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_____________ SHARES
EPRISE CORPORATION
COMMON STOCK
($.001 Par Value)
EQUITY UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
_________ __, 0000
Xxxxxxxx Bank Securities Inc.
Xxxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx, a division of Xxxx Xxxxxxxx Incorporated SoundView
Technology Group, Inc.
As Representatives of the Several Underwriters
c/o Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.
Xxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx, XX 00000
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Eprise Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), proposes to
sell to the several underwriters (the "Underwriters") named in SCHEDULE I hereto
for whom you are acting as representatives (the "Representatives") an aggregate
of _________ shares of the Company's Common Stock, $.001 par value (the "Firm
Shares"). The respective amounts of the Firm Shares to be so purchased by the
several Underwriters are set forth opposite their names in SCHEDULE I hereto.
The Company also proposes to sell, at the Underwriters' option, up to _________
additional shares of the Company's Common Stock (the "Option Shares") as set
forth below.
As the Representatives, you have advised the Company (a) that you are
authorized to enter into this Agreement on behalf of the several Underwriters,
and (b) that the several Underwriters are willing, acting severally and not
jointly, to purchase the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite their
respective names in SCHEDULE I, plus their pro rata portion of the Option
Shares, if you elect to exercise the over-allotment option in whole or in part
for the accounts of the several Underwriters. The Firm Shares and the Option
Shares (to the extent the aforementioned option is exercised) are herein
collectively called the "Shares."
Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. ("DBSI") has agreed to reserve up to
___________ of the Shares to be purchased by it under this Agreement for sale to
the Company's directors, officers, employees and business associates and other
parties related to the Company (collectively, "Participants"), as set forth in
the Prospectus under the heading "Underwriting" (the "Directed
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Share Program"). The Shares to be sold by DBSI and its affiliates pursuant to
the Directed Share Program are referred to hereinafter as the "Directed Shares."
Any Directed Shares not orally confirmed for purchase by any Participants by the
end of the business day on which this Agreement is executed will be offered to
the public by the Underwriters as set forth in the Prospectus.
In consideration of the mutual agreements contained herein and of the
interests of the parties in the transactions contemplated hereby, the parties
hereto agree as follows:
1. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY.
The Company represents and warrants to each of the Underwriters as follows.
The representations, warranties and covenants of the Company contained herein
shall be deemed to apply to each of the subsidiaries of the Company unless
otherwise required by the context.
(a) A registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 33-94777) with
respect to the Shares has been prepared by the Company in conformity with the
requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), and the
Rules and Regulations (the "Rules and Regulations") of the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the "Commission") thereunder and has been filed with the
Commission. Copies of such registration statement, including any amendments
thereto, the preliminary prospectuses (meeting the requirements of the Rules and
Regulations) contained therein and the exhibits, financial statements and
schedules, as finally amended and revised, have heretofore been delivered by the
Company to you. Such registration statement, together with any registration
statement filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the Act, herein
referred to as the "Registration Statement," which shall be deemed to include
all information omitted therefrom in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in
the Prospectus referred to below, has become effective under the Act, and no
post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed as of the
date of this Agreement. "Prospectus" means the form of prospectus first filed
with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b). Each preliminary prospectus
included in the Registration Statement prior to the time it becomes effective is
herein referred to as a "Preliminary Prospectus." Any reference herein to any
Prospectus shall be deemed to include any supplements or amendments thereto
filed with the Commission after the date of filing of the Prospectus under Rules
424(b) or 430A, and prior to the termination of the offering of the Shares by
the Underwriters. For purposes of this Agreement, all references to the
Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, or any
amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing, shall be deemed to include all
printed copies thereof and the copies filed with the Commission pursuant to the
Commission's "XXXXX" system.
(b) The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a
corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, with
corporate power and authority to own or lease its properties and conduct its
business as described in the Registration Statement. The Company is duly
qualified to transact business in all jurisdictions in which the conduct of its
business requires such qualification, except where the failure to so qualify or
be in good standing would not result in a material adverse effect on the
earnings, business, management, properties, assets, rights, operations,
condition (financial or otherwise), or prospects of the Company and its
subsidiaries taken as a whole, or a material adverse effect on
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the ability of the Company to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby (a
"Material Adverse Effect").
(c) The Company has full legal right, power and authority to enter
into this Agreement and perform the transactions contemplated hereby. This
Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and is
a valid and binding agreement on the part of the Company; the performance of
this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein contemplated will
not result in a material breach or violation of any of the terms and provisions
of, or constitute a default under, (i) any bond, debenture, note or other
evidence of indebtedness, or under any lease, contract, indenture, mortgage,
deed of trust, loan agreement, joint venture or other agreement or instrument to
which the Company or any Subsidiary is a party, (ii) the charter or bylaws of
the Company, each as currently in effect, or (iii) any law, order, rule,
regulation, writ, injunction, judgment or decree of any court, government or
governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the
Company or over its properties, except in the case of clauses (i) and (iii) for
such breaches, violations or defaults as would not have a Material Adverse
Effect. No consent, approval, authorization or order of or qualification with
any court, government or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign,
having jurisdiction over the Company or over its properties is required for the
execution and delivery of this Agreement and the consummation by the Company of
the transactions herein contemplated, except such as may be required under the
Act, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act") or
under state or other securities or Blue Sky laws, or under the rules and
regulations of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (the "NASD")
(including the Nasdaq National Market), and all of which requirements which
pertain to the Company have been satisfied by the Company in all material
respects.
(d) The outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Company have been
duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable; the
Shares have been duly authorized and, when issued and paid for as contemplated
herein, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable; and no preemptive
rights of stockholders exist with respect to any of the Shares or the issue and
sale thereof. Neither the filing of the Registration Statement nor the offering
or sale of the Shares as contemplated by this Agreement gives rise to any
rights, other than those which have been waived or satisfied, for or relating to
the registration of any shares of Common Stock.
(e) The information set forth under the caption "Capitalization" in
the Prospectus is true and correct in all material respects. All of the Shares
conform to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement in
all material respects. The form of certificates for the Shares conforms to the
requirements of the corporate law of the jurisdiction of the Company's
incorporation. Except as described in or contemplated by the Registration
Statement, there are no outstanding securities of the Company convertible or
exchangeable into or evidencing the right to purchase or subscribe for any
shares of capital stock of the Company and there are no outstanding or
authorized options, warrants or rights of any character obligating the Company
to issue any shares of its capital stock or any securities convertible or
exchangeable into or evidencing the right to purchase or subscribe for any
shares of such stock.
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(f) The Commission has not issued an order preventing or suspending
the use of any Prospectus relating to the proposed offering of the Shares nor
instituted proceedings for that purpose. The Registration Statement contains,
and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto will contain, all
statements which are required to be stated therein by, and will conform to, the
requirements of the Act and the Rules and Regulations in all material respects.
The Registration Statement and any amendment thereto do not contain, and will
not contain, any untrue statement of a material fact and do not omit, and will
not omit, to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary
to make the statements therein not misleading. The Prospectus and any amendments
and supplements thereto do not contain, and will not contain, any untrue
statement of material fact; and do not omit, and will not omit, to state any
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading; provided, however, that the Company makes no representations or
warranties as to information contained in or omitted from the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus, or any such amendment or supplement, in reliance
upon, and in conformity with, written information furnished to the Company by or
on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representatives, specifically for use
in the preparation thereof.
(g) The financial statements of the Company, together with related
notes and schedules as set forth in the Registration Statement, present fairly
the financial position and the results of operations and cash flows of the
Company, at the indicated dates and for the indicated periods. Such financial
statements and related schedules have been prepared in accordance with generally
accepted accounting principles, consistently applied throughout the periods
involved, except as disclosed therein, and all adjustments necessary for a fair
presentation of results for such periods have been made. The summary financial
and statistical data included in the Registration Statement present fairly the
information shown therein and such data have been compiled on a basis consistent
with the financial statements presented therein and the books and records of the
Company.
(h) The accounting firms that have certified certain of the financial
statements filed with the Commission as part of the Registration Statement are
independent public accountants as required by the Act and the Rules and
Regulations.
(i) There is no action, suit, claim, investigation or proceeding
pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against the Company
before any court, administrative agency, self-regulatory body or otherwise which
if determined adversely to the Company might result in any material adverse
change in the earnings, business, management, properties, assets, rights,
operations, or condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Company
and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, whether or not arising in the ordinary
course of business (a "Material Adverse Change") or prevent the consummation of
the transactions contemplated hereby, except as set forth in the Registration
Statement.
(j) The Company has good and valid title to all of the properties and
assets reflected in the financial statements (or as described in the
Registration Statement) hereinabove
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described, subject to no security interest, lien, mortgage, pledge, charge or
encumbrance of any kind except those reflected in such financial statements and
the related notes thereto (or as described in the Registration Statement) or
which are not material in amount. The Company occupies its leased properties
under valid and binding leases conforming in all material respects to the
description thereof set forth in the Registration Statement.
(k) The Company has filed all federal, state, local and foreign
income tax returns which have been required to be filed or timely filed for
extension of the filing of such returns and has paid all taxes indicated by said
returns and all assessments received by them to the extent that such taxes have
become due. All tax liabilities have been adequately provided for in the
financial statements of the Company, and the Company does not know of any actual
or proposed additional material tax assessments relating to any of its
historical periods.
(l) Since the respective dates as of which information is given in
the Registration Statement, as it may be amended or supplemented, to date there
has not been any Material Adverse Change or any development involving a
prospective Material Adverse Change, whether or not occurring in the ordinary
course of business, and since the respective dates as of which information is
given in the Registration Statement, as it may be amended or supplemented, to
date there has not been any material transaction entered into or any material
transaction that is probable of being entered into by the Company other than
transactions in the ordinary course of business and changes and transactions
described in the Registration Statement, as it may be amended or supplemented.
The Company has no material contingent obligations which are not disclosed in
the Company's financial statements which are included in the Registration
Statement.
(m) The Company is not, or with the giving of notice or lapse of time
or both, will not be, in violation of or in default under its corporate charter
or by-laws or under any agreement, lease, contract, indenture or other
instrument or obligation to which it is a party or by which it, or any of its
properties, is bound and which default would have a Material Adverse Effect.
(n) Each approval, consent, order, authorization, designation,
declaration or filing by or with any regulatory, administrative or other
governmental body necessary in connection with the execution and delivery by the
Company of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein
contemplated (except such additional steps as may be required by the Commission,
the NASD or such additional steps as may be necessary to qualify the Shares for
public offering by the Underwriters under state securities laws) has been
obtained and is in full force and effect.
(o) The Company holds all material licenses, certificates and permits
from governmental authorities which are necessary to the conduct of its
business; the Company owns or possesses the right to use all patents, patent
rights, trademarks, trade names, service marks, service names, copyrights,
license rights, know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and
unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures) and
other intellectual property rights ("Intellectual Property") necessary to carry
on its business in all material respects;
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the Company has not, to its knowledge, infringed, and the Company has not
received notice of conflict with, any Intellectual Property of any other person
or entity. The Company has taken all reasonable steps necessary to secure
interests in such Intellectual Property from its contractors. There are no
outstanding options, licenses or agreements of any kind relating to the
Intellectual Property of the Company that are required to be described in the
Prospectus and are not described in all material respects. The Company is not a
party to or bound by any options, licenses or agreements with respect to the
Intellectual Property of any other person or entity that are required to be set
forth in the Prospectus and are not described in all material respects. None of
the technology employed by the Company has been obtained or is being used by the
Company in violation of any contractual obligation binding on the Company or, to
its knowledge, any of its officers, directors or employees or otherwise in
violation of the rights of any persons; the Company has not received any written
or oral communications alleging that the Company has violated, infringe or
conflicted with, or, by conducting its business as set forth in the Prospectus,
would violate, infringe or conflict with, any of the Intellectual Property of
any other person or entity. The Company knows of no infringement by others of
Intellectual Property owned by or licensed to the Company.
(p) Neither the Company, nor to the Company's knowledge, any of its
affiliates, has taken or may take, directly or indirectly, any action designed
to cause or result in, or which has constituted or which might reasonably be
expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of the
shares of Common Stock to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares.
(q) The Company is not an "investment company" within the meaning of
such term under the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the rules and regulations
of the Commission thereunder (the "1940 Act").
(r) The Company maintains a system of internal accounting controls
sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (i) transactions are executed
in accordance with management's general or specific authorization; (ii)
transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial
statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to
maintain accountability for assets; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in
accordance with management's general or specific authorization; and (iv) the
recorded accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at
reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any
differences.
(s) The Company carries, or is covered by, insurance in such amounts
and covering such risks as is adequate for the conduct of their respective
businesses and the value of their respective properties and as is customary for
companies in the software industry.
(t) The Company is in compliance in all material respects with all
presently applicable provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act
of 1974, as amended, including the regulations and published interpretations
thereunder ("ERISA"); no "reportable event" (as defined in ERISA) has occurred
with respect to any "pension plan" (as defined in ERISA) for which the Company
would have any liability; the Company has not incurred and does not expect to
incur liability under (i) Title IV of ERISA with respect to termination of, or
withdrawal from, any
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"pension plan" or (ii) Sections 412 or 4971 of the Internal Revenue Code of
1986, as amended, including the regulations and published interpretations
thereunder (the "Code"); and each "pension plan" for which the Company would
have any liability that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the
Code is so qualified in all material respects and nothing has occurred, whether
by action or by failure to act, which would cause the loss of such
qualification.
(u) No labor dispute with the employees of the Company exists or, to
the knowledge of the Company, is imminent, and the Company is not aware of any
existing or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of its principal
suppliers, customers or vendors, which, in any case, may reasonably be expected
to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(v) There are no contracts or documents which are required to be
described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed as
exhibits thereto which have not been so described and filed as required.
(w) To the Company's knowledge, there are no affiliations or
associations between any member of the NASD and any of the Company's officers,
directors or 5% or greater security holders.
(x) Other than as disclosed in the Prospectus, there are no
contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person
granting such person the right (other than rights which have been waived or
satisfied) to require the Company to file a registration statement under the Act
with respect to any securities of the Company owned or to be owned by such
person or to require the Company to include such securities in the securities
registered pursuant to the Registration Statement or in any securities being
registered pursuant to any other registration statement filed by the Company
under the Act.
(y) The Company has not been advised, and has no reason to believe,
that it is not conducting business in compliance with all applicable laws, rules
and regulations, of the jurisdictions in which it is conducting business
including, without limitation, all applicable local, state and federal laws and
regulations, except where the failure to so comply would not have a Material
Adverse Effect.
(z) No consent, approval, authorization or order of, or qualification
with, any governmental body or agency, other than those obtained, is required in
connection with the offering of the Directed Shares in any jurisdiction where
the Directed Shares are being offered. The Company has not offered, or caused
DBSI or its affiliates to offer, Shares to any person pursuant to the Directed
Share Program with the specific intent to unlawfully influence (i) a customer or
supplier of the Company to alter the customer's or supplier's level or type of
business with the Company, or (ii) a trade journalist or publication to write or
publish favorable information about the Company or its products.
2. PURCHASE, SALE AND DELIVERY OF THE FIRM SHARES.
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(a) On the basis of the representations, warranties and covenants
herein contained, and subject to the conditions herein set forth, the Company
agrees to sell to the Underwriters and each Underwriter agrees, severally and
not jointly, to purchase, at a price of $_____ per share, the number of Firm
Shares set forth opposite the name of each Underwriter in SCHEDULE I hereof,
subject to adjustments in accordance with Section 11 hereof.
(b) Payment for the Firm Shares to be sold hereunder is to be made in
New York Clearing House funds against delivery of certificates therefor for the
several accounts of the Underwriters through the facilities of the Depository
Trust Company, New York, New York at a closing to be held at the offices of
Xxxxx, Xxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxxx, LLP, at 10:00 a.m., Eastern time, on the third
business day after the date of this Agreement or at such other time and date not
later than five business days thereafter as you and the Company shall agree
upon, such time and date being herein referred to as the "Closing Date." (As
used herein, "business day" means a day on which the New York Stock Exchange is
open for trading and on which banks in New York are open for business and are
not permitted by law or executive order to be closed.)
(c) In addition, on the basis of the representations and warranties
herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the
Company hereby grants an option to the several Underwriters to purchase the
Option Shares at the price per share as set forth in the first paragraph of this
Section 2. The option granted hereby may be exercised in whole or in part by
giving written notice (i) at any time before the Closing Date and (ii) from time
to time thereafter within 30 days after the date of this Agreement, by you, as
Representatives of the several Underwriters, to the Company setting forth the
number of Option Shares as to which the several Underwriters are exercising the
option, the names and denominations in which the Option Shares are to be
registered and the time and date at which such certificates are to be delivered.
The time and date at which certificates for Option Shares are to be delivered
shall be determined by the Representatives but shall not be earlier than three
nor later than 10 full business days after the exercise of such option, nor in
any event prior to the Closing Date (such time and date being herein referred to
as the "Option Closing Date"). If the date of exercise of the option is three or
more days before the Closing Date, the notice of exercise shall set the Closing
Date as the Option Closing Date. The number of Option Shares to be purchased by
each Underwriter shall be in the same proportion to the total number of Option
Shares being purchased as the number of Firm Shares being purchased by such
Underwriter bears to the total number of Firm Shares purchased, adjusted by you
in such manner as to avoid fractional shares. The option with respect to the
Option Shares granted hereunder may be exercised only to cover over-allotments
in the sale of the Firm Shares by the Underwriters. You, as Representatives of
the several Underwriters, may cancel such option at any time prior to its
expiration by giving written notice of such cancellation to the Company. To the
extent, if any, that the option is exercised, payment for the Option Shares
shall be made on the Option Closing Date in the same manner as payment for the
Firm Shares.
3. OFFERING BY THE UNDERWRITERS.
It is understood that the several Underwriters are to make a public
offering of the Firm Shares as soon as the Representatives deem it advisable to
do so. The Firm Shares are to be
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initially offered to the public at the initial public offering price set forth
in the Prospectus. The Representatives may from time to time thereafter change
the public offering price and other selling terms. To the extent, if at all,
that any Option Shares are purchased pursuant to Section 2 hereof, the
Underwriters will offer them to the public on the foregoing terms.
It is further understood that you will act as the Representatives for the
Underwriters in the offering and sale of the Shares in accordance with a Master
Agreement Among Underwriters entered into by you and the several other
Underwriters.
4. COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY.
The Company covenants and agrees with the several Underwriters that:
(a) The Company will (i) use its best efforts to cause the
Registration Statement to become effective or, if the procedure in Rule 430A of
the Rules and Regulations is followed, to prepare and timely file with the
Commission under Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations a Prospectus in a form
approved by the Representatives containing information previously omitted at the
time of effectiveness of the Registration Statement in reliance on Rule 430A of
the Rules and Regulations, (ii) not file any amendment to the Registration
Statement or supplement to the Prospectus of which the Representatives shall not
previously have been advised and furnished with a copy or to which the
Representatives shall have reasonably objected in writing or which is not in
compliance with the Rules and Regulations and (iii) file on a timely basis all
reports and any definitive proxy or information statements required to be filed
by the Company with the Commission subsequent to the date of the Prospectus and
prior to the termination of the offering of the Shares by the Underwriters.
(b) The Company will advise the Representatives promptly (i) when the
Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto shall have become
effective, (ii) of receipt of any comments from the Commission, (iii) of any
request of the Commission for amendment of the Registration Statement or for
supplement to the Prospectus or for any additional information, and (iv) of the
issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement or the use of the Prospectus or of the institution of any
proceedings for that purpose. The Company will use its best efforts to prevent
the issuance of any such stop order preventing or suspending the use of the
Prospectus and to obtain as soon as possible the lifting thereof, if issued.
(c) The Company will cooperate with the Representatives in
endeavoring to qualify the Shares for sale under the securities laws of such
jurisdictions as the Representatives may reasonably have designated in writing
and will make such applications, file such documents, and furnish such
information as may be reasonably required for that purpose, provided that the
Company shall not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation or to file a
general consent to service of process in any jurisdiction where it is not now so
qualified or required to file such a consent. The Company will, from time to
time, prepare and file such statements, reports, and other documents, as are or
may be required to continue such qualifications in effect for so long a period
as the Representatives may reasonably request for distribution of the Shares.
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(d) The Company will deliver to, or upon the order of, the
Representatives, from time to time, as many copies of any Preliminary Prospectus
as the Representatives may reasonably request. The Company will deliver to, or
upon the order of, the Representatives during the period when delivery of a
Prospectus is required under the Act, as many copies of the Prospectus in final
form, or as thereafter amended or supplemented, as the Representatives may
reasonably request. The Company will deliver to the Representatives at or before
the Closing Date, four signed copies of the Registration Statement and all
amendments thereto including all exhibits filed therewith, and will deliver to
the Representatives such number of copies of the Registration Statement
(including such number of copies of the exhibits filed therewith that may
reasonably be requested), and of all amendments thereto, as the Representatives
may reasonably request.
(e) The Company will comply with the Act and the Rules and
Regulations, and the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the
Commission thereunder, so as to permit the completion of the distribution of the
Shares as contemplated in this Agreement and the Prospectus. If during the
period in which a prospectus is required by law to be delivered by an
Underwriter or dealer, any event shall occur as a result of which, in the
judgment of the Company or in the reasonable opinion of the Representatives, it
becomes necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at the time the
Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading, or, if it is necessary
at any time to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with any law, the
Company promptly will prepare and file with the Commission an appropriate
amendment to the Registration Statement or supplement to the Prospectus so that
the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the
circumstances when it is so delivered, be misleading, or so that the Prospectus
will comply with the law.
(f) The Company will make generally available to its security
holders, as soon as it is practicable to do so, but in any event not later than
15 months after the effective date of the Registration Statement, an earnings
statement (which need not be audited) in reasonable detail, covering a period of
at least 12 consecutive months beginning after the effective date of the
Registration Statement, which earnings statement shall satisfy the requirements
of Section 11(a) of the Act and Rule 158 of the Rules and Regulations and will
advise you in writing when such statement has been so made available.
(g) Prior to the Closing Date, the Company will furnish to the
Representatives, as soon as they have been prepared by or are available to the
Company, a copy of any unaudited interim financial statements of the Company for
any period subsequent to the period covered by the most recent financial
statements appearing in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
(h) The Company will, for a period of five years from the Closing
Date, deliver to the Representatives copies of annual reports and copies of all
other documents, reports and information furnished by the Company to its
stockholders or filed with any securities
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exchange pursuant to the requirements of such exchange or with the Commission
pursuant to the Act or the Exchange Act.
(i) No offering, sale, short sale or other disposition of any shares
of Common Stock of the Company or other securities convertible into or
exchangeable or exercisable for shares of Common Stock or derivative of Common
Stock (or agreement for such) will be made for a period of 180 days after the
date of this Agreement, directly or indirectly, by the Company otherwise than
hereunder or with the prior written consent of DBSI, except that the Company
may, without such consent, (A) issue shares upon exercise of options issued
pursuant to the Company's currently existing stock-based compensation plans and
(B) grant options, offer to sell and sell shares of its Common Stock to its
employees, directors and consultants pursuant to its currently existing
stock-based compensation plans.
(j) The Company will use its best efforts to list, subject to notice
of issuance, the Shares on the Nasdaq National Market.
(k) The Company has caused each officer and director and specific
shareholders of the Company to furnish to you, on or prior to the date of this
agreement, a letter or letters, in form and substance satisfactory to the
Underwriters, pursuant to which each such person shall agree not to sell, offer
or contract to sell, sell short or otherwise dispose of any shares of Common
Stock of the Company or other capital stock of the Company, or any other
securities convertible, exchangeable or exercisable for Common Shares or
derivative of Common Shares owned by such person or request the registration for
the offer or sale of any of the foregoing (or as to which such person has the
right to direct the disposition of) for a period of 180 days after the date of
this Agreement, directly or indirectly, except with the prior written consent of
DBSI ("Lockup Agreements").
(l) The Company shall apply the net proceeds of its sale of the
Shares as set forth in the Prospectus and shall file such reports with the
Commission with respect to the sale of the Shares and the application of the
proceeds therefrom as may be required in accordance with Rule 463 under the Act.
(m) The Company shall not invest, or otherwise use the proceeds
received by the Company from its sale of the Shares in such a manner as would
require the Company to register as an investment company under the 1940 Act.
(n) The Company will maintain a transfer agent and, if necessary
under the jurisdiction of incorporation of the Company, a registrar for the
Common Stock.
(o) The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action
designed to cause or result in, or that has constituted or might reasonably be
expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any
securities of the Company.
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(p) The Company will comply with all applicable securities and other
applicable laws, rules and regulations in each jurisdiction in which the
Directed Shares are offered in connection with the Directed Share Program.
5. COSTS AND EXPENSES.
The Company will pay all costs, expenses and fees incident to the
performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including the following:
accounting fees of the Company; the fees and disbursements of counsel for the
Company; the cost of printing and delivering to, or as reasonably requested by,
the Underwriters copies of the Registration Statement, Preliminary Prospectuses,
the Prospectus, this Agreement, the Underwriters' Selling Memorandum, the
Underwriters' Invitation Letter, the Listing Application, the Blue Sky Survey
and any supplements or amendments thereto; the filing fees of the Commission;
the filing fees and expenses (including reasonable legal fees and disbursements)
incident to securing any required review by the NASD of the terms of the sale of
the Shares; the listing fee of the Nasdaq National Market; and the expenses,
including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters,
incurred in connection with the qualification of the Shares under State
securities or Blue Sky laws. Any transfer taxes imposed on the sale of the
Shares to the several Underwriters will be paid by the Company. The Company
shall not, however, be required to pay for any of the Underwriters' expenses
(other than those related to qualification under NASD regulation and State
securities or Blue Sky laws) except that, if this Agreement shall not be
consummated because the conditions in Section 6 hereof are not satisfied, or by
reason of any failure, refusal or inability on the part of the Company to
perform any undertaking or satisfy any condition of this Agreement or to comply
with any of the terms hereof on their part to be performed, unless such failure
to satisfy said condition or to comply with said terms be due to the default or
omission of any Underwriter, then the Company shall reimburse the several
Underwriters for reasonable out-of-pocket expenses, including fees and
disbursements of counsel, reasonably incurred in connection with investigating,
marketing and proposing to market the Shares or in contemplation of performing
their obligations hereunder; provided, however, that the Company shall not in
any event be liable to any of the several Underwriters for damages on account of
loss of anticipated profits from the sale by it of the Shares.
6. CONDITIONS OF OBLIGATIONS OF THE UNDERWRITERS.
The several obligations of the Underwriters to purchase the Firm Shares on
the Closing Date and the Option Shares, if any, on the Option Closing Date are
subject to the accuracy, as of the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as
the case may be, of the representations and warranties of the Company contained
herein, and to the performance by the Company of its covenants and obligations
hereunder and to the following additional conditions:
(a) The Registration Statement and all post-effective amendments
thereto shall have become effective and any and all filings required by Rule 424
and Rule 430A of the Rules and Regulations shall have been made, and any request
of the Commission for additional information (to be included in the Registration
Statement or otherwise) shall have been disclosed to the Representatives and
complied with to their reasonable satisfaction. No stop order
13
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, as amended from time
to time, shall have been issued and no proceedings for that purpose shall have
been taken or, to the knowledge of the Company, shall be contemplated by the
Commission and no injunction, restraining order, or order of any nature by a
Federal or state court of competent jurisdiction shall have been issued as of
the Closing Date or Option Closing Date, as the case may be, which would prevent
the issuance of the Shares.
(b) The Representatives shall have received on the Closing Date or
the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, the opinion of Hill & Xxxxxx,
counsel for the Company, dated the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as
the case may be, addressed to the Underwriters (and stating that it may be
relied upon by counsel to the Underwriters) to the effect that:
(i) The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing
as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, with
corporate power and authority to own or lease its properties and conduct its
business as described in the Registration Statement; and the Company is duly
qualified to transact business in all jurisdictions in which the conduct of
their business requires such qualification, or in which the failure to qualify
would have a Material Adverse Effect.
(ii) The Company has authorized and outstanding capital stock as
set forth (under the caption "Capitalization") in the Prospectus; the authorized
shares of the Company's Common Stock have been duly authorized; the outstanding
shares of the Company's Common Stock have been duly authorized and validly
issued and are fully paid and non-assessable; all of the Shares conform to the
description thereof contained in the Prospectus in all material respects; the
certificates for the Shares, assuming they are in the form filed with the
Commission, are in due and proper form; the shares of Common Stock to be sold by
the Company pursuant to this Agreement have been duly authorized and will be
validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable when issued and paid for as
contemplated by this Agreement; and to its knowledge no preemptive rights of
stockholders exist with respect to any of the Shares or the issue or sale
thereof.
(iii) Except as described in or contemplated by the Prospectus,
to its knowledge there are no outstanding securities of the Company convertible
or exchangeable into or evidencing the right to purchase or subscribe for any
shares of capital stock of the Company and there are no outstanding or
authorized options, warrants or rights of any character obligating the Company
to issue any shares of its capital stock or any securities convertible or
exchangeable into or evidencing the right to purchase or subscribe for any
shares of such stock; and except as described in the Prospectus, to its
knowledge no holder of any securities of the Company or any other person has the
right, contractual or otherwise, which has not been satisfied or effectively
waived, to cause the Company to sell or otherwise issue to them, or to permit
them to underwrite the sale of, any of the Shares or the right to have any
Common Shares or other securities of the Company included in the Registration
Statement or the right, as a result of the filing of the Registration Statement,
to require registration under the Act of any shares of Common Stock or other
securities of the Company.
14
(iv) They have been advised by the Commission that the
Registration Statement has become effective under the Act and, to its best
knowledge, no stop order proceedings with respect thereto have been instituted
or are pending or threatened under the Act.
(v) The Registration Statement, the Prospectus and each
amendment or supplement thereto comply as to form in all material respects with
the requirements of the Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable and the
applicable rules and regulations thereunder (except that such counsel need
express no opinion as to the financial information, including the financial
statements, statistical information and related schedules in the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus, as the case may be).
(vi) The statements under the captions "Shares Eligible For
Future Sale" and "Description of Capital Stock" in the Prospectus, insofar as
such statements constitute a summary of documents referred to therein or matters
of law, fairly summarize in all material respects the information called for
with respect to such documents and matters.
(vii) Such counsel does not know of any contracts or documents
required to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or described in
the Registration Statement or the Prospectus which are not so filed or described
as required, and such contracts and documents as are summarized in the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus are fairly summarized in all material
respects.
(viii) Such counsel knows of no material legal or governmental
proceedings pending or threatened against the Company except as set forth in the
Prospectus.
(ix) The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the
consummation of the transactions herein contemplated do not and will not
conflict with or result in a breach of any of the terms or provisions of, or
constitute a default under, the Charter or bylaws of the Company, or any
material agreement or instrument known to such counsel to which the Company is a
party or by which the Company may be bound.
(x) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and
delivered by the Company.
(xi) No approval, consent, order, authorization, designation,
declaration or filing by or with any regulatory, administrative or other
governmental body is necessary in connection with the execution and delivery of
this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein contemplated
(other than as may be required by the NASD or as required by state securities
and Blue Sky laws as to which such counsel need express no opinion) except such
as have been obtained or made, specifying the same.
(xii) The Company is not, and will not become, as a result of the
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and application
of the net proceeds therefrom as described in the Prospectus, required to
register as an investment company under the 1940 Act.
15
In rendering such opinion Hill & Xxxxxx may rely as to matters of fact upon
certificates of officers of the Company, and as to matters governed by the laws
of states other than Delaware or Federal laws on local counsel in such
jurisdictions, provided that in each case Hill & Xxxxxx shall state that they
believe that they and the Underwriters are justified in relying on such other
counsel. In addition to the matters set forth above, such opinion shall also
include a statement to the effect that nothing has come to the attention of such
counsel which leads them to believe that (i) the Registration Statement, at the
time it became effective under the Act (but after giving effect to any
modifications incorporated therein pursuant to Rule 430A under the Act) and as
of the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, contained an
untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading,
and (ii) the Prospectus, or any supplement thereto, on the date it was filed
pursuant to the Rules and Regulations and as of the Closing Date or the Option
Closing Date, as the case may be, contained an untrue statement of a material
fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the
statements, in the light of the circumstances under which they are made, not
misleading (except that such counsel need express no view as to financial
information, including financial statements, schedules and statistical
information in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as the case may
be). With respect to such statement, such counsel may state that their belief is
based upon the procedures set forth therein, including reliance upon
certificates of officers of the Company, but is without independent check and
verification.
(c) The Representatives shall have received from Xxxxx, Xxxxxxx &
Xxxxxxxxx, LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, an opinion dated the Closing Date
or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, substantially to the effect
specified in subparagraphs (ii), (iii) and (iv) of Paragraph (b) of this Section
6, and that the Company is a duly organized and validly existing corporation
under the laws of the State of Delaware and with respect to any other matters
that the Representatives may reasonably require. In rendering such opinion
Xxxxx, Xxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxxx, LLP may rely as to all matters governed other than
by the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts or Federal laws on the opinion
of counsel referred to in Paragraph (b) of this Section 6. In addition to the
matters set forth above, such opinion shall also include a statement to the
effect that nothing has come to the attention of such counsel which leads them
to believe that (i) the Registration Statement, or any amendment thereto, as of
the time it became effective under the Act (but after giving effect to any
modifications incorporated therein pursuant to Rule 430A under the Act) as of
the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, contained an
untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading,
and (ii) the Prospectus, or any supplement thereto, on the date it was filed
pursuant to the Rules and Regulations and as of the Closing Date or the Option
Closing Date, as the case may be, contained an untrue statement of a material
fact or omitted to state a material fact, necessary in order to make the
statements, in the light of the circumstances under which they are made, not
misleading (except that such counsel need express no view as to financial
information, including the financial statements, schedules and statistical
information therein). With respect to such statement, such counsel may state
that their belief is based upon the procedures set forth therein, but is without
independent check and verification.
16
(d) You shall have received, on each of the dates hereof, the Closing
Date and the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, a letter dated the date
hereof, the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, in form
and substance satisfactory to you, of the auditing firms that have audited any
financial statements contained in the Registration Statement, confirming that
they are independent public accountants within the meaning of the Act and the
applicable published Rules and Regulations thereunder and stating that in their
opinion the financial statements and schedules examined by them and included in
the Registration Statement comply in form in all material respects with the
applicable accounting requirements of the Act and the related published Rules
and Regulations; and containing such other statements and information as is
ordinarily included in accountants' "comfort letters" to Underwriters with
respect to the financial statements and certain financial and statistical
information contained in the Registration Statement and Prospectus.
(e) The Representatives shall have received on the Closing Date or
the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, a certificate or certificates of
the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer of the Company to
the effect that, as of the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case
may be, each of them severally represents as follows:
(i) The Registration Statement has become effective under the
Act and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement
has been issued, and no proceedings for such purpose have been taken or are, to
his knowledge, contemplated by the Commission;
(ii) To the best of his knowledge after reasonable investigation,
the representations and warranties of the Company contained in Section 1 hereof
are true and correct as of the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the
case may be;
(iii) All filings required to have been made pursuant to Rules
424 or 430A under the Act have been made;
(iv) He or she has carefully examined the Registration Statement
and the Prospectus and, to the best of his knowledge after reasonable
investigation, as of the effective date of the Registration Statement, the
statements contained in the Registration Statement were true and correct in all
material respects, and such Registration Statement and Prospectus did not omit
to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to
make the statements therein not misleading, and since the effective date of the
Registration Statement, no event has occurred which should have been set forth
in a supplement to or an amendment of the Prospectus which has not been so set
forth in such supplement or amendment; and
(v) Since the respective dates as of which information is given
in the Registration Statement and Prospectus, to the best of his knowledge after
reasonable investigation, there has not been any Material Adverse Change or any
development involving a prospective Material Adverse Change in or affecting the
condition, financial or otherwise, of the Company or the earnings, business,
management, properties, assets, rights, operations, condition
17
(financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Company, whether or not arising in
the ordinary course of business.
(f) The Company shall have furnished to the Representatives such
further certificates and documents confirming the representations and
warranties, covenants and conditions contained herein and related matters as the
Representatives may reasonably have requested.
(g) The Firm Shares and Option Shares, if any, have been approved for
designation upon notice of issuance on the NASDAQ National Market.
(h) The Lockup Agreements described in Section 5 are in full force
and effect.
The opinions and certificates mentioned in this Agreement shall be
deemed to be in compliance with the provisions hereof only if they are in all
material respects reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives and to counsel
for the Underwriters.
If any of the conditions hereinabove provided for in this Section 6
shall not have been fulfilled when and as required by this Agreement to be
fulfilled, the obligations of the Underwriters hereunder may be terminated by
the Representatives by notifying the Company of such termination in writing or
by telegram at or prior to the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the
case may be.
In such event, the Company and the Underwriters shall not be under any
obligation to each other (except to the extent provided in Sections 5 and 8
hereof).
7. CONDITIONS OF THE OBLIGATIONS OF THE COMPANY.
The obligations of the Company to sell and deliver the Shares required to
be delivered as and when specified in this Agreement are subject to the
conditions that at the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may
be, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement
shall have been issued and in effect or proceedings therefor initiated or
threatened.
8. INDEMNIFICATION.
(a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each
Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the
meaning of the Act, against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which
such Underwriter or any such controlling person may become subject under the Act
or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions
or proceedings in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon (i) any untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in the
Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any
amendment or supplement thereto, or (ii) the omission or alleged omission to
state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make
the statements therein not misleading in light of the circumstances
18
under which they were made; provided, however, that the Company will not be
liable (x) in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or
liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement, or omission or alleged omission made in the Registration Statement,
any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, or such amendment or supplement, in
reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the
Company by or through the Representatives specifically for use in the
preparation thereof and (y) with respect to any untrue statement contained in or
any omission from a Preliminary Prospectus of the untrue statement or omission
from a Preliminary Prospectus was corrected in the applicable Prospectus and the
person asserting any loss, liability, claim or damage was not given or sent a
copy of the applicable Prospectus in the manner and at such time as required by
the Act, provided the Company has furnished you with copies of the applicable
Prospectus. This indemnity obligation will be in addition to any liability which
the Company may otherwise have.
The Company agrees to reimburse each Underwriter and each such controlling
person upon demand for any legal or other out-of-pocket expenses reasonably
incurred by such Underwriter or such controlling person in connection with
investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage or liability, action or
proceeding or in responding to a subpoena or governmental inquiry related to the
offering of the Shares, whether or not such Underwriter or controlling person is
a party to any action or proceeding. In the event that it is finally judicially
determined that the Underwriters were not entitled to receive payments for legal
and other expenses pursuant to this subparagraph, the Underwriters will promptly
return all sums that had been advanced pursuant hereto.
(b) Each Underwriter severally and not jointly will indemnify and
hold harmless the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who have
signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the
Company within the meaning of the Act, against any losses, claims, damages or
liabilities to which the Company or any such director, officer or controlling
person may become subject under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses,
claims, damages or liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof)
arise out of or are based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of any material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any
Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto,
or (ii) the omission or the alleged omission to state therein a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading in the light of the circumstances under which they were made; and
will reimburse any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company or
any such director, officer or controlling person in connection with
investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability, action or
proceeding; provided, however, that each Underwriter will be liable in each case
to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement or omission or alleged omission has been made in the
Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or such
amendment or supplement, in reliance upon and in conformity with written
information furnished to the Company by or through the Representatives
specifically for use in the preparation thereof. This indemnity agreement will
be in addition to any liability which such Underwriter may otherwise have.
19
(c) In case any proceeding (including any governmental investigation)
shall be instituted involving any person in respect of which indemnity may be
sought pursuant to this Section 8, such person (the "indemnified party") shall
promptly notify the person against whom such indemnity may be sought (the
"indemnifying party") in writing. No indemnification provided for in Section
8(a) or (b) shall be available to any party who shall fail to give notice as
provided in this Section 8(c) if the party to whom notice was not given was
unaware of the proceeding to which such notice would have related and was
materially prejudiced by the failure to give such notice, but the failure to
give such notice shall not relieve the indemnifying party or parties from any
liability which it or they may have to the indemnified party for contribution or
otherwise than on account of the provisions of Section 8(a) or (b). In case any
such proceeding shall be brought against any indemnified party and it shall
notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying
party shall be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it shall
wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume
the defense thereof, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified
party and shall pay as incurred the fees and disbursements of such counsel
related to such proceeding. In any such proceeding, any indemnified party shall
have the right to retain its own counsel at its own expense. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, the indemnifying party shall pay as incurred (or within 30 days of
presentation) the fees and expenses of the counsel retained by the indemnified
party in the event (i) the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall
have mutually agreed to the retention of such counsel, (ii) the named parties to
any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the
indemnifying party and the indemnified party and representation of both parties
by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing
interests between them or (iii) the indemnifying party shall have failed to
assume the defense and employ counsel acceptable to the indemnified party within
a reasonable period of time after notice of commencement of the action. It is
understood that the indemnifying party shall not, in connection with any
proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the
reasonable fees and expenses of more than one separate firm for all such
indemnified parties. Such firm shall be designated in writing by you in the case
of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 8(a) and by the Company in the case
of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 8(b). The indemnifying party shall
not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written
consent but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the
plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party from
and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. In
addition, the indemnifying party will not, without the prior written consent of
the indemnified party, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any
judgment in any pending or threatened claim, action or proceeding of which
indemnification may be sought hereunder (whether or not any indemnified party is
an actual or potential party to such claim, action or proceeding) unless such
settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional release of each
indemnified party from all liability arising out of such claim, action or
proceeding.
(d) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless DBSI and its
affiliates and each person, if any, who controls DBSI or its affiliates within
the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the
Exchange Act, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and
liabilities (including, without limitation, any legal or other expenses
reasonably incurred in connection with defending or investigating any such
action or claim) (i)
20
caused by any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact
contained in any material prepared by or with the consent of the Company for
distribution to Participants in connection with the Directed Share Program, or
caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading; (ii) caused by the failure of any Participant to pay for and accept
delivery of Directed Shares that the Participant has agreed to purchase; or
(iii) related to, arising out of, or in connection with the Directed Share
Program other than losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or expenses relating
thereto) that are finally judicially determined to have resulted from the bad
faith, willful misconduct or gross negligence of DBSI.
(e) To the extent the indemnification provided for in this Section 8
is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under
Section 8(a), (b) or (c) above in respect of any losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof) referred to therein,
then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by
such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof) in such proportion as
is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the
one hand and the Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Shares. If,
however, the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is not
permitted by applicable law then each indemnifying party shall contribute to
such amount paid or payable by such indemnified party in such proportion as is
appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the relative
fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other in
connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses,
claims, damages or liabilities, (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof),
as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits
received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall
be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the
offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total
underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters, in each
case as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus. The relative
fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the
untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged
omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company
on the one hand or the Underwriters on the other, and the parties' relative
intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent
such statement or omission.
The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and
equitable if contributions pursuant to this Section 8(e) were determined by pro
rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such
purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the
equitable considerations referred to above in this Section 8(e). The amount paid
or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof) referred to above in
this Section 8(e) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses
reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating
or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this
subsection 8(e), (i) no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount
in excess of the underwriting discounts and commissions applicable to the Shares
purchased by such Underwriter and (ii) no person guilty of fraudulent
misrepresentation (within the meaning
21
of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person
who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters'
obligations in this Section 8(e) to contribute are several in proportion to
their respective underwriting obligations and not joint.
(f) In any proceeding relating to the Registration Statement, any
Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any supplement or amendment thereto,
each party against whom contribution may be sought under this Section 8 hereby
consents to the jurisdiction of any court having jurisdiction over any other
contributing party, agrees that process issuing from such court may be served
upon him or it by any other contributing party and consents to the service of
such process and agrees that any other contributing party may join him or it as
an additional defendant in any such proceeding in which such other contributing
party is a party.
(g) Any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses for which an
indemnified party is entitled to indemnification or contribution under this
Section 8 shall be paid by the indemnifying party to the indemnified party as
such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses are incurred. The
indemnity and contribution agreements of the Company and the Underwriters
contained in this Section 8 and the representations and warranties of the
Company set forth in this Agreement shall remain operative and in full force and
effect, regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of any
Underwriter or any person controlling any Underwriter, the Company, its
directors or officers or any persons controlling the Company, (ii) acceptance of
any Shares and payment therefor hereunder, and (iii) any termination of this
Agreement. A successor to any Underwriter, or to the Company, its directors or
officers, or any person controlling the Company, shall be entitled to the
benefits of the indemnity, contribution and reimbursement agreements contained
in this Section 8.
9. DEFAULT BY UNDERWRITERS.
If on the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, any
Underwriter shall fail to purchase and pay for the portion of the Shares which
such Underwriter has agreed to purchase and pay for on such date (otherwise than
by reason of any default on the part of the Company), you, as Representatives of
the Underwriters, shall use your reasonable efforts to procure within 36 hours
thereafter one or more of the other Underwriters, or any others, to purchase
from the Company such amounts as may be agreed upon and upon the terms set forth
herein, the Firm Shares or Option Shares, as the case may be, which the
defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters failed to purchase. If during such 36
hours you, as such Representatives, shall not have procured such other
Underwriters, or any others, to purchase the Firm Shares or Option Shares, as
the case may be, agreed to be purchased by the defaulting Underwriter or
Underwriters, then (a) if the aggregate number of shares with respect to which
such default shall occur does not exceed 10% of the Firm Shares or Option
Shares, as the case may be, covered hereby, the other Underwriters shall be
obligated, severally, in proportion to the respective numbers of Firm Shares or
Option Shares, as the case may be, which they are obligated to purchase
hereunder, to purchase the Firm Shares or Option Shares, as the case may be,
which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters failed to purchase, or (b) if
the aggregate number of shares of Firm Shares or Option Shares, as the case may
be, with respect to which such default shall occur exceeds 10% of the Firm
Shares or Option Shares, as the case may be, covered
22
hereby, the Company or you as the Representatives of the Underwriters will have
the right, by written notice given within the next 36-hour period to the parties
to this Agreement, to terminate this Agreement without liability on the part of
the non-defaulting Underwriters or the Company except to the extent provided in
Section 8 hereof. In the event of a default by any Underwriter or Underwriters,
as set forth in this Section 9, the Closing Date or Option Closing Date, as the
case may be, may be postponed for such period, not exceeding seven days, as you,
as Representatives, may determine in order that the required changes in the
Registration Statement or in the Prospectus or in any other documents or
arrangements may be effected. The term "Underwriter" includes any person
substituted for a defaulting Underwriter. Any action taken under this Section 9
shall not relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of any
default of such Underwriter under this Agreement.
10. NOTICES.
All communications hereunder shall be in writing and, except as
otherwise provided herein, will be mailed, delivered, faxed or telegraphed and
confirmed as follows: if to the Underwriters, to Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.,
Xxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000, Attention: Syndicate Department;
with a copy to Deutsche Bank Securities, Inc., 00 Xxxx 00xx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx,
Xxx Xxxx 00000, Attention: General Counsel; if to the Company, to Eprise
Corporation, 0000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx, XX 00000, Attention: Chief
Financial Officer; with a copy to Hill & Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxx,
Xxxxxx, XX 00000, Attention: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx.
11. TERMINATION.
This Agreement may be terminated by you by notice to the Company as
follows:
(a) at any time prior to the Closing Date if any of the following has
occurred: (i) since the respective dates as of which information is given in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus, excluding any amendment or supplement
thereto after the date hereof, any Material Adverse Change or any development
involving a prospective Material Adverse Change, whether or not arising in the
ordinary course of business, (ii) any outbreak or escalation of hostilities or
declaration of war or national emergency or other national or international
calamity or crisis or change in economic or political conditions if the effect
of such outbreak, escalation, declaration, emergency, calamity, crisis or change
on the financial markets of the United States would, in your reasonable
judgment, make it impracticable to market the Shares or to enforce contracts for
the sale of the Shares, or (iii) suspension of trading in securities generally
on the New York Stock Exchange or Nasdaq-Amex or limitation on prices (other
than limitations on hours or numbers of days of trading) for securities on
either such exchange, (iv) the enactment, publication, decree or other
promulgation of any statute, regulation, rule or order of any court or other
governmental authority which in your opinion materially and adversely affects or
may materially and adversely affect the business or operations of the Company,
(v) declaration of a banking moratorium by United States or New York State
authorities, (vi) the suspension of trading of the Company's common stock by the
Commission, Nasdaq or any other governmental authority; or (vii) the taking of
any action by any governmental body or agency in respect of its
23
monetary or fiscal affairs which in your reasonable opinion has a material
adverse effect on the securities markets in the United States; or
(b) as provided in Sections 6 and 9 of this Agreement.
12. SUCCESSORS.
This Agreement has been and is made solely for the benefit of the
Underwriters, the Company and their respective successors, executors,
administrators, heirs and assigns, and the officers, directors and controlling
persons referred to herein, and no other person will have any right or
obligation hereunder. No purchaser of any of the Shares from any Underwriter
shall be deemed a successor or assign merely because of such purchase.
13. INFORMATION PROVIDED BY UNDERWRITERS.
The Company and the Underwriters acknowledge and agree that the only
information furnished or to be furnished by any Underwriter to the Company for
inclusion in any Prospectus or the Registration Statement consists of the
information set forth in the last paragraph on the front cover page (insofar as
such information relates to the Underwriters), legends required by Item 502(d)
of Regulation S-K under the Act and the information under the caption
"Underwriting" in the Prospectus.
14. MISCELLANEOUS.
(a) The reimbursement, indemnification and contribution agreements
contained in this Agreement and the representations, warranties and covenants in
this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect regardless of (i) any
termination of this Agreement, (ii) any investigation made by or on behalf of
any Underwriter or controlling person thereof, or by or on behalf of the Company
or its directors or officers and (iii) delivery of and payment for the Shares
under this Agreement.
(b) This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each
of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute
one and the same instrument.
(c) This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance
with, the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
[Remainder of page intentionally left blank.]
24
If the foregoing letter is in accordance with your understanding of our
agreement, please sign and return to us the enclosed duplicates hereof,
whereupon it will become a binding agreement among the Company and the several
Underwriters in accordance with its terms.
Very truly yours,
EPRISE CORPORATION
By: __________________
The foregoing Underwriting Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted as of the
date first above written.
DEUTSCHE BANK SECURITIES INC.
XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXXXXX, A DIVISION OF XXXX XXXXXXXX INCORPORATED
SOUNDVIEW TECHNOLOGY GROUP, INC.
As Representatives of the several Underwriters listed on Schedule I
By: DEUTSCHE BANK SECURITIES INC.
By: ___________________________
Authorized Officer
25
SCHEDULE I
SCHEDULE OF UNDERWRITERS
Number of Firm Shares to be
Underwriter Purchased
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Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.................................................
Xxxx Xxxxxxxx Incorporated...................................................
Soundview Technology Group, Inc..............................................
Total....................................................
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