EXHIBIT 99.3
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The Item 1115 Agreement.
Item 1115 Agreement dated as of January 26, 2006 (this "Agreement"),
between COUNTRYWIDE HOME LOANS, INC., a New York corporation ("CHL"), CWABS,
INC., a Delaware corporation ("CWABS"), CWMBS, Inc., a Delaware corporation
("CWMBS"), CWALT, Inc., a Delaware corporation ("CWALT"), CWHEQ, Inc., a
Delaware corporation ("CWHEQ") and SWISS RE FINANCIAL PRODUCTS CORPORATION,
as counterparty (the "Counterparty").
RECITALS
WHEREAS, CWABS, CWMBS, CWALT and CWHEQ each have filed
Registration Statements on Form S-3 (each, a "Registration Statement") with
the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") for purposes of
offering mortgage backed or asset-backed notes and/or certificates (the
"Securities") through special purpose vehicles (each, an "SPV").
WHEREAS, from time to time, on the closing date (the "Closing
Date") of a transaction pursuant to which Securities are offered (each, a
"Transaction"), the Counterparty and CHL or an underwriter or dealer with
respect to the Transaction, enter into certain derivative agreements (each, a
"Derivative Agreement"), including interest rate or currency swaps, for
purposes of providing certain yield enhancements that are assigned to the SPV
or the related trustee on behalf of the SPV or a swap or corridor contract
administrator (each, an "Administrator").
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual agreements set
forth herein and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and
adequacy of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties hereby agree as follows:
Section 1. Definitions
Company Information: As defined in Section 4(a)(i).
Company Financial Information: As defined in Section 2(a)(ii).
Depositor: Means CWABS, CWMBS, CWALT or CWHEQ with respect to
the related Registration Statement for which the entity of the registrant.
GAAP: As defined in Section 3(a)(v).
XXXXX: The Commission's Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and
Retrieval system.
Exchange Act: The Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
Exchange Act Reports: All Distribution Reports on Form 10-D,
Current Reports on Form 8-K and Annual Reports on Form 10-K that are to be
filed with respect to the related SPV pursuant to the Exchange Act.
Master Agreement: The ISDA Master Agreement between the
Counterparty and CHL, or if no such Master Agreement exists, the ISDA Master
Agreement assumed to apply to the Derivative Agreement pursuant to its terms.
Prospectus Supplement: The prospectus supplement prepared in
connection with the public offering and sale of the related Securities.
Regulation AB: Subpart 229.1100 - Asset Backed Securities
(Regulation AB), 17 C.F.R. ss.ss.229.1100-229.1123, as such may be amended
from time to time, and subject to such clarification and interpretation as
have been provided by the Commission in the adopting release (Asset-Backed
Securities, Securities Act Release No. 33-8518, 70 Fed. Reg. 1,506, 1,531
(Jan. 7, 2005)) or by the staff of the Commission, or as may be provided by
the Commission or its staff from time to time.
Securities Act: The Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the
rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
Section 2. Information to be Provided by the Counterparty.
(a) Prior to printing the related Prospectus Supplement,
(i) the Counterparty shall provide to the related Depositor such
information regarding the Counterparty, as a derivative
instrument counterparty, as is reasonably requested by the
related Depositor for the purpose of compliance with Item
1115(a)(1) of Regulation AB. Such information shall include, at
a minimum:
(A) The Counterparty's legal name (and any d/b/a);
(B) the organizational form of the Counterparty;
(C) a description of the general character of the business of
the Counterparty;
(D) a description of any material legal or governmental
proceedings pending (or known to be contemplated) against
the Counterparty which may have a material impact on the
Counterparty's ability to perform under the related
Derivative Agreement;
(E) a description of any affiliation or relationship between
the Counterparty and any of the following parties:
(1) CHL (or any other sponsor identified to the
Counterparty by CHL);
(2) the related Depositor (as identified to the
Counterparty by CHL);
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(3) the SPV;
(4) Countrywide Home Loans Servicing LP (or any other
servicer or master servicer identified to the
Counterparty by CHL);
(5) The Bank of New York (or any other trustee identified
to the Counterparty by CHL);
(6) any originator identified to the Counterparty by CHL;
(7) any enhancement or support provider identified to the
Counterparty by CHL; and
(8) any other material transaction party identified to
the Counterparty by CHL.
(ii) if requested by the related Depositor for the purpose of
compliance with Item 1115(b) with respect to a Transaction, the
Counterparty shall:
(A) provide the financial data required by Item 1115(b)(1) or
(b)(2) of Regulation AB (as specified by the related
Depositor to the Counterparty) with respect to the
Counterparty (or any entity that consolidates the
Counterparty) and any affiliated entities providing
derivative instruments to the SPV (the "Company Financial
Information"), in a form appropriate for use in the
Prospectus Supplement and in an XXXXX-compatible form; and
(B) if applicable, cause its accountants to issue their
consent to the filing of such financial statements in the
Registration Statement.
(b) Following the Closing Date with respect to a Transaction,
(i) (I) no later than the 25th calendar day of each month, the
Counterparty shall (i) notify the related Depositor in writing
of (A) any material litigation or governmental proceedings
pending against the Counterparty which may have a material
impact on the Counterparty's ability to perform under the
related Derivative Agreement or (B) any affiliations or
relationships that develop following the Closing Date between
the Counterparty and any of the parties specified in Section
2(a)(i)(E) (and any other parties identified in writing by the
related Depositor) and (ii) provide to the related Depositor a
description of such proceedings, affiliations or relationships
as described in Section 2(b)(i)(I)(i); and
(ii) if the Counterparty provided Company Financial Information to
the related Depositor for the Prospectus Supplement, within 5
Business Days of the release of any updated financial data, the
Counterparty shall (1) provide current Company Financial
Information as required under Item
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1115(b) of Regulation AB to the related Depositor in an
XXXXX-compatible form, and (2) if applicable, cause its
accountants to issue their consent to filing or incorporation
by reference of such financial statements in the Exchange Act
Reports of the SPV;
(iii) if the related Depositor requests Company Financial
Information from the Counterparty, for the purpose of
compliance with Item 1115(b) of Regulation AB following the
Closing Date, the Counterparty shall upon five Business Days
written notice either (A), (1) provide current Company
Financial Information as required under Item 1115(b) of
Regulation AB to the related Depositor in an XXXXX-compatible
form, (2) if applicable, cause its accountants to issue their
consent to filing or incorporation by reference of such
financial statements in the Exchange Act Reports of the SPV and
(3) within 5 Business Days of the release of any updated
financial data, provide current Company Financial Information
as required under Item 1115(b) of Regulation AB to the related
Depositor in an XXXXX-compatible form and if applicable, cause
its accountants to issue their consent to filing or
incorporation by reference of such financial statements in the
Exchange Act Reports of the SPV or (B) assign the Derivative
Agreement as provided below.
(c) Prior to printing of any Prospectus Supplement, CHL and Depositor
will inform the Counterparty of the scope and extent of the
information that they need to receive from the Counterparty for use
in the related Prospectus Supplement for the purpose of compliance
with Item 1115 of Regulation AB (the "Scope of Information"). CHL
and the Depositor acknowledge that the Counterparty need not
undertake any review of the related Prospectus Supplement (other
than with respect to the Company Information and/or the Company
Financial Information) in connection with its provision of the
Company Information and/or the Company Financial Information.
Section 3. Representations and Warranties and Covenants of the Counterparty.
(a) The Counterparty represents and warrants to the related Depositor,
as of the date on which information is first provided to the related
Depositor under Section 2(a)(ii), Section 2(b)(ii) or Section
2(b)(iii)(A), that, except as disclosed in writing the related
Depositor prior to such date:
(i) The accountants who certify the financial statements and
supporting schedules included in the Company Financial
Information (if applicable) are independent registered public
accountants as required by the Securities Act.
(ii) If applicable, the financial statements included in the Company
Financial Information present fairly the consolidated financial
position of the Counterparty (or the entity that consolidates
the Counterparty) and its consolidated subsidiaries as at the
dates indicated and the consolidated
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results of their operations and cash flows for the periods
specified; except as otherwise stated in the Company Financial
Information, said financial statements have been prepared in
conformity with generally accepted accounting principles
("GAAP") applied on a consistent basis; and the supporting
schedules included in the Company Financial Information present
fairly in accordance with GAAP the information required to be
stated therein. The selected financial data and summary
financial information included in the Company Financial
Information present fairly the information shown therein and
have been compiled on a basis consistent with that of the
audited financial statements of the Counterparty.
(iii) The Company Financial Information and other Company
Information included or incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement (including through filing on an Exchange
Act Report), at the time they were or hereafter are filed with
the Commission, complied in all material respects with the
requirements of Item 1115(b) of Regulation AB (in the case of
the Company Financial Information) and, did not and will not
contain 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.
(b) The Counterparty agrees that the terms of this Agreement shall be
incorporated by reference into any Derivative Agreement so that each
SPV who is a beneficiary of a Derivative Agreement shall be an
express third party beneficiary of this Agreement.
Section 4. Indemnification; Remedies
(a) The Counterparty shall indemnify CHL and the related Depositor, each
person responsible for the preparation, execution or filing of any
report required to be filed with the Commission with respect to such
SPV, or for execution of a certification pursuant to Rule 13a-14(d)
or Rule 15d-14(d) under the Exchange Act; each person who controls
any of such parties (within the meaning of Section 15 of the
Securities Act and Section 20 of the Exchange Act); and the
respective present and former directors, officers, employees and
agents of each of the foregoing, and shall hold each of them
harmless from and against any losses, damages, penalties, fines,
forfeitures, legal fees and expenses and related costs, judgments,
and any other costs, fees and expenses that any of them may sustain
arising out of or based upon:
(i) (A) any untrue statement of a material fact contained or
alleged to be contained in any information, report,
certification, accountants' consent or other material provided
in written or electronic form under Section 2 by or on behalf
of the Counterparty (collectively, the "Company Information"),
or (B) the omission or alleged omission to state in the Company
Information a material fact required to be stated in the
Company
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Information or necessary in order to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading; or
(ii) any breach by the Counterparty of a representation or warranty
set forth in Section 3(a) and made as of a date prior to the
Closing Date, to the extent that such breach is not cured by
the Closing Date, or any breach by the Counterparty of a
representation or warranty pursuant to Section 3 to the extent
made as of a date subsequent to the Closing Date.
(b) (i) Any failure by the Counterparty to deliver any information,
report, certification, accountants' consent or other material
when and as required under Section 2 or any breach by the
Counterparty of a representation or warranty set forth in
Section 3 and made as of a date prior to the Closing Date, to
the extent that such breach is not cured by the Closing Date
(or in the case of information needed for purposes of printing
the Prospectus Supplement, the date of printing of the
Prospectus Supplement), or any breach by the Counterparty of a
representation or warranty pursuant to Section 3 to the extent
made as of a date subsequent to such closing date, shall,
except as provided in clause (ii) of this paragraph,
immediately and automatically, without notice or grace period,
constitute an Additional Termination Event (as defined in the
Master Agreement) with the Counterparty as the sole Affected
Party (as defined in the Master Agreement) under the Derivative
Agreement. Following such termination, a termination payment
(if any) shall be payable by the applicable party as determined
by the application of Section 6(e)(ii) of the Master Agreement,
with Market Quotation and Second Method being the applicable
method for determining the termination payment (notwithstanding
anything in the Derivative Agreement to the contrary).
(ii) If the Counterparty has failed to deliver any information,
report, certification or accountants' consent when and as
required under Section 2, which continues unremedied for the
lesser of ten calendar days after the date on which such
information, report, certification or accountants' consent was
required to be delivered or such period in which the applicable
Exchange Act Report for which such information is required can
be timely filed (without taking into account any extensions
permitted to be filed), and the Counterparty has not, at its
own cost, within the period in which the applicable Exchange
Act Report for which such information is required can be timely
filed caused another entity (which meets any applicable ratings
threshold in the Derivative Agreement) to replace the
Counterparty as party to the Derivative Agreement that (i) has
signed an agreement with CHL and the Depositors substantially
in the form of this Agreement, (ii) has agreed to deliver any
information, report, certification or accountants' consent when
and as required under Section 2 hereof and (iii) is approved by
the Depositor (which approval shall not be unreasonably
withheld) and any rating agency, if applicable, on terms
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substantially similar to the Derivative Agreement, then an
Additional Termination Event (as defined in the Master
Agreement) shall have occurred with the Counterparty as the
sole Affected Party. Following such termination, a termination
payment (if any) shall be payable by the applicable party as
determined by the application of Section 6(e)(ii) of the Master
Agreement, with Market Quotation and Second Method being the
applicable method for determining the termination payment
(notwithstanding anything in the Derivative Agreement to the
contrary).
(iii) In the event that the Counterparty or the SPV has found a
replacement entity in accordance with Section 2(b)(ii), the
Counterparty shall promptly reimburse the SPV for all
reasonable incidental expenses incurred by the SPV, as such are
incurred, in connection with the termination of the
Counterparty as counterparty and the entry into a new
Derivative Instrument. The provisions of this paragraph shall
not limit whatever rights the SPV may have under other
provisions of this Agreement or otherwise, whether in equity or
at law, such as an action for damages, specific performance or
injunctive relief.
(c) CHL and the related Depositor shall indemnify the Counterparty, each
person who controls the Counterparty (within the meaning of Section
15 of the Securities Act and Section 20 of the Exchange Act); and
the respective present and former directors, officers, employees and
agents of each of the foregoing, and shall hold each of them
harmless from and against any losses, damages, penalties, fines,
forfeitures, legal fees and expenses and related costs, judgments,
and any other costs, fees and expenses that any of them may sustain
arising out of or based upon (A) any untrue statement of a material
fact contained or alleged to be contained in the related Prospectus
Supplement (other than the Company Information), or (B) the omission
or alleged omission to state in related Prospectus Supplement (other
than the Company Information) a material fact required to be stated
in the Prospectus Supplement or necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which
they were made, not misleading.
Section 5. Miscellaneous.
(a) Construction. Throughout this Agreement, as the context requires,
(a) the singular tense and number includes the plural, and the
plural tense and number includes the singular; (b) the past tense
includes the present, and the present tense includes the past; and
(c) references to parties, sections, schedules, and exhibits mean
the parties, sections, schedules, and exhibits of and to this
Agreement. The section headings in this Agreement are inserted only
as a matter of convenience, and in no way define, limit, extend, or
interpret the scope of this Agreement or of any particular section.
(b) Assignment. None of the parties may assign their rights under this
Agreement without the prior written consent of the other parties.
Subject to the foregoing, this
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Agreement shall be binding on and inure to the benefit of the
parties and their respective successors and permitted assigns.
(c) No Third-Party Benefits Except as Specified. None of the provisions
of this Agreement are intended to benefit, or to be enforceable by,
any third-party beneficiaries except the related SPV and any trustee
of an SPV or any Administrator.
(d) Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in
accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York without
regard to the conflict of laws principles thereof.
(e) Amendment and Waiver. This Agreement may not be modified or amended
except by an instrument in writing signed by the parties hereto. No
waiver of any provision of this Agreement or of any rights or
obligations of any party under this Agreement shall be effective
unless in writing and signed by the party or parties waiving
compliance, and shall be effective only in the specific instance and
for the specific purpose stated in that writing.
(f) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more
counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of
which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.
(g) Additional Documents. Each party hereto agrees to execute any and
all further documents and writings and to perform such other actions
which may be or become necessary or expedient to effectuate and
carry out this Agreement.
(h) Severability. Any provision hereof which is prohibited or
unenforceable shall be ineffective only to the extent of such
prohibition or unenforceability without invalidating the remaining
provisions hereof.
(i) Integration. This Agreement contains the entire understanding of the
parties with respect to the subject matter hereof. There are no
restrictions, agreements, promises, representations, warranties,
covenants or undertakings with respect to the subject matter hereof
other than those expressly set forth or referred to herein. This
Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings between
the parties with respect to its subject matter.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused their names to
be signed hereto by their respective officers thereunto duly authorized as of
the day and year first above written.
CWABS, INC.
By: /s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxx
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Name: Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Title: Vice President
CWMBS, INC.
By: /s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxx
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Name: Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Title: Vice President
CWALT, INC.
By: /s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxx
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Name: Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Title: Vice President
CWHEQ, INC.
By: /s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxx
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Name: Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Title: Vice President
COUNTRYWIDE HOME LOANS, INC.
By: /s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxx
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Name: Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Title: Vice President
SWISS RE FINANCIAL PRODUCTS CORPORATION
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By: /s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxx
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Name: Xxxxxx X. Xxxx
Title: President
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