PLACEMENT AGENT AND ADVISORY SERVICES AGREEMENT
PLACEMENT
AGENT AND ADVISORY
SERVICES
AGREEMENT
This
Placement Agent and Advisory Services Agreement (this "Agreement")
is
made as of May 1, 2007 (the “Effective
Date”),
by
and between STI Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation (together with its
subsidiaries, the "Company"),
and
Monarch Bay Associates, LLC, a California limited liability company
("MBA").
MBA
and the Company agree as follows:
1. |
Engagement
of MBA:
The Company hereby engages MBA, and MBA hereby accepts such engagement,
to
act as:
|
(a) |
the
Company's placement agent on an exclusive basis with respect to finding
investors (the “Investors”) for an offering of the Company’s capital stock
in a transaction or transactions exempt from registration under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and in compliance with the applicable
laws and regulations of any jurisdiction in which securities are
sold
under this Agreement (a “Private
Placement”);
and
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(b) |
the
Company’s advisor, on an exclusive basis, in identifying and introducing
prospective parties to an acquisition, merger, joint venture or any
other
similar transaction or relationship, directly or indirectly, involving
the
Company (a “Transaction”).
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The
Company acknowledges and agrees that MBA's obligations hereunder are on a
reasonable best efforts basis only and that the execution of this Agreement
does
not constitute a commitment by MBA to purchase the securities and does not
ensure the successful placement of the securities or any portion thereof or
the
success of MBA with respect to securing any other financing or a Transaction
on
behalf of the Company. MBA will act solely as a broker with respect to
identifying and negotiating with potential investors in securities that may
be
issued in the Private Placement and potential parties to a Transaction. MBA
will
not act as an underwriter in any Private Placement or Transaction.
2. |
MBA's
Compensation:
The Company hereby agrees to pay MBA fees in such amount and upon
such
terms and conditions contained herein upon the successful completion
of a
Private Placement as follows:
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(a) |
Retainer.
Upon execution of this Agreement, the Company will issue to MBA
5,000
shares of its Series A Preferred Stock, par value $.001 per share,
as a
non-refundable retainer fee for the services provided by MBA
hereunder.
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(b) |
Success
Fees.
The Company will pay MBA a Success Fee, as described below, when
the
Company closes on a Private Placement or a Transaction during the
Term (as
hereinafter defined) of this Agreement or during a one-year period
thereafter, so long as any purchasers of the Company’s capital stock or
parties to a Transaction were identified by or introduced to the
Company
by MBA (or are affiliates of any person so identified or
introduced).
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1
Computation
and Payment of Success Fees.
(i)
Private
Placements. For
each
Private Placement, the Success Fee will be (x) a cash fee equal to 9% of gross
proceeds raised in the Private Placement (including, without limitation, upon
exercise of any warrants issued in Private Placement) and (y) warrants (the
“MBA
Warrants”)
to
purchase 9% of the total number of shares of common stock issued and issuable
by
the Company to Investors under and in connection with the Private Placement,
including (without limitation) shares issuable upon conversion or exercise
of
the securities sold in the Private Placement, at an exercise price equal to
the
purchase price of the common stock sold in the Private Placement or, in the
event that securities convertible into common stock are sold in the Private
Placement, the conversion price of such securities.
The
cash
portion of the Success Fee will be due and payable upon the closing of each
Private Placement and will be payable directly to MBA from the escrow
established for such closing or in such other manner as may be acceptable to
MBA.
MBA
Warrants will have a five (5) year term (or such longer term as is provided
in
any warrants issued in the Private Placement) and will provide for cashless
exercise (even if the Investors do not have such a right). MBA Warrants will
have the benefit of full ratchet anti-dilution protection against issuances
of
securities at prices (or with conversion or exercise prices, in the case of
convertible securities, warrants, options or rights) below the exercise price
of
MBA Warrants. MBA Warrants will not be callable or redeemable. The shares
underlying MBA Warrants will be included in the first registration statement
filed by the Company covering the securities issued in the Private Placement
(or
securities issuable upon conversion or exercise thereof). MBA Warrants will
be
transferable within MBA’s organization, at MBA’s discretion. MBA Warrants will
contain such other terms and conditions no less favorable to MBA than the term
and conditions of any warrants issued to the Investors in the Private
Placement.
(ii)
Transactions.
For
each
Transaction, the Success Fee will be a cash fee equal to 3% of the Total
Consideration (as defined below) with respect to such Transaction. As used
herein. “Total
Consideration"
means,
with respect to any Transaction, the total value of all cash, securities, or
other property paid or received, directly or indirectly, by the Company or
its
owners (at closing or in the future) in connection with such Transaction,
including (without limitation) in respect of (i) the assumption (by contract,
operation of law or otherwise) of any indebtedness or (ii) consulting,
non-compete or similar agreements.
The
Success Fee will be due and payable upon the closing of each Transaction and
will be payable directly to MBA from the escrow established for such closing
or
in such other manner as may be acceptable to MBA; provided
that in
the case of any installment or contingent payment made in respect of the
Transaction, the Success Fee in respect of such installment or contingent
payment shall be due and payable on the date such payment is made.
2
3. |
Certain
Matters Relating to MBA’s Duties:
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(a) |
MBA
shall (i) assist the Company in the preparation of information documents
to be shared with potential Investors and parties to Transactions
(ii)
identify and screen potential Investors and parties to Transactions,
and
(iii) perform other related duties.
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(b) |
MBA
shall perform its duties under this Agreement in a manner consistent
with
the instructions of the Company. Such performance shall include the
delivery of information to potential interested parties, conducting
due
diligence, and leading discussions with potential Investors and parties
to
Transactions.
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(c) |
MBA
shall not engage in any form of general solicitation or advertising
in
performing its duties under this Agreement. This prohibition includes,
but
is not limited to, any mass mailing, any advertisement, article or
notice
published in any magazine, newspaper or newsletter and any seminar
or
meeting where the attendees have been invited by any mass mailing,
general
solicitation or advertising.
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(d) |
MBA
is and will hereafter act as an independent contractor and not as
an
employee of the Company and nothing in this Agreement shall be interpreted
or construed to create any employment, partnership, joint venture,
or
other relationship between MBA and the Company. MBA will not hold
itself
out as having, and will not state to any person that MBA has, any
relationship with the Company other than as an independent contractor.
MBA
shall have no right or power to find or create any liability or obligation
for or in the name of the Company or to sign any documents on behalf
of
the Company.
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4. Certain
Matters Relating to Company’s Duties:
(a) |
The
Company shall promptly provide MBA with all relevant information
about the
Company (to the extent available to the Company in the case of parties
other than the Company) that shall be reasonably requested or required
by
MBA, which information shall be complete and accurate in all material
respects at the time furnished.
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(b) |
The
Company recognizes that in order for MBA to perform properly its
obligations in a professional manner, it is necessary that MBA be
informed
of and, to the extent practicable, participate in meetings and discussions
between the Company and any third party, including, without limitation,
any prospective purchaser of the Company’s securities, relating to the
matters covered by the terms of MBA's
engagement.
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(c) |
The
Company agrees that any report or opinion, oral or written, delivered
to
it by MBA is prepared solely for its confidential use and shall not
be
reproduced, summarized, or referred to in any public document or
given or
otherwise divulged to any other person without MBA's prior written
consent, except as may be required by applicable law or
regulation.
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(d) |
The
Company represents and warrants that: (i) it has full right, power
and
authority to enter into this Agreement and to perform all of its
obligations hereunder; (ii) this Agreement has been duly authorized
and
executed by and constitutes a valid and binding agreement of the
Company
enforceable in accordance with its terms; and (iii) the execution
and
delivery of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions
contemplated hereby do not conflict with or result in a breach of
the
Company's certificate of incorporation or by-laws. Further, this
Agreement
and the transactions contemplated herein shall not conflict with
or result
in the breach of any agreement to which the Company is a party at
the time
the transactions contemplated herein are
consummated.
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3
5. |
Term;
Termination of Agreement.
The term of this Agreement shall commence on the Effective Date and
shall
expire one year thereafter unless terminated earlier pursuant to
the terms
of this paragraph (the “Term”). Either party may terminate this Agreement
prior to its expiration by notifying the other party in writing upon
a
material breach by that other party, unless such breach is curable
and is
in fact cured within fifteen (15) days after such notice. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, all provisions of this Agreement (including Exhibit
A
hereto) other than Sections 1, 3 and 4 (a) and (b) shall survive
the
termination or expiration of this Agreement. MBA shall be entitled
to
compensation under Section 2 (and payment for non-accountable expenses
under Section 12) based on the completion of a Private Placement
or a
Transaction prior to the termination or expiration of this Agreement
or
during the period one year following termination so long as any Investors
or party to a Transaction, as the case may be, (or any affiliate
of any
such person or entity) were identified by or introduced to the Company
by
MBA. MBA will provide to the Company within ten business days after
the
expiration or termination of this Agreement a list of all persons
or
entities identified by or introduced to the Company by MBA pursuant
to
this Agreement (the “Introduction List”). Within five business day
following the delivery of the Introduction List to the Company, the
Company will provide MBA with written notice of any objections to
the
inclusion of any person or entity in the Introduction List and state
the
basis for each objection in reasonable detail. The inclusion of a
person
or entity in the Introduction List shall be deemed conclusive in
making a
later determination as to whether a Success Fee is payable hereunder,
unless the Company shall have made a timely and proper objection.
The
parties will cooperate to resolve the status of any person or entity
as to
which the Company shall have made a timely and proper
objection.
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Except
as
otherwise specifically provided for herein, the Company shall have no liability
to MBA should the Company terminate this Agreement prior to the completion
of a
Private Placement or a Transaction.
6. |
Indemnification.
The indemnification provisions set forth in Exhibit A hereto are
incorporated by reference and are a part of this
Agreement.
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7. |
Notices.
Any notice, consent, authorization or other communication to be given
hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed duly given and
received
when delivered personally, when transmitted by fax during the normal
business hours of the party receiving such notice so long a copy
of that
notice is also send by certified mail, return receipt requested at
the
time it is transmitted by fax, five business days after being mailed
by
certified mail, return receipt requested or one business day after
being
sent by a nationally recognized overnight delivery service, charges
and
postage prepaid, properly addressed to the party to receive such
notice,
at the following address or fax number for such party (or at such
other
address or fax number as shall hereafter be specified by such party
by
like notice):
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(a)
If
to the
Company, to:
STI
Group, Inc.
ATTN:
Chief Executive Officer
00000
Xxxxxx Xxxxx Xx #000
Xxx
Xxxx
Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000
Telephone
Number:
Fax
Number:
E-mail:
4
(b)
If
to
MBA, to:
Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx, Managing Director
Monarch
Bay Associates, LLC
00000
Xxxxxx Xxxxx Xx #000
Xxx
Xxxx
Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000
Telephone
Number: (000)
000-0000
Fax
Number: (000)
000-0000
E-mail:
8. |
Company
to Control Transactions.
The
terms and conditions under which the Company would enter into a Private
Placement or a Transaction shall be at the sole discretion of the
Company.
Nothing in this Agreement shall obligate the Company to actually
consummate a Private Placement or a Transaction. The Company may
terminate
any negotiations or discussions at any time and reserves the right
not to
proceed with a Private Placement or a Transaction.
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9. |
Confidentiality
of Company Information.
MBA, and its officers, directors, employees and agents shall maintain
in
strict confidence and not copy, disclose or transfer to any other
party
(1) all confidential business and financial information regarding
the
Company and its affiliates, including without limitation, projections,
business plans, marketing plans, product development plans, pricing,
costs, customer, vendor and supplier lists and identification, channels
of
distribution, and terms of identification of proposed or actual contracts
and (2) all confidential technology of the Company. In furtherance
of the
foregoing, MBA agrees that it shall not transfer, transmit, distribute,
download or communicate, in any electronic, digitized or other form
or
media, any of the confidential technology of the Company. The foregoing
is
not intended to preclude MBA from utilizing, subject to the terms
and
conditions of this Agreement, the Private Placement or Offering Memorandum
and/or other documents prepared or approved by the Company. Further,
the
Company must approve the Private Placement or Offering Memorandum,
being
prepared by MBA, before it is mailed to prospective Investors or
parties
to a Transaction.
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5
All
communications regarding any possible transactions, requests for due diligence
or other information, requests for facility tours, product demonstrations or
management meetings, will be submitted or directed to the Company, and MBA
shall
not contact any employees, customers, suppliers or contractors of the Company
or
its affiliates without express permission. Nothing in this Agreement shall
constitute a grant of authority to MBA or any representatives thereof to remove,
examine or copy any particular document or types of information regarding the
Company, and the Company shall retain control over the particular documents
or
items to be provided, examined or copied. If a Private Placement or a
Transaction is not consummated, or if at any time the Company so requests,
MBA
and its representatives will return to the Company all copies of information
regarding the Company in their possession.
The
provisions of this Section shall survive any termination of this
Agreement.
10. |
Press
Releases, Etc.
The Company shall control all press releases or announcements to
the
public, the media or the industry regarding any Private Placement,
Transaction or business relationship involving the Company or its
affiliates. Except for communication to Investors in furtherance
of this
Agreement, MBA will not disclose the fact that discussions or negotiations
are taking place concerning a possible Private Placement or a Transaction
involving the Company, or the status or terms and conditions
thereof.
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11. |
Due
Diligence:
Neither
the Company, nor any of its directors, officers or stockholders,
should,
in any way rely on MBA to perform any due diligence with respect
to the
Company. It is expressly understood and agreed that the Investors
and
parties to any Transaction will conduct their own due diligence on
the
Company and the opportunity.
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12. |
Expenses,
Etc.
The Company will pay to MBA a non-accountable expense fee equal to
2% of
gross proceeds raised in each Private Placement (the “Non-Accountable
Fee”), which will be used to pay MBA’s travel and other expenses. The
Non-Accountable Fee will be paid in the same time and manner as the
Success Fee. The Company will pay all other costs and expenses incident
to
the issuance, offer, sale and delivery of each Private Placement,
including but are not limited to state “Blue Sky” fees, legal fees,
printing costs, travel costs, mailing, couriers, and personal background
checks.
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13. |
Compliance
with Laws.
MBA represents and warrants that it shall conduct itself in compliance
with applicable federal and state laws. MBA represents that it is
not a
party to any other Agreement, which would conflict with or interfere
with
the terms and conditions of this
Agreement.
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14. |
Assignment
Permissable.
MBA reserves the right to assign a portion of this Agreement to one
or
more sub-agents with respect to any Private Placement or Transaction,
subject to the prior written consent of the Company. Any approved
sub-agent shall be paid a portion of Success Fees as may be determined
by
MBA. The Company does acknowledge that MBA may pay other consultants
or
agents in connection with the Private Placement(s) and Transaction(s).
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6
15. |
Amendments.
Neither party may amend this Agreement or rescind any of its existing
provisions without the prior written consent of the other
party.
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16. |
Governing
Law; Dispute Resolution.
This Agreement shall be deemed to have been made in the State of
California and shall be construed, and the rights and liabilities
determined, in accordance with the law of the State of California,
without
regard to the conflicts of laws rules of such jurisdiction. Any
controversy or claim relating to or arising from this Agreement (an
"Arbitrable Dispute") shall be settled by arbitration in accordance
with
the Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association
(the "AAA") as such rules may be modified herein or as otherwise
agreed by
the parties in controversy. The forum for arbitration shall be Orange
County, California. Following thirty (30) days notice by any party
of
intention to invoke arbitration, any Arbitrable Dispute arising under
this
Agreement and not mutually resolved within such thirty (30) day period
shall be determined by a single arbitrator upon which the parties
agree.
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17. |
Waiver.
Neither MBA’s nor the Company’s failure to insist at any time upon strict
compliance with this Agreement or any of its terms nor any continued
course of such conduct on their part shall constitute or be considered
a
waiver by MBA or the Company of any of their respective rights or
privileges under this Agreement.
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18. |
Severability.
If any provision herein is or should become inconsistent with any
present
or future law, rule or regulation of any sovereign government or
regulatory body having jurisdiction over the subject matter of this
Agreement, such provision shall be deemed to be rescinded or modified
in
accordance with such law, rule or regulation. In all other respects,
this
Agreement shall continue to remain in full force and effect.
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19. |
Counterparts.
This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each
of which
shall be deemed an original, and will become effective and binding
upon
the parties at such time as all of the signatories hereto have signed
a
counterpart of this Agreement. All counterparts so executed shall
constitute one Agreement binding on all of the parties hereto,
notwithstanding that all of the parties are not signatory to the
same
counterpart. Each of the parties hereto shall sign a sufficient number
of
counterparts so that each party will receive a fully executed original
of
this Agreement.
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7
20. |
Entire
Agreement.
This Agreement (together with Exhibit A hereto) constitutes the entire
agreement between the Company and MBA. No other agreements, covenants,
representations or warranties, express or implied, oral or written,
have
been made by any party hereto to any other party concerning the subject
matter hereof. All prior and contemporaneous conversations, negotiations,
possible and alleged agreements, representations, covenants and warranties
concerning the subject matter hereof are merged herein and shall
be of no
further force or effect.
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Monarch
Bay Associates, LLC (the
“MBA”)
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||
By: | ||
Xxxxx Xxxxx
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||
Title:
|
Managing
Director
|
STI
Group, Inc. (the
“Company”)
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||
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|
|
By: | ||
Xxxxx Xxxxxxx
|
||
Title:
|
CEO
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8
EXHIBIT
A
Indemnification
The
Company agrees that it shall indemnify and hold harmless, MBA, its stockholders,
members directors, officers, employees, agents, affiliates and controlling
persons within the meaning of Section 20 of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934
and Section 15 of the Securities Act of 1933, each as amended (any and all
of
whom are referred to as an "Indemnified Party"), from and against any and all
losses, claims, damages, liabilities, or expenses, and all actions in respect
thereof (including, but not limited to, all legal or other expenses reasonably
incurred by an Indemnified Party in connection with the investigation,
preparation, defense or settlement of any claim, action or proceeding, whether
or not resulting in any liability), incurred by an Indemnified Party with
respect to, caused by, or otherwise arising out of any transaction contemplated
by this Agreement or MBA's performing the services contemplated hereunder;
provided, however, the Company will not be liable to the extent, and only to
the
extent, that any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense is finally judicially
determined to have resulted primarily from MBA's gross negligence or bad faith
in performing such services.
If
the
indemnification provided for herein is conclusively determined (by an entry
of
final judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction and the expiration of the
time or denial of the right to appeal) to be unavailable or insufficient to
hold
any Indemnified Party harmless in respect to any losses, claims, damages,
liabilities or expenses referred to herein, then the Company shall contribute
to
the amounts paid or payable by such Indemnified Party in such proportion as
is
appropriate and equitable under all circumstances taking into account the
relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and MBA on the other,
from the transaction or proposed transaction under the Agreement or, if
allocation on that basis is not permitted under applicable law, in such
proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits received
by the Company on the one hand and MBA on the other, but also the relative
fault
of the Company and MBA; provided, however, in no event shall the aggregate
contribution of MBA and/or any Indemnified Party be in excess of the net
compensation actually received by MBA and/or such Indemnified Party pursuant
to
this Agreement.
The
Company shall not settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment
in or otherwise seek to terminate any pending or threatened action, claim,
suit
or proceeding in which any Indemnified Party is or could be a party and as
to
which indemnification or contribution could have been sought by such Indemnified
Party hereunder (whether or not such Indemnified Party is a party thereto),
unless such consent or termination includes an express unconditional release
of
such Indemnified Party, reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to such
Indemnified Party, from all losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses
arising out of such action, claim, suit or proceeding.
In
the
event any Indemnified Party shall incur any expenses covered by this Exhibit
A,
the Company shall reimburse the Indemnified Party for such covered expenses
within ten (10) business days of the Indemnified Party's delivery to the Company
of an invoice therefor, with receipts attached. Such obligation of the Company
to so advance funds may be conditioned upon the Company's receipt of a written
undertaking from the Indemnified Party to repay such amounts within ten (10)
business days after a final, non-appealable judicial determination that such
Indemnified Party was not entitled to indemnification hereunder.
9
The
foregoing indemnification and contribution provisions are not in lieu of, but
in
addition to, any rights which any Indemnified Party may have at common law
hereunder or otherwise, and shall remain in full force and effect following
the
expiration or termination of MBA's engagement and shall be binding on any
successors or assigns of the Company and successors or assigns to all or
substantially all of the Company's business or assets.
10