Business Development Corporation of America UP TO 150,000,000 SHARES OF COMMON STOCK FORM OF EXCLUSIVE DEALER MANAGER AGREEMENT January ___, 2011
Business
Development Corporation of America
UP
TO 150,000,000 SHARES OF COMMON STOCK
January
___, 2011
Realty
Capital Securities, LLC
Three
Xxxxxx Place, Suite 3300
Xxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxxxxxxx 00000
Ladies
and Gentlemen:
Business
Development Corporation of America (the
“Company”)
is a Maryland corporation that intends to elect to be treated as a
business development company (“BDC”)
under the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the rules and regulations
thereunder (collectively, the “Investment
Company Act”). The
Company proposes to offer up to 150,000,000 shares of common stock, $0.001 par
value per share (the “Shares”)
on a continuous basis, for an initial purchase price of $10.00 per Share, with a
minimum initial investment of $1,000, in the offering (the “Offering”),
all upon the other terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the
Prospectus (as defined below).
The
Company will be managed by BDCA Adviser, LLC, a Delaware limited liability
company (the “Advisor”)
pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement dated October 28, 2010 between the
Company and the Advisor (the “Advisory
Agreement”) included as an exhibit to the Registration Statement (as
defined below).
The
Company will enter into an administration agreement (the “Administration
Agreement”) with an affiliate of the Advisor.
Upon
the terms and subject to the conditions contained in this Exclusive Dealer
Manager Agreement (this “Agreement”),
the Company hereby appoints Realty Capital Securities, LLC, a Delaware limited
liability company (the “Dealer
Manager”), to act as the exclusive dealer manager for the Offering, and
the Dealer Manager desires to accept such engagement.
In
connection with the Offering, the Company has prepared and filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”)
a registration statement (File No. 333-166636) on Form N-2 for the registration
of the Shares under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities
Act”), and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated
thereunder (the “Securities
Act Rules and Regulations”); and may prepare and file one or more
amendments to such registration statement. The registration statement
on Form N-2 and the prospectus contained therein, as finally amended at the date
the registration statement is declared effective by the Commission (the “Effective
Date”) are respectively hereinafter referred to as the “Registration
Statement” and the “Prospectus”,
except that (i) if the Company files a post-effective amendment to such
registration statement, then the term “Registration Statement” shall, from and
after the declaration of the effectiveness of such post-effective amendment by
the Commission, refer to such registration statement as amended by such
post-effective amendment, and the term “Prospectus” shall refer to the amended
prospectus then on file with the Commission, and (ii) if the Company files a
prospectus or prospectus supplement pursuant to Rule 497 of the Securities Act
Rules and Regulations which differs from the prospectus on file at the time the
Registration Statement or the most recent post-effective amendment thereto, if
any, shall have become effective, then the term “Prospectus” shall refer to such
prospectus or include such prospectus supplement, as applicable, filed pursuant
to Rule 497, as the case may be, from and after the date on which it shall have
been filed. The term “preliminary Prospectus” as used herein shall
mean a preliminary prospectus related to the Shares as contemplated by Rule 430
or Rule 430A of the Securities Act Rules and Regulations included at any time as
part of the Registration Statement. As used herein, the terms
“Registration Statement”, “preliminary Prospectus” and “Prospectus” shall
include the documents, if any, incorporated by reference therein. If
any portion of the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K is specifically
incorporated by reference into the Prospectus pursuant to Instruction F of Form
N-2, then the term “Prospectus” shall include such information incorporated by
reference therein. As used herein, the term “Effective Date” also
shall refer to the effective date of each post-effective amendment to the
Registration Statement, unless the context otherwise requires.
1.
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REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY AND THE ADVISOR. The
Company and the Advisor hereby represent, warrant and agree as
follows:
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(a)
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DOCUMENTS
INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE. The information from the Company’s
annual reports on Form 10-K specifically incorporated by reference into
the Prospectus, if applicable, will comply in all material respects with
the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the
“Exchange
Act”) and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated
thereunder (the “Exchange
Act Rules and Regulations”), and, as of the Effective Date of any
post-effective amendment that includes information incorporated by
reference, such information so incorporated will not include an untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to
be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in
the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading.
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(b)
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COMPLIANCE
WITH THE SECURITIES ACT, ETC. During the term of this
Agreement:
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(i)
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on
(A) each applicable Effective Date, (B) the date of the preliminary
Prospectus, (C) the date of the Prospectus and (D) the date any supplement
to the Prospectus is filed with the Commission, the Registration
Statement, the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto, as
applicable, have complied, and will comply, in all material respects with
the Securities Act, the Securities Act Rules and Regulations, the Exchange
Act, the Exchange Act Rules and Regulations and the Investment Company Act
applicable to business development companies;
and
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(ii)
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the
Registration Statement does not, and any amendment thereto will
not, in each case as of the applicable Effective Date, include any untrue
statement of material fact or omit to state any material fact required to
be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading and the Prospectus does not, and any amendment or supplement
thereto will not, as of the applicable filing date, include any untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light
of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading; provided,
however,
that the foregoing representations will not extend to any statements
contained in, incorporated by reference in or omitted from the
Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement
thereto that are based upon written information furnished to the Company
by the Dealer Manager expressly for use
therein.
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(c)
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SECURITIES
MATTERS. There has not been (i) any request by the Commission
for any further amendment to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus
or for any additional information, (ii) any issuance by the Commission of
any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement
or the institution or, to the Company’s knowledge, threat of any
proceeding for that purpose, or (iii) any notification with respect to the
suspension of the qualification of the Shares for sale in any jurisdiction
or any initiation or, to the Company’s knowledge, threat of any proceeding
for such purpose. The Company is in compliance in all material
respects with all federal and state securities laws, rules and regulations
applicable to it and its activities, including, without limitation, with
respect to the Offering and the sale of the
Shares.
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(d)
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CORPORATION
STATUS. The Company is a corporation duly formed and validly
existing under the General Corporation Law of Maryland, with all requisite
power and authority to enter into this Agreement and to carry out its
obligations hereunder.
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(e)
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AUTHORIZATION
OF AGREEMENT. This Agreement has been duly and validly
authorized, executed and delivered by or on behalf of the Company and
constitutes a valid and binding agreement of the Company enforceable in
accordance with its terms (except as such enforceability may be limited by
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws
of the United States, any state or any political subdivision thereof which
affect creditors’ rights generally or by equitable principles relating to
the availability of remedies or except to the extent that the
enforceability of the indemnity and contribution provisions contained in
this Agreement may be limited under applicable securities
laws).
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The
execution and delivery of this Agreement and the performance of this Agreement,
the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein and the fulfillment of
the terms hereof, do not and will not conflict with, or result in a breach of
any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default
under: (i) the Company’s declaration of trust, charter, by-laws, or
other organizational documents, as the case may be; (ii) any indenture,
mortgage, deed of trust, voting trust agreement, note, lease or other agreement
or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which the Company or any of
its properties is bound except, for purposes of this clause (ii) only, for such
conflicts, breaches or defaults that do not result in and could not reasonably
be expected to result in, individually or in the aggregate, a Company MAE (as
defined below in this Section
1(e)); or (iii) any statute, rule or regulation or order of any court or
other governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of
its properties. No consent, approval, authorization or order of any
court or other governmental agency or body has been or is required for the
performance of this Agreement or for the consummation by the Company of any of
the transactions contemplated hereby (except (x) as have been obtained under the
Securities Act, the Exchange Act, from the Financial Industry Regulatory
Authority (“FINRA”)
or as may be required under state securities or applicable blue sky laws in
connection with the offer and sale of the Shares or under the laws of states in
which the Company may own real properties in connection with its qualification
to transact business in such states or as may be required by subsequent events
which may occur, (y) the election of the Company to be regulated as a BDC under
the Investment Company Act and (z) registration of the Advisor under the
Advisers Act (as defined in Section
1(s)). The Company is not in violation of its declaration of
trust, charter, by-laws or other organizational documents, as the case may
be.
As
used in this Agreement, “Company
MAE” means any event, circumstance, occurrence, fact, condition, change
or effect, individually or in the aggregate, that is, or could reasonably be
expected to be, materially adverse to (i) the condition, financial or otherwise,
earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company, (ii) the
ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement or the
validity or enforceability of this Agreement or the Shares or (iii) the value of
the Shares.
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(f)
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ACTIONS
OR PROCEEDINGS. As of the initial Effective Date, there are no
actions, suits or proceedings against, or investigations of, the Company
pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, before any court,
arbitrator, administrative agency or other tribunal (i) asserting the
invalidity of this Agreement, (ii) seeking to prevent the issuance of the
Shares or the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement, (iii) that might materially and adversely affect the
performance by the Company of its obligations under or the validity or
enforceability of, this Agreement or the Shares, (iv) that might result in
a Company MAE, or (v) seeking to affect adversely the federal income tax
attributes of the Shares except as described in the
Prospectus. The Company promptly will give notice to the Dealer
Manager of the occurrence of any action, suit, proceeding or investigation
of the type referred to above arising or occurring on or after the initial
Effective Date.
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(g)
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ESCROW
AGREEMENT. The Company will enter into an escrow agreement (the
“Escrow
Agreement”) with the Dealer Manager and Xxxxx Fargo Bank, N.A. (the
“Escrow
Agent”), substantially in the form included as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement, which provides for the establishment of an escrow
account (the “Escrow
Account”) to receive and hold subscription funds in respect of
Shares of the Company. Once a minimum of $2,500,000 of
subscription funds from Persons (as defined below) not affiliated with the
Company or the Advisor (the “Minimum
Offering”) has been deposited in the Escrow Account, upon
determination by the Company that it intends to break escrow, the Company
shall deposit (or cause to be deposited) all subscription funds to a
designated deposit account in the name of the Company (the “Deposit
Account”) at a bank which shall be subject to the reasonable prior
approval of the Dealer Manager, subject to any higher or continuing escrow
obligations imposed by certain states as described in the
Prospectus. The Deposit Account shall be subject to a deposit
control agreement executed by the depositary, the Company, and the Dealer
Manager, which shall be substantially in the form included as an exhibit
to the Registration Statement (the “Control
Agreement”). As used herein, “Person”
or “Persons”
means any individual, firm, corporation, partnership, trust, incorporated
or unincorporated association, joint venture, joint stock company, limited
liability company, governmental authority or agency, or other entity of
any kind. If
the minimum amount has not been obtained prior to the Termination Date (as
defined in Section 10(a)), the Escrow Agent shall, promptly within a
reasonable time following the Termination Date, but in no event more than
thirty (30) days after the Termination Date, refund to each Investor by
check funds deposited in the Escrow Account, or shall return the
instruments of payment delivered to Escrow Agent if such instruments have
not been processed for collection prior to such time, directly to each
Investor at the address provided in the list of
Investors.
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(h)
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SALES
LITERATURE. Any supplemental sales literature or advertisement
(including, without limitation any “broker-dealer use only” material),
regardless of how labeled or described, used in addition to the Prospectus
in connection with the Offering which previously has been, or hereafter
is, furnished or approved by the Company (collectively, “Approved
Sales Literature”), shall, to the extent required, be filed with
and approved by the appropriate securities agencies and bodies, provided
that the Dealer Manager will make all FINRA filings, to the extent
required. Any and all Approved Sales Literature did not or will
not at the time provided for use include any untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading.
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(i)
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AUTHORIZATION
OF SHARES. The Shares have been duly authorized and, when
issued and sold as contemplated by the Prospectus and upon payment
therefor as provided in this Agreement and the Prospectus, will be validly
issued, fully paid and nonassessable and will conform to the description
thereof contained in the
Prospectus.
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(j)
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INVESTMENT
COMPANY. The Company is not and, after giving effect to the
Offering of the Shares, will not be a “registered management investment
company,” as such terms are used under the Investment Company
Act.
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(k)
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TAXES. Any
taxes, fees and other governmental charges in connection with the
execution and delivery of this Agreement or the execution, delivery and
sale of the Shares have been or will be paid when
due.
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(l)
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TAX
RETURNS. The Company has filed all material federal, state and
foreign income tax returns required to be filed by or on behalf of the
Company on or before the due dates therefor (taking into account all
extensions of time to file) and has paid or provided for the payment of
all such material taxes indicated by such tax returns and all assessments
received by the Company to the extent that such taxes or assessments have
become due.
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(m)
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INDEPENDENT
REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM. The accountants who have
certified certain financial statements appearing in the Prospectus are an
independent registered public accounting firm within the meaning of the
Securities Act and the Securities Act Rules and
Regulations. Such accountants have not been engaged by the
Company to perform any “prohibited activities” (as defined in Section 10A
of the Exchange Act).
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(n)
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INTERNAL
CONTROLS. The Company maintains a system of internal accounting
and other controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances regarding
the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial
statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles, including policies and procedures that: (i) pertain
to the maintenance of records that in reasonable detail accurately and
fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the
Company; (ii) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded
as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance
with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and
expenditures of the Company are being made only in accordance with
authorizations of the Company’s management and directors; and (iii)
provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of
unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the Company’s assets that
could have a material effect on the financial
statements.
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(o)
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PREPARATION
OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. The financial statements filed
with the Commission as a part of the Registration Statement and included
in the Prospectus present fairly the financial position of the Company as
of and at the dates indicated and the results of their operations and cash
flows for the periods specified. Such financial statements have
been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles
as applied in the United States applied on a consistent basis throughout
the periods involved, except as may be expressly stated in the related
notes thereto. No other financial statements or supporting
schedules are required to be included in the Registration Statement or any
applicable Prospectus.
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(p)
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MATERIAL
ADVERSE CHANGE. Since the respective dates as of which
information is given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus,
except as may otherwise be stated therein or contemplated thereby, there
has not occurred a Company MAE, whether or not arising in the ordinary
course of business.
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(q)
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GOVERNMENT
PERMITS. The Company possesses such certificates, authorities
or permits issued by the appropriate state, federal or foreign regulatory
agencies or bodies necessary to conduct the business now operated by them,
other than those the failure of which to possess or own would not have,
individually or in the aggregate, and could not, individually or in the
aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Company
MAE. The Company has not received any notice of proceedings
relating to the revocation or modification of any such certificate,
authority or permit which, individually or in the aggregate, if the
subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would result in a
Company MAE.
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(r)
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ADVISOR;
ADVISORY AGREEMENT AND ADMINISTRATOR; ADMINISTRATION
AGREEMENT.
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(i)
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The
Advisor is a limited liability company duly formed and validly existing
under the laws of the State of Delaware, with all requisite power and
authority to enter into this Agreement and to carry out its obligations
hereunder. The Administrator is a limited liability company duly formed
and validly existing under the laws of the State of
Delaware.
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(ii)
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Each
of this Agreement, the Advisory Agreement and the
Administration Agreement is duly and validly authorized, executed and
delivered by or on behalf of the Advisor or the Administrator, as the case
may be, and constitutes a valid and binding agreement of the Advisor or
the Administrator, as the case may be, enforceable in accordance with its
terms (except as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy,
insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws of the United
States, any state or any political subdivision thereof which affect
creditors’ rights generally or by equitable principles relating to the
availability of remedies or except to the extent that the enforceability
of the indemnity and contribution provisions contained in this Agreement
may be limited under applicable securities
laws).
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(iii)
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The
execution and delivery of each of this Agreement, the Advisory Agreement
and Administration Agreement and the performance thereunder by the Advisor
or the Administrator, as the case may be, do not and will not (i) conflict
with, or result in a breach of any of the terms and provisions of, or
constitute a default under: (1) the Advisor’s or the
Administrator’s charter or by-laws, or other organizational documents, or
(2) any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, voting trust agreement,
note, lease or other agreement or instrument to which the Advisor or the
Administrator is a party or by which the Advisor or the Administrator or
any of their properties is bound except, for purposes of this clause
(2) only, for such conflicts, breaches or defaults that could not
reasonably be expected to have or result in, individually or in the
aggregate, (A) a material adverse effect on the condition, financial or
otherwise, earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Advisor
or the Administrator, or (B) a Company MAE; or (ii) result in and could
not reasonably be expected to result in, individually or in the aggregate,
in any material respect any conflict with, breach of, or default under,
any statute, rule or regulation or order of any court or other
governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Advisor or the
Administrator or any of their properties. No consent, approval,
authorization or order of any court or other governmental agency or body
has been or is required for the performance of the Advisory Agreement by
the Advisor or the Administration Agreement by the Administrator except
(i) such as have been already obtained under the Securities Act or the
Investment Company Act or (ii) as may be required under state securities
laws. The Advisor and the Administrator are not in violation of
their respective limited liability company agreements or other
organizational documents.
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(iv)
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There
is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation before or brought
by any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, now
pending, or, to the knowledge of the Advisor, threatened against or
affecting the Advisor, or to the knowledge of the Administrator,
threatened against or affecting the
Administrator.
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(v)
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The
Advisor and the Administrator possess such certificates, authorities or
permits issued by the appropriate state, federal or foreign regulatory
agencies or bodies necessary to conduct the business now operated by it,
other than those the failure to possess or own would not have or result
in, individually or in the aggregate, (A) a material adverse effect on the
condition, financial or otherwise, earnings, business affairs or business
prospects of the Advisor or the Administrator, as the case may be, (B) a
Company MAE, or (C) a material adverse effect on the performance of the
services under the Advisory Agreement by the Advisor or the Administration
Agreement by the Administrator, and the Advisor and the Administrator have
not received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or
modification of any such certificate, authority or
permit.
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(s)
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BUSINESS
DEVELOPMENT COMPANY.
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(i)
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The
terms of the Advisory Agreement and the Administration Agreement,
including compensation terms comply in all material respects with all
applicable provisions of the Investment Company Act and the Investment
Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder
(collectively, the “Advisers
Act”).
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(ii)
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No
Person is serving or acting as an officer, director or investment adviser
of the Company, except in accordance with the provisions of the Investment
Company Act and the Advisers Act and the applicable published rules and
regulations thereunder.
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(iii)
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The
provisions of the corporate charter and bylaws of the Company and the
investment objectives, policies and restrictions described in the
Prospectus are and will be consistent in all material respects with the
requirements of the Investment Company Act applicable to a
BDC.
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(iv)
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The
approval of the Advisory Agreement by each of the board of directors and
the initial stockholders of the Company has been made in accordance with
the requirements of Section 15 of the Investment Company Act applicable to
companies that have elected to be regulated as BDCs under the Investment
Company Act.
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2.
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REPRESENTATIONS
AND WARRANTIES OF THE DEALER MANAGER. The Dealer Manager
represents and warrants to the Company during the term of this Agreement
that:
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(a)
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ORGANIZATION
STATUS. The Dealer Manager is a limited liability company duly
organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the
State of Delaware, with all requisite power and authority to enter into
this Agreement and to carry out its obligations
hereunder.
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(b)
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AUTHORIZATION
OF AGREEMENT. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed
and delivered by the Dealer Manager, and assuming due authorization,
execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company and the Advisor,
will constitute a valid and legally binding agreement of the Dealer
Manager enforceable against the Dealer Manager in accordance with its
terms, except as enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy,
insolvency or similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights
generally or by equitable principles relating to enforceability and except
that rights to indemnity and contribution hereunder may be limited by
applicable law and public policy.
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(c)
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ABSENCE
OF CONFLICT OR DEFAULT. The execution and delivery of this
Agreement, the consummation of the transactions herein contemplated and
compliance with the terms of this Agreement by the Dealer Manager will not
conflict with or constitute a default under (i) its organizational
documents, (ii) any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust or lease to which
the Dealer Manager is a party or by which it may be bound, or to which any
of the property or assets of the Dealer Manager is subject, or (iii) any
rule, regulation, writ, injunction or decree of any government,
governmental instrumentality or court, domestic or foreign, having
jurisdiction over the Dealer Manager or its assets, properties or
operations, except in the case of clause (ii) or (iii) for such conflicts
or defaults that would not individually or in the aggregate have or
reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the condition
(financial or otherwise), business affairs, properties or results of
operations of the Dealer Manager.
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(d)
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BROKER-DEALER
REGISTRATION; FINRA MEMBERSHIP. The Dealer Manager is, and
during the term of this Agreement will be, duly registered as a
broker-dealer pursuant to the provisions of the Exchange Act and the
Exchange Act Rules and Regulations, a member in good standing of FINRA,
and a broker or dealer duly registered as such in those states where the
Dealer Manager is required to be registered in order to carry out the
Offering as contemplated by this Agreement. Moreover, the
Dealer Manager’s employees and representatives have all required licenses
and registrations to act under this Agreement. There is no
provision in the Dealer Manager’s FINRA membership agreement that would
restrict the ability of the Dealer Manager to carry out the Offering as
contemplated by this Agreement.
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(e)
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DISCLOSURE. The
information under the caption “Plan of Distribution” in the Prospectus
insofar as it relates to the Dealer Manager, and all other information
furnished to the Company by the Dealer Manager in writing specifically for
use in the Registration Statement, any preliminary Prospectus or the
Prospectus, does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or
omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary
in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances
under which they were made, not
misleading.
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3.
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OFFERING
AND SALE OF THE SHARES. Upon the terms and subject to
the conditions set forth in this Agreement, the Company hereby appoints
the Dealer Manager as its agent and exclusive distributor to solicit and
to retain the Soliciting Dealers (as defined in Section
3(a)) to solicit subscriptions for the Shares at the subscription
price to be paid in cash. The Dealer Manager hereby accepts
such agency and exclusive distributorship and agrees to use its reasonable
best efforts to sell or cause to be sold the Shares in such quantities and
to such Persons in accordance with such terms as are set forth in this
Agreement, the Prospectus and the Registration
Statement. Unless this Agreement is earlier terminated pursuant
to Section
10, the Dealer Manager shall use such reasonable best efforts
during the Offering Period (as defined
below).
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As
used in this Agreement, “Offering
Period” means the period commencing on the initial Effective Date and
ending on the earliest to occur of the following: (1) the acceptance
by the Company of subscriptions for 150,000,000 Shares; and (2) the liquidation
or dissolution of the Company.
The
number of Shares, if any, to be reserved for sale by each Soliciting Dealer may
be determined, from time to time, by the Dealer Manager upon prior consultation
with the Company. In the absence of such determination, the Company
shall, subject to the provisions of Section
3(b), accept Subscription Agreements based upon a first-come, first
accepted reservation or other similar method. Under no circumstances
will the Dealer Manager be obligated to underwrite or purchase any Shares for
its own account and, in soliciting purchases of Shares, the Dealer Manager shall
act solely as the Company’s agent and not as an underwriter or
principal.
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(a)
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SOLICITING
DEALERS. The Shares offered and sold through the Dealer Manager
under this Agreement shall be offered and sold only by the Dealer Manager
and other securities dealers the Dealer Manager may retain (collectively
the “Soliciting
Dealers”); provided,
however, that (i) the Dealer Manager reasonably believes that all
Soliciting Dealers are registered with the Commission, members of FINRA
and are duly licensed or registered by the regulatory authorities in the
jurisdictions in which they will offer and sell Shares or exempt from
broker dealer registration with the Commission and all other applicable
regulatory authorities, (ii) all such engagements are evidenced by written
agreements, the terms and conditions of which substantially conform to the
form of Soliciting Dealers Agreement approved by the Company and the
Dealer Manager (the “Soliciting
Dealers Agreement”), and (iii) the Company shall have previously
approved each Soliciting Dealer (such approval not to be unreasonably
withheld or delayed).
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(b)
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SUBSCRIPTION
DOCUMENTS. Each Person desiring to purchase Shares through the
Dealer Manager, or any other Soliciting Dealer, will be required to
complete and execute the subscription documents described in the
Prospectus.
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Until
the minimum offering of $2,500,000 in Shares has been sold, payments for Shares
shall be made by checks payable to “XXXXX FARGO BANK, NA, ESCROW AGENT FOR
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION OF AMERICA” During such time, the
Selected Dealer shall forward original checks together with an original
Subscription Agreement, executed and initialed by the subscriber as provided for
in the Subscription Agreement, to the Escrow Agent at the address provided in
the Subscription Agreement.
When
a Soliciting Dealer’s internal supervisory procedures are conducted at the site
at which the Subscription Agreement and check were initially received by the
Soliciting Dealer from the subscriber, the Soliciting Dealer shall transmit the
Subscription Agreement and check to the Escrow Agent by the end of the next
business day following receipt of the check and Subscription Agreement. When,
pursuant to Soliciting Dealer’s internal supervisory procedures, the Soliciting
Dealer’s final internal supervisory procedures are conducted at a different
location (the “Final Review Office”), the Soliciting Dealer shall transmit the
check and Subscription Agreement to the Final Review Office by the end of the
next business day following the Soliciting Dealer’s receipt of the Subscription
Agreement and check. The Final Review Office will, by the end of the next
business day following its receipt of the Subscription Agreement and check,
forward both the Subscription Agreement and check to the Escrow Agent. If any
Subscription Agreement solicited by the Soliciting Dealer is rejected by the
Dealer Manager or the Company, then the Subscription Agreement and check will be
returned to the rejected subscriber within ten (10) business days from the date
of rejection.
11
|
(c)
|
COMPLETED
SALE. A sale of a Share shall be deemed by the Company to be
completed for purposes of Section
3(d) if and only if (i) the Company has received a properly
completed and executed subscription agreement, together with payment of
the full purchase price of each purchased Share, from an investor who
satisfies the applicable suitability standards and minimum purchase
requirements set forth in the Registration Statement as determined by the
Soliciting Dealer, or the Dealer Manager, as applicable, in accordance
with the provisions of this Agreement, (ii) the Company has accepted such
subscription, and (iii) such investor has been admitted as a shareholder
of the Company. In addition, no sale of Shares shall be
completed until at least five (5) business days after the date on which
the subscriber receives a copy of the Prospectus. The Dealer
Manager hereby acknowledges and agrees that the Company, in its sole and
absolute discretion, may accept or reject any subscription, in whole or in
part, for any reason whatsoever or no reason, and no commission or dealer
manager fee will be paid to the Dealer Manager with respect to that
portion of any subscription which is
rejected.
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|
(d)
|
DEALER-MANAGER
COMPENSATION.
|
|
(i)
|
Subject to the volume discounts and other special
circumstances described in or otherwise provided in the “Plan of
Distribution” section of the Prospectus or this Section
3(d), the Company agrees to pay the Dealer Manager selling
commissions in the amount of seven percent (7%) of the selling price of
each Share for which a sale is completed from the Shares offered in the
Offering. Alternatively, if the Soliciting Dealer elects to
receive selling commissions equal to seven and one-half percent (7.5%) in
accordance with the Soliciting Dealers Agreement, the Company agrees to
pay the Dealer Manager selling commissions in the amount of seven and
one-half percent (7.5%) of the selling price of each Share for which a
sale is completed from the Shares offered in the Primary Offering, two and
one-half percent (2.5%) of which selling commissions shall be payable at
the time of such sale and one percent (1%) of which shall be paid on each
anniversary of the closing of such sale up to and including the fifth
anniversary of the closing of such sale. The
Company will pay reduced selling commissions or may eliminate commissions
on certain sales of Shares, including the reduction or elimination of
selling commissions in accordance with, and on the terms set forth in, the
Prospectus. The Dealer Manager will reallow all the selling
commissions, subject to federal and state securities laws, to the
Soliciting Dealer who sold the Shares, as described more fully in the
Soliciting Dealers Agreement. In
no event shall the Dealer Manager be entitled to payment of any
compensation in connection with the Offering that is not completed
according to this Agreement; provided, however, that the reimbursement of
out-of-pocket accountable expenses actually incurred by the Dealer Manager
or person associated with the Dealer Manager shall not be presumed to be
unfair or unreasonable and shall be payable under normal
circumstances.
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|
(ii)
|
Subject
to the special circumstances described in or otherwise provided in the
“Plan of Distribution” section of the Prospectus or this Section
3(d), as compensation for acting as the dealer manager, the Company
will pay the Dealer Manager, a dealer manager fee in the amount of three
percent (3%) of the selling price of each Share for which a sale is
completed from the Shares offered in the Offering (the “Dealer
Manager Fee”). Notwithstanding, the Dealer Manager Fee
will be reduced to two and one-half percent (2.5%) if the selling
commission is 7.5% as described above. The
Dealer Manager may retain or re-allow all or a portion of the Dealer
Manager Fee, subject to federal and state securities laws, to the
Soliciting Dealer who sold the Shares, as described more fully in the
Soliciting Dealers Agreement.
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12
|
(iii)
|
All
sales commissions payable to the Dealer Manager will be paid as dictated
by industry practice after the investor subscribing for the Shares is
admitted as a shareholder of the Company, in an amount equal to the sales
commissions payable with respect to such
Shares.
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|
(iv)
|
In
no event shall the total aggregate underwriting compensation payable to
the Dealer Manager and any Soliciting Dealers participating in the
Offering, including, but not limited to, selling commissions and the
Dealer Manager Fee exceed ten percent (10.0%) of gross offering
proceeds from the Offering in the
aggregate.
|
In
connection with the minimum amount offered by the Company pursuant to the
Prospectus and FINRA’s 10% underwriting compensation limitation under FINRA Rule
2310 (“FINRA’s
10% cap”), the Dealer Manager shall advance all of the fixed expenses,
including, but not limited to, wholesaling salaries, salaries of dual employees
allocated to wholesaling activities, and other fixed expenses, (including, but
not limited to, wholesaling expense reimbursements and the Dealer Manager’s
legal expenses associated with filing the Offering with FINRA), that are
required to be included within FINRA’s 10% cap to ensure that the aggregate
underwriting compensation paid in connection with the Offering does not exceed
FINRA’s 10% cap.
The
Dealer Manager shall repay to the Company any excess amounts received over
FINRA’s 10% cap if the Offering is abruptly terminated after receiving the
minimum amount offered by the Company pursuant to the Prospectus and before
reaching the maximum amount of offered by the Company pursuant to the
Prospectus.
No
compensation in connection with the offering may be paid to the Dealer Manager,
the Soliciting Dealers or their affiliates out of the proceeds of the offering
prior to the release of such proceeds from escrow. However, if any such payments
are made from sources other than proceeds of the Offering, they shall be made
only on the basis of bona fide transactions.
|
(v)
|
Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained herein, if the Company pays any selling
commission to the Dealer Manager for sale by a Soliciting Dealer of one or
more Shares and the subscription is rescinded as to one or more of the
Shares covered by such subscription, then the Company shall decrease the
next payment of selling commissions or other compensation otherwise
payable to the Dealer Manager by the Company under this Agreement by an
amount equal to the commission rate established in this Section
3(d), multiplied by the number of Shares as to which the
subscription is rescinded. If no payment of selling commissions
or other compensation is due to the Dealer Manager after such withdrawal
occurs, then the Dealer Manager shall pay the amount specified in the
preceding sentence to the Company within a reasonable period of time not
to exceed thirty (30) days following receipt of notice by the Dealer
Manager from the Company stating the amount owed as a result of rescinded
subscriptions.
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13
|
(e)
|
REASONABLE
BONA
FIDE DUE DILIGENCE EXPENSES. The Company or the Advisor
shall reimburse the Dealer Manager or any Soliciting Dealer for reasonable
bona
fide due diligence expenses incurred by the Dealer Manager or any
Soliciting Dealer. The Company shall only reimburse the Dealer
Manager or any Soliciting Dealer for such approved bona fide
due diligence expenses to the extent such expenses have actually
been incurred and are supported by detailed and itemized invoice(s)
provided to the Company.
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|
(f)
|
CERTAIN
ADVANCES TO DEALER MANAGER. The parties hereto acknowledge that
prior to the initial Effective Date, the Company may have paid to the
Dealer Manager advances of monies against out-of-pocket accountable
expenses actually anticipated to be incurred by the Dealer Manager in
connection with the Offering (other than reasonable bona fide
due diligence expenses). Such advances shall be credited
against such portion of the Dealer Manager Fee payable pursuant to Section
3(d) that is retained by the Dealer Manager and not re-allowed
until the full amount of such advances is offset. Such advances
are not intended to be in addition to the compensation set forth in Section
3(d) and any and all monies advanced that are not utilized for
out-of-pocket accountable expenses actually incurred by the Dealer Manager
in connection with the Offering (other than reasonable bona fide
due diligence expenses) shall be reimbursed by the Dealer Manager
to the Company.
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4.
|
CONDITIONS
TO THE DEALER MANAGER’S OBLIGATIONS. The Dealer
Manager’s obligations hereunder shall be subject to the following terms
and conditions (and if all such conditions are not satisfied or waived by
the Dealer Manager on or before the initial Effective Date or at any time
thereafter until the Termination Date, then no funds shall be released (1)
from the Escrow Account if the Dealer Manager provides notice to this
effect to the Company and the Escrow Agent, and (2) from the Deposit
Account if the Dealer Manager provides notice to this effect to the
Company and the Escrow
Agent:
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|
(a)
|
The
representations and warranties on the part of the Company and the Advisor
contained in this Agreement hereof shall be true and correct in all
material respects and the Company and the Advisor shall have complied with
their covenants, agreements and obligations contained in this Agreement in
all material respects;
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|
(b)
|
The
Registration Statement shall have become effective and no stop order
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been
issued by the Commission and, to the best knowledge of the Company and the
Advisor, no proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted,
threatened or contemplated by the Commission; and any request by the
Commission for additional information (to be included in the Registration
Statement or Prospectus or otherwise) shall have been complied with to the
reasonable satisfaction of the Dealer
Manager.
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14
|
(c)
|
The
Registration Statement and the Prospectus, and any amendment or any
supplement thereto, shall not contain any untrue statement of material
fact, or omit to state a material fact that is required to be stated
therein or is necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading.
|
|
(d)
|
On
the initial Effective Date and at or prior to the fifth business day
following the Effective Date of each post-effective amendment to the
Registration Statement that includes or incorporates by reference new
audited financial statements for the Company, the Dealer Manager shall
have received from Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx LLP or such other independent registered
public accountants for the Company, (i) a letter, dated the applicable
date, addressed to the Dealer Manager, in form and substance satisfactory
to the Dealer Manager, containing statements and information of the type
ordinarily included in accountant’s “comfort letters” to placement agents
or dealer managers, delivered according to Statement of Auditing Standards
No. 72 (or any successor bulletin), with respect to the audited financial
statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus, and (ii) confirming that they are (A)
independent registered public accountants as required by the Securities
Act, and (B) in compliance with the applicable requirements relating to
the qualification of accountants under Rule 2-01 of Regulation
S-X.
|
|
(e)
|
At
or prior to the fifth business day following (i) the request by the Dealer
Manager in connection with any third party due diligence investigation,
and (ii) the Effective Date of each post-effective amendment to the
Registration Statement (other than post-effective amendments filed solely
pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act and other than the
post-effective amendments referred to in Section
4(d)), the Dealer Manager shall have received from Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx
LLP or such other independent public or certified public accountants for
the Company, a letter, dated such date, in form and substance satisfactory
to the Dealer Manager, to the effect that they reaffirm the statements
made in the most recent letter furnished pursuant to Section
4(d), except that the specified date referred to therein for the
carrying out of procedures shall be no more than three business days prior
to the date of the letter furnished pursuant to this Section
4(e).
|
|
(f)
|
On
the Effective Date the Dealer Manager shall have received the opinion of
Xxxx Xxxxx & Xxxx PLC, counsel for the Company, and a supplemental
“negative assurances” letter from such counsel, each dated as of the
Effective Date, and each in the form and substance reasonably satisfactory
to the Dealer Manager.
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15
|
(g)
|
At
or prior to the Effective Date and at or prior to the fifth business day
following the effective date of each post-effective amendment to the
Registration Statement (other than post-effective amendments filed solely
pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act), the Dealer Manager
shall have received a written certificate executed by the Chief Executive
Officer or President of the Company and the Chief Financial Officer of the
Company, dated as of the applicable date, to the effect
that: (i) the representations and warranties of the Company and
the Advisor set forth in this Agreement are true and correct in all
material respects with the same force and effect as though expressly made
on and as of the applicable date; and
(ii) the Company and the Advisor have complied in all material respects
with all the agreements hereunder and satisfied all the conditions on
their part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to the
applicable date.
|
5.
|
COVENANTS
OF THE COMPANY AND THE ADVISOR. The Company and the
Advisor covenant and agree with the Dealer Manager as
follows:
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|
(a)
|
REGISTRATION
STATEMENT. The Company will use commercially reasonable efforts
(i) to cause the Registration Statement and any subsequent amendments
thereto to become effective as promptly as possible, and (ii) on an
ongoing basis, maintain effective status with the Commission
thereafter. The Company will furnish a copy of any proposed
amendment or supplement of the Registration Statement or the Prospectus to
the Dealer Manager. The Company will comply in all material
respects with all federal and state securities laws, rules and regulations
which are required to be complied with in order to permit the continuance
of offers and sales of the Shares in accordance with the provisions hereof
and of the Prospectus.
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|
(b)
|
BUSINESS
DEVELOPMENT COMPANY. Prior to the initial Effective Date, the
Company will file Form N-54A – Notification of Election to be Subject to
Sections 55 through 65 of the Investment Company Act of 1940 filed
Pursuant to Section 54(a) of the Act (the “Notification
of Election”) with the Commission, pursuant to which the Company
will elect to be treated as a BDC. Except as otherwise provided
for in this Agreement, the Company will not withdraw such Notification of
Election or take any action to cause the Commission to order such
Notification of Election to be withdrawn. Such Notification of Election,
when filed with the Commission (i) will contain all statements required to
be stated therein in accordance with, and will comply in all material
respects with the requirements of, the Investment Company Act and (ii)
will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state
a material fact necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.
The Company will use its best efforts to maintain its status as a BDC;
provided, however, the Company may change the nature of its business so as
to cease to be, or to withdraw its election as, a BDC, with the approval
of the Company’s board of directors and a vote of its stockholders as
required by Section 58 of the Investment Company
Act.
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|
(c)
|
INVESTMENT
ADVISOR. Upon the initial Effective Date, the Advisor will be
registered as an investment adviser under the Advisers Act and will not be
prohibited by the Advisers Act or the Investment Company Act from acting
under the Advisory Agreement for the Company as contemplated by the
Prospectus. There does not exist any proceeding or, to the
Advisers knowledge, any facts or circumstances the existence of which
could lead to any proceeding which might adversely affect the registration
of the Advisor with the Commission
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16
|
(d)
|
SUBCHAPTER
M. The Company will use its best efforts to qualify for and
elect to be treated as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M
of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and to maintain such
qualification and election in effect for each full fiscal year during
which it is a BDC under the Investment Company Act; provided that, at the
discretion of the Company’s board of directors, it may elect not to be so
treated.
|
|
(e)
|
COMMISSION
ORDERS. If the Commission shall issue any stop order or any
other order preventing or suspending the use of the Prospectus, or shall
institute any proceedings for that purpose, then the Company will promptly
notify the Dealer Manager and use its commercially reasonable efforts to
prevent the issuance of any such order and, if any such order is issued,
to use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain the removal thereof as
promptly as possible.
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|
(f)
|
BLUE
SKY QUALIFICATIONS. The Company will use commercially
reasonable efforts to qualify the Shares for offering and sale under the
securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Dealer Manager
and the Company shall mutually agree upon and to make such applications,
file such documents and furnish such information as may be reasonably
required for that purpose. the Company will furnish the Dealer Manager
with a copy of such papers filed by the Company in connection with any
such qualification. The Company will promptly advise the Dealer
Manager of the issuance by such securities administrators of any stop
order preventing or suspending the use of the Prospectus or of the
institution of any proceedings for that purpose, and will use its
commercially reasonable efforts to prevent the issuance of any such order
and if any such order is issued, to use its commercially reasonable
efforts to obtain the removal thereof as promptly as possible. The Company
will furnish the Dealer Manager with a Blue Sky Survey dated as of the
initial Effective Date, which will be supplemented to reflect changes or
additions to the information disclosed in such
survey.
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|
(g)
|
AMENDMENTS
AND SUPPLEMENTS. If, at any time when a Prospectus relating to
the Shares is required to be delivered under the Securities Act, any event
shall have occurred to the knowledge of the Company, or the Company
receives notice from the Dealer Manager that it believes such an event has
occurred, as a result of which the Prospectus or any Approved Sales
Literature as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue
statement of a material fact, or omit to state a material fact necessary
to make the statements therein not misleading in light of the
circumstances existing at the time it is so required to be delivered to a
subscriber, or if it is necessary at any time to amend the Registration
Statement or supplement the Prospectus relating to the Shares to comply
with the Securities Act, then the Company will promptly notify the Dealer
Manager thereof (unless the information shall have been received from the
Dealer Manager) and will prepare and file with the Commission an amendment
or supplement which will correct such statement or effect such compliance
to the extent required, and shall make available to the Dealer Manager
thereof sufficient copies for its own use and/or distribution to the
Soliciting Dealers.
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17
|
(h)
|
REQUESTS
FROM COMMISSION. The Company will promptly advise the Dealer
Manager of any request made by the Commission or a state securities
administrator for amending the Registration Statement, supplementing the
Prospectus or for additional
information.
|
|
(i)
|
COPIES
OF REGISTRATION STATEMENT. The Company will furnish the Dealer
Manager with one signed copy of the Registration Statement, including its
exhibits, and such additional copies of the Registration Statement,
without exhibits, and the Prospectus and all amendments and supplements
thereto, which are finally approved by the Commission, as the Dealer
Manager may reasonably request for sale of the
Shares.
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|
(j)
|
QUALIFICATION
TO TRANSACT BUSINESS. The Company will take all steps necessary
to ensure that at all times the Company will validly exist as a Maryland
corporation and will be qualified to do business in all jurisdictions in
which the conduct of its business requires such qualification and where
such qualification is required under local
law.
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|
(k)
|
AUTHORITY
TO PERFORM AGREEMENTS. The Company undertakes to obtain all
consents, approvals, authorizations or orders of any court or governmental
agency or body which are required for the Company’s performance of this
Agreement and under its charter and by-laws for the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, respectively, or the
conducting by the Company of the business described in the
Prospectus.
|
|
(l)
|
SALES
LITERATURE. The Company will furnish to the Dealer Manager as
promptly as shall be practicable upon request any Approved Sales
Literature (provided that the use of said material has been first approved
for use by all appropriate regulatory agencies). Any
supplemental sales literature or advertisement, regardless of how labeled
or described, used in addition to the Prospectus in connection with the
Offering which is furnished or approved by the Company (including, without
limitation, Approved Sales Literature shall, to the extent required, be
filed with and, to the extent required, approved by the appropriate
securities agencies and bodies, provided that the Dealer Manager will make
all FINRA filings, to the extent required. The Company will
prepare (or cause to be prepared) all Approved Sales
Literature. Each of the Company and the Advisor will not (and
will cause its affiliates to not) (i) show or give to any investor or
prospective investor or reproduce any material or writing that is marked
“broker-dealer use only” or otherwise bearing a legend denoting that it is
not to be used in connection with the sale of Shares to members of the
public; and (2) show or give to any investor or prospective investor in a
particular jurisdiction any material or writing if such material bears a
legend denoting that it is not to be used in connection with the sale of
Shares to members of the public in such
jurisdiction.
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18
|
(m)
|
CERTIFICATES
OF COMPLIANCE. The Company shall provide, from time to time
upon request of the Dealer Manager, certificates of its chief executive
officer and chief financial officer of compliance by the Company of the
requirements of this Agreement.
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|
(n)
|
USE
OF PROCEEDS. The Company will apply the proceeds from the sale
of the Shares as set forth in the
Prospectus.
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|
(o)
|
CUSTOMER
INFORMATION. Each of the Company and the Advisor
shall:
|
|
(i)
|
abide
by and comply with (A) the privacy standards and requirements of the
Xxxxx-Xxxxx-Xxxxxx Act of 1999 (the “GLB
Act”), (B) the privacy standards and requirements of any other
applicable federal or state law, and (C) its own internal privacy policies
and procedures, each as may be amended from time to
time;
|
|
(ii)
|
refrain
from the use or disclosure of nonpublic personal information (as defined
under the GLB Act) of all customers who have opted out of such disclosures
except as necessary to service the customers or as otherwise necessary or
required by applicable law; and
|
|
(iii)
|
determine
which customers have opted out of the disclosure of nonpublic personal
information by periodically reviewing and, if necessary, retrieving an
aggregated list of such customers from the Soliciting Dealers (the “List”)
to identify customers that have exercised their opt-out
rights. If either party uses or discloses nonpublic personal
information of any customer for purposes other than servicing the
customer, or as otherwise required by applicable law, that party will
consult the List to determine whether the affected customer has exercised
his or her opt-out rights. Each party understands that it is
prohibited from using or disclosing any nonpublic personal information of
any customer that is identified on the List as having opted out of such
disclosures.
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|
(p)
|
DEALER
MANAGER’S REVIEW OF PROPOSED AMENDMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTS. Prior
to amending or supplementing the Registration Statement, any preliminary
prospectus or the Prospectus (including any amendment or supplement
through incorporation of any report filed under the Exchange Act), the
Company shall furnish to the Dealer Manager for review, a reasonable
amount of time prior to the proposed time of filing or use thereof, a copy
of each such proposed amendment or supplement, and the Company shall not
file or use any such proposed amendment or supplement without the Dealer
Manager’s consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or
delayed.
|
|
(q)
|
CERTAIN
PAYMENTS. Without the prior consent of the Dealer Manager, none
of the Company, the Advisor or any of their respective affiliates will
make any payment (cash or non-cash) to any associated Person or registered
representative of the Dealer
Manager.
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19
|
(r)
|
DEPOSIT
ACCOUNT. Once subscription funds from Persons unaffiliated with
the Company or the Advisor in the Escrow Account aggregate $2,500,000 in
respect of Shares of the Company (the “Escrow
Break Date”),
subject to any continuing escrow obligations imposed by certain states as
described in the Prospectus, the Company will deposit all subsequent
subscription funds in the Deposit Account. At all times until
the Termination Date, the Deposit Account shall be subject to the Control
Agreement that will provide, among other things, that no funds shall be
able to be withdrawn from the Deposit Account once the Dealer Manager
provides notice to the Company and the Escrow Agent that a condition set
forth in Section
4 has not been satisfied or waived by the Dealer
Manager. Such restriction on withdrawal shall continue until
the Dealer Manager notifies the Company and the Escrow Agent that funds in
the Deposit Account can be released upon order of the
Company.
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|
(s)
|
REGULATORY
FILINGS. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the
Company shall provide the Dealer Manager for its prior approval (not to be
unreasonably withheld) with a copy of any notice, filing, application,
registration, document, correspondence or other information that the
Company proposes to deliver, make or file with any governmental authority
or agency (federal, state or otherwise) or with FINRA in connection with
the Offering, this Agreement or any of the transactions completed
hereby.
|
6.
|
COVENANTS
OF THE DEALER MANAGER. The Dealer Manager covenants and
agrees with the Company as
follows:
|
|
(a)
|
COMPLIANCE
WITH LAWS; PROSPECTUS DELIVERY. With respect to the Dealer
Manager’s participation and the participation by each Soliciting Dealer in
the offer and sale of the Shares (including, without limitation, any
resales and transfers of Shares), the Dealer Manager agrees, and each
Soliciting Dealer in its Soliciting Dealer Agreement will agree, to comply
in all material with all applicable requirements of (i) the Securities
Act, the Securities Act Rules and Regulations, the Exchange Act, the
Exchange Act Rules and Regulations and all other federal regulations
applicable to the Offering, the sale of Shares and with, (ii) all
applicable state securities or blue sky laws and regulations in effect
from time to time, and (iii) the Rules of the FINRA applicable to the
Offering, from time to time in effect, specifically including, but not in
any way limited to, Conduct Rules 2340, 2420, 2730, 2740 and 2750 and
FINRA Rule 2310 therein. The Dealer Manager will not offer the
Shares for sale in any jurisdiction unless and until it has been advised
that the Shares are either registered in accordance with, or exempt from,
the securities and other laws applicable
thereto.
|
20
In
addition, the Dealer Manager shall, in accordance with applicable law or as
prescribed by any state securities administrator, provide, or require in the
Soliciting Dealer Agreement that the Soliciting Dealer shall provide, to any
prospective investor copies of the Prospectus and any supplements thereto during
the course of the Offering and prior to the sale. The Company may
provide the Dealer Manager with certain Approved Sales Literature to be used by
the Dealer Manager and the Soliciting Dealers in connection with the
solicitation of purchasers of the Shares. The Dealer Manager agrees
not to deliver the Approved Sales Literature to any Person prior to the initial
Effective Date. If the Dealer Manager elects to use such Approved
Sales Literature after the initial Effective Date, then the Dealer Manager
agrees that such material shall not be used by it in connection with the
solicitation of purchasers of the Shares and that it will direct Soliciting
Dealers not to make such use unless accompanied or preceded by the Prospectus,
as then currently in effect, and as it may be amended or supplemented in the
future. The Dealer Manager agrees that it will not use any Approved
Sales Literature other than those provided to the Dealer Manager by the Company
for use in the Offering. The use of any other sales material is
expressly prohibited.
|
(b)
|
NO
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. In offering the Shares for sale, the
Dealer Manager shall not, and each Soliciting Dealer shall agree not to,
give or provide any information or make any representation other than
those contained in the Prospectus or the Approved Sales
Literature. The Dealer Manager will not (i) show or give
to any investor or prospective investor or reproduce any material or
writing that is supplied to it by the Company and marked “broker-dealer
use only” or otherwise bearing a legend denoting that it is not to be used
in connection with the sale of Shares to members of the public; and (ii)
show or give to any investor or prospective investor in a particular
jurisdiction any material or writing that is supplied to it by the Company
if such material bears a legend denoting that it is not to be used in
connection with the sale of Shares to members of the public in such
jurisdiction.
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|
(c)
|
SALES
OF SHARES. The Dealer Manager shall, and each Soliciting Dealer
shall agree to, solicit purchases of the Shares only in the jurisdictions
in which the Dealer Manager and such Soliciting Dealer are legally
qualified to so act and in which the Dealer Manager and each Soliciting
Dealer have been advised by the Company in writing that such solicitations
can be made.
|
|
(d)
|
SUBSCRIPTION
AGREEMENT. The Dealer Manager will comply in all material
respects with the subscription procedures and “Plan of Distribution” set
forth in the Prospectus. Subscriptions will be submitted by the
Dealer Manager and each Soliciting Dealer to the Company only on the form
which is included as Exhibit B to the Prospectus. The Dealer
Manager understands and acknowledges, and each Soliciting Dealer shall
acknowledge, that the Subscription Agreement must be executed and
initialed by the subscriber as provided for by the Subscription
Agreement.
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21
|
(e)
|
SUITABILITY. The
Dealer Manager will offer Shares, and in its agreement with each
Soliciting Dealer will require that the Soliciting Dealer offer Shares,
only to Persons that it has reasonable grounds to believe meet the
financial qualifications set forth in the Prospectus or in any suitability
letter or memorandum sent to it by the Company and will only make offers
to Persons in the states in which it is advised in writing by the Company
that the Shares are qualified for sale or that such qualification is not
required. In offering Shares, the Dealer Manager will comply,
and in its agreements with the Soliciting Dealers, the Dealer Manager will
require that the Soliciting Dealers comply, with the provisions of all
applicable rules and regulations relating to suitability of investors,
including without limitation the FINRA Conduct Rules and the provisions of
Article III.C. and III.E. of the Omnibus Guidelines of the North American
Securities Administrators Association, Inc. (the “NASAA
Guidelines”). The Dealer Manager agrees that in
recommending the purchase of the Shares to an investor, the Dealer Manager
and each Person associated with the Dealer Manager that make such
recommendation shall have, and each Soliciting Dealer in its Soliciting
Dealer Agreement shall agree with respect to investors to which it makes a
recommendation shall agree that it shall have, reasonable grounds to
believe, on the basis of information obtained from the investor concerning
the investor’s investment objectives, other investments, financial
situation and needs, and any other information known by the Dealer
Manager, the Person associated with the Dealer Manager or the Soliciting
Dealer that: (i) the investor is or will be in a financial
position appropriate to enable the investor to realize to a significant
extent the benefits described in the Prospectus, including the tax
benefits where they are a significant aspect of the Company; (ii) the
investor has a fair market net worth sufficient to sustain the risks
inherent in the program, including loss of investment and lack of
liquidity; and (iii) an investment in the Shares offered in the Offering
is otherwise suitable for the investor. The Dealer Manager
agrees as to investors to whom it makes a recommendation with respect to
the purchase of the Shares in the Offering (and each Soliciting Dealer in
its Soliciting Dealer Agreement shall agree, with respect to Investors to
whom it makes such recommendations) to maintain in the files of the Dealer
Manager (or the Soliciting Dealer, as applicable) documents disclosing the
basis upon which the determination of suitability was reached as to each
investor. In making the determinations as to financial
qualifications and as to suitability required by the NASAA Guidelines, the
Dealer Manager and Soliciting Dealers may rely on (A) representations from
investment advisers who are not affiliated with a Soliciting Dealer, banks
acting as trustees or fiduciaries, and (B) information it has obtained
from a prospective investor, including such information as the investment
objectives, other investments, financial situation and needs of the Person
or any other information known by the Dealer Manager (or Soliciting
Dealer, as applicable), after due inquiry. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, the Dealer Manager shall not, and each Soliciting Dealer shall
agree not to, execute any transaction in the Company in a discretionary
account without prior written approval of the transaction by the
customer.
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|
(f)
|
SUITABILITY
RECORDS. The Dealer Manager shall, and each Soliciting Dealer
shall agree to, maintain, for at least six years or for a period of time
not less than that required in order to comply with all applicable
federal, state and other regulatory requirements, whichever is later, a
record of the information obtained to determine that an investor meets the
suitability standards imposed on the offer and sale of the Shares (both at
the time of the initial subscription and at the time of any additional
subscriptions) and a representation of the investor that the investor is
investing for the investor’s own account or, in lieu of such
representation, information indicating that the investor for whose account
the investment was made met the suitability standards. The
Company agrees that the Dealer Manager can satisfy its obligation by
contractually requiring such information to be maintained by the
investment advisers or banks referred to in Section
6(e).
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22
|
(g)
|
SOLICITING
DEALER AGREEMENTS. All engagements of the Soliciting Dealers
will be evidenced by a Soliciting Dealer
Agreement.
|
|
(h)
|
ELECTRONIC
DELIVERY. If it intends to use electronic delivery to
distribute the Prospectus to any Person, it will comply, with all
applicable requirements of the Commission, the Blue Sky laws and/or FINRA
and any other laws or regulations related to the electronic delivery of
documents.
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|
(i)
|
COORDINATION. The
Company and the Dealer Manager shall have the right, but not the
obligation, to meet with key personnel of the other on an ongoing and
regular basis to discuss the conduct of the
officers.
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|
(j)
|
AML
COMPLIANCE. Although acting as a wholesale distributor and not
itself selling shares directly to investors, the Dealer Manager represents
to the Company that it has established and implemented anti-money
laundering compliance programs (“AML
Program”) in accordance with applicable law, including applicable
FINRA Conduct Rules, Exchange Act Rules and Regulations and the Uniting
and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to
Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act (USA PATRIOT Act) of 2001, as amended
(the “USA
PATRIOT Act”), specifically including, but not limited to, Section
352 of the International Money Laundering Abatement and Anti-Terrorist
Financing Act of 2001 (the “Money
Laundering Abatement Act”, and together with the USA PATRIOT Act,
the “AML
Rules”), reasonably expected to detect and cause the reporting of
suspicious transactions in connection with the offering and sale of the
Shares. The Dealer Manager further represents that it is
currently in compliance with all AML Rules, specifically including, but
not limited to, the Customer Identification Program requirements under
Section 326 of the Money Laundering Abatement Act, and the Dealer Manager
hereby covenants to remain in compliance with such requirements and shall,
upon request by the Company, provide a certification to the Company that,
as of the date of such certification (i) its AML Program is
consistent with the AML Rules, and (ii) it is currently in compliance with
all AML Rules, specifically including, but not limited to, the Customer
Identification Program requirements under Section 326 of the Money
Laundering Abatement Act.
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23
|
(k)
|
COOPERATION. Upon
the expiration or earlier termination of this Agreement, the Dealer
Manager will use reasonable efforts to cooperate with the Company and any
other party that may be necessary to accomplish an orderly transfer and
transfer to a successor dealer manager of the operation and management of
the services the Dealer Manager is providing to the Company under this
Agreement, provided that the Company shall not be in breach or default of
this Agreement. The Dealer Manager will not be entitled to
receive any additional fee in connection with the foregoing provisions of
this Section
6(k), but the Company will pay or reimburse the Dealer Manager for
any out-of-pocket expenses reasonably incurred by the Dealer Manager in
connection therewith.
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|
(l)
|
CUSTOMER
INFORMATION. The Dealer Manager will use commercially
reasonable efforts to provide the Company with any and all subscriber
information that the Company requests in order for the Company to comply
with the requirements under Section
5(m).
|
7.
|
EXPENSES.
|
|
(a)
|
Subject
to Sections
7(b) and 7(c),
the Dealer Manager shall pay all its own costs and expenses incident to
the performance of its obligations under this
Agreement.
|
|
(b)
|
The
Company agrees to pay all costs and expenses related
to:
|
|
(i)
|
the
registration of the offer and sale of the Shares with the
Commission;
|
|
(ii)
|
expenses
of printing the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any
amendment or supplement thereto as herein
provided;
|
|
(iii)
|
fees
and expenses incurred in connection with any required filing with the
FINRA;
|
|
(iv)
|
all
the expenses of agents of the Company, excluding the Dealer Manager,
incurred in connection with performing marketing and advertising services
for the Company; and
|
|
(v)
|
expenses
of qualifying the Shares for offering and sale under state blue sky and
securities laws, and expenses in connection with the preparation and
printing of the Blue Sky Survey.
|
|
(c)
|
The
Company shall reimburse the Dealer Manager and Soliciting Dealers for
approved or deemed approved reasonable bona fide due diligence expenses in
accordance with Section
3(e).
|
8.
|
INDEMNIFICATION.
|
|
(a)
|
INDEMNIFIED
PARTIES DEFINED. For the purposes of this Agreement, an “Indemnified
Party” shall mean a Person entitled to indemnification under Section
8, as well as such Person’s officers, directors (including with
respect to the Company, any Person named in the Registration Statement
with his consent as about to become a director), employees, members,
partners, affiliates, agents and representatives, and each Person, if any,
who controls such Person within the meaning of Section 15 of the
Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange
Act.
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24
|
(b)
|
INDEMNIFICATION
OF THE DEALER MANAGER AND SOLICITING DEALERS. The Company will
indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Dealer Manager and the Soliciting
Dealers, and their respective Indemnified Parties, from and against any
losses, claims, expenses (including reasonable legal and other expenses
incurred in investigating and defending such claims or liabilities),
damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which any such Soliciting
Dealers or the Dealer Manager, or their respective Indemnified Parties,
may become subject under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or
otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, expenses, damages or
liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based
upon: (i) in whole or in part, any material inaccuracy in a
representation or warranty contained herein by the Company or the Advisor,
any material breach of a covenant contained herein by the Company or the
Advisor, or any material failure by the Company or the Advisor to perform,
its obligations hereunder or to comply with state or federal securities
laws applicable to the Offering; (ii) any untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement of a material fact contained (A) in any Registration
Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto or in the Prospectus or
any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus, (B) in any Approved Sales
Literature or (C) in any blue sky application or other document executed
by the Company or on its behalf specifically for the purpose of qualifying
any or all of the Shares for sale under the securities laws of any
jurisdiction or based upon written information furnished by the Company
under the securities laws thereof (any such application, document or
information being hereinafter called a “Blue
Sky Application”); or (iii) the omission or alleged omission to
state a material fact required to be stated in the Registration Statement
or any post-effective amendment thereof to make the statements therein not
misleading or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact
required to be stated in the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement to
the prospectus to make the statements therein, in light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and the Company
will reimburse each Soliciting Dealer or the Dealer Manager, and their
respective Indemnified Parties, for any reasonable legal or other expenses
incurred by such Soliciting Dealer or the Dealer Manager, and their
respective Indemnified Parties, in connection with investigating or
defending such loss, claim, expense, damage, liability or action; provided,
however, that the Company will not be liable in any such case to
the extent that any such loss, claim, expense, damage or liability arises
out of, or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement
or omission or alleged omission made in reliance upon and in conformity
with written information furnished to the Company by the Dealer Manager
expressly for use in the Registration Statement or any post-effective
amendment thereof or the Prospectus or any such amendment thereof or
supplement thereto. This indemnity agreement will be in
addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise
have.
|
25
Notwithstanding
the foregoing, as required by the Company’s charter and Section II.G. of the
NASAA Guidelines, the indemnification and agreement to hold harmless provided in
this Section
8(b) is further limited to the extent that no such indemnification by the
Company of a Soliciting Dealer or the Dealer Manager, or their respective
Indemnified Parties, shall be permitted under this Agreement for, or arising out
of, an alleged violation of federal or state securities laws, unless one or more
of the following conditions are met: (a) there has been a successful
adjudication on the merits of each count involving alleged securities law
violations as to the particular Indemnified Party; (b) such claims have been
dismissed with prejudice on the merits by a court of competent jurisdiction as
to the particular Indemnified Party; or (c) a court of competent jurisdiction
approves a settlement of the claims against the particular Indemnified Party and
finds that indemnification of the settlement and the related costs should be
made, and the court considering the request for indemnification has been advised
of the position of the Commission and of the published position of any state
securities regulatory authority in which the securities were offered or sold as
to indemnification for violations of securities laws.
|
(c)
|
DEALER
MANAGER INDEMNIFICATION OF THE COMPANY AND ADVISOR. The Dealer
Manager will indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Company, the Advisor,
each of their Indemnified Parties and each Person who has signed the
Registration Statement, from and against any losses, claims, expenses
(including the reasonable legal and other expenses incurred in
investigating and defending any such claims or liabilities), damages or
liabilities to which any of the aforesaid parties may become subject under
the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses,
claims, expenses, damages (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or
are based upon: (i) in whole or in part, any material
inaccuracy in a representation or warranty contained herein by the Dealer
Manager or any material breach of a covenant contained herein by the
Dealer Manager; (ii) any untrue statement or any alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained (A) in any Registration Statement
or any post-effective amendment thereto or in the Prospectus or any
amendment or supplement to the Prospectus, (B) in any Approved Sales
Literature, or (C) any Blue Sky Application; or (iii) the omission or
alleged omission to state a material fact required to be stated in the
Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereof to make the
statements therein not misleading, or the omission or alleged omission to
state a material fact required to be stated in the Prospectus or any
amendment or supplement to the Prospectus to make the statements therein,
in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;
provided,
however, that in each case described in clauses (ii) and (iii) to
the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or omission
was made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information
furnished to the Company by the Dealer Manager expressly for use in the
Registration Statement or any such post-effective amendments thereof or
the Prospectus or any such amendment thereof or supplement thereto; or
(iv) any use of sales literature, including “broker-dealer use only”
materials, by the Dealer Manager that is not Approved Sales
Literature. The Dealer Manager will reimburse the aforesaid
parties for any reasonable legal or other expenses incurred in connection
with investigation or defense of such loss, claim, expense, damage,
liability or action. This indemnity agreement will be in
addition to any liability which the Dealer Manager may otherwise
have.
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26
|
(d)
|
SOLICITING
DEALER INDEMNIFICATION OF THE COMPANY. By virtue of entering
into the Soliciting Dealer Agreement, each Soliciting Dealer severally
will agree to indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Company, the Dealer
Manager, each of their respective Indemnified Parties, and each Person who
signs the Registration Statement, from and against any losses, claims,
expenses, damages or liabilities to which the Company, the Dealer Manager,
or any of their respective Indemnified Parties, or any Person who signed
the Registration Statement, may become subject, under the Securities Act
or otherwise, as more fully described in the Soliciting Dealer
Agreement.
|
|
(e)
|
ACTION
AGAINST PARTIES; NOTIFICATION. Promptly after receipt by any
Indemnified Party under this Section
8 of notice of the commencement of any action, such Indemnified
Party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against any
indemnifying party under this Section
8, promptly notify the indemnifying party of the commencement
thereof; provided,
however, that the failure to give such notice shall not relieve the
indemnifying party of its obligations hereunder except to the extent it
shall have been actually prejudiced by such failure. In case
any such action is brought against any Indemnified Party, and it notifies
an indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party
will be entitled, to the extent it may wish, jointly with any other
indemnifying party similarly notified, to participate in the defense
thereof, with separate counsel. Such participation shall not
relieve such indemnifying party of the obligation to reimburse the
Indemnified Party for reasonable legal and other expenses incurred by such
Indemnified Party in defending itself, except for such expenses incurred
after the indemnifying party has deposited funds sufficient to effect the
settlement, with prejudice, of, and unconditional release of all
liabilities from, the claim in respect of which indemnity is
sought. Any such indemnifying party shall not be liable to any
such Indemnified Party on account of any settlement of any claim or action
effected without the consent of such indemnifying party, such consent not
to be unreasonably withheld or
delayed.
|
|
(f)
|
REIMBURSEMENT
OF FEES AND EXPENSES. An indemnifying party under Section
8 of this Agreement shall be obligated to reimburse an Indemnified
Party for reasonable legal and other expenses as
follows:
|
|
(i)
|
In
the case of the Company indemnifying the Dealer Manager, the advancement
of Company funds to the Dealer Manager for legal expenses and other costs
incurred as a result of any legal action for which indemnification is
being sought shall be permissible (in accordance with Section II.G. of the
NASAA Guidelines) only if all of the following conditions are
satisfied: (A) the legal action relates to acts or omissions
with respect to the performance of duties or services on behalf of the
Company; (B) the legal action is initiated by a third party who is not a
shareholder of the Company or the legal action is initiated by a
shareholder of the Company acting in his or her capacity as such and a
court of competent jurisdiction specifically approves such advancement;
and (C) the Dealer Manager undertakes to repay the advanced funds to the
Company, together with the applicable legal rate of interest thereon, in
cases in which the Dealer Manager is found not to be entitled to
indemnification.
|
27
|
(ii)
|
In
any case of indemnification other than that described in Section
8(f)(i) above, the indemnifying party shall pay all legal fees and
expenses reasonably incurred by the Indemnified Party in the defense of
such claims or actions; provided,
however,
that the indemnifying party shall not be obligated to pay legal expenses
and fees to more than one law firm in connection with the defense of
similar claims arising out of the same alleged acts or omissions giving
rise to such claims notwithstanding that such actions or claims are
alleged or brought by one or more parties against more than one
Indemnified Party. If such claims or actions are alleged or
brought against more than one Indemnified Party, then the indemnifying
party shall only be obliged to reimburse the expenses and fees of the one
law firm (in addition to local counsel) that has been participating by a
majority of the indemnified parties against which such action is finally
brought; and if a majority of such indemnified parties is unable to agree
on which law firm for which expenses or fees will be reimbursable by the
indemnifying party, then payment shall be made to the first law firm of
record representing an Indemnified Party against the action or
claim. Such law firm shall be paid only to the extent of
services performed by such law firm and no reimbursement shall be payable
to such law firm on account of legal services performed by another law
firm.
|
9.
|
CONTRIBUTION.
|
|
(a)
|
If
the indemnification provided for in Section
8 is for any reason unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless
an Indemnified Party in respect of any losses, liabilities, claims,
damages or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party
shall contribute to the aggregate amount of such losses, liabilities,
claims, damages and expenses incurred by such Indemnified Party, as
incurred, (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative
benefits received by the Company, the Dealer Manager and the Soliciting
Dealer, respectively, from the proceeds received in the Offering pursuant
to this Agreement and the relevant Soliciting Dealer Agreement, or (ii) if
the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law,
in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative
benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of
the Company, the Dealer Manager and the Soliciting Dealer, respectively,
in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such
losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses, as well as any other
relevant equitable considerations.
|
|
(b)
|
The
relative benefits received by the Company, the Dealer Manager and the
Soliciting Dealer, respectively, in connection with the proceeds received
in the Offering pursuant to this Agreement and the relevant Soliciting
Dealer Agreement shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportion
as the total net proceeds from the Offering pursuant to this Agreement and
the relevant Soliciting Dealer Agreement (before deducting expenses),
received by the Company, and the total selling commissions and dealer
manager fees received by the Dealer Manager and the Soliciting Dealer,
respectively, in each case as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus
bear to the aggregate offering price of the Shares sold in the Offering as
set forth on such cover.
|
28
|
(c)
|
The
relative fault of the Company, the Dealer Manager and the Soliciting
Dealer, respectively, shall be determined by reference to, among other
things, whether any such untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material
fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact related to
information supplied by the Company, by the Dealer Manager or by the
Soliciting Dealer, respectively, and the parties’ relative intent,
knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent
such statement or omission.
|
|
(d)
|
The
Company, the Dealer Manager and the Soliciting Dealer (by virtue of
entering into the Soliciting Dealer Agreement) agree that it would not be
just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section
9 were determined by pro
rata
allocation or by any other method of allocation which does not take
account of the equitable contributions referred to above in this Section
9. The aggregate amount of losses, liabilities, claims,
damages and expenses incurred by an Indemnified Party and referred to
above in this Section
9 shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably
incurred by such Indemnified Party in investigating, preparing or
defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by
any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim
whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission or alleged
omission.
|
|
(e)
|
Notwithstanding
the provisions of this Section
9, the Dealer Manager and the Soliciting Dealer shall not be
required to contribute any amount by which the total price at which the
Shares sold in the Offering to the public by them exceeds the amount of
any damages which the Dealer Manager and the Soliciting Dealer have
otherwise been required to pay by reason of any untrue or alleged untrue
statement or omission or alleged
omission.
|
|
(f)
|
No
party guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of
Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to
contribution from any party who was not guilty of such fraudulent
misrepresentation.
|
|
(g)
|
For
the purposes of this Section
9, the Dealer Manager’s officers, directors, employees, members,
partners, agents and representatives, and each Person, if any, who
controls the Dealer Manager within the meaning of Section 15 of the
Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act shall have the same
rights to contribution of the Dealer Manager, and each officers,
directors, employees, members, partners, agents and representatives of the
Company, each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement
and each Person, if any, who controls the Company, within the meaning of
Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act shall
have the same rights to contribution of the Company. The
Soliciting Dealers’ respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this
Section
9 are several in proportion to the number of Shares sold by each
Soliciting Dealer in the Offering and not
joint.
|
29
10.
|
TERMINATION
OF THIS
AGREEMENT.
|
|
(a)
|
TERM;
EXPIRATION. This Agreement shall become effective on the
initial Effective Date and the obligations of the parties hereunder shall
not commence until the initial Effective Date; provided, however,
that the obligations of the parties under Sections
3(e), 3(f),
7,
8,
9
and 11
and this Section
10 shall commence on, and shall be effective as of, the date that
this Agreement is executed. Unless earlier terminated pursuant
to Section
10(b) or 10(c),
this Agreement shall expire at the end of the Offering Period (subject to
reinstatement of the Offering Period pursuant to the provisions of Section
3). This Agreement (i) may be earlier terminated by the
Company pursuant to Section
10(b), and (ii) may be earlier terminated by the Dealer
Manager pursuant to Section
10(c).
|
Notwithstanding
the foregoing and anything herein to the contrary, any reinstatement of the
Offering Period pursuant to the provisions of Section
3 shall be deemed to rescind any expiration of this
Agreement. Any such reinstatement of the Offering Period shall not
affect the ability of the Company or the Dealer Manager subsequently to
terminate this Agreement pursuant to Section
10(b) or 10(c),
respectively.
The
date upon which this Agreement shall have expired or been terminated earlier
shall be referred to in this Agreement as the “Termination
Date”.
|
(b)
|
TERMINATION
OF AGREEMENT BY THE COMPANY. This Agreement may be terminated
at any time, without the payment of any penalty, upon 60 days prior
written notice, by the Company upon the occurrence of any of the following
events:
|
|
(i)
|
The
Dealer Manager or any of its affiliates materially breaches this
Agreement; provided,
however, that the party in breach of this Agreement shall have thirty (30)
calendar days after the receipt of notice of such breach from the
non-breaching party to cure such
breach;
|
|
(ii)
|
Any
fraud, criminal conduct or willful misconduct by the Dealer Manager in any
action or failure to act undertaken by such party pertaining to or having
a detrimental effect upon the Dealer Manager’s ability to perform its
duties provided that Dealer Manager does not cure any such act thirty (30)
calendar days after the receipt of notice of such act (or at such later
time as stated in the notice) from the
Company;
|
|
(iii)
|
The
entry of a decree or order for relief by a court of competent jurisdiction
in respect of the Dealer Manager in any involuntary case under any
applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in
effect, or appointment of a receiver, liquidator, assignee, custodian,
trustee, sequestrator (or similar official) of the Dealer Manager or for
any substantial part of its property or an order winding up or liquidating
such party’s affairs;
|
30
|
(iv)
|
The
commencement of a voluntary case by the Dealer Manager under any
applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in
effect, or consent by the Dealer Manager to the entry of an order for
relief in an involuntary case under any such law, or consent to the
appointment of or the taking of possession by a receiver, liquidator,
assignee, custodian, trustee, sequestrator (or similar official) of the
Dealer Manager or of any substantial part of its property, or the making
of any general assignment for the benefit of creditors, or its admission
of insolvency or its failure generally to pay its debts as they become
due;
|
|
(v)
|
The
aggregate amount of Shares to be offered by the Company under the Offering
has been issued and sold or the Offering is terminated or discontinued;
and
|
|
(vi)
|
The
Company issues and offers for sale Shares in excess of the Offering and no
subsequent agreement for the sale of such additional Shares is executed
between the Company, the Company and their affiliates, on the one hand,
and the Dealer Manager and its affiliates, on the
other.
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|
(c)
|
TERMINATION
OF AGREEMENT BY THE DEALER MANAGER. This Agreement may be
terminated at any time, without the payment of any penalty, upon 60 days
prior written notice, by Dealer Manager upon the occurrence of any of the
following events:
|
|
(i)
|
The
Company or any of its affiliates materially breaches this Agreement; provided,
however, that the party in breach of this Agreement shall have thirty (30)
calendar days after the receipt of notice of such breach from the
non-breaching party to cure such
breach;
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|
(ii)
|
Any
fraud, criminal conduct or willful misconduct by the Company pertaining to
or having a detrimental effect on Dealer Manager, provided that the
Company does not cure any such act thirty (30) calendar days after the
receipt of notice of such act (or at such later time as stated in the
notice) from the Dealer Manager;
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(iii)
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The
entry of a decree or order for relief by a court of competent jurisdiction
in respect of the Company in any involuntary case under any applicable
bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in effect, or
appointment of a receiver, liquidator, assignee, custodian, trustee,
sequestrator (or similar official) of the Company or for any substantial
part of its property or an order winding up or liquidating such party’s
affairs;
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31
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(iv)
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The
commencement of a voluntary case by the Company under any applicable
bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in effect, or
consent by the Dealer Manager to the entry of an order for relief in an
involuntary case under any such law, or consent to the appointment of or
the taking of possession by a receiver, liquidator, assignee, custodian,
trustee, sequestrator (or similar official) of the Company or of any
substantial part of its property, or the making of any general assignment
for the benefit of creditors, or its admission of insolvency or its
failure generally to pay its debts as they become
due;
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(v)
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The
aggregate amount of Shares to be offered under the Offering has been
issued and sold;
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(vi)
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The
Company issues and offers for sale Shares in excess of the Offering and no
subsequent agreement for the sale of such additional Shares is executed
between the Company and its affiliates, on the one hand, and the Dealer
Manager and its affiliates, on the
other;
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(vii)
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(x)
The Company shall not have obtained all applicable and material consents
or approvals with respect to, and shall not have made all applicable and
material filings or registrations with, any governmental entity
(collectively, the “Consents”);
and (y) the Company directly and indirectly, as applicable, shall have
failed to exercise its commercially reasonable efforts in good faith to
obtain all such Consents as are necessary for the Company to conduct its
operations no later than the one year anniversary of the date on which the
Registration Statement is filed;
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(viii)
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The
Effective Date has not occurred on or before the one year-anniversary of
the date on which the Registration Statement is
filed;
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(ix)
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There
shall have occurred a Company MAE, whether or not arising in the ordinary
course of business;
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(x)
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A
stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement
shall have been issued by the Commission and is not rescinded within
20 business days after the issuance thereof;
and
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(xi)
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A
material action, suit, proceeding or investigation (i) asserting the
invalidity of this Agreement, (ii) seeking to prevent the issuance of
Shares or the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement, (iii) that might materially and adversely affect the
performance by the Company of its obligations under or the validity or
enforceability of, this Agreement or the Shares, (iv) that might
result in a Company MAE, or (v) seeking to affect adversely the federal
income tax attributes of the
Shares.
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32
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(d)
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DELIVERY
OF RECORDS UPON EXPIRATION OR EARLY TERMINATION. Upon the
expiration or early termination of this Agreement for any reason, the
Dealer Manager shall (i) promptly forward any and all funds, if any, in
its possession which were received from investors for the sale of Shares
into the Escrow Account for the deposit of investor funds, (ii) to the
extent not previously provided to the Company, provide a list of all
investors who have subscribed for or purchased shares and all
broker-dealers with whom the Dealer Manager has entered into a Soliciting
Dealer Agreement, (iii) notify Soliciting Dealers
of such termination, and (iv) promptly deliver to the Company copies of
any sales literature designed for use specifically for the Offering that
it is then in the process of preparing. Upon expiration or
earlier termination of this Agreement, the Company shall pay to the Dealer
Manager all compensation to which the Dealer Manager is or becomes
entitled under Section
3(d) at such time as such compensation becomes
payable.
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11.
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MISCELLANEOUS.
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(a)
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SURVIVAL. The
following provisions of the Agreement shall survive the expiration or
earlier termination of this Agreement: Section
3(d); Section
5(m); Section
7; Section
8; Section
9; Section
10; and Section
11. Notwithstanding anything else that may be to the
contrary herein, the expiration or earlier termination of this Agreement
shall not relieve a party for liability for any breach occurring prior to
such expiration or earlier
termination.
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(b)
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NOTICES. All
notices, consents, approvals, waivers or other communications required or
permitted hereunder (each a “Notice”)
shall be in writing and shall be: (i) delivered personally or
by commercial messenger; (ii) sent by a recognized overnight courier
service; or (iii) sent by facsimile transmission, provided confirmation of
receipt is received by sender and such Notice is sent or delivered
contemporaneously by an additional method provided hereunder; in each case
above provided such Notice is addressed to the intended recipient thereof
as set forth below:
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If
to the Company:
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Business
Development Corporation of America
000
Xxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx
Xxxx, XX 00000
Facsimile
No: (000) 000-0000
Attention: Xxxxx
X. Xxxxxxxx
General
Counsel
with
a copy to (which shall not constitute a Notice):
Bass,
Xxxxx & Xxxx PLC
000
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxxx,
XX 00000-0000
Facsimile
No: (000) 000-0000
Attention: Xxxx
X. Good, Esq.
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33
If
to the Dealer Manager:
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Realty
Capital Securities, LLC
Three
Xxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxx,
XX 00000
Facsimile
No.: (000) 000-0000
Attention: Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx
President
with
a copy to (which shall not constitute a Notice):
Bass,
Xxxxx & Xxxx PLC
000
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxxx,
XX 00000-0000
Facsimilie
No: (000) 000-0000
Attention: Xxxx
X. Good, Esq.
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Any
party may change its address specified above by giving each party Notice of such
change in accordance with this Section
11(b).
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(c)
|
SUCCESSORS
AND ASSIGNS. No party shall assign (voluntarily, by operation
of law or otherwise) this Agreement or any right, interest or benefit
under this Agreement without the prior written consent of each other
party. Subject to the foregoing, this Agreement shall be fully
binding upon, inure to the benefit of, and be enforceable by, the parties
hereto and their respective successors and
assigns.
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(d)
|
INVALID
PROVISION. The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision
of this Agreement shall not affect the other provisions hereof, and this
Agreement shall be construed in all respects as if such invalid or
unenforceable provision were
omitted.
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(e)
|
APPLICABLE
LAW. This Agreement and any disputes relative to the
interpretation or enforcement hereto shall be governed by and construed
under the internal laws, as opposed to the conflicts of laws provisions,
of the State of New York.
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(f)
|
WAIVER. EACH
OF THE PARTIES HERETO WAIVES ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION,
SUIT, PROCEEDING OR COUNTERCLAIM (WHETHER BASED UPON CONTRACT, TORT OR
OTHERWISE) RELATED TO OR ARISING OUT OF THIS AGREEMENT. The
parties hereto each hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive
jurisdiction of the courts of the State of New York and the Federal courts
of the United States of America located in the Borough of Manhattan, New
York City, in respect of the interpretation and enforcement of the terms
of this Agreement, and in respect of the transactions contemplated hereby,
and each hereby waives, and agrees not to assert, as a defense in any
action, suit or proceeding for the interpretation or enforcement hereof,
that it is not subject thereto or that such action, suit or proceeding may
not be brought or is not maintainable in said courts or that the venue
thereof may not be appropriate or that this Agreement may not be enforced
in or by such courts, and the parties hereto each hereby irrevocably
agrees that all claims with respect to such action or proceeding shall be
heard and determined in such a New York State or Federal
court.
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34
|
(g)
|
ATTORNEYS’
FEES. If a dispute arises concerning the performance, meaning
or interpretation of any provision of this Agreement or any document
executed in connection with this Agreement, then the prevailing party in
such dispute shall be awarded any and all costs and expenses incurred by
the prevailing party in enforcing, defending or establishing its rights
hereunder or thereunder, including, without limitation, court costs and
attorneys and expert witness fees. In addition to the foregoing
award of costs and fees, the prevailing also shall be entitled to recover
its attorneys’ fees incurred in any post-judgment proceedings to collect
or enforce any judgment.
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(h)
|
NO
PARTNERSHIP. Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed or
interpreted to constitute the Dealer Manager or the Soliciting Dealers as
being in association with or in partnership with the Company or one
another, and instead, this Agreement only shall constitute the Dealer
Manager as a broker authorized by the Company to sell and to manage the
sale by others of the Shares according to the terms set forth in the
Registration Statement, the Prospectus or this
Agreement. Nothing herein contained shall render the Dealer
Manager or the Company liable for the obligations of any of the Soliciting
Dealers or one another.
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(i)
|
THIRD
PARTY BENEFICIARIES. Except for the Persons referred to in
Section 8
and Section
9, there shall be no third party beneficiaries of this Agreement,
and no provision of this Agreement is intended to be for the benefit of
any Person not a party to this Agreement, and no third party shall be
deemed to be a beneficiary of any provision of this
Agreement. Except for the Persons referred to in Section 8
and Section
9, no third party shall by virtue of any provision of this
Agreement have a right of action or an enforceable remedy against any
party to this Agreement. Each of the Persons referred to in
Section
8 and Section
9 shall be a third party beneficiary of this
Agreement.
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(j)
|
ENTIRE
AGREEMENT. This Agreement contains the entire agreement and
understanding among the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter
hereof, and supersedes all prior and contemporaneous agreements,
understandings, inducements and conditions, express or implied, oral or
written, of any nature whatsoever with respect to the subject matter
hereof. The express terms hereof control and supersede any
course of performance and/or usage of the trade inconsistent with any of
the terms hereof. This Agreement may not be modified or amended
other than by an agreement in
writing.
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(k)
|
NONWAIVER. The
failure of any party to insist upon or enforce strict performance by any
other party of any provision of this Agreement or to exercise any right
under this Agreement shall not be construed as a waiver or relinquishment
to any extent of such party’s right to assert or rely upon any such
provision or right in that or any other instance; rather, such provision
or right shall be and remain in full force and
effect.
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35
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(l)
|
ACCESS
TO INFORMATION. The Company may authorize the Company’s
transfer agent to provide information to the Dealer Manager and each
Soliciting Dealer regarding recordholder information about the clients of
such Soliciting Dealer who have invested with the Company on an on-going
basis for so long as such Soliciting Dealer has a relationship with such
clients. The Dealer Manager shall require in the Soliciting
Dealer Agreement that Soliciting Dealers not disclose any password for a
restricted website or portion of website provided to such Soliciting
Dealer in connection with the Offering and not disclose to any Person,
other than an officer, director, employee or agent of such Soliciting
Dealers, any material downloaded from such a restricted website or portion
of a restricted website.
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(m)
|
COUNTERPARTS. This
Agreement may be executed (including by facsimile transmission) with
counterpart signature pages or in counterpart copies, each of which shall
be deemed an original but all of which together shall constitute one and
the same instrument comprising this
Agreement.
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(n)
|
ABSENCE
OF FIDUCIARY RELATIONSHIPS. The parties acknowledge and agree
that (i) the Dealer Manager’s responsibility to the Company or the Advisor
is solely contractual in nature, and (ii) the Dealer Manager does not owe
the Company, the Advisor, any of their respective affiliates or any other
Person any fiduciary (or other similar) duty as a result of this Agreement
or any of the transactions contemplated
hereby.
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(o)
|
DEALER
MANAGER INFORMATION. Prior to the initial Effective Date, the
parties will expressly acknowledge and agree as to the information
furnished to the Company by the Dealer Manager expressly for use in the
Registration Statement.
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(p)
|
PROMOTION
OF DEALER MANAGER RELATIONSHIP. The Company and the Dealer
Manager will cooperate with each other in good faith in connection with
the promotion or advertisement of their relationship in any release,
communication, sales literature or other such materials and shall not
promote or advertise their relationship without the approval of the other
party in advance, which shall not be unreasonably withheld or
delayed.
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(q)
|
TITLES
AND SUBTITLES. The titles and subtitles used in this Agreement
are used for convenience only and are not to be considered in construing
or interpreting this Agreement.
|
If
the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, kindly
sign and return it to us, whereupon this instrument will become a binding
agreement between you and the Company in accordance with its terms.
36
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have each duly executed this Dealer Manager
Agreement as of the day and year set forth above.
COMPANY:
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||
BUSINESS
DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION OF AMERICA
|
||
By:
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||
Name:
|
||
Title:
|
||
ADVISOR:
|
||
BDCA
Adviser, LLC
|
||
By:
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||
Name:
|
||
Title:
|
Accepted
as of the date first above written:
DEALER
MANAGER:
REALTY
CAPITAL SECURITIES, LLC
By:
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Name:
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Title:
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