On June 4, 2015, the Special Committee held a telephonic meeting with representatives of Bryan Cave present. At such meeting, the Special Committee agreed to move forward with an exploration of the Company’s strategic alternatives and approved the engagement of Lazard to serve as financial advisor to the Special Committee in connection with such process based on its experience in merger and acquisition transactions, including in the Company’s industries, its approach to the due diligence and transaction process, and other relevant factors.
On June 8, 2015, the Company Board held a telephonic meeting with representatives of Bryan Cave present. At such meeting, the Special Committee updated the Company Board as to its recent activities, including the engagement of Lazard.
On June 16, 2015, in response to Party A’s inquiry into a potential transaction involving the acquisition of the Company’s commercial segment, the Special Committee advised Party A that it had retained Lazard to advise it on the Company’s strategic alternatives. Party A subsequently entered into a confidentiality agreement with the Company in July 2015.
During June 2015, representatives from Lazard and members of senior management held numerous meetings, both in-person and telephonic, in connection with Lazard’s business and financial due diligence review of the Company. During this time, representatives from Lazard also assisted the Company’s management team in gathering due diligence materials that could potentially be made available to potential bidders if the Special Committee determined to conduct a sale process. During this period, Lazard updated the Special Committee on general market conditions in the United States and reported the findings of its due diligence review of the Company, including its review of whether a sale process remained a viable alternative for the Company. Lazard informed the Special Committee that, based upon its initial review of the Company’s business and prospects, it remained confident in the viability of a sale process. In connection therewith, Lazard informed the Special Committee that marketing materials had been prepared and that Bryan Cave had drafted a form of confidentiality agreement to be provided to potential bidders. The Special Committee discussed whether it was advisable to begin a formal process of considering a sale of the Company. The Special Committee determined that moving forward with a formal process to explore the Company’s strategic alternatives, specifically a sale of the Company, was in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders, and instructed Lazard to begin contacting certain potential bidders to assess their level of interest. Potential bidders were selected through discussion between the Company’s senior management, the Company Board and Lazard on the basis of identifying third parties with complementary or adjacent businesses, third parties that could potentially have an interest in the acquisition of the entire Company, rather than only the Company’s commercial or government segment, or third parties that senior management believed would have a significant level of interest in a potential acquisition of the Company based on industry knowledge.
Beginning on June 30, 2015, and continuing through the Company’s public announcement on July 6, 2015 of the formation of the Special Committee, representatives of Lazard contacted 127 potential bidders, including 55 strategic buyers and 72 financial buyers, and distributed a form of confidentiality agreement prepared by Bryan Cave to each of them.
On July 1, 2015, representatives of Lazard contacted Parent to gauge its interest in pursuing a strategic transaction with the Company and sent Parent a form of confidentiality agreement.
Between June 30 and September 28, 2015, 62 of the potential bidders executed confidentiality agreements, including Parent, which executed the Confidentiality Agreement on July 13, 2015, all of which contained various negotiated standstill provisions, and upon execution thereof Lazard provided each of these potential bidders, including Parent on July 30, 2015, with a confidential overview describing the Company, which included financial forecasts.
On July 14, 2015, the Special Committee held a telephonic meeting. Representatives from Bryan Cave and Lazard joined the meeting. During the meeting, representatives from Lazard summarized their communications with potential bidders since June 30, 2015. Lazard also discussed its suggested next phases of the process, including meetings between potential bidders and members of senior management.
During August 2015, members of senior management held meetings with 11 potential bidders, including a meeting with representatives of Parent on August 29, 2015, at which senior management gave a general overview of the Company’s business and operations and discussed financial information previously provided to Parent on August 27, 2015.