EXHIBIT 99.6
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The Item 1115 Agreement
Item 1115 Agreement dated as of February 24, 2006 (this
"Agreement"), between COUNTRYWIDE HOME LOANS, INC., a New York corporation
("CHL"), CWABS, INC., a Delaware corporation ("CWABS"), CWMBS, Inc., a Delaware
corporation ("CWMBS"), CWALT, Inc., a Delaware corporation ("CWALT"), CWHEQ,
Inc., a Delaware corporation ("CWHEQ") and XXXXXX BROTHERS SPECIAL FINANCING
INC., as counterparty (the "Counterparty").
RECITALS
WHEREAS, CWABS, CWMBS, CWALT and CWHEQ each have filed Registration
Statements on Form S-3 (each, a "Registration Statement") with the Securities
and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") for purposes of offering mortgage
backed or asset-backed notes and/or certificates (the "Securities") through
special purpose vehicles (each, an "SPV").
WHEREAS, from time to time, on the closing date (the "Closing Date")
of a transaction pursuant to which Securities are offered (each, a
"Transaction"), the Counterparty and CHL or an underwriter or dealer with
respect to the Transaction, enter into certain derivative agreements (each, a
"Derivative Agreement"), including interest rate caps and interest rate or
currency swaps, for purposes of providing certain yield enhancements that are
assigned to the SPV or the related trustee on behalf of the SPV or a swap or
corridor contract administrator (each, an "Administrator").
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual agreements set forth
herein and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and adequacy
of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties hereby agree as follows:
Section 1. Definitions
Company Information: As defined in Section 4(a)(i).
Company Financial Information: As defined in Section 2(a)(ii).
Depositor: Means CWABS, CWMBS, CWALT or CWHEQ with respect to the
related Registration Statement for which the entity of the registrant.
GAAP: As defined in Section 3(a)(v).
XXXXX: The Commission's Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and
Retrieval system.
Exchange Act: The Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and
the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
Exchange Act Reports: All Distribution Reports on Form 10-D, Current
Reports on Form 8-K and Annual Reports on Form 10-K that are to be filed with
respect to the related SPV pursuant to the Exchange Act.
Master Agreement: The ISDA Master Agreement between the Counterparty
and CHL, or if no such Master Agreement exists, the ISDA Master Agreement
assumed to apply to the Derivative Agreement pursuant to its terms.
Prospectus Supplement: The prospectus supplement prepared in
connection with the public offering and sale of the related Securities.
Regulation AB: Subpart 229.1100 - Asset Backed Securities
(Regulation AB), 17 C.F.R. ss.ss.229.1100-229.1123, as such may be amended from
time to time, and subject to such clarification and interpretation as have been
provided by the Commission in the adopting release (Asset-Backed Securities,
Securities Act Release No. 33-8518, 70 Fed. Reg. 1,506, 1,531 (Jan. 7, 2005)) or
by the staff of the Commission, or as may be provided by the Commission or its
staff from time to time.
Securities Act: The Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the
rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
Section 2. Information to be Provided by the Counterparty.
(a) Prior to printing the related Prospectus Supplement,
(i) the Counterparty shall provide to the related Depositor such
information regarding the Counterparty, as a derivative
instrument counterparty, as is reasonably requested by the
related Depositor for the purpose of compliance with Item
1115(a)(1) of Regulation AB. Such information shall include,
at a minimum:
(A) The Counterparty's legal name (and any d/b/a);
(B) the organizational form of the Counterparty;
(C) a description of the general character of the business
of the Counterparty;
(D) a description of any affiliation or relationship (as set
forth in Item 1119) between the Counterparty and any of
the following parties:
(1) CHL (or any other sponsor identified to the
Counterparty by CHL);
(2) the related Depositor (as identified to the
Counterparty by CHL);
(3) the SPV;
(4) Countrywide Home Loans Servicing LP (or any other
servicer or master servicer identified to the
Counterparty by CHL);
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(5) The Bank of New York (or any other trustee
identified to the Counterparty by CHL);
(6) any originator identified to the Counterparty by
CHL;
(7) any enhancement or support provider identified to
the Counterparty by CHL; and
(8) any other material transaction party identified to
the Counterparty by CHL.
(ii) if requested by the related Depositor prior to the related
Depositor taking the steps necessary to suspend its obligation
to file Exchange Act Reports, with respect to the SPV, under
Sections 13 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act, in accordance with
the requirements of Regulation AB, the Counterparty shall:
(A) provide the financial data required by Item 1115(b)(1)
or (b)(2) of Regulation AB (as specified by the related
Depositor to the Counterparty) with respect to the
Counterparty (or any entity that consolidates the
Counterparty) and any affiliated entities providing
derivative instruments to the SPV (the "Company
Financial Information"), in a form appropriate for use
in the Prospectus Supplement and in an XXXXX-compatible
form (if not incorporated by reference) and hereby
authorizes the related Depositor to incorporate by
reference the financial data required by Item 1115(b)(2)
of Regulation AB; and
(B) if applicable, cause its accountants to issue their
consent to the filing or the incorporation by reference
of such financial statements in the Registration
Statement.
(b) Following the Closing Date and until the related Depositor takes the
steps necessary to suspend its obligation to file Exchange Act
Reports, with respect to the SPV, under Sections 13 and 15(d) of the
Exchange Act, with respect to a Transaction,
(i) no later than the 25th calendar day of each month, the
Counterparty shall (1) notify the related Depositor in writing
of any affiliations or relationships that develop following
the Closing Date between the Counterparty and any of the
parties specified in Section 2(a)(i)(D) (and any other parties
identified in writing by the related Depositor) and (2)
provide to the related Depositor a description of such
proceedings, affiliations or relationships as described in
Section 2(b)(i)(1);
(ii) if the Counterparty provided Company Financial Information to
the related Depositor for the Prospectus Supplement, within 5
Business Days of the release of any updated financial data,
the Counterparty shall (1)
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provide current Company Financial Information as required
under Item 1115(b) of Regulation AB to the related Depositor
in an XXXXX-compatible form (if not incorporated by reference)
and hereby authorizes the related Depositor to incorporate by
reference the financial data required by Item 1115(b)(2) of
Regulation AB, and (2) if applicable, cause its accountants to
issue their consent to filing or incorporation by reference of
such financial statements in the Exchange Act Reports of the
SPV; and
(iii) if the related Depositor requests Company Financial
Information from the Counterparty, for the purpose of
compliance with Item 1115(b) of Regulation AB following the
Closing Date, the Counterparty shall upon five Business Days
written notice either (A), (1) provide current Company
Financial Information as required under Item 1115(b) of
Regulation AB to the related Depositor in an XXXXX-compatible
form (if not incorporated by reference) and hereby authorizes
the related Depositor to incorporate by reference the
financial data required by Item 1115(b)(2) of Regulation AB,
(2) if applicable, cause its accountants to issue their
consent to filing or incorporation by reference of such
financial statements in the Exchange Act Reports of the SPV
and (3) within 5 Business Days of the release of any updated
financial data, provide current Company Financial Information
as required under Item 1115(b) of Regulation AB to the related
Depositor in an XXXXX-compatible form and if applicable, cause
its accountants to issue their consent to filing or
incorporation by reference of such financial statements in the
Exchange Act Reports of the SPV or (B) assign the Derivative
Agreement as provided below.
Section 3. Representations and Warranties and Covenants of the Counterparty.
(a) The Counterparty represents and warrants to the related Depositor,
as of the date on which information is first provided to the related
Depositor under Section 2(a)(ii), Section 2(b)(ii) or Section
2(b)(iii)(A), that, except as disclosed in writing the related
Depositor prior to such date:
(i) The Counterparty or the entity that consolidates the
Counterparty is required to file reports with the Commission
pursuant to section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act.
(ii) The Counterparty or the entity that consolidates the
Counterparty has filed all reports and other materials
required to be filed by such requirements during the preceding
12 months (or such shorter period that such party was required
to file such reports and materials).
(iii) The reports filed by the Counterparty, or entity that
consolidates the Counterparty, include (or properly
incorporate by reference) the financial statements of the
Counterparty.
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(iv) The accountants who certify the financial statements and
supporting schedules included in the Company Financial
Information (if applicable) are independent registered public
accountants as required by the Securities Act.
(v) If applicable, the financial statements included in the
Company Financial Information present fairly the consolidated
financial position of the Counterparty (or the entity that
consolidates the Counterparty) and its consolidated
subsidiaries as at the dates indicated and the consolidated
results of their operations and cash flows for the periods
specified; except as otherwise stated in the Company Financial
Information, said financial statements have been prepared in
conformity with generally accepted accounting principles
("GAAP") applied on a consistent basis; and the supporting
schedules included in the Company Financial Information
present fairly in accordance with GAAP the information
required to be stated therein. The selected financial data and
summary financial information included in the Company
Financial Information present fairly the information shown
therein and have been compiled on a basis consistent with that
of the audited financial statements of the Counterparty.
(vi) The Company Financial Information and other Company
Information included or incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement (including through filing on an
Exchange Act Report), at the time they were or hereafter are
filed with the Commission, complied in all material respects
with the requirements of Item 1115(b) of Regulation AB (in the
case of the Company Financial Information) and, did not and
will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or
omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the
light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading.
(b) If the Counterparty has provided Company Financial Information that
is incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement of the
related Depositor, the Counterparty, so long as the related
Depositor is required to file Exchange Act Reports with respect to
the SPV, will file promptly all documents required to be filed with
the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or 14 of the Exchange Act. If
permitted by the Exchange Act, the related Depositor will take the
steps necessary to suspend its obligation to file Exchange Act
Reports, with respect to the SPV, under Sections 13 and 15(d) of the
Exchange Act.
(c) If at any time, the Counterparty ceases to meet the requirements of
Item 1101(c)(1) of Regulation AB with respect to the incorporation
by reference of the financial information of third parties, the
Counterparty shall provide notice to the related Depositor, and if
any Company Financial Information is required to be included in the
Registration Statement, or the Exchange Act Reports of the SPV, will
provide to the related Depositor such Company Financial Information
in
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XXXXX-compatible format no later than the 25th calendar day of the
month following the date on which the Counterparty ceased to meet
the requirements.
(d) The Counterparty agrees that the terms of this Agreement shall be
incorporated by reference into any Derivative Agreement so that each
SPV who is a beneficiary of a Derivative Agreement shall be an
express third party beneficiary of this Agreement.
Section 4. Indemnification; Remedies
(a) The Counterparty shall indemnify CHL and the related Depositor, each
person responsible for execution of a certification pursuant to Rule
13a-14(d) or Rule 15d-14(d) under the Exchange Act; each broker
dealer acting as underwriter, each person who controls any of such
parties (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act and
Section 20 of the Exchange Act); and the respective present and
former directors, officers, employees and agents of each of the
foregoing, and shall hold each of them harmless from and against any
losses, damages, penalties, fines, forfeitures, legal fees and
expenses and related costs, judgments, and any other costs, fees and
expenses that any of them may sustain arising out of or based upon:
(i) (A) any untrue statement of a material fact contained or
alleged to be contained in any information, report,
accountants' consent or other material provided in written or
electronic form under Section 2 by or on behalf of the
Counterparty (collectively, the "Company Information"), or (B)
the omission or alleged omission to state in the Company
Information a material fact required to be stated in the
Company Information or necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading;
(ii) any breach by the Counterparty of a representation or warranty
set forth in Section 3(a) and made as of a date prior to the
Closing Date, to the extent that such breach is not cured by
the Closing Date, or any breach by the Counterparty of a
representation or warranty pursuant to Section 3 to the extent
made as of a date subsequent to the Closing Date.
(b) (i) Any failure by the Counterparty to deliver any information,
report, accountants' consent or other material when and in any
case only as required under Section 2 or any breach by the
Counterparty of a representation or warranty set forth in
Section 3 and made as of a date prior to the Closing Date, to
the extent that such breach is not cured by the Closing Date
(or in the case of information needed for purposes of printing
the Prospectus Supplement, the date of printing of the
Prospectus Supplement), shall, except as provided in clause
(ii) of this paragraph, immediately and automatically, without
notice or grace period, constitute an Additional Termination
Event (as defined in the Master Agreement) with the
Counterparty as the sole Affected Party (as defined in the
Master
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Agreement) under the Derivative Agreement. Following such
termination, a termination payment (if any) shall be payable
by the applicable party as determined by the application of
Section 6(e)(ii) of the Master Agreement, with Market
Quotation and Second Method being the applicable method for
determining the termination payment (notwithstanding anything
in the Derivative Agreement to the contrary).
(ii) If the Counterparty has failed to deliver any information,
report, certification or accountants' consent when and as
required under Section 2, which continues unremedied for the
lesser of ten calendar days after the date on which such
information, report, certification or accountants' consent was
required to be delivered or such period in which the
applicable Exchange Act Report for which such information is
required can be timely filed (without taking into account any
extensions permitted to be filed), or if the Counterparty has
provided Company Information, any breach by the Counterparty
of a representation or warranty pursuant to Section 3 to the
extent made as of a date subsequent to such closing date, and
the Counterparty has not, at its own cost, within the period
in which the applicable Exchange Act Report for which such
information is required can be timely filed caused another
entity (which meets any applicable ratings threshold in the
Derivative Agreement) to replace the Counterparty as party to
the Derivative Agreement that (i) has signed an agreement with
CHL and the Depositors substantially in the form of this
Agreement, (ii) has agreed to deliver any information, report,
certification or accountants' consent when and as required
under Section 2 hereof and (iii) is approved by the Depositor
(which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld) and any
rating agency, if applicable, on terms substantially similar
to the Derivative Agreement, then an Additional Termination
Event (as defined in the Master Agreement) shall have occurred
with the Counterparty as the sole Affected Party. Following
such termination, a termination payment (if any) shall be
payable by the applicable party as determined by the
application of Section 6(e)(ii) of the Master Agreement, with
Market Quotation and Second Method being the applicable method
for determining the termination payment (notwithstanding
anything in the Derivative Agreement to the contrary).
(iii) In the event that the Counterparty or the SPV has found a
replacement entity in accordance with Section 2(b)(ii), the
Counterparty shall promptly reimburse the SPV for all
reasonable incidental expenses incurred by the SPV, as such
are incurred, in connection with the termination of the
Counterparty as counterparty and the entry into a new
Derivative Agreement. The provisions of this paragraph shall
not limit whatever rights the SPV may have under other
provisions of this Agreement or otherwise, whether in equity
or at law, such as an action for damages, specific performance
or injunctive relief.
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Section 5. Miscellaneous.
(a) Construction. Throughout this Agreement, as the context requires,
(a) the singular tense and number includes the plural, and the
plural tense and number includes the singular; (b) the past tense
includes the present, and the present tense includes the past; and
(c) references to parties, sections, schedules, and exhibits mean
the parties, sections, schedules, and exhibits of and to this
Agreement. The section headings in this Agreement are inserted only
as a matter of convenience, and in no way define, limit, extend, or
interpret the scope of this Agreement or of any particular section.
(b) Assignment. None of the parties may assign their rights under this
Agreement without the prior written consent of the other parties.
Subject to the foregoing, this Agreement shall be binding on and
inure to the benefit of the parties and their respective successors
and permitted assigns.
(c) No Third-Party Benefits Except as Specified. None of the provisions
of this Agreement are intended to benefit, or to be enforceable by,
any third-party beneficiaries except the related SPV and any trustee
of an SPV or any Administrator.
(d) Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in
accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York without
regard to the conflict of laws principles thereof.
(e) Amendment and Waiver. This Agreement may not be modified or amended
except by an instrument in writing signed by the parties hereto. No
waiver of any provision of this Agreement or of any rights or
obligations of any party under this Agreement shall be effective
unless in writing and signed by the party or parties waiving
compliance, and shall be effective only in the specific instance and
for the specific purpose stated in that writing.
(f) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more
counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of
which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.
(g) Additional Documents. Each party hereto agrees to execute any and
all further documents and writings and to perform such other actions
which may be or become reasonably necessary or expedient to
effectuate and carry out this Agreement.
(h) Severability. Any provision hereof which is prohibited or
unenforceable shall be ineffective only to the extent of such
prohibition or unenforceability without invalidating the remaining
provisions hereof.
(i) Integration. This Agreement contains the entire understanding of the
parties with respect to the subject matter hereof. There are no
restrictions, agreements, promises, representations, warranties,
covenants or undertakings with respect to
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the subject matter hereof other than those expressly set forth or
referred to herein. This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements
and understandings between the parties with respect to its subject
matter.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused their names to be
signed hereto by their respective officers thereunto duly authorized as of the
day and year first above written.
CWABS, INC.
By: /s/ Xxxxxx Xxxxx
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Name:
Title:
CWMBS, INC.
By: /s/ Xxxxxx Xxxxx
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Name:
Title:
CWALT, INC.
By: /s/ Xxxxxx Xxxxx
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Name:
Title:
CWHEQ, INC.
By: /s/ Xxxxxx Xxxxx
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Name:
Title:
COUNTRYWIDE HOME LOANS, INC.
By: /s/ Xxxxxx Xxxxx
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Name:
Title:
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XXXXXX BROTHERS SPECIAL FINANCING INC.
By: /s/ Xxxxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
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Name: Xxxxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Title: Vice President
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