EXHIBIT 10.1
As amended through February 23, 1999
MAXIMUS, INC.
1997 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
SECTION 1. PURPOSE
The purpose of the MAXIMUS, Inc. 1997 Equity Incentive Plan is to
attract and retain key employees and consultants of the Company and its
Affiliates, to provide an incentive for them to achieve long-range performance
goals, and to enable them to participate in the long-term growth of the Company.
SECTION 2. DEFINITIONS
"Affiliate" means any business entity that directly, or indirectly
through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by or is under
common control with the Company. For purposes hereof, "control" (and with
correlative meanings, the terms "controlled by" and "under common control with")
shall mean the possession of the power to direct or cause the direction of the
management and policies of the Company, whether through the ownership of voting
stock, by contract or otherwise. In the case of a corporation "control" shall
mean, among other things, the direct or indirect ownership of more than fifty
percent (50%) of its outstanding voting stock.
"Award" means any Option, Stock Appreciation Right, Performance Share,
Restricted Stock, Stock Unit or Other Stock-Based Award awarded under the Plan.
"Board" means the Board of Directors of the Company.
"Code" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to
time, and any successor to such Code.
"Committee" means a committee of not less than two members of the Board
appointed by the Board to administer the Plan, each of whom is a "Non-Employee
Director" within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 or any successor provision, as applicable to the Company at the time ("Rule
16b-3"); PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that until such committee is appointed, "Committee"
means the Board.
"Common Stock" or "Stock" means the common stock of the Company.
"Company" means MAXIMUS, Inc.
"Designated Beneficiary" means the beneficiary designated by a
Participant, in a manner determined by the Committee, to receive amounts due or
exercise rights of the Participant in the event of the Participant's death. In
the absence of an effective designation by a Participant, "Designated
Beneficiary" shall mean the Participant's estate.
"Effective Date" means January 31, 1997.
1
"Fair Market Value" means, with respect to Common Stock or any other
property, the fair market value of such property as determined by the Committee
in good faith or in the manner established by the Committee from time to time.
"Incentive Stock Option" means an option to purchase shares of Common
Stock awarded to a Participant under Section 6 that is intended to meet the
requirements of Section 422 of the Code or any successor provision.
"Nonstatutory Stock Option" means an option to purchase shares of
Common Stock awarded to a Participant under Section 6 that is not intended to be
an Incentive Stock Option.
"Option" means an Incentive Stock Option or a Nonstatutory Stock
Option.
"Other Stock-Based Award" means an Award, other than an Option, Stock
Appreciation Right, Performance Share, Restricted Stock or Stock Unit, having a
Common Stock element and awarded to a Participant under Section 11.
"Participant" means a person selected by the Committee to receive an
Award under the Plan.
"Performance Cycle" or "Cycle" means the period of time selected by the
Committee during which performance is measured for the purpose of determining
the extent to which an award of Performance Shares has been earned.
"Performance Shares" mean shares of Common Stock, which may be earned
by the achievement of performance goals, awarded to a Participant under Section
8.
"Reporting Person" means a person subject to Section 16 of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or any successor provision.
"Restricted Period" means the period of time during which an Award may
be forfeited to the Company pursuant to the terms and conditions of such Award.
"Restricted Stock" means shares of Common Stock subject to forfeiture
awarded to a Participant under Section 9.
"Stock Appreciation Right" or "SAR" means a right to receive any excess
in value of shares of Common Stock over the exercise price awarded to a
Participant under Section 7.
"Stock Unit" means an award of Common Stock or units that are valued in
whole or in part by reference to, or otherwise based on, the value of Common
Stock, awarded to a Participant under Section 10.
2
SECTION 3. ADMINISTRATION
The Plan shall be administered by the Committee. The Committee shall
have authority to adopt, alter and repeal such administrative rules, guidelines
and practices governing the operation of the Plan as it shall from time to time
consider advisable, and to interpret the provisions of the Plan. The Committee's
decisions shall be final and binding. To the extent permitted by applicable law,
the Committee may delegate to one or more executive officers of the Company the
power to make Awards to Participants who are not Reporting Persons and all
determinations under the Plan with respect thereto, provided that the Committee
shall fix the maximum amount of such Awards for all such Participants and a
maximum for any one Participant.
SECTION 4. ELIGIBILITY
All employees and, in the case of Awards other than Incentive Stock
Options, consultants of the Company or any Affiliate, capable of contributing
significantly to the successful performance of the Company, other than a person
who has irrevocably elected not to be eligible and other than members of the
Committee during their service as such and for such additional periods as are
required to ensure that they are "disinterested persons" under Rule 16b-3 with
respect to such service, are eligible to be Participants in the Plan. Incentive
Stock Options may be awarded only to persons eligible to receive such Options
under the Code.
SECTION 5. STOCK AVAILABLE FOR AWARDS
(a) Subject to adjustment under subsection (b), Awards may be made
under the Plan for up to 3,000,000 shares of Common Stock. If any Award in
respect of shares of Common Stock expires or is terminated unexercised or is
forfeited without the Participant having had the benefits of ownership (other
than voting rights), the shares subject to such Award, to the extent of such
expiration, termination or forfeiture, shall again be available for award under
the Plan. Common Stock issued through the assumption or substitution of
outstanding grants from an acquired company shall not reduce the shares
available for Awards under the Plan. Shares issued under the Plan may consist in
whole or in part of authorized but unissued shares or treasury shares.
(b) If the Committee determines that any stock dividend, extraordinary
cash dividend, creation of a class of equity securities, recapitalization,
reorganization, merger, consolidation, split-up, spin-off, combination, exchange
of shares, warrants or rights offering to purchase Common Stock at a price
substantially below fair market value, or other similar transaction affects the
Common Stock such that an adjustment is required in order to preserve the
benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under the Plan,
then the Committee (subject, in the case of Incentive Stock Options, to any
limitation required under the Code) shall equitably adjust any or all of (i) the
number and kind of shares in respect of which Awards may be made under the Plan,
(ii) the number and kind of shares subject to outstanding Awards, and (iii) the
award, exercise or conversion price with respect to any of the foregoing, and if
considered appropriate, the Committee may make provision for a cash payment with
respect to an outstanding Award, provided that the number of shares subject to
any Award shall always be a whole number.
3
SECTION 6. STOCK OPTIONS
(a) Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Committee may award
Incentive Stock Options and Nonstatutory Stock Options and determine the number
of shares to be covered by each Option, the option price therefor and the
conditions and limitations applicable to the exercise of the Option. The terms
and conditions of Incentive Stock Options shall be subject to and comply with
Section 422 of the Code or any successor provision and any regulations
thereunder, and no Incentive Stock Option may be granted hereunder more than ten
years after the Effective Date.
(b) The Committee shall establish the option price at the time each
Option is awarded, which price shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market
Value of the Common Stock on the date of award with respect to Incentive Stock
Options. Nonstatutory Stock Options may be granted at such prices as the
Committee may determine.
(c) Each Option shall be exercisable at such times and subject to such
terms and conditions as the Committee may specify in the applicable Award or
thereafter. The Committee may impose such conditions with respect to the
exercise of Options, including conditions relating to applicable federal or
state securities laws, as it considers necessary or advisable.
(d) No shares shall be delivered pursuant to any exercise of an Option
until payment in full of the option price therefor is received by the Company.
Such payment may be made in whole or in part in cash or, to the extent permitted
by the Committee at or after the award of the Option, by delivery of a note or
shares of Common Stock owned by the optionee, including Restricted Stock, or by
retaining shares otherwise issuable pursuant to the Option, in each case valued
at their Fair Market Value on the date of delivery or retention, or such other
lawful consideration as the Committee may determine.
(e) The Committee may provide that, subject to such conditions as it
considers appropriate, upon the delivery or retention of shares to the Company
in payment of an Option, the Participant automatically be awarded an Option for
up to the number of shares so delivered.
SECTION 7. STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS
(a) Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Committee may award SARs
in tandem with an Option (at or after the award of the Option), or alone and
unrelated to an Option. SARs in tandem with an Option shall terminate to the
extent that the related Option is exercised, and the related Option shall
terminate to the extent that the tandem SARs are exercised. SARs granted in
tandem with Options shall have an exercise price not less than the exercise
price of the related Option. SARs granted alone and unrelated to an Option may
be granted at such exercise prices as the Committee may determine.
(b) An SAR related to an Option, which SAR can only be exercised upon
or during limited periods following a change in control of the Company, may
entitle the Participant to receive an amount based upon the highest price paid
or offered for Common Stock in any transaction relating to the change in control
or paid during the thirty-day period immediately preceding the occurrence of the
change in control in any transaction reported in the stock market in which the
Common Stock is normally traded.
4
SECTION 8. PERFORMANCE SHARES
(a) Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Committee may award
Performance Shares and determine the number of such shares for each Performance
Cycle and the duration of each Performance Cycle. There may be more than one
Performance Cycle in existence at any one time, and the duration of Performance
Cycles may differ from each other. The payment value of Performance Shares shall
be equal to the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock on the date the
Performance Shares are earned or, in the discretion of the Committee, on the
date the Committee determines that the Performance Shares have been earned.
(b) The committee shall establish performance goals for each Cycle, for
the purpose of determining the extent to which Performance Shares awarded for
such Cycle are earned, on the basis of such criteria and to accomplish such
objectives as the Committee may from time to time select. During any Cycle, the
Committee may adjust the performance goals for such Cycle as it deems equitable
in recognition of unusual or non-recurring events affecting the Company, changes
in applicable tax laws or accounting principles, or such other factors as the
Committee may determine.
(c) As soon as practicable after the end of a Performance Cycle, the
Committee shall determine the number of Performance Shares that have been earned
on the basis of performance in relation to the established performance goals.
The payment values of earned Performance Shares shall be distributed to the
Participant or, if the Participant has died, to the Participant's Designated
Beneficiary, as soon as practicable thereafter. The Committee shall determine,
at or after the time of award, whether payment values will be settled in whole
or in part in cash or other property, including Common Stock or Awards.
SECTION 9. RESTRICTED STOCK
(a) Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Committee may award
shares of Restricted Stock and determine the duration of the Restricted Period
during which, and the conditions under which, the shares may be forfeited to the
Company and the other terms and conditions of such Awards. Shares of Restricted
Stock may be issued for no cash consideration or such minimum consideration as
may be required by applicable law.
(b) Shares of Restricted Stock may not be sold, assigned, transferred,
pledged or otherwise encumbered, except as permitted by the Committee, during
the Restricted Period. Shares of Restricted Stock shall be evidenced in such
manner as the Committee may determine. Any certificates issued in respect of
shares of Restricted Stock shall be registered in the name of the Participant
and unless otherwise determined by the Committee, deposited by the Participant,
together with a stock power endorsed in blank, with the Company. At the
expiration of the Restricted Period, the Company shall deliver such certificates
to the Participant or if the Participant has died, to the Participant's
Designated Beneficiary.
SECTION 10. STOCK UNITS
(a) Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Committee may award
Stock Units subject to such terms, restrictions, conditions, performance
criteria, vesting requirements and payment rules as the Committee shall
determine.
5
(b) Shares of Common Stock awarded in connection with a Stock Unit
Award shall be issued for no cash consideration or such minimum consideration as
may be required by applicable law.
SECTION 11. OTHER STOCK-BASED AWARDS
(a) Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Committee may make other
awards of Common Stock and other awards that are valued in whole or in part by
reference to, or are otherwise based on, Common Stock, including without
limitation convertible preferred stock, convertible debentures, exchangeable
securities and Common Stock awards or options. Other Stock-Based Awards may be
granted either alone or in tandem with other Awards granted under the Plan
and/or cash awards made outside of the Plan.
(b) The Committee may establish performance goals, which may be based
on performance goals related to book value, subsidiary performance or such other
criteria as the Committee may determine, Restricted Periods, Performance Cycles,
conversion prices, maturities and security, if any, for any Other Stock-Based
Award. Other Stock-Based Awards may be sold to Participants at the face value
thereof or any discount therefrom or awarded for no consideration or such
minimum consideration as may be required by applicable law.
SECTION 12. GENERAL PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO AWARDS
(a) LIMITATIONS ON TRANSFERABILITY. Options shall not be transferable
by the recipient other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution and
are exercisable during such person's lifetime only by such person or by such
person's guardian or legal representative; provided that the Committee may in
its discretion waive such restriction in any case.
(b) DOCUMENTATION. Each Award under the Plan shall be evidenced by a
writing delivered to the Participant specifying the terms and conditions thereof
and containing such other terms and conditions not inconsistent with the
provisions of the Plan as the Committee considers necessary or advisable to
achieve the purposes of the Plan or to comply with applicable tax and regulatory
laws and accounting principles.
(c) COMMITTEE DISCRETION. Each type of Award may be made alone, in
addition to or in relation to any other type of Award. The terms of each type of
Award need not be identical, and the Committee need not treat Participants
uniformly. Except as otherwise provided by the Plan or a particular Award, any
determination with respect to an Award may be made by the Committee at the time
of award or at any time thereafter.
(d) SETTLEMENT. The Committee shall determine whether Awards are
settled in whole or in part in cash, Common Stock, other securities of the
Company, Awards or other property. The Committee may permit a Participant to
defer all or any portion of a payment under the Plan, including the crediting of
interest on deferred amounts denominated in cash and dividend equivalents on
amounts denominated in Common Stock.
(e) DIVIDENDS AND CASH AWARDS. In the discretion of the Committee, any
Award under the Plan may provide the Participant with (i) dividends or dividend
equivalents payable
6
currently or deferred with or without interest, and (ii) cash payments in lieu
of or in addition to an Award.
(f) TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT. The Committee shall determine the effect
on an Award of the disability, death, retirement or other termination of
employment of a Participant and the extent to which, and the period during
which, the Participant's legal representative, guardian or Designated
Beneficiary may receive payment of an Award or exercise rights thereunder.
(g) CHANGE IN CONTROL. In order to preserve a Participant's rights
under an Award in the event of a change in control of the Company, the Committee
in its discretion may, at the time an Award is made or at any time thereafter,
take one or more of the following actions: (i) provide for the acceleration of
any time period relating to the exercise or realization of the Award, (ii)
provide for the purchase of the Award upon the Participant's request for an
amount of cash or other property that could have been received upon the exercise
or realization of the Award had the Award been currently exercisable or payable,
(iii) adjust the terms of the Award in a manner determined by the Committee to
reflect the change in control, (iv) cause the Award to be assumed, or new rights
substituted therefor, by another entity, or (v) make such other provision as the
Committee may consider equitable and in the best interests of the Company.
(h) LOANS. The Committee may authorize the making of loans or cash
payments to Participants in connection with any Award under the Plan, which
loans may be secured by any security, including Common Stock, underlying or
related to such Award (provided that such Loan shall not exceed the Fair Market
Value of the security subject to such Award), and which may be forgiven upon
such terms and conditions as the Committee may establish at the time of such
loan or at any time thereafter.
(i) WITHHOLDING TAXES. The Participant shall pay to the Company, or
make provision satisfactory to the Committee for payment of, any taxes required
by law to be withheld in respect of Options under the Plan no later than the
date of the event creating the tax liability. The Company and its Affiliates
may, to the extent permitted by law, deduct any such tax obligations from any
payment of any kind otherwise due to the Participant. In the Committee's
discretion, the Participant may pay any taxes due with respect to an Option in
whole or in part in shares of Common Stock, including shares retained from the
Option creating the tax obligation, valued at their Fair Market Value on the
date of retention or delivery.
(j) FOREIGN NATIONALS. Awards may be made to Participants who are
foreign nationals or employed outside the United States on such terms and
conditions different from those specified in the Plan as the Committee considers
necessary or advisable to achieve the purposes of the Plan or to comply with
applicable laws.
(k) AMENDMENT OF AWARD. The Committee may amend, modify or terminate
any outstanding Award, including substituting therefor another Award of the same
or a different type, changing the date of exercise or realization and converting
an Incentive Stock Option to a Nonstatutory Stock Option, provided that the
Participant's consent to such action shall be required unless the Committee
determines that the action, taking into account any related action, would not
materially and adversely affect the Participant.
7
SECTION 13. MISCELLANEOUS
(a) LIMITATION ON NUMBER OF SHARES GRANTED. Notwithstanding any other
provision of the Plan, the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock subject to
Options and SARs that may be granted within any fiscal year to any one Eligible
Person under the Plan shall not exceed that number of shares equal to 20% of the
total number of shares reserved for issuance under the Plan, except for grants
to new hires during the fiscal year of hiring which shall not exceed that number
of shares equal to 30% of the total number of shares reserved for issuance under
the Plan.
(b) NO RIGHT TO EMPLOYMENT. No person shall have any claim or right to
be granted an Award, and the grant of an Award shall not be construed as giving
a Participant the right to continued employment. The Company expressly reserves
the right at any time to dismiss a Participant free from any liability or claim
under the Plan, except as expressly provided in the applicable Award.
(c) NO RIGHTS AS STOCKHOLDER. Subject to the provisions of the
applicable Award, no Participant or Designated Beneficiary shall have any rights
as a stockholder with respect to any shares of Common Stock to be distributed
under the Plan until he or she becomes the holder thereof. A Participant to whom
Common Stock is awarded shall be considered the holder of the Stock at the time
of the Award except as otherwise provided in the applicable Award.
(d) EFFECTIVE DATE. Subject to the approval of the stockholders of the
Company, the Plan shall be effective on the Effective Date. Before such
approval, Awards may be made under the Plan expressly subject to such approval.
(e) AMENDMENT OF PLAN. The Board may amend, suspend or terminate the
Plan or any portion thereof at any time, subject to any stockholder approval
that the Board determines to be necessary or advisable.
(f) GOVERNING LAW. The provisions of the Plan shall be governed by and
interpreted in accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
1. ADOPTED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS ON JANUARY 31, 1997
2. APPROVED BY THE SHAREHOLDERS ON FEBRUARY 3, 1997
3. AMENDED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS ON AUGUST 26, 1998, AS APPROVED BY THE
SHAREHOLDERS ON FEBRUARY 23, 1999.
8