AMENDED AND RESTATED COMMERCIAL PAPER DEALER AGREEMENT [4(2) Commercial Paper Program]
Exhibit
10.11
AMENDED AND RESTATED
COMMERCIAL PAPER DEALER AGREEMENT
[4(2)
Commercial Paper Program]
This
Amended and Restated Commercial Paper Dealer Agreement, dated as of February 10,
2009, confirms the agreement among Banc of America Securities LLC (“BAS”),
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Money Markets Inc. (“Merrill”), Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.
(“Deutsche Bank”) and AllianceBernstein L.P., formerly known as Alliance Capital
Management L.P. (the “Partnership”), whereby each of BAS, Merrill and Deutsche
Bank, severally and not jointly, will act as a dealer with respect to the
promissory notes to be issued by the Partnership, which will be issued either in
physical bearer form or book-entry form, and amends and restates the Amended and
Restated Commercial Paper Dealer Agreement, dated as of May 3, 2006 (the “2006
Dealer Agreement”) among BAS, Merrill and the Partnership. Each of
BAS, Merrill and Deutsche Bank is also sometimes referred to herein as a
“Dealer” and collectively as the “Dealers.” Notes in book-entry form
will be represented by master notes registered in the name of a nominee of The
Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) and recorded in the book-entry system
maintained by DTC. The promissory notes shall (a) be issued in
denominations of not less than $250,000; (b) have maturities not exceeding
270 days from the date of issue; and (c) not contain any condition of
redemption or right to prepay. Such notes, including the master
notes, shall hereinafter be referred to as “Commercial Paper” or
“Notes.” Certain terms used in this Agreement are defined in
paragraph 11 below. Any Exhibits described in this Agreement are
hereby incorporated by reference into this Agreement and made fully a part
hereof.
1. (a)
The Partnership represents and warrants to the Dealers
that: (i) the Partnership has been duly organized and is validly
existing as a limited partnership in good standing under the laws of the State
of Delaware; (ii) this Agreement and the amended and restated issuing and
paying agency agreement dated as of May 3, 2006 with Deutsche Bank National
Trust Company (the “Issuing and Paying Agent”, which term shall include any
successor issuing and paying agent under such agreement), a copy of which has
been provided to each of the Dealers (as such agreement may be amended or
supplemented from time to time, the “Issuing Agreement”), have been duly
authorized, executed and delivered by the Partnership and each constitutes the
valid and legally binding obligation of the Partnership enforceable in
accordance with its respective terms subject to any applicable law relating to
or affecting indemnification for liability under the securities laws, and except
to the extent such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency or
other similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and the applicability
of equitable principles thereto whether in a proceeding of law or in equity;
(iii) the Notes have been duly authorized and, when issued and duly
delivered in accordance with the Issuing Agreement, will constitute the valid
and legally binding obligations of the Partnership, enforceable in accordance
with their terms, except to the extent such enforceability may be limited by
bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar laws affecting creditors’ rights
generally and the applicability of equitable principles thereto whether in a
proceeding of law or in equity; (iv) the private placement memorandum
approved by the Partnership for distribution pursuant to Section 7 hereof
(the “Private Placement Memorandum”) and the Annual Report on Form 10-K of
the Partnership, for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007 and other
documents subsequently filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”)
pursuant to Section 13 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
(the “Exchange Act”), by the Partnership (together, the “Offering Materials”),
taken as a whole, except insofar as any information therein relates to BAS,
Xxxxxxx or Deutsche Bank (or their respective affiliates), each in its
respective capacity as dealer hereunder, do not include any untrue statement of
a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the
statements made therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading; (v) the offer and sale of the Notes in the manner
contemplated by this Agreement will be exempt from the registration requirements
of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), pursuant to
Section 4(2) thereof, and no indenture in respect of the Notes is required
to be qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended; (vi) the
Partnership 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; (vii) the Notes will rank at least pari passu with all other
unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness of the Partnership; (viii) no consent
or action of, or filing or registration with, any governmental or public
regulatory body or authority, including the SEC, is required for the Partnership
to authorize, or is otherwise required in connection with the execution,
delivery or performance by the Partnership of, this Agreement, the Notes or the
Issuing Agreement, except as may be required by the securities or Blue Sky laws
of the various states in connection with the offer and sale of the Notes; (ix)
neither the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the Issuing Agreement,
nor the issuance of the Notes in accordance with the Issuing Agreement, nor the
fulfillment of or compliance with the terms and provisions hereof or thereof by
the Partnership, will (A) result in the creation or imposition of any
mortgage, lien, charge or encumbrance of any nature whatsoever upon any of the
properties or assets of the Partnership, which mortgage, lien, charge or
encumbrance would have a material adverse effect on the financial condition or
operations of the Partnership and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise,
or (B) violate or result in a breach or a default under any of the terms of the
Partnership’s limited partnership certificate or agreement, any contract or
instrument to which the Partnership is a party or by which it or its property is
bound, or any law or regulation, or any order, writ, injunction or decree of any
court or government instrumentality, to which the Partnership is subject or by
which it or its property is bound, which violation, breach or default would have
a material adverse effect on the financial condition or operations of the
Partnership and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise or the ability of
the Partnership to perform its obligations under this Agreement, the Notes or
the Issuing Agreement; and (x) except as may be disclosed in the Offering
Materials, there is no litigation or governmental proceeding pending, or to the
knowledge of the Partnership threatened, against or affecting the Partnership or
any of its subsidiaries which would have a material adverse effect on the
financial condition or operations of the Partnership and its subsidiaries
considered as one enterprise or the ability of the Partnership to perform its
obligations under this Agreement, the Notes or the Issuing
Agreement.
(b)
Each sale of a Note by the Partnership under this
Agreement shall constitute an affirmation that the foregoing representations and
warranties remain true and correct at the time of sale, and will remain true and
correct at the time of delivery, of such Note, and since the date of the most
recent Private Placement Memorandum, there has been no material adverse change
in the financial condition or operations of the Partnership and its subsidiaries
considered as one enterprise which has not been disclosed to the Dealers in
writing.
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2. Each
of the Dealers may, from time to time, but shall not be obligated to, purchase
Commercial Paper from the Partnership.
3. Prior
to the initial issuance of Commercial Paper, the Partnership shall have
delivered to each of the Dealers an incumbency certificate identifying persons
authorized to sign Commercial Paper on the Partnership’s behalf and containing
the true signatures of each of such persons.
4. Prior
to the initial issuance of Commercial Paper, the Partnership shall have supplied
each of the Dealers with an opinion or opinions of counsel addressing the
matters set forth in paragraph 1(a)(i)-(iii), (v) – (vi) and (viii) above
and such other matters as the Dealers shall reasonably request, such opinion or
opinions to be in form and substance satisfactory to the Dealers.
5.
All transactions in Commercial Paper between
each of the Dealers and the Partnership shall be in accordance with the custom
and practice in the commercial paper market. In accordance with such
custom and practice, the purchase of Commercial Paper by the applicable Dealer
shall be negotiated verbally between the applicable Dealer’s personnel and the
authorized representative of the Partnership. Such negotiation shall
determine the principal amount of Commercial Paper to be sold, the discount rate
or interest rate applicable thereto, and the maturity thereof. The
applicable Dealer’s fee for such sales shall be included in the discount rate
with respect to Commercial Paper issued at a discount, or stated separately as a
fee, in the case of Commercial Paper bearing interest. The applicable
Dealer shall confirm each transaction made with the Partnership in writing in
such Dealer’s customary form. Delivery and payment of Commercial
Paper shall be effected in accordance with the Issuing Agreement.
6. The
applicable Dealer shall pay for the Notes purchased by such Dealer in
immediately available funds on the business day such Notes, executed in a manner
satisfactory to such Dealer, are delivered to such Dealer in the case of
physical bearer Notes, or in the case of book-entry Notes, on the business day
such Notes are credited to such Dealer’s Participant Account at
DTC. Payment shall be made in any manner permitted in the Issuing
Agreement. The amount payable by the applicable Dealer to the
Partnership shall be (i) in the case of discount Notes, the face value
thereof less the original issue discount and less the compensation payable to
such Dealer and (ii) in the case of interest to follow Notes, the face
value thereof less the compensation payable to such Dealer.
3
7. From
and after the date of this Agreement, the Partnership will supply to each of the
Dealers on a continuing basis three copies of all annual and quarterly and other
reports filed by the Partnership pursuant to Section 13 of the Exchange
Act, and reports mailed by the Partnership to its unitholders (in their capacity
as unitholders), plus such other information as the Dealers may reasonably
request; provided, however, that so long as such reports or other information is
available on the Partnership’s website, delivery to each of the Dealers shall be
deemed to have occurred when such information first becomes available on the
Partnership’s website. The Partnership understands, however, that the
Dealers shall distribute or otherwise use any informational documents concerning
the Partnership, including the Private Placement Memorandum, only with the prior
review and approval of the Partnership. The Partnership further
undertakes to supply copies of such reports when requested by any Commercial
Paper customer of the Dealers, as set forth in the Private Placement
Memorandum. The Partnership further agrees to notify the Dealers
promptly upon the occurrence of any event or other development, the result of
which causes the informational documents and the Partnership’s annual or
quarterly and other reports filed pursuant to Section 13 of the Exchange
Act, taken as a whole, to include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit
to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements contained
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading. The Partnership agrees promptly to supplement or amend
the Private Placement Memorandum so that the Private Placement Memorandum, as
amended or supplemented, shall not contain an untrue statement of a material
fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading, and the Partnership shall make such supplement or amendment
available to the Dealers.
8. (a)
Partnership agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each
Dealer, each person, if any, who controls such Dealer within the meaning of
either Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act and
each of their respective directors and officers (collectively, the
“Indemnitee”), against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities or
expenses, joint or several, to which any Indemnitee may become subject, under
the Act, the Exchange Act, or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims,
damages, liabilities or expenses (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or
are based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of material
fact contained in the Offering Materials, taken as a whole, or the omission or
alleged omission to state therein a material fact necessary to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances in which they are made,
not misleading, or (ii) the breach by the Partnership of any agreement, covenant
or representation made in or pursuant to this Agreement, and the Partnership
further agrees to reimburse each Indemnitee for any legal or other expenses
reasonably incurred by it in connection with investigating or defending any such
loss, claim, damage, liability, expense or action; provided, however, that the
Partnership will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such
loss, claim, damage, liability or expense arises out of or is based upon an
untrue statement or omission contained in the Offering Materials which relates
to a Dealer (or its affiliates) in its capacity as dealer hereunder provided by
such Dealer in writing expressly for inclusion in the Private Placement
Memorandum. At the date hereof, the only such material is such
Dealer’s contact information included in the Private Placement
Memorandum.
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(b)
Promptly after receipt by an Indemnitee of notice of the existence of any
such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense, such Indemnitee will, if a claim
in respect thereof is to be made against the Partnership, notify the Partnership
in writing of the existence thereof; provided that (i) the omission so to notify
the Partnership will not relieve the Partnership from any liability which it may
have hereunder unless and except to the extent it did not otherwise learn of
such claim and such failure results in the forfeiture by the Partnership of
substantial rights and defenses, and (ii) the omission so to notify the
Partnership will not relieve it from liability which it may have to an
Indemnitee otherwise than on account of this Agreement. In case any
such claim is made against any Indemnitee and it notifies the Partnership of the
existence thereof, the Partnership will be entitled to participate therein, and
to the extent that it may elect by written notice delivered to the Indemnitee,
to assume the defense thereof, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such
Indemnitee; provided that if the defendants in any such claim include both the
Indemnitee and the Partnership, and the Indemnitee shall have concluded that
there may be legal defenses available to it which are different from or
additional to those available to the Partnership, the Partnership shall not have
the right to direct the defense of such claim on behalf of such Indemnitee, and
the Indemnitee shall have the right to select separate counsel to assert such
legal defenses on behalf of such Indemnitee. Upon receipt of notice
from the Partnership to such Indemnitee of the Partnership’s election so to
assume the defense of such claim and approval by the Indemnitee of counsel, the
Partnership will not be liable to such Indemnitee for expenses incurred
thereafter by the Indemnitee in connection with the defense thereof (other than
reasonable costs of investigation) unless (i) the Indemnitee shall have employed
separate counsel in connection with the assertion of legal defenses in
accordance with the proviso to the next preceding sentence (it being understood,
however, that the Partnership shall not be liable for the expenses of more than
one separate counsel (in addition to any local counsel in the jurisdiction in
which any claim is brought), approved by the applicable Dealer, representing the
Indemnitee who is party to such claim), (ii) the Partnership shall not have
employed counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnitee to represent the
Indemnitee within a reasonable time after notice of existence of the claim or
(iii) the Partnership has authorized in writing the employment of counsel for
the Indemnitee. The indemnity, reimbursement and contribution
obligations of the Partnership hereunder shall be in addition to any other
liability the Partnership may otherwise have to an Indemnitee and shall be
binding upon and inure to the benefit of any successors, assigns, heirs and
personal representatives of the Partnership and any Indemnitee. The
Partnership agrees that without the applicable Dealer’s prior written consent,
it will not settle, compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment in any
claim in respect of which indemnification may be sought under the
indemnification provision of this Agreement (whether or not such Dealer or any
other Indemnitee is an actual or potential party to such claim), unless such
settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional release of each
Indemnitee from all liability arising out of such claim and (ii) does not
include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or failure to
act, by or on behalf of any Indemnitee.
(c)
In order to provide for just and equitable contribution in circumstances in
which the indemnification provided for in paragraph 8(a) is for any reason held
unavailable (otherwise than in accordance with the provision stated therein),
the Partnership shall contribute to the aggregate costs of satisfying any loss,
damage, liability or expense sought to be charged against or incurred by any
Indemnitee in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits
received by the Partnership on the one hand and the Dealers on the other from
the offering of the Notes. For purposes of this paragraph 8(c),
the “relative benefits” received by the Partnership shall be equal to the
aggregate net proceeds received by the Partnership from Notes sold pursuant to
this Agreement and the “relative benefits” received by each Dealer shall be
equal to the aggregate commissions and fees earned by such Dealer
hereunder.
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9. The
Dealers and the Partnership hereby establish and agree to observe the following
procedures in connection with offers, sales and subsequent resales or other
transfers of the Notes:
(a) Offers
and sales of the Notes by or through the Dealers shall be made only
to: (i) investors reasonably believed by the applicable Dealer
to be Qualified Institutional Buyers or Institutional Accredited Investors and
(ii) non-bank fiduciaries or agents that will be purchasing Notes for one
or more accounts, each of which is reasonably believed by the Dealer to be an
Institutional Accredited Investor.
(b) Resales
and other transfers of the Notes by the holders thereof shall be made only in
accordance with the restrictions in the legend described in clause (e)
below.
(c)
No
"general solicitation or general advertising" within the meaning of Regulation D
shall be used in connection with the offering of the Notes. Without
limiting the generality of the foregoing, without the prior written approval of
the other parties hereto, no party hereto shall issue any press release or place
or publish any “tombstone” or other advertisement relating to the
Notes.
(d) No sale
of Notes to any one purchaser shall be for less than $250,000 principal or face
amount, and no Note shall be issued in a smaller principal or face
amount. If the purchaser is a non-bank fiduciary acting on behalf of
others, each person for whom such purchaser is acting must purchase at least
$250,000 principal or face amount of Notes.
(e) Offers
and sales of the Notes by the Partnership through a Dealer acting as agent for
the Partnership shall be made in accordance with Rule 506 under the
Securities Act, and shall be subject to the restrictions described in the legend
appearing on Exhibit A hereto. A legend substantially to the
effect of such Exhibit A shall appear as part of the Private Placement
Memorandum used in connection with offers and sales of Notes hereunder, as well
as on each individual certificate representing a Note and each master note
representing book-entry Notes offered and sold pursuant to this
Agreement.
(f)
Each
Dealer shall furnish or shall have furnished to each purchaser of Notes for
which it has acted as the Dealer a copy of the then-current Private Placement
Memorandum unless such purchaser has previously received a copy of the Private
Placement Memorandum as then in effect. The Private Placement
Memorandum shall expressly state that any person to whom Notes are offered shall
have an opportunity to ask questions of, and receive information from, the
Partnership and the applicable Dealer and shall provide the names, addresses and
telephone numbers of the persons from whom information regarding the Partnership
may be obtained.
(g) The
Partnership agrees, for the benefit of the Dealers and each of the holders and
prospective purchasers from time to time of the Notes that, if at any time the
Partnership shall not be subject to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange
Act, the Partnership will furnish, upon request and at its expense, to the
Dealers and to holders and prospective purchasers of Notes information required
by Rule 144A(d)(4)(i) in compliance with Rule 144A(d).
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(h) In the
event that any Note offered or to be offered by the Dealers would be ineligible
for resale under Rule 144A, the Partnership shall immediately notify the
Dealers (by telephone, confirmed in writing) of such fact and shall promptly
prepare and deliver to the Dealers an amendment or supplement to the Private
Placement Memorandum describing the Notes that are ineligible, the reason for
such ineligibility and any other relevant information relating
thereto.
(i)
The
Partnership will give the Dealers prompt notice (but in any event prior to any
subsequent issuance of Notes hereunder) of any amendment to, modification of or
waiver with respect to, the Notes or the Issuing Agreement, including a complete
copy of any such amendment, modification or waiver.
(j)
The
Partnership shall, whenever there shall occur any adverse change in the
financial condition or operations of the Partnership and its subsidiaries
considered as one enterprise or any other adverse development or occurrence in
relation to the Partnership that, in either case, would be material to holders
of the Notes or potential holders of the Notes (including any downgrading or
receipt of any notice of intended or potential downgrading or any review for
potential change in the rating accorded any of the Partnership’s securities by
any nationally recognized statistical rating organization which has published a
rating of the Notes), promptly, and in any event prior to any subsequent
issuance of Notes hereunder, notify the Dealers (by telephone, confirmed in
writing) of such change, development or occurrence.
(k) The
Partnership will take all such action as the Dealers may reasonably request to
ensure that each offer and each sale of the Notes will comply with any
applicable state Blue Sky laws; provided, however, that the Partnership shall
not be obligated to file any general consent to service of process or to qualify
as a foreign partnership in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or
subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in
which it is not otherwise so subject.
10. The
Partnership hereby represents and warrants to each Dealer, in connection with
offers, sales and resales of Notes, as follows:
(a)
The Partnership hereby confirms to each Dealer that within the preceding six
months neither the Partnership nor any person other than the Dealers acting on
behalf of the Partnership has offered or sold any Notes, or any substantially
similar security of the Partnership to, or solicited offers to buy any such
security from, any person other than the Dealers; provided, that the parties
hereto acknowledge that, within the preceding six months, BAS and Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx
& Co. (“Goldman”) have offered extendible commercial notes on behalf of the
Partnership as pursuant to the extendible commercial notes dealer agreement,
dated as of December 14, 1999, among BancAmerica, Goldman and the
Partnership. The Partnership also agrees that as long as the Notes
are being offered for sale by the Dealers as contemplated hereby and until at
least six months after the offer of Notes hereunder has been terminated, neither
the Partnership nor any person other than the Dealers will offer the Notes or
any substantially similar security of the Partnership for sale to, or solicit
offers to buy any such security from, any person other than the Dealers if, as a
result of the doctrine of “integration” referred to in Rule 502 under the
Securities Act, such offer or sale would render invalid the exemption from the
registration requirements of the Securities Act provided by Section 4(2)
thereof for the offer and sale of the Notes, it being understood that such
agreement is made with a view to bringing the offer and sale of the Notes within
the exemption provided by Section 4(2) of the Securities Act and shall
survive any termination of this Agreement. The Partnership hereby
represents and warrants that it has not taken or omitted to take, and will not
take or omit to take, any action that would cause the offering and sale of Notes
hereunder to be integrated with any other offering of securities, whether such
offering is made by the Partnership or some other party or
parties.
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(b)
The Partnership represents and agrees that the proceeds of the sale of the Notes
are not currently contemplated to be used for the purpose of buying, carrying or
trading securities within the meaning of Regulation T and the
interpretations thereunder by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve
System. In the event that the Partnership determines to use such
proceeds for the purpose of buying, carrying or trading securities, whether in
connection with an acquisition of another company or otherwise, the Partnership
shall give the Dealers at least five business days’ prior written notice to that
effect. The Partnership shall also give the Dealers prompt notice of
the actual date that it commences to purchase securities with the proceeds of
the Notes. Thereafter, in the event that a Dealer purchases Notes as
principal and does not resell such Notes on the day of such purchase, to the
extent necessary to comply with Regulation T and the interpretations
thereunder, such Dealer will sell such Notes either (i) only to offerees it
reasonably believes to be Qualified Institutional Buyers or to Qualified
Institutional Buyers it reasonably believes are acting for other Qualified
Institutional Buyers, in each case in accordance with Rule 144A or
(ii) in a manner which would not cause a violation of Regulation T and
the interpretations thereunder.
11. The
following are definitions for certain terms used in this Agreement:
(a)
“Institutional Accredited Investor” shall mean an institutional investor
that is an accredited investor within the meaning of Rule 501 under the
Securities Act and that has such knowledge and experience in financial and
business matters that it is capable of evaluating and bearing the economic risk
of an investment in the Notes, including, but not limited to, a bank, as defined
in Section 3(a)(2) of the Securities Act, or a savings and loan association
or other institution, as defined in Section 3(a)(5)(A) of the Securities
Act, whether acting in its individual or fiduciary capacity.
(b)
“Non-bank fiduciary or agent” shall mean a fiduciary or agent other
than (a) a bank, as defined in Section 3(a)(2) of the Securities Act,
or (b) a savings and loan association, as defined in
Section 3(a)(5)(A) of the Securities Act.
(c)
“Qualified Institutional Buyer” shall have the meaning assigned to that
term in Rule 144A under the Securities Act.
(d)
“Regulation D” shall mean Regulation D (Rules 501 et seq.)
under the Securities Act.
(e)
“Rule 144A” shall mean Rule 144A under the Securities
Act.
12. This
Agreement may be terminated by the Partnership or either Dealer, with respect to
such Dealer, upon thirty days’ written notice to the Dealers or the Partnership,
as the case may be. Any such termination, however, shall not affect
the obligations of the Partnership under Sections 8 and Section 14
hereof. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in
accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
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13. This
Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the undersigned
parties and their respective successors and assigns, but no other person,
partnership, association, company or corporation.
14. The
Partnership and each Dealer agree that any suit, action or proceeding brought by
the Partnership against a Dealer, or by a Dealer against the Partnership, in
connection with or arising out of this Agreement or the Notes or the offer and
sale of the Notes shall be brought solely in the United States federal courts
located in the Borough of Manhattan or the courts of the State of New York
located in the Borough of Manhattan. EACH DEALER AND THE PARTNERSHIP
WAIVE ITS RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING
WITH RESPECT TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED
HEREBY.
15. This
Agreement is not assignable by the Partnership without the written consent of
the Dealers or by a Dealer without the consent of the Partnership; provided,
however, that, upon prior written notice, a Dealer may assign its rights and
obligations under this Agreement to any affiliate of such Dealer.
16. The
Partnership acknowledges and agrees that (i) the purchase and sale of the Notes
pursuant to this Agreement, including the determination of the offering price of
the Notes and any related discounts and commissions, is an arm's-length
commercial transaction between the Partnership, on the one hand, and the
applicable Dealer, on the other hand, (ii) in connection with the offering
contemplated hereby and the process leading to such transaction each Dealer is
and has been acting solely as a dealer and is not the fiduciary, or, except to
the extent expressly set forth herein, the agent, of the Partnership or its
unitholders, creditors, employees or any other party, (iii) each Dealer has not
assumed nor will it assume an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of
the Partnership with respect to the offering contemplated hereby or the process
leading thereto (irrespective of whether such Dealer has advised or is currently
advising the Partnership on other matters) and the Dealers have no obligation to
the Partnership with respect to the offering contemplated hereby except the
obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement, (iv) each Dealer and its
affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve
interests that differ from those of the Partnership, and (v) the Dealers have
not provided any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to the
offering contemplated hereby and the Partnership has consulted its own legal,
accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it deemed
appropriate.
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17. Unless
otherwise expressly provided herein, all notices under this Agreement to parties
hereto shall be in writing and shall be effective when received at the address
of the respective party set forth as follows:
For
the Partnership:
|
|
Address:
|
0000
Xxxxxx xx xxx Xxxxxxxx
Xxx
Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
|
Attention:
|
Treasury
|
Telephone
number:
|
000-000-0000
|
Fax
number:
|
000-000-0000
|
For
Banc of America Securities LLC:
|
|
Address:
|
000
Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
XX0-000-00-00
Xxx
Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000
|
Attention:
|
Manager,
Money Market Finance
|
Telephone
number:
|
000-000-0000
|
Fax
number:
|
000-000-0000
|
For
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Money Markets Inc.:
|
|
Address:
|
World
Financial Xxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx
Xxx
Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
|
Attention:
|
Money
Markets Origination
|
Telephone
number:
|
000-000-0000
|
Fax
number:
|
000-000-0000
|
For
Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.:
|
|
Address:
|
00
Xxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx
Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
|
Attention:
|
Xxxxxx
Xxxxx
|
Telephone
number:
|
000-000-0000
|
Fax
number:
|
000-000-0000
|
Attention:
|
Xxxxxxxxxxx
Xxxxx
|
Telephone
number:
|
000-000-0000
|
Fax
number:
|
000-000-0000
|
Attention:
|
Xxx
Xxxxx
|
Telephone
number:
|
000-000-0000
|
Fax
number:
|
000-000-0000
|
(Remainder
of page left blank intentionally; Signature Page
follows)
10
If the
foregoing accurately reflects our agreement, please sign the enclosed copy in
the space provided below and return it to the undersigned.
The
parties hereto have caused the execution of this Agreement on the date first
provided above.
AllianceBernstein L.P. | |||
By:
|
/s/
Xxxx X. Xxxxxxx, Xx.
|
||
Name: Xxxx
X. Xxxxxxx, Xx.
Title: Vice
President and Treasurer
|
Banc of America Securities LLC | |||
By:
|
/s/
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
|
||
Name: Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx
Title: Managing
Director
|
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Money Markets Inc. | |||
By:
|
/s/
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
|
||
Name: Xxxxxx
X. Xxxxxx
Title: Managing
Director
|
Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. | |||
By:
|
/s/
Xxxx Xxxxxxxx
|
||
Name: Xxxx
Xxxxxxxx
Title: Director
|
By:
|
/s/
Xxxxxx Xxxxx
|
||
Name: Xxxxxx
Xxxxx
Title: Director
|
EXHIBIT
A
FORM OF
LEGEND FOR
PRIVATE
PLACEMENT MEMORANDUM AND NOTES
THE NOTES
HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE
“ACT”), OR ANY OTHER APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAW, AND OFFERS AND SALES THEREOF MAY
BE MADE ONLY IN COMPLIANCE WITH AN APPLICABLE EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION
REQUIREMENTS OF THE ACT AND ANY APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS. BY
ITS ACCEPTANCE OF A NOTE, THE PURCHASER WILL BE DEEMED TO REPRESENT THAT IT HAS
BEEN AFFORDED AN OPPORTUNITY TO INVESTIGATE MATTERS RELATING TO THE ISSUER AND
THE NOTES, THAT IT IS NOT ACQUIRING SUCH NOTE WITH A VIEW TO ANY DISTRIBUTION
THEREOF AND THAT IT IS (A) AN INSTITUTIONAL INVESTOR THAT IS AN ACCREDITED
INVESTOR WITHIN THE MEANING OF RULE 501(a) UNDER THE ACT (AN “INSTITUTIONAL
ACCREDITED INVESTOR”) AND THAT EITHER IS PURCHASING NOTES FOR ITS OWN ACCOUNT,
IS A U.S. BANK (AS DEFINED IN SECTION 3(a)(2) OF THE ACT) OR A SAVINGS AND
LOAN ASSOCIATION OR OTHER INSTITUTION (AS DEFINED IN SECTION 3(a)(5)(A) OF
THE ACT) ACTING IN ITS INDIVIDUAL OR FIDUCIARY CAPACITY OR IS A FIDUCIARY OR
AGENT (OTHER THAN A U.S. BANK OR SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION) PURCHASING NOTES
FOR ONE OR MORE ACCOUNTS EACH OF WHICH IS SUCH AN INSTITUTIONAL ACCREDITED
INVESTOR OR (B) A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER (“QIB”) WITHIN THE MEANING
OF RULE 144A UNDER THE ACT THAT IS ACQUIRING NOTES FOR ITS OWN ACCOUNT OR
FOR ONE OR MORE OTHER ACCOUNTS, EACH OF WHICH IS A QIB AND WITH RESPECT TO EACH
OF WHICH THE PURCHASER HAS SOLE INVESTMENT DISCRETION; AND THE PURCHASER
ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT IS AWARE THAT THE SELLER MAY RELY UPON THE EXEMPTION FROM
THE REGISTRATION PROVISIONS OF SECTION 5 OF THE ACT PROVIDED BY
RULE 144A. BY ITS ACCEPTANCE OF A NOTE, THE PURCHASER THEREOF
SHALL ALSO BE DEEMED TO AGREE THAT ANY RESALE OR OTHER TRANSFER THEREOF WILL BE
MADE ONLY (A) IN A TRANSACTION EXEMPT FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE ACT,
EITHER (1) TO THE ISSUER OR TO BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES LLC, DEUTSCHE
BANK SECURITIES INC., XXXXXXX XXXXX MONEY MARKETS INC. OR ANOTHER PERSON
DESIGNATED BY THE ISSUER AS A PLACEMENT AGENT FOR THE NOTES (COLLECTIVELY, THE
“PLACEMENT AGENTS”), NONE OF WHICH SHALL HAVE ANY OBLIGATION TO ACQUIRE SUCH
NOTE,
(2) THROUGH
A PLACEMENT AGENT TO AN INSTITUTIONAL ACCREDITED INVESTOR OR A QIB, OR
(3) TO A QIB IN A TRANSACTION THAT MEETS THE REQUIREMENTS OF RULE 144A
AND (B) IN MINIMUM AMOUNTS OF $250,000.
A-1