CREDIT AGREEMENT Dated as of December 10, 2014 among INFRAREIT PARTNERS, LP as the Borrower, BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as Administrative Agent, and L/C Issuer, and The Other Lenders Party Hereto MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INCORPORATED, as Sole...
Exhibit 10.23
Execution Version
Published CUSIP Number: 00000XXX0
Dated as of December 10, 2014
among
INFRAREIT PARTNERS, LP
as the Borrower,
BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.,
as Administrative Agent,
and
L/C Issuer,
and
The Other Lenders Party Hereto
XXXXXXX LYNCH, PIERCE, XXXXXX & XXXXX INCORPORATED,
as
Sole Lead Arranger and Sole Book Manager
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section |
Page | |||||
ARTICLE I. DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS |
1 | |||||
1.01 |
Defined Terms | 1 | ||||
1.02 |
Other Interpretive Provisions | 29 | ||||
1.03 |
Accounting Terms | 29 | ||||
1.04 |
Rounding | 30 | ||||
1.05 |
Times of Day; Rates | 30 | ||||
1.06 |
Letter of Credit Amounts | 30 | ||||
ARTICLE II. THE COMMITMENTS AND CREDIT EXTENSIONS |
30 | |||||
2.01 |
Loans | 30 | ||||
2.02 |
Borrowings, Conversions and Continuations of Loans | 31 | ||||
2.03 |
Letters of Credit | 32 | ||||
2.04 |
Prepayments | 40 | ||||
2.05 |
Repayment of Loans | 41 | ||||
2.06 |
Interest | 41 | ||||
2.07 |
Fees | 42 | ||||
2.08 |
Computation of Interest and Fees | 42 | ||||
2.09 |
Evidence of Debt | 43 | ||||
2.10 |
Payments Generally; Administrative Agent’s Clawback | 43 | ||||
2.11 |
Sharing of Payments by Lenders | 45 | ||||
2.12 |
Cash Collateral | 46 | ||||
2.13 |
Defaulting Lenders | 47 | ||||
2.14 |
Increase in Commitments | 49 | ||||
ARTICLE III. TAXES, YIELD PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY |
50 | |||||
3.01 |
Taxes | 50 | ||||
3.02 |
Illegality | 55 | ||||
3.03 |
Inability to Determine Rates | 55 | ||||
3.04 |
Increased Costs; Reserves on Eurodollar Rate Loans | 56 | ||||
3.05 |
Compensation for Losses | 58 | ||||
3.06 |
Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders | 58 | ||||
3.07 |
Survival | 59 | ||||
ARTICLE IV. CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO CREDIT EXTENSIONS |
59 | |||||
4.01 |
Conditions of Initial Credit Extension | 59 | ||||
4.02 |
Conditions to all Credit Extensions | 62 | ||||
ARTICLE V. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES |
62 | |||||
5.01 |
Existence, Qualification and Power | 62 | ||||
5.02 |
Authorization; No Contravention | 63 | ||||
5.03 |
Governmental Authorization; Other Consents | 63 | ||||
5.04 |
Binding Effect | 63 |
i
5.05 |
Financial Statements; No Material Adverse Effect | 63 | ||||
5.06 |
Litigation | 64 | ||||
5.07 |
No Default | 64 | ||||
5.08 |
Ownership of Property | 64 | ||||
5.09 |
Environmental Compliance | 64 | ||||
5.10 |
Insurance | 65 | ||||
5.11 |
Taxes | 65 | ||||
5.12 |
ERISA Compliance | 65 | ||||
5.13 |
Subsidiaries; Equity Interests | 66 | ||||
5.14 |
Margin Regulations; Investment Company Act | 66 | ||||
5.15 |
Disclosure | 66 | ||||
5.16 |
Compliance with Laws | 67 | ||||
5.17 |
Taxpayer Identification Number | 67 | ||||
5.18 |
Intellectual Property; Licenses, Etc. | 67 | ||||
5.19 |
OFAC | 67 | ||||
5.20 |
Foreign Assets Control Regulations | 67 | ||||
5.21 |
Status under Certain Statutes | 68 | ||||
5.22 |
Collateral | 68 | ||||
5.23 |
Collateral Agency Agreement | 68 | ||||
ARTICLE VI. AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS |
69 | |||||
6.01 |
Information Covenants | 69 | ||||
6.02 |
Use of Proceeds | 72 | ||||
6.03 |
Compliance with Law | 72 | ||||
6.04 |
Insurance | 72 | ||||
6.05 |
Maintenance of Properties | 72 | ||||
6.06 |
Payment of Taxes and Claims | 72 | ||||
6.07 |
Existence, Etc. | 73 | ||||
6.08 |
Books and Records; Inspection Rights | 73 | ||||
6.09 |
Collateral; Further Assurances | 73 | ||||
6.10 |
Leases | 74 | ||||
6.11 |
Financial Ratios | 75 | ||||
ARTICLE VII. NEGATIVE COVENANTS |
75 | |||||
7.01 |
Transactions with Affiliates | 75 | ||||
7.02 |
Merger, Consolidation, etc. | 76 | ||||
7.03 |
Line of Business | 76 | ||||
7.04 |
Terrorism Sanctions Regulations | 76 | ||||
7.05 |
Liens | 77 | ||||
7.06 |
Indebtedness | 78 | ||||
7.07 |
Loans, Advances, Investments and Contingent Liabilities | 79 | ||||
7.08 |
[Reserved] | 79 | ||||
7.09 |
Distributions | 80 | ||||
7.10 |
Sale of Assets, etc. | 80 | ||||
7.11 |
Amendments to Organizational Documents | 81 | ||||
7.12 |
ERISA Compliance | 81 | ||||
7.13 |
No Margin Stock | 82 |
ii
7.14 |
Leases | 82 | ||||
7.15 |
Regulation | 82 | ||||
7.16 |
Swaps | 83 | ||||
7.17 |
Burdensome Agreements | 83 | ||||
ARTICLE VIII. EVENTS OF DEFAULT |
83 | |||||
8.01 |
Events of Default | 83 | ||||
8.02 |
Remedies Upon Event of Default | 86 | ||||
8.03 |
Application of Funds | 87 | ||||
ARTICLE IX. ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT |
88 | |||||
9.01 |
Appointment and Authority | 88 | ||||
9.02 |
Rights as a Lender | 88 | ||||
9.03 |
Exculpatory Provisions | 89 | ||||
9.04 |
Reliance by Administrative Agent | 90 | ||||
9.05 |
Delegation of Duties | 90 | ||||
9.06 |
Resignation of Administrative Agent | 90 | ||||
9.07 |
Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders | 92 | ||||
9.08 |
No Other Duties, Etc. | 92 | ||||
9.09 |
Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim; Credit Bidding | 92 | ||||
9.10 |
Collateral and Guaranty Matters | 94 | ||||
ARTICLE X. MISCELLANEOUS |
94 | |||||
10.01 |
Amendments, Etc. | 94 | ||||
10.02 |
Notices; Effectiveness; Electronic Communication | 96 | ||||
10.03 |
No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies; Enforcement | 98 | ||||
10.04 |
Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver | 99 | ||||
10.05 |
Payments Set Aside | 101 | ||||
10.06 |
Successors and Assigns | 101 | ||||
10.07 |
Treatment of Certain Information; Confidentiality | 106 | ||||
10.08 |
Right of Setoff | 106 | ||||
10.09 |
Interest Rate Limitation | 107 | ||||
10.10 |
Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness | 107 | ||||
10.11 |
Survival of Representations and Warranties | 108 | ||||
10.12 |
Severability | 108 | ||||
10.13 |
Replacement of Lenders | 108 | ||||
10.14 |
Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Etc. | 109 | ||||
10.15 |
Waiver of Jury Trial | 110 | ||||
10.16 |
No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility | 110 | ||||
10.17 |
Electronic Execution of Assignments and Certain Other Documents | 111 | ||||
10.18 |
USA PATRIOT Act | 111 | ||||
10.19 |
ENTIRE AGREEMENT | 111 |
iii
SCHEDULES
2.01 | Commitments and Applicable Percentages | |
5.13 | Subsidiaries; Other Equity Investments; Equity Interests in the Borrower | |
7.06 | Existing Indebtedness | |
7.17 | Burdensome Agreements | |
10.02 | Administrative Agent’s Office; Certain Addresses for Notices |
EXHIBITS
Form of | ||
A | Loan Notice | |
B | Note | |
C-1 | Compliance Certificate (Borrower) | |
C-1 | Compliance Certificate (Qualified Lessee) | |
D-1 | Assignment and Assumption | |
D-2 | Administrative Questionnaire | |
E | Guaranty | |
F | Opinion Matters | |
G-1 ~ G-4 | Forms of U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate |
iv
This CREDIT AGREEMENT (“Agreement”) is entered into as of December 10, 2014, among InfraREIT Partners, LP, a Delaware limited partnership (the “Borrower”), each lender from time to time party hereto (collectively, the “Lenders” and individually, a “Lender”), and BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as Administrative Agent, and L/C Issuer.
The Borrower has requested that the Lenders provide a revolving credit facility, and the Lenders are willing to do so on the terms and conditions set forth herein.
In consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements herein contained, the parties hereto covenant and agree as follows:
ARTICLE I.
DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS
1.01 Defined Terms. As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:
“2010 Note Purchase Agreement” means the Note Purchase Agreement, dated as of July 13, 2010, among TDC and the holders of TDC’s 2020 Notes issued thereunder, as the same may be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.
“2010 Note Purchase Documents” means, collectively, the 2010 Note Purchase Agreement, the 2020 Notes and the 2014 Joinder Agreement.
“2014 Joinder Agreement” means a joinder agreement substantially in the form attached to the Collateral Agency Agreement, to which each of TDC and the Administrative Agent, on behalf of itself and the other Lenders, is a party, pursuant to which the Administrative Agent becomes a Secured Party under the Collateral Agency Agreement.
“2020 Notes” means the 8.5% Senior Notes due December 30, 2020 of TDC.
“Administrative Agent” means Bank of America in its capacity as administrative agent under any of the Loan Documents, or any successor administrative agent.
“Administrative Agent’s Office” means the Administrative Agent’s address and, as appropriate, account as set forth on Schedule 10.02, or such other address or account as the Administrative Agent may from time to time notify to the Borrower and the Lenders.
“Administrative Questionnaire” means an Administrative Questionnaire in substantially the form of Exhibit D-2 or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.
“Affiliate” means, with respect to a specified Person, another Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, Controls or is Controlled by or is under common Control with the Person specified.
1
“Aggregate Commitments” means the Commitments of all the Lenders. The Aggregate Commitments on the Closing Date is $75,000,000.
“Agreement” means this Credit Agreement.
“Applicable Percentage” means with respect to any Lender at any time, the percentage (carried out to the ninth decimal place) of the Aggregate Commitments represented by such Lender’s Commitment at such time, subject to adjustment as provided in Section 2.13. If the commitment of each Lender to make Loans and the obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions have been terminated pursuant to Section 8.02 or if the Aggregate Commitments have expired, then the Applicable Percentage of each Lender shall be determined based on the Applicable Percentage of such Lender most recently in effect, giving effect to any subsequent assignments. The initial Applicable Percentage of each Lender is set forth opposite the name of such Lender on Schedule 2.01 or in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender becomes a party hereto, as applicable.
“Applicable Rate” means a per annum rate equal to:
(a) with respect to Base Rate Loans, 1.50%;
(b) with respect to Eurodollar Rate Loans and Letters of Credit, 2.50%; and
(c) with respect to the commitment fee, 0.50%.
“Approved Fund” means any Fund that is administered or managed by (a) a Lender, (b) an Affiliate of a Lender or (c) an entity or an Affiliate of an entity that administers or manages a Lender.
“Approved Lease Amendments” means the CREZ Lease Amendment and Restatement, the McAllen Lease Amendment and Restatement, the Xxxxxxx/Xxxxx/Xxxxxxx Lease Amendment and Restatement and, to the extent the FERC Merger has been completed, the FERC Lease Amendment and Restatement.
“Arranger” means Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx Incorporated in its capacity as lead arranger and sole book manager.
“Assignment and Assumption” means an assignment and assumption entered into by a Lender and an Eligible Assignee (with the consent of any party whose consent is required by Section 10.06(b)), and accepted by the Administrative Agent, in substantially the form of Exhibit D-1 or any other form (including electronic documentation generated by MarkitClear or other electronic platform) approved by the Administrative Agent.
“Attributable Indebtedness” means, on any date, (a) in respect of any capital lease of any Person, the capitalized amount thereof that would appear on a balance sheet of such Person prepared as of such date in accordance with GAAP, and (b) in respect of any Synthetic Lease Obligation, the capitalized amount of the remaining lease payments under the relevant lease that would appear on a balance sheet of such Person prepared as of such date in accordance with GAAP if such lease were accounted for as a capital lease.
2
“Audited Financial Statements” means the audited consolidated balance sheets of each of (i) the Borrower and its Subsidiaries and (ii) Sharyland and its Subsidiaries for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2011, 2012 and 2013, and the related consolidated statements of operations, the related consolidated statements of partners’ capital and the related consolidated statements of cash flows for such fiscal years of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, including the notes thereto.
“Availability Period” means the period from and including the Closing Date to the earliest of (a) the Maturity Date, (b) the date of termination of the Aggregate Commitments pursuant to Section 2.04, and (c) the date of termination of the commitment of each Lender to make Loans and of the obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions pursuant to Section 8.02.
“Bank of America” means Bank of America, N.A. and its successors.
“Base Rate” means for any day a fluctuating rate per annum equal to the highest of (a) the Federal Funds Rate plus 1/2 of 1%, (b) the rate of interest in effect for such day as publicly announced from time to time by Bank of America as its “prime rate,” and (c) the Eurodollar Rate for a one month Interest Period in effect on such day plus 1.00%. The “prime rate” is a rate set by Bank of America based upon various factors including Bank of America’s costs and desired return, general economic conditions and other factors, and is used as a reference point for pricing some loans, which may be priced at, above, or below such announced rate. Any change in such prime rate announced by Bank of America shall take effect at the opening of business on the day specified in the public announcement of such change.
“Base Rate Loan” means a Loan that bears interest based on the Base Rate.
“Borrower” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph hereto.
“Borrower Materials” has the meaning specified in Section 6.01.
“Borrower Security Agreement” means the Security Agreement, dated as of the date hereof, by and between the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.
“Borrowing” means a borrowing consisting of Loans of the same Type and, in the case of Eurodollar Rate Loans, having the same Interest Period made by each of the Lenders pursuant to Section 2.01.
“Business Day” means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks are authorized to close under the Laws of, or are in fact closed in, the state where the Administrative Agent’s Office is located and, if such day relates to any Eurodollar Rate Loan, means any such day that is also a London Banking Day.
“Capital Lease” means, at any time, a lease with respect to which the lessee is required concurrently to recognize the acquisition of an asset and the incurrence of a liability in accordance with GAAP.
“Cash Collateralize” means to deposit in a Controlled Account or to pledge and deposit with or deliver to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of one or more of the L/C Issuer or
3
the Lenders, as collateral for L/C Obligations or obligations of the Lenders to fund participations in respect of L/C Obligations, cash or deposit account balances or, if the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer shall agree in their sole discretion, other credit support, in each case pursuant to documentation in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer. “Cash Collateral” shall have a meaning correlative to the foregoing and shall include the proceeds of such cash collateral and other credit support.
“Change in Law” means the occurrence, after the date of this Agreement, of any of the following: (a) the adoption or taking effect of any law, rule, regulation or treaty, (b) any change in any law, rule, regulation or treaty or in the administration, interpretation, implementation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority or (c) the making or issuance of any request, rule, guideline or directive (whether or not having the force of law) by any Governmental Authority; provided that notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, (x) the Xxxx-Xxxxx Xxxx Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and all requests, rules, guidelines or directives thereunder or issued in connection therewith and (y) all requests, rules, guidelines or directives promulgated by the Bank for International Settlements, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (or any successor or similar authority) or the United States or foreign regulatory authorities, in each case pursuant to Basel III, shall in each case be deemed to be a “Change in Law”, regardless of the date enacted, adopted or issued.
“Change of Control” means an event or series of events by which:
(a) the General Partner or its successor shall cease to the sole general partner of the Borrower; or
(b) any Person other than a Qualified Lessee shall be the lessee under any lease with respect to the System; or
(c) the Borrower shall cease to own or control, directly or indirectly, at least 90% of the outstanding Equity Interests of SDTS; or
(d) Xxxx Family Members cease to Control Sharyland.
“Closing Date” means the first date all the conditions precedent in Section 4.01 are satisfied or waived in accordance with Section 10.01.
“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
“Collateral” means all of the Collateral as defined in each of the Security Documents.
“Collateral Agency Agreement” means the Amended and Restated Collateral Agency Agreement, dated as of February 21, 2014, by and among the Collateral Agent, TDC and the holders of the 2020 Notes (as may be amended, restated, amended and restated or otherwise modified from time to time).
“Collateral Agent” means The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., a national association, acting in its capacity as collateral agent for itself and the other Secured Parties under the Financing Agreements, or its successors in such capacity appointed pursuant to the terms of the Collateral Agency Agreement.
4
“Commitment” means, as to each Lender, its obligation to (a) make Loans to the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.01 and (b) purchase participations in L/C Obligations, in an aggregate principal amount at any one time outstanding not to exceed the amount set forth opposite such Lender’s name on Schedule 2.01 or in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender becomes a party hereto, as applicable, as such amount may be adjusted from time to time in accordance with this Agreement.
“Compliance Certificate” means a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit C.
“Connection Income Taxes” means Other Connection Taxes that are imposed on or measured by net income (however denominated) or that are franchise Taxes or branch profits Taxes.
“Consolidated Cash Flow” means, for any period, the sum of the following (without duplication): (i) all cash paid to Borrower and its Subsidiaries (other than Project Finance Subsidiaries) during such period under the Leases, (ii) all cash distributions received by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries during such period, (iii) all interest and investment earnings, if any, paid to SDTS during such period on amounts on deposit in the account created under the Deposit Agreement (as defined in the SDTS 2010 Note Agreement), if any, (iv) revenues, if any, received by or on behalf of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries during such period under any insurance policy as business interruption insurance proceeds, (v) direct cash equity investments made by partners of the Borrower or any Subsidiary (excluding equity contributed to a Project Finance Subsidiary) in an amount not greater than the amount necessary to cause the Borrower to be in compliance with the financial covenant set forth in Section 6.11(b) for such period (each such an investment, an “Equity Cure”); provided, however, that during any period of four consecutive fiscal quarters, “Consolidated Cash Flow” shall include an Equity Cure in no more than two of such quarters, (vi) proceeds of any Borrowing made after the date hereof to the extent used to finance the payment of bullet or balloon installments of Indebtedness for borrowed money and (vii) to the extent that a Subsidiary is formed or acquired in the future, (x) all cash paid to such Subsidiary during such period under leases of such Subsidiary’s assets, (y) all interest and investment earnings paid to such Subsidiary during such period (if any) and (z) revenues, if any, received by or on behalf of such Subsidiary during such period under any insurance policy as business interruption insurance proceeds.
“Consolidated Cash Flow Available For Debt Service” for any period, means (i) Consolidated Cash Flow received during such period minus (ii) (A) all O&M Costs paid during such period and (B) if an Equity Cure has been made with respect to any fiscal quarter for which Consolidated Cash Flow Available for Debt Service is calculated, the lesser of (x) the aggregate amount of such Equity Cure for such period and (y) the aggregate amount of cash distributions paid by the Borrower during such period.
“Consolidated Debt Service Coverage Ratio” means, for each period of four most recent consecutive fiscal quarters, the quotient of (a) Consolidated Cash Flow Available For Debt Service for such period to (b) Debt Service for such period.
5
“Consolidated Net Plant” means, with respect to any Person, as of the date of determination, the net plant set forth on the face of the consolidated balance sheet of such Person or absent such amount on the consolidated balance sheet, the total plant of such Person on a consolidated basis minus accumulated depreciation as set forth in the footnotes of the consolidated financial statements, in each case, for the fiscal quarter ended on the date of the last financial statements delivered pursuant to Section 6.01.
“Consolidated Net Worth” means at any date, the sum of all amounts that would, in conformity with GAAP, be included on a consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its consolidated Subsidiaries under partners’ equity at such date, plus minority interests, as determined in accordance with GAAP minus any partners’ equity attributable to any Project Finance Subsidiary; provided, however, that any effects resulting from SFAS 158 shall be excluded for purposes of the calculation of Consolidated Net Worth.
“Consolidated Qualified Lessee” means any Qualified Lessee that is consolidated into the financial statements of another Qualified Lessee.
“Consolidated Revenue” means, with respect to any Person, as of the date of determination, the total revenue set forth on the face of the consolidated statements of operations of such Person for the fiscal quarter ended on the date of the last financial statements delivered pursuant to Section 6.01.
“Consolidated Total Debt” means at any date, all Indebtedness of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis; provided, however, that for purposes of calculating the Consolidated Total Debt to Capitalization Ratio, the Borrower’s Consolidated Total Debt shall exclude Non-Recourse Debt of a Project Finance Subsidiary and that portion of the Swap Termination Value defined in clause (b) of the definition of “Swap Termination Value”.
“Consolidated Total Debt to Capitalization Ratio” means the ratio of (a) the Consolidated Total Debt to (b) the sum of Consolidated Total Debt plus the Consolidated Net Worth for such period.
“Contractual Obligation” means, as to any Person, any provision of any security issued by such Person or of any agreement, instrument or other undertaking to which such Person is a party or by which it or any of its property is bound.
“Control” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of a Person, whether through the ability to exercise voting power, by contract or otherwise. “Controlling” and “Controlled” have meanings correlative thereto.
“Controlled Account” means each deposit account and securities account that is subject to an account control agreement in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer.
“Credit Extension” means each of the following: (a) a Borrowing and (b) an L/C Credit Extension.
6
“CREZ Lease” means (A) prior to the effectiveness of the CREZ Lease Amendment and Restatement, the Amended and Restated Lease Agreement (CREZ Assets) dated as of April 30, 2013, between Sharyland Projects, as lessor, and Sharyland, as lessee, and (B) upon the effectiveness of the CREZ Lease Amendment and Restatement, the CREZ Lease Amendment and Restatement, as such lease may be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, or any new lease entered into in replacement thereof, in accordance with Section 6.10 and/or 7.14 of this Agreement, as applicable.
“CREZ Lease Amendment and Restatement” means the Second Amended and Restated Lease Agreement (CREZ Assets), between Sharyland Projects, as lessor, and Sharyland, as lessee, with respect to the CREZ Project.
“CREZ Project” means the five transmission lines, four substations and other facilities in Texas identified and awarded to Sharyland by the PUCT in Docket Number 37902.
“Cross Valley Project” means the approximately 49 mile transmission line in South Texas near the Mexican border, known as the “North Edinburg to Loma Alta 345 kV single-circuit transmission line” project, subsequently, renamed as the “North Edinburg to Palmito 345 kV double-circuit transmission line” project, which is built on double-circuit capable structures and the Palmito substation located on the eastern terminus of the Cross Valley Project. The Cross Valley Project is part of a 100 mile transmission line, which is jointly developed and permitted by Sharyland and Electric Transmission Texas.
“Cross Valley Project Transfer” means the sale and transfer of all of the Equity Interests of CV Project Entity, L.L.C., a Project Finance Subsidiary of the Borrower, to Cross Valley Partnership, L.P., a Person Controlled by one or more Xxxx Family Members, for a purchase price at least equal to the Cross Valley Project’s rate base cost at such time.
“Debt Service” for any period, the aggregate (without duplication) of (i) all amounts of interest on the Loans and in respect of other Indebtedness of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries required to be paid during such period, plus (ii) all amounts of principal on the Loans and in respect of other Indebtedness of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries required to be paid during such period, excluding any optional prepayments of principal during such period, plus (iii) all other premiums, fees, costs, charges, expenses and indemnities due and payable to the Administrative Agent or the other Secured Parties and holders of other Indebtedness of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries or agents acting on their behalf during such period; provided, however, that for purposes of calculating the Consolidated Debt Service Coverage Ratio, the Debt Service shall exclude Non-Recourse Debt of a Project Finance Subsidiary.
“Debtor Relief Laws” means the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, and all other liquidation, conservatorship, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of creditors, moratorium, rearrangement, receivership, insolvency, reorganization, or similar debtor relief Laws of the United States or other applicable jurisdictions from time to time in effect.
“Default” means any event or condition that constitutes an Event of Default or that, with the giving of any notice, the passage of time, or both, would be an Event of Default.
7
“Default Rate” means (a) when used with respect to Obligations under the Loan Documents other than Letter of Credit Fees, an interest rate equal to (i) the Base Rate plus (ii) the Applicable Rate, if any, applicable to Base Rate Loans plus (iii) 2% per annum; provided, however, that with respect to a Eurodollar Rate Loan, the Default Rate shall be an interest rate equal to the interest rate (including any Applicable Rate) otherwise applicable to such Loan plus 2% per annum, and (b) when used with respect to Letter of Credit Fees, a rate equal to the Applicable Rate plus 2% per annum.
“Defaulting Lender” means, subject to Section 2.13(b), any Lender that (a) has failed to (i) fund all or any portion of its Loans within two Business Days of the date such Loans were required to be funded hereunder unless such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent and the Borrower in writing that such failure is the result of such Lender’s determination that one or more conditions precedent to funding (each of which conditions precedent, together with any applicable default, shall be specifically identified in such writing) has not been satisfied, or (ii) pay to the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or any other Lender any other amount required to be paid by it hereunder (including in respect of its participation in Letters of Credit) within two Business Days of the date when due, (b) has notified the Borrower, the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer in writing that it does not intend to comply with its funding obligations hereunder, or has made a public statement to that effect (unless such writing or public statement relates to such Lender’s obligation to fund a Loan hereunder and states that such position is based on such Lender’s determination that a condition precedent to funding (which condition precedent, together with any applicable default, shall be specifically identified in such writing or public statement) cannot be satisfied), (c) has failed, within three Business Days after written request by the Administrative Agent or the Borrower, to confirm in writing to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower that it will comply with its prospective funding obligations hereunder (provided that such Lender shall cease to be a Defaulting Lender pursuant to this clause (c) upon receipt of such written confirmation by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower), or (d) has, or has a direct or indirect parent company that has, (i) become the subject of a proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, or (ii) had appointed for it a receiver, custodian, conservator, trustee, administrator, assignee for the benefit of creditors or similar Person charged with reorganization or liquidation of its business or assets, including the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other state or federal regulatory authority acting in such a capacity; provided that a Lender shall not be a Defaulting Lender solely by virtue of the ownership or acquisition of any Equity Interest in that Lender or any direct or indirect parent company thereof by a Governmental Authority so long as such ownership interest does not result in or provide such Lender with immunity from the jurisdiction of courts within the United States or from the enforcement of judgments or writs of attachment on its assets or permit such Lender (or such Governmental Authority) to reject, repudiate, disavow or disaffirm any contracts or agreements made with such Lender. Any determination by the Administrative Agent that a Lender is a Defaulting Lender under any one or more of clauses (a) through (d) above, and of the effective date of such status, shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error, and such Lender shall be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender (subject to Section 2.13(b)) as of the date established therefor by the Administrative Agent in a written notice of such determination, which shall be delivered by the Administrative Agent to the Borrower, the L/C Issuer and each other Lender promptly following such determination.
“Depositary” means Bank of America.
8
“Designated Jurisdiction” means any country or territory to the extent that such country or territory itself is the subject of any Sanction.
“Development Agreement” means that certain Development Agreement to be entered into among Xxxx Transmission Services, L.L.C., Sharyland, the General Partner and/or the Borrower in connection with one or more New Projects, pursuant to which Xxxx Transmission Services, L.L.C. has granted the General Partner a right of first offer related to the New Projects identified therein, as amended from time to time in accordance with its terms.
“Disposition” or “Dispose” means the sale, transfer, license, lease or other disposition (including any sale and leaseback transaction) of any property by any Person, including any sale, assignment, transfer or other disposal, with or without recourse, of any notes or accounts receivable or any rights and claims associated therewith.
“Distribution” means any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property) with respect to any Equity Interests of any Person, or any payment (whether in cash, securities or other property), including any sinking fund or similar deposit, on account of the purchase, redemption, retirement, defeasance, acquisition, cancellation or termination of any such Equity Interests or on account of any return of capital to such Person’s stockholders, partners or members (or the equivalent Person thereof), or any option, warrant or other right to acquire any such dividend or other distribution or payment.
“Dollar” and “$” means lawful money of the United States.
“Domestic Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary that is organized under the laws of any political subdivision of the United States.
“Eligible Assignee” means any Person that meets the requirements to be an assignee under Section 10.06(b)(iii), and (v) (subject to such consents, if any, as may be required under Section 10.06(b)(iii)).
“Environmental Laws” means any and all federal, state, local, and foreign statutes, laws, regulations, ordinances, rules, judgments, orders, decrees, permits, concessions, grants, franchises, licenses, agreements or governmental restrictions relating to pollution and the protection of the environment or the release of any materials into the environment, including those related to hazardous substances or wastes, air emissions and discharges to waste or public systems.
“Environmental Liability” means any liability, contingent or otherwise (including any liability for damages, costs of environmental remediation, fines, penalties or indemnities), of the Borrower, any other Loan Party or any of their respective Subsidiaries directly or indirectly resulting from or based upon (a) violation of any Environmental Law, (b) the generation, use, handling, transportation, storage, treatment or disposal of any Hazardous Materials, (c) exposure to any Hazardous Materials, (d) the release or threatened release of any Hazardous Materials into the environment or (e) any contract, agreement or other consensual arrangement pursuant to which liability is assumed or imposed with respect to any of the foregoing.
9
“Equity Interests” means, with respect to any Person, all of the shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person, all of the warrants, options or other rights for the purchase or acquisition from such Person of shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person, all of the securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person or warrants, rights or options for the purchase or acquisition from such Person of such shares (or such other interests), and all of the other ownership or profit interests in such Person (including partnership, member or trust interests therein), whether voting or nonvoting, and whether or not such shares, warrants, options, rights or other interests are outstanding on any date of determination.
“ERCOT” means Electric Reliability Council of Texas or any successor thereto.
“ERCOT Lease” means the Lease Agreement (ERCOT Transmission Assets) between SDTS, as lessor, and Sharyland, as lessee, as such lease may be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, or any new lease entered into in replacement thereof, in accordance with Section 6.10 and/or 7.14 of this Agreement, as applicable.
“ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to time, and the regulations promulgated and rulings issued thereunder. Section references to ERISA are to ERISA, as in effect at the Closing Date and any subsequent provisions of ERISA, amendatory thereof, supplemental thereto or substituted therefor.
“ERISA Affiliate” means any (a) any entity, whether or not incorporated, that is under common control with a Loan Party within the meaning of Section 4001(a)(14) of ERISA; (b) any corporation which is a member of a controlled group of corporations within the meaning of Section 414(b) of the Code of which a Loan Party is a member; (c) any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) which is a member of a group of trades or businesses under common control within the meaning of Section 414(c) of the Code of which a Loan Party is a member; and (d) with respect to any Loan Party, any member of an affiliated service group within the meaning of Section 414 (m) or (o) of the Code of which that Loan Party, any corporation described in clause (a) above or any trade or business described in clause (b) above is a member.
“Eurodollar Rate” means:
(a) for any Interest Period with respect to a Eurodollar Rate Loan, the rate per annum equal to the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) or a comparable or successor rate, which rate is approved by the Administrative Agent, as published on the applicable Bloomberg screen page (or such other commercially available source providing such quotations as may be designated by the Administrative Agent from time to time) at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period, for Dollar deposits (for delivery on the first day of such Interest Period) with a term equivalent to such Interest Period; and
(b) for any interest calculation with respect to a Base Rate Loan on any date, the rate per annum equal to LIBOR, at or about 11:00 a.m., London time determined two Business Days prior to such date for U.S. Dollar deposits with a term of one month commencing that day;
10
provided that to the extent a comparable or successor rate is approved by the Administrative Agent in connection herewith, the approved rate shall be applied in a manner consistent with market practice; provided, further that, (i) to the extent such market practice is not administratively feasible for the Administrative Agent, such approved rate shall be applied in a manner as otherwise reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent, and (ii) if the Eurodollar Rate shall be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed zero for purposes of this Agreement.
“Eurodollar Rate Loan” means a Loan that bears interest at a rate based on clause (a) of the definition of “Eurodollar Rate.”
“Event of Default” has the meaning specified in Section 8.01.
“Excluded Subsidiary” means (i) SDTS and any of its Subsidiaries, (ii) any Project Finance Subsidiary, (iii) any Foreign Subsidiary and (iv) any other Subsidiary of the Borrower (including an owner of FERC regulated assets) that is regulated as a public utility in an applicable jurisdiction and Subsidiaries of such regulated utilities.
“Excluded Taxes” means any of the following Taxes imposed on or with respect to any Recipient or any other recipient of any payment to be made by or on account of any obligation of any Loan Party under any Loan Document (any of the foregoing, for purposes of this definition, a “recipient”) or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to a recipient, (a) Taxes imposed on or measured by net income (however denominated), franchise Taxes, and branch profits Taxes, in each case, (i) imposed as a result of such recipient being organized under the laws of, or having its principal office or, in the case of any Lender, its Lending Office located in, the jurisdiction imposing such Tax (or any political subdivision thereof) or (ii) that are Other Connection Taxes, (b) in the case of a Lender, U.S. federal withholding Taxes imposed on amounts payable to or for the account of such Lender with respect to an applicable interest in a Loan or Commitment or otherwise under a Loan Document pursuant to a law in effect on the date on which (i) such Lender acquires such interest in the Loan or Commitment (other than pursuant to an assignment request by the Borrower under Section 3.06(b)) or becomes a party to this Agreement or (ii) such Lender changes its Lending Office, except in each case to the extent that, pursuant to Section 3.01(a) or (c)(i), amounts with respect to such Taxes were payable either to such Lender’s assignor immediately before such Lender became a party hereto or to such Lender immediately before it changed its Lending Office, (c) Taxes attributable to such recipient’s failure to comply with Section 3.01(e) and (d) any U.S. federal withholding Taxes imposed pursuant to FATCA.
“Existing Facility Agreement” means the Credit Agreement, dated as of January 3, 2014, between the Borrower, the lenders party thereto from time to time, and Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent, as the same may be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.
“FASB ASC” means the Accounting Standards Codification of the Financial Accounting Standards Board.
11
“FATCA” means Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code, as of the date of this Agreement (or any amended or successor version that is substantively comparable and not materially more onerous to comply with), any current or future regulations or official interpretations thereof, any agreements entered into pursuant to Section 1471(b)(1) of the Code and any intergovernmental agreements that implement or modify the foregoing.
“Federal Funds Rate” means, for any day, the rate per annum equal to the weighted average of the rates on overnight Federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System arranged by Federal funds brokers on such day, as published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on the Business Day next succeeding such day; provided that (a) if such day is not a Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such day shall be such rate on such transactions on the immediately preceding Business Day as so published on the next succeeding Business Day, and (b) if no such rate is so published on such next succeeding Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such day shall be the average rate (rounded upward, if necessary, to a whole multiple of 1/100 of 1%) charged to Bank of America on such day on such transactions as determined by the Administrative Agent.
“Fee Letter” means the letter agreement, dated December 19, 2013, between the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.
“FERC” means the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, or any successor agency to its duties and responsibilities.
“FERC Lease” means (A) prior to the effectiveness of the FERC Lease Amendment and Restatement, the Second Amended and Restated Lease Agreement, dated as of July 1, 2012, between FERC Owner and FERC Operator and (B) upon the effectiveness of the FERC Lease Amendment and Restatement, the FERC Lease Amendment and Restatement, as such lease may be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, or any new lease entered into in replacement thereof, in accordance with Section 6.10 and/or 7.14 of this Agreement, as applicable.
“FERC Lease Amendment and Restatement” shall mean the Third Amended and Restated Lease Agreement (Xxxxxxx Transmission Loop Assets) between FERC Owner, as lessor, and FERC Operator, as lessee.
“FERC Merger” means the anticipated transaction or series of transactions pursuant to which SDTS FERC L.L.C. will merge into SDTS and SU FERC L.L.C. will merge into Sharyland.
“FERC Operator” means (A) prior to the FERC Merger, SU FERC, L.L.C., a Subsidiary of Sharyland, and (B) upon the completion of the FERC Merger, Sharyland.
“FERC Owner” means (A) prior to the FERC Merger, SDTS FERC, L.L.C., a Subsidiary of SDTS, and (B) upon the completion of the FERC Merger, SDTS.
“Foreign Lender” means a Lender that is not a U.S. Person.
12
“Foreign Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary of the Borrower that is not organized under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia.
“FPA” means the Federal Power Act, 16 U.S.C. §§791 et seq., as amended, and the regulations of the FERC thereunder.
“FRB” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States.
“Fronting Exposure” means, at any time there is a Defaulting Lender, with respect to the L/C Issuer, such Defaulting Lender’s Applicable Percentage of the outstanding L/C Obligations other than L/C Obligations as to which such Defaulting Lender’s participation obligation has been reallocated to other Lenders or Cash Collateralized in accordance with the terms hereof.
“Fund” means any Person (other than a natural Person) that is (or will be) engaged in making, purchasing, holding or otherwise investing in commercial loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its activities.
“GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and statements and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board or such other principles as may be approved by a significant segment of the accounting profession in the United States, that are applicable to the circumstances as of the date of determination, consistently applied.
“General Partner” means, (A) prior to a Qualifying IPO, InfraREIT, L.L.C., a Delaware limited liability company, and (y) upon the completion of a Qualifying IPO, InfraREIT, Inc., a Maryland Corporation, and any successor thereto, in its capacity as sole general partner of the Borrower.
“Golden Spread Project” means a new 345 kilovolt transmission line that will be approximately 55 miles long and will connect the Golden Spread Electric Cooperative, Inc. Antelope-Elk Energy Center in Xxxx County, approximately 1.6 miles north of the City of Xxxxxxxxx on County Road P, to the proposed White River Station that will be built by Sharyland in Xxxxx County, approximately 9 miles northeast of the City of Floydada and 1.1 miles east of the intersection of County Road 231 and County Road 200 and the Xxxxxxxxx substation that is located in the western portion of the transmission line.
“Golden Spread Project Transfer” means the sale and Transfer of all of the Equity Interests of the GS Project Entity to a Person Controlled by one or more Xxxx Family Members for a purchase price at least equal to the Golden Spread Project’s rate base cost at such time.
“Good Utility Practices” means “Good Utility Practice” as defined from time to time by the PUCT.
“GP Note” means a promissory note or other evidence of Indebtedness of the General Partner issued in connection with the Qualifying IPO.
13
“GS Project Entity” means a Project Finance Subsidiary created to finance and develop the Golden Spread Project.
“Governmental Authority” means the government of the United States or any other nation, or of any political subdivision thereof, whether state or local, and any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government (including any supra-national bodies such as the European Union or the European Central Bank).
“Guarantee” means, with respect to any Person, any obligation (except the endorsement in the ordinary course of business of negotiable instruments for deposit or collection) of such Person guaranteeing or in effect guaranteeing any Indebtedness of any other Person in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, including (without limitation) obligations incurred through an agreement, contingent or otherwise, by such Person:
(a) to purchase such Indebtedness or any property constituting security therefor;
(b) to advance or supply funds (i) for the purchase or payment of such Indebtedness or obligation, or (ii) to maintain any working capital or other balance sheet condition or any income statement condition of any other Person or otherwise to advance or make available funds for the purchase or payment of such Indebtedness;
(c) to lease properties or to purchase properties or services primarily for the purpose of assuring the owner of such Indebtedness of the ability of any other Person to make payment of the Indebtedness; or
(d) otherwise to assure the owner of such Indebtedness against loss in respect thereof.
The amount of any Guarantee shall be deemed to be an amount equal to the stated or determinable amount of the related primary obligation, or portion thereof, in respect of which such Guarantee is made or, if not stated or determinable, the maximum reasonably anticipated liability in respect thereof as determined by the guaranteeing Person in good faith. In any computation of the indebtedness or other liabilities of the obligor under any Guarantee, the indebtedness or other obligations that are the subject of such Guarantee shall be assumed to be direct obligations of such obligor. The term “Guarantee” as a verb has a corresponding meaning.
“Guarantor” means (i) TDC, (ii) each Subsidiary (other than an Excluded Subsidiary) of the Borrower which is or becomes a party to the Guaranty pursuant to Section 6.09(b) or (c) and (iii) the General Partner upon its execution and delivery of the Guaranty pursuant to Section 6.09(d).
“Guaranty” means the Guaranty made by each of the Guarantors in favor of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, substantially in the form of Exhibit E.
14
“Hazardous Materials” means all explosive or radioactive substances or wastes and all hazardous or toxic substances, wastes or other pollutants, including petroleum or petroleum distillates, asbestos or asbestos-containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls, radon gas, infectious or medical wastes and all other substances or wastes of any nature regulated pursuant to any Environmental Law.
“Xxxx Family Members” means (i) Xxx X. Xxxx; (ii) the spouse of Xxx X. Xxxx and each of his children and siblings; (iii) the spouse and lineal descendants of any Person identified in the foregoing clause (ii); (iv) any trust or account primarily for the benefit of any Person or Persons identified in the foregoing clauses (i), (ii) or (iii); (v) any corporation, partnership or other entity in which any of the Persons identified in the foregoing clauses (i), (ii), (iii), or (iv) are the beneficial owners of and Control substantially all of the shares of capital stock, membership interests, partnership interests or other equity interests and options or warrants to acquire, or securities convertible into, capital stock, membership interest, partnership interests or other equity securities of an entity, and (v) the personal representative or guardian of any of the Persons identified in the foregoing clause (i), (ii) and (iii) upon such Person’s death for purposes of the administration of such Person’s estate or upon such Person’s disability or incompetency for purposes of the protection and management of the assets of such Person.
“Immaterial Leases” means Leases pursuant to which the Borrower recognized revenue, in the aggregate, that constituted 10% or less of the Borrower’s Consolidated Revenue (excluding Project Finance Subsidiaries) as set forth on the face of the consolidated statements of operations for the four consecutive fiscal quarter period that ended on the date of the last financial statements delivered pursuant to Section 6.01 prior to the date on which the determination of whether such Lease falls within the scope of this definition is required to be made under the Loan Documents.
“Increase Effective Date” has the meaning specified in Section 2.14(d).
“Indebtedness” with respect to any Person means, at any time, without duplication:
(a) its liabilities for borrowed money and its redemption obligations in respect of Preferred Stock that is mandatorily redeemable prior to the date that is 91 days after the Maturity Date;
(b) its liabilities for the deferred purchase price of property acquired by such Person (excluding accounts payable arising in the ordinary course of business but including all liabilities created or arising under any conditional sale or other title retention agreement with respect to any such property);
(c) (i) all liabilities appearing on its balance sheet in accordance with GAAP in respect of Capital Leases and (ii) all liabilities which would appear on its balance sheet in accordance with GAAP in respect of Synthetic Leases assuming such Synthetic Leases were accounted for as Capital Leases; provided, however, that for purposes of this definition, the Leases and any similar lease shall not be treated as a Capital Lease;
15
(d) all liabilities for borrowed money secured by any Lien with respect to any property owned by such Person (whether or not it has assumed or otherwise become liable for such liabilities);
(e) all its liabilities in respect of letters of credit or instruments serving a similar function issued or accepted for its account by banks and other financial institutions (whether or not representing obligations for borrowed money); provided, however, that for purposes of this definition, any surety bonds or indemnification agreements entered into by any Qualified Lessee (with respect to which the Borrower or a Subsidiary thereof has a reimbursement or backstop obligation) in connection with condemnation proceedings shall be excluded;
(f) the aggregate Swap Termination Value of all Swap Contracts of such Person; and
(g) any Guarantee of such Person with respect to liabilities of a type described in any of clauses (a) through (f) hereof.
Indebtedness of any Person shall include all obligations of such Person of the character described in clauses (a) through (g) to the extent such Person remains legally liable in respect thereof notwithstanding that any such obligation is deemed to be extinguished under GAAP. For all purposes hereof, the Indebtedness of any Person shall include the Indebtedness of any partnership or joint venture (other than a joint venture that is itself a corporation or limited liability company) in which such Person is a general partner or a joint venturer, unless such Indebtedness is expressly made non-recourse to such Person. The amount of any Capital Lease or Synthetic Lease Obligation (in each case, to the extent the same is considered Indebtedness hereunder) as of any date shall be deemed to be the amount of Attributable Indebtedness in respect thereof as of such date.
“Indemnified Taxes” means (a) Taxes, other than Excluded Taxes, imposed on or with respect to any payment made by or on account of any obligation of any Loan Party under any Loan Document and (b) to the extent not otherwise described in (a), Other Taxes.
“Indemnitees” has the meaning specified in Section 10.04(b).
“Information” has the meaning specified in Section 10.07.
“Interest Payment Date” means, (a) as to any Loan other than a Base Rate Loan, the last day of each Interest Period applicable to such Loan and the Maturity Date; provided, however, that if any Interest Period for a Eurodollar Rate Loan exceeds three months, the respective dates that fall every three months after the beginning of such Interest Period shall also be Interest Payment Dates; and (b) as to any Base Rate Loan, the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December and the Maturity Date.
16
“Interest Period” means as to each Eurodollar Rate Loan, the period commencing on the date such Eurodollar Rate Loan is disbursed or converted to or continued as a Eurodollar Rate Loan and ending on the date one, two, three or six months thereafter (in each case, subject to availability), as selected by the Borrower in its Loan Notice; provided that:
(i) any Interest Period that would otherwise end on a day that is not a Business Day shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless, in the case of a Eurodollar Rate Loan, such Business Day falls in another calendar month, in which case such Interest Period shall end on the immediately preceding Business Day;
(ii) any Interest Period pertaining to a Eurodollar Rate Loan that begins on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period; and
(iii) no Interest Period shall extend beyond the Maturity Date.
“Investment” shall have the meaning given to it in Section 7.07.
“Investment Grade Credit Rating” means with respect to any Person, a rating of the long-term unsecured debt securities of such Person (or if such rating is unavailable, issuer rating) equal to or higher than (1) “BBB-” (or the equivalent) with a stable or better outlook by Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC, or (2) “Baa3” (or the equivalent) with a stable or better outlook by Xxxxx’x Corporation; provided, that if such Person has a rating from both Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC and Xxxxx’x Corporation, then the applicable rating shall be deemed to be the lower of the two.
“IP Rights” has the meaning specified in Section 5.18.
“IRS” means the United States Internal Revenue Service.
“ISP” means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, the “International Standby Practices 1998” published by the Institute of International Banking Law & Practice, Inc. (or such later version thereof as may be in effect at the time of issuance).
“Issuer Documents” means with respect to any Letter of Credit, the Letter of Credit Application, and any other document, agreement and instrument entered into by the L/C Issuer and the Borrower (or any Subsidiary) or in favor of the L/C Issuer and relating to such Letter of Credit.
“Laws” means, collectively, all international, foreign, federal, state and local statutes, treaties, rules, guidelines, regulations, ordinances, codes and administrative or judicial precedents or authorities, including the interpretation or administration thereof by any Governmental Authority charged with the enforcement, interpretation or administration thereof, and all applicable administrative orders, directed duties, requests, licenses, authorizations and permits of, and agreements with, any Governmental Authority, in each case whether or not having the force of law. For avoidance of doubt, any provision of any agreement or settlement to which the Borrower or any Subsidiary is a party or are otherwise bound which is approved by a Governmental Authority exercising authority in a regulatory jurisdiction over the Borrower or such Subsidiary, shall in each case, be deemed a Law for purposes of the Loan Documents.
“L/C Advance” means, with respect to each Lender, such Lender’s funding of its participation in any L/C Borrowing in accordance with its Applicable Percentage.
17
“L/C Borrowing” means an extension of credit resulting from a drawing under any Letter of Credit which has not been reimbursed on the date when made or refinanced as a Borrowing.
“L/C Credit Extension” means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, the issuance thereof or extension of the expiry date thereof, or the increase of the amount thereof.
“L/C Issuer” means Bank of America in its capacity as issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder, or any successor issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder.
“L/C Obligations” means, as at any date of determination, the aggregate amount available to be drawn under all outstanding Letters of Credit plus the aggregate of all Unreimbursed Amounts, including all L/C Borrowings. For purposes of computing the amount available to be drawn under any Letter of Credit, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be determined in accordance with Section 1.06. For all purposes of this Agreement, if on any date of determination a Letter of Credit has expired by its terms but any amount may still be drawn thereunder by reason of the operation of Rule 3.14 of the ISP, such Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be “outstanding” in the amount so remaining available to be drawn.
“Leased Consolidated Net Plant” means that portion of the Consolidated Net Plant of the lessor of a Lease between such lessor and a Qualified Lessee that is the subject of such Lease.
“Leases” means the (i) the McAllen Lease, the Xxxxxxx/Xxxxx/Xxxxxxx Lease, the ERCOT Lease, the CREZ Lease, the FERC Lease and any other leases of transmission and distribution and related assets to a Qualified Lessee under which the Borrower or any Subsidiary of the Borrower is a party as a lessor, and (ii) any lease of transmission and distribution and related assets pursuant to which Sharyland is the lessee and a Subsidiary of Sharyland or another Person Controlled by one or more Xxxx Family Members is the lessor; provided, no such lease will qualify as a “Lease” hereunder if each of the three following criteria apply: (x) Sharyland is the lessee, (y) cash rental payments have become due and payable pursuant thereto, and (z) none of the Borrower, a Subsidiary of the Borrower or a Subsidiary of Sharyland is the lessor.
“Lender” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph hereto.
“Lending Office” means, as to any Lender, the office or offices of such Lender described as such in such Lender’s Administrative Questionnaire, or such other office or offices as a Lender may from time to time notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.
“Letter of Credit” means any standby letter of credit issued hereunder providing for the payment of cash upon the honoring of a presentation thereunder.
“Letter of Credit Application” means an application and agreement for the issuance or amendment of a Letter of Credit in the form from time to time in use by the L/C Issuer.
“Letter of Credit Expiration Date” means the day that is seven days prior to the Maturity Date then in effect (or, if such day is not a Business Day, the immediately preceding Business Day).
“Letter of Credit Fee” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(h).
18
“Letter of Credit Sublimit” means an amount equal to $15,000,000. The Letter of Credit Sublimit is part of, and not in addition to, the Aggregate Commitments.
“LIBOR” has the meaning specified in the definition of Eurodollar Rate.
“Lien” means any mortgage, pledge, hypothecation, assignment, deposit arrangement, encumbrance, lien (statutory or other), charge, or preference, priority or other security interest or preferential arrangement in the nature of a security interest of any kind or nature whatsoever (including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, any easement, right of way or other encumbrance on title to real property, and any financing lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing).
“Loan” has the meaning specified in Section 2.01.
“Loan Documents” means this Agreement, each Note, each Issuer Document, any agreement creating or perfecting rights in Cash Collateral pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.12 of this Agreement, the Fee Letter, any Guaranties and the Security Documents.
“Loan Notice” means a notice of (a) a Borrowing, (b) a conversion of Loans from one Type to the other, or (c) a continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans, pursuant to Section 2.02(a), which, if in writing, shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit A or such other form as may be approved by the Administrative Agent (including any form on an electronic platform or electronic transmission system as shall be approved by the Administrative Agent), appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower.
“Loan Parties” means, collectively, the General Partner, the Borrower and each Guarantor.
“London Banking Day” means any day on which dealings in Dollar deposits are conducted by and between banks in the London interbank eurodollar market.
“Material Adverse Effect” means a material adverse effect upon and/or material adverse developments with respect to (a) the operations, business, assets, properties, liabilities or financial condition of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole), (b) the ability of the Borrower and the Guarantors (taken as a whole) to perform their obligations under the Loan Document, (c) the legality, validity or enforceability of any material provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (d) the rights or remedies of the Administrative Agent or the Lenders under the Loan Documents or (e) the validity, perfection or priority of the Administrative Agent’s or Collateral Agent’s Liens on any material Collateral.
“Maturity Date” means December 10, 2016; provided, that upon the completion of a Qualifying IPO, the Maturity Date shall be December 10, 2019.
“McAllen Lease” shall mean (A) prior to the effectiveness of the McAllen Lease Amendment and Restatement, the Second Amended and Restated Master System Lease Agreement, dated as of July 1, 2012, between SDTS, as lessor, and Sharyland, as lessee, and (B) upon the effectiveness of the McAllen Lease Amendment and Restatement, the McAllen Lease Amendment and Restatement, as such lease may be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, or any new lease entered into in replacement thereof, in accordance with Section 6.10 and/or 7.14 of this Agreement, as applicable.
19
“McAllen Lease Amendment and Restatement” the Third Amended and Restated Master System Lease Agreement (McAllen System), between SDTS, as lessor, and Sharyland, as lessee.
“Minimum Collateral Amount” means, at any time, (i) with respect to Cash Collateral consisting of cash or deposit account balances provided to reduce or eliminate Fronting Exposure during the existence of a Defaulting Lender, an amount equal to 100% of the Fronting Exposure of the L/C Issuer with respect to Letters of Credit issued and outstanding at such time, (ii) with respect to Cash Collateral consisting of cash or deposit account balances provided in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.12(a)(i), (a)(ii) or (a)(iii), an amount equal to 100% of the Outstanding Amount of all LC Obligations, and (iii) otherwise, an amount determined by the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer in their sole discretion.
“Multiemployer Plan” means a multiemployer plan as defined in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA.
“New Project” means any transmission or distribution project, including any such project acquired or built by a Project Finance Subsidiary, any “New Project” or “Footprint Project” (each as defined in the Leases) that the Borrower, SDTS or any other Subsidiary of the Borrower funds pursuant to a Lease and any such project that the General Partner or a Subsidiary thereof acquires pursuant to the Development Agreement.
“Non-Consenting Lender” means any Lender that does not approve any consent, waiver or amendment that (i) requires the approval of all Lenders or all affected Lenders in accordance with the terms of Section 10.01 and (ii) has been approved by the Required Lenders.
“Non-Defaulting Lender” means, at any time, each Lender that is not a Defaulting Lender at such time.
“Non-Recourse Debt” means Indebtedness of a Project Finance Subsidiary that, if secured, is secured solely by a pledge of collateral owned by that Project Finance Subsidiary and the Equity Interests in such Project Finance Subsidiary and for which no Person other than such Project Finance Subsidiary is personally liable.
“Note” means a promissory note made by the Borrower in favor of a Lender evidencing Loans made by such Lender, substantially in the form of Exhibit B.
“Noteholders” means, with respect to any 2020 Note the Person in whose name such 2020 Note is registered in the register maintained by TDC.
“O&M Costs” means actual cash management and operation costs of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, taxes payable by the Borrower, insurance premiums, consumables, fees and expenses of, and other amounts owing to, the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent, the SDTS Collateral Agent and Depositary, and other costs and expenses in connection with the management or operation of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, but exclusive in all cases of (a) non-cash charges, including depreciation or obsolescence charges or reserves therefor,
20
amortization of intangibles or other bookkeeping entries of a similar nature, (b) all other payments of Debt Service and (c) costs of repair or replacement paid with insurance proceeds; and (d) development costs related to any Project Finance Subsidiary.
“Obligations” means all advances to, and debts, liabilities, obligations, covenants, cash management arrangements and duties of, any Loan Party arising under any Loan Document, any Specified Swap Contracts or any Specified Cash Management Contracts or otherwise with respect to any Loan or Letter of Credit, whether direct or indirect (including those acquired by assumption), absolute or contingent, due or to become due, now existing or hereafter arising and including interest and fees that accrue after the commencement by or against any Loan Party or any Affiliate thereof of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Laws naming such Person as the debtor in such proceeding, regardless of whether such interest and fees are allowed claims in such proceeding.
“OFAC” means the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the United States Department of the Treasury.
“Organization Documents” means, (a) with respect to any corporation, the certificate or articles of incorporation and the bylaws (or equivalent or comparable constitutive documents with respect to any non-U.S. jurisdiction); (b) with respect to any limited liability company, the certificate or articles of formation or organization and operating agreement; and (c) with respect to any partnership, joint venture, trust or other form of business entity, the partnership, joint venture or other applicable agreement of formation or organization and any agreement, instrument, filing or notice with respect thereto filed in connection with its formation or organization with the applicable Governmental Authority in the jurisdiction of its formation or organization and, if applicable, any certificate or articles of formation or organization of such entity.
“Other Connection Taxes” means, with respect to any Recipient or any other recipient of any payment to be made by or on account of any obligation of any Loan Party under any Loan Document (any of the foregoing, for purposes of this definition, a “recipient”), Taxes imposed as a result of a present or former connection between such recipient and the jurisdiction imposing such Tax (other than connections arising from such recipient having executed, delivered, become a party to, performed its obligations under, received payments under, received or perfected a security interest under, engaged in any other transaction pursuant to or enforced any Loan Document, or sold or assigned an interest in any Loan or Loan Document).
“Other Taxes” means all present or future stamp, court or documentary, intangible, recording, filing or similar Taxes that arise from any payment made under, from the execution, delivery, performance, enforcement or registration of, from the receipt or perfection of a security interest under, or otherwise with respect to, any Loan Document, except any such Taxes that are Other Connection Taxes imposed with respect to an assignment (other than an assignment made pursuant to Section 3.06).
“Outstanding Amount” means (i) with respect to Loans on any date, the aggregate outstanding principal amount thereof after giving effect to any borrowings and prepayments or repayments of Loans occurring on such date; and (ii) with respect to any L/C Obligations on any
21
date, the amount of such L/C Obligations on such date after giving effect to any L/C Credit Extension occurring on such date and any other changes in the aggregate amount of the L/C Obligations as of such date, including as a result of any reimbursements by the Borrower of Unreimbursed Amounts.
“Participant” has the meaning specified in Section 10.06(d).
“Participant Register” has the meaning specified in Section 10.06(d).
“PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation established pursuant to Section 4002 of ERISA, or any successor thereto.
“Permitted Investments” means any (a) marketable direct obligation of the United States of America, (b) marketable obligation directly and fully guaranteed as to interest and principal by the United States of America, (c) demand deposit with Depositary, or time deposit, certificate of deposit and banker’s acceptance issued by any member bank of the Federal Reserve System which is organized under the laws of the United States of America or any state thereof or any United States branch of a foreign bank, in each case whose equity capital is in excess of $500,000,000 and whose long-term debt securities are rated “A” or better by S&P and “A2” or better by Xxxxx’x, (d) commercial paper or tax exempt obligations given the highest rating by Xxxxx’x and S&P, (e) obligations of a commercial bank described in clause (c) above, in respect of the repurchase of obligations of the type as described in clauses (a) and (b) hereof, provided that such repurchase obligation shall be fully secured by obligations of the type described in said clauses (a) and (b) and the possession of such obligation shall be transferred to, and segregated from other obligations owned by, any such bank, (f) instrument rated “AAA” by S&P and “Aaa” by Xxxxx’x issued by investment companies and having an original maturity of 180 days or less, (g) eurodollar certificates of deposit issued by any bank described in clause (c) above, and (h) marketable security rated not less than “A-1” by S&P or not less than “Prime-1” by Xxxxx’x. In no event shall Permitted Investments include any obligation, certificate of deposit, acceptance, commercial paper or instrument which by its terms matures (A) more than 180 days after the date of Investment, unless a bank meeting the requirements of clause (c) above shall have agreed to repurchase such obligation, certificate of deposit, acceptance, commercial paper or instrument at its purchase price plus earned interest within no more than 90 days after its purchase thereunder or (B) after the next payment date.
“Permitted Lien” means any Lien permitted under Section 7.05 of the Agreement.
“Permitted Secured Indebtedness” means all Indebtedness of the Borrower or its Subsidiaries incurred pursuant to Sections 7.06(a) and (b).
“Person” means any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, association, company, partnership, Governmental Authority or other entity.
“Plan” means any single-employer plan as defined in Section 4001 of ERISA, which is maintained or contributed to by (or to which there is an obligation to contribute of) a Loan Party, a Transaction of a Loan Party or an ERISA Affiliate, and each such plan for the five year period immediately following the latest date on which a Loan Party, a Subsidiary of a Loan Party or an ERISA Affiliate maintained, contributed to or had an obligation to contribute to such plan.
22
“Platform” has the meaning specified in Section 6.01.
“Pledge Agreement” means the Amended and Restated Assignment of Membership Interests and Pledge Agreement, dated as of February 21, 2014, among Energy Trans Alliance LP and the Collateral Agent.
“Preferred Stock” means any class of capital stock of a Person that is preferred over any other class of capital stock (or similar equity interests) of such Person as to the payment of dividends or the payments of any amount upon liquidation or dissolution of such Person.
“Project Finance Subsidiary” means a special purpose Subsidiary of a Person created to develop a New Project and to finance such New Project solely with Non-Recourse Debt and equity (including, for the avoidance of doubt, CV Project Entity, L.L.C. and GS Project Entity.
“Public Lender” has the meaning specified in Section 6.01.
“PUCT” means the Public Utility Commission of Texas.
“PUHCA” means the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935.
“Qualified Lessee” means (a) as of the Closing Date, Sharyland and its Subsidiaries and (b) after the Closing Date, Sharyland and/or any other utility that is (x) approved or authorized by the applicable public utility commission or similar regulatory authority to operate and/or lease the transmission and/or distribution assets of Borrower or any TDC Subsidiary and (y) a party to a then-effective lease agreement with the Borrower or a TDC Subsidiary thereof pursuant to which such utility leases and operates such entity’s transmission and/or distribution assets.
“Qualified Lessee Affiliate Loan” means loans made by the Borrower or a Subsidiary to Qualified Lessees from time to time on terms approved in a manner consistent with Section 7.01(g) as long as the use of proceeds of such loans is limited to the acquisition or financing of equipment or other assets used in the Qualified Lessee’s operation or lease of transmission or distribution assets from the Borrower or a Subsidiary thereof pursuant to a Lease.
“Qualifying IPO” means a transaction or series of related transactions that include an initial public offering of the common Equity Interests of the General Partner and result in net proceeds in excess of $200,000,000 being contributed to the Borrower.
“Recipient” means the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the L/C Issuer.
“Recovery Event” means any loss of, damage to or destruction of, or any condemnation or other taking for public use of, any property of any Person.
“Register” has the meaning specified in Section 10.06(c).
“Related Parties” means, with respect to any Person, such Person’s Affiliates and the partners, directors, officers, employees, agents, trustees, administrators, managers, advisors and representatives of such Person and of such Person’s Affiliates.
23
“Request for Credit Extension” means (a) with respect to a Borrowing, conversion or continuation of Loans, a Loan Notice and (b) with respect to an L/C Credit Extension, a Letter of Credit Application.
“Required Lenders” means, at any time, Lenders having Total Credit Exposures representing more than 50% of the Total Credit Exposures of all Lenders. The Total Credit Exposure of any Defaulting Lender shall be disregarded in determining Required Lenders at any time; provided that, the amount of any participation in any Unreimbursed Amounts that such Defaulting Lender has failed to fund that have not been reallocated to and funded by another Lender shall be deemed to be held by the Lender that is the L/C Issuer in making such determination.
“Responsible Officer” means the chief executive officer, president, chief financial officer, treasurer, assistant treasurer, controller, vice president of finance or chief accounting officer of a Loan Party (or in the case of the Borrower, of the General Partner) or a Qualified Lessee, as applicable, and solely for purposes of the delivery of incumbency certificates pursuant to Section 4.01, the secretary or any assistant secretary of a Loan Party and, solely for purposes of notices given pursuant to Article II, any other officer or employee of the applicable Loan Party so designated by any of the foregoing officers in a notice to the Administrative Agent or any other officer or employee of the applicable Loan Party designated in or pursuant to an agreement between the applicable Loan Party and the Administrative Agent. Any document delivered hereunder that is signed by a Responsible Officer of a Loan Party or a Qualified Lessee, as applicable, shall be conclusively presumed to have been authorized by all necessary corporate, partnership and/or other action on the part of such Loan Party or such Qualified Lessee, as applicable, and such Responsible Officer shall be conclusively presumed to have acted on behalf of such Loan Party or such Qualified Lessee, as applicable.
“Revolving Credit Exposure” means, as to any Lender at any time, the aggregate principal amount at such time of its outstanding Loans and such Lender’s participation in L/C Obligations at such time.
“ROFO Transfer” means the sale and transfer to Persons Controlled by one or more Xxxx Family Members of any assets located in the Texas Panhandle related to the CREZ Project that are categorized as ROFO projects under the Leases and the Development Agreement with an aggregate fair market value not to exceed $5,000,000.
“Sanction(s)” means any international economic sanction administered or enforced by the United States Government (including without limitation, OFAC), the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury or other relevant sanctions authority.
“SDTS” means Sharyland Distribution & Transmission Services, L.L.C.
“SDTS 2009 Note Purchase Agreement” means the Amended and Restated Note Purchase Agreement, dated as of September 14, 2010, among SDTS and purchasers listed therein, as the same may be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.
24
“SDTS 2010 Note Purchase Agreement” means the Amended and Restated Note Purchase Agreement, dated as of July 13, 2010, among SDTS and purchasers listed therein, as the same may be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.
“SDTS 2013 Credit Agreement” means the Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of December 10, 2014, among SDTS, the several lenders from time to time party thereto and Royal Bank of Canada, as administrative agent, as the same may be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.
“SDTS Collateral Agent” means the “Collateral Agent” as defined in the Second Amended and Restated Collateral Agency Agreement dated as of December 10, 2014, by and among The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., SDTS, the holders of the 2020 Notes and the other holders of Permitted Secured Indebtedness (as defined therein) from time to time party thereto (as may be amended, restated, amend and restated or otherwise modified from time to time).
“SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, or any Governmental Authority succeeding to any of its principal functions.
“Secured Parties” means, from time to time, the Lenders, the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer, all other persons party to the Collateral Agency Agreement (other than the Borrower but including the holders of Permitted Secured Indebtedness from time to time) and the Collateral Agent.
“Security Document Joinder Conditions” means, collectively, the following requirements: (a) the Administrative Agent’s receipt of an executed copy (which shall be originals or telecopies (followed promptly by originals)) of the 2014 Joinder Agreement and (b) the Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent (i) an opinion of counsel to Borrower in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent that upon the valid execution and delivery by the Collateral Agent, the Borrower, each Secured Party (as such term is used and defined in the Collateral Agency Agreement) and the Administrative Agent, on behalf of itself and the Lenders, of the 2014 Joinder Agreement in accordance with the Collateral Agency Agreement, the Administrative Agent, on behalf of itself and on behalf of the Lenders, will be a Secured Party (as such term is used and defined in the Collateral Agency Agreement) and (ii) evidence that all other actions reasonably necessary or, in the reasonable opinion of the Administrative Agent, desirable to perfect and protect the first priority security interests purported to be created by any Security Document on the Collateral described therein (which shall be prior and superior in right to any other Person, other than with respect to Permitted Liens) have been, or are in the process of being, taken.
“Security Documents” means, collectively, the Borrower Security Agreement, the Amended and Restated Security Agreement, dated as of February 21, 2014, by and between TDC and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A.; the Collateral Agency Agreement; the 2014 Joinder Agreement; the Pledge Agreement and any other security documents, financing statements and the like filed or recorded in connection with the foregoing.
“Sharyland” means Sharyland Utilities, L.P.
25
“Sharyland Projects” means Sharyland Projects, L.L.C., a Project Finance Subsidiary of SDTS.
“Specified Cash Management Contracts” means any cash management service agreements entered into by the Borrower and any Person that is a Lender or an affiliate of a Lender at the time such agreement is entered into.
“Specified Event of Default” means any Event of Default set forth in Section 8.01(a), (b), (h)(iii)(x), (i) (other than such Events of Default relating to Qualified Lessees) or (j) (other than such Events of Default relating to Qualified Lessees).
“Specified Swap Contracts” means any Swap Contracts entered into by the Borrower and any Person that is a Lender or an affiliate of a Lender at the time such Swap Contract is entered into.
“Xxxxxxx/Xxxxx/Xxxxxxx Lease” shall mean (A) prior to the effectiveness of the Xxxxxxx/Xxxxx/Xxxxxxx Lease Amendment and Restatement, the Amended and Restated Lease Agreement (Xxxxxxx/Xxxxx/Xxxxxxx Assets), dated as of July 1, 2012, between the Borrower, as lessor, and Sharyland, as lessee, and (B) upon the effectiveness of the Xxxxxxx/Xxxxx/Xxxxxxx Lease Amendment and Restatement, the Xxxxxxx/Xxxxx/Xxxxxxx Lease Amendment and Restatement, as such lease may be amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, or any new lease entered into in replacement thereof, in accordance with Section 6.10 and/or 7.14 of this Agreement, as applicable.
“Xxxxxxx/Xxxxx/Xxxxxxx Lease Amendment and Restatement” shall mean the Second Amended and Restated Lease Agreement (Xxxxxxx/Xxxxx/Xxxxxxx Assets), between the Borrower, as lessor, and Sharyland, as lessee.
“Subsidiary” of a Person means a corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other business entity of which a majority of the shares of securities or other interests having ordinary voting power for the election of directors or other governing body (other than securities or interests having such power only by reason of the happening of a contingency) are at the time beneficially owned, or the management of which is otherwise Controlled, directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, or both, by such Person. Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to a “Subsidiary” or to “Subsidiaries” shall refer to a Subsidiary or Subsidiaries of the Borrower and, prior to the completion of the FERC Merger, shall include the FERC Owner. Prior to the completion of the FERC Merger, all references herein to a Subsidiary of Sharyland shall include the FERC Operator.
“Subsidiary Guarantor” means any Guarantor that is a Subsidiary of the Borrower.
“Swap Contract” means (a) any and all rate swap transactions, basis swaps, credit derivative transactions, forward rate transactions, commodity swaps, commodity options, forward commodity contracts, equity or equity index swaps or options, bond or bond price or bond index swaps or options or forward bond or forward bond price or forward bond index transactions, interest rate options, forward foreign exchange transactions, cap transactions, floor transactions, collar transactions, currency swap transactions, cross-currency rate swap transactions, currency options, spot contracts, or any other similar transactions or any
26
combination of any of the foregoing (including any options to enter into any of the foregoing), whether or not any such transaction is governed by or subject to any master agreement, and (b) any and all transactions of any kind, and the related confirmations, which are subject to the terms and conditions of, or governed by, any form of master agreement published by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc., any International Foreign Exchange Master Agreement, or any other master agreement (any such master agreement, together with any related schedules, a “Master Agreement”), including any such obligations or liabilities under any Master Agreement.
“Swap Termination Value” means, in respect of any one or more Swap Contracts, after taking into account the effect of any legally enforceable netting agreement relating to such Swap Contracts, (a) for any date on or after the date such Swap Contracts have been closed out and termination value(s) determined in accordance therewith, such termination value(s), and (b) for any date prior to the date referenced in clause (a), the amount(s) determined as the xxxx-to-market value(s) for such Swap Contracts, as determined based upon one or more mid-market or other readily available quotations provided by any recognized dealer in such Swap Contracts (which may include a Lender or any Affiliate of a Lender).
“Synthetic Lease” means, at any time, any lease (including leases that may be terminated by the lessee at any time) of any property (a) that is accounted for as an operating lease under GAAP and (b) in respect of which the lessee retains or obtains ownership of the property so leased for U.S. federal income tax purposes, other than any such lease under which such Person is the lessor.
“Synthetic Lease Obligation” means the monetary obligation of a Person under a Synthetic Lease.
“System” means the Borrower’s and/or any TDC Subsidiary’s (other than a Project Finance Subsidiary’s) integrated electrical transmission and distribution facilities located primarily in the State of Texas and the systems and other property necessary to operate the transmission and distribution facilities, and all improvements to and expansions of such facilities, and each New Project (upon its completion) owned by the Borrower or such TDC Subsidiary; provided that, for purposes hereof, “System” shall not be deemed to include any easements held by the Borrower or any Subsidiary.
“Taxes” means all present or future taxes, levies, imposts, duties, deductions, withholdings (including backup withholding), assessments, fees or other charges imposed by any Governmental Authority, including any interest, additions to tax or penalties applicable thereto.
“TDC” means Transmission & Distribution Company, L.L.C., a Texas limited liability company.
“TDC Subsidiaries” means, collectively, TDC and any direct or indirect Subsidiary of TDC.
“Total Credit Exposure” means, as to any Lender at any time, the unused Commitments and Revolving Credit Exposure of such Lender at such time.
27
“Total Outstandings” means the aggregate Outstanding Amount of all Loans and all L/C Obligations.
“Transaction Parties” means the Borrower, the TDC Subsidiaries and any Qualified Lessee.
“Type” means, with respect to a Loan, its character as a Base Rate Loan or a Eurodollar Rate Loan.
“UCC” means, with respect to any jurisdiction, the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect in such jurisdiction.
“UCC Collateral” means the Collateral that is of a type in which a valid security interest can be created under Article 9 of the New York UCC.
“UCP” means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, the Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits, International Chamber of Commerce (“ICC”) Publication No. 600 (or such later version thereof as may be in effect at the time of issuance).
“United States” and “U.S.” mean the United States of America.
“Unreimbursed Amount” has the meaning specified in Section 2.03(c)(i).
“U.S. Person” means any Person that is a “United States person” as defined in Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code.
“U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate” has the meaning specified in Section 3.01(e)(ii)(B)(III).
“USA PATRIOT ACT” means USA PATRIOT Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)), as amended from time to time, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder from time to time in effect.
“Wholly-Owned Subsidiary” means, at any time, any Subsidiary at least 90% of all of the equity and voting interests of which are owned by any one or more of the Borrower and the Borrower’s other Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries and the remaining equity and voting interests of such Subsidiary, if any, are owned by a Qualified Lessee at such time.
“Withdrawal Liability” means a liability to a Multiemployer Plan as a result of a complete or partial withdrawal from such Multiemployer Plan, as such terms are defined in Part I of Subtitle E of Title IV of ERISA.
“Withholding Agent” means any Loan Party and the Administrative Agent.
28
1.02 Other Interpretive Provisions. With reference to this Agreement and each other Loan Document, unless otherwise specified herein or in such other Loan Document:
(a) The definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined. Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms. The words “include,” “includes” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation.” The word “will” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word “shall.” Unless the context requires otherwise, (i) any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument or other document (including any Organization Document) shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to time amended, supplemented or otherwise modified (subject to any restrictions on such amendments, supplements or modifications set forth herein or in any other Loan Document), (ii) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Person’s successors and assigns, (iii) the words “hereto,” “herein,” “hereof” and “hereunder,” and words of similar import when used in any Loan Document, shall be construed to refer to such Loan Document in its entirety and not to any particular provision thereof, (iv) all references in a Loan Document to Articles, Sections, Exhibits and Schedules shall be construed to refer to Articles and Sections of, and Exhibits and Schedules to, the Loan Document in which such references appear, (v) any reference to any law shall include all statutory and regulatory provisions consolidating, amending, replacing or interpreting such law and any reference to any law or regulation shall, unless otherwise specified, refer to such law or regulation as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time, and (vi) the words “asset” and “property” shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect and to refer to any and all tangible and intangible assets and properties, including cash, securities, accounts and contract rights.
(b) In the computation of periods of time from a specified date to a later specified date, the word “from” means “from and including;” the words “to” and “until” each mean “to but excluding;” and the word “through” means “to and including.”
(c) Section headings herein and in the other Loan Documents are included for convenience of reference only and shall not affect the interpretation of this Agreement or any other Loan Document.
1.03 Accounting Terms.
(a) Generally. All accounting terms not specifically or completely defined herein shall be construed in conformity with, and all financial data (including financial ratios and other financial calculations) required to be submitted pursuant to this Agreement shall be prepared in conformity with, GAAP applied on a consistent basis, as in effect from time to time, applied in a manner consistent with that used in preparing the Audited Financial Statements, except as otherwise specifically prescribed herein. Notwithstanding the foregoing, for purposes of determining compliance with any covenant (including the computation of any financial covenant) contained herein, Indebtedness of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries shall be deemed to be carried at 100% of the outstanding principal amount thereof, and the effects of FASB ASC 825 and FASB ASC 470-20 on financial liabilities shall be disregarded.
(b) Changes in GAAP. If at any time any change in GAAP would affect the computation of any financial ratio or requirement set forth in any Loan Document, and either the Borrower or the Required Lenders shall so request, the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and
29
the Borrower shall negotiate in good faith to amend such ratio or requirement to preserve the original intent thereof in light of such change in GAAP (subject to the approval of the Required Lenders); provided that, until so amended, (A) such ratio or requirement shall continue to be computed in accordance with GAAP prior to such change therein and (B) the Borrower shall provide to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders financial statements and other documents required under this Agreement or as reasonably requested hereunder setting forth a reconciliation between calculations of such ratio or requirement made before and after giving effect to such change in GAAP. Without limiting the foregoing, leases shall continue to be classified and accounted for on a basis consistent with that reflected in the Audited Financial Statements for all purposes of this Agreement, notwithstanding any change in GAAP relating thereto, unless the parties hereto shall enter into a mutually acceptable amendment addressing such changes, as provided for above.
1.04 Rounding. Any financial ratios required to be maintained by the Borrower pursuant to this Agreement shall be calculated by dividing the appropriate component by the other component, carrying the result to one place more than the number of places by which such ratio is expressed herein and rounding the result up or down to the nearest number (with a rounding-up if there is no nearest number).
1.05 Times of Day; Rates. Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to times of day shall be references to Eastern time (daylight or standard, as applicable).
The Administrative Agent does not warrant, nor accept responsibility, nor shall the Administrative Agent have any liability with respect to the administration, submission or any other matter related to the rates in the definition of “Eurodollar Rate” or with respect to any comparable or successor rate thereto.
1.06 Letter of Credit Amounts. Unless otherwise specified herein, the amount of a Letter of Credit at any time shall be deemed to be the stated amount of such Letter of Credit in effect at such time; provided, however, that with respect to any Letter of Credit that, by its terms or the terms of any Issuer Document related thereto, provides for one or more automatic increases in the stated amount thereof, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be the maximum stated amount of such Letter of Credit after giving effect to all such increases, whether or not such maximum stated amount is in effect at such time.
ARTICLE II.
THE COMMITMENTS AND CREDIT EXTENSIONS
2.01 Loans. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Lender severally agrees to make loans in U.S. dollars (each such loan, a “Loan”) to the Borrower from time to time, on any Business Day during the Availability Period, in an aggregate amount not to exceed at any time outstanding the amount of such Lender’s Commitment; provided, however, that after giving effect to any Borrowing, (i) the Total Outstandings shall not exceed the Aggregate Commitments, and (ii) the Revolving Credit Exposure of any Lender shall not exceed such Lender’s Commitment. Within the limits of each Lender’s Commitment, and subject to the other terms and conditions hereof, the Borrower may borrow under this Section 2.01, prepay under Section 2.04, and reborrow under this Section 2.01. Loans may be Base Rate Loans or Eurodollar Rate Loans, as further provided herein.
30
2.02 Borrowings, Conversions and Continuations of Loans.
(a) Each Borrowing, each conversion of Loans from one Type to the other, and each continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be made upon the Borrower’s irrevocable notice to the Administrative Agent, which may be given by (A) telephone, or (B) a Loan Notice; provided that any telephonic notice must be confirmed immediately by delivery to the Administrative Agent of a Loan Notice. Each such Loan Notice must be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. (i) three Business Days prior to the requested date of any Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans or of any conversion of Eurodollar Rate Loans to Base Rate Loans, and (ii) on the requested date of any Borrowing of Base Rate Loans; provided, however, that if the Borrower wishes to request Eurodollar Rate Loans having an Interest Period other than one, two, three or six months in duration as provided in the definition of “Interest Period,” the applicable notice must be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. four Business Days prior to the requested date of such Borrowing, conversion or continuation, whereupon the Administrative Agent shall give prompt notice to the Lenders of such request and determine whether the requested Interest Period is acceptable to all of them. Not later than 11:00 a.m., three Business Days before the requested date of such Borrowing, conversion or continuation, the Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower (which notice may be by telephone) whether or not the requested Interest Period has been consented to by all the Lenders. Each Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $5,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof. Except as provided in Sections 2.03(c) each Borrowing of or conversion to Base Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $500,000 or a whole multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof. Each Loan Notice shall specify (i) whether the Borrower is requesting a Borrowing, a conversion of Loans from one Type to the other, or a continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans, (ii) the requested date of the Borrowing, conversion or continuation, as the case may be (which shall be a Business Day), (iii) the principal amount of Loans to be borrowed, converted or continued, (iv) the Type of Loans to be borrowed or to which existing Loans are to be converted, and (v) if applicable, the duration of the Interest Period with respect thereto. If the Borrower fails to specify a Type of Loan in a Loan Notice or if the Borrower fails to give a timely notice requesting a conversion or continuation, then the applicable Loans shall be made as, or converted to, Base Rate Loans. Any such automatic conversion to Base Rate Loans shall be effective as of the last day of the Interest Period then in effect with respect to the applicable Eurodollar Rate Loans. If the Borrower requests a Borrowing of, conversion to, or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans in any such Loan Notice, but fails to specify an Interest Period, it will be deemed to have specified an Interest Period of one month.
(b) Following receipt of a Loan Notice, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender of the amount of its Applicable Percentage of the applicable Loans, and if no timely notice of a conversion or continuation is provided by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent shall notify each Lender of the details of any automatic conversion to Base Rate Loans described in the preceding subsection. In the case of a Borrowing, each Lender shall make the amount of its Loan available to the Administrative Agent in immediately available funds at the Administrative Agent’s Office not later than 1:00 p.m. on the Business Day specified in the
31
applicable Loan Notice. Upon satisfaction of the applicable conditions set forth in Section 4.02 (and, if such Borrowing is the initial Credit Extension, Section 4.01), the Administrative Agent shall make all funds so received available to the Borrower in like funds as received by the Administrative Agent either by (i) crediting the account of the Borrower on the books of Bank of America with the amount of such funds or (ii) wire transfer of such funds, in each case in accordance with instructions provided to (and reasonably acceptable to) the Administrative Agent by the Borrower; provided, however, that if, on the date the Loan Notice with respect to such Borrowing is given by the Borrower, there are L/C Borrowings outstanding, then the proceeds of such Borrowing, first, shall be applied to the payment in full of any such L/C Borrowings, and second, shall be made available to the Borrower as provided above.
(c) Except as otherwise provided herein, a Eurodollar Rate Loan may be continued or converted only on the last day of an Interest Period for such Eurodollar Rate Loan. During the existence of a Default, no Loans may be requested as, converted to or continued as Eurodollar Rate Loans without the consent of the Required Lenders.
(d) The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the Borrower and the Lenders of the interest rate applicable to any Interest Period for Eurodollar Rate Loans upon determination of such interest rate. At any time that Base Rate Loans are outstanding, the Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and the Lenders of any change in Bank of America’s prime rate used in determining the Base Rate promptly following the public announcement of such change.
(e) After giving effect to all Borrowings, all conversions of Loans from one Type to the other, and all continuations of Loans as the same Type, there shall not be more than 10 Interest Periods in effect with respect to Loans.
2.03 Letters of Credit.
(a) The Letter of Credit Commitment.
(i) Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, (A) the L/C Issuer agrees, in reliance upon the agreements of the Lenders set forth in this Section 2.03, (1) from time to time on any Business Day during the period from the Closing Date until the Letter of Credit Expiration Date, to issue Letters of Credit for the account of the Borrower, and to amend Letters of Credit previously issued by it, in accordance with subsection (b) below, and (2) to honor drawings under the Letters of Credit; and (B) the Lenders severally agree to participate in Letters of Credit issued for the account of the Borrower and any drawings thereunder; provided that after giving effect to any L/C Credit Extension with respect to any Letter of Credit, (x) the Total Outstandings shall not exceed the Aggregate Commitments, (y) the Revolving Credit Exposure of any Lender shall not exceed such Lender’s Commitment, and (z) the Outstanding Amount of the L/C Obligations shall not exceed the Letter of Credit Sublimit. Each request by the Borrower for the issuance or amendment of a Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be a representation by the Borrower that the L/C Credit Extension so requested complies with the conditions set forth in the proviso to the preceding sentence. Within the foregoing limits, and subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the Borrower’s ability to obtain Letters of Credit shall be fully revolving, and accordingly the Borrower may, during the foregoing period, obtain Letters of Credit to replace Letters of Credit that have expired or that have been drawn upon and reimbursed.
32
(ii) The L/C Issuer shall not issue any Letter of Credit, if the expiry date of the requested Letter of Credit would occur after the Letter of Credit Expiration Date, unless all the Lenders have approved such expiry date.
(iii) The L/C Issuer shall not be under any obligation to issue any Letter of Credit if:
(A) any order, judgment or decree of any Governmental Authority or arbitrator shall by its terms purport to enjoin or restrain the L/C Issuer from issuing the Letter of Credit, or any Law applicable to the L/C Issuer or any request or directive (whether or not having the force of law) from any Governmental Authority with jurisdiction over the L/C Issuer shall prohibit, or request that the L/C Issuer refrain from, the issuance of letters of credit generally or the Letter of Credit in particular or shall impose upon the L/C Issuer with respect to the Letter of Credit any restriction, reserve or capital requirement (for which the L/C Issuer is not otherwise compensated hereunder) not in effect on the Closing Date, or shall impose upon the L/C Issuer any unreimbursed loss, cost or expense which was not applicable on the Closing Date and which the L/C Issuer in good xxxxx xxxxx material to it;
(B) the issuance of the Letter of Credit would violate one or more policies of the L/C Issuer applicable to letters of credit generally;
(C) except as otherwise agreed by the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer, the Letter of Credit is in an initial stated amount less than $500,000;
(D) the Letter of Credit is to be denominated in a currency other than Dollars;
(E) any Lender is at that time a Defaulting Lender, unless the L/C Issuer has entered into arrangements, including the delivery of Cash Collateral, satisfactory to the L/C Issuer (in its sole discretion) with the Borrower or such Lender to eliminate the L/C Issuer’s actual or potential Fronting Exposure (after giving effect to Section 2.13(a)(iv)) with respect to the Defaulting Lender arising from either the Letter of Credit then proposed to be issued or that Letter of Credit and all other L/C Obligations as to which the L/C Issuer has actual or potential Fronting Exposure, as it may elect in its sole discretion ; or
(F) the Letter of Credit contains any provisions for automatic reinstatement of the stated amount after any drawing thereunder.
(iv) The L/C Issuer shall not amend any Letter of Credit if the L/C Issuer would not be permitted at such time to issue the Letter of Credit in its amended form under the terms hereof.
33
(v) The L/C Issuer shall be under no obligation to amend any Letter of Credit if (A) the L/C Issuer would have no obligation at such time to issue the Letter of Credit in its amended form under the terms hereof, or (B) the beneficiary of the Letter of Credit does not accept the proposed amendment to the Letter of Credit.
(vi) The L/C Issuer shall act on behalf of the Lenders with respect to any Letters of Credit issued by it and the documents associated therewith, and the L/C Issuer shall have all of the benefits and immunities (A) provided to the Administrative Agent in Article IX with respect to any acts taken or omissions suffered by the L/C Issuer in connection with Letters of Credit issued by it or proposed to be issued by it and Issuer Documents pertaining to such Letters of Credit as fully as if the term “Administrative Agent” as used in Article IX included the L/C Issuer with respect to such acts or omissions, and (B) as additionally provided herein with respect to the L/C Issuer.
(b) Procedures for Issuance and Amendment of Letters of Credit.
(i) Each Letter of Credit shall be issued or amended, as the case may be, upon the request of the Borrower delivered to the L/C Issuer (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) in the form of a Letter of Credit Application, appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower. Such Letter of Credit Application may be sent by facsimile, by United States mail, by overnight courier, by electronic transmission using the system provided by the L/C Issuer, by personal delivery or by any other means acceptable to the L/C Issuer. Such Letter of Credit Application must be received by the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. at least two Business Days (or such later date and time as the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer may agree in a particular instance in their sole discretion) prior to the proposed issuance date or date of amendment, as the case may be. In the case of a request for an initial issuance of a Letter of Credit, such Letter of Credit Application shall specify in form and detail satisfactory to the L/C Issuer: (A) the proposed issuance date of the requested Letter of Credit (which shall be a Business Day); (B) the amount thereof; (C) the expiry date thereof; (D) the name and address of the beneficiary thereof; (E) the documents to be presented by such beneficiary in case of any drawing thereunder; (F) the full text of any certificate to be presented by such beneficiary in case of any drawing thereunder; (G) the purpose and nature of the requested Letter of Credit; and (H) such other matters as the L/C Issuer may require. In the case of a request for an amendment of any outstanding Letter of Credit, such Letter of Credit Application shall specify in form and detail satisfactory to the L/C Issuer (A) the Letter of Credit to be amended; (B) the proposed date of amendment thereof (which shall be a Business Day); (C) the nature of the proposed amendment; and (D) such other matters as the L/C Issuer may require. Additionally, the Borrower shall furnish to the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent such other documents and information pertaining to such requested Letter of Credit issuance or amendment, including any Issuer Documents, as the L/C Issuer or the Administrative Agent may require.
(ii) Promptly after receipt of any Letter of Credit Application, the L/C Issuer will confirm with the Administrative Agent (by telephone or in writing) that the Administrative Agent has received a copy of such Letter of Credit Application from the
34
Borrower and, if not, the L/C Issuer will provide the Administrative Agent with a copy thereof. Unless the L/C Issuer has received written notice from any Lender, the Administrative Agent or any Loan Party, at least one Business Day prior to the requested date of issuance or amendment of the applicable Letter of Credit, that one or more applicable conditions contained in Article IV shall not then be satisfied, then, subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the L/C Issuer shall, on the requested date, issue a Letter of Credit for the account of the Borrower or enter into the applicable amendment, as the case may be, in each case in accordance with the L/C Issuer’s usual and customary business practices. Immediately upon the issuance of each Letter of Credit, each Lender shall be deemed to, and hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees to, purchase from the L/C Issuer a risk participation in such Letter of Credit in an amount equal to the product of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage times the amount of such Letter of Credit.
(iii) Promptly after its delivery of any Letter of Credit or any amendment to a Letter of Credit to an advising bank with respect thereto or to the beneficiary thereof, the L/C Issuer will also deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent a true and complete copy of such Letter of Credit or amendment.
(c) Drawings and Reimbursements; Funding of Participations.
(i) Upon receipt from the beneficiary of any Letter of Credit of any notice of a drawing under such Letter of Credit, the L/C Issuer shall notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent thereof. Not later than 11:00 a.m. on the date of any payment by the L/C Issuer under a Letter of Credit (each such date, an “Honor Date”), the Borrower shall reimburse the L/C Issuer through the Administrative Agent in an amount equal to the amount of such drawing. If the Borrower fails to so reimburse the L/C Issuer by such time, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender of the Honor Date, the amount of the unreimbursed drawing (the “Unreimbursed Amount”), and the amount of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage thereof. In such event, the Borrower shall be deemed to have requested a Borrowing of Base Rate Loans to be disbursed on the Honor Date in an amount equal to the Unreimbursed Amount, without regard to the minimum and multiples specified in Section 2.02 for the principal amount of Base Rate Loans, but subject to the amount of the unutilized portion of the Aggregate Commitments and the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 (other than the delivery of a Loan Notice). Any notice given by the L/C Issuer or the Administrative Agent pursuant to this Section 2.03(c)(i) may be given by telephone if immediately confirmed in writing; provided that the lack of such an immediate confirmation shall not affect the conclusiveness or binding effect of such notice.
(ii) Each Lender shall upon any notice pursuant to Section 2.03(c)(i) make funds available (and the Administrative Agent may apply Cash Collateral provided for this purpose) for the account of the L/C Issuer at the Administrative Agent’s Office in an amount equal to its Applicable Percentage of the Unreimbursed Amount not later than 1:00 p.m. on the Business Day specified in such notice by the Administrative Agent, whereupon, subject to the provisions of Section 2.03(c)(iii), each Lender that so makes funds available shall be deemed to have made a Base Rate Loan to the Borrower in such amount. The Administrative Agent shall remit the funds so received to the L/C Issuer.
35
(iii) With respect to any Unreimbursed Amount that is not fully refinanced by a Borrowing of Base Rate Loans because the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 cannot be satisfied or for any other reason, the Borrower shall be deemed to have incurred from the L/C Issuer an L/C Borrowing in the amount of the Unreimbursed Amount that is not so refinanced, which L/C Borrowing shall be due and payable on demand (together with interest) and shall bear interest at the Default Rate. In such event, each Lender’s payment to the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer pursuant to Section 2.03(c)(ii) shall be deemed payment in respect of its participation in such L/C Borrowing and shall constitute an L/C Advance from such Lender in satisfaction of its participation obligation under this Section 2.03.
(iv) Until each Lender funds its Loan or L/C Advance pursuant to this Section 2.03(c) to reimburse the L/C Issuer for any amount drawn under any Letter of Credit, interest in respect of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of such amount shall be solely for the account of the L/C Issuer.
(v) Each Lender’s obligation to make Loans or L/C Advances to reimburse the L/C Issuer for amounts drawn under Letters of Credit, as contemplated by this Section 2.03(c), shall be absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance, including (A) any setoff, counterclaim, recoupment, defense or other right which such Lender may have against the L/C Issuer, the Borrower or any other Person for any reason whatsoever; (B) the occurrence or continuance of a Default, or (C) any other occurrence, event or condition, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing; provided, however, that each Lender’s obligation to make Loans pursuant to this Section 2.03(c) is subject to the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 (other than delivery by the Borrower of a Loan Notice). No such making of an L/C Advance shall relieve or otherwise impair the obligation of the Borrower to reimburse the L/C Issuer for the amount of any payment made by the L/C Issuer under any Letter of Credit, together with interest as provided herein.
(vi) If any Lender fails to make available to the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer any amount required to be paid by such Lender pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.03(c) by the time specified in Section 2.03(c)(ii), then, without limiting the other provisions of this Agreement, the L/C Issuer shall be entitled to recover from such Lender (acting through the Administrative Agent), on demand, such amount with interest thereon for the period from the date such payment is required to the date on which such payment is immediately available to the L/C Issuer at a rate per annum equal to the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the L/C Issuer in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation, plus any administrative, processing or similar fees customarily charged by the L/C Issuer in connection with the foregoing. If such Lender pays such amount (with interest and fees as aforesaid), the amount so paid shall constitute such Lender’s Loan included in the relevant Borrowing or L/C Advance in respect of the relevant L/C Borrowing, as the case may be. A certificate of the L/C Issuer submitted to any Lender (through the Administrative Agent) with respect to any amounts owing under this clause (vi) shall be conclusive absent manifest error.
36
(d) Repayment of Participations.
(i) At any time after the L/C Issuer has made a payment under any Letter of Credit and has received from any Lender such Lender’s L/C Advance in respect of such payment in accordance with Section 2.03(c), if the Administrative Agent receives for the account of the L/C Issuer any payment in respect of the related Unreimbursed Amount or interest thereon (whether directly from the Borrower or otherwise, including proceeds of Cash Collateral applied thereto by the Administrative Agent), the Administrative Agent will distribute to such Lender its Applicable Percentage thereof in the same funds as those received by the Administrative Agent.
(ii) If any payment received by the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer pursuant to Section 2.03(c)(i) is required to be returned under any of the circumstances described in Section 10.05 (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the L/C Issuer in its discretion), each Lender shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer its Applicable Percentage thereof on demand of the Administrative Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date such amount is returned by such Lender, at a rate per annum equal to the Federal Funds Rate from time to time in effect. The obligations of the Lenders under this clause shall survive the payment in full of the Obligations under the Loan Documents and the termination of this Agreement.
(e) Obligations Absolute. The obligation of the Borrower to reimburse the L/C Issuer for each drawing under each Letter of Credit and to repay each L/C Borrowing shall be absolute, unconditional and irrevocable, and shall be paid strictly in accordance with the terms of this Agreement under all circumstances, including the following:
(i) any lack of validity or enforceability of such Letter of Credit, this Agreement, or any other Loan Document;
(ii) the existence of any claim, counterclaim, setoff, defense or other right that the Borrower or any Subsidiary may have at any time against any beneficiary or any transferee of such Letter of Credit (or any Person for whom any such beneficiary or any such transferee may be acting), the L/C Issuer or any other Person, whether in connection with this Agreement, the transactions contemplated hereby or by such Letter of Credit or any agreement or instrument relating thereto, or any unrelated transaction;
(iii) any draft, demand, certificate or other document presented under such Letter of Credit proving to be forged, fraudulent, invalid or insufficient in any respect or any statement therein being untrue or inaccurate in any respect; or any loss or delay in the transmission or otherwise of any document required in order to make a drawing under such Letter of Credit;
37
(iv) waiver by the L/C Issuer of any requirement that exists for the L/C Issuer’s protection and not the protection of the Borrower or any waiver by the L/C Issuer which does not in fact materially prejudice the Borrower;
(v) honor of a demand for payment presented electronically even if such Letter of Credit requires that demand be in the form of a draft;
(vi) any payment made by the L/C Issuer in respect of an otherwise complying item presented after the date specified as the expiration date of, or the date by which documents must be received under such Letter of Credit if presentation after such date is authorized by the UCC, the ISP or the UCP, as applicable;
(vii) any payment by the L/C Issuer under such Letter of Credit against presentation of a draft or certificate that does not strictly comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit; or any payment made by the L/C Issuer under such Letter of Credit to any Person purporting to be a trustee in bankruptcy, debtor-in-possession, assignee for the benefit of creditors, liquidator, receiver or other representative of or successor to any beneficiary or any transferee of such Letter of Credit, including any arising in connection with any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law; or
(viii) any other circumstance or happening whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing, including any other circumstance that might otherwise constitute a defense available to, or a discharge of, the Borrower or any Subsidiary.
The Borrower shall promptly examine a copy of each Letter of Credit and each amendment thereto that is delivered to it and, in the event of any claim of noncompliance with the Borrower’s instructions or other irregularity, the Borrower will immediately notify the L/C Issuer. The Borrower shall be conclusively deemed to have waived any such claim against the L/C Issuer and its correspondents unless such notice is given as aforesaid.
(f) Role of L/C Issuer. Each Lender and the Borrower agree that, in paying any drawing under a Letter of Credit, the L/C Issuer shall not have any responsibility to obtain any document (other than any sight draft, certificates and documents expressly required by the Letter of Credit) or to ascertain or inquire as to the validity or accuracy of any such document or the authority of the Person executing or delivering any such document. None of the L/C Issuer, the Administrative Agent, any of their respective Related Parties nor any correspondent, participant or assignee of the L/C Issuer shall be liable to any Lender for (i) any action taken or omitted in connection herewith at the request or with the approval of the Lenders or the Required Lenders, as applicable; (ii) any action taken or omitted in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct; or (iii) the due execution, effectiveness, validity or enforceability of any document or instrument related to any Letter of Credit or Issuer Document. The Borrower hereby assumes all risks of the acts or omissions of any beneficiary or transferee with respect to its use of any Letter of Credit; provided, however, that this assumption is not intended to, and shall not, preclude the Borrower’s pursuing such rights and remedies as it may have against the beneficiary or transferee at law or under any other agreement. None of the L/C Issuer, the Administrative Agent, any of their respective Related Parties nor any correspondent, participant or assignee of the L/C Issuer shall be liable or responsible for any of the matters described in clauses (i)
38
through (viii) of Section 2.03(e); provided, however, that anything in such clauses to the contrary notwithstanding, the Borrower may have a claim against the L/C Issuer, and the L/C Issuer may be liable to the Borrower, to the extent, but only to the extent, of any direct, as opposed to consequential or exemplary, damages suffered by the Borrower which the Borrower proves were caused by the L/C Issuer’s willful misconduct or gross negligence or the L/C Issuer’s willful failure to pay under any Letter of Credit after the presentation to it by the beneficiary of a sight draft and certificate(s) strictly complying with the terms and conditions of a Letter of Credit. In furtherance and not in limitation of the foregoing, the L/C Issuer may accept documents that appear on their face to be in order, without responsibility for further investigation, regardless of any notice or information to the contrary, and the L/C Issuer shall not be responsible for the validity or sufficiency of any instrument transferring or assigning or purporting to transfer or assign a Letter of Credit or the rights or benefits thereunder or proceeds thereof, in whole or in part, which may prove to be invalid or ineffective for any reason. The L/C Issuer may send a Letter of Credit or conduct any communication to or from the beneficiary via the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (“SWIFT”) message or overnight courier, or any other commercially reasonable means of communicating with a beneficiary.
(g) Applicability of ISP and UCP; Limitation of Liability. Unless otherwise expressly agreed by the L/C Issuer and the Borrower when a Letter of Credit is issued, the rules of the ISP shall apply to each Letter of Credit. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the L/C Issuer shall not be responsible to the Borrower for, and the L/C Issuer’s rights and remedies against the Borrower shall not be impaired by, any action or inaction of the L/C Issuer required or permitted under any law, order, or practice that is required or permitted to be applied to any Letter of Credit or this Agreement, including the Law or any order of a jurisdiction where the L/C Issuer or the beneficiary is located, the practice stated in the ISP or UCP, as applicable, or in the decisions, opinions, practice statements, or official commentary of the ICC Banking Commission, the Bankers Association for Finance and Trade - International Financial Services Association (BAFT-IFSA), or the Institute of International Banking Law & Practice, whether or not any Letter of Credit chooses such law or practice.
(h) Letter of Credit Fees. The Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender in accordance, subject to Section 2.13, with its Applicable Percentage a Letter of Credit fee (the “Letter of Credit Fee”) for each Letter of Credit equal to the Applicable Rate times the daily amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit. For purposes of computing the daily amount available to be drawn under any Letter of Credit, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be determined in accordance with Section 1.06. Letter of Credit Fees shall be (i) due and payable on the first Business Day after the end of each March, June, September and December, commencing with the first such date to occur after the issuance of such Letter of Credit, on the Letter of Credit Expiration Date and thereafter on demand and (ii) computed on a quarterly basis in arrears. If there is any change in the Applicable Rate during any quarter, the daily amount available to be drawn under each Letter of Credit shall be computed and multiplied by the Applicable Rate separately for each period during such quarter that such Applicable Rate was in effect. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, upon the request of the Required Lenders, if any Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, all Letter of Credit Fees shall accrue at the Default Rate.
39
(i) Fronting Fee and Documentary and Processing Charges Payable to L/C Issuer. The Borrower shall pay directly to the L/C Issuer for its own account a fronting fee with respect to each Letter of Credit, at the rate per annum specified in the Fee Letter, computed on the daily amount available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit on a quarterly basis in arrears Such fronting fee shall be due and payable on the tenth Business Day after the end of each March, June, September and December in respect of the most recently-ended quarterly period (or portion thereof, in the case of the first payment), commencing with the first such date to occur after the issuance of such Letter of Credit, on the Letter of Credit Expiration Date and thereafter on demand. For purposes of computing the daily amount available to be drawn under any Letter of Credit, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be determined in accordance with Section 1.06. In addition, the Borrower shall pay directly to the L/C Issuer for its own account the customary issuance, presentation, amendment and other processing fees, and other standard costs and charges, of the L/C Issuer relating to letters of credit as from time to time in effect. Such customary fees and standard costs and charges are due and payable on demand and are nonrefundable.
(j) Conflict with Issuer Documents. In the event of any conflict between the terms hereof and the terms of any Issuer Document, the terms hereof shall control.
2.04 Prepayments.
(a) The Borrower may, upon notice to the Administrative Agent, at any time or from time to time voluntarily prepay Loans in whole or in part without premium or penalty; provided that (i) such notice must be in a form acceptable to the Administrative Agent and be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. (A) three Business Days prior to any date of prepayment of Eurodollar Rate Loans and (B) on the date of prepayment of Base Rate Loans; (ii) any prepayment of Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $5,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof; and (iii) any prepayment of Base Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $500,000 or a whole multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof or, in each case, if less, the entire principal amount thereof then outstanding. Each such notice shall specify the date and amount of such prepayment and the Type(s) of Loans to be prepaid and, if Eurodollar Rate Loans are to be prepaid, the Interest Period(s) of such Loans. The Administrative Agent will promptly notify each Lender of its receipt of each such notice, and of the amount of such Lender’s Applicable Percentage of such prepayment. If such notice is given by the Borrower, the Borrower shall make such prepayment and the payment amount specified in such notice shall be due and payable on the date specified therein. Any prepayment of a Eurodollar Rate Loan shall be accompanied by all accrued interest on the amount prepaid, together with any additional amounts required pursuant to Section 3.05. Subject to Section 2.13, each such prepayment shall be applied to the Loans of the Lenders in accordance with their respective Applicable Percentages.
(b) [Reserved].
(c) If for any reason the Total Outstandings at any time exceed the Aggregate Commitments then in effect, the Borrower shall immediately prepay Loans and/or Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations in an aggregate amount equal to such excess; provided, however, that the Borrower shall not be required to Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations pursuant to this Section 2.05(c) unless after the prepayment in full of the Loans the Total Outstandings exceed the Aggregate Commitments then in effect.
40
(d) The Borrower may, upon notice to the Administrative Agent, terminate the Aggregate Commitments, or from time to time permanently reduce the Aggregate Commitments; provided that (i) any such notice shall be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. five Business Days prior to the date of termination or reduction, (ii) any such partial reduction shall be in an aggregate amount of $10,000,000 or any whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof, (iii) the Borrower shall not terminate or reduce the Aggregate Commitments if, after giving effect thereto and to any concurrent prepayments hereunder, the Total Outstandings would exceed the Aggregate Commitments, and (iv) if, after giving effect to any reduction of the Aggregate Commitments, the Letter of Credit Sublimit exceeds the amount of the Aggregate Commitments, such Sublimit shall be automatically reduced by the amount of such excess. The Administrative Agent will promptly notify the Lenders of any such notice of termination or reduction of the Aggregate Commitments. Any reduction of the Aggregate Commitments shall be applied to the Commitment of each Lender according to its Applicable Percentage. All fees accrued until the effective date of any termination of the Aggregate Commitments shall be paid on the effective date of such termination.
2.05 Repayment of Loans. The Borrower shall repay to the Lenders on the Maturity Date the aggregate principal amount of Loans outstanding on such date.
2.06 Interest.
(a) Subject to the provisions of subsection (b) below, (i) each Eurodollar Rate Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof for each Interest Period at a rate per annum equal to the Eurodollar Rate for such Interest Period plus the Applicable Rate; and (ii) each Base Rate Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof from the applicable borrowing date at a rate per annum equal to the Base Rate plus the Applicable Rate.
(b) (i) If any amount of principal of any Loan is not paid when due (without regard to any applicable grace periods), whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise, such amount shall thereafter bear interest at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.
(ii) If any amount (other than principal of any Loan) payable by the Borrower under any Loan Document is not paid when due (without regard to any applicable grace periods), whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise, then upon the request of the Required Lenders, such amount shall thereafter bear interest at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.
(iii) Upon the request of the Required Lenders, if any Event of Default has occurred and is continuing (other than as set forth in clauses (b)(i) and (b)(ii) above), the Borrower shall pay interest on the principal amount of all outstanding Obligations under the Loan Documents at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.
(iv) Accrued and unpaid interest on past due amounts (including interest on past due interest) shall be due and payable upon demand.
(c) Interest on each Loan shall be due and payable in arrears on each Interest Payment Date applicable thereto and at such other times as may be specified herein. Interest hereunder shall be due and payable in accordance with the terms hereof before and after judgment, and before and after the commencement of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law.
41
2.07 Fees. In addition to certain fees described in subsections (h) and (i) of Section 2.03:
(a) Commitment Fee. The Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Lender in accordance with its Applicable Percentage, a commitment fee equal to the Applicable Rate times the actual daily amount by which the Aggregate Commitments exceed the sum of (i) the Outstanding Amount of Loans and (ii) the Outstanding Amount of L/C Obligations, subject to adjustment as provided in Section 2.13. The commitment fee shall accrue at all times during the Availability Period, including at any time during which one or more of the conditions in Article IV is not met, and shall be due and payable quarterly in arrears on the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December, commencing with the first such date to occur after the Closing Date, and on the last day of the Availability Period. The commitment fee shall be calculated quarterly in arrears, and if there is any change in the Applicable Rate during any quarter, the actual daily amount shall be computed and multiplied by the Applicable Rate separately for each period during such quarter that such Applicable Rate was in effect.
(b) Other Fees. (i) The Borrower shall pay to the Arranger and the Administrative Agent for their own respective accounts fees in the amounts and at the times specified in the Fee Letter. Such fees shall be fully earned when paid and shall not be refundable for any reason whatsoever.
(ii) The Borrower shall pay to the Lenders such fees as shall have been separately agreed upon in writing in the amounts and at the times so specified. Such fees shall be fully earned when paid and shall not be refundable for any reason whatsoever.
2.08 Computation of Interest and Fees.
All computations of interest for Base Rate Loans (including Base Rate Loans determined by reference to the Eurodollar Rate) shall be made on the basis of a year of 365 or 366 days, as the case may be, and actual days elapsed. All other computations of fees and interest shall be made on the basis of a 360-day year and actual days elapsed (which results in more fees or interest, as applicable, being paid than if computed on the basis of a 365-day year). Interest shall accrue on each Loan for the day on which the Loan is made, and shall not accrue on a Loan, or any portion thereof, for the day on which the Loan or such portion is paid, provided that any Loan that is repaid on the same day on which it is made shall, subject to Section 2.10(a), bear interest for one day. Each determination by the Administrative Agent of an interest rate or fee hereunder shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.
42
2.09 Evidence of Debt.
(a) The Credit Extensions made by each Lender shall be evidenced by one or more accounts or records maintained by such Lender and by the Administrative Agent in the ordinary course of business. The accounts or records maintained by the Administrative Agent and each Lender shall be conclusive absent manifest error of the amount of the Credit Extensions made by the Lenders to the Borrower and the interest and payments thereon. Any failure to so record or any error in doing so shall not, however, limit or otherwise affect the obligation of the Borrower hereunder to pay any amount owing with respect to the Obligations. In the event of any conflict between the accounts and records maintained by any Lender and the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent in respect of such matters, the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent shall control in the absence of manifest error. Upon the request of any Lender made through the Administrative Agent, the Borrower shall execute and deliver to such Lender (through the Administrative Agent) a Note, which shall evidence such Lender’s Loans in addition to such accounts or records. Each Lender may attach schedules to its Note and endorse thereon the date, Type (if applicable), amount and maturity of its Loans and payments with respect thereto.
(b) In addition to the accounts and records referred to in subsection (a) above, each Lender and the Administrative Agent shall maintain in accordance with its usual practice accounts or records evidencing the purchases and sales by such Lender of participations in Letters of Credit. In the event of any conflict between the accounts and records maintained by the Administrative Agent and the accounts and records of any Lender in respect of such matters, the accounts and records of the Administrative Agent shall control in the absence of manifest error.
2.10 Payments Generally; Administrative Agent’s Clawback.
(a) General. All payments to be made by the Borrower shall be made free and clear of and without condition or deduction for any counterclaim, defense, recoupment or setoff. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all payments by the Borrower hereunder shall be made to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the respective Lenders to which such payment is owed, at the Administrative Agent’s Office in Dollars and in immediately available funds not later than 2:00 p.m. on the date specified herein. The Administrative Agent will promptly distribute to each Lender its Applicable Percentage (or other applicable share as provided herein) of such payment in like funds as received by wire transfer to such Lender’s Lending Office. All payments received by the Administrative Agent after 2:00 p.m. shall be deemed received on the next succeeding Business Day and any applicable interest or fee shall continue to accrue. If any payment to be made by the Borrower shall come due on a day other than a Business Day, payment shall be made on the next following Business Day, and such extension of time shall be reflected in computing interest or fees, as the case may be.
(b) (i) Funding by Lenders; Presumption by Administrative Agent. Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from a Lender prior to the proposed date of any Borrowing of Eurodollar Rate Loans (or, in the case of any Borrowing of Base Rate Loans, prior to 12:00 noon on the date of such Borrowing) that such Lender will not make available to the Administrative Agent such Lender’s share of such Borrowing, the Administrative Agent may
43
assume that such Lender has made such share available on such date in accordance with Section 2.02 (or, in the case of a Borrowing of Base Rate Loans, that such Lender has made such share available in accordance with and at the time required by Section 2.02) and may, in reliance upon such assumption, make available to the Borrower a corresponding amount. In such event, if a Lender has not in fact made its share of the applicable Borrowing available to the Administrative Agent, then the applicable Lender and the Borrower severally agree to pay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand such corresponding amount in immediately available funds with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is made available to the Borrower to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at (A) in the case of a payment to be made by such Lender, the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation, plus any administrative, processing or similar fees customarily charged by the Administrative Agent in connection with the foregoing, and (B) in the case of a payment to be made by the Borrower, the interest rate applicable to Base Rate Loans. If the Borrower and such Lender shall pay such interest to the Administrative Agent for the same or an overlapping period, the Administrative Agent shall promptly remit to the Borrower the amount of such interest paid by the Borrower for such period. If such Lender pays its share of the applicable Borrowing to the Administrative Agent, then the amount so paid shall constitute such Lender’s Loan included in such Borrowing. Any payment by the Borrower shall be without prejudice to any claim the Borrower may have against a Lender that shall have failed to make such payment to the Administrative Agent.
(ii) Payments by Borrower; Presumptions by Administrative Agent. Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from the Borrower prior to the date on which any payment is due to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Lenders or the L/C Issuer hereunder that the Borrower will not make such payment, the Administrative Agent may assume that the Borrower has made such payment on such date in accordance herewith and may, in reliance upon such assumption, distribute to the Lenders or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, the amount due. In such event, if the Borrower has not in fact made such payment, then each of the Lenders or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, severally agrees to repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand the amount so distributed to such Lender or the L/C Issuer, in immediately available funds with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is distributed to it to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at the greater of the Federal Funds Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation.
A notice of the Administrative Agent to any Lender or the Borrower with respect to any amount owing under this subsection (b) shall be conclusive, absent manifest error.
(c) Failure to Satisfy Conditions Precedent. If any Lender makes available to the Administrative Agent funds for any Loan to be made by such Lender as provided in the foregoing provisions of this Article II, and such funds are not made available to the Borrower by the Administrative Agent because the conditions to the applicable Credit Extension set forth in Article IV are not satisfied or waived in accordance with the terms hereof, the Administrative Agent shall return such funds (in like funds as received from such Lender) to such Lender, without interest.
44
(d) Obligations of Lenders Several. The obligations of the Lenders hereunder to make Loans, to fund participations in Letters of Credit and to make payments pursuant to Section 10.04(c) are several and not joint. The failure of any Lender to make any Loan, to fund any such participation or to make any payment under Section 10.04(c) on any date required hereunder shall not relieve any other Lender of its corresponding obligation to do so on such date, and no Lender shall be responsible for the failure of any other Lender to so make its Loan, to purchase its participation or to make its payment under Section 10.04(c).
(e) Funding Source. Nothing herein shall be deemed to obligate any Lender to obtain the funds for any Loan in any particular place or manner or to constitute a representation by any Lender that it has obtained or will obtain the funds for any Loan in any particular place or manner.
2.11 Sharing of Payments by Lenders. If any Lender shall, by exercising any right of setoff or counterclaim or otherwise, obtain payment in respect of any principal of or interest on any of the Loans made by it, or the participations in L/C Obligations held by it resulting in such Lender’s receiving payment of a proportion of the aggregate amount of such Loans or participations and accrued interest thereon greater than its pro rata share thereof as provided herein, then the Lender receiving such greater proportion shall (a) notify the Administrative Agent of such fact, and (b) purchase (for cash at face value) participations in the Loans and subparticipations in L/C Obligations of the other Lenders, or make such other adjustments as shall be equitable, so that the benefit of all such payments shall be shared by the Lenders ratably in accordance with the aggregate amount of principal of and accrued interest on their respective Loans and other amounts owing them, provided that:
(i) if any such participations or subparticipations are purchased and all or any portion of the payment giving rise thereto is recovered, such participations or subparticipations shall be rescinded and the purchase price restored to the extent of such recovery, without interest; and
(ii) the provisions of this Section shall not be construed to apply to (x) any payment made by or on behalf of the Borrower pursuant to and in accordance with the express terms of this Agreement (including the application of funds arising from the existence of a Defaulting Lender), (y) the application of Cash Collateral provided for in Section 2.12, or (z) any payment obtained by a Lender as consideration for the assignment of or sale of a participation in any of its Loans or subparticipations in L/C Obligations to any assignee or participant, other than an assignment to the Borrower or any Subsidiary thereof (as to which the provisions of this Section shall apply).
The Borrower consents to the foregoing and agrees, to the extent it may effectively do so under applicable law, that any Lender acquiring a participation pursuant to the foregoing arrangements may exercise against the Borrower rights of setoff and counterclaim with respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender were a direct creditor of the Borrower in the amount of such participation.
45
2.12 Cash Collateral.
(a) Certain Credit Support Events. If (i) the L/C Issuer has honored any full or partial drawing request under any Letter of Credit and such drawing has resulted in an L/C Borrowing, (ii) as of the Letter of Credit Expiration Date, any L/C Obligation for any reason remains outstanding, (iii) the Borrower shall be required to provide Cash Collateral pursuant to Section 8.02(iii), or (iv) there shall exist a Defaulting Lender, the Borrower shall immediately (in the case of clause (iii) above) or within one Business Day (in all other cases) following any request by the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer, provide Cash Collateral in an amount not less than the applicable Minimum Collateral Amount (determined in the case of Cash Collateral provided pursuant to clause (iv) above, after giving effect to Section 2.13(a)(iv) and any Cash Collateral provided by the Defaulting Lender).
(b) Grant of Security Interest. The Borrower, and to the extent provided by any Defaulting Lender, such Defaulting Lender, hereby grants to (and subjects to the control of) the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and the Lenders, and agrees to maintain, a first priority security interest in all such cash, deposit accounts and all balances therein, and all other property so provided as collateral pursuant hereto, and in all proceeds of the foregoing, all as security for the obligations to which such Cash Collateral may be applied pursuant to Section 2.12(c). If at any time the Administrative Agent determines that Cash Collateral is subject to any right or claim of any Person other than the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer as herein provided, or that the total amount of such Cash Collateral is less than the Minimum Collateral Amount, the Borrower will, promptly upon demand by the Administrative Agent, pay or provide to the Administrative Agent additional Cash Collateral in an amount sufficient to eliminate such deficiency. All Cash Collateral (other than credit support not constituting funds subject to deposit) shall be maintained in one or more Controlled Accounts at Bank of America. The Borrower shall pay on demand therefor from time to time all customary account opening, activity and other administrative fees and charges in connection with the maintenance and disbursement of Cash Collateral.
(c) Application. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, Cash Collateral provided under any of this Section 2.12 or Sections 2.03, 2.05, 2.13 or 8.02 in respect of Letters of Credit shall be held and applied to the satisfaction of the specific L/C Obligations, obligations to fund participations therein (including, as to Cash Collateral provided by a Defaulting Lender, any interest accrued on such obligation) and other obligations for which the Cash Collateral was so provided, prior to any other application of such property as may otherwise be provided for herein.
(d) Release. Cash Collateral (or the appropriate portion thereof) provided to reduce Fronting Exposure or to secure other obligations shall be released promptly following (i) the elimination of the applicable Fronting Exposure or other obligations giving rise thereto (including by the termination of Defaulting Lender status of the applicable Lender (or, as appropriate, its assignee following compliance with Section 10.06(b)(vi))) or (ii) the determination by the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer that there exists excess Cash Collateral; provided, however, (x) any such release shall be without prejudice to, and any disbursement or other transfer of Cash Collateral shall be and remain subject to, any other Lien conferred under the Loan Documents and the other applicable provisions of the Loan
46
Documents, and (y) the Person providing Cash Collateral and the L/C Issuer may agree that Cash Collateral shall not be released but instead held to support future anticipated Fronting Exposure or other obligations.
2.13 Defaulting Lenders.
(a) Adjustments. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, if any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, then, until such time as that Lender is no longer a Defaulting Lender, to the extent permitted by applicable Law:
(i) Waivers and Amendments. Such Defaulting Lender’s right to approve or disapprove any amendment, waiver or consent with respect to this Agreement shall be restricted as set forth in the definition of “Required Lenders” and Section 10.01.
(ii) Defaulting Lender Waterfall. Any payment of principal, interest, fees or other amounts received by the Administrative Agent for the account of such Defaulting Lender (whether voluntary or mandatory, at maturity, pursuant to Article VIII or otherwise) or received by the Administrative Agent from a Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 10.08 shall be applied at such time or times as may be determined by the Administrative Agent as follows: first, to the payment of any amounts owing by such Defaulting Lender to the Administrative Agent hereunder; second, to the payment on a pro rata basis of any amounts owing by such Defaulting Lender to the L/C Issuer hereunder; third, to Cash Collateralize the L/C Issuer’s Fronting Exposure with respect to such Defaulting Lender in accordance with Section 2.12; fourth, as the Borrower may request (so long as no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing), to the funding of any Loan in respect of which such Defaulting Lender has failed to fund its portion thereof as required by this Agreement, as determined by the Administrative Agent; fifth, if so determined by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, to be held in a deposit account and released pro rata in order to (x) satisfy such Defaulting Lender’s potential future funding obligations with respect to Loans under this Agreement and (y) Cash Collateralize the L/C Issuer’s future Fronting Exposure with respect to such Defaulting Lender with respect to future Letters of Credit issued under this Agreement, in accordance with Section 2.12; sixth, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Lenders or the L/C Issuer as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by any Lender or the L/C Issuer against such Defaulting Lender as a result of such Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement; seventh, so long as no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Borrower as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by the Borrower against such Defaulting Lender as a result of such Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement; and eighth, to such Defaulting Lender or as otherwise directed by a court of competent jurisdiction; provided that if (x) such payment is a payment of the principal amount of any Loans or L/C Borrowings in respect of which such Defaulting Lender has not fully funded its appropriate share, and (y) such Loans were made or the related Letters of Credit were issued at a time when the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 were satisfied or waived, such payment shall be applied solely to pay the Loans of, and L/C Obligations owed to, all Non-Defaulting Lenders on a pro rata basis prior to being applied to the payment of
47
any Loans of, or L/C Obligations owed to, such Defaulting Lender until such time as all Loans and funded and unfunded participations in L/C Obligations are held by the Lenders pro rata in accordance with the Commitments hereunder without giving effect to Section 2.13(a)(iv). Any payments, prepayments or other amounts paid or payable to a Defaulting Lender that are applied (or held) to pay amounts owed by a Defaulting Lender or to post Cash Collateral pursuant to this Section 2.13(a)(ii) shall be deemed paid to and redirected by such Defaulting Lender, and each Lender irrevocably consents hereto.
(iii) Certain Fees.
(A) No Defaulting Lender shall be entitled to receive any fee payable under Section 2.07(a) for any period during which that Lender is a Defaulting Lender (and the Borrower shall not be required to pay any such fee that otherwise would have been required to have been paid to that Defaulting Lender).
(B) Each Defaulting Lender shall be entitled to receive Letter of Credit Fees for any period during which that Lender is a Defaulting Lender only to the extent allocable to its Applicable Percentage of the stated amount of Letters of Credit for which it has provided Cash Collateral pursuant to Section 2.12.
(C) With respect to any Letter of Credit Fee not required to be paid to any Defaulting Lender pursuant to clause (A) or (B) above, the Borrower shall (x) pay to each Non-Defaulting Lender that portion of any such fee otherwise payable to such Defaulting Lender with respect to such Defaulting Lender’s participation in L/C Obligations that has been reallocated to such Non-Defaulting Lender pursuant to clause (iv) below, (y) pay to the L/C Issuer the amount of any such fee otherwise payable to such Defaulting Lender to the extent allocable to such L/C Issuer’s Fronting Exposure to such Defaulting Lender, and (z) not be required to pay the remaining amount of any such fee.
(iv) Reallocation of Applicable Percentages to Reduce Fronting Exposure. All or any part of such Defaulting Lender’s participation in L/C Obligations shall be reallocated among the Non-Defaulting Lenders in accordance with their respective Applicable Percentages (calculated without regard to such Defaulting Lender’s Commitment) but only to the extent that (x) the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 are satisfied at the time of such reallocation (and, unless the Borrower shall have otherwise notified the Administrative Agent at such time, the Borrower shall be deemed to have represented and warranted that such conditions are satisfied at such time), and (y) such reallocation does not cause the aggregate Revolving Credit Exposure of any Non-Defaulting Lender to exceed such Non-Defaulting Lender’s Commitment. No reallocation hereunder shall constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder against a Defaulting Lender arising from that Lender having become a Defaulting Lender, including any claim of a Non-Defaulting Lender as a result of such Non-Defaulting Lender’s increased exposure following such reallocation.
(v) Cash Collateral. If the reallocation described in clause (a)(iv) above cannot, or can only partially, be effected, the Borrower shall, without prejudice to any
48
right or remedy available to it hereunder or under applicable Law, Cash Collateralize the L/C Issuers’ Fronting Exposure in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 2.12.
(b) Defaulting Lender Cure. If the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer agree in writing that a Lender is no longer a Defaulting Lender, the Administrative Agent will so notify the parties hereto, whereupon as of the effective date specified in such notice and subject to any conditions set forth therein (which may include arrangements with respect to any Cash Collateral), that Lender will, to the extent applicable, purchase at par that portion of outstanding Loans of the other Lenders or take such other actions as the Administrative Agent may determine to be necessary to cause the Loans and funded and unfunded participations in Letters of Credit to be held on a pro rata basis by the Lenders in accordance with their Applicable Percentages (without giving effect to Section 2.13(a)(iv)), whereupon such Lender will cease to be a Defaulting Lender; provided that no adjustments will be made retroactively with respect to fees accrued or payments made by or on behalf of the Borrower while that Lender was a Defaulting Lender; and provided, further, that except to the extent otherwise expressly agreed by the affected parties, no change hereunder from Defaulting Lender to Lender will constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder arising from that Lender’s having been a Defaulting Lender.
2.14 Increase in Commitments.
(a) Request for Increase. Provided no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, upon notice to the Administrative Agent (which shall promptly notify the Lenders), the Borrower may from time to time request an increase in the Aggregate Commitments by an amount (for all such requests) not exceeding $50,000,000 in the aggregate; provided that (i) any such request for an increase shall be in a minimum amount of $10,000,000, (ii) the Borrower may make a maximum of three such requests, and (iii) the new or increased Commitment of each new or increasing Lender shall be on terms and conditions identical to those of the existing Lenders immediately prior to such increase (other than with respect to fees). At the time of sending such notice, the Borrower (in consultation with the Administrative Agent) shall specify the time period within which each Lender is requested to respond (which shall in no event be less than ten Business Days from the date of delivery of such notice to the Lenders).
(b) Lender Elections to Increase. Each Lender shall notify the Administrative Agent within such time period whether or not it agrees to increase its Commitment and, if so, whether by an amount equal to, greater than, or less than its Applicable Percentage of such requested increase. Any Lender not responding within such time period shall be deemed to have declined to increase its Commitment.
(c) Notification by Administrative Agent; Additional Lenders. The Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrower and each Lender of the Lenders’ responses to each request made hereunder. To achieve the full amount of a requested increase and subject to the approval of the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer, such approval not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed, the Borrower may also invite additional Eligible Assignees to become Lenders pursuant to a joinder agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and its counsel.
49
(d) Effective Date and Allocations. If the Aggregate Commitments are increased in accordance with this Section, the Administrative Agent and the Borrower shall determine the effective date (the “Increase Effective Date”) and the final allocation of such increase. The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the Borrower and the Lenders of the final allocation of such increase and the Increase Effective Date.
(e) Conditions to Effectiveness of Increase. As a condition precedent to such increase, the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent a certificate of each Loan Party dated as of the Increase Effective Date (in sufficient copies for each Lender) signed by a Responsible Officer of such Loan Party (i) certifying and attaching the resolutions adopted by such Loan Party approving or consenting to such increase, and (ii) in the case of the Borrower, certifying that, before and after giving effect to such increase, (A) the representations and warranties contained in Article V and the other Loan Documents are true and correct on and as of the Increase Effective Date, except to the extent that such representations and warranties specifically refer to an earlier date, in which case they are true and correct as of such earlier date, and except that for purposes of this Section 2.14, the representations and warranties contained in subsections (a) and (b) of Section 5.05 shall be deemed to refer to the most recent statements furnished pursuant to subsections (a) and (b), respectively, of Section 6.01, and (B) no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would result therefrom. On the Increase Effective Date, each Lender (including any new Lender) participating in such Commitment increase shall purchase and assume from each existing Lender having Loans outstanding on such Increase Effective Date, without recourse or warranty, an undivided interest and participation, to the extent of such Lender’s ratable portion of the Aggregate Commitments (after giving effect to such Commitment increase), in the aggregate Loans then outstanding, so as to ensure that, on the Increase Effective Date after giving effect to such Commitment increase, each Lender is owed only its ratable portion of the Loans outstanding on such Increase Effective Date.
(f) Conflicting Provisions. This Section shall supersede any provisions in Section 2.11 or 10.01 to the contrary.
ARTICLE III.
TAXES, YIELD PROTECTION AND ILLEGALITY
3.01 Taxes.
(a) Payments Free of Taxes; Obligation to Withhold; Payments on Account of Taxes.
Any and all payments by or on account of any obligation of any Loan Party under any Loan Document shall be made without deduction or withholding for any Taxes, except as required by applicable law. If any applicable law (as determined in the good faith discretion of an applicable Withholding Agent) requires the deduction or withholding of any Tax from any such payment by a Withholding Agent, then the applicable Withholding Agent shall be entitled to make such deduction or withholding and shall timely pay the full amount deducted or withheld to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law and, if such Tax is an Indemnified Tax, then the sum payable by the applicable Loan Party shall be increased as necessary so that after such deduction or withholding has been made (including such deductions
50
and withholdings for Indemnified Taxes applicable to additional sums payable under this Section 3.01(a)) the applicable Recipient receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such deduction or withholding been made.
(b) Payment of Other Taxes by the Borrower. Without limiting the provisions of subsection (a) above, the Loan Parties shall timely pay to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law, or at the option of the Administrative Agent timely reimburse it for the payment of, any Other Taxes.
(c) Tax Indemnifications. (i) Each of the Loan Parties shall jointly and severally indemnify each Recipient, and shall make payment in respect thereof within 10 days after demand therefor, for the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes (including Indemnified Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under this Section 3.01) payable or paid by such Recipient or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to such Recipient, and any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Indemnified Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability (setting forth in reasonable detail the basis of such Indemnified Tax) delivered to the Borrower by a Lender or the L/C Issuer (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), or by the Administrative Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of a Lender or the L/C Issuer, shall be conclusive absent manifest error. Each of the Loan Parties shall, and does hereby, jointly and severally indemnify the Administrative Agent, and shall make payment in respect thereof within 10 days after demand therefor, for any amount which a Lender or the L/C Issuer for any reason fails to pay indefeasibly to the Administrative Agent as required pursuant to Section 3.01(c)(ii) below; provided that such indemnity shall not, as to the Administrative Agent, be available to the extent that such amount is determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of the Administrative Agent.
(ii) Each Lender and the L/C Issuer shall, and does hereby, severally indemnify, and shall make payment in respect thereof within 10 days after demand therefor, (x) the Administrative Agent against any Indemnified Taxes attributable to such Lender or the L/C Issuer (but only to the extent that any Loan Party has not already indemnified the Administrative Agent for such Indemnified Taxes and without limiting the obligation of the Loan Parties to do so), (y) the Administrative Agent and the Loan Parties, as applicable, against any Taxes attributable to such Lender’s failure to comply with the provisions of Section 10.06(d) relating to the maintenance of a Participant Register and (z) the Administrative Agent and the Loan Parties, as applicable, against any Excluded Taxes attributable to such Lender or the L/C Issuer, in each case, that are payable or paid by the Administrative Agent or a Loan Party in connection with any Loan Document, and any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to any Lender by the Administrative Agent shall be conclusive absent manifest error. Each Lender and the L/C Issuer hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to set off and apply any and all amounts at any time owing to such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, under this Agreement or any other Loan Document against any amount due to the Administrative Agent under this clause (ii).
51
(d) Evidence of Payments. Upon request by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be, after any payment of Taxes by the Borrower or by the Administrative Agent to a Governmental Authority as provided in this Section 3.01, the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent or the Administrative Agent shall deliver to the Borrower, as the case may be, the original or a certified copy of a receipt issued by such Governmental Authority evidencing such payment, a copy of any return required by Laws to report such payment or other evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory to the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be.
(e) Status of Lenders; Tax Documentation.
(i) Any Lender (which, for purposes of this Section 3.01(e), shall include the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent) that is entitled to an exemption from or reduction of withholding Tax with respect to payments made under any Loan Document shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, at the time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, such properly completed and executed documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will permit such payments to be made without withholding or at a reduced rate of withholding. In addition, any Lender, if reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, shall deliver such other documentation prescribed by applicable law or reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will enable the Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine whether or not such Lender is subject to backup withholding or information reporting requirements. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the preceding two sentences, the completion, execution and submission of such documentation (other than such documentation set forth in Section 3.01(e)(ii)(A), (ii)(B) and (ii)(D) below) shall not be required if in the Lender’s reasonable judgment such completion, execution or submission would subject such Lender to any material unreimbursed cost or expense or would materially prejudice the legal or commercial position of such Lender.
(ii) Without limiting the generality of the foregoing,
(A) any Lender that is a U.S. Person shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent on or prior to the date on which such Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), properly completed and executed originals of IRS Form W-9 certifying that such Lender is exempt from U.S. federal backup withholding tax;
(B) any Foreign Lender shall, to the extent it is legally entitled to do so, deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent (in such number of copies as shall be requested by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), whichever of the following is applicable:
(I) in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of an income tax treaty to which the United States is a party (x) with respect to payments of interest under any Loan Document, properly completed and executed originals of IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E (or the applicable successor form) establishing an exemption from, or reduction of, U.S. federal withholding Tax pursuant to the “interest” article of such tax treaty and (y) with respect to any other applicable payments under any Loan Document, properly completed and executed originals of IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E (or the applicable successor form) establishing an exemption from, or reduction of, U.S. federal withholding Tax pursuant to the “business profits” or “other income” article of such tax treaty;
52
(II) properly completed and executed originals of IRS Form W-8ECI;
(III) in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of the exemption for portfolio interest under Section 881(c) of the Code, (x) a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit G-1 to the effect that such Foreign Lender is not a “bank” within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, a “10 percent shareholder” of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(B) of the Code, or a “controlled foreign corporation” described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code (a “U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate”) and (y) properly completed and executed originals of IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E (or the applicable successor form); or
(IV) to the extent a Foreign Lender is not the beneficial owner, properly completed and executed originals of IRS Form W-8IMY, accompanied by IRS Form W-8ECI, IRS Form W-8BEN, IRS Form W-8BEN-E (or the applicable successor form), a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit G-2 or Exhibit G-3, IRS Form W-9, and/or other certification documents from each beneficial owner, as applicable; provided that if the Foreign Lender is a partnership and one or more direct or indirect partners of such Foreign Lender are claiming the portfolio interest exemption, such Foreign Lender may provide a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit G-4 on behalf of each such direct and indirect partner;
(C) any Foreign Lender shall, to the extent it is legally entitled to do so, deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent (in such number of copies as shall be requested by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), executed originals of any other form prescribed by applicable law as a basis for claiming exemption from or a reduction in U.S. federal withholding Tax, duly completed, together with such supplementary documentation as may be prescribed by applicable law to permit the Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine the withholding or deduction required to be made; and
53
(D) if a payment made to a Lender under any Loan Document would be subject to U.S. federal withholding Tax imposed by FATCA if such Lender were to fail to comply with the applicable reporting requirements of FATCA (including those contained in Section 1471(b) or 1472(b) of the Code, as applicable), such Lender shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent at the time or times prescribed by law and at such time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent such documentation prescribed by applicable law (including as prescribed by Section 1471(b)(3)(C)(i) of the Code) and such additional documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as may be necessary for the Borrower and the Administrative Agent to comply with their obligations under FATCA and to determine that such Lender has complied with such Lender’s obligations under FATCA or to determine the amount to deduct and withhold from such payment. Solely for purposes of this clause (D), “FATCA” shall include any amendments made to FATCA after the date of this Agreement.
(iii) Each Lender agrees that if any form or certification it previously delivered pursuant to this Section 3.01 expires or becomes obsolete or inaccurate in any respect, it shall update such form or certification or promptly notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent in writing of its legal inability to do so.
(f) Treatment of Certain Refunds. If any Recipient determines, in its sole discretion exercised in good faith, that it has received a refund of any Taxes as to which it has been indemnified by any Loan Party or with respect to which any Loan Party has paid additional amounts pursuant to this Section 3.01, it shall pay to the Loan Party an amount equal to such refund (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made, or additional amounts paid, by a Loan Party under this Section 3.01 with respect to the Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all out-of-pocket expenses (including Taxes) incurred by such Recipient, and without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund), provided that the Loan Party, upon the request of such Recipient, agrees to repay the amount paid over to the Loan Party pursuant to this subsection (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) to such Recipient in the event such Recipient is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this subsection, in no event will the applicable Recipient be required to pay any amount to the Loan Party pursuant to this subsection the payment of which would place the Recipient in a less favorable net after-Tax position than such Recipient would have been in if the Tax subject to indemnification and giving rise to such refund had not been deducted, withheld or otherwise imposed and the indemnification payments or additional amounts with respect to such Tax had never been paid. This subsection shall not be construed to require any Recipient to make available its tax returns (or any other information relating to its Taxes that it deems confidential) to any Loan Party or any other Person.
(g) Survival. Each party’s obligations under this Section 3.01 shall survive the resignation or replacement of the Administrative Agent or any assignment of rights by, or the replacement of, a Lender or the L/C Issuer, the termination of the Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all other Obligations under the Loan Documents.
(h) Defined Term. For purposes of this Section 3.01, the term “applicable law” includes FATCA.
54
3.02 Illegality. If any Lender determines that any Law has made it unlawful, or that any Governmental Authority has asserted that it is unlawful, for any Lender or its Lending Office to make, maintain or fund Loans whose interest is determined by reference to the Eurodollar Rate, or to determine or charge interest rates based upon the Eurodollar Rate, or any Governmental Authority has imposed material restrictions on the authority of such Lender to purchase or sell, or to take deposits of, Dollars in the London interbank market, then, on notice thereof by such Lender to the Borrower through the Administrative Agent, (i) any obligation of such Lender to make or continue Eurodollar Rate Loans or to convert Base Rate Loans to Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be suspended, and (ii) if such notice asserts the illegality of such Lender making or maintaining Base Rate Loans the interest rate on which is determined by reference to the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate, the interest rate on which Base Rate Loans of such Lender shall, if necessary to avoid such illegality, be determined by the Administrative Agent without reference to the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate, in each case until such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent and the Borrower that the circumstances giving rise to such determination no longer exist. Upon receipt of such notice, (x) the Borrower shall, upon demand from such Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), prepay or, if applicable, convert all Eurodollar Rate Loans of such Lender to Base Rate Loans (the interest rate on which Base Rate Loans of such Lender shall, if necessary to avoid such illegality, be determined by the Administrative Agent without reference to the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate), either on the last day of the Interest Period therefor, if such Lender may lawfully continue to maintain such Eurodollar Rate Loans to such day, or immediately, if such Lender may not lawfully continue to maintain such Eurodollar Rate Loans and (y) if such notice asserts the illegality of such Lender determining or charging interest rates based upon the Eurodollar Rate, the Administrative Agent shall during the period of such suspension compute the Base Rate applicable to such Lender without reference to the Eurodollar Rate component thereof until the Administrative Agent is advised in writing by such Lender that it is no longer illegal for such Lender to determine or charge interest rates based upon the Eurodollar Rate. Upon any such prepayment or conversion, the Borrower shall also pay accrued interest on the amount so prepaid or converted.
3.03 Inability to Determine Rates. If in connection with any request for a Eurodollar Rate Loan or a conversion to or continuation thereof, (a) the Administrative Agent determines that (i) Dollar deposits are not being offered to banks in the London interbank Eurodollar market for the applicable amount and Interest Period of such Eurodollar Rate Loan, or (ii) adequate and reasonable means do not exist for determining the Eurodollar Rate for any requested Interest Period with respect to a proposed Eurodollar Rate Loan or in connection with an existing or proposed Base Rate Loan (in each case with respect to clause (a) (i) above, “Impacted Loans”), or (b) the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders determine that for any reason the Eurodollar Rate for any requested Interest Period with respect to a proposed Eurodollar Rate Loan does not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders of funding such Eurodollar Rate Loan, the Administrative Agent will promptly so notify the Borrower and each Lender.
55
Thereafter, (x) the obligation of the Lenders to make or maintain Eurodollar Rate Loans shall be suspended, (to the extent of the affected Eurodollar Rate Loans or Interest Periods), and (y) in the event of a determination described in the preceding sentence with respect to the Eurodollar Rate component of the Base Rate, the utilization of the Eurodollar Rate component in determining the Base Rate shall be suspended, in each case until the Administrative Agent upon the instruction of the Required Lenders revokes such notice. Upon receipt of such notice, the Borrower may revoke any pending request for a Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans (to the extent of the affected Eurodollar Rate Loans or Interest Periods) or, failing that, will be deemed to have converted such request into a request for a Borrowing of Base Rate Loans in the amount specified therein.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Administrative Agent has made the determination described in clause (a) (i) of this section, the Administrative Agent, in consultation with the Borrower and the affected Lenders, may establish an alternative interest rate for the Impacted Loans, in which case, such alternative rate of interest shall apply with respect to the Impacted Loans until (1) the Administrative Agent revokes the notice delivered with respect to the Impacted Loans under clause (a) of the first sentence of this section, (2) the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders notify the Administrative Agent and the Borrower that such alternative interest rate does not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders of funding the Impacted Loans, or (3) any Lender determines that any Law has made it unlawful, or that any Governmental Authority has asserted that it is unlawful, for such Lender or its applicable Lending Office to make, maintain or fund Loans whose interest is determined by reference to such alternative rate of interest or to determine or charge interest rates based upon such rate or any Governmental Authority has imposed material restrictions on the authority of such Lender to do any of the foregoing and provides the Administrative Agent and the Borrower written notice thereof.
3.04 Increased Costs; Reserves on Eurodollar Rate Loans.
(a) Increased Costs Generally. If any Change in Law shall:
(i) impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve, special deposit, compulsory loan, insurance charge or similar requirement against assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or credit extended or participated in by, any Lender (except any reserve requirement contemplated by Section 3.04(e)) or the L/C Issuer;
(ii) subject any Recipient to any Taxes (other than (A) Indemnified Taxes, (B) Taxes described in clauses (b) through (d) of the definition of Excluded Taxes and (C) Connection Income Taxes) on its loans, loan principal, letters of credit, commitments, or other obligations, or its deposits, reserves, other liabilities or capital attributable thereto; or
(iii) impose on any Lender or the L/C Issuer or the London interbank market any other condition, cost or expense (other than Taxes) affecting this Agreement or Eurodollar Rate Loans made by such Lender or any Letter of Credit or participation therein;
56
and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Lender of making, converting to, continuing or maintaining any Loan the interest on which is determined by reference to the Eurodollar Rate (or of maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan), or to increase the cost to such Lender or the L/C Issuer of participating in, issuing or maintaining any Letter of Credit (or of maintaining its obligation to participate in or to issue any Letter of Credit), or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender or the L/C Issuer hereunder (whether of principal, interest or any other amount) then, upon request of such Lender or the L/C Issuer, the Borrower will pay to such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.
(b) Capital Requirements. If any Lender or the L/C Issuer determines that any Change in Law affecting such Lender or the L/C Issuer or any Lending Office of such Lender or such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s holding company, if any, regarding capital or liquidity requirements has or would have the effect of reducing the rate of return on such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s capital or on the capital of such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s holding company, if any, as a consequence of this Agreement, the Commitments of such Lender or the Loans made by, or participations in Letters of Credit held by, such Lender, or the Letters of Credit issued by the L/C Issuer, to a level below that which such Lender or the L/C Issuer or such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s holding company could have achieved but for such Change in Law (taking into consideration such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s policies and the policies of such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s holding company with respect to capital adequacy), then from time to time the Borrower will pay to such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or the L/C Issuer or such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s holding company for any such reduction suffered.
(c) Certificates for Reimbursement. A certificate of a Lender or the L/C Issuer setting forth the amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Lender or the L/C Issuer or its holding company, as the case may be, as specified in subsection (a) or (b) of this Section and delivered to the Borrower shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrower shall pay such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, the amount shown as due on any such certificate within 10 days after receipt thereof.
(d) Delay in Requests. Failure or delay on the part of any Lender or the L/C Issuer to demand compensation pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 3.04 shall not constitute a waiver of such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s right to demand such compensation, provided that the Borrower shall not be required to compensate a Lender or the L/C Issuer pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section for any increased costs incurred or reductions suffered more than nine months prior to the date that such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, notifies the Borrower of the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions and of such Lender’s or the L/C Issuer’s intention to claim compensation therefor (except that, if the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions is retroactive, then the nine-month period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof).
(e) Reserves on Eurodollar Rate Loans. The Borrower shall pay to each Lender, as long as such Lender shall be required by Law to maintain reserves with respect to liabilities or
57
assets consisting of or including Eurocurrency funds or deposits (currently known as “Eurocurrency liabilities”), additional interest on the unpaid principal amount of each Eurodollar Rate Loan equal to the actual costs of such reserves allocated to such Loan by such Lender (as determined by such Lender in good faith, which determination shall be conclusive), which shall be due and payable on each date on which interest is payable on such Loan, provided the Borrower shall have received at least 10 days’ prior notice (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) of such additional interest from such Lender. If a Lender fails to give notice 10 days prior to the relevant Interest Payment Date, such additional interest shall be due and payable 10 days from receipt of such notice.
3.05 Compensation for Losses. Upon demand of any Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) from time to time, the Borrower shall promptly compensate such Lender for and hold such Lender harmless from any loss, cost or expense incurred by it as a result of:
(a) any continuation, conversion, payment or prepayment of any Loan other than a Base Rate Loan on a day other than the last day of the Interest Period for such Loan (whether voluntary, mandatory, automatic, by reason of acceleration, or otherwise);
(b) any failure by the Borrower (for a reason other than the failure of such Lender to make a Loan) to prepay, borrow, continue or convert any Loan other than a Base Rate Loan on the date or in the amount notified by the Borrower; or
(c) any assignment of a Eurodollar Rate Loan on a day other than the last day of the Interest Period therefor as a result of a request by the Borrower pursuant to Section 10.13;
including any loss of anticipated profits and any loss or expense arising from the liquidation or reemployment of funds obtained by it to maintain such Loan or from fees payable to terminate the deposits from which such funds were obtained. The Borrower shall also pay any customary administrative fees charged by such Lender in connection with the foregoing.
For purposes of calculating amounts payable by the Borrower to the Lenders under this Section 3.05, each Lender shall be deemed to have funded each Eurodollar Rate Loan made by it at the Eurodollar Rate for such Loan by a matching deposit or other borrowing in the London interbank eurodollar market for a comparable amount and for a comparable period, whether or not such Eurodollar Rate Loan was in fact so funded.
3.06 Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders.
(a) Designation of a Different Lending Office. If any Lender requests compensation under Section 3.04, or the Borrower is required to pay any Indemnified Taxes or additional amounts to any Lender or the L/C Issuer, or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender or the L/C Issuer pursuant to Section 3.01, or if any Lender gives a notice pursuant to Section 3.02, then at the request of the Borrower such Lender or the L/C Issuer shall, as applicable, use reasonable efforts to designate a different Lending Office for funding or booking its Loans hereunder or to assign its rights and obligations hereunder to another of its offices, branches or affiliates, if, in the judgment of such Lender or the L/C Issuer, such designation or assignment (i) would eliminate or reduce amounts payable pursuant to Section 3.01 or 3.04, as the case may be, in the future, or eliminate the need for the notice pursuant to Section 3.02, as
58
applicable, and (ii) in each case, would not subject such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, to any unreimbursed cost or expense and would not otherwise be disadvantageous to such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be. The Borrower hereby agrees to pay all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by any Lender or the L/C Issuer in connection with any such designation or assignment.
(b) Replacement of Lenders. If any Lender requests compensation under Section 3.04, or if the Borrower is required to pay any Indemnified Taxes or additional amounts to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 3.01, the Borrower may replace such Lender in accordance with Section 10.13.
3.07 Survival. All of the Borrower’s obligations under this Article III shall survive termination of the Aggregate Commitments, repayment of all other Obligations under the Loan Documents, and resignation of the Administrative Agent.
ARTICLE IV.
CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO CREDIT EXTENSIONS
4.01 Conditions of Initial Credit Extension. The obligation of the L/C Issuer and each Lender to make its initial Credit Extension hereunder is subject to satisfaction of the following conditions precedent:
(a) The Administrative Agent’s receipt of the following, each of which shall be originals or telecopies (followed promptly by originals) unless otherwise specified, each properly executed by a Responsible Officer of the signing Loan Party, each dated the Closing Date (or, in the case of certificates of governmental officials, a recent date before the Closing Date) and each in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and each of the Lenders:
(i) executed counterparts of (A) this Agreement, (B) the Guaranty and (C) the Borrower Security Agreement;
(ii) a Note executed by the Borrower in favor of each Lender requesting a Note;
(iii) such certificates of resolutions or other action, incumbency certificates and/or other certificates of Responsible Officers of each Loan Party as the Administrative Agent may require evidencing the identity, authority and capacity of each Responsible Officer thereof authorized to act as a Responsible Officer in connection with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which such Loan Party is a party;
(iv) such documents and certifications as the Administrative Agent may reasonably require to evidence that each Loan Party is duly organized or formed, and that the Borrower and each Loan Party is validly existing, in good standing and qualified to engage in business in each jurisdiction where its ownership, lease or operation of properties or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, except to the extent that failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;
59
(v) a favorable opinion of Xxxxx Xxxxx L.L.P., counsel to the Loan Parties, addressed to the Administrative Agent and each Lender, as to the matters set forth in Exhibit F and such other matters concerning the Loan Parties and the Loan Documents as the Required Lenders may reasonably request;
(vi) a certificate of a Responsible Officer of each Loan Party either (A) attaching copies of all consents, licenses and approvals required in connection with the execution, delivery and performance by such Loan Party and the validity against such Loan Party of the Loan Documents to which it is a party, and such consents, licenses and approvals shall be in full force and effect, or (B) stating that no such consents, licenses or approvals are so required;
(vii) a certificate signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower certifying (A) that the conditions specified in Sections 4.02(a) and (b) have been satisfied, (B) that there has been no event or circumstance since the date of the Audited Financial Statements that has had or could be reasonably expected to have, either individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect; and (C) a calculation of the Consolidated Cash Flow Available for Debt Service and Consolidated Debt Service Coverage Ratio as of the last day of the fiscal quarter of the Borrower ended September 30, 2014;
(viii) a customary solvency certificate from the chief financial officer, treasurer or another senior financial or accounting officer of the Borrower certifying as to the solvency of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis after giving effect to the transactions contemplated hereby in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent; and
(ix) such other assurances, certificates, documents, consents or opinions as the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or the Required Lenders reasonably may require.
(b) Any fees required to be paid on or before the Closing Date shall have been paid.
(c) Unless waived by the Administrative Agent, the Borrower shall have paid all fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the Administrative Agent (directly to such counsel if requested by the Administrative Agent) to the extent invoiced prior to or on the Closing Date, plus such additional amounts of such fees, charges and disbursements as shall constitute its reasonable estimate of such fees, charges and disbursements incurred or to be incurred by it through the closing proceedings (provided that such estimate shall not thereafter preclude a final settling of accounts between the Borrower and the Administrative Agent).
(d) The Administrative Agent and the Arranger shall have received copies of:
(i) the Audited Financial Statements;
(ii) (A) the unaudited consolidated balance sheets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for each fiscal quarter ended after the calendar year ended December 31, 2013, ended at least 45 days prior to the Closing Date and the related consolidated statements of operations, the related consolidated statement of partners’ capital and the related consolidated statement of cash flows for the corresponding period certified by a
60
Responsible Officer as (i) being prepared in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein, and (ii) fairly presenting the financial condition of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the date thereof and their results of operations for the period covered thereby, subject, in the case of clauses (i) and (ii), to the absence of footnotes and to normal year-end audit adjustments and (B) the unaudited consolidated balance sheets of Sharyland and its Subsidiaries for each fiscal quarter ended after the calendar year ended December 31, 2013, ended at least 45 days prior to the Closing Date and the related consolidated statement of operations, the related consolidated statement of partners’ capital and the related consolidated statement of cash flows for the corresponding period certified by a Responsible Officer of Sharyland as (i) being prepared in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein, and (ii) fairly presenting the financial condition of Sharyland and its Subsidiaries as of the date thereof and their results of operations for the period covered thereby, subject, in the case of clauses (i) and (ii), to the absence of footnotes and to normal year-end audit adjustments; and
(iii) projections of the Borrower through 2018 that are not, in the reasonable determination of the Administrative Agent, materially inconsistent in an adverse manner with any comparable projections delivered to the Administrative Agent prior to the Closing Date.
(e) During the period from December 31, 2013 to the Closing Date, there shall have been no development or event that has had or could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(f) The Administrative Agent shall have received, at least 5 days prior to the Closing Date, all documentation and other information required by regulatory authorities under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including the USA PATRIOT ACT.
(g) The Administrative Agent shall have received satisfactory evidence that all existing Indebtedness other than Indebtedness permitted pursuant to Section 7.06, of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, shall have been repaid or cancelled and all documentation representing such indebtedness shall have been terminated.
(h) The Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent certified copies of Requests for Information or Copies (Form UCC-11), or equivalent reports, each of recent date listing all effective financing statements that name the Borrower or TDC as a debtor and that are filed in the jurisdictions in which filing of a financing statement is necessary to perfect the security interests purported to be created by the Security Documents, together with copies of such financing statements (none of which shall cover the Collateral except (x) those with respect to which appropriate termination statements executed by the secured lender thereunder have been delivered to the Administrative Agent and (y) to the extent evidencing Permitted Liens).
(i) The Security Document Joinder Conditions shall have been satisfied.
61
Without limiting the generality of the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 9.03, for purposes of determining compliance with the conditions specified in this Section 4.01, each Lender that has signed this Agreement shall be deemed to have consented to, approved or accepted or to be satisfied with, each document or other matter required thereunder to be consented to or approved by or acceptable or satisfactory to a Lender unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from such Lender prior to the proposed Closing Date specifying its objection thereto.
4.02 Conditions to all Credit Extensions. The obligation of each Lender to honor any Request for Credit Extension (other than a Loan Notice requesting only a conversion of Loans to the other Type, or a continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans) is subject to the following conditions precedent:
(a) The representations and warranties of the Borrower contained in Article V or any other Loan Document, or which are contained in any document furnished at any time under or in connection herewith or therewith, shall be true and correct on and as of the date of such Credit Extension, except to the extent that such representations and warranties specifically refer to an earlier date, in which case they shall be true and correct as of such earlier date, and except that for purposes of this Section 4.02, the representations and warranties contained in subsections (a) and (b) of Section 5.05 shall be deemed to refer to the most recent statements furnished pursuant to subsections (a) and (b), respectively, of Section 6.01.
(b) No Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and is continuing, or will occur and be continuing immediately after giving effect to such proposed Credit Extension and the application of the proceeds thereof.
(c) The Administrative Agent and, if applicable, the L/C Issuer shall have received a Request for Credit Extension in accordance with the requirements hereof.
Each Request for Credit Extension (other than a Loan Notice requesting only a conversion of Loans to the other Type or a continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans) submitted by the Borrower shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty that the conditions specified in Sections 4.02(a) and (b) have been satisfied on and as of the date of the applicable Credit Extension (other than the required satisfaction of the Administrative Agent or any Lender as specified therein or as waived).
ARTICLE V.
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
The Borrower represents and warrants to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders that:
5.01 Existence, Qualification and Power. The General Partner and each other Loan Party (a) is duly organized or formed, validly existing and, as applicable, in good standing under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization, (b) has all requisite power and authority to (i) own or lease its assets and carry on its business and (ii) execute and deliver the Loan Documents to which it is a party (or in the case of the Borrower, the General Partner, on
62
behalf of the Borrower) and (iii) perform its obligations under the Loan Documents to which it is a party, and (c) is duly qualified and is licensed and, as applicable, in good standing under the Laws of each jurisdiction where its ownership, lease or operation of properties or the conduct of its business requires such qualification or license; except in each case referred to in clause (b)(i) or (c), to the extent that failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The General Partner and each other Loan Party has all requisite governmental licenses, authorizations, consents and approvals that are material to its business.
5.02 Authorization; No Contravention. The execution and delivery by each Loan Party (or, in the case of the Borrower, by the General Partner on behalf of the Borrower), and the performance by each Loan Party, of each Loan Document to which such Person is party, have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate or other organizational action, and do not and will not (a) contravene the terms of any of such Person’s Organization Documents; (b) conflict with or result in any breach or contravention of, or the creation of any Lien under, or require any payment to be made under (i) any material Contractual Obligation to which such Person is a party or affecting such Person or the properties of such Person or (ii) any order, injunction, writ or decree of any Governmental Authority or any arbitral award to which such Person or its property is subject; or (c) violate any Law applicable to such Person, in each case with respect to clauses (b) and (c), that could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
5.03 Governmental Authorization; Other Consents. No approval, consent, exemption, authorization, or other action by, or notice to, or filing with, any Governmental Authority or any other Person is necessary or required in connection with the execution or delivery by any Loan Party (or, in the case of the Borrower, by the General Partner on behalf of the Borrower), or the performance by or enforcement against any Loan Party, of this Agreement or any other Loan Document.
5.04 Binding Effect. This Agreement has been, and each other Loan Document, when delivered hereunder, will have been, duly executed and delivered by each Loan Party (or, in the case of the Borrower, by the General Partner on behalf of the Borrower) that is party thereto. This Agreement constitutes, and each other Loan Document when so delivered will constitute, a legal, valid and binding obligation of such Loan Party, enforceable against each Loan Party that is party thereto in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by (i) applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and (ii) general principles of equity (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).
5.05 Financial Statements; No Material Adverse Effect.
(a) The Audited Financial Statements (i) were prepared in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except for changes required by GAAP or as otherwise expressly noted therein; (ii) fairly present the financial condition of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the date thereof and their results of operations for the period covered thereby in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except for changes required by GAAP or as otherwise expressly noted therein; and (iii) show all material indebtedness and other liabilities, direct or contingent, of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries and the Qualified Lessee and its Subsidiaries as of the date thereof, including liabilities for Taxes, material commitments and Indebtedness.
63
(b) The unaudited consolidated balance sheets of (i) the Borrower and its Subsidiaries and (ii) Sharyland and its Subsidiaries, each for each calendar quarter ended after the calendar year ended December 31, 2013, ended at least 45 days prior to the Closing Date, and the related consolidated statement of operations, the related consolidated statement of partners’ capital and the related consolidated statement of cash flows for the fiscal quarter ended on that date (i) were prepared in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except for changes required by GAAP or as otherwise expressly noted therein, and (ii) fairly present the financial condition of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries and Sharyland and its Subsidiaries as of the date thereof and their results of operations for the period covered thereby, subject, in the case of clauses (i) and (ii), to the absence of footnotes and to normal year-end audit adjustments.
(c) Since the date of the Audited Financial Statements, there has been no event or circumstance, either individually or in the aggregate, that has had or could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
5.06 Litigation. There are no actions, suits, proceedings, claims or disputes pending or, to the knowledge of any Responsible Officer of the Borrower after due and diligent investigation, threatened or contemplated, at law, in equity, in arbitration or before any Governmental Authority, by or against any Loan Party, the TDC Subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of any Responsible Officer of the Borrower, any Qualified Lessee or against any of its properties or revenues that either individually or in the aggregate could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
5.07 No Default. No Loan Party is in default under or with respect to any Contractual Obligation that could, either individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. No Default has occurred and is continuing or will occur and be continuing immediately after giving effect to the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
5.08 Ownership of Property. Each of the General Partner, the Borrower and each Subsidiary has good record and marketable title in fee simple to, or valid leasehold interests in, all real property necessary or used in the ordinary conduct of its business, except for such defects in title or interest as could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The property of the Borrower and the Subsidiary Guarantors is subject to no Liens other than Permitted Liens. The Equity Interests in the Borrower owned by the General Partner are subject to no Liens.
5.09 Environmental Compliance. The Borrower has no knowledge of any claims nor has it received any notice of any claim, and no proceeding has been instituted raising any claim against any Loan Party or any of their real properties now or formerly owned, leased or operated by any of them or other assets, alleging any damage to the environment or violation of any Environmental Laws, except, in each case, such as could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
64
5.10 Insurance. The properties of the General Partner, the Borrower and its Subsidiaries are insured pursuant to policies and other bonds which are valid and in full force and effect and which provide adequate coverage from reputable and financially sound insurers in amounts sufficient to insure the assets and risks of the General Partner, the Borrower and each such Subsidiary in accordance with prudent business practice in the industry of the General Partner, the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, except where the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
5.11 Taxes. The General Partner, the Borrower and its Subsidiaries have filed all federal, state and other material tax returns and reports required to be filed by them, and have paid all federal, state and other material Taxes, assessments, fees and other governmental charges levied or imposed upon them or their properties or assets due and payable by them, (other than (i) an amount of which is not individually or in the aggregate material or (ii) those which are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted and for which adequate reserves have been provided in accordance with GAAP), except to the extent the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The General Partner or the Borrower knows of no proposed tax assessment against the General Partner, the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries that would, if made, have a Material Adverse Effect.
5.12 ERISA Compliance.
(a) Each Loan Party and each ERISA Affiliate has operated and administered each Plan in compliance with the terms of the Plan and with all applicable laws except for such instances of noncompliance as have not resulted in and could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither any Loan Party nor any ERISA Affiliate has incurred any liability pursuant to Title I or IV of ERISA or the penalty or excise tax provisions of the Code applicable to employee benefit plans (as defined in Section 3 of ERISA) and there has been no “prohibited transaction” (as such term is defined in Section 406 of ERISA and Section 4975(c) of the Code) or violation of the fiduciary responsibility rules with respect to any Plan or that has resulted or could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, and no event, transaction or condition has occurred or exists that could reasonably be expected to result in the incurrence of any such liability by any Loan Party or any ERISA Affiliate, or in the imposition of any Lien on any of the rights, properties or assets of any Loan Party or any ERISA Affiliate, in either case pursuant to Title I or IV of ERISA or to such penalty or excise tax provisions of the Code or to Sections 401(a)(29), 412 or 430(k) of the Code or Section 4068 of ERISA, and no liability to the PBGC (other than required premium payments), the IRS, any Plan or any trust established under Title IV of ERISA has been or is expected to be incurred by any Loan Party or any of their ERISA Affiliates, other than such liabilities or Liens as would not be individually or in the aggregate reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(b) The present value of the aggregate benefit liabilities under each Plan (other than a Multiemployer Plan) (determined in accordance with Section 430 of the Code and the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder as determined as of the end of such Plan’s most recently ended plan year on the basis of the actuarial assumptions specified for funding purposes in such Plan’s most recent actuarial valuation report) did not exceed the aggregate actuarial value of assets as determined in accordance with Section 430(g)(3) of the Code (and the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder) under each such Plan by an amount that could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
65
(c) No Loan Party or any ERISA Affiliate has incurred Withdrawal Liabilities (and is not subject to contingent Withdrawal Liabilities) of ERISA in respect of Multiemployer Plans that individually or in the aggregate could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Neither any Loan Party nor any of its ERISA Affiliates has failed to make by its due date any required contribution to a Multiemployer Plan or received notice that any Multiemployer Plan is, or is expected to be, insolvent (within the meaning of Section 4245 of ERISA), in reorganization (within the meaning of Section 4241 of ERISA), or in endangered or critical status (within the meaning of Section 432 of the Code or Section 305 of ERISA).
(d) The expected postretirement benefit obligation (determined as of the last day of the Borrower’s most recently ended calendar year in accordance with ASC Topic 715-60, without regard to liabilities attributable to continuation coverage mandated by Section 4980B of the Code) of the Borrower is not material to it.
5.13 Subsidiaries; Equity Interests. As of the Closing Date, the Borrower has no Subsidiaries other than those specifically disclosed in Part (a) of Schedule 5.13, and all of the outstanding Equity Interests in such Subsidiaries have been validly issued, are fully paid and nonassessable and are owned by a Loan Party or a Subsidiary thereof in the amounts specified on Part (a) of Schedule 5.13 free and clear of all Liens (other than Permitted Liens). As of the Closing Date, the Borrower has no equity investments in any other corporation or entity other than those specifically disclosed in Part (b) of Schedule 5.13. As of the Closing Date, all of the outstanding Equity Interests in the Borrower have been validly issued, are fully paid and nonassessable and are owned by the Persons listed on Part (c) of Schedule 5.13.
5.14 Margin Regulations; Investment Company Act.
(a) The Borrower is not engaged, principally or as one of its important activities, in the business of purchasing or carrying margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation U issued by the FRB), or extending credit for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock. Following the application of the proceeds of each Borrowing or drawing under each Letter of Credit, not more than 25% of the value of the assets of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis subject to the provisions of Section 7.05 or Section 7.10 or subject to any restriction contained in any agreement or instrument between the Borrower and any Lender or any Affiliate of any Lender relating to Indebtedness and within the scope of Section 8.01(h) will be margin stock.
(b) No Loan Party is or is required to be registered as an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940.
5.15 Disclosure. No report, financial statement, certificate or other information furnished in writing by the General Partner, the Borrower or its Subsidiaries or their respective counsel to the Administrative Agent or any Lender in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby and the negotiation of this Agreement (in each case, as modified or supplemented by other information so furnished) contains any material misstatement of fact or
66
omits to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that, with respect to projected financial information, the Borrower represents only that such information was prepared in good faith based upon assumptions believed to be reasonable at the time.
5.16 Compliance with Laws. Each Loan Party is in compliance in all material respects with the requirements of all Laws and all orders, writs, injunctions and decrees applicable to it or to its properties, except in such instances in which (a) such requirement of Law or order, writ, injunction or decree is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted or (b) the failure to comply therewith, either individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
5.17 Taxpayer Identification Number. The General Partner and the Borrower’s true and correct U.S. taxpayer identification number is set forth on Schedule 10.02.
5.18 Intellectual Property; Licenses, Etc. The Borrower and its Subsidiaries own, or possess the right to use, all of the material trademarks, service marks, trade names, copyrights, patents, patent rights, franchises, licenses and other intellectual property rights (collectively, “IP Rights”) that are necessary for the operation of their respective businesses, without any conflict, to the knowledge of the Borrower, with the rights of any other Person, except for any IP Rights or any conflicts that, either individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
5.19 OFAC. None of the General Partner, the Borrower, or any of its Subsidiaries, or, to the knowledge of any Responsible Officer of the Borrower, any other Transaction Party or any director, officer, employee, agent, affiliate or representative thereof, is an individual or entity currently the subject of any Sanctions, nor is any Transaction Party or the General Partner located, organized or resident in a Designated Jurisdiction.
5.20 Foreign Assets Control Regulations.
(a) The use of the proceeds from the Loans hereunder will not violate the Trading with the Enemy Act, as amended, or any of the foreign assets control regulations of the United States Treasury Department (31 CFR, Subtitle B, Chapter V, as amended) or any enabling legislation or executive order relating thereto.
(b) Neither the General Partner nor any Transaction Party (i) is a Person described or designated in the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List of the OFAC or in Section 1 of the Anti-Terrorism Order or (ii) engages in any dealings or transactions with any such Person. The Borrower, the General Partner and each Transaction Party are in compliance, in all material respects, with the USA PATRIOT Act applicable to them.
(c) No part of the proceeds from the Loans hereunder will be used, directly or indirectly, for any payments to any governmental official or employee, political party, official of a political party, candidate for political office, or anyone else acting in an official capacity, in order to obtain, retain or direct business or obtain any improper advantage, in violation of the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, assuming in all cases that such Act applies to the Borrower and each other Loan Party.
67
5.21 Status under Certain Statutes.
(a) No Loan Party is a “public utility” under the FPA and the regulations of FERC thereunder. The execution, delivery and performance of the Borrower’s obligations under the Loan Documents requires no authorization of approval by, or notice to, and is not subject to the jurisdiction of, FERC under the FPA.
(b) The Borrower is not subject to regulation as an “electric utility” by the PUCT. The execution, delivery and performance of the Borrower’s obligations under the Loan Documents requires no authorization or approval by, or notice to, the PUCT or under the Public Utility Regulatory Act of Texas other than those that have been obtained.
(c) Solely by virtue of the execution, delivery and performance of the Loan Documents to which it is a party, the Administrative Agent or any Lender will not become subject to any of the provisions of the FPA, PUHCA (based on FERC’s currently effective definitions under PUHCA) or the Public Utility Regulatory Act of Texas, or to regulation under any such statute.
5.22 Collateral. Upon the execution and delivery by all parties thereto of the 2014 Joinder Agreement and the Borrower Security Agreement, (i) the security interests in the UCC Collateral granted to the Collateral Agent (for the benefit of the Secured Parties) or the Administrative Agent (for the benefit of the Lenders, the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer): (a) constitute, as to such Collateral, a valid security interest and Lien under the New York UCC, and (b) constitute first-priority Liens on such Collateral described in the Security Documents, subject to no Liens other than Permitted Liens and the rights of holders of Permitted Secured Indebtedness in compliance with the Collateral Agency Agreement, and (ii) all action as is required pursuant to the Security Documents has been taken to establish and perfect the Collateral Agent’s or Administrative Agent’s rights, as applicable, in and to, and the first priority of its Lien (subject to Permitted Liens) on, the Collateral as set forth in the immediately preceding clause (i), including any recording, filing, registration, delivery to the Collateral Agent or the Administrative Agent, as applicable, giving of notice or other similar action.
5.23 Collateral Agency Agreement. Upon the execution and delivery by all parties thereto of the 2014 Joinder Agreement, this Agreement will be a “Financing Agreement”, as such term is defined in the Collateral Agency Agreement and all of the obligations of the Borrower hereunder and under the other Loan Documents will be “Obligations”, as such term is defined in the Collateral Agency Agreement, and “Permitted Secured Indebtedness”, as such term is defined in the Collateral Agency Agreement.
68
ARTICLE VI.
AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS
The Borrower covenants and agrees that until the Commitments have terminated, no Letters of Credit or Notes are outstanding and the Loans and Borrowings, together with interest, fees and all other Obligations under the Loan Documents (other than contingent obligations (including indemnification obligations) for which no claims have been made) incurred hereunder, are paid in full:
6.01 Information Covenants. The Borrower will furnish to the Administrative Agent (on behalf of each Lender):
(a) Annual Financial Statements. Within 90 days after the close of each fiscal year of the Borrower and each Qualified Lessee (other than a Consolidated Qualified Lessee), as applicable, the consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries and each such Qualified Lessee, as the case may be, as at the end of such fiscal year, the related consolidated statement of operations, the related consolidated statement of partners’ capital and the related consolidated statement of cash flows for such fiscal year, in each case setting forth comparative consolidated figures for the preceding fiscal year, and examined by independent certified public accountants of recognized national standing or other independent certified public accountants reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent whose opinion shall not be qualified as to the scope of audit and as to the status of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or such Qualified Lessees, as applicable, as a going concern, together with a certificate of such accounting firm stating that in the course of its regular audit of the business of the Borrower or such Qualified Lessees, which audit was conducted in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards, such accounting firm has obtained no knowledge of any Default or Event of Default which has occurred and is continuing or, if in the opinion of such accounting firm such a Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, a statement as to the nature thereof (which certificate may be limited to the extent required by accounting rules or guidelines).
(b) Quarterly Financial Statements. As soon as available and in any event within 45 days after the close of each of the first three quarterly accounting periods in each fiscal year, the consolidated balance sheet of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries and each Qualified Lessee (other than a Consolidated Qualified Lessee), as the case may be, as at the end of such quarterly period, the related consolidated statement of operations, the related consolidated statement of partners’ capital and the related consolidated statement of cash flows for such quarterly period, and for the elapsed portion of the fiscal year ended with the last day of such quarterly period, and in each case setting forth comparative consolidated figures for the related periods in the prior fiscal year, all of which shall be certified by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower or such Qualified Lessee, as applicable, except for the absence of footnotes and subject to changes resulting from audit and normal year-end audit adjustments.
(c) Annual Budgets. As soon as available and in any event within 30 days after the close of each fiscal year of the Borrower and each Qualified Lessee (other than a Consolidated Qualified Lessee), as the case may be, the annual budget of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries and each such Qualified Lessee, as applicable, which shall include details on capital expenditures to be made by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries and each such Qualified Lessee, as applicable, in the next twelve months.
(d) Management Discussion and Analysis. Within 45 days after the close of each of the first three fiscal quarters in each fiscal year, a management discussion and analysis of each of each Qualified Lessee’s (other than a Consolidated Qualified Lessee) and the Borrower’s consolidated performance for that fiscal quarter and a comparison of performance for that
69
financial quarter to the corresponding fiscal quarter of the previous fiscal year (in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent, which shall not be unacceptable solely because it does not contain all of the information required to be included in unaudited interim financial statements by Item 303 of Regulation S-K of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended). Within 90 days after the close of each fiscal year, a management discussion and analysis of each of each such Qualified Lessee’s and the Borrower’s consolidated performance for that fiscal year and a comparison of performance for that fiscal year to the prior year.
All such financial statements delivered pursuant to paragraphs (a) and (b) above shall present fairly in all material respects in accordance with GAAP the consolidated financial condition of such Qualified Lessees or the Borrower and their respective consolidated Subsidiaries, as applicable, as at the applicable dates, and the consolidated results of their operations, their changes in equity (deficit) and their Consolidated Cash Flows for the periods reflected therein, and shall be prepared in accordance with GAAP applied consistently throughout the periods reflected therein and with prior periods (except as approved by such accountants or officer, as the case may be, and disclosed therein).
(e) Officer’s Certificates. At the time of the delivery of the financial statements provided for in Section 6.01(a) and (b), a certificate of a Responsible Officer of each Qualified Lessee (other than a Consolidated Qualified Lessee) or of the Borrower, as applicable, substantially in the form of Exhibit C-1 or C-2, as applicable, to the effect that no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing (or, in the case of each such Qualified Lessee, no default or event of default has occurred and is continuing under any Leases to which it is a party, which default or event of default constitutes an Event of Default pursuant to Section 8.01(f)) or, if any Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing (or in the case of such Qualified Lessees, any default or event of default has occurred and is continuing under the Leases which default or event of default constitutes an Event of Default pursuant to Section 8.01(f)), specifying the nature and extent thereof, which certificate shall set forth the calculations required to establish whether the Borrower and its Subsidiaries were in compliance with the provisions of Section 6.11 as at the end of such fiscal period or year, as the case may be.
(f) Notices. Promptly, and in any event within five Business Days after a Responsible Officer of the Borrower obtains knowledge thereof, notice of (v) the occurrence of any event which constitutes a Default or Event of Default, which notice shall specify the nature thereof, the period of existence thereof and what action the Borrower or an applicable Subsidiary proposes to take with respect thereto, (x)(i) the commencement of or any material development in any litigation or governmental proceeding pending against the General Partner, the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, in which the amount involved is $25,000,000 or more (other than proceedings under the PUCT or similar regulatory authority or condemnation proceedings in which a Qualified Lessee, the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries is the condemning party) or is reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect; (y) the commencement of any proceeding under PUCT involving the Borrower (other than proceedings that are in the ordinary course of business or that are not material) and the issuance of any final order of the PUCT with respect to such proceeding; and (z) any development or event that has had or could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
70
(g) Other Information. (i) Promptly upon transmission thereof, copies of any reportings or filings by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries with regulatory agencies (including the SEC but excluding the PUCT and FERC, if applicable); provided that the Borrower shall furnish such reports or filings as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request from time to time and (ii) such other information or documents (financial or otherwise) as the Administrative Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of the Required Lenders may reasonably request from time to time.
Documents required to be delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(a) or (b) or Section 6.01(g) may be delivered electronically and if so delivered, shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date (i) on which the Borrower posts such documents, or provides a link thereto on the Borrower’s website on the Internet at the website address listed on Schedule 10.02; or (ii) on which such documents are posted on the Borrower’s behalf on an Internet or intranet website, if any, to which each Lender and the Administrative Agent have access (whether a commercial, third-party website or whether sponsored by the Administrative Agent); provided that: (i) the Borrower shall deliver paper copies of such documents to the Administrative Agent or any Lender upon its request to the Borrower to deliver such paper copies until a written request to cease delivering paper copies is given by the Administrative Agent or such Lender and (ii) the Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent and each Lender (by facsimile or electronic mail) of the posting of any such documents and provide to the Administrative Agent by electronic mail electronic versions (i.e., soft copies) of such documents. The Administrative Agent shall have no obligation to request the delivery of or to maintain paper copies of the documents referred to above, and in any event shall have no responsibility to monitor compliance by the Borrower with any such request by a Lender for delivery, and each Lender shall be solely responsible for requesting delivery to it or maintaining its copies of such documents.
The Borrower hereby acknowledges that (a) the Administrative Agent and/or the Arranger may, but shall not be obligated to, make available to the Lenders and the L/C Issuer materials and/or information provided by or on behalf of the Borrower hereunder (collectively, “Borrower Materials”) by posting the Borrower Materials on Debt Domain, IntraLinks, Syndtrak or another similar electronic system (the “Platform”) and (b) certain of the Lenders (each, a “Public Lender”) may have personnel who do not wish to receive material non-public information with respect to the Borrower or its Affiliates, or the respective securities of any of the foregoing, and who may be engaged in investment and other market-related activities with respect to such Persons’ securities. The Borrower hereby agrees that so long as the Borrower is the issuer of any outstanding debt or equity securities that are registered or issued pursuant to a private offering or is actively contemplating issuing any such securities (w) all Borrower Materials that are to be made available to Public Lenders shall be clearly and conspicuously marked “PUBLIC” which, at a minimum, shall mean that the word “PUBLIC” shall appear prominently on the first page thereof; (x) by marking Borrower Materials “PUBLIC,” the Borrower shall be deemed to have authorized the Administrative Agent, the Arranger, the L/C Issuer and the Lenders to treat such Borrower Materials as not containing any material non-public information with respect to the Borrower or its securities for purposes of United States federal and state securities laws (provided, however, that to the extent such Borrower Materials constitute Information, they shall be treated as set forth in Section 10.07); (y) all Borrower Materials marked “PUBLIC” are permitted to be made available through a portion of the Platform designated “Public Side Information;” and (z) the Administrative Agent and the
71
Arranger shall be entitled to treat any Borrower Materials that are not marked “PUBLIC” as being suitable only for posting on a portion of the Platform not designated “Public Side Information.”
6.02 Use of Proceeds. The proceeds of Loans shall be used to refinance the indebtedness outstanding, and to replace the commitments under the Existing Facility Agreement, and to finance the working capital needs, capital expenditures, dividends and distributions and for the general corporate purposes of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries including future acquisitions not prohibited under this Agreement, but not to fund, directly or indirectly, (i) any Project Finance Subsidiary or (ii) any other Subsidiary unless such Subsidiary is (x) a Guarantor, (y) SDTS or any of its Domestic Subsidiaries or (z) a Domestic Subsidiary of the Borrower that is regulated as a public utility in an applicable jurisdiction and Subsidiaries of such regulated utilities.
6.03 Compliance with Law. Without limiting Section 7.04, the Borrower will, and the Borrower will cause the General Partner and each of the Subsidiaries of the Borrower to, comply with all Laws to which it is subject, including, without limitation, ERISA, the USA PATRIOT Act and Environmental Laws, and will obtain and maintain in effect all licenses, certificates, permits, franchises and other governmental authorizations necessary to the ownership of its properties or to the conduct of its businesses to the extent necessary to ensure that non-compliance with such Laws or failures to obtain or maintain in effect such licenses, certificates, permits, franchises and other governmental authorizations could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
6.04 Insurance. The Borrower will maintain or cause to be maintained and will cause its Subsidiaries to, maintain, with financially sound and reputable insurers, insurance with respect to their respective properties and businesses against such casualties and contingencies, of such types, on such terms and in such amounts (including deductibles, co-insurance and self-insurance, if adequate reserves are maintained with respect thereto) in accordance with prudent business practice in the industry of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries.
6.05 Maintenance of Properties. The Borrower will, and will cause its Subsidiaries, and will use commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Qualified Lessee to (a) maintain, preserve and protect all of its respective properties (including the System) and equipment necessary in the operation of its respective business in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted; and (b) make all necessary repairs thereto and renewals and replacements thereof, except in the case of clauses (a) and (b) where the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
6.06 Payment of Taxes and Claims. The Borrower will, and the Borrower will cause the General Partner and each of the Subsidiaries of the Borrower to, (i) file all material Tax returns required to be filed by it in any jurisdiction, and (ii) to pay and discharge (A) all Taxes shown to be due and payable by them on such returns and all Other Taxes imposed on them or any of their properties, income or franchises, to the extent the same have become due and payable by them and before they have become delinquent, and (B) all claims for which sums have become due and payable by them that have or might become a Lien on properties or assets of the Borrower or any Subsidiary; provided that none of the General Partner, the Borrower or
72
any Subsidiary need pay any such Tax or claim if (x) the amount, applicability or validity thereof is contested on a timely basis in good faith and in appropriate proceedings, and such Person has established adequate reserves therefor in accordance with GAAP on its books or (y) the nonpayment of all such Taxes and claims in the aggregate could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
6.07 Existence, Etc. Except as permitted under Section 7.02, the Borrower will and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to at all times preserve and keep in full force and effect its respective limited liability company, corporate or limited partnership existence and all rights and franchises of the Borrower unless, (other than with respect to the Borrower’s existence) in the good faith judgment of the Borrower, the termination of or failure to preserve and keep in full force and effect such limited liability company, corporate or limited partnership existence, right or franchise could not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. The Borrower shall cause the General Partner at all times to preserve and keep in full force and effect its corporate existence.
6.08 Books and Records; Inspection Rights. The Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, and will use commercially reasonable efforts to cause any Qualified Lessee to, maintain proper books of record and account in conformity with GAAP and all applicable requirements of any Governmental Authority having legal or regulatory jurisdiction over such Person. The Borrower will permit representatives and independent contractors of the Administrative Agent and each Lender to visit and inspect any of its properties, to examine its corporate, financial and operating records, and make copies thereof or abstracts therefrom, and to discuss its affairs, finances and accounts with its directors, officers, and independent public accountants, all at the expense of the Borrower and at such reasonable times during normal business hours no more than once per each calendar year, upon reasonable advance notice to the Borrower; provided, however, that when an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing the Administrative Agent or any Lender (or any of their respective representatives or independent contractors) may do any of the foregoing at the expense of the Borrower at any time during normal business hours and as often as may be reasonably desired.
6.09 Collateral; Further Assurances.
(a) The Borrower shall take all actions necessary to insure that the Collateral Agent, on behalf of the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer, and the Lenders or the Administrative Agent on behalf of the L/C Issuer and the Lenders, as applicable, has and continues to have in all relevant jurisdictions duly and validly created, attached, perfected and enforceable first-priority Liens on the Collateral constituting UCC Collateral or real property, in each case to the extent required under the Security Documents, subject to no Liens other than Permitted Liens and rights of holders of Permitted Secured Indebtedness in compliance with the Collateral Agency Agreement. The Borrower shall cause the Obligations to constitute direct senior secured obligations of the Borrower and to rank senior in right of security with respect to Collateral granted in the Security Documents to all other Indebtedness of the Borrower (other than Permitted Secured Indebtedness with which it shall rank pari passu in right of security).
(b) If, after the Closing Date, the Borrower acquires or creates any new TDC Subsidiary that is a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary (other than an Excluded Subsidiary), the
73
Borrower shall forthwith (and in any event, within 30 days of such creation or acquisition (or such longer time as the Administrative Agent may agree), (i) cause such Wholly-Owned Subsidiary to execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent a Guaranty, (ii) deliver to the Administrative Agent certificates of such Subsidiary, substantially consistent with those delivered on the Closing Date pursuant to Sections 4.01(a)(iii), (a)(iv) and (a)(vi), with appropriate insertions and attachments, (iii) take such actions reasonably necessary or advisable to grant to the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent, as applicable for the benefit of the Lenders or the Secured Parties, as applicable, a perfected and enforceable first-priority Lien in all or substantially all assets of such new Subsidiary (other than any Equity Interests of an Excluded Subsidiary), subject to no Liens other than Permitted Liens, including the execution and delivery of one or more security documents in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the filing of UCC financing statements in such jurisdictions as may be required by such security documents and delivery to the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent, as applicable, the stock certificates (if any) representing Equity Interests issued by such Subsidiary, together with undated stock (or other transfer) powers, in blank, executed and delivered by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower or such TDC Subsidiary, as applicable, in each case as may be required by such security documents and (iv) if reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent, deliver to the Administrative Agent legal opinions relating to the matters described above, which opinions shall be in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.
(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing, if, after the Closing Date, the Borrower acquires or creates any new Subsidiary that is not required to become a Guarantor pursuant to Section 6.09(b), the Borrower may elect to designate such Subsidiary as a Guarantor by satisfying the requirements set forth in Section 6.09(b) with respect to such Subsidiary.
(d) The Borrower shall cause the General Partner to execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent a Guaranty upon the earlier of (1) the completion of the Qualifying IPO and (2) the Guarantee by the General Partner of any other Indebtedness.
6.10 Leases. (a) Except as otherwise permitted herein, the Borrower shall cause the TDC Subsidiaries at all times to (i) perform and observe all of the covenants under the Lease to which they are a party, (ii) take reasonable actions to enforce all of its material rights and obligations thereunder, and (iii) maintain such Leases in full force and effect, except, in each case, to the extent the same could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(b) If the term of a Lease with a TDC Subsidiary expires and the Qualified Lessee under such Lease has either ceased operating the related assets or has ceased paying rent as required under the applicable Lease, the Borrower shall cause a TDC Subsidiary to enter into a supplement or a new Lease with respect to the related leasehold assets with a Qualified Lessee that provides for rent that, when combined with all other expected revenue, will, in the reasonable judgment of the Borrower, as of the commencement date of such supplement or new Lease, generate sufficient revenue to satisfy the requirements of Section 6.11(b). Notwithstanding the foregoing, if (i) such expired Lease relates to transmission and/or distribution assets that are not generating significant revenue, (ii) the failure to renew such Lease would not constitute a Material Adverse Effect and (iii) the Borrower reasonably believes it will generate sufficient revenue and hold sufficient assets (without giving effect to the leasehold assets with respect to such Lease) to satisfy the requirements of Section 6.11, then this Section 6.10(b) will not require a supplement or new lease with respect to such leasehold assets.
74
6.11 Financial Ratios.
(a) The Borrower shall at all times maintain, on a consolidated basis, a Consolidated Total Debt to Capitalization Ratio of not more than 0.75 to 1.00.
(b) The Borrower shall maintain a Consolidated Debt Service Coverage Ratio of at least 1.20 to 1.00.
ARTICLE VII.
NEGATIVE COVENANTS.
Until the Commitments have terminated, no Letters of Credit or Notes are outstanding and the Loans and Borrowings, together with interest, fees and all other Obligations under the Loan Documents (other than contingent obligations (including indemnification obligations) for which no claims have been made) incurred hereunder, are paid in full:
7.01 Transactions with Affiliates. The Borrower will not and will not permit any Subsidiary of the Borrower to enter into directly or indirectly any transaction or group of related transactions (including without limitation the purchase, lease, sale or exchange of properties of any kind or the rendering of any service) with any Affiliate, other than:
(a) Project Finance Subsidiaries and other transactions between or among the General Partner, other owners of Equity Interests in the Borrower, Borrower and one or more Subsidiaries, or a subset thereof, to the extent permitted under Sections 7.02, 7.06, 7.07, 7.09, 7.10 and 7.14, including, for the avoidance of doubt, the contribution of the GP Note to the Borrower in exchange for an equity ownership interest in the Borrower and immediately thereafter the cancellation of Equity Interests in the Borrower held by the General Partner in connection with the repayment or cancellation of the GP Note;
(b) in the case of a Qualified Lessee, pursuant to a Lease or other lease of transmission and distribution assets that satisfies clause (g) of this Section 7.01;
(c) payment of customary fees and reasonable out of pocket costs to, and indemnities for the benefit of, directors, officers and employees of the General Partner or the Borrower and its Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business;
(d) any Qualified Lessee Affiliate Loan and any Indebtedness permitted under Section 7.14(b)(ii);
(e) Transactions entered into in connection with the Cross Valley Project on or prior to the Cross Valley Project Transfer and the Golden Spread Project on or prior to the Golden Spread Project Transfer;
(f) ROFO Transfers; or
75
(g) upon fair and reasonable terms no less favorable to the Borrower or such Subsidiary than would be obtained in a comparable arms-length transaction with a Person not an Affiliate; provided that transactions will be deemed to meet the requirements of clause (g) if (x) prior to a Qualifying IPO, such transaction are on terms approved by the holders of a majority of the Equity Interests of the General Partner held by Persons who do not have a separate material interest in such transaction other than by virtue of their ownership of such Equity Interests, or by a majority of the directors nominated by such Persons, and (y) upon the completion of a Qualifying IPO and thereafter, such transactions are on terms approved by a majority of the board of directors (or comparable governing body) of the General Partner or an Affiliate thereof who are “independent” (as such term is defined pursuant to the rules of the primary exchange on which the Equity Interests are then listed for trading), or a majority of the “Independent” members of a committee of any such board of directors (or comparable governing body).
For purposes hereof, in determining the outstanding Equity Interests of the General Partner, all outstanding convertible securities (i.e., operating partnership units in the Borrower) will be deemed to have been exchanged for Equity Interests in the General Partner on a one-for-one basis or at the then applicable exchange ratio.
7.02 Merger, Consolidation, etc. The Borrower will not and will not cause or permit any Subsidiary to consolidate with or merge with any other Person or convey, transfer or lease all or substantially all of its assets in a single transaction or series of transactions to any Person, except (a) so long as both before and immediately after giving effect to such merger or consolidation or such conveyance, transfer or lease of all or substantially all of its assets no Default or Event of Default shall exist, the Borrower or any Guarantor may merge or consolidate with another Person and the Borrower or any Guarantor may convey, transfer or lease all or substantially all of its assets to another Person, so long as, after giving effect to such merger or consolidation or such conveyance, transfer or lease of all or substantially all of its assets, (i) with respect to any merger or consolidation to which the Borrower is a party, the Borrower shall be the surviving entity, (ii) with respect to any merger or consolidation to which a Guarantor is a party, the Borrower or a Guarantor (or an entity that becomes a Guarantor) shall be the surviving entity, and (iii) with respect to any conveyance, transfer or lease of all or substantially all of its assets by the Borrower or a Guarantor, the Borrower or another Guarantor shall be the transferee or lessee of such assets, (b) a Subsidiary which is not a Guarantor may merge or consolidate with or convey, transfer or lease all or substantially all of its assets to another Person (other than the Borrower or any Guarantor, except to the extent permitted by clause (a) of this Section 7.02), (c) in connection with transactions otherwise permitted under Section 7.10 (other than Section 7.10(h)), (d) the FERC Merger and (e) the merger or consolidation of Sharyland Projects into SDTS and the transfer of the CREZ Project to SDTS.
7.03 Line of Business. The Borrower will not and will not permit any Subsidiary to engage in any business if, as a result, the general nature of the business in which the Borrower and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, would then be engaged would be substantially changed from the transmission and distribution of electric power and the provision of ancillary services.
7.04 Terrorism Sanctions Regulations. The Borrower will not, and the Borrower will not permit the General Partner or any Subsidiary of the Borrower, and will use commercially reasonable efforts to not permit any Qualified Lessee, to (a) become a Person described or
76
designated in the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List of the OFAC or in Section 1 of the Anti-Terrorism Order or (b) engage in any dealings or transactions with any such Person. The Borrower will not directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of any Credit Extension, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to the General Partner or any Subsidiary, joint venture partner or other individual or entity, to fund any activities of or business with any individual or entity, or in any Designated Jurisdiction, that, at the time of such funding, is the subject of Sanctions, or in any other manner that will result in a violation by any individual or entity (including any individual or entity participating in the transaction, whether as Lender, the Arranger, Administrative Agent, L/C Issuer, or otherwise) of Sanctions.
7.05 Liens. The Borrower will not create, incur, assume or permit to exist (upon the happening of a contingency or otherwise) any Lien on or with respect to the Collateral or any other property of the Borrower or any Subsidiary Guarantor, whether now owned or held or hereafter acquired, or any income or profits therefrom, or assign or otherwise convey any right to receive income or profits, or on any other asset now owned or hereafter acquired by the Borrower, except (each, a “Permitted Lien”):
(a) Liens created or permitted by the Loan Documents or 2010 Note Purchase Documents on the assets of the Borrower and applicable Guarantors;
(b) Liens on Equity Interests in a Project Finance Subsidiary to secure Non-Recourse Debt of such Project Finance Subsidiary;
(c) [Reserved];
(d) Liens for Taxes which are not yet due and payable or the payment of which is not at the time required by Section 6.06;
(e) any attachment or judgment Lien, unless such attachment or judgment Lien constitutes an Event of Default under Article VIII;
(f) Liens existing on the date of this Agreement and securing the Indebtedness of the Borrower or any Guarantor referred to in Schedule 7.06 hereto and any renewals or extensions thereof; provided that (i) the property covered thereby is not changed, (ii) the amount secured or benefited thereby is not increased except as contemplated by Section 7.06(e), (iii) the direct or any contingent obligor with respect thereto is not changed, and (iv) any renewal or extension of the obligations secured or benefited thereby is permitted by Section 7.06(e);
(g) Liens of a lessor of equipment to the Borrower or any Guarantor on such lessor’s leased equipment (but excluding equipment leased pursuant to a Capital Lease), including any of the foregoing which is evidenced by a protective UCC filing;
(h) Mechanics’, warehousemen’s, carriers’, workers’, repairers’, landlords’, and other similar liens arising or incurred in the ordinary course of business and (i) which do not in the aggregate materially detract from the value of property or assets subject to such Liens or materially impair the continued use thereof in the operation of the business or (ii) which are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings, which proceedings have the effect of preventing the forfeiture or sale of the property or asset subject to such Liens, or other Liens
77
incurred or deposits made in the ordinary course of business in connection with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance and other types of social security, or to secure the performance of tenders, statutory obligations, surety and appeal bonds, bids, trade contracts, leases, government contracts, performance and return-of-money bonds and other similar obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business (exclusive of obligations in respect of the payment for borrowed money);
(i) zoning, entitlement, restriction, and other land use and environmental regulations by Governmental Authorities and encroachments, easements, rights of way, covenants, restrictions or agreements which do not materially interfere with the continued use of any asset as currently used in the conduct of the business;
(j) any encumbrances set forth in any franchise or governing ordinance under which any portion of the business is conducted which could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;
(k) all rights of condemnation, eminent domain, or other similar right of any Person; and
(l) Liens securing Permitted Secured Indebtedness.
7.06 Indebtedness. The Borrower will not, and will not cause or permit any Subsidiary of the Borrower to, incur or in any manner become or be liable in respect of any Indebtedness, except the following Indebtedness, which may be incurred subject to the requirements of the last paragraph of this section:
(a) Indebtedness evidenced by the Loan Documents, the 2010 Note Purchase Documents, the SDTS Note Purchase Agreement, the SDTS 2010 Note Purchase Agreement and the SDTS 2013 Credit Agreement;
(b) Indebtedness of the Borrower or any Subsidiary that (i) that is not related to, and does not support, Non-Recourse Debt of a Project Finance Subsidiary and (ii) if incurred, would not result in a breach of Section 6.11; provided that, (1) if the Indebtedness is Indebtedness of the Borrower or TDC and is proposed to be secured by any of the Collateral, at least five Business Days (or such shorter period reasonably agreed by the Administrative Agent) prior to the incurrence of such Indebtedness, the Borrower shall (x) notify the Administrative Agent of the intent of Borrower or TDC to incur such Indebtedness, which notice shall set forth in reasonable detail (A) the amount of such Indebtedness and (B) the proposed collateral for such Indebtedness (which proposed collateral may include any or all of the Collateral), and (y) cause to be delivered to the Collateral Agent and the other Secured Parties an executed joinder agreement substantially in the form attached to the Collateral Agency Agreement pursuant to which all the proposed holders of such Indebtedness of Borrower or TDC have become party to the Collateral Agency Agreement and (2) any Indebtedness incurred by the Borrower under this Section 7.06(b) that (A) is not Guaranteed by TDC and (B) is Guaranteed by a Subsidiary that (x) is not a TDC Subsidiary and (y) that is not a Guarantor shall not exceed $100,000,000 at any time outstanding;
(c) (i) Non-Recourse Debt incurred by a Project Finance Subsidiary of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries (including Non-Recourse Debt incurred by such Project Finance
78
Subsidiary prior to being transferred to or otherwise acquired by the Borrower or a Subsidiary) to fund a New Project, (ii) any Indebtedness in the form of a pledge of Equity Interests in a Project Finance Subsidiary as security for Non-Recourse Debt of such Project Finance Subsidiary and (iii) Indebtedness of a Subsidiary (other than a Project Finance Subsidiary of Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries) owed to the Borrower or any Guarantor;
(d) Indebtedness of the Borrower to any of its Subsidiaries (other than a Project Finance Subsidiary), which by its terms is expressly subordinated to the Obligations; and
(e) Indebtedness existing on the date of this Agreement set forth in Schedule 7.06 hereto and any refinancings, refundings, renewals or extensions thereof; provided that (i) the principal amount of such Indebtedness is not increased at the time of such refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension except by increases in principal amount which do not exceed the sum of (A) an amount equal to a reasonable premium or other reasonable amount paid, and fees and expenses reasonably incurred, in connection with such refinancing, (B) by an amount equal to any existing commitments unutilized thereunder and (C) an amount that, if incurred, would not result in a breach of Section 6.11 and (ii) the terms relating to principal amortization, maturity, collateral (if any) and subordination (if any), and other material terms taken as a whole, of any such refinancing, refunding, renewing or extending Indebtedness, and of any agreement entered into and of any instrument issued in connection therewith, are no less favorable in any material respect to the Loan Parties or the Lenders than the terms of any agreement or instrument governing the Indebtedness being refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended and the interest rate applicable to any such refinancing, refunding, renewing or extending Indebtedness does not exceed the then applicable market interest rate.
Indebtedness may be incurred under this Section 7.06 only if no Default or Event of Default is, or as a result of such incurrence would, occur and be continuing.
7.07 Loans, Advances, Investments and Contingent Liabilities. The Borrower will not, and will not cause or permit any TDC Subsidiary to, make or permit to remain outstanding any loan or advance to, or extend credit other than credit extended in the ordinary course of business to, any Person, or own, purchase or acquire any stock, obligations or securities of, or any other interest in, or make any capital contribution to, any Person (collectively, “Investments”), except (a) Permitted Investments, (b) ownership, purchase and acquisition of Equity Interests in and capital contributions to Project Finance Subsidiaries that are TDC Subsidiaries and Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries, (c) Investments in Subsidiaries that are TDC Subsidiaries, Guarantors or Excluded Subsidiaries of Guarantors (other than Project Finance Subsidiaries), (d) Borrower may make Investments in Subsidiaries (including Project Finance Subsidiaries) that are not TDC Subsidiaries, Guarantors or Excluded Subsidiaries of Guarantors provided that no proceeds of Loans are used to fund any such Investments, (e) Qualified Lessee Affiliate Loans, (f) Investments made in connection with the Cross Valley Project prior to the Cross Valley Project Transfer and the Golden Spread Project prior to the Golden Spread Project Transfer, (g) ROFO Transfers and (h) the GP Note.
7.08 [Reserved].
79
7.09 Distributions. The Borrower will not, directly or indirectly, make or declare any Distribution unless both before and immediately after giving effect to the proposed Distribution, there will not exist, a Default or an Event of Default; provided that the Borrower may, in any case so long as both before and immediately after giving effect to the proposed Distribution, there will not exist a Specified Event of Default (i) make Distributions to the General Partner (or its successor) in the minimum amounts needed so as to enable the General Partner (or its successor) to make distributions in any applicable period sufficient to satisfy the requirements of Section 857(a)(1) of the Code, (ii) make Distributions to provide any of its partners (or any other person holding a direct or indirect ownership interest in the Borrower) with funds to pay any Taxes (including any Tax imposed under Section 4981 of the Code) attributable to such partner’s (or such other person’s) direct or indirect interest in the Borrower and (iii) to the extent constituting a Distribution, immediately after the consummation of the Qualifying IPO and the contribution of the GP Note to the Borrower in exchange for an equity ownership interest in the Borrower, the cancellation of Equity Interests in the Borrower held by the General Partner in connection with the repayment or cancellation of the GP Note.
The Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent and the Collateral Agent before a Distribution is made a certificate of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower stating that the foregoing condition has been satisfied (or that such Distribution is permitted under the foregoing proviso) and, if requested, providing supporting data and calculations.
7.10 Sale of Assets, etc. The Borrower will not and will not cause or permit any TDC Subsidiary to sell, exchange, convey, lease, transfer or otherwise dispose of any of its assets with a fair market value of greater than $15,000,000, in the aggregate on or prior to the Maturity Date (an “Asset Sale”) except:
(a) leases of Systems or other transmission and distribution assets and related assets to Qualified Lessees;
(b) the transfer of such Person’s ownership interests in any Project Finance Subsidiary in connection with and pursuant to the exercise of remedies under the documentation governing Non-Recourse Debt incurred by such Project Finance Subsidiary;
(c) Asset Sales among the Borrower, the Guarantors and any Excluded Subsidiary of a Guarantor (or a subset thereof);
(d) in connection with an acquisition that is not prohibited under this Agreement, (i) Asset Sales of operating assets and related assets to a Qualified Lessee and (ii) Asset Sales that are not electric transmission or distribution assets, in each case (x) which are, in the aggregate, not material in relation to the assets acquired and (y) upon fair and reasonable terms no less favorable to the Borrower or such TDC Subsidiary than would be obtained in a comparable arms-length transaction with a Person not an Affiliate;
(e) any disposition of assets that are obsolete or no longer used or useful in the Borrower’s or any Subsidiary’s business;
(f) Permitted Liens;
80
(g) any Recovery Event and any disposition of assets that are the subject of such Recovery Event;
(h) Asset Sales made in connection with the Cross Valley Project Transfer and the Golden Spread Project Transfer;
(i) ROFO Transfers; and
(j) Investments permitted by Section 7.07, transactions permitted by Section 7.02 and Distributions permitted by Section 7.09.
7.11 Amendments to Organizational Documents. No Loan Party will amend, supplement, terminate, replace or waive any provision of its operating agreement or other Organization Documents in a manner that would have a Material Adverse Effect.
7.12 ERISA Compliance.
(a) Relationship of Vested Benefits to Plan Assets. No Loan Party or ERISA Affiliate will permit any Plan to be “at risk” within the meaning of Section 303 of ERISA to the extent such action could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The Loan Parties and their ERISA Affiliates will not incur Withdrawal Liabilities (and will not become subject to contingent Withdrawal Liabilities) in respect of Multiemployer Plans that individually or in the aggregate could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(b) Valuations. For the purposes of clause (a) above, all assumptions and methods used to determine the actuarial valuation of vested and unvested employee benefits under any Plan at any time maintained by a Loan Party or any ERISA Affiliate and the present value of assets of any such Plan shall be reasonably consistent with those determinations made for purposes of Section 5.12 and shall comply with all requirements of law.
(c) Prohibited Actions. Neither the Loan Parties nor any ERISA Affiliate, nor any Plan at any time maintained by any Loan Party or ERISA Affiliate, will:
(i) engage in any action that could reasonably be expected to cause any transaction contemplated hereunder to result in a non-exempt “prohibited transaction” (as such term is defined in Section 406 of ERISA and Section 4975(c) of the Code);
(ii) fail to meet the minimum funding standards of Section 302 of ERISA or Sections 412 and 430 of the Code, or seek or obtain a waiver thereof, or fail to make any required contribution to a Multiemployer Plan; or
(iii) terminate any such Plan in a manner which could result in the imposition of a Lien on the Property of the Borrower or any other Loan Party or ERISA Affiliate pursuant to Section 4068 of ERISA that could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect;
81
that individually or in the aggregate could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
7.13 No Margin Stock. Anything herein contained to the contrary notwithstanding, the Borrower will not, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to, make or authorize any investment in, or otherwise purchase or carry, any margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation U issued by the FRB) that violates the provisions, or for any purpose that violates the provisions, of Regulation U of the FRB.
7.14 Leases. (a) Other than the Approved Lease Amendments, the Borrower will not and will not permit any TDC Subsidiary, after the Closing Date, to amend, modify, supplement, replace, terminate or waive any provision of any Lease to which the Borrower or a TDC Subsidiary is party, or consent to any amendment, modification, supplement, replacement, termination or waiver of any Lease, that, in each case, could individually or in the aggregate reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(b) Notwithstanding Section 7.14(a), the Borrower shall use commercially reasonable efforts to ensure that no Qualified Lessee of a TDC Subsidiary (other than (1) Qualified Lessees that have an Investment Grade Credit Rating or (2) whose obligations under the applicable Leases have been Guaranteed by an entity with an Investment Grade Credit Rating) incurs Indebtedness for borrowed money other than Indebtedness (i) in an aggregate principal amount of up to the greater of (A) $5,000,000 and (B) an amount equal to 1% of the sum of, without duplication, (x) the total amount of the Consolidated Net Plant of such Qualified Lessee, plus (y) the total amount of the Consolidated Net Plant of any guarantor(s) of such Qualified Lessee’s obligations under the applicable Leases, plus (z) the total amount of Leased Consolidated Net Plant, in each case, on a senior secured basis; and (ii) in an aggregate principal amount of up to the greater of (A) $10,000,000 and (B) an amount equal to 1.5% of the sum of, without duplication, (x) the total amount of the Consolidated Net Plant of such Qualified Lessee, plus (y) the total amount of the Consolidated Net Plant of any guarantor(s) of such Qualified Lessee’s obligations under the applicable Leases, plus (z) the total amount of Leased Consolidated Net Plant, in each case, on an unsecured and subordinated basis. Without limiting the amount of Indebtedness permitted by clause (i) and clause (ii), Qualified Lessees may also incur Indebtedness (x) associated with Qualified Lessee Affiliate Loans, (y) in the form of a pledge of Equity Interests in a Project Finance Subsidiary as security for Non-Recourse Debt of such Project Finance Subsidiary and (z) in amounts otherwise acceptable to Administrative Agent. For purposes of measuring the amount of Indebtedness of a Qualified Lessee under this Section 7.14(b), all Consolidated Qualified Lessees will be treated as one Qualified Lessee.
7.15 Regulation.
(a) The Borrower shall not be or become, subject to FERC jurisdiction as a public utility under the FPA; provided, however, that the Borrower shall not be in default of the foregoing negative covenant if the Borrower becomes subject to FERC jurisdiction under the FPA solely as a result of a change to the FPA or in FERC’s interpretation thereof or regulations thereunder, if the Borrower takes all necessary actions to comply with applicable FERC requirements and the operation of the System is uninterrupted; and
(b) The Borrower shall not violate in any material respect any regulation or order of the PUCT applicable to it.
82
7.16 Swaps. The Borrower will not, nor will it permit any Subsidiary (other than Project Finance Subsidiaries of a TDC Subsidiary) to, enter into any Swap Contracts, except that the Borrower and its Subsidiaries may enter into Swap Contracts solely to hedge interest rate risk and not for speculative purposes.
7.17 Burdensome Agreements. The Borrower will not enter into or permit any Subsidiary Guarantor or Subsidiary of a Subsidiary Guarantor to enter into any Contractual Obligation that limits the right (a) of such Subsidiary to make Distributions to the Borrower or any Subsidiary Guarantor or to otherwise transfer property to the Borrower or any Subsidiary Guarantor, (b) of any TDC Subsidiary to Guarantee the Indebtedness of the Borrower or (c) of the Borrower or any Subsidiary Guarantor to create, incur, assume or suffer to exist Liens on property of such Person, in each case except for (i) restrictions arising under applicable Laws, (ii) customary restrictions and conditions contained in any agreement relating to the sale or other disposition of assets not prohibited under this Agreement pending the consummation of such sale or other disposition, (iii) this Agreement, the other Loan Documents, Permitted Liens (other than Liens permitted under Section 7.05(k)), any document or instrument evidencing or granting any such Permitted Liens and the agreements listed on Schedule 7.17; (iv) any Contractual Obligation relating to Indebtedness permitted pursuant to Section 7.06 (including Liens permitted pursuant to Section 7.05) to the extent, in the good faith judgment of the Borrower, such limitations and requirements described in clauses (a), (b) or (c) above (x) are on customary market terms for Indebtedness of such type at the time entered into, so long as the Borrower has determined in good faith that such restrictions would not reasonably be expected to impair in any material respect the ability of the Loan Parties to meet their ongoing payment obligations under the Loan Documents, or (y) are not materially more restrictive, taken as a whole with respect to the Borrower and the Subsidiaries than the restrictions in the Loan Documents and (v) with respect to clause (c), any negative pledge incurred or provided in favor of any holder of Indebtedness permitted under Section 7.06(c) solely to the extent any such negative pledge relates to the property financed by or the subject of such Indebtedness.
ARTICLE VIII.
EVENTS OF DEFAULT.
8.01 Events of Default. Any of the following conditions or events shall constitute an Event of Default:
(a) the Borrower defaults in the payment of any principal on any Borrowing, Loan or Note when the same becomes due and payable, whether at maturity or at a date fixed for prepayment or by declaration or otherwise; or
(b) the Borrower defaults in the payment of any interest on any Borrowing, Loan or Note, fees or other amounts for more than five days after the same becomes due and payable; or
83
(c) the Borrower defaults in the performance of or compliance with any term contained in Section 6.01(f)(v), 6.02, 6.11 or Article VII; or
(d) any Loan Party defaults in the performance of or compliance with any term contained herein (other than those referred to in paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) of this Section 8.01) or in any other Loan Document (other than those referred to in another paragraph of this Section 8.01) and such default is not remedied within 30 days after the earlier of (i) a Responsible Officer of Borrower obtaining actual knowledge of such default and (ii) any Loan Party receiving written notice of such default from the Collateral Agent or Administrative Agent (any such written notice to be identified as a “notice of default” and to refer specifically to this Section 8.01(d)); or
(e) any representation or warranty made in writing by or on behalf of any Loan Party or by any Responsible Officer of such Loan Party (or in the case of the Borrower, the General Partner, on behalf of the Borrower) in this Agreement or any other Loan Document or in any writing furnished in connection with the Loan Documents proves to have been false or incorrect in any material respect on the date as of which made; or
(f) with respect to any Lease to which the Borrower or a TDC Subsidiary is a party (other than Immaterial Leases), (i) any such Lease is declared to be null and void or is otherwise unenforceable, or any party thereto claims that any such agreements is unenforceable (other than as permitted under Section 6.10 and 7.14), (ii) one or more payment defaults in an amount in excess of $10,000,000 in the aggregate occurs across all such Leases, after giving effect to any cure periods specified therefor (unless within 90 days after such declaration or claim such Lease is replaced by a Lease that complies with the provisions of Section 6.10), or (iii) any default or event of default (other than those referred to in clause (i) or (ii) of this Section 8.01(f)) occurs under any such Lease that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect and such failure continues for more than 90 days; or
(g) any Security Document or any other security document entered into pursuant to Section 6.09(b) ceases to give the Collateral Agent or the Administrative Agent, as applicable, perfected first priority Liens (subject to Permitted Liens) purported to be created thereby in a material portion of the Collateral, or any other collateral created pursuant to Section 6.09(b), taken as a whole, for any reason other than as expressly permitted hereunder or thereunder (including by amendment, waiver and/or consent granted in accordance with the terms hereunder or thereunder) or satisfaction in full of the Obligations under the Loan Documents; or
(h) without limiting clause (g), (i) the General Partner, the Borrower or any Subsidiary is in default (as principal or as guarantor or other surety) in the payment of any principal of or premium or make-whole amount or interest on any Indebtedness that is outstanding in an aggregate principal amount of at least $25,000,000 beyond any period of grace provided with respect thereto, or (ii) the General Partner, the Borrower or any Subsidiary is in default in the performance of or compliance with any term of any evidence of any Indebtedness in an aggregate outstanding principal amount of at least $25,000,000 or of any mortgage, indenture or other agreement relating thereto or any other condition exists, and as a consequence of such default or condition such Indebtedness has become, or has been declared (or one or more Persons are entitled to declare such Indebtedness to be), due and payable before its stated
84
maturity or before its regularly scheduled dates of payment, or (iii) as a consequence of the occurrence or continuation of any event or condition (other than the passage of time or the right of the holder of Indebtedness to convert such Indebtedness into equity interests), (x) the General Partner, the Borrower or any Subsidiary has become obligated to purchase or repay Indebtedness before its regular maturity or before its regularly scheduled dates of payment in an aggregate outstanding principal amount of at least $25,000,000, or (y) one or more Persons have the right to require the General Partner, the Borrower or any Subsidiary to purchase or repay such Indebtedness; or
(i) the General Partner or any Transaction Party (other than a Qualified Lessee that is a lessee solely under Immaterial Leases) (i) is generally not paying, or admits in writing its inability to pay, its debts as they become due, (ii) files, or consents by answer or otherwise to the filing against it or, a petition for relief or reorganization or arrangement or any other petition in bankruptcy, for liquidation or to take advantage of any bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar law of any jurisdiction, (iii) makes an assignment for the benefit of its creditors, (iv) consents to the appointment of a custodian, receiver, trustee or other officer with similar powers with respect to it or with respect to any substantial part of its property, (v) is adjudicated as insolvent or to be liquidated, or (vi) takes corporate action for the purpose of any of the foregoing; or
(j) a court or Governmental Authority of competent jurisdiction enters an order appointing, without consent by the General Partner or any Transaction Party (other than a Qualified Lessee that is a lessee solely under Immaterial Leases) , a custodian, receiver, trustee or other officer with similar powers with respect to it or with respect to any substantial part of its property, or constituting an order for relief or approving a petition for relief or reorganization or any other petition in bankruptcy or for liquidation or to take advantage of any bankruptcy or insolvency law of any jurisdiction, or ordering the dissolution, winding-up or liquidation of any such Person or any such petition shall be filed against any such Person and such petition shall not be dismissed within 60 days; or
(k) a final judgment or judgments for the payment of money aggregating in excess of $25,000,000 (or, in the case of (i) any Qualified Lessee which does not have an Investment Grade Rating or whose obligations under the applicable Leases has not been Guaranteed by an entity with an Investment Grade Credit Rating, $2,000,000 or (ii) any other Qualified Lessee, in an amount that could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect) are rendered against the General Partner, the Borrower or any Qualified Lessee (other than judgments payable by the General Partner, Borrower or any Subsidiary rendered in connection with condemnations in favor thereof), other than, in each case, judgments payable by the General Partner, the Borrower or such Qualified Lessee, if applicable, rendered in connection with condemnations in favor thereof, and which judgments are not, within 60 days after entry thereof, bonded, discharged or stayed pending appeal, or are not discharged within 60 days after the expiration of such stay; or
(l) if (i) any Plan shall fail to satisfy the minimum funding standards of ERISA or the Code for any plan year or part thereof or a waiver of such standards or extension of any amortization period is sought or granted under Section 412 of the Code, (ii) a notice of intent to terminate any Plan shall have been or is reasonably expected to be filed with the PBGC or the
85
PBGC shall have instituted proceedings under Section 4042 of ERISA to terminate or appoint a trustee to administer any Plan or the PBGC shall have notified any Loan Party or any ERISA Affiliate that a Plan may become a subject of any such proceedings, (iii) any Plan shall be “at-risk” within the meaning of Section 303 of ERISA as of the last day of any calendar year, (iv) any Loan Party or any ERISA Affiliate shall have incurred or is reasonably expected to incur any liability pursuant to Title I or IV of ERISA or the penalty or excise tax provisions of the Code relating to employee benefit plans (as defined in Section 3 of ERISA) or Sections 401(a)(29), 412 or 430(k) of the Code, (v) any Loan Party or any ERISA Affiliate receives any notice concerning the imposition of Withdrawal Liability or a determination that a Multiemployer Plan is, or is expected to be, insolvent (within the meaning of Section 4245 of ERISA), in reorganization (within the meaning of Section 4241 of ERISA, or in endangered or critical status (within the meaning of Section 432 of the Code or Section 305 of ERISA), or (vi) the Borrower establishes or amends any employee welfare benefit plan (as defined in Section 3 of ERISA) that provides post-employment welfare benefits (as described as postretirement benefit obligations in Section 5.12(d) and without regard to obligations under Section 4980B of the Code) in a manner that would increase the liability of the Borrower thereunder; and any such event or events described in clauses (i) through (vi) above, either individually or together with any other such event or events, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; or
(m) any Loan Document, at any time after its execution and delivery and for any reason other than as expressly permitted hereunder or thereunder or satisfaction in full of all the Obligations under the Loan Documents, ceases to be in full force and effect; or any Loan Party contests in any manner the validity or enforceability of any Loan Document; or any Loan Party denies that it has any or further liability or obligation under any Loan Document, or purports to revoke, terminate or rescind any Loan Document; or
(n) a Change of Control shall occur; or
(o) the General Partner (i) fails to comply with Section 6.03, 6.06, 6.07 or 7.04 (in each case, as if such section applied to the General Partner and subject to applicable grace periods set forth in paragraphs (c) and (d) of this Section 8.01) or (ii) creates, incurs, assumes or permits to exist (upon the happening of a contingency or otherwise) any Lien on or with respect to any of its Equity Interest in the Borrower, whether now owned or held or hereafter acquired, or assigns or otherwise conveys any of its rights to receive income or profits, or on any Equity Interest in the Borrower now owned or hereafter acquired by the General Partner.
8.02 Remedies Upon Event of Default. If any Event of Default occurs and is continuing (a) of the type specified in paragraph (i) or (j) of Section 8.01 with respect to the Borrower, automatically the Commitments shall immediately terminate and the Loans (with accrued interest thereon and all other amounts owed under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents (including all amounts of L/C Obligations, whether or not the beneficiaries of the then outstanding Letters of Credit shall have presented then documents required thereunder)) shall immediately become due and payable, and (b) of any type other than as specified in clause (a) above, the Administrative Agent shall, at the request of, or may, with the consent of, the Required Lenders, take any or all of the following actions:
(i) declare the commitment of each Lender to make Loans and any obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions to be terminated, whereupon such commitments and obligation shall be terminated;
86
(ii) declare the unpaid principal amount of all outstanding Loans, all interest accrued and unpaid thereon, and all other amounts owing or payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document to be immediately due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived by the Borrower;
(iii) require that the Borrower Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations (in an amount equal to the Minimum Collateral Amount with respect thereto); and
(iv) exercise on behalf of itself, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer all rights and remedies available to it, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer under the Loan Documents;
provided, however, that upon the occurrence of an actual or deemed entry of an order for relief with respect to the Borrower under the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, the obligation of each Lender to make Loans and any obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions shall automatically terminate, the unpaid principal amount of all outstanding Loans and all interest and other amounts as aforesaid shall automatically become due and payable, and the obligation of the Borrower to Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations as aforesaid shall automatically become effective, in each case without further act of the Administrative Agent or any Lender.
8.03 Application of Funds. After the exercise of remedies provided for in Section 8.02 (or after the Loans have automatically become immediately due and payable and the L/C Obligations have automatically been required to be Cash Collateralized as set forth in the proviso to Section 8.02), any amounts received on account of the Obligations shall, subject to the provisions of Sections 2.12 and 2.13, be applied by the Administrative Agent in the following order:
First, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities, expenses and other amounts (including fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the Administrative Agent and amounts payable under Article III) payable to the Administrative Agent in its capacity as such;
Second, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities and other amounts (other than principal, interest and Letter of Credit Fees) payable to the Lenders and the L/C Issuer (including fees, charges and disbursements of counsel to the respective Lenders and the L/C Issuer (including fees and time charges for attorneys who may be employees of any Lender or the L/C Issuer) and amounts payable under Article III), ratably among them in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Second payable to them;
Third, to the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer, to Cash Collateralize that portion of L/C Obligations comprised of the aggregate undrawn amount of Letters of Credit to the extent not otherwise Cash Collateralized by the Borrower pursuant to Sections 2.03 and 2.12;
87
Fourth, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting accrued and unpaid Letter of Credit Fees, interest on the Loans, L/C Borrowings and other Obligations and scheduled periodic payments then due under Specified Swap Contracts, ratably among the Lenders and the L/C Issuer in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Fourth payable to them;
Fifth, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting unpaid principal of the Loans and L/C Borrowings and the termination values and other Obligations in respect of Specified Swap Contracts, ratably among the Lenders and the L/C Issuer in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Fifth held by them; and
Last, the balance, if any, after all of the Obligations have been indefeasibly paid in full, to the Borrower or as otherwise required by Law.
Subject to Sections 2.03(c) and 2.12, amounts used to Cash Collateralize the aggregate undrawn amount of Letters of Credit pursuant to clause Third above shall be applied to satisfy drawings under such Letters of Credit as they occur. If any amount remains on deposit as Cash Collateral after all Letters of Credit have either been fully drawn or expired, such remaining amount shall be applied to the other Obligations, if any, in the order set forth above.
ARTICLE IX.
ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
9.01 Appointment and Authority. Each of the Lenders and the L/C Issuer hereby irrevocably appoints Bank of America to act on its behalf as the Administrative Agent hereunder and under the other Loan Documents and authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such actions on its behalf and to exercise such powers as are delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms hereof or thereof, together with such actions and powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. The provisions of this Article are solely for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer, and the Borrower shall not have rights as a third party beneficiary of any of such provisions. It is understood and agreed that the use of the term “agent” herein or in any other Loan Documents (or any other similar term) with reference to the Administrative Agent is not intended to connote any fiduciary or other implied (or express) obligations arising under agency doctrine of any applicable Law. Instead such term is used as a matter of market custom, and is intended to create or reflect only an administrative relationship between contracting parties.
9.02 Rights as a Lender. The Person serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder shall have the same rights and powers in its capacity as a Lender as any other Lender and may exercise the same as though it were not the Administrative Agent and the term “Lender” or “Lenders” shall, unless otherwise expressly indicated or unless the context otherwise requires, include the Person serving as the Administrative Agent hereunder in its individual capacity. Such Person and its Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to, own securities of, act as
88
the financial advisor or in any other advisory capacity for and generally engage in any kind of business with the Borrower or any Subsidiary or other Affiliate thereof as if such Person were not the Administrative Agent hereunder and without any duty to account therefor to the Lenders.
9.03 Exculpatory Provisions. The Administrative Agent shall not have any duties or obligations except those expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, and its duties hereunder shall be administrative in nature. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Administrative Agent:
(a) shall not be subject to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether a Default has occurred and is continuing;
(b) shall not have any duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary powers, except discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated hereby or by the other Loan Documents that the Administrative Agent is required to exercise as directed in writing by the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be expressly provided for herein or in the other Loan Documents), provided that the Administrative Agent shall not be required to take any action that, in its opinion or the opinion of its counsel, may expose the Administrative Agent to liability or that is contrary to any Loan Document or applicable law, including for the avoidance of doubt any action that may be in violation of the automatic stay under any Debtor Relief Law or that may effect a forfeiture, modification or termination of property of a Defaulting Lender in violation of any Debtor Relief Law; and
(c) shall not, except as expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, have any duty to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any Information relating to the Borrower or any of its Affiliates that is communicated to or obtained by the Person serving as the Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity.
The Administrative Agent shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it (i) with the consent or at the request of the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary, or as the Administrative Agent shall believe in good faith shall be necessary, under the circumstances as provided in Sections 10.01 and 8.02) or (ii) in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment. The Administrative Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any Default unless and until notice describing such Default is given in writing to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower, a Lender or the L/C Issuer.
The Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for or have any duty to ascertain or inquire into (i) any statement, warranty or representation made in or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered hereunder or thereunder or in connection herewith or therewith, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth herein or therein or the occurrence of any Default, (iv) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any other agreement, instrument or document or (v) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article IV or elsewhere herein, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent.
89
9.04 Reliance by Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely upon, and shall not incur any liability for relying upon, any notice, request, certificate, consent, statement, instrument, document or other writing (including any electronic message, Internet or intranet website posting or other distribution) believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or otherwise authenticated by the proper Person. The Administrative Agent also may rely upon any statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed by it to have been made by the proper Person, and shall not incur any liability for relying thereon. In determining compliance with any condition hereunder to the making of a Loan, or the issuance, extension, renewal or increase of a Letter of Credit, that by its terms must be fulfilled to the satisfaction of a Lender or the L/C Issuer, the Administrative Agent may presume that such condition is satisfactory to such Lender or the L/C Issuer unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice to the contrary from such Lender or the L/C Issuer prior to the making of such Loan or the issuance of such Letter of Credit. The Administrative Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be counsel for the Borrower), independent accountants and other experts selected by it, and shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it in good faith in accordance with the advice of any such counsel, accountants or experts.
9.05 Delegation of Duties. The Administrative Agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers hereunder or under any other Loan Document by or through any one or more sub-agents appointed by the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent may perform any and all of its duties and exercise its rights and powers by or through their respective Related Parties. The exculpatory provisions of this Article shall apply to any such sub-agent and to the Related Parties of the Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent, and shall apply to their respective activities in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein as well as activities as Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for the negligence or misconduct of any sub-agents except to the extent that a court of competent jurisdiction determines in a final and nonappealable judgment that the Administrative Agent acted with gross negligence or willful misconduct in the selection of such sub-agents.
9.06 Resignation of Administrative Agent.
(a) The Administrative Agent may at any time give notice of its resignation to the Lenders, the L/C Issuer and the Borrower. Upon receipt of any such notice of resignation, the Required Lenders shall have the right, in consultation with the Borrower and, so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing at such time, subject to the consent of the Borrower, to appoint a successor, which shall be a bank with an office in the United States, or an Affiliate of any such bank with an office in the United States. If no such successor shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within 30 days after the retiring Administrative Agent gives notice of its resignation (or such earlier day as shall be agreed by the Required Lenders) (the “Resignation Effective Date”), then the retiring Administrative Agent may (but shall not be obligated to) on behalf of the Lenders and the L/C Issuer, appoint a successor Administrative Agent meeting the qualifications set forth above. Whether or not a successor has been appointed, such resignation shall become effective in accordance with such notice on the Resignation Effective Date.
90
(b) If the Person serving as Administrative Agent is a Defaulting Lender pursuant to clause (d) of the definition thereof, the Required Lenders may, to the extent permitted by applicable law, by notice in writing to the Borrower and such Person remove such Person as Administrative Agent and, in consultation with the Borrower and, so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing at such time, subject to the consent of the Borrower, appoint a successor. If no such successor shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within 30 days (or such earlier day as shall be agreed by the Required Lenders) (the “Removal Effective Date”), then such removal shall nonetheless become effective in accordance with such notice on the Removal Effective Date.
(c) With effect from the Resignation Effective Date or the Removal Effective Date (as applicable) (1) the retiring or removed Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder and under the other Loan Documents (except that in the case of any collateral security held by the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Lenders or the L/C Issuer under any of the Loan Documents, the retiring or removed Administrative Agent shall continue to hold such collateral security until such time as a successor Administrative Agent is appointed) and (2) except for any indemnity payments or other amounts then owed to the retiring or removed Administrative Agent, all payments, communications and determinations provided to be made by, to or through the Administrative Agent shall instead be made by or to each Lender and the L/C Issuer directly, until such time, if any, as the Required Lenders appoint a successor Administrative Agent as provided for above. Upon the acceptance of a successor’s appointment as Administrative Agent hereunder, such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring (or removed) Administrative Agent (other than any rights to indemnity payments or other amounts owed to the retiring or removed Administrative Agent as of the Resignation Effective Date or the Removal Effective Date, as applicable), and the retiring or removed Administrative Agent shall be discharged from all of its duties and obligations hereunder or under the other Loan Documents (if not already discharged therefrom as provided above in this Section). The fees payable by the Borrower to a successor Administrative Agent shall be the same as those payable to its predecessor unless otherwise agreed between the Borrower and such successor. After the retiring or removed Administrative Agent’s resignation or removal hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, the provisions of this Article and Section 10.04 shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring or removed Administrative Agent, its sub-agents and their respective Related Parties in respect of any actions taken or omitted to be taken by any of them while the retiring or removed Administrative Agent was acting as Administrative Agent.
(d) Any resignation by Bank of America as Administrative Agent pursuant to this Section shall also constitute its resignation as L/C Issuer. If Bank of America resigns as an L/C Issuer, it shall retain all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the L/C Issuer hereunder with respect to all Letters of Credit outstanding as of the effective date of its resignation as L/C Issuer and all L/C Obligations with respect thereto, including the right to require the Lenders to make Base Rate Loans or fund risk participations in Unreimbursed Amounts pursuant to Section 2.03(c). Upon the appointment by the Borrower of a successor L/C Issuer hereunder (which successor shall in all cases be a Lender other than a Defaulting Lender), (a) such successor shall
91
succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring L/C Issuer, (b) the retiring L/C Issuer be discharged from all of their respective duties and obligations hereunder or under the other Loan Documents, and (c) the successor L/C Issuer shall issue letters of credit in substitution for the Letters of Credit, if any, outstanding at the time of such succession or make other arrangements satisfactory to Bank of America to effectively assume the obligations of Bank of America with respect to such Letters of Credit.
9.07 Non-Reliance on Administrative Agent and Other Lenders. Each Lender and the L/C Issuer acknowledges that it has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender or any of their Related Parties and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Agreement. Each Lender and the L/C Issuer also acknowledges that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender or any of their Related Parties and based on such documents and information as it shall from time to time deem appropriate, continue to make its own decisions in taking or not taking action under or based upon this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any related agreement or any document furnished hereunder or thereunder.
9.08 No Other Duties, Etc. Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, the Arranger listed on the cover page hereof shall not have any powers, duties or responsibilities under this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents, except in its capacity, as applicable, as the Administrative Agent, a Lender or the L/C Issuer hereunder.
9.09 Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim; Credit Bidding. In case of the pendency of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law or any other judicial proceeding relative to any Loan Party, the Administrative Agent (irrespective of whether the principal of any Loan or L/C Obligation shall then be due and payable as herein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Administrative Agent shall have made any demand on the Borrower) shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise
(a) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of the principal and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Loans, L/C Obligations and all other Obligations that are owing and unpaid and to file such other documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Lenders, the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Lenders, the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent and their respective agents and counsel and all other amounts due the Lenders, the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent under Sections 2.03(h) and (i), 2.08 and 10.04) allowed in such judicial proceeding; and
(b) to collect and receive any monies or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same;
and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Lender and the L/C Issuer to make such payments to the Administrative Agent and, in the event that the Administrative Agent shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Lenders and the L/C Issuer, to pay to the Administrative Agent any amount due for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Administrative Agent and its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Administrative Agent under Sections 2.08 and 10.04.
92
Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to authorize the Administrative Agent to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Lender or the L/C Issuer any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Obligations or the rights of any Lender or the L/C Issuer to authorize the Administrative Agent to vote in respect of the claim of any Lender or the L/C Issuer in any such proceeding.
In each case, subject to the provisions of the Collateral Agency Agreement, the Lenders hereby irrevocably authorize the Administrative Agent, at the direction of the Required Lenders, to credit bid all or any portion of the Obligations (including accepting some or all of the Collateral in satisfaction of some or all of the Obligations pursuant to a deed in lieu of foreclosure or otherwise) and in such manner purchase (either directly or through one or more acquisition vehicles) all or any portion of the Collateral (a) at any sale thereof conducted under the provisions of the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, including under Sections 363, 1123 or 1129 of the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, or any similar Laws in any other jurisdictions to which a Loan Party is subject, (b) at any other sale or foreclosure or acceptance of collateral in lieu of debt conducted by (or with the consent or at the direction of) the Administrative Agent (whether by judicial action or otherwise) in accordance with any applicable Law. In connection with any such credit bid and purchase, the Obligations owed to the Secured Parties shall be entitled to be, and shall be, credit bid on a ratable basis (with Obligations with respect to contingent or unliquidated claims receiving contingent interests in the acquired assets on a ratable basis that would vest upon the liquidation of such claims in an amount proportional to the liquidated portion of the contingent claim amount used in allocating the contingent interests) in the asset or assets so purchased (or in the Equity Interests or debt instruments of the acquisition vehicle or vehicles that are used to consummate such purchase). In connection with any such bid (i) the Administrative Agent shall be authorized to form one or more acquisition vehicles to make a bid, (ii) to adopt documents providing for the governance of the acquisition vehicle or vehicles (provided that any actions by the Administrative Agent with respect to such acquisition vehicle or vehicles, including any disposition of the assets or Equity Interests thereof shall be governed, directly or indirectly, by the vote of the Required Lenders, irrespective of the termination of this Agreement and without giving effect to the limitations on actions by the Required Lenders contained in clauses (a) through (g) of Section 10.01 of this Agreement, (iii) the Administrative Agent shall be authorized to assign the relevant Obligations to any such acquisition vehicle pro rata by the Lenders, as a result of which each of the Lenders shall be deemed to have received a pro rata portion of any Equity Interests and/or debt instruments issued by such an acquisition vehicle on account of the assignment of the Obligations to be credit bid, all without the need for any Secured Party or acquisition vehicle to take any further action, and (iv) to the extent that Obligations that are assigned to an acquisition vehicle are not used to acquire Collateral for any reason (as a result of another bid being higher or better, because the amount of Obligations assigned to the acquisition vehicle exceeds the amount of debt credit bid by the acquisition vehicle or otherwise), such Obligations shall automatically be reassigned to the Lenders pro rata and the Equity Interests and/or debt instruments issued by any acquisition vehicle on account of the Obligations that had been assigned to the acquisition vehicle shall automatically be cancelled, without the need for any Secured Party or any acquisition vehicle to take any further action.
93
9.10 Collateral and Guaranty Matters. Without limiting the provisions of Section 9.09, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer irrevocably authorize the Administrative Agent, at its option and in its discretion,
(a) to release any Lien on any property granted to or held by the Administrative Agent under any Loan Document (i) upon termination of the Aggregate Commitments and payment in full of all Obligations under the Loan Documents (other than contingent obligations) and the expiration or termination of all Letters of Credit (other than Letters of Credit as to which other arrangements satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer shall have been made), (ii) that is sold or otherwise Disposed of or to be sold or otherwise Disposed of as part of or in connection with any sale or other Disposition permitted hereunder or under any other Loan Document, or (iii) subject to Section 10.01, if approved, authorized or ratified in writing by the Required Lenders;
(b) to release any Guarantor from its obligations under the Guaranty if such Person ceases to be a Subsidiary as a result of a transaction permitted under the Loan Documents.
Upon request by the Administrative Agent at any time, the Required Lenders will confirm in writing the Administrative Agent’s authority to release or subordinate its interest in particular types or items of property, or to release any Guarantor from its obligations under the Guaranty pursuant to this Section 9.10.
The Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for or have a duty to ascertain or inquire into any representation or warranty regarding the existence, value or collectability of the Collateral, the existence, priority or perfection of the Administrative Agent’s Lien thereon, or any certificate prepared by any Loan Party in connection therewith, nor shall the Administrative Agent be responsible or liable to the Lenders for any failure to monitor or maintain any portion of the Collateral.
Each of the Loan Parties, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders (i) consents to and ratifies the execution by the Administrative Agent of the Collateral Agency Agreement and any amendments or supplements expressly contemplated thereby and to the appointment of the Collateral Agent as provided therein, (ii) hereby agrees that it will be bound by and will take no actions contrary to the provisions of the Collateral Agency Agreement and (iii) acknowledges that it has received a copy of the Collateral Agency Agreement and that the exercise of certain of the Administrative Agent’s and the Lenders’ rights and remedies hereunder may be subject to, and restricted by, the provisions of the Collateral Agency Agreement.
ARTICLE X.
MISCELLANEOUS
10.01 Amendments, Etc. No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, and no consent to any departure by the Borrower or any other Loan Party therefrom, shall be effective unless in writing signed by the Required Lenders (or by the Administrative Agent, on behalf of the Required Lenders) and the Borrower or the applicable Loan Party, as the case may be, and acknowledged by the Administrative Agent, and each such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which given; provided, however, that no such amendment, waiver or consent shall:
(a) waive any condition set forth in Section 4.01(a) without the written consent of each Lender;
94
(b) extend or increase the Commitment of any Lender (or reinstate any Commitment terminated pursuant to Section 8.02) without the written consent of such Lender;
(c) postpone any date fixed by this Agreement or any other Loan Document for any payment of principal, interest, fees or other amounts due to the Lenders (or any of them) hereunder or under any other Loan Document without the written consent of each Lender directly affected thereby;
(d) reduce the principal of, or the rate of interest specified herein on, any Loan or L/C Borrowing, or (subject to clause (iv) of the second proviso to this Section 10.01) any fees or other amounts payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document, or change the manner of computation of any financial ratio (including any change in any applicable defined term) used in determining the Applicable Rate that would result in a reduction of any interest rate on any Loan or any fee payable hereunder without the written consent of each Lender directly affected thereby; provided, however, that only the consent of the Required Lenders shall be necessary (i) to amend the definition of “Default Rate” or to waive any obligation of the Borrower to pay interest or Letter of Credit Fees at the Default Rate or (ii) to amend any financial covenant hereunder (or any defined term used therein) even if the effect of such amendment would be to reduce the rate of interest on any Loan or L/C Borrowing or to reduce any fee payable hereunder;
(e) change Section 8.03 or Section 2.11 in a manner that would alter the pro rata sharing of payments required thereby without the written consent of each Lender;
(f) change any provision of this Section or the definition of “Required Lenders” or any other provision hereof specifying the number or percentage of Lenders required to amend, waive or otherwise modify any rights hereunder or make any determination or grant any consent hereunder, without the written consent of each Lender; or
(g) release all or substantially all of the value of the Guaranties or release all or substantially all of the Collateral in any transaction or series of related transactions without the written consent of each Lender, except to the extent the release of any Guarantor is permitted pursuant to Section 9.10 or, solely with respect to the Collateral, the Collateral Agency Agreement (in which case such release may be made by the Administrative Agent acting alone);
and, provided further, that (i) no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the L/C Issuer in addition to the Lenders required above, affect the rights or duties of the L/C Issuer under this Agreement or any Issuer Document relating to any Letter of Credit issued or to be issued by it; (ii) no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the Administrative Agent in addition to the Lenders required above, affect the rights or duties of the Administrative Agent under this Agreement or any other Loan Document; (iii) the Fee Letter may be amended, or rights or privileges thereunder waived, in a writing executed only by the parties thereto and (iv) the Administrative Agent and the Borrower shall be permitted to
95
amend any provision of the Loan Documents (and such amendment shall be effective without any further action or consent of any other party to any Loan Document) if the Administrative Agent and the Borrower shall have jointly identified an obvious error or any error or omission of a technical or immaterial nature in any such provision. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, no Defaulting Lender shall have any right to approve or disapprove any amendment, waiver or consent hereunder (and any amendment, waiver or consent which by its terms requires the consent of all Lenders or each affected Lender may be effected with the consent of the applicable Lenders other than Defaulting Lenders), except that (x) the Commitment of any Defaulting Lender may not be increased or extended without the consent of such Lender and (y) any waiver, amendment or modification requiring the consent of all Lenders or each affected Lender that by its terms affects any Defaulting Lender disproportionately adversely relative to other affected Lenders shall require the consent of such Defaulting Lender.
Notwithstanding any provision herein to the contrary, this Agreement may be amended with the written consent of the Required Lenders, the Administrative Agent and the Borrower (i) to add one or more additional revolving credit facilities to this Agreement and to permit the extensions of credit and all related obligations and liabilities arising in connection therewith from time to time outstanding to share ratably (or on a basis subordinated to the existing facilities hereunder) in the benefits of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents with the obligations and liabilities from time to time outstanding in respect of the existing facilities hereunder, and (ii) in connection with the foregoing, to permit, as deemed appropriate by the Administrative Agent and approved by the Required Lenders, the Lenders providing such additional credit facilities to participate in any required vote or action required to be approved by the Required Lenders or by any other number, percentage or class of Lenders hereunder.
10.02 Notices; Effectiveness; Electronic Communication.
(a) Notices Generally. Except in the case of notices and other communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone (and except as provided in subsection (b) below), all notices and other communications provided for herein shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or overnight courier service, mailed by certified or registered mail or sent by facsimile as follows, and all notices and other communications expressly permitted hereunder to be given by telephone shall be made to the applicable telephone number, as follows:
(i) if to the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, or the L/C Issuer to the address, facsimile number, electronic mail address or telephone number specified for such Person on Schedule 10.02; and
(ii) if to any other Lender, to the address, facsimile number, electronic mail address or telephone number specified in its Administrative Questionnaire (including, as appropriate, notices delivered solely to the Person designated by a Lender on its Administrative Questionnaire then in effect for the delivery of notices that may contain material non-public information relating to the Borrower).
Notices and other communications sent by hand or overnight courier service, or mailed by certified or registered mail, shall be deemed to have been given when received; notices and other communications sent by facsimile shall be deemed to have been given when sent (except that, if
96
not given during normal business hours for the recipient, shall be deemed to have been given at the opening of business on the next Business Day for the recipient). Notices and other communications delivered through electronic communications to the extent provided in subsection (b) below shall be effective as provided in such subsection (b).
(b) Electronic Communications. Notices and other communications to the Lenders and the L/C Issuer hereunder may be delivered or furnished by electronic communication (including e-mail and Internet or intranet websites) pursuant to procedures approved by the Administrative Agent, provided that the foregoing shall not apply to notices to any Lender or the L/C Issuer pursuant to Article II if such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as applicable, has notified the Administrative Agent that it is incapable of receiving notices under such Article by electronic communication. The Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or the Borrower may each, in its discretion, agree to accept notices and other communications to it hereunder by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by it, provided that approval of such procedures may be limited to particular notices or communications.
Unless the Administrative Agent otherwise prescribes, (i) notices and other communications sent to an e-mail address shall be deemed received upon the sender’s receipt of an acknowledgement from the intended recipient (such as by the “return receipt requested” function, as available, return e-mail or other written acknowledgement), and (ii) notices or communications posted to an Internet or intranet website shall be deemed received upon the deemed receipt by the intended recipient at its e-mail address as described in the foregoing clause (i) of notification that such notice or communication is available and identifying the website address therefor; provided that, for both clauses (i) and (ii), if such notice, email or other communication is not sent during the normal business hours of the recipient, such notice, email or communication shall be deemed to have been sent at the opening of business on the next business day for the recipient.
(c) The Platform. THE PLATFORM IS PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE.” THE AGENT PARTIES (AS DEFINED BELOW) DO NOT WARRANT THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE BORROWER MATERIALS OR THE ADEQUACY OF THE PLATFORM, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM LIABILITY FOR ERRORS IN OR OMISSIONS FROM THE BORROWER MATERIALS. NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT OF THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR FREEDOM FROM VIRUSES OR OTHER CODE DEFECTS, IS MADE BY ANY AGENT PARTY IN CONNECTION WITH THE BORROWER MATERIALS OR THE PLATFORM. In no event shall the Administrative Agent or any of its Related Parties (collectively, the “Agent Parties”) have any liability to the Borrower, any Lender, the L/C Issuer or any other Person for losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses of any kind (whether in tort, contract or otherwise) arising out of the Borrower’s, any Loan Party’s or the Administrative Agent’s transmission of Borrower Materials or notices through the Platform, any other electronic platform or electronic messaging service, or through the Internet.
(d) Change of Address, Etc. Each of the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, and the L/C Issuer may change its address, facsimile or telephone number for notices and other
97
communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto. Each other Lender may change its address, facsimile or telephone number for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, and the L/C Issuer. In addition, each Lender agrees to notify the Administrative Agent from time to time to ensure that the Administrative Agent has on record (i) an effective address, contact name, telephone number, facsimile number and electronic mail address to which notices and other communications may be sent and (ii) accurate wire instructions for such Lender. Furthermore, each Public Lender agrees to cause at least one individual at or on behalf of such Public Lender to at all times have selected the “Private Side Information” or similar designation on the content declaration screen of the Platform in order to enable such Public Lender or its delegate, in accordance with such Public Lender’s compliance procedures and applicable Law, including United States federal and state securities Laws, to make reference to Borrower Materials that are not made available through the “Public Side Information” portion of the Platform and that may contain material non-public information with respect to the Borrower or its securities for purposes of United States federal or state securities laws.
(e) Reliance by Administrative Agent, L/C Issuer and Lenders. The Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and the Lenders shall be entitled to rely and act upon any notices (including telephonic notices or electronic Loan Notices and Letter of Credit Applications) purportedly given by or on behalf of the Borrower even if (i) such notices were not made in a manner specified herein, were incomplete or were not preceded or followed by any other form of notice specified herein, or (ii) the terms thereof, as understood by the recipient, varied from any confirmation thereof. The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer, each Lender and the Related Parties of each of them from all losses, costs, expenses and liabilities resulting from the reliance by such Person on each notice purportedly given by or on behalf of the Borrower. All telephonic notices to and other telephonic communications with the Administrative Agent may be recorded by the Administrative Agent, and each of the parties hereto hereby consents to such recording.
10.03 No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies; Enforcement. No failure by any Lender, the L/C Issuer or the Administrative Agent to exercise, and no delay by any such Person in exercising, any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall operate as a waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, remedy, power or privilege. The rights, remedies, powers and privileges herein provided, and provided under each other Loan Document, are cumulative and not exclusive of any rights, remedies, powers and privileges provided by law.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein or in any other Loan Document, the authority to enforce rights and remedies hereunder and under the other Loan Documents against the Loan Parties or any of them shall be vested exclusively in, and all actions and proceedings at law in connection with such enforcement shall be instituted and maintained exclusively by, the Administrative Agent in accordance with Section 8.02 for the benefit of all the Lenders and the L/C Issuer; provided, however, that the foregoing shall not prohibit (a) the Administrative Agent from exercising on its own behalf the rights and remedies that inure to its benefit (solely in its capacity as Administrative Agent) hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, (b) the L/C Issuer from exercising the rights and remedies that inure to its benefit
98
(solely in its capacity as L/C Issuer) hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, (c) any Lender from exercising setoff rights in accordance with Section 10.08 (subject to the terms of Section 2.11), or (d) any Lender from filing proofs of claim or appearing and filing pleadings on its own behalf during the pendency of a proceeding relative to any Loan Party under any Debtor Relief Law; and provided, further, that if at any time there is no Person acting as Administrative Agent hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, then (i) the Required Lenders shall have the rights otherwise ascribed to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 8.02 and (ii) in addition to the matters set forth in clauses (b), (c) and (d) of the preceding proviso and subject to Section 2.11, any Lender may, with the consent of the Required Lenders, enforce any rights and remedies available to it and as authorized by the Required Lenders.
10.04 Expenses; Indemnity; Damage Waiver.
(a) Costs and Expenses. The Borrower shall pay (i) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates (including the reasonable fees, charges and disbursements of counsel for the Administrative Agent), in connection with the syndication of the credit facilities provided for herein, the preparation, negotiation, execution, delivery and administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents or any amendments, modifications or waivers of the provisions hereof or thereof (whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be consummated), (ii) all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the L/C Issuer in connection with the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or any demand for payment thereunder and (iii) all out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the L/C Issuer (including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the L/C Issuer), and shall pay all fees and time charges for attorneys who may be employees of the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the L/C Issuer, in connection with the enforcement or protection of its rights (A) in connection with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, including its rights under this Section, or (B) in connection with the Loans made or Letters of Credit issued hereunder, including all such out-of-pocket expenses incurred during any workout, restructuring or negotiations in respect of such Loans or Letters of Credit.
(b) Indemnification by the Borrower. The Borrower shall indemnify the Administrative Agent (and any sub-agent thereof), each Lender and the L/C Issuer, and each Related Party of any of the foregoing Persons (each such Person being called an “Indemnitee”) against, and hold each Indemnitee harmless from, any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and related expenses (including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for any Indemnitee), and shall indemnify and hold harmless each Indemnitee from all fees and time charges and disbursements for attorneys who may be employees of any Indemnitee, incurred by any Indemnitee or asserted against any Indemnitee by any Person (including the Borrower or any other Loan Party) other than such Indemnitee and its Related Parties arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of (i) the execution or delivery of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby or thereby, the performance by the parties hereto of their respective obligations hereunder or thereunder, the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, or, in the case of the Administrative Agent (and any sub-agent thereof) and its Related Parties only, the administration of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, (ii) any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use or proposed use of the proceeds therefrom (including any refusal by the L/C Issuer to honor a demand for payment
99
under a Letter of Credit if the documents presented in connection with such demand do not strictly comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit), (iii) any actual or alleged presence or release of Hazardous Materials on or from any property owned or operated by the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, or any Environmental Liability related in any way to the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, or (iv) any actual or prospective claim, litigation, investigation or proceeding relating to any of the foregoing, whether based on contract, tort or any other theory, whether brought by a third party or by the Borrower or any other Loan Party, and regardless of whether any Indemnitee is a party thereto, IN ALL CASES, WHETHER OR NOT CAUSED BY OR ARISING, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, OUT OF THE COMPARATIVE, CONTRIBUTORY OR SOLE NEGLIGENCE OF THE INDEMNITEE; provided that such indemnity shall not, as to any Indemnitee, be available to the extent that such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or related expenses (x) are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee or (y) result from a claim brought by the Borrower or any other Loan Party against an Indemnitee for breach in bad faith of such Indemnitee’s obligations hereunder or under any other Loan Document, if the Borrower or such Loan Party has obtained a final and nonappealable judgment in its favor on such claim as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction. Without limiting the provisions of Section 3.01(c), this Section 10.04(b) shall not apply with respect to Taxes other than any Taxes that represent losses, claims, damages, etc. arising from any non-Tax claim.
(c) Reimbursement by Lenders. To the extent that the Borrower for any reason fails to indefeasibly pay any amount required under subsection (a) or (b) of this Section to be paid by it to the Administrative Agent (or any sub-agent thereof), the L/C Issuer or any Related Party of any of the foregoing, each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent), the L/C Issuer or such Related Party, as the case may be, such Lender’s pro rata share (determined as of the time that the applicable unreimbursed expense or indemnity payment is sought based on each Lender’s share of the Total Credit Exposure at such time) of such unpaid amount (including any such unpaid amount in respect of a claim asserted by such Lender), such payment to be made severally among them based on such Lenders’ Applicable Percentage (determined as of the time that the applicable unreimbursed expense or indemnity payment is sought), provided, further that, the unreimbursed expense or indemnified loss, claim, damage, liability or related expense, as the case may be, was incurred by or asserted against the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent), or the L/C Issuer in its capacity as such, or against any Related Party of any of the foregoing acting for the Administrative Agent (or any such sub-agent), or the L/C Issuer in connection with such capacity. The obligations of the Lenders under this subsection (c) are subject to the provisions of Section 2.10(d).
(d) Waiver of Consequential Damages, Etc. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law, the Borrower shall not assert, and hereby waives, and acknowledges that no other Person shall have, any claim against any Indemnitee, on any theory of liability, for special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages) arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of, this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby, the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds thereof. No Indemnitee referred to in subsection (b) above shall be liable for any damages arising from the use by unintended recipients of any information or other materials distributed to such unintended recipients by such
100
Indemnitee through telecommunications, electronic or other information transmission systems in connection with this Agreement or the other Loan Documents or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby other than for direct or actual damages resulting from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee as determined by a final and nonappealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction.
(e) Payments. All amounts due under this Section shall be payable not later than ten Business Days after demand therefor.
(f) Survival. The agreements in this Section and the indemnity provisions of Section 10.02(e) shall survive the resignation of the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer, the replacement of any Lender, the termination of the Aggregate Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all the other Obligations under the Loan Documents.
10.05 Payments Set Aside. To the extent that any payment by or on behalf of the Borrower is made to the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or any Lender, or the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or any Lender exercises its right of setoff, and such payment or the proceeds of such setoff or any part thereof is subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside or required (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or such Lender in its discretion) to be repaid to a trustee, receiver or any other party, in connection with any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law or otherwise, then (a) to the extent of such recovery, the obligation or part thereof originally intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued in full force and effect as if such payment had not been made or such setoff had not occurred, and (b) each Lender and the L/C Issuer severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent upon demand its applicable share (without duplication) of any amount so recovered from or repaid by the Administrative Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date such payment is made at a rate per annum equal to the Federal Funds Rate from time to time in effect. The obligations of the Lenders and the L/C Issuer under clause (b) of the preceding sentence shall survive the payment in full of the Obligations under the Loan Documents and the termination of this Agreement.
10.06 Successors and Assigns.
(a) Successors and Assigns Generally. The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, except that the Borrower may not assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent and each Lender and no Lender may assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder except (i) to an assignee in accordance with the provisions of subsection (b) of this Section, (ii) by way of participation in accordance with the provisions of subsection (d) of this Section, or (iii) by way of pledge or assignment of a security interest subject to the restrictions of subsection (f) of this Section (and any other attempted assignment or transfer by any party hereto shall be null and void). Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any Person (other than the parties hereto, their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, Participants to the extent provided in subsection (d) of this Section and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Related Parties of each of the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and the Lenders) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.
101
(b) Assignments by Lenders. Any Lender may at any time assign to one or more assignees all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and the Loans (including for purposes of this subsection (b), participations in L/C Obligations) at the time owing to it); provided that any such assignment shall be subject to the following conditions:
(i) Minimum Amounts.
(A) in the case of an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender’s Commitment and/or the Loans at the time owing to it or contemporaneous assignments to related Approved Funds that equal at least the amount specified in paragraph (b)(i)(B) of this Section in the aggregate or in the case of an assignment to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund, no minimum amount need be assigned; and
(B) in any case not described in subsection (b)(i)(A) of this Section, the aggregate amount of the Commitment (which for this purpose includes Loans outstanding thereunder) or, if the Commitment is not then in effect, the principal outstanding balance of the Loans of the assigning Lender subject to each such assignment, determined as of the date the Assignment and Assumption with respect to such assignment is delivered to the Administrative Agent or, if “Trade Date” is specified in the Assignment and Assumption, as of the Trade Date, shall not be less than $5,000,000 unless each of the Administrative Agent and, so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Borrower otherwise consents (each such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed).
(ii) Proportionate Amounts. Each partial assignment shall be made as an assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement with respect to the Loans or the Commitment assigned,
(iii) Required Consents. No consent shall be required for any assignment except to the extent required by subsection (b)(i)(B) of this Section and, in addition:
(A) the consent of the Borrower (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required unless (1) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing at the time of such assignment or (2) such assignment is to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund; provided that the Borrower shall be deemed to have consented to any such assignment unless it shall object thereto by written notice to the Administrative Agent within five (5) Business Days after having received notice thereof;;
(B) the consent of the Administrative Agent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required if such assignment is to a Person that is not a Lender, an Affiliate of such Lender or an Approved Fund with respect to such Lender ; and
(C) the consent of the L/C Issuer (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) shall be required for any assignment.
102
(iv) Assignment and Assumption. The parties to each assignment (other than pursuant to Section 9.09) shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Assignment and Assumption, together with a processing and recordation fee in the amount of $3,500; provided, however, that the Administrative Agent may, in its sole discretion, elect to waive such processing and recordation fee in the case of any assignment. The assignee, if it is not a Lender, shall deliver to the Administrative Agent an Administrative Questionnaire.
(v) No Assignment to Certain Persons. No such assignment shall be made (A) to the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries (including, without limitation, any Xxxx Family Members), (B) to any Defaulting Lender or any of its Subsidiaries, or any Person who, upon becoming a Lender hereunder, would constitute any of the foregoing Persons described in this clause (B), or (C) to a natural Person.
(vi) Certain Additional Payments. In connection with any assignment of rights and obligations of any Defaulting Lender hereunder, no such assignment shall be effective unless and until, in addition to the other conditions thereto set forth herein, the parties to the assignment shall make such additional payments to the Administrative Agent in an aggregate amount sufficient, upon distribution thereof as appropriate (which may be outright payment, purchases by the assignee of participations or subparticipations, or other compensating actions, including funding, with the consent of the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, the applicable pro rata share of Loans previously requested but not funded by the Defaulting Lender, to each of which the applicable assignee and assignor hereby irrevocably consent), to (x) pay and satisfy in full all payment liabilities then owed by such Defaulting Lender to the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer or any Lender hereunder (and interest accrued thereon) and (y) acquire (and fund as appropriate) its full pro rata share of all Loans and participations in Letters of Credit in accordance with its Applicable Percentage. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that any assignment of rights and obligations of any Defaulting Lender hereunder shall become effective under applicable Law without compliance with the provisions of this paragraph, then the assignee of such interest shall be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender for all purposes of this Agreement until such compliance occurs.
Subject to acceptance and recording thereof by the Administrative Agent pursuant to subsection (c) of this Section, from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Assumption, the assignee thereunder shall be a party to this Agreement and, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, have the rights and obligations of a Lender under this Agreement, and the assigning Lender thereunder shall, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and Assumption covering all of the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto) but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of Sections 3.01, 3.04, 3.05, and 10.04 with respect to facts and circumstances occurring prior to the effective date of such assignment; provided, that except to the extent otherwise expressly agreed by the affected parties, no
103
assignment by a Defaulting Lender will constitute a waiver or release of any claim of any party hereunder arising from that Lender’s having been a Defaulting Lender. Upon request, the Borrower (at its expense) shall execute and deliver a Note to the assignee Lender. Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this subsection shall be treated for purposes of this Agreement as a sale by such Lender of a participation in such rights and obligations in accordance with subsection (d) of this Section.
(c) Register. The Administrative Agent, acting solely for this purpose as an agent of the Borrower (and such agency being solely for tax purposes), shall maintain at the Administrative Agent’s Office a copy of each Assignment and Assumption delivered to it (or the equivalent thereof in electronic form) and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders, and the Commitments of, and principal amounts (and stated interest) of the Loans and L/C Obligations owing to, each Lender pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the “Register”). The entries in the Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register pursuant to the terms hereof as a Lender hereunder for all purposes of this Agreement. The Register shall be available for inspection by the Borrower and any Lender, at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.
(d) Participations. Any Lender may at any time, without the consent of, or notice to, the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, sell participations to any Person (other than a natural Person, a Defaulting Lender or the Borrower or any of the Borrower’s Affiliates or Subsidiaries) (each, a “Participant”) in all or a portion of such Lender’s rights and/or obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and/or the Loans (including such Lender’s participations in L/C Obligations) owing to it); provided that (i) such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged, (ii) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations and (iii) the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, each Lender shall be responsible for the indemnity under Section 10.04(c) without regard to the existence of any participation.
Any agreement or instrument pursuant to which a Lender sells such a participation shall provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce this Agreement and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement; provided that such agreement or instrument may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment, waiver or other modification described in the first proviso to Section 10.01 that affects such Participant. The Borrower agrees that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 3.01, 3.04 and 3.05 (subject to the requirements and limitations therein, including the requirements under Section 3.01(e) (it being understood that the documentation required under Section 3.01(e) shall be delivered to the Lender who sells the participation)) to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section; provided that such Participant (A) agrees to be subject to the provisions of Sections 3.06 and 10.13 as if it were an assignee under paragraph (b) of this Section and (B) shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Sections 3.01 or 3.04, with respect to any participation, than the Lender from whom it acquired the
104
applicable participation would have been entitled to receive, except to the extent such entitlement to receive a greater payment results from a Change in Law that occurs after the Participant acquired the applicable participation. Each Lender that sells a participation agrees, at the Borrower’s request and expense, to use reasonable efforts to cooperate with the Borrower to effectuate the provisions of Sections 3.06 and 10.13 with respect to any Participant. To the extent permitted by law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 10.08 as though it were a Lender; provided that such Participant agrees to be subject to Section 2.10 as though it were a Lender. Each Lender that sells a participation shall, acting solely for this purpose as a nonfiduciary agent of the Borrower, maintain a register on which it enters the name and address of each Participant and the principal amounts (and stated interest) of each Participant’s interest in the Loans or other obligations under the Loan Documents (the “Participant Register”); provided that no Lender shall have any obligation to disclose all or any portion of the Participant Register (including the identity of any Participant or any information relating to a Participant’s interest in any commitments, loans, letters of credit or its other obligations under any Loan Document) to any Person except to the extent that such disclosure is necessary to establish that such commitment, loan, letter of credit or other obligation is in registered form under Section 5f.103-1(c) of the United States Treasury Regulations. The entries in the Participant Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and such Lender shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Participant Register as the owner of such participation for all purposes of this Agreement notwithstanding any notice to the contrary. For the avoidance of doubt, the Administrative Agent (in its capacity as Administrative Agent) shall have no responsibility for maintaining a Participant Register.
(e) Certain Pledges. Any Lender may at any time pledge or assign a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement (including under its Note, if any) to secure obligations of such Lender, including any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank; provided that no such pledge or assignment shall release such Lender from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender as a party hereto.
(f) Resignation as L/C Issuer after Assignment. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, if at any time Bank of America assigns all of its Commitment and Loans pursuant to subsection (b) above, Bank of America may, upon 30 days’ notice to the Borrower and the Lenders, resign as L/C Issuer. In the event of any such resignation as L/C Issuer, the Borrower shall be entitled to appoint from among the Lenders a successor L/C Issuer hereunder; provided, however, that no failure by the Borrower to appoint any such successor shall affect the resignation of Bank of America as L/C Issuer. If Bank of America resigns as L/C Issuer, it shall retain all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the L/C Issuer hereunder with respect to all Letters of Credit outstanding as of the effective date of its resignation as L/C Issuer and all L/C Obligations with respect thereto (including the right to require the Lenders to make Base Rate Loans or fund risk participations in Unreimbursed Amounts pursuant to Section 2.03(c)). Upon the appointment of a successor L/C Issuer, (a) such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring L/C Issuer, and (b) the successor L/C Issuer shall issue letters of credit in substitution for the Letters of Credit, if any, outstanding at the time of such succession or make other arrangements satisfactory to Bank of America to effectively assume the obligations of Bank of America with respect to such Letters of Credit.
105
10.07 Treatment of Certain Information; Confidentiality. Each of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the Information (as defined below), except that Information may be disclosed (a) to its Affiliates and to its Related Parties (it being understood that the Persons to whom such disclosure is made will be informed of the confidential nature of such Information and instructed to keep such Information confidential), (b) to the extent required or requested by any regulatory authority purporting to have jurisdiction over such Person or its Related Parties (including any self-regulatory authority, such as the National Association of Insurance Commissioners), (c) to the extent required by applicable Laws or regulations or by any subpoena or similar legal process, (d) to any other party hereto, (e) in connection with the exercise of any remedies hereunder or under any other Loan Document or any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the enforcement of rights hereunder or thereunder, (f) subject to an agreement containing provisions substantially the same as those of this Section, to (i) any assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective assignee of or Participant in, any of its rights and obligations under this Agreement or any Eligible Assignee invited to be a Lender pursuant to Section 2.14(c) or (ii) any actual or prospective party (or its Related Parties) to any swap, derivative or other transaction under which payments are to be made by reference to the Borrower and its obligations, this Agreement or payments hereunder, (g) on a confidential basis to (i) any rating agency in connection with rating the Borrower or its Subsidiaries or the credit facilities provided hereunder or (ii) the CUSIP Service Bureau or any similar agency in connection with the issuance and monitoring of CUSIP numbers or other market identifiers with respect to the credit facilities provided hereunder, (h) with the consent of the Borrower or (i) to the extent such Information (x) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section or (y) becomes available to the Administrative Agent, any Lender, the L/C Issuer or any of their respective Affiliates on a nonconfidential basis from a source other than the Borrower. For purposes of this Section, “Information” means all information received from the Borrower or any Subsidiary relating to the Borrower or any Subsidiary or any of their respective businesses, other than any such information that is available to the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the L/C Issuer on a nonconfidential basis prior to disclosure by the Borrower or any Subsidiary, provided that, in the case of information received from the General Partner, the Borrower or any Subsidiary after the date hereof, such information is not designated as “Public Side Information” or is clearly identified at the time of delivery as confidential. Any Person required to maintain the confidentiality of Information as provided in this Section shall be considered to have complied with its obligation to do so if such Person has exercised the same degree of care to maintain the confidentiality of such Information as such Person would accord to its own confidential information.
Each of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer acknowledges that (a) the Information may include material non-public information concerning the Borrower or a Subsidiary, as the case may be, (b) it has developed compliance procedures regarding the use of material non-public information and (c) it will handle such material non-public information in accordance with applicable Law, including United States federal and state securities Laws.
10.08 Right of Setoff. If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, each Lender, the L/C Issuer and each of their respective Affiliates is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law, to set off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final, in whatever
106
currency) at any time held and other obligations (in whatever currency) at any time owing by such Lender, the L/C Issuer or any such Affiliate to or for the credit or the account of the Borrower against any and all of the obligations of the Borrower now or hereafter existing under this Agreement or any other Loan Document to such Lender or the L/C Issuer or their respective Affiliates, irrespective of whether or not such Lender, L/C Issuer or Affiliate shall have made any demand under this Agreement or any other Loan Document and although such obligations of the Borrower may be contingent or unmatured or are owed to a branch, office or Affiliate of such Lender or the L/C Issuer different from the branch, office or Affiliate holding such deposit or obligated on such indebtedness; provided, that in the event that any Defaulting Lender shall exercise any such right of setoff, (x) all amounts so set off shall be paid over immediately to the Administrative Agent for further application in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.13 and, pending such payment, shall be segregated by such Defaulting Lender from its other funds and deemed held in trust for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and the Lenders, and (y) the Defaulting Lender shall provide promptly to the Administrative Agent a statement describing in reasonable detail the Obligations owing to such Defaulting Lender as to which it exercised such right of setoff. The rights of each Lender, the L/C Issuer and their respective Affiliates under this Section are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff) that such Lender, the L/C Issuer or their respective Affiliates may have. Each Lender and the L/C Issuer agrees to notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent promptly after any such setoff and application, provided that the failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such setoff and application.
10.09 Interest Rate Limitation. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in any Loan Document, the interest paid or agreed to be paid under the Loan Documents shall not exceed the maximum rate of non-usurious interest permitted by applicable Law (the “Maximum Rate”). If the Administrative Agent or any Lender shall receive interest in an amount that exceeds the Maximum Rate, the excess interest shall be applied to the principal of the Loans or, if it exceeds such unpaid principal, refunded to the Borrower. In determining whether the interest contracted for, charged, or received by the Administrative Agent or a Lender exceeds the Maximum Rate, such Person may, to the extent permitted by applicable Law, (a) characterize any payment that is not principal as an expense, fee, or premium rather than interest, (b) exclude voluntary prepayments and the effects thereof, and (c) amortize, prorate, allocate, and spread in equal or unequal parts the total amount of interest throughout the contemplated term of the Obligations under the Loan Documents.
10.10 Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto in different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. This Agreement, the other Loan Documents, and any separate letter agreements with respect to fees payable to the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer, constitute the entire contract among the parties relating to the subject matter hereof and supersede any and all previous agreements and understandings, oral or written, relating to the subject matter hereof. Except as provided in Section 4.01, this Agreement shall become effective when it shall have been executed by the Administrative Agent and when the Administrative Agent shall have received counterparts hereof that, when taken together, bear the signatures of each of the other parties hereto. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Agreement by facsimile or other electronic imaging means (e.g. “pdf” or “tif”) shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement.
107
10.11 Survival of Representations and Warranties. All representations and warranties made hereunder and in any other Loan Document or other document delivered pursuant hereto or thereto or in connection herewith or therewith shall survive the execution and delivery hereof and thereof. Such representations and warranties have been or will be relied upon by the Administrative Agent and each Lender, regardless of any investigation made by the Administrative Agent or any Lender or on their behalf and notwithstanding that the Administrative Agent or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of any Default at the time of any Credit Extension, and shall continue in full force and effect as long as any Loan or any other Obligation under the Loan Documents shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied or any Letter of Credit shall remain outstanding.
10.12 Severability. If any provision of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents is held to be illegal, invalid or unenforceable, (a) the legality, validity and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall not be affected or impaired thereby and (b) the parties shall endeavor in good faith negotiations to replace the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the illegal, invalid or unenforceable provisions. The invalidity of a provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction. Without limiting the foregoing provisions of this Section 10.12, if and to the extent that the enforceability of any provisions in this Agreement relating to Defaulting Lenders shall be limited by Debtor Relief Laws, as determined in good faith by the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer, then such provisions shall be deemed to be in effect only to the extent not so limited.
10.13 Replacement of Lenders. If the Borrower is entitled to replace a Lender pursuant to the provisions of Section 3.06, or if any Lender is a Defaulting Lender or a Non-Consenting Lender, then the Borrower may, at its sole expense and effort, upon notice to such Lender and the Administrative Agent, require such Lender to assign and delegate, without recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in, and consents required by, Section 10.06), all of its interests, rights (other than its existing rights to payments pursuant to Sections 3.01 and 3.04) and obligations under this Agreement and the related Loan Documents to an Eligible Assignee that shall assume such obligations (which assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment), provided that:
(a) the Borrower shall have paid to the Administrative Agent the assignment fee (if any) specified in Section 10.06(b);
(b) such Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal to the outstanding principal of its Loans and L/C Advances, accrued interest thereon, accrued fees and all other amounts payable to it hereunder and under the other Loan Documents (including any amounts under Section 3.05) from the assignee (to the extent of such outstanding principal and accrued interest and fees) or the Borrower (in the case of all other amounts);
108
(c) in the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under Section 3.04 or payments required to be made pursuant to Section 3.01, such assignment will result in a reduction in such compensation or payments thereafter;
(d) such assignment does not conflict with applicable Laws; and
(e) in the case of an assignment resulting from a Lender becoming a Non-Consenting Lender, the applicable assignee shall have consented to the applicable amendment, waiver or consent.
(f) A Lender shall not be required to make any such assignment or delegation if, prior thereto, as a result of a waiver by such Lender or otherwise, the circumstances entitling the Borrower to require such assignment and delegation cease to apply.
10.14 Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Etc.
(a) GOVERNING LAW. This Agreement and the other Loan Documents and any claims, controversy, dispute or cause of action (whether in contract or tort or otherwise) based upon, arising out of or relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document (except, as to any other Loan Document, as expressly set forth therein) and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the law of the State of New York.
(b) SUBMISSION TO JURISDICTION. THE BORROWER IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY agrees that it will not commence any action, litigation or proceeding of any kind or description, whether in law or equity, whether in contract or in tort or otherwise, against the Administrative Agent, any Lender, the L/C Issuer, or any Related Party of the foregoing in any way relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the transactions relating hereto or thereto, in any forum other than XXX XXXXXX XX XXX XXXXX XX XXX XXXX SITTING IN NEW YORK COUNTY AND OF THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT OF THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK, AND ANY APPELLATE COURT FROM ANY THEREOF, AND EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY SUBMITS TO THE JURISDICTION OF SUCH COURTS AND AGREES THAT ALL CLAIMS IN RESPECT OF ANY SUCH ACTION, LITIGATION OR PROCEEDING MAY BE HEARD AND DETERMINED IN SUCH NEW YORK STATE COURT OR, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, IN SUCH FEDERAL COURT. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO AGREES THAT A FINAL JUDGMENT IN ANY SUCH ACTION, LITIGATION OR PROCEEDING SHALL BE CONCLUSIVE AND MAY BE ENFORCED IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS BY SUIT ON THE JUDGMENT OR IN ANY OTHER MANNER PROVIDED BY LAW. NOTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT OR IN ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT SHALL AFFECT ANY RIGHT THAT THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, ANY LENDER OR THE L/C ISSUER MAY OTHERWISE HAVE TO BRING ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT AGAINST THE BORROWER OR ITS PROPERTIES IN THE COURTS OF ANY JURISDICTION.
109
(c) WAIVER OF VENUE. THE BORROWER IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY OBJECTION THAT IT MAY NOW OR HEREAFTER HAVE TO THE LAYING OF VENUE OF ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT IN ANY COURT REFERRED TO IN PARAGRAPH (B) OF THIS SECTION. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, THE DEFENSE OF AN INCONVENIENT FORUM TO THE MAINTENANCE OF SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING IN ANY SUCH COURT.
(d) SERVICE OF PROCESS. EACH PARTY HERETO IRREVOCABLY CONSENTS TO SERVICE OF PROCESS IN THE MANNER PROVIDED FOR NOTICES IN SECTION 10.02. NOTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT WILL AFFECT THE RIGHT OF ANY PARTY HERETO TO SERVE PROCESS IN ANY OTHER MANNER PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW.
10.15 Waiver of Jury Trial. EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY). EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PERSON HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PERSON WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION.
10.16 No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility. In connection with all aspects of each transaction contemplated hereby (including in connection with any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or of any other Loan Document), the Borrower acknowledges and agrees, and acknowledges its Affiliates’ understanding, that: (i) (A) the arranging and other services regarding this Agreement provided by the Administrative Agent, the Arranger, and the Lenders are arm’s-length commercial transactions between the Borrower and its Affiliates, on the one hand, and the Administrative Agent, the Arranger, and the Lenders, on the other hand, (B) the Borrower has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it has deemed appropriate, and (C) the Borrower is capable of evaluating, and understands and accepts, the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated hereby and by the other Loan Documents; (ii) (A) the Administrative Agent, the Arranger and each Lender is and has been acting solely as a principal and, except as expressly agreed in writing by the relevant parties, has not been, is not, and will not be acting as an advisor, agent or fiduciary for the Borrower or any of its Affiliates, or any other Person and (B) neither the Administrative Agent, the Arranger nor any Lender has any obligation to the Borrower or any of its Affiliates with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby except those obligations expressly set forth
110
herein and in the other Loan Documents; and (iii) the Administrative Agent, the Arranger and the Lenders and their respective Affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Borrower and its Affiliates, and neither the Administrative Agent, the Arranger, nor any Lender has any obligation to disclose any of such interests to the Borrower or its Affiliates. To the fullest extent permitted by Law, the Borrower hereby waives and releases any claims that it may have against the Administrative Agent, the Arranger or any Lender with respect to any breach or alleged breach of agency or fiduciary duty in connection with any aspect of any transaction contemplated hereby.
10.17 Electronic Execution of Assignments and Certain Other Documents. The words “execute,” “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” and words of like import in or related to any document to be signed in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby (including without limitation Assignment and Assumptions, amendments or other modifications, Loan Notices, waivers and consents) shall be deemed to include electronic signatures, the electronic matching of assignment terms and contract formations on electronic platforms approved by the Administrative Agent, or the keeping of records in electronic form, each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be, to the extent and as provided for in any applicable law, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act, or any other similar state laws based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act; provided that notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary the Administrative Agent is under no obligation to agree to accept electronic signatures in any form or in any format unless expressly agreed to by the Administrative Agent pursuant to procedures approved by it.
10.18 USA PATRIOT Act. Each Lender that is subject to the Act (as hereinafter defined) and the Administrative Agent (for itself and not on behalf of any Lender) hereby notifies the Borrower that pursuant to the requirements of the USA PATRIOT Act it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies the Borrower, which information includes the name and address of the Borrower and other information that will allow such Lender or the Administrative Agent, as applicable, to identify the Borrower in accordance with the Act. The Borrower shall, promptly following a request by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, provide all documentation and other information that the Administrative Agent or such Lender requests in order to comply with its ongoing obligations under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including the Act.
10.19 ENTIRE AGREEMENT. THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS REPRESENT THE FINAL AGREEMENT AMONG THE PARTIES AND MAY NOT BE CONTRADICTED BY EVIDENCE OF PRIOR, CONTEMPORANEOUS, OR SUBSEQUENT ORAL AGREEMENTS OF THE PARTIES. THERE ARE NO UNWRITTEN ORAL AGREEMENTS AMONG THE PARTIES.
111
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first above written.
InfraREIT Partners, LP | ||||
By: | InfraREIT, L.L.C., general partner | |||
By: | /s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxxx | |||
Name: | Xxxxx Xxxxxxx | |||
Title: | Senior Vice President and Chief | |||
Financial Officer |
BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as | ||
Administrative Agent | ||
By: | /s/ Xxxxxx Xxx | |
Name: | Xxxxxx Xxx | |
Title: | Vice President |
BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., as a Lender and L/C Issuer | ||
By: | /s/ Xxxxx Xxxxx | |
Name: | Xxxxx Xxxxx | |
Title: | Vice President |
CITIBANK, N.A. | ||||
as a Lender | ||||
By: | /s/ Xxxxxx Xxx | |||
Name: | Xxxxxx Xxx | |||
Title: | Vice President |
XXXXXX XXXXXXX BANK, N.A., | ||||
as a Lender | ||||
By: | /s/ Xxxxxxx Xxxx | |||
Name: | Xxxxxxx Xxxx | |||
Title: | Authorized Signatory |
UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH, | ||||
as a Lender | ||||
By: | /s/ Xxxx Xxxxx | |||
Name: | Xxxx Xxxxx | |||
Title: | Director | |||
By: | /s/ Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx | |||
Name: | Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx | |||
Title: | Associate Director |
ROYAL BANK OF CANADA, | ||||
as a Lender | ||||
By: | /s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx | |||
Name: | Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx | |||
Title: | Authorized Signatory |
CANADIAN IMPERIAL BANK OF COMMERCE, NEW YORK BRANCH, as a Lender | ||||
By: | /s/ Xxxx Xxxxxxx | |||
Name: | Xxxx Xxxxxxx | |||
Title: | Authorized Signatory | |||
By: | /s/ Xxxxxx Xxxxx | |||
Name: | Xxxxxx Xxxxx | |||
Title: | Authorized Signatory |
MIZUHO BANK, LTD | ||||
as a Lender | ||||
By: | /s/ Xxxx Mo | |||
Name: | Xxxx Mo | |||
Title: | Authorized Signatory |
SOCIETE GENERALE, | ||||
as a Lender | ||||
By: | /s/ Xxx Xxxx | |||
Name: | Xxx Xxxx | |||
Title: | Director |
XXXXX FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION | ||||
as a Lender | ||||
By: | /s/ Xxxx Xxxxxxxx | |||
Name: | Xxxx Xxxxxxxx | |||
Title: | Director |
SCHEDULE 2.01
COMMITMENTS
AND APPLICABLE PERCENTAGES
Lender |
Commitment | Applicable Percentage |
||||||
BANK OF AMERICA, N.A |
$ | 15,000,000.00 | 20.000000000 | % | ||||
CITIBANK, N.A |
$ | 15,000,000.00 | 20.000000000 | % | ||||
XXXXXX XXXXXXX BANK, N.A. |
$ | 10,000,000.00 | 13.333333333 | % | ||||
UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH |
$ | 8,000,000.00 | 10.000000000 | % | ||||
ROYAL BANK OF CANADA |
$ | 7,000,000.00 | 9.000000000 | % | ||||
CANADIAN IMPERIAL BANK OF COMMERCE, NEW YORK BRANCH |
$ | 5,000,000.00 | 6.000000000 | % | ||||
MIZUHO BANK, LTD |
$ | 5,000,000.00 | 6.666666667 | % | ||||
SOCIETE GENERALE |
$ | 5,000,000.00 | 6.666666667 | % | ||||
XXXXX FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION |
$ | 5,000,000.00 | 6.666666667 | % | ||||
Total |
$ | 75,000,000.00 | 100.000000000 | % |