UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
BETWEEN
ASCEND ACQUISITION CORP.
AND
EARLYBIRDCAPITAL, INC.
DATED: __________, 2006
ASCEND ACQUISITION CORP.
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
New York, New York
________, 0000
XxxxxXxxxXxxxxxx, Inc.
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Dear Sirs:
The undersigned, Ascend Acquisition Corp., a Delaware corporation
("Company"), hereby confirms its agreement with EarlyBirdCapital, Inc. (being
referred to herein variously as "you," "EBC" or the "Underwriter") as follows:
1. Purchase and Sale of Securities.
1.1 Firm Securities.
1.1.1 Purchase of Firm Units. On the basis of the representations and
warranties herein contained, but subject to the terms and conditions herein set
forth, the Company agrees to issue and sell to the Underwriter, and the
Underwriter agrees to purchase from the Company, 6,000,000 units ("Firm Units")
at a purchase price (net of discounts and commissions) of $5.52 per Firm Unit
(including discounts and commissions of $0.138 that will not be paid to the
Underwriter unless and until a Business Combination (as defined below) has been
consummated by the Company). The Underwriter agrees that it will not seek
payment of the discounts and commissions of $0.138 referred to in the preceding
sentence unless and until a Business Combination has been consummated by the
Company, and the Company agrees that it shall pay such discounts and commissions
only upon consummation of such Business Combination. The Firm Units are to be
offered initially to the public ("Offering") at the offering price of $6.00 per
Firm Unit. Each Firm Unit consists of one share of the Company's common stock,
par value $.0001 per share ("Common Stock"), and two warrants ("Warrant(s)").
The shares of Common Stock and the Warrants included in the Firm Units will not
be separately transferable until 90 days after the effective date ("Effective
Date") of the Registration Statement (as defined in Section 2.1.1 hereof) unless
EBC informs the Company of its decision to allow earlier separate trading, but
in no event will EBC allow separate trading until the preparation of an audited
balance sheet of the Company reflecting receipt by the Company of the proceeds
of the Offering and the filing of a Form 8-K by the Company which includes such
balance sheet. Each Warrant entitles its holder to exercise it to purchase one
share of Common Stock for $5.00 during the period commencing on the later of the
consummation by the Company of its "Business Combination" or one year from the
Effective Date and terminating on the four-year anniversary of the Effective
Date. "Business Combination" shall mean any merger, capital stock exchange,
asset acquisition or other similar business combination consummated by the
Company with an operating business (as described more fully in the Registration
Statement).
1.1.2 Payment and Delivery. Delivery and payment for the Firm Units
shall be made at 10:00 A.M., New York time, on the fourth business day following
the effective date or at such earlier time as shall be agreed upon by the
Underwriter and the Company at the offices of the Underwriter or at such other
place as shall be agreed upon by the Underwriter and the Company. The hour and
date of delivery and payment for the Firm Units are called "Closing Date."
Payment for the Firm Units shall be made on the Closing Date at the
Underwriter's election by wire transfer in Federal (same day) funds or by
certified or bank cashier's check(s) in New York Clearing House funds, payable
as follows: $32,488,000 of the proceeds received by the Company for the Firm
Units shall be deposited in the trust fund established by the Company
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for the benefit of the public stockholders as described in the Registration
Statement ("Trust Fund") pursuant to the terms of an Investment Management Trust
Agreement ("Trust Agreement") and the remaining proceeds shall be paid (subject
to Section 3.13 hereof) to the order of the Company upon delivery to you of
certificates (in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters)
representing the Firm Units (or through the facilities of the Depository Trust
Company ("DTC")) for the account of the Underwriter. The Firm Units shall be
registered in such name or names and in such authorized denominations as the
Underwriter may request in writing at least two full business days prior to the
Closing Date. The Company will permit the Underwriter to examine and package the
Firm Units for delivery, at least one full business day prior to the Closing
Date. The Company shall not be obligated to sell or deliver the Firm Units
except upon tender of payment by the Underwriter for all the Firm Units.
1.2 Over-Allotment Option.
1.2.1 Option Units. For the purposes of covering any over-allotments
in connection with the distribution and sale of the Firm Units, the Underwriter
is hereby granted an option to purchase up to an additional 900,000 units from
the Company ("Over-allotment Option"). Such additional 900,000 units are
hereinafter referred to as "Option Units." The Firm Units and the Option Units
are hereinafter collectively referred to as the "Units," and the Units, the
shares of Common Stock and the Warrants included in the Units and the shares of
Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants are hereinafter referred to
collectively as the "Public Securities." The purchase price to be paid for the
Option Units will be the same price per Option Unit as the price per Firm Unit
set forth in Section 1.1.1 hereof.
1.2.2 Exercise of Option. The Over-allotment Option granted pursuant
to Section 1.2.1 hereof may be exercised by the Underwriter as to all (at any
time) or any part (from time to time) of the Option Units within 45 days after
the Effective Date. The Underwriter will not be under any obligation to purchase
any Option Units prior to the exercise of the Over-allotment Option. The
Over-allotment Option granted hereby may be exercised by the giving of oral
notice to the Company by the Underwriter, which must be confirmed in writing by
overnight mail or facsimile transmission setting forth the number of Option
Units to be purchased and the date and time for delivery of and payment for the
Option Units (the "Option Closing Date"), which will not be later than five full
business days after the date of the notice or such other time as shall be agreed
upon by the Company and the Underwriter, at the offices of the Underwriter or at
such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Company and the Underwriter.
Upon exercise of the Over-allotment Option, the Company will become obligated to
convey to the Underwriter, and, subject to the terms and conditions set forth
herein, the Underwriter will become obligated to purchase, the number of Option
Units specified in such notice.
1.2.3 Payment and Delivery. Payment for the Option Units shall be made
on the Option Closing Date at the Underwriter's election by wire transfer in
Federal (same day) funds or by certified or bank cashier's check(s) in New York
Clearing House funds, payable as follows: approximately $5.58 per Option Unit
shall be deposited in the Trust Fund pursuant to the Trust Agreement and the
remaining proceeds shall be paid (subject to Section 3.13 hereof) to the order
of the Company upon delivery to you of certificates (in form and substance
satisfactory to the Underwriter) representing the Option Units (or through the
facilities of DTC) for the account of the Underwriter. The certificates
representing the Option Units to be delivered will be in such denominations and
registered in such names as the Underwriter requests not less than two full
business days prior to the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case
may be, and will be made available to the Underwriter for inspection, checking
and packaging at the aforesaid office of the Company's transfer agent or
correspondent not less than one full business day prior to such Closing Date.
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1.3 Underwriter's Purchase Option.
1.3.1 Purchase Option. The Company hereby agrees to issue and sell to
the Underwriter (and/or its designees) on the Effective Date an option
("Underwriter's Purchase Option") for the purchase of an aggregate of ____ units
("Underwriter's Units") for an aggregate purchase price of $100. Each of the
Underwriter's Units is identical to the Firm Units. The Underwriter's Purchase
Option shall be exercisable, in whole or in part, commencing on the later of the
consummation of a Business Combination and one year from the Effective Date and
expiring on the five-year anniversary of the Effective Date at an initial
exercise price per Underwriter's Unit of $___ (___% of the initial public
offering price of a Unit). The Underwriter's Purchase Option, the Underwriter's
Units, the Warrants included in the Underwriter's Units ("Underwriter's
Warrants") and the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the
Underwriter's Warrants are hereinafter referred to collectively as the
"Underwriter's Securities." The Public Securities and the Underwriter's
Securities are hereinafter referred to collectively as the "Securities." The
Underwriter understands and agrees that there are significant restrictions
against transferring the Underwriter's Purchase Option during the first year
after the Effective Date, as set forth in Section 3 of the Underwriter's
Purchase Option.
1.3.2 Payment and Delivery. Delivery and payment for the Underwriter's
Purchase Option shall be made on the Closing Date. The Company shall deliver to
the Underwriter, upon payment therefor, certificates for the Underwriter's
Purchase Option in the name or names and in such authorized denominations as the
Underwriter may request.
2. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents and
warrants to the Underwriter as follows:
2.1 Filing of Registration Statement.
2.1.1 Pursuant to the Act. The Company has filed with the Securities
and Exchange Commission ("Commission") a registration statement and an amendment
or amendments thereto, on Form S-1 (File No. 333-131529), including any related
preliminary prospectus ("Preliminary Prospectus"), for the registration of the
Public Securities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended ("Act"), which
registration statement and amendment or amendments have been prepared by the
Company in conformity with the requirements of the Act, and the rules and
regulations ("Regulations") of the Commission under the Act. Except as the
context may otherwise require, such registration statement, as amended, on file
with the Commission at the time the registration statement becomes effective
(including the prospectus, financial statements, schedules, exhibits and all
other documents filed as a part thereof or incorporated therein and all
information deemed to be a part thereof as of such time pursuant to paragraph
(b) of Rule 430A of the Regulations), is hereinafter called the "Registration
Statement," and the form of the final prospectus dated the Effective Date
included in the Registration Statement (or, if applicable, the form of final
prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424 of the Regulations),
is hereinafter called the "Prospectus." The Registration Statement has been
declared effective by the Commission on the date hereof.
2.1.2 Pursuant to the Exchange Act. The Company has filed with the
Commission a Form 8-A (File Number 000-51840) providing for the registration
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended ("Exchange Act"), of the
Units, the Common Stock and the Warrants. The registration of the Units, Common
Stock and Warrants under the Exchange Act has been declared effective by the
Commission on the date hereof.
2.2 No Stop Orders, Etc. Neither the Commission nor, to the best of the
Company's knowledge, any state regulatory authority has issued any order or
threatened to issue any order preventing or suspending the use of any
Preliminary Prospectus or has instituted or, to the best of the Company's
knowledge, threatened to institute any proceedings with respect to such an
order.
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2.3 Disclosures in Registration Statement.
2.3.1 10b-5 Representation. At the time the Registration Statement
became effective and at all times subsequent thereto up to the Closing Date and
the Option Closing Date, if any, the Registration Statement and the Prospectus
does and will contain all material statements that are required to be stated
therein in accordance with the Act and the Regulations, and will in all material
respects conform to the requirements of the Act and the Regulations; neither the
Registration Statement nor the Prospectus, nor any amendment or supplement
thereto, on such dates, does or will contain any untrue statement of a material
fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading. When any Preliminary Prospectus was first
filed with the Commission (whether filed as part of the Registration Statement
for the registration of the Securities or any amendment thereto or pursuant to
Rule 424(a) of the Regulations) and when any amendment thereof or supplement
thereto was first filed with the Commission, such Preliminary Prospectus and any
amendments thereof and supplements thereto complied or will comply in all
material respects with the applicable provisions of the Act and the Regulations
and did not and will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit
to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order
to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading. The representation and warranty made in this Section
2.3.1 does not apply to statements made or statements omitted in reliance upon
and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company with respect
to the Underwriter by the Underwriter expressly for use in the Registration
Statement or Prospectus or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto.
2.3.2 Disclosure of Agreements. The agreements and documents described
in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus conform to the descriptions
thereof contained therein and there are no agreements or other documents
required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or to
be filed with the Commission as exhibits to the Registration Statement, that
have not been so described or filed. Each agreement or other instrument (however
characterized or described) to which the Company is a party or by which its
property or business is or may be bound or affected and (i) that is referred to
in the Prospectus, or (ii) is material to the Company's business, has been duly
and validly executed by the Company, is in full force and effect and is
enforceable against the Company and, to the Company's knowledge, the other
parties thereto, in accordance with its terms, except (x) as such enforceability
may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws
affecting creditors' rights generally, (y) as enforceability of any
indemnification or contribution provision may be limited under the federal and
state securities laws, and (z) that the remedy of specific performance and
injunctive and other forms of equitable relief may be subject to the equitable
defenses and to the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor
may be brought, and none of such agreements or instruments has been assigned by
the Company, and neither the Company nor, to the best of the Company's
knowledge, any other party is in breach or default thereunder and, to the best
of the Company's knowledge, no event has occurred that, with the lapse of time
or the giving of notice, or both, would constitute a breach or default
thereunder. To the best of the Company's knowledge, performance by the Company
of the material provisions of such agreements or instruments will not result in
a violation of any existing applicable law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or
decree of any governmental agency or court, domestic or foreign, having
jurisdiction over the Company or any of its assets or businesses, including,
without limitation, those relating to environmental laws and regulations.
2.3.3 Prior Securities Transactions. No securities of the Company have
been sold by the Company or by or on behalf of, or for the benefit of, any
person or persons controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the
Company since the Company's formation, except as disclosed in the Registration
Statement.
2.3.4 Regulations. The disclosures in the Registration Statement
concerning the effects of Federal, State and local regulation on the Company's
business as currently contemplated are correct in all material respects and do
not omit to state a material fact.
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2.4 Changes After Dates in Registration Statement.
2.4.1 No Material Adverse Change. Since the respective dates as of
which information is given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus,
except as otherwise specifically stated therein, (i) there has been no material
adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or business prospects
of the Company, (ii) there have been no material transactions entered into by
the Company, other than as contemplated pursuant to this Agreement, and (iii) no
member of the Company's management has resigned from any position with the
Company.
2.4.2 Recent Securities Transactions, Etc. Subsequent to the
respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement
and the Prospectus, and except as may otherwise be indicated or contemplated
herein or therein, the Company has not (i) issued any securities or incurred any
liability or obligation, direct or contingent, for borrowed money; or (ii)
declared or paid any dividend or made any other distribution on or in respect to
its equity securities.
2.5 Independent Accountants. Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxxx LLP ("GGK"), whose
report is filed with the Commission as part of the Registration Statement, are
independent accountants as required by the Act and the Regulations. GGK has not,
during the periods covered by the financial statements included in the
Prospectus, provided to the Company any non-audit services, as such term is used
in Section 10A(g) of the Exchange Act.
2.6 Financial Statements. The financial statements, including the notes
thereto and supporting schedules included in the Registration Statement and
Prospectus fairly present the financial position, the results of operations and
the cash flows of the Company at the dates and for the periods to which they
apply; and such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with
generally accepted accounting principles, consistently applied throughout the
periods involved; and the supporting schedules included in the Registration
Statement present fairly the information required to be stated therein. The
summary financial data included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus
present fairly the information shown thereon and have been compiled on a basis
consistent with the audited financial statements presented therein. No other
financial statements or schedules are required to be included in the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus. The Registration Statement discloses
all material off-balance sheet transactions, arrangements, obligations
(including contingent obligations), and other relationships of the Company with
unconsolidated entities or other persons that may have a material current or
future effect on the Company's financial condition, changes in financial
condition, results of operations, liquidity, capital expenditures, capital
resources, or significant components of revenues or expenses.
2.7 Authorized Capital; Options; Etc. The Company had at the date or dates
indicated in the Prospectus duly authorized, issued and outstanding
capitalization as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
Based on the assumptions stated in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus, the Company will have on the Closing Date the adjusted stock
capitalization set forth therein. Except as set forth in, or contemplated by,
the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, on the Effective Date and on the
Closing Date, there will be no options, warrants, or other rights to purchase or
otherwise acquire any authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock of the
Company or any security convertible into shares of Common Stock of the Company,
or any contracts or commitments to issue or sell shares of Common Stock or any
such options, warrants, rights or convertible securities.
2.8 Valid Issuance of Securities; Etc.
2.8.1 Outstanding Securities. All issued and outstanding securities of
the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and
non-assessable; the holders thereof have no rights of rescission with respect
thereto, and are not subject to personal liability by reason of being such
holders; and none of such securities were issued in violation of the preemptive
rights of any holders of any
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security of the Company or similar contractual rights granted by the Company.
The authorized Common Stock conforms to all statements relating thereto
contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. The offers and sales
of the outstanding Common Stock were at all relevant times either registered
under the Act and the applicable state securities or Blue Sky laws or, based in
part on the representations and warranties of the purchasers of such shares of
Common Stock, exempt from such registration requirements.
2.8.2 Securities Sold Pursuant to this Agreement. The Securities have
been duly authorized and, when issued and paid for, will be validly issued,
fully paid and non-assessable; the holders thereof are not and will not be
subject to personal liability by reason of being such holders; the Securities
are not and will not be subject to the preemptive rights of any holders of any
security of the Company or similar contractual rights granted by the Company;
and all corporate action required to be taken for the authorization, issuance
and sale of the Securities has been duly and validly taken. The Securities
conform in all material respects to all statements with respect thereto
contained in the Registration Statement. When issued, the Underwriter's Purchase
Option, the Underwriter's Warrants and the Warrants will constitute valid and
binding obligations of the Company to issue and sell, upon exercise thereof and
payment of the respective exercise prices therefor, the number and type of
securities of the Company called for thereby in accordance with the terms
thereof and such Underwriter's Purchase Option, the Underwriter's Warrants and
the Warrants are enforceable against the Company in accordance with their
respective terms, except (i) as such enforceability may be limited by
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting creditors'
rights generally, (ii) as enforceability of any indemnification or contribution
provision may be limited under the federal and state securities laws, and (iii)
that the remedy of specific performance and injunctive and other forms of
equitable relief may be subject to the equitable defenses and to the discretion
of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought.
2.8.3 Insider Units. Xxx X. Xxxx (the "Unit Purchaser"), one of the
Company's stockholders immediately prior to the Offering (all of which
stockholders are referred to as the "Initial Stockholders"), has committed to
purchase an aggregate of 166,667 Units ("Insider Units") at $6.00 per Unit (for
an aggregate purchase price of $1,000,002) from the Company upon consummation of
the Offering. The Insider Units have been duly authorized and, when issued and
paid for in accordance with the subscription agreement ("Subscription
Agreement") entered into by the Unit Purchaser to purchase such Insider Units,
will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable; the holders thereof are
not and will not be subject to personal liability by reason of being such
holders; the Insider Units are not and will not be subject to the preemptive
rights of any holders of any security of the Company or similar contractual
rights granted by the Company; and all corporate action required to be taken for
the authorization, issuance and sale of the Insider Units has been duly and
validly taken.
2.9 Registration Rights of Third Parties. Except as set forth in the
Prospectus, no holders of any securities of the Company or any rights
exercisable for or convertible or exchangeable into securities of the Company
have the right to require the Company to register any such securities of the
Company under the Act or to include any such securities in a registration
statement to be filed by the Company.
2.10 Validity and Binding Effect of Agreements. This Agreement, the Warrant
Agreement (as defined in Section 2.21 hereof), the Trust Agreement, the Services
Agreement (as defined in Section 3.7.2 hereof), the Subscription Agreement and
the Escrow Agreement (as defined in Section 2.22.2 hereof) have been duly and
validly authorized by the Company and constitute, and the Underwriter's Purchase
Option, has been duly and validly authorized by the Company and, when executed
and delivered, will constitute, the valid and binding agreements of the Company,
enforceable against the Company in accordance with their respective terms,
except (i) as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization or similar laws affecting creditors' rights generally, (ii) as
enforceability of any indemnification or contribution provision may be limited
under the federal and state securities laws, and (iii) that the remedy of
specific performance and injunctive and other forms of equitable relief may be
subject to the equitable defenses and to the discretion of the court before
which any proceeding therefor may be brought.
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2.11 No Conflicts, Etc. The execution, delivery, and performance by the
Company of this Agreement, the Warrant Agreement, the Underwriter's Purchase
Option, the Trust Agreement, the Services Agreement, the Subscription Agreement
and the Escrow Agreement, the consummation by the Company of the transactions
herein and therein contemplated and the compliance by the Company with the terms
hereof and thereof do not and will not, with or without the giving of notice or
the lapse of time or both (i) result in a breach of, or conflict with any of the
terms and provisions of, or constitute a default under, or result in the
creation, modification, termination or imposition of any lien, charge or
encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company pursuant to the terms of
any agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party except pursuant to
the Trust Agreement referred to in Section 2.24 hereof; (ii) result in any
violation of the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws of
the Company; or (iii) violate any existing applicable law, rule, regulation,
judgment, order or decree of any governmental agency or court, domestic or
foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its properties or
business.
2.12 No Defaults; Violations. No material default exists in the due
performance and observance of any term, covenant or condition of any material
license, contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, note, loan or credit
agreement, or any other agreement or instrument evidencing an obligation for
borrowed money, or any other material agreement or instrument to which the
Company is a party or by which the Company may be bound or to which any of the
properties or assets of the Company is subject. The Company is not in violation
of any term or provision of its Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws or in
violation of any material franchise, license, permit, applicable law, rule,
regulation, judgment or decree of any governmental agency or court, domestic or
foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its properties or
businesses.
2.13 Corporate Power; Licenses; Consents.
2.13.1 Conduct of Business. The Company has all requisite corporate
power and authority, and has all necessary authorizations, approvals, orders,
licenses, certificates and permits of and from all governmental regulatory
officials and bodies that it needs as of the date hereof to conduct its business
purpose as described in the Prospectus. The disclosures in the Registration
Statement concerning the effects of federal, state and local regulation on this
offering and the Company's business purpose as currently contemplated are
correct in all material respects and do not omit to state a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements
therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading.
2.13.2 Transactions Contemplated Herein. The Company has all corporate
power and authority to enter into this Agreement and to carry out the provisions
and conditions hereof, and all consents, authorizations, approvals and orders
required in connection therewith have been obtained. No consent, authorization
or order of, and no filing with, any court, government agency or other body is
required for the valid issuance, sale and delivery, of the Securities and the
consummation of the transactions and agreements contemplated by this Agreement,
the Warrant Agreement, the Underwriter's Purchase Option, the Trust Agreement
and the Escrow Agreement and as contemplated by the Prospectus, except with
respect to applicable federal and state securities laws.
2.14 D&O Questionnaires. To the best of the Company's knowledge, all
information contained in the questionnaires ("Questionnaires") completed by each
of the Initial Stockholders and provided to the Underwriter as an exhibit to his
or her Insider Letter (as defined in Section 2.22.1) is true and correct and the
Company has not become aware of any information which would cause the
information disclosed in the questionnaires completed by each Initial
Stockholder to become inaccurate and incorrect.
2.15 Litigation; Governmental Proceedings. There is no action, suit,
proceeding, inquiry, arbitration, investigation, litigation or governmental
proceeding pending or, to the best of the Company's
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knowledge, threatened against, or involving the Company or, to the best of the
Company's knowledge, any Initial Stockholder, which has not been disclosed in
the Registration Statement or the Questionnaires.
2.16 Good Standing. The Company has been duly organized and is validly
existing as a corporation and is in good standing under the laws of its state of
incorporation, and is duly qualified to do business and is in good standing as a
foreign corporation in each jurisdiction in which its ownership or lease of
property or the conduct of business requires such qualification, except where
the failure to qualify would not have a material adverse effect on the assets,
business or operations of the Company.
2.17 Stop Orders. The Commission has not issued any order preventing or
suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus or any part
thereof and has not threatened to issue any such order.
2.18 Transactions Affecting Disclosure to NASD.
2.18.1 Finder's Fees. Except as described in the Prospectus, there are
no claims, payments, arrangements, agreements or understandings relating to the
payment of a finder's, consulting or origination fee by the Company or any
Initial Stockholder with respect to the sale of the Securities hereunder or any
other arrangements, agreements or understandings of the Company or, to the best
of the Company's knowledge, any Initial Stockholder that may affect the
Underwriter's compensation, as determined by the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc. ("NASD").
2.18.2 Payments Within Twelve Months. Other than payments to EBC, the
Company has not within the twelve months prior to the Effective Date made any
direct or indirect payments (in cash, securities or otherwise) (i) to any
person, as a finder's fee, consulting fee or otherwise, in consideration of such
person raising capital for the Company or introducing to the Company persons who
raised or provided capital to the Company, (ii) to any NASD member or (iii) to
any person or entity that has any direct or indirect affiliation or association
with any NASD member.
2.18.3 Use of Proceeds. None of the net proceeds of the Offering will
be paid by the Company to any participating NASD member or its affiliates,
except as specifically authorized herein and except as may be paid in connection
with a Business Combination as contemplated by the Prospectus.
2.18.4 Insiders' NASD Affiliation. Based on questionnaires distributed
to such persons, except as set forth on Schedule 2.18.4, no officer, director or
any beneficial owner of the Company's unregistered securities has any direct or
indirect affiliation or association with any NASD member. The Company will
advise the Underwriter and its counsel if it learns that any officer, director
or owner of at least 5% of the Company's outstanding Common Stock is or becomes
an affiliate or associated person of an NASD member participating in the
offering.
2.19 Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Neither the Company nor any of the
Initial Stockholders or any other person acting on behalf of the Company has,
directly or indirectly, given or agreed to give any money, gift or similar
benefit (other than legal price concessions to customers in the ordinary course
of business) to any customer, supplier, employee or agent of a customer or
supplier, or official or employee of any governmental agency or instrumentality
of any government (domestic or foreign) or any political party or candidate for
office (domestic or foreign) or any political party or candidate for office
(domestic or foreign) or other person who was, is, or may be in a position to
help or hinder the business of the Company (or assist it in connection with any
actual or proposed transaction) that (i) might subject the Company to any damage
or penalty in any civil, criminal or governmental litigation or proceeding, (ii)
if not given in the past, might have had a material adverse effect on the
assets, business or operations of the Company as reflected in any of the
financial statements contained in the Prospectus or (iii) if not continued in
the future, might adversely affect the assets, business, operations or prospects
of the Company. The Company's internal accounting controls and
8
procedures are sufficient to cause the Company to comply with the Foreign
Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended.
2.20. Officers' Certificate. Any certificate signed by any duly authorized
officer of the Company and delivered to you or to your counsel shall be deemed a
representation and warranty by the Company to the Underwriter as to the matters
covered thereby.
2.21 Warrant Agreement. The Company has entered into a warrant agreement
with respect to the Warrants, the Warrants underlying the Insider Units (the
"Insider Warrants" and together with the Insider Units and the Common Stock
underlying such Insider Units, the "Insider Securities") and the Underwriter's
Warrants with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company substantially in the
form annexed as Exhibit 4.5 to the Registration Statement ("Warrant Agreement").
2.22 Agreements With Initial Stockholders.
2.22.1 Insider Letters. The Company has caused to be duly executed
legally binding and enforceable agreements (except (i) as such enforceability
may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws
affecting creditors' rights generally, (ii) as enforceability of any
indemnification, contribution or noncompete provision may be limited under the
federal and state securities laws, and (iii) that the remedy of specific
performance and injunctive and other forms of equitable relief may be subject to
the equitable defenses and to the discretion of the court before which any
proceeding therefor may be brought) annexed as Exhibits 10.1, 10.2, 10.3 and
10.4 to the Registration Statement ("Insider Letters"), pursuant to which each
of the Initial Stockholders of the Company agrees to certain matters, including
but not limited to, certain matters described as being agreed to by them under
the "Proposed Business" section of the Prospectus.
2.22.2 Escrow Agreement. The Company has caused the Initial
Stockholders to enter into an escrow agreement ("Escrow Agreement") with
Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company ("Escrow Agent") substantially in the
form annexed as Exhibit 10.6 to the Registration Statement, whereby the Common
Stock owned by the Initial Stockholders will be held in escrow by the Escrow
Agent, until the third anniversary of the Effective Date. During such escrow
period, the Initial Stockholders shall be prohibited from selling or otherwise
transferring such shares (except to spouses and children of Initial Stockholders
and trusts established for their benefit and as otherwise set forth in the
Escrow Agreement) but will retain the right to vote such shares. To the
Company's knowledge, the Escrow Agreement is enforceable against each of the
Initial Stockholders and will not, with or without the giving of notice or the
lapse of time or both, result in a breach of, or conflict with any of the terms
and provisions of, or constitute a default under, any agreement or instrument to
which any of the Initial Stockholders is a party. The Escrow Agreement shall not
be amended, modified or otherwise changed without the prior written consent of
EBC.
2.22.3 Subscription Agreement. The Company has entered into the
Subscription Agreement substantially in the form annexed as Exhibit 10.10 to the
Registration Statement with the Unit Purchaser to purchase the Insider Units.
Pursuant to the Subscription Agreement, the Unit Purchaser shall place the
purchase price for the Insider Units in escrow prior to the consummation of the
Offering. Simultaneously with the consummation of the Offering, such purchase
price shall be deposited into the Trust Fund pursuant to the Trust Agreement.
2.23 Intentionally Omitted.
2.24 Investment Management Trust Agreement. The Company has entered into
the Trust Agreement with respect to certain proceeds of the Offering
substantially in the form annexed as Exhibit 10.5 to the Registration Statement.
9
2.25 Covenants Not to Compete. No Initial Stockholder, employee, officer or
director of the Company is subject to any noncompetition agreement or
non-solicitation agreement with any employer or prior employer which could
materially affect his ability to be an Initial Stockholder, employee, officer
and/or director of the Company.
2.26 Investment Company Act; Investments. The Company has been advised
concerning the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "Investment
Company Act"), and the rules and regulations thereunder and has in the past
conducted, and intends in the future to conduct, its affairs in such a manner as
to ensure that it will not become an "investment company" or a company
"controlled" by an "investment company" within the meaning of the Investment
Company Act and such rules and regulations. The Company is not, nor will the
Company become upon the sale of the Units and the application of the proceeds
therefore as described in the Prospectus under the caption "Use of Proceeds", an
"investment company" or a person controlled by an "investment company" within
the meaning of the Investment Company Act. No more than 45% of the "value" (as
defined in Section 2(a)(41) of the Investment Company Act) of the Company's
total assets (exclusive of cash items and "Government Securities" (as defined in
Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act) consist of, and no more than 45%
of the Company's net income after taxes is derived from, securities other than
the Government Securities.
2.27 Subsidiaries. The Company does not own an interest in any corporation,
partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust or other business
entity.
2.28 Related Party Transactions. There are no business relationships or
related party transactions involving the Company or any other person required to
be described in the Prospectus that have not been described as required. There
are no outstanding loans, advances (except normal advances for business expenses
in the ordinary course of business) or guarantees of indebtedness by the Company
to or for the benefit of any of the officers or directors or Initial
Stockholders of the Company or any of the members of the families of any of
them, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
2.29 No Distribution of Offering Material. The Company has not distributed
and will not distribute prior to the Closing Date any offering material in
connection with the offering and sale of the Units other than any Preliminary
Prospectuses, the Prospectus, the Registration Statement and other materials, if
any, permitted by the Act.
2.30 Title to Assets. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement and
Prospectus, the Company has good and marketable title to all properties and
assets described in the Registration Statement and Prospectus as owned by it,
free and clear of any pledge, lien, security interest, encumbrances, claim or
equitable interest, other than such as would not have a material adverse effect
on the financial condition, earnings, operations, business or business prospects
of the Company.
2.31 Taxes. The Company has timely filed all necessary federal, state and
foreign income and franchise tax returns and has paid all taxes shown thereon as
due, and there is no tax deficiency that has been or, to the best of the
Company's knowledge, might be asserted against the Company that might have a
material adverse effect on the financial condition, earnings, operations,
business or business prospects of the Company, and all material tax liabilities
are adequately provided for on the books of the Company.
3. Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants and agrees as follows:
3.1 Amendments to Registration Statement. The Company will deliver to the
Underwriter, prior to filing, any amendment or supplement to the Registration
Statement or Prospectus proposed to be filed after the Effective Date and not
file any such amendment or supplement to which the Underwriter shall reasonably
object in writing.
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3.2 Federal Securities Laws.
3.2.1 Compliance. During the time when a Prospectus is required to be
delivered under the Act, the Company will use its best efforts to comply with
all requirements imposed upon it by the Act, the Regulations and the Exchange
Act and by the regulations under the Exchange Act, as from time to time in
force, so far as necessary to permit the continuance of sales of or dealings in
the Public Securities in accordance with the provisions hereof and the
Prospectus. If at any time when a Prospectus relating to the Public Securities
is required to be delivered under the Act, any event shall have occurred as a
result of which, in the opinion of counsel for the Company or counsel for the
Underwriter, the Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, includes an untrue
statement of a material fact or omits to state any material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or if it is necessary
at any time to amend the Prospectus to comply with the Act, the Company will
notify the Underwriter promptly and prepare and file with the Commission,
subject to Section 3.1 hereof, an appropriate amendment or supplement in
accordance with Section 10 of the Act.
3.2.2 Filing of Final Prospectus. The Company will file the Prospectus
(in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriter) with the Commission
pursuant to the requirements of Rule 424 of the Regulations.
3.2.3 Exchange Act Registration. The Company will use its best efforts
to maintain the registration of the Units, Common Stock and Warrants under the
provisions of the Exchange Act for a period of five years from the Effective
Date, or until the Company is required to be liquidated, if earlier or, in the
case of the Warrants, until the Warrants expire and are no longer exercisable.
The Company will not deregister the Units under the Exchange Act without the
prior written consent of EBC.
3.2.4 Ineligible Issuer. At the time of filing the Registration
Statement and at the date hereof, the Company was and is an "ineligible issuer,"
as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act. The Company has not made and
will not make any offer relating to the Public Securities that would constitute
an "issuer free writing prospectus," as defined in Rule 433, or that would
otherwise constitute a "free writing prospectus," as defined in Rule 405.
3.3 Blue Sky Filings. The Company will use its best efforts, in cooperation
with the Underwriter, at or prior to the time the Registration Statement becomes
effective, to qualify the Public Securities for offering and sale under the
securities laws of such jurisdictions as the Underwriter may reasonably
designate, provided that no such qualification shall be required in any
jurisdiction where, as a result thereof, the Company would be subject to service
of general process or to taxation as a foreign corporation doing business in
such jurisdiction. In each jurisdiction where such qualification shall be
effected, the Company will, unless the Underwriter agrees that such action is
not at the time necessary or advisable, use its best efforts to file and make
such statements or reports at such times as are or may be required by the laws
of such jurisdiction.
3.4 Delivery to Underwriter of Prospectuses. The Company will deliver to
the Underwriter, without charge, from time to time during the period when the
Prospectus is required to be delivered under the Act or the Exchange Act, such
number of copies of each Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus as the
Underwriter may reasonably request and, as soon as the Registration Statement or
any amendment or supplement thereto becomes effective, deliver to you two
original executed Registration Statements, including exhibits, and all
post-effective amendments thereto and copies of all exhibits filed therewith or
incorporated therein by reference and all original executed consents of
certified experts.
3.5 Effectiveness and Events Requiring Notice to the Underwriter. The
Company will use its best efforts to cause the Registration Statement to remain
effective and will notify the Underwriter immediately and confirm the notice in
writing (i) of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement and any amendment
thereto, (ii) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order or of the
initiation, or the threatening, of any
11
proceeding for that purpose, (iii) of the issuance by any state securities
commission of any proceedings for the suspension of the qualification of the
Public Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction or of the initiation,
or the threatening, of any proceeding for that purpose, (iv) of the mailing and
delivery to the Commission for filing of any amendment or supplement to the
Registration Statement or Prospectus, (v) of the receipt of any comments or
request for any additional information from the Commission, and (vi) of the
happening of any event during the period described in Section 3.4 hereof that,
in the judgment of the Company, makes any statement of a material fact made in
the Registration Statement or the Prospectus untrue or that requires the making
of any changes in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus in order to make
the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading. If the Commission or any state securities commission shall
enter a stop order or suspend such qualification at any time, the Company will
use commercially reasonable effort to obtain promptly the lifting of such order.
3.6 Review of Financial Statements. Until the earlier of five years from
the Effective Date, or until such earlier time upon which the Company is
required to be liquidated, the Company, at its expense, shall cause its
regularly engaged independent certified public accountants to review (but not
audit) the Company's financial statements for each of the first three fiscal
quarters prior to the announcement of quarterly financial information, the
filing of the Company's Form 10-Q quarterly report and the mailing of quarterly
financial information to stockholders.
3.7 Affiliated Transactions.
3.7.1 Business Combinations. The Company will not consummate a
Business Combination with any entity which is affiliated with any Initial
Stockholder unless the Company obtains an opinion from an independent investment
banking firm that the Business Combination is fair to the Company's stockholders
from a financial perspective.
3.7.2 Administrative Services. The Company has entered into an
agreement ("Services Agreement") with 400 Building LLC ("Affiliate")
substantially in the form annexed as Exhibit 10.7 to the Registration Statement
pursuant to which the Affiliate will make available to the Company general and
administrative services including office space, utilities and secretarial
support for the Company's use for $7,500 per month.
3.7.3 Compensation. Except as set forth above in this Section 3.7, the
Company shall not pay any Initial Stockholder or any of their affiliates any
fees or compensation from the Company, for services rendered to the Company
prior to, or in connection with, the consummation of a Business Combination;
provided that the Initial Stockholders shall be entitled to reimbursement from
the Company for their reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection
with seeking and consummating a Business Combination.
3.8 Secondary Market Trading and Standard & Poor's. The Company will apply
to be included in Standard & Poor's Daily News and Corporation Records Corporate
Descriptions for a period of five years from the consummation of a Business
Combination. Promptly after the consummation of the Offering, the Company shall
take such steps as may be necessary to obtain a secondary market trading
exemption for the Company's securities in the State of California. The Company
shall also take such other action as may be reasonably requested by the
Underwriter to obtain a secondary market trading exemption in such other states
as may be requested by the Underwriter.
3.9 Intentionally Omitted.
3.10 Financial Public Relations Firm. Promptly after the execution of a
definitive agreement for a Business Combination, the Company shall retain a
financial public relations firm.
12
3.11 Reports to the Underwriter.
3.11.1 Periodic Reports, Etc. For a period of five years from the
Effective Date or until such earlier time upon which the Company is required to
be liquidated, the Company will furnish to the Underwriter (Attn: Xxxxxx Xxxxxx,
President and Managing Director of Investment Banking) and its counsel copies of
such financial statements and other periodic and special reports as the Company
from time to time furnishes generally to holders of any class of its securities,
and promptly furnish to the Underwriter (i) a copy of each periodic report the
Company shall be required to file with the Commission, (ii) a copy of every
press release and every news item and article with respect to the Company or its
affairs which was released by the Company, (iii) a copy of each Form 8-K or
Schedules 13D, 13G, 14D-1 or 13E-4 received or prepared by the Company, (iv)
five copies of each registration statement filed by the Company with the
Commission under the Securities Act, (v) a copy of monthly statements, if any,
setting forth such information regarding the Company's results of operations and
financial position (including balance sheet, profit and loss statements and data
regarding outstanding purchase orders) as is regularly prepared by management of
the Company and (vi) such additional documents and information with respect to
the Company and the affairs of any future subsidiaries of the Company as the
Underwriter may from time to time reasonably request.
3.11.2 Intentionally Omitted.
3.11.3 Secondary Market Trading Survey. Until such time as the Public
Securities are listed or quoted, as the case may be, on the New York Stock
Exchange, the American Stock Exchange or quoted on the Nasdaq National Market,
or until such earlier time upon which the Company is required to be liquidated,
the Company shall engage Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx ("GM"), for a one-time fee of $5,000
payable on the Closing Date, to deliver and update to the Underwriter on a
timely basis, but in any event on the Effective Date and at the beginning of
each fiscal quarter, a written report detailing those states in which the Public
Securities may be traded in non-issuer transactions under the Blue Sky laws of
the fifty States ("Secondary Market Trading Survey").
3.11.4 Intentionally Omitted.
3.12 Disqualification of Form S-1. Until the earlier of seven years from
the date hereof or until the Warrants have expired and are no longer
exercisable, the Company will not take any action or actions which may prevent
or disqualify the Company's use of Form S-1 (or other appropriate form) for the
registration of the Warrants and the Underwriter's Warrants under the Act.
3.13 Payment of Expenses.
3.13.1 General Expenses Related to the Offering. The Company hereby
agrees to pay on each of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any,
to the extent not paid at Closing Date, all expenses incident to the performance
of the obligations of the Company under this Agreement, including but not
limited to (i) the preparation, printing, filing and mailing (including the
payment of postage with respect to such mailing) of the Registration Statement,
the Preliminary and Final Prospectuses and the printing and mailing of this
Agreement and related documents, including the cost of all copies thereof and
any amendments thereof or supplements thereto supplied to the Underwriter in
quantities as may be required by the Underwriter, (ii) the printing, engraving,
issuance and delivery of the Units, the shares of Common Stock and the Warrants
included in the Units and the Underwriter's Purchase Option, including any
transfer or other taxes payable thereon, (iii) the qualification of the Public
Securities under state or foreign securities or Blue Sky laws, including the
costs of printing and mailing the "Preliminary Blue Sky Memorandum," and all
amendments and supplements thereto, fees and disbursements of GM (such fees
shall be $35,000 in the aggregate (of which $15,000 has previously been paid)),
and a one-time fee of $5,000 payable to GM for the preparation of the Secondary
Market Trading Survey, (iv) filing fees, costs and expenses (including
disbursements for the Underwriter's counsel) incurred in registering the
Offering with the NASD, (v) fees and disbursements of the
13
transfer and warrant agent, (vi) the Company's expenses associated with "due
diligence" meetings arranged by the Underwriter, (vii) the preparation, binding
and delivery of transaction "bibles," in form and style reasonably satisfactory
to the Underwriter and transaction lucite cubes or similar commemorative items
in a style and quantity as reasonably requested by the Underwriter and (viii)
all other costs and expenses customarily borne by an issuer incident to the
performance of its obligations hereunder which are not otherwise specifically
provided for in this Section 3.13.1. The Company also agrees that, if requested
by the Underwriter, it will engage and pay for an investigative search firm of
the Underwriter's choice to conduct an investigation of the principals of the
Company as shall be mutually selected by the Underwriter and the Company. If the
Offering is successfully consummated, any such amounts paid by the Company
pursuant to the immediately preceding sentence shall be credited against the
Underwriter's nonaccountable expense allowance (described below in Section
3.13.2). The Underwriter may deduct from the net proceeds of the Offering
payable to the Company on the Closing Date, or the Option Closing Date, if any,
the expenses set forth in this Agreement to be paid by the Company to the
Underwriter and others. If the Offering contemplated by this Agreement is not
consummated for any reason whatsoever then the Company shall reimburse the
Underwriter in full for its out of pocket expenses, including, without
limitation, its legal fees (up to a maximum of $50,000) and disbursements and
"road show" and due diligence expenses. The Underwriter shall retain such part
of the nonaccountable expense allowance previously paid as shall equal its
actual out-of-pocket expenses and refund the balance. If the amount previously
paid is insufficient to cover such actual out-of-pocket expenses, the Company
shall remain liable for and promptly pay any other actual out-of-pocket
expenses.
3.13.2 Nonaccountable Expenses. The Company further agrees that, in
addition to the expenses payable pursuant to Section 3.13.1, on the Closing
Date, it will pay to the Underwriter a nonaccountable expense allowance equal to
one percent (1%) of the gross proceeds received by the Company from the sale of
the Firm Units (of which $25,000 has previously been paid), by deduction from
the proceeds of the Offering contemplated herein.
3.13.3 Intentionally Omitted.
3.14 Application of Net Proceeds. The Company will apply the net proceeds
from the Offering received by it in a manner consistent with the application
described under the caption "Use Of Proceeds" in the Prospectus.
3.15 Delivery of Earnings Statements to Security Holders. The Company will
make generally available to its security holders as soon as practicable, but not
later than the first day of the fifteenth full calendar month following the
Effective Date, an earnings statement (which need not be certified by
independent public or independent certified public accountants unless required
by the Act or the Regulations, but which shall satisfy the provisions of Rule
158(a) under Section 11(a) of the Act) covering a period of at least twelve
consecutive months beginning after the Effective Date.
3.16 Notice to NASD. In the event any person or entity (regardless of any
NASD affiliation or association) is engaged to assist the Company in its search
for a merger candidate or to provide any other merger and acquisition services,
the Company will provide the following to the NASD and EBC prior to the
consummation of the Business Combination: (i) complete details of all services
and copies of agreements governing such services; and (ii) justification as to
why the person or entity providing the merger and acquisition services should
not be considered an "underwriter and related person" with respect to the
Company's initial public offering, as such term is defined in Rule 2710 of the
NASD's Conduct Rules. The Company also agrees that proper disclosure of such
arrangement or potential arrangement will be made in the proxy statement which
the Company will file for purposes of soliciting stockholder approval for the
Business Combination.
3.17 Stabilization. Neither the Company, nor, to its knowledge, any of its
employees, directors or stockholders (without the consent of EBC) has taken or
will take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to
14
or that has constituted or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result
in, under the Exchange Act, or otherwise, stabilization or manipulation of the
price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the
Units. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company and the Underwriters
acknowledge that EBC has entered into an agreement with the Unit Purchaser, the
form of which is annexed as Exhibit 10.11 to the Registration Statement
("Warrant Purchase Letter"), pursuant to which such individual will purchase
Warrants ("After Market Purchased Warrants") in the after market once such
Warrants become separately transferable. EBC hereby agrees that it will notify
the Company and the Unit Purchaser once the Warrants become separately
transferable. Each of the Company and EBC hereby agree that they will prepare a
daily time-sequenced schedule of all purchases of After Market Purchased
Warrants made pursuant to the Warrant Purchase Letter, on a
transaction-by-transaction basis, including: (i) size, broker (if any), time of
execution, price of purchase and (ii) the exchange, quotation system, or other
facility though which the warrant purchase occurred. Each of the Company and EBC
further agree that, upon request by the Division of Market Regulation
("Division"), they will transmit such information to the Division within 30 days
of such request and make representatives available (in person at the offices of
the Division or by telephone) to respond to inquiries by the Division regarding
the purchases).
3.18 Internal Controls. The Company will maintain a system of internal
accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that: (i)
transactions are executed in accordance with management's general or specific
authorization, (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary in order to permit
preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles and to maintain accountability for assets, (iii) access to
assets is permitted only in accordance with management's general or specific
authorization, and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with
existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with
respect to any differences.
3.19 Accountants. Until the earlier of five years from the Effective Date
or until such earlier time upon which the Company is required to be liquidated,
the Company shall retain GGK or another independent public accountant.
3.20 Form 8-K. The Company shall, on the date hereof, retain its
independent public accountants to audit the financial statements of the Company
as of the Closing Date ("Audited Financial Statements") reflecting the receipt
by the Company of the proceeds of the initial public offering. As soon as the
Audited Financial Statements become available, the Company shall immediately
file a Current Report on Form 8-K with the Commission, which Report shall
contain the Company's Audited Financial Statements.
3.21 NASD. The Company shall advise the NASD if it is aware that any 5% or
greater stockholder of the Company becomes an affiliate or associated person of
an NASD member participating in the distribution of the Company's Public
Securities.
3.22 Corporate Proceedings. All corporate proceedings and other legal
matters necessary to carry out the provisions of this Agreement and the
transactions contemplated hereby shall have been done to the reasonable
satisfaction to counsel for the Underwriter.
3.23 Investment Company. The Company shall cause a portion of the proceeds
of the Offering to be held in the Trust Fund to be invested only as set forth in
the Trust Agreement and as more fully described in the Prospectus. The Company
will otherwise conduct its business in a manner so that it will not become
subject to the Investment Company Act. Furthermore, once the Company consummates
a Business Combination, it will be engaged in a business other than that of
investing, reinvesting, owning, holding or trading securities.
3.24 Business Combination Announcement. Within five business days following
the consummation by the Company of a Business Combination, the Company shall
cause an announcement ("Business Combination Announcement") to be placed, at its
cost, in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and a third publication to
be selected by the Underwriter announcing the consummation of the Business
Combination and indicating that EBC was the managing underwriter in the
Offering. The Company shall supply the Underwriter with a draft of the Business
Combination Announcement and provide the Underwriter with a reasonable
opportunity to comment thereon. The Company will not place the Business
Combination Announcement without the final approval of the Underwriter, which
such approval will not be unreasonably withheld.
3.25 Colorado Trust Filing. In the event the Securities are registered in
the State of Colorado, the Company will cause a Colorado Form ES to be filed
with the Commissioner of the State of Colorado no less than 10 days prior to the
distribution of the Trust Fund in connection with a Business Combination and
will do all things necessary to comply with Section 00-00-000 and Rule 51-3.4 of
the Colorado Securities Act.
15
3.26 Insider Warrant and After Market Purchased Warrant Exercises. The
Company hereby acknowledges and agrees that, if the Warrants are called for
redemption,so long as the Insider Warrants or After Market Purchased Warrants
are held by the Unit Purchaser or his affiliates, such Insider Warrants or After
Market Purchased Warrants shall be exercisable by the holder by surrendering
such Insider Warrants or After Market Purchased Warrants for that number of
shares of Common Stock equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the
product of the number of shares of Common Stock underlying the Warrants,
multiplied by the difference between the Warrant Price and the "Fair Market
Value" (defined below) by (y) the Fair Market Value. Solely for purposes of this
Section 3.26, the "Fair Market Value" shall mean the average last sales price of
the Common Stock in the principal trading market for the Common Stock as
reported by any national securities exchange or quoted on the NASD OTC Bulletin
Board (or successor exchange), as the case may be, for the five trading days
ending on the trading day preceding the date the Insider Warrants are exercised.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that the Company calls the Warrants
for redemption and exercises its right to force all holders of Warrants to
exercise such Warrants on a cashless basis pursuant to the Warrant Agreement,
the Insider Warrants and After Market Purchased Warrants shall be exercisable on
the same terms and on the same prices as all other Warrants.
4 Conditions of Underwriter's Obligations. The obligations of the Underwriter to
purchase and pay for the Units, as provided herein, shall be subject to the
continuing accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company as of
the date hereof and as of each of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date,
if any, to the accuracy of the statements of officers of the Company made
pursuant to the provisions hereof and to the performance by the Company of its
obligations hereunder and to the following conditions:
4.1 Regulatory Matters.
4.1.1 Effectiveness of Registration Statement. The Registration
Statement shall have become effective not later than 5:00 P.M., New York time,
on the date of this Agreement or such later date and time as shall be consented
to in writing by you, and, at each of the Closing Date and the Option Closing
Date, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement
shall have been issued and no proceedings for the purpose shall have been
instituted or shall be pending or contemplated by the Commission and any request
on the part of the Commission for additional information shall have been
complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of Xxxxx & Xxxxxxx LLP, counsel to
the Underwriter ("Xxxxx").
4.1.2 NASD Clearance. By the Effective Date, the Underwriter shall
have received clearance from the NASD as to the amount of compensation allowable
or payable to the Underwriter as described in the Registration Statement.
4.1.3 No Blue Sky Stop Orders. No order suspending the sale of the
Units in any jurisdiction designated by you pursuant to Section 3.3 hereof shall
have been issued on either on the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, and
no proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted or shall be
contemplated.
4.2 Company Counsel Matters.
4.2.1 Effective Date Opinion of Counsel. On the Effective Date, the
Underwriter shall have received the favorable opinion of GM, counsel to the
Company, dated the Effective Date, addressed to the Underwriter and in form and
substance satisfactory to Xxxxx to the effect that:
(i) The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing
as a corporation and is in good standing under the laws of its state of
incorporation. The Company is duly qualified and licensed and in good standing
as a foreign corporation in each jurisdiction in which its ownership or leasing
of any properties or the character of its operations requires such qualification
or licensing, except where the failure to qualify would not have a material
adverse effect on the assets, business or operations of the Company. To such
counsel's knowledge, the Company is not in violation of any term or provision of
its Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws.
(ii) All issued and outstanding securities of the Company have
been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable;
the holders thereof are not subject to personal liability by reason of being
such holders; and none of such securities were issued in violation of the
preemptive rights of any stockholder of the Company arising by operation of law
or under the Certificate of
16
Incorporation or Bylaws of the Company. The offers and sales of the outstanding
Common Stock were at all relevant times either registered under the Act or
exempt from such registration requirements. The authorized and, to such
counsel's knowledge, outstanding capital stock of the Company is as set forth in
the Prospectus.
(iii) The Securities and Insider Securities have been duly
authorized and, when issued and paid for, will be validly issued, fully paid and
non-assessable; the holders thereof are not and will not be subject to personal
liability by reason of being such holders. The Securities and Insider Securities
are not and will not be subject to the preemptive rights of any holders of any
security of the Company arising by operation of law or under the Certificate of
Incorporation or Bylaws of the Company. When issued, the Underwriter's Purchase
Option, the Underwriter's Warrants, the Insider Warrants and the Warrants will
constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company to issue and sell, upon
exercise thereof and payment therefor, the number and type of securities of the
Company called for thereby and such Warrants, the Insider Warrants, the
Underwriter's Purchase Option, and the Underwriter's Warrants, when issued, in
each case, are enforceable against the Company in accordance with their
respective terms, except (a) as such enforceability may be limited by
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting creditors'
rights generally, (b) as enforceability of any indemnification or contribution
provision may be limited under the federal and state securities laws, and (c)
that the remedy of specific performance and injunctive and other forms of
equitable relief may be subject to the equitable defenses and to the discretion
of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought. The
certificates representing the Securities are in due and proper form.
(iv) This Agreement, the Warrant Agreement, the Services
Agreement, the Trust Agreement and the Escrow Agreement have each been duly and
validly authorized and, when executed and delivered by the Company, constitute,
and the Underwriter's Purchase Option has been duly and validly authorized by
the Company and, when executed and delivered, will constitute, the valid and
binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in
accordance with their respective terms, except (a) as such enforceability may be
limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting
creditors' rights generally, (b) as enforceability of any indemnification or
contribution provisions may be limited under the federal and state securities
laws, and (c) that the remedy of specific performance and injunctive and other
forms of equitable relief may be subject to the equitable defenses and to the
discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought.
(v) The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement,
the Warrant Agreement, the Underwriter's Purchase Option, the Escrow Agreement,
the Trust Agreement and the Services Agreement and compliance by the Company
with the terms and provisions thereof and the consummation of the transactions
contemplated thereby, and the issuance and sale of the Securities, do not and
will not, with or without the giving of notice or the lapse of time, or both,
(a) to such counsel's knowledge, conflict with, or result in a breach of, any of
the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, or result in the
creation or modification of any lien, security interest, charge or encumbrance
upon any of the properties or assets of the Company pursuant to the terms of,
any mortgage, deed of trust, note, indenture, loan, contract, commitment or
other agreement or instrument filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement,
(b) result in any violation of the provisions of the Certificate of
Incorporation or the Bylaws of the Company, or (c) to such counsel's knowledge,
violate any United States statute or any judgment, order or decree, rule or
regulation applicable to the Company of any court, United States federal, state
or other regulatory authority or other governmental body having jurisdiction
over the Company, its properties or assets.
(vi) The Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and
the Prospectus and any post-effective amendments or supplements thereto (other
than the financial statements included therein, as to which no opinion need be
rendered) each as of their respective dates appeared on their face to comply as
to form in all material respects with the requirements of the Act and
Regulations. The Securities and all other securities issued or issuable by the
Company conform in all material respects to the description thereof contained in
the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. The descriptions in the
Registration Statement and in the Prospectus, insofar as such statements
constitute a summary of statutes, legal matters,
17
contracts, documents or proceedings referred to therein, fairly present in all
material respects the information required to be shown with respect to such
statutes, legal matters, contracts, documents and proceedings, and such counsel
does not know of any statutes or legal or governmental proceedings required to
be described in the Prospectus that are not described in the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus or included as exhibits to the Registration
Statement that are not described or included as required.
(vii) The Registration Statement is effective under the Act. To
such counsel's knowledge, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have
been instituted or are pending or threatened under the Act or applicable state
securities laws.
(viii) To such counsel's knowledge, there is no action, suit or
proceeding before or by any court of governmental agency or body, domestic or
foreign, now pending, or threatened against the Company that is required to be
described in the Registration Statement.
The opinion of counsel shall further include a statement to the effect that such
counsel has participated in conferences with officers and other representatives
of the Company, the Underwriter and the independent public accountants of the
Company, at which conferences the contents of the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus contained therein and related matters were discussed and, although
such counsel is not passing upon and does not assume any responsibility for the
accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements contained in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus contained therein (except as otherwise
set forth in the foregoing opinion), solely on the basis of the foregoing
without independent check and verification, no facts have come to the attention
of such counsel which lead them to believe that the Registration Statement or
any amendment thereto, at the time the Registration Statement or amendment
became effective, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to
state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading or the Prospectus or any amendment or
supplement thereto, at the time they were filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) or at
the date of such counsel's opinion, contained an untrue statement of a material
fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statement therein, in light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading (except that such counsel need express no
opinion with respect to the financial information and statistical data and
information included in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus).
4.2.2 Closing Date and Option Closing Date Opinion of Counsel. On each
of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any, the Underwriter shall
have received the favorable opinion of GM, dated the Closing Date or the Option
Closing Date, as the case may be, addressed to the Underwriter and in form and
substance reasonably satisfactory to Xxxxx, confirming as of the Closing Date
and, if applicable, the Option Closing Date, the statements made by GM in its
opinion delivered on the Effective Date.
4.2.3 Reliance. In rendering such opinion, such counsel may rely (i)
as to matters involving the application of laws other than the laws of the
United States and jurisdictions in which they are admitted, to the extent such
counsel deems proper and to the extent specified in such opinion, if at all,
upon an opinion or opinions (in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to
Xxxxx) of other counsel reasonably acceptable to Xxxxx, familiar with the
applicable laws, and (ii) as to matters of fact, to the extent they deem proper,
on certificates or other written statements of officers of the Company and
officers of departments of various jurisdictions having custody of documents
respecting the corporate existence or good standing of the Company, provided
that copies of any such statements or certificates shall be delivered to the
Underwriter's counsel if requested. The opinion of counsel for the Company and
any opinion relied upon by such counsel for the Company shall include a
statement to the effect that it may be relied upon by counsel for the
Underwriter in its opinion delivered to the Underwriters.
4.3 Cold Comfort Letter. At the time this Agreement is executed, and at
each of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any, you shall have
received a letter, addressed to the Underwriter and in form
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and substance satisfactory in all respects (including the non-material nature of
the changes or decreases, if any, referred to in clause (iii) below) to you and
to Xxxxx from GGK dated, respectively, as of the date of this Agreement and as
of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any:
(i) Confirming that they are an independent registered public
accounting firm with respect to the Company within the meaning of the Act and
the applicable Regulations and that they have not, during the periods covered by
the financial statements included in the Prospectus, provided to the Company any
non-audit services, as such term is used in Section 10A(g) of the Exchange Act;
(ii) Stating that in their opinion the financial statements of the
Company included in the Registration Statement and Prospectus comply as to form
in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act
and the published Regulations thereunder;
(iii) Stating that, on the basis of a reading of the latest available
unaudited interim financial statements of the Company (with an indication of the
date of the latest available unaudited interim financial statements), a reading
of the latest available minutes of the stockholders and board of directors and
the various committees of the board of directors, consultations with officers
and other employees of the Company responsible for financial and accounting
matters and other specified procedures and inquiries, they have been advised by
the Company officials that (a) the unaudited financial statements of the Company
included in the Registration Statement comply as to form in all material
respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act and the
Regulations or are fairly presented in conformity with generally accepted
accounting principles applied on a basis substantially consistent with that of
the audited financial statements of the Company included in the Registration
Statement and (b) at a date not later than five days prior to the Effective
Date, Closing Date or Option Closing Date, as the case may be, there was no
change in the capital stock or long-term debt of the Company, or any decrease in
the stockholders' equity of the Company as compared with amounts shown in the
December 31, 2005 balance sheet included in the Registration Statement, other
than as set forth in or contemplated by the Registration Statement, or, if there
was any decrease, setting forth the amount of such decrease;
(iv) Stating that they have compared specific dollar amounts, numbers
of shares, percentages of revenues and earnings, statements and other financial
information pertaining to the Company set forth in the Prospectus in each case
to the extent that such amounts, numbers, percentages, statements and
information may be derived from the general accounting records, including work
sheets, of the Company and excluding any questions requiring an interpretation
by legal counsel, with the results obtained from the application of specified
readings, inquiries and other appropriate procedures (which procedures do not
constitute an examination in accordance with generally accepted auditing
standards) set forth in the letter and found them to be in agreement;
(v) Stating that they have not provided the Company's management with
any written communication in accordance with Statement on Auditing Standards
No. 60 "Communication of Internal Control Structure Related Matters Noted in an
Audit;" and
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(vi) Statements as to such other matters incident to the transaction
contemplated hereby as you may reasonably request.
4.4 Officers' Certificates.
4.4.1 Officers' Certificate. At each of the Closing Date and the
Option Closing Date, if any, the Underwriter shall have received a certificate
of the Company signed by the Chairman of the Board or the President and the
Secretary or Assistant Secretary of the Company, dated the Closing Date or the
Option Closing Date, as the case may be, respectively, to the effect that the
Company has performed all covenants and complied with all conditions required by
this Agreement to be performed or complied with by the Company prior to and as
of the Closing Date, or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, and that
the conditions set forth in Section 4.5 hereof have been satisfied as of such
date and that, as of Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, as the case may
be, the representations and warranties of the Company set forth in Section 2
hereof are true and correct. In addition, the Underwriter will have received
such other and further certificates of officers of the Company as the
Underwriter may reasonably request.
4.4.2 Secretary's Certificate. At each of the Closing Date and the
Option Closing Date, if any, the Underwriter shall have received a certificate
of the Company signed by the Secretary or Assistant Secretary of the Company,
dated the Closing Date or the Option Date, as the case may be, respectively,
certifying (i) that the Bylaws and Certificate of Incorporation of the Company
are true and complete, have not been modified and are in full force and effect,
(ii) that the resolutions relating to the public offering contemplated by this
Agreement are in full force and effect and have not been modified, (iii) all
correspondence between the Company or its counsel and the Commission, and (iv)
as to the incumbency of the officers of the Company. The documents referred to
in such certificate shall be attached to such certificate.
4.5 No Material Changes. Prior to and on each of the Closing Date and the
Option Closing Date, if any, (i) there shall have been no material adverse
change or development involving a prospective material adverse change in the
condition or prospects or the business activities, financial or otherwise, of
the Company from the latest dates as of which such condition is set forth in the
Registration Statement and Prospectus, (ii) no action suit or proceeding, at law
or in equity, shall have been pending or threatened against the Company or any
Initial Stockholder before or by any court or federal or state commission, board
or other administrative agency wherein an unfavorable decision, ruling or
finding may materially adversely affect the business, operations, prospects or
financial condition or income of the Company, except as set forth in the
Registration Statement and Prospectus, (iii) no stop order shall have been
issued under the Act and no proceedings therefor shall have been initiated or
threatened by the Commission, and (iv) the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto shall contain all material
statements which are required to be stated therein in accordance with the Act
and the Regulations and shall conform in all material respects to the
requirements of the Act and the Regulations, and neither the Registration
Statement nor the Prospectus nor any amendment or supplement thereto shall
contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state any material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein,
in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
4.6 Delivery of Agreements.
4.6.1 Effective Date Deliveries. On the Effective Date, the Company
shall have delivered to the Underwriter executed copies of the Escrow Agreement,
the Trust Agreement, the Warrant Agreement, the Services Agreement and all of
the Insider Letters.
4.6.2 Closing Date Deliveries. On the Closing Date, the Company shall
have delivered to the Underwriter executed copies of the Underwriter's Purchase
Option.
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4.7 Opinion of Counsel for the Underwriter. All proceedings taken in
connection with the authorization, issuance or sale of the Securities as herein
contemplated shall be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to you and
to Xxxxx and you shall have received from such counsel a favorable opinion,
dated the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any, with respect to such
of these proceedings as you may reasonably require. On or prior to the Effective
Date, the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, counsel
for the Underwriter shall have been furnished such documents, certificates and
opinions as they may reasonably require for the purpose of enabling them to
review or pass upon the matters referred to in this Section 4.7, or in order to
evidence the accuracy, completeness or satisfaction of any of the
representations, warranties or conditions herein contained.
4.8 Secondary Market Trading Survey. On the Closing Date, the Underwriter
shall have received the Secondary Market Trading Survey from GM.
4.9 Insider Units. On the Closing Date, the Unit Purchaser shall have
purchased the Insider Units and the purchase price for such Insider Units shall
be deposited into the Trust Fund.
5 Indemnification.
5.1 Indemnification of Underwriter.
5.1.1 General. Subject to the conditions set forth below, the Company
agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Underwriter, and each dealer selected
by you that participates in the offer and sale of the Securities (each a
"Selected Dealer") and each of their respective directors, officers and
employees and each person, if any, who controls any such Underwriter
("controlling person") within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section
20(a) of the Exchange Act, against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage
and expense whatsoever (including but not limited to any and all legal or other
expenses reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against
any litigation, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever, whether
arising out of any action between the Underwriter and the Company or between the
Underwriter and any third party or otherwise) to which they or any of them may
become subject under the Act, the Exchange Act or any other statute or at common
law or otherwise or under the laws of foreign countries, arising out of or based
upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact
contained in (i) any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement or the
Prospectus (as from time to time each may be amended and supplemented); (ii) in
any post-effective amendment or amendments or any new registration statement and
prospectus in which is included securities of the Company issued or issuable
upon exercise of the Underwriter's Purchase Option; or (iii) any application or
other document or written communication (in this Section 5 collectively called
"application") executed by the Company or based upon written information
furnished by the Company in any jurisdiction in order to qualify the Securities
under the securities laws thereof or filed with the Commission, any state
securities commission or agency, Nasdaq or any securities exchange; or the
omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, unless such statement
or omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information
furnished to the Company with respect to an Underwriter by or on behalf of such
Underwriter expressly for use in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration
Statement or Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereof, or in any
application, as the case may be. With respect to any untrue statement or
omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in the Preliminary
Prospectus, the indemnity agreement contained in this paragraph shall not inure
to the benefit of any Underwriter to the extent that any loss, liability, claim,
damage or expense of such Underwriter results from the fact that a copy of the
Prospectus was not given or sent to the person asserting any such loss,
liability, claim or damage at or prior to the written confirmation of sale of
the Securities to such person as required by the Act and the Regulations, and if
the untrue statement or omission has been corrected in the Prospectus, unless
such failure to deliver the Prospectus was a result of non-compliance by the
Company with its obligations under Section 3.4 hereof. The Company agrees
promptly to notify the Underwriter of the commencement of any litigation or
proceedings against the Company or any of its
21
officers, directors or controlling persons in connection with the issue and sale
of the Securities or in connection with the Registration Statement or
Prospectus.
5.1.2 Procedure. If any action is brought against the Underwriter, a
Selected Dealer or a controlling person in respect of which indemnity may be
sought against the Company pursuant to Section 5.1.1, such Underwriter or
Selected Dealer shall promptly notify the Company in writing of the institution
of such action and the Company shall assume the defense of such action,
including the employment and fees of counsel (subject to the reasonable approval
of such Underwriter or Selected Dealer, as the case may be) and payment of
actual expenses. Such Underwriter, Selected Dealer or controlling person shall
have the right to employ its or their own counsel in any such case, but the fees
and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Underwriter,
Selected Dealer or controlling person unless (i) the employment of such counsel
at the expense of the Company shall have been authorized in writing by the
Company in connection with the defense of such action, or (ii) the Company shall
not have employed counsel to have charge of the defense of such action, or (iii)
such indemnified party or parties shall have reasonably concluded that there may
be defenses available to it or them which are different from or additional to
those available to the Company (in which case the Company shall not have the
right to direct the defense of such action on behalf of the indemnified party or
parties), in any of which events the reasonable fees and expenses of not more
than one additional firm of attorneys selected by the Underwriter, Selected
Dealer and/or controlling person shall be borne by the Company. Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained herein, if the Underwriter, Selected Dealer
or controlling person shall assume the defense of such action as provided above,
the Company shall have the right to approve the terms of any settlement of such
action which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld. This Indemnification
provided for in this Section 5.1 shall not be available to any party who shall
fail to give notice as provided in this Section 5.1.2 if the Company was unaware
of the proceeding to which such notice would have related and was actually
prejudiced by the failure to give such notice; provided, however, that
indemnification shall only be limited to the extent of such prejudice; provided,
further, that, the omission so to notify the Company will not relieve it from
any liability which it may have to any indemnified party otherwise than under
this Section 5.1. The Company shall not without the prior written consent of the
indemnified party, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding
in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been sought hereunder
by such indemnified party, unless such settlement includes an unconditional
release of such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the
subject matter of such proceedings.
5.2 Indemnification of the Company. The Underwriter agrees to indemnify and
hold harmless the Company, its directors, officers and employees and agents who
control the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of
the Exchange Act against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense
described in the foregoing indemnity from the Company to the Underwriter, as
incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged
untrue statements or omissions made in any Preliminary Prospectus, the
Registration Statement or Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto or
in any application, in reliance upon, and in strict conformity with, written
information furnished to the Company with respect to such Underwriter by or on
behalf of the Underwriter expressly for use in such Preliminary Prospectus, the
Registration Statement or Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto or
in any such application. In case any action shall be brought against the Company
or any other person so indemnified based on any Preliminary Prospectus, the
Registration Statement or Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto or
any application, and in respect of which indemnity may be sought against the
Underwriter, such Underwriter shall have the rights and duties given to the
Company, and the Company and each other person so indemnified shall have the
rights and duties given to the Underwriter by the provisions of Section 5.1.2.
5.3 Contribution.
5.3.1 Contribution Rights. In order to provide for just and equitable
contribution under the Act in any case in which (i) any person entitled to
indemnification under this Section 5 makes claim for indemnification pursuant
hereto but it is judicially determined (by the entry of a final judgment or
decree by a
22
court of competent jurisdiction and the expiration of time to appeal or the
denial of the last right of appeal) that such indemnification may not be
enforced in such case notwithstanding the fact that this Section 5 provides for
indemnification in such case, or (ii) contribution under the Act, the Exchange
Act or otherwise may be required on the part of any such person in circumstances
for which indemnification is provided under this Section 5, then, and in each
such case, the Company and the Underwriter shall contribute to the aggregate
losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses of the nature contemplated by
said indemnity agreement incurred by the Company and the Underwriter, as
incurred, in such proportions that the Underwriter and the Company are
responsible for; provided, that, no person guilty of a fraudulent
misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be
entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent
misrepresentation. For purposes of this Section, each director, officer and
employee of an Underwriter or the Company, as applicable, and each person, if
any, who controls an Underwriter or the Company, as applicable, within the
meaning of Section 15 of the Act shall have the same rights to contribution as
the Underwriter or the Company, as applicable.
5.3.2 Contribution Procedure. Within fifteen days after receipt by any
party to this Agreement (or its representative) of notice of the commencement of
any action, suit or proceeding, such party will, if a claim for contribution in
respect thereof is to be made against another party ("contributing party"),
notify the contributing party of the commencement thereof, but the omission to
so notify the contributing party will not relieve it from any liability which it
may have to any other party other than for contribution hereunder. In case any
such action, suit or proceeding is brought against any party, and such party
notifies a contributing party or its representative of the commencement thereof
within the aforesaid fifteen days, the contributing party will be entitled to
participate therein with the notifying party and any other contributing party
similarly notified. Any such contributing party shall not be liable to any party
seeking contribution on account of any settlement of any claim, action or
proceeding effected by such party seeking contribution on account of any
settlement of any claim, action or proceeding effected by such party seeking
contribution without the written consent of such contributing party. The
contribution provisions contained in this Section are intended to supersede, to
the extent permitted by law, any right to contribution under the Act, the
Exchange Act or otherwise available. The Underwriter's obligations to contribute
pursuant to this Section 5.3 are several and not joint.
6 Default by an Underwriter.
6.1 Default Not Exceeding 10% of Firm Units or Option Units. If the
Underwriter shall default in its obligations to purchase the Firm Units or the
Option Units, if the over-allotment option is exercised, hereunder, and if the
number of the Firm Units or Option Units with respect to which such default
relates does not exceed in the aggregate 10% of the number of Firm Units or
Option Units that the Underwriter has agreed to purchase hereunder, then such
Firm Units or Option Units to which the default relates shall be purchased by
the non-defaulting Underwriters in proportion to their respective commitments
hereunder.
6.2 Default Exceeding 10% of Firm Units or Option Units. In the event that
the default addressed in Section 6.1 above relates to more than 10% of the Firm
Units or Option Units, you may in your discretion arrange for yourself or for
another party or parties to purchase such Firm Units or Option Units to which
such default relates on the terms contained herein. If within one business day
after such default relating to more than 10% of the Firm Units or Option Units
you do not arrange for the purchase of such Firm Units or Option Units, then the
Company shall be entitled to a further period of one business day within which
to procure another party or parties satisfactory to you to purchase said Firm
Units or Option Units on such terms. In the event that neither you nor the
Company arrange for the purchase of the Firm Units or Option Units to which a
default relates as provided in this Section 6, this Agreement will be terminated
by you or the Company without liability on the part of the Company (except as
provided in Sections 3.13 and 5 hereof) or the several Underwriters (except as
provided in Section 5 hereof); provided, however, that if such default occurs
with respect to the Option Units, this Agreement will not terminate as to the
Firm Units; and provided further that
23
nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter of its liability, if any,
to the other several Underwriters and to the Company for damages occasioned by
its default hereunder.
6.3 Postponement of Closing Date. In the event that the Firm Units or
Option Units to which the default relates are to be purchased by the
non-defaulting Underwriters, or are to be purchased by another party or parties
as aforesaid, you or the Company shall have the right to postpone the Closing
Date or Option Closing Date for a reasonable period, but not in any event
exceeding five business days, in order to effect whatever changes may thereby be
made necessary in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or in any other
documents and arrangements, and the Company agrees to file promptly any
amendment to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus that in the opinion of
counsel for the Underwriters may thereby be made necessary. The term
"Underwriter" as used in this Agreement shall include any party substituted
under this Section 6 with like effect as if it had originally been a party to
this Agreement with respect to such Securities.
7 Intentionally Omitted.
8 Additional Covenants.
8.1 Intentionally Omitted.
8.2 Additional Shares or Options. The Company hereby agrees that until the
consummation of a Business Combination, it shall not issue any shares of Common
Stock or any options or other securities convertible into Common Stock, or any
shares of Preferred Stock which participate in any manner in the Trust Fund or
which vote as a class with the Common Stock on a Business Combination.
8.3 Trust Fund Waiver Acknowledgment.
(a) Underwriters/Representative. Except with respect to the
underwriting discounts and commissions due to the Underwriters only upon
successful consummation of a Business Combination, each of the Underwriters and
the Representative hereby agree that it does not have any right, title, interest
or claim of any kind in or to any monies in the Trust Fund ("Claim"), including
those funds being deposited in the Trust Fund representing a portion of the
underwriting discounts and commissions owed to the Underwriters, and waive any
Claim it may have in the future as a result of, or arising out of, any
negotiations, contracts or agreements with the Company and will not seek
recourse against the Trust Fund for any reason whatsoever.
(b) Target Businesses and Vendors. The Company hereby agrees that it
will not commence its due diligence investigation of any operating business
which the Company seeks to acquire ("Target Business") or obtain the services of
any vendor unless and until such Target Business or vendor acknowledges in
writing, whether through a letter of intent, memorandum of understanding or
other similar document (and subsequently acknowledges the same in any definitive
document replacing any of the foregoing), that (a) it has read the Prospectus
and understands that the Company has established the Trust Fund, initially in an
amount of $33,488,002 for the benefit of the public stockholders and that the
Company may disburse monies from the Trust Fund only (i) to the public
stockholders in the event they elect to convert their IPO Shares (as defined
below in Section 8.8), (ii) to the public stockholders upon the liquidation of
the Company if the Company fails to consummate a Business Combination or (iii)
to the Company after, or concurrently with, the consummation of a Business
Combination and (b) for and in consideration of the Company (1) agreeing to
evaluate such Target Business for purposes of consummating a Business
Combination with it or (2) agreeing to engage the services of the vendor, as the
case may be, such Target Business or vendor agrees that it does not have any
Claim in or to any monies in the Trust Fund and waives any Claim it may have in
the future as a result of, or arising out of, any negotiations, contracts or
agreements with the Company and will not seek recourse against the Trust Fund
for any reason whatsoever.
8.4 Insider Letters. The Company shall not take any action or omit to take
any action which would cause a breach of any of the Insider Letters executed
between each Initial Stockholder and EBC and will not allow any amendments to,
or waivers of, such Insider Letters without the prior written consent of EBC.
8.5 Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws. The Company shall not take any
action or omit to take any action that would cause the Company to be in breach
or violation of its Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws. Prior to the
consummation of a Business Combination, the Company will not amend its
Certificate of Incorporation without the prior written consent of EBC.
8.6 Blue Sky Requirements. The Company shall provide counsel to the
Underwriter with ten copies of all proxy information and all related material
filed with the Commission in connection with a
24
Business Combination concurrently with such filing with the Commission. In
addition, the Company shall furnish any other state in which its initial public
offering was registered, such information as may be requested by such state.
8.7 Intentionally Omitted.
8.8 Acquisition/Liquidation Procedure. The Company agrees: (i) that, prior
to the consummation of any Business Combination, it will submit such transaction
to the Company's stockholders for their approval ("Business Combination Vote")
even if the nature of the acquisition is such as would not ordinarily require
stockholder approval under applicable state law; and (ii) that, in the event
that the Company does not effect a Business Combination within 18 months from
the consummation of this Offering (subject to extension for an additional
six-month period, as described in the Prospectus), the Company will be
liquidated and will distribute to all holders of IPO Shares (defined below) an
aggregate sum equal to the Company's "Liquidation Value." The Company's
"Liquidation Value" shall mean the Company's book value, as determined by the
Company and approved by GGK. In no event, however, will the Company's
Liquidation Value be less than the Trust Fund, inclusive of any net interest
income thereon. Only holders of IPO Shares shall be entitled to receive
liquidating distributions and the Company shall pay no liquidating distributions
with respect to any other shares of capital stock of the Company. With respect
to the Business Combination Vote, the Company shall cause all of the Initial
Stockholders to vote the shares of Common Stock owned by them immediately prior
to this Offering in accordance with the vote of the holders of a majority of the
IPO Shares present, in person or by proxy, at a meeting of the Company's
stockholders called for such purpose. At the time the Company seeks approval of
any potential Business Combination, the Company will offer each holder of Common
Stock issued in this Offering ("IPO Shares") the right to convert their IPO
Shares at a per share price ("Conversion Price") equal to the amount in the
Trust Fund (inclusive of any interest income therein) calculated as of two
business days prior to the consummation of the proposed Business Combination
divided by the total number of IPO Shares. If holders of less than 20% in
interest of the Company's IPO Shares elect to convert their IPO Shares, the
Company may, but will not be required to, proceed with such Business
Combination. If the Company elects to so proceed, it will convert shares, based
upon the Conversion Price, from those holders of IPO Shares who affirmatively
requested such conversion and who voted against the Business Combination. If
holders of 20% or more in interest of the IPO Shares, who vote against approval
of any potential Business Combination, elect to convert their IPO Shares, the
Company will not proceed with such Business Combination and will not convert
such shares. The provisions of this Section 8.8 may not be modified, amended or
deleted under any circumstances.
8.9 Rule 419. The Company agrees that it will use its best efforts to
prevent the Company from becoming subject to Rule 419 under the Act prior to the
consummation of any Business Combination, including but not limited to using its
best efforts to prevent any of the Company's outstanding securities from being
deemed to be a "xxxxx stock" as defined in Rule 3a-51-1 under the Exchange Act
during such period.
8.10 Affiliated Transactions. The Company shall cause each of the Initial
Stockholders to agree that, in order to minimize potential conflicts of interest
which may arise from multiple affiliations, the Initial Stockholders will
present to the Company for its consideration, prior to presentation to any other
person or company, any suitable opportunity to acquire an operating business,
until the earlier of the consummation by the Company of a Business Combination,
the liquidation of the Company or until such time as the Initial Stockholders
cease to be an officer or director of the Company, subject to any pre-existing
fiduciary or contractual obligations the Initial Stockholders might have.
8.11 Target Net Assets. The Company agrees that the initial Target Business
that it acquires must have a fair market value equal to at least 80% of the
Company's net assets (all of the Company's assets, including the funds held in
the Trust Fund, less the Company's liabilities) at the time of such acquisition.
The fair market value of such business must be determined by the Board of
Directors of the Company based upon standards generally accepted by the
financial community, such as actual and potential sales, earnings and cash flow
and book value. If the Board of Directors of the Company is not able to
independently determine that the
25
target business has a fair market value of at least 80% of the Company's net
assets at the time of such acquisition, the Company will obtain an opinion from
an unaffiliated, independent investment banking firm which is a member of the
NASD with respect to the satisfaction of such criteria. The Company is not
required to obtain an opinion from an investment banking firm as to the fair
market value if the Company's Board of Directors independently determines that
the Target Business does have sufficient fair market value.
9 Representations and Agreements to Survive Delivery. Except as the context
otherwise requires, all representations, warranties and agreements contained in
this Agreement shall be deemed to be representations, warranties and agreements
at the Closing Date or Option Closing Date and such representations, warranties
and agreements of the Underwriters and Company, including the indemnity
agreements contained in Section 5 hereof, shall remain operative and in full
force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any
Underwriter, the Company or any controlling person, and shall survive
termination of this Agreement or the issuance and delivery of the Securities to
the several Underwriters until the earlier of the expiration of any applicable
statute of limitations and the seventh anniversary of the later of the Closing
Date or the Option Closing Date, if any, at which time the representations,
warranties and agreements shall terminate and be of no further force and effect.
10 Effective Date of This Agreement and Termination Thereof.
10.1 Effective Date. This Agreement shall become effective on the Effective
Date at the time the Registration Statement is declared effective by the
Commission.
10.2 Termination. You shall have the right to terminate this Agreement at
any time prior to any Closing Date, (i) if any domestic or international event
or act or occurrence has materially disrupted, or in your opinion will in the
immediate future materially disrupt, general securities markets in the United
States; or (ii) if trading on the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock
Exchange, the Boston Stock Exchange or on the NASD OTC Bulletin Board (or
successor trading market) shall have been suspended, or minimum or maximum
prices for trading shall have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices for
securities shall have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices for securities
shall have been required on the NASD OTC Bulletin Board or by order of the
Commission or any other government authority having jurisdiction, or (iii) if
the United States shall have become involved in a new war or an increase in
major hostilities, or (iv) if a banking moratorium has been declared by a New
York State or federal authority, or (v) if a moratorium on foreign exchange
trading has been declared which materially adversely impacts the United States
securities market, or (vi) if the Company shall have sustained a material loss
by fire, flood, accident, hurricane, earthquake, theft, sabotage or other
calamity or malicious act which, whether or not such loss shall have been
insured, will, in your opinion, make it inadvisable to proceed with the delivery
of the Units, or (vii) if any of the Company's representations, warranties or
covenants hereunder are breached, or (viii) if the Underwriter shall have become
aware after the date hereof of such a material adverse change in the conditions
or prospects of the Company, or such adverse material change in general market
conditions, including without limitation as a result of terrorist activities
after the date hereof, as in the Underwriter's judgment would make it
impracticable to proceed with the offering, sale and/or delivery of the Units or
to enforce contracts made by the Underwriter for the sale of the Securities.
10.3 Expenses. In the event that this Agreement shall not be carried out
for any reason whatsoever, within the time specified herein or any extensions
thereof pursuant to the terms herein, the obligations of the Company to pay the
out of pocket expenses related to the transactions contemplated herein shall be
governed by Section 3.13 hereof.
26
10.4 Indemnification. Notwithstanding any contrary provision contained in
this Agreement, any election hereunder or any termination of this Agreement, and
whether or not this Agreement is otherwise carried out, the provisions of
Section 5 shall not be in any way effected by, such election or termination or
failure to carry out the terms of this Agreement or any part hereof.
11 Miscellaneous.
11.1 Notices. All communications hereunder, except as herein otherwise
specifically provided, shall be in writing and shall be mailed, delivered or
telecopied and confirmed and shall be deemed given when so delivered or
telecopied and confirmed or if mailed, two days after such mailing
If to the Underwriter:
EarlyBirdCapital, Inc.
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Attn: Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx, Chairman
Copy to:
Xxxxx & Xxxxxxx LLP
000 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxxx 00000
Attn: Xxxx X. Xxxxxx, Esq.
If to the Company:
Ascend Acquisition Corp.
000 Xxxxx Xxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 000
Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxx 00000
Attn: Xxx X. Xxxx
Copy to:
Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
The Chrysler Building
000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Attn: Xxxxx Xxxx Xxxxxx, Esq.
11.2 Headings. The headings contained herein are for the sole purpose of
convenience of reference, and shall not in any way limit or affect the meaning
or interpretation of any of the terms or provisions of this Agreement.
11.3 Amendment. Except for Section 8.8 (which may not be amended under any
circumstances), this Agreement may only be amended by a written instrument
executed by each of the parties hereto.
11.4 Entire Agreement. This Agreement (together with the other agreements
and documents being delivered pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement)
constitute the entire agreement of the parties hereto with respect to the
subject matter hereof and thereof, and supersede all prior agreements and
understandings of the parties, oral and written, with respect to the subject
matter hereof.
27
11.5 Binding Effect. This Agreement shall inure solely to the benefit of
and shall be binding upon the Underwriter, the Company and the controlling
persons, directors and officers referred to in Section 5 hereof, and their
respective successors, legal representatives and assigns, and no other person
shall have or be construed to have any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim
under or in respect of or by virtue of this Agreement or any provisions herein
contained.
11.6 Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed and
enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without giving
effect to conflicts of law principles that would result in the application of
the substantive laws of another jurisdiction. The Company hereby agrees that any
action, proceeding or claim against it arising out of, or relating in any way to
this Agreement shall be brought and enforced in the courts of the State of New
York of the United States of America for the Southern District of New York, and
irrevocably submits to such jurisdiction, which jurisdiction shall be exclusive.
The Company hereby waives any objection to such exclusive jurisdiction and that
such courts represent an inconvenient forum. Any such process or summons to be
served upon the Company may be served by transmitting a copy thereof by
registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid,
addressed to it at the address set forth in Section 11 hereof. Such mailing
shall be deemed personal service and shall be legal and binding upon the Company
in any action, proceeding or claim. The Company agrees that the prevailing
party(ies) in any such action shall be entitled to recover from the other
party(ies) all of its reasonable attorneys' fees and expenses relating to such
action or proceeding and/or incurred in connection with the preparation
therefor.
11.7 Execution in Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or
more counterparts, and by the different parties hereto in separate counterparts,
each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which taken together
shall constitute one and the same agreement, and shall become effective when one
or more counterparts has been signed by each of the parties hereto and delivered
to each of the other parties hereto.
11.8 Waiver, Etc. The failure of any of the parties hereto to at any time
enforce any of the provisions of this Agreement shall not be deemed or construed
to be a waiver of any such provision, nor to in any way effect the validity of
this Agreement or any provision hereof or the right of any of the parties hereto
to thereafter enforce each and every provision of this Agreement. No waiver of
any breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment of any of the provisions of this
Agreement shall be effective unless set forth in a written instrument executed
by the party or parties against whom or which enforcement of such waiver is
sought; and no waiver of any such breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment
shall be construed or deemed to be a waiver of any other or subsequent breach,
non-compliance or non-fulfillment.
28
If the foregoing correctly sets forth the understanding between the
Underwriters and the Company, please so indicate in the space provided below for
that purpose, whereupon this letter shall constitute a binding agreement between
us.
Very truly yours,
ASCEND ACQUISITION CORP.
By:
------------------------------------
Name: Xxx X. Xxxx
Title: Chief Executive Officer
Accepted on the date first
above written.
EARLYBIRDCAPITAL, INC.
By:
---------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
Title: Managing Director
