EXHIBIT 99.3
[FORM OF EXCHANGE AGENT AGREEMENT]
As of ______, 1998
The Bank of New York
Corporate Trust Trustee Administration
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Covad Communications Group, Inc. (the "Company") proposes to make an offer
(the "Exchange Offer") to exchange its 13 1/2% Senior Discount Notes due 2008,
Series A (the "Old Securities") for its 13 1/2% Senior Discount Notes due 2008,
Series B (the "New Securities"). The terms and conditions of the Exchange Offer
as currently contemplated are set forth in a prospectus, dated _______, 1998
(the "Prospectus"), proposed to be distributed to all record holders of the Old
Securities.
The Company hereby appoints The Bank of New York to act as exchange agent
(the "Exchange Agent") in connection with the Exchange Offer. References
hereinafter to "you" shall refer to The Bank of New York.
The Exchange Offer is expected to be commenced by the Company on or
promptly after _______, 1998. The Letter of Transmittal accompanying the
Prospectus (the "Letter of Transmittal") or, in the case of book-entry transfer
of the Old Securities into your account at The Depository Trust Company ("DTC"),
DTC's Automated Tender Offer Program, is to be used by the holders of the Old
Securities to accept the Exchange Offer. The Letter of Transmittal contains
instructions with respect to the delivery of certificates for Old Securities
tendered in connection with the Exchange Offer.
The Exchange Offer shall expire at 5:00 P.M., New York City time, on the
date specified in the Prospectus or on such later date or time to which the
Company may extend the Exchange Offer (the "Expiration Date"). Subject to the
terms and conditions set forth in the Prospectus, the Company expressly reserves
the right to extend the Exchange Offer from time to time and may extend the
Exchange Offer by giving oral (confirmed in writing) or written notice to you
before 9:00 A.M., New York City time, on the business day following the
previously scheduled Expiration Date.
The Company expressly reserves the right to amend or terminate the Exchange
Offer, and not to accept for exchange any Old Securities not theretofore
accepted for exchange, upon the occurrence of any of the conditions of the
Exchange Offer specified in the Prospectus under the caption "The Exchange
Offer--Conditions." The Company will give oral (confirmed in writing) or written
notice of any amendment, termination or nonacceptance to you as promptly as
practicable.
In carrying out your duties as Exchange Agent, you are to act in accordance
with the following instructions:
1. You will perform such duties and only such duties as are specifically
set forth in the section of the Prospectus captioned "The Exchange Offer", or as
specifically set forth herein; provided, however, that in no way will your
general duty to act in good faith be discharged by the foregoing.
2. You will establish an account with respect to the Old Securities at
DTC for purposes of the Exchange Offer within two business days after the date
of the Prospectus, and any financial institution that is a participant in DTC's
systems may make book-entry delivery of the Old Securities by causing DTC to
transfer such Old Securities into your account in accordance with DTC's
Automated Tender Offer Program procedures for such transfer.
3. You are to examine each of the Letters of Transmittal and certificates
for Old Securities and any other documents delivered or mailed to you by or for
holders of the Old Securities to ascertain whether: (i) the Letters of
Transmittal and any such other documents are duly executed and properly
completed in accordance with instructions set forth therein and (ii) the Old
Securities have otherwise been properly tendered. In each case where the Letter
of Transmittal or any other document has been improperly completed or executed
or any of the certificates for Old Securities are not in proper form for
transfer or some other irregularity in connection with the acceptance of the
Exchange Offer exists, you will endeavor to inform the presenters of the need
for fulfillment of all requirements and to take any other action as may be
necessary or advisable to cause such irregularity to be corrected.
4. With the approval of the President or any Vice President of the
Company (such approval, if given orally, to be confirmed in writing) or any
other party designated by such an officer in writing, you are authorized to
waive any irregularities in connection with any tender of Old Securities
pursuant to the Exchange Offer.
5. Tenders of Old Securities may be made only as set forth in the Letter
of Transmittal and in the section of the Prospectus captioned "The Exchange
Offer", and Old Securities shall be considered properly tendered to you only
when tendered in accordance with the procedures set forth therein.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph 5, Old Securities which
the President or any Vice President of the Company shall approve as having been
properly tendered shall be considered to be properly tendered (such approval, if
given orally, shall be confirmed in writing).
6. You shall advise the Company with respect to any Old Securities
received subsequent to the Expiration Date and accept its instructions with
respect to disposition of such Old Securities.
7. You shall accept tenders:
(a) in cases where the Old Securities are registered in two or more
names only if signed by all named holders;
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(b) in cases where the signing person (as indicated on the Letter of
Transmittal) is acting in a fiduciary or a representative capacity only when
proper evidence of his or her authority so to act is submitted; and
(c) from persons other than the registered holder of Old Securities;
provided, that customary transfer requirements, including any applicable
transfer taxes, are fulfilled.
You shall accept partial tenders of Old Securities where so indicated and
as permitted in the Letter of Transmittal and deliver certificates for Old
Securities to the transfer agent for split-up and return any untendered Old
Securities to the holder (or such other person as may be designated in the
Letter of Transmittal) as promptly as practicable after expiration or
termination of the Exchange Offer.
8. Upon satisfaction or waiver of all of the conditions to the Exchange
Offer, the Company will notify you (such notice if given orally, to be confirmed
in writing) of its acceptance, promptly after the Expiration Date, of all Old
Securities properly tendered and you, on behalf of the Company, will exchange
such Old Securities for New Securities and cause such Old Securities to be
canceled. Delivery of New Securities will be made on behalf of the Company by
you at the rate of $1,000 principal amount at maturity of New Securities for
each $1,000 principal amount at maturity of the corresponding series of Old
Securities tendered promptly after notice (such notice if given orally, to be
confirmed in writing) of acceptance of said Old Securities by the Company;
provided, however, that in all cases, Old Securities tendered pursuant to the
Exchange Offer will be exchanged only after timely receipt by you of
certificates for such Old Securities and a properly completed and duly executed
Letter of Transmittal (or facsimile thereof) with any required signature
guarantees and any other required documents, or confirmations from DTC of book-
entry transfers of such Old Securities into your account at DTC, as the case may
be. You shall issue New Securities only in denominations of $1,000 or any
integral multiple thereof.
9. Tenders pursuant to the Exchange Offer are irrevocable, except that,
subject to the terms and upon the conditions set forth in the Prospectus and the
Letter of Transmittal, Old Securities tendered pursuant to the Exchange Offer
may be withdrawn at any time prior to the Expiration Date.
10. The Company shall not be required to exchange any Old Securities
tendered if any of the conditions set forth in the Exchange Offer are not met.
Notice of any decision by the Company not to exchange any Old Securities
tendered shall be given (and confirmed in writing) by the Company to you.
11. If, pursuant to the Exchange Offer, the Company does not accept for
exchange all or part of the Old Securities tendered because of an invalid
tender, the occurrence of certain other events set forth in the Prospectus under
the caption "The Exchange Offer--Conditions" or otherwise, you shall as soon as
practicable after the expiration or termination of the Exchange Offer return
those certificates for unaccepted Old Securities, together with any related
required documents and the
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Letters of Transmittal relating thereto that are in your possession, to the
persons who deposited them, or effect appropriate book-entry transfer, as the
case may be.
12. All certificates for reissued or unaccepted Old Securities or for New
Securities shall be forwarded by (a) first-class certified mail, return receipt
requested under a blanket surety bond protecting you and the Company from loss
or liability arising out of the non-receipt or non-delivery of such certificates
or (b) by registered mail insured separately for the replacement value of each
of such certificates.
13. You are not authorized to pay or offer to pay any concessions,
commissions or solicitation fees to any broker, dealer, bank or other person or
to engage or utilize any person to solicit tenders.
14. As Exchange Agent hereunder you:
(a) shall have no duties or obligations other than those specifically
set forth herein or as may be subsequently agreed in writing by you and the
Company;
(b) will be regarded as making no representations and having no
responsibilities as to the validity, sufficiency, value or genuineness of any of
the certificates or the Old Securities represented thereby deposited with you
pursuant to the Exchange Offer, and will not be required to and will make no
representation as to the validity, value or genuineness of the Exchange Offer;
(c) shall not be obligated to take any legal action hereunder which
might in your reasonable judgment involve any expense or liability, unless you
shall have been furnished with reasonable indemnity;
(d) may reasonably rely on and shall be protected in acting in
reliance upon any certificate, instrument, opinion, notice, letter, telegram or
other document or security delivered to you and reasonably believed by you to be
genuine and to have been signed by the proper party or parties;
(e) may reasonably act upon any tender, statement, request, comment,
agreement or other instrument whatsoever not only as to its due execution and
validity and effectiveness of its provisions, but also as to the truth and
accuracy of any information contained therein, which you shall in good faith
believe to be genuine or to have been signed or represented by a proper person
or persons;
(f) may rely on and shall be protected in acting upon written or oral
instructions from any officer of the Company;
(g) may consult with your counsel with respect to any questions
relating to your duties and responsibilities and the advice or opinion of such
counsel shall be full and complete
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authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted
to be taken by you hereunder in good faith and in accordance with the advice or
opinion of such counsel; and
(h) shall not advise any person tendering Old Securities pursuant to
the Exchange Offer as to the wisdom of making such tender or as to the market
value or decline or appreciation in market, value of any Old Securities.
15. You shall take such action as may from time to time be requested by
the Company or its counsel (and such other action as you may reasonably deem
appropriate) to furnish copies of the Prospectus, the Letter of Transmittal and
the Notice of Guaranteed Delivery (as defined in the Prospectus) or such other
forms as may be approved from time to time by the Company, to all persons
requesting such documents and to accept and comply with telephone requests for
information relating to the Exchange Offer; provided, that such information
shall relate only to the procedures for accepting (or withdrawing from) the
Exchange Offer. The Company will furnish you with copies of such documents at
your request. All other requests for information relating to the Exchange Offer
shall be directed to the Company, Attention: Chief Financial Officer.
16. You shall advise by facsimile transmission or telephone, and promptly
thereafter confirm in writing to the Chief Financial Officer of the Company and
such other person or persons as it may request, daily (and more frequently
during the week immediately preceding the Expiration Date and if otherwise
requested) up to and including the Expiration Date, as to the number of Old
Securities which have been tendered pursuant to the Exchange Offer and the items
received by you pursuant to this Agreement, separately reporting and giving
cumulative totals as to items properly received and items improperly received.
In addition, you will also inform, and cooperate in making available to, the
Company or any such other persons, upon oral request made from time to time
prior to the Expiration Date, such other information as such other persons
reasonably request. Such cooperation shall include, without limitation, the
grant by you to the Company, and such persons as the Company may request, of
access to those persons on your staff who are responsible for receiving tenders,
in order to ensure that immediately prior to the Expiration Date the Company
shall have received information in sufficient detail to enable it to decide
whether to extend the Exchange Offer. You shall prepare a final list of all
persons whose tenders were accepted, the aggregate principal amount at maturity
of Old Securities tendered and the aggregate principal amount at maturity of Old
Securities accepted and deliver said list to the Company.
17. Letters of Transmittal and Notices of Guaranteed Delivery shall be
stamped by you as to the date and the time of receipt thereof and shall be
preserved by you for a period of time at least equal to the period of time you
preserve other records pertaining to the transfer of securities. You shall
dispose of unused Letters of Transmittal and other surplus materials by
returning them to the Company.
18. You hereby expressly waive any lien, encumbrance or right of set-off
whatsoever that you may have with respect to funds deposited with you for the
payment of transfer taxes by reason of amounts, if any, borrowed by the Company,
or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates pursuant to any loan or credit
agreement with you or for compensation owed to you hereunder.
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19. For services rendered as Exchange Agent hereunder, you shall be
entitled to such compensation as set forth on Schedule I attached hereto.
20. You hereby acknowledge receipt of the Prospectus and the Letter of
Transmittal and further acknowledge that you have examined each of them. Any
inconsistency between this Agreement, on the one hand, and the Prospectus and
the Letter of Transmittal (as they may be amended from time to time), on the
other hand, shall be resolved in favor of the latter two documents, except with
respect to the duties, liabilities and indemnification of you as Exchange Agent,
which shall be controlled by this Agreement.
21. The Company covenants and agrees to indemnify and hold you harmless in
your capacity as Exchange Agent hereunder against any loss, liability, cost or
expense, including reasonable attorneys' fees and expenses, arising out of or in
connection with any act, omission, delay or refusal made by you in reliance upon
any signature, endorsement, assignment, certificate, order, request, notice,
instruction or other instrument or document reasonably believed by you to be
valid, genuine and sufficient and in accepting any tender or effecting any
transfer of Old Securities reasonably believed by you in good faith to be
authorized, and in delaying or refusing in good faith to accept any tenders or
effect any transfer of Old Securities; provided, however, that the Company shall
not be liable for indemnification or otherwise for any loss, liability, cost or
expense to the extent arising out of your gross negligence or willful
misconduct. In no case shall the Company be liable under this indemnity with
respect to any claim against you unless the Company shall be notified by you, by
letter or by facsimile confirmed by letter, of the written assertion of a claim
against you or of any other action commenced against you, promptly after you
shall have received any such written assertion or notice of commencement of
action. The Company shall be entitled to participate at its own expense in the
defense of any such claim or other action, and, if the Company so elects, the
Company shall assume the defense of any suit brought to enforce any such claim.
In the event that the Company shall assume the defense of any such suit, the
Company shall not be liable for the fees and expenses of any additional counsel
thereafter retained by you so long as the Company shall retain counsel
satisfactory to you to defend such suit.
22. You shall arrange to comply with all requirements under the tax laws
of the United States, including those relating to missing Tax Identification
Numbers, and shall file any appropriate reports with the Internal Revenue
Service. The Company understands that you are required to deduct 31% on payments
to holders who have not supplied their correct Taxpayer Identification Number or
required certification. Such funds will be turned over to the Internal Revenue
Service in accordance with applicable regulations.
23. You shall deliver or cause to be delivered, in a timely manner to each
governmental authority to which any transfer taxes are payable in respect of the
exchange of Old Securities, your check in the amount of all transfer taxes so
payable, and the Company shall reimburse you for the amount of any and all
transfer taxes payable in respect of the exchange of Old Securities; provided,
however, that you shall reimburse the Company for amounts refunded to you in
respect of your payment of any such transfer taxes, at such time as such refund
is received by you.
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24. This Agreement and your appointment as Exchange Agent hereunder shall
be construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of New York
applicable to agreements made and to be performed entirely within such state,
and without regard to conflicts of law principles, and shall inure to the
benefit of, and the obligations created hereby shall be binding upon, the
successors and assigns of each of the parties hereto.
25. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of
which shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall
constitute one and the same agreement.
26. In case any provision of this Agreement shall be invalid, illegal or
unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining
provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.
27. This Agreement shall not be deemed or construed to be modified,
amended, rescinded, canceled or waived, in whole or in part, except by a written
instrument signed by a duly authorized representative of the party to be
charged. This Agreement may not be modified orally.
28. Unless otherwise provided herein, all notices, requests and other
communications to any party hereunder shall be in writing (including facsimile
or similar writing) and shall be given to such party, addressed to it, at its
address or telecopy number set forth below:
If to the Company:
Covad Communications Group
0000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000
Facsimile: (000) 000-0000
Attention: Chief Financial Officer
If to the Exchange Agent:
The Bank of New York
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxx 00 Xxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Facsimile: (212) 815-
Attention: Corporate Trust Trustee Administration
29. Unless terminated earlier by the parties hereto, this Agreement shall
terminate 90 days following the Expiration Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
paragraphs 19, 21 and 23 shall survive the termination of this Agreement. Upon
any termination of this Agreement, you shall
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promptly deliver to the Company any certificates for Old Securities and New
Securities, funds or property then held by you as Exchange Agent under this
Agreement.
30. This Agreement shall be binding and effective as of the date hereof.
[Remainder of page intentionally left blank.]
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Please acknowledge receipt of this Agreement and confirm the arrangements
herein provided by signing and returning the enclosed copy.
COVAD COMMUNICATIONS GROUP, INC.
By:_________________________________
Name:
Title:
Accepted as of the date
first above written:
THE BANK OF NEW YORK,
as Exchange Agent
By: ___________________________
Name:
Title:
SCHEDULE I
FEES
