(iii) subject any Recipient to any Taxes (other than (A) Indemnified Taxes, (B) Taxes described in clauses (b) through (d) of the definition of Excluded Taxes and (C) Connection Income Taxes) on its loans, loan principal, letters of credit, commitments, or other obligations, or its deposits, reserves, other liabilities or capital attributable thereto;
and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Lender or such other Recipient of making, continuing, converting into or main-taining any Loan (or of maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan) or to increase the cost to such Lender, the Issuing Bank or such other Recipient of participating in, issuing or maintaining any Letter of Credit or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender, the Issuing Bank or such other Recipient hereunder (whether of principal, interest or otherwise), then the Borrowers will pay to such Lender, the Issuing Bank or such other Recipient, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender, the Issuing Bank or such other Recipient, as the case may be, for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered.
(b) If any Lender or the Issuing Bank determines that any Change in Law regarding capital or liquidity requirements has or would have the effect of reducing the rate of return on such Lender's or the Issuing Bank's capital or on the capital of such Lender's or the Issuing Bank's holding company, if any, as a consequence of this Agreement, the Commitments of, or the Loans made by, or participations in Letters of Credit or Swingline Loans held by, such Lender, or the Letters of Credit issued by the Issuing Bank, to a level below that which such Lender or the Issuing Bank or such Lender's or the Issuing Bank's holding company could have achieved but for such Change in Law (taking into consideration such Lender's or the Issuing Bank's policies and the policies of such Lender's or the Issuing Bank's holding company with respect to capital adequacy and liquidity), then from time to time the Borrowers will pay to such Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or the Issuing Bank or such Lender's or the Issuing Bank's holding company for any such reduction suffered.
(c) A certificate of a Lender or the Issuing Bank setting forth the amount or amounts necessary to compensate such Lender or the Issuing Bank or its holding company, as the case may be, as specified in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section shall be delivered to the Borrower Representative and shall be conclusive absent manifest error. The Borrowers shall pay such Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, the amount shown as due on any such certificate within ten (10) days after receipt thereof.
(d) Failure or delay on the part of any Lender or the Issuing Bank to demand compensation pursuant to this Section shall not constitute a waiver of such Lender's or the Issuing Bank's right to demand such compensation; provided that the Borrowers shall not be required to compensate a Lender or the Issuing Bank pursuant to this Section for any increased costs or reductions incurred more than 270 days prior to the date that such Lender or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, notifies the Borrower Representative of the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions and of such Lender's or the Issuing Bank's intention to claim compensation therefor; provided further that, if the Change in Law giving rise to such increased costs or reductions is retroactive, then the 270-day period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof.
SECTION 2.16 Withholding of Taxes; Gross-Up.
(a) Payments Free of Taxes. Any and all payments by or on account of any obligation of any Loan Party under any Loan Document shall be made without deduction or withholding for any Taxes, except as required by applicable law. If any applicable law (as determined in the good faith discretion of an applicable Withholding Agent) requires the deduction or withholding of any Tax from any such payment by a Withholding Agent, then the applicable Withholding Agent shall be entitled to make such deduction or withholding and shall timely pay the full amount deducted or withheld to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law and, if such Tax is an Indemnified Tax, then the sum payable by the applicable Loan Party shall be increased as necessary so that after such deduction or withholding has been made (including such deductions and withholdings of Indemnified Taxes applicable to additional sums payable under this Section 2.17) the applicable Recipient receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such deduction or withholding been made.
(b) Payment of Other Taxes by the Loan Parties. The Loan Parties shall timely pay to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable law, or at the option of the Administrative Agent timely reimburse it for the payment of, any Other Taxes.
(c) Evidence of Payment. As soon as practicable after any payment of Taxes by any Loan Party to a Governmental Authority pursuant to this Section 2.17, such Loan Party shall deliver to the Administrative Agent the original or a certified copy of a receipt issued by such Governmental Authority evidencing such payment, a copy of the return reporting such payment or other evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.
(d) Indemnification by the Loan Parties. The Loan Parties shall jointly and severally indemnify each Recipient, within ten (10) days after demand therefor, for the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes (including Indemnified Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under this Section) payable or paid by such Recipient or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to such Recipient and any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto (including reasonable attorneys' fees and expenses in a manner consistent with Section 9.03), whether or not such Indemnified Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to any Loan Party by a Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), or by the Administrative Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of a Lender, shall be conclusive absent manifest error.
(e) Indemnification by the Lenders. Each Lender shall severally indemnify the Administrative Agent, within ten (10) days after demand therefor, for (i) any Indemnified Taxes attributable to such Lender (but only to the extent that any Loan Party has not already indemnified the Administrative Agent for such Indemnified Taxes and without limiting the obligation of the Loan Parties to do so), (ii) any Taxes attributable to such Lender's failure to comply with the provisions of Section 9.04(c) relating to the maintenance of a Participant Register and (iii) any Excluded Taxes attributable to such Lender, in each case, that are payable or paid by the Administrative Agent in connection with any Loan Document, and any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to any Lender by the Administrative Agent shall be conclusive absent manifest error. Each Lender hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to set off and apply any and all amounts at any time owing to such Lender under any Loan Document or otherwise payable by the Administrative Agent to such Lender from any other source against any amount due to the Administrative Agent under this paragraph (e).
(f) Status of Lenders.
(i) Any Lender that is entitled to an exemption from or reduction of withholding Tax with respect to payments made under any Loan Document shall deliver to the Borrower Representative and the Administrative Agent, at the time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower Representative or the Administrative Agent, such properly completed and executed documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower Representative or the Administrative Agent as will permit such payments to be made without withholding or at a reduced rate of withholding. In addition, any Lender, if reasonably requested by the Borrower Representative or the Administrative Agent, shall deliver such other documentation prescribed by applicable law or reasonably requested by the Borrower Representative or the Administrative Agent as will enable the Borrowers or the Administrative Agent to determine whether or not such Lender is subject to backup withholding or information reporting requirements. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the preceding two sentences, the completion, execution and submission of such documentation (other than such documentation set forth in Section 2.17(f)(ii)(A), (ii)(B) and (ii)(D) below) shall not be required if in the Lender's reasonable judgment such completion, execution or submission would subject such Lender to any material unreimbursed cost or expense or would materially prejudice the legal or commercial position of such Lender or its Affiliates.
(ii) Without limiting the generality of the foregoing,
(A) any Lender that is a U.S. Person shall deliver to the Borrower Representative and the Administrative Agent on or prior to the date on which such Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower Representative or the Administrative Agent), executed copies of IRS Form W-9 certifying that such Lender is exempt from U.S. federal backup withholding tax;
(B) any Foreign Lender shall, to the extent it is legally entitled to do so, deliver to the Borrower Representative and the Administrative Agent (in such number of copies as shall be requested by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower Representative or the Administrative Agent), whichever of the following is applicable:
(1) in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of an income tax treaty to which the United States is a party (x) with respect to payments of interest under any Loan Document, executed copies of IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable, establishing an exemption from, or reduction of, U.S. federal withholding Tax pursuant to the "interest" article of such tax treaty and (y) with respect to any other applicable payments under any Loan Document, IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable, establishing an exemption from, or reduction of, U.S. federal withholding Tax pursuant to the "business profits" or "other income" article of such tax treaty;
(2) in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming that its extension of credit will generate U.S. effectively connected income, executed copies of IRS Form W-8ECI;
(3) in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of the exemption for portfolio interest under Section 881(c) of the Code, (x) a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit E-1 to the effect that such Foreign Lender is not a "bank" within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, a "10 percent shareholder" of a Borrower within the meaning of Section 871(h)(3)(B) of the Code, or a "controlled foreign corporation" related to any Borrower as described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code (a "U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate") and (y) executed copies of IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable; or
(4) to the extent a Foreign Lender is not the beneficial owner, executed copies of IRS Form W-8IMY, accompanied by IRS Form W-8ECI, IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable, a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit E-2 or Exhibit E-3, IRS Form W-9, and/or other certification documents from each beneficial owner, as applicable; provided that if the Foreign Lender is a partnership and one or more direct or indirect partners of such Foreign Lender are claiming the portfolio interest exemption, such Foreign Lender may provide a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit E-4 on behalf of each such direct and indirect partner;
(C) any Foreign Lender shall, to the extent it is legally entitled to do so, deliver to the Borrower Representative and the Administrative Agent (in such number of copies as shall be requested by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Lender under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower Representative or the Administrative Agent), executed copies of any other form prescribed by applicable law as a basis for claiming exemption from or a reduction in U.S. federal withholding Tax, duly completed, together with such supplementary documentation as may be prescribed by applicable law to permit the Borrowers or the Administrative Agent to determine the withholding or deduction required to be made; and
(D) if a payment made to a Lender under any Loan Document would be subject to U.S. federal withholding Tax imposed by FATCA if such Lender were to fail to comply with the applicable reporting requirements of FATCA (including those contained in Section 1471(b) or 1472(b) of the Code, as applicable), such Lender shall deliver to the Borrower Representative and the Administrative Agent at the time or times prescribed by law and at such time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower Representative or the Administrative Agent such documentation prescribed by applicable law (including as prescribed by Section 1471(b)(3)(C)(i) of the Code) and such additional documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower Representative or the Administrative Agent as may be necessary for the Borrowers and the Administrative Agent to comply with their obligations under FATCA and to determine that such Lender has complied with such Lender's obligations under FATCA or to determine the amount, if any, to deduct and withhold from such payment. Solely for purposes of this clause (D), "FATCA" shall include any amendments made to FATCA after the date of this Agreement.
(iii) On or before the date on which JPMCB (and any successor or replacement Administrative Agent) becomes the Administrative Agent hereunder, it shall deliver to the Borrower Representative two executed copies of IRS Form W-9.
Each Lender and the Administrative Agent agrees that if any form or certification it previously delivered expires or becomes obsolete or inaccurate in any respect, it shall update such form or certification or promptly notify the Borrower Representative and the Administrative Agent in writing of its legal inability to do so.
(g) Treatment of Certain Refunds. If any party determines, in its sole discretion exercised in good faith, that it has received a refund of any Taxes as to which it has been indemnified pursuant to this Section (including by the payment of additional amounts pursuant to this Section), it shall pay to the indemnifying party an amount equal to such refund (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made under this Section with respect to the Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all out-of-pocket expenses (including Taxes) of such indemnified party and without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund). Such indemnifying party, upon the request of such indemnified party, shall repay to such indemnified party the amount paid over pursuant to this paragraph (g) (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) in the event that such indemnified party is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this paragraph (g), in no event will the indemnified party be required to pay any amount to an indemnifying party pursuant to this paragraph (g) the payment of which would place the indemnified party in a less favorable net after-Tax position than the indemnified party would have been in if the Tax subject to indemnification and giving rise to such refund had not been deducted, withheld or otherwise imposed and the indemnification payments or additional amounts with respect to such Tax had never been paid. This paragraph (g) shall not be construed to require any indemnified party to make available its Tax returns (or any other information relating to its Taxes that it deems confidential) to the indemnifying party or any other Person.
(h) Survival. Each party's obligations under this Section shall survive the resignation or replacement of the Administrative Agent or any assignment of rights by, or the replacement of, a Lender, the termination of the Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all obligations under any Loan Document.
(i) Defined Terms. For purposes of this Section 2.17, the term "Lender" includes any Issuing Bank.
SECTION 2.17 Payments Generally; Allocation of Proceeds; Sharing of Setoffs.
(a) The Borrowers shall make each payment or prepayment required to be made by them hereunder (whether of principal, interest, fees or reimbursement of LC Disbursements, or of amounts payable under Section 2.15, 2.16 or 2.17, or otherwise) prior to 2:00 p.m., Chicago time, on the date when due or the date fixed for any prepayment hereunder, in immediately available funds, without setoff, recoupment or counterclaim. Any amounts received after such time on any date may, in the discretion of the Administrative Agent, be deemed to have been received on the next succeeding Business Day for purposes of calculating interest thereon. All such payments shall be made to the Administrative Agent at its offices at 10 South Dearborn Street, Floor L2, Chicago, Illinois, except payments to be made directly to the Issuing Bank or Swingline Lender as expressly provided herein and except that payments pursuant to Sections 2.15, 2.16, 2.17 and 9.03 shall be made directly to the Persons entitled thereto. The Administrative Agent shall distribute any such payments received by it for the account of any other Person to the appropriate recipient promptly following receipt thereof. Unless otherwise provided for herein, if any payment hereunder shall be due on a day that is not a Business Day, the date for payment shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day, and, in the case of any payment accruing interest, interest thereon shall be payable for the period of such extension. All payments hereunder shall be made in dollars.
(b) All payments and any proceeds of Collateral received by the Administrative Agent (i) not constituting either (A) a specific payment of principal, interest, fees or other sum payable under the Loan Documents (which shall be applied as specified by the Borrowers), (B) a mandatory prepayment (which shall be applied in accordance with Section 2.11) or (C) amounts to be applied from the Collection Account when a Cash Dominion Period is in effect (which shall be applied in accordance with Section 2.10(b)) or (ii) after an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and the Administrative Agent so elects or the Required Lenders so direct, shall be applied ratably first, to pay any fees, indemnities, or expense reimbursements then due to the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Bank from the Borrowers (other than in connection with Banking Services Obligations or Swap Agreement Obligations), second, to pay any fees, indemnities, or expense reimbursements then due to the Lenders from the Borrowers (other than in connection with Banking Services Obligations or Swap Agreement Obligations), third, to pay interest due in respect of the Overadvances and Protective Advances, fourth, to pay the principal of the Overadvances and Protective Advances, fifth, to pay interest then due and payable on the Loans (other than the Overadvances and Protective Advances) ratably, sixth, to prepay principal on the Loans (other than the Overadvances and Protective Advances) and unreimbursed LC Disbursements, to pay an amount to the Administrative Agent equal to one hundred three percent (103%) of the aggregate LC Exposure (and to the extent to cash collateralized at such time, one hundred five percent (105%) of Backstop LC Exposure), to be held as cash collateral for such Obligations, and to pay any amounts owing in respect of Swap Agreement Obligations up to and including the amount most recently provided to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 2.22, for which Reserves have been established, ratably, seventh, to payment of any amounts owing in respect of Banking Services Obligations and Swap Agreement Obligations up to and including the amount most recently provided to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 2.22 and to the extent not paid pursuant to clause sixth above, and eighth, to the payment of any other Secured Obligation due to the Administrative Agent or any Lender by the Borrowers. Notwithstanding the foregoing amounts received from any Loan Party shall not be applied to any Excluded Swap Obligation of such Loan Party. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, unless so directed by the Borrower Representative, or unless a Default is in existence, neither the Administrative Agent nor any Lender shall apply any payment which it receives to any EurodollarTerm Benchmark Loan of a Class, except (a) on the expiration date of the Interest Period applicable thereto or (b) in the event, and only to the extent, that there are no outstanding ABR Loans of the same Class and, in any such event, the Borrowers shall pay the break funding payment required in accordance with Section 2.16. The Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall have the continuing and exclusive right to apply and reverse and reapply any and all such proceeds and payments to any portion of the Secured Obligations.
(c) At the election of the Administrative Agent, all payments of principal, interest, LC Disbursements, fees, premiums, reimbursable expenses (including, without limitation, all reimbursement for fees, costs and expenses pursuant to Section 9.03), and other sums payable under the Loan Documents, may be paid from the proceeds of Borrowings made hereunder whether made following a request by the Borrower Representative pursuant to Section 2.03 or a deemed request as provided in this Section or may be deducted from any deposit account of any Borrower maintained with the Administrative Agent. The Borrowers hereby irrevocably authorize (i) the Administrative Agent to make a Borrowing for the purpose of paying each payment of principal, interest and fees as it becomes due hereunder or any other amount due under the Loan Documents and agrees that all such amounts charged shall constitute Loans (including Swingline Loans and Overadvances, but such a Borrowing may only constitute a Protective Advance if it is to reimburse costs, fees and expenses as described in Section 9.03) and that all such Borrowings shall be deemed to have been requested pursuant to Section 2.03, 2.04 or 2.05, as applicable, and (ii) the Administrative Agent to charge any deposit account of any Borrower maintained with the Administrative Agent for each payment of principal, interest and fees as it becomes due hereunder or any other amount due under the Loan Documents.
(d) If, except as otherwise expressly provided herein, any Lender shall, by exercising any right of setoff or counterclaim or otherwise, obtain payment in respect of any principal of or interest on any of its Loans or participations in LC Disbursements resulting in such Lender receiving payment of a greater proportion of the aggregate amount of its Loans and participations in LC Disbursements and Swingline Loans and accrued interest thereon than the proportion received by any other similarly situated Lender, then the Lender receiving such greater proportion shall purchase (for cash at face value) participations in the Loans and participations in LC Disbursements and Swingline Loans of other Lenders to the extent necessary so that the benefit of all such payments shall be shared by all such Lenders ratably in accordance with the aggregate amount of principal of and accrued interest on their respective Loans and participations in LC Disbursements and Swingline Loans; provided that (i) if any such participations are purchased and all or any portion of the payment giving rise thereto is recovered, such participations shall be rescinded and the purchase price restored to the extent of such recovery, without interest, and (ii) the provisions of this paragraph shall not be construed to apply to any payment made by the Borrowers pursuant to and in accordance with the express terms of this Agreement or any payment obtained by a Lender as consideration for the assignment of or sale of a participation in any of its Loans or participations in LC Disbursements or Swingline Loans to any assignee or participant, other than to the Borrowers or any Subsidiary or Affiliate thereof (as to which the provisions of this paragraph shall apply). Each Borrower consents to the foregoing and agrees, to the extent it may effectively do so under applicable law, that any Lender acquiring a participation pursuant to the foregoing arrangements may exercise against such Borrower rights of setoff and counterclaim with respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender were a direct creditor of such Borrower in the amount of such participation.
(e) Unless the Administrative Agent shall have received, prior to any date on which any payment is due to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Lenders or the Issuing Bank pursuant to the terms hereof or any other Loan Document (including any date that is fixed for prepayment by notice from the Borrower Representative to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 2.11(e)), notice from the Borrower Representative that the Borrowers will not make such payment or prepayment, the Administrative Agent may assume that the Borrowers have made such payment on such date in accordance herewith and may, in reliance upon such assumption, distribute to the Lenders or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, the amount due. In such event, if the Borrowers have not in fact made such payment, then each of the Lenders or the Issuing Bank, as the case may be, severally agrees to repay to the Administrative Agent forthwith on demand the amount so distributed to such Lender or Issuing Bank with interest thereon, for each day from and including the date such amount is distributed to it to but excluding the date of payment to the Administrative Agent, at the greater of the NYFRB Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation.
(f) The Administrative Agent may from time to time provide the Borrowers with account statements or invoices with respect to any of the Secured Obligations (the "Statements"). The Administrative Agent is under no duty or obligation to provide Statements, which, if provided, will be solely for the Borrowers' convenience. Statements may contain estimates of the amounts owed during the relevant billing period, whether of principal, interest, fees or other Secured Obligations. If the Borrowers pay the full amount indicated on a Statement on or before the due date indicated on such Statement, the Borrowers shall not be in default of payment with respect to the billing period indicated on such Statement; provided, that acceptance by the Administrative Agent, on behalf of the Lenders, of any payment that is less than the total amount actually due at that time (including but not limited to any past due amounts) shall not constitute a waiver of the Administrative Agent's or the Lenders' right to receive payment in full at another time.
SECTION 2.18 Mitigation Obligations; Replacement of Lenders.
(a) If any Lender requests compensation under Section 2.15, or if the Borrowers are required to pay any Indemnified Taxes or additional amounts to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 2.17, then such Lender shall use reasonable efforts to designate a different lending office for funding or booking its Loans hereunder or to assign its rights and obligations hereunder to another of its offices, branches or affiliates, if, in the judgment of such Lender, such designation or assignment (i) would eliminate or reduce amounts payable pursuant to Section 2.15 or 2.17, as the case may be, in the future and (ii) would not subject such Lender to any unreimbursed cost or expense and would not otherwise be disadvantageous to such Lender. The Borrowers hereby agree to pay all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by any Lender in connection with any such designation or assignment.
(b) If any Lender requests compensation under Section 2.15, or if the Borrowers are required to pay any Indemnified Taxes or additional amounts to any Lender or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Lender pursuant to Section 2.17, or if any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, then the Borrowers may, at their sole expense and effort, upon notice to such Lender and the Administrative Agent, require such Lender to assign and delegate, without recourse (in accordance with and subject to the restrictions contained in Section 9.04), all its interests, rights (other than its existing rights to payments pursuant to Section 2.15 or 2.17) and obligations under this Agreement and other Loan Documents to an assignee that shall assume such obligations (which assignee may be another Lender, if a Lender accepts such assignment); provided that (i) the Borrowers shall have received the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent (and in circumstances where its consent would be required under Section 9.04, the Issuing Bank and the Swingline Lender), which consent shall not unreasonably be withheld, (ii) such Lender shall have received payment of an amount equal to the outstanding principal of its Loans and funded participations in LC Disbursements and Swingline Loans, accrued interest thereon, accrued fees and all other amounts payable to it hereunder, from the assignee (to the extent of such outstanding principal and accrued interest and fees) or the Borrowers (in the case of all other amounts) and (iii) in the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under Section 2.15 or payments required to be made pursuant to Section 2.17, such assignment will result in a reduction in such compensation or payments. A Lender shall not be required to make any such assignment and delegation if, prior thereto, as a result of a waiver by such Lender or otherwise, the circumstances entitling the Borrowers to require such assignment and delegation cease to apply. Each party hereto agrees that (x) an assignment required pursuant to this paragraph may be effected pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption executed by the Borrower Representative, the Administrative Agent and the assignee (or, to the extent applicable, an agreement incorporating an Assignment and Assumption by reference pursuant to an Approved Electronic Platform as to which the Administrative Agent and such parties are participants), and (y) the Lender required to make such assignment need not be a party thereto in order for such assignment to be effective and shall be deemed to have consented to an be bound by the terms thereof; provided that, following the effectiveness of any such assignment, the other parties to such assignment agree to execute and deliver such documents necessary to evidence such assignment as reasonably requested by the applicable Lender, provided that any such documents shall be without recourse to or warranty by the parties thereto.
SECTION 2.19 Defaulting Lenders. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, if any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, then the following provisions shall apply for so long as such Lender is a Defaulting Lender:
(a) fees shall cease to accrue on the unfunded portion of the Revolving Commitment of such Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 2.12(a);
(b) any payment of principal, interest, fees or other amounts received by the Administrative Agent for the account of such Defaulting Lender (whether voluntary or mandatory, at maturity, pursuant to Section 2.18(b) or otherwise) or received by the Administrative Agent from a Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 9.08 shall be applied at such time or times as may be determined by the Administrative Agent as follows: first, to the payment of any amounts owing by such Defaulting Lender to the Administrative Agent hereunder; second, to the payment on a pro rata basis of any amounts owing by such Defaulting Lender to any Issuing Bank or Swingline Lender hereunder; third, to cash collateralize the LC Exposure with respect to such Defaulting Lender in accordance with this Section; fourth, as the Borrower Representative may request (so long as no Default or Event of Default exists), to the funding of any Loan in respect of which such Defaulting Lender has failed to fund its portion thereof as required by this Agreement, as determined by the Administrative Agent; fifth, if so determined by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower Representative, to be held in a deposit account and released pro rata in order to (x) satisfy such Defaulting Lender's potential future funding obligations with respect to Loans under this Agreement and (y) cash collateralize future LC Exposure with respect to such Defaulting Lender with respect to future Letters of Credit issued under this Agreement, in accordance with this Section; sixth, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Lenders, the Issuing Banks or Swingline Lender as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by any Lender, the Issuing Banks or Swingline Lender against such Defaulting Lender as a result of such Defaulting Lender's breach of its obligations under this Agreement or under any other Loan Document; seventh, so long as no Default or Event of Default exists, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Borrowers as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by any Borrower against such Defaulting Lender as a result of such Defaulting Lender's breach of its obligations under this Agreement or under any other Loan Document; and eighth, to such Defaulting Lender or as otherwise directed by a court of competent jurisdiction; provided that if (x) such payment is a payment of the principal amount of any Loans or LC Disbursements in respect of which such Defaulting Lender has not fully funded its appropriate share, and (y) such Loans were made or the related Letters of Credit were issued at a time when the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 were satisfied or waived, such payment shall be applied solely to pay the Loans of, and LC Disbursements owed to, all non-Defaulting Lenders on a pro rata basis prior to being applied to the payment of any Loans of, or LC Disbursements owed to, such Defaulting Lender until such time as all Loans and funded and unfunded participations in the Borrowers' obligations corresponding to such Defaulting Lender's LC Exposure and Swingline Loans are held by the Lenders pro rata in accordance with the Commitments without giving effect to clause (d) below. Any payments, prepayments or other amounts paid or payable to a Defaulting Lender that are applied (or held) to pay amounts owed by a Defaulting Lender or to post cash collateral pursuant to this Section shall be deemed paid to and redirected by such Defaulting Lender, and each Lender irrevocably consents hereto;
(c) such Defaulting Lender shall not have the right to vote on any issue on which voting is required (other than to the extent expressly provided in Section 9.02(b)) and the Commitment and Revolving Exposure of such Defaulting Lender shall not be included in determining whether the Required Lenders or the Supermajority Lenders have taken or may take any action hereunder (including any consent to any amendment, waiver or other modification pursuant to Section 9.02) or under any other Loan Document; provided, that, except as otherwise provided in Section 9.02, this clause (c) shall not apply to the vote of a Defaulting Lender in the case of an amendment, waiver or other modification requiring the consent of such Lender or each Lender directly affected thereby;
(d) if any Swingline Exposure or LC Exposure exists at the time such Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender then:
(i) all or any part of the Swingline Exposure and LC Exposure of such Defaulting Lender shall be reallocated among the non-Defaulting Lenders in accordance with their respective Applicable Percentages but only to the extent that such reallocation does not, as to any non-Defaulting Lender, cause such non-Defaulting Lender's Revolving Exposure to exceed its Revolving Commitment;
(ii) if the reallocation described in clause (i) above cannot, or can only partially, be effected, the Borrowers shall within one (1) Business Day following notice by the Administrative Agent (x) first, prepay such Swingline Exposure and (y) second, cash collateralize, for the benefit of the Issuing Bank, the Borrowers' obligations corresponding to such Defaulting Lender's LC Exposure (after giving effect to any partial reallocation pursuant to clause (i) above) in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 2.06(j) for so long as such LC Exposure is outstanding;
(iii) if the Borrowers cash collateralize any portion of such Defaulting Lender's LC Exposure pursuant to clause (ii) above, the Borrowers shall not be required to pay any fees to such Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 2.12(b) with respect to such Defaulting Lender's LC Exposure during the period such Defaulting Lender's LC Exposure is cash collateralized;
(iv) if the LC Exposure of the non-Defaulting Lenders is reallocated pursuant to clause (i) above, then the fees payable to the Lenders pursuant to Sections 2.12(a) and 2.12(b) shall be adjusted in accordance with such non-Defaulting Lenders' Applicable Percentages; and
(v) if all or any portion of such Defaulting Lender's LC Exposure is neither reallocated nor cash collateralized pursuant to clause (i) or (ii) above, then, without prejudice to any rights or remedies of the Issuing Bank or any other Lender hereunder, all letter of credit fees payable under Section 2.12(b) with respect to such Defaulting Lender's LC Exposure shall be payable to the Issuing Bank until and to the extent that such LC Exposure is reallocated and/or cash collateralized; and
(e) so long as such Lender is a Defaulting Lender, the Issuing Bank shall not be required to issue, amend, renew, extend or increase any Letter of Credit, unless it is satisfied that such Defaulting Lender's then outstanding LC Exposure will be 100% covered by the Commitments of the non-Defaulting Lenders and/or cash collateral will be provided by the Borrowers in accordance with Section 2.20(d), and LC Exposure related to any newly issued or increased Letter of Credit shall be allocated among non-Defaulting Lenders in a manner consistent with Section 2.20(d)(i) (and such Defaulting Lender shall not participate therein).
If (i) a Bankruptcy Event or a Bail-In Action with respect to a Lender Parent shall occur following the date hereof and for so long as such event shall continue or (ii) the Issuing Bank has a good faith belief that any Lender has defaulted in fulfilling its obligations under one or more other agreements in which such Lender commits to extend credit, the Issuing Bank shall not be required to issue, amend or increase any Letter of Credit, unless the Issuing Bank shall have entered into arrangements with the Borrowers or such Lender, satisfactory to the Issuing Bank to defease any risk to it in respect of such Lender hereunder.
In the event that each of the Administrative Agent, the Borrowers and the Issuing Bank agrees that a Defaulting Lender has adequately remedied all matters that caused such Lender to be a Defaulting Lender, then LC Exposure of the Lenders shall be readjusted to reflect the inclusion of such Lender's Revolving Commitment and on the date of such readjustment such Lender shall purchase at par such of the Loans of the other Lenders (other than Swingline Loans) as the Administrative Agent shall determine may be necessary in order for such Lender to hold such Loans in accordance with its Applicable Percentage.
SECTION 2.20 Returned Payments. If after receipt of any payment which is applied to the payment of all or any part of the Obligations (including a payment effected through exercise of a right of setoff), the Administrative Agent or any Lender is for any reason compelled to surrender such payment or proceeds to any Person because such payment or application of proceeds is invalidated, declared fraudulent, set aside, determined to be void or voidable as a preference, impermissible setoff, or a diversion of trust funds, or for any other reason (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the Administrative Agent or such Lender in its discretion), then the Obligations or part thereof intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued and this Agreement shall continue in full force as if such payment or proceeds had not been received by the Administrative Agent or such Lender. The provisions of this Section 2.21 shall be and remain effective notwithstanding any contrary action which may have been taken by the Administrative Agent or any Lender in reliance upon such payment or application of proceeds. The provisions of this Section 2.21 shall survive the termination of this Agreement.
SECTION 2.21 Banking Services and Swap Agreements. Each Lender or Affiliate thereof providing Banking Services for, or having Swap Agreements with, any Loan Party or any Subsidiary or Affiliate of a Loan Party shall deliver to the Administrative Agent, promptly after entering into such Banking Services or Swap Agreements, written notice setting forth the aggregate amount of all Banking Services Obligations and Swap Agreement Obligations of such Loan Party or Subsidiary or Affiliate thereof to such Lender or Affiliate (whether matured or unmatured, absolute or contingent). In addition, each such Lender or Affiliate thereof shall deliver to the Administrative Agent, from time to time after a significant change therein or upon a request therefor, a summary of the amounts due or to become due in respect of such Banking Services Obligations and Swap Agreement Obligations. The most recent information provided to the Administrative Agent shall be used in determining the amounts to be applied in respect of such Banking Services Obligations and/or Swap Agreement Obligations pursuant to Section 2.18(b) and which tier of the waterfall, contained in Section 2.18(b), such Banking Services Obligations and/or Swap Agreement Obligations will be placed. For the avoidance of doubt, so long as JPMCB or its Affiliate is the Administrative Agent, neither JPMCB nor any of its Affiliates providing Banking Services for, or having Swap Agreements with, any Loan Party or any Subsidiary or Affiliate of a Loan Party shall be required to provide any notice described in this Section 2.22 in respect of such Banking Services or Swap Agreements.
SECTION 2.22 Sustainability Adjustments.
(a) Following the date on which the Borrower Representative provides a Pricing Certificate in respect of any applicable 12-month period ending March 31 (beginning with the period ending March 31, 2022), (i) the Applicable Rate (other than the Commitment Fee Rate) shall be increased or decreased (or neither increased nor decreased), as applicable, pursuant to the Sustainability Rate Adjustment as set forth in such Pricing Certificate, and (ii) the Commitment Fee Rate shall be increased or decreased (or neither increased nor decreased), as applicable, pursuant to the Sustainability Commitment Fee Adjustment as set forth in such Pricing Certificate. For purposes of the foregoing, (A) the Sustainability Rate Adjustment and the Sustainability Commitment Fee Adjustment shall be applied as of the fifth Business Day following receipt by the Administrative Agent of a Pricing Certificate delivered pursuant to 2.23(g) based upon the KPI Metrics set forth in such Pricing Certificate and the calculations of the Sustainability Rate Adjustment and the Sustainability Commitment Fee Adjustment, therein (such day, the "Sustainability Pricing Adjustment Date") and (B) each change in the Applicable Rate (other than the Commitment Fee Rate) and the Commitment Fee Rate resulting from a Pricing Certificate shall be effective commencing on and including the applicable Sustainability Pricing Adjustment Date (or, in the case of non-delivery of a Pricing Certificate, the last day such Pricing Certificate could have been delivered pursuant to the terms of Section 2.23(g)).
(b) For the avoidance of doubt, only one Pricing Certificate may be delivered in respect of any calendar year. It is further understood and agreed that the Applicable Rate (other than the Commitment Fee Rate) will never be reduced or increased by more than 0.05% and that the Commitment Fee Rate will never be reduced by more than 0.01%, pursuant to the Sustainability Rate Adjustment and the Sustainability Commitment Fee Adjustment, respectively, during any calendar year. For the avoidance of doubt, any adjustment to the Applicable Rate (other than the Commitment Fee Rate) or Commitment Fee Rate by reason of meeting one or several KPI Metrics in any year shall not be cumulative year-over-year.
(c) It is hereby understood and agreed that if no such Pricing Certificate is delivered by the Borrower Representative with regard to the first Sustainability Pricing Adjustment Date after the Effective Date, the Sustainability Rate Adjustment will be positive 0.05% commencing on the last day such Pricing Certificate could have been delivered pursuant to the terms of Section 2.23(g) and continuing until the Borrower Representative delivers a Pricing Certificate to the Administrative Agent for such Sustainability Pricing Adjustment Date.
(d) If (i)(A) the Administrative Agent or any Lender becomes aware of any material inaccuracy in the Sustainability Rate Adjustment, the Sustainability Commitment Fee Adjustment or the KPI Metrics as reported in a Pricing Certificate (any such material inaccuracy, a "Pricing Certificate Inaccuracy") and the Administrative Agent or such Lender delivers, not later than 10 Business Days after obtaining knowledge thereof, a written notice to the Borrower Representative (and with respect to knowledge of such Lender, the Administrative Agent) describing such Pricing Certificate Inaccuracy in reasonable detail (which description shall be shared with each Lender and the Borrower Representative), or (B) any Loan Party becomes aware of a Pricing Certificate Inaccuracy and the Borrower Representative and the Administrative Agent shall mutually agree that there was a Pricing Certificate Inaccuracy at the time of delivery of a Pricing Certificate, and (ii) a proper calculation of the Sustainability Rate Adjustment, Sustainability Commitment Fee Adjustment or the KPI Metrics would have resulted in an increase in the Applicable Rate or Commitment Fee for any period, the Borrower Representative shall be obligated to pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of the applicable Lenders or the applicable Issuing Bank, as the case may be, promptly on demand by the Administrative Agent (or, after the occurrence of an actual or deemed entry of an order for relief with respect to any Borrower under the Bankruptcy Code (or any comparable event under non-U.S. Debtor Relief Laws), automatically and without further action by the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any Issuing Bank), but in any event within 10 Business Days after the Borrower Representative has received written notice of, or has agreed in writing that there was, a Pricing Certificate Inaccuracy, an amount equal to the excess of (1) the amount of interest and fees that should have been paid for such period over (2) the amount of interest and fees actually paid for such period. If a Loan Party becomes aware of any Pricing Certificate Inaccuracy and, in connection therewith, if a proper calculation of the Sustainability Rate Adjustment, Sustainability Commitment Fee Adjustment or the KPI Metrics would have resulted in a decrease in the Applicable Rate or Commitment Fee for any period, then, upon receipt by the Administrative Agent of notice from the Borrower Representative of such Pricing Certificate Inaccuracy (which notice shall include corrections to the calculations of the Sustainability Rate Adjustment, Sustainability Commitment Fee Adjustment or the KPI Metrics, as applicable), commencing on the 10th Business Day following receipt by the Administrative Agent of such notice, the Applicable Rate and Commitment Fee shall be adjusted to reflect the corrected calculations of the Sustainability Rate Adjustment, Sustainability Commitment Fee Adjustment or the KPI Metrics, as applicable, for all periods occurring 10 Business Days after receipt by the Administrative Agent of such notice. For the avoidance of any doubt, the parties agree that any such adjustment to reflect a decrease in the Applicable Rate or Commitment Fee for any period shall only be effective on a prospective basis and shall not require any adjustments to amounts previously paid by the Borrowers prior to the discovery of a Pricing Certificate Inaccuracy.
(e) It is understood and agreed that any Pricing Certificate Inaccuracy shall not constitute a Default or Event of Default; provided, that, the Borrower Representative complies with the terms of Section 2.23(d) with respect to such Pricing Certificate Inaccuracy. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, unless such amounts shall be due upon the occurrence of an actual or deemed entry of an order for relief with respect to a Borrower under the Bankruptcy Code (or any comparable event under non-U.S. Debtor Relief Laws), (a) any additional amounts required to be paid pursuant to Section 2.23(d) shall not be due and payable until the earlier to occur of (i) a written demand is made for such payment by the Administrative Agent in accordance with Section 2.23(d) or (ii) 10 Business Days after the Borrower Representative has received written notice of, or has agreed in writing that there was, a Pricing Certificate Inaccuracy (such date, the "Certificate Inaccuracy Payment Date"), (b) any nonpayment of such additional amounts prior to the Certificate Inaccuracy Payment Date shall not constitute a Default (whether retroactively or otherwise) and (c) none of such additional amounts shall be deemed overdue prior to the Certificate Inaccuracy Payment Date or shall accrue interest at the Default Rate prior to the Certificate Inaccuracy Payment Date.
(f) Each party hereto hereby agrees that the Administrative Agent shall not have any responsibility for (or liability in respect of) reviewing, auditing or otherwise evaluating any calculation by the Borrower Representative of any Sustainability Rate Adjustment or Sustainability Commitment Fee Adjustment (or any of the data or computations that are part of or related to any such calculation) set forth in any Pricing Certificate (and the Administrative Agent may rely conclusively on any such certificate, without further inquiry).
(g) As soon as available and in any event within 10 Business Days following the 12-month period ending March 31 of the Borrower Representative (commencing with the period ending March 31, 2022), the Borrower Representative shall deliver to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, in form and detail satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Required Lenders: a Pricing Certificate for the most recently-ended calendar year; provided, that, for any calendar year the Borrower Representative may elect not to deliver a Pricing Certificate, and such election shall not constitute a Default or Event of Default (but such failure to so deliver a Pricing Certificate by the end of such 10 Business Day period shall result in the Sustainability Rate Adjustment being applied as set forth in clause (c) above.
ARTICLE 3
Representations and Warranties.
Each Loan Party represents and warrants to the Lenders that:
SECTION 3.01 Organization; Powers. Each Loan Party and each Subsidiary is duly organized or formed, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, has all requisite power and authority to carry on its business as now conducted and, except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, is qualified to do business, and is in good standing, in every jurisdiction where such qualification is required.
SECTION 3.02 Authorization; Enforceability. The Transactions are within each Loan Party's corporate or other organizational powers and have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate or other organizational actions and, if required, actions by equity holders. Each Loan Document to which each Loan Party is a party has been duly executed and delivered by such Loan Party and constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of such Loan Party, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other laws affecting creditors' rights generally and subject to general principles of equity, regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law.
SECTION 3.03 Governmental Approvals; No Conflicts. The Transactions (a) do not require any consent or approval of, registration or filing with, or any other action by, any Governmental Authority, except such as have been obtained or made and are in full force and effect and except for filings necessary to perfect Liens created pursuant to the Loan Documents, (b) will not violate any Requirement of Law applicable to any Loan Party or any Subsidiary, (c) will not violate or result in a default under any material indenture, agreement or other instrument binding upon any Loan Party or any Subsidiary or the assets of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary, or give rise to a right thereunder to require any payment to be made by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary, and (d) will not result in the creation or imposition of, or the requirement to create, any Lien on any asset of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary except Liens created pursuant to the Loan Documents.
SECTION 3.04 Financial Condition; No Material Adverse Change.
(a) The Company has heretofore furnished to the Lenders its consolidated balance sheet and statements of income, stockholders equity and cash flows (i) as of and for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2019 and December 31, 2020, reported on by Deloitte, independent public accountants, and (ii) as of and for the fiscal quarter and the portion of the fiscal year ended June 30, 2021, certified by its Financial Officer. Such financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position and results of operations and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries as of such dates and for such periods in accordance with GAAP, subject to normal year‑end audit adjustments (all of which, when taken as a whole, would not be materially adverse) and the absence of footnotes in the case of the statements referred to in clause (ii) above.
(b) No event, change or condition has occurred that has had, or could reasonably be expected to have, a Material Adverse Effect, since December 31, 2020.
SECTION 3.05 Properties.
(a) As of the date of this Agreement, Schedule 3.05 sets forth the address of each parcel of real property with a fair market value in excess of $50,000, that is owned or leased by any Loan Party. Each of such leases and subleases is valid and enforceable in accordance with its terms and is in full force and effect and no default by any party to any such lease or sublease exists, except in each such case to the extent the failure thereof to be valid and enforceable or the existence of such default could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Each of the Loan Parties and each of its Subsidiaries has good and marketable title to, or valid leasehold interests in, all of its material real and material personal property, free of all Liens other than those permitted by Section 6.02.
(b) Each Loan Party and each Subsidiary owns, or is licensed to use, all trademarks, tradenames, copyrights, patents and other intellectual property necessary to its business as currently conducted, a correct and complete list of which, as of the date of this Agreement, is set forth on Schedule 3.05, and the use thereof by each Loan Party and each Subsidiary does not infringe in any material respect upon the rights of any other Person, and each Loan Party's and each Subsidiary's rights thereto are not subject to any licensing agreement or similar arrangement.
SECTION 3.06 Litigation and Environmental Matters.
(a) There are no actions, suits or proceedings by or before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority pending against or, to the knowledge of any Loan Party, threatened against or affecting any Loan Party or any Subsidiary (i) as to which there is a reasonable possibility of an adverse determination and that, if adversely determined, could reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect or (ii) that involve any Loan Document or the Transactions.
(b) (i) Except for the Disclosed Matters no Loan Party or any Subsidiary has received written notice of any claim with respect to any Environmental Liability or has actual knowledge of any basis for any Environmental Liability that individually or in the aggregate could be reasonable expected to result in liability in excess of $1,000,000, and (ii) except with respect to any other matters that, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, no Loan Party or any Subsidiary (A) has failed to comply with any Environmental Law or to obtain, maintain or comply with any permit, license or other approval required under any Environmental Law, (B) has become subject to any Environmental Liability, (C) has received notice of any claim with respect to any Environmental Liability or (D) has actual knowledge of any basis for any Environmental Liability.
(c) Since the date of this Agreement, there has been no change in the status of the Disclosed Matters that, individually or in the aggregate, has resulted in, or materially increased the likelihood of, a Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION 3.07 Compliance with Laws and Agreements; No Default. Except where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, each Loan Party and each Subsidiary is in compliance with (a) all Requirement of Law applicable to it or its property and (b) all indentures, agreements and other instruments binding upon it or its property. No Default has occurred and is continuing.
SECTION 3.08 Investment Company Status. No Loan Party or any Subsidiary is an "investment company" as defined in, or subject to regulation under, the Investment Company Act of 1940.
SECTION 3.09 Taxes. Each Loan Party and each Subsidiary has timely filed or caused to be filed all Tax returns and reports required to have been filed and has paid or caused to be paid all Taxes required to have been paid by it, except (a) Taxes that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which such Loan Party or such Subsidiary, as applicable, has set aside on its books adequate reserves or (b) to the extent that the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. No Tax Liens greater than $2,500,000 have been filed.
SECTION 3.10 ERISA. No ERISA Event has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur that, when taken together with all other such ERISA Events for which liability is reasonably expected to occur, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The present value of all accumulated benefit obligations under each Plan (based on the assumptions used for purposes of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 87 or subsequent recodification thereof, as applicable) did not, as of the date of the most recent financial statements reflecting such amounts, exceed the fair market value of the assets of such Plan by an amount that could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Except as could not reasonably be expected to give rise to a Material Adverse Effect, (i) each Employee Benefit Plan complies with, and has been operated in accordance with, all applicable laws, including ERISA and the Code and the terms of such plan, (ii) each Employee Benefit Plan intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified, and (iii) no Loan Party has any obligation to pay a fine, penalty, excise tax, or damage with respect to, or arising from, an Employee Benefit Plan.
SECTION 3.11 Disclosure.
(a) The Loan Parties have disclosed to the Lenders all agreements, instruments and corporate or other restrictions to which any Loan Party or any Subsidiary is subject, and all other matters known to it, that, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. None of the reports, financial statements, certificates or other information furnished by or on behalf of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary to the Administrative Agent or any Lender in connection with the negotiation of this Agreement or any other Loan Document (as modified or supplemented by other information so furnished) contains any material misstatement of fact or omits to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that, with respect to projected financial information, the Loan Parties represent only that such information was prepared in good faith based upon assumptions believed to be reasonable at the time delivered and, if such projected financial information was delivered prior to the Effective Date, as of the Effective Date (it being understood that any such projected financial information are predictions as to future events and are not to be viewed as facts and are subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies, which are beyond the control of the Company and its Subsidiaries, and that no assurance or guarantee can be given that any such projected financial information will be realized, that actual results may differ and such differences may be material).
(b) As of the Effective Date, to the best knowledge of any Borrower, the information included in the Beneficial Ownership Certification provided on or prior to the Effective Date to any Lender in connection with this Agreement is true and correct in all material respects.
SECTION 3.12 Material Agreements. All Material Agreements to which any Loan Party or any Subsidiary is a party or is bound as of the date of this Agreement are listed on Schedule 3.12. No Loan Party or any Subsidiary is in default in the performance, observance or fulfillment of any of the material obligations, covenants or conditions contained in (a) any Material Agreement to which it is a party or (b) any agreement or instrument evidencing or governing Material Indebtedness.
SECTION 3.13 Solvency.
(a) Immediately after the consummation of the Transactions to occur on the Effective Date, (i) the fair value of the assets of the Loan Parties, taken as a whole, at a fair valuation, will exceed their debts and liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise; (ii) the present fair saleable value of the property of the Loan Parties, taken as a whole, will be greater than the amount that will be required to pay the probable liability of their debts and other liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise, as such debts and other liabilities become absolute and matured; (iii) the Loan Parties, taken as a whole, will be able to pay their debts and liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise, as such debts and liabilities become absolute and matured; and (iv) the Loan Parties, taken as a whole, will not have unreasonably small capital with which to conduct the business in which they are engaged as such business is now conducted and is proposed to be conducted after the Effective Date.
(b) No Loan Party intends to, nor will permit any Subsidiary to, and no Loan Party believes that it or any Subsidiary will, taken as a whole, incur debts beyond their ability to pay such debts as they mature, taking into account the timing of and amounts of cash to be received by them and the timing of the amounts of cash to be payable on or in respect of their Indebtedness.
SECTION 3.14 Insurance. Schedule 3.14 sets forth a description of all insurance maintained by or on behalf of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries as of the Effective Date. As of the Effective Date, all premiums then due and owing in respect of such insurance have been paid. The Company maintains, with financially sound and reputable insurance companies, insurance covering the Company and its Subsidiaries on all their material real and personal property in such amounts, subject to such deductibles and self-insurance retentions and covering such properties and risks as are adequate and customarily maintained by companies engaged in the same or similar businesses operating in the same or similar locations.
SECTION 3.15 Capitalization and Subsidiaries. As of the Effective Date,
Schedule 3.15 sets forth (a) a correct and complete list of the name and relationship to the Company of each and all of the Company's Subsidiaries and any Specified SPVs, (b) a true and complete listing of each class of each Borrower's authorized Equity Interests, all of which issued Equity Interests are validly issued, outstanding, fully paid and non-assessable, and owned beneficially and of record by the Persons identified on
Schedule 3.15, and (c) the type of entity of the Company and each of its Subsidiaries. All of the issued and outstanding Equity Interests owned by any Loan Party have been (to the extent such concepts are relevant with respect to such ownership interests) duly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non‑assessable. There are no outstanding commitments or other obligations of any Loan Party to issue, and no options, warrants or other rights of any Person to acquire, any shares of any class of capital stock or other equity interests of any Loan Party, other than as set forth in the terms of the Series A Preferred Stock
or the Series B Preferred Stock and in the ordinary course of business pursuant to any stock option plans, equity incentive plans or other benefit plans for management or employees of the Borrowers and their Subsidiaries.
SECTION 3.16 Security Interest in Collateral. The provisions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents create legal and valid Liens on all of the Collateral in favor of the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, and such Liens constitute perfected and continuing Liens on the Collateral, securing the Secured Obligations, enforceable against the applicable Loan Party and all third parties, and having priority over all other Liens on the Collateral except in the case of (a) Liens permitted by Section 6.02, including Permitted Encumbrances, to the extent any such Liens would have priority over the Liens in favor of the Administrative Agent pursuant to any applicable law or agreement and (b) Liens perfected only by possession (including possession of any certificate of title) to the extent the Administrative Agent has not obtained or does not maintain possession of such Collateral.
SECTION 3.17 Employment Matters. As of the Effective Date, there are no strikes, lockouts or slowdowns against any Loan Party or any Subsidiary pending or, to the knowledge of any Loan Party, threatened in writing. The hours worked by and payments made to employees of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries have not been in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act or any other applicable Federal, state, local or foreign law dealing with such matters in all material respects. All payments due from any Loan Party or any Subsidiary, or for which any claim may be made against any Loan Party or any Subsidiary, on account of wages and employee health and welfare insurance and other benefits, have been paid or accrued as a liability on the books of such Loan Party or such Subsidiary.
SECTION 3.18 Margin Regulations. No Loan Party is engaged and will not engage, principally or as one of its important activities, in the business of purchasing or carrying Margin Stock, or extending credit for the purpose of purchasing or carrying Margin Stock, and no part of the proceeds of any Borrowing or Letter of Credit hereunder will be used to buy or carry any Margin Stock. Following the application of the proceeds of each Borrowing or drawing under each Letter of Credit, not more than 25% of the value of the assets (either of any Loan Party only or of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis) will be Margin Stock.
SECTION 3.19 Use of Proceeds. The proceeds of the Loans have been used and will be used, whether directly or indirectly as set forth in Section 5.08.
SECTION 3.20 [Reserved]
SECTION 3.22 Anti-Corruption Laws and Sanctions. Each Loan Party has implemented and maintains in effect policies and procedures designed to ensure compliance by such Loan Party, its Subsidiaries and their respective directors, officers, employees and agents with Anti-Corruption Laws and applicable Sanctions, and such Loan Party, its Subsidiaries and their respective officers and directors and, to the knowledge of such Loan Party, its employees and agents, are in compliance with Anti-Corruption Laws and applicable Sanctions in all material respects. None of (a) any Loan Party, any Subsidiary or any of their respective directors, officers or , to the knowledge of any such Loan Party or Subsidiary, employees, or (b) to the knowledge of any such Loan Party or Subsidiary, any agent of such Loan Party or any Subsidiary that will act in any capacity in connection with or benefit from the credit facility established hereby, is a Sanctioned Person. No Borrowing or Letter of Credit, use of proceeds, Transaction or other transaction contemplated by this Agreement or the other Loan Documents will violate Anti-Corruption Laws or applicable Sanctions.
SECTION 3.23 Affiliate Transactions. Except as set forth on Schedule 3.23, as of the date of this Agreement, there are no material agreements, arrangements, understandings or transactions between any Loan Party and any of the officers, members, managers, directors, stockholders, parents, holders of other Equity Interests, employees or Affiliates (other than Subsidiaries) of any Loan Party or any members of their respective immediate families, and none of the foregoing Persons are directly or indirectly indebted to or have any direct or indirect ownership, partnership, or voting interest in any Affiliate of any Loan Party or any Person which competes with any Loan Party.
SECTION 3.24 Common Enterprise. The successful operation and condition of each of the Loan Parties is dependent on the continued successful performance of the functions of the group of the Loan Parties as a whole and the successful operation of each of the Loan Parties is dependent on the successful performance and operation of each other Loan Party. Each Loan Party expects to derive benefit (and its board of directors or other governing body has determined that it may reasonably be expected to derive benefit), directly and indirectly, from (a) successful operations of each of the other Loan Parties and (b) the credit extended by the Lenders to the Borrowers hereunder, both in their separate capacities and as members of the group of companies. Each Loan Party has determined that execution, delivery, and performance of this Agreement and any other Loan Documents to be executed by such Loan Party is within its purpose, in furtherance of its direct and/or indirect business interests, will be of direct and/or indirect benefit to such Loan Party, and is in its best interest.Affected Financial Institutions. No Loan Party is an Affected Financial Institution.
SECTION 3.26 Plan Assets and Prohibited Transactions. No Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries is an entity deemed to hold "plan assets" (within the meaning of the Plan Asset Regulations), and, assuming each Lender is described in Section 8.09(a)(i), neither the execution, delivery nor performance of the transactions contemplated under this Agreement, including the making of any Loan and the issuance of any Letter of Credit hereunder, will give rise to a non-exempt prohibited transaction under Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code.
ARTICLE 4
Conditions.
SECTION 4.01 Effective Date. The obligations of the Lenders to make Loans and of the Issuing Bank to issue Letters of Credit hereunder shall not become effective until the date on which each of the following conditions is satisfied (or waived in accordance with Section 9.02):
(a) Credit Agreement and Other Loan Documents. The Administrative Agent (or its counsel) shall have received (i) from each party hereto a counterpart of this Agreement signed on behalf of such party (which, subject to Section 9.06(b), may include any Electronic Signatures transmitted by facsimile, emailed pdf. or any other electronic means that reproduces an image of an actual executed signature page), (ii) either (A) a counterpart of each other Loan Document signed on behalf of each party thereto or (B) written evidence satisfactory to the Administrative Agent (which may include facsimile or other electronic transmission of a signed signature page thereof) that each such party has signed a counterpart of such Loan Document and (iii) such other certificates, documents, instruments and agreements as the Administrative Agent shall reasonably request in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, including any promissory notes requested by a Lender pursuant to Section 2.10 payable to the order of each such requesting Lender and a written opinion of the Loan Parties' counsel, addressed to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders and the other Secured Parties in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and its counsel.
(b) Financial Statements and Projections. The Lenders shall have received (i) audited consolidated financial statements of Company and its Subsidiaries for the December 31, 2019 and December 31, 2020 fiscal years, (ii) unaudited interim consolidated financial statements of Company and its Subsidiaries for each fiscal quarter ended after the date of the latest applicable financial statements delivered pursuant to clause (i) of this paragraph as to which such financial statements are available, and such financial statements shall not, in the reasonable judgment of the Administrative Agent, reflect any material adverse change in the consolidated financial condition of the Company and its Subsidiaries, as reflected in the audited, consolidated financial statements described in clause (i) of this paragraph and (iii) satisfactory projections through the fiscal year ending December 31, 2025.
(c) Closing Certificates; Certified Certificate of Incorporation; Good Standing Certificates. The Administrative Agent shall have received (i) a certificate of each Loan Party, dated the Effective Date and executed by its Secretary or Assistant Secretary, which shall (A) certify the resolutions of its Board of Directors, members or other body authorizing the execution, delivery and performance of the Loan Documents to which it is a party, (B) identify by name and title and bear the signatures of the officers of such Loan Party authorized to sign the Loan Documents to which it is a party and, in the case of each Borrower, its Financial Officers, and (C) contain appropriate attachments, including the certificate or articles of incorporation or organization of each Loan Party certified by the relevant authority of the jurisdiction of organization of such Loan Party and a true and correct copy of its by‑laws or operating, management or partnership agreement, or other organizational or governing documents, and (ii) a good standing certificate for each Loan Party from its jurisdiction of organization or the substantive equivalent available in the jurisdiction of organization for each Loan Party from the appropriate governmental officer in such jurisdiction.
(d) No Default Certificate. The Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate, signed by a Financial Officer of each Borrower and each other Loan Party, dated as of the Effective Date (i) stating that no Default has occurred and is continuing, (ii) stating that the representations and warranties contained in the Loan Documents are true and correct in all material respects (it being understood and agreed that any representation or warranty which is subject to any materiality qualifier shall be required to be true and correct in all respects) as of such date, and (iii) certifying as to any other factual matters as may be reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent.
(e) Fees. The Lenders and the Administrative Agent shall have received all fees required to be paid hereunder or any other Loan Document, and all expenses for which invoices have been presented (including the reasonable and documented out-of-pocket fees and expenses of legal counsel), two (2) Business Days before the Effective Date. All such amounts will be paid with proceeds of Loans made on the Effective Date and will be reflected in the funding instructions given by the Borrower Representative to the Administrative Agent on or before the Effective Date.
(f) Lien Searches. The Administrative Agent shall have received the results of a recent lien search in each jurisdiction where the Loan Parties are organized and where the assets of the Loan Parties are located, and such search shall reveal no Liens on any of the assets of the Loan Parties except for Liens permitted by Section 6.02 or discharged on or prior to the Effective Date pursuant to a pay-off letter or other documentation reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.
(g) Pay-Off Letter. To the extent applicable, the Administrative Agent shall have received satisfactory pay-off letters for all existing Indebtedness to be repaid from the proceeds of the initial Borrowing, confirming that all Liens upon any of the property of the Loan Parties constituting Collateral will be terminated concurrently with such payment and all letters of credit issued or guaranteed as part of such Indebtedness shall have been cash collateralized or supported by a Letter of Credit.
(h) Funding Account. The Administrative Agent shall have received a notice setting forth the deposit account of the Borrowers (the "Funding Account") to which the Administrative Agent is authorized by the Borrowers to transfer the proceeds of any Borrowings requested or authorized pursuant to this Agreement.
(i) Customer List. The Administrative Agent shall have received a true and complete customer list for each Borrower and its Subsidiaries, which list shall state the customer's name, mailing address and phone number and shall be certified as true and correct by a Financial Officer of the Borrower Representative.
(j) [Reserved]
(k) Solvency. The Administrative Agent shall have received a solvency certificate signed by a Financial Officer dated the Effective Date.
(l) Borrowing Base Certificate. The Administrative Agent shall have received a Borrowing Base Certificate which calculates the Borrowing Base as of August 31, 2021.
(m) Closing Availability. After giving effect to all Borrowings to be made on the Effective Date, the issuance of any Letters of Credit on the Effective Date and the payment of all fees and expenses due hereunder, and with all of the Loan Parties' indebtedness, liabilities, and obligations current, the Availability shall not be less than $6,000,000.
(n) Pledged Equity Interests; Stock Powers; Pledged Notes. The Administrative Agent shall have received (i) the certificates representing the Equity Interests pledged pursuant to the Security Agreement, together with an undated stock power for each such certificate executed in blank by a duly authorized officer of the pledgor thereof and (ii) each promissory note (if any) pledged to the Administrative Agent pursuant to the Security Agreement endorsed (without recourse) in blank (or accompanied by an executed transfer form in blank) by the pledgor thereof.
(o) Filings, Registrations and Recordings. Each document (including any Uniform Commercial Code financing statement) required by the Collateral Documents or under law or reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent to be filed, registered or recorded in order to create in favor of the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of itself, the Lenders and the other Secured Parties, a perfected Lien on the Collateral described therein, prior and superior in right to any other Person (other than with respect to Liens expressly permitted by Section 6.02), shall be in proper form for filing, registration or recordation.
(p) [Reserved]
(q) Insurance. The Administrative Agent shall have received evidence of insurance (including environmental insurance) coverage in form, scope, and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and otherwise in compliance with the terms of Section 5.10 hereof and Section 4.12 of the Security Agreement.
(r) Letter of Credit Application. If a Letter of Credit is requested to be issued on the Effective Date, the Administrative Agent shall have received a properly completed letter of credit application (whether standalone or pursuant to a master agreement, as applicable). The Borrowers shall have executed the Issuing Bank's master agreement for the issuance of commercial Letters of Credit.
(s) Tax Withholding. The Administrative Agent shall have received a properly completed and signed IRS Form W-8 or W-9, as applicable, for each Loan Party.
(t) Corporate Structure. The corporate structure, capital structure and other material debt instruments, material accounts and governing documents of the Borrowers and their Subsidiaries shall be acceptable to the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion.
(u) Field Examination. The Administrative Agent or its designee shall have conducted a field examination of the Loan Parties' Accounts, Inventory and related working capital matters and of the Borrowers' related data processing and other systems, the results of which shall be satisfactory to the Administrative Agent in its Permitted Discretion.
(v) Legal Due Diligence. The Administrative Agent and its counsel shall have completed all legal due diligence, the results of which shall be satisfactory to Administrative Agent in its sole discretion.
(w) Appraisals. The Administrative Agent shall have received appraisals of the Loan Parties' Inventory and Equipment from one or more firms satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, which appraisals shall be satisfactory to the Administrative Agent in its Permitted Discretion.
(x) USA PATRIOT Act, Etc. (i) The Administrative Agent shall have received, at least five (5) days prior to the Effective Date, all documentation and other information regarding the Borrowers requested in connection with applicable "know your customer" and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including the USA PATRIOT Act, to the extent requested in writing of the Borrowers at least ten (10) days prior to the Effective Date, and (ii) to the extent any Borrower qualifies as a "legal entity customer" under the Beneficial Ownership Regulation, at least five (5) days prior to the Effective Date, any Lender that has requested, in a written notice to the Borrowers at least ten (10) days prior to the Effective Date, a Beneficial Ownership Certification in relation to each Borrower shall have received such Beneficial Ownership Certification (provided that, upon the execution and delivery by such Lender of its signature page to this Agreement, the condition set forth in this clause (ii) shall be deemed to be satisfied).
(y) Other Documents. The Administrative Agent shall have received such other documents as the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank, any Lender or their respective counsel may have reasonably requested.
The Administrative Agent shall notify the Borrowers, the Lenders and the Issuing Bank of the Effective Date, and such notice shall be conclusive and binding.
SECTION 4.02 Each Credit Event. The obligation of each Lender to make a Loan on the occasion of any Borrowing, and of the Issuing Bank to issue, amend or extend any Letter of Credit, is subject to the satisfaction of the following conditions:
(a) The representations and warranties of the Loan Parties set forth in the Loan Documents shall be true and correct in all material respects with the same effect as though made on and as of the date of such Borrowing or the date of issuance, amendment or extension of such Letter of Credit, as applicable (it being understood and agreed that any representation or warranty which by its terms is made as of a specified date shall be required to be true and correct in all material respects only as of such specified date, and that any representation or warranty which is subject to any materiality qualifier shall be required to be true and correct in all respects).
(b) At the time of and immediately after giving effect to such Borrowing or the issuance, amendment or extension of such Letter of Credit, as applicable, (i) no Default shall have occurred and be continuing and (ii) no Protective Advance shall be outstanding, except to the extent such Borrowing is used as a means to refinance such Protective Advance.
(c) After giving effect to any Borrowing or the issuance or extension of any Letter of Credit, Availability shall not be less than zero.
(d) No event shall have occurred and no condition shall exist which has or could be reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
Each Borrowing and each issuance, amendment or extension of a Letter of Credit shall be deemed to constitute a representation and warranty by the Borrowers on the date thereof as to the matters specified in paragraphs (a), (b), (c) and (d) of this Section.
Notwithstanding the failure to satisfy the conditions precedent set forth in paragraphs (a) or (b) of this Section, unless otherwise directed by the Required Lenders, the Administrative Agent may, but shall have no obligation to, continue to make Loans and an Issuing Bank may, but shall have no obligation to, issue, amend or extend, or cause to be issued, amended or extended, any Letter of Credit for the ratable account and risk of Lenders from time to time if the Administrative Agent believes that making such Loans or issuing, amending or extending, or causing the issuance, amendment or extension of, any such Letter of Credit is in the best interests of the Lenders.
ARTICLE 5
Affirmative Covenants.
Until all of the Secured Obligations have been Paid in Full, each Loan Party executing this Agreement covenants and agrees, jointly and severally with all of the other Loan Parties, with the Lenders that:
SECTION 5.01 Financial Statements; Borrowing Base and Other Information. The Borrowers will furnish to the Administrative Agent and each Lender:
(a) within ninety (90) days after the end of each fiscal year of the Company, its audited consolidated and consolidating balance sheet and related statements of operations, stockholders' equity and cash flows as of the end of and for such year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the previous fiscal year, all reported on by independent public accountants of recognized national standing (without a "going concern" or like qualification, commentary or exception and without any qualification or exception as to the scope of such audit, in each case, other than (x) a "going concern" or other qualification that results solely from the Maturity Date or the maturity date of other long term Indebtedness for borrowed money being scheduled to occur within one year from the time such opinion is delivered or (y) any potential inability to satisfy the financial covenant set forth in Section 6.13) to the effect that such consolidated financial statements present fairly in all material respects the financial condition and results of operations of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP consistently applied;
(b) within forty-five (45) days after the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year of the Company, its consolidated and consolidating balance sheet and related statements of operations, stockholders' equity and cash flows as of the end of and for such fiscal quarter and the then elapsed portion of such fiscal year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the corresponding period or periods of (or, in the case of the balance sheet, as of the end of) the previous fiscal year, all certified by a Financial Officer of the Borrower Representative as presenting fairly in all material respects the financial condition and results of operations of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP consistently applied, subject to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes;
(c) within thirty (30) days after the end of each fiscal month of the Company, its consolidated and consolidating balance sheet and related statements of operations, stockholders' equity and cash flows as of the end of and for such fiscal month and the then elapsed portion of the fiscal year, setting forth in each case in comparative form the figures for the corresponding period or periods of (or, in the case of the balance sheet, as of the end of) the previous fiscal year, all certified by a Financial Officer of the Borrower Representative as presenting fairly in all material respects the financial condition and results of operations of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP consistently applied, subject to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes;
(d) concurrently with any delivery of financial statements under clause (a) or (b) above, a Compliance Certificate (i) certifying, in the case of the financial statements delivered under clause (b), as presenting fairly in all material respects the financial condition and results of operations of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP consistently applied, subject to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes, (ii) certifying as to whether a Default has occurred and, if a Default has occurred, specifying the details thereof and any action taken or proposed to be taken with respect thereto, (iii) setting forth reasonably detailed calculations demonstrating compliance with Section 6.13 (without regard to whether a Covenant Testing Period is in effect) and (iv) stating whether any change in GAAP or in the application thereof has occurred since the date of the audited financial statements referred to in Section 3.04 and, if any such change has occurred, specifying the effect of such change on the financial statements accompanying such certificate;
(e) [Reserved]
(f) as soon as available but in any event no later than forty-five (45) days after the beginning of each fiscal year of the Company, a copy of the plan and forecast (including a projected consolidated and consolidating balance sheet, income statement and cash flow statement) of the Company for each month of such fiscal year (the "Projections") in form reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent;
(g) as soon as available but in any event within twenty-five (25) days of the end of each calendar month (or, during an Enhanced Reporting Period, as soon as available but in any event no later than the third (3rd) Business Day of each week), and at such other times as may be necessary to re-determine Availability or as may be requested by the Administrative Agent in its Permitted Discretion, as of the period then ended, a Borrowing Base Certificate and supporting information in connection therewith, together with any additional reports with respect to the Borrowing Base as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request; and the PP&E Component of the Borrowing Base shall be updated (i) from time to time upon receipt of periodic valuation updates received from the Administrative Agent's asset valuation experts, (ii) concurrently with the sale or commitment to sell any assets constituting part of the PP&E Component, and (iii) in the event that the value of such assets is otherwise impaired, as determined by the Administrative Agent's in its Permitted Discretion; provided that notwithstanding the foregoing, the Borrowing Base Certificate for the period ending September, 30, 2021 may be delivered on or prior to November 18, 2021.
(h) as soon as available but in any event within twenty-five (25) days of the end of each calendar month (or, during an Enhanced Reporting Period, as soon as available but in any event no later than the third (3rd) Business Day of each week) and at such other times as may be requested by the Administrative Agent, as of the period then ended, all delivered electronically in a text formatted file acceptable to the Administrative Agent;
(i) a detailed aging of the Borrowers' Accounts, including all invoices aged by invoice date and due date (with an explanation of the terms offered), prepared in a manner reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent, together with a summary specifying the name, address, and balance due for each Account Debtor;
(ii) a schedule detailing the Borrowers' Inventory, in form satisfactory to the Administrative Agent in its Permitted Discretion, (1) by location (showing Inventory in transit and any Inventory located with a third party under any consignment, bailee arrangement, or warehouse agreement), by class (raw material, work-in-process and finished goods), by product type, and by volume on hand, which Inventory shall be valued at the lower of cost (determined on a first-in, first-out basis) or market and adjusted for Reserves as the Administrative Agent has previously indicated to the Borrower Representative are deemed by the Administrative Agent to be appropriate in its Permitted Discretion, and (2) including a report of any variances or other results of Inventory counts performed by the Borrowers since the last Inventory schedule (including information regarding sales or other reductions, additions, returns, credits issued by Borrowers and complaints and claims made against the Borrowers with respect to such Inventory);
(iii) a worksheet of calculations prepared by the Borrowers to determine Eligible Accounts and Eligible Inventory, such worksheets detailing the Accounts and Inventory excluded from Eligible Accounts and Eligible Inventory and the reason for such exclusion;
(iv) a reconciliation of the Borrowers' Accounts and Inventory between (A) the amounts shown in the Borrowers' general ledger and financial statements and the reports delivered pursuant to clauses (i) and (ii) above and (B) the amounts and dates shown in the reports delivered pursuant to clauses (i) and (ii) above and the Borrowing Base Certificate delivered pursuant to clause (g) above as of such date; and
(v) a reconciliation of the loan balance per the Borrowers' general ledger to the loan balance under this Agreement;
(i) as soon as available but in any event within twenty-five (25) days of the end of each calendar month and at such other times as may be requested by the Administrative Agent in its Permitted Discretion, as of the month then ended, a schedule and aging of the Borrowers' accounts payable, delivered electronically in a text formatted file acceptable to the Administrative Agent in its Permitted Discretion;
(j) [Reserved]
(k) promptly upon the Administrative Agent's request in its Permitted Discretion, but in any event within ten (10) days of such request:
(i) copies of invoices issued by the Borrowers in connection with any Accounts, credit memos, shipping and delivery documents, and other information related thereto;
(ii) copies of purchase orders, invoices, and shipping and delivery documents, in connection with any Inventory or Equipment purchased by any Loan Party;
(iii) a schedule detailing the balance of all intercompany accounts of the Loan Parties;
(iv) an updated customer list for each Borrower and its Subsidiaries, which list shall state the customer's name, mailing address and phone number, delivered electronically in a text formatted file acceptable to the Administrative Agent in its Permitted Discretion and certified as true and correct in all material respects by a Financial Officer of the Borrower Representative;
(v) a certificate of good standing or the substantive equivalent available in the jurisdiction of incorporation, formation or organization for each Loan party from the appropriate governmental officer in such jurisdiction; and
(vi) a detailed listing of all advances of proceeds of Loans requested by Borrower Representative for each Borrower during the immediately preceding calendar month and a detailed listing of all intercompany loans made by the Borrowers during such calendar month;
(l) as soon as available but in any event twenty-five (25) days of the end of each calendar month (or, during an Enhanced Reporting Period, as soon as available but in any event no later than the third (3rd) Business Day of each week) and at such other times as may be requested by the Administrative Agent in its Permitted Discretion, as of the period then ended, the Borrowers' sales journal, cash receipts journal (identifying trade and non-trade cash receipts) and debit memo/credit memo journal;
(m) as soon as possible and in any event within fifteen (15) days of filing thereof, copies of all U.S. federal income tax returns filed by any Loan Party with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service;
(n) [reserved];
(o) [reserved];
(p) promptly after the same become publicly available, copies of all periodic and other material reports, proxy statements and other material filings made by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary with the SEC, or any Governmental Authority succeeding to any or all of the functions of the SEC, or with any national securities exchange, or distributed by any Borrower to its shareholders generally, as the case may be;
(q) promptly after any request therefor by the Administrative Agent or any Lender, copies of (i) any documents described in Section 101(k)(1) of ERISA that any Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate may request with respect to any Multiemployer Plan and (ii) any notices described in Section 101(l)(1) of ERISA that any Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate may request with respect to any Multiemployer Plan; provided that if a Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate has not requested such documents or notices from the administrator or sponsor of the applicable Multiemployer Plan, the applicable Borrower or the applicable ERISA Affiliate shall promptly make a request for such documents and notices from such administrator or sponsor and shall provide copies of such documents and notices promptly after receipt thereof;
(r) promptly following any request therefor in the Administrative Agent's Permitted Discretion, (i) such other information regarding the operations, material changes in ownership of Equity Interests, business affairs and financial condition of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary, or compliance with the terms of this Agreement, as the Administrative Agent or any Lender may reasonably request, (ii) information and documentation reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent or any Lender for purposes of compliance with applicable "know your customer" and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including the USA PATRIOT Act and the Beneficial Ownership Regulation; and (iii) such other information regarding sustainability matters and practices of the Borrowers or any Subsidiary (including with respect to corporate governance, environmental, social and employee matters, respect for human rights, anti-corruption and anti-bribery) for purposes of compliance with any legal or regulatory requirement or internal policies applicable to it;
(s) promptly after receipt thereof by any Borrower or any Subsidiary, copies of each material notice or other material correspondence received from the SEC (or comparable agency in any applicable non-U.S. jurisdiction) concerning any investigation or possible investigation or other material inquiry by the SEC or such other agency regarding financial or other operational results of any Borrower or any Subsidiary thereof;
(t) promptly following any reasonable request therefor, copies of any detailed audit reports, management letters or recommendations submitted to the board of directors (or the audit committee of the board of directors) of any Borrower by independent accountants in connection with the accounts or books of such Borrower or any Subsidiary, or any audit of any of them as the Administrative Agent or any Lender (through the Administrative Agent) may reasonably request.
Documents required to be delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(a), (b), (p) or (s) (to the extent any such documents are included in materials otherwise filed with the SEC) may be delivered electronically and, if so delivered, shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date (i) on which such materials are publicly available as posted on the Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system (EDGAR); or (ii) on which such documents are posted on a Borrower's behalf on an Internet or intranet website, if any, to which each Lender and the Administrative Agent have access (whether a commercial, third-party website or whether made available by the Administrative Agent); provided that: (A) upon written request by the Administrative Agent (or any Lender through the Administrative Agent) to the Borrower Representative, the Borrower Representative shall deliver paper copies of such documents to the Administrative Agent or such Lender until a written request to cease delivering paper copies is given by the Administrative Agent or such Lender and (B) the Borrower Representative shall notify the Administrative Agent (by fax or through Electronic Systems) of the posting of any such documents and provide to the Administrative Agent through Electronic Systems electronic versions (i.e., soft copies) of such documents. The Administrative Agent shall have no obligation to request the delivery of or to maintain paper copies of the documents referred to above, and in any event shall have no responsibility to monitor compliance by any Borrower with any such request by a Lender for delivery, and each Lender shall be solely responsible for timely accessing posted documents or requesting delivery of paper copies of such documents to it and maintaining its copies of such documents.
The Company represents and warrants that each of it and its Controlling and Controlled entities, in each case, if any (collectively with the Borrowers, the "Relevant Entities"), either (i) has no SEC registered or unregistered, publicly traded securities outstanding, or (ii) files its financial statements with the SEC and/or makes its financial statements available to potential holders of its securities, and, accordingly, the Company hereby (A) authorizes the Administrative Agent to make the financial statements to be provided under Section 5.01(a), (b) and (c) above (collectively or individually, as the context requires, the "Financial Statements"), along with the Loan Documents, available to Public-Siders and (B) agree that at the time such Financial Statements are provided hereunder, they shall already have been made available to holders of any such securities. The Company will not request that any other material be posted to Public-Siders without expressly representing and warranting to the Administrative Agent in writing that such materials do not constitute material non-public information within the meaning of the federal securities laws or that the Relevant Entities have no outstanding SEC registered or unregistered, publicly traded securities. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, in no event shall the Company request that the Administrative Agent make available to Public-Siders budgets or any certificates, reports or calculations with respect to the Borrowers' compliance with the covenants contained herein or with respect to the Borrowing Base.
SECTION 5.02 Notices of Material Events. The Borrowers will furnish to the Administrative Agent and each Lender prompt (but in any event within any time period that may be specified below) written notice of the following:
(a) the occurrence of any Default;
(b) receipt of any notice of any investigation by a Governmental Authority or any litigation or Proceeding commenced or threatened in writing against any Loan Party or any Subsidiary that (i) seeks damages in excess of $5,000,000, (ii) seeks injunctive relief, (iii) is asserted or instituted against any Plan, its fiduciaries or its assets for an amount in excess of $1,000,000, (iv) alleges criminal misconduct by any Loan Party or any Subsidiary, or (v) asserts liability on the part of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary in excess of $5,000,000 in respect of any tax, fee, assessment, or other governmental charge;
(c) receipt of any notice of any investigation by a Governmental Authority or any litigation or Proceeding commenced or threatened against any Loan Party or any Subsidiary that alleges a violation of, or seeks to impose remedies under, any Environmental Law or related Requirement of Law, or seeks to impose aan Environmental Liability, in each case, which could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect,
(d) any Lien (other than Liens permitted by Section 6.02, including Permitted Encumbrances) or claim made or asserted against any of the Collateral;
(e) any loss, damage, or destruction to the Collateral in the amount of $1,000,000 or more, whether or not covered by insurance;
(f) within five (5) Business Days of receipt thereof, any and all material default notices received under or with respect to any leased location or public warehouse where Collateral is located;
(g) all material amendments to the (i) B. Riley Facility, (ii) the terms and conditions governing the Series A Preferred Stock (including, without limitation, any such terms and conditions set forth in the Company's Certificate of Incorporation, that certain Series A Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement dated March 5, 2020 between the Company and Charah Preferred Stock AggregationAggregator, LP and that certain Amendment No. 1 to Registration Rights Agreement dated March 5, 2020 between the Company and certain holders thereof), or(iii) the terms and conditions governing the Series B Preferred Stock (including, without limitation, any such terms and conditions set forth in the Company's Certificate of Incorporation, that certain Series B Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement dated the Second Amendment Effective Date between the Company and Charah Preferred Stock Aggregator, LP and that certain Amendment No. 2 to Registration Rights Agreement dated the Second Amendment Effective Date between the Company and certain holders thereof) or (iv) the Unsecured Notes (including that certain Underwriting Agreement dated 8/20/21 with B. Riley Securities, Inc. as representative of the several underwriters for the sale of $130MM of 8.50% Senior Notes due 2026, that certain Indenture dated as of August 25, 2021 between the Company and Wilmington Savings Fund Society, FSB, a federal savings bank, as trustee, and that certain First Supplemental Indenture dated as of August 25, 2021 between the Company and Wilmington Savings Fund Society, FSB, as trustee), together with a copy of each such amendment;
(h) within five (5) Business Days after the occurrence thereof, any Loan Party entering into a Swap Agreement or a material amendment thereto, together with copies of all agreements evidencing such Swap Agreement or amendment;
(i) any material change in accounting or financial reporting practices by any Borrower or any Subsidiary;
(j) the occurrence of any ERISA Event that, alone or together with any other ERISA Events that have occurred, could reasonably be expected to result payment liability of any Loan Party in excess of $1,000,000 or the imposition of a Lien on the assets of any Loan Party pursuant to Section 303(k) or Section 4068 of ERISA or Section 430(k) of the Code;
(k) any change in the credit ratings from a credit rating agency, or the placement by a credit rating agency of any Loan Party on a "Credit Watch" or "WatchList" or any similar list, in each case with negative implications, or the cessation by a credit rating agency of, or its intent to cease, rating such Loan Party's debt;
(l) the issuance of any surety bond in the amount of $1,000,000 or more;
(m) any claim under any surety bond called upon by the obligee thereof in the amount of $1,000,000 or more;
(n) any Disposition of Eligible Equipment included in the Borrowing Base with a fair market value in excess of $25,000,
(o) any other development that results, or could reasonably be expected to result in, a Material Adverse Effect;
(p) any change in the information provided in the Beneficial Ownership Certification delivered to such Lender that would result in a change to the list of beneficial owners identified in such certification;
(q) any Pricing Certificate Inaccuracy;
(r) any annual certifications received by any Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate that any Multiemployer Plan to which any Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate contributes is required to make regarding whether such Multiemployer Plan is meeting scheduled progress under any funding improvement plan or rehabilitation plan applicable to such Multiemployer Plan; and
(s) any required updates received by any Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate to a funding improvement plan or rehabilitation plan to which any Multiemployer Plan to which any Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate contributes is subject.
Each notice delivered under this Section (i) shall be in writing and (ii) shall contain a heading or a reference line that reads "Notice under Section 5.02 of Charah Solutions, Inc. Credit Agreement dated November 9, 2021".
SECTION 5.03 Existence; Conduct of Business. Each Loan Party will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, (a) do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve, renew and keep in full force and effect its legal existence and, the rights, qualifications, licenses, permits, franchises, governmental authorizations, intellectual property rights, licenses and permits necessary to the conduct of its business, and maintain all requisite authority to conduct its business in each jurisdiction in which its business is conducted, provided that the foregoing shall not prohibit any merger, consolidation, liquidation or dissolution permitted under Section 6.03, and (b) carry on and conduct its business in substantially the same manner and in substantially the same fields of enterprise as it is presently conducted or in a manner and in a field of enterprise reasonably incidental thereto.
SECTION 5.04 Payment of Obligations. Each Loan Party will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, pay or discharge all Material Indebtedness and all other material liabilities and obligations before the same shall become delinquent or in default, except where (a)(i) the validity or amount thereof is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and (ii) such Loan Party or Subsidiary has set aside on its books adequate reserves with respect thereto in accordance with GAAP or (b) the failure to make payment could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Each Loan Party will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, pay or discharge all material Taxes, before the same shall become delinquent, except where (a) the validity or amount thereof is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings, (b) such Loan Party or Subsidiary has set aside on its books adequate reserves with respect thereto in accordance with GAAP and (c) none of the Collateral in excess of $2,500,000 would become subject to a Lien, forfeiture or loss as a result of the failure to pay or discharge such Taxes.
SECTION 5.05 Maintenance of Properties. Except to the extent that the failure to do so could not be reasonably expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, each Loan Party will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, keep and maintain all property material to the conduct of its business in good working order and condition, ordinary wear and tear excepted.
SECTION 5.06 Books and Records; Inspection Rights. Each Loan Party will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, (a) keep proper books of record and account in which full, true and correct entries are made of all dealings and transactions in relation to its business and activities in all material respects and (b) permit any representatives designated by the Administrative Agent (including employees of the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any consultants, accountants, lawyers, agents and appraisers retained by the Administrative Agent), upon reasonable prior notice, to visit and inspect its properties, to conduct at such Loan Party's premises field examinations of such Loan Party's assets, liabilities, books and records, including examining and making extracts from its books and records, environmental assessment reports and Phase I or Phase II studies, and to discuss its affairs, finances and condition with its officers and independent accountants (and hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent and each Lender to contact its independent accountants directly with such Loan Party afforded a reasonable opportunity to participate) and to provide contact information for each bank where each Loan Party has a depository and/or securities account and each such Loan Party will provide such bank statements and/or balances, all at such reasonable times and as often as reasonably requested. Each Loan Party acknowledges that the Administrative Agent, after exercising its rights of inspection, may prepare and distribute to the Lenders certain Reports pertaining to each Loan Party's assets for internal use by the Administrative Agent and the Lenders. The Loan Parties shall be responsible for the costs of expenses of 1 field examination during any 12-month period and one (1) additional field examination (for the total of 2 such field examinations during any 12-month period) conducted at any time an Enhanced Reporting Period is in effect; provided, that the Loan Parties shall be responsible for the costs and expenses of all field examinations conducted while an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or in connection with a proposed Permitted Acquisition (whether or not consummated).
SECTION 5.07 Compliance with Laws and Material Contractual Obligations. Each Loan Party will, and will cause each Subsidiary to, (a) comply with each Requirement of Law applicable to it or its property (including without limitation Environmental Laws) and (b) perform in all material respects its obligations under material agreements to which it is a party, except, in each case for clauses (a) and (b) above, where the failure to do so, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Each Loan Party will maintain in effect and enforce policies and procedures designed to ensure compliance by such Loan Party, its Subsidiaries and their respective directors, officers, employees and agents with Anti-Corruption Laws and applicable Sanctions.
SECTION 5.08 Use of Proceeds.
(a) The proceeds of the Loans and the Letters of Credit will be used only for general corporate (including working capital) purposes. No part of the proceeds of any Loan and no Letter of Credit will be used, whether directly or indirectly, (i) for any purpose that entails a violation of any of the regulations of the Federal Reserve Board, including Regulations T, U and X or (ii) to make any Acquisition other than Permitted Acquisitions.
(b) No Borrower will request any Borrowing or Letter of Credit, and no Borrower shall use, and each Borrower shall procure that its Subsidiaries and its and their respective directors, officers, employees and agents shall not use, the proceeds of any Borrowing or Letter of Credit (i) in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization of the payment or giving of money, or anything else of value, to any Person in violation of any Anti-Corruption Laws, (ii) for the purpose of funding, financing or facilitating any activities, business or transaction of or with any Sanctioned Person, or in any Sanctioned Country, except to the extent permitted for a Person required to comply with Sanctions, or (iii) in any manner that would result in the violation of any Sanctions applicable to any party hereto.
SECTION 5.09 Accuracy of Information. The Loan Parties will ensure that any information, including financial statements or other documents, furnished to the Administrative Agent or the Lenders in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document or any amendment or modification hereof or thereof or waiver hereunder or thereunder contains no material misstatement of fact or omits to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and the furnishing of such information shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty by the Borrowers on the date thereof as to the matters specified in this Section; provided that, with respect to projected financial information, the Loan Parties will only ensure that such information was prepared in good faith based upon assumptions believed to be reasonable at the time delivered and, if such projected financial information was delivered prior to the Effective Date, as of the Effective Date (it being understood that any such projected financial information are predictions as to future events and are not to be viewed as facts and are subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies, which are beyond the control of the Company and its Subsidiaries, and that no assurance or guarantee can be given that any such projected financial information will be realized, that actual results may differ and such differences may be material).
SECTION 5.10 Insurance. The Company will maintain with financially sound and reputable carriers having a financial strength rating of at least A- by A.M. Best Company (a) insurance with respect to the Company and its Subsidiaries in such amounts (with no greater risk retention) and against such risks (including, without limitation: environmental, loss or damage by fire and loss in transit; theft, burglary, pilferage, larceny, embezzlement; business interruption; general liability; and environmental risks) and such other hazards, as is customarily maintained by companies of established repute engaged in the same or similar businesses operating in the same or similar locations and (b) all insurance required pursuant to the Collateral Documents. The Borrowers will furnish to the Lenders, upon request of the Administrative Agent, information in reasonable detail as to the insurance so maintained.
SECTION 5.11 Casualty and Condemnation. The Borrowers will (a) furnish to the Administrative Agent prompt written notice of any casualty or other insured damage to any material portion of the Collateral or the commencement of any action or proceeding for the taking of any material portion of the Collateral or interest therein under power of eminent domain or by condemnation or similar proceeding and (b) ensure that the Net Proceeds of any such event (whether in the form of insurance proceeds, condemnation awards or otherwise) are collected and applied in accordance with the applicable provisions of this Agreement and the Collateral Documents.
SECTION 5.12 Appraisals. At any time that the Administrative Agent requests in its Permitted Discretion, each Loan Party will provide the Administrative Agent with appraisals or updates thereof of their Inventory and Equipment from an appraiser selected and engaged by the Administrative Agent in its Permitted Discretion, and prepared on a basis satisfactory to the Administrative Agent in its Permitted Discretion, such appraisals and updates to include, without limitation, information required by any applicable Requirement of Law. The Loan Parties shall be responsible for the costs of expenses of one (1) Inventory appraisal during any 12‑month period and one (1) additional Inventory appraisal (for the total of 2 such Inventory appraisals during any 12-month period) conducted at any time an Enhanced Reporting Period is in effect. Additionally, there shall be no limitation on the number or frequency of Inventory/Equipment appraisals if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, and the Loan Parties shall be responsible for the costs and expenses of any such appraisals conducted while an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing.
SECTION 5.13 Depository Banks. Each Borrower and each Subsidiary will maintain the Administrative Agent as its principal depository bank, including for the maintenance of operating, administrative, cash management, collection activity and other deposit accounts for the conduct of its business. Additionally, the Administrative Agent shall be the principal provider of other Banking Services to the Borrowers and their Subsidiaries.
SECTION 5.14 Additional Collateral; Further Assurances.
(a) Subject to applicable Requirement of Law, each Loan Party will cause each wholly-owned Domestic Subsidiary, other than any Specified SPV, formed or acquired after the date of this Agreement to become a Loan Party by executing a Joinder Agreement within thirty (30) days of the date of formation or acquisition, as applicable. In connection therewith, the Administrative Agent shall have received all documentation and other information regarding such newly formed or acquired Subsidiaries as may be required to comply with the applicable "know your customer" rules and regulations, including the USA PATRIOT Act. Upon execution and delivery thereof, each such Person (i) shall automatically become a Loan Guarantor hereunder and thereupon shall have all of the rights, benefits, duties and obligations in such capacity under the Loan Documents and (ii) will grant Liens to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the other Secured Parties, in any property of such Loan Party which constitutes Collateral, including, if requested by the Administrative Agent in its Permitted Discretion, any parcel of real property located in the U.S. owned by any Loan Party with a fair market value in excess of $1,000,000.
(b) Each Loan Party will cause (i) 100% of the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of each of its wholly-owned Protected Foreign Subsidiaries and Domestic Subsidiaries (other than any Specified SPV, any FSHCO or any Subsidiary of a CFC) (other than a Subsidiary of a Protected CFC) and (ii) 65% of the issued and outstanding Equity Interests entitled to vote (within the meaning of Treas. Reg. Section 1.956-2(c)(2)) and 100% of the issued and outstanding Equity Interests not entitled to vote (within the meaning of United States Treasury Regulations Section 1.956-2(c)(2)) in each CFC (other than a Protected CFC) or FSHCO, in each case directly owned by such Loan Party (other than a FSHCO or any Subsidiary of a CFC (other than a Subsidiary of a Protected CFC)) to be subject at all times to a first priority, perfected Lien (subject to non-consensual Liens that arise by operation of law) in favor of the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the other Secured Parties, pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Loan Documents or other security documents as the Administrative Agent shall reasonably request; provided that, notwithstanding the foregoing, and for the avoidance of doubt, no equity Interests in any Specified SPV shall be required to be pledged under this Agreement or any other Loan Document.
(c) Without limiting the foregoing, each Loan Party will execute and deliver, or cause to be executed and delivered, to the Administrative Agent such documents, agreements and instruments, and will take or cause to be taken such further actions (including the filing and recording of financing statements, fixture filings, mortgages, deeds of trust and other documents and such other actions or deliveries of the type required by Section 4.01, as applicable), which may be required by any Requirement of Law or which the Administrative Agent may, from time to time, reasonably request to carry out the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and to ensure perfection and priority of the Liens created or intended to be created by the Collateral Documents, all in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and all at the expense of the Loan Parties.
(d) If any material assets (including any material fee-owned real property or improvements thereto or any interest therein with a fair market value in excess of $1,000,000) are acquired by any Loan Party after the Effective Date (other than assets constituting Collateral under the Security Agreement that become subject to the Lien under the Security Agreement upon acquisition thereof and Excluded Collateral), the Borrower Representative will (i) notify the Administrative Agent and the Lenders thereof and, if requested by the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders in its or their, as applicable, Permitted Discretion, cause such assets to be subjected to a Lien securing the Secured Obligations and (ii) take, and cause each applicable Loan Party to take, such actions as shall be necessary or reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent to grant and perfect such Liens, including actions described in paragraph (c) of this Section, all at the expense of the Loan Parties.
SECTION 5.15 Post-Closing Obligations. Within the time frames set forth on Schedule 5.15 (or such later date as approved by the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion), Loan Parties shall comply with the deliveries and other covenants set forth on Schedule 5.15. Any breach of a covenant set forth in this Section 5.15 shall constitute an immediate Event of Default.
ARTICLE 6
Negative Covenants.
Until all of the Secured Obligations have been Paid in Full, each Loan Party executing this Agreement covenants and agrees, jointly and severally with all of the other Loan Parties, with the Lenders that:
SECTION 6.01 Indebtedness. No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to, create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Indebtedness, except:
(a) the Secured Obligations;
(b) Indebtedness existing on the date hereof and set forth in Schedule 6.01 and any extensions, renewals, refinancings and replacements of any such Indebtedness in accordance with clause (f) hereof;
(c) Indebtedness of any Loan Party to any other Loan Party or any Subsidiary and of any Subsidiary to any Loan Party or any other Subsidiary, provided that (i) Indebtedness of any Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party to any Borrower or any other Loan Party shall be subject to Section 6.04 and (ii) Indebtedness of any Loan Party to any Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party shall be subordinated to the Secured Obligations on terms reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent;
(d) Guarantees by any Loan Party of Indebtedness of any other Loan Party or any Subsidiary and by any Subsidiary of Indebtedness of any Loan Party or any other Subsidiary, provided that (i) the Indebtedness so Guaranteed is permitted by this Section 6.01, (ii) Guarantees by any Borrower or any other Loan Party of Indebtedness of any Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party shall be subject to Section 6.04 and (iii) Guarantees permitted under this clause (d) shall be subordinated to the Secured Obligations on the same terms as the Indebtedness so Guaranteed is subordinated to the Secured Obligations;
(e) Indebtedness of any Borrower or any Subsidiary incurred to finance the acquisition, construction or improvement of any fixed or capital assets (whether or not constituting purchase money Indebtedness), including Capital Lease Obligations and any Indebtedness assumed in connection with the acquisition of any such assets or secured by a Lien on any such assets prior to the acquisition thereof, and extensions, renewals and replacements of any such Indebtedness in accordance with clause (f) below; provided that (i) such Indebtedness is incurred prior to or within 90 days after such acquisition or the completion of such construction or improvement and (ii) the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness permitted by this clause (e) together with any Refinance Indebtedness in respect thereof permitted by clause (f) below, shall not exceed $75,000,000 at any time outstanding;
(f) Indebtedness which represents extensions, renewals, refinancing or replacements (such Indebtedness being so extended, renewed, refinanced or replaced being referred to herein as the "Refinance Indebtedness") of any of the Indebtedness described in clauses (b), (e), (i), and (j) hereof (such Indebtedness being referred to herein as the "Original Indebtedness"); provided that (i) such Refinance Indebtedness does not increase the principal amount or interest rate of the Original Indebtedness (except by the amount of any accrued interest, payment in kind interest, reasonable closing costs, expenses, fees and premium paid in connection with such extension, renewal, refinancing or replacement), (ii) any Liens securing such Refinance Indebtedness are not extended to any additional property of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary , (iii) no Loan Party or any Subsidiary that is not originally obligated with respect to repayment of such Original Indebtedness is required to become obligated with respect to such Refinance Indebtedness, (iv) such Refinance Indebtedness does not result in a shortening of the average weighted maturity of such Original Indebtedness, (v) the terms of such Refinance Indebtedness, taken as a whole, other than fees and interest rates are not materially less favorable to the obligor thereunder than the original terms of such Original Indebtedness and (vi) if such Original Indebtedness was subordinated in right of payment to the Secured Obligations, then the terms and conditions of such Refinance Indebtedness must include subordination terms and conditions that are at least as favorable to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders as those that were applicable to such Original Indebtedness;
(g) Indebtedness owed to any Person providing workers' compensation, health, disability or other employee benefits or property, casualty or liability insurance, pursuant to reimbursement or indemnification obligations to such Person, in each case incurred in the ordinary course of business;
(h) Indebtedness of any Loan Party or Subsidiary in respect of performance bonds, completion bonds, bid bonds, appeal bonds, surety bonds and similar obligations and guarantees, in each case provided in the ordinary course of business;
(i) Subordinated Indebtedness in an aggregate principal amount not exceeding $20,000,000 at any time outstanding;
(j) Indebtedness of any Person that becomes a Subsidiary after the date hereof; provided that (i) such Indebtedness exists at the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary and is not created in contemplation of or in connection with such Person becoming a Subsidiary and (ii) the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness permitted by this clause (j), together with any Refinance Indebtedness in respect thereof permitted by clause (f) above, shall not exceed $10,000,000 at any time outstanding;
(k) Indebtedness in respect of unsecured debt securities governed by that certain Indenture, dated as of August 25, 2021, by and between the Company and Wilmington Savings Fund Society, FSB, as trustee, including the 8.50% Senior Notes due 2026 of the Company, issued pursuant to the First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of August 25, 2021, between the Company and Wilmington Savings Fund Society, FSB, as trustee, in the aggregate principal amount of $135,000,000; provided that, the aggregate principal amount of all debt securities issued pursuant to this Section 6.01(k), including pursuant to any supplemental indentures, shall not exceed $165,000,000 at any time outstanding (the "Unsecured Notes");
(l) Indebtedness created pursuant to the B Riley Facility in an aggregate principal amount not exceeding $19,000,000, at any time outstanding subject to the Intercreditor Agreement;
(m) other unsecured Indebtedness in an aggregate principal amount not exceeding $5,000,000 at any time outstanding;
(n) Indebtedness consisting of incentive, non-compete, consulting, deferred compensation, or other similar arrangements entered in the ordinary course of business;
(o) Indebtedness in respect of netting services and overdraft protections or other cash management services in connection with deposit accounts and securities accounts, in each case in the ordinary course of business;
(p) Indebtedness incurred in connection with the financing of insurance premiums in the ordinary course of business;
(q) without duplication of any other Indebtedness, non-cash accruals of interest, accretion or amortization of original issue discount and payment-in-kind interest with respect to Indebtedness permitted hereunder;
(r) Indebtedness constituting any indemnification obligation, adjustment of purchase price, earn-out obligation or other post-closing balance sheet adjustment in an aggregate amount not to exceed $5,000,000 at any time outstanding;
(s) Indebtedness incurred pursuant to any Sale and Leaseback Transactions permitted by Section 6.06;
(t) Indebtedness under any Swap Agreement permitted by Section 6.07;
(u) Indebtedness incurred by any Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party in an aggregate amount not to exceed $2,500,000; and
(v) (A) Guarantees of any of the foregoing and (B) other unsecured Guarantees by one or more Loan Parties of Indebtedness of a Specified SPV (including Article X of the Shareholder Term Loan Agreement) that in the aggregate do not guarantee principal obligations for borrowed money in excess of $20,000,000 at any time outstanding; provided that any such Guarantees pursuant to this clause (B) may, at the request of the Administrative Agent, be required to be subject to a subordination agreement in form and substance satisfactory to the Administrative Agent in its Permitted Discretion.
SECTION 6.02 Liens. No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to, create, incur, assume or permit to exist any Lien on any property or asset now owned or hereafter acquired by it, except:
(a) Liens created pursuant to any Loan Document;
(b) Permitted Encumbrances;
(c) any Lien on any property or asset of any Borrower or any Subsidiary existing on the date hereof and set forth in Schedule 6.02; provided that (i) such Lien shall not apply to any other property or asset of such Borrower or Subsidiary or any other Borrower or Subsidiary and (ii) such Lien shall secure only those obligations which it secures on the date hereof, and extensions, renewals and replacements thereof permitted by Section 6.01(f);
(d) Liens on fixed or capital assets acquired, constructed or improved by any Borrower or any Subsidiary; provided that (i) such Liens secure Indebtedness permitted by clause (e) of Section 6.01, (ii) such Liens and the Indebtedness secured thereby are incurred prior to or within 90 days after such acquisition or the completion of such construction or improvement, (iii) the Indebtedness secured thereby does not exceed 100% of the cost of acquiring, constructing or improving such fixed or capital assets plus reasonable costs, expenses, and fees incurred in connection therewith and (iv) such Liens shall not apply to any other property or assets of such Borrower or Subsidiary or any other Borrower or Subsidiary other than any accessions or additions to, substitutions for, and any replacements in respect of such property or assets;
(e) any Lien existing on any property or asset (other than Accounts and Inventory) prior to the acquisition thereof by any Borrower or any Subsidiary or existing on any property or asset (other than Accounts and Inventory) of any Person that becomes a Loan Party or a Subsidiary after the date hereof prior to the time such Person becomes a Loan Party or a Subsidiary; provided that (i) such Lien is not created in contemplation of or in connection with such acquisition or such Person becoming a Loan Party or a Subsidiary, as the case may be, (ii) such Lien shall not apply to any other property or assets of the Loan Party or Subsidiary, as the case may be, and (iii) such Lien shall secure only those obligations which it secures on the date of such acquisition or the date such Person becomes a Loan Party or a Subsidiary, as the case may be, and extensions, renewals and replacements thereof permitted by Section 6.01(f);
(f) Liens on the Equity Interests of any Specified SPV to secure obligations in respect of any non-recourse Indebtedness incurred by such Specified SPV;
(g) Liens arising out of Sale and Leaseback Transactions permitted by Section 6.06;
(h) Liens solely covering Specified Subordinated Credit Collateral (as defined in the Intercreditor Agreement) securing Indebtedness permitted by clause (l) of Section 6.01, subject to the Intercreditor Agreement;
(i) Liens granted by a Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party in favor of any Borrower or another Loan Party in respect of Indebtedness owed by such Subsidiary;
(j) Liens on pledges or deposits of cash made in the ordinary course of business;
(k) Liens on Equity Interests of any joint ventures of any Borrower or any Loan Party (i) securing capital contributions to, or obligations of, such joint venture, and customary rights of first refusal and tag, drag and similar rights in joint venture agreements and (ii) securing non-recourse Indebtedness incurred by such joint venture;
(l) Liens securing Indebtedness incurred under Section 6.01(u); provided that such Liens shall only apply to (i) the properties and assets of the applicable Subsidiary obligated on such Indebtedness and (ii) the Equity Interests of such applicable Subsidiary;
(m) Liens under insurance policies in connection with the financing of insurance premiums;
(n) leases, subleases, licenses, sublicenses granted to others in the ordinary course of business; and
(o) any interest or title of a lessor or sublessor, licensor or sublicensor under any lease or license not prohibited by this Agreement or the other Security Documents, including any interest of a bailor.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, none of the Liens permitted pursuant to this Section 6.02 may at any time attach to any Loan Party's (1) Eligible Accounts, other than those permitted under clause (a) of the definition of Permitted Encumbrances and clause (a) above and (2) Eligible Inventory, other than those permitted under clauses (a) and (b) of the definition of Permitted Encumbrances and clause (a) above.
SECTION 6.03 Fundamental Changes.
(a) Other than in order to consummate a Permitted Acquisition or any Disposition permitted under Section 6.05, no Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to, merge into or consolidate with any other Person, or permit any other Person to merge into or consolidate with it, or otherwise Dispose of all or substantially all of its assets, or all or substantially all of the stock of any of its Subsidiaries (in each case, whether now owned or hereafter acquired), or liquidate or dissolve, except that, if at the time thereof and immediately after giving effect thereto no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing (i) any Subsidiary of any Borrower may merge into a Borrower or any other Loan Party in a transaction in which such Borrower or such Loan Party, as applicable, is the surviving entity, (ii) any Borrower may merge into any other Borrower, (iii) any Loan Party (other than a Borrower) may merge into any other Loan Party in a transaction in which the surviving entity is a Loan Party, (iv) any Subsidiary of any Borrower that is not a Loan Party may merge into any other Subsidiary of the Borrower that is not a Loan Party, (iv) any Loan Party may liquidate or dissolve if the Loan Party which owns such Loan Party determines in good faith that such liquidation or dissolution is in the best interests of such Loan Party, is not materially disadvantageous to the Lenders and the properties and assets of such Loan Party are distributed or divested to a Borrower or any other Loan Party and (v) any Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party may liquidate or dissolve if the Loan Party which directly or indirectly owns such Subsidiary determines in good faith that such liquidation or dissolution is in the best interests of such Loan Party and is not materially disadvantageous to the Lenders; provided that any such merger involving a Person that is not a wholly owned Subsidiary immediately prior to such merger shall not be permitted unless also permitted by Section 6.04.
(b) No Loan Party will consummate a Division as the Dividing Person, without the prior written consent of Administrative Agent. Without limiting the foregoing, if any Loan Party that is a limited liability company consummates a Division (with or without the prior consent of Administrative Agent as required above), each Division Successor shall be required to comply with the obligations set forth in Section 5.14 and the other further assurances obligations set forth in the Loan Documents and become a Loan Party under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents.
(c) No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to, engage to any material extent in any business other than businesses of the type conducted by the Borrowers and their Subsidiaries on the date hereof and businesses reasonably related or incidental thereto.
(d) No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to, change its fiscal year from the basis in effect on the Effective Date.
(e) No Loan Party will change the accounting basis upon which its financial statements are prepared from GAAP.
SECTION 6.04 Investments, Loans, Advances, Guarantees and Acquisitions. No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to, form any subsidiary after the Effective Date, or purchase, hold or acquire (including pursuant to any merger with any Person that was not a Loan Party or a wholly owned Subsidiary prior to such merger) any evidences of Indebtedness or Equity Interests (including any option, warrant or other right to acquire any of the foregoing) of, make or permit to exist any loans or advances to, Guarantee any obligations of, or make or permit to exist any investment or any other interest in, any other Person, or purchase or otherwise acquire (in one transaction or a series of transactions) any assets of any other Person constituting a business unit (whether through purchase of assets, merger or otherwise), except:
(a) Permitted Investments and investments that were Permitted Investments when made, subject to control agreements in favor of the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties or otherwise subject to a perfected security interest in favor of the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties;
(b) investments in existence on the date hereof and described in Schedule 6.04;
(c) investments by the Borrowers and the Subsidiaries in their respective Subsidiaries, their respective joint ventures, and any Specified SPVs, provided that (i) any such Equity Interests held by a Loan Party shall be pledged pursuant to the Security Agreement (subject to the limitations applicable to Equity Interests of a Specified SPV, joint venture, Foreign Subsidiary or FSHCO referred to in Section 5.14), (ii) the aggregate amount of investments by Loan Parties in joint ventures and Subsidiaries that are not Loan Parties (excluding any Specified SPV) (together with outstanding intercompany loans permitted under clause (ii) to the proviso to Section 6.04(d) and outstanding Guarantees permitted under clause (A) to the proviso to Section 6.04(e)) shall not exceed $1,000,000 at any time outstanding (in each case determined without regard to any write-downs or write-offs but calculated net of any return of capital or other dividends or distributions received with respect to such applicable investments), and (iii) the aggregate amount of investments by the Loan Parties in the Specified SPVs (together with outstanding intercompany loans permitted under clause (iii) to the proviso to Section 6.04(d) and outstanding Guarantees permitted under clause (B) to the proviso to Section 6.04(e)) shall not exceed $2,500,000 at any time outstanding (determined without regard to any write-downs or write-offs but calculated net of any return of capital or other dividends or distributions received with respect to such applicable investments);
(d) loans or advances made by any Loan Party to any other Loan Party, any Subsidiary, any joint venture, or any Specified SPV and made by any Subsidiary to a Loan Party, any other Subsidiary, any joint venture, or Specified SPV, provided that (i) any such loans and advances made by a Loan Party shall be evidenced by a promissory note pledged pursuant to the Security Agreement, (ii) the amount of such loans and advances made by Loan Parties to joint ventures and Subsidiaries that are not Loan Parties (excluding any Specified SPV) (together with outstanding investments permitted under clause (ii) to the proviso to Section 6.04(c) and outstanding Guarantees permitted under the clause (A) to the proviso to Section 6.04(e)) shall not exceed $1,000,000 at any time outstanding (in each case determined without regard to any write-downs or write-offs), and (iii) the aggregate amount of loans or advances made by Loan Parties to the Specified SPVs (together with outstanding investments permitted under clause (iii) to the proviso to Section 6.04(c) and outstanding Guarantees permitted under the clause (B) to the proviso to Section 6.04(e)) shall not exceed $2,500,000 at any time outstanding (determined without regard to any write-downs or write-offs);
(e) Guarantees (i) constituting Indebtedness permitted by Section 6.01 (other than Letters of Credit issued under this Agreement for the benefit of any Specified SPV), provided that (A) the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness of joint ventures and Subsidiaries that are not Loan Parties (excluding any Specified SPV) that is Guaranteed by any Loan Party (together with outstanding investments permitted under clause (ii) to the proviso to Section 6.04(c) and outstanding intercompany loans permitted under clause (ii) to the proviso to Section 6.04(d)) shall not exceed $1,000,000 at any time outstanding (in each case determined without regard to any write-downs or write-offs), and (B) the aggregate amount of investments by Loan Parties in the Specified SPVs (together with outstanding investments permitted under clause (iii) to the proviso to Section 6.04(c) and outstanding intercompany loans permitted under clause (iii) to the proviso to Section 6.04(d)) shall not exceed $2,500,000 at any time outstanding (determined without regard to any write-downs or write-offs), (ii) of performance of any obligations of any Loan Party, Subsidiary or any Specified SPV, which obligations do not constitute Indebtedness, and (iii) in the form of Letters of Credit issued pursuant to this Agreement for the benefit of any Specified SPV, in an aggregate amount not to exceed $10,000,000;
(f) loans or advances made by a Loan Party or a Subsidiary to its employees on an arms-length basis in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practices for travel and entertainment expenses, relocation costs and similar purposes up to a maximum of $500,000 in the aggregate at any one time outstanding;
(g) investments consisting of extensions of credit in the nature of accounts receivable or notes receivable arising from the grant of trade credit in the ordinary course of business, and notes payable, or stock or other securities issued by Account Debtors to a Loan Party or Subsidiary pursuant to negotiated agreements with respect to settlement of such Account Debtor's Accounts in the ordinary course of business, consistent with past practices;
(h) investments in the form of Swap Agreements permitted by Section 6.07;
(i) investments of any Person existing at the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary of a Loan Party or consolidates or merges with a Loan Party or any of the Subsidiaries (including in connection with a Permitted Acquisition) so long as such investments were not made in contemplation of such Person becoming a Subsidiary or of such merger;
(j) investments received in connection with Dispositions permitted by Section 6.05;
(k) investments constituting deposits or pledges made in the ordinary course of business;
(l) other investments (other than Acquisitions) so long as immediately before and after giving effect to any such investments, the Payment Conditions are satisfied;
(m) investments for which the consideration paid is Equity Interests issued by the Company or the proceeds of such Equity Interests sold by the Company, which Equity Interests are issued substantially contemporaneously with the making of such investment;
(n) any Permitted Acquisition;
(o) investments, loans or advances made by any Loan Party to Gibbons, provided that (i) any such loans and advances made by a Loan Party shall be evidenced by a promissory note pledged pursuant to the Security Agreement, (ii) any such investments, loans and advances shall be made solely for the substantially contemporaneous payment of regularly scheduled interest and principal payments under the Shareholder Term Loan Agreement, (iii) no such investments, loans or advances shall be made (A) with respect to interest under the Shareholder Term Loan Agreement if an Event of Default exists or would be caused thereby or (B) with respect to principal under the Shareholder Term Loan Agreement if the Payment Conditions are not satisfied; and
(p) to the extent constituting an Investment, (i) any Indebtedness permitted under Section 6.01, (ii) any Liens permitted under Section 6.02 and (iii) any fundamental change permitted under Section 6.03.
SECTION 6.05 Asset Sales. No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to, Dispose of any asset, including any Equity Interest owned by it, nor will any Loan Party permit any Subsidiary to issue any additional Equity Interest in such Subsidiary (other than to another Loan Party or another Subsidiary in compliance with Section 6.04), except:
(a) Dispositions of (i) Inventory in the ordinary course of business and (ii) used, obsolete, worn out or surplus Equipment or property in the ordinary course of business;
(b) Dispositions of assets to any Loan Party or any Subsidiary, provided that any such Dispositions involving a Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party shall be made in compliance with Section 6.09;
(c) Dispositions of Accounts in connection with the compromise, settlement or collection thereof;
(d) Dispositions of Permitted Investments and other investments permitted by clauses (f), (g) and (h) of Section 6.04;
(e) Sale and Leaseback Transactions permitted by Section 6.06;
(f) Dispositions resulting from any casualty or other insured damage to, or any taking under power of eminent domain or by condemnation or similar proceeding of, any property or asset of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary;
(g) Dispositions of slag grinding equipment set forth in Schedule 6.05(g) not to exceed $1,000,000 per fiscal year;
(h) Dispositions of assets (other than Equity Interests in a Subsidiary unless all Equity Interests in such Subsidiary are sold) that are not permitted by any other clause of this Section, provided that the aggregate fair market value of all assets Disposed of in reliance upon this paragraph (h) shall not exceed $2,500,000 during any fiscal year of the Company;
(i) Dispositions of Equity Interests of any Specified SPV;
(j) To the extent constituting a Disposition, (i) the granting of any Liens permitted under Section 6.02, (ii) the consummation of a fundamental change permitted under Section 6.03, (iii) the making of any Investment permitted under Section 6.04, (iv) the making of any Restricted Payment permitted under Section 6.08 and (iv) the consummation of any Sale and Leaseback Transaction permitted under Section 6.06; and
(k) Dispositions of investments in joint ventures to the extent required by, or made pursuant to customary buy/sell arrangements between the joint venture parties set forth in joint venture arrangements and other similar binding agreements.
provided that all Dispositions permitted hereby (other than those permitted by paragraphs (a)(ii), (b), (c), (f), and (j) above) shall be made for fair value and for at least 75% cash consideration.
SECTION 6.06 Sale and Leaseback Transactions. No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to, enter into any arrangement, directly or indirectly, whereby it shall sell or transfer any property, real or personal, used or useful in its business, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, and thereafter rent or lease such property or other property that it intends to use for substantially the same purpose or purposes as the property sold or transferred (a "Sale and Leaseback Transaction"), except for any such sale of any fixed or capital assets by any Borrower or any Subsidiary that is made for cash consideration in an amount not less than the fair value of such fixed or capital asset and is consummated within 90 days after such Borrower or such Subsidiary acquires or completes the construction of such fixed or capital asset.
SECTION 6.07 Swap Agreements. No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to, enter into any Swap Agreement, except (a) Swap Agreements entered into to hedge or mitigate risks to which any Borrower or any Subsidiary has actual exposure (other than those in respect of Equity Interests of any Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries), and (b) Swap Agreements entered into in order to effectively cap, collar or exchange interest rates (from floating to fixed rates, from one floating rate to another floating rate or otherwise) with respect to any interest-bearing liability or investment of any Borrower or any Subsidiary.
SECTION 6.08 Restricted Payments.
(a) No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to, declare or make, or agree to declare or make, directly or indirectly, any Restricted Payment, or incur any obligation (contingent or otherwise) to do so, except (i) each of the Loan Parties and Subsidiaries may declare and pay Restricted Payments with respect to its common stock payable solely in additional shares of its common stock, and, with respect to its preferred stock, payable solely in additional shares of such preferred stock or in shares of its common stock, (ii) Subsidiaries may declare and pay Restricted Payments ratably with respect to their Equity Interests, (iii) subject to the satisfaction of the Specified Payment Condition, the Loan Parties may make Restricted Payments, not exceeding $4,500,000 during any fiscal year of the Company, (x) pursuant to and in accordance with stock option plans, equity incentive plans or other benefit plans for management or employees of the Loan Parties and their Subsidiaries, (y) constituting repurchases of Equity Interests in the Company deemed to occur upon exercise of stock options or warrants or other incentive interests, if such Equity Interests represent a portion of the exercise price of such options or warrants, and (z) constituting redemptions, purchases or other acquisitions in accordance with the net settlement and net exercise features in any employment contract, benefit plan or other similar arrangement with or for the benefit of current or former employees, officers, directors or consultants, (iv) the Borrowers may make regularly scheduled quarterly dividend payments in kind, but not in cash, due and payable on the Series A Preferred Stock at a rate not to exceed 13% per annum, (v) subject to the satisfaction of the Specified Payment Condition, regularly scheduled quarterly dividend payments in cash due and payable on the Series A Preferred Stock at a rate not to exceed 10% per annum, (vi) the Borrowers may make regularly scheduled quarterly dividend payments in kind, but not in cash, due and payable on the Series B Preferred Stock at a rate not to exceed 13% per annum, (vii) subject to the satisfaction of the Specified Payment Condition, regularly scheduled quarterly dividend payments in cash due and payable on the Series B Preferred Stock at a rate not to exceed 10% per annum, (viii) subject to the satisfaction of the Specified Payment Condition, the Borrowers may make Restricted Payments to redeem the Series B Preferred Stock following a demand for mandatory redemption by the holders thereof, (ix) payments made or expected to be made in respect of withholding or similar Taxes payable by or on behalf of any future, present or former employee, officer, director or consultant and any repurchases of Equity Interests in consideration of such payments, including deemed repurchases, in connection with the exercise of stock options or warrants or net settlement of restricted stock units, deferred stock units or other incentive interests, (viix) cashless redemptions in whole or in part of any of the Company’sCompany's Equity Interests for another class of its Equity Interests shall be permitted, (viiixi) the Company may make Restricted Payments to pay cash in lieu of fractional Equity Interests in connection with Restricted Payments permitted by this Section 6.08 in an aggregate amount not to exceed $250,000500,000 in the aggregate, (ixxii) Ash Venture LLC, may make distributions to Titan America LLC in connection with the dissolution of Ash Venture LLC pursuant to the joint venture agreement as in effect on the Effective Date, and (xxiii) the Borrowers may make other Restricted Payments subject to the satisfaction of the Payment Condition.
(b) No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to, make or agree to pay or make, directly or indirectly, any payment or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property) of or in respect of principal of or interest on any Indebtedness incurred under Section 6.01(i), (k), or (l) , or any payment or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property), including any sinking fund or similar deposit, on account of the purchase, redemption, retirement, acquisition, cancellation or termination of any Indebtedness incurred under Section 6.01(i), (k), or (l), except:
(i) principal and interest payments in respect of any Subordinated Indebtedness permitted by Section 6.01(i), which payments are permitted by the subordination provisions thereof;
(ii) payment of regularly scheduled interest and principal payments as and when due in respect of any Indebtedness permitted by Section 6.01(k);
(iii) principal and interest payments in respect of Indebtedness permitted by Section 6.01(l) to the extent permitted by the Intercreditor Agreement; and
(iv) any payment or repayment in respect of Indebtedness permitted by Section 6.01(i), (k) or (l) if at the time of such payment or repayment the Payment Condition is satisfied on a pro forma basis after giving effect to such payment or repayment.
SECTION 6.09 Transactions with Affiliates. No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to, sell, lease or otherwise transfer any property or assets to, or purchase, lease or otherwise acquire any property or assets from, or otherwise engage in any other transactions with, any of its Affiliates, except (a) transactions that (i) are in the ordinary course of business and (ii) are at prices and on terms and conditions not less favorable in any material respect to such Loan Party or such Subsidiary than could be obtained on an arm's-length basis from unrelated third parties, (b) transactions between or among any Loan Parties not involving any other Affiliate, (c) any investment permitted by Sections
6.04(b), 6.04(c), 6.04(d), 6.04(e) and 6.04(f), (d) any Indebtedness permitted under Section 6.01(c) or 6.01(d), (e) any Restricted Payment permitted by Section 6.08, (f) loans or advances to employees permitted under Section 6.04, (g) the payment of reasonable fees to directors of any Borrower or any Subsidiary who are not employees of such Borrower or Subsidiary, and compensation and employee benefit arrangements paid to, and indemnities provided for the benefit of, directors, officers or employees of the Borrowers or their Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business, (h) any issuances of securities or other payments, awards or grants in cash, securities or otherwise pursuant to, or the funding of, employment agreements, stock options and stock ownership plans approved by the
Company’sCompany's board of directors and (i) the transactions described on Schedule 3.23.
SECTION 6.10 Restrictive Agreements. No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly, enter into, incur or permit to exist any agreement or other arrangement that prohibits, restricts or imposes any condition upon (a) the ability of such Loan Party or any Subsidiary to create, incur or permit to exist any Lien upon any of its property or assets in favor of the Administrative Agent to secure the Secured Obligations, or (b) the ability of any Subsidiary to pay dividends or other distributions with respect to any of its Equity Interests or to make or repay loans or advances to any Borrower or any other Subsidiary or to Guarantee Indebtedness of any Borrower or any other Subsidiary; provided that (i) the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions and conditions imposed by any Requirement of Law or by any Loan Document, (ii) the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions and conditions existing on the date hereof identified on Schedule 6.10 (but shall apply to any extension or renewal of, or any amendment or modification expanding the scope of, any such restriction or condition), (iii) the foregoing shall not apply to customary restrictions and conditions contained in agreements relating to the sale of a Subsidiary or other property pending such sale, provided that such restrictions and conditions apply only to the Subsidiary or property that is to be sold and such sale is permitted hereunder, (iv) the foregoing shall not apply to restrictions or conditions imposed by any agreement relating to secured Indebtedness permitted by this Agreement if such restrictions or conditions apply only to the property or assets securing such Indebtedness or the applicable Subsidiary obligated on such Indebtedness, (v) any restrictions or conditions set forth in any agreement in effect at any time any Person becomes a Subsidiary (but not any modification or amendment expanding the scope of any such restriction or condition), provided that such agreement was not entered into in contemplation of such Person becoming a Subsidiary, (vi) customary provisions in joint venture organizational governance documents, depositary agreements, agreements relating to bank products, and Swap Agreements, in each case, entered into in the ordinary course of business and (vii) clause (a) of the foregoing shall not apply to customary provisions in leases and other agreements restricting the assignment thereof.
SECTION 6.11 Amendment of Material Documents. No Loan Party will, nor will it permit any Subsidiary to, amend, modify or waive any of its rights under (a) any agreement relating to any Subordinated Indebtedness , (b) its charter, articles or certificate of incorporation or organization, by-laws, operating, management or partnership agreement, stockholders' agreement or other organizational or governing documents,
or (c) any agreement relating to the Series A Preferred Stock,
or (d) any agreement relating to the Series B Preferred Stock, in each case of clauses (a)
,through (
b) and (cd) to the extent any such amendment, modification or waiver would be materially adverse to the Lenders.
SECTION 6.12 Environmental Covenant. No Loan Party shall use nor permit any third party to use, generate, manufacture, produce, store or Release on, under or about any Real Property, or transfer to or from any Real Property, any Hazardous Materials except in a manner not reasonably expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
SECTION 6.13 Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio. During each Covenant Testing Period, the Loan Parties will not permit the Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio of Loan Parties, determined for any period of twelve (12) consecutive months ending on the last day of each fiscal quarter, to be less than 1.00 to 1.00, to be measured (a) on the initial date of such Covenant Testing Period for the most recent fiscal quarter then ended for which financial statements have been, or were required to be, delivered pursuant to Section 5.01, and (b) thereafter, as of the last day of each fiscal quarter ending during such Covenant Testing Period for which financial statements have been, or were required to be, delivered pursuant to Section 5.01.
SECTION 6.14 Additional Covenants. For so long as the Shareholder Gibbons Indebtedness is outstanding, no Loan Party shall (i) seek or consent to an increase to principal amount of the
Shareholder Gibbons Indebtedness (other than pursuant to the payment in kind of interest due and payable under the Shareholder Term Loan Agreement), (ii) issue or approve any bonus or other discretionary compensation payments to any officers, directors or employees of the Loan Parties or (iii) permit any of their respective Subsidiaries to amend the Shareholder Term Loan Agreement or the Loan Documents (as defined in the Shareholder Term Loan Agreement) except those amendments that do not adversely affect the interests of the Secured Parties under this Agreement or the rights or interests of the Administrative Agent in the Collateral.
ARTICLE 7
Events of Default.
If any of the following events ("Events of Default") shall occur:
(a) the Borrowers shall fail to pay any principal of any Loan or any reimbursement obligation in respect of any LC Disbursement when and as the same shall become due and payable, whether at the due date thereof or at a date fixed for prepay-ment thereof or otherwise;
(b) the Borrowers shall fail to pay any interest on any Loan or any fee or any other amount (other than an amount referred to in clause (a) of this Article) payable under this Agreement or any other Loan Document, when and as the same shall become due and payable, and such failure shall continue unremedied for a period of three (3) Business Days;
(c) any representation or warranty made or deemed made by or on behalf of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary in, or in connection with, this Agreement or any other Loan Document or any amendment or modification hereof or thereof or waiver hereunder or thereunder, or in any report, certificate, financial statement or other document furnished pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document or any amendment or modification hereof or thereof or waiver hereunder or thereunder, shall prove to have been materially incorrect when made or deemed made;
(d) any Loan Party shall fail to observe or perform any covenant, condition or agreement contained in Section 5.02(a), 5.03 (with respect to a Loan Party's existence) or 5.08 or in Article VI or Article IV of the Security Agreement;
(e) any Loan Party shall fail to observe or perform any covenant, condition or agree-ment contained in this Agreement (other than those which constitute a default under another Section of this Article) or the other Loan Documents, and such failure shall continue unremedied for a period of (i) five (5) Business Days after the earlier of any Loan Party's knowledge of such breach or notice thereof from the Administrative Agent (which notice will be given at the request of any Lender) if such breach relates to terms or provisions of Section 5.01, 5.02 (other than Section 5.02(a)), 5.03 (solely to the extent relating to a Borrower), 5.06, 5.10, 5.11 or 5.13 of this Agreement or (ii) thirty (30) days after the earlier of any Loan Party's knowledge of such breach or notice thereof from the Administrative Agent (which notice will be given at the request of any Lender) if such breach relates to terms or provisions of any other Section of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents;
(f) any Loan Party shall fail to make any payment (whether of principal or interest and regardless of amount) in respect of any Material Indebtedness, when and as the same shall become due and payable and after giving effect to any applicable grace or cure periods;
(g) any event or condition occurs that results in any Material Indebtedness becoming due prior to its scheduled maturity or that enables or permits (with or without the giving of notice, the lapse of time or both) the holder or holders of any Material Indebtedness or any trustee or agent on its or their behalf to cause any Material Indebtedness to become due, or to require the prepayment, repurchase, redemption or defeasance thereof, prior to its scheduled maturity; provided that this clause (g) shall not apply to secured Indebtedness that becomes due as a result of the voluntary sale or transfer of the property or assets securing such Indebtedness to the extent such sale or transfer is permitted by Section 6.05 or any Material Indebtedness that becomes due as a result of the refinancing as permitted by Section 6.01(f);
(h) an involuntary proceeding shall be commenced or an involuntary petition shall be filed seeking (i) liquidation, reorganization or other relief in respect of a Loan Party or its debts, or of a substantial part of its assets, under any federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar law now or hereafter in effect or (ii) the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, sequestrator, conservator or similar official for any Loan Party or for a substantial part of its assets, and, in any such case, such proceeding or petition shall continue undismissed for sixty (60) days or an order or decree approving or ordering any of the foregoing shall be entered;
(i) any Loan Party shall (i) voluntarily commence any proceeding or file any petition seeking liquidation, reorganization or other relief under any Federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar law now or hereafter in effect, (ii) consent to the institution of, or fail to contest in a timely and appropriate manner, any proceeding or petition described in clause (h) of this Article, (iii) apply for or consent to the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, sequestrator, conservator or similar official for such Loan Party or for a substantial part of its assets, (iv) file an answer admitting the material allegations of a petition filed against it in any such proceeding,, (v) make a general assignment for the benefit of creditors or (vi) take any action for the purpose of effecting any of the foregoing;
(j) any Loan Party shall become unable, admit in writing its inability, or publicly declare its intention not to, or fail generally to pay its debts as they become due;
(k) (i) one or more judgments for the payment of money in an aggregate amount in excess of $5,000,000 net of applicable insurance coverage under which the applicable insurer has assumed liability shall be rendered against any Loan Party or any combination thereof and the same shall remain undischarged or unsatisfied for a period of forty-five (45) consecutive days during which execution shall not be effectively stayed on appeal, or any action shall be legally taken by a judgment creditor to attach or levy upon any assets of any Loan Party to enforce any such judgment and such action shall not be effectively stayed; or (ii) any Loan Party shall fail within forty-five (45) days to discharge one or more non-monetary judgments or orders which, individually or in the aggregate, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, which judgments or orders, in any such case, are not stayed on appeal or otherwise being appropriately contested in good faith by proper proceedings diligently pursued;
(l) an ERISA Event shall have occurred that, in the opinion of the Required Lenders, when taken together with all other ERISA Events that have occurred, could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect or the imposition of any Lien on the assets of any Loan Party under Sections 303(k) or 4068 of ERISA or Section 430(k) of the Code;
(m) a Change in Control shall occur;
(n) A claim shall be made against any Loan Party for any liability of a Specified SPV, which claim could reasonably be expected to result in liability of the Loan Parties in excess of $5,000,000;
(o) In each case except as permitted by the terms of the Loan Guaranty or this Agreement, the Loan Guaranty shall fail to remain in full force or effect or any action shall be taken to discontinue or to assert the invalidity or unenforceability of the Loan Guaranty, or any Loan Guarantor shall fail to comply with any of the terms or provisions of the Loan Guaranty to which it is a party, or any Loan Guarantor shall deny that it has any further liability under the Loan Guaranty to which it is a party, or shall give notice to such effect, including, but not limited to notice of termination delivered pursuant to Section 10.08;
(p) except as permitted by the terms of any Collateral Document, this Agreement or the Intercreditor Agreement, (i) any Collateral Document shall for any reason fail to create a valid security interest in any Collateral purported to be covered thereby, (ii) any Lien securing any Secured Obligation shall cease to be a perfected, first priority Lien subject to Liens permitted by Section 6.02 or (iii) any Collateral Document shall fail to remain in full force or effect or any action shall be taken to discontinue or to assert the invalidity or unenforceability of any Collateral Document;
(q) any event or condition occurs that results in any Shareholder Gibbons Indebtedness becoming due prior to its scheduled maturity or that enables or permits (with or without the giving of notice, the lapse of time or both) the holder or holders of any Shareholder Gibbons Indebtedness or any trustee or agent on its or their behalf to cause any Shareholder Gibbons Indebtedness to become due, or to require the prepayment, repurchase, redemption or defeasance thereof, prior to its scheduled maturity (other than a repayment consisting of a mandatory prepayment of the obligations under the Shareholder Term Loan Agreement required pursuant to Section 2.07(b) of the Shareholder Term Loan Agreement that does not cause an event of default under the Shareholder Term Loan Agreement); or
(r) except as permitted by the terms of any applicable Loan Document, any material provision of any Loan Document for any reason ceases to be valid, binding and enforceable in accordance with its terms (or any Loan Party shall challenge the enforceability of any Loan Document or shall assert in writing, or engage in any action or inaction that evidences its assertion, that any provision of any of the Loan Documents has ceased to be or otherwise is not valid, binding and enforceable in accordance with its terms);
then, and in every such event (other than an event with respect to the Borrowers described in clause (h) or (i) of this Article), and at any time thereafter during the continuance of such event, the Administrative Agent may, and at the request of the Required Lenders shall, by notice to the Borrower Representative, take any or all of the following actions, at the same or different times: (i) terminate the Commitments, whereupon the Commitments shall terminate immediately, (ii) declare the Loans then outstanding to be due and payable in whole (or in part, but ratably as among the Classes of Loans and the Loans of each Class at the time outstanding, in which case any principal not so declared to be due and payable may thereafter be declared to be due and payable), whereupon the principal of the Loans so declared to be due and payable, together with accrued interest thereon and all fees (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any break funding payments) and other obligations of the Borrowers accrued hereunder and under any other Loan Document, shall become due and payable immediately, in each case without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrowers, and (iii) require cash collateral for the LC Exposure and Backstop LC Exposure in accordance with Section 2.06(j) hereof; and in the case of any event with respect to the Borrowers described in clause (h) or (i) of this Article, the Commitments shall automatically terminate and the principal of the Loans then outstanding and the cash collateral for the LC Exposure and Backstop LC Exposure together with accrued interest thereon and all fees (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any break funding payments) and other obligations of the Borrowers accrued hereunder and under any other Loan Documents, shall automatically become due and payable, in each case without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrowers. Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an Event of Default, the Administrative Agent may, and at the request of the Required Lenders shall, increase the rate of interest applicable to the Loans and other Obligations as expressly set forth in this Agreement in Section 2.13(d) and exercise any rights and remedies provided to the Administrative Agent under the Loan Documents or at law or equity, including all remedies provided under the UCC.
ARTICLE 8
The Administrative Agent.
SECTION 8.01 Authorization and Action.
(a) Each Lender, on behalf of itself and any of its Affiliates that are Secured Parties and each Issuing Bank hereby irrevocably appoints the entity named as Administrative Agent in the heading of this Agreement and its successors and assigns to serve as the administrative agent and collateral agent under the Loan Documents and each Lender and each Issuing Bank authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such actions as agent on its behalf and to exercise such powers under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents as are delegated to the Administrative Agent under such agreements and to exercise such powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. In addition, to the extent required under the laws of any jurisdiction other than within the United States, each Lender and each Issuing Bank hereby grants to the Administrative Agent any required powers of attorney to execute and enforce any Collateral Document governed by the laws of such jurisdiction on such Lender's or such Issuing Bank's behalf. Without limiting the foregoing, each Lender and each Issuing Bank hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to execute and deliver, and to perform its obligations under, each of the Loan Documents to which the Administrative Agent is a party, and to exercise all rights, powers and remedies that the Administrative Agent may have under such Loan Documents.
(b) As to any matters not expressly provided for herein and in the other Loan Documents (including enforcement or collection), the Administrative Agent shall not be required to exercise any discretion or take any action, but shall be required to act or to refrain from acting (and shall be fully protected in so acting or refraining from acting) upon the written instructions of the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary, pursuant to the terms in the Loan Documents), and, unless and until revoked in writing, such instructions shall be binding upon each Lender and each Issuing Bank; provided, however, that the Administrative Agent shall not be required to take any action that (i) the Administrative Agent in good faith believes exposes it to liability unless the Administrative Agent receives an indemnification and is exculpated in a manner satisfactory to it from the Lenders and the Issuing Banks with respect to such action or (ii) is contrary to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or applicable law, including any action that may be in violation of the automatic stay under any requirement of law relating to bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization or relief of debtors or that may affect a forfeiture, modification or termination of property of a Defaulting Lender in violation of any requirement of law relating to bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization or relief of debtors; provided, further, that the Administrative Agent may seek clarification or direction from the Required Lenders prior to the exercise of any such instructed action and may refrain from acting until such clarification or direction has been provided. Except as expressly set forth in the Loan Documents, the Administrative Agent shall not have any duty to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any information relating to any Borrower, any other Loan Party, any Subsidiary or any Affiliate of any of the foregoing that is communicated to or obtained by the Person serving as Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity. Nothing in this Agreement shall require the Administrative Agent to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers if it shall have reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnity against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it.
(c) In performing its functions and duties hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, the Administrative Agent is acting solely on behalf of the Lenders and the Issuing Banks (except in limited circumstances expressly provided for herein relating to the maintenance of the Register), and its duties are entirely mechanical and administrative in nature. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing:
(i) the Administrative Agent does not assume and shall not be deemed to have assumed any obligation or duty or any other relationship as the agent, fiduciary or trustee of or for any Lender, Issuing Bank, any other Secured Party or holder of any other obligation other than as expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, regardless of whether a Default or an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing (and it is understood and agreed that the use of the term "agent" (or any similar term) herein or in any other Loan Document with reference to the Administrative Agent is not intended to connote any fiduciary duty or other implied (or express) obligations arising under agency doctrine of any applicable law, and that such term is used as a matter of market custom and is intended to create or reflect only an administrative relationship between contracting parties); additionally, each Lender agrees that it will not assert any claim against the Administrative Agent based on an alleged breach of fiduciary duty by the Administrative Agent in connection with this Agreement and/or the transactions contemplated hereby; and
(ii) nothing in this Agreement or any Loan Document shall require the Administrative Agent to account to any Lender for any sum or the profit element of any sum received by the Administrative Agent for its own account.
(d) The Administrative Agent may perform any of its duties and exercise its rights and powers hereunder or under any other Loan Document by or through any one or more sub-agents appointed by the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent may perform any of their respective duties and exercise their respective rights and powers through their respective Related Parties. The exculpatory provisions of this Article shall apply to any such sub-agent and to the Related Parties of the Administrative Agent and any such sub-agent, and shall apply to their respective activities pursuant to this Agreement. The Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for the negligence or misconduct of any sub agent except to the extent that a court of competent jurisdiction determines in a final and non-appealable judgment that the Administrative Agent acted with gross negligence or willful misconduct in the selection of such sub-agent.
(e) [reserved].
(f) In case of the pendency of any proceeding with respect to any Loan Party under any Federal, state or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or similar law now or hereafter in effect, the Administrative Agent (irrespective of whether the principal of any Loan or any reimbursement obligation in respect of any LC Disbursement shall then be due and payable as herein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Administrative Agent shall have made any demand on any Borrower) shall be entitled and empowered (but not obligated) by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise:
(i) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of the principal and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Loans, LC Disbursements and all other Obligations that are owing and unpaid and to file such other documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Lenders, the Issuing Banks and the Administrative Agent (including any claim under Sections 2.12, 2.13, 2.15, 2.17 and 9.03) allowed in such judicial proceeding; and
(ii) to collect and receive any monies or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same;
and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such proceeding is hereby authorized by each Lender, each Issuing Bank and each other Secured Party to make such payments to the Administrative Agent and, in the event that the Administrative Agent shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Lenders, the Issuing Banks or the other Secured Parties, to pay to the Administrative Agent any amount due to it, in its capacity as the Administrative Agent, under the Loan Documents (including under Section 9.03). Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to authorize the Administrative Agent to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Lender or Issuing Bank any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Obligations or the rights of any Lender or Issuing Bank or to authorize the Administrative Agent to vote in respect of the claim of any Lender or Issuing Bank in any such proceeding.
(g) The provisions of this Article are solely for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the Issuing Banks, and, except solely to the extent of the Borrowers' right to consent pursuant to and subject to the conditions set forth in this Article, no Borrower nor any Subsidiary, or any of their respective Affiliates, shall have any rights as a third party beneficiary under any such provisions. Each Secured Party, whether or not a party hereto, will be deemed, by its acceptance of the benefits of the Collateral and of the Guarantees of the Secured Obligations provided under the Loan Documents, to have agreed to the provisions of this Article.
SECTION 8.02 Administrative Agent's Reliance, Limitation of Liability, Etc.
(a) Neither the Administrative Agent nor any of its Related Parties shall be (i) liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken by such party, the Administrative Agent or any of its Related Parties under or in connection with this Agreement or the other Loan Documents (x) with the consent of or at the request of the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary, or as the Administrative Agent shall believe in good faith to be necessary, under the circumstances as provided in the Loan Documents) or (y) in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct (such absence to be presumed unless otherwise determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by a final and non-appealable judgment) or (ii) responsible in any manner to any of the Lenders for any recitals, statements, representations or warranties made by any Loan Party or any officer thereof contained in this Agreement or any other Loan Document or in any certificate, report, statement or other document referred to or provided for in, or received by the Administrative Agent under or in connection with, this Agreement or any other Loan Document or for the value, validity, effectiveness, genuineness, enforceability or sufficiency of this Agreement or any other Loan Document (including, for the avoidance of doubt, in connection with the Administrative Agent's reliance on any Electronic Signature transmitted by facsimile, emailed pdf. or any other electronic means that reproduces an image of an actual executed signature page) or for any failure of any Loan Party to perform its obligations hereunder or thereunder.
(b) The Administrative Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any (i) notice of any of the events or circumstances set forth or described in Section 5.02 unless and until written notice thereof stating that it is a "notice under Section 5.02" in respect of this Agreement and identifying the specific clause under said Section is given to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower Representative, or (ii) notice of any Default or Event of Default unless and until written notice thereof (stating that it is a "notice of Default" or a "notice of an Event of Default") is given to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower Representative, a Lender or the Issuing Bank. Further, the Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for or have any duty to ascertain or inquire into (i) any statement, warranty or representation made in or in connection with any Loan Document, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered thereunder or in connection therewith, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth in any Loan Document or the occurrence of any Default or Event of Default, (iv) the sufficiency, validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of any Loan Document or any other agreement, instrument or document, (v) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article IV or elsewhere in any Loan Document, other than to confirm receipt of items (which on their face purport to be such items) expressly required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent or satisfaction of any condition that expressly refers to the matters described therein being acceptable or satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, or (vi) the creation, perfection or priority of Liens on the Collateral.
(c) Without limiting the foregoing, the Administrative Agent (i) may treat the payee of any promissory note as its holder until such promissory note has been assigned in accordance with Section 9.04, (ii) may rely on the Register to the extent set forth in Section 9.04(b), (iii) may consult with legal counsel (including counsel to the Borrowers), independent public accountants and other experts selected by it, and shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken in good faith by it in accordance with the advice of such counsel, accountants or experts, (iv) makes no warranty or representation to any Lender or Issuing Bank and shall not be responsible to any Lender or Issuing Bank for any statements, warranties or representations made by or on behalf of any Loan Party in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (v) in determining compliance with any condition hereunder to the making of a Loan, or the issuance of a Letter of Credit, that by its terms must be fulfilled to the satisfaction of a Lender or an Issuing Bank, may presume that such condition is satisfactory to such Lender or Issuing Bank unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice to the contrary from such Lender or Issuing Bank sufficiently in advance of the making of such Loan or the issuance of such Letter of Credit and (vi) shall be entitled to rely on, and shall incur no liability under or in respect of this Agreement or any other Loan Document by acting upon, any notice, consent, certificate or other instrument or writing (which writing may be a fax, any electronic message, Internet or intranet website posting or other distribution) or any statement made to it orally or by telephone and believed by it to be genuine and signed or sent or otherwise authenticated by the proper party or parties (whether or not such Person in fact meets the requirements set forth in the Loan Documents for being the maker thereof).
SECTION 8.03 Posting of Communications.
(a) The Borrowers agree that the Administrative Agent may, but shall not be obligated to, make any Communications available to the Lenders and the Issuing Bank by posting the Communications on IntraLinks™, DebtDomain, SyndTrak, ClearPar or any other electronic system chosen by the Administrative Agent to be its electronic transmission system (the "Approved Electronic Platform").
(b) Although the Approved Electronic Platform and its primary web portal are secured with generally-applicable security procedures and policies implemented or modified by the Administrative Agent from time to time (including, as of the Effective Date, a user ID/password authorization system) and the Approved Electronic Platform is secured through a per-deal authorization method whereby each user may access the Approved Electronic Platform only on a deal-by-deal basis, each of the Lenders, the Issuing Bank and each Borrower acknowledges and agrees that the distribution of material through an electronic medium is not necessarily secure, that the Administrative Agent is not responsible for approving or vetting the representatives or contacts of any Lender that are added to the Approved Electronic Platform, and that there may be confidentiality and other risks associated with such distribution. Each of the Lenders, the Issuing Bank and each Borrower hereby approves distribution of the Communications through the Approved Electronic Platform and understands and assumes the risks of such distribution.
(c) THE APPROVED ELECTRONIC PLATFORM AND THE COMMUNICATIONS ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE". THE APPLICABLE PARTIES (AS DEFINED BELOW) DO NOT WARRANT THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE COMMUNICATIONS, OR THE ADEQUACY OF THE APPROVED ELECTRONIC PLATFORM AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM LIABILITY FOR ERRORS OR OMISSIONS IN THE APPROVED ELECTRONIC PLATFORM AND THE COMMUNICATIONS. NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT OF THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR FREEDOM FROM VIRUSES OR OTHER CODE DEFECTS, IS MADE BY THE APPLICABLE PARTIES IN CONNECTION WITH THE COMMUNICATIONS OR THE APPROVED ELECTRONIC PLATFORM. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT OR ANY OF THEIR RESPECTIVE RELATED PARTIES (COLLECTIVELY, "APPLICABLE PARTIES") HAVE ANY LIABILITY TO ANY LOAN PARTY, ANY LENDER, ANY ISSUING BANK OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FOR DAMAGES OF ANY KIND, INCLUDING DIRECT OR INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, LOSSES OR EXPENSES (WHETHER IN TORT, CONTRACT OR OTHERWISE) ARISING OUT OF ANY LOAN PARTY'S OR THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT'S TRANSMISSION OF COMMUNICATIONS THROUGH THE INTERNET OR THE APPROVED ELECTRONIC PLATFORM.
"Communications" means, collectively, any notice, demand, communication, information, document or other material provided by or on behalf of any Loan Party pursuant to any Loan Document or the transactions contemplated therein which is distributed by the Administrative Agent, any Lender or Issuing Bank by means of electronic communications pursuant to this Section, including through an Approved Electronic Platform.
(d) Each Lender and Issuing Bank agrees that notice to it (as provided in the next sentence) specifying that Communications have been posted to the Approved Electronic Platform shall constitute effective delivery of the Communications to such Lender for purposes of the Loan Documents. Each Lender and Issuing Bank agrees (i) to notify the Administrative Agent in writing (which could be in the form of electronic communication) from time to time of such Lender's or Issuing Bank's (as applicable) email address to which the foregoing notice may be sent by electronic transmission and (ii) that the foregoing notice may be sent to such email address.
(e) Each of the Lenders, Issuing Bank and each Borrower agrees that the Administrative Agent may, but (except as may be required by applicable law) shall not be obligated to, store the Communications on the Approved Electronic Platform in accordance with the Administrative Agent's generally applicable document retention procedures and policies.
(f) Nothing herein shall prejudice the right of the Administrative Agent, any Lender or Issuing Bank to give any notice or other communication pursuant to any Loan Document in any other manner specified in such Loan Document.
SECTION 8.04 The Administrative Agent Individually. With respect to its Commitment, Loans (including Swingline Loans) and Letters of Credit, the Person serving as the Administrative Agent shall have and may exercise the same rights and powers hereunder and is subject to the same obligations and liabilities as and to the extent set forth herein for any other Lender or Issuing Bank, as the case may be. The terms "Issuing Bank", "Lenders", "Required Lenders" and any similar terms shall, unless the context clearly otherwise indicates, include the Administrative Agent in its individual capacity as a Lender, Issuing Bank or as one of the Required Lenders, as applicable. The Person serving as the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates may accept deposits from, lend money to, own securities of, act as the financial advisor or in any other advisory capacity for and generally engage in any kind of banking, trust or other business with, any Loan Party, any Subsidiary or any Affiliate of any of the foregoing as if such Person was not acting as the Administrative Agent and without any duty to account therefor to the Lenders or the Issuing Bank.
SECTION 8.05 Successor Administrative Agent.
(a) The Administrative Agent may resign at any time by giving 30 days' prior written notice thereof to the Lenders, the Issuing Bank and the Borrower Representative, whether or not a successor Administrative Agent has been appointed. Upon any such resignation, as a successor Administrative Agent the Required Lenders shall have the right to appoint a successor Administrative Agent. If no successor Administrative Agent shall have been so appointed, and shall have accepted such appointment, within 30 days after the retiring Administrative Agent's giving of notice of resignation, then the retiring Administrative Agent may, on behalf of the Lenders and the Issuing Bank, appoint a successor Administrative Agent, which shall be a bank with an office in New York, New York or an Affiliate of any such bank. In either case, such appointment shall be subject to the prior written approval of the Borrower Representative (which approval may not be unreasonably withheld and shall not be required while an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing). Upon the acceptance of any appointment as Administrative Agent by a successor Administrative Agent, such successor Administrative Agent shall succeed to, and become vested with, all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring Administrative Agent. Upon the acceptance of appointment as Administrative Agent by a successor Administrative Agent, the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents. Prior to any retiring Administrative Agent's resignation hereunder as Administrative Agent, the retiring Administrative Agent shall take such action as may be reasonably necessary to assign to the successor Administrative Agent its rights as Administrative Agent under the Loan Documents.
(b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a) of this Section, in the event no successor Administrative Agent shall have been so appointed and shall have accepted such appointment within 30 days after the retiring Administrative Agent gives notice of its intent to resign, the retiring Administrative Agent may give notice of the effectiveness of its resignation to the Lenders, the Issuing Bank and the Borrowers, whereupon, on the date of effectiveness of such resignation stated in such notice, (i) the retiring Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder and under the other Loan Documents; provided that, solely for purposes of maintaining any security interest granted to the Administrative Agent under any Collateral Document for the benefit of the Secured Parties, the retiring Administrative Agent shall continue to be vested with such security interest as collateral agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties and continue to be entitled to the rights set forth in such Collateral Document and Loan Document, and, in the case of any Collateral in the possession of the Administrative Agent, shall continue to hold such Collateral, in each case until such time as a successor Administrative Agent is appointed and accepts such appointment in accordance with this Section (it being understood and agreed that the retiring Administrative Agent shall have no duty or obligation to take any further action under any Collateral Document, including any action required to maintain the perfection of any such security interest), and (ii) the Required Lenders shall succeed to and become vested with all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring Administrative Agent; provided that (A) all payments required to be made hereunder or under any other Loan Document to the Administrative Agent for the account of any Person other than the Administrative Agent shall be made directly to such Person and (B) all notices and other communications required or contemplated to be given or made to the Administrative Agent shall directly be given or made to each Lender and Issuing Bank. Following the effectiveness of the Administrative Agent's resignation from its capacity as such, the provisions of this Article, Section 2.17(d) and Section 9.03, as well as any exculpatory, reimbursement and indemnification provisions set forth in any other Loan Document, shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring Administrative Agent, its sub‑agents and their respective Related Parties in respect of any actions taken or omitted to be taken by any of them while the retiring Administrative Agent was acting as Administrative Agent and in respect of the matters referred to in the proviso under clause (a) above.
SECTION 8.06 Acknowledgements of Lenders and Issuing Bank.
(a) Each Lender and each Issuing Bank represents and warrants that (i) the Loan Documents set forth the terms of a commercial lending facility, (ii) it is engaged in making, acquiring or holding commercial loans and in providing other facilities set forth herein as may be applicable to such Lender or Issuing Bank, in each case in the ordinary course of business, and not for the purpose of purchasing, acquiring or holding any other type of financial instrument (and each Lender and each Issuing Bank agrees not to assert a claim in contravention of the foregoing), (iii) it has, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender or Issuing Bank, or any of the Related Parties of any of the foregoing, and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Agreement as a Lender, and to make, acquire or hold Loans hereunder and (iv) it is sophisticated with respect to decisions to make, acquire and/or hold commercial loans and to provide other facilities set forth herein, as may be applicable to such Lender or such Issuing Bank, and either it, or the Person exercising discretion in making its decision to make, acquire and/or hold such commercial loans or to provide such other facilities, is experienced in making, acquiring or holding such commercial loans or providing such other facilities. Each Lender and each Issuing Bank also acknowledges that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Administrative Agent or any other Lender or Issuing Bank, or any of the Related Parties of any of the foregoing, and based on such documents and information (which may contain material, non-public information within the meaning of the United States securities laws concerning the Borrowers and their Affiliates) as it shall from time to time deem appropriate, continue to make its own decisions in taking or not taking action under or based upon this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any related agreement or any document furnished hereunder or thereunder. Each Lender and each Issuing Bank also acknowledges and agrees that Administrative Agent acting in such capacities has not made any assurances as to (i) whether the credit facility established hereby meets such Lender’sLender's or Issuing Bank’sBank's criteria or expectations with regard to environmental impact and sustainability performance, (ii) whether any characteristics of the credit facility established hereby, including the characteristics of the relevant key performance indicators to which the Borrowers will link a potential margin step-up or step-down, including their environmental and sustainability criteria, meet any industry standards for sustainability-linked credit facilities and (b) each Lender and Issuing Bank has performed its own independent investigation and analysis of the credit facility established hereby and whether the credit facility established hereby meets its own criteria or expectations with regard to environmental impact and/or sustainability performance.
(b) Each Lender, by delivering its signature page to this Agreement on the Effective Date, or delivering its signature page to an Assignment and Assumption or any other Loan Document pursuant to which it shall become a Lender hereunder, shall be deemed to have acknowledged receipt of, and consented to and approved, each Loan Document and each other document required to be delivered to, or be approved by or satisfactory to, the Administrative Agent or the Lenders on the Effective Date or the effective date of any such Assignment and Assumption or any other Loan Document pursuant to which it shall have become a Lender hereunder.
(c) Each Lender hereby agrees that (i) it has requested a copy of each Report prepared by or on behalf of the Administrative Agent; (ii) the Administrative Agent (A) makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the completeness or accuracy of any Report or any of the information contained therein or any inaccuracy or omission contained in or relating to a Report and (B) shall not be liable for any information contained in any Report; (iii) the Reports are not comprehensive audits or examinations, and that any Person performing any field examination will inspect only specific information regarding the Loan Parties and will rely significantly upon the Loan Parties' books and records, as well as on representations of the Loan Parties' personnel and that the Administrative Agent undertakes no obligation to update, correct or supplement the Reports; (iv) it will keep all Reports confidential and strictly for its internal use, not share the Report with any Loan Party or any other Person except as otherwise permitted pursuant to this Agreement; and (v) without limiting the generality of any other indemnification provision contained in this Agreement, (A) it will hold the Administrative Agent and any such other Person preparing a Report harmless from any action the indemnifying Lender may take or conclusion the indemnifying Lender may reach or draw from any Report in connection with any extension of credit that the indemnifying Lender has made or may make to a Borrower, or the indemnifying Lender's participation in, or the indemnifying Lender's purchase of, a Loan or Loans; and (B) it will pay and protect, and indemnify, defend, and hold the Administrative Agent and any such other Person preparing a Report harmless from and against, the claims, actions, proceedings, damages, costs, expenses, and other amounts (including reasonable attorneys' fees) incurred by the Administrative Agent or any such other Person as the direct or indirect result of any third parties who might obtain all or part of any Report through the indemnifying Lender.
(d) (i) Each Lender hereby agrees that (x) if the Administrative Agent notifies such Lender that the Administrative Agent has determined in its sole discretion that any funds received by such Lender from the Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates (whether as a payment, prepayment or repayment of principal, interest, fees or otherwise; individually and collectively, a "Payment") were erroneously transmitted to such Lender (whether or not known to such Lender), and demands the return of such Payment (or a portion thereof), such Lender shall promptly, but in no event later than one (1) Business Day thereafter, return to the Administrative Agent the amount of any such Payment (or portion thereof) as to which such a demand was made in same day funds, together with interest thereon in respect of each day from and including the date such Payment (or portion thereof) was received by such Lender to the date such amount is repaid to the Administrative Agent at the greater of the NYFRB Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation from time to time in effect, and (y) to the extent permitted by applicable law, such Lender shall not assert, and hereby waives, as to the Administrative Agent, any claim, counterclaim, defense or right of set-off or recoupment with respect to any demand, claim or counterclaim by the Administrative Agent for the return of any Payments received, including without limitation any defense based on "discharge for value" or any similar doctrine. A notice of the Administrative Agent to any Lender under this Section 8.06(d) shall be conclusive, absent manifest error.
(ii) Each Lender hereby further agrees that if it receives a Payment from the Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates (x) that is in a different amount than, or on a different date from, that specified in a notice of payment sent by the Administrative Agent (or any of its Affiliates) with respect to such Payment (a "Payment Notice") or (y) that was not preceded or accompanied by a Payment Notice, it shall be on notice, in each such case, that an error has been made with respect to such Payment. Each Lender agrees that, in each such case, or if it otherwise becomes aware a Payment (or portion thereof) may have been sent in error, such Lender shall promptly notify the Administrative Agent of such occurrence and, upon demand from the Administrative Agent, it shall promptly, but in no event later than one (1) Business Day thereafter, return to the Administrative Agent the amount of any such Payment (or portion thereof) as to which such a demand was made in same day funds, together with interest thereon in respect of each day from and including the date such Payment (or portion thereof) was received by such Lender to the date such amount is repaid to the Administrative Agent at the greater of the NYFRB Rate and a rate determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation from time to time in effect.
(iii) Each Borrower and each other Loan Party hereby agrees that (x) in the event an erroneous Payment (or portion thereof) are not recovered from any Lender that has received such Payment (or portion thereof) for any reason, the Administrative Agent shall be subrogated to all the rights of such Lender with respect to such amount and (y) an erroneous Payment shall not pay, prepay, repay, discharge or otherwise satisfy any Obligations owed by any Borrower or any other Loan Party.
(iv) Each party's obligations under this Section 8.06(d) shall survive the resignation or replacement of the Administrative Agent or any transfer of rights or obligations by, or the replacement of, a Lender, the termination of the Commitments or the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all Obligations under any Loan Document.
SECTION 8.07 Collateral Matters.
(a) Except with respect to the exercise of setoff rights in accordance with Section 9.08 or with respect to a Secured Party's right to file a proof of claim in an insolvency proceeding, no Secured Party shall have any right individually to realize upon any of the Collateral or to enforce any Guarantee of the Secured Obligations, it being understood and agreed that all powers, rights and remedies under the Loan Documents may be exercised solely by the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Secured Parties in accordance with the terms thereof. In its capacity, the Administrative Agent is a "representative" of the Secured Parties within the meaning of the term "secured party" as defined in the UCC. In the event that any Collateral is hereafter pledged by any Person as collateral security for the Secured Obligations, the Administrative Agent is hereby authorized, and hereby granted a power of attorney, to execute and deliver on behalf of the Secured Parties any Loan Documents necessary or appropriate to grant and perfect a Lien on such Collateral in favor of the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Secured Parties.
(b) In furtherance of the foregoing and not in limitation thereof, no arrangements in respect of Banking Services the obligations under which constitute Secured Obligations and no Swap Agreement the obligations under which constitute Secured Obligations, will create (or be deemed to create) in favor of any Secured Party that is a party thereto any rights in connection with the management or release of any Collateral or of the obligations of any Loan Party under any Loan Document. By accepting the benefits of the Collateral, each Secured Party that is a party to any such arrangement in respect of Banking Services or Swap Agreement, as applicable, shall be deemed to have appointed the Administrative Agent to serve as administrative agent and collateral agent under the Loan Documents and agreed to be bound by the Loan Documents as a Secured Party thereunder, subject to the limitations set forth in this paragraph.
(c) The Secured Parties irrevocably authorize the Administrative Agent, at its option and in its discretion, to subordinate any Lien on any property granted to or held by the Administrative Agent under any Loan Document to the holder of any Lien on such property that is permitted by Section 6.02(b). The Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for or have a duty to ascertain or inquire into any representation or warranty regarding the existence, value or collectability of the Collateral, the existence, priority or perfection of the Administrative Agent's Lien thereon or any certificate prepared by any Loan Party in connection therewith, nor shall the Administrative Agent be responsible or liable to the Lenders or any other Secured Party for any failure to monitor or maintain any portion of the Collateral.
SECTION 8.08 Credit Bidding. The Secured Parties hereby irrevocably authorize the Administrative Agent, at the direction of the Required Lenders, to credit bid all or any portion of the Obligations (including by accepting some or all of the Collateral in satisfaction of some or all of the Obligations pursuant to a deed in lieu of foreclosure or otherwise) and in such manner purchase (either directly or through one or more acquisition vehicles) all or any portion of the Collateral (a) at any sale thereof conducted under the provisions of the Bankruptcy Code, including under Sections 363, 1123 or 1129 of the Bankruptcy Code, or any similar laws in any other jurisdictions to which a Loan Party is subject, or (b) at any other sale, foreclosure or acceptance of collateral in lieu of debt conducted by (or with the consent or at the direction of) the Administrative Agent (whether by judicial action or otherwise) in accordance with any applicable law. In connection with any such credit bid and purchase, the Obligations owed to the Secured Parties shall be entitled to be, and shall be, credit bid by the Administrative Agent at the direction of the Required Lenders on a ratable basis (with Obligations with respect to contingent or unliquidated claims receiving contingent interests in the acquired assets on a ratable basis that shall vest upon the liquidation of such claims in an amount proportional to the liquidated portion of the contingent claim amount used in allocating the contingent interests) for the asset or assets so purchased (or for the equity interests or debt instruments of the acquisition vehicle or vehicles that are issued in connection with such purchase). In connection with any such bid (i) the Administrative Agent shall be authorized to form one or more acquisition vehicles and to assign any successful credit bid to such acquisition vehicle or vehicles, (ii) each of the Secured Parties' ratable interests in the Obligations which were credit bid shall be deemed without any further action under this Agreement to be assigned to such vehicle or vehicles for the purpose of closing such sale, (iii) the Administrative Agent shall be authorized to adopt documents providing for the governance of the acquisition vehicle or vehicles (provided that any actions by the Administrative Agent with respect to such acquisition vehicle or vehicles, including any disposition of the assets or equity interests thereof, shall be governed, directly or indirectly, by, and the governing documents shall provide for, control by the vote of the Required Lenders or their permitted assignees under the terms of this Agreement or the governing documents of the applicable acquisition vehicle or vehicles, as the case may be, irrespective of the termination of this Agreement and without giving effect to the limitations on actions by the Required Lenders contained in Section 9.02 of this Agreement), (iv) the Administrative Agent on behalf of such acquisition vehicle or vehicles shall be authorized to issue to each of the Secured Parties, ratably on account of the relevant Obligations which were credit bid, interests, whether as equity, partnership interests, limited partnership interests or membership interests, in any such acquisition vehicle and/or debt instruments issued by such acquisition vehicle, all without the need for any Secured Party or acquisition vehicle to take any further action, and (v) to the extent that Obligations that are assigned to an acquisition vehicle are not used to acquire Collateral for any reason (as a result of another bid being higher or better, because the amount of Obligations assigned to the acquisition vehicle exceeds the amount of Obligations credit bid by the acquisition vehicle or otherwise), such Obligations shall automatically be reassigned to the Secured Parties pro rata with their original interest in such Obligations and the equity interests and/or debt instruments issued by any acquisition vehicle on account of such Obligations shall automatically be cancelled, without the need for any Secured Party or any acquisition vehicle to take any further action. Notwithstanding that the ratable portion of the Obligations of each Secured Party are deemed assigned to the acquisition vehicle or vehicles as set forth in clause (ii) above, each Secured Party shall execute such documents and provide such information regarding the Secured Party (and/or any designee of the Secured Party which will receive interests in or debt instruments issued by such acquisition vehicle) as the Administrative Agent may reasonably request in connection with the formation of any acquisition vehicle, the formulation or submission of any credit bid or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by such credit bid.
SECTION 8.09 Certain ERISA Matters.
(a) Each Lender (x) represents and warrants, as of the date such Person became a Lender party hereto, to, and (y) covenants, from the date such Person became a Lender party hereto to the date such Person ceases being a Lender party hereto, for the benefit of, the Administrative Agent and its respective Affiliates, and not, for the avoidance of doubt, to or for the benefit of any Borrower or any other Loan Party, that at least one of the following is and will be true:
(i) such Lender is not using "plan assets" (within the meaning of the Plan Asset Regulations) of one or more Benefit Plans in connection with the Loans, the Letters of Credit or the Commitments,
(ii) the transaction exemption set forth in one or more PTEs, such as PTE 84‑14 (a class exemption for certain transactions determined by independent qualified professional asset managers), PTE 95-60 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving insurance company general accounts), PTE 90-1 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving insurance company pooled separate accounts), PTE 91-38 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving bank collective investment funds) or PTE 96-23 (a class exemption for certain transactions determined by in-house asset managers), is applicable with respect to such Lender's entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement,
(iii) (A) such Lender is an investment fund managed by a "Qualified Professional Asset Manager" (within the meaning of Part VI of PTE 84-14), (B) such Qualified Professional Asset Manager made the investment decision on behalf of such Lender to enter into, participate in, administer and perform the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement, (C) the entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement satisfies the requirements of sub-sections (b) through (g) of Part I of PTE 84-14 and (D) to the best knowledge of such Lender, the requirements of subsection (a) of Part I of PTE 84-14 are satisfied with respect to such Lender's entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement, or
(iv) such other representation, warranty and covenant as may be agreed in writing between the Administrative Agent, in its sole discretion, and such Lender.
(b) In addition, unless sub-clause (i) in the immediately preceding clause (a) is true with respect to a Lender or such Lender has provided another representation, warranty and covenant as provided in sub-clause (iv) in the immediately preceding clause (a), such Lender further (x) represents and warrants, as of the date such Person became a Lender party hereto, to, and (y) covenants, from the date such Person became a Lender party hereto to the date such Person ceases being a Lender party hereto, for the benefit of, the Administrative Agent and their respective Affiliates, and not, for the avoidance of doubt, to or for the benefit of any Borrower or any other Loan Party, that none of the Administrative Agent or any of their respective Affiliates is a fiduciary with respect to the Collateral or the assets of such Lender involved in such Lender’sLender's entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement (including in connection with the reservation or exercise of any rights by the Administrative Agent under this Agreement, any Loan Document or any documents related hereto or thereto).
(c) The Administrative Agent hereby informs the Lenders that each such Person is not undertaking to provide investment advice or to give advice in a fiduciary capacity, in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, and that such Person has a financial interest in the transactions contemplated hereby in that such Person or an Affiliate thereof (i) may receive interest or other payments with respect to the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments, this Agreement and any other Loan Documents, (ii) may recognize a gain if it extended the Loans, the Letters of Credit or the Commitments for an amount less than the amount being paid for an interest in the Loans, the Letters of Credit or the Commitments by such Lender or (iii) may receive fees or other payments in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, the Loan Documents or otherwise, including structuring fees, commitment fees, arrangement fees, facility fees, upfront fees, underwriting fees, ticking fees, agency fees, administrative agent or collateral agent fees, utilization fees, minimum usage fees, letter of credit fees, fronting fees, deal-away or alternate transaction fees, amendment fees, processing fees, term out premiums, banker's acceptance fees, breakage or other early termination fees or fees similar to the foregoing.
SECTION 8.10 Flood Laws. JPMCB has adopted internal policies and procedures that address requirements placed on federally regulated lenders under the National Flood Insurance Reform Act of 1994 and related legislation (the "Flood Laws"). JPMCB, as administrative agent or collateral agent on a syndicated facility, will post on the applicable electronic platform (or otherwise distribute to each Lender in the syndicate) documents that it receives in connection with the Flood Laws. However, JPMCB reminds each Lender and Participant in the facility that, pursuant to the Flood Laws, each federally regulated Lender (whether acting as a Lender or Participant in the facility) is responsible for assuring its own compliance with the flood insurance requirements.
SECTION 8.11 Sustainability Matters. Each party hereto hereby agrees that the Administrative Agent shall not have any responsibility for (or liability in respect of) reviewing, auditing or otherwise evaluating any calculation by the Borrower Representative of any Sustainability Commitment Fee Adjustment or any Sustainability Rate Adjustment (or any of the data or computations that are part of or related to any such calculation) set forth in any Pricing Certificate (and the Administrative Agent may rely conclusively on any such certificate, without further inquiry).
ARTICLE 9
Miscellaneous.
SECTION 9.01 Notices.
(a) Except in the case of notices and other communications expressly permitted to be given by telephone or Electronic Systems (and subject in each case to paragraph (b) below), all notices and other communications provided for herein shall be in writing and shall be delivered by hand or overnight courier service, mailed by certified or registered mail or sent by facsimile, as follows:
(i) if to any Loan Party, to the Borrower Representative at:
12601 Plantside Drive
Lousiville, KY 40299
Attention: Scott Sewell, President & Chief Executive Officer
Email: ssewell@charah.com
Facsimile No: 502-245-7398
(ii) if to the Administrative Agent, JPMCB in its capacity as an Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender, to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. at:
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
1300 East Ninth Street, 18th Floor
Cleveland, Ohio 44114
Attn: Portfolio Manager
Email: mac.a.banas@jpmorgan.com
(iii) if to any other Lender or Issuing Bank, to it at its address or facsimile number set forth in its Administrative Questionnaire.
All such notices and other communications (A) sent by hand or overnight courier service, or mailed by certified or registered mail, shall be deemed to have been given when received, (B) sent by facsimile shall be deemed to have been given when sent, provided that if not given during normal business hours of the recipient, such notice or communication shall be deemed to have been given at the opening of business on the next Business Day of the recipient, or (C) delivered through Electronic Systems or Approved Electronic Platforms, as applicable, to the extent provided in paragraph (b) below shall be effective as provided in such paragraph.
(b) Notices and other communications to any Borrower, any Loan Party, the Lenders and the Issuing Banks hereunder may be delivered or furnished by using Electronic Systems or Approved Electronic Platforms, as applicable, or pursuant to procedures approved by the Administrative Agent; provided that the foregoing shall not apply to notices pursuant to Article II or to Compliance Certificates delivered pursuant to Section 5.01(d) unless otherwise agreed by the Administrative Agent and the applicable Lender. Each of the Administrative Agent and the Borrower Representative (on behalf of the Loan Parties) may, in its discretion, agree to accept notices and other communications to it hereunder by Electronic Systems or Approved Electronic Platforms, as applicable, pursuant to procedures approved by it; provided that approval of such procedures may be limited to particular notices or communications. Unless the Administrative Agent otherwise proscribes, all such notices and other communications (i) sent to an e-mail address shall be deemed received upon the sender's receipt of an acknowledgement from the intended recipient (such as by the "return receipt requested" function, as available, return e-mail or other written acknowledgement), provided that if not given during the normal business hours of the recipient, such notice or communication shall be deemed to have been given at the opening of business on the next Business Day for the recipient, and (ii) posted to an Internet or intranet website shall be deemed received upon the deemed receipt by the intended recipient, at its e-mail address as described in the foregoing clause (i), of notification that such notice or communication is available and identifying the website address therefor; provided that, for both clauses (i) and (ii) above, if such notice, e-mail or other communication is not sent during the normal business hours of the recipient, such notice or communication shall be deemed to have been sent at the opening of business on the next Business Day of the recipient.
(c) Any party hereto may change its address, facsimile number or e-mail address for notices and other communications hereunder by notice to the other parties hereto.
SECTION 9.02 Waivers; Amendments.
(a) No failure or delay by the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender in exercising any right or power hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right or power, or any abandonment or discontinuance of steps to enforce such a right or power, preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right or power. The rights and remedies of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders hereunder and under any other Loan Document are cumulative and are not exclusive of any rights or remedies that they would otherwise have. No waiver of any provision of any Loan Document or consent to any departure by any Loan Party therefrom shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be permitted by paragraph (b) of this Section, and then such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the purpose for which given. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the making of a Loan or issuance of a Letter of Credit shall not be construed as a waiver of any Default, regardless of whether the Administrative Agent, any Lender or the Issuing Bank may have had notice or knowledge of such Default at the time.
(b) Except as provided in the first sentence of Section 2.09(f) (with respect to any commitment increase) and subject to Section 2.14(c), (d) and (e) and Section 9.02(e) below, neither this Agreement nor any other Loan Document nor any provision hereof or thereof may be waived, amended or modified except (i) in the case of this Agreement, pursuant to an agreement or agreements in writing entered into by the Borrowers and the Required Lenders or (ii) in the case of any other Loan Document, pursuant to an agreement or agreements in writing entered into by the Administrative Agent and the Loan Party or Loan Parties that are parties thereto, with the consent of the Required Lenders; provided that no such agreement shall (A) increase the Commitment of any Lender without the written consent of such Lender (including any such Lender that is a Defaulting Lender), (B) reduce or forgive the principal amount of any Loan or LC Disbursement or reduce the rate of interest thereon, or reduce or forgive any interest or fees payable hereunder (other than interest payable under Section 2.13(d)), without the written consent of each Lender (including any such Lender that is a Defaulting Lender) directly affected thereby (provided that any amendment or modification of the financial covenants in this Agreement (or any defined term used therein) shall not constitute a reduction in the rate of interest or fees for purposes of this clause (B)), (C) postpone any scheduled date of payment of the principal amount of any Loan or LC Disbursement, or any date for the payment of any interest, fees or other Obligations payable hereunder, or reduce the amount of, waive or excuse any such payment (other than, in each case, interest payable under Section 2.13(d), any prepayment required to be made pursuant to Section 2.11(b) or (c)), or postpone the scheduled date of expiration of any Commitment, without the written consent of each Lender (including any such Lender that is a Defaulting Lender) directly affected thereby, (D) change Section 2.09(c) or Section 2.18(b) or (d) in a manner that would alter the ratable reduction of Commitments or the manner in which payments are shared, without the written consent of each Lender (other than any Defaulting Lender), (E) increase the advance rates set forth in the definition of Borrowing Base or add new categories of eligible assets, without the written consent of the Supermajority Lenders, (F) change any of the provisions of this Section or the definition of "Required Lenders" or any other provision of any Loan Document specifying the number or percentage of Lenders (or Lenders of any Class) required to waive, amend or modify any rights thereunder or make any determination or grant any consent thereunder, without the written consent of each Lender (other than any Defaulting Lender) directly affected thereby, (G) change Section 2.20 without the consent of each Lender (other than any Defaulting Lender), (H) release any Loan Guarantor from its obligation under its Loan Guaranty (except as otherwise permitted herein or in the other Loan Documents), without the written consent of each Lender (other than any Defaulting Lender), or (I) except as provided in clause (c) of this Section or in any Collateral Document, release all or substantially all of the Collateral, without the written consent of each Lender (other than any Defaulting Lender); provided, further, that no such agreement shall amend, modify or otherwise affect the rights or duties of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender hereunder without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender, as the case may be (it being understood that any amendment to Section 2.20 shall require the consent of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Swingline Lender); provided further that no such agreement shall amend or modify the provisions of Section 2.06 without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Banks. The Administrative Agent may also amend the Commitment Schedule to reflect assignments entered into pursuant to Section 9.04. Any amendment, waiver or other modification of this Agreement or any other Loan Document that by its terms affects the rights or duties under this Agreement of the Lenders of one or more Classes (but not the Lenders of any other Class), may be effected by an agreement or agreements in writing entered into by the Borrowers and the requisite number or percentage in interest of each affected Class of Lenders that would be required to consent thereto under this Section if such Class of Lenders were the only Class of Lenders hereunder at the time. Notwithstanding the foregoing, and for the avoidance of doubt, any waiver, amendment or other modification to this Agreement that has the effect of (x) waiving or reducing the application or amount of any default interest that would be due hereunder, or (y) waiving the application of any required mandatory prepayment of the Obligations pursuant to Section 2.11(c), will only require the consent or approval of the Required Lenders.
(c) The Lenders and the Issuing Bank hereby irrevocably authorize the Administrative Agent, at its option and in its sole discretion, to release any Liens granted to the Administrative Agent by the Loan Parties on any Collateral (i) upon Payment in Full of all Secured Obligations, and the cash collateralization of all Unliquidated Obligations in a manner satisfactory to each affected Lender, (ii) constituting property being sold or disposed of if the Loan Party disposing of such property certifies to the Administrative Agent that the sale or disposition is made in compliance with the terms of this Agreement (and the Administrative Agent may rely conclusively on any such certificate, without further inquiry), and to the extent that the property being sold or disposed of constitutes 100% of the Equity Interests of a Subsidiary, the Administrative Agent is authorized to release any Loan Guaranty provided by such Subsidiary, (iii) constituting property leased to a Loan Party under a lease which has expired or been terminated in a transaction permitted under this Agreement, (iv) as required to effect any sale or other disposition of such Collateral in connection with any exercise of remedies of the Administrative Agent and the Lenders pursuant to Article VII, (v) constituting Equity Interests in a CFC in excess of 65% of the issued and outstanding Equity Interests entitled to vote (within the meaning of Treas. Reg. Section 1.956-2(c)(2)) to the extent the Borrowers determine such CFC no longer constitutes a Protected CFC, or (vi) constituting Equity Interests in a Domestic Subsidiary in excess of 65% of the issued and outstanding Equity Interests entitled to vote (within the meaning of Treas. Reg. Section 1.956-2(c)(2)) to the extent the Borrowers determine such Domestic Subsidiary is a FSHCO and the Administrative Agent is authorized to release any Loan Guaranty provided by such Domestic Subsidiary. Except as provided in the preceding sentence, the Administrative Agent will not release any Liens on Collateral without the prior written authorization of the Required Lenders; provided that, the Administrative Agent may in its discretion, release its Liens on Collateral valued in the aggregate not in excess of $5,000,000 during any calendar year without the prior written authorization of the Required Lenders (it being agreed that the Administrative Agent may rely conclusively on one or more certificates of the Borrowers as to the value of any Collateral to be so released, without further inquiry). Any such release shall not in any manner discharge, affect, or impair the Obligations or any Liens (other than those expressly being released) upon (or obligations of the Loan Parties in respect of) all interests retained by the Loan Parties, including the proceeds of any sale, all of which shall continue to constitute part of the Collateral. Any execution and delivery by the Administrative Agent of documents in connection with any such release shall be without recourse to or warranty by the Administrative Agent.
(d) If, in connection with any proposed amendment, waiver or consent requiring the consent of "each Lender" or "each Lender affected thereby," the consent of the Required Lenders is obtained, but the consent of other necessary Lenders is not obtained (any such Lender whose consent is necessary but has not been obtained being referred to herein as a "Non-Consenting Lender"), then the Borrowers may elect to replace a Non-Consenting Lender as a Lender party to this Agreement, provided that, concurrently with such replacement, (i) another bank or other entity which is reasonably satisfactory to the Borrowers, the Administrative Agent and the Issuing Bank shall agree, as of such date, to purchase for cash the Loans and other Obligations due to the Non-Consenting Lender pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption and to become a Lender for all purposes under this Agreement and to assume all obligations of the Non‑Consenting Lender to be terminated as of such date and to comply with the requirements of clause (b) of Section 9.04, and (ii) the Borrowers shall pay to such Non-Consenting Lender in same day funds on the day of such replacement (1) all interest, fees and other amounts then accrued but unpaid to such Non‑Consenting Lender by the Borrowers hereunder to and including the date of termination, including without limitation payments due to such Non-Consenting Lender under Sections 2.15 and 2.17, and (2) an amount, if any, equal to the payment which would have been due to such Lender on the day of such replacement under Section 2.16 had the Loans of such Non-Consenting Lender been prepaid on such date rather than sold to the replacement Lender. Each party hereto agrees that an assignment required pursuant to this paragraph may be effected pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption executed by the Borrower Representative, the Administrative Agent and the assignee (or, to the extent applicable, an agreement incorporating an Assignment and Assumption by reference pursuant to an Approved Electronic Platform as to which the Administrative Agent and such parties are participants), and the Lender required to make such assignment need not be a party thereto in order for such assignment to be effective and shall be deemed to have consented to an be bound by the terms thereof; provided that, following the effectiveness of any such assignment, the other parties to such assignment agree to execute and deliver such documents necessary to evidence such assignment as reasonably requested by the applicable Lender, provided that any such documents shall be without recourse to or warranty by the parties thereto.
(e) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein the Administrative Agent may, with the consent of the Borrower Representative only, amend, modify or supplement this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents to cure any ambiguity, omission, mistake, defect or inconsistency.
SECTION 9.03 Expenses; Limitation of Liability; Indemnity; Etc.
(a) Expenses. The Loan Parties shall, jointly and severally, pay all (i) reasonable and documented out‑of‑pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent, and its respective Affiliates, including the reasonable and documented out-of-pocket fees, charges and disbursements of one primary counsel, applicable local counsel, and applicable specialist counsel for the Administrative Agent in connection with the syndication and distribution (including, without limitation, via the internet or through any Electronic System or Approved Electronic Platform) of the credit facilities provided for herein, the preparation and administration of the Loan Documents and any amendments, modifications or waivers of the provisions of the Loan Documents, (ii) reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Issuing Bank in connection with the issuance, amendment, renewal or extension of any Letter of Credit or any demand for payment thereunder and (iii) reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender, including the reasonable and documented out-of-pocket fees, charges and disbursements of one primary counsel, applicable local counsel, and applicable specialist counsel, in each case, for the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender and their respective Affiliates, taken as a whole, in connection with the enforcement, collection or protection of its rights in connection with the Loan Documents, including its rights under this Section, or in connection with the Loans made or Letters of Credit issued hereunder, including all such reasonable and documented out-of‑pocket expenses incurred during any workout, restructuring or negotiations in respect of such Loans or Letters of Credit. Expenses being reimbursed by the Loan Parties under this Section include, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, fees, costs and expenses incurred in connection with:
(A) appraisals and insurance reviews;
(B) field examinations and the preparation of Reports based on the fees charged by a third party retained by the Administrative Agent or the internally allocated fees for each Person employed by the Administrative Agent with respect to each field examination;
(C) background checks regarding senior management and/or key investors, as deemed necessary or appropriate in the sole discretion of the Administrative Agent;
(D) Other Taxes, fees and other charges for (1) lien and title searches and title insurance and (2) recording the mortgages, filing financing statements and continuations, and other actions to perfect, protect, and continue the Administrative Agent's Liens;
(E) sums paid or incurred to take any action required of any Loan Party under the Loan Documents that such Loan Party fails to pay or take; and
(F) forwarding loan proceeds, collecting checks and other items of payment, and establishing and maintaining the accounts and lock boxes, and costs and expenses of preserving and protecting the Collateral.
All of the foregoing fees, costs and expenses may be charged to the Borrowers as Revolving Loans or to another deposit account, all as described in Section 2.18(c).
(b) Limitation of Liability. To the extent permitted by applicable law (i) neither any Borrower nor any Loan Party shall assert, and each Borrower and each Loan Party hereby waives, any claim against the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank and any Lender, and any Related Party of any of the foregoing Persons (each such Person being called a "Lender-Related Person") for any Liabilities arising from the use by others of information or other materials (including, without limitation, any personal data) obtained through telecommunications, electronic or other information transmission systems (including the Internet), and (ii) no party hereto shall assert, and each such party hereby waives, any Liabilities against any other party hereto, on any theory of liability, for special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages) arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of, this Agreement, any other Loan Document, or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby or thereby, the Transactions, any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds thereof; provided that, nothing in this Section 9.03(b) shall relieve any Borrower or any Loan Party of any obligation it may have to indemnify an Indemnitee, as provided in Section 9.03(c), against any special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages asserted against such Indemnitee by a third party.
(c) Indemnity. The Loan Parties shall, jointly and severally, indemnify the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and each Lender, and each Related Party of any of the foregoing Persons (each such Person being called an "Indemnitee") against, and hold each Indemnitee harmless from, any and all Liabilities and related expenses, including the fees, charges and disbursements of any counsel for any Indemnitee, incurred by or asserted against any Indemnitee arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of (i) the execution or delivery of the Loan Documents or any agreement or instrument contemplated thereby, (ii) the performance by the parties hereto of their respective obligations thereunder or the consummation of the Transactions or any other transactions contemplated hereby, (iii) any Loan or Letter of Credit or the use of the proceeds therefrom (including any refusal by the Issuing Bank to honor a demand for payment under a Letter of Credit if the documents presented in connection with such demand do not strictly comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit), (iv) any actual or alleged presence or Release of Hazardous Materials on or from any property owned or operated by a Loan Party or a Subsidiary, or any Environmental Liability related in any way to a Loan Party or a Subsidiary, or (v) any actual or prospective Proceeding relating to any of the foregoing, whether or not such Proceeding is brought by any Loan Party or their respective equity holders, Affiliates, creditors or any other third Person and whether based on contract, tort or any other theory and regardless of whether any Indemnitee is a party thereto; provided that such indemnity shall not, as to any Indemnitee, be available to the extent that such Liabilities or related expenses (x) are determined by a final, non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction to have resulted from the bad faith, gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnitee, (y) result from a claim brought by a Borrower or any other Loan Party against such Indemnitee for material breach of such Indemnitee’sIndemnitee's funding obligations hereunder or under any other Loan Document by such Indemnitee if such Borrower or such other Loan Party has obtained a final non-appealable judgment in its favor on such claim as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction, or (z) arises from disputes arising solely among Indemnitees that do not involve the Administrative Agent acting in its capacity as such. This Section 9.03(c) shall not apply with respect to Taxes other than any Taxes that represent losses or damages arising from any non-Tax claim.
(d) Lender Reimbursement. Each Lender severally agrees to pay any amount required to be paid by any Loan Party under paragraphs (a), (b) or (c) of this Section 9.03 to the Administrative Agent, each Issuing Bank and the Swingline Lender, and each Related Party of any of the foregoing Persons (each, an "Agent-Related Person") (to the extent not reimbursed by a Loan Party and without limiting the obligation of any Loan Party to do so), ratably according to their respective Applicable Percentage in effect on the date on which such payment is sought under this Section (or, if such payment is sought after the date upon which the Commitments shall have terminated and the Loans shall have been paid in full, ratably in accordance with such Applicable Percentage immediately prior to such date), and agrees to indemnify and hold each Agent-Related Person harmless from and against any and all Liabilities and related expenses, including the fees, charges and disbursements of any kind whatsoever that may at any time (whether before or after the payment of the Loans) be imposed on, incurred by or asserted against such Agent-Related Person in any way relating to or arising out of the Commitments, this Agreement, any of the other Loan Documents or any documents contemplated by or referred to herein or therein or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby or any action taken or omitted by such Agent-Related Person under or in connection with any of the foregoing; provided that the unreimbursed expense or Liability or related expense, as the case may be, was incurred by or asserted against such Agent-Related Person in its capacity as such; provided, further, that no Lender shall be liable for the payment of any portion of such Liabilities, costs, expenses or disbursements that are found by a final and non‑appealable decision of a court of competent jurisdiction to have resulted primarily from such Agent-Related Person's gross negligence or willful misconduct. The agreements in this Section shall survive the termination of this Agreement and Payment in Full of the Secured Obligations.
(e) Payments. All amounts due under this Section 9.03 shall be payable not later than ten (10) Business Days after written demand therefor.
SECTION 9.04 Successors and Assigns.
(a) The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby (including any Affiliate of the Issuing Bank that issues any Letter of Credit), except that (i) no Borrower may assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of each Lender (and any attempted assignment or transfer by any Borrower without such consent shall be null and void) and (ii) no Lender may assign or otherwise transfer its rights or obligations hereunder except in accordance with this Section. Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any Person (other than the parties hereto, their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby (including any Affiliate of the Issuing Bank that issues any Letter of Credit), Participants (to the extent provided in paragraph (c) of this Section) and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Related Parties of each of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.
(b) (i) Subject to the conditions set forth in paragraph (b)(ii) below, any Lender may assign to one or more Persons (other than an Ineligible Institution) all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment, participations in Letters of Credit and the Loans at the time owing to it) with the prior written consent (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld) of:
(A) the Borrower Representative, provided that the Borrower Representative shall be deemed to have consented to any such assignment of all or a portion of the Revolving Loans and Commitments unless it shall object thereto by written notice to the Administrative Agent within ten (10) Business Days after having received notice thereof, and provided further that no consent of the Borrower Representative shall be required for an assignment to a Lender, an Affiliate of a Lender, an Approved Fund or, if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing under clause (a), (b), (d) (solely with respect to a breach of Section 6.13), (e) (solely with respect to a breach of Section 5.01(g)), (h) or (i) of Article VII, any other assignee;
(B) the Administrative Agent;
(C) the Issuing Bank; and
(D) the Swingline Lender.
(ii) Assignments shall be subject to the following additional conditions:
(A) except in the case of an assignment to a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender or an Approved Fund or an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender's Commitment or Loans of any Class, the amount of the Commitment or Loans of the assigning Lender subject to each such assignment (determined as of the date the Assignment and Assumption with respect to such assignment is delivered to the Administrative Agent) shall not be less than $5,000,000 unless each of the Borrower Representative and the Administrative Agent otherwise consent, provided that no such consent of the Borrower Representative shall be required if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing;
(B) each partial assignment shall be made as an assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender's rights and obligations under this Agreement;
(C) the parties to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent (x) an Assignment and Assumption or (y) to the extent applicable, an agreement incorporating an Assignment and Assumption by reference pursuant to an Approved Electronic Platform as to which the Administrative Agent and the parties to the Assignment and Assumption are participants, together with a processing and recordation fee of $3,500; and
(D) the assignee, if it shall not be a Lender, shall deliver to the Administrative Agent an Administrative Questionnaire in which the assignee designates one or more credit contacts to whom all syndicate-level information (which may contain material non-public information about the Company, the other Loan Parties and their Related Parties or their respective securities) will be made available and who may receive such information in accordance with the assignee's compliance procedures and applicable laws, including Federal and state securities laws.
For the purposes of this Section 9.04(b), the terms "Approved Fund" and "Ineligible Institution" have the following meanings:
"Approved Fund" means any Person (other than a natural person) that is engaged in making, purchasing, holding or investing in bank loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its business and that is administered or managed by (a) a Lender, (b) an Affiliate of a Lender or (c) an entity or an Affiliate of an entity that administers or manages a Lender.
"Ineligible Institution" means (a) a natural person, (b) a Defaulting Lender or its Lender Parent, (c) a company, investment vehicle or trust for, or owned and operated for the primary benefit of, a natural person or relative(s) thereof; provided that, with respect to clause (c), such company, investment vehicle or trust shall not constitute an Ineligible Institution if it (x) has not been established for the primary purpose of acquiring any Loans or Commitments, (y) is managed by a professional advisor, who is not such natural person or a relative thereof, having significant experience in the business of making or purchasing commercial loans, and (z) has assets greater than $25,000,000 and a significant part of its activities consist of making or purchasing commercial loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of its business or (d) a Loan Party or a Subsidiary or other Affiliate of a Loan Party.
(iii) Subject to acceptance and recording thereof pursuant to paragraph (b)(iv) of this Section, from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Assumption, the assignee thereunder shall be a party hereto and, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, have the rights and obligations of a Lender under this Agreement, and the assigning Lender thereunder shall, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and Assumption covering all of the assigning Lender's rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.15, 2.16, 2.17 and 9.03). Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this Section shall be treated for purposes of this Agreement as a sale by such Lender of a participation in such rights and obligations in accordance with paragraph (c) of this Section.
(iv) The Administrative Agent, acting for this purpose as a non-fiduciary agent of the Borrowers, shall maintain at one of its offices a copy of each Assignment and Assumption delivered to it and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders, and the Commitment of, and principal amount (and stated interest) of the Loans and LC Disbursements owing to, each Lender pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the "Register"). The entries in the Register shall be conclusive, and the Borrowers, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register pursuant to the terms hereof as a Lender hereunder for all purposes of this Agreement, notwithstanding notice to the contrary. The Register shall be available for inspection by the Borrowers, the Issuing Bank and any Lender, at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior notice.
(v) Upon its receipt of (x) a duly completed Assignment and Assumption executed by an assigning Lender and an assignee or (y) to the extent applicable, an agreement incorporating an Assignment and Assumption by reference pursuant to an Approved Electronic Platform as to which the Administrative Agent and the parties to the Assignment and Assumption are participants, the assignee's completed Administrative Questionnaire (unless the assignee shall already be a Lender hereunder), the processing and recordation fee referred to in paragraph (b) of this Section and any written consent to such assignment required by paragraph (b) of this Section, the Administrative Agent shall accept such Assignment and Assumption and record the information contained therein in the Register; provided that if either the assigning Lender or the assignee shall have failed to make any payment required to be made by it pursuant to Section 2.05, 2.06(d) or (e), 2.07(b), 2.18(d) or 9.03(d), the Administrative Agent shall have no obligation to accept such Assignment and Assumption and record the information therein in the Register unless and until such payment shall have been made in full, together with all accrued interest thereon. No assignment shall be effective for purposes of this Agreement unless it has been recorded in the Register as provided in this paragraph.
(c) Any Lender may, without the consent of, or notice to, the Borrowers, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or the Swingline Lender, sell participations to one or more banks or other entities other than an Ineligible Institution (a "Participant") in all or a portion of such Lender's rights and obligations under this Agreement (including all or a portion of its Commitment and/or the Loans owing to it); provided that (i) such Lender's obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged; (ii) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations; and (iii) the Borrowers, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the other Lenders shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender's rights and/or obligations under this Agreement. Any agreement or instrument pursuant to which a Lender sells such a participation shall provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce this Agreement and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement; provided that such agreement or instrument may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment, modification or waiver described in the first proviso to Section 9.02(b) that affects such Participant. The Borrowers agree that each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Sections 2.15, 2.16 and 2.17 (subject to the requirements and limitations therein, including the requirements under Section 2.17(f) (it being understood that the documentation required under Section 2.17(f) shall be delivered to the participating Lender)) to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section; provided that such Participant (A) agrees to be subject to the provisions of Sections 2.18 and 2.19 as if it were an assignee under paragraph (b) of this Section; and (B) shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Section 2.15 or 2.17, with respect to any participation, than its participating Lender would have been entitled to receive, except to the extent such entitlement to receive a greater payment results from a Change in Law that occurs after the Participant acquired the applicable participation.
Each Lender that sells a participation agrees, at the Borrowers' request and expense, to use reasonable efforts to cooperate with the Borrowers to effectuate the provisions of Section 2.19(b) with respect to any Participant. To the extent permitted by law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 9.08 as though it were a Lender, provided such Participant agrees to be subject to Section 2.18(b) as though it were a Lender. Each Lender that sells a participation shall, acting solely for this purpose as a non-fiduciary agent of the Borrowers, maintain a register on which it enters the name and address of each Participant and the principal amounts (and stated interest) of each Participant's interest in the Loans or other obligations under this Agreement or any other Loan Document (the "Participant Register"); provided that no Lender shall have any obligation to disclose all or any portion of the Participant Register (including the identity of any Participant or any information relating to a Participant's interest in any Commitments, Loans, Letters of Credit or its other obligations under any Loan Document) to any Person except to the extent that such disclosure is necessary to establish that such Commitment, Loan, Letter of Credit or other obligation is in registered form under the Code, including Section 5f.103-1(c) of the United States Treasury Regulations, Section 1.163-5 of the Proposed United States Treasury Regulations or any applicable temporary or other successor regulation of the United States Treasury Regulations. The entries in the Participant Register shall be conclusive absent manifest error, and such Lender shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Participant Register as the owner of such participation for all purposes of this Agreement notwithstanding any notice to the contrary. For the avoidance of doubt, the Administrative Agent (in its capacity as Administrative Agent) shall have no responsibility for maintaining a Participant Register. It is intended that the Register and each Participant Register be maintained such that the Loans are in "registered form" for the purposes of the Code.
(d) Any Lender may at any time pledge or assign a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement to secure obligations of such Lender, including without limitation any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank, and this Section shall not apply to any such pledge or assignment of a security interest; provided that no such pledge or assignment of a security interest shall release a Lender from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender as a party hereto.
SECTION 9.05 Survival. All covenants, agreements, representations and warranties made by the Loan Parties in the Loan Documents and in the certificates or other instru-ments delivered in connection with or pursuant to this Agreement or any other Loan Document shall be considered to have been relied upon by the other parties hereto and shall survive the execution and delivery of the Loan Documents and the making of any Loans and issuance of any Letters of Credit, regardless of any investigation made by any such other party or on its behalf and notwithstanding that the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of any Default or incorrect representation or warranty at the time any credit is extended hereunder, and shall continue in full force and effect as long as the principal of or any accrued interest on any Loan or any fee or any other amount payable under this Agreement is outstand-ing and unpaid or any Letter of Credit is outstanding and so long as the Commitments have not expired or terminated. The provisions of Sections 2.15, 2.16, 2.17 and 9.03 and Article VIII shall survive and remain in full force and effect regardless of the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, the repayment of the Loans, the expiration or termination of the Letters of Credit and the Commitments or the termination of this Agreement or any other Loan Document or any provision hereof or thereof.
SECTION 9.06 Counterparts; Integration; Effectiveness; Electronic Execution.
(a) This Agreement may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto on different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. This Agreement, the other Loan Documents and any separate letter agreements with respect to fees payable to the Administrative Agent constitute the entire contract among the parties relating to the subject matter hereof and supersede any and all previous agreements and understandings, oral or written, relating to the subject matter hereof. Except as provided in Section 4.01, this Agreement shall become effective when it shall have been executed by the Administrative Agent and when the Administrative Agent shall have received counterparts hereof which, when taken together, bear the signatures of each of the other parties hereto, and thereafter shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns.
(b) Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of (x) this Agreement, (y) any other Loan Document and/or (z) any document, amendment, approval, consent, information, notice (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any notice delivered pursuant to Section 9.01), certificate, request, statement, disclosure or authorization related to this Agreement, any other Loan Document and/or the transactions contemplated hereby and/or thereby (each an "Ancillary Document") that is an Electronic Signature transmitted by facsimile, emailed pdf. or any other electronic means that reproduces an image of an actual executed signature page shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement, such other Loan Document or such Ancillary Document, as applicable. The words "execution," "signed," "signature," "delivery," and words of like import in or relating to this Agreement, any other Loan Document and/or any Ancillary Document shall be deemed to include Electronic Signatures, deliveries or the keeping of records in any electronic form (including deliveries by facsimile, emailed pdf. or any other electronic means that reproduces an image of an actual executed signature page), each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature, physical delivery thereof or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be; provided that nothing herein shall require the Administrative Agent to accept Electronic Signatures in any form or format without its prior written consent and pursuant to procedures approved by it; provided, further, without limiting the foregoing, (i) to the extent the Administrative Agent has agreed to accept any Electronic Signature, the Administrative Agent and each of the Lenders shall be entitled to rely on such Electronic Signature purportedly given by or on behalf of any Borrower or any other Loan Party without further verification thereof and without any obligation to review the appearance or form of any such Electronic Signature and (ii) upon the request of the Administrative Agent or any Lender, any Electronic Signature shall be promptly followed by a manually executed counterpart. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, each Borrower and each Loan Party hereby (A) agrees that, for all purposes, including without limitation, in connection with any workout, restructuring, enforcement of remedies, bankruptcy proceedings or litigation among the Administrative Agent, the Lenders, the Borrowers and the Loan Parties, Electronic Signatures transmitted by facsimile, emailed pdf. or any other electronic means that reproduces an image of an actual executed signature page and/or any electronic images of this Agreement, any other Loan Document and/or any Ancillary Document shall have the same legal effect, validity and enforceability as any paper original, (B) the Administrative Agent and each of the Lenders may, at its option, create one or more copies of this Agreement, any other Loan Document and/or any Ancillary Document in the form of an imaged electronic record in any format, which shall be deemed created in the ordinary course of such Person's business, and destroy the original paper document (and all such electronic records shall be considered an original for all purposes and shall have the same legal effect, validity and enforceability as a paper record), (C) waives any argument, defense or right to contest the legal effect, validity or enforceability of this Agreement, any other Loan Document and/or any Ancillary Document based solely on the lack of paper original copies of this Agreement, such other Loan Document and/or such Ancillary Document, respectively, including with respect to any signature pages thereto and (D) waives any claim against any Lender-Related Person for any Liabilities arising solely from the Administrative Agent's and/or any Lender's reliance on or use of Electronic Signatures and/or transmissions by facsimile, emailed pdf. or any other electronic means that reproduces an image of an actual executed signature page, including any Liabilities arising as a result of the failure of any Borrower and/or any Loan Party to use any available security measures in connection with the execution, delivery or transmission of any Electronic Signature.
SECTION 9.07 Severability. Any provision of any Loan Document held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability without affecting the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions thereof; and the invalidity of a particular provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate such provision in any other jurisdiction.
SECTION 9.08 Right of Setoff. If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, each Lender, the Issuing Bank and each of their respective Affiliates is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, to the fullest extent permitted by law, to set off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final) at any time held, and other obligations at any time owing, by such Lender, the Issuing Bank or any such Affiliate, to or for the credit or the account of any Loan Party against any and all of the Secured Obligations held by such Lender, the Issuing Bank or their respective Affiliates, irrespective of whether or not such Lender, the Issuing Bank or their respective Affiliates shall have made any demand under the Loan Documents and although such obligations may be contingent or unmatured or are owed to a branch office or Affiliate of such Lender or the Issuing Bank different from the branch office or Affiliate holding such deposit or obligated on such indebtedness; provided that in the event that any Defaulting Lender shall exercise any such right of setoff, (x) all amounts so set off shall be paid over immediately to the Administrative Agent for further application in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.20 and, pending such payment, shall be segregated by such Defaulting Lender from its other funds and deemed held in trust for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank, and the Lenders, and (y) the Defaulting Lender shall provide promptly to the Administrative Agent a statement describing in reasonable detail the Secured Obligations owing to such Defaulting Lender as to which it exercised such right of setoff. The applicable Lender, the Issuing Bank or such Affiliate shall notify the Borrower Representative and the Administrative Agent of such setoff or application, provided that any failure to give or any delay in giving such notice shall not affect the validity of any such setoff or application under this Section. The rights of each Lender, the Issuing Bank and their respective Affiliates under this Section are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff) that such Lender, the Issuing Bank or their respective Affiliates may have.
SECTION 9.09 Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Consent to Service of Process.
(a) The Loan Documents (other than those containing a contrary express choice of law provision) shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York, but giving effect to federal laws applicable to national banks.
(b) Each of the Lenders and the Administrative Agent hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees that, notwithstanding the governing law provisions of any applicable Loan Document, any claims brought against the Administrative Agent by any Secured Party relating to this Agreement, any other Loan Document, the Collateral or the consummation or administration of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the law of the State of New York.
(c) Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally submits, for itself and its property, to the exclusive jurisdiction of any U.S. federal or New York state court sitting in New York, New York, and any appellate court from any thereof, in any action or proceeding arising out of or relating to any Loan Documents, the transactions relating hereto or thereto, or for recognition or enforcement of any judgment, and each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees that all claims in respect of any such action or proceeding may (and any such claims, cross-claims or third party claims brought against the Administrative Agent or any of its Related Parties may only) be heard and determined in such New York State or, to the extent permitted by law, in such Federal court. Each of the parties hereto agrees that a final judgment in any such action or proceeding shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by law. Nothing in this Agreement or any other Loan Document shall affect any right that the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender may otherwise have to bring any action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document against any Loan Party or its properties in the courts of any jurisdiction.
(d) Each Loan Party hereby irrevocably and unconditionally waives, to the fullest extent it may legally and effectively do so, any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document in any court referred to in paragraph (c) of this Section. Each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the defense of an inconvenient forum to the maintenance of such action or proceeding in any such court.
(e) Each party to this Agreement irrevocably consents to service of process in the manner provided for notices in Section 9.01. Nothing in this Agreement or any other Loan Document will affect the right of any party to this Agreement to serve process in any other manner permitted by law.
SECTION 9.10 WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT, ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY). EACH PARTY HERETO (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE OR OTHER AGENT (INCLUDING ANY ATTORNEY) OF ANY OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTIES HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREE-MENT BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION.
SECTION 9.11 Headings. Article and Section headings and the Table of Contents used herein are for convenience of reference only, are not part of this Agreement and shall not affect the construction of, or be taken into consideration in interpreting, this Agreement.
SECTION 9.12 Confidentiality. Each of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the Information (as defined below), except that Information may be disclosed (a) to its and its Affiliates' directors, officers, employees and agents, including accountants, legal counsel and other advisors (it being understood that the Persons to whom such disclosure is made will be informed of the confidential nature of such Information and instructed to keep such Information confidential), (b) to the extent requested by any Governmental Authority (including any self-regulatory authority, such as the National Association of Insurance Commissioners), (c) to the extent required by any Requirement of Law or by any subpoena or similar legal process, (d) to any other party to this Agreement, (e) in connection with the exercise of any remedies under this Agreement or any other Loan Document or any suit, action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or the enforcement of rights hereunder or thereunder, (f) subject to an agreement containing provisions substantially the same as those of this Section, to (i) any assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective assignee of or Participant in, any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement or (ii) any actual or prospective counterparty (or its advisors) to any swap or derivative transaction relating to the Loan Parties and their obligations, (g) with the consent of the Borrower Representative or (h) to the extent such Information (i) becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section or (ii) becomes available to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender on a non-confidential basis from a source other than the Borrowers, or (i) on a confidential basis to (1) any rating agency in connection with rating any Borrower or its Subsidiaries or the credit facilities provided for herein or (2) the CUSIP Service Bureau or any similar agency in connection with the issuance and monitoring of identification numbers with respect to the credit facilities provided for herein.
For the purposes of this Section, "Information" means all information received from the Borrowers relating to the Borrowers or their business, other than any such information that is available to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender on a non-confidential basis prior to disclosure by the Borrowers and other than information pertaining to this Agreement provided by arrangers to data service providers, including league table providers, that serve the lending industry; provided that, in the case of information received from the Borrowers after the date hereof, such information is clearly identified at the time of delivery as confidential. Any Person required to maintain the confidentiality of Information as provided in this Section shall be considered to have complied with its obligation to do so if such Person has exercised the same degree of care to maintain the confidentiality of such Information as such Person would accord to its own confidential information.
EACH LENDER ACKNOWLEDGES THAT INFORMATION (AS DEFINED IN THIS SECTION 9.12) FURNISHED TO IT PURSUANT TO THIS AGREEMENT MAY INCLUDE MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION CONCERNING THE COMPANY, AND ITS AFFILIATES, THE OTHER LOAN PARTIES AND THEIR RELATED PARTIES OR THEIR RESPECTIVE SECURITIES, AND CONFIRMS THAT IT HAS DEVELOPED COMPLIANCE PROCEDURES REGARDING THE USE OF MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION AND THAT IT WILL HANDLE SUCH MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THOSE PROCEDURES AND APPLICABLE LAW, INCLUDING FEDERAL AND STATE SECURITIES LAWS.
ALL INFORMATION, INCLUDING REQUESTS FOR WAIVERS AND AMENDMENTS, FURNISHED BY THE BORROWERS OR THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT PURSUANT TO, OR IN THE COURSE OF ADMINISTERING, THIS AGREEMENT WILL BE SYNDICATE-LEVEL INFORMATION, WHICH MAY CONTAIN MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION ABOUT THE COMPANY, THE LOAN PARTIES AND THEIR RELATED PARTIES OR THEIR RESPECTIVE SECURITIES. ACCORDINGLY, EACH LENDER REPRESENTS TO THE BORROWERS AND THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT THAT IT HAS IDENTIFIED IN ITS ADMINISTRATIVE QUESTIONNAIRE A CREDIT CONTACT WHO MAY RECEIVE INFORMATION THAT MAY CONTAIN MATERIAL NON-PUBLIC INFORMATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH ITS COMPLIANCE PROCEDURES AND APPLICABLE LAW, INCLUDING FEDERAL AND STATE SECURITIES LAWS.
SECTION 9.13 Several Obligations; Nonreliance; Violation of Law. The respective obligations of the Lenders hereunder are several and not joint and the failure of any Lender to make any Loan or perform any of its obligations hereunder shall not relieve any other Lender from any of its obligations hereunder. Each Lender hereby represents that it is not relying on or looking to any margin stock (as defined in Regulation U of the Federal Reserve Board) for the repayment of the Borrowings provided for herein. Anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, neither the Issuing Bank nor any Lender shall be obligated to extend credit to the Borrowers in violation of any Requirement of Law.
SECTION 9.14 USA PATRIOT Act. Each Lender that is subject to the requirements of the USA PATRIOT Act hereby notifies each Loan Party that pursuant to the requirements of the USA PATRIOT Act, it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies such Loan Party, which information includes the name and address of such Loan Party and other information that will allow such Lender to identify such Loan Party in accordance with the USA PATRIOT Act.
SECTION 9.15 Disclosure. Each Loan Party, each Lender and the Issuing Bank hereby acknowledges and agrees that the Administrative Agent and/or its Affiliates from time to time may hold investments in, make other loans to or have other relationships with any of the Loan Parties and their respective Affiliates.
SECTION 9.16 Appointment for Perfection. Each Lender hereby appoints each other Lender as its agent for the purpose of perfecting Liens, for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the other Secured Parties, in assets which, in accordance with Article 9 of the UCC or any other applicable law can be perfected only by possession or control. Should any Lender (other than the Administrative Agent) obtain possession or control of any such Collateral, such Lender shall notify the Administrative Agent thereof, and, promptly upon the Administrative Agent's request therefor shall deliver such Collateral to the Administrative Agent or otherwise deal with such Collateral in accordance with the Administrative Agent's instructions.
SECTION 9.17 Interest Rate Limitation. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if at any time the interest rate applicable to any Loan, together with all fees, charges and other amounts which are treated as interest on such Loan under applicable law (collectively the "Charges"), shall exceed the maximum lawful rate (the "Maximum Rate") which may be contracted for, charged, taken, received or reserved by the Lender holding such Loan in accordance with applicable law, the rate of interest payable in respect of such Loan hereunder, together with all Charges payable in respect thereof, shall be limited to the Maximum Rate and, to the extent lawful, the interest and Charges that would have been payable in respect of such Loan but were not payable as a result of the operation of this Section shall be cumulated and the interest and Charges payable to such Lender in respect of other Loans or periods shall be increased (but not above the Maximum Rate therefor) until such cumulated amount, together with interest thereon at the NYFRB Rate to the date of repayment, shall have been received by such Lender.
SECTION 9.18 Marketing Consent. The Borrowers hereby authorize JPMCB and its affiliates (collectively, the "JPMCB Parties"), at their respective sole expense, and without any prior approval by the Borrowers, to include any Borrower's name and logo in advertising, marketing, tombstones, case studies and training materials, and to give such other publicity to this Agreement as the JPMCB Parties may from time to time determine in their sole discretion. The foregoing authorization shall remain in effect unless and until the Borrower Representative notifies JPMCB in writing that such authorization is revoked.
SECTION 9.19 Acknowledgement and Consent to Bail-In of Affected Financial Institutions. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any Loan Document or in any other agreement, arrangement or understanding among any such parties, each party hereto acknowledges that any liability of any Affected Financial Institution arising under any Loan Document may be subject to the Write-Down and Conversion Powers of the applicable Resolution Authority and agrees and consents to, and acknowledges and agrees to be bound by:
(a) the application of any Write-Down and Conversion Powers by the applicable Resolution Authority to any such liabilities arising hereunder which may be payable to it by any party hereto that is an Affected Financial Institution; and
(b) the effects of any Bail-In Action on any such liability, including, if applicable:
(i) a reduction in full or in part or cancellation of any such liability;
(ii) a conversion of all, or a portion of, such liability into shares or other instruments of ownership in such Affected Financial Institution, its parent entity, or a bridge institution that may be issued to it or otherwise conferred on it, and that such shares or other instruments of ownership will be accepted by it in lieu of any rights with respect to any such liability under this Agreement or any other Loan Document; or
(iii) the variation of the terms of such liability in connection with the exercise of the Write-Down and Conversion Powers of the applicable Resolution Authority.
SECTION 9.20 No Fiduciary Duty, Etc.
(a) Each Borrower acknowledges and agrees, and acknowledges its Subsidiaries' understanding, that no Credit Party will have any obligations except those obligations expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents and each Credit Party is acting solely in the capacity of an arm's length contractual counterparty to each Borrower with respect to the Loan Documents and the transactions contemplated herein and therein and not as a financial advisor or a fiduciary to, or an agent of, any Borrower or any other person. Each Borrower agrees that it will not assert any claim against any Credit Party based on an alleged breach of fiduciary duty by such Credit Party in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby. Additionally, each Borrower acknowledges and agrees that no Credit Party is advising any Borrower as to any legal, tax, investment, accounting, regulatory or any other matters in any jurisdiction. Each Borrower shall consult with its own advisors concerning such matters and shall be responsible for making its own independent investigation and appraisal of the transactions contemplated herein or in the other Loan Documents, and the Credit Parties shall have no responsibility or liability to any Borrower with respect thereto.
(b) Each Borrower further acknowledges and agrees, and acknowledges its Subsidiaries' understanding, that each Credit Party, together with its Affiliates, is a full service securities or banking firm engaged in securities trading and brokerage activities as well as providing investment banking and other financial services. In the ordinary course of business, any Credit Party may provide investment banking and other financial services to, and/or acquire, hold or sell, for its own accounts and the accounts of customers, equity, debt and other securities and financial instruments (including bank loans and other obligations) of, any Borrower and other companies with which any Borrower may have commercial or other relationships. With respect to any securities and/or financial instruments so held by any Credit Party or any of its customers, all rights in respect of such securities and financial instruments, including any voting rights, will be exercised by the holder of the rights, in its sole discretion.
(c) In addition, each Borrower acknowledges and agrees, and acknowledges its Subsidiaries' understanding, that each Credit Party and its affiliates may be providing debt financing, equity capital or other services (including financial advisory services) to other companies in respect of which a Borrower may have conflicting interests regarding the transactions described herein and otherwise. No Credit Party will use confidential information obtained from any Borrower by virtue of the transactions contemplated by the Loan Documents or its other relationships with such Borrower in connection with the performance by such Credit Party of services for other companies, and no Credit Party will furnish any such information to other companies. Each Borrower also acknowledges that no Credit Party has any obligation to use in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Loan Documents, or to furnish to any Borrower, confidential information obtained from other companies.
SECTION 9.21 Acknowledgement Regarding Any Supported QFCs. To the extent that the Loan Documents provide support, through a guarantee or otherwise, for Swap Agreements or any other agreement or instrument that is a QFC (such support "QFC Credit Support" and each such QFC a "Supported QFC"), the parties acknowledge and agree as follows with respect to the resolution power of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation under the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and Title II of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (together with the regulations promulgated thereunder, the "U.S. Special Resolution Regimes") in respect of such Supported QFC and QFC Credit Support (with the provisions below applicable notwithstanding that the Loan Documents and any Supported QFC may in fact be stated to be governed by the laws of the State of New York and/or of the United States or any other state of the United States):
In the event a Covered Entity that is party to a Supported QFC (each, a "Covered Party") becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, the transfer of such Supported QFC and the benefit of such QFC Credit Support (and any interest and obligation in or under such Supported QFC and such QFC Credit Support, and any rights in property securing such Supported QFC or such QFC Credit Support) from such Covered Party will be effective to the same extent as the transfer would be effective under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if the Supported QFC and such QFC Credit Support (and any such interest, obligation and rights in property) were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States. In the event a Covered Party or a BHC Act Affiliate of a Covered Party becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights under the Loan Documents that might otherwise apply to such Supported QFC or any QFC Credit Support that may be exercised against such Covered Party are permitted to be exercised to no greater extent than such Default Rights could be exercised under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if the Supported QFC and the Loan Documents were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States. Without limitation of the foregoing, it is understood and agreed that rights and remedies of the parties with respect to a Defaulting Lender shall in no event affect the rights of any Covered Party with respect to a Supported QFC or any QFC Credit Support.
SECTION 9.22 Joint and Several. Each Borrower hereby unconditionally and irrevocably agrees it is jointly and severally liable to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Banks and the Lenders for the Secured Obligations. In furtherance thereof, each Borrower agrees that wherever in this Agreement it is provided that a Borrower is liable for a payment, such obligation is the joint and several obligation of each Borrower. Each Borrower acknowledges and agrees that its joint and several liability under this Agreement and the Loan Documents is absolute and unconditional and shall not in any manner be affected or impaired by any acts or omissions whatsoever by the Administrative Agent, any Issuing Bank, any Lender or any other Person. Each Borrower's liability for the Secured Obligations shall not in any manner be impaired or affected by who receives or uses the proceeds of the credit extended hereunder or for what purposes such proceeds are used, and each Borrower waives notice of borrowing requests issued by, and loans or other extensions of credit made to, other Borrowers. Each Borrower hereby agrees not to exercise or enforce any right of exoneration, contribution, reimbursement, recourse or subrogation available to such Borrower against any party liable for payment under this Agreement and the Loan Documents unless and until the Administrative Agent, each Issuing Bank and each Lender have been paid in full and all of the Secured Obligations are satisfied and discharged following termination or expiration of all commitments of the Lenders to extend credit to the Borrowers. Each Borrower's joint and several liability hereunder with respect to the Secured Obligations shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, be the unconditional liability of such Borrower irrespective of (i) the validity, enforceability, avoidance or subordination of any of the Secured Obligations or of any other document evidencing all or any part of the Secured Obligations, (ii) the absence of any attempt to collect any of the Secured Obligations from any other Loan Party or any Collateral or other security therefor, or the absence of any other action to enforce the same, (iii) the amendment, modification, waiver, consent, extension, forbearance or granting of any indulgence by the Administrative Agent or any Lender with respect to any provision of any instrument executed by any other Loan Party evidencing or securing the payment of any of the Secured Obligations, or any other agreement now or hereafter executed by any other Loan Party and delivered to the Administrative Agent, (iv) the failure by the Administrative Agent or any Lender to take any steps to perfect or maintain the perfected status of its Lien upon, or to preserve its rights to, any of the Collateral or other security for the payment or performance of any of the Secured Obligations or the Administrative Agent's release of any Collateral or of its Liens upon any Collateral, (v) the release or compromise, in whole or in part, of the liability of any other Loan Party for the payment of any of the Secured Obligations, (vi) any increase in the amount of the Secured Obligations beyond any limits imposed herein or in the amount of any interest, fees or other charges payable in connection therewith, in each case, if consented to by any other Borrower, or any decrease in the same, or (vii) any other circumstance that might constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of any Loan Party. After the occurrence and during the continuance of any Event of Default, the Administrative Agent may proceed directly and at once, without notice to any Borrower, against any or all of Loan Parties to collect and recover all or any part of the Secured Obligations, without first proceeding against any other Loan Party or against any Collateral or other security for the payment or performance of any of the Secured Obligations, and each Borrower waives any provision that might otherwise require the Administrative Agent or the Lenders under applicable law to pursue or exhaust remedies against any Collateral or other Loan Party before pursuing such Borrower or its property. Each Borrower consents and agrees that neither the Administrative Agent nor any Lender shall be under any obligation to marshal any assets in favor of any Loan Party or against or in payment of any or all of the Secured Obligations.
ARTICLE 10
Loan Guaranty
SECTION 10.01 Guaranty. Each Loan Guarantor (other than those that have delivered a separate Guaranty) hereby agrees that it is jointly and severally liable for, and, as a primary obligor and not merely as surety, absolutely, unconditionally and irrevocably guarantees to the Secured Parties, the prompt payment when due, whether at stated maturity, upon acceleration or otherwise, and at all times thereafter, of the Secured Obligations and all costs and expenses, including, without limitation, all court costs and attorneys' and paralegals' fees (including allocated costs of in-house counsel and paralegals) and expenses paid or incurred by the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders in endeavoring to collect all or any part of the Secured Obligations from, or in prosecuting any action against, any Borrower, any Loan Guarantor or any other guarantor of all or any part of the Secured Obligations (such costs and expenses, together with the Secured Obligations, collectively the "Guaranteed Obligations"; provided, however, that the definition of "Guaranteed Obligations" shall not create any guarantee by any Loan Guarantor of (or grant of security interest by any Loan Guarantor to support, as applicable) any Excluded Swap Obligations of such Loan Guarantor for purposes of determining any obligations of any Loan Guarantor). Each Loan Guarantor further agrees that the Guaranteed Obligations may be extended or renewed in whole or in part without notice to or further assent from it, and that it remains bound upon its guarantee notwithstanding any such extension or renewal. All terms of this Loan Guaranty apply to and may be enforced by or on behalf of any domestic or foreign branch or Affiliate of any Lender that extended any portion of the Guaranteed Obligations.
SECTION 10.02 Guaranty of Payment. This Loan Guaranty is a guaranty of payment and not of collection. Each Loan Guarantor waives any right to require the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender to sue any Borrower, any other Loan Guarantor, any other guarantor of, or any other Person obligated for, all or any part of the Guaranteed Obligations (each, an "Obligated Party"), or otherwise to enforce its payment against any collateral securing all or any part of the Guaranteed Obligations.
SECTION 10.03 No Discharge or Diminishment of Loan Guaranty.
(a) Except as otherwise provided for herein, the obligations of each Loan Guarantor hereunder are unconditional and absolute and not subject to any reduction, limitation, impairment or termination for any reason (other than Payment in Full of the Guaranteed Obligations), including: (i) any claim of waiver, release, extension, renewal, settlement, surrender, alteration or compromise of any of the Guaranteed Obligations, by operation of law or otherwise; (ii) any change in the corporate existence, structure or ownership of any Borrower or any other Obligated Party liable for any of the Guaranteed Obligations; (iii) any insolvency, bankruptcy, reorganization or other similar proceeding affecting any Obligated Party or their assets or any resulting release or discharge of any obligation of any Obligated Party; or (iv) the existence of any claim, setoff or other rights which any Loan Guarantor may have at any time against any Obligated Party, the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank, any Lender or any other Person, whether in connection herewith or in any unrelated transactions.
(b) The obligations of each Loan Guarantor hereunder are not subject to any defense or setoff, counterclaim, recoupment or termination whatsoever by reason of the invalidity, illegality or unenforceability of any of the Guaranteed Obligations or otherwise, or any provision of applicable law or regulation purporting to prohibit payment by any Obligated Party, of the Guaranteed Obligations or any part thereof.
(c) Further, the obligations of any Loan Guarantor hereunder are not discharged or impaired or otherwise affected by: (i) the failure of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender to assert any claim or demand or to enforce any remedy with respect to all or any part of the Guaranteed Obligations; (ii) any waiver or modification of or supplement to any provision of any agreement relating to the Guaranteed Obligations; (iii) any release, non-perfection or invalidity of any indirect or direct security for the obligations of any Borrower for all or any part of the Guaranteed Obligations or any obligations of any other Obligated Party liable for any of the Guaranteed Obligations; (iv) any action or failure to act by the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender with respect to any collateral securing any part of the Guaranteed Obligations; or (v) any default, failure or delay, willful or otherwise, in the payment or performance of any of the Guaranteed Obligations, or any other circumstance, act, omission or delay that might in any manner or to any extent vary the risk of such Loan Guarantor or that would otherwise operate as a discharge of any Loan Guarantor as a matter of law or equity (other than Payment in Full of the Guaranteed Obligations).
SECTION 10.04 Defenses Waived. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, each Loan Guarantor hereby waives any defense based on or arising out of any defense of any Borrower or any Loan Guarantor or the unenforceability of all or any part of the Guaranteed Obligations from any cause, or the cessation from any cause of the liability of any Borrower, any Loan Guarantor or any other Obligated Party, other than Payment in Full of the Guaranteed Obligations. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, each Loan Guarantor irrevocably waives acceptance hereof, presentment, demand, protest and, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any notice not provided for herein, as well as any requirement that at any time any action be taken by any Person against any Obligated Party or any other Person. Each Loan Guarantor confirms that it is not a surety under any state law and shall not raise any such law as a defense to its obligations hereunder. The Administrative Agent may, at its election, foreclose on any Collateral held by it by one or more judicial or nonjudicial sales, accept an assignment of any such Collateral in lieu of foreclosure or otherwise act or fail to act with respect to any collateral securing all or a part of the Guaranteed Obligations, compromise or adjust any part of the Guaranteed Obligations, make any other accommodation with any Obligated Party or exercise any other right or remedy available to it against any Obligated Party, without affecting or impairing in any way the liability of such Loan Guarantor under this Loan Guaranty except to the extent the Guaranteed Obligations have been Paid in Full. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, each Loan Guarantor waives any defense arising out of any such election even though that election may operate, pursuant to applicable law, to impair or extinguish any right of reimbursement or subrogation or other right or remedy of any Loan Guarantor against any Obligated Party or any security.
SECTION 10.05 Rights of Subrogation. No Loan Guarantor will assert any right, claim or cause of action, including, without limitation, a claim of subrogation, contribution or indemnification, that it has against any Obligated Party or any collateral, until the Loan Parties and the Loan Guarantors have fully performed all their obligations to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders.
SECTION 10.06 Reinstatement; Stay of Acceleration. If at any time any payment of any portion of the Guaranteed Obligations (including a payment effected through exercise of a right of setoff) is rescinded, or must otherwise be restored or returned upon the insolvency, bankruptcy or reorganization of any Borrower or otherwise (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by a Secured Party in its discretion), each Loan Guarantor's obligations under this Loan Guaranty with respect to that payment shall be reinstated at such time as though the payment had not been made and whether or not the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders are in possession of this Loan Guaranty. If acceleration of the time for payment of any of the Guaranteed Obligations is stayed upon the insolvency, bankruptcy or reorganization of any Borrower, all such amounts otherwise subject to acceleration under the terms of any agreement relating to the Guaranteed Obligations shall nonetheless be payable by the Loan Guarantors forthwith on demand by the Administrative Agent.
SECTION 10.07 Information. Each Loan Guarantor assumes all responsibility for being and keeping itself informed of the Borrowers' financial condition and assets, and of all other circumstances bearing upon the risk of nonpayment of the Guaranteed Obligations and the nature, scope and extent of the risks that each Loan Guarantor assumes and incurs under this Loan Guaranty, and agrees that none of the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank or any Lender shall have any duty to advise any Loan Guarantor of information known to it regarding those circumstances or risks.
SECTION 10.08 Termination. Each of the Lenders and the Issuing Bank may continue to make loans or extend credit to the Borrowers based on this Loan Guaranty until five (5) days after it receives written notice of termination from any Loan Guarantor. Notwithstanding receipt of any such notice, each Loan Guarantor will continue to be liable to the Lenders for any Guaranteed Obligations created, assumed or committed to prior to the fifth day after receipt of the notice, and all subsequent renewals, extensions, modifications and amendments with respect to, or substitutions for, all or any part of such Guaranteed Obligations. Nothing in this Section 10.08 shall be deemed to constitute a waiver of, or eliminate, limit, reduce or otherwise impair any rights or remedies the Administrative Agent or any Lender may have in respect of, any Default or Event of Default that shall exist under clause (o) of Article VII hereof as a result of any such notice of termination.
SECTION 10.09 [Reserved]
SECTION 10.10 Maximum Liability. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Loan Guaranty, the amount guaranteed by each Loan Guarantor hereunder shall be limited to the extent, if any, required so that its obligations hereunder shall not be subject to avoidance under Section 548 of the Bankruptcy Code or under any applicable state Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act, Uniform Fraudulent Conveyance Act, Uniform Voidable Transactions Act or similar statute or common law. In determining the limitations, if any, on the amount of any Loan Guarantor's obligations hereunder pursuant to the preceding sentence, it is the intention of the parties hereto that any rights of subrogation, indemnification or contribution which such Loan Guarantor may have under this Loan Guaranty, any other agreement or applicable law shall be taken into account.
SECTION 10.11 Contribution.
(a) To the extent that any Loan Guarantor shall make a payment under this Loan Guaranty (a "Guarantor Payment") which, taking into account all other Guarantor Payments then previously or concurrently made by any other Loan Guarantor, exceeds the amount which otherwise would have been paid by or attributable to such Loan Guarantor if each Loan Guarantor had paid the aggregate Guaranteed Obligations satisfied by such Guarantor Payment in the same proportion as such Loan Guarantor's "Allocable Amount" (as defined below) (as determined immediately prior to such Guarantor Payment) bore to the aggregate Allocable Amounts of each of the Loan Guarantors as determined immediately prior to the making of such Guarantor Payment, then, following indefeasible payment in full in cash of the Guarantor Payment and Payment in Full of the Guaranteed Obligations and the termination of this Agreement, such Loan Guarantor shall be entitled to receive contribution and indemnification payments from, and be reimbursed by, each other Loan Guarantor for the amount of such excess, pro rata based upon their respective Allocable Amounts in effect immediately prior to such Guarantor Payment.
(b) As of any date of determination, the "Allocable Amount" of any Loan Guarantor shall be equal to the excess of the fair saleable value of the property of such Loan Guarantor over the total liabilities of such Loan Guarantor (including the maximum amount reasonably expected to become due in respect of contingent liabilities, calculated, without duplication, assuming each other Loan Guarantor that is also liable for such contingent liability pays its ratable share thereof), giving effect to all payments made by other Loan Guarantors as of such date in a manner to maximize the amount of such contributions.
(c) This Section 10.11 is intended only to define the relative rights of the Loan Guarantors, and nothing set forth in this Section 10.11 is intended to or shall impair the obligations of the Loan Guarantors, jointly and severally, to pay any amounts as and when the same shall become due and payable in accordance with the terms of this Loan Guaranty.
(d) The parties hereto acknowledge that the rights of contribution and indemnification hereunder shall constitute assets of the Loan Guarantor or Loan Guarantors to which such contribution and indemnification is owing.
(e) The rights of the indemnifying Loan Guarantors against other Loan Guarantors under this Section 10.11 shall be exercisable upon Payment in Full of the Guaranteed Obligations and the termination of this Agreement.
SECTION 10.12 Liability Cumulative. The liability of each Loan Party as a Loan Guarantor under this Article X is in addition to and shall be cumulative with all liabilities of each Loan Party to the Administrative Agent, the Issuing Bank and the Lenders under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which such Loan Party is a party or in respect of any obligations or liabilities of the other Loan Parties, without any limitation as to amount, unless the instrument or agreement evidencing or creating such other liability specifically provides to the contrary.
SECTION 10.13 Keepwell.
Each Qualified ECP Guarantor hereby jointly and severally absolutely, unconditionally and irrevocably undertakes to provide such funds or other support as may be needed from time to time by each other
Loan Part
y to honor all of its obligations under this Guarantee in respect of a Swap Obligation (
provided,
however, that each Qualified ECP Guarantor shall only be liable under this Section 10.13 for the maximum amount of such liability that can be hereby incurred without rendering its obligations under this Section 10.13 or otherwise under this Loan Guaranty voidable under applicable law relating to fraudulent conveyance or fraudulent transfer, and not for any greater amount). Except as otherwise provided herein, the obligations of each Qualified ECP Guarantor under this Section 10.13 shall remain in full force and effect until the termination of all Swap Obligations. Each Qualified ECP Guarantor intends that this Section 10.13 constitute, and this Section 10.13 shall be deemed to constitute, a "keepwell, support, or other agreement" for the benefit of each other Loan Party for all purposes of Section 1a(18)(A)(v)(II) of the Commodity Exchange Act.
ARTICLE 11
The Borrower Representative.
SECTION 11.01 Appointment; Nature of Relationship.
The Company is hereby appointed by each of the Borrowers as its contractual representative (herein referred to as the "Borrower Representative") hereunder and under each other Loan Document, and each of the Borrowers irrevocably authorizes the Borrower Representative to act as the contractual representative of such Borrower with the rights and duties expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents. The Borrower Representative agrees to act as such contractual representative upon the express conditions contained in this Article XI. Additionally, the Borrowers hereby appoint the Borrower Representative as their agent to receive all of the proceeds of the Loans in the Funding Account, at which time the Borrower Representative shall promptly disburse such Loans to the appropriate Borrower(s), provided that, in the case of a Revolving Loan, such amount shall not exceed Availability. The Administrative Agent and the Lenders, and their respective officers, directors, agents or employees, shall not be liable to the Borrower Representative or any Borrower for any action taken or omitted to be taken by the Borrower Representative or the Borrowers pursuant to this Section 11.01.
SECTION 11.02 Powers. The Borrower Representative shall have and may exercise such powers under the Loan Documents as are specifically delegated to the Borrower Representative by the terms of each thereof, together with such powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. The Borrower Representative shall have no implied duties to the Borrowers, or any obligation to the Lenders to take any action thereunder except any action specifically provided by the Loan Documents to be taken by the Borrower Representative.
SECTION 11.03 Employment of Agents. The Borrower Representative may execute any of its duties as the Borrower Representative hereunder and under any other Loan Document by or through authorized officers.
SECTION 11.04 Notices. Each Borrower shall immediately notify the Borrower Representative of the occurrence of any Default or Event of Default hereunder referring to this Agreement describing such Default or Event of Default and stating that such notice is a "notice of default". In the event that the Borrower Representative receives such a notice, the Borrower Representative shall give prompt notice thereof to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders. Any notice provided to the Borrower Representative hereunder shall constitute notice to each Borrower on the date received by the Borrower Representative.
SECTION 11.05 Successor Borrower Representative. Upon the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, the Borrower Representative may resign at any time, such resignation to be effective upon the appointment of a successor Borrower Representative. The Administrative Agent shall give prompt written notice of such resignation to the Lenders.
SECTION 11.06 Execution of Loan Documents; Borrowing Base Certificate. The Borrowers hereby empower and authorize the Borrower Representative, on behalf of the Borrowers, to execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders the Loan Documents and all related agreements, certificates, documents, or instruments as shall be necessary or appropriate to effect the purposes of the Loan Documents, including, without limitation, the Borrowing Base Certificates and the Compliance Certificates. Each Borrower agrees that any action taken by the Borrower Representative or the Borrowers in accordance with the terms of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents, and the exercise by the Borrower Representative of its powers set forth therein or herein, together with such other powers that are reasonably incidental thereto, shall be binding upon all of the Borrowers.
SECTION 11.07 Reporting. Each Borrower hereby agrees that such Borrower shall furnish promptly after each fiscal month to the Borrower Representative a copy of its Borrowing Base Certificate and any other certificate or report required hereunder or requested by the Borrower Representative on which the Borrower Representative shall rely to prepare the Borrowing Base Certificates and Compliance Certificate required pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement.
(Signature Pages Follow)
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed and delivered by their respective authorized officers as of the day and year first above written.
| BORROWERS: |
| |
| CHARAH SOLUTIONS, INC., a Delaware corporation |
| |
| By: | | |
| Name: | |
| Title: | |
| CHARAH, LLC, a Kentucky limited liability company |
| |
| By: | | |
| Name: | |
| Title: | |
| SCB INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company |
| |
| By: | | |
| Name: | |
| Title: | |
| OTHER LOAN PARTIES: |
| |
| CHARAH MANAGEMENT, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company |
| |
| By: | | |
| Name: | |
| Title: | |
| CHARAH SOLE MEMBER, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company |
| |
| By: | | |
| Name: | |
| Title: | |
Signature Page to Credit Agreement
[Link-to-previous setting changed from on in original to off in modified.]
| ASH MANAGEMENT SERVICES, LLC, a Kentucky limited liability company
|
| |
| By:
| | |
| Name:
| |
| Title:
| |
| MERCURY CAPTURE BENEFICIATION, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company
|
| |
| By:
| | |
| Name:
| |
| Title:
| |
| MERCURY CAPTURE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company
|
| |
| By:
| | |
| Name:
| |
| Title:
| |
| NUTEK MICRO-GRINDING, LLC, a Connecticut limited liability company
|
| |
| By:
| | |
| Name:
| |
| Title:
| |
| SCB TRADING, LLC, a Connecticut limited liability company
|
| |
| By:
| | |
| Name:
| |
| Title:
| |
Signature Page to Credit Agreement
| ASH MANAGEMENT SERVICES, LLC, a Kentucky limited liability company |
| |
| By: | | |
| | |
| | |
| JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., individually and as Administrative Agent, Issuing Bank and Swingline Lender
|
| MERCURY CAPTURE BENEFICIATION, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company |
| |
| By: | | |
| Name: | |
| Title: | |
| MERCURY CAPTURE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company |
| |
| | | |
| | |
| | |
| NUTEK MICRO-GRINDING, LLC, a Connecticut limited liability company |
| |
| | | |
| | |
| | |
| SCB TRADING, LLC, a Connecticut limited liability company |
| |
| | | |
| | |
| | |
Signature Page to Credit Agreement
| Revolving Commitment
| Backstop LC
Commitment
| Commitment
|
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
| $30,000,000
| $5,000,000
| $35,000,000
|
Total
| $30,000,000
| $5,000,000
| $35,000,000
|
[Different first page link-to-previous setting changed from off in original to on in modified.]
Signature Page to Credit Agreement
ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION
This Assignment and Assumption (the "Assignment and Assumption") is dated as of the Effective Date set forth below and is entered into by and between [Insert name of Assignor] (the "Assignor") and [Insert name of Assignee] (the "Assignee"). Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement identified below (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the "Credit Agreement"), receipt of a copy of which is hereby acknowledged by the Assignee. The Standard Terms and Conditions set forth in Annex 1 attached hereto are hereby agreed to and incorporated herein by reference and made a part of this Assignment and Assumption as if set forth herein in full.
For an agreed consideration, the Assignor hereby irrevocably sells and assigns to the Assignee, and the Assignee hereby irrevocably purchases and assumes from the Assignor, subject to and in accordance with the Standard Terms and Conditions and the Credit Agreement, as of the Effective Date inserted by the Administrative Agent as contemplated below, (i) all of the Assignor's rights and obligations in its capacity as a Lender under the Credit Agreement and any other documents or instruments delivered pursuant thereto to the extent related to the amount and percentage interest identified below of all of such outstanding rights and obligations of the Assignor under the respective facilities identified below (including any letters of credit, guarantees and swingline loans included in such facilities) and (ii) to the extent permitted to be assigned under applicable law, all claims, suits, causes of action and other rights of the Assignor (in its capacity as a Lender) against any Person, whether known or unknown, arising under or in connection with the Credit Agreement, any other documents or instruments delivered pursuant thereto or the loan transactions governed thereby or in any way based on or related to any of the foregoing, including contract claims, tort claims, malpractice claims, statutory claims and all other claims at law or in equity related to the rights and obligations sold and assigned pursuant to clause (i) above (the rights and obligations sold and assigned pursuant to clauses (i) and (ii) above being referred to herein collectively as the "Assigned Interest"). Such sale and assignment is without recourse to the Assignor and, except as expressly provided in this Assignment and Assumption, without representation or warranty by the Assignor.
1.
| Assignor:
| ______________________________
| |
2. | Assignee: | ______________________________
| |
[and is an Affiliate/Approved Fund of [identify Lender]1
3.
| Borrowers: | ______________________________
| |
4. | Administrative Agent: | JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as the administrative agent under the Credit Agreement |
5. | Credit Agreement: | The Credit Agreement dated as of November 9, 2021 among Charah Solutions, Inc., a Delaware corporation, Charah, LLC, a Kentucky limited liability company, SBC International Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company], the other Loan Parties party thereto, the Lenders parties thereto, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, and the other agents parties thereto |
Facility Assigned2
| Aggregate Amount of
Commitment/Loans for
all Lenders
| Amount of
Commitment/Loans
Assigned
| Percentage Assigned of
Commitment/Loans3
|
| $
| $
| %
|
| $
| $
| %
|
| $
| $
| %
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Effective Date: _____________ ___, 20___ [TO BE INSERTED BY ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND WHICH SHALL BE THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF RECORDATION OF TRANSFER IN THE REGISTER THEREFOR.]
The Assignee agrees to deliver to the Administrative Agent a completed Administrative Questionnaire in which the Assignee designates one or more Credit Contacts to whom all syndicate-level information (which may contain material non-public information about the Company, the other Loan Parties and their Related Parties or their respective securities) will be made available and who may receive such information in accordance with the Assignee's compliance procedures and applicable laws, including Federal and state securities laws.
The terms set forth in this Assignment and Assumption are hereby agreed to:
| ASSIGNOR
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| [NAME OF ASSIGNOR]
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| By:
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| Name:
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| Title:
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| ASSIGNEE
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| [NAME OF ASSIGNEE]
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| By:
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| Name:
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| Title:
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2 Fill in the appropriate terminology for the types of facilities under the Credit Agreement that are being assigned under this Assignment (e.g. "Revolving Commitment," etc.)
3 Set forth, to at least 9 decimals, as a percentage of the Commitment/Loans of all Lenders thereunder.
| [Consented to and]4 Accepted:
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| JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as [individually and as Administrative Agent, Issuing Bank and Swingline Lender] | |
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| By: | |
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[Consented to:]5
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[NAME OF RELEVANT PARTY]
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By:
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Name:
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Title:
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4 To be added only if the consent of the Administrative Agent, Issuing Bank and/or Swingline Lender, as applicable, is required by the terms of the Credit Agreement.5 To be added only if the consent of the Borrower and/or other parties (e.g. Swingline Lender, Issuing Bank) is required by the terms of the Credit Agreement.
ANNEX 1
ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION
CREDIT AGREEMENT DATED AS OF NOVEMBER 9, 2021 AMONG CHARAH SOLUTIONS, INC CHARAH, LLC, SBC INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS, LLC, THE OTHER LOAN PARTIES PARTY THERETO, THE LENDERS PARTIES THERETO, JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, AND THE OTHER AGENTS PARTIES THERETOSTANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS FORASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION
1. Representations and Warranties.
1.1 Assignor. The Assignor (a) represents and warrants that (i) it is the legal and beneficial owner of the Assigned Interest, (ii) the Assigned Interest is free and clear of any lien, encumbrance or other adverse claim and (iii) it has full power and authority, and has taken all action necessary, to execute and deliver this Assignment and Assumption and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby; and (b) assumes no responsibility with respect to (i) any statements, warranties or representations made in or in connection with the Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document, (ii) the execution, legality, validity, enforceability, genuineness, sufficiency or value of the Loan Documents or any collateral thereunder, (iii) the financial condition of any Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates or any other Person obligated in respect of any Loan Document, (iv) any requirements under applicable law for the Assignee to become a lender under the Credit Agreement or to charge interest at the rate set forth therein from time to time, or (v) the performance or observance by any Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates or any other Person of any of their respective obligations under any Loan Document.
1.2. Assignee. The Assignee (a) represents and warrants that (i) it has full power and authority, and has taken all action necessary, to execute and deliver this Assignment and Assumption and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and to become a Lender under the Credit Agreement, (ii) it satisfies the requirements, if any, specified in the Credit Agreement and under applicable law that are required to be satisfied by it in order to acquire the Assigned Interest and become a Lender, (iii) from and after the Effective Date, it shall be bound by the provisions of the Credit Agreement and other Loan Documents as a Lender thereunder and, to the extent of the Assigned Interest, shall have the obligations of a Lender thereunder, (iv) it is sophisticated with respect to decisions to acquire assets of the type represented by the Assigned Interest and either it, or the Person exercising discretion in making its decision to acquire the Assigned Interest, is experienced in acquiring assets of this type, (v) it has received a copy of the Credit Agreement and of such Loan Documents as it has deemed appropriate, together with copies of the most recent financial statements delivered pursuant to Section 5.01 thereof, as applicable, and such other documents and information as it has deemed appropriate to make its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Assignment and Assumption and to purchase the Assigned Interest on the basis of which it has made such analysis and decision independently and without reliance on the Administrative Agent, the Assignor or any other Lender or any of their respective Related Parties, and (vi) attached to the Assignment and Assumption is any documentation required to be delivered by it pursuant to the terms of the Credit Agreement, duly completed and executed by the Assignee; and (b) agrees that (i) it will, independently and without reliance on the Administrative Agent, the Assignor or any other Lender or any of their respective Related Parties, and based on such documents and information as it shall deem appropriate at the time, continue to make its own credit decisions in taking or not taking action under the Loan Documents, and (ii) it will perform in accordance with their terms all of the obligations which by the terms of the Loan Documents are required to be performed by it as a Lender.
2. Payments. From and after the Effective Date, the Administrative Agent shall make all payments in respect of the Assigned Interest (including payments of principal, interest, fees and other amounts) to the Assignor for amounts which have accrued to but excluding the Effective Date and to the Assignee for amounts which have accrued from and after the Effective Date.
3. General Provisions. This Assignment and Assumption shall be binding upon, and inure to the benefit of, the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns. This Assignment and Assumption may be executed in any number of counterparts, which together shall constitute one instrument. Acceptance and adoption of the terms of this Assignment and Assumption by the Assignee and the Assignor by Electronic Signature or delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Assignment and Assumption by any Approved Electronic Platform shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Assignment and Assumption. This Assignment and Assumption shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the law of the State of New York.
BORROWING BASE CERTIFICATE
To: | The Lenders parties to the Credit Agreement Described Below |
This Compliance Certificate is furnished pursuant to that certain Credit Agreement dated as of November 9, 2021 (as amended, modified, renewed or extended from time to time, the "Agreement") among Charah Solutions, Inc., a Delaware corporation, Charah, LLC, a Kentucky limited liability company, SBC International Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the "Borrowers"), the other Loan Parties, the Lenders party thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent for the Lenders. Unless otherwise defined herein, capitalized terms used in this Compliance Certificate have the meanings ascribed thereto in the Agreement.
THE UNDERSIGNED HEREBY CERTIFIES, ON ITS BEHALF AND ON BEHALF OF THE BORROWERS, THAT:
1. I am the duly elected [__________] of the Borrower Representative;
2. I have reviewed the terms of the Agreement and I have made, or have caused to be made under my supervision, a detailed review of the transactions and conditions of the Company and its Subsidiaries during the accounting period covered by the attached financial statements [for quarterly [or monthly] financial statements add: and such financial statements present fairly in all material respects the financial condition and results of operations of the Borrowers and their consolidated Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP consistently applied, subject to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes];
3. The examinations described in paragraph 2 did not disclose, except as set forth below, and I have no knowledge of (i) the existence of any condition or event which constitutes a Default during or at the end of the accounting period covered by the attached financial statements or as of the date of this Certificate or (ii) any change in GAAP or in the application thereof that has occurred since the date of the audited financial statements referred to in Section 3.04 of the Agreement;
4. I hereby certify that no Loan Party has changed (i) its name, (ii) its chief executive office, (iii) principal place of business, (iv) the type of entity it is or (v) its state of incorporation or organization without having given the Administrative Agent the notice required by [Section 4.15 of the Security Agreement];
5. Schedule I attached hereto sets forth financial data and computations evidencing the Borrowers' compliance with certain covenants of the Agreement, all of which data and computations are true, complete and correct1; and
Described below are the exceptions, if any, to paragraph 3 by listing, in detail, the (i) nature of the condition or event, the period during which it has existed and the action which the Borrowers have taken, are taking, or propose to take with respect to each such condition or event or (ii) the change in GAAP or the application thereof and the effect of such change on the attached financial statements:
1 Schedule I must include detailed calculation tables for all components of the financial covenant calculations.
The foregoing certifications, together with the computations set forth in Schedule I and Schedule II hereto and the financial statements delivered with this Certificate in support hereof, are made and delivered this day of , .
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| as Borrower Representative
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| By:
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| Name:
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| Title:
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Compliance as of _________, ____ withProvisions of Section 6.13 of the Agreement
[Schedule I must include detailed calculation tables for all components of the financial covenant calculations.]
THIS JOINDER AGREEMENT (this "Agreement"), dated as of __________, ____, 20__, is entered into between ________________________________, a _________________ (the "New Subsidiary") and JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., in its capacity as administrative agent (the "Administrative Agent") under that certain Credit Agreement dated as of November 9, 2021 (as the same may be amended, modified, extended or restated from time to time, the "Credit Agreement") among Charah Solutions, Inc., a Delaware corporation, Charah, LLC, a Kentucky limited liability company, SBC International Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the "Borrowers"), the other Loan Parties party thereto, the Lenders party thereto and the Administrative Agent for the Lenders. All capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Credit Agreement.
The New Subsidiary and the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Lenders, hereby agree as follows:
1. The New Subsidiary hereby acknowledges, agrees and confirms that, by its execution of this Agreement, the New Subsidiary will be deemed to be a Loan Party under the Credit Agreement and a "Loan Guarantor" for all purposes of the Credit Agreement and shall have all of the obligations of a Loan Party and a Loan Guarantor thereunder as if it had executed the Credit Agreement. The New Subsidiary hereby ratifies, as of the date hereof, and agrees to be bound by, all of the terms, provisions and conditions contained in the Credit Agreement, including without limitation (a) all of the representations and warranties of the Loan Parties set forth in Article III of the Credit Agreement, (b) all of the covenants set forth in Articles V and VI of the Credit Agreement and (c) all of the guaranty obligations set forth in Article X of the Credit Agreement. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing terms of this paragraph 1, the New Subsidiary, subject to the limitations set forth in Sections 10.10 and 10.13 of the Credit Agreement, hereby guarantees, jointly and severally with the other Loan Guarantors, to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, as provided in Article X of the Credit Agreement, the prompt payment and performance of the Guaranteed Obligations in full when due (whether at stated maturity, as a mandatory prepayment, by acceleration or otherwise) strictly in accordance with the terms thereof and agrees that if any of the Guaranteed Obligations are not paid or performed in full when due (whether at stated maturity, as a mandatory prepayment, by acceleration or otherwise), the New Subsidiary will, jointly and severally together with the other Loan Guarantors, promptly pay and perform the same, without any demand or notice whatsoever, and that in the case of any extension of time of payment or renewal of any of the Guaranteed Obligations, the same will be promptly paid in full when due (whether at extended maturity, as a mandatory prepayment, by acceleration or otherwise) in accordance with the terms of such extension or renewal.
2. If required, the New Subsidiary is, simultaneously with the execution of this Agreement, executing and delivering such Collateral Documents (and such other documents and instruments) as requested by the Administrative Agent in accordance with the Credit Agreement.
3. The address of the New Subsidiary for purposes of Section 9.01 of the Credit Agreement is as follows:
4. The New Subsidiary hereby waives acceptance by the Administrative Agent and the Lenders of the guaranty by the New Subsidiary upon the execution of this Agreement by the New Subsidiary.
5. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which when so executed and delivered shall be an original, but all of which shall constitute one and the same instrument.
6. THIS AGREEMENT AND THE RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF THE PARTIES HEREUNDER SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the New Subsidiary has caused this Agreement to be duly executed by its authorized officer, and the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Lenders, has caused the same to be accepted by its authorized officer, as of the day and year first above written.
| [NEW SUBSIDIARY]
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| By:
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| Name:
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| Title:
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| Acknowledged and accepted:
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| JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., as Administrative Agent
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| By:
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| Name:
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| Title:
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U.S. TAX COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE(For Foreign Lenders That Are Not Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)
Reference is hereby made to the Credit Agreement dated as of November 9, 2021 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the "Credit Agreement") among Charah Solutions, Inc., a Delaware corporation, Charah, LLC, a Kentucky limited liability company, SBC International Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the "Borrowers"), the other Loan Parties party thereto, the Lenders party thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., in its capacity as Administrative Agent for the Lenders.
Pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.17 of the Credit Agreement, the undersigned hereby certifies that (i) it is the sole record and beneficial owner of the Loan(s) (as well as any promissory note(s) evidencing such Loan(s)) in respect of which it is providing this certificate, (ii) it is not a bank within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (iii) it is not a ten percent shareholder of any Borrower within the meaning of Section 871(h)(3)(B) of the Code and (iv) it is not a controlled foreign corporation related to any Borrower as described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code.
The undersigned has furnished the Administrative Agent and the Borrower Representative with a certificate of its non-U.S. Person status on IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable. By executing this certificate, the undersigned agrees that (1) if the information provided on this certificate changes, the undersigned shall promptly so inform the Borrower Representative and the Administrative Agent in writing, and (2) the undersigned shall have at all times furnished the Borrower Representative and the Administrative Agent with a properly completed and currently effective certificate in either the calendar year in which each payment is to be made to the undersigned, or in either of the two calendar years preceding such payments.
Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Credit Agreement and used herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement.
| [NAME OF LENDER]
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| By:
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| Name:
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| Date: | _____________, 20[____] | |
U.S. TAX COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE(For Foreign Participants That Are Not Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)
Reference is hereby made to the Credit Agreement dated as of November 9, 2021 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the "Credit Agreement") among Charah Solutions, Inc., a Delaware corporation, Charah, LLC, a Kentucky limited liability company, SBC International Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the "Borrowers"), the other Loan Parties party thereto, the Lenders party thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., in its capacity as Administrative Agent for the Lenders.
Pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.17 of the Credit Agreement, the undersigned hereby certifies that (i) it is the sole record and beneficial owner of the participation in respect of which it is providing this certificate, (ii) it is not a bank within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (iii) it is not a ten percent shareholder of any Borrower within the meaning of Section 871(h)(3)(B) of the Code, and (iv) it is not a controlled foreign corporation related to any Borrower as described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code.
The undersigned has furnished its participating Lender with a certificate of its non-U.S. Person status on IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable. By executing this certificate, the undersigned agrees that (1) if the information provided on this certificate changes, the undersigned shall promptly so inform such Lender in writing, and (2) the undersigned shall have at all times furnished such Lender with a properly completed and currently effective certificate in either the calendar year in which each payment is to be made to the undersigned, or in either of the two calendar years preceding such payments.
Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Credit Agreement and used herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement.
| [NAME OF PARTICIPANT]
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| By:
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| Name:
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| Date: | _____________, 20[____] | |
U.S. TAX COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE(For Foreign Participants That Are Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)
Reference is hereby made to the Credit Agreement dated as of November 9, 2021 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the "Credit Agreement") Charah Solutions, Inc., a Delaware corporation, Charah, LLC, a Kentucky limited liability company, SBC International Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the "Borrowers"), the other Loan Parties party thereto, the Lenders party thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., in its capacity as Administrative Agent for the Lenders.
Pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.17 of the Credit Agreement, the undersigned hereby certifies that (i) it is the sole record owner of the participation in respect of which it is providing this certificate, (ii) its direct or indirect partners/members are the sole beneficial owners of such participation, (iii) with respect such participation, neither the undersigned nor any of its direct or indirect partners/members is a bank extending credit pursuant to a loan agreement entered into in the ordinary course of its trade or business within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (iv) none of its direct or indirect partners/members is a ten percent shareholder of any Borrower within the meaning of Section 871(h)(3)(B) of the Code and (v) none of its direct or indirect partners/members is a controlled foreign corporation related to any Borrower as described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code.
The undersigned has furnished its participating Lender with IRS Form W-8IMY accompanied by one of the following forms from each of its partners/members that is claiming the portfolio interest exemption: (i) an IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable, or (ii) an IRS Form W-8IMY accompanied by a withholding statement together with an IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable, from each of such partner's/member's beneficial owners that is claiming the portfolio interest exemption. By executing this certificate, the undersigned agrees that (1) if the information provided on this certificate changes, the undersigned shall promptly so inform such Lender and (2) the undersigned shall have at all times furnished such Lender with a properly completed and currently effective certificate in either the calendar year in which each payment is to be made to the undersigned, or in either of the two calendar years preceding such payments.
Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Credit Agreement and used herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement.
| [NAME OF PARTICIPANT]
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| By:
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| Name:
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| Title:
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| Date: | _____________, 20[____] | |
U.S. TAX COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE
(For Foreign Lenders That Are Partnerships For U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)
Reference is hereby made to the Credit Agreement dated as of November 9, 2021 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the "Credit Agreement") among Charah Solutions, Inc., a Delaware corporation, Charah, LLC, a Kentucky limited liability company, SBC International Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the "Borrowers"), the other Loan Parties party thereto, the Lenders party thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., in its capacity as Administrative Agent for the Lenders.
Pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.17 of the Credit Agreement, the undersigned hereby certifies that (i) it is the sole record owner of the Loan(s) (as well as any promissory note(s) evidencing such Loan(s)) in respect of which it is providing this certificate, (ii) its direct or indirect partners/members are the sole beneficial owners of such Loan(s) (as well as any promissory note(s) evidencing such Loan(s)), (iii) with respect to the extension of credit pursuant to the Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document, neither the undersigned nor any of its direct or indirect partners/members is a bank extending credit pursuant to a loan agreement entered into in the ordinary course of its trade or business within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (iv) none of its direct or indirect partners/members is a ten percent shareholder of any Borrower within the meaning of Section 871(h)(3)(B) of the Code and (v) none of its direct or indirect partners/members is a controlled foreign corporation related to any Borrower as described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code.
The undersigned has furnished the Administrative Agent and the Borrower Representative with IRS Form W-8IMY accompanied by one of the following forms from each of its partners/members that is claiming the portfolio interest exemption: (i) an IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable, or (ii) an IRS Form W-8IMY accompanied by an IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable, from each of such partner's/member's beneficial owners that is claiming the portfolio interest exemption. By executing this certificate, the undersigned agrees that (1) if the information provided on this certificate changes, the undersigned shall promptly so inform the Borrower Representative and the Administrative Agent, and (2) the undersigned shall have at all times furnished the Borrower Representative and the Administrative Agent with a properly completed and currently effective certificate in either the calendar year in which each payment is to be made to the undersigned, or in either of the two calendar years preceding such payments.
Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Credit Agreement and used herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement.
| [NAME OF LENDER]
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| By:
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| Name:
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| Date: | _____________, 20[____] | |
[FORM OF] PRICING CERTIFICATE
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.,1300 East Ninth Street, 13th FloorAttention:[_____________________________]Facsimile No: [__________________________]
Reference is hereby made to the Credit Agreement dated as of November 9, 2021 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the "Credit Agreement"), among Charah Solutions, Inc., a Delaware corporation, Charah, LLC, a Kentucky limited liability company, SBC International Holdings, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the "Borrowers"), and each lender from time to time party thereto. Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Credit Agreement and used herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement. This Pricing Certificate (this "Certificate") is furnished pursuant Section 2.23(g) of the Credit Agreement.
THE UNDERSIGNED HEREBY CERTIFIES SOLELY IN [HIS/HER] CAPACITY AS [chief executive officer, chief operating officer, chief financial officer, treasurer, assistant treasurer, controller or senior vice president of finance] OF THE BORROWER REPRESENTATIVE AND NOT IN AN INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY (AND WITHOUT PERSONAL LIABILITY) THAT:
1. I am the duly elected [chief executive officer, chief operating officer, chief financial officer, treasurer, assistant treasurer, controller or senior vice president of finance] of the Borrower Representative, and I am authorized to deliver this Certificate on behalf of the Borrower Representative;
2. Attached as Annex A hereto is a true and correct copy of the KPI Metrics Report for the 20[__] calendar year; and
3. The Sustainability Commitment Fee Adjustment in respect of the 20[__] calendar year is [+][-][___]% per annum, and the Sustainability Rate Adjustment in respect of the 20[__] calendar year is [+][-][___]% per annum, in each case as computed as set forth on Annex B hereto.
The foregoing certifications are made and delivered this _____ day of __________, 20[__].
| Very truly yours,
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| CHARAH SOLUTIONS, INC.,
as the Borrower Representative
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| By:
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| Name:
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| Title:
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