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EXHIBIT 99.6
___________________, 1998
EXCHANGE AGENT AGREEMENT
The Bank of New York
Corporate Trust Trustee Administration
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx - 00xx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Ladies and Gentlemen:
DTI Holdings, Inc., a Missouri corporation (the "Company"), proposes to
make an offer (the "Exchange Offer") to exchange up to $506,000,000 aggregate
principal amount at maturity of its 12 1/2% Series B Senior Discount Notes due
2008 (the "Exchange Notes"), for a like principal amount of its
outstanding 12 1/2% Senior Discount Notes due 2008 (the "Private
Notes"). The terms and conditions of the Exchange Offer are set forth in a
prospectus (the "Prospectus") included in the Company's registration statement
on Form S-4 (File No. 333-50049), as amended (the "Registration Statement"),
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), proposed to be
distributed to all record holders of the Private Notes. The Private Notes and
the Exchange Notes are collectively referred to herein as the "Notes."
Capitalized terms used and not defined herein shall have the respective meanings
ascribed to them in the Prospectus.
The Company hereby appoints The Bank of New York to act as exchange
agent (the "Exchange Agent") in connection with the Exchange Offer. References
hereinafter to "you" shall refer to The Bank of New York.
The Exchange Offer is expected to be commenced by the Company on or
about _______________, 1998. The Letter of Transmittal accompanying the
Prospectus (or, in the case of book-entry securities the Automated Tender Offer
Program system) is to be used by the holders of the Private Notes to
accept the Exchange Offer and contains instructions with respect to the delivery
of certificates for Private Notes tendered in connection therewith and any other
documents required therein.
The Exchange Offer shall expire at 5:00 P.M., New York City time, on
________ , 1998, or on such later date or time to which the Company may extend
the Exchange Offer (the "Expiration Date"). Subject to the terms and conditions
set forth in the Prospectus, the Company expressly reserves the right to extend
the Exchange Offer from time to time and may extend the Exchange Offer by giving
oral (confirmed in writing) or written notice to you before 9:00 A.M., New York
City time, on the business day following the previously scheduled Expiration
Date.
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The Company expressly reserves the right, in its sole and absolute
discretion, to amend or terminate the Exchange Offer, and not to accept for
exchange any Private Notes not theretofore accepted for exchange, upon the
occurrence of any of the conditions of the Exchange Offer specified in the
Prospectus under the caption "The Exchange Offer - Conditions." The Company will
give oral (confirmed in writing) or written notice of any amendment, termination
or nonacceptance to you as promptly as practicable.
In carrying out your duties as Exchange Agent, you are to act in
accordance with the following instructions:
1. You will perform such duties and only such duties as are
specifically set forth in the section of the Prospectus captioned "The Exchange
Offer" or as specifically set forth herein; provided, however, that in no way
will your general duty to act in good faith and without gross negligence or
willful misconduct be limited by the foregoing.
2. You will establish an account with respect to the Private Notes at
The Depository Trust Company (the "Book-Entry Transfer Facility") for purposes
of the Exchange Offer within two business days after the date of the Prospectus,
and any financial institution that is a participant in the Book-Entry Transfer
Facility's systems may make book-entry delivery of the Private Notes by causing
the Book-Entry Transfer Facility to transfer such Private Notes into your
account in accordance with the Book-Entry Transfer Facility's procedures for
such transfer.
3. You are to examine each of the Letters of Transmittal and
certificates for Private Notes (or confirmation of book-entry transfers of
Private Notes into your account at the Book-Entry Transfer Facility) and any
other documents delivered or mailed to you by or for holders of the Private
Notes, to ascertain whether: (i) the Letters of Transmittal, certificates and
any such other documents are duly executed and properly completed in accordance
with instructions set forth therein and that such book-entry confirmations are
in due and proper form and contain the information required to be set forth
therein, and (ii) the Private Notes have otherwise been properly tendered. In
each case where the Letter of Transmittal or any other document has been
improperly completed or executed, or where book-entry confirmations are not in
due and proper form or omit certain information, or any of the certificates for
Private Notes are not in proper form for transfer or some other irregularity in
connection with the acceptance of the Exchange Offer exists, you will endeavor
to inform the presenters of the need for fulfillment of all requirements and to
take any other action as may be necessary or advisable to cause such
irregularity to be corrected.
4. With the approval of the Chief Executive Officer, President, Chief
Financial Officer or any Executive Vice President of the Company (such
approval, if given orally, to be confirmed in writing) or any other party
designated by such officer in writing, you are authorized to waive any
irregularities in connection with any tender of Private Notes pursuant to the
Exchange Offer.
5. Tenders of Private Notes may be made only as set forth in the Letter
of Transmittal and in the section of the Prospectus captioned "The Exchange
Offer-Procedures for Tendering," and Private Notes shall be considered properly
tendered to you only when tendered in accordance with the procedures set forth
therein. Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph 5, Private Notes which
the Chief Executive Officer, President, Chief Financial Officer or any Executive
Vice President of the Company or any other
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designated officer of the Company shall approve as having been properly
tendered shall be considered to be properly tendered (such approval, if given
orally, shall be confirmed in writing).
6. You shall advise the Company with respect to any Private Notes
received subsequent to the Expiration Date and accept its instructions with
respect to disposition of such Private Notes.
7. You shall accept tenders:
(a) in cases where the Private Notes are registered in
two or more names only if signed by all named holders;
(b) in cases where the signing person (as indicated on the
Letter of Transmittal) is acting in a fiduciary or a representative capacity
only when proper evidence of his or her authority so to act is submitted; and
(c) from persons other than the registered holder of Private
Notes provided that customary transfer requirements, including any applicable
transfer taxes, are fulfilled.
You shall accept partial tenders of Private Notes when so indicated and
as permitted in the Letter of Transmittal and deliver certificates for Private
Notes to the transfer agent for split-up and return any untendered Private Notes
to the holder (or such other person as may be designated in the Letter of
Transmittal) as promptly as practicable after expiration or termination of the
Exchange Offer.
8. Upon satisfaction or waiver of all of the conditions to the Exchange
Offer, the Company will notify you (such notice if given orally, to be confirmed
in writing) of its acceptance, promptly after the Expiration Date, of all
Private Notes properly tendered and you, on behalf of the Company, will exchange
such Private Notes for Exchange Notes and cause such Private Notes to be
canceled. Delivery of Exchange Notes will be made on behalf of the Company by
you at the rate of $1,000 principal amount at maturity of Exchange Notes for
each $1,000 principal amount at maturity of the Private Notes tendered promptly
after notice (such notice if given orally, to be confirmed in writing) of
acceptance of said Private Notes by the Company; provided, however, that in all
cases, Private Notes tendered pursuant to the Exchange Offer will be exchanged
only after timely receipt by you of certificates for such Private Notes (or
confirmation of book-entry transfer into your account at the Book-Entry Transfer
Facility), a properly completed and, except as described in the section of the
Prospectus captioned "The Exchange Offer - Procedures for Tendering," duly
executed Letter of Transmittal (or facsimile thereof) with any required
signature guarantees and any other required documents. Unless otherwise
instructed by the Company, you shall issue Exchange Notes only in denominations
of $1,000 principal amount at maturity or any integral multiple thereof.
9. Tenders pursuant to the Exchange Offer are irrevocable, except that,
subject to the terms and upon the conditions set forth in the Prospectus and the
Letter of Transmittal, Private
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Notes tendered pursuant to the Exchange Offer may be withdrawn at any time on
or prior to the Expiration Date in accordance with the terms of the Exchange
Offer.
10. The Company shall not be required to exchange any Private Notes
tendered if any of the conditions set forth in the Exchange Offer are not met.
Notice of any decision by the Company not to exchange any Private Notes tendered
shall be given (and confirmed in writing) by the Company to you.
11. If, pursuant to the Exchange Offer, the Company does not accept for
exchange all or part of the Private Notes tendered because of an invalid tender,
the occurrence of certain other events set forth in the Prospectus under the
caption "The Exchange Offer - Conditions" or otherwise, you shall as soon as
practicable after the expiration or termination of the Exchange Offer return
those certificates for unaccepted Private Notes (or effect appropriate
book-entry transfer), together with any related required documents and the
Letters of Transmittal relating thereto that are in your possession, to the
persons who deposited them (or effected such book-entry transfer).
12. All certificates for reissued Private Notes, unaccepted Private
Notes or for Exchange Notes (other than those effected by book-entry transfer)
shall be forwarded by (a) first-class certified mail, return receipt requested,
under a blanket surety bond obtained by you protecting you and the Company from
loss or liability arising out of the nonreceipt or nondelivery of such
certificates or (b) by registered mail insured by you separately for the
replacement value of each of such certificates.
13. You are not authorized to pay or offer to pay any concessions,
commissions or other solicitation fees to any broker, dealer, commercial bank,
trust company or other nominee or to engage or use any person to solicit
tenders.
14. As Exchange Agent hereunder, you:
(a) shall have no duties or obligations other than those
specifically set forth in the Prospectus, the Letter of Transmittal or herein or
as may be subsequently agreed to in writing by you and the Company;
(b) will be regarded as making no representations and having
no responsibilities as to the validity, sufficiency, value or genuineness of any
of the certificates for the Private Notes deposited with you pursuant to the
Exchange Offer, and will not be required to and will make no representation as
to the validity, value or genuineness of the Exchange Offer;
(c) shall not be obligated to take any legal action hereunder
which might in your reasonable judgment involve any expense or liability, unless
you shall have been furnished with reasonable indemnity;
(d) may reasonably rely on and shall be protected in acting
in reliance upon any certificate, instrument, opinion, notice, letter, telegram
or other document or security
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delivered to you and reasonably believed by you to be genuine and to have been
signed by the proper party or parties;
(e) may reasonably act upon any tender, statement, request,
comment, agreement or other instrument whatsoever not only as to its due
execution and validity and effectiveness of its provisions, but also as to the
truth and accuracy of any information contained therein, which you shall in good
faith believe to be genuine or to have been signed or represented by a proper
person or persons;
(f) may rely on and shall be protected in acting upon written
or oral instructions from any officer of the Company;
(g) may consult with your counsel with respect to any
questions relating to your duties and responsibilities, and the written opinion
of such counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection in
respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by you hereunder in
good faith and in accordance with the written opinion of such counsel; and
(h) shall not advise any person tendering Private Notes
pursuant to the Exchange Offer as to whether to tender or refrain from tendering
all or any portion of Private Notes or as to the market value of the Private
Notes or as to any decrease or appreciation in market value of any Private Notes
that may or may not occur as a result of the Exchange Offer or as to the market
value of the Exchange Notes;
provided, however, that in no way will your general duty to act in good faith
and without gross negligence or willful misconduct be limited by the foregoing.
15. You shall take such action as may from time to time be requested by
the Company or its counsel (and such other action as you may reasonably deem
appropriate) to furnish copies of the Prospectus, Letter of Transmittal and the
Notice of Guaranteed Delivery or such other forms as may be approved from time
to time by the Company, to all persons requesting such documents and to accept
and comply with telephone requests for information relating to the Exchange
Offer, provided such information shall relate only to the procedures for
accepting (or withdrawing from) the Exchange Offer. The Company will furnish you
with copies of such documents at your request. All other requests for
information relating to the Exchange Offer shall be directed to the Company,
Attention: Chief Financial Officer.
16. You shall advise by facsimile transmission or telephone, and
promptly thereafter confirm in writing to, Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxx, Senior Vice
President and Chief Financial Officer of the Company, and such other person
or persons as the Company may request, daily (and more frequently during the
week immediately preceding the Expiration Date and if otherwise requested) up
to and including the Expiration Date, as to the aggregate principal amount of
Private Notes which have been duly tendered pursuant to the Exchange Offer and
the items received by you pursuant to the Exchange Offer and this Agreement,
separately reporting and giving cumulative totals as to items properly received
and items improperly received. In addition, you will also inform, and cooperate
in making available to, the Company or any such other person or persons upon
oral request made from time to time prior to the Expiration Date of
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such other information as it or he or she reasonably requests. Such
cooperation shall include, without limitation, the granting by you to the
Company and such person as the Company may request of access to those persons on
your staff who are responsible for receiving tenders, in order to ensure that
immediately prior to the Expiration Date the Company shall have received
information in sufficient detail to enable it to decide whether to extend the
Exchange Offer. You shall prepare a final list of all persons whose tenders were
accepted, the aggregate principal amount of Private Notes tendered, the
aggregate principal amount of Private Notes accepted and the identity of any
Participating Broker-Dealers and the aggregate principal amount of Exchange
Notes delivered to each, and deliver said list to the Company.
17. Letters of Transmittal, book-entry confirmations and Notices of
Guaranteed Delivery received by you shall be preserved by you for a period of
time at least equal to the period of time you preserve other records pertaining
to the transfer of securities, or one year, whichever is longer, and thereafter
shall be delivered by you to the Company. You shall dispose of unused Letters of
Transmittal and other surplus materials as instructed by the Company.
18. You hereby expressly waive any lien, encumbrance or right of
set-off whatsoever that you may have with respect to funds deposited with you
for the payment of transfer taxes by reasons of amounts, if any, borrowed by the
Company, or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates pursuant to any loan or credit
agreement with you or for compensation owed to you hereunder.
19. For services rendered as Exchange Agent hereunder, you shall be
entitled to such compensation as set forth on Schedule I attached hereto.
20. You hereby acknowledge receipt of the Prospectus and the Letter of
Transmittal and further acknowledge that you have examined each of them. Any
inconsistency between this Agreement, on the one hand, and the Prospectus and
the Letter of Transmittal (as they may be amended from time to time), on the
other hand, shall be resolved in favor of the latter two documents, except with
respect to the duties, liabilities and indemnification of you as Exchange Agent,
which shall be controlled by this Agreement.
21. The Company covenants and agrees to indemnify and hold you harmless
in your capacity as Exchange Agent hereunder against any loss, liability, cost
or expense, including attorneys' fees and expenses arising out of or in
connection with any act, omission, delay or refusal made by you in reliance upon
any signature, endorsement, assignment, certificate, order, request, notice,
instruction or other instrument or document reasonably believed by you to be
valid, genuine and sufficient and in accepting any tender or effecting any
transfer of Private Notes reasonably believed by you in good faith to be
authorized, and in delaying or refusing in good faith to accept any tenders or
effect any transfer of Private Notes; provided, however, that anything in this
Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, the Company shall not be liable for
indemnification or otherwise for any loss, liability, cost or expense to the
extent arising out of your gross negligence or willful misconduct. In no case
shall the Company be liable under this indemnity with respect to any claim
against you unless the Company shall be notified by you, by letter or cable or
by facsimile which is confirmed by letter, of the written assertion of a claim
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against you or of any other action commenced against you, promptly after you
shall have received any such written assertion or notice of commencement of
action. The Company shall be entitled to participate, at its own expense, in the
defense of any such claim or other action, and, if the Company so elects, the
Company may assume the defense of any pending or threatened action against you
in respect of which indemnification may be sought hereunder, in which case the
Company shall not thereafter be responsible for the subsequently-incurred fees
and disbursements of legal counsel for you under this paragraph so long as the
Company shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to you to defend such suit;
provided, that the Company shall not be entitled to assume the defense of any
such action if the named parties to such action include both you and the Company
and representation of both parties by the same legal counsel would, in the
written opinion of your counsel, be inappropriate due to actual or potential
conflicting interests between you and the Company. You understand and agree that
the Company shall not be liable under this paragraph for the fees and expenses
of more than one legal counsel for you.
22. You shall arrange to comply with all requirements under the tax
laws of the United States, including those relating to missing Tax
Identification Numbers, and shall file any appropriate reports with the Internal
Revenue Service. The Company understands that you are required, in certain
instances, to deduct thirty-one percent (31%) with respect to interest paid on
the Exchange Notes and proceeds from the sale, exchange, redemption or
retirement of the Exchange Notes from holders who have not supplied their
correct Taxpayer Identification Number or required certification. Such funds
will be turned over to the Internal Revenue Service in accordance with
applicable regulations.
23. You shall notify the Company of the amount of any transfer taxes
payable in respect of the exchange of Private Notes and, upon receipt of a
written approval from the Company, shall deliver or cause to be delivered, in a
timely manner to each governmental authority to which any transfer taxes are
payable in respect of the exchange of Private Notes, your check in the amount of
all transfer taxes so payable, and the Company shall reimburse you for the
amount of any and all transfer taxes payable in respect of the exchange of
Private Notes; provided, however, that you shall reimburse the Company for
amounts refunded to you in respect of your payment of any such transfer taxes,
at such time as such refund is received by you.
24. This Agreement and your appointment as Exchange Agent hereunder
shall be construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of New
York applicable to agreements made and to be performed entirely within such
state, and without regard to conflicts of law principles.
25. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure solely to the
benefit of each party hereto and nothing in this Agreement, express or implied,
is intended to or shall confer upon any other person any right, benefit or
remedy of any nature whatsoever under or by reason of this Agreement. Without
limitation of the foregoing, the parties hereto expressly agree that no holder
of Private Notes or Exchange Notes shall have any right, benefit or remedy of
any nature whatsoever under, or by reason of, this Agreement.
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26. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of
which shall be deemed to be an original, and all of which taken together shall
constitute one and the same agreement.
27. In case any provision of this Agreement shall be invalid, illegal
or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining
provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.
28. This Agreement shall not be deemed or construed to be modified,
amended, rescinded, canceled or waived, in whole or in part, except by a written
instrument signed by a duly authorized representative of the party to be
charged.
29. Unless otherwise provided herein, all notices, requests and other
communications to any party hereunder shall be in writing (including facsimile
or similar writing) and shall be given to such party, addressed to it, at its
address or telecopy number set forth below:
If to the Company:
DTI Holdings, Inc.
00000 Xxxxxxx Xxxx
Xx. Xxxxx, XX 00000
Facsimile: (000) 000-0000
Attention: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx, President and
Chief Executive Officer
With a copy to:
Xxxxx Xxxx LLP
000 Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
Xx. Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000-0000
Facsimile: (000) 000-0000
Attention: J. Xxxx Xxxxxx
If to the Exchange Agent:
The Bank of New York
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxx 00 Xxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Facsimile: (000) 000-0000
Attention: Corporate Trust Trustee Administration
30. Unless terminated earlier by the parties hereto, this Agreement
shall terminate 90 days following the Expiration Date. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, paragraphs 17, 19, 21 and 23 shall survive the termination of this
Agreement. Upon any termination of this Agreement,
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you shall promptly deliver to the Company any certificates for Notes, funds or
property then held by you as Exchange Agent under this Agreement.
31. This Agreement shall be binding and effective as of the date
hereof.
Please acknowledge receipt of this Agreement and confirm the
arrangements herein provided by signing and returning the enclosed copy.
DTI HOLDINGS, INC.
By:___________________________
Name: Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Title: Senior Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer
Accepted as the date first above written:
THE BANK OF NEW YORK, as
Exchange Agent
By:___________________________
Name:
Title:
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SCHEDULE I
FEE SCHEDULE FOR
EXCHANGE AGENT SERVICES
I. ACCEPTANCE FEE Waived
Our Acceptance Fee includes review of all relevant documentation,
closing of transaction, setting up of records and opening accounts.
II. ADMINISTRATIVE FEE
Our administrative fee covers all duties of the Exchange Agent
including distributing exchange offer documents to the Book-Entry
Transfer Facility, receipt and examination of required exchange offer
documentation, reporting to company, calculation of and delivery to
participants and the Book-Entry Transfer for Facility. Fees shall be
billed upon closing.
III. OUT-OF-POCKET EXPENSES
All out-of-pocket expenses including but not limited to postage,
express mail, telecopier, long distance telephone, wire transfer
charges, courier expenses, or other expense incurred by the Bank during
its acceptance and administration shall be billed at cost as incurred.
IV. EXTRAORDINARY SERVICES
Charges for the performance of any service not of a routine
administrative nature or not contemplated at closing and specifically
covered elsewhere in this schedule of fees will be determined by
appraisal in amounts commensurate with the service rendered.
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