EXECUTION COPY
REVOLVING THREE-YEAR CREDIT AGREEMENT
dated as of
August 8, 2001
among
NATIONAL RURAL UTILITIES
COOPERATIVE FINANCE CORPORATION,
THE BANKS LISTED HEREIN,
THE BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA,
BANK ONE, N.A.,
and
ABN AMRO BANK N.V.,
as CO-DOCUMENTATION AGENTS,
BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES LLC,
as SYNDICATION AGENT,
and
THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK,
as ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Arranged by
X.X. XXXXXX SECURITIES INC.
and
BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES LLC
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ARTICLE 1 |
Definitions |
|
|
Page |
Section 1.01. |
Definitions |
1 |
|
Section 1.02. |
Accounting Terms and Determinations |
14 |
Section 1.03. |
Types of Borrowings |
14 |
ARTICLE 2 |
The Credits |
Section 2.01. |
Commitments to Lend |
14 |
|
Section 2.02. |
Notice of Committed Borrowings |
15 |
Section 2.03. |
Money Market Borrowings |
16 |
Section 2.04. |
Notice to Banks; Funding of Loans |
20 |
Section 2.05. |
Notes |
21 |
Section 2.06. |
Maturity of Loans |
21 |
Section 2.07. |
Interest Rates |
22 |
Section 2.08. |
Method of Electing Interest Rates |
25 |
Section 2.09. |
Fees |
27 |
Section 2.10. |
Optional Termination or Reduction of Commitments |
28 |
Section 2.11. |
Mandatory Termination of Commitments |
28 |
Section 2.12. |
Optional Prepayments |
28 |
Section 2.13. |
General Provisions as to Payments |
28 |
Section 2.14. |
Funding Losses |
29 |
Section 2.15. |
Computation of Interest and Fees |
29 |
Section 2.16. |
Withholding Tax Exemption |
30 |
Section 2.17. |
Increase of Commitments |
30 |
|
ARTICLE 3 |
Conditions |
Section 3.01. |
Effectiveness |
31 |
|
Section 3.02. |
Borrowings |
33 |
Section 3.03. |
Conditions |
33 |
|
ARTICLE 4 |
Representations and Warranties |
Section 4.01. |
Corporate Existence, Power and Authority |
34 |
|
Section 4.02. |
Financial Statements |
35 |
Section 4.03. |
Litigations |
35 |
Section 4.04. |
Governmental Authorizations |
35 |
Section 4.05. |
Members' Subordinated Certificates |
36 |
Section 4.06. |
No Violation of Agreements |
36 |
Section 4.07. |
No Event of Default under the Indentures |
36 |
Section 4.08. |
Compliance with ERISA |
37 |
Section 4.09. |
Compliance with Other Laws |
37 |
Section 4.10. |
Tax Status |
37 |
Section 4.11. |
Investment Company Act |
37 |
Section 4.12. |
Public Utility Holding Company Act |
37 |
Section 4.13. |
Disclosure |
37 |
Section 4.14. |
Subsidiaries |
38 |
Section 4.15. |
Environmental Matters |
38 |
|
ARTICLE 5 |
Covenants |
Section 5.01. |
Corporate Existence |
39 |
|
Section 5.02. |
Disposition of Assets; Merger, Character of |
|
|
Business; etc |
39 |
Section 5.03. |
Financial Information |
39 |
Section 5.04. |
Default Certificates |
41 |
Section 5.05. |
Notice of Litigation, Legislative Developments and |
|
|
Defaults |
41 |
Section 5.06. |
ERISA |
42 |
Section 5.07. |
Payment of Charges |
42 |
Section 5.08. |
Inspection of Books and Assets |
43 |
Section 5.09. |
Indebtedness |
43 |
Section 5.10. |
Liens |
44 |
Section 5.11. |
Maintenance of Insurance |
45 |
Section 5.12. |
Subsidiaries and Joint Ventures |
45 |
Section 5.13. |
Minimum TIER |
45 |
Section 5.14. |
Retirement of Patronage Capital |
45 |
Section 5.15. |
Use of Proceeds |
45 |
|
ARTICLE 6 |
Defaults |
Section 6.01. |
Events of Defaults |
46 |
|
Section 6.02. |
Notice of Default |
48 |
|
ARTICLE 7 |
The Agent |
Section 7.01. |
Appointment and Authorization |
48 |
|
Section 7.02. |
Agent and Affiliates |
48 |
Section 7.03. |
Action by Agent |
49 |
Section 7.04. |
Consultation with Experts |
49 |
Section 7.05. |
Liability of Agent |
49 |
Section 7.06. |
Indemnification |
49 |
Section 7.07. |
Credit Decision |
49 |
Section 7.08. |
Successor Agent |
50 |
Section 7.09. |
Co-Documentation Agents and Syndication |
|
|
Agent Not Liable |
50 |
|
ARTICLE 8 |
Change in Circumstances |
Section 8.01. |
Basis for Determining Interest Rate Inadequate or |
|
|
|
Unfair |
50 |
Section 8.02. |
Illegality |
51 |
Section 8.03. |
Increased Cost and Reduced Return |
52 |
Section 8.04. |
Base Rate Loans Substituted for Affected Fixed |
|
|
Rate Loans |
53 |
|
ARTICLE 9 |
Miscellaneous |
Section 9.01. |
Notices |
54 |
|
Section 9.02. |
No Waivers |
54 |
Section 9.03. |
Expenses; Documentary Taxes; Indemnification |
54 |
Section 9.04. |
Sharing of Set-offs |
55 |
Section 9.05. |
Amendments and Waivers |
56 |
Section 9.06. |
Successors and Assigns |
56 |
Section 9.07. |
Collateral |
58 |
Section 9.08. |
Governing Law |
58 |
Section 9.09. |
Counterparts; Integration |
58 |
Section 9.10. |
Several Obligations |
58 |
Section 9.11. |
Severability |
58 |
Section 9.12. |
Waiver/Notice |
58 |
Section 9.13. |
Confidentiality |
59 |
Section 9.14. |
WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL |
59 |
Pricing Schedule
Schedule I - Agent Schedule
Exhibit A - Note
Exhibit B - RUS Guarantee
Exhibit C - Money Market Quote Request
Exhibit D - Invitation for Money Market Quotes
Exhibit E - Money Market Quote
Exhibit F - Opinion of General Counsel for the Borrower
Annex A to Exhibit F - Subsidiaries and Joint Ventures
Exhibit G - Opinion of Special Counsel for the Agent
Exhibit H - Extension Agreement
Exhibit I - Assignment and Assumption Agreement
REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT dated as of August 8, 2001 among
NATIONAL RURAL UTILITIES COOPERATIVE FINANCE CORPORATION, a not-for-profit
cooperative association incorporated under the laws of the District of Columbia,
as Borrower, the BANKS listed on the signature pages hereof, THE BANK OF NOVA
SCOTIA, BANK ONE, N.A., and ABN AMRO BANK N.V., as Co-Documentation Agents, BANC
OF AMERICA SECURITIES LLC, as Syndication Agent, and THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK,
as Administrative Agent.
The parties hereto agree as follows
ARTICLE 1
Definitions
Section 1.1. Definitions. The following terms, as used
herein, have the following meanings
"Absolute Rate Auction" means a solicitation of
Money Market Quotes setting forth Money Market Absolute Rates pursuant to
Section 2.03.
"Adjusted CD Rate" has the meaning set forth in
Section 2.07(b).
"Adjusted London Interbank Offered Rate" has
the meaning set forth in Section 2.07(c).
"Administrative Questionnaire" means, with
respect to each Bank, the administrative questionnaire in the form submitted to
such Bank by the Agent and submitted to the Agent (with a copy to the Borrower)
duly completed by such Bank.
"Agent" means The Chase Manhattan Bank in its
capacity as administrative agent for the Banks hereunder, and its successors in
such capacity.
"Applicable Lending Office" means, with respect
to any Bank, (i) in the case of its Domestic Loans, its Domestic Lending Office,
(ii) in the case of its Euro-Dollar Loans, its Euro-Dollar Lending Office and
(iii) in the case of its Money Market Loans, its Money Market Lending Office.
"Assessment Rate" has the meaning set forth in
Section 2.07(b).
"Assignee" has the meaning set forth in Section
9.06(c).
"Bank" means each bank listed on the signature
pages hereof, each Assignee which becomes a Bank pursuant to Section 9.06(c),
and their respective successors.
"Base Rate" means, for any day, a rate per
annum equal to the higher of (i) the Prime Rate for such day and (ii) the sum of
of 1% plus the Federal Funds Rate for such day.
"Base Rate Loan" means a Committed Loan that
bears interest at the Base Rate pursuant to the applicable Notice of Committed
Borrowing or Notice of Interest Rate Election or the last sentence of Section
2.08(a) or Article 8.
"Bonds" means any bonds issued pursuant to
either Indenture or both, as the context may require.
"Borrower" means the National Rural Utilities
Cooperative Finance Corporation, a not-for-profit cooperative association
incorporated under the laws of the District of Columbia, and its successors.
"Borrowing" has the meaning set forth in
Section 1.03.
"CD Base Rate" has the meaning set forth in
Section 2.07(b).
"CD Loan" means a Committed Loan that bears
interest at a CD Rate pursuant to the applicable Notice of Committed Borrowing
or Notice of Interest Rate Election.
"CD Margin" has the meaning set forth in the
Pricing Schedule.
"CD Reference Banks" means The Chase Manhattan
Bank and Bank of America, N.A.
"Commitment" means (i) with respect to each
Bank listed on the signature pages hereof, the amount set forth opposite the
name of such Bank on the signature pages hereof and (ii) with respect to any
Assignee that becomes a Bank pursuant to Section 9.06(c), the amount of the
transferor Bank's Commitment assigned to it pursuant to Section 9.06(c), in each
case as such amount may from time to time be reduced pursuant to Sections 2.10
and 2.11 or increased pursuant to Section 2.17; provided that, if the
context so requires, the term "Commitment" means the obligation of a
Bank to extend credit up to such amount to the Borrower hereunder.
"Committed Loan" means a loan made by a Bank
pursuant to Section 2.01, provided that, if any such loan or loans (or
portions thereof) are combined or subdivided pursuant to a Notice of Interest
Rate Election, the term "Committed Loan" shall refer to the combined
principal amount resulting from such combination or to each of the separate
principal amounts resulting from such subdivision, as the case may be.
"Consolidated Subsidiary" means at any date any
Subsidiary or other entity the accounts of which would be combined or
consolidated with those of the Borrower in its combined or consolidated
financial statements if such statements were prepared as of such date.
"Co-Documentation Agents" means The Bank of
Nova Scotia, Bank One, N.A., and ABN Amro Bank N.V.,, each in its capacity as
co-documentation agent for the Banks hereunder, and their successors in such
capacity.
"Default" means any condition or event which
constitutes an Event of Default or which with the giving of notice or lapse of
time or both (as specified in Section 6.01) would, unless cured or waived,
become an Event of Default.
"Derivatives Obligations" of any Person means
all obligations of such Person in respect of any rate swap transaction, basis
swap, forward rate transaction, commodity swap, commodity option, equity or
equity index swap, equity or equity index option, bond option, interest rate
option, foreign exchange transaction, cap transaction, floor transaction, collar
transaction, currency swap transaction, cross-currency rate swap transaction,
currency option or any other similar transaction (including any option with
respect to any of the foregoing transactions) or any combination of the
foregoing transactions.
"Determination Date" shall have the meaning
provided in Section 5.09.
"Domestic Business Day" means any day except a
Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in
New York City are
authorized or required by law to close.
"Domestic Lending Office" means, as to each
Bank, its office located at its address set forth in its Administrative
Questionnaire (or identified in its Administrative Questionnaire as its Domestic
Lending Office) or such other office as such Bank may hereafter designate as its
Domestic Lending Office by notice to the Borrower and the Agent; provided
that any Bank may so designate separate Domestic Lending Offices for its Base
Rate Loans, on the one hand, and its CD Loans, on the other hand, in which case
all references herein to the Domestic Lending Office of such Bank shall be
deemed to refer to either or both of such offices, as the context may require.
"Domestic Loans" means CD Loans or Base Rate
Loans or both.
"Domestic Reserve Percentage" has the meaning
set forth in Section 2.07(b).
"Effective Date" means the date this Agreement
becomes effective in accordance with Section 3.01.
"Environmental Laws" means any and all federal,
state, local and foreign statutes, laws, judicial decisions, regulations,
ordinances, rules, judgments, orders, decrees, plans, injunctions, permits,
concessions, grants, franchises, licenses, agreements and governmental
restrictions relating to the environment, the effect of the environment on human
health or to emissions, discharges or releases of pollutants, contaminants,
Hazardous Substances or wastes into the environment including, without
limitation, ambient air, surface water, ground water, or land, or otherwise
relating to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage,
disposal, transport or handling of pollutants, contaminants, Hazardous
Substances or wastes or the clean-up or other remediation thereof.
"ERISA" means the Employee Retirement Income
Security Act of 1974, as amended, or any successor statute.
"ERISA Group" means the Borrower, any
Subsidiary and all members of a controlled group of corporations and all trades
or businesses (whether or not incorporated) under common control which, together
with the Borrower or any Subsidiary, are treated as a single employer under
Section 414 of the Internal Revenue Code.
"Euro-Dollar Business Day" means any Domestic
Business Day on which commercial banks are open for international business
(including dealings in dollar deposits) in London.
"Euro-Dollar Lending Office" means, as to each
Bank, its office, branch or affiliate located at its address set forth in its
Administrative Questionnaire (or identified in its Administrative Questionnaire
as its Euro-Dollar Lending Office) or such other office, branch or affiliate of
such Bank as it may hereafter designate as its Euro-Dollar Lending Office by
notice to the Borrower and the Agent.
"Euro-Dollar Loan" means a Committed Loan that
bears interest at a Euro-Dollar Rate pursuant to the applicable Notice of
Committed Borrowing or Notice of Interest Rate Election.
"Euro-Dollar Margin" has the meaning set forth
in the Pricing Schedule.
"Euro-Dollar Reference Banks" means the
principal London offices of The Chase Manhattan Bank and Bank of America, N.A.
"Euro-Dollar Reserve Percentage" has the
meaning set forth in Section 2.07(c).
"Event of Default" has the meaning set forth in
Section 6.01.
"Federal Funds Rate" means, for any day, the
rate per annum (rounded upward, if necessary, to the nearest 1/100th of 1%)
equal to the weighted average of the rates on overnight Federal funds
transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System arranged by Federal
funds brokers on such day, as published by the Federal Reserve Bank of
New York
on the Domestic Business Day next succeeding such day, provided that (i)
if such day is not a Domestic Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such day
shall be such rate on such transactions on the next preceding Domestic Business
Day as so published on the next succeeding Domestic Business Day, and (ii) if no
such rate is so published on such next succeeding Domestic Business Day, the
Federal Funds Rate for such day shall be the average rate quoted to The Chase
Manhattan Bank on such day on such transactions as determined by the Agent.
"Fixed Rate Loans" means CD Loans or
Euro-Dollar Loans or Money Market Loans (excluding Money Market LIBOR Loans
bearing interest at the Base Rate pursuant to Section 8.01(a)) or any
combination of the foregoing.
"Group of Loans" means, at any time, a group of
Loans consisting of (i) all Committed Loans which are Base Rate Loans at such
time, (ii) all Euro-Dollar Loans having the same Interest Period at such time or
(iii) all CD Loans having the same Interest Period at such time; provided
that, if a Committed Loan of any particular Bank is converted to or made as a
Base Rate Loan pursuant to Article 8, such Loan shall be included in the same
Group or Groups of Loans from time to time as it would have been in if it had
not been so converted or made.
"Guarantee" by any Person means any obligation,
contingent or otherwise, of such Person directly or indirectly guaranteeing any
Indebtedness or lease payments of any other Person or otherwise in any manner
assuring the holder of any Indebtedness of, or the obligee under any lease of,
any other Person through an agreement, contingent or otherwise, to purchase
Indebtedness or the property subject to such lease, or to purchase goods,
supplies or services primarily for the purpose of enabling the debtor or obligor
to make payment of the Indebtedness or under such lease or of assuring such
Person against loss, or to supply funds to or in any other manner invest in the
debtor or obligor, or otherwise; provided that the term Guarantee shall
not include endorsements for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of
business. The term "Guarantee" when used as a verb has a
correlative meaning.
"Hazardous Substances" means any toxic,
radioactive, caustic or otherwise hazardous substance, including petroleum, its
derivatives, by-products and other hydrocarbons, or any substance having any
constituent elements displaying any of the foregoing characteristics.
"Indebtedness" with respect to any Person means
(1) all indebtedness which would appear as indebtedness on a
balance sheet of such Person prepared in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles (i) for money borrowed, (ii) which is evidenced by
securities sold for money or (iii) which constitutes purchase money
indebtedness;
(2) all indebtedness of others Guaranteed by such Person;
(3) all indebtedness secured by any Lien upon property owned by
such Person, even though such Person has not assumed or become liable for the
payment of such indebtedness; and
(4) all indebtedness of such Person created or arising under any
conditional sale or other title retention agreement (including any lease in the
nature of a title retention agreement) with respect to property acquired by such
Person (even though the rights and remedies of the seller or lender under such
agreement in the event of default are limited to repossession of such property),
but only if such property is included as an asset on the balance sheet of such
Person; provided that, in computing the "Indebtedness"
of such Person, there shall be excluded any particular indebtedness if, upon or
prior to the maturity thereof, there shall have been deposited with the proper
depositary in trust money (or evidences of such indebtedness) in the amount
necessary to pay, redeem or satisfy such indebtedness, and thereafter such money
and evidences of indebtedness so deposited shall not be included in any
computation of the assets of such Person; and provided further
that no provision of this definition shall be construed to include as "Indebtedness"
of the Borrower any indebtedness by virtue of any agreement by the Borrower to
advance or supply funds to Members.
"Indenture" means either the 1972 Indenture or
the 1994 Indenture, and "Indentures" means both such
Indentures.
"Interest Period" means (1) with respect to
each Euro-Dollar Borrowing, the period commencing on the date of such Borrowing
and ending one, two, three or six months thereafter, as the Borrower may elect
in the applicable Notice of Borrowing; provided that
(a) any Interest Period which would otherwise end on a day
which is not a Euro-Dollar Business Day shall be extended to the next
succeeding Euro-Dollar Business Day unless such Euro-Dollar Business Day
falls in another calendar month, in which case such Interest Period shall
end on the next preceding Euro-Dollar Business Day;
(b) any Interest Period which begins on the last
Euro-Dollar Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which there
is no numerically corresponding day in the calendar month at the end of
such Interest Period) shall, subject to clause (c) below, end on the last
Euro-Dollar Business Day of a calendar month; and
(c) any Interest Period which begins before the
Termination Date and would otherwise end after the Termination Date shall
end on the Termination Date;
(2) with respect to each CD Borrowing, the period commencing on
the date of such Borrowing and ending 30, 60, 90 or 180 days thereafter, as the
Borrower may elect in the applicable Notice of Borrowing; provided that
(a) any Interest Period which would otherwise end on a day
which is not a Euro-Dollar Business Day shall be extended to the next
succeeding Euro-Dollar Business Day; and
(b) any Interest Period which begins before the
Termination Date and would otherwise end after the Termination Date shall
end on the Termination Date;
(3) with respect to each Base Rate Borrowing, the period
commencing on the date of such Borrowing and ending 30 days thereafter; provided
that
(a) any Interest Period which would otherwise end on a day
which is not a Euro-Dollar Business Day shall be extended to the next
succeeding Euro-Dollar Business Day; and
(b) any Interest Period which begins before the
Termination Date and would otherwise end after the Termination Date shall
end on the Termination Date;
(4) with respect to each Money Market LIBOR Borrowing, the
period commencing on the date of such Borrowing and ending any whole number of
months thereafter (but not less than one month) as the Borrower may elect in
accordance with Section 2.03; provided that
(a) any Interest Period which would otherwise end on a day
which is not a Euro-Dollar Business Day shall be extended to the next
succeeding Euro-Dollar Business Day unless such Euro-Dollar Business Day
falls in another calendar month, in which case such Interest Period shall
end on the next preceding Euro-Dollar Business Day;
(b) any Interest Period which begins on the last
Euro-Dollar Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which there
is no numerically corresponding day in the calendar month at the end of
such Interest Period) shall, subject to clause (c) below, end on the last
Euro-Dollar Business Day of a calendar month; and
(c) any Interest Period which begins before the
Termination Date and would otherwise end after the Termination Date shall
end on the Termination Date; and
(5) with respect to each Money Market Absolute Rate Borrowing,
the period commencing on the date of such Borrowing and ending such number of
days thereafter (but not less than 30 days) as the Borrower may elect in
accordance with Section 2.03; provided that
(a) any Interest Period which would otherwise end on a day
which is not a Euro-Dollar Business Day shall be extended to the next
succeeding Euro-Dollar Business Day; and
(b) any Interest Period which begins before the
Termination Date and would otherwise end after the Termination Date shall
end on the Termination Date.
"Internal Revenue Code" means the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or any successor statute.
"Joint Venture" means any corporation,
partnership, association, joint venture or other entity in which the Borrower,
directly or indirectly through Subsidiaries or Joint Ventures, has an equity
interest at the time of 10% or more but which is not a Subsidiary; provided
that no Person whose only assets are RUS Guaranteed Loans and investments
incidental thereto shall be deemed a Joint Venture.
"LIBOR Auction" means a solicitation of Money
Market Quotes setting forth Money Market Margins based on the London Interbank
Offered Rate pursuant to Section 2.03.
"Lien" means, with respect to any asset, any
mortgage, lien, pledge, charge, security interest or encumbrance of any kind in
respect of such asset. For the purposes of this Agreement, the Borrower or any
Subsidiary shall be deemed to own subject to a Lien any asset which it has
acquired or holds subject to the interest of a vendor or lessor under any
conditional sale agreement, capital lease or other title retention agreement
relating to such asset.
"Loan" means a Domestic Loan or a Euro-Dollar
Loan or a Money Market Loan and "Loans" means Domestic Loans or
Euro-Dollar Loans or Money Market Loans or any combination of the foregoing.
"London Interbank Offered Rate" has the meaning
set forth in Section 2.07(c).
"Member" means any Person which is a member or
a patron of the Borrower.
"Members' Subordinated Certificate" means a
note of the Borrower substantially in the form of the membership subordinated
subscription certificates and the loan and guarantee subordinated certificates
outstanding on the date of the execution and delivery of this Agreement and any
other Indebtedness of the Borrower having substantially similar provisions as to
subordination as those contained in said outstanding membership subordinated
subscription certificates and loan and guarantee subordinated certificates.
"Money Market Absolute Rate" has the meaning
set forth in Section 2.03(d).
"Money Market Absolute Rate Loan" means a loan
to be made by a Bank pursuant to an Absolute Rate Auction.
"Money Market Lending Office" means, as to each
Bank, its Domestic Lending Office or such other office, branch or affiliate of
such Bank as it may hereafter designate as its Money Market Lending Office by
notice to the Borrower and the Agent; provided that any Bank may from
time to time by notice to the Borrower and the Agent designate separate Money
Market Lending Offices for its Money Market LIBOR Loans, on the one hand, and
its Money Market Absolute Rate Loans, on the other hand, in which case all
references herein to the Money Market Lending Office of such Bank shall be
deemed to refer to either or both of such offices, as the context may require.
"Money Market LIBOR Loan" means a loan to be
made by a Bank pursuant to a LIBOR Auction (including such a loan bearing
interest at the Prime Rate pursuant to Section 8.01(a)).
"Money Market Loan" means a Money Market LIBOR
Loan or a Money Market Absolute Rate Loan.
"Money Market Margin" has the meaning set forth
in Section 2.03(d).
"Money Market Quote" means an offer by a Bank
to make a Money Market Loan in accordance with Section 2.03.
"Moody's" means Xxxxx'x Investors Service,
Inc., and its successors.
"Net Margins" means operating and non-operating
income of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries determined on a combined or
consolidated basis (excluding income on Guaranteed Portions of RUS Guaranteed
Loans) less, without duplication, operating and non-operating costs and expenses
of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries determined on a combined or consolidated
basis (excluding costs and expenses relating to Guaranteed Portions of RUS
Guaranteed Loans).
"1994 Indenture" means the Indenture dated as
of February 15, 1994 and as amended as of September 16, 1994 between the
Borrower and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee, as amended and
supplemented from time to time, providing for the issuance in series of certain
collateral trust bonds of the Borrower.
"1972 Indenture" means the Seventeenth
Supplemental Indenture dated as of March 1, 1987, amending and restating in full
the Indenture dated as of December 1, 1972, by and between the Borrower and U.S.
Bank Trust National Association, as trustee.
"Notes" means promissory notes of the Borrower,
substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto, evidencing the obligation of the
Borrower to repay the Loans, and "Note" means any one of such
promissory notes issued hereunder.
"Notice of Borrowing" means a Notice of
Committed Borrowing (as defined in Section 2.02) or a Notice of Money Market
Borrowing (as defined in Section 2.03(f)).
"Parent" means, with respect to any Bank, any
Person controlling such Bank.
"Participant" has the meaning set forth in
Section 9.06(b).
"Patronage Capital Certificates" means those
certificates that evidence the allocation of Net Margins by the Borrower among
its Members in proportion to interest earned by the Borrower from such Members.
"PBGC" means the Pension Benefit Guaranty
Corporation or any entity succeeding to any or all of its functions under ERISA.
"Person" means an individual, a corporation, a
partnership, an association, a trust or any other entity or organization,
including a government or political subdivision or an agency or instrumentality
thereof.
"Plan" means any multiemployer plan or single
employer plan, as defined in Section 4001 and subject to Title IV of ERISA,
which is maintained, or at any time during the five calendar years preceding the
date of this Agreement was maintained, for employees of the Borrower or a
Subsidiary of the Borrower or any member of the ERISA Group.
"Pricing Schedule" means the Schedule attached
hereto identified as such.
"Prime Rate" means the rate of interest
publicly announced by The Chase Manhattan Bank in
New York City from time to
time as its Prime Rate.
"Prior Credit Agreement" means the
Revolving
Credit Agreement dated as of February 28, 1995, as amended and restated as of
November 26, 1996, among the Borrower, the banks listed on the signature pages
thereof, The Bank of Nova Scotia and X.X. Xxxxxx Securities Inc., as
Co-Syndication Agents, and The Chase Manhattan Bank, as Administrative Agent.
"Qualified Subordinated Indebtedness" means the
Borrower's (i) 8% Quarterly Income Capital Securities (Subordinated Deferrable
Interest Debentures Due 2045), (ii) 7.65% Quarterly Income Capital Securities
(Subordinated Deferrable Interest Debentures Due 2046), (iii) 7.375% Quarterly
Income Capital Securities (Subordinated Deferrable Interest Debentures Due
2047), (iv) 7.625% Quarterly Income Capital Securities (Subordinated Deferrable
Interest Debentures Due 2050), (v) Member Subordinated Capital Securities issued
pursuant to the Borrower's Prospectus Supplement dated May 2, 2000 supplementing
the Borrower's Prospectus dated February 22, 2000 and having a maturity of not
less than 40 years from the date of issuance thereof and (vi) any other
Indebtedness of the Borrower having substantially similar terms as those
contained in the instruments and documents relating to the foregoing
Indebtedness.
"Reference Banks" means the CD Reference Banks
or the Euro-Dollar Reference Banks, as the context may require, and "Reference
Bank" means any one of such Reference Banks.
"Regulation U" means Regulation U of the Board
of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, as in effect from time to time.
"Regulation X" means Regulation X of the Board
of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, as in effect from time to time.
"Reportable Event" means an event described in
Section 4043(c) of ERISA or regulations promulgated by the Department of Labor
thereunder (with respect to which the 30 day notice requirement has not been
waived by the PBGC).
"Required Banks" means at any time Banks having
at least 51% of the sum of the aggregate amount of the unused Commitments and
the aggregate principal outstanding amount of the Loans.
"Revolving Credit Period" means the period from
and including the Effective Date to but excluding the Termination Date.
"RUS" means the Rural Utilities Service of the
Department of Agriculture of the United States of America (as successor to the
Rural Electrification Administration of the Department of Agriculture of the
United States of America) or any other regulatory body which succeeds to its
functions.
"RUS Guaranteed Loan" means any loan made by
any Person, which loan (x) bears interest at least equal to such Person's cost
of funds and (y) is guaranteed, in whole or in part, as to principal and
interest by the United States of America through the RUS pursuant to a
guarantee, which guarantee contains provisions no less favorable to the holder
thereof than the provisions set forth in the form of Exhibit B-1 or Exhibit B-2
hereto; and "Guaranteed Portion" of any RUS Guaranteed Loan
means that portion of principal of, and interest on, such RUS Guaranteed Loan
which is guaranteed by the United States of America through the RUS as provided
in clause (y).
"S&P" means Standard and Poor's Ratings
Services, a division of The XxXxxx-Xxxx Companies, Inc., and its successors.
"SFAS 133" means Statement of Financial
Accounting Standards No. 133 entitled "Accounting for Derivative
Instruments and Hedging Activities", issued June, 1998 by the Financial
Accounting Standards Board.
"Subsidiary" of any Person means (i) any
corporation more than 50% of whose stock of any class or classes having by the
terms thereof ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the directors of such
corporation (irrespective of whether or not at the time stock of any class or
classes of such corporation shall have or might have voting power by reason of
the happening of any contingency) is at the time owned by such Person directly
or indirectly through its Subsidiaries, and (ii) any other Person in which such
Person directly or indirectly through Subsidiaries has more than a 50% voting
and equity interest, provided that no Person whose only assets are RUS
Guaranteed Loans and investments incidental thereto shall be deemed a
Subsidiary. The Rural Telephone Finance Cooperative is not on the date of this
Agreement a "Subsidiary", except that the Rural Telephone
Finance Cooperative shall be considered a "Subsidiary" for
purposes of the definitions of "Net Margins" and "TIER".
"Superior Indebtedness" means all Indebtedness
of the Borrower (other than Members' Subordinated Certificates and Qualified
Subordinated Indebtedness) and its Subsidiaries determined on a combined or
consolidated basis, but excluding (i) Indebtedness of the Borrower or any of its
Subsidiaries to the extent that the proceeds of such Indebtedness are used to
fund Guaranteed Portions of RUS Guaranteed Loans and (ii) any indebtedness of
any Member Guaranteed by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries ("Guaranteed
Indebtedness"), to the extent that either (x) the long-term unsecured
debt of such Member is rated at least BBB+ by S&P or Baa1 by Xxxxx'x or (ii)
the payment of principal and interest by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries
in respect of such Guaranteed Indebtedness is covered by insurance or
reinsurance provided by an insurer having an insurance financial strength rating
of AAA by S&P or a financial strength rating of Aaa by Xxxxx'x.
"Syndication Agent" means Banc of America
Securities LLC in its capacity as Syndication Agent for the Banks hereunder, and
its successors in such capacity.
"Termination Date" means August 8, 2004 or such
later date to which this Agreement shall have been extended pursuant to Section
2.01(b), or, if either such day is not a Euro-Dollar Business Day, the next
preceding Euro-Dollar Business Day.
"TIER" means, for any period, the ratio of (x)
Net Margins plus interest on Indebtedness of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries
determined on a combined or consolidated basis (but excluding Indebtedness of
the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries to the extent that the proceeds of such
Indebtedness are used to fund Guaranteed Portions of RUS Guaranteed Loans) plus
amortization of bond discount and amortization of bond issuance costs of the
Borrower and its Subsidiaries determined on a combined or consolidated basis for
such period (but excluding such amortization of discount and issuance costs with
respect to Indebtedness referred to in the preceding parenthetical phrase) to
(y) interest on Indebtedness of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries determined on a
combined or consolidated basis (but excluding Indebtedness of the Borrower or
any of its Subsidiaries to the extent that the proceeds of such Indebtedness are
used to fund Guaranteed Portions of RUS Guaranteed Loans) plus amortization of
bond discount and amortization of bond issuance costs of the Borrower and its
Subsidiaries determined on a combined or consolidated basis for such period (but
excluding such amortization of discount and issuance costs with respect to
Indebtedness referred to in the preceding parenthetical phrase).
Section 1.2. Accounting Terms and
Determinations. Unless otherwise specified
herein, all accounting terms used herein shall be interpreted, all accounting
determinations hereunder shall be made and all financial statements required to
be delivered hereunder shall be prepared in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles as in effect from time to time, applied on a basis
consistent (except for changes concurred in by the Borrower's independent public
accountants) with the most recent audited combined financial statements of the
Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries delivered to the Banks.
Section 1.3. Types of Borrowings. The term "Borrowing" denotes the aggregation
of Loans of one or more Banks to be made to the Borrower pursuant to Article 2
on a single date and for a single Interest Period. Borrowings are classified for
purposes of this Agreement either by reference to the pricing of Loans
comprising such Borrowing (e.g., a "Euro-Dollar Borrowing"
is a Borrowing comprised of Euro-Dollar Loans) or by reference to the provisions
of Article 2 under which participation therein is determined (i.e., a
"Committed Borrowing" is a Borrowing under Section 2.01 in
which all Banks participate in proportion to their Commitments, while a "Money
Market Borrowing" is a Borrowing under Section 2.03 in which the Bank
participants are determined on the basis of their bids in accordance therewith).
ARTICLE 2
The Credits
Section 2.1. Commitments to Lend. (a)
Committed Loans. During the Revolving Credit
Period each Bank severally agrees, on the terms and conditions set forth in this
Agreement, to make loans to the Borrower pursuant to this Section from time to
time in amounts such that the aggregate principal amount of Committed Loans by
such Bank at any one time outstanding shall not exceed the amount of its
Commitment. Each Borrowing shall be in an aggregate principal amount of
$10,000,000 or any larger multiple of $1,000,000 (except that any such Borrowing
may be in the maximum aggregate amount available in accordance with Section
3.03(d)) and shall be made from the several Banks ratably in proportion to their
respective Commitments. Within the foregoing limits, the Borrower may borrow
under this Section, repay or, to the extent permitted by Section 2.12, prepay
Loans and reborrow at any time during the Revolving Credit Period under this
Section.
(b) Extension of Commitments. The Termination Date may be
extended one time in the manner set forth in this subsection (b), for a period
of up to one year from the date on which Banks having 100% of the Commitments
shall have notified the Agent of their agreement so to extend. If the Borrower
wishes to request an extension of the Termination Date, it shall give written
notice to that effect (such notice to state the date to which the Termination
Date then in effect is requested to be extended, subject to the provisions of
the preceding sentence) to the Agent not less than 60 nor more than 90 days
prior to the Termination Date then in effect, whereupon the Agent shall promptly
notify each of the Banks of such request and send a copy of the Extension
Agreement referred to below to each Bank. Each Bank will use its best efforts to
respond to such request, whether affirmatively or negatively, as it may elect in
its discretion, within 30 days of such notice to the Agent; provided,
that any Bank which fails to respond to such request within 30 days of such
notice shall be deemed to have responded negatively. If less than all Banks
respond affirmatively to such request within 30 days, then the Borrower may
request the Banks that do not elect to extend the Termination Date to assign
their Commitments in their entirety, no later than 15 days prior to the
Termination Date then in effect, to one or more Assignees pursuant to Section
9.06(c) which Assignees will agree to extend the Termination Date. If all Banks
(including such Assignees and excluding their respective transferor Banks)
respond affirmatively, then, subject to receipt by the Agent of counterparts of
an Extension Agreement in substantially the form of Exhibit H hereto duly
completed and signed by all of the parties thereto, the Termination Date shall
be extended for the period specified above.
Section 2.2. Notice of Committed Borrowings. The Borrower shall give the Agent
notice (a "Notice of Committed Borrowing") not later than 11 00
A.M. (
New York City time) on (x) the date of each Base Rate Borrowing, (y) the
second Domestic Business Day before each CD Borrowing and (z) the third
Euro-Dollar Business Day before each Euro-Dollar Borrowing, specifying
(a) the date of such Borrowing, which shall be a Domestic
Business Day in the case of a Domestic Borrowing or a Euro-Dollar Business Day
in the case of a Euro-Dollar Borrowing,
(b) the aggregate amount of such Borrowing,
(c) whether the Loans comprising such Borrowing are to bear
interest initially at the Base Rate, a CD Rate or a Euro-Dollar Rate, and
(d) in the case of a Fixed Rate Borrowing, the duration of the
Interest Period applicable thereto, subject to the provisions of the definition
of Interest Period.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, no more than 15 Fixed Rate
Borrowings shall be outstanding at any one time, and any Borrowing which would
exceed such limitation shall be made as a Base Rate Borrowing.
Section 2.3. Money Market Borrowings. (a) In addition to Committed Borrowings pursuant to Section
2.01, the Borrower may, as set forth in this Section, request the Banks during
the Revolving Credit Period to make offers to make Money Market Loans to the
Borrower. The Banks may, but shall have no obligation to, make such offers and
the Borrower may, but shall have no obligation to, accept any such offers in the
manner set forth in this Section.
(b) Money Market Quote Request. When the Borrower wishes
to request offers to make Money Market Loans under this Section, it shall
transmit to the Agent by telex or facsimile transmission a Money Market Quote
Request substantially in the form of Exhibit C hereto so as to be received no
later than 10 00 A.M. (
New York City time) on (x) the fourth Euro-Dollar
Business Day prior to the date of Borrowing proposed therein, in the case of a
LIBOR Auction or (y) the Domestic Business Day next preceding the date of
Borrowing proposed therein, in the case of an Absolute Rate Auction (or, in
either case, such other time or date as the Borrower and the Agent shall have
mutually agreed and shall have notified to the Banks not later than the date of
the Money Market Quote Request for the first LIBOR Auction or Absolute Rate
Auction for which such change is to be effective) specifying
(i) the proposed date of Borrowing, which shall be a
Euro-Dollar Business Day in the case of a LIBOR Auction or a Domestic
Business Day in the case of an Absolute Rate Auction,
(ii) the aggregate amount of such Borrowing, which shall be
$10,000,000 or any larger multiple of $1,000,000,
(iii) the duration of the Interest Period applicable
thereto, subject to the provisions of the definition of Interest Period, and
(iv) whether the Money Market Quotes requested are to set
forth a Money Market Margin or a Money Market Absolute Rate.
The Borrower may request offers to make Money Market Loans for
more than one Interest Period in a single Money Market Quote Request. No Money
Market Quote Request shall be given within four Euro-Dollar Business Days (or
such other number of days as the Borrower and the Agent may agree) of any other
Money Market Quote Request.
(c) Invitation for Money Market Quotes. Promptly upon
receipt of a Money Market Quote Request, the Agent shall send to the Banks by
telex or facsimile transmission an Invitation for Money Market Quotes
substantially in the form of Exhibit D hereto, which shall constitute an
invitation by the Borrower to each Bank to submit Money Market Quotes offering
to make the Money Market Loans to which such Money Market Quote Request relates
in accordance with this Section.
(d) Submission and Contents of Money Market Quotes. (v)
Each Bank may submit a Money Market Quote containing an offer or offers to make
Money Market Loans in response to any Invitation for Money Market Quotes. Each
Money Market Quote must comply with the requirements of this subsection (d) and
must be submitted to the Agent by telex or facsimile transmission at its offices
specified in or pursuant to Section 9.01 not later than (x) 9 30 A.M. (
New York
City time) on the third Euro-Dollar Business Day prior to the proposed date of
Borrowing, in the case of a LIBOR Auction or (y) 9 30 A.M. (
New York City time)
on the proposed date of Borrowing, in the case of an Absolute Rate Auction (or,
in either case, such other time or date as the Borrower and the Agent shall have
mutually agreed and shall have notified to the Banks not later than the date of
the Money Market Quote Request for the first LIBOR Auction or Absolute Rate
Auction for which such change is to be effective); provided that Money
Market Quotes submitted by the Agent (or any affiliate of the Agent) in the
capacity of a Bank may be submitted, and may only be submitted, if the Agent or
such affiliate notifies the Borrower of the terms of the offer or offers
contained therein not later than (x) 8 30 A.M. (
New York City time) on the third
Euro-Dollar Business Day prior to the proposed date of Borrowing, in the case of
a LIBOR Auction or (y) 9 15 A.M. (
New York City time) on the proposed date of
Borrowing, in the case of an Absolute Rate Auction. Subject to Articles 3 and 6,
any Money Market Quote so made shall be irrevocable except with the written
consent of the Agent given on the instructions of the Borrower.
(vi) Each Money Market Quote shall be in substantially the
form of Exhibit E hereto and shall in any case specify
(A) the proposed date of Borrowing,
(B) the principal amount of the Money Market Loan for
which each such offer is being made, which principal amount (w) may be
greater than or less than the Commitment of the quoting Bank, (x) must
be $1,000,000 or any larger multiple thereof, (y) may not exceed the
principal amount of Money Market Loans for which offers were requested
and (z) may be subject to an aggregate limitation as to principal amount
of Money Market Loans for which offers being made by such quoting Bank
may be accepted,
(C) in the case of a LIBOR Auction, the margin above or
below the applicable London Interbank Offered Rate (the "Money
Market Margin") offered for each such Money Market Loan,
expressed as a percentage (rounded to the nearest 1/10,000th of 1%) to
be added to or subtracted from such base rate,
(D) in the case of an Absolute Rate Auction, the rate of
interest per annum (rounded to the nearest 1/10,000th of 1%) (the "Money
Market Absolute Rate") offered for each such Money Market Loan,
and
(E) the identity of the quoting Bank.
A Money Market Quote may set forth up to five separate offers by
the quoting Bank with respect to each Interest Period specified in the related
Invitation for Money Market Quotes.
(vii) Any Money Market Quote shall be disregarded if it
(F) is not substantially in conformity with Exhibit E
hereto or does not specify all of the information required by subsection
(d)(ii),
(G) contains qualifying, conditional or similar
language,
(H) proposes terms other than or in addition to those
set forth in the applicable Invitation for Money Market Quotes, or
(I) arrives after the time set forth in subsection (d)(i).
(e) Notice to Borrower. The Agent shall promptly notify
the Borrower of the terms (x) of any Money Market Quote submitted by a Bank that
is in accordance with subsection (d) and (y) of any Money Market Quote that
amends, modifies or is otherwise inconsistent with a previous Money Market Quote
submitted by such Bank with respect to the same Money Market Quote Request. Any
such subsequent Money Market Quote shall be disregarded by the Agent unless such
subsequent Money Market Quote is submitted solely to correct a manifest error in
such former Money Market Quote. The Agent's notice to the Borrower shall specify
(A) the aggregate principal amount of Money Market Loans for which offers have
been received for each Interest Period specified in the related Money Market
Quote Request, (B) the respective principal amounts and Money Market Margins or
Money Market Absolute Rates, as the case may be, so offered and (C) if
applicable, limitations on the aggregate principal amount of Money Market Loans
for which offers in any single Money Market Quote may be accepted.
(f) Acceptance and Notice by Borrower. Not later than 10
30 A.M. (
New York City time) on (x) the third Euro-Dollar Business Day prior to
the proposed date of Borrowing, in the case of a LIBOR Auction or (y) the
proposed date of Borrowing, in the case of an Absolute Rate Auction (or, in
either case, such other time or date as the Borrower and the Agent shall have
mutually agreed and shall have notified to the Banks not later than the date of
the Money Market Quote Request for the first LIBOR Auction or Absolute Rate
Auction for which such change is to be effective), the Borrower shall notify the
Agent of its acceptance or non-acceptance of the offers so notified to it
pursuant to subsection (e). In the case of acceptance, such notice (a "Notice
of Money Market Borrowing") shall specify the aggregate principal
amount of offers for each Interest Period that are accepted. The Borrower may
accept any Money Market Quote in whole or in part; provided that
(viii) the aggregate principal amount of each Money Market
Borrowing may not exceed the applicable amount set forth in the related
Money Market Quote Request,
(ix) the aggregate principal amount of each Money Market
Borrowing must be $10,000,000 or any larger multiple of $1,000,000,
(x) acceptance of offers may only be made on the basis of
ascending Money Market Margins or Money Market Absolute Rates, as the case
may be, and
(xi) the Borrower may not accept any offer that is described
in subsection (d)(iii) or that otherwise fails to comply with the
requirements of this Agreement.
(g) Allocation by Agent. If offers are made by two or
more Banks with the same Money Market Margins or Money Market Absolute Rates, as
the case may be, for a greater aggregate principal amount than the amount in
respect of which such offers are accepted for the related Interest Period, the
principal amount of Money Market Loans in respect of which such offers are
accepted shall be allocated by the Agent among such Banks as nearly as possible
(in such multiples, not greater than $100,000, as the Agent may deem
appropriate) in proportion to the aggregate principal amounts of such offers.
Determinations by the Agent of the amounts of Money Market Loans shall be
conclusive in the absence of manifest error.
Section 2.4. Notice to Banks; Funding
of Loans. (a
Upon receipt of a Notice of Borrowing, the Agent shall promptly notify each Bank
of the contents thereof and of such Bank's share (if any) of such Borrowing and
such Notice of Borrowing shall not thereafter be revocable by the Borrower.
(b) Not later than 1 00 P.M. (New York City time) on the date of
each Borrowing, each Bank participating therein shall (except as provided in
subsection (c) of this Section) make available its share of such Borrowing, in
Federal or other funds immediately available in New York City, to the Agent at
its address specified in or pursuant to Section 9.01. Unless the Agent
determines that any applicable condition specified in Article 3 has not been
satisfied, the Agent will make the funds so received from the Banks available to
the Borrower at the Agent's aforesaid address.
(c) If any Bank makes a new Loan hereunder on a day on which the
Borrower is to repay all or any part of an outstanding Loan from such Bank, such
Bank shall apply the proceeds of its new Loan to make such repayment and only an
amount equal to the difference (if any) between the amount being borrowed and
the amount being repaid shall be made available by such Bank to the Agent as
provided in subsection (b), or remitted by the Borrower to the Agent as provided
in Section 2.13, as the case may be.
(d) Unless the Agent shall have been notified by any Bank prior
to the date of Borrowing (or prior to 1 00 P.M. (New York City time) on the date
of Borrowing in the case of a Base Rate Borrowing) that such Bank does not
intend to make available to the Agent such Bank's portion of the Borrowing to be
made on such date, the Agent may assume that such Bank has made such amount
available to the Agent on such date and the Agent may, in reliance upon such
assumption, make available to the Borrower a corresponding amount, subject to
the provisions of subsection (c). If such corresponding amount is not in fact
made available to the Agent by such Bank, the Agent shall be entitled to recover
such corresponding amount on demand from such Bank. If such Bank does not pay
such corresponding amount forthwith upon the Agent's demand therefor, the Agent
shall promptly notify the Borrower and the Borrower shall promptly pay such
corresponding amount to the Agent. The Agent shall also be entitled to recover
from such Bank or the Borrower interest on such corresponding amount in respect
of each day from the date such corresponding amount was made available by the
Agent to the Borrower to the date such corresponding amount is recovered by the
Agent, at a rate per annum equal to (x) in the case of a Bank, the Federal Funds
Rate for each such day and (y) in the case of the Borrower, the then applicable
rate for Base Rate Loans, CD Loans, Euro-Dollar Loans or Money Market Loans, as
appropriate. Nothing herein shall be deemed to relieve any Bank from its
obligation to fulfill its Commitment hereunder or to prejudice any rights which
the Borrower may have against any Bank as a result of any default by such Bank
hereunder. For purposes of this subsection (d), no amount paid to the Agent
hereunder shall be considered to have been recovered by the Agent on the date of
payment unless such amount shall have been received by the Agent by 2 30 P.M.
(New York City time) on such date.
Section 2.5. Notes.
(a) The Loans of each Bank shall be evidenced by a single Note payable to the
order of such Bank for the account of its Applicable Lending Office in an amount
equal to the aggregate unpaid principal amount of such Bank's Loans.
(b) Each Bank may, by notice to the Borrower and the Agent,
request that its Loans of a particular type be evidenced by a separate Note in
an amount equal to the aggregate unpaid principal amount of such Loans. Each
such Note shall be in substantially the form of Exhibit A hereto with
appropriate modifications to reflect the fact that it evidences solely Loans of
the relevant type. Each reference in this Agreement to the "Note"
of such Bank shall be deemed to refer to and include any or all of such Notes,
as the context may require.
(c) Upon receipt of each Bank's Note pursuant to Section
3.01(b), the Agent shall forward such Note to such Bank. Each Bank shall record
the date, amount, type and maturity of each Loan made by it and the date and
amount of each payment of principal made by the Borrower with respect thereto,
and may, if such Bank so elects in connection with any transfer or enforcement
of its Note, endorse on the schedule forming a part thereof appropriate
notations to evidence the foregoing information with respect to each such Loan
then outstanding; provided that the failure of any Bank to make any such
recordation or endorsement shall not affect the obligations of the Borrower
hereunder or under the Notes. Each Bank is hereby irrevocably authorized by the
Borrower so to endorse its Note and to attach to and make a part of its Note a
continuation of any such schedule as and when required.
Section 2.6. Maturity of Loans. (a) The Committed Loans shall mature, and the principal
amount thereof shall be due and payable, on the Termination Date.
(b) Each Money Market Loan shall mature, and the principal
amount thereof shall be due and payable, on the last day of the Interest Period
applicable to such Borrowing.
Section 2.7. Interest Rates. (a) Each Base Rate Loan shall bear interest on
the outstanding principal amount thereof, for each day from the date such Loan
is made until it becomes due, at a rate per annum equal to the Base Rate for
such day. Such interest shall be payable for each Interest Period on the last
day thereof and, with respect to the principal amount of any Base Rate Loan that
is prepaid or converted to a CD Loan or Euro-Dollar Loan, on the date of such
prepayment or conversion. Any overdue principal of or interest on any Base Rate
Loan shall bear interest, payable on demand, for each day until paid at a rate
per annum equal to the sum of 2% plus the rate otherwise applicable to Base Rate
Loans for such day.
(b) Each CD Loan shall bear interest on the
outstanding principal amount thereof, for the Interest Period applicable
thereto, at a rate per annum equal to the sum of the CD Margin plus the
applicable Adjusted CD Rate; provided that if any CD Loan shall, as a
result of clause (2)(b) of the definition of Interest Period, have an Interest
Period of less than 30 days, such Loan shall bear interest during such Interest
Period at the rate applicable to Base Rate Loans during such period. Such
interest shall be payable for each Interest Period on the last day thereof and,
if such Interest Period is longer than 90 days, 90 days after the first day
thereof and, with respect to the principal amount of any CD Loan that is prepaid
or converted to a Base Rate Loan or Euro-Dollar Loan, on the date of such
prepayment or conversion. Any overdue principal of or interest on any CD Loan
shall bear interest, payable on demand, for each day until paid at a rate per
annum equal to the sum of 2% plus the higher of (i) the sum of the CD Margin
plus the Adjusted CD Rate applicable to such Loan and (ii) the rate applicable
to Base Rate Loans for such day.
The "Adjusted CD Rate" applicable to any
Interest Period means a rate per annum determined pursuant to the following
formula
[ CDBR ]*
ACDR = [ _________ ] + AR
[ 1.00 - DRP]
ACDR = Adjusted CD Rate
CDBR = CD Base Rate
DRP = Domestic Reserve Percentage
AR = Assessment Rate
______
* The amount in brackets being rounded upwards, if necessary, to
the next higher 1/100 of 1%
The "CD Base Rate" applicable to any Interest
Period is the rate of interest determined by the Agent to be the average
(rounded upward, if necessary, to the next higher 1/100 of 1%) of the prevailing
rates per annum bid at 10 00 A.M. (New York City time) (or as soon thereafter as
practicable) on the first day of such Interest Period by two or more New York
certificate of deposit dealers of recognized standing for the purchase at face
value from each CD Reference Bank of its certificates of deposit in an amount
comparable to the unpaid principal amount of the CD Loan of such CD Reference
Bank to which such Interest Period applies and having a maturity comparable to
such Interest Period.
"Domestic Reserve Percentage" means for any day
that percentage (expressed as a decimal) which is in effect on such day, as
prescribed by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (or any
successor) for determining the maximum reserve requirement (including without
limitation any basic, supplemental or emergency reserves) for a member bank of
the Federal Reserve System in New York City with deposits exceeding five billion
dollars in respect of new non-personal time deposits in dollars in New York City
having a maturity comparable to the related Interest Period and in an amount of
$100,000 or more. The Adjusted CD Rate shall be adjusted automatically on and as
of the effective date of any change in the Domestic Reserve Percentage.
"Assessment Rate" means for any day the annual
assessment rate in effect on such day which is payable by a member of the Bank
Insurance Fund classified as adequately capitalized and within supervisory
subgroup "A" (or a comparable successor assessment risk
classification) within the meaning of 12 C.F.R. Section 327.4(a) (or any
successor provision) to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (or any
successor) for such Corporation's (or such successor's) insuring time deposits
at offices of such institution in the United States. The Adjusted CD Rate shall
be adjusted automatically on and as of the effective date of any change in the
Assessment Rate.
(c) Each Euro-Dollar Loan shall bear interest
on the outstanding principal amount thereof, for the Interest Period applicable
thereto, at a rate per annum equal to the sum of the Euro-Dollar Margin plus the
applicable Adjusted London Interbank Offered Rate. Such interest shall be
payable for each Interest Period on the last day thereof and, if such Interest
Period is longer than three months, three months after the first day thereof
and, with respect to the principal amount of any Euro-Dollar Loan that is
prepaid or converted to a Base Rate Loan or CD Loan, on the date of such
prepayment or conversion.
The "Adjusted London Interbank Offered Rate"
applicable to any Interest Period means a rate per annum equal to the quotient
obtained (rounded upward, if necessary, to the next higher 1/100 of 1%) by
dividing (i) the applicable London Interbank Offered Rate by (ii) 1.00 minus the
Euro-Dollar Reserve Percentage.
The "London Interbank Offered Rate" applicable
to any Interest Period means the average (rounded upward, if necessary, to the
next higher 1/16 of 1%) of the respective rates per annum at which deposits in
dollars are offered to each of the Euro-Dollar Reference Banks in the London
interbank market at approximately 11 00 A.M. (London time) two Euro-Dollar
Business Days before the first day of such Interest Period in an amount
approximately equal to the principal amount of the Euro-Dollar Loan of such
Euro-Dollar Reference Bank to which such Interest Period is to apply and for a
period of time comparable to such Interest Period.
"Euro-Dollar Reserve Percentage" means for any
day that percentage (expressed as a decimal) which is in effect on such day, as
prescribed by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (or any
successor) for determining the maximum reserve requirement for a member bank of
the Federal Reserve System in New York City with deposits exceeding five billion
dollars in respect of "Eurocurrency liabilities" (or in respect
of any other category of liabilities which includes deposits by reference to
which the interest rate on Euro-Dollar Loans is determined or any category of
extensions of credit or other assets which includes loans by a non-United States
office of any Bank to United States residents). The Adjusted London Interbank
Offered Rate shall be adjusted automatically on and as of the effective date of
any change in the Euro-Dollar Reserve Percentage.
(d) Any overdue principal of or interest on any Euro-Dollar Loan
shall bear interest, payable on demand, for each day from and including the date
payment thereof was due to but excluding the date of actual payment, at a rate
per annum equal to the sum of 2% plus the higher of (i) the sum of the
Euro-Dollar Margin plus the Adjusted London Interbank Offered Rate applicable to
such Loan and (ii) the Euro-Dollar Margin plus the quotient obtained (rounded
upwards, if necessary, to the next higher 1/100 of 1%) by dividing (x) the
average (rounded upward, if necessary, to the next higher 1/16 of 1%) of the
respective rates per annum at which one day (or, if such amount due remains
unpaid more than three Euro-Dollar Business Days, then for such other period of
time not longer than six months as the Agent may select) deposits in dollars in
an amount approximately equal to such overdue payment due to each of the
Euro-Dollar Reference Banks are offered to such Euro-Dollar Reference Bank in
the London interbank market for the applicable period determined as provided
above by (y) 1.00 minus the Euro-Dollar Reserve Percentage (or, if the
circumstances described in clause (a) or (b) of Section 8.01 shall exist, at a
rate per annum equal to the sum of 2% plus the rate applicable to Base Rate
Loans for such day).
(e) Subject to Section 8.01(a), each Money Market LIBOR Loan
shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof, for the
Interest Period applicable thereto, at a rate per annum equal to the sum of the
London Interbank Offered Rate for such Interest Period (determined in accordance
with Section 2.07(c) as if each Euro-Dollar Reference Bank were to participate
in the related Money Market LIBOR Borrowing ratably in proportion to its
Commitment) plus (or minus) the Money Market Margin quoted by the Bank making
such Loan in accordance with Section 2.03. Each Money Market Absolute Rate Loan
shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof, for the
Interest Period applicable thereto, at a rate per annum equal to the Money
Market Absolute Rate quoted by the Bank making such Loan in accordance with
Section 2.03. Such interest shall be payable for each Interest Period on the
last day thereof and, if such Interest Period is longer than three months, at
intervals of three months after the first day thereof. Any overdue principal of
or interest on any Money Market Loan shall bear interest, payable on demand, for
each day until paid at a rate per annum equal to the sum of 2% plus the Prime
Rate for such day.
(f) The Agent shall determine each interest rate applicable to
the Loans hereunder. The Agent shall give prompt notice to the Borrower and the
participating Banks of each rate of interest so determined, and its
determination thereof shall be conclusive in the absence of manifest error.
(g) Each Reference Bank agrees to use its best efforts to
furnish quotations to the Agent as contemplated by this Section. If any
Reference Bank does not furnish a timely quotation, the Agent shall determine
the relevant interest rate on the basis of the quotation or quotations furnished
by the remaining Reference Bank or Banks or, if none of such quotations is
available on a timely basis, the provisions of Section 8.01 shall apply.
Section 2.8. Method of Electing Interest
Rates. (a) The Loans included
in each Committed Borrowing shall bear interest initially at the type of rate
specified by the Borrower in the applicable Notice of Committed Borrowing.
Thereafter, the Borrower may from time to time elect to change or continue the
type of interest rate borne by each Group of Loans (subject to Section 2.08(d)
and the provisions of Article 8), as follows
(xii) if such Loans are Base Rate Loans, the Borrower may
elect to convert such Loans to CD Loans as of any Domestic Business Day or
to Euro-Dollar Loans as of any Euro-Dollar Business Day;
(xiii) if such Loans are CD Loans, the Borrower may elect to
convert such Loans to Base Rate Loans as of any Domestic Business Day, or
convert such Loans to Euro-Dollar Loans as of any Euro-Dollar Business Day
or continue such Loans as CD Loans, as of the end of any Interest Period
applicable thereto, for an additional Interest Period, subject to Section
2.14 if any such conversion is effective on any day other than the last day
of an Interest Period applicable to such Loans; and
(xiv) if such Loans are Euro-Dollar Loans, the Borrower may
elect to convert such Loans to Base Rate Loans as of any Domestic Business
Day, or convert such Loans to CD Loans as of any Euro-Dollar Business Day or
may elect to continue such Loans as Euro-Dollar Loans, as of the end of any
Interest Period applicable thereto, for an additional Interest Period,
subject to Section 2.14 if any such conversion is effective on any day other
than the last day of an Interest Period applicable to such Loans.
Each such election shall be made by delivering a notice (a
"Notice of Interest Rate Election") to the Administrative Agent
not later than 10 30 A.M. (New York City time) on the third Euro-Dollar Business
Day before the conversion or continuation selected in such notice is to be
effective (unless the relevant Loans are to be converted from Domestic Loans of
one type to Domestic Loans of the other type or are CD Loans to be continued as
CD Loans for an additional Interest Period, in which case such notice shall be
delivered to the Agent not later than 10 30 A.M. (New York City time) on the
second Domestic Business Day before such conversion or continuation is to be
effective). A Notice of Interest Rate Election may, if it so specifies, apply to
only a portion of the aggregate principal amount of the relevant Group of Loans;
provided that (i) such portion is allocated ratably among the Loans
comprising such Group and (ii) the portion to which such Notice applies, and the
remaining portion to which it does not apply, are each at least $10,000,000
(unless such portion is comprised of Base Rate Loans). If no such notice is
timely received before the end of an Interest Period for any Group of CD Loans
or Euro-Dollar Loans, the Borrower shall be deemed to have elected that such
Group of Loans be converted to Base Rate Loans at the end of such Interest
Period.
(b) Each Notice of Interest Rate Election shall specify
(i) the Group of Loans (or portion thereof) to which such
notice applies;
(ii) the date on which the conversion or continuation
selected in such notice is to be effective, which shall comply with the
applicable clause of Section 2.08(a);
(iii) if the Loans comprising such Group are to be
converted, the new Type of Loans and, if the Loans resulting from such
conversion are to be CD Loans or Euro-Dollar Loans, the duration of the next
succeeding Interest Period applicable thereto; and
(iv) if such Loans are to be continued as CD Loans or
Euro-Dollar Loans for an additional Interest Period, the duration of such
additional Interest Period.
Each Interest Period specified in a Notice of Interest Rate
Election shall comply with the provisions of the definition of Interest Period.
(c) Promptly after receiving a Notice of Interest Rate Election
from the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.08(a), the Agent shall notify each Bank
of the contents thereof and such notice shall not thereafter be revocable by the
Borrower.
(d) The Borrower shall not be entitled to elect to convert any
Committed Loans to, or continue any Committed Loans for an additional Interest
Period as, CD Loans or Euro-Dollar Loans if (i) the aggregate principal amount
of any Group of CD Loans or Euro-Dollar Loans created or continued as a result
of such election would be less than $10,000,000 or (ii) a Default shall have
occurred and be continuing when the Borrower delivers notice of such election to
the Agent.
(e) If any Committed Loan is converted to a different type of
Loan, the Borrower shall pay, on the date of such conversion, the interest
accrued to such date on the principal amount being converted.
Section 2.9. Fees.
(a) Facility Fees. The Borrower shall pay to the Agent
for the account of the Banks ratably in proportion to their Commitments a
facility fee at the Facility Fee Rate (determined daily in accordance with the
Pricing Schedule). Such facility fee shall accrue from and including the
Effective Date to but excluding the Termination Date (or such earlier date as
the Commitments shall be terminated) on the aggregate amount of the Commitments
in existence on each such day (whether used or unused).
(b) Agents' Fees. The Borrower shall pay to the Agent and
the Syndication Agent, each for its own account, one or more fees in such
amounts and at such times as has been previously agreed between the Borrower and
each of them.
(c) Payments. Accrued fees under subsection (a) of this
Section 2.09 shall be payable quarterly in arrears on each January 1, April 1,
July 1 and October 1, commencing on the first such date after the Effective
Date, and upon the date of termination of the Commitments in their entirety.
Section 2.10. Optional Termination
or Reduction of Commitments .
During the Revolving Credit Period, the Borrower may, upon at least three
Domestic Business Days' notice to the Agent (which notice the Agent will
promptly deliver to the Banks), (i) terminate the Commitments at any time, if no
Loans are outstanding at such time or (ii) ratably reduce from time to time by
an aggregate amount of $10,000,000 or any larger multiple of $1,000,000, the
aggregate amount of the Commitments in excess of the aggregate outstanding
principal amount of the Loans.
Section 2.11. Mandatory Termination
of Commitments. The Commitments shall terminate
on the Termination Date and any Loans then outstanding (together with accrued
interest thereon) shall be due and payable on such date.
Section 2.12. Optional Prepayments.
(a) Subject in the case of Fixed Rate Loans to Section 2.14, the
Borrower may (i) upon at least one Domestic Business Day's notice to the Agent,
prepay any Group of Domestic Loans (or any Money Market Borrowing bearing
interest at the Base Rate pursuant to Section 8.01(a)) or (ii) upon at least
three Euro-Dollar Business Days' notice to the Agent, prepay any Group of
Euro-Dollar Loans, in each case in whole at any time, or from time to time in
part in amounts aggregating $10,000,000 or any larger multiple of $1,000,000, by
paying the principal amount to be prepaid together with accrued interest thereon
to the date of prepayment. Each such optional prepayment shall be applied to
prepay ratably the Loans of the several Banks included in such Group of Loans
(or such Money Market Borrowing).
(b) Except as provided in Section 2.12(a), the Borrower may not
prepay all or any portion of the principal amount of any Money Market Loan prior
to the maturity thereof.
(c) Upon receipt of a notice of prepayment pursuant to this
Section, the Agent shall promptly notify each Bank of the contents thereof and
of such Bank's ratable share (if any) of such prepayment and such notice shall
not thereafter be revocable by the Borrower.
Section 2.13. General Provisions as
to Payments. (a) The Borrower shall
make each payment of principal of, and interest on, the Loans and of fees
hereunder, not later than 1 00 P.M. (New York City time) on the date when due,
in Federal or other funds immediately available in New York City, to the Agent
at its address referred to in Section 9.01. The Agent will promptly distribute
to each Bank its ratable share of each such payment received by the Agent for
the account of the Banks. Whenever any payment of principal of, or interest on,
the Domestic Loans or of fees shall be due on a day which is not a Domestic
Business Day, the date for payment thereof shall be extended to the next
succeeding Domestic Business Day. Whenever any payment of principal of, or
interest on, the Euro-Dollar Loans shall be due on a day which is not a
Euro-Dollar Business Day, the date for payment thereof shall be extended to the
next succeeding Euro-Dollar Business Day unless such Euro-Dollar Business Day
falls in another calendar month, in which case the date for payment thereof
shall be the next preceding Euro-Dollar Business Day. Whenever any payment of
principal of, or interest on, the Money Market Loans shall be due on a day which
is not a Euro-Dollar Business Day, the date for payment thereof shall be
extended to the next succeeding Euro-Dollar Business Day. If the date for any
payment of principal is extended by operation of law or otherwise, interest
thereon shall be payable for such extended time.
(b) Unless the Agent shall have received notice from the
Borrower prior to the date on which any payment is due to the Banks hereunder
that the Borrower will not make such payment in full, the Agent may assume that
the Borrower has made such payment in full to the Agent on such date and the
Agent may, in reliance upon such assumption, cause to be distributed to each
Bank on such due date an amount equal to the amount then due such Bank. If and
to the extent that the Borrower shall not have so made such payment, each Bank
shall repay to the Agent forthwith on demand such amount distributed to such
Bank together with interest thereon, for each day from the date such amount is
distributed to such Bank until the date such Bank repays such amount to the
Agent, at the Federal Funds Rate.
Section 2.14. Funding Losses.
If the Borrower makes any payment of principal with respect to any Fixed Rate
Loan or any Fixed Rate Loan is converted to a different type of Loan (whether
such payment or conversion is pursuant to Article 2, 6 or 8 or otherwise) on any
day other than the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto, or the
end of an applicable period fixed pursuant to Section 2.07(d), or if the
Borrower fails to borrow, prepay, convert or continue any Fixed Rate Loans after
notice has been given to any Bank in accordance with Section 2.04(a), 2.08(c) or
2.12(c) the Borrower shall reimburse each Bank within 15 days after demand for
any resulting loss or expense incurred by it (or by an existing or prospective
Participant in the related Loan), including (without limitation) any loss
incurred in obtaining, liquidating or employing deposits from third parties, but
excluding loss of margin for the period after any such payment or conversion or
failure to borrow, prepay, convert or continue; provided that such Bank
shall have delivered to the Borrower a certificate as to the amount of such loss
or expense, which certificate shall be conclusive in the absence of manifest
error.
Section 2.15. Computation of Interest
and Fees. Interest based on the Prime
Rate and fees hereunder shall be computed on the basis of a year of 365 days (or
366 days in a leap year) and paid for the actual number of days elapsed
(including the first day but excluding the last day). All other interest shall
be computed on the basis of a year of 360 days and paid for the actual number of
days elapsed (including the first day but excluding the last day).
Section 2.16. Withholding Tax Exemption. At least five Domestic Business Days prior to the
first date on which interest or fees are payable hereunder for the account of
any Bank, each Bank that is not incorporated under the laws of the United States
of America or a state thereof agrees that it will deliver to each of the
Borrower and the Agent two duly completed copies of (i) United States Internal
Revenue Service Form W-8BEN (or any successor form), certifying that such Bank
is entitled to benefits under an income tax treaty to which the United States is
a party which exempts such Bank from United States withholding tax or reduces
the rate of withholding tax on payments received for the account of such Bank
under this Agreement and the Notes, or (ii) United States Internal Revenue
Service Form W-8ECI (or any successor form), certifying that the income
receivable by such Bank under this Agreement and the Notes is effectively
connected with the conduct of a trade or business in the United States. Each
Bank which so delivers a Form W-8BEN or W-8ECI further undertakes to deliver to
each of the Borrower and the Agent two additional copies of such form (or a
successor form) on or before the date that such form expires or becomes obsolete
or after the occurrence of any event requiring a change in the most recent form
so delivered by it, and such amendments thereto or extensions or renewals
thereof as may be reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Agent, in each
case certifying to the effect set forth in clause (i) or (ii) above, as
applicable, unless an event (including without limitation any change in treaty,
law or regulation) has occurred prior to the date on which any such delivery
would otherwise be required which renders all such forms inapplicable or which
would prevent such Bank from duly completing and delivering any such form with
respect to it and such Bank advises the Borrower and the Agent that it is not
capable of making the certifications set forth in clause (i) or (ii) above, as
applicable.
Section 2.17. Increase of Commitments. Upon at least 15 days' prior notice to the Agent
(which notice the Agent shall promptly transmit to each of the Banks), the
Borrower shall have the right, subject to the terms and conditions set forth
below and with the consent of the Banks as set forth below, to increase the
aggregate amount of the Commitments in multiples of $5,000,000. Any such
increase shall apply, at the option of the Borrower, (x) to the Commitment of
one or more Banks, provided that (i) the Required Banks (including each
Bank whose Commitment is to be increased) shall consent to such increase, (ii)
the amount set forth on the signature pages hereof opposite the name of each
Bank the Commitment of which is being so increased shall be amended to reflect
the increased Commitment of such Bank and (iii) if any Committed Loans are
outstanding at the time of such an increase, the Borrower will, notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, on the date of such
increase incur and repay or prepay one or more Committed Loans from the Banks in
such amounts so that after giving effect thereto, the Committed Loans shall be
outstanding on a pro rata basis (based on the Commitments of the Banks after
giving effect to the changes made pursuant hereto on such date) from all the
Banks or (y) to the creation of a new Commitment of an institution not then a
Bank hereunder, provided that (i) such institution becomes a party to
this Agreement as a Bank by execution and delivery to the Borrower and the Agent
of counterparts of this Agreement, (ii) the Required Banks shall consent to the
creation of such Commitment of such Bank, (iii) the signature pages hereof shall
be amended to reflect the Commitment of such new Bank, (iv) the Borrower shall
issue a Note to such new Bank in conformity with the provisions of Section 2.05,
(v) if any Committed Loans are outstanding at the time of the creation of such
Commitment of such Bank, the Borrower will, notwithstanding anything to the
contrary contained in this Agreement, on the date of the creation of such
Commitment incur and repay or prepay one or more Committed Loans from the Banks
in such amounts so that after giving effect thereto, the Committed Loans shall
be outstanding on a pro rata basis (based on the Commitments of the Banks after
giving effect to the changes made pursuant hereto on such date) from all the
Banks and (vi) if such institution is neither a banking institution nor an
affiliate of a Bank, such institution must be consented to by the Agent; provided
further that any such increase or creation may apply, at the option of
the Borrower, as set forth in clause (x) or (y) above but without the consent of
the Required Banks so long as the amount of such increase or the amount of such
new Commitment so created, as the case may be, when added to the aggregate
amount of all such prior increases in the Commitments and all such prior
creations of new Commitments, in each case created on or after the Effective
Date, does not exceed $125,000,000. It is understood that any increase in the
amount of the Commitments pursuant to this Section 2.17 shall not constitute an
amendment of this Agreement or the Notes.
ARTICLE 3
Conditions
Section 3.1. Effectiveness.
This Agreement shall become effective on the date (the "Effective Date")
on which the Agent shall have received the following documents or other items,
each dated the Effective Date unless otherwise indicated
(a) receipt by the Agent of counterparts hereof signed by each
of the parties hereto (or, in the case of any party as to which an executed
counterpart shall not have been received, receipt by the Agent in form
satisfactory to it of telegraphic, telex or other written confirmation from such
party of execution of a counterpart hereof by such party);
(b) receipt by the Agent for the account of each Bank of a duly
executed Note dated on or before the Effective Date complying with the
provisions of Section 2.05;
(c) receipt by the Agent of an opinion of Xxxx Xxx List, Esq.,
General Counsel of the Borrower, substantially in the form of Exhibit F hereto
and covering such additional matters relating to the transactions contemplated
hereby as the Required Banks may reasonably request, such opinion to be in form
and substance satisfactory to the Agent;
(d) receipt by the Agent of an opinion of Xxxxx Xxxx &
Xxxxxxxx, special counsel for the Agent, substantially in the form of Exhibit G
hereto and covering such additional matters relating to the transactions
contemplated hereby as the Required Banks may reasonably request, such opinion
to be in form and substance satisfactory to the Agent;
(e) receipt by the Agent of a certificate signed by the Chief
Financial Officer or the Governor and an Assistant Secretary-Treasurer or the
Controller of the Borrower to the effect that the conditions set forth in
clauses (c) through (g), inclusive, of Section 3.02 have been satisfied as of
the Effective Date and, in the case of clauses (c), (e) and (g), setting forth
in reasonable detail the calculations required to establish such compliance;
(f) receipt by the Agent, with a copy for each Bank, of a
certificate of an officer of the Borrower acceptable to the Agent stating that
all consents, authorizations, notices and filings required or advisable in
connection with this Agreement are in full force and effect, and the Agent shall
have received evidence thereof reasonably satisfactory to it;
(g) evidence satisfactory to the Required Banks that the
Commitments, as defined in the Prior Credit Agreement, have been terminated
(except that Sections 2.13, 7.05, 7.06, 8.03 and 9.03 (and Section 2.12 and
Article 9 insofar as such Section or Article relates to such Sections 2.13,
7.05, 7.06, 8.03 and 9.03, as applicable)) of the Prior Credit Agreement shall
survive the termination of such Commitments and shall remain in full force and
effect) and all amounts owed under the Prior Credit Agreement have been paid in
full; and
(h) receipt by the Banks, the Agent and the Syndication Agent of
all fees required to be paid, and all expenses for which invoices have been
presented, on or before the Closing Date; and
(i) receipt by the Agent of all documents the Required Banks may
reasonably request relating to the existence of the Borrower, the corporate
authority for and the validity of this Agreement and the Notes, and any other
matters relevant hereto, all in form and substance satisfactory to the Agent.
The Agent shall promptly notify the Borrower and the Banks of
the Effective Date, and such notice shall be conclusive and binding on all
parties hereto.
Section 3.2. Borrowings. The obligation of any Bank to
make a Loan on the occasion of any Borrowing is subject to the satisfaction of
the conditions set forth in (a) through (g) of Section 3.03.
Section 3.3. Conditions.
The effectiveness of this Agreement and the obligation of any Bank hereunder is
subject to the satisfaction of the following conditions as of the Effective Date
or at the time of any Borrowing, as applicable
(a) the fact that the Effective Date shall
have occurred prior to August 31, 2001;
(b) receipt by the Agent of a Notice of
Borrowing as required by Section 2.02 or 2.03, as the case may be;
(c) the fact that, the Borrower is in
compliance with Section 7.12(a) of the 1972 Indenture and Section 7.11 of the
1994 Indenture, as each Indenture is in effect as of the date hereof;
(d)the fact that, the aggregate outstanding
principal amount of the Loans will not exceed the aggregate amount of the
Commitments;
(e)the fact that, no Default shall have
occurred and be continuing;
(f)the fact that the representations and
warranties of the Borrower (in the case of a Borrowing, other than the
representation set forth in Section 4.02(b)) contained in this Agreement shall
be true (it being understood and agreed that the representation and warranty set
forth in Section 4.13 shall be true and correct as to all information furnished
prior to the making of the respective Loan); and
(g) the fact that, (i) there shall be no
collateral securing Bonds issued pursuant to either Indenture of a type other
than the types of collateral permitted to secure Bonds issued pursuant to such
Indenture as of the date hereof and (ii) the Allowable Amount of Eligible
Collateral then pledged under either Indenture shall not exceed 150% of the
aggregate principal amount of Bonds then Outstanding under such Indenture and no
collateral shall secure Bonds other than the Eligible Collateral under such
Indenture, the Allowable Amount of which is included within the prior
computation or collateral previously so pledged which ceases to be such Eligible
Collateral not as a result of any acts or omissions to act of the Borrower
(other than the declaration of an "event of default" as defined
in a Mortgage which results in the exercise of any right or remedy described in
such Mortgage); each defined term used in this clause (g) shall have the meaning
assigned thereto in the applicable Indenture.
Each Borrowing hereunder shall be deemed to be a representation
and warranty by the Borrower on the date of such Borrowing as to the facts
specified in clauses (c), (d), (e), (f) and (g) of this Section.
ARTICLE 4
Representations and Warranties
The Borrower makes the following representations, warranties and
agreements, which shall survive the execution and delivery of this Agreement and
the Notes and the making of the Loans
Section 4.1. Corporate Existence,
Power and Authority
The Borrower is a cooperative association duly incorporated, validly existing
and in good standing under the laws of the District of Columbia and has the
corporate power and authority and all material governmental licenses,
authorizations, consents and approvals required to own its property and assets
and to transact the business in which it is engaged. The Borrower is duly
qualified or licensed as a foreign corporation in good standing in every
jurisdiction in which the nature of the business in which it is engaged makes
such qualification or licensing necessary, except in those jurisdictions in
which the failure to be so qualified or licensed would not (after qualification,
assuming that the Borrower could so qualify without the payment of any fee or
penalty and retain the rights as they existed prior to such qualification all to
an extent so that any fees or penalties required to be so paid or any rights not
so retained would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse
effect on the business or financial condition of the Borrower), individually or
in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect upon the business or financial
condition of the Borrower. The Borrower has the corporate power and authority to
execute, deliver and carry out the terms and provisions of this Agreement and
the Notes. This Agreement has been, and the Notes when executed and delivered
will have been, duly and validly authorized, executed and delivered by the
Borrower, and this Agreement constitutes a legal, valid and binding agreement of
the Borrower, and the Notes, when executed and delivered by the Borrower in
accordance with this Agreement, will constitute legal, valid and binding
obligations of the Borrower, in each case enforceable in accordance with its
terms, except as the same may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency or similar
laws affecting creditors' rights generally and by general principles of equity.
Section 4.2. Financial Statements. (a) The combined balance sheets of the
Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries as at May 31, 2001 and the related
combined statements of income, expenses and net margins, changes in Members'
equity and cash flows for the fiscal year ended May 31, 2001, including the
related notes, accompanied by the opinion and report thereon of Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
& Co., certified public accountants, heretofore delivered to the Banks,
present fairly in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (i)
the combined financial position of the Borrower and its Consolidated
Subsidiaries as at the date of said balance sheets and (ii) the combined results
of the operations of the Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries for said
fiscal year. The Borrower has no material liabilities (contingent or otherwise)
which are not disclosed by or reserved against in the most recent audited
financial statements or in the notes thereto other than (i) Indebtedness
incurred and (ii) loan and guarantee commitments issued in each case by the
Borrower in the ordinary course of business since the date of such financial
statements. All such financial statements have been prepared in accordance with
generally accepted accounting principles applied on a basis consistent with
prior periods, except as disclosed therein. The same representations as are set
forth in this Section 4.02 shall be deemed to have been made by the Borrower in
respect of the most recent annual and quarterly financial statements of the
Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries (except that the opinion and report
of Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx & Co. may be replaced by an opinion and report of another
nationally recognized firm of independent certified public accountants)
furnished or required to be furnished to the Banks prior to or at the time of
the making of each Loan hereunder, at the time the same are furnished or
required to be furnished.
(b) Since May 31, 2001 there has been no
material adverse change in the business, financial position, results of
operations or prospects of the Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries,
considered as a whole.
Section 4.3. Litigation.
There are no actions, suits, proceedings or investigations pending or, to the
Borrower's knowledge, threatened by or before any court or any governmental
authority, body or agency or any arbitration board which are reasonably likely
to materially adversely affect the business, property, assets, financial
position or results of operations of the Borrower or the authority or ability of
the Borrower to perform its obligations under this Agreement or the Notes.
Section 4.4. Governmental Authorizations. No authorization, consent, approval or
license of, or declaration, filing or registration with or exemption by, any
governmental authority, body or agency is required in connection with the
execution, delivery or performance by the Borrower of this Agreement or the
Notes.
Section 4.5. Members' Subordinated
Certificates. The holders of the
Borrower's Members' Subordinated Certificates are not and will not be entitled
to receive any payments with respect to the principal thereof or interest
thereon solely because of withdrawing or being expelled from membership in the
Borrower.
Section 4.6. No Violation of Agreements. Neither the
Borrower nor any Subsidiary is in default in any material respect under any
material agreement or other instrument to which it is a party or by which it is
bound or its property or assets may be affected. No event or condition exists
which constitutes, or with the giving of notice or lapse of time or both would
constitute, such a default under any such agreement or other instrument. Neither
the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the Notes, nor the consummation
of any of the transactions herein or therein contemplated, nor compliance with
the terms and provisions hereof or thereof, will contravene any provision of
law, statute, rule or regulation to which the Borrower is subject or any
judgment, decree, award, franchise, order or permit applicable to the Borrower,
or will conflict or be inconsistent with, or will result in any breach of, any
of the terms, covenants, conditions or provisions of, or constitute (or with the
giving of notice or lapse of time, or both, would constitute) a default under
(or condition or event entitling any Person to require, whether by purchase,
redemption, acceleration or otherwise, the Borrower to perform any obligations
prior to the scheduled maturity thereof), or result in the creation or
imposition of any Lien upon any of the property or assets of the Borrower
pursuant to the terms of, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, agreement or
other instrument to which it may be subject, or violate any provision of the
certificate of incorporation or by-laws of the Borrower. Without limiting the
generality of the foregoing, the Borrower is not a party to, or otherwise
subject to any provision contained in, any instrument evidencing Indebtedness of
the Borrower, any agreement or indenture relating thereto or any other contract
or agreement (including its certificate of incorporation and by-laws), which
would be violated by the incurring of the Indebtedness to be evidenced by the
Notes.
Section 4.7. No Event of Default under
the Indentures.
The Borrower has complied fully with all of the material provisions of each
Indenture. No Event of Default (within the meaning of such term as defined in
each Indenture) and no event, act or condition (except for possible
non-compliance by the Borrower with any immaterial provision of such Indenture
which in itself is not such an Event of Default under such Indenture) which with
notice or lapse of time, or both, would constitute such an Event of Default has
occurred and is continuing under such Indenture. The Borrowings by the Borrower
contemplated by this Agreement will not cause such an Event of Default under, or
the violation of any covenant contained in, either Indenture.
Section 4.8. Compliance with ERISA. The Plans (other than Plans consisting of
mulitemployer plans (as defined in Section 4001 of ERISA)) are in substantial
compliance with ERISA, no such Plan is insolvent or in reorganization, and no
such Plan has an accumulated or waived funding deficiency within the meaning of
Section 412 of the Internal Revenue Code. No Plan consisting of a multiemployer
plan (as defined in Section 4001 of ERISA) is in reorganization. Neither the
Borrower nor a Subsidiary of the Borrower nor any member of the ERISA Group has
incurred any material liability (including any material contingent liability) to
or on account of a Plan pursuant to Section 4062, 4063, 4064, 4201 or 4204 of
ERISA, no proceedings have been instituted to terminate any Plan, and no
condition exists which presents a material risk to the Borrower or a Subsidiary
of the Borrower of incurring a material liability to or on account of a Plan
pursuant to any of the foregoing Sections of ERISA.
Section 4.9. Compliance with Other
Laws. The Borrower and each Subsidiary is in
compliance, in all material respects, with all applicable requirements of law
and all applicable rules and regulations of each Federal, State, municipal or
other governmental department, agency or authority, domestic or foreign.
Section 4.10. Tax Status.
The Borrower is exempt from payment of Federal income tax under Section
501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Section 4.11. Investment Company Act. The Borrower is not an "investment company"
or a company "controlled" by an "investment company",
within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
Section 4.12. Public Utility Holding
Company Act. The Borrower is not a
"holding company", or a "subsidiary company"
of a "holding company", or an "affiliate" of a
"holding company" or of a "subsidiary company"
of a "holding company", as such terms are defined in the Public
Utility Holding Company Act of 1935, as amended.
Section 4.13. Disclosure. To the
best of the Borrower's knowledge, information and belief, neither this Agreement
nor any document, certificate or financial statement furnished to any Bank by or
on behalf of the Borrower in connection herewith (all such documents,
certificates and financial statements, taken as a whole) contains any untrue
statement of a material fact or omits to state any material fact necessary in
order to make the statements contained herein and therein not misleading. There
is no fact (other than facts of a general economic or political nature) known to
the Borrower which in its judgment materially adversely affects or in the future
is likely to (so far as is now known to the Borrower) have a material adverse
effect upon the business, operations, prospects, property, assets or financial
condition of the Borrower which has not been set forth in this Agreement or in
other documents, certificates or financial statements furnished to the Banks by
or on behalf of the Borrower in connection with the transactions contemplated
hereby.
Section 4.14. Subsidiaries.
Each of the Borrower's corporate Subsidiaries is a corporation duly
incorporated, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its
jurisdiction of incorporation, and has all corporate powers and all material
governmental licenses, authorizations, consents and approvals required to carry
on its business as now conducted.
Section 4.15. Environmental Matters. In the ordinary course of its business, the Borrower conducts
reviews, to the extent appropriate given the nature of its business operations,
of the effect of Environmental Laws on the business, operations and properties
of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, in the course of which it identifies and
evaluates associated liabilities and costs (including, without limitation, any
capital or operating expenditures required for clean-up or closure of properties
presently or previously owned, any capital or operating expenditures required to
achieve or maintain compliance with environmental protection standards imposed
by law or as a condition of any license, permit or contract, any related
constraints on operating activities, including any periodic or permanent
shutdown of any facility or reduction in the level of or change in the nature of
operations conducted thereat, any costs or liabilities in connection with
off-site disposal of wastes or Hazardous Substances, and any actual or potential
liabilities to third parties, including employees, and any related costs and
expenses). On the basis of this review, the Borrower has reasonably concluded
that such associated liabilities and costs, including the cost of compliance
with Environmental Laws, are unlikely to have a material adverse effect on the
business, financial condition, results of operations or prospects of the
Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries, considered as a whole.
ARTICLE 5
Covenants
The Borrower agrees that, so long as any Bank has any Commitment
hereunder or any amount payable under any Note or any fee payable pursuant to
Section 2.09 or any other amount then due and payable hereunder remains unpaid
Section 5.1. Corporate Existence.
The Borrower, at its own cost and expense, will, and will cause each Subsidiary
to, do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full
force and effect its corporate existence, material rights and franchises;
provided, however, that neither the Borrower nor any Subsidiary shall be
required to preserve any right or franchise or, in the case of a Subsidiary, its
corporate existence, if its Board of Directors shall determine that the
preservation thereof is no longer desirable in the conduct of the business of
the Borrower or such Subsidiary (provided that the termination of the corporate
existence of a Subsidiary shall be permitted if the Board of Directors of the
Borrower shall determine that its existence is not desirable in the conduct of
the business of the Borrower) and that the loss thereof is not disadvantageous
in any material respect to the Banks.
Section 5.2. Disposition of Assets;
Merger, Character of Business; etc . The Borrower will not wind up or liquidate its business or sell,
lease, transfer or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its assets
as an entirety or in a series of related transactions and will not consolidate
with or merge with or into any other Person other than a merger with a
Subsidiary in which the Borrower is the surviving Person. The Borrower will not
engage in any business other than the business contemplated by its certificate
of incorporation and by-laws, each as in effect on the Effective Date.
Section 5.3. Financial Information. The Borrower will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, keep
its books of account in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles
and the Borrower will furnish to the Banks (i) as soon as available and in any
event within 60 days after the close of each of the first three quarters of each
fiscal year of the Borrower, as at the end of, and for the period commencing at
the end of the previous fiscal year and ending with, such quarter, unaudited
combined balance sheets of the Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries and
the related unaudited combined statements of income, expenses and net margins,
changes in Members' equity and cash flow of the Borrower and its Consolidated
Subsidiaries for such quarter and for the portion of the Borrower's fiscal year
ended at the end of such quarter, setting forth in each case in comparative form
the figures for the corresponding quarter and the corresponding portion of the
Borrower's previous fiscal year, all in reasonable detail and certified (subject
to normal year-end adjustments) as to fairness of presentation in accordance
with generally accepted accounting principles and consistency (except for
changes concurred in by the Borrower's independent certified public accountants)
by the Chief Financial Officer, the Governor, an Assistant Secretary-Treasurer
or the Controller of the Borrower; (ii) as soon as practicable and in any event
within 90 days after the close of each fiscal year of the Borrower, as at the
end of and for the fiscal year just closed, combined balance sheets of the
Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries and the related combined statements
of income, expenses and net margins, changes in Members' equity and cash flow
for such fiscal year for the Borrower and its Consolidated Subsidiaries, all in
reasonable detail and fully certified (without any qualification as to the scope
of the audit) by Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx & Co. or other independent certified public
accountants of nationally recognized standing selected by the Borrower, who
shall have audited the books and accounts of the Borrower for such fiscal year;
(iii) together with the financial statements referred to in clauses (i) and (ii)
above, a certificate signed by the Governor, the Chief Financial Officer, an
Assistant Secretary-Treasurer or the Controller of the Borrower, in such detail
as shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Required Banks, (x) identifying (A)
all Indebtedness outstanding as at the end of the fiscal period covered by such
financial statements extended by the Borrower or by any other Person and
Guaranteed by the Borrower to any of the forty Members with the largest amount
of Indebtedness to (or Guaranteed by) the Borrower outstanding as at the end of
the fiscal period covered by such financial statements (the "Largest
Members") as to which, to the knowledge and information of the
Borrower, the Member is in default (whether in the payment of the principal
thereof or interest thereon or with respect to any material covenant or
agreement contained in any instrument, mortgage or agreement evidencing or
relating to such Indebtedness) and specifying whether such default has been
waived by the Borrower or such other Person and the nature and status of each
such default not so waived and (B) the aggregate amount of all Indebtedness
outstanding as of the end of the fiscal period covered by such financial
statements as to which, to the knowledge and information of the Borrower,
Members other than the Largest Members are in default (whether in the payment of
the principal thereof or interest thereon or with respect to any material
covenant or agreement contained in any instrument, mortgage or agreement
evidencing or relating to such Indebtedness), (y) identifying the ten Members
with the largest amount of Indebtedness to (or Guaranteed by) the Borrower
outstanding as of the end of the fiscal period covered by such financial
statements, together with the principal amount of such Indebtedness outstanding
with respect to each such Member as of the end of such fiscal period and (z)
identifying all loans which are RUS Guaranteed Loans and are outstanding as of
the end of the fiscal period covered by such financial statements, together with
(a) the principal amount of each such RUS Guaranteed Loan as of the end of such
fiscal period, (b) the total amount of Indebtedness incurred by the Borrower and
Subsidiaries of the Borrower in order to fund such RUS Guaranteed Loan, (c) the
total interest expense incurred during such fiscal period by the Borrower and
Subsidiaries of the Borrower in connection with the Indebtedness referred to in
preceding clause (b) and (d) the amount of the Guaranteed Portion of such RUS
Guaranteed Loan; (iv) with reasonable promptness, copies of all regular and
periodical financial statements or other financial reports and documents which
the Borrower may make available to its Members or bondholders or file with the
Securities and Exchange Commission; (v) promptly after obtaining knowledge or
receiving notice of a change (whether an increase or decrease) in any rating
issued by S&P or Xxxxx'x pertaining to any securities of, or guaranteed by,
the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or affiliates, a notice setting forth
such change; and (vi) with reasonable promptness, such other information
respecting the business, operations, prospects and financial condition of the
Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or any Joint Venture as any Bank may, from
time to time, reasonably request, including, without limitation, with respect to
the performance and observance by the Borrower of the covenants and conditions
contained in this Agreement.
Section 5.4. Default Certificates.
Concurrently with each financial statement delivered to the Banks pursuant to
clauses (i) and (ii) of Section 5.03, the Borrower will furnish to the Banks a
certificate signed by the Governor, the Chief Financial Officer, an Assistant
Secretary-Treasurer or the Controller of the Borrower to the effect that the
review of the activities of the Borrower during such year or the portion thereof
covered by such financial statement and of the performance of the Borrower under
this Agreement has been made under his supervision and that to the best of his
knowledge, based on such review, there exists no event which constitutes a
Default or an Event of Default under this Agreement or, if any such event
exists, specifying the nature thereof, the period of its existence and what
action the Borrower has taken and proposes to take with respect thereto, which
certificate shall set forth the calculations or other data required to establish
compliance with the provisions of Section 5.09 and Sections 5.12 through 5.14,
inclusive, at the end of such fiscal quarter or fiscal year, as the case may be.
The Borrower further covenants that upon any such officer of the Borrower
obtaining knowledge of any Default or Event of Default under this Agreement, it
will forthwith, and in no event later than the close of business on the Business
Day immediately after the day such knowledge is obtained, deliver to the Banks a
statement of any officer referred to above specifying the nature and the period
of existence thereof and what action the Borrower has taken and proposes to take
with respect thereto.
Section 5.5. Notice of Litigation,
Legislative Developments and Defaults.
The Borrower will promptly give written notice to each of the Banks of (i) any
action, proceeding or claim of which the Borrower may have notice, which may be
commenced or asserted against the Borrower or any Subsidiary in which the amount
involved is $1,000,000 or more and is not covered in full by insurance or as to
which any insurer has disclaimed liability; (ii) any dispute which may exist
between the Borrower or any Subsidiary and any governmental body, which is
likely to materially and adversely affect the normal business operation of the
Borrower or the Borrower and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole or any of the
material properties and assets of the Borrower or the Borrower and its
Subsidiaries taken as a whole; (iii) any legislation enacted by any governmental
body and any rulings and regulations promulgated by any governmental or
regulatory bodies, known or which should be known to the Borrower, affecting the
Borrower or any Subsidiary or generally affecting the Borrower's Members which
is likely to materially and adversely affect the present or future operations of
the Borrower, the Borrower and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole or the
Borrower's Members; and (iv) any default by the Borrower or any Subsidiary or
event or condition known or which should be known to the Borrower which with the
giving of notice or lapse of time, or both, would constitute a default, with
respect to any payment or payments in respect of Indebtedness of the Borrower or
such Subsidiary aggregating in excess of $15,000,000 (whether in payment of
principal thereof or interest thereon or with respect to any material covenant
or agreement contained in any instrument, mortgage, deed of trust or agreement
evidencing or relating to such Indebtedness or otherwise).
Section 5.6. ERISA. As soon as
possible and, in any event, within 10 days after the Borrower or a Subsidiary of
the Borrower knows or has reason to know that a Reportable Event has occurred,
that an accumulated funding deficiency has been incurred or an application may
be or has been made to the Secretary of the Treasury for a waiver of the minimum
funding standard under Section 412 of the Internal Revenue Code with respect to
a Plan, that a Plan has been or may be terminated, that proceedings may be or
have been instituted to terminate a Plan, or that the Borrower, a Subsidiary of
the Borrower or any member of the ERISA Group will or may incur any liability to
or on account of a Plan under Section 4062, 4063, 4064, 4201 or 4204 of ERISA,
the Borrower will deliver to each of the Banks a certificate of the Chief
Financial Officer of the Borrower setting forth details as to such occurrence
and action, if any, which the Borrower or such Subsidiary is required or
proposes to take, together with any notices required to be filed with or by the
Borrower, such Subsidiary, such member of the ERISA Group, the PBGC or the plan
administrator with respect thereto. Upon the request of any Bank, the Borrower
will furnish to such Bank a copy of the annual report of each Plan (Form 5500)
required to be filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Copies of annual reports
or any notices required to be delivered to the Banks hereunder shall be
delivered no later than 10 days after the later of the date such report or
notice has been filed with the Internal Revenue Service or the PBGC or received
by the Borrower or a Subsidiary of the Borrower.
Section 5.7. Payment of Charges The Borrower will, and will cause each
Subsidiary to, duly pay and discharge (i) all taxes, assessments and
governmental charges or levies imposed upon or against it or its property or
assets, prior to the date on which penalties attach thereto, unless and to the
extent only that such taxes, assessments and governmental charges or levies are
being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings; and (ii) all lawful
claims, including, without limitation, claims for labor, materials, supplies or
services, which might or could, if unpaid, become a Lien upon such property or
assets, unless and to the extent only that the validity of the amount thereof is
being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings.
Section 5.8. Inspection of Books and
Assets. The Borrower
will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, permit any representative of any Bank
(or any agent or nominee of such Bank) to visit and inspect any of the property
of the Borrower or such Subsidiary, to examine the books of record and account
of the Borrower or such Subsidiary and to discuss the affairs, finances and
accounts of the Borrower or such Subsidiary with the officers and independent
public accountants of the Borrower or such Subsidiary, all at such reasonable
times and as often as such Bank may reasonably request.
Section 5.9. Indebtedness.
(a) The Borrower will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to,
incur, assume or Guarantee any Superior Indebtedness, or make any optional
prepayment on any Members' Subordinated Certificate, provided that (i)
subject to the provisions of Section 5.12, any Subsidiary may incur Superior
Indebtedness owing to the Borrower or assume or Guarantee Indebtedness of any
Person (other than the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries) owing to the
Borrower and (ii) the Borrower may incur, assume or Guarantee Superior
Indebtedness or make optional prepayments on Members' Subordinated Certificates
if, after giving effect to any such action specified above in this clause (ii),
(x) on the date of such incurrence, assumption or Guarantee or making of such
optional prepayment (the "Determination Date") the aggregate
principal amount of Superior Indebtedness then outstanding would not exceed ten
times the sum of (a) the aggregate principal amount of Members' Subordinated
Certificates outstanding on the Determination Date, (b) the aggregate amount of
Members' equity in the Borrower, other than Members' Subordinated Certificates,
on the Determination Date and (c) the aggregate principal amount of Qualified
Subordinated Indebtedness outstanding on the Determination Date and (y) on no
given future date would the aggregate principal amount of Superior Indebtedness
outstanding on the Determination Date which will remain outstanding on such
given future date exceed ten times the sum of (a) the aggregate principal amount
of Members' Subordinated Certificates outstanding on the Determination Date
which will remain outstanding on such given future date, (b) the aggregate
amount of Members' equity in the Borrower, other than Members' Subordinated
Certificates, on the Determination Date and (c) the aggregate principal amount
of Qualified Subordinated Indebtedness outstanding on the Determination Date
which will remain outstanding on such given future date; provided, that
the non-cash income and expenses of the Borrower related to SFAS 133 shall be
excluded from calculations under clause (ii) above to the extent otherwise
included therein. The respective principal amounts of Superior Indebtedness,
Members' Subordinated Certificates and Qualified Subordinated Indebtedness to be
outstanding on such given future date shall be determined after giving effect to
mandatory sinking fund payments, other mandatory prepayments and serial and
other maturity payments required to be made on or prior to said given future
date by the terms of such Superior Indebtedness, Members' Subordinated
Certificates, Qualified Subordinated Indebtedness or any indenture or other
instrument pursuant to which they are respectively issued.
(b) If any Loan is outstanding hereunder, the Borrower will not
take any action which would prevent it from then complying, or fail to take any
action which would enable it then to comply, with the provisions of Section
3.03(g), assuming for this purpose only that the Borrower then intended to
borrow from one or more of the Banks hereunder.
Section 5.10.Liens. The Borrower
will not create or permit to exist any Lien on or with respect to any
Indebtedness of any Member which is an asset of the Borrower, now existing or
hereafter created, or any collateral securing any such Indebtedness, and the
Borrower will not permit any Subsidiary to create or permit to exist any Lien on
or with respect to any of such Subsidiary's assets, except Liens (i) granted by
the Borrower to the trustee pursuant to either Indenture, (ii) on any such
Indebtedness granted by the Borrower to secure any borrowing for the purpose of
making loans to Member power supply systems or loans to Members for bulk power
supply projects or loans to Members for the purpose of providing financing to
telephone and related systems eligible to borrow from the RUS, which borrowing
or borrowings are on terms (except as to terms of interest, premium, if any, and
amortization) not materially more disadvantageous to the Borrower's unsecured
creditors than the borrowings under either Indenture (it being understood that
the Borrower can not pledge such assets to an extent greater than 150% of the
aggregate principal amount of such Indebtedness) and which Liens secure amounts
not exceeding $500,000,000 in the aggregate at any one time outstanding, (iii)
of current taxes not delinquent or a security for taxes being contested in good
faith, (iv) other than in favor of the PBGC, created by or resulting from any
legal proceedings (including legal proceedings instituted by the Borrower or any
Subsidiary) which are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings,
including appeals of judgments as to which a stay of execution shall have been
issued, and adequate reserves shall have been established, (v) created by the
Borrower to secure Guarantees by the Borrower of Indebtedness, the interest on
which is excludable from the gross income of the recipient thereof for Federal
income tax purposes as provided in Section 103(a) of the Internal Revenue Code
or Section 103(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended, (x) of a
Member which is a state or political subdivision thereof or (y) of a state or
political subdivision thereof incurred to benefit a Member for one of the
purposes provided in Section 142(a)(2), (4), (5), (6), (8), (9), (10) or (12) of
the Internal Revenue Code or Section 103(b)(4)(D), (E), (F), (G), (H) or (J) of
the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended, and (vi) granted by any
Subsidiary to the Borrower.
Section 5.11. Maintenance of Insurance. The Borrower will maintain, and will cause each
Subsidiary to maintain, insurance in such amounts, on such forms and with such
companies as is necessary or appropriate for its business.
Section 5.12. Subsidiaries and Joint
Ventures. The sum of the amount of Indebtedness
owing to the Borrower by all of its Subsidiaries and Joint Ventures plus the
amount paid by the Borrower in respect of the stock, obligations or securities
of or any other interest in such Subsidiaries and Joint Ventures plus any
capital contributions by the Borrower to such Subsidiaries and Joint Ventures
plus the amount of assets otherwise sold or transferred by the Borrower to such
Subsidiaries and Joint Ventures (other than sales at fair market value) shall
not exceed at any time 10% of the sum of (i) all accounts which, in accordance
with generally accepted accounting principles, constitute Members' equity in the
Borrower at such time, (ii) all Indebtedness of the Borrower shown in its
balance sheet dated as of May 31, 2001 as Members' Subordinated Certificates as
such Indebtedness shall be reduced from time to time and any other Indebtedness
of the Borrower incurred after May 31, 2001 having substantially similar
provisions as to subordination as those contained in said outstanding
certificates as such other Indebtedness shall be reduced from time to time, in
each case at such time and (iii) all Qualified Subordinated Indebtedness
outstanding at such time.
Section 5.13. Minimum TIER.
The Borrower shall at no time permit the average of the TIERs for the six (6)
immediately preceding fiscal quarters of the Borrower to be less than 1.025
1.00, provided, that non-cash income and expenses of the Borrower related
to SFAS 133 shall be excluded from the calculation thereof to the extent
otherwise included therein.
Section 5.14. Retirement of Patronage
Capital. The Borrower shall not make, or
permit any Subsidiaries of the Borrower to make, any payments to Members in
respect of Patronage Capital Certificates unless (i) the TIER for the
immediately preceding fiscal year equals or exceeds 1.05 1.00, provided,
that non-cash income and expenses of the Borrower related to SFAS 133 shall be
excluded from the calculation thereof to the extent otherwise included therein
and (ii) there exists (and would exist after giving effect to any such payment)
no Default or Event of Default under this Agreement.
Section 5.15. Use of Proceeds. The proceeds of the Loans made hereunder may be used by the
Borrower for general corporate purposes. None of such proceeds will be used,
directly or indirectly, for the purpose, whether immediate, incidental or
ultimate, of buying or carrying any "margin stock", within the
meaning of Regulation U. Neither the Borrower nor any agent acting on its behalf
has taken or will take any action which might cause this Agreement or the Notes
to violate Regulation U or Regulation X.
ARTICLE 6
Defaults
Section 6.1. Events of Defaults. If one or more of the following events ("Events of
Default") shall have occurred and be continuing
(a) Principal and Interest. The Borrower shall (i) fail
to pay when due (whether upon stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise) any
principal of the Notes or (ii) fail, and such failure shall continue uncured for
one or more Business Days, to pay when due (whether upon stated maturity, by
acceleration or otherwise) any interest on the Notes;
(b) Other Amounts. The Borrower shall fail to pay when
due any fee or other amount payable under this Agreement and such failure
remains uncured for five (5) days after the due date thereof;
(c) Covenants Without Notice. The Borrower shall fail to
observe or perform any covenant or agreement on its part to be observed or
performed which is set forth in Section 5.01, 5.02, 5.09, 5.10, 5.12, 5.13, 5.14
or 5.15;
(d) Covenants With 10 Days Grace. The Borrower shall fail
to observe or perform any covenant or agreement on its part to be observed or
performed, which is set forth in the first sentence of Section 5.04, or in
Section 5.05, 5.06, 5.07 or 5.08, and such non-observance or non-performance
shall continue unremedied for a period of more than 10 days;
(e) Other Covenants. The Borrower shall fail to observe
or perform any covenant, condition or agreement on its part to be observed or
performed, other than as referred to in subsections (a), (b), (c) and (d) above,
for a period of 30 days after written notice specifying such failure and
requesting that it be remedied is given by any Bank to the Borrower and the
other Banks; provided that, if the failure be such that it cannot be
corrected within the applicable period, but can be corrected within a reasonable
period of time thereafter, it shall not constitute a Default if corrective
action is instituted by the Borrower within the applicable period and diligently
pursued until the failure is corrected but any such failure that is not so
corrected within 45 days after such applicable period shall constitute a
Default;
(f) Representations. Any representation, warranty,
certification or statement made or deemed to be made by the Borrower in this
Agreement or in any certificate, financial statement or other document delivered
pursuant to this Agreement shall prove to have been incorrect in any material
respect when made or deemed to be made;
(g) Non-Payments of Indebtedness and/or Derivatives
Obligations. The Borrower or any Subsidiary of the Borrower shall fail to
make any payment or payments aggregating for the Borrower and its Subsidiaries
in excess of $25,000,000 in respect of Indebtedness and/or Derivatives
Obligations of the Borrower or any Subsidiary (other than the Notes or any
Indebtedness under this Agreement) when due (whether upon stated maturity, by
acceleration or otherwise) or within any applicable grace period;
(h) Defaults Under Other Agreements. The Borrower or any
Subsidiary shall fail to observe or perform within any applicable grace period
any covenant or agreement contained in any agreement or instrument relating to
any Indebtedness of the Borrower or any Subsidiary, aggregating for the Borrower
and its Subsidiaries in excess of $25,000,000 if the effect of such failure is
to accelerate, or to permit the holder of such Indebtedness or any other Person
to accelerate, the maturity of such Indebtedness;
(i) Bankruptcy. The Borrower or any Subsidiary shall
generally not pay its debts as they become due, or shall admit in writing its
inability to pay its debts generally or shall make a general assignment for the
benefit of creditors; or any proceeding shall be instituted by or against the
Borrower or any Subsidiary seeking to adjudicate it bankrupt or insolvent, or
seeking liquidation, winding up, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment,
protection, conservation or proceeding in the nature thereof, relief or
composition of it or its debts under any law relating to bankruptcy, insolvency
or reorganization or relief or protection of debtors, or seeking the entry of an
order for relief or the appointment of a receiver (including state regulatory
authorities acting in a similar capacity), trustee, custodian or other similar
official for it or for any substantial part of its property, and, in the case of
any such proceeding instituted against it (but not instituted by it) shall
remain undismissed or unstayed for a period of 60 days; or the Borrower or any
Subsidiary shall take any action to authorize any of the actions set forth above
in this subsection (i);
(j) ERISA. A Plan shall fail to maintain the minimum
funding standard required by Section 412 of the Internal Revenue Code for any
plan year or a waiver of such standard is sought or granted under Section
412(d), or a Plan is, shall have been or is likely to be terminated or the
subject of termination proceedings under ERISA, or the Borrower or a Subsidiary
of the Borrower or any member of the ERISA Group has incurred or is likely to
incur a liability to or on account of a Plan under Section 4062, 4063, 4064,
4201 or 4204 of ERISA, and there shall result from any such event or events
either a liability or a material risk of incurring a liability to the PBGC or a
Plan, which in the opinion of the Required Banks, will have a material adverse
effect upon the business, operations or the financial condition of the Borrower
or a Subsidiary of the Borrower; or
(k) Money Judgment. A final judgment or order for the
payment of money in excess of $25,000,000 shall be rendered against the Borrower
or any Subsidiary and such judgment or order shall continue unsatisfied and in
effect for a period of 45 days during which execution shall not be effectively
stayed or deferred (whether by action of a court, by agreement or otherwise);
then, and in any such event, and at any time thereafter, if any
Event of Default shall then be continuing, the Agent, upon the request of the
Required Banks, shall by notice to the Borrower, take any or all of the
following actions, without prejudice to the rights of the Agent, any Bank or the
holder of any Note to enforce its claims against the Borrower (a) declare the
Commitments terminated, whereupon the Commitment of each Bank shall forthwith
terminate immediately and any fee payable pursuant to Section 2.09 shall
forthwith become due and payable without any other notice of any kind; or (b)
declare the principal of and accrued interest on the Loans, and all other
obligations owing hereunder, to be, whereupon the same shall become, forthwith
due and payable without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any
kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrower; provided that, if
an Event of Default specified in subsection (i) shall occur, the result which
would occur upon the giving of written notice by the Agent to the Borrower, as
specified in clauses (a) and (b) above, shall occur automatically without the
giving of any such notice.
Section 6.2. Notice of Default. The Agent shall give notice to the Borrower under Section
6.01(e) promptly upon being requested to do so by any Bank and shall thereupon
notify all the Banks thereof.
ARTICLE 7
The Agent
Section 7.1. Appointment and Authorization. Each Bank irrevocably appoints and authorizes
the Agent to take such action as agent on its behalf and to exercise such powers
under this Agreement and the Notes as are delegated to the Agent by the terms
hereof or thereof, together with all such powers as are reasonably incidental
thereto.
Section 7.2. Agent and Affiliates. The Chase Manhattan Bank of New York shall have the same
rights and powers under this Agreement as any other Bank and may exercise or
refrain from exercising the same as though it were not the Agent, and The Chase
Manhattan Bank and its affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to, and
generally engage in any kind of business with the Borrower or any Subsidiary or
affiliate of the Borrower as if it were not the Agent hereunder.
Section 7.3. Action by Agent. The obligations of the Agent hereunder are only those expressly
set forth herein. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Agent
shall not be required to take any action with respect to any Default, except as
expressly provided in Article 6.
Section 7.4. Consultation with Experts. The Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be
counsel for the Borrower), independent public accountants and other experts
selected by it and shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted to be
taken by it in good faith in accordance with the advice of such counsel,
accountants or experts.
Section 7.5. Liability of Agent. Neither the Agent nor any of its affiliates nor any of their
respective directors, officers, agents, or employees shall be liable for any
action taken or not taken by it in connection herewith (i) with the consent or
at the request of the Required Banks or (ii) in the absence of its own gross
negligence or willful misconduct. Neither the Agent nor any of its affiliates
nor any of their respective directors, officers, agents or employees shall be
responsible for or have any duty to ascertain, inquire into or verify (i) any
statement, warranty or representation made in connection with this Agreement or
any borrowing hereunder; (ii) the performance or observance of any of the
covenants or agreements of the Borrower; (iii) the satisfaction of any condition
specified in Article 3, except receipt of items required to be delivered to the
Agent; or (iv) the validity, effectiveness or genuineness of this Agreement, the
Notes or any other instrument or writing furnished in connection herewith. The
Agent shall not incur any liability by acting in reliance upon any notice,
consent, certificate, statement, or other writing (which may be a bank wire,
telex or similar writing) reasonably believed by it to be genuine or to be
signed by the proper party or parties.
Section 7.6. Indemnification.
Each Bank shall, ratably in accordance with its Commitment, indemnify the Agent,
its affiliates and their respective directors, officers, agents and employees
(to the extent not reimbursed by the Borrower) against any cost, expense
(including counsel fees and disbursements), claim, demand, action, loss or
liability (except such as result from such indemnitee's gross negligence or
willful misconduct) that such indemnitees may suffer or incur in connection with
this Agreement or any action taken or omitted by such indemnitees hereunder.
Section 7.7. Credit Decision.
Each Bank acknowledges that it has, independently and without reliance upon the
Agent or any other Bank, and based on such documents and information as it has
deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this
Agreement. Each Bank also acknowledges that it will, independently and without
reliance upon the Agent or any other Bank, and based on such documents and
information as it shall deem appropriate at the time, continue to make its own
credit decisions in taking or not taking any action under this Agreement.
Section 7.8. Successor Agent.
The Agent may resign at any time by giving written notice thereof to the Banks
and the Borrower. Upon any such resignation, the Required Banks shall have the
right, with the consent of the Borrower, such consent not to be unreasonably
withheld, to appoint a successor Agent. If no successor Agent shall have been so
appointed by the Required Banks, and shall have accepted such appointment,
within 15 days after the retiring Agent gives notice of resignation, then the
retiring Agent may, on behalf of the Banks, appoint a successor Agent, which
shall be a commercial bank organized or licensed under the laws of the United
States of America or of any State thereof and having a combined capital and
surplus of at least $500,000,000. Upon the acceptance of its appointment as
Agent hereunder by a successor Agent, such successor Agent shall thereupon
succeed to and become vested with all the rights and duties of the retiring
Agent, and the retiring Agent shall be discharged from its duties and
obligations hereunder. After any retiring Agent's resignation hereunder as
Agent, the provisions of this Article shall inure to its benefit as to any
actions taken or omitted to be taken by it while it was Agent.
Section 7.9. Co-Documentation Agents
and Syndication Agent Not Liable.
Nothing in this Agreement shall impose upon any Co-Documentation Agent or the
Syndication Agent, each in such capacity, any duties or responsibilities
whatsoever.
ARTICLE 8
Change in Circumstances
Section 8.1. Basis for Determining
Interest Rate Inadequate or Unfair . If on or prior to the first day of any Interest Period for any
Fixed Rate Borrowing
(a) the Agent is advised by the Reference Banks that deposits in
dollars (in the applicable amounts) are not being offered to the Reference Banks
in the relevant market for such Interest Period, or
(b) in the case of a Committed Borrowing, Banks having 50% or
more of the aggregate amount of the Commitments advise the Agent that the
Adjusted CD Rate or the Adjusted London Interbank Offered Rate, as the case may
be, as determined by the Agent will not adequately and fairly reflect the cost
to such Banks of funding their CD Loans or Euro-Dollar Loans, as the case may
be, for such Interest Period,
the Agent shall forthwith give notice thereof to the Borrower
and the Banks, whereupon until the Agent notifies the Borrower that the
circumstances giving rise to such suspension no longer exist, (i) the
obligations of the Banks to make CD Loans or Euro-Dollar Loans, as the case may
be, or to continue or convert outstanding Loans as or into CD Loans or
Euro-Dollar Loans, as the case may be, shall be suspended and (ii) each
outstanding CD Loan or Euro-Dollar Loan, as the case may be, shall be converted
into a Base Rate Loan on the last day of the then current Interest Period
applicable thereto. Unless the Borrower notifies the Agent at least two Domestic
Business Days before the date of any Fixed Rate Borrowing for which a Notice of
Borrowing has previously been given that it elects not to borrow on such date,
(i) if such Fixed Rate Borrowing is a Committed Borrowing, such Borrowing shall
instead be made as a Base Rate Borrowing and (ii) if such Fixed Rate Borrowing
is a Money Market LIBOR Borrowing, the Money Market LIBOR Loans comprising such
Borrowing shall bear interest for each day from and including the first day to
but excluding the last day of the Interest Period applicable thereto at the Base
Rate for such day.
Section 8.2. Illegality. If, on
or after the date of this Agreement, the adoption of any applicable law, rule or
regulation, or any change therein, or any change in the interpretation or
administration thereof by any governmental authority, central bank or comparable
agency charged with the interpretation or administration thereof, or compliance
by any Bank (or its Euro-Dollar Lending Office) with any request or directive
(whether or not having the force of law) of any such authority, central bank or
comparable agency shall make it unlawful or impossible for any Bank (or its
Euro-Dollar Lending Office) to make, maintain or fund its Euro-Dollar Loans and
such Bank shall so notify the Agent, the Agent shall forthwith give notice
thereof to the other Banks and the Borrower, whereupon until such Bank notifies
the Borrower and the Agent that the circumstances giving rise to such suspension
no longer exist, the obligation of such Bank to make Euro-Dollar Loans or to
convert outstanding Loans into Euro-Dollar Loans or continue outstanding Loans
as Euro-Dollar Loans, shall be suspended. Before giving any notice to the Agent
pursuant to this Section, such Bank shall designate a different Euro-Dollar
Lending Office if such designation will avoid the need for giving such notice
and will not, in the judgment of such Bank, be otherwise disadvantageous to such
Bank. If such Bank shall determine that it may not lawfully continue to maintain
and fund any of its outstanding Euro-Dollar Loans to maturity and shall so
specify in such notice, the Borrower shall immediately prepay in full the then
outstanding principal amount of each such Euro-Dollar Loan, together with
accrued interest thereon. Concurrently with prepaying each such Euro-Dollar
Loan, the Borrower shall borrow a Base Rate Loan in an equal principal amount
from such Bank (on which interest and principal shall be payable
contemporaneously with the related Euro-Dollar Loans of the other Banks), and
such Bank shall make such a Base Rate Loan.
Section 8.3. Increased Cost and Reduced
Return. (a) If on or after (x) the
date hereof, in the case of any Committed Loan or any obligation to make
Committed Loans or (y) the date of the related Money Market Quote, in the case
of any Money Market Loan, the adoption of any applicable law, rule or
regulation, or any change therein, or any change in the interpretation or
administration thereof by any governmental authority, central bank or comparable
agency charged with the interpretation or administration thereof, or compliance
by any Bank (or its Applicable Lending Office) with any request or directive
(whether or not having the force of law) of any such authority, central bank or
comparable agency
(i) shall subject any Bank (or its Applicable Lending
Office) to any tax, duty or other charge with respect to its Fixed Rate
Loans, its Notes or its obligation to make Fixed Rate Loans, or shall change
the basis of taxation of payments to any Bank (or its Applicable Lending
Office) of the principal of or interest on its Fixed Rate Loans or any other
amounts due under this Agreement in respect of its Fixed Rate Loans or its
obligation to make Fixed Rate Loans (except for changes in the rate of tax
on the overall net income of such Bank or its Applicable Lending Office
imposed by the jurisdiction in which such Bank's principal executive office
or Applicable Lending Office is located); or
(ii) shall impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve
(including, without limitation, any such requirement imposed by the Board of
Governors of the Federal Reserve System, but excluding (A) with respect to
any CD Loan, any such requirement included in an applicable Domestic Reserve
Percentage and (B) with respect to any Euro-Dollar Loan any such requirement
included in an applicable Euro-Dollar Reserve Percentage), special deposit,
insurance assessment (excluding, with respect to any CD Loan, any such
requirement reflected in an applicable Assessment Rate) or similar
requirement against assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or
credit extended by, any Bank (or its Applicable Lending Office) or shall
impose on any Bank (or its Applicable Lending Office) or on the United
States market for certificates of deposit or the London interbank market any
other condition affecting its Fixed Rate Loans, its Notes or its obligation
to make Fixed Rate Loans; and the result of any of the foregoing is to
increase the cost to such Bank (or its Applicable Lending Office) of making
or maintaining any Fixed Rate Loan, or to reduce the amount of any sum
received or receivable by such Bank (or its Applicable Lending Office) under
this Agreement or under its Note with respect thereto, by an amount deemed
by such Bank to be material, then, within 15 days after demand by such Bank
(with a copy to the Agent), the Borrower shall pay to such Bank such
additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Bank for such increased
cost or reduction (including any amount or amounts equal to any taxes on the
overall net income of such Bank payable by such Bank with respect to the
amount of payments required to be made pursuant to this Section 8.03(a)).
(b) If any Bank determines that the adoption of any applicable
law, rule, regulation, guideline or request concerning capital adequacy, or any
change therein, or any change in interpretation or administration thereof by any
governmental authority, central bank or comparable agency, occurring after the
date hereof, will have the effect of increasing the amount of capital required
or expected to be maintained by such Bank based on the existence of such Bank's
Commitment hereunder or its obligations hereunder, it will notify the Borrower.
This determination will be made on a Bank by Bank basis. The Borrower will pay
to each Bank on demand such additional amounts as are necessary to compensate
for the increased cost to such Bank as a result of the event described in the
first sentence of this Section 8.03(b). In determining such amount, such Bank
will act reasonably and in good faith and will use averaging and attribution
methods which are reasonable, and such Bank will pass such costs on to the
Borrower only if such costs are passed on in a similar manner by such Bank to
similarly situated borrowers (which are parties to credit or loan documentation
containing a provision similar to this Section 8.03(b)), as determined by such
Bank in its reasonable discretion. Each Bank's determination of compensation
shall be conclusive if made in accordance with this provision. Each Bank, upon
determining that any increased costs will be payable pursuant to this Section
8.03(b), will give prompt written notice thereof to the Borrower, which notice
shall show the basis for calculation of such increased costs, although the
failure to give any such notice shall not release or diminish any of the
Borrower's obligations to pay increased costs pursuant to this Section 8.03(b).
(c) Each Bank will promptly notify the Borrower and the Agent of
any event of which it has knowledge, occurring after the date hereof, which will
entitle such Bank to compensation pursuant to this Section and will designate a
different Applicable Lending Office if such designation will avoid the need for,
or reduce the amount of, such compensation and will not, in the judgment of such
Bank, be otherwise disadvantageous to such Bank. A Bank claiming compensation
under this Section shall furnish a certificate to the Borrower setting forth the
additional amount or amounts to be paid to it hereunder, which shall be
conclusive in the absence of manifest error. In determining such amount, such
Bank may use any reasonable averaging and attribution methods.
Section 8.4. Base Rate Loans Substituted
for Affected Fixed Rate Loans. If (i) the obligation of any Bank
to make, or to continue or convert outstanding Loans as or to, Euro-Dollar Loans
has been suspended pursuant to Section 8.02 or (ii) any Bank has demanded
compensation under Section 8.03(a) and the Borrower shall, by at least five
Euro-Dollar Business Days' prior notice to such Bank through the Agent, have
elected that the provisions of this Section shall apply to such Bank, then,
unless and until such Bank notifies the Borrower that the circumstances giving
rise to such suspension or demand for compensation no longer apply
(a) all Loans which would otherwise be made
by such Bank as CD Loans or Euro-Dollar Loans, as the case may be, shall be made
instead as Base Rate Loans (on which interest and principal shall be payable
contemporaneously with the related Fixed Rate Loans of the other Banks), and
(b) after each of its CD Loans or
Euro-Dollar Loans, as the case may be, has been repaid, all payments of
principal which would otherwise be applied to repay such Fixed Rate Loans shall
be applied to repay its Base Rate Loans instead.
ARTICLE 9
Miscellaneous
Section 9.1. Notices.
All notices, requests, directions, consents, approvals and other communications
to any party hereunder shall be in writing (including bank wire, telex,
facsimile transmission or similar writing) and shall be given to such party (x)
in the case of the Borrower or the Agent, at its address or telex or telecopier
number set forth on the signature pages hereof, (y) in the case of any Bank, at
its address or telex or telecopier number set forth in its Administrative
Questionnaire or (z) in the case of any other party, such other address or telex
or telecopier number as such party may hereafter specify for the purpose by
notice to the Agent and the Borrower. Each such notice, request, direction,
consent, approval or other communication shall be effective (i) if given by
telex, when such telex is transmitted to the telex number specified in this
Section and the appropriate answerback is received or (ii) if given by any other
means, when delivered or received at the address specified in this Section; provided
that notices to the Agent under Article 2 or Article 8 shall not be effective
until received.
Section 9.2. No Waivers No failure or delay by the Agent or any Bank
in exercising any right, power or privilege hereunder or under any Note shall
operate as a waiver thereof nor shall any single or partial exercise thereof
preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other
right, power or privilege. The rights and remedies herein provided shall be
cumulative and not exclusive of any rights or remedies provided by law.
Section 9.3. Expenses; Documentary
Taxes; Indemnification (a)
The Borrower shall pay (i) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses of the Agent,
including reasonable fees and disbursements of special counsel for the Agent, in
connection with the preparation of this Agreement, any waiver or consent
hereunder or any amendment hereof or any Default or alleged Default hereunder
and (ii) if an Event of Default occurs, all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses
incurred by the Agent or any Bank, including reasonable fees and disbursements
incurred by counsel or in-house counsel, in connection with such Event of
Default and collection, bankruptcy, insolvency and other enforcement proceedings
resulting therefrom. The Borrower shall indemnify each Bank against any transfer
taxes, documentary taxes, assessments or charges made by any governmental
authority by reason of the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the Notes
and any and all liabilities with respect to or resulting from any delay or
omission (unless solely attributable to such Bank) to pay such taxes.
(b) The Borrower agrees to indemnify each
Bank, their respective affiliates and the respective directors, officers,
agents, advisors and employees of the foregoing (each an "Indemnitee")
and hold each Indemnitee harmless from and against any and all liabilities,
losses, damages, costs and expenses of any kind, including, without limitation,
the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel, which may be incurred by any
Indemnitee (or by the Agent in connection with its actions as Agent hereunder)
in connection with any investigative, administrative or judicial proceeding
(whether or not such Indemnitee shall be designated a party thereto) relating to
or arising out of this Agreement or any actual or proposed use of proceeds of
Loans hereunder; provided that no Indemnitee shall have the right to be
indemnified hereunder for its own gross negligence, willful misconduct or
unlawful conduct as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction.
Section 9.4. Sharing of Set-offs. Each Bank agrees that if it shall,
by exercising any right of set-off or counterclaim or otherwise, receive payment
of a proportion of the aggregate amount of principal and interest then due with
respect to any Note held by it which is greater than the proportion received by
any other Bank in respect of the aggregate amount of principal and interest due
with respect to any Note held by such other Bank, the Bank receiving such
proportionately greater payment shall purchase such participations in the Notes
held by the other Banks, and such other adjustments shall be made, as may be
required so that all such payments of principal and interest with respect to the
Notes held by the Banks shall be shared by the Banks pro rata; provided
that nothing in this Section shall impair the right of any Bank to exercise any
right of set-off or counterclaim it may have and to apply the amount subject to
such exercise to the payment of indebtedness of the Borrower other than its
indebtedness under the Notes. The Borrower agrees, to the fullest extent it may
effectively do so under applicable law, that any holder of a participation in a
Note, whether or not acquired pursuant to the foregoing arrangements, may
exercise rights of set-off or counterclaim and other rights with respect to such
participation as fully as if such holder of a participation were a direct
creditor of the Borrower in the amount of such participation.
Section 9.5. Amendments and Waivers. Any provision of this Agreement or
the Notes may be amended or waived if, but only if, such amendment or waiver is
in writing and is signed by the Borrower and the Required Banks (and, if the
rights or duties of the Agent are affected thereby, by the Agent); provided
that no such amendment or waiver shall, unless signed by all the Banks, (i)
increase or decrease the Commitment of any Bank (except for a ratable decrease
in the Commitments of all Banks) or subject any Bank to any additional
obligation, (ii) reduce the principal of or rate of interest on any Loan or any
fees hereunder, (iii) postpone the date fixed for any payment of principal of or
interest on any Loan or any fees hereunder or for any reduction or termination
of any Commitment or (iv) change the percentage of the Commitments or of the
aggregate unpaid principal amount of the Notes, or the number of Banks, which
shall be required for the Banks or any of them to take any action under this
Section or any other provision of this Agreement.
Section 9.6. Successors and Assigns. (a) The
provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of
the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns, except that the
Borrower may not assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights under this
Agreement without the prior written consent of all Banks.
(b)Any Bank may at any time grant to one or
more affiliates of such Bank, banks or other institutions (each a "Participant")
participating interests in its Commitment or any or all of its Loans. In the
event of any such grant by a Bank of a participating interest to a Participant,
whether or not upon notice to the Borrower and the Agent, such Bank shall remain
responsible for the performance of its obligations hereunder, and the Borrower
and the Agent shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Bank in
connection with such Bank's rights and obligations under this Agreement. Any
agreement pursuant to which any Bank may grant such a participating interest
shall provide that such Bank shall retain the sole right and responsibility to
enforce the obligations of the Borrower hereunder including, without limitation,
the right to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of
this Agreement; provided that such participation agreement may provide
that such Bank will not agree to any modification, amendment or waiver of this
Agreement described in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) of Section 9.05 without the
consent of the Participant. Subject to the provisions of subsection (e), the
Borrower agrees that each Participant shall, to the extent provided in its
participation agreement, be entitled to the benefits, and be bound by the
obligations, of Article 8 with respect to its participating interest. An
assignment or other transfer which is not permitted by subsection (c) or (d)
below shall be given effect for purposes of this Agreement only to the extent of
a participating interest granted in accordance with this subsection (b).
(c) Any Bank may at any time assign to one or
more banks or other institutions (each an "Assignee") all, or a
proportionate part (but not in any case in an amount less than $10,000,000,
unless (x) such Assignee is another Bank or an affiliate of such transferor Bank
or (y) such assignment is for all of such transferor Bank's rights and
obligations under this Agreement and the Notes) of all, of its rights and
obligations under this Agreement and the Notes, and such Assignee shall assume
such rights and obligations, pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption Agreement
in substantially the form of Exhibit I hereto executed by such Assignee and such
transferor Bank, with (and subject to) the subscribed consent of the Borrower
and the Agent, such consents not to be unreasonably withheld; provided
that (i) if an Assignee is another Bank or an affiliate of such transferor Bank,
or (ii) in the case of an assignment by any Bank to one or more Assignees after
the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, no such
consent shall be required; and provided further that such
assignment may, but need not, include the rights of the transferor Bank in
respect of outstanding Money Market Loans. Upon execution and delivery of such
an instrument and payment by such Assignee to such transferor Bank of an amount
equal to the purchase price agreed between such transferor Bank and such
Assignee, such Assignee shall be a Bank party to this Agreement and shall have
all the rights and obligations of a Bank with a Commitment as set forth in such
instrument of assumption, and the transferor Bank shall be released from its
obligations hereunder to a corresponding extent, and no further consent or
action by any party shall be required. Upon the consummation of any assignment
pursuant to this subsection (c), the transferor Bank, the Agent and the Borrower
shall make appropriate arrangements so that, if required, a new Note is issued
to the Assignee. In connection with any such assignment, the transferor Bank
shall pay to the Agent an administrative fee for processing such assignment in
the amount of $3,500. If the Assignee is not incorporated under the laws of the
United States of America or a state thereof, it shall, prior to the first date
on which interest or fees are payable hereunder for its account, deliver to the
Borrower and the Agent certification as to exemption from deduction or
withholding of any United States federal income taxes in accordance with Section
2.16.
(d)Any Bank may at any time assign all or
any portion of its rights under this Agreement and its Note to a Federal Reserve
Bank. No such assignment shall release the transferor Bank from its obligations
hereunder.
(e) No Assignee, Participant or other transferee of any Bank's
rights shall be entitled to receive any greater payment under Section 8.03 than
such Bank would have been entitled to receive with respect to the rights
transferred, unless such transfer is made with the Borrower's prior written
consent or by reason of the provisions of Section 8.02 or 8.03 requiring such
Bank to designate a different Applicable Lending Office under certain
circumstances or at a time when the circumstances giving rise to such greater
payment did not exist.
Section 9.7. Collateral. Each of the Banks represents to the Agent and each of the
other Banks that it in good faith is not relying upon any "margin stock"
(as defined in Regulation U) as collateral in the extension or maintenance of
the credit provided for in this Agreement.
Section 9.8. Governing Law. This Agreement and each Note shall be governed by
and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
Section 9.9. Counterparts; Integration. This Agreement may be signed in any
number of counterparts, each of which shall be an original, with the same effect
as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument. This
Agreement constitutes the entire agreement and understanding among the parties
hereto and supersedes any and all prior agreements and understandings, oral or
written, relating to the subject matter hereof.
Section 9.10. Several Obligations. The obligations of the Banks hereunder
are several. Neither the failure of any Bank to carry out its obligations
hereunder nor of this Agreement to be duly authorized, executed and delivery by
any Bank shall relieve any other Bank of its obligations hereunder (or affect
the rights hereunder of such other Bank). No Bank shall be responsible for the
obligations of, or any action taken or omitted by, any other Bank hereunder.
Section 9.11. Severability. In
case any provision in or obligation under this Agreement shall be invalid,
illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, the validity, legality and
enforceability of the remaining provisions or obligations, or of such provision
or obligation in any other jurisdiction, shall not in any way be affected or
impaired thereby.
Section 9.12. Waiver/Notice.
(a) Each Bank hereby waives the Borrower's obligation to notify the Agent at
least 15 days prior to the creation of a new Commitment pursuant to Section 2.17
solely to the extent necessary to permit one or more institutions to provide a
new Commitment hereunder effective within thirty days of the Effective Date.
(b) The Borrower hereby notifies each Bank party to the Prior
Credit Agreement of the Borrower's termination of the Commitments (as defined in
the Prior Credit Agreement), such termination to be effective on the Effective
Date. Each Bank party to the Prior Credit Agreement hereby waives the Borrower's
obligation to notify the Administrative Agent under the Prior Credit Agreement
of such termination at least three Domestic Business Days prior to such
termination.
Section 9.13. Confidentiality. The Agent and each Bank
represent that they will maintain the confidentiality of any written or oral
information provided by or on behalf of the Borrower (hereinafter collectively
called "Confidential Information"), subject to the Agent's and
each Bank's (a) obligation to disclose any such Confidential Information
pursuant to a request or order under applicable laws and regulations or pursuant
to a subpoena or other legal process, (b) right to disclose any such
Confidential Information to its bank examiners, auditors, counsel and other
professional advisors, and its employees, officers and directors, and to other
Banks, (c) right to disclose any such Confidential Information in connection
with any litigation or dispute involving the Banks and the Borrower or any of
its Subsidiaries and affiliates, (d) right to provide such information to
Participants, prospective Participants to which sales of participating interests
are permitted pursuant to subsection 9.06(b) and prospective Assignees to which
assignments of interests are permitted pursuant to subsection 9.06(c) if such
Participant, prospective Participant or prospective Assignee agrees in writing
to maintain the confidentiality of such information on terms substantially
similar to those of this Section as if it were a "Bank" party hereto
and (e) right to disclose Confidential Information to its affiliates if such
affiliate agrees in writing to maintain the confidentiality of such information
on terms substantially similar to those of this Section. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, any such information supplied to a Bank, Participant, prospective
Participant or prospective Assignee under this Agreement shall cease to be
Confidential Information if it is or becomes known to such Person by other than
unauthorized disclosure, or if it becomes a matter of public knowledge.
Section 9.14. Waiver of Jury Trial.
EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY AND ALL RIGHT
TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS
AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.
[remainder of page left intentionally blank]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this
Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized officers as of the
day and year first above written.
NATIONAL RURAL UTILITIES
COOPERATIVE FINANCE
CORPORATION
By
Title
Address 0000 Xxxxxxxxxxx Xxx
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000
Attention Xxxxxx Xxxxx
Title Assistant Treasurer
Telephone No. (000) 000-0000
Telecopier No. (000) 000-0000
Commitments
$125,000,000 THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK
By
Name
Title
Commitments
$112,500,000 BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
By
Name
Title
Commitments
$87,500,000 BANK ONE, NA
By
Name
Title
Commitments
$75,000,000 ABN AMRO BANK N.V.
By
Name
Title
By
Name
Title
Commitments
$75,000,000 THE BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA
By
Name
Title
Commitments
$62,500,000 FIRST UNION NATIONAL BANK
By
Name
Title
Commitments
$50,000,000 TORONTO DOMINION (TEXAS), INC.
By
Name
Title
Commitments
$50,000,000 CREDIT LYONNAIS NEW YORK BRANCH
By
Name
Title
Commitments
$50,000,000 XXXXXX COMMERCIAL PAPER INC.
By
Name
Title
Commitments
$50,000,000 UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH
By
Name
Title
By
Name
Title
Commitments
$43,750,000 BNP PARIBAS
By
Name
Title
By
Name
Title
Commitments
$38,750,000 THE BANK OF TOKYO-MITSUBISHI, LTD
NEW YORK BRANCH
By
Name
Title
Commitments
$31,250,000 FIRSTAR BANK, N.A.
By
Name
Title
Commitments
$28,125,000 NORDDEUTSCHE LANDESBANK GIROZENTRALE
NEW YORK BRANCH AND/OR CAYMAN
ISLANDS BRANCH
By
Name
Title
Commitments
$18,750,000 COMERICA BANK
By
Name
Title
Commitments
$12,500,000 PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
By
Name
Title
Commitments
$12,500,000 BANCA DI ROMA, NEW YORK BRANCH
By
Name
Title
By
Name
Title
Commitments
$5,000,000 THE TOKAI BANK, LIMITED
NEW YORK BRANCH
By
Name
Title
Commitments
$3,750,000 ARAB BANKING CORPORATION
[BSC]
By
Name
Title
Total Commitments
$1,028,125,000
THE BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA,
as Co-Documentation Agent
By:
Title:
BANK ONE, N.A. (MAIN OFFICE-CHICAGO),
as Co-Documentation Agent
By:
Title:
ABN AMRO BANK N.V.,
as Co-Documentation Agent
By:
Title:
BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES LLC,
as Syndication Agent
By:
Title:
THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK,
as Administrative Agent
By:
Title:
Address: 000 Xxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Attention: Xxxxxx Xxxxx
Telecopy number (000) 000-0000
PRICING SCHEDULE
The "Euro-Dollar Margin", "CD Margin" and
"Facility Fee Rate" for any day are the respective percentages set
forth below in the applicable row under the column corresponding to the Status
that exists on such day
Status Level I Level II Level III
Euro-Dollar Margin
If Utilization is equal to or less than 50% 0.16 0.20% 0.225%
If Utilization exceeds 50% 0.16 0.325% 0.35%
CD Margin
If Utilization is equal to or less than 50% 0.285% 0.325% 0.35%
If Utilization exceeds 50% 0.285% 0.45% 0.475%
Facility Fee Rate 0.09% 0.10% 0.125%
For purposes of this Schedule, the following terms have the
following meanings
"Level I Status" exists at any date if, at such date,
the Borrower has outstanding senior unsecured long-term debt and such debt,
without third party enhancement, is rated (or, if on such date the Borrower has
no outstanding senior unsecured long-term debt, evidence satisfactory to the
Agent is provided to the effect that the rating of senior unsecured long-term
debt of the Borrower, assuming that it had outstanding senior unsecured
long-term debt, would be rated) at least AA- (or any equivalent rating which is
used in lieu thereof) by S&P or Aa3 (or any equivalent rating which is used
in lieu thereof) by Xxxxx'x.
"Level II Status" exists at any date, if at such date,
the Borrower has outstanding senior unsecured long-term debt and such debt,
without third party enhancement, is rated (or, if on such date the Borrower has
no outstanding senior unsecured long-term debt, evidence satisfactory to the
Agent is provided to the effect that the rating of senior unsecured long-term
debt of the Borrower, assuming that it had outstanding senior unsecured
long-term debt, would be rated) at least A+ (or any equivalent rating which is
used in lieu thereof) or higher by S&P or A1 (or any equivalent rating which
is used in lieu thereof) or higher by Xxxxx'x and Level I Status does not exist
at such date.
"Level III Status" exists at any date if, at such
date, neither Level I Status nor Level II Status exists.
"Status" refers to the determination of which of Level
I Status, Level II Status or Level III Status exists at any date.
"Utilization" means at any date the percentage
equivalent of a fraction (i) the numerator of which is the aggregate outstanding
principal amount of the Loans at such date, after giving effect to any borrowing
or payment on such date, and (ii) the denominator of which is the aggregate
amount of the Commitments at such date, after giving effect to any reduction of
the Commitments on such date. For purposes of this Schedule, if for any reason
any Loans remain outstanding after termination of the Commitments, the
Utilization for each date on or after the date of such termination shall be
deemed to be greater than 50%.
The credit ratings to be utilized for purposes of this Pricing
Schedule shall be, so long as the Borrower's unsecured Medium Term Notes are
rated by either S&P or Xxxxx'x, those assigned to the Borrower's unsecured
Medium Term Notes. The rating in effect at any date is that in effect at the
close of business on such date.
SCHEDULE I
Institution Title
The Chase Manhattan Bank Administrative Agent
Banc of America Securities LLC Syndication Agent
The Bank of Nova Scotia Documentation Agent
Bank One, N.A. (Main Office-Chicago) Documentation Agent
ABN Amro Bank N.V. Documentation Agent
EXHIBIT A
NOTE
New York, New York
, 200_
For value received, National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance
Corporation, a not-for-profit cooperative association incorporated under the
laws of the District of Columbia (the "Borrower"), promises to
pay to the order of (the "Bank"), for the account of its
Applicable Lending Office, the unpaid principal amount of each Loan made by the
Bank to the Borrower pursuant to the
Revolving Credit Agreement referred to
below on the last day of the Interest Period relating to such Loan. The Borrower
promises to pay interest on the unpaid principal amount of each such Loan on the
dates and at the rate or rates provided for in the
Revolving Credit Agreement.
All such payments of principal and interest shall be made in lawful money of the
United States in Federal or other immediately available funds at the office of
The Chase Manhattan Bank, 000 Xxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx.
All Loans made by the Bank, the respective types and maturities
thereof and all repayments of the principal thereof shall be recorded by the
Bank and, prior to any transfer hereof, appropriate notations to evidence the
foregoing information with respect to each such Loan then outstanding may be
endorsed by the Bank on the schedule attached hereto, or on a continuation of
such schedule attached to and made a part hereof; provided that the
failure of the Bank to make any such recordation or endorsement shall not affect
the obligations of the Borrower hereunder or under the
Revolving Credit
Agreement.
This note is one of the Notes referred to in the Three-Year
Revolving Credit Agreement dated as of August 8, 2001 among the Borrower, the
banks listed on the signature pages thereof, The Bank of Nova Scotia, Bank One,
N.A., and ABN Amro Bank N.V., as Co-Documentation Agents, Banc of America
Securities LLC, as Syndication Agent, and The Chase Manhattan Bank, as
Administrative Agent (as the same may be amended from time to time, the "
Revolving
Credit Agreement"). Terms defined in the
Revolving Credit Agreement are
used herein with the same meanings. Reference is made to the Revolving Credit
Agreement for provisions for the prepayment hereof and the acceleration of the
maturity hereof.
NATIONAL RURAL UTILITIES
COOPERATIVE FINANCE CORPORATION
By:
Title:
LOANS AND PAYMENTS OF PRINCIPAL
Amount of Type of Principal Maturity Notation
Date Loan Loan Repaid Date Made By
EXHIBIT B-1
Form of RUS Guarantee
The United States of America acting through the Administrator of
the Rural
Utilities Service ("RUS") hereby
unconditionally guarantees to [name of Payee] the
making of [__%] of the payments of principal and interest when
and as due on this Note of _________ (the "Cooperative") in
accordance with the terms hereof and of the Loan Agreement referred to in this
Note, until such principal and interest shall be indefeasibly paid in full
(which includes interest accruing on such principal between the date of default
under this Note and the payment in full of this Guarantee), irrespective of
receipt by RUS of any sums or property from its enforcement of its remedies for
the Cooperative default. This Guarantee shall be incontestable except for fraud
or misrepresentation of which the holder had actual knowledge at the time it
became a holder. RUS hereby waives diligence, presentment, demand, protest and
notice of any kind, as well as any requirement that [name of Payee] exhaust any
right or take any action against the Cooperative.
This Guarantee is issued pursuant to Title III of the Rural
Electrification Act of 1936, as amended (7 U.S.C. 901, et seq.), and the
Loan Guarantee and Servicing Agreement among RUS, the Cooperative, Bank One,
N.A. and National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation dated
___________, ____.
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Date___________, ____ By_______________________
Administrator of Rural Electrification
Administration
EXHIBIT B-2
Form of RUS Guarantee
The United States of America acting through the Administrator of
the Rural Utilities Service ("RUS") hereby unconditionally guarantees
to the Payee the making of the payments of principal and Guaranteed Interest
when and as due on the Note of _______________ (the "Cooperative")
dated _____ in the original principal amount of $ _____ (the "Note"),
in accordance with the terms thereof and of the Loan Agreement and the Master
Loan Guarantee and Servicing Agreement referred to in the Note, until such
principal and Guaranteed Interest shall be indefeasibly paid in full (which
includes interest accruing at the Guaranteed Interest Rate between the date of
default under the Note and the payment in full of this Guarantee), irrespective
of receipt by RUS of any sums or property from its enforcement of its remedies
for the Cooperative's default. This Guarantee shall be incontestable except for
fraud or misrepresentation of which the holder had actual knowledge at the time
it became a holder. RUS hereby waives diligence, presentment, demand, protest
and notice of any kind (except the "Default Notice" required pursuant
to Section 5.3(a) of the Master Loan Guarantee and Servicing Agreement), and
acknowledges that the Payee does not have any right or obligation to exercise
any right or take any action against the Cooperative.
This Guarantee is issued pursuant to the Rural Electrification
Act of 1936, as amended (7 U.S.C. 901, et seq.) (the "Act"), and the
Master Loan Guarantee and Servicing Agreement between RUS and National Rural
Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation dated as of February 16, 1999.
THIS GUARANTEE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED AND ENFORCED
IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, TO THE EXTENT
APPLICABLE, AND OTHERWISE THE LAWS OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA.
THE UNDERSIGNED, AS [ADMINISTRATOR] OF RUS, DOES HEREBY CERTIFY
THAT I AM AUTHORIZED UNDER THE ACT AND 7 CFR PART 1700 TO DELIVER THIS
GUARANTEE.
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
by
[Administrator]
of the
Rural Utilities Service
Dated RUS Loan No.
EXHIBIT C
Form of Money Market Quote Request
[Date]
To The Chase Manhattan Bank
(the "Agent")
From National Rural Utilities
Cooperative Finance Corporation (the
"Borrower")
Re Three-Year Revolving Credit Agreement (the
"Revolving
Credit Agreement") dated as of August 8, 2001 among the Borrower,
the banks listed on the signature pages thereof, The Bank of Nova Scotia,
Bank One, N.A., and ABN Amro Bank N.V., as Co-Documentation Agents, Banc of
America Securities LLC, as Syndication Agent, and The Chase Manhattan Bank,
as Administrative Agent.
We hereby give notice pursuant to Section 2.03 of the Revolving
Credit Agreement that we request Money Market Quotes for the following proposed
Money Market Borrowing(s)
Date of Borrowing __________________
Principal Amount 1 Interest Period
2
$
Such Money Market Quotes should offer a Money Market [Margin]
[Absolute Rate]. [The applicable base rate is the London Interbank Offered
Rate.] Terms used herein have the meanings assigned to them in the Revolving
Credit Agreement.
NATIONAL RURAL UTILITIES
COOPERATIVE FINANCE CORPORATION
By
Title
EXHIBIT D
FORM OF INVITATION FOR MONEY MARKET QUOTES
To [Name of Bank]
Re Invitation for Money Market Quotes
to the National Rural Utilities Cooperative
Finance Corporation (the "Borrower")
Pursuant to Section 2.03 of the Three-Year Revolving Credit
Agreement dated as of August 8, 2001 among the Borrower, the banks listed on the
signature pages thereof, The Bank of Nova Scotia, Bank One, N.A., and ABN Amro
Bank N.V., as Co-Documentation Agents, Banc of America Securities LLC, as
Syndication Agent, and The Chase Manhattan Bank, as Administrative Agent
Date of Borrowing __________________
Principal Amount Interest Period
$
Such Money Market Quotes should offer a Money Market [Margin]
[Absolute Rate]. [The applicable base rate is the London Interbank Offered
Rate.] Please respond to this invitation by no later than 9:30 A.M. (New York
City time) on [date].
THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK
By______________________
Authorized Officer
EXHIBIT E
FORM OF MONEY MARKET QUOTE
THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK,
as Administrative Agent
000 Xxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Attention
Re Money Market Quote to
National Rural Utilities Cooperative
Finance Corporation (the "Borrower")
In response to your invitation on behalf of the Borrower dated
_____________, 200_, we hereby make the following Money Market Quote on the
following terms
1. Quoting Bank ________________________________
2. Person to contact at Quoting Bank
_____________________________
3. Date of Borrowing ____________________*
4. We hereby offer to make Money Market Loan(s) in the following
principal amounts, for the following Interest Periods and at the following rates
Principal Interest Money Market
Amount** Period*** [Margin****] [Absolute
Rate*****]
$
$
[Provided, that the aggregate principal amount of Money Market
Loans for which the above offers may be accepted shall not exceed
$____________.]**
__________
* As specified in the related Invitation.
** Principal amount bid for each Interest Period may not exceed
principal amount requested. Specify aggregate limitation if the sum of the
individual offers exceeds the amount the Bank is willing to lend. Bids must be
made for $1,000,000 or a larger multiple thereof.
We understand and agree that the offer(s) set forth above,
subject to the satisfaction of the applicable conditions set forth in the
364-Day Revolving Credit Agreement dated as of August 8, 2001 among the
Borrower, the banks listed on the signature pages thereof, The Bank of Nova
Scotia, Bank One, N.A., and ABN Amro Bank N.V., as Co-Documentation Agents, Banc
of America Securities LLC, as Syndication Agent, and The Chase Manhattan Bank,
as Administrative Agent.
Very truly yours,
[NAME OF BANK]
Dated _______________
By __________________________
Authorized Officer
*** Any number of whole months (but not less than one month) or
not less than 30 days, as specified in the related Invitation. No more than five
bids are permitted for each Interest Period.
**** Margin over or under the London Interbank Offered Rate
determined for the applicable Interest Period. Specify percentage (rounded to
the nearest 1/10,000 of 1%) and specify whether "PLUS" or
"MINUS".
***** Specify rate of interest per annum (rounded to the nearest
1/10,000th of 1%).
EXHIBIT F
OPINION OF XXXX XXX LIST, ESQ.,
GENERAL COUNSEL OF THE BORROWER
August 8, 2001
I am General Counsel of the National Rural Utilities Cooperative
Finance
Corporation (the "Borrower") and am delivering
this opinion pursuant to the Three-Year Revolving Credit Agreement (the "Agreement")
dated as of August 8, 2001 among the Borrower, the banks listed on the signature
pages thereof, The Bank of Nova Scotia, Bank One, N.A., and ABN Amro Bank N.V.,
as Co-Documentation Agents, Banc of America Securities LLC, as Syndication
Agent, and The Chase Manhattan Bank, as Administrative Agent. Terms defined in
the Agreement are used herein as therein defined. This opinion is being rendered
to you at the request of my client, the Borrower, pursuant to Section 3.01(c) of
the Agreement.
I have examined originals or copies, certified or otherwise
identified to my satisfaction, of such documents, corporate records,
certificates of public officials and other instruments and have conducted such
other investigations of fact and law as I have deemed necessary or advisable for
purposes of this opinion.
Upon the basis of the foregoing, I am of the opinion that
1. The Borrower is a cooperative association duly incorporated,
validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the District of Columbia
and has the corporate power and authority and all material governmental
licenses, authorizations, consents and approvals required to own its property
and assets and to transact the business in which it is engaged. The Borrower is
duly qualified or licensed as a foreign corporation in good standing in every
jurisdiction in which the nature of the business in which it is engaged makes
such qualification or licensing necessary, except in those jurisdictions in
which the failure to be so qualified or licensed would not (after qualification,
assuming that the Borrower could so qualify without the payment of any fee or
penalty and retain its rights as they existed prior to such qualification all to
an extent so that any fees or penalties required to be so paid or any rights not
so retained would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse
effect on the business or financial condition of the Borrower), individually or
in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect upon the business or financial
condition of the Borrower. The Borrower has the corporate power and authority to
execute, deliver and carry out the terms and provisions of the Agreement and the
Notes. The Agreement and the Notes have been duly and validly authorized,
executed and delivered by the Borrower, and the Agreement constitutes a legal,
valid and binding agreement of the Borrower, and the Notes constitute legal,
valid and binding obligations of the Borrower, in each case enforceable in
accordance with its terms, except as the same may be limited by bankruptcy,
insolvency or similar laws affecting creditors' rights generally and by general
principles of equity.
2. There are no actions, suits, proceedings or investigations
pending or, to my knowledge, threatened against or affecting the Borrower by or
before any court or any governmental authority, body or agency or any
arbitration board which are reasonably likely to materially adversely affect the
business, property, assets, financial position or results of operations of the
Borrower or the authority or ability of the Borrower to perform its obligations
under the Agreement or the Notes.
3. No authorization, consent, approval or license of, or
declaration, filing or registration with or exemption by, any governmental
authority, body or agency is required in connection with the execution, delivery
or performance by the Borrower of the Agreement or the Notes.
4. The holders of the Borrower's Members' Subordinated
Certificates are not and will not be entitled to receive any payments with
respect to the principal thereof or interest thereon solely because of
withdrawing or being expelled from membership in the Borrower.
5. Neither the Borrower nor any Subsidiary is in default in any
material respect under any material agreement or other instrument to which it is
a party or by which it is bound or its property or assets may be affected. No
event or condition exists which constitutes, or with the giving of notice or
lapse of time or both would constitute, such a default under any such agreement
or other instrument. Neither the execution and delivery of the Agreement or the
Notes, nor the consummation of any of the transactions therein contemplated, nor
compliance with the terms and provisions thereof, will contravene any provision
of law, statute, rule or regulation to which the Borrower is subject or any
judgment, decree, award, franchise, order or permit applicable to the Borrower,
or will conflict or be inconsistent with, or will result in any breach of, any
of the terms, covenants, conditions or provisions of, or constitute (or with the
giving of notice or lapse of time, or both, would constitute) a default under
(or condition or event entitling any Person to require, whether by purchase,
redemption, acceleration or otherwise, the Borrower to perform any obligations
prior to the scheduled maturity thereof), or result in the creation or
imposition of any Lien upon any of the property or assets of the Borrower
pursuant to the terms of, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, agreement or
other instrument to which it may be subject, or violate any provision of the
certificate of incorporation or by-laws of the Borrower. Without limiting the
generality of the foregoing, the Borrower is not a party to, or otherwise
subject to any provision contained in, any instrument evidencing Indebtedness of
the Borrower, any agreement or indenture relating thereto or any other contract
or agreement (including its certificate of incorporation and by-laws), which
would be violated by the incurring of the Indebtedness to be evidenced by the
Notes. 6. The Borrower has complied fully with all of the material provisions of
each Indenture. No Event of Default (within the meaning of such term as defined
in either Indenture) and no event, act or condition (except for possible
non-compliance by the Borrower with any immaterial provision of such Indenture
which in itself is not such an Event of Default under such Indenture) which with
notice or lapse of time, or both, would constitute such an Event of Default has
occurred and is continuing under such Indenture. The borrowings by the Borrower
contemplated by the Agreement will not cause such an Event of Default under, or
the violation of any covenant contained in, either Indenture.
7. Set forth on Annex A attached hereto is a true, correct and
complete list of all of the Borrower's Subsidiaries and Joint Ventures, the
jurisdiction of incorporation or organization of each such Subsidiary and Joint
Venture and the nature and percentage of the Borrower's ownership of each such
Subsidiary and Joint Venture.
8. The Borrower has received a ruling from the Internal Revenue
Service to the effect that it is exempt from payment of Federal income tax under
Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, and nothing has come to
our attention that leads us to believe that the Borrower is not so exempt.
EXHIBIT G
OPINION OF
XXXXX XXXX & XXXXXXXX,
SPECIAL COUNSEL FOR THE AGENT
August 8, 2001
To the Banks and the Agent
Referred to Below
x/x Xxx Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx Xxxx, as Agent
000 Xxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Dear Sirs
We have participated in the preparation of the Three-Year
Revolving Credit Agreement dated as of August 8, 2001 (the "Credit
Agreement") among the National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance
Corporation, a not-for-profit cooperative association incorporated under the
laws of the District of Columbia (the "Borrower"), the banks
listed on the signature pages thereof, The Bank of Nova Scotia, Bank One, N.A.,
and ABN Amro Bank N.V., as Co-Documentation Agents, Banc of America Securities
LLC, as Syndication Agent, and The Chase Manhattan Bank, as Administrative Agent
(the "Agent"), and have acted as special counsel for the Agent
for the purpose of rendering this opinion pursuant to Section 3.01(d) of the
Credit Agreement. Terms defined in the Credit Agreement are used herein as
therein defined.
We have examined originals or copies, certified or otherwise
identified to our satisfaction, of such documents, corporate records,
certificates of public officials and other instruments and have conducted such
other investigations of fact and law as we have deemed necessary or advisable
for purposes of this opinion.
Upon the basis of the foregoing, we are of the opinion that the
Credit Agreement constitutes a valid and binding agreement of the Borrower and
the Notes issued today constitute valid and binding obligations of the Borrower,
in each case enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as the same may be
limited by bankruptcy, insolvency or similar laws affecting creditors' rights
generally and by general principles of equity.
In rendering the foregoing opinion, we have assumed that (i) the
Borrower is duly incorporated, validly existing and in good standing under the
laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation and (ii) the execution, delivery
and performance by the Borrower of the Credit Agreement and the Notes issued by
the Borrower are within the Borrower's corporate powers, have been duly
authorized by all necessary corporate action, require no action by or in respect
of, or filing with, any governmental body, agency or official and do not
contravene or constitute a default under, any provision of applicable law or
regulation or of the Borrower's certificate of incorporation or by-laws or of
any agreement, judgment, injunction, order, decree or other instrument binding
upon the Borrower or result in the creation or imposition of any lien on the
assets of the Borrower or any Subsidiary of the Borrower.
We are members of the Bar of the State of New York and the
foregoing opinion is limited to the laws of the State of New York and the
federal laws of the United States of America. In giving the foregoing opinion,
we express no opinion as to the effect (if any) of any law of any jurisdiction
(except the State of New York) in which any Bank is located which limits the
rate of interest that such Bank may charge or collect.
This opinion is rendered solely to you in connection with the
above matter. This opinion may not re relied upon by you for any other purpose
or relied upon by any other Person without our prior written consent.
Very truly yours,
EXHIBIT H
EXTENSION AGREEMENT
[Date]
National Rural Utilities
Cooperative Finance Corporation
0000 Xxxxxxxxxxx Xxx
Xxxxxxx, XX 00000
The Chase Manhattan Bank,
as Administrative Agent
under the Credit Agreement
referred to below
000 Xxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000
Gentlemen
Effective as of [effective date], the undersigned hereby agree
to extend the Commitment Termination Date as now in effect under the Three-Year
Credit Agreement dated as of August 8, 2001 as amended and supplemented from
time to time (the "Credit Agreement"), among National Rural
Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation, the Banks listed therein, The Bank of
Nova Scotia, Bank One, N.A., and ABN Amro Bank N.V., as Co-Documentation Agents,
Banc of America Securities LLC, as Syndication Agent, and The Chase Manhattan
Bank, as Administrative Agent, to [Date]. Terms defined in the Credit Agreement
are used herein as therein defined.
This Extension Agreement shall be construed in accordance with
and governed by the law of the State of New York.
[NAME OF BANK]
By____________________________
Title:
[NAME OF BANK]
By____________________________
Title:
THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK, as
Administrative Agent
By____________________________
Title:
Agreed and accepted:
NATIONAL RURAL UTILITIES
COOPERATIVE FINANCE CORPORATION
By____________________________
Title:
EXHIBIT I
ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION AGREEMENT
AGREEMENT dated as of ___________, 200__ among [ASSIGNOR] (the
"Assignor"),
[ASSIGNEE] (the "Assignee"), NATIONAL RURAL UTILITIES
COOPERATIVE FINANCE CORPORATION (the "Borrower") and THE CHASE
MANHATTAN BANK, as Administrative Agent (the "Agent").
W I T N E S S E T H
WHEREAS, this Assignment and Assumption Agreement (the
"Agreement")
relates to the Three-Year Credit Agreement dated as of August 8, 2001 (the "Credit
Agreement") among the Borrower, the Assignor and the other Banks party
thereto, as Banks, The Bank of Nova Scotia, Bank One, N.A., and ABN Amro Bank
N.V., as Co-Documentation Agents, Banc of America Securities LLC, as Syndication
Agent, and The Chase Manhattan Bank, as Administrative Agent (the "Agent");
WHEREAS, as provided under the Credit Agreement, the Assignor
has a Commitment to make Loans to the Borrower in an aggregate principal amount
at any time outstanding not to exceed $__________;
WHEREAS, Committed Loans made to the Borrower by the Assignor
under the Credit Agreement in the aggregate principal amount of $__________ are
outstanding at the date hereof; and
WHEREAS, the Assignor proposes to assign to the Assignee all of
the rights of the Assignor under the Credit Agreement in respect of a portion of
its Commitment thereunder in an amount equal to $__________ (the "Assigned
Amount"), together with a corresponding portion of its outstanding
Committed Loans, and the Assignee proposes to accept assignment of such rights
and assume the corresponding obligations from the Assignor on such terms;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the mutual
agreements contained herein, the parties hereto agree as follows
SECTION 1. Definitions. All capitalized terms not
otherwise defined herein shall have the respective meanings set forth in the
Credit Agreement.
SECTION 2. Assignment. The Assignor hereby assigns and
sells to the Assignee all of the rights of the Assignor under the Credit
Agreement to the extent of the Assigned Amount, and the Assignee hereby accepts
such assignment from the Assignor and assumes all of the obligations of the
Assignor under the Credit Agreement to the extent of the Assigned Amount,
including the purchase from the Assignor of the corresponding portion of the
principal amount of the Committed Loans made by the Assignor outstanding at the
date hereof. Upon the execution and delivery hereof by the Assignor, the
Assignee, the Borrower and the Agent and the payment of the amounts specified in
Section 3 required to be paid on the date hereof (i) the Assignee shall, as of
the date hereof, succeed to the rights and be obligated to perform the
obligations of a Bank under the Credit Agreement with a Commitment in an amount
equal to the Assigned Amount, and (ii) the Commitment of the Assignor shall, as
of the date hereof, be reduced by a like amount and the Assignor released from
its obligations under the Credit Agreement to the extent such obligations have
been assumed by the Assignee. The assignment provided for herein shall be
without recourse to the Assignor.
SECTION 3. Payments. As consideration for the assignment
and sale contemplated in Section 2 hereof, the Assignee shall pay to the
Assignor on the date hereof in Federal funds the amount heretofore agreed
between them. It is understood that commitment and/or facility fees accrued to
the date hereof are for the account of the Assignor and such fees accruing from
and including the date hereof are for the account of the Assignee. Each of the
Assignor and the Assignee hereby agrees that if it receives any amount under the
Credit Agreement which is for the account of the other party hereto, it shall
receive the same for the account of such other party to the extent of such other
party's interest therein and shall promptly pay the same to such other party.
SECTION 4. Consent of the Borrower and the Agent. This
Agreement is conditioned upon the consent of the Borrower and the Agent pursuant
to Section 9.06(c) of the Credit Agreement. The execution of this Agreement by
the Borrower and the Agent is evidence of this consent. Pursuant to Section
9.06(c) of the Credit Agreement the Borrower agrees to execute and deliver a
Note payable to the order of the Assignee to evidence the assignment and
assumption provided for herein.
SECTION 5. Non-Reliance on Assignor. The Assignor makes
no representation or warranty in connection with, and shall have no
responsibility with respect to, the solvency, financial condition, or statements
of the Borrower, or the validity and enforceability of the obligations of the
Borrower in respect of the Credit Agreement or any Note. The Assignee
acknowledges that it has, independently and without reliance on the Assignor,
and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made
its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Agreement and will
continue to be responsible for making its own independent appraisal of the
business, affairs and financial condition of the Borrower.
SECTION 6. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be
governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
SECTION 7. Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in
any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an original, with the same
effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be
executed and delivered by their duly authorized officers as of the date first
above written.
[ASSIGNOR]
By_________________________
Title:
[ASSIGNEE]
By__________________________
Title:
NATIONAL RURAL UTILITIES
COOPERATIVE FINANCE
CORPORATION
By__________________________
Title:
THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK, as
Administrative Agent
By__________________________
Title: