STRUCTURING FEE AGREEMENT
Exhibit 99.(h)(8)
STRUCTURING FEE AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”), dated as of [•], 2010, between Xxxxxxx Xxxxx &
Associates, Inc. (“Qualifying Underwriter”) and BlackRock Advisors, LLC (“BlackRock Advisors”).
WHEREAS, BlackRock Build America Bond Trust (including any successor by merger or otherwise,
the “Fund”) is a non-diversified, closed-end management investment company registered under the
Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), and its common shares of beneficial
interest (“common shares”) are registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended;
WHEREAS, the Fund, BlackRock Advisors and BlackRock Investment Management, LLC, the Fund’s
subadviser, have entered into an underwriting agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”), dated [•],
2010 with each of the underwriters named therein (the “Underwriters”);
WHEREAS, BlackRock Advisors is the adviser of the Fund;
WHEREAS, Qualifying Underwriter is acting as a co-manager in an offering of the Fund’s common
shares; and
WHEREAS, BlackRock Advisors desires to provide a structuring fee (the “Fee”) to Qualifying
Underwriter for services assisting BlackRock Advisors with respect to the structure and design of
the Fund and the organization of the Fund as well as services related to the sale and distribution
of the Fund’s common shares;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual terms and conditions set forth below, the
parties hereto agree as follows:
1. | In consideration of the services noted above, BlackRock Advisors shall pay to the Qualifying Underwriter a Fee of [•]% of the aggregate purchase price of the common shares sold in the offering by Qualifying Underwriter; provided that the total amount of the Fee shall not exceed [•]% of the total price to the public of the Fund’s common shares offered by the prospectus dated [•], 2010 (the “Prospectus”) (including all Initial Securities and Option Securities as such terms are described in the Underwriting Agreement). The Fee shall be paid at the same time as the delivery of the common shares to the underwriters in the offering and shall be made by wire transfer to the order of Qualifying Underwriter. | |
2. | This Agreement shall terminate upon the payment of the entire amount of the Fee, as specified in Section 1 hereof or upon the termination of the Underwriting Agreement without common shares having been delivered and paid for. | |
3. | This Agreement and any claim, counterclaim or dispute of any kind or nature whatsoever arising out of or in any way relating to this Agreement (“Claim”) shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York. | |
4. | No Claim may be commenced, prosecuted or continued in any court other than the courts of the State of New York located in the City and County of New York or in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, which courts shall have exclusive jurisdiction over the adjudication of such matters, and BlackRock Advisors and Qualifying Underwriter consent to the jurisdiction of such courts and personal service with respect thereto. Each of Qualifying Underwriter and BlackRock Advisors waives all right to trial by |
jury in any proceeding (whether based upon contract, tort or otherwise) in any way arising out of or relating to this Agreement. Each of BlackRock Advisors and Qualifying Underwriter agrees that a final judgment in any proceeding or counterclaim brought in any such court shall be conclusive and binding upon BlackRock Advisors and Qualifying Underwriter, as the case may be, and may be enforced in any other courts to the jurisdiction of which BlackRock Advisors and Qualifying Underwriter, as the case may be, is or may be subject, by suit upon such judgment. | ||
5. | This Agreement may not be assigned by either party without the prior written consent of the other party. | |
6. | This Agreement embodies the entire agreement and understanding between the parties hereto and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings relating to the subject matter hereof. If any provision of this Agreement is determined to be invalid or unenforceable in any respect, such determination will not affect such provision in any other respect or any other provision of this Agreement, which will remain in full force and effect. This Agreement may not be amended or otherwise modified or waived except by an instrument in writing signed by both Qualifying Underwriter and BlackRock Advisors. | |
7. | All notices required or permitted to be sent under this Agreement shall be sent, if to BlackRock Advisors: |
BlackRock Advisors, LLC
[•]
[•]
or if to Qualifying Underwriter:
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx & Associates, Inc.
000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx
Tower 3, 0xx Xxxxx
Xx. Xxxxxxxxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Xxxx Xxxxxxxxx
000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx
Tower 3, 0xx Xxxxx
Xx. Xxxxxxxxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Xxxx Xxxxxxxxx
or such other name or address as may be given in writing to the other parties. Any notice shall be deemed to be given or received on the third day after deposit in the U.S. mail with certified postage prepaid or when actually received, whether by hand, express delivery service or facsimile transmission, whichever is earlier. |
8. | This Agreement may be executed in separate counterparts, each of which is deemed to be an original and all of which taken together constitute one and the same agreement. |
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have duly executed this Structuring Fee Agreement as of
the date first above written.
BLACKROCK ADVISORS, LLC
|
XXXXXXX XXXXX & ASSOCIATES, INC. |
By:
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By: | |||||||
Name: | Name: Xxxxx Xxxxx | |||||||
Title: | Title: Managing Director |
Indemnification Agreement
[•], 2010
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx & Associates, Inc.
000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx
Tower 3, 0xx Xxxxx
Xx. Xxxxxxxxxx, XX 00000
000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx
Tower 3, 0xx Xxxxx
Xx. Xxxxxxxxxx, XX 00000
Ladies and Gentlemen:
In connection with the engagement of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx & Associates, Inc. (“Qualifying
Underwriter”) to advise and assist the undersigned (together with its affiliates and subsidiaries,
referred to as the “Company”) with the matters set forth in the Structuring Fee Agreement dated
[•], 2010 between the Company and Qualifying Underwriter (the “Agreement”), in the event that
Qualifying Underwriter becomes involved in any capacity in any claim, suit, action, proceeding,
investigation or inquiry (including, without limitation, any shareholder or derivative action or
arbitration proceeding) (collectively, a “Proceeding”) in connection with any matter in any way
relating to or referred to in the Agreement or arising out of the matters contemplated by the
Agreement (other than those services provided under the Underwriting Agreement), the Company agrees
to indemnify, defend and hold Qualifying Underwriter harmless to the fullest extent permitted by
law, from and against any losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses in connection with any
matter in any way relating to or referred to in the Agreement or arising out of the matters
contemplated by the Agreement, including, without limitation, related services and activities prior
to the date of the Agreement (other than those services provided under the Underwriting Agreement),
except to the extent that it shall be determined by a court of competent jurisdiction that such
losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses resulted primarily from the gross negligence or
willful misconduct of Qualifying Underwriter. In addition, in the event that Qualifying
Underwriter becomes involved in any capacity in any Proceeding in connection with any matter in any
way relating to or referred to in the Agreement or arising out of the matters contemplated by the
Agreement (other than those services provided under the Underwriting Agreement), the Company will
reimburse Qualifying Underwriter for its reasonable legal and other expenses incurred in connection
therewith, except to the extent that it shall be determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in
a judgment that has become final in that it is no longer subject to appeal or other review, that
such legal and other expenses resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of
Qualifying Underwriter or Qualifying Underwriter is not otherwise entitled to indemnification
hereunder. If such indemnification were not to be available for any reason, the Company agrees to
contribute to the losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses involved (i) in the proportion
appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received or sought to be received by the Company and
its stockholders and affiliates, on the one hand, and Qualifying Underwriter, on the other hand, in
the matters contemplated by the Agreement or (ii) if (but only if and to the extent) the allocation
provided for in clause (i) is for any reason held unenforceable, in such proportion as is
appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) but also the
relative fault of the Company and its stockholders and affiliates, on the one hand, and the party
entitled to contribution, on the other hand, as well as any other relevant equitable
considerations. The Company agrees that for the purposes of this paragraph the relative benefits
received, or sought to be received, by the Company and its stockholders and affiliates, on the one
hand, and the party entitled to contribution, on the other hand, of a transaction as contemplated
shall be deemed to be in the same proportion that the total value received or paid or contemplated
to be received or paid by the Company or its stockholders or affiliates, as the case may be, as a
result of or in connection with the Agreement bears to the fees paid to Qualifying Underwriter
under the Agreement; provided, that in no
event shall the Company contribute less than the amount necessary to assure that Qualifying
Underwriter is not liable for losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses in excess of the
amount of fees actually received by Qualifying Underwriter pursuant to the Agreement. Relative
fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any alleged untrue statement
or omission or any other alleged conduct relates to information provided by the Company or other
conduct by the Company (or its employees or other agents), on the one hand, or by Qualifying
Underwriter, on the other hand. The Company will not settle any Proceeding in respect of which
indemnity may be sought hereunder, whether or not Qualifying Underwriter is an actual or potential
party to such Proceeding, without Qualifying Underwriter’ prior written consent. The Company shall
not be liable for any settlement of any Proceeding effected by Qualifying Underwriter without its
prior written consent. For purposes of this Indemnification Agreement, Qualifying Underwriter
shall include Qualifying Underwriter, any of its affiliates, each other person, if any, controlling
Qualifying Underwriter or any of its affiliates, their respective officers, current and former
directors, employees and agents, and the successors and assigns of all of the foregoing persons.
The foregoing indemnity and contribution agreement shall be in addition to any rights that any
indemnified party may have at common law or otherwise.
The Company agrees that neither Qualifying Underwriter nor any of its affiliates, directors,
agents, employees or controlling persons shall have any liability to the Company or any person
asserting claims on behalf of or in right of the Company in connection with or as a result of
either Qualifying Underwriter’s engagement under the Agreement or any matter referred to in the
Agreement, including, without limitation, related services and activities prior to the date of the
Agreement (other than those services provided under the Underwriting Agreement), except to the
extent that it shall be determined by a court of competent jurisdiction that any losses, claims,
damages, liabilities or expenses incurred by the Company resulted primarily from the gross
negligence or willful misconduct of Qualifying Underwriter in performing the services that are the
subject of the Agreement. Nothing in this Indemnification Agreement shall be read or construed to
limit any liability or obligations of any party arising under or in connection with the
Underwriting Agreement.
THIS INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT AND ANY CLAIM, COUNTERCLAIM OR DISPUTE OF ANY KIND OR NATURE
WHATSOEVER ARISING OUT OF OR IN ANY WAY RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT (“CLAIM”), DIRECTLY OR
INDIRECTLY, SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW
YORK. EXCEPT AS SET FORTH BELOW, NO CLAIM MAY BE COMMENCED, PROSECUTED OR CONTINUED IN ANY COURT
OTHER THAN THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK LOCATED IN THE CITY AND COUNTY OF NEW YORK OR IN THE
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK, WHICH COURTS SHALL HAVE
EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OVER THE ADJUDICATION OF SUCH MATTERS, AND THE COMPANY AND QUALIFYING
UNDERWRITER CONSENT TO THE JURISDICTION OF SUCH COURTS AND PERSONAL SERVICE WITH RESPECT THERETO.
THE COMPANY HEREBY CONSENTS TO PERSONAL JURISDICTION, SERVICE AND VENUE IN ANY COURT IN WHICH ANY
CLAIM ARISING OUT OF OR IN ANY WAY RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT IS BROUGHT BY ANY THIRD PARTY AGAINST
QUALIFYING UNDERWRITER OR ANY INDEMNIFIED PARTY. EACH OF QUALIFYING UNDERWRITER AND THE COMPANY
WAIVES ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY PROCEEDING OR CLAIM (WHETHER BASED UPON CONTRACT, TORT OR
OTHERWISE) ARISING OUT OF OR IN ANY WAY RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT. EACH OF QUALIFYING UNDERWRITER
AND THE COMPANY AGREES THAT A FINAL JUDGMENT IN ANY PROCEEDING OR CLAIM ARISING OUT OF OR IN ANY
WAY RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT BROUGHT IN ANY SUCH COURT SHALL BE CONCLUSIVE AND BINDING UPON
QUALIFYING UNDERWRITER AND THE COMPANY, AS THE CASE MAY BE, AND MAY
BE ENFORCED IN ANY OTHER COURTS TO THE JURISDICTION OF WHICH QUALIFYING UNDERWRITER AND THE COMPANY, AS THE CASE MAY BE, IS OR
MAY BE SUBJECT, BY SUIT UPON SUCH JUDGMENT.
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The foregoing Indemnification Agreement shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding
any termination of the Agreement. This Indemnification Agreement may be executed in two or more
counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which shall constitute one and
the same agreement.
Very truly yours, BLACKROCK ADVISORS, LLC |
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By: | ||||
Name: | ||||
Title: | ||||
Accepted and agreed to as of the date first above written: XXXXXXX XXXXX & ASSOCIATES, INC. |
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By: | ||||
Name: | Xxxxx Xxxxx | |||
Title: | Managing Director | |||