FIRST AMENDED AND RESTATED AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP OF DCP MIDSTREAM GP, LP
Exhibit 3.4
FIRST AMENDED AND RESTATED
AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
OF
DCP MIDSTREAM GP, LP
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page | ||||||
ARTICLE I |
||||||
Definitions |
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1.1 |
Definitions | 1 | ||||
1.2 |
Construction | 1 | ||||
ARTICLE II |
||||||
Organization |
||||||
2.1 |
Formation | 1 | ||||
2.2 |
Name | 1 | ||||
2.3 |
Registered Office; Registered Agent; Principal Office; Other Offices | 1 | ||||
2.4 |
Purpose and Business | 2 | ||||
2.5 |
Powers | 2 | ||||
2.6 |
Power of Attorney | 2 | ||||
2.7 |
Term | 3 | ||||
2.8 |
Title to Partnership Assets | 3 | ||||
2.9 |
Certain Undertakings Relating to the Separateness of the Partnership | 3 | ||||
ARTICLE III |
||||||
Rights of Limited Partners |
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3.1 |
Limitation of Liability | 5 | ||||
3.2 |
Management of Business | 5 | ||||
3.3 |
Outside Activities of the Limited Partners | 5 | ||||
3.4 |
Rights of Limited Partners | 5 | ||||
ARTICLE IV |
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Transfer of Partnership Interests |
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4.1 |
Transfer Generally | 6 | ||||
4.2 |
Transfer of General Partner Interest | 6 | ||||
4.3 |
Transfer of a Limited Partner’s Partnership Interest | 6 | ||||
4.4 |
Restrictions on Transfers | 6 | ||||
ARTICLE V |
||||||
Capital Contributions and Issuance of Partnership Interests |
||||||
5.1 |
Prior Contributions | 7 | ||||
5.2 |
Continuation of General Partner and Limited Partner Interests; Contributions by the General Partner | 7 | ||||
5.3 |
Interest and Withdrawal | 7 | ||||
5.4 |
Issuances of Additional Partnership Interests | 7 | ||||
5.5 |
Limited Preemptive Right | 8 | ||||
5.6 |
Fully Paid and Non-Assessable Nature of Limited Partner Interests | 8 | ||||
ARTICLE VI |
||||||
Distributions |
||||||
6.1 |
Requirement and Characterization of Distributions; Distributions to Record Holders | 8 | ||||
ARTICLE VII |
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Management and Operation of Business |
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7.1 |
Management | 9 | ||||
7.2 |
Certificate of Limited Partnership | 10 | ||||
7.3 |
Restrictions on General Partner’s Authority | 11 |
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Page | ||||||
7.4 |
Reimbursement of the General Partner | 11 | ||||
7.5 |
Outside Activities | 12 | ||||
7.6 |
Loans from the General Partner; Loans or Contributions from the Partnership or Group Members | 12 | ||||
7.7 |
Indemnification | 13 | ||||
7.8 |
Liability of Indemnitees | 14 | ||||
7.9 |
Resolution of Conflicts of Interest; Standard of Conduct and Modification of Duties | 14 | ||||
7.10 |
Other Matters Concerning the General Partner | 16 | ||||
7.11 |
Reliance by Third Parties | 16 | ||||
ARTICLE VIII |
||||||
Books, Records, Accounting and Reports |
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8.1 |
Records and Accounting | 17 | ||||
8.2 |
Fiscal Year | 17 | ||||
8.3 |
Reports | 17 | ||||
ARTICLE IX |
||||||
Tax Matters |
||||||
9.1 |
Tax Matters | 17 | ||||
ARTICLE X |
||||||
Admission of Partners |
||||||
10.1 |
Admission of Limited Partners | 17 | ||||
10.2 |
Admission of Successor General Partner | 18 | ||||
10.3 |
Amendment of Agreement and Certificate of Limited Partnership | 18 | ||||
ARTICLE XI |
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Withdrawal or Removal of Partners |
||||||
11.1 |
Withdrawal of the General Partner | 18 | ||||
11.2 |
Removal of the General Partner | 19 | ||||
11.3 |
Interest of Departing General Partner | 19 | ||||
11.4 |
Withdrawal of Limited Partners | 20 | ||||
ARTICLE XII |
||||||
Dissolution and Liquidation |
||||||
12.1 |
Dissolution | 20 | ||||
12.2 |
Continuation of the Business of the Partnership After Dissolution | 21 | ||||
12.3 |
Liquidator | 21 | ||||
12.4 |
Liquidation | 21 | ||||
12.5 |
Cancellation of Certificate of Limited Partnership | 22 | ||||
12.6 |
Return of Contributions | 22 | ||||
12.7 |
Waiver of Partition | 22 | ||||
ARTICLE XIII |
||||||
Amendment of Partnership Agreement; Meetings; Record Date |
||||||
13.1 |
Amendments to be Adopted Solely by the General Partner | 22 | ||||
13.2 |
Amendment Procedures | 23 | ||||
13.3 |
Amendment Requirements | 23 | ||||
13.4 |
Special Meetings | 24 | ||||
13.5 |
Notice of a Meeting | 24 | ||||
13.6 |
Record Date | 24 | ||||
13.7 |
Adjournment | 24 | ||||
13.8 |
Waiver of Notice; Approval of Meeting; Approval of Minutes | 25 | ||||
13.9 |
Quorum and Voting | 25 | ||||
13.10 |
Conduct of a Meeting | 25 | ||||
13.11 |
Action Without a Meeting | 25 | ||||
13.12 |
Voting and Other Rights | 26 |
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Page | ||||||
ARTICLE XIV |
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Merger, Consolidation or Conversion |
||||||
14.1 |
Authority | 26 | ||||
14.2 |
Procedure for Merger, Consolidation or Conversion | 26 | ||||
14.3 |
Approval by Limited Partners | 27 | ||||
14.4 |
Certificate of Merger | 28 | ||||
14.5 |
Amendment of Partnership Agreement | 29 | ||||
ARTICLE XV |
||||||
General Provisions |
||||||
15.1 |
Addresses and Notices | 29 | ||||
15.2 |
Further Action | 29 | ||||
15.3 |
Binding Effect | 29 | ||||
15.4 |
Integration | 29 | ||||
15.5 |
Creditors | 30 | ||||
15.6 |
Waiver | 30 | ||||
15.7 |
Counterparts | 30 | ||||
15.8 |
Applicable Law | 30 | ||||
15.9 |
Invalidity of Provisions | 30 | ||||
15.10 |
Consent of Partners | 30 | ||||
15.11 |
Third-Party Beneficiaries | 30 |
Attachment I—Defined Terms
iii
FIRST AMENDED AND RESTATED AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
OF DCP MIDSTREAM GP, LP
THIS FIRST AMENDED AND RESTATED AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP OF DCP MIDSTREAM GP, LP dated
effective as of ___, 2005, is entered into by and among DCP Midstream GP, LLC, a
Delaware limited liability company, as the General Partner, together with any other Persons who
become Partners in the Partnership or parties hereto as provided herein. In consideration of the
covenants, conditions and agreements contained herein, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
Definitions
1.1 Definitions. The definitions listed on Attachment I shall be for all purposes, unless
otherwise clearly indicated to the contrary, applied to the terms used in this Agreement.
1.2 Construction. Unless the context requires otherwise: (a) any pronoun used in this Agreement
shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine or neuter forms, and the singular form of
nouns, pronouns and verbs shall include the plural and vice versa; (b) references to Articles and
Sections refer to Articles and Sections of this Agreement; (c) the terms “include”, “includes”,
“including” or words of like import shall be deemed to be followed by the words “without
limitation”; and (d) the terms “hereof”, “herein” or “hereunder” refer to this Agreement as a whole
and not to any particular provision of this Agreement. The table of contents and headings
contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes only, and shall not affect in any way the
meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.
ARTICLE II
Organization
2.1 Formation. The Partnership has been previously formed as a limited partnership pursuant to the
provisions of the Delaware Act. The General Partner and the Limited Partners hereby amend and
restate in its entirety the Agreement of Limited Partnership of DCP Midstream GP, LP, dated as of
___, 2005. Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, the General Partner and the
Limited Partners hereby continue the Partnership as a limited partnership pursuant to the
provisions of the Delaware Act. This amendment and restatement shall become effective on the date
of this Agreement. Except as expressly provided to the contrary in this Agreement, the rights,
duties (including fiduciary duties), liabilities and obligations of the Partners and the
administration, dissolution and termination of the Partnership shall be governed by the Delaware
Act. All Partnership Interests shall constitute personal property of the owner thereof for all
purposes.
2.2 Name. The name of the Partnership shall be “DCP Midstream GP, LP.” The Partnership’s business
may be conducted under any other name or names as determined by the General Partner, including the
name of the General Partner. The words “Limited Partnership,” “LP,” “L.P.,” “Ltd.” or similar words
or letters shall be included in the Partnership’s name where necessary for the purpose of complying
with the laws of any jurisdiction that so requires. The General Partner may change the name of the
Partnership at any time and from time to time and shall notify the Limited Partners of such change
in the next regular communication to the Limited Partners.
2.3 Registered Office; Registered Agent; Principal Office; Other Offices. The registered office of the Partnership required by the Delaware Act to be maintained in the
State of Delaware shall be the office of the initial registered agent for service of process named
in the Certificate of Limited Partnership or such other office (which need not be a place of
business of the Partnership) as the Board of Directors may designate in the manner provided by law.
The registered agent for service of process of the Partnership in the State of Delaware shall be
the initial registered agent for service of process named in the Certificate of Limited Partnership
or such other Person or Persons as the Board of Directors may designate in the manner provided by
law. The principal office of the Partnership in the United States shall be at such a place as the
Board of Directors may from time to time designate, which need not be in the State of Delaware, and
the Partnership shall maintain records there and shall keep the street address of such principal
office at the registered
1
office of the Partnership in the State of Delaware. The Partnership may
have such other offices as the Board of Directors may designate.
2.4 Purpose and Business. The purpose and nature of the business to be conducted by the
Partnership shall be to engage in any business activity that is approved by the General Partner and
that lawfully may be conducted by a limited partnership organized pursuant to the Delaware Act and,
in connection therewith, to exercise all of the rights and powers conferred upon the Partnership
pursuant to the agreements relating to such business activity; provided, however, that the General
Partner shall not cause the Partnership to engage, directly or indirectly in any business activity
that the General Partner determines would cause the Partnership or the MLP to be treated as an
association taxable as a corporation or otherwise taxable as an entity for federal income tax
purposes. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the General Partner shall have no duty or
obligation to propose or approve, and may decline to propose or approve, the conduct by the
Partnership of any business free of any fiduciary duty or obligation whatsoever to the Partnership
or any Limited Partner and, in declining to so propose or approve, shall not be required to act in
good faith or pursuant to any other standard imposed by this Agreement, any other agreement
contemplated hereby or under the Delaware Act or any other law, rule or regulation or at equity.
2.5 Powers. The Partnership shall be empowered to do any and all acts and things necessary,
appropriate, proper, advisable, incidental to or convenient for the furtherance and accomplishment
of the purposes and business described in Section 2.4 and for the protection and benefit of the
Partnership.
2.6 Power of Attorney.
(a) Each Limited Partner hereby constitutes and appoints the General Partner and, if a
Liquidator (other than the General Partner) shall have been selected pursuant to Section
12.3, the Liquidator, severally (and any successor to either thereof by merger, transfer,
assignment, election or otherwise) and each of their authorized officers and
attorneys-in-fact, as the case may be, with full power of substitution, as his true and
lawful agent and attorney-in-fact, with full power and authority in his name, place and
xxxxx, to:
(i) execute, swear to, acknowledge, deliver, file and record in the appropriate
public offices (A) all certificates, documents and other instruments (including this
Agreement and the Certificate of Limited Partnership and all amendments or
restatements hereof or thereof) that the General Partner or the Liquidator
determines to be necessary or appropriate to form, qualify or continue the existence
or qualification of the Partnership as a limited partnership (or a partnership in
which the limited partners have limited liability) in the State of Delaware and in
all other jurisdictions in which the Partnership may conduct business or own
property; (B) all certificates, documents and other instruments that the General
Partner or the Liquidator determines to be necessary or appropriate to reflect, in
accordance with its terms, any amendment, change, modification or restatement of
this Agreement; (C) all certificates, documents and other instruments (including
conveyances and a certificate of cancellation) that the General Partner or the
Liquidator determines to be necessary or appropriate to reflect the dissolution and
liquidation of the Partnership pursuant to the terms of this Agreement; (D) all
certificates, documents and
other instruments relating to the admission, withdrawal, removal or
substitution of any Partner pursuant to, or other events described in, Article IV,
Article X, Article XI or Article XII; (E) all certificates, documents and other
instruments relating to the determination of the rights, preferences and privileges
of any class or series of Partnership Interests issued pursuant to Section 5.6; and
(F) all certificates, documents and other instruments (including agreements and a
certificate of merger) relating to a merger, consolidation or conversion of the
Partnership pursuant to Article XIV; and
(ii) execute, swear to, acknowledge, deliver, file and record all ballots,
consents, approvals, waivers, certificates, documents and other instruments that the
General Partner or the Liquidator determines to be necessary or appropriate to (A)
make, evidence, give, confirm or ratify any vote, consent, approval, agreement or
other action that is made or given by the Partners hereunder or is consistent with
the terms of this Agreement or (B) effectuate the terms or intent of this Agreement;
provided, that when required by Section 13.3 or any other provision of this
Agreement
2
that establishes a percentage of the Limited Partners or of the Limited
Partners of any class or series required to take any action, the General Partner and
the Liquidator may exercise the power of attorney made in this Section 2.6(a)(ii)
only after the necessary vote, consent or approval of the Limited Partners or of the
Limited Partners of such class or series, as applicable.
Nothing contained in this Section 2.6(a) shall be construed as authorizing the General
Partner to amend this Agreement except in accordance with Article XIII or as may be
otherwise expressly provided for in this Agreement.
(b) The foregoing power of attorney is hereby declared to be irrevocable and a power
coupled with an interest, and it shall survive and, to the maximum extent permitted by law,
not be affected by the subsequent death, incompetency, disability, incapacity, dissolution,
bankruptcy or termination of any Limited Partner and the transfer of all or any portion of
such Limited Partner’s Partnership Interest and shall extend to such Limited Partner’s
heirs, successors, assigns and personal representatives. Each such Limited Partner hereby
agrees to be bound by any representation made by the General Partner or the Liquidator
acting in good faith pursuant to such power of attorney; and each such Limited Partner, to
the maximum extent permitted by law, hereby waives any and all defenses that may be
available to contest, negate or disaffirm the action of the General Partner or the
Liquidator taken in good faith under such power of attorney. Each Limited Partner shall
execute and deliver to the General Partner or the Liquidator, within 15 days after receipt
of the request therefor, such further designation, powers of attorney and other instruments
as the General Partner or the Liquidator may request in order to effectuate this Agreement
and the purposes of the Partnership.
2.7 Term. The term of the Partnership commenced upon the filing of the Certificate of Limited
Partnership in accordance with the Delaware Act and shall continue in existence until the
dissolution of the Partnership in accordance with the provisions of Article XII. The existence of
the Partnership as a separate legal entity shall continue until the cancellation of the Certificate
of Limited Partnership as provided in the Delaware Act.
2.8 Title to Partnership Assets. Title to Partnership assets, whether real, personal or mixed and
whether tangible or intangible, shall be deemed to be owned by the Partnership as an entity, and no
Partner, individually or collectively, shall have any ownership interest in such Partnership assets
or any portion thereof. Title to any or all of the Partnership assets may be held in the name of
the Partnership, the General Partner or one or more third party nominees, as the General Partner
may determine. The General Partner hereby declares and warrants that any Partnership assets for
which record title is held in the name of the General Partner or one or more third party nominees
shall be held by the General Partner or such third party nominee for the use and benefit of the
Partnership in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement; provided, however, that the
General Partner shall use reasonable efforts to cause record title to such assets (other than those
assets in respect of which the General Partner determines that the expense and difficulty of
conveyancing makes transfer of record title to the Partnership impracticable) to
be vested in the Partnership as soon as reasonably practicable; provided, further, that, prior to
the withdrawal or removal of the General Partner or as soon thereafter as practicable, the General
Partner shall use reasonable efforts to effect the transfer to the Partnership of record title to
all Partnership assets held by the General Partner, and, prior to any such transfer, will provide
for the use of such assets in a manner satisfactory to the General Partner. All Partnership assets
shall be recorded as the property of the Partnership in its books and records, irrespective of the
name in which record title to such Partnership assets is held.
2.9 Certain Undertakings Relating to the Separateness of the Partnership.
(a) Separateness Generally. The Partnership shall conduct its business and
operations in accordance with this Section 2.9.
(b) Separate Records. The Partnership shall (i) maintain its books and records
and its accounts separate from those of any other Person, (ii) maintain its financial
records, which will be used by it in its ordinary course of business, showing its assets and
liabilities separate and apart from those of any other Person, (iii) not have its assets
and/or liabilities included in a consolidated financial statement of any Affiliate of the
General Partner unless the General Partner shall cause appropriate notation to be made on
such Affiliate’s consolidated financial statements to indicate the separateness of the
Partnership and the General Partner and
3
their assets and liabilities from such Affiliate and
the assets and liabilities of such Affiliate, and to indicate that the assets and
liabilities of the Partnership and the General Partner are not available to satisfy the
debts and other obligations of such Affiliate (except to the extent specified in the
Contribution Agreement), and (iv) file its own tax returns separate from those of any other
Person, except to the extent that the Partnership is treated as a “disregarded entity” for
tax purposes or is not otherwise required to file tax returns under applicable law or is
required under applicable law to file a tax return which is consolidated with another
Person.
(c) Separate Assets. The Partnership shall not commingle or pool its funds or
other assets with those of any other Person, except the General Partner, and shall maintain
its assets in a manner that is not costly or difficult to segregate, ascertain or otherwise
identify as separate from those of any other Person.
(d) Separate Name. The Partnership shall (i) conduct its business in its own
name or in the name of the General Partner, (ii) use separate stationery, invoices, and
checks, (iii) correct any known misunderstanding regarding its separate identity, and (iv)
generally hold itself out as an entity separate from any other Person (other than the
General Partner).
(e) Separate Credit. The Partnership (i) shall pay its obligations and
liabilities from its own funds (whether on hand or borrowed), (ii) shall maintain adequate
capital in light of its business operations, (iii) shall not pledge its assets for the
benefit of any other Person or guarantee or become obligated for the debts of any other
Person (except to the extent specified in the Contribution Agreement or the Omnibus
Agreement), (iv) shall not hold out its credit as being available to satisfy the obligations
or liabilities of any other Person, (v) shall not acquire obligations or debt securities
(except to the extent specified in the Contribution Agreement or the Omnibus Agreement) of
DEFS or its Affiliates (other than the General Partner) nor the MLP or its Subsidiaries,
(vi) shall not make loans, advances or capital contributions to DEFS or its Affiliates
(other than the MLP or any of its Subsidiaries), and (vii) shall use its commercially
reasonable efforts to cause the operative documents under which the Partnership or the
General Partner borrows money, is an issuer of debt securities, or guarantees any such
borrowing or issuance, to contain provisions to the effect that (A) the lenders or
purchasers of debt securities, respectively, acknowledge that they have advanced funds or
purchased debt securities, respectively, in reliance upon the separateness of the
Partnership and the General Partner from any other Person, including any Affiliate of the
General Partner and (B) the Partnership and the General Partner have assets and liabilities
that are separate from those of other Persons, including any Affiliate of the General
Partner; provided that, the Partnership may engage in any transaction described in clauses
(v) or (vi) of this Section 2.9(e) if prior Special Approval has been obtained for such
transaction and either (A) the Conflicts Committee has determined (by Special Approval) that
the borrower or recipient of the credit support is not then insolvent and will not be
rendered insolvent as a result of
such transaction or (B) in the case of transactions described in clause (v), such
transaction is completed through a public sale or a National Securities Exchange.
(f) Separate Formalities. The Partnership shall (i) observe all partnership
formalities and other formalities required by its organizational documents, the laws of the
jurisdiction of its formation, or other laws, rules, regulations and orders of governmental
authorities exercising jurisdiction over it, (ii) engage in transactions with DEFS and its
Affiliates or the MLP or its Subsidiaries in conformity with the requirements of Section
7.9, and (iii) subject to the terms of the Omnibus Agreement, promptly pay, from its own
funds, and on a current basis, a fair and reasonable share of general and administrative
expenses, capital expenditures, and costs for shared services performed by DEFS or
Affiliates of DEFS (other than the General Partner). Each material contract between the
Partnership or the General Partner, on the one hand, and DEFS or Affiliates of DEFS (other
than the General Partner), on the other hand, shall be in writing.
(g) No Effect. Failure by the General Partner or the Partnership to comply
with any of the obligations set forth above shall not affect the status of the Partnership
as a separate legal entity, with its separate assets and separate liabilities or restrict or
limit the Partnership from engaging, or contracting with DEFS and its Affiliates, for the
provision of services or the purchase or sale of products, whether under the Omnibus
Agreement or otherwise.
4
ARTICLE III
Rights of Limited Partners
3.1 Limitation of Liability. The Limited Partners shall have no liability under this Agreement
except as expressly provided in this Agreement or the Delaware Act.
3.2 Management of Business. No Limited Partner, in its capacity as such, shall participate in the
operation, management or control (within the meaning of the Delaware Act) of the Partnership’s
business, transact any business in the Partnership’s name or have the power to sign documents for
or otherwise bind the Partnership. Any action taken by any Affiliate of the General Partner or any
officer, director, employee, member, manager, general partner, agent or trustee of the General
Partner or any of its Affiliates, or any officer, director, employee, member, manager, general
partner, agent or trustee of the Partnership or its Subsidiaries, in its capacity as such, shall
not be deemed to be participation in the control of the business of the Partnership by a limited
partner of the Partnership (within the meaning of Section 17-303(a) of the Delaware Act) and shall
not affect, impair or eliminate the limitations on the liability of the Limited Partners under this
Agreement.
3.3 Outside Activities of the Limited Partners. Subject to the provisions of Section 7.5 and the
Omnibus Agreement, which shall continue to be applicable to the Persons referred to therein,
regardless of whether such Persons shall also be Limited Partners, any Limited Partner shall be
entitled to and may have business interests and engage in business activities in addition to those
relating to the Partnership, including business interests and activities in direct competition with
the Partnership and its Subsidiaries. Neither the Partnership nor any of the other Partners shall
have any rights by virtue of this Agreement in any business ventures of any Limited Partner.
3.4 Rights of Limited Partners.
(a) In addition to other rights provided by this Agreement or by applicable law, and
except as limited by Section 3.4(b), each Limited Partner shall have the right, for a
purpose reasonably related to such Limited Partner’s
interest as a Limited Partner in the Partnership, upon reasonable written demand
stating the purpose of such demand and at such Limited Partner’s own expense:
(i) to obtain true and full information regarding the status of the business
and financial condition of the Partnership;
(ii) promptly after its becoming available, to obtain a copy of the
Partnership’s state and local income tax returns for each year;
(iii) to obtain a current list of the name and last known business, residence
or mailing address of each Partner;
(iv) to obtain a copy of this Agreement and the Certificate of Limited
Partnership and all amendments thereto, together with a copy of the executed copies
of all powers of attorney pursuant to which this Agreement, the Certificate of
Limited Partnership and all amendments thereto have been executed;
(v) to obtain true and full information regarding the amount of cash and a
description and statement of the net agreed value of any other Capital Contribution
by each Partner and that each Partner has agreed to contribute in the future, and
the date on which each became a Partner; and
(vi) to obtain such other information regarding the affairs of the Partnership
as is just and reasonable.
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the General Partner may keep
confidential from the Limited Partners, for such period of time as the General Partner deems
reasonable, (i) any information that the General Partner reasonably believes to be in the
nature of trade secrets or (ii) other information the
5
disclosure of which the General
Partner in good faith believes (A) is not in the best interests of the Partnership or its
Subsidiaries, (B) could damage the Partnership’s or its Subsidiaries’ business or (C) that
the Partnership or any of its Subsidiaries is required by law or by agreement with any third
party to keep confidential (other than agreements with Affiliates of the Partnership the
primary purpose of which is to circumvent the obligations set forth in this Section 3.4).
ARTICLE IV
Transfer of Partnership Interests
4.1 Transfer Generally.
(a) The term “transfer,” when used in this Agreement with respect to a Partnership
Interest, shall be deemed to refer to a transaction (i) by which the General Partner assigns
its General Partner Interest to another Person and includes a sale, assignment, gift,
pledge, encumbrance, hypothecation, mortgage, exchange or any other disposition by law or
otherwise or (ii) by which the holder of a Limited Partner Interest assigns such Limited
Partner Interest to another Person who is or becomes a Limited Partner, and includes a sale,
assignment, gift, exchange or any other disposition by law or otherwise, including any
transfer upon foreclosure of any pledge, encumbrance, hypothecation or mortgage.
(b) No Partnership Interest shall be transferred, in whole or in part, except in
accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in this Article IV. Any transfer or
purported transfer of a Partnership Interest not made in accordance with this Article IV
shall be null and void.
(c) Nothing contained in this Agreement shall be construed to prevent a disposition by
any stockholder, member, partner or other owner of the General Partner of any or all of the
issued and outstanding equity interests of the General Partner.
4.2 Transfer of General Partner Interest. No provision of this Agreement shall be construed to
prevent (and the Limited Partners do hereby expressly consent to) (a) the transfer by the General
Partner of all or a portion of its General Partner Interest, which transferred General Partner
Interest, to the extent not transferred to a successor General Partner, shall constitute a Limited
Partner Interest or (b) the transfer by the General Partner, in whole and not in part, of its
General Partner Interest upon (i) its merger, consolidation or other combination into any other
Person or the transfer by it of all or substantially all of its assets to such other Person or (ii)
sale of all or substantially all of the membership interests of the General Partner by its members
if, in the case of a transfer described in either clause (a) or (b) of this sentence, the rights
and duties of the General Partner with respect to the General Partner Interest so transferred are
assumed by the transferee and the transferee agrees to be bound by the provisions of this
Agreement. In the case of a transfer pursuant to this Section 4.2 to a Person proposed as a
successor general partner of the Partnership, the transferee or successor (as the case may be)
shall, subject to compliance with the terms of Section 10.2, be admitted to the Partnership as the
General Partner immediately prior to the transfer of the Partnership Interest, and the business of
the Partnership shall continue without dissolution.
4.3 Transfer of a Limited Partner’s Partnership Interest. A Limited Partner may transfer all, or a
portion, of its Limited Partner Interest to another Person, and, following any such transfer, such
Person may become a substituted Limited Partner pursuant to Section 10.01.
4.4 Restrictions on Transfers.
(a) Notwithstanding the other provisions of this Article IV, no transfer of any
Partnership Interests shall be made if such transfer would (i) violate the then applicable
federal or state securities laws or rules and regulations of the Commission, any state
securities commission or any other governmental authority with jurisdiction over such
transfer, (ii) terminate the existence or qualification of the Partnership under the laws of
the jurisdiction of its formation, or (iii) cause the Partnership or the MLP to be treated
as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise to be taxed as an entity for federal
income tax purposes (to the extent not already so treated or taxed).
6
(b) The General Partner may impose restrictions on the transfer of Partnership
Interests if it reviews an Opinion of Counsel that determines that such restrictions are
necessary to avoid a significant risk of the Partnership or the MLP becoming taxable as a
corporation or otherwise becoming taxable as an entity for federal income tax purposes. The
General Partner may impose such restrictions by amending this Agreement.
ARTICLE V
Capital Contributions and Issuance of Partnership Interests
5.1 Prior Contributions.
(a) In connection with formation of the Partnership, the General Partner made certain
Capital Contributions to the Partnership in exchange for a 0.001% General Partner Interest
in the Partnership and was
admitted as the General Partner of the Partnership, and DEFS made certain Capital
Contributions to the Partnership in exchange for a 99.999% Limited Partner Interest in the
Partnership and was admitted as a Limited Partner of the Partnership.
(b) On the date of this Agreement, DEFS and its Affiliates made additional Capital
Contributions to the Partnership consisting of a limited partner interest in DCP Assets
Holding, LP, a Delaware limited partnership.
5.2 Continuation of General Partner and Limited Partner Interests; Contributions by the
General Partner.
(a) The Interest of the General Partner in the Partnership shall be continued as a
0.001% General Partner Interest, subject to all of the rights, privileges and duties of the
General Partner under this Agreement.
(b) Upon the issuance of any additional Limited Partner Interests by the Partnership,
the General Partner shall maintain its Percentage Interest without any requirement to make
additional Capital Contributions. Except as set forth in Sections 11.3 and 12.2(ii), the
General Partner shall not be obligated to make any additional Capital Contributions to the
Partnership.
5.3 Interest and Withdrawal. No interest shall be paid by the Partnership on Capital
Contributions. No Partner shall be entitled to the withdrawal or return of its Capital
Contribution, except to the extent, if any, that distributions made pursuant to this Agreement or
upon termination of the Partnership may be considered as such by law and then only to the extent
provided for in this Agreement. Except to the extent expressly provided in this Agreement, no
Partner shall have priority over any other Partner either as to the return of Capital Contributions
or as to profits, losses or distributions. Any such return shall be a compromise to which all
Partners agree within the meaning of Section 17-502(b) of the Delaware Act.
5.4 Issuances of Additional Partnership Interests.
(a) The Partnership may issue additional Partnership Interests and options, rights,
warrants and appreciation rights relating to the Partnership Interests for any Partnership
purpose at any time and from time to time to such Persons for such consideration and on such
terms and conditions as the General Partner shall determine, all without the approval of any
Limited Partners.
(b) Each additional Partnership Interest authorized to be issued by the Partnership
pursuant to Section 5.4(a) may be issued in one or more classes, or one or more series of
any such classes, with such designations, preferences, rights, powers and duties (which may
be senior to existing classes and series of Partnership Interests), as shall be fixed by the
General Partner, including (i) the right to share in Partnership profits and losses or items
thereof; (ii) the right to share in Partnership distributions; (iii) the rights upon
dissolution and liquidation of the Partnership; (iv) whether, and the terms and conditions
upon which, the Partnership may or shall be required to redeem the Partnership Interest
(including sinking fund provisions); (v) whether such Partnership Interest is issued with
the privilege of conversion or exchange and, if so, the terms and conditions of such
conversion or exchange; (vi) the terms and conditions upon which each Partnership Interest
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will be issued, evidenced by certificates and assigned or transferred; (vii) the method for
determining the Percentage Interest as to such Partnership Interest; and (viii) the right,
if any, of each such Partnership Interest to vote on Partnership matters, including matters
relating to the relative rights, preferences and privileges of such Partnership Interest.
(c) The General Partner is hereby authorized and directed to take all actions that it
determines to be necessary or appropriate in connection with (i) each issuance of
Partnership Interests and options, rights, warrants and appreciation rights relating to
Partnership Interests pursuant to this Section 5.4, (ii) the admission of additional Limited
Partners and (iii) all additional issuances of Partnership Interests. The General Partner
shall determine the relative rights, powers and duties of the holders of the Partnership
Interest or other Partnership Interests being so issued. The General Partner shall do all
things necessary to comply with the Delaware Act and is authorized and directed to do all
things that it determines to be necessary or appropriate in connection with any future
issuance of Partnership Interests or in connection with the conversion of the General
Partner Interest into Partnership Interest
pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, including compliance with any statute, rule,
regulation or guideline of any federal, state or other governmental agency.
(d) No fractional Partnership Interest shall be issued by the Partnership.
5.5 Limited Preemptive Right. Except as provided in this Section 5.5 and in Section 5.2, no Person
shall have any preemptive, preferential or other similar right with respect to the issuance of any
Partnership Interest, whether unissued, held in the treasury or hereafter created. The General
Partner shall have the right, which it may from time to time assign in whole or in part to any of
its Affiliates, to purchase Partnership Interests from the Partnership whenever, and on the same
terms that, the Partnership issues Partnership Interests to Persons other than the General Partner
and its Affiliates, to the extent necessary to maintain the Percentage Interests (other than the
General Partner Interest) of the General Partner and its Affiliates equal to that which existed
immediately prior to the issuance of such Partnership Interests.
5.6 Fully Paid and Non-Assessable Nature of Limited Partner Interests. All Limited Partner
Interests issued pursuant to, and in accordance with the requirements of, this Article V shall be
fully paid and non-assessable Limited Partner Interests in the Partnership, except as such
non-assessability may be affected by Section 17-607 of the Delaware Act.
ARTICLE VI
Distributions
6.1 Requirement and Characterization of Distributions; Distributions to Record Holders.
(a) Within 50 days following the end of each Quarter commencing with the Quarter ending
on December 31, 2005, an amount equal to 100% of Available Cash with respect to such Quarter
shall, subject to Section 17-607 of the Delaware Act, be distributed in accordance with this
Article VI by the Partnership to the Partners in accordance with their respective Percentage
Interests as of the Record Date selected by the General Partner. All distributions required
to be made under this Agreement shall be made subject to Section 17-607 of the Delaware Act.
(b) In the event of the dissolution and liquidation of the Partnership, all receipts
received during or after the Quarter in which the Liquidation Date occurs shall be applied
and distributed by the Partnership to the Partners solely in accordance with their
respective Percentage Interests.
(c) Each distribution in respect of a Partnership Interest shall be paid by the
Partnership, directly or through a Transfer Agent or through any other Person or agent, only
to the Record Holder of such Partnership Interest as of the Record Date set for such
distribution. Such payment shall constitute full payment and satisfaction of the
Partnership’s liability in respect of such payment, regardless of any claim of any Person
who may have an interest in such payment by reason of an assignment or otherwise.
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ARTICLE VII
Management and Operation of Business
7.1 Management.
(a) The General Partner shall conduct, direct and manage all activities of the
Partnership. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement, all management powers
over the business and affairs of the Partnership shall be exclusively vested in the General
Partner, and no Limited Partner shall have any management power over the business and
affairs of the Partnership. In addition to the powers now or hereafter granted a general
partner of a limited partnership under applicable law or that are granted to the
General Partner under any other provision of this Agreement, the General Partner, subject to
Section 2.9 and Section 7.3, shall have full power and authority to do all things and on
such terms as it determines to be necessary or appropriate to conduct the business of the
Partnership, to exercise all powers set forth in Section 2.5 and to effectuate the purposes
set forth in Section 2.4, including the following:
(i) the making of any expenditures, the lending or borrowing of money, the
assumption or guarantee of, or other contracting for, indebtedness and other
liabilities, the issuance of evidences of indebtedness, including indebtedness that
is convertible into Partnership Interests, and the incurring of any other
obligations;
(ii) the making of tax, regulatory and other filings, or rendering of periodic
or other reports to governmental or other agencies having jurisdiction over the
business or assets of the Partnership;
(iii) the acquisition, disposition, mortgage, pledge, encumbrance,
hypothecation or exchange of any or all of the assets of the Partnership or the
merger or other combination of the Partnership with or into another Person (the
matters described in this clause (iii) being subject, however, to any prior approval
that may be required by Section 7.3 and Article XIV);
(iv) the use of the assets of the Partnership (including cash on hand) for any
purpose consistent with the terms of this Agreement, including the financing of the
conduct of the operations of the Partnership; subject to Section 2.9(e) and Section
7.6(a), the lending of funds to other Persons; and the repayment or guarantee of
obligations of the Partnership or the General Partner;
(v) the negotiation, execution and performance of any contracts, conveyances or
other instruments (including instruments that limit the liability of the Partnership
under contractual arrangements to all or particular assets of the Partnership, with
the other party to the contract to have no recourse against the General Partner or
its assets other than its interest in the Partnership, even if same results in the
terms of the transaction being less favorable to the Partnership than would
otherwise be the case);
(vi) the distribution of Partnership cash;
(vii) the selection and dismissal of employees (including employees having
titles such as “president,” “vice president,” “secretary” and “treasurer”) and
agents, outside attorneys, accountants, consultants and contractors and the
determination of their compensation and other terms of employment or hiring;
(viii) the maintenance of such insurance for the benefit of the Partnership,
the Partners and the Indemnitees as it deems necessary or appropriate;
(ix) the formation of, or acquisition of an interest in, and the contribution
of cash or property and the making of loans to, any further limited or general
partnerships, joint ventures, limited liability companies, corporations or other
relationships (including the acquisition of interests in the
9
MLP and the
contributions of cash or property to the MLP from time to time) subject to the
restrictions set forth in Sections 2.4 and 2.9;
(x) the control of any matters affecting the rights and obligations of the
Partnership, including the bringing and defending of actions at law or in equity and
otherwise engaging in the conduct of litigation, arbitration or mediation and the
incurring of legal expense and the settlement of claims and litigation;
(xi) the indemnification of any Person against liabilities and contingencies to
the extent permitted by law;
(xii) the entering into of listing agreements with any National Securities
Exchange and the delisting of some or all of the Limited Partner Interests from, or
requesting that trading be suspended on, any such exchange (subject to any prior
approval that may be required under Section 7.3);
(xiii) the purchase, sale or other acquisition or disposition of Partnership
Interests, or the issuance of options, rights, warrants and appreciation rights
relating to Partnership Interests;
(xiv) the undertaking of any action in connection with the Partnership’s
participation in the management of the MLP through its ownership of certain partner
interests in the MLP; and
(xv) the entering into of agreements with any of its Affiliates to render
services to a Group Member in the discharge of its duties as General Partner of the
Partnership.
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Delaware Act or any
applicable law, rule or regulation, each of the Partners and each other Person who may
acquire an interest in Partnership Interests hereby (i) approves, ratifies and confirms the
execution, delivery and performance by the parties thereto of the Contribution Agreement and
the Omnibus Agreement; (ii) agrees that the General Partner (on its own or through any
officer of the Partnership) is authorized to execute, deliver and perform the agreements
referred to in clause (i) of this sentence and the other agreements, acts, transactions and
matters described in or contemplated by the Registration Statement on behalf of the
Partnership without any further act, approval or vote of the Partners or the other Persons
who may acquire an interest in Partnership Interests; and (iii) agrees that the execution,
delivery or performance by the General Partner, the Partnership or any Affiliate of either
of them, of this Agreement or any agreement authorized or permitted under this Agreement,
shall not constitute a breach by the General Partner of any duty that the General Partner
may owe the Partnership or the Limited Partners or any other Persons under this Agreement
(or any other agreements) or of any duty stated or implied by law or equity.
7.2 Certificate of Limited Partnership. The General Partner has caused the Certificate of Limited
Partnership to be filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware as required by the
Delaware Act and shall use all reasonable efforts to cause to be filed such other certificates or
documents that the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate for the formation,
continuation, qualification and operation of a limited partnership (or a partnership in which the
limited partners have limited liability) in the State of Delaware or any other state in which the
Partnership may elect to do business or own property. To the extent that the General Partner
determines such action to be necessary or appropriate, the General Partner shall file amendments to
and restatements of the Certificate of Limited Partnership and do all things to maintain the
Partnership as a limited partnership (or a partnership or other entity in which the limited
partners have limited liability) under the laws of the State of Delaware or of any other state in
which the Partnership may elect to do business or own property. Subject to the terms of Section
3.4(a), the General Partner shall not be required, before or after filing, to deliver or mail a
copy of the Certificate of Limited Partnership, any qualification document or any amendment thereto
to any Limited Partner.
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7.3 Restrictions on General Partner’s Authority.
(a) The General Partner may not, without written approval of the specific act by all
the Limited Partners or by other written instrument executed and delivered by all the
Limited Partners subsequent to the date of this Agreement, take any action in contravention
of this Agreement, including, (i) committing any act that would make it impossible to carry
on the ordinary business of the Partnership; (ii) possessing Partnership property, or
assigning any rights in specific Partnership property, for other than a Partnership purpose;
(iii) admitting a Person as a Partner; (iv) amending this Agreement in any manner; or (v)
transferring its General Partner Interest.
(b) Without the approval of holders of a majority of Limited Partner Interests, the
General Partner shall not, on behalf of the Partnership except as permitted under Section
4.2, Section 11.1 and Section 11.2, elect or cause the Partnership to elect a successor
general partner of the Partnership.
(c) Without the approval of the Conflicts Committee, the General Partner shall not take
any action that would result in the Partnership engaging in any business or activity or
incurring any debts or liabilities except in connection with or incidental to (i) its
performance as general partner of the Partnership or (ii) the acquiring, owning or disposing
of debt or equity securities in the Partnership.
(d) Without obtaining Extraordinary Approval, the General Partner shall not take any
action to cause either the Partnership or the MLP to (i) make or consent to a general
assignment for the benefit of the Partnership’s or the MLP’s creditors; (ii) file or consent
to the filing of any bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization petition for relief under the
United States Bankruptcy Code naming the Partnership or the MLP or otherwise seek, with
respect to the Partnership or the MLP, relief from debts or protection from creditors
generally; (iii) file or consent to the filing of a petition or answer seeking for the
Partnership or the MLP a liquidation, dissolution, arrangement, or similar relief under any
law; (iv) file an answer or other pleading admitting or failing to contest the material
allegations of a petition filed against the Partnership or the MLP in a proceeding of the
type described in clauses (i) – (iii) of this Section 7.3(d); (v) seek, consent to or
acquiesce in the appointment of a receiver, liquidator, conservator, assignee, trustee,
sequestrator, custodian or any similar official for the Partnership or the MLP or for all or
any substantial portion of its properties; (vi) sell all or substantially all of its assets;
(vii) dissolve or liquidate, except, with respect to the Partnership only, in accordance
with Article XII; or (viii) merge or consolidate; provided however, that this Section
7.3(d) shall not preclude or limit the General Partner’s ability to mortgage, pledge,
hypothecate or grant a security interest in all or substantially all of the assets of the
Partnership and shall not apply to any forced sale of any or all of the assets of the
Partnership pursuant to the foreclosure of, or other realization upon, any such encumbrance.
7.4 Reimbursement of the General Partner.
(a) Except as provided in this Section 7.4 and elsewhere in this Agreement, the General
Partner shall not be compensated for its services as general partner of the Partnership.
(b) Subject to any applicable limitations contained in the Omnibus Agreement, the
General Partner shall be reimbursed on a monthly basis, or such other basis as the General
Partner may determine, for (i) all direct and indirect expenses it incurs or payments it
makes on behalf of the Partnership (including amounts paid by the General Partner to DEFS
under Article IV of the Omnibus Agreement and including salary, bonus, incentive
compensation and other amounts paid to any Person, including Affiliates of the General
Partner, to perform services for the Partnership or the General Partner in the discharge of
its duties to the Partnership), and (ii) all other expenses allocable to the Partnership or
otherwise incurred by the General Partner in connection with operating the Partnership’s
business (including expenses allocated to the General Partner by its Affiliates). The
General Partner shall determine the expenses that are allocable to the Partnership.
Reimbursements pursuant to this Section 7.4 shall be in addition to any reimbursement to the
General Partner as a result of indemnification pursuant to Section 7.7.
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7.5 Outside Activities.
(a) After the Closing Date, the General Partner, for so long as it is the general
partner of the Partnership (i) agrees that its sole business will be to act as the general
partner of the Partnership and to undertake activities that are ancillary or related thereto
(including being a limited partner in the Partnership), and (ii) shall not engage in any
business or activity or incur any debts or liabilities except in connection with or
incidental to (A) its performance as general partner of the Partnership or (B) the
acquiring, owning or disposing of debt or equity securities in the Partnership.
(b) Except as specifically restricted by Section 7.5(a), each Indemnitee shall have the
right to engage in businesses of every type and description and other activities for profit
and to engage in and possess an interest in other business ventures of any and every type or
description, whether in businesses engaged in or anticipated to be engaged in by the
Partnership or its Subsidiaries, independently or with others, including business interests
and activities in direct competition with the business and activities of the Partnership or
its Subsidiaries, and none of the same shall constitute a breach of this Agreement or any
duty expressed or implied by law to the Partnership or its Subsidiaries or any Partner.
Neither the Partnership or its Subsidiaries, any Limited Partner nor any other Person shall
have any rights by virtue of this Agreement, the MLP Partnership Agreement or the
partnership relationship established hereby or thereby in any business ventures of any
Indemnitee.
(c) Subject to Section 7.5(a), but otherwise notwithstanding anything to the contrary
in this Agreement, (i) the engaging in competitive activities by any Indemnitees (other than
the General Partner) in accordance with the provisions of this Section 7.5 is hereby
approved by the Partnership and all Partners, (ii) it shall be deemed not to be a breach of
any fiduciary duty or any other obligation of any type whatsoever of any Indemnitee for the
Indemnitees (other than the General Partner) to engage in such business interests and
activities in preference to or to the exclusion of the Partnership and (iii) the General
Partner and the Indemnitees shall have no obligation hereunder or as a result of any duty
expressed or implied by law to present business opportunities to the Partnership.
(d) The General Partner and each of its Affiliates may acquire Partnership Interests in
addition to those acquired on the Closing Date and, except as otherwise provided in this
Agreement, shall be entitled to exercise, at their option, all rights of the General Partner
or Limited Partner, as applicable, relating to such Partnership Interests.
7.6 Loans from the General Partner; Loans or Contributions from the Partnership or Group
Members.
(a) The General Partner or any of its Affiliates may lend to the Partnership or any
Group Member, and the Partnership or any Group Member may borrow from the General Partner or
any of its Affiliates, funds needed or desired by the Partnership or the Group Member for
such periods of time and in such amounts as the General Partner may determine; provided,
however, that in any such case the lending party may not charge the borrowing party interest
at a rate greater than the rate that would be charged the borrowing party or impose terms
less favorable to the borrowing party than would be charged or imposed on the borrowing
party by unrelated lenders on comparable loans made on an arm’s-length basis (without
reference to the lending party’s financial abilities or guarantees), all as determined by
the General Partner. The borrowing party shall reimburse the lending party for any costs
(other than any additional interest costs) incurred by the lending party in connection with
the borrowing of such funds. For purposes of this Section 7.6(a) and Section 7.6(b), the
term “Group Member” shall include any Affiliate of a Group Member that is controlled by the
Group Member.
(b) The Partnership may lend or contribute to any Group Member, and any Group Member
may borrow from the Partnership, funds on terms and conditions determined by the General
Partner. No Group Member may lend funds to the General Partner or any of its Affiliates
(other than another Group Member).
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7.7 Indemnification.
(a) To the fullest extent permitted by law but subject to the limitations expressly
provided in this Agreement, each Indemnitee shall be indemnified and held harmless by the
Partnership from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, joint or
several, expenses (including legal fees and expenses), judgments, fines, penalties,
interest, settlements or other amounts arising from any and all claims, demands, actions,
suits or proceedings, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, in which any
such Indemnitee may be involved, or is threatened to be involved, as a party or otherwise,
by reason of its status as an Indemnitee; provided, that the Indemnitee shall not be
indemnified and held harmless if there has been a final and non-appealable judgment entered
by a court of competent jurisdiction determining that, in respect of the matter for which
the Indemnitee is seeking indemnification pursuant to this Section 7.7, the Indemnitee acted
in bad faith or engaged in fraud, willful misconduct, or in the case of a criminal matter,
acted with knowledge that the Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful; provided, further, no
indemnification pursuant to this Section 7.7 shall be available to the General Partner or
its Affiliates (other than the MLP and any Group Member) with respect to its or their
obligations incurred pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, the Omnibus Agreement or the
Contribution Agreement (other than obligations incurred by the General Partner on behalf of
the Partnership). The termination of any action, suit or proceeding by judgment, order,
settlement, conviction or upon a plea of nolo contendere, or its equivalent, shall not
create a presumption that the Indemnitee acted in a manner contrary to that specified above.
Any indemnification pursuant to this Section 7.7 shall be made only out of the assets of
the Partnership, it being agreed that the General Partner shall not be personally liable for
such indemnification and shall have no obligation to contribute or loan any monies or
property to the Partnership to enable it to effectuate such indemnification.
(b) To the fullest extent permitted by law, expenses (including legal fees and
expenses) incurred by an Indemnitee who is indemnified pursuant to Section 7.7(a) in
defending any claim, demand, action, suit or proceeding shall, from time to time, be
advanced by the Partnership prior to a determination that the Indemnitee is not entitled to
be indemnified, upon receipt by the Partnership of any undertaking by or on behalf of the
Indemnitee to repay such amount if it shall be determined that the Indemnitee is not
entitled to be indemnified as authorized in this Section 7.7.
(c) The indemnification provided by this Section 7.7 shall be in addition to any other
rights to which an Indemnitee may be entitled under any agreement, pursuant to any vote of
the holders of outstanding Limited Partner Interests entitled to vote on such matter, as a
matter of law or otherwise, both as to actions in the Indemnitee’s capacity as an
Indemnitee, and as to actions in any other capacity, and shall continue as to an Indemnitee
who has ceased to serve in such capacity and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs,
successors, assigns and administrators of the Indemnitee.
(d) The Partnership may purchase and maintain (or reimburse the General Partner or its
Affiliates for the cost of) insurance, on behalf of the General Partner, its Affiliates and
such other Persons as the General Partner shall determine, against any liability that may be
asserted against or expense that may be incurred by such Person in connection with the
Partnership’s activities or such Person’s activities on behalf of the Partnership,
regardless of whether the Partnership would have the power to indemnify such Person against
such liability under the provisions of this Agreement.
(e) For purposes of this Section 7.7, the Partnership shall be deemed to have requested
an Indemnitee to serve as fiduciary of an employee benefit plan whenever the performance by
it of its duties to the Partnership also imposes duties on, or otherwise involves services
by, it to the plan or participants or beneficiaries of the plan; excise taxes assessed on an
Indemnitee with respect to an employee benefit plan pursuant to applicable law shall
constitute “fines” within the meaning of Section 7.7(a); and action taken or omitted by the
Indemnitee with respect to any employee benefit plan in the performance of its duties for a
purpose reasonably believed by it to be in the best interest of the participants and
beneficiaries of the plan shall be deemed to be for a purpose that is in the best interest
of the Partnership.
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(f) In no event may an Indemnitee subject the Limited Partners to personal liability by
reason of the indemnification provisions set forth in this Agreement.
(g) An Indemnitee shall not be denied indemnification in whole or in part under this
Section 7.7 because the Indemnitee had an interest in the transaction with respect to which
the indemnification applies if the transaction was otherwise permitted by the terms of this
Agreement.
(h) The provisions of this Section 7.7 are for the benefit of the Indemnitees, their
heirs, successors, assigns and administrators and shall not be deemed to create any rights
for the benefit of any other Persons.
(i) No amendment, modification or repeal of this Section 7.7 or any provision hereof
shall in any manner terminate, reduce or impair the right of any past, present or future
Indemnitee to be indemnified by the Partnership, nor the obligations of the Partnership to
indemnify any such Indemnitee under and in accordance with the provisions of this Section
7.7 as in effect immediately prior to such amendment, modification or repeal with respect to
claims arising from or relating to matters occurring, in whole or in part, prior to such
amendment, modification or repeal, regardless of when such claims may arise or be asserted,
provided such Person became an Indemnitee hereunder prior to such amendment, modification or
repeal.
(j) THE PROVISIONS OF THE INDEMNIFICATION PROVIDED IN THIS SECTION 7.7 ARE INTENDED BY
THE PARTIES TO APPLY EVEN IF SUCH PROVISIONS HAVE THE EFFECT OF EXCULPATING THE INDEMNITEE
FROM LEGAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE CONSEQUENCES OF SUCH PERSON’S NEGLIGENCE, FAULT OR OTHER
CONDUCT.
7.8 Liability of Indemnitees.
(a) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this Agreement, no Indemnitee
shall be liable for monetary damages to the Partnership, the Limited Partners or any other
Persons who have acquired interests in the Partnership Interests, for losses sustained or
liabilities incurred as a result of any act or omission of an Indemnitee unless there has
been a final and non-appealable judgment entered by a court of competent jurisdiction
determining that, in respect of the matter in question, the Indemnitee acted in bad faith or
engaged in fraud, willful misconduct or, in the case of a criminal matter, acted with
knowledge that the Indemnitee’s conduct was criminal.
(b) Subject to its obligations and duties as General Partner set forth in Section
7.1(a), the General Partner may exercise any of the powers granted to it by this Agreement
and perform any of the duties imposed upon it hereunder either directly or by or through its
agents, and the General Partner shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on
the part of any such agent appointed by the General Partner in good faith.
(c) To the extent that, at law or in equity, an Indemnitee has duties (including
fiduciary duties) and liabilities relating thereto to the Partnership or to the Partners,
the General Partner and any other Indemnitee acting in connection with the Partnership’s
business or affairs shall not be liable to the Partnership or to any Partner for any acts or
omissions taken in good faith reliance on the provisions of this Agreement.
(d) Any amendment, modification or repeal of this Section 7.8 or any provision hereof
shall be prospective only and shall not in any way affect the limitations on the liability
of the Indemnitees under this Section 7.8 as in effect immediately prior to such amendment,
modification or repeal with respect to claims arising from or relating to matters occurring,
in whole or in part, prior to such amendment, modification or repeal, regardless of when
such claims may arise or be asserted.
7.9 Resolution of Conflicts of Interest; Standard of Conduct and Modification of Duties.
(a) Unless otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement, whenever a potential
conflict of interest exists or arises between the General Partner or any of its Affiliates
(other than the Partnership, any Group Member or any Partner), on the one hand, and the
Partnership, any Group Member or any Partner, on the other
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hand, any resolution or course of
action by the General Partner or its Affiliates in respect of such conflict of interest
shall be permitted and deemed approved by all Partners, and shall not constitute a breach of
this Agreement or of any agreement contemplated herein or therein, or of any duty stated or
implied by law or equity, if the resolution or course of action in respect of such conflict
of interest is (i) approved by Special Approval, (ii) approved by the vote
of a majority of the Partnership Interests excluding Partnership Interests owned by the
General Partner and its Affiliates, (iii) on terms no less favorable to the Partnership than
those generally being provided to or available from unrelated third parties or (iv) fair and
reasonable to the Partnership, taking into account the totality of the relationships between
the parties involved (including other transactions that may be particularly favorable or
advantageous to the Partnership). The General Partner shall be authorized but not required
in connection with its resolution of such conflict of interest to seek Special Approval of
such resolution, and the General Partner may also adopt a resolution or course of action
that has not received Special Approval. If Special Approval is not sought and the Board of
Directors of the General Partner determines that the resolution or course of action taken
with respect to a conflict of interest satisfies either of the standards set forth in
clauses (iii) or (iv) above, then it shall be presumed that, in making its decision, the
Board of Directors acted in good faith, and in any proceeding brought by any Limited Partner
or by or on behalf of such Limited Partner or any other Limited Partner or the Partnership
challenging such approval, the Person bringing or prosecuting such proceeding shall have the
burden of overcoming such presumption.
(b) Whenever the General Partner makes a determination or takes or declines to take any
other action, or any of its Affiliates causes it to do so, in its capacity as the general
partner of the Partnership as opposed to in its individual capacity, whether under this
Agreement, or any other agreement contemplated hereby or otherwise, then unless another
express standard is provided for in this Agreement, the General Partner, or such Affiliates
causing it to do so, shall make such determination or take or decline to take such other
action in good faith and shall not be subject to any other or different standards imposed by
this Agreement, any other agreement contemplated hereby or under the Delaware Act or any
other law, rule or regulation or at equity. In order for a determination or other action to
be in “good faith” for purposes of this Agreement, the Person or Persons making such
determination or taking or declining to take such other action must believe that the
determination or other action is in the best interests of the Partnership.
(c) Whenever the General Partner makes a determination or takes or declines to take any
other action, or any of its Affiliates causes it to do so, in its individual capacity as
opposed to in its capacity as a general partner of the Partnership, whether under this
Agreement or any other agreement contemplated hereby or otherwise, then the General Partner,
or such Affiliates causing it to do so, are entitled to make such determination or to take
or decline to take such other action free of any fiduciary duty or obligation whatsoever to
the Partnership, any Limited Partner, and the General Partner, or such Affiliates causing it
to do so, shall not be required to act in good faith or pursuant to any other standard
imposed by this Agreement, any other agreement contemplated hereby or under the Delaware Act
or any other law, rule or regulation. By way of illustration and not of limitation,
whenever the phrase, “at the option of the General Partner,” or some variation of that
phrase, is used in this Agreement, it indicates that the General Partner is acting in its
individual capacity. For the avoidance of doubt, whenever the General Partner votes or
transfers its Partnership Interests, or refrains from voting or transferring its Partnership
Interests, it shall be acting in its individual capacity.
(d) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the General Partner and
its Affiliates shall have no duty or obligation, express or implied, to (i) sell or
otherwise dispose of any asset of the Partnership or its Subsidiaries other than in the
ordinary course of business or (ii) permit the Partnership or its Subsidiaries to use any
facilities or assets of the General Partner and its Affiliates, except as may be provided in
contracts entered into from time to time specifically dealing with such use. Any
determination by the General Partner or any of its Affiliates to enter into such contracts
shall be at its option.
(e) Except as expressly set forth in this Agreement, neither the General Partner nor
any other Indemnitee shall have any duties or liabilities, including fiduciary duties, to
the Partnership or any Limited Partner and the provisions of this Agreement, to the extent
that they restrict or otherwise modify the duties and liabilities, including fiduciary
duties, of the General Partner or any other Indemnitee otherwise existing at law or in
equity, are agreed by the Partners to replace such other duties and liabilities of the
General Partner or such other Indemnitee.
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(f) The holders of Limited Partner Interests hereby authorize the General Partner, on
behalf of the Partnership as a partner of the Partnership, to approve of actions by the
Partnership, in its capacity as the sole member of the Partnership, similar to those actions
permitted to be taken by the General Partner pursuant to this Section 7.9.
(g) Whenever a particular transaction, arrangement or resolution of a conflict of
interest is required under this Agreement to be “fair and reasonable” to any Person, the
fair and reasonable nature of such transaction, arrangement or resolution shall be
considered in the context of all similar or related transactions.
7.10 Other Matters Concerning the General Partner.
(a) The General Partner may rely and shall be protected in acting or refraining from
acting upon any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice,
request, consent, order, bond, debenture or other paper or document believed by it to be
genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or parties.
(b) The General Partner may consult with legal counsel, accountants, appraisers,
management consultants, investment bankers and other consultants and advisers selected by
it, and any act taken or omitted to be taken in reliance upon the opinion (including an
Opinion of Counsel) of such Persons as to matters that the General Partner reasonably
believes to be within such Person’s professional or expert competence shall be conclusively
presumed to have been done or omitted in good faith and in accordance with such opinion.
(c) The General Partner shall have the right, in respect of any of its powers or
obligations hereunder, to act through any of its duly authorized officers, a duly appointed
attorney or attorneys-in-fact or the duly authorized officers of the Partnership. Each such
attorney shall, to the extent provided by the General Partner in the power of attorney, have
full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and duty that is permitted or
required to be done by the General Partner hereunder.
(d) Any standard of care and duty imposed by this Agreement or under the Delaware Act
or any applicable law, rule or regulation shall be modified, waived or limited, to the
extent permitted by law, as required to permit the General Partner to act under this
Agreement and to make any decision pursuant to the authority prescribed in this Agreement,
so long as such action is reasonably believed by the General Partner to be in, or not
inconsistent with, the best interests of the Partnership.
(e) Any determination made by the Partnership in its individual capacity, and not in
its representative capacity as the general partner of the MLP, with respect to any matter
related to the MLP or any matter related to the MLP Partnership Agreement shall be
determined by the General Partner in its capacity as the general partner of the Partnership.
7.11 Reliance by Third Parties. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, any
Person dealing with the Partnership shall be entitled to assume that the General Partner and any
officer of the General Partner authorized by the General Partner to act on behalf of and in the
name of the Partnership has full power and authority to encumber, sell or otherwise use in any
manner any and all assets of the Partnership and to enter into any authorized contracts on behalf
of the Partnership, and such Person shall be entitled to deal with the General Partner or any such
officer as if it were the Partnership’s sole party in interest, both legally and beneficially.
Each Limited Partner hereby waives any and all defenses or other remedies that may be available
against such Person to contest, negate or disaffirm any action of the General Partner or any such
officer in connection with any such dealing. In no event shall any Person dealing with the General
Partner or any such officer or its representatives be obligated to ascertain that the terms of this
Agreement have been complied with or to inquire into the necessity or expedience of any act or
action of the General Partner or any such officer or its representatives. Each and every
certificate, document or other instrument executed on behalf of the Partnership by the General
Partner or its representatives shall be conclusive evidence in favor of any and every Person
relying thereon or claiming thereunder that (a) at the time of the execution and delivery of such
certificate, document or instrument, this Agreement was in full force and effect, (b) the Person
executing and delivering such certificate, document or instrument was duly authorized and empowered
to do so for and on behalf of the Partnership and
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(c) such certificate, document or instrument was
duly executed and delivered in accordance with the terms and provisions of this Agreement and is
binding upon the Partnership.
ARTICLE VIII
Books, Records, Accounting and Reports
8.1 Records and Accounting. The General Partner shall keep or cause to be kept at the principal
office of the Partnership appropriate books and records with respect to the Partnership’s business,
including all books and records necessary to provide to the Limited Partners any information
required to be provided pursuant to Section 3.4(a). Any books and records maintained by or on
behalf of the Partnership in the regular course of its business, including the record of the Record
Holders of Partnership Interests, books of account and records of Partnership proceedings, may be
kept on, or be in the form of, computer disks, hard drives, punch cards, magnetic tape,
photographs, micrographics or any other information storage device; provided, that the books and
records so maintained are convertible into clearly legible written form within a reasonable period
of time. The books of the Partnership shall be maintained, for financial reporting purposes, on an
accrual basis in accordance with U.S. GAAP.
8.2 Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the Partnership shall be a fiscal year ending December 31.
8.3 Reports. The Partnership shall provide to the Partners such annual or periodic reports related
to its business and financial affairs as may be required under the Delaware Act, other applicable
law, or as otherwise deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE IX
Tax Matters
9.1 Tax Matters. The General Partner shall prepare and timely file (on behalf of the Partnership)
all returns of the Partnership that are required for state and local income tax purposes on the
basis of the accrual method and a taxable year ending on December 31. The Partnership and the
Partners acknowledge that for federal income tax purposes, the Partnership will be disregarded as
an entity separate from DEFS pursuant to Treasury Regulation §301.7701-3.
ARTICLE X
Admission of Partners
10.1 Admission of Limited Partners.
(a) By acceptance of the transfer of any Limited Partner Interests in accordance
with this Section 10.1 or the issuance of any Limited Partner Interests in a merger or
consolidation pursuant to Article XIV, each transferee of a Limited Partner Interest
(including any nominee holder or an agent or representative acquiring such Limited Partner
Interests for the account of another Person) (i) shall be admitted to the Partnership as a
Limited Partner with respect to the Limited Partner Interests so transferred to such Person
when any such transfer or admission is reflected in the books and records of the
Partnership, with or without execution of this Agreement, (ii) shall become bound by the
terms of, and shall be deemed to have executed, this Agreement, (iii) shall become the
Record Holder of the Limited Partner Interests so transferred, (iv) represents that the
transferee has the capacity, power and authority to enter into this Agreement, (v) grants
the powers of attorney set forth in this Agreement and (vi) makes the consents and waivers
contained in this Agreement. The transfer of any Limited Partner Interests and the
admission of any new Limited Partner shall not constitute and amendment to this
Agreement. A Person may become a Record Holder of a Limited Partner Interest without the
consent or approval of any of the Partners. A Person may not become a Limited Partner
without acquiring a Limited Partner Interest and until such Person is reflected in the books
and records of the Partnership as the Record Holder of such Limited Partner Interest.
(b) The name and mailing address of each Limited Partner shall be listed on the books
and records of the Partnership maintained for such purpose by the Partnership or the
Transfer Agent. The General Partner
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shall update the books and records of the Partnership
from time to time as necessary to reflect accurately the information therein (or shall cause
the Transfer Agent to do so, as applicable).
(c) Any transfer of a Limited Partner Interest shall not entitle the transferee to
share in the profits and losses, to receive distributions, to receive allocations of income,
gain, loss, deduction or credit or any similar item or to any other rights to which the
transferor was entitled until the transferee becomes a Limited Partner pursuant to Section
10.1(a).
10.2 Admission of Successor General Partner. A successor General Partner approved pursuant to
Section 11.1 or Section 11.2 or the transferee of or successor to all of the General Partner’s
Partnership Interest as general partner in the Partnership pursuant to Section 4.2 who is proposed
to be admitted as a successor General Partner shall be admitted to the Partnership as the General
Partner, effective immediately prior to the withdrawal or removal of the predecessor pursuant to
Section 11.1 or Section 11.2 or the transfer of the General Partner’s Partnership Interest as a
general partner in the Partnership pursuant to Section 4.2; provided, however, that no such
successor shall be admitted to the Partnership until compliance with the terms of Section 4.2 has
occurred and such successor has executed and delivered such other documents or instruments as may
be required to effect such admission. Any such successor shall, subject to the terms hereof, carry
on the business of the Partnership without dissolution.
10.3 Amendment of Agreement and Certificate of Limited Partnership. To effect the admission to the
Partnership of any Partner, the General Partner shall take all steps necessary and appropriate
under the Delaware Act to amend the records of the Partnership to reflect such admission and, if
necessary, to prepare as soon as practicable an amendment to this Agreement and, if required by
law, the General Partner shall prepare and file an amendment to the Certificate of Limited
Partnership, and the General Partner may for this purpose, among others, exercise the power of
attorney granted pursuant to Section 2.6.
ARTICLE XI
Withdrawal or Removal of Partners
11.1 Withdrawal of the General Partner.
(a) The General Partner shall be deemed to have withdrawn from the Partnership upon the
occurrence of any one of the following events (each such event herein referred to as an
“Event of Withdrawal”):
(i) the General Partner voluntarily withdraws from the Partnership by receiving
Special Approval and giving notice to the other Partners;
(ii) the General Partner transfers all of its rights as General Partner
pursuant to Section 4.2, following the receipt of Special Approval thereof;
(iii) the General Partner is removed pursuant to Section 11.2;
(iv) the General Partner (A) makes a general assignment for the benefit of
creditors; (B) files a voluntary bankruptcy petition for relief under Chapter 7 of
the United States Bankruptcy Code; (C) files a petition or answer seeking for itself
a liquidation, dissolution or similar relief (but not a
reorganization) under any law; (D) files an answer or other pleading admitting
or failing to contest the material allegations of a petition filed against the
General Partner in a proceeding of the type described in clauses (A)-(C) of this
Section 11.1(a)(iv); or (E) seeks, consents to or acquiesces in the appointment of a
trustee (but not a debtor-in-possession), receiver or liquidator of the General
Partner or of all or any substantial part of its properties;
(v) a final and non-appealable order of relief under Chapter 7 of the United
States Bankruptcy Code is entered by a court with appropriate jurisdiction pursuant
to a voluntary or involuntary petition by or against the General Partner; or
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(vi) (A) in the event the General Partner is a corporation, a certificate of
dissolution or its equivalent is filed for the General Partner, or 90 days expire
after the date of notice to the General Partner of revocation of its charter without
a reinstatement of its charter, under the laws of its state of incorporation; (B) in
the event the General Partner is a partnership or a limited liability company, the
dissolution and commencement of winding up of the General Partner; (C) in the event
the General Partner is acting in such capacity by virtue of being a trustee of a
trust, the termination of the trust; (D) in the event the General Partner is a
natural person, his death or adjudication of incompetency; and (E) otherwise in the
event of the termination of the General Partner.
If an Event of Withdrawal specified in Section 11.1(a)(iv), (v) or (vi)(A), (B), (C) or (E)
occurs, the withdrawing General Partner shall give notice to the Limited Partners within 30
days after such occurrence. The Partners hereby agree that only the Events of Withdrawal
described in this Section 11.1 shall result in the withdrawal of the General Partner from
the Partnership.
(b) Withdrawal of the General Partner from the Partnership upon the occurrence of an
Event of Withdrawal shall not constitute a breach of this Agreement under the following
circumstances: (i) at any time during the period beginning on the Closing Date and ending at
12:00 midnight, Eastern Standard Time, on June 30, 2015, the General Partner voluntarily
withdraws by giving at least 90 days’ advance notice of its intention to withdraw to the
Limited Partners; provided that prior to the effective date of such withdrawal, the
withdrawal receives Special Approval and is approved by Partners holding at least a majority
of the Limited Partner Interests and the General Partner delivers to the Partnership an
Opinion of Counsel (“Withdrawal Opinion of Counsel”) that such withdrawal (following the
selection of the successor General Partner) would not result in the loss of the limited
liability of any Limited Partner or cause the Partnership or the MLP to be treated as an
association taxable as a corporation or otherwise to be taxed as an entity for federal
income tax purposes (to the extent not previously treated as such); (ii) at any time after
12:00 midnight, Eastern Standard Time, on December 31, 2015, the General Partner voluntarily
withdraws by giving at least 90 days’ advance notice to the Limited Partners, such
withdrawal to take effect on the date specified in such notice; (iii) at any time that the
General Partner ceases to be the General Partner pursuant to Section 11.1(a)(ii) or is
removed pursuant to Section 11.2; or (iv) notwithstanding clause (i) of this sentence, at
any time that the General Partner voluntarily withdraws by giving at least 90 days’ advance
notice of its intention to withdraw to the Limited Partners, such withdrawal to take effect
on the date specified in the notice, if at the time such notice is given one Person and its
Affiliates (other than the General Partner and its Affiliates) own beneficially or of record
or control at least 50% of the Limited Partner Interests. If the General Partner gives a
notice of withdrawal pursuant to Section 11.1(a)(i), the holders of a majority of Limited
Partner Interests, may, prior to the effective date of such withdrawal, elect a successor
General Partner. If, prior to the effective date of the General Partner’s withdrawal, a
successor is not selected by the Limited Partners as provided herein or the Partnership does
not receive a Withdrawal Opinion of Counsel, the Partnership shall be dissolved in
accordance with Section 12.1. Any successor General Partner elected in accordance with the
terms of this Section 11.1 shall be subject to the provisions of Section 10.2.
11.2 Removal of the General Partner. The General Partner may be removed if such removal receives
Special Approval and is approved by Limited Partners holding at least
662/3% of the Limited Partner
Interests voting as a single class. Any such action by such holders for removal
of the General Partner must also provide for the election of a successor General Partner by the
Limited Partners holding a majority of the Limited Partner Interests voting as a single class. Such
removal shall be effective immediately following the admission of a successor General Partner
pursuant to Section 10.3. The right of the holders of Limited Partner Interests to remove the
General Partner shall not exist or be exercised unless the Partnership has received an opinion
opining as to the matters covered by a Withdrawal Opinion of Counsel. Any successor General Partner
elected in accordance with the terms of this Section 11.2 shall be subject to the provisions of
Section 10.2.
11.3 Interest of Departing General Partner.
(a) The Partnership Interest of the Departing General Partner departing as a result of
withdrawal or removal pursuant to Section 11.1 or Section 11.2 shall be purchased by the
successor to the Departing General
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Partner for an amount in cash equal to the fair market
value of such Partnership Interest, such amount to be determined and payable as of the
effective date of the Departing General Partner’s departure. Such purchase shall be a
condition to the admission to the Partnership of the successor as the General Partner. Any
successor General Partner shall indemnify the Departing General Partner as to all debts and
liabilities of the Partnership arising on or after the effective date of the withdrawal or
removal of the Departing General Partner.
(b) For purposes of Section 11.3(a), the fair market value of the Departing General
Partner’s General Partner Interest shall be determined by agreement between the Departing
General Partner and its successor or, failing agreement within 30 days after the effective
date of such Departing General Partner’s departure, by an independent investment banking
firm or other independent expert selected by the Departing General Partner and its
successor, which, in turn, may rely on other experts, and the determination of which shall
be conclusive as to such matter. If such parties cannot agree upon one independent
investment banking firm or other independent expert within 45 days after the effective date
of such departure, then the Departing General Partner shall designate an independent
investment banking firm or other independent expert, the Departing General Partner’s
successor shall designate an independent investment banking firm or other independent
expert, and such firms or experts shall mutually select a third independent investment
banking firm or independent expert, which third independent investment banking firm or other
independent expert shall determine the fair market value of the General Partner Interest of
the Departing General Partner. In making its determination, such third independent
investment banking firm or other independent expert may consider the value of the
Partnership’s assets, the rights and obligations of the Departing General Partner and other
factors it may deem relevant.
(c) The Departing General Partner shall be entitled to receive all reimbursements due
such Departing General Partner pursuant to Section 7.4, including any employee-related
liabilities (including severance liabilities), incurred in connection with the termination
of any employees employed by such Departing General Partner for the benefit of the
Partnership.
11.4 Withdrawal of Limited Partners. No Limited Partner shall have any right to withdraw from the
Partnership; provided, however, that when a transferee of a Limited Partner’s Limited Partner
Interest becomes a Record Holder of the Limited Partner Interest so transferred, such transferring
Limited Partner shall cease to be a Limited Partner with respect to the Limited Partner Interest so
transferred.
ARTICLE XII
Dissolution and Liquidation
12.1 Dissolution. The Partnership shall not be dissolved by the admission of additional Limited
Partners or by the admission of a successor General Partner in accordance with the terms of this
Agreement. Upon the removal or withdrawal of the General Partner, if a successor General Partner is
elected pursuant to Section 11.1 or 11.2, the Partnership shall not be dissolved and such successor
General Partner shall continue the business of the Partnership. The Partnership shall dissolve, and
(subject to Section 12.2) its affairs shall be wound up, upon:
(a) an Event of Withdrawal of the General Partner as provided in Section 11.1(a) (other
than Section 11.1(a)(ii)), unless a successor is elected and an Opinion of Counsel is
received as provided in Section 11.1(b) or 11.2 and such successor is admitted to the
Partnership pursuant to Section 10.2;
(b) an election to dissolve the Partnership by the General Partner that is approved by
all of the Limited Partners;
(c) the entry of a decree of judicial dissolution of the Partnership pursuant to the
provisions of the Delaware Act; or
(d) at any time there are no Limited Partners, unless the Partnership is continued
without dissolution in accordance with the Delaware Act.
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12.2 Continuation of the Business of the Partnership After Dissolution. Upon (a) dissolution of
the Partnership following an Event of Withdrawal caused by the withdrawal or removal of the General
Partner as provided in Section 11.1(a)(i) or (iii) and the failure of the Partners to select a
successor to such Departing General Partner pursuant to Section 11.1 or 11.2, then within 90 days
thereafter, or (b) dissolution of the Partnership upon an event constituting an Event of Withdrawal
as defined in Section 11.1(a)(iv), (v) or (vi), then, to the maximum extent permitted by law,
within 180 days thereafter, the holders of a majority in interest of the Limited Partners may elect
to continue the business of the Partnership on the same terms and conditions set forth in this
Agreement by appointing as the successor General Partner a Person approved by the holders of a
majority in interest of the Limited Partners. Unless such an election is made within the applicable
time period as set forth above, the Partnership shall conduct only activities necessary to wind up
its affairs. If such an election is so made, then:
(i) the Partnership shall continue without dissolution unless earlier dissolved
in accordance with this Article XII;
(ii) if the successor General Partner is not the former General Partner, then
the interest of the former General Partner shall be treated in the manner provided
in Section 11.3; and
(iii) the successor General Partner shall be admitted to the Partnership as
General Partner, effective as of the Event of Withdrawal, by agreeing in writing to
be bound by this Agreement; provided, that the right of the holders of a majority in
interest of the Limited Partners to approve a successor General Partner and to
continue the business of the Partnership shall not exist and may not be exercised
unless the Partnership has received an Opinion of Counsel that (A) the exercise of
the right would not result in the loss of limited liability of any Limited Partner
and (B) none of the Partnership or the MLP would be treated as an association
taxable as a corporation or otherwise be taxable as an entity for federal income tax
purposes upon the exercise of such right to continue (to the extent not already so
treated or taxed).
12.3 Liquidator. Upon dissolution of the Partnership, unless the Partnership is continued pursuant
to Section 12.2, the General Partner shall select one or more Persons to act as Liquidator. The
Liquidator (if other than the General Partner) shall be entitled to receive such compensation for
its services as may be approved by holders of at least a majority in the interest of the Limited
Partners voting as a single class. The Liquidator (if other than the General Partner) shall agree
not to resign at any time without 15 days’ prior notice and may be removed at any time, with or
without cause, by notice of removal approved by holders of at least a majority in interest of the
Limited Partners voting as a single class. Upon dissolution, removal or resignation of the
Liquidator, a successor and substitute Liquidator (who shall have and succeed to all rights, powers
and duties of the original Liquidator) shall within 30 days thereafter be approved by holders of at
least a majority in the interest of the Limited Partners voting as a single class. The right to
approve a successor or substitute Liquidator in the manner provided herein shall be deemed to refer
also to any such successor or substitute Liquidator approved in the manner herein provided. Except
as expressly provided in this Article XII, the Liquidator approved in the manner provided herein
shall have and may exercise,
without further authorization or consent of any of the parties hereto, all of the powers conferred
upon the General Partner under the terms of this Agreement (but subject to all of the applicable
limitations, contractual and otherwise, upon the exercise of such powers, other than the limitation
on sale set forth in Section 7.3 necessary or appropriate to carry out the duties and functions of
the Liquidator hereunder for and during the period of time required to complete the winding up and
liquidation of the Partnership as provided for herein.
12.4 Liquidation. The Liquidator shall proceed to dispose of the assets of the Partnership,
discharge its liabilities, and otherwise wind up its affairs in such manner and over such period as
determined by the Liquidator, subject to Section 17-804 of the Delaware Act and the following:
(a) Disposition of Assets. The assets may be disposed of by public or private sale or
by distribution in kind to one or more Partners on such terms as the Liquidator and such
Partner or Partners may agree. If any property is distributed in kind, the Partner receiving
the property shall be deemed for purposes of Section 12.4(c) to have received cash equal to
its fair market value; and contemporaneously therewith, appropriate cash distributions must
be made to the other Partners. The Liquidator may defer liquidation or distribution of the
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Partnership’s assets for a reasonable time if it determines that an immediate sale or
distribution of all or some of the Partnership’s assets would be impractical or would cause
undue loss to the Partners. The Liquidator may distribute the Partnership’s assets, in whole
or in part, in kind if it determines that a sale would be impractical or would cause undue
loss to the Partners.
(b) Discharge of Liabilities. Liabilities of the Partnership include amounts owed to
the Liquidator as compensation for serving in such capacity (subject to the terms of
Section 12.3) and amounts to Partners otherwise than in respect of their distribution rights
under Article VI. With respect to any liability that is contingent, conditional or unmatured
or is otherwise not yet due and payable, the Liquidator shall either settle such claim for
such amount as it thinks appropriate or establish a reserve of cash or other assets to
provide for its payment. When paid, any unused portion of the reserve shall be distributed
as additional liquidation proceeds.
(c) Liquidation Distributions. All property and all cash in excess of that required to
discharge liabilities as provided in Section 12.4(b) shall be distributed to the Partners in
accordance with their respective Percentage Interests.
12.5 Cancellation of Certificate of Limited Partnership. Upon the completion of the distribution
of Partnership cash and property as provided in Section 12.4 in connection with the liquidation of
the Partnership, the Certificate of Limited Partnership and all qualifications of the Partnership
as a foreign limited partnership in jurisdictions other than the State of Delaware shall be
canceled and such other actions as may be necessary to terminate the Partnership shall be taken.
12.6 Return of Contributions. The General Partner shall not be personally liable for, and shall
have no obligation to contribute or loan any monies or property to the Partnership to enable it to
effectuate, the return of the Capital Contributions of the Limited Partners, or any portion
thereof, it being expressly understood that any such return shall be made solely from Partnership
assets.
12.7 Waiver of Partition. To the maximum extent permitted by law, each Partner hereby waives any
right to partition of the Partnership property.
ARTICLE XIII
Amendment of Partnership Agreement; Meetings; Record Date
13.1 Amendments to be Adopted Solely by the General Partner. Each Partner agrees that the General
Partner, without the approval of any Partner, may amend any provision of this Agreement and
execute, swear to, acknowledge, deliver, file and record whatever documents may be required in
connection therewith, to reflect:
(a) a change in the name of the Partnership, the location of the principal place of
business of the Partnership, the registered agent of the Partnership or the registered
office of the Partnership;
(b) the admission, substitution, withdrawal or removal of Partners in accordance with
this Agreement;
(c) a change that the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate to
qualify or continue the qualification of the Partnership as a limited partnership or a
partnership in which the Limited Partners have limited liability under the laws of any state
or to ensure that neither the Partnership nor the MLP will be treated as an association
taxable as a corporation or otherwise taxed as an entity for federal income tax purposes;
(d) a change that the General Partner determines (i) does not adversely affect the
Limited Partners (including any particular class of Partnership Interests as compared to
other classes of Partnership Interests) in any material respect, (ii) to be necessary or
appropriate to satisfy any requirements, conditions or guidelines contained in any opinion,
directive, order, ruling or regulation of any federal or state agency or judicial authority
or contained in any federal or state statute (including the Delaware Act) or (iii) to be
required to effect the intent of the provisions of this Agreement or is otherwise
contemplated by this Agreement;
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(e) a change in the fiscal year or taxable year of the Partnership and any other
changes that the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate as a result of a
change in the fiscal year or taxable year of the Partnership including, if the General
Partner shall so determine, a change in the definition of “Quarter” and the dates on which
distributions are to be made by the Partnership;
(f) an amendment that is necessary, as documented in an Opinion of Counsel, to prevent
the Partnership, the MLP, or the General Partner or its directors, officers, trustees or
agents from in any manner being subjected to the provisions of the Investment Company Act of
1940, as amended, the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, or “plan asset”
regulations adopted under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended,
regardless of whether such are substantially similar to plan asset regulations currently
applied or proposed by the United States Department of Labor;
(g) an amendment that the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate in
connection with the authorization of issuance of any class or series of Partnership
Interests pursuant to Section 5.4;
(h) any amendment expressly permitted in this Agreement to be made by the General
Partner acting alone;
(i) an amendment effected, necessitated or contemplated by a Merger Agreement approved
in accordance with Section 14.3;
(j) an amendment that the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate to
reflect, account for the formation by the Partnership of, or investment by the Partnership
in, any corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other entity,
in connection with the conduct by the Partnership of activities permitted by the terms of
Section 2.4;
(k) a merger or conveyance pursuant to Section 14.3(d); or
(l) any other amendments substantially similar to the foregoing.
13.2 Amendment Procedures. Except as provided in Section 13.1 and Section 13.3, all amendments to
this Agreement shall be made in accordance with the following requirements. Amendments to this
Agreement may be proposed only by the General Partner; provided, however that the General Partner
shall have no duty or obligation to propose any amendment to this Agreement and may decline to do
so free of any fiduciary duty or obligation whatsoever to the Partnership or any Limited Partner
and, in declining to propose an amendment to the fullest extent permitted by law, shall not be
required to act in good faith or pursuant to any other standard imposed by this Agreement, any
other agreement contemplated hereby or under the Delaware Act or any other law, rule or regulation
or at equity. A proposed amendment shall be effective upon its approval by the General Partner and
the holders of a majority in interest of the Limited Partner, unless a greater or different
percentage is required under this Agreement or by Delaware law. Each proposed amendment that
requires the approval of the holders of a specified percentage of Limited Partner Interests shall
be set forth in a writing that contains the text of the proposed amendment. If such an amendment is
proposed, the General Partner shall seek the written approval of the requisite percentage Limited
Partner Interests or call a meeting of the Limited Partners to consider and vote on such proposed
amendment. The General Partner shall notify all Record Holders upon final adoption of any such
proposed amendments. Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 13.1 and Section 13.2, no amendment
of (a) the definitions of “Conflicts Committee” or “Special Approval”, (b) Section 2.9, (c) Section
7.3, (d) Section 7.9(a), (e) Section 10.2, (f) Section 14.3, (g) this Section 13.2 or (h) any other
provision of this Agreement requiring that Special Approval or Extraordinary Approval be obtained
as a condition to any action, shall be effective without first obtaining Special Approval or
Extraordinary Approval, respectively.
13.3 Amendment Requirements.
(a) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 13.1 and Section 13.2, no provision of
this Agreement that establishes a percentage of Limited Partner Interests required to take
any action shall be amended, altered, changed, repealed or rescinded in any respect that
would have the effect of reducing such voting percentage
23
unless such amendment is approved
by the written consent or the affirmative vote of Limited Partners whose aggregate Limited
Partner Interests constitute not less than the voting requirement sought to be reduced.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 13.1 and Section 13.2, no amendment to
this Agreement may (i) enlarge the obligations of any Limited Partner without its consent,
unless such shall be deemed to have occurred as a result of an amendment approved pursuant
to Section 13.3(c) or (ii) enlarge the obligations of, restrict in any way any action by or
rights of, or reduce in any way the amounts distributable, reimbursable or otherwise payable
to, the General Partner or any of its Affiliates without its consent, which consent may be
given or withheld at its option.
(c) Except as provided in Section 14.3, and without limitation of the General Partner’s
authority to adopt amendments to this Agreement without the approval of any Partners as
contemplated in Section 13.1, any amendment that would have a material adverse effect on the
rights or preferences of any class of Partnership Interests in relation to other classes of
Partnership Interests must be approved by the holders of not less than a majority of the
Partnership Interests of the class affected.
(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, except for amendments
pursuant to Section 13.1 and except as otherwise provided by Section 14.3(b), no amendments
shall become effective without the approval of the holders of at least 90% of the Limited
Partner Interests voting as a single class unless the Partnership obtains an Opinion of
Counsel to the effect that such amendment will not affect the limited liability of any
Limited Partner under the Delaware Act.
(e) Except as provided in Section 13.1, this Section 13.3 shall only be amended with
the approval of the holders of at least 90% of the Partnership Interests.
13.4 Special Meetings. All acts of Limited Partners to be taken pursuant to this Agreement shall be taken in the manner
provided in this Article XIII. Special meetings of the Limited Partners may be called by the
General Partner or by Limited Partners owning 20% or more of the outstanding Limited Partner
Interests of the class or classes for which a meeting is proposed. Limited Partners shall call a
special meeting by delivering to the General Partner one or more requests in writing stating that
the signing Limited Partners wish to call a special meeting and indicating the general or specific
purposes for which the special meeting is to be called. Within 60 days after receipt of such a call
from Limited Partners or within such greater time as may be reasonably necessary for the
Partnership to comply with any statutes, rules, regulations, listing agreements or similar
requirements governing the holding of a meeting or the solicitation of proxies for use at such a
meeting, the General Partner shall send a notice of the meeting to the Limited Partners either
directly or indirectly through a Transfer Agent. A meeting shall be held at a time and place
determined by the General Partner on a date not less than 10 days nor more than 60 days after the
mailing of notice of the meeting. Limited Partners shall not vote on matters that would cause the
Limited Partners to be deemed to be taking part in the management and control of the business and
affairs of the Partnership so as to jeopardize the Limited Partners’ limited liability under the
Delaware Act or the law of any other state in which the Partnership is qualified to do business.
13.5 Notice of a Meeting. Notice of a meeting called pursuant to Section 13.4 shall be given to
the Record Holders of the class or classes of Limited Partner Interests for which a meeting is
proposed in writing by mail or other means of written communication in accordance with Section
15.1. The notice shall be deemed to have been given at the time when deposited in the mail or sent
by other means of written communication.
13.6 Record Date. For purposes of determining the Limited Partners entitled to notice of or to
vote at a meeting of the Limited Partners or to give approvals without a meeting as provided in
Section 13.11, the General Partner may set a Record Date, which shall not be less than 10 nor more
than 60 days before (a) the date of the meeting or (b) in the event that approvals are sought
without a meeting, the date by which Limited Partners are requested in writing by the General
Partner to give such approvals.
13.7 Adjournment. When a meeting is adjourned to another time or place, notice need not be given
of the adjourned meeting and a new Record Date need not be fixed, if the time and place thereof are
announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken, unless such adjournment shall be for
more than 45 days. At the adjourned meeting, the
24
Partnership may transact any business which might
have been transacted at the original meeting. If the adjournment is for more than 45 days or if a
new Record Date is fixed for the adjourned meeting, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be
given in accordance with this Article XIII.
13.8 Waiver of Notice; Approval of Meeting; Approval of Minutes. The transactions of any meeting
of Limited Partners, however called and noticed, and whenever held, shall be as valid as if it had
occurred at a meeting duly held after regular call and notice, if a quorum is present either in
person or by proxy. Attendance of a Limited Partner at a meeting shall constitute a waiver of
notice of the meeting, except when the Limited Partner attends the meeting for the express purpose
of objecting at the beginning of the meeting to the transaction of any business because the meeting
is not lawfully called or convened; and except that attendance at a meeting is not a waiver of any
right to disapprove the consideration of matters required to be included in the notice of the
meeting, but not so included, if the disapproval is expressly made at the meeting.
13.9 Quorum and Voting . The holders of a majority of the Limited Partner Interests of the class
or classes for which a meeting has been called represented in person or by proxy shall constitute a
quorum at a meeting of Limited Partners of such class or classes unless any such action by the
Limited Partners requires approval by holders of a greater percentage of such Limited Partner
Interests, in which case the quorum shall be such greater percentage. At any meeting of the Limited
Partners duly called and held in accordance with this Agreement at which a quorum is present, the
act of Limited Partners holding Limited Partner Interests that in the aggregate represent a
majority of the Limited Partner Interests entitled to vote and be present in person or by proxy at
such meeting shall be deemed to constitute the act of all Limited Partners, unless a greater or
different percentage is required with respect to such action under the provisions of this
Agreement, in which case the act of the Limited Partners holding Limited Partner Interests that in
the aggregate represent at least such greater or different percentage shall be required. The
Limited Partners present at a duly called or held meeting at which a quorum is present may continue
to transact business until adjournment, notwithstanding the withdrawal of enough Limited Partners
to leave less than a quorum, if any action taken (other than adjournment) is approved by the
required percentage of Limited Partner Interests specified in this Agreement. In the absence of a
quorum, any meeting of Limited Partners may be adjourned from time to time by the affirmative vote
of holders of at least a majority of the Limited Partner Interests entitled to vote at such meeting
represented either in person or by proxy, but no other business may be transacted, except as
provided in Section 13.7.
13.10 Conduct of a Meeting. The General Partner shall have full power and authority concerning the
manner of conducting any meeting of the Limited Partners or solicitation of approvals in writing,
including the determination of Persons entitled to vote, the existence of a quorum, the
satisfaction of the requirements of Section 13.4, the conduct of voting, the validity and effect of
any proxies and the determination of any controversies, votes or challenges arising in connection
with or during the meeting or voting. The General Partner shall designate a Person to serve as
chairman of any meeting and shall further designate a Person to take the minutes of any meeting.
All minutes shall be kept with the records of the Partnership maintained by the General Partner.
The General Partner may make such other regulations consistent with applicable law and this
Agreement as it may deem advisable concerning the conduct of any meeting of the Limited Partners or
solicitation of approvals in writing, including regulations in regard to the appointment of
proxies, the appointment and duties of inspectors of votes and approvals, the submission and
examination of proxies and other evidence of the right to vote, and the revocation of approvals in
writing.
13.11 Action Without a Meeting. If authorized by the General Partner, any action that may be taken
at a meeting of the Limited Partners may be taken without a meeting if an approval in writing
setting forth the action so taken is signed by Limited Partners owning not less than the minimum
percentage of the Limited Partner Interests that would be necessary to authorize or take such
action at a meeting at which all the Limited Partners were present and voted. Prompt notice of the
taking of action without a meeting shall be given to the Limited Partners who have not approved in
writing. The General Partner may specify that any written ballot submitted to Limited Partners for
the purpose of taking any action without a meeting shall be returned to the Partnership within the
time period, which shall be not less than 20 days, specified by the General Partner. If a ballot
returned to the Partnership does not vote all of the Limited Partner Interests held by the Limited
Partners the Partnership shall be deemed to have failed to receive a ballot for the Limited Partner
Interests that were not voted. If approval of the taking of any action by the Limited Partners is
solicited by any Person other than by or on behalf of the General Partner, the written approvals
shall have no force and effect unless and until (a) they are deposited with the Partnership in care
of the General Partner, (b) approvals sufficient to take the action proposed are dated as of a date
not more than 90 days prior to the date sufficient approvals are deposited with the Partnership and
25
(c) an Opinion of Counsel is delivered to the General Partner to the effect that the exercise of
such right and the action proposed to be taken with respect to any particular matter (i) will not
cause the Limited Partners to be deemed to be taking part in the management and control of the
business and affairs of the Partnership so as to jeopardize the Limited Partners’ limited
liability, and (ii) is otherwise permissible under the state statutes then governing the rights,
duties and liabilities of the Partnership and the Partners.
13.12 Voting and Other Rights. Only those Record Holders of the applicable Limited Partner
Interests on the Record Date set pursuant to Section 13.6 shall be entitled to notice of, and to
vote at, a meeting of Limited Partners or to act with respect to matters as to which the holders of
the applicable Limited Partner Interests have the right to vote or to act. All references in this
Agreement to votes of, or other acts that may be taken by, the Limited Partner Interests shall be
deemed to be references to the votes or acts of the Record Holders of such applicable Limited
Partner Interests.
ARTICLE XIV
Merger, Consolidation or Conversion
14.1 Authority. The Partnership may merge or consolidate with one or more corporations, limited
liability companies, statutory trusts or associations, real estate investment trusts, common law
trusts or unincorporated businesses, including a partnership (whether general or limited (including
a limited liability partnership)) or convert into any such entity, whether such entity is formed
under the laws of the State of Delaware or any other state of the United States of America,
pursuant to a written agreement of merger or consolidation (“Merger Agreement”) or a written plan
of conversion (“Plan of Conversion”), as the case may be, in accordance with this Article XIV. The
surviving entity to any such merger, consolidation or conversion is referred to herein as the
“Surviving Business Entity.”
14.2 Procedure for Merger, Consolidation or Conversion.
(a) Merger, consolidation or conversion of the Partnership pursuant to this Article XIV
requires the prior consent of the General Partner; provided, however, that, to the fullest
extent permitted by law, the General Partner shall have no duty or obligation to consent to
any merger, consolidation or conversion of the Partnership and may decline to do so free of
any fiduciary duty or obligation whatsoever to the Partnership, any Limited Partner and, in
declining to consent to a merger, consolidation or conversion, shall not be required to act
in good faith or pursuant to any other standard imposed by this Agreement, any other
agreement contemplated hereby or under the Delaware Act or any other law, rule or regulation
or at equity.
(b) If the General Partner shall determine to consent to the merger or consolidation,
the General Partner shall approve the Merger Agreement, which shall set forth:
(i) the names and jurisdictions of formation or organization of each of the
business entities proposing to merge or consolidate;
(ii) the name and jurisdiction of formation or organization of the Surviving
Business Entity;
(iii) the terms and conditions of the proposed merger or consolidation;
(iv) the manner and basis of exchanging or converting the equity securities of
each constituent business entity for, or into, cash, property or interests, rights,
securities or obligations of the Surviving Business Entity; and (A) if any general
or limited partner interests, securities or rights of any constituent business
entity are not to be exchanged or converted solely for, or into, cash, property or
general or limited partner interests, rights, securities or obligations of the
Surviving Business Entity, the cash, property or interests, rights, securities or
obligations of any general or limited partnership, corporation, trust, limited
liability company, unincorporated business or other entity (other than the Surviving
Business Entity) which the holders of such general or limited partner interests,
securities or rights are to receive in exchange for, or upon conversion of their
interests, securities or rights, and (B) in the case of securities represented by
certificates, upon the surrender of such certificates, which cash,
26
property or
general or limited partner interests, rights, securities or obligations of the
Surviving Business Entity or any general or limited partnership, corporation, trust,
limited liability company, unincorporated business or other entity (other than the
Surviving Business Entity), or evidences thereof, are to be delivered;
(v) a statement of any changes in the constituent documents or the adoption of
new constituent documents (the articles or certificate of incorporation, articles of
trust, declaration of trust, certificate or agreement of limited partnership,
operating agreement or other similar charter or governing document) of the Surviving
Business Entity to be effected by such merger or consolidation;
(vi) the effective time of the merger, which may be the date of the filing of
the certificate of merger pursuant to Section 14.4 or a later date specified in or
determinable in accordance with the Merger Agreement (provided, that if the
effective time of the merger is to be later than the date of the filing of such
certificate of merger, the effective time shall be fixed at a date or time certain
at or prior to the time of the filing of such certificate of merger and stated
therein); and
(vii) such other provisions with respect to the proposed merger or
consolidation that the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate.
(c) If the General Partner shall determine to consent to the conversion, the General
Partner may approve and adopt a Plan of Conversion containing such terms and conditions that
the General Partner determines to be necessary or appropriate.
14.3 Approval by Limited Partners.
(a) The General Partner, upon its approval of the Merger Agreement or Plan of
Conversion, as the case may be, shall direct that the Merger Agreement or the Plan of
Conversion, as applicable, be submitted to a vote of Limited Partners, whether at a special
meeting or by written consent, in either case in accordance with the requirements of Article
XIII. A copy or a summary of the Merger Agreement or the Plan of Conversion, as applicable,
shall be included in or enclosed with the notice of a special meeting or the written
consent.
(b) The Merger Agreement or the Plan of Conversion, as applicable, shall be approved
upon receiving the affirmative vote or consent of the holders of a majority in interest of
the Limited Partners.
(c) After such approval by vote or consent of the Limited Partners, and at any time
prior to the filing of the certificate of merger or a certificate of conversion pursuant to
Section 14.4, the merger, consolidation or conversion may be abandoned pursuant to
provisions therefor, if any, set forth in the Merger Agreement or the Plan of Conversion, as
the case may be.
(d) Notwithstanding anything else contained in this Article XIV or in this Agreement,
the General Partner is permitted without Limited Partner approval, to convert the
Partnership or any Group Member into a new limited liability entity, to merge the
Partnership or any Group Member into, or convey all of the Partnership’s assets to, another
limited liability entity which shall be newly formed and shall have no assets, liabilities
or operations at the time of such conversion, merger or conveyance other than those it
receives from the Partnership or other Group Member if (i) the General Partner has received
an Opinion of Counsel that the merger or conveyance, as the case may be, would not result in
the loss of the limited liability of any Limited Partner or cause the Partnership or the MLP
to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise to be taxed as an
entity for federal income tax purposes (to the extent not previously treated as such), (ii)
the sole purpose of such conversion, merger or conveyance is to effect a mere change in the
legal form of the Partnership into another limited liability entity and (iii) the governing
instruments of the new entity provide the Limited Partners and the General Partner with the
same rights and obligations as are herein contained.
(e) Additionally, notwithstanding anything else contained in this Article XIV or in
this Agreement, the General Partner is permitted, without Limited Partner approval, to merge
or consolidate the Partnership with or
27
into another entity if (i) the General Partner has
received an Opinion of Counsel that the merger or consolidation, as the case may be, would
not result in the loss of the limited liability of any Limited Partner or cause the
Partnership to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise to be
taxed as an entity for federal income tax purposes (to the extent not previously treated as
such), (ii) the merger or consolidation would not result in an amendment to the Partnership
Agreement, other than any amendments that could be adopted pursuant to Section 13.1, (iii)
the Partnership is the Surviving Business Entity in such merger or consolidation, (iv) each
Partnership Interest outstanding immediately prior to the effective date of the merger or
consolidation is to be an identical Partnership Interest of the Partnership after the
effective date of the merger or consolidation, and (v) the number of Partnership Interests
to be issued by the Partnership in such merger or consolidation do not exceed 20% of the
Partnership Interests immediately prior to the effective date of such merger or
consolidation.
14.4 Certificate of Merger.
(a) Upon the required approval, if any, by the General Partner and the Limited Partners
of a Merger Agreement or a Plan of Conversion, as the case may be, a certificate of merger,
consolidation or conversion, as applicable, shall be executed and filed with the Secretary
of State of the State of Delaware in conformity with the requirements of the Delaware Act.
(b) At the effective time of the certificate of merger or consolidation:
(i) all of the rights, privileges and powers of each of the business entities
that has merged or consolidated, and all property, real, personal and mixed, and all
debts due to any of those business entities and all other things and causes of
action belonging to each of those business entities, shall be vested in the
Surviving Business Entity and after the merger or consolidation shall be the
property of the Surviving Business Entity to the extent they were of each
constituent business entity;
(ii) the title to any real property vested by deed or otherwise in any of those
constituent business entities shall not revert and is not in any way impaired
because of the merger or consolidation;
(iii) all rights of creditors and all liens on or security interests in
property of any of those constituent business entities shall be preserved
unimpaired; and
(iv) all debts, liabilities and duties of those constituent business entities
shall attach to the Surviving Business Entity and may be enforced against it to the
same extent as if the debts, liabilities and duties had been incurred or contracted
by it.
(c) At the effective time of the certificate of conversion:
(i) the Partnership shall continue to exist, without interruption, but in the
organizational form of the converted entity rather than in its prior organizational
form;
(ii) all rights, title, and interests to all real estate and other property
owned by the Partnership shall continue to be owned by the converted entity in its
new organizational form without reversion or impairment, without further act or
deed, and without any transfer or assignment having occurred, but subject to any
existing liens or other encumbrances thereon;
(iii) all liabilities and obligations of the Partnership shall continue to be
liabilities and obligations of the converted entity in its new organizational form
without impairment or diminution by reason of the conversion;
(iv) all rights of creditors or other parties with respect to or against the
prior interest holders or other owners of the Partnership in their capacities as
such in existence as of the effective
28
time of the conversion will continue in
existence as to those liabilities and obligations and may be pursued by such
creditors and obligees as if the conversion did not occur;
(v) a proceeding pending by or against the Partnership or by or against any of
Partners in their capacities as such may be continued by or against the converted
entity in its new organizational form and by or against the prior partners without
any need for substitution of parties; and
(vi) the Partnership Interests that are to be converted into partnership
interests, shares, evidences of ownership, or other securities in the converted
entity as provided in the Plan of Conversion or certificate of conversion shall be
so converted, and Partners shall be entitled only to the rights provided in the Plan
of Conversion or certificate of conversion.
(d) A merger, consolidation or conversion effected pursuant to this Article shall not
be deemed to result in a transfer or assignment of assets or liabilities from one entity to
another.
14.5 Amendment of Partnership Agreement. Pursuant to Section 17-211(g) of the Delaware Act, an
agreement of merger or consolidation approved in accordance with Section 17-211(b) of the Delaware
Act may (a) effect any amendment to this Agreement or (b) effect the adoption of a new partnership
agreement for a limited partnership if it is the Surviving Business Entity. Any such amendment or
adoption made pursuant to this Section 14.5 shall be effective at the effective time or date of the
merger or consolidation.
ARTICLE XV
General Provisions
15.1 Addresses and Notices. Any notice, demand, request, report or proxy materials required or
permitted to be given or made to a Partner under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be
deemed given or made when delivered in person or when sent by first class United States mail or by
other means of written communication to the Partner at the address described below. Any notice,
payment or report to be given or made to a Partner hereunder shall be deemed conclusively to have
been given or made, and the obligation to give such notice or report or to make such payment shall
be deemed conclusively to have been fully satisfied, upon sending of such notice, payment or report
to the Record Holder of such Partnership Interests at his address as shown on the records of the
Transfer Agent or as otherwise shown on the records of the Partnership, regardless of any claim of
any Person who may have an interest in such Partnership Interests by reason of any assignment or
otherwise. An affidavit or certificate of making of any notice, payment or report in accordance
with the provisions of this Section 15.1 executed by the General Partner, the Transfer Agent or the
mailing organization shall be prima facie evidence of the giving or making of such notice, payment
or report. If any notice, payment or report addressed to a Record Holder at the address of such
Record Holder appearing on the books and records of the Transfer Agent or the Partnership is
returned by the United States Post Office marked to indicate that the United States Postal Service
is unable to deliver it, such notice, payment or report and any subsequent notices, payments and
reports shall be deemed to have been duly given or made without further mailing (until such time as
such Record Holder or another Person notifies the Transfer Agent or the Partnership of a change in
his address) if they are available for the Partner at the principal office of the Partnership for a
period of one year from the date of the giving or making of such notice, payment or report to the
other Partners. Any notice to the Partnership shall be deemed given if received by the General
Partner at the principal office of the Partnership designated pursuant to Section 2.3. The General
Partner may rely and shall be protected in relying on any notice or other document from a Partner
or other Person if believed by it to be genuine.
15.2 Further Action. The parties shall execute and deliver all documents, provide all information
and take or refrain from taking action as may be necessary or appropriate to achieve the purposes
of this Agreement.
15.3 Binding Effect. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties
hereto and their heirs, executors, administrators, successors, legal representatives and permitted
assigns.
15.4 Integration. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement among the parties hereto
pertaining to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings
pertaining thereto.
29
15.5 Creditors. None of the provisions of this Agreement shall be for the benefit of, or shall be
enforceable by, any creditor of the Partnership.
15.6 Waiver. No failure by any party to insist upon the strict performance of any covenant, duty,
agreement or condition of this Agreement or to exercise any right or remedy consequent upon a
breach thereof shall constitute waiver of any such breach of any other covenant, duty, agreement or
condition.
15.7 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, all of which together shall
constitute an agreement binding on all the parties hereto, notwithstanding that all such parties
are not signatories to the original or the same counterpart. Each party shall become bound by this
Agreement immediately upon affixing its signature hereto or, in the case of a Person acquiring a
Limited Partner Interest pursuant to Section 10.1(a) without execution hereof.
15.8 Applicable Law. This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws
of the State of Delaware, without regard to the principles of conflicts of law.
15.9 Invalidity of Provisions. If any provision of this Agreement is or becomes invalid, illegal
or unenforceable in any respect, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining
provisions contained herein shall not be affected thereby.
15.10 Consent of Partners. Each Partner hereby expressly consents and agrees that, whenever in
this Agreement it is specified that an action may be taken upon the affirmative vote or consent of
less than all of the Partners, such action may be so taken upon the concurrence of less than all of
the Partners and each Partner shall be bound by the results of such action.
15.11 Third-Party Beneficiaries. Each Partner agrees that any Indemnitee shall be entitled to
assert rights and remedies hereunder as a third-party beneficiary hereto with respect to those
provisions of this Agreement affecting a right, benefit or privilege to such Indemnitee.
30
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the date first
written above.
GENERAL PARTNER: DCP MIDSTREAM GP, LLC |
||||
By: |
LIMITED PARTNER: DUKE ENERGY FIELD SERVICES, LLC |
||||
By: |
31
Attachment I
DEFINED TERMS
“Affiliate” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person that directly or indirectly
through one or more intermediaries controls, is controlled by or is under common control with, the
Person in question; provided that, for the avoidance of doubt, the term “Affiliate” includes any Person that, directly in indirectly, is the
beneficial owner of at least 25% of the equity interests in DEFS or has the right to appoint at
least 25% of the members of the board of directors of DEFS. As used herein, the term “control”
means the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the
management and policies of a Person, whether through ownership of voting securities, by contract or
otherwise.
“Agreement” means this First Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of DCP
Midstream GP, LP, as it may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to time.
“Associate” means, when used to indicate a relationship with any Person, (a) any corporation
or organization of which such Person is a director, officer or partner or is, directly or
indirectly, the owner of 20% or more of any class of voting stock or other voting interest; (b) any
trust or other estate in which such Person has at least a 20% beneficial interest or as to which
such Person serves as trustee or in a similar fiduciary capacity; and (c) any relative or spouse of
such Person, or any relative of such spouse, who has the same principal residence as such Person.
“Available Cash” means, with respect to any Quarter ending prior to the Liquidation Date,
(a) the sum of all cash and cash equivalents of the Partnership on hand at the end of such
Quarter, less
(b) the amount of any cash reserves that is established by the General Partner to (i)
satisfy general, administrative and other expenses and debt service requirements, (ii) permit
the Partnership to make capital contributions to the MLP to maintain its 2% general partner
interest upon the issuance of partnership securities by the MLP, (iii) comply with applicable
law or any loan agreement, security agreement, mortgage, debt instrument or other agreement or
obligation to which the Partnership is a party or by which it is bound or its assets are
subject, (iv) provide funds for distributions under Section 6.1 in respect of any one or more of
the next four Quarters; provided, however, that disbursements made by the Partnership or cash
reserves established, increased or reduced after the end of such Quarter, but on or before the
date of determination of Available Cash with respect to such Quarter, shall be deemed to have
been made, established, increased or reduced, for purposes of determining Available Cash, within
such Quarter if the General Partner so determines or (v) otherwise provide for the proper
conduct of the business of the Partnership subsequent to such Quarter.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, “Available Cash” with respect to the Quarter in which the
Liquidation Date occurs and any subsequent Quarter shall equal zero.
“Board of Directors” means, with respect to the Board of Directors of the General Partner, its
board of directors or managers, as applicable, if a corporation or limited liability company, or if
a limited partnership, the board of directors or board of managers of the general partner of the
General Partner.
“Capital Contribution” means any cash, cash equivalents or the fair market value of property
that a Partner contributes to the Partnership.
“Certificate of Limited Partnership” means the Certificate of Limited Partnership of the
Partnership filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware as referenced in Section
2.3, as such Certificate of Limited Partnership may be amended, supplemented or restated from time
to time.
“Claim”
has the meaning ascribed to such term in the MLP Partnership Agreement.
“Closing
Date” has the meaning ascribed to such term in the MLP
Partnership Agreement.
“Commission” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
A-1
“Conflicts Committee” means a committee of the Board of Directors of the General Partner
composed entirely of three or more directors who meet the independence, qualification and
experience requirements established by the Securities Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of
the Commission thereunder and by the principal National Securities Exchange upon which the common
units of the MLP are then listed or admitted for trading.
“Contribution Agreement” has the meaning ascribed to such term in the MLP Partnership
Agreement.
“DEFS” means Duke Energy Field Services, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.
“Delaware Act” means the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act, 6 Del C. §17-101,
et seq., as amended, supplemented or restated from time to time, and any successor to such statute.
“Departing General Partner” means a former General Partner from and after the effective date
of any withdrawal or removal of such former General Partner pursuant to Section 11.1 or 11.2.
“Event of Withdrawal” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 11.1(a).
“Extraordinary Approval” means the written approval of DEFS.
“General Partner” means DCP Midstream GP, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, and its
successors and permitted assigns that are admitted to the Partnership as general partner of the
Partnership, in its capacity as general partner of the Partnership (except as the context otherwise
requires).
“General Partner Interest” means the management and ownership interest, if any, of the General
Partner in the Partnership (in its capacity as a general partner without reference to any Limited
Partner Interest held by it), which may be evidenced by Partnership Interests or a combination
thereof or interest therein, and includes any and all benefits to which the General Partner is
entitled as provided in this Agreement, together with all obligations of the General Partner to
comply with the terms and provisions of this Agreement.
“Group” means a Person that with or through any of its Affiliates or Associates has any
contract, arrangement, understanding or relationship for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting
(except voting pursuant to a revocable proxy or consent given to such Person in response to a proxy
or consent solicitation made to 10 or more Persons), exercising investment power or disposing of
any Partnership Interests with any other Person that beneficially owns, or whose Affiliates or
Associates beneficially own, directly or indirectly, Partnership Interests.
“Group Member” means a member of the Partnership Group.
“Indemnitee” means (a) the General Partner, any Departing General Partner and any Person who
is or was an Affiliate of the General Partner or any Departing General Partner, (b) any Person who
is or was a member, director, officer, fiduciary or trustee of the Partnership, (c) any Person who
is or was an officer, member, partner, director, employee, agent or trustee of the General Partner
or any Departing General Partner or any Affiliate of the General Partner or any Departing General
Partner, or any Affiliate of any such Person, (d) any Person who is or was serving at the request
of the General Partner or any Departing General Partner or any such Affiliate as a director,
officer, employee, member, partner, agent, fiduciary or trustee of another Person; provided, that a
Person shall not be an Indemnitee by reason of providing, on a fee-for-services basis, trustee,
fiduciary or custodial services and (e) any Person the General Partner designates as an
“Indemnitee” for purposes of this Agreement.
“Initial Limited Partner” means DEFS in its capacity as a Limited Partner.
“Limited Partner” means, unless the context otherwise requires, each Initial Limited Partner,
each additional Person that becomes a Limited Partner pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, each
additional Limited Partner and any Departing General Partner upon the change of its status from
General Partner to Limited Partner pursuant to Section 11.3, in each case, in such Person’s
capacity as a limited partner of the Partnership.
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“Limited Partner Interest” means the ownership interest of a Limited Partner in the
Partnership and includes any and all benefits to which such Limited Partner is entitled as provided
in this Agreement, together with all obligations of such Limited Partner to comply with the terms
and provisions of this Agreement.
“Liquidation Date” means (a) in the case of an event giving rise to the dissolution of the
Partnership of the type described in clauses (a) and (b) of the first sentence of Section 12.2, the
date on which the applicable time period during which the holders of outstanding Partnership
Interests have the right to elect to continue the business of the Partnership has expired without
such an election being made, and (b) in the case of any other event giving rise to the dissolution
of the Partnership, the date on which such event occurs.
“Liquidator” means one or more Persons selected by the General Partner to perform the
functions described in Section 12.3 as liquidating trustee of the Partnership within the meaning of
the Delaware Act.
“Merger Agreement” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 14.1.
“MLP” means DCP Midstream Partners, LP, a Delaware limited partnership, and any successors
thereto.
“MLP Partnership Agreement” means the First Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited
Partnership of the MLP, as it may be amended or restated from time to time.
“National
Securities Exchange” has the meaning ascribed to such term
in the MLP Partnership Agreement.
“Omnibus Agreement” means the Omnibus Agreement, dated as of ___, 2005, among the
Partnership, the General Partner and DEFS, as amended or restated from time to time.
“Opinion of Counsel” means a written opinion of counsel (who may be regular counsel to the
Partnership or the General Partner or any of its Affiliates) acceptable to the General Partner.
“Partners” means the General Partner and the Limited Partners.
“Partnership” means DCP Midstream GP, LP, a Delaware limited partnership, and any successors
thereto.
“Partnership Group” means the Partnership, the MLP and all Subsidiaries of the MLP.
“Partnership Interest” means an ownership interest in the Partnership, which shall include
General Partner Interests and Limited Partner Interests.
“Percentage Interest” means 0.001% with respect to the General Partner and 99.99% with respect
to the Limited Partners, in the aggregage.
“Person” means an individual or a corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint
venture, trust, unincorporated organization, association, government agency or political
subdivision thereof or other entity.
“Quarter” means, unless the context requires otherwise, a fiscal quarter of the Partnership,
or with respect to the first fiscal quarter of the Partnership after the Closing Date, the portion
of such fiscal quarter after the Closing Date.
“Record Date” means the date established by the General Partner for determining (a) the
identity of the Record Holders entitled to notice of, or to vote at, any meeting of Limited
Partners or entitled to vote by ballot or give approval of Partnership action in writing without a
meeting or entitled to exercise rights in respect of any lawful action of Limited Partners or (b)
the identity of Record Holders entitled to receive any report or distribution or to participate in
any offer.
“Record Holder” means the Person in whose name a Limited Partner Interest is registered on the
books that the Board of Directors has caused the Partnership to be kept as of the close of business
on any Record Date.
“Registration Statement” has the meaning ascribed to such term in the MLP Partnership
Agreement.
“Securities Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, supplemented
or restated from time to time, and any successor to such statute.
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“Special Approval” means approval by a majority of the members of the Conflicts Committee.
“Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person, (a) a corporation of which more than 50% of
the voting power of shares entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote
in the election of directors or other governing body of such corporation is owned, directly or
indirectly, at the date of determination, by such Person, by one or more Subsidiaries of such
Person or a combination thereof, (b) a partnership (whether general or limited) in which such
Person or a Subsidiary of such Person is, at the date of determination, a general or limited
partner of such partnership, but only if more than 50% of the partnership interests of such
partnership (considering all of the partnership interests of the partnership as a single class) is
owned, directly or indirectly, at the date of determination, by such Person, by one or more
Subsidiaries of such Person, or a combination thereof, or (c) any other Person (other than a
corporation or a partnership) in which such Person, one or more Subsidiaries of such Person, or a
combination thereof, directly or indirectly, at the date of determination, has (i) at least a
majority ownership interest or (ii) the power to elect or direct the election of a majority of the
directors or other governing body of such Person.
“Surviving Business Entity” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 14.1.
“Transfer Agent” means such bank, trust company or other Person (including the General Partner
or one of its Affiliates) as shall be appointed from time to time by the Partnership to act as
registrar and transfer agent for any Partnership Interests; provided that, if no Transfer Agent is
specifically designated for any such Partnership Interests, the General Partner shall act in such
capacity.
“Underwriting Agreement” has the meaning ascribed to such term in the MLP Partnership
Agreement.
“U.S. GAAP” means United States generally accepted accounting principles consistently applied.
“Withdrawal Opinion of Counsel” has the meaning assigned to such term in Section 11.1(b).
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