Stock Exchange or in the over-the-counter market, shall have been suspended or
materially limited or the settlement of such trading generally shall have been materially
disrupted or minimum prices shall have been established on any such exchange or such market
by the Commission, by such exchange or by any other regulatory body or governmental
authority having jurisdiction, (ii) trading in any securities of the Partnership or any of
the Xxxxxxxx Entities on any exchange or in the over-the-counter market shall have been
suspended or materially limited or the settlement of such trading shall have been materially
disrupted or minimum prices shall have been established on any such exchange or such market
by the Commission, by such exchange or by any other regulatory body or governmental
authority having jurisdiction, (iii) a banking moratorium shall have been declared by
federal or state authorities, (iv) the United States shall have become engaged in
hostilities, there shall have been an escalation in hostilities involving the United States
or there shall have been a declaration of a national emergency or war by the United States
or (v) there shall have occurred such a material adverse change in general economic,
political or financial conditions, including, without limitation, as a result of terrorist
activities after the date hereof (or the effect of international conditions on the financial
markets in the United States shall be such) as to make it, in the judgment of the
Representatives, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or
delivery of the Units being delivered on such Delivery Date on the terms and in the manner
contemplated in the Prospectus.
(n) The NYSE shall have approved the Units for listing, subject only to official notice
of issuance.
(o) The Lock-Up Agreements among the Representatives and the persons and entities set
forth on Schedule 3, delivered to the Representatives on or before the date of this
Agreement, shall be in full force and effect on such Delivery Date.
(p) The Xxxxxxxx Parties shall have furnished the Representatives such additional
documents and certificates as the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters may
reasonably request.
(q) The Representatives shall have received evidence satisfactory to it that each of
the Transactions (other than the offering of the Units) shall have occurred or will occur as
of the First Delivery Date, in each case, on substantially the terms as described in the
Prospectus.
All opinions, letters, documents, evidence and certificates mentioned above or elsewhere in
this Agreement shall be in compliance with the provisions hereof only if they are in form and
substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters.
31
Section 8. Indemnification and Contribution.
(a)
[ ], jointly and severally, shall indemnify and hold harmless each
Underwriter, its directors, officers and employees and each person, if any, who controls any
Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act, from and against any
loss, claim, damage or liability, joint or several, or any action in respect thereof
(including, but not limited to, any loss, claim, damage, liability or action relating to
purchases and sales of Units), to which that Underwriter, director, officer, employee or
controlling person may become subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise, insofar as
such loss, claim, damage, liability or action arises out of, or is based upon, (i) any
untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained (A) in any
Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (in the case of any
Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, in light of the circumstances under which any such
statements were made) or in any amendment or supplement thereto, (B) any Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto, in light of the circumstances under
which any such statements were made, or (C) any Permitted Issuer Information used or
referred to in any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405) used or referred to by
any Underwriter, (D) any “road show” (as defined in Rule 433) not constituting an Issuer
Free Writing Prospectus (a “Non-Prospectus Road Show”) or (E) any Blue Sky application or
other document prepared or executed by the Partnership (or based upon any written
information furnished by the Partnership for use therein) specifically for the purpose of
qualifying any or all of the Units under the securities laws of any state or other
jurisdiction (any such application, document or information being hereinafter called a “Blue
Sky Application”), (ii) the omission or alleged omission to state in any Preliminary
Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus
or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any Permitted Issuer Information, any
Non-Prospectus Road Show or any Blue Sky Application, any material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading (in the case of
any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, in light
of the circumstances under which any such statements were made) or (iii) any act or failure
to act or any alleged act or failure to act by any Underwriter in connection with, or
relating in any manner to, the Units or the offering contemplated hereby, and which is
included as part of or referred to in any loss, claim, damage, liability or action arising
out of or based upon matters covered by clause (i) or (ii) above (provided that the Xxxxxxxx
Parties shall not be liable under this clause (iii) to the extent that it is determined in a
final judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction that such loss, claim, damage, liability
or action resulted directly from any such acts or failures to act undertaken or omitted to
be taken by such Underwriter through its gross negligence or willful misconduct), and shall
reimburse each Underwriter and each such director, officer, employee or controlling person
promptly upon demand for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by that
Underwriter, director, officer, employee or controlling person in connection with
investigating or defending or preparing to defend against any such loss, claim, damage,
liability or action as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that the Xxxxxxxx
Parties shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim,
damage, liability or action arises out of, or is based upon, any untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in any Preliminary Prospectus, the
32
Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any
such amendment or supplement thereto or in any Permitted Issuer Information, any
Non-Prospectus Road Show or any Blue Sky Application, in reliance upon and in conformity
with written information concerning such Underwriter furnished to the Partnership through
the Representatives by or on behalf of any Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein,
which information consists solely of the information specified in Section 8(e). The
foregoing indemnity agreement is in addition to any liability which the Partnership may
otherwise have to any Underwriter or to any director, officer, employee or controlling
person of that Underwriter.
(b) Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, shall indemnify and hold harmless each
of the Xxxxxxxx Parties, their respective directors (including any person who, with his or
her consent, is named in the Registration Statement as about to become a director of the
General Partner or the Partnership), managers, officers and employees, and each person, if
any, who controls any Xxxxxxxx Party within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act,
from and against any loss, claim, damage or liability, joint or several, or any action in
respect thereof, to which the Xxxxxxxx Parties or any such director, manager, officer,
employee or controlling person may become subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise,
insofar as such loss, claim, damage, liability or action arises out of, or is based upon,
(i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any
Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto, or in any Non-Prospectus Road Show or
Blue Sky Application, or (ii) the omission or alleged omission to state in any Preliminary
Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus
or in any amendment or supplement thereto, or in any Non-Prospectus Road Show or Blue Sky
Application, or any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading (in the case of any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus
or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, in light of the circumstances under which any such
statements were made), but in each case only to the extent that the untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in reliance upon and in
conformity with written information concerning such Underwriter furnished to the Partnership
through the Representatives by or on behalf of that Underwriter specifically for inclusion
therein, which information is limited to the information set forth in Section 8(e). The
foregoing indemnity agreement is in addition to any liability that any Underwriter may
otherwise have to the Xxxxxxxx Parties or any such director, manager, officer, employee or
controlling person.
(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 8 of notice of
any claim or the commencement of any action, the indemnified party shall, if a claim in
respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under this Section 8, notify
the indemnifying party in writing of the claim or the commencement of that action; provided,
however, that the failure to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any
liability which it may have under this Section 8 except to the extent it has been materially
prejudiced by such failure and, provided, further, that the failure to notify the
indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have to an
indemnified party otherwise than under this Section 8. If any such claim or action shall
33
be brought against an indemnified party, and it shall notify the indemnifying party
thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent
that it wishes, jointly with any other similarly notified indemnifying party, to assume the
defense thereof with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party. After notice
from the indemnifying party to the indemnified party of its election to assume the defense
of such claim or action, the indemnifying party shall not be liable to the indemnified party
under this Section 8 for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by the
indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of
investigation; provided, however, that the Representatives shall have the right to employ
counsel to represent jointly the Representatives and those other Underwriters and their
respective directors, officers, employees and controlling persons who may be subject to
liability arising out of any claim in respect of which indemnity may be sought by the
Underwriters against the Xxxxxxxx Parties under this Section 8 if (i) the Xxxxxxxx Parties
and the Underwriters shall have so mutually agreed; (ii) the Xxxxxxxx Parties have failed
within a reasonable time to retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters;
(iii) the Underwriters and their respective directors, officers, employees and controlling
persons shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to them
that are different from or in addition to those available to the Xxxxxxxx Parties; or (iv)
the named parties in any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the
Underwriters or their respective directors, officers, employees or controlling persons, on
the one hand, and the Xxxxxxxx Parties or their respective directors, managers, officers,
employees or controlling persons, on the other hand, and representation of both sets of
parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing
interests between them, and in any such event the fees and expenses of such separate counsel
shall be paid by the Xxxxxxxx Parties. No indemnifying party shall (i) without the prior
written consent of the indemnified parties (which consent shall not be unreasonably
withheld), settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any
pending or threatened claim, action, suit or proceeding in respect of which indemnification
or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual
or potential parties to such claim or action) unless such settlement, compromise or consent
includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out
of such claim, action, suit or proceeding and does not include any findings of fact or
admissions of fault or culpability as to the indemnified party, or (ii) be liable for any
settlement of any such action effected without its written consent (which consent shall not
be unreasonably withheld), but if settled with the consent of the indemnifying party or if
there be a final judgment of the plaintiff in any such action, the indemnifying party agrees
to indemnify and hold harmless any indemnified party from and against any loss or liability
by reason of such settlement or judgment.
(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 8 shall for any reason be
unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under Section 8(a) or
8(b) in respect of any loss, claim, damage or liability, or any action in respect thereof,
referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall, in lieu of indemnifying such
indemnified party, contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a
result of such loss, claim, damage or liability, or action in respect thereof, (i) in such
proportion as shall be appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Xxxxxxxx
34
Parties, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, from the offering of the
Units or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable
law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred
to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Xxxxxxxx Parties, on the one hand,
and the Underwriters, on the other, with respect to the statements or omissions that
resulted in such loss, claim, damage or liability, or action in respect thereof, as well as
any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Xxxxxxxx
Parties, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, with respect to such offering
shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering of
the Units purchased under this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the
Partnership as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus, on the one hand,
and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters with
respect to the Units purchased under this Agreement, as set forth in the table on the cover
page of the Prospectus, on the other hand, bear to the total gross proceeds from the
offering of the Units under this Agreement, as set forth in the table on the cover page of
the Prospectus. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to whether the untrue
or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a
material fact relates to information supplied by the Xxxxxxxx Parties or the Underwriters,
the intent of the parties and their relative knowledge, access to information and
opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Xxxxxxxx Parties and the
Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this
Section 8(d) were to be determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were
treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not
take into account the equitable considerations referred to herein. The amount paid or
payable by an indemnified party as a result of the loss, claim, damage or liability, or
action in respect thereof, referred to above in this Section 8(d) shall be deemed to
include, for purposes of this Section 8(d), any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred
by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or
claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 8(d), no Underwriter shall be
required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which
the Units underwritten by it and distributed to the public was offered to the public exceeds
the amount of any damages which such Underwriter has otherwise paid or become liable to pay
by reason of any untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No
person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the
Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such
fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters’ obligations to contribute as provided in
this Section 8(d) are several in proportion to their respective underwriting obligations and
not joint.
(e) The Underwriters severally confirm and the Xxxxxxxx Parties acknowledge that the
table of underwriters on page , the second full paragraph under the heading “Commissions
and Expenses” on page , the third full paragraph under the heading “Lock-Up Agreements”
on page , the first and second full paragraphs under the heading “Stabilization, Short
Position and Penalty Bids” on page , the second full paragraph under the heading “New
York Stock Exchange” on page , the information under the heading “Discretionary Sales”
on page and the information under the
35
heading “NASD Conduct Rules” on page appearing under the caption “Underwriting” in
the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus are correct and constitute the
only information concerning such Underwriters furnished in writing to the Xxxxxxxx Parties
by or on behalf of the Underwriters specifically for inclusion in the Registration
Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or
in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any Non-Prospectus Road Show.
Section 9. Defaulting Underwriters. If, on either Delivery Date, any Underwriter defaults in the
performance of its obligations under this Agreement, the remaining non-defaulting Underwriters
shall be obligated to purchase the Units which the defaulting Underwriter agreed but failed to
purchase on such Delivery Date in the respective proportions which the number of the Firm Units set
forth opposite the name of each remaining non-defaulting Underwriter in Schedule 1 hereto
bears to the total number of Firm Units set forth opposite the names of all the remaining
non-defaulting Underwriters in Schedule 1 hereto; provided, however, that the remaining
non-defaulting Underwriters shall not be obligated to purchase any of the Units on such Delivery
Date if the total number of the Units which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but
failed to purchase on such date exceeds 9.09% of the total number of Units to be purchased on such
Delivery Date, and any remaining non-defaulting Underwriter shall not be obligated to purchase more
than 110% of the number of Units which it agreed to purchase on such Delivery Date pursuant to the
terms of Section 2. If the foregoing maximums are exceeded, the remaining non-defaulting
Underwriters, or those other underwriters satisfactory to the Representatives who so agree, shall
have the right, but shall not be obligated, to purchase, in such proportion as may be agreed upon
among them, all the Units to be purchased on such Delivery Date. If the remaining Underwriters or
other underwriters satisfactory to the Representatives do not elect to purchase the Units that the
defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase on such Delivery Date, this
Agreement (or, with respect to the Second Delivery Date, the obligation of the Underwriters to
purchase, and of the Partnership to sell, the Option Units) shall terminate without liability on
the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter or the Xxxxxxxx Parties, except that the Xxxxxxxx
Parties will continue to be liable for the payment of expenses to the extent set forth in Sections
6 and 11. As used in this Agreement, the term “Underwriter” includes, for all purposes of this
Agreement unless the context requires otherwise, any party not listed in Schedule 1 hereto
who, pursuant to this Section 9, purchases Firm Units that a defaulting Underwriter agreed but
failed to purchase.
Nothing contained herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter of any liability it may have
to the Xxxxxxxx Parties for damages caused by its default. If other Underwriters are obligated or
agree to purchase the Units of a defaulting or withdrawing Underwriter, either the Representatives
or the Partnership, as the case may be, may postpone the Delivery Date for up to seven full
business days in order to effect any changes that in the opinion of counsel for the Partnership, as
the case may be, or counsel for the Underwriters may be necessary in the Registration Statement,
the Prospectus or in any other document or arrangement.
Section 10. Termination. The obligations of the Underwriters hereunder may be terminated by the
Representatives by notice given to and received by the Partnership prior to delivery of and payment
for the Firm Units if, prior to that time, any of the events described in
36
Sections 7(k), 7(l) or 7(m), shall have occurred or if the Underwriters shall decline to purchase
the Units for any reason permitted under this Agreement.
Section 11. Reimbursement of Underwriters’ Expenses. If the Partnership shall fail to tender the
Units for delivery to the Underwriters by reason of any failure, refusal or inability on the part
of any of the Xxxxxxxx Entities to perform any agreement on its part to be performed, or because
any other condition of the Underwriters’ obligations hereunder required to be fulfilled by any of
the Xxxxxxxx Entities (including, without limitation, with respect to the Transactions) is not
fulfilled, the Xxxxxxxx Parties, will reimburse the Underwriters for all reasonable out-of-pocket
expenses (including fees and disbursements of counsel) incurred by the Underwriters in connection
with this Agreement and the proposed purchase of the Units (the “Expenses”), and upon demand the
Xxxxxxxx Parties shall pay the full amount thereof to the Representatives. If this Agreement is
terminated pursuant to Section 9 by reason of the default of one or more Underwriters, the Xxxxxxxx
Parties shall not be obligated to reimburse any defaulting Underwriter on account of those
Expenses. If this agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 9 because any of the events
described in Section 7(m) shall have occurred, the Xxxxxxxx Parties will reimburse the Underwriters
severally through the Representatives on demand for its behalf of the Expenses; provided, however,
that the Xxxxxxxx Parties shall not be responsible for any amount in excess of $500,000 under this
sentence.
Section 12. Research Analyst Independence. In addition, the Xxxxxxxx Parties acknowledge that the
Underwriters’ research analysts and research departments are required to be independent from their
respective investment banking divisions and are subject to certain regulations and internal
policies, and that such Underwriters’ research analysts may hold and make statements or investment
recommendations and/or publish research reports with respect to the Partnership and/or the offering
of the Units that differ from the views of its investment bankers. The Xxxxxxxx Parties hereby
waive and release, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims that the Xxxxxxxx Parties may
have against the Underwriters with respect to any conflict of interest that may arise from the fact
that the views expressed by their independent research analysts and research departments may be
different from or inconsistent with the views or advice communicated to the Xxxxxxxx Parties by
such Underwriters’ investment banking divisions. The Xxxxxxxx Parties acknowledge that each of the
Underwriters is a full service securities firm and as such from time to time, subject to applicable
securities laws, may effect transactions for its own account or the account of its customers and
hold long or short positions in debt or equity securities of the Partnership or Xxxxxxxx.
Section 13. No Fiduciary Duty. The Xxxxxxxx Parties acknowledge and agree that in connection with
this offering, sale of the Units or any other services the Underwriters may be deemed to be
providing hereunder, notwithstanding any preexisting relationship, advisory or otherwise, between
the parties or any oral representations or assurances previously or subsequently made by the
Underwriters: (i) no fiduciary or agency relationship between the Xxxxxxxx Parties and any other
person, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, exists; (ii) the Underwriters are not
acting as advisors, expert or otherwise, to the Xxxxxxxx Parties, including, without limitation,
with respect to the determination of the public offering price of the Units, and such relationship
between the Xxxxxxxx Parties, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, is entirely and
solely commercial, based on arms-length negotiations; (iii) any duties and obligations that the
Underwriters may have to the Xxxxxxxx Parties shall be
37
limited to those duties and obligations specifically stated herein; and (iv) the Underwriters and
their respective affiliates may have interests that differ from those of the Xxxxxxxx Parties. The
Xxxxxxxx Parties hereby waive any claims that the Xxxxxxxx Parties may have against the
Underwriters with respect to any breach of fiduciary duty in connection with this offering..
Section 14. Notices. All statements, requests, notices and agreements hereunder shall be in
writing, and:
(a) if to the Underwriters, shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile
transmission to Xxxxxx Brothers Inc., 000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx
00000, Attention: Syndicate Registration (Fax: 000-000-0000), with a copy, in the case of
any notice pursuant to Section 8(c), to the Director of Litigation, Office of the General
Counsel, Xxxxxx Brothers Inc., 000 Xxxx Xxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000 (Fax:
000-000-0000); and to Citigroup Global Markets Inc., General Counsel (fax no.: (000)
000-0000) and confirmed to the General Counsel, Citigroup Global Markets Inc., at 000
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000, Attention: General Counsel; and
(b) if to the Xxxxxxxx Parties, shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile
transmission to the address of the Partnership set forth in the Registration Statement,
Attention: President (Fax: 000-000-0000);
provided, however, that any notice to an Underwriter pursuant to Section 8(d) shall be delivered or
sent by mail, telex or facsimile transmission to such Underwriter at its address set forth in its
acceptance telex to the Representatives, which address will be supplied to any other party hereto
by the Representatives upon request. Any such statements, requests, notices or agreements shall
take effect at the time of receipt thereof. The Xxxxxxxx Parties shall be entitled to act and rely
upon any request, consent, notice or agreement given or made on behalf of the Underwriters by the
Representatives.
Section 15. Persons Entitled to Benefit of Agreement. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of
and be binding upon the Underwriters, the Xxxxxxxx Parties and their respective successors. This
Agreement and the terms and provisions hereof are for the sole benefit of only those persons,
except that (A) the representations, warranties, indemnities and agreements of the Xxxxxxxx Parties
contained in this Agreement shall also be deemed to be for the benefit of the directors, officers
and employees of the Underwriters and each person or persons, if any, who control any Underwriter
within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act and (B) the indemnity agreement of the
Underwriters contained in Section 8(b) of this Agreement shall be deemed to be for the benefit of
the directors, employees and managers of the Xxxxxxxx Parties, the officers of the Xxxxxxxx Parties
who have signed the Registration Statement and any person controlling the Xxxxxxxx Parties within
the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act. Nothing in this Agreement is intended or shall be
construed to give any person, other than the persons referred to in this Section 15, any legal or
equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision contained
herein. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, all liabilities and
obligations of the Xxxxxxxx Parties hereunder shall be non-recourse against any partner (including
any limited partner or general partner), stockholder, member, officer, director or employee of any
of the Xxxxxxxx Parties, other than the Xxxxxxxx
38
Parties in their capacities as such. In that connection, no such partner, stockholder,
member, officer, director or employee shall be bound by this Agreement, or be obligated by virtue
of this Agreement or the obligations of any party created hereunder to (A) provide funds to any of
the Xxxxxxxx Parties, whether by contributions to capital, loans, returns of monies, securities or
other property, or (B) assume any liabilities of any of the Xxxxxxxx Parties.
Section
16. Survival. The respective indemnities, representations, warranties and agreements of the Xxxxxxxx
Parties and the Underwriters contained in this Agreement or made by or on behalf on them,
respectively, pursuant to this Agreement, shall survive the delivery of and payment for the Units
and shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of
any of them or any person controlling any of them.
Section
17. Definition of the Terms “Business Day” and “Subsidiary”. For purposes of this Agreement, (a)
“business day” means each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday which is not a day on
which banking institutions in New York are generally authorized or obligated by law or executive
order to close and (b) “subsidiary” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 of the Rules and
Regulations.
Section
18. Governing Law. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF
THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
Section
19. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts and, if executed in more
than one counterpart, the executed counterparts shall each be deemed to be an original but all such
counterparts shall together constitute one and the same instrument.
Section
20. Headings. The headings herein are inserted for convenience of reference only and are not intended
to be part of, or to affect the meaning or interpretation of, this Agreement.
[Signature pages follow.]
39
If the foregoing correctly sets forth the agreement among the Xxxxxxxx Parties and the
Underwriters, please indicate your acceptance in the space provided for that purpose below.
Very truly yours, | ||||||
XXXXXXXX FOUR CORNERS LLC | ||||||
By: | ||||||
Name: | ||||||
Title: | ||||||
XXXXXXXX FIELD SERVICES COMPANY LLC | ||||||
By: | ||||||
Name: | ||||||
Title: | ||||||
XXXXXXXX FIELD SERVICES GROUP LLC | ||||||
By: | ||||||
Name: | ||||||
Title: | ||||||
XXXXXXXX ENERGY SERVICES, LLC | ||||||
By: | ||||||
Name: | ||||||
Title: | ||||||
Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement
XXXXXXXX PARTNERS GP LLC | ||||||
By: | ||||||
Name: | ||||||
Title: | ||||||
XXXXXXXX PARTNERS L.P. | ||||
By: | Xxxxxxxx Partners GP LLC, | |||
its General Partner |
By: | ||||||
Name: | ||||||
Title: | ||||||
XXXXXXXX PARTNERS OPERATING LLC | ||||||
By: | ||||||
Name: | ||||||
Title: | ||||||
Accepted:
XXXXXX BROTHERS INC.
For themselves and as Representatives
of the several Underwriters named
in Schedule 1 hereto
of the several Underwriters named
in Schedule 1 hereto
By: XXXXXX BROTHERS INC.
By: |
||||
By: CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS INC. | ||||
By: |
||||
Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement
SCHEDULE 1
Number of Firm Units | ||||
Underwriters | to be Purchased | |||
Xxxxxx Brothers Inc. |
||||
Citigroup Global Markets Inc. |
||||
X.X. Xxxxxxx
& Sons, Inc. |
||||
Xxxxxxx
Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx Incorporated |
||||
Wachovia
Capital Markets, LLC |
||||
RBC Capital
Markets Corporation |
||||
Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx & Associates, Inc. |
||||
Total |
6,600,000 | |||
Schedule 1-1
SCHEDULE 2
PERSONS DELIVERING LOCK-UP AGREEMENTS
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Xxxx X. Xxxxxx
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
The Xxxxxxxx Companies, Inc.
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Xxxx X. Xxxxxx
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
The Xxxxxxxx Companies, Inc.
Schedule 2-1
ANNEX I
JURISDICTIONS OF QUALIFICATION
Jurisdiction | Jurisdictions | |||
Name of Entity | of Formation | of Qualification | ||
Xxxxxxxx Partners GP LLC
|
Delaware | Oklahoma | ||
Xxxxxxxx Partners L.P.
|
Delaware | Oklahoma | ||
Xxxxxxxx Partners Operating LLC
|
Delaware | Oklahoma | ||
Four Corners LLC
|
Delaware | New Mexico and Colorado | ||
Xxxxxxxx Field Services Company LLC
|
Delaware | New Mexico, Colorado | ||
Xxxxxxxx Field Services Group LLC
|
Delaware | New Mexico, Colorado | ||
Mid-Continent Fractionation and
Storage, LLC
|
Delaware | Kansas | ||
Carbonate Trend Pipeline LLC
|
Delaware | Louisiana and Alabama | ||
Discovery Producer Services LLC
|
Delaware | Louisiana | ||
Discovery Gas Transmission LLC
|
Delaware | Louisiana | ||
Xxxxxxxx Energy Services, LLC
|
Delaware | Florida, Illinois, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Virginia | ||
The Xxxxxxxx Companies, Inc.
|
Delaware | District of Columbia, Kentucky, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah |
Annex I-1
EXHIBIT A
LOCK-UP LETTER AGREEMENT
XXXXXX BROTHERS INC.
CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS INC.
As Representatives of the several
Underwriters named in Schedule 1,
c/x Xxxxxx Brothers Inc.
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS INC.
As Representatives of the several
Underwriters named in Schedule 1,
c/x Xxxxxx Brothers Inc.
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Dear Sirs:
The undersigned understands that you and certain other firms propose to enter into an
Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) providing for the purchase by you and such
other firms (the “Underwriters”) of common units representing limited partner interests (the
“Common Units”) of Xxxxxxxx Partners L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the “Partnership”), and
that the Underwriters propose to reoffer the Common Units to the public (the “Offering”).
In consideration of the execution of the Underwriting Agreement by the Underwriters, and for
other good and valuable consideration, the undersigned hereby irrevocably agrees that, without the
prior written consent of Xxxxxx Brothers Inc. and Citigroup Global Markets Inc., on behalf of the
Underwriters, the undersigned will not, directly or indirectly, (1) offer for sale, sell, pledge,
or otherwise dispose of (or enter into any transaction or device that is designed to, or could be
expected to, result in the disposition by any person at any time in the future of) any Common Units
(including, without limitation, Common Units that may be deemed to be beneficially owned by the
undersigned in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission
and Common Units that may be issued upon exercise of any option or warrant) or securities
convertible into or exchangeable for Common Units owned by the undersigned on the date of execution
of this Lock-Up Letter Agreement or on the date of the completion of the Offering, or (2) enter
into any swap or other derivatives transaction that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any
of the economic benefits or risks of ownership of such Common Units, whether any such transaction
described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Units or other
securities, in cash or otherwise, (3) cause to be filed a registration statement (other than a
registration statement on Form S-8 or Form S-3) with respect to the registration of any Common Units or
securities convertible, exercisable or exchangeable into Common Units or any other securities of
the Partnership or (4) publicly disclose the intention to do any of the foregoing for a period of
90 days after the date of the final Prospectus relating to the Offering (such 90-day period, the
“Lock-Up Period”). The foregoing sentence shall not apply to bona fide gifts, sales or other
dispositions of any Common Units that are made exclusively between and among the undersigned or
members of the undersigned’s family, or affiliates of the undersigned, including its partners (if a
partnership) or members (if a limited liability company); provided that it shall be a condition to
any such transfer that (i) the
A-1
transferee/donee agrees to be bound by the terms of the lock-up agreement (including, without
limitation, the restrictions set forth in the preceding sentence) to the same extent as if the
transferee/donee were a party hereto, (ii) no filing by any party (donor, donee, transferor or
transferee) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), shall be
required or shall be voluntarily made in connection with such transfer or distribution (other than
a filing on Form 5, Schedule 13D or Schedule 13G (or 13D/A or 13G/A) made after the expiration of
the 90-day period referred to above), (iii) each party (donor, donee, transferor or transferee)
shall not be required by law (including without limitation the disclosure requirements of the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Exchange Act) to make, and shall agree to not
voluntarily make, any public announcement of the transfer or disposition, and (iv) the undersigned
notifies Xxxxxx Brothers’ Equity Capital Markets at least two business days prior to the proposed
transfer or disposition.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if (1) during the last 17 days of the Lock-Up Period, the
Partnership issues an earnings release or material news or a material event relating to the
Partnership occurs or (2) prior to the expiration of the Lock-Up Period, the Partnership announces
that it will release earnings results during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of the
Lock-Up Period, then the restrictions imposed by this Lock-Up Letter Agreement shall continue to
apply until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the issuance of the earnings release
or the announcement of the material news or the occurrence of the material event, unless Xxxxxx
Brothers Inc. and Citigroup Global Markets Inc. waive such extension in writing. The undersigned
hereby further agrees that, prior to engaging in any transaction or taking any other action that is
subject to the terms of this Lock-Up Letter Agreement during the period from the date of this
Lock-Up Letter Agreement to and including the 34th day following the expiration of the Lock-Up
Period, it will give notice thereof to the Partnership and will not consummate such transaction or
take any such action unless it has received written confirmation from the Partnership that the
Lock-Up Period (as such may have been extended pursuant to this paragraph) has expired.
In furtherance of the foregoing, the Partnership and its transfer agent are hereby authorized
to decline to make any transfer of securities if such transfer would constitute a violation or
breach of this Lock-Up Letter Agreement.
It is understood that, if the Partnership notifies the Underwriters that it does not intend to
proceed with the Offering, if the Underwriting Agreement does not become effective, or if the
Underwriting Agreement (other than the provisions thereof which survive termination) shall
terminate or be terminated prior to payment for and delivery of the Common Units, the undersigned
will be released from its obligations under this Lock-Up Letter Agreement.
The undersigned understands that the Partnership and the Underwriters will proceed with the
Offering in reliance on this Lock-Up Letter Agreement.
Whether or not the Offering actually occurs depends on a number of factors, including market
conditions. Any Offering will only be made pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement, the terms of
which are subject to negotiation among the Partnership and the Underwriters.
A-2
The undersigned hereby represents and warrants that the undersigned has full power and
authority to enter into this Lock-Up Letter Agreement and that, upon request, the undersigned will
execute any additional documents necessary in connection with the enforcement hereof. Any
obligations of the undersigned shall be binding upon the heirs, personal representatives,
successors and assigns of the undersigned.
Very truly yours, | ||||
By: | ||||
Name: | ||||
Title: | ||||
Dated: , 2006 |
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EXHIBIT B
FORM OF OPINION OF XXXXXXX XXXXX LLP
(i) The Partnership has been duly formed and is validly existing as a limited partnership
under the Delaware LP Act, is duly registered or qualified to do business and is in good standing
as a foreign limited partnership under the laws of the jurisdictions set forth on Annex I to this
Agreement, except where the failure to so register or so qualify would not (A) reasonably be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, or (B) subject the limited partners of the Partnership
to any material liability or disability; and each such partnership has all requisite partnership
power and authority necessary to own or hold its properties and assets and to conduct the
businesses in which it is engaged.
(ii) Each of the General Partner, OLLC, MCFS, DPS, DGT, CTP and Four Corners LLC has been duly
formed and is validly existing in good standing as a limited liability company under the Delaware
LLC Act, is duly registered or qualified to do business and is in good standing as a foreign
limited liability company under the laws of the jurisdictions set forth on Annex I to this
Agreement, except where the failure to so register or so qualify would not (A) reasonably be
expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, or (B) subject the limited partners of the Partnership
to any material liability or disability; and each such limited liability company has all requisite
limited liability company power and authority necessary to own or hold its properties and to
conduct the businesses in which it is engaged.
(iii) The General Partner is the sole general partner of the Partnership with an initial 2.0%
general partner interest in the Partnership; such general partner interest has been duly authorized
and validly issued in accordance with the Partnership Agreement; and the General Partner owns such
general partner interest free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, security interests or claims
(except restrictions on transferability contained in the Partnership Agreement, as described in the
Prospectus or created or arising under the Delaware LP Act) (A) in respect of which a financing
statement under the Uniform Commercial Code of the State of Delaware naming the General Partner as
debtor is on file as of the date in such counsel’s opinion with the Secretary of State of the State
of Delaware or (B) otherwise known to such counsel, without independent investigation, other than
those created by or arising under the Delaware LP Act or the Partnership Agreement.
(iv) The Sponsor Units, the Incentive Distribution Rights and the limited partner interests
represented thereby have been duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with the Partnership
Agreement, and are fully paid (to the extent required under the Partnership Agreement) and
non-assessable (except as such non-assessability may be affected by (i) matters described in the
Prospectus under the captions “The Partnership Agreement—Limited Liability” and “Risk Factors—Risks
Inherent in an Investment in Us—You may not have limited liability if a court finds that unitholder
action constitutes control of our business. You may also have liability to repay distributions.”
and (ii) Sections 17-303 and 17-607 of the Delaware LP Act); and WE, Holdings, XXX, and Xxxxxxxx
Pipeline own the Sponsor Units free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, security interests or
claims (except restrictions on transferability in the Partnership Agreement, as described in the
Prospectus or those created or arising under the Delaware LP Act) (A) in respect of which a
financing statement under the Uniform Commercial
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Code of the State of Delaware naming WE, Holdings, XXX or Xxxxxxxx Pipeline as debtor is on
file as of the date in such counsel’s opinion with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware,
(B) in respect of which a financing statement under the Uniform Commercial Code of the State of
Oklahoma naming WE, Holdings, XXX or Xxxxxxxx Pipeline as debtor is on file as of the date in such
counsel’s opinion with the Oklahoma UCC Central Filing Office – Oklahoma County Clerk or (C)
otherwise known to such counsel, without independent investigation, other than those created by or
arising under the Delaware LP Act or the Partnership Agreement; and the General Partner owns the
Incentive Distribution Rights free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, security interests or
claims (A) in respect of which a financing statement under the Uniform Commercial Code of the State
of Delaware naming the General Partner as debtor is on file as of the date in such counsel’s
opinion with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware or (B) otherwise known to such
counsel, without independent investigation, other than those created by or arising under the
Delaware LP Act or the Partnership Agreement.
(v) The Firm Units and the Option Units, if any, to be issued and sold by the Partnership to
the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement have been duly authorized and, when issued and
delivered against payment therefor in accordance with this Agreement will be validly issued, fully
paid (to the extent required under the Partnership Agreement) and non-assessable (except as such
non-assessability may be affected by (i) matters described in the Prospectus under the captions
“The Partnership Agreement—Limited Liability” and “Risk Factors—Risks Inherent in an Investment in
Us—You may not have limited liability if a court finds that unitholder action constitutes control
of our business. You may also have liability to repay distributions.” and (ii) Sections 17-303 and
17-607 of the Delaware LP Act); and other than the Sponsor Units, the Incentive Distribution Rights
and the Existing Public Units, the Firm Units will be the only limited partner interests of the
Partnership issued and outstanding at the First Delivery Date.
(vi) The Partnership owns a 100% limited liability company interest in OLLC; such limited
liability company interest has been duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with the OLLC
Agreement and is fully paid (to the extent required under the OLLC Agreement) and non-assessable
(except as such non-assessability may be affected by Section 18-607 of the Delaware LLC Act); and
the Partnership owns such limited liability company interest free and clear of all liens,
encumbrances, security interests or claims (A) in respect of which a financing statement under the
Uniform Commercial Code of the State of Delaware naming the Partnership as debtor is on file as of
the date in such counsel’s opinion with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware or (B)
otherwise known to such counsel, without independent investigation, other than those created by or
arising under the Delaware LLC Act or the OLLC Agreement.
(vii) OLLC owns a 100% limited liability company interest in each of MCFS and CTP; such
limited liability company interests have been duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with
the MCFS LLC Agreement and the CTP LLC Agreement, respectively, and are fully paid (to the extent
required under MCFS LLC Agreement or the CTP LLC Agreement, as applicable) and non-assessable
(except as such non-assessability may be affected by Section 18-607 of the Delaware LLC Act); and
OLLC owns such limited liability company interests free and clear of all liens, encumbrances,
security interests or claims (A) in respect of which a financing statement under the Uniform
Commercial Code of the State of Delaware naming OLLC as debtor is on file as of the date in such
counsel’s opinion with the Secretary of State of
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the State of Delaware or (B) otherwise known to such counsel, without independent
investigation, other than those created by or arising under the Delaware LLC Act, the MCFS LLC
Agreement or the CTP LLC Agreement.
(viii) XXX owns a 100% limited liability company interest in the General Partner; such limited
liability company interest has been duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with the GP
LLC Agreement, and is fully paid (to the extent required under the GP LLC Agreement) and
non-assessable (except as such non-assessability may be affected by Section 18-607 of the Delaware
LLC Act); and XXX owns such limited liability company interest free and clear of all liens,
encumbrances, security interests or claims (A) in respect of which a financing statement under the
Uniform Commercial Code of the State of Delaware naming XXX as debtor is on file as of the date in
such counsel’s opinion with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, (B) in respect of
which a financing statement under the Uniform Commercial Code of the State of Oklahoma naming XXX
as debtor is on file as of the date in such counsel’s opinion with the Oklahoma UCC Central Filing
Office – Oklahoma County Clerk or (C) otherwise known to such counsel, without independent
investigation, other than those created by or arising under the Delaware LLC Act or the GP LLC
Agreement.
(ix) OLLC owns a 40% limited liability company interest in DPS; such limited liability company
interest has been duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with the DPS LLC Agreement, and
is fully paid (to the extent required under the DPS LLC Agreement) and non-assessable (except as
such non-assessability may be affected by Section 18-607 of the Delaware LLC Act); and OLLC owns
such limited liability company interest free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, security
interests or claims (A) in respect of which a financing statement under the Uniform Commercial Code
of the State of Delaware naming OLLC as debtor is on file as of the date in such counsel’s opinion
with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware or (B) otherwise known to such counsel,
without independent investigation, other than those created by or arising under the Delaware LLC
Act or the DPS LLC Agreement
(x) DPS owns a 100% limited liability company interest in DGT; such limited liability company
interest has been duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with DGT LLC Agreement and is
fully paid (to the extent required under DGT LLC Agreement) and non-assessable (except as such
non-assessability may be affected by Section 18-607 of the Delaware LLC Act); and DPS owns such
limited liability company interest free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, security interests or
claims (A) in respect of which a financing statement under the Uniform Commercial Code of the State
of Delaware naming DPS as debtor is on file as of the date in such counsel’s opinion with the
Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, (B) in respect of which a financing statement under
the Uniform Commercial Code of the State of Louisiana naming DPS as debtor is on file as of the
date in such counsel’s opinion with the Secretary of State of the State of Louisiana or (C)
otherwise known to such counsel, without independent investigation, other than those created by or
arising under the Delaware LLC Act or the DGT LLC Agreement.
(xi) Except as described in the Prospectus or as provided in the Amended Credit Agreement, the
Revolving Credit Agreement, or the Organizational Documents, there are no preemptive rights or
other rights to subscribe for or to purchase, nor any restriction upon the voting or transfer of
(i) any limited partner interests in the Partnership, (ii) any limited liability
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company interests in the General Partner or OLLC or (iii) any limited liability company
interests in any Subsidiary, in each case pursuant to the Organizational Documents or any other
agreement or instrument known to such counsel to which any of such entities is a party or by which
any one of them may be bound. To such counsel’s knowledge, except as described in the Prospectus,
there are no outstanding options or warrants to purchase (A) any Common Units or Subordinated Units
or other interests in the Partnership or (B) any interests in the General Partner, OLLC or the
Subsidiaries.
(xii) Each of the Operative Agreements to which any of the Partnership Entities is a party has
been duly authorized and validly executed and delivered by each of the Partnership Entities party
thereto.
(xiii) Assuming the due authorization, execution and delivery by each party thereto (other
than the Partnership Entities), each of the Operative Agreements constitutes a valid and binding
obligation of the Partnership Entities party thereto, enforceable against each such Partnership
Entities in accordance with its terms, subject to (A) applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent
transfer or conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws relating to or affecting
creditors’ rights generally and by general principles of equity (regardless of whether such
enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law), (B) public policy, applicable
law relating to fiduciary duties and indemnification and an implied covenant of good faith and fair
dealing and (C) in the case of the enforceability of equitable rights and remedies provided for in
such agreements, equitable defenses and judicial discretion.
(xiv) The Underwriting Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by each of
the Partnership Entities party thereto.
(xv) The offering, issuance and sale by the Partnership of the Units, the execution, delivery
and performance by the Partnership Entities of the Underwriting Agreement, the Operative Agreements
to which any of the Partnership Entities is a party and the consummation of the transactions
contemplated hereby and thereby (including the Transactions) has not caused, and will not cause, as
applicable, (A) a violation of the Organizational Documents, (B) a breach or violation of, or a
default under (or an event which, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such an
event), any Operative Agreement or any agreement filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement
or (C) any violation of any Applicable Law of the United States of America, the Delaware LP Act,
the Delaware LLC Act, excluding in the case of clauses (B) and (C), any such breaches, violations
and defaults that would not have a Material Adverse Effect.
(xvi) Except for the registration of the Units under the Securities Act and such consents,
approvals, authorizations, registrations or qualifications as may be required under the Exchange
Act and applicable state securities laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the
Units by the Underwriters, no Governmental Approval is required for the execution, delivery and
performance of the Underwriting Agreement or any of the Operative Agreements by the Partnership
Entities party thereto and the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby, except for
such (A) as have been obtained or made and (B) would not have a Material Adverse Effect if not
obtained or made.
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(xvii) The statements contained in the Prospectus under the captions “Risk Factors—Risks
Inherent in Our Business—Discovery’s interstate tariff rates are subject to review and possible
adjustment by federal regulators, which could have a material adverse effect on our business and
operating results. Moreover, because Discovery is a non-corporate entity, it may be disadvantaged
in calculating its cost of service for rate-making purposes,” “How We Make Cash Distributions,”
“Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Liquidity
and Capital Resources—Working Capital Credit Facility,” “Business—FERC Regulation,”
“Business—Environmental Regulation” (other than the statements under the caption
“Business—Environmental Regulation—Kansas Department of Health and Environment Obligations” as to
which such counsel need not opine), “Management—Long-Term Incentive Plan,” “Certain Relationships
and Related Transactions,” “Conflicts of Interest and Fiduciary Duties,” “The Partnership
Agreement,” and “Investment in Xxxxxxxx Partners L.P. by Employee Benefit Plans,” insofar as they
constitute descriptions of contracts or legal proceedings or refer to statements of law or legal
conclusions, are accurate and complete in all material respects; and the Units, the Subordinated
Units and the Incentive Distribution Rights conform in all material respects to the descriptions
thereof contained in the Prospectus under the captions “Prospectus Summary—The Offering,” “How We
Make Cash Distributions,” “Description of the Common Units,” “Description of the Subordinated
Units” and “The Partnership Agreement.”
(xviii) The opinion of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx LLP that is filed as Exhibit 8.1 to the Registration
Statement is confirmed and the Underwriters may rely upon such opinion as if it were addressed to
them.
(xix) The Registration Statement was declared effective under the Securities Act as of the
date and time specified in such opinion; the Prospectus was filed with the Commission pursuant to
the subparagraph of Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations specified in such opinion on the date
specified therein; and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has
been issued and, to the knowledge of such counsel, no proceeding for that purpose is pending or
threatened by the Commission.
(xx) The Registration Statement, on the Effective Date and on the applicable Delivery Date,
and the Prospectus, when filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) and on the applicable
delivery date (except for the financial statements and the notes and financial schedules thereto,
and other financial and other related statistical and accounting data included therein, as to which
such counsel need express no opinion), were, on their face, appropriately responsive in all
material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations.
(xxi) To the best of such counsel’s knowledge, there are no contracts or other documents which
are required to be described in the Prospectus or filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement
by the Securities Act or by the Rules and Regulations which have not been described or filed as
exhibits to the Registration Statement.
(xxii) None of the Partnership Entities are, after giving effect to the Transactions and the
application of the net proceeds therefrom as described under “Use of Proceeds” in the Prospectus,
will be, an “investment company” as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended or
(ii) a “public utility company,” “holding company” or a “subsidiary
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company” of a “holding company” under the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935, as
amended.
Such counsel has participated in conferences with officers and other representatives of the
Xxxxxxxx Parties, representatives of the independent registered public accounting firm of the
Partnership and the Underwriters’ representatives, at which the contents of the Registration
Statement, the Prospectus and the Pricing Disclosure Package and related matters were discussed,
and because such counsel did not independently investigate or verify the information set forth in
the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (except to the extent specified in paragraphs (xvii)
and (xviii) above), such counsel is not passing upon and does not assume any responsibility for the
accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements contained in the Registration Statement, the
Prospectus and the Pricing Disclosure Package (except to the extent specified in paragraphs (xvi)
and (xviii) above). Based on the foregoing (relying as to factual matters in respect of the
determination of materiality to the extent such counsel deems reasonable and appropriate upon the
statements of fact made by officers and other representatives of the Partnership Entities), no
facts have come to such counsel’s attention that have led such counsel to believe that (i) the
Registration Statement at the time such Registration Statement became effective, contained any
untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or that, as of its date, (ii)
the Prospectus contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted a material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances
under which they were made, not misleading or that, as of the date hereof, the Prospectus contains
an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact necessary to make the
statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading or
(iii) the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, together with Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses set
forth on an exhibit to such counsel’s opinion acceptable to such counsel and the Underwriters, as
of the Applicable Time, and except that the price of the Units and disclosures directly relating
thereto are included on the cover page of the Prospectus, contained an untrue statement of a
material fact or omitted a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. Such
counsel, however, expresses no opinion with respect to the financial statements and notes and
related schedules thereto and other related financial, statistical and accounting data included in
the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the most recent Preliminary Prospectus or any further
amendment or supplement thereto or the exhibits to the Registration Statement.
Such counsel’s opinion may be limited to matters governed by the Federal laws of the United
States of America, the laws of the States of Texas, the Delaware LP Act and the Delaware LLC Act.
Such counsel need not express any opinion with respect to the title of any of the Partnership
Entities to any of their respective real or personal property or the accuracy of the descriptions
or references in the Registration Statement or the Operative Agreements to any real or personal
property, and need not express any opinion with respect to state or local taxes or tax
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statutes to which any of the limited partners of the Partnership or any of the Partnership
Entities may be subject.
“Applicable Laws” means those laws, rules and regulations of a specified jurisdiction that, in
such counsel’s experience, are normally applicable to transactions of the type contemplated by the
Agreement, without such counsel having made any special investigation as to the applicability of
any specific law, rule or regulation, and which are not the subject of a specific opinion herein
referring expressly to a particular law, rule or regulation; provided that the term “Applicable
Laws” does not include:
(a) any municipal or other local law, rule or regulation, and any other law, rule or
regulation relating to (i) pollution or protection of the environment, (ii) zoning, land use,
building or construction codes or guidelines, (iii) labor, employee rights and benefits, or
occupational safety and health, or (iv) public utility company regulation;
(b) antitrust laws and other laws regulating competition;
(c) antifraud laws;
(d) tax laws, rules or regulations;
(e) United States federal and state securities or blue sky laws, rules or regulations;
(f) the rules and regulations of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.;
(g) (i) the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935, as amended, and the rules and
regulations promulgated thereunder by the Commission and (ii) the Natural Gas Act, as amended, and
the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission; and
(h) any law, rule or regulation that may have become applicable to the Partnership Entities or
any of their subsidiaries as a result of the involvement of any of the Underwriters with the
transactions contemplated by the Agreement or because of any facts specifically pertaining to any
of the Underwriters or because of the legal or regulatory status or the nature of the business of
any of the Underwriters.
“Governmental Approval” means any consent, approval, license, authorization or validation of,
or filing, recording or registration with, any executive, legislative, judicial or regulatory
authority pursuant to (i) federal securities laws, rules or regulations, (ii) the Applicable Laws
of the United States of America, (iii) the Delaware LP Act or (iv) the Delaware LLC Act.
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EXHIBIT C
FORM OF OPINION OF XXXXX X. XXXXXX
(i) Xxxxxxxx owns a 100% limited liability company interest in XXX; such limited liability
company interest has been duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with the XXX LLC
Agreement and is fully paid (to the extent required under the XXX LLC Agreement) and non-assessable
(except as such non-assessability may be affected by Section 18-607 of the Delaware LLC Act); and
Xxxxxxxx owns such limited liability company interest free and clear of all liens, encumbrances,
security interests or claims (A) in respect of which a financing statement under the Uniform
Commercial Code of the State of Delaware naming Xxxxxxxx as debtor is on file as of the date in
such counsel’s opinion with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, (B) in respect of
which a financing statement under the Uniform Commercial Code of the State of Oklahoma naming
Xxxxxxxx as debtor is on file as of the date in such counsel’s opinion with the Oklahoma UCC
Central Filing Office – Oklahoma County Clerk or (C) otherwise known to such counsel, without
independent investigation, other than those created by or arising under the Delaware LLC Act or the
XXX LLC Agreement.
(ii) WE owns a 26.7% limited liability company interest in DPS subject to DEFS’ option to
acquire 6.7% limited liability company interest in DPS from WE; such limited liability company
interest has been duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with the DPS LLC Agreement, and
is fully paid (to the extent required under the DPS LLC Agreement) and non-assessable (except as
such non-assessability may be affected by Section 18-607 of the Delaware LLC Act); and WE owns such
limited liability company interest free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, security interests,
charges or claims (A) in respect of which a financing statement under the Uniform Commercial Code
of the State of Delaware naming WE as debtor is on file as of the date in such counsel’s opinion
with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, (B) in respect of which a financing statement
under the Uniform Commercial Code of the State of Oklahoma naming WE as debtor is on file as of the
date in such counsel’s opinion with the Oklahoma UCC Central Filing Office – Oklahoma County Clerk
or (C) otherwise known to such counsel, without independent investigation, other than those created
by or arising under the Delaware LLC Act or the DPS LLC Agreement, other than DEFS’ option to
acquire a 6.7% limited liability company interest in DPS from WE and except as provided in the DPS
LLC Agreement.
(iii) Each of the Operative Agreements to which any of the Xxxxxxxx Entities, other than the
Partnership Entities, is a party has been duly authorized and validly executed and delivered by
each of the Xxxxxxxx Entities party thereto.
(iv) The offering, issuance and sale by the Partnership of the Units, the execution, delivery
and performance by the Xxxxxxxx Entities (other than the Partnership Entities) of the Underwriting
Agreement or any of the Operative Agreements and the consummation of the transactions contemplated
thereby will not result in: (A) a violation of the certificate of incorporation, bylaws, limited
liability company agreement, limited partnership agreement or similar organizational document of
any of the Xxxxxxxx Entities (other than the Partnership Entities), (B) a breach or violation of
any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of
trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument
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to or by which any of the Xxxxxxxx Entities (other than the Partnership Entities) is bound or
to which any of the property or assets of any of the Xxxxxxxx Entities (other than the Partnership
Entities), is subject (except for such indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other
agreement covered by the opinion letter from Xxxxxx, Xxxx & Xxxxxxxx LLP of even date herewith, to
which such counsel need not opine), or (C) any violation of any order, rule or regulation of any
court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over any of the Xxxxxxxx Entities (other
than the Partnership Entities) or any of their properties or assets, except as described in the
Prospectus and any such conflicts, breaches, violations or defaults that would not have a Material
Adverse Effect.
(v) Except as described in the Prospectus or the Partnership Agreement, there are no
contracts, agreements or understandings between the any of the Xxxxxxxx Entities and any person
granting such person the right to require the Partnership to file a registration statement under
the Securities Act with respect to any securities of the Partnership Entities owned or to be owned
by such person or to require the Partnership to include such securities in the Units registered
pursuant to the Registration Statement or in any securities being registered pursuant to any other
registration statement filed by any of the Partnership Entities under the Securities Act.
(vi) To such counsel’s knowledge, other than as set forth in the Prospectus, there are no
legal or governmental proceedings pending to which any of the Partnership Entities is a party or to
which any property or assets of any of the Partnership Entities is the subject which, if determined
adversely to such Partnership Entity, might (A) reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse
Effect, or (B) subject the limited partners of the Partnership to any material liability or
disability; and, to such counsel’s knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated by
governmental authorities or by others.
(vii) The Underwriting Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by each of
the Xxxxxxxx Parties (other than the Partnership Entities) party thereto.
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EXHIBIT D
FORM OF OPINION OF XXXXXX, XXXX & XXXXXXXX LLP
The offering, issuance and sale by the Partnership of the Units, the execution, delivery and
performance by the Xxxxxxxx Entities of the Underwriting Agreement or any of the Operative
Agreements to which they are a party and the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby
will not result in a breach of or a default under any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute
a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or
instrument listed on Schedule A to such opinion.
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EXHIBIT E
FORM OF OPINION OF LOCAL COUNSEL
(i) No permit, consent, approval, authorization, order, registration, filing or qualification
of or with any court, governmental agency or body of the States of New Mexico and Colorado having
jurisdiction over the Xxxxxxxx Entities or any of their respective properties is required for the
issuance and sale of the Units by the Partnership or the conveyance of properties or evidence of
title to properties located in the States of New Mexico and Colorado purported to be conveyed by
the except (A) as may be required under state securities or “Blue Sky” laws as
to which the undersigned does not express any opinion, (B) for such permits, consents, approvals
and similar authorizations which have been obtained, and (C) which (1) are of a routine or
administrative nature, (2) are not customarily obtained or made prior to the consummation of
transactions such as those contemplated under the Underwriting Agreement and (3) are expected in
the reasonable judgment of the General Partner to be obtained in the ordinary course of business
subsequent to consummation of the Transactions or (D) as described in the Prospectus.
(ii) Each
of the
is in a form legally sufficient as between the parties
thereto to convey to the transferee thereunder all of the right, title and interest of the
transferor stated therein in and to the properties located in the States of New Mexico and
Colorado, as described in the , subject to the conditions, reservations and
limitations contained in the
and, upon proper recordation of the applicable in the States of New Mexico and Colorado, will constitute notice to all third
parties under the recordation statutes of the States of New Mexico and Colorado concerning record
title to the assets covered thereby. Recordation in the office of the
of each county in
which Four Corners LLC owns property is the appropriate public office in the States of New Mexico
and Colorado for the recordation of interests in real property located in such county.
Such counsel’s opinions may be limited to the laws of the State of New Mexico and Colorado,
excepting therefrom municipal and local ordinances and regulations, and such counsel need express
no opinion with respect to (a) title to any of the real or personal property, (b) the accuracy of
descriptions or references to real or personal property, or (c) with respect to state or local
taxes or tax statutes to which any of the limited partners of the Xxxxxxxx Entities may be subject.
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